TMZ Sports - Page 50

Joe Horn is facing 10 YEARS in prison after the ex-NFL star just pled guilty to scamming the NFL's retired player health care plan out of nearly $150,000.

The former New Orleans Saint was one of several ex-NFL players -- including Clinton Portis -- who was charged by federal prosecutors earlier this month with defrauding the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan.

Officials say Horn, along with 10 other ex-NFLers, sought reimbursements for things like expensive medical equipment and prescriptions that they never bought in the first place.

But, instead of fighting the case in court, 47-year-old Horn agreed to plead guilty on Thursday to one charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

According to court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, the charge carries a sentence of up to 10 YEARS behind bars ... as well as fine of up to $250,000 -- plus probation.

But, it seems Horn took the plea deal with the hopes a judge will take it easy on him at his sentencing hearing later next year.

As for the details of the plea agreement -- according to the docs, Horn admitted to submitting two false claims that totaled up to $149,775 ... and will have to pay that back.

Anthony Davis is NOT the kind of player you build a team around -- he's a #2 and will always be a #2 -- so says Charles Oakley.

The NY Knicks legend was out at Parish In NYC on Thursday when we asked if the Knicks should make a run at The Brow when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

Oak scoffed ... saying AD has no reason to L.A. because he's on a winning team with a true franchise player in LeBron James.

We asked if he thinks Davis will want to build his OWN team in another city after his time with the Lakers is up ... and that's when Oakley gave it to us straight.

"He ain't that type of player," Oakley said ... "He was in New Orleans and didn't do it. I don't know him personally but he ain't that guy."

"Whenever you go play with somebody else you ain't that guy, I don't care what you say."

Oakley noted there are only 3 or 4 guys in the league who are true franchise players -- in the sense you can build around them -- including LeBron, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard.

WHO'S A GOOD BOY?!?! YOU ARE!! YES, YOU ARE!!!

Check out this AMAZING video of a crazy athletic police dog JUMPING THROUGH A BROKEN GLASS WINDOW to apprehend a perp ... and man, wow.

Here's the deal ... cops in Fontana, CA were involved in a vehicular pursuit of a 31-year-old man suspected of stalking and attempting to injure his estranged wife.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the chase -- which eventually ended in Corona, CA ... where cops used a pit maneuver to stop the car.

A standoff ensues ... and this is where things got crazy!!!

Cops fired rubber bullets at the driver's side window -- and once they shattered the glass, SUPERDOG sprung into action ... flying through the glass and into the car to incapacitate the suspect.

The perp allegedly punched the dog, but the K9 wasn't fazed -- and cops were ultimately able to move in and take him into custody.

The suspect was hospitalized for minor injuries from a dog bite ... but hey, DON'T PUNCH DOGS!

We're trying to get info on the 4-legged hero ... stay tuned.

Chuck Liddell just got REAL fired up over that Serena Williams boxing video!!!

Not only does Chuck think Serena's a freak athlete with crazy potential (obviously), he thinks if she continues to train with Mike Tyson ... she could MURDER PEOPLE!!!

"Mike's a BAAAD man! Trust me! If she wants to fight and Mike teaches her? She'll be a BAAAD woman!"

Liddell notes that Serena has a long way to go -- "She looks like a girl who just learned how to punch" -- but if anyone has the ability to train up quick, it's her.

As for Mike, he's been working with a bunch of top athletes lately, giving pro tips to UFC stars like Francis Ngannou.

Tyson had previously said he intentionally stayed away from all things fighting because he doesn't want to turn into the animal he used to be back in his heyday ... but it seems obvious he's got a knack for coaching.

Steelers safety Kameron Kelly was arrested Friday ... after he allegedly made "terroristic threats" during an altercation at a Pittsburgh-area bar.

According to court documents obtained by KDKA, cops were called to Mario’s South Side Saloon after 23-year-old Kelly refused to leave the pub.

Police say Kelly was combative, and after they instructed him to leave the bar area ... he refused -- and still tried to make his way back in.

Cops also say Kelly had threatened a male bar staffer ... saying he would "knock out" the man.

Kelly was eventually arrested ... and according to court docs, he was hit with two misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and one misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.

The 6'2", 205-pound DB was slated for a preliminary arraignment hearing in an Allegheny County courtroom Friday.

Kelly has played in 14 games for the Steelers this season ... logging an interception and 21 tackles.

Julian Edelman says the New England Patriots are NOT cheaters ... calling the new Spygate II allegations "pretty much a joke."

"We haven't even thought about it, honestly," Edelman says. "We have been thinking about other things. It's funny, but it is what it is."

The Pats are being accused of cheating after one of their staffers was caught filming the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline just days before their matchup last weekend.

The video is pretty damning ... the staffer is clearly focused on the Bengals' bench and substitution packages -- and when he was caught by Cincy officials, he sure sounded guilty.

But, Edelman went on WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" this week and said he believes his team when it says the video package was all for a special show -- NOT to cheat.

"Do you think -- I don't know, it's ridiculous," Edelman says. "My focus is on the Buffalo Bills."

Edelman's comments come just a few days after Tom Brady downplayed the whole situation too ... with the G.O.A.T. saying the video situation is nothing more than a mere distraction.

"I don't think any player gave it one second of thought," TB12 said.

For the videographer's part, he said in a statement, "I had no intention to provide footage to football operations, I did not provide any footage, and I was never asked to do so."

This was no Mayweather vs. McGregor ...

UFC superstar Derrick Lewis told a boxer to PUT UP OR SHUT UP during an argument about MMA vs. boxing ... and the results did not go well for DL's opponent.

The 34-year-old heavyweight says he was working out in the gym on Wednesday, when the other man said, "He will knock me out because I’m a MMA fighter."

Lewis, not one for boring debates, told the guy to strap on the gloves and get in the ring ... and the rest -- well, just watch.

Lewis beats the guy up so badly, he almost punched him THROUGH THE ROPES!

Of course, Lewis -- aka "The Black Beast" -- is known as one of the toughest dudes in all of combat sports ... beating guys like Francis Ngannou, Alexander Volkov, Travis Browne and Roy Nelson.

Joe Burrow says he's absolutely floored by the nearly $500,000 worth of donations to his hometown food bank ... but tells TMZ Sports he's already thinking of other ways to help.

23-year-old Burrow delivered a powerful speech after winning the Heisman Trophy on Saturday ... bringing national attention to some very serious issues.

“Coming from Southeast Ohio it’s a very impoverished area and the poverty rate is almost two times the national average," Burrow said.

"There’s so many people there that don’t have a lot and I’m up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County that go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here too."

America was so inspired by Joe's words ... thousands of people donated more than $458k to the Athens County Food Pantry.

Fresh off winning the most desired award in college football, Burrow joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1) ... where he says he was shocked his words kick-started a half-million-dollar campaign.

"It's been crazy. I didn't expect that at all," Burrow said. "I was just speaking from the heart and just trying to bring attention to an area that kinda gets lost in the mud."

Chris Paul and his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates were on scene when a shooting went down at a local mall on Thursday ... but luckily, the whole team is safe.

Cops reported to the scene after a man allegedly fired several shots in the Penn Square Mall in OKC. According to police, one person is critically injured at this time.

The entire Thunder team was at the mall's movie theater enjoying a private screening of the new "Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker" movie when the shots were fired.

OKC team officials released a statement ... saying, "Thunder security was made aware immediately. The team was never in any danger and was safe during the entirety of the event."

Thunder star Steven Adams was photographed leaving the scene -- while holding a miniature R2-D2 figure.

Matt Barnes asked Dwyane Wade straight-up what it's like raising a gay son coming from a hyper-masculine NBA background ... and what D-Wade says is powerful stuff.

Dwyane and his wife, Gabrielle Union, have been publicly supportive of 12-year-old Zion (Wade's son from a previous relationship) over the past year ... even taking him to a Gay Pride Festival in Miami Beach last April.

So, when Wade appeared on Stephen Jackson and Barnes' "All The Smoke" podcast this week ... Matt asked Dwyane about his approach to parenting a gay son.

That's when Dwyane delivered a powerful message ... saying Zion essentially forced him to learn about accepting people for who they are.

"I had to look myself in the mirror when my son at the time was 3 years old and me and my wife started having conversations about us noticing that he wasn't on the boy vibe that Zaire [Wade's other son] was on," Wade said.

"And, I had to look myself in the mirror and say, 'What if your son come home and tell you he's gay? What are you going to do? How are you going to be? How are you going to act? It ain't about him. He knows who he is. It's about you. Who are you?'"

Wade says that conversation with himself wasn't easy ... the 37-year-old told Barnes and Jackson he grew up "ignorant" and had to lean on his wife to open his eyes.

"I grew up with the same perspective as a lot of these people out here that's a little ignorant. I grew up with a similar perspective," Wade says. "And, you meet people along the way that help you take those glasses off and put on some different ones. Look through life through a different lens. That's what my wife has been able to do. So, it's been cool."

Wade has been very vocal in defending his son and his family from critics ... and he tells Barnes and Jackson he feels a duty to be a voice for others who can't speak up the way he can.

"Everybody get used to it, man," Wade says. "This is the new normal. So if anybody different, we looked at as different. You know what I'm saying? The ones that don't understand it. The ones that don't get it. The ones that are stuck in a box. You're different. Not the people that are out here living their lives, man."

As for how his son is handling it all ... Wade said, "You want to talk about strength and courage? My 12-year-old has way more than I have."

Paulina Gretzky flew all the way to St. Barts to celebrate her birthday ... but don't fret -- Wayne's smokin' hot daughter packed the tiny bikini!!!

Dustin Johnson's baby mama just touched down in the Caribbean with the superstar golfer and some friends ... and it didn't take long for her to bring the birthday cakes to the ocean.

Paulina rocked an itty-bitty swimsuit and took an amazing photo ... and even Johnson himself had to gawk at the view, saying, "So beautiful!"

It's bday No. 31 for Paulina this year ... but she's partying like it's 21 all over again -- the Great One's daughter was seen tearing up a local nightclub Wednesday night!!

In fact, check out video of her getting some epic bottle service ... there's fire, Titanic music, a fake ship and booze -- it's amazing.

Of course, Paulina's been known to celebrate and party like a rockstar for big occasions ... remember when she smashed her "Bring It On!" cheerleader outfit for Halloween??

NFL rookie Devin White is doubling up as Santa off the field in Tampa Bay ... meeting up with kids for a night filled with pizza, bowling and toys at an awesome holiday party!!!

The 5th overall pick in the 2019 draft hosted 50 children from the local Boys & Girls Club for his first-ever Christmas Toy Giveaway with Strikes for Kids this week ... hanging out and showing off his bowling skills.

We're told the kids loved every second of it and were stoked to chill with the 21-year-old stud for an hour and a half.

The best part of the night came when White personally helped each kid pick out their own toy to take home ... and everyone in attendance was thrilled for something fun for the holidays.

White has been a beast when he's on the field this season ... and this makes it all even sweeter.

James Wiseman's NCAA career is officially over ... the Memphis superstar has left the school and will prepare for the NBA Draft.

It shouldn't come as a surprise considering the 18-year-old has been in a complicated battle with the NCAA when he was suspended earlier this season.

7'1" Wiseman was punished after the organization determined his family accepted $11,500 from now-coach Penny Hardaway in 2017.

FYI -- Hardaway was considered a Memphis booster due to a million-dollar donation he made to the school years before taking the coaching gig.

Wiseman was slapped with a 12-game suspension and was ordered to donate $11,500 back to charity in order to return to the court ... but has ultimately decided to leave school altogether and focus on his future.

Reporter Shams Charania broke the news ... saying Wiseman will hire an agent and prepare for the 2020 Draft. He's projected to be a Top-3 pick.

Wiseman addressed the suspension shortly after it was upheld, saying, "Sometimes bad things happen to good people. God has never left me nor forsaken me throughout this process!"

"God knows my destiny and I feel that even though hardships may be upon me! It too shall pass in the Grace of God. My journey isn’t finished, and this too shall pass."

Shahdon Winchester -- international soccer star from Trinidad and Tobago -- died on Thursday at the age of 27 ... after the car he was riding in crashed and caught fire.

Winchester -- a soccer vet who made his international debut in 2010 (he has 23 international caps) -- died alongside a highway in Trinidad on Thursday morning.

The soccer star was reportedly riding with his girlfriend and 2 other men when the car crashed and became engulfed in flames ... killing all 4 passengers.

Firefighters responded to the scene ... but none of the passengers could be saved.

Maybe Chad Ochocinco's NFL career ain't over after all ...

The former superstar wide receiver showed he's still got at least some NFL talent left in his 41-year-old body ... hitting a 60-yard field goal -- without a cleat on his plant foot!!

Unclear where the insane boot went down at ... but you can see in the video, Chad went absolutely NUTS after flushing the ball over the crossbar with room to spare.

"Let's f**king go!!" Chad screamed.

As for why the kick happened ... Ochocinco was booting field goals as part of a Bleacher Report game show -- where one fan bet Chad could make a 60-yarder in three tries.

The other two attempts weren't so hot ... but it's clear the ex-Bengals superstar could probably kick better than some guys in the NFL today (looking at you, Brett Maher).

Of course, Chad certainly knows that ... 'cause on the show, he straight-up said on cam, "Make sure NFL teams get that video!"

Former President Barack Obama ripped a page out of Prez Trump's trolling playbook -- or so it seemed -- by chilling on a golf course while his successor got impeached.

POTUS 44 hit up the course at Mid-Pacific Country Club Wednesday in Hawaii -- nearly 5,000 miles away from where the House of Representatives made history by voting to impeach POTUS 45 ... just the third time in U.S. history.

Okay, we doubt Obama really was trolling Trump, but think about the optics. The one thing we KNOW Trump would always rather be doing is playing golf -- so while he was making the wrong kinda history ... his nemesis flaunted his retirement swing on the links.

If it really were a troll, even Trump might tip his hat to Obama -- that is, if he weren't so busy lashing out at the Dems during his Michigan rally.

Trump's Wednesday night speech -- immediately after the impeachment vote -- included a disgusting remark about late Rep. John Dingell that implied the congressman is "looking up" from hell ... because his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell, voted to impeach.