TMZ Sports - Page 50

Tristan Thompson was recently seen breaking bread with a lady who isn't Khloe Kardashian -- but there was no funny business, just real estate business ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell us the mystery blonde Tristan was seen having dinner with in Boston on Sunday is simply his estate manager, who handles his housing affairs ... which she's doing in Beantown, because he's moving there for his new team, the Celtics. They were photographed during their meal, and the Daily Mail pics kicked the rumor mill into high gear.

We're told the estate manager's name is Julia, and we're told she also set up Tristan at his pad in CA. She's looking to do the same for him in Boston.

Our sources say there was nothing romantic about the dinner, and everything about it looked super casual. Julia's wearing a sweater and her hair's up in a bun -- not exactly a date look.

As for Khloe -- who was in California over the weekend while Tristan was away -- we're told she and their daughter, True, are now in Boston with Tristan as he gets established. Mind you, Khloe isn't making a permanent move, as we've previously reported. She plans to make extended visits to Boston, but won't leave L.A. -- so this seems to be one of those trips.

The Great One now owes a great deal of gratitude toward cops in Canada ... 'cause police in Ontario say they've recovered a bunch of Wayne Gretzky's memorabilia after it was stolen from his dad's home in the summer.

Cops say back in August 2020 ... Gretzky family members reported a bunch of Wayne's game-worn items and awards had been jacked from the home of his 82-year-old father, Walter Gretzky.

Police say memorabilia that was taken included game-used sticks, jerseys, gloves, pants and even a Player of the Year award.

But, good news ... cops say after a 3-month investigation -- they were able to recover a bunch of the items AND arrest some suspects.

The Brantford Police Service announced Tuesday they executed search warrants this month and recovered Gretzky gear that was estimated to be worth over $500,000.

The BPS also revealed it arrested and charged two 58-year-old suspects, one female and one male, in connection with the theft.

"On behalf of our family, I would like to thank the Brantford Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for everything they have done regarding this investigation," Glen Gretzky, Wayne's brother, said in a statement.

"I would like to sincerely thank every member of the team; the professionalism, dedication and support they have shown has been greatly appreciated."

How the hell did Tony Ferguson survive that NASTY arm bar from Charles Oliveira on Saturday night at UFC 256????

Simple ... Tony says it's a combination of crazy genetics and mental fortitude.

The UFC star opened up about his jacked up arm on social media late Monday -- saying it's not as bad as it looked.

"My Arm Is Aright," Ferguson posted on IG ... "The Armbar Was Really Tight."

"The Thought Of My Son ArmandAnthony’s Ability To Be Double Jointed In His Elbow During That Sequence & My Mental Capacity To Endure Pain Got Me Through It. # Breathe # MentalTUFness."

There have been rumblings that Ferguson could consider wrapping up his MMA career after 2 bad losses in a row ... but T-Ferg says he ain't going nowhere.

"We Are Far From Being Retired," Tony said ... while dropping a middle finger emoji to his haters.

"I Can’t Wait Til We Compete In Front Of A Big Loud Crowd Again, It’s Not The Same Without You All."

In the meantime, Ferguson says he's working on healing up his arm -- with a focus on increased blood circulation.

He even underwent some cupping therapy to help out.

Washington's NFL team, Cleveland's MLB team ... and now the Vancouver Canucks?

The NHL squad is now feeling pressure to change ... this after an Indigenous Studies expert claims the main logo featured on the team's uniforms is cultural appropriation.

Sean Carleton -- a University of Manitoba history professor -- spelled out his concerns in a lengthy social media thread this week ... explaining why he feels the team's orca logo should be replaced.

Carleton says the whale -- which was created nearly 3 decades ago and has elements of artwork designed by Haida in it -- is hurting indigenous people.

Carleton explains he essentially believes the Canucks took the design and now are making money hand over fist with it -- all while diminishing indigenous people's art.

"How can you continue to develop meaningful relations with Coast Salish nations when you continue to profit from branding that is appropriating their art style," Carleton wrote on Twitter on Monday.

"People will say, but Sean the imagery is a 'a sign of respect.' How respectful is continuing to make piles of money from a business you operate on stolen land all the while branding that business with stolen imagery. That's the logic of colonial capitalism for you."

Carleton says the Canucks should do a better job of working with indigenous people and allowing them to be part of the team's design processes going forward.

"[The Canucks should] work with Indigenous peoples to develop iconography in appropriate ways, giving Indigenous artists a platform and a way to participate and benefit."

We've reached out to the Canucks for comment ... but so far, no word back.

Previously, back in 2019, Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini had said the team isn't considering a logo change ... telling reporters at the time, "It’s indigenous to the region. We’re going to keep it."

It should be noted the Canucks have worn alternate uniforms -- throwback-inspired threads -- over the past few seasons that do NOT have the orca design on them.

A racehorse owner who named a 3-year-old filly "Jungle Bunny" has been ordered to pick a new name ASAP ... because the old one is racist as hell!!!

Owner David Evans -- who's also the horse trainer -- entered the horse to run at the Wolverhampton Racecourse in the U.K. on Saturday ... and as soon as "JB" hit the track, there was outrage on social media.

FYI, the term "JB" is a super racist term for Black people that racists have been using for decades.

But, Evans insists racism played no role in how the horse got its name -- instead, he claims his daughter innocently came up with the moniker, inspired by a video game.

"David's daughter gave us the horse and there's a computer game called Jungle Bunny Run," his wife Emma told The Daily Mail.

"I just thought, that'll do. I had no idea. It was completely innocent and that is the gospel truth. None of the staff said anything, nobody else said anything and I'm totally flabbergasted."

The British Horseracing Authority is PISSED the name wasn't flagged before Saturday's race -- and claims it's now taking proper action.

"This name is deeply offensive and should not have been permitted," the BHA said on Twitter.

The BHA later issued a 2nd statement saying, "We have taken steps to ensure the horse was renamed immediately. It is now called Jungle Bells. This will be reflected in records of the race result and horse form."

"We are deeply concerned as to how this happened and are reviewing the processes for approving the names of racehorses."

The fight club that got raided in NYC last month reportedly has a new home in the Sunshine State -- with a similar name and a lot of the same players brawlers.

A new Instagram account has recently popped up, which seems to be an offshoot of the 'Rumble in the Bronx' moniker that the underground club took on while it was illegally operating in the Big Apple in November. The name now ... 'Rumble in Orlando.'

The Daily Beast notes a lot of the organizers, participants and fans from that initial group also follow the new IG account ... so the dots seem to connect. Plus, RIO has a lot of the same type of content featured on its page -- namely, dudes going at it in a makeshift ring, with people packed in all around cheering them on (and also not wearing masks).

They're not trying to be too discreet either -- the RIO IG bio literally reads, "RUMBLE IN ORLANDO IS AN UNDERGROUND FIGHT CLUB TO SHOW AND PROVE A MESSAGE WE CAN ALL RELATE TOO. RESPECTFULLY GUNS DOWN,GLOVES UP."

So ... yeah, definitely not as underground as Brad Pitt and Edward Norton's on-screen version.

The question now, of course, is ... do they risk getting shut down in Florida like they were in New York??? Remember, the New York City Sheriff's Office barged in on the place and busted a lot of the fighters, and also the shot-callers.

Now, Florida is a lot looser than NY with its COVID restrictions. They allow gatherings of up to a couple hundred people at least, and this crowd doesn't look bigger than that.

Duncan Robinson is known for his shooting, but the Miami Heat hooper came up with a huge assist this weekend ... by donating 10,000 meals to help those in need this holiday season.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the 26-year-old ex-Michigan star was in the giving spirit on Saturday ... so he teamed up with A-Sha Foods to help put meals on the table for the people of South Florida.

Robinson ended up hand-delivering his contribution on Saturday in Pembroke Park, FL ... rolling up his sleeves and personally helping dish out the packs of ramen noodles.

It's been a great 2020 for Robinson -- the dude had a breakout season and averaged 13 points per game after 3 points per game in his rookie campaign.

Robinson also played a huge role in the Heat's NBA Finals run in the bubble ... so yeah, there were plenty of reasons to be thankful this year.

Nate Diaz says Jake Paul is a "spoiled f*ck" who needs to stop running his mouth before he gets beat up in real life.

And, Nate ain't messin' around.

The UFC legend went off on Jake after watching a new video Paul posted Monday night going off on Conor McGregor and Dana White.

Diaz felt the video was disrespectful -- because it was -- and went to Twitter to warn Jake to pump the brakes before something bad happens.

"Jake Paul u need your ass beat for free u spoiled f*ck," Nate tweeted.

"U can’t really fight dumbsh*t. Your gonna end up with your ass whooped for real somewhere talking like that."

It's good advice ... but Jake wasn't having it -- and fired back at Diaz.

"You saw what happened to the other Nate," Jake tweeted ... a reference to his violent knockout of ex-NBA star Nate Robinson.

Nate replied again -- this time, tagging Jake's big bro, Logan Paul -- in the hopes Logan can talk some sense into his brother.

"@LoganPaul check this little ho bitch before someone does."

It's not a game-worn jersey, sneakers or autographed basketball -- no the most expensive Steph Curry item ever is THIS piece of cardboard ...

You're looking at a 2009/10 Panini National Treasures "Century Gold" Steph Curry signed patch/autograph rookie card ... and it just sold for $616,000 at auction!!!

The guys at Goldin Auctions facilitated the deal this week ... and they say the cash it fetched now makes it the priciest piece of Curry memorabilia ever.

As for why ... the card is insanely rare -- it's 1 of only 25 ever made, and its 9.5 grade gives it nearly a perfect 10 score for its edges, centering and signature.

The card also features a landmark on the patch -- part of Curry's number appears to be visible on the swatch -- which makes the piece even MORE valuable to card enthusiasts.

Of course, the Curry piece is just the latest in the trading card world to explode in value ... the past few months have brought INSANE prices among collectors.

Just a few days ago, Wayne Gretzky's rookie card sold for $1.3 MIL at auction ... making it the most pricey hockey card ever.

And, a few weeks before that, Rob Kardashian himself pulled an ultra-rare Tom Brady card that could land a fortune at auction too!!

The Cleveland Indians changing their name will prevent Native Americans from taking their own lives -- this according to leaders in the community, who insist there's a connection.

Suicide is an enormous problem among Native Americans -- it's the 2nd leading cause of death, and is especially dire among the young.

As for why the name of a baseball team affects the suicide rate -- when Native Americans see non-Natives wearing sacred headdresses and mocking their people with mascots, names, antics, etc. -- it screws with their heads in a big way ... so says Prairie Bighorn-Blount, Executive Director of the American Indigenous Business Leaders. This, we're told, profoundly diminishes self-esteem as well as pride, and can create a severe identity crisis.

There's actual, hard proof to back this up ... namely a study of 600 Native Americans, the overwhelming majority saying they were highly offended by pro sports teams using nicknames related to Native Americans.

The groups we spoke with are thrilled Cleveland's changing its name, but they won't be satisfied until other teams follow. They're talkin' to you, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Blackhawks.

Tom Brady license plates are about to be a real thing in Florida -- and it's all for a great cause!!!

Florida officials have confirmed ... a license plate featuring Tom's image will go into production in the next few days/weeks as soon as 3,000 people commit to driving with it on their rides.

So, why??

State officials say it's part of an awesome idea by Tom's favorite charity organization, Best Buddies -- a nonprofit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies reps say purchases of the specialty plate will lead to cash for the org ... explaining out of the $35 that it costs drivers to buy the plate ... $25 will go straight to the foundation.

And, because Tom has had such lengthy ties to the cause ... they say it's all the perfect win-win-win for all parties now that he's Tampa Bay's starting QB!

"With his recent move to Florida, we are incredibly excited to team up with long-time Global Ambassador Tom Brady for the new Best Buddies specialty license plate," the founder and CEO of Best Buddies International, Anthony K. Shriver, said.

"Since 2003, Tom has proven himself to be a committed advocate for individuals with disabilities, and we’re grateful that his commitment to our mission-driven initiatives will continue to create friendships, jobs, leadership development training, and inclusive living opportunities for people with special abilities here in the sunshine state."

Lamar Jackson insists he was CRAMPING -- not CRAPPING -- and that's why he raced to the locker room in the middle of "Monday Night Football."

In other words, Lamar says he didn't "pull a Paul Pierce" and fake an injury so he could take a dump!

Here's the deal ... Lamar was leading his Baltimore Ravens in a close and heated game against the Cleveland Browns (ha) when something went wrong with the QB in the 3rd quarter.

ESPN showed footage of Lamar scrambling to get to the locker room -- and to be honest, it looked like a guy trying to keep the turtle's head from poking out ... if you catch our drift.

When Jackson returned to the field, he looked relieved -- and balled the hell out for the rest of the game!

So, everyone thought the poop theory was confirmed -- he left, he crapped, he came back feeling better and dominated ... right?

Lamar was asked about the toilet conspiracy after the game -- but adamantly DENIED the locker room trip was bowel-related!!

"No, I was cramping," Jackson said ... "I didn’t pull no Paul Pierce! I didn’t pull a Paul Pierce!"

Remember, Pierce left Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals in a wheelchair due to an apparent injury -- only to return to the court minutes later and led the Celtics to victory.

Years later, Pierce admitted he needed the wheelchair to keep from pooping himself on live TV.

But, Lamar insists he's no Paul Pierce -- and followed up with a tweet to reinforce his point.

As for the Ravens, they beat the Browns thanks to some excellent 4th quarter play by Lamar Jackson.

Chicago Bears defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. has been charged with assault over an alleged domestic violence incident -- but Edwards is adamant he did NOTHING wrong.

TMZ Sports has learned ... prosecutors in North Carolina are moving forward with an assault case against the 26-year-old NFL player, a 2nd round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

We've obtained court documents outlining the allegations against Edwards by a woman who says she had a dating relationship with him.

In the docs, the woman claims Edwards got violent with her in a North Carolina hotel room on October 17, 2020 (the day before the Bears played the Carolina Panthers). She says Edwards got aggressive when she turned down his sexual advances that night.

The woman claims she took out her phone to record Edwards yelling at her -- and he reacted by smacking her in the eye with his hand.

Then, she claims, Edwards grabbed her by the arm and "dragged her to the door of the hotel room."

The woman claims Edwards continued his attack down the hotel hall by an elevator where he struck her in her arm.

In court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, the woman claims she was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the alleged attack. She also says she was pregnant at the time of the incident.

The woman claims this was not a one-off -- insisting Edwards has a history of violent outbursts with her.

But, Edwards is calling B.S. on the allegations -- his agent tells TMZ Sports that Mario denies ever striking the woman.

In fact, Edwards told cops he's the real victim -- claiming the woman was the aggressor.

We've obtained a police report from the night in question where Edwards is also listed as a victim. In the narrative section, cops say they were called in reference to a woman hitting a man and scratching his forehead.

Mario's agent, Peter Schaffer, tells us, "Mario Edwards doesn’t condone domestic violence. At no time did Mario Edwards do anything that raised to the level of domestic violence, or any violence."

Schaffer says Mario acknowledges there was a verbal dispute -- but "When she started to scream and yell, Mario did what he’s been told. Walk away and de-escalate the situation."

That said, a spokesperson for the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office tells us Edwards has a criminal summons for a misdemeanor assault on a female -- which means the case is expected to go in front of a judge at some point.

No word on when that's expected to happen.

"Please! Please! Do not make me shoot you!"

Officials have released video of the deadly shooting incident involving ex-NFL player Ekom Udofia -- which shows officers begging him to drop his weapon before ultimately opening fire.

33-year-old Udofia was a defensive lineman who had a short stint with the Cincinnati Bengals and New Orleans Saints after leaving Stanford in 2009.

But, on Nov. 30, 2020 ... Udofia was shot and killed by Phoenix PD officers after they responded to reports of a possibly armed man messing with cars around 2 AM.

The video of the standoff was captured on body cam by the responding officers -- and has now been released to the public in a video presentation produced and distributed by the police.

WARNING: THE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT IS GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING.

When the video starts, you can see and hear officers screaming at the top of their lungs at Udofia to drop what appears to be a handgun.

At one point, one of the officers begins to beg Udofia to comply -- but to no avail.

"Please drop the gun, dude! Please!" one officer screamed at Udofia. "Drop the gun, man! Please! Please! Do not make me shoot you!"

Udofia did not comply with the officers' orders ... and that's when one of the cops unloaded several rounds into the man's body.

The scene, though, didn't stop there ... because officers still could not get Udofia -- who a 911 caller said appeared to be under the influence of drugs -- to drop the weapon.

As officers begged and pleaded with Udofia to separate himself from the weapon ... cops fired less-than-lethal rounds at his body.

Suddenly, though, the 33-year-old appeared to get up and point the weapon at officers ... and that's when police fired more live bullets into the former football player.

In video of the scene, you can see cops then used pepper balls and even a police dog to ultimately get Udofia away from the weapon.

Officers were able to finally subdue Udofia several minutes after the initial shooting ... but they say he passed away from his injuries after he was transported to a local hospital.

Cops say the gun Udofia was using was eventually identified as a BB gun.

The high school football star, who attacked a referee in the middle of a game earlier this month, has been suspended from all high school sports for the rest of the school year.

And, since 18-year-old Emmanuel Duron is a senior -- the punishment will effectively end his career as a high school athlete.

Officials from the University Interscholastic League -- which oversees high school sports in Texas -- announced the punishment Monday stemming from the December 3 incident.

Duron was captured on video charging after head official Fred Gracia and smashing him to the ground in the 2nd quarter of a playoff game -- an apparent retaliation for being ejected from the game due to a late hit penalty.

Gracia was injured in the attack. Afterward, the ref's daughter said he was recovering and expected to be okay.

Duron -- one of the top players in the area -- was arrested and booked for assault causing bodily injury.

The UIL announced Duron's head coach at Edinburg High School, J.J. Leija, will also be placed on "probation" for the 2021-2022 school year over the incident.

There's more ... "Additionally, the Edinburg High School Athletic Department received a public reprimand and probation for all athletic activities for 2 years," the UIL added.

"You win one championship and you don't know how to act!!!"

L.A. Lakers superstar Anthony Davis rolled up to the team facility in a brand new (crazy expensive) Rolls-Royce on Monday ... and Kyle Kuzma came with the jokes!!!

"Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, big dawg. Look at this car," Kuzma jokingly said to AD ... "This dude. You actin' different!!!!"

The ride is RIDICULOUS -- looks like a tricked out Rolls-Royce Wraith, which reportedly starts at $330,000!!!

And, you know AD ain't gettin' the base model -- so fair to assume this thing is probably closer to $400,000.

Yeah, he can afford it -- dude just signed a 5-year, $190 MILLION extension with the Lakers. So, this is like the equivalent of any normal person dropping a few bucks on a Hot Wheels toy!!!

As for Kuzma, he got a big laugh out of Davis -- so still friends?!

The Lakers superstars sure do love fancy cars -- remember, it was just a week ago LeBron James was spotted zipping around L.A. in a sick Porsche 918 Spyder convertible!

Bron's car ain't just fast, it's also super rare and in high demand -- with similar rides selling for around $1.7 MILLION!!!!