TMZ Sports - Page 50

As coronavirus wreaks havoc, celebs and companies with deep pockets are chipping in to help combat the pandemic ... and the philanthropy seems to be contagious.

Ryan Reynolds got things going by committing 30 percent of all proceeds on sales of his Aviation gin through May 1 to go to bartenders who are out of work. Shortly afterward, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul followed suit with their Dos Hombres mezcal.

Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola are donating over $1 million each to help fight the coronavirus outbreak in Spain -- while Roger Federer chipped in a mil to help the most vulnerable families in Switzerland.

Michael Jackson's estate is getting in on the action too ... donating $300k to help 3 communities that have been impacted by the virus -- $100k each to Broadway Cares, MusiCares and Three Square Food Bank in Nevada.

Gwyneth Paltrow also added $100k to Schwarzenegger's donation to the Frontline Responders Fund, and WWE star Rusev is shelling out $20k to WWE production and security staff.

On top of all this, Vice Prez Mike Pence announced huge corporations are doing their part -- like Apple donating 9 million masks -- and Yelp announced it's matching up to $1 million in donations to local businesses.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Taylor jump-started donations on Tuesday ... dropping million-dollar donations to 2 separate organizations.

Future #1 overall pick Joe Burrow is calling all Americans to listen to the experts and STAY INSIDE!!! .. and if you don't wanna listen to Joe, at least listen to his friend, Mr. Heisman.

The LSU national champ gave a PSA on the coronavirus pandemic (with his shiny, new trophy behind his shoulder) on his Twitter on Wednesday ... begging folks to follow all the precautionary procedures to stop spreading COVID-19.

"This is obviously a crazy time for everybody right now," the 23-year-old said. "I think it's more important now than ever to follow directions that the government lays out."

Burrow is asking everyone to wash their hands, self-quarantine and stay home... "so we can flatten the curve a little bit and get back to a normal life, and the only way we can do that is if we follow instructions."

"Everyone wants this to end as quickly as possible, we just have to do everything in our power to limit the spread of this and flatten the curve."

Burrow -- whose Heisman acceptance speech sparked nearly half a million dollars in donations to the Athens County Food Pantry -- is also asking those who are financially able to donate to help out if possible.

It's clear Burrow is still looking out for his home state of Ohio ... which currently has 567 reported cases of the coronavirus.

Baseball might be on hiatus ... but the greatness of Mike Trout sure as hell ain't -- he just hit a ridiculous golf trick shot while in isolation -- and the video is insane!!

The L.A. Angels superstar has been following the rules and staying away from people amid the coronavirus outbreak ... and clearly that's given him some time to become amazing with his wedge.

Check out the clip ... the 28-year-old outfielder went upstairs and hit a ping-pong ball straight into a tiny Solo cup!!

You can see by Trout's reaction ... there was no editing there, 'cause the guy went absolutely NUTS after it splashed home!!!

"#TIGERVISION," Trout wrote of the shot.

It could be a few more weeks until players get back on the diamond -- the league has suspended play indefinitely -- but stars across the MLB sure are providing us great content in the meantime.

Check out how Boston Red Sox slugger Michael Chavis is spending his time in quarantine ... dude went YARD off his girlfriend in a Wiffle ball game!!

NBA star-turned-marijuana mogul Al Harrington says his Viola company's sales are through the roof since the coronavirus scare took over the U.S. ... and now he's scrambling to meet the demand.

Of course, Harrington has turned into a highly successful weed advocate and entrepreneur in his post-playing days ... sharing the medical benefits for athletes, as well as, the average folk.

We spoke with Harrington about the insane demand for cannabis products right now -- after all, EVERYBODY is stressing out over COVID-19 -- and he says his sales have DOUBLED.

"The challenge is gonna be making sure that we can keep up with the demand at this point," Harrington tells TMZ Sports.

"Everybody is stocking up on their favorite brands. I feel like the 'canna-curious' is really steppin' up right now, especially when you're stuck in the house with your kids 24 hours a day."

Harrington says the weed industry is booming just like toilet paper ... with people stocking up and worrying about when they'll be able to get more.

Harrington says his employees are following all the restrictions and taking extra steps to make sure they're safe during the pandemic ... but hopes the government continues to allow them to stay open as an "essential" business.

The worst part about the Olympics being postponed?? The world has to wait another year to see the viral Tongan flag guy again. But, don't worry!! He's got a solution ...

SHIRTLESS WORKOUT VIDS!!!

Of course, skier Pita Taufatofua stole everyone's hearts at the 2016 Games opening ceremony with his chiseled, oiled body -- a Tongan tradition.

Being the caring, loving people we are over here at TMZ Sports ... we figured we'd still give y'all a bit of Pita content now that the 2020 games have moved to 2021.

As it turns out, fans can still get their Pita fix during the delay ... 'cause Taufatofua is hosting *educational* workouts while everyone's home self-quarantined ... and it's great.

"What we're doing at the moment on the Olympic Channel Instagram page, is we're doing a live workout video every night of the week," Pita tells us. "So, everyone will be able to see exactly what it is we're working on."

Brilliant idea ... props to whoever made this happen!!!

Think quarantine is gonna stop S.F. 49ers star Kyle Juszczyk from training to get back to the Super Bowl???

HELL NO!!! The Niners fullback is doing straight-up Rocky-style workouts while in isolation ... squatting a whole damn tree in the snow!!!

Juszczyk's smokin' hot wife posted the footage of the 28-year-old getting in lifts out in the wilderness ... and it's pretty intense.

You can see in the videos, Juszczyk sled-pulls his wife (and others) through snow AND dirt to get some leg work done.

Then, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound NFL player gets some jump squats in ... with a dead tree on his back!!

"When the gyms are closed but Kyle still needs go workout!" Kyle's wife, Kristin, said. "😂😂"

Of course, Kyle's on a mission this offseason ... his Niners came THIIISSSS close to being Super Bowl champs last month -- and the window to try to do it again is still open.

By the way, when Kyle's not working out like a madman ... it's safe to say he ain't exactly suffering in isolation -- 'CAUSE HAVE YOU SEEN HIS WIFE?!?

Conor McGregor is putting his money where his mouth is -- donating €1 MILLION in medical supplies to hospitals in need, in his native Ireland.

After the UFC star made a passionate video encouraging Ireland to go into "full lockdown" to combat the spread of COVID-19, Irish politician Paschal Donohoe reached out and asked Conor to keep up the good work because young people listen to him.

Conor responded to Donohoe by spelling out his new plan to help Ireland.

"Today I am purchasing myself, 1 million euro worth of personal protective equipment to be deployed to all the fighting hospitals in the Leinster region," McGregor said ... "Our most affected region, to this date."

He added, "St. James. Mater, Tallaght, Beaumont. Vincent's. Where we would be without these brave men and women, I do not know. May God bless over them and keep them safe!"

Conor then pushed back on Minister Donohoe -- saying he thinks the government needs to take more action to protect the people.

"We need more units on the street to enforce this lockdown Pascal! It has been too lax!"

"Building sites should be closed. They are open for what? We can always build again after this. In every way. But, we must put Health before Wealth."

"I respect you, and your team and I believe you are doing as good a job as you possibly can. I have been impressed by all. As has the nation. I feel like we are moving in the right way, it just feels to me like it is not all the way."

N.O. Saints GM Mickey Loomis wants Roger Goodell to postpone the 2020 NFL Draft ASAP ... saying there's just no way teams can properly pick players under the current conditions.

"This is not a fantasy draft that you conduct out there with just a list of things on a piece of paper," Loomis said on "The Peter King Podcast" this week. "There’s a lot of work that goes into it to prepare, and there’s a lot of work that is done during the draft."

Loomis added, "Listen, it’ll be very, very difficult to conduct that and do it in a way that you’re doing justice to the process.”

Goodell and the NFL have already removed the annual selection show party out of Las Vegas ... but they've insisted the picks will still go down somehow beginning April 23.

Loomis says he doesn't see how that'll be possible ... given all the restrictions teams are facing during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Just the logistics of trying to conduct the draft with not having access to your draft rooms and your offices creates a lot of logistic problems."

To make matters even more difficult for Loomis ... his head coach, Sean Payton, has been under quarantine the last two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19.

Loomis ain't the only league exec having doubts about the April draft ... ESPN reported the league's GM subcommittee as a whole has recommended a draft pushback as well.

UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya is warning his countrymen ... the coronavirus pandemic will BREAK some people -- explaining, "Only the strong's gonna survive this sh*t."

The 30-year-old -- who lives in New Zealand -- got a government alert on his phone about the country going into lockdown mode and wanted to share some words to inspire the people.

What ensued was actually kind of scary ... and probably true.

"These next 4 weeks is gonna make and break some people. Some are gonna come out of this with drinking problems, drug problems, [domestic violence incidents], broken families," Adesanya said.

"Or ... some people are gonna come out of this with BETTER relationships, severing old beef with family members and friends, cooking skills, better brains, healthier bodies."

He continued .. "I'm not your f**king guru. I'm not nobody, but yeah, I'm the UFC champion and people carry some weight sometimes with what I say."

"But, yeah, stay strong ... 'cause only the strong gonna survive this sh*t."

Izzy's not the only UFC star to speak out about COVID-19 -- on Tuesday, Conor McGregor made a passionate speech to the people of Ireland, pleading with them to self-quarantine.

NBA superstar Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother had to be placed on a ventilator and then into a medically-induced coma after she displayed severe symptoms of COVID-19.

The Minnesota Timberwolves center revealed the devastating news in an emotional video late Tuesday night ... saying both of his parents came down with flu-like symptoms early last week.

KAT says he urged the two to go to the hospital, and while he says his dad eventually got better -- his mom, Jacqueline Cruz, didn't ... with her condition "deteriorating" daily.

Karl-Anthony says a fever ravaged her ... with Cruz's 103-degree temp only falling to 101.9 after meds -- and then re-spiking almost immediately after.

KAT, who didn't specifically say his parents had tested positive for coronavirus, says doctors tried all kinds of drugs to get his mom better ... but, eventually, the 24-year-old says her lungs got so bad, she was forced to be put on a ventilator.

Then, KAT says doctors put her in a medically induced coma.

"We always thought the next medicine would help," he said. "The next one would help. This is the one that's going to get it done. This one will make sure to get it done."

Towns says he's optimistic for his mom ... but you can see in the video, he's VERY concerned.

"My mother is the strongest woman I know, and I know she will beat this," he said. "And, we will rejoice when she does."

The NBA player says he made the video this week to explain the virus is VERY real ... and begged people to take stay-at-home orders seriously.

Deontay Wilder will have to wait a little longer to get a 3rd crack at Tyson Fury -- their rematch has been postponed to October in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The two were set to run it back on July 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas ... with Wilder looking for revenge after taking that "L" during their Feb. 22 fight.

But Top Rank chairman Bob Arum (who reps Fury) says the plans for a 3rd fight in July are off -- explaining, "We don't even know if the MGM will even be open by then."

"You could not guarantee the fighters that the event would take place on that date," Arum told ESPN ... "We couldn't convince them or ourselves," Arum said while noting other potential issues.

"Where were they going to train for it? It just made no sense. You just have to take a step back. How are you going to sell tickets? It's absolutely ridiculous to say the fight is on when the Brits can't even get there."

"So everybody has to take a step back. Boxing is not isolated. It's part of what's happening in the world ... So possibly the fight will be in early October."

Arum told ESPN he's been working with Wilder's co-manager Al Haymon who agrees with the decision to postpone.

Michael Rapaport's had it up to here politely trying to ask the youth -- and their parents -- to stay indoors ... he's demanding it now, and with some cuss words to spare.

The actor and sports fanatic hopped online Tuesday with a VERY blunt PSA ... except, it ain't anywhere near as calm and collected as some of the others you've seen from your fave celebs over the past few days. Mike's getting nasty, and maybe rightly so.

"GET YOUR F****ING KIDS INSIDE!" -- it's a message to the parents of teens and young adults (probably dumb college kids, mostly) who either still live at home or rely on their parents for dough. In any case, if parents have some authority -- MR wants them to flex it to the fullest extent so their children stop infecting everyone else.

Check out the full 2-and-a-half minute message yourself, 'cause we really can't do it justice. Mike -- never one who's at a loss of words -- finds just the right ones to describe the dummies who disregard social distancing and quarantining ... and insist on partying.

It's kinda crazy -- he says he was asked by the powers that be to do a kosher PSA like most everyone else has been doing ... but he said screw that, and did one that'll resonate and accurately reflect society's outrage. BTW, his message applies to more than the "s**t-stained" kids he's talking to -- anyone screwing around with this outbreak needs to listen up.