The Curious Case of Te'o (Part IV)

Rick wouldn't do something like that, would he?

Scott,

This post is a little confusing with regard to who said what, as well as what Kekaula actually knows.

Still, it is good to see that you are actually being a little more proactive than usual.

Since neither are attending SC, I'd rather not read comments about Te'o until October, when you point out that Marc Tyler knocked him into next week on a TD run.

By the way, you do deserve compliments for your posts last week that Telfort, Jones and Starling may be SC commits.

Fight On!

Now, I would like an expose from a South Bend reporter on why Toma "just got an offer from Notre Dame about 3 weeks ago, and I just didn't tell anyone about it....(per Toma)." Charlie and Notre Dame obviously sold their morals for a 2 for 1 deal too. The ND boards are rife with comments about how Toma will just be a scout team punching bag and he's a wasted scholarship. Thanks Pete for taking the high road. Running an unethical program like Rick and Charlie will come back to bite them in the butt. Remember, if Manti goes on his 2 year mission, he essentially has to recommit to ND when he returns. Maybe by that time, after seeing how poorly Toma is treated and how cold and ugly Indiana is, he will realize that he was a pawn in an ugly game played by desperate men. Kudos, PC, kudos!

Not sure SC fans should throw stones.

Two words: Lil' Romeo.

Desmo Author Profile Page said:

Not sure SC fans should throw stones.

Two words: Lil' Romeo.

you know what the difference is ?

they both signed with SC

numbskull

So UGLA's coaches tore into Toma when they heard Te'o was not going to go to UGLA. Don't know if it is true, but it would not surprise me. Well, teenagers, welcome to the wonderful world of adults.

Nasty, isn't it.

LJ

There is a difference here. Lil Romeo was not used. He knew exactly what was going on and embraced it. Toma is simply being used. I only think the 2 for 1 deal crosses the line when the #2 doesn't know upfront that he is getting used. Plus, Lil Romeo actually will play more minutes with SC hoops than Toma will with ND. Plus, Lil Romeo is a recruiting draw. Again, poor Toma is simply being used.

Toma is 5'7". Let's get real, he was only recruited by UCLA and ND to get Teo. It didn't work for UCLA, but what if it did (like ND). I'm sure Toma knew he was only being recruited because of his relationship with Teo. I've got no problem with that...nor do I have with Lil Romeo and Derozan and I love the fact that Derozan is a Trojan. So, let's not be hypocritical and call a spade a spade.

It's all about getting the players and winning. That's all that matters.

Scotty, Scotty, Scotty, you don't even have one of your famous confirmed "sources". This all a rumor with no real facts and just assumptions. I know you learned about this stuff in journalism school, oops you went to $c so that explains a lot of things. Let's try writing a real story. The UCLA FB staff has more class that $c's will ever have!!

Scott: These Hawaiians must be lying as that chick Tracy on Bro said that Rick and Norm were very polite and tried to convince Toma to still come to UCLA

This is a great read--how so many USCers are commenting on Te'o and Toma, forgetting the fact that yet again they signed another Top 5 class. What is the BFD here anyway? So what if these two kids went off to ND, or anywhere for that matter? With the depth that USC has at all positions, what is with the sour grapes anyway?

And for all this talk about shadiness on the part of UCLA and ND, I'd remind fans of USC that there is a lot more questionable activity that has gone on at USC, some of it with their star players. over the last few years. It's true what they say about people who live in glass houses.

Where there's smoke there's fire. The UGLY Weasel has no problem playing hardball with 17 year-old kids and squashing them as needed in the name of "competing" for recruits. With Old Slick it's always a race to the bottom. Sorry Bruin amigos.

As for Romeo Miller, most universities would have been more than happy to accept him. He's a high achiever, a good student and a role model; and in his short life he’s had more success than most people do in a lifetime. Forget basketball... USC wanted this kid, he's a Star and now he is a Trojan, so don't be surprised if he donates a building or two in the future.

Poor Toma is no Lil Romeo.

Cbruin- it's "than" not "that". Dope. Anyway, thanks for super sizing my order today. You are cool.

Sad world or negative recruiting.

Any recruiter could fall into it.

Meyer calling the recruit while te was visiting another school was not a violation, but it was trashy and low class.

haibbrooks:

The reason "USCers" are commenting so aggressively on Te'o and Toma is because it reeks of hypocrisy. Notre Dame has long peddled the myth that they are "above" all this, and the sanctimony of some of their fans is downright annoying. Yet with this, Notre Dame has pulled a move that would make Nick Saban proud, though Saben would figure out a way to get Toma off the team off scholarship as soon as possible. We'll see about Charlie.

Also, Trojans have become a bit spoiled in recent years. They are used to getting whomever they wanted, and they really wanted Te'o, partly because they have fond memories of three other recent high-profile Polynesian players: Polamalu, Tatupa and Maualuga.

That said, who knows if Te'o is going to be that good. He has yet to play a down. What if Jarvis Jones becomes the second coming of Rey Lewis? Would anyone trade any of USC's current QB's for Jimmy Clausen?

As for UCLA, it's trolls like Cbruin that have taken what was once a robust rivalry and soiled it with their bitter, spittle-flecked diatribes. UCLA, in their abject bitterness, became holier-than-thou and unhinged. Now Neuheisel puled a move that, if Carroll did the same, would have moved Murshed over at Bruins Nation to post a bilious, 1000 word diatribe, e-mailed to every national sports blog.

If you guys are such super fans, how come the only post about Wednesday's basketball game is about Gibson's injury? By the way, the score was 76-60 and it was absolute joy to watch! Dunks, three pointers, suffocating D...Tim Floyd whining like a spoiled brat! Hackett fouling out! Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers!

Locoweed:

Let's get real. Percy Miller came here as a two for one. And if DeRozan leaves after this year, was it worth it, especially if USC doesn't make the tournament.

No other Pac-10 school was ready to give Percy Miller a scholarship. The Wall Street Journal article last year covered that. And remember that basketball has only 15 or so rides, football has 85. An ND or UCLA football program could afford throw one away to get a player they believe could make a real impact. A B-Ball program can't, especially since B-Ball players can leave after one year and football players have to stay until they are three years removed for high school.

Percy Miller is also a millionaire. He could afford to pay his own way. Instead he's taking up a schollie from someone who is a better player and might deserve it more.

Yes, Percy Miller is donating a building or two, when I grow wings.

Defending the Percy Miller signing is fan boy kool-aid drinking at it's worst.

The Teo-Toma arrangement stinks. The fact that Li'l Romeo is a scholarship Trojan athlete stinks. I'm only glad PC didn't sink the Trojan football team so such low levels.

Toma is a classy kid and has handled himself well. Maybe he should have taken an official visit to ND, but we shall see.

Why are you guys so worried about UCLA and their commits these days?

Worried about Bruin commits? I'm sorry, which one of Te'o or Toma signed with FUCLA? My memory is a little foggy right now, what with the residue of another top 5 class on my mind.

Desmo,

You're a pretty smart guy and I agree with you most of the time, especially as it relates to Zaheed and his nation of idiots. By now, most visitors to this blog have realized that everything I post is tongue-in-cheek. So please, the crack about Romeo's buildings is just satire.

My point is that USC is all about football, and (for now) basketball is but a sideshow. Put in that context Romeo fits right in. Yes, I read the WSJ article and Sonny Vaccaro was right, but who cares? Is Wilkinson that much more valuable to the team? Keith is a good kid, but he wouldn't even be riding the pine at UCLA.

For some demented reason, I love USC basketball and attend games regularly. Those hearty souls like Lawyer John, that sit with me at the comfortable but half-empty Galen Center, will tell you we have a very long way to go. Did you not see how UCLA crushed us on Wednesday?

It's easy to point a finger at Floyd since he's kind of a nut; but he's done a decent job at getting us some attention by taking a team that's put together with duct tape and bailing wire to the tournament the last two years, and by landing guys like Mayo and DeRozan. Think of it this way; Floyd is a huge improvement over Bibby, and when he moves on, we'll finally be able to attract a real coach.

cruin - as long as the weasel is coaching at westworld, don't even mention the word class.

Sureshot, this whole thread is about UCLA and ND. I think you need a little of locoweeds residue in your brain. You will feel better.

Maybe you should look at what Brian Dohn said in his q and a. I assume you think he is more credible than than your third hand info from hawaii sports radio?

There are reports that Toma spoke to UCLA after Teo informed them of his decision and the conversation did not go well. Was this a case of Toma being offered a scholarship only to get Teo?

No, it had nothing to do with UCLA losing Te'o. UCLA was on board with Toma from the beginning, and UCLA was not happy that all of a sudden Toma was jumping ship because his buddy was going to Notre Dame. If Te'o when to USC, at least Toma would be it the same town. It's just a crazy recruiting situation.

Desmo:

I definitely agree with you on one point, that there is no telling how a kid is going to do on the college level, no matter how hyped he is in high school. Te'o could be a bust. Maybe his best days are behind him, or maybe he gets hurt in his first game. Some of the most highly recruited players out of high school vanish from the radar screens as soon as they hit college.

As for Clausen, this is the year that makes or breaks him. As Sanchez, Booty, Leinert and Palmer can attest, it's not a bad thing to sit on the sidelines for your first two or three years and gain some maturity and understanding of the college game. Clausen got pummelled as a greenhorn frosh and slightly improved sophomore with a crap O-Line in front of him. Let's see how he does as a junior with better talent around him before passing judgment.

As for Toma, unless he decides to go elsewhere, or he bombs academically, he'll most likely have a place on the team. Given his size, he won't like be a star, but he will contribute, just as most of USC's blue chippers end up contributing--as solid players on the practice field.

And thanks for being candid on one other point. You're right. USC has a great coach that resurrected a great progam that hit rock bottom, and it's easy to think that every player in the country would want to go there. So in fact, fans have become spoiled about getting what they want. But cut guys like Te'o a break. He's an 18 year old kid that went where his heart took him, and I'm pretty sure that once he's in Irish uniform, he won't look back, whether the Irish go 10-2 or 2-10.

The weasel and class? Ha, ha great joke. I want to know which classless coach ripped into Toma

Desmo,

For the record:

Percy Miller is Romeo Miller's dad. Thus the name "Master P". He is multi platinum selling rapper and started No Limit Records and is worth over 100 million dollars. His son, Lil' Romeo also has sold over a million records. He is also a straight A student and pretty good at basketball. Now why he needs a scholarship? Ego? So DeRozan comes? It's doesn't make sense to me. He should have just come anyway, donated a new freshmen dorm and lived it in. I don't know, but it's cool to have Master P at USC basketball games...

Make 'em say ughhhhhhhhhh nuh na nuh na!

Fight On!

silverlake-bruin:

In this case I would say most people, except Bruin fans, are more inclined to believe an objective, third party source with no affliation to any of the parties in question instead a reporter who's job is in good part dependant upon maintaining cordial relations with UCLA, especially since Dohn rarely, if ever criticized UCLA's administration.

Deal with it, Rick "big-timed" Toma. Is it illegal? No. Ethical? No. Does it happen? A Lot. Welcome to big-time college football, UCLA fans.

in this case it's Percy Romeo Miller, Jr

case closed...

Nordeezy,

Thanks for clearing that up for Desmo.

The Miller family is incredibly wealthy. The scholarship is just a drop in the bucket to them, so who knows; maybe they donate it back to the school. It looks like an ego thing for Romeo.

the vibe over here is so blah. its like wading through a quagmire in hell. lol.

toma was a package deal, u dont think he knows that?? how stupid do u think the boy is? hes playin his cards the best he can for his own benefit. that ucla scholie was still available for him to take even when manti committed to nd, but he was wavering, delaying, playing with the entire coaching staff and program, so thats why a coach laid into him.

either way, why do trojans even care about this? just to find any excuse to talk trash about ucla? uuhh, lil romeo? lol, ya try to come up with lame ideas about how hes different from toma. hypocrites.

ucla hoops/football rulez!! lol
(its all good lol)

USC fans are such classic head in the sand ostriches immune to their own program's slimy reputation. Saying Pom Pom Carroll "took the high road" or is "classy" is like saying "at least Hitler built the autobahn"

Scott is just embarassed because he predicted Te'o to $UC.

Pressley and Carroll will look good in $UC colors.

HAHAHAHA

This Te'o stuff seems to be taking time away from UO Cheerleader stalking. Let's get Wolf back on track and drop the 'he said, she said'.

This entire story is nonsense and rumor. Toma, who was interviewed after choosing Notre Dame, denied all of the stories about UCLA's coaches pulling his scholarship, ripping him about losing Teo, etc. While I understand the desire of Scott Wolf and his Trojan readers to come up with negative stories about UCLA and Neuheisel, publishing lies and rumors which Toma has already denied on the record is pathetic. According to Toma, the UCLA coaches were disappointed he did not sign on Wednesday, and were disappointed that he chose Notre Dame, even after they knew Teo was going there. Toma actually complimented the UCLA coaches and said they were very understanding.

This is right in line with the whole Norton/Carroll fabrication about UCLA claiming Norton was going to be a UCLA coach if Walker left. Morrel Presley and his parents came out and denied the story, saying the UCLA coaches never recruited negatively against USC and, in fact, were complimentary of USC. Not one recruit has stepped forward to support Carroll's and Norton's allegations, despite signing day being over and their being able to speak. This in spite of dozens of reporters working overtime to find such a confirmation. In short, it never happened. Just like the phony stories about Toma.

It has been a week since the Super Bowl and I have not given it one thought since about Wednesday. It is yesterday's news.

Wonder how long this Teo/Toma thing will last?-- Maybe until about 3:00 this afternoon.

Oh, by the way, interesting to see so many UGLA posters coming on board. We preach freedom of speech over here, insults and all, not like ol' Midwest Facist Dohn. You would be kicked off his blog if you wrote your diatribe on his blog. Personally, I like Wolf's tolerance over Dohn's '1984.'

LJ