TMZ Sports - Page 50

You know your team's in trouble when you need Vanilla Ice to turn around your season ... but that's exactly where the Houston Texans are after a 9-game cold streak.

Ice performed at Houston's half-time show Sept. 15 ... aka the last time the (2-9) Texans won a game. According to locker room sources ... some of the Texans have made the connection, and think Ice somehow cursed them.

But Ice tells us ... the losing streak isn't his fault and adds, "if we could go sing for a team -- and 'ice' them to have bad luck when I'm not there -- I'd be making millions."

We're told some of the Texans actually want VI to make an encore performance -- rapping "Ice Ice Baby" again -- so they can start winning again.

If anyone's gonna have sex with Babyface's ex-wife, the legendary music producer is glad it's Deion Sanders.

Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds -- who divorced ex-wife Tracey Edmonds in 2005 -- recently sat for an interview with Oprah, and explained how Tracey's new BF Deion approached him for a man-to-man talk to make sure they had no problems with each other.

Babyface says he was blown away by Deion's classy move to clear the air ... and is totally at peace with Tracey's new relationship. Check the clip.

Babyface has been catching some flack for the interview -- he said he wasn't "in love" with Tracey towards the end of their marriage. But he tells TMZ, his words are being twisted. Babyface says he never stopped loving Tracey ... their love just changed from love-love to friend-love.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback A.J. Jefferson -- who's been in the league since 2010 -- was arrested this morning after allegedly strangling his girlfriend ... and was immediately released by the team, TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... the 25-year-old was arrested for felony domestic violence this morning after the woman went to a police station in Eden Prairie, MINN and told authorities she had been abused by Jefferson.

Cops went to Jefferson's home -- where he was arrested. We're told he was cooperative during the arrest.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... the girlfriend claims Jefferson choked her during a dispute.

Kobe Bryant just inked a deal to stay with the purple and gold for another two years ... TMZ Sports has learned.

L.A. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak says the team has signed Kobe to a 2-year extension. The terms of the contract were not released.

The 35-year-old NBA legend was already set to make more than $30.5 million this season.

"This is a very happy day for Lakers fans and for the Lakers organization," Kupchak said. The team is confident Kobe will finish his career as a Laker.

Moments ago, Kobe tweeted out of a pic of his signed contract -- along with the hashtag "Laker4Life."

If Kobe completes his contract, he will be the longest tenured player with a single team in the history of the NBA -- overtaking John Stockton, who played 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz.

Before Tom Brady ruined Peyton Manning's weekend, the New England Patriots quarterback hit the park with his kids to play a little baseball -- and it made us wonder, think he'll let 'em play football?

Tom -- along with his 4-year-old son Benjamin and his 6-year-old Jack -- tossed around the hardball at a park in Boston on Saturday.

FYI -- Tom was a helluva baseball player back in the day ... he was one of the best high school catchers in the country and was drafted by the Montreal Expos back in 1995.

Now, with Brett Favre, Terry Bradshaw, Adrian Peterson and more saying they wouldn't let their kids play tackle football -- considering the medical risks -- think Brady is trying to shepherd the boys into a safer sport?

A former New Orleans Saints player is calling BS on Drew Brees ... claiming Drew's trying to unfairly throw him under the bus after the QB got killed in a bad financial investment.

The man in the crosshairs -- Kevin Houser -- a former Saints longsnapper who became a licensed securities broker.

Brees had sued Houser earlier this year claiming Houser duped him into buying $160,000 in bogus tax credits back in 2008.

Now, Houser is firing back in legal documents filed in New Orleans and obtained by TMZ Sports -- in which he claims he NEVER had a deal with Brees to serve as his broker and shouldn't have to pay because Drew made a crappy investment.

Jonathan Martin had to be wondering last night ... which would happen first -- him playing in the NFL again, or him catching a ride from the airport?

The man at the center of football's locker room bullying controversy was at LAX last night ... waiting, and waiting, and waiting ... for a parking shuttle.

Martin was pretty tight-lipped when we asked if he was returning to the Miami Dolphins, or reconnecting with his teammate/alleged tormentor Richie Incognito.

He was way more concerned with how he was getting home -- and, all told, our photog says Martin stood around for almost half an hour before hooking up with a shuttle.

He just turned 45, but boxing legend James Toney tells TMZ Sports he's NOT ready to retire -- and wants to get back into the ring ASAP.

Toney -- who's fought in 90 pro boxing matches -- was out in Calabasas, CA this weekend ... fresh off a big boxing tournament in the U.K., in which he defeated his 1st opponent and then lost in the semi-finals.

"I'm still one of the best fighters in the world," Toney said. And while explaining that he's still training added, "I'll be back soon."

Toney -- who beat Evander Holyfield in 2003 -- says he's still confident he'd beat the living crap out of famed streetfighter Kimbo Slice ... and the fact they never got in the ring is probably a blessing in disguise for Kimbo.

L.A. Angels manager Mike Scioscia is PUMPED -- telling TMZ Sports he's fired up about locking up former World Series MVP David Freese 'cause he'll finally stop the bleeding at 3rd base.

Scioscia was at Burbank Airport this weekend when we asked about Friday's big trade -- when the Angels got Freese from the St. Louis Cardinals in a 4-player deal.

It's a huge move for the Halos -- considering they ran through seven 3rd basemen last season ... and finished the year under .500.

"Yeah, we're real excited about it," Mike told us ... "I think [Freese is] gonna fill a big void for us so we're excited."

One of the stars of "The League" -- a show about fantasy football -- DOESN'T REALLY PLAY FANTASY FOOTBALL!! Kinda weird, right??

Jason Mantzoukas -- who plays insane cousin Rafi (aka the guy on the show who sometimes orgasms when he poops) ... was at an Xbox One party in L.A. recently when he dropped the bombshell.

WTF??? It's kinda like finding out Bryan Cranston doesn't really know how to cook meth.

The guy who played Bruce Leroy in the 80's cult-classic movie "The Last Dragon" proved he's still the baddest this weekend in California ... and we got the awesome footage to prove it.

Taimak Guarriello aka Bruce Leroy got into the squared circle Saturday night to wrestle a match against a guy named Jimi Mayhem -- who dresses like the films villain as his gimmick.

The match was put on by Vendetta Pro Wrestling in Simi Valley ... and we're told they had a pretty good turnout for the event.

Sho'nuff!

A plethora of championship jewelry has recently hit the open market -- from World Series bling to Super Bowl rings -- all because the owners know rich sports nuts need stocking-stuffers too.

The 2007 Boston Red Sox ... the '99 Yankees ring ... the 2000 Lakers ... even the '97 Broncos -- they've all surfaced on Amazon.com -- and the guy behind the sale tells us they're all from former team staffers looking to make an extra buck for the holidays.

We spoke with TJ from TJ's Memorabilia ... who tells us the cycle happens this time every year -- ring owners realize the cash value is worth more than the sentimental value. Plus, with Xmas around the corner, it's an easy way to make a quick holiday bonus.

Some rings -- like '97 Broncos and the '99 Yankees -- can fetch upwards of $30k. Rings that were issued to players can be worth a TON more (especially if the player was a star).

WWE superstar Daniel Bryan's dog died last week ... and the wrestler says he's having a tough time dealing with the loss.

The bearded athlete revealed the tragic news during an interview promoting WWE's Survivor Series pay per view on Sunday ... and said Asparagus the Wonder Dog was his legitimate "best friend."

It's unclear how Asparagus passed away ... but the yellow lab was 11 years old.

A.T.W.D. is survived by an equally cute pooch named Josie.

Lamar Odom admits he fell off the wagon last week ... but he insists he was s**faced drunk, and not cracked out.

Lamar told friends he's seen the video (above) we posted on TMZ, showing him slurring his words in an L.A. bathroom as he rapped with his fellow shirtless friend Jamie Sangouthai.

Lamar says it was a one time deal and NO drugs were involved -- he was specific about 2 drugs he's had problems with -- crack and coke.

The Peyton Manning Papa John's location that was robbed at gunpoint didn't miss a SINGLE delivery after the scary incident because management forced them to continue making pizzas throughout the ordeal, multiple employees tell TMZ Sports ... and now they're up in arms.

We spoke to several employees who were on-duty during the Nov. 17 robbery ... and they tell us two workers have already quit, one has taken a month leave, and several others have been calling in sick. More still have filed complaints with Papa John's HQ.

We're told the employees (nearly a dozen) are also claiming the district manager ignored police advice to close up shop for the night ... out of consideration for the workers' emotional distress.

We broke the story, a couple thugs knocked over Peyton's busiest Papa John's in Denver on Sunday during the Broncos game, stealing untold amounts of cash at gunpoint.

The woman accusing Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston of rape just issued a new statement in response to her detractors -- "To be clear ... THIS WAS RAPE."

The accuser, through her attorney, is taking aim at Winston and his lawyer -- claiming the defense of "consensual sex" is nothing more than "reactive damage control" after Winston's lawyer learned the DNA in her panties matched Jameis.

The statement says, "To be clear, the victim did not consent. This was a rape."

The accuser is also calling BS on Winston's claims that he has multiple witnesses to support his account of consensual sex ... noting that Winston waited for months after the allegation was made before claiming to have witnesses.

"If [Winston's lawyer] had knowledge of witnesses beneficial to Winston back in February 2013, it seems logical that [Winston's lawyer] would have immediately provided those alleged 'exculpatory witnesses' to Detective Angulo. Theoretically, Detective Angulo would have taken the statements of the alleged 'exculpatory witnesses' at that time. Instead detective Angulo placed the case on 'open inactive' status."

FYI -- the accuser claims the alleged rape took place in December 2012 -- and the investigation was closed in February '13. The State Attorney has since ordered the case reopened after finally learning about the case last week.