TMZ Sports - Page 50

Since the Patriots won't be using the team jet during Super Bowl weekend (for once), Robert Kraft is packing it with health care heroes and flying them to the big game!!

The 79-year-old billionaire just surprised 76 frontline health care workers from the New England-area and invited them to be his special VIP guests for Super Bowl 55.

... and guess what, THEY ALL SAID YES!!!

"As guests of the Kraft family, these healthcare 'superheroes' will be granted an all-expenses paid trip to Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Fla., including roundtrip travel on the Patriots team plane," the team announced.

All 76 of the heroes have already been vaccinated, according to the Patriots. The team hopes to inspire others to get their vaccinations as soon as possible.

It's not the first time Kraft has used the Patriots team jet to fight COVID -- he famously sent it to China back in April to bring back more than 1 MILLION n95 masks.

"Last April, when our plane returned with masks from China, we never could have imagined the devastation this pandemic would cause, nor could we have dreamed of the heroic stories and achievements that have come to be as a result, especially the dedication of healthcare workers on the front lines and the creation of safe and effective vaccines," Kraft said.

"10 months later, it's an honor for us to celebrate these healthcare workers by giving them a well-deserved break for a day and an opportunity to enjoy the Super Bowl, a reality that is only made possible because of the vaccines."

"Once again, we want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts to all of the healthcare heroes who have risked their well-being to ensure ours. They are truly superheroes to us."

Five women in the sports media industry say former Mets manager Mickey Callaway is a scumbag who "preyed on women" with inappropriate messages and sexual advances.

Callaway, though, said in a statement all of his actions were "consensual" and added, "my conduct was in no way intended to be disrespectful to any women involved."

The five women came forward with the allegations under the condition of anonymity to The Athletic ... detailing how the 45-year-old -- who's currently the Los Angeles Angels' pitching coach -- made them incredibly uncomfortable with calls, emails, texts and in-person advances.

One of the women, using the pseudonym Samantha, says when she was covering the Mets in 2018 ... Callaway got her phone number and proceeded to send her multiple shirtless selfies.

Samantha says at one point Callaway told her, "Now you send me one of you." The woman says she never did.

Samantha claims Callaway inappropriately massaged her shoulders while she was in the Mets' clubhouse when no one was looking ... and says for an entire month, Callaway "would text me asking for nude pics."

"He was completely unrelenting," Samantha said.

Four other women shared similar stories with The Athletic ... a New York-based reporter using the pseudonym Anne says Callaway pressured her to go on dates and often commented inappropriately on her appearance.

A reporter using the pseudonym Lauren says in a 1-on-1 interview with Callaway shortly after he was hired as Mets manager, he thrust his crotch near her face and had tried to "peacock her" by putting his leg up on a railing during the interaction.

"I got warned he was gross (beforehand)," Lauren said ... before adding, "He just preyed on women."

The three teams Callaway has worked for since 2013 all released statements regarding the allegations ... with Mets owner Steve Cohen saying, "The conduct reported in The Athletic story today is completely unacceptable and would never be tolerated under my ownership."

The Angels, who hired Callaway before the 2020 season, said, "The behavior being reported violates the Angels Organization’s values and policies. We take this very seriously and will conduct a full investigation with MLB."

The Indians, where Callaway worked as a coach from 2013-2017, added, "We were made aware for the first time tonight of the allegations in The Athletic regarding Mickey Callaway’s behavior towards women."

"We are currently reviewing the matter internally and in consultation with Major League Baseball to determine appropriate next steps. Our organization unequivocally does not condone this type of behavior. We seek to create an inclusive work environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can feel safe and comfortable to do their jobs."

MLB officials say they hadn't previously been made aware of the allegations prior to Monday's report.

For his part, Callaway's entire statement on the claims read, "Rather than rush to respond to these general allegations of which I have just been made aware, I look forward to an opportunity to provide more specific responses."

"Any relationship in which I was engaged has been consensual, and my conduct was in no way intended to be disrespectful to any women involved. I am married and my wife has been made aware of these general allegations."

Here's a shocker ... the Indiana high school basketball coach who went viral for throwing a chair on the court during a game last week has just been fired.

The wannabe Bobby Knight is Gary Lighthouse College Prep Academy coach Nick Moore -- who lost his mind Friday during a game against Bowman Academy in Gary Indiana.

Moore's team was down by 8 with 6:41 left in the game -- and in their comeback attempt, one of his players was called for a travel ... which set off the coach, who obviously disagreed with the call.

In the vid, you can see Moore's coaching staff TRIED to restrain the guy as he reached for a chair ... but he eventually got his hands on one and LAUNCHED IT on the court!

The tantrum continued and Moore tried throwing yet another chair -- but he was thwarted again. So, he grabbed a ball and hurled that instead -- forcing the refs to eject him from the game.

The incident triggered the Indiana High School Athletic Association to launch an investigation into the incident ... and on Monday, Moore revealed he'd been fired.

"I have been relieved of my duties by LCPA as boys coach," Moore said on Facebook ... "I would also like to thank the parents and players for letting me lead them day in and out it was a pleasure and great ride."

Over the weekend, Moore told the NWI Times he "had a chance to reflect" on the incident and admits he could have handled the situation better.

"We talk to our kids about sportsmanship, and we don't condone technical fouls and the type of acts that I displayed. I never want any of my players to display that kind of behavior, so I probably could've found a better way."

FYI, Bobby Knight was only suspended for ONE GAME when he threw a chair onto the court during an Indiana vs. Purdue game in 1985.

NFL running back Mark Walton has been arrested again ... and this time, cops say it's all 'cause the 23-year-old lost his mind over a failed Pizza Hut order.

Walton allegedly tried to smash a glass window at a Pizza Hut in Miami at around 11 P.M. on Jan. 31, before getting into a fight with his cousin, who was trying to restrain the NFL player, according to the police report obtained by TMZ Sports.

So, what triggered the alleged pizza shop meltdown? This is where things get even more bizarre.

Walton told cops he was "disrespected over the phone by one of the employees" -- so he apparently went to the shop in person to confront the staff.

Once Walton arrived to the eatery, a witness says he flipped out because his order was canceled -- "and started banging on the windows trying to pull on the door to gain entry to the business to confront one of the employees."

At one point during the madness, witnesses say Walton's cousin tried to physically remove the running back from the premises ... but Walton refused to go and attacked the guy instead.

Cops noticed Walton's cousin had obvious injuries -- so they called for paramedics. Walton's cousin refused to explain exactly how he was injured.

Walton was eventually arrested and booked on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct. At the station, he took a smiling mug shot.

Of course, this is far from Walton's first brush with the law ... he's been arrested several times in the last couple years, including once in 2019 when a pregnant woman accused him of punching her.

Walton -- who was drafted by the Bengals in the 4th round of the 2018 NFL Draft -- was waived by Cincy in 2019 after an arrest.

The Miami Dolphins signed him a short time later ... but they too released him after an arrest.

IT'S HAPPENING!!!

EA Sports just made every sports gamer's dream come true -- by officially announcing a reboot of its beloved college football franchise!!!

Of course, the "NCAA Football" series was a huge hit with fans for years -- but the game was discontinued in 2014 due to issues regarding using NCAA player likenesses.

A return was made possible in October 2019, however, when the NCAA board of governors voted to allow athletes to profit off their name/likeness ... with changes to be implemented as early as January 2021.

The video game company randomly dropped the major announcement Tuesday ... saying, "For those who never stopped believing ... College Football is coming back."

FYI -- the beloved series started off as "Bill Walsh Football" in 1994 and 1995 ... before taking on the College Football/NCAA Football name from 1996-2014.

Details have not been made available just yet ... but it's enough to get even the casual NCAA Football gamer pumped for the return.

No word on who the cover athlete will be -- or if there will even be one -- but Cincinnati Bengals star QB Joe Burrow is sad he won't be able to fulfil his lifelong dream.

"All I ever wanted was to be on the cover of this game and as soon as I graduate they bring it back," Burrow tweeted Tuesday.

Vince Young is back in Austin!!!

The 37-year-old college football legend is back in business with his beloved Texas Longhorns ... after he was fired from his role with the school back in 2019.

This time around, the former Heisman Trophy finalist will serve as a special assistant to athletic director Chris Del Conte.

The University has not said what Young's responsibilities will be. It also did not reveal his salary.

But Vince -- who famously led UT to a National Championship in 2005 -- is stoked about the move ... tweeting he's "so happy" about his new gig.

Young says he plans to "share my knowledge and experiences, reach out in the community and serve the school I love! You know I Bleed Orange!"

Young had previously worked for UT as a part-time Neighborhood Longhorns development officer -- a fundraising gig -- but he was fired in 2019, months after a second drunk driving arrest.

At the time, the UT officials said Young failed to "maintain standards of conduct suitable and acceptable to the University."

Young's off the field struggles are well-documented -- from multiple drunk driving arrests to financial issues. But in 2019, the ex-QB vowed to get help and turn his life around.

Maybe the hiring is a sign he's making process.

Young is considered one of the greatest players in Texas Longhorns history -- famously leading the team to a National Championship in 2005.

A suddenly infamous SoulCycle instructor is saying, "My bad" ... after calling herself an "educator" in order to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Stacey Griffith apologized Monday "from the bottom of my heart" after posting a picture of herself getting the highly sought-after vaccine. The 52-year-old later admitted she was eligible because she presented herself as an "educator" on vaccine sign up forms.

Upon further review ... she called the shady move a "terrible error in judgment."

In her since-deleted post ... Griffith -- who's taught the likes of Oprah and Kelly Ripa -- started her caption with, "VACCINE DAY! Step one of the Moderna magic!! One hour drive to STATEN ISLAND worth every minute! It takes a village."

Griffith even added, "Now I can teach @soulcycle with a little more faith that we're all gonna be OK."

Of course, some real school teachers are still struggling to get vaccinated in NY where there's a shortage.

NY is currently prioritizing people older than 65 plus teachers, school staff, in-person college instructors, child care workers, first responders, public transit workers, frontline workers and people working/living in group homeless shelters.

Yeah, fitness instructors? Even popular/famous ones? NOT on the list.

Johnny Manziel is IN THE BUBBLE!

The 28-year-old QB arrived to his official team hotel in Gwinnett County, Georgia on Monday night where he'll get ready for his debut in the Fan Controlled Football League.

As we previously reported, Manziel inked a deal to be the starting QB for the Zappers -- a team co-owned by NY Mets pitcher Trevor May, Bob Menery and Ronnie2K.

The league, which kicks off on Feb. 13 -- is a 7-on-7 full-contact football league where fans control everything from the uniforms, logos and the play calling.

The field is only 50 yards long with 10-yard end zones -- which means this game is built for fast action and lots of scoring. All games will take place at a special facility in Atlanta.

League officials tell us ... the FCF has "taken over" the hotel and have turned it into a "bubble" environment -- with strict COVID protocols to keep everyone safe.

It took 3 police officers to detain massive NFL lineman Chad Wheeler during a bloody domestic violence rampage at his GF's apartment ... and cops described the battle like they were trying to subdue a bear.

According to multiple police reports, obtained by TMZ Sports, the Kent P.D. officers got a heads up that the suspect in the Jan. 22 incident was Seattle Seahawks OL Chad Wheeler, who was listed at 6'7", 315 pounds.

When they arrived at the scene and saw Chad's GF was badly injured, they said they raced to subdue the 27-year-old ... despite the fact he fights off bigger and stronger men for a living.

One cop said in the docs, "When I grabbed ahold of Chad, I could tell that he was very solid and muscular as he was not easy to move."

The officer said he began to understand the strength of Wheeler when all three responding cops piled on top of him -- and it barely slowed Wheeler down.

"As the three of us (with a combined weight of about 700 pounds) were on top of Chad, I could feel him lifting his body up like he was pushing up to get away," one officer said.

"Chad, whose massive size took up the whole length and width of the bathroom floor, was able to lift his body about three to six inches temporarily with what appeared to be little effort from him."

According to the police report, cops say Wheeler was not cooperative ... so they used a Taser in an effort to detain him -- but it had "little to no effect."

When officers were finally ready to put him in handcuffs, Wheeler's size and strength continued to be a factor.

"Chad was so strong that even with the combined weight of three officers he was able to move around and prevent us from putting his arms behind his back," one officer said.

Ultimately, cops were able to take Wheeler into custody -- but they said he was so big, they were concerned he wouldn't fit in a standard police cruiser ... so they called for the larger jail van to take him to the station.

Wheeler was later arrested and hit with three criminals charges -- including 1st-degree domestic violence assault -- over the incident.

The NFL player -- who blamed all of his actions on a "manic episode" -- pled not guilty to the charges at a hearing in a Washington courtroom on Monday.

The tricked out 1963 Chevy Impala once owned by Kobe Bryant is hitting the auction block -- and we're told it's expected to sell in the $250,000 range!

The car has a pretty famous and well-documented history. Kobe's wife Vanessa went to West Coast Customs (the "Pimp My Ride" people) back in 2006 and had them customize something special for Mamba ... so she could gift it to Kobe on Christmas morning.

The final product was pretty amazing -- the guys at WCC rebuilt the engine, installed hydraulics, gave it a custom paint job. There was also some major work done on the sound system.

And check this out ... the interior got some major work as well, as described by the Barrett-Jackson auction house.

"The interior was beautifully re-worked, with all new white leather upholstery studded with genuine Swarovsky crystals and offset by royal blue piping and carpets."

Damn.

Kobe got rid of the car around 2013 -- and it was later auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson in 2014.

Now, the car is changing hands once again -- with the folks at Goldin Auctions running the sale. The auction is live and there's already a $100,000 bid -- but Ken Goldin tells us he expects the car to sell in the neighborhood of $250k.

The seller's identity has not been revealed. All we know is the vehicle is located in Indiana and the winning bidder is responsible for picking the car up after the sale ends next Saturday.

Good luck!

UFC champion Kamaru Usman says he would consider fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov IF the Dagestani star really wanted to scrap ... "but that's not something I'd ever pursue."

In other words, Kamaru says he will NOT chase the UFC's reigning, undefeated lightweight champ -- instead, he's focused on defending his own 170 lb. title.

"If Khabib came back, that's the thing with me and Khabib, we have this respect with one another to where we can always talk to each other like men," Kamaru tells TMZ Sports.

"So, if that's something that he was interested in and he came back and he had a conversation with me like, 'I wanna do that', that's something that we visit at that time, but me personally, that's not something I would ever pursue. Absolutely not."

Usman is on a 16 fight win streak ... and is set to defend his welterweight belt against his former training partner Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 on February 13.

Kamaru tells us he has the utmost respect for Burns, but their friendship all goes out the window the moment they step in the Octagon.

"When we step in, I see no face, I see no friendship," Usman says ... "I see none of that! You chose to -- you wanted this!"

We also asked Kamaru about a possible Conor McGregor fight (remember, The Notorious alluded to pursuing the 170 lb. belt last year) ... and Usman didn't slam the door -- but says Conor will have to earn the opportunity, like everybody else.

He did it ... LaMelo Ball has finally cracked the starting lineup for the Charlotte Hornets!

The 19-year-old -- 3rd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft -- has been killing it as the 6th man for the Hornets ... averaging 12 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists per game in his first 20 games.

In fact, he's been so impressive, fans -- along with his famous father -- have been calling on the Hornets to move Melo to the Starting 5 ... but the team wanted to play it slow.

But, now with an injury to starting guard Terry Rozier, Melo is getting the nod to start against the Miami Heat for their Monday night matchup in Miami.

Melo's dad, LaVar Ball, has been calling for his kid to start for weeks -- telling TMZ Sports straight-up a few weeks ago ... "My boys are not freakin' role players! They superstars! Let them do what they do!"

Well, opportunity's knockin' ...

The Charlotte Hornets are looking pretty good so far this year -- they're 9 and 11 and in 8th place in the Eastern Conference ... with things lookin' up.

Big news for the Kansas City Chiefs ... two players have been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list over a "close contact" with someone who tested positive.

The players are wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and center Daniel Kilgore, according to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

Moments ago, Reid told the media he's confident the players will "work through it" -- but obviously could not guarantee they will play in Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Kilgore started 4 games in 2020 and has played in 7 total. Robinson started 9 games in 2020 and played in all 16 regular-season games.

Both guys played in the AFC Championship game on January 24 against the Buffalo Bills -- with Robinson getting the starting nod at WR.

The way the NFL's COVID protocol works ... both players will be forced to quarantine for 5 days, which means no more practice for the rest of the week.

If they continue to test negative, there's a chance they can play in the Super Bowl -- but ESPN's Adam Schefter says at the moment their status is "in question."

Neither player has returned a positive COVID test at this point, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Obviously, the bigger concern is ... were any other players exposed?

We spoke with Chiefs superstar Tyreek Hill just a short while ago who told us the team had been clamping down on COVID protocols to prevent this exact situation.

Kendrick Perkins says James Harden was too busy strip club hoppin' to care about the 2012 NBA Finals ... admitting, "We couldn't get that motherf***er to buy a bucket in that motherf***er."

The ex-NBA big man went IN on his former OKC Thunder teammate on Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson's "All The Smoke" podcast recently ... saying everyone brought their "A" game against LeBron James and the Miami Heat Big 3.

... except Harden.

"Man, James ain't give a s*** and you know why," Perk said ... "Motherf***ing King of Diamonds and everything cut a hole in his hands."

Perk points out Harden had no issues during the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs that same year ... 'cause there weren't any outside distractions.

"In San Antonio, you didn't have a damn thing to do," Perkins added. "S***, we got to motherf***ing Miami, it was every-motherf***ing-thing to do. We couldn't get that motherf***ker to buy a bucket in that motherf***er."

The numbers don't lie -- Harden averaged 12.4 points in the 5-game series, after averaging 18.5 per game in the previous round against the Spurs.

Of course, the Heat went on to win it all in Game 5 -- securing LeBron's first championship ... and Harden was later traded to Houston, where he became a strip club legend.

NFL offensive lineman Chad Wheeler has pleaded not guilty to 3 criminal charges ... this just days after he was accused of violently beating his girlfriend.

The 27-year-old showed up to a courtroom in King County, Wash., on Monday to enter the pleas, according to ESPN.

He was then ordered to stay in the state of Washington and to remain under electronic home detention with a monitoring device strapped around his ankle.

Wheeler -- under the conditions of his pretrial release -- had already been ordered to have zero contact with the alleged victim.

The alleged victim appeared in court for the hearing, and, according to ESPN reporter Brady Henderson, she showed up with a sling around her left arm.

As we previously reported, Wheeler was hit with three criminal charges -- including 1st-degree domestic violence assault -- after his girlfriend told cops he beat the hell out of her on Jan. 22.

According to court documents ... the woman told law enforcement Wheeler choked her unconscious twice, made her bleed from her face and severely mangled her arm in the violent attack.

Prosecutors said after filing the charges against the former Seattle Seahawks player, "The defendant, who is physically conditioned and trained to compete at the highest level of professional sports, strangled, suffocated and beat the victim into unconsciousness -- twice -- both times leaving her for dead as blood poured from her nose and mouth, and into her stomach and lungs."

Wheeler apologized for the incident last week ... blaming the entire thing on a "manic episode."

"I apologize profusely for the turmoil that I have caused to my family, teammates, fans and those closest to me," Wheeler said. "The most important thing right now is that [the alleged victim] gets the care she needs and I get help. Both are happening."

Wheeler added he's stepping away from football and seeking treatment.

Gordon Hayward is carrying the wise words of Kobe Bryant with him on the court ... with the Charlotte Hornets star honoring the late legend with a touching tribute on his game shoes.

Hayward has been spotted playing in a custom edition of his signature Anta Hayward 2s over the past week -- which feature #24 on the heel & “Remember” across the midfoot.

The laces also include the last two sentences from Kobe’s inspirational message to Hayward after his horrific 2017 leg injury ... which say, "You see the belief within you grow with each mini milestone, and you will come back a better player for it. Best of luck to you on this journey my brother #mambamentality always.”

Kobe and Hayward have been tied together for years -- they even faced off against each other in Bryant's last NBA game, when he dropped 60 points on the then-Utah Jazz star.

In fact, there was even speculation Hayward "let" Bryant reach the feat by intentionally making a lane violation to get his 60th point ... which he's since denied.

"Kobe would have lost respect for me if I gave him something free," Hayward previously said. "That’s what made him so very special!"

Other NBAers have paid homage to the legend to commemorate the 1-year anniversary of his death ... from Joel Embiid to Steph Curry and more.