TMZ Sports - Page 50

Shaquille O'Neal received his doctoral degree in Education from Barry University yesterday -- and no, it was not honorary ... he earned it!

Shaq -- wearing a custom-made, bright red XXXL-sized gown -- was one 1,100 students honored during the commencement ceremonies at the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami.

On earning the degree, Shaq said, "Everyone thinks this is honorary. But this is not honorary. I put in four and a half hard years staying up late at night, studying, reading, rewriting papers Dr. Kopp marked up."

Jamal Anderson knows ... the Dirty Bird always gets the worm ... especially when the "worm" is a MILLION DOLLAR tax lien from the IRS.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, the former Atlanta Falcons running back didn't pay his federal income taxes in 2007 and 2008 ... and now Uncle Sam has placed a lien on his property.

Anderson -- who retired from the NFL in 2001 -- is on the hook for a total of $1,105,263.51 -- $478,247.57 from 2007 and $627,015.94 from 2008.

So where did Jamal's income come from? According to his official website, Jamal appeared on MTV's "Celebrity Rap Superstar" in 2007 ... and worked as an analyst for ESPN in 2008.

Junior Seau fell victim to a problem encountered by many former pro athletes -- post-career depression -- this according to former pro athlete-turned-actor Rick Fox.

Fox tells TMZ, retiring from a professional sport leads to a massive shift in lifestyle -- from glorified hero to relative anonymity -- and for some players, the change is too tough to handle.

Fox tells us, "At the end of the day [Junior] shot himself in the chest, which is the heart, and a lot of people die of a broken heart when they leave the game."

Junior Seau's family met yesterday to begin planning a public memorial for the football legend ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the Seaus tell TMZ, they want to give grieving fans the opportunity to honor his life and his career in the presence of each other.

We're told the public memorial -- to be held somewhere in California -- will take place separate from the family's private Oceanside memorial, specifically to give fans the opportunity to mourn together.

A date for the public memorial has yet to be set. The private memorial will be held Sunday.

Floyd Mayweather struck a pose with $2 million in CASH before tonight's Miguel Cotto bout -- cementing his title as best pound-for-pound boxer ... with a penchant for acting like a d-bag.

TMZ has obtained a photo of Tiger Woods back in the danger zone -- the Las Vegas pool party scene -- where he was SURROUNDED by hot chicks in bikinis ... and a TON of security.

Woods quietly hit the Liquid pool party at the Aria Hotel on Saturday ... sporting a t-shirt, shades ... and a ringless wedding finger.

Sources at the pool tell us Tiger was flanked by a security team -- like the behemoth on the far right -- while he visited with a couple of friends inside a private cabana.

Of course, Vegas was the epicenter of Tiger's adultery back in the day -- thanks to ladies like Rachel Uchitel and other women of her ilk.

This time, it's unclear if Tiger found a special friend at the pool party ... but he definitely had some options. Check out the pics from the pool that day ... thanks to our pals at SpyOnVegas.com.

TMZ has obtained the horrific 911 call placed by Junior Seau's girlfriend moments after the NFL legend shot himself in the chest Wednesday morning at his Oceanside, CA home.

Junior's GF Megan Noderer (below) is so hysterical during the call she can hardly speak -- claiming she had just returned from the gym (around 10AM) when she discovered Junior's bloody body.

Megan tells the dispatcher, Junior wasn't breathing when she arrived and had appeared to have shot himself "in the heart."

Authorities responded and attempted to revive Seau, but life-saving efforts were unsuccessful. Seau was pronounced dead on the scene soon after. He was 43.

Seau's family claims he exhibited no signs of depression before his death -- but has since donated his brain to be studied for concussion research.

Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard tells TMZ ... he's been in constant contact with head coach Stan Van Gundy since his back surgery ... saying they've spoken "a bunch of times" since the playoffs began.

Dwight was on a walk in Beverly Hills today ... when we asked how life has been since he underwent back surgery in L.A. for a herniated disk last month.

"Sad" ... Howard said ... adding, "Just a little sad that I can't be in Orlando with my teammates in the playoffs."

"I went back and forth with the doctor for a couple of days ... and he just said, 'Dwight I need you to stay here, I don't need you to go back home, I don't need you traveling on the plane ... anything.'"

"I feel like I'm in jail," Dwight said ... "I just really wish I could be there for my teammates."

Dwight says he's been watching every game and speaking with teammates since he's been sidelined ... "supporting them, telling them what they need to do."

But then the bombshell -- Dwight says he's been talking with Coach Van Gundy "a bunch of times since the playoffs began" ... shocking since Stan believes Dwight has been trying to get him fired from the head coaching job.

As for rumors that Dwight faked his injury ... Dwight says it's all B.S. -- claiming the fragment that was floating in his back was the largest fragment his world famous surgeon has ever seen.

Kris Humphries is the opposite of upset over his divorce from Kim Kardashian -- he's loving the attention ... so says Kim's lawyer.

Disso-Queen Laura Wasser appeared in court today, saying there has been no progress in settling the spoils over the 72-day marriage. Kind of ridiculous, since there was an iron-clad prenup in which Kris and Kim have all of their assets separated. Kris is challenging the prenup, claiming Kim defrauded him by allegedly tying the knot ONLY for TV ratings -- good luck with that.

Wasser told the judge ... media attention and Kris' personal feelings seem to be keeping the case alive. Translation -- he wants the publicity of a drawn-out divorce.

The judge said depositions are now fair game, which means Kim can now be deposed about her motivations for marrying the b-baller.

Wasser also said Kim will be requesting that Kris pay her attorney's fees if they have to go to trial on Kris' fraud allegations and she wins.

Miami Heat superstar Chris Bosh has a NEW biggest fan ... his brand new baby boy ... who cheered on his famous dad from his hospital room yesterday ... just HOURS after he was born.

Bosh had a helluva Thursday ... with his wife Adrienne giving birth to little Jackson Bosh around 3 AM ... and then having to play in the NBA playoffs against the NY Knicks.

But Bosh made it happen -- hopping on a private jet in Florida and arriving over to Madison Square Garden an hour before the game.

With his son decked out in custom Heat gear ... Chris scored 9 points in the win over the Knicks ... and then hopped BACK on the jet to return to his family ... completing a 2,200 mile round trip in less than 24 hours.

Wanna buy an AMAZING beachfront property? Do you also have A LOT of bleach? Then you might be interested in Tiger Woods' crash pad in Orange County, CA ... 'cause it's officially on the market.

TMZ has learned ... Tiger's 2000 sq. foot condo in Corona Del Mar -- the one he purchased back in 2004 -- has been listed for a cool $2.495 million. According to reports, he bought the place for $3 mil.

The place is pretty nice ... with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a beautiful view of the ocean ... and plenty of privacy to bang all the floozies you want without your wife knowing.

In fact, Jamie Jungers reportedly claimed she spent LOTS of quality time at the pad ... before Tiger got caught.

Junior Seau's family will donate the NFL legend's brain to be studied for concussion research ... a rep for the family has announced.

San Diego Chargers team chaplain Shawn Mitchell told The L.A. Times, "The family was considering this almost from the beginning, but they didn't want to make any emotional decisions. And when they came to a joint decision that absolutely this was the best thing, it was a natural occurrence for the Seau family to go forward."

The family has NOT decided which research center will get Seau's brain -- but the two leading candidates are the Sports Legacy Institute at Boston University and the Brain Injury Research Institute.

As we previously reported, Seau apparently commited suicide by shooting himself in the chest -- leading many to believe he wanted to leave his brain intact so researchers could study the long-term effects of concussions sustained in the NFL.

The supposed "curse" of the 1994 San Diego Chargers has at least one member of the team concerned for his own life ... after Junior Seau became the 8th player from the squad to die.

TMZ spoke with former Chargers nose guard Reuben Davis -- who played for the Bolts from '94 to '99.

When we asked about the curse, Davis couldn't have been more blunt -- "It's kind of like a Final Destination movie ... I feel we might be cursed and it's scary."

The 1994 Chargers had an amazing season -- winning the AFC playing in the Super Bowl ... only to lose to the 49ers. Since the loss, 8 members of the team have died under the age of 45.

"Ever since then it has been downhill," Reuben says ... adding, "At the end we didn't win the Super Bowl and now this, it's just scary and I have no answer."

But, Reuben thinks the surviving members of the team can break the curse if they stick together ... telling us, "Every year the Chargers have an alumni weekend ... maybe we need to reach out to the remaining players and all agree to get together as a group."

Wrestling legend Scott Hall won't face any jail time after allegedly choking out his girlfriend during a nuclear argument last month -- TMZ has learned, the domestic violence charges have been dropped.

Scott's California attorney tells TMZ, "Any charges that were filed against Scott were dismissed and/or rejected by the prosecutor due to insufficient evidence."

As we first reported, Scott was arrested April 6th after allegedly grabbing his girlfriend by the throat in a drunken fit of rage -- and pulling her out of her car.

Police observed several signs of injury on Scott's GF when they responded to the scene -- but she refused to press charges.

Scott has continually denied ever harming her.

NY Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera -- the greatest closer in baseball history -- could be done for ever after tearing his ACL in a freak injury Thursday night.

Mo twisted his right knee while shagging (baseball term, not the British one) fly balls during batting practice before the Yankees' game in Kansas City. He immediately crumpled to the ground holding the knee ... and had to be removed from the field on a cart.

According to the Yankees, an MRI revealed the torn ACL -- and he'll most likely be out for the rest of the season. 42-year-old Rivera has 608 saves -- the most of all-time -- and is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Even before the injury, Yankees fans were terrified he might retire after this season.