PITTSBURGH -- For a player who believed he was being targeted by the NFL after being fined five times last season, new Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Mike Mitchell has transformed his attitude and his style of play. Vans Shoes For Sale Cheap . "Ive adjusted to the new rules changes," Mitchell said Thursday, "and just looked forward to playing clean football and not getting fined this year." After four seasons with the Oakland Raiders and one with the Carolina Panthers, Mitchell is expected to earn a starting role in the Steelers secondary this season. Though Mitchell might have toned down his heavy-hitting ways, he still plans to make an immediate impact in due to his ball-hawking skills. The Steelers had just 10 interceptions last year, 29th in the NFL, while Mitchell had four picks in one season with Carolina. "I guess I made some big plays, but that was just me sticking my toe in the water," Mitchell said. "I expect to make even bigger and better plays this year, and I have a great guy to learn from in Troy Polamalu. . I dont know if Ill be jumping over the centre, but I do plan on taking the ball away." Thats been a major issue in recent years for the Steelers, who havent created more than 20 turnovers in a season since 2010 even as they have remained near the top of the league in yards allowed. Mitchell isnt wasting any time getting settled during the first organized team activities. "I had a great break on a ball today and should have picked it, but A.B. (Antonio Brown) did a good job getting his hands up there," Mitchell said. "I should have brought it down. . Shamarko (Thomas) is leading the way with one pick, but I should have had one, too." Thomas, a fourth-round pick last year, has not been able to get on the field often enough to make the kind of splash plays the team so desperately needs, but expects to have more opportunities this season. "Sure, I want to do a lot more this year," Thomas said. "I have three veteran safeties to learn from in Troy, Mike and Will Allen. Mike, he brings a lot of athleticism to the group, and hes made some great reads on the ball." Mitchell has played for three teams in three seasons, but the six-year NFL veteran believes there are some good points to go with the bad ones. "Its bad, because Ive had to leave some good friends behind," said Mitchell, who turns 27 next month. "But its good, because Ive been able to have a lot of different experiences, playing for different coaches and different schemes. Thats why this transition . Coach (Dick) LeBeaus defence isnt easy, but Ive actually picked it up fairly well." Mitchell believes playing in so many different defensive systems may actually be to his advantage. "In Oakland, I felt like I played for three different teams in four years, because we were always changing head coaches," Mitchell said. "So, learning a new scheme is nothing thats too different for me. I think that Ive handled it well. (And) I made a couple plays this week, but theres many more to be made." NOTES: The Steelers signed CB Shaquille Richardson from Arizona, their fifth-round pick, and have five of nine draft choices under contract. ... The top four picks are still unsigned, though they should come into the fold soon. Pittsburgh will free up $8 million in cap space when the March release of linebacker LaMarr Woodley officially hits the books. ... The club signed two players Thursday and released two. They signed rookie free agent offensive lineman Emmanuel McCray and claimed cornerback Deion Belue off waivers from the Miami Dolphins. ... To make room on the roster, the Steelers released offensive linemen Nik Embernate and Kaycee Ike. Discount Vans Shoes Australia . And all things considered, the first 40 games have offered a little bit of everything from a hockey club that faced many questions in its first year under new management, with a new head coach and with a number of new faces in the lineup. However, with a recent dip in scoring, it seems some of the same old questions persist and several new ones have been raised after a somewhat troubling homestand. Vans Shoes Australia Sale . Both of Padakins goals came in the second period while Zane Jones added a single in the first period for Calgary (13-6-4). Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger finished with 30 saves for the shutout. http://www.cheapaustraliavans.com/ . -- Billy Andrade hasnt played much competitive golf over the past four years.MONTREAL - A recharged Eugenie Bouchard, fresh off her stunning run to the Australian Opens final four, says shes ready to lead the Canadian team against Serbia at this weekends Federation Cup. Bouchard, who grabbed the tennis worlds attention at last months Grand Slam, will be joined in the best-of-five series by Gabriela Dabrowski of Ottawa, Sharon Fichman of Toronto and Aleksandra Wozniak, of Blainville, Que. The 19-year-old rising tennis star said Wednesday she took time off after the Australian Open, and only worked a little bit on her serve and a few technical issues. "I was definitely physically and mentally tired," Bouchard told a news conference at Montreals Claude-Robillard Sports Complex, the site of Saturday and Sundays indoor World Group II first-round series womens tie. "Im happy with what I did, but never satisfied. I wanted to do better. At the end of the day I lost in the semifinals, so ... I hit the practice court and Im going to continue to work hard on court to try and do better." Bouchard, whose success in Melbourne moved her up to No. 19 in the world rankings, made her Fed Cup debut in 2011 and has a record of 7-2. Last year in Kyiv, Bouchard battled an injured ankle and won two matches, including the decisive doubles match alongside Fichman. That victory gave Canada a place in World Group II for the first time since 2010. Dabrowski, the countrys top-ranked female doubles player at No. 61 in the WTA computer, reached her first two WTA doubles finals in 2013 at Brussels and Linz in addition to winning two doubles titles of the ITF Challenger Circuit. The 26-year-old is 3-0 in Fed Cup play. The 23-year-old Fichman has a 22-7 career record at the Fed Cup, while Wozniak, 26, is 37-9. The Canadians will square off this weekend with a young, less-experienced Serbian team that will be missing two of its top players: Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic, a former world No. 1. Bouchard, who upset Ivanovic in the quarterfinal at the Australian Open, said Wednesday her team would have liked to meet them in the Fed Cup. "I think were all disappoiinted not to have the two best, Ivanovic and Jankovic, here," said Bouchard. Cheap Vans Shoes Wholesale. "But now we will take advantage, we will try to do our best and I think we have all the best players in Canada here. They might not have their best, so we will use that to our advantage." Serbian team captain Dejan Vranes said Ivanovic wont play this weekend due to injury and that Jankovic no longer competes in the event. The country will be represented by Nina Stojanovic, 17, Aleksandra Krunic, 20, Jovana Jaksic, 20, and Vesna Dolonc, 24, who at No. 117 is its top-ranked player. Vranes called the Canadians the favourites, particularly since they will be playing in front of a home crowd in a venue that holds some 4,000 fans. "We have a great challenge in front of us, but I believe in our team and I think we have a chance in every match," a confident Vranes told reporters. "Well be ready to fight." The Canadian women, however, are aiming to continue Canadas recent stretch of strong tennis performances. On the mens side, Milos Raonic climbed into the top 10 in the world last year, while Vasek Pospisil also rose in the rankings. Both reached the Rogers Cup semifinals in Montreal last summer and led the Davis Cup team to a first-ever semifinal appearance. Wozniak said she hopes the women can also deliver their own record-breaking finish. "Were looking forward to the challenge, and what the men did, its made history in Canada," Wozniak said. "So, I think for me, and for the team, its important. We would love to make a new history for Canada and win this tie." For Bouchard, who grew up in the Montreal Island community of Westmount, theres the bonus of playing a match in her hometown for the first time in a year and a half. "Its always fun to play in Montreal," said Bouchard, who was asked whether more people seem to recognize her in the city since the Australian Open. "Yeah, for sure, there are people who say, Good luck and that they are proud of me. Its special. Im happy to get compliments like that." ' ' '