TMZ Sports - Page 32

Stunning news in the MLB ... the L.A. Angels have just fired Joe Maddon after hiring him less than three years ago.

The team announced the move Tuesday afternoon ... canning the 68-year-old as the Angels are currently mired in a 12-game losing streak.

The org. has named Phil Nevin manager in the interim.

Despite the team's skid of consecutive losses, most figured Maddon would at least make it through the year -- given his track record (he's a 3-time Manager of the Year and two-time World Series Champ) and the fact that the team just signed him before the 2020 season.

But, L.A. execs clearly believed the squad was underachieving ... especially with two of the best players in baseball in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the roster.

And, it certainly didn't help Maddon's case that he was getting snippy with reporters lately -- becoming visibly upset with some following the team's loss to the Red Sox on Monday night.

Channing Crowder regrets making his polarizing comments about Ciara during a podcast back in April ... but he says he still ain't budging on his opinion of Russell Wilson, insisting the dude is "a lame."

To catch you up ... the ex-Miami Dolphins linebacker made waves on his "The Pivot" pod after he said he believed Ciara was only with Wilson because of his money.

Crowder insisted there was no way Ciara could be with the NFL star otherwise ... saying he couldn't fathom how she could go from dating a guy like Future to dating one like Wilson.

On Tuesday, Crowder backpedaled on at least some of that opinion, saying on "The Breakfast Club" that he shouldn't have involved Ciara in the conversation.

"Bringing up Ciara, bringing up the man's family -- I'll take that back," Crowder said.

But, the former NFL player refused to walk back his shade of Russ.

"Have ya'll seen Russell's videos?" Crowder asked. "Have you seen, 'Mr. Unlimited'?! And, this goofy s*** he does?!"

"I don't know why so many people were mad at my opinion of Russell Wilson is a square and a lame."

Crowder added, "I didn't call him an alcoholic. I didn't call him a deadbeat dad. I didn't call him a pedophile. I called him lame!"

CC told the roundtable his remarks toward Wilson were not personal ... explaining, "There's lame people all around."

Ice Cube is pumped for the upcoming sixth season of his BIG3 basketball league, and given the news he's delivering ... fans should be too!

The legendary rapper and movie-maker hit TMZ Live Tuesday to spill the deets on Snoop Dogg's BIG3 involvement, as Tha Doggfather is now a part-owner of the team “Bivouac."

Cube revealed fans can be like Snoop -- by buying into teams with their custom cryptocurrency known as Forever Experience Action Token (FEAT) -- which he says is better than an NFT.

Boasting former NBA stars like Nick "Swaggy P" Young, Joe Johnson, Leandro Barbosa and several Hall of Famer coaches, Cube feels like the BIG3 is at its absolute strongest ... and he's firing on all career cylinders in 2022.

The BIG3 news comes on the eve of the release of "Bad MF," the debut album from hip hop supergroup Mt. Westmore (Cube, Snoop, E-40 and Too $hort).

YouTuber and boxer Austin McBroom is looking for redemption when he puts on his next boxing event at Crypto.com Arena in July ... enlisting Pro Bowl running back Le'Veon Bell and a former Lakers star to fight on the card.

TMZ Sports spoke with the social media superstar ahead his July 30 fight -- a professional bout against AnEsonGib -- and he's dropping some major hints on the huge names involved.

Among those names include the former Steelers star, some high profile musicians and even a popular ex-NBA hooper ... but aside from Bell, McBroom was tight-lipped on revealing who exactly he was talking about.

Of course, McBroom's Social Gloves' first attempt at the boxing game -- the Battle of the Platforms -- resulted in lawsuits and fighters claiming they didn't get paid ... but the 30-year-old says he's learned his lesson and is ready to put on a hiccup-free show.

"This time around, we're working with people who have been doing this for a while. We have a new team, new streaming partner, everything is new," McBroom tells us. "Guys that are really experienced and I've been very blessed and fortunate to have another shot at this."

"Everything in the past is behind us -- no lawsuits, fighters are paid and we're ready to do this thing the right way and put on a show how it was supposed to be put on the first time around."

McBroom is hellbent on making this a great experience for everyone involved this time around -- hoping to sell out the arena and sell around 300,000 Pay-Per-Views.

As for his own fight, McBroom says he's expecting to make light work out of Gib ... which he hopes will pave the way for a fight against Logan Paul's old opponent, KSI.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon transformed into Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro for the first time on Monday ... and the moment was apparently so big, Jennifer Lopez had to pop by to show her support.

The A-list actors officially kicked off the first day of filming for their new Vaccaro biopic this week in Burbank, Calif. ... with both donning costumes to get into their roles.

Affleck -- who's playing Knight in the untitled movie -- wore a wig and a button-down shirt, while Damon got into Vaccaro character by poppin' on a polo and some khakis.

J Lo, meanwhile, was seen on set supporting her man and his best buddy ... looking on during filming and hanging with Ben during breaks.

As for the movie itself ... it's got no official release date yet, but it promises to tell the story of Vaccaro, Knight and Nike's pursuit to sign Michael Jordan to a shoe deal back in the 1980s.

If you're unfamiliar, Vaccaro -- a sneaker salesman -- ultimately helped Nike land Jordan through a relentless chase of the hoops star ... paving the way for the apparel company to become the giant in the shoe industry that it is today.

Olivia Culpo is giving a special shoutout to her man on his 26th birthday ... penning a lovey note for Christian McCaffrey and sharing some steamy shots together.

The 30-year-old model posted a snap of the couple posing in their swimsuits on board a luxurious boat ... with the Pro Bowl running back smoking on a cigar.

"It’s someone’s birthday!!" OC said on Instagram. "I love you so much Christian. You are the most dependable, inspiring, thoughtful, + grounding person and I feel so lucky to call you mine."

OC and CMC have been going strong ever since they started going out in public in 2019 ... and they've never shied away from professing their love for each other on their special days.

Tiger Woods is officially out of the U.S. Open ... the golf superstar just announced his surgically repaired leg is not in good enough shape to compete in the major tournament.

"My body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf," Woods said in a tweet on Tuesday morning.

The 46-year-old, who badly injured his leg in a car accident in February 2021, had competed in both the Masters and the PGA Championship earlier this year. But, in both major tourneys, Woods' leg seemed to really bother him.

At the Masters in April, he performed well in the first two rounds, but struggled in the last two. At the PGA Championship in May, he labored around the course for three rounds before he eventually withdrew prior to the fourth round.

Tiger did say, though, he was hopeful he'd be able to get his body strong enough to compete in the last major of golf's calendar year -- The Open Championship -- which is slated to begin on July 14.

"I'm excited to get back out there soon!" Woods said.

Metta Sandiford-Artest is a huge fan of Rasheed Wallace joining the Lakers as an assistant coach ... praising the ex-player as a hoops genius.

The 2010 NBA champion talked all things Purple & Gold after leaving Craig's in L.A. this week ... and when he was asked about 'Sheed joining the bench, Metta says the move could pay huge dividends for the Lake Show.

"I think Rasheed is brilliant, smart," Sandiford-Artest said ... adding Wallace is "as good as it's going to come when you talk about a basketball brain."

'Sheed joins the Lakers with previous coaching experience -- in 2013, he was a member of the Detroit Pistons coaching staff ... and last year, he was a member of the Memphis Tigers coaching staff under Penny Hardaway.

Wallace, who played for 6 different teams over his 18-year career, earned a reputation for being a savvy player on the court ... something Metta can attest to due to their battles over the years.

Sandiford-Artest admittedly said he won't be keeping up with the Lakers' offseason moves -- like whether they will try to get Zach LaVine -- but come October, he'll be tuned in to see what 'Sheed and newly hired head coach Darvin Ham do with the team.

Speaking of the team ... Metta said he's not bailing on the Russell Westbrook experiment in L.A. just yet ... amid pleas for the superstar point guard to be shipped out of town.

Greg LeMond -- a 3-time Tour de France champion -- just revealed he's been diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia ... a treatable form of cancer.

60-year-old LeMond -- who is considered one of the greatest cyclists ever -- said in a statement he was concerned about his health after weeks of fatigue ... so he went to see his doctor.

"Following a series of tests and a bone marrow biopsy, which was completed last week, I received my formal diagnosis last Friday," the cyclist revealed.

LeMond said the diagnosis was chronic myelogenous leukemia, a form of cancer that is non-life threatening and treatable -- and he starts treatment this week.

"I should be feeling better in a few weeks and for the near future," LeMond said.

"My daily schedule will be altered only a little and I have been told that in a few months, I should be in remission."

LeMond added, "I will keep everyone updated about my health and treatments in the months ahead but for now, I believe I couldn't be in better hands."

LeMond says he may not be able to attend the Tour de France in July ... but he's trying to arrange a way he can be there for his friends.

"I will look forward to returning to the Tour next summer!"

LeMond started his career in 1981 and won three Tour de France and two Road Race Championships -- the first American cyclist to win that race.

He is the first pro bicyclist to sign a million-dollar contract ... as well as the first to make the Sports Illustrated cover.

LeMond retired in 1994 and was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1996.

Trevor Reed, a former Marine who was detained in Russia for nearly 3 years, is calling for the release of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, explaining the conditions in the country are "like you're waking up to a nightmare."

Reed, who just was released from Russian custody as part of a prisoner swap in April, asked for a sense of urgency in the Griner case at a rally organized by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in the hooper's Houston hometown on Monday.

"We need to all speak out for these Americans, because every single one of us is an American," Reed said. "Every day that you're in prison there, it's like you're waking up to a nightmare."

Reed said he believes it's pointless to let Griner's case play out in the court systems in the foreign country ... explaining, "There is no justice in Russia."

"Brittney and Paul [Whelan] will not receive justice in Russia," he said. "They will not receive a fair trial in Russia.”

Griner has been in custody since mid-February -- when Russian authorities claimed she tried to smuggle hashish oil into the country.

Reed said at the rally what she is going through is inhumane ... explaining the conditions that he experienced while in Russian custody included rotten food and lack of adequate medical care.

Griner has another court hearing in Russia slated for later this month ... but Reed said at the rally he's not optimistic it'll lead to anything positive for the 31-year-old Phoenix Mercury center.

Odell Beckham doesn't need a damn invite to have a good time -- the NFL superstar straight-up crashed Sean McVay's wedding over the weekend ... and the Rams coach loved every second of it!!

McVay got hitched to his longtime GF, Veronika Khomyn, at an incredible ceremony in Beverly Hills ... but while on the "I Am Athlete" Sirius XM radio show, coach explained the guest list was kept pretty short, so only a few current Rams players made the cut.

"So, I just invited the captains from last year's team and then there was a couple of other guys that are retired players that you still have great relationships with," McVay said on the pod.

But, that didn't stop the free-agent receiver from popping up unexpectedly ... with McVay saying OBJ pulled off his best Owen Wilson/Vince Vaughn and crashed the party.

"Only in Odell's fashion could he be the wedding crasher at our wedding," coach added. "So, O showed up, crashed the wedding and I loved it that he was still there."

As it turns out, OBJ's appearance came with a cost -- 'cause coach joked the Super Bowl champ now has to re-sign with the Rams this offseason!!

Another interesting note ... McVay says Odell -- who tore his ACL during the Rams' win over the Bengals -- was looking smooth on the dance floor ... even to the point where the team doc had to tell him to chill out.

Dustin Johnson's days of playing on the PGA Tour are over -- at least for right now -- the golf superstar just announced he's resigning his membership in order to play full-time in the Saudi-backed LIV league.

DJ broke the news during a meeting with media members at Centurion Club near London on Tuesday ... just days before he's set to tee it up for the first time at a LIV Golf Invitational Series event.

"For right now," Johnson said, "I resign my membership from the Tour. I'm going to play here for now, and that's the plan."

The new league -- which is backed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia -- has been controversial, due to the country's past record of human rights violations.

Golfers who have defected to the league have been accused of taking loads of cash to play and effectively help the country "sports wash" that track record.

In addition, the PGA Tour has not been friendly about the rival league ... threatening suspensions and bans for golfers who accept the invite to play in it.

Johnson -- who reportedly received around $125 million to golf in the new league -- said the decision to leave the Tour ultimately came down to "what's best for me and my family."

Now ineligible for the Ryder Cup, Johnson said he was unsure if he'd be allowed to participate in golf's major events from here.

Other golf superstars, meanwhile, have joined in Johnson's decision to play in the league -- most notably, Phil Mickelson revealed on Monday he, too, has accepted the invite. He has not, however, formally resigned from the Tour yet.

Top golfers Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na and Sergio Garcia have joined as well. Tiger Woods, however, reportedly turned down a "nine-digit" offer to play.

More details are emerging about the burglary at Tito Ortiz's Southern California home ... cops say people at his residence claimed thieves "ransacked" the UFC legend's house, and stole a safe.

According to police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, a caller reached the Huntington Beach Police Dept. at around 9:54 AM on Friday ... claiming Ortiz's home had been burglarized.

The docs show the person alleged the home was "ransacked" and that a "safe is missing." The person also said a window on Ortiz's balcony had been broken.

As we reported, multiple officers were seen at Ortiz's Huntington Beach home for hours on Friday investigating the scene.

No word yet on if any arrests have been made -- but we're told Ortiz was not home at the time of the incident, and is safe.

In the documents, cops say Ortiz's neighbors told them they would review their surveillance cameras with the hopes of helping them catch the culprits.

Ortiz -- who grew up in Huntington Beach and fought in the UFC under the nickname "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" -- provided us a short and sweet comment on the situation.

If Ryan Clark's goal for Monday was to stir things up, mission accomplished ... the former NFL star just kicked a hornet's nest by saying Chris Brown is "more talented" than the legendary Michael Jackson!

Oh, he was immediately ripped for it ... the ex-safety received all sorts of mean comments from Twitter users after he tweeted the controversial statement.

"Chris Brown is more talented than Michael Jackson," Clark said, "there I said it! Have a great week."

"I do not care!! You out CB and MJ in the talent Olympics Chris Brown wins."

The responses RC got were hilarious -- from GIFs to some fans asking Clark if he was drunk or high ... 'cause they couldn't believe a sober mind could come up with such an analogy.

"Drinking early this morning??" one fan said while another said, "Whatever you're sippin on, I need it for later 😂 😂"

Another fan thought Ryan needed a Snickers candy bar ... saying, "I trust you and highly respect you but maybe you are hangry or something! Stay happy!"

Clark -- who currently works for ESPN -- even got ripped by his colleagues ... Marcus Spears hit him with the classic 'how?' GIF. Cowboys writer Clarence Hill Jr. even got in on the fun, responding, "get your boy man".

😬😬😬😬😬

Terrifying moment involving a professional boxer in South Africa ... the previously unbeaten fighter became disoriented and started punching air, as if he saw a fighter that didn't exist.

Video of the incident hit social media on Sunday ... showing Simiso Buthelezi fighting Siphesihle Mntungwa for the WBF African lightweight title. In the 10th round of the fight, Simiso was easily winning, when something went very wrong.

A few seconds into the final round, Mntungwa falls through the ropes. When he gets up, the ref tells the men to continue fighting.

However, Buthelezi turns to the referee, and squares up to him, as if he is the opponent. Seeing this happening, the ref shuffles to the side.

Buthelezi then advances to the corner of the ring and starts throwing punches at the air ... as if he were fighting an invisible opponent.

The ref did a great job, sensing something was wrong ... and immediately ended the fight.

Buthelezi was taken to a local hospital where he is reportedly in stable condition.

As for why he had the reaction he did ... that's currently unclear.

Most importantly ... get well soon, Simiso.

Rejoice, Rams fans ... Aaron Donald is coming back!

Arguably the best defender in the NFL has re-worked his contract with the Rams, putting him in line to come back for his ninth season in 2022.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Donald's new deal with L.A. contains a $40 million raise. A.D. is now set to make $95 million between now and 2025.

The staggering figure is a record for non-quarterbacks, Rapoport reported.

Of course, Donald is worth every penny, he's a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year who played a huge role in the Rams' Super Bowl win in February.

Through 127 career games, Donald has logged 98 sacks and 448 combined tackles -- both extremely impressive totals, considering he plays defensive tackle.

Donald had been pondering retirement after the Super Bowl -- but it's clear, the Rams' elite roster and the new loads of cash have drawn him back to the game.

Sean McVay's June just keeps getting better and better!