TMZ Sports - Page 50

Tom Brady's agent just came out BLASTING the NFL -- saying the league has a storied history of BLOWING IT when it comes to meting out punishment ... which is why they're appealing Tom's 4-game suspension.

Don Yee -- who gives absolutely zero damns -- pulled no punches in a scathing statement attacking the NFL and the Wells Report.

"The discipline is ridiculous and has no legitimate basis. In my opinion, this outcome was pre-determined; there was no fairness in the Wells investigation whatsoever."

He continues, "There is no evidence that Tom directed footballs be set at pressures below the allowable limits."

"We will appeal, and if the hearing officer is completely independent and neutral, I am very confident the Wells Report will be exposed as an incredibly frail exercise in fact-finding and logic."

And this is where Yee really begins to spit venom -- "The NFL has a well-documented history of making poor disciplinary decisions that often are overturned when truly independent and neutral judges or arbitrators preside, and a former federal judge has found the commissioner has abused his discretion in the past, so this outcome does not surprise me."

No Brady? No problem ... because the New England Patriots are still FAVORED to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 ... according to multiple major Vegas sports books.

TMZ Sports spoke with honchos at multiple major sports books in Vegas who all told us the same thing -- the Pats were favored by 6.5 before the suspension ... and will be favored by 2-3 points now.

Tony Miller, the director of the race and sports book at the Golden Nugget, says ... "They're still the Patriots ... and they have a couple of months to get Jimmy Garoppolo ready."

Get this ... we're told most sports books took down the game after the Wells Report -- refusing to take bets because of the possibility of a suspension ... which could impact the line.

But now, we're told most, if not all, books will start taking action again as soon as today ... with the new odds.

If you just watch football for the hot dudes, don't worry about the whole Tom Brady suspension ... his backup is pretty damn handsome.

Here's Jimmy Garoppolo ... he's 23-years-old ... he's 6'2" ... 225 lbs ... and was 2nd string on the Patriots depth chart last year.

Barring any big trades or pickups ... seems the kid is gonna finally get his shot.

Tom Brady has been suspended the first 4 games of the 2015 NFL season for his role in Deflategate ... TWICE the suspension the league initially gave Ray Rice for beating a woman.

The NFL just issued a statement saying, "Tom Brady will be suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2015 regular season for conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL."

"Brady may participate in all off-season, training camp and pre-season activities, including pre-season games."

The league also dropped the hammer on the New England Patriots -- hitting the team with a $1 MILLION fine ... and taking away their 1st round pick in the 2016 Draft and their 4th round pick in 2017.

The two locker room attendants who are believed to have deflated the balls have also been suspended indefinitely without pay.

In a letter to Brady, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent explained the league found "substantial and credible evidence to conclude you were at least generally aware of the actions of the Patriots’ employees involved in the deflation of the footballs and that it was unlikely that their actions were done without your knowledge."

"Moreover, the report documents your failure to cooperate fully and candidly with the investigation, including by refusing to produce any relevant electronic evidence (emails, texts, etc.), despite being offered extraordinary safeguards by the investigators to protect unrelated personal information, and by providing testimony that the report concludes was not plausible and contradicted by other evidence."

"Your actions as set forth in the report clearly constitute conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the game of professional football."

So far, no comment from Brady.

Magic Johnson just spoke out on the suspension -- saying. "The Commissioner came down hard & fair."

Eli Manning told Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News ... "It is about integrity and you have to follow the rules. If someone’s breaking rules they’re going to get punished."

He added, " "In no way am I glad to see this happen."

Will Smith tweeted ... "Tom Brady suspended 4 games, Thats Interesting!!!!"

Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount -- "THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!! SMH 😡 #PATSNATION STAND UP!!!!!"

Donald Trump -- "They had no definitive proof against Tom Brady or #patriots. If Hillary doesn't have to produce Emails, why should Tom? Very unfair!"

Girls night out isn't for BF's ... unless you're Russell Wilson ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the Seahawks QB surprised Ciara at a fancy steakhouse ... and she could not have been happier.

Ciara and two girlfriends were having dinner Saturday night at The Palm -- one of D.C.'s best restaurants -- drinking wine and eating crab ... when Wilson unexpectedly arrived during dinner.

The restaurant G.M. Mike Melore tells us ... "Ciara was shocked to see him. She said she didn't know he was coming, but she was super happy he was there."

And, when you're rich and famous ... you can stay as late as you want.

"We normally close around 10:30, but we stayed open late for them, until 1:30 AM," Melore says.

"They were extremely nice and humble. They took pictures with every staff member that asked before they left."

Aaron Hernandez has just been charged with witness intimidation for allegedly shooting a man IN THE FACE ... a man who officials believe witnessed the ex-NFL star murder 2 other people.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Hernandez was sued by Alexander Bradley, who claims Aaron pulled out a gun and shot him on their way home from a strip club in 2013.

Officials say Bradley was present when Hernandez opened fire on a car in Boston in 2012, killing 2 people who were leaving a nightclub.

According to prosecutors, Hernandez "shot him in the face on the morning of Feb. 13, 2013, and left him to die on the side of the road in Riviera Beach, Florida, after [Bradley] made a remark about the homicides."

Officials say Hernandez shot Bradley "with the intent to impede a Suffolk County criminal investigation."

Jay Cutler might struggle to make plays ... but when it comes to making babies he's a sure thing ... 'cause his reality star wife Kristin Cavallari is pregnant again with baby #3.

Kristin announced the pregnancy via social media earlier today ... saying "We're at it again! Thrilled to announce baby number 3 is on the way! The Cutler crew keeps growing."

Cavallari's oven just cooled down ... having given birth to the couple's second son last May, but she seems fired up about her brand new bun.

Colin Kaepernick clubbed his face off in Seattle this weekend ... but don't worry 49ers fans, he didn't take a single sip of booze ... instead, he gave away all of his expensive bubbly to a bachelorette party ... TMZ Sports has learned.

It's a pretty great story ... Kaep was contacted by the people at Aston Manor nightclub when they heard the QB was in town ... and they invited him as their VIP guest for Friday night.

Kaep agreed -- and brought two of his Seattle Seahawks pals ... receiver Ricardo Lockette and safety Kam Chancellor.

The club rolled out the red carpet for Colin -- and hooked him up with 3 bottles of expensive champagne -- 2 bottles of Dom Perignon ($550 each) and Moet Rose Imperial ($300).

But since Kaep is in training mode -- and staying alcohol-free ... we're told he instructed the club to pass the bottles to a bachelorette party that happened to be celebrating in the same V.I.P. area.

We're told the girls were pumped -- and everyone had a great time.

Sources inside the club tell us, "[Colin] was super nice and friendly and stopped and took pictures with dozens of people."

No one likes a coach who talks out of his or her ass ... in fact, pro athletes have A LOT more respect for a boss who's been in the trenches themselves ... so says NFL great Tony Gonzalez.

The future Hall of Famer was leaving the Clippers game Sunday night when the topic turned to Clippers honcho Doc Rivers ... who spent 13 seasons in the NBA before taking charge of the clipboard.

"Any time you got a guy who used to play in the league coaching players, you can tell how much [the players] respect him."

It's a good thing Ahmad Bradshaw can afford Uber ... 'cause the NFL running back's driving privileges have been REVOKED after he was convicted in his weed possession case.

Bradshaw -- who played with the Indianapolis Colts last season -- was arrested for marijuana possession back in February after cops say they found a small amount of the green stuff in his car during a routine traffic stop in Ohio.

Now, officials say Bradshaw cut a plea deal with prosecutors in which he agreed to plead no contest -- and in exchange he can't drive for 6 months and must pay around $351 in fines and other court costs.

James Kirkland was simply not prepared to step in the ring with a fighter like Canelo Alvarez ... so says his legendary ex-trainer Ann Wolfe who tells TMZ Sports he took the fight way too soon.

Kirkland was KNOCKED THE HELL OUT in the 3rd round of his fight with Alvarez this weekend ... after parting ways with Wolfe (his longtime trainer) earlier this year.

Wolfe tells us ... Kirkland's first mistake was taking such a HUGE fight after a taking nearly a 17 MONTH hiatus from pro bouts.

"He would have needed to have at least 3 'warm up fights' before stepping in the ring with Alvarez."

Wolfe says she has NO BAD BLOOD toward Kirkland ... and although they didn't speak after the fight, she called James' mother afterward to make sure he was OK.

Ya can't play basketball forever ... and Roy Hibbert knows it ... telling TMZ Sports he wants to work in Hollywood after his NBA career -- and says his dream job would be to appear on "Tosh.0."

The Indiana Pacers star has already gotten his feet wet -- appearing on a few episodes of "Parks and Recreation" over the years.

But now, Hibbert says he's moving to L.A. for the summer -- and might take some voice acting classes to help him better his chances of getting a V/O job when he hangs up his sneakers.

As for "Tosh.0" ... Hibbert says he'd be open to doing ANYTHING to appear on the show with Daniel Tosh (one of his favorite comedians) ... if Tosh is into the idea.

The JACK DIESEL apple doesn't fall far from the JACK DIESEL tree ... and the Gronkowski family is living breathing proof.

Check out these pics of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski breakin' out the guns in Vegas this weekend ... right next to his almost-equally swoll father, Gordon!

The whole shredded family hit up the Rehab party at the Hard Rock Hotel to celebrate Rob's 26th birthday ... including Rob's bros Chris, Dan, Glenn and Gordie Jr.

BTW -- the people at Rehab gave Gronk a cake for his birthday. Can you guess what he did with it?

Good news for Clippers fans ... Austin Rivers says he wants to STAY in Lob City next season -- even if other teams come at him with GIANT contracts.

After Rivers tore up the Staples Center on Friday, the coach's son hit up Craig's in West Hollywood for a celebratory meal with his girlfriend Brittany Hotard ... clearly in a GREAT mood!

Dez Bryant + Adrian Peterson = TOTAL DOMINATION ... so says Dez who tells TMZ Sports he thinks it would be something "very special" if AP somehow signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

Bryant was leaving The Palm in Bev Hills last night -- when he told us the two would be an unstoppable duo if they were on the field together ... but says he ultimately doesn't think Peterson's current team would let him go.

"The Vikings not lettin' that happen, 'cause if they did ... the league would know what would happen."

Gilbert Arenas has told the judge ... he DEFINITELY took back the $1 MILLION engagement ring he gave to his estranged wife Laura Govan in 2008 ... but he sure as hell didn't sell it behind her back.

The NBA star just filed new court docs in his legal war with Govan (the mother of his 4 kids) ... admitting they're on terrible terms ever since they broke up in 2014.

In fact, Arenas ADMITS he kicked her ass out of their L.A. mansion following the split ... and says he doesn't think he could EVER live with her again.

As for the ring, which Govan claimed he "forcefully" took from her and sold for cash in previous legal docs -- Arenas says it's only partly true.

In court docs obtained by TMZ Sports, Gilbert admits he took the ring and refused to give it back ... but says he NEVER tried to sell it. Instead, he says it's still in his possession.

Gilbert doesn't say much more about the split ... however, he does cop to treating Laura like a queen when they were together.

For example, Arenas says he once threw Laura a lavish and expensive 3 day birthday bash ... and on another occasion, rented a chopper to fly Laura and her mom to Santa Barbara for lunch at a winery.