TMZ Sports - Page 50

Cops tell TMZ Sports they are investigating the junior hockey player who violently punched a referee during a game in Massachusetts on Sunday.

A spokesperson for the Foxborough Police Dept. confirmed on Tuesday that cops were called to the Foxborough Sports Center at around 2:22 PM on Sunday after a member of the South Shore Kings had unloaded a right hand into the face of a ref in the middle of a game.

Cops tell us they have yet to determine if there is a "criminal element" ... but did say they are aware of the video of the punch and are currently interviewing all of the involved parties.

"At this time no further information will be released," the spokesperson said, "as it is still under investigation."

As we previously reported, the United States Premier Hockey League hit the player with a lifetime ban from its league over the punch.

No All-Star Game selection (and no healthy elbow) for Paul George, clearly no problem ...

The Clippers forward was spotted living it up in St. Barts instead of healthily playing in the NBA's showcase this weekend ... being seen shirtless in the sun with his fiancee, Daniela Rajic.

George looked to have no issue whatsoever with being away from the trainer's room and the hardwood for a few days ... and Rajic, sporting a colorful one-piece, didn't seem to have too much issue with it either.

The couple has a few more days to burn in the Caribbean Sea too ... as George's Clippers don't return to action until Friday when they take on the Lakers.

George's teammates, meanwhile, are certainly hoping the vacay heals their star ... the guy started the season on fire but has been out the past few weeks with a serious elbow injury.

"I can't have people speaking out. If you're gonna speak my name you better be sure. [Volkan Oezdemir] spoke it, so now I'm gonna make an example out of him."

That's #10 ranked UFC light heavyweight Jamahal Hill -- fresh off a first-round knockout of Johnny Walker at UFC Fight Night -- calling his next shot ... declaring he wants to fight #8 ranked Oezdemir.

"I've already said it, bro. As long as I got the say so, [Volkan's] next."

But, why are the guys beefin'?

After Hill's impressive knockout of then #10 ranked Walker, Jamahal called out his doubters. Oezdemir responded to a Tweet about "Sweet Dreams," writing "I'm still doubting [Hill]"

And, that isn't sitting well with Jamahal.

"Bro, he really don't understand. And, it's not like I'm emotional or taking it a type of way, it's just now I really wanna f*** you up so now my focus is on that."

FYI, Oezdemir has lost his last 2 fights ... but has been in the cage with some of the baddest men in the world. Volkan has wins over Aleksandar Rakic, Ilir Latifi, Jimi Manuwa and Ovince St. Preux.

There's more ... we also talked to Hill -- who says he's going back to the gym Tuesday -- about his time inside the Octagon with Walker. JH says Johnny has all the physical tools ... and it's clear Hill doesn't believe Johnny is washed.

"Physicality. He was huge. He felt like he was about 225. He was a big dude. Also, his mental prowess is a lot higher than people give him credit for."

Hill had a final message for Oezdemir ... let's do this.

Jarvis Landry insists he doesn't want to pull an Odell Beckham and get the hell outta Cleveland ... saying he would like to stay with the Browns, despite a cryptic social media post suggesting otherwise.

The 5-time Pro Bowler had the Dawg Pound running wild on Monday after posting a super-dramatic video to his Instagram page ... featuring a snippet of the movie "Passengers," which says -- "You're not where you want to be. You feel like you're supposed to be somewhere else."

Now, Landry is going to Twitter to provide detail on his current situation with the team ... saying he was banged up all last season because he returned from an injury too early.

"Reality behind all this is I came back to play in the best shape of my life, I got hurt week 2 with a high grade MCL Sprain, Partial quad tear and bone bruise," he said minutes ago.

"Then came back way to early and ended up staying hurt the entire season. You never heard me mention anything about it."

Then, Landry dropped this.

"I have put the ball in CLE court by telling them I would like to stay but if not then I’m confident enough in myself to be a better healthy me this year and moving forward to helping do my part in winning a championship elsewhere."

Landry also has a message for anyone questioning his toughness and durability ... saying, "Before this year I missed 0 games. So push y'all narrative, it's noted ✊🏾✊🏾"

Landry has certainly seemed at least a bit pissed off with the Browns in recent months ... and even sparked more concern after he hit the "like" button on a message OBJ tweeted that said "QBs matter for receivers."

There might be a whole bunch of mini Simone Biles's tumbling around soon ... 'cause she just revealed her fiancé, NFL player Jonathan Owens, wants "a football team" of kids in the future!!

The Olympic gold medalist had a Q&A with fans on Monday night just days after she got engaged to the Houston Texans safety ... and questions about future kids popped up several times.

One fan eventually asked how many kids the couple is planning on having -- and the 24-year-old gymnast said she wants two ... but Owens wants a whole lot more.

"So, I want two kids," she said. "He always says he wants a football team."

For those who aren't familiar, there are 53 players on an NFL roster -- and 11 starters when on the field!

But, Biles said afterward, "he usually says three. We'll see."

Biles also dropped some more info about the couple's future ... saying the two -- who got engaged on Valentine's Day -- will have their wedding on a beach, and that they're in the process of building a house.

"Wedding planning has been going well so far, it's so exciting for me," Biles said. "I'm obsessed."

"Also I'll definitely hire a planner because between this & building a house, our hands are full."

A longstanding dispute between the women on the U.S. National Team and the U.S. Soccer Federation has ended ... with the USSF agreeing to pay $24 million to the USWNT as a part of the settlement, it was announced Tuesday.

"We are pleased to announce that contingent on the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement," a joint statement read, "we will have resolved our longstanding dispute over equal pay."

It continued ... "And proudly stand together in a shared commitment to advancing equality in soccer."

According to details of the settlement, $22 million dollars will be distributed amongst the players ... with an additional $2 million being allocated into an account to support their post-career endeavors and other charitable ambitions.

It all started back in 2019 when all 28 players on the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the USSF ... accusing it of engaging in "institutionalized gender discrimination" against the team.

Star player Megan Rapinoe was, perhaps, the most prominent voice to speak out on the issue ... when she spoke at the White House in March 2021.

The settlement is viewed as a victory for the USWNT -- although, the $22 million mark is well short of the team's initial asking price of $66.7 million -- but Rapinoe says she knew they would be victorious all along.

"I'm not a big fan of roller coasters," Rapinoe said. "I did think we would get to this point, 100%. I did think we would win all along in this."

Lamar Odom is sending a message to ex-wife Khloe Kardashian ... after he was evicted from "Celebrity Big Brother."

The former Los Angeles Lakers star had his exit interview with Julie Chen Moonves -- after getting kicked out of the "Celebrity Big Brother" house -- and she asked if there's anything he'd like to say to Khloe.

His response ... "I miss you and I hope to get to see you soon."

Lamar and Khloe -- who were together from 2009 to 2016 -- had a tumultuous relationship ... much of it fueled by Lamar's drug abuse. He's said he has deep regrets and would like a redo if that were possible.

Earlier in the season, Lamar told singer and choreographer Todrick Hall ... "I had some good dreams last night. I dreamt about my ex-wife last night I wish I could take that time back. I miss her so much."

Since their split, Khloe had a daughter, True, with Tristan Thompson ... whom Odom recently called "corny" over the way he's treated her.

Lamar was eliminated on 'CBB' with Todd Bridges during a double-elimination episode. Lamar and Todd have used their time in the house to bond over their sobriety.

And, Lamar says they have a special bond ... "Todd has been sober for 33 years now, so I asked him to be my sober coach. That is why I joined the 'Celebrity Big Brother' cast because sobriety is really important to me at this point in my life."  Lamar says he's been sober for seven years.

WARNING -- DO NOT TRY THIS AT THE NEXT SUPER BOWL, OR YOU WILL GET IN BIG TROUBLE.

The guy who sprinted onto the field in the middle of Super Bowl LVI is revealing to TMZ Sports how he was able to bypass security and execute his plan ... giving a step-by-step breakdown of his stunt -- and why he did it.

20-year-old Joseph Duran says the whole idea was meant to promote his party company ... but unfortunately, his flag got caught in the wind and it was never fully exposed.

Duran says he initially got access to the stadium by working a VIP experience earlier in the day ... and ended up paying a random guy $50 for his employee lanyard to get closer to a striking point.

After surveying his options several times, Duran finally decided to jump from the second level of seating all the way down to the field ... making a mad dash and juking out security before getting tackled to the ground.

Duran says he was cuffed (rather tightly) and taken to a holding cell, but thanks to some alleged overcrowding, he was told to leave the stadium immediately.

Despite facing a serious fine for the stunt, Duran says it was worth every penny ... as he believes the whole thing has brought new eyes to his brand.

Aaron Rodgers says he still loves Shailene Woodley ... even though the couple has broke off their engagement and ended their romantic relationship.

The Green Bay Packers star penned the mushy message to his ex in a lengthy social media post late Monday night -- saying all kinds of nice things about the actress just days after their breakup.

"Thanks for letting me chase after you the first couple months after we met, and finally letting me catch up to you and be a part of your life," Rodgers wrote in the note.

"Thanks for always having my back, for the incredible kindness you show me and everyone you meet, and for showing me what unconditional love looks like, I love you and am grateful for you."

Rodgers attached a photo of him and Woodley snuggling on a couch to the message.

Rodgers and Woodley ended things very recently ... with one report saying the quarterback got "cold feet" over their upcoming nuptials. The report added that Woodley felt Rodgers "neglected their relationship."

The two had dated for around two years -- with Rodgers announcing their engagement in Feb. 2021.

Rodgers' message Monday night wasn't just aimed at Woodley, he also complimented his Packers teammates and thanked them for the year.

Rodgers ended his note by urging his fans to "spread love and gratitude."

Unclear if the message is a precursor to the quarterback's retirement from football ... but Rodgers has said he's expecting to make a decision about his future very soon.

NFL legend Shannon Sharpe supports Kanye West's Donda Sports bid to buy the Broncos -- where the former great TE starred -- telling TMZ Sports the league must have minorities in ownership positions.

We talked to Shannon as he was leaving SoFi Stadium after the Super Bowl ... and the HOF'er told us he supports Ye -- and other prominent Black men and women -- buying teams.

"I'd be happy, if a minority, Robert Smith, I see Byron Allen is interested," Sharpe said. "I'm all for it."

"That’s the organization that I played 12 years for. I have a lot of respect for the Bowlen family. They did a great job with me and my family."

All the talk comes from a social media message from Antonio Brown, who describes himself as Donda Sports' president, claiming Ye's company wants to buy the Broncos.

Sharpe says if Kanye could find some investors, he'd support him making a play at owning the Broncos ... assuming he could get the necessary 75% approval from other owners.

But, West might not need anyone else. Forbes lists his net worth at $1.8 billion ... but during a recent interview, Kanye claimed to be worth substantially more -- $10 BILLION.

Last year Forbes valued the Broncos at $3.75 billion.

As for Ye and AB ... they've been nearly inseparable since connecting after Brown's unceremonious exit from the Tampa Bay Bucs in January.

Kanye seemed to embrace Brown ... and the two formed a close friendship and business relationship.

Bottom line ... regardless of how the NFL owners may feel about Kanye, AB, or Donda Sports, Shannon tells us money talks.

WWE Superstar The Miz just announced on Monday Night Raw who his tag team partner for WrestleMania will be ... and it's none other than YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul!!

Miz was hosting his popular "Miz TV" show in front of a sold-out crowd in Columbia, South Carolina just minutes ago ... when WWE legend Rey Mysterio and his son, Dominik, interrupted him out of nowhere.

Of course, Miz didn't appreciate the Mysterios crashing his show ... and ultimately issued a challenge to fight them in a match on the grandest stage of them all -- WrestleMania.

Check out the clip -- Miz proposes the tag team match and introduces Logan Paul as his surprise partner.

"Wrestlemania just got more stupendous," one of the commentators said.

Much of the WWE universe was in shock to see LP ... who's made a name for himself in a different kinda combat.

But the Miz was overjoyed to have Paul by his side ... and the newly formed duo didn't wait until Mania to get things started with the Mysterios.

Miz and Paul ambushed Rey and Dominik ... hitting both of them with Miz's signature "skull-crushing finale" finisher.

Juwan Howard has been punished for smacking an opposing coach during a wild altercation over the weekend ... with Michigan reportedly banning the guy from the Wolverines' sidelines for the rest of the regular season.

Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel just reported the news ... one day after Howard kicked off a brawl at the end of the Michigan vs. Wisconsin game by taking a swipe at Badgers assistant Joe Krabbenhoft.

The ban would effectively be a 5-game suspension for Howard ... as the Wolverines have just five contests left before they play in the postseason Big 10 Tournament.

As we previously reported, Howard told media members following the altercation that he got aggressive because Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard had put his hands on him first.

"I think that was very uncalled for, for him to touch me," Howard said after the game, "as we were verbalizing and communicating with one another. So, that's what ended up happening."

Many had speculated Howard would be banned for longer -- and, considering the melee ended up being very, very ugly, some thought it could cost the 49-year-old his job.

Michigan, meanwhile, is 14-11 this season.

Van Jefferson's Super Bowl baby finally has a name ... and fittingly, it's "Champ."

After days of deliberating, the Los Angeles Rams wide receiver said on "The Adam Schefter Podcast" this week that he and his wife, Samaria, just settled on the name.

"Champ Curtis Jefferson," Van said. "That's the name we got."

Of course, it's an extremely fitting name, considering the baby was born just minutes after Jefferson and the Rams were crowned World Champions -- but it certainly took a while for Van and his wife to land on the name.

Jefferson had told us at the Super Bowl parade last week that the couple was actually considering "Wynn" or "Miles" ... but he explained he just ultimately couldn't pass on "Champ."

"We just looked it up and 'Champ' is like a warrior," Van said, "and my wife is a warrior."

Van ain't lying ... you'll recall, Samaria was actually stretchered out of SoFi Stadium during the Rams' win over the Bengals on Sunday so she could have the child.

Van said he had to watch the birth of the baby boy on FaceTime because of horrific traffic after the game -- but he said he was so grateful for his wife and her efforts on the big day, he bought her a Range Rover.

Medina Spirit has been stripped of his 2021 Kentucky Derby title ... officials announced Monday the horse has been officially disqualified following a hearing last week.

In a statement, Kentucky horse racing stewards said Medina Spirit did have the banned substance betamethasone in his blood on race day -- a huge no-no -- and announced second-place finisher Mandaloun will now be recognized as the race's winner going forward.

Officials also announced Bob Baffert, Medina Spirit's trainer, has now been suspended 90 days from all Kentucky racing facilities and fined $7,500 because of the findings.

Baffert will have the opportunity to appeal the ban -- which officials said will last from March 8 through June 5.

The ruling means Baffert will now have to win another Derby title to regain the crown of winningest trainer in the race's history (Medina Spirit's victory had given him seven total).

Hornets star LaMelo Ball received a custom 17-carat diamond pendant from Puma -- celebrating his first All-Star appearance -- and we're told the pendant is worth $80k!!

TMZ Sports has learned Puma hit up renowned jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills in L.A. ... and asked him to create the super-flashy piece of bling for Ball to rock at ASW.

Of course, Ball is signed to Puma ... so when news broke 20-year-old Ball was selected to play in the game in Cleveland they wanted to make sure LaMelo showed up and showed out all weekend.

Check out the video, the chain features 17 carats of flawless white diamonds set into yellow and white gold.

If you look closely ... you can see the iconic Puma logo as well as the words "All-Star" in honor of LaMelo's first appearance in the NBA's showcase of elites.

FYI, at age 20, LaMelo became the fourth-youngest player to ever participate in the game -- behind LeBron James (20 years, 52 days old), Magic Johnson (20 years, 173 days old), and the late Kobe Bryant who did it at just 19 years old.

We're told Ball was gifted the serious drip in Cleveland ... just in time for him to showcase the ice to his fellow peers and fans.

Antonio Brown just posted an MRI of his injured ankle ... saying it proves his former Buccaneers team tried to "intentionally" hurt him during the infamous game against the Jets earlier this year.

Brown shared the images on his social media page ... recording what appeared to be a doctor breaking down his testing results.

In the footage, a man can be heard explaining to Brown that he had a bone spur and other issues in his ankle -- pointing out the ailments on a laptop screen.

AB seems to think the scan and the expert's words helped prove Bruce Arians and Tampa Bay tried to screw him over during the Bucs vs. Jets game at MetLife Stadium ... writing on the images, "They tried to hurt me intentionally @buccaneers."

"Sent me out there after knowing I was still hurt."

Brown then claimed Tom Brady was in on it all -- saying his former quarterback convinced him to play on the injured leg by promising him targets.

"He didn't throw it," Brown said. "Imagine being hurt having to play through this and being lied too."

"Coach said if I couldn't run on this get the f*** out of here. F*** all you MF."

As we reported, Brown famously threw a temper tantrum on the sideline during the Bucs' win over the Jets in New York -- saying Arians the Bucs tried to force him to play despite his injury.

Brown was eventually was booted off the team over it all ... but he and his attorney have since said they're considering suing the Bucs. Arians and the Bucs have denied any wrongdoing.