Manti Te'o's dead girlfriend is a hoax??

[crasherino]

Originally Posted by Axil

And that's where our disconnect is. I hope he found out earlier. Because if he went over a year without realizing his GF was fake, he's far more mentally unstable than someone who could make all this up to begin with.

Hey, and understand the perspective i'm coming from. I have no issue with relationships starting online, or even being maintained primarily online. I met my wife online. We've been happily married for quite some time now. Still i cannot fathom years passing without having seen her in person.

At what point did she become his girlfriend? Flirtatious online relationship - I get. Developing feelings for - absolutely. Calling her "his girlfriend"? - Eh, I don't know. Giving interviews about her? - that's ridiculous.

He wants us to believe that he met this girl, fell in love with her, she developed cancer and then he didn't even find a way to MEET HER FOR THE FIRST TIME????

If someone tells Manti Teo to "get lost" or "shake a leg", do you think he takes it seriously?

[TebowCan'tThrow]

It will turn out that he is gay.

[McGinley]

Originally Posted by TebowCan'tThrow

It will turn out that he is gay.

That's what I'm thinking, too.

And if he is, should have just said something in the first place. Just be you, man.

[mikekc]

Originally Posted by TebowCan'tThrow

It will turn out that he is gay.

I'm in the Dumb as a Door Knob camp myself.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Originally Posted by crasherino

At what point did she become his girlfriend? Flirtatious online relationship - I get. Developing feelings for - absolutely. Calling her "his girlfriend"? - Eh, I don't know. Giving interviews about her? - that's ridiculous.

Some people have difficultly with the whole "girlfriend/boyfriend" thing. Some people think someone is their girlfriend/boyfriend when the other person doesn't even think it.

Imagine you're 20 years old again, part of a football team and all your friends are talking about their girlfriends and the girls they're chasing. You want to belong so you talk about your online relationship with a girl and refer to her as your girlfriend. It starts there and spirals out of control, as you lie to make the relationship seem deeper to your friends.

You believe you have a connection. Then she dies due to a cancer battle. The national media wants to humanize you for their news stories. You explain what happened to your girlfriend. The media becomes immediately interested. You feed them their interest and the lie spirals more and more out of control until you learn it was all a hoax. Then you just pray no one finds out, try not to act weird. But they do find out, and now we're here.

I can see it, young kid lies or exaggerates the truth, and then makes more lies and exaggerations to make up for it. Te'o's not an innocent in this narrative but he's at least not a clear villain and his motives are understandable.

[Timmy®]

Originally Posted by TebowCan'tThrow

It will turn out that he is gay.

if so, he should be watched pretty carefully now. people kill themselves over this kind of stuff. i can't imagine screwing up and the whole country laughing about it.

[mikekc]

Originally Posted by halfsharkalligatorhalfman

Some people have difficultly with the whole "girlfriend/boyfriend" thing. Some people think someone is their girlfriend/boyfriend when the other person doesn't even think it.

Imagine you're 20 years old again, part of a football team and all your friends are talking about their girlfriends and the girls they're chasing. You want to belong so you talk about your online relationship with a girl and refer to her as your girlfriend. It starts there and spirals out of control, as you lie to make the relationship seem deeper to your friends.

You believe you have a connection. Then she dies due to a cancer battle. The national media wants to humanize you for their news stories. You explain what happened to your girlfriend. The media becomes immediately interested. You feed them their interest and the lie spirals more and more out of control until you learn it was all a hoax. Then you just pray no one finds out, try not to act weird. But they do find out, and now we're here.

I can see it, young kid lies or exaggerates the truth, and then makes more lies and exaggerations to make up for it. Te'o's not an innocent in this narrative but he's at least not a clear villain and his motives are understandable.

I really think this is the most plausible scenerio.

[fidelioion]

Originally Posted by halfsharkalligatorhalfman

Some people have difficultly with the whole "girlfriend/boyfriend" thing. Some people think someone is their girlfriend/boyfriend when the other person doesn't even think it.

Imagine you're 20 years old again, part of a football team and all your friends are talking about their girlfriends and the girls they're chasing. You want to belong so you talk about your online relationship with a girl and refer to her as your girlfriend. It starts there and spirals out of control, as you lie to make the relationship seem deeper to your friends.

You believe you have a connection. Then she dies due to a cancer battle. The national media wants to humanize you for their news stories. You explain what happened to your girlfriend. The media becomes immediately interested. You feed them their interest and the lie spirals more and more out of control until you learn it was all a hoax. Then you just pray no one finds out, try not to act weird. But they do find out, and now we're here.

I can see it, young kid lies or exaggerates the truth, and then makes more lies and exaggerations to make up for it. Te'o's not an innocent in this narrative but he's at least not a clear villain and his motives are understandable.

What you're saying here is a reasonable explanation but certainly not the only one and I would think not the most likely. I would agree, in this scenario, he's not a clear villain but stating this as fact as opposed to conjecture is wrong.

[tfine350z]

My take on it. This guy suffers from Schizophrenia...where you see people that are not there. Like the movie a beautiful mind...

[NY's stepchild]

It seems pretty weird, but maybe he'll feel better when this blows over. I mean he can stop grieving now, and be angry instead. That's a lot easier to deal with and may make him a better player. I say sign this crazy Samoan beast.

[FlagmanL11]

Originally Posted by tfine350z

My take on it. This guy suffers from Schizophrenia...where you see people that are not there. Like the movie a beautiful mind...

and Shallow Hal....

[FlagmanL11]

Originally Posted by NY's stepchild

It seems pretty weird, but maybe he'll feel better when this blows over. I mean he can stop grieving now, and be angry instead. That's a lot easier to deal with and may make him a better player. I say sign this crazy Samoan beast.

if the Jets get him, there may be more Ass Fumbles....

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Originally Posted by fidelioion

What you're saying here is a reasonable explanation but certainly not the only one and I would think not the most likely. I would agree, in this scenario, he's not a clear villain but stating this as fact as opposed to conjecture is wrong.

Just outlining a hypothetical that explains the behavior, didn't mean to imply I was certain it was what happened.

[McGinley]

Originally Posted by FlagmanL11

and Shallow Hal....

That's different. The people were actually there, but Hal was seeing their inner-beauty instead of their outer-beauty (or lack thereof).

[Axil]

Originally Posted by halfsharkalligatorhalfman

Some people have difficultly with the whole "girlfriend/boyfriend" thing. Some people think someone is their girlfriend/boyfriend when the other person doesn't even think it.

Imagine you're 20 years old again, part of a football team and all your friends are talking about their girlfriends and the girls they're chasing. You want to belong so you talk about your online relationship with a girl and refer to her as your girlfriend. It starts there and spirals out of control, as you lie to make the relationship seem deeper to your friends.

You believe you have a connection. Then she dies due to a cancer battle. The national media wants to humanize you for their news stories. You explain what happened to your girlfriend. The media becomes immediately interested. You feed them their interest and the lie spirals more and more out of control until you learn it was all a hoax. Then you just pray no one finds out, try not to act weird. But they do find out, and now we're here.

I can see it, young kid lies or exaggerates the truth, and then makes more lies and exaggerations to make up for it. Te'o's not an innocent in this narrative but he's at least not a clear villain and his motives are understandable.

If you're right, i don't think it helps Teo's case much.

I'd rather have the clear villain who made it all up for publicity/kicks on my team, than the clueless, immature, insecure shell of a man you've described in your post....

[Snell41]

Originally Posted by McGinley

That's what I'm thinking, too.

And if he is, should have just said something in the first place. Just be you, man.

You know, I agree 100%. It's about time to get past this whole "no gays in sports" nonsense. It's 2013, who cares anymore. Honestly if this is what comes of it I'd be 100% supportive of him and believe it or not I bet his teammates would too. It'd be good for sports in general to just have someone who is actively playing come out and get it over with already. Just my 2 cents.

[SlickBri481]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/col...?sct=hp_t11_a2

This article is the transcript of Te'o's interview with a SI writer from October. It's remarkable. Either he was in some type of insane denial or he is really twisted to have made all this up. The SI writer overlooked a million red flags too.

Best part is how fake her story seems now, not only leukemia, but a car accident too, and not just a car accident, but she was hit by a drunk driver (going for maxmium sympathy). So then she is released from the hospital, doing OK from the leukemia, and then she suddenly just does??? Does that happen to people being treated for leukemia in 2012? Maybe in 1970, not 2012. The whole story is such a tearjerker crock, this kid is real nuts

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Snell41

You know, I agree 100%. It's about time to get past this whole "no gays in sports" nonsense. It's 2013, who cares anymore. Honestly if this is what comes of it I'd be 100% supportive of him and believe it or not I bet his teammates would too. It'd be good for sports in general to just have someone who is actively playing come out and get it over with already. Just my 2 cents.

While I agree with you on this, it's not that simple.

You can't expect everyone on the team to be "comfortable" with that. I'm sure on the outside, they'd be all polite about it but there will be those who would just....not be comfortable and that's all I can say about it.

It's a hypothetical situation anyway. It might happen down the road....but I doubt it happens now.

[Snell41]

Originally Posted by Vin

While I agree with you on this, it's not that simple.

You can't expect everyone on the team to be "comfortable" with that. I'm sure on the outside, they'd be all polite about it but there will be those who would just....not be comfortable and that's all I can say about it.

It's a hypothetical situation anyway. It might happen down the road....but I doubt it happens now.

I get what you're saying. Years ago many white players weren't comfortable with black guys on the team. Times change. Yes I think there will be some who have an issue, but over time it becomes second nature. I don't think that Te'o is gay to be honest, but if he is then I hope he does come out.

[SouthTown]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/col...?sct=hp_t11_a2