TMZ Sports - Page 19

7:29 AM PT -- Haliey Welch just took to her X page to reveal she was actually at the Mets game in order to raise awareness -- and money -- for America's VetDogs, an org. that aims to pair pooches with war veterans.

Bad news for Newsday readers hoping to learn more about "Hawk Tuah" girl's first pitch at the Mets game Thursday ... one of their writers claims the org.'s bosses have barred mentions of her.

Tim Healey -- who's been writing about The Amazins for years -- said that after Haliey Welch toed the rubber and kicked off the festivities at Citi Field ... he was told he couldn't spit out anything further regarding her appearance.

Healey didn't specify why -- but it's easy to infer his honchos believe an explanation of Welch's claim to fame is just a little too X-rated for their readers.

Canadian pole vaulter Alysha Newman's twerking celebration in France has been great for her wallet ... she tells TMZ Sports the impromptu dance has led to an explosion of followers on her OnlyFans page.

The Olympian broke it all down for us this week ... just days after she went viral for shaking her booty amid earning a bronze medal in the women's pole vault competition at the Paris Games.

She said her subscribers grew by about "10 times" following the celly ... and "as we speak, numbers are being added."

There was a big break in the Matthew Perry death case, North West is twinning with her dog, and Tom Brady is showing off his arm ... all this on today's TMZ Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles break down all the arrests and criminal charges in connection with the death of the beloved "Friends" star.

Travis Kelce's used to scaring defenders on NFL fields, but it seems he'll be frightening a whole lot more people off of them this fall -- 'cause a teaser for "Grotesquerie" just dropped, and the NFL star looks like he'll be playing a spooky character in the show!!

The folks over at FX leaked the first trailer for the new horror series on Thursday ... and while Kelce's appearance in the 87-second commercial is brief, it looks like Taylor Swift's boyfriend will be terrifying audiences with his role.

Check out the clip, amid a collage of creepy and ghoulish imagery, Kelce's face is suddenly shown ... and he seems to be in some kind of trance.

Jay-Z's legendary 40/40 Club is coming back in a big way -- and as awesome as the celeb hotspot was back in the day -- wanna bet it's about to be a whole lot better?!

40/40 will temporarily relaunch in New York City starting Friday night (and running through Sunday) at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan ... where Hov's famed nightclub will be one of the main attractions at Fanatics Fest NYC.

TMZ Sports has learned the club will feature an integrated spot for partygoers to place wagers with Fanatics Sportsbook while watching games and partying.

Even babies fresh out the womb are fans of Caitlin Clark ... 'cause the WNBA star just got asked to autograph a two-week-old child -- and she delivered!!

The Indiana Fever guard met up with a mom and baby at the Fever Fore Change golf fundraiser involving players, coaches, staff and fans on Thursday ... and the rookie handed out quite the gift.

The mother said her little one was Clark's "biggest fan" ... and asked the 6-foot athlete if she wanted to hold the baby.

Dr. Dre's training to compete in archery for Team USA at the next Olympics, and his buddy Snoop Dogg's already got the perfect nickname for him ... and it's a nod to Mel Gibson.

The "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" rap icon joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live" and told us all about his plans for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics ... and Snoop's take on his archery aspirations.

Dr. Dre is already manifesting a first-place finish in the Summer Games, telling us he was joking with his crew in the studio ... "You'll be begging me to take off my gold medal!!!" 😆

12:27 PM PT -- We knew it was coming ... and RG3 responded to the news in traditional fashion -- channeling the movie, "Friday," to get his point across.

Robert Griffin III is unemployed -- the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback has reportedly been scrapped from his gig with ESPN ... despite a few years remaining on his contract.

The news broke via The Athletic on Thursday ... with no reason being given for the move.

TCU hoops star Sedona Prince just revealed she's receiving death threats after splitting from her TikTok star GF Olivia Stabile ... amid allegations of domestic abuse.

Here's the backstory.

Stabile -- who began dating Prince in January 2023 -- posted a 10-part video series on TikTok this week detailing how her relationship with the college athlete ended after a recent birthday trip to Mexico.

Jordan Chiles is finally opening up about losing her Olympic bronze medal ... and it's clear she's furious over the ruling -- saying straight up, "I have no words."

The 23-year-old Team USA gymnast boke her silence on the matter with a lengthy statement on her Instagram page on Thursday -- several days after officials formally stripped her of the award she won during the Aug. 5 floor competition in Paris.

She stated she felt the decision to give the honor to Ana Barbosu in wake of an alleged invalid challenge was "unjust" -- calling it "a significant blow not just to me, but to everyone who has championed my journey."

"Hawk Tuah" girl Haliey Welch tossed out the ceremonial first pitch at the Mets game Thursday ... and, sorry to disappoint, it looked more like a curve than a spitball.

The social media sensation took the mound at Citi Field just before New York's tilt with the A's ... and while she didn't exactly hurl the cowhide the full 60 feet, 6 inches -- she got the job done nonetheless.

Decked out in a custom Mets jersey, Welch completed the toss to her pal -- and then celebrated the feat with a chest bump and a picture.

Luana Alonso's putting claims of inappropriate behavior at the Paris Olympics in her rearview ... 'cause she's back on the 'Gram -- posting spicy bikini snaps.

The Olympic swimmer -- who recently denied claims she was kicked out of the 2024 Olympic Village in Paris -- shared a photo collage Wednesday ... including one snap in a tiny black top.

Another pic showed the Paraguayan bombshell in a more conservative, cowgirl-inspired ensemble ... though she still gave fans a glimpse at her long, tan legs.

Rachael Gunn -- best known by her breakdancing name Raygun -- is addressing the reaction to her viral performance at the Paris Olympics, saying the hate has been "devastating."

The 36-year-old Australian posted a video to her Instagram page on Thursday, commenting on the backlash, and thanking her supporters.

"I really appreciate the positivity, and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives; that’s what I hoped," Gunn said.

The search for the next U.S. men's soccer head coach seems to have come to an end ... as Mauricio Pochettino and the United States Soccer Federation have reached an agreement to make the 52-year-old the next leader of the sidelines.

The Athletic was the first to report the development ... stating the former head coach of the Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea F.C. squads will be tapped as the man to replace Gregg Berhalter.

Kevin Durant is in the company of some new gold AND some stunning acquaintances ... 'cause the NBA superstar is celebrating his Olympic win surrounded by a ton of attractive women -- and he enlisted his teammate, Devin Booker, for the party!!

TMZ Sports has obtained some pics of the Slim Reaper's post-Paris escapades ... and it's clear he's on Cloud 9 after Team USA handled business and defeated France in the final round on Saturday.

K.D. -- who became the States' all-time leading scorer in international play during the latest run for the Red, White and Blue -- made his way to St. Tropez to keep the vibes high after the big win ... and it's clear he wasn't mad one bit about his surroundings.

Former NASCAR champion Kurt Busch was arrested on Tuesday night ... after authorities say they caught him driving drunk.

The 46-year-old was pulled over at around 11:30 PM in Iredell County, North Carolina ... following allegations he was driving 18 MPH over the posted 45-MPH speed limit, this according to the Iredell Free Press.

The outlet, citing court documents, reported Busch told officers he had been drinking prior to the stop -- and elicited signs of being wasted, including having "red glassy eyes."