PITTSBURGH -- Willie James Allen was relaxing at home last Monday night. 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. Nike Air Max Wholesale . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Discount Air Max Shoes . 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SEATTLE -- In desperate need of getting back on a winning roll to salvage their waning postseason hopes, the Seattle Mariners beat up on Texas ace Cole Hamels for the second time in a week.This time, though, the Mariners kept adding on.Robinson Cano homered during a five-run first inning, the Mariners knocked out Hamels early and then Seattle pulled away with a six-run sixth inning in a 14-6 win over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers on Monday.Canos 32 homers this season are one off his career high set in 2012 while with the New York Yankees. The two-run shot also set the tone for Seattles largest offensive output since scoring 14 in a win over Toronto in late July.Great job by our offense, just kept attacking, attacking, attacking. ... We did a pretty good job getting on their bullpen, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We needed it. Ive said it a few times, those games are nice. Hopefully we can get some momentum going.Franklin Gutierrez drove in four runs, including a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run double in the sixth when Seattle sent 11 batters to the plate. Gutierrez finished a triple short of the cycle.Jesus Sucre tied a career high with three hits, including a two-run single to cap Seattles big first inning.Hamels (14-5) was knocked around for the second time in a week by the Mariners and failed to make it through two innings for just the second time in his career -- Hamels lasted just two outs in a 2010 start with Philadelphia.He gave up six runs and seven hits against the Mariners just last week in Texas.Monday was even worse.Its just a matter of not executing pitches whatsoever. Theyre definitely getting themselves into hitter-friendly counts and thats a credit to what their game plan was, Hamels said. For me, it was throwing too many pitches over the heart of the plate.The key at-bat was Kyle Seagers two-out walk in the first inning. Seager stole second base and scored on Dae-Ho Lees hit for an early 3-0 lead. Leonys Martin followed with a double, and Sucres soft liner scored a pair for a 5-0 lead.Gutierrez homered to right field with one out in the second -- his 14th of the season -- and Lees second RBI single later in the inning finally ended Hamels day.ddddddddddddROCKY REIGNDespite being staked to a 7-0 lead, Seattle starter Felix Hernandez (10-5) nearly gave it all away. Texas scored five times off Hernandez in the third inning, including a three-run homer by Nomar Mazara and RBI singles from Rougned Odor and Jonathan Lucroy. Hernandez threw 49 pitches in the inning, but managed to keep the lead. Hernandez made it through 5 2/3 innings and gave up six runs before being lifted.Sucre said Hernandez got flustered in the third inning by a few borderline pitches that were called balls.It was my fault. I got out of my game a little bit there, Hernandez said.Odor added a solo home run in the sixth inning -- his 30th of the season -- and has homered in five of the past six games.TRAINERS ROOM:Rangers: Manager Jeff Banister said high stress innings -- multiple runners on, pitches in an inning -- are factored into pitching decisions. Thats one of the reasons Yu Darvish was pulled after a season-low four innings Sunday. Darvish allowed five runs on seven hits, throwing 80 pitches, but 33 were in a two-run first.Mariners: RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, on the 15-day DL with lower back spasms, is expected to throw a simulated game on Thursday. Thats the plan with him, see how that goes, Servais said. Once he faces some hitters, well see where thats at.UP NEXTRangers: LHP Martin Perez (9-10) makes his career-high 29th start. He is 2-6 with a 5.73 ERA in his last 11 starts. Perez, who had Tommy John surgery in May 2014, already has pitched 169 2/3 innings this season. His high was 167 2/3 in 2013.Mariners: LHP James Paxton (4-5) was pushed back one day after tearing a fingernail in his last start, when he came out after five innings against Texas. Paxton experienced no problems throwing on the side, but Servais said there is a little bit more intensity on the breaking pitches in an actual game. 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