TMZ Sports - Page 50

The Westboro Baptist Church is just a bunch of "awful people" ... and Charles Barkley says he hopes they all get their asses kicked for boycotting an openly gay basketball player.

We asked Sir Charles how he felt about the church targeting Seton Hall's Derrick Gordon -- the first openly gay man to play in the NCAA tournament ... and Chuck went off!!!

"I really hate them sumbitches," Barkley said ... "Hopefully, somebody will beat the hell out of those Westboro people."

Ex-UFC star Mayhem Miller was arrested again -- this time for vandalizing a tattoo shop -- and officials have set his bail at a whopping $1 MILLION ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Miller -- who's previously been arrested for DUI, fighting cops and domestic violence -- was taken into custody Tuesday stemming from an incident back in January when officers say the 35-year-old vandalized the ink shop in Orange County, CA with graffiti.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, Miller's bail was set at $1,000,000!!!!!

We're told the number is so high because Miller was out on bail at the time for a previous felony and has a deep, DEEP criminal record.

Ex-Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves was arraigned in his sexual assault case Wednesday morning -- pleaded not guilty to the charges -- and was ultimately released on bond.

As we previously reported, the 39-year-old -- who also played in the NBA -- has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a motel room last year. The woman, 24, says she escaped after the assault and got help from someone in a nearby room.

Cleaves was charged with:
-- Unlawful Imprisonment (15-year maximum penalty)
-- Assault with Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Penetration (10 year maximum penalty)
-- Criminal Sexual Conduct 2nd Degree (15-year maximum penalty)
-- Two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct 3rd Degree (15-years maximum penalty).

Moments ago, the judge let Cleaves out on a $150,000 personal recognizance bond -- which means he promised to show up to the next hearing ... and if he doesn't, he'll be forced to pay $150k.

The prosecutor in the case is PISSED ... claiming Cleaves is receiving undeserved special treatment -- specially because his arraignment was moved up a day without her knowledge.

"I don't know how they do things in Genesee County but we try our best to be as transparent as possible when my office is involved," prosecutor Kym Worthy said.

"There was an agreement with all of the parties that the defendant would turn himself in and be arraigned in open court‎ tomorrow -- not for him to have a back door arraignment."

Kristin Cavallari says reports that Jay Cutler was the one who called off their engagement in 2011 are JUST WRONG -- insinuating SHE was the one who dumped him.

The breakup was big news back then ... especially since they announced the split RIGHT AFTER Kristin did a wedding dress photo shoot to publicize the wedding. People thought Jay was pretty cold-hearted.

But now, 5 years later, Kristin is saying everyone (including People, which reported she got dumped) was wrong ... and she went on "Wake Up With Taylor" on SiriusXM to tell her side of the split.

"All the tabloids said that Jay broke up with me, called off the engagement ... and I was like, what the f**k? That's not true! But I didn't say anything 'cause I didn't think it was anybody's business."

Of course, they ended up getting back together a few months later anyway and getting married ... and having a bunch of kids.

As if Michael Jordan had anything left to prove on the basketball court ... now a streetball legend is saying his crossover dribble is so deadly, he could totally bust MJ up with it if he got the chance.

The streetball legend is Bone Collector, a man who routinely makes guys look stupid with a lighting quick crossover he's been flashing as part of the Ball Up basketball tour for years.

We got BC out in L.A. and asked him if there is anyone who he thinks he COULDN'T make look silly with the rock in his hand. Shocker, he says everyone could get it ... even Mr. Jumpman himself.

BTW -- if you were ever wondering which celebrity has the best handles, Bone tells us ... and we'll give you a hint ... it's probably who you think it is.

Fear not, raging homophobes ... when the first openly gay man to play in the NCAA tournament takes the court in Denver Thursday, the a-holes from the Westboro Baptist Church have vowed to be there to picket.

Nothing fake about this ... WWE superstar Neville was so distraught after breaking his ankle during a televised match this week, he nearly cried when the WWE doctor confirmed the injury.

Check out this video of Neville getting checked out by Dr. Chris Amann after his match at "Raw" ... you can see how heartbroken Neville was to learn that his injury was most likely a fracture.

(You can see video of the actual injury here ... but it's nasty)

WWE eventually confirmed what Amann suspected ... the ankle was broken.

The good news ... Neville won't need surgery -- and he's only expected to miss 2 to 3 months.

How well does Todd Gurley know his Roc Nation boss Jay Z? Enough that he can destroy a TMZ camera guy who thought the Rams running back might be light on hip-hop knowledge.

Gurley was at LAX when we asked him about being mentored by Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson ​and what that's meant to him as a man and football player.

TG told our guy that Dickerson basically told him not to be a damn fool -- good advice -- but it was when we challenged him to name three albums by Hova for $100 that he kinda made a fool out of us.

Check it out -- Gurley calmly rattles off the three answers like he's shredding an NFL defense and proving his loyalty to the Roc.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson got a makeover for his most prized possession ... the iconic 'A-Team' van, and says it's finally worthy of a viewing from Mr. T himself.

Producers hooked up the ex-UFC champ after he played B.A. Baracus ... gifting him the van he and the crew mobbed around in for the 2010 'A-Team' flick. We're told it had been sitting in a garage for years and the paint job was jacked.

Enter the guys at L.A. Street Customs -- we're told Rampage took his baby to their shop in North Hollywood to make it presentable again. Check out the unveiling. Luckily for everyone involved ... Rampage seems happy.

No need to pity a fool ... this time.

While Kanye's slashing his prices, the competition's going up -- WAY up, as in $4 million for a single pair of sneakers, and for some reason people are lining up to buy 'em.

The shoe is called "The Fire Monkey," but it's really just Dwyane Wade's Li-Ning Way of Wade 4 ... with several hundred carats of white diamonds and sapphires strategically added!

The ridiculous baller design is a collabo between Bicion, owned by "Growing Up Hip Hop" star Egypt Criss (Pepa's daughter) and Mache Customs.

A Bicion employee posted a brief peek at a pair that's only 60% completed. Our shoe sources say that was enough for 2 potential buyers -- from the Middle East and China -- who are flying to NYC next week to see the finished product.

The folks suing Mark Wahlberg and The Rock for allegedly ripping off the idea for the HBO show "Ballers" have now put a price tag on the lawsuit ... $200 MILLION.

As we reported, Everette Silas and Sherri Littleton filed the lawsuit in December, claiming there are 27 similarities between "Ballers" and a show they created back in 2007 called "Off Season."

"Ballers" -- a show in which The Rock is a retired football player who becomes a financial advisor -- has been picked up for a second season.

Silas and Littleton claim they brought the idea to Wahlberg, The Rock and their managers in 2009 but the project fell apart over a creative credit. They claim the similarities include

-- Both "Ballers" and "Off Season" are about football players and their lives off-field

-- Both are set in Miami

-- Both center around African-American athletes

Eddie George was SO GOOD as the lead in the Broadway run of "Chicago" that producers offered him a new deal to take the show to L.A. ... where his new co-star will be BRANDY!!

The ex-NFL star just wrapped up his 7 week run in NYC as Billy Flynn ... and "Chicago" producer Barry Weissler tells TMZ Sports the guy is the REAL DEAL onstage.

"Eddie is a singing, dancing, acting champ. He's all American, all Pro, all CHICAGO."

So, how does George feel about the situation?? He's pumped ... especially about the whole Brandy thing.

"Sharing the stage with Brandy!? Are you kidding me? I’m more excited about that than anything else. I’ve followed her through her music and acting career – she killed it in New York as Roxie (last year)."

We're told the show will hit the Hollywood Pantages Theater starting in April -- and Eddie says it's a huge opportunity to continue to grow his already booming acting career.

"While I’m in LA ... it's like one big audition," George said. "I still get to stay active in auditions and meet casting directors."

"I want people to know that I’m serious about this and I’m not doing this for sh*ts and giggles."

Herschel Walker says he still believes in Robert Griffin III -- and says he'd LOVE to see his former owner Jerry Jones sign the QB to the Cowboys, ASAP.

"I know RG3 can play," Walker told TMZ Sports ... "[he] just gotta find a team that's gonna believe in him."

Walker says his Boys would be the perfect fit -- though it's unclear if he likes RG as a starter or a backup ... especially with 35-year-old Tony Romo coming off a pretty serious injury.

Best video of the day ... 107-year-old Virginia McLaurin bustin' out some HOOP TRICKS with the Harlem Globetrotters!!!

Of course, Virginia made headlines dancing with Barack and Michelle Obama earlier this year -- and now, her encore was a performance with one of the most famous basketball teams of all time!

The guys hit up Roots Public Charter School in Washington D.C. -- where Virginia still serves as a volunteer -- and got her out of her seat for some Globetrotter-style hijinks!

One of the people behind The Fappening -- the hacking and release of nude pics and vids belonging to more than a dozen celebrities -- was busted by the feds, and is now pleading guilty.

Ryan Collins was charged with unauthorized access to a protected computer. The feds say Collins is responsible for hacking into the computers of more than 100 victms -- at least 18 of them famous -- and downloading their photos and videos.

According to the docs, he got in through Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts between Nov. 1, 2012 and Sep. 2, 2014 ... using a phishing scheme.

Some of the famous Fappening victims included Kate Upton, Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst and Hope Solo. It's unclear if Collins hacked their accounts in particular. He has not been charged with leaking the material to the public.

Former Michigan State basketball star Mateen Cleaves -- who was the backbone of the 2000 National Championship team -- has been charged with multiple crimes in connection to an alleged sexual assault.

Officials say 39-year-old Cleaves sexually assaulted a woman he met during a charity golf event back in 2015.

Cleaves allegedly took the woman to a motel in Grand Blanc, Michigan on Sept. 15th after offering her a ride home from a nearby bar ... and held her in the room against her will and sexually assaulted her.

The 24-year-old woman says she was able to escape and got help from someone in a nearby room.

Cleaves has now been charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration, criminal sexual conduct in the 2nd degree and 2 counts of criminal sexual conduct in the 3rd degree.

If convicted on all counts, Cleaves faces SERIOUS prison time.

He's expected to turn himself in Thursday morning.