TMZ Sports - Page 50

Donald Trump says he's rooting for the NFL season to happen as planned -- but ONLY if the players stand for the national anthem.

Trump appeared on "Outkick the Coverage" and was asked about the challenges the NFL is facing with the COVID pandemic.

"They want to open and they want to open badly and they’ve been working with government," Trump said.

"I would say this, If they don’t stand for the national anthem, I hope they don’t open."

"But, other than that I’d love to see them open and we're doing everything possible for getting them open."

Trump then went off about why he believes the kneeling protest is disrespectful to "our flag and our country."

FYI, Colin Kaepernick and other kneelers have repeatedly said the demonstration is to put a spotlight on police brutality and social injustice ... but Trump is still not buying that explanation.

"They can protest in other ways, they shouldn’t protest our flag or our country," Trump said.

"If the NFL didn’t open, I'd be very happy if they don’t stand for the flag and stand strongly ... .I'd be very happy if they didn’t open."

"That being said, I'd love to see them open."

Trump also went after the NBA for what he sees as hypocrisy -- players, coaches, refs and more kneeling during the national anthem while not speaking out against human rights violations in China.

"Well I haven't noticed them sending things back at me," Trump said in reference to the NBA players ... "But I will say I wouldn't be that surprised."

"Some are very nasty, very very nasty and frankly very dumb but I haven't noticed that."

Trump added, "But I will say this, the way they cater to China, the way they bow to China it's a disgrace frankly and they make a lot more here than they do from China."

Remember, several players recently said they wouldn't care if Trump stopped watched NBA games as a result of the kneeling demonstrations. Trump didn't address those comments directly.

Major League Baseball is considering ripping a page from the NHL's playbook -- and instituting a 3-city hub system for the playoffs, this according to ESPN.

As we previously reported, the NHL claims its 2-city hub system is VERY successful so far -- with zero new COVID cases reported in the past week.

FYI, the NHL has split up the league into 2 hub cities -- one in Edmonton and the other in Toronto.

Each team has an entire floor at a designated hotel -- and all personnel are restricted to only visiting certain approved locations ... like workout facilities, restaurants, etc.

Everyone in the "bubbles" are tested for COVID on a daily basis.

Now, MLB is so impressed, they've had "preliminary discussions" about implementing the same system for the playoffs following a series of outbreaks with at least 2 MLB teams.

The league would need 3 cities to accommodate the 16-team playoff format, according to Jeff Passan.

Passan says Southern California, Chicago and NYC would make the most sense for hub cities because of issues like weather, stadium availability and lodging.

Jake Paul is NOT backing out of his upcoming boxing match with NBA star Nate Robinson despite the mysterious FBI investigation involving him, TMZ Sports has learned.

In fact, our sources say Jake is focusing on the fight to help keep his mind off the ordeal while it all plays out.

Paul vs. Robinson was initially set for Sept. 12 on the undercard of the big Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. fight on Triller ... though reports say the date is being pushed back until Nov. 28.

We did some digging to find out if Jake's legal situation had anything to do with the new date -- and as one source put it, "As of right now, Jake Paul is still confirmed. Don't expect that to change."

As we previously reported, the FBI raided his Calabasas home on Wednesday -- seizing multiple firearms from the residence.

Officials say the investigation stems from alleged criminal activity that went down at a George Floyd protest at the Scottsdale Fashion Square mall back in May.

Paul was initially charged with a misdemeanor for his alleged role in the incident, but that charge was dropped.

The FBI has now taken over the probe in Paul -- though they have not said specifically what he's accused of doing wrong.

Meanwhile, we're told Jake has been channeling his energy into boxing training ... working out constantly over the past few days.

Our sources also say Jake is trying to limit communication with friends outside of his boxing team.

He's also has been reevaluating his friendships and his team in order to cut out negative influences.

We're told Jake has also cut ties with former friend Armani Izadi -- whose Vegas home was also raided last week.

As for the fight, Jake and Nate have been talking trash to each other for months -- and it seems they're down to brawl whether it's in a ring or in the street.

Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. has officially been moved to Nov. 28 -- with another former world champ fighting on the undercard, TMZ Sports has learned.

The fight was originally set to go down on Sept. 12 -- but now, we're told the new date is locked in.

So, why the change to Thanksgiving weekend?

"Changing the date to November 28th will give more people the opportunity to see the biggest comeback in boxing history," Tyson said in a statement.

"This temporary inconvenience will last longer than Roy Jones Jr. He better be ready, I'm coming full force."

The company behind the event, Triller, says the move was made to accommodate a larger audience than originally anticipated.

"Given the enormous interest, the holiday weekend will make this historic battle an even bigger viewing event," the company says ... "marking the first live Pay-Per-View event brought to the world by Triller as the first of the 'Triller Battles' series."

Triller is also officially announcing the addition of new undercard fights ... including Badou Jack vs. Blake McKernan.

Badou Jack is one of Floyd Mayweather's fighters -- he's 22-3-3 and a former world champ in 2 weight classes.

Jack says he's donating a portion of his fight check to the Badou Jack Foundation to "continue to give kids across the globe a fighting chance in life."

Also added ... Viddal Riley vs. Rashad Coulter.

Vidal is pretty talented British fighter who's also famous for training up KSI for his fight with Logan Paul.

Coulter is a former MMA fighter who competed in the UFC until 2018.

And, of course, Jake Paul is still set to fight ex-NBA star Nate Robinson as the lead-in to the main event.

We're told the Tyson vs. Jones fight -- the first event in a series under Mike's "Legends Only League" -- will be sanctioned and scored by a recognized sanctioning body. 

 Oh, and the winner will get a specially-commissioned belt!!!

Hilary Tisch, one of New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch's daughters, is dead after taking her own life ... TMZ has learned.

Hilary attempted suicide over the weekend, and died Monday in a hospital, according to sources with direct knowledge. The Giants honcho mourned his daughter's death in a statement to TMZ ... remembering her as "a kind, caring and beautiful person."

Steve adds ... Hilary's "mother, sisters, brothers and I are devastated by her passing. It leaves a hole in our hearts and our lives. She, like so many others, bravely fought the disease of depression for as long as she could."

Our sources say Hilary, a successful jewelry designer, had struggled through depression for many years. Despite that, she poured her heart and soul into volunteering with Operation Smile, a nonprofit medical service organization that's provided over 220,000 free surgeries around the world for kids and young adults born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Hilary's father says the Tisch "family is utterly heartbroken and is mourning its tragic loss. We love and will miss her dearly."

Hilary was 36.

LeBron James is taking advantage of the NBA's relaxed dress code while in the Orlando bubble ... rockin' an open shirt and showing some serious skin before the Laker game on Monday!!

Of course, the league decided to take it easy on its fashion requirements during the NBA's restart ... allowing players to ditch their sport coats and suits for a more casual look.

LBJ is taking things to a whole 'nother level before tipping off against the Denver Nuggets ... wearing an unbuttoned short sleeve shirt and some shorts.

If you didn't know about the context, you'd assume the King was about to hit the beach!!

"Miami Drip in Orlando," L.A.'s Twitter account captured the pic of James heading to the team bus.

To top off the whole look, LBJ is sporting the Klutch Sports agency with a custom mask ... which has to make his buddy Rich Paul happy about the free advertising.

Fun Fact -- did you know Paige VanZant can execute a perfect toe touch??

The MMA superstar is out to prove any doubters wrong ... by throwing on a tiny hot pink bikini and posting a slow-mo vid as evidence on Monday!!

"Suns out buns out ☀️✌🏼🌴" Paige captioned her video ... which, might we add, is a very factual statement.

PVZ and her Bellator hubby, Austin Vanderford, have been spotted training at the famous American Top Team MMA gym in Florida this past week ... but made sure to get in some solid fun at the pool during their time off.

Of course, ATT houses some of the biggest names in MMA -- from Amanda Nunes to Joanna Jedrzejczyk ... and VanZant basically confirmed the move in an Instagram post.

"Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that’s going to help you grow. #NextChapter #Florida," PVZ captioned the pic.

Back to the toe touch -- PVZ was a cheerleader in HS and went on to prove she still had moves while appearing on "Dancing With The Stars" back in 2016.

Federal agents say a massive shipment of footwear on its way to Mexico contained millions of dollars worth of fake shoes -- including some coveted, rare Jordans and Yeezys.

U.S Customs and Border Protection announced the bust their agents down at the Dallas/Fort Worth port this week -- where they seized a haul which included over 1,800 pairs of phony Limited Edition Dior X Air Jordan 1 kicks that were heading to retailers south of the border.

These specific shoes retail for about $2,000 a pop on the market, and all in all ... the feds say the shipment was worth upwards of $4.3 million.

The agents add that the boxes -- about 60 of which were targeted, all coming from China -- had all the markings of a scam ... bad packaging, poor quality and the officers' previous experience with this sort of thing told them the shoes weren't legit, so they halted them.

The Jordans weren't the only sneakers in the mix -- as you can see in the photo above, it looks like there are some Yeezy 350 Boosts scattered throughout as well ... knock-offs, we should note. USCBP says several different shoes with Nike and Adidas logos were spotted.

They also say they gave the shipment's cosigner the chance to submit proof of Trademark Licensing before taking it outta their hands. Obviously, their paperwork wasn't up to snuff.

BTW ... this sorta scheme can generate tens of millions of dollars if it goes undetected -- according to the customs team, more than $37 mil of an MRSP was recorded in counterfeit shoe sales in 2019 alone. So, be on the lookout for Jordans and Yeezees on the street.

Donald Trump is campaigning hard for college football -- urging programs NOT to cancel the 2020 season.

And, he's on board the #WeWantToPlay movement, which is being led by his old fast-food buddy, Trevor Lawrence.

"The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled," POTUS tweeted Monday ... adding the hashtag, "#WeWantToPlay"

Trump made the comments while quote tweeting the Clemson QB's demands for a college football season.

As we previously reported, Lawrence -- along with other top college football stars -- spelled out a list of demands in order for the players to be on board with a 2020 football season.

Among the demands ... "Universal mandated health and safety procedures to protect college athletes against covid-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA."

"Give players the opportunity to opt out and respect their decision."

Trump and Lawrence go way back -- remember, Trevor's Clemson football team was invited to the White House back in January 2019 to celebrate their national championship season.

Trump was widely mocked for the fast-food catering, but Lawrence had nothing but praise for POTUS on the way out ... saying the food was "awesome."

Shredded?? Check. Hot?? Yup. Vacation in paradise?? Better believe it!!

Star couple Caroline Wozniacki and David Lee have taken their summer getaway around the globe to Italy ... soaking up the sun at a pool in Portofino.

Of course, the former tennis superstar and ex-NBA hooper have been doing a bit of sight-seeing after Woz announced her retirement in January ... recently hitting up Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat in France.

And, just like in France, the couple ditched their clothes for their swimsuits ... proving there's no such thing as a retirement bod for either of them.

Woz decided to go with a one-piece patterned suit this time around ... although we know she's a big fan of bikinis -- even rocking one for a hike last week.

But, CW ain't the only one who can show off -- gotta give Lee his credit as well!!

We'll be sure to keep you posted on their next stop on the Hot Couple World Tour.

Shocking new details in the Derrius Guice domestic violence case ... the NFL player's GF told cops he choked her unconscious during a March incident and when she came to, he was crying next to her.

It's all in new court documents obtained by TMZ Sports ... which spell out the allegations from 3 separate incidents allegedly involving the former Washington Football Team running back, beginning on Valentine's Day.

INCIDENT #1 -- Feb. 14, 2020

Guice's girlfriend told cops he "pushed her to the ground in his bedroom bathroom, causing injury to her left thumbnail where she caught her fall."

The woman says the nail eventually fell off due to a "popped blood vessel."

INCIDENT #2 -- March 13, 2020

Guice's GF told cops he "strangled her until she was unconscious by putting his hands around her neck and applying pressure."

The woman says when she regained consciousness, Guice was "crying and tapping her."

She told cops Guice had also pushed her and pulled her hair more than once that same day.

The woman says she left the house to catch a flight and didn't look in the mirror until she was at the airport. That's when she realized she was badly bruised and took photos of her injuries, which she submitted to police.

INCIDENT #3 -- April 17, 2020

The woman says Guice pushed her to the ground outside of his Ashburn, Virginia home causing injuries to her body, which she again photographed.

She claims Guice also thew her cell phone into the street, causing it to shatter.

As we previously reported, Guice was arrested on Friday and hit with multiple serious charges including assault and battery, felony strangulation and destruction of property.

If convicted on the felony, the faces up to 5 years in prison.

He was released on bond -- and cut by the Washington Football Team later that day.

Guice was a top running back at LSU during his college days and was selected in the 2nd-round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

He flashed huge potential but was hampered by injuries.

Danica Patrick isn't letting the haters get to her -- brushing off an IG troll who tried to mock her dating life after her split with Aaron Rodgers.

The troll left a mean comment under one of her latest IG comments -- trashing Danica out of the blue.

"At 38, its over for you in the relationship world with high value men. From a failed marriage to failed dating clearly you have a problem in dating."

The ex-NASCAR driver didn't get in the gutter with the commenter -- instead, she exposed him and encouraged her followers to ignore this kind of stupid negativity.

"If we let what one person thinks of us be our reality, we are doomed," Danica wrote.

"Realize that what someone says to us has a lot more to do with their own wounds and reality than ours. Our reality is our decision. Still not easy -- but true."

As we previously reported, Danica split with the Green Bay Packers QB last month.

The Baltimore Ravens are donating $1 MILLION to combat social injustices ... and the team's star players are deciding who gets the cash.

A players council -- consisting of ex- Ravens WR Torrey Smith, and current stars like Ronnie Stanley and Justin Tucker -- selected 28 local organizations who are each getting a share of the money.

The organizations range from a group that uses dirt bikes to eradicate poverty (B-360) to a program that provides mentors for kids in Baltimore (Challenge 2 Change).

"When you talk about social justice, there are many different issues – from education, to criminal justice reform, to health," Smith says.

"There are so many avenues the players could have chosen, so they really spread it out among a lot of different grassroots organizations."

26-year-old Pro Bowl T Ronnie Stanley says he's pumped to help people who aren't getting a fair shake in life.

"I'm passionate about this, knowing the position I'm in and how blessed I am to be in a position to help people," Stanley says.

"I'm not going to forget about the people who are dealing with things that aren't fair. We have an opportunity to help make the world a better place, and I want to take advantage of that."

Many NFL teams and players -- including the league -- have stepped up in a big way in the wake of George Floyd's killing ... donating huge amounts of money.

The NFL committed a whopping $250 million over the next 10 years to "address criminal justice reform, police reform and economic and educational advancement for African Americans."

Saints star Drew Brees is throwing down $10 mil to build healthcare and community centers in the New Orleans area.

Now -- thanks to team owner Stephen Bisciotti's donation -- a bunch of groups in the Baltimore area will have thousands of dollars to fight for equality.

"Any time you have to release a very talented young football player, its always a tough decision."

That's Washington Football Team football coach Ron Rivera explaining why he wrestled with the decision to release Derrius Guice on Friday, hours after Guice was arrested on domestic violence charges.

"On Friday, I made a decision that I believe was in the best interest of this organization, our players and our fans going forward," Rivera said during a Monday morning media session.

"Very difficult decision."

As we previously reported, the 23-year-old running back was taken into custody on Friday on multiple charges, including one count of felony strangulation.

He's also facing 3 counts of assault and battery and 1 count of destruction of property.

Officials say the charges stem from THREE violence incidents dating back to February.

River says he spoke with the Washington players on Sunday and "basically told them that I made a decision that I believe was in the best interests of our organization."

"If it was the right decision, we will benefit from it and if it's not, it will be on me."

"I will take full responsibility as we go forward to try and make sure we do things the right way and we'll go from there."

On the football side of things, Washington still has some talent at RB -- including veterans Adrian Peterson and Peyton Barber.