TMZ Sports - Page 50

Days after being officially renamed to the USA national team, soccer goddesses Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux celebrated by hitting the beaches in Hawaii this weekend ... in very tiny bikinis.

The Women's World Cup tournament is still 2 years away, but qualifiers begin in Fall 2014 ... and the team is scheduled to take on Australia and New Zealand in some friendly matches later this month.

Enjoy the free time while ya got it.

U.S. troops just scored a major military victory -- the right to watch NFL games again -- because the top dude at the Pentagon has done an about-face ... TMZ has learned.

We're told ... Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is ordering certain furloughed employees at the Dept. of Defense to return to work ... and that includes the Armed Forces Network -- which had to stop broadcasting games because its staff was furloughed.

As we reported ... during Fox's football coverage yesterday, Howie Long slammed the government shutdown ... for curtailing the football broadcasts and damaging service members' morale.

Hagel says Pentagon officials decided they could end furloughs "for employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members."

The order is effective immediately -- the AFN is already getting its broadcast operations back up to speed.

With NBA training camp officially underway, veteran free agent Jason Collins has finally joined a team -- in a gay kickball league ... TMZ has learned.

The 34-year-old took the field in the Varsity Gay kickball league in Hollywood this week -- playing 1st base for "Team Twerk."

Collins was a little rusty on the field -- dropping an easy pop fly in the beginning of the game, but our gay kickball sources tell us he quickly got his act together and played like a stud the rest of the game.

In the end, Team Twerk emerged victorious -- pulling out an 11 to 5 victory.

We're told Jason isn't fully committed to the team, since he's still trying to sign with an NBA squad -- but he's the go-to substitute when the team is short on players.

Snoop Lion is a HUGE fan of the USC Trojans -- he's been on the sidelines, his son might play football there ... and he was once arrested while wearing an SC jersey (2006).

So, it definitely meant something this weekend when we asked Snoop about disgraced USC head coach Lane Kiffin ... and the rapper replied with a pretty subtle, yet effective, diss.

As for Snoop's son, Cordell Broadus, the kid is a beast -- he's 6'3", a 186-pound wide receiver with good speed and some pretty solid hands.

He was reportedly offered a scholarship to SC earlier this year ... but hasn't said if he's gonna take it. Now that SC has dumped Lane, it's more likely he will.

Ex-Kansas City Chiefs superstar running back Larry Johnson no longer plays football ... but he DOES play strip clubs ... as a guest DJ ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple TMZ strip club sources ... yeah, we got those (a lot of those) ... tell us Johnson has been spotted manning the DJ booth at Tootsie's Cabaret in Miami several times this year.

We're told Johnson isn't the main DJ -- but every now and then, he'll take over the booth for a quick guest set ... and the crowd loves it.

For the record, Tootsie's is HUGE with pro athletes ... like Aaron Hernandez who allegedly shot his friend in the face after patronizing the club back in February. Good times ...

We called the Cabaret for comment on the DJ situation -- but unlike their dancers, management was tight-lipped.

Deion Sanders was hospitalized Sunday afternoon -- after landing at LAX and feeling a sharp pain in his gut ... TMZ has learned.

Prime needed immediate attention after arriving in Los Angeles -- and tells us he received assistance from two very helpful firefighters.

We're told the 46-year-old athlete is currently being checked out for kidney stones -- as well as possible appendix issues ... but still no firm answer on the cause.

Sanders couldn't have been in too much pain though ... since he had time to snap pics with the guys who helped him out.

Football legend Howie Long has a message for our government -- GET YOUR CRAP TOGETHER SO TROOPS CAN WATCH SOME NFL FOOTBALL!!

Long says ... due to the standoff in D.C., the Armed Forces network can't operate at full speed --which means no NFL for our soldiers.

The NFL Hall of Famer issued a pretty heartfelt statement about the situation during Sunday's NFL broadcast on FOX ... explaining how NFL broadcasts help our men and women in uniform:

"These games bring a welcome piece of home and a much deserved respite from the dangerous work [the troops] do protecting our liberty."

Long finishes up saying "regardless of politics" ... the whole "NFL on FOX" team wants the shutdown to end soon.

With a commanding 3-1 record, Harvey Levin IS ON FIRE PEOPLE!!!!

And he's looking to extend his streak with ANOTHER week of NFL domination in our Week 5 matchup -- Packers vs. Lions.

So, heeeeere we go!

Evan: You look confused ... what's the problem?
Harvey: Well, I started favoring Detroit just because I love Hitsville, USA almost as much as life itself.

Evan: But ...?
Harvey: But a deeper analysis leaves me stumped. Here's the thing ... I had huge problems with the whole Nate Burleson story, 'cause if he can't handle a pizza, how do they handle a football??

Evan: Makes perfect sense.
Harvey: I know. Plus, I like Reggie Bush ... he seems unencumbered by Kardashian baggage and he's moved on nicely.

Evan: So, what's the problem? You're worried about Green Bay?
Harvey: Aaron Rodgers has been a little bit of a disappointment both on and off the field. I still can't get over him reneging on that jersey bet ... but maybe that's just me.

Evan: No, he's a giant chicken. Everyone knows this. What about GB defense? Clay Matthews, he's a beast.
Harv: Clay Matthews might be a little cautious now that he's the poster boy for a smooth face.

Evan: And that worries you?
Harvey: And that worries me ... so I'm going with Motown.

Warren Sapp’s claim that he funded a $5,000 bounty program during his playing days is starting to sound like BS … ‘cause one of his most high-profile teammates says he NEVER saw it happen.

Sapp went on Dan Patrick's show this week and said he “used to have $5,000 waiting for anybody who hit somebody and got a fine” during his time with the Buccaneers. He also claimed to have paid out the bounty “at least six times.”

But TMZ spoke with Keyshawn Johnson, who shared a locker room with Sapp for four years in Tampa Bay, and Key tells us he never saw 99 engage in any sort of Bounty activity.

“I didn't witness it, nor have I ever heard of it.” Keyshawn says.

Ever since she de-Cloonified herself, reports have surfaced that Stacy has been hurting for benjamins .. and is mulling over a wrestling comeback to make a quick buck.

But a source with direct knowledge of the situation tells us it just ain't true.

We're told ... Keib feels very grateful to the WWE for helping to launch her career -- but she believes that part of her life is over and she wants to focus on other things.

Gossip Cop first reported on Keibler's plans.

Former pro baseball star Gabe Kapler has filed for divorce from his wife of 14 years ... and in the divorce docs he's made it clear -- he wants his maiden name back!

Kapler -- who's now an analyst on Fox Sports 1 -- filed the docs in L.A. County Superior court in an effort to end his marriage to Lisa Kapler, who he married back in 1999.

According to the docs, Gabe is serving as his own lawyer in the divorce ... and appears to have filled out the complicated docs himself ... which might explain some of the strange requests.

For example -- Gabe checked the box asking to have his former name restored ... and included the name "Jansen" ... his wife's maiden name. Oops.

Kapler also checked the box asking for spousal support ... odd, considering he earned millions of dollars over his 12 year MLB career. Again, ooops.

The couple has two minor children together. Gabe is asking for joint custody.

7:36 AM PT -- Well, our suspicions were correct ...

We spoke to Gabe who confirms there WAS a clerical error made on the document and that he's now "looking into it."

NFL free agent Braylon Edwards has been named in a battery report -- after a photog told cops the ex-49er grabbed him by the ankles outside a Detroit nightclub ... and shook him upside down, TMZ has learned.

A rep for the Detroit PD tells us ... the guy who filed the report claims he shot video of Braylon pushing someone outside a club in Downtown Detroit -- and that's when things turned ugly.

Edwards allegedly told the photog he needed to look at the video -- but when he refused ... Braylon flipped him upside down Suge Knight style to the concrete.

The victim refused medical attention because he only had minor injuries ... and luckily, he held onto the phone containing the video.

The Prez was asked about the issues renewed controversy over the past few months ... and proclaimed nostalgia isn't a good enough reason to keep the name.

Saying if he were team owner ... there'd be serious discussion about changing it.

However, Barack doesn't think fans of the name are being racist -- they're just passionate for team history.

Obama joins a growing movement of people once again pushing for the change -- including NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

McGregor tweeted photos of he and "Nasty" Willie Roaf hitting up The Library Thursday night in Las Vegas ... and the no-touching policy obviously wasn't in effect.

Fun Fact: Willie's mom was the first black woman to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court ... and his sister is an Episcopal Priest.

Ducharme says the scaffolding was defective or damaged ... and it was the ex-WWE champ's responsibility to make sure the equipment was safe.

Ducharme wants more than $15k to cover the pain, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, yada yada yada.

A rep for Cena had no comment.

Check out the clip below -- it's not an actual re-creation ... but you get the idea.

We've all seen athletes do regular push ups. And clapping push ups. And diamond push-ups ... but have you ever seen anyone do BACKFLIP PUSH-UPS?!

Meet UFC fighter Chad Mendes ... who showed off his acrobatic workout skills at a media event for his upcoming fight against Nik Lentz at "UFC on Fox 9" in December.

For good measure, Chad also knocks out a "clapping behind the back" push-up.

Last time we saw anyone pull off push-ups like these ... was right before we turned off "Don't Mess with the Zohan."