TMZ Sports - Page 50

The company that was hired to arrange for the banners to take flight tells TMZ they can't find a pilot who will do the job today because no one wants to cross the FAA. As the owner put it, "No other pilot will touch it with a ten foot pole ... They're afraid the FAA will take apart their plane piece by piece."

As we reported yesterday, the FAA grounded the plane that was supposed to carry banner #3 over a "mechanical issue" -- which turned out to be a seat belt tag.

The third banner was supposed to read "You knew, Stevie...You knew" -- a reference towards
Tiger's caddy Steve Williams. We're told the fourth (should it ever see the light of day) will read: "Tiger -- Still on for the foursome? -- Jesse James."

Barkley -- who used to be pretty tight with Woods -- went on Fox Sports Radio yesterday and said, "You got this punk ass Billy Payne who goes on TV ... for him to get on there and act like he's all Uncle Tom, he's the master on the plantation, that piss me off."

Barkley added, "I wish somebody would just walk up to him and punch him in his face."

Earlier this week, Payne mentioned Tiger in his news conference saying, "Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children."

Historical Fun Fact! -- White people generally aren't called "Uncle Tom" ... because "Uncle Tom" was black.

TMZ broke the story that a man in Newport News, Virginia has been sending sexual and violent emails to ESPN's Andrews since September. The emails -- all sent to DirecTV's "The Dan Patrick Show" -- turned violent and threatening in late March.

On March 29, the man wrote, "I would like to see if Erin Andrews can dance her way through a hail of gunfire. Better yet I would love to shoot her with a Barrett rifle. Get the pun -- her stalker was mr. Barrett and the barrett rifle is an ultra expensive 50 cl. rifle with a range over a mile."

In spite of this email and others, law enforcement sources tell us the FBI is resistant to making an arrest, because authorities believe the author is engaging in free speech ... which is protected.

By the way, sources familiar with the author tell us he's 6'9" and very bulky.

We're told the FAA performed a "ramp check" on the plane last night in response to a request from an FAA air traffic controller. An FAA spokesperson tells us the investigator found "a number of mechanical issues" and sent the plane back to the airport where it is based.

The owner of the plane tells TMZ the mechanical issue was over a worn-out tag on the seat belts.

All hope for the third banner is not lost -- the owner says he is currently searching for another plane so he can carry out his assignment.

The initial investigation into the alleged Santonio Holmes nightclub attack has been turned over to the State's Attorney's Office, an Orlando PD spokesperson tells TMZ.

Holmes -- a former Super Bowl MVP -- is accused of throwing a glass at a woman in an Orlando nightclub on March 7. The woman claims the glass caused a laceration on her face.

Yesterday, Holmes' attorney said he had evidence that would exonerate Holmes and turned it over to the Orlando PD.

UPDATE -- Holmes' lawyer says he has a sworn from a guy who claims he was the glass thrower, not Holmes.

Ben Roethlisberger will finally learn if he will be criminally charged for allegedly sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman -- the Ocmulgee District Attorney will make the formal announcement on Monday.

D.A. Fred Bright claims the "investigation, interviews and report" in the Roethlisberger case have been completed and reviewed -- and they will announce their "decision in this case" at a press conference on Monday.

As TMZ first reported, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is accused of sexually assaulting the woman in a nightclub bathroom in Georgia.

It's unclear which way the D.A. is leaning -- but in the past, Roethlisberger usually emerges victorious on Mondays.

The white Tim tells us he got

Tuesday informing him they were shutting down his account because they believed he was trying to "impersonate" the Black, much taller Tim Duncan.

For some reason Twitter had a change of heart yesterday and his account was re-activated.

We reached out to Twitter and we're still waiting for an explanation ... in 140 characters or less, of course.

The mystery prankster -- who flew a plane banner reading "Tiger: Did you mean Bootyism?" over Tiger's tee-off at the Masters -- has another trick up his sleeve ... and it's gonna fly overhead any minute now.

TMZ has learned the anonymous gagster has ordered up another banner which reads: "SEX ADDICT? YA, RIGHT. SURE. ME TOO!"

If you're in Augusta right now, look up.

After seeing how the popcorn affected his white interior, Martin -- who's making roughly $16 million this year -- went back into the locker room and told his teammates, "I swear to God, boy ... when I find out who did it ... I'm gonna put my mother f*ckin' hands on one of y'all."

Martin continued, "I'm gonna put my hands on whoever did it ... you best believe dat ... it's f*ckin personal ... you best believe it."

After Martin calmed down, Kenyon learned the perp was the driver of teammate J.R. Smith. The driver later apologized for the prank ... but Martin reportedly won't accept the mea culpa.

To listen to the uncensored version,

.

After seeing how the popcorn affected his white interior, Martin -- who's making roughly $16 million this year -- went back into the locker room and told his teammates, "I swear to god boy ... when I find out who did it .. I'm gonna put my mother f*ckin' hands on one of yall."

Martin continued, "I'm gonna put my hands on whoever did it ... you best believe dat ... it's f*ckin personal ... you best believe it."

In the ad, Tiger stands stoically as the voice of his deceased dad, Earl Woods, urges his son to reflect on his life.

As we first reported, Tiger shot the commercial on March 25 on the Isleworth Country Club golf course in his neighborhood in Windermere, Florida.

The investigation into Ben Roethlisberger's sexual assault case has been turned over to the District Attorney.

TMZ confirmed Milledgeville Police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation turned over their investigation results to DA Fred Bright this morning.

Yesterday, Milledgeville cops told TMZ they never got the follow-up interview with Big Ben that they wanted.

The DA will now decide if charges will be filed against the Pittsburgh Steelers QB.

Chicago Bulls center Jerome James is accused of dropping the ball when it came to paying off a 6.91 carat diamond engagement ring -- and now the jeweler is out for revenge.

In the civil suit, filed in L.A. Superior Court today, Lemmerman's Inc. claims James bought a $70,000 engagement ring in 2008. The jeweler claims Jerome paid $50,000 up front and promised to pay the balance.

And there's more -- according to the docs, Lemmerman's maintained a credit account for James ... who allegedly racked up a grand total of $96,000 in bling-related purchases.

The jeweler claims the seven-foot Bulls backup hasn't made a payment since January 2009.

Fun fact: Jerome James ruptured his Achilles tendon in January 2009, and hasn't played one minute for the Bulls this season.

The Ben Roethlisberger sexual assault investigation is complete ... except for one Big thing.

Milledgeville Police Chief Woodrow Blue tells TMZ they've completed their investigation -- including a follow-up interview with the alleged victim -- but they'd still like to button it up with a follow-up interview with Big Ben. Problem is -- Ben's not talking.

So assuming Ben exercises his right to remain silent, the Chief is still kosher with the case -- kinda sorta. We asked Chief Blue if he's satisfied, and he said, "Yeah, I guess."

Ben's lawyer isn't talking about why Ben isn't talking.

As for when a decision will be made on whether to prosecute the Pittsburgh Steelers QB, we're told the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will make that call ... "soon."

Steve Andrews -- who appeared on the MJ Morning Show yesterday -- claims the FBI has already approached the man responsible for the threats ... but wouldn't comment on the status of the criminal investigation.

According to Steve, the emails won't have any effect on Erin's performance on "Dancing with the Stars" saying, "Erin is shaken, but she's tough."