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Deadspin: (Notre Dame football player) Manti Teos Dead Girlfriend is a hoax
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Saint Gregory
Member
So what I thought then, OK.
They seem to have zero problems helping him get his version of events out into the media in a way that puts him under the least possible scrutiny. Schaap should be completely ashamed to have been a part of this but I'm sure that he won't be.
Maybe ND is different but aren't most schools out by mid-May? I'm agreeing with you BTW.
Bullshit.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Schaap will probably do a special comment or some shit on Monday where he picks apart Te'o's answers. He's probably one of the last decent journalists still employed by ESPN.
Not anymore man, he said some embarrassing shit about the interview. He's about all in as Swarbrick now.
HerbertFish
Member
It was true before tonight
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Give him the weekend. He just got out of the interview. He's gonna look over those answers. He's not above saying "Okay, here's what I thought initially, but then I looked back over the transcripts. And guess what..."
timetokill
Banned
It just follows the narrative that Te'o wasn't really into her until she "died" and the media latched onto it; then he was madly in love and she was the love of his life and she could be the family's daughter-in-law.
Basically it's an admission of lying in order to boost his public persona. He may not have done it specifically for the Heisman but he was doing it for his own benefit either way.
Regardless, if we believe his story, then that means at the time he thought she was real so he was absolutely using a girl's death for self-promotion, which is as disgusting as all the pathological lying he's done as well.
I don't disagree, but that wasn't my point. When it came down to it, Te'o wasn't going to give an on camera interview, period. This story is still salacious enough that "news" organizations would be fighting with each other to interview him on camera or off, so Te'o's camp had all of the leverage. If ESPN wanted to get this exclusive interview, they were going to have to do it on Te'o's terms, otherwise, Te'o would just say, "next," and another media entity would run the interview.
Saint Gregory
Member
Which is exactly why ESPN asked him to conduct this interview. What a horrible way to spend the last bit of your credibility
I really hope so, this whole thing is really sad. Not even the hoax really, it's the cover-up that's depressing me.
No I get that, but really ESPN should have just passed on this and let some other news organization help him recover his image. ESPN has so little credibilty at this point with this story that it probably hurt both entities to attempt this kind of sham interview.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
I still think, regardless of whether Schaap comes around by Monday or not - this thing disappears by two weeks. I just don't see it turning out any other way.
I'm not HAPPY about this. But it looks like that's where it's going. Everyone involved seems more than willing to write this off as an embarrassed moron getting caught being a fucking idiot.
You know why?
Because the majority of the people covering this STILL have an antiquated idea of how the internet works. They still think "Online dating" is this weird thing where people open up Instant Message windows and type "MMMMMM" and "UUUUUUUU" at each other. They're older people who only understand what "being catfished" means because they googled it for five seconds before going on the air - meaning they don't REALLY understand it, but they understand just enough to go "Well, that's the internet for you!"
So believing that this kid is this dumb and that the internet works the way they think it does is EASY.
I don't think it's a cover up. I think it's the majority of the major media not having caught up with the way people a couple generations beneath them are communicating with each other. Without that understanding, it's easier to swallow the bullshit. It's the "It must be a computer virus" excuse you'd give to your mom when she found porn folders on the family computer. And she goes "Oh, okay." because that's the internet for you.
Te'o is a helpless idiot because helpless idiots get fucked over on the internet ALL THE TIME. Why wouldn't they swalllow that? Most of the people writing this shit ARE THE HELPLESS IDIOTS GETTING FUCKED OVER ON THE INTERNET. Because they're old and they don't know any better.
I'm not HAPPY about this. But it looks like that's where it's going. Everyone involved seems more than willing to write this off as an embarrassed moron getting caught being a fucking idiot.
You know why?
Because the majority of the people covering this STILL have an antiquated idea of how the internet works. They still think "Online dating" is this weird thing where people open up Instant Message windows and type "MMMMMM" and "UUUUUUUU" at each other. They're older people who only understand what "being catfished" means because they googled it for five seconds before going on the air - meaning they don't REALLY understand it, but they understand just enough to go "Well, that's the internet for you!"
So believing that this kid is this dumb and that the internet works the way they think it does is EASY.
I don't think it's a cover up. I think it's the majority of the major media not having caught up with the way people a couple generations beneath them are communicating with each other. Without that understanding, it's easier to swallow the bullshit. It's the "It must be a computer virus" excuse you'd give to your mom when she found porn folders on the family computer. And she goes "Oh, okay." because that's the internet for you.
Te'o is a helpless idiot because helpless idiots get fucked over on the internet ALL THE TIME. Why wouldn't they swalllow that? Most of the people writing this shit ARE THE HELPLESS IDIOTS GETTING FUCKED OVER ON THE INTERNET. Because they're old and they don't know any better.
timetokill
Banned
How does Swarbrick feel now that Te'o is on record basically saying that he's a fucking liar, since now Te'o apparently ONLY JUST FOUND OUT FOR SURE TWO DAYS AGO that this was all a scam?
HerbertFish
Member
Nice post. It also of course does not hurt Te'o that the mainstream media has a vested interest in making him look good as possible.
I don't know if you guys saw this, but I'm now thinking he might just be that gullible. I don't think there's any doubt he lied about / exaggerated a whole lot of things regarding the nature of his relationship with his "girlfriend", but it does look like he was fooled and still being fooled in December.
Saint Gregory
Member
I actually wouldn't mind if this story just winds down and disappears. Te'o's a twenty year-old kid and twenty-year old kids sometimes make terrible mistakes that they shouldn't be made to suffer for their entire lives.
But I did have an expectation that the supposed adults in this situation, the school and the media, would have simply acted responsibly and treated this for what it was; a young man tried to exploit a bad situation for his own personal gain and it blew up in his face.
Now since they didn't, the inevitable consequence is going to be other athletes attempting to draw attention to themselves by dating real cancer victims or some other engrossing self-made human interest story that will propel them to the same level of fame that Te'o has achieved.
I really hate the way things work sometimes.
But I did have an expectation that the supposed adults in this situation, the school and the media, would have simply acted responsibly and treated this for what it was; a young man tried to exploit a bad situation for his own personal gain and it blew up in his face.
Now since they didn't, the inevitable consequence is going to be other athletes attempting to draw attention to themselves by dating real cancer victims or some other engrossing self-made human interest story that will propel them to the same level of fame that Te'o has achieved.
I really hate the way things work sometimes.
After watching this video of this guy whose cousin was tricked by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo in the same way, I'm convinced Te'o wasn't in on the hoax from the beginning:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:8857268
However, Te'o made up so much stuff and milked that shit to the fullest, that he was basically complicit.
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:8857268
However, Te'o made up so much stuff and milked that shit to the fullest, that he was basically complicit.
Yeah, the dude milked it, and pushed the "love" angle that the media wanted him to. However, I'm amazed at some of the attitudes in this thread. Some of you sound like you're ready to pull out the pitchforks and torches over this guy.
BigJonsson
Member
Oprah needs to interview this dude
But whatever, who cares, not like anyone is going to jail over this
He is still going to make millions
But whatever, who cares, not like anyone is going to jail over this
He is still going to make millions
What I don't get is why he lied and lied some more to his friends, family, basically his entire world about this "girl" and the nature of his "relationship" before the media even got involved.
I'm starting to love this crazy kid and the ride he's taking everybody on, but he's far from innocent. Nobody pushed him into doing anything.
Well, if you send him a Facebook request he may soon love you too.
timetokill
Banned
:jnc
Guess Te'o's staff asked them to pull that part since it wasn't matching with other facts and details and was really just bringing up more questions than answers. Interesting. And of course ESPN would comply happily.
Deadspin said:
Guess Te'o's staff asked them to pull that part since it wasn't matching with other facts and details and was really just bringing up more questions than answers. Interesting. And of course ESPN would comply happily.
perfectchaos007
Member
Did deadspin save a screengrab? ESPN pulled the same thing earlier when they initially stated Te'o claimed the hoax affected his performance in the championship game. They later changed his answer to him saying it did not affect his performance. ESPN is acting just as fishy as anyone in this case.
Right now I think both the sports media and Te'o are desperately trying to find version of this story they both feel comfortable with so everyone can move on and hope nobody else keeps digging. I honestly feel ESPN and the rest are willing to accept almost anything at this point to avoid looking more foolish. This interview they are buying at face value.
BruiserBear
Banned
Please tell me just how deep this conspiracy goes.
*ESPN management huddled in a room putting their careers on the line trying to help cover up a lie for this single college football player*
The funny thing is even if you blindly believe everything Te'o has spewed, it suddenly portrays him as just a completely horrible boyfriend. Your girlfriend, the self-proclaimed "love of your life", is sick and dying in the hospital and you don't think to visit her once?! She was dying from what, April until September? Even if you buy the "she didn't want me to miss a game" angle, there's still a huge gap between spring ball and summer training camp where he could have easily visited her.
That's why I wonder if he ever saw the relationship as that significant before she died and it became a news story.
Its not a matter of them helping him coming up with lies, its a matter of them being willing to accept his explanation and hope everyone decides "good enough for me" and moves on. Both the Te'o and Armstrong stories this week have made the big timers like ESPN look like the frauds the smart marks have always insisted they are. Their complete lack to fact check anything about Te'os girlfriend or to follow up properly with any of Armstrong's detractors makes them look really foolish now. They want it to go away.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
But how does that help Manti medium or long term? If he came out with the truth himself, he'd look like a dope but at least most people could have felt sorry for him to some degree. Now...........
They might not have, but I did.
I love how everyone here is a conspiracy theorist and automatically jumps to the conclusion that not only is Manti in on it but whole organizations like ESPN and NBC are in on it.
Just slow down for a minute folks.
He granted ESPN an interview. I am sure they set up parameters. Whether it was Schaap or any other interview personality they have, they weren't going to get away with just grilling the dude. He interviewed him for 2.5 hours with an attorney present. And Schaap still led of his report by saying there are inconsistencies and that its up to the viewers to decide. He didn't claim I BELIEVE MANTI 100%!
Schaap was only relaying what he was told in the interview. He isn't or wasn't his mouthpieces. You guys are going way overboard here, almost wanting to believe the larger conspiracies of the networks knowing but hiding it and now trying to cover it up by making him look innocent. All that took place was that he finally spoke, granted an interview, and ESPN relayed what he said.
The truth will come out. Lets stop the conspiracies. ESPN has no vested interest in this one player. They won't lose money, sleep, or the sports market share because they too fell for this feel good story and now are reporting the hoax. If anything this is spiking their ratings right now as they cover this daily on almost all 3 of their main channels.
Again and again ESPN, like all media, has proven they only care about the drama which leads to ratings. Why in the world would they cover this up or try to twist it to make him look good? The longer this goes on the better for them. Hell it will be a prominent feature of their draft coverage now.
ESPN won't lose any NCAA contracts over this, won't lose the rights to broadcast their games, won't lose any interest from the fans who watch their product, and won't lose any ratings. And they certainly will be the face of the coverage from now on regardless of the fact that deadspin originally broke the story.
As for the actual content of the interview, I still think he was in on it to some degree but he did offer some plausible answers which prove he might have been duped AND that he is a monumental moron.
The only inconsistency he can't answer which I can't buy is the idea that it never crossed his mind to go see his dying, sick, gf who was also the love of his life. I can buy lying to his parents, family, and friends out of embarrassment of having a public online internet relationship with a girl who he could never meet or who would come up with excuses to back out of meetings.
As it stands now I still think he was in on it. But maybe not right away at the start. Its the only way I can explain why he wouldn't go see her in the hospital. At some point he realized it was fishy and didn't bother but by then the attention and positive feedback got to his head. And his little lies to his parents and family turned into one big lie to the nation.
Just slow down for a minute folks.
He granted ESPN an interview. I am sure they set up parameters. Whether it was Schaap or any other interview personality they have, they weren't going to get away with just grilling the dude. He interviewed him for 2.5 hours with an attorney present. And Schaap still led of his report by saying there are inconsistencies and that its up to the viewers to decide. He didn't claim I BELIEVE MANTI 100%!
Schaap was only relaying what he was told in the interview. He isn't or wasn't his mouthpieces. You guys are going way overboard here, almost wanting to believe the larger conspiracies of the networks knowing but hiding it and now trying to cover it up by making him look innocent. All that took place was that he finally spoke, granted an interview, and ESPN relayed what he said.
The truth will come out. Lets stop the conspiracies. ESPN has no vested interest in this one player. They won't lose money, sleep, or the sports market share because they too fell for this feel good story and now are reporting the hoax. If anything this is spiking their ratings right now as they cover this daily on almost all 3 of their main channels.
Again and again ESPN, like all media, has proven they only care about the drama which leads to ratings. Why in the world would they cover this up or try to twist it to make him look good? The longer this goes on the better for them. Hell it will be a prominent feature of their draft coverage now.
ESPN won't lose any NCAA contracts over this, won't lose the rights to broadcast their games, won't lose any interest from the fans who watch their product, and won't lose any ratings. And they certainly will be the face of the coverage from now on regardless of the fact that deadspin originally broke the story.
As for the actual content of the interview, I still think he was in on it to some degree but he did offer some plausible answers which prove he might have been duped AND that he is a monumental moron.
The only inconsistency he can't answer which I can't buy is the idea that it never crossed his mind to go see his dying, sick, gf who was also the love of his life. I can buy lying to his parents, family, and friends out of embarrassment of having a public online internet relationship with a girl who he could never meet or who would come up with excuses to back out of meetings.
As it stands now I still think he was in on it. But maybe not right away at the start. Its the only way I can explain why he wouldn't go see her in the hospital. At some point he realized it was fishy and didn't bother but by then the attention and positive feedback got to his head. And his little lies to his parents and family turned into one big lie to the nation.
GitarooMan
Member
He "tailored" his stories. Nice calculated way to say he's a complete liar and fraud. Surprised it took two days to come up with that phrasing.
Well if you buy his story as he told Schaap, he believed everything that took place with him. He was in love but to embarrassed to admit that the love of his life was someone he never met. And that whenever he tried to meet her, she would come up with a reason to not meet. So he lied and told his parents "yeah i met her".
Then he honestly believed this person to have died. Again this is if you believe his account.
Then on Dec 6 he gets a call from the same "voice" claiming she didn't die, had to lie due to drug dealers after her, and that she is sorry for the whole thing. Manti claims that in that time between Dec 6 and Dec 26 when he told ND and his parents he entertained the idea that someone from Lennay's family, possibly her sister, was tricking him and that he really couldn't wrap his head around the idea that his dead gf was back and alive. I mean if you buy his story, that is not that difficult to understand. The concept of the love of your live dying and then coming back 3 months later would fuck you up mentally.
And he also claims he didn't know for sure 100% what happened until Tuisosopo messaged him through twitter direct and confessed this past Wednesday.
How come he couldn't do an interview on camera? I got Schapp out there looking like a duck relaying shit to me on TV.
Guy had no problem sitting in front of the camera and embellishing stories but now all of a sudden he's uncomfortable?
Like I said before, phone records would be THE thing that clears his name. Don't even need to talk to anyone just show the records.
Guy had no problem sitting in front of the camera and embellishing stories but now all of a sudden he's uncomfortable?
Like I said before, phone records would be THE thing that clears his name. Don't even need to talk to anyone just show the records.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
To be fair, why would they change multiple parts of the interview without noting those changes? If you were to read the story 5 hours late, you wouldn't knew key parts of this "interview".
Because they got it wrong? Yeah it seems stupid but I just don't get any possible reason why they would go out of their way to cover this up for Manti unless of course ESPN was the gf.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
This is what I'm talking about effzee. In my opinion it would have been best for him to come out with the truth on Dec 6th. He did those Heisman interviews on the 8th and acted as if nothing was going on behind closed doors for a couple days.
Had he came out with the truth back then, people would have had alot more sympathy for him. If my dead girlfriend called me 3 months later saying that she was alive, but had to run from drug lords, I wouldn't have believed that person at all. And I don't think I could keep telling people that she was dead either.
How can they get it wrong when THEY did the interview?
You mean Morris Claiborne, and yeah this guy is something else.
I'm not sure what versions everyone else was reading but the one I just read still mentions the hotel lobby visit and included Te'o saying it affected his play. Kind of shoots a hole in the whole "ESPN is complicit in the cover-up" theory.
I noticed no one is discussing the Twitter DM that Te'o showed Schaap where Tuiasosopo apologizes for the whole thing. Is everyone assuming that is part of the cover-up and Ronaiah is just taking the fall for the whole thing?
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
No. I think most of us think that he was hoaxed. The problem is at some point he found out the truth, but then kept pushing the story (and added to it) to achieve more national fame
indigo-cyclops
Member
Would love the same as I'm completely lost as this point.
andthebeatgoeson
Junior Member
The guy running the hoax: if teo is in on it, he can easily debunk teo's innocence.
But the DM was sent on Wednesday. So if he found out prior to that, why did Tuiasosopo send him a DM on Weds confessing and apologizing for pranking him?
Exactly. And the fact that he hasn't leaves us with two scenarios: 1) he really did fool Te'o or 2) Te'o was in on it (either from the beginning or at some point in the middle) and he is now taking the fall for him. The first scenario seems much more probable to me.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Maybe because Deadspin told him or some people close to him that they were going to run the story on a particular day?
Didn't RT send the direct message 2 hours before the Deadspin story broke on their site? You don't think that was just by luck do you?
Sirpopopop
Member
ESPN is not a news making organization, it's a profit making entity. It's not even like other so-called news organizations that at least make an attempt at having journalistic integrity. ESPN has zero interest in journalistic integrity. The journalism side exists to fuel the business side of ESPN.
You think ESPN was looking at results on the field whenever it denigrated the Big East on and off the field, while pushing up the ACC? This is despite the fact that in BCS games, the Big East had a better record than the ACC.
Nope. ESPN had a better grip on the ACC than the Big East. Why pay two conferences when you can just pay one...
You think ESPN was looking at results on the field whenever it denigrated the Big East on and off the field, while pushing up the ACC? This is despite the fact that in BCS games, the Big East had a better record than the ACC.
Nope. ESPN had a better grip on the ACC than the Big East. Why pay two conferences when you can just pay one...
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
You can't be serious...
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