Phil Mickelson I'm A Gambling Addict ... Opens Up On Recovery
Golf superstar Phil Mickelson is addressing the rumors that have followed him for years ... coming clean about his gambling problem and opening up on his successful treatment.
Lefty dropped a statement on the matter Monday on social media ... saying while millions of fans will be enjoying their fantasy football season and betting in moderation, he will not -- and it's because his hobby turned into an obsession.
"I wont be betting this year because I crossed the line of moderation and into addiction which isn’t any fun at all," Mickelson said ... adding his financial losses due to his gambling weren't devastating, but the impact it had on his personal life was crushing.
"'You’re here but you’re not with us,' is something I’ve been told often throughout my addiction," Mickelson said. "It affected those I care about in ways I wasn’t aware or could fully understand. It’s like a hurricane is going on outside and I’m isolated in a shelter oblivious to what was happening. When I came out there was so much damage to clean up that I just wanted to go back inside and not deal with it."
Mickelson said some people close to him throughout his addiction were enablers disguised as friends ... but there was one person in his corner who helped him through his darkest times -- his wife, Amy.
"I couldn’t have gotten through this without her," Mickelson added. "I’m so grateful for her strength in helping us get through the many challenges I’ve created for us. Because of her love, support, and commitment, I’m back on track to being the person I want to be."
Phil also revealed he sought professional help for years and is still recovering ... but is moving in the right direction every day without gambling.
The admission comes after popular gambler Billy Walters alleged Mickelson placed more than $1 billion in bets over 30 years -- including wanting to place a $400,000 wager on the Ryder Cup in 2012, when he was a member of Team USA -- but Mickelson denied ever betting on the competition.
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Dillon Danis Served In Agdal Trolling Lawsuit ... Before Logan Paul Fight
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Dillon Danis has finally been served ... after dodging and weaving a process server for over a week, the fighter/online troll was officially notified Nina Agdal was suing him, and TMZ Sports has video.
It all went down Monday morning outside the Jersey City (NJ) building where the 30-year-old fighter lives.
The process server was waiting for Dillon ... and when he approached with two buddies, the guy said "I have a document for you, Mr. Danis," as he attempted to hand a brown envelope to the fighter.
But, Dillon refused, responding ... "That's not me," as the men walked towards the doors to his building. The PS was told he couldn't go inside, so he placed the document on the floor.
Danis and process servers had been playing a game of cat and mouse for days, with Dillon even pretending he was in North Korea. He also posted images and surveillance video of unsuccessful servers who were waiting for him.
Nina Agdal Granted Restraining Order Against Dillon Danis for Explicit Image
Of course, we broke the story earlier this month ... Agdal, whose fiancé Logan Paul is fighting Danis on October 14, filed a lawsuit and restraining order against Dillon, claiming he was incessantly bullying and trolling her online (250+ times).
In her suit, Agdal says she's suffered humiliation, emotional distress, and reputational harm ... and even claims Danis broke State and Federal law on one occasion when he allegedly gained access to a private video on her phone.
Now that Danis has been served, he'll have 21 days to answer the complaint, per New Jersey law.
In the words of Omarion ... "You suckers got served!"
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Kroy Biermann Judge, Me & Kim Are, Like, Broke-Broke ... Gimme Green Light to Sell!!!
Kroy Biermann is again begging a judge not to let his estranged wife Kim Zolciak slow down his attempt to sell their mansion -- insisting they need to sell the place ASAP ... so they can get separate pads to shield their kids from the trauma of their toxic relationship.
The former NFL star filed new court docs this week, obtained by TMZ, which push back on what he claims is Kim's recent attempt to delay a ruling over the matter of whether to quickly try to sell their massive Georgia home.
Like before, Kroy's reiterating the urgent need to unload this property -- citing their mounting debts and money woes ... but this time, KB says it a bit more plainly. He writes in his paperwork, "The parties to this action are financially destitute, largely related to [Kim]'s reckless spending habits and love for online gambling." Oof ...
Yes, that's Kroy pointing the finger right at Kim and attributing their problems to her. What's more -- he says the IRS actually has a lien on the home over unpaid taxes in the amount of $1.1 million. Kroy also cites a number of lawsuits from creditors who want their dough.
In the docs, Kroy says he and Kim really don't have much else left to their name ... and that the house is the last true asset of value that they can cash in on -- but, according to him, Kim's trying to delay the process and making it difficult to turn the page amid their divorce. And, he says their constant fighting is hurting their kids, saying the "toxicity enveloping the marital home is extremely detrimental to the mental and emotional well-being of the children."
Time's running out, as Kroy says foreclosure is looming -- and he wants to try and collect whatever equity they have left in the place to pay down the damage and get separate places. Kroy's basically on his hands and knees here asking for the court to say yes.
Sell, sell, sell!
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Michigan State Kickstarts Process To Fire Mel Tucker ... Amid Harassment Scandal
Michigan State University has informed Mel Tucker of its plans to fire him ... just days after the suspended Spartans football coach was accused of sexual misconduct.
Rape survivor and activist Brenda Tracy recently claimed Tucker made unsolicited sexual comments and masturbated during an April 2022 phone call ... which led to a formal Title IX complaint and investigation.
Tucker was suspended on Sept. 10 ... and on Monday, the school announced its plans to terminate his contract for cause.
MSU Vice President Allen Haller said the decision has the support of the administration and board ... adding Tucker has been hit with a written notification of the plans to kick him to the curb.
Haller noted in the statement that Tucker now has seven days to plead his case and try to keep his job.
"This action does not conclude the ongoing Office for Civil Rights case; that rigorous process will continue," Haller said.
Tucker -- who signed a $95 million deal in 2021 -- has adamantly denied any wrongdoing ... admitting he had an intimate relationship with Tracy, but claimed she initiated the private convo with comments of her own.
He also said the allegations were simply an attempt to "revive her career" ... but it's clear the school felt otherwise.
Harlon Barnett has taken over for the Spartans ... who lost to Washington in a blowout this past weekend.
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J Balvin Happy Birthday, Boo ... Throws Huge Surprise Party For Model GF
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J Balvin knows how to have a good time ... and he made sure his model GF was doin' the same for her birthday, which is why he threw her a luxurious surprise party!
The Colombian artist rented out a massive villa -- over 7,000 square feet -- on the Miami Beach waterfront for his boo, Valentina Ferrer's, 30th bday Sunday night ... with about 35 people showing up to celebrate, including her family.
We're told he flew her parents, siblings and other family members out from Argentina for the big day -- their 2-year-old son, Rio, was also in attendance but likely didn't party as hard as the rest of them.
The food was another highlight ... J Balvin hired a private chef from Colombia who put together a spread of Argentinian meats to enjoy. There was also a DJ bumping beats throughout the night -- and no, JB unfortunately took the night off and didn't perform.
We're told Valentina had no idea about the party, so it was a well-kept secret ... especially getting her whole fam to show up!
FYI, it was a whirlwind weekend for the couple ... they were enjoying the NASCAR Cup Series in Tennessee Saturday where J launched his shoe collab with Nike Jordan before jetting over to Miami.
We're told their weekend fun came after going on a double date Thursday night in Beverly Hills with Cher and Alexander Edwards ... 2 people whom we were told pulled the plug on their relationship. 👀
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LeBron James I 'Love' Diddy's New Project ... Backseat Jam Session
LeBron James is giving his personal review of Diddy's new project ... and it's safe to say the rap mogul got the King's approval -- 'cause Bron actually took the time to learn the lyrics!!
Well ... some of them.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is infamous for his backseat jam sessions whenever new music drops ... and it was only a matter of time before he gave his two cents on the Bad Boy founder's latest effort -- "The Love Album: Off the Grid," which dropped last week.
Bron went through three of his favorite tracks -- "Pick Up," "It Belongs To You," and "Brought My Love" ... vibin' out as each tune blasted in his Maybach.
James even tried his best Jacquees-esque falsetto at one point ... singing along until a fast-cadenced part of the song seemed to catch him off-guard.
The four-time champ rolled with the punches, though ... pretending to crush each word. In reality, it was more like the time he tried to do karaoke to a 6lack song.
"Man O Man!!!!!!!," James captioned his vid ... calling the project "an ABSOLUTE FKN STONE COLD VIBE!!!!!"
Never change, LeBron.
Travis Hunter, Univ. of Colorado Lacerated Liver From Late Hit Will Likely Miss 3-4 Games
Travis Hunter sustained a lacerated liver during a brutal late hit on Saturday during an epic in-state rivalry game with Colorado State ... and now the star cornerback/wide receiver will miss several games, at the least.
"I'm told Travis Hunter sustained a laceration of his liver," Skip Bayless announced on FS1's Undisputed on Monday, before saying it "should heal on its own in 3 to 4 weeks."
.@RealSkipBayless reports that Travis Hunter suffered a lacerated liver and will miss 3-4 weeks: pic.twitter.com/aLu5AzZ08j
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) September 18, 2023 @undisputed
In fact, Colorado was so concerned over the injury to 20-year-old Hunter -- one of the most talented football players in college football -- he was hospitalized after the double-overtime victory so doctors could evaluate him.
The scary hit happened with just under 5 minutes remaining in the first quarter of the game ... with 18th-ranked Colorado trailing Colorado State, 14-7.
Coach Prime said CB/WR Travis Hunter would be out “a few weeks” after taking this hit Saturday night: pic.twitter.com/EmM180Mp6D
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 17, 2023 @AdamSchefter
QB Shedeur Sanders tried to deliver a deep ball to a streaking, but well-covered Hunter. The ball was slightly overthrown. As the rock landed a few feet in front of Hunter, safety Henry Blackburn delivered a big, late (and arguably dirty) hit on Travis, who went down and was clearly in a lot of pain.
The official immediately threw a flag.
Hunter briefly returned to the game but didn't play in the second half.
Colorado ultimately won 43-35 ... but the play left a bad taste in the mouth of a lot of fans, including LeBron James.
"Like I don’t understand the difference between targeting and what I just witnessed. I’ve seen others get thrown out for far less. That was blatant and uncalled for IMO!" Bron wrote on social media.
Blackburn, a captain on the Col. St. team, has been catching hell online ... so much so he's deactivated comments on his Instagram.
As for Hunter's return, he'll likely miss the Oregon (9/23), USC (9/30) and Arizona State (10/7) games, at the least.
Speedy recovery, Travis!
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Tamar Braxton My Car Was Burglarized ... Posts Video of Incident
Tamar Braxton says her car was broken into and ransacked -- and she's lamenting the fact she doesn't feel safe, even at home ... which is understandable considering the video.
The singer posted 4 clips on IG Monday, which show a handful of men going through a vehicle in a covered, seemingly subterranean garage ... rummaging around and removing various items as they appear to be staging a getaway in another car.
Tamar writes, "I got robbed. At home. I’m not safe anywhere. I don’t know why I keep getting violated. I had a lot in my car cause I don’t live anywhere cause I’m not safe anywhere or with anyone."
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It's unclear when exactly this took place, but if it was on Sunday ... that's shocking, because she was at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to sing the National Anthem ahead of the Packers-Falcons game. Tamar is known to have property in the ATL area, too.
The other notable thing about this is the fact that Tamar says she doesn't "live" anywhere anymore because of situations like this ... which has sparked concern online.
No word on whether a police report was filed, or what the status of this situation is. We've reached out to Tamar's team for further comment ... so far, no word back.
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Patriots Man Dies At Game 'Apparent Medical Event'
A 53-year-old man tragically died while attending the Patriots' home game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday ... after experiencing what officials are calling an "apparent medical event."
Police Want Charges For Three Men Over Patriots Fan's Death At Game
According to local outlets, the incident happened in the 300s section at Gillette Stadium around 11 PM ... in the closing minutes of New England's 24-17 loss.
The man -- Dale Mooney of Newmarket, New Hampshire -- was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Details surrounding the incident have not been revealed at this time.
The Norfolk District Attorney's Office tells TMZ Sports the investigation is ongoing and is currently in its preliminary stages. No charges have been filed.
Another medical emergency also went down at the same game ... when a second man suffered cardiac arrest earlier in the night.
These are the two heroes from tonight who gave CPR to a fan who went into cardiac arrest at the @Patriots game ❤️ Anthony Colella of Johnston RI Fire and Mark McCullough of Needham Fire pic.twitter.com/qKJ38AKqGw
— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) September 18, 2023 @BridgetCondon_
According to reporter Bridget Condon, two off-duty firefighters sprang into action and conducted CPR for several minutes ... bringing the man back to life. His current status has not been released at this time.
Story developing ...
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Shaq Barrett Dedicates Pick-Six To Late Daughter ... Who Died After Drowning
Shaq Barrett's first career touchdown was an emotional one ... as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker dedicated the moment to his daughter who drowned earlier this year.
The two-time Pro Bowler helped secure the Bucs' victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday ... when he intercepted Justin Fields' pass and reached the end zone en route to the 27-17 win.
After the win, Barrett said his 2-year-old daughter's passing has inspired him to push even harder this season ... and he paid tribute to her as he spoke with reporters.
"I always played for my family already, but then having, like, that extra incentive and making me want to go a little harder for her, it never stops," the 30-year-old said during the post-game press conference.
Shaq Barrett pick-six! Huge play for the @Buccaneers
— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023 @NFL
📺: #CHIvsTB on FOX⁰📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/06xXbLoBGl
"It's always going to suck but at least I’m able to shine some spotlight on her a little bit."
Barrett added he believed the moment was "divine intervention" ... and that God has something in store for his family.
"He just setting us up for something. Can't say better because I don't know what can be better than having my baby girl here but he is setting us up for something that we need."
"I'm just ready for it. I'm waiting for it and I'ma believe in his plan for sure."
As we previously reported, Barrett's daughter, Arrayah, drowned in their backyard pool on April 30. Since the tragedy, the family has installed devices around the home to prevent another accident ... and launched a foundation in her name that will educate parents on water safety.
Barrett and his wife, Jordanna -- who have three children with another on the way -- also paid tribute to Arrayah by getting tattoos this offseason.
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Tyreek Hill Pats Fans Are Some Of The 'Worst' ... 'They're Nasty!'
Patriots fans clearly left a bad taste in Tyreek Hill's mouth ... 'cause after the Dolphins torched the Patriots off the field, the Fins superstar receiver laid into them off the field, calling them out for some of the worst fans in the NFL!
29-year-old Hill ripped the New England fans to the media after the Dolphins' 24-17 win at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Sunday night.
"Those fans are some of the worst in the NFL," the 7x Pro Bowler told reporters, "And I'm going to stand on that, they are real nasty."
Hill continued, accusing some of the Patriot faithful of having said some brutal stuff during the game.
"Some of the things they were saying wasn't, you know, I wouldn't say in church."
"So yeah, it felt great to wave goodbye to the fans, and I'll do it again. Bye."
Of course, the 0-2 Patriots are off to their worst start since 2001 ... and their fans are surely on edge. The Pats had a chance to win Sunday's game but came up a few inches short on the final drive.
Tyreek Hill got a middle finger to the face AND a beer thrown on him by Boston fans. pic.twitter.com/l3oZvvgMXx
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) October 15, 2018 @chasedcsports
It's not the first time Hill and Patriots fans had beef .... in 2018, a Pats fan flipped Cheetah the bird and threw beer at him after he scored a touchdown while a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Stay classy, everyone!
Kim Kardashian Son Saint Flips the Bird to Paps ... Light Tsk, Tsk from Mama
Kim Kardashian knows how to carry herself in front of paps who are snapping away, but it seems one of her sons is still learning the ropes ... or, maybe, he just thinks he's #1.
7-year-old Saint was walking into an Islands burger joint in L.A. Friday after his basketball game, accompanied by a couple of pals, plus his mom ... not to mention a bunch of bodyguards. Naturally, paparazzi were all over the place too.
As the whole group was heading toward the front entrance, Saint let the photogs on hand know how he felt about their presence ... throwing up a middle finger.
The sight of a little kid throwing up the F-U signal is pretty funny in and of itself, but the way KK reacts to Saint's gesture is even more hilarious, TBH.
Let's just say she's very much in mom mode ... softly trying to muzzle her kid and get him to behave -- but she's not going very hard. Perhaps he's telegraphing how she really feels!
Now, in terms of who exactly he's channeling between his 2 parents ... Saint's leaning into his Kanye genes here. We've seen Ye flip his lid at paps over the years. It's definitely funnier when the kid does it, though.
Do you think Kim Kardashian was actually angry about Saint West flipping off paparazzi, or was it just for the cameras? Vote below.
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Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall Sound Off On X After First Game Without Rodgers
The New York Jets appear to be experiencing some turbulence without Aaron Rodgers ... with two of the team's biggest stars voicing their frustrations online after losing to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Jets took their first L of the season in their first full game sans the 4-time MVP ... and Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall were clearly irked after the 30-10 defeat.
Gardner must've been searching his name on social media shortly after the contest ... 'cause when he noticed a tweet from a Cowboys fan account calling out his performance defending CeeDee Lamb, he clapped back with receipts.
"Damnn y'all really love sayin my name on this app lol," Sauce said on X. "He didn't catch a ball on me today. Source: Me."
Gardner -- who seemingly deactivated his account after the post -- also backed himself up on Instagram while on the team plane ... posting his stats to debunk the notion he's fallen off in his second pro season.
As for Hall, he appeared to be upset about his lack of carries ... posting four football emojis to represent the same number of rushing attempts he had in the outing.
"I think he played a solid game, I just think we could've done more to help him out protection wise... I think we could've helped him out a lot more"
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 18, 2023 @snyjets
- Breece Hall on Zach Wilson pic.twitter.com/ftGVrA1kdx
Hall -- who's still limited after recovering from an ACL injury he suffered last season -- finished the game with nine rushing yards, after earning more than 120 in Week 1.
The Jets were considered Super Bowl contenders before Rodgers tore his Achilles just four plays into the season ... and while many expected the team to experience some growing pains, it's clear some guys aren't too happy right now.
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Antonio Gates My Son Could Be Better Than Me!!! ... 'I Really Believe That'
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An Antonio Gates hasn't been in the NFL since the 2018 season ... but another could be on the way soon -- and, according to the Chargers legend himself, the next one could be better than the first!!
Gates tells TMZ Sports ... his boy -- Michigan State Univ. redshirt freshman receiver Antonio Gates Jr. -- has the goods to one day make it to the NFL, and be an even bigger star than he was once he arrives.
"I think so," Gates said out in Beverly Hills this week. "I really believe that."
So far, the younger Gates is still learning how to be effective on the collegiate level ... after not playing the entirety of the 2022 season, he's played sparingly in 2023.
But, the elder Gates said with all the resources at his disposal -- a transformation into a beast on the gridiron isn't far off.
"I can kind of give him the information that's important for him to be successful," Gates Sr. said. "So, he's got a great future ahead of him."
But, either way, Gates Sr. said he's a very proud Papa nonetheless.
"I can't tell you how proud I am as a father," he told us. "I'm happy for him."
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Adele Marriage Rumors Again Calls Rich Paul 'My Husband'
Adele may be a married woman again -- at least that's what the Internet thinks, yet again, after she gave her boyfriend, Rich Paul, a very significant promotion in the title department.
The singer was doing her Vegas residency show Saturday, and per usual ... she was going around chopping it up with her audience, weaving in and out of rows of seats and interviewing folks on the spot Oprah-style. What else is new, right?
However, this time around -- a slip of the tongue appears to have befallen Adele ... 'cause when a female fan asked if she could marry her, Adele said she was already hitched.
Check it out -- Adele turns this woman's marriage proposal down in hilarious fashion ... saying she's straight, and not just that, but that her "husband" was in the crowd and probably wouldn't appreciate it. She didn't say Rich's name -- but he's the only dude she's seeing.
It's unclear if Adele simply misspoke here, or if she did actually say "I do" the famous basketball agent -- who reps the likes of LeBron James and tons of other NBA stars.
We do know that Adele has spoken glowingly of Rich Paul since they first got together a couple years ago. She's even gone so far as to say she's the happiest she's ever been in a relationship with him ... so, it's easy to see her walking down the aisle with him.
This is far from the first time people have speculated on where things are between Rich and Adele. There's already been a first wave of marriage rumors dating back to last September ... when eagle-eyed fans noticed a book at her house that a title of "The Pauls."
Adele didn't address all the attention back then, and she seems primed to do the same again now. FWIW, we've reached out to Adele's team for clarification, no word back yet.
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Teyana Taylor Iman & I Separated ... Still Cool, Still Co-Parenting
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Teyana Taylor just confirmed what folks have long suspected about her and her husband, Iman Shumpert ... their relationship is over.
The singer officially broke the news Sunday, taking to IG with a lengthy statement. She writes, "Not too much on my bestie! In all fairness, Iman and I are separated and have been for a while. To be 1000% clear, 'infidelity' ain’t one of the reasons for our departure."
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She adds, "We are still the best of friends, great business partners and are one hell of a team when it comes to co-parenting our 2 beautiful children. Most importantly we are FAMILY & in the 10yrs together, 7yrs married we ain’t ever played with or about THAT."
Teyana goes on to explain that the reason she's kept this under wraps is because she's private ... and didn't feel like it was anyone's business -- a decision she's happy with as she and Iman have been able to navigate this on their terms without so much noise.
She finishes by saying ... "The only reason I’m even sharing THIS part of the chat is because the narratives are getting a little out of hand & it’s unfair to all parties involved. I hope this provided some clarity for y’all. Okay AunTey taking y’all back out the chat bye!"
Teyana and Iman have been together for quite a while now -- they got hitched in 2016, and share two children together. Their bedroom biz has also been the subject of much intrigue.