TMZ Sports - Page 50

If the NFL would have hit Colin Kaepernick with a meaningful suspension every time he took a knee last season, it would have killed the protest dead in its tracks ... so says Donald Trump.

The President of the United States sat down with Sean Hannity and spoke about the biggest issue in pro sports -- the national anthem demonstrations.

"Frankly the NFL should have suspended him for 1 game and he would have never done it again," Trump said.

POTUS suggested a stronger punishment if Kaep would have kneeled a 2nd time and a season-long suspension for a 3rd kneel.

If the NFL made an example of Kaep, Trump says "you would never of had a problem."

Adrian Peterson is giving all glory to God when it comes to his trade to Arizona -- saying Jesus came through for him when he was stuck on the Saints bench.

AP recounted his Hail Mary for a starting RB gig after Cardinals practice today -- "Hey, God, I need you to answer this prayer for me. You listening to me?"

And later, once he found out about the deal -- "Thank you, Jesus. He answers prayers."

'Rap City' host Big Tigger says he decided to drop to one knee at the BET Hip Hop Awards to seize the moment, and show support for Colin Kaepernick.

We spoke to Tigger about taking a knee Tuesday night as he entered the event. He was also wearing a black Kaepernick jersey -- but he told us the move wasn't a planned thing -- more like he just happened upon the "right place at the right time."

BT says this isn't just about sports now, instead it's a national issue now -- and he wanted to step into the fray ... just like Jay-Z and President Trump have.

Paige VanZant says she'll NEVER drop down to fight at 115 lbs ever again -- and says these pics prove just how brutal the weight cut can be.

The UFC star has previously told Ariel Helwani about how she was "killing" herself to make weight for her last few fights -- and claimed she even passed out in her bathroom during the process.

The bathroom photo she posted on Wednesday appears to be from the incident she referenced on the show. She also posted a pre-fight bikini pic where she looks emaciated.

"Never again. 125 is my division! I will take over," Paige commented.

VanZant says weight cutting has affected her overall health -- and has vowed not to go down that road ever again.

The UFC has recently created a women's 125 pound division -- and Paige says her next fight will be at that weight ... a much healthier weight for her.

All you kids with dreams of impressing millions of YouTube followers with your sensational above the rim antics ... PLEASE WATCH THIS, and realize sometimes gravity wins.

Russian super dunker Illia Kroshka took a major L when he tried to dunk over a car during a recent contest, not quite clearing said car and TOTALLY EATING IT.

To his credit, Krosh posted the footage on social media for everyone to see ... so at least he's proving there's no shame in his dunk game.

BTW -- the dude is pretty sick. If you don't believe it, watch below.

Ex-Team USA soccer player Kyle Martino says the squad's loss to Trinidad and Tobago is the "worst day in U.S. soccer history" ... but tells TMZ Sports the guys need support, not scorn.

Martino -- who played for the USMNT from 2002 to 2006 -- says, "Right now, I'm a fan, and I'm pissed off, and I'm upset."

"I'm pissed that they didn't put in a performance when it mattered most ... I know they're good enough to win that game. I know those guys, they're better than they showed on that day."

NFL Hall of Famer Warren Moon is pretty upset about Team USA getting bounced from the World Cup -- telling TMZ Sports it's "disturbing" considering all of the athletic resources we have.

For the record, Moon is pretty well-versed in the world of international soccer ... and told us what Team USA soccer needs to do if we REALLY want to compete with the top countries in the world.

By the way, Moon also calls BS on the excuse that our top athletes are playing other sports like football and basketball instead of soccer.

Jahlil Okafor is opening about his infamous '15 streetfight in front of a Boston nightclub -- saying he lost his cool hours after the 76ers blew their chance to finally win a game that season.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Okafor went on a violent bender on Nov. 25, 2015 -- socking at least 2 men in the face outside Storyville Boston nightclub hours after Philadelphia (0-15 at the time) lost to the Celtics.

Okafor is now explaining the situation to SB Nation saying, "We were almost about to win that game against the Celtics and it ended up getting away from us in the fourth quarter," Okafor said.

"I remember just being upset because I thought we were about to get our first win. And I just decided I'm going to go out that night. I don't remember a lot of it, because I was really intoxicated."

"And me being drunk, I wasn't in my right state of mind. I remember being taunted -- just random stuff I would hear all the time on the court. I just reacted differently."

Okafor says he was so embarrassed after the fight, he didn't leave his house for 2 weeks.

Here's Jean-Claude Van Damme and UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer proving 60 is really the new 30 -- lookin' absolutely JACKED at a workout sesh.

The pic comes to us courtesy of Buffer ... who says he was droppin' sweat with his old buddy JCVD at a Gold's Gym.

Pretty crazy -- Buff actually looks BIGGER than Jean-Claude ... though the movie star gets props for his ripped-up arm. Bottom line -- both are in insanely good shape.

Probably helps that JCVD's still kickin' ass in "Kickboxer" reboots ... almost 3 decades after the original!

UNLV hockey assistant coach Nick Robone has been released from the hospital ... one week after getting shot in the chest during the massacre in Vegas.

The 28-year-old -- who was hit with a bullet that barely missed his lung -- released a statement Tuesday thanking hospital staffers, friends and family for helping during his recovery.

"You've all shown me a sense of compassion that I'll be spending the rest of my life (hopefully much longer now) repaying. I'm excited to back in the community helping any way I can."

Robone's brother Anthony -- a paramedic -- was with Nick at the concert and dragged him to safety. He treated Nick on the scene and helped keep him alive until help arrived.

BTW, one of Nick's friends started a GoFundMe page to raise money for medical costs and it's already at $65k.

Nick posted a message saying, "Ok, you'll be seeing me around now. THANK YOU, for being my staple during all this. Look forward to helping others now. #VegasStrong."

Soccer superstar Alex Morgan was so upset when she was being kicked out of Disney World, she told officers, "You guys are lying right now. I can't imagine what black people go through."

It was all captured on body cam footage released by the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. stemming from an Oct. 1 incident in which Morgan and several other soccer stars were kicked off the property for being drunk and aggressive.

As TMZ Sports first reported, Morgan's group had been boozing at the bars at Epcot Center when things got testy with another group.

Cops were called and officers say Morgan and her friends were "highly impaired" and "verbally aggressive."

Morgan has since apologized for the incident -- saying she will learn and make sure it does not happen again.

Eminem just went nuclear on Donald Trump ... dropping a freestyle at The BET Hip-Hop Awards that ripped The Prez apart.

The nearly 5 minute-long segment touched on everything from Trump's criticism of NFL players taking a knee to his proposed border wall.

Among some of Em's highlight lyrics ...

-"Racism's the only thing he's fantastic for."

-"I'm throwing that piece of s*** against the wall til it sticks."

-And giving a big "F*** YOU" to any of the rapper's fans who support 45.

Eminem ended his freestyle with, "We love our country and we love our military, but we f***** HATE TRUMP."

Snoop Dogg, speaking for roughly half the country, approves.

The NFL says Donald Trump is WRONG by tweeting that Commish Roger Goodell is forcing players to stand for the national anthem ... claiming POTUS completely misunderstood Goodell's message.

FYI, Goodell had sent a letter to NFL owners this week saying league officials "believe that everyone should stand" for the anthem -- but said nothing about implementing a rule about it.

Fast-forward to Wednesday morning when Trump tweeted, "It is about time that Roger Goodell of the NFL is finally demanding that all players STAND for our great National Anthem-RESPECT OUR COUNTRY."

But the NFL says Trump is off base -- issuing a new statement in response to the President's tweet.

"Commentary this morning about the Commissioner's position on the Anthem is not accurate," the league said, specifically referencing Trump.

"As we said yesterday, there will be a discussion of these issues at the owners meeting next week. The NFL is doing the hard work of trying to move from protests to progress, working to bring people together."

Ronda Rousey still won't officially say she's headed to WWE ... but she sure made it seem like something's cookin' when we got her and hubby Travis Browne leaving LAX.

When our guy tried to get it outta her, Ronda came back with -- "If you were a real fan, would you really wanna know?"

Before adding that, "I enjoy it more that way, and I don't wanna ruin anything."

Interesting ... especially 'cause WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon recently confirmed Rousey's offer is still on the table ... and the UFC mega-star was in a promo with Ric Flair's daughter, Charlotte, just last month.

Tony Ferguson wasn't about to let a little infectious disease stop him from getting the W ... telling TMZ Sports he actually TARGETED the nasty staph infection on Kevin Lee's chest at UFC 216.

"I wasn't sure what it was -- something protruding from his chest," Tony said.

So, logically ... "I was like, 'Well sh*t, just aim for that sh*t.'"

Don't get it twisted -- T-Ferg told us he was super sketched out once Lee confirmed it was staph ... and has taken about 50 showers since the fight.

Bottom line -- staph is disgusting ... and Tony's a savage.

The man killed in the Venus Williams car crash suffered major internal injuries -- including lacerated organs and broken bones in his back ... this according to the autopsy obtained by TMZ Sports.

The Medical Examiner has released the report regarding 78-year-old Jerome Barson -- who was in the passenger seat of a 2016 Hyundai which slammed into Venus' Toyota Sequoia on June 9.

The reports shows Barson was rushed to the hospital with a lacerated spleen, a tear in his small intestine, damage to his colon, a broken pelvis and multiple spinal fractures.

The ME says Barson remained in critical condition in the hospital ICU until he died on June 22 from complications from injuries he suffered in the crash.

Barson's family is suing Williams -- claiming she's to blame for the accident since her car was in the intersection when it wasn't supposed to be ... causing Barson's car to slam into it.