TMZ Sports - Page 50

Here's Atlanta Hawks co-owner Tony Ressler telling TMZ Sports he's 100% riding with the Falcons to win a championship ... because his Hawks probably ain't getting it done.

We got Tony out at Madeo and asked what it would mean for the city of Atlanta to finally win a Super Bowl ... and when he thought the Hawks might raise a trophy themselves.

He said a Falcons 'ship could "only help" the city ... and as far as the Hawks, he says they'll get it done "someday," but it's clear he doesn't think that day is happening in 2017.

Listen, the guy probably ain't lying ... the Hawks are 4th in the East right now, but let's face it, it's all about the Cavs -- and LeBron James -- right now in that conference.

Tom Brady's Patriots are the favorite to win the Super Bowl over Matt Ryan's Falcons ... but who would win a wrestling match in the 6-sided ring?

Ex-NFLer and current TNA wrestler Quinn "Moose" Ojinnaka, who played with both Super Bowl LI QB's during his career, thinks it would be a close fight ... but says Matt Ryan would come out on top.

Moose also predicts who would win in a REAL fight and talks about Brady's tough side.

Two-time gold medal winner Maurice Greene says drug testing past samples could RUIN track & field ... 'cause the sport can't handle a constant barrage of doping scandals.

Usain Bolt was stripped of a gold medal this week when it was revealed a teammate tested positive for a banned substance ... from a sample that was taken in 2008 and recently retested.

We talked with Green -- one of the premier sprinters in U.S. history -- who said it's dangerous to go poking around in the past looking for mistakes.

"What good is it gonna do now? The thing you have to realize is other sports recover very quickly from drug situations, but track & field has a hard time recovering."

As far as Bolt ... Greene made it clear, this scandal will have ZERO effect on his legacy.

Ryan Lochte won't have to swim naked when he returns to the pool this summer ... 'cause the troubled Olympian finally has a new swimsuit sponsor -- TYR.

The 12-time Olympic medalist was sacked by Speedo -- along with Polo Ralph Lauren and Gentle Hair Removal -- in August after his Rio gas station robbery incident.

"Through his work in the pool he has elevated the sport of swimming on a global scale," Matt DiLorenzo, CEO of TYR Sport says.

Here's the first video of Sacramento Kings star Rudy Gay living life in the slow lane ... scooting around NYC after having major surgery on his Achilles.

Rudy ruptured his tendon in a game against the Pacers on January 18 ... and TMZ Sports got him out in NYC fresh off his surgery this week.

The 6'8" forward was moving slowly, but told our camera guy the setback wasn't anything he couldn't handle while admitting the obvious ... it FREAKIN' HURTS.

FYI Rudy -- If you need any advice on how to turn up while you serve your scooter sentence, hit up Maurice Jones-Drew ... dude's got it down to a science.

There's no beef between Shaq and Metta World Peace over their basketball star kids ... matter of fact, Metta says he sometimes pulls for Shareef when he plays against his son.

TMZ Sports spoke to Metta about Ron Artest III's H.S. squad going up against Shareef O'Neal's this week ... and he says he's so close to Shareef, he's conflicted about who he wants to win.

FYI -- Shareef is one of the top-ranked juniors in the country ... and Ron III -- who just started ballin' 2 years ago -- is an up-and-coming prospect.

MWP says he's cool with the young ballers being friends OFF the court as long as they're still enemies ON the court.

As for Metta, if being a basketball dad and an NBA player weren't enough to keep him busy ... he told us he just dropped a new hip-hop track.

Ex-NFL star Bill Romanowski says there ain't much the NFL can do about stopping CTE these days unless they make one dramatic change -- go back to leather helmets.

Bill was leaving Catch in West Hollywood when he explained his theory. It sorta makes sense.

Joe Mixon is getting props from the father of a sick 5-year-old Oklahoma Sooners fan ... after the controversial football star made a secret visit to a children's hospital this week to hang out.

We're told Mixon got word that 5-year-old Cooper had been hospitalized with an infection -- the latest in a slew of serious medical issues he's been battling over the years.

TMZ Sports spoke with Cooper's father, John Slate, who tells us Mixon privately reached out and asked if he could come by the hospital to try to cheer everyone up. He got the green light and arrived around 9:30 PM on Monday. We're told Mixon asked to come late to minimize the chance of people recognizing him.

Slate tells us Mixon spent about an hour hanging out with Cooper and his family. He took pictures and signed autographs and has been checking up on Cooper via text messages since the visit.

Antonio Brown is really, REALLY sorry for posting on Facebook Live from the Steelers locker room ... apologizing yet again for sharing Mike Tomlin's 'the Patriots are a**holes' speech.

Brown went to Facebook Live (ironic) to discuss the infamous post ... and explained that he paid a $10k fine and is ready to move on.

"If the only thing I did wrong was Facebook Live, I guess I'm a pretty good guy then."

Tito Ortiz is ANGRY over claims his fight with Chael Sonnen was fixed -- and just invited all doubters to his gym so he can CHOKE YOU OUT HIMSELF!!!

By the way, he's serious.

After Ortiz dominated Chael at Bellator 170, an Internet conspiracy theory went around saying Chael gave Tito a hand signal to reverse a chokehold ... and essentially threw the fight.

If you think UCLA superstar Lonzo Ball is a problem now ... just wait until the kid gets to the NBA ... 'cause Lonzo's dad, LaVar, says he's gonna dominate the Association even EASIER than the NCAA.

Lonzo's just a freshman, but has already established himself as one of the best players in the nation ... with some experts saying he could be the first overall pick in June's draft if he declares.

TMZ Sports talked to LaVar -- who's totally a star in his own right -- and asked him how he thinks his son, Lonzo, will do if and when he gets to the NBA ... LaVar's short answer was ... well.

That's not all ... we also talked to Mr. Ball about how you build a family dynasty in hoops (his sons, LiAngelo & LaMelo, are current HS superstars) and the man dropped knowledge to all the parents out there.

UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov says he's the Floyd Mayweather of MMA -- and if the boxer wants a REAL fight ... he'll happily meet him in the street!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with the 28-year-old Russian who says he's ready to BREAK Tony Ferguson when they face off at UFC 209 in March ... and then he'll smash Conor McGregor.

In fact, Khabib warned Conor and Floyd Mayweather that he's a force to be reckoned with ... and if either one gets in his way, he'll destroy them.

He eats sleeps and breathes MMA -- and refuses to even THINK about any other sport.

Smush Parker tells TMZ Sports he's PUMPED Lamar Odom is down to join his team for Ice Cube's 3-on-3 league ... and while he hopes Kobe Bryant comes around, he's not about to beg.

The ex-Lakers player joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs Wednesday night on FS1) and told us he's still VERY serious about joining the league. His agent's even been in contact with league officials.

But, with Kobe still mum on the possible reunion with his former Lakers teammates -- Smush says he's already thinking about some of the players who could fill the 3rd spot.

D'Angelo Russell needs to stop acting like a kid and start acting like a MAN if he ever wants to reach his superstar potential ... so says his former Lakers coach, Byron Scott.

Scott appeared on "L.A. Today" on AM570 when Fred Roggin asked if he believes the 20-year-old will ever become the breakout NBA stud he was touted to be coming out of college.

"The jury is still out," Scott said ... "but he's got to grow up."

Scott says Russell has TONS of potential but strongly implied that he doesn't put in the extra work in gym that people like Kobe, LeBron and D-Wade are known for doing.

Translation -- you can't get by with raw talent at the NBA level.

Here's a 2014 interview with Oscar De La Hoya addressing his alcoholism head-on -- saying the daily battle was a "monster" that he was constantly trying to control.

De La Hoya opened up to Graham Bensinger ... saying he started drinking at 8 years old and things became a problem in his early teens.

At the time, Oscar -- who had been to rehab twice before -- said he had a grip on his drinking but admitted it was a day-to-day struggle.

Oscar relapsed this week and was arrested for DUI in Pasadena.

Sequels usually aren't as good as the original ... but that doesn't apply here.

Here's your crazy video of the day, thanks to John Daly hitting his tee shot off someone's MOUTH ... AGAIN!!

It's insane ... Daly pulled this off a couple years ago with a female volunteer. This time, he used the CEO of Loudmouth Golf, Larry Jackson.

Check out the clip ... only John Daly would be brave enough to pull something like this off TWICE.

P.S. -- he pulls it off with a cig in his mouth. Classic Daly.