TMZ Sports - Page 50

Seth Rogen is GOING OFF over the Ray Rice elevator video -- saying the running back is a "piece of garbage" who should be banned from the NFL for life.

Rogen is responding to the footage we posted on TMZ Sports -- showing the NFL running back KNOCKING OUT his then-fiancee with a brutal left hand to her face.

Rogen went to Twitter and blasted Rice -- and the NFL.

"I don't know much about football, but I know that Ray Rice is a piece of garbage who shouldn't be allowed to play it professionally anymore."

This is what a two game suspension looks like -- Ray Rice delivering a vicious punch to his fiancee's face, knocking her out cold ... and TMZ Sports has the shocking video.

We've already shown you the aftermath outside the elevator ... Rice dragging the unconscious woman on the floor. But we've now obtained video of the punch that put her down, raising the question ... What was the NFL thinking when it wrist-slapped Rice with such feeble punishment?

The incident took place Feb. 15th at the Revel Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City -- after Ray and then-fiancee (now wife) Janay Palmer got into a heated argument on their way into the elevator.

Inside the elevator it's apparent he strikes first ... she hits back ... and then Rice delivers the knockout blow.

The punch knocks Janay off her feet -- and she smashes her head on the elevator hand rail ... knocking her out cold. Ray doesn't seem fazed ... and when the door opens, he drags her out into the hotel.

An employee of the hotel -- which just shut down for good -- tells TMZ Sports he was working there at the time and says the NFL saw the elevator footage before imposing the 2-game suspension.

UPDATE -- The NFL says it did NOT see the newly-released elevator footage before it imposed a 2 game suspension on Rice.

This video is a cleaned up version of the raw surveillance elevator video -- the raw is jerky ... so we smoothed it out.

Click to Watch Raw Elevator Video

UPDATE 11:35 AM PT -- The Ravens have terminated Ray Rice's contract.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is finally gonna make an honest woman out of her girlfriend ... dropping down to one knee Saturday at the U.S. Open and popping the big question.

The 57-year-old proposed in between the men's semi-final games to Julia Lemigova -- her GF of 6 years -- and people in attendance cheered on as they watched the proposal on the big screen.

Martina told the AP she was super nervous ... describing it as an "out of body experience."

Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson abruptly announced he's selling the team because he's guilty of sending an email so racist ... it would make Donald Sterling cringe.

Levenson admits he sent the email to team execs back in 2012, urging them to get more suburban white fans at games. He then laid out all the problems with the current fan base, listing the following:

- it's 70 pct black
- the cheerleaders are black
- the music is hip hop
- at the bars it's 90 pct black
- there are few fathers and sons at the games
- the concerts [after games] are either hip hop or gospel

Levenson continued in the email ... "My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base." He also complained that he's told team execs, "I want some white cheerleaders ... I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says Levenson copped to the email in July -- about 2 months after Donald Sterling was banned -- and immediately informed the league he would sell the team.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts is out of the hospital following a scary stay for double pneumonia, but during his first public appearance Saturday night he announced he's fighting cancer again.

Roberts surprised the crowd at a Future Stars of Wrestling show in Las Vegas shortly after being released ... telling the crowd how he's feeling.

Jake says during his 3 day hospital stay ... doctors discovered some cancer inside his chest that needs to be removed. He had a cancerous tumor in his leg removed earlier this year. But he's not worried about it, Jake says he's fought worse.

His voice is weak, but it's pretty bad ass to see the Hall of Fame wrestler's positive outlook on his fight with cancer.

Jim Jones is wearing your rent on his head -- seriously ... 'cause the rapper (and huge NBA fan) tells TMZ Sports his couture NY Knicks hat ran him a cool $1,500!!!

So, how can a baseball cap get into the 4-figure range?! Don't worry, Jim explains ... and it all has to do with a famous designer who specializes in custom dome-pieces.

In fact, the guy behind the lid has made custom hats for Kanye AND Jay Z ... and some of his headwear sells in the $2,500 range!

And you thought $37 for a lid at Yankee stadium was expensive.

The start of the NFL season does something indescribable to the most loyal football fans -- It has the power to transform the most ordinary members of society into die-hard pigskin psychopaths ...

... and it's glorious.

He wrecked the guy in traffic ... and now Tommy Lasorda just wrecked his accuser in court -- after the victim in a fender bender demanded $10k from the Dodgers legend ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Tommy had already admitted fault in a rear-ender that went down in Orange County, CA back in 2012 -- but the victim claims he suffered serious injuries and demanded $10k to pay for medical bills.

Bu Tommy called BS -- and after a hearing in small claims court ... the judge didn't only side with Lasorda ... he RIPPED the accuser, claiming the guy LIED in an effort to score a payday.

In fact, the judge said ... the plaintiff's claim he was rear-ended at 30mph was "so wildly implausible given the physical evidence (photos of the two involved vehicles showing essentially no damage) that it served to completely undermine plaintiff's credibility."

"Menace II Society" actor Bill Duke -- guy delivered the classic line of the '93 flick -- thinks it's time to make it rain on LLWS players, telling TMZ Sports the tykes deserve a cut of the cash.

Duke was in Hollywood when we asked him about the notion that it's time to pay LLWS players 'cause star players like Mo'ne Davis have made the tournament a multi-million dollar operation.

Check out the clip -- Duke says that not only should we pay the Little Leaguers but there is another group of athletes that deserve a check as well.

MLB star Everth Cabrera was arrested in San Diego early Wednesday morning ... after cops say the San Diego Padres shortstop was driving while high on weed ... TMZ Sports has learned.

What's tiny and green and SUCKS??? Avocados ... so says boxing champ Bernard Hopkins.

We were out in NYC talking to the 49-year-old legend about his upcoming fight with Sergey Kovalev ... when we asked the nutrition-conscious athlete if there was a food he's eliminated from his diet.

And that's when B-Hop UNLOADED on the avocado ... calling it "overrated."

In fact, Hopkins says he'd rather put it on his toenails that in his mouth (apparently, some people use avocado oil for luxuriously soft cuticles).

But avocados aren't the only item to draw Bernard's ire ... check out the clip to find out what drink The Alien could do without.

He just retired, but ex-Super Bowl hero James Harrison is still out to prove he can outlift EVERYONE in the NFL ... by crashing the Pittsburgh Steelers gym and dominating the bench press.

With current Steelers Ike Taylor and Lawrence Timmons spotting him (shirtless for some reason), the former linebacker repped out 405 POUNDS like it was nothing.

The video is pretty hilarious ... and a tad frightening ... with 36-year-old Harrison explaining that he doesn't plan on shrinking down in his retirement.

She may be from Florida, but Ariana Grande put her butt on the line for the Seattle Seahawks last night.

NY Jets coach Rex Ryan is saying the team is keeping a close eye on rookie WR Quincy Enunwa -- who was arrested for domestic violence Sunday -- but says there's a big difference between "accused" and "convicted."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Enunwa was busted at a hotel in NJ, where he allegedly got violent with a woman during a heated argument. Enunwa plead not guilty to the domestic violence charge.

Coach Ryan addressed the issue during a media conference Thursday and said, "We are aware of it. This is something we take very seriously, obviously."

When asked if he would allow a player to remain on the team after he was convicted of domestic violence, Ryan said ... "There are different things. But, obviously there is a big difference between being charged, allegedly charged, and being convicted."

Ryan initially said the team knew about the arrest before they signed Enunwa to the practice squad this week -- but then backtracked and said:

"You know what, I said that before about the practice squad, I can’t really remember the timetable. I have been so focused on the Raiders. I am not going to get into the specifics of it. I don’t want to give you false information. Quite honestly I don’t remember if it was before the practice squad or not."

Kanye West hit the gym in Australia Thursday -- challenging some friends to a pickup basketball game ... but he wasn't rockin' Jordans (Game 6) ... Yeezy strapped on some Adidas.

After his relationship with Nike soured, Kanye signed a deal with the rival shoe giant last year -- and though he hasn't released his own Adidas shoe yet, he's already supporting the brand in public.

These happen to be the Adidas "Pure Boost" running shoes ... not ideal for basketball, but they seem to be working for K.

Fun Fact -- Kanye's "Red October" Nike shoes run as much as $5k on eBay.

Manny Pacquiao tells TMZ Sports he will pray for his rival Floyd Mayweather -- after learning about allegations that Floyd pulled a gun on his ex-fiancee.

Pacquiao was out at Ecco! restaurant in Tribeca (where he's promoting his upcoming fight with Chris Algieri) when we asked him about the lawsuit filed by Floyd's ex-fiancee Shantel Jackson.

As we first reported, Jackson accuses Mayweather of doing horrible things to her over the years -- including domestic violence, public shaming and forcing her to hand over her engagement ring at gunpoint.