TMZ Sports - Page 50

Greg Hardy's NFL comeback is still alive and well thanks to The Spring League ... which announced the ex-Carolina Panthers star will headline a new showcase game in front of NFL scouts this July.

The developmental league added the game following its successful first season -- we're told over 20% of players were signed/invited to NFL camps -- and the plan is to give teams one final chance to check out the talent before training camps begin in late July.

Hardy -- as well as ex-S.F. 49ers running back Anthony "Boobie" Dixon and other NFL vets -- will be there, and we're told more than 25 teams will be there to check out the players.

The road leading up to the Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor super fight has been filled with expletives, public insults and name calling ... and it's all been documented on TMZ Sports.

Now that it's official and we get to see these two face-off in August, check out the best highlights of the many, MANY times Notorious and Money have barked at each other leading up to the fight.

August 26 can't come soon enough.

2:46 PM PT -- TMZ Sports spoke with Dana White who says the fight will be a 12 round boxing match. Both guys will use 10 ounce gloves. They will fight at 154 pounds.

The fight will take place at the T-Mobile Arena. Ticket prices have not been set yet.

There WILL be an undercard -- it will be boxing and Mayweather Promotions will handle the matchmaking.

We asked Dana if there was a possibility Roy Jones Jr. will fight Anderson Silva -- he told us, "I highly doubt it."

Both Floyd and Conor will be tested by USADA for performance enhancing drugs.

Dana says he expects Conor to make around $100 million for the fight but wouldn't break down the financials.

Dana says he spoke with Conor Wednesday morning -- he's VERY excited. Conor also believes with all his heart he will knock Mayweather out.

IT'S HAPPENING!!!

Floyd Mayweather has signed his deal and will box Conor McGregor on August 26.

Dana White was leading the negotiations for the UFC -- and had vowed to strike a deal with Floyd's camp. Now, the two sides have reached an agreement, as first reported by Yahoo Sports.

Conor and Floyd will square off in Vegas.

Conor posted about the fight on Instagram -- saying, "The fight is on." He replaced Floyd's pic with a shot of Floyd Sr.

Conor has said he expects to make more than $100 MILLION from the fight. Floyd has said he wanted double or triple that. No word on the exact details.

The last time we spoke with Floyd, he laid out exactly why he thinks Conor has a real shot to beat him.

Johnny Manziel's fiancee, Bre Tiesi, kept her top ON while flaunting her bikini bod in Miami on Wednesday ... but if you thought she was gonna be any less hot, you're Wildin' Out.

Tiesi and her gal pal, Jordan Ozuna, hit the beach in Miami today ... and while they didn't bare all on this trip (unlike her last trip) their threads were still barely there enough to get your pulse racing.

We're not sure why Johnny didn't make the trip this time, but we know this ... it must have been really, really, really important.

Richard Williams is divorcing his wife and accusing her of jacking social security checks and forging his signature to steal property right out from under him.

Venus and Serena's 75-year-old dad filed docs in Florida to split from 38-year-old Lakeisha Williams, but the divorce is almost overshadowed by what he claims she's doing, as first reported by Daily Mail.

In the docs, Richard says his wife of 7 years has forged his name on a deed to transfer one of his houses to herself ... as well as cars. He also believes she's taken his social security checks.

They have a 5-year-old son together, and Richard thinks Lakeisha's lifestyle endangers the child. According to the docs, she's now living with someone who has "serious criminal, felony charges pending." He also accuses her of taking his guns, and being an alcoholic.

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred says the league fully supports the decision to play the Congressional Baseball Game in the wake of Wednesday's shooting ... saying he hopes it will help the healing process.

Earlier today, officials announced the annual charity game will go on as planned at Nationals Park in D.C. on Thursday.

Now, Manfred has issued a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to Representative Steve Scalise, Congressional staff, U.S. Capitol Police and all those who were impacted by today’s senseless violence at a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia."

"Major League Baseball is a proud supporter of the Congressional Baseball Game, a longstanding bipartisan tradition and unifying event that benefits worthy charities."

"Both teams have been practicing for weeks in preparation for the game at Nationals Park and we fully support the decision to play the game."

Things got nice and sloshy in Pittsburgh Wednesday -- where Penguins players and fans teamed up to chug beers right on the street during the Stanley Cup victory parade!

Players like Trevor Daley and Ian Cole slammed brews on their pickup truck -- while Jake Guentzel made a beer-swiggin' deal with fans ... I'll sign your can, if you chug the brew.

Shocker, the fan agreed to the terms of the deal.

Congrats!

Don't pack for Beantown just yet, Markelle Fultz ... if Mark Wahlberg has his way you'll NEVER be a Celtic, cause he tells TMZ Sports the C's should swap the #1 pick for his boy, Jimmy Butler.

Or another big star ...

We got Wahlberg out in NYC and asked him about the Celtics' envious dilemma, whether to use the #1 pick in this year's draft on a college stud (probably Fultz) or trade for an elite NBA player.

Mark -- a huge Celtics fan -- made his position clear, he wants to slang the pick, and wouldn't mind getting his good friend -- and Bulls star -- Jimmy Butler back in return.

Your move, Danny Ainge ... second place for next five years could be yours.

How did Steph Curry celebrate his 2nd NBA title? Tattoo party at his mansion!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the Golden State Warriors star summoned Bay Area tattoo artist Nino Lapid to his home Tuesday night for a Curry family ink session.

Curry got Hebrew letters tatted on his arm -- but we're not exactly sure what the message was. Guessing it says something about destroying the Cavs?!?

Steph's dad Dell also went with a message on his wrist ... while his wife, Ayesha, also got some body art -- though her tat is also secret for now.

Steph's sister and mom were also at the home for the needle sesh. No word if they participated.

Win a ring, get new ink, repeat.

James T. Hodgkinson had a violent history involving guns long before he opened fire on the congressional baseball practice.

According to police records ... Hodgkinson was busted in 2006 for allegedly punching his daughter's 20-year-old female friend and striking a male friend with the butt of a shotgun. Police say he also fired a shot that didn't hit anyone.

Hodgkinson was trying to get his daughter to leave the friend's house ... but when she refused, he got physical. Police say he grabbed his daughter by her hair, and pulled her to the floor.

The daughter broke free and tried to flee in a car, but he reached in and cut her seat belt with a pocketknife. That's when he punched the female friend in the face with a closed fist.

According to the docs ... the male friend then confronted Hodgkinson, who pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at the guy, and then struck him with the wooden stock of the gun.

Moments after the Warriors beat the Cavs, the official NBA Store was selling a 2017 Finals pin commemorating how Golden State took the series 4 games to 2.

Problem ... considering that's not how it went down.

At first, we thought the 4-2 was a reference to the #42 the team rocked on their jerseys this season in memory of Warriors legend Nate Thurmond who passed away last year.

But today, we noticed the 4-2 pin had been changed -- and now sports a 1-4, a clear reference to the number of games each team won in the Finals.

The whole thing begs the question ... WAS THE NBA IN ON A CONSPIRACY TO EXTEND THE SERIES TO 6 GAMES FOR RATINGS?!?!?!

Probably not ... but the pin -- and the refs -- didn't do the league any favors.

James Hodgkinson's rifle shots at congressmen rang out in the neighborhood around the baseball field ... and it was captured by one witness and a nearby resident.

The first video is from a witness close to Eugene Simpson Stadium Park, and really captures the intensity and horror of the shooting which injured 5 people, including House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Scalise. At one point a man can be seen lying on the baseball field.

The second video is audio recorded on the back porch of a woman in the neighborhood.

More than a dozen shots are heard as the woman and another neighbor tried to figure out what the hell was happening. The Hill first posted the raw video.

Hodgkinson was eventually taken out by responding officers ... and died later at a hospital.

President Donald Trump says the man who opened fire on a congressional baseball practice has died from injuries in the shootout with capitol police.

The shooter has been identified as James T. Hodgkinson -- a 66-year-old man from Illinois who has publicly called for the destruction of Trump and his supporters.

POTUS addressed the media moments ago and said Hodgkinson "has now died."

As we previously reported, Hodgkinson walked up to a baseball practice in Virginia early Wednesday morning and opened fire -- striking Rep. Steve Scalise and others.

Capitol police officers on the scene exchanged gunfire with Hodgkinson -- striking him. The officers were also shot. They survived and are being treated for their injuries.

Trump called the incident a "very, very brutal assault."

He described Scalise as a "good friend, he's a patriot and a fighter."

The man suspected of opening fire at a congressional baseball practice is 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson ... and judging by his social media, he REALLY hates Donald Trump.

Hodgkinson's Facebook page is loaded with anti-Trump posts. He's also a staunch Bernie Sanders supporter.

Also notable, Hodgkinson is also anti-Hillary Clinton, with several posts about her as well.

Among the posts on his page, there's one that stands out from March which says, "Trump is Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It's Time to Destroy Trump & Co."

7:48 AM PT -- Law enforcement has identified the shooter as 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson of Illinois.

At least one congressman has been shot -- along with several other people -- after a gunman opened fire on a Congressional baseball team practice.

Police say the gunman fired an automatic rifle, and reportedly got off as many as 50 shots Wednesday morning as the team was gathering in Alexandria, VA. Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Majority Whip, was shot in the hip, and was in stable condition before going into surgery.

In total, 5 people were hospitalized -- that number includes the shooter.

Witnesses say Sen. Jeff Flake was at bat when the shooting broke out.

Sen. Rand Paul -- who was at the scene -- says if not for heroic police stepping in and saving the day, it would have been a "massacre." He added, "Nobody would have survived without the Capitol Police."

Rep. Mo Brooks helped one victim who was shot in the leg by using his belt as a tourniquet.

Police say they have the suspect in custody.

President Trump tweeted about the incident, calling Scalise a "true friend and patriot."

Congressional Democrats had gathered at a different field to practice for tomorrow's charity game against Republicans ... and they huddled in prayer after hearing about the shooting.

Story developing ...

Dustin Johnson's having a busy week -- his fiancee, Paulina Gretzky, gave birth on Monday ... and then he flew out to Wisconsin for the U.S. open on Tuesday -- and it's all part of the family plan.

With Paulina ready to pop, the couple planned for a C-section delivery at an L.A. hospital on Monday -- giving Johnson enough time to attend the birth and still make it to the golf tourney, which starts Thursday.

Everything went according to plan, according to ESPN's Ian O'Connor, who says Paulina delivered a bouncing baby boy on Monday. The couple picked the name River Jones Johnson.

Sources tell TMZ Sports Dustin and Wayne Gretzky were both at the hospital for the special moment.

The very next day, DJ hopped on a flight to Erin, Wisconsin to gear up for the U.S. Open with a clear head -- knowing Paulina and baby are happy and healthy back home.

Our Erin, Wisconsin sources (yeah, we got those) tell us Dustin appeared focused on golf and confident when he got to Wisconsin -- but he's clearly pumped about having his 2nd kid.