TMZ Sports - Page 50

Kevin O’Leary firmly believes Nike fully manufactured the controversy surrounding the Betsy Ross Flag shoe and Colin Kaepernick ... and he says it's brilliant.

We got the "Shark Tank" investor leaving the "Squawk Box" show Wednesday morning in NYC and had to ask him about the heat Nike's catching for recalling its special Betsy Ross Flag Air Max 1 USA sneakers.

Kevin says that while Nike made a mistake getting the Betsy Ross flag involved to begin with ... the shoe giant knew exactly what it was doing when it yanked the shoes -- creating a firestorm of free marketing. 

As you know, Kap felt the 13-star flag design prominently featured on the heel was offensive because it's been co-opted by several white nationalist groups. Nike felt Colin made a valid point and pulled the plug on the shoes. 

Ex-NFL quarterback Jared Lorenzen -- aka The Hefty Lefty -- has died at 38 after battling heart and kidney issues, his family confirmed.

Lorenzen was admitted to the hospital over the weekend and underwent dialysis after falling ill with an infection that affected his kidney and heart.

But, after doctors tried to save his life, Lorenzen succumbed to to his ailments and passed away Wednesday.

"It is with heavy hearts that the family of Jared Lorenzen, would like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation for all of your support and prayers over the past 6 days," the family said in a statement.

"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Jared today, July 3, 2019."

"Again, we appreciate all of the warm wishes and prayers but as a family we would request your respect and privacy."

Jared became a national sensation as the QB at Kentucky back in the early 2000s because -- well, he wasn't built like a traditional QB ... weighing in around 300 pounds.

After college, Lorenzen joined the NY Giants as an undrafted free agent -- where he became Eli Manning's backup ... and he won a Super Bowl ring as a part of the 2007 team, when they beat the undefeated Patriots.

He went on to play indoor football for the Northern Kentucky River Monsters in 2013 -- and played well until suffering a broken leg, which ultimately ended his career.

Before college, Lorenzen was a high school stud -- he was awarded the prestigious Kentucky Mr. Football award for the best player in the state.

In college, he was the All-SEC 2nd team QB.

Hot dog eating god Joey Chestnut has a brand new BEEF -- this time, he's biting back at legendary sports reporter Peter King who's crapping all over food eating competitions. 

FYI, King has a real problem with ESPN releasing a new "30 for 30" special this week on the rivalry between Chestnut and his wiener-gobbling rival, Takeru Kobayashi. 

"A shame that as at least a fifth of children in America go to bed hungry nightly [ESPN is] highlighting gluttony, treating someone who overeats excessively as a 'competitive athlete,'" King wrote ... "Truly disgusting."

So, when we spotted Chestnut in NYC -- getting ready to defend his mustard yellow belt at the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 on Coney Island, we had to ask for his thoughts. 

"I think Peter King ... he's kind of narrow-minded," Chestnut said ... "He's picking low hanging fruit."

"It's easy to criticize something ... he could easily criticize NASCAR for greenhouse gas emissions."

Chestnut says at the end of the day, the amount of food consumed at the competition is "very small" -- and notes that Major League Eating is very involved in donating to food banks around the country.

Shaquille O'Neal just dropped the music video for his EDM track with NGHTMRE and Lil Jon ... and it's a crazy combo of headbanging, Ferraris and ... doing taxes??

Hell yeah!!!

DJ Diesel -- AKA the biggest DJ on the planet -- teamed up with the L.A. producer and crunk rapper for the perfectly titled banger, "BANG," which was originally released back in February.

The song alone will make you want to flip your desk over and quit your job ... and now that the video came out this week, we get to enjoy watching Shaq and the gang rage their faces off and goof around.

Seriously ... the dudes go from spa days to arcades to playing hide-and-seek ... and a bunch of live shots from Ultra Music Festival in Miami in between.

Of course, Shaq's been spending his time on the 1s and 2s in recent years and gaining the respect from fellow DJs like Diplo, who told us back in February the NBA legend is "killin' it" in his new career.

The NFL will NOT suspend Ezekiel Elliott for knocking a security guard to the ground during a May 19 incident caught on video at a music festival in Las Vegas. 

The Dallas Cowboys running back met with NFL commish Roger Goodell on Tuesday and issued a statement essentially taking responsibility for acting inappropriately during the incident. 

And now, it seems the apology worked. 

The NFL says the league "conducted a comprehensive investigation that included interviews with multiple witnesses, including security personnel and others with direct involvement, as well as a review of documentary and other information."

"On Tuesday, as part of the review, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Mr. Elliott to reinforce the standards of conduct expected of him and the consequences for failing to meet those standards."

"Mr. Elliott acknowledged that he demonstrated poor judgment and committed to make better choices in the future. He volunteered to take advantage of the resources available to help him continue to grow personally."

"Commissioner Goodell determined there was no violation of the personal conduct policy and no further action is warranted."

As we previously reported, Elliott used his body to knock 19-year-old Kyle Johnson to the ground during a dispute in the parking lot captured on video and published by TMZ Sports. 

Team USA superstar Megan Rapinoe has 3 words for the people criticizing Alex Morgan's "tea cup" celebration during the World Cup ...

"Wah, wah, wah!"

Morgan stuck her pinky out and pretended to sip some tea after scoring the winning goal in the semifinal against England on Tuesday ... and some people considered it "distasteful."

Rapinoe -- who had her own iconic celebration after scoring against France in the quarterfinals -- is calling B.S. on the criticism ... saying, "we're at the World Cup. what do you expect us to do?"

"This is the biggest stage, the biggest moment. I don't think anyone truly believes that we disrespect the game or disrespect our opponents," the co-captain said.

"We work hard, we like to play hard and we like to have fun and enjoy ourselves and these are the absolute biggest moments to do that."

"We have the utmost respect for England and every team that we faced and every team that we will face forever and ever. That's just part of the DNA of the squad."

Rapinoe's been outspoken throughout the World Cup -- getting President Trump's attention after saying "I'm not going to the f*cking White House" ... with POTUS saying she should focus on winning.

This is funny ... 

Ronda Rousey has been out of pro wrestling since April ... and she just made a pretty hilarious video to show how much she misses the squared circle! 

As we previously reported, Ronda stepped away from her day job back in April to work on starting a family with her UFC fighter husband, Travis Browne. 

No word on how that's going ... but she's clearly staying creative in her time off. Check out the video in which she pokes fun at herself for being away from the ring for so long. 

She pins Travis, she trash talks her fridge, she recreates her walk-out in the shower and practices riling the fans with a some middle finger work and an f-bomb!

WWE Hall of Famer D-von Dudley even makes a cameo so Ronda can put Travis through a table! 

Unclear when Ronda will return to WWE action -- but it seems like it'll happen sooner rather than later (even if she's pregnant and not actually physically wrestling). 

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera is off the hook in his domestic violence case ... as long as completes an anger management course.

The 27-year-old was arrested in Atlantic City back in May after cops say the MLB player got violent with her during a dispute at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. 

When cops arrived to the scene, the victim had "visible signs of injury to her arms and neck that was sustained after being assaulted by her boyfriend."

We're told the woman was found with "hand print marking to her neck area and small scratches to her arms."

Odubel was initially arrested for simple assault -- and if convicted, he faced a $1,000 fine and 6 months in jail.  

According to court records, Odubel pled not guilty -- and ultimately cut a deal in which prosecutors agreed to drop the charge as long as he completes an anger management course. 

Seems like a no-brainer. 

How do you celebrate after getting a $170 MILLION contract offer? 

If you're Ben Simmons, you hit the Hollywood nightclubs with a massive entourage!!

That's what the 22-year-old did last night ... rolling into Bootsy Bellows in West Hollywood like the ultimate VIP and TMZ Sports has the video. 

Simmons -- looking super casual in a hoodie and a baseball cap -- strolled right past the normies and walked right into the club with a bunch of dudes and ladies surrounding him. 

It was a pretty pimp moment from one of the biggest young stars in the NBA. 

Ben joined some huge celebrities in the club including Dave Chappelle, A$AP Ferg and rapper Trinidad James. 

Simmons only made a measly $6.5 mil this season -- but if/when he signs his max contract, he'll be making around $34 MIL per year (He has until October to sign the contract). 

Hundreds of fans SWARMED the streets of New York on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of soccer superstar Paul Pogba ... nearly trapping his car in the process -- and the video is insane!!!

The 26-year-old Manchester United superstar was in town to do an autograph signing at the Adidas store ... where he posed for pics and chopped it up with fans all afternoon. They loved it!

But, when it was time to leave ... man ... things got WILD in the streets! 

Tons of fans came out from everywhere with their cell phones up in a crazed effort to get a shot of the French superstar ... ya gotta watch the video. 

At one point, it looked like a scene from "The Walking Dead" and it seemed Pogba's SUV was blocked in from the fans -- but the driver somehow found an opening and hit the gas. 

Pogba is reportedly in the middle of some drama with Man U -- he wants to leave for Real Madrid ... and there's some serious friction with Paul and his Man U bosses. 

They're especially pissed (according to reports) that Pogba's still hanging out in the U.S. while training is going down back in the UK. 

Paul doesn't seem to care though ... looks like he's having more fun here. 

Just one day after the death of their teammate, Tyler Skaggs, the L.A. Angels decided to take the field against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday ... and they WON!

The Angels dedicated the game to Skaggs -- and had decided that playing the game is what the 27-year-old would have wanted them to do.

It was an emotional game ... with the Halos emerging victorious in a 9-4 game.

Afterward, Mike Trout fought back tears as he talked about how much Skaggs meant to the team.

"We were close," Trout said ... "I see these guys more than my family."

Right fielder Kole Calhoun hit a home run in the 8th inning to help seal the victory -- and pointed to the sky in an obvious reference to Skaggs.

"We know we’ve got an angel watching over us now," Calhoun told reporters after the game.

"When I got to the plate, it felt right to pay some respect to him, and like I said, we know we’ve got somebody watching over us up there."

L.A. Angels starting pitcher Jose Suarez also honored Skaggs with “RIP 45” on his cap -- along with Tyler's initials "TSK" written above the bill.

Multiple people who were hanging out with Tyler Skaggs on the day before he died tell TMZ Sports there were no obvious signs anything was wrong -- "He seemed completely normal."

One source tells us, "I was with him on Sunday. He seemed like himself."

Another source added, "There was no indication anything was wrong" ... saying the 27-year-old's death was "shocking," especially since Tyler had pitched just 2 days before he died.

Skaggs and the rest of the L.A. Angels flew from Anaheim to Dallas on Sunday ... and Skaggs was in such a good mood, he suggested the team take a funny Cowboy-themed team photo at the airport. He posted the photo Sunday evening saying, "Howdy ya'll."

The very next day, Skaggs was found unconscious in his hotel room -- and was pronounced dead at the scene when paramedics arrived.

Officials say there were no obvious signs of suicide or foul play -- and the medical examiner is currently investigating. An autopsy and toxicology tests have been performed but the results have not been made public. It could take between 4 and 6 weeks for the toxicology results to come back.

The Los Angeles Angels players and manager had a team discussion and agreed to play the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night because they felt it's what Tyler Skaggs would have wanted.

Angels manager Brad Ausmus along with General Manager Billy Eppler, owner Arte Moreno and president John Carpino addressed the media Tuesday in a very emotional press conference to reflect on the 27-year-old pitcher who died Monday afternoon.

Ausmus and Eppler fought back tears as they explained what Skaggs meant to the team -- a beloved teammate, friend and family man.

Team officials said they still have no idea about what led to Skaggs' sudden death -- they're waiting on information from the medical examiner.

The Angels -- along with the Rangers and MLB -- agreed to postpone Monday's scheduled game in the wake of Tyler's death. But, Ausmus said the team met on Tuesday and decided to get back to action.

Ausmus and Eppler explained that playing baseball can help the players take their minds off of the sadness and give them a "refuge" from the tragedy.

Ausmus noted he doesn't think sitting in a hotel room would do the players any good.

Several Angels players attended the press conference -- including Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. They all sat quietly in the corner as Ausmus, Eppler and Moreno talked about Skaggs.

As we previously reported, Skaggs was found unconscious in his Texas hotel room where the team was staying around 2:20 PM on Monday ... and he was pronounced dead a short time later.

There's been a lot of speculation about how Skaggs died -- but so far, officials have not released a cause of death.

The Medical Examiner has said there were no obvious signs of suicide or foul play. An autopsy was conducted Tuesday morning but no word on the results. Toxicology results could take 4 to 6 weeks to come back.

Skaggs had just pitched 2 days before his death -- logging 5 strikeouts in 4.5 innings against the Oakland A's.

Skaggs had been having a standout 2019 season ... posting 7 wins and 78 strikeouts in 79.2 innings pitched.

Ezekiel Elliott just finished his meeting with Roger Goodell over his Las Vegas altercation ... and the Cowboys superstar appears to be taking full responsibility for the incident, saying, "I made a poor decision."

"Earlier today, I met with the Commissioner to share with him what occurred in Las Vegas and what I have learned from that incident," Elliott said.

"I've worked hard to make better decisions and to live up to the high standards that are expected of me. I failed to do that here and I made a poor decision."

We broke the story, Zeke was detained by police at the EDC music festival on May 19 after knocking down a 19-year-old security guard. 

At the time, the security guard did not wish to press charges -- but has recently said he wants a genuine apology from Elliott or else he will consider his legal options. 

Elliott seemed to give Johnson that after the Goodell meeting, writing, "I apologized to Kyle Johnson at the time and I meant it."

"I need to work harder to ensure I do not put myself in compromised situations in the future. I am rededicating myself to use all of the resources that the league has made available. But in the end, it is up to me and I am determined not to be in this position again."

We're almost 2 full days into free agency and Kawhi Leonard still hasn't picked a team ... so now singer Bazzi is resorting to using his pipes to recruit the NBA superstar to the Lakers.

... and it's freakin' beautiful.

Of course, the 21-year-old "Paradise" singer is a HUGE Purple & Gold fan ... and just like the rest of Laker Nation, he's pulling out all the stops to get the 2-time Finals MVP to join LeBron and Anthony Davis.

Bazzi took Michael Jackson's classic "Human Nature" and switched up the words with a Lakers twist, singing "Kawhi, Kawhi, tell me that you'll be a Laker ... I really want you in L.A."

Bazzi ain't the only one trying like hell to get the Klaw to the Lakers ... Steve Aoki is offering him free pizza for life ... and has a "Kawhi Not?" mural on the side of his Pizzaoki restaurant in Venice.

Even Clippers star Lou Williams made his pitch to get Kawhi to L.A as well, giving TMZ Sports a pitch to get Leonard to suit up for the other pro team in Tinseltown.

Jason Pierre-Paul is STILL in a neck brace nearly 2 months after he crashed his $350,000 Ferrari in Florida ... and with training camp set to begin in 24 days, it's not a great look for Bucs fans.

As we previously reported ... the Tampa Bay star wrecked his 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista back on May 2 -- when he spun out of control in bad weather and slammed into a concrete barrier.

Pierre-Paul was diagnosed with a broken neck after the crash ... but when it was revealed he DIDN'T need surgery to fix the issue, some had hopes he'd return to the Bucs this season.

But, in videos JPP posted to social media on Tuesday -- you can see the 30-year-old doesn't seem to be close to blowing by offensive tackles anytime soon.

Jason inked a 4-year, $62 MILLION deal with the Giants back in 2017 ... but was traded to the Bucs before the 2018 season.