TMZ Sports - Page 50

Two Holy Cross football coaches just turned a regular practice into an all-out pro wrestling styled WAR ... reenacting the epic SummerSlam match for their team.

The combatants? A linebackers coach and a tight ends coach in the roles of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker. Our friends over at BSO reposted this move-for-move portrayal of the bout ... filled with all the chest slaps and chokeslams of the original.

Kobe Bryant went face-to-face with Shaquille O'Neal on Shaq's podcast -- and both NBA stars expressed serious regrets about the way things played out between them over the years.

During the interview on "The Big Podcast With Shaq" -- which airs Monday -- co-host John Kinkade asked the former Lakers teammates if there was anything they'd like to take back from over the years.

Kobe admits he was "an idiot when I was a kid" -- and explains that he should've kept his mouth shut instead of griping about his beef with Shaq in the media.

"I think having our debates within the press was something I wish would’ve been avoided."

As for Shaq, his big regret was leaving Los Angeles -- saying, "I definitely did not want to leave L.A., but you know that’s how you’ve got to talk when you’re in business, especially when you think you’re in control."

He added, "A lot of stuff was said out of the heat of the moment."

We can think of one thing ...

Snoop Dogg's wife Shante Broadus tells TMZ Sports she was blindsided by Cordell Broadus' decision to quit the UCLA football team ... and says she really hopes he plays again.

Chad Johnson thinks the animosity between Floyd Mayweather and Ronda Rousey is built up sexual tension ... and the only way to diffuse the situation is to hump it out.

After Ronda trashed Mayweather again this week ... saying he's illterate and she makes more cash-per-second than he does ... Johnson decided it was time to weigh in.

"Ronda Rousey & Mayweather might as well date & stop the verbal jabs at each other."

Vester Flanagan -- the man who ambushed and murdered 2 reporters on live TV -- is the son of a former NFL player who was drafted by the legendary Vince Lombardi ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Vester's father is Vester Flanagan Sr. -- a former lineman who was a college football standout at Humboldt State University from 1957 to 1960. In fact, Vester was inducted into the HSU Hall of Fame in 1975.

As far as his pro career, he never really panned out in the pros.

We've tried to contact Flanagan Sr. for comment -- so far, no luck.

Mark Cuban says he and a business partner OWN the design of the 2-wheeled scooter -- often mischaracterized as a "hoverboard" -- and he's vowing to crush all the knock-off companies.

Cuban says 2 weeks ago he partnered up with Shane Chen, who got a patent in 2014 for what he called a "two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle with independently movable foot placement sections."

Chen included in his patent application a schematic of the vehicle, which has since been duplicated by numerous companies. Chen actually tried to market his design, which he called, "The Hovertrax."

Chen sued one of the alleged knock-off companies -- IO HAWK -- in June, but now with Cuban's firepower, the duo plans to go after all of the copycats.

We've learned Cuban has fired off a bunch of cease and desist letters to the various companies, demanding they stop production ... or else.

The boards have blown up after a bunch of celebs, including Justin Bieber, Chris Brown and Wiz Khalifa, have been out and about on the device.

Peace in the Middle East could start on the soccer field ... with Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreeing to put aside their differences and hold talks ... for the good of the sport.

Leaders from both sides met today -- after FIFA officials created a special task force aimed at getting everyone to work TOGETHER to improve the soccer experience for Palestinians and Israelis.

It's a big step ... considering earlier this year the Palestinians had called for FIFA to suspend Israel after accusing them of deliberately interfering with Palestinian soccer operations.

The Palestinians later dropped their motion for suspension ... and that's when FIFA moved in trying to encourage the sides to come up with a friendly long term plan.

Surprisingly, both sides agreed .. and met with FIFA official Tokyo Sexwale today. Sexwale claims the meeting went so well, there will be a follow-up next month.

1:00 PM PT -- We've now learned Khloe and James did NOT need a permit to set off the fireworks. They did need the Coast Guard to sign off on the safety of the display, and they got that.

Khloe Kardashian and James Harden threw their own personal 4th of July with a GIANT fireworks display that woke up thousands of residents -- and city officials are scrambling to find out HOW it got approved.

The thunderous fireworks show -- visible from multiple towns along the oceanfront -- went on for 15 minutes at the stroke of midnight. TMZ has learned the whole thing was a yacht party for Harden's 26th birthday, and it was all on the up and up.

Law enforcement sources tell us a permit was issued to James and someone in the Kardashian family. Khloe had bragged about throwing the party for her BF, but nobody expected this kind of over-the-top display.

In fact, there's a mini-conspiracy theory brewing. We've spoken to the L.A. department that normally issues permits for fireworks in the marina ... and they did not sign off, and never would for such a display on a Tuesday night. We're told the display was far enough off shore to be outside of city jurisdiction.

We also spoke to an LA. City Councilman who is angry and trying to figure out who exactly OK'd the fireworks. One law enforcement official told us ... in 5 years he's never heard of a permit being issued for fireworks like this on a non-holiday.

It really is their world, the rest of us are just living in it.

Good news for Drake ... he's already getting the big thumbs up from one of Serena Williams' famous pals -- Rafael Nadal -- who tells TMZ Sports the rapper is a "good guy."

We broke the story ... Drake and Serena were all over each other in a Cincinnati restaurant this weekend ... and they'd been flirting pretty hard at some of her tennis matches lately.

Now, it seems Drake's been making the right impression on Serena's contemporaries ... because when Nadal was leaving his NYC hotel yesterday, he made it clear he approved of Drizzy.

Ronda Rousey is DOUBLING DOWN in her war with Floyd Mayweather -- calling him an illiterate moron and hitting him over the head with the subject that's the most dear to his heart ... money.

Cris "Cyborg" Justino says Ronda Rousey is straight DUCKING HER and has been for years -- and she's now calling out the UFC champ ... saying she wants the next fight.

Cyborg has been out in Philly with fellow MMA badass Miesha Tate to shoot the movie "Fight Valley: Knockaround Girls" ... when we asked how they felt about getting passed over for the main event at UFC 195.

Obviously, they weren't happy about it ... but both Tate and Cyborg say they're ready to brawl with Rousey any time, any where.

"It's not my choice, it's her choice," Cyborg said ... "I'm ready. Let's go fight."

As for Tate, she says her rematch is just a matter of time -- "That day will come and we will see that fight again."

Rousey has to get through Holly Holm first ... who happens to be co-starring in the movie with Cyborg and Tate.

Mike Vick is a Pittsburgh Steeler ... inking a 1-year deal with the team moments ago ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported, Vick flew to Pittsburgh this morning for a workout and a physical and the team liked what they saw -- so they signed him to a deal.

Vick had received offers from multiple teams -- but we're told he felt the Steelers were the best fit.

This will be Vick's 13th season in the league.

This video is HILARIOUS -- ya gotta watch as boxer Ricardo Mayorga straight up SLAPS Shane Mosley's girlfriend on the ass ... and violent pandemonium ensues.

If the Lakers are flirting with the idea of signing Metta World Peace, it's definitely a surprise to him.

Earlier this week, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers have been talking with Metta's reps about a possible comeback ... though no official deal was on the table.

But when we asked Metta about the report in Hollywood last night, he told us he hadn't heard anything about that.

That being said, Metta said he's "absolutely" down to rejoin the Lake Show if Jeanie Buss wants him back -- insisting he's still ready to compete in the NBA because "basketball is easy."

If Floyd Mayweather is the master of self-promotion, Paris Hilton is the mistress -- and she used Floyd's purchase of a super rare $4.8 mil hyper car to let the world know her BF is super rich too.

Los Angeles Laker Nick Young SHOULD have had his boy's back as he tried to score a girl's phone number and he SHOULD have been upset when he failed miserably.

But Nick did none of those things and our photog caught the entire thing on video ... and it was hysterical.