Football
DENVER – Former University of Colorado assistant football coach Joseph Tumpkin was charged with multiple counts of felony assault in a domestic violence case that led to his forced resignation last week.
Tumpkin was charged with five felony counts of second-degree assault and three misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault, according to 17th Judicial District Attorney Dave Young.
Tumpkin, 45, is alleged to have physically abused his former girlfriend between Feb. 27, 2015, and Nov. 20, 2016. The felony charges say he used his hands as a deadly weapon, causing bodily injury and strangling his former girlfriend.
The NCAA and helmet maker Riddell are defendants in separate class-action lawsuits alleging they failed to protect football players from long-term head injuries and didn’t educate them about the risks.
The lawsuits were filed Monday in federal courts in Indianapolis and San Francisco and seek damages for health care costs, lost wages and other personal injury damages. Riddell called the called the claims “meritless” and “sensationalized allegations.”
The Big 12 Conference was listed as co-defendant with the NCAA.
The suits were filed by the firm Circelli, Walter & Young of Fort Worth, Texas. The firm said it plans to file additional suits naming other college conferences as defendants.
The Riddell lawsuit alleges the helmet maker misrepresented the safety of its helmets. The firm said all plaintiffs in the cases suffer from some degree of traumatic brain injuries from multiple concussions or serious jolts to the head that don’t meet the diagnosis of concussion and all were incurred while playing football.
Riddell emailed a statement to The Associated Press on Tuesday, decrying “overt lawyer self-promotion and meritless litigation.”
NEW YORK – Nutritional supplement seller GNC intended to use a 30-second Super Bowl ad to revamp its image. But the NFL had other ideas.
GNC said Tuesday it was notified that it will not be allowed to air the ad it created – or any ad – during the game Sunday because it violates an NFL policy against having supplements advertised during its games.
A number of companies in the past have had their Super Bowl ads rejected due to content, and have had to switch them out or make modifications.
HOUSTON –Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo says authorities are ready to handle any protests that might occur during Super Bowl week in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order on refugees and immigration.
Acevedo said Tuesday that officials have not been taken by surprise because dealing with the potential for demonstrations has always been part of security planning efforts.
Officials are monitoring the possibility of additional protests after demonstrations against the order took place nationwide last weekend.
The police chief said with high profile events like the Super Bowl, “you have to prepare and expect some type of protest.”
Soccer
CHICAGO – Chicago’s Soldier Field will host this year’s Major League Soccer All-Star game, the league announced Tuesday.
The match on Aug. 2 will feature the MLS All-Stars against an international team that has not been named yet. The Chicago Fire, who play at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois, will host the event.
Associated Press
