TMZ Sports - Page 50

Tom Brady just took his first L of the season ... the Patriots quarterback was forced to slash the price of his mansion that's been up for sale -- cutting $5.6 MIL from the price tag!!!

If ya missed it ... Tom put his epic 5-bedroom, 7-bathroom New England-area palace on the market back in August -- and listed it for $39.5 MILLION.

Didn't seem the G.O.A.T. would have too much trouble unloading it ... the place is sick, with a rec room, gym, wine room, spa AND an outdoor organic herb/vegetable garden.

Plus, it's got all the history of maybe the best football player EVER in it!!!

But, it seems Tom's having trouble finding a buyer ... 'cause he's now dropping the price all the way down to $33.9 million.

MMA fighter Luis Peña -- aka "Violent Bob Ross" -- tells TMZ Sports the time has come to renegotiate his contract with the UFC ... and he's confident he's gonna get it.

We spotted the 26-year-old after he landed at LAX on Sunday following a controversial split decision loss to Matt Frevola at 'UFC Fight Night' on Saturday ... and it's clear Pena thinks he got robbed.

Pena points out that Frevola trains in Tampa -- where the fight went down -- and he suggests there may have been some "small-town bias" affecting the judges' cards.

Pena stormed out of the Octagon after the judges announced the decision -- and Luis admits he was heated and pissed off, and let his emotions get the best of him.

"At the end of the day, it's on me for not going out there and finishing the fight," Pena says.

Still, Pena (7-2 as a pro) is not only a good fighter -- but he's entertaining -- and it seems the UFC appreciates it. Pena says UFC exec Sean Shelby told him the company is ready to start talking about a new deal.

Nobody likes seeing a bunch of open lower-level seats at an NBA game -- including the players -- so on Sunday the Minnesota Timberwolves decided to do something about it!!!

While the team was crushing Israel's Maccabi Haifa team at the Target Center, several players went to arena staff and asked them to go to the upper level to start upgrading fans, ASAP.

The fans were stoked ... and so many people started moving from the upper level to the good seats, the broadcasters shouted it out on the air.

"The players asked Target Center staff to have those fans who have been sitting in the 2nd level move down into the lower level for this 4th quarter," the announcers said.

"So, some of those fans up in the 220s, they're going to be able to enjoy the next 7.5 minutes with lower-level seats courtesy of a request from the Wolves players here."

Afterward, one of the fans personally thanked the team for the move.

"It was too strange," the guy wrote on Twitter ... "couldn't believe it was real didnt know it was a player request at the time. THANK YOU WOLVES PLAYERS"

Turns out, the gesture ended up being good karma ... the Wolves won, 131-101 -- and the team looked awesome.

Carlos Correa's walk-off dinger to even up the ALCS on Sunday was bigger than baseball ... 'cause the MLB star dedicated the home run to one of his biggest fans battling cancer.

Jalen Garcia is a teenage Houston Astros super fan who has been bravely battling Osteosarcoma -- a type of bone cancer -- since he was 13, according to the Laredo Morning Times.

The 25-year-old shortstop and his fiancee, Daniella Rodriguez, met the big-time fan at a hospital in Houston on Friday ... and Correa was so moved by the visit, he wanted to do something extra special that Garcia would never forget.

"Next home run I hit will be for you," Correa promised Garcia. "When you see me pointing, I'll be pointing at you."

Fast forward to Sunday night against the Yankees ... when Correa stepped up to the plate in the 11th inning with the game tied at 2 ... and he hit it right outta the park!!!

As Correa rounded first base, he held true to his promise ... pointing out for his new friend, Jalen while all eyes were on him.

Correa commented on the awesome gesture on Monday ... saying "That was for you, Jalen. Keep fighting we are with you."

No word on how Jalen reacted ... but we're assuming the guy has to be PUMPED!!

Steve Kerr still isn't ready to talk about China -- shutting down our photog when we asked the Golden State Warriors coach about the NBA's drama in Asia on his way out of dinner with Steph Curry.

Of course, Kerr initially shut down China questions last week -- saying he didn't know enough about the situation with China and Hong Kong to opine in the wake of the Daryl Morey tweets.

Morey essentially created an international incident by tweeting out support for Hong Kong -- which led to the Chinese government blackballing the Houston Rockets and putting the country's relationship with the NBA in jeopardy.

Since then, President Donald Trump verbally attacked Kerr ... saying the usually outspoken coach was "like a little boy" when asked about China -- claiming Kerr "was so scared to even be answering" a question about the topic.

Fast forward to Sunday night when Kerr and Curry hit up Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills -- not exactly a low-key hangout -- where our guy asked Kerr if he finally felt "well-versed" enough to talk about the biggest issue in pro sports.

But, Kerr shut it down. He was nice and friendly but made it clear he's still not ready to have a public conversation about China.

Odell Beckham allegedly let his pal borrow a super expensive BMW -- and the guy wrecked it in the Lincoln Tunnel ... and now the insurance company is going after Odell for the cash.

It all went down in 2017 when a company called Celebrity Motors says it let the then New York Giants WR borrow a 2017 BMW 650XG (worth around $103k) to drive around town.

Celebrity Motors claims Beckham was the only person authorized to drive the car -- but Odell let his buddy, Blake Anderson, from Louisiana take it out for a spin on Oct. 24, 2017 ... and the guy wrecked it while driving like a maniac in the Tunnel, according to the lawsuit.

In the suit, filed by CM's insurance company (Lexington Insurance Company), Anderson allegedly "carelessly" cut across several lanes of traffic to try and exit the tunnel, but instead struck another car causing $38k in damage to the BMW.

Lexington Insurance claims Beckham should have known his friend is a terrible and unsafe driver with multiple traffic infractions and had no experience driving a car with "this kind of power." They also claim Anderson doesn't have the means to pay for the damage.

There could be one big issue for the insurance company ... they admit in the lawsuit the deal with Beckham was only an "oral agreement" -- and he may claim he never agreed to take responsibility for anyone else driving the car.

Terrell Owens is KILLING his former team -- saying the Dallas Cowboys are perennial LOSERS who won't win as long as Jason Garrett is the head coach.

"Hey @realjerryjones!! Still think Jason Garrett is the answer?!" Terrell tweeted after Dallas lost to the previously winless NY Jets.

"For a decade, A DECADE NOW, it's the same old song and dance! I knew they were going to @JasonWitten on the 3rd down prior to TD and knew they were going to him on the 2-pt conversion."

TO added, "Not too late 2 bring me back."

The 45-year-old Hall of Famer is probably joking about a comeback (maybe?), but his disdain for Garrett is about as real as it gets ... saying the coach blew huge opportunities with some of the best players and coaches in franchise history.

"Garrett is the reason Me, Wade [Wade Phillips] & Dez are gone in addition to Romo & Witten."

Owens added the 2019 Cowboys -- with stars like Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott -- "got too much talent on that team to be 'undercoached.'"

The Cowboys are now 3-3 ... losing their last 3 in a row. Yet, they're still tied for 1st with the Eagles in the NFC East.

LaVar Ball tells TMZ Sports ... neither of his two sons will sign a shoe deal with Nike, despite serious interest from the Swoosh -- because they're still BBB for life.

As we previously reported, Nike has a rep in Australia scouting LaMelo Ball for a possible deal down the road, since the 18-year-old is now widely expected to be a Top 5 NBA Draft pick.

And, Lonzo Ball recently said he'd be open to signing with another shoe company outside of the Big Baller Brand after major issues almost sank the family company.

So, when we saw LaVar at the L.A. Regional Food Bank -- where he donated 70k bottles of BBB Water -- we asked if he would be cool with his sons leaving BBB for another shoe company.

Taylor Swift won't be showing her face banner anymore when the Los Angeles Kings are in town -- 'cause the fans don't wanna see it ... and the team is obliging.

L.A.'s pro hockey team made the announcement over the weekend ... saying that, going forward, the Kings will be covering up Taylor's banner during their home games at STAPLES Center. It's hanging in the rafters next to Lakers banners and retired jerseys.

A marketing rep for the Kings told Arash Markazi of the L.A. Times that fans just weren't digging it, so the team wants to show 'em they're listening. Michael Altieri says, "The connection to our fans is our highest priority and through our engagement they have made it clear that the banner shouldn’t be part of their Kings game experience."

The Catholic Church has blessed the New Orleans Saints ... or so it would seem by what the pontiff himself wrote hours before their game this weekend.

Pope Francis tweeted out a strange message in the wee hours of Sunday, which appeared to be a vote of confidence for Teddy Bridgewater and co. as they were set to face the Jaguars in Jacksonville. It was actually an honest mistake ... but a hilarious one nonetheless.

The big hatted one wrote, "Today we give thanks to the Lord for our new #Saints. They walked by faith and now we invoke their intercession."

Seems obvious, but now it's official ... Dana White tells TMZ Sports Israel Adesanya's next opponent will be Paulo Costa.

Of course, Costa was sitting Octagon-side when Izzy knocked out Robert Whittaker last weekend at UFC 243 in Australia ... and the two talked trash to each other after the fight.

So, when we spoke with White this week he told us the two fighters are on a collision course ... and if Israel emerges victorious, then we can start talking about Izzy vs. Jon Jones.

"The next fight is Paulo Costa. That's the fight to make next and if a Jon Jones fight is possible down the line, I like it!"

Israel and Jones traded shots on TMZ over the past few months -- Israel said he's a G.O.A.T. killer and Jon replied, "I'll make you call me daddy!"

You know the ear that Vader famously ripped off of Mick Foley's head in a wrestling match 25 years ago??

Yeah, Foley just showed it to TMZ Sports -- and it's still not fully repaired ... AND IT'S STILL GROSS AS HELL!!!

We spoke with the wrestling legend out in NYC earlier this week and asked him for a little injury story time ... and that's when he retold us the famous tale of him losing a piece of his ear in 1994.

Tiki Barber says Antonio Brown's NFL career is NOT over ... the Giants legend says there's no way in hell the receiver ain't playing in the NFL again -- despite all of his drama.

"He's got skill," Tiki tells TMZ Sports. "Eventually, he’ll be back in the league."

It's a surprising take from Barber ... considering most football pundits think AB's antics in Pittsburgh and Oakland -- plus all of his legal issues -- will be the end of his pro playing days.

But, when we got Tiki out in NYC ... he told us Brown is just too damn talented to be out of the NFL for good.

"He’s good, he’s still a great athlete," Barber says. "He's just got some demons he's got to work out."

As for Brown's pitch to the Patriots -- the one where he told them Wednesday if New England is gonna pay him, it might as well play him -- Tiki actually kind of agreed with the WR's logic.

But, Barber added ... "They can't do that!"

When it comes to which team might take a shot at signing Brown ... Tiki didn't name names -- only telling us it'll all go down once "some of this heat blows over."

Wanna see a walking work of art?? Just check out Cody Garbrandt's fresh ink ... 'cause the UFC star is giving TMZ Sports the breakdown on his new tattoo!!

Of course, No Love is no stranger to the needle -- he's got tats on his neck, chest and arms ... and now his back is fully covered with an epic gladiator-esque image!!

Cody tells us the whole process lasted about 25 hours ... so yeah, tat artist Nic Westfall at the Skull Museum is one patient cat.

Cody says the most painful part of the process was when Westfall got to his lower back, because he recently had stem cell treatment.

But, the craziest thing about this -- Cody says it didn't cost him a PENNY to get done ... the dude got the hookup because it's basically an ad for the artist whenever he fights in the Octagon!

We also talked UFC with the former champ ... and he says he'd be down to face off against Henry Cejudo .... after he got called out by Triple C!!

Talk about keeping your head in the game, these NFL athletes are still workin' on their days off!

Rest assure these players have put in the work and are always ready to take on the field! With fit photos like this, there is no denying that the fellas here are not messin' around when it comes to getting ready for game day!

See who's prepped for Sunday Night Football by getting a glimpse into life off the field ... Scroll through our gallery of NFL Workouts and get a good look at all the athletes posting their fitspo!

Tyler Skaggs' death may have been tied to an Angels staffer who allegedly told authorities he'd supplied the late pitcher with drugs ... this according to a new report.

ESPN put out the bombshell story Saturday, claiming to have spoken with sources who say that Eric Kay -- the Angels' director of communications -- confessed to DEA agents investigating Skaggs' death that he'd hooked him up with oxycodone for years.

On top of that, ESPN says their sources allege Kay also told the DEA that he'd given the pitcher oxy at least a day or two before the team left for Texas on a road trip.

Per the report ... Skaggs allegedly asked Kay for another installment of oxy on the actual day the team left, but Kay was unable to supply it. This is potentially huge, as Kay also allegedly told DEA agents that Skaggs snorted 3 lines in front of him shortly before his death.

While at his hotel in Southlake, TX ... Kay allegedly told DEA agents that Skaggs had invited him over, and offered him to partake. Kay allegedly denied, however, and reportedly told the DEA he witnessed Skaggs inhale 3 lines ... 2 he allegedly recognized as possible oxycodone, and a third line consisting of a substance he did not recognize.

Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room hours later, having choked on his own vomit ... with a cocktail of substances found in his system, including fentanyl and alcohol.