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A volleyball coach is calling out Denver's Valor Christian High School -- claiming the administrators "grilled" and belittled him after they found out he was gay ... and forced him to resign.

Inoke Tonga shared the details on Sunday ... saying he had a meeting with the campus pastor and athletic director last week about a Facebook post he made suggesting he's gay.

"I was asked if I had any changes in lifestyle that were life changing," Tonga said on Instagram.

"As I was asked repeatedly that question, they finally asked if I had posted something inappropriate on my social media that would go against Valor's culture and beliefs."

"Eventually they asked if I did an interview, or posted anything about being gay. My answer was yes."

Tonga -- who started coaching the boy's team in 2020 -- says he was then "grilled about how being gay is a danger to the school and to the kids."

"They proceeded by telling me that they weren't trying to convert me into being a straight man and that ultimately I had two choices."

Tonga says those two choices were to denounce that he was gay or accept his sexuality but know that they "can't have you in front of the kids if you identify that way".

Tonga refused to denounce being gay and was released ... but when the school made the announcement, they said he resigned -- not that they forced him out.

"They told my girls, and the volleyball community that I was my choice to leave, which is a sense, yes, I chose to not denounce my sexuality but they left out the part where they pushed me out."

The school told the Denver Post that their faculty has to agree with the Christian beliefs and after talking with Tonga -- who is Christian -- they realized he did not support that and he decided to leave.

Steph Curry's parents are going their separate ways ... TMZ Sports has learned Sonya Curry has filed for divorce from Dell Curry.

55-year-old Sonya put in the paperwork back on June 14 in North Carolina ... according to court records. A court official tells us the divorce is still ongoing.

Details surrounding the reason for the split are unclear -- we're working on it.

The couple -- whose other son, Seth, plays for the Philadelphia 76ers -- had been dating for decades and were officially married way back in 1988.

The two have been spotted cheering on Steph and Seth from the stands at NBA games for years ... famously wearing gear featuring both the Warriors and Trail Blazers logos when their two sons faced off against each other in the 2019 NBA playoffs.

57-year-old Dell and Sonya had first met when they were student-athletes at Virginia Tech ... and gave birth to Steph years later in 1988.

The couple then had Seth in 1990, and daughter Sydel in 1994.

Brandon Hanks is the most famous Syracuse PD officer -- having gone viral for playing hoops with kids years ago -- but shockingly, he's still on the force after superiors accused him of being a gang member ... prompting him to file a massive lawsuit.

Brandon joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday to discuss his $33 million suit against Syracuse PD ... a legal move he made after the brass denied him a promotion to a gang violence task force.

He says the only reason he was given was an allegation, from at least one superior, that he's a gang member who's selling drugs.

He denies the claims, saying there's no evidence, and also finds it bizarre he's still working his beat. Brandon pointed out the obvious ... if his bosses really thought he was up to no good, he'd be indicted.

He thinks the real issue is racism, and in his lawsuit, he accuses Syracuse PD of having a "Jim Crow culture."

Brandon told us Syracuse PD loved him when he was getting them national attention for challenging kids to basketball games as part of a community outreach program -- but, for some reason, that all changed when he tried to advance his career.

Vanessa Bryant is honoring Kobe Bryant on his 43rd birthday by posting a heartfelt message to her late husband ... saying she will love him forever.

The tributes have been pouring in for the NBA legend on Monday ... with the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Wilson and more sharing messages of love.

Vanessa shared a picture of the couple kissing and posing with the Larry O'Brien trophy after winning one of his 5 championships on Instagram just minutes ago ... saying, "Happy birthday, Papi. Te Amo por siempre. Amor Eterno. ❤️💔 43."

Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020 ... and Vanessa has previously opened up on the "unimaginable" pain she's gone through since the accident.

"Lying in bed crying isn't going to change the fact that my family will never be the same again," Vanessa told People.com back in March ... "But getting out of bed and pushing forward is going to make the day better for my girls and for me. So that's what I do."

Former NHL winger Jimmy Hayes -- who played for several teams including the Chicago Blackhawks -- has died ... his alma mater, Boston College, announced on Monday.

He was just 31 years old.

No other details surrounding the former NHL player's death were given.

"Boston College Hockey is heartbroken over the passing of Jimmy Hayes," B.C. officials said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hayes family."

Hayes -- who was picked in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft -- made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in 2011.

He went on to play 7 seasons in the league ... logging ice time for the 'Hawks, Panthers, Bruins and Devils. He finished his career with 54 total goals scored.

Hayes' younger brother, Kevin Hayes, is currently a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

#RIP

Jake Paul is sending a warning to Myles Garrett ... saying the Cleveland Browns star better not get in the ring with his older bro, Logan -- 'cause he'll get KNOCKED OUT!!!

The 24-year-old YouTube superstar is responding to Garrett's recent comments to Complex ... in which he claimed he would "beat the brakes off of Logan Paul" if he were to ever take a celebrity fight.

Jake -- who is a Browns fan -- gave his two cents on the matchup ... saying there's no doubt in his mind Logan would whoop the defensive end's ass.

"Stick to football, my friend," Paul told the "3 Things to Know" podcast.

"I like Myles. I have nothing against him, he’s an amazing player. But you saw what happened when Nate Robinson from the NBA tried to step into the ring. People don’t realize it’s a whole different sport."

Of course, 6'4", 272-lb. Garrett is no stranger to fighting -- remember, he was suspended in 2019 for ripping Mason Rudolph's helmet off and swinging it at him.

He's also spent time with ex-UFC champ Stipe Miocic ... who said the guy is insane in the gym.

With that being said, Jake isn't convinced Garrett would stand a chance against 6'2". 180-lb. Logan.

"My brother sparred against all of the Gronkowski brothers, who are 6’5", 6’6", 6’7" and he took them all down in the same sparring session."

"People don’t realize this is a sport where time and experience is really the only thing that gets you better. So long story short, my brother would knock him out, no question. But nothing against Myles."

The Great Bambino has NOTHING on Shohei Ohtani ... so says ex-MLB star David Justice, who tells TMZ Sports the Angels star is flat-out better than Babe Ruth!

The former Atlanta Braves slugger made the eyebrow-raising claim out at a charity softball game in L.A. on Sunday ... explaining he thinks Shohei is just that "special."

Justice also said Babe's insane performances as a two-way player were cheapened a bit 'cause he didn't have to face the same level of talent that Shohei does night in and night out.

"Babe Ruth played against farmers," Justice said ... adding, "Oh, and by the way, [Ruth] only played against one race."

"You didn't play against none of the Negro League players. You didn't play against none of the Asian players. You didn't play none of the Latin players. So, you only played against this population of players."

Don't get it twisted, Justice says he's not hating on Babe ... he just thinks what Shohei is doing now is more impressive.

"I don't want it to sound like I'm hating on Babe," Justice tells us. "It's just that I'm giving extra love to Ohtani."

Shohei is the favorite to win AL MVP this season after he's balled out at both the plate and on the mound ... leading baseball with 40 home runs while also compiling a 2.79 ERA.

Carson Wentz is stepping in to help Haiti following a deadly earthquake that killed over 2,100 people ... by donating $250,000 to help those affected by the tragedy.

The Indianapolis Colts QB announced the amazing gesture via video message Sunday, saying his wife, Madison, his AO1 Foundation and Haiti's Mission Of Hope are teaming up to help the victims of the August 14 earthquake.

"Currently there's great need for medical supplies, medications, food, clean water and shelter," Wentz said.

"To meet this need, my wife and I, as well as the AO1 Foundation, are proud to announce that we'll once again be partnering with Mission of Hope by donating 250,000 towards the relief efforts in Haiti."

The 7.2 earthquake reportedly killed over 2,100 people and left thousands injured -- this is 11 years after another devastating earthquake that killed between 220,000 to 300,000 people.

"Our family has been impacted tremendously by the country of Haiti and its people," Wentz said on Twitter.

"Please consider joining us prayerfully and financially as Haiti continues to rebuild and restore hope in their country. God bless!"

Wentz has been deeply involved with Haiti since 2017 ... the 28-year-old helped build their sports complex and even had teammates go out there with him for charitable work.

John Cena is speaking out after his crushing defeat at the hands of Roman Reigns at SummerSlam ... saying his time in the squared circle is up for now, but promising he will be back again.

The WWE legend duked it out with the Universal Champ on Saturday ... in an epic back-and-forth match at Allegiant Stadium.

But, the 16-time world champ came up short in the main event brawl, with Reigns taking the dub ... and then being confronted by Brock Lesnar right after.

Now, Cena is saying his goodbyes to Vince McMahon's organization ... at least, for the time being.

"Words cannot describe how appreciative I am that the @WWEUniverse allowed me the opportunity to return and perform," Cena tweeted Monday.

"Thank you staff, superstars, and most of all FANS for giving me an unforgettable summer at 'home' with my 'family.'"

"The journey takes me away now but I’ll C U soon."

Of course, Cena is a big-time movie star now ... but was able to make time to appear at WWE events throughout the summer. It certainly doesn't sound like a permanent farewell ... which is good for fans who want to see him go out on top.

It should be Justin Fields -- NOT Andy Dalton -- under center for the Bears in Week 1 ... so says Willie Gault, who tells TMZ Sports there's no point in delaying the rookie's debut.

Despite taking Fields with the #11 pick in the spring's NFL draft ... Chicago has seemed set on starting Dalton.

But, after two strong performances in Fields' first two preseason games with the team ... Gault is now calling for the former Ohio State star to just start right away.

"The coach is going to make that decision, but for me, let's go!" the former Bears wideout told us at a charity softball game in Los Angeles on Sunday.

"Why not?! Off the bat, absolutely."

Fields has dazzled at times during his limited preseason snaps so far ... piling up 222 passing yards on 23 completions while adding 79 rushing yards on just nine carries.

The dude has even showed some legit toughness ... taking a massive shot in Chicago's game against the Bills on Saturday and getting right back up afterward.

All of it has Gault clamoring for the Bears to make him QB1 ... saying, "Only way to learn is you got to do it!"

The hits at the Steelers and Lions game didn't just happen on the field, fans got in on the action too ... with a nasty brawl spurred from a woman slapping a man in the face.

The now-viral video shows the man and woman in some sort of argument, and you hear the woman yell something like, "shut up and get the f*** out!" The woman apparently made contact when yelling, because the man tells her "don't touch me" and swipes her hand away.

That's when you see the woman deliver the slap ... and all hell breaks loose.

Fists fly, and a man who was sitting next to the woman, and seemingly someone who she knows, jumps to her defense. The man who was slapped connects with both the man and woman ... and one punch seemingly knocks the guy out.

Luckily, other fans at the game stepped in before things got worse. It's currently unclear what started the whole thing and if any arrests have been made.

The fight marks the second crazy brawl between fans in as many weeks ... a video from L.A. last week showed an all-out frenzy during the Rams game.

As for the game in Pittsburgh, it was only preseason ... but the Steelers beat the Lions 26-20.

A wild brawl broke out during a French soccer match Sunday ... with fans invading the pitch and trading violent blows with players on the field.

The insane scene all went down toward the end of the Nice vs. Marseille tilt in France ... when Marseille forward Dimitri Payet was hit by a bottle that was thrown from the stands.

In broadcast footage from the game, you can see after Payet hurled the bottle back toward fans ... an absolutely chaotic scene was ignited.

People in the stands began throwing more trash at players ... before they ultimately stormed the field and went after the footballers.

Video from the stadium shows fans and players shoved each other wildly ... and at one point, one man appeared to be knocked out by a vicious punch to the face.

Fortunately, after a delay of over an hour, officials and security workers were able to get players to safety. The rest of the match, though, was ultimately canceled.

Olympic wrestling champ Gable Steveson CAN beat Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou in a UFC Octagon ... all he needs is a few years of MMA training, according to Henry Cejudo.

If anyone knows what it takes to make it as a wrestler-turned-mixed martial artist, it's Cejudo. Henry won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling (just like Steveson) in 2008 ... and then became a 2 weight class champion in the UFC.

So, when TMZ Sports talked to Triple C, we asked how Gable would fare in the UFC.

"I do believe, like within the next couple of years, he could beat a guy like Jon Jones or even Francis Ngannou. He's like, he's the biggest threat because of his wrestling pace, which is extremely scary," Cejudo told us.

But, Henry made it clear, Gable couldn't just walk into an Octagon right now, without any training, and beat 2 of the biggest men on the planet.

"He's a real heavyweight. But, right now, if you were to put him in there right now, Jon Jones would hurt him. Francis Ngannou would hurt him," Cejudo says.

"And I've been there before when I first fought Demetrious Johnson. And I, you know, I had already had stand up and whatnot, and I got knocked out at 2 minutes and 36 seconds. So, you do have to respect the game."

FYI, Henry started his UFC career 4-0 ... before facing the champ, Mighty Mouse. Johnson beat Cejudo at UFC 197 in 2016 via TKO. Years later, in 2018, HC won a rematch against DJ -- becoming flyweight champion.

Of course, 21-year-old Steveson -- who just won a gold medal -- has options on top of options.

WWE is reportedly interested in the wrestling star (GS will be at Summer Slam this weekend). Gable also says he's been hit up by multiple NFL teams. And, then there's the UFC.

Dana White recently told us he planned to meet with Steveson this weekend in Las Vegas ... to discuss potentially signing him to a deal.

There's more ... we also talked to Cejudo about his fighting future -- and while taking shots at Alex Volkanovski and T.J. Dillashaw -- Henry gave us the latest on whether he'll ever fight again.

Iggy Azalea is stamping out a rumor that she's banging Tristan Thompson -- going so far as to say she's never met the dude ... not even once.

The Aussie rapper came out to address a report by blogger/YouTuber Tasha K ... who posted a new vlog this past week with the bold claim that Iggy has been sleeping with Tristan -- this amid other reports that Khloe Kardashian apparently wants him back (which she's denied).

Tasha flat out says ... "Does (Khloe) know that Tristan and Miss Iggy are f******?" She didn't elaborate on where she was getting her alleged intel -- but IA herself has shot it down.

She took to Twitter Sunday to deny the rumor ... writing, "Very weird fake news making the rounds about me dating a man I've literally never met a DAY in my life…. Like…. Y'all are really that bored?!?!"

Iggy went to add, "Literally have never even been in the same building as that man. I DO NOT KNOW THAT PERSON" -- this after a Twitter user pointed out it was Tristan whom she was referring to ... and followed up by saying Tasha seems to have made it all up.

The news does, in fact, seem to have come out of nowhere ... before Tasha came out with her so-called tea -- there wasn't even a whiff of this anywhere ... as far as we're concerned.

Yes ... Iggy has dated an NBA player in the past -- namely, Nick Young, who she was engaged to for a while back in the day before they split -- but there's no clear evidence, photos or otherwise, to indicate she or Tristan have ever met or mingled.

Terrell Owens says Tyreek Hill is pretty fast ... but he ain't fast enough to beat Usain Bolt in a race -- telling TMZ Sports the idea of a battle on the track between the two is straight-up "comical!"

There's been talks about a possible race between the Chiefs star and the Olympic legend for months -- with Bolt most recently saying on "The Dan Patrick Show" he's fine upping the stakes for the run.

Patrick suggested Hill put up his Super Bowl ring, while Bolt put up one of his gold medals -- and the track star was fine with the idea!

Hill said he'd be up for it too ... but when we asked Owens who would win, the Hall of Famer laughed.

"We raced last year," Owens said of Hill. "He said he would give me like 10 steps and he would beat me in the 100 and I don't even know if he gained a yard on me!"

"So, to think that he can beat Usain Bolt!?! I mean, straight up, there's no way possible. I mean, have you seen this guy run?!?"

Bolt is considered one of the fastest men that's ever lived ... and while Hill is speedy (he ran a 4.2 40-yard dash back in 2016), Owens made it clear he'll NEVER put his money on Hill in this battle.

"He'll have a better chance at trying to possibly race me and maybe beating me by a number of yards but he's not touching Usain Bolt!" Owens said. "That's not even happening!"

Owens, meanwhile, is gunning to set up his own high-profile race ... telling us he's down to put $100K on a sprint with ex-NFL wideout Brandon Marshall!

"He called me out!" Owens said of Marshall. "He wagered 100K to race me in a 60-meter that has yet to be done because he keeps backing out. He's backed out on me twice!"

The Game is already callin' a Soulja Boy knockout if a fight with Aaron Carter actually goes down ... telling TMZ Sports, the boxing match would be a "sloppy slugfest!!!"

If you missed it ... Soulja and AC have been going back and forth after the singer called him out for a celeb boxing match ... with Draco saying he'd "beat the candy out his pockets!"

We learned there's an actual offer on the table for this to pop off ... and when we told The Game about the possibility, he straight-up said, 'that's f**kin' hilarious!"

"I think it’s gonna be a sloppy slugfest, you know what I’m saying, most definitely," the 41-year-old rapper told us Thursday.

"But, I think Draco could put him down, man, in about the second round, because I’ve seen Lamar [Odom] and I’ve seen Aaron Carter, and it looked bad for Aaron in there."

Game is really hyped for this potential rapper vs. singer showdown -- unlike critics who cringe at the idea of celebrity boxing.

"You know, with this new wave of fighting ... I like it," Game tells us.

"I like that regular people, rappers, like entertainers, YouTubers are getting a chance to like, you know, dive into other sports."

Game added, "A lot of people say, 'oh, we don’t want these people in our sport, like we professional boxers.' But, didn’t Roy Jones try to rap?"

That he did -- Jones, a former heavyweight champ, put out his first rap album back in 2002 -- and Game also points out NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, who released four rap albums in the '90s.

"Let people do and be who they want to be, man, and let’s just enjoy it. It’s all entertainment at the end of the day, man, you know what I’m saying."