Te'O's teammates and fans

[fubar1]

Occam's razor, people.

[G8R8U2]

ESPN is proving it was a hoax AND that Te'o was the one who continued to perpetuate it even after he and ND found out it was a hoax. ESPN is roasting them both over an open fire; excerpts from their article this morning about how Te'o continued to play the sympathy card after Dec. 6th...

Manti Te'o kept tragic story going

At the Heisman Trophy presentation Dec. 8 in New York, ESPN's Chris Fowler asked Te'o what moment of his very public story of tragedy he would remember.

"I think I'll never forget the time when I found out that, you know, my girlfriend passed away and the first person to run to my aid was my defensive coordinator, Coach [Bob] Diaco, and you know he said something very profound to me," Te'o said. "He said, 'This is where your faith is tested.' Right after that, I ran into the players' lounge and I got on the phone with my parents -- and I opened my eyes and my head coach was sitting right there. And so, you know, there are a hundred-plus people on our team and the defensive coordinator and our head coach took time to just go get one [of those players]. You know I think that was the most meaningful to me."

Te'o also said on ESPN Radio the same day that he hoped his grandmother, who died Sept. 12, and his girlfriend, who was reported to have died on the same day, were proud of him.

The Associated Press turned up two more instances during that gap between Dec. 6 and Dec. 26, the date when Te'o told Notre Dame that he knew of the hoax, when the football star mentioned Kekua in public.

During another interview at the Heisman ceremony that ran on WSBT.com, the website for a South Bend TV station, Te'o said: "I mean, I don't like cancer at all. I lost both my grandparents and my girlfriend to cancer. So I've really tried to go to children's hospitals and see, you know, children."

In a column that first ran in The Los Angeles Times, on Dec. 10, Te'o recounted why he played a few days after he found out Kekua died in September, and the day she was supposedly buried.

"She made me promise, when it happened, that I would stay and play," he said Dec. 9 while attending a ceremony in Newport Beach, Calif., for the Lott Impact Awards.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...d-knowing-hoax

There's no longer any question Te'o continued to perpetuate the lie and that Notre Dame went (and continues to go) along with it. Te'o and ND learn of the hoax Dec. 6th.

- Te'o is still talking about the "tragedy" with Chris Fowler at the Heisman ceremony, and on ESPN radio the same day, and on WSBT.com, the website for a South Bend TV station on Dec. 8th.

- He's still talking about it and playing it up at the Lott Impact Awards on Dec. 9th.

- And he's still using it for an L.A. Times interview that ran on Dec. 10th.

That's at least 5 instances of him still playing the sympathy card after he and ND learned it was a hoax. And ESPN is ringing them up every time they or the AP find another instance.

[WarDamnGator]

Steven A. Smith tore into Te'o yesterday morning.

[G8R8U2]

Originally Posted by WarDamnGator

Steven A. Smith tore into Te'o yesterday morning.

Yep, Te'o and ND supporters are falling by the wayside every day. ND is urging Te'o to hurry up and say something on the record publicly; they now know they hitched their wagon to the wrong horse, with that lame vote of confidence from Swarbrick, and better scramble to save their own rep and quit worrying about Te'o's.

[ufgator4ever]

Te'o only showed that there is little to know journalism left today. Opinion/Editorial and lazy reporting, yes. But no journalists.

[LimeyGator]

I'm all Te'od out. Neeeeeext!

[rschick]

And he has a degree from Notre Dame ? Do colleges teach Logic any more ? Critical Thought ?

[UGator]

The media these days, whether general, sports, or whatever..........reflect their ulterior motives of greed and the utmost exposure they can provide for their advertising sponsors. This mentality breeds what we view so many times today--half ass discovery and playing the company game.

Who cares if journalistic integrity plays a part, just splatter the screens with any "story" that can gain them the most favorable ratings. Truth and fairness are rarely in the equation so we have to do our own research to discover that for ourselves.

[rpmGator]

A hoax is even worse for Manti. It means the guy was dating someone yet hadn't slep with her, hadn't kissed her, didn't take her out, and yet called her his girlfriend.

Saying its a prank at the very start, and letting the media loose on those who did it, would have nipped it in the bud. You can't be hoaxed into having a fake girlfriend. You can tell friends you have an online friend, but it isn't to the level he said it was.

An online "girl" is not a girlfriend.

Before Te'o had said a word, Jim Rome who calls himself a Notre Dame fan, had already put all the blame on others.

That still doesn't explain how Te'o got ran over by Bama. Nor does it explain why this went so far, and no one caught it at ESPN during the love story of the year.

[Go2gtr]

If ESPiN doesn't pursue this story they will be accused of trying to help kill it for ND's sake. They take a lot of criticism for being in the tank for ND. It is a legitimate story that includes not only Te'o but also the highest athletic officials at ND.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brian Kelly move on sooner rather than later. Why was he out interviewing just days after the NC game? Why did ND play like zombies on the big stage?

[warhorsegator]

Originally Posted by jagervol01

It isn't the kid's personal life that they are interested in. It is shocking / embarrassing that in 2012 a high profile 22 year old can get such audacious lies printed and reported in major media outlets all over the country unchecked and that Deadspin is the one who reveals the truth. It is too late for ESPN or SI to save face in this matter and they know that but it is never too late to do your homework if the goal is to learn how and why you failed a test. Fwiw, they have shown the Te'o interview with Gene W many times and have grilled him over it.

Funny thing is that the writer who exposed this is, I think, a student at Columbia. I imagine that his job prospects shot up with the attention the article received. Heard him interviewed on radio; a restrained sharp guy for a mere student -- sorry to any student for the backhanded compliment.

[rpmGator]

One of the two deadspin guys lives in St. Pete. Heard a radio inteview with him on thursday while I was in Bradenton.

Funny part was, Te'o was in Bradenton also, just a big bridge away from the guy who caught the lies.

[SoonerDean]

In spite of this, Te'o has gained one very famous, multiple championship winning fan...





Lance Armstrong

[62gator]

Originally Posted by ufgator4ever

Te'o only showed that there is little to know journalism left today. Opinion/Editorial and lazy reporting, yes. But no journalists.

Using the words journalism and ESPN in the same sentence is a joke. Biased opinion and spin would be more appropriate.

[G8R92]

Originally Posted by 62gator

Using the words journalism and ESPN in the same sentence is a joke. Biased opinion and spin would be more appropriate.

Jeremy Schaap was very thorough with his questioning of T'eo. I especially liked the close up pictures of T'eo's claws. Someone introduce him to nail clippers

[BobK89]

If he was NOT in on it, then why in the hell did he tell reporters how they met at Stanford after a football game?!!!??

Sent from my iPhone using GatorCountry

[LimeyGator]

I'll say one last thing on Te'o.

If he wasn't in on it for PR and it was a genuine hoax, I can't help but think he's one of the most naive 20 somethings I've ever come across. Who professes genuine love for someone he'd never even met? 13 or 14 years old, sure. But this redefines gullibility... or maybe we're the gullible ones for believing it...?

[fubar1]

Originally Posted by LimeyGator

I'll say one last thing on Te'o.

If he wasn't in on it for PR and it was a genuine hoax, I can't help but think he's one of the most naive 20 somethings I've ever come across. Who professes genuine love for someone he'd never even met? 13 or 14 years old, sure. But this redefines gullibility... or maybe we're the gullible ones for believing it...?

Agree. And I refuse to believe he was this naive. I just don't think it's possible in this day and age unless he grew up on a hippy farm or was Amish.

[619_Gator]

^ He's Mormon. So..... Yeah. I can believe that he is that sheltered and naive.

[fubar1]

Originally Posted by 619_Gator

^ He's Mormon. So..... Yeah. I can believe that he is that sheltered and naive.

Not sure why a Mormon would necessarily always be sheltered. Not a religion I ascribe to and one with some very strange beliefs, but I don't equate them with isolation like the Amish.