TMZ Sports - Page 50

The International Olympic Committee just announced wrestling WON'T be axed from the 2020 Tokyo Games after all ... and one of the biggest stars in the sport couldn't be more thrilled.

TMZ spoke with Rulon Gardner -- former "Biggest Loser" contestant and gold medal winner at the 2000 Sydney Games -- who tells us the IOC's ruling made his day.

Rulon says he still can't believe the sport was ever on the chopping block to begin with ... but he's pumped "wrestling will showcase it's greatness to the world once again."

As for the other sports nixed from the 2020 Games, like squash, they're still out ... because no one cares about squash.

Ex-Golden State Warriors Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond took it to the hole yesterday in L.A. -- the holes on their faces ... and we got video of their frozen yogurt get-together.

The two basketball stars were hanging outside of Menchies Frozen Yogurt in Calabasas and told us they're "friends for life" who kick it all the time.

Check out the video to hear their thoughts on modern day basketball and the perks of retirement.

Craig James -- a star at SMU and a former member of the New England Patriots in the '80s -- ran for a senate seat in Texas. During a 2012 debate, he had some choice words: Gay people "would answer to the Lord for their actions," and being gay was a choice.

James was hired last month by Fox Sports Southwest and then reportedly fired after just one appearance. According to the Dallas Morning News, an unnamed Fox Sports honcho said, "We just asked ourselves how Craig's statements would play in our human resources department."

Apparently Fox didn't fully vet the dude. The question -- should he be sacked for statements he made before coming on board?

It's that time of the year ... THE NFL IS BACK ... which means it's time for our resident sports expert Harvey Levin to start picking winners!!!!

First up, The New York Giants vs. the Dallas Cowboys!!!

And heeeeeeeeere we go!!

Evan: Who ya got ... New York or Dallas?
Harvey: Wait, the Giants or the Jets?

Evan: I already told you the Giants
Harvey: Oh right. Well, given that it's the Giants I'm definitely going with the Giants.

Evan: Why?
Harvey: Because I think Steve Tisch is awesome and I think the fact that he has 2 Super Bowl rings makes me as confident as Sully flying an airplane ... and I loved 'Forrest Gump.'

Evan: But Jerry Jones has 3 Super Bowl rings
Harvey: But he doesn't have an Oscar ... and that's gotta count for something.

Evan: In football?
Harvey: Sure. Football is a theatrical sport. Just watch what they do in the endzone.

Lamar Odom's crack cocaine addiction had reached such dangerous levels ... even his dealer thought the NBA star had gone over the edge, and cut off his supply last week, TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to the dealer tell us, the crack slinger had delivered the drug to Lamar all summer, but last week, Lamar was insatiable ... calling incessantly and demanding more and more crack. His go-to dealer apparently got scared enough to cut Lamar off.

No surprise ... the dealer wasn't really concerned about Lamar's welfare. He was worried about his own ass -- scared Lamar could die and authorities would come down on him.

Chad Johnson has made his triumphant return to the NFL ... to analyze fantasy football.

The ex-Ochocinco tweeted about the new gig where he will be working alongside a panel of fantasy football nerds to give his formerly expert opinion for CBS Sports starting tomorrow

The former Dolphin's receiver lost his position as a star player last year when he was arrested for head-butting his now ex-wife Evelyn Lozada.

Jui Jitsu master Rodrigo Gracie -- a member of the legendary Gracie MMA fighting family -- is begging the court for protection against an allegedly drunk and violent enemy ... TMZ has learned.

In one corner ... 6'0", 185-pound Gracie -- a 5th degree black belt and 4-time Pride fighting winner.

In the other corner ... 5'3", 135-pound woman named Tiffany -- who lives in an apartment above Gracie's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio in Torrance, CA.

Rodrigo filed a request for a restraining order against Tiffany last month, claiming she's been terrorizing his training center:

"[Tiffany has been] cursing, yelling, hitting my door, hitting the glass ... knocked a hole in my door ... comes drunk every time."

The judge sided with Rodrigo ... at least for now ... granting a temporary restraining order against Tiffany, requiring her to stop pestering Rodrigo and his studio.

The case is due back in court later this month -- when Rodrigo will likely ask the court for more permanent protection from his allegedly pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

Attempts to reach Tiffany were unsuccessful.

Diana Nyad really left her mark when she completed her record-setting swim from Cuba to Florida -- meaning she left the warm Gulf Stream waters ... even warmer.

Take that sharks, and jellyfish, and stingrays, and ...

Lamar Odom just left an L.A. sushi restaurant with a friend ... where he ordered no sushi.

Lamar was there for lunch ... a very light lunch, consisting of a bowl of miso soup and 2 green teas.

Lamar barely touched the soup, and spent most of the time ignoring his friend while he chatted on his phone.

The staff tells TMZ ... Lamar was nice enough. The bill came to a whopping $7. Lamar plunked down a 20 and went on his not-so-merry way.

There are reports Lamar is getting outpatient treatment for his crack problem.

11:13 AM PT -- Hernandez just pled not guilty to all the charges. A pretrial date has been set for October 9th.

Former NFL star Aaron Hernandez is scheduled to be arraigned this morning on charges he murdered 27-year-old semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd. He's expected to plead not guilty ... and we're streaming live inside the courtroom.

As we reported, Hernandez has long insisted he's innocent.

23-year-old Hernandez was formally indicted last month, when he was hit with a laundry list of criminal charges, including 1st degree murder, carrying a firearm, possession of a firearm, possession of a high-capacity firearm or feeding device, and 2 counts of possession of ammunition.

American swimming legend Diana Nyad finally returned home to L.A. last night after her historic Cuba to Florida swim ... and told TMZ she got some new "homies" after the feat ... Barack and Michelle Obama.

The 64-year-old ultra-athlete received a hero's welcome when she arrived at LAX (balloons, kazoos, posters) ... and of course, we needed to know one thing -- how much did she pee out there??

Nyad's answer --well, let's just say she may have raised the water table in the Atlantic.

Diana also told us about how she stayed safe from possible shark attacks. Interesting stuff.

Bottom line -- Diana's a friggin' STUD.

Lamar Odom fell deep into the world of hardcore drugs during a wild summer in Hollywood ... where he spent as much as $1,000 in a single day to fuel his growing addiction to crack -- according to sources familiar with the situation.

TMZ broke the story Lamar was hooked on crack -- but now we've learned just how bad it got in the last few months.

We're told Lamar's habit picked up speed when he moved out of his home with Khloe Kardashian, and into Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel with a friend in late May ... after the NBA season ended.

We're told the hotel room was used like a flop house ... where Lamar was surrounded by his pal and 7 or 8 other drug abusers -- strangers -- who came in and out of the room throughout the day and night ... for several months straight.

According to sources, Odom was dropping -- on average -- $800 per day, but sometimes more, for multiple drugs, including crack.

By the way, if $800 worth of crack sounds like a huge amount of drugs for one person ... it is. But we're told Lamar sometimes shared his huge score. Plus, drug dealers often charge rich customers premium prices.

As we first told you, Khloe kept Lamar's drug addiction secret for at least 2 years -- but after this summer she decided enough was enough ... telling him if he didn't get treatment, she would pull the plug on their marriage.

Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant's wives having dinner together in L.A. means only one thing -- 'Melo is totally gonna ditch the Knicks for the Lakers!

Or maybe Vanessa and La La were just hungry. Nah!!

Boxing champ Tommy Morrison -- who starred in "Rocky 5" -- died from a blood infection ... so says his death certificate which contains no mentions of either HIV or AIDS, TMZ has learned.

According to his death certificate, filed in Nebraska, the 44-year-old died from cardiac arrest ... stemming from a blood infection known as Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Septicemia.

FYI -- back in 1996, Morrison announced he had contracted the HIV virus ... but later recanted and questioned if the disease even existed in the first place.

Lamar Odom has NOT checked himself in to rehab ... sources connected to the NBAer tell TMZ.

There are reports out that Lamar checked himself in ... we've been making calls for the last day and just got what we're told is the definitive word ... he's not there.

Lamar has gone off the radar with the Kardashian family for the last few days. Khloe -- who has made it clear she will end the marriage if he doesn't get help -- has heard nothing from him.

Khloe Kardashian is totally unaware her estranged husband Lamar Odom entered a rehab facility -- despite the fact she lead the charge for him to get help in the first place ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the couple tell us Khloe never got so much as a heads-up about Lamar's plans, and was completely blindsided by the report he's checked in for treatment.

We're told one big reason for that is Khloe and Lamar have not been talking at all since she issued an ultimatum last weekend -- get help or our marriage is over -- intending to force his hand on the issue of rehab.

As we previously reported ... Lamar started a treatment program last summer in San Diego, but bailed after only 3 weeks.

One source says although Khloe's been kept outside the loop this time -- she does hope wherever Lamar is ... he's actually getting professional help.