TMZ Sports - Page 50

The Detroit Lions canceled practice Tuesday at the request of the players -- so they could take action in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Several players -- along with coach Matt Patricia -- instead met with the media outside of the Lions' headquarters in Detroit to give their thoughts on the shooting.

The players made signs -- one reading, "The world can't go on" ... another said, "We won't be silent."

Duron Harmon, a lions safety, gave an emotional speech -- saying, "Some people think were just football players."

"This league, 67%, of its players are African American. Jacob Blake could have been anybody’s brother, cousin, uncle, friend, could have been them. And it wasn’t okay."

Harmon added, "Football is not important today."

Blake was shot multiple times in the back Sunday by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin (about a 5-hour drive from Lions headquarters).

Blake's father has said he sustained 8 shots and is currently paralyzed from the waist down.

QB Matt Stafford also spoke on the issue -- saying, "Football was the last thing on our mind at the moment to be honest with you."

"We're all just trying to figure a way out to help or make a change and help out. The last thing we thought about was playing football."

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has been found GUILTY of a number of charges stemming from a massive brawl in Greece last week.

The 27-year-old superstar defender was vacationing with family in Mykonos late last Thursday when a fight broke out on the beach over allegations his sister was injected with a "rape drug."

Officers in plainclothes tried to break up the scuffle ... but ended up injured in the process, according to law enforcement.

At the time of the arrest, Maguire allegedly told cops, "Do you know who I am? I am the captain of Manchester United. I am very rich, I can give you money, I can pay you, please let us go."

Maguire was held in custody for nearly 2 days before being released on Saturday.

On Tuesday (apparently, the courts move super quick there) Maguire was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and repeated attempts of bribery ... resulting in a suspended prison sentence of 21 months and 10 days.

Man. U released a statement ... saying, "Harry Maguire pleaded not guilty to all of the misdemeanour charges made against him and he continues to strongly assert his innocence."

The team added ... "It should be noted that the prosecution confirmed the charges and provided their evidence late on the day before the trial, giving the defence team minimal time to digest them and prepare."

Russell Wilson claims he's got AT LEAST another decade and a half left in his football gas tank ... saying he's trying to play quarterback until he's 46 years old!!!

"I'm right in the beginning of my prime," the Seattle Seahawks superstar told Sports Illustrated. "I got so many more years left."

Of course, Russ is 31 years old right now and has a TON of miles on his body -- dude's already been in the league since 2012 and has played in 128 regular-season games.

But, Wilson says he's feeling better than ever ... and thinks everything he's done up until this point is just the tip of his potential iceberg!!

"For me, I'm just getting started," Russ said. "That's the fun part for me. I'm just getting started. And, so, I want to keep going."

If you're wondering ... only a handful of quarterbacks have ever started past the age of 40 -- with Brett Favre, Vinny Testaverde and, most notably, Tom Brady all accomplishing that feat.

Russ seems confident as hell that he can join that list no problem ... saying straight up it's now "my mission" to make it there.

Great news for Minnesota Vikings LB Cameron Smith ... the team says he had successful open heart surgery Monday -- just a few weeks after COVID testing found a congenital issue.

Smith said earlier this month that after he was diagnosed with coronavirus ... his doctors did further testing and discovered he had an irregular valve in his heart that could have killed him.

"It is really a blessing that we found this," Smith said, "as my heart is severely enlarged and wouldn’t have lasted much longer."

Vikes head coach Mike Zimmer said Tuesday that Smith underwent the operation Monday and is still recovering at the hospital ... but added he's hopeful the 23-year-old can rejoin his teammates later this season.

Of course, Smith is out for the year and his future as a football player is in jeopardy ... but the former USC star has vowed to make every effort to one day get back on the field.

"By no means am I ready to be done playing football," Smith said. "There is still so much more I want to accomplish on the field."

Georgina Rodriguez wants everyone to know ... her boyfriend ain't the only one with a ridiculous body!!!

Check out Cristiano Ronaldo's longtime lady friend swimming around in the Mediterranean in a tiny, white thong bikini and a pair of flippers.

The insanely fit couple has been sailing around on their fancy, new yacht along the French Riviera ... hanging out with their insanely ripped pals -- living the good life.

Earlier this month, Ronaldo's Juventus squad won their 9th straight Series A -- but didn't win the Champions League, after being knocked out by Manchester City in the quarter-final match.

So, how do you blow off some of that steam? BOAT VACATION!

Of course, 35-year-old Ronaldo and 26-year-old Georgina have been together for years -- and she gave birth to their daughter, Alana, back in 2017.

There have long been rumors about the two being secretly engaged -- or even secretly married -- but the couple has denied that several times over the years.

Gregg Sulkin's looking pretty hulkin' these days ... and it helps his gym's wherever he parks his shredded bod.

Gregg hit up a local park in L.A. Monday for a socially-distanced workout. The actor brought the essentials with him ... his face mask and these incredible Bowflex adjustable dumbbells that have no doubt helped his arms get absolutely JACKED.

Gregg spent about an hour working out ... busting out some bicep curls, bodyweight squats and some push-ups. Unlike some people, dude's been making the best out of a terrible situation here, working out in makeshift gyms ... and the park usually seems to be his place of choice.

Ben Simmons has a new team -- no he hasn't been traded (yet) ... the NBA superstar has joined the world-famous FaZe Clan!

Simmons -- a hardcore gamer -- is the newest celebrity investor and even got a new FaZe nickname to go along with it ... FAZE SIMMO!

The Philadelphia 76ers big man will serve as an "ambassador to the organization for content as well as an advocate for gaming and esports and the expansion of FaZe Clan globally," the company says.

FaZe Clan also notes it will not disclose the amount of Ben's investment, though it's probably fair to assume it's a sizable number.

Simmons first started gaming with FaZe talent in 2018 -- mostly playing Call of Duty with FaZe Temperrr.

The two recently participated in a COD celebrity pro-am which raised nearly $125,000 to help people affected by COVID-19.

"Gaming is an important part of my life, and so it was a natural progression to personally invest in this industry,” Simmons said.

"FaZe Clan represents the pinnacle of the gaming culture, and I am really looking forward to connecting with new fans around the globe."

FaZe is one of the largest and most influential companies in gaming -- recently passing the 1 BILLION view mark on its YouTube channel.

Milwaukee Bucks guard George Hill has regrets about going to the NBA Bubble -- saying he feels helpless to take real action in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting.

“It’s just sickening. It’s heartless. It’s a f*cked up situation,” Hill said after defeating the Orlando Magic in Monday's playoff game.

"You’re supposed to look at the police to protect and serve. Now, it’s looked at harass or shoot."

When asked what the Bucks organization and players can do -- since the shooting took place in Kenosha, WI (about 45 minutes from their home arena) -- Hill didn't hold back his thoughts.

"We can’t do anything. First of all, we shouldn’t have even came to this damn place, to be honest. I think coming here just took all the focal points off what the issues are."

Hill continued, "But, we’re here, so it is what it is,” Hill said. “We can’t do anything from right here, but I think definitely when it’s all settled, some things have to be done."

Ex-Seattle DB Kemah Siverand says he's sorry for sneaking a woman into the Seahawks' hotel earlier this month ... saying straight-up his actions were "absolutely inexcusable."

Kemah was fired by Pete Carroll 2 weeks ago after Seahawks officials caught him dressing up a female companion in player gear in an effort to get her past security and into his room.

The 23-year-old says after stewing over it all the past 14-or-so days ... he's realized the whole operation was a boneheaded idea -- and called the entire thing a "lapse in judgment."

"I violated team rules," Siverand says, "which would be unacceptable in normal times, but absolutely inexcusable now during a pandemic."

Siverand says he's apologized to Seahawks officials vehemently ... with ESPN reporting he even personally handwrote a sorry note to the team.

Siverand was an undrafted free agent cornerback who had a small chance of making Seattle's roster ... and now has an even smaller chance of catching on again in the NFL.

But, Kemah says he's learned from the incident ... and is vowing to do everything he can to sign with another team.

Island Express, the company that operated the helicopter that killed Kobe Bryant and 8 others, is suing the 2 air traffic controllers who they claim caused the crash.

The helicopter company claims the 2 air traffic controllers who were guiding the pilot to the Mamba Academy, The controllers were asked by the pilot for radar guidance, presumably because of the heavy fog. According to the lawsuit, one of the controllers responded by saying, "I'm going to lose radar and comms [communications] probably pretty shortly so you can just squawk V-F-R [visual flight rules] and when you get closer go to Camarillo tower."

The company claims the controller denied the pilot the use of what it believes is life-saving radar, despite the fact that radar guidance had not yet been lost.

Another controller then relieved the first and according to the suit, less than 2 minutes later the pilot radioed in, but the new controller was unhelpful and uninformed.

According to the suit, the pilot believed he was still operating on radar because the tower operators did not clearly say it was being terminated. Nevertheless, the company claims the helicopter did suddenly lose radio and radar contact in the fog.

The suit claims at some point -- presumably when the pilot was in the fog -- radio contact came back, and the controller tried reaching the pilot repeatedly, and that caused the pilot additional stress. What's unclear ... it would seem the controller was calling to guide the pilot.

"I've seen racism up close. I know what it is. And, it isn't Donald Trump."

Football legend Herschel Walker delivered a passionate speech defending Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention Monday ... insisting his longtime buddy is an ally for Black people.

"It hurt my soul to hear the terrible names that people called Donald," Walker said. "The worst one is racist."

Walker says he's known Trump for nearly four decades ... and has never once experienced a racist act from him.

"I take it as a personal insult that people would think I've had a 37-year friendship with a racist," the 58-year-old former running back said. "People who think that don't know what they're talking about."

Walker says Trump has always been a fair and loving person toward him ... giving him business advice and setting an example for how to treat everyone the same.

Walker added he's seen tremendous family values from Donald up close as well ... explaining how Trump joined a family vacation to Disney World at the last minute in a suit and tie.

"There he was, in a business suit, on It's A Small World ride," Walker said with a laugh. "That was something to see."

The results are in ... and Usain Bolt has COVID-19, officials say.

Jamaica's minister of health -- Dr. Chistopher Tufton -- confirmed Bolt's test results with the media late Monday, according to multiple outlets.

Bolt had been self-isolating since taking his test on Saturday -- and will continue to do so until he tests negative.

Earlier in the day, the 34-year-old Olympic legend had posted a video responding to a premature report he had COVID ... saying he had been tested but was awaiting results.

Bolt says he had chosen to quarantine himself out of an abundance of caution ... and now, it seems that was the right move.

There is still major concern about Bolt's massive 34th birthday party, thrown by his girlfriend Kasi Bennett in Jamaica on Friday.

The event was MASSIVE -- with tons guests, including a bunch of Jamaican celebrities.

The concern ... video purportedly taken at the event appears to show a bunch of people dancing close without wearing masks or taking any real precautions to avoid spreading the virus.

Usain's girlfriend just gave birth to their daughter, Olympia Lightning Bolt (greatest name ever), back in May.

Jamaica hasn't exactly been a hotbed for COVID so far -- with only 1,413 reported cases and 16 reported deaths since the pandemic began.

"F THE GAMES AND PLAYOFFS!!! THIS IS SICK AND IS A REAL PROBLEM WE DEMAND JUSTICE!"

Utah Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell is shifting his focus from the NBA playoffs to the horrific shooting of unarmed black man Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI ... saying this is exactly why players have been speaking out about social injustice.

Blake was reportedly walking back to his vehicle after breaking up a fight between two women ... when a white officer followed him and shot him in the back 7 times as Blake's children watched from inside the car.

Blake was flown to a nearby hospital where he remains in serious condition.

Mitchell is one of many sports figures speaking out about the incident ... saying, "ITS CRAZY I DONT HAVE ANY WORDS BUT WTF MAN! THIS IS WHY WE DONT FEEL SAFE!!!!"

FYI -- Mitchell is currently wearing "Say Her Name" on the back of his jersey during the NBA restart in honor of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by three cops executing a no-knock search warrant in March.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Amir Garrett also spoke about the shooting, saying ... "They put 7 rounds into Jacob Blake in front of his children. I watched the video, you telling me he can’t be tazed? He immediately has to be shot?"

"Smh apparently black lives still don’t matter. I am outraged this morning."

K.C. Chiefs star Tyrann Mathieu tweeted, "Damn they shot that man 7 times.... why can’t 3 officers subdue one male? I truly need answers y’all comment on everything else......"

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara added ... "Attempted murder.. I pray he survives."

Hall of Famer Ray Allen spoke out as well, saying, "No person deserves to be treated this way. Can we all agree on this? Where is our human decency! What happened to "protect and serve."

"It looks more like harass and shoot!"

The Milwaukee Bucks -- who usually play 45 minutes from Kenosha -- released a statement on the incident, saying, "We stand firmly against reoccurring issues of excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging the black community."

"Our organization will continue to stand for all black lives as we demand accountability and systemic change on behalf of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sylville Smith, Ernest Lacy, Dontre Hamiltion, Tony Robinson, Joel Acevedo and countless other victims."

"We will work to enact policy change so these incidents no longer exist."

Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev did not get hitched ... despite what you may have heard on a morning talk show.

Here's the deal ... "Good Morning America" referred to Nikki as Artem's "wife" in a promo clip announcing his return to "Dancing with the Stars." Fans quickly caught on, with lots of folks under the false impression they got married on the low.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Nikki and Artem are NOT legally married and it was just a funny accident on 'GMA.'

Our sources say Nikki and Artem both still want to get married, but they don't have a date for the wedding due to coronavirus restrictions. They're far from alone there.

We're told the engaged couple does not want a socially-distanced wedding, so Nikki and Artem are just gonna ride things out until the pandemic passes and then start planning their special day for friends and family.

With wedding plans in a holding pattern, our sources say Nikki and Artem are focusing on his return to 'DWTS' and their newborn baby.

We broke the story ... Nikki listed her home in Arizona after only 3 months living next to her sister, Brie ... and now we're told she's relocating back to Los Angeles, where Artem is shooting 'DWTS.'

As Earl Thomas deals with his own drama on the football field ... his wife is gearing up for a big hearing in her domestic violence case.

According to court records obtained by TMZ Sports, Nina Thomas' next court date on the matter is set for Sept. 3 in Texas at 1:30 PM CT.

Of course, there's a possibility the hearing could be pushed to a later date -- but the fact that it's on the calendar means, for now, the case is still very much alive.

We broke the story, Nina is accused of storming an Airbnb home in Texas and holding Earl at gunpoint after she allegedly caught him cheating.

But, the pretrial process has moved at a snail's pace ... with several hearings on the matter having already been pushed due to COVID-19.

For now, next week's hearing is still on ... although it's unclear if any resolution will come from the court date.

As we previously reported, it doesn't seem Earl wants to move forward with charges regardless ... he said in a video statement shortly after the incident that he and Nina have been talking, adding, "Stuff like this happens."

Nina also bought Earl a new diamond chain for his birthday back in May ... which the NFL player thanked her for publicly on social media.

LeBron James has that Mamba Mentality on Kobe Bryant day ... wearing a Mamba tribute jersey on his way to play the Blazers in game 4 of their playoff series.

LBJ walked into the building sporting a limited-edition Bryant tribute jersey ... with #24 on the back and #8 on the front.

Nike only offered a small number of these custom jerseys on its website on Monday -- but James has some pull over there.

The Lakers have a much bigger tribute planned for the game -- the entire team will wear special Black Mamba jerseys, which were actually designed by Kobe a few years before he passed.

The jerseys feature a snakeskin pattern and a special patch on the shoulder to honor Gianna Bryant.

LeBron and Kobe were extremely close -- James famously got a Kobe tribute tattoo on his thigh in the wake of his death. He also gave an emotional address to Laker Nation in the first home game following the tragedy.

But, don't expect the Portland Trail Blazers to just let the Lakers run 'em over -- Damian Lillard is also hoping to honor Kobe tonight by playing his ass off and fighting for a victory, just like Kobe would have wanted.