Manti Te'o didn't really have a dead girlfriend

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by Puffy

Ya know, I was writing a long response to all the dumb in this thread but you can't fix stupid, so I decided to delete it.

All I will say is this - - ND is not covering anything up. There is a little thing called University Privacy Laws that applies to all students. The only people who could disclose the findings of the report the investigators submitted are the Te'o family.

So, how many people will apologize in this thread when the actual facts come out?

On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te'o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators.

Dennis Brown
University Spokesman | Assistant Vice President

The response from ND is supporting Te'o's explanation. Regardless of if any findings ever come out of this investigation, I'm seeing ND looking complicit and more than glad to perpetuate this myth that their player had created. I'm not sure what critics would be apologizing for. Their response is just as disturbing as getting caught up in the web of lies themselves. Now, because they want to hide behind "we're investigating," and you want to hide behind "this investigation will find ND is blameless here, but we won't know unless Te'o gives permission" folks should be preparing their apologies? Seriously, this story is currently spun by the apparent liars as "internet relationship" when there are clearly reports of face to face meetings. A 3rd grader could follow the logic there and blow up that excuse.

Delusion begets delusion in the ND world apparently.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

The most bizarre sports related story I believe I have ever seen. To me he had to know from the beginning. I don't buy that he was duped into this story. He would have to have been extremely naive or incredibly stupid to have done this without knowing she was not real. The most plausible explanantion to me is that he started this to cover up being gay. It got wildly out of hand with one lie perpetuating off another to the point he couldn't really control it. He may have been naive enough to believe he could "kill" her off and it would all go away. But that has just made it worse.
It's going to be intersting to see how the NFL handles all of this. Also to see how far he drops in the draft. At best, most teams will view him as unstable and/or a liar.

I think he did it for attention. Athletes do different things when they seek attention. There's the Neon Deion thing, the Chad thing and now this thing. This doesn't preclude him from being gay, though

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

I think he did it for attention. Athletes do different things when they seek attention. There's the Neon Deion thing, the Chad thing and now this thing. This doesn't preclude him from being gay, though

The whole gay speculation is really unnecessary to this story. While I get it is probably taboo for him on several fronts, I'm not sure what folks carrying on about that as a possible motive when I don't think there was any mention of that in the facts presented thus far, its just potshotting. So what if he is?

[dabvu2498]

The thing that will be difficult to explain away is the interview and article that ran in the South Bend Tribune in October. Either the reporter, Te'o or Te'o's father ingratiated the story of how they met, that they had met in person multiple times, and so on.

If Te'o's story is true, there are many ways to prove it (phone records, online records, ordering flowers, etc) and perhaps Notre Dame's investigators have done so.

I hope the kid is telling the whole truth, but there's plenty of reason for skepticism.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

It's going to be intersting to see how the NFL handles all of this. Also to see how far he drops in the draft. At best, most teams will view him as unstable and/or a liar.

Brian Billick said this morning that he didn't think this story will significantly affect how Te'o is drafted and the guest host of "Mike and Mike In The Morning" (whose name escapes me, but he is a former NFL player with the Broncos) agreed.

Edit: The co-host of Mike and Mike was Mark Schlereth, who believes that most NFL teams will be more concerned with Te'o's time in the 40 and how he does in the combine than this story.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Originally Posted by Puffy

Ya know, I was writing a long response to all the dumb in this thread but you can't fix stupid, so I decided to delete it.

I guess it OK to make things very public when it is such a feel good story and might bring another Heisman Trophy. Then hide behind some University Privacy Laws when the thing gets shown as false. How convenient! Excuse my stupidty for this comment, but we all ain't gots as much smarts as others.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by traderumor

The whole gay speculation is really unnecessary to this story. While I get it is probably taboo for him on several fronts, I'm not sure what folks carrying on about that as a possible motive when I don't think there was any mention of that in the facts presented thus far, its just potshotting. So what if he is?

I think its a fair question. Why would someone go to the lengths that Manti did if there wasn't an underlying issue? It was a 3 year relationship with someone who he "never met" who he "never face timed/Skype'd". Couple that with the issue of Manti being the BMOC. He was a highly touted recruit coming in and it wasn't exactly like he was chop liver on the field during his first season or two. I don't know what the official Mormon stance on homosexuality, but I know that it would contradict with what the Catholic stance on it is (not saying its wrong).

Was this elaborate hoax used to hide something? Was it an attention grab? What was it? Manti has some explaining to do. Would it matter if he is gay, absolutley, but I think it would have been more difficult for ND to promote him the way they did over the past year +.

[Ohayou]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

Fraud could be a big one. There was so much in the deadspin article I would have to go back to read it again. But I believe there was some mention of a fund or foundation set up in his "girl friends" name to honor her. People that donated to that would/could sue to get their money back.

Teo could potentially (not definitely) be forced to remit money back to those people, since it was donated under false pretenses. I don't think the actual charity has to do anything, though.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by RedsBaron

Brian Billick said this morning that he didn't think this story will significantly affect how Te'o is drafted and the guest host of "Mike and Mike In The Morning" (whose name escapes me, but he is a former NFL player with the Broncos) agreed.

Edit: The co-host of Mike and Mike was Mark Schlereth, who believes that most NFL teams will be more concerned with Te'o's time in the 40 and how he does in the combine than this story.

It's too early to ask the draft question. There's 3 mos till then. That question can't be answered until we know what's come out by then. As a Bengal fan, my advice is to stay away Polynesian MLBs for awhile...

[traderumor]

Perhaps Te'o should have stuck to virtual gaming to create his alternate universe. He could have chosen any number of fantasy world video games, and even won the Heisman and NC.

Seriously, this is just another symptom of the virtual generation having a real hard time living in reality. If you want a different reality, do whatever you have to do to create your own world.

[wolfboy]

Originally Posted by traderumor

Perhaps Te'o should have stuck to virtual gaming to create his alternate universe. He could have chosen any number of fantasy world video games, and even won the Heisman and NC.

Seriously, this is just another symptom of the virtual generation having a real hard time living in reality. If you want a different reality, do whatever you have to do to create your own world.

...says the guy talking sports at the virtual water cooler.

[dabvu2498]

http://m.tmz.com/#Article/2013/01/17...oto-girlfriend

The weird just keeps on comin!

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by wolfboy

...says the guy talking sports at the virtual water cooler.

But discussing matters of reality, not creating my own "water cooler world."

[Ohayou]

Donald Trump congratulates Deadspin. Their response?

https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedAndrew/s...947392/photo/1

[wolfboy]

Originally Posted by traderumor

But discussing matters of reality, not creating my own "water cooler world."

Maybe it's a topic for another thread, but I guess I have no idea what you mean by "virtual world generation." Bunch of kids on facebook? Bunch of kids playing Sims?