Manti T'eo & The Mystery of the Undead Girlfriend

[dfwabel]

I think both Te'o and Notre Dame knew that Deadspin was going to release their findings as late as last night since Te'o took himself out of next week's Senior Bowl:

Senior Bowl ‏@seniorbowl

@allensullivans @seniorbowl Manti Te'o declined his invitation to participate.

Also, SI's Pete Thamel has not addressed what he did or did not know.

[kajeet]

This is just...so goddamned weird. Notre Dame can't just come out and wash their hands of it, they have to defend him. Who gives a crap? Just say you had nothing to do with it and walk away. Let T'eo fight his own battles.

Yeah. Teo is done and ND has no more use for him. If the school lies to protect him, that just does not make sense.

I just do not get this. The reason I kinda believe that Teo was a victim is because I cannot possibly imagine why he or ND would perpetuate such a hoax. It is incredibally high risk and low reward. I don't think the publicity of the "great" story was worth that much to his draft status, ND's recruiting, sympathetic poll voters (not needed anyway). The motive of playing a cruel trick on Teo, while sick, makes sense. I just cannot find the motive that Teo or ND would have.

On the other hand, his being a victim just does not quite add up. I guess if he's the type to fall in love quickly over the internet and he meets a girl once...If he is the victim, wow...I don't want to judge, but he may want to have more face time with future dating prospects.

T'eo can't be the victim he claimed he met her after a game at Stanford.

[NJTank]

This remind me of the old girlfriend in Pennsylvania routine, very strange.

Maybe Mant Te'o is gay and was afraid some one at Notre Dame would find out and make his life miserable.

Its sad enough his grandma died but to make up a girlfriend strange.

Did he go to Walmart and pick a picture frame and whatever girl looked the best was the object of his fantasy.

[Island_Style]

I think both Te'o and Notre Dame knew that Deadspin was going to release their findings as late as last night since Te'o took himself out of next week's Senior Bowl:

Senior Bowl ‏@seniorbowl

@allensullivans @seniorbowl Manti Te'o declined his invitation to participate.

Also, SI's Pete Thamel has not addressed what he did or did not know.

Interesting.

[OnWis97]

This remind me of the old girlfriend in Pennsylvania routine, very strange.

Maybe Mant Te'o is gay and was afraid some one at Notre Dame would find out and make his life miserable.

Its sad enough his grandma died but to make up a girlfriend strange.

Did he go to Walmart and pick a picture frame and whatever girl looked the best was the object of his fantasy.

Oh god, I hope not. I do not want the first big-time team sport athlete to be this open of a target for the "we don't hate him cuz he's gay; we hate him cuz he lied" line.

[McCall]

If he found it it was a hoax the 26th, why did he say this on January 3rd?

From January 3rd...

Q.

Manti, how have the football‑related commotion and excitement of the past year

helped you get through the turmoil you've faced with your grandmother and

girlfriend? And how have the quiet periods been for you, given you more

time to reflect? Is that a good thing or double edged?

MANTI TE'O: I think whenever you're in football, it takes your mind off a

lot of things. You know, this team is very special to me, and the guys on

it have always been there for me, through the good times and the bad

times. I rarely have a quiet time to myself because I always have

somebody calling me, asking, do you want to go to the movies. Coach is

always calling me asking me, "Are you okay? Do you need

anything?" I have three roommates, Zeke, Carlo and Robby Toma, who

are always yelling at each other, who's going to play Call of Duty. I'm

rarely by myself, and that's how I like it. I'm always around my guys,

always around my family.

He never mentioned his girlfriend. He could've been embarrassed or confused by the whole thing and didn't want to draw attention so close to the game so he kept it vague. He did lose his grandmother so it's a not a completely BS response.

[Sodboy13]

The article was too long. Could somebody sum this up in a nutshell?

1. You really should read it.

2. If it's still tl;dr, two words: "imaginary beard".

[Island_Style]

Te'o issued a statement Wednesday afternoon:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her. "To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating. "It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life. "I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been. "In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was. "Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

[LMU]

Ironically, the first words out of his mouth when asked about the GF by Jim Rome were "I can't describe her."

Also, I love how not only does the name Tuiasosopo come into the limelight again, but that the girl who had her photos borrowed is from my city. Unbelievable.

[ninersdd]

Sports are like WWE now. Seemingly fake, like with this and Lance Armstrong roiding up. What can we believe anymore?

[dfwabel]

Will Te'o, his family, and represenatives:

1- Have him attend the combine and draft, or just leave it to ND Pro Day for skills and testing.

2- Will his representatives immediately call Oprah for him to tell his "heartbreaking story" of betrayal?

[NJTank]

I don't know why this would hurt Te'o's draft stock he lied or was defrauded about his personal life. Not drugs a d he will be a solid pro I believe.

Btw this is old hat for Notre Dame. Knits Rockne made up George Tip's death bed speech.

[Island_Style]

[OnWis97]

Te'o issued a statement Wednesday afternoon:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her. "To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating. "It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life. "I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been. "In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was. "Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

This is about what my reaction was, but the deadspin story looks like this is ready-made to have holes shot through it.

[FiddySicks]

I get Nick Saban was behind the profile.

[raysox]

[cmm]

Te'o issued a statement Wednesday afternoon:

"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her. "To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating. "It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life. "I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been. "In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was. "Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

This is about what my reaction was, but the deadspin story looks like this is ready-made to have holes shot through it.

Help me out, I'm old. Is this really possible? Do people really fall in love with people they've only communicated with via Twitter, Facebook, and phone calls? I've always thought a prerequisite to becoming someone's girlfriend/boyfriend is actually meeting them face-to-face.

[BlackBolt3]

I was just about to come post that raysox. But I feel like there might me something else behind this.

[Kevin W.]

This remind me of the old girlfriend in Pennsylvania routine, very strange.

Maybe Mant Te'o is gay and was afraid some one at Notre Dame would find out and make his life miserable.

Its sad enough his grandma died but to make up a girlfriend strange.

Did he go to Walmart and pick a picture frame and whatever girl looked the best was the object of his fantasy.

Oh god, I hope not. I do not want the first big-time team sport athlete to be this open of a target for the "we don't hate him cuz he's gay; we hate him cuz he lied" line.

Oh God, that's exactly what I was thinking as well. I can see them saying it now...

[dfwabel]

There still is another willing partner in this whole episode...The South Bend Tribune

They are the paper which Deadspin cites first and most often in the "storytelling" of all of this.

Here is what their Executive Editor, Tim Harmon had to say today:

We're attempting to sort out the facts regarding former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and the fabricated death of an alleged former girlfriend.

If this story was a cruel hoax, as the University of Notre Dame has now indicated, we indeed were taken in, as were many others, including officials of the Notre Dame football program.

As we learn more facts, we will publish them on our website and in print.