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First Call: Antonio Brown's latest tantrum; JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sports Illustrated cover | TribLIVE.com
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First Call: Antonio Brown's latest tantrum; JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sports Illustrated cover

Tim Benz
1631795_web1_1559009-6de51e49b8304ce791e2dbb11ca49d22
AP Photo
Oakland Raiders wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

In Thursday’s “First Call,” Antonio Brown rips his new team. JuJu Smith-Schuster is a Sports Illustrated cover boy. And someone just did something we haven’t seen since Babe Ruth.


We’ve seen this fish before

It took nine full seasons before Antonio Brown became intolerable in Pittsburgh.

I wonder if he’ll last nine full months in Oakland.

He’s less than six months in with the Raiders, and he’s already wearing out the welcome.

First there was the frost-bitten feet story. Then there was the helmet situation. Now there’s this.

He’s angry that the Raiders fined him in excess of $53,000 for skipping meetings and practices.

Yes, that’s the actual personal letter from general manager Mike Mayock he posted. And Brown seems ticked off about it. So let’s see where this goes

But, remember, A.B. doesn’t want attention. So stop talking about him, OK?


Brown's helmet

Speaking of Brown, here’s more proof he doesn’t want you talking about him.

He also posted that he finally has a new helmet.

Brown said he would endorse whatever company came up with a design he likes as he searched for a lid that would come into NFL compliance.

He finally found one that made him comforta …

Uh, I mean, one that was willing to write a check.

Job well done, Antonio.

Or should I say, job well done, Drew Rosenhaus?


This is all we need

JuJu Smith-Schuster was humming along just fine.

Then this.

The Sports Illustrated cover.

So now he’s jinxed. Just before Patriots game, too. Great.

Eh, maybe it’s not so bad. Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson have both been on the cover, too. And they haven’t flamed out yet.

By the way, as for the cover itself? Maybe it’ll just be JuJu’s “Fortnite” game that’ll get jinxed.


Good company

It’s not often baseball players get mentioned in the same breath as Babe Ruth. So tip your cap to Cincinnati’s Michael Lorenzen.

Wow! So that hasn’t happened in nearly a century. Yet Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman seemed to know it was coming.

Lorenzen’s homer was a two-run shot in the eighth inning. The Reds ended up winning 8-5 with Lorenzen pitching and playing center field. That was his first win and first homer of the season.


You should tip

If you ever get a really good Uber ride around South Park, your driver may be a Major League pitcher.

South Park product Randy Dobnak got called up to the Minnesota Twins last month. And it became known that he used to drive Uber to make a little extra cash in the minors.

MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park gave us the story when Dobnak first got into the big leagues with the Twins.

“In his Twitter bio, he proudly boasts about his 4.99 out of 5 rating as a driver when he last drove during Spring Training.

‘I have all five stars except for one,’ Dobnak said. ‘I have one four-star. I’m hoping it was a mistake. I don’t remember doing anything bad. … I wish I knew. I wish I could find that person and just ask them why.’”

The rider was probably an Indians fan.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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