Utah Utes football: No hard feelings? Try telling that to UNLV

If you watched Hillary patch things up with Obama, and Mitt make nice with McCain, then you know this story: Bitter enemies and harsh critics can later turn as chummy as Teletubbies.

It's all about appearances. And convenience.

All that bad blood, all those nasty comments, are history. No hard feelings.

Well, maybe a few.

Leading 35-14 in the fourth quarter, the Utes unveiled a trick play when running back Matt Asiata passed to Jereme Brooks for a 32-yard touchdown. Thus, the Utes exacted revenge for last year's 27-0 loss to UNLV, winning 42-21 on Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

It might have been worse, had a 34-yard Asiata run in the final minute not been negated by a penalty.

But, of course, it was nothing personal. They took no real pleasure in it. Just business.

Even though, after last year's game, UNLV coach Mike Sanford, a former Ute assistant, said the Utes were a bunch of 'fraidy-cats.

He didn't use that term, but he did use this one in describing the 190-yard rushing day his own Frank Summers had last year: "They were avoiding trying to tackle him, no question in my mind."

That didn't sit well with the Utes, who considered the remark the next thing to calling them cowards. But quickly Sanford went into retreat mode, saying that's not what he meant. He and Ute coach Kyle Whittingham were close friends and have the greatest respect, etc.

So it was, before this year's game, no one was calling for revenge. At least not publicly. Privately it was probably a different matter. What better way to get your team ready than to dredge up old insults?

Hasn't anyone ever heard of bulletin-board motivation? It works.

Wouldn't YOU be insulted if someone beat you 27-0 and then said you looked scared out of your undies?

"We knew the guys on the Vegas team were talking a little bit. It got us hot," said Utah receiver Freddie Brown following Saturday's win. "We wanted to come out here and make sure we won."

Who knew taking care of business could feel so good?

Getting mad and getting even can be a beautiful combination.

That's one of the problems with sports — they're too much like politics. You work your guts out trying to beat the other guy's brains out, then talk like you didn't. You speak like the guy who's trying to get you fired is a close friend.