TMZ Sports - Page 50

Floyd Mayweather isn't waiting until Dec. 25 to put on his Santa hat -- the legendary boxer gave a group of 5 kids $1,000 each as a Christmas present after the Clippers game!!

TMZ Sports is told ... Mayweather met with the kids following the Clippers' 113-93 victory over the Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on Monday ... and made their day unforgettable by surprising them with some holiday cash.

The video is really adorable -- the kids were ecstatic that Mayweather, who they refer to as "Uncle Floyd," chose to hook them up with the dough ... adding that "TBE" always looks out for them when they run into each other.

"You always help us out when we see you," one kid said ... as another added, "We love you, Floyd."

Of course, these are the same youngins who Floyd sent to the Clippers game against the Pelicans in October ... holding up on his promise that he'd give them the amazing experience on his dime -- after spotting them selling candy outside the Ritz-Carlton in LA.

Floyd also got some facetime with Celtics star Jaylen Brown while hanging in Crypto on Monday night - but the kids' reaction to his generosity was the best part of the night.

Aaron Rodgers is shouting out ayahuasca again ... this time, crediting the psychoactive tea for alleviating his "major fear of death."

The Green Bay Packers quarterback -- who previously said his use of ayahuasca helped lead to his two MVP seasons in 2020 and 2021 -- told Pat McAfee on Tuesday that the psychedelic trip he got from the brew made him much more comfortable with his mortality.

The 39-year-old explained ... while growing up as a young teenager during Y2K, he had developed a phobia of not accomplishing certain life goals before ultimately passing.

But, he told McAfee and A.J. Hawk on The Pat McAfee Show that ayahuasca changed all of that for him.

"I definitely had a fear of death," he said. "And ayahuasca, and psilocybin actually, really helped me with that and relieved a lot of the stress around the idea of needing to accomplish things before I actually die."

Rodgers said the trip forced him to "see the other side" ... which made "the idea of death more of a passage and less of an ending. More of just kind of the next chapter of life."

Rodgers initially consumed the ayahuasca during a 2020 trip to South America ... and told Aubrey Marcus in August that it was "a magical experience."

Deion Sanders may be heading to Colorado, but his love for Jackson State still seemingly runs deep -- Coach Prime congratulated JSU's new head coach, T.C. Taylor, for landing the coveted job!

The NFL Hall of Famer shared an emotional video showing the moment Taylor was named the new head coach -- and the players went absolutely wild!

"Congratulations [Coach Taylor] on being the new [Jackson State football] head coach!" Sanders wrote on Instagram. "You deserve it! Love ya and appreciate u my brother. #CoachPrime."

"It has been a dream of mine to be a coach here," Taylor told his players. "But to be a head coach with some of the names that have been through here: W.C. Gorden, James Carson, and Coach Prime. Those are big shoes to fill, but I am excited."

Taylor was a standout wide receiver for the Tigers during his playing days. During his senior year, he broke the JSU single-season record with 84 receptions ... totaling 1,234 yards and 11 TDs.

T.C. graduated from Jackson State in 2005 ... and in 2019, he reunited with the Tigers, joining JSU's coaching staff, where he coached tight ends and wide receivers until last year.

After Deion announced he was leaving, the NFL legend advocated for Taylor ... saying he was the guy he'd hire if the decision were up to him.

Taylor is following a tough act at JSU ... in three years with Jackson State, Deion led the Tigers to a 27-5 record and back-to-back SWAC championships.

Sanders is also taking some of his best players, including his son, star JSU QB Shedeur Sanders with him to Colorado ... meaning Taylor will have to recruit or develop a new QB.

Mississippi State will not pull out of its bowl game against Illinois despite Mike Leach's death ... the school's interim AD just said the Bulldogs will play in the postseason contest -- because, "We all know that's what Coach Leach would want."

Bracky Brett, who took over MSU's AD reins in October, told ESPN on Tuesday the football team's players are "100%" ready to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2 ... and do "what Coach Leach would expect them to do."

"It's what we should do," Brett added.

Leach, MSU's head coach since 2020, tragically passed away on Monday night after suffering a medical emergency on Sunday. He was 61 years old.

The school announced following Leach's initial hospitalization that defensive coordinator Zach Arnett would fill in for the legend ... and Brett said Tuesday that plan will continue against the Fighting Illini after Leach's death.

"Coach Arnett has made it clear that we're going to finish what we started," Brett said, "and honor Coach Leach."

The game will go down in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium ... where, of course, Leach (nicknamed The Pirate) would have felt right at home -- something not lost on Brett.

New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker is going OFF on the NFL ... saying officials need to "get on y'alls f***in' jobs" and take care of players who may have suffered head injuries during games.

Parker appeared dazed after getting hit with four minutes left in the first quarter of the Pats' "Monday Night Football" game against the Arizona Cardinals ... and teammate Nelson Agholor had to beg the referees to pause the contest so the veteran wideout could get checked out.

The NFL Players' Association is currently investigating why the league's concussion spotter didn't immediately stop the game ... especially considering the new protocols put in place following the handling of Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa's head injuries earlier this season.

Parker was visibly wobbly after he made the 10-yard catch -- he actually bumped into teammate Cole Strange as he tried to walk.

Parker thanked Agholor for looking out for him ... and it was for good reason -- #1 didn't return to the game after being examined by the medical staff.

The Pats are now dealing with a short receiving core ... as Jakobi Meyers also missed Monday's game due to a concussion.

An NHL fan had his fingertip bitten off during an insane fight at the Coyotes vs. Bruins game on Friday ... this according to cops.

A spokesperson for the ASU Police Dept. tells TMZ Sports ... the melee happened at around 9:30 PM at Mullett Arena in Tempe -- when several Boston and Arizona fans got into a scrap.

Video shot by a bystander shows roughly half a dozen people -- including men and women -- shoved each other, threw drinks on each other ... and, at times, whaled on each other for roughly a minute.

Cops eventually jumped into the fray to break it all up -- and according to the ASU PD spokesperson, one fan, Nashaknik Allen Shontz, was arrested after he was accused of taking a chunk out of another person's finger during the fracas.

The spokesperson said Shontz was booked on one count of aggravated assault.

According to the spokesperson, five other people involved in the brawl were issued citations. Cops say they don't know what started the fight -- they're still investigating the matter.

It's unclear if the alleged victim was able to reattach the severed digit.

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Arizona Cardinals -- Kyler Murray did, in fact, tear his ACL on "Monday Night Football" against the Patriots ... and the star quarterback's season is now over.

The signal caller suffered the non-contact injury on the third play of the game ... and ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed the tough news just minutes ago.

The injury happened when Kyler escaped out of the pocket and went to plant his right foot before attempting a move on Pats' defender Matthew Judon.

Murray appeared to drag his right leg with him as he fell to the grass ... and many assumed his night -- and season -- were over.

Kyler was visibly emotional as he was carted off the field ... putting a towel over his head in frustration as players from both the Patriots and Cardinals gave their regards.

The Cards turned to backup QB Colt McCoy after Murray's injury ... but the team couldn't come away with the win, losing to New England, 27-13.

It's unclear how much time Kyler will ultimately miss ... but a lot, or all, of his 2023 season could be in jeopardy depending on his rehab process.

The spawns of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony brought out all the stars on Monday night ... 'cause a slew of A-listers hit up a H.S. gym in L.A. -- all to catch a glimpse of the NBA stars' sons go at it on the hardwood.

Sierra Canyon, led by Bronny and Bryce James, hosted Kiyan Anthony's school, Christ The King, in a nationally televised basketball showcase in Chatsworth -- and, as expected, the matchup lived up to expectations ... both on and off the court.

LBJ, Melo, La La Anthony, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Scottie Pippen and more all had front-row seats for the action ... and the kids didn't disappoint.

Bronny and Bryce pulled off the big win, 62-51 ... with the older James having a great game, logging 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kiyan, meanwhile, had eight points in the loss.

The moment appeared to be surreal for both LeBron and Carmelo ... as 20 years ago, the two faced off against each other in a high school basketball showcase as well.

The two future Hall of Famers were spotted chatting throughout the night -- and the proud dads posted a bunch of pics on their social media pages chronicling it all.

In fact, the guys even took a group pic with their sons!!

Shaquille O'Neal was forced to sell his share in the Kings earlier this year, but the Big Fella tells TMZ Sports he's interested in getting back in the owner's box ... but this time, he wants to be "heavily involved!"

O'Neal joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where the Hall of Famer was asked about potential ownership interest in the Phoenix Suns, an organization Shaq previously played for towards the end of his career. While Shaq made it clear there hasn't been movement with the Suns, he does wish to own an NBA team.

"I haven't had any discussions with my partners, so I can't make the statement yet, but we're still looking to be heavily involved in purchasing an NBA team," Shaq told us.

A few months back Shaq again told us he was interested in buying Robert Sarver's Phoenix team, but didn't wish to bid against Jeff Bezos (or "Big Man JB," as Shaq calls him), who was reportedly interested in acquiring the team.

But, now Bezos has his sights set -- along with Jay-Z -- on the Washington Commanders.

Speaking of football ... we asked Shaq if he had any interest in owning an NFL franchise.

"Yeah, but this time around when I purchase a team, I want to be heavily involved. I would like it to be in a place where I'm living at. If it ain't the Dolphins, the Cowboys, or the Raiders, and those teams are way too expensive for me, but my main man JB can write that check!"

Sports franchise ownership isn't new to Shaq. He owned a small piece of the Sacramento Kings, which he sold in January (he had a conflict with another business). O'Neal originally bought into ownership 2013. Vivek Ranadive, an Indian-American business executive, is the majority owner.

We also talked to Shaquille about his epic Super Bowl party, Shaq's Fun House ... considered by many the best party in all of Super Bowl week! O'Neal made the announcement with TMZ Sports ... the 5th year in a row he's thrown the star-studded event.

"We're just gonna have a great time. This is the 5th year. Prior to even doing Shaq's Fun House, I would attend all the Super Bowl parties and it's just a bunch of standing around and talking," Shaq said, and it wasn't all that fun.

Enter Shaq and his partners.

"We wanted to bring the top DJs in, the top performers in, we wanted to bring some circus acts, some carnival rides, some food trucks. Just want to have a great time."

In addition to Shaq DJ'ing, Snoop Dogg and Diplo will also be performing.

Rob Gronkowski is retired from the NFL but he's not done giving back to his fans ... the future Hall of Famer recently surprised a retired U.S. Army veteran, wounded in combat, with an awesome, customized truck!

The G.O.A.T. tight end partnered up with USAA to deliver a 4-door truck to specialist Jonny Flores who served four years in a field artillery unit ... where he worked as a .50 cal gunner, among other jobs.

"Today I'm helping USAA give away a recycled ride to a deserving US military veteran," Gronk said on Tuesday.

"This is gonna be awesome. About to surprise Jonny."

The video of Gronk surprising the Purple Heart recipient in Tampa is amazing ... and from Flores' reaction, he had no idea he was meeting the Super Bowl champ.

"No way!" Flores said, clearly in shock ... "What a surprise!"

Then, when Gronk showed Flores the truck ... he was so stoked!!

It's a feel-good story for a man who has sacrificed mightily for his country. Flores was badly wounded after a vehicle he was in drove over a pressure-plate IED (improvised explosive device) on July 4, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq. He ultimately had his left leg amputated. He also sustained other injuries in the attack.

Flores, who uses a wheelchair, will now be able to move around much more freely ... because we're told the ride was retrofitted and modified for his mobility needs, including installing a wheelchair lift.

"This means a lot to me," Flores said, "Being able to get my independence and get in and out of this with ease, you know, with no help. That wheelchair thing is something else!"

"This is a game changer. Oh my God. I can already see how many trips and things we're gonna do with the family. I'm so excited. I can't thank you guys enough for this man."

It's all part of the USAA's celebration of their 100th anniversary serving the military ... and the vehicle was the 87th car they gifted in 2022, Gronk's jersey number.

Gronk played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Patriots and Buccaneers. The 5-time Pro Bowler won 4 Super Bowls before retiring in June.

Coastal Carolina quarterback Bryce Carpenter, who played in 12 games for the Chanticleers this season, was arrested Sunday after he allegedly threw a woman onto a concrete sidewalk -- causing injuries ... though he denies the whole thing.

Police say in an incident report, obtained by TMZ Sports, that officers responded to a house party in Conway, S.C. on Saturday night regarding an alleged assault that had taken place at around 11:30 PM.

In the docs, officers say a woman claimed that earlier in the night, she and Carpenter were in the garage of the party ... when he "began making sexual advances towards her."

Police say the woman told them she rejected him -- but he still attempted to kiss her and "grab her butt." According to the report, the woman said other partygoers saw what was going on, and pulled the football player away from her.

Later on, police say the woman told them she saw Carpenter sitting on a sidewalk and "approached him to speak to him about what he was doing."

Cops say Carpenter then got up from the curb, and "attempted to advance on the victim again."

According to the report, she pushed him away -- and that's when he allegedly snapped.

Carpenter was accused of grabbing her, picking her up and throwing her down onto a concrete sidewalk. In the docs, cops say the woman suffered scratches on her back and arms -- as well as a hematoma on the back of her head.

Cops say in the docs that Carpenter told them he never went to any parties on Saturday night -- "and was home the entire time."

Police say Carpenter was arrested at 1:45 AM on Sunday morning. Court records show he's since been charged with one count of third-degree assault and battery.

Coastal Carolina said in a statement following the arrest that Carpenter has now been suspended indefinitely from the team.

Grant Wahl's brother is backtracking on his belief the soccer reporter was killed while covering the World Cup in Qatar on Friday ... saying he no longer suspects foul play was involved.

Eric Wahl has been providing updates to his Twitter in the days following the tragedy ... and on Tuesday, he cleared the air on his accusations.

"I no longer suspect foul play," Eric said.

Eric also initially tweeted Grant may have experienced a pulmonary embolism and was in a non-shockable state, but later clarified it was not a PE ... and says the family will release the cause of death in due time.

As we previously reported, Eric shared a heartbreaking Instagram video shortly after the CBS Sports journalist's death last week ... claiming Grant was fully healthy at the time, and refusing to believe he wasn't murdered.

Eric stated Grant was receiving death threats for wearing a pro-LGBTQIA+ shirt in his honor to a World Cup match ... which led to his detainment for nearly 30 minutes.

Grant had disclosed his health issues in the week leading up to his death ... saying he believed he had a bad case of bronchitis, including a "death rattle" of a cough.

The football world is heartbroken over Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach's passing ... with Nick Saban, Kliff Kingsbury and more sharing their condolences.

The Alabama legend released a touching tribute on Tuesday ... saying, "Mike Leach was a friend, and we are deeply saddened by his unexpected passing."

"I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Mike over the last several years. I never knew quite where our conversations were going, but they always made me smile."

Saban praised Leach as an offensive mastermind ... who was well-respected by his peers.

"His teams were well-coached and challenging to defend. They played with poise and toughness, which is a credit to his leadership."

Kingsbury -- who played under Leach at Texas Tech -- added, "There is no way I would be where I am today if not for Mike Leach and everything he taught me about the game. Truly one of the most innovative offensive minds in football, he was more than a coach."

"He was a mentor, a friend and one of the most special people l've ever met. My heart goes out to Sharon, the Leach family and everyone who who had the privilege of knowing and loving him."

"Our sport was better because of Mike Leach and is far less interesting without him."

Larsa Pippen is sticking to her story, insisting to Andy Cohen she and Michael Jordan's son are just friends ... even as he sat just a few feet away from her on Andy's show.

The reality star played coy to the max on Monday night on 'Watch What Happens Live' -- where Marcus Jordan was in the audience ... for moral support, we're sure. 😉

Of course, Andy tried to grill her, asking Larsa what her ex, NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, thinks about her dating his nemesis' son.

Larsa totally tried to downplay it, telling Andy she has no idea what Scottie thinks about it, and says they've never discussed Marcus.

While she understands why people might have questions -- their 17-year age gap and the fact Marcus was a kid when Scottie and MJ were Chicago Bulls teammates -- Larsa says their families were never tight.

As we've reported ... Marcus and Larsa have been hanging out in public since September, often showing PDA around Miami, and looking every bit like a couple. Hell, the guy even flew to NY with her for Andy's show!

The NBA's Most Valuable Player trophy just got a makeover ... and the league revealed they redesigned and renamed the award after the G.O.A.T. -- Michael Jordan!!

In fact, the NBA unveiled six newly designed trophies on Tuesday that will be awarded to the best players of the season.

The MVP trophy is now named after His Airness and is described as a bronze trophy that features "a player breaking out of a rock to reach for the ultimate rock — a crystal basketball."

The prize pays homage to Jordan's jersey number #23 and his 6 NBA titles ... as the trophy stands 23.6 inches tall, and weighs 23.6 pounds.

It also stands on a five-sided base -- a salute to MJ's 5 MVPs -- and has a 15-degree angle base which is a nod to his 15-year NBA career.

Mark Smith, retired VP of Innovation Special Projects at Nike, Inc., and Jordan Brand designer, worked with MJ for the new look ... saying he's honored to have created such a memorable piece.

"As we worked together on this project, it was very important to Michael that the figure not be a likeness of him, but instead that the recipient should be able to see himself in the award," Smith said.

"For Michael, naming the award in his honor was recognition enough.”

The other five trophies will be named after legends Jerry West, Hakeem Olajuwon, Wilt Chamberlain, John Havlicek, and George Mikan.

The Clutch Player of the Year will be named after West, the Lakers legend who won the NBA Finals MVP back in 1969.

The Defensive Player of the Year will be renamed after 2-time DPOY and Rockets great Olajuwon, while the Rookie of the Year award is retitled after Chamberlin, who had a peerless rookie season in 1960.

Havlicek gets the honor of having his name on the Sixth Man of the Year trophy and Mikan -- known for his "Mikan Drill" layup and footwork -- will represent the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

College football coaching legend Mike Leach has died.

Mississippi State confirmed its head coach passed away on Monday night -- just one day after he was rushed to a hospital in Jackson, Miss. after suffering a "personal health issue at his home."

The school said his death was due to "complications from a heart condition." No further details were released.

He was 61 years old.

"Mike was a giving and attentive husband, father and grandfather," the Leach family said in a statement. "He was able to participate in organ donation at UMMC as a final act of charity."

"We are supported and uplifted by the outpouring of love and prayers from family, friends, Mississippi State University, the hospital staff, and football fans around the world. Thank you for sharing in the joy of our beloved husband and father's life."

Leach initially began his college coaching career in 1987 ... and eventually landed his first D1 head coaching role over a decade later when he became the head man at Texas Tech in 2000.

Leach famously implemented a pass-heavy offense that was later dubbed the "Air Raid," which many college coaches now run at schools to this day.

Following 10 seasons at Texas Tech -- where he compiled an 84-43 record -- Leach signed on to coach Washington State in 2012. He spent eight seasons there ... before moving to Mississippi State in 2020.

Nicknamed The Pirate, Leach gained national fame and fans for his dry sense of humor and quirky responses at media events.

Mississippi State University president Mark E. Keenum mourned the loss on Tuesday morning ... writing in a statement, "Mike's keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation's true coaching legends. His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference, and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike's profound curiosity, his honesty, and his wide-open approach to pursuing excellence in all things."

In his 21 years as a head coach, Leach compiled a record of 158-107 ... and won eight bowl games.