WHO'S NO. 1 IN L.A.? THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM FOR DEBATE OVER THE TOP SPOT IN SOCAL.Byline: Kevin Modesti What are L.A. sports fans to do now that our last chance to shout ``We're No.1!'' this year has died, the title-minded USC football USC football refers to either of two NCAA Division I-A college football programs:
n. 1. The killing of one's brother or sister. 2. One who has killed one's brother or sister. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin by UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX over the weekend? Here's what: We'll make up our own rankings for 2006. Rankings for which only L.A.-area teams and athletes need apply. This way, somebody from Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, has got to end up No. 1. Of course, in our local Top 20, somebody also has to be No. 20. 20 KINGS This town would get behind good hockey, we're certain. This ain't it. 19 AVENGERS On a positive note, wide receiver Greg Hopkins Greg Hopkins (November 16, 1971) is a former Arena Football League wide receiver/linebacker with the Albany Firebirds and the Los Angeles Avengers. High school career almost got elected to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. The score was 9,988-8,960, in what arena football would call a defensive struggle. 18 WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO Parameter not given Error... ''Template needs its first parameter as beg[in], mid[dle], or end. Parameter not given Error... The 6-foot-6 Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. resident -- from the Ukraine by way of Germany -- would be the world's top-ranked heavyweight boxer if that division still existed. Oh, it does? 17 SASHA COHEN The 5-foot-2 Corona del Mar resident showed unexpected guts after an early fall in the free skate to hold onto the silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Turin. The Kings should sign her. 16 ANGELS After an 89-win season that added up to disappointment, all they need is a big winter trade by GM Bill Stoneman. Uh-oh. 15 LAVA MAN We had a horse right here who brought new respect to California-breds everywhere. A gelding gelding castrated male horse. , he could race for awhile, because what else would he do? 14 USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. BASKETBALL The new arena offers a view of the L.A skyline. The O.J. Mayo signing offers a view of the future. 13 SPARKS Which was worse, a third straight WNBA WNBA Women's National Basketball Association WNBA World Ninepin Bowling Association WNBA Wannabe Nasty Boys Association WNBA Women's National Book Association, Inc. WNBA Warszawski Nurt Basketu Amatorskiego playoff flop or getting bumped out of Staples Center for the last game by an ``American Idol'' concert? 12 GALAXY On the field, it's a so-so team in a third-rate soccer league. Off the field, it's getting lots of ink because of the David Beckham rumors. 11 BRYAN BROTHERS Camarillo's Bob and Mike remained the world's No. 1 doubles team, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon, their fourth year in a row with at least one Grand Slam title. 10 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Rumors continue that they'll move here. Four touchdowns Sunday by Reggie Bush. La.'s team might as well be L.A.'s team. 9 UCLA FOOTBALL The win over USC pumped new life into the program. Not bad for a basketball school. 8 LAKERS Kobe Bryant's 81-point game, a return to the playoffs, a fast start to the new season. The Clippers better watch out for these guys. 7 CLIPPERS L.A., pro basketballwise, they're hanging onto the '06 keys to the city by their fingernails. From Jan. 1 to Sunday, including the playoffs, the Lakers were 44-32 (.579) this year, the Clippers 46-35 (.570). 6 DUCKS Until recently they were the franchise Southern Californians paid the least attention to. Then they got that guy, and those other guys, and now they're favored to win that cup. 5 DODGERS What sets Los Angeles apart from America's other major sports towns is persistent, sunny optimism. With a bunch of good young players and a stable front office again, the Dodgers got their optimistic groove back. 4 TIGER WOODS Reserve a perpetual spot on the L.A.-Orange County ``A'' list for the Cypress kid who won the British Open and the PGA (1) (Professional Graphics Adapter) An early IBM PC display standard for 3D processing with 640x480x256 resolution. It was not widely used. (2) (Programmable Gate Array) See gate array and FPGA. to make it 10 major championships in the 2000s. 3 USC FOOTBALL Still the most glamorous sports franchise in town, as long as the town isn't Pasadena. 2 OAKS CHRISTIAN HIGH FOOTBALL Forty-four wins in a row, three Southern Section titles in a row, and a chance for a fourth Friday at home against Oak Park High. USC could have used Marc Tyler on third down Saturday. And the best team in town ...? 1 UCLA BASKETBALL A run to the NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association Final last spring, a No. 1 ranking this fall. The Bruins look like L.A.'s best hope for a national title in 2007. Not bad for a football school. CAPTION(S): 5 photos Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) For this first time in four years, the USC Trojans will not be playing for a national football title. The UCLA Bruins' men's basketball team, which lost in last season's national championship game, is ranked No. 1 in the nation. Photo Above: Keither Birmingham/Staff Photographer Photo Below: Jed Jacobson/Getty Images (3 -- color) Kobe Bryant, above, has the Lakers back on the winning track after missing the playoffs in 2004-05. The men in purple and gold may not be realistic title contenders this year, but they are headed that way. Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press (4 -- color) Notre Dame-bound quarterback Jimmy Clausen, top left, has Oaks Christian of Westlake Village poised to win the Northwest Division title and probably play for the state Div. III title. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer (5 -- color) The Dodgers, bottom left, after a decade of instability under general managers Kevin Malone, Dan Evans and Paul DePodesta, seem to be returning to stable, perennial playoff contenders under Ned Colletti. Jed Jacobson/Getty Images |
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