What was that word? A Ute? What is a Ute?
- Fred Gwynne as Judge Chamberlain Haller in "My Cousin Vinny"

Alabama knows what a Ute is today, especially after the Utah Utes made their claim to be ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press football poll.
Utah's argument?
A convincing 31-17 victory over Tide in the Sugar Bowl on Friday. The victory over Alabama, which was ranked No. 1 for five consecutive weeks during the regular season, allowed the Utes, helped by former Damien High School and Citrus College star Freddie Brown and former Pasadena City standout David Reed, to become the only undefeated team in the bowl championship division, finishing 13-0.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham believes that should be enough to move his team to the top spot.
"I know where I'm voting us. I'm voting us No. 1. End of story," Whittingham said after Friday's victory in New Orleans. "I don't know why they wouldn't deserve that consideration. Somebody has to explain to me why they wouldn't. There is only one undefeated team in the United States of America right now in Division I football, and it's these guys right here."
Brown did his part by being Utah's leading receiver Friday, catching 12 passes for 125 yards. He also had a key 33-yard reception that led to an important TD drive in the third quarter. Reed had two catches for 58 yards, including a 28-yard TD reception that gave the Utes' a 28-17 lead in the second half.
Utah's roster also includes former Mt. San Antonio College players Aiona Key, Viliamu Nau and Aaron Tonga and Monrovia High's Patrick Greene.

Freshmen are usually expected to be seen, but not heard.
Then there's Kristen McCarthy, the former Bishop Amat girls basketball star who is making her mark at Temple University despite her freshman status.
The former two-time area player of the year is off to a solid collegiate career, helping the Owls to a 5-3 start.
McCarthy has played in all eight games, starting one and is averaging 7.8 points per game. She is also averaging four rebounds per contest and has 11 assists in eight games. McCarthy is coming off a solid effort against Toledo on Dec. 10, scoring 12 points to help the Owls to a 73-46 victory.

It's been a long road to the Division I level for Freddie Brown. But the former Damien High School star and Citrus College player is making the most of is opportunity with Utah.
Brown, arguably one of the top collegiate players with local ties, has helped the Utes to a top-10 ranking and a shot at BCS bowl.
The senior leads the team with 57 receptions for 678 yards and seven TDs. He came up big two weeks ago, catching the winning TD in a 13-10 victory over TCU. He also five catches for 59 yards in a 25-23 victory at traditional-power Michigan in September and 11 receptions for 110 yards and two TDs in a 63-14 victory over San Diego State this past weekend.
He will now attempt to get the Utes a BCS bid with a victory over intra-state rival Brigham Young on Saturday.

As I was watching the Super Bowl champion New York football Giants take apart America's team - the Dallas Cowboys, I couldn't help notice the play of linebacker Antonio Pierce, who might be the best NFL player with local ties.
Who is better?
Is it former Bishop Amat star Brian Russell, who is now starting in the Seattle Seahawks defensive secondary?
Good pick. Russell ranks among the team leaders, with 36 tackles and has one sack.
But I like Pierce, who NFL analyst John Madden called one of the better linebackers in the game. And the numbers prove it.
Pierce, who helped Mt. San Antonio College win the 1997 CCCAA state title, is a key member of the Giants defense that played a big role in upsetting the New England Patriots. He's picked up where he left off, leading the Giants with 38 tackles. He also has one sack.
Pierce is also one of the emotional leaders for the Giants, who many believe can be repeat champs.

This has been somewhat of a trying season for the UCLA football team. But one of the bright spots have come from Charter Oak High School grad Aaron Perez, who is one of the top punters in the country.
Perez has become a key ingredient of coach Rick Neuheisel's plan to play the field position game, resulting in the former Charger being ranked No. 10 in the country with a 44.39-yards per punt average. He also ranks second in the Pac-10.

Former Damien High School running back, who made a name for himself at Boise State in the Broncos' upset of Oklahoma a few years back in the Fiesta Bowl, is in a more limited role this season. But with Boise State's current success, he doesn't seem to mind.
Here's the story about the former Spartan.
My own memory of Johnson at Damien was how he got me in trouble with then Bishop Amat coach Mike DiFiori. Johnson did some trash talking in my post-game interview after Damien beat Amat in 2002. I went with the quote and learned that I was forever banned from the Bishop Amat sideline by DiFiori.
I wonder if the former Lancers head coach, who is now an assistant at Amat, still has the same power. I will find out next week when I cover the Amat-Loyola game.
But good luck to IJ.

Saturday will be sort of a homecoming when the USC football team plays host to Oregon at the Coliseum at 5 p.m.
No, not for the Trojans, but for former West Covina High School's Walter Thurmond, who returns to Southern California as a member of the Gang Green secondary.
Thurmond is considered to be one of the top defensive backs on the West Coast. The junior, who has 19 tackles and two interceptions this season, was All-Pacific-10 last season and is on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the top defensive back in the country.
Thurmond will lead a Oregon team that is ranked No. 23 and is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-10. The Ducks scored a 63-14 victory at Washington State last week.
Welcome back Walter and good luck against those Trojans!

Aaron Perez was one of the top punters in Southern California when he was at Charter Oak High School, and he has continued that success now that he is at UCLA.
Perez, one publication's preseason pick for first team All-Pacific 10, was recently added to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the top punter in the nation.
Perez has been solid this season, with 10 punts for an average of 47.7, including a long of 61 yards.
He plays a key role in UCLA's battle to win the field-position game.

The 2008 baseball season is over for former Valley players Sergio Pedroza of Northview and Wes Roemer of Glendora.
Roemer, pitching for the Single-A Visalia Oaks, an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, went 7-12 with a 4.59 ERA. He also had 122 strikeouts in 162 innings. Roemer did flatter with perfection earlier this season, taking a perfect game into the seventh inning before finishing with a three-hitter in a 4-2 victory over the Modesto Nuts in early July.
Pedroza had a solid season playing for the Double-A Montgomery (Ala.) Biscuits, an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. He .248 with five home runs and 16 doubles.

UCLA may be in Westwood, but the Bruins football team certainly has some San Gabriel Valley flavor.
Of its top players, three have a Valley connection - Mt. San Antonio College's Kevin Craft, Los Altos' Brigham Harwell and Charter Oak's Aaron Perez. All three played key roles in UCLA opening the season with a 27-24 victory over Tennessee at the Rose Bowl on Labor Day.
Harwell was a monster inside, constantly blowing up the Vols' offensive schemes from his defensive line position. Perez, a two-year starter at punter, allowed UCLA to win the field-position battle, and Craft was the talk of the nation after following a four-interception first half with stout second half in which he led UCLA to a pair of TD drives that eventually led to the 27-24 victory.
Keep up the good work, Valley stars!

The National Football League, as a business, can be quite cruel.
There are no provisionals in the NFL. The best players play, and those who don't fit that criteria, must look elsewhere.
Former Los Altos High School star Shaun Cody finds himself right in the middle of that world. Cody, who after earning All-America status at USC and being regarded enough for the Detroit Lions to select him in the second-round of the 2005 NFL Draft, is now playing with his roster spot on the line this exhibition season.
It's a system that Cody truly understands.
"I don't take it as pressure," Cody told Detroitlions.com. "I just take it as a chance to compete for a spot. I know we've got a lot of defensive tackles and the reality is you can only keep so many. All you can do is go out and compete.
"If you put pressure on yourself, that's when guys tend to worry about it. You can't lose sleep over it, but go out there and compete. If you're the guy for the spot and they think you can perform and play to what they want you to, that's the only thing you can hope for."
Cody, who played in all 16 games, starting two his rookie year in 2005 and 15 games last season, has played in all of the team's three exhibition games, recording four tackles. Cody, who is listed as the team's No. 2 nose tackle, gets his last chance to state his case when the Lions travel to Buffalo to face the Bills on Thursday.
"I need to go out there and produce," Cody said. "I know I've had a good camp up to this point and now it's just time to prove it. That's when you've got to prove it. It doesn't matter what you do in practice. In the end, it's what you can put on tape and what you can show on film."

This is expected to be a special Labor Day for former Los Altos High School football star Brigham Harwell, who is now at UCLA.
Sept. 1 is the day the Bruins open the 2008 season with a home encounter against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl. But it's also signifies the end of Harwell's long wait. The senior missed all but one game last season. But now he's ready to return.
"I really can't wait for the season to start," Harwell recently. "Last year was very difficult for me. I had never missed a season. My Saturdays were spent watching UCLA on TV, and not playing.
"I'm really excited about the year. I've worked real hard, getting my timing, watching film and just preparing to perform on Saturdays."
And the general consensus is that he will not only perfom on Saturdays, but do it quite well. He is considered to be one of the top players at his position, not just in the Pac-10, but in the nation as well. He begins the season on the watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the top lineman in the country.
"I don't think there's any question that to play great defense, you have to be able to create a pass rush and disruption with your front four," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "When you have the benefit and advantage of a guy like Brigham to start your defense, it's a nice place to start. It gives us hope to be a very, very strong defense."
Now Harwell is ready for a banner season, and the view from here says he will have one.