Manti Te’o denies being in on hoax during TV interview

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o admitted to talk show host Katie Couric that he answered questions about his “dead,” online girlfriend even after he received a call Dec. 6 from a woman posing as the fake person.

Te’o also maintained he played no part in the hoax.

Pressed by Couric to admit that he was in on the deception, the All-American said he was convinced the woman he knew as Lennay Kekua died in September. Te’o claims he never met Kekua in person but developed a serious relationship with her through phone calls and electronic messages.

“Katie, put yourself in my situation. I, my whole world told me that she died on Sept. 12. Everybody knew that. This girl, who I committed myself to, died on Sept. 12,” Te’o said in an interview to air Thursday on Couric’s syndicated show. A segment of the interview with Te’o and his parents was broadcast Wednesday on “Good Morning America.”

“Now I get a phone call on Dec. 6, saying that she’s alive and then I’m going be put on national TV two days later. And to ask me about the same question. You know, what would you do?” Te’o said.

ETC.

Dodgers’ Elbert has more elbow surgery

Left-handed pitcher Scott Elbert is unlikely to be ready for opening day after undergoing elbow surgery for the second time in four months. Elbert, 27, won’t resume throwing for six weeks, according to the Dodgers.

Elbert, who underwent a season-ending operation in September, figures to start playing catch less than a month before the April 1 season opener against the San Francisco Giants.

A former first-round pick, Elbert posted a career-best 2.20 earned-run average in 43 appearances last season.

—Dylan Hernandez

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Tyler Lamb, who left the UCLA basketball program in November, has enrolled at Long Beach State, the school announced. Lamb will be eligible after the fall semester.

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Charlie Strong received a long-term commitment from Louisville that makes him one of the 10 highest-paid Division I football coaches.

The Cardinals coach and the university agreed on an eight-year contract extension that will pay Strong an annual base salary of $3.7 million, plus performance incentives worth $583,333 if Louisville wins the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Strong’s base salary places him seventh among Division I coaches, just behind Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz .

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The New Orleans Hornets are moving ahead with plans to change their name to the Pelicans next season, people familiar with the decision said.

The people spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Hornets have not announced the name change. The people say that is expected to come Thursday.

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The Rose Bowl is among 13 U.S. venues that will play host to Gold Cup games this summer.

The federation for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean announced the sites for the July 7-28 event. Matchups have not been determined.

Eight of the stadiums have never taken part in the tournament: Atlanta; Baltimore; Denver; Hartford, Conn.; Houston; Miami; Portland, Ore.; and Salt Lake City.

The tournament returns to five venues in Pasadena; Arlington, Texas; Chicago; Harrison, N.J.; and Seattle.

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The NHL suspended Philadelphia Flyers forward Brayden Schenn one game for charging New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov.