The Manti Te’O Saga - merged threads.

[oakgator]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

He pretty much has to be a compulsive liar at this point. Right?

I am not sure but the coverup is lame.

[rounds]

Te'o is a DEVOUT mormon.
Dedicated football player.
Academic all-american.
Basically a non-partying homebody.
Team leader.
Perfect candidate for ruse by Tuiasosopo and his male and female cousins to play their silly hoax on, for whatever reason, as they had done to someone before using the same girl's photo. Teo had casual online contact from 2009 to fall of 2011 when the relationship was bumped up by "Lennay".
To cover with his family he told them they had a chance meeting after Stanford game in 2009 and had "kept in touch", etc.
He had a date in Hawaii with her and she didn't show. When Teo went home his dad asked how it went and Teo couldn't tell his family she didn't show up; so he said fine. Dad later tells press they dated in person in Hawaii and the met on field after Stanford game in 2009.
Lennay has car wreck early 2012, months in coma, responds only to Teo's voice on phone, finally wakes up, has leukemia in 24 hours, can only sleep w chemo if she hears Teo on the phone, comforts him after death of his granny on 9/12/12, then dies herself 6 hours after granny with Teo already grief stricken.

[atlantagator86]

In today's electronic communication era, I can believe people fall in love with people they've never met. I think it happens more than people realize. It's not so much that they fall in love with the person, but the perception of the idealistic person they perceive. So I can buy that he could get caught up in something. It's a little creepy but it happens.

The part I can't understand is why one of the most popular male athletes in college football, is have an online relationship with someone in a place he has no tie to? Why he isn't tearing it up in South Bend or maybe have a girl in Hawaii? The only answer I can come up with is that it's convenient. Maybe a way to make it "appear" he's having a real relationship.

Second, assuming for a moment that he really fell in love online why didn't he meet her? Unless during the hoax "she" was planning meetings and then canceling (as was suggested early on with her no-shows). But with all the traveling Te'o did this year, how did he never meet her. Even if he flew home to Hawaii from South Bend, he would have likely had stops in SFO or LAX.

And finally the big thing I don't understand is what Tuiasosopo was possibly getting out of this and who else was involved? I had heard it was they guy's female cousin who was doing the phone calls. I could see some weirdo getting jollies out of screwing with people, but what was his cousin getting out of it?

So lets say Assuming Te'o actually made all those phone calls to "her", over 500 hours in 4 months according to ESPN, that means that this "cousin" spent the equivalent of over 21 full days talking with Te'o or an average of about 4 hours a day. How many people would be willing to do this much work for somebody else's hoax? The only thing I can guess is that Tuiasosopo was paying her.

All this just doesn't even close to add up!

[your_perfect_enemy]

Just for argument's sake... isnt the person who came up with and carried out this whole hoax just as pathetic as te'o for believing in it? I mean would you waste that much time just to screw with somebody you'd never met for no apparent payoff?

[rounds]

Lennay raises from the dead and calls Teo 12/6 before awards banquets 12/8 in Orlando. Teo is mad and confused. Can't tell anyone 2 days before TV awards.
Tells ND about it on 12/26/12 after Christmas. ND sits on it til after MNC game. Does expensive investigation and backs Teo as not being a part of a "HOAX SPUN OUT OF CONTROL" by a famous Polynesian football family.
unbelievable b.s. by kids...but true.

[LeafUF]

Originally Posted by atlantagator86

In today's electronic communication era, I can believe people fall in love with people they've never met. I think it happens more than people realize. It's not so much that they fall in love with the person, but the perception of the idealistic person they perceive. So I can buy that he could get caught up in something. It's a little creepy but it happens.

The part I can't understand is why one of the most popular male athletes in college football, is have an online relationship with someone in a place he has no tie to? Why he isn't tearing it up in South Bend or maybe have a girl in Hawaii? The only answer I can come up with is that it's convenient. Maybe a way to make it "appear" he's having a real relationship.

Second, assuming for a moment that he really fell in love online why didn't he meet her? Unless during the hoax "she" was planning meetings and then canceling (as was suggested early on with her no-shows). But with all the traveling Te'o did this year, how did he never meet her. Even if he flew home to Hawaii from South Bend, he would have likely had stops in SFO or LAX.

And finally the big thing I don't understand is what Tuiasosopo was possibly getting out of this and who else was involved? I had heard it was they guy's female cousin who was doing the phone calls. I could see some weirdo getting jollies out of screwing with people, but what was his cousin getting out of it?

So lets say Assuming Te'o actually made all those phone calls to "her", over 500 hours in 4 months according to ESPN, that means that this "cousin" spent the equivalent of over 21 full days talking with Te'o or an average of about 4 hours a day. How many people would be willing to do this much work for somebody else's hoax? The only thing I can guess is that Tuiasosopo was paying her.

All this just doesn't even close to add up!

My sister is hooked on that show Catfish where they meet people who are in online relationships and help them find out if the people on the other end are real. Even in those stories no one would go so far as to refer to the online person as their girlfriend or boyfriend. And in all of the ones I have seen the person on the other end is usually ashamed of themselves in some way. Whether appearance, sexuality, gender, something. So, what they get out of it is the companionship they cant get in real life. They essentially dupe people into thinking they are someone else because they are so desperate to be liked even if its a lie. Its not to mess with the person on the other end, its to satisfy something missing in their own life. In no situation have I seen someone doing this just to prank someone. And never multiple individuals involved to the extent the Te'o story includes.

To me this is why there are still so many questions about Te'o and this whole thing. He cant really be trusted and the story still doesnt totally add up.

[atlantagator86]

Originally Posted by LeafUF

My sister is hooked on that show Catfish where they meet people who are in online relationships and help them find out if the people on the other end are real. Even in those stories no one would go so far as to refer to the online person as their girlfriend or boyfriend. And in all of the ones I have seen the person on the other end is usually ashamed of themselves in some way. Whether appearance, sexuality, gender, something. So, what they get out of it is the companionship they cant get in real life. They essentially dupe people into thinking they are someone else because they are so desperate to be liked even if its a lie. Its not to mess with the person on the other end, its to satisfy something missing in their own life. In no situation have I seen someone doing this just to prank someone. And never multiple individuals involved to the extent the Te'o story includes.

To me this is why there are still so many questions about Te'o and this whole thing. He cant really be trusted and the story still doesnt totally add up.

I was recently watching a show about this and the victim often does fall completely in love and see it as real, so I'm not sure I agree with the part about not referring to the person on the other end as boyfriend or girlfriend, but I suspect many are kind of ashamed where they don't really talk about it. So from that point of view, even if Te'o was stupid enough to fall for this, it's a little odd for Te'o to go public with it.

I have also heard that the person on the other end usually claims some type of illness or injury, which is consistent in this case. Dying might be a little over the top. I don't remember why they said that but it was a major sign. But that may be the only thing about this that makes sense.

The rest of what you said is correct. The person on the other end is usually working alone. Very rare for them to have partners. Also, I don't think phone conversation is particularly common, just text and e-mail. Another reason they mentioned that is that is many cases, gender isn't important. Many of the cases were girls duping girls and pretending to be men.

And as you stated, the person on the other end is usually getting something emotionally directly from the communication so they aren't going to bring in somebody else.

If this really happened the way Te'o says, you are dealing with Tuiasosopo, his cousin and Te'o all being very messed up mentally and doing things that are completely out of being even somewhat normal even for catfishing.

[rounds]

Much of phone calls were her in a coma just hearing his voice and her resting better on chemo just hearing him breathing on the line....

[Sylez_G_Koolaid]

Originally Posted by gator7_5

Just saw on sportscenter that he had over 1000 calls to her area code in 4 months, 660 to her number, and 110 over an hour long.

That's 9 calls a day with at least 1 being over an hour a day.

What a weirdo.

Bro, they didn't even give Sportscenter the actual phone records. They gave them a spreadsheet that supposedly tracked all the calls he made to his imaginary girlfriend.

He clearly has no game if he was keeping a spreadsheet of his phone calls to his imaginary girl.

[GatorAvatar]

Oprah would have put his feet to the fire. Couric is soft.

[Bazza]

[kkg8r]

This is ironic - stumbled across this advice to a "better me"

Say Goodbye To Little White Lies
Honesty really is the best policy. According to a recent study from the University of Notre Dame, telling the truth when tempted to lie can significantly improve your mental and physical health. The researchers say this is likely because lying less also helps improve close relationships and fosters smooth social interactions.

http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-...er-you?page=14

[secgator]

Te'o is full of it.

Case closed.

[garettk]

[NJG8tor]

I think he's full of crap. And Im not buying this excuse that he was an innocent, gullible mormon.

If he was so gullible and trusting that he thought this was a real relationship he was in; why did he lie through his teeth about meeting Lennay in person; about the length of the relationship; and after he admits knowing the relationship was a hoax? Why didnt he go to her funeral? When did he finally plan to meet her, or was he going to make her his cyber wife someday?

How can anyone believe this outlandish story about a Notre Dame linebacker who shuns real life girls so he can sit in a dorm room alone with his keyboard; but is not the least bit suspicious when the "love of his life" is somehow unavailable when they finally have a chance to meet. No skype? No cell pics back and forth? And who was this girl who supposedly spent hours on the phone with him and what was her motive? She played this role for FOUR years?

Sorry, if you believe Manti you are as gullible as he is pretending to be. If his intentions were so pure he would not have lied through his teeth in interviews. His pants must be scorching right now.


I

[NJG8tor]

Originally Posted by gatorev12

Yup. He's definitely naive and more than a bit stupid for being that gullible.

This kinda reminds me of my law school roommate who had met a girl from Canada online--was all smitten because they got along real well, claimed they'd met up over the summer, etc...she came to visit and it became clear that the pictures she'd been using were ridiculously out-dated; she was far older than she said she was; and--they'd never actually met over the course of that summer, he was meeting her for the first time when she came to Florida to visit.

The girl ended up being a total psycho and ended up going home early after both of us essentially kicked her out of the place and told her she needed to stay in a hotel (yes, she really was that bad). You better believe I gave him sh*t about it for MONTHS afterwards--and even today, still find reason to crack on him.

Needless to say though, I've seen it happen on a smaller scale. Doesn't excuse Te'o's actions in the slightest and he's going to deservedly be mocked for quite some time, but hopefully he learns from it.

I doubt Teo was that gullible. Teo could have had a real Lennay. He didnt need this cyber romance let alone have to lie in interviews to make it sound more believable. Im willing to bet your roommate didnt have as a many options as Teo has. If Teo lied through his teeth on TV why should we believe the rest of his outlandish story?

[KronoGator]

The more he talks the more I think this was planned from the start with his involvement, the phone records make me think so even more.

[CSpantheGatorFan]

Originally Posted by KronoGator

The more he talks the more I think this was planned from the start with his involvement, the phone records make me think so even more.

Exactly. Was there a female voice on the line? If so, who was it? To me, this just makes it look worse. He would be better off just truly coming clean and saying he wanted the attention. Recruits basically do it every day.

Nothing he says makes any sense from a technical or common sense standpoint.

[elrongator]

Gay coverup.
End of story.
This guy is as gay as the day is long and his lover was the other guy.
It's the only explanation that fits.

[Gatorphenom]

I still don't understand how you never once think to use Skype........