Here are some of the pictures and video that have been created by the Manti Te’o crisis:
Anyone out there with more clever inputs please send them along.
This first one is provided by one of our avid readers—-Paul:
Here is an in depth video of the situation:
More Pictures:
Well the dam broke and all hell let loose on Manti Te’o and his imaginary dead girlfriend who just happened to call him last December – sorta just to say hello and by the way I’m not dead. Seems everyone’s All American Boy and Notre Dame Football Captain was the victim of a really cruel hoax that lasted a long time.
On my side bar check out Her Loyal Sons, NBC Sports and One Foot Down for more in depth analysis.
All of this is very, very odd. Everyone with a girlfriend has a picture of her usually displayed right on the student desk or bureau – I think or maybe in one’s wallet which guys usually flash around. How can you go to college with coeds for 4 years and not at least date one girl – well maybe he did. I don’t want to dig into Manti’s personal life but here’s a guy larger than life who every kid into sports knows about.
After the call from his dead girlfriend Manti calls the ND administration who immediately hire a private investigator who uncovers the scam and the chuckles they got out of the continuing fraud. Why would anyone do this and how can anyone be so naive. Maybe Manti has always lived an insulated existence even at Notre Dame. I’m sure Robby Toma his best friend could shed further light on this.
What’s interesting is Manti would ask the Stanford football players if they knew her. Also a Pro Player for the Arizona Cardinals – Reagan Mauia says he does knows her.
Anyhow the damage done. Manti should come really, really clean and the Private Investigation notes and summary should be released immediately.
Too bad – a really nice person and personal story destroyed and only a nightmare remains.
So – ok we currently have 5 of 22 commits enrolled and a few other outstanding players were in on, including a recent USC 4 star Kylie Fitts 6’4″ 260 DE furious at Lane Kiffen for dropping him from the early commit process – so he bolts. If I’m ND I get him on campus, sign him up and start school right away – it’s not too late.
The other USC DL Vandergoss?(sp) visiting the week of 1/25 I think – we really need this guy.
So what am I getting at? Kelly and no contract – other schools now poaching all our commits and it’s only about 3 weeks to NSD, Kelly has to sign a contract NOW TODAY – what the hell is the hold up. How the hell is this complicated? Yet Swarbrick says will take several weeks – why the hell is that?
No contract for Kelly is being used to try to get our commits to flip.
Give him a guaranteed 10 year contract and I don’t care about the Weis deal, ND can easily afford it. Give him what he wants for Asst. coaches.
If he wants new field grass, jumbo tron, ND logo at 50 yard line and names on jerseys – give it to him.
But for Christ’s sake get the goddam deal done now and stop all the f—ing around.
Jack Swarbrick confirmed that Brian Kelly to continue as coach of ND football. Now Jack has to sign him to a virtually unbreakable contract and pay Kelly and his assistant coaches on par with other major programs – think Alabama. The first big raise to Tony Alford–just best recruiter in the country.
If Kelly wants field grass and jumbo-tron – give it to him.
While a renegotiated contract for Kelly and assistants for a 12-0 season would be appropriate, what do you do concerning their performance against Alabama? ND not only got outplayed but they were totally out coached. They were not competitive at all, actually a disgraceful performance and while Alabama is certainly good ND looked like they just showed up knowing they would lose so didn’t even practice.
Which brings us to the Anzalone case. While I thought he was never really in, the other recruits were shocked. Using Kelly/Eagles doesn’t fly because Florida coach interviewed with the Chicago Bears.
Kelly has a lot of repair work ahead of him not only with ND students and fans but also his assistants not to mention current recruits.
No inside information here just thinking how curious this all is. First the blowout where Kelly and his entire staff absolutely schooled. Many times I saw Nix looking to the bench, it almost seemed that the signal given back was – “hey you’re on your own”. Talk about confused and befuddled. The only good defensive play I remember is Calabrese standing up a blocker and making a tackle. Give him a 5th year.
Then at the half Kelly says he can win if Alabama doesn’t come out for the 2nd half – never heard anything like that by a coach in a Title game. Old USC coach John McKay often quite comical with his quips but this was a glum response. Further, if I recall it was the ND players talking about the future – there was no soaring rhetoric from Kelly.
Continuing, Phila. Eagles literally fall out of the sky to talk to Kelly the next day (after that drubbing I would have flown on) – so Swarbrick had to know about this, I believe permission is needed to interview any coach. I doubt very much this was first meeting with Kelly or his agent. I think this meeting was to propose an offer and give Kelly a few days to think about it – then Kelly left the country – huh?
Asst. coaches apparently know nothing – so Anzalone de-commits last days and no comment from anyone – not even wishing him well, we still like him blah blah blah.
All conjecture but this could have been cooking for months – ever since Reid was informed he was gone.
Dead silence from South Bend with all recruits left hanging. Swarbrick had to be doing something(knowing the score) and if all else fails he might bring back Holtz for one year as interim coach – hell that old guy Bill Snyder came back to help Kansas State.
Have to wait but if Kelly bolts for the bucks $$$$ bet here is Swarbrick immediately names a replacement.
Well that didn’t take long. Anzalone, a commit I never really felt was full in on Notre Dame used the Brian Kelly situation with a possible jump to the Phila. Eagles as fuel to pull out from Notre Dame and will be an early commit to Florida. So he’s gone. I never really believed he was a Domer and would have only believed once he was enrolled.
He originally committed to Ohio State, flirted with Notre Dame and Florida and I think the rumors about Kelly and the thrashing by Alabama finally pushed him back to Florida.
I really think as the day approached he was looking for any way out and this Kelly deal gave it to him.
I wish him luck but will never know why or if Urban Meyer never continued after him – Meyer never quits on someone he really wants.
Hopefully, the rest of the 2013 class stays together.
If Kelly leaves it would be funny if Saban goes Domer. Hey you can dream can’t you.
Let’s get this out of the way first:
Brian Kelly / Phila. Eagles – just as every other successful coach, I’m sure Kelly has been approached by the Eagles and Bears. 6 weeks is a long time and maybe discussions were underway even before then.
Oregon’s Kelly has already turned down any offers, Saban is toxic to NFL teams and not too many other college coaches have made their bones yet to be considered with the exception of Urban Meyer.
Whatever Kelly decides is fine with me – we do have a ND grad dying for this job, Tom Clements who has considerable experience in the NFL as an Offensive Co-ordinator and I think he could hold this class by retaining Hiestand, Diaco and maybe others on the current staff and definitely keep Alford. Whatever, Kelly should not be hiding, should issue a statement right away to calm down recruits.
We all know Jack Swarbrick had to have a plan B, all “A” Directors have to be ready for the unexpected and Jack is a very smart guy.
As for the recruits it shouldn’t be about who the coaches are but about the University and what the ND degree means. They don’t need to be reminded after seeing Kap Moore go down and his NFL dreams over to see that their decision is more than about football.
Now on to the Title Game. Given 6 weeks to prepare all I saw was the same offense. Golson scrambling and improvising along with his receivers had nothing to do with Kelly. The pass plays Kelly called were all against Alabama’s beat pass defender – kind of stupid to me. With 6 weeks just maybe something Alabama hasn’t seen would have been nice.
Defense – what was new or innovative and what half time adjustments were made – I think Diaco had another brain freeze and no plan B – similar to the Navy game a few years back. After the 5 play first series TD against the 3-4 just maybe he would have seen that Bama’s OL was overpowering the 3 down and getting to the LB’s.
I would have had 5 down linemen for that 2nd series and run blitz and at least knock McCarron down. Clean uniform for him – no need to even shower. Check out what the Bama center has been saying – they knew everything ND defense would do and just adjusted the play.
No real out of the box thinking by Diaco. Memo to Diaco study Buddy Ryan 46 defense and the concept of perceived pressure. You gotta get to the QB to win.
Best part of this game was McCarron’s girlfriend.
Manti Te’o – after winning every award possible except the H non ND followers who tuned in were expecting to see some kind of Superman – they got Clark Kent instead. Alabama completely took Manti out of the game having him get screened out and busy fighting Bama’s giant linemen. Some revision in the Pro’s thinking?
Well that closes out the 2012 season.
529 yards later Notre Dame staggers to the locker room completely shattered. If you’re a glass half full person – hey we tied them in the 2nd half 14-14. What an absolute ass whipping in all facets of this game.
The vaunted ND defense was absolutely mauled sliced and diced. Consider – Barrett Jones Alabama center 302 lbs playing with torn ligaments in his left foot against Louis Nix 340 lbs and Jones wins Trench warfare, both Alabama lines stronger, more physical, better conditioned and just plain tougher.
All Everything Manti Teo was a non factor as he disappeared in an avalanche of Bama offensive linemen – well so did all the ND defenders who at times didn’t seem capable of making any tackles at all. One has to wonder if ND could beat Bama’s 2nd team.
Of all the ND seniors only Eifert helped his chances with the Pro’s. Now as far as the guys hoping for a 5th year – forget it lets move on.
Recruits please please stay on board – you’ll see plenty of playing time early and Golson is a real winner – so keep the faith.
To add to the misery Pac 10-12-14 refs just what we needed.
Oh well, we all knew deep down this season was really just a mirage not a miracle.
Magical season for this 2012 ND squad ends with a victory over Alabama. No way will this team allow Manti Te’o to leave with a loss and no way will Manti allow it. Confidence and toughness will determine the outcome.
If ND plays like they did against Miami and Oklahoma they win going away. We don’t want a repeat of the Pitt and USC games. If ND shows up just happy to be there Bama will eat them up.
Hopefully Brian Kelly takes the reins off Golson and just let him play his game. I think we will see a lot of 2 back sets – Riddick, Wood or Atkinson. I think Wood lights it up, gets the MVP award and boosts his stock for the Pro draft. Brian Kelly has had 45 days to prepare so let’s hope he is creative and as he himself said – no holding back for this game.
On offense it’s Golson, Wood and TJ Jones that carry the Irish. I would really like to see a warp speed offense that just exhausts the Bama D. Golson should be required to watch Johnny Football’s highlights for hours – both red shirt freshman so EG it’s time to ignite.
On Defense – get the Bama QB–go after him every play and I do mean every play. We want to really rattle this guy and we know exactly where he will be. Fastest route to him is right up the middle. If Bama’s center still having trouble with his ankle I would tag team him with Nix and Tuitt and let Shembo clean up. Shembo could be the defensive MVP of this game.
I also look for out of their mind games from Dan Fox and Carlo Calabrese as they look to come back for 5th year. Earlier it looked like a cinch but the way 2013 recruits pouring in the numbers may edge them out. Hate to see either go but if it happens and they want 1 more year just dial up Rich Rod at Arizona – they have no defensive players at all and the weather’s nice.
Prediction:
Notre Dame 27 Alabama 24
Go Irish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!