TMZ Sports - Page 50

The NFL Alumni association was paid a whopping $3,500,000 by the CDC to promote the COVID-19 vaccine, TMZ Sports has learned.

U.S. Federal Procurement docs show the CDC and the NFL Alumni assoc. signed the multi-million dollar deal at the beginning of May.

The total value of the contract is listed at $3.5 mil ... with the money earmarked for "NFL Alumni (NFLA) Health COVID-19 Vaccination Community Outreach and Education Project."

FYI, the NFL Alumni was founded in 1967 by a group of retired football players. The organization's current president is former NY Giants lineman, Bart Oates.

The NFL Alumni's website features pro-COVID-19 vax testimonials from former NFL stars like Franco Harris, Rod Woodson and Harry Carson, amongst others.

The site also has a "Vaccination Tracker" and a link to access vax locations.

The group is a separate entity from the NFL ... though you must have played or coached in the league to be a member.

Prior to awarding the windfall of cash, the CDC issued a Notice of Intent, announcing the grant.

"The [CDC] intends to award a sole source firm fixed price purchase order to The NFL Alumni Association (NFLA). The overall purpose of this contract is to facilitate collaboration among NFL Alumni and federal state and local public health officials as well as other local leaders to address vaccine hesitancy through communication and engagement with communities less likely to get vaccinated."

The notice continues ... "The CDC Vaccine Task Force will work directly with the NFLA to promote community-level and national COVID-19 education outreach and vaccination acceptance."

The agreement with former players is interesting, because many current players and coaches are pissed about the NFL's new COVID vax rules

The league has threatened to take away players' game checks and even force forfeitures if unvaccinated players cause COVID outbreaks.

29-year-old superstar WR DeAndre Hopkins tweeted his frustrations with the rules, even hinting at contemplating retirement. Minnesota Vikings assistant coach Rick Dennison was even reassigned after refusing to get the shot.

🚨🚨 MAJOR BEEF ALERT 🚨🚨

A.J. McKee and Patricio Pitbull -- Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix finalists -- do NOT like each other, and it all goes back to ... an autograph?!

"I actually asked [Pitbull] to sign a newspaper," A.J. tells TMZ Sports.

But, instead of just signing the paper ... Pitbull had other ideas, and McKee is PISSED.

"He done crossed my whole face out, picture out. So, I'm f****** him up for that like. Like I lost a lot of respect for him because of that."

And, McKee says he thinks Pitbull's shook.

"I'm in his head so f*****g heavy!"

A.J. and Patricio are the last 2 men standing in a tournament that started with 16 of the best 145-pound fighters in Bellator.

McKee has never lost ... winning all 17 of his Bellator fights -- many of them with ease.

Meanwhile, Pitbull is a legend. He's 32-4 and has wins over Michael Chandler and Juan Archuleta -- to name a few. Patricio is also a double champ ... holding the 145 and 155 lb. titles.

The featherweight title's on the line, but arguably more important is the million-dollar prize!!

We asked McKee what he was gonna do with the cash ... and let's just say this isn't the 1st time he's thought about the 7-figure check being deposited in his bank account.

"Oh, I spent it already bro. It’s spent already. I’m paying off my dad's house. I'm buying a [Porsche] GT 2RS. I need a Porsche in my driveway, man."

FYI, A.J.'s dad is Antonio McKee -- a veteran MMA fighter.

The championship fight goes down Saturday night ... personal beef, a title, and a million dollars are all that's on the line.

"If I killed somebody in the ring, it'd f****ing make me very happy."

That savage statement came courtesy of 30-year-old, UFC middleweight contender, Sean Strickland ... who's fighting #8 ranked fighter, Uriah Hall.

TMZ Sports recently talked to the 30-3 Strickland and asked him if 36-year-old Hall would be off his mental game after Chris Weidman's horrific leg injury during Uriah's last fight.

Sean's response, hell no. Fighters fight ... and that's when he said he wants to murder an opponent in the Octagon.

Really, we asked ... you mean that?

"Oh, I love it. Absolutely. But, I'm okay, I accept that. Like, if Uriah hits me and maybe I have a brain aneurysm and die, you'll hear me saying, 'I’m okay, that's a good death,' Strickland told us.

"We’re all going to die sometime. You know, might as well end in a good way. We’re all going to the same place, man. It's either gonna be then or now. Just enjoy it."

😬😬😬😬😬

BTW, we also talked to Uriah Hall about Strickland (the men obviously have history) ... and it's clear the UFC star has his sights set on champion Israel Adesanya.

Going for gold isn't always pretty and these Olympic athletes are clearly focused on keeping their head in the game ...  and not on how they look in pictures.

There is plenty of determination to be seen at this year's Olympic games, and we're sharing some of the best freeze frame photos from this past week's events.

From athletes such as Russia's Artur Dalaloyan -- Gymnastics and Japan's Mai Murakami -- Gymnastics to Argentina's Victoria Sauze Valdez -- Field Hockey and Great Britain's Andy Murray -- Tennis ... The commitment is crystal clear in these snapshots!

Take a look at all the other athletes making waves as they go for gold by scrolling through our gallery of these iconic faces ... See other stars such as USA's MyKayla Skinner -- Gymnastics, Serbia's Novak Djokovic -- Tennis, USA's Lilly King -- Swimming, and Japan's Naomi Osaka -- Tennis.

Lamar Odom has been ordered to pay his ex nearly $400,000 ... after a judge ruled the former NBA star hadn’t pay a cent of support in over a year.

In court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, a New York judge ruled Odom had stopped making payments to his ex, Liza Morales, in June of last year, despite a 2015 settlement agreement requiring the NBA legend to pay thousands of dollars per month for the benefit of the former couple’s two kids.

In all, the court hit Odom with a $380,549 tab, including $91,220 in outstanding child support, $88,117 in missed rent, $161,305 for their children's college funds and expenses, and nearly $40k for her legal fees and expenses.

Morales had sued Odom back in May, claiming the former basketball player had missed all the payments he agreed to make since June 2020.

In the court's ruling, the judge noted Odom did not show up for a key hearing in the case in June "despite due notice."

Kris Bryant cried and needed multiple hugs after learning he was being traded out of Chicago ... and video of his emotional departure from the Windy City will hit ya right in the feels.

The Cubs star was dealt to the S.F. Giants just minutes before Friday's MLB trade deadline ... and when he learned of the news via a phone call in the dugout, it ain't hard to see it hurt like hell.

Bryant dapped up and hugged a Cubs staffer, and then began to tear up. And, when the waterworks began to flow heavily, he needed a second hug before leaving the dugout.

Of course, Chicago is all Bryant has known ... he was picked by the Cubbies in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft, and has been a star just about every day since.

Bryant won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2015, NL MVP honors in 2016, and he helped Chicago win a World Series title in '16 as well.

Russell Westbrook wasted no time getting back to work after becoming a Laker -- the NBA superstar got in an intense workout in LA on Friday ... and he says he's feeling "great!!!"

32-year-old Brodie -- who grew up in SoCal -- has been touring his old stomping grounds after the news broke Thursday ... including a trip to The Nice Guy in WeHo with his buddy, Kevin Hart.

But, it was back to business on Friday ... with the 2017 MVP working up a shirtless sweat at a nearby training facility.

Westbrook is clearly happy -- the smile hasn't left his face since the deal ... and who knows if it'll ever leave!!

The guy even shared a tweet hyping up his new team just minutes ago ... saying, "HomeTeam. WHYNOT?"

Westbrook also spoke with cameras briefly as he left his workout ... saying, "I feel good, brother."

When asked how it feels to be coming home, he replied, "great!"

Two more stars are headed to Hollywood ... the Dodgers just landed two of the best players in baseball, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, in a trade with the Nationals.

The deal -- which got done right at Friday's MLB trade deadline -- is MASSIVE for L.A. ... which now boasts probably the best hitting lineup AND starting pitching rotation in baseball.

Scherzer -- who owns a 7-4 record this season with a 2.83 ERA -- will join Cy Young-quality arms like Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and potentially Trevor Bauer (who's currently on paid leave) as Dodgers' SPs.

Turner, meanwhile, will join a lineup that already featured mega-stars like Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Corey Seager and Max Muncy.

It's been reported that Turner -- who's batting .322 with 18 home runs and 21 stolen bases this season -- will make the move from shortstop to second base when he gets to Los Angeles.

As for what the Dodgers had to give up to land the pair ... L.A. sent a slew of prospects, including catcher Keibert Ruiz, in order to get the deal done.

The Dodgers are currently 3 games back behind the Giants for first place in the NL West ... but something tells us that gap is about to narrow in a hurry.

The New Orleans Saints are doing their part to try to get people vaccinated as COVID cases are surging in Louisiana ... trading signed jerseys for shots at their training camp Friday.

N.O. officials made the vaccines available to fans at their practice facility in Metairie ... and encouraged people to show up by giving away autographed Michael Thomas and Cameron Jordan swag.

And, while they limited the cool gear to just the first 15 people who got the shots, the gesture is a powerful one ... considering how bad COVID is hitting the state at the moment.

More than 20,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Louisiana in the last week ... making it arguably the nation's biggest COVID hotspot area.

Of course, Sean Payton knows all too well the effects of the virus ... the Saints head man was the first big NFLer to test positive for COVID in 2020, and battled fever and chills in his bout with it.

It's vacation time for Lionel Messi ... and the soccer megastar is enjoying his annual getaway on the Spanish waters with his wife, kids, and bestie, Luis Suarez!!!

Of course, Messi and Suarez are as close as it gets ... and the gang has been known to tour Spain on expensive boats during the summer months over the past few years.

2021 is no different, with both families bringing their kids along for a bit of R&R ... and fellow pal Cesc Fàbregas coming along for the ride.

Messi has a lot to celebrate -- he's fresh off his Copa America victory with Argentina ... the first of his career!!!

Messi's wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, Suarez's wife, Sofia Balbi, and Fàbregas' wife, Daniella Semaan, look to be enjoying the trip ... and they all look incredibly stunning!!

We can't forget to mention the fellas, though -- they look just as shredded as you'd expect ... after all, they are world-class athletes.

Tim Tebow will not stop ballin' at Jags camp ... here's the Jacksonville tight end catching a TD pass from the team's new superstar QB, Trevor Lawrence!!!

Yup, you know what this means ... Tebow might actually make the team!!!!!!!

Tim has been flashing during his first training camp workouts with the Jaguars this month ... he's shown off good hands, a jacked frame, AND he's already a crowd favorite.

But, as far as we know, this was Lawrence's first TD connection with the former Heisman Trophy winner ... and it's got us all now wondering, is this a glimpse into the Jaguars' future???

The play was pretty sweet ... Lawrence rolled out to his left in a team red-zone drill and found Tebow dragging across the back of the endzone for a score.

No celebration from Tim -- just a low-five with his teammate -- but the fans sure gave him applause for the grab.

Of course, Tim has been considered a long shot to make Jacksonville's opening day roster ... but quickly developing chemistry with Lawrence could change all of that.

Michael Che is half-heartedly trying to do damage control after sharing some harsh and tasteless jokes about Simone Biles dropping out of Olympic events.

The 'SNL' star announced late Thursday night on social media he intended to try out some Simone jokes on stage in NYC. That apparently set off a bunch of his followers ... who suggested some material he could add to his act, and Michael reposted them -- including one referencing now convicted molester, Larry Nassar ... Simone being one of his victims.

Che reposted, "Larry Nasser understands Simone Biles better than anyone. He too had to quit doing what he loved at the pinnacle of his career because of mounting pressure."

He critiqued it, writing ... "goddamn, that's rough. absolutely tasteless," but gave it a 9 out of 10. Again, Nassar was convicted of molesting 10 young women in the U.S. gymnastics program.

Che also shared a far less brutal "joke" when he reposted, "Who said black don't crack?"

It's unclear if he actually followed through and tried his, or any of his followers', material onstage. He claimed to have about 3 minutes worth of Biles material on his own.

Che clearly knew there would be severe online backlash for taking shots at such a beloved athlete. Early Friday morning he posted, "I got hacked today. can't believe they got me. yall kno I only do jokes about whites and cops."

Suni Lee is about to be one VERY rich 18-year-old college student -- the gold medalist just surpassed 1 million followers on Instagram ... and is poised to stack some SERIOUS endorsement money!!!

Lee -- the first Hmong American to make the USA Olympic gymnastics team -- cemented her spot in history after taking top honors in the all-around competition on Thursday ... with a bunch of new fans slamming that "follow" button on the social media app.

Lee was hovering around 250k followers prior to her gold medal win ... and saw that number SKYROCKET in the hours after her incredible performance, saying she's "speechless" with the milestone.

Of course, Lee -- who's slated to continue her gymnastics career at Auburn this fall -- usually wouldn't be able to cash in on that kinda exposure due to the NCAA's name, image and likeness rules ... but luckily for her, the organization lifted its policy earlier this month.

In other words, Lee is free to ink a TON of endorsement and sponsorship deals following her rise to superstardom without forfeiting her college career ... something that's never been done in the sport before.

That wasn't always the case. Back in 2016 ... Katie Ledecky -- one of the Summer Games breakout stars -- was forced to forego a ton of endorsement money after she decided to attend Stanford University.

Lee is now a household name, regardless of her social media presence, but having more than a million followers on IG certainly doesn't hurt her chances at lining her pockets.

Auburn coach Jeff Graba spoke about the importance of the new NIL rules for Lee's career ... saying, "I just love the fact that ... thank goodness for the NIL, because she doesn’t have to make a horrible decision," he said, according to al.com.

"She’s capable of, in her words, 'I want it all. I want to be able to do everything.' Now she actually gets that shot."

Conor McGregor certainly looks like a guy hellbent on resuming his fighting career ... 'cause he's already back in the gym, less than a month after gnarly leg surgery!!

The UFC superstar showed off some pics from his late-week workout on Friday ... and by the looks of the photos, it seems Conor ain't holdin' back much in the weight room.

The 31-year-old got in some quad work, some pull-ups and some shoulder exercises ... a truly remarkable feat, given what he went through just days ago.

As we previously reported, Conor went under the knife for nearly four hours on July 12 to fix a broken leg he suffered while fighting Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

The procedure was not a simple one ... docs had to place plates and screws in his lower leg to repair all of the damage.

Many wondered if it could be career-ending... but Conor's dropping major hints that he's eyeing a comeback -- writing on his social media page along with the workout pics, "There are no limits to what we can overcome."

"Find the way!"

McGregor has stayed in great spirits since the injury ... laying poolside with drinks, rehabbing with MLB star Ronald Acuna, and even hanging with Justin Bieber.

Simone Biles is opening up about the mental block she's currently experiencing in Tokyo ... calling her issues "petrifying" and saying she fears she could get seriously hurt if she keeps trying to compete while it's going on.

Biles said during a social media Q&A Thursday night that the problems are called the "twisties" ... and explained her mind and body just simply won't connect now during stunts.

"It's honestly petrifying trying to do a skill but not having your mind & body in sync," Biles said.

"Literally can not tell up from down. It's the craziest feeling ever. Not having an inch of control over your body."

Biles added, "What's even scarier is since I have no idea where I am in the air I also have NO idea how I'm going to land, or what I'm going to land on. head/hands/feet/back...."

The positive news -- if there can be any sort of thing given the situation -- is Biles said she's experienced all of this before ... and claims it usually goes away.

"Typically for me it's usually 2 or more weeks when I've had them before," the 24-year-old gymnast said. "Honestly no telling time frame something you have to take literally day by day, turn by turn."

Biles said getting back to the basics and working in a foam pit can help her get her bearings back ... and fortunately, she says she's found a place in Tokyo to work on all of that.

While Biles has withdrawn from two big events already at this summer's Olympics ... she can still compete in several more events next week.

Unclear if she'll be ready in time ... but she made it very apparent she's not going to risk her health going for more gold.

"For anyone saying I quit, I didn't quit," she said. "My mind & body are simply not in sync."

Russell Westbrook couldn't have looked happier right after his big trade to the Lakers ... hitting an L.A. hot spot with Kevin Hart on Thursday -- smiling from ear-to-ear!!!

Of course, Brodie was the centerpiece of a MASSIVE deal between the Lake Show and Washington Wizards ... with Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell and draft picks getting shipped out of town for the 2017 MVP.

Westbrook -- a SoCal native -- wasted no time celebrating his big homecoming ... rolling through The Nice Guy with his comedian friend just a few hours after the news broke.

Hart spoke with our camera guys Thursday night ... saying the move means "everything" for the Lakers.

While there are some folks wondering how the new Big 3 of Bron, Russ and Anthony Davis would mesh, the guys certainly seem to get along off the court.

Remember, James hosted Westbrook at his L.A. home for stogies a few years back ... and the L.A. Times reports the trio met up prior to the trade and agreed to put their egos aside.

LeBron certainly seems THRILLED with the trade ... posting a photoshopped pic of his new teammate in the Purple and Gold on Instagram.