Manti Te’o's father blacklists Hawaiian newspaper after 2013 BCS National Championship game [Photo]

notredamegamedayr | January 12, 2013 at 4:22 pm | 1 Comment

Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te’o (5) walks off the field after the 2013 BCS Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Sun Life Stadium. Alabama won 42-14. (Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)

Manti Te’o recorded seven interceptions, a Notre Dame linebackers record, on his way to finishing second in Heisman Trophy balloting. He finished with more than 100 tackles in three straight seasons.

Most importantly, he chose to skip the opportunity to make millions of dollars by returning to the Fighting Irish for his senior year. He was the heart and soul of a team that finished out the regular season 12-0 and played for the opportunity to win the school’s first national title since 1988.

He has already gone down as the player who helped bring the once-proud Irish program back from the dead. Further, he has been nothing but a classy, well-spoken representative of his native Hawai’i, a chain of islands largely misunderstood by the American public.

Thus, Te’o's family, and his father in particular, were floored when a native Hawaiian newspaper, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, printed an incredibly embarrassing picture of the island’s native son following Alabama’s 42-14 drubbing of the Golden Domers.

The picture showed Crimson Tide running back Eddie Lacy upright, powering over Te’o, who is on the ground in a pile of dust. It is not exactly the most flattering picture of Te’o — and it was not necessary, especially the way Te’o's father, Brian, sees it.

Brian Te’o is now imploring those on Honolulu to cancel their subscriptions, having posted this to the official Manti Te’o Fan Club Facebook page.

“Our family has been very gracious to the Star Advertiser by providing interviews and photos of our son in the recent weeks. On our way home from Miami we were “privileged” to see how the Star Advertiser returns that favor by posting a photo of our son “presumably” being “bowled over” by the Alabama RB (Eddie Lacy). So, from this point forward, Star Advertiser you have been officially black listed. I will no longer agree to any more interviews, sharing of photos, or anything else, and I will encourage all who have a subscription to your newspaper to not renew. Be more responsible in the future…if you can.” Brian Te’o