Teo Not Serving Mission

Thought I'd start a new thread with the actual decision in the title.



http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4772902





No surprises here. Kaveinga is choosing to serve, even though that means he has to leave SC. Looks like we're getting real class in that transfer.

Absolutely no surprise here whatsoever. Too bad, though.

To bad, maybe he will change his mind.

In other news, water is wet and snow is cold....

craigoscarson wrote:
In other news, water is wet and snow is cold....

Bulls-eye! Bam. Ouch!!! LOL!

8)

I think many called this over on CB and took some heat for it. As much as I think all worthy YM should serve sometimes you can just see the writing on the wall. I hope the best for him as an individual. As a football player, I have been over him since LOI back in February.

Interesting how the media called it a victory that someone isn't serving their Mormon mission.

Teo who?!!!!

Ozols wrote:
Interesting how the media called it a victory that someone isn't serving their Mormon mission.

The media also states he's playing for 3 more years.....

craigoscarson wrote:

Interesting how the media called it a victory that someone isn't serving their Mormon mission.

The media also states he's playing for 3 more years.....

There is no way he plays 4 years at ND. He's gone to the NFL as soon as he is eligible.

While BYU has their share of players that dont' serve missions; this certainly doesn't hurt our recruiting. A family that wants their child to serve has an exponentially better chance if they attend BYU.



I wonder if Uona wasn't just told straight out by Pete Carroll, you serve, don't come back.... again, that only strengthens our program.



If a kid wants to play a year and have the option of a mission, then Notre Dame and USC (Oregon, UCLA too) have helped send a pretty strong message.



Having the option alone is a powerful tool in recruiting. I think the message has been sent that USC doesn't really offer the option. Notre Dame? dunno, I wouldn't row my own canoe to find out ;)

craigoscarson wrote:
While BYU has their share of players that dont' serve missions; this certainly doesn't hurt our recruiting. A family that wants their child to serve has an exponentially better chance if they attend BYU.



I wonder if Uona wasn't just told straight out by Pete Carroll, you serve, don't come back.... again, that only strengthens our program.



If a kid wants to play a year and have the option of a mission, then Notre Dame and USC (Oregon, UCLA too) have helped send a pretty strong message.



Having the option alone is a powerful tool in recruiting. I think the message has been sent that USC doesn't really offer the option. Notre Dame? dunno, I wouldn't row my own canoe to find out ;)

Some players have already decided whether or not they will go on a mission before they start college. Others might be on the fence. I think the chances of Teo going on a mission would have been much greater if he had played at BYU.



I remember being a freshman living in DT towers. Being there only solidified my desire to go on a mission. Guys getting their mission calls and talking about it ignited a huge flame for me. It was an exciting pro-mission atmosphere. It's too bad Teo didn't have that type of experience.



I hope Teo didn't fall into that trap thinking if he's a celebrity or well known football player he's exempt from the commandment. Because while missions are good for church publicity, they also change the missionary.

At least he admitted it was a purely "spiritual" decision:



http://z.about.com/d/cocktails/1/0/6/7/-/-/christies_auction.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I find it interesting when kids make comments about being "inspired" to do something that is against the commandments of the leaders of the church.

frdbtr wrote:
I find it interesting when kids make comments about being "inspired" to do something that is against the commandments of the leaders of the church.

Word. I wish I had been inspired to stay home and ski my legs off the for two years (or play ball sports of whatever kind), not start school 2+ years behind schedule and keep $10k in my pocket.



Whatev. Good luck with that and good luck getting your son to go when it's time.

last thing I am going to do is judge this kid for not serving. As I recall ,we are commanded to not judge. Just because he chose not to follow counsel of the brethren gives us no justification. His choice, not ours.



Having said that, this gives Bronco another arrow in his quiver when out recruiting LDS kids--and talking to their parents. If parents want their kids to serve, I guarantee they will try to steer the child to BYU now over USC, Notre Dame, etc. I mean, come on, Te'o, Havili, etc go elsewhere and do not serve. Not a guarantee they will serve if go to BYU, but as mentioned,much better chances they do.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20091226/SPORTS13/912269972/1001/Sports



I was unaware that Mantis father did not serve a mission either. That certainly paints the picture a little differently. As the oldest of 4 boys in my family, there wasn't a week that went by that my dad wasn't telling stories from his mission; and all 4 of his boys (all to foreign countries too, bulgaria, barcelona, brazil, spain) served missions.

My dad grew up in PG, married the strawberry days queen of AF, played soccer at BYU and had a great mission experience. All of those things painted a picture for us kids of what we wanted and appreciated in life.



btw - there's so much disinformation in that article I wanted to hurl. Either they got the info from Manti and he was clueless, or they just made it up.

Brian Te'o said, Manti mostly likely would have been sent to Japan, South America or the South Pacific. really? Vai Sikahema served in South Dakota (when I was a kid there)... Ian Dulan I believe is in Illinois... etc. etc. etc. I know several polynesian missionaries that did serve in those areas, but it's and odd thing to say. What member of the chuch in their right mind has any clue where their kid is going to be sent...?

Charlie Weis had told Te'o during the recruiting process that he would be free to take a two-year mission, a one-year mission or no mission at all.... apparently it was Weis taking the sabatical

What a bunch of judgmental people most of you are. It's his life, his decision, You don't even know the guy and you all think you know what's best for him. Just looks like sour grapes by people who are still pissed that he chose Notre Dame over BYU.

I don't think that I've said anything to judge Manti, but I'd say that what the Lord commands us to do is best for everyone, the Lord is not a respecter of persons.

On another note, with the news that Kaveinga plans to serve a mission then play for BYU, he now won't lose any eligibility or have to sit for a year. He'll come home with 3 years to play 2 and can be on scholarship for all three, so I guess we can thank Pete and Ken Norton for preparing him so well, and not wasting his redshirt ;)