ESPN

ESPN badass Linda Cohn HATES people like Michelle Beadle ... telling TMZ Sports women who get into sports-reporting with an agenda to be on shows like "Access Hollywood" make her blood boil.

Cohn never mentioned Beadle by name when we ran into her in NYC this week ... but it's obvious she was talking about M.B. since Beadle was a sideline reporter for the Nets, worked for ESPN and then left to become the co-host of "Access."

Here's the backstory ... we were asking Linda about the ongoing battle that female sports journalists face in the workplace when Linda broke it down for us:

"I've been very outspoken I always tell young women they should aim HIGHER than being sideline reporter if they really love sports and have a passion for it."

"And if they're knowledgeable about it, do your homework ... show us how knowledgeable you are and go out there and kick some butt."

"But if you're just using it as a stepping stone to be on 'Access Hollywood' then you're not needed here."

Boom.

11:04 AM PT -- Beadle just responded on Twitter ... and essentially blew the whole thing off.

Baltimore Ravens badass Terrell Suggs ripped Tom Brady apart ... trashing the QB for his smug attitude, his god-like status … and worst of all, HIS HAIR!!!

Suggs spit the venom during an interview with ESPN's "E:60" when Lisa Salters asked T-Sizzle how he truly felt about the Pats superstar. T's response:

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for camera. I don’t like him. He don’t like me. I don’t like his hair.”

Suggs will have a chance to tell Brady how he feels about him in person on Dec. 22 – when the Ravens take on the Pats.

Still, we gotta ask …

Former NFL superstar Hugh Douglas has just been FIRED from his gig on an ESPN show in the wake of reports he called his co-host an "Uncle Tom."

Douglas -- a former Philadelphia Eagles defensive stud -- had co-hosted ESPN's "Numbers Never Lie" ... along with Michael Smith.

But according to several reports, Douglas and Smith got into a heated altercation at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Orlando last Tuesday ...with Douglas allegedly hurling the racially charged insult at Smith, who is black.

Douglas never confirmed the incident ... but ESPN had previously told media outlets they were "aware there was a disagreement" between the two men.

Moments ago, ESPN took action -- 86'ing Douglas from the network, effective immediately.

Denver Nuggets star Kenneth Faried plays power forward, and now -- thanks to his own drunken rant -- we know the source of his power ... is in his pants*.

(*according to KF's calculations)

OK ... this video is INSANE -- but in a good way ... a way that's going to make you laugh, make you shake your head, laugh again ... and then wonder, "What the hell did I just watch?"

The star of the video is Denver Nuggets superstar Kenneth Faried -- who also happens to be on the cover of the ESPN body issue ... the one with all the naked athletes.

The 23-year-old was leaving Lure nightclub in Hollywood last night -- and seemed a little boozy (but in a playful way) ... when things quickly spun out of control.

First -- our guy had no idea who Kenneth was (so Kenneth messed with him and told him he's a soccer player ... pretty funny).

As Kenneth continues to mess with our guy, one of the NBA star's friends whips out the ESPN mag ... and our photog finally puts 2 and 2 together. It's hilarious.

And that's when the REAL fun begins ... with our photog asking about the naked photo shoot:

Photog: Were you nervous in the nude?
Kenneth: No! My d**k is big!!!

Kenneth then holds up the cover and starts musing on and on about his physique ... "I'm a SEXY INDIVIDUAL. Look at that s**t. You see that s**t? Look at them yams! Look at them abs!"

KF also says he's down to do Playgirl ... but there's a catch.

The best part of the encounter ... Kenneth took the responsible route home -- and got into a waiting SUV.

77-year-old pro golfer Gary Player didn't do a lick of extra training for his naked debut as the oldest man ever in ESPN's "Body Issue" -- dude says he's been in tip-top shape since birth ... aka the '30s ... yeah, he's that old.

Gary tells TMZ, “I did not do anything special for the shoot" ... other than busting his hump working outdoors on his farm in South Africa everyday for a few months prior to dropping trou for ESPN.

He added, "I was already relaxed, tanned and ready to go.”

Before Gary flashed the family jewels for the shoot 2 weeks ago in Miami ... he says ESPN treated him like a king and provided a serious spread of his fav foods -- including crudités, fresh fruit, hummus, salad, and herbal tea. No wonder GP's in great shape.

As for the whole naked thing, Gary says it didn't bother him one bit -- "I was relaxed and confident in my own skin to do this."

Someone is trying to sell the secret videotape of ESPN's Erin Andrews and it's clear -- there's a pervert on the loose.

We will not publish the video nor did we purchase it. It's a clear invasion of privacy. But this is what we can tell you.

It appears the video was shot from some sort of spy cam. It looks as if someone drilled a small hole in her hotel room from an adjoining room.

The camera is clearly being operated by someone. It follows Erin as she moves about her room.

It looks like a high-end hotel, but Erin's people claim they have no idea where or when it was shot.

It's also clear Erin has absolutely no idea she's being videotaped.