First call: Steelers' Haden defends Tomlin; 'Baby Shark' walk-up song leads to homer

Friday’s “First Call” features Steelers players defending the team. The Dodgers’ mammoth opening day at the plate. And one baseball player is using the song “Baby Shark” as his walk-up song. And it works.

Haden has Tomlin’s back

In response to the wave of criticism against the Steelers this offseason, some players finally have started to defend Ben Roethlisberger and the organization.

Now, cornerback Joe Haden is leaping to the defense of coach Mike Tomlin.

“He has complete control of the team,” Haden said of Tomlin on NFL Network. “He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever played for. You can only ask for honesty. He keeps it real with you. He lets you know exactly where you stand. He lets you know exactly how he feels about you, if you’re productive, if you’re not.

Haden added, “He treats everyone fairly, but I’m gonna say not everybody gets treated the same.”

That was Antonio Brown’s complaint about Tomlin. But it doesn’t seem to bother Haden.

Second-year cornerback Terrell Edmunds is demanding team unity.

'You have to understand you're playing for more than yourself. You’re playing for the logo on the helmet. You’re playing for the Steelers and all the guys who have been there before you and are going to come after you.' - @rell_island6

More: https://t.co/dEuXh7xtru pic.twitter.com/dpv7ASDpAJ

— Teresa Varley (@Teresa_Varley) March 28, 2019

Bye-bye, Burfict

Vontaze Burfict has left the Cincinnati Bengals. And it appears Steelers fans aren’t the only ones happy about that.

So is Bengals owner Mike Brown.

“Burfict, when he was healthy and playing at the level he could play, was exceptional,” Brown said via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. “All this stuff that came on detracted from his ability to play effectively and we suffered from it. It gives us a little clearer path forward. I don’t expect we’re going to have to defend whoever is out there this year the way we’ve had to defend Burfict.”

The “stuff” Brown is referring to are the numerous fines and suspensions Burfict has accrued over the years for dirty hits and PED use.

Now, he’s Oakland’s problem. And it’s the Raiders’ own fault.

Make it stop

If you are a parent, there’s no doubt that, by now, your mind has been infected by the earworm that is “Baby Shark.”

The children’s song has been viewed 2.5 billion times on YouTube. If you hear it once, it will never let go of your brain, and it has magical powers that washes over young kids. They demand it. They can’t live without it.

And just to screw around with all of us, Elvis Andrus of the Texas Rangers started using “Baby Shark” as his walk-up song when he came to home plate during home games in Spring Training.

Elvis Andrus walked up to "Baby Shark" for his son ? (via @FOXSportsSW)pic.twitter.com/wNu9FzyqUB

— ESPN (@espn) March 26, 2019

Well, apparently, it’s working during the regular season because he hit a home run in his first game of the year.

? Home Run doo doo do doo do doo ?

Watch Elvis Andrus smash the @Rangers' first dinger of 2019. #TogetherWe pic.twitter.com/dUGTbkK0rL

— FOX Sports Southwest (@FOXSportsSW) March 28, 2019

If there is a God in heaven, he’ll be hitting about .120 by the end of April and change his song.

Not a bad start

They must be playing a lot of “Baby Shark” in Dodger Stadium. Because Los Angeles’ roster was launching balls out of the park with regularity Thursday.

L.A. hit eight … EIGHT … opening day home runs off the Arizona pitching staff en route to a 12-5 victory. And some of them were absolute bomb shots. Take a look. Here’s a montage of all them.

It’s a moment when they show up, got ‘em saying WOW. #OpeningDayLA pic.twitter.com/w7skqOKKId

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) March 28, 2019

Joc Pederson and Enrique Hernandez hit two each. Meanwhile, the Pirates may have to wait until Easter before they get eight as a team.

Friday morning fallout

As the Penguins sat on their couches, there was a swirl of activity around them in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

The Capitals clinched a playoff spot with 3-2 victory in Carolina. The Caps have 100 points to lead the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes remain stuck on 91 points atop the wild-card race, four points behind the third-place Penguins in the Metro.

Meanwhile the Islanders jumped in front of Pittsburgh for sole possession of second place with this 5-4 road comeback over the Jets.

Well, that was exciting.

Here's how the @NYIslanders completed the comeback with two late 3rd-period goals! #Isles pic.twitter.com/72Swd7vH94

— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) March 29, 2019

New York now has 97 points, two better than the Penguins.

Also, Columbus got a crucial 6-2 victory over the Canadiens. So the Blue Jackets and Montreal are now tied for the last wild-card spot at 90 points apiece. The Canadiens have four games left to play. Columbus has five.