TMZ Sports - Page 50

How are Cowboys backup offensive linemen celebrating their big win over the Eagles???

SHIRTLESS UNDIES DANCING, BABY!!!

Dallas beat the hell out of Philadelphia in an absolute must-win game Sunday night ... and for the party Monday, their backup center, Joe Looney, got graphic.

The big fella -- measuring in at 6'3", 315 pounds -- stripped off his shirt AND his pants ... and gave us all a pose-off and a jig that were truly epic.

Looney's known as the team's class clown ... and his Monday victory vid definitely didn't do a damn thing to dispute that!!!

Of course, Looney and the 'Boys have every reason to celebrate ... their win over the Eagles puts them at 4-3 and in sole possession of first place in the NFC East.

It's a bye for the Cowboys next week ... but they meet the Giants on "Monday Night Football" in their next contest on Nov. 4.

So, what's Joe got planned for that Tuesday if Dallas comes down with another W???

"Every major American company does business in China and it's not fair to act like LeBron's gonna save the world."

That's Charles Barkley staunchly DEFENDING LeBron James and the comments he made about the NBA's issues with China ... telling TMZ Sports Bron's getting done DIRTY.

Of course, LeBron has been taking a TON of heat for condemning Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey for posting a pro-Hong Kong tweet and creating an international incident. LeBron says Morey wasn't educated on the topic before weighing in on the issue publicly.

People were hoping LeBron would go after China for attempting to quash free speech and punishing people who criticized the government. But, that didn't happen.

Enter Barkley ... who put it this way -- "I thought everybody was really unfair to LeBron."

"Everybody does business in China. Every American company does business in China. Why should LeBron not be able to protect his financial interests?"

Our photog, Charlie, challenged Barkley, telling him people looked up to LeBron as a warrior for free speech, democracy and social justice ... and they were disappointed to see him go after Morey instead of China.

"Everybody don't have to pick every battle to fight," Barkley explained ... "LeBron is passionate about the things he wants to be passionate about. We don't get to tell him what we want him to talk about."

Barkley says it's obvious LeBron is protecting his business interests in China, and he doesn't fault James ONE BIT for it.

"Why do all these other companies get to invest in China and LeBron doesn't have to protect his business interests?!?"

In the end, Barkley says LeBron's an "amazing guy" and "respects the hell" out of him.

Gervonta Davis is officially off the hook in his ATM assault case -- after officials say the boxing superstar made things right with his alleged victim ... using cold hard cash.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... 24-year-old Davis allegedly got physical with a man at an ATM at an upscale outdoor mall in Virginia on Feb. 17. And, when cops arrived, the situation got even CRAZIER.

Cops say Gervonta "directed derogatory and offensive language" at them ... and pics obtained by TMZ Sports show a clearly heated Gervonta speaking with one of the officers.

Davis was later charged with one misdemeanor count of assault -- and was facing up to 1 YEAR in jail for the crime.

But, a court official tells TMZ Sports the charge was formally dismissed on Monday ... saying Davis reached a deal with prosecutors.

According to the official, Davis agreed to write the alleged victim a check for injuries suffered in the incident. Officials would not say how much Gervonta forked over. But, in exchange, prosecutors dropped the charge.

It's good timing for Gervonta ... the Floyd Mayweather protege has seen his stock soar over the past year -- and at 22-0, he's in line for some BIG MONEY fights.

You think the campaign trail is tough? Try sparring with a UFC champ!!

That's what presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard did in Boston last week -- trading shots with strawweight superstar Weili Zhang ... and TMZ Sports has the video.

Remember, Gabbard played a huge role in helping the Chinese superstar get a visa so she could come to the U.S. on a media tour.

Gabbard, a U.S. military combat vet and current member of the Army National Guard, is a HUGE fan of MMA and has watched Zhang compete for years.

So, when the opportunity came up to spar with the 30-year-old champ, the congresswoman from Hawaii wasted no time strapping on the gear!!

You can see in the video, shot Friday morning, Gabbard knows what she's doing as the two exchange kicks and punches. At one point, famed MMA coach Duke Roufus tells the women, "No elbows!"

After the training sesh, the two hung out and talked -- with Gabbard stressing that sports can help build relationships between countries that aren't exactly on great terms ... like the U.S. and China.

"There is so much conflict, sports like MMA have an opportunity to build relationships and help us get to know each other as people instead of the misunderstanding we see too often."

Zhang tweeted after the meeting, "Today I had the honor to meet and train with Miss @tulsigabbard and she is a very strong martial artist. We had a great training session taught by @coachdukeroufus and his team. It is a happy day when martial arts brings people together."

Zhang is currently is 20-1 as a pro -- on a 20 fight win streak -- and recently called out Valentina Shevchenko, which would be a GREAT fight!

Kareem Hunt's 8-game suspension is ALMOST up -- and Monday morning, the Browns running back was back on the practice field getting hugs from his teammates.

Check out Baker Mayfield greeting Hunt with open arms as he gets ready to make his 2019 debut on Nov. 10 against the Buffalo Bills. Seems most of his teammates are stoked for Hunt to get back to action.

Remember, the NFL handed down an 8-game suspension in March following 2 violent off-field incidents ... including an altercation with a woman at a Cleveland hotel in Feb. 2018.

But now, he's been cleared to participate in team activities -- which is why he was at the Browns practice facility Monday morning.

On the field, 24-year-old Hunt is a BEAST -- and was a huge part of the KC Chiefs offense the past 2 years.

The Chiefs cut Hunt in November after TMZ Sports posted video of the hotel altercation -- and the Browns snatched him up a few months later.

Hunt has said he's working on becoming a better person through counseling, alcohol and anger management and religion -- and Browns honchos have publicly supported him along the way.

Back in May, head coach Freddie Kitchens said Hunt is "always gonna have our support."

But, let's get serious, the REAL reason the Browns are excited to have Hunt back is because they're 2-4 and desperately in need of a spark.

Ex-Georgia football coach Mark Richt -- a college football analyst for ESPN -- says he suffered a heart attack Monday morning and would have been "at peace" if he died.

"I am assuming word travels fast," the 59-year-old said in a statement ... "So I wanted to be able to inform everyone that I did have a heart attack this morning."

"I am doing fine."

But, Richt admits he thought about his own mortality during the health scare -- saying, "As I went through the experience I had peace knowing I was going to heaven but I was going to miss my wife."

Despite the incident, Richt says, "I plan to be at work this week."

Richt was the head guy at the University of Georgia from 2001 to 2015 -- winning 6 SEC Eastern Division titles and 9 bowl games during his run.

After Georgia, Richt took the head coaching job at the University of Miami from 2016 to 2018 -- but after a strong start, Richt retired following a disappointing 2018 season.

He's been working as a college football analyst for ESPN and ACC Network ever since.

Big break in the Andre Emmett murder case ... Dallas PD says they have identified and obtained warrants to arrest the two suspects in the shooting death of the ex-NBA and BIG3 star.

As we previously reported, 37-year-old Emmett was shot and killed on September 23. Surveillance footage showed Emmett sitting in his car in front of his house around 2:30 AM when he was approached by 2 men at gunpoint. Emmett tried to run but was shot dead.

After nearly a month-long investigation, detectives identified 29-year-old Michael Lucky and Keith Johnson, 32, as prime suspects ... and obtained capital murder arrest warrants for both men.

Johnson was booked in Dallas County Jail on Friday -- and he's still behind bars. Lucky has not yet been arrested.

Emmett -- the 35th pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2004 NBA Draft -- was the 2nd leading scorer in the 3-on-3 league this past season while playing for 3's Company.

CC Sabathia just wrote a goodbye letter to his New York teammates and the sport of baseball altogether ... and we gotta say, it's getting a little dusty in here.

With the Yanks getting eliminated by the Astros on Saturday ... the future Hall of Famer's career is now over -- and he took some time to reflect on it on social media Monday.

"Through the ups and downs, baseball has always been my home," 39-year-old Sabathia wrote ... "From Cleveland, to Milwaukee, New York, and everywhere in between, I'm so thankful to have experienced this journey with every teammate past and present."

Sabathia tried to pitch through injuries to get the Yanks past Houston and into another World Series ... but he couldn't quite finish the run, reinjuring himself in Game 4.

Still, the pitching legend got a huge ovation from fans when he walked off the NY mound for the final time last week.

"I'm so proud of this year's team, we fought til the end," Sabathia said, "Love you guys!"

CC added, "I'm going to miss going out there on the mound and competing, but it's time to say farewell. Thank you, baseball."

Pittsburgh Steelers LB Anthony Chickillo spent part of his bye week behind bars ... TMZ Sports has confirmed the 26-year-old was arrested after cops say he admitted to getting violent with his track star GF.

Cops say Chickillo was out at the exclusive Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Penn. when he got into an argument with his girlfriend, Canadian track athlete Alysha Newman, at the resort's casino.

FYI, 25-year-old Newman is a star pole vaulter in Canada. She made the Olympic team in 2016 and won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Newman told officers the spat began over table games ... and when the argument carried on into the couple's room, things turned violent.

Newman told cops that Chickillo grabbed both of her arms and threw her against a wall and door. She says the 6'3", 253-pound football player then shoved her to the ground.

Newman also claims Chickillo smashed her $900 iPhone in the altercation ... and says she was forced to lock herself in the bathroom until police arrived to diffuse the situation.

When cops showed up ... they say they noticed "visible redness" to both Newman's right and left bicep areas as well as "bruising beginning to form" -- and say Chickillo admitted to pushing her to the ground.

They arrested Chickillo ... and eventually hit the linebacker with charges of simple assault, criminal mischief and harassment.

Cops also tell TMZ Sports Newman was hit with a summary citation for harassment for her role in the altercation.

Chickillo -- who had his arraignment hearing in Pennsylvania on Sunday -- was released on $10,000 bail ... but is due back in court next week.

The Steelers -- who were on a bye this past week and are set to play the Dolphins next Monday -- released a statement, saying, "We are aware of an incident involving Anthony Chickillo last night and are still gathering information. Until we have further details we will not provide any further comments."

Tyron Woodley did NOT take kindly to Kelvin Gastelum calling for a rematch -- and has this message for the middleweight fighter, "I will f*ck you up right now."

Remember, Gastelum came into the TMZ newsroom earlier month for the "UFC Roundtable," and told us he would love another crack at Woodley, after losing to Tyron in 2015.

"Ever since then we've gone back and forth," Gastelum said ... "I've called him out multiple times. But, ultimately we respect each other. I think it's more of a competitive rivalry, nothing personal."

Well, clearly Woodley doesn't feel the same way, because when Tyron was asked about the comments on "The Hollywood Beatdown," the Chosen One WENT OFF!

"Kelvin Fatselum? The one who fought me at middleweight when I was a welterweight and got his ass whooped when I broke my foot? The one I gave him his money back and now he's talking sh*t?"

FYI, Gastelum came in 10 pounds overweight for their fight at UFC 183 and was fined 30% of his purse. Tyron says he sent the money back to Kelvin because he felt bad for him.

But, Tyron also broke his own foot in that fight and still got the victory via split decision -- and now, he's firing back at Kelvin.

"Why you wanna get your ass whooped again? You got beat on one foot, I played games with you. You didn't land one punch. You missed weight by 10 pounds. I gave you your money back."

Tyron also takes issue with the fact Gastelum now refers to himself as "The Middleweight King."

"You have never fought for a middleweight title and won my man. What are you the king of? You the King of Qdoba. You the King of Chipotle. That's what you the king of."

"I don't have no love for you G. I ain't got no pity for you," Tyron continued.

"I was respectful, I didn't bash you when you missed weight. And, now you wanna talk sh*t about me? I will f*ck you up right now. I will f*ck you up in the Octagon. You garbage, your whole squad is garbage."

Brian Bosworth says he's actually on the NCAA's side when it comes to the controversial Calif. bill that would help athletes get paid ... telling TMZ Sports it's a BAD idea!!

"When you're in college," Bosworth says, "you're going to college to get an education."

Of course, the Boz is the LAST guy we expected to have this take ... remember, at Oklahoma, he famously blasted the NCAA by wearing a "National Communists Against Athletes" shirt at the 1987 Orange Bowl.

But, when we got the ex-LB out at Reagan Airport over the weekend ... he told us he's now on the org's side in its fight against a bill that would force it to stop punishing athletes who get paid.

"You got some guys on the team that have star status, and other guys on the team that are going to feel shafted," the Boz says. "I don't think it's a good idea to put levels like that on the team."

Instead, Bosworth's solution to the whole problem is simple -- just give athletes in both women's and men's sports the same stipend ... and let that be all the pay they need.

"Everybody gets the same thing across the board," Bosworth says.

Stefon Diggs was one happy man on Sunday -- he and his team beat the Lions at home ... all while wearing a pair of cleats that the Clown Prince of Gotham would greatly approve of.

The Vikings wide receiver turned heads out at Ford Field, not just because he was playing like a stud -- 7 catches and 142 yards by the end -- but probably more for his footwear ... a pair of custom "Joker" cleats,  with Joaquin Phoenix's mug painted on the side.

There was also a recurring theme from the hit movie written in as well ... "Put On a Happy Face."

What makes these Adidas even cooler is the fact that Stefon had them colored in to match the Joker's actual costume from the flick -- when he finally transforms, that is.

BTW, Stefon has a bit of a history of rockin' pimped out cleats -- literally wearing themes from Starbucks to-go cups to SpongeBob memes and almost everything in between. Props to his cleat guy ... always up to date on the latest trends, and with a nice touch.

NFL safety Su'a Cravens got into a crazy fight with Denver Nuggets guard Malik Beasley in an apartment lobby ... and TMZ Sports has the insane video.

It all went down at an upscale apartment complex in Denver on August 9 -- and you can see 22-year-old Beasley pacing the lobby without a shirt while wearing his Nuggets shorts.

We're told Beasley was heated over a situation involving a mutual female friend -- Instagram model Montana Yao -- and had called out Cravens to settle things once and for all.

You can see in the video, Cravens -- who was a member of the Broncos at the time -- enters the lobby and is immediately confronted by Beasley.

One thing quickly leads to another and the fists begin to fly.

The 2 pros trade blows for a minute before Su'a takes Beasley to the ground and appears to be winning the fight from the top position.

You can see Yao and a male friend of Beasley's jump in and removed Cravens. The NFL player eventually backs away from the scrum.

Yao is seen trying desperately to hold Beasley back -- using all of her strength to keep him from continuing the fight. After literally forcing herself in between the two combatants, she eventually throws herself to the ground and appears to be sobbing.

Meantime, we're told Cravens continued to taunt Beasley -- and invited him to "step outside" to continue the fight. Beasley DID go outside, but we're not sure what happened next.

What we do know ... Cravens went to Snapchat after the fight and bragged about beating Beasley up.

"I just had to beat a n***a ass that just tried me," Cravens said while wearing the same cloths from the brawl ... "Scratched my face, but I f*cked that n***a up, ol bitch ass n***a."

We're told law enforcement was NOT called about the fight ... and both parties have tried their damnedest to keep the incident under wraps.

Cravens was a star at USC before getting selected by the Washington Redskins in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He signed with the Broncos in 2018 but was cut on August 30 2019. He's currently a free agent.

Beasley played one season at Florida State before going to the Nuggets with the 19th overall pick in 2016.

We know you're wondering ... so here's the tale of the tape.

Su'a is 6'1", 224 lbs. Beasley is 6'5", 195 lbs.

We've reached out to Cravens', Beasley's and Yao's reps ... so far, no word back.

Move over Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu ... ex-Packers star Nick Collins says HE was the best safety of his era -- and he tells TMZ Sports he DEFINITELY belongs in Canton!!

"I think of my 7 years of playing I think I was the best safety in that era," Collins says. "My numbers show it."

Collins played for Green Bay from 2005 to 2011 (he was in the same draft class as Aaron Rodgers) ... and he racked up 21 INTs in 95 career games.

And, even though his career was cut short due to injury ... the Pro Football Hall of Fame still named him one of 122 finalists for 2020.

When we spoke with the 36-year-old this week, he told us he has ZERO doubts about his candidacy, telling us straight-up, "I do think I belong in Canton."

"Not knocking nothing that the guys before me or the guys gon’ be after me," Collins says, "but I just think I brought a new dynamic to the game with speed, a lot of versatility."

Nick made 3 Pro Bowls in his time in the league ... and says he would have made so many more if he didn't hurt his neck that he'd be considered one of the game's greatest ever today!!

"I think you, right now, can say I would be the number one safety in the NFL right now."

Ex- NFL star Tamba Hali says Liberia's education system is so poor he "could barely read and write" when he arrived in America as a kid ... and he tells TMZ Sports that's why he's building a school in his home country.

Hali -- a sack machine on the field who made 5 Pro Bowls over his 12 season NFL career -- says the education system in Liberia badly needs help.

"Going back, interacting with the people, the elders, the young people. You can tell because of the civil war and all the negative things that's happened," Hali says.

"The country is way behind when it comes to education,  what my kids are learning, kids there that are 14, 15 years old cannot even do. Kids can't even add, can't even multiply. You wonder what the [education] system is like. In my looking at Liberia, it's to try to create a better Liberia for the future."

But, starting a school ain't easy ... or cheap.

"We're starting small. So we want to know we can do it on a very small level. Our goal is to just raise hopefully maybe $300,000, and start from 1st grade," Hali says.

"We're not trying to do something above and beyond. We'll start with the youngest because they're the ones that are gonna make a difference in 20 years from now in the community there."

Tamba -- who's currently looking for a location to build the school -- says he plans on starting with 1 facility ... but won't rule out building multiple schools.

"Right now we're focused on one school. If we have success, we'll try to do more. But like my old coach would say, 'take care of the little things.'" .

Andy Ruiz might want to think twice about ditching his fat ... cause "The Biggest Loser" trainer Dolvett Quince tells TMZ Sports he might advise the stud boxer against it!!

"I think the weight that he had on was to his advantage," Quince says ... "Maybe the blows didn't hit as hard."

Of course, Ruiz -- who's got a huge rematch coming up against Anthony Joshua -- doesn't seem to be listening ... he appears to be dropping lbs by the day -- check out this vid he posted earlier this week!!

Right??? Dude's downright skinny as hell now!!!

Quince tells us he's happy Andy is shaping up a bit ... but the famous trainer says he's got at least a little bit of worry that Ruiz's boxing skills could suffer if he gets any thinner.

But, don't get it twisted, above all, Quince is just stoked Andy's getting healthier ... telling us, "From a health perspective, you're doing your thing, man!"