But what is served by ND trying to dismantle Teo’s reputation. Why should they do the job journalists supposedly are doing?

They don’t have any obligation. But Swarbrick shouldn’t have come out like somebody just killed his mother in his defense of Te’o. Typical ND hypocrisy.

Fraud led to the genesis, but not in the application.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/1/18/3892398/manti-teo-hoax-sad-irish-fan-leukemia-fundraiser

Interesting find. I’m pretty sure, though, that other donations came in besides those collected by this cause.

In any case, the university was obviously not as on top of things as they should have been.

I also recall reading that thousands of dollars in donations were received after the pretend girl’s death. Who collected the money? Did the school set up an official fund? Since the subject of the donations never existed, isn’t there some element of fraud involved?

Fraud led to the genesis, but not in the application.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/1/18/3892398/manti-teo-hoax-sad-irish-fan-leukemia-fundraiser

I also recall reading that thousands of dollars in donations were received after the pretend girl’s death. Who collected the money? Did the school set up an official fund? Since the subject of the donations never existed, isn’t there some element of fraud involved?

Swarbrick may keep his job, but he really shouldn’t. I’m guessing that if he had done his homework, that teary press conference never happens.

Not everyone aims to go to ND idiot.

Here’s my question: People are talking about email and cell-phone records as if anyone can call up Verizon and ask for these. Does the University have the legal authority to get such info? Was ND paying for his cell-phone?

Don’t get me wrong, there’s all kinds of shady going on here, but this isn’t a police investigation or anything.

If Te’o wasn’t in on it, and wanted to know the complete truth, he would have offered this information.

Perception is they rode the train – sure, maybe some motivation to protect the kid. But they rode the “best story in college football in years” train.

ND didn’t create this lie and they only benefitted from it very incidentally.

“Incidental” would be the freebie toothbrush I get from a hotel’s front desk. This was part of the overall Te’o Mythology, which absolutely was used in concert with ND’s Return to Glory (or whatever else their year in review dvd was to be named), as well as his Heisman campaign.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s all kinds of shady going on here, but this isn’t a police investigation or anything.

Again, I’m not in complete disagreement – protecting your team from a third party ruse, maybe

But – The problem I have with this is that Swarbrick framed the investigation as exhaustive and comprehensive during his presser when it was anything but.

The perception is that the university saw the benefits of the lie and allowed it to continue to benefit the university. Perception. That may not be the reality. But the perception is widely considered truth.

Their whole management style appears to be “truth avoidance”.

Notre Dame and Manti Te’o: “Investigation” Did No Interviews, Did Not Look At Cell Phone Records, E-Mails, Other Forms of Correspondence

So ND hired Louis Freeh?

Yes.

I watched that for the first time the other night. If these things aren’t “setups” … that some crazy stuff. Never knew there were so many desperate, gullible people in this world.