Is the Manti Te'o girlfriend story made up???

I saw a story from deadspin, then a couple minutes later it was posted on MgoBlog(now locked) about the fact that the story of Te'o's girlfriend is made up and that she does not even exist. I hate ND with a passion but I truly hope that this story it not true, even though with all of the information and work that went into it, makes one wonder...I am not saying this story is fact but I think its something to look into.

http://deadspin.com/5976517/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-and-inspirational-story-of-the-college-football-season-is-a-hoax?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

The "truthers" are unreal, there's a conspiracy theorey about everything.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/15/16529522-grandfather-who-comforted-sandy-hook-elementary-kids-says-truthers-are-targeting-him?lite

I haven't heard the one about Te'os GF but it is not shocking that someone would make that claim...

Here's the Deadspin story...

http://deadspin.com/5976517/manti-teos-dead-girlfriend-the-most-heartbreaking-and-inspirational-story-of-the-college-football-season-is-a-hoax?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

No good can come from twitter...

Glad he posted the deadspin link again. Apparently reading comprehension is not something they work on at the University of Michigan.

On to the Manti story. PTi discussed this tonight and are reporting that Manti is claiming he is the victim of a hoax. The PTI guys basically decided that this is not good for Manti no matter how it work out. Even if someone else fabricated the hoax, Manti should have cleared it up right away. Why is this now just coming out? Bizarre story. I do not think we have heard the last of it.

The ND officials have made an "official" announcement: On Dec. 26, Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te’o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators.

Dennis Brown
University Spokesman | Assistant Vice President

WillieMfan wrote:

Why is this now just coming out?

This is what I want to know after reading that article. How could nobody from Stanford have not come forward much sooner and say, "hey, there is not and never was a student registered here by that name."

If this was all a hoax, then screw Manti. How often did we have to hear about that dead girlfriend from the media and how noble, brave and wonderful it was that a football player could get over that kind of grief to play football? Brent Musberger practically sobbed for this guy when ND played Sparty back in September. And unfortunately the following week, after Denard had thrown a hundred interceptions in South Bend, it was brought up again right before ND's victory formation because it was so Hollywood, so over the top and so Notre Dame.

So according to the school statement he met a person that made up the name and the leukemia, etc. No fucking way. So we are supposed to believe hat he met a chick that was able to catch his eye at the Stanford game and was able to begin a relationship with a guy who is a sure thing NFL player that will be making millions next year and she is going to lead him on and then claim to die? No. Fucking. Way. If you read the deadspin story it also talks about him sleeping on the phone with her. Who would go through all of that trouble for a bullshit story?

I am sorry but I am calling bullshit.

Te'o's Statement:

""This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her.

"To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating.

"It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life.

"I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been.

"In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was.

"Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."

To this I say produce the fake girl that tricked him. Obviously he had phone number(s). He had a email address. Should be easy to identify this person.

I seem to remember him dedicating his performance against Michigan to his girlfriend since her funeral was that day. I am outraged haha! I demand that loss be stricken from the records. At least give us an asterisk ha ha.

I remember thinking that it was weird that his gf's family had her funeral ON the day of his game, why didn't they just delay it until Sunday so he could attend. Well, now I know why...

Did anyone see that joke of a press conference on ESPN? Notre Dame is trying to do damage control claiming they believe Manti was completely fooled. There's so many holes in this story, it's insane.

It's pretty sad that actual deaths at Notre Dame can be swept under the rug (Declan Sullivan and Lizzy Seaberg) but a made up person's death can be used as propaganda for Hollywood type positive press.

I did not see the press conference. ND is a sham. They think they are above everything. This has been evident in everything from the rape a couple years ago, the videographer death and now this.

Apparently a former NFL player (A friend of Te'o maybe???) actually met this girl and talked about her in a prior interview...Man I have no idea what in the heck is going on here, it just keeps getting more unbelievable by the minute...

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/1/16/3885312/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-regaan-mauia-lennay-kekua

I think he was not in on it. He had an on-line relationship with this person. I guess kids these days do that. Then he was told she died. Now an Arizona Cardinals player says she did exist. This is weird.

It's the weird that makes it bullshit Fish. Too many things don't add up, including that t was just an online relationship. The Deadspin article lists several times the two supposedly saw each other in person. There was even some quote about looking into her eyes....

Now we are being told it was all an online thing.

Mistake #1 - T'eo should've come out from the get go and not led on like he and this supposed girl were soul mates. I'm not saying he should've downplayed it like she didn't matter to him but at least let the public know that their relationship was nothing along the lines that it was being made out to be, like the relationship he and his grandmother had, as we were led to believe. A simple statement saying he recently met her, cared for her, was blessed to know her would have sufficed. Now it's blown up into this whole shit storm....


Mistake #2 - ND public relations should've been proactive from the get go. No they are in damage control mode (as historian said) and that is never a good thing. Proactive > Reactive any day.

So...... if Te'o was talking to some random chick this whole time, why doesnt he just give the police the phone numbers he has been using so they can track down the individual who is behind the ''hoax'' ? I dont get it. Seems pretty simple to me.

WolverineHistorian wrote:

Did anyone see that joke of a press conference on ESPN? Notre Dame is trying to do damage control claiming they believe Manti was completely fooled. There's so many holes in this story, it's insane.

It's pretty sad that actual deaths at Notre Dame can be swept under the rug (Declan Sullivan and Lizzy Seaberg) but a made up person's death can be used as propaganda for Hollywood type positive press.

It would be difficult to make a more pointed, or poignant, commentary than yours, WH...esp. the last sentence.

And of course, since (according to those who have followed statistics, class years, ages, etc. despite his "anonymity"), the player allegedly (I say that only to be objective)involved in the L.S. case would have played in the BCS title game. (Yet another reason Lady Justice decided the outcome as she did). Two years after Ms. Seeburg died.

uofmchris wrote:

So...... if Te'o was talking to some random chick this whole time, why doesnt he just give the police the phone numbers he has been using so they can track down the individual who is behind the ''hoax'' ? I dont get it. Seems pretty simple to me.

Was there any law broken? I don't think so. Did they extort money? Just laying about who you are isn't in itself illegal is it? I'm thinking that he just looks like a fool at best.

Yeah I was gonna make a post after my initial post asking "is this even illegal"... You would think at the very least Te'o would want to find out who was behind all of this.. Couldn't he sue for damages done to his character? Te'o's image and NFL draft stock are affected by this ''hoax''.. He has phone numbers etc. to prove it. If this was really some sick joke played on Te'o, I sure as shit would want to find out who was behind it. (if I were in his shoes)

fishgoblue22 wrote:

Was there any law broken? I don't think so. Did they extort money? Just laying about who you are isn't in itself illegal is it? I'm thinking that he just looks like a fool at best.

Right!

I'm no attorney. My academic abbreviation is BS not JD but I can't think of any laws that this might break. Cruel hoax... YES. Bad judgement... YES. Broken laws... ???

any JDs here that can shed proper light on the subject?

I'm sure he could sue the person whoever was behind this. I dont think any charges can be filed against the person, but I do believe he could take them to civil court for damages done to his character? Who knows. I'm no lawyer LOL

I'm with you sandyeggo, I have no idea, but it doesn't look like any laws were broken.

I think that they know who is behind it. The Tuiosasopo guy.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

uofmchris wrote:

So...... if Te'o was talking to some random chick this whole time, why doesnt he just give the police the phone numbers he has been using so they can track down the individual who is behind the ''hoax'' ? I dont get it. Seems pretty simple to me.

Was there any law broken? I don't think so. Did they extort money? Just laying about who you are isn't in itself illegal is it? I'm thinking that he just looks like a fool at best.

Technically, it is illegal, Fish--- under the definition, in Webster and in the U.S. Constitution, of imposturing. Just asnwering
your question...

But that's as deeply as I care to get involved in this discussion, given its nature.

Perhaps no laws BUT I would not rule that out either. They are getting stricter about internet harassment, bullying, etc. That said, I would say the bigger issue is finding out who has now ruined your reputation and possibly impacted your lively hood. I would want to clear my name. With a phone number and email it would not take Sherlock Holmes to find them.

WillieMfan wrote:

Perhaps no laws BUT I would not rule that out either. They are getting stricter about internet harassment, bullying, etc. That said, I would say the bigger issue is finding out who has now ruined your reputation and possibly impacted your lively hood. I would want to clear my name. With a phone number and email it would not take Sherlock Holmes to find them.

That's exactly what I am saying! His image has been tainted. Could cost him millions. (seriously!) He has phone numbers, email addresses, twitter accounts, etc.. HE can turn all of that over to authorities if he really wants to.

This entire affair (pardon the pun) is bizarre. The ND AD and football coach knew about the hoax a week (or maybe earlier) prior to the BCS final game. But does the holier than thou, pompous, image conscious hierarchy at ND make any kind of announcement before the game? Of course not!

haven't seen this one yet, Alabama QB McCaron is hot but Manti girl friend is unreal

****groan, mumble, mumble...

Manti's interview with Sports Illustrated (dated October 1st) is pretty golden now...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130117/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-quotes/

Apparently, the real name on her invisible tombstone is Melelengei Kekua. Her invisible family was very important to her. Tragically, her invisible father had already passed but she took over for him at a place called Clark Construction Company. She majored in English (and something) from Stanford and she wrote Manti a letter before every Notre Dame game. (What is this? 1945?)

It's a shame that such a wonderful invisible girl had to die so tragically.