TMZ Sports - Page 50

Roger Goodell is capable of making the right call after all ... 'cause Patriots great Ben Coates says skipping the NFL kickoff in Foxboro was the right move for the Commish ... to spare himself a historic booing.

Coates was an absolute stud for the Pats in the '90s ... making five Pro Bowls and being inducted into the team's Hall of Fame back in 2008.

We spoke with Ben ... who said he'd heard that Goodell was skipping the Patriots vs. Steelers game in New England Thursday night -- and in his opinion it was the right thing for the embattled boss to do.

"I think it's a good decision for him not to show up. He'd get booed all night."

Of course you know why NE fans would hand Goodell his ass ... he tried to saddle their poster boy Tom Brady with a 4 game suspension for Deflategate, only to have a federal judge reverse the decision last week.

The bad feelings have led to a tense atmosphere in Foxboro, with beefed up security on hand for the game ... but Coates says it won't last forever ... cause after all, Goodell's still the boss.

WWE NXT Diva Jasmin was the victim of a racist Twitter hack and will not lose her job in the ring ... according to an investigation by the WWE.

He's got legs that would make "Powder" jealous -- which is why it was hard for Damian Lillard to NOT notice when his NBA teammate Chris Kaman busted out his pasty white legs for a recent tanning sesh.

THEY'RE SO WHITE!!!!

And to make matters worse, Kaman was rockin' some extra revealing shorty shorts that put his upper inner thigh parts out on display.

"American Ninja Warrior" star Akbar Gbaja-Biamila may have Joey Porter to thank for his budding TV career -- 'cause AGB says it's because of Porter his NFL career was cut short!!!

It's a pretty funny story ... Akbar was a linebacker for the Miami Dolphins in 2007 -- when he claims he was supposed to sub in for Porter for a specific 3rd down defensive package.

Problem is ... Porter REFUSED to the leave the field -- and the ref threw a flag for too many guys on defense. But because JP was such a high-profile, high paid guy at the time ... Akbar was the one who paid the price.

You gotta watch the clip ... it's pretty funny the way Akbar tells the story.

Here's a bad joke based in truth ... cops are PUMPING UP security at Gillette Stadium for tonight's Patriots game ... over concerns stemming from Deflategate.

Sorry.

But seriously, the Massachusetts State Police Office of Media Relations tells TMZ Sports ... there WILL be an increase in personnel -- explaining, "With everything that's gone on in the off-season, we anticipate the fans will be more enthusiastic, more pumped up than usual ... a little feistier."

We're told the cops will employ the "playoff package" -- which is essentially an additional level of security.

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster says he went to counseling to deal with several off-the-field issues -- presumably surrounding his divorce -- but says it was one of the best decisions he ever made.

As we previously reported, Foster's wife filed for divorce back in July -- more than a year after Arian fathered a child with another woman.

Moments ago, Foster addressed the media ... and turned the spotlight on his personal life -- saying, "I've been through some of the most tough times personally this last year but emotionally I'm probably the happiest I've ever been in my life."

Foster admits at first, "I thought I was too cool to get counseling. I thought I was above that" ... but says, "The only reason I'm talking about it now is because I know a lot of people out there now feel like I used to to feel."

Conor McGregor is no Ronda Rousey ... he's not even a champ ... and he's got a long way to go before he'll ever be considered the "best" ... so says UFC stud Luke Rockhold.

Luke was at The Palm restaurant in L.A. -- hangin' with fellow UFC superstar Urijah Faber -- when we brought up McGregor ... who's notorious for bragging about how great he thinks he is.

Enter Luke -- who says the guy needs to come back down to Earth.

"He's a lot smaller than he says he is ... literally and figuratively."

Luke says he thinks Conor's talented -- and great for the sport -- but he's unproven and has major holes in his game.

"I'm lying if I'm saying I'm not entertained by him at some points, but other times I wanna slap the sh*t out of him."

As for Urijah, he likes Conor and thinks he's a beast -- but his issue has more to do with McGregor's fiscal irresponsibility.

Check out the clip -- GREAT financial advice from Faber.

Going naked in public can be GREAT for your dating life ... so says Olympic hammer thrower Amanda Bingson who says she got bombarded with proposals after her ESPN Body Issue cover!

The 25-year-old athlete was out in L.A when she told us the cover was like Match.com combined with Tinder ON STEROIDS ... with several people so impressed with her physique, they asked for her hand in marriage!

Don't worry, she's not into eloping with strangers ... with one exception -- Leonardo DiCaprio.

"That man can do no wrong in my eyes. He is by far the greatest thing that touched TV."

Hey, Leo digs chicks who get magazine covers ... just sayin'.

Here's Drake's dad ... trying to play it cool when asked how he feels about his son gettin' up close and personal with the greatest tennis player who ever lived recently -- but what does it all mean?!!?

It's an interesting clip ... and not just because Dennis Graham hit up 1 OAK on a Tuesday.

Look, we all know Drake and Serena had a thing a few years ago -- and seem to have reconnected again recently, as evidenced by these pics of the two all over each other at an Italian restaurant.

But when we asked Dennis about his son's relationship with Serena -- it was all about deflection, deflection, deflection.

So, is this Dennis trying hard not to say anything to tick off his son ... or do you really think he doesn't know what's going on with the two?

Check out the clip ... and notice the OVO owl chain he's wearing.

Blake Griffin showed off his insane physique as he played around in the ocean in Hawaii with his son Ford and baby mama Brynn Cameron.

FYI ... Blake and Cameron broke up a long time ago, but they seem to do these annual vacations for the kid.

Ex-NBA superstar Gilbert Arenas UNLEASHED on his baby mama Laura Govan -- claiming she blows the $20k he gives her every month on clothes for Instagram "for u f*cks to hit the like button."

The Philadelphia Eagles know they done messed up now ... 'cause Sly Stallone -- a Philly Icon -- says the team totally crapped the bed ... by cutting Tim Tebow.

P. Diddy will NOT be charged with a crime in the UCLA football melee ... TMZ has learned.

As TMZ reported, Diddy got extremely angry after his son Justin was sent home from football practice by Sal Alosi, the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the team.

New Orleans Saints superstar Cam Jordan says he's no ass-slapping maniac ... denying ALL allegations he went crazy inside a New Orleans nightclub.

As we previously reported, Jordan was named in a police report by a woman and her boyfriend who claim the NFL star got handsy in the club, sprayed them with champagne and called the lady a "bitch."

But in a statement issued through his attorney, Jordan says he did NOTHING WRONG -- "The allegations in this police report are ridiculous. Cam Jordan did not cause a disturbance of any kind."

"This complaining individual is apparently a jealous boyfriend who followed Mr. Jordan into the men's bathroom. "

The NYPD has launched an internal investigation after former tennis superstar James Blake was wrongly detained and allegedly roughed up by 5 officers who mistook him for a credit card crook ... TMZ Sports has learned.

35-year-old Blake -- who's African-American -- says he was slammed to the ground and handcuffed by 5 cops outside an NYC hotel on Wednesday as he was on his way to the U.S. Open.

An NYPD spokesperson tells us Blake was "misidentified" as a suspect in an ongoing investigation into fraudulently purchased cell phones.

"Once Blake was properly identified and found to have no connection to the investigation, he was released from police custody immediately."

"In regards to the alleged improper use of force, the Police Commissioner directed the internal affairs bureau to investigate."

And get this ... one source connected to the situation tells us that while Blake was being detained, it was a retired NYPD officer who informed detectives that the guy in handcuffs was James Blake.

As for Blake, he told the NY Daily News he can't be sure race was a factor -- but he's more pissed about what he considers an unjustified use of force.

Jen Welter tells TMZ Sports ... she has not been asked to walk Floyd Mayweather to the ring to fight Andre Berto on Sept. 12th ... but the NFL's first female coach will be at the weigh in.

Welter says the person who originally confirmed that she would be in Floyd's entourage was a former employee who was not authorized to act as Jen's rep.

TMZ Sports was contacted by the person after submitting a media request through Jen's official website. Jen says the person should not have had access to the site ... and says the situation "is being resolved."

There is this though ... we're told Jen's REAL rep, Leslie Swan, has been in touch with Floyd's camp to discuss the possibility of walking Floyd to the ring, but no formal offer has been made.