Manti Teo's Dead Girlfriend is a hoax

[pbmax]

If you start fact-checking inspirational sports stories pretty soon there will be virtually no inspirational sports stories. And half of America's sports reporters would be out of a job.

Pete Thamel who write the story that breathed national life into this whole tale, said he was granted an interview with Teo on Sunday, after having been on campus the previous week. Story was due Monday AM so they cold fact check and close it by Monday night to go to press.

They found nothing for the girl in Lexis Nexis but did not consider that too strange for a college age kid or her brother. He called Stanford but they couldn't find her in an alumni magazine or anyone who knew her. Current student records are protected, so I am unsure whether the SID or staff could search through enrolled student listings. Possibly not. So they dropped references to Stanford from the story. Then they found no reference to the drunk driving car accident in the news. So they took out drunk driving and left it as a car accident.

I would call this less a fact check and more a cannot possibly be sued check.

[sheepshead]

A right winger rears its head -- visited any KKK meeting or NRA rallies recently?

Moron

[sheepshead]

Don't go there! To FYI with you!

This is really about the press. As someone said, legitimate press is dead. Come on, no matter what side of the aisle you're on you cant objectively look at the current white house press corps on things like Benghazi, the dirty campaign we just witnessed or in the case of sports media the gushing love for domers and the sappy story of Te'o's hologram and no one questions any of it?

[SkinBasket]

If you start fact-checking inspirational sports stories pretty soon there will be virtually no inspirational sports stories. And half of America's sports reporters would be out of a job.

Pete Thamel who write the story that breathed national life into this whole tale, said he was granted an interview with Teo on Sunday, after having been on campus the previous week. Story was due Monday AM so they cold fact check and close it by Monday night to go to press.

They found nothing for the girl in Lexis Nexis but did not consider that too strange for a college age kid or her brother. He called Stanford but they couldn't find her in an alumni magazine or anyone who knew her. Current student records are protected, so I am unsure whether the SID or staff could search through enrolled student listings. Possibly not. So they dropped references to Stanford from the story. Then they found no reference to the drunk driving car accident in the news. So they took out drunk driving and left it as a car accident.

I would call this less a fact check and more a cannot possibly be sued check.

Outside of the terrible work by Mr. Thamel, the problem comes when it became a national story and was carried by major news agencies. You just pointed out that every half hearted attempt to verify failed, excuses or no. It would have taken an unpaid intern all of 10 minutes to make two more phone calls and come to the conclusion that this story should not be run because it could not one aspect of it could be verified - at all.

Like I said, this is just another failure of a "news" media in this nation who's sole concern has become "creating a narrative" instead of reporting facts and truth. Regardless of whether it's for political/social agendas or ratings, it's pathetic to watch.

Speaking of pathetic, this kid went out there and kept telling people in national interviews about what a wonderful person she was and perpetuating the lie for weeks after he told ND it was a hoax, and Noter Dame allowed it, or maybe even encouraged it. That's enough right there for me to say fuck this kid, and the school, both of whom intentionally lied, regardless of the reason. One thing is clear, Manti and the people at ND who knew about this are lying cowards.

[sheepshead]

By the way, Fox is ramping up it's own sports network. I hope they see it through, cant come a minute too soon. I only watch espn if I absolutely have to.

[pbmax]

Everyone is gearing up their own sports network after finally realizing ESPN is doing nothing amazing except squatting on a cable monopoly (only Turner as competition in basketball). NBC has its own sports network running now and I just found out yesterday, they are running a radio network and have affiliates in Madison and Milwaukee. FoxSports is still in Milwaukee I think.

As for Thamel and SI, the story would still have been written. The Grandmother was still dead and Teo was having a great season. But I agree that if you can't confirm a death (much less a life) or reach any family, you can't report that. Report that he says he has a girlfriend unverified? Sure. But not a dead one.

[Guiness]

Speaking of pathetic, this kid went out there and kept telling people in national interviews about what a wonderful person she was and perpetuating the lie for weeks after he told ND it was a hoax, and Noter Dame allowed it, or maybe even encouraged it. That's enough right there for me to say fuck this kid, and the school, both of whom intentionally lied, regardless of the reason. One thing is clear, Manti and the people at ND who knew about this are lying cowards.

I didn't know this part...he kept talking after he realizedit and told the school? That hurts his "I was fooled too" argument more than just a little.

BTW the bolded part made me laugh - Canadian spelling?

Have to wonder, not that we'll ever know, what the hell happened here. At first blush I was inclined to think this was a tall tale he told that spun out of control. When it got tough to maintain, he didn't take KYPack's advice, and drop his shovel. Instead he dropped his shovel...and rented heavy equipment! This sounds like an old SNL skit "No, no, you can't meet her. She's dead. Ya, she's dead, that's the ticket..."

[RashanGary]

I don't really care. The guys grandma died. He was going through and emotional time. He let it go, even fed into it. If there are other red flags along with it (and we don't know.) then I start worrying. If not, if the guy is a hard worker and a well liked guy. . . . . he's 22 years old. He's in a whirlwind of fan fare and pressure from the media. The guys head is probably spinning at times.

The pure fact that death and cancer are involved here makes is seem more disgusting than it is. Really, if it was pre-meditated and used as some form of pub, it is disgusting. . . I just don't give as much credit to 22 year olds for being that friggin manipulative and crafty. It was like that 21 yr old CB who was accused of rape by the 30 year old prostitutes. Everyone hears a disgusting word and wants to blame, but lets look at some context first. The first thing I look at is the age of the person. 22 year old men = retarded. If there's a demographic that can get themselves in completely retarded situations without having the malice or conning traits it appears they have, it's a 22 year old man. The odds of a 21 year old CB conning a couple of 30-somethings is slim to none. The odds of a 22 year old LB conning the public like this, or even attempting it, is slim to none. The guy fell into it and didn't have his head enough to turn it around soon enough.

My bet is he's a fine kid.

[rbaloha1]

I don't really care. The guys grandma died. He was going through and emotional time. He let it go, even fed into it. If there are other red flags along with it (and we don't know.) then I start worrying. If not, if the guy is a hard worker and a well liked guy. . . . . he's 22 years old. He's in a whirlwind of fan fare and pressure from the media. The guys head is probably spinning at times.

The pure fact that death and cancer are involved here makes is seem more disgusting than it is. Really, if it was pre-meditated and used as some form of pub, it is disgusting. . . I just don't give as much credit to 22 year olds for being that friggin manipulative and crafty. It was like that 21 yr old CB who was accused of rape by the 30 year old prostitutes. Everyone hears a disgusting word and wants to blame, but lets look at some context first. The first thing I look at is the age of the person. 22 year old men = retarded. If there's a demographic that can get themselves in completely retarded situations without having the malice or conning traits it appears they have, it's a 22 year old man. The odds of a 21 year old CB conning a couple of 30-somethings is slim to none. The odds of a 22 year old LB conning the public like this, or even attempting it, is slim to none. The guy fell into it and didn't have his head enough to turn it around soon enough.

My bet is he's a fine kid.

Manti is known for having a kind and trust ing heart -- call it naive if you must.

Unfortuntaley what is emerging is Manti was not part of the initial hoax but continued it. Why?

1. MT was emabarrassed and ashamed

2. The publicity was positive and the overwhelming support and the love was too much to give up.

3. MT is a diva for attention

4. Enhanced Heisman campaign.

5. Hoax helped people like Ronaiah Tuiasosopo who was part of a cancer fundraiser for the fake girlfriend.

http://www.csnchicago.com/01/17/13/Radio-interview-sheds-light-on-Teos-rela/nbcsportsnd.html?blockID=824541&feedID=3126

Bottom Line: A sick twisted hoax that hopefully ends with a Manti statement soon. Its an embarrassment to the Teo family, Notre Dame, and the state of Hawaii and Polynesia.

[SkinBasket]

I didn't know this part...he kept talking after he realizedit and told the school? That hurts his "I was fooled too" argument more than just a little.

I believe it was that TV interview they keep showing where he talks about what a wonderful person she was. He gave that 2 days after notifying ND that it was a hoax.

I heard it here last night while trying to fall asleep to the beautiful sounds of Gretta's voice: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/on-the...ylist_id=86925

[pbmax]

Continuing the lie after he found out he had been duped (for 2 days or 2 weeks) is understandable. It would take at least that long to process, admit you were an idiot and prepare to accept the derision sure to come. Even if it was just from those immediately around you. That part I get.

The part I don't get is a 21 YO kid still believing you can pull off a relationship online and call her your girlfriend when you have never met. Its the modern equivalent of a Canadian girlfriend from 20 years ago. Even if you DID meet her camping in Minnesota or traveling to Toronto, no one will believe it so there is no benefit to keep yapping about it. There are plenty of reports he saw women at ND. He wasn't picked up as a castaway from a far away island at age 17, unwise to the ways of actual, other people.

However, there was a benefit to the tragedy of the situation. The publicity was encouraging. So part of me think he was complicit in his situation, even if it wasn't premeditated.

[denverYooper]

All I really wonder about is whether a large part of the Packer fanbase will call him Manty and not Manti if GB were to draft him.

[mraynrand]

All I really wonder about is whether a large part of the Packer fanbase will call him Manty and not Manti if GB were to draft him.

?

if he plays for the Bears or Vikings, they will call him Pussi

[sheepshead]

The kid's an idiot. Plain and simple. This get's to the bone of a right vs. wrong issue. Somewhere in this timeline he (and the ND brass for that matter) should have woke up one morning and fessed up. Ended it. I say this scheme goes back a long way with these two. Kind of like Obama putting children or fake doctors in lab coats on a stage. Both equally pathetic.

[MadtownPacker]

The kid's an idiot. Plain and simple. This get's to the bone of a right vs. wrong issue. Somewhere in this timeline he (and the ND brass for that matter) should have woke up one morning and fessed up. Ended it. I say this scheme goes back a long way with these two. Kind of like Obama putting children or fake doctors in lab coats on a stage. Both equally pathetic.

You where given a fair warning, see you in a few days.