TMZ Sports - Page 43

Who needs weights when you've got an NBA Hall of Famer sitting around!?!

Shaquille O'Neal proved he's still the "Big Aristotle" at 50 years old ... 'cause the legend just curled Reggie Miller -- with ease!!

A video of The Diesel's recent swole sesh was posted to the 'NBA on TNT's Twitter this week ... and for someone who's been retired from the NBA since 2010, Shaq looks to be in great shape.

In the clip, you see the legendary Pacers guard jump into Shaq's arms -- O'Neal didn't budge a bit -- and the former Lakers big man completes 4 full curls!!

"Don't drop me man," Reggie said, before leaping into Shaq's arms.

During his career, Shaq was one of the most dominant forces in NBA history, breaking backboards, blocking shots, and routinely punishing defenders who challenged him.

However, and he'll admit, fitness wasn't always Shaq's priority, especially as his career waned and he started bouncing around from team to team after his prime.

But, that's a thing of the past, because O'Neal looks shredded for a 50-year-old, and the way he was able to curl Miller -- who weighs close to 200 pounds -- was pretty sick.

Michael Vick is back!!!

The NFL legend is pulling out his cleats again and will play in a Fan Controlled Football game later this month, TMZ Sports has confirmed with league sources.

The 41-year-old four-time Pro Bowler hasn't played since the 2015 season -- officially retiring in 2017 -- but we're told after seeing the success Terrell Owens had in the league earlier this year, MV decided to make a comeback.

It's unclear which team Vick will play for or for how long ... but our sources say the quarterback is just looking to be like Owens and have some football fun in his 40s.

Vick has clearly still been keeping his arm in shape despite retirement ... he filmed a video earlier this month with Rich Eisen where he proved he can still throw a football out of a stadium.

We're told Vick is currently targeting May 28 for the comeback.

A Texas Rangers farmhand completely befuddled a Houston Astros prospect with a perfectly executed hidden ball trick on Thursday ... and the epic play was all captured on video!

The trickery happened in the third inning of the Corpus Christi Hooks game against the Frisco RoughRiders -- after 'Stros prospect Justin Dirden knocked a base hit into right field.

As Dirden was celebrating the feat with his first base coach, Trey Hair devised a plan. The Rangers prospect hid the ball in the back of his glove and slowly made his way to Dirden.

In footage of the play, you can see Hair made a swipe at the bag, which caused Dirden to leave it -- and then he casually tagged the runner out.

Dirden was left perplexed, and questioned the umpire about the call. But, it turns out the ump said everything was legal -- and Dirden was ruled out!

John Daly relaxed after the first round of the PGA Championship in the most John Daly way possible -- grabbing some wings at Hooters and hitting the casino.

The golf legend -- who is tied for 58th after shooting 2-over on Thursday -- posed with 6 Hooters girls in Tulsa just hours after hitting the links ... thanking the workers for their hospitality.

As it turns out, the dude didn't stop there -- he was spotted posted up at the slots on Thursday night as well ... with a Diet Coke and a pack of cigs sitting next to his machine.

Naturally, TMZ Sports had to hit Daly up to see if he had any luck at the casino ... and unfortunately, it just wasn't his day.

"The slots weren't hitting," Daly told us this morning.

Of course, Daly is known for his obsession with the wing joint ... and his love for the place eventually landed him a sponsorship with the chain.

We'll have to see if Daly's post-golf routine keeps him in the groove for round 2 -- he tees off at 12:25 PM Central time.

Good news for Calum von Moger ... the star bodybuilder is resting at home and walking without any assistance -- just days after he was in the ICU after reportedly jumping out of a window -- according to a news outlet in Australia.

The Geelong Advertiser is reporting Calum was back at his Mount Duneed home in Australia on Thursday ... where the alleged near-death incident took place.

Remember, von Moger was seriously injured after reportedly crashing through a second-story window earlier this month.

At the time, Generation Iron reported that 31-year-old Calum was fighting for his life ... after suffering a severe injury to his spine. CVM was reportedly in a medically induced coma, too.

We're told von Moger underwent successful surgery for his injuries. A friend of Calum's also told The Sun he was "awake and recovering" in the hospital after surgery, surrounded by loved ones.

The former Mr. Universe -- who also played a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2018 movie, "Bigger" -- has had a rough go these past few months, but, before the accident, vowed to be a better person in an emotional Instagram post where he addressed his actions.

"Everyone has a past. We've all been through hard times. I admit. I messed up bad many times," he wrote.

Move over, Will Smith and Chris Rock -- Bob Cousy and JJ Redick are now the biggest beef of 2022 ... 'cause the Celtic legend is defending his entire era, saying, "we must have had the best firemen and plumbers on the planet."

Remember, the ex-NBAer ripped into Chris Russo on ESPN's "First Take" last month ... after "Mad Dog" brought Cousy into the discussion when debating Chris Paul's legacy.

Redick said 93-year-old Cousy was great for his time, but claimed the 1957 MVP "was being guarded by plumbers and firemen."

Cousy -- a 13-time All-Star from 1951-63 -- got wind of Redick's comments ... and said he wasn't going to give the ex-Duke legend the reaction he wanted ... claiming the guy just wanted attention.

"People with less talent will always try to make a name for themselves by criticizing other people and hopefully getting some attention and perhaps increasing their credibility," the 6-time champ said.

"So, when you respond to something like this, you play into their hands," he added. "I won’t do that, but I will defend the firemen and the plumbers that he referenced."

Those firemen and plumbers?? Cousy names them off, and they're some of the all-time greats.

Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West?? Yeah, pretty damn good!!

Cousy plays into Redick's comments ... saying, "We must have had the best firemen and plumbers on the planet at the time. And, I was very proud to play with all of them."

The Action Jackson nickname for Lamar Jackson just got a whole other meaning -- as in Lights Camera Action -- 'cause the Baltimore Ravens star just made an appearance in a music video with Kodak Black!!!

The quarterback's cameo came about two minutes into the vid for Loe Shimmy's rap song, "Bounty," which features Kodak on the track.

In the flick that was released Thursday night, you can see Jackson rockin' gold chains and wearing an all-black fit while chillin' with Kodak in a hotel room.

Loe also pays homage to the former NFL MVP in the video by showing a shrine of the 25-year-old signal-callers helmets and framed jerseys.

Jackson was hyped about the appearance ... sharing it on his IG and saying, "Motion Boyz 🚀🚀"

Of course, the guest star role shouldn't surprise many ... Jackson and Kodak go way back, growing up together in Pompano Beach, Florida. The two actually went to the same elementary school!

In fact, when Kodak was serving a 46-month sentence in federal prison back in 2019, LJ reached out to then-President Donald Trump to plead for an early release.

"Hey Donald Trump, my friend Kodak Black deserves to be commuted," Jackson said on Twitter last January.

"The system punished him way to hard for a paperwork crime #freekodak."

Deshaun Watson clearly ain't sweating the NFL investigation that's hanging over his head ... he just posted video showing he's out in the Bahamas golfing with his new teammates and enjoying life.

In the footage that Cleveland's new QB threw up on his social media page on Thursday, Watson can be seen draining a 30-foot-or-so putt while on a hole with a couple of Browns players.

The sun's setting. Watson's laughing. And, his teammates are fired up for him.

It looks like a great time -- especially considering Cleveland superstar Nick Chubb is also on the trip with the quarterback -- but, reportedly, this week was a big one when it comes to potential NFL punishment for Watson.

The 26-year-old -- who's been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 20 female massage therapists -- reportedly met with league investigators over the masseuses' allegations ... in what could be the last step before the NFL decides on a possible suspension.

No word on how the meeting went -- but the league has been investigating the claims against the star for over a year ... and is expected to make a decision on a potential punishment in the upcoming weeks/months.

Micah Parsons did his best Simone Biles impression at a trampoline park this month -- hitting some insane flips on the mat ... and TMZ Sports has video of it all!!!

The Dallas Cowboys superstar performed the wild tricks on a trip with his toddler son to Altitude Trampoline Park in Dallas ... and you can see clear as day, his All-Pro athleticism on the field definitely translates off of it.

Parsons hit front flips with ease -- and got some SERIOUS air every time he went for the stunts.

The 22-year-old looked like he was having a blast too ... wrestling around and laughing with his young son on the floor.

We're told Micah was super nice to everyone at the place -- and even posed for pics with some people while there.

And, yes, Cowboys fans, his knees and body were just fine when he got done horsing around.

Crazy scene following a Premier League game on Thursday ... ex-soccer star Patrick Vieira -- who now manages Crystal Palace -- kicked a fan in a wild altercation on the field.

It all went down after C.P. lost in heartbreaking fashion to Everton ... when a bunch of Toffees supporters stormed the pitch to celebrate their team's big win.

At one point in the chaos, one of the fans appeared to taunt Vieira -- and an altercation quickly ensued.

You can see in video, Vieira grabbed the man, took a swipe at the fan's face, and then kicked him so hard in the leg -- he fell to the turf.

Another fan then appeared to shove Vieira -- but, thankfully, others intervened ... and the fracas died down before it could escalate any further.

Vieira -- who starred for Arsenal from the late 1990s to 2005 and took over the Crystal Palace managerial role in 2021 -- was asked about the incident by reporters just minutes after it happened ... but he said, "I've got nothing to say on that."

Shocking news coming from Stephanie McMahon -- the chief brand officer of WWE is temporarily stepping down from her role on Friday to be with her family.

"As of tomorrow, I am taking a leave of absence from the majority of my responsibilities at WWE," she said on Twitter. "WWE is a lifelong legacy for me and I look forward to returning to the company that I love after taking this time to focus on my family."

The announcement is a complete surprise ... but the response has been overly supportive from wrestling fans.

It's unclear what the reason behind the absence is -- although 45-year-old Steph's husband, Triple H, recently revealed he nearly died due to a health scare ... vowing his wrestling career was over.

McMahon -- Vince's daughter -- has been part of WWE since 2000 ... and was an in-ring performer for 18 years.

Stephanie was made EVP of Creative Writing in 2007 ... and switched over to CBO in 2013, where she has remained ever since.

McMahon and Triple H got married in 2003 ... and have 3 kids together, Aurora (15), Murphy (13) and Vaughn (11).

Dominique Wilkins -- one of the greatest high flyers in NBA history -- says he knows how to fix the (broken) slam dunk contest, telling TMZ Sports superstars must participate ... just like he and Michael Jordan did back in the day.

We spoke with the Hall of Famer -- a 2x Slam Dunk champ known for his prowess as a dunker -- about why the dunk contest has fallen out of favor with NBA fans, and how he would fix it.

"Until you get star athletes, your best players who are athletic to get in the dunk contest," Wilkins said, continuing ... "It takes a lot away from it. You don't have that same pop -- that same energy."

'Nique then lamented about the old days ... when bonafide superstars, legends, entered the contest each and every year.

"When we did the dunk contest Michael [Jordan] myself, Dr. J, Larry Nance, you talking Spud [Webb] ... they wanted to know who the best was."

Of course, Dominique was part of the greatest and most memorable DC ever ... a showdown against MJ in 1988. Jordan won ... but it was controversial.

Wilkins says during his day the dunk contest set the tone for All-Star weekend, giving fans something to look forward to. But, Wilkins admits as of late, it's been less than stellar.

"The dunk contest raised the bar for All-Star weekend," he said. "It's been hard to watch as of late."

FYI, last year's contest featured Cassius Stanley, Anfernee Simons, and Obi Toppin, who won.

Nice players and super athletic guys ... but not exactly Ja Morant and Zion Williamson battling each other like MJ and DW.

Ultimately, Dominique thinks players are too worried about their image ... rather than just going out and putting on a show for the crowd.

"Guys look at it the wrong way," 'Nique said. "I don't want to get in it because maybe it'll affect my legacy."

Wilkins told us when he was going at it with Jordan, it wasn't about who won or lost, but rather two great players matching each other's will.

We also asked the Hawks legend if Atlanta's superstar point guard Trae Young can be the best player on a championship team despite recent criticism saying he can't.

"Trae's a special talent, and a special young man that loves the game of basketball," 'Nique said. "Anytime you don't win, there's always going to be that doubt, 'well, can he lead a team to a championship?'"

Wilkins says although the Hawks -- who made the Eastern Conference Finals last year -- seemingly regressed this season, he believes Ice Trae can lead his team to a chip.

We also talked to 'Nique about his new collab with NFT Genius ... they've partnered up to create a super exclusive, 1-of-1 BALLERZ NFT.

In addition to being able to bid on the unique piece of digital art, there are also a bunch of other cool prizes like signed memorabilia, meet and greets with the NBA legend, and rack NFT packs like NBA Topshot, UFC Strike and NFL All Day.

Jimbo Fisher just annihilated Nick Saban over the Alabama coach's claims that Texas A&M "bought" all of its recruits ... calling him a narcissist and saying their relationship is now over.

The TAMU head man didn't hold a thing back at a press conference on Thursday morning, firing away at Saban for several minutes during the meeting with the media.

"It's despicable that a reputable head coach can come out and say this when he doesn't get his way or things don't go his way," Fisher said, just hours after the Tide coach made the dig Wednesday night.

"The narcissist in him doesn't allow those things to happen and it's ridiculous when he's not on top."

Fisher continued, "Some people think they're God. Go dig into how God did his deal. You may find out about a guy, a lot of things you don't want to know. You make him the czar of college football. Go dig into his past."

Fisher said Saban tried to reach out to him following the comments ... but he refused to take the call.

"We're done," Fisher said of his relationship with Nick. "He showed you who he is. He's the greatest ever, huh?"

Fisher reiterated over and over again that TAMU did NOT do anything illegal or unethical to obtain its top-ranked recruiting class this season.

Jimbo is now the second high-profile coach to be pissed at Saban following his remarks ... Deion Sanders -- Jackson State's head man -- called the 70-year-old a "liar" after the comments as well.

Saban has yet to respond to the backlash ... but when he eventually does, it's clear, he's got some serious fences to mend.

This will definitely put a smile on your face!!

A youth tee-ball player turned his walk to the batter's box into an all-out dancing sesh -- showing off his moves as Big Pun's "Still Not a Player" blared over the speakers ... and the video is adorable.

The clip is going viral on TikTok ... and once you see it, it's not hard to understand why -- the kid starts strutting his stuff as soon as he steps out of the dugout ... and he's REALLY feeling the classic tune.

The young kid shakes it, drops it low, flails his arms around and does about every other move in the book ... before the music cuts off and a coach intervenes to get him to focus on the game.

The crowd can be heard laughing over what they just witnessed ... and a lot more people get to enjoy it now, too -- it has more than a million views already on the social media platform.

But the best part?? The kid can play, too -- getting back to business and hitting a popup for a single.

Robert Griffin III is firing back at the racist haters attacking LeBron James' son, Bronny, for taking a white classmate to prom ... saying, "LEAVE THESE KIDS ALONE!!!"

That's right -- grown ass people are mad about who a 17-year-old kid took to a dance.

Here's the deal -- LeBron's wife, Savannah, shared shots of Bronny's big day to social media on Wednesday ... showing the junior hooper and his date, a senior student at Sierra Canyon, all dressed up for the event.

Bronny was decked out in a flashy blue and black suit ... and his transportation of choice was a custom-print Mercedes with a sporty spoiler, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Pretty awesome, right??

Well, some disgusting haters took issue with Bronny's date not being black ... commenting some awful responses under Savannah's post -- even accusing the girl of being a gold digger.

Enter RG3, who defended the teenagers in a passionate tweet this week.

"LEAVE THESE KIDS ALONE!" Griffin -- who is married to Estonian athlete Grete Sadeiko -- said on Wednesday.

"People clowning Bronny for his prom date are just miserable. Let them enjoy their day."

RG3 followed up with a passionate video ... saying the hate is giving off creepy energy.

Griffin has previously shut down his own criticism for not marrying a black woman ... saying, "It is not anti-black to love someone outside your race."

Tiger Woods clearly felt a little claustrophobic to start the first round of the PGA Championship on Thursday ... 'cause the golf legend asked a cameraman to give him some space THREE times on the tourney's opening hole.

Woods had just teed off at the Southern Hills Championship Course in Tulsa, Oklahoma ... when a man holding a giant camera approached him to record him as he walked down the fairway to his ball.

Hot microphones picked up Woods almost immediately asking the guy to scram.

"Would you mind giving me some breathing space?" Tiger asked. "Please?"

The camera guy clearly didn't move too much -- which caused Woods to ask again more sternly, "Would you mind giving me some breathing space, please?"

Finally, after a few more feet side-by-side, Woods asked, "Could you back off a little bit and give me some breathing space?"

Apparently, the camera guy finally got the memo -- and moved far enough away from the 46-year-old.

The interaction was awkward ... but it apparently didn't bother Woods too much, 'cause the second shot he hit was a dart -- and he later went on to birdie the hole.