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PITTSBURGH, Pa. - For years William Gay kept quiet. About his remarkable story. About his sometimes erratic play. About the personal tragedy that shaped him.While the Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback still refuses to take credit for the best stretch of his career on the field, he understands the time has come for him to speak up about his life off it.Orphaned as a child when his mother was shot and killed by his stepfather, the player who spent so long ducking the spotlight is now embracing it. The 29-year-old is using the platform his job provides to offer hope for those who are searching for the kind of support his mother never found.Gay has developed a close relationship with the Womens Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, becoming the spokesman for an app designed to help people identify if they are a victim of domestic violence and connect them to a local hotline. Hes even taken to tweaking his game uniform if it gets people to understand there is a way out.I dont care about a sport when it comes down to domestic violence, he said. This is real. Someone can lose their life to it. So Im not concerned about the sport. Im concerned about what happens in the world, what happens in real life.Its Gays way of honouring his mother Carolyn, who died when Gay was in second grade following a dispute with her husband. Gay ended up being raised by his extended family and did what he could to keep strangers at a distance. Maturity and a compelling need for his mothers passing to make a difference in the lives of others led him to open up.When he premiered a Public Service Announcement to announce the RUSafe app in October, he was surrounded by coach Mike Tomlin and his teammates. The Steelers recognized Gay as their 2014 Walter Payton Man of the Year, an honour he does his best to downplay. Hes just a small part of a growing movement.My mother, she never had the opportunity, Gay said. What Im doing now, Im doing for her.Including occasionally wearing purple cleats, a colour closely associated with the anti-domestic violence movement. Gay donned the footwear twice last month, demanding people notice after a 33-yard interception return for a score against Indianapolis led to one of the giddiest touchdown dances in recent memory.It was a celebratory moment and a watershed one for the defensive back whose personal and professional lives have at long last found peace.Gay started the season as an insurance policy and has evolved into a vital member of an injury-ravaged secondary. He will play in his 124th consecutive game Sunday when the Steelers (7-4) host the New Orleans Saints (4-7). Hes already tied a career high with two interceptions, both of which ended with him streaking across the goal line for a game-turning score.Hes highly underrated, longtime teammate Ike Taylor said. Hes got more touchdowns than a lot of receivers. ... Hes gotten really comfortable with himself and its showing.Gay really didnt have much of a choice. He was thrust into the starting lineup when Taylor went down with a broken forearm in Week 3, then became the No. 1 cornerback when Cortez Allens struggles led to his benching. His steady play has helped Pittsburgh put together a 4-1 run to stay in the thick of the AFC North, though Gay sidesteps the notion he took on a greater leadership role with Taylor and safety Troy Polamalu sidelined.Really I didnt because Ike was everywhere, Gay said. Timeouts he was in the huddle. When we were on the field he was giving us tendencies. There was never a moment we were alone. For me to say, Ive got to do this; Ive got to be the bigger brother. No. We still had Ike. We still had Troy on the sideline. They made it easy.The last two months have also served as a redemption of sorts on the field. Gay spent the first five years of his career in Pittsburgh mostly as a nickelback, winning a Super Bowl ring but also receiving a fair share of the blame when things went wrong. He spent one forgettable season in Arizona in 2012 before returning home. Hes repaid Pittsburghs confidence in full and then some.My job is to watch film and prepare, Gay said, and be ready for whatever comes.___Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Air Max 95 Scontate Bianche . PETERSBURG, Fla. Air Max 95 In Offerta . The pair ended pointless droughts when they each scored two goals in a 6-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets that halted a two-game losing skid for the Stars (15-11-5). https://www.scontatescarpeoutlet.it/scon...alia-c2766.html. Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Air Max 95 Outlet Italia . -- Kurt Buschs Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, in some ways, was like his career wrapped into one afternoon. Air Max 720 Prezzo Basso . LA (SportsNetwork.MONTREAL -- It wont take long for Thomas Vanek to get his first taste of the heated Montreal Canadiens-Boston Bruins rivalry. The 30-year-old acquired by Montreal at last weeks NHL trade deadline will play his first home game at the Bell Centre against the Bruins on Wednesday night. "Rivalries are for the fans," Vanek said Tuesday. "Theyre good for the league, but for us in here, and Im sure its the same as everywhere. Its just about winning the two points. "But Im sure the atmosphere will be great and I cant wait to experience it." Vanek has a reputation as a Bruins killer, with 61 points in 53 career games against Boston. So the acquisition of the high-scoring forward by Montreal gave an added jolt to the rivalry. But the Austrian winger said there are no secrets about how to score on the Bruins. "Numbers are numbers," he said. "Sometimes theyre overblown. "I dont prepare any different. Its just another game, really. Theyre a good team and youve got to be ready. The last four or five years, Boston has been one of the better teams in the league and you want to play your best against the best teams." The Canadiens are 2-0-0 against Boston this season and have won their last five meetings. But the Bruins (42-17-5) hold a comfortable 12-point lead over Montreal (35-24-7) in the Atlantic Division standings. Vanek was acquired while the Canadiens were on a four-game west coast road trip. So he didnt get in a full practice with his new team until it returned to Montreal. He was held without a point in his first two games with Montreal while playing on the second line with centre Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta. Some feel he would do better on a more attack-oriented unit, as Plekanec is considered the clubs top defensive centre even if he can also contribute offensively. "Weve got to be good in our own zone and Plekanec is very good in all zones," said Vanek. "He can make plays. Hes greaat in faceoffs, great defensively, but at the same time, were expected to produce.dddddddddddd "At least thats what Im expecting of myself." Coach Michel Therrien plans to keep the line together, at least for now. "It takes time for players to adapt to new teammates," said Therrien. "I want to be patient. I think that combination can work." Tuesdays session, which lasted more than an hour at the Bell Centre, saw goalie Carey Price take part in a full practice for the first time since leading Canada to gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Price aggravated a suspected groin injury in his first practice after the Sochi Games. Therrien said Price wont dress for the Boston game but will be re-evaluated at the end of the week. That opens the possibility of playing Saturday at home against Ottawa. Therrien also said Francis Bouillon, who has sat out the last seven games, will play. Montreal is hurting on defence with veteran Josh Gorges out at least four weeks with a fractured left hand. Gorges was hurt while blocking a shot during a 4-3 win over Toronto on March 1. He played the first two games of Montreals road trip but then was sent home to have his hand re-examined. Gorges said the original fracture was considered stable, so he could continue playing. But something happened during a win in Anaheim that made it unstable. "At that point, they felt it was best to get it fixed," he said. "Potentially, it might not have been able to heal at all so they decided to have it fixed now and have me back ready by the end of the year." He said playing through the injury was difficult, but possible. "I was able to do what I needed to contribute," he said. "Certain aspects were tough. "Grabbing my stick. Grabbing the puck if I needed to clear it on the penalty kill. But I was still able to make passes, receive passes. As long as I wasnt hurting the team, I was able to go." ' ' '