Denver Post Editor Salutes FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher Amid Jameis Winston Controversy

Florida State University and its head coach, Jimbo Fisher, have been criticized in many quarters for overlooking off-the-field misdeeds by its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Jameis Winston, in a bid to win another national championship. But over the weekend, when FSU bested Notre Dame in one of the most watched college...

By Michael Roberts

October 20, 2014

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Florida State University and its head coach, Jimbo Fisher, have been criticized in many quarters for overlooking off-the-field misdeeds by its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Jameis Winston, in a bid to win another national championship. But over the weekend, when FSU bested Notre Dame in one of the most watched college football games of the year, Fisher received support from an unusual source: Denver Post editor Greg Moore. Details below.

No one questions Winston's gridiron talent. But he's gotten into loads o' trouble over a span of years, with few or no repercussions from the university where he balls. Even his extremely sympathetic Wiki page makes note of a December 2012 sexual assault complaint, his reported decision to bring a BB gun onto campus to shoot squirrels that same year, a citation for shoplifting crab legs earlier this year, negative fallout from him shouting "Fuck her right in the pussy" while standing on a table at the FSU student union last month and, most recently, his insistence that he took no money for autographing more than 2,000 items.

This last claim strains credulity, but Fisher has energetically defended Winston, saying he's seen no evidence that the quarterback got paid -- something that would violate current, albeit stupid, NCAA policy and would almost certainly lead to Winston's suspension.

Georgia sat its star running back, Todd Gurley, for allegedly autographing for cash despite the possibility of the team being hurt as a result. In contrast, FSU and Fisher have dug in their heels. But apparently wins like the one over Notre Dame this weekend trump other considerations.

As for the Post's Moore, he is an energetic Twitter presence, but most of his tweets are non-controversial. His most recent one reads:

'Great interview. Nightcrawler' actress Rene Russo is a reluctant star http://t.co/pkuLwFoacl
— Gregory Moore (@gregmooreDP) October 19, 2014

That's why it was surprising when, on Saturday, he shared the following:

I really hope Jimbo Fisher is rewarded for his confidence in Jamis Winston. Great coach and loyal.
— Gregory Moore (@gregmooreDP) October 19, 2014

This morning, we reached out to Moore via e-mail to get more information about why he feels Fisher is worthy of such praise.

After first tweaking us for "policing tweets," Moore replied, "I simply meant I hope Winston is telling his coach the truth about the autographs because Fisher is laying it on the line for him."

That's one way of looking at it....

Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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