TMZ Sports - Page 50

'GMA' absolutely "had to have" Michael Strahan and paid him a fortune to move him off 'Live' because that's the way the BIG boss at Disney wanted it.

Sources connected to Strahan's blockbuster deal -- going full-time at 'GMA' -- tell us Disney CEO Bob Iger himself made the call to grab Kelly Ripa's co-host because he's an "everyday man" who connects with the audience.

Truth is, ABC is doing everything it can to fend off a 'Today' show comeback in the ratings. As a result, we're told 'GMA' will be "reformatted in September" to play to Strahan's strengths. Our sources say, despite the changes, George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts are absolutely safe and ABC sees Michael, Robin and George as the "three musketeers."

And if you're wondering why Iger would get involved -- we're told the network is paying very, very handsomely ... as in well into 8 figures.

Nobody wants to see a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao rematch ... so says boxing superstar Gennady Golovkin who says if Floyd wants to come back, he should call GGG instead.

Gennady appeared on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs Tuesday night on FS1) -- and told us he's still VERY confident he'd knock Floyd out if Mayweather ever mustered up the courage to face him in the ring.

And with rumblings of Floyd coming out of retirement for one last fight, GGG says it would be a huge mistake for Floyd to fight Manny again ... since the first fight was such a dud.

Gennady fights this weekend against undefeated Dominic Wade -- but everyone wants to know who GGG will fight next ... especially with talk of a superfight with Canelo Alvarez.

Check out the clip ... GGG says he's ready for C.A. ... but if he had to choose, he'd fight Mayweather in a heartbeat.

Johnny Manziel has officially been dropped by his agent -- 5 days after Drew Rosenhaus gave the QB an ultimatum ... get help within 5 days or you're fired.

Rosenhaus issued the ultimatum on Wednesday -- but 2 days later, Manziel touched down at Coachella ... where he partied his face off with Josh Gordon.

Clearly, the choice rubbed Rosenhaus the wrong way -- and the agent officially cut ties with Johnny Tuesday, as first reported by Adam Schefter.

Rosenhaus is the second agent to terminate Manziel since February ... with agent Erik Burkhardt dropping JM after 2 years together ... saying he didn't believe he could any longer help the star player.

Women drivers will never be taken seriously in Formula One ... so says the man who RUNS the organization, Bernie Ecclestone.

Ecclestone -- the most powerful person in all of racing -- was speaking at an Advertising Week Europe conference in London when someone asked about women drivers.

"I don’t know whether a woman would physically be able to drive an F1 car quickly, and they wouldn’t be taken seriously,” he said Tuesday according to The Daily Beast.

He did however say when it comes to running businesses, "Women are more competent, and they don’t have massive egos."

Pretty big opportunity for ex-NHLer-turned-actor Sean Avery ... who says he just locked up a role in Mark Wahlberg's new movie about the Boston Marathon bombings.

Avery posted a pic of himself in a Watertown PD uniform ... just days after announcing he got a role in "Patriots Day."

FYI -- The Watertown PD heroically hunted down the terrorists who placed the bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Unclear how big of a role Avery will have, but he's clearly excited about it.

As for Wahlberg, he was actually in character at the Marathon Monday to shoot scenes for the movie ... which co-stars John Goodman, Kevin Bacon and J.K. Simmons.

You've heard of trading selfies?

Well, UFC superstar Demetrious Johnson trades smellfies with his wife ... but there's actually a good story behind it.

We were talkin' to Mighty Mouse about the best picture in his phone that he HASN'T posted on social media ... and his response -- "My son's poop."

Soooo ... why??

Watch the clip, Johnson has a pretty adorable explanation ... until our photog makes it weird.

It's deja vu all over again for ex-NY Giants wide receiver Preston Parker -- who was arrested for allegedly trying to ditch drugs during a traffic stop this week ... the 2ND time in 3 weeks.

Parker -- who was cut by the Giants in 2015 after dropping a TON of passes -- was pulled over in Boynton Beach, FL on Monday for illegal tint on his black Chevy Malibu. During the stop, cops say he tossed a clear bag of the sticky icky out of his window.

Cops found the bag and tried to take Parker into custody while he reportedly resisted.

But just 3 weeks ago, cops say they had almost the exact same experience with the 29-year-old -- with drama beginning after a stop for tinted windows.

Only that time, cops say Parker tried to ditch COCAINE -- and when they finally pulled him over, they allegedly found a fully loaded gun in his car.

Hope he saved some of that NFL cash for a good lawyer ...

Iggy Azalea is telling all of us we should be ashamed we dare to talk about her and Nick Young, because she's entitled to her privacy ... even though she's talked ad nauseam about her relationship.

Iggy tweeted on Monday, "We are together and i would love to be given a little (a lot) of privacy on the matter."

She's incredulous the media -- including us -- have showcased her bare ring finger ... a finger that had reliably sported her engagement ring until the cheating allegations surfaced.

It's especially interesting ... She went on "Ellen" and a bunch of radio shows talking endlessly about the scandal, threatening to cut Nick's penis off, showing off her ring, and on and on.

But now she can't believe everyone bit the bait. Just amazing.

NY Giants co-owner Steve Tisch says it's time for Johnny Manziel to stop worrying about his career -- and start worrying about his life ... telling TMZ Sports, "He's got an issue that he really finally has to acknowledge."

Tisch was leaving Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills when we asked how Manziel's appearance at Coachella with Josh Gordon was going over in NFL circles.

Tisch basically told us what everyone was already thinking -- it's a bad move. But there's a deeper issue.

"I feel badly for Manziel," Tisch said ... "but I think he's got an issue that he really finally has to acknowledge. Not to save his career, but to save his life."

For his part, Manziel refuses to go to rehab -- insisting he does not have a problem.

The rivalry is still VERY real when it comes to the Sox and the Yankees ... just ask Rob Kardashian who tells TMZ Sports he almost got his ass kicked in Beantown for rockin' his Yanks hat.

Rob says he's still a Dodgers fan at heart -- after all, he was born and raised in L.A. -- but says his lady Blac Chyna got sick of the L.A. lid and pressured him to switch it up.

So, Rob chose the pinstripes ... but forgot how much the Yanks are hated in Red Sox country -- and says his fashion choice almost got him beat the hell up.

5:21 PM PT -- Adrianne just got a shout out from President Obama ... who wrote:

"Thank you, Adrianne, for being Boston Strong. Terror and bombs can't beat us. We carry on. We finish the race!"

SHE DID IT!!!

Adrianne Haslet has just crossed the finish line in the Boston Marathon ... 3 years after losing her leg while a spectator at the very same race.

French IndyCar racing champion Simon Pagenaud has had enough ... enough of people confusing him for Sacha Baron Cohen's wacky french driving character from 'Talladega Nights.'

We got Simon at the Grand Prix of Long Beach -- shorty before he won the damn thing -- and asked about his uncanny resemblance to Jean Girard ... Ricky Bobby's Franco-Foe in 'Talladega Nights.'

The resemblance is pretty uncanny ... and SP says he gets heckled and taunted for it all the time ... but tells our camera girl he's ready for it to stop ... FOREVER.

Good luck, dude ... might have to learn to live with this one.

The Hardy Brothers are in a nasty family feud -- with Jeff not only trashing his brother Matt ... but also going after his wife, calling her a "witch bitch" who's tearing the family apart.

It all went down on the "TMZ Sports" TV show -- when the wrestling superstars were talking some serious smack to each other leading up to their "I Quit" match on TNA Impact Wrestling Tuesday on Pop TV.

It started off with the usual threats ... but got crazy personal when Jeff brought up Matt's wife ... calling her a "witch bitch that's casting spells" who's turning the brothers against each other.

Matt fired back -- warning him about going after his wife ... and promising to "make [Jeff] suffer" when they face off tomorrow on Pop TV.

When Serena Williams invites you to her costume party, there's only one rule -- go big or go home ... so says ex-NFL star Bryant McKinnie.

Bryant dropped $600 to get body painted up like The Incredible Hulk ... and the guy who applied it, Jesse Thoreson, says the process took almost 3 HOURS!

Thoreson also says Bryant is by far the largest person he's ever painted.

But BK wasn't the only NFL star who went big for the party -- Vernon Davis became The Mad Hatter.

But the best costume goes to Serena ... who reached all the way back to the '80s to become He-Man.

Who needs the gym ... when you've got a beach?

Here's Sports Illustrated cover model Nina Agdal gettin' in some up-downs ... in her bikini ... while out in the Dominican Republic.

Nina's known for being an animal in the gym -- here she is pushing around more than 500 pounds on a sled earlier this month.

#Beast #SexyBeast

Josh Gordon was part of Johnny Manziel's party crew at Coachella this weekend ... TMZ Sports has learned.