Former Miami Football Equipment Manager Speaks Out
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - A former football equipment manager for teh University of Miami's football team said the lengthy investigation by the NCAA has taken its toll.
Sean Allen, who was linked to former Hurricanes booster Nevin Shapiro, said he is eager for the prolonged NCAA inquiry into the school's compliance practices to end.
Allen, who worked at the university until August 2011, told The Associated Press on Saturday that he did not try to harm the university in any way. Shapiro told Yahoo Sports for a story published last year that he provided Allen with more than $200,000 over an eight-year span, money that primarily provided so-called "extra benefits" to Hurricane players and recruits.
Allen first spoke to CBSSports.com for a story published late Friday night.
"It's frustrating," Allen said in the AP interview. " People are going to think what they want of me and have their opinions. I just want it to be over. I want to be done with it.
"Let the NCAA do what it's going to do," Allen added. " Hopefully people walk away relatively unscathed."
The NCAA is expected to provide Miami with its notice of allegations later this year, with sanctions — which could be severe — being handed down sometime in early 2013. The compliance practices of Miami's athletic department have been under investigation by the NCAA for well over a year.
Allen was deposed by Shapiro's attorney, Maria Elena Perez, on Dec. 19 for 3½ hours in relation to bankruptcy proceedings involving the former booster and his firm, Capitol Investments USA. In that deposition, Allen fielded dozens of questions, some of them mundane like the dates of birth of his parents and his cell phone provider. Many others revolved around checks that Shapiro gave Allen over a span of many years.
Allen could not recall what many of the checks were specifically for, though he did detail nights he spent with Hurricane players and recruits, usually with Shapiro bankrolling the evening.
"You can blame me for committing violations," Allen told AP. "You can't say I maliciously tried to hurt the program or any individuals."
He also told CBSSports.com that he discussed recruiting with current Miami coach Al Golden and his staff. Allen has previously said that he brought current Louisville quarterback — and one-time Miami commit — Teddy Bridgewater to a restaurant where he knew Golden and members of the Hurricanes' staff were meeting sometime around December 2010, though in the AP interview, Allen said he has not alleged that any violations took place.
"I'll let people make their own inferences," Allen said. "I don't want to come out and bash Al Golden. The guy doesn't deserve that."
Allen said he decided to speak out in an effort to clear his name.
"I love Miami, regardless of what people think," Allen said.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
