Julius Erving Zones Out
TMZ fun fact: The big wigs at AOL hated the name at first because they thought everybody would confuse it with the DMZ -- aka the demilitarized zone.
It only took three years, but thanks to b-ball legend Julius Erving, it finally happened.
Bad Tipping Takes the Air Out of Jordan
Michael Jordan is worth about $400 million, but he doesn't use a dime of that to tip on his bill at a popular Vegas nightclub. Still wanna be like Mike?
Sources tell us MJ frequently visits a very upscale Vegas hotspot and gets comped more often than not. But even with the free bubbly, MJ isn't opening up his wallet. Nike must not pay what it used to!
For his part, Air Jordan shelled out $168 mil for his divorce from Juanita. And apparently he's trying to get that money back, one abandoned tip at a time!
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Cristiano Ronaldo -- Rico Suave
It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
Newly-single soccer stud Cristiano Ronaldo was on the prowl yesterday in Hollywood.
Is there a woman alive who would turn him down?
Brady Quinn Scrambles Over Gay Dating Scandal
NFL baller Brady Quinn wants to make one thing clear: He'll huddle up with sweaty, muscular men -- he just won't date 'em. No matter what a gay dating website is leading people to believe.
A topless -- and really, really hot -- photo of the Cleveland Browns quarterback has been used to promote a dating website for months. The only problem -- nobody cleared it with Brady!
A rep for the Cleveland Browns tells us Brady had no knowledge of the ad saying, "He was not involved in posting photos."
Brady's lawyer has already taken action and has sent a cease and desist letter to the website today, demanding all photos of him be removed ASAP.
For the record, Brady is straight ... not that there's anything wrong with that.
Round 2 -- Cops Nab "Rampage" Again
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has been picked up by police again.
We're told Irvine cops saw Rampage, deemed him a danger to himself and others, and took him to a hospital for observation. Rampage was very cooperative with police.
Cops won't officially confirm if it's a psychiatric hold.
Story developing...
Rampage's Used Rubber For Sale
That's right ladies and gentlemen, for the small price of $20 you can own your very own piece of the wildest, craziest, most splendiferous celebrity car chase since O.J. Simpson rumbled his white Bronco down the 405!
One unlucky bystander, who "almost got hit by this big a** truck being chased" was crafty enough to pick up the pieces of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's reputation -- in the form of one shredded monster truck tire.
Of course, the entrepreneur put up an ad for the tire on Craigslist, which the dudes from Deadspin.com happened to catch while trolling for used car parts.
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Venus Caught in Paparazzi Gambling Racquet
Venus Williams took home over one million dollars for her Wimbledon win -- so don't be surprised she wasn't that excited about the $25 our photog pocketed from the victory. That's chump change for her!
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The Iceman Commenteth -- Liddell Shocked
Rampage Jackson's UFC rival and close personal friend Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell has finally broken his silence on yesterday's craziness, telling TheDirty.com:
"I know Rampage in and out of the ring. He is a great showman in the ring and a smart level-leaded businessman outside of it. I am shocked over this. It's really out of character for him. I don't know all the details on what happened, but I just hope everyone involved is ok."
Rampage famously knocked out Liddell to win the UFC light heavyweight title last year. Jackson just lost that title on July 5th to Forrest Griffin in Las Vegas. When contacted by TMZ, Griffin had no comment on Rampage's arrest.
Ronaldo to Pappers -- Goal Away!
Soccer isn't huge in the States -- but judging by Cristiano Ronaldo's pap crush leaving Villa last night, ridiculously good looking soccer studs definitely are!
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NBA Rookie Goes Undrafted by Nightclub
Newly drafted NBA star Michael Beasley suffered his first pro rejection at Villa last night.
Don't blame the kid too much -- he's 19 and Villa is a 21-and-over club.
Jason Caffey: Deadbeat Dad, Deadbeat Lawsuit!
King Baby Daddy, er former NBA star Jason Caffey, just cost himself a ton of dough. The ex baller had a case against his one of eight baby mama's dismissed -- because he didn't bother to show up to court!
The former Chicago Bull had asked a Georgia judge to reduce his $4,250 a month child support payments, but didn't follow through and provide the court with the necessary documents to prove his financial status and income.
Then Caffey was a no-show to a hearing today to discuss his suit. So the judge not only dismissed Caffey's case, he rubbed a lil' salt in his wound and awarded ex Lorunda Brown over $17,000 in attorney's fees to boot.
Brown's lawyer says Caffey still owes over $100,000 in past due child support. Pay ya bills!
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Rampage Pre-Rampage: I'm Fat and Messed Up
Just 24 hours before the worst day of his life, a babbling Quinton "Rampage" Jackson revealed that he had been battling depression, injuries and fat issues before he took his monster truck on the drive from hell.
Throughout the entire MMA Throwdown interview, Rampage's ramblings paint the picture of a guy who just ain't right.
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Rampage: Terror Outside the Ring
Turns out, if local news had run the Rampage Jackson car chase live, it could have gotten Super Bowl ratings because it was one of the craziest chases on record, causing pedestrians to "flee for their lives."
As TMZ first reported, the just-defeated UFC champ was busted yesterday afternoon for alleged felony hit and run. Now we have the details -- and they're insane! Rampage was on the 55 Freeway in the O.C., hit two cars and got off the freeway. The chase was on.
Rampage then began driving on the center divider. But it gets worse. According to the police report, Jackson then drove on the sidewalk, "causing pedestrians to flee for their lives." He started driving the wrong way on a crowded street, colliding with yet another car in an intersection. As he continued on, running several red lights, his tire disintegrated and he began driving on the rim.
Rampage eventually got to the exclusive Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, where he again drove on the sidewalk, "causing pedestrians to flee in terror."
Eventually, his car came to a stop and he was taken into custody at gunpoint. Cops took him to the Orange County Jail, but they determined he was "medically unfit" to be booked. Cops won't say if he was high.
Rampage is currently in an O.C. hospital.
Ray Allen Throws TMZ Under "The Bus"
NBA rejection specialist Ray Allen finally fessed up to his ultra-embarrassing denial from One Sunset -- but the Boston Celtic got the last laugh last night -- relentlessly (and hilariously) scolding one of our cameramen for not knowing Jerome Bettis' name.
Today -- revenge is spelled with a capital R!
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Cops Say Jackson Went On Rampage
Former UFC light heavyweight champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson got busted just minutes ago, and is currently in custody on the way to the clink -- but not before he was ordered to the ground, cops nearby with guns drawn.
Law enforcement sources tell us, Rampage was in a car crash near Newport Beach (that's near Laguna Beach in the O.C.) and then split the scene. Cops gave chase and eventually caught up and charged him with felony hit and run and felony evading arrest.
Here's the deal about the dumbest hit and run ever. Notice the truck he tried evading police in -- the one with the giant picture of him plastered on the side!
We're told there could be additional charges. No word yet on whether Rampage resisted arrest.
Bad week. He got his ass handed to him last week (courtesy of Forrest Griffin) and just got it handed to him again.
Story developing ...
Joe Theismann Prefers TMZ to LT
NFL legend Joe Theismann says he's a big fan of TMZ -- so long as we don't "take [him] apart."