October is one of the best months of the year for sports. The NFL, NCAA and High School football seasons are at the midway point with some big games in October. Hockey season gets up and running and it starts to feel like autumn. The lazy days of summer are now far behind us. But, I also like October for the baseball playoffs. Big games on chilly nights in places like Boston and Philadelphia. Is there a better place for a playoff baseball game in autumn than Fenway Park in Boston. I don't think so. With that in mind, some quick thoughts on this year's playoffs.
*** The Cubs choked again. They lost in three straight and they just didn't lose, they lost badly. No all Chicago World Series again.
*** Joe Torre is one of the best managers in the game. He proved it this season moving from the Yankees to the Dodgers and may be the only manager with the personality to handle Manny Ramirez
*** Tampa Bay may not be just a flash in the pan. They went from the worst record in baseball to making the playoffs with some of the best young talent in baseball. The secret for the Rays will be keeping them together in the long run.
*** I think the Phillies are one of the hottest teams right now. I'll pick the Phils to beat the Dodgers and the Red Sox to beat the Rays.
Yes, I love football but there is something about playoff baseball that keeps it interesting for me no matter what teams are playing in October.

For the first time ever, three local college teams are in the same league when Gannon and Mercyhurst joined the PSAC and so far, it's worked out great. Gannon, winless on the field in the GLIAC last season, won three of it's first five games and Mercyhurst is also 3-2, but 2-0 in PSAC West play through the first five games of the 2008 season. It's competitive, it's interesting and I think it's only going to get better in the future. Lots of local kids dot the rosters of all three teams and it's a new era in sports that can only benefit the schools and their fans in the upcoming years.
With that in mind, we hope to start a tradition by broadcasting the three football games each season in which the local teams go head to head. This season, we will do one live game (Gannon vs. Edinboro at 2pm on Saturday October 4th) and two games on tape delay but we hope to do all the games live in the future and make a staple of local sports broadcasting. In addition, it will be another first for Lilly Broadcasting as WSEE and WICU join forces to bring you the games this season and future seasons. I am looking forward to working with Mike Ruzzi of WICU, who I have always admired since we have worked in the same market now for over 20-years and now get to use our talents and experience together. Just like the fans of the local football schools, I think it can benefit both stations and their viewers this year and in years to come.