TMZ Sports - Page 50

Kendall Jenner is no fairweather girlfriend -- because after the 76ers lost to the putrid Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday ... she stuck by Ben Simmons at a French restaurant in Philly.

Here's the thing -- the Cavs are embarrassingly terrible. J.R. Smith recently quit the team after accusing them of tanking the season for a higher draft pick. It's bad.

But, after the 76ers took the "L" on Friday, Ben and Kendall went to Parc -- a French Bistro -- the very next day.

The comfort meal worked -- because the 76ers bounced back with a win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.

Kendall was at the game -- and was pictured going crazy in the stands as she cheered on her man.

Still, there's an online petition to get Kendall banned from 76ers home games in fear of the "Kardashian Kurse."

We should note ... ever since the two got back together on Nov. 3, the team is 9-4 and overall looking pretty good. They're in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference.

Sooooo ... maybe she should KEEP coming to the games!

Drake fans can hold on all they want, they're NEVER gonna go home to the kinda bedroom Drizzy's building in his Toronto mansion -- you could easily get lost in the damn place!

The publicly filed floor plans for his crib feature the layout for the most insane master suite we've ever seen. How big? The 941 square feet literally takes up HALF of the second floor of the ginormous crib.

Here's what he's working with: his own stairwell entrance, 2 dressing rooms AND 2 closets (all part of one elaborate wardrobe area), a steam shower and tub with a skylight above, TWO balcony areas with an outdoor hot tub and a kitchenette.

Again, all of that is JUST for his bedroom quarters. Of course, there are 4 impressive guest bedrooms too ... although they don't compare to Drake's.

If the room itself isn't impressive enough, take a gander at the estate in its entirety -- to call it a beaut is a gross understatement.

The mansion is about 35,000 square feet on a 2-acre lot and the toys include ... 2 saunas, a massage room, a 10-car garage, an elevator, a gym, a screening room ... and a full basketball court. There's more, but we're tired.

Drake bought the place for nearly $4 million and had it under construction for a majority of 2017 and about half of 2018. Talk about views!

There's a ZERO percent chance LaMelo Ball will follow in his bro's footsteps and play at UCLA next season ... so says LaVar Ball who tells us he's still furious over the way the school treated LiAngelo.

17-year-old LaMelo is playing pretty well at the Spire Institute in Ohio -- and recently dropped 30 points during a game in Atlanta.

LaVar tells us his son is "better than LeBron" was as a teenager -- calling him "unbeatable" and "the coldest person on two feet."

So, where's he gonna play his college ball next year? Definitely not in Westwood.

"Heck no, he won't be at UCLA," LaVar says ... "UCLA? Why? After what they did to my other son? Are you crazy?"

Remember, LiAngelo withdrew from UCLA after the shoplifting incident in China. UCLA had suspended him indefinitely but that didn't sit well with LaVar.

"Suspend him and don't tell him when he supposed to be able to play and all that? No, they ain't behind him like that. One mistake and now you put him to the side and act like he's supposed to come the next year?"

LaVar says he's also upset that UCLA forced LiAngelo to wear #15 when he wore #3 all his life -- "so it started off wrong."

As for LaMelo, Ball says he'll start taking recruiting trips to colleges "when he feels like it."

NFL linebacker Rey Maualuga dodged a bullet ... 'cause he ain't gonna spend a single minute behind bars for allegedly grabbing a club employee by the throat -- as long as he stays outta trouble.

As we previously reported, Maualuga -- who spent 9 seasons in the NFL with the Bengals and Dolphins -- was arrested in Miami in Nov. 2017 after officials say he got into a physical altercation over a $40 bar tab. He's accused of shoving and grabbing a bar employee by the throat.

31-year-old Maualuga was initially charged with misdemeanor battery and faced up to a year in jail if convicted.

But, TMZ Sports learned, the former USC Trojan cut a deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to complete a pretrial diversion program and, in exchange, the charge will be dropped.

The program requires Rey to attend two 6-hour anger management courses -- designed to teach conflict resolution and impulse control ... and he's gotta stay away from the club.

Seems like a good deal to us.

Justin Bieber and new wife Hailey Baldwin went ice-adjacent at the Ontario Junior League.

JB and HB seemed somewhat more into themselves than the game, as the Stratford Warriors battled the Kitchener Dutchmen. Justin cheered on Stratford -- his home team as they scored a goal.

Justin's grandparents were beside them in the stands, as Justin and Hailey joined in the chuck-a-puck, a Canadian Junior Hockey tradition where fans buy pucks for a buck to raise funds for the team, and then throw the pucks onto the ice during intermission. The person who throws the puck closest to the center wins a prize.

The saying "old habits die hard" was on full display Saturday night at The Forum when Tito Ortiz, 43, knocked out Chuck Liddell, 48, in the first round of their highly anticipated trilogy fight ... as the 2 UFC legends showcased decades of experience inside the Octagon.

We got Chuck after the loss in WeHo at Nightingale, chilling with his parents and friends. He was in good spirits and unsurprisingly didn't rule out a fourth fight with Tito.

Chuck's parents have different thoughts on their son's future in the Octagon.

This was Tito's first win against Chuck. The last time they squared off was 12 years ago. The long respite clearly didn't subdue their rivalry, because the two had been trash-talking each other for months leading up to this fight.

Reuben Foster has been cut by the San Francisco 49ers after being arrested in Tampa Bay for domestic violence.

Tampa police said Foster and a woman got into a verbal altercation Saturday at the team's hotel. Foster allegedly slapped her phone out of her hand, pushed her in the chest and slapped her with an open hand on the right side of her face. Tampa police said the alleged victim had been in a relationship with Foster for 3 years.

This isn't Fosters' first run-in with the law. He was previously accused of domestic violence, but the judge dropped the charges in May.

Lakers co-owner Jesse Buss doesn't have to go too far to check in on his star player ... 'cause dude just bought a mansion right up the street from LeBron James!!

Jesse -- the youngest of the 6 Buss siblings -- ponied up $10 MILLION for a pad in Brentwood just feet from LBJ's palace ... and the place is sick.

It's 6,500 square feet, has 3 stories, 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a home theater, a yoga room ... AND an infinity pool.

Ari Shram and Jen Beron of The Agency -- a high-end real estate firm -- helped Jesse land the spot ... which also has a pretty epic view from the backyard.

So, big question is -- how does it compare to Bron's?? It doesn't really ... LBJ's $23 MILLION crib is 15,846 square feet and has its own freakin' basketball court!

Victor Cruz is going to bat for his former quarterback ... 'cause the ex-Giants WR says Jerry Rice is absolutely INSANE for saying Eli Manning isn't a Hall of Famer.

"Jerry Rice is outta his mind. You hear me??" Cruz tells TMZ Sports ... "I'll look right in the camera -- Jerry Rice, you're outta your mind, sir."

As we previously reported ... Jerry said he doesn't think Eli belongs in the Hall -- saying the NY quarterback just ain't good enough to get in.

Cruz has a serious bone to pick with that hot take ... saying Manning's two Super Bowl rings ALONE put him squarely among the NFL's legends.

"He's definitely a Hall of Famer. Are you kidding me?! What are you talking about, Jerry?? C'mon man, you know better than this!"

Dick Vermeil tells TMZ Sports he's so impressed with the job Sean McVay's doing with the Rams ... he says the coach can be one of the greatest of all time.

Dick knows a thing or two about what that takes ... he won a Super Bowl in 1999 and is considered a legend among former NFL coaches -- and he says the 32-year-old is definitely on his way.

"You know, I think of myself at 32," Vermeil says ... "I think I was just getting ready to go into the NFL about that time ... but there’s no way I could have done it."

McVay's got the Rams off to a 10-1 start and has Jared Goff and Todd Gurley looking like legitimate MVP candidates.

Vermeil tells us that early success is unprecedented, saying even guys like Bill Walsh and Jim Mora were nowhere near that level at that age.

"I have to give him credit for having, I think, the wherewithal and the potential to become another one of the finest ever."

Hulk Hogan's 65 years old and has wrestled for 4 decades ... but his son, Nick, tells TMZ Sports the WWE Hall of Famer will NEVER RETIRE from the sport he loves.

"He always says he loves it. He loves training. He loves the wrestling business. It runs too deep in his blood. I don't think he'll ever quit," Nick told us at LAX.

Of course, Hulk just made his return to WWE after being fired in 2015 ... appearing at the 'Crown Jewel' event in Saudi Arabia, and you could tell he was back in his element.

Nick agrees ... and says he's still impressed with his dad's athletic ability and physical appearance.

WWE superstar Big Show has been destroying people in the ring for 24 years -- but tells TMZ Sports he ain't slowin' down any time soon!!

At 46 years old, Big Show -- real name Paul Wight -- is still going hard ... but people are wondering how much longer he can handle the wear and tear of the job with his 7'0", 400-pound frame.

The good news for wrestling fans -- dude ain't ready to tap out just yet.

"I signed a new deal last year," Big Show told us at Avra in Beverly Hills ... "I gotta couple of years left. I'm having fun."

Show ain't impervious to injury -- he's still recovering from a tweaked hamstring -- but, overall, the guy is in great shape, feels good and wants to keep going.

We also spoke with Show about his long-rumored showdown with Shaquille O'Neal -- and if the two will EVER square off.

Plus, Show tells us why Charlotte Flair might be the biggest BEAST in all of pro wrestling.

Wanna see the SICKEST good luck charm ever??

Good ... 'cause it's hanging around Aaron Donald's neck -- a $250,000 diamond chain that's helped give A.D. the power to be the NFL's top defensive player this season!!!

Shortly after the Rams DL inked his record-breaking $135 MILLION deal in August ... Donald nabbed this custom chain from Moe Diamonds in Pittsburgh.

The ice is INSANE ... TMZ Sports has learned the Miami Cuban chain alone is approximately 3/4 kilo of 14K gold with over 60 carats of true graded VVS-VS colorless diamonds.

In the AD/99 pendant ... we're told there are 25 carats of true graded VS1 diamonds -- with VVS diamond encrusting the whole thing.

We're told the bling took 2 MONTHS to put together ... and appraised at $250k -- though sources say Donald paid "an undisclosed amount" for it.

Whatever A.D. ultimately spent -- it's been more than worth it ... dude leads the NFL in sacks this season with 14.5 and is EASILY the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.

BTW ... the Donald chain is Primetime approved -- Deion Sanders couldn't help but drool over the piece when he saw it a couple weeks ago!!

LaMarr Woodley is a coward who doesn't pay off his bets when his alma mater gets smoked by its rival ... so says Beanie Wells.

The ex-Ohio State star has become pals with the former Michigan stud -- and tells TMZ Sports the two have made a bet on the big game for years -- and will continue to do so this weekend.

Yet Beanie says Woodley NEVER pays up -- and given that OSU has won the last 6 meetings between the two ... the debt is HEAVY.

"I've gotten to the point to where I've known LaMarr a couple years and he's never paid up," Beanie tells us.

"So, I'm almost anticipating him not paying up again, or he's hoping, at this point in time, that Michigan wins, so he can say, 'Okay, everything's all square and even.'"

In fact -- Wells says another former Michigan star, Steve Breaston, is ducking him on payments too!!

As for Beanie, he says he'd NEVER not pay up ... and if Michigan ends up beating OSU on Saturday -- he'd throw on the UM gear 'cause, "I'm a man of my word."

5:07 PM PT -- Phil might have lost the battle but he did NOT lose the war ... 'cause he's walking away with $9 MILLION after beating Tiger!!! Phil needed a sudden-death playoff to fend off Tiger in the winner-take-all match. Mickelson won 3 side bets worth $600k while Tiger won 1 side bet worth $200k. That money will go to a charity of each player's choice.

Well, it's already been a pretty costly day for Phil Mickelson ... that $200,000 bet with Tiger Woods didn't exactly go his way.

Remember, earlier this week, Phil bet Tiger $100,000 that he would birdy the 1st hole at the big pay-per-view golf match on Friday. Tiger was so confident, he told Phil to "double it."

Phil didn't completely botch the hole -- he had a perfect opportunity to win the bet ... but when he hit the putt that woulda given him the birdy, it stopped short.

He hit the next shot for par -- but the damage had already been done.

Tiger smirked and commented, "That hurts the pocket."

The two tied on the first hole. They've been super friendly throughout the match so far, talking about everything from their kids to how cool Samuel L. Jackson is.

They're expected to make more side bets during the match as they compete for that $9 million winner-take-all grand prize.

Good luck!

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair -- who made a fortune in energy plants and brought the NFL back to Houston after the Oilers bolted for Tennessee in 1997 -- has died.

McNair died peacefully in Houston Friday surrounded by his wife, Janice, and family by his side, the team announced. McNair had reportedly been battling skin cancer for several years now. McNair's son, Cal, is expected to continue to run the team.

McNair was awarded the 32nd NFL team in 1999 and paid a whopping $700 million for the expansion team that would ultimately become the Texans, which joined the league in 2002. He was the team's owner since the franchise's inception.

While McNair was one of the most powerful owners in the NFL, he was no stranger to controversy. McNair drew tons of backlash in October 2017 when he said, "you can't have the inmates running the prison" when it came to players kneeling in the NFL.

McNair apologized but his players still let him have it -- star WR DeAndre Hopkins skipped practice in the wake of the comments and tons of players took a knee during the anthem a couple days later.

Texans president Jamey Rootes released a statement saying McNair "was an amazing champion for Houston and worked hard to make sure our city received maximum value from the presence of the Texans and the NFL ... We will all miss him dearly."