First Call: Former Steeler makes 'All-Underrated' list; Derek Shelton on near no-hitter; ex-Penguin's coaching achievement

Wednesday’s “First Call” features some praise for a few current Pittsburgh Steelers and a former Super Bowl champion.

Derek Shelton reflects on Cal Mitchell’s at-bat to break up last night’s no-hit bid in St. Louis.

And a former Penguin hauls in a coaching honor.

No complaints here

Former Steelers linebacker James Farrior’s name popped up Tuesday during a discussion on the NFL Network.

The “Good Morning Football” panel was tossing around names of all-time underrated linebackers. Reporter Tom Pelissero cast a vote for Farrior.

.@TomPelissero's Top 5 Underrated LBs of All-Time!

How's it look, Twitter? pic.twitter.com/7wOrd00WrG

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) June 14, 2022

I’ll cosign. Even in Pittsburgh, where Farrior thrived, he’s probably underrated because there is such a rich history at the position.

Plus, the Steelers have played a 3-4 defense for 30 years. So the outside linebackers are the ones who get all the love in Pittsburgh.

That said, after Jack Lambert in the 1970s and Levon Kirkland in the 1990s, it’s tough to find many other true inside linebackers who were better than Farrior.

It’s a short list, if one exists at all.

More praise

Same church, different pew here.

CBSSports.com came up with a list of best NFL duos. Apparently, that could mean anything. Coach and quarterback. Wide receiver and QB. A pair of wide receivers.

Anything.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and coach Andy Reid were No. 1. Pitt product Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey were No. 2, both off of the Los Angeles Rams defense.

And a pair of Steelers — T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward — came in at No. 5.

“The backbone of one of the NFL’s best defenses over the past several years, this duo has combined to total 115 sacks over the past five seasons — an average of 23 per year,” writer Jared Dubin posted. “Watt had nearly that many himself last season, with a record-tying 22.5 of them. He’s led the NFL in quarterback takedowns and tackles for loss in each of the past two seasons and just won his first Defensive Player of the Year award. Heyward is the unsung hero of Pittsburgh’s defense, playing every spot along the interior of the defensive line, pushing pockets and getting after the quarterback. He’s made five consecutive Pro Bowls while Watt has made four in a row, and two appearances on the All-Pro first team in the last three seasons while Watt has made three in a row. You won’t find a better duo along the defensive front.”

Also making the top 10, AFC North rivals Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were listed sixth as a quarterback-receiver combo out of Cincinnati. Penn State alum Micah Parsons and Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn were 10th.

Near No-No

Count Pirates manager Derek Shelton among those who thought that Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader was going to catch the 27th and final out of Miles Mikolas’ near no-hitter Tuesday night.

But Cal Mitchell burned him with a ground-rule double to center field.

Miles Mikolas losses his no-hitter to Cal Mitchell in the bottom of the 9th inning. ????

(????: @TalkinBaseball_) pic.twitter.com/oXx8GqaHGk

— theScore (@theScore) June 15, 2022

“I think every ball that is hit into the outfield, Harrison Bader is going to catch,” Shelton said on AT&T SportsNet after the Pirates 9-1 loss. “He and (Tyler) O’Neil have played so well against us over the last couple of years, and they are both Gold Glove-caliber outfielders. So until a ball lands in the outfield here, I expect that they are going to catch the ball.”

Bader won a Gold Glove in 2021. O’Neil won that award in 2020 and ‘21.

That wasn’t the first time a Pirates rookie broke up a no hitter with two outs in the ninth inning. As the AT&T SportsNet crew pointed out on the postgame show, Carlos Garcia did so on June 13, 1994, against the Montreal Expos. That’s when Garcia ruined a no hit bid by Jeff Fassero.

Lovin’ Lauer

Congrats to former Pittsburgh Penguin Brad Lauer. As head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings, Lauer just won the WHL Championship.

Former Penguins forward Brad Lauer claimed the Western Hockey League's Ed Chynoweth Cup last night. https://t.co/RSFYZjMe0t

— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) June 14, 2022

The WHL is one of three leagues that makes up the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) — the highest level of junior hockey in Canada.

It’s the first Ed Chynoweth Cup for the Oil Kings since 2014 and their third overall. They won the title with a 2-0 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Game 6 of the WHL Championship Series.

Lauer had four goals and five points in 1995-96 with the Penguins. He has been coaching the Oil Kings since 2018. Edmonton will join the host Saint John Sea Dogs and the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) as three of the teams vying for the Memorial Cup to determine the champion of the CHL. Either the Hamilton Bulldogs or Windsor Spitfires will advance out of the Ontario Hockey League.