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.

•••

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.