Robert Griffin III (also known as RG3) has taken the NFL by storm, becoming the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Along with his football prowess, Griffin is reportedly a really nice guy too. With such credentials, who wouldn’t want to meet him? Well apparently quite a lot of people wanted to meet him this past Sunday as hundreds swarmed to a nearby mall in Copperas Cove (RGIII’s hometown) when news spread that the highly talked about quarterback was shopping at the Macy’s right in town. It came to everyone’s surprise however that the man was not in fact Robert Griffin the Third, but instead Robert Griffith the Third.
“Who?” you may ask. Well, so did everyone else at the shopping mall. Once fans learned the identity of Griffith, they became extremely disappointed. Some even yelled at Griffith for being himself and not someone famous.
Apparently, this isn’t the first time this has happened.
“I used to be able to walk around malls all the time giving out my name to random people and no one ever thought anything of it. But just last year everything changed. Whenever I told someone my name, they’d look at me like ‘Really? He can throw a football?’”
Griffin, a tall, lanky man in his thirties did say he had success as an athlete just not in football. “When I was twelve my friends encouraged me to try out football. There was this girl that I liked at the time that I was trying to impress, but my first throw hit her right in the face, and I never threw a ball again.”
Despite his lack of football talent, he’s actually a close representation of RG3, just less successful. Griffith’s parents gave birth to him while serving overseas in Australia before eventually settling in to Copperas Cove, TX, same as RG3. He attended Texas A&M majoring in Accounting. His initial intention was to be an accountant, but then he discovered his hidden chess ability and became a World-Class chess player. He was drafted to the Maryland Knights as the second overall pick in the NCL (National Chess League) draft. He became a successful chess player winning three King Bowls, and gracing covers of chess magazines everywhere. Coaches of his described his play as “scrappy,” and praised his ability to “think on his feet.”
His success came to an abrupt halt ten years ago after playing Tony Romeo for the King Bowl. As Romeo went to slide his bishop two spots diagonally, his ring-finger collided with his index finger causing the bishop to fly out of his hand directly into Griffith’s head giving him a concussion. Griffith’s concussion went away in a week, but the damage was done.
“My mental ability to play chess weakened and I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
Griffith returned to Texas A&M to finish out his degree, has had an accounting job for ten years, and now lives with his wife Jackie, and two kids Robert and Bob. Despite his injury and lack of football abilities, he’s gotten along pretty well.
“I couldn’t ask for a better life.”
Although he’s been mistaken for RGIII many times, maybe someday, RGIII will be mistaken for Robert Griffith the Third. Although probably not.
Chris Thomas is a freshman TVR major who’s personally a fan of Andrew Luke. Email him at cthomas5[at]ithaca[dot]edu