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PITTSBURGH -- Willie James Allen was relaxing at home last Monday night. Adidas Ryan Callahan Jersey . After a meal, he reviewed materials for the Will Allen Foundations Holiday Giving Program.Then he checked his phone, and the nightmare that began in April 2015 resurfaced. At least 10 messages from friends and family were alerting him that the case of mistaken identity had returned.The former NFL safety saw his playing picture plastered across the Internet next to headlines that said Will Allen was the perpetrator of a wide-ranging Ponzi scheme and had swindled many people, including former athletes, out of millions of dollars.And just like in 2015, his stricken mom was incredulous, asking him how this could happen. She was one of the first to call.And then came the hateful Twitter messages from people telling him to do your time and quit being a criminal, Allen recalled.Allen tried not to panic but admits he was devastated. The whole ordeal felt like a gut kick, he said. His stomach was uneasy. He didnt know what to say. Eventually, he prayed for guidance.Thats what makes it so difficult -- to question my character, Allen, 34, told ESPN.The man who pleaded guilty to federal fraud, conspiracy and money laundering charges is Will D. Allen, the 2001 first-round pick of the New York Giants who also played for the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. The non-criminal Allen was drafted in the fourth round in 2004 by the Tampa Bay Bucs and also played for the Dallas Cowboys and -- most recently -- the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2013 to 15.When the Ponzi story broke in April 2015, Allen estimates that more than a dozen media outlets used his image to accompany the headlines. As a result, Allen paid lawyers enough to handle various cease-and-desist letters.But when several outlets, including ESPN, featured a picture of Allen the former Steeler with its headline last week, on Nov. 21, Allen decided to sleep on the issue after saying a prayer -- and then he took a few steps to correct it. He took to Twitter to highlight the misidentification and the damage done to his reputation. He posted several pictures of himself doing community work with the message, This is who I am!! Not a criminal!!He also consulted a public relations expert on damage control. He called a few people he trusts for advice.Knowing the problem might consume him if he let it, Allen used last Tuesday to attend foundation meetings and prep for Thanksgiving. In his home, Allen was in charge of deep-frying the turkey and making the greens, for which he has a top-secret Cajun recipe. He marinated the turkey with creole butter sauce well in advance, and then greased it with peanut oil.The widespread misinformation kind of crushed me, Allen said. His life is nothing like the other Allens, yet many wont know the difference.You get all the negativity and [people] can say whatever -- I cant really do anything about that, Allen said. You kind of have to stop and pause for a minute. ... But theres no telling who reads that and how they perceive it. Were in a society where its largely about perception.Allen can handle probes from friends who knew he didnt commit those crimes. But he has also had to quell a few concerns on the foundation trail over the last 18 months, forcing him to explain things anytime someone asks if hes that guy.The Will Allen Foundations latest project is raising $30,000 for gifts for underprivileged children in Pittsburgh, where Allen still lives. The foundation aims to provide programs and resources in an effort to instill hope, remove barriers, promote education, advocate civic responsibility, and change lives in the community. Allen works on his foundation throughout the year and makes public or corporate speaking appearances. Hes staying in shape in case an NFL team calls.Through this process, Allen has learned that some people have no filter. They have jokes, too. When someone broaches the story, Allen politely clarifies. Staying measured is important to him.Ive had to answer a lot of questions, Allen said. Ive tried to do all I can to move on from that.Allen lives downtown with his wife, who tries to calm him but is upset, too. Recently Allen asked out loud around the house, Oh my goodness, what can I do? And heres the thing: Sentencing is scheduled for February. That could produce more headlines.I just want them to get it right, Allen said of media outlets. It would have been easy to look back at 2015 and know what happened.Allen still wants to play football. He tried out for the Giants in October but understands a return might not happen. If its over, Allens career ended on a strong note -- 13 starts, 80 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception in 13 starts with the Steelers in 2015. The franchise got younger at safety and opted not to re-sign Allen.Talking football prompts Allens one memory of an interaction with the other Allen. Before a game, Willie once approached Will with a joke. Will the real Will Allen please stand up? Willie James Allen said. Adidas Victor Hedman Jersey .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Cheap Lightning Jerseys . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. http://www.cheaplightningjerseys.com/ .4 million title. Ryan Riess emerged with the title after a session in which he started behind, but used expert skill to gather the chips to his side amid the unpredictability of no-limit Texas Hold em. Riess put his final opponent Jay Farber all-in with an Ace-King. OMAHA, Neb. -- November college basketball games typically dont mean much in the big picture of a season.As far as Greg McDermott was concerned, No. 22 Creightons 79-67 victory over No. 9 Wisconsin on Tuesday night meant a whole lot.You could argue it might be the best win weve had since Ive been here when you consider where were trying to get the program back to, where the Wisconsin program is today, and in the manner that we did it, the Bluejays seventh-year coach said.Khyri Thomas scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half, breaking open a close game with a three-point play and 3-pointer on consecutive possessions, as the Bluejays beat a Wisconsin team reached the Sweet 16 and returned all five starters.Maurice Watson Jr. had 17 points and 10 assists and Marcus Foster added 15 points for the Bluejays (2-0).I think new can go super far, especially in conference play and in the (NCAA) Tournament, Thomas said. We have so many athletic guys.The game was part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games matching Big East and Big Ten teams the first week of the season.Coming in here, I knew it would be a heck of a challenge, Badgers coach Greg Gard said. Gregs got a very good team; hes kind of earmarked this year as being their year. Congratulate his team on playing very well. We showed at times some very uncharacteristic Wisconsin-like handlings of possessions where we got a little disheveled at times.Bronson Koenig scored 21 points and Nigel Hayes had 16 points to lead the Badgers (1-1). But Wisconsin made only 3 of 26 3-pointers after starting 8 of 13 from beyond the arc. The Badgers also committed 16 turnovers, 12 of them by starters.Nobody forces Wisconsin into 16 turnovers, nobody keeps Wisconsin off the free-throw line, McDermott said. For us to beat a veteran team like they are, that plays the right way, and the success theyve had in their careers, is really a feather in the cap for our team.Hayes, the Big Ten preseason player of the year, scored 11 points in the first 12 minutes and was held scoreless until there were 11 minutes left in the game.Thats wheen Creighton started its decisive run. Cheap Adidas Lightning Jerseys. Cole Huffs jumper from in front of the Creighton bench put the Bluejays up 52-50. After Toby Hegner hit a 3, Thomas stripped the ball from Koenig, drove for a layup and converted a three-point play. Happ missed on the other end, and then Thomas drilled a 3 to make it 63-52.BIG PICTUREWisconsin: Typical November game. The Badgers glut of turnovers and impatience on offense, especially in the first half, will provide plenty of fodder for film study. Weve got to be able to touch the post more and try to play more inside-out, Gard said.Creighton: The Bluejays have one of the best home-court advantages in the nation, and they were fueled by it.The Bluejays got out to a quick lead, never let the Badgers go on a big run and got big-time defensive performances from 7-foot redshirt freshman Justin Patton and the 6-8 Huff.POLL IMPLICATIONSCreighton will merit a promotion in the Top 25 if it goes unbeaten this weekend in a tournament in the Virgin Islands. Wisconsin probably will drop, but not much.THOMAS RISEThomas went from struggling through conference play last season to becoming a major contributor in the NIT, averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in three games.All of a sudden, his frame of mind changed going into the offseason, McDermott said. His motivation was better, his confidence is in a different place, hes eager to get into the gym because he tasted a little success in postseason basketball. That has carried over.ANTHEM PROTESTHayes and Jordan Hill, as they did in Wisconsins exhibition game and opener, stood a couple feet behind teammates during the national anthem. Hayes has said he doesnt take a knee on the court because it would be painful, so he chooses to stand back.UP NEXTWisconsin hosts Chicago State on Thursday.Creighton plays Washington State on Friday at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaCheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaNFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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