Manti Te'o Girlfriend Hoax
By Walt - @walterfootball
Jan. 17, 2013
If you asked anyone to conjure up the craziest sports story possible this January, I don't think anyone could have come up with something as nuts as the Manti Te'o situation. His late girlfriend, the one who died of Leukemia, didn't exist? How could this be possible? After all, his girlfriend and grandmother dying within a span of 24 hours was one of the reasons he received so much Heisman consideration.
Well, I was the victim of an online female hoax when I was a freshman at Penn State 12 years ago. It obviously wasn't of this magnitude, but it's still something I'll never forget. I don't know if I want to go into the details - I may do so in the future - but I'll just say that I was pretty hurt by the situation. Even though I can't believe how naive I was in hindsight, I still feel for Te'o - but obviously only if it's true that he was fooled, as he claims.
However, there are so many things that don't add up. All of the discrepancies in the stories, including the meetings, visits and long phone calls... Te'o's dad's statement about her traveling to Hawaii when Te'o was there... Or as forum member Scar pointed out, how about the fact that Te'o didn't visit her once after he learned she had cancer? And what about never going to her grave site? So, he's either a liar or the worst boyfriend of all time.
Do you believe that this was a hoax? Or was he lying?
The question must be asked: Will this affect Te'o's draft stock? I'll have a more definitive answer soon hopefully after hearing from league sources, but for now, I'd have to think so.
If Te'o is lying, that's obviously terrible for his pro prospects. He'll be deemed a major character risk, though some team will take a chance on him (Bengals?). If this is just a hoax, however, some general managers may worry that he won't be respected in the locker room. He'll be the butt of every joke amongst his teammates, which is obviously not good.
Here's the thing though: I don't think we'll ever know for sure if Te'o conjured the entire thing up. How can he possibly prove that he was the victim of a terrible hoax? Yes, you're innocent until proven guilty in this country, but only in a court room. This does not apply to the court of public opinion; he needs to prove that he was duped because based on the tweets and message board posts I read throughout Wednesday evening, most people aren't buying Te'o's claim - so I doubt most teams will.
What do you think? Will this affect his draft stock?
See where Te'o is in my 2013 NFL Mock Draft. Follow me @walterfootball. Or post your thoughts below:
Friday, Jan. 18 Update:
As promised, here are some updates from league sources. We've spoken to two NFC personnel men, who had the following things to say about Te'o and his draft stock:
"It's just a strange ordeal. I'm sure it'll all blow over by the time late April comes around. It's not like he drove drunk, or is into drugs, or had domestic issues."
"Any analysis is premature at this point."
"Not sure but it's some strange s*** either way ... One thing is for sure, the interview should be fantastic next month in Indy."
It'll be interesting to see if their thinking changes if it's discovered that Te'o was aware of this situation. Of course, we may never know the truth.
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Jan. 17, 2013
If you asked anyone to conjure up the craziest sports story possible this January, I don't think anyone could have come up with something as nuts as the Manti Te'o situation. His late girlfriend, the one who died of Leukemia, didn't exist? How could this be possible? After all, his girlfriend and grandmother dying within a span of 24 hours was one of the reasons he received so much Heisman consideration.
Well, I was the victim of an online female hoax when I was a freshman at Penn State 12 years ago. It obviously wasn't of this magnitude, but it's still something I'll never forget. I don't know if I want to go into the details - I may do so in the future - but I'll just say that I was pretty hurt by the situation. Even though I can't believe how naive I was in hindsight, I still feel for Te'o - but obviously only if it's true that he was fooled, as he claims.
However, there are so many things that don't add up. All of the discrepancies in the stories, including the meetings, visits and long phone calls... Te'o's dad's statement about her traveling to Hawaii when Te'o was there... Or as forum member Scar pointed out, how about the fact that Te'o didn't visit her once after he learned she had cancer? And what about never going to her grave site? So, he's either a liar or the worst boyfriend of all time.
Do you believe that this was a hoax? Or was he lying?
The question must be asked: Will this affect Te'o's draft stock? I'll have a more definitive answer soon hopefully after hearing from league sources, but for now, I'd have to think so.
If Te'o is lying, that's obviously terrible for his pro prospects. He'll be deemed a major character risk, though some team will take a chance on him (Bengals?). If this is just a hoax, however, some general managers may worry that he won't be respected in the locker room. He'll be the butt of every joke amongst his teammates, which is obviously not good.
Here's the thing though: I don't think we'll ever know for sure if Te'o conjured the entire thing up. How can he possibly prove that he was the victim of a terrible hoax? Yes, you're innocent until proven guilty in this country, but only in a court room. This does not apply to the court of public opinion; he needs to prove that he was duped because based on the tweets and message board posts I read throughout Wednesday evening, most people aren't buying Te'o's claim - so I doubt most teams will.
What do you think? Will this affect his draft stock?
See where Te'o is in my 2013 NFL Mock Draft. Follow me @walterfootball. Or post your thoughts below:
Friday, Jan. 18 Update:
As promised, here are some updates from league sources. We've spoken to two NFC personnel men, who had the following things to say about Te'o and his draft stock:
"It's just a strange ordeal. I'm sure it'll all blow over by the time late April comes around. It's not like he drove drunk, or is into drugs, or had domestic issues."
"Any analysis is premature at this point."
"Not sure but it's some strange s*** either way ... One thing is for sure, the interview should be fantastic next month in Indy."
It'll be interesting to see if their thinking changes if it's discovered that Te'o was aware of this situation. Of course, we may never know the truth.
|
Craig Russ
01-17-2013
11:42 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.193
(total posts: 1)
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This is the latest in a line of problems for poor Manti. But his biggest is still the National Championship game. I'm betting he falls to the second round at least.
Bob
01-17-2013
11:25 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.106
(total posts: 1)
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He's either an idiot for being duped into this or a huge liar.
DrAnon
01-17-2013
10:00 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx6.48
(total posts: 1)
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I have an admission to make. I also have an imaginary girlfriend. Her name is Natalie Gulbis. She's real so google her. She's decided to concentrate on her career before she marries me.
Seriously, none of this affects his draft stock but I would have a team psychologist give him run through, just in case he's bananas from concussions.
MarkB
01-17-2013
08:50 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.243
(total posts: 1)
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I didn't know about the 'girlfriend' until this came out. And I still don't care about it. Goofy? Sure. But he didn't shoot up a strip club.
lol
01-17-2013
08:03 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx5.70
(total posts: 1)
183
6
Dude needs to come out of the closet and admitt he is gay. No other reason to make up something like this.
Brohamma
01-17-2013
07:29 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.160
(total posts: 3)
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Seriously though.. this guy better be on suicide watch.
It's easy to point the finger and say "haha," but when people are "catfished" like this I imagine it can be pretty devastating.. especially when you are looking at possibly making it to the NFL after all the commitment. He didn't help his situation but he's done nothing that even COMPARES to what previous prospects have done. The guy is simply a victim instead of having created victims.
SBDaGOODness
01-17-2013
07:23 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.231
(total posts: 1)
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A stud linebacker needs an online girlfriend? HOAX!!
steve
01-17-2013
07:17 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.112
(total posts: 1)
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i dont buy any of it. your gonna tell me the biggest superstar on ND football is gonna have an online girlfriend when he can most likely have any girl on the notre dame campus?
i call shenanigans on him and i cant wait till one of the campus floozies that he banged this year comes out to the media
...
01-17-2013
07:17 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.202
(total posts: 1)
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Alfonzo Dennard, meet Manti Te'o. You will be tutoring this rookie in the "Patriot Way".
Run-DMG
01-17-2013
07:04 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx4.11
(total posts: 2)
14
163
Biggest hoax since the Holocaust.
Creighton
01-17-2013
06:39 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.237
(total posts: 1)
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More stuff coming out, ND players say they new he was lying, that DEC 6, was the date he supposedly told them about this so called hoax. But after Dec 6 he was still talking about her.
The media dropped the ball. Nobody gets terminal cancer in one day and dies, and you do not contract it from a car accident. No one ever asked why he did not go to the supposed funeral. He met her when she had a slow acting form of cancer that kills in 3-5 years. So when he met her should have been terminally ill to begin with. She is dying and he never went and saw her. But this was the love of his life.
skaff
01-17-2013
06:29 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx.140
(total posts: 1)
4
4
To bad teo and his girlfriend never met face to face and how could she meat him after the Stanford game towards the end of the year but she dies before the.Michigan state game
@Brohamma
01-17-2013
06:27 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx4.82
(total posts: 4)
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4
LOL
How about kneeling and fake crying next to an invisible hospital bed?
COFFEE
01-17-2013
06:25 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx4.82
(total posts: 4)
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Walt, I want details on the girlfriend hoax perpetrated on you. It sounds hilarious in a glad-it-didn't-happen-to-me way.
vikzilla
01-17-2013
06:21 pm
xxx.xxx.xxx4.37
(total posts: 1)
139
4
Seeing as I've watched Leukemia take two close friends of mine, I struggle to understand how one could manipulate such a serious illness for public exposure.
Donate that first pay-check to cancer research and get back to us, Manti. Until then, enjoy the public exposure you so badly desired. |
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings - June 19
2014 NFL Mock Draft - June 18
Charlie's 2014 NFL Mock Draft - June 17
2013 NBA Mock Draft - May 22
NFL Picks - Feb. 3
© 1999-2013 Walter Cherepinsky : all rights reserved
Privacy Policy
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