Devin Hester delinces to address University of Miami bombshell

Chicago Bears wide receiver Devin Hester(notes) has declined to talk about the stunning allegations of impermissible gifts that he received while playing at the University of Miami.

Nevin Shapiro, who is serving 20 years in a federal prison for his role in a series of fraud cases, alleges that he involved Hurricanes athletes in millions of dollars in illegal gifts during an eight-year period, and there is a long list of benefits he allegedly provided Hester.

Tuesday night, Hester claimed he didn’t know Shapiro, who is known as “Lil Luke.” Today, he worked to dodge the issue completely.

"Anything about Bears football I would love to talk about," Hester said.

Can he shut out external distractions?

"A lot," Hester replied. "I'm here to play Chicago Bears football. And that's what I'm doing."

Do distractions concern him?

"No," he said.

Has he talked to anyone from Miami about the allegations?

"Like I said, I'm prepared to talk Chicago Bears football," Hester said. "I'm willing to do whatever you want—if you want to talk about Bears, I'm all down for it. But other than that, no comment."

According to the stunning report by Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports, Hester received rims for an SUV he was driving, $3,000 for an engagement ring, cash bounties for performances in game, sports tickets and more.

Yahoo! has photos of Hester with Shapiro in its vast report. Shapiro claims Hester was a regular on his yacht and that Hester crashed one of his jet skis.

"Devin Hester was a really introverted kid," Shapiro said in the article. "Very quiet. (I) saw him sitting outside Larry Coker's office, where he was unsure if he was ever going to play a down of football at the University of Miami. (I) started off taking him for lunches, meeting him for dinner, coming to my house often. He stayed at my house a few times, but was in my house often. I bought him rims for his (Lincoln) Navigator, I believe it was. It was a truck.

"I was giving Devin cash. Three hundred here, $400 there, $200 there, $400 there. He was getting serious with an athlete at the University of Miami. Her name was Tamara James. We called her T.J. She played basketball. I bought him an engagement ring, which was a promise ring. I think it was about $3,000. He gave it to her, proposed at the Miami Heat playoff game seven against the Detroit Pistons, sitting up in about the 22nd to 25th row."

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

Who cares??

You don't think it's newsworthy that Hester is one of the central players involved in a major scandal involving a convicted felon, potential major ramifications for his university, and a booster that was buying both legal and illegal things for players?

rpb is wrong. Phil McCracken is useful.

RPB is right. You suck.

You don't think it's newsworthy that Hester is one of the central players involved in a major scandal involving a convicted felon, potential major ramifications for his university, and a booster that was buying both legal and illegal things for players?

Miami is toast. No more Miami football.

Our hotel smelled like dead hooker vagina (before you ask I had gotten a detailed description from beardown)

I doubt it. Just like the Derrick Rose stuff, the fact that they like Hester will cause them to ignore most of it.

I am not a legal expert, how many times do I have to say it?

You really don't pay much attention, do you?

While the death penalty is still around, and available, the NCAA will probably never use it again.

Miami will wind up in about as much trouble as USC and Ohio State.

Nothing to see here.

You don't think it's newsworthy that Hester is one of the central players involved in a major scandal involving a convicted felon, potential major ramifications for his university, and a booster that was buying both legal and illegal things for players?

I don't.

You don't think it's newsworthy that Hester is one of the central players involved in a major scandal involving a convicted felon, potential major ramifications for his university, and a booster that was buying both legal and illegal things for players?

I assumed Miami was dirty.

Any dominant team in either football or basketball I assume they are cheating.

I know its not ALL of em, but it sure seems like it

I want to hear about the crimes Hester committed. I don't care if an athlete breaks NCAA rules regarding gifts and payments.

Any dominant team in either football or basketball I assume they are cheating.

I know its not ALL of em, but it sure seems like it

According to a Wall Street Journal's article in June, only 14% of all schools elgible for bowls did not commit a major violation in any sport since 1959. So who hasn't committed any major violations?

" The bulk of these schools (13) are programs like Air Force, Alabama-Birmingham, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Florida Atlantic and Kent State that play in second-tier conferences where the pressure, the scrutiny, the level of recruiting and the expectations are smaller.

There are only four athletic programs from major conferences on the list. They are Boston College, Northwestern, Penn State and Stanford. "

I smell a bit....

Exactly.

We need to stay focus on Cubs baseball at least until the start of the official 2011 NFL season.

Miami is toast. No more Miami football.

Yes it is.

I doubt it. They rip him all the time for how bad he speaks. This will just cause more giggling for them.

No for the simple fact it would mess with TV money.

I think it's ridiculous!

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

There is not a damned thing wrong with people who are bull shitters.

There is not a damned thing wrong with people who are bull shitters.