Joe Kinsey
Videos by OutKick
No joke, Manti Te’o officially got married this weekend to longtime girlfriend Jovi Nicole, a fitness trainer who has been posting legitimate photos and videos of the happy couple for a number of years. I know what you’re thinking: are you sure Manti’s not being catfished again?
“Yesterday I got to marry my best friend and the love of my life in an intimate beach ceremony,” Jovi wrote on Instagram announcing the big news.
Guys, this is legitimate. I’ve been following these two for years and it’s definitely real love, not that catfishing love Manti experienced way back when he was at Notre Dame and the world came crashing down on him when it was revealed he’d been in a fake relationship with a person acting as “Lennay Kekua,” who built a relationship with Te’o going back to the winter of 2009 and not ending until January 2012 when Manti finally received an apology from “Lennay.”
It’s still one of the most bizarre situations in Internet-era sports history.
Manti, 29, moved on to the NFL and a career with the Chargers and Saints, but now finds himself a free agent but now married. It’s quite a ride for a guy who had a crazy 2012. Never forget this from an ESPN report on Manti’s senior season.
“Two months ago, Teo’s 72-year-old grandmother, Annette Santiago, died of natural causes. His 22-year-old girlfriend, Stanford student Lennay Kekua, died of leukemia just eight months after surviving a life-threatening car accident,” Matt Fortuna reported in November as Manti’s college career was ending.
So which one of them needs the emotional support dog? Or are they just part of the wide spread abuse of claiming that your dog is a service dog so you can take them where most people can’t take their dogs?
I call Dog Privilege on Manti!
Haha, I had to go and look back at the photos and see the doggo next to Manti. Definitely there for Manti. He is still recovering from his catfish incident.
I look at these service dogs and based on their subdued temperaments, I wonder if they think about having to be supportive all the time as just part of their job. Do they fake their love because they know it is a job? Are they just punching the clock? Do they look forward to retiring? I have never seen an emotional support dog excited or loving at all.
Hey Joe,
VERY VERY HAPPY for Manti and Jovi.
Lifelong ND fan here lol, so glad to hear what you’re reporting!!!
(Big Dayton Flyers fan in the 60s and 70s also…thought Donnie May was great, and coming to the Knicks made it even better.)
LOL Dave