First call: Le'Veon Bell gets Jets bobblehead; top-seeded Flames on the ropes

Thursday’s “First Call” features NFL schedule-reveal creativity. The Le’Veon Bell bobblehead. And a Major League Baseball statistic you’ve never seen before.

Bell bobblehead

Well, it’s official now.

It wasn’t before. But it is now.

Le’Veon Bell is no longer a Pittsburgh Steeler. He is a New York Jet.

Why is it official now? He has his own Jets bobblehead.

That’s why. That’s what matters.

The Le’Veon Bell hype has reached bobble-head status. Here’s a look at @FOCOusa’s latest welcoming the Pro Bowl running back to New York pic.twitter.com/kUDr3bHCSY

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) April 17, 2019

If they really wanted to make the bobblehead lifelike, there should’ve been a mini Adisa Bakari bobblehead on Bell’s right shoulder whispering bad contract advice in his ear.

Could it happen twice?

The Eastern Conference top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning got eliminated in four games by the Blue Jackets.

Could another No. 8 seed win?

It sure looks that way. Because the Avalanche now have a 3-1 series lead on the Flames. Mikko Rantanen scored in overtime last night to push Calgary to the brink of elimination.

Mikko Rantanen with the bullet.

Avs lead Calgary, 3-1. pic.twitter.com/fXHn9oHjTx

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) April 18, 2019

Game 5 is Friday in Calgary.

Speaking of the Lightning

Whoa! I know that sweep was rough. But it seems the Lightning team Twitter account is taking things hard.

We don’t have any words and we know you don’t want to hear them.

We understand your anger, your frustration, your sadness. Everything you’re feeling – we get it.

This isn’t the ending we imagined, and certainly not the one we wanted. Thank you for being there the entire way.

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) April 17, 2019

Yikes! Come back from the ledge.

Actually, come to think of it, there’s another Eastern Conference team that could’ve posted those same words and felt justified in doing so.

This can’t possibly be right

Can it?

Here is your totally obscure MLB stat of the year. And it is only April.

Joey Votto just popped out to 1B for the 1st time in his career …

In his 6,828th plate appearance. ? pic.twitter.com/rw6cBgTAMy

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) April 17, 2019

A few questions on this.

Who was in charge of figuring that out? Is that a record? That feels like something Tony Gwynn or Ted Williams may have done, too. How is that possible for a left-handed hitter?

Here’s how it looked.

For anyone curious, here is Joey Votto popping out to 1st base for the first time in his career, on his 6,828th plate appearance! pic.twitter.com/bo41PrC4zV

— GSC (@GSC_Hear2Win) April 17, 2019

You just watched history, folks! Exciting, right?

Well-played

Every team Twitter account in the NFL did a Twitter schedule release montage.

Props to the Chargers for creativity. They announced their team schedule with bad stock footage attached to every team.

Should we REALLY make our schedule release video with stock footage?

yes yes yesyes
yesyes yes yes yes
yes yes yes yes yes
yes yesyes yes yes
yes yesye yes yes
yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/wAB8CdAfnB

— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) April 18, 2019

Kudos for coming up with something for “Titans.” The Falcons jumped on the “Game of Thrones” bandwagon.

Football is coming.

Full Schedule ➡️https://t.co/vNuHMKwxTs pic.twitter.com/Xb91bWV7dB

— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) April 17, 2019

Naturally, the Steelers channeled Mr. Rogers with a little help from Bill Hillgrove.

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Let’s head to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe for our 2019 schedule… pic.twitter.com/blrW7zjwsW

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 18, 2019