Flat-out denial

Stunned by charges, McPherson says 'I never bet'

Late Tuesday afternoon, when Adrian McPherson picked up the phone at his family’s home in Bradenton, Fla., he claimed to be stunned by the bad news. Nobody had tipped him off that a warrant for his arrest had been filed earlier in the day -- this one a misdemeanor count of gambling.

McPherson vehemently denied ever placing a bet, other than at a local dog track, though a three-month investigation by law enforcement in Tallahassee concluded that the Florida State quarterback bet on Seminole football games this past season. He also denied knowing Dereck Delach, whom authorities allege was a campus bookie.

Delach and football team student equipment manager Jeffrey Inderhees each were charged with one felony count of bookmaking. Authorities said their investigation concluded with no other arrests.

"I never bet on any games," McPherson argued. "I’m charged, but they’re just going off what they think, I guess. This is something we’ll have to decide in court.

Adrian McPherson Timeline Nov. 25, 2002 McPherson booted from FSU amid blank-check investigation Nov. 26, 2002 Fish: Bowden bucks trend as laissez-faire disciplinarian Nov. 27, 2002 McPherson turns himself in to Tallahassee police Nov. 27, 2002 Fish: Shop owner says McPherson sought damage control too late Dec. 19, 2002 McPherson at center of gambling probe into Florida State Dec. 20, 2002 McPherson to ask NCAA to investigate Florida State Jan. 14, 2003 Troubled Ex-FSU QB enrolls at Murray State Jan. 24, 2003 Fish: This quarterback's tale just gets curiouser and curiouser Jan. 30, 2003 Two more charges filed against McPherson Feb. 5, 2003 Moving on, again: McPherson drops out of D-II Murray State Feb. 13, 2003 Fish: Even more bad check charges filed against ex-FSU quarterback March 4, 2003 McPherson charged with betting on Florida State games March 4, 2003 Fish: McPherson flat-out denies gambling on Seminole games March 5, 2003 Attorney: McPherson will plead innocent to gambling charges March 6, 2003 Prosecutors: McPherson could be charged with additional crimes April 4, 2003 Fish: How much did FSU know about McPherson's gambling? April 10, 2003 Attorney: McPherson was Seminoles' 'scapegoat' June 3, 2003 Fish: Trial could be dicey for FSU coaches June 4, 2003 Trial opens, friend testifies McPherson bet on FSU June 4, 2003 Fish: McPherson's ex-friends could have final word June 5, 2003 Bowden's testimony prompts failed request for mistrial June 5, 2003 Fish: Bowden testimony highlights second day of trial June 6, 2003 Judge declares mistrial in McPherson gambling case

"I didn’t do it, so I want them to show me where I’ve been betting. I never even knew this guy, Dereck. So show me who I bet with, whoever he is."

As for Inderhees, McPherson said: "I go to practice with this guy. I didn’t hang out with the guy, so I don’t know what he’s doing."

McPherson’s attorney, Grady Irvin, could not be reached for comment.

Irvin recently expressed concern that his client might be charged in the gambling probe, and McPherson acknowledged Tuesday that his attorney had quizzed him on his relationships with the other suspects. Delach, a former FSU student, left Tallahassee and returned to his hometown of Verona, Pa., shortly after authorities executed a search warrant on Dec. 11 and seized his laptop computer.

According to the probable-cause affidavit, Delach had eight or nine regular customers and kept track of them on a laptop computer. FSU police chief Carey Drayton said McPherson was linked to information obtained from an analysis of the computer.

Law enforcement officials in Tallahassee described the gambling charge as the final shoe dropping in their investigation, which began in November after the Florida State QB was dismissed from the team and charged with three felonies in connection with the theft of a $3,500 check from an auto accessories shop. He subsequently was charged with another felony for writing worthless checks cashed at a Tallahassee grocery store last August.

Drayton said authorities believe McPherson used the money he is accused of receiving from the forged check to pay off gambling debts. Drayton said he wagered "significant" amounts, though investigators still haven’t determined an exact sum. Nor could he say how much McPherson allegedly bet on FSU games, where authorities say he bet only on the 'Noles to win.

But he wasn’t surprised by McPherson’s denials, saying: "That is his opinion, and he is entitled to it. I would just say that the probable-cause [affidavit] has information to the contrary."

McPherson sounded weary and frustrated by the ongoing ordeal, saying he wanted the mess straightened out so he could get on with his college athletic career. He enrolled briefly at Murray State after his dismissal from FSU, but recently he’s been taking courses at a community college in Bradenton.

He refused to comment on the alleged stolen check. As for the five bad checks he was charged with (authorities told SI.com there were an additional 32 that parties didn’t file complaints on), McPherson wrote them off as careless mistakes.

"This has all been pretty crazy," McPherson said. "Playing sports I love to play and it just being taken away from me. While they’re deciding what they're going to do, I’m training daily. Lifting weights, running. So whenever I get a chance to go back, if I get a chance to go back, I’ll be ready."

McPherson set out for Florida State three years ago as a hugely heralded talent, the only Florida schoolboy ever chosen Mr. Basketball and Mr. Football in the same year. He played sparingly as a true freshman and then this fall took the job from Chris Rix midway through what proved a disappointing season for FSU.

Now he has no ties to a college program. He's far removed from his FSU teammates and friends as they prepare for another season. And daily he’s left to watch the pain on the faces of his parents.

"Seeing my parents go through what they are going through has been real tough for me, 'cause they've been there for me," he said. "All they want me to do is succeed. For something like this to come up -- [authorities] keep coming up with new things -- it has been hard on them. I've grown as a person and it's definitely motivated me when I get a second chance to go about things in different manner. And also to know who I can and can’t deal with."

Maybe it's wishful thinking in light of his legal issues, but McPherson fancies the day when he’ll again be a major-college athlete.

"Nobody is going to take me right now with this over my head," he says. "So I got to first get this behind me."

Mike Fish is a senior writer for SI.com.

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