TMZ Sports - Page 50

Caitlyn Jenner is throwing her hat in the ring to become the next governor of California.

There was a lot of talk that she might run and Caitlyn didn't stop the buzz. She made it official Friday, saying, "I have been a compassionate disrupter throughout my life, from representing the United States and winning a gold medal at the Olympics to helping advance the movement for equality. As Californians, we face a now-or-never opportunity to fundamentally fix our state before it’s too late.”

Her path isn't set in cement. There is a petition to recall Governor Gavin Newsom ... a movement that has gained steam in the wake of the pandemic. If the recall movement qualifies for the ballot, California voters will be asked 2 questions. Should Newsom be recalled? If a majority of voters say yes, then the second question is on the table. Who do you want to replace him? That's where Caitlyn's name will land.

Here's the reality ... she has an edge because of her name. You may recall, years ago California Governor Gray Davis was recalled and Arnold Schwarzenegger led the large pack of candidates to become the next governor.

There will almost certainly be a large number of candidates vying for the job, but Caitlyn may be the most famous of the batch, which would give her an edge.

Caitlyn already took a shot at Newsom, saying, "This isn’t the California we know. This is Gavin Newsom’s California, where he orders us to stay home but goes out to dinner with his lobbyist friends." She's obviously referring to Newsom's notorious dinner at the French Laundry.

She's not the only celeb flirting with a governorship. Matthew McConaughey is not only interested in running ... he seems to be leading the pack and even pulling way out ahead of current governor Greg Abbott.

"No time or distance can separate us!"

That's Dak Prescott remembering his older brother, Jace, on the one-year anniversary of the 31-year-old's tragic death ... while adding, "We love you Jace and miss you daily."

The middle Prescott brother died by suicide on April 23, 2020 ... and Dak was hit tremendously hard by the news.

The NFL superstar told Graham Bensinger in an interview months after the tragedy that Jace was his best friend ... and he cried uncontrollably after learning of the death.

Dak's other older brother, Tad, was also deeply affected by the loss ... and he, too, posted about Jace on Friday morning's anniversary.

"R.I.P. little brother," Tad wrote on social media. "You're missed daily."

Dak, Tad and Jace were all extremely close ... the three were even featured in a national Campbell's Chunky Soup commercial in 2019.

In fact, Dak famously gifted Tad a diamond moose pendant for his birthday last November to remember Jace, who had earned the "Moose" nickname while growing up.

Dak has been outspoken about getting help for mental health issues since his brother's death ... reiterating repeatedly that it's OK to not be OK sometimes.

STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND LOOK AT THIS ADORABLE BUNNY!!!

A pair of San Francisco Giants fans hit up Oracle Park to watch their boys take on the Miami Marlins on Thursday ... and forget the peanuts and crackerjacks, they brought their cute ass therapy rabbit along to enjoy the fun!!

The 4 1/2-month-old bunny named Alex belongs to owners Kei Kato and her fiancé, Josh Row ... who bought the Flemish giant after Kato's brewery restaurant closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alex helps with Kato's anxiety and stress ... and brings joy to the couple's life during the tough times.

The furry friend has been living it up since he joined the family -- from NASCAR races to tubing and kayaking ... and even helped hand out Easter eggs to kids!!

The fun continued when Kato and Row brought Alex to his first baseball game ... and it was a monumental moment -- it's believed he's the VERY FIRST bunny to attend a ballgame at Oracle Park, according to the team.

Alex -- who was wearing a Giants-colored bowtie -- quickly became a fan favorite ... and the Marlins even tried to convert him to their side with some free merch, while SF invited him back as their good luck charm.

Giants CEO Larry Baer also spoke about their new fan ... saying, "Love this therapy bunny," Baer said. "We could all use a therapy bunny right about now!"

So, what's next for the lovable trio?? They're hoping to hit up a Warriors game ... and Golden State has already welcomed Alex with open arms.

This is incredibly disturbing ...

A flag football coach in Michigan punched a parent in the face during a meltdown at a game over the weekend -- igniting a police investigation.

Officials confirm the incident took place Saturday at the Midwest Performance Academy in Niles, MI ... in front of a bunch of young kids.

Unclear what set off the coach ... but you can see in the video he appeared to be arguing with a parent or coach from the other team and as he storms off the field, he stops to square up with a parent on the sideline.

The parent did NOT impose any sort of physical threat -- but the coach apparently didn't like his body language and sucker-punched him in the face, sending the dad crashing to the floor.

Chaos ensues ... you can hear kids crying and other parents screaming in shock.

At one point, other adults attempt to subdue to the coach.

So far, the name of the coach has not been released -- but WNDU's Ibrahim Samra reports the victim has reached out to the Niles Police Dept. and an investigation is underway.

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Justin Layne was arrested Friday ... after cops say he illegally had a loaded firearm in his car during a traffic stop in Ohio.

Officials for Willoughby Hills Police Dept. say Layne was pulled over at around 1:20 AM after an officer clocked him going 89 MPH in a 60 MPH zone in his 2020 Dodge Charger.

Police say during the stop, they discovered Layne had a suspended driver's license and a warrant for his arrest stemming from a failure to appear in court for a previous traffic violation.

Officers claim they also smelled an odor of marijuana in the car -- and after searching the vehicle, they say they found a loaded Glock 9mm pistol in the center console.

Cops say Layne did NOT have a licensed concealed carry permit, so they arrested him and booked him on a charge of felony improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

Cops noted in police documents 23-year-old Layne "was cooperative during the entire process."

In the docs, officers also say patrol squad camera footage caught Layne saying on phone calls "it's over, I'm goin down" and "they acting like I got some drugs, I got one blunt" on his ride to the station.

The Steelers say they are aware of the incident and are gathering information.

Charles Barkley ... this is not good.

The NBA legend is under fire for comments he made Thursday night on "NBA on TNT" -- comparing the women of Georgia to actual bulldogs.

Ernie Johnson was pointing out how Lakers' star Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had dropped 29 against the Dallas Mavericks ... and shouted out KCP's college program, the University of Georgia.

That's when Charles chimed in ...

"Only school in the world they named their mascot after the women down there."

The Univ. of Georgia mascot is the Bulldogs -- and no, it didn't seem like Charles meant that as a compliment to the women for their hard-nosed demeanor.

In fact, Ernie Johnson knew it was a problem as soon as the words came out of Chuck's mouth ... and scolded him on the air.

"So totally uncalled for," Johnson said ... "Not even gonna dignify that with a response."

Barkley had a history of making fun of women in various cities -- he's repeatedly said the ladies of San Antonio are "big women" and blamed it on the delicious churros that are popular in the area.

Donald Trump just went after LeBron James in the wake of his controversial "You're Next" post ... calling the NBA star's words "RACIST" and telling the hooper to stick to sports.

"LeBron James should focus on basketball rather than presiding over the destruction of the NBA, which has just recorded the lowest television RATINGS, by far, in the long and distinguished history of the League,” Trump said in a statement.

“His RACIST rants are divisive, nasty, insulting, and demeaning. He may be a great basketball player, but he is doing nothing to bring our Country together!"

LeBron tweeted -- and later deleted -- a photo of the cop who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant after responding to a violent altercation this week in Columbus, Ohio.

In his post, the Lakers star captioned the pic, "YOU'RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY" ... implying the officer should be prosecuted in a similar fashion to Derek Chauvin.

The problem ... some found the post to be threatening, with the National Fraternal Order of Police -- the biggest police union in the country -- calling it "disgraceful and extremely reckless."

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas added, "LeBron James is inciting violence against an Ohio police officer. This is disgraceful and dangerous."

Trump clearly felt similarly, releasing his scathing statement through his office Thursday night.

James eventually offered an explanation for the post after the backlash, writing in a statement of his own, "I’m so damn tired of seeing Black people killed by police. I took the tweet down because it's being used to create more hate."

"This isn’t about one officer," LeBron continued. "It’s about the entire system and they always use our words to create more racism. I am so desperate for more ACCOUNTABILITY."

James has been vocal about social injustices and police brutality throughout this NBA career ... leading kneeling demonstrations during the NBA bubble last summer and often providing impassioned post-game and pregame speeches to media about equality.

Tristan Thompson came this close to fighting Phoenix Suns player Torrey Craig on Thursday -- calling the guy "trash" as teammates raced to break up a heated on-court screaming match.

Thompson and his Boston Celtics were beating up on the Suns on the court in a 99 to 86 victory ... but as the final seconds were ticking away in the 4th quarter, Tristan had some words for Craig.

Doesn't take an expert lip-reader to see Tristan calling him "trash" -- while Craig tried to get up in his face.

The two clashed heads and contained to talk smack while teammates and staffers raced to break them up.

Eventually, the guys went back to their benches -- no punches were thrown. They each received a technical foul for the spat.

As the announcers pointed out, the two did NOT shake hands or hug it out after the game ... they probably just needed some space to cool off.

Terrence Clarke -- a 19-year-old University of Kentucky basketball player and a projected 2021 NBA Draft pick -- was killed Thursday in a car accident in Los Angeles, law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports.

We're told Clarke was driving a Genesis around 2 PM in the San Fernando Valley when his vehicle was struck by another car ... sending him smashing into a pole and before ultimately slamming into a wall.

Footage from the accident shows Clarke's vehicle completely smashed in.

Law enforcement sources tell us the accident is being investigated -- but so far, no official cause of the crash has been determined.

We're told Clarke was in Los Angeles with his Kentucky teammate, B.J. Boston -- another NBA Draft prospect.

Boston was reportedly in the car behind Clarke when the accident occurred -- but we're told he's physically okay.

Clarke was rushed to a nearby hospital ... but injuries proved too severe and doctors were unable to save his life.  He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Terrence -- a 6'7" guard -- was an absolute stud on the hardwood. Rivals rated him a 5-star recruit coming out of high school in New Hampshire ... and ranked him as the #8 overall high school player in the entire country.

He didn't play much at Kentucky -- but he clearly had the talent to succeed at the pro level and recently declared for the 2021 NBA Draft.

Some experts projected he would be a 2nd-round pick -- with tons of upside.

Tragic story.

RIP.

Stefon Diggs' flashy Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon was found abandoned near train tracks in Miami over the weekend, TMZ Sports has learned ... but the NFL star is denying any wrongdoing in the situation.

Here's the deal ... law enforcement officials tell us they responded to a call of an abandoned vehicle sitting in dirt just feet from train tracks near the Miami Airport Station in Florida at around 5 AM on Sunday.

According to officials, the car -- a silver Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV with Maryland license plates -- was registered to Diggs.

But, authorities say there was no indication of the Buffalo Bills receiver, a driver OR passengers on the scene ... so after a short investigation, they simply had the vehicle towed.

The entire situation is bizarre ... especially given the Mercedes' six-figure price tag -- but when we reached out to Diggs' camp for comment, they had a simple explanation.

According to a spokesperson for the wideout, Diggs was not in Florida at the time, and had lent the car to a friend in the area.

That friend, the spokesperson said, got a flat tire, called for a tow, but did not wait for the company to arrive and left the ride at the scene.

"[Stefon] was not driving the car," Diggs' rep says. "He allowed a friend to use the car while he was gone. Unfortunately, the friend had got a flat tire with the car."

The rep says Diggs was eventually informed of the situation and is now having the car repaired at a Mercedes-Benz dealership.

Diggs' spokesperson was adamant the car was NOT stolen, and added there was absolutely no wrongdoing involved in the incident.

Cops, meanwhile, say a report on the abandoned car is still pending. It's unclear if police are investigating further into it.

A dad at an MLB game went from hero to zero REAL QUICK on Thursday ... fumbling a home run ball, dropping his nachos and losing a shoe in a sad moment that was all caught on video.

The scene went down in the 6th inning of the Reds vs. Diamondbacks game in Cincinnati ... when Eugenio Suarez hit a missile to deep center field.

The ball -- coming in HOT -- landed in a dude's hand ... but when the guy wasn't able to fully secure it, calamity ensued.

The Reds fan, who appeared to be with his son, fell down three rows of seats and spilled his nachos as he tried to recover the loose ball, and then he even lost a shoe!!

But, the worst part? ANOTHER FAN SCOOPED UP THE BALL BEFORE HE COULD GET IT!!

The kid with the man could not have been more disappointed ... showing a look of complete and utter disgust when the dude got back to his seat.

We'd like to say there was a happy ending here ... but it doesn't seem the guy got his nachos replaced or another ball -- and, by the way, the home team ended up losing 14-11.

Boxing phenom Edgar Berlanga has KO'd all 16 of his opponents in the 1st round ... and when he goes for #17 this weekend, Lil Wayne will walk him to the ring!

The 23-year-old knockout artist dropped the news to TMZ Sports as he gears up to fight Demond Nicholson (23-3-1) on Saturday night ... in what many expect to be another signature violent performance from the young star.

Wayne is a big boxing fan -- and he's clearly taken notice of Berlanga as he's destroyed every pro fighter who's ever stepped in the ring against him.

Fat Joe has also become a huge fan.

And Berlanga tells us ... both rap stars have told him they'll be in the house as VIP guests at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, FL.

"I'm going to spoil it right now for TMZ," Berlanga told us ... "[Wayne's] gonna be there with us this Saturday night, so I have him and Fat Joe."

Wayne won't just be a spectator ... Edgar says the hip-hop icon will be a part of his ring-walk entourage and will perform one of his hits on the way in.

"Lil Wayne is gonna perform and Fat Joe is gonna come to show love like he always does."

FYI, Edgar and Joe are both from NYC ... and go back a few years. FJ has been a regular at Berlanga's fights.

And Wayne isn't just hopping on the bandwagon ... he's been a staunch supporter of Berlanga for a while and has been mentoring Edgar about how to navigate the fame that comes with obliterating 16 straight opponents!

In fact, Weezy even has a near-life-size cardboard cutout of Edgar!

The ban against protests at the Tokyo 2020 games is complete B.S. -- so says Olympic legend Sanya Richards-Ross who can't wait for an athlete to violate the "unfair" policy.

"I'm outraged," Richards-Ross said Thursday on "TMZ Live" while explaining why it's ridiculous for the IOC to expect athletes to separate sports and politics, especially at the Olympics.

"I understand that people think of sports as a place to escape. They want to get away from the politics and all of the things happening in life ... but the truth is, minorities, black people, marginalized people don't get to escape their reality. They don't get to escape their Blackness."

As we previously reported, the International Olympic Committee -- which oversees the Olympic games -- announced its policy this week forbidding athletes to demonstrate during competition, at the podium or at an official Olympics ceremony. Anyone who violates the rule will face disciplinary action.

Richards-Ross -- one of the greatest sprinters of all time (she's got 4 gold medals from 3 different Olympics!) -- believes the threats of severe punishment will NOT deter all of the athletes who are hoping to use the Games to send a message to the world.

"I think that the athletes that feel compelled will do it regardless," Richards-Ross told the guys on "TMZ Live" ... "Good luck with people paying fines for being able to express themselves."

So, what is the IOC afraid of?

Sanya says she always hears officials talk about protests being a "distraction from the performances" ... but she begs to differ.

"I think that it adds to the competition. I think that it shows what people are passionate about. It gives you more depth of what the athletes are feeling.

Did you know the Greatest Of All-Time also moonlights as captain of the No Fun Police???

It's true ... 'cause Tom Brady just crapped all over the NFL's awesome, new jersey number rule change in one of the most old-man "Get Off My Lawn" rants we've ever seen!

If you missed it ... the league announced this week it's easing up its uniform restrictions for 2021, allowing most players to now wear single digits and other fun numbers.

Most of the dudes are pumped for the change ... it'll allow guys to continue to wear their college jersey numbers into the pros -- but Brady made it clear Thursday he HATES it.

"Good luck trying to block the right people now!!!!" 43-year-old Brady said in social media post. "going to make for a lot of bad football."

Brady's tantrum didn't stop there ... he continued in a SECOND post, "Why not Let the lineman wear whatever they want too?"

"Why have numbers? Just have colored jerseys ...why not wear the same number?"

Brady finished it all off with an emphatic, all-caps line that read "DUMB."

Look, TB12 probably has a point ... it's going to be much harder to identify who plays what position on the field -- but honestly, who cares? Have you seen how swaggy some of the stars look in the new jersey numbers?!?

Oscar De La Hoya is admitting to what many already knew ... he WAS boozed up during his appearance at the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren fight ... and now he's apologizing.

48-year-old Oscar was a babbling mess when he joined the announcer's table to commentate during one of the undercard fights at the April 17 event in Georgia ... leaving many wondering if something was wrong with the boxing legend.

In fact, Frank Mir -- who was fighting Steve Cunningham when Oscar joined the broadcast -- tweeted after the fight that he hopes Oscar's people get him professional help for his issues.

"I could be angry and I could laugh too but addiction is no joke, I know," Mir said ... "I sincerely hope that those around Oscar get him the help he needs."

As you may know, Oscar has publicly talked about his battles with substance abuse over the years ... and has sought treatment on several occasions.

But, Oscar is playing off the situation as no big deal ... saying he just got caught up in the party atmosphere at the event -- which included live performances from Snoop and Justin Bieber -- and simply drank too much.

"I started having a couple drinks. And then [the Triller producers] told me, ‘Why don’t you go and commentate?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, man! Okay, okay,'" Oscar said this week on the DAZN Boxing show.

"I got a little over carried away. And I apologize. But it’s all good. It’s all good."

This is going to hit you right in the feels.

A man in Illinois gave the ultimate tribute to his late father this month ... by filling a bowling ball with Dad's ashes -- and then bowling a PERFECT GAME!!!

38-year-old John Hinkle -- a 2-time NCAA bowling champion from Western Illinois University -- wanted to honor his dad, John Sr., following his death in 2016.

Since his father introduced him to the sport he loves so much, John spent years trying to find someone able to fill the thumb hole of a bowling ball with John Sr.'s ashes ... and vowed to one day bowl a perfect game with it.

On April 12, John hit up his hometown alley in Peoria, Illinois ... and set his eyes on perfection.

John told his brother, Joe, about his goal before the game ... saying, "I'm shooting a 300 with this ball ... And Joe said, 'Do it!,'" he told WMBD in Illinois.

And guess what -- he did it!!

John was overcome with emotions as he approached perfection ... saying, "I had tears in my eyes in the 11th and 12th frames. I couldn’t tell you where that last ball went, I had so many tears just throwing it," he told the outlet.

John -- who has hit several perfect games over the years -- says this was the "best and definitely the hardest" 300 he's ever had in his career.

"It’s special. Dad shot 298, 299, never had a 300. I had goosebumps, chills."