TMZ Sports - Page 50

It appears IShowSpeed needs to brush up on his K-pop knowledge ... 'cause the popular gamer and YouTuber recently referred to Stray Kids member Bang Chan as "BTS" -- and the whole awkward moment played out in front of thousands of viewers.

18-year-old Speed -- who has tens of millions of followers across all platforms -- was scrolling through videos on his phone as his loyal fanbase tuned in to the stream earlier this week ... when he stumbled upon a clip of the popular group's leader discussing his admiration for the internet superstar.

"Speed is so funny," Chan said in the vid ... adding he has "mad respect for him."

"I feel like the effort he puts out to what he does is just phenomenal. I think it's just really, really cool."

Chan even revealed he watches Speed's vids with fellow groupmate Felix "all the time."

Speed was understandably pumped about the shoutout ... and asked those watching if Chan was a member of BTS before tracking down his Instagram page.

Speed then slid into the DMs ... leaving him a personal video as a "thank you" for the kind words.

"Yo brother Bang Chan, BTS, bro. I just seen the video that said you was a big fan of me, bro," Speed said ... also including some words of encouragement to "keep grinding."

Despite several people in the chat trying to correct Speed on his flub -- and the fact Chan clearly lists "Stray Kids" in his bio -- it was too late ... and he hit "send" on the video message.

STAY (the group's fanbase) quickly got wind of the mistake ... making jokes about Speed's confusion and how Chan would react to it.

Others didn't take it lightly ... pointing out the fact Speed assumed Chan was a member of BTS could be considered racist.

While BTS is undoubtedly the most famous male K-pop group to crack into massive mainstream success in the States, Stray Kids has gained momentum in their own right ... even performing at the Billboard Music Awards in November.

MSG and Knicks owner James Dolan allegedly trafficked a massage therapist to Harvey Weinstein in the 2010s -- and also taking advantage of her himself -- but he's pushing back on her claim as BS.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Dolan is named as a defendant in a suit alleging he partook in outright sex trafficking after taking a young masseuse under his wing between late 2013 and early 2014 ... while he was performing on the road.

The plaintiff, Kellye Croft, claims she was initially hired to be the traveling massage therapist for the Eagles in 2013 ... but after some trouble with the touring staff, she says she ended up meeting Dolan, whose own band was the opening act.

Croft says she opened up to JD about her woes, and afterward, he apparently got involved to alleviate her issues ... and, she alleges he started pushing a sexual relationship with her.

While she doesn't straight up accuse Dolan of sexual assault, Croft does say she felt pressured to engage in sex acts with him ... throughout the rest of the tour.

Fast-forward to January, when Croft claims Irving Azoff's company -- which she says was handling the Eagles tour at the time -- flew her out to California to do more massage work ... only this time, she claims it became clear it was at Dolan's request.

Basically, she alleges Dolan simply wanted her on the road with him for sex -- and during this stint in L.A., she claims she had an ugly run-in with Weinstein ... who she says was good friends with Dolan, and who she alleges sexually assaulted her at a hotel.

Croft claims she actually ran into Weinstein at the hotel where she was staying -- and once he learned she was Dolan's massage therapist, she alleges he tried to rope her into giving one to him right then and there -- which ended in a chase down the hallway.

Croft claims Weinstein pursued her to her room, and pinned her down and sexually assaulted her ... only to be saved by a phone call from Dolan.

Once Weinstein realized Dolan was on the other end, Croft claims he backed off and said to her ... "Well, you know Jim and I are best friends. He’s going to be very disappointed that you led me on, this won’t look good for you." She claims he then left, and it was over.

Afterward, Croft claims she relayed all this to Dolan himself -- and she says he simply brushed it off ... allegedly noting that he and everyone in Weinstein's circle knew he was a "troubled person" who had "serious issues," and that his pals had tried to get him help.

Croft also points out a song she claims Dolan sent to her other associates years after the fact -- with lyrics that she claims nod to the Weinstein scandal that broke in 2017. It's a real song from his band, called "I Should've Known."

Croft says the lyrics -- which touch on a friend who falls from grace -- are actually a reference to Weinstein, but she claims Dolan knew about him for years.

Croft is alleging she was sexually trafficked, claiming Dolan flew her out to L.A. to continue the sexual relationship, and allowed her to be put in the situation with Weinstein ... an allegation which seems to have opened the door for a federal complaint to be filed.  Of course, she wants major damages.

Dolan is calling this entire suit pure fiction, with an attorney for the mogul telling TMZ ... "There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against Mr. Dolan. Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a friendship. The references to Harvey Weinstein are simply meant to inflame and appear to be plagiarized from prior cases against Mr. Weinstein."

His lawyer adds, "These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against Mr. Dolan and has not won, and cannot win, a judgment against him. Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims. Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position. We look forward to proving that in court."

Weinstein's own attorney, Jennifer Bonjean tells TMZ … "Mr. Weinstein vehemently denies these meritless allegations and looks forward to litigating these claims in court of law where the truth will be revealed."

Odell Beckham Jr. believes the New York Giants were trying to sabotage his career by shipping him to the Cleveland Browns in 2019 ... revealing he felt his old team made the trade just to "f*** me over."

OBJ spoke his mind on his Ravens teammate Marlon Humphrey’s "Punch Line Podcast" earlier this week ... when he opened up on his eventual departure from the organization that drafted him in 2014.

"There’s a semi bit of me that feels like the Giants sent me off, I’ve said it before, sent me off to Cleveland to die," Odell said ... adding he felt there were better deals on the table with contenders, but NY chose the less favorable destination.

"You can't tell me this was the best trade package we could have got for you ... no, your desire was to kind of f*** me over a little bit."

Beckham and defensive end Olivier Vernon were traded to The Land in exchange for safety Jabrill Peppers, guard Kevin Zeitler and a first and third-round pick ... the former eventually becoming Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, a staple for the franchise.

Beckham Jr. started off hot in the Big Apple ... but things quickly turned sour. He became just as famous for his on-field success as his antics off it, including sideline outbursts.

The current Ravens receiver believes the team didn't like the way he handled himself in the latter part of his Giants tenure ... which is why he thinks they screwed him over when he asked to be traded.

"You feel like I made a fool of you or the organization and that was never truly my intention ... I'm just that competitive," OBJ added. "I wanted to win, I always wanted to win. I’m tired of being 6-10, we haven’t done anything to make changes."

Odell said his urgency to win also had to do with his quarterback at the time, Eli Manning ... who was on the backend of his career.

"Eli's going out, I'm texting Eli like, 'You're 7th on the list for the greatest of all time.' I want to see Eli go out with another Super Bowl. We're not putting the pieces around him ... I feel like I was being wasted as well."

Odell also revealed how he found out he was traded ... saying he was overseas at the time, and the whole situation was "a lot" for him.

"To me, whether that's right, wrong or indifferent, it felt like a move that had a bit of spite a bit of like ... you're not finna go somewhere else and shine and make us look bad."

Former NFL linebacker Ronald Powell -- the No. 1-ranked high school recruit in the 2010 class -- has tragically died at 32 years old.

Powell's former college football teammate, Junior Galette, announced the sad news on his X page ... saying he's heartbroken over the death.

"I Love You Forever till we meet again," Galette wrote on the social media app on Monday night. "An EXCELLENT FATHER. Respected Brother and a Loving Son."

"I am saddened to share with the rest of the world that Ronald Powell Transitioned Earlier today. REST IN POWER RONALD POWELL."

Galette did not reveal a cause of death.

Powell started his football career at Rancho Verde High School in California ... playing defensive end, linebacker and tight end. In his senior year, he logged 13 sacks and 28 tackles for losses ... and became a five-star college recruit who was ranked as the top player in his class.

The California native ultimately committed the Florida Gators ... though injuries -- which included two torn ACLs -- slowed his career down. Still, he was able to log 11 sacks, two pass deflections and a forced fumble in three seasons.

In 2014, the New Orleans Saints selected him in the NFL draft ... but he only went on to play in 14 games.

Powell also recorded time in the Alliance of American Football in 2018 ... playing for the Orlando Apollos.

LeBron James checked an overzealous fans Monday night ... pushing a man who rushed the NBA superstar as he sat on the Lakers bench!

The bizarre incident went down during the Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game at Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A. last night ... and was all captured on video thanks to a Lake show supporter who happened to be filming the 39-year-old NBA legend.

Bron was minding his business when out of nowhere a random fan rolled up on the 6-foot-9 forward and grabbed his arm, as he appeared to say something to King James.

But, as you can see ... James was caught off guard by the random stranger touching him, and to be safe, LBJ shoved the guy off him.

At about the same time, security finally noticed what was happening, and they escorted the guy away.

The game ultimately went on without interruption, and the Lakers ended up winning 112-105. LeBron finished with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 push.

James didn't address the incident after the game.

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber left their men at home on Monday ... and then proceeded to have a helluva girls' night out at the Lakers game!!

The A-list duo -- sans Justin Bieber and Bad Bunny -- sat in courtside seats with friends as LeBron James and Co. took on the Oklahoma City Thunder ... and it seems there wasn't one moment where they weren't enjoying themselves.

Cameras spotted Kendall sippin' from a custom cup with her 818 tequila logo on it ... and later, she and Hailey were seen jokingly flippin' off a fellow fan.

At one point, they were able to get their hands on a game ball too!

No word on why Justin and Bad Bunny couldn't make the game -- but, clearly, the girls didn't mind their absence.

Other celebs were at Crypto.com Arena taking in the action as well -- Dave Chappelle, Colin Jost and David Duchovny all had great chairs for the contest -- and, finally, L.A. was able to treat them to a W.

LeBron scored 25 points, while Anthony Davis logged 27, and the Lakers cruised to a 112-105 victory -- their first dub in nearly a week.

Title this one "The Gang Ignores The Emmys To Watch The Eagles Lose."

"It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Rob McElhenney wasn't gonna let a silly awards show get in the way of watching his beloved Eagles' playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday ... 'cause the actor tuned in to the game from his phone in the middle of the ceremony.

Rob's costar and wife Kaitlin Olson captured the scene in a selfie posted to social media ... with a caption that read, "Who schedules the Emmys the same night as the @eagles #gobirds #FlyEaglesFly."

Unfortunately for Rob, the action on the field wasn't a pleasant experience ... as Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to the 32-9 upset win, booting the reigning NFC champs out of the postseason.

The game also had to be a big bummer for Rob, as it appears to be the last one of future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce's stellar career.

While the Eagles won't bring home the Lombardi Trophy in 2024, at least Rob was able to snag some hardware this awards season -- his "Welcome to Wrexham" show received five Emmys off six nominations.

As for 'Sunny,' the gang took the stage to present during the event ... and took the opportunity to bash the fact the show hasn't been nominated in its 16 years on the air -- despite its massive popularity.

The Philadelphia Eagles lost their playoff game Monday night, and then they appeared to lose their Hall of Fame center for good too.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jason Kelce told his teammates following the defeat to the Buccaneers in their wild card game in Tampa Bay he's retiring.

Kelce has not yet confirmed the news publicly -- he declined to speak with reporters after the loss -- though his emotions on the sidelines as the clock ticked down to zero seemed to say everything for him.

Cameras caught the 36-year-old on the verge of tears as the Birds were officially bounced from the postseason ... and moments later, he was seen emotionally walking back through a stadium tunnel as well.

If it is the end, Kelce's career will officially go down as one of the best ever by a center. He played for 13 seasons and was named a Pro Bowler seven times. He also earned All-Pro honors five times ... and won one Super Bowl championship.

He also developed a persona that transcended football ... becoming a fan favorite off the field -- while recording a podcast, "New Heights," with his brother, Travis Kelce, that has quickly risen to the top of the charts.

Jason, of course, still has time to reverse his mind. You'll recall, he was seemingly done following the Super Bowl loss last year -- and he ultimately came back.

Bill Goldberg's son Gage was this close to playing for the Crimson Tide ... but the high school football player tells TMZ Sports he changed his mind once Nick Saban retired!

Cue Gage's WWE legend dad, who called Deion Sanders -- his former teammate with the Falcons in the early 90s -- and next thing ya know, Goldberg's on his way to Colorado!

Gage, a 205-pound middle linebacker out of Boerne Champion High School in Texas, spoke with us days after he announced he'd be playing for the NFL Hall of Famer as a preferred walk-on with the Univerisity of Colorado.

GG revealed his commitment came down to the wire ... as he was very close to committing to Alabama until Saban unexpectedly retired last week.

"My top schools were Alabama, Duke, UCF, NC State. Those were my four," the 17-year-old said.

"Then [dad] reached out to Deion and then the coach called him. The opportunity came up for a [Preferred Walk-On] at Colorado and I committed on that."

It's a significant change for the Goldberg family. In fact, Bill was already looking at property in Tuscaloosa.

But, things have changed, and despite Goldberg having wanted his son to play for Saban (arguably the greatest CFB coach ever), he's happy he'll be coached by Prime.

"Deion and I are great friends. I love the man like he's my brother," Bill said.

"It's just a huge decision. It's not based on who's got the coolest uniforms. It's based on who's gonna take care of you the most and where you have the best opportunity, both on and off the field."

Bill added, "I'm gonna continue to sing his praises but after I speak so highly of this person, why would I not want this person to be the head coach of my son?"

3:28 PM -- Grizzlies fans made their feelings toward Draymond known as he made his way to the court ... letting the boo birds fly as he checked into the game with just over 6 minutes left in the first quarter.

The jeers didn't seem to faze Green one bit ... as he nailed a three-pointer shortly after entering the game.

Draymond Green is officially back -- the Golden State Warriors star is expected to play against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday ... his first game following his indefinite suspension.

The Dubs announced the four-time champion was listed as "active" for the road matchup just minutes ago ... sharing the news with a clip of Green dunking during pregame warmups.

Green will come off the bench for Golden State ... and the squad is undoubtedly hoping he provides a spark, as they're currently 18-21 and sit toward the bottom of the Western Conference.

Dubs head coach Steve Kerr pointed out Green hasn't played in a while ... which may result in limited minutes in his first game back.

"It will mostly be based on how he's feeling and how that unit is doing while he's out there," he told reporters before the game. "We'll just see how it goes."

Of course, Green hasn't played since his punishment for hitting Phoenix Suns player Jusuf Nurkic on Dec. 12 ... and during his time away from the hardwood, he sought counseling and focused on his life away from basketball.

Green previously revealed he contemplated walking away from his pro career during his suspension ... but commissioner Adam Silver talked him out of it.

Don't look at Mike McCarthy or Dak Prescott ... the Cowboys' MF'ing problem is none other than Jerry Jones, according to retired NFL star Chad Johnson, and if the organization ever hopes to end its championship drought, the owner has to take a giant leap backward!

Johnson and fellow legend Shannon Sharpe chopped it up Sunday night on their Nightcap Podcast, dishing on the Cowboys shocking loss to the Packers, a game they were favored to win by a TD.

“Guess who the mother f***ing problem is and why they keep losing every single year? 28 years guess who the common denominator is? All the pieces to the puzzle every year the Cowboys play good god d*** football and get sent the f*** home in the first round, guess who the problem is?” Chad asked.

Shannon responded, asking if it was Jerry.

“Say his name loud and clear! That’s the problem, Jerry Jones is the reason why they can’t get past the first round. That’s the problem!”

Of course, 81-year-old Jones isn't just the owner, he's also the president and general manager ... meaning unlike other owners, Jerry's running things.

Johnson believes that's the real issue for "America's Team."

And, it's not that Chad doesn't like Jones ... he does, but he also believes this is something that must happen.

“Jerry I love you, I love the way you conduct business. Go ahead and get in the background and let them boys handle their business from now on.”

CJ continued ... “Let the boys go out there and play ball. We know who owns the team, don’t put no more added pressure than what already comes with the star on the helmet already. Watch the problem be solved, I guarantee the problem be solved when Jerry stops doing that.”

A little bit of snow -- okay, a TON of snow -- wasn't gonna stop Bills and Steelers fans from making their way to the stadium for Monday's Wild Card game ... with diehard supporters trudging to their seats in time for kickoff.

The playoff matchup was originally slated to go down on Sunday ... but Mother Nature had other plans, as a snowstorm forced the N.Y. governor and NFL commish Roger Goodell to push it back a day.

The Bills pulled out all the stops in hopes of getting Highmark Stadium ready in time for the contest ... even offering folks $20 an hour to help clear out the snow.

Despite the efforts, there was plenty left over from the storm ... but judging by videos of spectators walking through knee-deep piles in order to get to their seats, they didn't care one bit.

In fact, when Buffalo tight end Dawson Knox caught the first touchdown of the game, Bills Mafia made use of the extra snow by throwing it up in the air to celebrate.

All things considered, the field looks damn good for the game ... with not one snowflake in sight.

Matthew Stafford apparently wasn't the only one in his family getting booed during the Rams and Lions' Wild Card game on Sunday -- his wife, Kelly, claims fans also targeted their four young kids with jeers as well.

Kelly admitted before the Rams' 24-23 loss she was expecting to hear it from Lions fans ahead of the matchup ... considering her hubby was their beloved quarterback for 12 seasons before he was traded to the Rams, where he won his first Super Bowl.

Now that he's on the other sidelines, Kelly explained she understood why people would turn on #9 in favor of their own team ... but it's clear she wasn't expecting her youngins to get thrown into their antics.

"It's sports," Kelly said on her IG story Monday. "The city wants to win. Everything is fair game ... except the fans who booed my children."

"Other than that, I loved the atmosphere and the booing just gave my husband more fire."

Despite the booing Stafford's daughters -- who range between the ages of 3 and 6 -- Kelly wished the Lions nothing but the best ... and is rooting for them to win it all.

"The more you love, the more you hate. I consider it all love going both ways," Kelly said.

"I hope the Lions bring home a Lombardi to that city because that feeling is like no other."

Famous reptile enthusiast Brian Barczyk has sadly passed away after spending 10 days in hospice care ... following a brave battle with pancreatic cancer.

The announcement was made Monday ... with the folks at his Reptarium Reptile Zoo paying tribute to their "exceptional" visionary, mentor and friend in an emotional IG statement ... where they praised Brian's ability to touch innumerable hearts and minds globally with his fervent passion for reptiles and wildlife.

They added, "For those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him, Brian's absence leaves an immeasurable void. As we navigate this difficult time, we find comfort in the memories and the lasting light of Brian's work. He will be deeply missed but indeed, never forgotten."

Brian received news of his devastating stage four pancreatic cancer diagnosis almost a year ago ... and it looks like he knew what was coming as just days earlier, he shared an emotional goodbye video.

The reptile influencer once said ... "I'm ready, guys. It was a tough year. It was so painful, the pain was incredible, the sickness was incredible, the treatment was incredible, everything about it was so bad" ... while also thanking his "reptile army" for their support.

Brian made a career out of his love for reptiles ... starring on the Discovery Channel's "Venom Hunters" and kickstarting his successful YouTube career in 2016. He had 5.26 million subscribers and collaborated with the likes of Logan and Jake Paul.

As well his Reptarium Reptile Zoo, he was also the founder of Legasea Aquarium.

He also owned the third-largest collection of snakes in the world -- over 30,000, actively participating in venom milking.

He leaves behind his wife Lori and their two children, Noah and Jade. A memorial in honor of Brian will be held on Wednesday by his family in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Nobody had a better Sunday than Jared Goff -- not only did he lead the Detroit Lions to their first playoff win in three decades ... but he also celebrated the accomplishment with a kiss from his model fiancée, Christen Harper, as the entire stadium chanted his name!!

The former No. 1-overall pick was on top of the world after coming away with the 24-23 win over his former L.A. Rams in the Wild Card matchup ... and rightfully so -- he went 22-27 for 277 yards and a touchdown on the night.

Shortly after the victory, Goff ran up to his longtime partner and gave her a smooch ... all while the supporters at Ford Field showed him some serious love.

Of course, Harper -- who has been linked to the NFL star since 2019 -- has been in Goff's corner through the good times and the bad ... and had a viral reaction in the middle of a Sports Illustrated photoshoot when the Lions won their first game of the season in Week 12 back in 2021.

Things are much different now -- the Lions are in the middle of a playoff run and will now face off against the winner of Monday's matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jordan Love’s longtime GF Ronika Stone could hardly wait to roast "Dem Boyz" after the Cowboys lopsided loss to the Packers on Sunday ... the pro volleyball player had some (good-natured fun) at the expense of a bunch of Dallas fans who hit the exits early!

Of course, the Cowboys lost 48-32 (they were down 27-0 in the first half) ... and Stone, the First Lady of Cheesehead Nation, had a prime seat, sitting mid-field as she watched her man carve up the Dallas defense.

Stone made a beeline for IG in the second half, mocking the Cowboys for the L as she took video of fans leaving early.

“Leaving so soon Cowboys fans?!” Stone gleefully asked.

“What happened? I thought we were Dem Boyz,” she continued, as her sister laughed in the background.

Savage.

Ronika -- a former standout athlete at the University of Oregon -- didn't stop with just an IG story post ... she also headed for TikTok to talk a little trash.

“Just checking in to see if y’all are still dem boyz?!”

Love played out of his mind on Sunday, throwing for 272 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. He completed over 76% of his passes and finished with a near-perfect QB rating.

Jordan's performance was one of the best playoff debuts ever for a QB, bottom line.

Chances are things are going to get a good deal harder this weekend when the Packers go on the road to face the #1 seed 49ers, who are 9.5-point favorites (GB was 7.5 dogs to DAL).