AUBURN, Alabama -- Selena Roberts sparked an uproar Wednesday with a report alleging Auburn's football program committed NCAA violations under Gene Chizik's watch.

Roberts, in advance of several scheduled radio interviews Thursday, spoke with AL.com about her story, and defended multiple denials including those from people quoted in her original report.

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Former Auburn safety Mike McNeil, who is scheduled for trial next week on charges of armed robbery, accuses the football program of multiple NCAA violations including academic fraud, recruiting violations and cash payments to players in the Roopstigo.com report.

Former Auburn players Neiko Thorpe and Mike Blanc were quoted in the story but later said Wednesday their quotes were either taken out of context or flat-out wrong.

Roberts is a former senior writer for the New York Times and Sports Illustrated, and is most recognized for her news-breaking work in 2009 on Alex Rodriguez's steroid use and her coverage of the Duke lacrosse team's sexual assault scandal in 2006.

Roberts, an Auburn graduate, talked about her story on the AU football program, the allegations and subsequent denials by key figures, with AL.com Wednesday night. A transcript of the eight-minute conversation is below.

AL.com: Mike Blanc is now denying some of the things he said to you. What's your take on that?

Roberts: Well, I think I mentioned this to you before in an email. It takes a lot of courage to speak the truth and to go out and have some conviction about, you know, a subject that would be very popular, obviously. A subject that, let's face it, at Auburn, draws a lot of backlash. I think it's unfortunate that he's taking that stance, but given the pressure he's under I can see how it happens.

AL.com: Do you think he changed his story after this story got so big today?

Roberts: I think any time athletes talk and have interviews, I think they're used to, maybe a smaller market or something like that, I don't know. I don't know why he would change his stance, to be honest with you. I don't know what goes on in his head.

AL.com: Neiko Thorpe says he was misquoted in the story.

Roopstigo.com's report alleges former Auburn players were paid money and unfairly targeted by police while on campus. (Screenshot/Roopstigo.com)

Roberts: Like I said, I think it's very difficult to take a strong stance and to tell the truth and then to have to deal with the consequences in a place where I think the story even shows that there is a great deal of pressure to keep what's in-house, in-house. I think the entire sort of umbrella of the story explains just what's at risk for people who step outside the bounds. In some ways, it almost dovetails with the story that they may not know exactly what's going on. They may feel that kind of pressure to then alter what they said to me.

AL.com: Did you have any difficulties getting players to talk to you about the allegations?

Roberts: It wasn't that difficult. I thought the one thing I was disheartened by with Mike Blanc and Neiko was that they were willing to put their name to what they said. I did talk to other players who were not comfortable with putting their name on it and told me some information on background. So, in some sense, when they were willing to say what they said and put their name on it, I think that showed a lot of courage and I think now in the aftermath of it you can see why it does take a lot of courage to stand up for what you believe is right and say things you believe are absolutely, 100 percent true.

AL.com: Auburn police chief Tommy Dawson says you never contacted him before publishing the story.

Roberts: Oh, yeah, right. Why doesn't he bother to check with Captain (Tom) Stofer about contacting the Auburn police department about discussion about the matter. He should talk to Captain Stofer, who I said to several times I have some serious questions about the conduct of the police involving the Mike McNeil case. I was referred to the DA.

AL.com: So you reached out to Captain Stofer?

Roberts: Yes. So, the police chief has absolutely no right to say no one contacted them when his director of media was contacted, absolutely, and asked to have this entire case be brought to them with questions.

I think that shows absolute arrogance on the police chief's part.

AL.com: Did you think you would get this kind of backlash when you published the story?

Roberts: I've been in this business for 25 years. I've dealt with some pretty important stories along the way, so I get it. I understand that when you write a story that is considered to be a bit of an outlier that it's against the grain and doesn't sort of sit in with the events of the day, I get, especially in the Internet world with Twitter and social media, there's an instantaneous response. And you're going to have people whose response is terrific, it's great, blah, blah, blah. You're also going to have people who say they have nothing good to say. They have nothing to say. So, there are two sides of the spectrum and that's just to be expected these days.

AL.com: Take me through the genesis of the story. How did you approach it, especially with the Mike McNeil court date approaching?

Roberts: I remember this story when it came out a couple years ago and I remember the original release. I remember that one hand gun in the original release. I don't think it's a secret that I went to Auburn. I think that most people understand that I did go there, so I take an interest in what goes on. I remember the release and I remember one hand gun and then I remember the Antonio Goodwin trial. I was thinking: well, then, why are there suddenly two hand guns and there was another thing that said three? It just didn't ring right to me, so I started exploring the case. And Mike McNeil's case just happened to be next.

AL.com: Is there anything to this story that you're wanting to explore further?

Roberts: There will be a part two. I'm not sure of the timing of it but there will be a part two.

AL.com: Further allegations?

Roberts: I don't know if you want to call them allegations but there will be a part two that looks into the booster culture at Auburn.

AL.com: And no timeline on that story?

Roberts: No, I'm working on it.

AL.com: Is there anything else you want to add?

Roberts: No. Like I said, I think that, in this day and age, it's a social media world so the reaction is going to be swift and it's going to be harsh on one side and it's going to be favorable on the other. We have to deal with both and try to just do your job, which is to go out there and pursue the truth.

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