TMZ Sports - Page 50

Kanye West is doing everything he can to deflect attention away from his praising of Hitler, even throwing out false allegations about his ex-wife Kim Kardashian and an affair with NBA superstar Chris Paul ... according to sources with direct knowledge.

Before he was kicked off Twitter Thursday night for posting a swastika, the disgraced rapper made a wild allegation claiming he "caught" Kim Kardashian cheating with NBA star Chris Paul.

A source close to the situation tells us the allegation is absolutely false, and just another example of a desperate man trying to shift the focus away from his own wrongdoings.

The source says, "This is not true and sadly it’s an ongoing pattern with Kanye — attacking Kim to redirect everyone’s attention after a day of crazy antics where he has said every hateful and offensive thing he can possibly dream of."

They continue, "He has a history of falsely accusing her of also having affairs with Meek Mill, Drake and countless others. Kanye has for years deflected his own awful behavior, infidelities and obsession with porn and sex addiction to abuse and slut shame Kim. She wants to be left alone so she can focus on the well-being of their children.”

It was Thursday when Kanye was on Alex Jones' "Infowars" spewing hate, claiming he liked Hitler, questioning the Holocaust and giving the Nazis props. Jones, a controversial figure himself, made several attempts to reel Kanye in, but the rapper only doubled down.

Of course, it was earlier this week when Kim and Kanye finally settled their nearly two-year divorce ... he's agreed to pay her $200k a month in child support, and they'll have "equal access" to their kids.

Brian Robinson knows the perils of gun violence better than almost anyone, and he wants to put a spotlight on the senseless killing ... the Commanders star will rock a sweet pair of custom cleats, with a very important message, this week against the Giants.

The 23-year-old running back, who was shot multiple times in August, copped his new spikes for the NFL's "My Cause, My Cleats" -- an initiative where players bring awareness to organizations and nonprofits during Week 13.

TMZ Sports has learned Robinson reached out to artist Joe Castro to shine a light on the incident where he was shot twice during an attempted robbery.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested for his alleged role in the shooting.

Castro -- whose client list includes NFL stars like Jaire Alexander and DeSean Jackson -- tells us he and Robinson decided to go with a gun control theme.

The tan and orange Nike spikes feature two guns held up in the air with text reading "End Gun Violence".

Castro says it took 2 hours to design ... and he actually made two pairs. One for filming and one for the Commanders-Giants game.

Jerry Jones took a unique path to respond to LeBron James' very public criticism of the Dallas Cowboys owner's controversial 1957 photo ... choosing to do nothing but shower the NBA star with praise.

Jones was asked Friday about Bron's Wednesday comments during his weekly radio hit on the K&C Masterpiece show on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan ... and instead of revealing his thoughts on it all, he opted to simply compliment the Lakers forward.

For roughly two minutes, Jones called James an amazing person ... saying the basketball player is "an absolute great ambassador for sport" who he respects more than possibly anybody else in the world.

Jones added that it "made buttons pop off my vest" when James previously identified as a huge Cowboys fan.

But, when it came time to address James' comments, the 80-year-old sidestepped.

"I'm just giving him due," Jones said. "I'm just giving him due there. Certainly, he has influence, and just because of all of the above. His accomplishments, how he's utilized his sport and how he's utilized his platform. How we have done it. He has enhanced basketball, he's made a lot of people a lot of money. But, I hope I have too."

Jones -- who did admit to hearing James' remarks -- would not say if he had any interest in meeting with James over it all. He was not pressed further about the issue.

As we reported, LeBron sounded off on reporters earlier this week following a win over the Trail Blazers ... chastising them for not asking him about the 65-year-old photo showing Jones as a teenager standing with a group of white classmates who were trying to prevent six Black students from entering an Arkansas school.

James wondered why they had asked him so much about the Kyrie Irving drama earlier this year -- but were silent about Jones.

Michael Jai White has several black belts in various martial arts, but it's even better that he's mastered the practice of restraint, at least for Kanye West's sake!!!

When asked by DJ Vlad about some of Ye's wild and erroneous comments -- like claiming George Floyd died from a drug overdose -- MJW admitted he's been detached from Ye's antics for years, and avoids running into him because it could get violent ... and end badly for the embattled rapper.

MJW says his personal Kanye breaking point came way back in 2009 after the infamous Taylor Swift mic-snatching incident -- and he feels Ye's arrogance is fueled by the fact he has money.

The "Black Dynamite" actor compared consuming Ye's social media posts to eating junk food while trying to stay in karate shape -- an act in futility -- but he says he's not pushing his anti-Ye beliefs on friends.

Kim Kardashian had a very noticeable sidekick missing as she hit her first night of Art Basel celebrations ... she stepped out without Balenciaga.

Kim was among a slew of celebs -- including Madonna, James Blake, Travis Scott, Rande Gerber, Serena Williams, Khloe Kardashian and Leonardo DiCaprio -- to hit Miami for the annual art show which brings out huge collectors, stars and billionaires alike.

Of course, Kim's almost always decked out in the most recent Balenciaga gear at major events like this, but it was very clearly missing from her look. Instead, she wore a Vex latex top and vintage pants with Dior sunglasses ... and still looked hot as ever as she left dinner at Gekko with owner David Grutman and Jonathan “Foodgod” Cheban.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim cut any plans to work with Balenciaga in the future after the brand launched a controversial BDSM-inspired ad campaign with kids. Our sources said Balenciaga had offered Kim a campaign for 2023, but she turned it down.

No, Drew Brees was not struck by lightning despite a scary video that appeared to show he was ... the NFL legend said Friday a bolt never touched him, and he's doing fine.

Brees relayed the message in a text to ESPN Saints reporter Katherine Terrell ... just hours after footage surfaced seemingly showing the ex-New Orleans quarterback in danger.

In the clip, which was apparently shot while Brees was filming a commercial for the sports gambling platform PointsBet in Catatumbo -- an area in Venezuela known for its consistent thunderstorm activity -- you can see a lightning bolt making a beeline for Brees' back.

The footage shows the bolt cracked onto the ground, sending the 43-year-old former football player and others scurrying away from the scene in a hurry.

It's unclear if it was all fake, staged or edited ... PointsBet refused to confirm or deny the situation in a statement released Friday morning.

"We are aware of the media coverage regarding PointsBet brand ambassador Drew Brees," the org. said.

"We are in communication with Brees' team and will continue to monitor events throughout the coming hours. At this stage we will not be making any further comment."

Brees, meanwhile, had tweeted earlier this week that he was "excited to be flying to a top-secret location later this week to shoot the new promotional video for @PointsBetUSA."

We've reached out to reps for Brees for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Cynthia Bailey and Mike Hill are signed, sealed and divorced -- less than 2 months after announcing their split, they've hammered out a settlement ... TMZ has learned.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum and the Fox Sports anchor wasted no time putting together the divorce agreement -- a Fulton County court judge signed off on it Thursday ... so they're both officially single.

The exes hit their 2nd anniversary back in October -- without celebration, we should say -- and then a few days later announced they were breaking up. In the divorce docs, obtained by TMZ, Cynthia says the marriage is irretrievably broken with no shot of reconciliation, and she accuses Mike of "inappropriate adulterous relations."

As for Mike's side -- he's choosing to remain silent, saying he will not file any response to the allegations. He actually signed the divorce agreement first, on October 20, and Cynthia signed on November 1.

The now-exes made it easy to go their own ways because they never intermingled their finances, taxes or property during their 2 years together.

They had 2 separate homes, which each will keep. They didn't have kids together, and they've agreed neither will pay spousal support. Mike didn't even retain a lawyer!

Cynthia and Mike threw a big lavish wedding, back in 2020, at Governors Towne Club in Georgia -- and the party was featured in season 13 of 'RHOA.'

Formula One will NOT be making a return to China in 2023 -- the series just announced it has pulled the Chinese Grand Prix due to Covid-19 difficulties.

China recently implemented strict guidelines and lockdowns as part of a "zero-Covid" approach ... which has resulted in public protests.

China has since reportedly announced a plan to loosen its protocols by reducing mass testing in the coming days ... but F1 decided it was best to start its search for a replacement host ASAP.

"Formula 1 can confirm, following dialogue with the promoter and relevant authorities, that the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not take place due to the ongoing difficulties presented by the COVID-19 situation," F1 announced Friday.

"Formula 1 is assessing alternative options to replace the slot on the 2023 calendar and will provide an update on this in due course."

The April 16 event at Shanghai International Circuit was set to be F1's first return to China since 2019 ... and would have been Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu's debut home race of his career.

Jay-Z got a taste of what NFL ownership would be like on Thursday night -- sitting alongside Robert Kraft in the New England honcho's suite for the Patriots' 'TNF' game ... while rubbin' elbows with star players after the contest as well.

HOV hit Gillette Stadium for the Bills' dominant 24-10 win over the Pats from start to finish -- with cameras capturing him chillin' with Kraft for the entirety of the night.

Unclear what Bob and Jay talked about -- but seems safe to say the potential of the rapper eventually owning the Commanders came up.

As we reported, Jay-Z has been very interested in putting in a bid for Daniel Snyder's Washington team ... taking a secret dinner with billionaire Jeff Bezos in L.A. last month to talk about the logistics of it all.

It's unknown yet if Snyder has any interest in selling to the two titans ... but at least two star Buffalo players made it clear they'd welcome Jay to NFL fields with open arms.

Josh Allen and Gabe Davis were both spotted showing big love to Jay-Z in a stadium tunnel following their win. And, afterward, Allen joked with media members about being kind of starstruck over it all, saying, "I'm not sure he knew exactly who I was.''

Brad William Henke, a former NFL player who later got into acting and appeared in "Orange Is The New Black," has died ... TMZ has confirmed.

Brad died in his sleep Tuesday, according to sources connected to his family. The cause of death is unclear.

Brad's most famous for playing one of the prison guards in 'OITNB' -- and he's in the scene where one of the show's main characters, Poussey Washington, is killed off -- one of the biggest scenes in the entire series.

He also had roles in TV shows like "Justified" and "Lost" ... appearing in movies including "Pacific Rim" and "World Trade Center."

Brad started acting after retiring from the NFL in 1994, hanging up his cleats due to ankle injuries. He played his college ball at the University of Arizona before being drafted in 1989 by the New York Giants.

A defensive lineman, Brad also played for the Denver Broncos and got on the field in Super Bowl XXIV against the San Francisco 49ers.

Brad first got into Hollywood by acting in commercials, then he started landing TV guest spots on series like "ER," "Arli$$," "Nash Bridges," "Silk Stalkings" and "Chicago Hope."

With over 100 acting credits to his name, Brad also appeared in "CSI," "Judging Amy," "Crossing Jordan" and "Dexter" ... among many others.

His manager, Matt DelPiano, tells us, "Brad was an incredibly kind man of joyous energy. A very talented actor, he loved being a part of this community….and we loved him back. Our thoughts are with his wife and family.”

Brad was 56.

Scooby Wright -- the ex-NFL linebacker and former University of Arizona football star -- is now trying his hand at a different contact sport ... auditioning to become the WWE's next big superstar!!

The wrestling org. invited the former Wildcat to attend tryouts at IMG Academy in Florida this week as part of the company's new recruitment strategy ... and, Scooby sure seemed to impress while there.

One of the 30-plus athletes -- 17 of which were former college football players -- who showed up, the 28-year-old moved around the ring just like he did on the football field.

Wright learned the fundamentals from on-site coaches, including how to absorb blows when hitting the mat. He even got some wisdom imparted to him from Matthew Jason Bloom, a veteran in the industry who wrestled under various monikers during different stints with the WWE.

No word yet on how the execs felt about the former backer ... but the dude has rarely ever disappointed in his athletic life -- so we're sure things went well.

If you need a refresher, the former two-star recruit balled out during his college career at UofA ... recording a staggering 270 total tackles, 17 sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception in 30 career games.

He went on to be picked by the Cardinals in the 7th round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

An equestrian trainer who was seen on videos dragging a horse and appearing to make it bleed has now been charged with animal abuse, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Two clips were shared on a Facebook page last week ... with one appearing to show Ontario woman Solstice Pecile pulling a horse in a moving vehicle while on an isolated road.

In the footage, it sounds like Pecile is yelling at the horse while fiercely yanking the animal by its muzzle.

"Walk!" Pecile says in the video. "Good girl."

In the other video, which appears to be the aftermath of the pulling session, the horse seems to be bleeding from its hooves. The woman appears to have the horse's blood on her hands, and she can be heard calling the animal the R-word while seemingly chastising it.

"Awesome. Fantastic," Pecile said sarcastically in the video. "Why are you a r*****? Hmm? Why? Why? Why?"

Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police opened an investigation into the vids after they surfaced online ... and according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General, Pecile has now been charged with causing distress to an animal.

If treated as a minor offense and assuming it's her first offense, Pecile faces a $75k fine and potentially 6 months behind bars. If treated as a major offense, she faces up to $130k in fines and up to two years in prison.

If all else fails, take a private jet.

That's exactly what Odell Beckham Jr. is doing after the NFL star's incident with American Airlines earlier this week ... deciding to skip flying with the normies to avoid any other issues.

The free-agent receiver was kicked off the plane on Sunday after an AA flight attendant told police they were trying to get Beckham to fasten his seatbelt ...  but claimed he was in and out of consciousness.

OBJ says it was all cap ... but he's not taking any chances -- he just posted a video of himself on a private jet on Thursday, fully awake with his seatbelt on.

"Not today 😭😭😭!!!," the receiver said in the caption. "Back to the regular."

Of course, this is not a cheap alternative ... but OBJ has made over $80 million during his 8-year career. So yeah, he's able to fund the substitute.

BTW, this luxury flight might be a sign that the 3-time Pro Bowler is on his way to visit either the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants ... as he narrows down his search for a new home.

The feeling is mutual, too, as both teams confirmed the plane incident hasn't changed their mind about signing the Super Bowl champ.

Jemele Hill is urging the media to not let Jerry Jones off the hook amid his racial controversy ... saying LeBron James was completely right to call out reporters for not giving the Dallas Cowboys owner similar coverage as Kyrie Irving.

Hill joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" to discuss the Lakers superstar's postgame message on Thursday ... and she believes Black figures and athletes are constantly criticized to a much harsher degree in the media.

"This is not to say that there should be no room for accountability, of course," Hill says. "But it seems that it just is nonstop, and over and over and over again and it's constant."

Hill says Jones' "curious kid" explanation for attending a desegregation protest as a 14-year-old in 1957 is insufficient ... and claims his influence as an NFL owner is another reason why he wasn't pressed to explain his stance further, when Kyrie was asked repeatedly about whether he was antisemitic.

"I think the difference in [Jerry] and Kyrie in the treatment is not only a failure by the media, it's also a difference in power," Hill said.

"Kyrie, he's a 'worker' in the NBA. Jerry Jones is an owner, and as an owner he gets to dictate the rules of engagement, so to speak. He also doesn't have to answer to the media as often as Kyrie Irving does."

The Atlantic reporter points out there is a legitimate reason for journalists to ask LeBron about Jones' attendance at the '57 event ... especially considering his history as a diehard Cowboys fan and his previous comments denouncing the team's handling of the national anthem demonstrations.

Jemele suggests the situation would be handled completely differently if something like the Jones photo controversy happened in the NBA ... simply because the players run the league instead of the owners, and they wouldn't let it fly.

Ab-Soul’s having an eventful stay in NYC -- having a run-in with Jay-Z, and a cool courtside experience with Kevin Durant and co.

The TDE rapper inadvertently became part of the action Wednesday night as he watched the Brooklyn Nets play the Washington Wizards -- and he was NOT caught slipping in 4K when a loose ball bounced his way.

Soulo skillfully managed to catch the rock from his courtside seat and, most importantly, did not spill a drop of his drink!!!

Later that evening, still cool as a fan with a drink in hand ... he was surprised when Jay-Z greeted him as he walked into a lounge. Jay even proclaimed him the "young god" of rap!!!

The two later flicked it up in a booth, sparking collab rumors for Soulo’s upcoming album “Herbert,” which drops on December 16, but he still hasn’t unveiled his feature list yet.

TMZ Hip Hop reached out to TDE President Punch to see what, if anything, is in the works. We'll let ya know if we hear back.

Former Nebraska Cornhuskers interim head coach Mickey Joseph was arrested for strangulation and domestic assault after an alleged altercation on Wednesday ... Lincoln Police announced.

LPD says officers responded to a domestic service call from Joseph's home in Lincoln around 2 PM ... and after an investigation, the 54-year-old was arrested at a separate location and taken to jail.

Nebraska's athletic director Trev Alberts released a statement on Joseph's arrest ... announcing he has been placed on administrative leave.

"I was made aware of the charges against Coach Joseph and given the nature of the allegations and based on University policy he has been placed on administrative leave," Alberts said. "We will have no additional comment at this time."

Joseph took the reins for the Cornhuskers after Scott Frost's firing in September 2022 ... going 3-6 as interim head coach.

Matt Rhule was announced as Frost's replacement on Saturday ... and had high praise for Joseph, who's slated to be Nebraska's wide receivers coach and associate head coach under the new regime.

Before he got into coaching, Joseph was a standout running back. He was Louisiana's Gatorade Player of the Year in 1987 and a First Team Parade All-American.

He played for legendary Nebraska coach Tom Osborne in Lincoln ... where he started 9 games, rushing for 1,091 yards and 16 touchdowns.