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[Chris]

Also, On Dec. 8, two days after Te'o supposedly found out his girlfriend was not dead, he told media at the Heisman Trophy presentation: "I don't like cancer at all. I lost both my grandparents and my girlfriend to cancer."

Well if that is true, then he clearly wasn't duped.

Not necessarily.  Have you ever seen someone faced with humiliation and ridicule?  I think it is very reasonable to think that he might have just decided to cover up the hoax, to stop from having to be seen as the most sad and gullible person in the world.  I can't say I would have acted much different if I was in that situation when I was 22.  I would be clinging to any hope of saving my dignity I could find, even if it meant continuing what I now know are lies.

[Moranis]

Also, On Dec. 8, two days after Te'o supposedly found out his girlfriend was not dead, he told media at the Heisman Trophy presentation: "I don't like cancer at all. I lost both my grandparents and my girlfriend to cancer."

Well if that is true, then he clearly wasn't duped.

Not necessarily.  Have you ever seen someone faced with humiliation and ridicule?  I think it is very reasonable to think that he might have just decided to cover up the hoax, to stop from having to be seen as the most sad and gullible person in the world.  I can't say I would have acted much different if I was in that situation when I was 22.  I would be clinging to any hope of saving my dignity I could find, even if it meant continuing what I now know are lies.

But he didn't have to bring the girlfriend up at all.

[IndeedProceed]

So the 'out' for him is that his cousin (or whatever) made up an elaborate hoax of a girlfriend, going on for an entire year, culminating in her 'death'?

Its just unfathomable to me. I just don't see how its a possible, let alone likely, scenario.

[Chelm]

So the 'out' for him is that his cousin boyfriend (or whatever) made up an elaborate hoax of a girlfriend, going on for an entire year, culminating in her 'death'?

Its just unfathomable to me. I just don't see how its a possible, let alone likely, scenario.

Fixed it for you

[Chris]

Also, On Dec. 8, two days after Te'o supposedly found out his girlfriend was not dead, he told media at the Heisman Trophy presentation: "I don't like cancer at all. I lost both my grandparents and my girlfriend to cancer."

Well if that is true, then he clearly wasn't duped.

Not necessarily.  Have you ever seen someone faced with humiliation and ridicule?  I think it is very reasonable to think that he might have just decided to cover up the hoax, to stop from having to be seen as the most sad and gullible person in the world.  I can't say I would have acted much different if I was in that situation when I was 22.  I would be clinging to any hope of saving my dignity I could find, even if it meant continuing what I now know are lies.

But he didn't have to bring the girlfriend up at all.

True.  Doesn't mean he was in on the hoax from the beginning.  Desperate people do stupid things. 

[mctyson]

Not that I really care about this story, because it is really, really weird, but just my two cents from having read some reports on the story:

1) The relationship with the fictional girlfriend started in 2009, correct?  To me, that immediately disqualifies the idea that Teo did this for publicity - there is just simply no way I can fathom someone coming up with that elaborate of a plan in order to execute it 3 years later for publicity points.  Teo was legitimately thinking about leaving for the NFL last year.  Concocting this scheme for Heisman Trophy points (when he is a defensive player and there is zero guarantee you will even be in the discussion) makes no sense.

2) I listened to some talk radio floating out the idea that this was an elaborate cover up to disguise Teo's sexuality.  More believable, but why does it involve another person who could very easily be tracked down through various internet connections?  Most athletes who are gay just shut up and keep living a lie.  Teo decides its in his best interest to perpetuate a fiction of a girlfried for years and then kill her off very publicly as the best way to hide this?  So odd.

3) The Deadspin article makes it clear that the other guy Tuiasosopo indeed created Teo's fake girlfriend and used her to "hoax" other people.  This seems to indicate that the guy probably tricked Teo too.  It is not that crazy to believe Teo got pulled into some fake online relationship with another Hawaiian/Samoan girl at a good school like Stanford.  This does in fact happen to people all the time.

4) However, it seems like Teo did not do enough to let the public know that he never met the girl (if indeed he is not part of the hoax.)  That to me indicates at least he was either very embarrassed to admit he had an online girlfriend or that he knew she did not exist and either was a part of the hoax or just incredibly stupid in believing that the truth would not come out.

Either way, the guy's draft status is gonna take a huge hit, "guilty" or not.

[Moranis]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8854472/teammate-manti-teo-says-player-played-girlfriend-angle

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130117/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-quotes/?sct=hp_t11_a2&eref=sihp

[CoachBo]

Also, On Dec. 8, two days after Te'o supposedly found out his girlfriend was not dead, he told media at the Heisman Trophy presentation: "I don't like cancer at all. I lost both my grandparents and my girlfriend to cancer."

Well if that is true, then he clearly wasn't duped.

Not necessarily.  Have you ever seen someone faced with humiliation and ridicule?  I think it is very reasonable to think that he might have just decided to cover up the hoax, to stop from having to be seen as the most sad and gullible person in the world.  I can't say I would have acted much different if I was in that situation when I was 22.  I would be clinging to any hope of saving my dignity I could find, even if it meant continuing what I now know are lies.

But he didn't have to bring the girlfriend up at all.

True.  Doesn't mean he was in on the hoax from the beginning.  Desperate people do stupid things.

It's not entirely clear - but certainly cannot be discounted - that Teo was in on this from the beginning.

It is abundantly clear, however, that he willingly perpetuated the hoax as the Heisman vote drew closer, thanks to his own comments and the comments of his teammate yesterday.

Whether this began as a Heisman Trophy publicity stunt, I wouldn't be surprised but can't say for certain.

It most assuredly ended as such.

[TripleOT]

A three year on line relationship and he didn't ask her once to turn on her webcam?  Or even talk on the telephone?

Is there a Wonderlic test for common sense? 

I'm betting on the "gay" angle here.  It's the only one that makes sense, unless this guy is the biggest moron in the world.   

[Moranis]

http://www.tmz.com/2013/01/18/manti-teo-nfl-yeah-i-lied-notre-dame-hoax/

[Moranis]

A three year on line relationship and he didn't ask her once to turn on her webcam?  Or even talk on the telephone?

Is there a Wonderlic test for common sense? 

I'm betting on the "gay" angle here.  It's the only one that makes sense, unless this guy is the biggest moron in the world.

He said they talked on the phone every night to the SI writer in the link I posted a couple up from yours.

[TripleOT]

A three year on line relationship and he didn't ask her once to turn on her webcam?  Or even talk on the telephone?

Is there a Wonderlic test for common sense? 

I'm betting on the "gay" angle here.  It's the only one that makes sense, unless this guy is the biggest moron in the world.

He said they talked on the phone every night to the SI writer in the link I posted a couple up from yours.

I'm guessing that "talk on the phone" becomes "text on the phone" in his mea culpa. 

Even if the "hoaxer" could sound like a girl on the phone, why no webcam chat? 

[bdm860]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8854472/teammate-manti-teo-says-player-played-girlfriend-angle

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130117/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-quotes/?sct=hp_t11_a2&eref=sihp

I think it's pretty ironic that you have the guy behind Catfish weighing in on this, especially since many believe he himself is lying about the Catfish movie being real.

[TripleOT]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8854472/teammate-manti-teo-says-player-played-girlfriend-angle

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-football/news/20130117/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-quotes/?sct=hp_t11_a2&eref=sihp

I think it's pretty ironic that you have the guy behind Catfish weighing in on this, especially since many believe he himself is lying about the Catfish movie being real.

The Catfish guys surely knew their situation was a hoax from the beginning.  They used internet hoaxes as a way to get on the filmmaking map.  It worked big time, with two of them directing "Paranormal Activity 3" (and getting the gig for PA4) and the third getting show on MTV. 

[Clench123]

Some people are saying this is the most bizarre thing they've ever heard of.  Really?  Really?  Bunch of 4 to 6 year olds just got ran through by an assault weapon last month.  Compared to an athlete who just lied, that must be nothing huh. Just ridiculous...