TMZ Sports - Page 45

"F*** George Karl!"

Kenyon Martin made it very clear he still hates his former head coach ... singling him out as the reason the Nuggets missed out on an NBA championship back in the day.

Those Nuggets teams had a bunch of talent in the 2000s ... with Martin, Carmelo Anthony, and J.R. Smith, among other pieces -- long before the days of Nikola Jokic.

However, the talented squad never made it past the first round of the playoffs under Karl's leadership (he coached the Nuggets from 2005 to 2013) ... and Martin -- who played seven seasons in Denver -- blames GK.

"First and foremost, f*** George Karl," Martin said on the newest episode of Gilbert Arenas' podcast. "F*** him and the horse that he rode in on."

"If we had a different coach, we win the championship. [Karl] didn't add no value to nobody! Not one of us. As a coach, as a person, You didn't add value to s*** that we did!"

Martin added, "You're a horrible person George. Live with that, dog. God don't like ugly and you ugly as s*** on the inside."

Kenyon's rant stems from Melo recently revealing on his "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast that Karl called him "overrated" during his time in Denver. Melo is a 10x NBA All-Star, a former scoring champ, a future Hall of Famer ... and the list of accolades goes on.

Karl did not deny Melo's claims ... saying on X Anthony was inexperienced and overrated when he coached him.

Travis Kelce might've been without Taylor Swift this weekend while raging with his teammates in Las Vegas (again) -- but he certainly had her on his mind ... take a look.

Videos of the NFL star belting out "Love Story" at XS Nightclub at the Wynn Las Vegas are circulating all over social media -- and considering his enthusiasm over a T-Swift classic, it's safe to say she was sorely missed for the good time he and the Chiefs were having here.

These clips capture just a snapshot of Travis' rager ... and he wasn't just singing Taylor tracks -- dude was out there screaming his lungs out to a ton of other tunes, celebratory and otherwise.

There's been a little criticism that TK surrounded himself with a bunch of hot women during his night out in Vegas with the boys -- but clearly ... Tay Tay is front and center in his heart.

As for the rest of the celebration ... well, we covered it pretty well already. He was enjoying himself next to Patrick Mahomes and just about every other Chiefs player who helped the team win the Super Bowl a few weeks ago ... with everyone coming back for round 2.

Travis was only in Sydney for a couple days with Taylor before he hightailed it out of there and flew back to Vegas for yet another victory lap with the guys ... and they partied hard.

Taylor, meanwhile, was busy finishing out the rest of her Australia stint -- and soon, she'll be flying off to Singapore for more shows. Unclear if Travis is tagging along for that or not.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have a secret sauce that makes their relationship work in ways their prior relationships didn't, and that becomes evident in Monday night's FOX primetime special, "TMZ Investigates: Taylor and Travis, Ultimate Love Story."

Dr. Phil, Mark Cuban, Skip Bayless, Patti Stanger, Heather McDonald and others have a clear take on T&T ... the relationship works because they are successful in fields that are radically different.

Think about it ... Taylor's past relationships include Joe Jonas, John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Joe Alwyn, Harry Styles and others. See any common threads? Yep, they're all in Taylor's lane -- entertainment. It's impossible to match Taylor's success, and that inevitably gives way to conflict, jealousy, competitiveness, and on and on.

Travis breaks the mold. He's not only in a different field ... he's top of the heap. He's not competing with Taylor or comparing her success with his. He's conquered his profession and is comfortable and, as Skip Bayless puts it ... they can relate to each other on a star level.

As Dr. Phil says ... not only are they NOT jealous of each other's success, each actually celebrates the success of the other. They are each other's cheerleader.

3:41 PM -- It turns out Joey Bosa was correct in his defeat at the hands of Jaws ... but he was much closer than he predicted -- finishing seventh place with 152 pistachios in 8 minutes, while Joey Chestnut finished tied for fifth with 167.

James Webb was the big winner on the day ... downing a whopping 338 nuts!!

NFL star Joey Bosa is a quarterback's nightmare on the football field, but he admits he's no match for Joey Chestnut ... telling TMZ Sports he's predicting to take an L from the professional eater in Monday's pistachio contest.

The Los Angeles Chargers defensive weapon will be participating in the second annual Wonderful Pistachios Get Crackin' Eating Championship on the Santa Monica Pier ... where he will have eight minutes to out-eat opponents for the title and a $10k prize.

Bosa -- who recorded 6.5 sacks in nine games this past season -- jokes he may have a future in eating nuts for a living ... saying, "Forget football. This is my calling right here. Pistachios."

He has some tough competition, though ... including Nick Wehry, James Webb, Bartley Weaver, Darrien Thomas ... and, of course, Chestnut, who Bosa feels is unbeatable when it comes to eating contests.

The dude is setting the bar pretty low for himself ... telling us he just wants to make it out alive.

"I don't really care where I place," the 28-year-old says. "My main goal is to not choke and die on a pistachio in front of a bunch of people."

"If I could accomplish that, then it's a win in my book."

But the pistachio contest isn't the start of something new for Bosa -- he says we won't be seeing him at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating contest anytime soon.

"I'll stick with the healthy snacks."

Lamar Odom has taken the reins of a New Mexico rehab facility ... and he's ready to give it some serious TLC to help those hit hard by the drug crisis.

The former athlete's manager tells TMZ ... the previous owner left the property to New Mexico Pastor Anthony Torres, with hopes of opening a treatment center. But when the pastor hit a roadblock with funding, he turned to Lamar, knowing he'd been involved in opening up rehab centers himself.

Lamar checked out the property -- which sits on an acre of land -- and the pastor decided to gift it to him with the intention of using it as a sanctuary for people battling fentanyl addiction.

We're told the property, once owned by the American Legion, is getting a whole new lease on life under Lamar's Odom Recovery Group.

Of course, Lamar's already made a considerable impact across different communities with his network of addiction treatment facilities. From Restoration Recovery in Sacramento to Compassions in Laguna Hills ... from Inner Minds Health in San Bernardino to Vanity Wellness Center in Woodland Hills ... he's covering some serious ground.

Lamar's not just stopping at addiction treatment -- he's also keeping busy in the dentistry world with his new venture, Oxy Dental.

Cam Newton appeared to get in a fight with a group of guys recently ... and it was all caught on video.

The former NFL quarterback's right in the middle of a group of guys who have jumped on him, and he's trying to hold them back without swinging back.

As they spun around, another man in a white t-shirt came up and threw a punch at Cam, a blow that appeared to make contact with someone.

Ultimately, Cam fended off these people long enough to receive help from others -- including a police officer who came in and backed several individuals away from Newton.

There's not a lot of context about what started the brawl which seems to have taken place at the B.E.S.T. Academy 6-12 in Atlanta.

It seems Cam was there for an event put on by his foundation C1N, a 7v7 league that plays tournaments all across the country.

Another angle of the brawl shows a couple of the guys shoving Cam around before the group goes flying off into an area covered by trees -- but, outside of that, it's unclear what might've set off such an explosive situation.

We've reached out to Cam's camp and Atlanta police ... so far no word back.

Chuck Liddell went for a swim in San Diego over the weekend ... though he didn't do it voluntarily, instead slipping off a boat into the bay!

TMZ has obtained video of Chuck hanging around on a Lamborghini yacht, talking expressively with a couple dudes and seemingly leaning forward to show them a move with his fist balled.

Unfortunately, seems like CL didn't quite have his sea legs underneath him 'cause he started to fall backward -- and Chuck's companions weren't looking toward him, so they weren't able to stop his descent.

Liddell made a big splash into the water, and the alarm bells sounded with the whole crew kicking into rescue mode to drag Chuck back on board.

The yacht's owner, Ace Rogers, jumps off the back and swims toward Chuck helping him back up. He's got guys pulling on his arms while another supports his back as a little dog looks on.

It takes a while for his buddies to pull him back up onto the deck -- Chuck's a pretty big dude -- but ultimately they dragged him up out of the water.

Acting like the champ he is ... Chuck -- who was a special guest for the Digital Mastery Mastermind event over the weekend -- just kept on vibing into the evening, eyewitnesses say he had food delivered to the Lambo yacht.

He also waved hello to a collection of fans -- though he didn't leave the boat for the rest of the night.

UFC Fight Night 237 saw some big names throw down in Mexico City ... but the biggest knockout of the night may have actually happened outside the Octagon.

Video of a brawl breaking out in the crowd during the big event Saturday night is going viral online ... with a huge group of men grabbing each other by the shirt and throwing punches, essentially turning the crowd into a mosh pit.

Right in the middle of the melee ... one of the biggest knockouts in UFC history -- if you can count a fight going down in the stands that is.

Check out the vid ... a man in a black shirt throws a vicious left hook against his unsuspecting victim, and the guy's body basically goes limp as he hits the concrete canvas.

The fight sorta cools off after the KO ... with guys on both sides holding people back -- though they don't look like security guards per se.

In fact, it seems like security took forever to respond -- just check out the multiple angles of the fight that go on for a while ... and UFC prez Dana White even expressed his shock at the lack of a security presence.

White said he stood there watching the fight for a while, just waiting for security to come in and handle the fight ... but they seemed to just let it go until it ended.

DW's clear though -- he doesn't feel it reflects poorly on the UFC ... even if it was one of the craziest things he's ever seen, he said.

BTW ... several fights actually went down in the ring too with Brandon Royval defeating Brandon Moreno to launch himself back into UFC Flyweight title contention.

Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes kept the party going Saturday night in Vegas, hitting up XS nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas with their team as they belted out Queen's "We Are the Champions."

The group partied their faces off with the help of EDM star Marshmello. Travis is up on stage as he and some other guys sprayed the crowd with champagne as everyone went nuts.

It was pretty intense ... Travis was covered in sweat, at times wiping his head with a towel.

Of course, Marshmello played "Love Story" as an homage to Travis's relationship with Taylor Swift, and Trav knew the drill ... jumping and singing along.

But the real moment was when Travis, Patrick and co. belted out "We Are The Champions," as everyone in the joint just lost it.

Earlier in the day, Travis and Patrick, along with other teammates, hit up LAVO at The Palazzo for a brunch party ... and party they did!

Travis is really racking up the miles, returning from Sydney where he went to the zoo with his GF and then hit up her show.

What's so remarkable ... the Aussies aren't into American football, but Travis walked in like a superstar and the crowd went wild for him.

Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes threw a rager in Vegas to celebrate their 2024 Super Bowl victory AGAIN – and it was nothing less than spectacular the second time around!!!

The Kansas City Chiefs standouts showed up with their friends and teammates at LAVO Las Vegas' "Party Brunch" Saturday afternoon – and they were all treated like royalty right from the jump. As you know, the Chiefs held their first Super Bowl bash at Sin City's Zouk nightclub 2 weeks ago after they beat the San Francisco 49ers in the big game.

With Travis and Patrick leading the way, the players were escorted into a roped off section of the club for their VIP soiree at LAVO.

The whole team let loose, lapping up the loud DJ music, table dancers, full bottle service and scantily clad servers passing out liquor shots.

TMZ obtained this exclusive video of all the fun Travis and Patrick were having with their boys.

Check it out ... Travis, with a big smile on his face, was holding two bottle of Ace of Spades champagne, passing one of them to a buddy. Then Travis started grooving and mouthing the words to the song being played by the DJ.

At another point, Travis and Patrick were in the middle of a crowd, singing Neil Diamond's hit, "Sweet Caroline." Travis was hopping up and down with a bunch of other people before turning to Patrick and giving him a handshake.

Of course, Travis has a lot to be happy about. Before returning to Vegas, the Chiefs tight end spent two nights with GF Taylor Swift ... where, by the way, fans treated him like a rock star.

The lovebirds spent time at the zoo in between Taylor's concerts in Sydney, Australia. Travis attended Friday's show, where Taylor changed the lyrics to "Karma," to show her devotion.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are the epitome of the ultimate modern-day fairytale ... but they aren't immune to challenges -- starting with insane schedules.

We're diving deep into a solid relationship that could hit speed bumps in "TMZ Investigates: Taylor & Travis: Ultimate Love Story," airing Monday on FOX at 9/8c on Fox.

Dr Phil kicks it off ... telling us the biggest threat to the pop idol and the NFL star is their jam-packed schedules ... not allowing them to spend enough quality time together.

'Millionaire Matchmaker' star Patti Stanger adds their long-distance romance is a challenge. She says the little things couples do together will be few and far between, with Taylor touring the world and Travis with his own peripatetic career.

There's also the obvious lack of privacy, which is often a major reason for Hollywood couples calling it quits. Taylor's been in the spotlight since forever, so she's kinda used to it. But Travis Kelce? He's already experienced the shocking lack of privacy since he began dating her.

"Shark Tank" star Mark Cuban raises the privacy point ... saying privacy for them is truly out the window.

Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt have their priorities in order ... hanging out "Ted Lasso" style before rolling up to the SAG Awards by hitting a pro soccer match.

The actors pulled up to MLS team LAFC's home BMO Stadium to watch the Los Angeles-based team take on the Seattle Sounders hours before one of the biggest nights in movies and television kicked off.

No time to go home and change between the events ... JS and BH hit the game in their awards show best, trading in their kits for tuxedos.

Check out the pic ... the guys looked dapper as they watched the home team take the W 2-1 before making the short trip to the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall.

The two venues are right around the corner from one another ... so no need for the dynamic duo to worry about missing the beginning of the show.

In fact, they both even had time to walk the red carpet ... and Jason was in his seat when the winner of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series was announced -- an award he was up for.

Former Minnesota Vikings receiver Blake Proehl is going all-in on his music career ... and he's so serious about the new endeavor, he tells TMZ Sports he'd take a Grammy over a Super Bowl win!!

The 25-year-old blew the "American Idol" judges away during his audition on the 22nd season of the singing show ... even bringing Katy Perry to tears as he earned a golden ticket to Hollywood.

We caught up with Proehl fresh off the emotional performance ... and he said it's still hard to wrap his head around the fact it actually happened, but he hopes his journey inspires others to follow their dreams -- even if they lack experience or confidence in taking a leap of faith.

Of course, Proehl spent a few years in the NFL ... but he fell back in love with music when he was sidelined following an injury in 2021.

The time away from the field led to his decision to leave football in the past -- despite having opportunities to continue his career -- and now, it's full steam ahead in entertainment.

Proehl explained he understands the risk of switching professions -- especially considering it's rare to make it big in music -- but all that mattered was that he was doing what he loved.

Andruw Jones is staying upbeat despite being snubbed for the Hall of Fame yet again this year ... telling TMZ Sports he's still got hope that he'll get in "one day."

The former Atlanta Braves superstar appeared on 61.6 percent of the writers' ballots in the latest round of HOF voting last month ... up from 58.1 percent last year.

But, with players needing at least 75 percent in order to officially get a plaque in Cooperstown, he fell short for the seventh straight year.

However, when we spoke with the 10-time Gold Glover out at Super Bowl week in Las Vegas earlier this month ... he told us he wasn't sweating things one bit.

Obviously, he'd love to get in ... but he explained, "If I don't make it, I will be the same person."

Jones certainly has a deserving resume. In his 17 Big League seasons, he made five All-Star teams and smacked 434 home runs with a .254 batting average. He also tallied 1,933 hits and 1,289 RBIs.

"I'm gracious that I'm still on [the ballot]," said Jones, who has three years left of eligibility. "Hopefully I can say one day I make it."

Meanwhile, Jones' son, Druw Jones, is trying to begin building a Hall of Fame resume of his own sooner rather than later after the Arizona Diamondbacks took him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 draft.

Andruw says he's hoping his boy has a better career than he had ... although he made sure to say he won't be bothered if the younger Jones never suits up for his beloved Braves.

Javon "Wanna" Walton is looking to solidify his spot in the boxing world when he enters the ring next week ... telling TMZ Sports it's the first step to becoming a champion.

The "Euphoria" star is making his global debut against Joshua Torres in a super featherweight bout on Most Valuable Promotions' March 2 card in Puerto Rico ... and he said he's been training like crazy to make sure he comes away with his hand raised.

Of course, 17-year-old Wanna has been fighting for most of his life ... but he feels he has to go out there and prove to everyone he's dead serious about fighting -- and not just some famous actor.

"I have a lot to prove -- and even past March 2, I have a lot to prove," Walton told us. "Every single fight I'm taking is a stepping stone as far as my skill set to really show the world what I can really do in this boxing game."

"Hopefully five years down the line, I'm fighting for a world title. And looking even further than that, I hope my name goes down in history in the boxing world."

As for his opponent -- 32-year-old Torres -- Walton said he didn't want an easy fight so he could show off what he's capable of in the ring.

Walton added he's hoping to dominate every round and come away with the unanimous decision ... and can't wait to put on a show for the fans in Puerto Rico and his longtime supporters.

Duke basketball's Kyle Filipowski just got injured on the court ... not during the game, mind you -- but by overzealous fans storming the venue postgame.

Duke -- ranked eighth in the country -- just lost 83-79 in a nail-biter match against unranked Wake Forest, a huge upset that could have major conference championship implications.

As students of the winning side tend to do after a big win, hundreds of excited college kids rushed the court and they appear to have injured the projected top-10 overall pick.

From far away, it was unclear exactly what happened, though Kyle looked to be in considerable pain ... but ESPN had the overhead view of the incident, and it's painful to watch.

It seems one fan ran right into Kyle's leg, bending it the wrong way and apparently spraining his ankle -- all while talking trash to the basketball phenom instead of paying attention to where he was running.

Filipowski nearly collapses, doubled over by the collision before hobbling toward his teammates who supported his weight -- basically, dragging him to the locker room.

Obviously, Kyle's squad was incensed after the game with his coach Jon Scheyer openly questioning when the NCAA was going to ban courtstorming.

Kyle also opened up about the incident after the game ... and he says he thinks the fan hit him on purpose, trying to injure him.

A major injury right now could seriously affect Kyle's future livelihood BTW ... 'cause NBA.com just ranked him as the projected 9th overall pick in this year's draft -- meaning an astronomical payday.