TMZ Sports - Page 50

LeBron James' dinner wasn't baa-d ... it was literally goated -- 'cause the Los Angeles Lakers superstar was in the presence of two live farm animals at a gathering with his wife and friends.

King James was honored with a pregame ceremony for becoming the NBA's all-time points leader before L.A.'s home matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks ... and the celebration continued into the night, with Bron and about 20 of his close friends hitting up A.O.C. in West Hollywood for some wining and dining.

LeBron and Savannah arrived at the fancy wine bar after the game ... and moments later, two goats and their handlers showed up for the shindig.

We're told the four-legged friends stayed for about 15 minutes before making their exit ... which probably isn't too shocking, considering animals chilling in a restaurant might be a big no-no with the health department.

Of course, LeBron recently deemed himself the G.O.A.T. in an interview with the O.C. Register ... saying, "What I bring to the table as a basketball player ... I feel like I’m the best basketball player that ever played the game."

#6 is really leaning into the whole "GOAT" title now ... and while the haters may say it's a bit much, he doesn't seem to care.

Adidas is saying it's in a serious financial pinch ... and it's blaming the bind directly on its decision to split from Kanye West.

The athletic brand gave the worrisome update Thursday, saying it's expected to lose a whopping $1.3 billion in sales in 2023 -- and the company says it's because it's unable to sell off all the Yeezy shoes and clothes it still owns.

As we reported, Adidas cut ties with Ye last year after his antisemitic comments and actions ... but the brand announced soon after dropping him that it would continue to sell Kanye's designs, just without the Yeezy name.

Based on the financial report, it doesn't seem like that's working.

The statement says it could lose another $534 mil if it pulls the plug on repurposing the remaining Yeezy stash -- CEO Bjørn Gulden adds, "The numbers speak for themselves. We are currently not performing the way we should." He says 2023 is a year of transition for the brand.

Damar Hamlin is heaping praise on Denny Kellington for performing CPR on him the night he went into cardiac arrest, calling the Bills assistant athletic trainer the "savior of my life."

"I owe Denny my life," Hamlin told Michael Strahan on "Good Morning America" on Friday ... "He loves to say he was just doing his job."

Hamlin said if Kellington didn't show up to work that night with a clear mind ... he might not be here, a reality he doesn't take for granted when reflecting on the moment

The 24-year-old safety acknowledged Denny was acting as any professional should in that instance, but respects the man for rising to the occasion even when things looked dire.

Hamlin was on tap at the NFL Honors ceremony Thursday ... where he delivered an inspiring speech alongside the medical professionals who helped keep him alive.

"First, I would like to just thank God for even being here,” Hamlin said. “Every day. I’m amazed that my experiences could encourage so many others across the country and even across the world, encourage the parade, encourage it, spread love, and keep fighting, no matter the circumstances."

During his speech, Hamlin said he met a doctor in the hospital who went through a similar experience as him, and reminded him that he was living proof Damar would be fine.

"I want to give a big thank you to him and a special thank you to everyone on the stage for everything they did for me," Hamlin said. "And thank you, everyone, around the country and around the world who prayed for me and hoped for me. The journey will continue.”

Earlier this week, the NFLPA awarded Hamlin the Alan Page Award for his charitable work in the community.

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas used an anti-gay phrase during his postgame interview on Thursday night ... and hours later, he apologized for it -- saying he "definitely didn't intend to offend anyone."

Thomas muttered the expression while on the Barclays Center court speaking with a TNT reporter ... after the Nets had beaten the Chicago Bulls, 116-105.

The media member asked Thomas about comments that his new teammate, Spencer Dinwiddie, had said earlier this week about the Nets needing some help in the looks "department."

"I seen it," Thomas said of Dinwiddie's remarks. "But I was like, 'Man, he just talking.' We already had good-looking dudes."

The 21-year-old then added, "no homo."

The reporter was immediately caught off guard by Thomas' words ... saying, "Surely the league office will enjoy that one."

Thomas took to Twitter to issue a mea culpa a short time later.

"I was excited about the win and was being playful," Thomas said. "I definitely didn't intend to offend anyone, but realize that I probably did. My apologies again. Much love."

There's money to be made when Rihanna takes the stage during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday ... with prop bets waiting to be placed on the superstar's outfit and stunts -- and of course, whether she shows skin.

The folks at BetOnline listed a ton of bets, and there's an opportunity to rake in some serious dough ... making the singer's performance even more exciting for viewers.

Will Rihanna expose butt cheek on stage??
-- Yes -120 (risk $120 to win $100)
-- No -120 (risk $120 to win $100)

Will Rihanna expose cleavage on stage??
-- Yes -400 (risk $400 to win $100)
-- No +250 (risk $100 to win $250)

Will Rihanna use a phone/tablet/computer??
-- No -1500
-- Yes +600

And get this one -- Will Rihanna pull a Janet Jackson and show nipple on stage??
-- No -2500
-- Yes +800

There are a ton more prop bets for the actual game ... like the result of the coin toss, the color of liquid poured on the winning coach, what tweet will happen first -- Joel Embiid talking about Rihanna or Eli Apple going off about the Chiefs, and what swear word Travis Kelce will say in his postgame interview.

Tennis star Alexander Bublik absolutely lost his mind during a match this week -- destroying THREE of his rackets in a wild outburst that was all captured on video.

The epic temper tantrum went down in the third set of Bublik's Open Sud de France match in Montpellier against Grégoire Barrère ... when he blew a gasket over the way he was playing.

The 25-year-old -- a heavy favorite in the match -- slammed his racket to the court's surface over and over and over again after a losing a point ... leaving it in pieces.

Clearly unfulfilled by that, Bublik went to his bench and destroyed another one. Seconds later, he grabbed one more and, you guessed it, beat the hell out of that one too.

The crowd cheered loudly as Bublik went off -- and even one of the match's announcers was over it by the third racket smash, saying, "Well, this is getting out of hand now."

Bublik, the No. 50-ranked player in the world, eventually stopped the tirade -- and went on to lose the match, 6-4, 6-7 (12), 7-6 (3).

Drake is gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday -- which means, per usual, he's playing high stakes and throwing down some serious cash on the game.

The rapper posted receipts to Instagram Thursday showing 7 bets he placed on the Kansas City Chiefs-Philadelphia Eagles matchup.

Drake's wagering nearly a million bucks on the big game -- $965K to be exact! If he wins each bet, Drake could rake in a whopping $3.57 million.

Drake knows it too ... that's why he captioned his IG post like this ... "My psychotic bets for Sunday are in @stake."

Philadelphia, as you might know, is favored to win by 1.5 points ... but Drake is going with the Chiefs all the way, plunking down $700K on the team.

Drake also made separate bets -- $50K each -- that Patrick Mahomes and Juju Smith-Schuster would score the first Chiefs touchdown. He then bet $50K the Chiefs would score in both halves of the game, and $30K the team would win all four quarters.

What's more, Drake bet $25K the Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce would be the game's MVP. He also bet $60K the MVP award would go to a tight end, which, by the way, has never happened in Super Bowl history.

As you know  ... Drake likes gambling almost as much as turning a phrase. He wins big and loses big. Last month, Drake took in $2 million on a $1 million bet that the Chiefs would defeat the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship.

Michael Irvin filed a scathing $100 million lawsuit against the woman who accused the NFL legend of misconduct, alleging he's being "railroaded" with false accusations that are ruining his career.

The lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports, was filed Thursday afternoon ... after Irvin says the hotel where he was staying concocted a plan to turn him into the next victim of "cancel culture" over something he says never happened.

"Rash and thoughtless actions can have severe consequences. Marriott [parent company of Renaissance Hotels] apparently did not appreciate these simple truths when, in a rush to judgment, its employees and management inaccurately and inflammatorily accused Mr. Irvin of misconduct to the National Football League," the lawsuit reads.

According to the lawsuit, witnesses (in the above photo) backed Irvin's initial claim that he "casually exchanged pleasantries" with the employee ("Jane Doe"), "shook her hand, and went to his room alone."

However, once Irvin and his team became aware of the allegations, they say they attempted to provide witness accounts to the hotel in an effort to rectify any misunderstanding, but they say the Renaissance refused to listen.

In fact, the lawsuit accuses the hotel manager of reporting the alleged incident to the NFL "with the intention of damaging that relationship and canceling [Irvin]."

Levi McCathern, Michael's attorney, says his client's reputation has not only been damaged, but he's also lost out on money -- canceled appearances -- as a result of the false allegations.

Irvin is seeking in excess of $100,000,000.

The Hall of Famer's attorney tells us ... "It is clear Michael is the latest victim of our cancel culture where all it takes is an accusation to ruin a person’s life. Michael looks forward to clearing his name in court and hopes the Court of public opinion will see the truth come out as well."

Of course, 56-year-old Irvin was yanked from NFL Network's Super Bowl coverage after a hotel employee complained about Michael's alleged behavior during a brief interaction Sunday night.

The specifics of the accusers allegations are still not known publicly.

Irvin, one of the most popular media personalities in sports, was set to be one of NFLN's and ESPN's faces of their Super Bowl coverage.

Seems Patrick Mahomes' is Rihanna's favorite quarterback, after all ... 'cause just one day after former NFL star Brandon Marshall clowned the NFL MVP, RiRi made it clear she's a huge fan of Patrick!

"I am so sorry you went through that [Patrick]. I still think you're great. [Brandon's] a hater!"

27-year-old Mahomes was at a Super Bowl media event on Wednesday when the Marshall, a 6x Pro Bowler, grabbed the mic and asked Patrick how he felt about Rihanna saying he was her favorite QB.

The only problem ... she never said it. 😂

Rihanna's reaction to the prank ... "That is so mean. [Brandon] is mean, ok? I am so sorry you went through that, okay."

Of course, it's not just Mahomes who will be busy come Sunday night.

Rihanna is performing during the highly anticipated SB halftime show ... and as PM said, there are lots of people, including his own family members, who are more pumped for RiRi than the football game.

Derek Carr out ... Aaron Rodgers in?

If No. 4 is definitively on his way to being traded from Vegas this offseason ... Raiders star Darren Waller is making it clear, he wants Rodgers to replace him.

In fact, the tight end is downright recruiting the Packers star to Nevada while under the assumption that Carr's a goner ... saying at Jay Glazer's Super Bowl party in Arizona this week, "If you come, it's gonna be lit!"

Waller added in his pitch that Las Vegas is a better place to be than Green Bay "in most cases."

"If he comes," Waller said of Rodgers, "I'd be a happy camper."

Of course, there's a lot of pieces that would have to fall into place to make Waller's wish come true. First, Carr would have to be traded. Then, Vegas would have to make a swap with the Packers for Rodgers.

But, Carr already appears to be on the verge of being moved -- he just met with the Saints this week. And, all signs seem to be pointing toward Rodgers being jettisoned from Green Bay too (that is, if his isolation retreat leads him to one more year of football).

American actor Isaiah Mustafa was 35 years old when he first started playing the main character in the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign back in 2010.

During the 2010 Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans Saints vs. the Indianapolis Colts), Isaiah obtained instant fame after millions saw him parading around in nothing but a towel -- with his rockin' bod on full display -- promoting Old Spice products.

In 2011, Italian actor and model Fabio Lanzoni accompanied Isaiah in the Old Spice ads, and Terry Crews followed suit in 2015 ... now that's a muscle showdown!

"Hello ladies, look at your man ... now back to me!"

Jerry "The King" Lawler continues to make positive strides on his road to recovery ... the WWE legend is no longer in Intensive Care after suffering a "massive stroke" this week.

A rep for Lawler provided an update on the 73-year-old's condition Thursday ... saying, "Jerry is out of ICU & will return to his Florida home for outpatient rehab."

Lawler's doctors are hopeful the Hall of Famer will make a full recovery with proper rehabilitation ... which is great news for fans concerned with his health.

As we reported Wednesday, Lawler, who had a near-death experience during Monday Night Raw in 2012, gave a thumbs up from his hospital room ... signaling to fans he was in good spirits.

WWE icon Jimmy Hart visited the legendary commentator while he was in the hospital ... and the two took a picture together while they bonded over wrestling history.

Lawler was rushed to the hospital after he suffered the stroke earlier this week ... but his friend and former announcing partner, Jim Ross, did his best to quell any concerns about his health.

Native American activist Amanda Blackhorse -- a social justice leader who helped force Washington's NFL team to change its name -- is now calling for the Chiefs to switch their moniker ... and she's urging Rihanna and Patrick Mahomes to join the cause this week.

Blackhorse and other Indigenous advocates have scheduled a protest at State Farm Stadium on Sunday during the Super Bowl ... in an effort to get the ball rolling on ridding K.C. of its longstanding team name.

Blackhorse and other leaders have said it -- as well as the org.'s "Tomahawk Chop" and "Big Drum" traditions -- appropriate their culture ... and they want changes ASAP.

She tells TMZ Sports ... she's hoping Sunday's boycott will raise awareness for the cause, adding that if K.C.'s star QB and the Big Game's halftime show performer pitch in, it could make a big difference.

Of course, Blackhorse was successful in her crusade to get Dan Snyder's team to make changes -- she was a key plaintiff in a lawsuit that helped pave the way for their switch to the "Commanders."

She's now clearly hopeful she can repeat that in Kansas City.

For the Chiefs' part -- they've made changes at Arrowhead Stadium in 2020 in wake of some of the cries ... banning headdresses and Native American-style face paint. They also said at the time they were looking into imposing further restrictions.

Months after best buds Ben Affleck and Matt Damon hit the set of their new movie, AIR, portraying Phil Knight and Sonny Vaccaro, the trailer for the highly anticipated biopic documenting the rise of Nike just dropped!

The upcoming movie, also starring Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Marlon Wayans and Chris Tucker, is based on Knight and Vaccaro -- who brought Michael Jordan to the Swoosh.

Nike was launched in 1972 (Knight started another running company in the 60s), and was the opposite of the powerhouse it is today. The business began to grow, but really exploded when Vaccaro, played by Damon, got Jordan to sign with Nike.

Davis plays Michael's mom, Deloris Jordan.  Tucker plays Howard White, a Nike exec.

It's not the first time we've seen the guys in character ... back in June, we got photos from the set. Jennifer Lopez was even there supporting her man, Ben.

Back then, the guys received a mixed reaction ... but now that the trailer's out, fans seem excited about the movie!

But, they're not alone. We spoke with the real life Sonny Vaccaro last year, and he was pumped for the film.

"I'm 83 years old. It was complete surprise to me. It's an unbelievable honor and I believe in what they're going to do is going to be the truth on the film," Vaccaro told us last October.

"This is the best thing that I could have ever imagined."

It's obviously not the first time Damon and Affleck have teamed up together for a movie ... they've done it a bunch, including in the critically acclaimed "Good Will Hunting."

Cole Tucker clearly spared no expense when he asked Vanessa Hudgens to marry him ... 'cause the actress was seen rockin' her new engagement ring this week -- and it's HUGE!!

Hudgens was spotted with the bling while out grabbing a bite to eat with her family in Los Angeles on Wednesday -- and it ain't hard to see her MLB player beau picked out some fine jewelry for his future bride.

Sporting an oversized sweatshirt, sweats and slippers ... the diamond on the "High School Musical" actress' left hand stood out like a sore thumb -- appearing to be nearly the size of her knuckle!!!

Hudgens has only had the ring for a few months now -- the couple only got engaged at the end of 2022 -- but check out her smile, she's clearly loving it and the engagement life.

Hudgens and Tucker initially began dating in 2020 -- and have become inseparable ever since ... with Hudgens attending plenty of his baseball games, and Tucker spending most of his offseasons with her.

Just recently, Hudgens glowed about Tucker ... saying in a sappy Instagram post, "I'll stop the world and melt with you."

She added two emojis ... "❤️🥰."

The signed, game-worn jersey from Kobe Bryant's 2007-08 NBA MVP season -- the only year he won the award during his career -- just sold for $5.8 million at an auction!!

Sotheby's tells TMZ Sports ... the Bryant jersey set a new record for Kobe-related sports memorabilia sold at auction, and is the second-most valuable basketball jersey to ever hit the market.

Bryant wore the jersey for 25 games in '07-'08 ... averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists while leading the Lakers to the NBA Finals for the first time since Shaquille O'Neal left.

Kobe also wore the jersey the same evening he was awarded the regular season Most Valuable Player Award on May 7, 2008 ... and during Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

"This jersey is iconic in a way we seldom see in sports artifacts," said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectables.

Experts initially expected the jersey to sell for anywhere between $5-7 million.

Sotheby's recently sold LeBron James' 2013 Game 7 NBA Finals jersey for $3.7 million in January -- and Kobe's MVP season jersey is in that same rarefied air.