A few weeks ago I wrote about what a great time of year it is to be a sports fan.  There is a compelling story every where you turn.  They can come from a plentiful list of different sports and they can surface from the high school level all the way up to the professional ranks.

Here are a few of my big hitters this week.

The Fall Classic is here and I’m sure Major League Baseball is thrilled to see the boys from the Bronx back on the big stage.  Regardless if you like the Yankees or hate the Yankees, their mystique, pay roll and history of being dysfunctional makes them the most interesting team in all of sports.

When New York makes it into the postseason and then the World Series, television ratings go up and the advertising dollars roll in.   It is a huge win for the business of baseball.

Ok, enough on the business.  How about the fact that this will be the first World Series games ever played in the “New Yankee Stadium.”  So much history ran through the old ballpark and I believe that it is one of the most important landmarks in all of American history.   Sport is an enormous piece of the American culture and Yankee Stadium was sports most recognizable arena.

It will be weird to watch the World Series in the new stadium, but I’m sure there is a lot of history waiting to be born inside of it.  The first piece of that history starts Wednesday and it will start with a bang.

For only the sixth time in Major League Baseball history, two Cy Young award winners will be matched up against each other in the World Series.  The Yankees will run CC Sabathia out to the mound while Philadelphia plans to counter with Cliff Lee in Game 1.  Sabathia and Lee were also teammates in Cleveland, how about that for a storyline.

Sticking with baseball, Morgantown native Josh Judy is pitching very well in the Arizona Fall League.  The 6’4” right hander owns a 1-1 record in 4 appearances out of the bullpen for the Peoria Saguaros.  Judy has struck out 9 in 5.2 innings of work and has not allowed an earned run.  Arizona Fall League hitters are only batting .150 against the former University High School standout and his 0.00 ERA has him tied for the league lead.

Judy pitched for the AA Akron Aeros this summer.   Akron is an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Just to compare, 2009 #1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg is also pitching in the AFL.  Strasburg is 1-1 with a 10.50 ERA.  In 2 games he has tossed 6 innings allowed 7 earned runs and 3 home runs.  AFL hitters are batting .360 off of the highly touted right hander from San Diego State.

How about the comments of Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach.  After the Red Raiders loss to Texas A&M over the weekend, Leach said: “[The coaches failed to make] our points more compelling than their fat little girlfriends. Now their fat little girlfriends have some obvious advantages. For one thing, their fat little girlfriends are telling them what they want to hear, which is 'how great you are' and 'how easy it’s going to be' and we had a bunch of people who wanted to win the football game but nobody wanted to play the football game.”

I’m sure I will get blasted for this but I am with Coach Leach.  The term “fat little girlfriends” wasn’t directed toward anyone specifically.  I hope that society understands that and gets the point. The point is that the youth of America lacks discipline and they often run to someone that will take their side, regardless if they are right or wrong.  It comes from their parents all the way down to their girlfriends or boyfriends.

Those influences care only about one person, their child or their significant other.  Those influences don’t see the big picture of the team and in turn often help produce failure for the group.  It makes you wonder how coaches like Bobby Knight made it so long and if we will ever be treated to coaches like him in the future.

Accountability is becoming a thing of the past, not only in sports but everything that is life.  I hope Mike Leach refuses to apologize, he made a great point and I for one got it.

The Mountaineers will travel to South Florida on Friday to play a huge game in the Big East Conference.  Last year while covering the Big East Baseball Tournament in Clearwater, FL I spoke with the radio guy for the Bulls.  I asked him what it was like when West Virginia came to town to play football in 2007.  He very clearly stated that the game was the biggest sporting event in the school’s history.

The Mountaineers better be ready to play because it will be another tough environment in 2009.  Hopefully, the 2009 squad can leave the Sunshine State with a big road win, a win they failed to get two years ago.

Halloween is Saturday and that also means it is Mohawk Bowl time.  The battle of Morgantown will feature a day game this time around and will be played at the new University High School for the first time.

The Morgantown High/University High football game is one of the biggest if not the biggest regular season high school football game in West Virginia each season.  With Morgantown fighting for its playoff life and University battling for seeding, it should be another great one.

Have a great week and Happy Halloween.  I think I am going to dress up as Mike Leach this year!

Send your story ideas or comments to ernie@wvradio.com.