Manti Te'o - The sport's story currently bigger than Lance, in the US

[Stat Brother]

These WERE the FACTS, and by jimminy did the US lap it up all season, as I'm sure you can imagine.
His profile raised to the extent he was voted 2nd best College footballer from this season.

But it was his off-pitch story that truly captured people's hearts. For Te'o was hit by a double tragedy just before a big game as Kekua – who had already suffered a near fatal car crash, according to reports – finally succumbed to cancer at the same time as Te'o's grandmother also died. Yet, despite the double tragedy, Te'o went on to play the game of his life as Notre Dame beat Michigan State 20-3.

The story is now breaking that the girlfriend didn't actually exist.
The question now is did he make her up, or if he was conned by a third party lining up a blackmail sting.

Manti Te'o hoax: US sports journalists face uncomfortable self-reflection | Sport | The Guardian

 

[Hotchilidog]

Unbelieveable story, I'd like to think he was duped, but in all honesty it looks like he made the whole thing up to boost his profile. If he knew this was going to break it would explain his woeful performance in the BCS championship game. He will probably slip down the draft so he could be a late round bargain.

 

[dingodan]

Unbelieveable story, I'd like to think he was duped, but in all honesty it looks like he made the whole thing up to boost his profile. If he knew this was going to break it would explain his woeful performance in the BCS championship game. He will probably slip down the draft so he could be a late round bargain.

Saw this yesterday, crazy story. The way I read it, it sounded like he was duped. Feel sorry for him tbh.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Saw this yesterday, crazy story. The way I read it, it sounded like he was duped. Feel sorry for him tbh.

I hope it was hoax, as I feel for the guy too, but the story just doesn't seem to add up at all. What's lost in all this, is that he did lose his grandmother and he played on despite that. I suspect that there is a lot more to come out about this.

 

[dingodan]

I hope it was hoax, as I feel for the guy too, but the story just doesn't seem to add up at all. What's lost in all this, is that he did lose his grandmother and he played on despite that. I suspect that there is a lot more to come out about this.

The guy was a mormon, so I guess he was trying to have an at arms length online relationship. If I'm getting this right his online "girlfriend" was basically a troll, who then decided to "kill" her off. So the guy loses, and presumably grieves for what he thinks is his girlfriend, only to find out that she never existed and it was a "prank".

Cruel doesn't even cut it.

 

[el_ciddy]

It's snowing!

 

[Hotchilidog]

The guy was a mormon, so I guess he was trying to have an at arms length online relationship. If I'm getting this right his online "girlfriend" was basically a troll, who then decided to "kill" her off. So the guy loses, and presumably grieves for what he thinks is his girlfriend, only to find out that she never existed and it was a "prank".

Cruel doesn't even cut it.

We'll see what comes out in the wash. One reporter on College Football Live earlier today definitely believed it was a hoax, although fellow students thought there was something odd about 'the girlfriend'. If it was a hoax then it is unbelievably cruel. The kid seems to be a really good guy, so I hope for his sake the definitive truth comes out sooner rather than later.

 

[dragonred]

We'll see what comes out in the wash. One reporter on College Football Live earlier today definitely believed it was a hoax, although fellow students thought there was something odd about 'the girlfriend'. If it was a hoax then it is unbelievably cruel. The kid seems to be a really good guy, so I hope for his sake the definitive truth comes out sooner rather than later.

it has all the classic hallmarks of US sport - take an above average but not exceptional player and to boost his chances of the Heisman Trophy and NFL Draft pick 1 status, make him a media story as either the underdog or the person whose beaten the odds to win - nothing like letting the truth get in the way of a 'sob story'! Mormon or not, and I know some Mormons, they are not that innocent to think they are dating someone online they've never met in any way shape or form constitutes a partner!!!! Now as for Amish, that's a different story as they really do live sheltered lives....!

 

[AZ Gull]

A truly bizarre tale. Although it seems certain now that the "girlfriend" never existed in real life, Te'o's father has apparently described how she visited his son in Hawaii; a player for the Arizona Cardinals has claimed that he met her in Samoa even before Te'o was ever involved. Curiouser and curiouser.

 

[Stat Brother]

Manti Te'o's Fake Girlfriend May Have Duped Others - ABC News