TMZ Sports - Page 25

Highlighter green's out ... neon pink's in -- and, it's all for a great cause!!!

The Oregon Ducks announced Monday they're ditching their traditional uniforms for next weekend's home game against UCLA ... in order to pay homage to Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The kit has been dubbed "Stomp Out Cancer" by the school ... and the jerseys are sweet!

The numbers are colored-in pink ... as are most of the accents, including the school's logos.

The wings on the helmets, meanwhile, will also feature a similar shade of pink ... and the Ducks' gloves, cleats and wristbands will have the color all over them, too.

Of course, Oregon has become known for its bold jersey choices over the years -- and in fact, it was one of the first schools to ever douse its uniforms in pink for October.

Back in the Marcus Mariota days, Oregon had a few variations for the month ... including a hot-pink helmet.

Gisele Bündchen is trying to feel better after separating from her husband Tom Brady ... visiting a spiritual healer to get back on track.

The supermodel paid Dr. Ewa a return visit Friday in Florida, sporting a prayer necklace and carrying a box from Amazon on her way into her spiritual intervention.

Ewa came armed with some Tupperware filled with yellow soup, and two cups.

Again, no wedding ring for Gisele ... she hasn't been spotted wearing it recently, but we should note -- she rarely wore the thing even before leaving Tom.

TMZ broke the story ... Gisele recently separated from Tom, declaring their marriage was over. She's been threatening to divorce him several times over the years, with football as the core issue.

Gisele's living in Miami while Tom plays another NFL season in Tampa ... and we've seen her hitting the gym a lot, even taking her kids to a workout amid her search for a divorce lawyer.

The Matt Rhule era in Carolina is over -- the Panthers just announced they're parting ways with their head coach after a 1-4 start.

It's no secret -- the Panthers have been a mess so far this season ... and have really struggled during Rhule's tenure, going 5-11 and 5-12 in his first two years on the sidelines.

The decision comes just weeks after Panthers owner David Tepper said the organization would be "patient" with Rhule.

The Panthers lost 37-15 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday ... and after the game, he was questioned about his job security.

"I've got nothing to say about that now, just here to talk about the game today," Rhule said. "Would never want to make this about me."

Rhule had four years left on his $62 million deal ... but it was clear the organization felt it was time to make a change ASAP.

Prior to the Panthers, Rhule was the head coach Baylor University, where he turned the program around. In his first year the team went 1-11. In 2018, his second year, they went 7-6. Then, in 2019, the team, ranked as high as 7th in the nation, went 11-3, and played in the Big 12 Championship.

He won the Chuck Neinas Coach of the Year Award in 2019, which is voted on by fellow coaches.

Before Baylor, Rhule coached at Temple ... going 28-23 and bringing success back to the program.

Steve Wilks will serve as interim head coach.

If anyone knows about surviving a shooting, it's 50 Cent ... that's why the rap legend shouted out Commanders RB Brian Robinson on social media,  celebrating the 3rd round draft pick for playing just six weeks after he was shot twice.

"That s**t ain’t stop nothing, 👀when God has bigger plans it’s just a bump in the road. @b.robinson_4 right back in action 💪🏽," 50 wrote on Instagram Monday morning.

50, of course, was famously shot 9 times in 2000 ... and miraculously survived.

23-year-old Robinson returned to the field on Sunday ... after being shot in his butt and leg on August 28th. The Commanders lost to the Titans, 21-17, but Robinson ran the ball 9 times for 22 yards.

Robinson -- who had surgery after the shooting -- was medically cleared to play last week ... but the team wanted to give the rookie ball carrier a little extra time to heal.

It was well worth the wait for fans ... who were clearly pumped to see Robinson. When he ran onto the field before kickoff, he received one of the loudest ovations.

After the game, someone on the internet put Fif's song "Many Men" -- largely about his shooting -- to video of Robinson running onto the field for the first time ... and it's pretty damn cool.

Bronny James is following in his father's footsteps and joining the Nike family -- the high school hoops star just inked an NIL deal with the shoe giant.

Nike made the announcement just minutes ago ... saying the 18-year-old Sierra Canyon baller is one of five high school prospects who recently signed Name, Image and Likeness endorsements with the Swoosh.

It was a no-brainer to get Bronny on board -- especially considering Nike and LeBron James have been attached at the hip since he was drafted in 2003 ... and collaborated on 20 signature shoes together.

The other student-athletes getting NIL deals include Caitlin Clark, Haley Jones, Juju Watkins, and DJ Wagner, son of ex-NBAer Dajuan Wagner.

Wagner is considered one of the best hoopers in the class of 2023 -- and is listed #1 on ESPN's Top 100 players.

There's a good chance Bronny takes his talents to Columbus to play at Ohio State next season ... which just so happens to be a Nike school.

The Texans are giving their fans a chance to sever ties with Deshaun Watson once and for all -- announcing a jersey exchange program that will allow people to ditch their old #4 unis for other players.

Houston CEO Cal McNair announced the event Monday morning ... explaining that for just this week, Texans supporters can swap their Watson jerseys at the NRG Stadium team store for a new set of threads at a steep discount.

McNair and the Texans never mention Watson by name in promoting the swap -- but they made it very apparent the whole thing stems from fans clamoring for a way to dispose of the #4 attire.

The photo the team used for the flier contains a #4 jersey. The discount on the new jersey is 44%. And, in the caption on McNair's video, one fan points out it's looking to get rid of the jersey of "one particular player."

Technically, the Texans say any player the team acquired from 2017 to 2021 is eligible for the promotion ... but check out the list of names -- it's clear Watson is the only jersey people are jumping through these hoops for.

Of course, Watson and the Texans unceremoniously parted ways earlier this year -- following allegations that the star quarterback had been sexually inappropriate with multiple female massage therapists.

LeBron James went full Sicko Mode for Bronny's big 18th birthday party ... losing his mind and dancing during Travis Scott's surprise performance -- and it was LIT!!

The James Gang pulled out all the stops for the Sierra Canyon hooper's celebration ... renting out Harriet's Rooftop bar in West Hollywood for all his friends.

The highlight of the night came when La Flame grabbed the mic and performed for the crowd  ... doing his biggest hits like "Butterfly Effect," "goosebumps" and "Sicko Mode."

King James and Bronny were clearly feeling the show ... rapping along and jumping up and down.

It's another step forward for Scott ... who has slowly made his return to performing after the Astroworld Festival tragedy in November 2021.

While most ragers tend to include alcohol, word is all drinks were kid-friendly (maybe in 3 years, Bronny) ... and there was plenty of pizza and ice cream to go around, according to Daily Mail.

Rapper SoFaygo also took the mic at the party ... with Bronny standing on stage with him throughout his set.

LeBron gave a special tribute to Bronny on Thursday ... saying, "I'm so proud of the young man you've become kid!" he said.

"Continue to be YOU throughout your journey because it's simply better that way! And I'll be right beside you whenever/however needed! Love you Young 🤴🏾"

The Tampa Bay Lightning have suspended Ian Cole ... after the defenseman was accused of grooming and sexually abusing a woman when she was a minor, the team announced Sunday.

"Our organization takes these allegations very seriously," Lightning officials said in a statement. "While we continue to gather more details, we have decided to suspend Ian Cole pending the results of an investigation."

"No members of the organization, including players, will comment further at this time."

On Friday, an anonymous Twitter user posted a lengthy statement alleging that Cole had emotionally and sexually abused her when she was in high school.

The accuser claimed Cole "was very well aware of my age and that I was a teen in high school," and said the hockey player had pressured her to have sex with him and to "do things without my consent, that I had made clear to him I was not ok with."

Cole -- who's played in the NHL for 15 seasons -- adamantly denied the allegations in a statement released Sunday night.

"I take the allegations made against me today in an anonymous tweet very seriously," he said.

"I completely deny these allegations and will fully cooperate with the NHL and the Tampa Bay Lightning, their offices, and legal departments in the forthcoming investigation."

According to ESPN, the suspension is considered paid leave.

A little boy who ran onto the field during an NFL game Sunday was grabbed by a security guard and slammed to the turf ... all while Tom Brady looked on from just feet away.

The incident happened early in the Buccaneers' game against the Falcons in Tampa Bay ... when a 10-year-old hopped the stadium railing and sprinted onto the playing surface.

The kid -- wearing a Brady shirt -- made it several yards down the sideline ... juking stadium workers who were trying to stop him.

Eventually, however, one staffer grabbed a hold of him and tackled him to the ground. Video shot by a fan in the stands shows the kid being taken down with force.

Authorities then slapped cuffs on the child, before hauling him into a holding area inside the stadium.

A spokesperson for the Tampa Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports the boy was issued a civil citation, given notice to appear in court ... and then released.

This is the second time in less than a week that a field invader has caused a scene at an NFL game ... last Monday, a smoke-bomb-toting protester was slammed by Rams star Bobby Wagner in the middle of "Monday Night Football" against the 49ers. He filed a police report over the incident. The case is ongoing.

Ex-NFL star Jamal Lewis says Tua Tagovailoa needs to be very, very careful with his health going forward after suffering a concussion last week ... telling TMZ Sports effects from similar head injuries that he's experienced in the past have lingered "for years."

"This is a silent creeper," Lewis said of post-concussion symptoms, "that can haunt you for the rest of your life slowly."

Lewis, unfortunately, knows all about head trauma -- the former Baltimore Ravens running back sustained several concussions in his career ... including one in 2009 that he says was a horrifying experience.

The ex-tailback says he was knocked out during a game, and didn't feel quite right following the hit for months. At one point while trying to recover, he says he "woke up not really recognizing myself."

The 43-year-old -- one of only eight people to ever rush for more than 2,000 yards in an NFL season -- is now telling Tagovailoa to use him as a cautionary tale ... and truly take care of his head before returning to the field.

"You gotta be more smart and understand that you might have a family," Lewis said, "that you have other people that are more important than this game."

Tagovailoa appeared to suffer a head injury initially against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 25.

After telling docs it was his back, not his head, that bothered him, he was allowed to return to the game and then play again four days later against the Cincinnati Bengals.

In that game, he was slung to the ground and knocked out for several moments. He was rushed to the hospital, and has since been away from the Dolphins recovering.

Arnold Schwarzenegger may be the most expensive personal trainer in the land, because Sunday he worked out 2 crews that each plunked down $150,000 ... all for an incredible cause.

Arnold was at Gold's Gym in Venice, which he made world-famous, and made good on a charity auction at his home Saturday night.

Morris Flancbaum from Florida and his fam bid the $150k to get a good pump under Arnold's tutelage. Morris and his sons got pointers from The Terminator as a crowd formed to watch. Another $150k auction winner was there as well, getting fit with Arnold.

The charity -- After-School All-Stars -- is fantastic. Arnold created it 30 years ago to benefit school kids around the country. It provides after-school programs and exercise for 100,000 kids in 60 cities.

This time around folks donated $5.2 million, of which $1.75M came from the auction. In addition to a training session, Arnold auctioned off clothes, humidors, art and a ride in his tank!!!

Guests paid $50k a head to attend the event. Sylvester Stallone, Danny DeVito and Dolph Lundgren, along with the costars of Arnold's new Netflix show, "FUBAR," all showed.

And this part's amazing ... the charity just opened a school program in Uvalde, Texas, at the request of the City. It only took 45 days to get the program up and running.

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry -- who earned the title of "World's Strongest Man" in 2002 -- says his son Jacob, will be an even better athlete than he was ... telling TMZ Sports the kid can already squat 600 pounds!!

Henry spoke glowingly about 16-year-old Jacob and his many talents in an interview with TMZ Sports ... telling us how proud he was of the high school junior for constantly striving to get better without needing a push from his father.

"Football-wise, he's already ahead of me," Henry said. "He's a really dominant player, impossible to block one-on-one. He took 28 double teams against the number one offensive line in the state and the best football team in the state of Texas."

"I know what Jacob is and what he's gonna be. I'm just looking forward to seeing it happen. He'll definitely be a better athlete than I am."

Henry said Jacob also has a bright future in wrestling, adding he understands the psychology of the sport and the subtle nuances that go into performing inside the squared circle.

Mark says Jacob's athletic prowess isn't the only impressive thing about him -- he says the kid can sing, too!!

"He's such a well-rounded kid," Henry said. "[He] loves God more than anything, and I just wanna see him have every outlet that he wants to try his hand in."

Jaire Alexander will be honoring Queen Elizabeth during the Green Bay Packers game in London on Sunday ... with these new custom cleats featuring Her Majesty.

TMZ Sports has learned the Packers organization reached out to celeb artist Joe Castro last month -- in order to have custom spikes made for their 25-year-old cornerback for their big game against the Giants.

"They wanted something to commemorate the Queen while they play in England," Castro tells us.

And, Castro delivered!!!

You can see a portrait of the Queen -- who sadly passed away on Sept. 8 at 96 years old -- in front of the United Kingdom flag on one side of the green-and-yellow-painted Adidas.

There's also a detailed design of London's skyline on the other side of the Pro Bowler's cleats.

Metta Sandiford-Artest just became a big Blake Griffin fan ... and it's all a result of the new Celtics forward's decision to rock #91 in honor of the great Hall of Famer, Dennis Rodman!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Metta out in Beverly Hills this week ... and he was pleasantly surprised to learn Griffin was paying respect to Rodman's legacy with his jersey number this season.

"That's incredible," the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year said about Griffin's number change. "That's great to hear. I'm a big Rodman fan, and now I'll buy the jersey."

Griffin -- who signed with the Boston Celtics as a free agent last week -- confirmed to reporters after his first practice with his new teammates that the reason he is going to wear the #91 is to pay homage to Rodman, the 5-time NBA champ.

Artest -- who played 17 seasons in the NBA with the Pacers, Knicks, Kings, Rockets, Lakers, and Bulls -- earned a reputation for his physical style of defense ... and was one of four players to wear the #91 in NBA history.

The other three are Mindaugas Kuzminskas (New York Knicks), Deividas Sirvydis (Detroit Pistons) ... and, of course, Rodman.

There's more -- Metta retired from the NBA in 2017, but it may not be long before we see another Artest in the association -- because MSA tells us both of his sons are still pursuing their hoop dreams.

Draymond Green just spoke publicly for the first time since punching teammate Jordan Poole at practice this week ... apologizing for his actions and announcing he's taking a break from the Golden State Warriors.

The 32-year-old 4x NBA champ met with media Saturday morning in the Bay Area, telling reporters flat out ... "I was wrong."

As for what led up to the punch, Green wouldn't say, answering, "things that happened in practice should stay in practice."

Draymond went on to say he isn't trying to convince people he was in the right ... he's here to own up to what he did wrong.

"I'm not here to change an opinion. I'm here to acknowledge my mistakes." He did, however, say the fact that the video leaked was "bulls***."

Green says he apologized to the team, organization, Jordan Poole, the Poole family, and his own family.

TMZ Sports posted video Friday showing the NBA star punching Poole in the face at practice Wednesday in San Francisco, after the two men got into a verbal argument.

Draymond says he watched the video "15 times, maybe more" and admitted "it looks even worse than I thought it was."

DG also expressed anger at the release of the video, saying ... "I thought it was bulls**t. No other videos leak from practice. When we're working on our sets, that don't leak."

Kanye West wore his 'White Lives Matter' shirt at his daughter's basketball game ... right behind Kim Kardashian, no less.

The controversial long-sleeve was on display Friday night while North played in Thousand Oaks with other kids -- plus, a bunch of parents on hand to watch. Ye was rocking it proudly, and he was within arms reach of the mother of his children too.

Kim doesn't appear to acknowledge him in the photos, and eyewitnesses say she never turned to look in his direction either while they were both there. We're also told KW had a cameraman with him who looked busy. No word of any trouble due to his wardrobe choice.

What we do know ... Kim completely avoided him outside of this seating arrangement. We're told she actually moved her car to the opposite side of the building once he rolled up ... in order to avoid any run-ins afterward. Indeed, her focus was all on North for this outing.

It's interesting ... Ye seemed pretty animated here, and he wasn't trying to hide what he was wearing either. If anything, you could argue he was trying to draw attention to himself.

He's obviously sticking to his guns on this -- remember, he first trotted out the 'WLM' shirt earlier in the week during a fashion show ... and after a lot of criticism, he doubled and then tripled down online. Eventually, he went on Tucker Carlson's show to try and explain.

Even at this point, though, Kanye's rationale behind the move isn't all that clear. He did say he thought Black Lives Matter was a scam, but aside from that -- he hasn't thoughtfully laid out his position ... although he has thoroughly described the backlash coming his way.