TMZ Sports - Page 50

P!nk's got the flu -- the nasty flu that's been spreading and intensifying this season -- and her illness could keep her from singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" on Super Bowl Sunday.

Sources close to Super Bowl LII production tell TMZ ... P!nk had a really tough time making it through her rehearsal Thursday night. We're told it didn't go smoothly ... and everyone involved didn't feel good when it was over.

There's more cause for concern too -- P!nk managed to power through her pre-Super Bowl concert Friday at The Armory in Minneapolis ... but had to rely to backup singers and the audience often to sing for her.

She even had to cut off her track "Beautiful Trauma" shortly after starting, telling the crowd, "I can't do it. I hate this ... I can't do that song. I'm sorry."

The singer assured fans she's trying to fight through her illness and "practice the flu away," but as we know ... the flu's hit hard this year and takes a few days to recover ... even with rest. And it doesn't seem like P!nk's resting too much.

Still, she says she promises she's going to do her best.

Rob Gronkowski's dad isn't concerned about his son's head or health heading into the Super Bowl, telling TMZ Sports ... Gronk's fine, focused and ready to go!!!

He also put on a one-man dance show with wild friends chanting his name -- standard Gronk family swagger.

We got Gordon Gronkowski -- aka "Big G" -- heading into the Leather and Laces Party in Minnesota Friday night more than ready to have a good time ... and he doesn't even hint there's any reason to think his son's not going to have a great game

Patriots Nation's been uneasy all week about Gronk's status for Sunday -- since he just got medically cleared Thursday following a concussion in the AFC Championship -- but Big G says there's no reason to worry.

Justin Timberlake's been rehearsing his ass off for the Super Bowl LII halftime show, and TMZ has the first video ... which gives you a sneak peek of what's about to go down.

Sooo, HERE'S YOUR LAST WARNING ... SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Sources inside rehearsal tell us JT did 4 run-throughs, just on Thursday. We're told one was a dress rehearsal that was taped for emergency ... just in case anything happens to JT and he can't perform.

This video is from one of his Thursday sessions, and one thing's for sure ... there's gonna be a TON of fireworks inside the U.S. Bank Stadium.

Our sources also reveal there are no 'NSYNC or Janet Jackson cameos planned ... so anyone hoping for a reunion or redemption ... you can pretty much abandon all hope.

HOWEVER, we're told Justin does have one pretty cool trick up his sleeve -- a hologram to honor ... wait for it ... Prince, in his hometown.

Of course, plans and strategies can change ... but an overhaul at this point seems unlikely.

P!nk's cleavage and Donald Trump's Twitter fingers can both get you PAID during this year's Super Bowl ... if you're willing to throw down some bread on prop bets!

There are a ton of wild wagers on the big game ... and, like they've done in the past with Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Katy Perry, BetOnline.ag is letting fans risk it all on whether P!nk's girls show up during the national anthem.

Right now ... the chances that they make an appearance aren't great.

Yes +260
No -350

Want better odds? Trust in POTUS... it's almost even money Trump fires off 5+ tweets on Sunday!!

Over 5 1/2 tweets +100
Under 5 1/2 tweets -130

Some other gems ...

-- Which quarter the announcers first mention Trump

-- Whether or not Justin Timberlake rocks a beard

-- The color of Bill Belichick's shirt (read: hoodie)

If ya still ain't sure where to put your money ... we also got some tips from Sportsbook Review betting experts Jimmy the Bag and Peter Loshak.

Joey Fatone is itching to collect $1k from our photog, who bet him that 'N Sync will take the stage with Justin Timberlake during the halftime show at the Super Bowl.

We got Joey Friday night at the Leather and Laces Party in Minneapolis and he's stickin' with his story that Justin will perform solo, although he's not ruling out a surprise appearance by Janet Jackson.

Joey offers evidence ... singers who perform for a billion people typically don't go out and party 2 days before the big game.

Don't let these two almost identical images of Tom Brady cause you to fumble ... tackle the tricky pics by spotting the differences between these two super similar shots.

Lonnie Ali flew into Minnesota Friday, presumably for the Super Bowl, and as good as Tom Brady is ... she clearly thinks the title "The Greatest" belongs to her late husband Muhammad Ali.

Lonnie acknowledges Tom's kind of the shiny bright object of the moment, but putting him in a larger context -- he's not at the level of Ali.

She does acknowledge ... the book isn't closed yet on Brady, and he could ascend to greater heights, especially if he does great things outside football.

Viola Davis was kinda coy about Kobe Bryant showing up during a table read for an episode of "How to Get Away with Murder," but it sounds to us like Kobe's testing his acting chops, though his fate on the show sounds like it will end tragically.

We got Viola -- who by the way is super cool and fun -- Friday at LAX, and at first she seems to pooh pooh the notion that Kobe will appear on the show. Then again, she's a great actress!

"The Notorious" might be "Minister McGregor" in a matter of years ... 'cause Conor McGregor tells TMZ Sports he's open to a career in politics!

We got Conor chillin' in NYC with his GF, Dee Devlin ... and the UFC mega-star was positively giddy when we asked him about potentially running for office -- something he teased on social media earlier this week.

"Maybe, who knows?! I know they're shakin' in their boots anyway!!" Conor said.

He was clearly in a joking mood, but Conor seemed dead serious is his cryptic message criticizing the Irish government.

There's more ... when our guy tried (emphasis on "tried") asking about a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov ... McGregor immediately brought up Floyd Mayweather, saying he "needs to fight again."

With Floyd teasing an MMA fight all week, ya gotta wonder ... could Floyd vs. Conor 2 actually happen in the UFC?

Cops have launched an investigation into the car crash that killed ex-NBA player Rasual Butler and his wife Leah LaBelle ... and they're retracing the couple's steps that night to find out exactly what went down.

We've learned investigators have visited several businesses near the crash site in Studio City, CA -- including a popular bowling alley where the couple was spotted earlier in the evening.

We know what you're thinking -- was alcohol involved? We're told cops are not specifically looking for proof Butler was boozing before the crash ... they'll know from the toxicology report.

The priority, we're told, is finding video of the couple in the car right before the crash -- in order to see what specifically caused the Range Rover to lose control and crash.

Meanwhile, we're told the autopsies on both Rasual and Leah have been completed -- and the medical examiner has said the cause is "multiple traumatic injuries" and listed the manner of death as an "accident."

Rae Sremmurd doesn't give a damn about watching football -- so what's the one thing Swae Lee wants to see on Sunday??

"A titty comin' out like Janet Jackson!"

We got Swae and Slim Jxmmi touching down in Minny for the Super Bowl -- or maybe just the halftime show ... 'cause when we asked about SBLII, they seemed WAY more hyped on Justin Timberlake's set.

Specifically, a Nipplegate sequel.

"That was like the most epic Super Bowl, in my lifetime at least," Swae -- who was 10 when JT famously exposed Janet's breast on live TV -- told TMZ Sports.

Good news for Swae -- the NFL told us JJ is NOT banned from the Big Game.

The Tom Brady of boxing is Roy Jones Jr. -- so says Roy Jones Jr. ... who broke down why he and Tom stand out among the G.O.A.T.s in their respective sports.

"You have to be able to rate people by how they perform under pressure, when things don't go their way," Roy told TMZ Sports.

Case in point -- Brady rallied the Patriots from 25 points down in last year's Super Bowl ... and RJJ told us there was a time in his career where he accomplished something similar.

As for the Brady of MMA ... Roy agrees with Dana White and says it's Anderson Silva -- who he's still gunning to face inside the ring.

RJJ didn't have an official update on that super-fight, but he did hint at making progress with Dana -- who, FYI, has agreed to broadcast his Feb. 8 "retirement fight" vs. Scott Sigmon on UFC Fight Pass.

Roll into this weekend with these ladies on the lanes ... get your mind out of the gutter and slide through our gallery of super bowling babes to get you greased up for the big game!

Did Kareem Hunt and Pat Mahomes just become best friends??

YEP!!

TMZ Sports spoke with the K.C. Chiefs breakout star about his new QB, now that Alex Smith got shipped to Washington ... and Hunt says he's totally stoked to play alongside Mahomes -- his "best bud on the team."

Hunt -- who led the entire NFL in rushing yards in his rookie season -- says he's gonna miss Smith ... but already has his eyes set on a return to the playoffs with Mahomes.

No word on whether Hunt and Mahomes have done karate in the garage.

Tonya Harding K.O.'d the living hell out of another woman during a 2005 boxing match that most people haven't seen ... UNTIL NOW ... and Tyron Woodley is breaking down the video.

The UFC welterweight champ was VERY impressed with Tonya's pro boxing performance against Brittany Drake ... which included a brutal knockout in the opening seconds of Round 2.

The fight was promoted by Damon Feldman -- who provided the incredible footage.

But the question ... with Tonya's raw athletic talent and the workout ethic that was captured in the Oscar nominated movie "I, Tonya" -- does Tyron think Harding could have been a REAL contender with the right team around her??

There's more ... Tyron also breaks down how a Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather MMA fight would go ... and gives a strong warning to the guy who socked Flavor Flav in the face.

Kevin Hart pulled a great escape Friday ... narrowly dodging a passenger train!

For one scary second, it looked like Kev might become the first casualty of the Super Bowl LII events in and around Minneapolis. We got him leaving Cowboy Jack's in downtown, and started talking about the "Martin" reboot. Kevin was so excited to talk about it ... neither he, nor our photog, noticed the light rail train coming down the tracks.

Watch his security team spring into action, but really ... you gotta watch for the look on Kevin's face when he hears the train's horn sound.