SI: CU Assistant Coach's Victim Seeks Justice

[DavisBuff]

Tragic situation for Tumpkin, his ex-girlfriend and her son. I hope they are all able to overcome this.
Regarding CU football, this puts MMac in a bad light. It appears that he did the right thing, but dragged his feet so it he didn't lose three d coaches for the Alamo Bowl. It also looks like he turned away from a victim that needed his help.
Of course, that is just what it looks
like from the outside. It is certainly possible that MMac made a bad call, it is also possible that he was getting conflicting information and was sorting it out. We will probably never know the full story.
I'm glad MMac brought it to the school authorities immediately. Hopefully, he learns from this (what he did right and wrong) and will be a better leader from here on out. It is fun to root for a team lead by a good guy and I still think MMac is a good guy. He's not perfect, but from what I've seen he tries to do the right thing.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Had it turned out that the accusations were false even leaving Tumpkin home could have had legal consequences.

This isn't like leaving a sales rep back in Cleveland and blaming it on the flu. Had Tumpkin not been at the bowl it would have been hard to pass it off, football coaches coach unless they are clearly unable and then it is seen as a mark against them. Being a P5 assistant coach is a very public job.

This was all around a bad situation. Blaming based on much less than 20/20 hindsight doesn't make the situation any better for anyone. SI threw some crap against the wall and got some clicks to their dying magazine.

As long as the woman was safe during the process and the school came to the right conclusion and actions without having to be prompted to by outside pressure I'm good with it.

The rest is making a story when their shouldn't be one. How about ESPN using their scroll to remind the nation that most of the administrators at Baylor have never admitted wrongdoing and are still in their jobs with the university? How about reminding the public that other P5 universities still have assistants with DUI convicitions driving school paid rental cars while on the road recruiting? How about looking to see in the people who signed off on giving kids at UNC credits for classes they had never heard of much less attended are still working for the university?

No instead we make a big deal because CU forced an assistant to resign his job a week or two later than they could have if they had just jumped to it without considering the legal ramifications.

Your first sentence is bulls**t and I didn't read the rest. Had it turned out the accusations were false he wouldn't have been fired. What's he going to do, sue his employer for wrongful suspension after being reinstated?

The legal risk of action in this case is miniscule compared to the risk of inaction.

 

[jizzrag85]

I won't read 11 pages of nonsense. He was fired like a month after the temporary restraining order went into affect. It's not like Colorado harbored and supported rapists like at Baylor. They were told, they asked questions, they compiled info and got rid of him. They did what they were supposed to do, this story is ridiculous.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

Does anyone know if tschekler is okay?
Last I saw she said I took an L but I'm worried because I haven't seen her since. I hope she was able make it out of her moms basement this morning and at least have a descent breakfast.

Right here. Glad to see you're still thinking about me!

 

[MtnBuff]

Your first sentence is bulls**t and I didn't read the rest. Had it turned out the accusations were false he wouldn't have been fired. What's he going to do, sue his employer for wrongful suspension after being reinstated?

The legal risk of action in this case is miniscule compared to the risk of inaction.

If your response to a situation is to jump to a response first then figure out what the truth is after I'm glad I don't work for or do business with your organization.

I despise domestic violence and have little sympathy for the result of the consequences those who do it bring down upon themselves. Tumpkin should have lost his job and if it makes getting another one harder then that is the price of acting in this way against his victim.

There is such thing though as getting your facts together and following procedure before acting. As long as the victim is in a safe situation then there is no reason to act rashly instead of taking the time to do it right.

The vigilantes in the old west usually got the right person but that doesn't mean that we should behave that way now.

 

[jkppkjjkp]

I honestly don't see anything wrong CU's perspective. This was an ugly situation that everyone went into and CU was put in a tough spot. Had she gone to the police, it would have been so much better.

That's why there's a Title IX officer; all this responsibility should be immediately put on their plate, that's their job.

Maybe it would have been much better if she went to the police, but as the victim I think she deserves every benefit of every doubt for any choices she made.

 

[Deleted member 807]

In typical hindsite fashion, based purely on facts based in the SI piece, and Distefano's response. I am speculating on what actions would have impressed me.

Mike MacIntyre was right to show concern about Jane Doe's safety as his first reaction. I am expanding on this instinct.

It would have impressed me if the response to Jane Doe's phone call resulted in a more human compassionate response than the silence that was reported.

Perhaps an intermediary should have been dispatched to consult Jane Doe. Maybe a pastor or social worker would be the chosen messenger. Someone not threatening. Not a coach or attorney or official at the university. A woman who is a survivor of domestic abuse might be a wise choice. The message to Jane Doe is focused on securing her immediate safety.

1) explain that mac is instructed to convey her messages to university compliance and has been advised not respond to her messages at this time. He is bound by "See something, say something." Their phone conversation has been documented and shared with his chain of command and compliance office.
2) provide her with a list of resources that includes women's shelter contacts, domestic violence counselors, and police detectives in Colorado and Michigan.
3) explain that her allegations of DV are serious and consistent with illegal behavior. For the safety of herself and other women, any crimes that have been perpetrated against her should be reported to authorities. The intermediary is authorized to assist in brokering any meeting between Jane Doe and independent counsel and/or law enforcement. The sooner this is done, the sooner justice can be served.
4) provide a letter from MacIntyre that states he does not agree with her request to intermediate in a domestic matter. Put it in writing that CU coaches are not above the law. He strongly advocates as a friend, father, and husband that she seek help with the experts.
5) Expression of appreciation for her courage in breaking the silence in this matter and pledge his solidarity with her in stomping out the stain of violence against women perpetrated by men in football.
6) provide the TN of CU's designated person in the CU PD and compliance line in the event she wishes to share additional info about her previous abuse and any future threats or episodes of physical or verbal abuse.

 

[8Jah]

Looks like we did the right thing, regardless of how embarrassing the accusations.

There is ONLY ONE accusation from the article that we must still settle: that Mr. Banashek was both defending JT and colluding with the university, and further, that Mr. Banashek attempted to negotiate payment for Jane's silence. Such an attempt could constitute a further criminal act on our part that is separate from what JT did or did not do.

It is also heavily implied by Jane's statements from the article that she understood the reasons for MM's silence. What brought her additional distress was the collusion between CU and Mr Banashek that she implied.

It also could be that the SI writer was trying to imply collusion by arranging Jane's statements. We need to plainly state our true relationship, whether official or unofficial, with Mr Banashek pronto.

 

[jizzrag85]

Right here bitch. Glad to see you're still thinking about me!

Her?? I never knew.

 

[MtnBuff]

I'm not saying the author wasn't out for a headline and sensationalism, he certainly was, but there was some substance to that long winded article. Blaming the media is akin to yelling at the clouds because it's raining. The media will make stories about things like this as long as we exist. CU should have learned this lesson a long time ago. There were ways to get out in front of this, and they didn't, which is dumb.

There should've been at least 2 considerations from an institutional standpoint: 1, we have an accuser who may be safe now, but who knows. Thank god JT didn't think he should fly back to Michigan and try to reconcile which could've lead to more abuse. 2, Jane has a voice too, and she might say something about how CU is handling this.

Both of those considerations should've been obvious to Mac and the administration.

Your post brings up a very important consideration.

CU athletics is an organization that generates tens of millions of dollars of revenue each year and is the most prominent public face of an even bigger organization. I don't blame M2 or RG for not handling this perfectly but either the athletic department or the entire university should follow the lead of many (maybe the majority) of large organizations with a public face and have a team in place to respond and assist in any situation that could shed negative light on the university.

M2 shouldn't be expected to know exactly what to do in this kind of situation but he should know that any time something comes up that is likely to involve the police and/or the media in a way that CU doesn't control he immediately calls RG and the contact from that team.

The team includes at minimum legal council to evaluate the situation and guide the response and PR specialist with training and experience in protecting the image of this type of organization and it's members. In my view of this Plati would answer to the team and his standing order would be that they control any media response, not him.

 

[SINKRATZ]

If your response to a situation is to jump to a response first then figure out what the truth is after I'm glad I don't work for or do business with your organization.

I despise domestic violence and have little sympathy for the result of the consequences those who do it bring down upon themselves. Tumpkin should have lost his job and if it makes getting another one harder then that is the price of acting in this way against his victim.

There is such thing though as getting your facts together and following procedure before acting. As long as the victim is in a safe situation then there is no reason to act rashly instead of taking the time to do it right.

The vigilantes in the old west usually got the right person but that doesn't mean that we should behave that way now.

And if your response to a domestic violence allegation from someone close to you is wait until more facts come out then I hope you're never in that position to be confided in.

Imagine if it was a player's girlfriend instead of Tumpkin's and you were that girl's father. Would you be happy with the way the school handled this situation? Would you be glad that rather than deal with the accused abuser quickly, they let him continue playing and called lawyers rather than authorities? I'd be furious.

The only thing preventing this from being worse is that that thankfully it doesn't appear any further abuse happened between the time Mac found out and now.

 

[Big Jim]

The team includes at minimum legal council to evaluate the situation and guide the response and PR specialist with training and experience in protecting the image of this type of organization and it's members.

Dear god you scare the **** out of me. I hope some day you realize that there are real people involved and the world doesn't revolve around saving the reputation of the institution.

 

[onealcd]

I can see where mac talked to tumpkin after the call and said you need to get this figured out, she doesn't want to go to the cops and she doesn't want you to lose your job but you definitely need to get a lawyer. Then he told tumpkins lawyer about the voicemail that she was going to the cops. I don't think that is some crazy secret he should have kept from anyone.

 

[jkppkjjkp]

I won't read 11 pages of nonsense.

Ignorance is bliss, that attitude is what much of what was the root of Baylor and Penn State's problems.

He was fired like a month after the temporary restraining order went into affect. It's not like Colorado harbored and supported rapists like at Baylor. They were told, they asked questions, they compiled info and got rid of him. They did what they were supposed to do,

It's not exactly that clear cut. My issue is that it looks, at least to the victim, that the University shielded their own interests, helped Tumpkin acquire legal assistance, and Mac was possibly telegraphing her intentions to Tumpkin and his lawyer while not responding to her calls. It would have been really nice if they tried to put her in contact with someone who could advocate for her.

The Title IX officer was not contacted, that individual would hopefully have the training and ability to handle this sort of issue properly.

Even if calling an advocate for her, or involving the Title IX officer would not have drastically changed things, they would have been actions that showed supporting the victim was more of a priority than the Alamo Bowl or closing out recruiting season, not incidentally doing either or both of those things would not have done very little to disrupt their Bowl prep or recruiting; as the investigation, public relations, and suspension timetable probably would not have been appreciably altered.

this story is ridiculous.

How exactly would you know this if you refuse to spend 10-15 minutes reading the article?

 

[jkppkjjkp]

I can see where mac talked to tumpkin after the call and said you need to get this figured out, she doesn't want to go to the cops and she doesn't want you to lose your job but you definitely need to get a lawyer. Then he told tumpkins lawyer about the voicemail that she was going to the cops. I don't think that is some crazy secret he should have kept from anyone.

This is totally reasonable, but given that no outreach was done for the victim; HCMM/RG etc. have no one to blame but themselves for it looking the way it does to the victim. It seems like this all could have been avoided if HCMM said, "I care about your welfare, but I'm a football coach; so I'm going to get you in touch with some victim's advocates who can help you make smart choices."

By her own account, she points out that HCMM (and RG by proxy) are going to have conflicts of interest here; that's why this all needed to be kicked to the Title IX office.

 

[8Jah]

I can see where mac talked to tumpkin after the call and said you need to get this figured out, she doesn't want to go to the cops and she doesn't want you to lose your job but you definitely need to get a lawyer. Then he told tumpkins lawyer about the voicemail that she was going to the cops. I don't think that is some crazy secret he should have kept from anyone.

Possible scenario...but then CU needs to clarify what happened and what their full relationship with Mr Banashek,

 

[MtnBuff]

Dear god you scare the **** out of me. I hope some day you realize that there are real people involved and the world doesn't revolve around saving the reputation of the institution.

Your level of reading comprehension must be around that of a pre-schooler.

Throughout all this I have been very clear that the most important thing is that the victim is safe. I have also been very clear that I don't have much if any tolerance for the perpetrators of domestic violence. The right thing happened in this case from the standpoint of CU, they first suspended then forced the resignation of Tumpkin.

You scare the **** out of me though in thinking that jumping to a conclusion and racing to a response is the appropriate action. If somebody calls up your boss and makes accusations against you, even if they seem to be credible you would be perfectly fine with your boss firing you first and getting the facts later. If on the off chance you happen to not be guilty of what you are accused of it's okay because your reputation doesn't matter. The fact that the entire community has been told you were fired for the offense doesn't matter.

We have a concept in this country called due process. Even the worst among us are entitled to it. I hope you never need it but hey if you do and it is bypassed no big deal, you don't believe in it anyways.

Yes there are real people involved in all these situations. This isn't about the reputation of the institution but the institution responding correctly protects both the real people and the institution.

You may want to remember that CUs lack of due process and willingness to just to conclusions got an entire team labeled rapist in the community and the media back during the "scandal." Didn't matter that later virtually all the accusations were shown to be baseless, for many that team is still the team that raped and abused.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Idk what else to say? I hope everything can be resolved and the sooner the better. Hope she can find some peace and move forward with life, Blumpkin too.

 

[Big Jim]

The right thing happened in this case from the standpoint of CU, they first suspended then forced the resignation of Tumpkin.


You may want to remember that CUs lack of due process and willingness to just to conclusions got an entire team labeled rapist in the community and the media back during the "scandal." Didn't matter that later virtually all the accusations were shown to be baseless, for many that team is still the team that raped and abused.

I apologize to you Mtn. There are a few people on this board that I feel are too easy of a target and should be protected, not picked on. Again, I am sorry.

 

[Buffalo Born]

I won't read 11 pages of nonsense. He was fired like a month after the temporary restraining order went into affect. It's not like Colorado harbored and supported rapists like at Baylor. They were told, they asked questions, they compiled info and got rid of him. They did what they were supposed to do, this story is ridiculous.

This

 

[BuffLuke80]

OMG, relax fellas, it'll play out how it does.

 

[NWD Buff]

Idk what else to say? I hope everything can be resolved and the sooner the better. Hope she can find some peace and move forward with life, Blumpkin too.

Your use of a crude slang term here is bull****. Not the place for it. Knock it off.

 

[jizzrag85]

Ignorance is bliss, that attitude is what much of what was the root of Baylor and Penn State's problems.



It's not exactly that clear cut. My issue is that it looks, at least to the victim, that the University shielded their own interests, helped Tumpkin acquire legal assistance, and Mac was possibly telegraphing her intentions to Tumpkin and his lawyer while not responding to her calls. It would have been really nice if they tried to put her in contact with someone who could advocate for her.

The Title IX officer was not contacted, that individual would hopefully have the training and ability to handle this sort of issue properly.

Even if calling an advocate for her, or involving the Title IX officer would not have drastically changed things, they would have been actions that showed supporting the victim was more of a priority than the Alamo Bowl or closing out recruiting season, not incidentally doing either or both of those things would not have done very little to disrupt their Bowl prep or recruiting; as the investigation, public relations, and suspension timetable probably would not have been appreciably altered.



How exactly would you know this if you refuse to spend 10-15 minutes reading the article?

I've read the article, I saw the reports, I saw distefanos reaction last night to the story. I'm not spending my time reading 11 pages of reaction HERE. The story is ridiculous,the university isn't at fault here. It's unbelievable how people think someone's employer is responsible for all of their punishment in life. Does your job fire you for getting a domestic violence or DUI? No! The only reason this is even a thing is because he's a high profile individual that makes the university look bad if he's employed there, public perception. It's a sham story written to invoke anger and perpetuate that somehow CU is making
It okay for tumpkin to beat women. They aren't the god damn police, its not their job to discern not guilty from guilty. They made a statement and forced him to quit, they did what they had to, end of story.

 

[SINKRATZ]

I can see where mac talked to tumpkin after the call and said you need to get this figured out, she doesn't want to go to the cops and she doesn't want you to lose your job but you definitely need to get a lawyer. Then he told tumpkins lawyer about the voicemail that she was going to the cops. I don't think that is some crazy secret he should have kept from anyone.

I sure hope not. Letting an alleged abuser know that his victim is telling people about the abuse is a terrible idea.

 

[NWD Buff]

I've read the article, I saw the reports, I saw distefanos reaction last night to the story. I'm not spending my time reading 11 pages of reaction HERE. The story is ridiculous,the university isn't at fault here. It's unbelievable how people think someone's employer is responsible for all of their punishment in life. Does your job fire you for getting a domestic violence or DUI? No! The only reason this is even a thing is because he's a high profile individual that makes the university look bad if he's employed there, public perception. It's a sham story written to invoke anger and perpetuate that somehow CU is making
It okay for tumpkin to beat women. They aren't the god damn police, its not their job to discern not guilty from guilty. They made a statement and forced him to quit, they did what they had to, end of story.

Not a whole lot of nuance in your world, huh?

 

[BuffLuke80]

Your use of a crude slang term here is bull****. Not the place for it. Knock it off.

Wasn't trying to be sorry.

 

[jizzrag85]

Lol, time to ignore this thread, shouldn't have commented in the first place.

 

[BuffLuke80]

Yep, I hope both of them land on their feet and keep it moving. I apologize NWD Buff. Ill word it to your specifications next time but not in this thread. Done talking about it.

 

[jkppkjjkp]

I've read the article, I saw the reports, I saw distefanos reaction last night to the story. I'm not spending my time reading 11 pages of reaction HERE.

Got it, my mistake

The story is ridiculous,the university isn't at fault here. It's unbelievable how people think someone's employer is responsible for all of their punishment in life. Does your job fire you for getting a domestic violence or DUI? No!

I don't think the University is at fault for Tumpkin being a POS; I'm not so sure anyone else is saying that either.
I'm not saying the University should have directly punished him immediately; I'm saying that they offered support to him and not her, that clearly favors him. That makes it even harder for victims to speak up for themselves, and is a step towards promoting a culture where abuses are tolerated. I don't think HCMM or RG should be fired for this singular incident, but I do think they fell far short of what a good response to the situation could have been. If it came to light that a very similar situation arose where a student complained of abuse at the hands of a player and the student did not receive support, but legal counsel was secured for the player that would be a very big issue.

It's a sham story written to invoke anger and perpetuate that somehow CU is making
It okay for tumpkin to beat women. They aren't the god damn police, its not their job to discern not guilty from guilty. They made a statement and forced him to quit, they did what they had to, end of story.

They did the minimum and they sought out resources for Tumpkin, but not for her.

The misstep made by HCMM and RG was to let a potential victim twist in the wind and ignore her calls while securing counsel and offering an extended interview for a promotion to a potential perpetrator. Perhaps not egregious, but they are highly paid public employees, it's OK to ask them to do more than the minimum or nothing for victims.

 

[Deleted member 807]

The Tumpkin domestic violence case is now being tried in at least 3 different venues.

- University of Colorado
- The Media
- The Legal System

As a matter of record, Tumpkin was charged by the courts on Feb 1.

Say what you will about CU not acting fast or fast enough. But truth is CU has acted a heck of a lot faster than the legal system. Tumpkin was forced out before charges were even filed. There's no telling how long it will take for a judge to deliver the verdict.