TMZ Sports - Page 50

Ippei Mizuhara was officially sentenced to 57 months in prison on Thursday ... after fessing up to swindling millions from Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Mizuhara's fate was determined in a Santa Ana, California court just minutes ago -- not only has he been sentenced to four years and some change behind bars, but he was also ordered to pay $18 million in restitution -- nearly $17 million to Ohtani and another $1.1 million to the IRS.

The former Angels and Dodgers employee pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of tax fraud back in June 2024 ... owning up to taking the money from Ohtani's bank account to clear his debts with bettors.

Former junior lightweight boxing champion Jamel Herring's domestic violence charge stemming from an alleged altercation in January has been dropped, TMZ Sports has learned.

Herring's attorney -- Clyde Bennett -- released a statement on the development on Thursday ... saying there was "insufficient evidence to prove that he committed any crime against his wife" and the "investigation demonstrated her claim against Mr. Herring were false."

Bennett added Herring has since been released from jail and is now looking forward to putting the whole ordeal behind him.

Too Short is advocating for Kendrick Lamar NOT to perform "Not Like Us" at Super Bowl LIX ... he thinks the Grammy-winning diss track has done its maximum damage!!!

We caught up with Short at the book launch for Hollywood Virgin by Jason Felts in West Hollywood as he got back into the groove performing at the fundraiser to raise money for the L.A. Fire Department following his brother's tragic murder ... and the "Blow The Whistle" star was happy to dish sports commentary.

In terms of the Big Game, Short says he's pulling for anyone but the Chiefs, so the Eagles in this case.

The Super Bowl is going big, about as big as it gets in Hollywood, anyway -- enlisting Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt to be part of Sunday's festivities ... TMZ has learned.

Sources involved in the production tell us both Tom and Brad will have prominent roles in FOX's Super Bowl pregame broadcast. We're told Brad's role will have something to do with a tribute to America about 30 minutes prior to the 6:30 PM ET kickoff.

It's unclear exactly what Tom will be doing for the pregame, but his involvement immediately takes us back to his Olympics Closing Ceremony appearance where he did a skydive to signal the Games coming to L.A. in 2028.

Folks looking to snag a suite for the Big Game are hoping to get a GREAT view ... but forget the action on the field -- they wanna peep Taylor Swift and President Trump!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... those willing to drop a fat check on a Super Bowl box are requesting spots that will put them near or in eyesight of the two biggest names that'll be at the Superdome on Sunday -- Travis Kelce's girlfriend and No. 47.

Mike Zandman, president and CEO of Entertainment Access -- a company assisting high-profile clients with luxurious hospitality for the weekend -- told us his clients' desires are no surprise ... but info on celebs' expected whereabouts is "sacred," so there's no way to grant their wishes.

Alix Earle is making big moves with a sexy new commercial for this year's Big Game ... and Winnie Harlow is continuing her rise from supermodel to skin care mogul.

Winnie's been in the modeling game for a while now, and she's still at the top ... but Alix is quickly climbing the mountain ... so, we gotta ask ... Who'd You Rather?!?

VOTE NOW! 

This matchup is part of our Stars in Stars Edition -- inspired by Alix and Winnie's bikini tops -- but only one star can reign supreme.

David Njoku isn't letting Myles Garrett leave Cleveland without a fight -- practically getting on his hands and knees to try and keep the Browns superstar from requesting a trade ... claiming their team isn't that far from contention.

The tight end addressed the big news of the week during his shirtless Radio Row appearance on Thursday ... and while he initially didn't name-drop the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, it's clear who he was talking about.

"Come on, dog," Njoku said. "Stay home, bro ... come on, give it another shot. We ain't that far off, honestly speaking."

Virginia Halas McCaskey -- the principal owner of the Chicago Bears -- has died at the age of 102.

The team announced her passing Thursday morning ... saying, "While we are sad, we are comforted knowing Virginia Halas McCaskey lived a long, full, faith-filled life and is now with the love of her life on earth."

"She guided the Bears for four decades and based every business decision on what was best for Bears players, coaches, staff and fans."

Packers CB Robert Rochell is taking legal action against the people he says are responsible for a 2023 car accident that seriously injured him, and had a massive negative effect on his once-promising NFL career.

In the lawsuit, filed in L.A. County and obtained by TMZ Sports, 26-year-old Rochell says he was minding his own business, driving along the Hollywood Freeway in his nearly $100K Mercedes GT 63 AMG whip in February 2023, when RR says he was hit by a speeding vehicle, which badly injured him.

Rochell is suing three people, including the alleged driver.

If ya needed any more indication Kendrick Lamar will perform "Not Like Us" on the world's biggest stage, the Super Bowl LIX halftime performer walked out to his pre-show presser with the Drake diss instrumental booming from the speakers.

The Compton MC had a sit-down with Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis on Thursday ahead of Sunday's gig ... and he talked all about his monstrous 2024 and what it meant for his career.

Kendrick also addressed his big night at the Grammys thanks to 'NLU' ... calling it a reflection of the entire rap culture and how it's just as big as any other genre.

Marcus Jordan is breaking his silence days after he was busted for DUI ... saying he appreciates everyone who reached out following the arrest -- but for now, he's shifting his focus elsewhere.

The son of NBA legend Michael Jordan posted to his Instagram story Thursday morning ... saying his priority is his store, The Trophy Room, and "won't be making any comments on recent media stories and my personal life."

"I sincerely appreciate your concerns & thank you for your kind understanding," he added.

Khloe Kardashian has put the "trauma" of her Lamar Odom marriage behind her ... but her ex-husband hasn't, and it was abundantly clear during their recent reunion.

The Good American founder and the former NBA star reunited on the season 6 premiere of "The Kardashians" last night, where they walked down memory lane and reconnected for the first time in 9 years.

While there were plenty of sweet moments between the former flames, the tension was certainly palpable, with Lamar looking particularly nervous throughout most of the sit-down.

Lady Gaga, Tom Brady and a bunch of celebs are banding together for a special Super Bowl LIX segment ... filming a tribute to a series of tragic events across the country.

Check out this video from Bourbon Street ... Tom is front and center in a Los Angeles Fire Department shirt as a group of sports stars flanked by law enforcement and first responders walk down the street with a camera crew capturing their every move.

Michael Strahan's talking into the camera with a NOLA Strong shirt ... and you hear him reference the New Orleans terror attack, the devastating North Carolina hurricane and the deadly Los Angeles wildfires.

LiAngelo Ball's already got the hottest song in all hip-hop ... and now the hooper-turned-rapper locked down one of the greatest artists in the genre's history to jump on the remix for "Tweaker," Lil Wayne!

The remix doesn't drop until Friday, but fans got a bit of an early look at the cover art for the tune ... hours before it'll be streamed by scores on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.

The pairing absolutely makes sense ... as a lot of people have said the song gives off an early 2000s, southern vibe (in fact many said Gelo sounds like Mannie Fresh) ... perfect for Wayne's style.

Ryan Day's 2025 is off to a pretty amazing start ... not only did he win his first National Championship as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, the university just inked him to a contract extension months after many fans were calling for his job!

The school announced Thursday the two sides agreed to tack on three years to Day's current deal, meaning he'll now earn an average of $12.5 million a year though 2031.

It's an astounding turnaround for the 45-year-old HC ... who was facing massive fan backlash after suffering his fourth straight loss to their archrival, the Michigan Wolverines back in November.

Jimmy Butler was traded to the Warriors while his now former team, the Miami Heat, was in the middle of a game, so the players had no clue the big deal was made ... until a fan near the bench broke the news!

Butler -- who was suspended by the Heat a few weeks back for "conduct detrimental" to the team -- was the main piece in a three-team trade ... which saw the embattled NBA star heading to San Francisco, in a deal that also included Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and a projected top 10 pick in 2025.

The Heat pulled the trigger on the big move while the squad played the 76ers in Philadelphia. Because players don't have phones on the bench, they had no idea what had just gone down.