Stammbäume » hills, but its real tough to ski fast,

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers on Tuesday, one of several moves they made to reshape their struggling defence. The Bears also agreed to a five-year contract with former Oakland Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston, a two-year contract with former Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants safety Ryan Mundy, and one-year deals with linebackers Jordan Senn and D.J. Williams. But the biggest move as they tried to shore up a defence that got shredded by injuries and ranked among the leagues worst last season involved Peppers. Given the way he struggled last season and the fact that his salary cap hit for next season was for more than $18 million, the Bears were expected to let him go or restructure his contract. "We appreciate Julius contributions to the Bears over the last four years," general manager Phil Emery said in a statement. "He was a leader on our defence starting every game since coming to Chicago. His accomplishments over his NFL career place him among the best defensive ends over the past 20 years. The Chicagoland community has benefited greatly from his quiet generosity. We wish him the best." Peppers is the second high-profile player to part ways with the Bears this off-season, joining record returner Devin Hester. Those moves come after they split with Brian Urlacher following the 2012 season. Peppers, who turned 34 in January, finished with just seven sacks, his lowest total in four seasons with Chicago and the fewest for him since he had a career-low 2 1/2 with Carolina in 2007. Three times last year he failed to register a tackle, and the Bears defence ranked among the worst in the NFL. But Peppers has been one of the best at his position during his career. In his 12 seasons with Carolina (2002-2009) and Chicago (2010-13), he ranks second in the NFL with 118 1/2 sacks. He has nine interceptions -- the most by a defensive lineman since 2002 -- and his 39 career forced fumbles are fifth most in the league during that time. On special teams, Peppers has 11 blocked kicks during his career. With the Bears, Peppers had 38 sacks along with three interceptions, nine forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. But he was inconsistent last season. At times, he showed that old burst. Too often, he was a nonfactor. The defence, overall, was a mess for the Bears last season because of injuries and poor execution. Williams, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, and Henry Melton missed big chunks of the season. Nickel back Kelvin Hayden and defensive tackle Nate Collins also suffered season-ending injuries. And the Bears couldnt stop the run or get to the quarterback. Chicago allowed a league-high 5.3 yards per carry, half a yard more than any other team, and tied Jacksonville with an NFL-worst with 31 sacks. Houston started all 16 games last season for Oakland and was one of the few playmakers on a 4-12 team. He led the Raiders with a career-high six sacks and got 16 in four seasons with them. Mundy made a career-high nine starts with the Giants last season after spending his first four with Pittsburgh. He had 70 tackles and a 91-yard interception return along with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He also had seven special teams stops. Senn has appeared in 83 games with seven starts over six seasons with Indianapolis (2008-09) and Carolina (2009-13). He was primarily a special-teams player last season. Williams appeared in six games and made four starts at middle linebacker last season after signing a one-year deal with Chicago. A ruptured pectoral muscle tendon cut short his season. Pittsburgh Steelers Zach Gentry Jersey . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately. Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Wagner Jersey . -- Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera has a broken bone below his right eye after being struck by a bad-hop grounder, sidelining the star slugger for at least a week with opening day on deck. http://www.cheapsteelers.com/425n-cheap-merril-hoge-jersey-steelers.html . -- Nelson Cruz has only two hits in 15 at-bats against the Kansas City Royals this season. Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys China . Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. Pittsburgh Steelers Jerome Bettis Jersey .C. - Nick Merkley and Damon Severson each had a goal and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets downed the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 6-3 on Saturday in Western Hockey League playoff action.LAKE LOUISE, Alta. - Norways Kjetil Jansrud claimed the first mens World Cup downhill of the season and Canadas Manny Osborne-Paradis returned to the podium Saturday in Lake Louise, Alta.Jansruds victory was his first at the Alberta ski resort west of Calgary. Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, B.C., tied for second with Guillermo Fayed of France for the Canadians first World Cup medal since 2010.It feels really good, Osborne-Paradis said. I was nervous today because I knew I could be on the podium. This was the best chance Ive had in a long time.Jansrud conquered the 3,133-metre course in one minute 50.20 seconds. Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, B.C., and Fayed posted identical times of 1:50.34.Jansrud won gold in super-G and bronze in downhill at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in February. His countryman Aksel Lund Svindal has dominated at Lake Louise with three straight super-G wins plus a downhill victory two years ago. But Svindal tore his Achilles tendon playing soccer last month and could be out for the season.Jansrud, 29, ensured the Norwegian anthem played again at Lake Louise.Lake Louise is not one of our toughest hills, but its real tough to ski fast, the Norwegian said. Its not really forgiving to ski on. If you stay on your edge for half-a-metre too long and then youre gone. It was tough skiing. Its not easy.Its like skiing on a wooden floor. Smooth, but that also makes it hard to be fast because you know its going to be the same for everybody. Its tough, but for me, it worked out nice.The men race a super-G on Sunday before heading to the World Cups next stop in Beaver Creek, Colo.I will not be celebrating because we have the super-G tomorrow, Osborne-Paradis said. Bummer.Saturdays race was held in clear, cold conditions with a temperature of minus-24.Jansrud and Osborne-Paradis were first and second respectively in Wednesdays training run. The next two training sessions were cancelled because 50 centimetres of snow fell on the mountain parks in 48 hours.I think it probably helped with having only one training run, Osborne-Paradis said. Guys were dealing with, probably dealing with, confidence issues. I cant totally speak for them.For myself, wheen I dont have a great training run, it is a different mental state you have to be in to push it (in the race) when you only have one.ddddddddddddFayed turned 29 on Friday and his belated birthday present was the first World Cup medal of his career.I was very surprised when I saw my time, the Frenchman said. I did a very good run, but you never know if you are fast or not.Because we had just one training, I was very good physically. Not tired.Lake Louise is the lone Canadian stop on the World Cup alpine ski circuit. Osborne-Paradiss silver medal Saturday was Canadas first there since he won super-G in 2009.Osborne-Paradis was also second in the Lake Louise downhill in 2006 for his first career World Cup medal. But he didnt race for almost two years after he broke his leg and tore a ligament on Jan. 29, 2011.One race, first race of the season, Im going to try and get on the podium at every race so it just helps, the 30-year-old said. So far were one-for-one.Osborne-Paradis lives in Invermere, B.C., which is 146 kilometres southwest of Lake Louise. He married Lana McIntosh on Sept. 20.From the prize purse of CDN$118,000 for Saturdays race, Jansrud earned $35,000 for the win. Osborne-Paradis and Fayed each picked up $23,000 as runners-up.Calgarys Jan Hudec, an Olympic bronze medallist in super-G, was 19th. Ben Thomsen of Invermere finished 29th, Dustin Cook of Whistler, B.C., placed 36th, Jeffrey Frisch of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was 44th and Morgan Pridy of Whistler came in 54th.Former world downhill champion Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant did not race Saturday. Canadas most decorated World Cup ski racer with 22 medals has delayed the start of his racing season after a pair of off-season knee surgeries.Hudec was frustrated with his result because he felt strong and fast on his skis. He won the downhill at Lake Louise in 2007.Its not a survival course, but its a look-for-every-minute-detail kind of course, Hudec said.Thats what makes it different from other courses which you can overcome with survival skiing and just attacking it, whereas this, you have to be like cat . . . a sneaky cat. And nobody likes sneaky cats, but thats what youve got to be to be fast here. 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