TMZ Sports - Page 50

Listen up Cubs fans, the Curse of the dreaded Billy Goat's about to end, courtesy of some famed competitive eaters -- including the legendary Kobayashi -- and a 40 lb. spit roasted goat.

Pro eaters Tim Brown and L.A. Beast tell TMZ Sports they came up with a genius plot while boozing in Chi town Monday night ... "We said, 'lets eat a f**king goat! We can reverse the curse!!'"

So, L.A. and Tim called Kobayashi and "Deep Dish" Bertoletti to tag team the goat. Their only problem was ... WHERE to do the deed? Naturally, they wanted a spot as close to Wrigley, but Brown says, "This morning we called bars around Wrigleyville, but no one would have us."

After 70-years under the curse, superstition runs deep ... so Brown kinda gets it. "If we don't finish the goat, they don't wanna be associated with re-cursing the Cubs."

The guys are still going for it. They'll begin chowing down at 7:30 PM local time at "Deep Dish" and Tim's restaurant called Taco in a Bag. It's not near Wrigley, but it could work.

Then again, the Cubs are already a virtual lock for the playoffs (as a wild card team). One might say, why rock the boat?

UFC legend Tank Abbott is doubling down on his attack on female fighters -- saying NO WOMAN belongs in the octagon ... including Ronda Rousey.

Tank appeared on "TMZ Hollywood Sports' today after claiming he would post a $100k prize to any woman who could beat him in a fight ... but they would have to make him a sandwich if they lost.

Abbott -- who admits he'd been boozing -- says he's dead serious noting ... "I'll smack the living daylights out of any woman."

When asked what he would say to someone calling him a chauvinist pig -- Tank replied, "I'd say you're right and vote for Donald Trump."

Justin Bieber's BFF Lil Za had a better chance of fighting a jail cellmate than taking on an opponent in a boxing ring -- but the guy's turned his life around, and now he's throwing KO punches.

Za got pretty famous for getting in a ton of trouble with Bieber over the last couple of years -- he was busted for drugs during the infamous egging raid in Calabasas. The 21-year-old tells us, "When all that madness was going on, I decided to grab a hold of myself and do something positive."

Za's been training hard for the last year, and as you can tell from the video ... kid's got some skills. He came on TMZ Live to tell us about making the big change.

It's the shot James Harden's people don't want you to see ... the NBA star wearing Nikes -- AGAIN -- despite the fact he just signed a $200 MILLION deal with Adidas.

Harden was leaving his hotel in NYC -- when someone in his entourage aggressively tried to block the shot. And why? Maybe it had something to do with the Swooshes on his feet.

As we previously reported, Harden's deal with Adidas doesn't begin until Oct. 1st ... but the shoe company has made it clear to him they'd rather NOT see him out in public in Nikes!!!

There are reports that Harden is still under contract with Nike until Sept. 30th ... so, he's kind of between a rock and a hard place.

Who do you appease ... your soon-to-be-ex-employer or the people about to pay you $200 MILLION??

Side note ... Harden's PR person -- also wearing Nike.

SHOE WARS!!!!!

Becoming a Russian citizen won't make Roy Jones Jr. the Kremlin's most feared fighter ... 'Cause Dolph Lundgren says his "Rocky IV" character Ivan Drago would kick RJJ's ass.

Lundgren was out in Beverly Hills when we asked about Vladimir Putin recently granting Jones an honorary citizenship during a ceremony in Moscow.

That's when Dolph hit Roy harder than Drago hit Apollo ... cause when our guy asked if Roy could take the fake Russian killing machine ... Lungdren talked some real smack.

Big step for Serena and Drake ... the tennis star jetted up to Canada for the opening of Drake's restaurant Monday night -- and hung out with the rapper's mother!!

Drake was in Toronto to launch his new eatery Fring's ("I got onion rings, gotta lotta onion rings") ... along with the two ladies in his life.

Serena looked smokin' hot -- high heels and a pencil skirt -- and according to people inside, there was the usual restaurant PDA with Drake.

Unclear how much time Serena spent with Drake's mom -- but we're told the music was so loud inside, it would have been tough to have that "So, you're dating my son" conversation anyway.

As for Drake, he posted a pic from inside the restaurant with his mom ... calling her his "one and only."

No word if Drake's dad showed up -- after we spoke with him last time, seems he was also waiting for some quality time with his son's new boo.

Manny Pacquiao has some pretty passionate fans ... including a dude in Tokyo who spotted PacMan in a Louis Vuitton store and IMMEDIATELY dropped $2,500 on a bag for the boxer to sign.

UFC superstar Nick Diaz says he's devastated over the 5 year ban he got in Nevada after testing positive for weed ... telling TMZ Sports, "I have to figure out how to make a living."

"It's upsetting," Diaz told us when asked about the punishment dished out by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

"I held off on having kids and getting married so I could fight. I gave my life to this. I am a fighter. It's what I am. A lot of guys have to worry about what their wives and kids think, I don't. All my attention goes towards fighting, and now I don't know if I can fight. They've taken it away from me."

Diaz says he's been paying special attention to his finances in the wake of the suspension -- "I'm just trying to make ends meet."

We also asked Diaz how he felt about his close friend Ronda Rousey having his back when she blasted the NSAC earlier this month.

"She didn't need to do that. I don't know if she caught heat for it ... I hope she didn't. But Ronda understands how I am. She's like me, only a girl. A prize fighter. She's a great friend."

So, what's Nick's plan moving forward?

"I've been hearing other states' athletic commissions are angry about the ruling, so hopefully I'll be able to fight in those states."

7-fingered bench press? No problem.

After critics said Jason Pierre Paul's disfigured hand would be a huge hurdle when it comes to weight training, the NY Giants star hit the gym ... to prove he can still lift weights, despite missing digits.

JPP busted out a set of bench presses -- with a towel in his right hand to stabilize the bar.

It's the second time Jason's posted training footage -- in an effort to prove he can still be effective in the NFL after seriously damaging his hand in a fireworks accident.

You convinced?

Floyd Mayweather was downright flabbergasted when he learned UFC star Nick Diaz had been suspended for 5 years after testing positive for weed ... and his reaction was all caught on video.

Floyd was talking to the Mayweather Boxing Channel when he was informed about the punishment handed out by the Nevada State Athletic Commission ... and responded:

"HUH!?!?"

He continued, "Man, let that man smoke weed and enjoy his life."

Finally, Floyd and Ronda Rousey are on the same page ...

This is pretty cool ... Buffalo Bills safety Aaron Williams received an outpouring of love from teammates and Patriots players after suffering a neck injury on Sunday -- with one teammate bringing over a home cooked meal ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Williams was hospitalized after a nasty collision with Julian Edelman on Sunday -- but was released a short time later.

We spoke with Aaron's mom, Val Williams, who tells us she was "terrified" during the incident -- especially because she was at the game and tried to get to her son while he was down on the field.

"I was at the 28th row and ran all the way down to the 1st row when I saw he wasn’t moving ... people were just praying with me."

The next day, Val says Aaron's teammates went above and beyond to show their support.

"Corey Graham (safety) came over to his house and his wife made some food for Aaron, and the whole team has just been coming in bunches checking on him just seeing what he needs offered him rides to work."

Aaron's dad, Anthony, says his son's even getting love from the enemy -- Patriots players and fans ... including Pats DT Malcolm Brown, who called to check in.

UFC icon Tank Abbott says there's NO WOMAN on Earth who could beat him in a fight -- Ronda Rousey included -- because at the end of the day ... "She's a girl."

C'mon, this is just adorable ...

Check out Adrian Peterson and his son Adrian Peterson Jr. slappin' high-fives with Minnesota Vikings fans outside TCF Bank Stadium on Sunday ... right after AP dominated the Detroit Lions.

The pics are cute -- AP2 had a custom #28 jersey with the name "Daddy" across the back ... and a huge smile across his face.

When it comes to the Tampa Bay Bucs logo ... Bucco Bruce is out. Jameis Winston is in ... at least according to JW's dad.

Check out the shirt Jameis' dad, Antonor Winston, rocked to the game in New Orleans this weekend, spotted by NFL Network reporter Jeff Darlington (and brought to our attention by BSO).

A Nevada state senator is coming out swinging in defense of UFC superstar Nick Diaz -- claiming his 5 year ban for weed is a complete load of crap.

TMZ Sports spoke with Senator Tick Segerblom of Senate District 3 -- which includes parts of Las Vegas -- who says he's not happy with the punishment doled out by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

"I think what they did was totally inappropriate," Tick says ... "[marijuana] is a recognized medicine in the Nevada constitution so how can you punish someone for taking medicine, particularly since it doesn’t enhance your ability to fight?"

He added, "They need to rethink this punishment and then ultimately change their rules."

FYI -- Diaz tested positive for weed after his UFC 183 fight in January.

It's a battle of the beards!

Two elite quarterbacks Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts (left) and Ryan Fitzpatrick of the New York Jets (right) are having a fuzzy face-off for tonight's big Monday Night Football game.