TMZ Sports - Page 50

A cocaine scandal that rocked the foundation of ESPN five years ago ultimately led to a HUGE windfall for the UFC ... this according to Dana White.

The boss of the fighting org. spelled out the wild tale in an interview with Grant Cardone this month ... insisting it was all "a true story."

White explained that back in 2017, the UFC's deal with Fox was running out ... and when they had initially turned to ESPN about consummating a new pact -- the org. wasn't interested.

"You ever hear of John Skipper?" White asked Cardone during the sit-down chat. "John Skipper ran ESPN. Now, I think he runs DAZN. Runs ESPN, beloved, looks like the squarest dude on the planet."

"Older guy," White continued. "Hates UFC. Hates it. Hates UFC. Big soccer guy. For whatever reason, different people like different things. And I'm not s***ing on John Skipper. But this is a fact, this happened and this is a true story."

White says Skipper essentially blocked talks on a deal from ever going through ... but suddenly, out of nowhere, the ESPN prez announced his resignation.

At the time, Skipper said it was due to a struggle with "a substance addiction." He later revealed in a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he had been a user of cocaine, and that "someone from whom I bought cocaine attempted to extort me."

"They threatened me, and I understood immediately that threat put me and my family at risk, and this exposure would put my professional life at risk as well," Skipper said. "I foreclosed that possibility by disclosing the details to my family, and then when I discussed it with Bob, he and I agreed that I had placed the company in an untenable position and as a result, I should resign."

White said that decision paved the way for a massive ESPN-UFC agreement ... that's now taken his company to new heights.

"John Skipper's cocaine dealer is gonna rat him out," White said. "So he has to tell Disney 'My cocaine dealer is gonna go public' or whatever, so he has to step down from ESPN, right at the time we're trying to make a new TV deal."

"Who do they put in as the new president?" White continued. "Jimmy Pitaro, who ran Yahoo! Sports for years. I've known him a long time. He's a great dude, and he loves the UFC. Now you got him, you got a guy named Kevin Mayer, who is really close to [Endeavor CEO] Ari [Emanuel], and we ended up doing the ESPN deal when our deal was up."

ESPN and UFC ended up agreeing to a 5-year, $1.5 billion deal.

Dallas Cowboys rookie Sam Williams is clearly very fortunate to have walked away from Thursday's car crash unscathed ... because new video from the accident's aftermath shows his Corvette was severely mangled in the collision.

Williams was involved in the wreck at around 2:15 PM in Plano, Texas, according to cops, after his black sportscar struck another vehicle that had attempted to turn in front of oncoming traffic.

Video obtained by FOX 4 shortly after the crash shows Williams' ride was hit so hard, it completely lost its front wheel. It also had significant damage to both its front and rear driver's side fenders.

Somehow, however, Williams was not seriously injured in the accident. Cops say he and the driver of the other car were transported to the hospital, though it was solely "for precautionary reasons."

Williams told Cowboys nation in a tweet on Thursday night he was "okay" and "so is the other person that was involved." He added prayer and heart emojis.

Cops say they're still investigating the accident, but do not suspect alcohol or drugs were involved.

As for his availability in Saturday's key game against the Eagles, the Cowboys have not yet ruled the pass-rusher out for the contest.

Trevor Bauer -- who was suspended 324 games after he was accused of sexual assault -- had his punishment reduced to 194 games on Thursday, the league announced.

Independent arbitrator Martin Scheinman ruled the Dodgers pitcher, who served 144 games of his suspension, will be reinstated immediately. Bauer will not have to miss any additional time, as his placement on the league's restricted list in the 2021 season will count toward the overall punishment.

"While we believe a longer suspension was warranted, MLB will abide by the neutral arbitrator's decision, which upholds baseball's longest-ever active player suspension for sexual assault or domestic violence," the league wrote in a statement Thursday.

"We understand this process was difficult for the witnesses involved and we thank them for their participation. Due to the collectively bargained confidentiality provisions of the joint program, we are unable to provide further details at this time."

The Dodgers -- who signed the 31-year-old pitcher in February 2021 -- will have 14 days to decide if they wish to reinstate the ace to their 40-man roster.

As we previously reported, Bauer was suspended for 2 years without pay after Major League Baseball concluded that the Dodgers' star pitcher violated the league's joint domestic violence policy.

Bauer was accused of punching and choking a woman unconscious ... with the accuser claiming she sustained bumps, bruises, scratches and other injuries. He also faced allegations made by other women.

The Cy Young winner, however, has maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal ... denying any wrongdoing.

Trevor is still under contract with the Dodgers for at least one more season.

Story developing ...

Barack Obama is staying warm while most of the country is dealing with extreme weather .... hitting up a golf course in Hawaii ahead of the holidays.

The former prez was spotted getting in a Round of Golf in Hawaii on Thursday ... sporting a pink shirt, white shorts and a pair of sunnies.

Barack appeared to be with pals, but still had his game face on ... as he set up his swing. Unclear if the whole family is in Hawaii, but they're certainly known to spend time there.

You'll recall, Barack and Michelle Obama had a mansion built on the island of Oahu back in 2015 after dropping $8.7M on the property ... but it came with some pushback from environmentalists over a seawall.

The Obamas seem to be enjoying the place they can now call home ... and it very well could be where they plan to spend their retirement years.

Ex-NFL star Willie McGinest is sharing his deep regret for attacking a man at a restaurant earlier this month ... saying the incident never should have happened.

"First and foremost, I want to offer my deepest apology for my lapse in judgment and behavior on December 9 at a restaurant in West Hollywood," the New England Patriots legend said. "To my family, community, friends, and youth I mentor, please know I feel horrible for my actions and take full responsibility."

51-year-old McGinest was involved in an altercation at Delilah ... with video, obtained by TMZ Sports, showing he not only punched a man -- but bashed him in the head with a bottle as well.

The former football player, who was inducted into the Pats Hall of Fame in 2015, turned himself in to cops on Monday over it all, and was booked for assault with a deadly weapon. He eventually posted bond ... and was released.

McGinest -- who also serves as an analyst for NFL Network -- was later suspended from his TV gig following the incident.

"To my colleagues at the NFL Network and those I work closely with as an advisor to professional and community-base organizations, please know I am embarrassed and regret what occurred," McGinest added.

"Most of all, I am disappointed in myself, as I know this is an isolated incident and is not reflective of my faith, role as a father, life's body of work, or the role model I've worked hard to become. It is personally devastating that decades of community service, youth engagement, mentoring, and professional development would become an afterthought in a single moment that should have never happened."

"This incident has prompted me to deep self-reflection -- mind, soul, and spirit. I know that violence is never the answer to such situations, no matter how intense the provocation. Rest assured, I will take whatever steps necessary to restore the public trust, mend damaged relationships, and ensure this never happens again."

WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long says he wants to see Vince McMahon make a comeback to his former company ... admitting he has no clue why the former chairman and CEO resigned in the first place.

Long made his opinion on his ex-boss very clear in an interview on the "Sportskeeda Wrestling" podcast ...  saying he disagrees with the 77-year-old's decision to step away for good even as he faced allegations of paying multiple women "hush money" not to discuss their relationships with him.

"I don’t see where there was any reason for him to step down or go away," Long said. "I mean, that’s just my opinion because I don’t know the circumstances or all the facts about what's been going on. But I just didn’t see any reason for him to step away, and if he wants to come back, let him come back."

"He’s done this his whole entire life, and to be away, I would imagine that takes a lot from him not being able to involve himself into what he’s been involved in all his life," he added.

Of course, Long, a former professional referee and wrestling manager, is best known for his time in WWE ... where he spent nearly two decades working for and alongside Vince.

McMahon, who helped grow the WWE into the wrestling conglomerate that it is today, announced his resignation from the company in July. He previously stepped down from his executive roles while WWE's Board of Directors investigated the troubling claims made against him.

Vince's retirement sent shockwaves throughout the sports entertainment world ... but the company has continued to push forward in his absence under the guidance of his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, and her husband, Triple H, WWE's Chief Content Officer.

The bottom line ... Long wants to see Vince back in the WWE.

Zach Wilson and the New York Jets were a mess during Thursday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars ... and the quarterback says the fans in attendance had every right to be pissed -- admitting "we don't blame them" for booing.

The 2021 #2 overall pick was the center of criticism throughout the 19-3 defeat ... and after going just 9-18 for 92 yards and an INT, he addressed the fans in the crowd who voiced their displeasure from the stands.

"We don't blame them. We have a very passionate fanbase and they're here to watch us score touchdowns and we're not scoring touchdowns."

"We're not getting first downs, we're not moving the ball. We obviously can't throw the ball. So, of course they're going to be frustrated."

Wilson's bad outing might be the last straw for the Jets ... as he was benched for former CFL signal-caller Chris Streveler in the middle of the game.

In fact, former Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick thinks Wilson's time in the Big Apple is over ... saying on the Prime broadcast the former BYU star has officially lost the locker room.

A local Iowa news broadcaster was EXTREMELY bent out of shape over his assignment -- covering the blizzard -- and he let his bosses know on live TV -- and it's hilarious.

KWWL reporter Mark Woodley was dispatched onto the snow-covered streets in Waterloo, IA, during Thursday's hours-long morning show. Right from the get-go, Woodley had a 'tude, snarkily delivering a weather report about the sub-zero temps.

He kicked things off this way ..."I normally do sports, uh, everything is canceled here for the next couple of days so what better time to ask the sports guy to come in about five hours earlier than he would normally wake up and go stand out in the wind and the snow and the cold and tell other people not to do the same."

It gets funnier ... Woodley joked that a co-worker named Clint cut a better deal because he's allowed to stay warm in the Storm Chaser vehicle. "I feel like Clint got the better end of that deal. That thing's heated. The outdoors currently is not heated."

Woodley also cracked this doozy ... "This is a really long show. Tune in for the next couple hours to watch me progressively get crankier and crankier."

He wasn't done yet ... "I've got good news and I've got bad news. The good news is that I can still feel my face. The bad news is I kind of wish I couldn't."

Hours later, Woodley couldn't take it anymore and addressed the TV host named Ryan, who was enjoying the warm studio ... "Can I go back to my regular job? I'm pretty sure Ryan that you guys added an extra hour to this show because somebody likes torturing me."

One thing's for sure ... Woodley should try stand-up comedy -- after he warms up with some hot chocolate.

Turns out ya can't keep Lamar Odom out of Los Angeles ... because we've learned the former Lakers star is settling back into California, and he's picked up a swanky bachelor pad after spending some time in ATL.

A manager for Lamar tells TMZ ... he moved into his $15K-a-month rental Wednesday, just in time for the holidays. We're told he signed a 1-year lease on the home, located in The Oaks in Calabasas -- aka Kardashian territory.

The 4,445 square foot home is decked out with custom walk-in closets, a built-in BBQ area, a spa and waterfalls. The common areas are pretty awesome ... a gym, tennis courts and a clubhouse.

The house is big enough for Lamar's security and his kids, and he's excited to start a new life in this new place. FYI, when he and Khloe Kardashian tied the knot in 2009, they moved into a $4M home in Tarzana, not far from his new place.

Lamar was in Georgia for about a year ... and we're told he came to LA and was living with a friend the past few months, finally planting roots back in Cali.

Fans all wanted a piece of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe memorabilia in the hours after the two soccer stars put on a show in the World Cup final ... with auction officials telling TMZ Sports the demand for their items rivaled that of Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Officials from PWCC Marketplace tell us that following the Argentina vs. France tilt on Sunday -- items associated with Messi and Mbappe became the most sought-after in their auction space.

Per a rep from the auction house, searches for Messi rose 345 percent from his normal average. Mbappe queries, meanwhile, rose 363 percent.

"Messi was searched nearly three times more than Michael Jordan, more than four times more than LeBron James, and more than five times more than Tom Brady," PWCC exec Jesse Craig said.

"Messi gilded his career with this victory, and demand for his cards clearly rose in concert with the achievement. The numbers highlight how important an exciting game is for demand in player assets."

According to a rep for the org., Messi items that were sold on Sunday following the thrilling W.C. finale finished with prices that were "an average 93 percent higher than their insurance value." As for Mbappe, the rep said the French star's items "finished an average 17 percent higher."

One of the most notable sales from the two? A 2017 Topps Messi card fetched $14,400.

Dallas Cowboys rookie defensive end Sam Williams was involved in a car accident in Texas on Thursday ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

According to the Plano Police Dept. ... the 23-year-old football player was traveling in a black Corvette in Plano -- a quick drive from the team facility in Frisco -- at around 2:15 p.m., when he struck another vehicle that had attempted a turn in front of oncoming traffic.

Williams and the other driver were not seriously injured, cops say, but both parties were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

Cops say there's no indication drugs or alcohol contributed to the crash. An investigation is ongoing.

The second-round pick has made a big contribution on the field for Dallas this season ... and has made several big plays for the Cowboys in recent weeks, including a fumble recovery against the Indianapolis Colts.

Williams has 19 total tackles and three sacks in 13 appearances for the Cowboys this season.

Ronnie Hillman, the former Denver Broncos running back who helped Peyton Manning win a Super Bowl, has died after a lengthy battle with cancer, his family announced Wednesday.

He was just 31 years old.

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother & father, Ronnie K Hillman Jr.," the family said in a statement. "Ronnie quietly and peacefully transitioned today in the company of his family and close friends."

The 2012 third-round pick had been diagnosed in August with Renal Medullary Carcinoma -- a rare form of cancer that affects young African Americans with sickle cell trait. He had fought it valiantly -- but was recently placed in hospice care.

His former Denver teammates -- Derek Wolfe and Orlando Franklin -- had asked Broncos fans to pray for him as his condition had worsened this week.

"We as the family, appreciate the prayers and kind words that have already been expressed," Hillman's family added in a statement Wednesday night. "We ask that you would give us time to process our feelings as we prepare to lay our precious RJ to rest."

Ronnie spent six seasons in the NFL -- playing for the Broncos, Vikings, Chargers and Cowboys. But, it was his time in Denver that most will remember him for.

He spent 2012 through 2015 in the Mile High City -- and had his greatest moment with the Broncos at the end of the '15 season ... when he was a member of the Super Bowl 50 team that defeated Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

"A bright soul gone far too soon," the Broncos said in a statement Thursday. "We extend our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Hillman family during this difficult time."

R.I.P.

Dak Prescott's dog has gone from the dog house to the penthouse ... starring in a new TV commercial -- almost four years after he was nearly put down by authorities for attacking a neighbor.

The Dallas Cowboy's pup, Icon, was busted way back in Feb. 2019 -- after cops said he broke free from the quarterback's Frisco, Texas home, chewed through a nearby woman's fence, and then bit off part of her finger.

The pit bull was caught and quarantined ... and, days later, officials set up a hearing for the animal to determine if it should be classified as a "dangerous dog."

If it was found to be dangerous, euthanasia was on the table. But, fortunately for Prescott, authorities ultimately released the dog back to the NFL player under the condition he was removed from Frisco.

The dog has apparently stayed out of trouble since ... 'cause AT&T just tapped him to be in a new ad for the co. this week.

In the spot, Icon can be seen adorably roamin' around a house -- missing his owner while the quarterback was shining for the Cowboys on gameday.

In one scene, Icon can be seen lovingly licking Prescott's face.

Dak shared the advert on his social media page on Thursday, calling the dog his "best friend."

Best teammate ever?!?

Isaiah McKenzie just threw his hat into the ring for that title in the NFL ... 'cause the Bills wideout gifted his fellow receivers custom arcade game machines for the holidays -- and they're awesome!!

McKenzie shared the presents with his guys on Thursday ... and you can see in video of the goodies, they're decked out in Bills colors -- with the players' pictures and jersey numbers on them too.

Isaiah got a machine for Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Tanner Gentry, Jameson Crowder, and Khalil Shakir, plus one for himself. He also made sure to grab one for the team's WR coach, Chad Hall.

Each one had a bow on it -- and when the guys saw them, they went crazy.

"My boy got us right!!" Davis said. "Appreciate u my boy!!"

Added Shakir, "Real one big bro!! Appreciate you."

The arcade game machines come equipped with the popular NFL Blitz series already on it -- something the players made sure to ask about -- and over 9,600 other games.

It's been a generous week for many around The Shield ... both Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen helped hook up some of their teammates with scooters -- while Patrick Mahomes gifted several Chiefs with golf clubs.

Not bad presents at all ... but even those guys gotta admit it's no match for a classic arcade game machine.

It clearly pays to be a good person ... 'cause the New England Patriots fan who kept his cool as a Las Vegas Raiders supporter tormented him during Sunday's game is getting the hookup -- with free tickets from Robert Kraft!!

Video of the incident went viral this week ... showing a woman in a Derek Carr jersey berating a man in Tom Brady threads in the Allegiant Stadium stands right after the Pats lost in heartbreaking fashion.

The guy -- Jerry Edmond -- was praised on social media for not stooping to the woman's level ... and Kraft was so moved by his handling of the situation, he decided to give the fan a VIP experience at this weekend's game against the Bengals.

As it turns out, the Pats vs. Raiders contest was Edmond's first NFL experience ... and he said he didn't want to ruin his experience by retaliating toward the heckler.

Not only is Edmond getting free tix to the game, the team says he's going to get a customized jersey and pregame field passes to watch the players warm up.

Move over, Santa Claus ... Aaron Rodgers, Jaire Alexander and Adrian Amos just won Christmas in Green Bay -- gifting some of their Packers teammates with souped-up scooters!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the trio of GB stars came together this month to collectively purchase 22 of the electric rides for some of their fellow locker mates.

The PHAT Rides scooters were all given to the Packers players this week -- and they're awesome ... featuring the ability to zoom around at speeds of up to 20 MPH.

The scooters have been popular gifts around the NFL this year ... Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen also copped 11 of the rides for his offensive line this week.

We're told PHAT Rides painted the floorboards of Allen's presents in Bills colors ... and added each player's jersey number.

PHAT Rides says each scooter can hold up to about 400 pounds, by the way ... so, yeah, even the big boys can get around on them just fine.

As for the price tags on the units ... no word on what the football players formally dropped, but each scooter will cost the public around $3,500 apiece.

Of course, that ain't much to dudes like Allen and Rodgers -- who own two of the biggest NFL contracts in history.