TMZ Sports - Page 50

Terrifying crash during the annual "Mountain of Hell" bike race in France ... where chain reaction pileup sent bikes and bodies flying EVERYWHERE -- and it was all caught on video. 

Miraculously, nobody was seriously hurt in the wreck ... but good lord, this is insane. 

It all went down at the Les Deux Alpes ski resort -- where roughly 1,000 cyclists with a death wish race down an 11,000-foot glacier in snow covered terrain ... first to the bottom wins. 

But, things went awry right out of the starting gate ... when one biker toward the front of the pack lost control, sending other cyclists crashing into each other. 

One guy actually started ROLLING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN!!!

Some of the riders dusted themselves off and got back on their bikes. Again, somehow no one was seriously injured, according to reports. 

Props to the winner Kilian Bron ... who got to the finish line so fast, there were barely any fans waiting for him!!!

Ex-NFL QB Anthony Wright -- who played for the Cowboys and Ravens in the early 2000s -- was shot several times during an argument with his girlfriend's ex, cops say. 

The Concord Police Department in North Carolina says 43-year-old Wright got into an altercation with his GF's ex-boyfriend on Monday during some kind of custody situation involving a minor child. 

Cops say Wright was hit with multiple gunshots after the two got into an argument ... and the former QB was immediately rushed to the hospital for an emergency surgery. 

Officials say Wright is currently in stable condition.

The alleged shooter has been identified as 47-year-old William "Willie" Moses Hooker Jr. -- who's now wanted for assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill.

Wright was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina back in 1999 ... but caught on with the Dallas Cowboys the following season. 

He got some playing time in Dallas after injuries to Randall Cunningham and Troy Aikman and ended up putting together a decent career ... starting 19 games in his 6-year NFL career. 

The QB finished his career with 3,590 total passing yards with 20 touchdowns during stints with the Cowboys, Ravens, Bengals and Giants. 

"Happy Birthday to my big brother" ... 

That's how Kim Goldman began her letter to her late bro, Ron Goldman, on Tuesday -- while reflecting on his life 25 years after his death. 

"You would have turned 51 today - just insane to think about all of the years lost, absolutely breaks my heart," Kim wrote in a note posted on social media. 

Of course, Ron was brutally murdered on June 12, 1994 ... when he was only 25 years old. 

At the time of his death, Ron was working as a waiter at the Mezzaluna Trattoria restaurant in Brentwood and had gone to Nicole Brown Simpson's condo to return a pair of sunglasses that had been left at the eatery earlier that day. 

While at Nicole's home, Ron and Nicole were ambushed by a knife-wielding scumbag who killed both of them. 

Kim Goldman says she's still trying to focus on the good times she shared with her big brother.

"The what-if's torture my spirit, so instead I will focus on your smile, your zest for life, your kindness, the memories of us growing up, our talks, our laughs, our tears."

"I will focus on the tremendous adoration and respect I have for you and I will hold on dearly to the memory of what your hugs felt like, cuz I sure could use one."

She ended her letter, "All the love in the world, xo Squirt."

He got the G.O.A.T. rings ... now Antonio Brown is paying homage to the Greatest of All Time, Muhammad Ali, with an iced-out butterfly and bee chain worth $250k!!

TMZ Sports has learned -- the NFL superstar wanted to honor the legend and his AB nickname at the same time ... getting an insane bee with butterfly wings -- and his #84 jersey number on it.

We're told Brown went to his go-to guy, Gabriel the Jeweler, for the job ... hooking him up with the piece made with a combo of pear and baguette-shaped VVS and brilliant-cut diamonds, totaling 65 carats on the cuban chain and 50 carats on the pendent.

Of course ... Gabriel is the guy behind AB's G.O.A.T rings he copped earlier this year (along with pretty much all of Brown's bling) ... and has also worked with other superstars like Amari Cooper, Odell Beckham and Jalen Ramsey.

We're told this newest piece is valued at a QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS ... but don't worry, AB's in the middle of a 3-year, $50 million contract.

Golden State Warriors legend Rick Barry says he APPROVES the team retiring Kevin Durant's #35 jersey ... he's just got one issue with KD -- why did you leave for Brooklyn?!

Barry -- one of only 6 Warriors players to ever have their number officially retired -- thinks the world of Durant ... saying he's an obvious Hall of Famer and one of the most special players of all time. 

But Barry is very confused as to why Durant would leave such an amazing situation in Golden State for an unsure future with the Brooklyn Nets. 

"I'm hoping some day he's gonna come forward and actually explain why it is he made the decision to leave because personally I can't figure out what reasons would justify wanting to leave the situation that he's in," Barry tells TMZ Sports. 

"It's such an incredible opportunity to be one of the greatest teams in the history of your sport. You have great teammates who can help you to achieve the goal of winning more championships and not have to carry the whole load yourself, be in a new arena that's gonna be fantastic, with great fans. So it's hard for me to conceive of why he wanted to leave."

Still, Barry says there's no hard feelings and even joked about KD's future ... 

"I wish him all the best but I will root against him when he plays against the Warriors when he comes back from his injury."

"Thank you for what you did to bring championships to this team with your amazing skills," Barry added. 

"So sorry for your injury and we'll pray for you that you will have a full and speedy recovery, and I look forward to watching you perform in the future."

Team USA soccer star Megan Rapinoe is dating WNBA superstar Sue Bird ... and Sue just ripped President Donald Trump a new one for the way he went after Rapinoe online. 

"So the President f*cking hates my girlfriend," Sue screamed in a headline she penned for The Players' Tribune.  

The article essentially gives people a window into their lives in the days after Trump went on Twitter and scolded Rapinoe about focusing on winning before criticizing him. 

Remember, the whole thing started when Rapinoe said she would never go to the "f*cking White House" to celebrate with Trump if Team USA wins the World Cup. 

Trump fired back on Twitter ... saying, "Megan should WIN first before she TALKS! Finish the job!"

He added, "Megan should never disrespect our Country, the White House, or our Flag, especially since so much has been done for her & the team."

Enter Bird ... who admitted she "[freaked] out a little]" when she saw Trump's tweet -- describing the whole exchange as "WEIRD." She compares Trump's actions to a "full adolescent boy."

"I mean, some of it is kind of funny," Bird wrote ... "but like in a REALLY? REALLY? THIS GUY??? kind of way."

"Like, dude -- there’s nothing better demanding your attention?? It would be ridiculous to the point of laughter, if it wasn’t so gross. (And if his legislations and policies weren’t ruining the lives of so many innocent people.)."

"And then what’s legitimately scary, I guess, is like ... how it’s not just his tweets. Because now suddenly you’ve got all these MAGA peeps getting hostile in your mentions. And you’ve got all these crazy blogs writing terrible things about this person you care so much about. And now they’re doing takedowns of Megan on Fox News, and who knows whatever else. It’s like an out-of-body experience, really -- that’s how I’d describe it. That’s how it was for me."

Of course, Rapinoe seemed unfazed by the situation when she took the field to play France on Friday -- scoring 2 GOALS in a fantastic performance. 

"She shrugged off the Rude Man on Twitter and managed to play ... I'd say pretty well," Bird said. 

Rapinoe and Team USA are set to take on England at 12 PM PT on Tuesday -- and Bird says Megan is CONVINCED they're not just gonna win that game, but take home the Cup and celebrate back in the USA. 

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Tuesday on L.A. Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner tells TMZ Sports.

As part of the examination process, we're told the M.E. is also conducting toxicology tests to find out what (if anything) was in Skaggs' system when he died.

Officials say they found 27-year-old Skaggs unconscious in his hotel room in Texas around 2:18 PM on Monday -- just hours before L.A. was set to take on the Rangers.

Emergency responders were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cops say no foul play was suspected and police sources tell us there were no obvious signs of suicide.

We're told toxicology results are expected back in about 4-6 weeks ... and the autopsy is scheduled to begin sometime Tuesday.

Here's a lesson in supply and demand ... 

After Nike recalled their special Betsy Ross Flag Air Max 1 USA sneakers, DEMAND EXPLODED ... with several leaked pairs selling for more than $2,000!!! 

The shoes were originally supposed to be released on June 29 with a $120 price tag -- but after Colin Kaepernick reached out to Nike to express concerns with the design, the Swoosh ordered retailers to pull the kicks and send them back to headquarters. 

The move almost immediately caused the shoe value to skyrocket with collectors because they essentially became a limited edition shoe ... with very few pairs getting through to consumers. 

We checked out the website StockX -- a super popular streetwear auction site -- and one pair of the Betsy Ross kicks sold for $2,501 ... a Size 8. 

A pair of Size 10.5s and a pair of Size 9s sold for $2,000 each. Another 10.5 sold for $1,750. A few pairs of Size 10s have sold in the $1,200 range.  

Another seller claims they have a pair of Size 10s and they're asking $6,974 -- but who knows if they'll actually get it.  

Before the news about Colin Kaepernick's involvement went public, the shoes had been reselling in the $250 range ... but the news about CK caused a massive shift and they're still on fire. 

As we previously reported, Colin went to Nike with concerns about the Betsy Ross 13-star design on the shoes ... a design that's recently been co-opted by several white nationalist groups. 

Nike ultimately felt Colin's point was valid and issued a recall. It's unclear exactly how many pairs slipped through and got to the public. 

Dez Bryant says he's got Kareem Hunt's back -- telling TMZ Sports he's putting all of his support behind the troubled running back ... explaining, "Everybody goes through problems."

We broke the story ... Hunt spoke with police Saturday night after a "small argument" with a friend outside of a Cleveland bar. He wasn't arrested but it ain't the best look considering Hunt's past. 

When we saw Dez leaving Peppermint in L.A. on Monday evening, he made it clear he's riding with the Cleveland Browns running back because he thinks he's a good dude. 

"To be truthfully honest, I'm a huge fan of Kareem hunt, believe it or not," Bryant said ... "Things happen, ain't nobody perfect."

He continued ... "At the end of the day, that guy's gonna have a successful career, just because of who he is. Everybody goes through problems, we get over 'em. We live and we learn."

Of course, Hunt is on thin ice with the Browns -- which signed him to a "zero-tolerance" contract in the wake of a violent altercation with a woman at an Ohio hotel in 2018. Hunt has said he understands the gravity of the situation and said he was getting professional help to stay on the right track. 

The NFL has suspended Hunt for the first 8 games of the 2019 NFL season -- but Bryant says he expects the guy to ball out when he returns. 

"Shout-out to Kareem Hunt. He's gonna have a hell of a year. As soon as he gets reinstated, he's gonna do his thing. That's just who he is."

As for Dez, the 30-year-old wide out says he's feeling great after an Achilles injury that sidelined him for the 2018 season. 

Colin Kaepernick apparently has a lot of influence over Nike ... because the quarterback-turned-activist convinced Nike to nix plans to sell a flag-themed sneaker Kap considered offensive. 

The sneaker giant was set to put a new colorway of its popular Air Max 1 sneaker on the market this week, featuring an old U.S. flag with 13 stars from the American Revolution ... but according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Nike pulled the shoe before it went on sale because Kaepernick complained. 

Nike even sent the sneakers to retailers, but then the company asked to have the merchandise back. 

Kaepernick, who is endorsed by Nike, reportedly reached out to The Swoosh with huge concerns after images of the shoe with the Betsy Ross flag started being posted online ... he thinks the imagery is offensive because of its connection to slavery.

We're told Kap also took issue with the fact that two prominent white nationalist groups -- including the Patriot movement -- use the flag as a symbol for their group. 

Kap was not alone in his criticism, tons of users on social media reacted to the imagery with similar concerns. 

The OG Betsy Ross flag was created back in 1792, and its 13 white stars represent the 13 original colonies. 

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs was found dead in Texas on Monday morning, the team has announced.

The 27-year-old had just pitched against the Oakland As on Saturday. The team is currently in Texas to play the Rangers.

Details surrounding his death are unclear. Major League Baseball has cancelled Monday night's game as a result.

The Angels issued a statement saying, "It is with great sorrow that we report Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas."

"Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels Family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time."

Phillies superstar Bryce Harper has shared his condolences ... saying, "By far the nastiest prep arm I ever faced. My thoughts and prayers go out to Tyler's family! Gone too soon!"

Cleveland Indians ace Trevor Bauer added ... "We came up together. We won together. We laughed and celebrated together. Today, we all lose and mourn together."

"Your memory, your love for life, everything that made you, you, will live forever in the hearts and minds of those who knew you. Rest In Peace brother. We love you."

Angels superstar Mike Trout spoke out about his teammate, saying "Words cannot express the deep sadness we feel right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with Carli and their families."

"Remembering him as a great teammate, friend, and person who will forever remain in our hearts... we love you, 45."

Skaggs posted a picture with his teammates on Sunday after touching down in Texas for the Angels' series against the Rangers.

Skaggs was drafted by the Angels in the 1st round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2012 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he played until 2013. He later returned to the Angels where he's played ever since (he missed the 2015 season due to surgery).

WNBA superstar Brittney Griner says it's "AWESOME" that Lil Nas X has come out as gay -- telling TMZ Sports, "I think it's real big!"

28-year-old Griner is openly gay -- she's engaged to longtime girlfriend Cherelle Watson -- and knows first hand how tough it can be to come out when you're a big star under the microscope. 

But, the 5-time WNBA All-Star says she's especially impressed with the "Old Town Road" artist for not letting homophobes and negative gay stereotypes (especially in the hip-hop world) stop him from going public about his sexuality. 

"I just think it's awesome he did that," Griner says ... "takes a lot of bravery."

Griner says it's 2019 and people should be able to love who they want to love and be who they want to be without fear of a backlash ... and she thinks Lil Nas X is helping to achieve that goal. 

"I think it's real big ... kudos to him."

NBA hooper Evan Turner says he can't wait to get on the court with his new team ... telling TMZ Sports "it's gonna be dope, it's gonna be legit" to play for the Atlanta Hawks.

30-year-old Turner was just traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to ATL last week ... putting the vet on a roster full of young talent like Trae Young, Cam Reddish and DeAndre Hunter.

We spoke with the former #2 overall pick in the 2010 draft about the move ... and he's excited to get started with his new team.

"We're gonna have some fun, man," Turner says ... "I think the whole experience is gonna be legit, it's gonna be fun."

No Klaw? No problem! ... so says Kenny Smith, who says LeBron James and Anthony Davis are destined to lead the Lakers to NBA championships with or without Kawhi Leonard!

But, don't get it twisted -- The Jet says Bron needs to do whatever he can to land a player like the Klaw ... but if Leonard doesn't sign with L.A., Lakers Nation shouldn't freak out.

"You've got LeBron James, you've got Anthony Davis. [Leonard's] just an extra bonus," Smith tells TMZ Sports ...  "You should win the championship with that without question."

We asked Smith if the Purple and Gold are getting too greedy in trying to get Leonard ... Smith had a strong take on that too! 

"What's after 'greedy?' I'm thinking of the word after 'greedy' ... gluttonous! You're getting gluttonous."

No other Warriors player will ever wear #35 again ... so says Golden State co-chairman and CEO Joe Lacob who heaped the ultimate praise on Kevin Durant after the superstar signed with Brooklyn. 

"As long as I am co-chairman of this team, no player will ever wear #35 for the Warriors again," Lacob said in a statement. 

Durant only played for the Warriors for 3 seasons -- but Golden State got to the NBA Finals every time ... and won 2 out of 3 championship titles. Durant was the NBA Finals MVP both times they won. 

Of course, Durant became a free agent at the end of the 2018-19 season and is signing a massive deal to play with Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan on the Brooklyn Nets. 

But, Lacob ain't bitter -- saying, "Three years ago, we were thrilled with the arrival of Kevin Durant, a transformative NBA player and one of the best to ever play the game."

"Today, as he starts a new chapter in his incredible career, we thank KD for all of his contributions, for being an integral part to one of the most prolific runs in NBA history and we wish him well as he continues his Hall of Fame journey."

FYI, the Warriors have only "officially" retired 6 jerseys in team history -- so this ain't something they do often. 

There's more ... TMZ Sports just spoke with Warriors GM Bob Myers who praised Durant for being "awesome" ... and noting, "Appreciate all he did." 

Klay Thompson won't let his new $190 MIL contract keep him from his 2nd job ... 'cause the NBA star hit up the "Space Jam 2" set right after signing that massive 5-year deal with the Warriors. 

Check out Klay lounging on the Los Angeles set of LeBron James' new flick -- taking some time to ice down his left knee ... the same knee he inured in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on June 13. 

Klay tore his ACL -- but despite the injury, he's still been showing up to film the movie. We got him just the other day crutching onto the basketball court where Bron has been shooting some of the action scenes. 

Unclear if Klay's injury will be referenced in the movie or if producers plan on shooting Klay's scenes in a way that would make it seem like he's okay. 

As we previously reported, there are a TON of huge basketball stars in the flick ... from Anthony Davis to Damian Lillard and Draymond Green.