Dan Guerrero is a smart man. The UCLA athletic director has been
seen in attendance at many non-football and basketball sporting
events, truly representing all of the school’s sports, unlike
many athletic directors across the country.
Why is that smart?
Because going to these sports is fun and relaxing.
Really, you should try it sometime; soccer and women’s
volleyball season starts this week, with men’s water polo
starting next month.
I go to as many soccer, volleyball, tennis, baseball, softball
and water polo events as I can.
I don’t go to these sports because I’m a big UCLA
fan. You will never see me camp out in front of Pauley Pavilion or
tailgate for hours at the Rose Bowl (I actually don’t like
going to the Rose Bowl, period; it’s too far away, and
there’s too much traffic).
If anything, I’m an anti-homer.
When a bad or lesser known basketball team comes to Pauley, I
find myself rooting for it, whether it’s San Diego,
Northridge or Northern Arizona.
But why do I go the games few people care about?
They’re free (for students).
Most of them are on campus, so they’re convenient to get
to.
They’re short, two hours or less with the exception of
football and baseball.
And some of the best athletes in the country and the world play
here at UCLA.
After a long day of class and/or work, there’s nothing
like winding down while watching a great game in person.
Soccer is a sport where you don’t have to follow it
intently to enjoy it, since only a couple of goals are scored each
game.
Plus, their games are played at Drake Stadium, right off Bruin
Walk.
Volleyball is the fastest paced game ever, great for
today’s generation of impatient sports fans, and the team
plays in Pauley Pavilion. Enjoy being able to get courtside seats
without camping out for a week.
Water polo games are fun to watch, since they’re like a
combination of basketball, soccer and hockey in water (go to a game
and you’ll understand), and they’re only about an hour
long.
If you’re a sports fan, you’ll like going to see
other non-traditional college sports play.
I know I do.
Ңbull;Ӣbull;Ӣbull;
The National League MVP debate shouldn’t even be a
debate.
Barry Bonds is several times more valuable than Albert Pujols,
even if Pujols wins the triple crown.
Two of the three stats of the triple crown ““ batting
average and RBI ““ are overrated when evaluating a
player’s worth.
Batting average should be replaced with on-base percentage, as
OBP correlates much more closely with runs scored for a team than
batting average. Also, by definition, on-base percentage is the
percentage of the time you don’t make an out.
RBI is largely dependent on how the hitters in front of you do,
and how often you’re pitched to in situations with runners on
base.
Slugging percentage is the better evaluator, as it factors in a
player’s power into a percentage.
It’s calculated like a batting average, except doubles are
worth two hits, triples are worth three, and home runs are worth
four.
On-base percentage: Bonds .523, Pujols .429.
Slugging percentage: Bonds .755, Pujols .678.
It’s not even close, especially when you use the super
modern fantasy baseball induced stat of OPS (on-base percentage
plus slugging).
Bonds 1.278, Pujols 1.107.
Bonds changes the way opponents pitch to his entire team. Pujols
does not.
Bonds wins.
Like the power in New York, I am out. E-mail Quinonez at
gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.