urning for home wound up closer to the outside fence than

CHICAGO -- Brian Urlacher wasnt sure how dominant he could be any longer, so hes calling it a career after 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. And what a career it was: --Eight Pro Bowl seasons; --Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 --A trip to the Super Bowl as 2006 NFC champion. And now, its over. The eight-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement through social media accounts Wednesday. "After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire," Urlacher said in a statement. "Although I could continue playing, Im not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion thats up to my standards. When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear. "I want to thank all of the people in my life that have helped me along the way. I will miss my teammates, my coaches and the great Bears fans. Im proud to say that I gave all of you everything I had every time I took the field. I will miss this great game, but I leave it with no regrets." Urlacher was the face of the Bears, and he ranks among the best middle linebackers to suit up for a franchise with an impressive list that includes Hall of Famers Bill George, Dick Butkus and Mike Singletary. "In the pantheon of Bears, Brian has earned his place alongside Halas, Grange, Nagurski, Ditka, Payton -- and yes, Bill George, Butkus and Singletary," Bears chairman George McCaskey said. "We congratulate Brian on a brilliant career and he will continue to be a welcomed member of the Bears Family in retirement." Added receiver Earl Bennett on Twitter: "Great player... Great teammate... Awesome person!!!!" In March, Urlacher and the Bears were unable to reach a contract agreement and he became a free agent. He started 180 games from 2000-2012, and made a team-record 1,779 tackles. He has 41 1/2, 22 interceptions, 16 fumble recoveries and 11 forced fumbles. Last year, he was slowed by a knee problem and then missed the final four games with a hamstring injury. Urlacher had posted pictures on Twitter indicating he was working his way back into shape before the split with the Bears. But when they announced he would not be back, it was hardly a surprise. Urlacher told the teams flagship radio station at the time that he was not shocked and the offer he received was "more like an ultimatum" in which they were telling him, "Sign this contract or we are going to move on." The split with Urlacher was just one of many moves in a busy off-season for the Bears. They fired coach Lovie Smith after a second straight late collapse left them out of the playoffs for the fifth time in six years, even though they did finish with 10 wins. They replaced him with the offensive-minded Marc Trestman, hoping he could get the most out of quarterback Jay Cutler, and revamped their offensive line. On defence, the only starting linebacker returning is Lance Briggs. Veteran free agent acquisition D.J. Williams and second-round draft pick Jon Bostic are expected to compete for the middle linebacker job with Urlacher gone. A safety with lightning speed when he was drafted out of New Mexico, the 6-foot-4 Urlacher initially lined up at strong side linebacker for the Bears, but lost the job to Roosevelt Colvin. He made the switch to middle linebacker during his first season when Barry Minter was injured, and went on to become the 2000 Defensive Rookie of the Year, the start of a long run that saw him anchor a defence that consistently ranked among the leagues best. But he clearly wasnt his old self last year. The speed and quickness that allowed him to wreak havoc for years simply wasnt there. Urlacher sprained his medial collateral ligament and partially sprained the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the 2011 regular-season finale against Minnesota, He hasnt been the same since then. He barely participated in training camp, had an arthroscopic procedure in mid-August to relieve the swelling, and spent most of the season trying to regain his old form. Then, he came up lame in coverage on the second-to-last snap of the Bears overtime loss to Seattle in early December, an injury that ended his season and, ultimately, his career. Leighton Vander Esch Womens Jersey .J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his left knee. Larry Allen Womens Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. http://www.cowboysfootballgearshop.com/daryl-johnston-jersey/ . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Ezekiel Elliott Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Darren Woodson Womens Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Cupid broke from the rail and made a beeline for the center of the track. He raced wide on the first turn, wide on the backstretch, wide on the second turn, even wider through the homestretch. In other words, everything went according to plan in the Grade 2, $750,000 West Virginia Derby on Saturday at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort. Cupid won by four lengths.It was obvious from early on the card that the Mountaineer main track had a deep, tiring rail. Trainer Bob Baffert could see it all the way across the country at Del Mar. Rafael Bejarano rode Cupid to his instructions.I told him hed better stay wide, Baffert said. He got him out there.Baffert likes to say hes been on the dirt-road derby trail this year. Maybe, but its a road with a gold shoulder. American Freedom won the $250,000 Iowa Derby, and Cupid captured the $500,000 Indiana Derby three weeks before taking down the $446,250 winners share of the West Virginia Derby purse.Cupid cost his owners, Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, $900,000 at auction, but even though his 3-year-old campaign went awry in late spring and early summer, he now has earned more than $1.3 million.Cupid delivered one of the most impressive Kentucky Derby prep performances of 2016 when he won the Rebel Stakes in March, but he lost his air finishing 10th in the Arkansas Derby, and wound up having throat surgery rather than racing in the Kentucky Derby. His next race, a dull fourth in the Easy Goer at Belmont, was only a small step back in the right direction, but Cupid got back on track at Indiana Grand, and might have run even better Saturday.He was actually doing better coming into this race than the last one, Baffert said. Hes starting to fill out.ddddddddddddHis bodys getting stronger. Mentally, hes getting better. Hes an improving horse. That throat issue, we were lucky we jumped on that right away.Mo Tom and Economic Model were scratched from the race, and Economic Model looked like one of two entrants that might run early with Cupid. The other was No Distortion, and when he failed to show any early speed, Cupid was off to the races. Clear of his rivals, Bejarano steered right, sacrificing ground loss to get on the better part of the surface. Cupid went a quarter-mile in 23.57, a half in 47.97, three-quarters in 1:11.69, and turning for home wound up closer to the outside fence than the inner rail.We told Bejarano to stay off the fence, but man, Baffert said. The horse got a little lost way out there in the stretch.Indeed, Cupid ($5) for a brief moment appeared to be wandering, but Bejarano kept him to his task, and Cupid was much the best. He ran 1-1/8 miles in 1:50.54 while giving Baffert his third win in the West Virginia Derby. Whateverybodywants, a 74-1 shot, tracked the pace while racing fairly close to the rail and finished second, two lengths in front of Name Changer. Anaximandros was fourth, and Suddenbreakingnews, the 2-1 second choice, came from a distant last to finish a non-threatening fifth, two lengths ahead of third-choice Forevamo.Cupid, bred by JKG Thoroughbreds, is by Tapit and out of the Beau Genius mare Pretty n Smart. His career record now stands at 8-4-1-0. Baffert said the logical next stop for Cupid would be the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby in September at Parx Racing. ' ' '