Kurt Warner, the 38-year-old quarterback announced his retirement Friday after 12 years after coming from nowhere to lead the lowly St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls. Warned walked away with a year left on a two-year, $23 million contract, knowing he still had the skills to play at the highest level.

“It’s been an amazing ride,” Warner said. “I don’t think I could have dreamt it would have played out like it has, but I’ve been humbled every day that I woke up the last 12 years and amazed that God would choose to use me to do what he’s given me the opportunity to do.”

John Madden’s last game as a football announcer was the 2009 Super Bowl which was decided in the final moments of the game. Madden worked at CBS until 1994 when the network lost rights to broadcast NFL games, leading him to switch to Fox. He left Fox in 2002 to become the lead analyst for ABC’s “Monday Night Football” and joined NBC in 2006 when that network inaugurated a prime-time Sunday game.

Madden said his health is fine, but at the age of 73, he wants to spend more time with his family. His 50th wedding anniversary is this year, and his five grandchildren are old enough to notice when he’s gone.

“The thing that made it hard is not because I’m second guessing: ‘Is it the right decision?’ But I enjoyed it so damn much,” Madden said. “I enjoyed the game and the players and the coaches and the film and the travel and everything.”

Ocar De La Hoya made his announcement at an outdoor plaza across the street from Staples Center, where a bronze statue of the 36-year-old Golden Boy stands.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s over,” the East Los Angeles native said before hundreds of fans, including comedian George Lopez and Oscar-nominated actor and former fighter Mickey Rourke. “It’s over inside the ring for me.”

De La Hoya retired four months after he was beaten by Manny Pacquiao, his fourth loss in his last seven fights. He has not defeated a formidable opponent since Fernando Vargas in 2002. Age and diminished skills led to losses in recent years to Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

He won his last title in May 2006, beating Ricardo Mayorga in six rounds for the WBC 154-pound belt. He finished with a record of 39-6 and 30 knockouts.

Gary Roberts retired from the NHL this week after a career lasting more than 21 years, which was twice as long as many in the hockey world expected.

Gary Roberts career ended in Calgary, the city where it started, as he recorded an assist in Tampa Bay’s 8-6 win at the Pengrowth Saddledome on March 1.

“For me, it’s a little emotional,” he said. “Calgary’s got a special place in my heart. Obviously winning a Stanley Cup there was my best hockey memory … so very fitting and thankful, if it was going to end that way, that it ended where I won a Stanley Cup.”

Roberts has scored 438 goals and 471 assists in 1,224 games in his NHL career, nearly half of his goals coming after a first retirement in the mid-1990s due to a serious neck injury.

After 355 wins and 23 major league seasons, Greg Maddux held a 30-minute news conference to announce his retirement on the opening day of the winter meetings, just minutes from his Las Vegas home.

“I really just came out here today to say thank you,” he at the Bellagio hotel. “I appreciate everything this game has given me. It’s going to be hard to walk away obviously, but it’s time. I have a family now that I need to spend some more time with. I still think I can play the game, but not as well as I would like to, so it’s time to say goodbye.”

Greg Maddux exits game with four NL Cy Young Awards (1992-95) and a 3.16 ERA. The right-hander ranks eighth on the career wins list, with one more victory than Roger Clemens.

Three days after a conference call with Packers team officials in which quarterback Brett Favre vehemently expressed his desire to play in 2008, on Friday Favre officially asked by letter for his unconditional contractual release, a source close to Favre and the team said. Favre, expressed a desire to have an friendly parting, as the Packers have been hesitant to embrace his return. Favre has three years left on his contract at a total of $39 million. He currently is on the reserve-retired list.

Seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Strahan is retiring after a 15-year career, capped by a Super Bowl title with the New York Giants in February. He holds the NFL record for sacks in a single season with 22.5, breaking New York Jets great Mark Gastineau’s total of 22 in the 2001 season. Strahan retires with 141.5 career sacks, 794 career tackles, 4 career interceptions, 21 forced fumbles and 2 career touchdowns in 200 games over a 15 year career (through 2007 season).

Trevor Linden ended his NHL playing career Wednesday as the Vancouver Canucks‘ second-leading scorer and one of the more popular players in franchise history. He is the Canucks’ all-time leader in assists (415) and games played (1,140) and is just behind Markus Naslund in goals (318) and points (733).

“It’s been fantastic for me,” Linden said at a news conference Wednesday. “I’ve been able to be a professional athlete for 20 years. It’s the right time.”

Linden totalled 375 goals and 492 assists for 867 points in 1,382 NHL games with the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Canucks, who drafted Linden second overall in 1988. He is expected to leave the game for a period to concentrate on a current real-estate project in Victoria.

A source has told The Associated Press that Detroit Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek is expected to announce his retirement from the NHL. The Red Wings have scheduled a press conference for Monday for today. Over the course of 16 NHL seasons, Hasek posted a record of 389-223-82, with 81 shutouts and a career goals against average of 2.20. At 43, he is the NHL’s oldest active goalie.

Hasek has won six Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s top goaltender, two Hart Trophies as the league’s most valuable player and an Olympic gold medal with the Czech Republic at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

Hasek leaves the game after a rough and cut short run to his second Stanley Cup this season. He lost his starting role in Game 4 of Detroit’s first-round series against the Nashville Predators to Chris Osgood, who remained the starter during the team’s run for the Stanley Cup.

Mike Piazza, 39, who hit more home runs than any other catcher in history, announced his retirement Tuesday after no team was willing to sign him and offer significant playing time. Piazza now may be eligible for the Hall of Fame in the same class as Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa and pitcher Roger Clemens.

“I knew this day was coming, and over the last two years, I started to make my peace with it,” Piazza said in a statement. “It has been an amazing journey. … I walk away with no regrets.”

Piazza was a 62nd-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988 who turned into a 12-time All-Star. He hit 396 of his 427 homers as a catcher during his 16-year career. He was willing to sign with a club that would provide playing time in at least half the games as a catcher or DH but received no offer, agent Dan Lozano said.