The best thing you can do is always, always, always tell the truth and attack the situation on your terms. Never do the "no-comment" thing when everyone wants to know the story.

What makes you think that "everyone wants to know the story"? I think the majority of people realize that it's none of their business.

Tell the story the way you want it told. If not, the media (and public perception) will tell in their way.

That's not the media's job. He's a student-athlete, the media has no business making up stories about him. It was a private indiscretion, and there's no reason for the media to tell a story about it. The media's job is to report, not to make stuff up (as the Tribune did with the Davies story).