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CHARLOTTE, N. Lyle Alzado Raiders Jersey .C. -- Panthers offensive tackle Jordan Gross is saying goodbye to the NFL after 11 seasons. The Panthers confirmed the three-time Pro Bowl left tackle will announce his retirement at a news conference on Wednesday at the stadium. "Jordan has been a great Panther and he will be missed," Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman said Tuesday in a text message. Cam Newton agreed. The Pro Bowl quarterback said in a text message, "It was truly a pleasure to play with Jordan. He always had my back. He will be missed." Just wholl replace Gross at left tackle is uncertain. Gross, 33, was a first-round pick by Carolina in 2003 and started a franchise-record 167 games. He went to his third Pro Bowl this past season as an alternate. Gross contract had expired with the Panthers earlier this month, but there was still some question as to whether he might agree to return for one more season. He went on vacation with his family last week to Idaho to contemplate whether or not to retire. Gross told the teams website, Panthers.com, that it was the right time to step away. "Ive played a lot of football here, and Ive seen a lot of guys come and a lot of guys go," Gross told the website. "Sometimes it ends well for guys, and sometimes it is not the ending they were looking for." Gross said he didnt want to leave until the team was in good position for sustained success. He believes the team is there now. "There is good, young leadership, there are talented players, and there are guys that really want to work hard and want to win," Gross said. Former quarterback Jake Delhomme, who played with Gross from 2003-2009, called him the "ultimate professional." "He was a hell of a player, and a great gentleman," Delhomme said. "The thing is I dont believe he got the respect he deserved around the league." Delhomme said the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Gross was extremely athletic, humble and driven. "We he was a rookie in 2003, his initial thoughts heading into minicamp were Oh gosh, please dont (stink)," Delhomme said with a laugh. "That was the mentality he always took. It wasnt a fear, but it was a mentality of, hey, Ive got to be good every day. Thats how Jordan prepared every day." Panthers tight end Greg Olsen said he spoke to Gross recently and half-jokingly tried to convince him to return. But he said Gross already had his mind made up. "Hes such a great player and Im really happy for him," Olsen said. "When I talked to him, I know he feels good not only about his body of work and his career, but also the impact he had on this organization. He was always a stand-up guy. He has the respect of all of his teammates. Hes the type of guy you want if youre an NFL franchise." Gross joined the Panthers in 2003 and stepped right in as a starter, helping Carolina reach the Super Bowl as a rookie. However, Gross spent the next 10 years trying to get back, but the Panthers could never make it past the NFC championship game. Gross decision creates a void for the Panthers at left tackle. Bruce Campbell, Garry Williams and starting right tackle Byron Bell are potential replacements, but the team could look for help in free agency or the draft. The Panthers have the 28th pick in the draft. Olsen said it will be difficult to replace Gross after the Panthers went 12-4 this past season, but said young players will have to step up. "Jordan has been top notch for his whole career," Olsen said. "Hes tough to lose. But every year it happens around the league -- you lose players to retirement or injury. You have to move on and fill that role." Wide receiver Steve Smith is the only remaining player from Carolinas Super Bowl team in 2003 that lost 32-29 to the New England Patriots on a last-second field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Gross current and former teammates immediately took to Twitter to comment on the news. Said Smith: "Since 1999 until 2day (at)J2theGross and I have been in same huddle. Today its has stopped I salute JG, great player better man!!! Love ya." Said Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson: "One of the best to ever play in a panther jersey. I wish he would stay but you gotta do what u gotta." Offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz, a former teammate of Gross with the Panthers, wrote that Gross "was an outstanding mentor and Im so thankful he decided to help me when I was a young naive rookie." Jim Otto Jersey . -- Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett missed Sundays game against the Detroit Pistons due to personal reasons. Justin Ellis Raiders Jersey . "Maintenance day for both those guys," said Sutter. Canada faces Finland in a semifinal on Saturday at Malmo Arena. Dumba was hurt in a collision late in the second period of Canadas 4-1 quarter-final victory over Switzerland and was limping after the game.The Vancouver Canucks skated to a 3-2 win in overtime of Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night. Alexandre Burrows ended the contest 11 seconds into extra period, scoring his second goal of the game and giving the Canucks a 2-0 lead in the series with Game 3 slated for Monday in Boston. Burrows drove to the net, but was forced to go behind it. He corralled the puck and completed the wraparound into an empty net sealing the Canucks second straight thrilling victory in this years Stanley Cup Final. "Going into overtime you know anything can happen," explained Burrows after his three-point night. "Henrik Sedin won the faceoff. [Thomas] likes to challenge. I knew if I shot it he would stop it. Luckily I was able to get it in on the wrap-around." "As I said after Game 1, a loss is a loss," said Bruins netminder Tim Thomas, who stopped 30 of the 33 shots he faced. "It doesnt matter whether its 5-0 or the way that we lost. Losing stinks no matter what." The Canucks carried the play right from the opening shift in the first period and capitalized on their only power play opportunity of the period to take a 1-0 lead. Midway through the frame, Zdeno Chara hauled down Ryan Kesler to allow the vaunted Canucks power play to take the ice. Late in the penalty, Burrows let go a wrist shot from a bad angle that squeaked past Thomas in the Boston net. It was a different story in the second period as the Bruins started to dictate the play, which forced the Canucks into penalty trouble. However, Roberto Luongo was solid, making 28 saves on the night, and coming up with some of his biggest stops in the middle frame. After Kevin Bieksa was assessed a delay of game penalty, Mark Recchi had a chance in close but Luongo slid across and covered the puck near the goal line. Minutes later, he stopped David Krejci on a one-timer from the face-off dot. Milan Lucic finally found the back of the net, scoring the Bruins first goal of the Stanley CCup Final in the second period of Game 2. Jason Hunter Raiders Jersey. Lucic pounced on a rebound in front of Luongo, fought off Christian Ehrhoff and put the puck under Luongos outstretched leg. The Bruins gained momentum from the goal and caused the Canucks to take a penalty just minutes later. Mark Recchi tipped in a point shot from Chara to give the Bruins a rare power play marker. With the goal, Recchi became the oldest player to score in the Stanley Cup Final, surpassing Igor Larionov. Thomas then robbed Jannik Hansen from point blank range to maintain the Bruins momentum and silence the crowd. Then, Michael Ryder got his stick in front of Jeff Tambellini, as the Canucks forward tried to sweep the puck into a yawning cage. Thomas made Daniel Sedin his next victim with a good stop from in close to keep the Bruins in front. The Bruins started the third period on the power play but that was negated when Dennis Seidenberg tripped up Maxim Lapierre. A few minutes into the period, Bieksa was felled by a slash from Rich Peverley and lay prone on the ice as the home fans held their collective breath. Bieksa got back to his feet, made his way to the bench without assistance and returned to action shortly after. With time beginning to become a factor, Daniel Sedin put the Canucks back on even terms. After a TV timeout that allowed the Sedin line to play two straight shifts, Burrows stopped a shot in the slot and shoveled the puck over to Sedin, who had an empty net to shoot at and made no mistake. The Canucks finished off regulation with a flurry but could not repeat their last-minute heroics of Game 1. However, when overtime arrived Burrows didnt waste any time, ending it in the opening seconds. On the injury front, Canucks centre Manny Malhotra, who has been out since March 16 with an eye injury, returned to the lineup while defenceman Dan Hamhuis was out with an undisclosed injury suffered in Game 1. Andrew Alberts took Hamhuis spot in the lineup. ' ' ' |
