TMZ Sports - Page 50

WWE Superstar Carmella is opening up, talking about the ectopic pregnancy that forced her hiatus from the company ... revealing the situation was so severe, she could've lost her life.

Carmella joined her husband, Corey Graves and his podcast partner, Kevin Patrick on CG's 'After The Bell' podcast ... where she went into detail about the traumatic experience, explaining how the terrible situation forced her into a "deep depression."

"It was so difficult," Carmella recalled of the October 2022 miscarriage.

"It’s insane because not only am I in the emergency room for this crazy medical condition that we have to monitor closely, I was on bed rest for four weeks straight, I couldn’t do anything."

"I’m also processing the loss of our baby. It was a double whammy," the WWE Superstar told Corey and Patrick.

Carmella says she was in a dark place after the medical emergency.

"I was in a deep depression for a while. It was really hard. I felt it was necessary for me to share my story. Even though I had you [Corey], I had my family, I had never felt so alone because it’s like blaming yourself. ‘What did I do wrong?' 'How could I have prevented this?’ It turns out there is nothing I could have done."

FYI, an ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of the uterus (as opposed to inside the uterus during a healthy pregnancy) usually in a fallopian tube, according to the Mayo Clinic. Ectopic pregnancies cannot proceed, and as Carmella said, can be fatal for the mother.

Carmella -- the 2017 Money in the Bank Women's ladder match winner -- admitted she questioned whether she'd ever feel good again following the tragedy.

"It was a very difficult time and it felt like, my return was up in the air, I didn’t know. 'Am I ever going to go back to work?' 'Am I ever going to feel okay?' 'Am I ever going to feel good enough to get off the damn couch and put some makeup on and feel good about myself?'"

"Luckily, we’re here and on the other side, but it was definitely a difficult journey."

Aside from scores of family and friends helping her reach the other side, Carmella says there was one person in particular who went above and beyond ... Stephanie McMahon.

"I’m gonna get emotional thinking about it. She was so supportive of me through all of it. Reached out to me several times, we had several phone conversations about it."

Carmella says she will be "forever grateful" for what the WWE exec and daughter of Vince McMahon did for her, saying "not only does she preach women empowerment, she practices it."

Carmella made her long-awaited return to WWE earlier this month.

Russell Wilson says he loves Pete Carroll and NEVER wanted him booted out of Seattle ... contradicting a new report claiming the star QB demanded the Seahawks coach be fired.

"I love Pete [Carroll] and he was a father figure to me and [General Manager John Schneider] believed in me and drafted me as well. I never wanted them fired. All any of us wanted was to win," Russell wrote on social media.

"l’ll always have respect for them and love for Seattle."

The statement from the 34-year-old is a direct response to a story published by The Athletic on Friday morning ... which claimed Wilson demanded the two men be fired in February 2022, believing they were holding him back from winning another Super Bowl. The outlet cited league sources.

The report claims Wilson -- who played 10 seasons in Seattle -- had a preferred replacement in mind for Carroll ... Sean Payton, who'd just made the decision to leave the New Orleans Saints after 15 seasons.

If Russ actually did request a trade, team ownership opted to stand behind Pete and John. Team brass met a few days after the alleged request and decided to ship the 9-time Pro Bowler out of Washington via a trade.

Wilson was sent to Denver, where he signed a 5-year, $245 million extension. Russ was bad, and the Broncos had a terrible season, finishing last in the AFC West with a 5-12 record.

In fact, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired before the season ended ... and interestingly, Payton was hired as the new head coach.

A fan sitting courtside was left crying over spilled beer at the Pacers game on Thursday ... after Malcolm Brogdon crashed into him and knocked over his drink!!

The party foul went down during the Pacers vs. Celtics matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on ... when the Boston guard fell right on top of him in the second quarter.

Brogdon was attempting to stop Bennedict Mathurin from scoring near the hoop ... but ended up fouling him instead.

During the play, Brogdon started to stumble into the crowd at the baseline, where a fan was holding two cups of beer. Despite Mathurin's best attempts to save him, the 6'5" guard collapsed right onto the guy.

The brew spilled EVERYWHERE ... but the good news is the fan was double-fisting, so one cup of beer was saved -- a feat the broadcasters hilariously praised during a replay.

"He was able to save the first one," one of the broadcasters said. "The one in his left hand -- not a chance."

The game was delayed for several minutes as the cleaning crew mopped up the booze ... 'cause ya can't have a bunch of players running around on a wet floor!

Despite the spill and delay, the fans got to witness a thrilling overtime game -- with a bit of trash talk going down between the players.

The Celtics ended up winning 142-138 and are currently leading the Eastern Conference.

Jeff Hardy is putting his most recent legal problem behind him -- the wrestling star's June DUI case in Florida was officially closed on Thursday, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to the Volusia County court records, Hardy submitted a written no contest plea ... meaning he accepted a conviction and punishment for the crime, but didn't admit guilt.

Hardy was sentenced to 38 days in jail ... but was given a 38-day credit for time already served, and had his license suspended for 10 years, according to Wrestling Observer.

The outlet says Hardy was sentenced to two years probation, court-mandated DUI school or drug rehab program, and community service, and he has to pay $4,586 in fines and court fees.

Hardy -- who was suspended by All Elite Wrestling (AEW) a day after he was arrested for his third DUI -- will also have to wear an interlock device for two years.

Jeff -- who starred for WWE and TNA before joining AEW -- was arrested last June after officers from the Florida Highway Patrol found that he was driving under the influence.

FWP officers administered two tests to Hardy and claim he blew a .291 and .294, well above the legal limit (.08) permitted in Florida, and even had to pull out their service weapons during the stop.

Rihanna's halftime performance at Super Bowl LVII caused a ton of outrage for folks watching on TV ... they flooded the FCC with complaints, saying her set was too big on sex.

The overall takeaway from the folks who felt compelled to complain about Rihanna to the feds ... the lyrics and choreography were way too sexualized, with some viewers even comparing it to porn.

TMZ obtained the 103 complaints made to the Federal Communications Commission -- a U.S. government agency that regulates television -- regarding this month's Super Bowl broadcast ... and almost all of them had to do with RiRi's halftime show.

One viewer in California even compared Rihanna's set to Kim Petras and Sam Smith's performance at the Grammys, writing ... "I don't care what someone worships but children shouldn't be exposed to pornography and as an adult I don't wish to see it ... Where has decency gone? How about respect for others and self?"

In Utah, one viewer bitched ... "This year the halftime show was so indecent I had to turn off the TV because of the pornographic content."

Meanwhile, folks across the country clutched pearls over the "overtly sexual dancing" and song content heavy on sexual content.

Rihanna was pregnant so she didn't dance much ... and most of the ire was directed at the background dancers, who some say made gestures that "were patently offensive and completely inappropriate for children."

When RiRi did manage some dance moves, they drew complaints too ... with one viewer in Florida complaining, "She spread her a** cheek at the crack. She rubbed her pants where her labia were three times."

Floyd Mayweather is fighting this weekend, but the boxing legend didn't seem too fazed about the bout on Thursday ... partying it up with Jamie Foxx to celebrate his birthday!!

TBE welcomed all his friends to Restaurant Ours in London to honor his 46th trip around the sun ... and the bash had a ton of booze, an incredible cake -- and of course, huge tributes to the man of the hour.

Foxx looked like the life of the party ... showing off his dance moves while sporting a fancy purple suit.

Mayweather was spotted wearing a Clueless-esque yellow plaid outfit ... posing with a massive bottle of bubbly -- but remember, the guy doesn't drink, so we're assuming it was just for a photo op.

Actor Evan Ross, celeb jeweler Johnny Dang and designer Ozwald Boateng were in attendance ... as well as a ton of beautiful women, including model Ivana Knoll, who documented the rager on her social media page.

The event went down just 48 hours before Floyd is set to enter the ring with reality TV star and former Bellator fighter Aaron Chalmers at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday ... and it sure seems like he's feeling good before the exhibition bout.

An unruly spectator stormed the pitch and punched a player in the face during a Europa League match on Thursday ... and his reward was getting dropped with a vicious right hand before being dragged out by security.

It all went down at Philips Stadium in the Netherlands .... where PSV was playing Sevilla FC.

During the contest, a man ran onto the field and punched Sevilla goalkeeper, Marko Dmitrovic -- but the fan was in for a rude awakening because the Serbian star was ready for the smoke.

Check out the clip ... the guy comes face to face with Dmitrovic before teeing off, but Marko demonstrates quick reflexes and drops the fan to the ground with one punch.

Once Dmitrovic leveled the guy, who was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers when he did the ambush, Marko tried to subdue him until security intervened.

Players on the field began running in Dmitrovic's direction once they realized what was happening ... and eventually, a swarm of people surrounded the man.

The guy attempted to put up a fight while on the ground by trying to break free from Marko's grasp ... but he was unsuccessful, and security ultimately booted him from the match.

Storming the pitch is a common tradition in soccer ... but in this instance, the fan got more than he bargained for and chose the wrong goalkeeper to put his hands on.

Mac McClung's performance at NBA All-Star weekend should have the Warriors and Lakers feeling foolish, so says Riff Raff who tells TMZ Sports both teams screwed up not signing the hoop star full-time.

Some quick background on McClung ... the Tennessee native has been an acrobatic dunker since high school and played two seasons at Georgetown, where he averaged 14.7 points and 2.2 assists per game. He also spent one year at Texas Tech.

Despite McClung's athleticism and scoring capability, the point guard went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft ... but spent time with the Lakers and Bulls G-League affiliates. He also had a short stint with the Warriors.

The Sixers recently signed Mac to a 2-way contract with their affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats ... meaning he can play up to 50 games before deciding if they keep him full-time.

Now you can see why McClung wasn't necessarily a familiar face amongst the NBA crowd until he won the dunk contest in Salt Lake City last weekend, reviving a competition that has been pretty boring over the past few years.

Mac's cousin, hip hop artist, Riff Raff -- who has been promoting McClung for nearly 6 years -- tells us he's happy MM's finally "getting the notoriety that he deserves" ... and then he proceeded to call out the Lakers and Warriors in the process.

"He's been on the Warriors, they fumbled. He's been on the Lakers with some of his favorite players and he's playing with them and they fumbled that and now he's over there in Philly," Riff Raff said.

"He's the new Ivory Iverson!!!!'

Riff Raff continued ... "Any NBA team owner would be foolish to not wanna fill the stands and get hat hype around their team. To me, and to anybody who actually watches him play, he's a starter."

But, Jody Highroller wants you to have one thing straight ... there's more to McClung than dunking, calling the 6'2" baller an "actual hooper" who's more than just an explosive/athletic player.

But, don't get it twisted ... Riff Raff believes McClung will take over the dunk contest for many years to come, forcing NBA superstars to participate.

The parents of the woman who was killed in Tuscaloosa last month are appalled Brandon Miller was allowed to suit up for Alabama on Wednesday ... claiming the university is focusing more on saving his basketball career than the lives that were ruined as a result of the tragic shooting.

Miller scored 41 points to help the Crimson Tide beat South Carolina ... just one day after cops testified he was connected to Jamea Harris' murder by providing now ex-teammate Darius Miles with his gun on Jan. 15.

Miles isn't accused of actually firing the gun, but has been arrested for capital murder. A third man allegedly fired the fatal shot ... using Miles' gun, which was allegedly delivered by Miller.

DeCarla Cotton was shocked Miller was eligible to play in the game ... telling USA Today, "It’s just unimaginable, and it’s like his life is just going on."

"He took a brief pause and it didn’t stop. It’s like, okay, slap on the wrist and go play ball."

Cotton points out her daughter would still be alive if a gun was not present on Jan. 15 ... adding Miller should have known the potential consequences.

Cotton said the university should care more about her grandson, 5-year-old, Kaine ... who now has to grow up without a mother.

"He’s the true victim in all this," she added. "He won’t have a mother anymore to influence his growing up and who he’s going to be."

Jamea's stepdad, Delvin Heard, also went after Bama head coach, Nate Oats for comments he made surrounding the tragedy ... calling his handling of the matter "godawful."

Heard specifically stated Oats crossed the line for saying Miller was in the wrong place at the wrong time ... claiming the coach "crossed the line."

Oats later apologized for his previous statements, but Heard clearly isn't having it.

"The retraction meant nothing to us because over this five-week period, he has made a habit of making reckless statements," Heard added. "When I say reckless, I mean statements not considering the victim in this whole thing, which is Jamea Harris."

As we previously reported, Miller's attorney claimed in a statement he "never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur."

Jim Harbaugh is already a beloved figure in Michigan ... but the Wolverines' head football coach just earned even more respect in the community after assisting a police officer with clearing the road during Wednesday's ice storm in Ann Arbor.

Harbaugh played good samaritan when he encountered a member of Ann Arbor's police force who was having difficulty moving a large tree that'd fallen in the middle of the road due to the inclement weather. Coach decided to lend the officer a helping hand.

The PD said while their officer was surprised to see it was the head coach/ex-NFL QB and coach who was helping, the officer gave Jim a pair of work gloves and the two of them got to work together!

Ann Arbor police tweeted about the incident Thursday, saying it took Harbaugh and Ofc. Cooper about ten minutes to clear the tree from the roadway, allowing traffic to finally pass through.

"We thank Coach Harbaugh for being a valued member of the Ann Arbor community and helping out Ofc Cooper," the department said.

The police department also shared the officer's body-worn camera footage where you hear Harbaugh introduce himself to the officer after they finished clearing the tree ... and the cop says, "you're a good man."

"Hey, feel free to spread the word on that," Harbaugh joked.

Milwaukee Bucks player Meyers Leonard says he sometimes contemplated leaving his basketball career behind amid the fallout from using an antisemitic slur on a video game stream ... but ultimately felt it would be a "coward's way out."

Leonard -- who last played in the NBA in 2021 -- said there were times he wanted to "run away" due to the backlash he faced after the incident ... admitting he made enough money to pack up his things and start a new life elsewhere.

But now that he's back in the league, Leonard is opening up on his experience.

"It’s a mixed bag of emotions, for sure," Leonard told reporters Wednesday. "It’s certainly the hardest two-year stretch I've ever had in my life, as an adult, as a man."

Leonard said being without a team was an "extremely difficult time," and called his use of the slur an "ignorant mistake." He also apologized again to anyone he offended.

As we previously reported, the Milwaukee Bucks signed Leonard to a 10-day contract on Monday, opening up the possibility for the seven-footer to step foot on an NBA court once again.

Meyers -- selected 11th overall in the 2012 NBA draft -- added it's been an uphill battle since his whole life changed, but believes he's put in the work to convince people he's remorseful.

Leonard reaffirmed that he doesn't hate anyone, and said he's thankful for the "amazing relationships" he's forged with people in the Jewish community along the way.

Move over OBJ ... Eli Manning has a new favorite acronym -- MBJ, as in Michael B. Jordan!!!

The New York legend welcomed the movie star to MetLife Stadium in a new episode of "The Eli Manning Show" this week ... and Jordan -- a die hard Big Blue fan -- wanted to live out his childhood dream by becoming a Giant for a day.

The award-winning actor linked up with Manning and former center, Shaun O'Hara at the facility ... and Eli wanted to give Jordan the full NYG experience.

So, Manning had Jordan -- who was in full pads and helmet -- ran a couple of routes right on the field ... and then they took a shot at recreating Odell Beckham Jr's most iconic catch.

Of course, that's when OBJ maneuvered his body to catch Eli's pass with only three fingers, despite the pass interference, against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014.

MBJ almost pulled it off, with the luxury of having no defense on his back ... but we gotta give him credit for the acrobatic leap -- it was impressive!!!

"That was pretty good," Manning yelled after the catch. "The guy's an actor that's an athlete. MBJ! MBJ! MBJ! Touchdown dance!"

Side note -- MBJ has experience as an athlete in multiple roles ... he acted in the "Friday Night Lights" TV series, as well as his starring role in the "Creed" franchise.

He also played as a young baseball player in, "Hardball" and made an appearance in "Space Jam: A New Legacy" with LeBron James.

There's a ton of money at stake when Jake Paul and Tommy Fury enter the ring on Sunday ... 'cause the two boxers just agreed to a hefty bet that could leave one of them without a dime!!

The Problem Child proposed the deal during their pre-fight press conference minutes ago ... saying if TNT wins, he will double his purse -- but if Jake is victorious, he gets EVERYTHING.

The deal was solidified with a handshake ... and Jake said he even had his lawyers draft up the paperwork beforehand to prove he's 100% serious.

A brief scuffle ensued ... with Jake and Tommy getting in each other's faces before being separated.

"You're a s***house," Tommy said during the altercation. "You are full of s***, you little bitch. I'll put you out inside the first round."

Jake then addressed the crowd ... saying, "You heard that, ladies and gentlemen ... it's a deal!!"

It's a risky bet for sure ... as Jake has previously claimed the fight will be the biggest payday of Tommy's career.

The rest of the presser was also filled with the usual back and forth ... but one change of tune came when Fury's dad, John -- who previously unleashed a ton of trash talk toward Jake -- was really complimentary of Paul and all he's accomplished at a young age.

Jake has been known to make friendly wagers in the past ... like when Tyron Woodley had to get "I love Jake Paul" tattooed on him after their fight in 2021.

Legendary BBC football (soccer) commentator John Motson, one of the most well-known voices in the sport, has sadly passed away, his family announced Thursday. He was 77.

Motson's family released a statement about his passing, writing ... "It is with great sadness we announce that John Motson OBE died peacefully in his sleep today."

Motson -- also referred to as "Motty" -- started calling games for Britain's national broadcaster in 1968 ... and his stellar career spanned 50 years.

The BBC said John covered 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships, and 29 FA Cup finals ... before calling his final match in 2018.

John -- best known for his signature sheepskin coats -- also covered more than 200 England matches and commentated on over 2,500 televised games.

Tributes came pouring in after John's death had been announced ... with the Prince of Wales sending his regards to Motson's family for their tragic loss.

"Very sad to hear about the passing of John Motson - a legend whose voice was football. My thoughts are with his family and friends," Prince William and Kate Middleton tweeted from their official Prince and Princess of Wales Twitter account.

Being stuck on a plane for 7 hours sounds terrible, right?! Not if you're Damian Lillard or the Portland Trail Blazers ... 'cause the NBA team turned the unfortunate incident into a rap music video!!

So, the Blazers were supposed to be flying from Portland International Airport to Sacramento, California for Thursday's game against the Kings, but a severe snowstorm delayed their chartered flight for 7 hours.

Though the flight was ultimately canceled, the team took advantage of their time together on the plane by making a dope music video!

Blazers star Lillard dropped it on Wednesday via Instagram ... showing the 7-time NBA All-Star spittin' a freestyle over GloRilla and Cardi B's "Tomorrow 2" beat, while his teammates played hype men in the background.

"Man, how the f*** we stuck up in the snow? Guess we fly this bitch tomorrow." Lillard rapped.

"Back stuck on the plane, I might have to buy a fit tomorrow. And it's cuffin' weather, grab ya bitch, she might get hit tomorrow."

"Shooters in the locker room like we the Wizards, got me tight -- stuck up in this f***in' blizzard."

Of course, anyone familiar with Lillard knows outside of basketball, he loves to rap ... in fact, many consider Dame the best athlete rapper.

The 32-year-old Oakland native -- who goes by the rap name Dame D.O.L.L.A -- has released several albums during his 10-year NBA career, with some songs featuring several artists including Snoop Dogg.

Alabama Crimson Tide star, Brandon Miller had a career night on Wednesday ... dropping 41 points and scoring the game-winning overtime basket against South Carolina -- just one day after cops said he was connected to a murder case involving his now ex-teammate Darius Miles.

Miller's clearance to play in the SEC matchup was met with a ton of backlash ... with many questioning the decision to allow him on the court after police claimed he brought Miles his gun on Jan. 15, which was ultimately used to kill 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

Fans in attendance expressed their feelings loud and clear throughout the game ... chanting "lock him up," and "guilty" towards Miller.

Bama Athletics defended the decision to let him participate prior to the game ... saying, "Based on all the information we have received, Brandon Miller is not considered a suspect in this case, only a cooperative witness."

As for Miller's side of things, his attorney claimed in a statement he "never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur."

Miller was not charged with a crime, but Miles and his friend, 20-year-old Michael Davis -- the one actually accused of pulling the trigger -- are both facing capital murder charges.

Bama, thanks to Miller's scoring, won the game 78-76.