Gurley: The Truth Is Out There (and in this article)

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DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. -- The man who paid Georgia running back Todd Gurley $400 for signing about 80 items in the passenger's seat of a 2002 Lexus earlier this year says he never intended to hurt Gurley or the Georgia football program.

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Because I never wanted to screw over Gurley. I never wanted to screw over their fans or anything like that. That was never my intention. I wish I had never even gone down there. It's not worth it."

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In March, Allen said Shane Smith -- a man he had met when he ran a small memorabilia store called Players in Rome, Georgia -- called and told him he needed to go to Athens for a signing, but they needed $400 to do it.

"He's like 'it's Gurley,' " Allen said. "So I said 'OK.' "

Smith only had $150, Allen said, so he put up the other $250. Allen said Smith negotiated the price.

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"I have this box of Georgia crap in my apartment -- I could give it all away," Allen said. "I wouldn't be able to make any money on this. I didn't care."

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"They're doing their thing and Shane starts taking pictures of the inside of my car. We're in my car. I have all the money [Allen said Smith told him to put the $400 in his pocket.] Why would he ask me to hold the money? He's done this many times. He's taking pictures of my car. Am I being set up on this? Honest to God, that's what was going through my head. There's no proof of [Smith] being there and [Gurley] could identify me."

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In mid-September, six months after the signing, Allen said he received a call from a blocked number. The individual didn't identify himself and asked Allen if he had done an autograph signing with Gurley.

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Two days later Allen said he received a call from a California area code. The person told Allen he had information of Allen's involvement with Gurley. This time, Allen said he told the truth.
"In my head I was thinking I shouldn't lie, what if it was someone that bought this piece?" Allen said. "They said they were investigating it. If you sell a counterfeit autograph, that's a felony, so I came clean with it. I told him I didn't want to talk about it and hung up."

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Allen said he emailed at least two media members with ties to the University of Florida. The subject line in Allen's email: "I have a story I want you to leak"

The email read in part:

"I have video of Todd Gurley doing a private autograph signing from last march. He has been paid thousands of dollars for his stuff over the last 18 months. I personally paid him for this signing on the video. I have bought and sold game used equipment from him.

"I want no compensation. Just want someone to leak this story that's deserving. If you have any interest, give me a call or email. I attached a photo of him in my car signing a mini helmet that I just sold last week on my eBay store.

"All I ask is some privacy until we can touch base. I live in Georgia and would (be) crucified if my name was released."

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Allen also emailed Spencer Hall, a reporter at SB Nation, and another reporter who he thought covered Florida. That email was later forwarded to other media members. Allen said he eventually contacted the website Deadspin.

Multiple times during his interview with ESPN and SI, Allen said he was not vindictive and never sought compensation [he was not compensated for this interview]. However, in emails to Deadspin on Oct. 2, Allen wrote:

"They (Sports Illustrated) aren't going to compensate me so it doesn't make sense to release it and accept that backlash. Some sort of compensation does though."

In another email to Deadspin, Allen wrote:

"Again, not trying to get rich. I spent a few grand on the signing and Gurley has since kind of screwed me by doing this with about 30 other guys. The stuff has lost a ton of its value. Just wanna recoup some of my money."

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"Within 30 minutes [Georgia compliance director] Jim Booz called," Allen said. "It was a panic. 'What do you know? What happened?' "

On Oct. 7, Booz emailed Allen, providing him with Georgia's compliance website login and password so Allen could upload the video. After Georgia officials saw the video, Mike Glazier, a high-profile attorney who specializes in representing universities facing NCAA penalties, contacted Allen. He wanted to know who was in the driver's seat in the video and where he could be located.

Allen told Glazier it was "Shane." He claimed Georgia compliance official uttered the name "Shane Smith?"

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"I want everyone to know that I did not try to make money. Last thing I want is to be in the public eye. I can't go find a job right here. Perception of me is I was an autograph dealer that got wronged and I turned my back on one of the players and screwed him over. That's not what happened. That's not what I did.

"I'm not some secret Florida fan that is trying to sabotage Georgia's football program. I made the mistake of going down there."

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