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ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Less than three years after being one of the most prized free agents on the open market, Nnamdi Asomugha NFL career is over. Asomugha formally announced his retirement Friday at the Oakland Raiders headquarters, ending his 11-year career at the place he had his most success. "Im just grateful to be back, grateful for everything to go full circle," Asomugha said. "For all of the achievements and awards, to be able to retire as a Raider ranks highest among all of those." Asomugha made three Pro Bowls and was a two-time first-team All-Pro during his eight seasons with the Raiders when he was considered one of the leagues top cover cornerbacks. But his career quickly fizzled after signing a $60 million, five-year contract with Philadelphia in the summer of 2011. He was cut after two years with the Eagles and played just three games this season for San Francisco before being released in November. He said he had opportunities to come back since then but felt the time was right to go on with the rest of his life. Asomugha was joined at his retirement news conference by three of the Raiders best defensive backs: Hall of Famer Willie Brown, Lester Hayes and Charles Woodson. Asomugha credited all three, along with others like Rod Woodson and Mike Haynes for his transformation from a college safety to an elite NFL cornerback. "He turned into what they call that shut-down corner," Woodson said. "People just decided going into the game they werent going to throw at him. Thats a testament to his hard work." Asomugha came into the NFL as a first-round pick out of California in 2003 and became one of the rare Al Davis first-rounders to pan out in his later years running the Raiders. After taking a few years to adjust to playing cornerback after being mostly a safety in college, Asomugha thrived in the Raiders system that often left cornerbacks alone on an island matched up man-to-man against opposing receivers. "When I first came into the league not too many people really knew who I was," Asomugha said. "When I first got here I was definitely called a reach. In great Al Davis fashion, he took a reach that he believed in and instilled confidence in me like nobody else could and I was able to become all that he expected of me." Asomugha had a breakthrough season in 2006 when he intercepted eight passes and was a rare bright spot on a 2-14 team. By the next season, opposing quarterbacks rarely even threw the ball his direction. In his final four seasons with the Raiders, Asomugha had just 136 passes thrown at him in 60 games, allowing just 66 completions and only two touchdowns. Asomugha was paid well for his performance in Oakland, earning $9.5 million in 2008 and then signing a $45.3 million, three-year deal the following off-season. That contract voided after his second year and he became one of the most prominent free agents after the lockout ended in 2011. After never playing on a winning team in his eight seasons in Oakland, Asomugha joined the Eagles in what was billed as the "dream team." But he never fit in to a system that had him playing zone coverage instead of being exclusively in man-to-man. Philadelphia was one of the leagues most disappointing teams in his two seasons there, going 12-20 and missing the playoffs both times. Asomugha signed a minimum contract with the 49ers last off-season but made one start and played three games before being released, meaning he will end his career having never made the playoffs. "We didnt get a championship, that was the goal," Asomugha said. "But we had a lot of championship moments here and thats the stuff I can be proud of moving forward." Wholesale Red Sox Jerseys . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Authentic . The Detroit Tigers closer blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning Wednesday night against the Dodgers. http://www.cheapredsoxjerseys.com/?tag=c...de-boggs-jersey. I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. Cheap Bobby Doerr Jersey . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Cheap Carlton Fisk Jersey . -- Officials have approved a deal to build a new $672 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves away from the downtown Atlanta area that has traditionally been its home.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - When Kobe Bryant stays home to rest, the Los Angeles Lakers must play a different game to compete. With balanced scoring, relentless rebounding and an unlikely contribution from a newcomer, they got the formula exactly right against the slumping Orlando Magic.Jeremy Lin scored 18 points, Carlos Boozer added 12 points and 14 rebounds, and the Lakers beat the Magic 101-84 on Friday night.Rookie Tarik Black had all of his career-high 14 points and nine rebounds in the second half for the Lakers, who won for the second time in their five games this season when coach Byron Scott chooses to rest the 36-year-old Bryant.Bryant wasnt at Staples Center to watch his teammates steady effort in finishing off the Magic. He also sat out three games last month, and he missed Mondays game in Portland.We try to bring more energy when hes out, play more up-tempo, said Nick Young, who had nine points.They had plenty of energy, maintaining a lead throughout the final 45 minutes. They finished off Orlando with a 12-2 run midway through the fourth quarter, highlighted by three straight baskets from Boozer.I just saw us being much more aggressive than we were the last game, much more physical, Lakers coach Byron Scott said, referring to their blowout loss to the Clippers two nights ago. (We) quit assuming every shot is going in.Victor Oladipo scored 17 points and Tobias Harris added 15 despite spraining his left ankle for the Magic, who have lost five straight for the first time this season.Its real frustrating, Harris said. I know its tough for us to score out there. I cant really pinpoint what it is.Former USC star Nikola Vucevic had 14 points and 11 rebounds. But Orlando was outrebounded 60-36, including 31-16 in the second half, leaving coach Jacque Vaughn a bit steamed.I dont know how you gauge effort, Vaughn said. If Tarik Black is rebounding the basketball with a ferocious tenacity, then I guess he has great effort, (but) youve got to take some responsibility. It starts with looking at the mirror. So that wwill be us.ddddddddddddLos Angeles got an eye-catching performance from Black, the big man recently acquired off waivers from Houston. After sitting out the first half, Black made all four of his shots and his first six free throws, exciting the Staples Center crowd with his energy and persistence on the boards.We had everybody hitting the boards today, and its contagious on this team, Black said.Lin led the Lakers steady effort down the stretch, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter. Ryan Kelly added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Jordan Hill had 11 points and nine boards.TIP-INSMagic: The team will re-evaluate Harris ankle on Saturday. He is the Magics leading scorer with 18.1 points per game. ... Vaughn is a Los Angeles-area native who grew up rooting for the Lakers championship teams of the 1980s. Before the game, he rattled off the uniform numbers of the starters, including No. 4, Byron Scott. ... Channing Frye played despite an injured right arm, scoring six points.Lakers: Lin blocked a shot by 7-footer Dewayne Dedmon in the first quarter. ... The Lakers held a pregame moment of silence for Alina Kupchak, the 15-year-old daughter of Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, who died earlier this week after a lengthy illness. ... Starting forward Wesley Johnson missed his third straight game with a strained right hip flexor.BOARD BLOWOUTThe Lakers 24-rebound advantage was their biggest of the season. Boozer and Black outboarded the Magic by themselves in the second half, 18-16.SLUMPING SWAGGYYoung had his fourth straight rough shooting game, going 2 for 13. The Lakers top reserve and offensive energy source missed all six of his 3-point attempts. He is just 13 for 53 in his last four games. Scott suggested Young should come in early to get up more shots, but Young politely disagreed. Im going to stick to being the whole Swaggy P dude, and continue to shoot, he said. At least Young has made 25 consecutive free throws.UP NEXT:Magic: At Portland on Saturday.Lakers: Host Portland on Sunday. 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