Have you ever watched an episode of CSI or SVU and thought to yourself, well that was bizarre? The Manti Te'o story has the making of one of those episodes. Sitting back and watching this story unfold, was some of the craziest things I have ever read or heard. It was so bizzare one had to wonder if the story was a hoax itself. Well, unfortunately for Manti Te'o it isn't, and it is turning out to be
one that is a nightmare. Whether we ever get all the facts or the truth is yet to be determined, but most media and fans alike have made their own opinion on why this hoax or lie came into the light.
In early fall Manti got a call with news no one ever wants to hear, it was that is grandmother had passed away. It was heartbreaking to him, as we are told he was very close to her. With news like that and to go play football would be a great and inspiring story in itself, but there was more. The girlfriend he was rumored to have also died supposedly 6 hours later from leukemia. The news got national attention and then snowballed into a story that only could happen at a school like Notre Dame. Te'o used this tragedy and went on to play inspired and arguably the best football of his life. Some, say his play was vital in getting Notre Dame back to the national stage, and started a craze on campus where students would honor him by wearing leis. Everybody that loves college football was in awe and inspired of the story of Mant Te'o, but there was one problem....
On Wednesday January 16, Deadspin released an article saying that Manti Te'os girlfriend was a fake. There was no evidence of her anywhere that coincides with the quotes that Te.o gave following his historic season. Questions immediately started. Is he gay? What is he hiding? Was it all a joke? I asked myself those same questions, and to this day I still have no idea what really was going on. As the days passed more details would come out and it just made the story more bizarre. The same night Jack Swarbrick the Notre Dame athletic director gave a press conference, giving us details about the "hoax" and to say they stood behind there honorable child Mant Te'o. To this day myself, and a lot of others have no idea why Notre Dame would make themselves look like a circus once again.
OK, look, most people might be looking at this story and say they are sick of hearing about it. After all he didn't break the law. I get what most people are saying but I felt compelled to write what my thoughts were, and I'm going to. This story is confusing, and maybe a little historic so media, and fans are going to talk about until the facts are laid out.
After talking to some colleagues and researching this thing I have come to my own conclusion. Manti Te'o met a "woman" online. He then started talking to her more and more, to the point of sometimes eight hours a day. It is worth pointing out who in the world has eight hours a day to pretend to be someones girlfriend? He grew fond of this young lady, and being a religious man he may not of had many relationships in the past, so he started calling her his girlfriend. He tried to meet her in person, and was told she couldn't for various reasons. Name one guy who doesn't give a woman the benefit of the doubt when you are in love. I believe he tried meeting her via Skype or other social media outlets, and it was a failure every time. OK, so when he got the phone call that explained that his "girlfriend" was a fake , and wasn't dead, he kept the story going. Media, and the whole country as well as Manti had to much invested to turn back. We were told by Swarbrick that Notre Dame did find out about this before the National Championship game, yet didn't announce the story. They instead kept quiet, and provided their own independent investigation. We now know the investigation may have been a "joke" in itself.
Today, i believe Manti Te'o, and Notre Dame kept this quiet for various reasons. One to maybe not embarrass their star athlete, especially not before the biggest game for Notre Dame in 25 years. They also didn't want to hurt Manti, as he was their "cash cow" for the last year. Obviously this whole thing stinks of conspiracy after conspiracy. With that said, we may never know the full truth, so opinions and ideas will always be out there. To conclude its my opinion that a college kid got caught up in a trick. This trick got bigger than him, and he couldn't, go back. Yes he lied, and tailored the story to maybe please people. Would you want to let down Notre Dame or the whole country? Me neither, so to be hard on him is totally up to that person, but for me I will have to let this story die. I will have my beliefs, and I will respect others, but this is the end. It is my hope however that Manti Te'o has the courage to go on camera, and give the facts, so this whole thing could end as well
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