First Call: Le'Veon Bell brags about bowling, Antonio Brown's new song, potential Starling Marte trade partner - TribLIVE

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In “First Call” Wednesday, Le’Veon Bell brags about his bowling night out, Antonio Brown tries his hand at music, and a logical trade partner for Starling Marte emerges.

Bell’s bowling boast

Steelers Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis was renowned as a great bowler, with a perfect game under his belt.

But now another former Steelers running back is bragging about his bowling abilities. Le’Veon Bell claims to have bowled a 251.

That’s really good. Unfortunately, it happened Saturday night between 10:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. while Bell was allegedly recovering from the flu.

Bell was set to be inactive the next day for the New York Jets. But he went out bowling Saturday night anyway.

The Flu Game for @LeVeonBell: He bowled a 251 on Saturday night.

🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/BhYga2cA9a

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) December 10, 2019

Via ProFootballTalk.com, it’s Bell’s contention that “doctors told him he should get out of the house and get moving, so he and his family went bowling on Saturday night. He said he would have played in Sunday’s game if the team had allowed him and it was the team that decided to make him inactive because of the flu, and that his only regret is that his bowling excursion became public.”

Jets head coach Adam Gase told a slightly different story, saying he would’ve preferred Bell stay home and get healthy. But he wouldn’t look to discipline his running back.

Although he did suggest the optics of the situation weren’t good.

"What am I gonna discipline him for? I can't tell him you have to stay in your house"

– Adam Gase on the story of Le’Veon Bell going bowling Saturday night, hours after he was ruled out of the Jets Sunday game due to the flu.pic.twitter.com/sIfaUlLIWC

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) December 10, 2019

Without Bell, the Jets beat the Miami Dolphins 22-21 and rushed for 112 yards. Their season average is 75.6.

Another “Bad Decision”

Former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has collaborated on a new rap single with Sean Kingston.

#NowPlaying #BadDecisions #antoniobrown #Seankingston #NewMusic https://t.co/EbgVhbVP5c

— Sean Kingston fans (@KingstonSean3) December 9, 2019

It’s called “Bad Decisions.” That sounds about right for A.B., doesn’t it?

Based on that sample, the “bad decisions” involved don’t even seem to be about frozen feet, or helmet temper tantrums, or blonde mustaches, or accusations of intimidating plaintiffs in sexual assault cases.

Nope. Just some garbage about Hennessy and ex-girlfriends.

Here’s all I know about Brown’s ex-girlfriends. At least two of them — the Patriots and Steelers — might make the playoffs without him. And the Bills, the team he didn’t want to play for, could get in, too.

Brown should know all about bad decisions, and making this song was just another in a long line.

That makes some sense

If there is some fire to the smoke of a Starling Marte trade, here’s one theoretical partner that makes sense.

The Chicago White Sox.

As MLB.com’s Jon Heyman points out, the Pirates want a young catcher with contract control coming back in exchange for Marte.

According to Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago, the White Sox are an American League team that needs an outfielder and have young catching prospect Zack Collins. He “currently sits third on the catching depth chart behind the recently signed Yasmani Grandal and James McCann, both of whom were All Stars in 2019.”

Collins was a top-10 draft pick in 2016. In 2019, he hit just .186 with three home runs in the big leagues over 86 at bats. But he totaled 19 home runs, 74 RBI, with a .951 OPS in 88 Triple A games with Charlotte.

So keep an eye on Chicago’s South Side whenever Marte trade talks pop up.

Look out, Lamar

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson may be the NFL MVP in 2019.

If he survives.

Ravens safety Earl Thomas told ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley that he thinks opponents are targeting the athletic QB’s legs.

“I think the refs need to pay closer attention to that as well and protect him a little bit more,” Thomas said. “Because teams are trying — I’m not saying they’re trying to hurt Lamar — but they are definitely going at his legs more than they were doing it at first.”

Sure. If Thomas feels defenders are illegally leg-diving on throws while Jackson is planted. But if he is scrambling, what are defenders supposed to do? Hit him high and get a helmet-to-helmet call? Or look stupid as he shakes and makes them miss?

If nothing else, Thomas is planting a seed to get an extra 15 yards from time to time for his offense.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.