TMZ Sports - Page 50

11:03 AM PT -- The prosecutor just announced the indictment returned against Hernandez on multiple charges, including murder, carrying a firearm, possession of a firearm, possession of a high-capacity firearm or feeding device, and 2 counts of possession of ammunition.

As he sat down, Hernandez mouthed the words "I love you" to family members in court.

Another hearing has been set for next Friday.

NFL star Aaron Hernandez has just been indicted on a 1st degree murder charge in the death of 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd -- and he's due in court any moment to face his stark new reality.

Hernandez was originally expected in court today for a probable cause hearing -- where prosecutors would have presented evidence that a) a crime was committed, and b) that Hernandez committed the crime.

But a grand jury has already returned an indictment, meaning prosecutors won't have to present additional evidence to justify a trial.

Translation: the probable cause hearing is now pretty much a formality ... but we may still hear from Hernandez' lawyer.

Denver Nuggets superstar Ty Lawson tells TMZ ... everything is HUNKY DORY between him and his pregnant GF Ashley King ... despite the fact they were both arrested for domestic violence last weekend.

"That's my baby," Lawson told us last night on his way out of Sound nightclub in L.A.

As we previously reported, Lawson is accused of pushing King (an ex-member of the "Bad Girls Club") ... and King is accused of trying to break Lawson's phone during an explosive argument at his Denver home.

The two spent 3 days in jail ... (did we mention King is PREGNANT?) ... but have patched things up and insist they are committed to moving forward with their relationship.

James Harrison might be on to something, 'cause "Hard Knocks" is the kind of show that can DESTROY a football team ... so says NY Giants co-owner Steve Tisch.

Tisch -- and the entire Giants organization -- have made it clear the team will NEVER agree to participate in the HBO docu-series, and yesterday in L.A., Tisch explained why.

"I don't think it brings anything to the team," Tisch said ... "It's a bit of a distraction and I think it's sort of misleading for the players ... especially the young guys."

Tisch continued, "Even though It comes off as a documentary, you're asking young athletes to perform. Perform on the field ... don't perform in the locker room for a TV show."

"I don't think it's in the players' best interest."

Clearly, the Cincinnati Bengals don't feel the same way. They're currently participating on the show for the SECOND time.

This video is pretty great ... Kristin Cavallari messing with the paps after a night of clubbing in Hollywood -- shakin' 'em down for cab fare in exchange for a photo ... and it's awesome.

It's that classic KC bitchiness we all know and love ... with the reality star shaming the paparazzi for $5 outside Hooray Henry's in Hollywood -- "I just posed for you. Pony the f*ck up."

Eventually, one of the snappers opens his wallet ... but Kristin was clearly not impressed.

It's not like she needs the money -- her husband Jay Cutler is at the end of a 5-year $50 million contract.

At least one NBA star is willing to say it -- Kobe Bryant is a much tougher opponent than his airness, Michael Jordan was ... at least that's what Tracy McGrady hinted. (Pause for lightning bolts)

McGrady was responding to Kobe's recent comment that T-Mac was the hardest player he ever had to guard -- so, we expected him to throw a little praise back at Kobe.

But watch his comments at LAX -- McGrady wasn't just being nice ... and actually went out of his way to say it's "not even close" who his toughest assignment was on the court.

Remember, McGrady checked Jordan during MJ's final championship season in Chicago ... when he was older, but still making opponents look foolish (see Bryon Russell).

Lamar Odom has just dodged a bullet -- he will NOT be prosecuted for trashing a photog's equipment ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. City Attorney will not file criminal vandalism charges against Khloe's hubby for destroying a camera guy's equipment last month in Hollywood. Instead, as TMZ reported several days ago, the matter will be set for an informal hearing in the City Attorney's office.

The hearing is basically a sit down with both Lamar and the photog. The hearing office will explain the ground rules when there's a dispute between a celeb and the paparazzi. It's possible ... at the end of the hearing, Lamar could be ordered to attend anger management classes.

But short story ... victory for Lamar.

John Cena's elbow is on the road to looking quasi normal again after one of the most famous surgeons on the planet operated on the limb he destroyed during a live wrestling event just a few weeks ago.

Cena -- who injured his left arm during a match at a live event in July -- showed off the gnarly looking damage on Monday Night RAW a few nights ago ... and his elbow looked as big as a baseball!

Turns out, Cena had a massive tricep tear -- requiring surgery.

Enter Dr. James Andrews -- a living, breathing god in the sports world who's worked on superstars like Michael Jordan, Brett Favre, Jack Nicklaus, Troy Aikman, Charles Barkley, Robert Griffin III and even Bo Jackson.

Cena went under the knife this morning -- and emerged with a huge bandage on his arm -- but he was still in the mood to tweet, writing:

"Surgery went very well, Dr Andrews has more than done his part, now I will do mine."

Fun Fact – Going to the bathroom with one arm in a full cast is not fun.

Aaron Maybin's career took a surprising turn for the better last night -- 'cause after the linebacker was 86'd from the Cincinnati Bengals on "Hard Knocks," demand for his artwork went through the roof ... TMZ has learned.

Maybin's demise from the team was chronicled on the HBO docu-series last night -- along with his passion for painting. Cameras rolled as he worked on two pieces ... and his stuff was actually pretty good.

In fact, after the show ... Maybin tells TMZ his online gallery had “one of, if not THE biggest nights” of sales he’s ever seen.

AM says he was bummed out that his release from the team was televised -- telling us, "I turned my phone off last night, I just didn’t want to talk to anyone.” But when he turned it back on, Aaron says he was bombarded with messages from people asking how to get their hands on his artwork.

Maybin says he's feeling much better about his future today -- saying, "Regardless of whatever happens football-wise, I'm probably gonna make more money in my art career."

NBA star George Hill stands by his decision to ditch the Team USA basketball training camp to attend a kids charity event instead ... even if it means he blew his shot to don the red, white and blue.

The Pacers guard shocked the sports world last month, when he bailed on Team USA's invite-only camp to attend a bball camp for kids in Texas -- a move that could cost him any chance of making the team.

So when our photog spotted him in L.A. Sunday, he had to ask -- are there any regrets now that he's had a few weeks to reflect on blowing a HUGE opportunity?

Denver Nuggets player Ty Lawson and his girlfriend say their domestic violence arrests this past weekend were a GIANT misunderstanding -- and they're still together.

Ty and "Bad Girls Club" star Ashley King spent 3 days in jail after being arrested Saturday morning for domestic violence, stemming from a fight at Ty's Denver home.

Now sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... they simply had a bad night and the arrest was a misunderstanding. They are back at home, still together and focused on moving forward.

Ty and Ashley are due back in court Friday for their arraignment -- when they're hoping to put the entire case behind them.

High school marching bands are NOT to be trifled with -- just ask one Chicago woman, who claims she was attending a charity event for Dwyane Wade's foundation last year ... and took a beating to the head with a bass drum mallet.

Andrea Alexander filed the lawsuit against Wade's World (EXCELLENT!) claiming she had an aisle seat at the foundation's "Chicago Has Talent" event last year when a high school marching band blared and crashed its way past her.

Alexander claims the aisles were so narrow, one of the band's bass drummers whacked her in the head with his bass drum mallet ... causing her "severe and permanent injuries."

Alexander says its Dwyane's foundation's fault for negligently allowing the band to play in the narrow aisles ... and she wants at least $50,000 to make up for her pain and suffering.

11:20 AM PT Richie Incognito is a seriously forgiving dude ... telling us, "Football is an intense game. I've been there. Emotions run high. People lose their cool ... thank God no one got hurt."

No blood no foul in the case of the violent helmet swinging incident between Houston Texans Antonio Smith and Miami Dolphins Richie Incognito -- because Incognito is willing to let it slide ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the Dolphins offensive lineman tell us he has no plans to press criminal charges for the vicious altercation during Saturday's preseason game.

The video, first aired on FOX Sports 1, is ugly – while the players were grappling, Smith ripped off Incognito's helmet and swung it HARD right at his noggin.

We're told Incognito's totally fine, so at worst it was probably a grazing shot -- but considering NFL helmets weigh as much as 6 pounds of hard plastic -- Smith could've done some serious damage.

Houston police and the Harris County Sheriff tell us they would only take action against Smith ... if Incognito filed a complaint.

Denver Nuggets star Ty Lawson allegedly shoved his pregnant girlfriend before he was arrested for domestic violence on Saturday, this according to the police report -- but the girlfriend was arrested too.

According to the report, police were called to Lawson's Denver home around 9AM Saturday morning in response to a report of a domestic argument involving Lawson and his gf Ashley Pettiford -- aka Ashley King from "Bad Girls Club" -- who is six months pregnant.

When they arrived, Pettiford was crying, and explained that she and Lawson had been arguing because she overheard him talking to another woman on his phone the night before.

She told police she tried to pack her things to leave Lawson because she'd had enough, but he stopped her and pushed her onto their bed. She says she responded by throwing his phone and breaking it. Lawson then allegedly grabbed her phone and dunked it under water.

Pettiford said she knew her baby was okay despite the incident because she felt it moving afterward, but Lawson was still placed under arrest on suspicion of domestic violence, as well as criminal mischief (for throwing Pettiford's phone) and harassment.

Pettiford was arrested for criminal mischief (for destroying Lawson's phone) and domestic violence. They have both since been released on $1,000 bond.

It doesn't matter if they played like crap last night (and lost to the sorry ass Marlins), the Dodgers can GO CLUBBIN' all they want, as long as they stay in first place ... so says Magic Johnson.

The Dodgers played like crap last night -- with Yasiel Puig (0-for-5) and Carl Crawford (1-for-4) looking especially bad ... no surprise considering they hit the Miami nightclubs HARD just hours before the game.

But Dodgers co-owner Magic Johnson doesn't seem to mind an off night every now and then ... as long as the team keeps destroying the majority of their opponents.

"We just gotta come back and win tomorrow," Johnson said ... "They're grown men. They can hang out. They can party. I mean ... they're grown."

He added, "We're having a great season ... so, one game is not gonna hurt us."

Johnson said there will absolutely be NO disciplinary action taken against the players -- who dropped more than $20k at LIV nightclub early Monday morning while partying with LeBron James.

An official high up in the Dodgers organization tells TMZ ... "They party all the time. It's no big deal."

Miami Dolphins legend Mercury Morris ain't a fan of the N-word -- as in, Nixon ... Richard Nixon.

The unofficial mouthpiece for the undefeated '72 Super Bowl champs arrived in D.C. this week ... and told TMZ he’s glad his victory trip to the White House is coming 40 years after the fact -- so he doesn't have to deal with a racist President like Tricky Dick.

FYI -- The Fins never got a chance to meet the POTUS after their undefeated season because the President was dealing with some issues of his own at the time ... issues that rhyme with shmatergate.

But today, members of the team have finally been invited to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. to get their long-awaited congratulatory handshake from the Commander In Chief ... and running back Mercury Morris is pumped.

The best part of the encounter -- we asked MM if he would rather meet Obama or Nixon, and he couldn't have been more clear ... telling us, "OH PLEASE MAN. Didn't you see the Nixon tapes? He may have called me a name man."

QUICK HISTORY LESSON -- "The Nixon Tapes” were explosive recordings in which R.N. could be heard referring to black people as ... well, do we really need to spell it out?

Of course, the '72 Fins aren't the only team to finish the regular season undefeated -- the 2007 Pats also accomplished the feat. But you won't see them at the White House anytime soon ... thanks to Eli Manning and one sticky helmet.

Competitive eating superstar Joey Chestnut shockingly lost a battle against newcomer Matt Stonie -- but by inhaling a few less gyoza he might actually win a war ... on heart disease.

Now serving silver linings!