TMZ Sports - Page 50

WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi allegedly took her frustrations out on a locker room door after losing to the Chicago Sky in the 2021 Finals ... with the future Hall of Famer reportedly slamming it until it was completely wrecked.

The incident allegedly happened after the Phoenix Mercury lost 80-74 in Game 4 of the championship series -- with the Sky securing its first title in franchise history.

According to The Next Hoops, Taurasi was apparently so pissed by the loss, she started banging the door ... almost cracking it in half.

If it went down as reported, it's a wild fit of rage from Taurasi, but it's not the first time she had controversy this series -- in Game 3, she shoved a referee while trying to help her teammate, Sophie Cunningham, get off the ground. The 10-time All-Star was fined $2,500.

There may be another fine coming soon ... the Mercury players declined speaking with the media after the Finals loss, which could result in a financial penalty.

However, Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello did speak at the postgame press conference saying, "there's a lot of disappointment in that locker room, as it should be."

"But, I am proud how we worked just to get here."

A Minnesota Vikings fan was sent crashing to the ground after being socked in the face during a wild melee at the Panthers game Sunday ... and all of the violence was captured on video.

The scene went down at some point during the Vikes' win over Carolina at Bank Of America Stadium ... when a man clad in purple got into a verbal altercation with several Panthers fans.

In footage of the fracas, you can see the Minnesota fan immediately started scrapping with a man in a Jaycee Horn jersey ... before yelling at others in the area.

Several people stepped in to intervene ... and pushing, shoving and screaming ensued.

Eventually, the altercation turned seriously violent ... with the man in the purple shirt being thrown to the ground and then being hit by a thunderous punch.

The guy laid on the floor for several moments ... but got up and appeared to try to continue the fight.

Meanwhile, another woman was knocked to the ground amid all of the chaos.

It's unclear what started the brawl, if there were injuries or if any arrests were made. We've reached out to cops, but so far, no word back yet.

Of course, fighting at NFL stadiums has unfortunately been commonplace this year ... with violent scuffles -- including one at the Bears vs. Rams game earlier this season -- breaking out seemingly weekly.

Great news for Darrell Taylor -- the Seattle Seahawks defensive end is doing well after being stretchered off the field in a scary moment during Sunday's game ... with coach Pete Carroll saying initial reports are "really good."

Taylor was carted off and taken to a nearby hospital after suffering an injury in the 4th quarter ... with players circling around him in support as he laid immobilized.

Carroll gave an update on Taylor's status after the 'Hawks' 23-20 loss to the Steelers ... saying all his initial tests came back clear and he was able to travel with the team.

"The CT scans were clear, so that's a really good preliminary report," Carroll told reporters. "There's some more tests to be done and stuff like that, so we're thrilled about that news."

Carroll says Taylor has full movement in his arms and legs ... and admits the pass rusher would have preferred to not have left the field the way he did.

"He was so mad about having to be taken off the field like that," Carroll added.

"He wanted to get up, they just wouldn't let him do it, because they had to do all the secure methods to take care of him and all of that. But man, he didn't want any part of that."

Taylor is one of the best defensive players for the 'Hawks ... with 4 sacks this season.

Patrick Mahomes' brother says he meant "absolutely no disrespect" by dancing on a Sean Taylor memorial Sunday ... explaining the whole thing was a complete misunderstanding.

Jackson Mahomes -- who's gained fame over the last two years for his TikToks -- recorded himself stepping on a swath of grass at FedExField that had been spray painted to honor Taylor.

The moves -- set to a popular song -- were seen as wildly inappropriate ... given that the Washington Football Team had chained off the area in order to recognize Taylor, who was having his number 21 retired 14 years after his tragic death.

Fans blasted the younger Mahomes on social media ... with others noting that he and Patrick's fiancee, Brittany Matthews, had even been standing on the logo prior to the dancing.

Jackson issued an apology hours after the Chiefs left the stadium with a win, deleting the TikTok and saying WFT officials had actually "directed" him to be there.

"I want to sincerely apologize for accidentally being on the Sean Taylor #21 at FedEx Field," Jackson said. "We were directed to stand in that area and I meant absolutely no disrespect to him or his family."

This is not the first time Jackson has created a headline at a Chiefs game this season ... just a few weeks ago, he doused a trash-talking Ravens fan with water.

Patrick said after that incident he was hopeful his brother would "learn from it."

"Tank's gonna knocked the f*** out. And, whoever believes otherwise can go f*** themselves."

That's 26-year-old, undefeated rising boxing star Rolando Romero -- aka Rolly -- declaring that he will not only beat Gervonta Davis when they fight December 5 in Los Angeles, but Tank will get flatlined within 3 minutes!!!

It's an incredibly bold prediction ... especially considering most experts have picked Davis to beat the very talented Romero.

But, Rolly -- who we spoke with leaving Wilder-Fury 3 -- is adamant he isn't just running his mouth ... he believes he's got a size and power advantage.

"The best thing about Tank is that he's a puncher, and I'm a bigger puncher and bigger person. What the f*** does he have?" Rolly tells us.

"I punch way harder than him. Ask anyone that knows us both. They'll tell you straight up."

Of course, Tank is known as one of the hardest punchers, pound-for-pound, in the entire sport. All but 1 of his 25 wins are by knockout ... and the uppercut he dropped Leo Santa Cruz with is one of the most devastating punches of all time.

But, Rolly's power definitely isn't anything to scoff at ... all but 2 of his 14 wins are also by KO.

So, Romero's prediction?!?

"I'm gonna knock him the f*** out."

When?!?

Kyrie Irving might not be able to play basketball this season as he continues to resist getting the COVID-19 vaccine -- but the dude's still stretching his legs ... with pigskin, no less.

TMZ Sports has obtained video of the Brooklyn Nets superstar all in Sunday on a game of pickup football with some guys at a high school in New Jersey ... where he seemed to be playing wide receiver and running routes, but not getting a look on this particular play.

We're told they were playing 4 on 4 here ... and this was actually a soccer field. So, not really a gridiron, per se, but at least we're getting a chance to see him out in public.

He's been seemingly reclusive of late -- taking to IG Live to try and explain his vaccine status and rationale -- this as he remains the focus of national media amid his stance to not get the jab ... and forfeit millions of dollars to be a "voice for the voiceless."

While we imagine his coaches and teammates won't be too happy seeing this -- Kyrie hasn't practiced/played with the Nets in a good long while now, due to the NY vaccine mandates -- at least they can take solace in the fact that he's staying active and somewhat in shape(?) for if/when he caves and decides to get back on the court at some point this season.

Then again ... maybe he never will. It looks like the Nets are prepared to move forward without Kyrie for now -- and they could very well trade him if he stays hunkered down like this.

Conor McGregor allegedly got in another fight outside the Octagon ... this time a DJ claims the champ punched him in the face and broke his nose.

Francesco Facchinetti, a famous DJ from Italy, says he and his wife were hanging out with Conor and his fiancee in Rome and, at around 2:30 AM Sunday, Conor threw a punch landing on his face. Facchinetti says the attack was unprovoked.

Facchinetti, who posted a video that clearly shows injuries, says they were all "having fun" earlier in the evening ... so much so, Conor invited them to tag along to another party. It appears they didn't leave because Facchinetti says that's when Conor threw the punch in front of 10 witnesses.

Facchinetti was quick to say he's suing Conor ... “I took a punch for nothing. That punch could go to anyone. My friends, my wife, or other friends. That’s why I decided to sue Conor McGregor because he is a violent and dangerous person.”

Facchinetti's wife posted what she claims went down ...“Then out of nowhere, he threw a punch in the face of Francesco. He was inviting us to another party. Francesco said, ‘Okay, let’s go’ and he hit him. Luckily, he [Francesco] was very close so he [Conor] couldn’t load up on his punch. Francesco flew back, fell on the table, and then on the ground. The first thing that came to mind was ‘are we kidding? Is it a show?’ Then I was paralyzed.

She went on ... "I turned around and saw that his friends were holding him against the wall because he wanted to continue beating Francesco. Then they took him away. I turned on the light and the guards turned them off. Francesco was bleeding. I wanted to help him and the guards chased us away. He will stay in Italy until October 26th. If you see him stay away from him. Don’t go near him and ask for autographs because he is an unstable and dangerous person.”

It ain't Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays ... no, according to David Ortiz, the greatest baseball player ever is Barry Bonds.

The Red Sox legend made the claim to TMZ Sports out in Beverly Hills this week ... saying Bonds is his MLB G.O.A.T.

"He's the best player of all-time," Big Papi said.

Ortiz added he believes the San Francisco Giants legend is, definitively, a Hall of Famer.

Of course, there's no denying Bonds is statistically the greatest ever ... he hit 762 home runs and stole 514 bases while winning SEVEN MVP awards in his 22 years in the Big Leagues.

The problem ... many believed the former outfielder used performance-enhancing drugs to help his game -- which is why he still hasn't been enshrined in Cooperstown.

Indianapolis Colts DB Isaiah Rodgers will be channeling his inner-Terminator for next weekend's game ... 'cause he just copped cleats featuring images from the classic 1984 action thriller -- that light up!

TMZ Sports has learned artist Rodney Jackson was workin' on some Terminator cleats with the idea of highlighting the T-800 model by using actual lights for the eyes.

And, when Jackson finished them ... he shared 'em with Rodgers and said the NFL player wanted 'em ASAP!

The cleats are dope -- they feature a detailed image of Arnold Schwarzenegger with a shotgun and dark shades ... the exact image of the '84 movie poster.

On the other side, the Terminator is painted on -- with red eyes that flash!

Jackson -- who also made Candyman cleats for Nyheim Hines earlier this season -- says it took a lot of wiring and a lot of work ... but he managed to get the spikes done in just one day!

How good is #5 ranked UFC Lightweight, Islam Makhachev? His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, believes he could be one of the most dominant fighters of all time.

"I think [Islam's] gonna be one of the greatest fights ever. I think he's a better version than Khabib. I truly believe he is. He's not now, but he can be. He's a future world champion, for sure," Ali tells TMZ Sports.

Obviously, Nurmagomedov (literally) NEVER lost ... finishing his legendary career with a 29-0 record. He beat Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Conor McGregor.

If you're not familiar with 30-year-old Makhachev ... he's a beast. Islam's 20-1 ... with his sole defeat coming in his 2nd UFC fight way back in 2015.

Ever since ... he's dominated.

Next on the agenda is #6 ranked Dan Hooker at UFC 267 on October 30 ... a fight Abdelaziz says Hangman can only win with a fluke punch.

"Dan Hooker, great fighter, great guy, he's showing up for a paycheck. The only way he can win is a lucky punch."

Ali says he's personally witnessed Makhachev beat much bigger UFC stars in the gym.

"Let me tell you something, Islam Makhachev, I see him in the gym beating D.C. (Cormier), beating Luke Rockhold, beating some of my guys who's top 5 middleweight. Beating guys in the top 5 at welterweight."

Playoff baseball is in full swing!

Famous Los Angeles Dodgers fans -- such as Cheech Marin, Rob Lowe, Joseph Baena, Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett -- are celebrating their favorite team as they face-off against the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the NLCS!

Emily Osment, Jenna Fischer, and Joe Jonas are just a few other sporty stars visiting the stadium, chomping down on Dodger dogs, and cheering from the bleachers with high hopes they will take home the World Series title for a second year in a row!

You won't strike out as you scroll through this gallery of these celebrity fanatics!

Vanessa Bryant will submit to a physician-ran test on her mental state see if she's actually tormented over the Kobe crash site photos being shared ... that is, if L.A. County get its way.

The late Lakers star's widow is being asked to undergo a psychiatric evaluation -- by force via a judge's ruling if need be -- by County attorneys who want her (and others) suing them to prove she's going through the emotional anguish and distress she claims in her lawsuit.

According to court docs, obtained by USA Today, the County's rationale here is ... Vanessa and co. say they've suffered severe emotional distress as a result of the crash site photos allegedly being spread around among L.A. County Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and others.

But ... how do we know their ongoing agony isn't simply because of the the crash/deaths of their loved ones, as opposed to the photos being disseminated among a relatively small group of people??? That's the County's position -- and they wanna get to the bottom of it.

The County's legal filing reportedly reads, "Despite putting their mental condition front and center in this case, Plaintiffs refuse to submit to independent medical examinations (IMEs)."

They add ... "The County brings this motion to compel IMEs of the Plaintiffs, which are necessary to evaluate the existence, extent and nature of Plaintiffs’ alleged emotional injuries. Plaintiffs cannot claim that they are suffering from ongoing depression, anxiety and severe emotional distress and then balk at having to support their claims."

Vanessa's legal team fired back, saying this was nothing more than a "scorched earth" approach, and a slimy one at that ... where the County is overreaching in their discovery process and going to extreme ends to defend what her attorney calls indefensible conduct.

L.A. County notes ... the photos (which apparently showed off the remains of some of the bodies that day) were allegedly only shared among other County employees, and a bartender -- saying they were never publicly disseminated.

A high school football game abruptly ended Friday night after gunfire erupted and 4 people were shot.

Players from Williamson High School were on the field against rival Vigor High School at the Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, when gunfire rang through the stadium, just before 10 PM.

Two of the 4 people shot were minors ... one person is in critical condition.

It's unclear where the shots came from, but it appears the shooter was not on the field or in the stands. As you see from the video, the players dropped to the ground and people in the stands fled ... leaving the stadium in a panic.

The shooter was not apprehended and it's unclear if police have any leads. A witness told cops 2 people and possibly more fled the stadium in a white sedan after the shooting, but it's unclear if they had anything to do with the shooting.

Andre Rison is going to bat for Jon Gruden ... telling TMZ Sports he knows the former NFL head coach is definitely "not a racist."

Rison -- who played for Gruden and the Raiders in the 2000 NFL season -- said despite the vile, racist, homophobic and misogynistic words Jon wrote in emails from 2011 to 2018 ... he still believes the guy is a good man.

"We all say some things behind closed doors that we regret or we wouldn't say in public," said Rison, who's remained close to Gruden even after the '00 season ended. "We've all made mistakes."

"I believe who he said and what he said and who he intended it for, it was intended for that person and nobody else."

Rison did admit Gruden did mean what he said in his messages to a Washington Football Team exec and others ... and offered to apologize on the coach's behalf.

But, Rison added in all the years he's been around the 58-year-old, he's never seen anything that would suggest Gruden is a bad person.

Rison also told us he believes if this is the end of Gruden's time in the NFL, the former Raiders head man should hold his head high.

"You've already given this game some of the best tutelage and best leadership that you could possibly give," Rison said in a message to Gruden. "So if you don't ever touch the game again, don't feel any type of way."

Tommy Fury says it's a wrap for Jake Paul's boxing career -- telling TMZ Sports he's going to knock the YouTuber-turned-fighter into retirement when they face off in the ring.

Fury -- lil' bro of boxing champ Tyson Fury -- finally agreed to be Paul's next opponent last week ... after initially saying the offer wasn't worth getting out of bed for.

We caught up with the 22-year-old earlier this week at LAX and had to ask what made him change his mind ... and he tells us the negotiations started to make sense.

"Things are looking up now between that fight," Fury says, "so hopefully we should get it closed in the next few weeks so we'll see."

Of course, Fury believes he's gonna win this bout -- he's a 7-0 light heavyweight going up against Paul, who's also undefeated, but hasn't gone against an actual boxer.

"This is an easy fight for me. A real easy fight," Fury tells us, "I've been doing this job since I was 7."

"He's not a boxer. He's gonna see that when we fight."

Fury added, "I will end his boxing career. There’s no more Jake Paul after we fight. That’s it."

In fact, Fury believes he's doin' Paul a favor ... 'cause at the end of the day, winning this fight doesn't get him anywhere "in boxing terms."

"Beating Jake Paul doesn't get me a world title shot," Fury says, "It doesn't get me any respect to any of the fighters because everyone knows what the fighters think of him."

"All it is, is a good payday, an easy fight."

S.F. fans might be hurting right now, but there's something to look forward to for next season ... 'cause UFC star Nate Diaz says he wants to throw out the first pitch at a Giants game -- and put Conor McGregor's toss to shame!!

Of course, Diaz's nemesis had one of the worst ceremonial first pitches EVER back in September ... chucking the ball wide right of the plate, but claiming it was actually great.

So, when we spoke with the 36-year-old at the Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury fight last weekend -- before the Giants' heartbreaking exit from the postseason -- we asked if he was gonna try to get the same honor at Oracle Park.

Diaz disses McGregor with his response -- saying if he does get the opportunity, he's gonna hit the target!!

When we asked if his pitch will be better than Conor's, Diaz made it clear he'd look like Logan Webb out there on the mound.