TMZ Sports - Page 50

Seba Johnson is our greatest African-American Olympic downhill skier -- and our only one. Nevertheless, we're feeling the Olympic spirit just in time for the London Games ... and we've even got a theme song. America!!!

It's "Extreme Makeover: Disgraced University Edition."

The honchos at Penn State just released a statement saying the university plans to renovate the football shower and locker room area where convicted child rapist Jerry Sandusky raped children.

The move comes roughly 14 YEARS after officials like Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier allegedly first found out about Sandusky's crimes ... but decided to do nothing about it, because they're a bunch of scumbags.

Smoldering MLB train wreck Lenny Dykstra just pled guilty to three federal crimes -- and now faces an additional 20 years in prison ... on top of what he's ALREADY serving for grand theft auto.

Dykstra pled guilty today in federal court to three counts stemming from his bankruptcy fraud case in L.A. -- one count of bankruptcy fraud, one count of concealment of assets, and one count of money laundering.

Dykstra had been accused of filing for bankruptcy, then illegally hiding and selling up to $400,000 worth of possessions inside his mansion ... including valuable sports memorabilia, chandeliers, and even an oven.

His sentencing is scheduled for December 3.

Dykstra is currently serving a 3-year sentence in federal prison for grand theft auto and falsifying financial statements -- a sentence he began in March.

NFL star Adrian Peterson insists ... he did NOT resist arrest last week outside a Houston nightclub after allegedly shoving an off-duty police officer -- claiming, "I'm 200% innocent."

The Minnesota Vikings running back just spoke inside a Houston courthouse, telling reporters, "I didn't push, shove, touch anything or anyone, especially an officer."

He added, "I definitely don't have a problem with the Houston PD. This involves two individual officers that I have an issue with. Once everything is settled, the truth will come out."

Peterson was at court this morning for his arraignment on the resisting arrest charge -- but the arraignment was postponed to August.

On his way out, Peterson was asked if the incident was a run-of-the-mill drinking situation that got out of hand -- and Peterson responded, "Yeah, pretty much."

It's been A LONG time in the making ... but former WWE heavyweight champion Batista has FINALLY booked his first real deal MMA fight ... TMZ has learned.

Batista has been training to get in the ring for years ... and got REALLY close to fighting in the Strikeforce league back in 2010 -- but the deal fell apart.

But now it's on for real -- the 43-year-old powerhouse signed with the CES MMA league -- and is all set up to fight on October 6 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

We're told Batista -- 6'6" and 290 lbs -- will square up against some dude named Rashid Evans ... not to be confused with UFC hurt-maker Rashad Evans.

Wearing matching grey suits and smiles, NY Jets QBs Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow bro'd out at the ESPYs in L.A. on Wednesday.

Question is ...

The Penn State Board of Trustees takes "full responsibility" for not stopping Jerry Sandusky from sexually abusing children -- saying it's "deeply ashamed" about its failures ... and indirectly implicates Joe Paterno.

Karen Peetz -- the PSU board of trustees chair -- just spoke at a news conference, claiming the panel "accepts full responsibility for the failures that occurred" in the sex abuse scandal.

The failures were exposed in a recent investigation -- the results of which were released today, showing most senior leaders of PSU "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade."

Board trustee Kenneth Frazier said, "Our hearts remain heavy and deeply ashamed."

He added, "We are accountable for what's happened here ... People who were in a position to protect children and to confront a predator ... did not put the welfare of children first" -- a thinly-veiled shot at Joe Paterno and other senior PSU officials.

Nike is cutting one of its last remaining ties to Joe Paterno -- removing his name from the child care building on the corporation's campus.

The move comes just hours after independent investigators revealed the late Penn State coach helped cover-up facts about the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal.

Nike President Mark Parker said in a statement, "With the findings released today, I have decided to change the name of our child care center at our World Headquarters."

Nike co-founder Phil Knight added, "It appears Joe made missteps that led to heartbreaking consequences." Knight had previously defended Paterno's handling of the scandal.

Joe Paterno participated in a 13-year conspiracy to hide Jerry Sandusky's sexual crimes against children from authorities ... so says a new report issued by investigators connected to the Sandusky case.

The Freeh Group --an independent investigative task force hired by the Penn State University Board of Trustees -- released its report moments ago ... and according to investigators, Paterno, along with the most senior leaders of PSU, "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade."

In fact, the Freeh report concludes ... Paterno ... along with PSU president Graham Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz "repeatedly concealed critical facts" in order to prevent bad publicity for the school.

According to the report, Paterno knew about allegations concerning Sandusky since at least March of 1998 ... but failed to take any action to prevent Sandusky from having contact with young children.

"They showed no concern about the victim," the report reads.

"At the very least, Mr Paterno could have alerted the entire football staff, in order to prevent Sandusky from bringing another child into the Lasch Building."

The report says Paterno failed to take immediate action after Mike McQueary told him about Sandusky raping a boy in the gym shower in Feb. 2001 because Paterno "did not want to interfere with people's weekend."

The Freeh report classifies PSU's non-action as "catastrophic failures."

Just last month, Sandusky was found guilty of 45 counts of child sexual abuse ... and will most likely spend the rest of his disgusting life rotting away in prison.

Sugar Ray Leonard says ... in his prime, he could've taken Manny Pacquiao.

It's a great theoretical match up -- here's the tale of the tape:

Sugar Ray Leonard (36-3-1)
Height -- 5 ft 10 in
Reach -- 74 in
Notable victories -- Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler
Fun Fact -- Served as host and mentor on "The Contender"

Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2)
Height -- 5 ft 6 in
Reach -- 67 in
Notable victories -- Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley
Fun Fact -- LOVES Karaoke.

Discuss.

Marlon Wayans pissed all over Lakers fans celebrating the Steve Nash pickup by declaring the former league MVP will be nothing more than an elderly cheerleader for the purple and gold.

Just a few hours after Nash -- aka 'Messiah 2.0' -- signed his deal with the Lakers, Wayans summed up the trade for the 38-year-old point guard by saying, "Steve Nash is a dead man. He's getting back massages at half court ... getting ice packs on."

But his ultimate diss was comparing Nash to "The Sixth Man" -- a god awful 90s movie Marlon made ... but NO ONE saw.

Kate Upton sucking down an ice cold beer at a baseball game might be every man's fantasy -- but the 20-year-old supermodel says she was NOT boozing illegally ... despite a suspicious video clip.

Kate was at a Detroit Tigers game on July 6th -- in Tigers ace Justin Verlander's luxury suite -- when TV cameras spotted her toasting friends with a sudsy beverage.

We all know the formula -- baseball game + luxury box + sudsy beverage = BEER!

But Kate's rep insists that's not what happened ... telling TMZ underaged Kate was not drinking beer, and was only there to take in the game with a friend. The rep would not say what Kate was drinking.

A rep for the Tigers assured us "all patrons who appear to be under 30 years old are ID'd."

No doubt, Kate looks way under 30.

Missy Elliott isn't the only rich person drooling over the new $380,000 Lamborghini Aventador -- TMZ has learned, Real Madrid stud Karim Benzema recently rented one in Miami ... for $5,000 A DAY.

Sources tell TMZ, 24-year-old Benzo picked up the hot new Lambo (in white) from Lou La Vie Exotic Car Rental on June 28th -- and drove it around Miami for a week ... partying all over the city, hitting up the usual hot spots ... LIV ... Mansion ... you name it.

But he didn't drive THAT much -- we're told Benz only racked up 180 miles on the car in 7 days ... way below his daily 50-mile allowance.

All told, the rental cost $35,992.75.

FYI -- Benzema's one of the highest paid soccer players in the world. In 2009, he signed a 6-year deal with RM worth a reported $50 million.

Peyton Manning is taking his first big step as a brand new Denver Bronco -- TMZ has learned, the star quarterback just purchased a multi-million dollar mansion in a ritzy suburb outside the Mile High City.

Real estate sources tell TMZ, Peyton -- who split with the Indianapolis Colts earlier this year -- closed the deal Monday for the 16,000 square foot home in the exclusive Cherry Hills Village, agreeing to pay $4,575,000.

The house has 7 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, 7 car garage, a gated entrance, a panic room ... and a freaking elevator.

But Peyton won't have a problem affording the place -- the guy signed a 5-year contract with the Broncos on March 20th ... worth $96 MILLION.

Country singer Luke Bryan admits ... he was reading from his hand and his watch while performing the National Anthem at the MLB All-Star game yesterday ... and says he can explain the whole thing.

Bryan came under fire from critics who claimed checking one's watch while singing the Anthem is plain disrespectful.

But Bryan went to his Twitter page moments ago hoping to clear things up.

Bryan wrote, "I did check my watch because I knew the stealth bomber would fly over 2 minutes in and I knew a [sic] started a little late."

The MVP has landed ...

Steve Nash -- the newest member of the Los Angeles Lakers -- finally arrived in L.A. last night to sign his contract ... and the NBA superstar tells TMZ he can't wait to finish the paperwork and officially join the squad.

When we asked if he had anything to say to all the Phoenix Suns fans mourning his loss ... Nash simply replied, "It's tough ... you're always gonna disappoint somebody."

As for all the touristy stuff ... like Disneyland ... Nash says the Happiest Place on Earth will have to wait ... explaining, "I gotta get to work."