TMZ Sports - Page 50

Antonio Cromartie says Adam Gase has NO future with the Jets ... telling TMZ Sports if he were running his old team, he'd fire the guy ASAP for Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy!!

Cromartie made the bold statement when we got him out in Miami recently ... and he did NOT mince words when it came to his feelings about AG.

As for why he dislikes the guy so much ... Cromartie says the way Gase treated Le'Veon Bell during the season speaks volumes about his capabilities as a head coach.

"We don't give our running back the ball in the second half of a game," Cromartie says. "It just shows you that you're trying to say that you don't need him."

Cromartie says he would have cut bait with Gase after the season ... but says the Jets are stuck with Gase for at least the 2020 season since they didn't move on from him in January.

As for Cromartie's choice for a Gase replacement ... he tells us Andy Reid's offensive coordinator in Kansas City is the perfect man for Gang Green.

"I would go get Eric Bieniemy," Antonio says.

Prince Amukamara is going to bat for Mitch Trubisky ... telling TMZ Sports he has ZERO doubts about his Bears teammate -- saying the QB is going to be just fine!!!

"You heard it here," Prince says. "In Trubisky we trust!"

Of course, Chicago fans don't share nearly the same level of confidence in Mitch as Prince ... there's talk Bears faithful would rather see a free agent like Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston under center next season.

But, when we got Prince out in Miami recently ... the Chicago cornerback told us the Trubisky doubters need to back off.

"Coming from a guy who sees him work hard, I know what he has in store," Prince says. "I still feel like he played great for us last year and I think he's our guy."

In 15 starts in the 2019 season ... Trubisky threw for 3,138 yards and 17 TDs with 10 INTs -- piling up a not-so-great 83.0 quarterback rating.

But, Amukamara doesn't even want the Bears to sign a veteran to try to push the 25-year-old in 2020 ... telling us, "I've seen the work he's put in. He's the guy."

By the way, we got Prince leaving a sick Super Bowl gifting suite ... and he says he estimates the gear he copped was worth 5 to 10 RACKS!!!

Mary Carey is fighting Pippi Longstocking, sorta -- the famed porn star is stepping into the ring to box the former child actress who played Pippi on the big screen.

We broke the story, Mary signed a deal to fight in Damon Feldman's Celebrity Boxing promotion ... but the only question was who she'd fight?

Now we know Mary's opponent is Tami Erin, most famous for her starring role in the 1988 movie, "The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking."

We're told Tami agreed to a deal and signed a contract for the bout, which is going down April 18 at the Miami strip joint, the Booby Trap.

Anyways, it's the first time Tami is stepping into the ring as a competitor ... and we'll see if she possesses superhuman strength just like Pippi, who can lift a horse with one hand!!!

Celebrity Boxing has had some problems lately with stars like Farrah Abraham, Lenny Dykstra and Angry Bagel Guy dropping out last minute -- so hopefully Mary and Tami don't get cold feet.

BTW, the Booby Trap's all warmed up for a good fight.

'Memba that's where Offset threw a flying punch Super Bowl weekend because someone sprayed champagne on Cardi B.

Time for round 2: Porn Star vs. Pippi!!!

Kobe Bryant's youngest daughter is already learning to stand up on her own two feet -- and her mom, Vanessa, is right there capturing every adorable moment of it on camera.

7-month-old Capri Kobe is the star of Vanessa's most recent IG post, impressively attempting to get up from the floor with the help of her aunt -- Kobe's sister, Sharia Washington. It's so freakin' cute, honestly ... the joy both Vanessa and Capri share is a sight to behold.

VB captioned the video, "My Koko Bean. She looks just like my Gigi. ☀️💗auntie Ri-Ri. #7months." You hear Vanessa cheer the kid on as she gets up twice in a row from a seated position ... the baby loves the encouragement, giggling and eager to try it again.

As tragic as the loss of Kobe and Gigi must be on the Bryant family right now, it's great to see Vanessa in good spirits. She's been fairly open on social media thus far, capturing Gigi's jersey retirement as well as capturing the Lakers' tribute in Staples Center.

The Rock shared the moving eulogy he delivered for his father's funeral.

Rocky "Soulman" Johnson died last month, and Rock wanted his fans to know what his dad meant to him.  He said, “Man, I wish I had … I wish I had one more shot. I wish I had one more shot to say goodbye … to say I love you, to say thank you, but I have a feeling he’s watching. He’s listening.”

And, he went on ... “I was on my way to work, the other day on Jan. 15 and I was just pulling into work and we were shooting that day and it was the very first day of production,” he said, going on to tell the story of how his wife Lauren called to tell him that “something’s going on with your dad.”

“Lauren was with our babies, she was with my mom and she said, ‘You know, I really can’t talk… I think you should call Cora though’, so of course I called Cora,”

Soulman passed away from a heart attack on January 15 at age 75. He started the National Wrestling Alliance in the '60s and joined the WWE in the '80s.

Rocky and Tony Atlas became the league's first African-American tag team champions as The Soul Patrol.

Jon Jones LOVED the first fight between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov -- but tells TMZ Sports if they run it back, expect another long night for the Irishman.

It's no secret Conor desperately wants a second crack at Khabib after he tapped out at UFC 229 back in Oct. 2018. Khabib recently said he has no interest in giving that "idiot" a rematch.

But, chances are it's more likely to happen than not -- so we asked Jon Jones who he'd pick if they do it again.

"If I would put my money on it, I'm definitely going with Khabib," Jones said ... "For sure."

"I think the cards are always kind of in Khabib's hands. But, Conor definitely has a chance."

Jon says he believes wrestlers typically have the advantage since they can dictate if the fight goes to the mat or not -- and obviously, Khabib has the superior ground game.

Saquon Barkley says Baker Mayfield body critics need to BACK OFF ... telling TMZ Sports the dude doesn't have to be shredded to be a good QB!!!

Bake and his closest friends let loose on a Caribbean vacay last week ... and naturally, the guys posted a few pics from the trip.

Of course, the writer of this post has literally ZERO grounds to criticize the Cleveland Browns star ... but some people pointed out Mayfield's physique was just a tad different from Saquon and Sterling Shepard's.

But, Saquon says all the haters need to chill ... 'cause Mayfield's just in R&R mode and has plenty of time to get right before next season.

"He's a quarterback, he's not supposed to be shredded," Barkley told us at the Sports Illustrated party in Miami over the weekend.

"We in off-season, he's gonna have time to get his body right. He can throw the ball 80 yards. That's the only thing that matters."

Sneakerheads are gonna love this ... Dez Bryant just got a custom pair of Air Jordan 1s from one of the top shoe artists on the planet -- complete with 24-karat gold paint!

The NFL wideout hit up SWithADot -- who's worked with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Miley Cyrus and more -- and asked for a special pair of kicks, unlike anything he's ever seen.

S delivered in a big way -- spending more than 133 hours creating a hand-painted masterpiece for Dez. The shoes were delivered to Bryant earlier this week.

Each shoe has a hand-painted image of Bryant -- which took 35 hours per portrait to complete. Plus, we're told S used real 24-karat gold paint to make the kicks shine!

So, how much are these things worth? A lot. We're told shoes like these from S can usually run up to $10,000 per pair.

Dez is obviously stoked -- he raved about the shoes as soon as he got them (following a workout on Thursday).

It's only a matter of time before someone turns Kobe Bryant's story into a major Hollywood blockbuster ... according to Ron Howard, who says the guy had a life fit for the big screen.

Howard is one of the most powerful people in the movie industry -- he recently worked closely with NBA superstar Dwyane Wade for a new documentary that's about to drop.

So, we had to ask if he'd consider working on a Black Mamba project at some point down the road and Howard says he's definitely intrigued.

"If given the opportunity under the right set of circumstances, sure. Without a doubt," Howard said.

One of the biggest issues surrounding a possible Kobe movie is the timing -- Ron says working with the family would be crucial, but they're still reeling from the tragedy and need to grieve before jumping into a movie.

Ron says whoever ultimately tells Kobe's story needs to be especially sensitive about that.

Besides being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Howard says Kobe was a great guy, an emerging artist and a promising entrepreneur who was about to do some BIG things before his tragic death.

As we previously reported, Kobe was a part-owner of the UFC, was deeply involved in the tech industry and was making big moves in entertainment after winning an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball."

RIP.

Kenny Smith says the timing of Gayle King's questions about Kobe Bryant's rape case was WAY OFF ... telling TMZ Sports her interview with Lisa Leslie was "insensitive."

King has been the center of criticism ever since the interview aired earlier this week ... with people upset that she grilled Leslie about Bryant's 2003 rape case that was later dismissed.

The backlash has gotten so extreme ... Oprah claims her friend is getting death threats as a result, despite the majority of the interview being positive.

We spoke with Smith about the whole situation ... and he thinks it was inappropriate to bring up that part of Kobe's past so quickly after his tragic death.

"It's unfortunate that during this time of grieving, I think the timing of the interview totally was off," Smith said at LAX.

"With everyone still grieving ... to have an interview that was led in that direction, I think the timing was insensitive."

Smith applauds Leslie's responses to the tough questions ... but wishes she wasn't in that position to begin with.

Tragic day for the Cleveland Browns ... the team's first-ever live mascot, Swagger, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 6 years old.

The 145-pound bullmastiff joined the Browns as a puppy at the beginning of the 2014 season ... and ran out with the players before every home game until Week 10 of the 2019 season.

The only home game Swagger missed was in 2017 ... when the Browns played in London.

Swagger's son, SJ, took over the mascot duties as the cancer progressed ... and the beloved dog served as "Dawg Pound Captain" during his final Browns game.

Swagger was a fan favorite at FirstEnergy Stadium ... and even got some one-on-one time with folks like UFC champ Stipe Miocic and Baker Mayfield.

According to Browns fans in our office ... the dog was a true bright spot during some of the Browns' worst years.

Mayfield posted a tribute to Swagger, saying "Doggy heaven got a good one today."

The team says SJ will continue to fill his dad's shoes for 2020 and beyond.

#RIP

Dance it out before you punch it out!!!

That's what UFC stars Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero did on Friday when they came face to face at a media event in Houston!!!

The two middleweights are set to throw down at UFC 248 on March 7 -- so tensions were high when they both took the stage for a stare-down.

There was trash talk. There were mean mugs. And, then -- out of nowhere -- there was a dance battle!!!

Adesanya busted out some cool moves -- but Yoel busted out a full BACK HANDSPRING!!!

Just as Israel was getting ready to respond with another round of moves, Dana White got involved and chilled them both out ... 'cause nobody wants to see an injury!!!

Israel has become one of the most entertaining fighters in all of MMA -- remember, he busted out a choreographed dance routine during his walk out to fight Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 back in October.

The dance only makes us think ... HOW GREAT IS THE UFC 248 WALK OUT GONNA BE?!?

The NTSB says an initial investigation into the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash shows no outward evidence of engine failure.

The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings into the Jan. 26 crash saying it appears the engine was working at the time of the crash because there was a cut tree branch at the crash scene.

The NTSB report says the helicopter's instrument panel was completely destroyed in the wreckage.

The main wreckage was 127 feet from the impact site -- and that's where investigators found both engines, the entire fuselage, portions of the cockpit instrument panel and other key pieces of the aircraft.

According to the report, the pilot's final transmission to the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT) was to let the controller know he was trying to climb to 4,000 feet to get above the thick fog/cloud layer.

However, radar data collected by investigators shows the aircraft only reached 2,300 feet before trying to make a left turn. Eight seconds later the aircraft began descending (while trying to turn) at a VERY high rate of speed, dropping at rate of 4,000 feet per minute before crashing into the mountain.

As we reported ... NTSB officials said Kobe's Sikorsky S-76 chopper was NOT equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), nor was it outfitted with a flight data recorder (FDR) or cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

In the seconds prior to crashing, the pilot, Ara Zoboyan, took the helicopter from 1,200 feet to 2,000 feet within a matter of seconds. It appeared he cleared one hillside, only to strike the next when it crashed at about 1700 feet. Photos taken by a mountain biker on a nearby trail show the intensity of the crash.

In the days following the crash, a team of NTSB investigators combed the crash site ... rummaging through debris. The agency released drone footage showing most of the aircraft in tiny pieces.

All of the parts were shipped to Arizona, where the NTSB reassembled the aircraft.

The NTSB says it will release its final report in 12 to 18 months. That one is expected to include findings, recommendations and probable cause for the crash.

As we told you, the NTSB says back in 2006 it recommended the FAA require all helicopters carrying 6 or more passengers to have TAWS, and for all rotorcraft to have an FDR and CVR. The FAA didn't mandate either.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant public memorial has been set for Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center -- with organizers expecting a MASSIVE turnout, and Vanessa Bryant just announced it.

The date (2/24) is significant -- #24 was Kobe's jersey number and #2 was the number his daughter, Gigi, wore. Worth noting, Vanessa's IG post announcing the event has 24 butterflies.

We're told the event will take place in the morning -- because the Clippers have a game against the Memphis Grizzlies later in the evening. Our sources say the Clippers had to sign off, because, technically, they have Staples rented for the whole day.

We're told owner Steve Ballmer, and head coach Doc Rivers gladly agreed because there's such solidarity and love for Kobe and his family. Plus, the significance of the 2/24 date was not lost on them.

The other issue will be crowd control around Staples. When Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials were held there ... all the surrounding streets were shut down to anyone who didn't have a ticket. You simply couldn't get near the arena. They haven't announced yet how it will work for Kobe and Gianna's memorial.

Event organizers had been discussing a venue for days -- going back and forth between Staples and The Coliseum over concerns about the size of the crowd.

Staples -- where Kobe played for most of his 20-year NBA career -- only holds about 20,000 people. The Coliseum in Downtown L.A. holds closer to 80,000.

As for the event itself, we're told several high-profile people will speak about Bryant -- but organizers are still nailing down the official list.

Kobe and Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan 26 in Calabasas, CA., along with 7 others.

The Lakers held a massive tribute for all of the victims before and during the Lakers' January 31 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Not only was the arena filled with fans -- all wearing Kobe shirts -- but outside, hundreds of people packed the surrounding area to remember the Lakers legend.

Here's Demi Lovato slapping dollar bills on dancers inside a Miami club after the Super Bowl ... and even though she's hanging with Julian Edelman, we're told they are NOT dating.

Our sources tell us ... Julian is boo'd up, but not with Demi. We're told the NFL stud is dating a smokin' hot model who is close with Demi, and during Super Bowl LIV Jules and his girl went over to Demi's private box to say hello, setting the stage for this wild rager.

Sources say the trio ended up going clubbing with Eiza Gonzalez after the Chiefs beat the 49ers ... and they all partied at E11EVEN night club from midnight until 6 AM.

Demi actually posted the video on her Instagram ... but for some reason, she quickly deleted the post. We're told she had a full security detail around her table, and she was having a great time with the dancers.

Plenty of reasons for Demi to live it up on South Beach ... remember, she was fresh off singing the National Anthem at the big game, fulfilling her own 10-year prophecy.

And, Julian is a party animal ... just ask the folks in Bev Hills.

For those scoring at home, we've shot down two Demi dating rumors this week ... Machine Gun Kelly and now Edelman.

Antonio Brown just took a HUGE loss in his condo-trashing case ... the former NFL All-Pro was found liable for the damage done to his pricey apartment after an April 2018 incident.

... and now the only question is, how fat will the check be that Brown will be forced to write??? (insert "Whole Lotta Money" joke here).

As we previously reported, Brown is being sued after his former apartment complex, The Mansions at Acqualina in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., accused him of destroying his fancy pad.

Attorneys for the complex claim Brown threw cushions and a vase off his balcony in an April 24, 2018 incident ... and trashed his apartment during the fit of rage as well.

The Attorneys say Brown did everything from cracking mirrors, to breaking tables, to staining couch cushions ... and they provided pictures to the court of the alleged damage.

Brown fought the case in court throughout the past year and a half (remember, he famously caused headaches during the case's depositions), claiming it was actually his former trainer who did the damage.

But a judge just ruled Brown IS responsible for it all, regardless ... ruling in favor of the apartment complex this week.