''It didn't seem like he was lost or anything ... he didn't stand out, which was a good thing,'' Rivers said after the first practice of organized team activities, which are practices in helmets, jerseys and shorts, but no pads.

Te'o did get matched up with star tight end Antonio Gates a few times, which was ''a quick welcome, Day 1,'' Rivers said.

''Today was a good first day,'' said inside linebacker Donald Butler, who will be paired with Te'o in the Chargers' 3-4 defense.

The only person who didn't get to talk about Te'o's performance was Te'o himself.

The team pulled an end run and kept Te'o away from a large media contingent that hoped to find out from the player how he felt after mixing it up with vets for the first time.

As Te'o walked off the field, an assistant coach put an arm around the rookie's shoulders and said he had to get to a meeting.

Te'o, the linebacker from Notre Dame, was picked by the Chargers in the second round after slipping out of the opening round in part because of a poor performance in a blowout loss to Alabama in the national championship game.

He also was part of a girlfriend hoax that drew national headlines.

If the Chargers can protect Rivers on the left side of the offensive line as well as they're protecting Te'o from the media, they might end their three-year playoff drought.

The Chargers have taken unprecedented steps to limit Te'o's time in front of the microphones. The team refused to let reporters do customary one-on-ones with him after his introductory news conference during the draft, and has continued to refuse to set up interviews with the linebacker. Te'o did speak after the first practice of rookie minicamp on Friday but was the only player off-limits on Monday.

''We make decisions that we think are best for the organization,'' rookie head coach Mike McCoy said. ''Like every other player, we've got a plan and we move forward with it. He addressed everyone the other day. We have a schedule for him and we're going to follow it. We have a belief in what we're doing and the way we're going to take care of our players.''

Te'o worked with the first-team defense.

''He's done a nice job,'' McCoy said. ''It was a good start for him this weekend. We have big expectations for him coming in here and stepping in and playing for us. He's in there with the ones right now and we're going to see how much he can pick up.''

Said Butler: ''Obviously, we have high expectations for him coming in and playing and hopefully he can get our system down and come in and be productive.''

now, another player says Te'o's imaginary? girlfriend is real. He met her in Hawaii with Troy Polypartypoopoo in American Samoa.

He said he believed the ...girlfriend's Mother handled the girlfriend's twitter account.

I don't know. How can any guy in America have a girlfriend that he never....met....? Seriously?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/arizona-cardinals-fullback-manti-te-os-fake-girlfriend-051106606--ncaaf.html

we need LB help #1.

Oh shit well us drafting Oline with our first pick isnt a lie, lets be honest we aren't the Cowboys who will trade up and take both those faggots knowing Jones drafting history with his peoples he's already offered contracts to both those fuckups.

@poeticg said:

Man, some of you should really just shut the fuck up and sit down. Really, you're going to accuse the guy of "setting this up" to garner more attention? The kid was already dealing with tradgedy losing his Grandmother and then loses his girlfriend, which come to find out was a whole setup in the first place... That's just fucked up.

I know a girl that I met on xbox years ago. We just talked and played games together for like a year and a half, I figured she was a fat chick but whatever she was cool and a nice girl. She gave me her facebook and low and behold she's a beauty. It seemed like a perfect match for me. I had developed some strong feeling for her after that. My REAL girlfriend hated her and forbid us to talk or communicate after that. So, in a way I understand what he's going through... I lost my Grandfather around that same time.

So if you want to talk shit because his story is sooo outlandish that nobody should believe him- fuck off, you don't know the half of it. Just keep believing the world revolves around you and your own personal expirences in life.... but just remember, you don't know the half of it.

I for one think the kid is a decent player and he'd be a starter over 2/3 of the linebackers on the Browns.

PG- I'll be blunt with you. And I go way farther back. Trent Richardson is no Adrian Peterson, and Manti Teo is no Dick Butkus. Take it to the bank. If he's still there with our third round pick- well, maybe.

...listen to the crowd at 1:30 seconds...

and then there's this:

...though I doubt that the ones that need this the most won't have the patience to watch them all the way through.

@poeticg said:

He would be more productive than Fujita has been the last 15 months.

...how's that for specifics?

very.

However we will not draft him. He cant even tackle rb's running right at him. Also the games he so called was great in were against really shitty teams. Kevin Minter from LSU will be the best ILB in this draft.

@poeticg said:

He would be more productive than Fujita has been the last 15 months.

...how's that for specifics?

Fujita is all but done with neck injury.. ala Chris Spielman

but Id still take him over te'o

@d-bone said:

I only saw him in two games this year (USC & Champ game) and I just don't understand all the pre-dead-girlfriend hype. Looked very average to me.

He was horrible in champ game. Out of position a lot. Missed tackles.

No thanks. Take a de or cb over him.

...how's that for specifics?

Someone please explain why he is involved in a hoax?

I'm pretty sure we can literally say that for every position on the team if you are gonna use fractions.

Kid smokes pole. Id respect him if he actually admit it.

I know a girl that I met on xbox years ago. We just talked and played games together for like a year and a half, I figured she was a fat chick but whatever she was cool and a nice girl. She gave me her facebook and low and behold she's a beauty. It seemed like a perfect match for me. I had developed some strong feeling for her after that. My REAL girlfriend hated her and forbid us to talk or communicate after that. So, in a way I understand what he's going through... I lost my Grandfather around that same time.

So if you want to talk shit because his story is sooo outlandish that nobody should believe him- fuck off, you don't know the half of it. Just keep believing the world revolves around you and your own personal expirences in life.... but just remember, you don't know the half of it.

I for one think the kid is a decent player and he'd be a starter over 2/3 of the linebackers on the Browns.

Manti T'eo's Gf will be featured on Mythbusters

@vaportrail said:

The guy is definitely gay. Makes up a long distance girlfriend to tell his friends and family. After this lie goes on for awhile, his family and friends want to meet her. He claims her death to ensure that it never happens. He's a Mormon, so I have to imagine he thought that coming out to his family would be poorly received. That little lie spiraled out of control, and he ended up riding it to the BCS championship. Total closet case.

I totally agree with you actually. I think on top of his faith you have a guy who's a star linebacker at one of the best programs in the country. That guy could slay chicks if he wanted to, but this "girlfriend" who casually lives on the other side of the country gave him a convenient excuse to avoid all that. From there I think dude tried to exploit it and make the story really believable and had her "killed" to avoid scrutiny when people put her under a microscope.

It's not like I care at all, but the facts really line up for that type of scenario.

Either way....it doesn't look good for him.

I did watch him for the first time in the BCS game and didn't look average or ordinary he looked TERRIBLE(and I say that in my best Charles Barkley imitation). I don't know maybe he had the Troy Smith disease.