TMZ Sports - Page 50

Lance Armstrong reportedly issued an emotional apology to several staff members at his Livestrong organization in Texas ... amidst rumors that he's finally going to admit that he cheated.

According to the AP, Armstrong met with staffers right before he headed to an interview with Oprah Winfrey ... an interview in which he's rumored to finally admit he doped during his cycling career.

During the meeting with Livestrong staff, Armstrong reportedly choked up ... and said "I'm sorry" for letting everyone down.

Armstrong's apology was vague at best -- at no point did he ever admit to using any performance enhancing drugs ... or cheating in any way.

It's the first time the disgraced cyclist has acted remorseful since the cheating saga began several years ago.

After the apology, Armstrong met with advisers and his legal team before going face-to-face with Oprah at a nearby hotel.

Hulk Hogan claims the Laser Spine Institute in Florida is a total sham ... and it's doctors DUPED him into undergoing multiple bogus procedures that were completely useless and damaged his career to the tune of $50 MILLION ... this according to a new lawsuit.

Hogan filed the suit in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court, claiming he turned to the LSI in 2009 when he seeking treatment for multiple lumbar spinal abnormalities including scoliosis and multiple bulging discs.

In his suit, Hogan claims he fell for a sales pitch which masqueraded as "medical advice" and allowed the LSI to perform multiple surgeries on his back.

Hogan claims the procedures actually made him feel worse in the long run -- and blames the institute for not advising him that the laser treatment is only a temporary solution, not a permanent one.

Hogan claims he eventually had to undergo major back surgery with a different set of doctors -- and they actually fixed his back.

Now, Hogan says he wants LSI to pay for screwing him up -- and for causing him to miss out on employment opportunities in the entertainment world that would have netted him tens of millions of dollars.

And to add insult to injury, Hulk says LSI used his name and image to promote their business without his permission.

He's suing for more than $50 mil in damages. So far, no comment from LSI.

The LSI released a statement saying they "acknowledge" the filing of the lawsuit ... but add, "To protect patient privacy as well as the legal process, we do not discuss the details of litigation matters."

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant launched their reconciliation tour last night by hitting up the Warner Bros. Golden Globes after-party together ... just a few days after Vanessa called off the split.

The on-again, off-again, on-again couple announced last week they were pulling the plug on their divorce, which seemed like a foregone conclusion after they were seen together at the 12-12-12 concert and on New Year's Eve.

Rebounding has always been a strength of Kobe's game.

Plaxico Burress is thanking his lucky stars an NFL team picked him up because he's using that freshly earned green to pay off a debt to Uncle Sam ... to the tune of $100,000.

A federal tax lien was filed against Plaxico and his wife last year, claiming the duo failed to pay income taxes for the years 2007 and 2009. All totaled, they owed $98,064.76.

Plaxico didn't sign with an NFL team until late in the season. But once he did, he was finally able to pay off the lien, which the IRS officially released on January 8.

As TMZ previously reported ... the no-longer-unemployed football star has been racking up the bills lately ... he still owes $159,000 from a car accident lawsuit and another $59k for alleged unpaid taxes to the State of NY.

Michael Phelps is a 27-year-old, newly-single Olympic hero ... so it should be surprising to no one that he's flirting with hot chicks less than two weeks after his break up.

As TMZ first reported, Phelps split from the super-hot Megan Rossee just before the New Year.

According to our sources, Phelps (still sporting the porn stache) was hanging poolside on Friday, smoking cigars with his friends and macking on the girl in the yellow shirt.

Lance Armstrong is gearing up to admit that he was doping throughout his illustrious cycling career ... and he will make the admission to Oprah Winfrey this week ... so says a new report.

Armstrong will not go into great detail, says USA Today, but will make the admission during an interview that tapes Monday and airs on Thursday.

The seven-time Tour de France winner has adamantly denied any wrongdoing for years, often attacking anyone who accused him.

Harvey Levin is back ... and even though he didn't deserve to make the post-season, we're gonna let him take on the NFL Playoffs anyway ( ... because we don't wanna get fired).

This week's matchup is the Green Bay Packers vs. the San Francisco 49ers.

Heeeeeeeeere we go!!!

Harvey Levin: "I have several connections to Green Bay. First, I did graduate work at the University of Wisconsin, where the waterskiing was awesome."

"On the other hand, I have another connection ... because Evan's brother Alex went to the University of Nevada and played football on the same team as Colin Kaepernick.

"But here's the thing ... I'm just so-so on Alex ... so I'm going with Green Bay.

Kobe Bryant is NOT getting divorced.

TMZ broke the story ... Vanessa -- through her lawyer, disso-queen Laura Wasser -- filed to end her marriage in December, 2011. Several months later ... Kobe -- in an attempt to win her back -- deeded over his interest in their 3 Newport Beach mansions.

Since she filed, Vanessa and Kobe were on-again, off-again like high school students.

But in the last month ... they got very tight. A turning point seemed to be the 12-12-12 Hurricane Sandy relief concert at Madison Square Garden in NYC, when the two left arm-in-arm. They spent New Year's Eve together, were spotted at lunch and have pretty much been inseparable.

There have been reports that Kobe is getting back with Vanessa because it's cheaper to keep her ... but that's just not true. Fact is ... we've checked property records and Vanessa still owns 2 of the Newport Beach mansions -- she just sold the third for $3.2 mil. We don't know for sure, but it seems like Kobe may have signed a post-nup, giving Vanessa more financial leverage in the relationship.

It's barely been a month since she broke up with her NFL player ex, but Hayden Panettiere's already got her hands on another man's kielbasa ... ex-BF Wladimir Klitschko ... at least that's the way it seemed at the airport today ... with her adorably girly giggle fit.

Fact: the 6'6" Ukrainian World Boxing Organization champ dropped 5'2" Hayden off at the airport today in Florida, where he lives.

Fact: When Hayden landed in L.A. she giggled like a schoolgirl when we asked her about Wlad -- insisting she and Wlad are "just good buddies."

Fact: THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY BONING AGAIN ... probably.

You'll recall, Hayden and her ex-BF Scotty McKnight -- who played for the Jets before he was cut last summer -- called it quits back in December.

Newly single Olympic legend Michael Phelps -- and his '70s porn stache -- showed off a different kind of pool skill at his hotel in the Bahamas on Thursday ... by poppin' bottles and throwing back dranks like a champ.

The world's best swimmer can't live on chlorinated water alone.

Former Los Angeles Dodger Milton Bradley was charged today with 13 counts related to several alleged attacks on his estranged wife, and could get up to 13 years behind bars ... TMZ has learned.

The City Attorney’s Office has filed charges against Bradley stemming from 5 different incidents. The charges break down like this: 4 counts of spousal battery, 4 counts of criminal threats, 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, 2 counts of vandalism and 1 count of dissuading a witness from making a report.

As TMZ first reported, Milton's wife Monique filed a domestic violence report with the LAPD back in November 2012 ... claiming he tried to choke her, with 2 hands, when she asked him to stop smoking marijuana in front of their kids.

Bradley was arrested in August 2011 for allegedly attacking Monique with a bat, and in March 2012 he allegedly threatened her with a knife and said, "You’ll be dead bitch before you divorce me."

Both Monique and Milton have filed for divorce.

NBA player Ronny Turiaf has his birthday in the bag ... a fancy schmancy women's Louis Vuitton bag.

The L.A. Clipper celebrated his 30th birthday with a bash at a ritzy Beverly Hills home last night ... and a cake made to look like one of Paris Hilton's expensive leather purses.

Jamie McCourt has filed a new lawsuit against her ex-hubby former L.A. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt ... claiming he grossly shortchanged her in the property settlement by fraudulently undervaluing their assets -- in particular the Dodgers.

In the lawsuit ... obtained by TMZ ... Jamie says based on the valuation of assets Frank's team provided ... she agreed to accept a $131 million settlement plus a few other things.

Jamie now says Frank cooked the books by undervaluing the Dodgers assets at less than 1/10 their actual value. Jamie says their total assets were more than $1.7 BILLION.

Jamie says based on the real numbers, she should have received more than $900 million.

The Redskins is a racist team name ... so says Katt Williams who tells TMZ he's SHOCKED that Americans have tolerated such an offensive moniker for so many years.

Katt -- who wasn't arrested or accused of any wrongdoing last night -- was in Malibu when we asked about the renewed effort to get the team to change its name.

"Do you know how racist that is?" Katt said ... explaining, "That would be like saying the Chinese Yellowskins or the Compton Blackskins."

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chris Rainey has just been fired from the team for allegedly attacking his girlfriend this morning in Florida, TMZ has learned.

Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert tells us, "Chris Rainey’s actions this morning were extremely disappointing. Under the circumstances and due to this conduct, Chris will no longer be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers."

As we reported. Chris allegedly flew off the handle this morning in Gainesville when his girlfriend swiped his phone -- and slapped her in the face.

Chris has been charged with battery stemming from the incident. He's currently still in custody.

He's not some no-name bench warmer either -- Rainey scored two touchdowns this season for the Black and Gold.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Chris Rainey was arrested this morning in Florida -- after allegedly slapping his GF in the face during an argument over a cell phone.

According to the Gainesville Police, officers responded to a 911 call from witnesses who claimed they saw Rainey attack his girlfriend after she took his cell phone ... and tried to lock herself in Rainey's roommate's car.

According to the police report, witnesses said Rainey dragged his girlfriend out of the passenger seat and slapped her in the face in the process, causing both of them to fall to the ground.

Witnesses said Rainey's GF then took off again with the cell phone in her purse ... and Rainey continued the chase, eventually grabbing her purse ... causing them both to fall again.

Police say neither Rainey nor his GF appeared visibly injured after the fight.