Manti Te'o a fraud?

[Pakuni]

If this is true, Manti's got some splaining to do:


http://deadspin.com/5976517/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-and-inspirational-story-of-the-college-football-season-is-a-hoax

[TallTitan34]

Typical Notre Dame arrogance!

[🏀]

This is incredible!

[RJax55]

Wow, that's insane. Way to go, Deadspin!

[Pakuni]

Wow, that's insane. Way to go, Deadspin!

Seriously, if they got their stuff right that's some outstanding journalism.
And a serious indictment on all the journalists who bought and published the story (I'm looking at you, Sports Illustrated).

[MerrittsMustache]

It would be awesome if this was a "conspiracy" put together to prove that the modern media does no research into the stories that they're reporting as fact. I mean, how hard would it be to find funeral info or even a record for a student being enrolled at a university at a specific time?

I can't imagine that to be the case but it would be a good defense for Hawaiian Katzenmoyer to use.

[RJax55]

Seriously, if they got their stuff right that's some outstanding journalism.
And a serious indictment on all the journalists who bought and published the story (I'm looking at you, Sports Illustrated).

Yes, if I was Pete Thamel, I would be extremely concerned right now. I wonder what SI and ESPN's respond is to this, if they even have one.

[mu03eng]

Yes, if I was Pete Thamel, I would be extremely concerned right now. I wonder what SI and ESPN's respond is to this, if they even have one.

Their defense is to not mention it for at least a day, especially since it came from Deadspin.

Somewhere Lance Armstrong is riding a bike fist pumping like a maniac.

[MUfan12]

Lazar couldn't find her, so he tipped off Deadspin.

[MerrittsMustache]

Lazar couldn't find her, so he tipped off Deadspin.

My early favorite for 2013 Scoop Post of the Year.

[Pakuni]

Notre Dame just released a statement saying Te'o was the victim of a hoax.

"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."

[jesmu84]

Notre Dame just released a statement saying Te'o was the victim of a hoax.

"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."

What the hell does this even mean? Didn't Te'o say he had a girlfriend and this chick was her?

[Pakuni]

What the hell does this even mean? Didn't Te'o say he had a girlfriend and this chick was her?

Sure doesn't seem to jibe with his story about meeting her after a game at Stanford.

[Golden Avalanche]

Notre Dame just released a statement saying Te'o was the victim of a hoax.

"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."

That's not going to fly. Multiple times he mentioned Lennay as his girlfriend (surely someone will ask how you can have a girl of eight months without once physically seeing her?) and the Tuisasopo connection seems pretty damning.

[TallTitan34]

Hahahahahaha Notre Dame's statement is hilarious.

[RJax55]

Hahahahahaha Notre Dame's statement is hilarious.

And people say that MU is bad at PR.

[jficke13]

It would be awesome if this was a "conspiracy" put together to prove that the modern media does no research into the stories that they're reporting as fact. I mean, how hard would it be to find funeral info or even a record for a student being enrolled at a university at a specific time?

I can't imagine that to be the case but it would be a good defense for Hawaiian Katzenmoyer to use.

The media? Do no research? Just report things as fact without questioning or actually sourcing them? I'm shocked at such an allegation. Shocked. /sarcasm.

[🏀]

Sure doesn't seem to jibe with his story about meeting her after a game at Stanford.

Especially that whole statement from Brian Te'o that she had come to Hawaii with him.

[Pakuni]

And people say that MU is bad at PR.

At least MU would have waited until 5 p.m. Friday.

Seriously, though, what's ND's alternative here? I have no doubt Te'o came to them with this story, probably when he realized people were sniffing around his claims. Heck, it might even be true (though I very much doubt that).

[StillAWarrior]

Best case scenario for Te'o at this point is that he got totally punk'd by someone and that he then significantly embellished details (i.e., made up, fabricated, lied) about the "relationship" because he thought it was a little creepy to have this kind of a "relationship" with someone he hadn't met.  That's the best case scenario...and it's not particularly good (unless, of course, you don't mind people thinking you're an idiot and a liar).  It also seems pretty unlikely.

I think there's blood in the water.  This is going to get ugly.

[TallTitan34]

New big head for the Notre Dame game:  Teo's fake girlfriend

[🏀]

New big head for the Notre Dame game:  Teo's fake girlfriend

Or the dude he was romanticizing with.

[RJax55]

Seriously, though, what's ND's alternative here? I have no doubt Te'o came to them with this story, probably when he realized people were sniffing around his claims. Heck, it might even be true (though I very much doubt that).

Two options... One, don't issue a statement. Or, issue a statement that the girlfriend story was a hoax and ND is investigating the story further. That's it.

Claiming that Te'o was a victim was extremely dumb. Especially, with the evidence that cast serious doubt that Te'o was an innocent bystander.

[jficke13]

I really don't get why he would decide that the best way to cover up being gay was by staging a massively public fake girlfriend/fake girlfriend's slow agonizing and untimely death. Frankly, there is no possible explanation I can think of that doesn't make Teo look like a historically big idiot.

[LON]

At least Tebow gets pictures of himself with his beards.