Phillies Malaise Continues while Sixers hire new Head Coach

Since returning from their West Coast Road Trip, the Philadelphia Phillies are 5-8 in their last 13 games with FIVE of those losses coming to National League East rivals: the Braves and Mets!  The Phillies are in fourth place in the NL East with a 25-31 record, just one game ahead of the last-place Washington Nationals…. The Nationals!!!! Their offense is anemic averaging only 3.8 runs per game over the last 13 games, which makes me ask AGAIN the question I asked last week in The Locker Room with Billy Schweim: Is it too early to start worrying about our Phillies yet?  Watching the Mets sweep the Phillies out of New York on Thursday was demoralizing.  Seeing Max Scherzer dominate the Phillies hitters striking out nine while only walking one in seven innings was frustrating.  The Phillies head to our Nation's Capital to face the last place Nationals and if the Phillies don’t win this series, I will really start to hit that panic button!!

The stage is set for both the NBA and NHL Championships to be decided starting this week.  The city of Miami is all a buzz with both of their winter sports teams in their respective Championships series.  Philadelphia fans know what that feels like having two of our teams in the finals but that makes me wish it was 1980 again!  That year all four of our sports' teams made it to their Championships.  Instead I have to watch former Sixers' star Jimmy Butler lead the Heat into the NBA Finals and the Florida Panthers play VEGAS in the Stanley Cup Finals.  Meanwhile, the 76ers hired their next Head Coach: Nick Nurse hopes to bring his Championship vibes to Philadelphia after saying at Thursday's introductory press conference that "I don't really vibrate on the frequency of the past...only focused on what we are trying to do moving forward".  If that means the Sixers get past the second round and compete for an NBA Championship, then Sixers' fan are on board with any vibrations and frequencies that Nick Nurse has to offer!

On Saturday’s show, Mike Carlin joins me in the studio as we will talk about the lackluster Phillies and discuss if we should start to worry.  The Heat and Nuggets are in the NBA Finals while the Sixers have hired their next Head Coach, we will discuss all things Basketball in the first hour.  In Hour Two is The Beach Patrol Report brought to you by McCann Realtors of Sea Isle City and by the OCBP Lifeguard Alumni Association.  This week we will hear from the Captain of the Ventnor City Beach Patrol Dave Funk.  Dave over the years has won several Lifeguard races rowing singles and doubles for Ventnor. 

On Sunday’s show, a very special guest is joining me in the studio: The Head coach of the St. Louis Blues and former Flyers winger Craig Berube will hang out with us!  As always Producer Danny Ryan and "The Intern" Andrew Leeds contribute with their take on the week in sports.  If you have a question for the “Chief” send us a text message at 609-403-0973 this Sunday and the Berube will answer all of your questions during the show. Plus Every Sunday we go “On the Mound” with former Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene brought to you by the John R Elliott Campaign for Designated Drivers.  Tommy recaps the Phillies NL East road trip and explain what is wrong with this offense.

All that and more this weekend in The Locker Room with Billy Schweim heard every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to Noon on 97.3 ESPN Radio South Jersey.