TMZ Sports - Page 50

Here's a side of Mike Trout you don't see very often -- he's PISSED -- claiming MLB should punish the Houston Astros players who cheated their way to a World Series victory.

Trout -- the best player in baseball -- went off on the situation to reporters at an L.A. Angels spring training workout on Monday ... saying the players are getting off WAY too easy.

"They cheated," Trout said matter of factly ... "I don't agree with the punishments, the players not getting anything. It was a player-driven thing."

"It sucks too, because guys' careers have been affected. A lot of people lost jobs. It was tough. Me going up to the plate knowing what was coming -- it would be pretty fun up there."

Trout added, "It's sad for baseball ... it's tough."

The 28-year-old -- an 8-time All-Star and 3 times A.L. MVP -- said he noticed the Astros trash can banging during the 2017 season but didn't connect the dots until now.

"I lost some respect for some guys ... all the stuff coming out, it's tough to see."

As for the players accused of cheating, MLB commish Rob Manfred says he gave immunity to players who cooperated with the MLB's investigation ... which means no major punishment to the individuals.

Shaquille O'Neal ain't going to like this ...

Ex-NBA stud Antonio Davis says Shaq and Kobe have NOTHING on Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen when it comes to the best duo in league history ... telling TMZ Sports it's all 'cause of Shaq's defense!

"Shaq can't come out and guard nobody!" Davis says.

The debate's been raging on for YEARS ... and when we got AD out at NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago on Saturday -- he told us there's no need for an argument anymore.

"I don't care what nobody says," Davis tells us. "Hands down. I don't care."

Of course, there's a lot of people in the hoops world that would disagree with Davis ... Shaq and Kobe won 3 titles together and both dudes have legit claims to be considered top 10 players ever.

Then again, Jordan and Scottie won 6 championships together ... and MJ is considered the game's best-ever -- so maybe Antonio's got a point?

Mike Tomlin is DOUBLING DOWN on his support of Mason Rudolph -- claiming there's zero evidence the QB used a racial slur against Myles Garrett ... and he feels a new interview with Garrett was unfair to Rudolph.

The Pittsburgh Steelers head coach appeared on ESPN's "First Take" on Monday and criticized the network for what he believed was a slanted piece against his quarterback.

Remember, Garrett told ESPN's Mina Kimes that Rudolph had called him a "stupid n*****" moments before Garrett swung a helmet at his head during a Steelers vs. Browns game in Nov.

Tomlin not only said he doesn't believe Garrett -- citing investigations by the Steelers and the NFL -- but knocked ESPN for not doing more to represent those findings.

"It was a thorough investigation done by us and the Nation Football League, I don’t think that was represented during that piece [that aired on ESPN]," Tomlin said.

"These accusations are serious, not only in terms of Mason Rudolph’s character but his professional pursuits."

"Nobody on that field as a member of the Cleveland browns or Pittsburgh Steelers corroborated what was said by Myles Garrett. That was founded by us and the National Football League, and at no point during that piece this weekend that was stated."

Steph Curry didn't attend the NBA All-Star game ... he had better plans!

The superstar is currently on a pretty sick beach vacation with his wife, Ayesha (looks like they're in Mexico) ... and clearly, they're super into each other.

Here's Steph bustin' out a little hip thrust while a bikini-clad Ayesha licks on his face.

Steph posted a caption, "Vacation vibes with my one and only like dat!"

Ayesha replied, "You coulda at least popped a filter on this. I love you though"

The couple got some social media love from Steph's NBA pals -- with people like Kevin Durant commenting, "Living your best life bro."

Dwyane Wade added, "Like That!!!"

Steph and Ayesha have been married since 2011. They have 3 kids together.

So, why didn't Steph play in the All-Star game? He's still recovering from a hand injury he suffered back in October. Curry insists he's still aiming to return to the court this season, but it doesn't really make a lot of sense since the Warriors are 12-43, the worst record in the NBA.

Just enjoy your vacation, bro.

Tim Tebow admits he had a "couple of conversations" with the people at the XFL -- but ultimately turned down Vince McMahon's new football league to continue his baseball career.

"There was some communication," Tebow told reporters at a Mets Spring Training media event in Florida over the weekend ... "We had a couple conversations."

But, the 32-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner says it's not the right move for him because he's laser-focused on making the NY Mets major league roster.

Tebow is entering his 5th season with the Mets -- where he's been trying to earn a spot as a power-hitting outfielder.

There's no bad blood between Tebow and the XFL -- in fact, it's the opposite. Tim showered the league with praise while explaining his decision to stick with baseball.

"I love what they're doing, and I think it has a chance to have success, and I think that's great."

"I think there needs to be a place for a lot of players that are really good, and should and could be playing in the NFL, and are better than a lot of NFL players. There's a chance they're going to be seen."

"So, I think it's awesome, and I think it's good for a lot of guys that are going to get a spot on an NFL roster because they're going to show a team they're worth it. But, for me, this is what I wanted to do and pursue it, and be all in."

The XFL also made a run at Colin Kaepernick -- but says the QB wanted a salary that the league just couldn't afford.

He dated Jennifer Lopez. She married Johnny Manziel.

And, now, Bre Tiesi and Casper Smart are together!!

The two have been dating on the down-low for a little while but finally went public on Valentine's Day ... with Casper buying Bre a fancy diamond ring (not an engagement ring!).

She even posted a kissy face V-Day pic with the caption, "Mines."

We previously reported, Bre -- a fitness model/ "Wild 'n Out" girl -- filed for divorce from Johnny back in December. They were married in March 2018.

As for Casper, the professional dancer dated Jennifer Lopez for 5 years before they broke up in 2016. They started dating after Lopez broke up with Marc Anthony.

People were shocked when they first heard about the relationship because J Lo is 18 years older than Smart.

Smart is currently a judge on "Mira Quién Baila" -- the Latin version of "Dancing with the Stars."

The Kobe Bryant tributes were AMAZING at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night ... and some of the biggest stars in the world were front and center for all of the emotional moments.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West sat courtside at the United Center in Chicago -- surrounded by stars like Cardi B, Chris Tucker, Ludacris, Offset, Chance The Rapper, Chadwick Boseman and more!

There's more ... a LOT more -- Fat Joe, Bad Bunny, Ninja, Spike Lee, Jeff Ross, Common, Tiffany Haddish and Jon Stewart were all on hand to watch Team LeBron take on Team Giannis.

But, the show started BEFORE tip-off when Chicago-native Jennifer Hudson performed an incredible tribute to Kobe ... with a beautiful video montage in the background.

One of the cooler tributes at the game was a Kobe tribute video with music by Dr. Dre. The video was created by 23-year-old director Gibson Hazard and Jackson Bannon ... and honestly, it's pretty amazing stuff.

As we previously reported, the NBA renamed the All-Star Game MVP award after Kobe ... and Kawhi Leonard became the first person to take home the Mamba-inspired honor.

After the game, Leonard told the crowd, "This one's for him."

Kobe and his daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, Jan. 26 -- along with 7 other people.

Breathe easy, Bengals fans ... Tyrann Mathieu says Joe Burrow will NOT spurn Cincy at the 2020 NFL Draft, and will happily play for the team if it picks him No. 1 overall in April!!

"Me just knowing him for the last couple years," the Honey Badger tells TMZ Sports, "He's super competitive ... he knows he can be the guy."

There are A LOT of rumors surrounding Burrow and the Bengals ... with some indicating the Heisman Trophy winner might refuse to play in Cincy if it picks him at the top of the draft.

In fact, ex-Bengals star Carson Palmer seemed to advise Joe to do exactly that in an interview with CBS Sports last month ... saying he doesn't believe Bengals ownership truly wants to win a Super Bowl.

Of course, the move wouldn't be unprecedented ... Eli Manning famously balked when the San Diego Chargers picked him in 2004 -- leading to an eventual trade to the NY Giants.

But, when we got Tyrann -- a former LSU superstar who's become bros with Burrow the past couple years -- at Mr. Chow in L.A. this week ... he told us don't bet on Joe pulling the same trick.

"I think he'll have a great opportunity to kind of help, hopefully, Cincinnati change things around as a franchise," Mathieu says.

There's more ... the Chiefs superstar also spoke with us about who his favorite non-Patrick Mahomes QB is -- and his answer might surprise you.

Van Jones says Dwyane Wade is setting a good example for other parents when it comes to his kid, Zaya ...  and he's sure more and more families will follow suit.

We got the CNN host out in Chicago this weekend and asked him to weigh-in on Dwyane revealing this child wanted to identify as a female, and change her name from Zion to Zaya. Check it out ... Van says it was a brave thing to do, and it'll have a ripple effect.

He basically explains that someone of D-Wade's stature coming out in support gives other parents a permission structure to do the same with their own kids who might be in a similar situation. So, in other words, Van thinks Dwyane's actions will carry over beyond right now.

And by that, he means less suicides, less self-hatred ... and a lot more love and acceptance.

President Trump is pretty stoked to be at the Daytona 500 --  so much so, in fact, he might even get behind the wheel himself and zoom off into the night. Settle down, Donnie.

45's down in Florida right now taking in the annual NASCAR race with the First Lady, Melania, and while talking to a FOX Sports reporter, he made it clear he wants to drive again. It's funny and actually kinda interesting ... DT can't really do that anymore, huh?

In a somewhat rambling response, Trump calls Daytona "the great American race," going on to say he stopped by because he sees it as "almost a patriotism kind of thing." Well said!

Trump also gave a shout-out to the drivers, saying it takes great courage to drive in such a beast of a vehicle. Sounds like he wants to take one for a spin, actually -- joking he might hop in one himself and "get in this race." He won't, obviously, but imagine if he did 😅.

Another humorous moment during POTUS's Daytona day out -- he made sure to point out where exactly God is to the people listening to his opening remarks to kick off the event.

The strip club cavalry has arrived in Chicago with THOUSANDS of dancers, literally, making sure NBA superstars and fans are well entertained during All-Star Weekend!!!

The good folks at Ocean Gentleman's Club, Factory and Club O tell TMZ Sports ... they've hired Last Coast Entertainment to promote events at all the clubs this weekend. We're told that means 3,000 strippers will be swarming around poles all over Chi-town.

The forecast calls for some serious rain, because we're told each club will have $450,000 in single dollar bills on deck each day for customers -- NBA and otherwise -- to spend on the dancers. The clubs are ready to bring in the Brinks trucks too, if they need even more Washingtons.

As for who's leading all this fun ... Offset will be front and center hosting an epic after-party Sunday at Ocean Gentleman's Club, following the All-Star Game. Also, Kid Capri's hosed that club's Saturday night bash.

The clubs also tell us they already have 10 tables reserved each night, exclusively for NBA ballers -- and their kitchens will be working OT to serve up lamb chops, burgers, wings and shrimp. BIG dudes have BIG appetites!

BTW, NBA All-Star Weekend is like an annual Super Bowl for the strippers ... so there's high-demand to get work in the host cities each year. We're told the dancers have to fork over $300 to $350 per night to a club just to get their high heels in the door.

Other gentlemen's clubs around Chicago -- like Scores and Rick's Cabaret -- are adopting NBA themes. Dancers will wear basketball uniforms, to start anyway, and of course, there will be VIP sections just for NBA studs.

Rick Fox, like so many others, is having a hard time processing the loss of Kobe Bryant.

We got Rick at the NBA Crossover event in Chicago Saturday during NBA All-Star Weekend, and he's clearly still hurting. You'll recall his emotional words on TNT a week ago.

Rick makes it clear ... Kobe's death is a blow to so many in a very personal way, but there's also a global factor -- Kobe was a worldwide celebrity and on the precipice of starting a second chapter that could have been as awesome as his first.

Rick shared some memories of Kobe ... riding on the team bus with him as Kobe talked about his "otherworldly plans."

When our photog asks Rick what Kobe would have done over the next 20 or 30 years, you see him get visibly emotional.

Rick played for the Lakers between 1997 and 2004 and won 3 championships with the team. Kobe played from 1996 to 2016. The 2 were teammates for 8 years.

Conor McGregor WILL get a victory in a rematch with Khabib ... so says Becky Lynch, who tells TMZ Sports she believes Conor's got a whole new strategy for The Eagle!!

"I think he's been working," the WWE superstar says. "You saw it in the last fight. He's got a new game plan, his head is firmly in it and I think he wins it."

Becky admits she is biased -- she's from Ireland, after all -- and tells us, "Of course I'm going to say me countryman!"

But, The Man clearly believes Conor's got a real shot regardless.

"I think he's got that dedication," Becky says. "He backs it up, man. He backs it up."

The last time Conor and Khabib squared off in the Octagon ... things didn't go so well for the Notorious, who lost after he tapped out in the 4th round.

And, it remains to be seen if Khabib will even get in the cage a second time with Conor ... he just said earlier this month he wouldn't fight McGregor again for $100 MILLION!!!

Lou Williams decided to honor Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, by getting a HUGE mural in his man cave at his Atlanta home this week .. and it's pretty amazing!

TMZ Sports has learned the Los Angeles Clippers guard hit up his good friend and tattoo artist Fennell "InkByKali" Cunningham for the Mamba and Mambacita mural.

We're told because Lou and Kobe were real close, InkByKali had to make sure the mural was perfect ... so he hit up another artist, Tay Hill, to help out.

You can see in a video of the mural, obtained by TMZ Sports, the art is a HUGE painting of Kobe in his Lakers gear with Gianna in her Mamba Academy jersey. All told, we've learned the piece took 13 HOURS to paint!

"Definitely honored to have been a part of doing this mural," InkByKali tells us.

After Kobe tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, Lou went on Twitter the next day and expressed how much pain he was in, saying, "Been crying on and off."

"Have random thoughts about things we spoke about then laugh. Cry again."

Lou even put out a song dedicated to the Mamba called "24" this week ... writing a caption along with the track that read, "Wrote a open letter to the homie."

Of course, Lou ain't the only NBA baller honoring the Mamba ... stars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis have gotten tribute tats -- while others in the league have been hoopin' with messages to Kobe on their sneakers.

Wanna see one of the baddest females in the world nearly choke the life outta a TMZ employee?!?

We thought so.

29-year-old Bellator champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane came through the TMZ office ... and naturally our in-house crash test dummy, Lucas Widman got a one-on-one demo of her triangle choke.

Lucas -- who's faced MMA stars like Jon Jones, Paige VanZant and Brian Ortega -- tapped QUICK ... like Chris Johnson's 40-time quick.

No shocker there ... Macfarlane is a killer in the cage -- the 29-year-old is an undefeated 11-0.

The crazy part ... Ilima-Lei sat down with Michael J. Babcock and told him she only got into MMA a few years ago, so she could drop weight she put on during college.

Little did she know she'd turn into one of the best damn fighters in the game.

Bikini model Liziane Gutierrez is getting out of her bubble -- ditching the glamorous life for the bump-and-grind of basketball, and she has King James on the brain ... and her cheeks.

The Brazilian poser and a gal pal had no problem choosing sides for the NBA All-Star Game, which is going down this weekend in Chicago. Liziane took on her friend in a game of hoops -- in MUCH-shorter shorts than the pros -- and just to keep it real, they made their allegiances known.

Liziane took an L on her butt for team LeBron James, while her friend's a straight G ... for Team Giannis Antetokounmpo. Those are the actual teams competing in Chi-town.

Anyway, check out the pics of their game -- it was truly a thong o' beauty. No word on who won. Luckily, we know you don't really care.