TMZ Sports - Page 50

Antonio Brown says the Patriots are gonna have to cough up the money he believes they owe him ... and he wouldn't mind catching some TDs for them in the process.

The controversial NFL superstar has made it clear that he wants back in the league after getting cut by New England last month ... and on Wednesday, he told his followers to "tell [the Patriots] to call me" during a mid-workout live stream on IG.

"They still gotta pay me, might as well let me earn it," Brown said.

Of course, Brown filed grievances against the Patriots earlier this month in an attempt to get his $9 million signing bonus and remaining guaranteed salary from New England.

A banner promoting the Lakers-Nets preseason game in China -- featuring LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis -- was torn down Wednesday ... in the wake of the international crap storm sparked by the Rockets GM's support of protesters in Hong Kong.

The teams were scheduled to play a preseason game Thursday in Shanghai ... but that was before general manager Daryl Morey tweeted, "Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong" ... igniting an international incident that led to China basically cutting ties with the Rockets and the NBA.

The Lakers-Nets game hasn't officially been canned ... but for those Chinese fans hoping to peep Bron, AD and Kyrie on the court ... the gigantic banner being ripped down ain't a good sign.

Richard Sherman wants to extend an olive branch to Baker Mayfield ... saying he's sorry for causing a massive controversy by alleging the Browns QB snubbed him of a handshake before Monday's game.

Sherman went OFF on Bake after the San Francisco 49ers destroyed Cleveland on Monday Night Football ... saying, "What's amazing and annoying was him not shaking hands at the beginning ... "That's some college s***."

The 4-time Pro Bowler went on to say Bake's non-dap was "disrespectful to the game" and the Niners saw it as motivation.

But, after footage seemed to contradict Sherman's side of things ... he decided to come out and say Mayfield deserves an apology for all the hubbub he started.

"It's definitely my bad," Sherman told "The Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday. "I never want anybody to have to deal with some stuff that they didn't do."

"And, so the questions that he's gonna get and the annoying, nonsense questions about some stuff that happened in a game that's already been done, sure he'll get an apology for that."

"I'll probably reach out to him via text or social media to actually get ahold of him and talk to him on the phone."

"Yeah, because that sucks. He definitely deserves an apology, and that's my bad on that."

Sherman says he meant what he said though ... that he DID feel disrespected by how Baker acted at midfield prior to the beatdown on the Browns.

Baker has yet to speak out on "HandshakeGate" ... but it's only a matter of time.

"That gentleman just barehanded the ball, he was excited. He got an $8 baseball!"

That gentleman is Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard, who went home with a souvenir after impressively snagging a foul ball during the Rays playoff game against the Houston Astros Tuesday night!!

Of course, the 24-year-old was the offensive MVP at Alabama when the Tide won the title in 2016, and went on to be a first-round pick to the Bucs in 2017.

The video is great ... Howard throws his arm up in the bottom of the 8th inning to grab the ball with ease, like he was catching a throw from Jameis Winston.

O.J. secured the ball, and proceeded to lose his mind with excitement!!

At first, the announcing crew didn't recognize O.J. ... but when they showed the replay of the highlight play, they weren't as shocked the pro TE was able to come down with the ball.

"Of course, he has good hands, it's Bucs tight end O.J. Howard!!," Kenny Albert said on the broadcast.

"Yeah, he better catch it!!" Joe Girardi joked.

Jon Jones is in a war of words with Israel Adesanya ... and UFC star Corey Anderson says there's a good reason why he's doing anything he can to avoid fighting Anderson.

TMZ Sports got Anderson -- 7th ranked UFC lightweight -- at a media event for his management company, Dominance MMA ... and we asked him about a prospective fight with Jones.

"At this point I think he's just trying to avoid me. I showed up to one of his autograph signings, he wanted to crack jokes and everything. So, I walked up to the fence to say something to him and he called security."

"He knows what it is. He knows I'm there. He knows I'm the real deal. He knows I'm gonna be the biggest threat."

Corey also sent a message to the light heavyweight champ ... "Mr. Jon Jones, go ahead, keep the throne warm for me, baby. Keep my seat hot cause I'm coming and I'm ready for it."

These guys clearly don't like each other, and Corey BADLY wants to fight Jones ... but before that can happen, he's got a fight with one of the biggest rising stars in the UFC, Johnny Walker.

Anderson and Walker are fighting at UFC 244 in November ... and he tells us he has 1 main objective.

Derail the hype train.

Get the coffin and start making flower arrangements ... 'cause Shaq's son says Damian Lillard's rap career was just murdered by the NBA legend in their battle this month!!

"My dad bodied Dame Lillard," Myles O'Neal tells TMZ Sports ... "That's all I need to say. It's over, he won."

If ya missed it ... Shaq and Lillard have been at each other's necks the last couple weeks -- each releasing TWO rap tracks with a bunch of disses aimed at each other.

It all started after Dame went on "The Joe Budden Podcast" and questioned the NBA legend's rap skills ... which led to Shaq dropping this track a few days later.

Listen up, Marlins fans ... Derek Jeter says Miami WILL have a playoff squad to cheer for eventually -- he tells TMZ Sports it's just going to take a little more time!!!

"I preach patience," Jeter says. "I don't have any myself, but we'll get there!"

The Marlins have been pretty awful since DJ took over as part-owner of the team ... and a lot of people are bent by the fact that No. 2 has traded away Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto AND Marcell Ozuna in the last few years.

But, when we got Jeter out at his annual Turn 2 Foundation Dinner in New York Monday night ... he told us he's got a plan -- and he's sure it's all going to work out.

Every UFC superstar has an origin story -- a fight experience that convinced them they could brawl for a living ... and 5 of the toughest guys in the sport told their stories to TMZ Sports.

Justin Gaethje, Kamaru Usman, Henry Cejudo, Kelvin Gastelum and Ottman Azaitar joined the TMZ Sports crew for a 30-minute, no-holds-barred convo about everything from upcoming fights to real-life fight stories and how UFC fighters REALLY feel about Conor McGregor.

Gaethje walked us through how he's been trying to draw out Conor into a fight -- but the Irishman seems to be ducking him. He also wants a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Kamaru explained why his beef with Colby Covington is 100% real ... and why he wants to "separate him from consciousness" when they fight at UFC 245 on December 14.

Henry told us why he believes he's the greatest combat sports athlete of all time ... better than Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and more!!!

Kelvin called out Israel Adesanya for a rematch ... and revealed for the first time that he was sick and way less than 100% when they fought the first time at UFC 236 in April.

Snoop Dogg ain't apologetic about his raunchy booty and money-throwing performance at the Univ. of Kansas this weekend ... saying he had one hell of a time, and the school should've known what they were getting into!

Of course, the rap legend pulled out all the stops for the Kansas Jayhawks basketball team's annual Late Night in the Phog pep rally on Friday ... complete with pole dancing women and money guns.

After the show, KU officials apologized saying Snoop's camp assured them before the show that his performance would be more family-friendly than his usual schtick.

D-O-Double-G addressed the show on the Howard Stern show Tuesday ... saying EVERYONE was loving it, and he was shocked when the school released an apology.

"The audience enjoyed that sh*t," Snoop said. "I don't know what the f*ck they talking about."

Stern asked Snoop about being asked to leave after the performance ... which he denies.

"That's a motherf**king lie. I had the time of my life. I enjoyed myself, hung out with the basketball teams."

Snoop believes the apology came from the backlash the school got after the performance ... and insists his time there was nothing but positive.

"I think it was more the publicity of what I did. they had to cover it up. And, I respect them, and I wasn't gonna put no smut on their name and say they did anything wrong because they invited me to come do what I do."

"And, when you pay for Snoop Dogg, you gon' get Snoop Dogg."

Broncos cornerback De'Vante Bausby says he temporarily couldn't move after he took a scary hit during Sunday's game ... but he's doing much better and eventually wants to "come back and play."

Bausby and teammate Alexander Johnson accidentally made helmet-to-helmet contact in the 2nd quarter of the Broncos' game against the Chargers ... when both players tried to tackle Austin Ekeler.

Bausby was carted off the field and taken to a local hospital to get checked out ... and while he says he was awake for the whole thing, the 26-year-old explained he couldn't move for 30 minutes.

“I was never unconscious," Bausby told reporters on Tuesday. "I just couldn’t move, but I was still talking and everything. The [doctor] said I would be fine. I just kind of trusted him."

"After 30 minutes I was able to wiggle my toes and after a couple hours I gained full mobility. So, I was straight, I was fine.”

Bausby was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury ... and there's no timetable for his return.

“Right now, we’re just going to take it really slow and just gain my strength back," Bausby said.

A Penn State fan ain't apologizing for a letter he sent to a football player that many found offensive ... in fact, the guy is DOUBLING DOWN on it, saying, "Get the guys cleaned up."

In case you missed it ... a man named Dave Petersen wrote a letter to Nittany Lions team captain Jonathan Sutherland -- begging him to cut his "awful" hair.

"Watching the Idaho game on TV we couldn't help but notice your -- well -- awful hair," Petersen wrote ...

"Don't you have parents or girlfriend who've told you those shoulder length dreadlocks look disgusting and are certainly not attractive."

Sutherland's teammate tweeted out a picture of the letter ... writing, "Explain to me how this isn't racist."

A bunch of Penn State players -- both current and former -- chimed in blasting the letter as offensive ... and even the school got involved, with Sandy Barbour issuing a statement backing the players.

But, Petersen, who was contacted by The Tribune-Democrat on Tuesday, refused to back down from his note ... and said he just wants Penn State players to cut their hair.

Ellen DeGeneres says there's a pretty good reason she was hanging with George W. Bush at the Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday ... they're friends -- and she's damn proud of it!

Cameras captured Ellen and Dubya laughing together in Jerry Jones' owner's box at AT&T Stadium ... leaving some people wondering why "a gay Hollywood liberal [is] sitting next to a conservative Republican president?"

Ellen says she took a lot of heat on social media from people who were angry over the affiliation ... so she took to her show on Monday to explain herself.

"Here's the thing. I'm friends with George Bush," Ellen said.

"In fact, I'm friends with a lot of people who don't share the same beliefs that I have. We're all different. And, I think that we've forgotten that that's okay that we're all different."

Yo, POTUS ... got plans in December?? MMA legend Tito Ortiz has one wish for his fight against Alberto El Patron -- and that's for President Donald Trump to be there!!

Of course, The Donald and Ortiz go WAY back -- Trump's been a major UFC supporter since the early days. And, he even tapped the Huntington Beach Bad Boy to compete on Season 7 of 'Celebrity Apprentice' in 2008. He's remained tight with the First Fam ever since.

Matter of fact, 44-year-old Ortiz is texting buds with Donald Jr. and invited him to his Dec. 7 Combate Americas fight against the 42-year-old ex-WWE superstar.

The Las Vegas A's?!?

It's possible ... because MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is threatening to move the club if the city of Oakland doesn't drop their lawsuit over the future of their stadium.

The A's currently play at RingCentral Coliseum -- which is widely considered an outdated stadium without cool stuff like modern luxury suites, dope restaurants and other modern amenities.

The A's want to completely renovate the stadium as part of a major upgrade because they believe a new stadium would help with attendance. Oakland's current attendance is among the worst in baseball.

But, here's the problem ... the A's don't own the Coliseum. It's owned by Alameda County and the City of Oakland.

The city recently filed a lawsuit to block the county from selling its share of the Coliseum to the A's so the club could redevelop the 155-acre site to help finance a privately owned ballpark elsewhere in the city, roughly 6 miles away from the current site.

Enter Rob Manfred ... who earlier this week made a veiled threat to move the team to Vegas if Oakland didn't drop their lawsuit.

And now, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf has confirmed Manfred's threat ... saying he did, in fact, tell officials he would consider moving the team.

The next hearing in the lawsuit is set for Nov. 14 -- but Schaaf said on Monday that she's confident about working something out to keep the team in Oakland.

"I've been clear about the path to keeping the A's in Oakland -- build a privately-financed ballpark that's responsible to taxpayers and enhances neighborhood vitality."

Kevin Durant is twisting the knife on the New York Knicks ... saying it's no longer "cool" to play for New York ... just months after rejecting them for the Brooklyn Nets.

KD spoke about his free agency decision on HOT 97 in NYC Tuesday morning ... saying he was ready to move on from dominating with Golden State to take on a different challenge with a younger team.

“Basketball is the most important thing for me," Durant said. "Kyrie [Irving], DeAndre Jordan, the young players they got was key."

"Playin' with Golden State, playing with a older group I thought it was time for me to impose my will on a younger team.”

This is the part where Knicks fans might wanna look away, 'cause it's about to get ugly.

KD was asked why he went with BK over the NYK ... and he didn't mince his words.

“It's hard to get the best players to play [for the Knicks]. It's hard," KD says.

"I think a lot of fans look at the Knicks as a brand and expect these younger players who, in their lifetime, don’t remember the Knicks being good."

"I saw the Knicks in the Finals, but the kids coming up after me didn’t see that. So, that whole brand of the Knicks, to them, is not as cool to them as, say, a Golden State Warriors or even the Lakers or the Nets now. The cool thing right now is not the Knicks.”

KD says he did, in fact, consider playing for New York ... but it was a very brief "thought" and he didn't explore it that much ... which hurts, given the rumors that he was destined to be a Knick.

"I thought about it, yeah -- just a thought. But, I didn’t do any deep full analysis on the Knicks. I heard it every day -- media in the Bay Area were talkin' about it every day. Tough to dodge, but can’t control it.”

Naturally, Durant is GETTING IT from NY fans on Twitter over the comment ... but he's sticking by his words.

Lamar Odom was feeling a little contained below the belt as he waited on deck at "Dancing with the Stars" -- so he made a BIG adjustment ... which was caught on camera.

The former NBA superstar grabbed his crotch and aggressively shifted the family jewels Monday night during the live broadcast. The 'DWTS' cameras caught ALL the action ... to be fair, it was hard to miss ... right after Hannah Brown finished her dance.

Towering Lamar paso'd his doble right behind Erin Andrews as she interviewed Hannah. It seems like he didn't know he was in the frame during his not-so-low-key move.