TMZ Sports - Page 29

Ja'Marr Chase is finally saying what everyone already knew -- Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki's got his Griddy touchdown celebration all wrong ... and the Bengals wide receiver says the guy needs to do some homework!!

Gesicki went viral recently for trying to do the fun dance that Chase and his old LSU teammate Justin Jefferson made famous ... but not necessarily nailing the vibe.

Chase joined "The Pat McAfee Show" and was asked if he had any plans of helping Gesicki with his Griddy ... and it's safe to say he's not giving him a good grade on Mike's performance.

"Listen, that guy is just doing his own thing," Chase said. "He's having fun out there doing the Griddy. It's not the right way to do the Griddy, but he's out there doing his thing."

Chase said he isn't upset with Gesicki routinely butchering the popular dance ... but admits the 27-year-old needs to hop on YouTube and watch tutorials.

JC's advice comes just days after Gesicki whipped out his version of the Griddy against the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday ... which had Robert Griffin III begging for an end to the madness.

"Somebody STOP THIS MAN and his unseasoned Griddy," Griffin wrote on Twitter.

This isn't the first time Chase has commented publicly about Mike's Griddy -- on Sunday, the Bengals wideout told Gesicki, "I ain't gone lie, this ain't it!"

After weeks of backlash ... Gisecki put everyone's mind and eyes at ease, saying that his days of doing the Griddy are over and that he's leaving the viral dance to the pros.

"I promise i’m done," Gesicki tweeted. "I’ll leave it up to the professionals for sure. Only around the house from here on out."

Paolo Banchero says being the BMOC at Duke actually ain't all that ... explaining this week that sometimes he felt like a straight-up "zoo animal" at the school.

The #1 overall pick broke down what life was like as a Blue Devil superstar to R.J. Hampton on Fubo Sports Network's "The Young Person Basketball Podcast" ... and he said, at times, people treated him weirdly on the Durham campus.

Don't get it twisted -- he said he LOVED being a member of the team and a student at the university ... but things did get awkward from time to time.

The new Orlando Magic wing said people would whisper behind his back, stare at him ... and take sneaky videos of him.

"Sometimes it'd feel like you was, like, a zoo animal or something, bro," the 19-year-old said. "They would like, on God, in class, you would see them over there whispering about you. Like, staring at you."

Banchero even said students would bring their entire families to his dorm room -- just to get a peek at the basketball standout.

"I open my door and it's a mom, dad, their daughter who goes to Duke and, like, they're little brother," Banchero recalled. "And, I'm just like, 'Damn.'"

Banchero spent only one season at Duke in 2021 before he was selected in this year's NBA draft. And, he did say ultimately he had fun on the ride.

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh was so moved after seeing a classroom full of elementary school students lose it after he smashed a playoff home run, the big leaguer went to the classroom and hung out with the kids!

25-year-old Raleigh visited Cascade View Elementary School in Snoqualmie, WA, where he spent time with a group of fifth-graders who recently went viral for their reaction to Raleigh's dinger.

Mr. Rooney, a teacher at Cascade, posted video of his students going nuts after Raleigh blasted a homer in the wild card round of the playoffs against the Blue Jays.

And, the kids had reason to cheer. Raleigh's two-run blast in the first inning off Jays' ace Alek Manoah propelled Seattle to a 4-0 victory that day.

Seattle ended up sending the Jays home, but then lost to the Houston Astros in the ALDS.

Little did Rooney know ... Cal got wind of the video, and decided to show his appreciation for the youngsters by spending quality time with them.

Raleigh -- who hit 27 home runs in his second season with the Mariners -- posed for pics with the kids, who were all smiles throughout the day, and he even answered questions, too.

Fivio Foreign was excited to bring his hit singles to the Brooklyn Nets season opener at Barclays Center ... but something was clearly off with his performance, and the fans let him have it.

Fivio took center court at halftime to deliver a medley of "Say My Name," "City of Gods" and "Big Drip" but there were apparently some technical difficulties ... the Brooklyn rapper missed the cue on most of his lyrics, resulting in a live performance of ad-libs.

Fans split the blame down the middle ... with some blaming the Nets audio crew and others just chalking it up to Fivio being a slouch on the job.

Of course, Twitter users let him have it, writing, "If you’re illegally streaming this Nets game you know that this fivio foreign halftime performance is one of the worst things in history." Another wrote, "I don’t know who fivio foreign is, but this one of the worst halftime shows I ever seen."

T.I., being the experienced rapper, noted Fivio's lack of in-ear headphones to hear the songs properly.

The glitchy performance certainly didn't inspire the home team ... Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans blew out the Nets on their home floor 130-108.

Daniel Ricciardo took his horse to that old town Grand Prix on Thursday ... showing up to Austin in the most Texas way possible!!

Of course, the Australian McLaren driver is OBSESSED with the Lone Star state ... and has become a fan of all things Texas since the event made its way to Austin in 2012.

In fact, DR has even tried to do his own Texas accent in interviews in the past ... and it's not half bad!!

Riccardo decided to show off just how much he loves his second home as he showed up to the Circuit of the Americas on Thursday ... by throwing on a Stars and Stripes shirt and cowboy hat and hopping on a horse to make a truly American entrance.

To make it even better, Daniel had country musicians accompany him as a crowd formed around him.

The best part?! Ricciardo's horse, apparently named "Horsey McHorse," had its very own VIP access badge -- complete with photo identification!!

Kyrie Irving took time out of a pre-game speech Wednesday to demand Joe Biden get Brittney Griner home ... saying straight up, "Do your job!"

The Nets star made the call-out just seconds before Brooklyn took on the New Orleans Pelicans ... right in the middle of the Barclays Center court.

The 30-year-old grabbed the mic, and urged fans to cheer his team and his teammates on ... before he turned the conversation to Griner and the U.S. President.

"I appreciate us being able to share this floor together, all of us as brothers," the point guard said, "but the big picture that's going in the world is free our sister, Brittney Griner, please!"

"POTUS, do your job!" he added. "Everybody do your job! Please bring our sister home."

Griner has been incarcerated in Russia since February ... after authorities accused her of bringing hashish oil in her luggage at a Moscow airport.

Biden has said repeatedly he's working hard to bring her home -- and U.S. officials have said they've made a substantial offer to Russia to get her out.

Griner's wife, Cherelle, said earlier this week on the basketball player's birthday that she appreciated the President's efforts.

Others around the NBA also used their season-opening platforms this week to raise awareness for Griner's situation ... with Steph Curry saying at the Warriors ring ceremony Tuesday that he didn't want anyone to forget about her.

Paul Pierce continues to be the butt of the joke after his viral raunchy twerking party last year -- his friends trolled him by getting a birthday cake with a picture from the infamous Instagram Live session ... and it's hilarious!!

Pierce, who celebrated his 45th birthday last Thursday, posted a picture of the cake on Twitter ... which poked fun at his NSFW gathering that led to his exit from ESPN.

On the cake is a pic of Paul -- who looks mesmerized -- pictured next to a scantily clad woman with the words, "Monica come through," and "Happy Birthday Habibi."

"My boys got me this cake fa my bday they play to much," Pierce said on Twitter ... seemingly accepting the friendly jab.

Remember ... the former Celtics superstar posted a video on Instagram showing him having a good time as scantily-clad women twerked on the floor behind him.

Pierce was fired from his ESPN job just days later.

Paul didn't seem too phased by his firing at the time ... posting a video of him smiling and laughing, saying, "Big Things coming soon stay tuned make sure u smile."

Shoutout to Paul for being a good sport about it all.

Kevin Durant is fed up with how hoop fans are treating Russell Westbrook ... saying it's completely fair to criticize players for poor performances -- but people are taking it to an unnecessary level with his old teammate.

You've seen the memes and clips -- Brodie's game has been under the microscope ever since he played his first game for the Lakers in 2021 ... with folks highlighting his miscues on social media and cracking jokes.

KD -- who played alongside Russ in Oklahoma City -- says he's seen all the posts and is clearly annoyed with how the 2017 MVP is being treated ... and thinks NBA fandom is getting to "toxic" levels.

"I understand there's certain points where you don't play well," KD said on "The Etcs" with Boardroom. "And, you are open to criticism when you don't play well. We get that."

"But, it's like now, you make him the butt of your jokes now. It's going to a point to where it's like, alright, I get the criticism for what he did that night, but now it's starting to reach a different level of some s*** that I don't understand right now."

Durant says fans are being extra hard on Westbrook because he's now on a huge market team and playing alongside the most famous NBA player in the past 30 years ... which has a big impact on how he's evaluated.

Despite all the talk, KD is pulling for Brodie ... saying he hopes he sticks to his game, blocks out the haters, and proves everybody wrong -- with one exception.

"When we play [the Lakers], I hope they play s****y," he joked.

Durant adds he thinks current NBA fans are overall being more negative than usual ... saying, "I hate how they talk. The dialogue around our game is so toxic at this point. I get criticism, but it's starting to turn into something else right now."

The University of Wisconsin and its police department have launched an investigation after private photos and video of the women's volleyball team, never meant to be seen publicly, were published online.

The Badgers' athletic department released a statement Wednesday afternoon stating the student-athletes reached out to the UW-Madison Police Department when they realized pics they'd taken were going around social media.

"We are aware that private photos and video of UW volleyball student-athletes that were never intended to be shared publicly are being circulated digitally," UW Athletics said.

"The unauthorized sharing is a significant and wrongful invasion of the student-athletes' privacy, including potential violations of university policies and criminal statutes."

"UWPD is investigating multiple crimes, including sharing sensitive photos without consent."

The photos and videos are believed to have been taken after the team clinched the Big Ten title in November of last year. One of the photos reportedly shows several members of the team lifting their sports bras and posing. The photos were private and never meant to be seen publicly.

Most of the photos have been taken down off the internet.

"Our top priority is supporting our student-athletes," UW Athletics said, "and we are providing them with the appropriate services and resources."

Deshaun Watson found himself in trouble in Ohio just months after he was traded to the Browns ... TMZ Sports has learned he was busted for going 97 MPH in a 70 MPH zone in June.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says it caught the star quarterback speeding in his G-Wagon in Sandusky -- less than three months after the Houston Texans dealt him to the Browns in a blockbuster trade.

Police body cam footage shows an officer pulled over the 27-year-old on June 11 ... and asked him if he had any clue how fast he was going.

"Like, 97?" said Watson, who also told the cop he had just been traded to the Browns.

"Yeah," the officer responded, "I got you at 97."

Watson said during the stop that he had been traveling into town from Detroit ... and the entire interaction with the cop was cordial. After a few minutes, the QB was issued a citation and allowed to leave.

Court records show the case was closed out on July 6 -- when Watson paid a $185 fine.

Deshaun is currently serving an 11-game suspension after he allegedly was sexually inappropriate with female masseuses during multiple massage therapy sessions during his time on the Texans.

Steph Curry was so pumped for his bro-in-law's game-winner on Wednesday night ... he woke up everyone in his house -- and nearly everyone in his neighborhood, too!!

Curry spent part of his off-night from the NBA watching the Suns vs. Mavericks ... and when Damion Lee -- his former Warriors teammate and the husband of his sister, Sydel -- sank an improbable shot to give Phoenix the dub, he absolutely lost his mind.

The 4-time NBA champ and Golden State superstar let out a guttural yell ... before claiming he didn't mind that he was bothering his sleeping kids.

"Come on!!!!" he screamed as his wife, Ayesha, sat on the couch behind him. "Yeah, Dame! Stick with it! Stick with it! Stick with it!"

"The kids are asleep," he added. "I don't care! Stick with it!"

In the background, Curry's youngest child, Canon, could be heard crying -- but it still didn't stop Steph from praising Lee.

The two are obviously super close -- and have been officially family since 2018 ... when Lee married Sydel.

Tennis legend Boris Becker has found a second career while locked away in an English slammer ... he's become a popular prison yoga instructor!

German tabloid Bild, citing a source close to the 54-year-old, reported this week that the convicted criminal has begun to thrive while behind bars ... teaching fitness routines to his fellow prisoners -- and losing a ton of weight.

The outlet reports Becker has made fast friends with inmates at Huntercombe prison in England, hosting yoga classes for around 45 people. Becker, according to the outlet, has also given up alcohol, become a regular in the facility's gym, and lost around 17 pounds.

"As a sportsman," the source close to Becker told Bild, "he knows only too well the highs and lows of victories and defeats. He is sharing his life experience with his fellow prisoners."

As we reported, Becker was initially sentenced to 2.5 years in prison back in April after he was accused of moving a ton of money in an effort to hide funds following his declaration of bankruptcy in 2017.

The former No. 1-ranked tennis player allegedly transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars from his business account to other accounts after declaring bankruptcy -- a big no-no.

In announcing Becker's sentence, the judge ripped into the former tennis star ... saying at the time, "You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy."

As Halloween approaches, normies are looking for thrills -- and so are celebs ... which is exactly why a good amount of 'em are hitting Universal Studios for the best scares in town.

As you might know, Halloween Horror Nights is underway at the L.A. theme park -- and with some of the freakiest haunted mazes within reach in Hollywood ... it's no surprise that some A-listers are pouring in for their fair share.

Among some of stars who've shown up so far ... Billie Eilish, Jordyn Woods and her BF, Karl-Anthony Towns. While you'd think they'd be screaming, they're actually all cheesin'!

Bebe Rexha also popped in for HHH, but her visit seems to have been a little more fright-filled ... 'cause it looks like she's losing her head here. That, or just hamming it up for the camera -- could go either way.

Actress Kiernan Shipka also splashed down at one point this season. She looked a little more even-keeled than Bebe did alongside a bunch of monsters -- but that might have to do with her work on the 'Sabrina' witch show on Netflix ... which is scary as hell.

There's also Shawn Mendes, who swung by to pose with the performers and flash his pearly whites. The guy didn't look to be too afraid or anything.

The attraction's got a rep for being as in-your-face as possible in terms of trying to scare you ... but these folks aren't allowed to make actual contact, close as they might get.

That directive is likely applied even more so when it comes to the rich and famous who might swing by during Halloween-time ... in other words, these fine folks are at no real risk of being too scared or accosted.

As for the rest of us ... well, a little more so.

James Bouknight was unconscious for an hour before cops were finally able to wake up the Charlotte Hornets guard ... but the ordeal didn't end there, 'cause law enforcement says the hooper refused to get out of his Mercedes and even crashed into two squad cars before finally being placed under arrest for DWI.

The details of the arrest are all spelled out in court docs ... and it's clear cops had a helluva time waking up the former UConn star. Police say they tried numerous tactics for about an hour, including using a PA system and an air horn.

Once he finally came to, cops say the 22-year-old refused to get out of his car for several minutes, and instead sat in his driver's seat, eating.

As TMZ Sports previously reported, while asleep, Bouknight had a Glock 23 handgun in his lap. The weapon was visible in a photograph obtained and posted by us.

Police say James moved his car forward, hitting a cop car in front of him, before reversing and hitting another squad car behind him.

Finally, cops say Bouknight complied and exited the car, where he was arrested.

The docs say Bouknight claimed he took four shots of tequila before driving home early Sunday morning. He later took a breathalyzer and blew a .14. The limit in North Carolina is .08.

JB apologized for the arrest on Tuesday, saying ... “Honestly, I just wanted to apologize for being a distraction before the start of the season, for my teammates and for what we’ve got going on.”

Basketball star Emoni Bates is asking for forgiveness after a "poor decision" led to his gun arrest ... saying he hopes he can inspire others to learn from his mistake.

18-year-old Bates -- who was rated one of the top high school hoopers in the class of 2021 -- spoke out for the first time on Wednesday about the situation ... completely owning up to his actions and vowing to do better moving forward.

"The crazy thing about living your life on stage is the inability to escape judgment, and experience the growing pains of lie as a normal adolescent -- privately," Bates said in a statement.

"I hold myself accountable for making a poor decision, and hope you can forgive me as I grow because this will not be my last mistake, however; a lasting stigma to remind me of the severity of such a mistake."

Bates was arrested on September 18 around 10:45 PM in Superior Township, Michigan after cops say he blew a stop sign.

Police officers smelled weed during the stop, and eventually took Emoni out of the vehicle. He quickly admitted there was marijuana and a gun in the car, and was cooperative throughout the whole ordeal.

The 6'9", 190 lb. hooper was charged with multiple felonies, including carrying a concealed weapon and "altering ID marks" on the weapon ... but on Wednesday, he officially agreed to a deal and pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of attempted illegal transportation of a weapon.

Bates enrolled at Memphis Univ. after graduating from high school ... where he averaged 10 points and 3 rebounds per game. Emoni transferred to Eastern Michigan, near his family home, after his first season in Tennessee.

Terrifying scene in the AEW on Tuesday night ... "Hangman" Adam Page -- one of the org.'s biggest stars -- was taken out of the ring on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital after he landed awkwardly during a match.

Thankfully, however, AEW officials say it appears the wrestler is already on his way to making a full recovery.

The scary incident went down during Page's scrap with Jon Moxley at AEW Dynamite in Cincinnati, Ohio ... when he was struck in the head by a forearm while running at full speed.

Video from the event's broadcast shows the blow was so violent, it caused Page to come down on his head, unprotected.

Page lay on the mat for several moments after being struck -- and quickly, it became apparent to the ref that something was seriously wrong. The match was stopped, and trainers raced in to tend to the 31-year-old.

Page was eventually strapped to a stretcher -- and Moxley grabbed a mic and told the crowd to pray for his rival.

AEW officials released a statement saying Page was taken to a nearby Cincinnati trauma center ... and diagnosed with a concussion. But, fortunately, they added he was discharged shortly after.

"[Page] will remain in AEW's concussion protocol," the org. said. "AEW and Hangman Page are grateful for the exemplary response and care of staff and local medical personnel and are appreciative of the love and support of fans everywhere."

Several stars in the wrestling world wished Page a speedy recovery ... including Big E, who recently suffered a serious neck injury in a similar in-ring incident.

"Praying for Hangman," he said.