LA Times: California's Robertson only looks intimidating; he may even endear himself to UCLA opponents.

BERKELEY — Courses of action to be considered if ever approached by Erik Robertson in a dark alley:

•  Run. Like a scalded dog. Don't look behind you. Try not to think of those dreams where you can't move your legs.

•  Call the police. Tell them there is an oncoming man, about 6 feet 2 and 315 pounds, who looks like a cross between Andre the Giant and Ozzy Osbourne.

•  Give him all your money. Hope he just wants to eat a turkey leg and not you.  Robertson, senior offensive guard for the California football team that plays host to UCLA at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, has always had a way with strangers.  He terrifies them.  "Even when I was in high school, and had a nice, clean-cut haircut, I still had that effect on people," Robertson, the Apple Valley High school graduate, said last week before practice at Cal's Memorial Stadium. "I was still like a big, kind of scary-looking guy."  Robertson has since dyed his hair black, grown out his goatee and embarked on a mission to tattoo every inch of his body. "I'm not even close to done," he said. "I've got so many planned."  Robertson took advantage of Cal's off week, in fact, by getting some of his tattoos "touched up."  He is Cal's "Illustrated (Line) Man," a heavy dude who is into heavy music. His favorite band is Killswitch Engage, described by Wikipedia as being influenced by the "melodic death metal" scene. Robertson plays bass guitar, as if anyone was going to stop him.  Robertson has Killswitch lyrics etched on his tattoo-saturated left arm: "When darkness falls we are reborn."

Here are some other things you should know about Robertson:

He has never, according to his coaches, been late for a team meeting.

He is majoring in Scandinavian studies.

He has never, he says, been involved in a fight.  "You get the guy, or the girl, who's really kind of intimidated, afraid to talk to you, or someone who wants to challenge you," he said. "I just come up and introduce myself and all of a sudden there's nothing to think, it's all out in the open."  Robertson is smart, quick-witted, even-tempered and the bruised-up leader of Cal's banged-up offensive line. "An imposing figure," Cal Coach Jeff Tedford said of Robertson. "He looks like somebody you'd deem a tough guy, a hard guy to talk to. But he's the best guy to talk to."  Robertson is so outgoing he has made friends with his opponents — during games.

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