NEW YORK -- Three sisters whose track and field prowess brought them medals, TV appearances and even a magazine cover are still struggling for something thats eluded them: a home of their own.Tai, Rainn and Brooke Sheppard and their mother still share a bed in a Brooklyn homeless shelter despite an outpouring of attention that began this summer when The Associated Press wrote about how they overcame hardships to qualify and earn medals in the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Houston.Ten-year-old Rainn won the 3,000 meters; Tai, 11, was second in the 80-meter hurdles, and Brooke, 9, was second in the high jump.Many were touched by their plight and wanted to help; a philanthropist bought mother Tonia Handy a plane ticket to watch her girls run at the games and others came forward with tips for her to find a better job. But months later, even as the girls are being honored as Sports Illustrated Kids SportsKids of the Year, Handy is still looking for something better than the minimum-wage job answering phones at a taxi company and that elusive place of their own.I just want a nice mattress, Handy told the AP this week. Can I just have a nice mattress to lay my head and just relax and take a breather before I get up and start this new life?New York Citys Department of Homeless Services says Handy has been working with a case manager since October on a plan to leave the shelter system. Some options didnt work out because of apartments being a long way from Brooklyn or scheduling issues that made Handy miss meetings with potential landlords. Handy says one job she had been offered was in another borough and too long a commute, while another interview didnt result in an offer.But the family appreciates the love theyre receiving, most recently on an appearance of ABCs The View, where host Whoopi Goldberg showed the girls on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Kids issue for December that made it clear they had won and presented the family with $10,000, along with $40,000 for their Brooklyn-based Jeuness Track Club.That money is going to make a really big difference in our lives, Handy said.Brooke said on the show that joining the track club was the best thing that ever happened to her.It makes us more responsible, she said. And it gives us an idea of whats going to happen in the future, like getting a scholarship. Calgary Flames Gear . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Calgary Flames Shirts . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. https://www.cheapflames.com/ . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Fake Flames Jerseys . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Flames Jerseys 2021 . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The days of the New York Giants defense giving away games is seemingly over.A multimillion dollar infusion in the offseason has transformed Steve Spagnuolos unit from the worst in the NFL to one that is suddenly finding ways to win games.Just look at last weekend. The defense finally got a pass rush against the Los Angeles Rams and intercepted four passes, including one incredible return that Landon Collins turned into a touchdown, in a 17-0 win that gave New York (4-3) a two-game winning streak heading into its bye week.Its a far cry from a year ago when the defense was on the field six times either late in the fourth quarter or in overtime and gave up a winning score as the Giants missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season.It cost Tom Coughlin his job. Not Spagnuolo though. Ben McAdoo retained him after being promoted from offensive coordinator to coach, and general manager Jerry Reese took care of him with a free-agency spending spree in the offseason.Pass-rushing defensive end Olivier Vernon was signed to a five-year, $85 million deal. Shutdown cornerback Janoris Jenkins got a five-year, $62 million contract. Defensive tackle Damon `Snacks Harrison got five years and $46 million.Reese even took a chance on Jason Pierre-Paul a year after his hand injury, giving the defensive end a one-year $9.4 million contract.Add in veteran linebackers Keenan Robinson and Kelvin Sheppard, nickel back Leon Hall and a couple of draft picks -- cornerback Eli Apple and safety Darian Thompson -- and the Giants have a whole new look.Were definitely starting to click and play a lot better, said cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who like Collins had two interceptions against the Rams. We still have a lot of mistakes that we have to get corrected. Once we do that, its going to be special.After seven games, the Giants are ranked 19th overall in total defense. They are 12th against the run, giving up an average of 93.6 yards, and 22nd against the pass, giving up 267.4 yards.New Yorks 141 points allowed are the sixth fewest in the NFC, and thats not bad for a team that has a minus-7 turnover differential.Defensive captain and linebacker Jonathan Casillas believes the defense has gotten more precise in recent weeks in terms of the coverages and the blitzes.We blew some coverages early in the season that allowed teeams to get big plays on us and get into the red zone and missed a couple tackles and I think we have done a lot better with tackling and we are creating turnovers, he said.ddddddddddddhat is putting people at the ball, having the right people, at the right place, at the right time, and being detailed and I think that is all coming to fruition right now.To be honest, the defense has carried the Giants this season. Eli Manning and the offense have struggled, averaging 19 points. Its not easy to win that way.The Giants have won four games by a total of 15 points. The win in London over the Rams came in a matchup in which New York gained 232 yards and had the ball for less than 25 minutes, something that has happened in four straight games.I dont think we have played as consistent as we want every game, but we have made progress every week in certain ways and continually come into our own, linebacker Devon Kennard said. I think this last game was a good turning point for us and we have to keep it rolling.If there has been a problem for the defense it is getting off the field on third down. Opponents have had a league-high 118 third-down chances and converted on 43.2 percent, which is too high.The bye should help. Safeties Darian Thompson (foot) and Nat Berhe (concussion) are both expected to be back for the game against Philadelphia on Nov. 6, the first of three straight home games.Thompson has missed the past five games and Berhe four, forcing former practice squad player, Andrew Adams, to start.The break also should help Apple, the first-round draft pick who has been bothered by hamstring and groin issues, and Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) get back to 100 percent.Were starting to get on the same page, defensive tackle Jay Bromley said. Its remarkable how good weve played and when look at the film, there are still plays that we wish we had back.Once we continue to work with the communication, and actually do things every single time the way we are supposed to do them, we could be an even better defense.If the defense can do that, and the offense finally gets going, the Giants just may be headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '