ESPN

12:38 PM PT -- ESPN issued a statement ... saying, "LaVar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that."

LaVar Ball is adamant the comments he made on-air to ESPN's Molly Qerim on Monday were not intended to be "sexual in nature" ... despite the way it sounded on live TV.

The head of the Big Baller Brand appeared on "First Take" to discuss the blockbuster trade that sent his son, Lonzo Ball, from the L.A. Lakers to the New Orleans Pelicans ... when things went off the rails.

When Molly asked LaVar if she could "switch gears" and pivot to another topic, LaVar responded, "You can switch gears with me anytime."

Several people condemned the comments, including ex-ESPN star Jemele Hill ... saying, "Kudos to Molly [Qerim] for the professional way she handled LaVar Ball after his inappropriate comment. Maybe ESPN will have finally learned its lesson about putting him on TV."

Now, LaVar's rep, Denise White, is issuing a statement from the BBB camp ... saying, "[LaVar] was asked if he wanted to switch gears, in his mind switching gears was 'changing the subject anytime' and he said, 'yes, you can switch gears with me anytime.' At NO time was that intended or meant to be sexual in nature."

This isn't the first time LaVar has been under fire for comments he made on-air to a woman -- back in 2017, he told FS1's Kristine Leahy to "stay in your lane" after she questioned him about his parenting style.

Charles Barkley WENT OFF on Jussie Smollett on "Inside the NBA" on Thursday -- saying if the actor really wanted to be a hate crime victim, he shoulda just gone to Liam Neeson's neighborhood.

It's just one of SEVERAL shots Barkley took at the "Empire" actor during the show -- but it was definitely the strongest.

Remember, Liam Neeson recently revealed that he once grabbed a weapon and went hunting for a "black bastard" in Northern Ireland after a friend of his claimed she was raped by a black man.

People RIPPED Neeson for the comments -- because it's racist as hell -- but now he's become the punchline for Barkley's Jussie Smollett jokes.

"Jussie ... you wasted all that damn time and money! You know what you shoulda did? Just went out into Liam Neeson's neighborhood! Coulda solved all your damn problems."

The guys also aired a fake $3,500 check -- like the one Jussie supposedly gave to two brothers to beat him up. Barkley laughed wildly while that one aired.

There's more ... Charles addressed the viewers:

"America, let me just tell you something. Do not commit crimes with checks! If you're gonna break the law, do not write a check! Get cash man!!

That's when Shaq finally stepped in and told Barkley to shut it down.

Ex-Miami Marlins president David Samson egged on hecklers at a party this weekend ... flipping off the crowd, bragging about his team's sale and then screaming, "F*ck you!!!"

It all went down at ESPN personality, Dan Le Batard's birthday party in Miami ... where Samson -- one of the biggest sports villains in the city -- got up onstage for a speech.

The dude -- who many blame for making the Marlins a mess and forcing city's taxpayers to foot the bill for their new stadium -- was boo'd relentlessly before he could even open his mouth.

Samson's message to his haters??

"Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Here's why I love when you guys boo me. Right? I want you guys to keep booing me. Because guess what? $1.2 BILLION! F*ck you!!!!"

Of course, Samson's reference represents the amount of cash he and former owner Jeffrey Loria were able to sell the Marlins for, to Derek Jeter last year.

For their part ... both Samson and Le Batard say the whole thing was a joke, with Samson writing on Twitter, "Actually,not at all how it happened. All on tape and all in good fun. And, all for Lebatard’s birthday. No bragging, no fleecing."

Added Le Batard, "These bleeping fun suckers. Samson was playing the heel wrestling manager. No one would seriously wear that jacket. I was booing Samson before taking the mic from him. You don’t get the show."

Don't worry, Stephen A. Smith ... your colleagues got your back!

The ESPN star went viral on Thursday because of his DISASTROUS pregame analysis of the Chargers game ... which included a bunch of guys who weren't even playing.

It was a mess ... and HILARIOUS!

He mentioned Hunter Henry as a key player while noting the way he's played this year. The problem? Hunter's been out all season with a torn ACL.

Stephen also mentioned Derrick Johnson as a player to watch for the Chiefs -- despite the fact he hasn't been on the roster since 2017. Good times!

So, when we saw ESPN's Cari Champion at LAX, we had to ask ... WHAT HAPPENED?!

"Stephen A. is a very smart man. He has a lot going on and he is extremely smart," Champion said.

"I think Stephen A. has a lot to do ... a lot on his plate ... he knew exactly what he was talking about ... we all make mistakes."

She added, "[You] try doing live television 20,000 hours a day!"

For his part, Stephen A. called the situation a "brain-lock moment" and clowned himself on Twitter.

"It’s called a MISTAKE because I was think of Virgil Green, but mentioned Hunter because I was multi-tasking. That’s what happens when you’re doing a thousand things."

"But I don’t blame you if you told me to 'Stay Off The Weeeeeeedddddddd.!' That was a brain-lock moment."

Kareem Hunt's immediate release from the Kansas City Chiefs is the team's way of sending a STRONG message to all players ... according to ESPN's Cari Champion.

Cari was at the Ebony Power 100 event in Bev Hills Friday night, very shortly after the Chiefs reacted to the video TMZ Sports published ... showing Hunt shove, kick and throw a woman to the ground during a February incident in Cleveland.

She says the video forced the team's hand and they were "sending a message ... they're saying what's important to them and what they stand for."

The NFL has Hunt on its "exempt list" currently -- meaning he can't practice or play in a game right now, but he has not been banned or suspended. Point is ... he could land on another team eventually.

Cari believes everyone, even Hunt, deserves a second chance -- however, she said he needs to "start looking at the man in the mirror. You gotta do a Michael Jackson."

LSU has been trying like hell to stop the student section from chanting, "Suck that Tiger d**k, b*tch" during football games ... but LSU legend Marcus Spears says it just ain't gonna happen.

A little background ... whenever the LSU marching band plays Cameo's 1984 hit, "Talkin' Out The Side Of Your Neck," the student section shouts out the explicit alternate lyrics instead.

The school has made a concentrated effort to phase out the dirty chant -- but it hasn't worked. Here's video of the kids in Baton Rouge busting out the song as Joe Burrow and co. thumped Georgia in the real Death Valley last Saturday. You can even hear it during live TV broadcasts. It's crazy.

Enter Spears -- who won a National Championship playing for the Tigers in 2003 and was a consensus All-American defensive end in 2004. He now works for ESPN and agrees the chant is pretty bad.

"It's terrible, man. It's terrible."

But, Spears says the students love it and it fires up the players -- so, he doesn't really want to see it go either.

"It's a legitimate gripe, but at the same time, it's a part of the atmosphere. It's a part of the gameday thing."

"If you could somehow convince [the students] to clean it up, that would be great. But, we know what Neck is about, Neck is about getting the team motivated."

Did you know ... ESPN's Lee Corso was Burt Reynolds' college roommate back in the day?

It's true -- the two lived together at Florida State when Burt was a member of the Seminoles football team. And, according to Lee, Burt would often help him out with the ladies!

Lee used to tell the story when talking to college athletes back in the day -- and recounted it at a football event back in 2007.

"We would send him out for bait," Corso said ... "He would go to the student union and bring two girls back. One was gorgeous and the other one was ugly."

"He always took the beautiful girl ... and gave me the ugly one."

"But, you know what I found out early? Burt Reynolds' ugly girlfriends were better than anything I could get on my own."

The NFL Network has reached a settlement with the former wardrobe stylist who claimed she was sexually harassed by several high profile network stars including Marshall Faulk.

As we previously reported, Jami Cantor sued the network in 2017 claiming she was "subjected to ongoing and continuing sexual harassment by current and former on-air talent."

Among those mentioned in her suit ... Faulk, Warren Sapp, Ike Taylor, Donovan McNabb, Heath Evans and Eric Davis.

The allegations were graphic -- Cantor claimed Faulk pulled out his genitals in front of her and asked invasive questions. She claimed some of the other men sent her sexually explicit text messages and penis pics.

In her suit, Cantor claims she complained to NFL Network execs but nothing was ever done. Instead, Cantor claims she was fired in 2016 and replaced with a much younger woman.

The network suspended Faulk, Taylor and Evans in wake of the lawsuit ... and McNabb and Davis were fired from their gigs with ESPN.

NFL Network had previously filed legal docs denying wrongdoing and suggesting Cantor consented to the misconduct ... but now, new court docs show NFL Network reached a settlement deal with Cantor and the case will be dropped.

Donald Trump is taking his beef with ESPN to the masses -- he's launched a petition to try and get the "spineless" network to play the national anthem during the "Monday Night Football" broadcast.

ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro had said last week that "We generally have not broadcasted the anthem and I don't think that will change this year."

Trump was PISSED and sent an email to his supporters announcing that he's started a petition to get "The Star-Spangled Banner" on TV.

"Just after we heard a sitting governor trash America, ESPN has now decided it will no longer play the National Anthem before Monday Night Football," the email from Trump said. The governor referred to is NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo ... who made headlines last week for saying America "was never that great."

Trump's email continues ... "If 'America' is too offensive for anyone in our country, then what are they doing in America?"

"I’m calling on you to join me in denouncing this SPINELESS surrender to the politically correct liberal mob. I was the first person to sign this petition. Now I need you to follow my lead and be the second."

Trump began railing against ESPN at Tuesday's rally in West Virginia -- where he told the crowd, "It was just announced by ESPN that rather than defending our anthem, our beautiful, beautiful national anthem and defending our flag, they just won't broadcast when they play the national anthem."

"We don't like that," Trump added.

"So, while the players are kneeling, some of them not all of them at all, you're all proudly standing for our national anthem."

Trevor Bauer is much less pissed off at ESPN today ... 'cause it turns out the company DIDN'T actually air a tweet that he says made him look like a "lunatic" after all.

ICYMI ... the Indians superstar is famous for being a baseball brainiac -- and when he broke his leg last week, a reporter had some fun at Trevor's expense with the diagnosis news.

"Trevor Bauer says that the doctors' timeline for his return is based on outdated mainstream medicine and he's begun a course of blood transfusions and colloidal silver to rid his body of CIA nanites," Ringer staff writer Michael Baumann tweeted.

"He anticipates missing two starts, three tops."

Bauer initially found the tweet hilarious ... but when he believed MLB Network and ESPN ran with the tweet as fact -- he was not happy.

"Presenting it as fact on tv, thus painting me as some lunatic that’s off his rocker, is not ok at all," Bauer tweeted.

He continued in another tweet: "Hey @MLBNetwork and @espn I would like public statements on social media and on your networks clarifying that the information you wrongly reported as fact earlier regarding my recovery timetable and process is false and not a quote from me. The report is damaging and absurd."

Turns out ... ESPN didn't actually run the tweet -- which caused Trevor to issue a 35-second apology video Monday evening.

"It appears the information I was given and what I believed to have seen was wrong, and ESPN never aired the fake tweet."

The President of ESPN says the network will NOT air the national anthem -- and the drama that goes along with it -- during the 2018 season of "Monday Night Football."

"We generally have not broadcasted the anthem and I don't think that will change this year," ESPN prez Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement reported by Axios' Sara Fischer.

"Our plan going into this year is to not broadcast the anthem. Again that could change. It's unpredictable what could happen in the world but as of now, we're not."

Obviously, the anthem has become a hot button issue -- with player demonstrations becoming such a big issue, everyone from team owners to the President of the United States have weighed in.

Ex-NFL quarterback Christian Ponder and his wife, ESPN host Samantha Ponder, say their newborn is home and recovering after undergoing emergency surgery just days after she was born.

Sam -- who hosts ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" -- said their daughter, Price, "ended up in emergency surgery in the middle of the night" after a series of "terrifying and sudden events."

"We were short on time and frankly, in shock," Ponder wrote on social media.

Ponder didn't specify the details surrounding the medical emergency -- but says the surgery was a success and now Price is at home and recovering.

"Her recovery in the #NICU was nothing short of miraculous for a tiny body that had just undergone such trauma."

The 26th annual ESPYs brought the feels early with an intense recap of the year's most exciting and touching sports moments ... then Danica Patrick lightened the mood.

Danica -- the show's first ever female host -- came out hard with jokes ... about Cleveland sports, J.R. Smith's Finals blunder, LeBron's hair, Ben Simmons joining the Kardashians -- and even the National Anthem controversy.

As you can see, some went over better than others.

Then it was on to the awards, with Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell kicking things off with an ESPY win for Best Breakthrough Athlete. Other winners included the U.S. Women's Hockey Team for Best Game, Baker Mayfield for Best College Athlete, and Nick Foles for Best Championship Performance.

Chloe Kim took home the ESPY for Best Female Athlete, Alex Ovechkin nabbed Best Male ... and the Houston Astros won Best Team.

The evening also included powerful tributes to Bills QB legend Jim Kelly, who received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, Best Coach going to the 3 coaches killed in the Parkland shooting ... and the sister survivors of sexual abuse by Larry Nassar being honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

Game respects game ... 'cause Sports Illustrated smokeshow Samantha Hoopes says Saquon Barkley's naked pics are so good, he OWES IT TO THE WORLD to keep modeling!!!

You gotta watch the video ... Samantha's reaction to Saquon's nude pics in ESPN's Body Issue is real, and she's legit impressed!!!

"I do think that you're kind of limiting yourself with a body like that if you don't model," Hoopes says about the 21-year-old NY Giants running back.

"You know, 'cause we all work out to look like that and so if you've already got it, you might as well flaunt it. Right?!"

Samantha knows a little something about the modeling game ... she's posed for Guess, Levi's and has become a fan favorite in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

There's more ... the 27-year-old blonde also weighs in on Gisele's recent comments about it being tougher for models to make it big these days thanks to social media.

Saquon Barkley is gonna put his big, round, sweaty, naked ... THIGHS ... on his wall -- 'cause the NY Giants star tells TMZ Sports he's framing his ESPN Body Issue pics!!

And ... can ya blame him??

The 6-foot, 233-pound running back showed off his oily, clothesless body for the mag's annual nude edition ... and we gotta say -- he killed it.

As for how he got that jacked body ... Barkley told us at CC Sabathia's charity softball game at Yankee Stadium ... it's sometimes fueled by spicy chicken sandwiches, french fries and strawberry milkshakes.

Dude says he doesn't even consider that a "cheat meal" too!!

Meek Mill is back behind bars ... is what the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania would have you thinking if you eyed its online records. He's not locked up, and there's actually some good news for Meek.

An alert went out early Thursday morning to people signed up for VINELink, an inmate notification system. It said Robert Rihmeek Williams was in Chester State Prison as of 4 AM.

We double checked the inmate records at the facility, and sure enough ... it still shows Meek is there, and the reason is kinda funny. The PA Dept. of Corrections tells TMZ ... this is all about getting Meek paid!

We're told the "full release process includes the processing of Mill's final paycheck." Meek's name will remain in the system until he gets that check. VINELink alerting his name appears to be an electronic error.

As for that final check ... we're told Meek's got $15.12 coming to him, plus $644.90 that was deposited in his inmate account by family and friends. Total windfall ... if he wasn't already a super-rich and successful rapper.

If ya needed more proof Meek's still free -- he was on ESPN Thursday morning with Stephen A. Smith. Oddly, they did NOT discuss his pending payday.