Coronavirus

Jamain Stephens -- a 20-year-old defensive lineman for California University of Pennsylvania -- died Tuesday from complications of COVID-19, according to his high school.

Stephens -- listed at 6'3", 255 pounds -- played the past 3 seasons for the Cal Vulcans. Additionally, he made the University's AD Honor Roll in Fall 2019.

Cal had canceled its 2020 football season because of the COVID pandemic, but apparently, Stephens contracted the virus anyway.

The University confirmed his passing but didn't mention a cause of death. Jamain's high school, Central Catholic, issued a statement saying "Jamain went to his eternal reward after suffering from complications of COVID-19."

Here's more from Central Catholic ...

"Known more commonly by his nickname, 'Juice,' Jamain was a defensive lineman for the Vikings, winning two WPIAL championships and a state championship in 2015. Jamain went on to continue his football career at California University of Pennsylvania, majoring in Business Administration."

Cal U athletic director Karen Hjerpe also issued a statement on Jamain's death -- calling him a "wonderful student with a smile on his face every time you saw him."

"His personality was contagious and he made such a positive impact on everyone he met."

Jamain's father -- Jamain Stephens -- was an offensive lineman in the NFL from 1997 to 2001 ... playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.

RIP

Jillian Michaels says letting her guard down for one hour was all it took for her to catch the coronavirus ... and she's warning folks about going back inside public gyms.

The fitness guru just went public for the first time with her coronavirus diagnosis, telling Fox Business host Liz Claman she contracted COVID-19 several weeks ago.

Jillian says her mistake was thinking she'd be fine because she was around a close friend who was asymptomatic, but had the virus. Jillian says she herself didn't know she had COVID for 6 days.

Her warning sounds similar to what The Rock said when he recently revealed he and his entire family tested positive for the virus. Again, they were with close family friends.

Jillian knows she was fortunate to quickly recover, saying she was really healthy when she contracted the virus, but knows many people aren't in the same boat.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALLLL?!?!?! will NOT be asked before "Monday Night Football" games in 2020 ... 'cause ESPN is ditching Hank Williams Jr.'s classic intro for a more COVID-friendly track.

Of course, the singer's '"All My Rowdy Friends Are Here On Monday Night" has been part of MNF's presentation dating back to 1989 ... but execs reportedly wanted to call an audible during the pandemic, given most stadiums will be empty.

In other words ... folks are supposed to be social distancing -- NOT getting rowdy together.

ESPN will replace Williams, Jr.'s song with a remix of the late Little Richard's "Rip It Up" ... featuring music by a band called Butcher Brown, according to Sports Business Daily.

No word on what the plan will be once the coronavirus sitch is over ... but ESPN has dropped Williams' track in 2011 over negative comments he made against Barack Obama and Joe Biden on Fox News. He was later brought back in 2017.

Either way ... we're one more day closer to actually kicking this season off.

A woman had the audacity to call an American Airlines flight attendant a "mask nazi" -- and several other choice phrases -- after she was asked to properly wear her face mask, and now she's been banned for life.

American Airlines banned the passenger after she handed the note to the flight attendant while deplaning. She was pissed about the flight attendant asking her to wear her face mask over her nose. That simple request was apparently too much for her and prompted her to scrawl an angry note on the "WASTE" bag in her seat pocket.

The note reads, in part, "You mean s**t in life. You are nothing but a glorified maid who needs to jump down off her high horse and learn how to speak to ppl. Nobody cares about your stupid seat policies or your nose issues. We pay your salary and your attitude is unnecessary."

The angry passenger added, "The very fact that we have to listen & kowtow to a nobody who does s**t except collect our trash and serve crappy food makes me absolutely ill. You are a mask nazi and a 4 eyed c**t and if it wasn’t for this job, you would be cleaning motel rooms for $2 tips and meth."

There's a lot more in the note ... check it out. The woman signed it, "a person who hates your guts." Super clever.

The incident apparently went down last week, and an American Airlines spokesperson tells TMZ it's investigating the offensive and derogatory note. The airline says it's already suspended the customer's ability to travel on its planes.

Kerri Walsh Jennings ain't backing down from her anti-COVID mask stance even in the wake of serious backlash ... saying she believes fighting against face coverings is equivalent to fighting for freedom.

"I truly believe we are on the slippery slope of a mask mandate evolving into a vaccine mandate," the 3-time Olympic gold medalist volleyball player said. "That scares the [fire emoji] out of me."

The 42-year-old posted a lengthy statement on social media Sunday railing against COVID restrictions ... even saying she recently went out shopping without a mask on to prove a point.

"Things won't open up and freedoms won't come back unless we are willing to push back and stand up for them," Walsh Jennings said. "I am willing to fight for the freedoms I have been guaranteed by my constitution."

While Walsh Jennings insisted she understood the severity of the coronavirus pandemic and wanted to find ways to open up while protecting the "vulnerable" ... she was still blasted for her opinion.

Fellow Olympic volleyball Jennifer Kessy called the entire post "selfish." Others said far worse in the comment section.

But, Walsh Jennings didn't exactly back down in a follow-up post Monday ... she apologized if she offended anybody, but added, "I was not looking to do anything but express my belief that FREEDOM IS RIGHT WORTH FIGHTING FOR."

She continued, "I believe we have to stay mindful of the FACT that our freedoms have slowly been taken from us with our consent."

"Using a mask to express my love of freedom perhaps seems a bit shallow and selfish (peoples health are at play, after all), but it is a real thing to point to and it is the potential starting point for so much more."

Soccer star Mason Greenwood has issued an apology for the "embarrassment" he caused after getting busted sneaking women into England's team hotel in Iceland.

18-year-old Greenwood -- along with England teammate Phil Foden -- were cut from the England national team Monday after officials say they broke COVID-19 quarantine protocol to meet up with the women at the team hotel.

At least one of the women is an Icelandic model and beauty queen, according to the Daily Mail.

The players were specifically told not to leave a certain part of the hotel that was sectioned off for the team -- but they decided to venture outside of that zone to meet up with the ladies.

Bad news for the players ... they got caught -- and were immediately dropped by the team.

Greenwood -- a striker for Manchester United -- issued an apology Tuesday morning.

"Having now had the chance to reflect on what’s happened, I can only apologise to everyone for the embarrassment I have caused," Greenwood said.

"It was irresponsible of me to break the COVID-19 protocols which are in place to protect players, staff and the public."

"Playing for England was one of the proudest moments in my life and I only have myself to blame for this huge mistake."

"I promise my family, the fans, Manchester United and England that this is a lesson I will learn from."

Foden has also apologized -- saying, "I breached COVID-19 protocols put in place to protect myself and my England colleagues. As a consequence I will now miss the opportunity to travel to Denmark with the squad, and that hurts."

"Guardians of the Galaxy" star Michael Rooker just revealed his struggle with coronavirus ... and it was real bad.

Rooker, who also stars in "The Walking Dead" and the upcoming "Suicide Squad," says the virus took over his body. He said, almost clinically, "...there ain't a whole heck of a lot one can do externally, to fight off COVID-19 once it has gotten into your body," adding, "And I have to let y'all know it has been quite a battle."

He said he's been isolating in an Airstream during his illness. And, he said he decided not to take "any extra medicines or vitamins or supplements" while he was trying to recover. His reasoning ... "I felt if my immune system was not already prepared for this battle, loading up with all this extra stuff would only do me damage as kidneys and life would have been gravely stressed."

Michael proudly posted his negative test results, saying, "So, just so y’all know the end result of all those daily battles has come to an end," Rooker shared. "My body has won the WAR! Covid put up a pretty good fight... but bottom line, it ended up getting its ass knocked out! buy [sic] my immune system .. 1,2, punch to the head, 2 body shots and a left hook right upper-cut ... "End of story"

This fight proves beyond a shadow of a doubt ... the Joker's wild.

Check out the insane brawl at Joker's Bar and Grill in Maryland, where COVID didn't get its ass kicked -- it's alive and well -- but some bar patrons sure did, as they piled on top of each other and pounded away.

It's unclear what triggered the fight, but you hear lots of screaming as a scuffle starts in the back and then all hell breaks loose.

There's a dude pinned down on the pool table with 7 bar patrons surrounding him. Hard to tell, but it looks like he's being choked.

You also hear glass shattering ... almost like in a western flick. Once the glass goes, there's fighting all over the bar. Someone eventually orders everyone to stop, and it's crazy, because they are still fighting as they move toward the door.

Maryland has been hit hard by COVID -- over 112,883 cases and 3,660 deaths.

The Mayor of San Francisco is livid at a thousand people who attended a rager Saturday night to commemorate what would have been Burning Man's 34th event.

You wouldn't know there was a pandemic by looking at the scene ... crowds squeezed together with partygoers in wild outfits, as music blares and lights flash.

There were also a number of bonfires ... something that is prohibited and really irresponsible given the terrible air quality from the raging California wildfires.

Mayor London Breed was enraged, saying, “This was absolutely reckless and selfish,” Breed tweeted. “You are not celebrating. You are putting people's lives at risk. You are putting our progress at risk. No one is immune from spreading the virus.”

Pandemic be damned ... the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will go forward, regardless of COVID.

The Veep of the IOC, John Coates, just said the Olympics will be the "games that conquered COVID."

The games will take place next year, and it doesn't matter the state of Japan or the world with respect to coronavirus. The games were postponed in March because of the pandemic ... the first time the Olympics have been put on ice other than wartime.

It seems Coates is turning a blind eye to the virus, saying, "It will take place with or without COVID."  He vows the games will kick off July 23, 2021.

The games initially were to be themed, the Reconstruction Games ... this after the earthquake and tsunami that hit Tohoku in 2011. But, things are different, and Coates says, "Now very much these will be the games that conquered COVID."