TMZ Sports - Page 50

Yasiel Puig is showing his true colors -- DODGER BLUE, BABY!!

The Dodgers stud broke out the hair dye and did a little colorwork on his fro-hawk before taking the field against the Houston Astros for Game 1 of the World Series.

It was definitely a process ... Puig first bleached his hair blonde before turning things blue. We think it turned out pretty good!

Now, Puig and the Dodgers have gotta deliver on the field ... or else he'll have a different case of the blues.

WWE, reality TV ... IT DOESN'T MATTER -- The Miz says his future daughter will dominate any career she damn well pleases 'cause of her championship pedigree.

"Genetically, she's gonna be a star," The Miz told TMZ Sports ... pointing out that his WWE superstar wife, Maryse, is a physical specimen, too.

(Note: he's right)

But if his kid wants to break from the family biz, he's down with his daughter following in his "Real World" footsteps too.

"She can do whatever she wants, whatever she puts her mind to."

Houston Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson says he's aware the kneeling protests might be hurting NFL ratings -- but he's not fazed, telling TMZ Sports, "We feel how we feel."

There are reports NFL viewership is down from 2016 -- some people are pointing the finger at the national anthem protests ... saying fans have had enough.

We got Kareem out in NYC -- who's locked arms with his teammates but not taken a knee -- and asked him if the decline in ratings makes him think twice about speaking out.

"It may be messing with the ratings a little bit," Jackson admits ... "It is what it is though."

"We feel how we feel and that's that. At the end of the day, [they are] peaceful protests and we're all about equality."

Ex-NFL star Robert Mathis told police he drank alcohol and took a sleeping pill before getting behind the wheel of a pickup truck ... this according to the police report obtained by TMZ Sports.

Mathis was pulled over after cops noticed him driving the wrong way down a 1-way street early Tuesday morning -- and when officers approached the vehicle, Mathis was a mess.

The officer says, "As I asked Robert Mathis for his driver's license and vehicle registration, I noticed that his speech was slow and thick and he appeared lost and confused."

When asked for vehicle registration, Mathis handed the officer a large vehicle placard (a placard that comes with brand new vehicles).

According to the report, officers asked Mathis if he had anything to drink -- "He stated that he had one shot of cognac, but had also taken a sleeping aid around 10 PM."

Mathis told another officer he had two shots of Crown Royal along with the sleeping aid. He was given a field sobriety test and bombed it.

As we previously reported, Mathis' blood alcohol level was below the legal limit -- but officers felt he was under the influence and in no condition to drive so he was arrested for OWI.

During the process, cops noticed he had 2 dogs in his truck so his wife was called to pick up the animals.

UFC star Derrick Lewis says an Astros World Series championship would be HUGE for Houston ... 'cause it's exactly the boost his city needs after Hurricane Harvey.

"We need the money," Lewis told TMZ Sports. "All the bars and the sports stores ... hopefully we continue doing great things and they'll dish it back out to the city."

He would know -- in the weeks after the hurricane hit, "The Black Beast" went full Dark Knight, abandoning fight camp to rescue flood victims in H-Town.

Derrick says he ain't too concerned about this series, though -- 'cause the Dodgers won't take A SINGLE GAME from the 'Stros!

"I believe we'll sweep 'em, 4-0 ... mark my words."

Dodger fans obviously see the series going very differently ... including Blue Crew lifer Danny Trejo, who told us why it's L.A.'s year.

Young American soccer players should STEER CLEAR of MLS -- and take their talents to Europe to get World Cup ready ... so says former Team USA star Jermaine Jones.

With Team USA soccer in shambles -- not even qualifying for the World Cup -- we asked Jermaine for answers ... and dude kept it real.

"I think that you have to battle with the best and the best play in Europe."

FYI, Jones currently plays in MLS (LA Galaxy) -- but started his career in Europe, where he grew up. Clearly, he thinks the European leagues are better suited to grow talent because they're more competitive.

There's a twist in the Robert Mathis arrest ... his blood alcohol level was BELOW the legal limit, law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports.

When the ex-Indianapolis Colts star was pulled over at 12:09 AM on Tuesday, we're told he blew a .052 -- well below the legal limit, .08.

So, why was he still arrested for operating while intoxicated?

We're told cops conducted a field sobriety test -- Mathis didn't do well -- and officers ultimately determined Mathis was impaired and unable to drive.

FYI, the law allows officers to arrest someone for OWI based on other tests besides B.A.C.. That seems to be what happened in this case.

As we previously reported, Mathis was stopped in the first place after cops say he was driving the wrong way down a 1-way street.

Michael Rapaport is finally coming clean about his beef with LeBron James ... saying it all goes back to how The King treated his 2 sons back in the day.

"When they ran into LeBron, he dissed my kids," Rapaport said on The Breakfast Club. "He gave 'em the f**kin' Heisman and turned his back to them."

Mike thinks 'Bron held a grudge against him 'cause their friends of friends had a bad falling out ... and took it out on his boys.

Rapaport couldn't believe it -- and says that makes LBJ the worst celeb he's ever met.

"It has nothing to do with a 10 and an 8-year-old ... don't play me and my kids."

"Out of all the athletes, out of all the celebrities, out of all the rappers I've ever met -- especially with my kids -- that was the only motherf**ker that ever did that. And I was like, 'Hell f**kin' no.'"

All in good fun ... and funny as hell!

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall went all out to dress as teammate Von Miller for the team Halloween party on Monday night.

He got the cowboy hat. He got the Old Spice. HE GOT THE SEX TAPE!!!

Yep, Marshall spoofed Von's very public 2016 court battle to keep a sex tape he shot in Mexico from going public ... and it was kinda hilarious!

You remember the story ... Von claimed his sex tape partner Elizabeth Ruiz was trying to shake him down for millions ... allegedly threatening to release the tape if he didn't pay up.

The judge eventually blocked Ruiz -- and ordered her to destroy all copies of the video.

But Monday night, Marshall's detailed costume was the hit of the party. By the way, Von was at the party and we're told he LOVED it -- complimenting Marshall all night.

Von dressed up as Col. Sanders. Other players showed up as Mr. T and Zoro. And there were some SMOKIN' HOT ladies wearing barely anything. Good times!

Happy Halloween!!!

Charles Barkley ain't shy about what he'd do to Lonzo Ball if they played in the same era ... saying he'd try to take the kid's head clean off as punishment for his father's antics.

"I would've been goin' at his head, no question. Would've been talkin' to him the whole time about his daddy," Barkley told TMZ Sports.

Chuck actually REALLY likes Lonzo ... but 100% agrees with Kenny Smith, who told us LaVar Ball has put a target on his son's back.

"His dad has put so much pressure on him, he makes people not like him. Now he's got everybody not liking his son and he's gonna have to deal with that."

Sir Charles also had a pretty funny take on Lonzo's 1 big game for the Lakers -- saying it didn't count because it came against the crappy Phoenix Suns.

Speaking of the Suns ... Barkley also trashed Eric Bledsoe for tweeting that he wanted off the squad.

"Someone's paying you $15 million a year -- you shouldn't say, EVER, 'I don't wanna be here.'"

"You don't go on the Internet. You don't do that ... that was just bad."

Former Indianapolis Colts star Robert Mathis -- a 6-time pro bowler -- was arrested in Indiana early Tuesday morning after cops say he was driving while intoxicated.

Officials say Mathis was initially pulled over after officer spotted him driving the wrong way on a 1-way street around 12:09 AM and noticed he wasn't using his turn signals.

During the stop, officer noticed signs Mathis was impaired and arrested him for OWI: Endangering a Person.

The 36-year-old was locked up at Hamilton County Jail. According to a jail official, he was released this morning without bail after spending about 9 hours behind bars.

Larry King has made MILLIONS over the years -- but he's drawing a hard line when it comes to how much he'll shell out for World Series tickets.

Don't get it twisted, King -- a HUGE Dodgers fan -- will be sitting in his usual home plate seats for Game 1 on Tuesday. But with tix in his section running at least $6,000 each, he's sending his kids to the nosebleed section.

"My sons who usually sit behind home plate, they're gonna be up in upper left field," King told us Monday night on his way out of Craig's.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will all be upright Tuesday when the National Anthem is sung before game 1 of the World Series ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us, none of the players will take a knee, which is consistent with the entire season ... not a single member of the team has taken a knee. In fact, aside from one Oakland player, there has been no such protest on any team for the entire season.

Our sources say it's such a "nonissue" for the Dodgers ... management hasn't even spoken to the players about it.

Oakland A's catcher Bruce Maxwell -- the only MLB player who took a knee this season -- tells TMZ Sports he was confronted by a pro-Trump waiter at an Alabama restaurant who refused to serve him.

"He was like, 'You're the guy who took the knee? I voted for Trump and I stand for everything he stands for.'"

Maxwell says it all went down at a lunch with a local politician -- and after they complained to management, they got a new server.

But Maxwell says there's been a lot of POSITIVES that have come from his demonstration -- including a new friendship with Colin Kaepernick who's sort of mentoring him now.

"The dude's so positive," Maxwell says ... "He's such a strong, level-headed individual."

"His friendship definitely helps. His guidance comes through that. And just being able to use him as a sounding board some days does me some good."

Maxwell also says some very big names from both the NFL and MLB have reached out to lend their support ... guys like Dusty Baker, Coco Crisp, Torii Hunter, Adam Jones and more.

He hopes to unite everyone to help spread Colin's message. We know where they WON'T be having the next lunch meeting.

The Rams have returned to L.A. after stomping the Cardinals in London ... and as you'd expect, head coach Sean McVay was in a GREAT mood!

WARNING: Our photog was SUPER excited (big Rams fan) and fanboy'd out a little too hard when talking with Jared Goff.

But he settled down by the time McVay came by -- and talked to the 31-year-old head coach about how the Rams (and Goff) are taking the league by storm.

One of Tiger Woods' biggest rivals on the links thinks the golf superstar can still chase Jack Nicklaus' 18 majors ... telling TMZ Sports he believes "everyone" is pulling for him to make a HUGE comeback.

Vijay Singh -- the world's top-ranked golfer for several weeks in '04-'05 -- says now that Tiger's cleared to practice after having back surgery 6 months ago, he's not counting out a big return.

For the record ... Tiger's sitting at 14 majors, which is 2nd only to the Golden Bear.