Reality check

Shop owner says McPherson sought damage control too late

Not long after a blank check was discovered missing from his office, the owner of a Tallahassee truck accessories shop suspected Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson might be linked to its disappearance.

Dale Acosta said Wednesday that he called McPherson the night of Nov. 18, several hours after the FSU sophomore came by his 3,000-square foot showroom to check on specialty tire rims for his truck. In that conversation McPherson denied any involvement, but the owner's suspicions heightened after McPherson inquired about the check in several subsequent calls to the shop during the week.

Finally, Acosta said, last Friday McPherson admitted to having stolen the check. According to Acosta, McPherson told him this in a phone call from Raleigh, N.C., where the Seminoles were to play North Carolina State the next day. The game was to determine the Atlantic Coast Conference title and a berth in the lucrative Bowl Championship Series.

McPherson has claimed the Florida State coaching staff -- including head coach Bobby Bowden -- knew of his involvement in the check episode when they allowed him to start the game. Acosta acknowledged that he himself confirmed the player's role to assistant coach Odell Haggins last Friday.

"He basically asked me if in fact it was true,'' Acosta said of the call from Haggins. "[McPherson] had already admitted to him what had happened.''

After a series of meetings over the weekend in Tallahassee, McPherson was suspended by Florida State officials on Monday. McPherson was charged Wednesday with misdemeanor theft for stealing the check from R&R Truck Accessories and felony grand theft for receiving stolen goods after the check was cashed.

Acosta was himself apologetic Wednesday, saying how unfortunate it is that the situation has cast a negative light on Florida State, Tallahassee and his shop.

When McPherson telephoned Acosta last Friday, Acosta said the player acknowledged his predicament and sought his help. But Acosta had already reported the theft to the bank, where the check was cashed shortly after McPherson's Nov. 18 visit to the customizing shop. He had also reported the theft to police.

"When [McPherson] called from North Carolina, he asked me what I could do to help him out,'' Acosta said. "I told him he would need to go talk to somebody other than me, because there was nothing else I could do. It was out of my hands. The bank was not open. The police were not open. I told him to consult or call his father or parents, or consult somebody on the team that is coach or that he could trust. That is what he did.''

McPherson had been a regular around the shop, showing up as often as two or three times a week, Acosta recalled.

The player came into the shop by himself the afternoon the company check was stolen, according to Acosta, who said McPherson later told him the other suspect, Melvin Capers, was a former high school teammate in Bradenton. Capers told police that McPherson said he'd received the check from an FSU booster, and asked Capers to cash it so McPherson's name wouldn't appear on it.

Brian and Reagan Hobbs, the sons of influential FSU booster Ronald Hobbs, are financial investors in the truck accessories business Acosta purchased two years ago, but Acosta said it is ridiculous for anyone to draw a link.

"I can assure you it is not close to that,'' Acosta said. "The only thing that happened here is [McPherson] stole a check.''

Neither Brian or Reagan Hobbs could be reached to comment on the story.

Acosta said the blank check was cashed for $3,500 within an hour-and-a-half of McPherson walking out of his business.

"It's funny how he called a few times during the week,'' Acosta recalled. "Basically, he would initiate the conversation by asking about a part for his truck and then he'd ask, 'What is gonna happen to that dude?' I guess it was bothering him all week.''

Mike Fish is a senior writer for CNNSI.com.

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