The Ohio H.S. basketball player who had her hair pulled and hit her head during a game suffered a severe concussion and may not step on the court again ... this according to the player's dad.
As we previously reported ... the incident went down during the first quarter of the Bellevue and Norwalk basketball game on Saturday ... when a Lady Red senior guard grabbed and pulled her defender's hair after attempting a 3-pointer.
The Bellevue player was not called for a foul during the game ... but was later suspended one game for her actions.
Now, the Norwalk player's dad is speaking out on the incident ... saying his daughter is still recovering with a severe concussion and needs a brain scan to make sure there isn't any internal bleeding. He claims his daughter is experiencing neck pain, a headache and blurred vision.
The father makes it clear the player and her family have reached out and apologized for the incident, and have plans to meet face-to-face.
The dad says his daughter -- despite her condition -- does not want the Bellevue player's career ruined because of the hair-pulling ... as she has committed to play Div. 1 ball at Kent State next season.
The player released a statement of her own on Twitter, saying "My intentions were never to hurt anyone."
"I know it's brought a lot of negative attention to our area and the game I love. I will learn from this and become a better person because of it."
Big Wave pro-Alex Botelho was hospitalized after suffering a serious accident in a surfing tournament ... and the video of the crash is absolutely wild.
The 29-year-old Portuguese surfer was participating in the Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge when he had a scary wipeout and had to be saved by a Jetski pilot.
The situation got much worse when a massive whitewater wave rushed towards them and knocked the 2 people off the Jetski.
But, then things took an even worse turn when another wave came through and sent them flying through the air.
Botelho appeared to be unconscious by the time he washed to shore ... with emergency rescuers sprinting into the water to help out.
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The surfer was taken to a nearby hospital where he's currently recovering ... and thankfully, the World Surf League says he's stable and conscious.
"A heartfelt thank you to the safety and medical teams for their quick response. We are wishing Alex a full and speedy recovery," the league said in a statement.
2:58 PM PT -- Bellevue's superintendent says the player who pulled her defender's hair has been disciplined ... but did not elaborate on the punishment.
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The OHSAA previously told TMZ Sports the org. was waiting to see how both schools handled the incident before getting involved.
A disgusting play went down during a girls H.S. basketball game in Ohio over the weekend ... when a player violently grabbed her opponent's hair and dropped her to the ground -- and it was all captured on video.
The incident went down during the first quarter on Saturday night ... when the Bellevue H.S. Lady Red faced off against the Norwalk H.S. Lady Truckers.
In the clip, the Bellevue senior guard -- a Kent State University commit -- is seen attempting a 3-point shot and immediately reaching for her defender's hair and pulling down.
The defender appears to hit her head HARD on the court ... but somehow, the player wasn't called for a foul.
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The defender did not return to the game ... and family members tell WTOL 11 she is still recovering from the incident.
A rep for Bellevue released a statement on Sunday, saying, "We are aware of the incident and working to gather all the information before determining how we will proceed."
We've reached out to the player's family and the Ohio High School Athletic Association for comment ... so far, no word back.
Justin Bieber went to a dark place as he grew dependent on drugs and dealt with various health issues, but he's committed to getting better and brightening up his days ahead ... he says so himself.
Justin opened up about his long run of health struggles -- both physically and mentally -- on the latest episode of his YouTube 'Seasons' docuseries titled, "The Dark Season." He says it culminated in a series of tests last year that finally revealed the problem -- Lyme disease.
Bieber, who's undergoing a round of NAD IV therapy in the video, explains how the diagnosis helped him finally make sense of why he was feeling so terrible ... and what he can do to handle it going forward.
A couple of Justin's doctors, along with his wife, Hailey, also talk about how the discovery of his Lyme disease and chronic mono has been life-changing ... for the better.
Bieber's now laser-focused on improving his health, and not just for himself. He says ... "Being the best me is gonna help me be the best husband, the best father, the best friend that I can possibly be. And, for all the fans that want to enjoy the music that I make. I can't do it if I'm not healthy."
As we reported ... Justin's been feeling good recently -- he celebrated a gig on 'SNL' and kept the fun going by playing hockey with some friends. That's gotta be good for his health.
6:22 PM PT -- Genea just shared an update from her hospital bed, saying her jaw is wired shut after a successful surgery.
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A stripper in Texas proved she's got nerves of steel and fantastic muscle memory ... hopping right back into a twerking routine after taking a 15-foot fall off a pole.
The gal's name is Genea Sky, and she seriously injured herself this weekend at a gentlemen's club in the Lone Star State -- where she was performing onstage and hiked up a super tall pole that some people say reached the two-story mark ... only to go tumbling down.
Genea ends up falling on her face from that high up, but what's even crazier ... she almost immediately bounces right back up and starts twerking from all fours. What a pro!!!
In all seriousness, though, it was a nasty fall. And, it sounds like the dancer took some lumps as a result -- Genea later took to social media to announce she'd fractured her jaw, cracked some of her teeth, sprained her ankle ... and needed stitches, plus surgery.
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Now, a ton of people have made jokes about the video -- which as since gone viral. Even 50 Cent has weighed in, jokingly saying she must've died and that the nerves are what made her shake afterward. That said, Genea notes there's nothing funny about her predicament.
In fact, one of her good friends even went so far as to create a GoFundMe for Genea to help cover her medical expenses. So far, it's already racked up over $13k out of a $20k goal.
No word on where exactly this took place, but one thing you gotta wonder about in this case ... is she eligible for worker's comp? Do strip clubs have medical?? Hmmm ... 🤔
2:43 PM PT -- A rep for State Farm tells TMZ that Shannen's latest motion "once again distorts the facts. Rather than try this smoke damage case in the media, we will do so in a court of law."
Shannen Dohertyclaims State Farm is engaging in a smear campaign against her, and exhibit A is a cheap shot it took about her tobacco use ... which she calls way over the line.
The former '90210' star filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, claiming State Farm is invading her privacy and making false claims about her smoking habits. As a result she wants a judge to punish the insurance giant with crippling sanctions.
Shannen says State Farm got it totally wrong when it claimed, in docs, she was smoking cigarettes up until March 2019. Total BS, according to Shannen, who says she kicked the habit back in 2015 ... after her original breast cancer diagnosis.
Of course, her recent stage 4 cancer diagnosis is at the center of her legal beef with State Farm. They're haggling over her home repair costs following the devastating California wildfires.
In the docs, Shannen says it's utterly ridiculous State Farm is attempting to smear her image by raising her tobacco use in the lawsuit.
What's more, Shannen's also pissed her insurer included her medical records and street address in other legal filings -- 2 things she's worked hard to shield from the public.
Shaun Weiss -- best known for playing Goldberg in "The Mighty Ducks" films -- has reached the point of grave concern ... and desperately needs help before it's too late.
Sources close to the troubled 41-year-old actor tell TMZ ... he's currently living on the street and dealing with several life-threatening problems, including diabetes, mental illness and drug addiction.
We're told friends of Shaun's have been trying to get him into various rehab facilities for years now, but it's been difficult due to long wait lists ... along with his inability to stay out of trouble.
Our sources say things have gotten so bad for Weiss that he's basically in survival mode right now ... which is why he resorts to trying to steal stuff.
We're told anytime he manages to get his hands on some clothing or money, he gets attacked by other homeless people and robbed. Even worse, a friend bought him a van to live in ... and it was allegedly set on fire.
Those close to Shaun say he's in dire need of detox, rehab and medical aid including dental work ... because he's lost most of his teeth, which makes it difficult to eat.
It's sad stuff for sure, and our sources say even his own sister has been unable to help. We're told she agreed to take Shaun in at her Northern California home a few weeks ago but kicked him out a few days ago due to his behavior.
He was arrested for residential burglary and being under the influence of methamphetamine shortly afterward.
Dr. Oz isn't panicking yet about the deadly coronavirus arriving in America ... but he says there is something very concerning about it that could become a big problem.
The doctor was outside NBC's 30 Rock Monday when he dropped some knowledge about the coronavirus -- which has now killed 80 people in China and infected roughly 3,000 more, including 5 confirmed U.S. cases in the U.S.
So, first the good news -- Oz tells us the actual virus "doesn't seem to be as deadly as we fear." Awesome, right? Well, hang on ... 'cause he also said it gets into the lungs and isn't easy to get rid of, but that's not even the worst of it.
He let us in on the real reason to fear coronavirus, and it's all about how and WHEN it spreads. Let's just say it's near impossible to detect the danger ... which could lead to a bigger outbreak in America, as well.
As for the virus' name conjuring up thoughts of cervezas? Dr. Oz explains how scientists came up with the beer-like name. No, they weren't boozing, but it's definitely unfortunate for the makers of Corona.
R. Kellymissed a court date this week, but had a pretty good excuse -- going under the knife ... in an operating room, not his jail cell.
Sources close to Kelly tell TMZ ... the singer was briefly taken outta MCC Chicago, and transported to a hospital earlier this week where doctors performed emergency surgery to repair a hernia. We're told he was transported back to the big house after the procedure.
We don't know how long of a hospital stay he had, but he was back in his jail cell by Thursday evening. We're told he wasn't allowed to have any visitors at the hospital.
Seems the hernia's been plaguing Kelly for a while. His lawyer filed docs back in September, outlining several medical issues facing Kelly ... including anxiety, numbness in one of his hands and the then-untreated hernia.
The Chicago Sun-Timesreports Kelly is getting pain meds now, and aside from missing the court date this week -- he's also MIA from jailhouse basketball games while he's recovering.
Kristin Chenoweth is terrified over the spread of the deadly coronavirus ... and she's doing everything she can to stay safe while traveling.
We got Kristin at LAX Thursday and asked if she's scared to fly now that the outbreak is spreading from its epicenter in China to our borders.
As you know ... coronavirus started in Wuhan, China and the United States just got its first confirmed case. As if the world weren't scary enough right now.
Kristin came prepared for the worst ... because she busted out a face mask, and even handed an extra one to our camera guy. Good looking out!!!
The Emmy and Tony award winner is on her way to Key West for her Saturday tour stop and says she can't take any chances because she's gotta sing. Oh, and Kristin just got over a bout with the flu.
It's pretty alarming ... Kristin has a hunch that masks could become commonplace in the U.S.
On a lighter note ... there's one corona Kristin wants to taste.
'Bachelorette' contestant Tyler Gwozdz -- who competed for Hannah Brown -- was hospitalized for at least a week following a suspected overdose ... TMZ has learned.
According to Boca Raton PD, officers and paramedics rushed to a home on Monday, January 13 ... responding to a 911 call for a possible drug overdose. They ended up transporting Tyler to a hospital where he was admitted to the ICU.
We know Tyler remained in the hospital for a week and was listed in critical but stable condition. Come Tuesday, he was no longer a current patient in their system.
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Scary moment for tennis superstar Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open ... he hit a return shot right off a ball girl's face ... but he made up for it by kissing her owie!!
Rafa was in the middle of his 2nd round match with Federico Delbonis on Thursday, when he ripped a vicious return shot that ended up missing his target and going wide.
The shot hit the ball girl that was standing near the umpire's chair ... and Nadal rushed over to make sure she was okay.
After exchanging a few words, Nadal gave her an apology kiss on the cheek before returning to the match.
Baker Mayfield can finally relax ... Odell Beckham's core muscle injury that kicked off a rift between the Browns QB and the team's training staff has finally been fixed!!!
Remember, Bake went after Cleveland's trainers following a game earlier this season when he said they weren't handling an Odell core muscle injury properly.
"I would say that it was not handled right," Baker said. "He is not able to run as well as he should be able to as well as he knows ... It was not handled the right way in our training room."
Baker later had to apologize for those statements, saying, "My intentions were not to throw our medical staff under the bus. No, I don’t know all the facts about Odell’s injury."
"It was emotionally answered because I can sense his frustration and I care about my team and putting us in the best position to win."
But, good news for all involved ... the Cleveland Browns said in a statement Tuesday the issue has been resolved once and for all!
"Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair a core muscle injury," the team said in a statement.
"The surgery was performed by Dr. Bill Meyers in Philadelphia, and a full recovery is expected."
It's unclear how much offseason work OBJ will miss because of the injury ... but everyone in Cleveland is hoping it'll help him improve on a year in which he only scored 4 TDs in 16 games.
Roger Goodell, listen up ... Rams star left tackle Andrew Whitworth says he HATES extra points -- and wants them banned from the league ASAP!!!
We got the 4-time Pro Bowler leaving Craig's in L.A. this week ... when we got into a conversation with the big man about the XFL's new rules.
That's when Whitworth told us he loves the league's idea of getting rid of field goal attempts for a point after touchdown tries ... saying they straight-up hurt his body!!!
"I get tired of getting ran into," Andrew says. "I don't need an extra opportunity to get hit."
Of course, as an O-lineman, it's Whitworth's job to protect the kicker ... which means he's got to throw his body in the way of pass-rushing defenders EVERY TIME the Rams go for an extra point!!!
Yeah, ouch.
We also talked to Whitworth about his future now that he's headed into free agency this offseason ... and he told us he'd LOVE to re-sign with the Rams in 2020.
Today's lesson ... when you dislocate your finger, SNAP IT BACK IN PLACE AND BALL OUT!
The strategy worked, judging by our conversation with Philadelphia 76ers partner Michael Rubin, who raved about his star player's toughness after the freak injury.
As we previously reported, Embiid busted his digit during Monday night's game against the OKC Thunder, but taped it up and went back in the game ... and led the 76ers to a big-time win!
"He was a warrior," Rubin said ... "That was one of the ugliest things I've ever seen!"
"It just shows how tough and aggressive he is and how badly he wants to win."
Embiid has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Boston Celtics -- and he's following up with a specialist. Rubin wouldn't elaborate on the injury, but 76ers fans are obviously concerned.
There's more ... Rubin says he's been talking with Ben Simmons about the fires in Australia -- and his star player inspired him to open up his wallet and donate to the relief efforts.
3:50 PM PT -- Hailey Bieber just chimed in too ... revealing GiGi, Bella and Yolanda Hadid played a big role in helping Justin understand Lyme and how to fight it. Yolanda, Bella and her brother Anwar all have the disease.
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As for the bullies coming after Justin, Hailey says, "Please do your research and listen to the stories of people who have suffered with it for years. Making fun of and belittling a disease you don't understand is never the way, all it takes is educating yourself."
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12:37 PM PT -- Justin just reacted to our story, opening up about his Lyme diagnosis and sharing he's also suffering from a serious case of chronic mono ... which he says affected his skin, brain function and overall health. The Biebs says he'll reveal more in his docuseries.
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11:49 AM PT -- Justin has a LOT planned for the new year ... he just announced on Instagram that once he wraps his tour in 2020, he and Hailey are gonna get to work on starting their family.
Justin Bieber will reveal in his documentary why so many people thought he was battling deep depression ... fact is, he was, but it was the result of contracting Lyme disease.
Sources who have seen the documentary -- which drops January 27 -- tell us Justin and others in his life discuss the scary symptoms he endured in 2019. He says during much of the year his condition went undiagnosed. Doctors struggled to figure out what was wrong with him, but couldn't put their finger on it until late last year.
You may recall this photo of Justin crying taken back in October. It's made clear in the documentary ... Justin was indeed batting extreme depression because he was suffering and no one knew what was wrong with him.
We're told no one knows how Justin contracted the disease, but it comes from a tick bite. Symptoms include rashes, headaches, fever and fatigue.
