In Coral Gables, Fla., and around college football, the tremors of a Yahoo! Sports report detailing specific and far-reaching allegations about the Miami Hurricanes are being felt. On Wednesday Redskins players who went to the school brushed off the topic.
Linebacker Rocky McIntosh was the only player named in the report as receiving illegal benefits from booster Nevin Shapiro. According to Yahoo! Sports, McIntosh received drinks and VIP access to nightclubs, “entertainment” on Shapiro’s yacht and $500 in bounties for positive plays in a game against Virginia Tech.
McIntosh said Wednesday at Redskins Park that “I’m focused on Indy right now,” referring to Friday night’s preseason game against the Colts.
The report also alleges that Shapiro bought late safety Sean Taylor diamond-studded dog tags worth $26,000. Other benefits Shapiro allegedly gave Taylor include $3,000 in bounties for on-field accomplishments.
Leonard Hankerson, Santana Moss and Phillip Buchanon are the other current Redskins players who went to Miami, though none of them were part of the allegations. Buchanon declined comment altogether, citing his four-game suspension, while Moss and Hankerson both took the same approach as McIntosh.
“Man, I don’t know nothing about that,” Moss said. “I can talk about the team, this week.”
Moss was asked if anything like what was reported happened during his time at Miami and said, “no comment.”
Hankerson, who Tuesday night wrote on Twitter: “Dang man, whats goin on down there in Miami???? I’m surprised I’m hearing things about #TheU” was similarly tight-lipped.
“Nothing about nothing. I don’t know nothing,” Hankerson said. When asked if he ever saw Shapiro around, he responded with “never.”
Despite the allegations, Hankerson insisted he wouldn’t feel any embarrassment about being a Miami player.
“Man, I’m always going to feel the same,” he said. “I don’t regret being there or nothing. I mean, stuff happens, and I guess stuff happened there, so can’t do anything about it now.”
• Stephen Whyno can be reached at swhyno@washingtontimes.com.
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