TMZ Sports - Page 50

Four men who unfurled a Trump 2020 banner at the Orioles game in Baltimore on Thursday were escorted out of the stadium while fans chanted, "Take it down" -- and it was all captured on video.

It all went down in the 8th inning of the Orioles vs. Blue Jays game ... after most of the fans had left Camden Yards because the Blue Jays were beating the hell out of the home team.

The men displayed the "Keep America Great" banner from an upper deck railing behind home plate -- and it hung for about 10 minutes before stadium officials took action.

You can see cops order the men to pull their sign up, which they do -- while basking in the boos from other pissed off fans.

FYI, the Orioles have an anti-banner policy at the stadium ... prohibiting fans from displaying ANY signs during the game -- especially if the team feels the signs are in "bad taste."

The men were eventually escorted out of the stadium -- but they didn't seem to care at all. In fact, it looks like they LOVED the attention.

Of course, Baltimore and President Trump have been in the news all week long ... POTUS called the city a "rodent-infested mess" and opinions from both party lines have gushed in ever since.

Trump supporters like Johnny Damon have said the President ain't wrong, telling TMZ Sports that toward the end of his baseball career, he found the city to be "scarier."

Novak Djokovic doesn't need a racket to whoop you on the court .... he doesn't even need hands, 'cause the 32-year-old tennis superstar will beat you with his noggin and his feet!!!

The Joker showed off his insane coordination with an intense game of soccer tennis on Friday ... and the 45-second rally is really impressive.

In case you couldn't figure it out, "Soccer Tennis" is tennis where you can't use your hands. It's super hard and VERY impressive to watch.

The #1 ranked player in the world kills it with his skills ... trappin' and juggling the ball like he's Lionel Messi.

Carmelo Anthony says there's no question he still belongs in the NBA ... and claims his absence from the league is more about politics than talent.

35-year-old Anthony has been out of the league since he was cut from the Houston Rockets back in November ... and there's been a public campaign by his NBA peers to get him back in the league ever since.

Melo sat down with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's "First Take" on Friday to discuss rumors of wanting a "farewell tour" similar to Dwyane Wade's last season in the league ... and he says that's simply not true ... because he's still got a lot left in the tank.

"I feel like I still can play, I know I still can play. My peers know I still can play," Melo says.

"I don't think it's about basketball anymore. I think it's about me as a person willing to accept certain roles on basketball teams. Am i willing to accept a certain role on a basketball team? Yes."

Melo says he was willing to accept smaller roles with OKC and Houston ... but got cut from the Rockets before he could prove he was willing to come off the bench.

"That's major, major ego hits. So, that was a whirlwind for me over that year and a half. But, I got to a point in Houston where I can accept that, I'm going to do that."

Baltimore Ravens legend Ed Reed sent a message loud and clear at Thursday's Hall of Fame game ... ditching his HOF golf polo to remember victims of police violence instead.

Six of the seven living members who are set to be enshrined in Canton this weekend rocked black polos with the Pro Football Hall of Fame logo on them at the Falcons-Broncos game Thursday.

But, Reed spurned that dress code ... and instead, wore a shirt with the faces of victims of police brutality on it.

Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Alton Sterling, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Mike Brown, Sandra Bland, Stephon Clark and Freddie Gray were all featured on the white and black T-shirt.

Reed didn't comment on the fashion statement during NBC's broadcast -- he wasn't asked about it during his 2nd quarter interview -- but the shirt clearly speaks for itself.

Ed is following in the footsteps of 2018 HOF inductee Randy Moss, who also remembered police brutality victims with names stitched in his tie during the induction ceremony.

Of course, NFL players all over the league have been trying to raise awareness to stop police violence for years ... with Colin Kaepernick famously kneeling for the national anthem back in 2016.

In fact, Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid has already said he'll continue that protest in 2019 ... telling reporters last month, "If a day comes that I feel like we’ve addressed those issues, and our people aren’t being discriminated against or being killed over traffic violations, then I’ll decide it’s time to stop protesting."

Donald Trump's sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, will be front and center at Saturday's big UFC fight, and ESPN will show their mugs on TV ... but there are a few strings attached.

Sources connected to the Disney-owned network tell TMZ ... there has been no pressure to keep them off camera to avoid controversy. It's a particularly sensitive time, with Trump's latest attacks which have a huge swath of the country calling him racist. The UFC community -- both fans and fighters -- is diverse, and the presence of the Trumps is a powder keg.

Nevertheless, we're told UFC honcho Dana White is calling the shots on who gets on TV, and we're told the Trump kids will get as much air time as other big celebs at the Prudential Center in Newark. Not to say Dana's directing, but he gives broad directives, and there is no Trump ban.

Now ... we're told the commentators have been told ... NO POLITICS -- and that's squarely in line with ESPN's directive.

Eric and Donald Jr., along with his GF, Kimberly Guilfoyle, were invited to the fight by Colby Covington, who's headlining the main event against Robbie Lawler. Covington is a staunch Trump supporter who's rarely seen without his MAGA hat. POTUS even invited him to the Oval.

And, Dana himself is a die-hard Trump supporter, who even spoke at the RNC. Dana has famously said he will NEVER say anything bad about Trump, who was one of his first and biggest supporters in the early days of the UFC.

Josie Canseco came thiiiiis close to losing a fight with the Pacific Ocean on Thursday ... holding on to her thong for dear life during a beach day in Waikiki.

The Victoria's Secret model is out in Oahu for the opening of a KITH x Coca-Cola pop-up shop (she's modeled for them in the past) ... but decided to take a break to frolic in the sand. The pics are straight fire.

But, during her dip, the tide got a little aggressive ... and nearly took her down her bottoms. A struggle for the ages ensued.

The good news for Josie, she was able to save herself from a public pantsing -- and went back to enjoying paradise.

The 22-year-old model -- who's the daughter of MLB legend Jose Canseco -- famously dated rapper Mike Stud ... but they broke up earlier this year.

Bre Tiesi is moving on from her marriage to Johnny Manziel ... and to show she's serious, she's having the QB's initials laser removed from her body.

Back when they were still a couple, Johnny and Bre hit the ink shop to memorialize their love for each other in tattoo form. She got his initials, "J.M." along with another special tattoo.

Johnny also had a special tat inked on his body for Bre -- though it's unclear if he plans to keep it.

As for Bre, the model announced she was leaving Johnny back in March -- after accusing him of breaking their wedding vows. She never got specific with the details but you can put 2 and 2 together.

So, this week Tiesi hit up the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group to have the "J.M." laser erased from her hand ... and our sources tell us she can't wait to have a clean slate.

Bre still isn't spilling the beans on exactly what happened in her marriage -- but we're told there's about a ZERO PERCENT CHANCE for a reconciliation.

Andy Ruiz tells TMZ Sports ... he'll begin his training camp for the Anthony Joshua rematch in just 2 WEEKS -- which means he's clearly planning on fighting AJ in December.

The reason this is interesting is because the two sides are still trying to hammer out some important details for the rematch ... most importantly, LOCATION.

Joshua wants the fight in the UK, but Ruiz says there's no way in hell he's letting that happen.

While they sort that out, Ruiz says he's going to focus on getting his body right -- which means he'll be taking it easy when it comes to his Snickers obsession.

Don't get it twisted, Ruiz is NOT looking to get shredded for the fight -- in fact, he told Joe Rogan he wants to be on the heavy side so he can carry Joshua's weight in the ring.

But, before the diet starts, Andy tells us he's still living that good life ... crushing steak and sushi at TAO restaurant in Los Angeles -- and if you see that big smile on his face, he's lovin' it!

As for the training camp, Ruiz told Rogan he doesn't plan on changing too much from the way he trained for the first Joshua fight ... lots of sprinting and cardio work ... he'll just up the intensity the second time around.

None. Zip. Zero.

That's the number of complaints AAU tournament director Gary Charles says he received about LeBron James after the NBA superstar went crazy celebrating on the court at Bronny's game.

Of course, the media went WILD over the footage ... with some people saying Bron was acting inappropriately over the weekend and taking the attention away from the kids. Some people suggested any other parent would have been reprimanded.

But, Charles, who runs the Big Time Tournament in Vegas, says the overall sentiment from people at the tourney was ... THEY LOVED IT!!!

"I thought it was awesome," Charles tells TMZ Sports ... "The way he went out there and showed pure joy."

"But what I loved about it was that I was watching a father rooting for his son's team."

By the way, Charles ain't just blowin' smoke -- he's a legend in grassroots basketball and he's worked with a TON of famous players and parents from Kobe Bryant to Lamar Odom, and others.

Charles says he was with LeBron and the family all week -- and was impressed with the way Bron not only showed love for Bronny's team, but ALL of the kids who played in  the tourney.

"I watched that family all week. They were first class every single day. I watched LeBron the way he handled himself, how he was so enthused when these kids were playing."

Charles says LeBron's energy is infectious and he's obviously welcome back to EVERY one of his events.

Johnny Damon is going to bat for Donald Trump ... saying toward the end of his baseball career -- he and his teammates were straight-up scared to go out on the town in Baltimore.

Of course, Trump has found himself in hot water this week for comments he made about the Maryland city -- ones in which he called Baltimore a "rodent-infested mess."

Damon says he thinks Trump's choices of words were a little harsh ... but he tells TMZ Sports he agrees with 45 -- saying back when he played in the MLB, he didn't love hitting the road there.

"He's not wrong," Damon says ... "Baltimore was one of the best places to visit when I broke into the league in '95. And, at the end, we didn't really, like, enjoy going back."

Damon -- who's been an outspoken Trump supporter for years -- added, "Towards the end, it started getting a little scarier."

Johnny says Trump's comments will actually HELP the city .. telling us he thinks the criticism should lead to a change in the area.

"I think Baltimore is a great town, and this is raising awareness and hopefully they can go in and spend the hard tax-paying dollars to actually make a difference."

For his part, Trump had a similar sentiment on the situation, saying at the White House earlier this week, "Those people are living in hell in Baltimore. They're largely African-American -- you have a large African-American population -- and they really appreciate what I'm doing and they've let me know it."

This video is AMAZING!!!

Cleveland Browns player T.J. Carrie -- who had a risky open-heart surgery at 14 -- shared his story with a young fan dealing with a heart condition on Thursday ... and it'll hit you in the feels.

10-year-old CJ DeJohn has been battling a serious heart condition -- hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a birth defect that affects normal blood flow through the heart -- which has required numerous surgeries throughout his life.

CJ attended Browns training camp as part of A Special Wish Cleveland on Thursday ... shadowing a Cleveland.com reporter and getting the opportunity to interview players.

One player in particular, Carrie, shared an inspiring message that hit close to home for CJ ... showing the young fan his own surgery scar ... and telling him to never let his condition hold him back.

"I don't want you to ever worry about that, okay? 'Cause you can still accomplish and do everything you want to do in life," Carrie says. "So, I want you to keep dreaming, and make sure you dream as big as possible, okay?"

"Because my dream was to be right here where I'm at and there were a lot of people who said I wasn't gonna be here because of my heart condition."

Carrie -- who was diagnosed with a coronary artery anomaly as a freshman in high school -- went on to get drafted by the Oakland Raiders in 2014 ... and he wants CJ to chase his dreams too.

"But, look where I'm at now. So, what does that mean for you? That means whatever you dream, you can accomplish. Don't never let no one tell you can't do that."

WARNING -- if you're eating lunch, ya might wanna put down the BLT ... 'cause Cris Cyborg is showing off her battle wound from UFC 240 ... and it's a doozy!!

The UFC superstar needed a bunch of stitches following her fight with Felicia Spencer on Saturday ... after getting a deep gash on her forehead in the 1st round.

Of course, Cyborg fought through the cut and ended up with the decision win like a badass ... and now she's proudly showing off the post-fight damage.

"I could see my skull after #UFC240!" Cyborg said.

Fun fact -- It was the first time in Cyborg's career she had to get stitched up ... which is incredible considering she turned pro in 2005!

Don't worry, though ... despite the injury, Cyborg made it VERY clear to UFC honcho Dana White she definitely still wants that rematch with Amanda Nunes.

MLB just suspended 8 people for that insane bench-clearing brawl in Cincinnati ... including Reds pitcher Amir Garrett, who basically tried to fight the entire Pittsburgh Pirates team.

Garrett was hit with an 8-GAME suspension for running over to the Pirates dugout Tuesday night and singlehandedly trying to fight ... well, everyone.

Yasiel Puig -- who was on the Reds at the time of the incident -- got 3 GAMES for bull-charging over to the brawl and trying to fight everyone.

During the game, Puig was traded to the Cleveland Indians ... so he'll serve his suspension with them.

Here's how the rest of the suspensions shook out ...

-- Pirates pitcher Keone Kela got 10 GAMES for intentionally throwing a 97 MPH fastball at Derek Dietrich's head in the 7th inning.

-- Reds pitcher Jared Hughes got 3 GAMES for throwing at a Pirates player in reponse to Kela throwing at Dietrich.

-- Pirates infielder Jose Osuna got 5 GAMES for "aggressive and inappropriate actions" during the fight ... which is a fancy way of saying, "5 for fighting."

-- Pirates pitcher Kyle Crick got 3 GAMES for fighting

-- Reds manager David Bell got 6 GAMES for a combination of things including allowing his pitcher to intentionally throw at an opposing batter, escalating the brawl and returning to the field after he was ejected

-- Pirates manager Clint Hurdle got 2 GAMES for allowing his pitcher to throw at opposing batters multiple times.

Everyone on the MLB's naughty list also received undisclosed fines -- along with several other players involved in the brawl including Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams and Reds 1B Joey Votto.

MLB exec Joe Torre issued a scathing statement ripping everyone involved in the fight ... and it sounds like a really disappointed parent:

"The incidents between these two Clubs remain a source of concern, and it’s reflected by the level of discipline we are handing down today," Torre said.

"Everyone on the field should be aware of the example they are setting for fans, particularly young people. I firmly expect these two managers and all others to hold their players accountable for appropriate conduct and to guide them in the right direction."

The powerful FaZe Clan gaming team is suing its most famous member, Tfue ... claiming the 21-year-old has "betrayed" the team and damaged the brand by trying to weasel his way out of their contract.

21-year-old Tfue (real name Turner Tenney) is one of the top gamers in the world -- and has earned MILLIONS of dollars thanks to his dominance in Fortnite.

Earlier this year, Tfue called out FaZe Clan publicly -- painting himself as a victim who was taken advantage of by a big gaming team who pressured a then-20-year-old to sign an unfair contract.

The biggest issue at the time was that Tfue claimed FaZe Clan's contract called for 80% of his brand deals and 50% of his merchandise profits ... and Tfue felt it was unfair.

But now, FaZe Clan is firing back in a lawsuit filed in federal court in New York ... essentially saying boo-hoo, you signed the contract and need to live up to it.

"Though a rookie athlete, Tenney was an adult when he signed his contract," FaZe says ... adding, "An initial rookie contract is a risk that the organization takes; most young players young careers never take off."

In fact, FaZe Clan says they believe Tfue has made more than $20 MILLION in earnings since joining FaZe Clan in April 2018 and he's only forked over $60,000.

FaZe says TFue was just your average "skilled gamer" when they found him -- and they transformed him into a bankable gaming pro.

FaZe says the deal they have in place with Tfue locks him up until 2021 -- and the fact he's trying to bail is complete BS.

FaZe says they recognized Tfue was a star and offered significant bonuses along the way -- including an offer to increase his revenue shares in the company substantially. They also claim they offered Tfue a 7-figure salary ... but Tfue refused to play ball.

Instead, FaZe claims Tfue trashed the company publicly ... violating a non-disparagement clause in his contract.

Now, FaZe is suing for their share of Tfue's earnings -- and to shut him up from divulging confidential information about the Clan.

We spoke with TFue's attorney Bryan Freedman who tells us, "Faze Clan’s lawsuit in New York is a ridiculous and obvious attempt to avoid the consequences of its clear violations of California law"

"Filing the lawsuit in New York is actually an admission that Faze Clan has no defense to these violations of California law. Ask yourself, why is Faze Clan is afraid to litigate its wrongful conduct in California? The answer is obvious. Faze Clan will lose."

Bombshell news in the gaming world ... Ninja is leaving Twitch -- and he's going to a direct competitor.

The move will land Ninja -- the most famous gamer on Earth -- with Microsoft's Mixer platform, Twitch's biggest competition with gamers in the livestreaming space.

Unclear how much cash Mixer shelled out to get Ninja to jump platforms, but we guarantee the numbers are HUGE.

Ninja is widely considered the most important gamer in the space and Mixer is clearly banking on Ninja bringing his massive fan base with him.

FYI, Ninja has more than 22 MILLION subscribers on YouTube ... and a HUGE chunk of those people watched him stream on Twitch every day.

The 28-year-old made the announcement on social media Thursday ... saying, "I'm super excited!"

"I'm honestly at a loss for words. I'm freaking out in the best of ways and I'm really just excited ... I feel like I'm gonna get back to the streaming roots."

Ninja says everything about his streams will be the exact same -- just on a new platform.

As we previously reported, Ninja said he makes around $500,000 per month just from streaming.

He also has big endorsement deals with brands like Red Bull.

Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf's $3 MILLION victory at the Fortnite World Cup is adding even more fire to one of the nastiest feuds in Esports ... involving a billionaire and one of the hottest execs in gaming.

TMZ Sports has obtained a lawsuit filed by Rob Moore -- the CEO of Sentinels, one of the top Esports franchises in the world. Bugha is a key member of the team.

Moore is suing Stan Kroenke's Esports company, KSE -- claiming he was tapped to build and run Stan's Esports empire in 2017 ... only to be stiffed out of millions of dollars for his troubles.

As part of the deal, Moore claims KSE wanted him to oversee their already-existing Overwatch league team, the L.A. Gladiators.

Long story short ... Moore says under the partnership with KSE, he put together a bunch of successful teams to compete in games from Fortnite and Apex Legends to League of Legends and Hearthstone.

Moore claims he not only scouted talent and signed some of the hottest gamers around -- including Bugha and xQc -- but he turned Stan's Esports division into a financial winner.

Here's where things get dicey ... Moore claims in early 2019, KSE was interested in acquiring Rick Fox's Team Echo Fox -- one of the most famous Esports franchises in the world.

The problem, Moore claims he never had a concrete contract with KSE in place ... and he wanted a formal deal that would give him a significant equity stake in Echo Fox if KSE bought the team.

Moore says he reached an oral agreement with Stan's son, Josh Kroenke, that was called a "Joint Venture" deal ... but now, Moore claims KSE is trying to renege.

In his lawsuit, Moore claims KSE is essentially trying to say he doesn't deserve equity because he isn't as important to the company as he THINKS he is.

Moore claims his resume speaks for itself ... and in the lawsuit, he actually points to Bugha's $3 million Fortnite victory as proof that he's great at his job.

Now, Moore is demanding compensation PLUS he wants 51% ownership of all KSE Esports teams including the L.A. Gladiators.

So, if the deal with Echo Fox goes through (it's reportedly a $30 mil deal) ... there's a lot of money at stake for Moore.

Moore's attorney Bryan Freedman tells TMZ Sports, "KSE's attempt to deny that Rob Moore and his team have been the sole operator of the successful Gladiators team is a transparent attempt to avoid their obligations under the joint venture agreement and has caused this lawsuit."