TMZ Sports - Page 50

Uncle Sam must have been THRILLED when Santonio Holmes signed his $50 million contract with the NY Jets back in July ... 'cause it may have helped the NFL star FINALLY pay off a 6-figure tax debt.

TMZ has learned ... the federal government had obtained a tax lien against the former Super Bowl hero back in March to the tune of $175,482.92 ... after Holmes allegedly screwed the IRS out of income tax for 2009.

But back in August -- after he signed the mega-deal -- Santonio paid off the debt ... and is now even-Steven with the gov ... this according to official docs filed in Florida.

Brock Lesnar knows when to hang it up. He announced he was quitting the whole MMA thing after suffering a lightning fast loss to Alistair Overeem last night at UFC 141.

Lesnar was floored by a brutal kick to the stomach and the fight was stopped at the 2:26 mark of round one. He said after the fight, "I've had a really difficult couple of years with my disease, and I'm going to officially say tonight is the last time."

The former pro wrestling star fought only three times in the last 2.5 years while battling a lower-intestinal disease that nearly killed him.

L.A. Lakers star Andrew Bynum FOR THREE ... run-ins with police in the month in December!!!

Law enforcement sources tell us ... Bynum was pulled over by Culver City PD in early December for allegedly trying to pass another vehicle ... by crossing a divider and driving on the wrong side of the road.

We're told Bynum was cited for illegal passing and sent on his way ... and was extremely cooperative with the officers.

Here's the rub -- the incident went down JUST DAYS BEFORE Bynum earned himself two more driving tickets on separate occasions -- one for tinted tail lights and a missing license plate, and one for speeding.

It hasn't been a great month for the NBA player -- dude had to serve a 4 game suspension for elbowing JJ Barrea during the playoffs last year (below).

MLB superstar Ryan Braun -- the 2011 National League MVP -- says he will not hide from allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs ... telling TMZ, "My day will come."

TMZ broke the story ... MLB sources say Braun's dirty test was caused by medication for a private medical issue.

Usain Bolt is fast ... especially when he's POUNDING ALCOHOL ... and TMZ has the photos to prove it.

The fastest man on the planet went to Jamaica for the holidays to hang out with his parents ... but dude made some time to have a little fun Wednesday at a beach party in Kingston.

We're told Bolt rolled up to the blowout sandbar party in a yacht filled with girls and quickly joined the drunken festivities ... hitting a booze bong and chugging Patron X.O. Cafe ... a coffee-flavored tequila.

Once again, it seems nobody on the planet can keep up with this guy.

The Lakers are now 1 and 2 for the season, but Andrew Bynum's record this week is even worse -- he's 0 and 2 on the streets of L.A.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Bynum was pulled over Tuesday for driving without a license plate and having illegally tinted tail lights. Bynum walked away with a fix-it ticket.

But it was not lesson learned, because today Bynum was pulled over in his Porsche 911 on the freeway for going over 80 mph. Bynum was cited and released.

Truth be told, Bynum has actually slowed it down, because last year he was cited for driving 110 mph on an L.A. freeway in his Ferrari.

Deion Sanders' estranged wife is a "gold diggin h*e" who has been screwing around behind Deion's back ... this according to the NFL star's daughter.

Deiondra Sanders -- Deion's 19-year-old daughter from a previous relationship -- just BLASTED her step-mom on her Twitter account ... claiming Pilar Sanders has been a TERRIBLE wife to her famous father.

Before she unleashed, Deiondra apologized to her father -- claiming Deion "is going to be very upset at me 4 he always takes the higher route."

Then ... she GOES OFF -- claiming Pilar straight up LIED when she claimed she found out Deion filed for divorce on TMZ.com.

Deiondra writes, "#HowYouDidntKnow but yo boxes have been packed for weeks now."

She adds, "HowYoTopPriorityBeen yo marriage and yo kids when u flying out to see other n**gas ... yeah we know."

Deiondra added, "All u had to do was be a supportive wife. Only thing u ever cared about doing with my dad is reality shows."

"Pilar stop tryna play the victim. Maybe if u would of actually loved my dad and not loved the life he gave you we would be here today."

Pilar's lawyer, Larry Friedman, tells TMZ ... "Marriage is a relationship between two adults and it doesn’t involve engaging this kind of faceless accusations made by his child."

2010 Heisman Trophy finalist LaMichael James went to Disneyland with a few of his Oregon teammates the other day ... and it was SOOOOO SCARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

James and the Ducks will face Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on January 2. Fear is not an option.

Just days before the New England Patriots took on the Miami Dolphins this week ... Robert Kraft's son was focused on another big football game ... in Israel.

TMZ has learned ... Daniel Kraft flew into Jerusalem a few days ago to check in on the Israel Football League ... a 10-team semi-pro organization largely supported by the Kraft family.

The family is so involved with the league -- the field was named Kraft Stadium.

On Thursday, Daniel and his son were honored at the annual Hanukkah Bowl -- with his son lighting the menorah on night #3.

After Daniel greeted the crowd in Hebrew, the Judean Rebels beat the living kreplach out of the Jerusalem Kings ... 66 to 20.

Lenny Dykstra's baseball stud son will now have a famous fan in the stands -- TMZ has learned, a judge just granted Nails' petition to get some time off house arrest ... just to watch his 16-year-old boy play ball.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Lenny is now permitted to leave his CA residence to attend his son's remaining baseball games this season -- but there are rules ... Dykstra must get prior approval before each game he plans to attend.

Dykstra's son Luke -- a high school sophomore -- is a baseball superstar, who batted .383 with 29 runs, 15 RBIs, 10 doubles during his freshman year. He was also named to the MaxPreps.com Freshman All-American team.

Deion Sanders' wife says the former NFL star didn't have the stones to personally tell her he wants a divorce ... shockingly, she learned about the move by checking TMZ.com.

Pilar Sanders' lawyer, Larry Friedman, tells us she was "heartbroken and surprised when [she] read ... that Deion announced his decision, on his own, to end their marriage."

Pilar's lawyer adds, "Pilar's sole focus and top priority for the last 12.5 years has been her marriage and children. Based on recent discoveries, [Pilar] now realizes that Deion did not view their family the same way."

Friedman would not reveal any details about the "recent discoveries" to which he referred.

Friedman tells us Pilar has NOT negotiated a divorce settlement with Deion -- but says she fully intends to protect herself and her children.

Translation -- this divorce ain't gonna come cheap.

Still, Pilar says she isn't 100% convinced the marriage is dead ... chalking up Deion's recent behavior to a "temporary lapse of judgment" ... and insisting she's "confident that he will come to his senses and return to his family as he has in the past."

He told you he was gonna do it ... and now TMZ has learned, Deion Sanders has officially filed for divorce from his wife Pilar.

In the documents, Deion states he and Pilar "ceased to live together as husband and wife" on Dec. 21, the date the petition for divorce was filed in Texas.

Deion continues, "The marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict" ... which "prevents any reasonable expectation of reconciliation."

Deion announced his intentions to get divorced earlier this month -- claiming, "Pilar and I have decided to end our marriage and move on to the next phase of our individual lives with mutual respect."

Deion and Pilar were married on May 21, 1999. They have 3 children together. Attempts to reach Pilar were unsuccessful.

Jerry Sandusky and his wife are kicking around the idea of doing a major TV interview TOGETHER ... but first, he must decide ... Oprah or Barbara Walters??

Attorney Joe Amendola reportedly told PennLive.com, Jerry and Dottie Sandusky are "considering speaking together publicly after the new year ... either to Oprah Winfrey, '60 Minutes,' 'Rock Center' or Barbara Walters."

It's unclear if anyone has actually made an offer to the Sanduskys ... or if it's simply wishful thinking on the part of Amendola.

This may explain the shindig at Amendola's house earlier this month, when he invited reporters and producers from various outlets to watch a football game. Amendola held court as all the media types tried to score an interview. The party ended with an NBC producer getting busted for DUI.

As we previously reported, Dottie has lashed out at the allegations in the past ... claiming the accusers simply MADE UP stories about being abused by the former Penn State assistant football coach.

Attempts to reach Oprah and Babs were unsuccessful.

Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti -- who currently holds the world record for downing nearly 17 corned beef sandwiches in 10 minutes -- went down in Hanukkah history on Friday ... guzzling two full bottles of Manischewitz in less than a minute.

It's his first Christmas without the Macho Man, but Randy Savage's little brother isn't leaving him behind ... writing an emotional poem in memory of the wrestling legend -- just for the holidays.

Lanny Poffo recites the poem in a typically theatrical Savage family fashion -- and it's pretty awesome, especially if you're a Macho Man fan ... which should be everyone.

And now, our favorite stanza:

His name was Randy Poffo
He became the Macho Man
Randy Savage made it cool
Just to be his fan

Strike One -- Texas Rangers catcher Mike Napoli allegedly bails on a Dec. 3 autograph session at a Florida sports memorabilia shop just TWO WEEKS before the event ... according to a new lawsuit.

Strike Two -- The shop is owned by Willie McCoy -- a guy who says he's been friends with Napoli since they were 7-years-old ... and thought he could depend on the guy.

Strike Three -- McCoy says his business has been "financially crippled" since the no-show ... and claims he didn't even have enough cash to stock his store with merchandise for the holiday season.

Post-game analysis -- McCoy claims he blew more than $4k on the event -- for things like promotional material, baseballs for Napoli to sign, etc. .... and now he wants Napoli to foot the bill.

Moral of the story -- DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH FRIENDS!!