Not Girlfriends, Not Doping and Not the Bad Guy

This week we had some excellent examples of bad press and bad communications.

First, Manti Te'o and the much beleaguered story behind his not-dead not-girlfriend. 

 

If you haven't already read the Deadspin article, please do.  It is a beautiful example of the type of fact checking and reporting that failed this entire story in the first place.

However the story continues to spin wildly out of control.  Somewhere in there the web of lies started to spin, and because of his spotlight... spun beyond his ability to control.  Even beyond the University of Notre Dame to control.  And now even beyond Creative Artists Agency to control.

Sounds insane that the best spin doctors on earth couldn't contain this.  But it comes down to three simple problems, either:

1. Te'o was completely taken, and for 3+ years never thought to visit a dying "girlfriend"
2. Te'o and Notre Dame were spinning a story for an ever-hungry media, or
3. Te'o was in on it.

Here's the thing.  The result is going to be that Manti Te'o will go from a guaranteed first round pick in the NFL draft to a questionable status.  This will cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions each year because he lost control.  Ask Vontaze Burfict about how that feels.

How could he have done it better - Own it from the beginning.

If Te'o was a pure victim of a hoax it makes him look gullible, naive... and odd for never once meeting a girl when he had every opportunity to do so.

If Te'o crafted the story, it goes down with legendary lore, and covering it up makes him a liar.

If he was in on it... it could be said that it was a silly college prank that went beyond his control.  He would have owned it, and we all could have understood.  Instead he looks either naive or dishonest.

Next... Lance.  How could we skip over Lance?  The same way he hoped everyone else would.  By paying attention to Manti Te'o.

One major difference.  Lance is owning his situation.  In the most carefully scripted and crafted presentations possible, Lance began his redemption climb with the best possible starting point -  Oprah.  

You can view it HERE.

Whether or not he did it, said he's sorry, or is a good or bad person does not matter.

I repeat - IT DOES NOT MATTER

That isn't to say what he did was right.  It wasn't.  However it's a new discussion today.

Because now he is on the comeback trail.  He has many steps to make, and done well he will be back to the pinnacle of sports.  And anyone who continues to hold him back is going to be the bad guy.

The one thing that you can count on is there is one story American's love more than a Riches to Rags story.

It's the Return to Glory story.

See you on a Triathlon podium soon Lance.

And oh, USADA, you are pretty righteous now, you "caught the bad guy."  

But if you don't control the message and get ahead of it - You're gonna be the bad guy!

Consider yourselves on notice!