TMZ Sports - Page 50

A recreational surfer was attacked by a shark in Maui on Tuesday -- forcing a pro surfing competition to go on hold until it's safe to get back in the water.

Officials in Hawaii confirm a 56-year-old man was badly injured in the attack while paddling out at Honolua Bay.

The details of his injuries are unclear but officials say the man was treated on shore and then raced to a hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

The Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources released pictures of the surfer's board ... and it looks like a prop from a "Jaws" movie.

The shark attack took place near the World Surfing League's Maui Women's Pro surf contest ... and event organizers decided to suspend action out of an abundance of caution.

"There will be no competition at the Maui Pro [Tuesday] following a shark incident involving a recreational surfer this morning at Honolua Bay," the WSL said in a statement.

"The WSL is working with authorities and our thoughts are with the victim of this incident. The Maui Pro is on hold until further notice."

The DNLR says both county and state officials are working on the situation and evaluating the danger.

No word on the victim's current health status -- but here's hoping he's okay.

Evander Holyfield's son -- a rising star in boxing -- says his dad is ready to kick Mike Tyson's ass for the 3rd time ... and when it happens, he wants to fight on the undercard!

23-year-old Evan Holyfield -- who's 4-0 as a pro -- says he LOVES the idea of his father running it back with Tyson, especially after Iron Mike's performance against Roy Jones Jr.

As we previously reported, 58-year-old Evander has been training for a comeback ... in hopes of a 3rd crack at his former rival.

Evan -- aka "Yung Holy" -- tells TMZ Sports his Dad looks ready to scrap!

"My dad's lookin' pretty swole right now," Evan says ... "I know he's been training this whole time, even before the whole thing, so I'm pretty excited to see what happens!"

"I don't expect him to lose! The first 2 [fights] went a certain way and I feel like the 3rd -- I know it's all for good sport and for charity and stuff at the end of the day -- but I don't plan on seeing my dad getting beat up."

Evan wasn't born yet when his pops fought Tyson in '96 and '97 -- so the chance to see those guys get in the ring again in 2021 would be special for him.

And, by the way, Evan's a pretty solid fighter himself -- he's got his 5th pro fight coming up on December 12 against Donnis Reed.

After that, Evan says he really hopes Mike and Evander can work out a deal ... because he really wants to fight on the undercard to create memories he can share with his own children.

He's deadly in the ring -- but Terence Crawford isn't one to be trifled with at home either.

The boxing superstar decided to show off his massive gun collection Wednesday -- which includes everything from pistols to high-powered rifles and even a shotgun.

16 firearms in all ... and Crawford says only HALF of his collection is pictured in the photo!!!

"They say I got too many I say I don’t got enough," Crawford posted.

"Always fun when I got time to pull these bad boys [out] and let em rip. P.S this only half. Maybe I do have a problem."

Crawford and some pals took the guns to an outdoor shooting area near his home in Omaha, Nebraska and opened fire on some exploding targets ... and shocker, his aim's pretty good!!

Crawford is widely considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet ... and fans around the world are praying he'll fight Errol Spence in 2021.

The message here is simple ... don't get on Crawford's bad side. Ever.

NFL linebacker Vontaze Burfict was arrested for allegedly attacking a security guard at a Vegas casino over the weekend, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 30-year-old former Cincinnati Bengals star -- who later played for the Raiders -- was taken into custody for misdemeanor battery ... but nobody knew why, until now.

A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Metro Police Dept. tells us ... Burfict was arrested Saturday for battering a security officer at The Cosmopolitan resort, casino and hotel.

But, the backstory is wild ...

Multiple sources tell us Burfict and at least 1 other person were looking for a restaurant at the Cosmo called "Secret Pizza." ... which is intentionally hard to find!

It's like a speakeasy for pizza -- a hidden eatery located at an unmarked location on the Cosmo property. We know what you're thinking ... how's the food? It's got 4 stars on Yelp!

Though Barstool's Dave Portnoy once did a Pizza Review from there -- he wasn't as impressed.

We're told Burfict and his crew were having a tough time locating the place -- and at some point, they felt like security was following them.

At one point, there was an incident between Vontaze and the security guards -- with the guards claiming Burfict got physical.

Security detained Burfict until police arrived -- that's when he was formally arrested.

We reached out to Burfict's camp to get his side of the story -- we'll let you know when we hear back.

DeMar DeRozan's 7-year-old daughter is a hero -- because she's the one who spotted an intruder at their L.A. home and immediately sounded the alarm leading to his arrest ... this, according to law enforcement.

Officials say there's video surveillance that shows the suspect -- 22-year-old Justin Bergquist -- peeping inside DeRozan's house on Nov. 19 around 7 PM.

The footage also allegedly shows Bergquist entering the home through a sliding glass door. Officials say he spent 17 minutes inside the home -- shirtless -- until he ran into DeMar's daughter.

According to the police report, "When the suspect saw [DeMar's daughter], he put his finger to his lips and signaled for her to be quiet."

But, DeMar's daughter knew better ... and smartly ran downstairs and screamed for her parents.

That's when DeMar sprung into action -- scouring the house for the suspect, who made a break for it and ultimately fled from the home.

DeMar's GF called 911 -- and the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. responded to the scene. Bergquist was eventually located and arrested.

Law enforcement claims Bergquist said he was trying to find Kylie Jenner's home that night -- but hit the wrong house by accident.

The DeRozans claim Bergquist caused significant damage to one of the sliding glass doors, which will cost $15,000 to repair.

Bergquist is now facing a felony burglary charge -- and he's been ordered to stay away from both DeMar and Kylie.

Twitch -- one of the biggest live streaming gaming platforms on the planet -- is following NASCAR's lead ... and officially BANNING the Confederate flag.

The streaming giant announced its updated Hateful Conduct and Harassment Policy will go into effect on Jan. 22 ... in hopes to sustain a more inclusive environment.

"Communities on Twitch are diverse and are growing rapidly, representing nearly every interest, background, and language around the globe," Twitch said in a statement Wednesday.

"As we evolve, it’s necessary to revisit and update policies to make sure all streamers and all communities can create together safely on Twitch."

The platform added ... "We know that many people on Twitch -- particularly women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Black, Indigenous, and people of color --unfortunately continue to experience a disproportionate amount of harassment and abuse online, including on our service."

"Not only is this blatantly unacceptable, it also undermines the community we’re building on Twitch and threatens the long term viability of streaming as a career for everyone who wishes to pursue it."

Twitch specifically notes the Confederate flag will not be allowed on its platform, citing its "historic and symbolic association with slavery and white supremacist groups in the US."

As we previously reported ... NASCAR announced its decision to ban the Confederate flag after Bubba Wallace publicly called for its removal from events ... saying, "No one should feel uncomfortable when they come to a NASCAR race."

Among other prohibited actions on Twitch include repeatedly making unwelcomed comments on a user's attractiveness or sexuality, as well as sending unsolicited nude pics and videos.

Louis Nix III -- a former star Notre Dame defensive lineman -- was shot in the chest in a horrifying incident in Florida ... but thankfully, he says he's doing alright now.

Cops in Jacksonville, FL say they responded to a gunfire call at around 9 PM Tuesday at a local gas station ... and found Nix lying wounded on the ground.

Officers say emergency medical personnel immediately rushed Nix to the hospital ... and there, a doctor told them Nix had said he appeared to be the victim of an attempted robbery.

In the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, cops say doctors told them Nix said, "the suspects put a flashlight into his face" and said something along the lines of "give me..." to him.

Officers say doctors told them Nix felt a gunshot to the chest when he pushed one of the suspects away.

In a video Nix recorded and posted to social media shortly after the incident ... you can see he was terrified about possibly losing his life due to the injuries.

In the clip, Nix -- who had a heavy bandage on his chest -- said, "If I don't make it, I really do love everybody."

Thankfully, in an update Nix posted to his official Facebook page on Wednesday, the 29-year-old said he's doing better.

"I'm alive everyone," Nix said. "The bullet that hit me ricocheted off my sternum into my lung. Surgery is the next step so keep praying for me."

Nix balled out in his 3 seasons as a starter for Notre Dame from 2011 to 2013 ... and he was eventually drafted by the Houston Texans in the 3rd round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Nix played for Houston, the Giants, Washington and Jacksonville up until the 2016 season.

According to the report, one witness said the suspects fled from the scene before officers arrived. No arrests have been made yet, and the investigation is ongoing.

Ain't no party like a Hollywood party ... especially when it's bright and early in the morning at the actual Hollywood sign.

This is pretty wild, but popular pro gamer FaZe Banks and a small group of his peeps got to rage right next to the famous landmark Wednesday morning ... while Israeli DJ Itay Galo pumped the dance music.

Keep in mind, this was all going down just shortly after 7 AM ... amid the coronavirus pandemic and recently renewed L.A. County lockdown orders.

Tomer Shmulevich and The Hosts Group produced and organized the event with FaZe and other influencers, and tells us it obtained all the proper permits and ensured proper COVID-19 precautions were taken.

The entertainment company says everyone involved in the Hollywood sign shindig had to be tested and quarantine beforehand, and there were temperature checks on site.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... some people in the neighborhood called police on the party, but cops did not respond because the event was for a shoot and had acquired all the necessary permits.

Neymar and his Paris Saint-Germain teammates all walked off the pitch during a Champions League game Tuesday -- protesting racial language a ref used about a Black coach.

Here's the deal ... PSG was taking on the Turkish team Basaksehir at a match in Paris when the head ref went to hand out a red card over an incident during the game.

The head ref asked the other officials who should get the red card -- and the 4th official, Sebastian Coltescu, allegedly replied, "The Black guy."

He was referring to Basaksehir asst. coach Pierre Webo -- a Black man from Cameroon.

One of the star players on the Basaksehir team -- named Ba -- could be heard arguing with the official about the comment ... saying, "When you mention a white guy, you never say 'This white guy', you just say 'this guy.' So, why when you mention a Black guy do you say 'This Black guy?’"

Players and staff from both teams were so upset at the alleged comment -- they ALL walked off the pitch and refused to come out.

But now, UEFA (The Union of European Football Associations) announced the 4th official will be removed from the match and replaced ... and the game will continue.

“Following an alleged incident involving the 4th official, the match was temporarily suspended," UEFA said in a statement.

"After consultation with both teams, it was agreed that the match would restart with a different 4th official."

UEFA says it will launch an investigation immediately.

Racism is a huge issue in international soccer -- and has been for years. Top teams and players across the globe have vowed to protest games over racist language and gestures and clearly, they're showing it's not just tough talk.

Ohio State vs. Michigan is officially off -- after the Wolverines announced their COVID situation is so bad, they can't field a team to play this weekend.

The #4 ranked undefeated Buckeyes were scheduled to host the 2-4 Wolverines in The Game on Saturday -- one of the most anticipated rivalries in college football and really, all of sports.

But, the Michigan football program has been badly impacted by the pandemic -- and the school says it can't pull together enough healthy players to take the field on Saturday.

"The number of positive tests has continued to trend in an upward direction over the last 7 days," Michigan AD Warde Manuel said Tuesday.

"We have not been cleared to participate in practice at this time. Unfortunately, we will not be able to field a team due to COVID-19 positives and the associated quarantining required of close contacted individuals."

"This decision is disappointing for our team and coaches but their health and safety is paramount, and it will always come first in our decision making."

Michigan also canceled last week's game against Maryland after at least 12 members of the program tested positive for COVID.

The situation is especially bad for Ohio State which is still in the college football playoff hunt.

They need to schedule another opponent ASAP -- and hopefully against a top opponent -- if they want to qualify for the post-season.

The NCAA says teams have to have at least 6 wins to be bowl eligible -- and OSU is currently 5-0.

One potential matchup could be Texas A&M ... since their game against Ole Miss was scraped because Ole Miss couldn't field a team.

Texas A&M is also 7-1 and ranked #5 in the country.

Ohio State has won 8 in a row against Michigan -- with Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh 0-5 against his rivals.

The first Ohio State vs. Michigan football game took place in 1897 -- and it's been a heated rivalry ever since.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is opening up about his personal health struggles -- revealing he's had TWO bouts with cancer AND a major heart surgery.

The 73-year-old NBA legend spells it all out in an essay for WebMD in which he argues about racial inequality with the current health care system in the U.S.

In his article, KAJ goes into detail about his own health issues -- admitting his fame and wealth have given him advantages that "many others in the Black community do not have."

As Kareem points out ... "I’ve been fortunate because my celebrity has brought me enough financial security to receive excellent medical attention."

"No one wants an NBA legend dying on their watch. Imagine the Yelp reviews."

In his article, Kareem says he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2008 -- but doesn't specify when he battled prostate cancer or underwent heart surgery.

Kareem says he's also "lucky" one of his sons is an orthopedic surgeon and another is a hospital administrator ... which means, "Dad gets to nag them for medical advice whenever he wants."

As for the racial issues with health care, Kareem says Black Americans are "most in need of medical services" but "they actually receive the lowest level."

Kareem says the issue of insufficient health care for Black people is a "more insidious and damaging threat" to the community than police brutality.

He points out the COVID-19 pandemic as an example ... claiming the death rate among Black people is 3.6 times higher than white people.

Part of that reason, KAJ says, is the underlying conditions Black people experience due to the systemic racism that still exists today.

"Having lesser education, and less financial resources, means less opportunity to compete for higher education, which means less opportunity for better paying jobs."

The solution?? Abdul-Jabbar says we must continue to fight systemic racism on a daily basis ... and not let the foot off the gas.

Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin is apologizing for his "inappropriate behavior" in a video he posted on social media ... in which he gropes an unsuspecting woman's chest.

In the video, which was posted (and since deleted) from Mazepin's Instagram page ... you can see the 21-year-old reach over and grab a female's chest while the two are riding in a car together. The woman reacts by trying to block her chest and then she flips him the middle finger.

"I would like to apologize for my recent actions both in terms of my own inappropriate behavior and the fact that it was posted onto social media," Mazepin said in a statement.

"I am sorry for the offense I have rightly caused and to the embarrassment I have brought to Haas F1 Team."

He continued, "I have to hold myself to a higher standard as a Formula 1 driver and I acknowledge I have let myself and many people down. I promise I will learn from this."

His bosses on the Haas F1 team ripped the driver over the video -- calling the footage "abhorrent."

"Haas F1 Team does not condone the behaviour of Nikita Mazepin in the video recently posted on his social media," the racing team said.

"Additionally, the very fact the video was posted on social media is also abhorrent to Haas F1 Team. The matter is being dealt with internally and no further comment shall be made at this time."

Mazepin is an up-and-coming driver in racing -- or at least he was before this incident.

He's been driving in Formula 2 -- and Haas had planned on moving him to F1 for the 2021 season.

Tim Tebow would NOT be the best ex-NFL star in MLB if Russell Wilson changed sports ... so says the Seahawks QB himself, who explained Wednesday he thinks he's a better baseball player than Tim!!

"I always feel like baseball was actually my best sport," Russ said.

The 32-year-old Seattle star made the bold claim on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast this week ... saying he could have been a LEGIT MLBer if he had focused on that instead of football.

"Baseball was actually my love," Russ said. "I played that since I was young. That was probably the sport -- was probably one of my best sports."

So, when it comes down to Wilson vs. Tebow on the diamond ... Russ said he hasn't actually seen Tim play with the Mets -- but he's just that confident in his abilities.

"I'ma go with me," Russ said. "I'ma go with me. I can turn a mean double-play, Tim."

FYI -- Russ was a legit baseball STAR back in high school ... he was a projected top-10 round pick in the 2007 MLB draft who fell to the 41st round because he had told teams he was going to forego a baseball career for college.

Russ -- a middle infielder -- kept playing at N.C. State ... and actually got drafted AGAIN in the 4th round of the 2010 MLB draft.

Russ dabbled in the sport, playing in some minor league games for various MLB teams' affiliates ... but, obviously, football took precedent.

Wilson has done some celeb MLB appearances since ... remember, he famously got in a spring training game for the Yankees back in 2018 -- but he struck out in his lone plate appearance.

"I guess God had different plans for me," Russ said of his sports career. "Now I get to spin the rock and throw deep go balls to our guy DK Metcalf."

"He farted by my face. And, walked away."

That's NY Giants running back Wayne Gallman with a seriously stank allegation against Eli Manning ... claiming the QB hit him with one of the most aggressive crop-dusts of all time.

The 26-year-old RB blew the lid of Manning's putrid secret during a Q&A with NY Post columnist Steve Serby ... when he was asked to recall his favorite Eli memory during their time together in NY.

That's when Gallman dropped this [butt] nugget ...

"I wouldn’t say it was my favorite, but this is my most memorable -- we’re in the locker room before a game, he was doing his stretching while I was sitting in my chair listening to music, and he walked by and he farted by my face. And walked away."

IT WAS A HIT AND RUN!!

Serby asked, "You didn't get him back?"

To which Gallman replied, "There was no way I could get him back after that. Had to do something real nasty."

Serby again pressed ... "But, you didn’t do anything?"

Gallman -- "I didn’t get a chance to (chuckle)."

FYI, schoolyard rules state if Gallman would have yelled "doorknob" before Eli yelled "safety" ... everyone would have been allowed to punch Eli without consequence until he touched a doorknob. Everyone knows this.

Manning retired after the 2019 NFL season and has spent his time relaxing and hanging with his family.

You make it to the NBA, you get iced out ... and that's exactly what LaMelo Ball did -- copping an incredibly shiny diamond grill to kick off his rookie season!!

Of course, the youngest Ball bro. already knows how to be a pro -- he played in Lithuania and Australia before going #3 overall to the Charlotte Hornets last month.

But, making it to the Association calls for a BIG "treat yo self" moment ... so the 19-year-old enlisted AP The Jeweler from Atlanta to come up with an unforgettable piece.

AP tells TMZ Sports ... Melo eventually decided last month it was time to get his first grill, so he got Ball's mold and went straight to work.

The finished product is a pair of 14k white gold chompers (8 top teeth, 8 bottom) with VVS diamonds in a honeycomb set.

As for how many rocks?? AP tells us it's "The most diamonds I've ever put in a grill."

We're told AP personally flew to Charlotte to hand-deliver the finished product on Monday ... and the dude is jacked about the finished product.

Lamar Jackson says coronavirus hit him hard as an NFL linebacker ... telling reporters Tuesday night he was sick as a dog with COVID and he "wouldn't wish that on nobody."

The league's reigning MVP was diagnosed around Thanksgiving after displaying some symptoms ... and when Jackson was asked about his ensuing battle with the virus, the QB said it was all rough.

In fact, the 23-year-old Ravens star says he's STILL having a hard time tasting and smelling things.

"I had flu-like symptoms," LJ said after dominating the Cowboys, 34-17 ... "I guess my sense of taste and smell is going to come back sooner or later."

"But, I'm good now. I wouldn't wish that on nobody, though. It's not good to have."

Jackson took about two weeks to beat the virus ... and based on his play against Dallas on Tuesday -- it doesn't seem it should affect his game too much going forward.

LJ scored 3 touchdowns in the Ravens' rout ... and ran for 94 yards on just 13 carries.