TMZ Sports - Page 32

It's safe to say Dan Hurley is comfortable with his gig at UConn -- the head coach got a case of the giggles when asked about job openings after winning his second-straight NCAA title on Monday ... flat-out saying the Huskies fanbase has nothing to worry about.

Hurley and the defending champs easily handled Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers at State Farm Arena ... cruising to a 75-60 win to keep the hardware in Storrs.

Despite being in the middle of a tournament run, Hurley's name has been tossed around as a potential replacement for John Calipari ... who left Kentucky for Arkansas after 15 seasons on Sunday.

Hurley was asked about the coaching carousel in his postgame press conference ... and if we're taking him at his word, he'll be back on the UConn bench next season.

"I don't think that's a concern," Hurley said with a laugh. "You know, my wife, you should have her answer that."

"She'll answer that question better than I can, s***."

Of course, the Hurley fam is royalty on the East Coast -- not only is Dan a back-to-back champion coach, his pops, Bob, led the St. Anthony high school hoops team in NJ to 26 championships ... and his brother, Bobby, won two rings with Duke in 1991 and 1992.

Hurley even later joked that his wife would straight-up divorce him if he considered leaving the New Jersey area ... adding he doesn't have the money to support a split.

UConn says its fans celebrated the Huskies' national championship far more responsibly than they did last year ... telling TMZ Sports only five arrests were made at the Storrs party on Monday night.

Mike Enright, a university spokesperson, said in a statement Tuesday morning thousands filled the streets surrounding Connecticut's campus following the Huskies' 75-60 win over Purdue ... but overall, they were well-behaved.

Enright told us the fans cheered "respectfully, responsibly, and safely." He did add, though, there were a few issues ... namely a couple instances of vandalism.

"But they were limited in number," Enright said. "As of 1:15 AM, UConn Police made five arrests. On the whole, it was a very good night on the Storrs campus and the university looks forward to continuing to celebrate our phenomenal student-athletes, their coaches, and this incredible win."

Of course, it's a stark contrast to last year ... when UConn supporters went overboard celebrating their championship victory over San Diego State.

You'll recall, fires were set, windows were broken, light poles were torn down ... and a total of 15 people were thrown behind bars. An additional 16 needed to be transported to the hospital due to injuries, the school said.

In fact, the party got so wild, UConn made several changes in the leadup to this year's Final Four -- including removing light poles from its campus -- to keep the peace.

The casting director of "Tulsa King" claims she quit after Sylvester Stallone insulted the extras on the set, but the director tells TMZ no such insults were hurled and she quit because she was called out for not doing her job.

Casting Supervisor Rose Locke reportedly claimed Sly and the director called the extras "ugly, "tub of lard" and referred to one actor as a "fat guy with cane." A Facebook page for the Atlanta-based actors claims the man with the cane said the comment "hurt his soul."

According to a Facebook post, Locke also claimed Sly said, "Bring in pretty young girls to be around me."

There might not have been anyone happier to see UConn win on Monday night than Dave Portnoy ... 'cause the Barstool Sports founder made over TWO MILLION DOLLARS betting on the Huskies to take home the national championship.

The 47-year-old put down $600K on Dan Hurley's squad to win the NCAA tourney just before March Madness kicked off last month ... and at the time, he said he was a bit worried -- as Connecticut was nearly everyone's pick to win it all.

But as UConn boat raced Purdue in the title game in Glendale, AZ ... those nerves melted away -- and his wallet got a whole lot fatter.

The vast majority of FCC complaints made during and after Super Bowl LVIII had to do with a pro-Israel ad that ran ... and it appears to have been planned that way.

TMZ has obtained FCC filings -- including all of the complaints made pertaining to the Super Bowl in February -- and there's a recurring theme in just about all of them ... namely, people pissed the State of Israel was allowed to air a commercial in the broadcast.

Per the docs, hundreds complaints were filed ... and a handful of them were about the usual -- indecent exposure, risqué outfits, language, etc. And a fair amount even complained about showing celebs ... including Taylor Swift, Ice Spice, Usher and others who were in the house.

Jason Kelce's retirement might not last very long -- TMZ Sports has learned the Philadelphia Eagles legend would be welcomed back to WWE with open arms ... this after crushing his WrestleMania 40 appearance!!

The elder Kelce bro and his former teammate, Lane Johnson, shocked the Philadelphia crowd on Saturday ... when they sprang into action to help Rey Mysterio and his partner Andrade beat his son, Dominik Mysterio, and Santos Escobar in their tag-team match.

Kelce and Johnson found themselves in the middle of the scrap ... with Travis' bro doing some serious damage on Dom as Rey and Andrade won the match.

Monday has rolled around again ... and TMZ's kicking off the week with the best Hot Takes in Hollywood!

Harvey and Charles break down country star Morgan Wallen's arrest for throwing a chair off a downtown Nashville bar's roof on "TMZ Live."

Lennox Lewis says he's relieved the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul clash will not be a sanctioned bout ... saying this weekend if it were one, he'd be worried for Paul's safety.

Lewis spoke about the upcoming superfight while out at the CSA sports memorabilia show on Sunday in Chantilly, Virginia ... and he made it clear, Paul should thank his lucky stars the guys will fight under exhibition rules.

Of course, punches will still be thrown when the two step in the ring -- but under non-sanctioned regulations, it's not expected to be nearly as competitive as it would've been if it were the opposite.

And, Lewis obviously believes that's going to save Paul a lot of headaches down the road.

"I would feel really bad for Jake Paul," Lewis said. "I don't want him to get hurt."

Regardless, Lewis says he's pumped for the fight ... saying it should be a good bout -- an opinion that Canelo Alvarez does not share.

You'll recall, the boxing superstar told TMZ Sports last month he doesn't necessarily think it'll be good for the sport.

NFL star and proud Purdue alum Raheem Mostert is hoping a miracle can help him get to Arizona in time to watch Zach Edey and the Boilermakers take on UConn ... telling TMZ Sports he wants to make a last-minute trip to the NCAA championship game!!

Mostert -- the NFL's rushing touchdown leader in 2023 -- chopped it up with our photog after touching down at LAX around 10:30 AM on Monday ... just a matter of hours before the huge matchup is slated to tip off in Glendale at 6:20.

We asked the 31-year-old what his plans were for the biggest game in Purdue hoops history ... and he revealed he's crossing his fingers he can get back up in the air ASAP so he can be at State Farm Stadium for the event.

"I'ma try to make it out there," Mostert said. "We're in LA, it's about an hour and thirty flight. I'ma see what I can do."

Mostert -- who played for the Boilermakers from 2011-14 -- explained it's gonna be tough ... especially considering he has to be back to LA in time for a broadcasting workshop Tuesday morning.

The running back told us he's excited to dip his toe into television ... and will learn from some of the top people in the industry to see if it's something he wants to pursue after his playing days are over.

If CeeDee Lamb is truly upset with his contract in Dallas, he's doing a good job of hiding it ... promising on Sunday to be a Cowboy in 2024 -- seemingly no matter what.

Lamb -- who's going into the final year of his rookie deal with the Cowboys -- was out at a sports memorabilia event in Chantilly, Virginia ... when he was asked if Dallas fans should expect him to be on the field when games kick off next season.

After all, reports had circulated over the weekend that he might hold out in order to pressure the Cowboys into getting his new, long-term contract done.

But, Lamb made it clear he's going to be wearing a star on his helmet ... saying matter-of-factly, "Yeah, I'll be in Dallas!"

In fact, Lamb said the No. 1 thing he's looking forward to in the near future is simply winning with Dak Prescott and the rest of Big D.

It's all great news for the Cowboys ... as Lamb was arguably the top receiver in the league last season -- logging 1,749 yards and 12 TDs on 135 receptions.

Hollywood is being outshone by the 2024 Solar Eclipse ... and they don't seem to care one bit, as several stars rocked safety glasses to experience the rare celestial occurrence.

Patrick Mahomes and daughter Sterling Skye threw on a pair of solar eclipse shades on Monday ... although his 16-month-old son, Bronze, didn't seem too interested in participating.

Nina Dobrev enjoyed the eclipse with friends, admitting on social media she took a quick peek at the sun without glasses.

1:02 PM PT -- According to the Austin Police Department, T'Vondre Sweat was involved in a car crash at around 4:41 AM on Sunday -- hours before he was booked into the Travis County Jail.

Cops say Sweat was driving an SUV when he collided with a sedan.

"The driver of the SUV, T'Vondre Sweat, was arrested for DWI," police said in a statement Monday afternoon. "The driver of the sedan left the scene on foot immediately after the crash."

The APD added an investigation into the matter is ongoing.

T'Vondre Sweat -- one of the top defensive lineman prospects in this year's NFL draft class -- was arrested in Texas on Sunday, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Records show the 22-year-old former Texas Longhorns star was booked into Travis County Jail at around 2:12 PM. According to reports, Sweat was accused of driving while intoxicated.

The records show he was released at around 4:14 PM. Further details surrounding the allegations against the football player were not made immediately available.

Sweat -- wearing a face mask and a towel over his head -- was asked two questions as he left the jail on Sunday afternoon ... although he declined to answer them. His attorney said in his stead, "We're not talking about the incident."

Sweat -- the 2023 Outland Trophy winner who measured in at 6'4", 366 pounds at the NFL's combine earlier this year -- was projected to be a second or third-round pick in the draft later this month prior to his arrest.

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber isn't making the MLB's pitch clock his sworn enemy just yet ... the Cy Young winner believes his season-ending UCL injury is the result of a "combination of a number of factors."

The devastating news broke over the weekend ... Bieber -- who was untouchable in his first two starts this season -- will sit out the rest of the 2024 campaign after it was revealed he'd undergo Tommy John surgery to fix damage to his elbow.

Tony Clark of the MLB Players Association singled out the league's recent pitch clock adjustments as the reason behind the uptick in pitcher injuries recently ... but the MLB fired back, citing research that found no evidence that tied injuries to the new tweaks.

Bieber was asked about the narrative behind the trend ... and while he acknowledged the chatter, he isn't ready to pick a side.

"Obviously, the conversations are happening," Bieber said. "They're continuing to grow louder and they're happening quite a bit more often. So, we'll see what's to come of it."

"For me, I'm not ready to say what it is. I guarantee it's a combination of a number of factors. And also, all of that on top of logging a lot of innings from now all the way back into college and high school."

Bieber added he started to feel irritation in his arm during the middle innings of his outing against the Oakland A's ... but admitted he thought it was due to Opening Day soreness and the cold temps.

The ace was emotional as he spoke with reporters ... saying it's especially tough, as he just fell back in love with pitching again after hitting a rough patch in his career.

Regardless, Bieber said he will be there for his guys every step of the way ... just in a different capacity.

Mike Tyson isn't slated to fight Jake Paul for another couple months, but he's clearly ready to step in the ring right now -- check out the bod he showed off during an autograph session over the weekend ... he looks gooooooood!!

Iron Mike ditched his shirt while attending a Fiterman Sports Group meet-and-greet event with fight fans on Sunday in Chantilly, Virginia ... showing off a chiseled physique that was complete with a set of six-pack abs.

Tyson explained at the show that he lost his top on purpose ... in order to send a message to those who are doubting him ahead of his July matchup with The Problem Child.

While many fans in Lexington celebrate the departure of Kentucky coach John Calipari, the wife of former star player Julius Randle is revealing something previously unknown about the famed HC -- he saved her grandma's life!

"4 years ago my grandmother was very sick in a small hospital in eastern KY. Julius called Coach Cal and asked if there was anyone he knew that could get her transferred to UK hospital," Kendra Randle wrote on X, recalling a story from several years back.

She continued ... "15 mins later she was in a helicopter to UK and I still to this day believe he saved her life."

Of course, Kendra tells the story as Calipari is headed to the University of Arkansas ... after a decade and a half at the helm of the program. JC, hired in 2009, won a National Championship in 2012.

Kendra, who was a student at UK (that's where she met her future hubby), isn't pleased with the move.

"I’m not well😫 we love you forever Coach Cal💙 BBN 4L," KR wrote.

FYI, Julius played one season under Cal, 2013-2014 ... where he averaged 15 points per game and over 10 rebounds. JR was the 7th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Despite the fact he's no longer at Kentucky, Cal will always hold a place in the hearts of the Randle family.

Talk about adding insult to injury -- IShowSpeed's pain continued after getting destroyed by Randy Orton at WrestleMania 40 ... 'cause KSI made things even worse by heckling him over the epic ass-kicking.

The popular streamer made a surprise appearance during Logan Paul's match against Orton and Kevin Owens on Sunday ... revealing himself as the guy in a Prime bottle costume.

Speed took quite a beating throughout the showdown ... with Orton viciously kicking him and hitting him with a signature RKO, which took him out.

Speed appeared to be in major pain after Paul retained his United States Championship ... wearing a neck brace and lying on a cart.

Paul's former boxing nemesis-turned-business partner played a similar role for Paul at WrestleMania 39 ... which resulted in the Maverick accidentally body-slamming him on a table.

With that being said, KSI was quick to throw some verbal jabs Speed's way as he nursed his injuries backstage ... sending the streamer a personal video message.

"Speed, I hope you enjoyed your WWE debut," KSI said with a laugh. "I hope you enjoyed getting wrecked. It sucks, doesn't it? It's not fun."

"Anyway, IShowStink, IShowMeat, well played on getting your ass beat. I'll see you in a bit."

Speed was NOT happy about the clip ... shouting back into the phone, "Man, f*** you, you bald-headed bitch. Man, get the f*** outta here, bro."

As for how Speed's feeling physically, he said wrestling may be scripted, but his owies are REAL ... revealing his neck is messed up and he had the wind knocked out of him.