TMZ Sports - Page 50

The owners of the Cleveland Browns say they support Baker Mayfield's plan to kneel for the national anthem in 2020 ... hoping it will lead to more "thoughtful dialogue" about tough issues in the future.

The star QB has said multiple times he plans to kneel during the anthem in 2020 -- claiming it will shine a spotlight on police brutality and social injustice ... which he recently described as "human rights issues."

Jimmy Haslam and his wife, Dee, were asked about Baker's comments on Sunday -- and they insist the organization will support "freedom of speech" and expression for any Browns player who wants to take a knee.

"One of the great things about this country, one of the many great things, is the ability to have freedom of speech and to be able to express yourself, so we're gonna support our players," Jimmy said.

He hopes the demonstration will lead to more constructive conversations between people on both sides of the issues -- claiming, "One of the unfortunate things in the country today is that there's not enough thoughtful dialogue."

Dee says she hopes the Browns can show the rest of the country it's possible to have "respectful" conversations about the tough issues.

Congrats to Utah Jazz star Mike Conley -- who raced out of the NBA Bubble to witness the birth of his child ... AND HE MADE IT JUST IN TIME!

32-year-old Conley left the bubble environment in Orlando on Sunday and hightailed it over to Columbus, Ohio to be with his wife, Mary, who was due on August 27.

But, the baby didn't feel like waiting around -- and when things started happening on Sunday, Conley made a grown-man decision!

The good news ... Conley arrived with time to spare, and posted a photo with Mary and their bouncing baby boy, Elijah, on Sunday night.

"[Mary] and baby are doing great," Conley reported on IG.

Conley says his oldest son wanted to name the kid "Lightning Thunder Michael Alex Conley" ...  but they settled on "Elijah Michael Conley" instead.

"What an awesome reminder of what’s important in life and what motivates us to be better," Conley added.

Conley -- who is averaging 14.4 points per game -- could return for some of Utah's 1st-round playoff series with Denver, but nothing is set in stone yet.

When/if he does return, Conley must quarantine for 4 days and then test negative on several COVID-19 tests before being allowed back in the bubble.

The L.A. Kings have suspended the man who plays team mascot "Bailey" ... this after the guy was accused of repeatedly sexually harassing a female Ice Crew member.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... a woman using the alias Jane Doe filed a lawsuit last week claiming Tim Smith -- who suits up in the Kings' Lion costume for events -- was repeatedly inappropriate toward her.

In the suit, Doe claimed Smith hurled lewd jokes her way, made sexually-charged comments and leered at "her breasts and buttocks."

The woman also claims after she complained about Smith -- who manages the team's Ice Crew in addition to playing the mascot role -- he retaliated by firing her from the squad.

Doe says she was eventually able to join back up with the Kings ... but says Smith's action remained inappropriate toward her.

The Kings said in a statement shortly after we published the allegations that they're taking the case seriously ... and have now banned Smith from all team activities until they complete an internal investigation.

"We are aware of the recently-filed lawsuit alleging misconduct by one of our employees," Kings officials said. "The LA Kings take these allegations very seriously and, as an organization, we believe that everyone has the right to work in an environment free from any form of harassment or discrimination."

"We will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter. The employee in question has been suspended, effective immediately, pending the conclusion of that investigation. We are withholding any further comment at this time."

High school football is officially underway in Utah -- where two teams faced off for the first time this year despite the looming pandemic.

The Herriman Mustangs took on the Davis Darts on Thursday in a stadium that was only filled to 25% of capacity in order to allow fans to keep a safe distance. All fans were required to mask up.

On the field, coaches, refs and other essential personnel wore neck gaiters to cover their mouths and noses while interacting with the players and each other.

The cheerleaders were allowed on-site too -- again, everyone wearing a mask.

Although some of the players wore masks during warm-ups, they were NOT required during the game and it doesn't appear anyone wore one after the opening kick off.

School officials said extra staff and security were brought on to make sure everyone was in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.

In the end, Davis emerged victorious in a 24-20 nailbiter -- with running back Spencer Ferguson rushing for 197 yards and a TD.

It was an interesting site considering several states have postponed high school football due to the pandemic -- including Arizona, California, New York, New Jersey and more.

Of course, college football is divided -- with the PAC-12 and Big Ten also pushing to the spring.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez won't have a problem borrowing a cup of sugar from their new Star Island neighbors, because folks there are welcoming them with open arms ... and happy bank accounts.

We broke the story ... the power couple just scooped up a $40 million waterfront estate on Miami's super-exclusive island 'hood, and our sources there say the locals might be more excited about it than J Lo and A-Rod.

We're told current Star Island residents believe J-Rod's arrival will bring back the lure, luster and celeb status the area's been lacking lately ... and, therefore, send property values soaring to new heights.

It's interesting because some major A-listers still call Star Island home -- Diddy and Gloria Estefan come to mind -- but others have sold and moved away in recent years ... like Shaq and Rosie O'Donnell.

So, our sources say J Lo and A-Rod more than fill that void while bringing even more glamour than ever ... along with a nice wholesome ambiance with their blended family.

We're told the other stars on the Island will also be thrilled if the soon-to-be-wed couple ended up paying the asking price of $40 mil ... because, once again, it's great for everyone's bottom line.

There are still 2 properties for sale on the island, and rumor has it ... Jeff Bezos is eyeing both of them.

Ohio State superstar QB Justin Fields is leading a campaign to resurrect the BIG Ten football season -- saying he believes it can be done in a safe and responsible way.

The 21-year-old Heisman hopeful launched a petition Sunday aimed at the Big Ten Conference in hopes of getting officials to reconsider postponing the fall season ... and it's already racked up more than 220,000 signatures.

"We believe that safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to COVID-19," Fields said in the petition ... adding it should be up to the players to decide if they want to suit up or the season.

"Don’t let our hard work and sacrifice be in vain. #LetUsPlay!"

Fields joined ESPN Radio on Monday and said he believes if the other conferences are able to play, the Big Ten should find a way to figure it out as well.

"I think if the SEC, ACC and Big 12 all feel like we can have a season safely, I think we can do the same thing in the Big Ten."

"I don’t think it’s hit everyone that we’re not playing, but if we’re sitting at home and other conferences are playing, that’s gonna hurt down deep."

Fields adds he and his teammates want to play for the seniors who may not get the opportunity to play college football again ... saying, "We owe it to those guys first."

Fields says he's working directly with Clemson's Trevor Lawrence to find ways to move forward -- they're trying o unify the biggest names in college football to speak out together to help save the season.

"We're finally now realizing how big of a voice that we have."

As we previously reported, both the Big Ten and the PAC-12 have postponed their football seasons to at least January, which the hopes of playing a season in the spring, if the pandemic allows for it.

Cops have thwarted an apparent kidnapping attempt at the home of WWE superstar Sonya Deville -- claiming the suspect is an obsessed fan who was armed with a knife, zip ties and duct tape.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Lutz, Florida arrested 24-year-old Philip A. Thomas on Sunday ... saying he had been planning his move for 8 months.

Officials say Thomas parked his car at a nearby church late Saturday night and walked to Deville's home -- where he cut a hole in a patio screen, waited for several hours and then entered the residence around 2:45 AM.

Thomas set off a house alarm, which startled Deville -- and once she realized there was an intruder, she fled the home with another person and called 911.

Cops arrived and found Thomas still inside the home. He was arrested for attempted armed kidnapping, armed burglary, aggravated stalking and misdemeanor criminal mischief.

Cops say he's an obsessed fan who was on a mission to "inflict harm."

"Our deputies are unveiling the suspect's disturbing obsession with this homeowner who he had never met, but stalked on social media for years," the HCSO said in a statement.

"It's frightening to think of all the ways this incident could have played out had the home alarm not gone off and alerted the homeowner of an intruder. Our deputies arrived within minutes and arrested this man who was clearly on a mission to inflict harm."

26-year-old Deville -- real name Daria Berenato -- later commented on Twitter, thanking cops.

"Thank you everyone for your love and concern. A very frightening experience but thankfully everyone is safe," Deville said.

"A special thank you to Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for their response and assistance."

The Washington Football Team has named Jason Wright as team president, the 1st Black team president in NFL history.

Yep, this is a big deal.

The 38-year-old spent 7 years as an NFL running back as an undrafted free agent out of Northwestern in 2004.

He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals -- racking up 1,214 total yards and 5 TDs.

During the 2011 NFL lockout, Wright decided to leave go back to school -- and got his Masters Degree in Business from the University of Chicago. He later went on to become a partner for McKinsey & Co., a major consulting company.

Wright spoke with 'GMA' about his new job -- and explained why he's so excited about the gig.

"The fact that I happen to be Black and the most qualified person is a boost," Wright said.

Wright says he's well-aware of the PR issues the team faces -- from the team name controversy to the allegations of sexual harassment -- and says he looks forward to helping the "culture transformation."

As for the new name of the team, Wright says he's not spilling the beans yet. He just got hired!

Wright is Washington's 2nd major non-white hire in the past few months -- after naming Ron Rivera head coach.

Rivera replaced Jay Gruden. Wright takes over for Bruce Allen -- both of whom were fired in 2019.

Wright later tweeted, "So excited to join the movement that the Snyders and Coach Rivera have launched. Ready to dive in!"

He lost his job. He's fighting domestic violence allegations -- and now, Derrius Guice has been ordered to appear in court over a reckless driving incident.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the ex-Washington Football Team running back was popped going 95 in a 55 near Dulles Airport back in June -- the latest in a string of speeding incidents in Virginia.

He was cited for misdemeanor reckless driving and a court date has been set for Sept.

Normally, this isn't a big deal ... but for Guice, it's another strike against a once-promising NFL star battling to keep his career.

As previously reported, Guice was arrested earlier this month on several serious domestic violence-related charges ... including felony strangulation.

Officials say Guice attacked his GF on 3 separate occasions from February to April -- and if convicted on all counts, he faces serious prison time.

While digging around on the domestic violence case, we came across a bunch of speeding incidents involving Guice dating back to May 2019.

In total, 4 speeding tickets over the course of 13 months -- seems Guice has a lead foot.

Guice's attorney has said the RB "adamantly denies" the domestic violence charges.

TMZ Sports obtained audio of the farewell speech LeBron James gave to the "Space Jam" cast and crew on his last day of shooting ... and it's emotional stuff.

The NBA superstar addressed the cast and crew in Summer 2019 (before the COVID pandemic) ... and explained why it was so important for him to take the role in the first place.

"I'm gonna be honest completely with you guys -- when I found out about the project, I was like it's 'Space Jam'! It’s a movie that I grew up watching. People in the movie that I idolize. I was like absolutely, I gotta do it. There’s no way I can turn down 'Space Jam'!"

Bron joked that he had second thoughts when he realized the production schedule was so demanding, but ultimately decided it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I’m just a small kid from Akron, Ohio -- a very small town outside of Cleveland. From a single-parent household, I’m the only child, my mother had absolutely nothing. She was walking around high school when she was 16 years old and she was pregnant with me as a high school sophomore. So, I’m really not supposed to be here."

"Growing up in the inner city, as an African-American kid, there’s no way you’re supposed to f*cking make it out. And, the fact that I’m who I am as an African-American adult now with 3 kids of my own, and I made it out of the situations that I was in. This sh*t is like extra credit for me man."

Bron proceeded to thank everyone involved with the movie -- saying, "Y'all say you appreciate me, but I’m sh*t without y'all."

As we previously reported, James invited some of his NBA pals and teammates to participate in the movie -- including  Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis.

Kendall Jenner was true to form -- as in looking amazing -- as she stepped out of Nobu restaurant in Malibu Saturday night, with a guy she's said in the past she's not dating, but if Kendall and NBA star Devin Booker are just friends, they're REALLY good friends.

Kendall and Devin have chowed down at Nobu in the past. They've been seen together in various places over the last few months, including a road trip through Sedona, AZ. They've also been flirting online, so there's definitely some smoke here.

As for Devin, he was sprung from the NBA bubble Friday after the Phoenix Suns failed to make the playoffs.

UFC honcho Dana White has anointed Stipe Miocic the greatest MMA heavyweight of all time after scoring a victory over Daniel Cormier Saturday night, but it was a real shot in the eye.

Daniel was rendered blind in one eye -- hopefully just temporarily -- after Stipe poked him in the eye in the third round of their UFC 252 rematch. Stipe won by decision, making him a 2-1 victor in their trilogy of fights.

The referee didn't see the poke, but it was squarely caught on camera, and it's pretty gruesome. You see Stipe's finger go right in DC's left eye.

As for the injury ... it's reportedly a tear in his eye, although the extent of the injury has not been disclosed.

DC made it clear after the fight, he couldn't see anything out of his left eye.

Stipe was ahead in rounds 1 and 2, and the eye poke came in round 3 of the 5-round fight, but Dana White says the decision is legit ... “They both got poked in the eye. That eye was hurt before the poke. We got a big group text that goes out and I was like ‘There’s something wrong with Cormier’s eye.’ And then he got poked after that. That didn’t help. But they both got poked. You can’t use that as an excuse.”

Jake Paul says you can bet your mortgage on him knocking out Nate Robinson early in their celeb boxing match ... which might explain him messing with Big Macs without worry.

The YouTube star was leaving BOA in L.A. Friday night when he dished on how he thinks his undercard fight with the ex-NBA star will go in November -- spoiler alert, the dude's very confident, so much so ... he says putting your own house on the line would be worth it.

Check it out ... Jake tells us he's guaranteeing a FIRST-ROUND knockout, regardless of how much time Nate has to train. Remember, their match was originally scheduled for September, but reportedly got pushed back to the late fall ... which he seems to confirm here.

In any case, Jake's got a word of advice for people criticizing his pre-fight diet -- namely, the fact he's been spotted at McDonald's lately and getting weird stares. His suggestion ... sshhh, 'cause he says he can eat anything he wants because of how fast he'll get a K.O.

Like we said, Jake is super confident -- dare we say, cocky as hell??? Sure, that's probably accurate, 'cause he says he can basically slow walk this fight ... running ain't necessary.

Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie refuse to let that whole global pandemic thing stop them from their annual super-expensive, ballerrific Euro-Trip -- because they've just touched down in Croatia!

We've been covering Magic's summer trips for years -- he typically spends MILLIONS to rent fancy yachts for MONTHS to sail around the Amalfi Coast with his rich and famous friends.

But, with COVID still rearing its ugly head, the Johnson's are keeping more of a low profile this time around -- even rocking masks to try and limit their exposure. Smart!

Still, Magic and Cookie were spotted by fans in Dubrovnik -- and naturally, they smiled and posed for pics with anyone who asked while trying to keep a safe distance.

In previous years, we've seen Johnson Family Trip cameos from superstars like Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J, Holly Robinson Peete, Steve Harvey and more.

Unclear if the same crew will make it out this time around with the pandemic still affecting parts of the world.

Magic's vacations usually last around 6 weeks and can cost anywhere from $4 mil to $6 mil just on yacht fees!

In 2019, Magic's yacht featured a dining room area, movie theater, hot tub and massive outdoor deck.

Another COVID coupling -- this time, it's boxing champ Devin Haney and IG superstar Lira Galore!

We're told the two are officially dating -- and things are so serious, they just took a romantic trip together to Cabo!

The 21-year-old undefeated (24-0) boxing superstar recently flew 26-year-old Galore -- who has 4.2 million followers on IG -- down to El Pedregal, Mexico where he rented a ridiculously awesome mansion.

Our sources say the romance is relatively new -- but these two can't get enough of each other and spent the getaway doing fun things like riding ATV's, swimming in the mansion's Infinity pool, and feasting on meals cooked up by a private chef.

Haney is one of boxing's brightest young stars -- he's the reigning WBC lightweight champion and seems to be on a collision course with other top guys like Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis and Vasyl Lomachenko.

As for Galore, she's no stranger to high profile relationships having previously dated Rick Ross, Quality Control Music CEO "Pee" Thomas, and others.

Haney was connected with Blac Chyna back in July 2018 -- but they both moved on after that.