First Call: Eagles may want Hines Ward; charity drops Antonio Brown

Wednesday’s “First Call” features some news about a pair of former Steelers receivers. A dreadful call crushes Pitt. And two hockey oddities.

Thanks. But no thanks

Here is the latest, greatest example of how toxic Antonio Brown has become.

The former Steelers wide receiver recently posted a video where he profanely rants against his former girlfriend and verbally berates police.

As a result, the police athletic league of Hollywood, Fla., has severed ties with Brown. It also returned a donation given by him.

Via ESPN.com, “We made the decision to sever ties between Mr. Brown and the Hollywood Police Athletic League,” public information officer Christian Lata wrote in the statement. “We did not want our youth to be subject to this type of behavior nor emulate the actions of Mr. Brown.”

Not only is the entire NFL staying away from hiring Brown. Now charities don’t even want his money.

Hines on the move?

Hines Ward asked for, and got, a Gatorade shower when his New York Jets beat the Steelers earlier this season.

HINES WARD GETS HIS GATORADE BATH. Awesome. #Jets #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/XnPEtU6c5G

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) December 22, 2019

Now he may be heading to another team that wears green.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles may want Ward to fill their vacant wide receivers coach position.

Ward currently works with the wide receivers as an offensive assistant in New York. But the paper says this would be a promotion in title, so the Eagles don’t need to seek permission from the Jets to hire Ward if they are so inclined.

Former Penn State star Bobby Engram, currently a receivers coach with the Baltimore Ravens, is also reportedly under consideration.

Huh?

We’ve seen come bad calls in Pittsburgh in recent seasons.

Joe Haden’s pass interference in New Orleans last year. The challenged PI on Terrell Edmunds versus Seattle this season. The missed false start against the Chargers. And, of course… Jesse James versus New England.

This call on Pitt’s Terrell Brown in the Panthers’ game against No. 11 Louisville won’t be as memorable. But, boy, was it bad!

How is this a foul on Pitt?

Good grief. pic.twitter.com/JWsVbuZl2M

— KysportstalkSEC (@KysportstalkSEC) January 15, 2020

C’mon. You’re calling that over-the-back?! That would have been a game-tying tip-in with :21 seconds left to make the score 70-70 in overtime.

Instead the Panthers’ upset bid fell short and Louisville won 73-68.

Forsberg fun

Filip Forsberg of the Nashville Predators has scored some pretty goals in his career.

But this lacrosse-inspired score against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night may be his best effort.

That was the 16th of Forsberg’s season and the 434th of his career.

It wasn’t enough for a win, though, as the Predators lost to the Oilers 4-2. Former Penguin Josh Archibald scored the go-ahead goal courtesy of a slick pass from Connor McDavid.

Executed to perfection. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/CqAgf99da1

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 15, 2020

Edmonton sits in second place in the Pacific Division. The Predators currently are not in a playoff spot.

Tuesday tussle

Here’s something you won’t see every day.

A college hockey score on a Tuesday night.

Robert Morris 4, Mercyhurst 1.

The Colonials and Lakers are playing three games in five nights. They had a previously scheduled home-and-home series for Friday and Saturday of this week.

But they had to cram in a third game Tuesday night as well because a contest between the clubs was canceled back on Nov. 29. A busted light over the ice surface at Mercyhurst’s rink couldn’t be fixed in time before faceoff. So the Colonials had to turn around and go home after they got to the rink.

The teams decided to reschedule for Tuesday evening in Erie.

That means the Colonials bussed up and back to Erie Tuesday. They’ll do the same thing Friday. Then Mercyhurst travels down to the Island Sports Center for the third game of the series Saturday.

That’s a lot of I-79.

Get this. Since Mercyhurst had to accommodate the travel for the Colonials due to the cancellation of the original game, Robert Morris’ team actually rode to the game in Mercyhurst’s own team bus Tuesday.

Go figure.

And, before you ask, the answer is no. The Colonials didn’t beat up their opponent’s bus just “to make it look mean.”

But that would’ve been good.