Posted Mar 19th 2010 1:00AM by TMZ Staff
The University of Kentucky Wildcats celebrated their thrilling SEC Championship victory last week with dinner and a cake at a local P.F. Chang's -- and then proceeded to give that cake to a UK birthday girl.
Rebekah Sams and her family were dining at the Lexington restaurant that night when her sister asked Patrick Patterson (above, in the grey) -- a star forward and Rebekah's fav player -- if he would come over and wish Rebekah a happy 16th birthday.
Patterson did three better: he got the team to sing her "Happy Birthday," gave her a signed ball, and gave her the team's celebratory cake. Wonder who's in her Final Four brackets?
Rebekah told us: "It's hard to imagine ever having another birthday that will be as memorable as this one!"
Filed under: TMZ Sports
Tags: birthday, final four, FinalFour, kentucky wildcats, KentuckyWildcats, march madness, MarchMadness, patrick patterson, PatrickPatterson, pf changs, PfChangs, sec championship, SecChampionship
Posted Mar 18th 2010 12:32PM by TMZ Staff
Kobe Bryant ditched his usual Lakers gear in favor of some festive green when he took his daughter Gianna to Disneyland yesterday.
St. Patrick's Day is the only day of the year when a Laker is allowed to wear Boston Celtics colors.
Filed under: Kids, TMZ Sports, Kobe Bryant
Tags: disneyland, kobe bryant, KobeBryant, lakers, los angeles, LosAngeles, st patricks day, StPatricksDay
Posted Mar 18th 2010 9:07AM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned Ben Roethlisberger has pulled out of the Kraft Nabisco Championship Celebrity Pro-Am scheduled for March 29-April 4 in Rancho Mirage, CA.
Big Ben has been keeping a low profile since the alleged sexual assault in Georgia earlier this month.
Joe Mantegna is the headliner of this year's event.
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Exclusives, Ben Roethlisberger
Tags: Ben Roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, golf, kraft nabisco, KraftNabisco, pro-am
Posted Mar 18th 2010 3:03AM by TMZ Staff
University of Oklahoma basketball star Keith "Tiny" Gallon may have violated a cardinal NCAA rule by accepting thousands of dollars from a guy who appears to have been courting him.
Gallon -- a freshman center for the Sooners - scored a $3,000 wire transfer last August, according to a document obtained by TMZ. The money was deposited in a bank account jointly held by Keith and his mom, Sylvia Wright.
As for who gave Keith the dough -- the document shows it's Jeffrey Hausinger, a Merrill Lynch financial advisor who reps several professional athletes.
It's a violation of NCAA rules for any player or player's relative to receive money that isn't readily available to other players -- for example, a student loan or scholarship. We're told the rule clearly prohibits any agent, lawyer or financial advisor from trying to lure a player with money.
Keith made headlines last week when he announced he would return to OU next year rather than turn pro.
OU Athletic Director Joe Castiglione says the school is committed to following NCAA rules, and "any activity not in compliance is taken seriously and is acted upon swiftly."
We could not reach Keith. His mom had no comment. We called Hausinger for comment about the $3,000 wire transfer -- he said, "I don't think I want to talk to you," and hung up.
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Exclusives
Tags: basketball, hoops, investigation, keith gallon, KeithGallon, march madness, MarchMadness, ncaa, sooners, tiny gallon, TinyGallon, university of oklahoma, UniversityOfOklahoma, violations
Posted Mar 18th 2010 3:00AM by TMZ Staff
Kansas City Royals catcher Jason Kendall will be in court this morning in his bitter child custody fight, and we've learned he'll be asked about his use of a prescription amphetamine that can enhance performance.
Chantel Kendall has alleged in legal docs that a Los Angeles psychiatrist prescribed Adderall to Jason after just one in-person visit, concluding the catcher had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Adderall is an amphetamine, and amphetamines have been used by Major League ballplayers for years to enhance performance. Players diagnosed with ADHD are permitted to use the drug in prescribed dosages.
Chantel claims in the docs that Jason took more than the prescribed amount of Adderall numerous times when he was watching their kids.
Jason says in his docs that he has never abused the drug. He also counters Chantel's allegation that his behavior has changed, saying, "I attribute those changes to the fact that I was married to an alcoholic and drug-addicted woman who abandoned our children, regularly punched me, and was unfaithful."
So will Jason talk about Adderall on the stand? We'll be in court to let you know.
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Exclusives
Tags: Jason Kendall, JasonKendall
Posted Mar 17th 2010 7:30PM by TMZ Staff
President Barack Obama says it doesn't matter how many times Tiger Woods flopped in the hay with other women -- he's still gonna be one badass golfing machine.
Obama told Fox News today while Tiger betrayed his family -- and has lots of unresolved issues -- "he's still going to be a terrific golfer."
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Barack Obama, Politix, Tiger Woods
Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, fox news, FoxNews, golf, masters tournament, MastersTournament, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Mar 17th 2010 12:36PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned Georgia law enforcement officers have contacted the lawyer for a woman who made a sexual assault claim last year against Ben Roethlisberger.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation -- which is currently investigating Ben for an alleged sexual assault earlier this month -- contacted Cal Dunlap, the attorney for Andrea McNulty, requesting a sit down with her.
McNulty sued Ben last year, claiming Ben sexually assaulted her in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in 2008. Ben denies the claim.
Dunlap flatly rejected GBI's overture, telling TMZ, "We believe the facts alleged by our client are already in public documents. A case in Georgia ought to be brought or not brought on its own merits."
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Ben Roethlisberger
Tags: andrea mcnulty, AndreaMcnulty, ben roethlisberger, BenRoethlisberger, big ben, BigBen, cal dunlap, CalDunlap, gbi, georgia bureau of investigation, georgia bureau of investigations, GeorgiaBureauOfInvestigation, GeorgiaBureauOfInvestigations, investigation, prior accuser, PriorAccuser, sexual assault, SexualAssault, tahoe
Posted Mar 17th 2010 2:08AM by TMZ Staff
Tiger Woods' return to golf is hitting tournament-goers where it hurts most -- because ticket prices for the Masters have gone through the roof.
Four day Masters Badges -- which ordinarily go for $200 each -- were listed for resale at $1,950 on GoldenTickets.com last Friday ... even before Tiger announced he was going to play.
Yesterday ticket prices skyrocketed to $2,400.
Golf hasn't seen this much buzz since Happy Gilmore.
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: happy gilmore, HappyGilmore, masters badges, masters tournament, MastersBadges, MastersTournament, prices, tickets, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Mar 16th 2010 12:08PM by TMZ Staff
The golf star who blasted Tiger Woods after the scandal is speaking out again about Tiger's comeback at the Masters.
Jesper Parnevik scoffed at doubters, telling TMZ, "Nobody ever thought Tiger would miss the Masters. It was pretty expected."
Parnevik introduced Tiger to Elin Nordegren and is one of very few golfers to publicly blast Tiger for his affairs.
Parnevik added ... Tiger doesn't have to play a warm-up tournament before the Masters. He said, "if anyone can do it, he can," adding he thinks T.W. will do well.
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Tiger Woods
Tags: affairs, comeback, elin nordegren, ElinNordegren, jesper parnevik, JesperParnevik, nanny, the masters, TheMasters, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Mar 16th 2010 11:13AM by TMZ Staff
We knew it. We've been saying it for months ... Tiger Woods just announced he will play at the Masters next month.
Woods released a statement that said: "The Masters is where I won my first major and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.
"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played.
"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.
"When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play."
UPDATE: Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, tells TMZ, "We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters Tournament. Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Tiger Woods
Tags: augusta, isleworth, masters, tavistock cup, TavistockCup, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Mar 16th 2010 9:00AM by TMZ Staff
Tiger Woods' return to golf at the Masters Tournament is causing a huge surge in fan attendance -- and the hotels surrounding the Augusta golf course can barely take the heat.
TMZ spoke to over a dozen hotels near the Augusta National Golf Club -- where the Masters is held -- and their phones have been ringing off the hook since Tiger's announcement this morning.
We're told a bunch of guests had inquired about canceling when they thought Tiger wouldn't be coming -- but have now called to confirm their reservations.
Many of the hotels in town are already sold out, and those that have rooms left are rapidly filling up ... so buy now.
Filed under: TMZ Sports, Exclusives, Tiger Woods
Tags: augusta, augusta national golf club, AugustaNationalGolfClub, hotels, masters tournament, MastersTournament, tiger woods, TigerWoods
Posted Mar 15th 2010 1:02PM by TMZ Staff
David Beckham was spotted hopping off a plane today in Finland where he underwent surgery on the Achillies tendon he ruptured this weekend during a soccer match in Italy.
Filed under: Becks & Posh, TMZ Sports, Photo Galleries
Tags: achillies tendon, AchilliesTendon, david beckham, DavidBeckham, hurt, injured, injury, posh spive, PoshSpive, soccer, victuoria beckham, VictuoriaBeckham, world cup, WorldCup
Posted Mar 14th 2010 7:51PM by TMZ Staff
David Beckham tore his Achilles tendon during a match today and is in danger of missing the 2010 World Cup.
His face, chest and abs are still in perfect health.
Filed under: Becks & Posh, TMZ Sports, Nurse!
Tags: achillies tendon, AchilliesTendon, david beckham, DavidBeckham, injury, world cup, WorldCup
