TMZ Sports - Page 8

Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle learned the hard way ... if you don't want to be completely ignored, never go anywhere with Jimmy Garoppolo!

The 49ers stars sat courtside for the Warriors-Spurs game Monday night ... and the Golden State dancers couldn't get enough of the handsome quarterback.

Can't say the same for his star teammates, though.

While Jimmy G sat in his floor seat, the Warriors dancers gave him a warm welcome, shaking hands and literally making the 31-year-old blush.

In addition to Jimmy, George, and Christian ... star fullback Kyle Juszczyk was also with the boys.

This 49ers gathering came a day after the squad's insane comeback win against the L.A. Chargers, bringing the team to 5-4. They're currently in 2nd place in the NFC West, behind the 6-4 Seahawks.

Fans have come a long way since the start of the season ... when Trey Lance was under center, and many fans wanted Garoppolo shipped out of town.

Tom Brady was deeply concerned with Antonio Brown's decision-making well before his shirtless exit from the NFL ... with the controversial receiver going public with a passionate text from his former teammate in May 2021.

AB has made headlines for all the wrong reasons recently -- from ripping his pads off and quitting on the Bucs mid-game in January, to allegedly exposing himself in a public pool, to showing his support for Kanye West's "White Lives Matter" movement ... and most recently, making disrespectful comments about TB12 amid his divorce from Gisele Bündchen.

But before all that, Tom appeared to have sent AB a heartfelt plea to get his act together ... saying, "You are demonstrating very poor decisions and poor communication to so many people who have gone above and beyond to help you."

Remember, Tom and AB were thick as thieves at one point -- the 7-time champ vouched for Brown twice to get the New England Patriots and Bucs to take a chance on him ... but things have turned sour in recent years.

It's unclear what exactly upset Brady -- AB had been previously accused of sexual assault and attacking a moving truck driver (just to name a few incidents), but seemingly kept out of trouble around the time of Tom's text.

TB12 only says he was upset with AB's behavior "over the past few months" ... and made sure not to mince his words when calling out the former star.

"You are acting selfish and unfortunately many of those people are exhausted by the erratic and unpredictable emotional behavior," TB12 says.

In the message, Brady claims AB was humble and ready to improve his life when they first met ... but something changed.

"Unfortunately you have reverted very much back to a young immature man that is selfish, self serving, irrational and irresponsible."

Brady seemingly blames AB's circle for being bad influences ... adding, "You have gone from hanging around good quality people that had genuine interest in seeing you succeed, to seeing others whose lives are erratic and out of control and leading you down a negative path."

Christopher Jones Jr. -- the ex-University of Virginia football player who's been accused of murdering three current members of the Cavaliers team -- had complained of bullying before the shooting, this according to Jones Jr.'s father.

Christopher Jones Sr. spoke with NBC12 just one day after his son allegedly shot and killed three UVA football players while on a bus on campus ... and he explained, for the most part, his son appeared normal during their last encounter about a month ago "and he was doing real well."

But, he did note that while Jones Jr. had stopped by his house to do laundry, the 22-year-old admitted he was having some issues while at school.

"He had some problems," Jones Sr. said of Jones Jr., a former UVA running back. "The last time I talked to him, he said some people was picking on him or whatever. He didn't know how to handle it. I just told him, 'Go to school. Don't pay them no mind. Do what you got to do.'"

Jones Sr. added, "He wouldn't tell me everything."

Jones Jr. allegedly opened fire on a bus full of students after it had returned from a class field trip at around 10:30 PM on Sunday night. According to authorities, the gunfire killed D'Sean Perry, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler, and wounded two others.

Cops say Jones Jr. then fled the scene ... remaining on the run for about 12 hours -- before he was eventually arrested in Henrico County. He's now facing six charges, including three counts of second-degree murder.

Jones Sr. said he had no clue what could have caused Jones Jr. to pull the trigger.

"What happened?" Jones Sr. said. "Why did it have to get this far? He could have called me."

Jones Sr. then issued an apology on his son's behalf.

On campus, meanwhile, students participated in a candlelight vigil to honor the three who died in the tragedy.

Barnes & Noble has pulled the controversial book "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake up Black America" off its shelves ... while Kyrie Irving continues to face backlash for promoting it.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), commended B&N Tuesday morning ... saying the bookseller's decision to yank the book should set a precedent.

Greenblatt then turned his attention to Amazon, revealing he wrote to the company over a week ago, looking to have a conversation about the book/films presence on the giant retailer's website. The ADL CEO says he'd like a disclaimer added to the book and film, at the least.

Greenblatt added the book and film "will lead directly to the harm of Jews," adding Amazon needs to follow B&N's lead before it's too late.

Of course, Kyrie landed in hot water after tweeting a link to the controversial film.

The Nets eventually suspended Irving for an indefinite amount of time. He hasn't played since  November 1 ... and it's unclear when he will return.

Amazon is carrying the book and movie on its website.

Tim Hardaway was forced to issue an apology on Monday night ... after he disturbingly compared a player's rough defense to rape during the middle of a Warriors game.

The former Golden State superstar was in the TV booth for the team's special "Run TMC" broadcast -- which featured Hardaway, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond instead of the Warriors' regular announcers -- and a little more than halfway into the game, Tim put his foot squarely in his mouth.

While trying to talk about how he felt a player crossed the line on defense during the Warriors' matchup with the San Antonio Spurs, he shockingly said, "See, ya'll thought that was great D, I thought that was just raping him."

He added, "I think he should have called the police on that."

The other members of the broadcast booth quickly tried to move on ... but viewers were so outraged and appalled by the remarks, Hardaway had to issue a mea culpa just a few minutes later.

"Hey everybody," he said as the game headed into the fourth quarter. "I used a poor choice of words earlier in the broadcast. I want to apologize for that. And, you know, let's get back to the game. And, let's finish this game off with a 30-point win and go home happy."

No word yet from the Warriors if there will be any punishment coming for Hardaway.

Of course, this is not the first time the 56-year-old former basketball player has offended with his words -- back in 2007, during a talk on "The Dan Le Batard Show," he infamously said, "I hate gay people."

Hardaway eventually apologized for those comments.

TMZ Sports has obtained Ben Gordon's mug shot after he allegedly attacked two McDonald's security guards in Chicago ... with the ex-NBA star appearing alert and wide-eyed.

As we previously reported, Gordon was being escorted out of a local Mickey D's on Nov. 4 when he allegedly hit a 29-year-old male guard in the face and threw him to the ground. He is also accused of shoving a second 21-year-old male guard during the altercation.

It's unclear what led to the altercation, but the former NBA lottery pick appeared to have a blank stare as he posed for his mug shot shortly after being taken into custody.

39-year-old Gordon was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery ... and his first court date is slated for next month.

Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are teaming up once again ... but this time, it's not in the boxing ring -- the two legends are releasing a cannabis gummy collection together!!

Iron Mike has become quite the weed businessman with his Tyson 2.0 brand in recent years ... and went viral when he released his "Mike Bites" edibles, which are a reference to the time he infamously took a chunk out of Real Deal's ear during their infamous 1997 bout.

Tyson is now including Holyfield in the money-making opportunity ... joining forces with his former nemesis to create a new line called "Holy Ears."

The ear-shaped gummies -- which are "Cherry Pie Punch" flavored -- have Holyfield's stamp of approval ... 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he took one and was knocked out!!

"It put me to sleep!" Evander tells us ... adding he thinks the finished product is "great."

Holyfield says he was honored when Mike called and pitched the idea ... and considering the benefits of cannabis, he couldn't pass on the opportunity to help the cause.

Tyson's partner, Chad Bronstein, says the product will drop next week ... and both THC and Delta 8 versions will be available all over the country.

Tyson gives credit to his wife for coming up with the idea for "Holy Ears" ... and admitted it wouldn't be right to release the new collection without Evander on board.

Former MLB superstar Yasiel Puig is facing up to five years in prison ... after he agreed to plead guilty to lying to the feds during their investigation of an illegal gambling ring.

Federal prosecutors announced the plea deal on Monday afternoon ... saying the ex-Dodgers outfielder intends to make a guilty plea to one count of making false statements at a court hearing later this month.

The charge, according to the feds, carries a maximum sentence of five years behind bars.

Puig -- who's now playing baseball in South Korea after seven seasons in the MLB -- had been accused by officials of placing bets through an illegal gambling business beginning back in May 2019.

Officials say in a matter of weeks, he racked up $282,900 in gambling losses -- and then cut two separate $100K checks to the operators of the illegal gambling biz to pay off his debts ... and continue to make bets.

Authorities say following the payments, he went on to make an additional 899 more bets on the sites from July 2019 to September 2019 on tennis, football and basketball games.

According to officials, Puig was ultimately interviewed over it all -- and they say he lied through his teeth ... prompting the federal charge.

F1 star Sergio Pérez says he's not going to dwell on the fact his teammate, Max Verstappen, refused to help him out during the Brazilian Grand Prix ... claiming the issue is "behind us."

Verstappen came under fire for disobeying Red Bull's orders and not letting Checo pass him at the end of Sunday's race ... which ultimately hurt his spot in the driver standings.

Pérez broke his silence on the situation Monday ... saying he talked things over with Max after the race, and they're moving past it.

"With Max and the team everything was discussed yesterday and it will remain internally," Checo said on Twitter. "This is behind us and we will continue working as the great team that we have been until now."

Many criticized Max for his actions because he has the 2022 championship on lock ... and Checo is in a tight race for second with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who finished 4th in Brazil.

If Max -- who was positioned in 6th at the time -- would have let Pérez through, he would have been able to keep his lead over Leclerc in the standings.

Audio of Verstappen's exchange with the Red Bull crew was released after the race ... which showed the 2021 champ voicing his disagreement with the demand.

"I told you already last summer. The guys don't ask that again to me -- are we clear about that?" Max said. "I gave my reasons and I stand by it."

Sergio was heard reacting to Verstappen's antics ... saying, "It shows who he really is."

It's a pretty shocking move on Max's part -- especially considering everything Checo did for him as he made his title run last year.

Odell Beckham Jr. is suing Nike ... the NFL superstar claims the Swoosh swindled him out of millions of dollars by suppressing sales of sneakers that would've triggered a contract extension.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed by 30-year-old Beckham Jr.'s attorney, Daniel Davillier, laid out their claims against the shoewear giant.

Odell claims once his original Nike deal expired in 2017, he considered jumping ship to Adidas ... who offered him a huge contract. Not wanting to lose a marquee talent, Odell says Nike exercised their right to match the Adidas deal. But, he claims the fine print was different ... and it wasn't truly the same deal.

Beckham Jr. says the way the Nike deal was structured made it nearly impossible for him to trigger very valuable extensions of the deal.

OBJ says the relationship with Nike began to sour around March 2022 when he was due a payment of around $2.6 million. But, he claims, without any warning, the company withheld more than $2 million of the payment.

He later learned Nike withheld the money because the company said he committed footwear and glove violations when he altered his equipment towards the end of last season.

Beckham insists he didn't commit the violations -- he said he was forced to personally customize his cleats because Nike failed to give him cleats that matched the colors of his new team.

As for his gloves, Beckham Jr. says he always customizes the equipment to fit his "high fashion brand" and Nike never had a problem with it in the past.

Odell believes Nike manufactured the penalties as a way to pressure him into signing a less lucrative deal with them.

All in all, Odell says the fine print screwed him out of over $20 million ... and now he's suing to collect.

The Super Bowl champ released a statement addressing the suit.

"Being a Nike Athlete and Brand Icon was a dream I've had since being a young boy. I wanted to be the next Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant in the Nike Family."

"When Nike exercised its right of first refusal to match the Adidas offer and not only kept me as a Nike Athlete, but also made me one of their Brand Icons – my dream had been fulfilled."

"Unfortunately, Nike did not honor its commitments. Throughout our partnership, I have kept my promise and fulfilled my obligations to the brand. I am extremely disappointed that I’ve had to take these measures to ensure Nike fulfills their obligations and promises."

Beckham Jr. continued ... "Today, I'm taking a stand not just for me, but to set a precedent for all athletes who have dedicated their life to the sport they love – especially those who don't have the means to stand up for themselves. We are held responsible for fulfilling our obligations under our contracts, but we also have to hold powerful companies like Nike accountable for honoring their commitments too."

"I look forward to resolving this issue and hope we can start a real conversation about protecting athletes and their rights. This happens too often in the sports industry and it's time for change."

Police are on the hunt for a former University of Virginia football player ... after they say he's suspected of shooting and killing three people, while injuring two others, in a horrifying on-campus incident Sunday night.

The shooting occurred at Culbreth Parking Garage at around 10:30 PM -- and, according to the university police department, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a current student, is suspected of pulling the trigger.

As of Monday morning, Jones had not been taken into custody. Police said they've launched a manhunt for the ex-Cavaliers running back -- and are urging anyone to call 911 with information about his whereabouts. They say he was last seen wearing a burgundy jacket, blue jeans and red shoes, and is considered armed and dangerous.

Jones, according to the school's website, played tailback for UVA in 2018, but did not appear in any games.

The victims of the shooting have not yet been identified. A potential motive also remains unclear.

School president Jim Ryan announced Monday morning classes had been canceled as the search for Jones continues.

"This is a message any leader hopes never to have to send," Ryan said in a statement to the school, "and I am devastated that this violence has visited the University of Virginia."

J.J. Watt continues to live up to his reputation as one of the most generous players in the NFL ... this time he's offered straight cash to a fan whose parlay was ruined after a controversial call during Sunday's Cardinals game.

In the second quarter of Arizona's win over the Rams at SoFi Stadium, Watt was in a position to score a touchdown after his teammate, Myjai Sanders, had forced a fumble.

Watt scooped up the loose pigskin, and seemed destined for the end zone.

But, refs ruled the play dead after initially believing it was an incomplete forward pass. And, while they ultimately reversed the call and got it right, Watt was not awarded a TD -- something that screwed him over AND a fan who had actually bet that the play would happen!

The fan shared a screenshot of the parlay ticket to Watt, proving that if the Cards superstar had scored the defensive touchdown, he would've netted $1,000.

The 3-Time Defensive Player of the Year eventually got word of it -- and said he'd take care of it for the guy.

"Yeah you got screwed. (we both did)," he said. "I got you. DM me your address."

Tyson Fury -- one of the toughest fighters on the planet -- is showing off his softer side by releasing a cover of one of his favorite songs ... and it's for a really good cause!!

The heavyweight boxer just delivered his own rendition of Neil Diamond's 1969 classic hit, "Sweet Caroline" ... and we gotta admit, it's solid!!

The 34-year-old -- along with background singers -- hit every note on the track ... including the iconic chorus, "Sweet Caroline, good times never seemed so good!"

But, Fury wasn't just showing off his pipes for the heck of it -- the profits earned from this single will go toward Talk Club, a charity that focuses on men's mental health.

Fury has been vocal about his struggles with the same cause ... and previously said he hopes he can be an example for those dealing with similar issues.

No word on what the O.G. crooner thinks of the cover ... but we know Don McLean was thrilled when the 32-0 boxer performed "American Pie" after his rematch win against Deontay Wilder.

McLean told TMZ Sports at the time ... "I would say he's the #1 bar room singer."

T.I. has been performing at Atlanta Hawks' games for 10 years and for his next halftime performance, he's bringing his son Domani along as the father-son duo are bridging their Trap Museum brand with the team.

T.I. and Domani will perform their "Family Connect" single on November 23 when the Hawks face the Sacramento Kings ... and the State Farm Arena will be decked out for their presence.

The Hawks will don their PEACH 2022-23 Nike NBA City Edition uniform ... and the home court will also reflect the unis.

“I’m a true Atlanta Hawks fan and have performed in State Farm Arena on numerous occasions, but this time it feels different being able to take the stage with Domani," T.I. said in a statement.

"The Hawks are off to a great start this season, hopefully, we can continue the momentum. I can’t wait to hit State Farm Arena on the 23rd and give the fans a memorable performance."

Ticket bundles for T.I.'s Hawks-Kings performance come with a courtesy ‘Trap Commandment CDIV (404)" t-shirt and a ticket to Trap Music Museum -- an artifact house T.I. has maintained for years, and uses to host exhibits from the likes of Outkast, Goodie Mob, Future and Gucci Mane.

Domani has been steadily building his hip hop career outside of trap music ... collaborating with fellow MCs Rapsody and D Smoke on his last album to carve out his sound ... and his older brother Messiah has officially entered the country music scene.

The tragic deaths of three University of Virginia football players have rocked the sports world ... and many of the nation's top athletes -- including LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes -- are now reaching out to the campus to send their thoughts and prayers.

The Chiefs star QB and the NBA legend both sent out emotional tweets after learning that D'Sean Perry, Lavel Davis and Devin Chandler had been shot and killed in a horrifying incident on the UVA campus on Sunday night.

James called it "Sad Sad Sad" with a crying emoji ... while Mahomes wrote simply, "Prayers for @UVAFootball."

Dozens of other athletes have sent their condolences to the trio's family members and the Cavaliers' community in wake of the deaths ... with Julian Edelman calling it all a "sad sad day in Virginia."

"If we don't do anything, nothing changes," the former New England Patriots star said on his Twitter page. "This has to stop. Now."

Former NFL star and UVA alum Thomas Jones added in a tweet of his own that he was "sending love & light to the families & friends of the victims as well as the entire #VirginiaFootball program."

Arizona Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins also shared his condolences ... and acknowledged how Davis' last Instagram post was about a play he made during Sunday's game against the Rams.

"My prayers go out to the whole UVA community today. Especially to the families, friends, and fans of Lavel Davis Jr., D’Sean Perry, and Devin Chandler," he said.

"These men were taken too soon and for no reason. The last post on Lavel’s story was a play from my game yesterday and it is a reminder that everyday here on this earth is a blessing and a gift. Make the best of it. Rest In Peace my brothers 🖤."

As we reported, officials say Perry, Davis and Chandler were all killed after they were shot on a bus in a UVA parking structure after they had just returned from a class field trip.

Police say former Cavalier running back Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., who left the team over a year ago but remained a student on campus, was the gunman.

If you thought competing in a marathon was tough, imagine running 26.2 miles while filling your lungs with smoke ... 'cause one Chinese man did exactly that during a race -- and he finished with a great time!!

The chain-smokin' athlete is a 50-year-old who goes by the name "Uncle Chen" ... and the Guangzhou man accomplished the feat at the Xin’anjiang Marathon in Jiande, China on Nov. 6.

Photos of Chen smoking during the competition went viral on Weibo -- a Chinese social media app -- and event organizers celebrated him by sharing his finishing certificate.

Chen -- who crossed the finish line with an impressive 3:28 time -- finished 574th overall out of nearly 1500 runners who competed ... despite taking heaters to the face throughout the race.

Chen has become a sensation for smoking during races -- in 2018, he blasted cigs during the Guangzhou Marathon, where he finished with a 3:36 time.

Adding to his legend ... Chen followed up his jaw-dropping performance in 2018 with another strong outing in 2019, finishing the Xiamen Marathon in 3:32, according to Canadian Running.

However, the outlet reports that not everyone was fond of Chen's smoking sesh ... with critics saying the stunt is hurtful to the other runners.