TMZ Sports - Page 50

South Carolina head coach Frank Martin is putting the entire NCAA tournament ON NOTICE ... saying his Gamecocks squad is capable, and ready to win the whole thing.

The 'Cocks upset Duke in the 2nd round -- and when TMZ Sports talked with Martin he assured us one thing ... the carnage isn't over.

"We have a lotta confidence. We've put in the time. We can beat anybody."

As far as the Duke win, Martin says he's not surprised at all his squad tripped up the Blue Devils, 'cause he doesn't think anyone is better than his guys.

Charles Oakley says he's "hurting" that ex-teammate Patrick Ewing didn't call him after he was forcefully removed from Madison Square Garden last month ... saying, "You should have been the first!"

"I'm hurting because he didn't call in and show love because I had his back for 10 years," Oakley told TMZ Sports.

Oakley points out that his longtime friend, Michael Jordan, got involved and helped out -- and since NYC is Patrick's city, he REALLY felt Ewing should've done SOMETHING.

"You should have been the first one who said something about what happened in The Garden. Should have been the FIRST ONE."

By the way, Oakley was out at HeadQuarters Gentlemen's Club in NYC Thursday night -- where their strippers brought out a cardboard cutout of James Dolan and actually showed him some love!

Bill Murray was all sorts of LIT after Xavier (11) knocked out Arizona (2) from the NCAA tourney Thursday night ... because his son is an assistant coach on the team!

Luke Murray has been with X since 2015 -- and his famous dad was right in the crowd as the Muskesteers took down the Wildcats at the SAP Center in San Jose.

Bill danced. He pumped his fist. He totally messed up his friend's hair.

Next up ... in the Elite Eight.

By the way, Murray is also a die-hard Cubs fan. So, yeah, he's having a good year.

Big news for J.R. Smith and his family ... their micro-preemie baby Dakota is thiiiis close to crossing the 3-pound mark and her breathing tube is out!

Arianny Celeste is vacationing in Mexico ... and it looks like tops are optional at her beach of choice.

The UFC Octagon Girl and model let her girls free while enjoying the sunshine in Tulum ... and one of her friends even joined her.

And yes ... the buns were also out.

Movie star and UCLA basketball fan Michael Pena has a question for LaVar Ball ... and he's using TMZ Sports to ask.

Pena was out in NYC promoting his new movie, "CHiPs," when we talked to him about the NCAA tourney, and specifically his UCLA Bruins who are rollin' right now.

Any conversation about UCLA, of course, turns to Lonzo Ball and his father, LaVar ... the man who just keeps making headlines with his outrageous statements.

Michael Jordan bets HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER HOLE when he golfs ... so says Charles Barkley.

Sir Chuck appeared on the 'Dan Patrick Show' and said he once saw MJ bet $300,000 on a put -- and that wasn't even out of the ordinary.

Charles says MJ has so much money, those kind of bets are chump change to him.

Pats owner Robert Kraft was actually happy to see the FBI -- because they forked over Tom Brady's missing Super Bowl jerseys!!!

The Bureau posted this photo shot at Gillette Stadium Thursday ... where the QB's Super Bowl 49 and 51 jerseys were returned from Mexico. The recovery was the result of a massive international jersey hunt that led to a reporter in Mexico whom authorities say was the thief.

Kraft said, "We want to thank the FBI, the Mexican authorities and the many different local agencies that were involved in the investigation and ultimate recovery of Tom Brady's Super Bowl LI jersey."

He added, "Working along with the Patriots and NFL security, those agencies collectively coordinated an investigation that also led to the recovery of Tom's missing Super Bowl XLIX jersey."

Nicely done!

Here's LeBron James putting his royal pipes to good use ... singing happy birthday to his All-Star point guard, Kyrie Irving, and the video is downright adorable.

Irving turned 25 today, and LeBron decided to mark the occasion with a few notes belted out on the team plane ... which he documented on social media for the world to see.

47-year-old Brett Favre says he KNOWS he still has the arm to compete in the NFL ... but he just doesn't wanna get hit anymore.

The ex-NFL star says he's flattered by ATL Falcons CB Robert Alford -- who strongly feels Favre could make a comeback after their workout in Louisiana this week ... but it ain't happening.

"I could still make the throws," Favre tells TMZ Sports ... "If they promise they won't hit me, I'll play."

There's more ... Favre says he's far more concerned about the longterm effects of concussions and is invested in multiple companies -- including Prevacus and Brock USA -- in the hopes of preventing and treating brain injuries.

Favre says he feels it's his "duty" to try and make the game better and safer for future NFL players and he's touring around with Sqor Sports in hopes of doing just that.

But, when it comes to his own family members playing the game he loves, Brett says he would "strongly discourage" his grandsons from playing football based on the medical information he has today.

"Yeah, you may make a good salary ... but what happens in the end if you have enough concussions? It may be a tragic end."

Tim Tebow has a legend in his corner ... Cal Ripken Jr. ... who tells TMZ Sports he's pulling for the guy to make the big leagues but says, "It's gonna be a hard road."

It's National Puppy Day ... so don't be a bitch and click through this adorable gallery of famous athletes and their snuggly pets.

Kristi Yamaguchi says she was NOT throwing shade at Nancy Kerrigan when she told her to "break a leg" on "Dancing with the Stars" ... explaining it was just an innocent tweet between friends.

Social media went crazy over the tweet in which she told her fellow ice skater, "So excited for you! Can't wait to see you grace that ballroom floor, break a leg! #DWTS"

Some people thought Kristi was taking a cheap shot.

But Kristi's rep tells us that couldn't be further from the truth -- they've been friends since they were 15 and she has nothing but love for her.

We also spoke with Nancy's rep who says the two spoke on the phone Wednesday night and laughed about it.

Screw the talk, screw the hype ... it would only take ONE ROUND for Floyd Mayweather to dismantle Conor McGregor in a boxing ring -- so says Sugar Ray Leonard.

The boxing legend -- who actually beat Floyd's dad back in 1978 -- was leaving Catch when he made it very clear McGregor doesn't stand a chance if they fight in a ring instead of an Octagon.

Ex-Baylor football player Tre'Von Armstead has been arrested in Texas for sexual assault 4 years after he was accused of gang raping a woman ... officials say.

Armstead was named in a rape investigation in 2013 ... but Baylor reportedly failed to take action for roughly 2 years. Armstead was eventually dismissed from the team in 2015 for a "violation of team rules."

The 22-year-old has always denied any wrongdoing in the 2013 incident.

But now, McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna says there's "newly discovered evidence" implicating Armstead ... and he was arrested Wednesday for 3 felony counts of sexual assault.

His bail was set at $150k.

It's the SECOND time Armstead has been arrested this month -- as we first reported, he was busted in Vegas for allegedly roughing up a woman and then going berserk on a cop car.

There's only one way to celebrate a World Baseball Classic title ... CHAMPAGNE SHOWERS!!!

There wasn't a dry spot in the locker rooms after Marcus Stroman and Team USA completely dominated Puerto Rico 8-0 to finally bring a WBC title to America.

Everyone from Giancarlo Stanton to Andrew McCutchen strapped on their goggles and turnt up.

The celebration in the locker room was insane ... but the fun didn't stop there. We spotted the champs outside an L.A. nightclub later in the night -- trophy in hand -- and it looked like the party was just getting started.