TMZ Sports - Page 50

GLAAD has responded to Larry Johnson's apology for hurling a gay slur at reporters yesterday -- and they're hoping the ordeal can be used as an example to other players in the NFL.

President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Jarrett Barrios tells TMZ: "Larry Johnson's apology sends an important message that there is no excuse for using anti-gay epithets.

GLAAD is continuing to call on the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs to use this unfortunate incident as a way to educate and start a dialogue with players and fans regarding the dangers of homophobia in sports."

As we previously reported, the Kansas City Chiefs have already sidelined Johnson from team activities.

Marshall Grossman, lawyer for the L.A. Dodgers owner, tells TMZ. "If that is her story then 'security chief' Jeff Fuller has a body double. This 911 call was phoney as any fair observer would realize. Clearly the police recognized its foolishness as no action was taken and Mr. McCourt was never even contacted."

Increasingly, Jeff Fuller seems to be the man in the middle here.

Fuller -- an heir to the Pillsbury fortune who was fired as Director of Protocol for the Dodgers earlier this month -- is romantically involved with Jamie ... though sources say the relationship began after her break-up with Frank.

UPDATE: Jamie McCourt's attorney tells TMZ, "I reiterate, the facts speak for themselves."

The police report and the facts of the situation speak for themselves."


Frank McCourt -- owner of the L.A. Dodgers -- scared his estranged wife Jamie so badly she called 911, this according to law enforcement sources.

It happened Sept. 5 2009, at 10:10 in the morning. We're told Jamie was swimming in the pool of her Holmby Hills home when Frank suddenly and unexpectadly appeared. Jamie called 911, explaining that she was frightened because of previous incidents in which Frank had allegedly lost his temper and scared her.

Jamie then called the couple's private security for assistance.

By the time the LAPD responded, private security had already arrived to make sure Jamie was OK.

When cops arrived, the officers interviewed both Jamie and the couple's housekeeper -- who told police she had heard Jamie scream.

Soon after she spoke with cops, we're told Jamie left the house.

But Frank sees things a different way, his lawyer just released the following statement on his behalf:

"The events described by TMZ occurred when the McCourts had already separated.

Mr. McCourt was living alone at the residence in West Los Angeles and his wife was residing in Malibu. That morning, Mr. McCourt left the house and went jogging. When he returned home to the West Los Angeles residence, he found his wife swimming in the pool and her personal "security assistant" Jeff Fuller, was also at the residence.

The news of a 911 call came as a surprise to Mr. McCourt. He had no knowledge of any 911 call at the time; or of any visit by any police officers and law enforcement has had no contact with him. As previously reported by TMZ, Mrs. McCourt and Mr. Fuller have been linked romantically.

Any 911 call makes no sense at all unless there was an ulterior motive which you can be assured will be fully explored."

Can anyone at ESPN keep a job? The network suspended Bob Griese today for a racist remark he made about NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

While he was calling Saturday's Minnesota-Ohio State game, Griese made a crack about Montoya saying he was "out having a taco." Montoya is Colombian.

ESPN is yanking Griese off the air for one week, and a rep for the network says Griese "understands the comment was inappropriate."

President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Jarrett Barrio is calling for the NFL to take action against Johnson, saying "All too often this is the word that is used to ridicule and harass young gay and transgender athletes on local sports fields across America.

Professional athletes who use this word need to be held accountable for feeding a climate of intolerance toward our community. NFL officials need to take action and condemn this and future uses of this anti-gay epithet."

The ESPN production assistant who exposed a secret relationship with ESPN baseball analyst Steve Phillips is officially out of a job at the sports network.

A rep from ESPN told the Associated Press that 22-year-old Brooke Hundley "doesn't work at ESPN anymore" --but it was unclear if she quit ... or if she got the chop.

Phillips was fired from his job last night, just a few days after he admitted to having the affair.

A rep for Phillips claims he's entering a treatment facility.

David Letterman he is not -- only a few days after news broke of ESPN analyst Steve Phillips' affair with a 22-year-old production assistant, he's out of a job.

An ESPN spokesperson said Phillips' ability to be an effective analyst was "significantly and irreparably damaged" -- so the sports network decided to give him the old heave-ho.

As we first reported, Steve's hookup Brooke Hundley filed for a restraining order against him one day after she dropped off a letter at his house explaining the affair -- which basically said they were meant to be together.

Hundley withdrew the complaint a few weeks later.

We got these pictures of Jamie yesterday, lunching in Malibu with Jeff Fuller -- the new guy in her life. Now, in the awkward department, until recently Jeff was the Director of Protocol for the Dodgers.

We're told Jamie and Fuller began seeing each other after she split with Frank. Fuller was fired from the Dodgers in mid-October.

BTW, Fuller's late mom was an heir to the Pillsbury fortune ... translation, he's loaded.

As for Frank ... he was lunching yesterday with some dude at Hotel Montage.

During the Ohio State/Minnesota game, the NASCAR promotion turned nasty when broadcaster Chris Spielman asked where Montoya was in the standings ... then Griese let this gem fly: "He's out having a taco."

At the end of the game, Griese issued a bland apology, saying, "Juan Pablo Montoya, he's one of the best drivers in NASCAR, I just want to apologize for the comment that i made earlier in the ballgame."

Gisele Bundchen and her ever growing Brady baby were out in New York City yesterday.

TMZ obtained the "Notice of Termination" Frank MAILED to his soon-to-be-ex wife Jamie -- who was fired from her job as co-CEO of the team the day before the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs. Mind you, this letter was sent just 2 weeks before the couple's 30th wedding anniversary.

The letter begins, "Dear Jamie -- This is to inform you that your employment with and positions as Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairperson of Los Angeles Dodgers LLC, as well as any and all of the positions that you hold ... are hereby terminated effective immediately."

Though hard to believe, it gets even colder:

"Because your employment is held at-will, the Organization is not required to have cause to terminate your employment and may do so for any reason or no reason at all.

However, your actions, including, but not limited to, your insubordination, non-responsiveness, failure to follow procedures, and inappropriate behavior with regard to a direct subordinate, have made this decision necessary."

And for good measure, we've also learned Frank locked Jamie out of her office today. We're told Jamie called her assistant and asked her to open the office door -- she was informed her key no longer worked.

The photos were taken Oct. 10, after the NBA star and a female companion boarded a boat in Miami Beach during the Columbus Day Regatta. We called team officials for an explanation -- due to the fact that Beasley just emerged from a stint in substance-abuse rehab last month -- and boy did they give us one:

TMZ spoke with Miami Heat exec Tim Donovan, who told us it was all part of a "fishing trip arranged by the team ... Michael was not drinking at all ... except for water and purple Gatorade."

Donovan also claims Michael's counselor was with him on the trip and the woman sleeping next to him is just a friend.