TMZ Sports - Page 33

You can tell Lamar Odom still has love for his ex-wife, Khloe Kardashian, based on what he's saying about her recent embarrassment at the hands of Tristan Thompson ... and telling us what'd he do to comfort her.

We got the former NBA superstar Wednesday at the Atlanta Fish Market in Buckhead, and he said he hasn't reached out to Khloe since TT copped to getting another woman pregnant.

LO says he and Khloe haven't seen each other in a long time, but he feels like this would be a great time to be able to give her a hug.

Rocking a fur coat as he and his manager, Tonita B, entered the restaurant ... Lamar echoes what a lot of people have said about Khloe being a strong woman -- and he also told us what advice he'd give her ... if he had the opportunity for a face-to-face.

While we asked directly about Tristan, Lamar clearly didn't want to discuss him ... simply saying "he's corny" for what he did. TT and Lamar have butted heads in the past, like earlier this year after Lamar left a comment on a Khloe post.

Of course, Lamar's had his challenges over the years -- including his nearly-fatal OD in 2015 -- and other substance abuse struggles, but he seems to be on the straight and narrow lately.

Khloe and Lamar got married in 2009, and Khloe filed for divorce in 2015 ... but she withdrew the filing when he suffered his OD so that she could make medical decisions on his behalf while he was in a coma. The divorce was finalized in 2016.

Conor McGregor's popular bar in Ireland was attacked Wednesday night -- reportedly being hit by Molotov cocktails -- and now, cops say they're on the hunt for suspects.

According to The Sun, criminals threw two petrol bombs at McGregor's The Black Forge Inn in Dublin last night, and also left two pipe bombs near the watering hole's entrance as well.

A rep for McGregor tells TMZ Sports the UFC superstar was NOT inside of the building while it all went down. No word yet if he was an intended target in the attack.

"No one was impacted," the rep said, "and the pub is open and busy as always."

Ireland authorities confirmed to TMZ Sports there was "an incident of attempted criminal damage" near the Dublin pub ... but, thankfully, they added, "No damage was done to the premises."

Cops said they're now searching for any leads, and are urging any witnesses with video to contact them ASAP.

Ben Simmons' time in Philadelphia is up ... at least that's what Austin Rivers truly believes, telling TMZ Sports he doesn't see the 3-time All-Star suiting up for the 76ers ever again.

Of course, the Denver Nuggets guard's dad, Doc, has been trying to mend the relationship between Ben and the Sixers org. for months now ... but BS has yet to play a minute of hoops for Philly this season.

And when we asked Austin about the situation, he says he doesn't see Simmons playing for the Sixers ever again.

"No man, probably not. I don’t think so," Rivers answered. "If he hasn’t suited up by now, then I don’t think so."

Austin says his dad and the team have done everything in their power to retain the 25-year-old ... despite Simmons' desire to be traded.

"S***, they tried, bro," he said. "Look how long it’s been. I think they tried to keep him. He wants to go somewhere else obviously."

Rivers ultimately wishes BS well saying ... "I just want the young man to be happy. He’s talented. He’s a great player."

As we previously reported, Doc told us he'd love to have BS back with the Sixers. But so much has transpired since then ... and with neither side budging, it certainly feels like Austin's right.

Kevin Hart's now on a Philly dream team -- joining Meek Mill and Michael Rubin to give back to their community with a $15 million donation to benefit students in the greater Philadelphia area.

The "Championships" rapper and 76ers partner added Kevin to the mix for another big charitable push -- pooling their funds to support 5,000 students from underserved communities who are attending private and parochial schools.

We're told the $15 mil donation will back the students at 110 schools for the 2022-23 school year.

As we've reported ... Meek's made a tradition out of playing Santa for Philly kids each Christmas -- but he's also put forth a year-round effort to support education in his hometown.

He and Michael launched a $2 million scholarship fund for Philly students back in December 2020, providing youth with critical resources during the pandemic.

The duo partnered with REFORM Alliance just last month, hosting a special VIP experience for more than 25 children negatively impacted by the criminal justice system -- the kids went to a 76ers game, and even got to shoot around on the court.

Forget ice cream and movies ... Joe Judge is getting over his New York Giants breakup with beer and pizza -- and a whole hell of a lot of it!!!

The former G-Men head coach -- who was canned on Tuesday following two abysmal seasons with the team -- ordered a boatload of 'za and suds to his New Jersey home on Wednesday, presumably to help drown out his newfound sorrows.

Pictures, taken by a photo agency, show the newly unemployed 40-year-old had nine boxes of pizza as well as several cases of Michelob Ultra and Coors Light delivered to his place. We're also told Judge had flowers arrive on his doorstep as well.

No word yet on if anyone is joining Judge in the pity party -- or if the massive amounts of food and booze are strictly for Judge.

But, if the latter is the case, and it seems excessive -- it quite frankly might not be.

Judge had a brutal two-year stretch as head man of the Giants -- going 10-23 -- and things got so bad, New York co-owner John Mara said Wednesday this year was his "lowest moment" with the team.

Chris Dickerson -- the first Black Mr. America and first openly gay man to be Mr. Olympia -- died after a reported heart ailment. He was 82 years old.

Dickerson's friend, Bill Neylon, told the Washington Post Chris had died at a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, FL on December 23 ... after struggling with complications to his heart.

Neylon added Chris had been staying in a rehabilitation center in Florida prior to his death.

Dickerson -- who stood just 5'6" inches tall -- was a pioneer in his industry ... winning the crown of Mr. America in 1970 and Mr. Olympia in 1982.

Some of his most notable wins were victories at Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Grand Prix competitions in multiple states.

The legendary bodybuilder had a storied career spanning more than three decades ... winning 50 titles during that time.

Chris had suffered a broken hip in 2020 -- he also experienced a heart attack and contracted COVID-19 before his passing, Bill told the outlet.

Country music star Walker Hayes had to rub a little salt in his wound following Alabama's loss Monday night ... rewriting one of his hits to pay off a bet he made with a Georgia football legend.

The "Fancy Like" crooner and HUGE Bama fan took to IG to explain the situation on Tuesday ... saying he had made a gentleman's agreement with ex-Bulldog star David Pollack before the title game.

Hayes promised to replace some of his Tide-themed lyrics in his hit, "AA," with UGA ones if Bama fell. No word on what Pollack would have had to do if Georgia lost.

But, it ultimately didn't matter, 'cause the Bulldogs took home the trophy ... and Hayes was forced to pay up less than 24 hours later.

So, Hayes whipped out his guitar ... and instead of singing, "In Alabama where they love Nick Saban," he belted out, "In Athens, Georgia where they love Kirby Smart."

He also showered Pollack and Georgia in praise ... and even begrudgingly added a "Go Dawgs!" to his video.

We're sure that didn't feel too good ... but we're confident Hayes and Bama have enough trophies over the last few years to soak up the tears.

Life has changed so much for Shawn Bradley since he was paralyzed in a tragic bike accident last year, the former NBA star admitted he battles suicidal thoughts regularly.

The 7-foot-6, ex-Dallas Mavericks fan favorite made the revelation during recent interviews with Sports Illustrated -- explaining things have not been easy since he suffered a serious spine injury in a Jan. 20, 2021 bicycle crash.

"Maybe it'd be better if this was just all over," Bradley says he sometimes thinks to himself in the wake of the tragedy.

"Yes, those thoughts creep in -- and they're real. I can't ever imagine myself acting on those thoughts, but I definitely have them."

Bradley revealed that when a minivan bumped into the back of his bike in the accident last year, he landed on a parked car and damaged vertebrae in his neck so badly, he was paralyzed from the chest down.

Because of the injury, the once towering basketball player has been relegated to a wheelchair -- which he and his wife, Carrie, said have made even the simplest tasks, like going out on dates or even getting around his home, nearly impossible.

Bradley now needs help eating and bathing ... and he says when friends and former teammates have seen him in his new state, it can get overwhelming.

"People that I'm very close with, the first time they see me, it's emotional," Bradley said. "It's extremely draining."

Bradley, though, says he has realistic goals of improving his ability to move around his big frame in the near future. He said the family is also hoping to move into a more wheelchair-friendly home soon.

Wanna dress like Tom Brady?? It's gonna cost you ... 'cause the NFL superstar's new clothing line just dropped ... and just a t-shirt comes with a $75 price tag!!

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB officially launched his own "Brady" brand on Wednesday ... which features several streetwear items donning his last name.

But, the honor of wearing the 7-time champ's name comes with a price. Here's a list of some of the items:

-- Brady ball cap -- $65

-- Brady short sleeve tee -- $75

-- Brady joggers -- $160

-- Brady rain jacket -- $350

The most wallet-friendly item is a pair of socks with the "Brady" logo ... coming in at $20.

As for the design, it's pretty simple -- Brady's custom blue color is featured throughout the catalog ... as well as his last name.

The $75 tee kinda looks like a regular navy shirt ... aside from Brady's name etched in small lettering on the collar bone.

Brady spoke about his new launch in a hype video ... saying, "I'm proud to bring this to all you guys looking for clothing that performs across all of your daily active lives."

"Every item's unique, innovative and it's got great function and purpose," he added. "These are pieces I love."

The 44-year-old QB says he's been working on this line for 3 years -- and partnered with college athletes like Deion Sanders' son, Jackson State's QB Shedeur, for the launch.

Devin Booker was so pissed at the Toronto Raptors' mascot during a game on Tuesday -- he made the refs move it so he could shoot free throws in peace.

For real.

The wild scene happened during the Suns' tilt with Toronto in Canada, where no fans were allowed in the building due to a recent surge in COVID cases in the area.

Toronto, though, did allow its mascot to attend ... and as Booker was shooting some crucial free throws with 6.5 seconds left in the game -- the person in the furry suit jumped up and down.

Booker nearly missed his first shot over it -- and then he was so ticked about it, he made the refs put a stop to it.

"Booker's complaining about the Raptor, the lone fan that is there," the TV broadcaster said during the game. "He's been sent away!"

Booker eventually sunk the free throws and the Suns got the W ... and afterward, Devin confirmed he was hot about the situation.

"I was just trying to get him out the way," Kendall Jenner's BF said. "It worked."

"I'd rather be shooting them without him down there. We play shooting games all the time everyday. These two do the same thing and I complain then. That's just me."

Fortunately, Booker said he and the red dinosaur will have no beef going forward ... he told media members, "We hashed it out. We're cool now."

Novak Djokovic is navigating waters that have gone from warm to boiling, because the tennis star admitted he knew he had COVID when he posed for a photo shoot and chatted with a reporter from a French magazine.

Beyond that ... Djokovic attended multiple public events and posed for photos on December 16 and 17 -- in particular the 17th, when he handed out awards at a children's event -- but he says that shouldn't be held against him, because he got a negative rapid test on the 16th.

However, he also took a PCR test that same day that turned out to be positive. The Serbian government's records show that result came back at 8:19 PM on the same day -- but Novak insists he didn't get the info until the evening of the 17th.

So, the question is ... what did he know and when???

Whatever the case, he still did the photo shoot with L'Equipe magazine in Belgrade on the 18th when he knew he was positive.

He says, aside from the actual shoot, he was socially distanced from the reporter and photographer and masked. Djokovic now says he made a mistake and should have canceled.

He also acknowledges his visa application was incorrect ... he says his agent checked the wrong box, declaring Novak had not traveled internationally, which he very clearly did.

Djokovic, the number 1 seed in the Australian Open, was allowed into the country after the tournament granted him a medical exemption ... because he had just gotten over COVID and had antibodies, that apparently qualified.

Ja Morant is as ruthless as he is athletic -- the Grizzlies star savagely mean-mugged a kid in a Warriors jersey during Memphis' game Tuesday night ... but he's at least now apologizing for the cold shoulder.

In the fourth quarter of the Grizzlies' game against Golden State ... Morant took over, and hit a huge clutch bucket to extend Memphis' lead.

As his momentum carried him into the crowd, though, a young kid in a Warriors jersey was hoping to slap hands with the 22-year-old phenom after the sweet layup.

But, Ja paid the youngster no mind -- and instead, appeared to hit him with a death stare!!

"He was disrespectful with that jersey on," Morant said of the interaction in a postgame interview. "We in Memphis. It looked like he wanted to cheer but he had that jersey on."

But, Morant did eventually say he was sorry ... and added that he was hoping to get the kid's information so he could send him some Grizzlies gear to replace the Dubs colors.

There were more than 15,000 people at the Florida Panthers game on Tuesday ... but no one had as good a time as Kodak Black -- who enjoyed a raunchy twerk sesh from a woman in a box suite during the action!!!

The rapper hit the NHL contest in Sunrise with some killer rinkside seats ... and video showed the dude had an absolute blast watching the Panthers take on the Vancouver Canucks.

He was mingling with fans, taking selfies and zooming in on the on-ice action ... before he hit a luxury box for a little alone time with his lady friend.

One fan spotted the two from afar in the suite -- and it actually appeared like they were getting it on just feet from Panthers execs and hockey fans.

But, a closer look revealed there was nothing X-rated about their actions ... Kodak was simply enjoying a bit of a lap dance!!!

Black posted the zoomed-in footage to his IG ... writing, "Fly Lifestyle."

Kodak and every other Panthers fan eventually left the arena happy ... 'cause Florida took care of Vancouver, 5-2.

Howard Stern is unloading on Novak Djokovic over his COVID-19 vaccine drama ... calling the tennis superstar a "d****bag," "f***ing a**hole," and a "f***nut" in a fiery rant.

34-year-old Djokovic has been fighting like hell to compete in the Australian Open this month despite the country's strict COVID-19 mandates -- he initially had his visa canceled after authorities claimed he did not meet requirements for a vaccine exemption ... before that decision was overturned on Monday.

Stern -- who's gone after sports stars like Kyrie Irving and Aaron Rodgers for their vax stances in the past -- sounded off on the Joker during Monday's episode of "The Howard Stern Show" ... saying Novak should be kicked out of the sport.

"The first I heard of this guy is he doesn't want to get the vaccine, he's running around ... they should throw him right the f*** out of tennis," Stern said.

"He's a d****bag."

But, what really set Howard off is Novak's claim that getting the jab is a private decision ... saying if that's the case, he shouldn't be out in the public and putting everyone else's health at risk.

Howard's co-host, Robin, points out Novak's view on the situation -- his people have claimed since he recently had COVID-19, he doesn't have to get vaccinated, but Stern says Novak can't be trusted.

"Well that's like saying smoking is a private decision," he added. "Well, that's true, but don't smoke in my face, f***nut. What a dummy. Just a big, dumb tennis player."

Djokovic -- the reigning AO champ -- is currently preparing to compete in the tournament next week ... although it's still unclear whether he'll actually be able to take the court ... as government officials could still boot him from the country.

Tragic news ... the Tampa Bay Rays announced Tuesday bullpen catcher Jean Ramirez died unexpectedly this week. He was just 28 years old.

No further details surrounding his passing were provided.

"He brought so much passion and energy each day to our clubhouse and bullpen, and his love for the Rays and baseball was evident to all who interacted with him," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

"Jean will be deeply missed."

Added former Rays superstar pitcher Blake Snell, who won a Cy Young in Tampa, "Man this one hurts."

Ramirez was picked by the Rays out of Illinois State Univ. in the 28th round of the 2016 MLB draft ... and he went on to play catcher in the team's minor league system for 3 seasons.

Ramirez then joined the big league club as its bullpen catcher in 2019 -- and had said his ultimate goal was to move up in the ranks and one day manage a roster in The Show.

"He exuded so much joy in all he did, and his kind heart was truly a gift to all," Rays' president of baseball operations Erik Neander said.

"As we process this unexpected and difficult loss, we are grateful for the times we shared with Jean."

WWE legend Bill Goldberg is reveling in the fact that Georgia won its first national title in 41 years ... telling TMZ Sports that he wasn't surprised at the outcome, but it still feels like a dream!!

We spoke with Bill -- who played defensive tackle at Georgia back in the late 1980s -- fresh off UGA's wild 33-18 win over Alabama ... and yeah, the guy is over the moon about his Dawgs.

"I would say the entire Bulldog Nation is ... I don’t wanna say stunned by any stretch of the imagination," Goldberg said, "But we're pinching ourselves and finally coming to the realization that the curse is freaking broken and it feels really good."

"It’s pretty amazing how the Bulldog nation has just all come together to celebrate. I’ve heard from people I have not heard from in 30 years in the past 24 hours."

Speaking of Bulldog pride -- Bill's son, Gage Goldberg, is following in his dad's footsteps on the gridiron ... and hopes to play for Kirby Smart at Georgia one day.

"Oh, God yeah, 100 percent," Goldberg said. "To have another Goldberg at the University of Georgia -- First and foremost, hopefully, they’d take another Goldberg there."

Goldberg tells us that 15-year-old Gage has been going to Smart's football camp for years now ... and while his son is juggling multiple sports -- baseball, wrestling, and football to name a few -- he has his sights set on attending UGA.

"He’s got two more years of high school and his complete goal, his number one goal right now, is to be a Georgia Bulldog."

The ex-NFL player admits that it would, indeed, be a dream come true for his son to land in Athens ... but he tells us he'll support Gage no matter what direction he chooses to go in -- so long as that direction doesn't take him to Florida.

"Our goal as parents is to provide our son with the best opportunity to follow his dreams," Bill said. "Whether it's football, baseball, or wrestling. Whatever it may be, we’re in his corner. 100 percent."

"Unless he wants to go to Florida, then I have to put him up for adoption."