TMZ Sports - Page 50

NFL legend Warren Sapp finally has some financial news he can celebrate -- a federal judge just wiped out a giant chunk of his overwhelming debt ... by discharging the football star from his bankruptcy case.

TMZ broke the story -- Sapp filed for chapter 7 back in April, claiming he owed more than $6.7 million to creditors, but only had $6.45 million in assets ... which included 240 Air Jordans, a lion skin rug and a boxing glove signed by Muhammad Ali.

A Florida judge decided Sapp's financial house was in order ... and discharged him from bankruptcy on September 24.

But the NFL star's not completely out of the woods -- he's still on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax debt, child support and alimony ... which was NOT covered by his Chapter 7 filing.

Hey, it's a start.

9:45PM PT It gets better ... according to nfl.com the REAL refs will be back on the field for Thursday night's game between the Browns and Ravens.

NFL fans -- and people tired of listening to whining NFL fans -- REJOICE ... the league has reached an agreement to end the lockout of the REAL referees.

Details of the agreement involve the NFL Referees Association and the NFL making compromises on salaries, staffing, and blah, blah -- but what you really care about is the REAL referees could be back on the job by this weekend.

So maybe that disastrous, embarrassing, horrendous and disgraceful ending to Monday Night Football (below) -- can now be seen as a good thing ... since it clearly put pressure on both sides to end the chaos.

The NFL did NOT secretly hire black-and-white-striped Foot Locker employees to work as replacement referees ... despite all the terrible calls recently ... this according to the sneaker giant.

Foot Locker just released a statement, saying, "Despite recent allegations, our employees have spent the last few weeks at our stores and not at NFL games.”

It's all in response to a joke making the rounds on the Internet ... that the replacement refs are so bad, they must actually be Foot Locker employees.

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. can't get together in the ring ... and won't fight in court either -- they've finally ended a 3-year legal beef over doping allegations with a settlement agreement.

As TMZ previously reported, Pacquiao sued Mayweather Jr. back in 2009 for defamation ... after Mayweather allegedly accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs.

But yesterday, legal docs were filed on behalf of both parties, stating the boxers had settled the matter entirely and Pacquiao agreed to drop his lawsuit.

Terms of the settlement are unknown -- but both parties will cover their own legal fees.

Boyz II Men singer Shawn Stockman -- aka Aaron Rodgers' betting buddy -- feels the NFL is heading down a dangerous path with these crappy replacement refs ... and Commissioner Roger Goodell better halt the runaway train ASAP, or else.

Stockman says he hasn't spoken to Rodgers since last night's catastrophe against the Seahawks -- but tells us, "He got robbed. It's horrible. They really need to do something about these officials. It's ridiculous. It's really bad now."

Stockman says Goodell better settle the referee dispute asap ... because once the playoffs roll around "these are gonna be crucial games that these really inexperienced officials are going to have to regulate."

Check out the clip ... Stockman sends a shout out to Rodgers -- who, by the way, STILL hasn't paid off that 49ers jersey bet.

Green Bay Mayor James Schmitt fired off an angry letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell -- as promised -- claiming the labor dispute with referees is threatening the Packers on-field success ... AND putting the entire Wisconsin town in financial jeopardy.

TMZ obtained a copy of the letter ... in which the Mayor claims the NFL's elite status is being "threatened by less than qualified officials who are not quite at the same level as the rest of the league's representatives."

Mayor Schmitt, who's also a shareholder of the publicly owned Green Bay Packers, continues ... "last night's game creates a negative perception on the NFL brand, which in turn jeopardizes the Packers' chance for success as well as the potential to negatively affect our local economy."

WWE announcer Justin Roberts might want to invest in a chauffeur ... 'cause dude got pulled over on his way to work TWICE in the past two weeks ... TMZ has learned.

Sources tell us the first incident occurred in Canada ... Roberts was driving to a WWE show in Toronto and made an illegal left turn on his way to "Monday Night Raw" ... and was slapped with a $52 ticket.

Incident numero dos went down on Friday ... we're told Roberts was rushing from Pittsburgh International to a show at Penn State ... when cops caught him driving 74 mph in a 55 zone and hit him with a speeding ticket ... this time it ran him a cool $160.

NFL players are in danger of seriously injuring themselves -- thanks to replacement refs like the ones who blew last night's game -- this according to a source at the players' union.

While everyone is, rightfully, up in arms over the refs awarding the Seahawks a bogus game-winning TD -- a source at the NFL Players Association tells TMZ ... "Health and safety is number one."

The source added ... "The owners imposed a lockout on a group [of referees] with 1500 years of combined NFL experience."

According to the source, the new refs don't have the chops to make the calls that prevent player injuries -- "We didn't make the call to put these guys in there, risking the integrity of the game, player safety, and all that stuff."

We're told the NFLPA has serious concerns its players are risking their careers with such inexperienced refs on the field.

L.A. Clippers player Matt Barnes has cut a plea deal and in the process scored a big victory ... because prosecutors rejected the felony, agreeing the case was nothing more than a low-level misdemeanor ... TMZ has learned.

You'll recall, Barnes was arrested near a Manhattan Beach, CA restaurant in late July, where he had been dining with his wife, "Basketball Wives" star Gloria Govan. The Manhattan Beach cop -- who had previously stopped and cited Barnes twice before -- waited for Barnes outside the restaurant for 2 hours before placing him under arrest for driving with a suspended license.

As the cop attempted to cuff Barnes, he tried handing his car keys to his wife. The officer grabbed Barnes' hand and the bballer pulled away ... and the cop felt that was enough to take Barnes in for felony resisting arrest.

But the D.A. didn't see it that way. Barnes just pled no contest to interference with the duties of a police officer -- a misdemeanor. Barnes -- whose lawyer Blair Berk appeared in court on his behalf -- got a $100 fine, 30 hours of community service, 13 sessions with a counselor and he was placed on informal probation for 24 months.

The charge of driving with a suspended license was dismissed after Barnes proved he had a valid license. He pled no contest to a much lesser offense -- driving while not in possession of a license. For that Barnes got a $100 fine and was placed on 12 months informal probation.

WWE superstar Cameron is ADAMANT -- she did not drive her car while sloshed on martinis outside the Tampa airport ... pleading not guilty to DUI today.

As we previously reported, Cameron -- real name Ariane Andrew -- was arrested back in August​ on suspicion of DUI. The police report said Cameron was traveling with a male passenger who told cops they had been drinking martinis before getting in the car.

The report says Cameron blew a .20 ... more than twice the legal limit in Florida.

The report also says the WWE diva allegedly offered cops a $10,000 bribe to let her go ... which clearly didn't pan out.

The NFL is backing what's being called the WORST CALL IN LEAGUE HISTORY -- refusing to overturn last night's Seattle Seahawks touchdown against the Green Bay Packers ... and standing by their replacement refs.

League officials released a statement moments ago, saying, "Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood."

The NFL goes on to say upon even further review of the video today ... it supports the "decision not to overturn the on-field ruling" and the result of the game is final.

The Mayor of Green Bay is so pissed about last night's game -- where replacement refs ROBBED the Packers of a win -- he's going straight to the NFL's head honcho to demand the real refs get back on the job ... TMZ has learned.

Mayor James Schmitt tells TMZ he's drafting a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ... urging him to end the ref lockout because it's compromising the integrity of the NFL.

Exhibit A -- last night's refs robbing the Packers of a win by incorrectly calling Green Bay's interception in the endzone ...a touchdown for the Seattle Seahawks. The Pack lost 14-12.

Schmitt says, "This is not right. I understand talent costs money, but when it comes to the crucial role of the referees ... it has to be a top priority."

Hizzoner is in a unique position because he's also a shareholder in the Green Bay Packers -- the only NFL team publicly owned.

But the Mayor makes it clear ... "We are not protesting losing the game. We are protesting the quality of officiating."

Green Bay Packers guard T.J. Lang must love throwing away money -- 'cause after last night's disastrous ending to the Packers-Seahawks game, he blasted the refs with a tweet that's gonna cost him a ton o' cheese.

In case you missed what EVERYONE is talking about ... Monday Night Football ended with the biggest blown call in NFL history -- the Packers intercepted a Seahawks Hail Mary pass in the endzone, but the replacement refs (unbelievably) said Seattle's Golden Tate simultaneously caught it ... thereby screwing the Packers.

Lang immediately hit up his Twitter page after the game, saying ... "Got f**ked by the refs.. Embarrassing. Thanks nfl"

Knowing full well that tweet would cost him ... Lang followed up with, "F**k it NFL.. Fine me and use the money to pay the regular refs."

But considering how badly the refs blew the call, we gotta ask ...

Atlanta Falcons sack king John Abraham refused to be stopped last night by police who were dealing with a suicidal woman ... and, as a result, got himself arrested on two charges of obstruction.

Abraham was busted by Atlanta PD when he allegedly refused to leave an area officers had taped off because a woman was threatening to jump off a building.

Abraham -- the NFL's active career sacks leader with 114 -- got out of jail early Tuesday morning on $7,000 bond.

The Falcons are 0 for 2 with cops this season -- the team's star running back Michael Turner was busted for DUI and speeding last week in Atlanta.

BTW ... the woman did not jump.

For the first time ever -- that we can find -- Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has revealed how he got his legendary nickname ... and it all stems from a violent 8-bit gorilla.

The former UFC champ says his cousin coined his famous moniker after playing the arcade classic from the '80s ... "Rampage."

For the uninitiated, Rampage featured a couple of smashaholic monsters pummeling their way through cities by plowing their fists through skyscrapers ... it was awesome.

And now you know.

Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler might officially be the most hated man in the Windy City -- because last night, one of Chicago's most storied sports legends turned his back on the guy ... TORCHING Cutler's jersey inside a bar.

The video was shot inside Stanley's Kitchen and Tap in Downtown Chicago -- showing Chicago Blackhawks legend Chris Chelios lighting Jay's jersey on fire while some hot chick dangles it from her fingers.

One source inside the bar tells us Chris lit the jersey then said, Cutler's "nothing but a bitch."

FYI -- Cutler has been under heavy fire in Chicago from Bears fans who think he's not just a terrible QB ... but a cancer in the locker room who's bringing down the team.

Cutler's performance on Sunday didn't do much to win over his critics -- Jay had a very underwhelming performance in the Bears victory over the Rams ... throwing an interception and ZERO touchdowns.