TMZ Sports - Page 50

"Emergency press conference -- We all knew this was f**king coming."

That's Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy announcing the NFL will NOT honor his winning bid for a sit down meeting with Roger Goodell, claiming Portnoy failed an NFL background check.

As we previously reported, the NFL offered an evening with Roger Goodell as part of the All In Challenge charity auction to raise money for COVID-19 relief.

Portnoy says he bid $250,000 on the item -- which featured some 1-on-1 time with the Commish, watching a "Monday Night Football" game in his personal man cave.

The two have a history of bad blood -- Portnoy has been highly critical of Goodell's handling of things like DeflateGate and the Ray Rice situation ... and told TMZ Sports he planned to use the opportunity to grill Goodell like a cheeseburger.

But, that ain't happening ... Portnoy said Friday he received a letter from the NFL saying they were shutting the whole thing down.

"Mr. Portnoy, we wanted to update you on the background criminal check that was conducted on you in conjunction with your bid on NFL Auction," Portnoy read.

"Based on the background report, you did not pass the NFL's background check."

"What did they say I did wrong? I falsified NFL credentials to gain access to Super Bowl LLII Opening Night in Atlanta in 2019, followed by police detainment. After being informed by police that you were banned from entering Mercedes Benz Stadium, site of Super Bowl LLII, you defied the police directive and attended the game."

The NFL also cited a 2015 incident when Portnoy was arrested while protesting outside of NFL headquarters in NYC.

There's more ... the league noted an incident in which Portnoy posted "nude images" of Tom Brady's son in 2011.

"First of all, me and Tom Brady are like THIS," Portnoy said ... "That kid had a f**king howitzer. He was like the Gerber baby and if you can't handle a big d**k joke, then get a sense of humor."

Portnoy says the NFL informed him his credit card will not be charged and the NFL will donate the amount of the top bid to the 6 nonprofits connected to the All In Challenge.

Jon Jones is going nuclear on Dana White and the UFC -- claiming the company is lying about his contract demands to fight Francis Ngannou ... and now Jon is calling for his release.

Here's the backstory ... Jon and Francis have been trying to set up a super fight -- but Dana White said it wasn't going to happen because Jon was asking for too much money.

"He told my lawyer he wants what Deontay Wilder was paid [for the Tyson Fury fight],” White said Friday ... "I think it was $30 million, was what Deontay Wilder was paid."

Now, Jon is calling BS on social media -- and trashing the company in the process.

"Don’t be a f**king liar," Jones tweeted ... "My reputation has already taking enough hits. I don’t need this bulls**t Dana."

"I never asked for Diante Wilder‘s [sic] numbers. And how about since Diante is making 30 million, we settle for half of that. Since you said I’m the goat and everything."

Then, Jones called for action ...

"I don’t even make half of half of what Diante Wilder makes. If my reputation causes you to undervalue me this much. Just go ahead and release me from my UFC contract altogether. I’m sure some promoter somewhere will be more than happy to pick me up."

There's more ...

"And if I wanted to compare money to someone else, I would compare money to my brothers."

Both Chandler Jones and Arthur Jones are NFL players.

"I see firsthand the way the NFL treats their champion athletes, there’s a huge difference. I’ve kept my mouth shut my entire career."

"Do I make 5+ per fight yes. Should I stick to that number for my super fights? No. If you don’t agree with me you just don’t know business. I certainly didn’t ask for 30, never even threw out a number."

The end of the basketball drought is (possibly) in sight -- with NBA commissioner Adam Silver targeting a July 31 return to the 2020 season.

The league notified team owners about the goal date on Friday ... in hopes to finally continue action after suspending the season on March 11.

It's a bit of good news for NBA fans, but one big question that still remains -- will the Association skip straight to the playoffs, or will it allow teams to earn their spots in the postseason?

According to Shams Charania, the league is considering 4 possible scenarios ...

Option 1 -- Go straight to the playoffs with the 16 teams that are currently at the top of each conference

Option 2 -- Allow the top 20 teams to compete in group/stage play

Option 3 -- Have 22 teams continue the season and have a play-in tournament to determine final seeding

Option 4 -- Bring all 30 teams back and have a 72-game season with play-in tourney

Of course, most NBA players (like LeBron James) want the season to come back ... but Blazers superstar Dame Lillard recently said he won't play if Portland doesn't have a "real shot" at earning a postseason berth.

Now, on the tee ... the favorite for the 2028 Masters -- John Daly II?!?!

Don't be surprised if that's a real thing later this decade ... 'cause John Daly tells TMZ Sports his 16-year-old son has golf superstar written all over him!!!

"I can't keep up with him now," Daly says. "He hits it so far. He pummels it. He's flying it about 300, 305 [yards] now."

Papa Daly ain't lying ... his son really does have the golf goods -- he just finished in second place at a major tournament this week.

In fact, the younger Daly tore up the course ... shooting just a 4-over par at the same Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana where his dad won the 1991 PGA Championship.

"He's got it in him," Daly says. "We'll see how college goes and we'll see how it goes. But, he hits it, man. He's got that sound. It's that sound of a swish in basketball. Or, that perfect pass on a post pattern. That tennis racket hitting it solid every time."

"He hits it solid every time. It's a sound that a lot of people in golf don't have. And, he's had it since he was about 8."

Daly -- who's still a hell of a golfer even at 54 years old -- says his son now beats him from time to time on the course ... and he's clearly proud as hell of where his kid's golf career is headed.

Stephen Jackson is at the forefront of the fight for justice in the killing of his friend George Floyd ... saying he's going to do whatever it takes to make sure the officers are convicted.

The ex-NBA star revealed this week that he's known Floyd for more than 20 years ... saying they even called each other "twin."

Jackson -- alongside Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, rappers Bun B and Trae The Truth, and actor Jamie Foxx -- gave an emotional speech at a news conference in Minneapolis on Friday.

"I'm here because they're not gonna demean the character of George Floyd, my twin," Jackson said.

"You can't tell me when that man had a knee on my brother's neck, taking his life away with his hand in his pocket that that smirk on his face didn't say, 'I'm protected.'"

"You can't tell me that he didn't feel that it was his duty to murder my brother and then he was gonna get away with it."

The officer -- Derek Chauvin -- has been arrested and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter ... and Jackson says he will fight to make sure all officers involved get proper punishment.

"I'mma use everything I have to get a conviction, to get all these motherf**kers in jail. Excuse my French, I'm angry. I'm a proud black man."

Colin Kaepernick is offering to cover legal bills for the "freedom fighters" on the ground in Minnesota ... claiming he's already put together a team of "top" defense attorneys.

"In fighting for liberation there’s always retaliation," Kaepernick said Friday morning ... "We must protect our Freedom Fighters."

"We started a legal defense initiative to give legal representation to Freedom Fighters in Minneapolis paid for by [Know Your Rights Camp]."

Kaepernick has donated a ton of his own money to the org. over the years -- but says they're also accepting donations from outside supporters.

The Know Your Rights Camp expanded on the initiative ... saying they have already "identified and teamed up with top defense lawyers in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area to provide legal resources for those in need."

"When there is an injustice within our community, it is our legal right to address it, by any means necessary."

"If you, or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, or has been arrested while fighting injustice in the Minneapolis area, please complete the form below with as much detail as possible."

On Thursday, Kaepernick tweeted out his support for a revolution after the killing of George Floyd ... saying, "When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction."

He added,  "The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears, because your violence has brought this resistance."

"We have the right to fight back!"

So far, protestors have set fire to multiple buildings in Minnesota including a police precinct.

Powerful statement from Jalen Rose.

The ex-NBA star -- now a regular on ESPN -- went off on "Get Up!" on Friday about the civil unrest following the killing of George Floyd.

Just watch. Here's the transcript.

"I wish America loved black people just as much as they love black culture."

"There's so many times that it gets cherry-picked and it gets piggybacked but only when it's convenient and sometimes it happens in entertainment and athletics."

We're not here designed only to entertain."

"We're actually living and breathing human beings that have a multitude of intelligence, work ethic, discipline and talent. We've overcome a lot just like so many other races."

"This didn't just start happening. You can Google. We've been sprayed with water hoses, we've been attacked by dogs. We've overcome it. I'm old enough to remember 'I Have a Dream,' 'Fight the Power,' 'Screw the Police.' Now it's 'I Can't Breathe.'"

"This is not new and it's not going to come from just us. We need people who aren't black. We need people who aren't brown. When you know these things are happening in your society to have a voice, a legitimate one. Lock and step with us. Protest with us. Post with us. Not just when it's convenient. When it can be uncomfortable."

"The image of Colin Kaepernick taking a knee before a football game during the national anthem is the exact same one that we see in Minnesota ... when a guy was laying on the ground for over 8 minutes handcuffed with a knee to his neck and was murdered."

Joe Burrow -- the #1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- is speaking out about the civil unrest following the killing of George Floyd ... saying, "The black community needs our help."

The "our" is presumably white people -- considering Burrow is white -- but it's possible the 23-year-old is referring to EVERYONE outside of the black community.

Nonetheless, the Cincinnati Bengals QB expanded on his point.

"They have been unheard for far too long. Open your ears, listen, and speak. This isn’t politics. This is human rights."

Burrow has spoken out about racial issues in the past -- in 2019 he made some strong comments following controversial tweets from President Trump when POTUS told 4 U.S. Congresswomen to "go back" to their home countries.

"Why does racial inequality have to be political? It’s basic human decency," Burrow told Sports Illustrated at the time.

Other NFL players have spoken out about the current situation -- including Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz.

"Been thinking about the George Floyd situation and thinking of the words to say [and] coming up empty," Wentz said.

Shaun White and Nina Dobrev are quarantining together and want everyone to know ... with the new couple going official on Instagram!!

The duo sparked rumors when spotted out in public earlier this year ... and have been spending a LOT of time together ever since.

The 33-year-old superstar pretty much confirmed everyone's speculation on Friday ... showing off the 'Vampire Diaries' star trimming his signature red locks for a quarantine cut. You know, cute couple-y stuff.

Dobrev has a passion for snowboarding and White is one of the best to ever do it (3-time Olympic gold medalist) ... so it seems like a natural fit!

White has previously dated Sarah Barthel of Phantogram ... and Dobrev most recently dated filmmaker Grant Mellon.

As for the haircut ... White's new look isn't bad at all. Maybe Nina's got a second career in cosmetology??

Of course, this ain't the first couple to blossom during the global pandemic ... as we previously reported, Lakers star Kyle Kuzma and supermodel Winnie Harlow started dating in quarantine ... and were even spotted out holding hands last month.

Love is in the air!! ... just keep your masks on.

Melvin Gordon didn't hold back when he was asked about the possibility of playing in fan-less stadiums in 2020 ... saying it used to happen to him all the time in his Chargers career!!

"Bro, we didn't have fans anyway!" Gordon said with a laugh.

Of course, MG ain't really wrong ... Chargers games over the past few seasons became famous for being overrun by opponents' fan bases -- but hearing Gordon say it so bluntly was still SAVAGE!!

"We didn't have many Chargers fans, I'm going to be honest," Gordon explained in an interview this week with his former Wisconsin teammate, Marcus Cromartie. "We didn't have many Chargers fans at the game."

Don't worry, L.A. faithful ... Gordon still praised the few of you out there, saying, "Much loyalty, love, but we didn't have many!"

Gordon added, "I ain't really missing out on much!"

This isn't the first time the running back has taken a shot at the Chargers' lack of support at their own games ... remember, he was publicly pissed at his former squad for playing the Steelers' rally song during their own HOME game in 2019.

Gordon doesn't have to worry about any of that anymore if the COVID-19 pandemic subsides ... he's in Denver now -- where fans are notorious for being loud as hell at games.

Roger Federer is finally #1 on the Forbes Highest-Paid Athletes list -- but it's all because two superstars took a pay hit thanks to COVID.

The 38-year-old tennis superstar reportedly raked in $106.3 million from June 1, 2019 to June 1, 2020 (in pre-taxed earnings) from prize money and endorsements.

Federer earned $6.3 million in prize money -- but the bulk of his financial haul comes by way of endorsements ... $100 MILLION from deals with companies like Uniqlo, Credit Suisse, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and more.

Cristiano Ronaldo clocks in at #2 ($105 million) and Lionel Messi is #3 ($104 million) ... but Forbes points out their take would have been higher if not for the coronavirus pandemic.

"The two soccer icons earned a combined $209 million during the past 12 months, a $28 million drop from 2019, due to salary reductions at many European soccer clubs when league play was halted in March," Forbes says.

Might not be a big deal to you ... but we know some athletes take the Forbes list VERY seriously -- remember when Conor McGregor told Ronaldo to his face that he was coming for that top spot?!

Rounding out the Top 5 is Neymar ($95.5 M) followed by LeBron James ($88.2 M).

Other notable athletes include Tiger Woods at #8 ($62.3 mil), Carson Wentz at #10 ($59.1 mil), Conor McGregor at #16 ($48 mil), Tom Brady at #21 ($45 mil) and Naomi Osaka at #29 ($37.4 mil).

2019 marks the second year in a row Floyd Mayweather's failed to make the list ... after being the highest-paid athlete of the decade.

If Mike Tyson wants weed, Mike Tyson's gonna get weed -- even if UFC star Tyron Woodley has to get it for him!!

Woodley appeared on Mike's "Hotboxin" podcast this week -- and told the boxing legend about the time he ran a marijuana errand for him .. and it's pretty funny!

Long story short ... Tyron (who's from Missouri) was told Mike was in town and needed his "medicine" -- a special weed strain called "Sour Diesel."

Woodley said he wasn't really into weed at the time and was trying to figure out how to get it -- and at one point asked himself, "Do I really have to score a nickel bag for Mike Tyson in the streets of Ferguson?"

Yes.

Don't worry, Tyron got the weed -- and Mike got high. Everyone was happy!

Of course, Woodley is currently in Vegas gearing up for his Saturday fight with Gilbert Burns.

Check out the new "Hollywood Beatdown" episode -- where Tyron explains why he feels focused, sharp and dangerous!

Also, Tyron tells us his MOM came out to Vegas for the fight -- COVID-19 pandemic be damned!!!

Tim Tebow's ex-teammate just went scorched earth on the Mets over the former QB's 2016 signing ... calling the move a "mockery" and saying it only happened to help the team sell tickets.

Andrew Church -- a 2nd-round pick by the Mets in 2013 -- just exploded on his former squad after they officially released him this week ... taking aim at Tebow's signing in the rant.

“The Mets made a mockery of our team by putting a celebrity on it to sell more tickets,’’ Church wrote. "I saw players lose their jobs because of it."

He added, "We weren’t playing to win, we were playing to make everyone else money. Not the players. We never saw a cut. Well, allegedly one player did."

25-year-old Church never directly named Tebow in the post ... but it's pretty clear he's talking about the former Heisman Trophy winner -- whom Church was minor league teammates with in 2017.

Of course, Tim officially signed a minor league deal with the Mets in '16 ... and at the time, NY general manager Sandy Alderson said the move was strictly made because of Tim's baseball potential.

But, Alderson reportedly later admitted he inked Tim to a deal "partly because of his celebrity, partly because this is an entertainment business."

32-year-old Tebow has shown some flashes of being a potential big leaguer in his minor-league career ... but it's largely been a disappointment for the ex-NFL player -- he's batted .231 or worse in all but one of his seasons.

Church, meanwhile, also ripped the Mets for an injury he suffered in his career ... claiming they forced him to pitch when his body wasn't ready.

Church says he decided to go forward with his rant Thursday because "now that it’s officially over with them I’d like to say some things."

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler has apologized for wearing a Blue Lives Matter mask in the wake of George Floyd's tragic death ... saying he "had no idea that the mask had any underlying inferences."

The 27-year-old MLB player posted a picture of himself in a mask featuring a Blue Lives Matter flag ... just days after people accused a Minneapolis cop of killing Floyd by putting his knee to the man's neck.

The mask -- which had a black and grey American flag with a blue stripe in it -- caused tremendous online backlash for Kepler ... but the Berlin, Germany native brushed off the criticism.

"✌️wasn’t aware what the mask supported. still not into politics" Max wrote.

But, that only caused MORE criticism for the MLB player ... and he finally addressed the issue formally in a lengthy statement on his social media page Thursday.

"Earlier, I posted a photo of me in a mask that was sent to me by a company, to wear during the pandemic," Kepler said. "I had no idea that the mask had any underlying inferences -- I simply thought it looked good."

"After I was informed, I immediately took down the post. I take complete responsibility for not knowing what I was wearing. I am truly sorry for the hurt and pain my actions have caused, especially now."

Kepler continued, "Racism has no place in our world and I do not in any way support the actions that we all witnessed that led to George Floyd’s passing. My sympathies are with the Floyd family."

The Twins have not addressed Kepler's picture directly ... but did release a statement of their own Thursday, saying, "We are deeply saddened by the tragic and senseless death of George Floyd Monday night in Minneapolis."

"The Minnesota Twins send our deepest sympathies to the Floyd family, and join our Twin Cities community in mourning."

Kofi Kingston, Chavo Guerrero, Chuck Liddell -- just some of the stars who gathered in Venice, CA on Thursday to remember their friend, Shad Gaspard.

Pro wrestlers like Shelton Benjamin, Lilian Garcia, Chris Masters, Mickie James, John Morrison and Montel Vontavious Porter (aka MVP) stood side by side with MMA stars like Chuck and Josh Barnett.

The event appeared to be a celebration of Shad's life -- the attendees were smiling and flexing afterward.

Of course, Shad passed away on March 17 when he was caught in a riptide while swimming with his 10-year-old son.

Lifeguards rushed out to help them -- but Shad directed them to rescue his son first. Moments later, a giant wave crashed on Gaspard, pulling him under.

Shad has been praised as a hero by superstars like The Rock and Arnold Schwarzenegger ... and a makeshift memorial was erected at the Gold's Gym in Venice where Shad often worked out.

RIP.

Mackenzie Dern refuses to blame her first UFC loss on the fact she fought just 4 MONTHS after giving birth ... telling TMZ Sports, "I don't regret coming back."

Dern gave birth to her daughter, Moa, on June 9, 2019 -- and somehow managed to get back into fighting shape to take on Amanda Ribas on October 12.

27-year-old Dern (7-1) ultimately lost the fight via unanimous decision -- but now that she's had time to reflect, we asked if she thinks she came back too soon.

"No, definitely not," Dern says ... "I felt good for the fight. I was prepared."

"I lost but ya know I don't think it was because it was too soon. I think Amanda was just better than me that night and she came out with the win and I came out with the loss and that's it."

"I don't regret coming back at that time ... I wish it was a win because then I could of maybe fought sooner again but I'm just happy to be able to be fighting now."

Now, Dern is focusing her energy on Hannah Cifers (10-4) -- they face off Saturday in Las Vegas at UFC Fight Night.

Dern -- one of the top-ranked Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world -- says her goal is to take the fight to the ground and submit Cifers quickly, "and get home to go see my daughter with no cuts or bruises!"