TMZ Sports - Page 50

Amazing news for Albert Haynesworth -- the ex-NFL star finally got a new kidney!!!

Remember, the 39-year-old former defensive lineman revealed back in July 2019 his kidneys had failed ... and he was in dire need of a lifesaving transplant.

Nearly 2 years later, Haynesworth found his match -- a physical therapist assistant from Arkansas named Zach Penny -- and underwent successful surgery in April to receive the new kidney!!

Haynesworth recently spoke about his recovery with Paul Kuharsky ... saying, "Now, I feel better,"

"I see changes in my body. Now I am kind of discovering another new norm."

Haynesworth added he believes his kidney failure stemmed from taking anti-inflammatory shots before every game of his 10-year career.

"At 33, 2 years out of the league, my kidney function was below 50 percent," Haynesworth said. "So it has to be the junk that we were taking, like Toradol. Everybody used to line up to get their Toradol shots and take the pills afterward and all of that s***."

"I guarantee that had a lot to do with it because that really kills the kidneys."

As for Penny's willingness to help out and donate his kidney, Haynesworth calls him a "real living angel."

"This kind hearted selfless human being drove seven hours from Arkansas to give me one of his kidneys!" Haynesworth said on Instagram. "This is one of the happiest days of my life next to the birth of my kids."

Another Bob Baffert bombshell ... the legendary trainer has been temporarily suspended from horseracing in the state of New York pending a full investigation into doping allegations.

... which means Baffert will likely be blocked from entering a horse in the prestigious Belmont Stakes on June 5, which is HUGE.

The New York Racing Association made the announcement on Monday -- saying Baffert is currently suspended from "entering horses in races and occupying stall space at Belmont Park, Saratoga Race Course and Aqueduct Racetrack."

"During the temporary suspension, NYRA will not accept entries or provide stall space to any individual employed by Bob Baffert Racing Stables."

NYRA says the suspension stems from Baffert's horse, Medina Spirit, testing positive for a banned substance following his victory at the 2021 Kentucky Derby ALONG with the fact several other Baffert horses have flunked drug tests over the years.

Baffert has reportedly had 5 horses test positive for banned substances since May 2020 ... and the NYRA clearly believes something fishy might be going down behind the scenes.

"In addition to the ongoing investigation into Medina Spirit’s victory in the Kentucky Derby, NYRA has taken into account the fact that other horses trained by Mr. Baffert have failed drug tests in the recent past, resulting in the assessment of penalties against him by thoroughbred racing regulators in Kentucky, California, and Arkansas."

As for the length of Baffert's suspension, the NYRA says they will wait to see the results of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's probe into Medina Spirit before making a final decision. No word on how long that could take ... maybe days, maybe weeks.

For his part, Bob has denied intentional wrongdoing -- saying he believes Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after taking a medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

NYRA President and CEO Dave O'Rourke issues a statement on the matter -- saying, "In order to maintain a successful thoroughbred racing industry in New York, NYRA must protect the integrity of the sport for our fans, the betting public and racing participants."

"That responsibility demands the action taken today in the best interests of thoroughbred racing."

Even LeBron James has to toot his own horn sometimes ... with the NBA superstar taking a shot at his haters after reaching yet another career milestone.

36-year-old Bron just secured his 17th-straight season of averaging at least 25 points per game ... dating all the way back to his second year in the league (when he was just 19 years old).

The feat is bonkers, especially considering greats like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant have each only had 12 total seasons averaging 25 or more during their careers.

King James decided to poke some fun at his biggest critics via Twitter on Monday ... acknowledging his accomplishment with some good ole' humble braggin'.

"Since I was 19 years old! And I’m a pass first guy. Always been. That’s why I’m never mentioned with the greats of scoring huh??" James said minutes ago.

"That’s perfect cause I’d rather keep it that way! #ThekidfromAKRON #SFG #JamesGang #Blessed."

Despite being widely regarded as one of the best -- if not THE best -- basketball players to ever walk the earth, it's clear James still wants his damn respect.

New Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell is pleading with team execs to allow him to walk around the facilities with a real-life lion ... saying he's dead serious about adopting a big cat!!

"I would love to literally just have a pet lion," Campbell said. "Just a legit pet lion. On a chain -- a big-ass chain."

The 45-year-old coach explained the thought process on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast this week ... saying he believes the animal could help motivate his squad to win games.

"He really is my pet," Campbell said of how he'd treat the beast. "We just walk around the building. We go out to practice. We're in 7-on-7. We're behind the kicker when he's kicking. We're just -- there we are."

Campbell added, "I mean, think about it. It'd be outstanding."

Campbell says he's approached team owner Sheila Ford about the plan ... but, sadly, he admitted there might be too many issues with it all to make it actually happen.

"The problem -- I don't know if PETA is going to allow that," Campbell said. "That's going to be hard."

SPOILER -- PETA WILL NEVER EVER APPROVE THAT IN A MILLION, BAZILLION YEARS BECAUSE LIONS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE PETS!!

That said ... if he somehow gets a lion, Campbell promised he'd take great care of the king of the jungle ... and even said he'd let it eat his arm if it meant a Super Bowl ring!!

"That would be better," Campbell said. "'Cause it would validate -- this is a freakin' -- this is a creature now. This is an animal. This thing is from the wild."

Legendary NBA announcer Marv Albert -- the "voice of basketball" -- is stepping away from the mic ... with the Hall of Famer confirming his retirement at the end of the 2021 season.

79-year-old Albert has been calling games for 55 years -- spending 22 years with Turner Sports. He's called 25 NBA All-Star Games, 13 NBA Finals and the 1992 Olympics, covering the iconic "Dream Team."

He's also worked at 8 Super Bowls and Stanley Cup Finals ... as well as NFL games, horse racing, tennis, baseball and more.

Albert will be signing off one final time after the conclusion of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals ... with TNT set to air a 30-minute tribute in his honor.

"My 55 years of broadcasting the NBA has just flown by and I’ve been fortunate to work with so many wonderful and talented people," Albert said Monday.

"Now, I’ll have the opportunity to hone my gardening skills and work on my ballroom dancing."

Albert -- known for his signature "YES!" catchphrase -- kickstarted his career with the New York Knicks in 1963 and went on to work with NBC Sports and CBS Sports as well, before joining TNT in 1999.

Albert was honored with the Curt Gowdy Media Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997 ... and has a stuffed trophy case with numerous other awards for his work.

NBA commish Adam Silver praised Albert ... saying, "There is no voice more closely associated with NBA basketball than Marv Albert’s."

"My first memories of the NBA were of listening to Marv call a game with his signature style, iconic phrases and unparalleled passion. From his remarkable run as play-by-play announcer for the Knicks to his prominent national roles calling our marquee games on NBC and Turner Sports, Marv has been the soundtrack for basketball fans for nearly 60 years."

A Florida doctor's insane card collection -- featuring ultra-rare Babe Ruth items -- is hitting the auction block following the doc's tragic COVID death ... and experts say it could all sell for around $20 MILLION!!!

Dr. Thomas Newman -- who had been collecting cards since the 1980s -- had amassed the WILD assembly of pieces before he passed away in January at 73 years old due to complications from coronavirus.

The collection is stunning ... there's famous Ruth and Mickey Mantle rookies -- and it also features cards from Honus Wagner, Ted Williams, Cy Young and more.

Newman's family says it's enlisted Memory Lane Auctions in Tustin, CA to help facilitate the sale of the pieces after the doctor's passing ... and experts there anticipate record-breaking prices for the cards.

In fact, one of the Ruth items -- a 1933 Goudey #53 -- could sell for over $5 MILLION, so says auction house president JP Cohen.

"[It] is the finest known of its kind," Cohen said, "and we expect it to break the record of $5.2 million for any sports card."

The Mantle rookie, a 1952 piece with a near-perfect PSA 8 grade, meanwhile, is expected to fetch over $1 million on its own as well.

Auction officials say bidding on the cards is set to begin on June 21 ... and close on July 10.

Kwame Brown is the one who wants "All The Smoke" now ... 'cause the ex-NBA top pick is UNLEASHING his fury on Stephen Jackson, Matt Barnes and Gilbert Arenas for speaking on his name ... and it's pretty intense.

The response comes after the trio of ex-hoopers discussed Brown's career on Barnes and Jackson's podcast last week ... breaking down why the high school superstar never lived up to his expectations in the NBA.

Arenas -- who played with the 2001 #1 overall pick from 2003 to 05 -- referred to Brown as a "man child" whose confidence was shot due to then-GM-turned teammate Michael Jordan's antics.

Agent 0 added Brown could have been an Anthony Davis-type player ... but was more of a "show pony."

Brown got wind of the comments ... and fired back at the guys in a scathing video he posted on Instagram.

"I'mma give you feminine n****as what you been asking for. You n****s been talkin' a lot, saying a lot of things you don't know what the f*** you talkin' about."

"Y'all get on the internet and y'all report things that make no goddamn sense. I grew up in an era where you don't play with grown-ass men and I think both of you two gentlemen know, personally, that I'm a grown-ass man."

Brown went on to say he's also in Atlanta ... and hints at wanting a personal confrontation over the comments.

But, he didn't stop there ... Brown then uploaded an hour-long YouTube video to continue his thoughts ... calling Barnes a "Becky with the good hair" and Jackson a fake tough guy.

"It's okay to have an opinion, but it's another thing to do what you guys are doing and then be in my face. Stephen Jackson -- we was teammates and I seen you crying every time Charles Oakley 'bout to slap the s*** out you, so I KNOW you."

"You really an embarrassment and I've been trying to stay quiet on you n****s, but I understand why they give people like you money and give people like you a platform because they want you to continue tricking these kids."

He continued ... "Change your podcast. The new podcast is 'these n****s want some of the goddamn smoke' because I want all the smoke and Jack, your sensitive ass, you know that."

Jackson replied with a video of his own ... saying he has nothing but love for the guy ... and Barnes denied ever saying anything bad about Brown.

"I’m confused," Barnes said "Ion remember talking about Dogg. (Kwame), you wanna be mad at anyone be mad at MJ for drafting you number 1."

But, Brown doesn't seem to be retreating any time soon -- the guy continued to defend his name throughout the weekend ... and even referenced his involvement in Kobe Bryant's legendary 81-point game.

"He had 81 motherf***in' points, did you see the screens I was setting, n****?"

Of course, despite what people say of Brown's career, the guy reportedly made $63 million over 13 seasons ... averaging 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds.

***WARNING: FINISH OFF YOUR MONDAY MORNING WHEATIES BEFORE CLICKING THIS!!!***

AEW star Christopher Daniels just revealed his eye is a bloody and bruised mess ... and it's all 'cause his face got kicked into a ringside pole during a match last week.

The gruesome injury all went down during AEW Dynamite on May 12 when Daniels and his partner, Frankie Kazarian, were in a heated tag team bout against Matt & Nick Jackson.

After several minutes of grueling action ... Daniels was outside the ring when Nick launched a surprise attack on the 51-year-old, kicking him in the face.

The boot landed so flush, it sent Daniels' head crashing into a pole -- and you can see in video of the play, he immediately started bleeding profusely from his eye area.

Daniels was able to finish the match despite losing a TON of blood ... but days later, he showed the repercussions for doing that were severe.

Check out the photos both he and Kazarian shared ... his eye is red, swollen, bloody and bruised!!!

The somewhat good news? Daniels' Wednesday match could have been his last ever (he and Kazarian agreed to split after they lost), so the guy should have plenty of time to heal now.

Conor McGregor's a daddy ... again!!!

The 32-year-old UFC superstar announced the birth of his 3rd child Monday morning -- Rian McGregor!

"The McGregor Clan is now a family of 5," Conor posted with a picture of the little guy ... "Healthy baby boy delivered!"

As for Conor's fiancee, Dee Devlin -- "Baby and Mammy Wonder Woman are doing great!"

"God I thank you for everything you give to me and my family in this world."

Conor's firstborn son, Conor Jr., was born in May 2017. His daughter, Croia, was born in January 2019.

McGregor doesn't have too much time to bond with the kid before training camp begins -- he's fighting Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 on July 10 ... less than 2 months away.

Conor's having a pretty huge month -- he was just named the #1 top-earning athlete of 2020, according to Forbes, which says CM raked in $180 MILLION last year!

Some scumbag tricked a former college football star into believing he had a tryout with the Atlanta Falcons ... and the guy says he was heartbroken and embarrassed when he learned it was all a hoax.

Juantarius Bryant -- an Austin Peay alum who was a 1st-team all-conference DB in 2019 -- says the horrible incident all went down last week after his phone rang with a 404 area code on the other line.

Bryant says the person claimed to be Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees ... and asked him to travel to Atlanta for a Falcons tryout on May 12.

The problem? When Bryant showed up to the facility ... he says the Falcons told him they never called.

And, when he put two and two together and realized what had happened, he says was crushed.

"It's definitely one of the most embarrassing things that has ever happened to me and a very humbling experience," Bryant said in a lengthy statement on Twitter.

"Just want to apologize to everyone and the Atlanta Falcons organization for the mix up. I honestly thought it was a legit opportunity on my end."

Bryant was a star at Austin Peay, playing in 43 career games and logging 242 total tackles, but went undrafted following his senior year in '19.

He's been trying to latch on with an NFL team ever since ... and says the whole experience with the Falcons imposter was "heartbreaking."

"I do not know or understand why this has happened, but I do know that everything happens for a reason," Bryant said.

Bryant though, remained hopeful his NFL dream would come true someday... adding, "I'm still striving, and still in the best shape of my life."

The opposition continues ...

With the 2020 Olympic Games set to begin in less than 3 months, the movement to cancel the event is still strong .. as evidenced by a protest in the streets of Tokyo on Monday.

People held signs reading, "Extinguish the Olympic Torch" and "Cancel the Tokyo Olympics."

The photos show a police presence during the demonstration -- but it doesn't appear things got out of hand.

The protest comes in the wake of a new poll conducted in Japan which reportedly says 80% of Japanese citizens are AGAINST the Olympics beginning on July 23, as currently scheduled.

The poll, conducted by Asahi Shimbun -- one of Japan's largest news outlets -- said of those surveyed, 43% want the Games canceled while 40% would prefer another postponement.

As we previously reported, there has been a recent surge in COVID cases in major Japanese cities, including Tokyo -- which led to the government extending a state of emergency from May 11 to May 31.

The country is currently experiencing a 4th wave of the infection which reportedly contains a variant that is spreading very fast and impacting a relatively large number of young people.

So far, Japanese officials are pushing forward with the plans to host the Games -- insisting there are measures in place to prevent a major outbreak.

Another non-boxing star wants a crack at the Paul Bros -- The Game is calling 'em both out and GUARANTEEING victory!!

"Yerrr, @JakePaul, @LoganPaul .... meet me & my little brother downtown LA in front of Staples Center and let’s just fight head up fades," the rap superstar tweeted out.

"No gloves, no money needed ... just on some me & my brother will f*** you & your brother up s***!!!!"

FYI, The Game is 41 years old and has no pro boxing experience -- but he's been in a ton of street fights over the years and seems incredibly confident in his hands.

Someone on Twitter warned The Game about the call out -- "you and your brother game are gonna be like Nate Robinson don’t do this bro."

Game replied, "On Martin Luther King Jr. speech, I ain’t losing!!!"

Jake Paul -- who famously and violently knocked out ex-NBA star Nate Robinson and UFC fighter Ben Askren -- responded to Game, using a rap lyric.

"Hate it or love it you would get knocked the f**ked out."

Logan Paul -- who just beat up the entire Gronkowski family -- also weighed in ... telling Game, "you gonna need your entire family."

Logan is currently training to fight Floyd Mayweather -- but Jake is looking for his next opponent.

Leigh Steinberg -- the inspiration behind "Jerry Maguire" -- says there won't be a sequel to the classic film, but a movie about his life is very likely ... and the NFL super-agent knows which actor he wants to portray him.

It's not Tom Cruise (been there, done that) ... Leigh tells TMZ Sports he has his sights set on Zac Efron or Jake Gyllenhaal.

FYI, Steinberg currently reps Patrick Mahomes ... and is probably the most decorated football agent of all time. He's repped 12 Hall of Famers ... including Troy Aikman, Warren Moon, Bruce Smith, Howie Long and Steve Young.

"Jerry Maguire" hit theaters 24 1/2 years ago ... and Steinberg had a cameo in the film. But, his role was a lot bigger than just a few lines.

Director Cameron Crow shadowed Steinberg for about 18 months -- attending everything from Pro Days to the Draft -- to see how an NFL agent operated.

"[Cameron] went to Pro Scouting Day, USC, he came to some games with me, he came to the Super Bowl, he came to the Super Bowl Party. He spent time in my office and I told him a lot of stories."

As for a "Jerry Maguire" 2 ... Leigh says CC "doesn't make sequels," but adds he's "been approached about my own life story a number of times."

So, would Leigh be down??

"Yes, and I think eventually that will happen. We've talked to people about documentaries."

J. Cole's own sideline story is finally coming full circle on the court -- the guy just made his professional debut as a basketball player ... and he did it in none other than Africa!

The rapper -- who's fresh off a fire sixth studio album -- put on his hooping shoes this weekend not too long after signing a brief three-to-six game contract with the Rwanda Patriots Basketball Club, which is part of the Basketball Africa League.

On Sunday, the club was set to face off against Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers -- a game that was broadcast on national television here in the States. Sure enough, it looks like Cole was part of the starting five at tip-off -- and the dude showed off his famed athleticism early and often.

Different clips captured from the game show Jermaine grabbing rebounds, playing D and hustling up and down the court. He even got his first bucket with a put-back after one of his teammates attempted a layup. It's clear -- the dude can still ball, even at the ripe age of 36.

We say "still" because -- whether you're aware or not -- J. Cole is a noted hooper ... having played competitively in high school and even earning himself a walk-on spot with the St. John's Red Storm team for a while. He ended up leaving basketball behind to pursue his career in music -- but like many among the rich and famous, Cole can hold his own.

He played for the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game back in 2012, and proved himself there ... and now, it looks like he's getting back to his on-court roots in a whole other country.

Unclear what the end game for Cole is here -- but by the looks of it ... he's taking this contract pretty seriously, and based on how big a draw he is -- they may even extend him.

Braun Strowman is one of the most physically imposing men on the planet ... but the 6'8," 345-lb WWE Superstar tells TMZ Sports he still deals with perceived flaws in his appearance after totally transforming his body.

"I used to struggle and I still do struggle with body dysmorphia," Strowman says.

"I struggled with bullying growing up because I was a chubby little kid and then I grew to this gigantic mongoloid of a human being that I am and I'm still judged for it because people look at me and go, 'Oh, this big meathead.'"

FYI, Dictionary.com defines body dysmorphia as a mental illness involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance.

Braun -- a former strongman competitor (those dudes are MASSIVE) -- recently dropped around 50 lbs ... and got absolutely ripped.

"15% of this work that I've done and transformed myself has been in the gym and doing the cardio. The rest is mental and food preparation," Braun says.

And, Strowman says his weight loss has had an awesome, unintended consequence ... it’s inspired a bunch of his fans to lose a crapload of pounds.

"The messages I get from fans, friends, family, strangers from all around the world that send me messages, 'Hey I seen your fitness goal, it's made me change the way I eat, made me get back in the gym, I lost 100 pounds, I lost 200 pounds.'''

There's more ... we also talked to Strowman about his Triple Threat match against Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania Backlash this Sunday -- for the WWE Championship.

Strowman described the epic match like this ... "This is King Kong meets Godzilla meets the Incredible Hulk," adding ... "And I damn sure ain't planning on coming out of the backside of WWE Backlash not carrying that WWE Championship."

Good news, bad news for NY Giants fans ...

The good -- Saquon Barkley's recovery from a nasty ACL injury is going well!!

The bad -- the Giants' co-owner, Jon Tisch, is not sure if the star running back will be able to suit up in Week 1.

TMZ Sports spoke with Tisch out at Michael's in New York City earlier this week ... and he told us he's pleased with what he's heard about Barkley's rehab so far.

But, he added he doesn't know if the 24-year-old will be able to begin the season on the field.

You'll recall ... Barkley shredded his knee during the Giants' game against the Bears on Sept. 20, 2020, and had to have surgery to fix the issues just a few days later.

Barkley has seemed optimistic about his chances to play in NY's opener -- which is set for Sept. 12 against the Broncos -- even posting an impressive workout video last month showing off his recovery.

Still, it's clear the Giants have no plans to rush him back ... with Tisch telling us "don't know, don't know" when we asked if the tailback would be ready to go in September.