Phils-Braves, Plus Sixers PBP Voice Kate Scott, Flyers Legend Bob Kelly (PPR 464)

The 2021 NFL season kicks off this weekend, and who better than Eagles longtime radio voice MERRILL REESE to help us preview the Birds' first year under new head coach Nick Sirianni. Plus, BOB VETRONE JR., aka "Boop," visits to talk about sports betting, the Phillies and a whole lot more. Of course, Bill Furman and Jim "Chet" Chesko talk about Penn State's season-opening win out at Wisconsin ... and also unveil their official predictions for how the 2021 Eagles season will go!

On our show this week: PennLive.com's David Jones on the 2021 Penn State Nittany Lions and Philadelphia Eagles ... and Lehigh Valley IronPigs broadcaster Pat McCarthy on Phillies' minor-leaguers and his recent two-game stint filling in for his dad, Tom McCarthy, on Phils telecasts. Plus, we unveil our 2021 Philly Pressbox Radio Hall of Fame class ... and -- oh yeah -- the Ben Simmons mess!

Do the Phillies have what it takes to get back into serious contention for a division title? Joining Bill and "Chet" to talk all-things Phils is long-time Phils reporter and columnist BOB BROOKOVER. Plus, some Eagles talk (how 'bout that preseason loss to the Patriots?), and we unveil this year's slate of candidates for our Philly Pressbox Radio Hall of Fame.

A first for Philly Pressbox Radio: an interview with the mom of a big-league ballplayer! Stephanie Brogdon, mother of Phillies reliever Connor Brogdon, joins Bill Furman and Jim "Chet" Chesko to talk about her son's background and his rise to becoming a Major Leaguer, the emotional rollercoaster that a ballplayer's parent goes through ... and whether it might be time for baseball to go with a robo-ump behind home plate. Expect some Eagles talk, too, course ... and we have another visit from the great singer-songwriter Willie Nile, who has just released a terrific new album called "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

Bill and Chet get to talk about a first-place Phillies team and the start of what should be an interesting Eagles preseason on this edition of Philly Pressbox Radio! TOM KELLY of our Edge of Philly Sports Network cousin Pattison Ave. Phanatics makes his first visit to this show to talk all-things Philly sports. Plus, we have a conversation with the Washington Post's TRAVIS ANDREWS about how some college athletes are taking advantage of the new Name-Image-Likeness rules. Other potential topics: Why is Ben Simmons still a Sixer? What's Bobby Bowden's legacy? Why does beer taste so good on a hot day? (*Please follow Philly Pressbox Radio on YouTube if you haven't already.)

Eagles legend Bill Bradley joins Bill and Chet to reflect on 1970s-era Birds football and his excitement about Harold Carmichael's Hall of Fame induction this weekend. (Expect some great stories from "Super Bill"!) Plus, Jack Fritz of SportsRadio WIP and a co-host of the "High Hopes" podcast visits to talk about this year's up-and-down Phillies season and their trade-deadline moves.

This week, there's lots of talk about the Phillies ahead of the trade deadline, plus the latest news on the Eagles and Flyers ... and Bill and Chet visit with former CSN reporter Leslie Gudel ... discussing the N-I-L mess, and next month's Kendall's Crusade One-Armed Golf Challenge. (Technical issues forced us to scrap a planned visit with former Eagles All-Pro safety Bill Bradley.)

The Phillies are an even .500 at the All-Star break, but are they legitimate contenders? Should teams mandae players to be vaccinated against Covid-19? The Eagles are two weeks away from training camp and the 76ers have a slew of off-season decisions to make. Philly Pressbox Radio talks about those issues and many others as WIP's JAMES SELTZER makes a return visit to the show. (Bill Furman and Jim "Chet" Chesko have co-hosted this weekly podcast since 2014. Please subscribe!)

Inquirer.com sports columnist Mike Sielski makes a return visit to Philly Pressbox Radio to talk about the Philadelphia sports scene -- the good, the bad and the ugly. Plus, a preview of Mike's next book, "The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality," and Bill and "Chet" give their midseason grades for this year's Phillies and much more.

Always plenty to talk about regarding the Philly sports scene, and this week we cover as much of it as we can with long-time sports writer and reporter ED BARKOWITZ -- some sports-betting talk with Ed, also. Plus, Phillies talk with the team's "director of fun and games," JOHN BRAZER; the Phils have some cool events and promotions coming up! Also, some talk about Marc Zumoff's surprising decision to retire, the news John Facenda will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and --- oh, some beer talk as well!