People are happier when they're naked. It's a simple fact. Probably some of your life's happiest moments occurred when you were naked.

Anger and stress come when you're at work, in traffic or doing your bills, and you're probably dressed for at least two of these. Certain medical exams aside, the less you're dressed, the less you're stressed.

I realized this at Cypress Cove Nudist Resort & Spa in Kissimmee, where I went to discuss the supposedly revolutionary concept of the Lingerie Bowl with people who long have been playing sports without any clothing. In case you can't squeeze panty-related events into your news diet, the Lingerie Bowl is a pay-per-view event in which models such as Angie Everhart will play tackle football in their bras and panties. This flesh fiesta will make its virgin appearance for $19.95 a pop during halftime of Super Bowl XXXVIII today.

Maybe I'm supposed to be offended by this exploitation of women, but all I can manage is halfhearted jealousy. These women pocket some nice money, whenever they wear some-thing with pockets, and you'll never find me breaking out the Kleenex for anyone who's richer than I am. The only thing shocking about the Lingerie Bowl is that Fox didn't come up with it years ago.

"Oh, ho hum," said Debra Peterson, marketing director at Cypress Cove. 'We've been out here [playing sports] naked for years."

Said Elf Andersen of Lake Como Nudist Resort in Land O'Lakes: "The original Olympians, they ran nude. They did everything nude; it goes back centuries."

Andersen is a former player and current cheerleader for the Buff Bowl, a nude flag-football game played by Tampa area nudists every year on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. She's taken aback at the idea of tackle football in lingerie. "Boy, they're brave," she said.

As I watch everything they have bouncing, jiggling and flying around, it seems like the nudists are the brave ones. They were out in force at the Cove last week, the older set playing energetic games of tennis and more relaxed games of petanque (kind of like boccie ball).

The slightly younger group were just lounging around at the pool after a water exercise class. Some people are totally nude, some are fully dressed, and many opted to forget their pants but wear shirts, a look usually affected by 2-year-olds who escaped while some-one was trying to dress them.

"Swimming without the restriction of a swimsuit is one of the best feelings ever," Peterson said. Carolyn Hawkins, a Cypress Cove resident and avid tennis player said playing naked is more comfortable. "If you have shorts or a shirt, it twists [and gets sweaty], like wearing a wet bathing suit," she said.

One element fostered by nude sports that's on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Lingerie Bowl is body acceptance. More than one woman said they felt better about their bodies when they were at the Cove.

"They're very relaxed; they feel safe," Hawkins said. "It's the man who wants to come out to the nudist resort, but it's the woman who wants to come back."

For the most part, the Lingerie Bowl was regarded by the nudists like Britney Spears is viewed by the musical establishment: It's a cute idea, but there's nothing like the real thing.

One woman was bothered by the exploitation factor, but mostly people were nonplussed. It's just harder to get your panties in a wad when you spend most of your time not wearing any.

By Liz Langley for Orlando Sentinel. She is a freelance writer in Orlando. She can be reached at