Comments on: A Community of Electrons

By: PF Steve

PF Steve — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:08:57 +0000

Anyone who has, or had, a 21 year-old in college knows that anything is possible. I cringe to think how much difficulties my college student could get into if you add fame and publicity. This is just a lonely kid far from home, nothing more. And someone decided to exploit that. I can understand how this could happen to anyone: I am a huge ND fan, just ask my wife the turmoil our house goes through on game day. Yet, I did not go to ND, have only been on campus a couple of times, and to a handful of games. But I really do “love” the Irish, and this relationship is based mostly on TV. WHAT’s the difference? And if I were to believe the Chicago Tribune, I been duped for sure. I don’t think so.

By: Timothy Dearborn

Timothy Dearborn — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 02:38:43 +0000

Thanks for writing this Mike.

By: so-it-goes

so-it-goes — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:55:28 +0000

Mike,
Excellent article, as usual!.

As I have posted on NDN recently regarding the Te’o scenario a person close to us has recently been involved in a similar scam..no fake death. It took quite a few weeks for that person to come to the realization the other person was not real even with pleading by my wife!

Best to you! Keep up the good work!

By: dbo

dbo — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:34:35 +0000

In reply to Kevin.

Disagree that he had a chance to stop it. Up until Dec 6, I believe he was unaware of a problem. When he received the call on Dec 6 from his supposedly dead girlfriend, he had to have been in total shock. What was he to do–immediately call a press conference and say I’m not sure what’s going on but I just found out my dead girlfriend isn’t dead and i dont have any other information. The media would have labeled him a wackjob and had a field day before the game. How unfair to his teammates to have had that circus before their biggest game in decades.

At that point, I believe all he knew was that something was terribly wrong. He’s traveling around the country, probably finishing up his studies, preparing to leave Notre Dame and….oh yeah..trying to prepare for the national championship game. But somehow some people think in the midst of all that he should have been able to immediately solve this completely bizarre situation and notify the world within some arbitrary timeline. Frankly, I give the kid credit he was able to walk and talk at the same time without being seriously medicated under the circumstances.

I know the conventional wisdom is that he should have explained himself by now but I would assume there is still some kind of investigation going on on his end. People are not going to just accept his word on this and he is not going to get multiple chances to clear his name.

By: John Cochtoastin

John Cochtoastin — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:16:02 +0000

Great post Mike. Sums it up perfectly. Best to the Smith family.

By: Giggity_Giggity

Giggity_Giggity — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:13:28 +0000

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to inquire with you about a business venture. The sister-in-law of a great leader here in Nigeria has contacted me about the transfer of two million dollars ($2,000,000) from his estate. She must move it through a bank account in America to save it from his enemies within the government. If you are a person whom I can trust, please email me back privately so we can discuss terms. I am prepared to offer you 30% of the funds as a fee for your assistance.

Regards,

B’wana Giggity

By: Haplo

Haplo — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:07:29 +0000

One of your points hit home for me. The first being my own experience with my courtship of my wife more than a decade ago. I was involved in a 9 month online and telephonic relationship with my wife prior to meeting her face to face. Those nine months while being real to me, were initially a source of embarrassment to me when friends asked how we first met. So I can understand and believe in Manti’s position. Not surprisingly without any prompting from me, my wife reaction was to believe Manti when I told her about the Manti hoax and she does not follow or care about ND football the way I do.

By: D-Day

D-Day — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:54:27 +0000

FWIW, here’s one person who can confirm that Bridget’s dad Brian and ‘Michigan Domer’ are one and the same.

By: Mike Coffey

Mike Coffey — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:45:53 +0000

In reply to jddomer. Damn right I did

By: jddomer

jddomer — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:41:46 +0000

Wait… what? You mean I am ACTUALLY married to akaRon? It wasn’t just imaginary? Oh, crap…

Seriously, though, we told very few people how we met, specifically for the reasons mentioned. Oh, and I hope you got a piece of the chocolate cake at the wedding!