TMZ Sports - Page 50

It took just four weeks, but Katherine Webb -- and all her gorgeousness -- have made it to the Super Bowl.

After a meteoric rise to fame after Brent Musburger famously gushed all over her at the BCS Championship game earlier this month, the 23-year-old Miss Alabama USA 2012 made her big game debut covering Super Bowl media day for "Inside Edition" in New Orleans on Tuesday.

Legendary boxing promoter Don King could be done with boxing for good ... because he's now hyping the FOOD INDUSTRY -- promoting a recent "Top Chef" cast-off in the hopes of helping her open her own restaurant.

81-year-old King was in Miami yesterday when he explained he had taken Chef Josie Smith-Malave under his wing ... and is now rallying to get her another shot on the show ... and better yet, her own fried chicken chain.

Chef Josie was recently eliminated from "Top Chef: Seattle" for an overspiced fried chicken recipe -- but King tells us, "I feel she was unjustly relieved [from the show]. What we want to do is put her back. We want to vote her back in through the process."

King -- who spoke to Chef Josie for the first time last week -- says he's not doing this for the money ... he's just a fan of Josie's cooking.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo -- the man behind the Manti Te'o hoax -- is telling friends he felt compelled to create a "fantasy world" for himself because he felt crushing social pressure from 3 major forces in his life ... TMZ has learned.

We already know Ronaiah thinks he might be gay because he fell in love with Manti while pretending to be the fictional "Lennay Kekua" ... and told Dr. Phil he's "confused" about his sexuality.

But sources close to Ronaiah tell TMZ ... he was always afraid to explore his sexuality fearing scorn and ridicule from the Samoan community, his church community and the football community. At an early age, we're told Ronaiah created a private world for himself, that was not rooted in reality.

Besides playing high school football, Ronaiah's family is a VERY football-centric group -- with several members having played in the NFL.

Instead, we're told Ronaiah created a female character, like Lennay, to interact with men through her ... because instead of feeling guilt about his sexuality, he could chalk it all up to make-believe.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo is gay ... at least he thinks he's gay ... he's not really sure -- at least that's what he told Dr. Phil.

Phil appeared on "Today" this morning ... and dished about his interview with the man behind the Manti Te'o not-really-dead girlfriend hoax.

"Here we have a young man that fell deeply, romantically in love," Phil said of Ronaiah.

"I ask him straight up ... was this a romantic relationship with you? And he says, 'Yes.'"

Phil continued ... "I said, are you then, therefore, gay? And he says, 'Well, when you put it that way, yes.'"

Phil says Ronaiah then "caught himself" and said, "I am confused."

Phil says Ronaiah admitted to running the hoax -- but says he had a number of life experiences that left him "damaged" in many serious ways.

Rampage Jackson is picking a fight with the UFC ... claiming he'll NEVER fight for Dana White ever again because he feels the organization has treated him like a chump. But Dana says Rampage doesn't have a choice ... because the UFC doesn't WANT him back.

Rampage was leaving AV Nightclub in L.A. Monday night when we asked about reports that he was retiring from the sport ... in the wake of Saturday's loss to UFC fighter Glover Teixeira.

"I didn't retire from MMA, " Rampage said ... adding, "But as of now ... I've left the UFC."

He continued ... "The UFC didn't treat me right. I don't like the way I was treated there."

So what pissed him off? Rampage says he was screwed out of cash ... and he feels betrayed over a deal involving Rampage action figures.

Jackson says he's hungry to sign a new deal with a rival MMA company so he can forget the UFC for good -- but he's contractually obligated to wait a month after his last fight until he can sign a new deal.

We spoke to White -- who couldn't have been more direct ... saying, "Rampage didn't quit. He lost his last 3 fights and his contract is up. Do you see me beating his door down to get him back?"

White continued, "From 2007 to 2012, Rampage has made $15.2 million with the UFC. Ask him how much he made from the 'A-Team' when I let him go film it."

Beyonce Knowles is a frickin' saint ... and NOT the demanding, complaining Super Bowl Halftime diva that she's been made out to be in recent reports ... this according to the NFL.

Beyonce has been under fire after reports surfaced saying she's been "difficult" towards the people putting together her Super Bowl Halftime performance ... making ridiculous requests including a demand that Blue Ivy's backstage nursery be kept at EXACTLY 26 degrees celsius.

But Brian McCarthy, the NFL's Vice President of Communications, tells TMZ ... the reports are "pure pulp fiction" ... noting that Beyonce has been nothing short of a pleasure.

Troy Aikman's ex-wife is getting off with a slap on the wrist after cops say she was drunkenly hanging out in a Texas high school parking lot back in August ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Rhonda Aikman was a stumby, wobbly mess when cops found her in a car at a high school in Murphy, TX on August 27. Officers say they also found two water bottles filled with a liquid that smelled like booze inside the vehicle.

During the arrest, Rhonda tried to guilt cops into letting her off the hook by dropping her ex-husband's name -- "Do you know what this is gonna do to him? Troy?"

She was eventually charged with public intoxication.

Today, Rhonda -- whose marriage to Troy ended back in 2011 -- agreed to plead "no contest" to the charge in exchange for 30 days probation ... after which the underlying charge will be dismissed (presuming she keeps her nose clean).

It's one of the last remaining copies in existence ... an original edition of O.J. Simpson's infamous hypothetical confession book "If I Did It" -- and it just hit the auction block ... for $250,000.

The book was originally announced in November 2006 -- and 400,000 copies were printed -- but the release was abruptly canceled following a public backlash ... and the books were reportedly recalled to be destroyed.

But according to legend, a small number survived -- one reportedly lives at News Corporation (the original publisher), one was auctioned off on eBay in 2007 (for $65,000) ... and now, another copy has surfaced on the auction website. It's unclear how many more are still floating around in obscurity.

The latest book to surface has been listed at $250,000 -- and according to the listing, payment is required in FULL within 48 hours of the auction ending.

A revised version of "If I Did It" was republished in 2007 -- with added commentary -- and proceeds were awarded to the family of one of Simpson's alleged murder victims, Ron Goldman ... but an original edition is practically unheard of.

How much would you pay for a hug from NBA powerhouse LeBron James? Well fellow man of steel Dean Cain says it's worth MORE than $75,000!!!!

Dean was leaving a workout in L.A. Sunday when our photog noticed his awesome LeBron James sneakers -- and the two started talking all about the epic bear hug LeBron unleashed on one lucky fan Friday ... after the dude nailed a $75,000 half-court shot.

Turns out, Dean was ALL about it ... saying a hug from the Miami Heat superstar would be an "all-time life highlight."

And then continues, "LeBron James came out, tackled you on the floor ... and the money is a nice bonus ... but people would pay more than $75,000 just to have THAT happen."

San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has arrived in New Orleans for the Super Bowl ... and spent the day hanging out with his family ... well, most of his family.

Harbaugh -- along with his wife and some of his kids -- dropped by the famous Cafe du Monde ... sportin' some 49ers gear.

Fun Fact -- Jim isn't just taking on his brother ... his OWN SON Jay Harbaugh works for the Baltimore Ravens organization.

File this under things Hulk Hogan probably shouldn't have done -- publicly brag about his own daughter's sexy legs ... complete with the photographic evidence to back up his creepy opinion.

Hulk posted the photo of 24-year-old Brooke Hogan for his nearly 500,000 Twitter followers yesterday -- along with the caption, "Brooke's legs" -- which is kinda weird ... since ... you know ... HE'S HER DAD.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were at the White House today ... where they stood in the presence (of the portrait) of the first black president ... William Jefferson Clinton.

The Miami Heat superstars also got a congratulatory handshake from a living, breathing Barack Obama for winning the NBA Championship ... which also must have been exciting ... right?

Kris Humphries says he's 100% HERPES FREE ... and claims he's got the test results to prove it ... TMZ has learned.

Humphries just filed a response to a lawsuit filed by Kayla Goldberg -- who claims the NBA star gave her herpes during a condomless sexual encounter in Hollywood back in 2010.

In the docs, filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Kris does not deny sleeping with Kayla, but insists he never passed on the herpes virus -- because he got tested for the disease after the hook-up and it came back negative.

Kris attached the alleged test results in his filing, but they are under seal.

With a bandage on his forehead ... and a bruise under his eye ... Washington Redskins lineman Trent Williams marched through the airport in Hawaii last night ... just days after being smashed in the head with a champagne bottle during a bar fight.

Williams -- 6'5", 318 lbs -- required 7 stitches to put his forehead back together after he was attacked in a Honolulu nightclub Friday night ... just days before he was supposed to play in the Pro Bowl.

The NFL decided to pull Williams from the game in the wake of the fight -- in which Williams was also shocked by a man with a stun gun.

The owner of the nightclub was arrested and charged with assault in connection to the attack on the NFL star. Williams has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Comedian Louie Anderson narrowly averted disaster this week at a taping of "Splash" -- because he nearly sank to the bottom of the pool from sheer exhaustion -- but thankfully, Detroit Lions star Ndamukong Suh came to the rescue.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ, Louie -- who's a contestant on the show -- was practicing his dives on Wednesday when he became a little too bushed to pull himself up the ladder ... falling back into the water again and again.

We're told Louie eventually had to be rescued by Suh and divemaster Greg Louganis -- who physically lifted the foundering funnyman to the poolside. Louie then sat coughing up water for several seconds.

Despite the scare, we're told Louie's gonna be fine -- his rep says Louie is already “feeling great, loving the challenge."

The Jacksonville Jaguars only won two games last season and are in DESPERATE need of help at quarterback, but tight end Marcedes Lewis wants no part of Tim Tebow.

Tebow's future with the New York Jets is tenuous at best and most experts think the team will send him packing this offseason.

And while the GM of the Jags has already come out and said he doesn't see Tebow joining his hometown team, Lewis hammered the point home last night in Hollywood ... telling our photog, "We need a guy that's going to put us over the hump right now. Not a project."