The Curious Case of Te'o
Some interesting stories are emerging from Hawaii. Here's a passage from the Honolulu Advertiser, regarding Manti Te'o's best friend and neighbor, wide receiver Robby Toma.
``But after phone conversations with UCLA coaches Tuesday night and yesterday morning, Toma felt uneasy as he entered the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall's Pikake Room for a Signing Day ceremony with about 50 other recruits.
"When I sat down, I didn't feel like signing," said Toma, who lives in La'ie nearby Punahou linebacker and close friend Manti Te'o, the nation's top linebacker prospect who signed with Notre Dame. "I didn't fax it (to UCLA)."
``Notre Dame complicated matters by recently offering Toma a scholarship . . . ''
This coincides with what we've heard from various sources that said UCLA and Toma had an unpleasant conversation after Te'o informed them Monday night he would not come to Westwood.
That was followed by a sudden scholarship offer from Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. Did Te'o secure an offer for his best friend? Or did Weis tell Te'o he would take his best friend if Te'o committed to the Irish? Questions, questions?
Sounds like a package deal.
Robby Toma = Lil Romeo
Can we get Tim Floyd to coach the football team from now on?
A little out of place here, but apparently Florida State coaches were highly critical of USC's recruiting practices at yesterday's Seminole signing party. Obviously, could be sour grapes after losing a few recruits, but have you heard anything about this, Scott or anyone?
If true this reflects poorly on UCLA. I don't think they really ever had a chance for Teo so when they offered Toma eons ago they should honor the commitment. Toma probably feels even more unease since WR Randall Carroll signed on with UCLA late yesterday.
Panchito = Lawyer John = Knows Nothing
USC is honest with R. Carroll letting him know he has a better future as a CB. (Carroll choses Ugly)
USC does not offer Te'o's friend a scholie. (Te'o goes with ND)
I feel better about "losing" those guys now.
Assuming Caesar is right WHY NOT a package deal on PC's part? IMHO it would have been worth the risk...
Caesar, good points all. Another great recruiting class by Pete Carroll and company. Wouldn't trade it for any other school's recruiting class in the country.
Scott, you forgot the earlier part of the story. Pete Carroll showed he and USC were honorable when they had the chance at the Rising Star Camp in '07 to offer Manti Teo's close cousin, Shiloh Teo (now at BYU)...but they didn't. This speaks volumes of Pete Carroll's integrity, and that he wouldn't sell out a cherished USC full ride for one kid. UCLA and Notre Dame's offer to Toma in retrospect appear "curious." The real question that we can all watch unfold is...if Toma accepts a Notre Dame full ride football scholarship, and Manti Teo leaves after one year as planned for an LDS Mission...what will become of Toma? Will Weiss nuture him and give him a fair shot, in Manti's absence to get playing time...or does he get driven out of the program as a scout team punching bag? As many have mentioned, Scott, will Charlie Weiss even be at Notre Dame when Manti Teo returns from his LDS Mission? Some are betting Teo ends up at the University of Hawaii in 3 years, if on his return things have changed dramatically at the Golden Dome. Do you think, Scott, that USC would embrace him in 3 years as he becomes a free agent after his LDS Mission? Is Toma a benefactor of the Teo frenzy, or a victim?
El Cap - I asked myself the same thing, and thought that maybe Pete Carroll and Co. do not believe that they need to accomodate special requests in order to field a competitive team.
Te'o would have been a great get for us, but what stops the next star recruit from making the same request. Or, if Moore, Hall, Kennard, Barkley, Starling, Jones, etc. each expected the same accomodation, then SC football is subjected to the requests of teenagers.
I obviously have no idea what chain events of transpired, but I share the same sentiments as Caesar and agree with Old School, and wouldn't trade our group of recruits for any other.
Over on Brian Dohn's blog there's a "Toma's Time" post suggesting that UCLA may pull his scholarship.
The Bruin posters don't seem to be embarrassed at all.
Over on Brian Dohn's blog there's a "Toma's Time" post suggesting that UCLA may pull his scholarship.
The Bruin posters don't seem to be embarrassed at all.
why would they be embarrassed? The offer was there for the taking yesterday and the kid whiffed. He's either in or out at this point. How long do you expect them to hold the spot open for him?
Old School = ONLYTHETRUTH/LJ = Gaping Axe Wound
Trojan _SF is correct. It's a slippery slope. It would have undermined all that Carroll preaches, which is that competition rules the day. Hell, the best recruit to come along in years, Barkley, had a cousin who played FB and and the most we'd offer him is preferred walk on status. There's something to be said for integrity. Weiss sold his soul and Neu-weasel is stuck with an RB from Te'o's school who nobdoy wanted.
As a public university, how can UCLA and Rick Neuheisel justify spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to fly coaches on repeated junkets to Hawaii, Utah, and other places for the sole purpose of “competing” with other institutions for a handful of flighty teenage football recruits? Why is it that California's student athletes are not being given a level playing field to compete for scholarship opportunities at UCLA? Shouldn't those scholarships be awarded to deserving Californians?
Considering the fact that the State of California and UCLA are in a severe budget crisis, this one coach’s prideful and fruitless expeditions are nothing but frivolous and wasteful. Rick Neuheisel has some explaining to do, to the UCLA Trustees, to California’s student athletes, and to the People and Taxpayers of the State of California.
I admire PC's integrity on this one. Although, if are program was in the rebuilding mode, I could understand taking the utmost aggression in locking down a big-time recruit a la Tim Floyd. PC is in a position of power where he can simply say no. And, watch Jarvis Jones turn out to be a better LB than Manti or Vontaze.
"Yerba loca":
Maybe the boosters paid for the friendly miles! Fellow Trojan fans it hurts but think when you first got a shot in your culito(little posterior!). It did hurt then and after a while it quit hurting and then we moved on. Next year is another one. Don't forget the Trojans still have a very good competitive team that can kick UGLA's and ND's rears...
Win Forever!
¡Siempre ganamos!
Charlie Weis looks like the number 8.
I wish we could have gotten Manti, but I really have the feeling that he's going to go on his LDS mission after his freshman season, and that's tough to do at SC. (you'll lose your spot)
I do think it's a little curious that a deeply devout Mormon is going to a Catholic school however. How are the priests going to feel when he's trying to convert the cafeteria as they say grace? Seems weird to me.
No truth to the rumor that ND is changing from Touchdown Jesus to Touchdown Joseph Smith.
But I'm not worried about any one of the players we lost yesterday. I think the one's we got are excellent and will play very well. My only concern is how it might look to '10 and '11 recruits. Football is a game of momentum, and if recruits sense that USC has lost any and ND and FUCLA have gained momentum, they may want to go there instead. Of course, I'm not sure it will matter much anyway, what with fat Charlie's decided schematic advantage (for his opponents).
FIGHT ON!
Sureshot, I wouldn't worry too much, it's all about scoreboard! Put the points up, get the W's and you will recruit. 4 and 8 and 7 and 6 do not compare to 12 and 1. WE wil be ok.
Hey El Capitán,
Ruin boosters only care about basketball. They're a bunch of cheap old geezers!
The ruins and domers actually did us a favor by taking the missionaries. They saved our scholies for others that WILL play.
At SC, football is the only religion.
I think all the conjecture is pure BS! Te'o has been the cats ass throughout his career. He knows that going to the Domers will mean that he sees the field and probably starts from day 1 as a media icon. He also knows that he will be put in a challenging situation to compete for field time at USC. I think he wants to be in the news, knew that he'd be there as a Domer and by playing from the get-go. He knew that he'd be out of the news cycle nationally if he went to Aclu, and knew that he'd be a backup at best here at SC...hence...the commitment to the Irish. IMHO, it seems as though his religious beliefs took the back burner to the Catholics, and I'd bet that his sole interest is to become an NFL linebacker as fast as he can and the religious mission will not happen if he becomes the starter at ND as a freshman!, So bottom line he signs with the Domers in order to make it to the pro's asap, regardless of any religious conviction. If he goes on his "mission" after the 2009 season, I'll eat my words!
Captain Idiot:
I see that brokenfacemask.com blog was taken down after it was revealed to have been a whole lot of lies and absurd conspiracies. The author of that blog was threatened with numerous lawsuits for libel and he immediately removed everything from that blog and shut it down permanently. That is precisely why he had been banned from USC events. He's a fraud and a liar.
And who does he have to thank for his blog being shut down after two days when it had been online for several years? The idiot captain, of course. It was only because you linked to it dozens of times that people went there and discovered his lies. It was because of you he was threatened with libel lawsuits for his lies. If you had said nothing, his blog would still be up there for everyone to read, lies and all.
Congratulations, you are officially the most stupid person on earth who believes anything on the Internet.
Broken Facemask, R.I.P.
Ha! Ha! Ha! I laugh in the idiot captain's face!
Bernard, give it a rest!
I'm extremely proud of the class we brought in this year,& I'm happy to see that Pete didn't give in to Manti's BS!Pete knows how to get the best out of these kids & we will continue to remain on top throughout his rein of power!It takes big balls to enter a program that is so stacked with talent.These kids are of a rare breed!I also must admit that I hope ucla,& ND can step their game up so that those games can get back to being bigtime.I'm not scared of those programs getting better because I know we will still continue to whip their asses!!!Fight On!