TMZ Sports - Page 50

Lamar Odom says he REALLY misses Kobe Bryant -- because Kobe would often act as a life coach for Odom, who admits he could really use Bryant's wisdom right now.

Odom and Bryant weren't just teammates -- they were incredibly close friends. Remember, when Odom suffered his 2015 overdose in Nevada, Kobe was one of the first people who rushed to the hospital to be by his side.

Now, Odom says he's adjusting to life without his brother -- and admits the whole situation sucks.

"I'm alright," Odom told us outside of Staples Center on Tuesday ... "I miss my guy though. Real talk."

Odom says he relied on Bryant to advise him through tough situations -- and he's currently in the middle of one right now -- admitting he's getting criticism from fans who are unhappy that Odom pawned his 2008-09 and 2009-10 Lakers championship rings.

"First, I would ask him how do I get these fans to forgive me for pawning those rings?"

As we previously reported, Odom pawned the rings several years ago during his drama with Khloe Kardashian.

Clearly, Odom wants them back -- but it'll cost him. The rings recently hit the auction block where they were expected to sell for around $100,000.

There's more ... Odom says he reconnected with some of his old Lakers teammates during Tuesday night's game against the New Orleans Pelicans and they reminisced about Kobe.

A tennis legend is calling it quits ... Maria Sharapova just announced she's done with the sport for good.

"Tennis -- I’m saying goodbye," Sharapova wrote Wednesday.

"Tennis showed me the world -- and it showed me what I was made of," the 32-year-old added. "It's how I tested myself and how I measured my growth."

"And so in whatever I might choose for my next chapter, my next mountain, I'll still be pushing. I’ll still be climbing. I'll still be growing."

Sharapova was a former No. 1 player in the world ... and won five career Grand Slams -- including Wimbledon in 2004 when she was just 17 years old.

Of course, Sharapova also gained a ton of fame from her rivalry with Serena Williams ... which was more of complete and utter dominance than actual competitiveness.

In 23 career matchups ... Serena won 20 of them, including 18 in a row at one point!!

Maria, though, still won the U.S. Open in 2006, the Australian Open in 2008 and the French Open twice in 2012 and 2014.

But, Maria's career didn't come without controversy ... she tested positive for a banned substance in 2016 and was ultimately suspended from the game for 15 MONTHS.

In fact, the test caused such a backlash in the tennis world ... Genie Bouchard straight-up called her a "cheater" who deserved a lifetime ban.

Sharapova -- who battled numerous shoulder injuries throughout her career -- said Thursday of all the ups and downs in her career, "I realize that tennis has been my mountain."

"My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible. After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I'm ready to scale another mountain -- to compete on a different type of terrain."

Khabib Nurmagomedov says Conor McGregor's victory over Cowboy Cerrone was LAUGHABLE -- claiming Conor shouldn't be praised for beating a washed-up old man.

It's clear the hatred between Khabib and Conor is still VERY real -- with the Dagestani superstar taking shot after shot at Conor and Cowboy while hyping up his April 2020 fight against Tony Ferguson.

Khabib says Tony is a tougher opponent than ANYONE he's fought in the past -- especially Conor -- and that's when he lit up McGregor for agreeing to fight Cerrone back in January instead of a more worthy fighter.

"He's not high level," Khabib said about Cowboy ... "Of course he has a big name, but his time is finished."

Of course, Conor destroyed Cowboy in just 40 seconds. Cowboy didn't even land a shot.

"Cowboy always loses all his main event fights, always. I don't remember when he win. In last 10 fights, I think he's lost 7 times."

For the record, Cowboy -- a surefire UFC Hall of Famer -- has lost 6 of his last 10 fights ... 7 of his last 11.

Khabib says Conor is simply ducking tough fighters like Justin Gaethje because he simply doesn't want that smoke.

Meanwhile, Khabib says he's laser-focused on making his legacy by fighting the very best guys around ... and Tony Ferguson checks all the boxes. The two are set to throw down at UFC 249 on April 18.

"I compete with guys like Barboza, dos Anjos, Conor, Poirier, Iaquinta. All of these guys not tough like Tony Ferguson."

POP QUIZ -- how many Chick-fil-A sandwiches does it take to fill up 7'5" NBA star Tacko Fall?!?

WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT BECAUSE WE SHOT TACKO FALL AT CHICK-FIL-A!

Fresh off an 18-point, 20-rebound game for the Maine Red Claws (the Boston Celtics' G-League team) ... TMZ Sports spotted the most likable guy in pro sports getting some grub at the airport in D.C.

And, since we're fascinated with all things Tacko, we had to ask the 24-year-old what the standard Chick-fil-A order is for someone of his stature.

So, make your guesses now ... 5 sandos? 8? 27? Dude's not only huge but he burns a ton of calories moving up and down the court.

Shout-out to Fall who couldn't have been nicer to our photog, and took a bunch of pics for the Chick-fil-A staffers who recognized him at the restaurant!

BONUS -- we also spoke with Tacko about being so well-received by fans in the Association ... and you'll love his reaction.

Remember the guy who split Tyson Fury's face in half back in Sept. and came thiiiis close to upsetting the Gyspy King?

That fighter is Otto Wallin -- and he tells TMZ Sports he did a MUCH better job fighting Tyson Fury than Deontay Wilder and deserves a rematch before Wilder gets his 3rd crack.

"I'm the guy who landed the most punches on Fury, ever," Wallin tells us ... "I cut him. I gave him 2 cuts. One above the eye, one on the eyelid, and it was a grueling fight."

"He had to really dig deep to get the win in our fight. It was a good fight, good performance by me. Good performance by Fury."

Wallin is right -- he battered Fury so effectively, the ringside doctor almost stopped the fight because the gashes on Tyson's face were so big and bloody ... there was concern about longterm damage.

After they fought, Fury admitted he "couldn't see" out of his left eye for the majority of their fight.

In the end, the fight was decided by the judges and Fury won by unanimous decision -- resulting in Wallin's first-ever pro defeat.

Wallin believes he DESERVES a rematch simply because he came MUCH closer to defeating Fury than Wilder ... telling us, "It would be awesome to get another shot. And I think I can do better."

Wallin was a 10-1 underdog going into that fight -- but his performance was widely praised by boxing critics. He's set to fight Lucas Browne on March 28th and a dominant victory could put him back in the mix for a title shot.

He's never been Bar Mitzvah'd. He doesn't fast on Yom Kippur. So, why is Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy rockin' a Star of David around his neck at the NFL Combine?

"My last name's Jeudy. People sometimes call me [Jew for short]."

OY VEY!!!

Long story short ... Jeudy really likes his "Jew" nickname and decided to cop himself some "jew"elry to let everybody know!

"So, I just got a Jewish star ... I'm not Jewish though."

Jeudy also has a decorative piece with the word, "Jew" spelled across.

Everyone in the media room laughed when Jeudy offered up his explanation -- but the question ... is it all Kosher with actual Jewish people?

We asked some of the Jewish people in the office for their thoughts -- here's what we got.

-- "I think it's weird and f**ked up."

-- "If it's not used in a derogatory way, I don't care."

-- "It doesn't bother me."

-- "I'm not offended by it. I hope somehow the 'Jew' nickname will spark interest in Judaism and Jewish culture."

-- "I don't like that one bit. I think it's making a mockery of people's identity. I find it very offensive."

So, division in the office ... how do you feel about the chain?

Originally Published -- 8:00 AM PT

Well, this is one way to get kicked off the airwaves ...

ESPN Cleveland radio host Tony Grossi has been suspended indefinitely for using profanity when talking about Baker Mayfield ... calling the QB a "f**king m****t" (derogatory slur for a little person) on a hot mic during a livestream.

The talent on TheLandOnDemand were discussing quarterbacks on other teams during a break ... when Grossi chimed in with "Who do we got? A f**king m****t."

YIKES.

Grossi was immediately suspended for the comment ... and has since released a statement apologizing to Bake, the Browns and the little person community.

"There’s no excuse for using that language in any context," Grossi said. "It was said without malice but also without thought."

Of course, it's no secret Grossi and Mayfield ain't gucci -- they've had their fair share of spats in the QB's short time in Cleveland. Remember the "Jesus, Tony!" incident??

Grossi acknowledged the beef in his apology, saying "It is well known that Baker and I have had our differences, and in the course of this experience, I’ve had to question my role in the erosion of the relationship."

Remember when Odell Beckham was handing out wads of cash to LSU players after winning the national championship??

Turns out, that act of kindness just helped a good cause ... because Justin Jefferson says he donated the moolah to his local church!!

Of course, giving money to college players is the biggest NCAA violation of them all ... and JJ says he had to meet with the org.'s compliance department to get the situation sorted out.

Jefferson spoke about the infamous incident at the Combine on Tuesday ... saying, "We knew he shouldn't have done it," according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter, Les Bowen. "It was in the heat of the moment."

The money created a HUGE headache for LSU -- a school rep initially claimed the dough was fake. And then, superstar QB Joe Burrow blew that theory out of the water when he told Barstool Sports the cash was as real as it gets.

LSU self-reported the incident to the NCAA -- and the players involved are not expected to be hit with serious punishment.

Monday they were mourning. Tuesday they were trying to cash in.

Several people who attended the Kobe Bryant memorial at Staples Center are selling souvenir items from the event ... from ticket stubs to program booklets ... and the asking price is in the THOUSANDS of dollars.

We've already found a handful of listings on eBay from people selling their memorial pins, shirts and other items. Most of the listers claim they personally attended the event.

The average starting bid for the Kobe Memorial bundles are around $3,000 -- with a $5,000 "Buy It Now" price.

One seller listed an official Kobe shirt (size XL) from the memorial -- and after receiving 76 bids, it sold for $2,025!

Remember, most fans were only able to get tickets to the event by entering a random drawing. If they were selected, they had the option of buying tickets for either $24.02 or $224 each, with the money going to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Some fans flew from around the country to be at the event -- and they could be selling the giveaways to help offset the travel costs.

Other people feel it's BAD FORM to auction off items from a memorial event -- and those people have been very critical of the sellers.

One thing is for sure ... Kobe items are in huge demand right now -- from autographs to game-worn jerseys and even his 8th-grade yearbook. And, as long as there are people willing to shell out the cash, there will be no shortage of supply.

Kobe and Gigi Bryant's family along with those of the 6 other passengers on the doomed aircraft ... may all end up suing Island Express -- which owned the helicopter -- but aviation attorneys tell us there won't be enough money to go around.

Sources familiar with Island Express tell TMZ, the company had liability insurance coverage totaling $50 million. Our sources say that's not an unusual figure, but given the number of people Island Express transports on a single helicopter and the fact rich celebrities used the service ... the number is low.

Our sources say a more appropriate amount of coverage for the company would have been closer to $100 million. As we reported, Kylie Jenner -- a 22-year-old billionaire -- also recently took the same Island Express helicopter that crashed.

Vanessa Bryant is asking for both compensatory and punitive damages. In terms of compensatory damages, Kobe's family alone might be entitled to hundreds of millions of dollars because his earning potential was enormous. On top of that, punitive damages could take a judgement into the stratosphere.

And, remember, other passengers left behind spouses, children, and promising professions, and they'd be entitled to untold millions as well.

The question ... with hundreds of millions of dollars in possible payouts, who gets what out of a $50 million pot? Fact is, judges have a tremendous amount of discretion in the decision how to distribute insurance proceeds in such cases.

So far, Vanessa Bryant is the only family member who has sued, but our sources say some of the other family members have already lawyered up. More lawsuits are certain to come.

Tom Brady says Kobe Bryant's death has kept him up at night and brought him to "so many tears" -- and now he's opening up about why the "real superhero" meant so much to him.

TB12 didn't just love Kobe as an athlete -- but he respected him as a father, husband and businessman ... and says Bryant was an inspiration.

The NFL star penned a very long statement about how he's been processing Kobe's death -- while paying tribute to everything Bryant stood for.

Here's Tom's statement in its entirety ...

"I have been deeply affected by the passing of Kobe, Gigi and the others in that tragic flight weeks ago," Brady said.

"Since then, I've witnessed the well deserved outpouring of love and support for the families that had so much left to give, and it’s helped me reflect and gain perspective. I know that love and peace and joy will always endure. And in this tragedy, I have learned so much."

"Why has this touched me in the way it did? Why has it kept me up at night, and brought me so many tears?"

Kobe Bryant was purple and gold as a 13-year-old -- signing his middle school friend's yearbook with "How bout those Lakers" -- and now the book can be yours.

Iconic Auctions has the super-unique piece of memorabilia on the auction block ... and it's pretty amazing.

In 1992, Kobe -- who just returned to the U.S. from Italy -- attended Bala Cynwyd Middle School in Pennsylvania ... where he played on the basketball team.

Bryant arrived midway through the school year, so he didn't have a standard school photo. He only appeared in the boys' basketball team photo.

When yearbooks were issued, Kobe's buddy asked him to sign the autograph page ... and what Mamba wrote was pretty prophetic.

"In a few years you probably will be dunking on me. Not!! How bout those Lakers. Your friend Kobe Bryant #24"

Kobe was just 13 years old in 1992 ... and wasn't a member of the Los Angeles Lakers (or the NBA) until June 1996.

Of course, Bryant -- even back then -- wore (and signed) one of the numbers, #24, that would eventually hang forever in the rafters of Staples Center.

Iconic tells us they expect the yearbook to sell for over $20k ... when the auction closes this weekend.

"I'm not going to NOT play."

That's Joe Burrow making Bengals fans feel A LITTLE better -- telling media at the NFL Combine he won't hold out (or force a trade) if selected with the #1 pick in the NFL Draft.

"I'm a ball player," Burrow said ... "Whoever picks me, I'm going to go show up."

The former LSU superstar -- who just won the Heisman Trophy -- hasn't exactly sounded stoked about potentially going to Cincinnati.

But Burrow is pointing the finger at the media -- saying, "You guys [in the media]  kind of took that narrative and ran with it. There has never been anything like that from my end."

As for recent comments about having "leverage" going into the 2020 Draft -- Burrow explained he was referring to his workout at the NFL Combine -- saying he won't be pressured into doing drills he doesn't feel like doing.

Burrow insists he was NOT trying to imply he would force his way out of Cinci.

In fact, when asked about the likelihood of being drafted by the Bengals, Burrow pointed out the team is located about 2 hours from his home in Ohio ... and he he could go home for dinner if he wanted to.

The Grove honored Kobe, Gigi Bryant and the 7 other lives lost in a tragic helicopter crash by doing something it had never done in its 18-year history ... shutting off its famed rooftop sign and blasting a special lights tribute.

The famed L.A. mall beamed 9 rays of light Monday as the sun set ... and they joined together as one in the heavens to honor the victims from the January helicopter crash. Billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso, who owns The Grove, said it's the first time The Grove has EVER turned off its famous Grove sign.

L.A. and the rest of the world said one last goodbye to the NBA legend and Gigi on Monday in front of a packed Staples Center crowd. We got Caruso leaving Craig's later that night and he said the tribute was a one-night event.

Caruso also tells us how he got the idea to honor the victims. Our guy asks Caruso if The Grove will erect a Kobe statue ... and Caruso's response should come as no surprise.

BTW ... Kobe was no stranger to The Grove. He'd drop into the mall's famed Nike store every now and then. He also had a meet and greet at the mall's Barnes & Noble when he was there to promote his book "The Mamba Mentality: How I Play" in 2018.