TMZ Sports - Page 50

Free Jarvis??

Fresh off Odell Beckham Jr. being "freed," Jarvis Landry is opening up on his own offensive struggles this season ... saying he has no idea why he hasn't been getting targets.

"I haven't been getting the ball so much either," Landry told reporters at his annual Thanksgiving food drive. "But at the end of the day, I've been able to do with the opportunities I'm given."

When asked why he hasn't been getting the ball, Jarvis responded, "I don't know" ... adding he doesn't know why the passing game has been struggling.

The ex-LSU star's comments come right after OBJ -- who had just 17 receptions for 232 yards for the Orange and Brown this season -- was released, which allowed him to join the Los Angeles Rams last week.

The Browns have fallen to 23rd in the league in passing yards as Baker Mayfield battles injuries ... but despite how his comments sound, Jarvis isn't trying to throw his QB under the bus.

"He’s a tough man, and he’s doing all the things necessary to make sure that he can be out there with us," Landry added.

"As playmakers, when the ball’s in the air, we’re doing our best and understanding and knowing that it’s the situation where he’s got to get healthy. But we’re still out here making plays with each other, for each other, and he always gives his best. That’s all you can ask for."

FYI -- Landry has 23 receptions for 219 yards on 34 targets this season.

Mike Krzyzewski is clearly upset over his grandson's weekend arrest ... 'cause the Duke coach told reporters Tuesday he considers it a "violation of our standards."

The 74-year-old -- who's in his final season as the Blue Devils' head man -- spoke for the first time publicly about Michael Savarino's Sunday arrest ... and he promised he and his team will "handle that."

Unclear what any sort of punishment will be -- but it should be noted, Savarino, who's been playing for Coach K since 2019, was not spotted at Duke's game Tuesday against Gardner-Webb.

"We're already handling it," the coach said after beating Gardner-Webb, 92-52. "But, it's a violation of our standards. That's it."

As we previously reported, Savarino was arrested after cops say he showed signs of impairment during a routine traffic stop Sunday at around 1:10 a.m.

Authorities say the 20-year-old blew a .08 while in custody ... and was ultimately hit with three charges, including DWI.

His passenger, Duke star Paolo Banchero, was also hit with an aiding and abetting charge over the incident ... but unlike Savarino, Coach K allowed Banchero to start Tuesday.

The freshman forward played 26 minutes in the win, scoring 10 points.

"It's two different situations," Coach K said of why he started Banchero but sidelined Savarino. "Two entirely different situations. Headlines might make it look like it's the same -- it's not."

Krzyzewski added, "The decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities -- our superiors. We're taking action. We took action and we will continue to take action."

Nelson Thomas was not up to the challenge of a pissed-off husband -- cops say the MTV star got knocked out cold after chatting up a married woman in Las Vegas!!!

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Nelson -- who's starred on "The Challenge" for years -- says he met a woman at ARIA Resort & Casino and started talking to her at the valet area, and then ... WHAM!!! Next thing he knew, Nelson was being awakend by someone telling him he'd just been punched in the face and had his chain stolen.

Cops say they saw video backing up that account ... showing Nelson talking to the woman before the knockout punch put him on the ground -- and the assailant socked him one more time.

Nelson says he was "sucker-punched" and left with a broken nose so swollen he couldn't get treated by a doctor until the swelling went down.

On social media, Nelson claimed he was attacked because someone was trying to steal his $10,000 chain, but the woman's husband, Kevin Dixon, tells a different story.

According to the police report, Dixon copped to the punch ... and said Nelson was talking to his wife in an elevator -- but when he walked off, his wife stayed on and kept talking with Nelson.

He says he lost sight of her and was trying to text and call her, then found her at valet talking to Nelson. Cops say he admitted being jealous, mad and drunk -- a bad combo any night in Vegas.

Dixon was arrested for battery and grand larceny.

Nelson's on the mend, and it looks like his nose is fixed after finally getting treatment.

Staples Center is no more ... the iconic building that the Lakers and Clippers have called home since 1999 is getting a new name -- Crypto.com Arena.

Officials announced the stunning name change Tuesday night ... explaining the rebrand will take effect on Christmas Day next month.

The new name will stick for the next 20 years as part of the new agreement, officials say ... and the new deal will all reportedly cost the cryptocurrency app around $700 MILLION.

Of course, the announcement was hardly met with joy from L.A. fans -- as the building has only been known as Staples Center for YEARS to Kings, Sparks, Lakers and Clippers fans.

Still, officials were pumped over the move nonetheless ... sending out a mock of how the new signage will look on the top of the building in 2022.

In the announcement of the new deal, officials also promised "large-scale, premium branding and signage throughout the interior and exterior" of the new Crypto.com Arena.

Frank Gore says he is a surefire Hall of Famer ... telling TMZ Sports if you think otherwise, you straight up don't know football.

"You go ahead and ask any coach, any old player, any -- tell them to call Bill Parcells," Gore says. "Anybody. Call anybody, and they'll tell you what type of ballplayer I was."

Gore's numbers say he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer -- he is, after all, third on the all-time rushing yards list with 16,000 -- but, still, some pundits say he doesn't belong in Canton.

The argument ... Gore was never named to an All-Pro team and was only selected to the Pro Bowl in five of his 16 years in the league.

Gore, though, made it clear he believes the people pointing to that have no idea what they're talking about.

"They don't know football," the 38-year-old said. "That's what I say. They don't know football."

"My numbers speak for themselves," Gore added. "Whatever they say, it's all good."

In addition to his 16,000 yards, Gore also recorded 81 rushing TDs and logged 3,985 receiving yards. And, Gore says there's still a chance he could add to those totals despite his upcoming fight with Deron Williams.

The ex-49ers star says if a Super Bowl-contending team called, he'd listen.

Exciting news for Mitchell Trubisky ... the wife of the Bills' backup QB just announced the couple is having a baby!!!

The signal-callers partner, Hillary Trubisky, revealed the two are about to be parents in a sweet post on her Instagram on Tuesday.

"Words cannot describe how excited we are to welcome Baby Tru into the world in May 2022," Hillary said.

In the photos Hillary shared, you can see how pumped the couple is ... showing off a sonogram while embracing each other happily.

Mitch got married to Hillary -- his longtime girlfriend -- in July at the Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland ... before they jetted off to Mexico for their honeymoon.

Now, in less than a year, Bills Mafia is going to get another member!

Mike Krzyzewski's grandson -- a member of the Duke U basketball team -- was busted for DWI early Sunday morning ... along with his future NBA star teammate, Paolo Banchero, who was also cited for aiding and abetting.

TMZ Sports has confirmed that 20-year-old Michael Savarino was pulled over by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol around 1:10 AM in Orange County, NC ... after cops say he blew a stop sign.

During the traffic stop, police say Savarino -- whose mom is Coach K's oldest daughter -- showed signs of impairment ... so he was arrested.

While in custody, Savarino blew a .08 BAC, cops say.

Savarino was ultimately charged with Driving While Intoxicated and released. He also received a ticket for failing to stop at the stop sign.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Banchero -- a projected top 5 pick in next year's NBA Draft -- was a passenger in the car.

He was cited for Aiding and Abetting DWI.

It's unclear what exactly cops allege Paolo did to aid and abet.

Coach K -- coaching his last season at Duke before retiring -- addressed the incident involving his grandson and star player.

"We are reviewing a legal matter involving two members of the men's basketball team, Any further actions as a result of this situation will ultimately be determined by the Vice President/Director of Athletics and University officials."

Both men were scheduled to play in #7 ranked Duke's game Tuesday night against Gardner-Webb at Cameron Indoor ... but their status is now unclear.

Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic -- 2 of the greatest tennis players alive -- are speaking out on the disappearance of tennis player Peng Shuai ... who suddenly vanished after accusing a powerful Chinese politician of sexual assault.

"Hey everyone, not sure if you've been following the news but I was recently informed of a fellow tennis player that has gone missing shortly after revealing that she has been sexually abused," the 4x Grand Slam winner wrote on social media.

"Censorship is never ok at any cost, I hope Peng Shuai and her family are safe and ok. I'm in shock of the current situation and I'm sending love and light her way. #whereispengshuai"

The case is disturbing. Shuai -- formerly the #1 ranked doubles player in the world -- hasn't been seen in nearly 2 weeks after she claimed Zhang Gaoli, a powerful, retired politician sexually assaulted her around 3 years ago.

Gaoli was at one time the vice premier of the People's Republic of China ... making him essentially 2nd in command of all of China.

In Peng's post, the former Wimbledon and French Open winner accused Gaoli -- with who she admits to previously having a sexual relationship -- of inviting her to Beijing to play tennis with him and his wife. However, after the game, Shuai claims the situation took a frightening turn, alleging the 70-something-year-old politician pressured her into sex.

The disturbing post was removed shortly after it was posted by Peng. She has not been heard from since.

Stars from across the tennis world, including Billie Jean King and Chris Evert, have raised concerns over Peng's whereabouts.

Even Novak Djokovic, the world's #1 ranked tennis player spoke out, saying, "When I heard the story of Peng Shuai I was shocked. I hope she is well and that we can find her as soon as possible."

A lock of hair from Secretariat -- arguably the greatest racehorse of all time -- has just hit the auction block ... and it can be all yours, if you've got a bunch of extra cash laying around!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... a 12-inch strand from the thoroughbred's mane that was obtained in the 1980s has just gone up for sale at Lelands -- and, experts there say it could sell for as much as $10,000.

We're told the piece of Secretariat's fur was gathered at Churchill Downs in the late '80s, when a groomer handed it over as a gift for a horse racing fan.

Of course, it's worth a bunch of money now considering Secretariat's incredible resume.

The horse was the 1973 Triple Crown winner ... and STILL holds the fastest time in all three races (Kentucky, Preakness, Belmont).

Secretariat -- who died in 1989 -- was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1974 and has statues at several stakes, including Belmont. The horse was also honored with a postage stamp in 1999.

There's also 263 roads in the U.S. named after him -- more than any athlete.

Opening price on the lock is $2,500, with bidding set to end Dec. 11.

The iced-out playmaker chain Deebo Samuel rocked during "Monday Night Football" is as incredible as it looked ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the details behind the piece, and it came with a 6-figure price tag!!

The 49ers wide receiver donned the massive chain during the 4th quarter of San Francisco's 31-10 win over the L.A. Rams ... after scoring his second touchdown of the game.

The piece -- made by Rafaello and Co. in NYC -- had social media talking ... and now we have all the info behind the now-iconic chain.

We're told the "Game Changer" drip -- which was purchased by S.F. cornerback Jason Verrett -- is made of real, pure silver dipped in electro-plated yellow gold ... and is decked out in all-natural sapphires.

And, get this -- the whole thing weighs more than 6 1/2 pounds ... and took 9 weeks to complete.

We're told Rafaello and Co. is also behind another similar concept jewelry piece -- Manny Machado's "Swag Chain" he got for the San Diego Padres this past season.

A topless Iman Shumpert lifted his partner over his head AND shouted out LeBron James in his "Dancing With The Stars" routine Monday -- and it was epic!!

The former Knicks star -- who became the first ex-NBA player to advance to the finals of "DWTS" this week -- pulled it all off during his jazz dance with Daniella Karagach.

The two grooved to Kanye West's "Dark Fantasy" ... opening up the performance with Shumpert hoisting Karagach over his head before walking her down the stairs and onto the stage.

The duo put on quite the show ... and then Shumpert broke out LBJ's signature "Silencer" celebration.

Check out the clip, you can see Shump -- who won a championship with LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers back in 2016 -- pushed his hands down violently, like James does, before beating his chest in classic LBJ-fashion.

The two scored a 38 out of 40 for the work ... and are now set to compete for the Mirrorball trophy with three other couples next week.

Frank Gore could be making a career for himself in the boxing ring -- 'cause the ex-NFL Pro Bowler tells TMZ Sports he's open to taking a boxing match against Jake Paul!!

The 38-year-old is fighting Deron Williams on the undercard of the YouTuber's highly-anticipated match against Tommy Fury ... and Jake previously told us he's down to take the winner of the battle of the NBA and NFL stars.

We spoke with Gore right before his press conference leading up to the Dec. 18 event ... and while he says he's focused on taking care of DW, he admits he's interested in taking a future fight against the Problem Child.

"I'm with it," Gore said. "I wanna win this Dec. 18 and if it's time to go that me and Jake Paul can get in there, I'm with it."

As for his current fight against Williams, Gore says he's been boxing since 2005, so he's got plenty of experience leading up to stepping in the ring.

"I do love the sport and I respect the guys who box, man, because it's totally different."

Khaos Williams -- rising UFC star -- says there's no (legit) controversy surrounding his UFC Fight Night KO win ... which some have argued was stopped early by the ref.

"I'm glad that he's alright, but he was asleep. It was a good stoppage. It was a good stoppage. Live to fight another day," Khaos tells TMZ Sports.

He added ... "Definitely wasn't no early stoppage."

27-year-old Williams floored Miguel Baeza in the 3rd round with a perfectly placed right hook to the chin, sending the fighter crumbling to the Octagon floor. Khaos jumped on top of Miguel, raining down a few heavy ground and pound shots before the fight was stopped.

Baeza immediately protested, and he wasn't the only one.

Even Henry Cejudo said the stoppage was early, writing on social media ... "These refs really have to get checked. If someone gets dropped it doesn't mean you call the fight off! Too many refs calling the fights early @danawhite"

FYI, Dana White said the stoppage was good.

As for what's next for the rising star, Khaos is now 13-2 (and controversy aside, just beat a guy who only has 2 career losses) ... and is looking to fight a ranked opponent.

And if/when he does, Williams tells us he'd LOVE for hip-hop star Meek Mill -- a guy he's admired for many years -- to be by his side as he walks in the Octagon.

Karl-Anthony Towns got a dope surprise for his 26th birthday -- a party and a $13,000 custom Louis Vuitton bag from his girlfriend, Jordyn Woods!!

The Timberwolves center went out to celebrate his cake day after his game against the Suns on Monday ... but was not aware that a surprise bash was waiting for him.

You can see the 6'11" All-Star and Woods walk into what appears to be a restaurant, when a big crowd screamed "SURPRISE" -- and KAT was in complete shock!!

The fun didn't stop there ... KAT, Woods, friends and fam took the party back home as you can see Towns in his PJs and flops enjoying his birthday cake.

Then it was gift opening time -- Woods hooked her man up with a leather Louis Vuitton Alzer 80 bag ... which comes with a removable interior tray, lock with key and protective cover.

This bag comes with a $13,000 price tag before the custom artwork Woods had done on it ... which features "4:13" on one side and "KAT" on the other.

BTW, 4:13 is a bible verse, "I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me." It also has the date Towns' mother, Jackie, died from COVID (April 13, 2020).

There seems to be a bit of a trend -- Woods also got him an LV bag featuring his mother's name with a halo and angel wings for his birthday last year.

Team Mexico soccer player Chaka Rodriguez is opening up about a disturbing experience ... revealing his family has received death threats after losing to rival Team USA in CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.

Many fans were upset after Rodriguez's squad lost 2-0 in heartbreaking fashion in a qualifying match on Friday ... but according to the right-back, several crossed the line when taking their frustrations out on Chaka and his family.

Rodriguez shared a direct message exchange with one person ... saying, "Miguel, I'm the husband of the wife you wrote to," Rodriguez wrote (in Spanish) on Instagram. "I understand that my work in the national team can be the cause of all of this in you. I don't justify it, but I understand it."

"I ask you please not to write anymore to my wife, to rape and kill are very cruel words," he continued. "Miguel, we don't deserve this, least of all to include family. I hope this is over now. May God bless you."

Despite it all, ... Rodriguez seems to be committed to fulfilling his obligation to his teammates ... writing, "I honestly take into account the positives and negatives..."

Amazing news from Asia Durr -- the New York Liberty guard just announced that she got the green light to return to the court ... after missing two WNBA seasons due to COVID-related symptoms.

"I have been cleared to play basketball! Yeaaah! Let's go!!!" Durr said on her IG live on Monday.

Remember, Durr -- the #2 overall pick in the 2019 draft -- was diagnosed with COVID in June 2020 ... and was sidelined for the entire 2020 season.

And, she had serious health issues ... saying on HBO's "Real Sports" earlier this year she lost 32 pounds and major lung problems due to the virus.

The symptoms didn't go away and the 24-year-old also missed the entire 2021 season ... but after an extensive amount of testing, AD is officially good to go for 2022.

"I will be training every single day to play next year. I'm officially cleared to work out," Durr said.

"Man I remember when I was so sick, bro. I remember praying and asking God for this day like 'God, if I can just see one more if I can play again'. Literally."

Her prayers were answered ... and AD gives big credit to her family and fiancée, Ashley, for helping her get through it all -- getting tears in her eyes as she thanked them.

"God has really blessed me with a strong support system. I feel like if I didn't have them, I don't know where I would have been. I'm getting choked up talking about it, for real."

Several WNBA stars like Sabrina Ionescu congratulated Durr on her recovery -- as well as NBA star Donovan Mitchell, saying "YESSSSIRRRRRRR"

Durr was drafted by the NY Liberty in 2019 after four seasons with the Louisville Cardinals, where she was a 2-time ACC Player of the Year.

In the 2019 season, she averaged 9.7 points per game with a 46% shooting percentage.