TMZ Sports - Page 50

WWE Diva Emma has got to be kicking herself ... she just lost her prized job over a stupid iPad case she wanted so badly ... she stole it.

Emma was busted Monday by Hartford, CT cops after Walmart security claimed she had just left the store without paying $21.14 for the case.

The WWE acted fast, but didn't prejudge her. Emma already copped a plea and was sentenced to 1 day of community service.

Sometimes when you save money, you don't always live better.

The waitress who got stiffed out of a tip by Warren Sapp -- and then posted his credit card receipt online -- will be punished by the Florida restaurant where she works ... management tells TMZ Sports.

We spoke with the restaurant manager at the Upper Deck Ale and Sports Grill in Florida who tells us, "Regardless, famous or not [the bill] should never have been posted. It should not have happened."

The manager says they are "going to have to deal" with the waitress who posted the bill -- and told us she will be reprimanded for her actions.

When asked if the restaurant would be terminating the employee, the manager would not say.

The manager says the restaurant has been getting flooded with phone calls from people voicing their opinion -- "it has been mostly negative."

Warren Sapp isn't a deadbeat diner and tips his tail off for good service ... that's according to former teammate Shaun King who tells TMZ Sports Warren is getting a bad rap in the tip-gate fiasco.

We spoke to King, who played with Sapp on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1999 to 2003 and he tells us Warren is an A+ gratuity giver -- as long as the service is up to par.

"Hell Yeah he's a good tipper ... if he didn't tip [his waitress in Florida] it was something to do with the service he got."

King is also PISSED at the waitress for posting Sapp's bill on Twitter to begin with -- saying, "I have a problem with posting bills online anyway, that sh*t has the last 4 numbers of his Visa card on it and everything!"

Before he became a soccer legend, Team USA goalie Tim Howard was a high school basketball phenom -- who "smothered" Jay Williams in a County Championship game ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We spoke with Tim's former hoops coach Ed Breheney -- who ran the basketball program at North Brunswick Township High School in New Jersey -- who tells us Howard was a baller.

The Rob Gronkowski dance train rolled into Massachusetts last night -- when the Patriots tight end hit up the Beyonce concert ... AND BROKE IT DOWN LIKE A PRO!!!

Gronk let the music take hold ... and danced harder than ever when the Queen Bey busted out her hit, "Partition."

Gronk spent some time in the V.I.P. section with roughly 6 friends -- including Pats owner Robert Kraft (but we're told RK left early).

And as hard as Gronk went during "Partition," we're told he absolutely lost his mind during "Drunk In Love"

Gronk seems to be on a concert tear -- just last week, the 25-year-old NFL superstar went to a Jennifer Lopez show in Connecticut and rocked out to "Jenny from the Block."

Fierce.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. says it's about time he partied with Johnny Manziel ... because he made a TON OF CASH gambling on the former Texas A&M superstar over the years.

Mayweather was out in L.A. last night and talked about the huge celeb party at Justin Bieber's Bev Hills pad earlier this week ... where the cops rolled up to handle a noise complaint.

"We love the LAPD," Floyd said ... "They came to do they job to make sure we were in good hands."

As for Mayweather's betting habits -- back in September, the boxer put down $300,000 on Johnny and the Aggies to beat Arkansas ... and THEY DID!!!! Cha-CHING!!

Least Floyd could do is buy Johnny a beer, right???

Warren Sapp admits he stiffed a waitress at a Florida sports bar yesterday ... saying the reason he left her NO TIP was because she was terrible at her job.

A homeless man went to ABC studios in NYC Tuesday with a knife and threatened to kill Michael Strahan ... NYPD officials confirm to TMZ.

Andre Johnson appeared Tuesday AM at the Times Square studio where "Good Morning America" is shot. The 25-year-old man showed up at around 8:00 AM ... when the cast often walks out onto the sidewalk set to interact with onlookers.

Police say Johnson got into an argument with security, pulled a knife and said he was there to kill Strahan -- who makes appearances on "GMA" in addition to hosting "LIVE! With Kelly and Michael."

A cop working security then subdued Johnson and secured the knife.

The NY Post -- which broke the story -- says the man was charged with felony attempted assault as well as menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. It appears he's being held without bail.

TMZ caught up with Strahan's fiancee, Nicole Murphy, at LAX to talk about the incident.

He's 52-years-old ... but NFL legend Herschel Walker tells TMZ Sports he still has an UNBELIEVABLE workout routine -- knocking out 1,500 push-ups every single day.

Walker was out in NYC on Tuesday looking jacked -- as usual -- when we asked how he manages to maintain his incredible physique.

For Herschel, he says the trick is easy ... just a simple 1,500 push ups plus THOUSANDS of sit-ups.

The NCAA took advantage of superstars like Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel ... and in exchange, tarnished their legacies ... this according to former UNC basketball star Rashad McCants.

McCants -- who previously accused UNC of academic fraud by saying the school would give athletes high grades in classes they never attended -- was out in L.A. today ... just after the NCAA announced it was reopening the investigation into the university.

Rashad told us he's sick of the NCAA -- because it forces student-athletes to live by an unfair code ... in which they're promised an education instead of compensation ... but the education is bogus.

Rashad -- who claims UNC arranged for tutors to write his college papers -- said, "Why is there no education on my part when my years were there and I didn't receive any money?"

As for Manziel and Newton -- both were investigated by the NCAA for allegedly taking money during their college careers ... though the investigations into both players came up empty.

Still, McCants says ... it doesn't matter -- they should've been ALLOWED to take money because the NCAA is a "farm system" and it needs to treat the players accordingly.

WWE Diva Emma is a real life heel ... arrested for stealing an iPad case from a Walmart.

Emma was busted in Hartford Monday night after Walmart security spotted her swiping a red iHome 'Slim Swivel' iPad Mini case ... on sale for $21.14.

Cops tell TMZ ... Emma was charged with misdemeanor larceny in the 6th degree ... who knew there were that many degrees?

The legal system in Hartford is lightning quick -- she's already been to court and was sentenced to one day of community service.

WWE RAW was at the XL Center in Hartford as the crime went down.

Emma's lawyer chalks it up to an innocent mistake, saying she just forgot to pay while trying to navigate the self-checkout machine.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. says his love for Justin Bieber is unconditional ... after the singer came to the rescue of his children.

Floyd was coming out of a West Hollywood liquor store Monday night and could not stop gushing about his good friend's act of kindness the day before ... when 3 of Mayweather's kids got in a bad car crash.

TMZ broke the story ... Mayweather was on the BET Awards red carpet when he got word his kids were in a car wreck. Floyd happened to be talking to Justin on the phone ... and Biebs raced to the scene to comfort the kids.

The boxing champ is taking some heat for not leaving the red carpet and rushing to the aid of his brood.

Dennis Rodman is SUPER EXCITED to watch USA vs. Belgium ... in fact, he's so amped for the big game, he made a WWE-style pump-up video ... and TMZ Sports has the footage.

Just watch ... and remember this key piece of Rodman advice:

"UNITED WE STAND ... PROBIDED WE FALL."

Every champion needs a rival ... even in competitive hot dog eating ... and that's why Joey Chestnut tells TMZ Sports he misses bellying up next to Kobayashi.

Chestnut is in NYC gearing up for the biggest day of his year -- the Nathan's 4th of July Hot Dog Eating contest in Coney Island -- and "Jaws" says he's expecting nothing but sweet sweet victory.

Let's be honest ... he'll probably win by a landslide again because he really hasn't been challenged since Kobayashi left Major League Eating and stopped competing in the July 4th spectacular.

"I miss competing against him," Chestnut says ... "He's a great competitor."

Joey says he wishes Kobayashi would drop his beef with MLE and figure out a way to return to the big leagues ... but the guy still refuses to sign a contract.

Joey suggests Kobayashi is just being a sore loser -- sounds like Jaws is calling him out!!!

Aldon Smith will NOT be hit with criminal charges for making a false bomb threat at LAX back in April ... officials tell TMZ Sports.

We broke the story ... the SF 49ers superstar was arrested for allegedly making the threat while "belligerent and uncooperative" right after a TSA screening at a security gate.

Now, the L.A. City Attorney's Office tells us they have reviewed the matter and "will not be filing criminal charges in the incident."

Instead, the City Attorney's Office says it will set a "City Attorney Office Hearing" later this month to address the matter.

FYI -- a City Attorney Office hearing "is administered by members of the City Attorney's office in lieu of a criminal filing. Involved parties are scheduled to attend and give their account of the incident. The individuals are then admonished about the applicable laws and given suggestions on how to avoid similar incidents in the future."

Translation -- Smith will get scolded by officials ... and will then be sent on his way.

If Smith does anything stupid in the future, the City Attorney's Office says it reserves the right to file charges up to one year following the incident.