TMZ Sports - Page 50

The Belize men's national soccer team was stopped by gunmen in Haiti just minutes after it had arrived in the country for a World Cup qualifier -- and video from the scene is beyond troubling.

The Belize national team officials said in a statement Monday they were making their way from the airport to their hotel 3 days prior to their big soccer match ... when a band of armed insurgents on motorcycles pulled them over at gunpoint.

You can hear the soccer players in the bus describing the demands the insurgents were making -- "They said, 'Pull over or else!'"

The footage shot from inside the team bus shows dozens of men -- some armed with large firearms -- order the driver to pull to the side of the road, despite the team having a 4-man police escort.

Belize officials said cops were forced to "negotiate" with the men in order to leave unharmed -- and, thankfully, they were allowed to move forward with no one getting hurt in the confrontation.

No word on what the team had to give the men in order to leave.

"The situation is one that the team should have never faced," team officials said after the incident, "but we are pleased to report that our Jaguars, although shaken by the terrible experience, are safely at their hotel."

The team added it's "currently in contact with respective authorities from FIFA and Concacaf and are doing everything possible to get them to safer grounds."

"It is unfortunate that our Jaguars faced such a traumatic experience."

Belize is slated to play Haiti in Port-Au-Prince on March 25 -- a key game for Belize as it attempts to qualify for the World Cup (set for 2022 in Qatar) for the first time ever.

The 14th female massage therapist to accuse Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct says the NFL star is "a serial predator" who assaulted her in Los Angeles last year.

The masseuse -- using the pseudonym "Jane Doe" to protect her identity -- spelled it all out this week in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the suit, Doe says Watson reached out to her via Instagram last summer ... and set up an appointment for a massage at a Beverly Hills, Calif. residence on July 15, 2020.

Once there ... Doe says Watson led her to a room in the home, closed the doors and locked them.

She says once she began the massage ... the 25-year-old Houston Texans quarterback turned aggressive, and at one point, attempted to force her to grab his penis.

In the suit, Doe says she was "terrified" during the session ... and after the massage had ended, she claims Watson told her, "I will not have you sign a NDA [Non-Disclosure Agreement] but don't ever talk about this."

Doe says the whole incident left her feeling "violated, ashamed, and disgusted."

Doe claims several months later, in December 2020, Watson reached out to her again ... but she says she did not respond.

The woman -- like the previous 13 female massage therapists who have filed lawsuits against the NFL superstar -- is suing for unspecified damages.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is staying busy in retirement -- campaigning to be Luke Rockhold's fight coach for Luke's UFC return ... and it sounds like it could really happen.

"He’s assuming this coaching role now," Rockhold tells TMZ Sports ... "He wants to be a big part of my comeback."

Luke and Khabib have been training together for years -- but now that Khabib is done fighting, he wants to transition into coaching ... and take Rockhold on as his client.

Rockhold hasn't fought since July 2019 -- when the former middleweight champ made his light heavyweight debut against Jan Błachowicz.

The 36-year-old tells us he's been dealing with a shoulder issue that's kept him from taking a fight -- but he's recovering well and should be good to go in "late Summer."

Rockhold says he hasn't made an official decision regarding Khabib's offer ... but Luke is obviously considering the move.

In the meantime, Luke says he's heading up to Vegas to train with Nurmagomedov for a week -- and he'll probably make his mind up after that.

Either way, Luke says he's convinced Khabib will be just as good of a coach as he was a fighter.

"He’s going for the 'Coach of the Year.' That’s what he wants. He wants to be the next great thing, following in his dad’s footsteps."

"That’s what his dad always did. His dad was always insightful, and always had a good eye for the sport ... and I think Khabib’s ready to assume that role in fatherhood."

As for Luke's career. Rockhold says he's likely done fighting at light heavyweight and will resume his career back at middleweight.

"I believe [185 pounds] is my calling. I’m about 205 pounds right now and I’m just naturally there."

Luke adds, "It wasn’t really me to bulk up. I was lifting weights and did my thing to get up to 205 and I could barely hold 215, 220 max."

"I feel good. This is my championship weight. This is where I’ve done all my damage and I like the route to victory of what’s ahead of me, so I’m ready to go."

Dabo Swinney is clearly torn up about the sexual misconduct allegations directed at his former Clemson QB Deshaun Watson -- saying he's "disappointed" by the accusations but still supports the guy.

Swinney coached Watson at Clemson for 3 seasons -- from 2014 to 2016 -- and they became pretty close during their time together.

Swinney was asked if he was surprised to see so many women making accusations about Watson ... and when it came time to answer, Dabo kept it real.

"Yeah ... I mean, certainly [I was surprised]," Swinney told reporters during a Monday news conference.

"[I was] disappointed to see his name in the news and all that's going on .. but hey, look, I love Deshaun Watson."

Swinney continued to explain why he's supporting Watson throughout the situation.

"He’s like a son to me. That's how I love him. As far as the legal stuff and all that ... that will take its course. Certainly can't speculate or comment on any of that stuff, but all I can tell you is I've known Deshaun since the 9th grade and he's been nothing but exemplary in every area that I've ever known him in."

He continued, "In the 3 years that he was here as a player, I think I had a chance to yell at him one time. He was 5 minutes late to a team meeting that he overslept for. That's it."

"That's the Deshaun I know. I can only base my thoughts on my experiences with him, which have been wonderful."

"Again, I love him like a son, and we'll just have to see where everything else goes from there."

So far, 14 women have filed lawsuits against Watson -- with attorney Tony Buzbee claiming there are still 10 more women who could also take action.

"I just felt an emptiness in my stomach."

Colorado Buffalos head basketball coach Tad Boyle said coaching just hours after the tragic shooting in his school's Boulder hometown was VERY difficult ... explaining Monday, "It puts basketball in its proper place."

Boyle broke it down for media members after the Buffs lost their NCAA tournament second-round matchup to Florida State ... saying win or lose, the game didn't feel as significant as it should have after the "senseless act of violence" near campus.

"It puts this game in perspective," Boyle said. "It certainly puts losing in perspective."

"But even if we would have won this game and celebrated going to the Sweet 16, it would have put a damper on it. So my heart goes out to the families that were affected and those that lost their lives."

Ten people in total -- including a first-responding police officer -- were shot and killed when a gunman opened fire at a local Boulder, Colo. supermarket Monday afternoon.

Boyle said he didn't discuss the tragedy with his team prior to tip-off... noting he thought it was best to address it afterward.

"We've got to figure out a way to stop this stuff," Boyle said of the shooting. "I don't know the answer, but we've just got to figure out a way."

Colorado's other major sports teams sent condolences to victims in wake of the shooting ... with the Rockies, Broncos and Avalanche all issuing statements.

"Our heart breaks for the lives needlessly lost and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this shooting," the Rockies said, adding the team is "devastated."

The Broncos wrote, "Our hearts go out to the innocent victims, grocery store associates & families of those affected by today's shooting at a King Soopers in Boulder, Colo. We are grateful for the law enforcement & medical professionals who bravely responded to yet another senseless tragedy."

Added the Avalanche, "We are all deeply saddened by the events in Boulder today. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by this terrible act."

Bad Bunny has another hit on his hands -- meaning, he hit The Miz with a frickin' guitar during "Monday Night Raw!"

Somewhere, the Honky Tonk Man is smiling!

The two have been beefing ever since the Puerto Rican rap star made his wrestling debut at Royal Rumble back in February when Bad Bunny helped eliminate Miz and his partner, Morrison, from the match ... and hit 'em with a frog splash in the process.

There's been a tremendous amount of trash talk ever since ... which continued on Monday night.

After The Miz warned Bad Bunny to stay the hell out of pro wrestling FOREVER ... the music superstar sneaked up from behind and smashed an acoustic guitar right on Miz's back!

That's when Bad Bunny picked up the mic -- called Miz a "bitch" -- and accepted his challenge to square off at WrestleMania!!

Remember, The Miz told TMZ Sports ... if Bunny grew the stones to get in the ring with him, there would be serious consequences.

"He makes a lot of money being a musician," Miz told us back in January ... "So, go do that. Keep on making that money because the fact is, if you come into the WWE ring, I'm gonna break your jaw and when I break your jaw, you're gonna need a lot of money."

THIS IS CRAZY VIDEO!!!

The fighting spilled into the stands at an MMA event in Florida over the weekend -- with punches and chairs thrown everywhere -- and culminated with someone firing a GUN twice!!!

... and TMZ Sports has the unbelievable footage.

Here's the deal ... the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident at the RIZE Fighting Championship event which went down on March 20 at the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth Beach.

The event was promoted as a bantamweight championship match between Alexis Fernandez and Filipe Valentim -- but there was more action in the stands than inside the cage ... when fans started to attack each other!!

Unclear how the brawl started ... but as several groups of people engaged in fighting, one man opened up a bag, pulled out a handgun and fired it into the air -- apparently hoping the gunshot would scare everyone into behaving.

But, watch the clip ... there are people watching the fights on the balcony, directly above the shooter -- and it's a miracle no one was hit!

We heard at least one shot -- but cops say at least TWO shots were fired into the air.

Former Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard -- who also fought in the UFC -- was in the crowd at the event and captured the shooting on video.

"This guy just shot his handgun in the middle of a melee at an amateur show," Lombard posted on IG ... "Shameful and pathetic cowardly behavior ruined a great night of fights."

When officials arrived on-scene, paramedics treated multiple individuals who were injured in the brawl portion of the incident.

So far, no arrests have been made -- but officials say they've launched an investigation in hopes of identifying the shooter and finding out why the hell he thought it would be a good idea to pop off a couple of rounds with so many people in close proximity!

Boxing superstar Gervonta Davis just got socked with 14 criminal charges stemming from a Nov. 2020 hit-and-run crash that injured FOUR people -- and now he's facing more than 7 YEARS in prison.

The undefeated knockout artist is suspected of being the driver of the 2020 Lamborghini Urus which allegedly blew through a red light and slammed into a Toyota on Nov. 5 ... just days after Gervonta's huge knockout win over Leo Santa Cruz.

Davis -- who turned 26 on Nov. 7 -- was reportedly celebrating his birthday at a nearby nightclub in South Baltimore before the incident.

Now, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office announced it's moving forward with 14 counts against Davis, including 4 counts of "failure to immediately return and remain at scene of accident involving bodily injury."

He's also facing charges for failure to report an accident, driving on a suspended/revoked license, failure to stop at a red light and more.

If convicted of all charges, Davis faces a potential maximum of 7 YEARS and 55 days in prison.

Prosecutors say they've obtained surveillance footage from a nearby store that shows the Lamborghini "collide directly into the store’s fence and the driver, was allegedly identified by witnesses as Gervonta Davis."

And, what's worse ... officials say witnesses say Davis and his passenger were seen gathering items from the Lambo and moving them to a getaway car that drove them away from the crash scene.

Officials say they have footage that backs that up too!

"The defendant and the unidentified female passenger were captured on camera leaving from the scene in the Camaro," prosecutors say.

State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby says four people were hospitalized as a result of the crash ... but they're expected to be okay.

"Fortunately, the victims in this case were able to survive this alleged hit and run collision with recoverable injuries despite the potential for a far worst scenario," Mosby said.

"My office will continue to do our part to hold reckless drivers accountable when their harmful actions put innocent lives in jeopardy."

Davis -- who was Floyd Mayweather's protege -- is considered one of the top boxers in the sport at the moment ... racking up an impressive 24-0 record as a pro with victories over guys like Yuriorkis Gamboa and José Pedraza.

But, outside the ring, he's had a ton of legal problems ...

Remember, Davis was arrested back in February 2020 for roughing up his ex-girlfriend at a celebrity basketball game in an incident captured on video.

He was also arrested for assault back in 2017 after allegedly punching a friend. The charge was later dropped.

Bracket busted and need a new one?? President Barack Obama's autographed entry from the 2012 NCAA men's tournament is hitting the auction block ... and it's got a $10,000 starting bid!!

Of course, Obama is a huge fan of hoops ... and loves to share his March Madness picks for all to see -- for better or worse.

This particular bracket is from when #44 teamed up with ESPN's Adam Katz to fill out his "office pool" entry back in 2012 ... and the whole thing was recorded for a segment called "BARACK-ETOLOGY."

Barack shared his picks live on the network ... channeling his inner Dick Vitale and explaining why he thought he had the perfect bracket.

Obama's bracket was filled out on a 63 by 36-inch whiteboard (which has since been framed) -- and after he made his picks, Barack signed it with a pen.

FYI, Obama's bracket was anything but perfect -- he picked North Carolina to win it all. Instead, Anthony Davis and the Kentucky Wildcats took home the title that season.

While BO's autographed bracket was busted, it's clearly a collector's item -- and will now go to the highest bidder courtesy of Goldin Auctions ... with bids starting at $10,000.

But, let's get real ... Obama memorabilia is always in high demand and with the sports collectibles market exploding in recent months, this thing could easily hit the 6-figure mark.

Bidding starts Tuesday ... good luck!!

Court Street turned into a rager for the ages after Ohio upset Virginia in the NCAA tourney ... and now, officials are trying like hell to keep fans from becoming COVID super spreaders if the Bobcats win again on Monday.

Folks in Athens flooded the streets, climbed lamp posts and crowd surfed after Jason Preston and the #13 Bobbies took down the defending champs in the first round on Saturday.

It was an insane sight to see ... and one that had to make Dr. Fauci's skin crawl.

The Athens City-County health department is hoping fans stand up and cheer responsibly if Ohio handles #5 Creighton and reaches the Sweet 16 on Monday ... laying down a list of safety tips to prevent spreading the coronavirus.

Some pointers include staying inside and watching from home, wearing masks and social distancing outside, putting up yard signs to show support, or hosting Zoom watch parties.

In other words, the health dept. is begging fans to do anything but cram together in the streets and breathe on each other without a mask on.

Will it work?? Probably not -- after all, OU used to be the #1 party school in the country -- but ya gotta admire the attempt to keep everyone safe.

Red Sox fans are going to HATE this ...

A group of L.A. Dodgers supporters secured a billboard right next to Fenway Park this week ... trolling the hell out of Boston for trading away superstar outfielder Mookie Betts last season!!

The savage sign was put up just yards away from The Green Monster ... located on the top of a building on Brookline Avenue.

The text? "Dear Boston, THANK YOU FOR MOOKIE BETTS. Sincerely, Dodgers fans and @Pantone294."

Of course, Boston jettisoned Mookie to L.A. just before the 2020 season began ... opting to trade away the former AL MVP instead of signing him to a mega-deal.

Mookie went on to help the Dodgers win the World Series ... while the Sox floundered, finishing in last place in the AL East.

We're sure the Red Sox don't appreciate the reminder ... especially 'cause the team and its fans will have to drive by the sign when they kick off their season at home against the Orioles next week.

Beer isn't just for drinking at Spring Training -- it may also have SAVED A LIFE!!

Check out these incredible photos showing the moment an MLB player smashed a line drive foul ball directly into a fan's beer can during a Spring Training game this weekend -- causing a massive liquid explosion!

It all went down in the 2nd inning of the Angels vs. A's game Saturday at Diablo Stadium in Tempe -- when A's catcher Sean Murphy stepped up to the plate and smacked a laser beam toward 3rd base.

A quick-thinking fan used his beer can as a shield to protect himself and his lady friend from getting hit by the ball -- and photographer Mark Rebilas managed to snap some pics right at the moment of impact!!!

The good news ... the fan and his friend weren't hurt.

The bad news ... those stadium beers are pricey as hell -- and judging by the explosion, it was a pretty full can!

But, more good news ... the Angels did the right thing and sent the fan FOUR MORE BEERS along with an autographed Mike Trout bat.

Bonus points for sending the beers over in a bag of ice to keep 'em cold!

NBA legend Elgin Baylor -- one of the greatest basketball players of all time -- has passed away of natural causes, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Monday. He was 86.

Baylor was selected with the first overall pick to the Minneapolis Lakers in 1958 ... and spent his entire 14-year career with the franchise.

The 6'5" forward won Rookie of the Year in 1959 ... and was named All-Star Game MVP that same year.

Baylor was an 11-time All Star and 10-time First Team All-NBA selection for the Lakers. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1977 ... and his #22 jersey was retired in 1983.

Baylor was also honored with a statue outside Staples Center in 2018.

Baylor ranks as one of the greatest to ever don the Purple & Gold -- he's ranked 4th in points scored, 1st in total rebounds and 6th in assists.

Baylor went on to coach the New Orleans Jazz from 1974-1979 after his playing days ... and later spent 22 years as GM of the Los Angeles Clippers, earning Executive of the Year honors in 2006.

Elgin's wife, Elaine, released a statement on his passing ... saying, "Elgin was the love of my life and my best friend."

"And like everyone else, I was in awe of his immense courage, dignity and the time he gave to all fans."

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss added ... "Elgin was THE superstar of his era - his many accolades speak to that."

"He was one of the few Lakers players whose career spanned from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. But more importantly he was a man of great integrity, even serving his country as a U.S. Army reservist, often playing for the Lakers only during his weekend pass."

"He will always be part of the Lakers legacy. On behalf of the entire Lakers family, I’d like to send my thoughts, prayers and condolences to Elaine and the Baylor family."

Baylor is survived by his wife, children and sister.

The awkwardness in Detroit is dead ... Michael Brockers says he's smoothed things over with his teammate, Jared Goff, after shading the QB during a chat with TMZ Sports earlier this month.

So, here's the backstory ... back in January, the Rams made a deal to send Goff to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford.

Brockers -- who was still under contract with the Rams at the time -- told TMZ Sports in early March he LOVED the move because Stafford was a "level up" from Goff and the Rams would be better off.

"Is it a level up?" Brockers asked. “In my heart, deeply, just understanding what [Stafford] brings, it’s a level up [over Goff]. It’s a level up."

But, shortly after Brockers made the comments, the Rams traded HIM to Detroit ... so yeah, AWKWARD, RIGHT!?!

Well, Brockers was asked about the situation during a media session Monday -- and explained he's already spoken to Goff ... and they're good.

"I have so much respect for him and just understanding that, you know, that wasn't any shot against him," Brockers said.

"It was just trying to pump up the Rams fanbase as I was on the Rams team."

He continued, "I didn't know I was going to be dealing with free agency. I was really just trying to boost up the move that I felt like the team was doing."

"Just trying to boost up the fan base. I don't think it was anything against Jared. I even had to go text Jared away from the camera. Just as man-to-man -- I did not mean for it to go like that. I didn't mean what I said."

"As a man, I respect you as a player. You took me to the Super Bowl, it wasn't like that ... I respect every player and every player's ability in this league."

For his part, Goff said Monday he accepted Brockers' explanation ... saying on 97.1 The Ticket that he and MB are "all good" now.

"Brock's obviously one of my good friends and teammates. Obviously, I get it," Goff added.

Losing frickin' sucks ... and if you need any proof, just check out Rockets head coach Stephen Silas ... who had an equally sad and hilarious reaction to Houston's 20th-straight loss on Sunday.

The Rockets have become one of the worst teams in the league over the past 2 months ... and haven't won a game since before Valentine's Day(!!!)

After losing a close 114-112 contest to the OKC Thunder on Sunday, Silas was asked if he thought the weight of the losing streak was building and affecting how the Rockets play.

Visibly frustrated, Silas rubs his forehead and goes completely silent for an awkward 10 seconds to gather his thoughts ... before muttering one subdued, "Yeah."

You have to feel for the guy -- Silas is in his first season as an NBA head coach, and he was placed in an extremely tough situation to succeed.

If you don’t remember, James Harden forced his way out of Houston in January to go play in Brooklyn ... and Russell Westbrook was traded before the season even started.

On top of that, emerging star Christian Wood -- who was dominating so far this season -- missed a month due to an ankle injury.

Ever since Wood went down, the Rockets have been awful ... posting an 11-30 record so far this season.

Former 49ers RB Jarryd Hayne -- who was also a massive international rugby star -- was convicted of sexual assault Monday ... and he's now facing serious time behind bars.

A jury in Sydney, Australia found the 33-year-old guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent ... after a woman had accused Hayne of getting violent with her in bed in Sept. 2018.

The woman claimed Hayne had performed sexual acts on her without her consent ... and caused her serious injuries.

Hayne -- who was ultimately charged with aggravated sexual intercourse without consent as well as two counts of sexual intercourse without consent -- had denied the allegations, insisting it all was consensual and explaining the injuries were caused by accident.

A jury was hung on the charges at a trial last year ... but a second jury convicted Hayne of the two counts of sexual intercourse without consent Monday after an 18-hour deliberation.

The jury found him not guilty of aggravated sexual intercourse without consent.

Hayne -- who will have his sentencing hearing on May 6 -- is now facing up to 14 years in prison.

Jarryd spoke with media members outside of the courthouse after the verdict Monday ... and said he'd appeal the decision, insisting once again he was innocent.

"I'd rather go to jail knowing I spoke the truth than be a free man living a lie," Hayne said ... "It’s unfortunate, it’s disappointing. But at the end of the day, they’ve come to the decision. I respect that."

Hayne is a huge celeb in Australia -- gaining fame for his accomplishments on the rugby pitch.