TMZ Sports - Page 50

Grizzlies star Ja Morant's mom will NOT be in Utah to watch Memphis take on the Jazz on Wednesday ... after fans made disgusting and racist remarks towards their family earlier in the playoff series.

3 Jazz fans were banned indefinitely for comments made to Morant's parents during Game 2 on May 26 ... with Ja's dad, Tee, telling ESPN the harassment was "straight up disrespectful."

Jazz owner Ryan Smith apologized to the Morants and offered courtside seats, transportation and a hotel to Game 5 for family and friends ... but Tee says Ja's mother, Jamie, will not be in attendance due to their recent experience at Vivint Arena.

"She said her anxiety couldn't take it," Tee told the outlet ... while adding it was a "nice gesture" for the Jazz to offer their services for Wednesday's game.

Tee also spoke about the harassment experienced during Game 2 ... saying, "It was unfortunate. It was just a few fans -- most of them were great and cheering right alongside with us."

Ja denounced the Jazz fans' actions on Twitter last week, saying, "my family should be able cheer for me & my teammates without getting inappropriate s*** said to them."

Smith added ... "Memphis Grizzlies and Morant family... we are embarrassed and sorry. The @utahjazz have zero tolerance for offensive behavior. We are committed to creating a respectful, competitive environment."

It's the end of an era ... legendary college basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is retiring after this upcoming NCAA season, completing 42 seasons at Duke.

WHOA.

The news was confirmed by college basketball insider Jeff Goodman, who says an official announcement is expected soon.

Goodman also says 74-year-old Coach K is expected to be replaced by Jon Scheyer, a former Duke player who's currently an asst. coach with the Blue Devils.

Scheyer will have MASSIVE shoes to fill -- Coach K has coached 5 national championship teams and has led the Blue Devils to 12 Final Four appearances.

Coach K became the first Div. I men's coach to reach 1,000 victories ... and he currently has 1,170 total.

Krzyzewski became Duke's head coach in May 1980 ... after serving as Army's head coach for five seasons.

Coach K is widely considered one of the best coaches EVER ... and has the most career NCAA tournament victories (97).

Over the past 41 seasons, Krzyzewski has coached 9 national players of the year and 28 NBA lottery picks ... including guys like Jason Williams, J.J. Redick, Grant Hill, Christian Laettner, Jabari Parker and more.

Coach K has also led the bench for the national team ... winning 6 gold medals with Team USA.

Isi Etute -- a freshman linebacker on the Virginia Tech football team -- has been charged with murder ... and the school says it's now suspended him from the program immediately.

The Blacksburg Police Department said Wednesday that Etute was involved in the killing of a 40-year-old man on Tuesday.

Details surrounding the alleged incident are unclear ... but cops say they found a man dead after they responded to a call in Blacksburg, Va. at around 10:30 PM Tuesday.

Cops say they zeroed in on Etute, who they say was an "acquaintance" of the victim, after conducting their investigation.

Etute has since been charged with 2nd-degree murder, court records show ... and cops say he's currently being held without bond in jail.

Cops added the investigation is both "complex" and "ongoing."

Etute -- a 6-foot-2, 200-pound outside LB -- signed with Va. Tech after committing to the school in July 2020 ... and had participated in the team's 2021 spring practices.

Tech officials say in addition to him being suspended immediately from the football team, he's also been placed on suspension from the university.

Etute was majoring in human development, school officials say.

The results are in ... again ... confirming Medina Spirit did have a BANNED SUBSTANCE in his system when he won the Kentucky Derby.

Remember, Medina Spirit tested positive in the days following the May 1 event -- but trainer Bob Baffert had called for people to chillax until the 2nd sample (known as a split sample) came back from the labs.

Well, now the split sample has been analyzed at the University of California, Davis and it DID come back positive for betamethasone, a banned substance in horseracing ... this according to Bob Baffert's lawyer.

"In response to the inquiries, this will acknowledge that the Medina Spirit split sample confirmed the findings of betamethasone at 25 picograms," attorney Craig Robertson said in a statement.

FYI, betamethasone is a corticosteroid that can be used to numb joint pain in horses, which (in theory) can help them race better.

"There is other testing that is being conducted, including DNA testing. We expect this additional testing to confirm that the presence of the betamethasone was from the topical ointment, Otomax, and not an injection."

Baffert -- the most famous trainer in racing history -- has denied intentional wrongdoing ... saying he believes Medina Spirit tested positive for betamethasone after innocently taking a medication prescribed by a respected veterinarian.

"At the end of the day, we anticipate this case to be about the treatment of Medina Spirit's skin rash with Otomax. We will have nothing further to say until the additional testing is complete," Robertson added.

Now, it's very possible Medina Spirit will be formally disqualified from the Kentucky Derby, nullifying his victory.

Kyrie Irving was the target of another idiot fan Sunday night who almost beaned the b-baller in the head with a water bottle ... and this time the culprit was arrested.

The incident went down in Boston at TD Gardens ... as Kyrie was walking out, you see the bottle come within a hair's breadth of his head. His teammates were outraged, and Tyler Johnson scoped out the crowd and ID'd the culprit.

A fan threw a water bottle at Kyrie Iriving as he was leaving the court, he was then arrested.

Cops say the fan in question is 21-year-old Cole Buckley, who is now charged with one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Yeah, a water bottle in the wrong hands is a dangerous weapon.

An eyewitness says he saw Buckley throw a Desani water bottle in Irving's direction. Buckley was wearing a Kevin Garnett jersey as he was taken into custody and removed from the arena.

Irving said after the incident ... "You're seeing a lot of old ways come up... just underlying racism and treating people like they're in a human zoo. Throwing stuff at people, saying things. There is a certain point where it gets to be too much."

Kevin Durant also chimed in ... “Have some respect for the human beings and have some respect for yourself. Your mother wouldn’t be proud of you throwing water bottles at basketball players or spitting on players or tossing popcorn,” Durant said. “So grow the f**k up and enjoy the game. It's bigger than you."

Just days earlier ... a fan dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook during the NBA playoffs as he walked off the court injured. Afterward, Westbrook said players need protection from out-of-control fans.

Mets star Marcus Stroman is NOT happy that a quip was made about his du-rag during a TV broadcast Tuesday ... with the pitcher saying the comment had "racist undertones" to it.

The remark went down during the 4th inning of the Diamondbacks' broadcast of the Mets-DBacks game ... when color commentator (and former World Series-winning manager) Bob Brenly threw a jab over Stroman's visible head covering.

"Pretty sure that's the same du-rag that Tom Seaver used to wear when he pitched for the Mets," Brenly said.

The comment was met by immediate backlash on social media ... with many finding it to be very offensive and racist.

And, when Stroman took to Twitter after the game ... he clearly agreed.

The 30-year-old starting pitcher retweeted outrage from several people ... and added in a tweet of his own, "Onward and upward...through all adversity and racist undertones. The climb continues through all!"

Stroman later added in a tweet that if he had openly criticized Brenly over the comment, "media will turn this against me somehow."

Brenly has yet to comment on the issue. Stroman, meanwhile, has since promised to launch a line of du-rags following the incident.

Stroman took the no-decision in the Mets' 6-5 loss Tuesday to the DBacks ... throwing 6 innings while allowing just 3 earned runs and 7 hits.

He was also involved in an altercation with Arizona 2nd baseman Josh Rojas in the 5th inning that led to benches clearing ... though, thankfully, cooler heads ultimately prevailed.

"You guys remember this one???"

That's Tom Brady joking about one of the most embarrassing moments of his NFL career ... the 4th down mixup in Chicago -- and hey, it's good that he's able to finally laugh at himself!

Brief backstory ... Tom's Tampa Bay Bucs were taking on the Bears back in October, trying to come back from a 20 to 19 deficit late in the 4th quarter.

But, during the final drive, Tom lost count of the downs ... and after an incomplete pass, he held up 4 fingers, believing he still had one more chance.

He did not.

Game over. Bucs lose.

Of course, Tom's squad ended up winning the Super Bowl ... which is probably why he's now ready to poke fun at himself over the moment in a new TikTok video.

"4th quarter, last chance in Chicago," Brady said while setting up the clip ... "I thought it was the 2nd to last chance in Chicago, but apparently not."

"I don’t think I’ve ever been as confused as I am in this moment right here. Look at that face."

After the game, Bucs coach Bruce Arians SWORE Brady knew it was 4th down.

Apparently not!

The SF Giants' classic black and orange will be getting a touch of rainbow this weekend ... the team says it will recognize Pride Month by wearing Pride colors on its uniforms.

Giants officials say they'll add a "Pride Patch" on the sleeve of their jersey Saturday against the Chicago Cubs ... and they'll debut a custom cap for the game as well.

"We are extremely proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community," team prez and CEO Larry Baer said, "as we kick off one of the best annual celebrations in San Francisco by paying honor to the countless achievements and contributions of all those who identify as LGBTQ+ and are allies of the LGBTQ+ community."

Pride Month began Tuesday as the calendar officially rolled over into June ... and the Giants are going all in to make sure they honor the moment.

In addition to the uniform changes ... SF officials also say they'll adorn their scoreboard with Pride colors and wrap Willie Mays Plaza palm trees with the hues as well.

"Very proud that the San Francisco Giants are taking this step," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Tuesday. "Very proud to be part of it."

Best practice EVER?!?!

A youth football team in Chicago got the ultimate surprise visit on Tuesday  ... when none other than President Barack Obama came through to give an epic pump-up speech!!!

#44 popped up at Jackson Park to visit the Chicago Southside Wolfpack football team ... and naturally, the kids and coaches lost their minds when they saw the local legend in the flesh.

Barry O gave some solid pointers to players about life on and off the field ... saying, "Sometimes, you’re going to have some doubts. Sometimes, you’re going to make mistakes. Sometimes, you won’t get what you want right away."

"But the key is, can you build that strength in yourself to come back?"

Truly awesome stuff!!

Obama even met with all the kids -- taking pictures and shaking hands.

Now, this is Obama we're talking about ... so you better believe there were some dad jokes thrown in.

FYI, the Wolfpack's practice field is the future site of the incredible $500 million Obama Presidential Center, which will begin construction later this year.

But, don't worry about the Wolfpack -- they're getting a brand new field!!

Think Phil Mickelson is done celebrating his PGA Championship victory yet?!?

HELL NO ... Lefty's still going strong -- he chugged some fancy wine out of his Wanamaker Trophy on Tuesday -- all while Tom Brady egged him on!!!

Phil posted the fun footage on his Instagram account ... showing him getting in a celebratory sip of some red stuff despite being over a week removed from his epic win in South Carolina.

"Like, I know the wine is good," Phil said on video after taking the swig. "But, there's something about the Wanamaker that just gives it a little extra."

Phil added as a caption to the vid, "The wine had an extra ingredient this time - just a dash of VICTORY 😋 Tastes so good!"

Brady loved it all ... commenting on his pal's gloating, "Nothing like it Champ!"

Of course, Phil's had SO MUCH FUN since winning at the Ocean Course last month ... he's talked smack all over his social media and is showing no signs of slowing down his celebrations anytime soon.

As for the wine, it's some good stuff ... it's a bottle of Tor Kenward's Black Magic -- and it's so exclusive, one bottle has a price tag of $450!

Khloe Kardashian is fed up with the harassment from a woman claiming Tristan Thompson is her baby daddy, saying her attempted 15 minutes of fame are up ... and Khloe's threatening to sue the woman if she doesn't shut up.

Khloe's attorney, Lynda Goldman, fired off a cease-and-desist letter to Tristan's paternity accuser, Kimberly Alexander, Tuesday ... calling her out for recently admitting to faking DM's from Khloe.

The legal threat, obtained by TMZ, reads, "You put words in her mouth that she never said and that she wouldn’t say. You faked the whole thing. And you have now publicly admitted it."

Goldman lays out a timeline, saying Alexander's son was 7 at the time she asked TT for a paternity test, which he took twice, and according to Goldman, the results were clear -- he was NOT the dad.

Goldman also addresses Alexanders past claim the lab that did the test was a “Kardashian affiliated facility,” saying, "It is no such thing. It is one of the most reputable labs in the country, and your own lawyers approved it and accepted the test results."

It's the second cease-and-desist letter Khloe sent to Alexander. As we first told you, Khloe and Tristan's lawyer, legal pit bull attorney Marty Singer, fired off a legal threat back in May 2020, claiming Tristan took a paternity test at a reputable lab approved by both parties that proved he's not the father.

In Tuesday's legal threat, Khloe's lawyer claims Alexander refuses to accept the paternity results and instead keeps harassing Khloe.

The Oakland A's have FIRED the food vendor responsible for serving its minor league players meals that look WORSE than the Fyre Festival, the team announced.

Look at these terrible meals -- this is the crap players, coaches and staffers in the A's minor league system were served up during recent road trips ... and the players couldn't take it anymore!

Photos of the insultingly bad meals were posted on the Twitter page for the Advocates for Minor Leaguers group -- a watchdog group for minor league players.

The group explained, "Players in the Oakland A’s organization shared these photos of their recent post-game meals. No employer would serve these meals to employees they care about. Why are the A’s serving them to their future Major Leaguers?"

Great question, right?!

Enter Dave Kaval, president of the A's ... who claims the team was PISSED when it found out about the food situation -- and insists team honchos took immediate action.

"This was totally unacceptable," Kaval said ... "When we found out several weeks ago we terminated the third party vendor."

"We apologize to our players, staff, and coaches. We will redouble our efforts to provide the best options for our team at every level."

Note to players, if the team ever tries to screw you out of food or bottled water in the future, you know who to call ...

New police video shows cops had a conversation about Tony La Russa's MLB resume during his 2020 DUI arrest ... with one officer even saying on camera, "This guy's like the Michael Jordan of baseball."

The footage of the Feb. 24, 2020 incident was released Tuesday to WGN News ... and it's pretty wild.

In the clip, you can see officers in the Phoenix, AZ area had approached La Russa on the side of the road after his car had apparently suffered some major tire damage.

La Russa can be heard on the video having a talk with one cop about his ride ... which eventually led to questions about whether the 76-year-old had been drinking before getting behind the wheel.

La Russa initially said he hadn't had anything to drink ... but after cops told him he blew a .09 (the legal limit is .08), Tony then admitted he DID have a glass of wine before driving.

Tony was eventually placed in cuffs and thrown in the back of a squad car ... and that's when you can see in the footage, he became unhappy.

He griped about his cuffs, and then said, "I'm legitimate. I'm with the Angels. I'm a Hall of Famer."

In video, though, you can see at least one cop had no idea who La Russa was ... because an officer had to explain to the other La Russa's resume.

"He's a f***ing Hall of Famer," one officer said ... before adding, "This guy's like the Michael Jordan of baseball ... like World Series manager, like Manager of the Year."

La Russa -- who was hired as the Chicago White Sox manager just months after the arrest -- was ultimately hit with two misdemeanor DUI charges, though he struck a deal with prosecutors back in Dec. 2020 to close out the case.

Court records show La Russa agreed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving ... and, in exchange, officials agreed to drop the other DUI charge.

La Russa was ordered to spend one day in jail -- though his attorney said the MLB manager was allowed to serve it via home confinement.

Kazan also said La Russa was ordered to pay a $1,300 fine and complete 20 hours of community service as part of his sentencing.

La Russa eventually opened up about the arrest in Feb. 2021, explaining, "It was an inexcusable mistake."

MMA legend Tito Ortiz is tapping out of his role as Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem ... weeks after he was exposed for allegedly filing a B.S. unemployment claim.

"To put it simply, this job isn’t working for me," 46-year-old Ortiz said Tuesday night during a City Council meeting.

Ortiz has formally resigned, effective immediately.

During the meeting, he explained his decision -- saying he could no longer handle the "hostility and judgment" he faced on a daily basis ... adding he felt he was a target for "character assassination each and every week."

"I ran for this position with hopes to better my community, work on my constituents and give them a voice, making our beautiful city safe and clean and to ensure a bright future for my children,” Ortiz said.

"I was under a notion that I was in a bipartisan position and that we all had a common goal that our city and our constituents could have."

"As of recent, the attacks against me have moved to involve my family. I now feel that their safety is in danger."

Ortiz -- one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time -- won a City Council seat back in November, after receiving support from the Trump family.

During his campaign, Ortiz championed Trump's positions on things like border security, immigration, law enforcement and more.

But, since his first day in office, Tito had been under fire from other politicians and city officials who say he refused to follow COVID protocols and even got in a screaming match with a citizen.

And, just last month, Ortiz found himself in hot water for allegedly filing for unemployment against the City of Huntington Beach ... despite still drawing a full monthly check. Ortiz has denied wrongdoing.

More great news for UFC superstar Henry Cejudo ... not only is he engaged to a Brazilian model -- he's also gonna be a daddy!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Triple C and his fiancée, Ana Karolina, are expecting their first child together -- a baby girl due in November.

Of course, Cejudo and Karolina first went public back in November 2020 ... and have been inseparable ever since.

Fun fact -- Cejudo previously said Ana was his crush for 4 YEARS before he finally got a chance to meet her through a mutual friend.

Now, the couple is set to welcome their baby girl in just a few months ... and have already decided on a name -- America.

We're told despite announcing their engagement on Instagram on Tuesday, 34-year-old Cejudo actually bent the knee in front of Ana's family in Sao Paulo back on April 29 ... and of course, she said "yes!"

The couple hosted a gender reveal party to share the big news with all their family and friends ... celebrating with some music and pink decorations.

Cejudo -- barring a UFC comeback (which he's flirted with) -- will have PLENTY of time to help with the baby prep ... he announced his retirement from MMA in May 2020 after beating Dominick Cruz at UFC 249.

NFL legend Tony Gonzalez's Beverly Hills mansion is in new hands -- and some very rich hands, at that -- 'cause the Hall of Famer just reportedly sold his pad to a billionaire businessman for $21 million!!!

Gonzalez -- one of the best tight ends to ever play the game -- is officially parting ways with the 7-bedroom, 12-bathroom crib ... which comes decked out with some truly unique elements.

For instance, the home has a full-size homeschooling classroom, its own speakeasy-inspired lounge with plenty of wine storage and an elevator!!

The house also has a gourmet chef's kitchen with top-notch appliances, a gym and a subterranean garage that can fit 8 cars.

The backyard is just as baller -- with a lighted tennis court, pool and cabana.

Gonzalez bought the property for $7.1 million back in 2016 and tore down the existing house to rebuild this 13,300-square-foot pad in 2018, according to the L.A. Times.

The estate -- co-listed by Rodeo Realty's Michelle Graci and Rayni & Branden Williams of The Beverly Hills Estates -- just sold for $21.15 million to billionaire investor Wayne Boich -- a discount from its initial $30 million price tag.

Boich was represented by Jay Luchs & Steven Schaefer of Newmark.