OT: Manti T'eo and the Catfish Special

[pixburgher66]

It's kind of wierd, kind of stupid but I don't get why the media pumping this story so hard.

I'm not trying to be an ass, I understand that lying about cancer is a bad thing and it's emotional impact on people is very real. It should be reported but at the level that I have heard about it today I find myself wondering if I am that out of touch or if they just don't have shit for news stories?

I think it's more because it was probably one of the biggest sport stories of the year. It was gut wrenching, heart warming, emotional, etc. I mean, it was sort of the uniting factor of their season...I know that his numbers spoke on their own, but this put him front and center the rest of the year. Obviously there are more important things in the world, but you can't deny the intrigue.

 

[Slimpikins]

Maybe that's part of it for me. When I heard the original story in passing I thought "that's sad". And didn't really think twice about it after that. Maybe if I had paid more attention to it initially, I would have been more upset/interested in this update.

I figured I was just out of touch, it's usually the case.

 

[Dacks]

Lennay Kekua ? Manti Te?o?s Fake, Dead Girlfriend ? Was Real, Says Arizona Cardinals Fullback Reagan Mauia, Who Claims to Have Met Her | The Big Lead

There's also this.

Makes me think that this fake persona was long-standing. Maybe used on multiple people.

Manti might have genuinely believed in this person, and thought he was in a serious (though online) relationship. That's entirely possible, and he wouldn't be the first. And if it was a good fake, he might have even tricked himself at some point into believing he had met them in person.

Maybe once Manti started getting press, the perpetrators decided to kill her off before it got out of control, which, of course, made it worse. Manti might have been embarrassed to say it was just some online chick, and then fudged the truth a bit to not look like a huge loser. (Backfiring now, of course.)

My gut tells me he was probably in on it to some extent, but there's definitely a plausable story you can weave where he wasn't. You'd think that if he had taken the lie that far, knowingly, it would have backed off some of the bigger specifics that could get him in trouble later. (I've been watching too much Sherlock...)

 

[elocomotive]

LMAO! That's the tweet of the year!

I read the story and it seems very confusing to me, but I don't understand Manti categorizing himself as the victim when he clearly lied on numerous occasions about the relationship. At a minimum, he seems highly disingenuous and weird. At worst, he seems like some kind of pyschopath or a publicity-seeking pathological liar... or both.

His Q score just went through the floor... although I'd love to see him get an eHarmony ad next year.

 

[Darkstone42]

LMAO! That's the tweet of the year!

I read the story and it seems very confusing to me, but I don't understand Manti categorizing himself as the victim when he clearly lied on numerous occasions about the relationship. At a minimum, he seems highly disingenuous and weird. At worst, he seems like some kind of pyschopath or a publicity-seeking pathological liar... or both.

His Q score just went through the floor... although I'd love to see him get an eHarmony ad next year.

I lie to people about my relationship to you guys...


...I tell them I like you.

 

[elocomotive]

Maybe once Manti started getting press, the perpetrators decided to kill her off before it got out of control, which, of course, made it worse. Manti might have been embarrassed to say it was just some online chick, and then fudged the truth a bit to not look like a huge loser. (Backfiring now, of course.)

I hear what you are saying, Dacks. But aren't there easier ways to do that than literally killing the person. If you have the brains to pull off a charade for months or years, surely a "I've met someone else and I'm not interested in you anymore" (account close) is a pretty easy exit. Real relationships - hard to get out of. Online relationships - I would imagine would be pretty easy to end.

As to the embarassment... it seems like Manti went pretty far beyond "fudging" here and had some pretty specific explanations. I think Pix's explanations make more sense than giving him a lot of the benefit of the doubt since we already know he is most definitely a liar to some degree.

 

[elocomotive]

On a related note - I got engaged today!!! Here is the lucky lady...

 

[elocomotive]

Oh man...I just got bad news....

My fiance, who is actually an Indy car driver, was killed in an accident today while training. Oh brutal news... I'll let you guys know where you can send the money for the charity fund for her.

 

[Darkstone42]

Eloco, you have the worst luck.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Weirdest story ever

Judging from what people (the hoaxers have loose samoan lips) are saying on twitter (right now) sounds like manti was indeed a victim

 

[SLY]

People care about this shit?

News in this country is fucking pathetic.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

If this was Tyler Seguin, you would be crying in your pumpkin flavored coffee, COMMAfucker.

 

[SLY]

Nice try, but no, COCKsucker.

 

[The Croz Man Cometh]

If this was Tyler Seguin, you would be crying in your pumpkin flavored coffee, COMMAfucker.

I read that as COMAfucker lol.

 

[SLY]

That's just sick... I'm not Carl Tanzler.

 

[BF4L]

Useless story. IMO

 

[awaz]

I read that as COMAfucker lol.

tastey coma wife?

 

[higgyfan4]

tastey coma wife?

Nice 'Scrubs' reference.

 

[davnlaguna]

On a related note - I got engaged today!!! Here is the lucky lady...

Awesome news. Are you registered somewhere? Have you set a date? Does she know? Does she have a friend?

 

[pixburgher66]

Troy Polamalu's name mentioned in Manti Te'o hoax | The Morning Freak Show - 96.1 Kiss

Because all the Samoans know each other...obviously.