The college-sports world is still reeling over Wednesday’s news that a star football player at the University of Notre Dame is the central character in what appears to be an elaborate hoax.
The controversy involves Manti Te’o, a Heisman Trophy finalist who finds himself trying to explain some bizarre revelations. News outlets had previously painted a picture of a team leader facing a heavy emotional burden this year, after his girlfriend reportedly passed away from leukemia. But it turns out that she never existed in the first place.
The sports-news blog Deadspin broke the strange story on Wednesday, and this Chronicle article expands on the lingering questions Notre Dame faces over its handling of the affair.
Meanwhile, others continue to question the university’s role in the case: Did campus officials wait too long to report the incident, or did they react too quickly? What’s to be made of the robust defense of the football star by Notre Dame’s athletic director, Jack Swarbrick, at a news conference on Wednesday? And what’s in store for the university as other details of the star linebacker’s involvement come to light? Here’s a look at what other observers are saying.
Crying for Manti Te’o — “As with the far more serious previous scandals attached to this storied program, the problem is not just the behavior of students but the moral compass on display by the adults in charge,” writes Dave Zirin. The Nation
The Most Unbelievable Part of the Te’o Saga? Swarbrick’s Trust in Him — “The USS Manti Te’o has just entered unseen waters, and Jack Swarbrick attached himself to the hull,” writes Gregg Doyel. “If this ship goes down, it takes Swarbrick down too.” CBS Sports
Notre Dame Students Skeptical — “Notre Dame has not done a very good job being transparent or upholding the higher moral ground we act like we’re on,” one student says. USA Today
Notre Dame Presents a Believable Explanation — “It would take a remarkable level of naïveté to be sucked in by the perpetrators of this hoax, but Te’o could be that guy,” writes Pat Forde. Yahoo! Sports
NCAA eligibility rules may have helped Manti Te’o — they barred him from profiting from story, so if he’s lying no fraud/breach of contract.
— Michael McCann (@McCannSportsLaw) January 17, 2013
No. RT @kevinoncfb: Is there any NCAA issue with a school and player sitting on hoax news for weeks leading up to BCS championship game?
— John Infante (@John_Infante) January 16, 2013
Biggest issue for #ND, still, is not reporting the hoax when they first knew. They ignored institutional responsibility. #Teo
— Dan Bernstein (@dan_bernstein) January 17, 2013
