TMZ Sports - Page 50

Australian silver medalist swimmer Maddie Groves is making a powerful statement and pulling out of the Olympic trials ... ripping the "misogynistic perverts in the sport" in the process.

26-year-old Groves -- who finished second in the 200m butterfly and 4x100 medley at the 2016 Games -- has been calling out the swimming community for months ... claiming men have made her feel uncomfortable by staring at her swimsuit or making "creepy" comments.

Now, Groves says she's fed up -- going OFF as she explained her decision to sit out the trials in Adelaide.

"Let this be a lesson to all misogynistic perverts in sport and their boot lickers," Groves said on Twitter Wednesday.

"You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus."

"Time’s UP."

Groves previously tweeted in November 2020 about an experience she had when she was 20 ... saying, "Just remembering the time a well known coach (not mine) asked me about [university] and I told him one of my subjects was ‘Love, Relationships and Sex’ and he said in this creepy af voice 'oh, you’d know allllllll about that.'"

She added the man later apologized, but believes it was because he was ordered to do so by the team psychologist.

Groves also shared in December she previously made a complaint about "a person that works at swimming" staring at her swimsuit.

Swimming Australia released a statement on Groves' claims ... saying it reached out to her for more information, but she declined.

"All allegations concerning child abuse or sexual misconduct are taken seriously by Swimming Australia" the org. said in a statement.

"We consider the welfare, safety and wellbeing of children and young people as paramount, and we have a duty to make inquiries to uphold the standards of our sport."

Orioles star Ryan Mountcastle drilled a fan in the face with a home run ball last week ... but he more than made up for it Wednesday night -- gifting the dude a signed bat!!!

The story behind it all is pretty damn funny ... during a June 4 game against the Indians, Mountcastle hit a blast into left field that clanked off of Jake Jones' dome as it crash-landed in the seats.

Jones' failed catch attempt did major damage ... he claimed on Twitter the ball hit his forehead so hard, he had a concussion and needed stitches to repair the damage.

But, Jones was still jacked over Mountcastle's knock regardless ... and decided to reach out to the 24-year-old slugger to congratulate him on the blast.

Turns out, Ryan felt bad about hitting the guy ... and promised him an autograph when he returned to Camden Yards.

Fast forward to Wednesday night ... and Mountcastle delivered!!

The Baltimore designated hitter signed a bat for Jones ... and the dude loved it, writing on Twitter, "LEGENDARY."

Stop what you're doing. Get some tissues ready.

This video of Greg Olsen's 8-year-old son, TJ, telling his brother and sister that doctors found a heart donor for him will reduce you to tears in less than 15 seconds.

The ex-NFL star says the footage was taken exactly 1 week ago -- when the family was notified that a donor heart had become available for TJ.

"1 week ago, we were notified that we received an offer for a heart transplant," Olsen said ... "A special angel donor, somewhere, allowed Tj to share the news himself w/ Tate and Talbot."

FYI, TJ was born with a serious heart condition -- and underwent 3 open-heart surgeries before his 3rd birthday. Doctors recently advised the family his heart was in trouble and he needed a transplant, stat.

So, when Greg and his wife, Kara, got the news on Thursday, they let TJ inform his siblings -- and the reaction is pure love and joy.

"You know how I need a heart transplant?" TJ asks ... "and they've been trying to find one? Today, this morning -- they found one!"

The 3 kids hug and cheer and smile -- it's amazing. You can hear a voice off-camera remind the Olsens, "Just be gentle with him!"

TJ is over the moon as he tells his brother and sister the surgery will likely happen the next day (which it ultimately did).

And then, he drops even more good news -- "I got a covid test and it came back negative!"

Of course, TJ did undergo the procedure on Friday and doctors say it was a success. A few days later, TJ posted a video thanking everyone for their support.

Charles Barkley thinks the Brooklyn Nets roster is unfairly stacked -- so he's decided to openly root against 'em in the playoffs.

In other words, "I’m not a fan of superteams."

Barkley spelled out the whole thing during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday ... explaining the combination of James Harden, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Blake Griffin is simply off-putting for him.

"If they win it, they win it. But I want to make it perfectly clear -- I’m rooting against those guys. I’m rooting against all superteams. I’m old school."

The Nets are on fire at the moment -- coming off a 125 to 86 blowout victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, which gave Brooklyn a 2-0 lead in their playoff series. Game 3 is set for Thursday night.

Barkley says he'd rather see a team like the NY Knicks get to the NBA Finals -- because he likes the team and the atmosphere better.

"The Brooklyn Nets got a much better team, but when they play it’s like a mausoleum," Barkley said ... "And they got a much better team. I want [the Knicks] because that place was on fire, and I’m hoping they keep getting better because that place was fire. I’ve been there when it’s been on fire."

The Knicks balled out this season -- finishing 4th in the eastern conference during the regular season and showing real potential moving forward.

Just don't sign too many superstars this off-season ... or Barkley will jump ship.

Funny guy Jeff Garlin ain't laughin' when it comes to his beloved Cubs, Jake Arrieta and the COVID vaccine ... saying his favorite team will NEVER win the World Series if it keeps dodging inoculation.

The "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star -- who's a Chicago native and a huge baseball fan -- didn't hold back on the "Waddle and Silvy" show on ESPN Chicago this week ... saying a W.S. trophy won't touch Chicago unless the team gets vaxxed.

"If you don't get to 85% [fully vaccinated], I will wager everything I've got 'No' on the World Series," Garlin said. "If you're playing somebody who doesn't have to worry about that, it's a whole different world."

"If we're playing the Braves in the National League Championship, we're losing."

If you missed it ... the Cubs are one of several teams in the MLB struggling to get all of their players to receive their COVID shots -- with Arrieta being VERY vocal about his skepticism of it all.

In fact, Arrieta and the team are lagging so much on their shots, president Jed Hoyer just said last month he's "disappointed" that it appears the Cubs will not get to an 85% vaccination rate this season.

Of course, that's the MLB's magic number that it's requiring for teams to relax some of the league's strict COVID rules and regulations.

Garlin says the fact that this is an issue inside the clubhouse at Wrigley Field is straight-up "disgusting."

"I don’t get it," Garlin said. "I find it disgusting because I don’t think it's political and I think it’s your responsibility as a human being, part of the human race, to get that shot."

Dak Prescott's sensational off-season continues ... the Dallas Cowboys QB is parting ways with Adidas to sign a massive new deal with Jordan Brand.

The exact terms of the contract have not been disclosed -- but it's a 5-year deal that will make him the highest-paid NFL player on the Jordan Brand roster, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Jordan Brand already boasts a pretty impressive group of NFL players -- including Stefon Diggs, Jarvis Landry, Chase Claypool and more.

It's a big move for Dak, who signed with Adidas back when he was a rookie in 2016. But when Michael Jordan comes calling, it's hard to say no!

Prescott's agent has been on fire over the past few months -- his team just locked up a 4-year, $160 million contract with the Cowboys back in March which includes a $126 MILLION guarantee.

Remember, Prescott suffered a nasty ankle injury back in October -- knocking him out for the season and leaving many wondering if he would ever play football again.

But, Dak says he feels GREAT -- telling reporters back in May, "I could go play in a game right now and in my head be very, very successful."

Chris Johnson says he's straight-up jealous of Derrick Henry ... telling TMZ Sports the Titans running back is going to FEAST in 2021 after the Julio Jones trade!!

"I wish I could've played there when we had that GM," the former Tennessee halfback said. "They doing what they got to do to win games."

As for why CJ2K sees Henry exploding ... Johnson says it's simple -- with Julio and A.J. Brown now on the outsides, Chris says it's not possible for defenses to just key in on Derrick.

"There's no way you can put 8, 9 in the box on Henry," Johnson tells us. "You got Julio on the outside. You got A.J. on the other side. So, you can't stack the box or anything like that."

"It's like, man, it's crazy."

It's a scary scene to think about -- especially for AFC South teams -- 'cause Henry was ALREADY a beast in 2020.

The 27-year-old monster ran for 2,027 yards, 17 touchdowns AND he added 114 receiving yards.

But, Johnson sees it going even better for Derrick with Julio on the team ... telling us, "I wish they would have made them moves when I was there."

"You love that move," Chris said of the blockbuster trade. "You don't want to continue to run against 8 and 9 in the box. You don't want to do that."

Johnson -- who by the way is opening up a chain of coffee shops in Florida that he hopes can compete with Starbucks someday -- says the move officially makes the Titans real contenders in 2021 for the Lombardi Trophy.

Ryan Cabrera and Alexa Bliss agree with Beyonce ... if ya like it, you should put a ring on it -- that goes for men and women, which is why he's already rocking a "man-gagement" ring.

The singer and WWE superstar were at LAX Wednesday when a photog noticed they were both wearing rings as they clutched their iced coffees. He asked the obvious ... did they already get married? But, they explained it's not what it seems.

Ryan says the band is his engagement ring from Alexa, and she says they want to normalize this practice. His reasoning is making sure all the ladies out there know he's taken.

As we reported, Ryan popped the question back in November after a year of dating, and now they're saying the wedding will be next year, and they're planning a huge celebration once the pandemic's a bad memory.

Sounds like the nuptials will be heavy on friends and light on family.

Alexa also seems to be in better spirits after mourning the death of her beloved pet pig, Larry-Steve, who died last month when he suffered a medical emergency ... and Alexa says multiple vets refused to treat him.

Forget Fernando Tatis ... the best play of the Padres game Wednesday was made by a fan in the stands -- with a woman making a ridiculous catch on a foul ball all while holding her baby!!!

The wild moment went down in the sixth inning of the Padres' game against the Cubs in San Diego ... when Chicago pinch hitter Jake Marisnick lifted a foul ball into the seats.

As the cowhide clanked around the stadium ... it took a wicked hop into the lower deck -- where SuperMom made an absurd play on the baseball!!

Check out the footage from Petco Park ... she reached back with her right hand to make the stab -- not even once putting her baby in danger!!

Everyone at the park went crazy ... and even the game's announcers had to show some love, with one saying on-air, "That's a nice grab."

David Ortiz is still dealing with medical issues stemming from the 2019 attempt on his life -- reportedly undergoing surgery Wednesday to remove two stomach hernias related to his gunshot wound.

Exactly 2 years ago TODAY -- the 45-year-old Hall of Famer was shot in the back while sitting in an outside patio area of a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic.

The bullet struck Ortiz's liver and his small and large intestines -- he required emergency surgery to save his life, which included the removal of his gall bladder. He spent several days in the ICU.

Ortiz has been rehabbing ever since ... and made a pretty incredible recovery. He was healthy enough to join FOX's MLB postseason coverage later that year.

While the Red Sox slugger's surgery Wednesday is related to the shooting, the procedure is considered to be "low risk" and has been scheduled since February, according to ESPN.

As we previously reported, 13 people were arrested in relation to the incident ... and officials believe Ortiz was NOT the intended target.

Rolfi Ferreira Cruz -- the alleged shooter -- has said on the record that Ortiz was not his target.

The preliminary trial is set for July.

Suspended Virginia Tech linebacker Isi Etute told cops he beat the hell out of a 40-year-old after the man had catfished him ... this according to prosecutors.

Officials made the stunning revelation in a Virginia courtroom Wednesday ... explaining Etute broke it all down for cops during their murder investigation days ago.

Prosecutors say Etute told the cops he had matched with a person named "Angie" on Tinder believing she was a woman -- and had met up with her for oral sex on April 10.

Officials say Etute then told cops he and "Angie" set up another date on May 31, but when he discovered there that she was actually a man -- the football player attacked.

Prosecutors say Etute told cops he punched the victim several times in the face and also stomped on him.

Prosecutors say Etute added that he did not call cops after the attack, despite hearing "bubbling and gurgling" as he left the apartment.

The man was found dead two days later ... with officials saying he had missing teeth and broken bones in his face and skull.

But, Etute's attorney, Jimmy Turk, appeared to defend the football player's alleged actions ... saying in court, "Nobody deserves to die, but I don’t mind saying, don’t pretend you are something that you are not."

"Don’t target or lure anyone under that perception. That’s just wrong."

Etute -- who's been charged with 2nd-degree murder -- was granted bail at the hearing and is due back in court in September.

LeBron James' iconic #23 is no more ... the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is officially switching back to #6 for the start of next season.

So ... why the change?? Bron initially decided to gift #23 to Anthony Davis when he joined the Lakers in 2019 ... and said he would wear #6 -- a number he wore with the Miami Heat and Team USA -- instead.

Nike famously vetoed the number trade ... saying it would lose WAY too much money if the guys swapped, so they put the exchange on ice for a bit.

But, this is where things get tricky -- The Athletic is reporting AD is NOT taking LeBron's #23 and will keep #3 ... which means James' move is a bit of a head-scratcher.

There's one potential reason LBJ wants to go through with the change -- James dons #6 in the new "Space Jam: A New Legacy" flick ... so maybe he wants the movie to be as REAL as possible??

Team USA Soccer has Mark McKenzie's back ... it released a statement Wednesday saying the racist trolls who spewed hate toward the USMNT player are NEVER welcome in the sport.

The org. stood up for the defender after he claimed that following the U.S.'s huge win over Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League final in Denver on Sunday, he received tons of racist comments from fans online.

22-year-old McKenzie -- who struggled in the huge 3-2 win -- said the "racial abuse" and "personal attacks" were rampant ... and even affected family members.

But, on Wednesday, his team ripped all of the vitriol ... saying anyone sending the comments McKenzie's way (and any other player's way, for that matter) needs to stop ASAP.

"This type of behavior should not and cannot be allowed to continue," the org. said.

"If you make racist, homophobic, vulgar or disrespectful comments while hiding behind the anonymity of social media, you are not a true fan. And you are not welcome. Ever."

USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter echoed those statements in a meeting with the media Tuesday ... calling the racism flat-out "disgusting."

"We support Mark 100% and we don't stand for any of that stuff," Berhalter said. "We have absolutely zero tolerance for things like that."

Pat Riley opened his mouth ... and now he's gotta open up his wallet.

The Heat prez has been hit with a BIG fine for comments made about a potential reunion with LeBron James in Miami ... with the NBA determining he broke the league's anti-tampering rule.

Riley -- who orchestrated the Heat's Big 3 of LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh that won 2 titles in 4 years -- recently opened up about James in an interview with Dan Le Batard ... saying he'd welcome the King back to South Beach with open arms.

"I would leave the key under the doormat if he would call me and let me know that he's coming," Riley said Friday. "I would do that, but I doubt very much that key -- that key is rusted now."

He added ... "LeBron, look, he's one of the greatest of all time and for 4 years down here, if we want to go back and remember what those 4 years were like, it was 4 years in the Finals, 4 years of excitement, 2 world championships."

"It was the best time for the Heat. So, I wish him nothing but the best, and if he ever wanted to come back, I'll put a new shiny key under the mat."

Of course, LeBron is signed with the Lakers through the 2023 season, and execs aren't allowed to make comments about players under contract that could "entice" them to join their franchise.

The Association got wind of Riley's comments ... and slapped the legend with a $25,000 fine on Wednesday.

Slacklining, or highlining, definitely ain't for everyone -- the sport is high adrenaline and high risk, and one of its budding stars, Aaron Bray, knows it's not on the radar of most Black people ... something he wants to change.

Aaron joined "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk about the new Discovery+ show, "Pushing the Line" ... which follows Aaron and 12 other extreme athletes busting tricks on long, narrow highlines over scenic canyons.

For the uninitiated ... slacklining's similar to tightrope walking, but uses a 1-inch wide strap that's less tensioned to allow for a bouncing effect. Think tiny, tiny trampoline.

Highlining, however, is a subset of slacklining and it's considered the peak of the sport. It's performed hundreds of feet above the ground or water ... and the mental toughness required is pretty damn unbelievable.

Aaron's been at it for 5 years now and he tells us he's one of the very few Black athletes in America who take part in the sport. He didn't shy away from our suggestion he's the Jackie Robinson of the sport -- in fact, he's embracing the responsibility.

Kevin Durant is calling Jay Williams out for allegedly fabricating an entire story on national TV ... saying the whole thing is a "f***in' lie."

Here's the deal -- Williams recently shared an interaction he claims he had with KD at a holiday party a few years ago ... saying the Brooklyn Nets star confronted him over a comparison to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Williams claims Durant was HEATED and said, "'Yo, don't you ever compare me to Giannis again! Don't you ever do that!"

Williams claimed he tried to explain the context behind the comments ... but KD wasn't having it.

"He's like, 'Nah, don't ever compare that dude to me, don't do it!'" Williams said on "Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin."

Naturally, the anecdote began to spread on social media like wildfire ... especially since the Nets and Bucks are currently duking it out in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

But, Durant is calling BS on the whole thing ... saying the incident never happened the way Williams made it out to be.

"This is a F***in lie," Durant said on IG Tuesday. "Jay Williams can NEVER speak for me, ever."

Williams has yet to respond ... but we're sure it's only a matter of time before he addresses the 2014 MVP's claims.