TMZ Sports - Page 4

It's a REALLY bad time to be a bird at an MLB ballpark these days ... because for the second time in less than a week, one was killed in the field of play.

The latest fowl situation happened during the second inning of the Guardians' game against the White Sox in Cleveland on Monday night ... when Will Brennan was up at the plate.

You can see in video of his at-bat ... after he cracked a ball to the left side of the infield, the baseball accidentally landed right on top of a bird -- before it skidded into the outfield for a base hit.

Sadly, the bird died from the impact ... and it didn't take long for players around the diamond to realize what had just happened.

Check out the broadcast footage -- all of the guys had stunned looks on their faces ... as a member of Cleveland's grounds crew came out to scoop up the dead bird with a shovel.

Once the infield was cleared of the carcass, the game resumed ... and Cleveland ended up winning, 3-0.

But, Brennan's victory celebration was muted ... 'cause afterward, he took to Twitter to apologize for the play.

"I truly am sorry @peta and bird enthusiasts," the outfielder wrote. "An unfortunate sacrifice."

Unfortunately, this was the second time in five days that a bird lost its life on the field ... you'll recall, Arizona Diamondbacks star Zac Gallen killed one with a warmup pitch in Oakland on May 17.

Kris Jenner was sitting courtside Monday night, supporting Tristan Thompson -- and perhaps bringing the NBA vet some luck -- 'cause not only did TT get a decent amount of burn, but he also scored his first points in weeks!

Unfortunately for fans of the purple and gold, it wasn't enough to keep the brooms at bay ... and the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets.

Jenner showed up to Crypto.com Arena with bae Corey Gamble ... and the two sat front row, along the baseline for the pivotal game.

32-year-old Thompson ultimately played 10 minutes, making 2 of his 4 attempted field goals for 4 points and 1 rebound.

Before game 4, Tristan had only played 1 minute total in the first 3 games.

Jenner's presence is seemingly further proof everything is good on the Thompson-Kardashian-Jenner front. In fact, when Tristan was first signed by the organization, Corey not only attended a game but also partied with TT afterward.

Kim Kardashian has also been to multiple games ... although Tristan didn't play.

Kris wasn't the only celeb in the building last night ... the place was jam-packed with celebs.

Everyone from Vin Diesel, to Floyd Mayweather, Alex Rodriguez, Kyrie Irving and Edward Norton attended the game.

The Nuggets didn't just eliminate the Lakers from the postseason on Monday night -- they may have ended LeBron James' career too ... 'cause the L.A. superstar said after the Game 4 loss he's now seriously considering retirement.

A somber James met with reporters after Denver completed its sweep of the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals ... and after fielding questions for about a dozen minutes, 'Bron made it clear, he might not be back for the 2023-24 season.

"We'll see what happens going forward," James said to a throng of media members following the 113-111 defeat. "I don't know. I don't know. I got a lot to think about, to be honest. I got a lot to think about, to be honest."

While James is 38 years old, no one saw retirement coming this soon ... after all, he's still the Lakers' best player -- and in the series-clinching loss Monday night, he still dropped 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

But, James -- who just wrapped up his 20th year in the NBA -- did battle a foot injury for most of the season ... and L.A. doesn't much room to significantly improve its roster next season due to the team's current salary cap situation.

Plus, James' kids are going through some years of their lives that LeBron certainly wouldn't mind being home for more often than not.

"Just for me personally," he said, "going forward with the game of basketball, I got a lot to think about."

Dolph Lundgren is turning his pain into purpose ... saying he couldn't be happier to inspire others, after opening up about his 8-year battle with cancer.

We caught up with the "Rocky" icon Monday at LAX, where he gave us an update on how he's been feeling since revealing he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015.

Dolph told us, health-wise, he's feeling good at the moment, and he feels even better that his ordeal is inspiring so many others. He's had producers and other folks come up to him and ask for advice and says those exchanges are truly rewarding.

He's clearly focusing on the silver lining, saying even inspiring one person was enough, which is the reason why he talked about it in the first place.

As we reported, Dolph was on "In Depth With Graham Bensinger" earlier this month when he spoke for the first time about his cancer diagnosis.

He said he went into remission in 2020, but when the cancer came back, a doctor gave him a terminal diagnosis ... saying he had tumors in his lungs, stomach, spine, and kidneys and he only had a few years to live.

Thankfully, he got a second opinion from Dr. Alexandra Drakaki, who he credits for shrinking his tumors.

Hulk Hogan has endured 28 surgeries over the last decade after years of wrestling injuries ravaged his body ... but the WWE Hall of Famer tells us thanks to his THC and CBD use, he feels better than he has in 45 years!

"I always joke about I didn't get the memo that this stuff was 'fake' and after the 10 back surgery and two knees and two hips, it's just a situation of you do get hurt out there all the time," Hogan told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).

Hogan continued, flat out saying ... "I feel better than I've ever felt at 69 years old, I feel like I'm 25 again."

If you know anything about Hulk's physical ailments (Hogan's publicly talked about enduring horrific pain on a daily basis), it's truly an incredible comeback.

"It definitely helped me because as I said the slow walk back from the prescription drugs ended with me downing the Tylenol and the Advil and Aleve's and finally even that wasn't working for me," Hogan said.

"As I moved away from that and got into the CBD world, it really changed the game from my sleep to the inflammation, the way my wrists and my joints hurt, across the board, it helped me with my health."

In fact, Hulk is such a proponent of THC and CBD, he's actually launching his own brand with the company behind Mike Tyson's "Tyson 2.0" and Ric Flair's "Ric Flair Drip," Carma HoldCo.

"When I saw what Ric and Mike were doing, I instantly wanted to get on the team because you use CBD for energy, for sleep, for fitness -- it just made sense. It's a logical extension of where I already was but this is the safe way to approach things instead of that wild card way of doctor's prescription stuff. It just didn't make sense anymore."

Hulk's new partner, Chad Bronstein, Carma's President, also joined us to preview the new health and wellness brand ... which he says will feature not just CBD and THC products but also "functional mushrooms."

Facing a 3-0 deficit in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers haven't looked good ... but the women cheering them on throughout the playoffs sure have!

It's been tough being a fan of the purple and gold lately ... but Laker Girls Anoukka, Sammy, and Juliette have done their best to give the fans at Crypto.com Arena something to cheer about.

Of course, we can't forget Quori-Tyler ... a New York native who is in her second year with the Lakers.

Alongside Quori and the rest of the squad is Taylor from Dallas, and a handful of other beautiful and talented women.

Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals goes down Monday night ... and it's win or Cancun for LeBron and company as they try and stave off the Nuggets.

Glen Kuiper has been fired from his role as Oakland A's broadcaster ... after he used the n-word while on-air earlier this month.

NBC Sports California said in a statement Monday it came to the decision to part ways with the longtime play-by-play man following a weekslong investigation into the incident.

"We thank Glen for his dedication to Bay Area baseball over the years," the network said in announcing the news.

Kuiper had initially been suspended on May 6 for using the racial slur while talking with Dallas Braden just before the A's vs. Royals game on May 5.

During their conversation, Kuiper had been trying to explain to viewers what they did during the leadup to Oakland's contest in Kansas City ... but in an attempt to say they had gone to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, he muttered the n-word instead.

Later in the game, the 60-year-old apologized for it all ... saying he had said something that didn't come out the way he intended.

"I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said," he added in another apology later in the week. "I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies."

Jalen Ramsey is saying goodbye to both L.A.'s football team this year AND the insane mansion he called home in the city ... TMZ Sports has learned he's put his pad up for sale following his trade to the Dolphins.

The former Rams cornerback -- with the help of Compass agent Lee Mintz -- just listed the property on Monday for $13,995,000 ... and while it's a hefty price tag, it ain't hard to see that it's definitely worth it.

The home, located in the swanky Hidden Hills, has seven bedrooms, eight and a half bathrooms ... and comes with its own basketball court and sauna.

It's also got a theatre room, a wine room, and an insane fitness room.

The backyard also has a luxury pool, a newly built guest house -- and plenty of incredible landscaping. There's even an area in the yard to train for uphill sprints!!

The 28-year-old, who initially bought the place from Howie Mandel in 2020 for $9.5 million, sure didn't seem thrilled to have to part ways with the home ... saying in a statement Monday, "It is tough coming to terms with selling it because I do love it."

"You can relax, play basketball, be healthy, workout," he added, "you can do it all here."

Of course, Ramsey doesn't have much use for the place these days ... after being traded to Miami back in March -- he won't be needing to be in L.A. too often for the foreseeable future.

Univ. of New Mexico tight end Jaden Hullaby, who started his collegiate football career at the Univ. of Texas, has tragically died at just 21 years old.

Hullaby's family said in a statement on social media on Sunday that they had feared for his safety ... after they hadn't been able to make contact with him since last Thursday. He was last seen on a freeway in Dallas, the family said.

In an update on Monday -- Hullaby's brother, Landon, announced the UNM athlete had sadly passed away.

"Forever living through you big brudda," Landon wrote. "I love you so much and I got you and the family forever I swear get your rest King 🕊💔 LLJAY"

No other details surrounding his death have been revealed.

UNM said in a statement following the news that it was praying for "Jaden’s family and all who knew him." UT head coach Steve Sarkisian added in a statement of his own that he and the Longhorns were heartbroken as well.

"He was a great person and someone we all enjoyed being around, coaching and spending time with," Sarkisian said. "All of our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates, and we want to send our deepest condolences to them in such a difficult time."

Hullaby was a touted running back prospect in the Longhorns' 2020 class who switched to linebacker when he got to the Austin campus. He played in just two games in his two seasons for the school ... before he transferred to UNM prior to the 2022 season.

In his one year with the Lobos, he played tight end, and piled up 44 receiving yards and 59 rushing yards in eight games.

Tom Brady is one step closer to going from under center to overseeing a team ... the ex-quarterback has reportedly struck a deal with Mark Davis to buy a piece of the Raiders.

The future of Hall of Famer and the Las Vegas owner had been in talks for weeks about a potential agreement ... but according to NFL insider Albert Breer, the deal is now done.

All that's needed for TB12 to be referred to as Owner Brady going forward is an approval from at least 24 of the league's other owners. Breer reported Monday that vote will not happen in the spring, but is expected to happen soon.

If and when the move becomes official ... Brady will reportedly not have a say in the team's business or football affairs -- though FOX's Jay Glazer still told us earlier this month he expects the future Hall of Famer to have a huge impact on the org. nonetheless.

Of course, this would not be Brady's first foray into sports ownership ... he's already a Major League Pickleball Team owner -- and he's got a part of Davis' WNBA team, the Las Vegas Aces, as well.

The XFL is bringing back their HBCU Showcase ... the league announced they're hosting a tryout at Clark Atlanta University in Georgia this June, and are hoping to find a bunch of players for the upcoming season!

On Monday, the professional football league revealed the showcase will be open to all HBCU athletes on June 17 at the ATL campus, where league hopefuls can display their skills in front of scouts.

"When the XFL says it’s a 'League of Opportunity,’ we mean it and you can see it in the actions we take to offer equal opportunities to players across the country," XFL Senior VP Doug Whaley said.

"This showcase at the historic Clark Atlanta University allows us to shine a spotlight on HBCU players and give them a chance to showcase their skills for our personnel evaluators."

The XFL -- which was purchased by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and business partner Dany Garcia for $15 million in 2020 -- held their first HBCU showcase last year at Jackson State University ... and 100 players from historically black colleges and universities played in the 2023 season.

D.C. Defenders head coach Reggie Barlow -- who coached at two HBCUs before moving to the XFL -- said the league is doing a great job when it comes to creating opportunities for athletes outside of Division I schools, and he's proud to be a part of it.

"I know firsthand the number of talented players that attend a historically Black school who aren’t able to continue their careers past the collegiate level," Barlow said.

"I’m humbled to be part of a League that gives players – and coaches – of all backgrounds an opportunity to continue their football careers."

The NFL also welcomes HBCU athletes ... in fact, last year 33 players from HBCUs were on 17 teams last year.

Gervonta Davis is off the hook in his domestic violence case ... prosecutors have dropped the charge against the star boxer, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The 28-year-old had been facing one count of misdemeanor battery after the mother of his child accused him of hitting her during a wild altercation in Broward County, Fla. back on Dec. 27.

But, officials said the alleged victim ultimately did not want to press charges in the case ... leading to its dismissal on Monday.

The parties "agreed that the defendant had to complete an anger management course and parenting class," prosecutors said in a statement. Once prosecutors received confirmation he'd completed the courses, the case was dropped.

The woman initially told cops Davis had struck her with a "closed hand type slap" ... causing her an abrasion on the inside of her lip. She later, though, walked back the allegations in a social media post, writing, "While the emotions were high I made an unnecessary call to law enforcement in an intense moment while I was frantic."

"Gervonta did not harm me or our daughter."

For his part, Davis has always denied wrongdoing in the case ... saying in a social media statement of his own hours after the alleged incident, "I NEVER PUT MY HANDS ON MY CHILD MOTHER NOR MY F***ING DAUGHTER ARE YOU F***ING CRAZY!!"

"IM NOT A MONSTER."

Kroy Biermann says his estranged wife, Kim Zolciak, spends so much time gambling their money away online, she can't take care of their kids ... and now he's asking the judge to order a mental evaluation for her.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Kroy says Kim's been showing some "very troubling behavior" that's accelerated in the months leading up to their divorce.

Kroy claims Kim has admitted to him that she's spending a lot of time and money on online gambling and other games of chance, and he claims her "compulsion" has devastated the family financially.

What's more, Kroy claims Kim is so consumed with online gambling she's unable to properly care for the couple's four minor children ... and as a result, he says he's concerned for the kiddos' safety and well-being.

Kroy says it's in the best interest of their kids for Kim to sit for a psych exam ... he suspects her alleged gambling problem may be the result of underlying mental health issues like depression, anxiety, narcissistic personality disorder, bipolar disorder or ADHD.

TMZ broke the story ... Kim and Kroy are deep in the hole, owing more than $1 million to the IRS.

The divorce is getting uglier by the day ... Kroy's legal papers come on the heels of Kim asking a judge to step in and force Kroy to get a drug test.

As we first reported ... both Kim and Kroy filed separate divorce petitions earlier this month, and they are both seeking custody of the kids ... and the recent filings indicate things are getting nasty.

An argument between a parent and a referee at a youth basketball game over the weekend escalated into a wild brawl right on the court ... and the crazy scene was all captured on video.

The fight happened Saturday at the SportONE Parkview Fieldhouse in Fort Wayne, Ind. ... when, as you can see in the footage, a man left his seat in the stands to have a word with a ref in the middle of a game involving little kids.

The two appeared to exchange words for several moments -- before, suddenly, the man threw punches at the game official.

The ref then went for the takedown, shooting, and getting a double leg ... before dumping the parent to the floor.

The fighting didn't stop once they hit the hardwood ... the men continued to go at it, struggling for position. Thankfully, spectators jumped in to break it all up.

Witnesses told WANE 15 the parent was then escorted out of the venue ... and did not return. It's unclear what sparked the initial altercation.

We've reached out to the venue for comment, but so far, no word back.

Nelly is so pissed judges awarded Devin Haney the win over Vasiliy Lomachenko, he says he's done watching the sport -- he's finished with boxing!

And, the 3x Grammy award winner isn't alone ... lots of fans are pissed off at yet another controversial decision.

"I'm just letting y'all know I am done with boxing," the 48-year-old rapper said. "They will never get another motherf***ing dime out of me."

"This is a travesty! I am done with boxing!"

The highly contested fight went down Saturday night in Las Vegas ... and went the full 12-rounds. Two judges scored the fight 115-113 (7 rounds to 5), and the third judge had it 16-112 (8 rounds to 4).

Boxing star Shakur Stevenson is also of the belief that Loma was screwed, saying he scored it 8 rounds to 4 rounds.

"Lomachenko won," Stevenson said after the fight. "I thought it was robbery. Lomachenko won."

Of course, Team Loma also believes they were screwed ... and say they plan to appeal the decision to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

"Somebody needs to end this injustice," Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas said during the post-fight press conference.

"Those judges’ scoring is completely insane, and they do not understand how those fighters are working hard to get into a place and to be robbed like that, it's not acceptable."

It's yet another controversy in the sport of boxing ... and it comes a week after a highly controversial stoppage in Rolly Romero and Ismael Barroso match.

Michael Bisping briefly came out of retirement Saturday night, choking Steve-O unconscious in a UFC Octagon ... while the Jackass star refused to tap!

It all went down at the UFC APEX Center on Saturday in Las Vegas. Steve-O was in the building to watch the UFC Fight Night card ... but got in on the action himself after all of the fights were settled.

The clip starts with 44-year-old Bisping standing behind Steve-O, and he has him in a rear naked choke. Michael applies pressure ... and after 11-12 seconds, and a refusal to tap out, Steve-O went to sleep.

Bisping, former Middleweight champion (although not known for his submissions), then laid Steve-O down on the canvas while everyone waited for him to wake up.

After a few seconds, Steve-O popped his head up and said ... "Oh s***!", as everyone cracked up.

Bisping told Steve-O ... "You crazy bastard. Are you okay?!"