Moss declines to talk about Galea

Redskins' receiver Santana Moss declined Wednesday to discuss whether he received treatment from Anthony Galea, the Canadian doctor, charged last week with smuggling and distributing human growth hormone.

"I already know you all gonna ask me or have a bunch of questions about the allegations last week. Right now where I stand, me and Coach Shanahan went over everything and where we're at," Moss said following the team's organized team activity (OTA) Wednesday afternoon. "We're very clear on our decision. So if you have any questions about them, you have to ask him about it."

Teammates, however, said Moss told them last week that he received treatments on three occasions from Galea but the receiver did not know if HGH was a part of those treatments.

Moss was available to reporters for the first time since his name first surfaced last week in news reports that linked the nine-year veteran with Galea. But Moss referred all questions about Galea to Washington Coach Mike Shanahan.

Shanahan said he met with Moss on Wednesday morning before practice.

"[We] went through a bunch of situations that have happened to him, and I feel really good about where he's at," Shanahan said. "And real good that -- I don't know if vindicated is the word, but I think when you find out all the facts, I think he'll be OK."

Defensive end Phillip Daniels said that Moss told some teammates last week that he was treated by Galea, but he told them he never knowingly took HGH.

"I hate that he's got to be the guy who gets labeled," Daniels said. "Who knows what happened with them coming across the border with stuff? Who knows who they're going to see? I hate that he's got to be the guy to get labeled. He's a guy who goes out and does everything he can to help this team win. So when Santana talked to us about that, I believe he was telling the truth."

According to one source, Galea's medical assistant was on her way to meet Moss in Washington last September, when she was arrested at the U.S.-Canada border on Sept. 14, 2009, with HGH, syringes and other medical equipment in her possession.

Shanahan could not say whether he anticipates a suspension coming from the league office and still hasn't spoken with NFL officials about the case. He expects the league to make more progress in its investigation in the next couple of weeks.

"I feel very good about where he's at, the direction that he took," Shanahan said.

It is not believed that Moss will face criminal charges, but the NFL is actively investigating whether its players received treatment or banned substances from Galea. If the league determines that Moss violated the league's drug policy, he could be subject to a four-game suspension.
Moss said the news reports aren't a distraction -- "I'm good; I'm just getting ready for the season" -- and says he's not losing sleep over a possible suspension.

"I ain't worrying about all that stuff," he said.

One day before his name became publicly linked to Galea's, Moss was evasive about the topic last week in a conversation with the Washington Post's Barry Svrluga. "Until they say it has something to do with me, then we can talk about it," he said.

Moss is recovering from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery and was able to participate in more of the team's practices this week. When the team returns to Redskins Park for its next set of OTAs next week, Shanahan expects Moss to be able to handle an increased workload.

Moss said he's not certain when he'll be 100 percent.

"I have to go along with all my rehab stuff. The signs pretty much show up once I go out there and go through a full practice," Moss said. "Right now we're not trying to do that. Right now were taking everything as slow as we can and doing the right thing when it comes to me being back. I'm not in a rush to do that. I am in a rush to being out there with those guys, but I'm not in a rush to do anything stupid with my knee."

Click here to order Santana Moss' proCane Rookie Card.



(washingtonpost.com)