So since those were the 2 options that existed before his interview, the interview changes nothing.
Not that I believe with certainty that Lennay was a beard, but photos of Manti with another woman do nothing to disprove any beard, because she could simply be a new one.
Sometimes a story just ends. He said his side and it’s credible. Time to move on to the next big thing.
I believe his story, but he has offered very little in the way of proof. A 3-day-old face-saving message from his alleged co-conspirator isn’t especially convincing.
Somehow I doubt this is settled. Especially after most people have already bought in to the narrative that he was in on it.
Even better, with his old girlfriend.
What makes you think MOST people thought that? I certainly didn’t and several people in this thread didn’t think he was in on it, we just thought he was stupid and got caught up in a fake relationship without knowing it.
I didn’t mean this thread. Most online commentary on this isn’t as rational as this thread.
The mob is out with torches lit for this guy. I’m not even 100% convinced and yet I’m finding myself in debates arguing vehemently for his side.
Te’o’s father said they’re boycotting a Honolulu newspaper because it printed a photo of Manti getting embarrassed by Alabama’s tailback. Even before the girlfriend turned out to be faked, he was milking the storyline for all the publicity he could get, then continued for weeks after the reveal.
He’s a diva. Combined with the poor play in his last game, and general weakness in coverage, I would be suprised if he goes in the first round.
Andy Kaufman is sitting on a beach somewhere laughing his ass off.
Agreed. However, it seemed so overboard, and this whole thing was partly ND’s fault. They played up the grandmother and girlfriend tragedies to hype him for the Heisman.
I don’t buy it. Not yet, anyway. I simply can’t believe this guy had nothing to do with it. He may have been duped at the very beginning, but this thing is too strange not to have his knowledge. It may have just snowballed out of his control.
What amazes me is now no one bothered to check to see if this girl existed or was in school or anything… Just printed the stories as truth. And when ESPN gets ahold of a story like this, and repeates it 50 times a day, no one is going to check to see if she existed, or died, or anything.
I think he got caught up in the lie and couldn’t figure a graceful way out of it. He didn’t think it through. He was the Heisman candidate on the number 1 team in the country, not a fourth string kicker from East Carolina.
I think this costs him in the draft. I wouldn’t take him unless I was thoroughly convinced that his story is true, and that involves hiring a PI and interviewing him.
Here’s an edited (but very long)transcript of the Te’o Interview. There are many consistencies. He openly admits to lying and why. A lot of what he says can be verified by third parties (if journalist choose to or not, who knows). For instance, one, of many, reasons why Te’o believed her to be real:
He told his teammate/best friend and his girlfriend about the Dec. 6 call within days of receiving it - so he didn’t wait until Dec 26 to tell anyone (bolding mine):
And it goes on and on like that. Enough third parties who can confirm or deny the story.
Also, everyone who has spoken with him about it: ND Athletic Director, SI’s Pete Thamel, and ESPN’s Schaap all find Te’o convincing and believable.
The one lie he told was re: him meeting her in Hawai’i one time. She said she was there, he went to meet her, it “couldn’t” happen. Later casually told his Dad that he did in fact meet her. Why? Teo:
He addressed the supposed meeting/hand shake in Stanford. Te’o denies. The reason we think it’s true is Eric Hanson from the South Bend Tribune wrote it (no quotes). He can confirm or deny through his notes.
As I said before the interview, there’s just too much convincing info to think he had anything sinister to do with this. He’s a good kid that got hoaxed. His story can be checked out - hopefully it’s done. He’s owed at least that.
Ok, until some crazy new bombshell happens, we can go with the fact that he was duped. Has a motive for the hoax been proposed? Hours every night for months is a big investment, for… What exactly? Just a lone weirdo playing some sort of umkay game to an audience of 1? But other people seemed to possibly be involved
Step 1 : make a fake persona and fake a relationship by tricking a top college athlete by spending hours on the phone with him every night for months, with apparently at least 2 other people in on it
Step 2. Fake your death
Step 3. Resurrect yourself
Step 4. Profit?
Can’t wait to hear what Te’o’s cousin and Lyle Moevao have to say
a new crazy bombshell is assured. and it will come from a very good liar. The key for me is is it verifiable by someone other than a hoaxer.
No clear motive, yet. Te’o states they never asked for money (did ask for his checking acct to send Te’o money). Te’o’s Uncle suggests they wanted money for a charity foundation. ND athletic director says it was just done for sport. So who knows, definitely no clear motive.
Te’o states 3 people were involved in the hoax.
Everyone’s a Columbo on the internet. :rolleyes:
Jesus people. There isn’t more to the story. Get a life and find somebody else to dissect.
Now why do you want people to stop talking about this so much? It’s one of the more crazy weird stories to come around, and this is a thread specifically to discuss it. And honestly, nothing stokes the fires of intrigue more than someone coming around with multiple posts declaring so definitively: case closed, nothing to see here, stop talking about it…
Has there been any explanation given yet regarding that Arizona player that met her before Manti was in the picture?
Based on those excerpts, she was online friends with a few other players. Maybe he was one of them and conflated her with someone else he met.
Or the AZ player really met a girl in person pretending to be Lennay. We don’t know.
On Dec 21 Te’o got a picture from…I don’t even know how to phrase it, but from the girl that called on Dec 6 that was the same voice he knew to be Lennay. Te’o requested a specific picture (write these letters and date on paper throw it in air and take a picture, ect). The girl in picture was different from Teo’s Lennay, but it could be the Lennay that the AZ player met.
I’m hoping this thread dies, but Te’o will be interviewed by Katie Couric Thursday. Better learn a Supreme Court case.
Sorry if I missed it - has anyone mention the small tweet skirmish between The Donald and Deadspin on this?
Let’s take it to the Pit if you want to call out those in this thread…otherwise, don’t threadshit.