Manti Te'o controversy: Taking a look at the Notre Dame star's tweets

Manti Te'o has some explaining to do. In what is the early frontrunner for biggest sports story of 2013, a Deadspin report says the former Notre Dame linebacker and Heisman finalist had a relationship with a girl who does not exist.

Te'o also claimed that she died of Leukemia just hours after his grandmother passed away in September. That is not true.

As the nation digests the story, many have looked to Te'o's account on Twitter. He has nearly 171,000 followers now, and that number has surely skyrocketed in recent hours. Here are a couple of his more interesting tweets about, well, who really knows at this point?

The worst thing you can do is fool yourself!

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) November 21, 2012

This brought tears to my eyes! The two beams of light! My guardian angels!!! I miss you!! #574L twitter.com/MTeo_5/status/…

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) September 23, 2012

Here is a tweet Manti sent his girlfriend last summer:

@lennaykay thank u for sending me pictures of your dinner punk. Not right!!! #notcool twitter.com/MTeo_5/status/…

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) July 21, 2012

And here are a few more:

Real eyes, realize, real lies!

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) July 27, 2012

Chris Spielman is a real man! #inspirational

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) November 1, 2012

Don't let your dreams stay dreams! Make them a reality!

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) October 23, 2012

Playin mind games #smh

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) December 9, 2011

Finally, this tweet from last June just about wraps it all up for Te'o and his family.

This is a very long day

— Manti Te'o (@MTeo_5) June 14, 2012

Since the story broke, Te'o has released a statement, in which he referred to the whole situation as a "sick joke". Notre Dame has also released a statement, claiming their player was a "victim of a hoax".