CAPTIONS
BCS Championship game
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o appears to fight back his emotions as he exits the field after losing to Alabama 42-14. (Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune /January 7, 2013)
INDIANAPOLIS – Manti Te’o sounded like a man ready to move on with his life.
The former Notre Dame linebacker, who claimed to be a victim of a bizarre hoax involving an Internet-created girlfriend, fielded questions from a media horde Saturday at the NFL scouting combine and said he is beyond the personal embarrassment caused by the incident. But Te’o said he is still disappointed in himself for the harm he caused his family.
"The incident, I said all I needed to say about that," Te’o said. "How I’m handing it going forward, it’s doing what I’m doing right now: Focusing on the moment and focusing on football and the combine.
"Not everybody gets this opportunity to be here. I’m sure there are thousands and thousands of people who would like to be here in Indianapolis. So, just trying to enjoy the moment.’’
Te'o said he was surprised by the intensity of the interest in the hoax, calling the reaction "overwhelming" at times and said it was "definitely embarrassing."
Asked about people who have expressed doubts about his version of his involvement in the hoax, Te'o said, "I could have done some things different to avoid all this stuff. .... I'm just very grateful for those who helped me get through that time."
Te’o knew he faced more questions about the fake girlfriend hoax that transfixed the nation. More importantly, he needs to show NFL teams how his poor performance against Alabama in the BCS national title game was just as much of an illusion.
"That's all on me," Te'o said of the Alabama game. "Alabama had a great game plan."
Te'o said he has received no indication from NFL teams that the incident will affect his draft status. He also said he didn't think it would affect how he is treated by future teammates.
Te’o said he met with the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers in Indianapolis and still was scheduled to meet with 18 more teams. He hopes to answer some doubts about his performance against Alabama in the national title game when the linebackers start their workouts on Monday.
When the roughly 15-minute session ended, Te'o thanked the media for attending, then thanked his family and Notre Dame.
Te'o tackles questions about 'embarrassing' hoax
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Te'o tackles questions about 'embarrassing' hoax
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Te'o tackles questions about 'embarrassing' hoax
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