TMZ Sports - Page 50

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has found the secret to boosting his Uber rating -- MONEY!

The NASCAR legend got the Uber blues on Saturday when he learned his rating was a crappy 4.0 on the 5.0 scale. He tweeted about it, "That's complete sh*t."

Uber immediately reached out to Dale and tried to help him with some quick tips ... and Junior says his rating's been way up ever since.

"I've been tipping really good and been nice to the driver ... and it's working out! My ratings are up!"

Earnhardt says he's cool with the company now -- and says it's the best way to go out if you plan on boozing.

LaVar Ball just dropped the trailer for his new reality show -- which puts a spotlight on his wife's recovery from a stroke that was so severe, the family admits they didn't know if she would live or die.

Tina Ball suffered the stroke back in February -- and has essentially stayed out of the spotlight as her sons Lonzo, LaMelo and LiAngelo rose to basketball superstardom.

LaVar has been working with her in their Chino Hills home -- and finally allowed reality show cameras to document her recovery.

One powerful scene shows LaVar re-teaching Tina how to say "I love you."

At one point, Lonzo admits his mother's medical emergency "hit me kinda hard."

The 10-episode series, "Ball In the Family," debuts Thursday and also features much less serious topics -- like Lonzo's relationship with his girlfriend and LaMelo's youth basketball career.

TMZ Sports has obtained video of Kansas City Royals pitcher Danny Duffy face-to-face with cops while being popped for DUI in a Burger King drive-thru.

It all went down in Overland Park, Kansas around 7:35 PM on Sunday evening. The person shooting the video thought it was crazy that someone could get a sobriety test in the BK parking lot -- she had no idea it was the World Series star.

You can see 6'3" Duffy with the shaved head and the green sweatshirt.

BK employees told KCTV5 that he ordered a combo meal and some burgers -- but passed out behind the wheel before getting to the pickup window. Cops woke him up and he was cited for DUI before being released to a friend.

He never got that combo meal.

Art Briles is already on the hunt for another job after getting the boot the from CFL -- and his lawyer tells TMZ Sports he's obviously upset with the way things went down in Canada.

"Coach is disappointed that he won't be helping the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but knows he will be coaching again," attorney Mark Lanier tells us.

"He is optimistic that at some point, there will be full disclosure and his name will be restored."

"People who know the facts, know how maligned he was in the press, and at some point the truth will come out."

The Tiger-Cats claimed it was a "large and serious mistake" to hire the former Baylor coach -- who had lost his job in Waco following a sexual assault scandal involving several Baylor football players.

Hardcore porn will make you a bad baseball player ... this according to KC Royals general manager Dayton Moore.

The Royals exec was talking to the media about pitcher Danny Duffy's DUI -- when he was asked if there were "educational protocols" in place to help keep other players out of trouble.

That's when Moore revealed team programs to educate players about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and porn.

"We talk about pornography and the effects of what that does to the minds of players and the distractions ... And how that leads to abuse of -- domestic abuse -- to abuse of women."

Moore said the team also discusses how porn impacts relationships.

Moore says the goal is to help his players become better people -- husbands, brothers, teammates.

Teddy Bridgewater just issued a strong statement about the health of his left knee without saying a word -- in the form of a LOCKER ROOM DANCE PARTY!

Almost 1 year to the day after suffering a catastrophic knee injury -- and with questions if he'll be able to play in 2017 -- the Vikings QB turned up the music and busted out the dance moves to prove he's on the mend.

Teddy looked like he could be an extra in the next "You Got Served" flick -- though when he busted out the C-Walk, he used his healthier right leg as his main support.

The Vikings have 1 week to decide if they should put Bridgewater on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list ... which would mean he'd have to sit the first 6 weeks.

Teddy is clearly trying to convince his bosses he's ready to go.

Here's the very first pic of Mr. and Mrs. Ronda Rousey and Travis Browne!!

You can see Ronda with a big 'ol smile on her face while sporting a fancy Galia Lahav wedding gown during the wedding festivities in Hawaii this past weekend.

Ronda had said the reception was going to be a Hawaiian-style backyard BBQ with their closest friends and family ... and judging by their faces, it was everything they hoped for!

Dana White had said he got an invite to the ceremony -- but it was on the same day as the McGregor vs. Mayweather fight ... so, he couldn't make it.

Ronda's sisters served as the bridesmaids and her mother, AnnMaria, was also there!

Congrats!

Master P got another one!

TMZ Sports has learned ex-NBA star Glen "Big Baby" Davis has signed on to play in the Global Mixed Gender Basketball league ... along with 2 other former NBA players.

We're told Davis -- along with Stromile Swift and Tyrus Thomas -- are all on board and will play in the GMGB's first exhibition game on Sept. 23 in Las Vegas.

Stromile was the 2nd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft. Tyrus was 4th overall in 2006.

"We are thrilled about signing these three for a few reasons,” Miller says.

"They are all former NBA players with a lot of game still in them, former LSU Tigers and all Louisiana guys! It will make for great fan participation to have them on the team."

The big loser in the Matt Stafford contract situation is Tom Brady -- because if a guy who won ZERO playoff games is making $135 mil, Brady needs a raise, stat ... so says Eddie George.

The ex-NFL running back wouldn't go as far as to say Stafford doesn't deserve the fat new deal -- but says it's Brady who should be the highest paid player in the league.

"[Stafford] is 0-3 in the playoffs. Tom Brady has 5 Super Bowl rings. I think that money should go to Tom!"

By the way, Brady signed a 2-year, $41 million contract ... so he ain't exactly starvin'.

Still, George says Stafford's a great talent -- but "he's gotta produce some wins man. 0-3's not gonna cut it in terms of that!"

Derek Fisher has pled no contest to DUI stemming from a June 5 crash in which he flipped his SUV on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles.

Fisher previously pled not guilty to 2 misdemeanor counts of DUI -- but struck a plea deal with prosecutors in which he pled no contest to driving with a B.A.C. of .08 and got probation and 100 hours of community service (or 10 full days).

He's also required to install an ignition interlock device in his car -- which will monitor his breath before he can start the vehicle.

There's more ... Fisher must participate in a MADD victim impact panel where he will speak with families of victims in drunk driving accidents. Plus, he's been ordered to complete a 3-month-long alcohol education class.

Miraculously, no one was injured in the crash -- including his passenger/girlfriend, Gloria Govan.

After the incident, Fisher told his fans the situation will NEVER happen again.

The owner of the Houston Rockets just pulled out his checkbook -- AGAIN -- for the victims of Hurricane Harvey ... upping his original $4 million donation to a whopping $10 MILLION.

Leslie Alexander told Houston mayor, Sylvester Turner, that he is more than doubling his initial contribution to the city on Tuesday ... according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Swimmers gonna swim.

Michael Phelps just announced his wife, Nicole, is pregnant with baby #2 -- a little over a year after she gave birth to their first kid.

"Number 2 on the way," the Olympic legend said ... "So excited! Wonder if it's a boy or a girl."

Michael and Nicole got married in a secret ceremony back in June, right after their 1st son Boomer was born.

Now, they're adding to their brood ... and once again, doing it faster than Ryan Lochte.

Congrats!

Kansas City Royals pitcher Danny Duffy -- the best pitcher on the team -- was busted for DUI in Kansas on Sunday ... at a Burger King.

Here's what we know ... 28-year-old Duffy was pulled over in Overland Park in his 2015 black Escalade around 7:35 PM and the officer suspected he was driving under the influence.

But we're told in Kansas, drunk driving doesn't mean you're automatically locked up. An Overland Park city official tells us suspected DUI offenders can be cited and picked up by a friend ... and that's exactly what happened with Duffy.

The Royals played earlier that day -- and lost -- but Danny didn't play, he was placed on the disabled list on Saturday for an elbow injury.

He's due back in court on Sept. 19.

Duffy is a big deal -- he was part of the World Series team in 2015 and signed a 5-year, $65 million extension this past January.

Conor McGregor spent most of the time at his Mayweather fight after-party locked in a conversation with Irish soccer legend Robbie Keane.

So, when we saw Robbie in Bev Hills this week we had to ask -- what did you guys talk about?!

Keane wasn't down to spill all the tea -- but admitted they talked about "everything."

We asked about the nature of their friendship -- Keane said they're both from Dublin.

Bottom line -- Keane's a big fan and says Conor's "gonna do great things."

[h/t Chamatkar Sandhu]

The CFL team that hired (and then fired) disgraced ex-Baylor coach Art Briles is calling the whole situation a "large and serious mistake" ... and they're apologizing to their fans.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats initially hired Briles as an offensive coordinator -- only to let him go less than 24 hours later after talking it over with the league.

Briles oversaw the Baylor football program during a period in which investigators say people who accused the players of sexual assault were retaliated against by school officials. Briles denied wrongdoing.

Still, the Tiger-Cats say looking back ... they shouldn't have even considered hiring the guy.

"We made a large and serious mistake. We want to apologize to our fans, corporate partners and the Canadian Football League."

"It has been a difficult season and we are searching for answers. This is clearly not one of them."

"We have listened, we are reviewing our decision-making processes and we will learn. We will go on. We want to thank our fans, partners and the CFL for their help and support.”

Ric Flair has finally spoken out ... on Twitter ... vowing to recover from his medical emergency and be better than ever!

Flair (or someone from his account) just tweeted for the first time since he was hospitalized on August 11 ... saying:

"Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were. Naitch WILL be back!"

As we previously reported, Flair was placed in a medically induced coma and underwent a surgical procedure to deal with multiple organ problems.

The good news ... Flair's fiancee, Wendy Barlow, says the Nature Boy is well on the road to recovery.

"I can honestly say I have witnessed a miracle."

"He is doing very well for a Man who has been through so much! He will begin Physical Therapy shortly and will be stronger than ever and back out enjoying all the fans sooner than you would think."

WOOO!!!!