David Dalati has been a sports reporter in several forms of media for 30 years. Dalati has won several awards over the years for breaking sports content as well as special feature stories, including an award for his coverage of the 1986 Astros Western Division Championship.
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Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson dodged some questions with the same nimbleness he shows on the football field. When he chose to answer inquiries Wednesday about the University of Miami scandal, he downplayed its magnitude.
Johnson is among the dozens of Hurricanes players past and present who are accused of accepting special benefits at Miami. Former booster Nevin Shapiro told Yahoo! that he repeatedly broke NCAA rules over the course of eight years, including Johnson's time with the Hurricanes from 2000-02.
According to Shapiro, Johnson received access to nightclubs where Shapiro paid for VIP treatment and drinks. Those allegations pale in comparison to the other rules Shapiro claims were broken. According to the story, the illicit activities ranged from providing prostitutes to players to, in one instance, even paying for an abortion after a player had impregnated a dancer at a club.
Shapiro is in federal prison for his role in a $930 million Ponzi scheme.
"The guy's in trouble, and he's trying to take everybody down with him," Johnson said. "I'm really not worried about it."
Asked whether Shapiro's allegations about Johnson are true, the receiver seemed to have multiple answers: "I really don't know about everybody else. I can only speak for myself."
Pressed further about specifically getting VIP treatment and drinks at clubs, Johnson responded: "Really? I wasn't in the clubs too much when I was in college. I don't know about that."
Johnson said he is disturbed by the accusation.
"You kinda get upset about it," he said. "At the same time, you really can't control what anyone else says. He knows and I know what really happened. It's over, it's done with, and the NCAA is handling it and we'll just move on."
Johnson said has not been contacted by anyone associated with the NCAA or the Hurricanes program.
Texans linebacker Darryl Sharpton is also among the players whom Shapiro said accepted gifts.
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