TMZ Sports - Page 50

Shaq might be on the 15-day DL after taking a (hilarious) spill on the set of "Inside the NBA" last night ... that's according to co-host Kenny Smith who says the big man's big fall has left him a little gimpy.

Kenny was at LAX this morning when we HAD to ask him about everything regarding the tumble heard 'round the galaxy ... most notably how the Diesel is moving following the gravitational smackdown.

Bad news for Shaq ... seems he was a little banged up after all.

Get well Diesel.

The Mayor of Boston is also standing by his star QB -- basically saying Wells Report investigators did a crappy job ... and maintaining that his Patriots won the Super Bowl "fair and square."

Mayor Martin L. Walsh -- a hardcore Pats fan -- took on the issue last night ... calling the report "vague" and saying it returned no real "concrete answers" about Tom Brady's involvement in Deflategate.

"Usually when you have an investigation you come back with some concrete answers, 'This is what was known, this is how we did it.' It seems like somebody's stretching something."

He continued, "I don't know if the NFL is stretching their report and they don't have any facts and they're just trying to make it look bad for the Patriots or the Patriots haven't responded properly."

They could be the hottest collector's items in the world of sports ... the balls from the Deflategate scandal ... and according to the guys from "Hardcore Pawn," they could make someone VERY rich!

TMZ Sports spoke with Les Gold and his son Seth ... who told us they believe collectors would pay AT LEAST 5-figures for the pigskins ... as long as the seller could prove they were authentic.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are apologizing for running a terrible domestic violence video inside of their arena Wednesday night ... saying it was intended to be hilarious ... and backfired.

The Cavs issued a statement saying, "During a timeout at last night’s Cavaliers vs. Bulls playoff game at The Q in Cleveland, we ran a 1-minute in-arena video that was intended to be a humorous spoof on a popular commercial centered on a song and dance from the classic movie ‘Dirty Dancing.’ While the video was not intended to be offensive, it was a mistake to include content that made light of domestic violence."

"Domestic violence is a very serious matter and has no place in a parody video that plays in an entertainment venue. We sincerely apologize to those who have been affected by domestic violence for the obvious negative feelings caused by being exposed to this insensitive video."

Former LSU football star La'el Collins will get a $21,000 signing bonus ... after signing a free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told he's set to make $435k in his 1st year, $545k his second year and $656k in year 3.

Our sources tell us ... when all is said and done, Collins will get the same dollar amount as the 7th pick of the 2nd round of the NFL Draft.

Of course, La'el's draft stock plummeted after he was questioned by police in the shooting death of a pregnant woman. Before the incident, he was projected to be a 1st round draft pick.

James Harden's mother tells TMZ Sports ... Matt Barnes PERSONALLY APOLOGIZED Wednesday night ... after the L.A. Clippers star hurled an extremely rude comment to her during last night's NBA playoff game.

Monja Willis wouldn't tell us exactly what Barnes said to her at the Toyota Center in Houston during Game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals ... saying, "We'll leave that on the court."

What we do know ... Matt's comment really pissed off one of Monja's other sons -- who was sitting next to her during the game and heard it ... and confronted Barnes after the final buzzer.

Willis tells us ... "My older son walked over to him and told him to apologize ... and he did."

Monja says, "What he told me was that he would never want to disrespect anyone's mother because his mother passed from cancer ... and that he was sorry."

A rep for the WWE tells TMZ Sports, "There is no excuse for a 20-year-old grown man to assault an 18-month old child, no matter what. Using a flimsy excuse about emulating a wrestling maneuver does not absolve Brandon Hoffman of this abhorrent crime. The death of Bryson Shoemaker is a tragedy, and WWE offers its condolences to the child’s mother, Sierra Shoemaker."

A Pennsylvania man killed an 18-month-old boy ... when he slammed the child to the floor while imitating The Undertaker's signature wrestling move ... this according to cops.

Cops say 20-year-old Brandon Hoffman was trying do the Undertaker's "Last Ride" move -- and intended to slam the child onto a bed ... but missed ... fatally injuring the boy.

Hoffman told cops he had been watching the child while the boy's mother was at work -- and had successfully pulled off another wrestling move before the accident.

Hoffman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, aggravated assault and more. Bail has been set at $150k.

Tom Brady's high school still has the QB's back -- telling TMZ Sports he's NOT a bad guy ... and they're praying for his family in the wake of Deflategate.

We spoke with the people at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California -- where he was a 3-sport superstar before he graduated in 1995 ... and they all say the "real" Tom Brady is a caring and generous person ... not the cheater the Wells Report has made him out to be.

In fact, Serra President Lars Lund tells us ... "The Brady's are an important part of our community, and we will keep them in our thoughts and prayers as they move forward through this difficult time."

Retired Serra Chaplain Fr. Joe Bradley -- who has known the Brady family for years -- added, "I have great respect for Tom and his entire family. He has a generous spirit and a caring heart. His willingness to reach out to the Padre community is legendary, but always offered with joy and humility."

Tom Brady's agent is calling B.S. on the Wells Report -- claiming it paints the star QB as a cheater ... without any real significant proof.

Brady's agent Don Yee just came out swingin' ... saying the entire investigation was not only flawed, but carried out by people who have a "limited understanding of professional football."

In a statement, Yee says ... "The Wells report, with all due respect, is a significant and terrible disappointment. It’s omission of key facts and lines of inquiry suggest the investigators reached a conclusion first, and then determined so-called facts later."

Yee even suggests that the NFL cooperated with the Indianapolis Colts to run a "sting operation" with the end goal of embarrassing Tom and the Patriots.

Yee also suggests that Ted Wells was not truly running an "independent investigation" -- because his firm makes a lot of money off the NFL ... and is heavily influenced by the league.

There's more ... Yee says Tom was NOT difficult with investigators and "made himself available for nearly an entire day and patiently answered every question."

Yee continues, "The Wells report omitted nearly all of Tom’s testimony, most of which was critical because it would have provided this report with the context that it lacks."

Manny Pacquiao is NOT on the outs with Jesus Christ ... so says mega-pastor Rick Warren.

The author of "The Purpose Driven Life" -- one of the bestselling books of ALL TIME -- was in D.C. Wednesday when we asked how the Christian community was handling Manny's loss.

"I'm sad for Manny," Rick said ... "But I know that he's gonna be much stronger than one single fight."

In one of the dumbest marketing moves of ALL TIME, the Cleveland Cavaliers ran an in-arena video during Wednesday night's game ... showing a male Cavs fan SLAMMING his GF because she's a Bulls fan.

Seriously.

It gets worse ... the man justifies the beating by saying, "Bulls fan? I didn't know you were a Bulls fan!"

At the end of the video, the woman resurfaces with an ice pack on her head ... and wearing a Cleveland shirt.

No word why anyone in the organization would green light this ... but you can only assume someone's gonna get fired.

UFC announcer Bruce Buffer and his famous bro don't joke about protecting the 5 most famous words in pro fighting -- but says "Saturday Night Live" is getting a funny pass ... a very pricey one.

The 'Veteran Voice of the Octagon' was outside Gold's Gym in Venice, and told us why "SNL's" Mayweather/Pacquiao skit -- which included Michael Buffer's "Let's get ready to rumble" -- isn't costing NBC a cent.

Normally, Bruce and Michael charge handsomely -- at least 5 figures -- for an individual or production to use the famous catchphrase.

Bottom line in this case -- Bruce gives Taran Killam's version a thumbs up, but it's far from open season on "rumble." If you want MB at your next birthday party ... get ready to payyyyyy!

Nick Young claims the woman who accused him of rape back in 2011 has demanded $3 MILLION in damages to make things right ... but the NBA star is refusing to budge ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported, Swaggy P is being sued by a woman who claims Nick slipped her a date rape drug at a Hollywood bar in 2011, took her to his house and vaginally and anally raped her.

Cops investigated the alleged incident and DISMISSED her claim because they felt her story didn't add up. The woman filed a lawsuit against Young in 2013 ... and the two sides are still battling it out.

Now, according to new docs obtained by TMZ Sports ... the accuser has a number in mind -- $3 million ... claiming she suffered emotional distress and loss of earnings.

But Young isn't buying it -- and has refused to settle ... instead, fighting the case tooth and nail to prove once and for all he's no rapist.

If you thought that footage of U.S. Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay using a javelin to pull out his daughter's tooth was crazy ... wait'll you hear what his OTHER kids did!!

Clay joined the gang on "TMZ Hollywood Sports" and said the family has a tradition of using creative ways to pull loose teeth ... ways that have included planes and bicycles!!!

Don't worry ... Bryan says the family makes SURE the teeth are only "hanging by a thread" before he green lights the extraction!

By the way, the best part of the whole thing ... the post-pull family ice cream party!!

Make sure to check out "TMZ Hollywood Sports" weekdays on Reelz!

The Harlem Globetrotters added a new member to the squad -- he's 5'9" .... hails from Vatican City ... and can SPIN A BALL ON HIS FINGER .... welcome, Pope Francis!!!!

Yes, even Jesus hates the Washington Generals now ... because His Holiness has been named an honorary member of the squad ... which is celebrating its 90th year on the court.

You HAVE to watch the video -- the guys try to help Mr. Pope pull off one of their signature tricks ... and he kinda sorta pulls it off!

A rep for the team tells TMZ Sports, "This is only the 9th time in 90 years that we've had an honorary member. He knew who they were. He was laughing with the guys. He was very talkative."

In fact, the team actually invited their newest member to their Friday night game in Rome ... question is, will he suit up?

Deflategate is stupid ... Tom Brady is still awesome ... and the Patriots shouldn't have to give their Super Bowl rings back ... so says supermodel Crissy Tiegen.

Tiegen -- who happens to be a Seahawks fan -- says the Wells Report is just "beating a dead horse" ... with the Pats already having been shamed in public AND by the President of the United States.