The All Star game happened even if most of us didn’t see it
MLB All-Star Game drew a 6.4 overnight rating, winning primetime, but down 18% from last year and its the lowest-rated ASG on record.
Browns RB Isaiah Crowell Pledges Money to Police Org. After Cop Killing Post
Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell is donating this season’s first NFL game check to a Dallas police organization after facing intense backlash over an Instagram post … TMZ Sports has learned.The post was an illustration of a police officer having his throat slashed by a masked man. Crowell immediately deleted it, but not before it spread across social media.Crowell apologized at the Browns’ request, but as we first told you … police organizations felt the apology was empty, and one threatened to organize a police boycott of Browns home games this season.Now, Crowell’s putting his money where his mouth is, vowing to donate an entire game check to the Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation, which supports families of officers killed in the line of duty.FYI — Isaiah will reportedly make $600k this season, and a game check is typically 1/16th of a player’s salary … so the donation should be about $37,500.
Chad Johnson Nabs NFL Coaching Gig
Chad Johnson is an NFL coach … telling TMZ Sports he has been hired by the Cleveland Browns as an assistant wide receivers coach for training camp.
Johnson says he asked his former Bengals, and current Browns head coach, Hue Jackson, for a coaching job … and to Chad’s surprise, H.J. said yes.
Chad says he will be in Cleveland on July 28th, ready to coach. We’re told the gig is just for training camp … as of now.
However, it sounds like Chad has bigger plans … telling us, “I’m not leaving!”
FYI — Johnson played 11 seasons in the NFL … but hasn’t been involved in the league since 2011.
Kobe Bryant, wife Vanessa expecting third daughter
Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA only a few months ago, and he wasted no time expanding his family. Kobe and wife Vanessa announced on Instagram Tuesday that they are expecting their third child — a girl — which would give them three daughters. The two are clearly excited about the pregnancy. Their first daughter, Natalia Diamante, was born in 2003. Their second daughter, Gianna Maria-Onore, was born in 2006. Now their third is coming soon.
The big irony is that Kobe once gave a Lakers writer advice on how to have a boy:“There was one thing, years ago, I had two girls and we were talking about how we were going to try to have a third. And, he told me that to have a boy, I need to keep my socks on with my wife… that was his advice. I did not listen, and I have a third girl,” reporter Eric Pincus once said to Complex.
Clearly Kobe forgot to leave his socks on. This is really great for the Bryant family, especially since we learned that Vanessa suffered a miscarriage years ago. Maybe they always wanted a bigger family.
Did a Las Vegas Gambler Use Inside Information to Make a $20,000 Bet on the Warriors Before Kevin Durant’s Decision?
By: Jason McIntyre
Did a few connected gamblers know that Kevin Durant was picking the Warriors, or did they get lucky making educated guesses that he was leaving the Thunder?
It’s a legitimate question to ask when you hear this story about how some guy plunked down $20k on the Warriors to win the 2017 NBA Championship on July 3, the day before Kevin Durant shocked the basketball world and left the Thunder.
The important nugget to pull: After the wager was placed at 3:2 odds, the Westgate SuperBook “treated the bet as an ‘educated guess wager’ and adjusted Golden State’s odds accordingly.”Many directions to take this:
It’s an obvious bet. The Warriors won the title in 2015, then won 73 games in 2016 and had a 3-1 lead in the Finals. They were going to be the favorites going into next season no matter what.
Or This gambler had some people on the inside of some of those meetings in the Hamptons.
The MGM took a “half dozen four figure” bets on the Warriors to win it all before Durant’s decision, according to ESPN. Again – educated guesses, or inside info?
A week after Durant’s decision, the Warriors remain overwhelmingly the favorites to win the title at 2:3. The Cavs are at 5:2, followed by the Spurs at 8:1. The Thunder, who may not have Russell Westbrook on the roster by opening night, are 30:1 at the SuperBook and 20:1 at MGM. [via ESPN Chalk]
Lamar Odom Strip Club Turn Up After First Class Puking
Lamar Odom made it to NYC after all and looked fully recovered from his puking session on the plane because he beelined it for a strip club.
Lamar was photographed hanging with friends and staffers at CityScapes Gentlemen’s Club in Queens on Tuesday night. A far cry from his Monday night — we broke the story … Odom was kicked off his Delta flight after vomiting multiple times while attempting to catch a red-eye.
Sources at the club tell us he arrived at 3:15 AM in a white G-Wagon, and chilled in VIP with 3 guys, security, and some chicks. We’re told Lamar was not seen drinking.
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Natalie Morales is denying rumors an alleged affair between her and fellow “Today” anchor Matt Lauer is one of the reasons why she decided to jump ship to head to “Access Hollywood.”
Lauer and Morales strongly deny any inappropriate relationship, but one source told us, “There’s speculation it’s one of the reasons why she’s moving . . . Matt didn’t want to work with her.” Lauer was once one of Morales’ biggest supporters at NBC. But now, “There’s an awkwardness between Matt and Natalie . . . He protected her for a long time and now it seems like something has gone awry,” added an insider.
But another source said of Lauer and Morales, “There’s no validity to it. Zero fact. NBC News loves her. Her contract was up in the fall and she wanted to try something new. She wanted to go to LA. [NBC] wanted to keep her.”
Morales’ husband moved to California for work and she wanted to take their children, the source added.
Lauer carries a lot of power and decides who stays at “Today,” according to insiders. The first source added of Morales’ move, “[A scandal] is the last thing NBC wanted after the Ann Curry debacle.”
Morales said, “There is absolutely no truth to this completely absurd story. It is damaging, hurtful and extremely sexist. I have proven myself in all aspects of my job as a news professional and journalist, and am adding to my role, taking on three jobs with ‘Access Hollywood Live’ and ‘Access Hollywood,’ in addition to ‘Today.’ This move was dictated by me and my desire to grow in my career. Any insinuations beyond that are uninformed.”
Lauer added, “Every aspect of this story is untrue, and it’s frankly sad that someone would tell lies to harm everyone involved.”
“Today” top exec Noah Oppenheim told us the story is “patently false.” He said that “suggestion[s] that Natalie’s new role and salary is anything but the result of her merit, is not only not true — it’s sexism in its ugliest form and it’s offensive.”
