Fansided

Florida State looking into Jameis Winston’s claims about free crab legs

By Patrick Schmidt

January 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) against the Oregon Ducks in the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 1, 2015; Pasadena, CA, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) against the Oregon Ducks in the 2015 Rose Bowl college football game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Florida State officials are investigating the claim from Jameis Winston that his crab leg shoplifting citation was a Publix employee hooking him up with free food and he didn’t steal them.

Jameis Winston is in the news a lot, isn’t he?

The former Florida State quarterback, Heisman winner, national champion and presumptive No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft next week is in the news again for something that happened last year.

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Winston was being interviewed by Jim Harbaugh as part of ESPN’s Draft Academy on Tuesday night and said his highly publicized shoplifting incident last spring was not what it looked like. Winston claims the food he received from the Tallahassee Publix was a “hook-up” because he was a FSU football player and intimidated that it was the norm for other players too.

Florida State released the following statement, via CBSSports.com:

“We have become aware of statements made by Jameis Winston during a recent interview with Jim Harbaugh describing the circumstances of his alleged receipt of food from a local grocery store,” athletic director Stan Wilcox said Wednesday in an official statement.

“The details disclosed by Winston in that interview were not previously known to the University. As is the case with all matters of this type, we will work in partnership with the NCAA to determine whether a violation occurred.”

Winston was publicly ridiculed for the incident, apologized, served a suspension from the baseball team and was ordered to complete community service hours.

Meanwhile, he has had people come to his defense who believe he fell on the sword to keep his other teammates and university out of trouble, including ESPN college football broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit.

It’s not surprising to hear a high-profile football player from a national powerhouse in a football crazed community would receive a “hook-up” for who they are, but I think people are skeptical because it’s Winston and people don’t wanna believe anything he has to say.

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher addressed the issue during a teleconference on Wednesday and called it an isolated incident and Publix said they found no evidence to corroborate Winston’s claim.

So what do we have here?

Winston got hooked up with a free dinner because of who he is, he fell on the sword when he got pinched by a Publix employee who say one of his/her co-workers hooking up an FSU player and FSU officials are none the wiser and Publix isn’t aware because the guy who hooked Winston up isn’t admitting to something that would cost him his job.

At the end of the day, does it mean he is any better or worse of a quarterback?

Nope.

As for criticizing his character for taking something for free. Raise your hand if you turn down free food, especially if you’re a poor college student living off ramen noodles.

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