TMZ Sports - Page 50

Barstool Sports honcho Dave Portnoy is apologizing for his past on-camera usage of the n-word ... and he's now vowing to do better going forward.

"I should have had [my employees'] back from the beginning and been like, 'Yup, I wish I didn't f**king say that sh*t,'" Portnoy said in a video Thursday. "I'm sorry I said it. I'm sorry it offended people."

"I was just trying to be f**king funny."

Clips from around four years ago surfaced of Portnoy this past week ... showing the Barstool Sports founder saying and rapping the n-word on company-produced content videos.

In another one of the resurfaced clips, Portnoy also made insensitive comments about Colin Kaepernick ... saying the 49ers QB looked like an "ISIS guy," and adding, "throw a head wrap on this guy and he's a terrorist."

The unearthed footage was immediately met with backlash ... with critics calling for sponsors to drop partnerships with Barstool ASAP.

Initially, Portnoy defended the remarks ... saying he was "uncancellable." But after he says he spoke with his employees, the 43-year-old decided to issue a mea culpa.

"I can't apologize for my existence, but I can be better," Portnoy said. "And, I'm going to be better for [my employees]."

Portnoy says he'll lean on the diversity of his staff to make sure situations don't arise like this again in the future ... adding, "To all the guys that work for me, I want you to know I have your back."

Univ. of Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown says he's DONE with Longhorns football ... until officials at the school start meeting some of his team's social justice demands.

Overshown was one of many UT players involved in a statement last month that urged school officials to make changes to help right perceived racial inequalities at the university.

In their statement, the players asked for, among other things, donations to the Black Lives Matter movement, the renaming of several parts of campus, and the removal of the school song, "The Eyes of Texas."

At the time, university officials said they would look into all the demands ... but as of Thursday, no changes had been made -- and Overshown says he's pissed about that.

The junior says he's now boycotting all team activities until the school starts taking some real steps toward change.

"We are constantly preached urgency throughout the program and I feel that the university should be held to the same standard," Overshown said.

"I watched WNBA All-Star Maya Moore sit out a whole year because of something that meant so much to her. With that being said, until real action is taken and changes are made I will be sitting out of all team activities."

Overshown continued, "I will support my team in whatever they do but this is something I'm very passionate about and I can not continue to perform for a program that doesn't show me the same love and support I do for them."

Amazing day for Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom ... the 23-year-old has officially completed radiation treatment for cancer!!

The Swedish pro was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma -- a rare form of bone cancer -- back in December ... and has been fighting ever since.

Lindblom reached a milestone in his recovery on Thursday ... by ringing the bell at Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital to signify his treatment being complete!!

"I can’t even explain how I feel," Lindblom said. "It feels like having a birthday, Christmas, and all those holidays at the same time."

"It just feels awesome to be done. Can’t wait to get back to normal life again, start to feel like I’m living.

"Everything, from family to friends to fans, I can’t even explain how much it meant to me, especially in the start when it was a rough time, got all those kind words, it made me feel so much better and calm and it really helped, for sure."

Lindblom showed his appreciation to all the workers who took care of him during treatment ... gifting them with a signed jersey.

Not even a global pandemic can hurt President Trump's golf game ... U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham says POTUS went OFF on the course over the weekend, shooting a stunning 74!!!

FYI ... a 74 is professional golfer territory -- most amateurs struggle to break 100 ... so yeah, Graham says Trump's swing is in top shape at the moment.

The two were spotted out at Trump's National Golf Club in Virginia over the weekend ... and when Graham was asked about the round on "Fox And Friends" on Thursday -- he said Trump dominated.

"I've never seen him play this well," the S.C. senator said. "I mean, he's got more on his shoulders -- I'm hoping, 'OK, you know he's a little distracted.' He beat me like a drum!"

Graham says Trump carded a 74 ... which would be just 2-over par on both courses at the club -- a staggering score for a guy who's got so much on his plate at the moment.

CNN was able to shoot some footage of Donald on the tee at one hole ... but no word on where that shot ended up.

Of course, Trump's touted himself as a hell of a golfer over the years ... but guys like Samuel L. Jackson and Oscar De La Hoya swear he's a cheater on the links.

Then again, John Daly told us last year Trump is definitely NOT out there fudging scorecards.

Texas Tech wide receiver Caden Leggett was arrested over the weekend ... after cops rsay he was involved in an intricate street race on Texas highways.

The scene's description is straight out of a 'Fast & Furious' movie ... according to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, Leggett and two others were speeding past each other at around 2 a.m. Saturday in Lubbock.

Cops say in the report Leggett was in a Mustang racing against a Dodge Challenger and another white vehicle ... when an officer caught them and tried to intervene.

According to the report, the cop was able to pull over Leggett ... but the other two got away.

In the report, cops say Leggett admitted to racing during questioning ... and say the 20-year-old's passenger revealed they were racing against another Texas Tech player, who was NOT identified in the report.

After searching Leggett's phone, cops say they found a map that appeared to be of a course throughout the city that the cars were trying to race on.

Leggett was eventually arrested and booked on a charge of misdemeanor racing on a highway. He was released on bond shortly after.

It's unclear if police are working to track down the other two alleged speeding drivers.

Speak softly and carry a ... baseball bat?!

Donald Trump grabbed himself some lumber at the White House on Thursday ... and channeled his inner Babe Ruth, showing off his swing in front of an army of reporters.

POTUS had just finished speaking at the Spirit of America Showcase -- when he walked by a booth for the Texas Timber wood bat company and couldn't resist the urge to take a few hacks.

Remember, Trump claims he was a big baseball star as a teen at the NY Military Academy ... and has said he was talented enough to go pro -- though video of his baseball days has never surfaced publicly.

But, his stance looked good on Thursday. Solid grip on the bat. Squished the bug. Weird facial expression though.

The real question ... could he connect against live pitching?

The NBA's most popular video game is honoring Kobe Bryant in a BIG way ... making him a cover athlete for the 2021 edition of the game.

Officials at NBA 2K made the announcement Thursday ... revealing two pieces of art -- one for current-gen consoles and one for next-gen consoles -- for cover options for the 2K21 game.

In a statement released by the company ... they say they wanted to pay tribute to the Lakers legend for the legacy he left after he tragically passed in a helicopter crash back in January.

"Kobe Bryant holds a special place in the heart of every basketball fan," the statement said. "Someone who truly left everything on the court, where his achievements range from legendary to seemingly impossible."

The game with Kobe on the cover has been dubbed the "Mamba Forever Edition" ... and officials say the version will come with special features, including unique Kobe gear for virtual avatars.

"The Mamba Forever Edition celebrates Kobe's lifelong pursuit of victory and legacy and immortalizes him with two unique custom covers honoring the span of his career," officials added.

"For the current generation version of the game, Kobe is shown wearing #8 -- from his days as a bold and brash rookie. In the next-generation cover art, he is shown wearing #24, the number he played his final game in: his iconic 60-point performance."

There are two other cover options for the 2021 version of the game ... one features Trailblazers star Damian Lillard, while the other has Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.

The game is scheduled to be released in September.

WNBA superstar Maya Moore -- who paused her hoops career to help free a wrongfully convicted man serving a 50-year prison sentence -- was able to watch him walk free on Wednesday ... and the video is powerful.

31-year-old Moore -- one of the greatest WNBA players EVER -- stepped away from the league in 2019 and 2020 to focus on social justice issues ... starting with freeing Jonathan Irons.

FYI, 40-year-old Irons was only 16 years old when he was convicted of burglary and assault in Missouri in 1998, despite no real evidence proving his guilt.

Moore has longed believed Irons is innocent -- and has spent the past 2 years providing tons of support in the hopes of bringing him home.

And, on Wednesday -- after his conviction was overturned and prosecutors said there would not be a retrial -- her dream became a reality.

Moore -- alongside Irons' family members -- watched Jonathan walk free from the Jefferson City Correctional Center in an emotional moment captured on video and posted to Instagram.

"I feel like I can live life now," said Irons -- who had served 22 years of his 50-year sentence. "I'm free, I'm blessed, I just want to live my life worthy of God's help and influence."

Moore spoke about Irons' release on "Good Morning America" on Thursday ... saying, "In that moment, I really felt like I could rest."

"I'd been standing, and we'd been standing, for so long .... and it was an unplanned moment where I just felt relief. It was kind of a worshipful moment, just dropping to my knees and just being so thankful that we made it."

Moore -- the #1 overall pick in the 2011 WNBA Draft -- is a 4-time WNBA champ and was named MVP in 2014.

The NBA's reboot just got really real ... both LeBron James and Anthony Davis made their returns to Lakers practice Wednesday -- and they look GOOOOOOOOODDDDD!!!

The team announced their superstars' comebacks in a sick highlight video Wednesday night ... showing shirtless Bron getting after it in the weight room and getting buckets on the hardwood.

Davis' jumper looked wet as well ... and the Lakers captioned it all with a subtle, "And we back."

The vid is FINALLY a breath of fresh air for the NBA ... lately, it's been nothing but pessimism toward the restart as COVID-19 cases rise and players continue to question if there should even be a season.

Of course, the Lakers haven't been immune to it all ... Dwight Howard is still pondering whether or not to play -- while the team had to sign J.R. Smith to replace Avery Bradley, who opted out of the restart last week.

But, LeBron's maintained throughout this offseason that the league SHOULD play ... and as Clippers star Pat Beverley tweeted last month, "If @KingJames said he hooping. We all hooping."

The Lake Show is the prohibitive favorite heading into Orlando's bubble -- King James' squad had the best record in the West before teams suspended operations back in March.

And, after seeing the new clips ... you really ready to bet against LeBron in the return?!

Formula 1 racing billionaire Bernie Ecclestone is a dad again -- 65 years after he fathered his first child.

Yep, the 89-year-old's wife, Fabiana Flosi, has given birth, the couple announced.

"We have a son named Ace. I am so proud," Bernie told the Swiss-German news outlet, Blick.

44-year-old Fabiana reportedly announced the baby was born Wednesday afternoon at a hospital in Switzerland ... and insists the birthing process was a breeze.

"It was all so easy. The birth was over after 25 minutes. Thank god!"

Ecclestone -- who was born in 1930 -- has 3 older children from 2 previous wives.

65-year-old Deborah from his first wife, Ivy Bamford -- followed by 35-year-old Tamara and 31-year-old Petra, both from his 2nd wife, Slavica Radic.

Ecclestone -- who turns 90 in October -- recently made headlines for his take on race relations ... telling CNN, "In lots of cases, Black people are more racist than what White people are."

Russell Wilson touchdown pass to ... Antonio Brown?!!?

That was a reality at the QB's workout field in San Diego on Wednesday ... and the possibility of the connection becoming a thing in Seattle this season seems to be getting more and more real.

31-year-old AB caught a bunch of passes from the former Super Bowl champ ... and based on the clips the WR shared on social media -- the two seem to have a hell of a rapport already.

Check out one of the plays where Brown tracked down a LOOONNGGGG deep ball from Russ ... it sure looked like something Pete Carroll wouldn't mind seeing at CenturyLink Field this year.

Brown certainly seems to be hoping so, at least ... he captioned one of the vids by saying, "Who would like to see this on Sundays 🤔 ? that was fun !!!!!!!!!!"

AB also got in some reps with Wilson's teammate, Geno Smith (as he's done often this offseason), during the sweat sesh as well ... begging the question, could this really be a preview of the Seahawks' offense this season????

Seattle DOES need another wideout to couple with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett ... but it's unclear just how many games Brown will be forced to miss in 2020.

Is Marv Albert opting out of the NBA restart in Orlando? YESSS!

The 79-year-old broadcasting legend says it's just too risky to travel to the Walt Disney World bubble environment in Orlando with the pandemic surging -- and therefore will NOT be a part of TNT's on-site coverage.

"I had second thoughts," Albert told the NY Post.

Albert told the Post he got a call from Turner Sports boss Jeff Zucker about the move -- and even joked about his own age.

"He said to me, 'Maybe this is something you should skip in my age bracket,'" Albert said while joking, "I’d like to point out to you that 79 is the new 78.”

The good news ... Albert WILL contribute to the NBA broadcasts from a remote location -- he just won't be doing the play-by-play from the sidelines.

Of course, this is all contingent on the season actually starting again -- but with the new wave of positive COVID tests sweeping through the league, commish Adam Silver admits there's a chance things could get shut down before the July 31 tip-off date.

Dustin Poirier is clearly rooting for Justin Gaethje to beat Khabib when they battle in Sept. -- telling TMZ Sports it simply gives him a better road to a title shot.

Dustin -- who's still recovering from that WAR with Dan Hooker over the weekend -- is now the #2 ranked UFC lightweight, right behind Khabib and Justin.

Poirier has fought both of 'em already -- he beat Justin in 2018  but lost to Khabib in 2019.

Now, with Justin and Khabib squaring off at UFC 253 on Sept. 19, Dustin's in a pretty solid spot to fight the winner.

Dustin knows there are no guarantees in the UFC ... but he's convinced a Gaethje victory would put him in a much better position for a title shot.

"It’s more of a guaranteed lock for me to fight for the belt is Justin wins," Dustin says.

"I'm the last guy to beat him. I'm the only guy still in the organization who beat him. So it would make a lot of sense. And, I know he wants that fight as well."

So, how can Justin stop the seemingly indestructible Dagestani champion?

Dustin's got some ideas ...

"If Justin can keep his back off the fence, I believe he can out-scramble Khabib in the open."

"He just has such a pedigree in collegiate wrestling and that open mat area is going to be where Justin shines in the wrestling."

"If Khabib can get him against the fence, I believe Justin will be in trouble but we’ll see if he can stick to the game plan."

"I would assume that's gonna be his game plan -- to stay in the middle, make Khabib wrestle in the open and throw big punches."

And, if Khabib wins, Dustin says he's already been thinking about how he can correct the mistakes he made in the first fight and get the "W" in the rematch ... if Dana White gives him the shot.

There's more ... Dustin also told us about his plans to auction off his fight gear from the Hooker fight to help the less fortunate.

Good stuff.

Major League Soccer says its players are NOT getting the Fyre Festival treatment inside the Disney bubble -- claiming the players who posted sad sandwich pics are NOT inside the restricted area.

Toronto FC defender Omar Gonzalez posted a pic Tuesday showing an "MLS Is Back" In-Room dining menu which describes some delicious-looking, expensive food options ($65 for lunch!) ... cut next to an unimpressive sando in a brown box.

He tweeted out, "Yummm" ... leading people to believe the widely-touted Disney bubble was looking more like a sham than a glamorous experience.

Omar's teammate Eriq Zavaleta added fuel to the fire by posting another unappetizing sandwich pic. Not a great look.

But, our MLS sources tell us ... those two players are not yet in Orlando -- they're still in Toronto.

The league is unsure who shot the photos -- but reps say the food was served at a quarantine site OUTSIDE the official bubble where players are required to stay for 10 to 12 hours until they are cleared to enter.

There is basic food service at the quarantine site -- like sandwiches, etc -- but since it's essentially a layover spot, the food service isn't as robust.

Once players are allowed into the Walt Disney World bubble environment, it's a completely different story.

We're told players will get "banquet meal" service served in their club meal rooms -- and so far, the feedback on the food has been super positive.

Also, all players will have access to 4 restaurants in the bubble -- including Shula’s Steak House, Todd English Bluezoo, Il Mulino, and Kimonos sushi restaurant.

We're also told, "Players do not pay for meals."

So, yeah ... the travel meal might not be the fanciest food in the world, but MLS insists they're not pulling a Billy McFarland.