TMZ Sports - Page 50

Joe Paterno has been diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer ... this according to his son Scott.

Scott just released the following statement: "Last weekend my father was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness. He is currently undergoing treatment and his doctors are optimistic that he will make a full recovery."

MTV star Rob Dyrdek has a 25 foot basketball rim hangin' at his legendary Fantasy Factory indoor skate park ... and last night, NBA superstar Rudy Gay decided it needed to be DUNKED ON.

TMZ has learned ... Gay was at the downtown L.A. skate spot Wednesday shooting a promo video for the Young and Reckless clothing company, when he noticed the hoop ... suspended 25 feet above a foam ball pit.

We're told 6'8" Gay -- who signed an $85 MILLION contract with the Memphis Grizzlies last year -- eyed up a platform near the rim ... and then BET Rob's cousin Drama he could leap off the ledge and slam it home.

Shaquille O'Neal couldn't power his way through the lane at a New York nightclub this weekend -- getting TURNED AWAY at the door ... all because he was dressed like a lumberjack.

TMZ has learned ... Shaq rolled up to nightclub/restaurant Mars 2112 on Saturday night wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, tennis shoes and a beanie (pictured above with random fan later that night).

But according to the club promoter, Mike Mogul, Shaq's attire wasn't up to club standards ... so security politely informed the retired NBA star that he would not be allowed inside.

Sources at the club tell us Shaq calmly replied, "Are you serious?" ... then shrugged his shoulders and walked down the street to another place that welcomed The Diesel with open arms.

The move is pretty damn shocking, considering TONS of clubs would pay some serious jack to get Shaq to stop by, no matter what he was wearing!!

Artie Lange believes baseball might be the most fat-friendly sport on the planet ... claiming the MLB is the only place on Earth where an "enormous fat guy" like NY Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia can make $25 million a year as an athlete.

Lange was talkin' baseball in the Big Apple last night, when told us, "I'm not one to talk, but [CC] has got to stay away from the Captain Crunch cereal."

Troy Aikman is officially a single man ... and has been for months ... after a judge quietly signed off on his divorce back in April ... TMZ has learned.

Back in January, Troy and Rhonda Aikman announced they had separated after ten years of marriage ... but TMZ has uncovered official public records, signed by Troy, in which the Dallas Cowboys legend states that an "agreed final decree of divorce" has been issued and it lists April 12, 2011 as the day the marriage was legally terminated.

Troy and Rhonda have 2 kids together -- and back in January, they released a joint statement saying, "We remain deeply committed to our children ... during this period of adjustment"

Just a few months before the two separated, Troy and Rhonda were already divvying up the family assets. TMZ obtained official documents which show Rhonda gave up her stake in the family mansion in Dallas last November. It's unclear if she got any compensation for taking her name off the deed ... but just a few months later, she purchased a home, also in Dallas, for roughly $1.5 mil.

TMZ called Aikman's rep for comment -- so far, no response.

Aikman shouldn't struggle too much on the dating circuit -- after all, he looks like this now ...

Mike McQueary never once went to the Penn State campus police OR the State College PD after witnessing Jerry Sandusky allegedly rape a 10-year-old boy in 2002 -- this according to reps for both departments.

According to CBS, neither police bureau has any record of being contacted by Mike McQueary -- despite recent claims McQueary made in an email ... "I did have discussions with police and with the official at the university in charge of police."

In the email, McQueary never specifies which police department he spoke to.

It takes a "special" kind of friend to pick somebody up from the airport in the middle of the day ... but Eva Longoria and L.A. Lakers player Matt Barnes seem to have a very "special" friendship.

Longoria pulled off the ultimate favor for Barnes yesterday -- rolling over to LAX around 11 AM to play the role of chauffeur. Barnes tried to go unnoticed by pulling a black hoodie over his head ... but it's hard to be missed when you're 6'7".

Despite what it seems ... sources close to Eva tell us there's NOTHING romantic going on between the two -- insisting they're just "good friends" who have done a bunch of charity work together.

Michael Vick is gonna make you wish YOU were bankrupt, because we found out how much he's making and how much he's spending, and it's just plain sick.

Vick is required to submit financial documents to the bankruptcy court ... documents which TMZ has obtained. From July - Sept., 2011, Vick earned $11,781,848.68.

Here's how the big stuff breaks down. On Sept. 13th, the Philadelphia Eagles sent Vick a check for $5,838,883.57. On the same day, the Eagles sent him another check for a measly $349,464.54. On Sept. 20th, Vick got another check from the Eagles for $359,484.99. And on Sept. 27, the Eagles sent him another $340,012.13. In September alone, the Eagles, sent him around $6.8 million.

But Vick is fueling the American economy as well, because his expenses are humongous. Between July - Sept., 2011, Vick spent $6,636,805.73. Of that, $47,500 went to alimony and child support. And the dreaded lawyers and accountants got $1,372,070 for bankruptcy services. Vick's living expenses, not including his mortgage, are $73,000.

Oh yeah, the whole government thing -- $4,873,290.91 in taxes. Tea anyone?

Mike McQueary wrote an email in the last week, griping that he's "getting hammered" unfairly because he claims he stopped Jerry Sandusky from continuing to anally rape a 10-year-old before leaving the locker room in 2002.

The email -- obtained by the Associated Press, reads as follows:

"You are the first person I have told this ... and I don't know you extremely well ... and I have been told bye (sic) officials to not say anything ...."

"I did stop it, not physically ... but made sure it was stopped when I left that locker room ... I did have discussions with the official at the university in charge of police ... no one can imagine my thoughts or wants to be in my shoes for those 30-45 seconds...trust me."

"Do with this what you want ... but I am getting hammered for handling this the right way ... or what I thought at the time was right ... I had to make tough impacting quick decisions."

"This is off record ... again ... I have not and will not say anything to anyone else."

Mike McQueary gave a brief interview to CBS Evening News tonight, saying his emotions were "all over the place ... like a snow globe."

Reporter Armen Keteyian says off camera McQueary said he was "shattered and shaken," and concerned about his personal safety and future in coaching.

Victor Cruz, the breakout wide receiver for the New York Giants, was smack in the middle of a shootout last night at Juliet Supperclub in NYC ... sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell TMZ.

Some guy got through the pat-down last night and snuck a gun inside the club. He ended up shooting 2 people, then escaping. He's still on the loose. One of the victims died. The other is in stable condition.

We're told Victor was at the club celebrating his birthday with some pals when the gunfire erupted. He was not involved in the incident, but it was pretty scary.

New Penn State head coach Tom Bradley insists Mike McQueary was not in protective custody last week, despite reports to the contrary.

Bradley answered several questions today at a news conference, claiming the PSU assistant was not in protective custody and that Bradley knew where McQueary was ... although Bradley never specified the location.

Reports circulated that McQueary -- who was placed on administrative leave last week -- had been put in protective custody after receiving death threats.

USC star running back Marc Tyler says he's been sober ever since we saw him in July -- jokingly suggesting USC pays players and they all "gettin' Kim Kardashian" -- and he gives all the credit to us.

Marc apologized after USC suspended him for making those comments -- but last night, he took time to retract everything ... on tape: "USC is NOT breaking bread. And we not all getting Kim Kardashian." He also had a kind word for the ladies of Troy.

Glad we cleared that up.

Jerry Sandusky's lawyer says he thinks he found the boy who was allegedly raped in the shower that has become the flashpoint for the scandal, and the man -- now in his 20's -- is saying it never happened.

Joe Amendola told Ann Curry on "Today" ... prosecutors have never given him the names of the accusers, but he believes he's found the alleged victim, and if indeed it is him Mike McQueary is lying.

Amendola also concedes, "It is possible Jerry did this [molested kids]" and if he did he should be punished.

And Amendola echoes what Sandusky told Bob Costas last night ... it was bad judgment for him to shower with young boys, especially when there were complaints as early as 1998.

Jerry Sandusky had to pause and think before he answered Bob Costas' question, "Are you sexually attracted to young boys," during his first interview since the scandal broke.

Costas, who interviewed Sandusky on "Rock Center" Monday night ... peppered him with questions, including, "Are you a pedophile?"

Dallas Cowboys defensive stud Jay Ratliff wants a judge to know ... he's willing to put in the time and the money to be a great father to his newborn son ... but he thinks his baby mama is trying to take advantage of his big, fat bank account.

Ratliff -- a 3-time Pro Bowl nose tackle who recently signed a $40 million contract extension -- was hit with a paternity suit back in April by a woman named Tonitura Kelley, who claimed the NFL star was the father of her then-unborn child.

According to court docs, Ratliff submitted to a paternity test, which revealed a positive match between Jay and the baby. Kelley filed a request for child support ... but sources familiar with the case tell us she's looking for more money than state guidelines provide for.

Jay filed docs saying he wants to be involved in the child's life -- and is making a play for shared custody. He and Tonitura are due back in court in the near future.

Ratliff's rep tells TMZ ... Jay is currently visiting with his son at least 3 times a week ... adding, "Jay's stepped up to become a good father, he loves his child ... and he's letting the judicial system run its course."