TMZ Sports - Page 50

Shannon Sharpe is opening up on his relationship with Skip Bayless ... admitting the two TV personalities recently had "two bad months" together, but ultimately, they were able to work things out and move on.

Shannon and Skip have cohosted 'Undisputed' on FS1 for over six years now, but tensions appeared to reach a boiling point after Bayless' controversial tweet about Damar Hamlin in January ... which prompted the NFL Hall of Famer to leave Skip to do the show alone.

The drama surrounding Skip's tweet seemingly confirmed speculation that there was a growing disconnect between the two sides ... but now, Shannon says whatever issues they had are a thing of the past.

"I wasn’t gonna allow two bad months to ruin six years of a great working relationship," Sharpe said on The Adam Schein Podcast. "We have a great working relationship."

Shannon says he sat down with Skip to clear the air ... and they both realized they "were better together than apart."

Sharpe said he and Skip aren't good friends like Bayless is with his former debate partner, Stephen A. Smith, but he thinks their distance actually contributes to a better dynamic for their show.

"I think it helps our relationship on-air that we are not that close," Sharpe said. "He doesn’t know what I’m thinking and he doesn’t know what I’m going to say."

Univ. of Alabama star forward Brandon Miller is expected to play on Wednesday night ... one day after cops testified he was the one who brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman in Tuscaloosa last month.

The school's athletic director, Greg Byrne, said in a podcast just hours before the Tide were set to tip off against the Univ. of South Carolina that Miller did make the trip with the team to Columbia, S.C. and is scheduled to play in the game.

The contest is slated to begin at 8 PM CT.

Of course, the impending move comes as a surprise to many ... as on Tuesday, police said Miller had a connection to the murder case involving his ex-teammate, Darius Miles.

Cops alleged in testimony that Miles had contacted Miller on Jan. 15 about bringing him Miles' gun, which he'd left in Miller's car earlier in the night. Police said Miller eventually arrived on the scene with it -- and the firearm was ultimately used in the killing of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

Miles' friend, 20-year-old Michael Davis, is the one actually accused of pulling the trigger.

Following the new police testimony, Alabama head coach Nate Oats said Miller was not facing any punishment from him or the school. Oats told reporters, "Brandon hasn't been in any type of trouble nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Wrong spot at the wrong time."

Miller's attorney, in a lengthy statement released Wednesday afternoon, said Miles' gun was in Miller's car when Miller went to pick up the former Tide basketball player ... but Miller insists he "never touched the gun, was not involved in its exchange to Mr. Davis in any way, and never knew that illegal activity involving the gun would occur."

The attorney added, "Brandon does not own a firearm and has never even handled a firearm. Moreover, he had no knowledge of any intent to use any weapon."

Miller has not been charged with any crimes. He is fully cooperating with authorities in the case, his attorney said.

Miles and Davis, meanwhile, are both facing capital murder charges.

Just when you think you've seen it all ... check out this crazy clip of a couple of snowBOARders gettin' their shred time interrupted by a wild animal in a pretty violent way.

The video of the porky perp comes all the way from a snow resort in Myoko, Japan ... you can see the animal come from higher up on the mountain, ramming directly into an unsuspecting snowboarder.

After taking a few shots at the first person -- and knocking them to the ground -- it takes off to victim #2, who defends themself with a few swings of their board. The boar eventually runs away from the humans, which is when the video cuts off.

Staff nearby reportedly didn't buy the snowboarders' claims of a boar attack ... that is, until they saw the crazy clip for themselves.

The video's since gone pretty viral, and comments show just how divided the internet is on it -- some call the defense strategy cruel to the animal, while others say they couldn't help but laugh.

WWE Superstar Sonya Deville proposed to her girlfriend ... and she said yes!!

The 29-year-old wrestler asked now fiancée Toni Cassano to be her wife at a wine cellar cave in New Jersey on February 15, the day after Valentine's Day, according to People.

Deville -- real name Daria Berenato -- posted a pic of her and Toni kissing, captioned, "It was always you". She also thanked everyone who played a role in helping her pull off the surprise.

Sonya told the outlet she met Toni for the first time after inviting her to a WWE event where she was performing ... and she knew she was the one the moment she laid eyes on her.

Sonya spent months working on the ring's design before proposing ... and said she wanted the moment to feel special for Toni, and her two young daughters.

What's really cool ... after Sonya popped the question, Toni pulled out a ring of her own that she had been carrying around for four months and she proposed to Deville!

Ex-NFL star LenDale White says he almost lost his life at 34 ... revealing this week he suffered a massive heart attack four years ago that he admits probably should have killed him.

The former USC tailback dropped the bombshell while appearing on the "I Am Athlete" podcast ... telling ex-NFL stars Brandon Marshall, Adam "Pacman" Jones and Marshawn Lynch the medical emergency happened on Jan. 20, 2019.

White says the left anterior descending artery in his heart had clogged ... and docs had to shoot two stints into his ticker so his blood could flow again.

White explained he learned a short time later that the type of heart attack he suffered kills most people.

"It's called a 'widow-maker,'" he told the guys on the pod, "because you're really not supposed to make it back from that."

The 38-year-old said only a handful of people -- including Pacman and his good friend and former teammate Chris Johnson -- knew about it ... because he simply didn't want any sympathy from outsiders.

White -- who was picked by the Titans in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft -- says he's now supremely focused on taking care of his body ... after he admitted it was not a priority for him at all during his football career.

Here's a new one -- boxing star Conor Benn has been cleared of doping allegations stemming from failed drug tests last year ... after officials determined the popped sample was due to eating too many eggs!!

The 21-0 (14 KOs) fighter vowed to clear his name after clomiphene was found in his urine three days before his October fight against Chris Eubank Jr. ... which ultimately led to the event being postponed.

FYI, clomiphene is a fertility drug ... but it can elevate testosterone levels while burning fat in men.

After a thorough investigation, the World Boxing Council announced Wednesday the British boxer has been cleared of doping ... after the organization concluded his egg-heavy diet "raised a reasonable explanation for the Adverse Finding."

The WBC also reinstated Benn in the rankings ... as officials found zero evidence his actions were intentional.

"The WBC Nutrition Committee will work with Mr. Benn’s team to design a nutrition program geared to avoid the risk of a future adverse finding caused by nutritional factors," the org. said in its statement.

Jake Paul just went scorched earth on Tommy Fury -- dropping a 90-second video straight-up ripping his opponent to shreds ahead of their boxing match ... and it's intense as hell.

The Problem Child posted the clip to his social media on Wednesday ... just four days before he's set to enter the ring with TNT in Saudi Arabia.

"Tommy, I hope you've enjoyed these last few moments of your career," Jake said. "This is it, you're going to be retired from boxing after this. You're going to be disowned by your family. You're going to go back to your mother's maiden name. There's nothing else that can save you. It's just me and you -- mano a mano."

Jake even name-dropped Tommy's new baby girl, Bambi, in the clip ... saying she won't be able to save him from getting his ass beat on Feb. 26.

"So, all that cute little motivation about having a child and fighting for her, all that s*** goes out the window when I'm coming to take your f***ing head off, decapitate you," Paul added.

"I'm a mean, angry person deep down and I'm gonna take out all of it on your f***ing face, and there's nothing you can do to f***ing beat me."

Jake says beating Fury is for the "higher benevolent good of the universe" ... and Fury only has four rounds before he's "f***ed."

The rant is part of Jake's new episode of "BS With Jake Paul" ... which dropped on Thursday, ahead of their big fight press conference.

Of course, Tyson Fury's little bro has also shared his own bit of smack talk leading up to the fight ... telling TMZ Sports Jake will need an ambulance after he's done with him.

Russell Wilson clearly ain't winning any beauty pageants if Tariq Woolen is a judge -- the Seahawks star says he couldn't have been less impressed by the quarterback's physique this year, comparing it to a bag of spuds!!!

Woolen let the jabs fly on the "2 Up 2 Down Podcast" earlier this month ... when the rookie cornerback was asked what his first impressions of Wilson were when the Hawks played the Broncos back in September.

Woolen said he expected to see a well-built athlete -- given that he had watched Russ on TV for the last decade or so -- but when the signal-caller appeared before him at Lumen Field ... he said he was downright shocked.

"When you see him in person, it's like, weird," the 6-foot-4, 210-pound defensive back said. "He's like a sack of potatoes."

The comment drew a huge laugh from the pod's hosts -- but Woolen didn't stop the Russ roast sesh there.

"Literally when I seen him," the Pro Bowler said, "I'm like, 'Dang, I didn't know he was built like that.' And he was short. I'm tall anyway but I was like, 'Damn, he's that short?!'"

FYI -- Russ is listed at 5-foot-11, 215 pounds -- and when he's been spotted without his shirt on over the years ... he sure looks great to us. But, clearly, Woolen has some higher standards.

The 23-year-old, though, did give Wilson at least some props ... saying on the pod, "The crazy thing is he's athletic. He's athletic and he's a good player."

Spencer -- the dog who became a star for cheering on runners during the Boston Marathon each year -- has sadly passed away after battling cancer. He was 13.

Spencer's owner, Rich Power, made the announcement on Tuesday ... saying the golden retriever died at their home last Friday under the care of their veterinarian.

"We are devastated to share the news of Spencer's passing,' Powers said on social media.

"Spencer has overcome some severe medical challenges over the past several years. We thought we would be lucky to have him for an extra month."

Powers -- who was gifted the pup in 2009 -- explained he was diagnosed in September 2022, and unfortunately, the cancer was inoperable.

"Spencer was not ready to give up and with the love and positive energy sent to him by hundreds of thousands of fans, He beat the odds and gave us 28 months."

Spencer went viral back in 2018 after he was seen holding a "Boston Strong" flag during a rain storm at the race -- his usual spot at the event for nine years -- and the runners always showed him love.

In fact, the Boston Athletic Association named Spencer the official dog of the marathon last year and honored him with a portrait and medal at a ceremony in Boston.

"Spencer, your spirit and determination inspired us all," the B.A.A. said after his death.

"We'll miss you, and are proud to call you a friend and forever the Official Dog of the Boston Marathon."

Spencer's owners are asking fans to donate to his memorial fundraiser ... which helps the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study.

The study focuses on canine health studies in the U.S. to "identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs."

Former NBA star Dwight Howard was ejected from a Taiwan basketball league game over the weekend ... after members from both teams got into a wild skirmish on the court.

It all went down on Sunday ... when Howard's Taoyuan Leopards were playing the Taiwan Beer HeroBears.

As Howard's teammate, Chen Hsiao-Jung, was looking to get separation from HeroBears guard Chiang Yu-an ... he elbowed him in the face -- sparking a big fight.

You can see in broadcast footage of the game, the guys immediately went after each other ... and a flurry of punches ensued. Then, all hell broke loose -- with players from both sides inserting themselves into the mayhem.

At one point, an assistant coach ran onto the court and threw multiple punches at Hsiao-Jung -- before the referees restrained him.

The fracas -- which started near midcourt -- spilled over to the other side of the court, and multiple people ended up on the ground as more punches were thrown near the sideline.

Cameras didn't catch Howard too involved in the melee -- he actually appeared to be playing peacemaker -- but he was eventually ejected nonetheless.

Lil Duval sparked a global debate by declaring Afrobeats would put the nail in hip hop's coffin -- but RZA, one of the guys who helped put rap on the worldwide map, completely disagrees with the controversial comedian.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with the Wu-Tang Clan figurehead out in WeHo Tuesday and he argues Afrobeats artists are doing their form of hip hop ... no different from rappers in the trap or G-funk creators out West.

Duval was reacting to last Sunday's Afrobeats takeover of the 2023 NBA All-Star Game halftime show ... led by standout artists Burna Boy, Tems and Rema ... and RZA says they deserve a chance to shine and feed their families, just like his generation did.

RZA also tackled another one of Duval's recent hip hop hot takes -- that podcasting has overtaken the music's popularity, another point RZA understood but debunked.

Rappers-turned-podcasters such as Joe Budden and N.O.R.E. have achieved much success on their platforms, but RZA tells us he and the Wu-Tang Clan just sold out shows during their "NY State of Mind" tour ... without the industry spotlight.

Kristin Cavallari says she can't keep the guys away since her split with Jay Cutler -- problem is ... the dudes going after her are married men.

The "Laguna Beach" alum told Rachel Bilson on her "Broad Ideas" podcast she's been getting hit on by a lot of guys who are hitched.

She kinda said it's an omen .... "Clearly, I’m not ready for a relationship because I’m attracting all of these unavailable men." As you know, Kristin filed for divorce from Jay in April 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage and having 3 kids together.

During the podcast, Kristin got a little more serious when she talked about who she's been dating. "I've gotten a lot of 29-year-olds. I’ve dated a lot of kids in their 20s and I’m like, 'This is silly. I need someone who’s established."

Not exactly true ... she also dated comedian Jeff Dye, who's in his late 30s who'll be hosting a new show on Fox stations called "Who the Bleep is That?!?" which debuts March 6th.

She admits, "It’s hard to find people who have the same goals -- especially when they’re younger and want to start a family."

Kristin was adamant about not having more kids unless she met the "love of my freaking life and he wanted one and didn’t have any, maybe, but like, I don’t think so."

She says she's been dating a bit, but nothing serious. "I’m just not in a place for it right now, which is fine.”

LAFC star Kellyn Acosta's home was broken into last week ... and three of his pricey watches were taken in the burglary -- this according to law enforcement sources.

Cops tell TMZ Sports ... the incident happened at Acosta's Los Angeles-area home after thieves made their way into the residence through a door and allegedly rummaged through the house, before making off with three of the 27-year-old soccer player's Rolexes.

As of now, our sources say the watches appear to be the only thing taken.

No arrests have been made ... but we're told police are not ruling out the possibility that it was an inside job. An investigation remains ongoing.

Acosta, who initially began his MLS career with FC Dallas, joined LAFC last season -- and started 28 games ... scoring two goals.

Acosta was also part of the 2022 U.S. World Cup team that advanced to the Round of 16.

Speaking for the first time since he nearly drowned in an ocean accident last month, Peyton Hillis says he's now, thankfully, doing fine ... and expects to eventually be at "100%."

The former NFL star almost died on Pensacola Beach in Florida back on Jan. 4 -- after he jumped into the water to save his children who had been caught in riptides.

Hillis required immediate attention from first responders on the sand -- and then needed to be put on a ventilator at a nearby hospital as his family said he was dealing with significant kidney and lung damage.

But, Hillis made a slow and steady recovery -- even receiving an uplifting visit from NFL legend Emmitt Smith at the hospital -- and on Tuesday night, he revealed everything in his life is now nearly back to normal.

"I left the hospital with no worries and concerns and should make a 100% recovery," the Madden 12 video game cover athlete said in a statement on his Twitter page. "I'm a very lucky and blessed man."

Hillis went on to thank his family, friends, fans and doctors who helped him get through the terrifying incident.

Brittney Griner looks thrilled to be back on a basketball court with her WNBA team ... judging by this glimpse the Phoenix Mercury's providing of her shoot-around sesh.

32-year-old Griner was all smiles Tuesday as she got some work in on the practice court ... just a couple days after she inked a one-year deal to return to her former team.

Remember ... Brittney hasn't played in the WNBA since the 2021 season, when she averaged 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds to lead the Mercury to the WNBA Finals.

BG went overseas last year to play basketball in Russia, but as you know ... she was arrested at an airport just outside Moscow in February 2022 after Russia claimed she was caught attempting to smuggle vape cartridges into the country.

Brittney was detained in Russia for 10 months until December 2022, when she came home in a swap for high-value Russian prisoner Viktor Bout.

BG vowed to return to the WNBA as soon as she got home ... and over the weekend she agreed to a deal with the Mercury, the team that originally drafted her with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft.

Trae Young will have a new head coach ... the Atlanta Hawks have just fired Nate McMillan.

The team confirmed the coach's dismissal on Tuesday afternoon ... with general manager Landry Fields saying in a statement, "it's in the best interest of our team to move forward with another voice leading the way."

McMillan had been in control of the team since the 2020-21 season, when he took over as interim head coach. He piled up a record of 99-80 in his time as head man -- though ATL was just 29-30 under his leadership this year.

The team said Joe Prunty will take over for McMillan the rest of this season.

After that, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Hawks are expected to take a long look at former Utah Jazz head coach Quinn Snyder for the full-time role.

McMillan's dismissal comes just weeks after reports surfaced that he and Young's relationship had been deteriorating ... following a conflict with the superstar in December.

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Trae skipped a shootaround at the time to get treatment for shoulder soreness he was experiencing ... which rubbed McMillan wrong.

The coach eventually called the incident between him and the point guard a "miscommunication" ... but Young was clearly upset with the situation when he spoke about it all with reporters in the ensuing days.