TMZ Sports - Page 50

Ryan Braun's positive test for banned substances was caused by medication he's taking for a private medical issue -- NOT performance enhancing drugs ... this according to sources directly connected with Major League Baseball.

We're told the reigning National League MVP is adamant he has not taken drugs or steroids of any kind.

One source simply told us ... "The medication contained banned substances resulting in the positive test." We're also told prior to taking the dirty test, Braun had always tested negative for banned substances.

The nature of Braun's medical ailment is unclear.

Proving not all NBA marriages are in shambles, Khloe Kardashian played cheerleader by rooting for her hubby Lamar Odom in his first game with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.

Odom was definitely impressive with his new team ... putting up 14 points and 7 rebounds in just 23 minutes.

TMZ has obtained the 911 call placed moments after L.A. Dodgers first baseman James Loney crashed his Maserati into multiple cars last month -- and according to the caller, Loney tried to flee the scene.

When asked how many cars were involved -- the caller responds, "Possibly up to seven" ... though police claim the accident only involved four, including Loney's Mas.

The caller claims Loney had "passed out" moments before the accident ... and that's what caused the initial collision. According to the caller, Loney then woke up and attempted to "flee the scene," accidentally crashing into another car. Thankfully, no one appeared injured.

As we first reported, cops believe Loney was drugged up during the November 14th accident -- so they handcuffed him and transported him to a nearby hospital where the baseball star allegedly refused a breathalyzer ... spitting the mouthpiece back at cops.

Cops say they obtained a blood sample to test for drugs -- but it came back negative.

Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa caught the NBA star "very recently" in the latest act of infidelity, and that is why she filed for divorce ... sources directly connected with the couple tell TMZ.

Our sources would not tell us how Vanessa caught Kobe, but we do know it was NOT through text messages a la Tiger Woods.

We're told Vanessa had caught Kobe with "multiple women" over the years ... but his latest affair was the straw that broke the camel's back ... and she felt she needed to finally end the marriage.

Doing the Lord's work really pays off -- not only is Tim Tebow 6-1 this season with God by his side, but sales of his book have skyrocketed since Tebowmania swept the nation.

Tebow's book, "Through My Eyes: A Quarterback’s Journey," came out on May 31 and enjoyed solid sales, but returned to the best seller list three weeks ago ... reaching as high as #8.

HarperCollins Senior Vice President Lisa Sharkey told the NY Post, "We have to go back to reprint practically every day."

Deion Sanders and his wife Pilar are getting divorced ... Sanders tells TMZ.

In a statement, the NFL Hall of Famer tells us, "Pilar and I have decided to end our marriage and move on to the next phase of our individual lives with mutual respect. We are friends and our top priority has and will continue to be the well-being of our children."

He continues, "We arrived at this decision prayerfully and carefully in order to be able to pursue what is in both of our best personal interests."

TMZ has learned ... contrary to news reports about Kobe Bryant's wealth -- the BBaller's net worth is approximately $150 million, according to sources in a direct position to know.

Sources intimately familiar with the situation tell us ... the $150 mil accounts for real estate holdings, stock, cash and other assets.

The figure is far less than news reports which set Kobe's fortune north of $400 million. But the $150 mil figure is the accurate one.

TMZ broke the divorce story and the fact that Kobe and Vanessa DO NOT HAVE A PRENUP. Given that the marriage has lasted more than a decade and the pre-marriage assets are commingled with what was accumulated during the marriage, the assets are distributed based on the community property laws of California -- which means a 50/50 split.

Kobe Bryant and his soon-to-be ex-wife Vanessa attended a Christmas recital for their kids just hours before TMZ broke the news the couple was getting a divorce.

Kobe and Vanessa (above, smiling) were spotted together Friday morning at their daughter's school for a musical both of their children appeared in.

Our spy says Kobe and Vanessa next to each other during the show and left together in the same car, but their moods were totally opposite -- Vanessa was chatting with friends and having a good time, while Kobe spoke to no one and appeared "somber."

Kobe Bryant has already moved out of his MASSIVE Newport Coast mansion ... permanently -- because TMZ has learned Vanessa gets the estate in the couple's divorce.

Kobe purchased the sprawling Orange County property back in 2001.

As part of the divorce settlement, Kobe agreed to give up the property. TMZ broke the story, the couple had NO prenup ... which means Vanessa is entitled to half of EVERY DOLLAR Kobe made since they were married ten years ago.

Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom have begun looking for a place to live in Dallas ... TMZ has learned ... but they aren't looking for anything too permanent just yet.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ Khloe flew out to Dallas yesterday to begin the process of looking for a place to live. According to our sources, the couple is only looking to sign a one-year lease because Lamar could only be a Dallas Maverick for this season.

We're told the couple is looking to rent, not buy, and would prefer a 3-bedroom in the $8-15,000/month range.

Albert Pujols just signed a massive $250 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels, so it would take a pretty hefty tax lien to dent his wallet. This is not that tax lien.

According to documents filed in St. Louis County, Pujols had two separate tax liens filed against him by the Department of Revenue in Missouri in 2011. One is for $423.57, the other is for $306.37.

Kobe Bryant's wife has filed for divorce ... and as details about his alleged infidelities emerge, we gotta ask ...

NY Giants linebacker Michael Boley -- who signed a $25 million contract in 2009 -- is being investigated for allegedly abusing his 5-year-old son earlier this year ... TMZ has learned.

According to the official incident report, taken by the Gadsden Police Department in Alabama -- Boley is accused of the repeated willful abuse of a child under 18 from May 30 to June 5.

Officials will not release details surrounding the nature of the alleged abuse.

A rep for the Gadsden PD tells us the case was investigated and has been handed over to the District Attorney's Office, which will present the case to a grand jury. The grand jury will then decide if there is enough evidence to formally charge Boley with a crime.

Boley's attorney, Randall M. Kessler, tells TMZ ... "These allegations were brought to our attention along with outrageous monetary demands in a contested child support case which she filed over a year ago."

Kessler added, "At final trial about a month ago, she did not seek an order restricting visitation. The only relief she requested from the judge was that child support be more than quintupled to, in her words, 'increase her lifestyle.'"

In light of the allegations, another woman who has a 2-year-old child with Boley, has filed court papers in Georgia asking a judge to require the NFL star to be supervised when spending time with their child.

Kobe Bryant's wife has filed for divorce ... TMZ has learned.

Vanessa Bryant filed legal docs Friday afternoon, citing "irreconcilable differences."

Sources connected with the couple tell TMZ ... Vanessa -- who stuck by Kobe after he was charged with sexually assaulting a Colorado woman in 2003 -- decided to end the marriage because she believes Kobe has been unfaithful ... again.

As one source puts it, "She's been dealing with these incidents for a long time and has been a faithful wife, but she's finally had enough," adding, "This one is the straw that broke the camel's back."

And our sources say ... Kobe "desperately" wants to win Vanessa back and will do "whatever it takes" to save their 10 1/2 year marriage.

According to the legal docs, Vanessa is asking for joint custody of their 2 daughters -- 8-year-old Natalia and 5-year-old Gianna -- but Vanessa is asking that Kobe get visitation rights, which means she wants the kids in her care most of the time.

We've learned the couple has NO PRENUP, so 29-year-old Vanessa is entitled to half of the empire Kobe built over the last decade.

She's also requesting spousal support ... which is typical in divorce cases. Kobe, who filed his response to the divorce minutes after Vanessa filed her petition, says he will pay her spousal support.

According to the docs, Vanessa is being repped by disso-queen Laura Wasser and attorney Samantha Klein. Wasser reps oodles of celebs, including Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Maria Shriver and Kim Kardashian.

Kobe went to the Jay-Z concert Tuesday night in L.A. without Vanessa, and people who saw him there say he looked miserable.

Vanessa signed the divorce petition on December 1. Kobe signed his response on December 7.

Oh yeah, that $4 million ring Kobe gave Vanessa after the 2003 scandal .... It's all hers. A gift is a gift.

The Bryants released a joint statement ... saying they have "resolved all issues" privately, with the assistance of counsel.

Former Chicago Bears star Willie Gault has his 1985 Super Bowl ring back ... after it was stolen from his L.A. home last month ... and Willie says TMZ played a huge role in the recovery!!

Willie just called the TMZ newsroom and gave us the great news ... saying LAPD officers from the West Valley division managed to locate the ring and some of his wife's jewelry -- and it's now back in the right hands.

TMZ broke the story ... Willie's home was burglarized in early November ... and some soulless, pathetic scumbag (or scumbags) made off with $100k in jewelry, including the famous ring.

Willie says ... when he picked up the items, cops informed him that the original TMZ story "ignited a nationwide manhunt that allowed [law enforcement] to locate the ring and some of the jewelry. "

Willie says, "Me and wife were huge TMZ fans before, but now we're even bigger fans."

Gault told us cops informed him that an investigation into the burglary is still ongoing -- and so far, no arrests have been made.

Willie added, "The ring didn't define me as a person, I knew the accomplishments I made ... I came to peace that I wouldn't get it back ... but, of course, I'm THRILLED that I did."

An LAPD spokesman tells TMZ ... a sports memorabilia collector spotted the ring at a downtown L.A. jewelry store ... and notified detectives because he knew the ring had been stolen.

Detectives went down to the store and found the ring ... along with some of the family jewelry.

Barry Bonds has just been sentenced to 30 days of house arrest -- for lying to a grand jury during a 2003 federal investigation into steroid use by MLB players

Bonds was also sentenced to two years probation.

Bonds was found guilty in April of felony obstruction of justice after a jury found he lied during a 2003 federal investigation into the alleged steroid use. The jury deadlocked on three other charges against him.