TMZ Sports - Page 50

The people at Charmin toilet paper are SOAKING UP all the publicity from the Kobe Bryant meltdown yesterday --THANKING the Lakers star for saying the Lakers are "as soft as Charmin."

As we previously reported, Bryant blasted his teammates during practice Thursday -- calling them out for sucking it up this season ... saying, "Now I see why we've lost so many games. We're soft like Charmin!"

Well, Charmin heard the comments loud and clear -- and responded on Twitter ... saying, "You know, in terms of toilet paper, saying you're as soft as Charmin is a good thing. In basketball? Not so much."

The T.P. titans went on to thank Kobe for the publicity and explained why yesterday was a great day for the brand.

The Heisman Fraternity always sticks together ... mostly ... so says football legend Archie Griffin who tells TMZ Sports there's a good reason he hopes Johnny Manziel racks up a big "L" this weekend.

The 2-time Heisman Trophy winner (the only man to ever win twice) was out in NYC yesterday -- and while he wouldn't reveal his favorite for this year's statue, he says all 3 finalists belong at the ceremony.

But when we started talking about Johnny Football -- who won the Heisman during his freshman season at Texas A&M -- Griffin reminded us why he'll be rooting for the other team.

The "Miracle on 34th Street" has got nothing on this -- Donald Sterling in Watts playing Santa Claus at a charity event with the word "projects" in the title! What could possibly go wrong?

TMZ Sports has learned the disgraced ex-owner of the Clippers will be in the middle of the Watts Housing Projects on Saturday handing out tons of gifts to kids at the 9th annual Chrismukkah Soirée "Party in the Projects."

We're told Donald reached out to Youth Mentoring Kids -- the group organizing the event -- and said he wanted to show up with a sleigh (more likely a Rolls-Royce) filled with toys ... and they accepted.

Sterling's blatant attempt to makeover his image in the black community isn't fooling anyone -- but at least underprivileged kids will benefit.

Mike Vick is like the black Paul Mitchell .. 'cause his black hair brush business is KILLING IT ... with demand for his WaveMasterz products higher than ever ... TMZ Sports has learned.

We broke the story ... Vick and Bow Wow got involved with the company last year after falling in love with the brushes.

Vick ended up buying 40% of the company. Bow Wow got 10%.

And the investment is paying off in a big way ... with WaveMasterz telling us the company is shipping out more than 500,000 brushes this holiday season to keep up with demand.

We're told the company only shipped out 3,000 last year ... when the company was in its infancy.

We spoke with Vick who tells us he's ecstatic about the growth -- saying, "I love the WaveMasterz brush ... it’s why I wanted to do more than endorse the brush, but be a part of this company."

He adds, "Now, we have to make sure the production keeps up with the demand because the response, even as we launch has been amazing."

Tyga's "friendship" with Kylie Jenner might have some serious competition, cause TMZ Sports has exclusive video of T-Raww exiting a private jet with a very pretty -- and very rich -- new lady.

The smokin' hot chick in question is Anjali Ranadive, daughter of Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive. The two traveled to Sac-Town earlier this week 'cause Anjali -- an aspiring singer -- was providing halftime entertainment at the Kings game ... and Tyga was helping out on the mic.

Here's the thing, Tyga didn't just rap and run ... he cozied up to Anjali the whole game alongside her pops Viivek and NFL legend Roger Craig (who happens to be Anjali's godfather).

FYI -- Vivek Ranadive's net worth is reported to be over $700 million ...

#RackCityB*tch

There will be no Kobe Bryant mutiny on the L.A. Lakers -- so says a Lakers player who tells TMZ Sports the squad is NOT MAD at The Mamba for tearing 'em a new butthole at practice today.

In case you haven't heard, Bryant went NUCLEAR -- cussing out several players and even talking trash to G.M. Mitch Kupchak.

At one point, Bryant said, "Now I see why we've lost so many games. We're soft like Charmin!"

But one of the players on the team -- who spoke with us on the condition of anonymity -- said, "It's all in love. Kobe is trying to motivate us to become more hungry."

The player adds, "We are all good ... just gotta get better."

As for Kobe and Nick Young, who went at it on the court today as well, we're told ... "Swaggy and Kobe are good. Just two competitors competing. They always talk mess ... it's a part of the game."

Floyd Mayweather is being sued over a frightening head-on collision involving his kids -- and Justin Bieber -- even though the boxer was on a red carpet when the accident went down.

We broke the story ... Floyd's kids were in a vehicle that slammed into another car in L.A. back in June while Floyd was at the BET Awards. Justin Bieber happened to be in the area at the time of the crash and rushed to the scene to comfort Floyd's kids.

Now, we've learned ... the other driver says he was seriously injured in the wreck and is suing Floyd ... claiming the man behind the wheel of Floyd's car was driving like a complete maniac that day.

And get this ... according to the suit, Floyd's driver is a FAMOUS BOXER -- J'Leon Love -- who trains out of the Mayweather Boxing Gym in Las Vegas. Love is also being sued.

According to the suit, Love was tearing through the streets at speeds of more than 100 MPH while weaving in and out of traffic.

The man behind the suit, Peter Park, claims he suffered injuries to his head, neck, collarbone, foot and ankle. Park claims his passenger was also injured.

Park is suing for unspecified damages. Calls to Love and Mayweather have not been returned.

11:54 AM PT -- The Menlo Park PD tells TMZ Sports ... cops detained two people involved in the incident -- and determined they were both intoxicated.

Cops say they tried to speak with key witnesses, including McDonald and Lloyd -- but they bounced before police arrived.

But get this, a hotel security guard told police he tried to stop the men from leaving ... but claims "he was purposely pushed out of the way."

The security guard later told police he did not want to pursue any action against the guy who pushed him.

As for the fight itself, cops say everyone involved has decided NOT to press charges.

Case closed.

9ers stars Ray McDonald and Brandon Lloyd jumped into action at a San Francisco-area hotel -- breaking up a FIGHT between a drunk guy and two women ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... McDonald and Lloyd were at the Rosewood Hotel in Menlo Park around 2AM Friday when a man who appeared to be super drunk began shouting at the two women who had been hanging at the bar with the players.

Witnesses tell us ... the drunk man called the women "whores" ... which obviously didn't go over well. We're told things quickly escalated with the women eventually charging at the man in a violent manner.

That's when the NFL stars rushed in and broke things up ... and then left the hotel when they felt the women were safe.

Cops were called to the scene -- and they took a report on the incident after talking to witnesses at the hotel ... but we're told no charges have been filed against anyone.

MLB star Yoenis Cespedes was just traded from the Red Sox to the Tigers ... and if he wants, he can drive to Detroit in style ... IN HIS NEW FIRE-BREATHING LAMBORGHINI!!

As we previously reported, Cespedes bought the $500k Aventador earlier this year ... and dropped it off at The Auto Firm in Miami where Alex Vega promised to pimp the hell out of it.

Well, he did ... giving the car a special Avorza blue metallic paint job, a custom sound system, Avorza AV3 forged wheels ... and oh yeah, AN EXHAUST THAT SPITS FLAMES!!!

We got footage showing Cespedes at the moment he saw his new upgraded whip ... and he was STOKED!!!

Check out the footage ... which also shows the mobile flame-thrower in action!!!

Oprah Winfrey hasn't written off Michael Sam after all ... with her OWN Network announcing they will air a 90-minute special on the football star later this month ... plus a sit-down interview.

Initially, Sam was reportedly supposed to be a part a docuseries -- just like the network did with Lindsay Lohan.

But after a MAJOR backlash from the NFL community, the project was called off. Sam was recently cut by the Dallas Cowboys and is currently a free agent.

Unclear if Sam's employment status contributed to the network's decision to run a special ... which is set to air on December 27th.

OWN says Oprah will sit-down with Sam to discuss everything that has unfolded since the NFL Draft.

According to OWN, "the documentary captures the moment when Michael was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, the intense media scrutiny that immediately followed, and Michael’s struggle to stay focused despite the pressure and chaos."

"Additionally, the documentary explores Michael’s relationship with his boyfriend Vito and the challenge of balancing his personal life alongside his pursuit of NFL stardom."

The news seems to be a shock to Sam .. who recently told TMZ Sports he didn't expect to have any sort of a professional relationship with Winfrey after the docuseries was called off.

Floyd Mayweather finally sat down with the LAPD for a 2-hour interview Wednesday, telling detectives he desperately tried talking his good friend, rapper Earl Hayes, out of killing himself.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Floyd confirmed the story first reported on TMZ ... that he was on FaceTime Monday morning with Hayes when the rapper walked away from the phone, into the bathroom and pumped multiple bullets into his wife, Stephanie Moseley.

Floyd told detectives after Hayes shot his wife, he came back to the phone and continued talking with Floyd. The boxer says Hayes said he was going to shoot himself and Mayweather pleaded with him ... to no avail.

As for what happened before shots rang out ... Mayweather acknowledged he was talking with Hayes about Stephanie's infidelity, but denies riling the rapper up.

Detectives asked Floyd why Hayes called him at 7 AM. Mayweather said it was because they were best friends and Hayes was trying to say goodbye.

NY Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (the guy who made that insane 1-handed catch) will beat your ass in just about EVERY sport ... and there's video to prove it.

The 22-year-old NFL phenom has been flexing his talents in everything from basketball (#dunkskills) ... soccer (#juggleskills) ... baseball (he can SWITCH HIT!) and even golf (#niceswing).

For the record, OBJ has been a freak athlete his entire life ... and was asked to try out for the U.S. Men's National Team when he was a teenager ... but turned it down to focus on football.

Cuba Gooding Jr. is the PERFECT guy to play O.J. Simpson in an upcoming TV miniseries ... so says someone who would know -- Kato Kaelin.

We spoke with O.J.'s most famous house guest about reports that CBJ will portray "The Juice" in an upcoming FX miniseries called, "American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson."

"Cuba's my friend. I think he's gonna do great," Kaelin told us.

Kaelin says Simpson "had an arrogance to him" ... which Cuba will have no trouble nailing down.

"I think [O.J.'s personality] is a lot like Cuba's character in 'Jerry Maguire.' He wanted the attention ... that was pretty much O.J. Simpson."

For the record, Rod Tidwell never killed anyone ... allegedly.

Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer is FURIOUS with ESPN -- telling TMZ Sports why he believes the network "stole" his exclusive story about Johnny Manziel.

Glazer's beef is all over his report about Manziel getting the starting QB job in Cleveland -- news Jay says he BROKE on Dec. 9th.

Glazer claims ESPN posted the same exact story AFTER he put it up ... but didn't give him credit. Instead, J.G. says the network based the story on unnamed "sources."

When we saw Jay at The Grove in L.A. yesterday, he explained that he's pissed because breaking exclusive stories isn't a hobby, it's his job -- "That's how I provide for my kid."

"In life, you don't steal," Glazer says ... "don't be a thief."

Roger Goodell ADMITTED he didn't thoroughly read NFL security reports about the Ray Rice elevator attack ... this according to new transcripts from the Rice suspension hearing.

The transcript, obtained by ESPN, contains testimony from November when Goodell was asked about the NFL's investigation into the Rice elevator attack.

During questioning, Goodell acknowledged that several of his officials gave him detailed security reports about the incident ... but Roger admitted he "didn't read it from start to finish" and "I didn't look at them closely."

There's more ... when asked why the NFL never made a "formal request" for the elevator footage from the Atlantic City PD, Goodell gave a bizarre answer.

First, he argued that he didn't know what the word "formal" meant because "I am not an attorney." Then he admitted that he didn't "know the specifics" about if or how his team tried to get the video.

The NFL's lead investigator, Jim Buckley, also gave a shocking statement -- saying when it came to the Atlantic City PD or the casino where the attack occurred, "I never contacted anyone about the tape."

As for Ray, the transcript shows he told NFL officials he "hit" Janay Palmer inside the elevator that day ... though Goodell insisted Rice said he merely "slapped" her.

When Rice was questioned about the incident by the NFL in June, Goodell never asked a single question himself ... instead leaving the interrogating to his deputies.

The transcripts show that the Revel Casino put together it's own investigative report about the incident ... in which it details Rice "punching" Janay in the elevator.

Floyd Mayweather wants to be seen -- going out to a major celebrity event in L.A. for the 3rd night in a row -- but he REFUSES to talk about the murder/suicide he witnessed on FaceTime.

The boxer -- along with model Liza Hernandez -- went to the Runway Wonderland 2014 fundraiser last night to benefit children in need ... and was asked repeatedly about the incident involving his friend Earl Hayes.

But despite the fact he was at another event that was heavily covered by media, Floyd's lips were sealed about the incident. As we previously reported, he's been "less than willing" to cooperate with police as well.