TMZ Sports - Page 50

Nick Young's toddler CAN BALL, SON!!!!

Swaggy and Lil Swaggy hit up an arcade together recently -- where the toddler posted up at an "NBA Hoop Troop" game ... and sank SIX SHOTS IN A ROW!!!

Thankfully, Young captured the highlights on video and posted it on his Instagram page for all the NCAA scouts.

Toni Braxton says she believes in "standing by your man" ... but when it comes to Ray Rice, it's clear the singer thinks Janay Palmer should make an exception.

Toni and her sister Towanda were leaving Mr. Chow in Bev Hills last night when she told us how she sympathizes for Janay for having to deal with her situation in the public eye ... but strongly implies that she should leave her NFL husband.

Al Sharpton tells TMZ Sports ... he's been a part of discussions with NBA Commish Adam Silver on how to handle the situation with racist Atlanta Hawks owner Bruce Levenson.

Sharpton -- who previously sat down with Adam Silver in the middle of the Donald Sterling crisis -- tells us, "In the discussions we've been having with the Commissioner, they said they were gonna vet everyone out [before allowing a sale of the team]."

The Rev says, "We challenge the NBA Commissioner Silver and others to not just go from one billionaire to another without opening up the diversity of ownership in the NBA."

"We only have one team. Michael Jordan owned by a black [Charlotte Bobcats] ... yet look at the percentage of players that are black."

Everyone loves football ... even the Amish ... who often BREAK their no-electricity rule to catch NFL games on Sundays -- so says "Breaking Amish" star Kate Stoltz.

Stoltz -- who grew up Amish before leaving the farm to become a Maxim model -- was out at Fashion Week in New York City last night when she told us that football is definitely worth the risk.

"We sneak our televisions and we watch football ... like every single week we watch football."

Ronda Rousey says ... the Ray Rice story would've had a MUCH, MUCH different ending if she was in the elevator with the NFL star.

The UFC champ was at LAX Thursday when she was asked what would have happened if she was in Janay Palmer's shoes on that fateful night in an Atlantic City casino.

Ronda's answer -- well, ya gotta watch the video.

Former Olympic track star Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide Friday morning by a judge in South Africa, and was also found guilty of one other weapons charge.

Sentencing for Pistorius is still weeks away. There is no minimum sentence for culpable homicide under South African law and the typical maximum sentence is 15 years, with the average sentence being about 5-8 years.

Pistorius was found not guilty on two of the three weapons charges he was facing. He was only found guilty of the charge involving a shooting at a restaurant. That charge has a maximum sentence of five years.

Pistorius admitted to shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day of 2013 … but maintained he thought she was an intruder.

One major NFL sponsor tells TMZ Sports ... they are "frustrated" with Roger Goodell -- and will keep a close eye on the investigation to determine whether or not to end its relationship with the NFL.

A key member of the company -- who would not let us use his or his company's name, but trust us ... it's as big as it gets -- tells us, "It's one thing after another [with Goodell]" ... noting the company is particularly "frustrated" with Goodell's "inconsistent policies."

We're told the company has had several internal meetings to discuss its relationship with the league -- but it's NOT at the point of pulling money right now.

"We're concerned with the unknown right now. Where is [the Goodell saga] going next?"

Former wrestler Sean O'Haire had a nasty alcohol addiction he couldn't kick ... even though the WWE went to lengths to help him get clean -- including providing him years of treatment.

Sources close to the situation tell us O'Haire went to WWE-sponsored rehab six times in the past 6 years ... including once earlier this year. After he left, we're told the wrestling company made multiple attempts to get in touch with O'Haire -- but he was M.I.A.

CBS has pulled the plug on the musical opening of tonight's "Thursday Night Football" -- and it's very clear it's because they don't want to feature Rihanna in the midst of the Ray Rice scandal.

The opening features Rihanna performing a version of "Run This Town" -- while Don Cheadle introduces the teams and dramatically asks who will "run this town" when the game is over.

But with the Ray Rice scandal in full swing, it's clear CBS didn't want to feature another celebrity who was involved in a high-profile domestic violence incident.

CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus says, "We thought journalistically and from a tone standpoint, we needed to have the appropriate tone coverage."

The musical opening will be replaced by a discussion of Roger Goodell's recent comments about the Ray Rice incident.

NFL officials belatedly contacted the Revel Casino Wednesday ... attempting to find out if someone sent the Ray Rice elevator attack video to a League official back in April.

We're told the NFL is trying to find who was in a position to send a video to the League.

Sources familiar with the internal investigation tell TMZ ... the NFL was told casino employees burned 3 DVDs for distribution shortly after the incident. One DVD was burned for the Risk Management department at the Casino.

A second DVD was burned for Casino Security Investigations. We're told this DVD was supposed to be forwarded to local police.

As for the third DVD ... it's curious. We're told it went to a state law enforcement agency. Our sources would not reveal which agency or why the State of New Jersey was involved.

Our sources say just before the casino closed down ... the original version -- not the dub -- was sent over to Risk Management so it could be secured. We're told the risk manager who had received the first copy had left the casino, so her replacement received the original. We do not know if the replacement ever got the dub her predecessor received.

Officials say they have obtained a brand new "enhanced" video in the Tony Stewart death investigation which could give more clues on what really happened when Tony struck and killed Kevin A. Ward during a race last month ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The Ontario County Sheriff's Department tells us ... the investigation into the August 9th incident is officially complete -- thanks to the help of a "forensic video enhancement recently received from the New York State Police Laboratory in Albany."

It's unclear what the new enhanced video shows ... but officials say the D.A. now has the evidence and will make a decision on whether to charge Stewart in the coming days.

As we previously reported, Ward had stepped out of his car following a collision on the track ... and appeared to be yelling at Stewart ... when Stewart's car struck the young driver, killing him almost instantly.

Janay Rice is making a HUGE mistake by staying with her husband after the elevator attack -- so says the host of VH1's "Couples Therapy."

We spoke with Dr. Jenn Berman -- who says she has an extensive background in domestic violence cases -- and she tells us she was particularly horrified by the Ray Rice footage.

Berman also says while it's good that Ray and Janay seek help -- it's important that they each have SEPARATE counseling sessions .. so that Janay can be open and honest without fear.

Hines Ward says he's blown away by Roger Goodell -- telling TMZ Sports he's SHOCKED that with all of the NFL's resources, the Commish says he couldn't get his hands on the elevator tape.

"When you're the NFL and you've got a bunch of FBI [agents], I'm pretty sure they could have got their hands on that tape before they made a ruling."

The former Pittsburgh Steelers superstar -- who's now an NFL commentator on NBC -- says Goodell MUST be held responsible for embarrassing the league ... noting, "He dropped the ball on this one."

10:47 AM PT -- Larry Bird (President of the Pacers) just ripped George over the comments ... saying, "Paul George's tweets from earlier were thoughtless and without regard to the subject of domestic violence and its seriousness in society."

Paul George's leg must be okay ... 'cause he's backpedaling HARD after tweeting out some STUPID comments about the Ray Rice situation.

The Indiana Pacers star came under fire IMMEDIATELY after writing, "I don't condone hittin women or think it's coo BUT if SHE ain't trippin then I ain't trippin.. Lets keep it movin lol let that man play!"

Stupid.

Then it got worse ... with George writing, "If you in a relationship and a woman hit you first and attacking YOU.. Then you obviously ain't beatin HER. Homie made A bad choice! #StayUp"

Were you even watching the same tape?? It wasn't exactly self defense, dude.

Didn't take long for George to realize he screwed up -- and less than an hour later, tweeted, "Let me apologize to the women and to the VICTIMS of domestic violence people my intent was not to downplay the situation."

Ray Rice says hard liquor was the fuel that triggered his elevator rage and he hasn't touched the stuff in months ... sources close to Rice tell TMZ Sports.

Rice told the Baltimore Ravens he and Janay Palmer had been drinking HEAVILY before the altercation. Rice is telling friends he becomes a different person when he boozes it up ... so he's changed his life.

But he hasn't changed that much, because we're told he still drinks wine ... just not hard liquor.

Our sources say Ray and his wife have gotten deep into religion since the February incident -- they were both baptized in March when they decided to become Born again Christians.

We're also told they've also done religious mentoring with other couples ... including NFL players and their wives.