TMZ Sports - Page 17

Did you know the Greatest Of All-Time also moonlights as captain of the No Fun Police???

It's true ... 'cause Tom Brady just crapped all over the NFL's awesome, new jersey number rule change in one of the most old-man "Get Off My Lawn" rants we've ever seen!

If you missed it ... the league announced this week it's easing up its uniform restrictions for 2021, allowing most players to now wear single digits and other fun numbers.

Most of the dudes are pumped for the change ... it'll allow guys to continue to wear their college jersey numbers into the pros -- but Brady made it clear Thursday he HATES it.

"Good luck trying to block the right people now!!!!" 43-year-old Brady said in social media post. "going to make for a lot of bad football."

Brady's tantrum didn't stop there ... he continued in a SECOND post, "Why not Let the lineman wear whatever they want too?"

"Why have numbers? Just have colored jerseys ...why not wear the same number?"

Brady finished it all off with an emphatic, all-caps line that read "DUMB."

Look, TB12 probably has a point ... it's going to be much harder to identify who plays what position on the field -- but honestly, who cares? Have you seen how swaggy some of the stars look in the new jersey numbers?!?

Oscar De La Hoya is admitting to what many already knew ... he WAS boozed up during his appearance at the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren fight ... and now he's apologizing.

48-year-old Oscar was a babbling mess when he joined the announcer's table to commentate during one of the undercard fights at the April 17 event in Georgia ... leaving many wondering if something was wrong with the boxing legend.

In fact, Frank Mir -- who was fighting Steve Cunningham when Oscar joined the broadcast -- tweeted after the fight that he hopes Oscar's people get him professional help for his issues.

"I could be angry and I could laugh too but addiction is no joke, I know," Mir said ... "I sincerely hope that those around Oscar get him the help he needs."

As you may know, Oscar has publicly talked about his battles with substance abuse over the years ... and has sought treatment on several occasions.

But, Oscar is playing off the situation as no big deal ... saying he just got caught up in the party atmosphere at the event -- which included live performances from Snoop and Justin Bieber -- and simply drank too much.

"I started having a couple drinks. And then [the Triller producers] told me, ‘Why don’t you go and commentate?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, man! Okay, okay,'" Oscar said this week on the DAZN Boxing show.

"I got a little over carried away. And I apologize. But it’s all good. It’s all good."

This is going to hit you right in the feels.

A man in Illinois gave the ultimate tribute to his late father this month ... by filling a bowling ball with Dad's ashes -- and then bowling a PERFECT GAME!!!

38-year-old John Hinkle -- a 2-time NCAA bowling champion from Western Illinois University -- wanted to honor his dad, John Sr., following his death in 2016.

Since his father introduced him to the sport he loves so much, John spent years trying to find someone able to fill the thumb hole of a bowling ball with John Sr.'s ashes ... and vowed to one day bowl a perfect game with it.

On April 12, John hit up his hometown alley in Peoria, Illinois ... and set his eyes on perfection.

John told his brother, Joe, about his goal before the game ... saying, "I'm shooting a 300 with this ball ... And Joe said, 'Do it!,'" he told WMBD in Illinois.

And guess what -- he did it!!

John was overcome with emotions as he approached perfection ... saying, "I had tears in my eyes in the 11th and 12th frames. I couldn’t tell you where that last ball went, I had so many tears just throwing it," he told the outlet.

John -- who has hit several perfect games over the years -- says this was the "best and definitely the hardest" 300 he's ever had in his career.

"It’s special. Dad shot 298, 299, never had a 300. I had goosebumps, chills."

UFC superstar Kamaru Usman was hit so hard by COVID following his July 2020 fight with Jorge Masvidal, he drove himself to the emergency room for treatment.

Usman says he was so dehydrated, he peed blood, lost his sense of smell and dropped 17 pounds as a result of the virus ... telling ESPN he was seriously concerned about dying.

The good news ... Usman insists he has recovered and is ready to go for his UFC 261 rematch with Masvidal this weekend.

But, man, the story behind his illness is scary stuff.

Usman told ESPN he started feeling symptoms after he flew from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi to his home in Colorado.

At first, Usman says he felt sick -- and he thought he would beat it easily. But, things escalated quickly.

After five days of symptoms, Usman says he couldn't wait it out anymore and went to a local emergency room for treatment.

Usman was admitted to the hospital, where he tested positive for COVID and was immediately given medicine to help him recover.

Usman tells ESPN his mind went to a dark place, admitting he thought to himself, "Man, I just made all this money and I'm not gonna be able to spend it."

Fortunately, Usman was able to make a complete recovery ... and returned to the octagon in February 2021, where he defeated the #1 welterweight contender, Gilbert Burns.

Ex-NFL linebacker Geno Hayes -- who's only 33 -- is in hospice care in Georgia stemming from liver issues ... and his friends and family are asking for prayers.

"He's fighting for his life," Geno's high school football coach Frankie Carroll told The Tallahassee Democrat.

No word on Geno's specific medical condition or his prognosis -- but clearly, the situation is dire.

He's currently being cared for at his parents' home in Valdosta, Georgia -- where close friends and family members have been visiting in the hopes he can make a recovery.

Hayes was a football star since his high school days -- when he was personally recruited by Florida State legend Bobby Bowden.

Geno lived up to his potential at FSU -- earning 1st Team All-ACC honors in 2007.

He went on to have a 7 year run in the NFL -- which started when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Bucs in the 6th round of the 2008 Draft.

Hayes went on to play with the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars before his pro career came to an end following the 2014 season.

In total, Hayes racked up 401 tackles, 10 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and 6 interceptions in his pro career.

Off the field, Hayes was known as a generous guy who was always looking for ways to help out in his of Greenville, Florida ... hosting youth football camps and toy drives.

He's gonna like this one, Jim!!!

Tony Romo transitioned back into athlete mode Thursday ... sinking a 30-foot chip-in for an eagle at a pro tournament -- and the shot was EPIC!!

The ex-Dallas Cowboys QB (and Jim Nantz' NFL game broadcasting partner) hit the links as a sponsor exemption at the Korn Ferry Tour's Veritex Bank Championship in Arlington, Texas ... and it didn't take long for him to shine.

On his first hole of the day -- the Par 5 10th at Texas Rangers Golf Club -- Romo knocked his second shot just short of the green, and was looking to chip it close with his 3rd shot to set himself up for a birdie look.

The thing is ... Romo hit the chip shot so well -- IT ACTUALLY WENT IN!!!

Side angle footage showed just how difficult of a chip it really was ... Romo had to navigate a big hill in order to bury the ball in the cup.

Of course, Tony's a hell of a golfer and this isn't anything too new for the 41-year-old -- so his celebration was muted, with nothing more than a small fist pump and a wave.

Romo -- who's played a handful of times at pro events before -- is currently doing well at the event ... he's even on his scorecard through five holes so far.

Athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics are NOT allowed to participate in any protests or demonstrations on the field of play, during an official ceremony or at the podium ... and those who do will be punished.

The International Olympic Committee revealed its policy for the Summer Games on Wednesday -- saying it spent 11 months consulting with various experts and athletes before drawing up its plan.

The main takeaway ... the IOC says after polling more than 3,500 elite athletes and Olympians ranging in age from 16 to 55+, it became obvious the "majority" are in favor of strict rules against demonstrations.

"A very clear majority of athletes said that they think it's not appropriate to demonstrate or express their views on the field of play, at the official ceremonies or at the podium," IOC Athletes' Commission chief Kirsty Coventry said.

"So our recommendation is to preserve the podium, field of play and official ceremonies from any kind of protest or demonstrations or acts perceived as such."

What happens if an athlete violates the rule?

The IOC is currently working with the Legal Affairs Commission to "come out with a range of different sanctions so everyone knows what everyone can and cannot do."

In other words, they're still figuring out what the punishments will be.

The IOC announcement comes weeks after the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee decided it will NOT punish athletes who take a knee -- or engage in any other sort of peaceful protest -- at the Olympic trials.

However, the USOPC acknowledged it cannot prevent a "third party" -- like the IOC -- from taking action.

An ex-Virginia Tech women's soccer star is suing her former coach ... claiming she was benched, berated and ultimately forced off the team because she refused to kneel.

Kiersten Hening -- a 21-year-old midfielder/defender who played for the Hokies from 2018 to 2020 -- spelled it all out in a federal lawsuit filed last month ... saying her former head coach, Charles "Chugger" Adair, straight-up hated her political views.

In the docs, Hening claims at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement last summer ... she had differing opinions on social justice protests than most on her Hokies team.

Hening said in her suit that she "supports social justice and believes that black lives matter," but claimed she "does not support BLM the organization."

In the docs, Hening said she disagrees with BLM's "tactics and core tenets of its mission statement, including defunding the police."

As a result, Hening says she was subject to ridicule from Adair ... which only grew louder after she refused to participate in a pregame kneeling demonstration on Sept. 12, 2020.

Hening claims many of her teammates knelt before their match with Virginia during a reading of a "unity statement" ... but she remained standing, and insists she was ultimately singled out for it.

Hening says at halftime of the game, Adair unloaded on her, claiming he "verbally attacked her."

Hening claims Adair pointed a finger "directly in her face" and denounced her for "'bitching and moaning,' for being selfish and individualistic, and for 'doing her own thing.'"

Hening says Adair continued to target her in the ensuing days with verbal rants, and ultimately benched her. She says things got so "intolerable that she felt compelled" to eventually leave the team.

Hening is now suing for undisclosed damages claiming her constitutional rights have been violated. She also wants the judge to order Adair to get training on the First Amendment and let her back on the team.

Hening had been one of the best players on Virginia Tech's squad ... she started 19 games as a true freshman in 2018 and 18 more as a sophomore in 2019.

"I think they're awesome people and I can't wait to see what the baby's gonna look like!

That's UFC star Rose Namajunas sending big love to Ronda Rousey and Travis Browne on their newly announced pregnancy ... telling TMZ Sports, "She's gonna be a great mother!"

Rose and Ronda go way back ... in fact, Namajunas posted a pic with Rousey way back in 2014 (before Rose shaved her head!).

The two have had a friendly relationship ever since, with Ronda even showering Rose with praise after her 2018 victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

And, now that Ronda and Travis are expecting, Rose couldn't be more excited for them -- "I'm really happy for them and their family."

Meanwhile, Rose is gearing up for a highly anticipated showdown with Zhang Weili for the UFC strawweight title at UFC 261 on April 24.

Weili hasn't lost a fight since her pro debut back in 2013 -- since then she's been on a 21-fight win streak with victories over stars like Jedrzejczyk, Jessica Andrade and Tecia Torres.

Rose tells us she's got the right skillset to break the streak.

"My movement, the way that I move, the way that I think and my fighting spirit. They're all unique."

So, how does she see the fight going?

"My game plan is the same every time. I go in there and punch their face, take their back and choke 'em out. It may manifest differently each time but that's my goal and that's what I'm focused on."

A U.S. senator is accusing LeBron James of "inciting violence" against a police officer after the NBA superstar shared a photo of the cop with the caption "you're next."

LeBron posted -- and has since deleted -- a picture of the police officer who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant during a violent incident Tuesday outside of a home in Columbus, Ohio.

Body cam footage shows Bryant in a physical altercation with two other people ... and it appears as if she's trying to lunge with a knife at one of the other girls.

That's when one of the officers pulled his gun and fired four shots at Ma'Khia -- killing her.

When questioned at the scene about why he opened fire, the officer responded, "She had a knife. She just went at her."

Clearly, LeBron felt the officer used excessive force, and feels the situation could have been resolved without fatal gunfire.

LeBron posted a photo of the officer with the caption, "YOU'RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY" ... insinuating that he should be prosecuted just like Derek Chauvin.

But, LeBron's post has sparked a backlash, with the largest police union in the country condemning the Lakers star's message as "disgraceful and extremely reckless."

The National Fraternal Order of Police tweeted that LeBron "should educate himself and, frankly, has a responsibility to do so, on the facts before weighing in."

"The officer saved a young girl's life. No amount of gaslighting will change that fact."

The message was echoed by Sen. Tom Cotton from Arkansas, who said, "LeBron James is inciting violence against an Ohio police officer. This is disgraceful and dangerous."

Even ex-MLB star Lenny Dykstra is going in on LeBron, saying, "Hey, @nba, have you disciplined #LeBronJames for making a real and ongoing threat to the life of the brave officer in Columbus who prevented a knife attack from being even worse?"

As for the officer in question, officials have said the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation will launch a full investigation into the incident.

The injuries Sterling Brown suffered during a violent attack outside a Miami strip club this week were MUCH worse than originally reported -- he was rushed to the emergency room while bleeding profusely and some teammates feared for his life.

It's all spelled out in a bombshell report by The Athletic ... which details how the Houston Rockets player was badly beaten outside the Booby Trap strip club in Miami early Monday morning.

According to the report, Brown accidentally got in the wrong vehicle on the way out of the club -- and the people inside didn't take too kindly to the mix-up.

The men reportedly launched a vicious attack on Brown -- cracking him in the head with a liquor bottle ... which opened up gashes all over his face.

Brown's teammate, Kevin Porter, Jr., reportedly took action and tried to rescue Brown ... but suffered his own injuries in the process. Porter's injuries were minor ... and he ended up playing Monday night.

Brown, on the other hand, is still in very bad shape -- one source told The Athletic, "His face is jacked up."

Brown required "multiple heavy stitching jobs for his facial injuries," according to the Athletic -- which describes the scene at the hospital this way, "blood was everywhere."

One source summed it up this way ... "If he hadn’t been as physically strong and tough, he might not have made it out of the situation ... He could have died.”

Despite the severity of the injuries, Brown has since been discharged from the hospital ... and has returned to Houston for more treatment.

If you needed further proof Tim Tebow is the sweetest boy on Earth -- here it is ...

The former Heisman Trophy winner granted a 105-year-old's birthday wish this week ... sending an adorable video shout-out to the woman -- and the whole thing was cute as hell!!

Here's the deal ... Cora Belle Edison has been a Tebow superfan for YEARS, never missing one of his games and even calling the former quarterback "handsome!" during her 105th bday party last week.

And, after she told local station WJTV in Jackson, Miss. her wish for her big 1-0-5 was to meet Tim ... TEBOW ACTUALLY REACHED OUT!!!

The 33-year-old -- alongside all his dogs -- sent the woman a heartfelt message ... saying, "Hey, Mrs. Edison. This is Tim Tebow. I wanted to make this video to say happy birthday."

"I know last Tuesday that you turned 105 years old and that is so incredible."

He continued, "I also know we have a lot in common. I know that you have five children, and I’m the baby of five, so we have that in common. And, I know that you were a nurse, and you loved helping people and that's also what I feel called to do. But, most importantly, I also know that you love the Lord, which is most important."

Tebow then praised Edison for the legacy she's left on the planet ... and added, "I really hope I get the chance to see you and give you a hug."

"But, even if I don’t get the chance to give you a huge here on Earth, I know I will in heaven and I look forward to that day."

Brett Favre is weighing in on the Derek Chauvin verdict ... saying he truly believes the ex-cop did NOT intentionally kill George Floyd, but his actions were downright inexcusable.

Chauvin was found guilty on all 3 charges stemming from the May 2020 incident on Tuesday ... and is now facing up to 40 years behind bars.

The NFL legend spoke about Floyd's death on his "Bolling With Favre" podcast on Wednesday ... condemning Chauvin's handling of the situation, but explaining why he feels it's "hard to believe" he intended to kill the 46-year-old man.

"I’m aware of the outcome. I find it hard to believe, and I’m not defending Derek Chauvin in any way. I find it hard to believe, first of all, that he intentionally meant to kill George Floyd," Favre said on Wednesday.

"That being said, his actions were uncalled for. I don’t care what color the person is on the street, you do not, I don’t know what lead to that video that we saw, where his knee is on his neck, but the man had thrown in the towel."

Favre continued ... "It was just uncalled for. Much like the video that surfaced last week of the cop who pulled over the African-American service man, who was afraid to pull over in the dark and chose to ride it out until he got to a gas station. Understandably so, especially in today’s world."

"And the cops actions, of course he was fired immediately, was uncalled for. Just absolutely uncalled for, and wrong. So Derek Chauvin, I obviously don’t know him, know anything about him, but he should not, he should’ve gotten up.

"Long before that. I didn’t watch the day-to-day ins and outs of the trial, but I’m really not surprised at the outcomes. Fair or not, he deserves something. What, I don’t know, but he was absolutely wrong."

Favre also addressed the backlash he faced last week after his comments about wanting to keep politics out of sports ... saying he stands by what he said.

George Floyd's brother, Philonise, has a message for the Las Vegas Raiders -- he's not offended by the team's "I Can Breathe" post and is not demanding they take it down.

We spoke with Philonise moments ago ... and he told us he does not believe the message was intended to be negative and he hasn't had any negative thoughts about it all.

In fact, Philonise kind of agrees with the post -- explaining how the world can finally take a breath now that the man who killed his brother has been convicted and will be held accountable.

As we previously reported, Raiders owner Mark Davis took responsibility for posting "I Can Breathe" on the team's social media accounts on Tuesday, moments after Derek Chauvin was found guilty on 3 counts in the murder of George Floyd.

Davis has said the post was inspired by the comments Philonise made at a news conference following the conviction when he explained, "Today, we are able to breathe again."

David and the Raiders have been getting a TON of pushback online from people who feel the post was insensitive -- considering Floyd told officers "I can't breathe" more than 20 times during the May 2020 encounter with Chauvin.

On Tuesday evening, Davis said he's sorry IF the tweet hurt the Floyd family ... "If I offended the family, then I'm deeply, deeply disappointed."

Clearly, Philonise feels no apology is necessary.

A cop was so concerned for Marshon Lattimore after finding a gun near his groin during a police stop last month that he straight-up warned the NFL star, "You're gonna shoot your dick off."

... and the whole incident was caught on police video obtained by TMZ Sports.

Lattimore and three others were stopped in Cleveland on March 26 after cops say the driver of the vehicle had committed multiple traffic violations.

In video of the stop, you can see officers swarmed the car immediately ... and confronted Lattimore right away.

In the clip, cops say they smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car ... and then asked Lattimore if there were firearms inside the ride.

Eventually, Lattimore revealed he DID have a gun on his person ... and told cops it was located in the groin area of his jeans.

"You're gonna shoot your dick off," one officer said as he removed the firearm from Lattimore's pants.

"Get yourself a holster, brother," another cop told the New Orleans Saints corner.

As cops were conducting searches around the car, one of the officers apparently realized Lattimore was an NFL player ... and said out loud, "You play for the Saints?!"

The cop then scolded the 24-year-old for putting himself in the position ... explaining, "It's not like you're a, you know, f***ing chump out there, bro!"

Ultimately, cops say they found Lattimore's gun showed up in the system as stolen ... and they arrested him, booking him on charges of failure to notify and receiving stolen property.

FYI, the stolen property charge is a 4th degree felony -- which carries a maximum punishment of 18 months in prison. So yeah, that's a big deal.

The other three passengers in the car were also arrested.

Lattimore's case is currently playing out in the court system.

Lattimore is one of the best defensive players in the NFL ... and is expected to ink a massive contract extension with the Saints when his rookie deal expires after the 2021 season.

Cops in Louisiana are on the hunt for Aldon Smith ... they say the new Seahawks pass rusher committed 2nd-degree battery at a coffee shop in the New Orleans area on Saturday.

According to a wanted bulletin from the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office, Smith allegedly committed the crime while at the French Press Coffee House near Home Depot in Chalmette.

Officials say the entire incident was captured on video, according to WDSU in New Orleans.

Cops added in the bulletin, "The subject does not have a local address but has relatives in the New Orleans Area. Subject was last observed in a white in color Nissan sedan with an unknown license plate."

Smith is no stranger to trouble with the law ... he's been arrested multiple times in the past few years -- though he had famously cleaned up his life and rejoined the NFL last season.

31-year-old Smith was a star for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 ... recording five sacks and two fumble recoveries.

He just signed a one-year contract last week to play for the Seahawks in the 2021 season.

Story developing ...