TMZ Sports - Page 50

Al Sharpton thinks Donald Sterling ain't got nothin on UNC -- telling TMZ Sports the academic scandal on Tobacco Road is a much more dangerous than Donald Sterling ever was.

Of course, the University of North Carolina is all over the news after a probe into alleged academic fraud at the university revealed rampant academic fraud ... specifically in the African and Afro-American Studies department that allegedly resulted in higher grades for athletes.

Hilary Duff and her ex Mike Comrie have been separated for almost a year ... which begs the question, why the hell are they still going to parties together and holding hands?!

The "Lizzie McGuire" star and former NHL player hit up the annual Casamigos Halloween bash in Los Angeles Friday night and proudly held hands in front of the paparazzi as they walked inside.

Back in July it seemed they might reconcile ... which means it's possible the couple is back to banging -- or maybe they're just the coolest exes ever.

Steve Nash's latest injury setback might be the death knell of his NBA career, so says former roundball stud Sidney Wicks, who tells TMZ Sports it's OVER for the Lakers point guard.

Wicks was at LAX when our camera guy asked him what every purple and gold fanatic wants to know ... will the 40-year-old Nash ever lace 'em again after suffering yet another injury to his ailing back?

This vid might be tough to watch if you love you some Nasty Nash -- Sidney who played with the Blazers, Celtics, and Clippers thinks Nash's next team might be the one Sidney is currently on, the old guys squad.

Barry Bonds is a single man again ... no asterisk needed ... because his marriage is officially over, TMZ Sports has learned.

The breakup between Barry and Elizabeth Watson Bonds has been going on for YEARS -- she first filed papers in 2009, then they reconciled ... only to split again in 2010 for good.

Now, after 4 years in the court system, an L.A. County Superior Court judge has signed off on the divorce ... meaning 50-year-old Barry is back on the market.

According to the docs, filed in L.A. and obtained by TMZ Sports, Barry and Elizabeth struck a private deal that presumably covers everything from money to custody of their 5-year-old daughter.

The two were married back in 1998 ... many, many hat sizes ago.

Did Blake Griffin slap a man across the face in a Vegas nightclub? We're talkin' to a big celebrity (like 7-foot tall) who was THERE when the alleged incident went down.

Make sure to check out the brand NEW episode of "TMZ Hollywood Sports" on Reelz -- every weekday at 8pm ET, 5pm PT.

Carmen Electra was ambushed by her ex-husband Dennis Rodman at a Halloween party in Florida last night ... and extra security was called in to keep her safe ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Carmen was co-hosting a private "Fright Night" party in Boca Raton with Jonathan Cheban ... and was surprised when she saw Dennis waiting on the red carpet for her.

We spoke with multiple witnesses who tell us Dennis was NOT invited to the shindig (put on by The Law Offices of Berman and Berman) -- and Carmen was so shocked when she noticed him, that she waited in her limo for roughly 25 minutes while extra security was called in to watch her back.

Once she left the limo, we're told Dennis made a beeline for her ... and professed his love.

If you wanna be successful in the NFL ... YA CAN'T GO PARTYING DURING THE SEASON ... so says ex-NFL running back Thomas Jones.

TJ -- who played 12 seasons and once led the AFC in rushing -- was out in L.A. last night when we asked if it's possible for NFL players to turn up on their off days ... and still ball out on Sunday.

"There's no NFL party time. The game is too hard for that. It's too physical and it's too strenuous," Jones says.

Of course, there are exceptions ... Joe Namath, Lawrence Taylor, Gronk ... but Jones says most athletes have to choose -- party or football.

The Chicago Bulls made a HUUUGE mistake when they traded Olden Polynice for Scottie Pippen back in 1987 ... so says O.P. who claims the team would've won THREE MORE RINGS.

The 49-year-old ex-NBA star was out in L.A. this week and talked about the blockbuster trade from the '87 NBA Draft ... when he was selected by the Bulls as the 8th overall pick -- but was then immediately traded to the Seattle SuperSonics for Pippen.

"We were never SUPPOSED to be traded," Olden tells us ... "If I had played for Chicago, we woulda won more titles."

"And I didn't have migraines early on in my career ... I've never had migraines like Scottie ... so there were a couple of years they really could've beaten Detroit ... and they didn't."

BTW -- Scottie was ranked as one of the 50 greatest players in the history of the NBA ... but Olden says that stat doesn't matter -- he would have been the better man for the Bulls.

In fact, O.P. says had the Bulls kept him -- instead of Pippen -- they would've won at least 3 more titles (9 overall) ... and Michael Jordan "woulda been knockin' on Bill Russell's door."

Dallas Cowboys star Orlando Scandrick isn't just killin' it on the field ... he's killin' it in the bedroom too ... so says his super hot GF Draya Michele.

The "Basketball Wives L.A." star was leaving an event at the Mondrian -- in a super tight, super revealing dress -- when we asked if she takes any credit for the incredible season Orlando is having.
Ya gotta hear what Draya says -- pretty funny.

FYI -- the Cowboys are 5-0 with Scandrick on the field this season ... and he's on track to make the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

Even if he doesn't, it's clear this dude will have no trouble gettin' lei'd.

The Chicago Bears are NOT a lost cause ... despite the fact they've lost 3 out of their last 4 games ... this according to Jay Cutler's wife.

Kristin Cavallari was arriving at an event at the Mondrian Hotel in L.A. last night -- striking pose after pose for photogs -- when she was asked about the struggling Monsters of the Midway.

Ex-NBA player Jeremy Tyler -- who was just released by the Lakers -- claims his baby mama went berserk and punched their 10-month-old child last week ... and now he's obtained a restraining order against her.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the 23-year-old -- who's expected to sign a deal to play in China -- filed court docs in L.A. asking for protection from Sukey Rowan ... a British national who Tyler's been with for years.

In the docs, Tyler says Rowan got violent during an altercation at his mother's house on October 18th -- when she showed up to the home before she was expected to be there and demanded to see their child.

"I brought [the child] outside and she swung at me and tried to hit me while I was holding our son," Tyler says ... "At one point she missed me and hit our son."

Tyler continues, "My sister tried to get between us, and she kicked my sister, who is nine months pregnant, in the stomach."

Tyler says he's not only concerned for his safety -- but worries that Rowan will take the child to the U.K. and that "I will never see him again."

Despite the allegations, Tyler says "I still love Sukey, but I cannot let my son and I live in danger because of her mental issues and violent temper."

A judge granted a temporary restraining order against Rowan -- which also bars her from leaving the country with their kid.

Lolo Jones has no problem showing sympathy for convicted killer Oscar Pistorius ... because her father also went to prison for homicide.

Jones was at LAX Thursday when we asked if she agreed with the 5-year sentence for Pistorius, and her answer was pretty surprising. She opened up about her father's life sentence for a murder, and why it's made her "non judgmental" about Oscar -- despite all the facts surrounding Reeva Steenkamp's death.

Diamonds aren't just a girl's best friend -- Floyd Mayweather loves 'em too ... so much so, that he blinged out his old school iPod!!

Make sure to check out the brand NEW episode of "TMZ Hollywood Sports" on Reelz -- every weekday at 8pm ET, 5pm PT.

Lane Kiffin's mother tells TMZ Sports ... she's so worried about her son returning to Tennessee that she's "praying for a guardian angel" to keep him safe when Alabama takes on UT this weekend.

We spoke with Robin Kiffin ... who tells us simply, "I'm a mom. We worry."

Of course, fans of the University of Tennessee went berserk when Lane quit his job as their head football coach back in 2009 (after less than a year) for USC. People even hung Lane in effigy at the time.

And now with Lane returning to the campus as the offensive coordinator for Alabama, Robin tells us "I'm praying for a guardian angel ... a host of guardian angels."

"This is stressful. I've heard such horror stories ... people throwing batteries."

Robin says she's not planning to attend the game -- but will watch it on TV. She's also confident Lane is staying focused despite the media frenzy.

File under: "The Perils of Being 7-feet Tall" ... NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo had major trouble getting himself a rental car in D.C. this week ... because he didn't FIT in any of the rides!!!

You gotta watch the clip ... Dikembe was optimistic at first ... but quickly gets shot down at TWO DIFFERENT rental car desks that didn't have any whips big enough for the 7'2", 260-pounder.

Finally, Mutombo gets his hopes up at Avis ... but when he tries to get in the tiny Ford Taurus they tried to give him -- everyone realizes it ain't gonna happen.

There would be no Lionel Messi ... without Lionel Richie ... and the singer tells TMZ Sports he was "quite honored" when he learned the soccer star was named in his honor.

Turns out, Messi's parents were huge Lionel Richie fans -- and named their son after the "Hello" singer back in 1987 ... one year after Richie released his double-platinum album "Dancing on the Ceiling."

So, when Richie was leaving Ago in West Hollywood last night -- we had to ask if the two had ever met to talk about it ... and we got a pretty interesting answer.