Yes, bodies must stretch into pretzel-like shapes to make contact with the ball. Yes, the audience hears groans. Yes, sweat is constantly dripping to the floor. Yes, the athletes must run fast, jump high and hit hard. The amount of physical endurance needed to excel in volleyball is much closer to football's demands than to those of croquet.

But unless you have a knowledge of football, it is difficult to appreciate the game. Europeans hate American football. They find it slow-paced, boring, and tedious to watch. However, even the most ignorant spectator--just off the boat from Qatar--can value the action of volleyball being performed in front of him. I did.

The strong hitter provides some of the thrills with her bullet spikes. Sometimes, the ball ricochets across the net so fast that it's hard to keep track of who hit it last. Crimson senior Margaret Cheng's setting is performed so gracefully and naturally that it becomes a form of physical beauty. You don't have to be an expert in the game of volleyball to appreciate all of this.

The excitement of volleyball coupled with its demand for high athletic achievement makes the sport unique. And Harvard volleyball has both exciting plays and athletic feats.

In the past three weeks, I've seen a lot of Harvard women's volleyball games. And, to the great dismay of many, I have not quit the Crimson. In the spring, I'll make sure that the most resourceful and skilled comper gets the men's volleyball beat. The sport deserves it.

But the biggest lesson of this whole episode is that Californians may be smarter than we think they are. So when a beach bunny from San Diego giggles and asks you, "Have you seen a volleyball match today?" remember: don't laugh.