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'What would you do' Te'o tells Couric

By Associated Press

POSTED: 03:00 a.m. HST, Jan 23, 2013
LAST UPDATED: 04:53 p.m. HST, Jan 23, 2013

ASSOCIATED PRESS / ABC

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, right, spoke with host Katie Couric during an interview for "Katie," in New York. Te'o has told Katie Couric that he briefly lied about his online girlfriend after discovering she didn't exist, while maintaining that he had no part in creating the hoax. Pressed by Couric to admit that he was in on the deception, Te'o said he believed that his girlfriend Lennay Kekua had died of cancer and didn't lie about it until December. The interview will air on Thursday, Jan. 24.

NEW YORK » Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o admitted to Katie Couric he answered questions about his "dead," online girlfriend even after he received a call Dec. 6 from a woman posing as the fake person.

Te'o also maintained he played no part in the hoax.

Pressed by Couric to admit that he was in on the deception, the All-American said he was convinced the woman he knew as Lennay Kekua died in September. Te'o claims he never met Kekua in person but developed a serious relationship with her through phone calls and electronic messages.

"Katie, put yourself in my situation. I, my whole world told me that she died on Sept. 12. Everybody knew that. This girl, who I committed myself to, died on Sept. 12," Te'o said in an interview to air Thursday on Couric's syndicated talk show. A segment of the interview with Te'o and his parents was broadcast Wednesday on "Good Morning America."

"Now I get a phone call on Dec. 6, saying that she's alive and then I'm going be put on national TV two days later. And to ask me about the same question. You know, what would you do?" Te'o said.

The Heisman Trophy finalists made at least three references to his girlfriend in media interviews after Dec. 6, including during ESPN's Heisman presentation show on Dec. 8.

Te'o's father defended his son when Couric pointed out that many people don't believe the Irish star, suspecting he used the situation for personal gain.

"People can speculate about what they think he is. I've known him 21 years of his life. And he's not a liar. He's a kid," Brian Te'o said with tears in his eyes.

On Tuesday, the woman whose photo was used as the "face" of the Twitter account of Te'o's supposed girlfriend says the man allegedly behind the hoax confessed and apologized to her.

Diane O'Meara told NBC's "Today" show that Ronaiah Tuiasosopo used pictures of her without her knowledge in creating a fake woman called Lennay Kekua.

Te'o told ESPN last week that Tuiasosopo had contacted him to apologize for the hoax soon after Deadpsin.com broke the news with a long report. Te'o told ESPN that not until Tuiasosopo confessed did he finally, fully realize Kekua did not exist.

Tuiasosopo has not commented on the scheme.

The top FBI agent in northern Indiana said authorities don't believe a crime was committed, so there is no investigation.

"I don't think there was any financial harm to Mr. Te'o," said Robert Ramsey, FBI supervisory special agent for northern Indiana. "There was no federal violation regarding the Internet hoax perpetrated against Mr. Te'o."

If there had been a crime, it would fall under federal jurisdiction, he said.

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rhiro wrote:

The more he talks, the more idiotic he sounds. Lying is a binary thing. You either lied or you didn't lie. There's no such thing as briefly lying. What fool is telling this guy to say this garbage? Just shut up already...you're treating the rest of us like idiots by asking us to believe this.

on January 23,2013 | 02:25AM

allie wrote:

He is just a horrible embarrassment in all respects. How does a dude liekt his graduate from Punahou and Notre dame? Did he ever go to class?

on January 23,2013 | 05:44AM

OldDiver wrote:

This is why his story is so confusing. He admitted lying in early December after he found out about the hoax. He then lied last week about lying in December. He then compounded the double lie by lying that he believed Lennay didn't exist until he was messaged by Tuiasosopo that it was a hoax, well after the Deadspin article came out.

on January 23,2013 | 05:58AM

GONEGOLFIN wrote:

EUPHROSYNE, try put yourself in his shoes: You find a nice girl on line. You get to know this girl for several months thru emails, messaging, phone calls all the while growing more in love with this person. You find out your girlfreind has a deadly illness. Your girlfreind tells you that to honor her she would rather you play football and live your life "if" she was to pass on. A few months pass by and you find out your girlfreind has died. You admit to yourself and your close family/freinds that an on-line, long distance relationship is very strange to begin with and after finding out the truth that you were duped, you feel ashamed, embarrassed, and distraught about the whole thing. Then you think to yourself, "why tell the world about how much of a fool you are to be in this position in the first place" Now I ask you, do you really want to unravel this big mess and tell the world about it, or keep it to those close to you as it is NOBODY ELSES BUSINESS BUT OWN!. Now you've got thousands of people that cant believe you and people coming up with these conspiracy theories who want to throw you under a bus, when you have already been run over emotionally because of some %$$ hole that started this whole mess in the 1st place. Thousands of people get duped every day with these on-line chat rooms, and the likes. Why dont you go try and figure out why all of these other people are lying about their lives and get back to me, or is it just Te'o you are concerned with becuase his life is so intertwined with yours.

on January 23,2013 | 10:44AM

allie wrote:

huh?

on January 23,2013 | 11:30AM

AlohaKakou wrote:

Makes total sense if you look at it from Teo's POV, but most people are more interested in a rush to judgment and condemning others. Truth is often stranger than fiction!

on January 23,2013 | 12:53PM

PCWarrior wrote:

Even if you believe his story, he exaggerated the relationship to build sympathy and gain himself attention. Can't believe nothing this kid says. Better he just play football and stop doing interviews.

on January 23,2013 | 01:45PM

ymanalohyn wrote:

VERY WELL SAID.

on January 23,2013 | 02:39PM

puamamane wrote:

Well said Gonegolfin...those with no common sense who take the media's view of sensationalism rush to judgement. He was duped, those involved admitted as much. I look forward to watching him next year.

on January 23,2013 | 05:00PM

Ripoff wrote:

You seem to have too much time on your hands.....

on January 23,2013 | 11:33AM

ezridah wrote:

that could be a hoax in itself...

on January 23,2013 | 12:25PM

joewilly wrote:

I'm still shocked by one samoan embarrassing another in public. You never see that. What happened with to the Faa'a Samoa? Manti has lost a lot of money in endorsements already, and this latest episode will only justify it more. Companies don't want athletes representing them that are branded as a lier.

on January 23,2013 | 06:12AM

allie wrote:

all true. I just wish he would become silent. He is being used by SNL and CBS and others to serve as a dimwitted clown laughed at by the public. If I were him, I would just not speak any more and hope you get drafted in their first round and have a decent career.

on January 23,2013 | 08:56AM

GONEGOLFIN wrote:

Oh yeah, Not Speak, that is exactly what he tried to do in the first place to keep this whole thing under wraps. And what happens-he is called a liar, a cheat, and a person who only drummed up this whole plan to look good on his heisman race. You are suggesting what already got him into trouble. Clueless!

on January 23,2013 | 10:47AM

allie wrote:

He went public to call himself a lair. Read the article.

on January 23,2013 | 11:31AM

NanakuliBoss wrote:

No people like alie, a lie, wanted to hear him speak. The questions given ,he answered, move on people.....still a top pick.

on January 23,2013 | 02:45PM

inverse wrote:

Exactly correct. Is Teo serious about making it in the NFL or what? Teo did not break any legal laws, the ONLY thing NFL teams are judging him by is does he have the physical AND mental capacity to handle the pressure cooker NFL league to help WIN games for them. Right now Teo is looking like a weak, insecure, gullible panty trying desperately to not take personal responsibility and not embara ss his family. That damage is done already, stop talking and just focus on the NFL combine as he is already suspect after the Alabama game. Even if Teo and Tuiasosopo concocted this elaborate hoax to hide a "special" relationship, the NFL does not care as long as he keeps it behind closed doors and out of the public eye, they just want him to be able to help win games for them. Teo can make this all go away tomorrow by giving up aspirations of the NFL and just come back to Hawaii and get a job as assistant football coach at Punahou, Kahuku or wherever. You are correct he needs to STOP talking to the media and Tuiasasopo better disappear into the background as well.

on January 23,2013 | 09:05AM

Publicbraddah wrote:

Manti needs to stop giving interviews because the more he talks, the worse he comes off.

on January 23,2013 | 10:33AM

allie wrote:

agreed

on January 23,2013 | 11:32AM

juke wrote:

the truth will set you free

on January 23,2013 | 02:57AM

OldDiver wrote:

Under pressure to tell the truth, Manti's story is beginning to make a little more sense. As many suspected his lies turned this into a convoluted hoax of a story. Just play ball and forget about playing the public and media.

on January 23,2013 | 05:29AM

GorillaSmith wrote:

Seriously: We question a young man's naivete about a "romantic" hoax but readily accept the absurdity that the ridiculously and consistently undocumented B. Hussein Obama was born in the US? What does this say about us as a people? (HINT: There is no way the S-A's bolsheviks will permit any discussion of this rather obvious gap. Watch.)

on January 23,2013 | 03:08AM

roughrider wrote:

Hey, Donald, can you spare a couple of million bucks?

on January 23,2013 | 04:33AM

Descartes22 wrote:

You have also been duped by an Internet hoax.

on January 23,2013 | 06:38AM

oxtail01 wrote:

Saw the Supreme Court Justice swearing him in? Man, our head justice must be one d.....b guy!

on January 23,2013 | 09:06AM

toomuchpilikia wrote:

I am not being entertained by the media on Teo's story. Let it go!

on January 23,2013 | 04:12AM

MakuleKanaka wrote:

Who among us can cast the first stone?

on January 23,2013 | 04:29AM

walaau808 wrote:

Certainly not me, yet there are many on here who seem to be perfect!

on January 23,2013 | 07:46AM

nippy68 wrote:

i hope these t.v. media personalities are paying te'o for all these interviews. hope this is the last week of this story. to the public "LET IT GO ALREADY...LET THE MAN MOVE ON ALREADY!!!!!!

on January 23,2013 | 05:06AM

allie wrote:

agree...he is a bore

on January 23,2013 | 05:45AM

busterb wrote:

Such a bore that you have to post about it daily.

on January 23,2013 | 06:05AM

Ripoff wrote:

YUP....ANYTHING TO DO WITH HAWAII FOOTBALL OR CONNECTIONS TO HAWAII "ALLIE" ALWAYS FINDS TIME TO COMMENT...SO MUCH OF A BORE THAT HE/SHE WILL POST SOMETHING SO OFF THE WALL...HATER LOL

on January 23,2013 | 11:36AM

NanakuliBoss wrote:

a lie just hates Samoans.

on January 23,2013 | 02:47PM

turbolink wrote:

Couldn't make the team, sour grapes.

on January 23,2013 | 03:02PM

8082062424 wrote:

If any one a bore it you

on January 23,2013 | 08:22AM

Anonymous wrote:

This is totally ridiculous! A young man, 21 years old, got taken in by a hoax, admitted to by the perpetrator, with the admission verified by the woman whose picture was used, lied or fibbed because after he thought about it, he was embarrassed and felt stupid, and did not want the whole world to know about it. How many of you critics and detractors can HONESTLY say that you've never done that? This makes a bigger story than "Uncle" Joe Biden saying at the Commander in Chief's ball that this generation has sacrificed more than any other with the repeated deployments to the Middle East because the forces available were over committed. The same mistake made during Vietnam, and, yet, this administration wants to reduce the force while making threats, the budget, pay and allowances, and, yet, not a peep from anyone. Auwe noho'i e! Have so many of you lost your sense of reason and balance?

on January 23,2013 | 06:00AM

Allenk wrote:

There are many college football players that move on to the NFL that do not share any personal information on air or are not interviewed with the hype that Teo had. The idea would be to make a clean transition from his amateur status to the professional level with as little fanfare as possible. After all, his skills are not suspect. What is in question is his ethics and character. I am sure a team will look at this as youthful exuberance and an indiscretion.

on January 23,2013 | 06:20AM

inverse wrote:

Actually his skills are suspect to the NFL after his performance in the Alabama game. That is when it counted MOST to show what he can do. He failed that test but the NFL will give him a 2nd chance. The more he speaks in public and tries to blame others and not take personal responsibility, the less desirable he will be seen by all potential NFL teams interested in him. NFL teams do NOT want a "talker" with loose lips, easily manipulated and fooled, cannot think for himself AND is a slave to incompetent media consultants.

on January 23,2013 | 09:13AM

walaau808 wrote:

You mean like most of the players already in the league? I'm sure you would've performed your best given the same set of circumstances, right?

on January 23,2013 | 12:21PM

NanakuliBoss wrote:

Right,the players OWN the NFL.....

on January 23,2013 | 02:50PM

NanakuliBoss wrote:

I forgot, who was the 2012Heisman winner?

on January 23,2013 | 02:49PM

pgkemp wrote:

manti enuff allready, you more and more looking like a fool.......

on January 23,2013 | 06:02AM

walaau808 wrote:

and by the way you write, you are removing all doubt...

on January 23,2013 | 07:48AM

maafifloos wrote:

I "briefly" stole, murdered, etc.

on January 23,2013 | 06:06AM

3ocean3000 wrote:

Hey Gorilla, seriously?

on January 23,2013 | 06:10AM

bender wrote:

Not sure what to believe any more. But I do come away with the impression that the more Manti talks about it, the more he comes off looking bad. Maybe he should put a clamp on it and refuse to answer any more questions on the subject.

on January 23,2013 | 06:16AM

loquaciousone wrote:

The BLOB continues to manifest itself as it grows and grows. Everyone is getting their fifteen seconds of fame.

on January 23,2013 | 06:20AM

Wazdat wrote:

WHY go on TV ? Let it go and MOVE on with Life.

on January 23,2013 | 06:37AM

Loki wrote:

He needs to stop doing interviews already. The more he talks, the more full of it it sounds. We think you lied. Moving on now.

on January 23,2013 | 06:38AM

islandsun wrote:

Nuff said already Manti. Now that you have learned the power of the media, use it carefully.

on January 23,2013 | 06:50AM

Masami wrote:

"LIKE" Probably the best comment so far.........

on January 23,2013 | 07:02AM

allie wrote:

agree...media just used him and laughed at him as a dummy/

on January 23,2013 | 08:57AM

Ripoff wrote:

YOU'RE A DUMMY

on January 23,2013 | 11:37AM

ya_think wrote:

Why is it that you all hold this kid to a higher standard then the rest of the bums in the NFL making millions? So he found out he had been played and didn't want to look like an idiot, who can blame him, how many of you all would go on TV an tell the world that you where an idiot? Give it up already.

on January 23,2013 | 07:01AM

Publicbraddah wrote:

"Briefly lied". Is that like "kinda pregnant"?

on January 23,2013 | 07:06AM

oxtail01 wrote:

Yup, in both instances you're "full of it"!

on January 23,2013 | 09:03AM

allie wrote:

giggle..what a silly person he is

on January 23,2013 | 11:33AM

Shh wrote:

The story is nothing new. Come one. You can't believe that the person on the other end of the computer is really who they say they are. We were told growing up not to give strangers information and really can you 100% be sure that the person on the other side is really who they say they are? This is turning out to be bigger than it really is. The media needs to stop making this bigger than it really is. Also the only thing that is bad is using someone else's picture to pretend they are someone else. However, that is why it is not good to put your picture up on a social media site. Once you allow your picture to be public you are now opening the doors for others to use your picture as well. People need to wake up and see that they should not be posting their personal information up on any social media site.

on January 23,2013 | 07:18AM

ready2go wrote:

This story is getting worse every day. Manti is a super athlete, bu just a young inexperienced young man regarding life matters. We've all been scammed in different ways and we've also made decisions we've regretted. But we just move on.

on January 23,2013 | 07:29AM

Shh wrote:

I don't see why the media is trying so hard to make this into a big story. Te'o has done a lot of good things and they need to stop trying to ruin his life. Who cares already and move on! Let Te'o continue on with his life and success. Now the girl is trying to come out because of this and make a name for herself, Just stop it all and move on!

on January 23,2013 | 07:47AM

Ulalei wrote:

perhaps we're all too scarred to think that someone can be that naive. But what do you expect from a 21/22 year old kid who has never touched the puka?

on January 23,2013 | 07:50AM

8082062424 wrote:

well put lol

on January 23,2013 | 08:25AM

Iuki wrote:

How very sad to be "in love" for three years with someone who did not actually exist. As many have noted, this isn't the first time that's happened. But it's still sad.

on January 23,2013 | 07:58AM

Kuokoa wrote:

So where is the FBI in all of this? i am certain that there are a number of laws that have been broken and that charges should be filed by Te'o and the woman whoes photo was used. This is going from rediculous to insane! Nuff already! File charges. Let the law handle it and investigate, not the media.

on January 23,2013 | 08:22AM

Maneki_Neko wrote:

Come on. This story is now so old it has a beard. Manti is clearly full 'o baloney but who cares....he'll get a good draft position and probably have a good football career. Are you looking to this kid for brilliant advice on dating? On common sense? Nah....he's a linebacker. Let it go.

on January 23,2013 | 08:41AM

inverse wrote:

Same thing was said about Colt

on January 23,2013 | 09:16AM

Maneki_Neko wrote:

They said he was a linebacker?

on January 23,2013 | 11:10AM

jussayin wrote:

He said earlier that he lied to his father. He's now saying he lied in December after knowing about the hoax. He waited till after the heisman was decided to disclose this story. Yup, the more he talks, the more fishy it gets. Did he and the fam get money for the interview? Hopefully this fades so we can get back to enjoying real football news.

on January 23,2013 | 08:45AM

oxtail01 wrote:

"This girl, who I committed myself to........." PLEASE Manti - you don't have to keep showing the world how s......d you are. Besides, you go to a best known Catholic university and learned NOTHING about being honest?

on January 23,2013 | 09:01AM

BigOpu wrote:

Ha! There are Catholic Priest that are not honest.

on January 23,2013 | 09:15AM

Honto5 wrote:

Teo needed to publicly come out with a statement regardless how stupid or naïve he sounds. Because news of the death of his “fake girlfriend” went national and was part of his legacy of inspiration and winning an unprecedented amount (7) of awards along with his STELLAR play. By keeping silent, it created a dark cloud of negative public opinion and gossip that gave a false impression of guilt for all the reasons “haters” can come up with. As much as all of Hawaii love to claim their “local players” that make it big, Teo also has a national following on the continent that are also “hurt” and dismayed by these events and really needed to hear from him to clear any doubt. As more stories unfold of the hoaxster (Tuiasosopo), I truly believe Teo was duped and had no part of the hoax except he was the “victim” as claimed. The public and hardliners of doubters will eventually move on as they will see he had “no control” of the situation except for the fact that he took a “chance on emotions” to believe in something that was not real and he was too embarrassed to admit it.

on January 23,2013 | 09:12AM

inverse wrote:

Disagree 100 percent. He is already on record for his lies and everything he now saws can be contradicted by his OWN words and actions and just begs the media and the public to dig deeper on the REAL truth. In the court of public opinion, he should stop giving interviews, make ONE public statement open to everyone and just "I am sorry and I made mistakes..." and end it right there. That is what Tiger Woods did after the overwhelming evidence of his nas ty affairs were made public.

on January 23,2013 | 09:25AM

walaau808 wrote:

This comment has been deleted.

on January 23,2013 | 12:30PM

inverse wrote:

You haven't figure this out have you. Almost everyone on this post, most who live much more than a pathetic life and are not trying to hide Teo under mama's skirt, is saying Teo should stop talking by blaming others or claiming to be the victim including trying to get Tuiasosopo to publicly speak and fall on his sword. Most of us want Teo to succeed but clearly understand that ESPN, Couric, etc. are actually exploiting Teo for their own gain and in the end does more harm than good for Teo. Unfortunately his arrogance, reflected by your comments, will be his undoing. I don't care how much he is paying the media consultants, agents or advisors to get him to go on these talk show interviews or getting everyone to say they were all fooled by Tuiasosopo or that Teo has a flower receipt, etc. he can only contradict his previous statements and further antagonize the public and dissuade prospective NFL teams interested in him. He better read the story of Icarus before it is too late.

on January 23,2013 | 02:24PM

Honto5 wrote:

Who says he has to give a whole bunch of interviews when all he has to do is one good interview that tells the TRUTH. I totally disagree with a one public statement of - "I am sorry and I made mistakes". That may have been something Tiger 'needed" and "had" to do being he was caught living a "double life" of having numerous aduterous affairs in which he clearly admitted to acting out and committing. But in Teo's case, why should he make a one "blanket" statement to admitting mistakes if he is being accused of things from conspiring with the hoaxster to generate votes to win National Awards including the Heisman to creating a ficticious girlfriend with the hoaxster because he is possibly "gay". That's not for him to bear. His mistake is he waited until another source broke the story instead of him doing it first. He's not pointing finger and blaming others for show, he's telling facts on why he did what he did. He wants to clear his name and I support that 100% no matter how foolish or naive he sounds.

on January 23,2013 | 04:09PM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

This is a PEOPLE story, not a Sports story anymore. Just like in Poker, the more you bluff, the more chips you have to put into the pot, until u r finally exposed and the other player wins with a Full House and u have only a pair of twos.

on January 23,2013 | 09:54AM

ghstar wrote:

How do you "briefly lie"? Can you also briefly steal?

on January 23,2013 | 10:00AM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

No.

on January 23,2013 | 10:17AM

hvagd1 wrote:

Teo had an obligation to reveal the hoax from December 6th. By not revealing this as a hoax, he in essence WAS part of the hoax ("I was never, ever part of this hoax;"). Father says my son never lied, yet the son admitted he lied to his dad about the relationship. Too late. Nothing like digging another hole to cover up the one that was created by "lying" in the first place..."briefly lying"...give me a break....

on January 23,2013 | 10:26AM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

The big one was on December 26, when Manti confessed to Notre Dame. No doubt it put a crimp in the psyche of Notre Dame and the Knute Rockne "Fight Fight Fight" went out of Notre Dame. Notice how fast The Crimson Tide went ahead of The Fighting Irish. This must be said though: Why try to make excuses now? Just take your medicine and return for another day. If someone were to break open a bunch of skeletons from the Harbaugh personal closet now, then that would be the talk of the Super Bowl and not the game itself. In America it is called Privacy.

on January 23,2013 | 10:39AM

walaau808 wrote:

I suppose you've never lied, huh?

on January 23,2013 | 12:32PM

ainokea1964 wrote:

you know what everyone give it a break. Leave the poor guy alone unless you are jealous because i did great in football. Let him live his dream playing for the NFL.

on January 23,2013 | 10:38AM

hsk wrote:

Gullible, dumb, and a liar. Not a good combination

on January 23,2013 | 10:45AM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

I was and still am gullible. However age has given me wisdom and my gullible ness has given way to skepticism in many walks of life. I never had the two other traits, although i must admit i am not Einstein.

on January 23,2013 | 10:51AM

pgkemp wrote:

daddy says my son is not a liar, mmmmmm, daddy should be examined...........

on January 23,2013 | 11:14AM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

Father Knows Best.

on January 23,2013 | 12:44PM

allie wrote:

yikes...but you are accurate

on January 23,2013 | 11:34AM

turbolink wrote:

Self assessment?

on January 23,2013 | 11:52AM

roughrider wrote:

I've felt from Day One that the truth lay somewhere in between being a victim and a participant, and that's how it seems to be playing out. He was totally duped at the start, then lied in two subsequent interviews after finding out it was a hoax on Dec. 6. His term, "briefly lied," was his way of saying, yes, I lied, but I was asked about Lennay twice soon after Dec. 6 and I didn't know what else to say. Obviously, he should have come clean then, but the guy must have been in shock and confusion after receiving that phone call. He needs to address this publicly so he can move forward. Yes, he should have gotten out in front of this before the media gave it a life of its own, but it's never too late. Tell the truth, and move on. The public will eventually forgive him, and so will NFL teams -- though this will cost him on draft day. I think the media jumped on this because: (1) Te'o's story of perseverance after learning of the deaths of two (well, one as we know now) people he loved made national -- not just sports -- news, and (2) The fascination that this indeed could be a sophisticated hoax. Who of us ever heard the term "catfishing" before this? (I bet ratings for that MTV show has spiked over the last few weeks). Anyway, I'm wishing the best for the kid. He's learned a lot through this ordeal and deserves a chance to pursue his dreams.

on January 23,2013 | 12:06PM

Rivergrouch wrote:

liar......not once but twice.......no matter what he says he lied not once but twice. For what ever reason he states to the media he still lied TWICE.....To think this is from a young adult graduating from a highly respectable institution who previously attended a highly respectable high school is totally wrong!!! But finally he admits he lied after all the hoopla possibly to restore some faith in his chance at the NFL.

on January 23,2013 | 12:11PM

walaau808 wrote:

You must think every NFL player is a saint? Think again...

on January 23,2013 | 12:33PM

Masami wrote:

"You know, what would you do?" Te'o said." Hmmmm............tell THE TRUTH? Let alone getting considered for the Heisman Award, coming in SECOND has put you "under the microscope". Anytime you open your mouth to the media you've left behind a record and MORE SO NOW THAN EVER......just tell the truth. Hope you've learned a lesson...we're rooting for you.

on January 23,2013 | 12:19PM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

All of this says it over and over and over and over and over: Punahou grads are too proud to admit they made a mistake.

on January 23,2013 | 12:47PM

roughrider wrote:

Strip away the Punahou and Notre Dame education, and you have a naive, deeply religious 21-year-old from a small town who, in my humble opinion, handled himself beyond expectations in the national spotlight. Then, he was victimized, embarrassed and made a huge mistake by lying. I would have been upset and disappointed if my kids had not come to me immediately, but I can see how this all played out for Manti. Just saying ...

on January 23,2013 | 01:06PM

HonoluluHawaii wrote:

Perhaps i was too harsh with the Punahou view. Those who get this kind of a remarkable media coverage are famous people, so we need to support Manti 125% as he is really one of us. Manti may not even want to admit it, however he can speak Pidgin English. This kind of a situation that Manti is hemming and hawing about has happened to 85% of us and the majority of it has not happened to us online. Manti just either needed to keep completely quiet about it, or just totally confess. Any halfway points would breed more questions.

on January 23,2013 | 01:52PM

AlohaKakou wrote:

One thing's certain, Lance Armstrong is thanking his lucky stars that the Teo non-story has taken center stage away from his multi-year program of lying and deception that earned him millions upon millions!

on January 23,2013 | 12:56PM

Nalukai wrote:

This sounds like 3rd or 4th grade love noted being passed at recess by your friends 'cause you are too scared to talk to chick yourself ! Manti, stop already, you are making me cry ! LOL !

on January 23,2013 | 01:09PM

Maneki_Neko wrote:

Advice for Manti: next time, try check for a pulse.

on January 23,2013 | 02:51PM

Rivergrouch wrote:

better yet don't lie

on January 23,2013 | 03:48PM

Rivergrouch wrote:

Bottom line Teo is still a liar and he hasn't even spent one minute in the NFL....wow....can you imagine the lies that will seep from this local boy/local hero if he ever makes the NFL...the Teo drama will continue and I wonder if any NFL team needs this type of drama...lol

on January 23,2013 | 03:47PM