Lennay Kekua, A Hoax!

[GaryMcLain'sSkiLodge]

you can still see his reflection on the table.

That's what's scary

 

[Rhode Irish]

True, but there's a huge distinction (to me at least) between fibbing to one's parents to conceal the origins of a purely online relationship and lying to a reporter directly. The former is a harmless white lie; the latter involves deceiving possibly millions of people.

Totally agree, but the fact remains that Manti did embellish the story, and he allowed it to snowball. I am certainly not arguing that that makes him a bad guy. I love the guy. I just don't believe we're doing him any favors by making excuses for him or not admitting what level of responsibility he actually does have here. I really do feel terrible for him, but he also bears at least some responsibility for allowing the story to become as big as it is.

 

[DCIrish]

In the SI interview Te'o said he had dated Lennay for about a year, but had known her for four years. Does this mean the hoax lasted four years?

 

[PraetorianND]

In the SI interview Te'o said he had dated Lennay for about a year, but had known her for four years. Does this mean the hoax lasted four years?

Yes.

 

[BeauBenken]

In the SI interview Te'o said he had dated Lennay for about a year, but had known her for four years. Does this mean the hoax lasted four years?

Yes. To an extent. Relationship slowly grew between the two.

 

[BeauBenken]

Totally agree, but the fact remains that Manti did embellish the story, and he allowed it to snowball. I am certainly not arguing that that makes him a bad guy. I love the guy. I just don't believe we're doing him any favors by making excuses for him or not admitting what level of responsibility he actually does have here. I really do feel terrible for him, but he also bears at least some responsibility for allowing the story to become as big as it is.

Most definitely.

 

[Booslum31]

Schaap is the best we were going to get out of ESPN...He's fair. Mark May wanted to do it but he is consulting his Dr. with an erection lasting longer than four hours.

 

[PraetorianND]

Totally agree, but the fact remains that Manti did embellish the story, and he allowed it to snowball. I am certainly not arguing that that makes him a bad guy. I love the guy. I just don't believe we're doing him any favors by making excuses for him or not admitting what level of responsibility he actually does have here. I really do feel terrible for him, but he also bears at least some responsibility for allowing the story to become as big as it is.

IF he lied to his parents then yes he embellished the story. It's possible he said he "met" her while at the Stanford game. But that could have still been an online meeting (via Twitter or whatever) that they assumed meant a physical meeting that got blown out of proportion. **** when my mom talks about how my wife and I met it sounds like two angels meeting in a field of flowers, when in reality it was on the dance floor at Finny's and I never lied.

 

[Kak7304]

In the SI interview Te'o said he had dated Lennay for about a year, but had known her for four years. Does this mean the hoax lasted four years?

I think we may get more clarity to the real timeline after this interview but it is very possible. The other people were scammed by "Lennay" in 2008 according to an ESPN article today.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Its obvious that he learned the truth before the story broke and this situation grew to what it is. His responsibility lies in his lack of action between the time he learned of the truth, and when the story broke, at a minimum. I don't believe he had any active part in this, but simply didn't handle it properly when he learned of the truth.

 

[phork]

Yo, I hope you all realize I am playing devils advocate here. I think the kid got roped and was embarrassed of the whole thing, who wouldn't be?

But outside of ND lines, these are things we are fighting. There are still people playing the gay card. All the information is there, if they care to read it. But they don't. And not only do they think Teo was in on it, ND was also in on and the cover up.

 

[Irish Insanity]

This game can't end soon enough, and I'm a OKC fan

 

[PraetorianND]

Its obvious that he learned the truth before the story broke and this situation grew to what it is. His responsibility lies in his lack of action between the time he learned of the truth, and when the story broke, at a minimum. I don't believe he had any active part in this, but simply didn't handle it properly when he learned of the truth.

Unless he thought she was really dead and thought that someone was messing with him when they called on the 6th telling him she faked her death because drug dealers wanted to kill her...

 

[PraetorianND]

A few Finny's redbull vodka pitchers and this may be what it felt like.

(Edited to protect involved parties.)

I miss how cheap those drinks were...

 

[Kak7304]

Brett McMurphy ‏@McMurphyESPN

Manti Te'o tells @JeremySchaap he was not involved in creating girlfriend hoax. "There is no way I could be a part of this"

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

Yo, I hope you all realize I am playing devils advocate here. I think the kid got roped and was embarrassed of the whole thing, who wouldn't be?

But outside of ND lines, these are things we are fighting. There are still people playing the gay card. All the information is there, if they care to read it. But they don't. And not only do they think Teo was in on it, ND was also in on and the cover up.

This is basically what 99% of non-ND people believe. No one is going to believe him no matter what. So far I have seen:

"A lawyer? Why does he need a lawyer? Obviously lying."

"Off-camera interview? Obviously lying."

"But he said he actually met her in person, so that means he concocted the entire scheme. What a liar."

"I think he's gay with Ronaiah."

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Its obvious that he learned the truth before the story broke and this situation grew to what it is. His responsibility lies in his lack of action between the time he learned of the truth, and when the story broke, at a minimum. I don't believe he had any active part in this, but simply didn't handle it properly when he learned of the truth.

Again, how do we know that? You seem to be buying into the "Te'o learned about the hoax on Dec. 6th" thing. That's simply when "Kekua" reached out to him again, and claimed to have faked her death due to fear of drug dealers. That certainly should have made him suspicious (and it seems to have actually done so), though it's a bit much to argue that Te'o should have understood the full extent of the hoax at that point.

We don't know what he knew and when yet. Wait for the facts to come out.

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

I meant when he, himself, actually came to the belief he was scammed. Whether that be the 6th or 26th or.....This story has gained momentum because of the non ND media shaping it to their desire, but also partly because of his handling of the situation, or lack there of. I'm a Te'o fan. I love the guy.

If Te'o broke the story before the NCG, he would have been CRUCIFIED.

I don't agree with waiting so long, but you can mostly blame Tom Condon for that.

 

[tadman95]

I hope this interview goes well for Manti. IF he in fact did embellish the story and he admits it, I personally would like to see him admit that on camera with an apology. My .02.

 

[joshb20]

One of the biggest issues people are forgetting with the Te'o thing: We read the year's worth of events at once, they happened in real time.

 

[Kak7304]

If Te'o broke the story before the NCG, he would have been CRUCIFIED.

I don't agree with waiting so long, but you can mostly blame Tom Condon for that.

And the NCG and media sessions beforehand would have been an absolute circus.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Again, how do we know that? You seem to be buying into the "Te'o learned about the hoax on Dec. 6th" thing. That's simply when "Kekua" reached out to him again, and claimed to have faked her death due to fear of drug dealers. That certainly should have made him suspicious (and it seems to have actually done so), though it's a bit much to argue that Te'o should have understood the full extent of the hoax at that point.

We don't know what he knew and when yet. Wait for the facts to come out.

I stated 'when he learned of the truth' without a date. I don't assume it was the 6th. I was referring to whenever that happened and the silence from then until tonight. The fact that the length of time just from the story breaking until tonight, not including however long ago learned the truth, fueled the fire the the anti ND national media was building.

 

[PraetorianND]

I meant when he, himself, actually came to the belief he was scammed. Whether that be the 6th or 26th or.....This story has gained momentum because of the non ND media shaping it to their desire, but also partly because of his handling of the situation, or lack there of. I'm a Te'o fan. I love the guy.

But he didn't know what the hell was going on. We don't know when he actually figured out that Kekua was not a real person. It was probably AFTER the two instances of him calling her his girlfriend post Dec 6th. There is also an exceedingly good chance that when he told coaches and they told Jack and Jack spoke with lawyers they advised him not to say anything until they could investigate (all speculation I know). I'm sure it was hard as hell for Manti to not say anything (and because he wasn't really getting any [gotta laugh a little right]). At some point you see Manti getting REALLY uncomfortable talking about her. It was AFTER Dec 6th that that happened and he tried to steer conversations away from her.

 

[Kak7304]

Brian Hamilton ‏@ChiTribHamilton

Manti Te'o to ESPN's Jeremy Schaap: "When the hear the facts, they'll know. They'll know there is no way I could be a part of this.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I stated 'when he learned of the truth' without a date. I don't assume it was the 6th. I was referring to whenever that happened and the silence from then until tonight. The fact that the length of time just from the story breaking until tonight, not including however long ago learned the truth, fueled the fire the the anti ND national media was building.

And if Te'o waited to address this until after the NCG, how could anyone fault him for that? Though it feels like forever for ND fans, that was only 11 days ago.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I was speaking to the fact that there has been plenty of time just since the NCG where Te'o could have spoken on the situation, even prior the the story breaking, that could have avoided some of the current state of the situation

 

[tadman95]

I tell ya, the month leading up to the BCS game must have been hell for Manti. Regardless of which take you have on his guilt or innocence, from Dec. 6th on he must have felt like he was holding a time bomb.

Just the game being over had to have been a big relief, not even considering the outcome.

 

[Kak7304]

I was speaking to the fact that there has been plenty of time just since the NCG where Te'o could have spoken on the situation, even prior the the story breaking, that could have avoided some of the current state of the situation

He was planning on coming forward this Monday.

 

[Irish Insanity]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>CLARIFICATION: (PHOTO) @<a href="https://twitter.com/jeremyschaap">jeremyschaap</a> & Manti Te'o w/public relations consultant during intvw. Details on @<a href="https://twitter.com/sportscenter">sportscenter</a> after Dal/OKC.</p>— David Scott (@ESPNprDScott) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNprDScott/status/292495051941105664" data-datetime="2013-01-19T04:53:49+00:00">January 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Not a Lawyer

 

[Kak7304]

Brian Hamilton ‏@ChiTribHamilton

More Manti Te'o denial of involvement to ESPN: "No. Never. I wasn't faking it. I wasn't part of this."