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Wednesday MLB — Giants at Phillies, 4 p.m., CSNC MLB — Rockies at Dodgers, 7 p.m., ESPN Little League Softball — Championship, 4 p.m., ESPN2 Truck Series — O’Reilly 200, 5 p.m., SPEED Sports 1B Corning Cardinals By RICHGREENE DN Sports Editor CORNING— The Cardinals return a 900-yard rusher and 90-tackle linebacker from a team that was seeded third in last year’s Division 1 playoffs. So how come it doesn’t feel as if the Car- dinals are considered a Northern Section favorite to do the same this time around? “Corning being such a small town, I feel we’re always going to be an underdog,” said Cameron Nye, who returns after a 973-yard rushing season. While the underdog feeling is still hang- ing around Corning, especially after the bump up to D-1, the 2010 Cardinals aren’t going completely under the radar either. Many are penciling Corning into the playoffs again and linebacker Tyler McIn- tyre, who returns after a 93-tackle season and 566 rushing yards, is making preseason All-Section lists. Those heightened expecta- tions bring with them their own difficulties. “You take it as a challenge,” McIntyre said, of knowing teams will be geared up to stop him and Nye. McIntyre and Nye are as experienced seniors as they come as they each enter their third year of varsity football. They also know August is too early to talk about the playoffs. “One game at a time,” Nye said. “Noth- ing is guaranteed in Division 1.” If the duo are to have continued success as seniors they’ll need an offensive line that returns just one starter, Ryan Henderson, to find itself. Some players are already stepping for- ward. Carl Brownfield has moved from tackle to center this season and is drawing praise from Nye and McIntyre for taking a leader- ship role on the line. Daily News photo by Rich Greene The Corning Cardinals run through their offense at practice Tuesday afternoon. Coach John Studer has also been impressed by junior guard Roy Madrigal. “He’s kind of picking things up really fast,” said Studer, adding Madrigal has not been overwhelmed from the step up in speed from junior varsity. Another player Studer commended after a solid first week of practice was running back Quintin Flores. Studer said Flores’s ability to play any of Asomugha out to prove he’s the best Oakland Raiders NAPA (AP) — While Darrelle Revis continues his holdout with the New York Jets in hopes of a new con- tract befitting a player many think is the best corner- back in the NFL, Oakland’s Nnamdi Asomugha is working on taking that title back. The Raiders finally appear willing to let him, too. After being tethered almost exclusively to the right side of Oakland’s secondary, the two-time Pro Bowl defensive back is getting his freedom and will roam the field covering opponents’ top receiver no matter where he lines up. It’s a change in strategy and philosophy for the Raiders and the man-to-man coverages favored by owner Al Davis, a change the 29-year-old Asomugha fully embraces. ‘‘Every year there are times when it happens but this year I just think it will happen more because we’re doing it (in practice) more and they’re allowing it to happen more,’’ Asomugha said this week. ‘‘Me being able to play in the slot on third down ... I’ve wanted that for a while.’’ Asomugha was widely recognized as the top defen- sive back in the league when he grabbed a career-high eight interceptions in 2006 and garnered his first Pro Bowl selection. Opponents became so frustrated they nearly quit throwing to Asomugha’s side of the field entirely. In 2009, quarterbacks attempted only 28 passes in Asomugha’s direction compared to 111 for Revis. The lack of action cemented Asomugha’s reputation in the eyes of some but created doubt among others. That’s why the eight-year veteran is welcoming his new role after flirting with it periodically throughout his career. ‘‘There are so many times when I feel like I’m hav- ing the game of my life and no one knows it,’’ Aso- mugha said. ‘‘That’s rough. No one sees it. The offens- es see it, the people that watch film see it but the fans don’t see it.’’ Not that Asomugha is motivated by public opinion, though he could easily make a career change and enter politics if he wanted. He has rubbed elbows with pres- idents and other world dignitaries, is a mentor to teens and is deeply involved in numerous charity and volun- teer efforts in the Bay Area. Asomugha is also the face of Oakland’s defense. While Richard Seymour has the championships and Tommy Kelly has the money, it’s Asomugha who com- mands the most respect on and off the field. Still, there are many who believe Revis is the better cornerback. His current holdout was reportedly sparked by his desire to get a better contract than the $45.3 mil- lion, three-year deal Asomugha received in 2009. Asomugha has stayed above the fray when it comes to talk of him and Revis. Instead, he’s focused on his new role and trying to help the Raiders snap out of a seven-year funk that coincided with Asomugha’s arrival as a first-round pick out of Cal in 2003. ‘‘Some of it is just being able to get him comfortable on both sides because of all the slot formations and cor- ner over (the top),’’ Oakland coach Tom Cable said. See BEST, page 2B the three positions in the backfield and even fill in as a third-string quarterback in a pinch is a testament to his mental ability. Despite the senior leadership of Nye and McIntyre in the backfield, junior quarter- back Ryan Holland has been impressing the Cardinals with his ability to gain respect. “He’s doing a great job so far,” Nye said. Studer said there’s a reason his junior quarterback has gotten the respect of his senior teammates. “He understand when he’s supposed to listen and when he’s supposed to speak up,” Studer said. With the offense already in place, Studer said this week the Cardinals will work on fine-tuning the precision and backfield foot- work that goes along with the Wing-T. “There’s a lot of rhythm there, a lot of misdirection.” Oswalt, Polanco lead Phillies past Giants Giants 3 Phillies 9 PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Roy Oswalt pitched seven sharp innings, Placido Polanco had four hits and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the San Francisco Giants 9-3 on Tuesday night. The Phillies took a one-game lead over San Francisco in the NL wild- card race. The two-time NL champions entered 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the East. Pat Burrell homered in his first regular-season game at Citizens Bank Park since leading the victory parade down Broad Street after the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. Jose Guillen also connected for the Giants. All-Star second base- man Chase Utley went 0 for 5 in his return to Philadelphia’s lineup after having thumb surgery on July 1. Oswalt (8-13) allowed three runs and six hits, striking out seven. The Wednesday August 18, 2010 Underdog, favorite — doesn’t matter FOOTBALL MCT photo San Francisco Giants' Pat Burrell connects on a solo homer against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia Tuesday. three-time All-Star is 2-1 in four starts since the Phillies acquired him from Houston. Barry Zito (8-7) strug- gled after a strong start and ended up allowing four runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. Burrell, who had a love-hate relationship with fans during nine sea- sons in Philadelphia, got a standing ovation when he See GIANTS, page 2B Gore welcomes Westbrook into 49ers backfield SANTA CLARA (AP) — Before San Francisco added free agent Brian Westbrook to its back- field this week, the 49ers made it a point to consult with Frank Gore first. The two-time Pro Bowl running back, who has led the team in rushing each of the past five sea- sons, quickly gave his blessing. ‘‘I thought if he could help my team get better and help us go to another level, I’m fine with it,’’ Gore said Tuesday after San Fran- cisco’s single practice. ‘‘He’s been a great back in this league for a long time. I already started asking him questions, but I feel he can help me get better.’’ Westbrook signed a one-year deal with the 49ers on Monday and was greeted by a loud applause from 49ers fans attend- ing the team’s open practice Tues- day as he trotted onto the field for the first workout with his new San Francisco 49ers team. The former Philadelphia Eagles star took part in individual drills and did some light running but spent much of the two-hour work- out as a spectator while Gore and rookie Anthony Dixon handled the reps on offense. ‘‘The hardest thing to do is sit on the sidelines and watch but that’s probably the best way to learn,’’ Westbrook said. ‘‘Hopeful- ly it’s quick, and I’m gonna do everything I can to make it as painless and as quick as possible.’’ San Francisco needed help in its backfield after the surprisingly abrupt retirement of Glen Coffee after one year. Even when Westbrook is up to speed with the power-based run- ning game the 49ers employ, he’ll remain an understudy to Gore. Coach Mike Singletary made that point clear when San Francisco announced the Westbrook signing. Gore, a third-round draft pick in 2005, likes leading the 49ers’ ground game but welcomes the addition of a back with the experi- ence of Westbrook. Westbrook led the NFL with 2,104 yards from scrimmage in 2007 but his production dropped dramatically last season when he missed eight games with a pair of concussions and an ankle injury. ‘‘I know that we needed anoth- er back and he was the best one out there, and we feel that he can help our team,’’ Gore said. ‘‘I watched him a whole lot, especial- ly when he was in Philly because he was a guy I had to compete against for yards and receiving yards. He watched me in practice (today) and I asked him to help me See GORE, page 2B