What the T’eo??!

 

Weird.

That is the only term that comes to mind. Weird.

It is not often - in fact rare - that I hear a story and am speechless, or cannot comprehend what is going on. The story about Manti T’eo and his ‘girlfriend’ left me speechless and confused. It was completely a ‘WTF’ moment.

Here are the facts we do know:

• The ‘relationship’ was said to have existed for 3 years.
• The ‘girlfriend’ never existed.
• The ‘girlfriend’ never went to Stanford.
• The ‘girlfriend’ never died.
• The ‘relationship’ was exclusively online.

Here is what we don’t know:

• Does this person exist (there are conflicting reports about this).
• Was T’eo in on it?
• When did he become aware of the falsity?
• Why did he hide it?
• Why did he not clarify once he did find out?
• Is T’eo who he has been made out to be?

Here is what I would like to know:

• How could you be in a ‘relationship’ with someone for 3 years and never meet?
• How could you not visit your ‘girlfriend’ in the hospital after she was in a car accident?
• How could you not visit your ‘girlfriend’ in the hospital when she was dying?
• How could you not attend the ‘funeral’ of your ‘girlfriend?’
• Why are there reports (some from teammates), that T’eo knew what was going on?
• How did the media not pick up on any of this?
• How did twitter not reflect this?
• What did the private investigators hired by ND actually find?
• If T’eo wasn’t in on it, how did this happen?
• If T’eo was in on it, why?

o   To gain what?

o   For who?

I am a naturally cynical person. I am taught to cynical by my profession. Everything about this tells me something fishy was going on. Everything about this tells me T’eo was in on this to some extent. Everything about this tells me there is too much smoke to not have a fire. However, Notre Dame has a reputation at stake. They hired a private investigation firm and still back T’eo. Jack Swarbrick is a smart man (long time practicing attorney before becoming AD). He didn’t need to have a press conference to back T’eo. He and ND could have cleaned their hands of the whole situation. Instead, he (and ND) elected to conduct a voluntary press conference to support T’eo so emphatically that Swarbrick was brought to tears. A press conference that again left me asking ‘why’ and feeling confused…..weird.