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To: guinness4strength
This Te'o story is the water cooler topic of the day at my office (sad considering the 2nd Amendment is being dismantled). There are several theories about Manti:

1. Manti is extremely gullible and totally innocent, the victim of a cruel "catfishing" hoax perpetrated by a group of acquaintances.

2. Manti cynically masterminded a sick PR stunt in order to boost his profile and Heismann chances.

3. Manti is a closeted gay in a relationship with the guy behind the fake girlfriend who used this as a ploy to hide his sexuality.

4. Some combination of the above.

I think it's 4. My hypothesis is that Manti had a fairly shallow online relationship with the "girlfriend,"--actually some buddies jerking his chain--which is why he didn't realize she was fake. The media gets wind of a heart-rending story and runs with it. Suddenly, the dying girlfriend angle is working in Manti's favor and he has a reason to be a willing dupe and embellish, even if he suspected it was a hoax. The media of course wants a good tale and has plenty of motive to embellish and not investigate deeply. The gay closet-case angle is juicy, but it's known Manti had other real-life girlfriends so it doesn't seem like he would need to make one up expressly as a cover. By the way, Deadspin, the blog that broke the hoax story, is run by a bunch bitter Gawker Media types who have their own axe to grind. I must admit I'm basing this theory partly on stereotypes of Samoans as typically unsophisticated.

7 posted on 01/17/2013 8:43:38 AM PST by Callahan
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To: Callahan

If Te’o is that gullible then he should be the next contestant on the Joe Schmo Show.


10 posted on 01/17/2013 9:11:55 AM PST by BO Stinkss
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To: Callahan

If Te’o is that gullible then he should be the next contestant on the Joe Schmo Show.


11 posted on 01/17/2013 9:12:06 AM PST by BO Stinkss
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