First Call: JuJu Smith-Schuster responds to Al Villanueva's 'TikTok' comments; 2 favorite anniversaries for Penguins fans

In Tuesday’s “First Call,” JuJu Smith-Schuster is asked about Alejandro Villanueva’s TikTok remarks. The Penguins get to celebrate two milestone anniversaries. And the strangest triple you will ever see.

Asked about Al

When he signed with the Baltimore Ravens last week, former Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva seemed to take a little jab at ex-teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster and his constant TikTok dancing. It wasn’t overly spiteful, but it was clear who Villanueva was talking about in the soundbite.

While appearing on the NFL Network Monday, Smith-Schuster responded with some light banter back when asked about the Villanueva dart.

“I’m never gonna change for nobody,” Smith Schuster said with a smile. “It’s who I am. I’m authentic. At the end of the day if I’m doing the TikToks, and I’m putting stuff on the field — I’m making catches, I’m scoring touchdowns, I’m doing my job — you can’t hate me. I’m just winning and having fun.”

Yeah. OK, JuJu. It’s the winning part that’s the problem there.

Two of your TikTok video controversies came before losses in Buffalo and Cincinnati. Then you popped off with your “Browns is the Browns” comment before Cleveland smacked the Steelers in the wild-card game.

So, JuJu, if you don’t want to listen to Villanueva or anyone like me who is criticizing you, then win if you insist on doing these logo dances and running your mouth. Then we won’t call you out.

But the more you do it — and the more often the Steelers lose after you do it — the more you are going to hear about it.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Wreckin’ Ball

Ah! I can see it now.

About five minutes left in the third period. A long cross-ice bank pass off the boards from Gordie Roberts. Mark Recchi rambling down right wing to pick it up in flight. Snapping a wrist shot that toppled Boston Bruins goaltender Andy Moog as it blew by him and into the net to make it 4-3 Penguins in the third period.

That’s the loudest I had ever heard the Civic Arena to that point in my life. And it was the loudest I ever screamed as a Penguins fan, knowing that the Pens were about to erase Boston in the Wales Conference Final and advance to the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup Final.

Mario Lemieux iced it with an empty-netter. Larry Murphy had a goal and three assists. And the Penguins eliminated the Bruins in six games.

That was 30 years ago. On May 11, 1991. And it still feels fresh. If you drive through the Hill District late at night, I’m pretty sure you can still hear that crowd echoing.

From there, the Penguins would go on to beat the Minnesota North Stars and earn the organization’s first championship ring.

Can’t forget Kasper

Meanwhile, Monday marked another iconic day on the Penguins calendar. It was the 20th anniversary of Darius Kasparaitis’ overtime goal to eliminate the Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference semifinals.

A play remembered as much for Kasparaitis’ slide and the human pig-pile celebration as the goal itself.

On this day in 2001, Darius Kasparaitis (who had one goal in his previous 55 playoff games) beat Dominik Hasek in overtime to secure the Penguins' spot in the Eastern Conference Final. And how about that celebration? pic.twitter.com/hcGJOhcJff

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 10, 2020

The score completed a 3-2 series comeback for the Penguins. The last three games of that series ended in overtime, with Marty Straka keeping the Pens alive in Game 6.

The Penguins’ magic would run out in the next round, though, as they lost a five-game series to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Final.

Dominance at the dot

Here’s a stat that may have slipped by you as we were watching the end of the Boston Bruins-New York Islanders game Monday night.

Boston won 3-2 in overtime. Simply by getting to overtime, the Bruins secured third place in the East and locked the Islanders into fourth. So that means the Islanders will play the Penguins in the first round of the East playoffs.

If, as a Penguins fan, you were just focused on the big picture, I don’t blame you for failing to look a little deeper at the box score.

How about what Patrice Bergeron did for the Bruins? He was an eye-popping 15-2 in the circle. Sean Kuraly wasn’t bad either winning seven of 10 draws. The team itself went 33-16 on the night.

Bergeron has 714 faceoff wins. That’s the most in hockey. Sidney Crosby is second with 676. But Crosby has only won 53% of his draws. Bergeron is at 62%. Detroit’s Luke Glendening (60.9) is the only other center over 60% with at least 800 draws.

Let me see that again

How does a Major League Baseball player triple to short left field?

Well, when you have speed and hustle like Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles. And you swing against the shift. That’s how.

Oh, and you have a little luck involved.

Watch Mullins leg out this play after a bobble from Xander Bogaerts of the Boston Red Sox.

Pop-up triple because Cedric Mullins. pic.twitter.com/JW7SR5NTPT

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) May 11, 2021

Now those are some wheels. That was Mullins’ lone hit of the night. But he is still batting .312. The Orioles won 4-1 to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Sox.