Posted Oct 7th 2008 7:07AM by TMZ Staff
She's won an Olympic gold medal, has an inappropriate taco commercial and even appeared on "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" -- so you'd think Shawn Johnson would be considered a "celebrity."

Our photog didn't seem to think so.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Posted Oct 5th 2008 7:16AM by TMZ Staff
How's this for an up-and-down week?
Thursday, Helio Castroneves got indicted on tax evasion charges.
Friday, he showed up to court in shackles and plead not guilty while weeping openly.
Saturday, he won the American Le Mans Series Petit Le Mans in Atlanta.
Better luck next week.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Posted Oct 4th 2008 5:12AM by TMZ Staff
Oft-troubled WWE star Jeff Hardy is finally opening up about the flight he got kicked off of a few weeks ago.
The Baltimore Sun caught up with Hardy at a promotional appearance in Maryland when asked about the airplane incident saying, "I had been drinking a lot, I'm not gonna lie. I guess I was stumbling boarding the plane. I then was asleep when security told me to get off the plane."
Security mentioned he was too drunk to fly. Hardy then "cooperated with security and left the plane."
No further trouble was reported and he was not punished by the WWE. Crazy is as crazy does.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Posted Oct 3rd 2008 10:17AM by TMZ Staff
Michael Phelps returned home to Baltimore on Thursday with his hot beauty pageant girlfriend Nicole Johnson. Thank you, eight gold medals!

Despite being the runner-up in the 2007 Miss California USA pageant, Nicole has clearly won.
Filed under: Hook-Ups, Paparazzi Photo, Talk Sports
Posted Oct 3rd 2008 8:45AM by TMZ Staff
Sounds like someone's still PO'd about placing second.

Though the International Gymnastics Federation just officially cleared China's gold medal gymnastics team from speculation they weren't all old enough to compete, we found one Olympian who was there and she ain't buying it.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Posted Oct 2nd 2008 9:05AM by TMZ Staff
Oscar Robertson -- one of the greatest basketball players of all time -- is being sued for allegedly fleecing a company he controlled and lining the pockets of his family.
In a Federal lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania, Leo Kelly claims he went into partnership with the Big O -- it's some sort of document management company, whatever that is.
Kelly claims at times the Big O was drawing more than 90% of the company's funds for himself and his family for things like travel, means and entertainment. And what, says Kelly, did he get when he complained? FIRED.
Oscar's lawyers couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Posted Oct 1st 2008 3:04PM by TMZ Staff
NASCAR star Robby Gordon claims he's been defrauded in a failed deal with Gillett Evernham Motorsports and wants a judge to excuse a million dollar bill.

Gordon's company made a deal to merge with Gillett Evernham Motorsports (a huge race team owner). According to legal documents, an investment company was hired to make the deal. But Gordon claims the deal went south because it was "fraudulently induced." As a result, Gordon and Co. want the judge to excuse an obligation to pay a $1,013,656 investment fee.
Filed under: Talk Sports
Posted Oct 1st 2008 2:44PM by TMZ Staff
It takes balls to get a golf legend like Arnold Palmer, 79, to stop and sign an autograph -- just not the kind with red stitching.

Palmer was a little taken back when an autograph seeker asked for his Hancock on a couple of baseballs outside an event in DC yesterday. But when life gives Arnold Palmer lemons, he makes lemonade ... and then he adds a little iced tea.
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, Talk Sports
Posted Oct 1st 2008 8:13AM by TMZ Staff
Cristiano Ronaldo is so hot, he just oozes sex appeal.

The soccer stud soaked up the limelight -- and a whole lot more -- while out in Manchester on Tuesday.
Where's a Right Guard when you need 'em?
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Fashion Police, Style Insider, Hot Bodies, Talk Sports
Posted Sep 30th 2008 12:03PM by TMZ Staff
First it was Roger Clemens -- now NFL superstar Albert Haynesworth is getting caught in the wake of the Mindy McCready madness!
The Tennessee Titans defensive juggernaut thought he could just slip into a Franklin court today to face the judge over a speeding ticket -- dude got nailed doing 103 in a 70 in an Escalade back in March.
Unfortunately for the 6'6" 320 pounder, a grip of local press was there to cover country singer Mindy McCready turning herself in -- and the big man was pretty hard to miss.
And this just in -- Albie's case was just rescheduled for November.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Posted Sep 30th 2008 12:00PM by TMZ Staff
While hanging out on a yacht in Spain this weekend, Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal made a complete ass of himself.

This is why he's ranked #1 in the world.
Filed under: Paparazzi Photo, Beauty, Hot Bodies, Talk Sports
Posted Sep 29th 2008 5:11AM by TMZ Staff
Pete Sampras is sick and tired of Tina Fey -- and all those high and mighty celebs who push their political beliefs on the common folk.

The retired tennis legend ripped into the Palin-alike and her fellow famous campaigners on his way out of Nobu in Malibu this weekend -- but the attack would have carried more weight had captain Hypocrite not screamed "Go McCain!" just moments earlier.
Filed under: Talk Sports, Prez Election 2008
Posted Sep 27th 2008 12:08PM by TMZ Staff
If you're concerned that banking has become too impersonal -- you should consider Merrill Lynch.
In a lawsuit, San Francisco Giants catcher Benjamin "Bengie" Molina's ex- wife alleges that Bengie conspired with a Merrill Lynch bankers to knowingly transfer funds, property and assets to his, ahem, mistress.
Josefa Molina is seeking a whopping 6 mil from her ex-husband and Merrill Lynch, claiming funds were transfered without her permission.
Normally people can't even get a live person on the phone, and this guy's banker funds his two-timing floozy? Hopefully he used overdraft protection.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Posted Sep 27th 2008 10:00AM by TMZ Staff
After a family brawl left former WWE legend Ric Flair with a black eye and his daughter tased by police, wrestling blogs have been laying the Smackdown on TMZ.
Wrestling fans are buzzing that our stories put the kibosh on an endorsement The Nature Boy had with Coke. Whoa Nelly! Flair never had an endorsement with Coke -- at least that's what Flair's peeps say.
But think about Flair doing a concealer ad for Revlon. Now you're talkin ...
See Also
Filed under: Gossip/Rumors, Talk Sports
Posted Sep 27th 2008 4:30AM by TMZ Staff
Testicularly challenged biking god Lance Armstrong could be facing a tough road back to competition.
Strict anti-doping rules dictate that riders coming out of retirement must wait a mandatory six-month dope-free period, which could thwart Lance's plans to compete in Australia in January.
Have no fear, he still has plenty of time to get ready for an unprecedented eighth ass-kicking win of the Tour de France next June.
Filed under: Talk Sports
