Occasionally a sports scandal comes along so bizarre, so inherently twisted and tragic, it is as if it was lifted straight from some schlocky, over-wrought made for television melodrama shown when it’s raining at the cricket.
The case of college football player Manti Te’o, and the possible death of a woman who may or may not actually exist, is definitely one.
For those out of the loop, time to take a seat, pour yourself a drink and set your expectations to stunned.
The story goes that Notre Dame captain Te’o, one of College football’s highest profile players, suffered dual tragedies on the 11th September 2012 when his grandmother and girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, died within hours of each other.
In front of an entire nation and the most fabled college football program in the land, Te’o assumed an air of stoic bravery, didn’t miss any matches and continued his rise to superstardom, right up until his sub-par performance in the recent BCS championship game.
For anyone who has dealt with the extreme stress following a loved one’s passing it was an amazing feat, and there was little more you could do than wear a pair of sunglasses indoors and complain about dust getting in your eye.
All of this would have made a great ‘Rudy’ style movie, except for the M Night Shyamalan twist that exploded yesterday.
While no one is doubting the validity of Grandma Te’o and his sandess after her death, Teo’s ‘girlfriend’ is another story.
Turns out Te’o had never met Kekua, their relationship being purely digital. All photos of her were of another woman. Stanford, the college she claimed to attend, had no knowledge of her.
She did not, according to media investigations revealed yesterday, actually exist.
(X-Files music plays in background)
To put it frank, there’s scandals and then there’s claiming to a national audience that your girlfriend has died, only to have it uncovered by the press that no such girlfriend may have existed at all.
Honestly, you could lock the entire playing roster of the NRL in the club showers with an open bar for a week and not come up with something quite so stupid.
Due to the insane nature of proceedings theories have been quick to develop; take your pick:
Te’o was the victim of a cruel ‘Catfishing’ prank, possibly by friends or members of the US Samoan community.
The story of his girlfriend’s death was created to inflate his chances of winning the Heisman trophy
It was a conspiracy by disgruntled cardinals looking to overthrow the current pontiff and have Irish coach Brian Kelly take his place
Chuck in current NFL player Reagan Mauia saying he actually did know a Lennay Kekua, and you feel like you should sit one of those football head injury cognition tests yourself.
No one quite knows what to make of Te’o at the moment. At worst he is a manipulative charlatan, at best a gullible young man whose trusting nature was taken advantage of.
As someone who has continually extolled the abilities of Te’o to American football sceptics, I personally feel like my team has blown a six point lead on the last play of a match thanks to an 80 yard hail Mary pass. Deflated, yet slightly bemused and wanting to see how the whole train wreck unravels.
Whatever does end up happening though, it is likely Te’o will be drafted and turn pro. I mean hey, there are players in the NFL with serious fire arms and burglary charges against their name. Teams just want to win.
Whether the fans will be quite so quick to put their trust in Te’o, or Te’o his in the fans, is something only time will tell.
Follow Chris on Twitter @Vic_Arious
Simmo
Guest
It's now a pretty common opinion that this whole fake girlfriend thing was used as cover for being in the closet
The Bush
Roar Guru
I would have thought a college football player could get any real, meet-her-in-person girl he wants at college... I am inclined to just think he's a sucker, rather than anything sinister.
Bob Anderson
Guest
Imaginary girlfriends don't nag, don't cost a lot of money, and never get headaches, but its sure a bitch when they die.
Tim
Guest
Could have been worse, he could have murdered his girlfriend and then blown his brains out.
Chris Hardiman
Roar Rookie
Or the other scandals being unearthed: http://jezebel.com/5976718/notre-dame-says-manti-teo-is-a-victim-thats-rich-considering-their-history-of-ignoring-actual-victims
Chris Chard
Expert
Hi WB I think you're right and hopefuly there's nothing overly sinister going on...he should be prepared to cop it from the stands for a while though! Cheers CC
Chris Chard
Expert
That's Jerry Springer not the X-Files guys...
Australian Rules
Guest
Cue creey little Haley Joel Osment whispering: "I see Manti Te'o's girlfriend". Always thought that kid was full of sh*t.
Vincent
Guest
now that I've read the account of the matter on deadspin..daammmn!!
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Furthermore Notre Dame need to distance themselves from this pronto, they still have to sign some key recruits and this scandal wont assist on that front.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
As a big Notre Dame fan this has me completely bamboozled. It is one of the strangest,most bizzare thing's I have ever read. The guy is a devout Mormon so you really hope this wasn't concocted to attract Heisman votes. This season T'eo was on the Mt Rushmore of ND players, one of the greats. His performance in the BCS game was poor and no doubt his draft stock slipped after that game. I don't think NFL teams will read too much into this bizzare scandal. They want the best available talent and I think he will still go in the first round.
Kasey
Guest
that was my first thought too:(
Brett McKay
Expert
"..when his grandmother and girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, died within hours of each other." His grandmother was his girlfriend?!? :shock:
Hansie
Guest
I don't quite get the bit about having a girlfriend when he's never met her and then choosing not to attend her funeral. Weird.
manalien
Roar Pro
Such a bizarre story it feels like it must be true. Clearly a naive and immature man. Unfortunately for him and his family he will have cost himself millions with this episode and his awful performance vs. Alabama - as he will likely slip from the middle of Round 1 to the end of the round or even round 2 in April's NFL Draft...feels like he would fit in perfectly at the Raiders. Hopefully he will learn from it and become the player his natural talents suggest he could be.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
This is one of the bizarre stories I've ever come across. Truth is stranger than fiction!
Vincent
Guest
The Notre Dame Sports Director put everything on it and stands by Te'o ..my thinking and of alot of people is that he and the University would not be that confident and 200% back him up if there was ANY doubt about Te'o being part of this appalling situation...considering too that they don't have to as he's never going to play another down for Notre Dame...nothing good can come from this whole situation..
Sailosi
Guest
It's stories like these and from around the world such as French rugby players housing illegal Tunisian immigrants in their broom cupboard or European soccer players fighting with their managers etc that you realise our sporting comps are so sanitised. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
AGO74
Guest
You ask whether US sports fans will forgive him? Of course they will. The current NFL playoffs are almost being overshadowed by the Ray Lewis farewell tour. He has been involved in some crimes of the most serious nature - murder - yet he is currently being lauded like few others in the game. Other than being completely bizarre-o Teo's story is nothing in comparison to Lewis.
butross
Guest
Lennay Kekua does exist. I saw her hanging out with Tony Abbott's son.