TMZ Sports - Page 50

Ex-NHL player Dave Gove -- a member of the Carolina Hurricanes 2006 Stanley Cup team -- died this week and officials believe a heroin overdose is to blame.

Gove struggled with addiction and had entered a rehab facility in Pittsburgh. He was reportedly found dead at the treatment center on Wednesday with bags of heroin near his body, according to KDKA.

Gove only played briefly in the NHL before becoming a coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins minor league hockey team in West Virginia.

While Gove wasn't a star on the Hurricanes, he did get a Stanley Cup ring -- which he eventually auctioned off in 2015.

Ed Burns says he's finally realizing 49 is just too damn old to "throw it down" on the basketball court ... and he's got the crutches to prove it.

The "Saving Private Ryan" star was gimping out of Yves restaurant in Tribeca with his supermodel wife, Christy Turlington, when he explained how he busted his leg in his rec league.

"Last night, my basketball career came to an end," Burns proclaimed ... "I'm forty-f*cking-nine!"

They said it would never last ... and they were right. Olivia Munn and Aaron Rodgers have broken up just months after rumors swirled that they were engaged.

The Green Bay Packers QB and the 'X-Men' actress began dating in 2014 but have finally decided to call it quits, this according to People.

There was a huge rift between Aaron and his family over the years -- and many people believed Olivia played a part ... though Aaron never publicly addressed it.

No word on why the two split -- but Olivia has been hanging out with her close friend, Ayesha Curry, over the past few days without Rodgers. Our guess is she's leaning on Ayesha for emotional support.

LaVar Ball is blaming UCLA's white players for the school's loss in the Sweet 16 -- claiming they just don't have the foot speed to compete with black guys.

Seriously. He said this.

Lonzo Ball's famously outspoken dad was speaking to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin's Clay Fowler when he broke down why the Bruins imploded.

"You can’t win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow," LaVar said.

Those three players -- TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford and Thomas Welsh -- have yet to comment ... but they combined for 39 points in the loss to Kentucky.

By the way, Leaf is projected to be a 1st round NBA Draft pick ... despite his whiteness.

Brielle Biermann and her White Sox pitcher boyfriend, Michael Kopech, like covering all bases ... even in public.

The couple got in a few innings of suck face and carnival rides last week at a fair in Mesa, AZ ... near where he was hurling 107 mph fastballs in Spring Training at the time.

Jamal Anderson says he's in a much better place mentally and emotionally -- following a bizarre incident in which cops say he exposed himself in a gas station convenience store.

Tim Tebow stepped to the plate for his first minor league at-bat Thursday night ... and walloped an opposite field home run!!

The former NFL quarterback and current NY Mets farmhand was playing in his first game with the Single-A Columbia Fireflies. He took a 2-1 pitch deep in the second inning for a 2-run homer.

Tebow bats seventh and plays left field for the 'Flies ... and already has more extra base hits and RBIs than he did in 27 plate appearances with the Mets in spring training.

Keep it up!!

OLD-SCHOOL BASKETBALL BEEF!!

Charles Oakley is firing back at Dennis Rodman for criticizing LeBron James ... and he's hitting The Worm below the skirt.

Rodman made headlines earlier this week for telling CBS Sports that Michael Jordan would NEVER takes games off in the middle of the season ... unlike LeBron.

Dennis insinuated Jordan was tougher than James ... and he cussed a lot to make his point.

The comments didn't sit well with Oakley -- one of MJ's closest friends -- who issued this retort:

"I think LeBron is smart, you don't have to be tough to play basketball Miss wedding dress."

Calling Rodman soft 'cause he wore women's clothing? Wanna rethink that, Oak?

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Trevone Boykin was arrested in Texas AGAIN Thursday -- and it's all connected to that crazy night when a car he was riding in crashed into a bar.

As we previously reported, Boykin was still on probation on March 27 when he was arrested for public intoxication and drug possession following the car crash.

Background -- Boykin was sentenced to 1 year probation in June 2016 for fighting police officers at a San Antonio bar days before the Alamo Bowl.

Now, we've learned a warrant was issued for his arrest earlier this week because prosecutors believe his March arrest constitutes a violation of his probation.

Boykin was taken into custody at 1:35 PM on Thursday and released a few hours later on $2,500 bond. He'll be arraigned on May 3.

This has gotta be one of the DUMBEST arrest videos we've ever seen ... courtesy of NFL wide receiver Marquis Bundy.

The cops are repeatedly trying to tell the allegedly drunk AZ Cards player to go home from a bar so they won't have to arrest him .... but he REFUSES and things get crazy.

His friends (props to the friends) tried like hell to drag Bundy away ... literally BEAR HUGGING the guy and trying to carry him home. But Bundy fought off his friends and gave the cops no choice.

And why?? Because Bundy was furious after someone at the nightclub he was at allegedly stole his baseball cap.

Seriously.

Even the cops are completely puzzled by Bundy's bizarre decision-making.

The whereabouts of the hat are still unknown.

Hayden Panettiere says she's "pretty confident" her baby daddy, Wladimir Klitschko, will destroy Anthony Joshua when they face off later this month ... telling TMZ Sports "we're ready."

Hayden breaks down her role in Klitschko's preparation ... and says she's gonna be right in the front row when it all goes down at Wembley Stadium on April 29.

Nate Dogg's son -- a college football player at Montana State -- was arrested along with a teammate in a drug sting operation this week, officials say.

Officials say Naijiel Hale -- a junior cornerback -- set up multiple drug deals with buyers who turned out to be undercover police officers back in February.

It's official ... Dustin Johnson is OUT of the Masters.

The PGA superstar says he injured his back Wednesday falling down stairs at the house he's staying at near Augusta ... but tried to soldier through the pain Thursday morning.

Johnson is the #1 ranked player in the world and was the heavy favorite to win the tournament.

Johnson took some warm-up shots at the driving range -- but cut it short. He was seen holding his back in pain afterwards.

He even went to the 1st hole and tried to go -- but decided to throw in the towel.

Forget the luxury cars and flashy jewelry ... NFL prospect Nazair Jones says there's only one BIG purchase he wants to make when he goes pro -- a new house for his family!!

Jones' story is incredible. The ex-North Carolina defensive end lost feeling in his legs at age 15 and was diagnosed with the rare complex regional pain syndrome ... forcing him to slowly learn how to walk again.

After years of hospital visits and physical therapy, Jones' condition improved enough to return to the football field and play 3 seasons at UNC before deciding to go pro to provide for his family ... and his first goal is getting them out of the projects in North Carolina.

Dustin Johnson is taking some cuts -- hoping he can fight through the pain and play at The Masters Thursday.

The 32-year-old says he injured his back Wednesday falling down stairs at the home he's staying at in Augusta and was unsure if he was going to have to withdraw from the tournament.

Johnson hit the range this morning and took some swings before cutting the session short and holding his back.

But a short time later, he grabbed his clubs and went back to the practice range. He clearly looks uncomfortable, but will try to tough it out.