Manti Te’o: The Alabama Game Doesn’t Define My Career

[Bama Reb]

No, only the end of it. :biggrin2:

 

[rgw]

It didn't define his career, but it sure did punctuate it.

 

[DESERTELEPHANT]

I don't know why everyone is giving Manti such as hard time? He is the greatest talent to come out of Notre Dame since Jimmy Clausen and Brady Quinn.

 

[CHATTBRIT]

The NC game defines Te'o as a lacking fortitude, intense mental composure, and competence in tackling against the best team by far they faced all year. According to Te'o he was aware the girlfriend thing was a hoax but did not have the mental capacity to focus purely on the game at hand. He uses it as an excuse which is a sorry admission for an individual wanting to be drafted in the first round. If he thinks college was tough, wait until he enters an NFL locker room where he will be teased mercilessly. A weak mental resolve could surely crack under the pressure. I don't have anything against Te'o though I do believe he received awards under false pretenses which should have gone to athletes who were clearly superior to him.

 

[derek4tide]

THIS

 

[gtgilbert]

The smartest thing Te'o did was to turn down his appearance at the NFL Draft. A bunch of mock drafts say he will fall to Baltimore's first pick. I would hope that Ozzie is smarter than that!

If the rumors of Ro to Baltimore are tue, I don't think they would use a first round pick on an MLB

 

[RogueElephant]

Doubt he will play more than 2 years in the NFL.

 

[CraigD]

...he does not get the call as to what and what does not define his career. A bad game (or even a specific bad play) at a critical time can be the only thing the majority of people will remember. ...

Good points. Bill Buckner says "Hi!"

 

[bamadp]

Kinda like Kiffen at USC, can't "walk the walk", but sure can "talk the talk". "What are you gonna believe, what you see or what I tell ya?"

 

[AgentAntiOrange]

What is he supposed to say, guys? Yeah, I'm a over-rated, character-challenged, over-hyped statue of a defender who failed miserably when it mattered most and any NFL team that drafts me will regret it?

Nothing, lol. There is nothing he could have said short of just gushing praise for Bama that would have gone over well.

 

[JBama_in_PCOLA]

He is a good player, but Bama players are just that much better. It was nothing anyone in college football could've done that night that could have stopped Bama. So it wasn't just his bad play.

 

[gwilliams]

Good practice squad guy.

 

[Highway59]

Good points. Bill Buckner says "Hi!"

As a side note, Jim Marshall is still running the wrong way.......

 

[bamachile]

As a side note, Jim Marshall is still running the wrong way.......

As long as he doesn't run over Brian Bosworth...

 

[bamagradinATL]

The NC game defines Te'o as a lacking fortitude, intense mental composure, and competence in tackling against the best team by far they faced all year. According to Te'o he was aware the girlfriend thing was a hoax but did not have the mental capacity to focus purely on the game at hand. He uses it as an excuse which is a sorry admission for an individual wanting to be drafted in the first round. If he thinks college was tough, wait until he enters an NFL locker room where he will be teased mercilessly. A weak mental resolve could surely crack under the pressure. I don't have anything against Te'o though I do believe he received awards under false pretenses which should have gone to athletes who were clearly superior to him.

He was asked about the locker during an ESPN interview last month. His comments were something to the effect of, if I make plays they won't have anything to tease me about. Yeah right! He will find out not only does the NFL have the best athletes, but they also have some of the best trash talkers.

 

[TommyMac]

If it didn't define his career, it clearly illustrated that he has an awful lot of work to do to play in the NFL. He was plainly not up to Alabama's level and as elite as Bama is, the NFL is yet another step up in terms of elite talent.

I don't think he'll last long, there's not much demand in the NFL for slow witted, slow footed linebackers who don't tackle well and are without great instincts.

 

[smohabbat]

Lacey is the basketball player. Lacy is the footballer. Youd think such avid fans would know the difference:

....

 

[mittman]

Can I get Vegas odds on that?

LOL not from me :biggrin2:

 

[Crimson57s]

Like the Honey Badger a year previous, Te'o was largely a creature of the sports media. They drooled all over him in the hope that here, finally, was the chosen one who would stop Alabama in its tracks. Yeah, right.

As one poster said, Te'o does not get to choose what defines his career. The NFL scouts and coaches will decide what his college career amounted to, and whether they want him or not.

 

[Glenn_B]

Teo's statement

I can always get better, and I’m going to get better

Doesn't warrant a first round selection. Presumably every player taken in the draft will get better.