Gonzaga's Mark Few Suspended For DUI ... I Sincerely Apologize
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Mark Few, Gonzaga head basketball coach, has been suspended by the university following a DUI last month ... and will miss his team's regular-season opener in November.
As we previously reported, Few was cited -- but not arrested -- the night of September 6 ... after the hoops coach was stopped by cops in Idaho, about 30 miles from the Zags campus.
Few -- who took his team to 2 Final Fours -- was well over the legal limit of .08 BAC ... blowing a .119 and .120. He refused to complete field sobriety tests.
Now, university officials have acted ... suspending MF for a little over 1 month.
The coach will miss their "Midnight Madness" festivities (the first time teams can officially practice), as well as 2 exhibition games. Most importantly, Few will miss the regular-season opener on November 9 against Dixie State.
It's expected that Few will likely be on the bench for his squad's 2nd game against Texas ... a far superior team to Dixie State.
FYI, Gonzaga lost in the NCAA Championship game to Baylor last year. The Zags will likely be the #1 team in the country when the preseason polls are in.
Few -- who previously apologized for the "lapse in judgment" -- addressed the suspension on Saturday.
"I have had a month to reflect on the regretful decisions I made on Sept. 6. I again offer my sincere apology and I remain committed to learning from this mistake. As a consequence of my error in judgment, I will not be present at Kraziness in the Kennel and the first three games of our season."
"I know this impacts our student-athletes and the coaching staff as we begin the season. I understand the severity of my actions and am sorry for the impact this consequence has on our team. Thank you again to those who have supported me, my family, and our program throughout this process."
Following the stop last month, Gonzaga officials condemned Few's actions, while standing by their coach.
"As Athletic Director I believe it is possible to both address the seriousness of an incident and the need for accountability, while extending support and compassion to one who both accepts responsibility and commits to resolve their failing," Gonzaga AD, Chris Standiford, said.
He continued ... "Coach Few's statements regarding full accountability are a reflection of his character and consistent with his demonstrated leadership approach over two decades."
Few, AP Coach of the Year in 2017, has been the head man at Gonzaga since 1999 ... and has turned the small university into a national powerhouse on the hardwood.
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Tim Tebow I'm Praying For Urban Meyer ... Amid Bar Scandal
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Tim Tebow appeared to be on the verge of tears when addressing the Urban Meyer bar scandal ... saying he's praying for his friend and former coach's family during the "heartbreaking" situation.
The Heisman Trophy winner -- who played for Meyer at Florida from 2006-09 and briefly with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season -- addressed the incident on ESPN's "First Take" on Friday ... and it's clear he's distressed about it all.
Tebow says he gave advice to Urban in the days following the "very difficult week" ... suggesting he apologize, learn from and never repeat his actions.
"I know this is weighed so heavy on his heart and he is hurting," Tebow said.
"This is not something that I think anybody in his family takes slightly. This is a very serious situation, it's a very disappointing situation but I also know that coach isn't taking it lightly."
Tebow believes football can be a good outlet for Meyer to move past the situation and build up his reputation again ... adding it could help him escape the media "circus" that has been going on.
"I agree for some people they would need to take a timeout in a situation like this," he added.
"But for him, he just loves the game so much that he might be able to pour in a little bit into the game, into his team, into his coaching staff and at the same time, spend a lot of time with his family."
Tebow says Urban will work endlessly to earn his family's trust back and mend their relationship.
"I really believe at the bottom of my heart that coach loves Miss Shelley and his family so, so much and I've seen that for years and years and years. I think that this was a moment where he put himself in the wrong place and he was in the wrong state of mind and he had too much to drink and that led to bad decisions."
Urban has spoken publicly and behind closed doors with his team over the past week ... calling his actions "stupid."
Meyer's wife also quit social media after receiving hate from Internet trolls ... saying, "We all make mistakes -- we are all sinners."
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'Jackass' Director Bam's Danger To Himself, Others ... We Still Love Him Though
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Bam Margera's struggles with substance abuse put himself and anyone around him in harm's way ... at least according to the "Jackass" franchise director.
Jeff Tremaine -- who's shepherded the "Jackass" movies for years now -- claims in new legal docs he loves Bam like a brother, but says he's had a front-row seat to Bam's vices and it hasn't always been pretty.
According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Jeff says whenever Bam's intoxicated he's a danger to himself and others ... and he claims Bam's recent behavior has brought a dark cloud over the movie franchise.
Jeff's responding to Bam's lawsuit over his firing from the upcoming 'Jackass 4' ... as we first told you, Bam claims he was forced to sign an agreement that he claims amounted to psychological torture and got the boot when he didn't live up to the conditions.
In the docs, Jeff says Bam voluntarily signed the sobriety commitment agreement but stopped cooperating with his wellness program in July 2020 and began taking illicit amphetamines. Tremaine claims the "Jackass" fam tried to find a way for Bam to be in the movie, but Bam's wellness coach shut them down ... and Paramount Pictures ultimately dropped the ax.
5/23/21
As we've told you ... it's been a very rocky year for Bam, who has publicly beefed with the "Jackass" crew, with Tremaine even getting a restraining order against him.
Although, cops had to pick him up to take him to rehab ... Bam says he's back in treatment now, and is trying to get well for his son and his career.
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Al Harrington Powerful Speech For Allen Iverson At Weed Launch Party
Allen Iverson has crossed over into the weed game -- the NBA legend has teamed up with Al Harrington to introduce his very own cannabis line ... and was honored by his new biz partner with a pretty powerful speech.
"The Answer" hosted a bunch of his celebrity fans for the official launch of his Indica-dominant flower -- dubbed "96" to reference the year he was drafted -- with Harrington's Viola Brands in L.A. this weekend ... and there was plenty of music, drinks, a basketball court and oh yeah, WEED.
The man of the hour took center court with Harrington to celebrate the huge accomplishment ... with Harrington grabbing the mic to share some special words about Iverson.
"Obviously, we here because we celebrating my brother, Bubba Chuck, AKA Allen Iverson," Harrison said in front of the packed crowd.
"Not too many people get to do collabs with icons. You know what I'm saying. And, we all know Allen Iverson is an icon," AH added.
Harrington explained the decision to link up ... saying he wants icons like AI to help take over an industry that lacks black representation.
Harrington even gave AI a customized bottle of Dom Pérignon as a sign of his appreciation ... and it was so pretty, Iverson had to give it a smooch!
We also talked to AI about why he wanted to start a weed brand ... and he's got a pretty great reason.
The NBA Hall of Famer had one final message for everybody as he embarks on this next chapter -- "Live your life. You only live once."
#YOLO
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Bam Margera Alarmed Loved One Saw Me with a Drink ... That's What Sent Me Back To Rehab
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Bam Margera says he was photographed with a drink in his hand at a Florida casino, and it was part of a domino effect that ended with cops giving him a ride to a rehab facility.
The "Jackass" star tells TMZ ... he had spent 140 days in a facility in Arizona for his manic bipolar disorder before being transferred to an outpatient facility in Florida.
Bam says he was taking daily outpatient classes in Florida, where he was staying with a friend and relative, and his wife and son were coming to visit him ... but when their flight was delayed, he started killing time at a casino.
BM says fans posted pictures of him with what appeared to be a drink in his hand, and he believes a panicked loved one saw the images and alerted law enforcement. That person also claimed Bam threatened to jump off a bridge ... something Bam says was a misunderstanding.
TMZ broke the story ... deputies responding to a call about an emotionally distressed person at the Don CeSar Resort Hotel in St. Pete Beach encountered Bam and gave him a ride to rehab in the back of a cop car. He was NOT arrested.
Bam says he's back in rehab for about 2 months ... and all he wants is to work on himself so he can see his son and get back to filming.
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Emily Ratajkowski Robin Thicke Groped My Breasts ... During 'Blurred Lines'
Emily Ratajkowski claims Robin Thicke grabbed her breasts during the filming of the "Blurred Lines" music video ... an allegation she's speaking about publicly for the first time in a new book.
According to the Sunday Times -- which says it obtained an early excerpt of Ratajkowski's "My Body" -- the supermodel claims it happened on set for the 2013 vid, which featured Ratajkowski topless through most of the video.
The model Emily Ratajkowski has alledged that Robin Thicke sexually assaulted her on the set of the music video for Blurred Lines back in 2013 https://t.co/UajGWB3izX
— The Sunday Times (@thesundaytimes) October 3, 2021 @thesundaytimes
Ratajkowski reportedly describes it like this ... "Suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt the coolness and foreignness of a stranger's hands cupping my bare breasts from behind. I instinctively moved away, looking back at Robin Thicke."
ER goes on to say that while she enjoyed most of the shoot, she claims Robin started to get out of hand, which made her think he was drunk.
When the alleged groping happened ... Emily says the video's director, Diane Martel, apparently shouted at him, asking him what the hell he was doing, if she was OK and wrapping production right then and there. Martel confirmed the account to the Times.
Ratajkowski says she felt shame wash over her and feels she didn't handle the alleged situation as well as she could have. Martel also says Robin apologized afterward, and speculated he wouldn't have done it if he was sober.
We've reached out to Thicke's reps for comment ... so far, no word back.
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Keyshia Cole's Mom Died from Multiple Drug Intoxication ... According to Coroner
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Keyshia Cole's biological mother, Frankie Lons, died of multiple drug intoxication ... her autopsy shows.
The Alameda County Coroner's Office tells TMZ ... Frankie's official cause of death was determined during her autopsy, which also revealed her manner of death as an accidental overdose.
As we reported ... she died on her birthday back in July after a several-decades-long battle with addiction. Frankie's brother, Sam, told us she overdosed at her Oakland home where she'd been partying for her birthday.
Sam had told us he checked in with her daily, trying to help her stay clean. Her battle was well documented ... and one Keyshia & co. shared publicly in recent years on TV, social media and other channels.
Frankie was regularly featured on Keyshia's BET reality show "Keyshia Cole: My New Life." The duo had many heart-to-heart moments ... and Keyshia was quite vocal about her mother's addiction struggles.
Keyshia was given up by Frankie and her biological father, Virgil Hunter, for adoption at a very young age. The singer was raised by family friends. Mother and daughter reunited when Keyshia was an adult ... and after she'd hit it big in music.
Frankie was 61.
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Jon Jones Posts Kissing Vid With Fiancée ... After Domestic Violence Arrest
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OCTOBER 2021
Jon Jones and his fiancée have seemingly kissed and made up following his domestic violence arrest -- the UFC star just posted a video of the couple sharing a smooch on Friday ... and if the video is recent, it's clear they're moving on from the incident.
Jones shared the romantic moment to his Instagram page minutes ago ... with the song, "Stay With You" by John Legend (which we've muted for copyright reasons) accompanying the video.
Jones and Jessie Moses appear deeply in love ... smiling for the camera after the kiss.
The song is pretty symbolic, too -- with the lyrics, "Oh, I will stay with you through the ups and the downs. Oh, I will stay with you when no one else is around."
As we previously reported, the UFC light heavyweight champ was arrested early last Friday morning for domestic violence and damaging a cop car ... after allegedly getting physical with his fiancée and then headbutting a squad car.
Jones -- who's facing a misdemeanor (domestic battery) and a felony (tampering w/ a vehicle over $5,000 damage) -- was taken to Clark County Jail.
Days after the arrest, Jones -- who has 3 children with his longtime fiancée -- declared on social media he was swearing off booze, writing ... "I have way too much trauma to consume alcohol, my brain simply can't handle it anymore."
Jon also vowed to come back bigger and better.
"Turn this nightmare into the best thing to ever happen in my life."
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Kodak Black Fails Drug Test ... Judge Orders Treatment for Violating Supervised Release
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Kodak Black's violated the terms of his supervised release in his federal gun case by failing a drug test ... and now we've learned the rapper was ordered to get treatment.
You may recall ... the rapper was sentenced to 46 months behind bars in the gun case in late 2019, but he was freed by Trump when his sentence was commuted back in January as part of the ex-President's flurry of pardons and commutations.
We're told Kodak's failed drug test resulted in a court hearing this week for violating the terms of his supervised release.
According to court records ... the judge ordered Kodak to complete a 90-day stint in a residential program due to the violation. Our sources say Kodak is already in the treatment program.
We reached out to Kodak's lawyer, Bradford Cohen ... who declined to comment.
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Britney Spears Conservatorship Psychiatrist Told Britney was Overmedicated ... Advocates for Her Freedom
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A renowned psychiatrist says he was asked earlier this year to determine if Britney Spears was overmedicated to the point she wasn't lucid ... and he makes an interesting case on how the conservatorship should end ... with one string attached.
Dr. Charles Sophy appeared on "TMZ Live" Tuesday and revealed around 8 or 10 months ago someone on Britney's team approached him to come and evaluate her medication.
Sophy says there was clearly a concern Britney was being excessively pumped full of drugs ... to the point she was not able to clearly speak for herself.
Sophy declined the invite ... because he didn't want to get involved in what he felt was a power struggle over the conservatorship. But, the good doc felt bad for Britney because he says IF she was in fact overmedicated it creates a vicious cycle she can't escape.
Dr. Sophy had an interesting idea ... end the conservatorship but attach one string -- that Britney must check in with the court from time to time to make sure she's taking her meds. Otherwise, she should be free to live her life on her own terms, without a conservatorship.
Jamie Spears and Britney's lawyer, Mathew Rosengart, have been going at it in legal docs, and Wednesday's hearing promises to be contentious.
Also, we'll be launching the first of many TMZ podcasts Wednesday after the hearing to go over what went down in court and what it means for the future.
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Ex-NBA's Chris Webber Opening a $50M Cannabis Facility ... In Detroit!!!
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Ex-NBA star Chris Webber is bringing more weed business to his hometown -- by opening a $50 million cannabis facility in Detroit.
Of course, Webber is already in the weed industry -- he launched a $100 million equity fund with JW Asset Management to help minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry earlier this year.
Now, he's taking it one step further and building Players Only Holdings -- a 180,000 square foot facility featuring a 60,000 square foot cultivation, a dispensary and a cannabis consumption lounge.
The $50 million dollar location -- that will be owned by Webber and Lavetta Willis -- will also be a training spot that will focus on cannabis cultivation, creative content and management, branding and real estate.
The awesome compound just broke ground on Tuesday and is expected to be finished in March 2022 ... with plans of expanding the cultivation by 80,000 square feet later on.
Webber's also expanding Cookies Campus -- his cannabis training program in California -- to the Motor City ... and the 5-time NBA All-Star is excited to bring this opportunity to his hometown.
"We will create, foster and provide a cannabis ecosystem that celebrates diversity, creates jobs, and benefits this community – focusing intensely on those who are being left behind," Webber said.
"As social equity programs struggle in many states, we are here to support legacy operators who created the foundation for this industry so that they are included in future iterations of it while we wait on the politics to catch up."
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Alex Volkanovski Celebrates UFC 266 Win At Raiders Game ... Chugs Champagne Out Of Shoe!!!
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Forget a bottle, get Alex Volkanovski a shoe ... 'cause that's what the UFC star was chuggin' champagne out of at the Raiders game, celebrating his win over Brian Ortega.
And, we got it all on video!
The 32-year-old Aussie fighter hit up the Dolphins vs. Raiders game on Sunday -- after his crazy unanimous decision victory the night before at UFC 266 -- and the football game was LIT!
Check out this clip ... you can clearly see AV enjoyin' himself in Allegiant Stadium's "Wynn Field Club," watching the game with his UFC belt and a crowd of people.
UFC champ Alexander Volkanovski at today’s Raiders game with his belt after winning last night here in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/csUgjrAHeQ
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) September 26, 2021 @AndySlater
That's when Alex really starts to party -- in the most Australian way -- by chuggin' some bubbly outta somebody's shoe!
And, get this, it wasn't Volkanovski's sneaker ... it was some dude's navy Vans.
One drink wasn't enough ... the champ yelled 'give me some more!' -- and promptly got a shoe refill.
FYI, there's a name for this sorta thing -- a "shoey" -- a popular way to drink beer in the Land Down Under. Alex subbed champagne for beer ... he was celebrating, after all.
Of course, Volkanovski wasn't the only one in Vegas who got a W -- the Raiders secured an overtime victory, and are 3-0.
Now, who's thirsty?!?
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Mama June Split with Geno Over Sobriety Issues ... Then He Spiraled
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Mama June broke up with her longtime boyfriend, Geno Doak, because she got sober and was over their former lifestyle, and he didn't deal with it well at all ... TMZ has learned.
According to sources close to the former couple ... June called it quits with Geno because they couldn't get on the same page when it came to sobriety -- she was clean, but he was drinking a lot.
Then she began seeing someone else. Our sources say Geno felt like June pulled the rug out from under him and took the breakup very hard. We're told he went to a dark place, which led to him being hospitalized earlier this month in Florida ... before heading to a rehab facility in South Carolina.
As we reported ... June revealed she was done with Geno in mid-August.
His current rehab stint is, obviously, a step in the right direction -- but Geno's legal issues aren't over.
He's still a wanted man in Alabama because the judge says he failed to comply with the terms of his sentencing in his crack cocaine case.
So, tough times for Geno right now.
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Shemar Moore Cameos as (Four) Framed Pictures .... In Woman's Viral Alize Post
Some folks can't get enough Shemar Moore -- even in 2021 -- and that goes for the younger generation too ... just ask this woman who's got the dude's shots hanging at her crib.
A gal named Aliyah Vallen has set the Internet ablaze after posting a photo of five Alize bottles sitting on a counter at her house -- of varying flavors -- and adding the caption, "THE ALIZE FREAK." As interesting as that title is ... it's not what people are noticing.
THE ALIZÉ FREAK 💁🏽♀️ pic.twitter.com/XHqZiggXLP
— brownin (@aliyahvallen) September 25, 2021 @aliyahvallen
Check the background -- there are a couple framed photographs of Shemar in his prime hanging on the wall. Super caj too -- as if they were family portraits or something. So many questions and theories ... the biggest being, this has to be someone's auntie's place, because no one younger than 35 really knows the dude beyond 'Criminal Minds'/'SWAT' fame.
Well, that turned out to be false -- because Ms. Vallen appears to be a bona fide millennial (or even a Gen Z'er) ... who apparently REALLY appreciates Shemar's early work as a model. Also ... she revealed the truth about how many photos she has of him ... it's 4.
theres actually 4 pics of him https://t.co/JATaALF2pj pic.twitter.com/h0BEObmrYx
— brownin (@aliyahvallen) September 25, 2021 @aliyahvallen
Her explanation for the Shemar shrine pretty much boils down to ... she just likes him, and she thinks the pics themselves are funny --- plus, they might make for some good conversation pieces as decor.
And, for those who are "concerned" about her decorative taste, Aliyah has a simple response ... "don't be. it's not your house." Well said -- how she chooses to style her pad is no one else's business but hers.
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Now, it doesn't look like SM himself has taken notice of the viral name-drop yet -- he's a little busy down in Mexico, it seems ... plugging a new season of 'SWAT' while he's at it. But, something tells us if/when he catches wind of this, it'll make him feel pretty darn good.
Ladies and gents continue to be in awe of his killer good looks ... like fine wine, as they say.
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Kate Quigley Shouts Out Fuquan Johnson ... After Overdose Incident
Kate Quigley is singling out one of her friends who died in a 4-person overdose incident earlier this month -- and that'd be Fuquan Johnson ... whom she says left an impression.
The comedian posted a photo of her and FJ together, with a lengthy caption that touched on why she hadn't highlighted him before ... and why she's doing it now. Essentially, it boils down to time and processing what happened -- but now she's ready to speak.
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She writes, in part ... "I took a lot of heat for not saying something about Fu right away. It's bc idk ... I was really trying to stay alive for days, and I'm still processing fully what happened." Kate also says she didn't want to shout him out specifically -- seeing how 3 people died ... but notes, he was, in fact, special to her.
KQ also has this to say on the question of the drugs being used that night ... "I can't comment on who supplied what. The truth is it doesn't really matter. If you do any illegal drugs, you're basically signing a contract that says, 'I accept that I might die sooner than I would like.' We all know that. I'm not posting to talk about details of what occurred."
Kate finishes by recapping what she'll remember about Fuquan -- namely, that he was as honest and unflinchingly himself ... just like her.
She writes, "I think about him every day, and I'm heartbroken he's gone. But I know without a shadow of a doubt that he has been watching over me every time I get down. I feel him." Kate adds, "And I know he would support me however I had to deal with this, just as I would if only he had survived."
TMZ broke the story ... Kate was the only survivor from the overdose incident, and has since been released from the hospital. She's been spotted out in Venice, carrying on with her life.
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Rudy Gobert Unfazed By NBA's 'Random' Drug Tests ... I'm All-Natural!!!
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Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert says the NBA can come knocking on his door any time it wants ... telling TMZ Sports he ain't scared of the league's "random" drug tests!!
Of course, it's become quite the trend in the Association -- you post a jacked pic on Instagram, you get "randomly" hit up for a test.
Just ask Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox, who posted a shirtless pic showing off his buff bod in the gym earlier this month ... and then got contacted the very next day.
De’Aaron Fox posted this yesterday and got that drug test text ASAP 🤣 pic.twitter.com/vnpXoGNmkn
— Overtime (@overtime) September 7, 2021 @overtime
Before that, then-Lakers player Alex Caruso was "randomly" selected to test just one week after a photoshopped pic of him looking like the Hulk went viral on social media.
Are ya starting to see the trend here??
They hit Caruso with a drug test 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/5OvV84S1Hh
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) September 3, 2019 @TheNBACentral
Gobert could be the next guy to fall victim to the NBA's far-from-sneaky ways ... 'cause the 3-time defensive player of the year posted a snap looking absolutely shredded on social media earlier this week ... so when we saw him out at LAX, we had to ask if he was worried.
"No, I'm not worried," Gobert told us. "I'm all clean, all organic, all-natural, all work."
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Now, there's a chance the NBA could see this post and decide to hit Rudy with a "random" test of his own ... and if that happens, we sincerely apologize.