Based on the recent comments and ongoing situation about player safety, I wanted to quickly share my thoughts. It has been well documented that football related injuries, most notably concussions, have affected lives of former players. Post concussion symptoms have been so severe, that some former player's families are claiming that they have committed suicide over the problems associated with it. Over the last few years, the NFL has made a greater attempt to prevent head injuries. Helmet to helmet hits are being penalized and fined, kickoffs have been limited, more hands to face penalties are called than ever before. As much as I feel player safety is important, I hope the NFL doesn't change the game too much. Although I wouldn't like it, I could deal with eliminating kickoffs if that happened. My big concern is that the NFL turns into the Pro Bowl, which is essentially glorified flag football. Or even worse, the NFL is eliminated as some have suggested. Football has always been a tough and violent game. Nobody said it was easy. Everyone now knows the effects football can have on a player's body and mind. Any current or future player in the league knows the risks, and nobody is forcing them to play.
I would like to address a comment that came out this past week from President Barack Obama. President Obama stated, "if I had a son, I’d have to think long and hard before I let him play football." The President has every right to have his own opinion. Some parents feel and will continue to feel that way. But, I don't agree. I played organized tackle football for seven years, and wish I could still play. Although I never have been diagnosed with a concussion, I am 100% positive I've had a few. I know the feeling of getting your "bell rung". Concussions are serious, and I probably shouldn't have played if I had one, but I wanted to. That may sound bad, but ten to fifteen years ago, concussions were not seen as being as serious as they are now. With that being said, if I have a son, I will not forbid him from playing football. I now know the risks, and I will inform him of the risks. But, I will let him make his own decision. If my son wants to play football, I won't be able to stop him from playing a game that he loves. Besides the x's and o's, big hits, and exciting plays, I love football because of what it can do for a kid and a man. It teaches kids many lessons and values and allows many men opportunities, careers, and financial stability in life. In addition, coaches and trainers from Pop Warner to the NFL have learned how to diagnose concussions properly and are extremely more cautious now than ever before on how to prevent one from reoccurring. The knowledge is out there and players will play if they want to play because they love the game. And because of that, football and the NFL will always exsist.
-Eric Tichelbaut
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Harbaugh Bowl
After 17 weeks of regular season games, and 3 weeks of postseason action, it's finally Super Bowl week. One of the most popular days leading up to the big game is today, media day. In light of that, I have decided to take a few minutes to discuss the most talked about storyline (other than Ray Lewis).
This Super Bowl has taken on multiple new nicknames in the past week. Harbaugh Bowl, Harbowl, Bro Bowl, and Super Bro have been a few being thrown around. Once the Baltimore Ravens pulled off the upset against the New England Patriots to join the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, America was ready to embrace the story. Brothers John and Jim Harbaugh will square off as head coaches in the Super Bowl. It's remarkable that two brothers are even head coaches in the NFL, let alone coaching in the biggest game. Although it is surprising that two brothers are in the Super Bowl, it is not surprising that either one of them made it here. In my opinion, the Harbaugh's are two of the NFL's best coaches, both in the top 5. Yes, neither one has won a Super Bowl yet, but they have only been coaching for a few years. John Harbaugh has been the Ravens head coach for 5 seasons. During that time he has won at least 1 playoff game EVERY year, making the AFC Championship game 3 times. Jim Harbaugh has only been the head coach of the 49ers for 2 seasons. All he has done is win 76 percent of his games, and make it to 2 NFC Championship games. If I were starting a NFL franchise and had the ability to pick one coach for the next decade, Jim would be my first choice, followed by John. I base this decision on their age, John (50) and Jim (49), recent success, and coaching styles.
To get their teams to the Super Bowl, both coaches made controversial decisions. Jim decided to make a change at the quarterback position by inserting Colin Kaepernick for Alex Smith. At the time, I questioned the move. Although it is hard to question it now, I still feel Alex Smith got a raw deal. Since Harbaugh arrived, Smith was 19-5-1 as a starter. Not only did Smith win, but he was playing extremely well. Smith led the NFL with a 70% completion percentage, and was third in the league with a 104.1 quarterback rating. However, Jim Harbaugh made the right choice. Kaepernick has proven to be the more dynamic and versatile player with his cannon for an arm, and elite speed for a quarterback. Smith was a very good game manager, Kaepernick is a game changer. Jim's decision has proved most valuable in the playoffs. Kaepernick had a historic performance versus Green Bay in their first playoff game, and led the 49ers to a victory at Atlanta after trailing 17-0. The 49ers trailing 17-0 with Smith at QB would not have won that game. Jim Harbaugh's decision has been validated, and will always be remembered if the 49ers can win one more game.
John Harbaugh's decision was made within his coaching staff, and has proved to be just as successful. On December 10th, John fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell to the position. Caldwell, the former Indianapolis head coach, has had an big impact on the Ravens offense. Since the change, quarterback Joe Flacco has thrown 12 touchdowns and only one interception. For someone who has been labeled as inconsistent throughout his career, Flacco has been the complete opposite under Caldwell. Besides the on the field impact, the change of coordinators appears to have sent a wake-up call to the rest of the Ravens organization. The Ravens look different, and are playing their best at the right time.
Super Bowl XLVII is going to be exciting to watch for many reasons, but seeing Jim versus John on the biggest stage is the main one for me. I find their family story to be fascinating. Both John and Jim were groomed to be coaches at an early age by their father, Jack. Jack taught them how to watch film, and taught them everything they know about the game. Jim and John took different paths to become NFL coaches, but the root of their success is evident. The fact that both coaches still send their father game films every week so how much football means to that family. Jack breaks down both films, and still gives his sons coaching advice. I can only imagine how tough it will be for Jack and the rest of the family to watch on Sunday. They can root for both teams to play well, but only one can win. With that being said, Sunday night will be a special moment for the Harbaugh family, no matter who wins.
-Eric Tichelbaut
This Super Bowl has taken on multiple new nicknames in the past week. Harbaugh Bowl, Harbowl, Bro Bowl, and Super Bro have been a few being thrown around. Once the Baltimore Ravens pulled off the upset against the New England Patriots to join the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, America was ready to embrace the story. Brothers John and Jim Harbaugh will square off as head coaches in the Super Bowl. It's remarkable that two brothers are even head coaches in the NFL, let alone coaching in the biggest game. Although it is surprising that two brothers are in the Super Bowl, it is not surprising that either one of them made it here. In my opinion, the Harbaugh's are two of the NFL's best coaches, both in the top 5. Yes, neither one has won a Super Bowl yet, but they have only been coaching for a few years. John Harbaugh has been the Ravens head coach for 5 seasons. During that time he has won at least 1 playoff game EVERY year, making the AFC Championship game 3 times. Jim Harbaugh has only been the head coach of the 49ers for 2 seasons. All he has done is win 76 percent of his games, and make it to 2 NFC Championship games. If I were starting a NFL franchise and had the ability to pick one coach for the next decade, Jim would be my first choice, followed by John. I base this decision on their age, John (50) and Jim (49), recent success, and coaching styles.
To get their teams to the Super Bowl, both coaches made controversial decisions. Jim decided to make a change at the quarterback position by inserting Colin Kaepernick for Alex Smith. At the time, I questioned the move. Although it is hard to question it now, I still feel Alex Smith got a raw deal. Since Harbaugh arrived, Smith was 19-5-1 as a starter. Not only did Smith win, but he was playing extremely well. Smith led the NFL with a 70% completion percentage, and was third in the league with a 104.1 quarterback rating. However, Jim Harbaugh made the right choice. Kaepernick has proven to be the more dynamic and versatile player with his cannon for an arm, and elite speed for a quarterback. Smith was a very good game manager, Kaepernick is a game changer. Jim's decision has proved most valuable in the playoffs. Kaepernick had a historic performance versus Green Bay in their first playoff game, and led the 49ers to a victory at Atlanta after trailing 17-0. The 49ers trailing 17-0 with Smith at QB would not have won that game. Jim Harbaugh's decision has been validated, and will always be remembered if the 49ers can win one more game.
John Harbaugh's decision was made within his coaching staff, and has proved to be just as successful. On December 10th, John fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, and promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell to the position. Caldwell, the former Indianapolis head coach, has had an big impact on the Ravens offense. Since the change, quarterback Joe Flacco has thrown 12 touchdowns and only one interception. For someone who has been labeled as inconsistent throughout his career, Flacco has been the complete opposite under Caldwell. Besides the on the field impact, the change of coordinators appears to have sent a wake-up call to the rest of the Ravens organization. The Ravens look different, and are playing their best at the right time.
Super Bowl XLVII is going to be exciting to watch for many reasons, but seeing Jim versus John on the biggest stage is the main one for me. I find their family story to be fascinating. Both John and Jim were groomed to be coaches at an early age by their father, Jack. Jack taught them how to watch film, and taught them everything they know about the game. Jim and John took different paths to become NFL coaches, but the root of their success is evident. The fact that both coaches still send their father game films every week so how much football means to that family. Jack breaks down both films, and still gives his sons coaching advice. I can only imagine how tough it will be for Jack and the rest of the family to watch on Sunday. They can root for both teams to play well, but only one can win. With that being said, Sunday night will be a special moment for the Harbaugh family, no matter who wins.
-Eric Tichelbaut
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Chicago Bears New Head Coach Marc Trestman
I realize this news is a week late, but with the Te'o hoax and Championship Sunday, I was not able to sit back and think about the Chicago Bears decision to hire Marc Trestman as their new Head Coach. I just wanted to share my thoughts real quick. Replacing Lovie Smith after nine seasons will not be easy. While Lovie had a ton of success in Chicago, I was not his biggest fan because of his failure to develop an offense. The Bears were only ranked in the top half of total offense once during the Lovie Era. Personally, I wanted Bruce Arians over Trestman based on what he did with the Colts this season, and his recent NFL success. But, one thing we know about Trestman, he knows offense. It remains to be seen how his CFL success will translate, but Trestman also has an impressive College and NFL coaching resume of over 20 years.
Here are a few of his career highlights courtesy of Wikipedia. In 1983, Trestman was named quarterbacks coach at the University of Miami where quarterback Bernie Kosar passed for 2,329 yards and Miami won the national championship. The following season, Kosar threw for 3,642 yards, a school record. In 1988, while quarterbacks coach in Cleveland, he again coached Kosar and the team finished 10–6 and made the playoffs. Trestman was then promoted to offensive coordinator in 1989 and Kosar passed for 3,533 yards and 18 TDs that season. In 1995 as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator with San Francisco, the 49ers led the NFL with 457 points scored, 644 pass attempts and 4,779 passing yards. In 1997, Trestman served as quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions where, Scott Mitchell passed for 3,484 yards, fourth most in team history. In 1998, Trestman was the Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. That year quarterback Jake Plummer threw for 3,737 yards, and the Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time since 1982 while winning their first post-season game in 51 years. In 2001, Trestman served as the Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach. The following year he was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Raiders led the NFL in total offense with 389.8 yards per game and passing yards with 279.7 per game. Under Trestman's guidance, Raiders QB Rich Gannon also won the 2002 NFL MVP.
If Marc Trestman can make Bernie Kosar, Scott Mitchell, Jake Plummer, and Rich Gannon have career years, then why not Jay Cutler? I don't know how successful Trestman will be, nobody does. All I know is that based on his track record, I am excited to see what he can do. The offensive line still needs to be revamped, and we need a legitimate option a Tight End (Hello, Tyler Eifert?), but there is hope. Lastly, I am willing to give Trestman, and GM Phil Emery the benefit of doubt until they give me a reason not to.
-Eric Tichelbaut
Here are a few of his career highlights courtesy of Wikipedia. In 1983, Trestman was named quarterbacks coach at the University of Miami where quarterback Bernie Kosar passed for 2,329 yards and Miami won the national championship. The following season, Kosar threw for 3,642 yards, a school record. In 1988, while quarterbacks coach in Cleveland, he again coached Kosar and the team finished 10–6 and made the playoffs. Trestman was then promoted to offensive coordinator in 1989 and Kosar passed for 3,533 yards and 18 TDs that season. In 1995 as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator with San Francisco, the 49ers led the NFL with 457 points scored, 644 pass attempts and 4,779 passing yards. In 1997, Trestman served as quarterbacks coach for the Detroit Lions where, Scott Mitchell passed for 3,484 yards, fourth most in team history. In 1998, Trestman was the Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. That year quarterback Jake Plummer threw for 3,737 yards, and the Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time since 1982 while winning their first post-season game in 51 years. In 2001, Trestman served as the Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach. The following year he was promoted to offensive coordinator and the Raiders led the NFL in total offense with 389.8 yards per game and passing yards with 279.7 per game. Under Trestman's guidance, Raiders QB Rich Gannon also won the 2002 NFL MVP.
If Marc Trestman can make Bernie Kosar, Scott Mitchell, Jake Plummer, and Rich Gannon have career years, then why not Jay Cutler? I don't know how successful Trestman will be, nobody does. All I know is that based on his track record, I am excited to see what he can do. The offensive line still needs to be revamped, and we need a legitimate option a Tight End (Hello, Tyler Eifert?), but there is hope. Lastly, I am willing to give Trestman, and GM Phil Emery the benefit of doubt until they give me a reason not to.
-Eric Tichelbaut
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Championship Sunday Preview
Alright, time for some more playoff football! In my opinion, Championship Sunday is the single best day of football. Yes, Super Bowl Sunday is like a national holiday, but Championship Sunday is all about football. None of the pregame festivities, none of the overrated commercials, and no boring halftime show. Up first, the NFC Championship. The San Francisco 49ers are making their second straight conference championship appearance visiting the number one seed Atlanta Falcons. After that, Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens are making a trip to play Tom Brady and New England Patriots for the second year in a row. So who's going to the Super Bowl?
NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons
San Francisco is coming off a very impressive performance last Saturday night, at home, when they beat Green Bay Packers 45-31. Colin Kaepernick overcame an early "pick-six" and fueled the 45 point outburst with one of the greatest quarterback performances of all-time. Kaepernick threw for 263 yards and rushed for a quarterback-record 181 yards while accounting for 4 total touchdowns. Can he do it again? While the 49ers put up 45 points, their defense surrendered 31 points. Aaron Rodgers was able to throw pretty effectively on the Niners secondary with 257 yards and 2 TDs.
Atlanta retained their home-field advantage by holding off a valiant comeback from the Seattle Seahawks and advancing by a score of 30-28. For the first three quarters Atlanta seemed to be in cruise control. Matt Ryan was having his best playoff performance to date by throwing 3 TDs. Then, Russell Wilson simply took over. Doing his best Colin Kaepernick imitation, Wilson scrambled, threw, and ran the Seahawks to a 28-27 lead with 31 seconds remaining. Wilson finished with 3 total TDs while throwing for 385 yards and adding another 60 on the ground. With 31 seconds left, Matty Ice was able to lead the Falcons to a 49 yard game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant.
Colin Kaepernick will be making just his 9th career start on Sunday. This will also be his first playoff start on the road, in a dome. Falcons' fans figure to be extremely loud hoping to help push their team to their 2nd Super Bowl appearance. It should be interesting to see how, if at all, this will affect him. I expect Atlanta to key on Kaepernick's run game and force him to beat them with his arm. Kaepernick has the arm to do that, but in my opinion he sometimes lacks the "touch" to make every throw. As a result, he has failed to complete 58% of his passes for four consecutive weeks. Other than an almost costly 4th quarter interception, Matt Ryan was able to shake off his three poor playoff performances with an overall solid game last Sunday. Ryan will need to continue to do that on Sunday. I do not expect Michael Turner or Jacquizz Rodgers to do much against the Niners run defense. If Atlanta's offensive line can hold of the pass rush from Justin and Aldon Smith, then Matt Ryan could be in for another big day. I expect this one to be very close, but in the end the 49ers will have a more balanced attack on offense, and more playmakers on defense.
Prediction: San Francisco 27 Atlanta 24
AFC Championship: Baltimore vs New England
This marks the third time in a year that these two teams will be playing on Sunday. They split the first two, but the Patriots won the one that counted in last season's AFC Championship. Baltimore pulled off a huge upset over the number one seed Denver Broncos in double overtime last Saturday by a score of 38-35. It was a classic game with a shocking ending. Baltimore converted a miracle 70 yard bomb to Jacoby Jones with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime. After a crucial Peyton Manning INT, Justin Tucker hit a 47 yard field goal to win it. Joe Flacco had a great game with 331 yards and 3 TDs with no interceptions. The Ravens defense was able to hold Peyton Manning in check, keeping him under 300 yards and forcing two interceptions. If it wasn't for Trindon Holliday's two return TDs, the Ravens would have won much easier.
New England was able to defeat the Houston Texans pretty handily for the 2nd time this season, 41-28. Tom Brady was practically flawless, throwing for 344 yards and 3 TDs. Shane Vereen also broke out with 124 total yards and 3 TDs. During the victory, the Patriots lost star Tight End Rob Gronkowski and versatile tailback Danny Woodhead to injury. Gronk is done for the season, but Woodhead could still play. Either way, New England has depth at both positions and should still be able to move the ball. When the Patriots spread defenses out, like last Sunday, they are extremely tough to beat because they can pass or run at will. I expect more of that on Sunday vs Baltimore.
The Ravens should come out highly motivated once again in what could be Ray Lewis' final game. But, I believe it won't matter. I feel that Tom Brady is determined to "finally" win his fourth Super Bowl. Like their previous match ups this will be tighter than most people think, but in the end the Patriots are better. The Ravens' defense is getting a little long in the tooth, and Brady will expose them. The Patriots running game is better than expected, and balance will be a key. Joe Flacco has proven to be a very solid postseason performer in the past. In last year's AFC Championship, Flacco outplayed Brady. If the Ravens want to pull off the upset, Flacco will have to do It again. I don't think he will.
Prediction: New England 31 Baltimore 23
-Eric Tichelbaut
NFC Championship: San Francisco 49ers vs Atlanta Falcons
San Francisco is coming off a very impressive performance last Saturday night, at home, when they beat Green Bay Packers 45-31. Colin Kaepernick overcame an early "pick-six" and fueled the 45 point outburst with one of the greatest quarterback performances of all-time. Kaepernick threw for 263 yards and rushed for a quarterback-record 181 yards while accounting for 4 total touchdowns. Can he do it again? While the 49ers put up 45 points, their defense surrendered 31 points. Aaron Rodgers was able to throw pretty effectively on the Niners secondary with 257 yards and 2 TDs.
Atlanta retained their home-field advantage by holding off a valiant comeback from the Seattle Seahawks and advancing by a score of 30-28. For the first three quarters Atlanta seemed to be in cruise control. Matt Ryan was having his best playoff performance to date by throwing 3 TDs. Then, Russell Wilson simply took over. Doing his best Colin Kaepernick imitation, Wilson scrambled, threw, and ran the Seahawks to a 28-27 lead with 31 seconds remaining. Wilson finished with 3 total TDs while throwing for 385 yards and adding another 60 on the ground. With 31 seconds left, Matty Ice was able to lead the Falcons to a 49 yard game-winning field goal by Matt Bryant.
Colin Kaepernick will be making just his 9th career start on Sunday. This will also be his first playoff start on the road, in a dome. Falcons' fans figure to be extremely loud hoping to help push their team to their 2nd Super Bowl appearance. It should be interesting to see how, if at all, this will affect him. I expect Atlanta to key on Kaepernick's run game and force him to beat them with his arm. Kaepernick has the arm to do that, but in my opinion he sometimes lacks the "touch" to make every throw. As a result, he has failed to complete 58% of his passes for four consecutive weeks. Other than an almost costly 4th quarter interception, Matt Ryan was able to shake off his three poor playoff performances with an overall solid game last Sunday. Ryan will need to continue to do that on Sunday. I do not expect Michael Turner or Jacquizz Rodgers to do much against the Niners run defense. If Atlanta's offensive line can hold of the pass rush from Justin and Aldon Smith, then Matt Ryan could be in for another big day. I expect this one to be very close, but in the end the 49ers will have a more balanced attack on offense, and more playmakers on defense.
Prediction: San Francisco 27 Atlanta 24
AFC Championship: Baltimore vs New England
This marks the third time in a year that these two teams will be playing on Sunday. They split the first two, but the Patriots won the one that counted in last season's AFC Championship. Baltimore pulled off a huge upset over the number one seed Denver Broncos in double overtime last Saturday by a score of 38-35. It was a classic game with a shocking ending. Baltimore converted a miracle 70 yard bomb to Jacoby Jones with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime. After a crucial Peyton Manning INT, Justin Tucker hit a 47 yard field goal to win it. Joe Flacco had a great game with 331 yards and 3 TDs with no interceptions. The Ravens defense was able to hold Peyton Manning in check, keeping him under 300 yards and forcing two interceptions. If it wasn't for Trindon Holliday's two return TDs, the Ravens would have won much easier.
New England was able to defeat the Houston Texans pretty handily for the 2nd time this season, 41-28. Tom Brady was practically flawless, throwing for 344 yards and 3 TDs. Shane Vereen also broke out with 124 total yards and 3 TDs. During the victory, the Patriots lost star Tight End Rob Gronkowski and versatile tailback Danny Woodhead to injury. Gronk is done for the season, but Woodhead could still play. Either way, New England has depth at both positions and should still be able to move the ball. When the Patriots spread defenses out, like last Sunday, they are extremely tough to beat because they can pass or run at will. I expect more of that on Sunday vs Baltimore.
The Ravens should come out highly motivated once again in what could be Ray Lewis' final game. But, I believe it won't matter. I feel that Tom Brady is determined to "finally" win his fourth Super Bowl. Like their previous match ups this will be tighter than most people think, but in the end the Patriots are better. The Ravens' defense is getting a little long in the tooth, and Brady will expose them. The Patriots running game is better than expected, and balance will be a key. Joe Flacco has proven to be a very solid postseason performer in the past. In last year's AFC Championship, Flacco outplayed Brady. If the Ravens want to pull off the upset, Flacco will have to do It again. I don't think he will.
Prediction: New England 31 Baltimore 23
-Eric Tichelbaut
Friday, January 18, 2013
My Take on Manti Te'o Hoax
Over the last few days, the legacy of Manti Te'o has drastically changed. Te'o went from being the most beloved Notre Dame Football icon since Lou Holtz, to being a national punchline. This year, Te'o helped spark Notre Dame to a dream regular season that ended abruptly on January 7th. Nearly ten days later, what seemed like just a bad dream for Notre Dame fans has turned in a nightmare. Two days have passed since the news broke that the heartbreaking and inspirational story surrounding Te'o's "girlfriend", Lennay Kekua, was all a giant hoax. During this time, I have tried to wrap my mind around this troubling situation. Before I begin addressing certain angles and questions of this case, let's establish a few facts. Here is what we know. Lennay Kekua was not a real person. This fake persona was created by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo in 2008.
At some point Manti Te'o has lied, but to what extent? If you have not read the article on Deadspin, please do so. The facts surrounding the non-existence of Lennay Kekua can not be disputed. However, exactly who played a role in the hoax is very debatable. Was Manti Te'o in on the whole thing? It is possible. Was Manti Te'o completely duped? Also possible. I do not know whether or not Manti Te'o is innocent or guilty. Neither does anyone else not named Manti Te'o or Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. Let’s let all the facts, angles, and stories surface before we make any snap judgments on people. To help examine this bizarre story, I will attempt to provide potential answers to some of the questions being asked. I am not taking a side, at least not yet. I am merely trying to understand what may have or may not have happened.
First Question: What are we to make of the alleged face to face meetings between Te'o and Kekua? There are only two instances in which Te'o and Kekua allegedly met in person. The first story suggests that Te'o first "met" Kekua on November 28, 2009 after the Notre Dame vs. Stanford game in Palo Alto, California. Manti has always said he "met" Kekua after the game, but has been vague about it ever since her alleged death. Brian Te'o, Manti's father, told the South Bend Tribune in an interview this Fall that the two met in the parking lot after the game and sparked a friendship. Obviously, this is not true since Notre Dame and Manti have since stated they never met in person. Those statements also squash the theory that Manti had actually met a woman in person that falsely claimed she was Lennay Kekua that night in California. The case against Manti Te'o would argue that Te'o lied about meeting Kekua because Te'o was in on the hoax and felt this was an ideal place to start a fake relationship with Kekua being a supposed Stanford student. The case for Manti Te'o could suggest two things. First, Te'o was "introduced" to Kekua either via telephone or Internet by one of the perpetrators, possibly Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, and that is how their friendship began. Secondly, Te'o had established a more emotional "online relationship" with Kekua at a later date. Fearing his solely online relationship would be questioned, Te'o created the story of meeting Kekua in-person after the Stanford game to embellish his relationship with Kekua so that it would appear to be more than just an online relationship. The second story involves both Manti and Brian Te'o stating that Lennay Kekua visited Manti in Hawaii a couple of times. I say visiting Manti because contrary to public belief, Kekua never "met" Te'o's parents. People automatically assumed that since Kekua "visited" Hawaii, she must have met Te'o's family. The fact is, Brian Te'o told the South Bend Tribune after Kekua "died" that Lennay was suppose to visit Notre Dame for the first time in late November for Manti's Senior Day game vs. Wake Forest. Brian mentioned that he and his family were looking forward to meeting Lennay, because they thought she could be their future daughter in law. As Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick mentioned, Te'o and Kekua planned to meet up in Hawaii on a few occasions. Obviously, Kekua never showed up. The case against Te'o would claim he lied about these meetings because he was behind the hoax the whole time. The case for Te'o would argue that Te'o believed Kekua was going to visit him in Hawaii. When she never showed up, Te'o lied by claiming she did to avoid being embarrassed and having his relationship questioned. Either way, for or against, can explain why Kekua never met Te'o's family.
Second Question: What exactly is the relationship between Manti Te'o and Ronaiah Tuiasosopo? This is probably the most complicated and important aspect to discovering the entire truth of the hoax. The article on Deadspin goes into great detail on who Ronaiah Tuiasosopo is, who his family is, and what role he played in the hoax. I will not argue or reiterate that information. However, the details of the Te'o and Tuiasosopo relationship are extremely foggy. Deadspin goes onto explain that the Te'o and Tuiasosopo families are familiar with each other. Deadspin also states that Te'o and Tuiasosopo have had a few conversations on Twitter. Anyone that is familiar with how Twitter works understands that anyone can have a conversation with a celebrity like Te'o if he obliges. So take that information with a grain a salt. A few twitter messages back and forth doesn't mean that the two were great friends. At the very least, the two are acquaintances. They may be closer friends, or they may not. We don't have enough information to make that assumption. I think Deadspin made a mistake by leaving people to believe their friendship was greater than it may be. By doing this, people are also believing an unnamed friend of Tuiasosopo that claims to believe he was 80% sure Manti was involved. This may be true, but I think Deadspin failed by concluding Manti was involved based on a small amount of questionable evidence. If Tuiasosopo acted without Manti Te'o's involvement it is hard to know what the motive would be. It could have been for money, an attempt to taint Manti's image, or it could have been just for fun. Nobody knows right now. One final note that I would like to mention is that Tuiasosopo has been rumored to have tried this exact hoax on a few others, most notably a family member.
Third Question: Why didn't Te'o try to visit Kekua while she was in the hospital or go to her "funeral"? The story suggests that Lennay Kekua was involved in a car accident in April of 2012, badly injured and in a coma for nearly two months. Kekua awoke from the coma in June and was getting better. Before being released from the hospital in June, Kekua was diagnosed with Leukemia. Kekua later died six hours after Te'o's grandmother passed away in September. If you believe Te'o was in on the hoax from the beginning, there is no reason to explain why he didn't visit. If Te'o was duped by this hoax, then he still has some explaining to do. With Kekua living in California and Te'o spending his time in either Hawaii or South Bend during the Summer and Fall months, it would not be easy for him to visit frequently while Lennay was in the hospital. She may have asked him not to come visit, but if Te'o loved her as he said he did, it is hard to believe he could not find a way to visit for a couple of days. As far as not attending the funeral, Te'o claimed she made him promise not to miss a game if anything happened to her. This certainly doesn't make missing a "loved" ones funeral seem right, but it does provide a reason as to why he wouldn't. If Te'o loved her, he may have felt more obligated to honor Kekua by playing in the Michigan game rather than attending the funeral. My biggest issue with this question is this: Why is Te'o not visiting Kekua now an issue? Anyone that was familiar with the situation after Kekua "died" knew that Te'o didn't visit her, knew that Te'o didn't attend the "funeral", and knew Te'o and Kekua's relationship was long-distance. But, that was not a problem in September. No, in fact Te'o was praised for being able to play with this "tragedy". If Te'o not visiting Kekua and not attending the "funeral" wasn't an issue then, it certainly shouldn't be now.
Fourth Question: Why did Te'o and Notre Dame wait to release information? Notre Dame and Manti Te'o claim that Te'o received a phone call on December 6th. The phone number and voice were both what Manti had believed to be Lennay's. Te'o was unsure if someone was playing a prank on him by pretending to be his dead girlfriend. Te'o continued to get calls from this person for 10 days and determined that the person calling him now was the same person playing the part of Kekua. It was at this time, around December 16th, that Te'o was convinced he had been played. Wanting to wait to talk to his parents first, Te'o decided to wait until he was home in Hawaii for Christmas. Te'o told his parents on Dec 26th, and then proceeded to call Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick, Head Coach Brian Kelly, and Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco and explain that he was hoaxed. Te'o met with Swarbrick the following day to discuss the situation more in-depth. Notre Dame officials discussed releasing the story, but decided to hire a private investigator to help discover the truth before making any announcement. Notre Dame received the results on the investigation on January 4th, and discussed them with the Te'o's the following day. Before the Deadspin story broke on January 16th, Te'o was reportedly going to make an announcement on January 21st to break the story. Regardless if Te'o is found to be behind the hoax or a victim, this was Notre Dame and Te'o's biggest mistake. I understand and agree with Te'o wanting to speak with his parents first. I also can understand wanting to have the private investigators discover the truth first, but at the very least a statement should have been released when Notre Dame found out. Notre Dame should have not let the story of Kekua's death be played several times a day in the week leading up to the BCS National Championship. By choosing to allow the story to continue, Notre Dame and Manti Te'o lied by omission. Regardless of what happens, that will never change. At the very least, Notre Dame and Te'o's image has been bruised. For Notre Dame and Manti Te'o's sake, I hope they are telling the truth. If either one of them knew about the hoax any time before December 6th, most notably before or when Kekua "died", then Notre Dame and Te'o's image will be scared forever.
New Information: Ever since the Deadspin article broke on Wednesday afternoon, several related stories have surfaced. Arizona Cardinal Fullback Reagan Mauia released this head scratcher. Could he also be in on the hoax? Is he sticking up for Te'o? Or did Tuiasosopo have a woman pretend to be Lennay Kekua at this party to help build up his fake persona? Then there is this. A series of tweets indicating that two people knew about Lennay Kekua being fake. These same two people appear to be the same two people that ESPN's Shelley Smith interviewed on Friday during an episode of ESPN's Outside the Lines. The two claim their cousin was a victim of this same hoax by Tuiasosopo back in 2008-2009. On Friday, this story also broke along with the OTL video. An alleged confession by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo to a friend stating he created the hoax, and that Te’o was not involved. Needless to say, this story is far from over. More information is likely to come.
Final Thoughts: This is the most bizarre sports related story that I have ever witnessed in my life. And, it appears that it will continue to get stranger. I hope people can wait for the whole story to surface before they make any more judgments. Unfortunately for Te'o, he is already guilty in the court of public opinion. He may never be seen as innocent again. For Notre Dame's sake, they better hope Te'o told them the truth. I believe that AD Jack Swarbrick believed Manti Te'o when they met on December 27th. That is why Jack Swarbrick stuck his neck out on the line for Te'o. If Te'o lied to Swarbrick, he and a cast of other Notre Dame officials may soon be jobless. I can see this story playing out three different ways. One, Te'o was complicit with Tuiasosopo in creating the hoax. This is the worst case scenario. Te'o's legacy would forever be tainted, and Notre Dame's image would be severely damaged. Two, Te'o was completely duped and did not know it was a hoax until he received that phone call on December 6th. This is the best case scenario. Te'o's image would still be damaged for lying by omission from December 6th until now. However, Te'o would likely be forgiven over time. Three, at some point after Kekua "died" and before December 6th, Te'o found out Lennay did not exist. Instead of coming clean, Te'o continued to lie and embellish the truth by going along with the story due to embarrassment, confusion, or fear of people finding out. Either way Manti Te'o has lied at some point during this hoax. Depending on what happens next, Te'o will either be able to restore his reputation, image, and legacy, or it will forever be tainted. What a story. What a mess. What a shame.
-Eric Tichelbaut
At some point Manti Te'o has lied, but to what extent? If you have not read the article on Deadspin, please do so. The facts surrounding the non-existence of Lennay Kekua can not be disputed. However, exactly who played a role in the hoax is very debatable. Was Manti Te'o in on the whole thing? It is possible. Was Manti Te'o completely duped? Also possible. I do not know whether or not Manti Te'o is innocent or guilty. Neither does anyone else not named Manti Te'o or Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. Let’s let all the facts, angles, and stories surface before we make any snap judgments on people. To help examine this bizarre story, I will attempt to provide potential answers to some of the questions being asked. I am not taking a side, at least not yet. I am merely trying to understand what may have or may not have happened.
First Question: What are we to make of the alleged face to face meetings between Te'o and Kekua? There are only two instances in which Te'o and Kekua allegedly met in person. The first story suggests that Te'o first "met" Kekua on November 28, 2009 after the Notre Dame vs. Stanford game in Palo Alto, California. Manti has always said he "met" Kekua after the game, but has been vague about it ever since her alleged death. Brian Te'o, Manti's father, told the South Bend Tribune in an interview this Fall that the two met in the parking lot after the game and sparked a friendship. Obviously, this is not true since Notre Dame and Manti have since stated they never met in person. Those statements also squash the theory that Manti had actually met a woman in person that falsely claimed she was Lennay Kekua that night in California. The case against Manti Te'o would argue that Te'o lied about meeting Kekua because Te'o was in on the hoax and felt this was an ideal place to start a fake relationship with Kekua being a supposed Stanford student. The case for Manti Te'o could suggest two things. First, Te'o was "introduced" to Kekua either via telephone or Internet by one of the perpetrators, possibly Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, and that is how their friendship began. Secondly, Te'o had established a more emotional "online relationship" with Kekua at a later date. Fearing his solely online relationship would be questioned, Te'o created the story of meeting Kekua in-person after the Stanford game to embellish his relationship with Kekua so that it would appear to be more than just an online relationship. The second story involves both Manti and Brian Te'o stating that Lennay Kekua visited Manti in Hawaii a couple of times. I say visiting Manti because contrary to public belief, Kekua never "met" Te'o's parents. People automatically assumed that since Kekua "visited" Hawaii, she must have met Te'o's family. The fact is, Brian Te'o told the South Bend Tribune after Kekua "died" that Lennay was suppose to visit Notre Dame for the first time in late November for Manti's Senior Day game vs. Wake Forest. Brian mentioned that he and his family were looking forward to meeting Lennay, because they thought she could be their future daughter in law. As Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick mentioned, Te'o and Kekua planned to meet up in Hawaii on a few occasions. Obviously, Kekua never showed up. The case against Te'o would claim he lied about these meetings because he was behind the hoax the whole time. The case for Te'o would argue that Te'o believed Kekua was going to visit him in Hawaii. When she never showed up, Te'o lied by claiming she did to avoid being embarrassed and having his relationship questioned. Either way, for or against, can explain why Kekua never met Te'o's family.
Second Question: What exactly is the relationship between Manti Te'o and Ronaiah Tuiasosopo? This is probably the most complicated and important aspect to discovering the entire truth of the hoax. The article on Deadspin goes into great detail on who Ronaiah Tuiasosopo is, who his family is, and what role he played in the hoax. I will not argue or reiterate that information. However, the details of the Te'o and Tuiasosopo relationship are extremely foggy. Deadspin goes onto explain that the Te'o and Tuiasosopo families are familiar with each other. Deadspin also states that Te'o and Tuiasosopo have had a few conversations on Twitter. Anyone that is familiar with how Twitter works understands that anyone can have a conversation with a celebrity like Te'o if he obliges. So take that information with a grain a salt. A few twitter messages back and forth doesn't mean that the two were great friends. At the very least, the two are acquaintances. They may be closer friends, or they may not. We don't have enough information to make that assumption. I think Deadspin made a mistake by leaving people to believe their friendship was greater than it may be. By doing this, people are also believing an unnamed friend of Tuiasosopo that claims to believe he was 80% sure Manti was involved. This may be true, but I think Deadspin failed by concluding Manti was involved based on a small amount of questionable evidence. If Tuiasosopo acted without Manti Te'o's involvement it is hard to know what the motive would be. It could have been for money, an attempt to taint Manti's image, or it could have been just for fun. Nobody knows right now. One final note that I would like to mention is that Tuiasosopo has been rumored to have tried this exact hoax on a few others, most notably a family member.
Third Question: Why didn't Te'o try to visit Kekua while she was in the hospital or go to her "funeral"? The story suggests that Lennay Kekua was involved in a car accident in April of 2012, badly injured and in a coma for nearly two months. Kekua awoke from the coma in June and was getting better. Before being released from the hospital in June, Kekua was diagnosed with Leukemia. Kekua later died six hours after Te'o's grandmother passed away in September. If you believe Te'o was in on the hoax from the beginning, there is no reason to explain why he didn't visit. If Te'o was duped by this hoax, then he still has some explaining to do. With Kekua living in California and Te'o spending his time in either Hawaii or South Bend during the Summer and Fall months, it would not be easy for him to visit frequently while Lennay was in the hospital. She may have asked him not to come visit, but if Te'o loved her as he said he did, it is hard to believe he could not find a way to visit for a couple of days. As far as not attending the funeral, Te'o claimed she made him promise not to miss a game if anything happened to her. This certainly doesn't make missing a "loved" ones funeral seem right, but it does provide a reason as to why he wouldn't. If Te'o loved her, he may have felt more obligated to honor Kekua by playing in the Michigan game rather than attending the funeral. My biggest issue with this question is this: Why is Te'o not visiting Kekua now an issue? Anyone that was familiar with the situation after Kekua "died" knew that Te'o didn't visit her, knew that Te'o didn't attend the "funeral", and knew Te'o and Kekua's relationship was long-distance. But, that was not a problem in September. No, in fact Te'o was praised for being able to play with this "tragedy". If Te'o not visiting Kekua and not attending the "funeral" wasn't an issue then, it certainly shouldn't be now.
Fourth Question: Why did Te'o and Notre Dame wait to release information? Notre Dame and Manti Te'o claim that Te'o received a phone call on December 6th. The phone number and voice were both what Manti had believed to be Lennay's. Te'o was unsure if someone was playing a prank on him by pretending to be his dead girlfriend. Te'o continued to get calls from this person for 10 days and determined that the person calling him now was the same person playing the part of Kekua. It was at this time, around December 16th, that Te'o was convinced he had been played. Wanting to wait to talk to his parents first, Te'o decided to wait until he was home in Hawaii for Christmas. Te'o told his parents on Dec 26th, and then proceeded to call Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick, Head Coach Brian Kelly, and Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco and explain that he was hoaxed. Te'o met with Swarbrick the following day to discuss the situation more in-depth. Notre Dame officials discussed releasing the story, but decided to hire a private investigator to help discover the truth before making any announcement. Notre Dame received the results on the investigation on January 4th, and discussed them with the Te'o's the following day. Before the Deadspin story broke on January 16th, Te'o was reportedly going to make an announcement on January 21st to break the story. Regardless if Te'o is found to be behind the hoax or a victim, this was Notre Dame and Te'o's biggest mistake. I understand and agree with Te'o wanting to speak with his parents first. I also can understand wanting to have the private investigators discover the truth first, but at the very least a statement should have been released when Notre Dame found out. Notre Dame should have not let the story of Kekua's death be played several times a day in the week leading up to the BCS National Championship. By choosing to allow the story to continue, Notre Dame and Manti Te'o lied by omission. Regardless of what happens, that will never change. At the very least, Notre Dame and Te'o's image has been bruised. For Notre Dame and Manti Te'o's sake, I hope they are telling the truth. If either one of them knew about the hoax any time before December 6th, most notably before or when Kekua "died", then Notre Dame and Te'o's image will be scared forever.
New Information: Ever since the Deadspin article broke on Wednesday afternoon, several related stories have surfaced. Arizona Cardinal Fullback Reagan Mauia released this head scratcher. Could he also be in on the hoax? Is he sticking up for Te'o? Or did Tuiasosopo have a woman pretend to be Lennay Kekua at this party to help build up his fake persona? Then there is this. A series of tweets indicating that two people knew about Lennay Kekua being fake. These same two people appear to be the same two people that ESPN's Shelley Smith interviewed on Friday during an episode of ESPN's Outside the Lines. The two claim their cousin was a victim of this same hoax by Tuiasosopo back in 2008-2009. On Friday, this story also broke along with the OTL video. An alleged confession by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo to a friend stating he created the hoax, and that Te’o was not involved. Needless to say, this story is far from over. More information is likely to come.
Final Thoughts: This is the most bizarre sports related story that I have ever witnessed in my life. And, it appears that it will continue to get stranger. I hope people can wait for the whole story to surface before they make any more judgments. Unfortunately for Te'o, he is already guilty in the court of public opinion. He may never be seen as innocent again. For Notre Dame's sake, they better hope Te'o told them the truth. I believe that AD Jack Swarbrick believed Manti Te'o when they met on December 27th. That is why Jack Swarbrick stuck his neck out on the line for Te'o. If Te'o lied to Swarbrick, he and a cast of other Notre Dame officials may soon be jobless. I can see this story playing out three different ways. One, Te'o was complicit with Tuiasosopo in creating the hoax. This is the worst case scenario. Te'o's legacy would forever be tainted, and Notre Dame's image would be severely damaged. Two, Te'o was completely duped and did not know it was a hoax until he received that phone call on December 6th. This is the best case scenario. Te'o's image would still be damaged for lying by omission from December 6th until now. However, Te'o would likely be forgiven over time. Three, at some point after Kekua "died" and before December 6th, Te'o found out Lennay did not exist. Instead of coming clean, Te'o continued to lie and embellish the truth by going along with the story due to embarrassment, confusion, or fear of people finding out. Either way Manti Te'o has lied at some point during this hoax. Depending on what happens next, Te'o will either be able to restore his reputation, image, and legacy, or it will forever be tainted. What a story. What a mess. What a shame.
-Eric Tichelbaut
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