TMZ Sports - Page 50

F1 superstar Charles Leclerc is a single man -- the Ferrari driver just announced his split from girlfriend Charlotte Sine after three years of dating.

"Hello everyone, Charlotte and I have decided to end our relationship and we remain good friends," 25-year-old Leclerc said Tuesday.

"We have shared so many great moments and she is and always will be a very special person to me."

The breakup sounds pretty amicable ... as Leclerc added, "She is amazing and deserves the best."

Charles and the architecture student took their romance public back in 2019 ... and Sine was a regular in the paddock at his F1 races over the years.

Charlotte also released a statement about the split ... saying, "Charles and I have decided to end our relationship and stay good friends. It's been 3 beautiful years together with loads of memories."

"He is an amazing person and I wish him the best."

Kanye West is embroiled in controversy, but that doesn't mean Kim Kardashian is holding him from his kids -- inviting Kanye to celebrate their son's 7th birthday together at her home.

Ye spent several hours at Kim's Hidden Hills estate Monday night for Saint's birthday. Unclear if other members of Kim's family were present for the party, but Kanye's attendance truly speaks to Kim's commitment to keeping Kanye in their kids' lives ... no matter what he's going through publicly.

Earlier in the day, Kim and Kourtney took Saint and Reign -- who turns 8 next week -- to Disneyland to celebrate.

On top of that, Kim took Saint and a bunch of his friends to the L.A. Rams game to celebrate his birthday on Sunday ... where they got field access, watched the game from a suite and even got to meet Rams' star Jalen Ramsey.

Kanye was not present for the friend bday party on Sunday, but it was clearly something Kim had organized on her own.

TMZ broke the story -- Kim and Kanye settled their divorce last week, he's paying $200,000 per month in child support and it was agreed they'd have "equal access" to the kids.

UFC star Dustin Poirier provided an update on his battle with a gnarly Staph infection on Tuesday ... showing off his swollen left foot from his hospital bed.

"The Diamond" has been getting treatment all week ... and judging by his recent pic, it ain't goin' too hot for the lightweight.

"Wut da helllll," Poirier said on Twitter ... alongside a shot of the deformed foot.

Poirier is hoping to finally get out of the hospital on Wednesday ... but made the best of his stay on Monday night, when he tuned in to his New Orleans Saints' matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Unfortunately for Poirier, it wasn't too fun of an experience -- his home team ended up losing in the final seconds as Tom Brady and Co. pulled off the wild comeback.

Poirier -- who beat Michael Chandler in November -- also took advantage of his time by talking trash with Conor McGregor ... saying he's down to step in the Octagon with him for a fourth time.

Legendary boxing ref Mills Lane -- perhaps best known for his portrayal in MTV's iconic "Celebrity Deathmatch" show -- has sadly died, his son announced.

He was 85 years old.

Tommy Lane told the Reno Gazette Journal Mills passed away on Tuesday morning in Nevada ... after being in hospice the past few days.

"He took a significant decline in his overall situation," Tommy said of his dad to the outlet. "It was a quick departure. He was comfortable and he was surrounded by his family."

Mills began boxing in his 20s while in the Marines, and quickly stacked up an impressive resume -- ultimately logging a 10-1 record as a pro. He later became a ref in the sport.

It was in 1997, though, that he gained national fame ... while reffing the infamous Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield ear-biting bout.

After Iron Mike had taken chunks of Holyfield's ear, it was Mills who ultimately DQ'ed the former champ. Mills then eventually retired from reffing in 1998.

Mills went on to host his own court show, "Judge Mills Lane" ... as well as being featured in "Celebrity Deathmatch."

In the MTV production, an animated clay version of Mills started every bout by screaming, "Let's Get It On!" The show gained a huge following for its gory representation of celebrity fights.

Mills eventually left the show in 2002 after suffering a stroke, being replaced by Chris Edgerly in the 2006 reboot.

During his lifetime, Mills -- who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013 -- also worked as a prosecutor, a district attorney and a real-life judge.

Jewish UFC fighter Natan Levy says he's getting more hate -- but also a ton of support -- since calling out Kanye West for his repeated antisemitism.

Levy, who was raised in Herzliya, Israel, met with the media on Saturday in Orlando after beating Genaro Valdez by unanimous decision and issued a stern warning to Ye.

“Kanye West, if you’ve got a problem with me or my people, come see me, bro.”

On Monday, 31-year-old Levy talked to TMZ Sports about the reaction to his remarks.

"My interview, most of the comments are antisemitic. Most of the comments say, 'Hey, look, actually I think Kanye is right,'" Natan told us.

Levy says that's nothing new ... but the sheer amount of messages he's received since going at Kanye has increased.

"I'm always getting a lot of hate just for being who and what I am, which I'm fine with. It's not fun, but, right now I'm getting more."

But, it's not all bad.

"I'm also getting a lot of love. There is also a lot of positive out there. I'm getting a lot of love. A lot of reinforcement. I'm getting a lot of friends, a lot of people who speak up. Post the video and share it and saying 'stop the hate.'"

Of course, West's antisemitism has become almost routine. He's gone as far as to praise Hitler and the Nazis on Alex Jones' show last week. He's also hung out with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.

"Just think about how many Jewish kids will get bullied because of [Kanye's] comments. How many Jewish people will get attacked. The hate speech, it does turn into violence."

Natan says while Ye's behavior is incredibly dangerous for reasons he just stated, he's not the only one ... but Levy's had enough of turning the other cheek.

Terrifying scene ahead of the Atlanta Hawks game on Monday night ... Bob Rathbun, the team's play-by-play announcer, suffered a frightening medical emergency while on air -- and needed to be rushed to the hospital.

Thankfully, however, the 68-year-old is now said to be doing better ... and is in "stable" condition.

Rathbun was previewing the Hawks' game against the Thunder for Bally Sports with Dominique Wilkins ... when he suddenly appeared to lose consciousness in his chair, and convulse uncontrollably.

WARNING -- THE VIDEO IS HARD TO WATCH.

Medical personnel raced to his side to tend to him before the cameras cut away.

According to Bally Sports officials, he was suffering from dehydration ... and was taken to a local medical facility. They added he's now both "stable" and "responsive."

Lauren Jbara filled in last-minute for Rathbun to call the game -- which the Hawks lost, 121-114.

Get well soon, Bob.

Samuel Eto'o, former Cameroon soccer star and current national team president, was involved in a violent altercation outside the World Cup stadium Monday night, where he appeared to kick a man in the face, sending him to the pavement.

The incident was captured on video by a witness ... and appears to show Eto'o, a former Barcelona star, walking away from Stadium 974 in Doha, Qatar, surrounded by fans who are attempting to take selfies. Everything was going smoothly -- and then it wasn't.

For a reason that isn't yet clear, one of the guys clearly pissed Eto'o off, prompting the soccer exec to start chasing the guy, while SE's people try and hold him back.

Despite a few trying to keep the peace, Eto'o gets loose and appears to deliver a kick to the man's face, sending him crashing to the pavement.

On Tuesday, Samuel apologized on social media for "losing my temper" ... but blamed the fan for antagonizing him.

Eto'o's Cameroon squad was eliminated from the WC last week during the group stage ... but he stuck around, and had just gotten done watching Brazil beat South Korea, 4-1, when the fight occurred.

St. Louis Cardinals announcer Dan McLaughlin was busted for driving while intoxicated in Missouri on Sunday ... marking his third DWI arrest.

Creve Coeur PD says 48-year-old McLaughlin's white sedan was failing to stay in one lane before conducting a traffic stop ... and once he was pulled over, there were several clues to indicate he was under the influence.

Police added there were two separate reports phoned in regarding McLaughlin's driving ... with the tipsters believing he was impaired.

During the stop, McLaughlin underwent a field sobriety test ... and based on the results, he was arrested for DWI.

This is McLaughlin's third DWI arrest -- he was also busted in 2010 and 2011.

On Monday, McLaughlin was charged with "Persistent Offender of Driving While Intoxicated" ... a Class E felony offense that carries a maximum potential penalty of four years behind bars.

McLaughlin -- who has called Cardinals games since 2000 -- was transferred to the St. Louis Justice Center, where he was held on a $25,000 cash only bond. He was released on Monday.

The Cardinals and Bally Sports addressed McLaughlin's arrest ... saying, "We have been made aware that Dan McLaughlin was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated on Sunday night."

Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D'Sean Perry -- the three Univ. of Virginia football players who were tragically shot and killed in a terrifying incident on campus last month -- have been posthumously awarded degrees.

The school announced the honors on Monday ... with athletic director Carla Williams saying the gesture became important to her and the university after having talked with Davis' family at his funeral last month.

"He worked extremely hard for it," Williams said of Davis' degree.

Davis had majored in African American and African studies. Perry double majored in studio art and African American and African studies. Chandler, meanwhile, majored in American studies.

"It was a great honor to be a part of presenting these diplomas to the families of Devin, Lavel and D'Sean," Williams added.

As we previously reported, Davis, Chandler, and Perry all died while returning to campus from a class field trip on Nov. 13.

Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., a former UVA football player, is the man police have accused of pulling the trigger. He's since been hit with multiple charges, including three counts of second-degree murder.

Two other students, including UVA running back Mike Hollins, were also wounded in the shooting ... but both have since been released from the hospital following treatment and are expected to make a full recovery.

They don't call him the Greek Freak for nothing.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo turns 28 on Tuesday ... and he wants to celebrate his big day by knockin' boots.

The 2-time MVP revealed his birthday plans with reporters after the Bucks' 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic ... saying he was hoping for a cake, a card and maybe some jewelry -- but there was one thing he was really looking forward to.

"Once I put my kids to bed you never know what can happen," Giannis said while holding a Homer Simpson doll. "Might get a little bit freaky."

The champ had a big ass grin on his face as he seemingly spoke the idea into existence ... even giving the media a wink.

The journalists in attendance couldn't help but laugh ... but it's unclear if his longtime girlfriend, Mariah Riddlesprigger, found it funny.

Of course, Giannis has never shied away from his sexual desires -- he hilariously revealed an oral sex bell on Valentine's Day back in 2018, much to Mariah's chagrin.

Giannis and Mariah have two kids together ... and maybe #3 is on the way??

Punches were thrown, lots of them, in Monday night's TCU-George Washington women's basketball game ... a wild fistfight erupted, resulting in eight players being ejected.

It all went down at the Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, TX ... TCU forward Bella Cravens got pissed after GW guard Essence Brown pulled her hair while trying to take the ball away.

It's unclear if Brown acted with intent, but that didn't matter to Cravens ... who immediately went after Brown, sparking the WWE-style showdown on the court.

In the clip, the two women come face-to-face, and Cravens pushes Brown ... that's when things escalated, with punches being thrown from both parties.

Women from both teams tried to separate the two, but in the midst of that, a player from TCU pushes Brown in the back, and she appears to lose her balance.

TCU's head coach Raegan Pebley address the incident, saying, "We never want to be a part of anything like that. We don't ever want to be a part of anything like that."

"Whenever something like that happens right in front of a bench as opposed to the other sideline or the middle of the floor, it's super vulnerable."

Pebley said she thought the officials -- who ejected eight players, including Cravens and Brown -- did a good job of managing the chaos in that moment and throughout the game.

LeBron James and Magic Johnson said Monday they're heartbroken to learn Norm Pattiz -- one of the Lakers' most famous superfans -- has died ... with the duo both penning tribute notes to the late broadcasting entrepreneur.

Johnson took to Twitter to share his homage ... calling Pattiz his "long time friend."

"I'll always remember Norm cheering on the Lakers from his floor seats & clapping on every possession & play with his program!" he said. "Sending my prayers to his wife Mary and entire family."

James, meanwhile, shared his heartfelt message on his IG page -- writing, "Rest in paradise Norm!!!"

Pattiz -- the founder of the original Westwood One and PodcastOne who was ultimately inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame -- reportedly passed away on Sunday. A cause of death was not revealed. He was 79 years old.

Pattiz gained notoriety at Lakers games for his courtside seats -- which he owned for over three decades.

The Lakers themselves paid tribute to him following the news of his death, sharing a pic of him in a custom Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal suit jacket at Staples Center.

"We will always treasure his spirit for the game and love for the team," the team said. "He will be missed."

The entire city of Dallas has now apparently joined the Cowboys in recruiting Odell Beckham Jr. -- as thousands of Mavericks fans showered him with love at the NBA game on Monday.

Beckham got into Texas earlier in the day to visit the Cowboys as he continues to try to figure out where his next football destination will be ... and as part of Dallas' pitch to sign him, Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs took him to see Luka Doncic and the Mavs against the Suns in the evening.

Beckham seemed to be having a great time with the two Dallas stars -- laughing with the duo in courtside seats all night long.

And, at one point during the game, he became the star of the show -- for at least a few moments -- as the arena broke out a loud "O-B-J" chant.

Beckham seemed to love it all -- though when he was peppered with questions from reporters at the game about the Cowboys' chances ... he wouldn't reveal much, jokingly saying, "I plead the fifth."

The star free agent wideout is reportedly down to the Cowboys, Bills and Giants -- and is expected to make a signing in the next couple days.

Dallas officials, meanwhile, have said repeatedly they REALLY want Odell ... with Stephen Jones calling him Monday "our priority."

Stand-up comic George Wallace says if Herschel Walker gets elected to the U.S. Senate, a lot's gonna change -- like his home address, and also ... he's officially off ALL Walkers!!!

The comedy legend talked politics with us Monday at LAX, but with a heavy dose of humor. He says as much nonsense as there is going on in L.A., it looks like ATL is up against way worse.

Of course, Tuesday is Georgia's runoff election ... which will decide once and for all if HW takes the cake, or incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock stays put.

It's pretty obvious who George is endorsing -- the dude is definitely not a fan of Walker whatsoever, and he made that perfectly clear to us with a list of others similarly named who aren't good in his book any longer. Sorry, Johnny ... and even you, Jimmy.

When we ask what'll happen if Herschel wins, he didn't hesitate to offer up the ol' "I'm leaving the country" reply we've heard from countless celebs.

Colorado Buffs fans owe Jeremy Bloom a HUGE thank you today ... 'cause the CU alum tells TMZ Sports he was the one who actually helped get the ball rolling on bringing Deion Sanders to Boulder.

Bloom -- who starred as a receiver and returner for the Buffs in the early 2000s -- says his pursuit of Prime all started after Colorado fired Karl Dorrell earlier this year after the team got off to an 0-5 start.

Seeing all the success Sanders had at Jackson State, Bloom tells us he reached out to his former school's athletic director, Rick George, to tell him he just had to go after the former Dallas Cowboys star for the open gig.

"I said, 'Rick, we got to go get Deion,'" Bloom said. "He's the only guy that can overnight make this program relevant again."

Bloom says he then turned to some of Sanders' good friends -- Steve Smith, Brandon Marshall, Shawne Merriman and Myron Rolle -- to reach out to the JSU head man to make sure he was aware that the Buffs wanted him.

"Those four guys helped a ton," Bloom said. "I think that made it legitimate for Deion."

Of course, all the recruitment eventually helped CU sign Sanders over the weekend ... and at his introductory press conference on Sunday, Bloom says Sanders acknowledged all the help he put in to making the day happen.

"Deion and I were laughing about it," Bloom said. "He was like, 'Oh, so you're pulling all the puppet strings!'"

With Sanders now at the helm, Bloom says he's absolutely ecstatic over the football team's potential -- telling us "the sky is the limit."

Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson's wallet is now $15,000 lighter ... and it's all 'cause he hurled his headband in disgust during a game on Saturday.

For real.

The NBA just announced the fine ... docking the 30-year-old for heaving the sweat guard into the stands just before Utah lost 116-111 to the Trail Blazers over the weekend.

Many believed Clarkson could avoid the fee -- as, after all, the headband didn't hit anybody.

Clearly, though, that didn't matter to NBA exec Joe Dumars, who handed down the punishment regardless on Monday afternoon.

The good news for Clarkson? He's made over $86 MILLION in his NBA career ... so the fine ain't going to hurt too much.