TMZ Sports - Page 50

Rob Gronkowski told us it was happening, and now it's official -- the superstar tight end has re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a deal worth up to $10 million!!!

Remember, 31-year-old Gronk told TMZ Sports just last week he wasn't handing in his retirement papers just yet ... saying he was ready to run it back as Tom Brady and Co. try to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

"I'm back, man!" Gronk told us. "I will be back playing football, man. I love the game of football. I loved playing last year. I had a great time."

Gronk wasted no time with free agency kicking off this week ... agreeing to a 1-year, $10 milli deal on Monday.

Rob was solid in 2020 -- his first season back since leaving the game in 2018 -- putting up more than 600 yards and 7 TDs.

Oh yeah, and the guy won his 4th Super Bowl. Not too shabby.

Gronk reacted to the news with a nod to the SpongeBob SquarePants pirate ... saying, "Arrr You Ready Kids??"

Several players from the Norman High School girls basketball team have broken their silence about the racist comments directed at them by a game announcer ... and they're calling for action.

It's powerful stuff.

The players have teamed up with famous civil rights attorney  Ben Crump -- who has worked with the families of several high-profile victims of police or racial violence ... from Ahmaud Arbery to Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Jacob Blake.

Crump held a news conference Monday with several of the players and their families -- who all spoke out about Matt Rowan, the announcer who hurled the n-word at the team for their decision to take a knee during the national anthem.

As we previously reported, Rowan's comments were caught on a hot mic -- and people at home could hear him bashing the NHS players who were demonstrating to spotlight police brutality and racial injustice.

During his rant, Rowan said he hoped the Norman team would get their asses kicked on the court that night.

Rowen later apologized for his language -- and said he's a Type-1 diabetic who loses his ability to censor himself when his blood sugar is high, which he claims happened that night.

FYI, the Norman High School girls basketball team went on to win the Oklahoma 6-A state championship over the weekend.

The players say they were obviously hurt and shocked by the comments -- but they're proud of the way they stood together as a team and still WON the whole tourney!

Ben Crump says there are no plans to take legal action at this time ... but continued to praise the team for thriving in such a challenging moment.

Michael Rapaport ain't happy with the punishment dished out to NBA player Meyers Leonard in the wake of his anti-Semitic slur ... suggesting he it would have been way worse if he used the n-word instead of the k-word.

Rapaport was one of Leonard's harshest critics after the Miami Heat center used the k-word to insult an opponent during a video game live stream session earlier this month ... calling him a "dumb f**k" and demanding a sincere video apology.

The NBA has since imposed a 1-week suspension on Leonard and fined him $50,000.

Meyers has apologized and vowed to work with leaders run the Jewish community to educate himself on why the word is so dangerous and offensive.

But, Rap says that's not good enough ... and he's comparing the situation to the announcer who hurled the n-word at a high school basketball team in Oklahoma.

"Why is that any worse than the Myers Leonard thing?" Rapaport told us.

"I'm not happy with [Leonard's] punishment, but I think if he had said a different word -- if it had been a white guy saying the n-word, he’d be cut."

Rap continued, "Every single athlete would have spoken out about it, every single actor -- white, black and in between -- would have spoken out about it and it would still be discussed a week later."

Merriam-Webster defines the word "coalesce" as a verb meaning "to grow together."

... and NBA superstar Jimmy Butler clearly could not care less.

The Miami Heat wing BODIED a reporter Sunday for bringing that big word to his post-game press conference ... saying the guy didn't need to flex his brainy vocabulary when asking a simple question about how the team has bonded over the past few weeks.

The hilarious scene all went down after Butler led the Heat to a win over the Orlando Magic ... when a media member tried to ask the 31-year-old about Miami's recent team success.

"Does it feel like you're coalescing, as much as the record shows, into something?" the reporter asked. "I mean, 10 of 11 [games] is pretty special."

The "coalescing" term threw Butler off guard immediately ... watch the clip, his reaction is priceless!

"Don't do that," Jimmy said to the reporter. "Come on, now. What the hell does that mean?!"

The reporter tried to explain his question ... before Jimmy said, "You said a big word. You confused me."

The media member explained further ... saying he simply meant "coming together, congealing, gelling."

And that's when JB told the guy, "You could have just said that" ... before ultimately answering the question.

Things are looking up between Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez ... at least that's how A-Rod seems to view their relationship, now that they're in the same place.

TMZ has confirmed A-Rod flew to the Dominican Republic, where J Lo has been shooting a movie, and Monday morning he posted video from their luxury digs down there. His caption said, "Happy Monday. New week,. New day. Onward. Upward."

BTW, he also tagged J Lo tag in his post.

Remember, A-Rod told a photog Saturday in Miami he is definitely NOT single. He and Jennifer told TMZ, "We are working through some things."

Sources with direct knowledge told us those issues they're working on do not involve a third person.

Now, we're told A-Rod's been going to the DR every few weeks while Jen's been there shooting -- so this current trip could've been planned all along. Still, the fact he's carried through with it ... is a sign they might work it all out, after all.

Eulogio "Frankie" De La Cruz -- a relief pitcher who was a key cog in the trade that sent Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins to the Tigers -- died Sunday ... MLB officials confirmed.

He was just 37 years old.

De La Cruz's Dominican winter league team, Toros del Este, was first to report the news Monday morning, saying in a statement, "Our condolences to his family and friends for this terrible loss. Peace to your Soul!"

The Diario Libre in the D.R. reported the team added his death was due to a heart attack.

De La Cruz signed with the Detroit Tigers as a teenager in 2001 ... and eventually made his debut for the big-league club in 2007.

He was traded just a short time later, though, as one of the pieces that helped Detroit land one of the greatest MLB players ever.

The Tigers sent De La Cruz -- along with several other notable names including Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin -- to the Marlins in exchange for Cabrera and ace pitcher Dontrelle Willis.

De La Cruz didn't do much in his short time with the Marlins in 2008, and was later traded to the Padres, who released him after the 2009 season.

De La Cruz went on to pitch in Tokyo ... and eventually latched on with the Brewers in 2011, when he had his best season as a pro, logging a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings pitched.

De La Cruz -- who also had a stint in the Chicago Cubs' organization -- had reportedly still been pitching professionally in the D.R. just this past winter.

Didn't see this coming ...

UFC legend Georges St-Pierre -- one of the greatest of all time -- says he actually HATED fighting during his 15 year MMA career.

... but he stuck around so long because he was addicted to the feeling he got after winning a match!

The 39-year-old superstar opened up about the situation recently on "The Complex Sports Podcast" ... and didn't mince his words.

"I don’t like the fighting. I hate it. It’s unbearable," GSP said ... "The feeling of stress. Not knowing if you will be humiliated or you might get hurt. It’s so hard."

"But when you win a fight, it’s really worth it. The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. So that’s why I did it. Not because I love to fight. I love to win."

And one thing GSP did a lot during his career was win -- finishing his MMA career with a 26-2 record ... with victories over legends like BJ Penn, Michael Bisping, Nick Diaz, Matt Hughes and more.

GSP formally retired in 2019 -- 2 years after his last fight -- and has repeatedly said a comeback is most likely off the table.

Now, he's focusing on acting -- reprising his role as the French mercenary Georges Batroc in the upcoming Marvel series, "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier."

Georges says he uses some of his skills from fighting to help him as an actor.

"Like in fighting, acting requires a lot of repetition, a lot of preparation. In fighting, you do a lot of those as well and very often when you fight, you find out your opponent is never as good as you think he is and he’s never as bad as you think he is as well. It’s always different."

The main difference ... GSP acknowledges the stakes are much higher in fighting.

“In fighting, you only get one take. If you zig when you should zag --  boom! It can cost you not only a loss but it can cost you obviously cerebral damage. Damage that can cause your death. It’s very dangerous."

The Texas Rangers are paying tribute to Charley Pride -- who owned part of the team -- by naming a baseball field after the country music legend.

The Rangers announced the decision Sunday ... unveiling "Charley Pride Field" at the official Rangers spring training complex in Surprise, Arizona.

“Introducing Charley Pride Field! You are greatly missed,” the team said in a statement.

Pride -- a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and 3x Grammy award winner who was nominated 13 times -- died December 12, 2020 from complications related to COVID-19 at the age of 86.

The legendary country singer held a part-ownership stake in the Rangers after joining a group that purchased the team in 2010.

Pride was a frequent visitor to the Texas Rangers Spring Training facility.

That should come as no surprise since Pride was a BALLER back in his day. Before deciding to pick up the microphone, he was a standout pitcher in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s and 1960s.

CP even had a couple of brief stints with the Yankees and Reds minor league squads ... before retiring from baseball and becoming a music superstar.

Pride sang the National Anthem in July 2020 at the Rangers Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas ... the first-ever baseball game at the field, and one of his last live performances.

Pride was such a talented and respected performer, he was honored during The Grammys on Sunday night in the "In Memoriam" segment.

The Univ. of Arizona didn't make the Big Dance, but here's a solid dose of positivity from star center Christian Koloko ... who tells TMZ Sports the Wildcats will be back and better than ever next season!!!

Oh yeah, AND he says fellow Sierra Canyon HS product LeBron James Jr. should come play college ball in Tuscon, too!!

We spoke with the 7'1" sophomore about the 'Cats missing the NCAA tournament in 2021 ... and while it may sting now, Koloko says his guys are gonna work like crazy to get back in March Madness next season.

"We're thinking about the team," Koloko tells us. "We gotta come back next year and be stronger and have a chance to make it in the tournament next year."

FYI -- the Wildcats went 17-9 this season ... missing the cut alongside powerhouse programs like Duke and Kansas.

On top of the disappointing season, head coach Sean Miller is battling the NCAA over alleged recruitment violations ... but Koloko says the team isn't considering it a distraction.

"We just put it behind the back and we just try to play basketball and do what we love."

As for Bronny, Koloko -- who also played high school hoops at Sierra Canyon in CA -- says the kid is for sure an NBA talent and should strongly consider following his path to Arizona when the time comes in 2023.

From Cy Young winner to Sock Puppets manager?!

Ex-MLB star Jack McDowell has done just that ... 'cause the Burlington Sock Puppets -- a developmental summer league team for collegiate baseball players -- just named him their new manager!

The squad -- which is part of the Appalachian League -- made the announcement Monday morning ... and McDowell said he's PUMPED for the opportunity.

"As a lifelong participant in the game of baseball, as both a coach and a player, I am thrilled to be managing the Burlington Sock Puppets this summer,” McDowell said in a statement.

"This opportunity is meaningful for me, and I cannot wait to impact the lives of countless collegiate baseball players in the Appalachian League this year. It is going to be a positive and fun season!"

If you're unfamiliar, the Appalachian League comprises of 10 teams in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia ... and it's designed to help rising freshman and sophomores in college refine their skills with wooden bats over a 54-game, summer season.

The Sock Puppets clearly believe McDowell has the goods to help their players best ... with the team's general manager, Anderson Rathbun, saying Monday, "We couldn't be more thrilled to have someone leading our team with a resume quite lack Jack's."

55-year-old McDowell won the Cy Young back in 1993 while pitching for the White Sox ... and he made the All-Star team 3 times in his 12-year, big-league career.

Two months after muttering an anti-gay slur on the golf course ... Justin Thomas was back holding up a trophy -- winning the Players Championship on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass.

The 27-year-old lost several major sponsors -- including Ralph Lauren -- back in January after television mics caught him using the f-word during a round at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

Thomas had missed a 5-foot putt ... and, as he kicked the ensuing shot into the hole, he said "f*****" under his breath.

Thomas later called the incident "inexcusable" and apologized ... saying, "It's terrible. I'm extremely embarrassed. It's not who I am; it's not the kind of person that I am or anything that I do."

A few weeks later in February, Justin lost his grandpa, who died at 89 years old ... and then also nearly lost his good pal, Tiger Woods, in a terrifying car crash just weeks after that.

Thomas -- who had intended to enter a "training program" to learn from the anti-gay slur incident -- said all of it had tested him "mentally, physically, emotionally."

But, Thomas finally put everything behind him this weekend ... and used a monster 4th-round Sunday to hold off stars like Lee Westwood and Bryson DeChambeau to earn the PGA Tour win.

"It’s been a crappy couple of months," Thomas said Sunday. "I’ve had stuff happen in my life I never thought I’d have happen."

Thomas added, "I kept telling everyone on my team or my family I’m ready for something good to happen this year."

Belal Muhammad says he's getting vision back after a nasty poke to his right eye on Saturday night -- and he's going scorched-earth on the man who caused the injury.

Muhammad was in the 2nd round of his main event fight against Leon Edwards at "UFC Fight Night" in Vegas when the ref stopped the fight due to the accidental injury.

The fight was declared a no-contest -- and Belal was rushed to a doctor for treatment.

Muhammad tells TMZ Sports ... there was no major damage to the eyeball, "just a really bad scratched cornea and the lid."

Belal says he got stitches -- but they're expected to come out within 5 to 7 days.

But, Muhammad isn't mad about the injury -- he's pissed he didn't get the chance to showcase his skills for 5 rounds against the #3 ranked welterweight ... a fight that could have been HUGE for his career.

Now, Edwards -- who won the 1st round on all 3 of the judges' scorecards -- is publicly saying he's not interested in a rematch and would rather have a title shot ASAP.

Muhammad says that's total BS -- telling us he took the fight on 3 weeks' notice and deserves another shot at a main event fight with Edwards.

"If you're a man -- if you're a real contender -- if you think you're a real champion, you've gotta beat everybody. So, you gotta beat me and then earn your title shot."

Muhammad continues, "You think you earned a title shot off a no contest? That's like the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"You don't deserve a title shot, you deserve another rematch."

Muhammad says he was "just getting warmed up" when the eye poke happened -- and he's convinced he would've earned the "W" had it not happened.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone says he's feeling "awesome" less than 2 weeks after heart surgery ... telling media members Sunday he's already back in the saddle -- on Peloton!!

The 48-year-old had a pacemaker installed into his body in Tampa on March 3 ... a scary procedure that required Boone to step away from the Yanks for a few days.

But, in a positive update over the weekend, Boone said he's now feeling as good as ever ... noticing a huge uptick in his daily energy.

"Done some [Peloton] rides I haven’t done in a few months that I didn’t even realize, 'Oh, this is what it’s supposed to be like,'" Boone said, according to the Associated Press.

The NY head man -- who had previously had open-heart surgery in 2009 to fix a swelling issue -- needed the latest procedure after docs discovered his heartbeats per minute were well below average.

Boone said he still can't lift weights like he'd like to ... but explained he's only a few more days from clearing that hurdle.

"Still have some arm restrictions,” Boone said. “So I can’t like lift weights like I normally do but that will be hopefully a few more weeks."

"But as far as just getting around, energy in the mornings and all day, so much better."

Drew Brees will definitely be BUSY in retirement -- the QB just announced he signed a massive deal with NBC Sports to cover everything from football to the Olympics.

"I'm gonna be working for NBC," Brees announced Monday on "Today" ... "I'm part of the team now!"

The 42-year-old -- who retired from the NFL over the weekend -- will serve most prominently as a studio analyst for "Football Night In America" on NBC's Sunday Night Football coverage.

Brees' duties will also include game analyst for NBC's coverage of Notre Dame football.

No, Brees didn't attend ND -- he's a Purdue guy --  but NBC has a massive contract with Notre Dame, so that's the school he'll cover for now.

NBC notes Brees will also work Super Bowl LVI and be included during its Olympics coverage. No word on which sports Brees will focus on -- but he's got a talent for breaking down film, so put him anywhere!

"I'm excited about that journey. I'm excited to stay very closely connected with the game of football, it's been such an important part of my life," Brees said on "Today."

"I continue to be able to talk about it, show a passion for it, and be able to bring my kids along for the ride there as well, and let them be part of those special moments."

Brees also says a huge part of his "retirement' life will include philanthropy -- especially in the city of New Orleans where he spent 15 seasons of his NFL career.

"I'll be honest, I'm excited because [philanthropy is] where we can make the biggest impact and there's still so much need in this country and this city."

Drew and his wife, Brittany, donated $10 million to help various areas in need in Louisiana in 2020 -- money that earmarked to build healthcare facilities and to help feed the hung

WWE Champion Bobby Lashley wants a piece of Brock Lesnar ... telling TMZ Sports he doesn't care if he doles out an ass-whooping in an MMA cage or wrestling ring!!

We asked the 6'3", 273 lb. WWE Superstar about the match every wrestling AND mixed martial arts fans want to see ... a scrap with fellow giant, 6'3", 286 lb. Lesnar.

"I'm willing to wrestle, I'm willing to do 100-meter dash, I don't care. I love those big matchups! Brock is one of the biggest thing across the sports industry, sports world across the board," Bobby says.

"So if I can have an opportunity to fight Brock or wrestle Brock or do anything against Brock, I'm 100% in and I will be ready. That's all I gotta say about that!"

Let's talk resumes ... fighting first.

Bobby has a better record ... and more experience in the cage. He's 15-2 ... and has racked up wins in Bellator and Strikeforce, as well as other promotions. Lashley hasn't fought since October 2016.

As for Brock, he's 5-3 with 1 no contest. However, Lesnar has fought the stiffer competition ... and has wins over Randy Couture, Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. Brock also hasn't fought since 2016.

In the wrestling ring, both men are Superstars in every way. Lesnar is a 5x WWE World Champion, and Lashley is the current WWE Champion ... having recently defeated The Miz.

Bobby -- who you can catch on "Monday Night Raw," -- left us with a message for Lesnar's mouthpiece, Paul Heyman.

Drew Brees is hanging up his cleats and helmet -- the legendary quarterback just announced he's retiring after a storied career ... and recruited his kids to help with the message.

The New Orleans Saints QB made the announcement Sunday with a video of his 4 young children telling the camera that, yes, their pops is ready to move on from the NFL. The kids go down the line and recite this ... "After 15 years with the Saints and 20 years in the NFL, our dad is finally gonna retire SO HE CAN SPEND MORE TIME WITH US!"

All 4 kids jump up in jubilation and let out some "YAYS!" ... which is awesome, you can tell just how excited they are. Drew had some parting words of his own in a touching caption for the Who Dat faithful.

He writes, "After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football. Each day, I poured my heart & soul into being your Quarterback." He adds, "Til the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organization, my team, and the great city of New Orleans."

Drew goes on to say that he's had built incredible memories in New Orleans with the folks living there, and that the city will always be a part of him and his fam. He adds, "You have molded me, strengthened me, inspired me, and given me a lifetime of memories. My goal for the last 15 years was striving to give to you everything you had given to me and more."

DB ends with this ... "I am only retiring from playing football, I am not retiring from New Orleans. This is not goodbye, rather a new beginning. Now my real life‘s work begins!"

Drew helped take the team to the Super Bowl in 2010, which they went on to win. He's one of the most decorated quarterbacks to ever play the game ... having won awards like Offensive Player of the Year, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP and so many more ... including being the NFL's All-time passing leader ahead of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Brees is in the pantheon of greats with the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning -- 2 of his contemporaries who are hands down HOFers. He got his start in the NFL back in 2001 with the San Diego Chargers, but headed off to the saints in '06 ... and the rest is history.