TMZ Sports - Page 50

Here's Conor McGregor having the time of his life at the happiest place on Earth ... and now we know he's a huge fan of Donald Duck!!!

The Irish superstar hit up Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim Thursday with his girlfriend, Dee Devlin, and their two kids, Conor Jr. and Croia.

Conor was all smiles under his Donald Duck hat, and Dee also got in the Disney spirit with some classic Minnie Mouse ears. The happy family was mostly hanging out at Pixar Pier, and folks tell us they stopped Buzz Lightyear for a photo op.

Seems Conor is still riding high following last week's UFC 246 victory ... and he's doing what most athletes do after winning the big one ... checking out the Mouse House.

It's pretty cool ... the park uses Conor's Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey in its Irish coffee ... but no word if he treated himself.

Tom Brady made people lose their damn minds on Thursday ... by posting a possibly ominous message for New England Patriots fans.

The foreboding photo shows a shadowy figure (we're assuming it's TB12, but who knows at this point) walking in the tunnel at a stadium. It's dramatic as hell.

But the big mystery -- is Brady walking IN to the tunnel, or is he walking OUT to the field??

Depending on the direction, it could be bad news for the Pats -- there have been rumors Brady is ready to move on to another franchise ... and this may be a way for him to soften the blow for New England.

Remember, we spoke with Pats owner Robert Kraft last week ... and he said "the plan" was to bring Brady back next season.

TB12 is a free agent ... but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going anywhere. The dude very well could be messing with all of us for fun.

So we gotta ask ...

Josie Canseco is soaking up all Miami has to offer during Super Bowl week ... and that means plenty of sunshine and epic yacht parties!!!

Check out these pics of the smoking hot model showing off her flawless figure in a pink bikini Thursday aboard South Beach mogul David Grutman's floating paradise.

Even on vacay she busted out a runway-worthy hair flip. Models. Always working.

TMZ broke the story ... Josie's dating Logan Paul after moving on from Brody Jenner, and the new couple is already crossing some major relationship milestones.

Logan's also in MIA for his brother Jake Paul's fight tonight against AnEsonGib -- so Josie will be sporting a fresh tan ringside. We're assuming she'll be there rooting for Jake.

Most importantly, we hope the NFL is paying attention to these pics. Read our lips: NO MORE COLD WEATHER SUPER BOWL HOST CITIES.

Miami rules.

NASCAR driver John Andretti -- member of one of the biggest families in racing -- died on Thursday after a 3-year battle with cancer, his team announced.

The 56-year-old had a long career on the track -- spanning from 17 years in NASCAR to Champ Car to IndyCar and more.

Andretti was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer back in 2017 ... and used his platform to help others with his disease and spread awareness on getting proper screening.

Andretti Autosport released a statement on his passing ... saying, "John was a loving husband and father, a devoted son and a trusted cousin."

"He was a philanthropist, an advocate for the sport, a dedicated teammate, a driven competitor and most importantly a dear friend."

Andretti was the son of Aldo Andretti, nephew of Mario and first cousin to Michael and Jeff ... and was the first cousin-once-removed to Marco Andretti.

The statement continued ... "We will forever carry with us John's genuine spirit of helping others first and himself second. Our prayers today are with Nancy, Jarett, Olivia, and Amelia, with our entire family, and with fans worldwide."

Barstool Sports honcho Dave Portnoy feels like a million bucks (way more, actually) ... which explains why he's dishing free advice on prop bets for Super Bowl LIV.

Portnoy joined "TMZ Live" Thursday from Miami -- site of Sunday's Super Bowl -- and dude had a million reasons to smile -- more like 450 million reasons, actually, after selling a 36% stake of his media company worth $163 million in stock and cash. The sale bumped the valuation of Barstool's digital media brand to a whopping $450 million.

El Presidente -- as he's referred to by Stoolies -- tells us how he's gloating in South Beach, and ya can't blame him. He also gave us quick advice on this year's prop bets ... such as, the over/under on how long Demi Lovato's national anthem song will last and whether J Lo or Shakira -- co-headliners of the halftime show -- will have a wardrobe malfunction.

TBH, Portnoy's answers make a ton of sense.

As for whether he'll be at the big game, that's unclear -- seems Dave is still on the NFL's bad side after he used a fake mustache to sneak by NFL security at last year's Super Bowl.

Kobe Bryant Blvd?

It's certainly possible ... we're told L.A. City officials are having discussions on how to honor the late Lakers superstar and naming a street after Kobe is definitely up for consideration.

Look, no official decisions have been made -- it's still early in the process -- but we're told L.A. City Council members have already started the conversation.

One source tells us something that keeps getting brought up is some sort of tribute in the L.A. Live area -- right across from Staples Center, where Kobe balled out for nearly 20 years.

We're told there should be more clarity about the plans early next week -- but it's definitely top of mind.

The Lakers will return to Staples Center on Friday to take on the Portland Trail Blazers ... the first game at Kobe's home court since his death on Sunday.

We're told the turn out is expected to be massive ... and that the Lakers are planning several tributes to the Mamba, his daughter, Gianna, and the other 7 people who died in Sunday's helicopter crash.

In the meantime, tributes are popping up all over the L.A. area ... even at Santa Anita Race Track where the statue of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit was draped in a Kobe banner.

The FAA says it will DROP THE HAMMER on drone fliers at Super Bowl LIV in Miami this weekend ... threatening $30,000 fines if people are caught flying the toys near the Big Game!

Drone-flying has become a super popular hobby in America ... especially in Miami where there's a whole hell of a lot of stuff to record from the sky.

But, the FAA is deeming Hard Rock Stadium as a NO-FLY ZONE for this weekend's 49ers-Chiefs matchup ... and if people are caught flying anyway, the punishment is pretty severe.

The FAA says fines could not only reach $30K ... but criminal prosecution is on the table as well.

Yeah, better put those drones in the closet for the weekend.

As for the official rules of flying near the game if ya wanna push it ... the FAA says no drones will be allowed without permission within a roughly 34-mile region around the stadium.

But, good news ... the drones can be broken out shortly after the game -- the FAA says the temporary flight restriction will be removed at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss says losing Kobe Bryant is like losing a family member -- but credits KB and his daughter Gianna with helping her find her "purpose" in life.

Jeanie has known Kobe ever since her father (the late Jerry Buss) signed him as a rookie back in 1996 and they had remained extremely close ever since.

Jeanie took Kobe's death extremely hard and waited several days to collect her thoughts before putting out a statement ... and what she produced is touching, sad and inspirational all at the same time.

"Kobe, I don’t know how to express what you mean to me, my family and the Los Angeles Lakers," Buss wrote ... "My father loved you like a son, which makes us family."

"When you invited me to lunch shortly after my father passed away [in 2013], I was struggling to find motivation and purpose," Buss admits.

"Kobe, you brought Gianna with you to spend some time with me. You explained that you wanted to show her that women can be leaders in the NBA, just like the men."

"At first, it seemed like an action of a devoted father setting an example for his daughter. But in actuality -- and I am positively sure you knew EXACTLY what you were doing -- what you did was give me the inspiration and strength I was searching for. I reflect on that day often and it makes me smile and it makes me strong."

Jeanie continued ... "I call on that memory whenever I feel down and need a bit of courage. For everything you did on the court that filled me with so much joy and love, for all the lives you changed through basketball itself, it was that day with Gigi that reignited my drive and determination."

"Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri - I am so sorry for your loss. We are grateful to have you in our lives and we will always be here for you."

"To the families that also lost loved ones on Sunday, the entire Laker family mourns with you. Laker Nation - we are one family grieving the loss of people we all loved dearly. We will mourn together, cry together but we will also heal together, love together and win TOGETHER. We love you."

Originally Published -- 10:00 AM PT

Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg better put their Super Bowl advertisements to good use, by making them fun and exciting ... so says Congressman Andre Carson.

We got the distinguished gentleman from Indiana on Capitol Hill Thursday, and asked him about the mix of commercials and political ads for Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast.

There's gonna be more political ads than usual -- it's an election year, after all -- and Rep. Carson says candidates are gonna do everything they can to capitalize on the massive TV audience tuning in to the Big Game.

It's pretty crazy ... FOX, which is broadcasting the game, says a 30-second commercial's gonna cost up to $5.6 million ... but Carson says the huge price tag is worth every penny.

Rep. Carson's advice for Super Bowl ads ... make them entertaining and engaging, and don't just talk about personal accomplishments.

Cutting Le'Veon Bell would be a HUGE mistake for the Jets ... so says his teammate Brandon Copeland, who tells TMZ Sports the RB is "the real deal!!!"

"He made a lot from nothing this past year," the NY linebacker says.

Bell has been in an awkward situation with his head coach, Adam Gase, ever since the ex-Steelers star inked a monster $52.5 MILLION deal to sign with NY this past off-season.

Gase was reportedly upset over paying an RB that much cash ... and at a press conference at the end of this season, Adam didn't exactly seem stoked about the idea of bringing Bell back in 2020.

All of it has led to trade rumors and even speculation that Bell could be cut this off-season ... but when we got Copeland out in NYC on Wednesday, he said that shouldn't be on the Jets' table at all.

"Everybody's going to talk," Copeland says. "But you keep one of the best running backs in the game right now. He's a good dude. He's working hard."

NFL star Carlos Dunlap just copped a real-deal, sick Kobe Bryant autograph -- and he's STOKED about it -- but he tells TMZ Sports guys who are pushing fakes need to knock that crap off.

"You're better than that," the Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowler said. "Do better."

Dunlap was leaving Jay Glazer's MVP charity event Wednesday night in Miami when we spotted him with a pretty incredible piece of Mamba memorabilia.

It was a signed, framed photo of a high-flying Kobe with replicas of all of the Laker legend's championship rings ... and Dunlap seemed thrilled with the purchase.

But when we told Carlos experts are warning memorabilia seekers that scumbags are selling fakes to profit off the demand following KB's death ... he got pretty pissed.

"It's super sad," Carlos said. "I don't understand how somebody can stoop to that level."

Sikorsky, the manufacturer of the helicopter that crashed with Kobe Bryant and 8 others, had actively taken steps to make sure other fliers of the S-76 add the critical system missing from Kobe's chopper.

The specific model flying Kobe was the S-76B and, as you know, the NTSB said it wasn't equipped with a Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS). It was an optional feature until 2005 -- Kobe's was built in 1991.

Sources familiar with Sikorsky tell us before Kobe's crash ... the company frequently reached out to customers of older S-76 models and urged them to implement new safety measures like TAWS.

The company says it regularly notifies customers of enhanced technology offerings, but for obvious reasons ... it's a top priority now.

The NTSB also revealed Kobe's helicopter didn't have a cockpit voice or flight data recorder (aka a black box) -- because, once again, they weren't standard until recently.

Sikorsky tells us TAWS and a black box have been standard since they rolled out their S-76D in 2012.

As we reported ... the NTSB says it previously made 2 safety recommendations to the FAA about the warning system and the black box, but the FAA didn't take action. The strong insinuation is those instruments could have helped Kobe's pilot avoid catastrophe ... and helped investigators figure out what went wrong.

The NTSB first recommended mandatory black boxes and warning systems in 2006 following a crash the year before, but neither are currently mandated by the FAA for commercial flights.

Sikorsky says it's deeply saddened by the Kobe tragedy and is "actively supporting the NTSB investigation," adding ... "Safety is our top priority. If there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will immediately inform our S-76 customers."

Russell Wilson may have come up short on his quest for the Super Bowl this year, but he's winning off the field -- Ciara's pregnant ... and this child matches his jersey number.

The husband and wife made the announcement together Thursday morning ... via back-to-back posts on Instagram with the simple caption, "Number 3."

Russell's selfie featured a pregnant Ciara posing in the background, and he made sure to flaunt a #3 around his neck too.

This will be the couple's second child together, but her third. She has a son, Future Jr., from her previous relationship with Future. Wilson became his stepfather when he and Ciara wed in England in July 2016.

Ciara and Russell welcomed their first kid, a daughter named Sienna Princess, in April 2017.

It's unclear when Ciara's due, but she's due to take the stage at Rolling Stone's Super Bowl concert Saturday in Miami at SLS South Beach.

And, now we know ... she'll be singing for 2.

NY Knicks player Marcus Morris is backpedaling in a BIG way after using anti-women insults to attack Grizzlies player Jae Crowder.

Morris ripped Crowder for stealing the ball and shooting a 3 with just seconds to go in a 127 to 106 ass-kicking at Madison Square Garden ... saying the move was "unprofessional."

And, that's when the sexist insults began to fly ...

"I think dude is just, he plays the game a different way. A lot of female tendencies on the court," Morris said following Wednesday night's game.

"Flopping, throwing his head back the entire game. It’s a man’s game and you just get tired of it. Obviously, at the end that was very unprofessional."

There's more ... "His game is soft. He’s soft. That’s how he carries [himself]. It’s just very woman-like."

Yeeesh.

Obviously, people were PISSED at Morris for the ridiculous comments ... and he issued an apology a short time later on social media.

"I apologize for using the term 'female tendencies,'" Morris said ... "I have the upmost respect for women and everything they mean to us."

Maybe a woman should have copy edited his statement ... he would have known the word is "utmost" not "upmost."

Anyway, he continued ... "It was a Heat of the moment response and I never intended for any Women to feel as though in anyway I’m disrespecting them."

"Again I apologize with my comments."

Good news, Saints fans ... Sean Payton tells TMZ Sports he fully expects Drew Brees to return for his 15th season in New Orleans next season!!!

"Listen," Payton tells us, "I think he's playing at a high level."

Of course, there's been a lot of talk about Brees possibly hanging it up this off-season ... he's 41 years old and coming off a year in which he threw for less than 3,000 yards for the first time since 2003.

Plus, he's a free agent who would need to renegotiate yet another tough, high-priced deal with New Orleans leadership.

But when we got Brees' head coach out in Miami at a Super Bowl event Wednesday night ... he sure seemed like a guy who was confident he'll have his Hall of Fame QB back in 2020.

Payton wasn't alone in that sentiment ... we also got legendary Saints O-lineman Willie Roaf in Miami as well, and he told us he has ZERO doubts Brees will be back.

"He ain't retiring," Roaf says. "He's coming back one more year ... I promise he's coming back one more year."

Aldon Smith has cleaned himself up and is laser-focused on getting back in the NFL, so says Jay Glazer who tells TMZ Sports ... the former All-Pro deserves a 2nd chance.

The 30-year-old defensive end was a MONSTER in the league before substance abuse issues and domestic violence allegations derailed his career.

But, Glazer says Smith had an epiphany -- and made a life choice to turn his life around, starting with joining Jay's Unbreakable gym in West Hollywood.

"Aldon's great because Aldon's been working out with our [military veterans] in our MVP program every single Wednesday night," Jay said.

"Aldon has been sober for a while and he's been helping a lot of our vets with their sobriety."

Smith - who hasn't played a down in the NFL since 2015 -- is now trying to show NFL teams he deserves another shot in the league ... and Glazer believes he's earning it.

"We've given a lot of guys second chances. He deserves it as much as anybody I've been around," Jay told us at his GlazerPalooza event at Prestige Imports Miami, where a bunch of SICK exotic cars were on display!

The event benefits Jay's MVP charity which helps military vets and athletes who are dealing with mental health issues.

Jay says Aldon -- who set the 49ers franchise single-season sack record in 2012 (19.5 sacks) -- is currently at a solid 285 lbs and SHREDDED.

"He is a freak if nature."