Wait, Manti Te’o dead girlfriend story was a hoax?

Laces_0ut

Jadeveon Clowny ‏@JadeveonClowny

If you having girl problems I feel bad for you son Manti Teo has 99 problems but a girl ain't one.

HeatherTransformed

My understanding is that he was catfished. He fell for a girl he met online, but never actually met her in real life. I'm sure that has happened to many people. It just sucks that it was wide open for EVERYONE to see. (

but in interviews he claimed to have met her...

His dad never met her. His dad said she came to Hawaii to see Manti.

Somehow he's lying. I'm guessing he lied to people about meeting her because he was embarrassed that he met her online.

He put out a statement saying it was all online.

so he lied in the interviews when he said he met her? and i thnk there are reports of his dad saying she went to hawaii to visit...so the dad is lying too?

if i was an NFL team i would not want a guy like that on my team. maybe give him a try as an undrafted free agent but thats it.

YoungDoc2B

I'm in disbelief...it sucks that this story comes out of my town!

HeatherTransformed

My understanding is that he was catfished. He fell for a girl he met online, but never actually met her in real life. I'm sure that has happened to many people. It just sucks that it was wide open for EVERYONE to see. (

but in interviews he claimed to have met her...

He put out a statement saying it was all online.

so he lied in the interviews when he said he met her? and i thnk there are reports of his dad saying she went to hawaii to visit...so the dad is lying too?

if i was an NFL team i would not want a guy like that on my team. maybe give him a try as an undrafted free agent but thats it.

His dad never met her. His dad said she came to Hawaii to see Manti.

Somehow he's lying. I'm guessing he lied to people about meeting her because he was embarrassed that he met her online.

Laces_0ut

so how can his claim of it was all online be true if he says he met her during an interview and his dad says she went to hawaii and met him?

which is the lie lol?

sarahbethrn18

I think he was fooled. I believe that in the wake of his grandmother's death and what he though was the death of the love of his life, that he embellished about "knowing her" in person and the time that they spent together maybe to cover up that it was an online relationship with no physical contact. I believe that he was fooled by a low life trying to bring him down, and I hope he goes as far as I know his talent should take him.

HeatherTransformed

My understanding is that he was catfished. He fell for a girl he met online, but never actually met her in real life. I'm sure that has happened to many people. It just sucks that it was wide open for EVERYONE to see. (

Except he claims they met after a football game & exchanged numbers. His dad has said she met up with him in Hawaii. It just doesn't add up.

Nov. 28, 2009: Te'o and Kekua meet after Stanford's 45-38 victory over Notre Dame in Palo Alto, according to the South Bend Tribune: "Their stares got pleasantly tangled, then Manti Te'o extended his hand to the stranger with a warm smile and soulful eyes." Kekua, a Stanford student, swaps phone numbers with Te'o.

2010-2011: Te'o and Kekua are friends. "She was gifted in music, multi-lingual, had dreams grounded in reality and the talent to catch up to them" (South Bend Tribune). "They started out as just friends," Te'o's father, Brian, told the Tribune in October 2012. "Every once in a while, she would travel to Hawaii, and that happened to be the time Manti was home, so he would meet with her there."

Read his statement. Like I said. I think he was embarrassed that he met a girl online and made up that he actually met her. My opinion.

Laces_0ut

so what round does he get drafted in now? 5th 6th? someone will take a chance on him right? but he just cost himself millions of dollars

RunsOnEspresso

My understanding is that he was catfished. He fell for a girl he met online, but never actually met her in real life. I'm sure that has happened to many people. It just sucks that it was wide open for EVERYONE to see. (

Except he claims they met after a football game & exchanged numbers. His dad has said she met up with him in Hawaii. It just doesn't add up.

Nov. 28, 2009: Te'o and Kekua meet after Stanford's 45-38 victory over Notre Dame in Palo Alto, according to the South Bend Tribune: "Their stares got pleasantly tangled, then Manti Te'o extended his hand to the stranger with a warm smile and soulful eyes." Kekua, a Stanford student, swaps phone numbers with Te'o.

2010-2011: Te'o and Kekua are friends. "She was gifted in music, multi-lingual, had dreams grounded in reality and the talent to catch up to them" (South Bend Tribune). "They started out as just friends," Te'o's father, Brian, told the Tribune in October 2012. "Every once in a while, she would travel to Hawaii, and that happened to be the time Manti was home, so he would meet with her there."

Read his statement. Like I said. I think he was embarrassed that he met a girl online and made up that he actually met her. My opinion.

I did read his statement. How many statements did Lance Armstrong release proclaiming his innocence...? And look how that turned out.

underwater77

so entirely *kitten* e d up.

and can we discuss how in that article from espn with his statement, it says it was given TUESDAY. yesterday.
how did it take deadspin reporting it today to make a stink? crazy.

unbelievable.

kstrunk1

I live in South Bend, IN (where Notre Dame is) and this is the only story that is being reported on every local news channel. Still very confusing and no one knows what to think ...

EDITED to add:
They just interrupted the regularly scheduled programs for a live news conference ...
Jack Swarbrick, UND director of athletics, discussed what university knew, etc. Said it is Manit's story to tell which he is going to do. Has to respect student privacy. Elaborate hoax perpetrated with cruelty at its core. Manti was/is the victim of the hoax. Many ways Manti was the perfect mark - ready to believe in others, etc. Roped him more and more into trap. Not a person who would have a second thought of helping another. Wants to stress that nothing about what I have learned about this situation over the last few weeks has shaken my faith in Manti Te'o one iota. Manti is embarrassed at being a victim in this case. Early morning of 12-26-12, called coaches to tell them that he received a phone call that he recognized as his girlfriend's Lennay Kekau. He was told she was not dead. Coaches got in touch with Swarbrick and met with Manti and Swarbrick on 12-27-12. Te'o had to tell every detail of relationship, what happened, etc. Swarbrick said he was forthcoming with everything. Took info. and shared with other university leaders. Additional questions of Manti asked and independent investigative firm looked into details, etc. Final report went to UND on 1-4-13. Swarbrick met with Te'o's parents on the 5th and shared the findings. Left meeting with understanding that they would reflect on what they heard, how to respond, etc. Parents were to work in concert with university of when they wanted to let the story out. The timetable the parents were on was to release story next week but it was released instead by others.
**** Typed this as I was listening so sorry if doesn't make sense. ****
Interview is still going on with press asking questions. You can follow it live at und.com.

smantha32

This is messed up.

underwater77

FURTHERMORE. haha. why do i care, not sure.

but if what ND said in their statement is true, and they knew about this on 12/26, why did they let the facade be carried out throughout the bcs championship game?

smantha32

My understanding is that he was catfished. He fell for a girl he met online, but never actually met her in real life. I'm sure that has happened to many people. It just sucks that it was wide open for EVERYONE to see. (

Except he supposedly talked to her on the phone, so he was in on it.

underwater77

http://hqplayer.nbcsports.com/Player.html?PID=99

VelociMama

WOW.... just wow...

Laces_0ut

My understanding is that he was catfished. He fell for a girl he met online, but never actually met her in real life. I'm sure that has happened to many people. It just sucks that it was wide open for EVERYONE to see. (

Except he supposedly talked to her on the phone, so he was in on it.

well when someone is catfished a lot of the time phone calls are involved.

but i still think he is involved.

underwater77

i think the catfished defense is pretty weak.


they have to pin it on his dad to make him look relatively decent and/or innocent.

kstrunk1

Yeah, it's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. Don't know what to think right now but it just doesn't add up.

underwater77

they "met" = they met online. lolz.

that's quite a stretch.

not sure press conference is helping.