TMZ Sports - Page 11

Don't be surprised if SoFi Stadium has a heavy tint of blue and red at Thursday night's Rams vs. Bills game ... because if Wednesday night is any indication -- THOUSANDS of Buffalo fans will be there supporting their team at the NFL's opening matchup.

TMZ Sports has obtained pics and video of a Bills Mafia meetup event in Hermosa Beach just 24 hours before Thursday's kickoff ... and you can see hundreds of people wearing Buffalo gear flocking to the bars and restaurants in the area to party ahead of the big game.

Dozens of fans in Josh Allen jerseys slugged beer, chomped on wings and led loud "Let's Go Buffalo!" chants.

People even hung signs and posters from the businesses in the city ... and we're told the celebrating went well past midnight.

First whistle for Thursday's contest will happen at around 5:20 p.m. PT -- but Buffalo fans have already planned a big tailgate at SoFi Stadium hours before that.

And, yes, we're sure tables will be broken and Zubaz pants will be aplenty.

Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell finally gave us a long look at their boxing skills ahead of their big fight night ... with both dudes hitting the mitts at a workout in L.A. on Wednesday.

The guys took to a local gym's canvas and threw combos repeatedly -- just three days before they'll scrap at Banc of California Stadium.

Peterson put on the gloves first, and while his workout was less intense than Bell's ultimately was ... he showcased what appeared to be some big power.

A shirtless Le'Veon went next -- and he looked good. He was smooth and precise while showing off a chiseled frame.

The guys' fight is all part of the Social Gloves 2 event -- and will take place just before YouTubers Austin McBroom vs. AnEsonGib square off.

Bill Russell's 1975 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ring -- earned after dominating the NBA for 13 seasons -- is on the auction block, and is expected to sell for upwards of $200K!!

TMZ Sports has learned the ring, which SCP Auctions describes as a "fine piece of jewelry," weighs 65 grams and is 14-karat gold with 1.625 carats of real diamonds.

The top of the huge, 12 3/4 sized ring resembles a basketball, and has the words "Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame" encircling the brown enamelwork.

On one side of the ring is "William F. Russell" ... with the year "1975," when he was inducted.

On the other side is the word "Player" -- which Russell embodied throughout his career -- which sits above an image of Dr. James Naismith, the man credited with inventing basketball.

The ring also comes with a letter describing its rich history and provenance ... signed by the GOAT himself.

Remember, Russell famously declined to attend his induction ceremony in '75 ... saying he refused to accept the honor 'cause he felt others before him should be inducted first.

Instead, Russell -- a 13-time champ (11 as a player, 2 as a player-coach) -- opted to receive his ring in 2019 at a private ceremony with his wife, Jeannine, and close friends.

The Celtics legend passed away in July at age 88 ... and was celebrated through the sports world for his contributions to the game of basketball both on and off the court.

The NBA has since listened to the pleas of Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who -- in the aftermath of Russell's death -- advocated the league retire Bill's iconic No. 6.

Russell's No. 6 will be retired throughout the league, making him the first player ever to receive the honor ... fitting considering his legacy and impact.

The ring has already been bid on 5 times ... with a high bid of $43,923.

He plays golf really well, belly flops perfectly ... AND he throws heat on the mound???

John Daly proved he can truly do it all on Wednesday night ... tossing a pristine fastball during the ceremonial first pitch before the Cardinals vs. Nationals game in St. Louis.

The legendary golfer toed the rubber dripping with swag too -- he rocked sandals and what appeared to be some Cardinals-themed board shorts.

Then, the guy fired off a laser ... wowing the crowd and the game's announcers.

If you're not impressed -- ya should be ... because many have tried to do what Daly did on the MLB bump before and have failed miserably (looking at you, Conor McGregor, 50 Cent and Dr. Fauci).

The golfer seemed to be good luck for the home team as well ... because after Daly's throw, the Cards went on to win a thriller, 6-5.

Meghan King claims her ex-husband, Jim Edmonds, has been verbally abusing her over their child custody arrangement ... so she got a temporary restraining order against him.

According to court docs filed in Missouri and obtained by TMZ, the ex-'RHOC' star got the court order back in June over what she describes as "frequent and consistent verbal abuse" via texts, as well as their shared Family Wizard app which they use to co-parent.

It's unclear what exactly what Jim allegedly said to her -- but sources connected to the case tell us it all has to do with their shared custody arrangement ... the pickup/drop-off schedule specifically, which Meghan claims Jim hasn't followed.

It seems Jim's been trying to have this case sealed -- at least according to MK. She wants it public, for all to see.

It's just the latest instance of fighting between the exes -- they've gone after each other publicly over issues related to their children. He's accused her of putting their kids at risk during the COVID lockdown after he learned she was partying in Miami.

A hearing is scheduled for later this month on whether to make the restraining order permanent.

Jim's rep, Steve Honig tells TMZ … “This request for an order of protection is completely baseless and furthermore makes an absolute mockery of the pain suffered by the millions of women in this country who are legitimate victims of abuse."

The Fitzmagic has officially run out -- recently retired NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick tells TMZ Sports he's really done playing football for good ... even if a team in need comes calling.

39-year-old Fitzpatrick decided to walk away from the game earlier this offseason ... ending his career after 17 years in the league.

Of course, there's a history of guys retiring before getting the itch to come back -- we're looking at you, Favre and TB12 -- but Ryan says that's not the case for him.

"I'm retired," Fitzpatrick told us at the Empire State Building this week. "It's official. I'm done."

The journeyman signal-caller says that's going to stay his final answer even if there's demand for a fresh arm on a roster ... claiming his body wouldn't be too happy if he took any more hits.

"I don't know if my hip would be willing to and I'm comfortable what I'm doing right now."

So, what's he doing now?? Fitzpatrick will still be near the game as a TV analyst for Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video this season ... and he says he's going to give it all he's got in front of the camera.

"There's still a lot of work and preparation that goes into talking about football," Ryan said. "It's more of the mental side of it than all the physical and recovery. I don't get hit anymore which is nice."

Blueface will not be stepping into the ring with Nick Young on Saturday -- the rapper has not yet been approved for a boxing license ... and now event promoter Austin McBroom is scrambling to find a replacement with only 3 days until fight night.

TMZ Sports is told the 25-year-old Thotiana rapper received a letter from the California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday informing him his application for a pro boxing license in the state would not be granted until he appeared before the organization in October.

Obviously, that means Blueface can't fight Swaggy P on Saturday's Social Gloves 2 card at Banc of California Stadium in L.A.

McBroom is headlining the event with rival and fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib. Adrian Peterson and Le'Veon Bell are also fighting.

Of course, Blueface has made headlines lately for several violent altercations with his girlfriend Chrisean. It's unclear if those incidents played a role in the denial of a license.

It's not the first bout Blueface has been pulled from ... he was taken off the recent KSI card at the O2 Arena in London, where he was supposed to fight FaZe Temperrr.

Now, McBroom and his partners are working tirelessly to find a suitable opponent for the 6'7" former NBA star.

Story developing ...

The hottest sports take of the week goes to ... Jerry Seinfeld???

Yup, the comedian just unleashed the doozy on social media ... saying he believes the Mets' recent woes are all because of Timmy Trumpet.

Seriously.

Seinfeld -- a HUGE Mets fan -- made the claim in the comment section of SNYTV's Instagram post Wednesday ... pinning New York's September slide on Trumpet's Aug. 31 in-game concert.

"I blame that stupid Trumpet performance," Seinfeld said. "Celebrating in season. We haven’t won anything yet. Bad mojo."

Seinfeld then compared it to when his favorite team lost the 2000 World Series to the Yankees ... writing, "Same as when Baja Men showed up to play 'Who Let Dogs Out' in 2000 WS. Series ended right there."

Of course, it's going to be very hard to get Mets fans to agree with him. The team and its supporters have loved Trumpet and his famous "Narco" song, which plays over the stadium speakers when NY's closer, Edwin Diaz, comes out to the field.

In fact, the team's fans cheered LOUDLY when the musician played it in person at the Aug. 31 game.

Seems Seinfeld, though, is convinced it's all leading to the downfall of his beloved squad -- which is now tied for first place in the NL East with the Braves despite having a huge lead earlier this year.

Tai Emery proved she belongs as a pro fighter, but she likely won't have to do it for money, 'cause the new BKFC star tells TMZ Sports her OnlyFans page EXPLODED after she flashed her boobs from the ring!

And, we're not talking doubling or tripling subscribers ... Emery's OF page saw a 62-fold increase in fans paying to access her content -- or a 6,150% increase.

If you're doing the math ... T.E. charges $10 a month to access her content. Last week she was bringing in about $400 ... and it's money she's relied upon to survive. Now, Tai's going to be raking in around $25K a month ... or $300K per year.

"Holy moly," Tai said, "My OnlyFans went maybe 40 to maybe [2,500], or something like that."

If you missed it, in her BKFC debut, Emery, a former LFL football player, knocked out opponent Rung-Arun Khunchai with an uppercut and hook combo that sent her crashing to the canvas. As the ref called an end to the fight, Tai jumped on the ropes, pulled down her sports bra, and flashed her breasts as the Bangkok crowd cheered, a bit stunned.

But, did the R-rated celebration get Tai in any hot water with BKFC honchos or athletic commission officials?

Nope!

"I have been completely enabled to continue to be myself, and so I shall."

We asked if fans should expect another show after her future fights ... and let's just say Emery's well on her way to being a big draw.

"For sure. I'm trying to get it to a point where maybe there's like gonna be a reflection of a sea of t**ties just looking back at me in like this army of salute, from men to women."

Jamie Lynn Spears is being put to the test, on not just by her sister, Britney ... she's one of 16 celebrities tapped for a new reality show where contestants go through challenges straight out of special forces training.

The former 'Zoey 101' star is competing in a new show on FOX, "Special Forces: The Ultimate Test," in what figures to be quite the celebrity experiment.

Jamie Lynn and her 15 famous counterparts will try to survive demanding special forces training exercises out in the desert ... with ex-special forces operatives running the camp, where toilets are literally just holes in the ground and beds consist of only a sheet over a metal bar.

The reality show challenges will simulate the special forces selection process, and the only way for the celeb contestants to leave is by giving up, getting injured, or being kicked out by staff sergeants ... there are no votes and no eliminations, it's all about survival.

Britney Spears' little sister will be joined on the show by Mel B, Hannah Brown, Montell Jordan, Kenya Moore, Dr. Drew, Anthony Scaramucci, Tyler Florence, Beverley Mitchell and Kate Gosselin.

A bunch of former and current athletes are competing as well, including Danny Amendola, Dwight Howard, Gus Kenworthy, Carli Lloyd, Nastia Liukin and Mike Piazza.

The Ty Cobb T206 is the "holy grail" for collectors, but for as much as the card is worth (up to millions), about 50 reportedly exist ... now, if you're looking for something truly unique, there's another piece of memorabilia that recently hit the block --

Cobb's dentures ... his actual false teeth.

SCP Auctions currently has Cobb's chompers -- top and bottom -- on the block, along with the "original plaster denture holder and brass opening device."

After Cobb's death in 1961, the teeth were preserved. Ty's biographer, Al Stump, held the teeth for years before unloading them at Sotheby's in 1999 ... to the current consignor, who held the dentures for over 22 years.

Of course, Cobb was one of baseball's first stars ... and a real problem at the plate.

In 1909 he won the Triple Crown, the A.L. MVP in 1911, and was a 12x batting champion. Cobb averaged .366 and had 4,191 hits over his 24-season career.

Cobb was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Speaking of Cooperstown, in June 2001, the teeth went on display at The Hall ... where fans were able to view the one-of-a-kind item.

The auction, which ends Friday, already has a nearly $10K bid (there have been 7 total bids).

Former WWE superstar Velveteen Dream exploded on a gym employee before his arrest last month ... punching the man in the face and then biting him -- this according to new police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports.

The incident allegedly happened on Aug. 20 at around 8:4 PM at Club Orlando -- a fitness facility in Orlando, Fl.

Cops in the docs say a senior employee at the gym told them that an altercation between him and Velveteen Dream began after he said the wrestler had to leave an area that was closed for cleaning.

The man claimed Dream -- real name Patrick Clark -- went off on him, becoming "irate and argumentative." Things allegedly got so intense, the gym employee told Clark he had to leave the building entirely.

According to the docs, Clark then made threats to kill the gym employee -- before he hit the guy in his face.

Cops say the gym employee told them the two then got into a fight -- where Clark bit him. The two were then separated by another employee at the facility, cops say.

According to the documents, officers arrested Clark after they observed teeth marks on the employee's "left chest near the left armpit."

Court records show Clark has since been charged with two misdemeanors -- battery and trespassing on a property after warning -- over the incident. The records show his attorney did file a written plea of not guilty in the case.

As we reported, 27-year-old Clark was arrested again just six days later ... on a warrant for a violation of probation by the Orlando Police Department.

The Las Vegas Aces locker room turned into a twerk fest on Tuesday ... with players droppin' low and shaking it to celebrate moving on to the WNBA Finals!!

Chelsea Gray and the Aces finished off Sue Bird and the Seattle Storm in an emotional 97-92 win to complete the series in four games ... and after punching their ticket to the last round of the playoffs, they celebrated with some epic moves.

Sydney Colson and Aisha Sheppard led the way as their teammates provided backup ... and thankfully, Kelsey Plum got the whole thing captured on her Instagram.

As for the game, Gray had a massive performance ... dropping 31 points and adding 10 assists. A'ja Wilson also had 23 points and 13 rebounds.

The Aces rightfully celebrated their huge win ... but not before paying their respects to Bird, who played her last game in the WNBA.

Vegas will be able to keep the party going for a bit ... as Game 5 between the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun won't go down until Thursday night.

The Washington Nationals are stepping in to make a girl and her family feel better after a man stole a ball from them at a game last week ... apologizing for it all and sending over a gift.

The incident initially happened during the Nats vs. A's game on Sept. 1 -- which was also Youth Champions Day.

For the occasion, the Nationals invited the Shenandoah Rec League Babe Ruth 10U All-Star Softball team ... and at one point, Washington outfielder Joey Meneses threw a ball to them so they could have a souvenir.

The problem? A man intercepted it -- and didn't give it back.

The 10-year-old girl who was in line to catch the ball was clearly upset by the dude's actions ... and her mother, Regina Hilliard, later pleaded with the Nats to make things right.

Turns out, the team did just that, because Hilliard says they reached out just a couple days later.

"They are sending something our way," Hilliard said, "and hope that this can serve as a symbol of a good experience at the park rather than a bad one!♥⚾"

Bam Margera bounced early from substance abuse treatment and hit up a tavern ... and he's no longer speaking to his parents.

TMZ obtained video showing Bam leaving a bar in Florida with a mystery woman. We're told Bam was at 57 Tavern in Sarasota until about 1 AM Monday, and it looks like he needed help walking out the front door.

Sources close to Bam tell TMZ ... he left treatment Sunday and has been telling friends and family he met a new lawyer friend in rehab who told Bam he could help him get out of his court-ordered rehab by leaving the state.

Our sources say Bam is shacking up at a family friend's house in Florida ... but as of last week, he's no longer speaking to his mother and father. He also has not heard from his estranged wife Nikki or seen his son Phoenix since he returned to rehab at the end of June.

We've seen this pattern before from Bam ... back in June, he fled a Florida rehab center, was reported missing, surfaced at a bar, got tracked down by the cops and was taken back for treatment.

Sue Bird was visibly emotional last night as she played the final game of her legendary WNBA career ... breaking down in tears on the court as fans chanted, "Thank You, Sue!"

Bird was understandably overwhelmed with emotion ... sharing one last moment with her teammates and fans at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle following the Storm's playoff game loss against the Aces.

Sue spoke to reporters after the game ... saying she felt sad about how the season and [playoff] game went, adding that "overall it just feels kind of weird."

"I then think, as the emotions started to come to the surface, that's also what I know deep down in that, that was my last game. So it was a combination of those two things."

Bird -- a four-time champ and future Hall of Fame point guard -- announced in June she was retiring at the end of Seattle's season, capping off a remarkable 19-year career.

Since being selected with the #1 overall pick in 2002 from UCONN, Bird made 12 All-Star teams and holds the WNBA all-time record for assists.

41-year-old Bird admitted she'll miss the game that brought her so many great memories, and reflected on her legacy ... saying she hopes she's made everyone proud.

Steph Curry gave the legend her flowers in honor of her hanging up her sneakers for good in what was Bird's final send-off.

Sue finished with 8 points and 8 assists in 36 minutes of action -- and the Aces defeated the Storm, 97-92, to advance to the WNBA Finals.