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It wasn't a pretty game that I saw, but it was fun. These players weren't just multimillionaires competing against other multimillionaires for this record and that ring, but rather my friends going out and playing for nothing but fun and bragging rights.

We're hearing a lot these days that baseball saved sports, and that McGwire and Sosa saved baseball. That's really sort of silly, if you ask me, because sports never needed saving. Sports aren't just the big-money temper tantrums on TV (which wouldn't have been a great loss if they weren't "saved" anyway), but also corporate league softball teams and kids playing ball in the driveway.

That's why it always surprises me that sports at Rice need so much help. At every level, we don't seem to care as much about athletic competition as we should.

At the powderpuff game, most of the fans were coaches, players or players' boyfriends. Getting enough people together to field a flag football or hockey team is often more exercise that the game itself. Even our varsity sports, except for football, hurt for an audience.

Participating in, coaching or cheering for any sport at Rice can do wonders for your stress levels, your health and your social life. I've met more people by playing sports and standing on the sideline (I'm a big sideline guy) than I have in three years of classes. A good game of basketball often helps me relieve the tension of the 80 papers I have to write.

I guess there are reasons not to participate in sports, but I refuse to listen to any of them. Most games can be explained quickly enough that you can, at least, get an idea of what you should root for.

Besides, even if you don't know the rules, your friends and fellow collegians would like to see you showing your support. You can choose not to play because you think you aren't good enough, but games at the intramural or college level aren't about how good you are, but whether you're willing to go out and have fun. Anybody who yells at you for lack of ability should be beaten in the head. As for not having enough time, most intramural sports require only a few hours a week at most.

I'm sitting here, trying to hunt and peck my way across the keyboard because four of my fingers are swollen from tossing a softball. But I traded four fingers for a clear head and some good time under the sun with some good friends (who, by the way, I met playing Ultimate and freshman football). It seems a good trade-off to me. I wonder why so few Rice students agree with me.

And, by the way, both the Broncos and Lovett's powderpuff team won.

Zach Bonig is a Lovett College senior.

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the October 16, 1998 issue.