The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Anything Goes Friday! Rockets Fall in OT vs 76ers, Face Pistons Tonight

Episode Date: January 23, 2026

Anything Goes Friday! Rockets Fall in OT vs 76ers, Face Pistons Tonight

is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. In H-Town. Good morning, and welcome to a Friday edition on the Matt Thomas show with Ross from Detroit. This is Sports Talk 790. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I take long showers. Lots of things get accomplished in there. I sing.

I think about the show. I think about the Rockets. And that should do it in terms of, the things I think about in the shower. Hi, everybody. Hi, Ross. How the hell are you? I'm great. I'd be doing even better if you never mentioned yourself in the shower ever again. All right. That feels fair. Hey, Matt. Hi, Ross.

Happy Friday. Yeah, a real happy Friday. Happy freeze coming Friday. Oh, my God. It's 19 degrees here in Detroit. I got the pre-freeze. Oh, you already got that Arctic wind. It's already there. Oh, yeah. So we land in Detroit and I'm going to tell you something. And all of us have done this before at some point in our life. When that wind hits you and that cold hits you, oh, I'm sorry, it's not 19 degrees.

It's two degrees right now. Oh my God. It's like somebody strikes you across the face. Now it won't get that cold in Houston this weekend. But yeah, we're getting some freeze. But yeah, it's currently two degrees, 12% chance of snow. and it says zero inches expected. Imagine that.

Feels like a minus 17 here. Well, feels, whoa, that wind is whipping. You're all right? You got your scarf? You know what? I needed a scarf. And I should have taken a scarf from you. I should have borrowed one from you.

I'm going to. You're a real man, Matt. Come on. Real men don't wear scarves. But I mean, the problem is one scarf being going to solve two degrees. It's just not. It's not going to hurt.

It'll keep you warm. Yeah, but it's going to make me look like, is that a weirdo with a scarf on? Yeah. You didn't see anybody wearing a scarf, any male or female. Not in the rocket strip. Kevin Durant not wearing a scarf. Clemella not wearing a scarf.

Actually, NBA players very fashion forward, so I feel like somebody had to be wearing a scarf. Yeah, I was at international players. Kla, Shingoon, they're all scarf-wears. Us regular guys, we don't wear scarves. But you know what? I'm going to do it next time. Next time I head out to the east or somewhere cold.

I'm going to borrow a sports rvy. I'm going to assume it's going to be some sort of soccer scarf. Would that be the case? I'm not giving you my soccer scarves. No. What if I dry clean it? No. I thought you were going to get that Burberry cashmere one.

I'm trying. I'm trying. So not only did we lose, but the game went to overtime and it's cold. And this hotel we're in has the thinnest walls I have ever been in my entire life. saying how thin are they? I knew you were saying that. I can hear the room next to me. You know we have a shower curtain?

You can hear the shower curtain moving, opening and closing. I can hear the shower curtain. Huh. What else do you here? There is no way the person in the room next to me is not going to hear this entire show today, at least from my perspective. Well, you should thank them. They should be, or they should thank you, I should say.

Yeah, I'm going to give them midday entertainment here in the Detroit metropolitan area. They should pay for your lunch. they should and how about this when i wake the strippers up in a couple of hours oh hell all right ross all right man let's get to let's get to what was the uh what was last night in philadelphia or the city was not giving any brotherly love out um i mean you want to talk about the game i'm not that worried about it it obviously hurts and it stings but the sixers are a good team. Tyrese Maxie's really good.

Joel Embed, even though he moves like he's 65, he's still really good and skilled. Triple double last night, I think. He had a 30 point triple double. Rockets shoot 12 of 24 from the free throw line.

Let me try to remember how things went on the post game show. I named if any one of these things went in the Rockets favor that didn't. 12 of 24 from the free throw line. One of 10 from 3 from Jabari Smith Jr. Only 22 of 45 in the paint.

How many bunnies were missed last night, Matt? I mean, it felt like a lot. Too many. I was throwing pens and hitting people in my area where I was calling the game. Alperin Shingoon went 5'14. I am way more emotional this year than I ever had been before. That's because they're actually expectations, I think. I think you're right.

I mean, I wasn't emotional. Now, look, when the Rockets were winning 60 games a year with Chris Paul and James Hart, it wasn't emotional. But for some reason, I am just, I'm losing my, you know what, with every call. guess that's good because it gives me fire and passion for the game, but bunnies, free throws, turnovers are

a part of the game. Rockets are going to turn them all over a lot. They're just going to change. Yeah, well, it's not Armani Brooks and Bruno Fernando out there, so you got a little extra juice on the call, Matt. I know. I know. Okay, what was I doing going with? Oh, 24 points, let me make sure this is correct. Yeah, 24 points giving up off

turnovers. That can't happen. Bad turnovers and overtime. of foul from Kevin Durant in overtime. Too many points in the paint for the Philadelphia 76ers as well. Any of those things you turn around just literally a scosh because they went 12 or 24 from the free throw line

in regulation. They didn't shoot a free throw in overtime. Make one of those. Make two of them. Two. I'll take two. Yeah, you know, it's funny, you can't teach free throws. I mean, what does he, May I doking or go in there and say, can you get to the line and start bouncing it this way or start forming.

I mean, wow. These guys have been shooting free throws for 15, 16, 17 years of their life. You've got to have some level of concentration, focus, form, consistency. Now, again, I'm not watching every outbring shingoon free throw, but my question is, I guess I am literally watching every one of them. Is there a hitch in it? Is there something that's inconsistent?

I'm going to have to pay more attention to that tonight here in Detroit. great. I don't know what's going on or what's going on with his form, but it's just been consistently up and down his entire life. And it's, it's maddening. But it wasn't just him. I mean, Clint Capella going over two, that's not shocking. I love you, Jabari. You're such a good dude. We love Jabari. I've been defending him on social media. It's not going so hot right now. I understand. Defending he made, well, I'm not even really defending him a doca, but Adoka is getting crushed on the Rockets' Twitter right now too. for what

not using reading the overtime I guess correct Reed Shepard the greatest rocket of all time IMA

ad doca needs to be fired for not putting Reed Shepard there are literally people calling for email the doka to be fired because he didn't use

a backup in overtime when generally you go with all five starters yeah and I understand why people are upset the hot hand I really enjoy watching

you read when he gets on these rolls where he puts up three, four baskets in a short period of time. He did that again last night with a pair of threes. I mean, you know, by the, was a huge part of the reason why the Rockets were able to get out to that nine point in the fourth quarter. There's just some defensive issues. And

I've got to tell you, folks, and I know that we don't spend a lot of time breaking down the opponents. Tyrese Maxie, I don't know what his success rate was from the top of the key to the lane, but I'm going to put it last end about 99 percent because once the ball got in his hand at the top of the key no matter what guard was on him

he went to the left hand he went to the backboard he went and laid it up like there was nobody in his way and i thought last night to me the defensive breakdowns were as big as the miss free throws were as were as big as the turnovers were and i think was also exposed last night is that you don't have an elite ribrim protector somebody that can come and shore that up when your guys are getting broken down on the perimeter, which doesn't happen a lot. You know, you got them in and you got Okogi's good, and Durant can hold his own, Tari Isson, et cetera. But when it does happen, there's just not a lot of rim protection behind them.

Yeah. So, yeah, a tough loss last night, and the jury fissons are excellent. I mean, they're really, really, really good. They're, what, 32 and 10 on the year? And they got guys that can beat you up. Now, Kate Cunningham is questionable for tonight's game, which would be a good science. He's one of the elite guards in the league, so he didn't play the night against New Orleans.

I don't know if he's going to play tonight, but they still have got a lot of different folks that help the cause. Jayland Duren's a big presence, and he can bang a little bit. And, yeah, the Rockets, I mean, the reality is this, and I don't know what Stephen Adams' future is for the rest of the season. I'm not saying there's not a lot of sunshine and rainbows

when the name is brought up, but they're going to have to do something. They're going to do something because the low-block game, and the rebounds are still there. I mean, the M.N. Thompson tapouts, the Javari Smith, it just feels like to me that when the rockets are not playing at their best, and look, we're just talking about a one game sample size from last time. I mean, they have one, they did win four to five at home. But even the mid-range stuff, it's just not leaving the hands off of some of these guys particularly easy.

And I'm not trying to point out Jabari individually, but it's just he can get into a rut where he's trying to shoot himself back into a game. And unfortunately, it takes these slumps for him to endure before he finally. comes through and comes through a game like he had, you know, maybe earlier in the week against some of their teams of the Rockets had when they were at home. And yeah, as he's been struggling, teams have been helping off of him. They have been daring him to shoot. So he needs to hit not only to put points up on the board, he needs to hit to help the health, the overall health of the offense. Like when he hits those, it's going to help those drivers. They're not going to be helping off of Alperin Shingoon or Kevin Durant and doubling those guys. And because

it goes twofold. You, you, you, you, you, hurt the effectiveness of Kevin Durran and Alperin Shungoon because they're getting double teamed and then you're missing. So it just compounds and makes things worse. It really is strange to say this. Jabari Smith's efficiency makes Kevin Durant and

Alprininin's indefinitely better. Because I think a men's going to get his shots no matter what. I mean, he's going to penetrate the lane. He's going to Eurostep his way. He's going to find the dunker spot. He's going to get offensive rebounds. He's going to be a part of a fast break. It's Jabari is kind of the

the wild card in this whole thing. Yeah. So he's got to be better. All right. On the radio show today, we will have, I'm sorry, he's coming up at 1130. We have a ex-professional football player going to say sorry to a Houston Texan. Hmm. Okay.

How about that? We have the news at noon. We have, E. Mae Doca is going to join us at 1 o'clock today here on the radio show. We've got now in Florida stories, and we have hell yeah or not. We've got some news on the college football playoff that just came down within the last hour. We'll talk about that. And we're going to get into Rossi. When are the CJ Stroud Photoshop's going to end?

Oh my God. Please stop sending this to me. Now. It's ugly. It's bad. He's getting crushed. And I'm trying to put a comp on it for a recent Houston athlete. And I'm not finding one.

We'll get to all that. I can think of somebody. Oh, you can't go. When we come back. Oh, I like the cup. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. It is in anything goes Friday.

Anything you want to talk about. We'll discuss it here on Sports Talk 790. 713-212-5-790. I'm supposed to hate this song. Damn it, Matt. I'm supposed to despise this song. But it's so freaking catchy. So good.

Everybody for Philadelphia. So good. 76. Mm. Stop your feet. Everybody. This song's got to be 50 years old, right? Rossi is somewhere in that range?

I'm going to guess. Turn this up thing. I mean, listen to this stuff. I guess the people going. I mean, this is like Ringo Starr wrote this. Oh, wow. And I can say that because I'm a big Ringo Starkin. But I know the greatest lyrics is tough there.

I want to live in an octopus's garden. Don't even start with me. Oh, sorry. Okay, so this is like hearing sweet Caroline at a Red Sox game. They only play this when they win. Yeah. It's a jam. You know what?

We need Jonathan's perspective. Turn it up a little bit more. Then Jonathan, give it a little of listening. Oh, it's a funky breakdown too. Yeah, this is me. I like this. There we go. Someone's given that Fat Albert type of intro music.

Yes. Yeah. Minutes of Bill Cosby allegations, yeah. well it's like a bunch of guys outside in Philadelphia on a snowy rainy day they're warming of a fire and they're around the trash canad it's on fire

and they're singing this song speaking of which this made me think of how the Rockets use tops drop Matt of course your favorite fat pat song what when they win they do yes and then it also made me think

now we called out the Spurs when they were ripping off the light, the beam thing. Yeah. But now we have something here in Houston. What is it called, by the way? I don't even pay attention because I'm always interviewing my interview of the winds. I don't even know what they're doing. It's like I launched the rocket.

So now after the games. Yeah. Now, what do they do in the, what is the one in the spurs when they hit the button? It's disinfect the riverwalk? It's served Mexican food? Yeah. I think that's it. By the way, when I was a kid, I thought San Antonio

the best Mexican food ever. It's garbage. It's Wagovi injections for all the, everyone in the arena. Oh, you hear that Spurs? That was from Charles. That was Spurs Nation. That was sports. Irney. All the women are big, Ernie.

What do they do now? I forget. No, what do they spurs do? They bang the drum. Do they not? Oh, they bang the drum. That's what it is. Because they started light the beam with the Kings.

That was great. Spurs are banging the drum. And now the rockets are like launching the rocket or something like that. They hit the button and then all the exhaust comes out. Yeah, they've been trying to use that exhaust for like a year now. They've been trying to figure out a way to effectively use it so they're trying this. Yeah, it's cool. I mean, it's fine.

It's a rip-off. How are we feeling about it? I would say this. It doesn't bother me because, again, I'm not paying attention to it. But it probably needs to be done a little faster. Like, you know, Vanessa talks to the player of the game. And that goes for about two minutes, two and a half minutes. and then they have to set it up.

I mean, it feels like you've got to do it almost like right away. Yeah. Well, it does take time because everybody leaves. Right. Yeah. They did the hugged hugs and all that kind of thing. Yeah. Yeah.

And then the interview and then they, I don't know, the light, the ignition or whatever. I don't know what you would call it. I mean, how many people that go to the games go, oh my God, I can't believe they're doing what's in with Sacramento's. Who know? I don't know. I'm just saying.

It's just, it's. The endgame experience, by the way, it does feel elevated. Yeah. Because, I mean, I would. was like we were talking to Gretchen Scheer before the Rockets president of business. Business. Thank you. Right. Right.

And I was like, yeah, in-game experience. She was talking about all these bells and whistles. And I don't know, I guess I would liken it to like when you're living in a bachelor's pad and then the girlfriend comes over and like puts up these nice towels in the bathroom. You're like, oh, you don't need all this. But then afterwards, you're like, you know what? This is kind of nice. Well, I think, yeah.

In the last 30 years of the NBA, you just can't put the game out there. Yeah. You got to have the free throw shooter. You got to have the mascot. You got to have the hot dancers. You got to have the half-court he, which, by the way, I think the Rockets are giving away $25,000 like every other game.

We got some good shooters in this town sports. We do. We can hit some half-quarters. Yeah. You know, yeah, you have to have everything. Everything has to happen at a timeout. The average person, what they want you to do is they want you to keep your eyes on the court. And as soon as there's a timeout, you've got nothing going on.

Guess what people do? they put their heads down and go right to their phones. Yeah. I'm trying to stay present at these things, Matt. Put the phone away. Yeah, but you're different because you're a working member of the media. You have a computer in front of you. You're checking out what's happening around the league.

You don't want to go as a fan. Yeah, I haven't gone as a fan. Trying not to get on Twitter fights in the middle of the game. Is that what you're doing? Who you're fighting with? I'm not fighting with anybody, but the Udoca haters are out. Like, people are acting like he's a completely in-compet. competent coach.

That's ridiculous. It's the internet. Yeah, I mean, I'm not going to let Rocket Fan OO tell me or whatever. You know, I don't even know this or not. I will say, like, I will roundly dismiss Davis Mills needs to be out there. I'm not going to roundly dismiss that Reed Shepherd should get some looks in overtime because, I mean, he's the best shooter. He's the best shooter on the Rockets, not named Kevin Durant. Right.

Yeah, eight turnovers last night for Katie. not happy with his performance. 36 points on 21 shots. I mean, they're not anywhere close to that game if he is not going off the way you did. No chance. No. Again, I can get upset. I can get frustrated. This team's just going to turn the ball over a lot.

It is what it was. For all the amazing things this team does where Kevin Durand is as efficient as shooters for any 37-year-old in my life. I mean, he's every bit as efficient as LeBron. It was at 37, right? As from scoring for sure. If not even. I mean, LeBron hasn't even been a good defender for like five, six years. Yeah.

So, all right, we're going to go to the phones when we come back. It isn't anything goes Friday. Ross, explain the essence to this great 10 o'clock audience. By the way, I love when you 10 o'clockers tell me you guys are 10 o'clockers. Oh, I know. It means so much to us. It warms my heart. The cockles of your heart?

Sure, why not? You ever hear that? What is exactly a cockle? I don't want to hear anything about any cockles. All right, let's move on. Don't you hear that phrase? Stop. Anything goes Friday.

713-2-1-2. Yeah, we have the power to shut you off, Matt. That's true. 7-13-21-2-5-79. Anything you want to get to. Do real men wear scarves. 7-1-3-21-2-5-7-90. You got the freeze coming in.

Matt, I know you know how to tell people how to wrap their pipes, right? No, my wife did it. Oh. So your wife wraps your pipes. She's done it for almost 30 years. 713 212 570 take care of your pets too

folks we have the freeze coming in you got the rockets losing last night to the Philadelphia 76ers how incompetent is EMAidoca 713 212 5790

Matt mentioned some big college football news we need to get to as well and when will the C.J. Stroud memes stop 713 And you have a cop by the way you said on the Oh yeah we were supposed to get to that yeah we got to pay off on our

Bro we got three and a half hours We got four hours to fill We're going to get to it. All right, we'll go on the phones next. 713, 212-5-790. Matt, here in Detroit, Ross back in Houston. We thank you so much for being on 10 o'clocker here on Sports Talk 790. I think Rossi, when I travel on the league,

we need to play music in the city I'm in because in my hotel, when you get off from the second floor, there's a portrait of Aretha Franklin. Oh, really? Yes. The Queen of Soul. I will, I'll put it, I took a photo of it. I'll put it on Twitter in a second. Oh, you should. You put it on your Instagram, Maddie. Come on.

You think so? Am I getting rid of the X going to the IG? I mean, no, you can do both. All right. Yeah, it's, she's awesome. And I mean, one of the greatest all of all time. And not technically under Motown artists, I believe, correct? She was, I believe, Atlantic Records. Yeah.

Don't make me look this up. But correct, not a Motown Records artist, but Detroit is Motown. and she was from Detroit. Yeah. Or at least, I mean, that maybe not from Detroit, but I think came up out of Detroit. What did she has to do with Detroit? This is from Memphis.

Madonna was here from here. Bob Seeger is from here. I mean, this is, I mean, great music town. Eminem. Kid Rock. Matter of fact, we'll play some Eminem coming out of the next break. You ready for that? Kid Rock?

I don't know their songs, but. Oh, yeah. Atlantic and Columbia Records. Of course, we all knew that. So I'm prepping for tonight's game. I got to do double duty here because, again, we got here at 2 o'clock in a morning, so I'm kind of having to sleep, wake up, work with you,

and do this, get ready for the game tonight. Get the old box score of the Rockets' Pistons game. This was the second game of the year. The Rockets got a technical foul for too many players on the court. You don't see that very often. Oh, when did that happen? Game two of the year? Oh, you mean back earlier in the year?

Yeah, in October, yeah. Too many points. I got you. Okay, I don't really remember that. I thought you were saying it happened last night. I was like, I don't remember that. No, no, no, no, no. No.

could have used a six player. By the way, one more thing, we go to the phones. The NBA is going to have to do something about the goaltending because Kevin Durant did goaltend. You had Durant and Thompson at the rim, and I thought I called it as Thompson, but it was actually Durant that was the one that pinned it against the backboard. You are allowed to block a shot that hits a backboard,

but the ball hits a backboard first, then you cannot block it. Yeah, then it's a goaltend, and that was a miss. But also, there's a lot of NBA riders, this game should be over. Well, no, it would have been Rockets ball with three seconds left. It wouldn't have been over necessarily. Correct. But it was a big miss.

Number one there. Number two, what was I going to say? Oh, we were talking about lack of rim protection. Stephen Adams, I thought, was sorely missed last night, and I think that's going to be the case for the next couple of months. And then number three, what we were supposed to pay off on? Oh, the comp. A Houston player.

So we're talking about C.J. Stroud is getting annihilated on social media. Like yesterday. Oh, my God. there was a CJ Stroud Jabari-Smith comp, and it was terrible. It was terrible. Oh, I saw that, too. Not good. Come on, gang.

We've got to be nicer. Yeah, the last Houston sports figure I can remember being a national punchline like this would be James Harden. Oh, about him being at the strip club. Playoff, James Hardin. Yeah, in the fat suit and the rolling of the eyes. It was, yeah. Yeah. And then before that, maybe Matt Schotton.

and his pick sixes? I don't know. I got news for you. CJ may be wearing this for a while. Until like the playoffs next year. That's what it's going to take to prove it. I mean, everybody, that's what's going to happen. He could throw 50 touchdowns in the regular season. That'll be people saying, uh, prove it to show being the playoffs.

Yep. Let's go to our buddy at KSO here on Sports Talk 790 at 1037. Ksoe, good morning. What's going on? Good morning, guys. Proud 10 o'clock are here. Woo! I wanted to call in and get things started on on anything news Friday. But last night, I think was pretty apparent about how bad refereeing in the NBA can be.

I think you guys just mentioned it. I think there should have been two not shot clock. Goaltending in the game. And actually hearing Ross say that there had been three seconds on the clock, probably would have worked out in Houston's favor compared to going. on overtime and all that other stuff that ended up costing them the game. But what I wanted to talk about or bring up a point is I've noticed that this team without Stephen, without Fred, they either succeed or they don't succeed in a game depending on two players that have it or don't have it that day.

And it's either Jabari or Reed Shepard. and the games where we see Reed go off in the fourth quarter, rockets are usually in that game or they're going to win it. And I've noticed this pattern where, you know, EMA is not going to start Reed anytime soon for all the reasons you guys listed. But he's kind of using him as a closer, like almost like they put him in the fourth quarter, and he just kind of goes off. I think last night he had 14 points.

Nine of those came in the fourth quarter. So, I mean, I kind of like this. this identity that he's going to be, you know, given this year is we need obviously some shooting and this whole, you know, break the defense off the dribble and get to your actions quick type of guy in the fourth quarter. You know, I really like that. I really wish we would see more of that. I understand he wasn't on the O.T for obvious reasons, but I kind of like this fourth quarter read we're seeing because, I mean, he's just going off. And my Jabbar thing is he's just, he's just, he's probably one of my favorite players on the team.

I always feel so bad for the guy, for the kids, whenever things aren't going to his lay. You know, I really, really want him to succeed. And I think to his detriment, you know, the Rockets will probably look at moving maybe Tari Easton before the deadline or striking up a sign-and-trade deal because when I see Tari on the court, when he's in the game, he is so, he's ready to go.

He wants to play. He wants to start. when I see him not playing, I can kind of see, you know, a little bit of attitude. And I really like Tari, too, but I feel like he might be a casualty of a trade for this season without having any point card help or rent protection or anything like that. But I just wanted to chime that in. And thank you guys and have a great weekend. Stay warm. Thank you.

Appreciate it. It may stay warm, whether you're here in Detroit or back home. Look, and I would, something I can tell you, something like can't, but I can tell you, I don't feel the trade wins for the Rockets Rossi, and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I think the Rockets are leveraged in their draft situation, not draft, in their salary situation. Tari can be a restricted free agent the end of the year,

which means if he was to get moved, any team could obviously resign him, but he can also test the waters, and then that team would have a chance to match the contract. I mean, the Rockets tried to lock him up before the start of the season, and he thought the money wasn't good enough. So I don't know. I don't know if Tari's injury history is going to play a lot of that.

I'm not saying that Tari's out there. I mean, I have not heard anything significant. And look, I comb the rumor streets. I'm a big rumor monger when it comes to trades. And I don't hear much buzz at all about anybody on the rocket side, honestly. I don't think that's very likely. I don't know that they want to move on from Tari Isson. Even Adoka, I think.

I mean, he played him all five minutes in overtime. I think he loves Tari Isson and what he brings is actually on the defensive side. So I think they like Tari. I don't know if they'd move on from him. How much money is he even making that he could even get you something significant back in a trade? I mean, I have to pull up the Rockets payroll, but it just doesn't seem like that would be that attractive and he's a key piece. I just, it feels like they're going to have to dance with who they brought because of, as you mentioned, the cap situation. and a lack of wiggle room

unless you can find somebody that wants a Fred Van Vleet. Tari Easton's only making $5.6 million right now. Makes it easy to trade, but what are you going to get back in return? That would be significantly better than what Tari's giving. Tari gives you multiple positions. He defends very well. Three-point shot has fallen him for a little bit,

but it's still above average compared to where he was last year. Yeah. You can't, Doreen Philly Smith, you don't know about whether the ankles going to hold up. I don't think if you're the Rockets and you want to win, moving Tarisans is going to necessarily be a better thing for. What are you looking for?

Yeah. I don't know. You're going to have to find somebody with like a tanking team with a piece. I know it was a rumor out there. Chris Haynes had the rockets interested in New Jose Alvarado. It doesn't make a lot of money. It's guaranteed for next year.

That'd be nice. but that has I guess that's been quashed since that originally came out again okay I'd love for Raffeld to tell me but Raffel's not going to tell anybody I mean I wouldn't tell anybody I think trades are supposed to be secret for a reason you know you don't want to be because again if you if you if you throw a name out there and the player finds out I mean Tari you know is an emotional kid and I'm sure and I'm not talking about any of these guys if they hear their names out that's that's not going to build what the Rockets are trying to create here at this point yeah

I don't know. We'll see. But I've been shocked before. Yeah. It's not going to say shocked, but it's going to be very, very difficult for them to make an impact type of trade for this team. And I think they love Tari Isson's defense.

And as you saw with him being on the floor in overtime over Reed Shepard, you have a defensive-minded head coach who prioritizes defense. The reality is, and I'm a look, I am growing. with affinity for Reed every time you play, especially with this little offensive firepower. He's coming off on the bench lane games. I mean, he scored, I think, in the last two games, Rossi.

I want to say 20, 21 points in the fourth quarter of the last two games. I mean, instant offense, especially in tight games, you'll take, and he was a huge part of the reason why the Rockets came back and beat the Spurs Internight. But defense does matter. And Tyrese, I'm not saying it was Reed's fault exclusively, but Tyrese Maxie, and he's a hard enough got to stop to begin with. You've got to put your best defensive group out there to try to at least, contain him.

Problem was it wasn't just Tyrese Maxi. You had Joe L. Ambide and I know there's people saying as a foulbator. Well, that's what Joe Al-Mbead's been since he's been in the NBA. That just is what it is. But Paul George hitting some key clutch three-pointers. That's an old team that got the, manse taking their vitamins or something before the game because they had tremendous energy in the fourth quarter of that game last night.

Yeah. As you mentioned, it was their five starters. against your five starters plus Eason. And Reechepard can cook and he does well but usually I mean those are in bench minutes against backups. And a lot of times when people are pointing out as plus minus and stuff like that. Well yeah, at the end of the games, Udoca also plays him offense and defense.

So to where he's on an offense possessions and if he can help it have him off on defense possessions, that's a great way to help your plus minus, Matt. If you never give up, you're never on the court on defense. Your plus minus is going to be pretty good. Yeah. All right. Matt and Ross with you here on sports. Sports Talk 790. Thank you 10 o'clockers for being a part of this show.

We look forward to the 11 o'clock hour. We will have I'm Sari's coming up at 1130. We will go with a celebrity edition of I'm Saurys, including a former NFL quarterback apologizing to the current Houston quarterback. 713212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. I'm here in Detroit, Ross, back in Houston Rockins and Pistons tonight at 6 o'clock right here on Sports Talk 7.90. I want to save me. Stop holding your breath.

And you think I'm crazy. Yeah, you think I'm crazy. I want to defame, but not to cover a new sweet. Oh, well, guess beggars can't be choosy. Is this song on my iPhone? Yes or no, excuse me. No. That's my.

You're right. because my ego inflated when I blew see, but it was confusing. Matt and Ross with you here in Detroit. Really crazy. Go back to the phone a second. You know, Charles Barkley is probably, I mean, I know that you can't compare apples and oranges here. But his career as a broadcaster and entertainer is every bit as good as he was as a player, right? I think it is.

The greatest. TV pundit of all time? Because he was the greatest 6-4 rebounder in the history of the NBA. Now there's a lot of six-four rebounders, but there are a round mound of rebound. A large, distinguished career, points,

rebounds, technical fouls, throwing in MVP windows in Orlando. I mean, you went you went in, I believe just about every MVP ever is in the Hall of Fame pending Derek Rose. Yeah. but he's so exceptional as a television pundit, as you would say. But he's a contradiction on the daily.

So he signs the deal to stay with inside the NBA, it's MSPN. And the first thing he says is, I'm not going to work all the time. I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to go on SportsCenter. I'm not going to get on get up. I'm not going to go on first take. I'm just going to just do it when I want to do it because I'm getting older and I want to not do as much television.

So the inside of the NBA has only been on a few times since the start of the NBA season on ESPN. And yesterday he's out complaining about that they've not been on as much as they wanted to be. He thirsts for the microphone as often and as much as fans thirst for him to be on the microphone. Quote, we've complained. We've only been on ESPN four times in three months.

He's just a contradiction. I mean, he's a guy that, he's like a boxing, He's like Sugar Red Leonard, retire like five or six times. Or that's anybody complain about our jobs. Like, man, they have me working too much. And then when you have nothing, well, you know what? I go there and I got nothing to do. Correct.

Or, man, they don't call me on these things. Yeah. It's a great show. It's still got its fastball. It hasn't changed it all in my mind for me when I went from TNT to ESPN. But it's just curious that I'm going to retire. He's only retired from television three or four times. And it comes back because the money is excellent.

They love him. They treat him out. they give him a schedule he wants and then the schedule he wants he's not happy with i just thought it was interesting that he's he's a contradiction when it comes to because he misses it and he'll always miss it that's why charles is never going to retire from television he likes to have his name out there he just does and i'm i'm here for it i enjoy it yeah i haven't i don't even know how much i've watched inside the NBA well the problem is because you know why you haven't watch is because it's been so inconsistent. I mean,

I don't know what it's on. That's the one thing about this new television deal. Now, again, it's literally, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, really ridiculously rich people, right? But the byproduct of it is, it's hard to find games. You have some on Amazon, some on, uh, peacock, you got some on NBC, you got some in ESPN and the schedule is like every Thursday, Rossi, you and I have grown up for 30 years, Thursday night's TNT doubleheader, right?

Yeah, you get, you, it's routine. I don't know who's playing, but I'm going to flip it on TNT, and, and, and, and see who's playing. Correct. Right. Because now it's going to be a big game. Yeah.

So, yeah, it's hard to find it. But they need to be on more. No, they don't need to be on every week. But people enjoy that show. It's always clever. Now, I'm not going there for my analysis, but it's always clever. Generally funny and entertaining, yeah.

Yeah, we just don't have enough clever television. And Shaq, you can't understand a word he says, and that's fine. but the camaraderie those those four gentlemen have on there is it's television gold and it's been you know I would probably put in front of college game day as the best

all time pre half and post show in television history yeah I just got I don't I'm still getting a handle on what days is what as Mondays is Peacock and Tuesdays is NBC now that the calendar has turned and college football is gone away and the NFL's running out of they're now adding games

okay Prime has had games this week. It had a triple header on Friday or something. It's inconsistent. Yeah. The easiest thing you can do is go to your ESPN. You can't. It's not possible.

It's not possible. Let's go to our friend Yankees, Keith, on 7-90 at 1057. YK, good morning to you. Well, I just got another prediction, correct. The wise old black man, Paul Jesse Mentor as the Ravens' new coach. two weeks ago. Matt, that is correct. I have it in my document on January 6th.

He said, Jesse Mentor will be the Baltimore Ravens next head coach. All right, since that is accurate, YK, wise old black man. What would you like to tell us here in the final minute of this first hour of the Matt Thomas showed Ross? Okay, I got five more predictions. Matt Stafford, MVP, Mike Brable, coach of the year, Rams, beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Stafford, I believe, is the odds on favorite. Yeah, you're not getting credit for Stafford,

and you're not getting credit for Reble either, sorry. Okay, how about Rams beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl? I will give you props on that if it happens. And yeah, Ravel's the minus 285 favorite for Coach of the Year. I got one for you, Keith. It's going to be really cold this weekend in Houston, and there's going to be some ice issues probably just north of us. Okay, wait a minute.

Wait. No, hold on, hold on. I got two more, because I wrote these down from Keith. You said Katie is going on IR and the Rockets will not make the playoffs. I didn't say that. Yes, you did. I wrote it down. No, I said if he does go on IRR.

No, you said he is going on IR. Oh, no, no, don't make us pull up the tape. Okay. All right, well, then I'll stick by that. Okay, you also said the Rockets, two Rockets will make the All-Star Team, KD and Amin Thompson. That's TBD. right? That's also correct.

That's also correct. Now, can I ask a question? Go ahead. Hello? All right. Now, I know that that somebody's going to get traded from the rocket between now and the trade

deadline. If I'm guessing, if I'm procrastinating, I'm going to say it's Jabari Smith. I don't know who they're going to get for him, But I think he's the first person that I think would be traded. Or they're going to package Jabari Smith and Tari for somebody really good. I don't know who. I have no idea.

But that's my prediction. You're saying Jabari and Tari are traded for an impact player. Or somebody really good, but I don't know who. You write all this down. This is great. Yeah, you go ahead, put that in ink. He can't back off of that one. doesn't happen. Oh, I love this.

Keith, I don't think you're right, but you did give us the new head coach of the Baltimore Raven, so I will give you props on that. I think it was about five in a row, man. He's getting track. No, because the Yankees winning the World Series

was in there somewhere. Oh, sorry about that. Sorry, ooh, sorry. Yeah, there's always next year. Thank you, Keith. second hour the Matt Thomas show Get your ass beat by the Dodgers again Oh yeah

The Dodgers are going to win the next seven world series Rice Ross I mean right They can lose a DS they did in 22 They were they were probably the best team in baseball in 22 You can lose a five game series in baseball And I'm just holding out hope Toronto went to seven with the Dodgers It's anybody's series

Even if you're stacking up salaries left and right With Ross I'm at second hour Matt Thomas show with Ross begins in a matter of moment. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. I'm in Detroit, Ross back in Houston. As an anything goes Friday, 7-1-3-21-2-5-7-90 is how you reach a show today. 7-1-3-1-2-5-7-90. A couple of college notes for you.

Our Cougar update brought to you by our friends, the Joint Chiropractor, the official chiropractor of University of Houston Athletics. The Cougars game tomorrow has been moved to 1 o'clock in Lubbock. Game Day is going to be there. it feels like to me every college game in America is being shifted. So if you're a fan of a particular team, I know University of Texas playing probably UTRGV tomorrow, Ross.

It's Georgia, top 25, Georgia. Georgia. But the Cougar game tomorrow got moved to 1 o'clock in Lubbock. So everybody's worrying about the weather. And it's smart. Everybody's moving things around. Are you all favor tomorrow? At home for Georgia?

I don't see a line. probably not. George is in the top 25, you know. Uh-oh. SEC's tough. Best basketball conference in the land. It's not as tough as Big 12, but that's, I'm just saying. All right.

A couple other things. Staying on college. CFP is going to stay at 12 teams for next year. Yes. Thank God. I'm really happy about that. I don't think it's going to stay that way. I think there's probably too much bickering between the SEC and the Big Ten

about what they're going to do ultimately in that. If there is anything I would change for next year, having the second round at home sites too, they're not going to do it, but it's if the college football playoff world could realize what tremendous buzz there is, having those top four teams have a home game, it's incredible to me. I just, the first round had great energy to it. Why don't get one more round of that? Money.

I forget it. Check. Money. Money. Money, money, money. Because you've got to incorporate the bowls. Yes. So, because those bowls, those are the big money spending bowls.

They need good teams there. You can't bring Western Michigan to the cotton bowl. You can't cut that chick. That chick-fil-a peach bowl didn't pay for itself. No. I mean, you can only give somebody nuggets away. And then one of the thing, there is a head coaching spot open in Buffalo, right? Because Shaw McDermic got fired earlier this week.

Yes. applying for the job and being interviewed today is Philip Rivers There's got to be no way I mean I could say no way But this is like This is like Josh McCown getting interviewed in Houston right He's only been a high school

His only Experience Yes yes It makes me feel less bad now The Texans become an international punchline When they interviewed Josh McCown Well I mean the Colts were a punchline When Jeff Saturday replaced

Whoever the he fired That's true That was at least mid-season. Who did he replace? I forgot. It was that guy, Chuck Pagano? No. Chuck Mangione?

Eric Mangione? No. There's somebody more famous than that. More recent than that, I was saying. It wasn't Chuck Mangioni? It wasn't on the saxophone. The flugelhorn, Matt. All right.

Jeff's Saturday. I can't remember. I'm going to look it up. Ross, what else going on? Let's mention our Instagram accounts. Yeah. Ad Sports RV, Frank Reich. There you go.

I knew it was somebody before McGano. Did we get somebody call and wanted Chuck Pagano to come to work for the Texans? I can't remember. No, it was a guy one of Bruce Ariens. Bruce Ariens. I knew it was somebody one of the O.G. He was 73, by the way. Yeah, it's not going to work.

Not going to work at all. All right. Bobby Sloak interviewed for the offensive coordinator job for the Eagles. And Mike McDaniels are looking for head coaching job still. this point. Interviewing with the Buffalo Bills. Yeah. Man, living in...

Mike McDaniel goes from Miami where you're going to those capri pants to go into Buffalo. Are you... Is he sure he wants to do that? Hmm. You can wear the caprice. For one month.

You might want to wear a couple of layers of thermals underneath. That's true. That's true. 713-212-5-7. I have... I'm sorry. He's coming up at the bottom of the hour.

I'm here in Detroit where the Rockets are hopefully going to make the piston sorry tonight. the pistons are 32 and 10. 18 and 4 at home. But would you like some silver lining? Yes. If I'm reading it right,

the rockets have won here five consecutive years in a row. Oh, that doesn't help me. But they are only four and a half point dogs. I don't think about these things in a handicapping aspect. Okay, well, I do. That should be a close one. That's all I'm telling you.

Western confinings don't matter to me when it's the line spread. Should be a close one. Last night, it was one and a half rockets, and they went to overtime. So it was a close one. It should be a close one. Yeah. 713, 212, 5, 790. 713, 2125.

790. Let's go to our buddy, Subbs at 1110 on 70. Soaps was a good word. Hey, guys. Happy New Year. Ross, man. You can't do that to Matt, man. Next thing you know, you know, the media treat him.

I show you, it's funny thinking you're doing his best. So don't do it. Stop. Stop. I love you, though. but the reason why I'm called and give me like a few seconds on this let me take a deep breath

I know this is anything else Friday and I promise we might hear to crash the show but Yankee Keith shut your bum ass up how are you going to talk about trading Tari and what are you smoking you must be smoking at Mike McDaniel or whatever that coach was in Miami

he must be smoking that dust because you are crazy in hell unless I don't even want to talk about It's just, I'm driving on 59. I was all calm. I love listening to your guys' show. It gets me in my, you know, my sports safe space because, let's face it, you know, the Texans have did a number on us this week, you know, RRP to potential Super Bowl season.

But, man, come on, dude. I mean, do you just go in a bathroom and roll dice? It's like, okay, let me call it with the dumbest takes ever and then an obvious take. So I'm going to fade my dumb take with my dumb gut feeling with, oh, Phil, or Matt Southwrest's going to. win MVP. All right, bro, water is wet and Houston scared of cold. Like, come on, bro. I'm going to stay on your own. If you keep calling with those sakes, hey, be warm in Detroit. Get you some little Caesar pizza up there if you can, Matt. Ross, feel free to drop me a basketball parlay.

They're not going to lay on a draft six as weekend. And I'll talk to y'all later, man. Be safe. Thanks, Soobs. By the way, I am not a Little Seasers guy under any. The crazy bread is crack. The pizza is below. mid. Sorry. Actually, Matt, when's the last time you had it? Within the last two years.

Oh, really? Now, I understand they have a pretzel crust around the pizza that is getting some decent reviews. I'm just going to say, like, when I was younger, and it was all the $5 hot and readies,

and it was like, oh, this is a struggle meal, this is terrible. Right. It's actually gotten a lot. I don't know if everyone else has gotten worse, or if they've gotten better. It's actually not that bad.

Like the, the stuff. crust, solid. Pretel crust, as you mentioned, pretty good. The Detroit style one, not bad. I don't know, ever since they became sponsors of the NFL, maybe they up their ingredients game or something like that. It's not as bad as it. It used to taste like cardboard. It was terrible. And you'd only eat it because it was $5 for a whole pizza. And it was long, too. Big long pizzas. Oh, the Bigfoot? I remember that one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was just not good pizza, but actually, it's not that bad. I'm just saying. I'll take your word for it.

I have become, I mean, you've got a thousand other options that are better. There are two things in my life as I've gotten old that I've become snob for. Pizza and Mexican food. Hmm. Like I used to go back in the day when I was young and broke. We'd go to ranchos and be just fine. I'm never stepping in aronchos ever again. Well, you and all of Houston, I think there's like one left.

We used to have a little Cedars next to the Randalls in my neighborhood when I was growing up in Katie. And we would attack, I mean, if you look at some photos of mine in high school, I attacked the Little Sears quite a bit. Yeah, okay. I could get a hot and ready and they just eat the whole large for dinner. Hot and ready and a two, a two liter of Coke? Oh my God.

Oh, yeah. Easy peasy on that one. The crazy bread to me, if, Ross, if I am going to prison, you know, you can create your meal that used to be able to do. Little Caesar's crazy bread's my appetizer. that and the chicken wraps from payway slash

P.F. Chang's. But the P. I just can't I can't do it. It doesn't look good. And how long are they sit in the oven? Like you have to press a button and the pizza just flies out. I don't know. No, no, the pizza's not flying out. Okay.

I'm telling you, it's better. Now, the Little Cesar's Arena is where the game is tonight. And they do give us a holaciously big media spread. I mean, what do they got? Let me just give you the rundown. Okay. Pizza,

Little Caesars, wings, cheesy bread, breadsticks, salad bar, carving station. What? Soup.

Two or three other hot entrees, chicken fingers, or tenders, if you will. Tendies. Potato wedges. Oh, wow. Yogurt.

All right. Stop. Stop. I'm getting hungry. Yeah, I'm skipping. I haven't anything to eat all day today, and I'm not, I don't think I'm going to eat until I get to the arena. It's that good. It's the second best media spread in the NBA behind the Utah Jazz.

Hmm. Okay. Of course, the Rockets are third. Delicious. I have no context for that. It's a hit or miss, but it's been hitting more lately. You know, it's, it's a quality. Yeah.

hitter. Yeah. You get some shoe leather brisket every now and then, but usually it's pretty good. You still got a carving station once in a while with the big games.

Oh, I know. I'll come down there in half-time. Oh, yeah, I eat a lot of candy too. I don't even get half-time snacks. You get half-time snacks. I know.

Why don't you? You could. It's too far of a walk. I can get there back. Too far? Oh, that's true. You're on the other side. Thank you.

All right. So let's go back to it. We got, I'm sorry, it's coming up at the bottom of the hour. CJ's dream memes. are out there. Oh, God. That's got to stop.

But it's not going to stop, is it? I've had enough. And here's the thing. It's not just Houston fans doing it or Houston haters. It's America doing it. I know. He's a national punchline. This is the biggest since James Hardin, I think.

That's the problem. Did you see the ratings for the game were halaciously big? Yeah. You're going to be a star. 38 million people saw him throw four interceptions and a half. It's not good. Yeah. All right.

713-1-2-2-790. I'm here in Detroit. Ross is back in Houston. 713-212-5-7-90. Is this the Detroit song, too, Rossi? Yeah. All right. This is the Detroit boys. The Detroit boys.

Excuse me. Bless a little sneeze there. It's, yeah, this is going to be... This is called, darn it feels good to be a law-abiding citizen by the Detroit boys. Really? Mm-hmm. three degrees here in Detroit feels like minus 16. What does minus 16 feel like?

That means like my face is going to crumble, right? I'm a little worried about you getting frostbidden. I'm not going to be up there for half an hour. I'm going to walk to the bus, get to the arena, get in that room and shut the door. Okay. Yeah, you'll be all right. Eat some crazy bread. All right.

So we mentioned the CFP is at 12. We okay with that? I mean, it's a whole. Yeah, it's a great. This is one more year of this, right, basically. I think 12 is where it should stay. Because, again, you can. get mad at me, I don't mind

a group of five automatic injury. I don't mind it. You got to play for something. But you can't do it at 12. I have, I have the James Madison Tulane Dreams and Hopes of representing the little guys was completely ruined with two

completely non-competitive games. Yeah, if you get in the top 12, you make it. Even if you're a non-power, a group of five, or whatever the hell they're calling it these days. Boise State. would have made it. If you're good enough, UCF back in the day or whatever,

would have made it and get your shot. But you shouldn't be jumping from 25 or even out of the rankings jumping people who are in the rankings. It's ridiculous. Yeah. Yeah, and again, I wasn't like necessarily, I was rooting for James Madison and Tulane.

I was just hoping, you know what, show up. And they didn't show up. And the reality, And so if I'm representing G5, I'm like, well, you guys won't play us. We're in a league. How can we improve on ourselves if you won't play us? Like if James Madison called Notre Dame tomorrow, would Notre Dame pick up the game and play? I don't know.

I don't know. That's their biggest argument is you can't get into that level unless the teams on that level will face you. James Madison played Louisville. and they lost 28 to 14. Okay, well, there's a Louisville, but Louisville's not going to be considered any sort of, you know, I'm talking about like, and maybe James Madison wouldn't go to Alabama and play.

But they're, like, we can't, you know, we're not going to be a sacrificial lamb. And you also can't figure out if your team is good enough or not. Now, granted, my assumption is now that James Madison's been completely depleted because those portal guys are all left and whatnot. So it may be James Madison this past year. It could be, I don't know, Colorado State in 2020. Tulane played Northwestern, Duke, and Ole Miss.

They beat Northwestern 23 to 3 to Tulane. Come on. They beat Duke and then they got crushed by Ole Miss, 45 to 10. Yep. Let's just do this. Let's go to 16. Let's give one G5 guarantee, although I feel like it's going to be two. That's a stretch, I think.

When it goes to 16? Yeah. It should be one guaranteed and then the other one makes it in if you're top 16. Do you like this guaranteed of conference? I think we're going to get conference guarantees. It shouldn't be any of that, but I understand why it's happening. I get it, but it shouldn't be. It should be the top 16 teams.

Let's move on. Yep. And by the way, ratings for everything, college football. I mean, maybe it's because I'm following these PR of these leagues and these sports networks, but you never hear, oh, our ratings crap. Here's the numbers. The numbers continue to go up. I think it was a second highest CFP final ever, I want to say.

really so all of us bitching and moaning about well there was too much time in between games and whatnot we as a sports fandom we found the game we wanted to find it I had it on yeah I did too and that's all they care about they don't care if you're studying and writing down game notes they're caring if the television's tuned down or not yeah if you streamed it for any portion of the time

they've got record of it they know it yeah they have the numbers and the numbers have been inflated the last couple not inflated but I get maybe even just more true. So you're going to see records for a little while, or this is top one of all time, or top two of all time. Like they said, was Texans and Texans and the Patriots the most compelling divisional game ever? No, but apparently the most watched ESPN event ever,

because the numbers are inflated right now. So in a couple years, we'll see where we are. Here's what they did. And it's very smart on the ESPN ABC side. First of all, they're putting these games on ABC. Remember that was too-s-s-s-shaved for a while. That was taboo for a while. And then they realize that putting games on over-the-air channels are still going to draw numbers.

I think 90% of the audience watch Texans Patriots on the ABC as compared to ESPN. But they also did like a three-hour pregame show. If you put on ABC for any length of time, you got this immense rundown of all the NFL games. It kind of, like, okay, here comes the, here's all the appetitors. Let's get the main course. And I thought that to ESPN's credit, they heavily pre-gamed it. They spent a lot of money in the production. They put lots of interviews in.

they were on site, they got the fans involved. And sometimes these pregame shows do have a payoff. And I think people turned it on and didn't turn it off. That's also a divisional weekend, too. I mean, you could be a fool to have to realize what was going on Saturday and Sunday last weekend. And we all love a car wreck, and that's what you were seeing in that first half, too. So we have not made our predictions. You want to do it really quick about how we like this game?

These games coming? I think we did on gut feelings. We did. What does your gut tell you how? Jared Stittam is going to do on Sunday. I think he's going to be, he's not going to... I don't even... Okay, it popped in my head.

I'm going to say it out loud. Can't be worse than C.J. Stroud. Wait a minute. All right. Did you all hear that, Houston? I'm sorry. It's true. Hold on. I want you to repeat that again. Jonathan, would you please record this

so we can hold this back on Monday? Under four interceptions for Stidham. Under. Five, four, no. Three, Two, one, go. He can't be worse than C.J. Stroud.

Was in that first half. When he threw four interceptions. And he wasn't great the whole game, honestly. No, he wasn't good after that. He at least didn't throw a pick, but he was like with 10 to 20 something for whatever, like, seven or four yards in attempt. It was five and a half now. It's down to four and a half.

I will say this. Honestly, he was feeling a little Broncos action at four and five and a half. Four and a half, I don't know. I will say this. Sean Payton's got a wonderful offensive mind. He may be the biggest A-hole in sports today that we don't know about because we don't talk a lot about Sean Payton, generally speaking.

But if there's anybody that could get a quarterback in the right spot, I mean, the playbook is not the same for Bo Nix, clearly. But let's be brutally honest. Is Bo NICs a long-term 10-year NFL 4,000-year-old passer? Doesn't feel like it. and look what they've gotten with him. You know what Bo Nix has been described this year as a great fourth quarter quarterback?

A bunch of comebacks. Yeah, and he's been overall, I mean, above average, so you're just needing Jared Sidman to be average. And not a disaster. Like some quarterbacks have been these playoffs. Like when you had Andy Lindahl on from Altitude Sports this week, he wasn't heeping a lot of praise at Bo Nix. He's like, this guy is just a guy.

Mm-hmm. So you have just a guy who's taking you the AFC championship. Now, Jared Sidham hasn't thrown a pass since, you know, COVID probably, but he's going to keep it simple, right? Now, the difference is that New England knows that's going to come to. I mean, just because you simplify the game plan doesn't necessarily mean that New England doesn't realize

that there's not going to be a bunch of seven-step drops and double flea-flickers, you know what I mean? Yeah, our friend Andy Lindahl did say, though, that Jared Sidham does turn it loose, which can be very good or very bad. So that could be interesting. What is the weather in Denver? Do we have any idea?

I can find it. Like I was saying, it would make a fat difference because both teams would be, you know, are used to that kind of thing. Yeah, I would imagine. Denver weather on Sunday will be a high of 22, low of 7 with a 50% chance of snow.

In Denver? It's a snowfall around 1 inch, around 1 inch, so. you're talking about Denver or Seattle Denver Oh this Okay the one I'm looking at Says

Game time temps in the 20s Wins Light No precipitation expected Well Is this one of the channel app Is this good or bad Or you go somewhere else Well I go to the

There's a As I said His name is Kevin Roth He's like a fantasy Meteorologist So it gives you the impact Yeah Really

Fantasy football You're not paying attention to weather This is why he can't win the champion ship. Let's go. I've got some fancy meteorology things I'd like to ask him myself. So he will talk about whether as it's going to impact a football game. Oh, I see. Which is what we're looking for. Seattle's supposed to be no problems. And he has like a green, green, green for Seattle, yellow for Denver. So there could be some precipitation, I guess.

I got a question for you to really irritate people in Houston. You need one game to win. Jared's Denham or C.J. Stroud. say it proudly CJ Stroud you can't even do it you can't do it stock as low as has ever been he was a complete disaster

for two straight playoff games so why would I act like this guy's the franchise quarterback for life we're comparing a quarterback doesn't throw a pass in three years to a starting quarterback and I took CJ Stroud I didn't hesitate

Team Stroud ladies and gentlemen that's our guy 713212 570790 713-212-5-790. If you're ready to apologize, the next half hour is yours. Come say your sorries. 7-13-212-5-7-90. This is the most cathartic 30 minutes of your week.

No other radio show the marketplace is going to give it to you. We're going to ask you call in and say these spary, simple words. I'm sorry. So sorry. Yep, you were foolish this week. It's time to apologize. 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790.

Any apologies you want to make for the things you've said to your wife, your neighbor, your co-host, your boss, the people that work under you, this is the cathartic opportunity you have. It's 713-212-5-790. Before we get to what Jonathan apologizes, for or Ross or myself. Dan Olavski makes an appearance here the first time ever on.

I'm sorry, and he said sorry to C.J. Stroud. If you're Houston, you win that game with 31 other quarterbacks. That's, and it's unfortunate. With Jared Stittam? Any other quarterback. I mean, it's unfortunate that we don't get this defense, not only an AFC title game, but then more than likely in the Super Bowl if they win that game yesterday. Bad quarterback play wins that game.

Bad quarterback play. The pick six. And the fumble, that's 10 points right there. Now, credit New England. New England made some crucial plays and crucial moments. Drake Mace touched down to the fourth down to Douglas, the touchdown to Steph with the ball placement, the booty play, no question. But if you're Houston, I think Houston and Buffalo walk away from this weekend,

sick to their stomach because they look at all the self-inflicted wounds. And Houston is just going to sit there and go, If 10 turnovers by CJ are five picks, five fumbles, and two games in the playoffs. Yes. And I think now if you're Houston, you're going to sit there and go, what do we

do at the quarterback position in the future? Well, he went to Twitter, Rossi, and he said, I should have been better. That's good. I guess. David Moologetta reach out.

uh yeah david maligata sent a text to ryan clark and said give me uh dan olovsky's phone number please he's probably got it oh i'm sure he does my shirt my guest david mulligata has a lot of television network analyst numbers hashtag create the narrative what was the apology did you just say i'm sorry i thought he did it on camera i thought that that's what i sent jonathan but i guess i was wrong oh okay

I'm looking at his Twitter It said I should have been better It's got 1.2 million views 1,400 likes 690 retweets and 9,100 likes 1,400 comments by the way Also he said the fumble

The fumble was by Woody Marks Yeah That was also huge and ill-timed I mean, ugh So bad So bad I don't want to think about this anymore.

You're going to have to all summer long. No, I'm not. Oh, sure you are. I'm going to focus. The path can't haunt me unless I let it, Matt. Well, the path's going to haunt you 10 to two weekdays

on Sports Talk 790. No. I'm going to talk it out. We're going to process this. We're going to work through it, and we're going to move forward. All right. I like that attitude. Rossi, what do you got to apologize for this week? A couple things.

Well, I want to apologize to all my battle red brethren as I had people getting on the bandwagon with me and saying that the Texans were going to make the AFC championship game. Now, I didn't let you down. C.J. Stroud did.

But I'm sorry for getting some of you whipped up into a frenzy and getting all excited about the Texans and they fell short. I'm sorry. Really short. Sorry. Not really short. Really short.

No, they were one game short. Two scores short. Yeah, over and over again. I'm going to say something right now. I'm going to do the opposite. I'm not sorry. I'm not a Texans fan. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry that you think I should be a Texans fan. Well, you're Texans. The Texans hater, Matt. I'm not, I'm Texans realist. I'm also the insider. I told you about Joe Mix for a long time ago. Well, okay, well, let's see if he shot himself in the foot.

You know what? I'm going to, I'm going to add that to the addendum. Not only will I pay for your coffee if he shot himself on the foot, I will call you the Texans insider. I'm sorry. For how long? One show. That's fair.

Because I'll do it the rest of the time. Yeah, you can handle that. I'll get to a. I'm sorry about, but Jonathan, you got a thing on your chest? Do you want to tell the world about? No, but I got someone that needs to say, sorry. Oh, we do. We got us another celebrity in the studio today.

I hate you. I hate you. That's Cole Thompson. He is one half of the wake-up call here on Sports Talk 790. Fantastic name, by the way. Why didn't I think of that? Yep. So, my wife's not listening to this, so guess what, I get to get away with that.

I'm sorry to her for dragging on a fight that does not need to exist past a 24-hour limit. slept in the gas room last night because if I just decided to go ahead and continue down the pathway of let's just continue to dig the hole until you're basically reaching China. So, uh, honey, I apologize for still want to fight with you over something that was so simple. But also, you could sometimes be really, really, really, really mean and say the most hostile things. Nice out that I guess grow up and understand that that's what I married into. No, you guys need to communicate on this.

If she's being hurtful, Cole, you can stand up for your. yourself. I did. And that led to me sleeping on the couch. And then the guest room. Would you like to explain what you're arguing about or no? Sure. So, you know how the freeze is coming into town? Yes. Well, she decided to start planning on Tuesday

after we left the Rockets game. By the way, great seeing you, Matt. And I apparently did not react to the way that I'm supposed to as the man of the house by getting it ready by Wednesday. So she decided a question,

who I am as an individual. She said you're not a man. Oh, yes, she did. She said you're not a real man. She said that exactly. Yeah. And I said some things that I'm not allowed to say on the FCC if I want to keep my job.

Correct. And so that led to a fight that's going on for 48 hours. And the worst point is that I went and I actually cleaned up the house. I got everything prepared yesterday by going to Lowe's. You know, doing the thing that's supposed to do. Yeah. Going to shows. Making sure that I get the, you know, the pipes and everything that cover the housing market.

And she's still instead of just saying, all right, I probably overreacted, mentioned that if I would have done it on Tuesday, I wouldn't have had a problem on Wednesday to deal with it. Now, I want to, actually, we need to talk through this, Matt, because I have questions and only married men can answer my questions. By the way, she just texted me. I know she did. I can't believe that you gave her your number, by the way. For real? Oh, no.

You don't want Matt to texting your wife. She said, I'm so mad at Cole. I'm now a lot of an SEC guy. Oh, wow. Wow, that's great. Wow. I can't believe that Gordy and her are going to have a great relationship moving forward. It's going to be fantastic.

Go. Okay, so now on the one hand, first of all, you are being a real man because you're procrastinating. Exactly. That's what real men do. That's what I said. Number two, though, she might have a point, man. Now, you guys, the homeowners help me out of this. Now, stuff can sell out as far as, like, pipe wrapping stuff.

I think she would be validated in being wary of things selling out before the forecast gets a clearer picture. So here was the way that I described it. If by Friday morning, I had not gotten the materials and I went to shows or to the show... The Dome Depot. Yeah, the Dome Depot. And I went to one of those places.

And they were already sold out, which by the way, they are on a Thursday. Because I went back last night to go pick up something else. I had to order it from Shammazon. But anyways, if that happened on a Friday, complain all you want. And I'll shut my butt mess up. And I'm totally cool with that. But it's a Tuesday. You're reacting on a Tuesday.

I don't know. I need some guidance from you, Mr. Thomas. If she wants you to get it done on Tuesday, you get it done on Tuesday. Oh, come on. Of course you're going to take her side. Ooh. Sorry. No, no, no, no, no, no.

I just know that when I'm given a job of society, assignment. I don't want this to linger because to have to hear about, have you done it yet? When are you going to do it? I don't need that in my life. So then Ross, would that make... Honestly, I hate to call you out, Colk, because the show's doing great.

But you're off at 10 o'clock. I mean, what the hell are you doing? I'm 10.7. Honestly. I like Jonathan. I like hanging out with him. Sorry. I'm not sorry for that. That's a great point on your part, Matt. He's done for the day at 10 a.m.

I mean, you're not working at Conoco, you know, the 12-hour shift. At the overnight security guard, 12-hour shift. I mean, you're not... It's a fair point, sorry that you're freezing up in Detroit. It's a fair point. Oh, really? Okay.

I see how you're on. I'm not sorry to have to hang out with you tomorrow. Now, she definitely shouldn't be calling you not a real man. That's hurtful. That hurt... By the way, are you enjoying the not being in the same room with her, or are you trying to get back in there? And then how long is the longer wait is the guise the question.

Yeah, if you take care of the pipes, how long until your pipes are taken care of? I took care of the pipes 24 hours ago. And I'm still. Was she in the room with you or no? No, no, freezing. And your pipes are still cold. It's now 24 hours later in and they're still freezing. Okay, here's a thing.

You need to get back in that bedroom tonight. You're not going to have any, you're not going to be taking care of that. I'm taking care of that. tonight and I'm going to have to finally go ahead and call it. You got to get some wintery mix cuddle time though. The reality is if you don't get your pipes taken care of by Tuesday, she's never going to take care of your pipes. Fantastic. Okay, I have one more stupid question.

Firewife. Yeah. Why can't, now again, I'm not a homeowner. Why can't you just always leave the pipes wrapped? You could in theory. Yeah, technically you could. All right. And honestly, and honestly, knowing me because of, you know, I am a man and I'm lazy and I'm going to procrastinate taking all the stuff off,

they're going to be on for probably like two months. I'm not going to take it off. Leave it on there. That's the plan. Leave it on at least until March. Why would I take it off to them put it back on if there's a second freeze that comes through in a week? But they have these pipe, like, would be like a pipe condoms. You just put them on top of your pot and you're done. No, that's what I order. Literally a pipe condom.

Yeah. That's what we have to have. We have pipe condoms. All right. On the phones next. You always want to make sure you're protected. That's what she said. Yeah, you don't need to be worrying about protection for a few days, apparently. All right, more of my sorrys. Up next, it is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross.

713212-5-790. All right, let's get to the phones. We've got a lot of people that need to apologize, and that's why this is the most cathartic half hour in major market Houston sports radio. 713-213-2-5-790. 7-1-3-2-2-790. We'll start with Josh on 7-19. Josh, what are you sorry?

before. Yeah, mine's similar to Coles. So my wife is doing this keto diet thing, and I cooked the dinners, and she wanted this ground turkey crust pizza thing, and I accidentally used ground chicken. And so I just wanted to tell her, I'm sorry that you didn't get that one to two grams of protein extra in the chicken. So, yeah, and it was a huge fight. So, yeah, I'm sorry for that. Thank you, Josh. Hope she listens. Ground chicken for pizza crust? That sounds gross.

Yeah, these people are there. These protein people are getting crazy with it. And by the way, I've tried the cauliflower crust. I can't do it. I'm just going to go without. It's not that bad. It's not that good. It's not that good.

Yeah, nothing's going to be like what's bad for you, Matt, with the high fat and... I'm not going to go to little seizures and get crazy cauliflower bread. I don't have me. Oh, we also, by the way, we got Joan offering all the... these high, yeah, okay, if I want to spend $50 on pizza, then I will go to a nicer place, but also if you just want a little something from Biddle Beezers to tied you

over that's going to be $8 to $10, it's different. But you can also go to Pizza Butt too. Yeah, that's fine. I'm just saying, like, don't go to this that's like saying don't go to McDonald's when you can go to a nicer burger place that we won't name. Yes. Yeah, sometimes you want some quick and easy.

Sometimes I crave Rick Ronnells. I do too. Do they put crack in there? Let me tell you about, let me tell you what y'all need to stop doing. Stop shaming us that are pro Rick Ronald's, okay? We're not going there for a five-diamond meal, but if we want a QP with cheese and large fries with heavy salt, we're going to get it and we're going to enjoy it, and I'm not going to be shamed. I don't ever want to hear, who gives to Rick Reynolds anymore? I don't know. Four billion people do?

Yeah. Stop shaming me that I like Rick Ronald's. Yeah. Let us and our fellow type 2 diabetics get our... Yes. Get our Rick Ronald's on. We're watching our sugar count eventually. I'm sorry.

It won't be in the drive-thru. We'll order the 20 piece. I'm done with being shamed by loving Rick Ronels. You do? Well, you should be shame for liking the McRib. Oh, that is so good. Oh, stop. I cannot believe you just made that sound.

Oh, the McRiv. Oh, my God. You just made the same sound when you're looking at your Sydney Sweeney videos. She's the McRib of women. Oh, that's not true. Tangy, delicious. What?

All right, I'm uncomfortable. I'm turning my mic off. Felipe on 7.90. What are you sorry for, Felipe? Well, first off, Rossin does need to apologize for the McRib. It is delicious. I'm sorry. It sucks, Felipe.

It's good, man. For what it is, it's good. But I don't know if I need to apologize, but I think I need an apology from Texans fans this week. They're saying that they were going to crush the Patriots, that they were going to swarm them, destroy them. I need an apology. Who said they were going to crush them?

All the Texan fans I called that. Huh? All over social media. I've seen it all over social media. Everybody was saying they're going to crush them, they're going to kill them. It's Texans game all 100%. That was the case. I knew Sierra was like Peelotty Hill. So I think I need a apology from all Texans fans for that.

sorry. All right. By the way, I think traveling Texans need to apologize to us. Those dorks went up there in New England, wearing all their bling. Go, Texas, go. Hey, Greg Bailey, come take a photo with me. You got your ass kick. Say you're sorry, traveling Texans.

Why should they apologize? Because they were stupid for going up there. They wanted to support their team and watch them play in a playoff game and try to get to their first ever ever AFC championship game. Why does that make you angry? Matt, you want to go for them. That's the risk you take, just like when. Sometimes you go to San Antonio for the final four and your team loses.

Like, you have to take a risk. Yeah, because we got a terrible call of fishing in the second half. Because you want it, you want it in a terrible choke when the ball's just, everybody stared at the ball floor. Bad, bad of fishing. Lots of house called in the second hand. I think everybody's still staring at that ball on the floor. Oh, my God. Matt, you were on air saying how expensive the trip will be up to Boston.

Go do it. Don't be there. Yeah, you should give these people their kudos. Spinning all their money, supporting their team. They wanted to watch their team. Thank you, Travel and Texans for going to the city council signed in Boston and saying we're going to beat the Patriots. Thanks, Travel and Texans.

Oh, sorry. I just wanted to support their team. Yeah. Hater? Mm-mm. Texans are realist. And most importantly, Texans Insider. Let's go to Alex and Conroe at 1157.

Alex, what are you sorry for? All right. So I'm sorry to Cole, honestly. I just feel really bad. for him right now, this whole predicament that he's in. And it's funny because, you know, the whole thing is about wrapping and insulating pipes. And the funny thing is that pipe game is directly correlated to how far you can get

away with whatever you want to do. You can, you know, how spice do you want to talk to her? All those things are directly correlated, Cole. So put in some work, brother. Put in some work. Then you can be a procrastinator. And if that doesn't work, then just get a sidepiece, bro. Cheers.

I'm sorry. And I guarantee you, Cole's listening to that right now. A thousand percent. He was in here defending himself in the start of the segment. Last one. Roger, what are you sorry for? I'm sorry that the city of Houston people, these panic-stricken people still don't know any better

about when a couple of days of bad weather hit that they have to unleash their panic-stricken sales all over the city of Houston. and ravage the grocery stores and clutter up the parking lots and the gas pumps and everything else they find. They soon this because they found out there's going to be two days of bad weather. I'm sorry, but get over it. Sorry, sorry. There it is. Yeah, I had to make a regular grocery store trip yesterday.

It wasn't a panic. I just needed regular groceries. Oh, the parking lot was a mess. The lines were long. They were out of like a couple of things that I needed. Well, all I got to do tonight is when I get home from Detroit, I'm going to get some gas in the car because I'm coming downtown tomorrow. So if you're at a gas station 2 o'clock in the morning,

let me have my space. You'll be fine. I just need a dollar for bus fare. I'm not taking a bus downtown. Not on Saturdays. Never mind. Ross, I'm going to apologize to the rooms to the left and right of me because I'm going to wake the strippers up next here on sports.

Sports Talk. Yeah, you know, you're kind of, you're calling the game. You're doing the show a little bit like you're calling a golf match. Well, it's honest because I don't want to be too loud. It's Championship Sunday here on Sports Talk 790. Tonight from Detroit, it's game two of a tough East Coast road trip between the rockets and the Pistons. And the action is next. Well, I don't want to be too loud.

You and I have not argued about anything today. I can't be that loud. We got time. We've got two hours left. E. E. M. Dokin, one hour here. Here, non-Floralor stories in 90 minutes, and what is today's edition of Hellyer or Not?

Today's edition of Hell, yeah, or not? All things. Cade Cunningham. Really? No. How about Detroit artists from here? Is this artist from Detroit or not? That's nice.

That's an easy, that's a layup drill today. Arch Manning's foot surgeon. Believe it or not. C.J. Stroud's psychiatrist. Right here. here on Sports Talk 790. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 12 in H-town.

Hour 3, the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. This is Sports Talk 790. My mom did not walk in the bathroom when I was in the shower. Stop. I'm cleaning myself. What are you doing the shower? It doesn't take. 30 minutes to clean yourself, Matt.

I'm going to take a 30 minute shower on the show's certainly not you. We're not an outdoors type. You don't know that. You're a lot of grunt. You know, you're not, you know. You're not going on hikes with Craig Ackerman. He's always inviting me, that's for sure.

You should go. I'll go. You guys, you get the opportunity to get with your job to take into all these wonderful places you should take advantage and see what's around rather than just ordering room service and saying in your five-diamond hotel. The reality is I'm doing a four-hour radio show. That's true.

And Craig doesn't have to do that. No, Craig doesn't do that. Craig works 90 days a year tops. That's nice. So do not try to compare my life and his. I'm trying to entertain Houston for four hours. I'm trying to entertain Houston for two and a half tonight when the rocket's take on the pistons here in Detroit.

Okay, Matthew. Uncle Floyd from He-Haugh died today, 74 years old. Oh, my God. Oh, no. That show sucked. Uncle Floyd from He-Ha. Yeah. Now, He-Haw Honey's wasn't bad.

All right. It is 1210 on Sports Talk 7-9. We have E. Medoak in 50 minutes. Let's get to the news at noon. I think it's frozen. How can be frozen? It's not in Detroit. think Jonathan looks alert

Jonathan? You okay? Jonathan hello? It's up to three degrees here by the way. News at noon? News at noon? Hello? There we go. No worries. Tom was just in there. We'll give him an excuse. What is Tom doing in there? Is he trying to fix our computer system? Well, stuff is broken all the time.

Imagine that. I've been a bad two weeks. Let me tell you. Let me tell you. The safest job in America is Tom Klein at Iheart radio. Always be fixing something. Oh, no comment. All right, Matt. Well, let's lead the news. A dude with the Houston Rockets, unfortunately falling to the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime last night.

They got a gift, as with about three seconds to go. It was a Tyrese maxi shot, was blocked by Kevin Durant, but it actually hit the backboard. Should have been a goal tend with the Sixers taking a two-point lead with about three seconds to go. It didn't happen. Went to overtime where the rockets were turning the ball over. couldn't make any shots and they lost 128 to

122. Big numbers from the game that really turned it against the Rockets. 12 of 24 from the free throw line. They didn't take one in overtime so that was all in regulation. 12 missed free throws in a game that was tied. They also got 24 points off of their 17

turnovers. Jabari Smith Jr. only shot 1 of 10 from 3. Reed Shepherd was hot during the game in the fourth quarter but did not play in overtime those the big criticisms from Rockets' Twitter that Reid didn't play in overtime and that Jarbarry Smith Jr.

was allowed to continue playing. Yeah, the number I'm actually starting to look at some of the numbers from last night. So Philadelphia had a 6644 points in the paint category. Yes. That's a significant difference. Here's the biggest problem of it all.

Ross, they only had one more shot in the paint than Rockets did. The Rockets were 22-45 in the paint. Philly was 33 of 46. Yes, we discussed on the Rockets Wrap program last night, Matt. How many missed bunnies? Two or three? Did Gerard call?

Yes, he did. You know, Gerard, if you're listening, we love you. But the man's got, I mean, he runs four minutes on the regular. I told him to tighten it up a couple games ago, and he was a little tighter. It wasn't four minutes last time, so I appreciate that from Gerard. we love your perspective. As somebody who's host shows with no calls, I appreciate Gerard calling,

but four minutes is a little much. A little much. All right, what else you got? Well, okay, we mentioned all the reasons why the Rockets lost, but there will be an action again tonight

in the Detroit against the Pistons where you are right now, Matthew. That will be a 6 o'clock tip on Prime Video. And of course, here on Sports Talk, 790 Rockets, 4.5 point dogs tonight at Detroit to take on the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.

Elsewhere, you have the Bills continuing interviews for their head coaching job, including the latest Philip Rivers. According to Adam Schaefter, Philip Rivers, who has never coached at the collegiate or professional level, is going to interview with the Bills on Friday. His previous coaching experience at the St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama. Hmm. This can't happen.

There's no way. Why not? I'll put my name on it. Philip Rivers will not be the head coach of the Buffalo Bills. That feels fair. But, I mean, we're seeing broadcasters getting jobs. We're seeing players fresh off the field. Not NFL head coaching jobs.

It feels like that's a lot of work. You got to build a program. He got to build a staff. When you're coaching at private high school, you probably have three assistant coaches. At the NFL level, you've got 15 of them. And you know he's going to miss time because he's got to watch all of his kids do something.

you have 10 kids, you've got to go to PTA meetings, choir, theater, sports. He's never going to be in the building. Yeah, sorry, I'm writing this down in the Nosturongest file. See, I'm putting myself accountable too. Are you really? Yeah. Now, he's not getting the job.

You're right about it. You're going to win on that. My last one I made that I put my name on it, if the Cougars are going to the championship game, you're going. So you're saying there's a chance. They're from number up to number four in Kinpom. I already booked the flight. Now, I don't have a hotel. yet. So if y'all can give me a room in Indianapolis, I'll be there.

Other things I put my name on, C.J. Stroud will always be better than Anthony Richardson. Oh, that's good. Anyways, that's good. Anyways, all right, moving along in the news at noon, Matt. Speaking of, well, we were talking about Jeff Saturday as a player who became coach and wasn't, wasn't qualified for the job. Jim Ursay was his buddy. And now, apparently the FBI is investigating his May 2025 dead. according to the Washington Post. There was a federal grand jury subpoena issued earlier this month. The FBI is seeking information and records related to Ersei's death.

He could have possibly been given drugs that he wasn't supposed to, including pills and ketamine from a doctor in California. Hmm. Okay. A California-based addiction specialist who reportedly provided him with prescription pain pills. pills and ketamine during the final months of his life. I don't know how to comment, except I hope that's not the case. Yeah, we know he'd struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. But, I mean, we're seeing that's fresh off of the Matthew Perry stuff.

I mean, that's certainly within the realm of possibilities. Yeah, there's breaking news. There's bad doctors out there. I mean, it's unfortunate. And if these doctors are contributing to deaths, absolutely. They need to be punished. Yep. So there you go with that.

Also, elsewhere, Matt. there has been some bickering among NFL media types. First, let me give you the report from Diana Rossini. Okay. Buffalo is making sure their best player and team leader in face of the franchise, Josh Allen, is part of the hiring process. He will have a significant say on the next coach of the Buffalo Bills. That's a report from Rossini.

Okay. Quoted from Adam Schefter, as he should. quoted from Ryan's Fitzpatrick, I strongly disagree. So, Matt, how much input do you think Josh Allen should have the next head coach? Diana Rossini reporting

significant say on the next coach of the Buffalo Bills. You and I am not discussed this yet? No, and we'll discuss it when we come back. Oh, I liked it. Look at this. Hmm. Man, it's like you're a radio pro with 30 years in the biz. Thank you.

By way, CFP is going to stay at 12 teams. We're going to mention that too. Yeah, we should not caught that. All right, should a player be involved in the head coaching search? Ross and I'll have our answers next. If you want to chime in with that as well, 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Team A maid is going to join us at the top of the hour at 1 o'clock.

Bob Ford of Stories at 130. Hellier or not at 150. Shout out to the Humble ISD. They've already sent out a note that school is Kim. So if you have a child in the humble ISD district, your kids are not going to school on Monday. So. Nice. The sooner the better.

And they build in these snow days, ice days for stuff like that. So I don't think anything is going to be screwed up. Yeah, you know what? I can't make it Monday. You got it. I mean, I'm going to try to get in. If not, I mean, I'll do the show from the Kingwood Studios, but I'll be, I'm trying. Okay.

You, wait a mean, you, you brag about your eight-minute drive. Yeah, I told you. I got to go over that icy bridge. I'm not trying to spin out coming to work. I mean, I wouldn't want you to get an accident. And if you did, I wouldn't want you to get hurt too bad. You said this is two days in a row. I'm getting a little concerned.

About what? You wishing me to get in an accident. No, if you get in one, I don't want you to be hurt back. All right. It's not like I voted against you in the Fantasy Five. Relax. I know, I know. That's what I do with people that are mean to me on Twitter.

I say, look, I don't want you get an accident. But if you do, don't hurt yourself. All right, and check your text. All right, anyways. Oh, what's the matter? Let's see. I'm trying to get you here on Monday. Oh, I see.

I see what you're doing there. Okay, 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. All right, so the question we brought up, and by the way, says anything goes Friday, should Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills quarterback, have a say about whether or not, whether or not he should be involved in the coaching search of the Buffalo Bills.

My answer is yes. I would, this is, what is the, what is the Ravens owner put it perfectly? That Lamar Jackson or Bashotti, whatever is named? Steve Biscotti. Yeah. Great cookie. He said that Lamar Jackson should have input but no power. And I think that's the perfect way to put it.

I think he should have some input but no power. What Diana Rossini is reporting is significant say. If I'm building my team around my most expensive player, this may not be right, Ross, but it's the truth. You've got to get him involved. And maybe that's the wrong answer to give you, but I got to make sure my $60 million guy is on. board with this cat, whoever it may be.

You'd like him to be on board. You don't want to get somebody he hates. Like I said, you want his opinion. But I think you should hire the best guy, regardless of, I mean, if it's between a couple of candidates and Josh Allen likes one guy and he loves the other, that's fine. But for the most part,

I mean, we might just be arguing over splitting hairs here. I want him to have some say, but I don't want him to have power. I don't want him having significant say. I don't want any sort of, certainly not a final decision, coming from Josh Allen at all. Yeah, I mean, the problem is there's been so many different athletes in sports. Really more in basketball than perhaps baseball and football,

because you have to worry about 53-man roster. You got to worry about a 26-man team. But I'll say this. If the Astros were to fire Joe Espada after next season, you don't think that Jim Crane would have a phone call at Carlos Coray and Jose Al-Tube and say, who do you want for a manager? Yeah, he would say who you want or who do you like or who do you want. But I mean, you also don't need to hire somebody that's going to be everybody's friend.

And that's the problem. Like if Josh Allen or Jose Altuve or Carlos Coray or whatever are going to be objective and try to find the best man for the job, that can be different because a lot of these players are going to want guys who either they're buddy buddy with or have some history with or some people who are your friends that you're going to be biased for. I mean, how many times in any other job you feel like somebody got promoted just for being somebody's friend and they're not capable of doing the job? I think the job is too big, Ross, honestly, to say that's going to. Like, for instance, if Philip Rivers gets the Buffalo job, that would be an all-timer. Yeah. I mean, I can't imagine that team that has had that much postseason, put it this way.

The owner of the bills just a couple of days ago said we were getting, what was the term, like stagnant with all these playoff games? You're telling me a coach that has never coached a game in college or pro football or even been an assistant. Is the difference between what the bills did this past year and what Sean McDermott did into what you're going to eventually get with this new coach? No, I think when you throw that label out, you have to get somebody that's got skins on the wall. Well, I just think players can be biased. I'll give you an example. Remember when Antonio Pierce took over as the interim coach and the Raiders and maybe they won a couple of games or whatever

and all the players, Coach Pierce, Coach Pierce is the best. He's the right man for the job. We need Coach Pierce. He's our guy. The Raiders have to keep Coach Pierce. And then they kept him and he was a bad coach and he was fired within a year. You know what's happened to? Romeo Cornell.

Romeo Cornell. Romeo Cornell, great guy. Fun guy, players guy, but that's all that stuff. But players can get their minds clouded. About who is the actual best coach to take the franchise in the right direction? So yes, he can have some say, but players are just unreliable to me.

Yeah, I don't, I don't know, Josh Allen does not come across the guy that would treat this as a cavalier opportunity here. Now the question is, is Josh Allen going to say, I need an offensive-minded coach, or would we need a defensive-minded coach? I like, you know, it's an interesting argument because I've argued for years that you want the offensive innovator

because this is an offensive league. But the counter argument, what if you have Josh Allen, and I don't want to say any Tom Dick and Harry can have a good offense with Josh Allen, but anybody of a certain level of competence can have a good offense with Josh Allen, so maybe you want the,

defensive specialist. Kind of maybe what's happening in Baltimore, where they're going with Jesse Mentor, the defensive wizard, because look, Lamar Jackson, we can roll the ball out. We're going to be good with Lamar Jackson. Basically, maybe Lamar's going,

you know what, you can leave me alone. I got this outside of the field. So it's an interesting argument. Okay, well, there it is. I would generally say, though, if a player wants activity in it and wants to say, if it's Josh Allen,

I'm giving it to him. I'll give you the Brady Belichick example. Belichick, a defensive guy. You've got Tom Brady. Look, how many different offensive coordinators did they have? Right. Just get Josh McDaniels and hire him a bunch of times. Josh McDaniels off on Bill O'Brien, whoever else.

Like, they went through a bunch of offensive coordinators. It doesn't matter who you have. You have Tom Freakin Brady. Yeah. All right. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. It is the Matt Thomas Show at Ross.

We take this program until 2 o'clock. day. E-Maddoke in one half hour here on Sports Talk 790. 1236, Matt and Ross with you here, Sports Talk 790. It is a show that comes from Detroit and from Houston. Again, y'all be super careful, really starting, I guess, tomorrow night. Ross and I will be down to Astro Fan Fest tomorrow. We're going to be on the air 11 o'clock until 4, but Ross and I will host 130 to 4 tomorrow.

and then hunkering down and then we don't know what's going to happen for Sunday and Monday. We know Sunday just stay at home for the most part and we'll figure out Monday after that. Okay, 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-9-0. A lot of the Astro stars will be there. We'll have lots of guests. If not, you and I'll just make fun of each other. I haven't seen you in a few days.

And so hopefully we'll be celebrating astro-positivity and a rocket positivity tonight. Yeah, we'll have some good guests. Yeah. The list's looking good. Yeah, it looks real good. So, we brought this up earlier on the show today. It's worth you repeating, especially for you 1230 years. Let me ask you, so does CJ have to just stay out of mind, out of pocket, just kind of not be seen for a while?

Is that how you get rid of the music? Yeah, maybe don't go on podcasts from Germany with Micah Parsons. And he's kept the local. That was, this was like, it's supposed to be his, his lock-in offseason last year. And he did improve by some metrics and then the playoffs were a disaster. But he talked about that after his rookie year. He was the toast of the town. He's putting himself as the third best quarterback on podcast.

He's doing this stuff with Michael Parsons in Tokyo or whatever. And he was going to keep a low profile. So, yeah, I don't expect him on, I don't know, Hollywood squares or anything. Yeah, but the reality is this, Ross. He's how old as CJ, 23? He's 24. He's young. How do 24-year-olds turn social media off in 2026?

Delete the app. It's very easy. I don't think so. I think this is going to be a very interesting off-season for anybody that is in his camp, meaning his family, his close friends, his teammates, his agent. It is impossible for a 24-year-old. Now, you can filter the hell out of it.

You can mute a lot of accounts. You can follow very few. the question will be, and I don't think CJ is on Twitter, but CJs, I guarantee you's on Instagram, I guarantee you he's Snapchatting, I'm guarantee you he's TikToking, because he's normal. I don't care if he's a multimillionaire or not. He's 24 years old.

I'm doing that. Can somebody be that disciplined to say, you know what, it's probably in my best interest to stay off social media for a while? I imagine he's going to have, he's going to have to shut out, he's been shutting out noise since he's been here. Yes, that's true.

Since his first year. Right. he's going to have to do that and this is the beauty of it he either is or he isn't he's going to mentally recover from this or he's not so we're going to see franchise quarterbacks have to go to these things yeah and honestly and i'll give you a little bit of defense on why he might have the stones to be able to do this is because when you're a professional athlete you're 24 years old guess what you have to do ross you have to get your rest you have to eat right that takes discipline correct

And if he is eating low carbs and not eating a lot of cookies and not drinking a lot of pop and coax and drinking a lot of strange amounts of beverages and doing other recreational things, there's discipline with that. Why can he have discipline to social media? And look, social media is cruel. Social media can also boost your ego and that's why I think he's active because two years ago when he was a toast of town, he couldn't get enough podcast fast enough. He couldn't be taking enough photos of his international voyages. He needs to go on a darkness retreat with Aaron Rogers. That I don't want him to do because Aaron Rogers' retreats have not paid off for Aaron Rogers. Now, he's kept his career alive.

He's 42 years old. He wasn't bad for a 42-year-old, honestly. Yeah, it's, he's going to be disciplined. I just don't know if 24-year-olds can do it, whether they're worth them out of million dollars or not. I'm just telling you the truth. I mean, I'm not concerned as far as, I mean, yeah, either he's going to do it or he's not. He's going to let this, he's going to be mentally ruined and not be able to ever throw a football without getting PTSD and getting the shakes, or is he just going to power through this and be fine and in turn, turn his career around?

Because let's think about this. Next year could ultimately cost him $200 million in salary. It's got a lot of money on the line. a lot. A lot. I mean, he's already, quite frankly, he's already lit a bunch of money on fire. If he had two great playoff games and then they lost a tough one in Denver or something, or made the Super Bowl.

Right, right, right, right. He'd be getting probably paid this off season. Because that's what happens. And for those that don't know, usually year three, if you've done anything, you're going to be able to go to the negotiating table and be able to show your resume. And they're going to like, all right, we'll write you the check. That's why I think Will Anderson will be very interesting to see what you do on because that he's the same draft class.

And Will has done everything and then some to prove that he's worthy of getting a new extension. First team all pro, pay me. Pay me, Nick. But yes, that's, see, Kyler Murray got paid after his third year. I'm sure there's some other examples we can find where guys that got paid after their third year, but that didn't work out for Kyler Murray, but anyways. That's a problem is that I saw this just yesterday. It's strange you brought up Kyle Murray's name.

that wasn't a tweet. Again, tweet shouldn't be everything. Shame on me for even thinking of it, but it's human reaction. Is that are you going to find yourself in the Pat Mahom situation where you've built this amazing quarterback and given him a lot of money

and he's given you sustained excellence? Or are you staring at Conner-Murie? Or is there a mid? Is Trevor Lawrence at this point worthy of the money that the Jaguars have paid? no playoff wins since the big contract, right? Because even when he was doing all that,

when he won the championship, he went to the championship, that wasn't on the big contract. He's got it since then. Yeah, I don't think so. Yeah. And the Texans, by the way, paid Deshaun Watson after his third year. It's not atypical.

Remember when Deshawn Watson had that press conference and everybody was, Justin Verlander jumped on the Zoom call and JJ Waddle. Oh, man, we're so happy. And then, Easterby happened, and then Cal happened, and then the missile parlors happened. We don't, I don't want to. What a curse with franchise quarterback.

What a dark, dark time for this franchise. That's why, and I'll say this until I'm blue in the face, as a Texans observer, you have to. For your own mental health and for most importantly, CJ's mental health, you have to give him a pass for what happened. And you have to say 2026 is going to be a bounce back here. Because if this hangs with him and he has an apprehension, you're going to go south, you're going to be stuck with a quarterback that you're probably going to have to,

if you're going to keep him, franchise tag him, or you're going to let him go free and clear, which means you've got to start from scratch, which means you have to go get a rookie NFL quarterback and watch him grow and develop and go through the same old process. Meanwhile, Ross, that other side of the football is going to get a little longer in the tooth. It's going to be probably full of a couple of injuries.

And ultimately, you're going to be paying some people or trying to pay them and you don't have money to pay them. Yeah, it was a big opportunity missed this season because everybody was healthy, everybody's playing well, everybody's paid as much as who needs to be paid is paid with Stingley and Petriot and Daniel. Lasseter will be paid eventually soon. Exactly.

He's going to want money. Well, Anderson is going to want money. deal daniel anderson's getting older he's got one year left them yeah yeah a deal hunter i'm sorry yeah yeah all right i'm gonna go throw up you do you go to break all right we'll go to break let's talk about the shelf federal courting you and i can do that for you by way e-made doke is going to join us in 15 minutes here on the program 713212 5 790 719 719 another great Detroit artist the legendary bob seeker on classic hit 790 I don't have the toes.

Yeah. It, uh, it pump faked you. Bob Seeger, properly rated, yes? Hmm. If you can't, if you can't give an intelligent answer, I'm okay with it. I think so. Okay. I think some people overrate him, like, act like he's an all-time grade.

It's not an all-time great, but it's good. He has some good hits. No, it's good. Night moves great. Turn the page is an amazing song. Yeah. I have been to 100 concerts in my life. The Laudest Concerts.

whatever I've been to in my entire life was a Bob's secret concert at the Compact Center. Hmm. Okay. Quietest concert? You and me at Paul Simon. That's fair. Probably fair.

Yeah. We're not playing Madonna yet. She's in Detroit. Oh, I forgot about her. Yeah. How's she doing? She's old. She's still like your gargoyle.

Yeah, I think she's... When you're a multi-millionaire, don't you have like the best of plastic surgeons out there, not the worst of ones? yeah it's unfortunate uh 713 212 5708 i was on a group chat with a bunch of NBA broadcasters and i sent them the song of the Philadelphia 76ers fight song and they're like we love that too okay good we're not the minority on this it's so catchy and I don't want to ever hear it again because that means the Sixers beat the Rockets but i'm a I'm low-key obsessed with that song

it's a jam with us. Sorry, we didn't play in this, we haven't a while, but there's something wrong with us. No, there's nothing wrong with us. Yeah. Jonathan said it's a jam. Jonathan called it a jam. It's cross-generational. Your broadcasters are calling it a jam? Yeah, they love it. They absolutely love it.

It's like we'd be on SoulTrain, 1971. Would it now? Oh, I can see it. Bell bottoms. What do you call those shirts with those big, Collars? Yeah, my buddy Todd, the voice of the Pelicans just said, best song ever. I want something clever and catchy for rocket wins. Hell, we're winning a bunch at home, Ross.

They only have three losses at home this year, right? We've got tops drop, baby Fat Pat. Let's go. How's that go? Trunks keep popping. Tops keep dropping down in Houston. Okay. Not as good as this song Top drops

A better than this Seriously Somebody went I don't even know in this song with me But I'm going to assume it's like 1973 Went in a room and said Let's make a song about

Counting down from one up to Going from one to nine seven And then going from six down to zero Let's make a song and then we'll clap our hands And we'll put a little bit of disco beat to And we'll call it a day Top drops good It's 2026 and they play this

damn song still yeah the rocket seems on this is nice I'm trying to figure out what year this song was made are you trying to find it it's the name of the group it's called fresh air i are e okay

yeah I'm trying to figure out where it is where it comes where it started it's the general sporting news says it was a song in the 70s well duh I couldn't figure that out A song has humble beginnings. Ninety-five Temple University graduate Randy Childers was doing odd jobs, including dressing up as a turkey at a game before Thanksgiving for $500. Children's recruited bandmates Terry Rocap and Joe Sherwood,

part of a group called Fresh Air, to help him throw together a track. One day he was watching Sesame Street with his seven-year-old daughter when he had an epiphany. He came up with the now-famous chorus, one, two, three, four, five, sixers. I was telling the truth. It was the count. Yeah. One!

All right. That was terrible. I never should have done that either. I got a lot of regrettable moments in this show today. You know why? Because I'm sleep-deprived. Ninety-five, okay. That isn't 19-

That, take it, Ross, I swear to God, you and I would do quite well in 1975. Think so? Yes. We could go on American Bandstand. We could go on Soul Train.

I don't know what those moves, Matt. I don't know if you're passing the audition. We can go on the Midnight Special. I can maybe have a chance to host a game show ultimately because I'm not a celebrity at this point. It'd be just a regular old game show dude. You know, in the 70s before going bald, you would just get a rug. Oh, let me taste them. I don't have a hairpiece.

There is a 100% chance. That'd be awesome. Get you with a 70s hairpiece? I would do it. And those mutton chop sideburns? I like that. All right. Now, do you think you may have doco go in for a walk this morning to kind of clear his head a little bit?

I don't know. It's a little too chilly for that, right? Didn't you say negative 17? Three. What you said it feels like was like negative 17 or something. Yeah, yeah. I mean, they're not a cloud in the sky here. It's beautiful here.

I see the casino from my room, which makes me sad. Why does it make you sad? Because I can't have time to get over there. As soon as I get off the show, I'm taking my 35-minute shower and then going to the game. That's weird. What's your water bill like? You're a wife. You're a wife.

I don't want to talk about it. Oh, here we go. It's a sensitive. Oh, seriously. Thank God, Kim's in Austin, because she would be like, yeah, Matt, what is our water bill? Thanks, Ross.

I'm sorry. I'm just curious. Yeah, don't ask. I'm on her side for this one. I bet you are. Sometimes I'm on your side, but. Not for a story in 35 minutes. E. May Doca to start the final hour,

the Matt Thomas show with Ross here on Sports Talk 790. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 102 on Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Rossum here in cold ass Detroit. We've got the Rockets and Pistons coming up tonight. And we'll spend now 10 minutes with the head coach of your Houston Rockets. He may doka with us here on the show.

Coach, thanks for the time. He's always on this weekly visit. So how much are you, and I've never really asked you this, how much do you stare at that stat sheet and what bothered you the most from last night? There was obviously the three-point numbers that not go down for you late, the free throws, points in the paint. What got you grumpy about the performance of last night? I think, you know, the turnover is always stand out when you give up seven,

off of 17 turnovers, you know, close game, 21 points. There's free throws hurt as well, but going 50 percent, only 12 for 24. That matters. Some three is late, you know, making 18 for a game at 45 percent is good enough. Yeah, even though we missed, scoring wasn't a problem. It was some of the defensive things that we have number to win. Ema, don't go with us here on the show. I don't know if it sounds scratchy to you guys a little bit.

We may need me need to try to connect it again. I don't know, Ross. What do you think? Yeah, we've tried a second line already. We can try again. I think we should because, you know, we'll try. We've been having some phone issues the last couple of days. All right.

So we'll put EMA on hold and we'll finish the conversation in just a little bit. So, Ian, again, rockets against the pistons. night. We'll have it for you beginning with the launch pad at 5.530 network pregame show and 6 o'clock. As the Rockets, despite the loss last night, still holding on the four seed in the Western Conference. Detroit is certainly a very talented basketball team, and we look forward to hopefully seeing the Rockets put this trip before getting home Monday to take on the Memphis Grizzlies. This rocket team is so really good at home. Only three losses, but unfortunately find themselves under 500 on the road with still a lot of home games left before the end.

end of the season. So very much looking forward to that. Let's see what else. Yeah, it was a combination of things. We're going to get, we got email back here, hopefully on a better line. You know, a lot of folks have asked Ross on the postgame show last night about Reed Shepard about the way he got you out in the fourth quarter, did not play in the overtime. It felt like to me what you were answered in the post game was that there were some defensive things that were a part of the entire package. Would that be the best way to explain why you went with, say, Jabari and Tari in the extra time? yeah i mean we have we have some coverage things that we wanted to do with them beed and and different guys

maxee of course and um you know part of the game uh they were really hurting us with their pick and roll downhill uh you know read not being one of our better defenders but it's it's a balance you have to figure out what you need to do whether you want to try to get stops or try to outscore somebody and uh well with the bigger lineup with the more size out there um you know look you and joel are are very tight and he had a triple double yesterday. I know he's been battling injuries the last couple of years. Is it little not necessarily bizarre? You've got

friends who are on the league, but for his guy that you developed a relationship with, you want him personally have success. You just don't want him to have it at the expense of the team that you're coaching. Yeah, you're happy to see him back out there and being able to start playing through some of the things he's gone through. But at the same time, you know

the ways to try to mitigate some of the success. And I don't think we did that for the far last night. You know, reaching him, fouling much too much. He's averages nine free throws a game. I think we reached him four times and give him eight. And then just not taking up enough of the space.

Some of what we did to win in Yamma, you want to take up the space, be aggressive there, and then make him put it on the floor, and I think we gave him too many comfortable shots multiple times. But it has been nice, and I think every team dreams of this, you may, that you have a guy that can be that microwave,

like Minnie Johnson was back in the day, in terms of coming off the bench and providing points. And it has been a second straight game that Reed's jump shot has certainly helped you guys get back into ball games. Oh, yeah, definitely. He's becoming more consistent. Across the board, we understand what he does

when he's scoring at that clip and how it elevates our team. I think it gives us a total different look from my men and Kevin and some of those guys are in pick and roll. And it's great to see him continue to grow as far as that, trying to help him be more well-rounded in general, but love the progress that he's showing. Rocket Tech coach Ima Doka was here on a sports talk 790 and just kind of earlier to the read thing and the lineups that you choose. What is that like for you as a coach as far as the process of guys can be cold all game, but then in clutch time they can start hitting shots and vice versa.

What are the things that you're looking for when it comes to clutch time lineups and then overtime lineups? Regardless of any point of the game, it's really consistency. you know we we understand what certain guys are going to give us their strengths and weaknesses and try to help them develop as far as their weaknesses and so across the board we want guys to be well-rounded understanding other guys some guys have more of a skill fit than others but we want other guys to grow in those areas as well and so got a good deep team a lot of versatility as far as that and when one guy is not making shots or not defending at the level we feel we can know it multiple different lineups.

Once we get Tari, Dorian, and those guys off of a minute restrictions, it'll be a little bit easier to not have to mix and math much, but I think that'll bode well for us going forward with all the different people we can get out there and play. Obviously, free throws were part of the issue last night as well. I mean, what, if anything can be done throughout the season or long term, and we've seen him in Thompson make a big leap in his free throw shooting, and we've seen some guys just be up and down.

Yeah, that really comes down to confidence and repetition. It feels like early in the season we were shooting them very well. Lately it haven't been as well, but you have to stick with their routine. And, you know, we sign tax with guys to get up a certain number for a day, and we have to stick with that. And I think you've seen direct results from that throughout training camp and early in the season with the numbers we were shooting, the percentages we were shooting.

And so for us, it's continue with your reps, you know, and then stay confident through that. If you're a guy that handles the ball or gets a bunch of touches, you're going to get the free-thole line more and you've got to knock those down and convert at a higher level. Can you help me out with what happened last night? Obviously, the ball with the Durant block, and then there was a loose possession.

I thought if you grabbed it and you called the timeout, there was going to be time for you to have a shot. Do you get any clarity about why the clock was at 0.1 before the game ultimately went to overtime? I think they said Tari didn't have full possession of it, which I saw him dribbling up, so I tried to call a timeout and get us a last shot there. But I guess they went back and looked or consulted with each other and said he didn't have full possession. Like he was still in the process of grabbing it. So that's a definition I got.

And you're not satisfied with that, are you? He's like to get the last shot and give yourself a chance there. But still a great defensive play, and we had our chances in overtime as well. Yeah, for sure. Emaidoka with us for a few moments here on the program. Kevin last night, 36.7 rebounds, and like a true pro, the one number that he looked at when he was talking to the media after the game last night and Philadelphia was the turnover numbers.

Kevin's never been a low turnover guy, but when he's so fluid on the offensive side, that's just part of the game. Have you noticed that he does spend a little bit of time talking about the negatives when he was just such a huge part of this team's offense last night? I think it's just his mindset and mentality. is trying to be perfect out there. And you're scoring that much. And like I said, you give up 21 points off a turnover

in a tight game like that. You're going to look at yourself and see that eight is too many. And so whether it's just being not predetermining what you want to do or being strong with the ball, understanding use the focal point. Teams are going to go after them. And he has to be stronger with it. But the other guys have to sprint for spacing and get your outlets as well.

And so I always say we should invite double teams and have those numbers and pick it. apart and the first part is getting the pass out of there and then let give us a chance to do that big matchup just from record wise and measuring stick wise with the Detroit piston snide in going into the game you know that it's going to be physical you know that these two teams have uh you know had some tension but before uh in the in the season is that anything any special messages like everybody keep their cool out there or i know we know you like this type of knockdown drag out game that it could be tonight.

No, it's just be who you are. And, you know, we both, I think both teams welcome that. But, you know, we understand what their strengths are. They have a really good player in Cunningham, and they are second in offensive rebound behind us. So since it's going to be a battle as far as that, you know, one of our guys being down with Steve and other guys have to step up and make up that difference. And, yeah, we're two physical teams that enjoy that side of the ball.

And so, yeah, you always say keep your cool or whatever. But I think be who you are. and two teams will be ready to battle out as far as that. Last thing for EMA, we just passed the 42 game mark, so we were a little bit past the halfway point of the season. What did you love in the first 41, and what do you want to see differently in the next 41? You know, overall, you know, when you look at the standings,

and, you know, we're in fourth place in the West right now and haven't played our best basketball by any means lately, that's a good sign for us because we know we can take it to another level. Numbers overall being in the fourth. defense or third in defense and then fifth in offense you're hitting some of those benchmarks and then I think we're third and overall net rating so numbers don't always coincide with our closing of games I think that's the biggest thing with us we've we've been really good at times and even games we haven't shot that well or played that well defensively we're still in those games it's just a

matter of closing now and we've got we're going to have to zero in on that second half of the season to really get to where we want to be thank you for the time as always friend we appreciate it We'll see at the arena later on the night and stay warm. Did you go for a walk today by any chance? Not at all. I haven't left the hotel. Me either. Thanks for the time.

Me, we appreciate it. Thank you. All right. E. May, Doka, joining us here on the show. It is a balmy three degrees here in Detroit. And thanks again to EMA for joining us for a few minutes. Bottom of the hour, non-Florida stories. Then we have Hellyer-R-N-Out at 150.

What is today's edition of Hellier-R-N-N-all-about, Rossi? What? I gave you some topics earlier. I forgot. What were they? You want Detroit artists? Is this person from Detroit? Oh, believe you not, from Detroit?

Yeah, that's easy. Or like ever lived in Detroit? Because like Aretha Franklin was born in Memphis, but she lived and died in Detroit. I would have to say Detroit born. We'll see. You can also put me as one of them. I just might believe it or not. Oh, that's a good one.

Believe it. It's a hell yeah or not. That's right. That's true. All right. 713-212-5-790 7-13-212-5-7-90 Non-Florida stories coming up

in about 15 minutes here on the show. Fun fact, Ross. This is my favorite Madonna song. I didn't even tell Ross. I didn't even tell Jonathan to play it. I knew that. You did? Yes.

You know me all so well. This song is so bad. It's good. Oh, it's a jam. Why do you think it's bad? I don't know. It's just 80s cheese. I mean, didn't she make a life living off of that?

Yes. By the way, I've been going to smoking gun from my non-Florahua stories, and 90% of the smoking gun stories are about things that are happening in Florida. Florida just remains undefeated. Do you ever notice that? I did notice that. I mean, every week I'm not almost, almost every week. I'm finding a story, and I'm like, oh, it's in Florida.

I mean, I cannot wait for us to get to spring training, because what that happens, that means the rule is if any, any one of us is in Florida that week, we get to use Florida Stories. Yeah, Madonna, I'd go see her in concert. I mean, I'm not a super big Madonna fan, but there's enough hits. I would go listen to it. All right. If I go for free, I guess.

Let me tell you, if I got us really good seats, you'd pay. No, I wouldn't. Money? Huh? Money, you're talking about? Use your Bitcoin fund that you have. I'm good. That's a way, wait.

we're holding that. We're holding that until I'm 65. Okay. So you're going to retire with that? Is that what it is? Okay, I got you. It's a little rainy day emergency fund from when I get laid off. Damn.

Seriously, this smoking gun is another florist. I'm running out of ideas. You're going to be fine. Yeah, it won't take me very long. Oh, my gosh. All right, 713-212-5-790. 7-1-2-5-790. If you want to join us here,

It is a many moments of anything goes Friday. Thanks again to email Adoka for joining us. If you are a coach, what would drive you nuts more? Turnovers or miss free throws? I'm going miss free throws. They drive me insane. Oh, it's so frustrating. The Rockets made 50% of their free throws yesterday.

5-0. 12 missed, and they were all in regulation, and they were tied at the end of regulation. And now we, at the Detroit Pistons who are arrested, they slept in their beds last night. Well, we'll see what happens with the kid cutting him. He's now, I think he's going to play tonight. Oh, he's listed as probable? I don't know if he's delisted, but I read the paper this morning online in that it sounds like that he's going to try to give it a go. Fine.

I think he should take the night off. I don't disagree. I wanted Joel N.B. to take the night off, and he played. Got a triple double. man, he moves so slow. He's so skilled and strong. All right. Let's get back to, real quick, before we get to our non-floor stories.

Yeah, Cunningham's probable. Oh, damn. Hey, do we make our final predictions on the score and the games? I know we did it on Tuesday, but I think. Let me go look. Okay. I don't think we did. I think we've just picked our winners.

But go ahead. But let me ask you this. If the Broncos win the game, is that the greatest coaching job of a single individual coach would have getting a backup quarterback ready in less than a week? I don't know if I'm going to go that far. We're going Hostetler and the Super Bowl was an extra week?

Or what happened with the Hostelor situation? I should know that, but that was so long ago, I can't give you a good answer to that. But I think he played the whole playoffs. Didn't Hostetler play the whole playoffs or something like that? I don't remember anybody getting their first start in a championship game. Yeah. I mean, it was such a freak accident.

Well, actually Andy Lindell told us. it wasn't on the kneel down. It was initially reported. Yeah, it was actually reported. Yeah. Okay. I think New England wins it, and I think they're playing.

See, I had the Rams going the whole way, did I not? So I got to kind of stick with the Rams. Yeah. It's a coinflipper. But man, Salky got a soap fired up yesterday, did. He did. He made me believe in the Seahawks. Yeah.

And by the way, did you, he, when I brought up Sam Darnel having playoff failures, he was not happy with me. about that. Yeah, Matt. He said turn those bozos off on ESPN. Oh yeah, here we go for our NFL predictions. Oh, here we go. Let's go for it. Go.

I'm going to go with I actually do want to go with the Broncos upset. I just... You can't do it, can you? I'm going to go this way. Broncos cover against all odds. Sean Payton has

the lads ready. Low scoring game. 20 to 17 Patriots. I'm on a recorded line Patriots cover. Okay. I think it's seven point game.

Could happen. Now, L.A.'s offense is better than San Francisco's. But damn, Seattle's a new football team or a different team when they're playing their home building. Defense is incredible. And it's raucous.

And that defense is incredible. I know I picked the Rams to win the ANFC. Which, by the way, if I get that, right, I get my flowers. No, because you're hedging. That's fine. Mr. Hedger, your bets. I'm going to say, sorry, soft, if you're listening, Sam Darnold, the playoff, Sam Darnel shows up a second time.

He doesn't want to hear it. I'm sitting this audio. No, you're not. You don't know. No, don't go to the company file. Don't do it. The two matchups this year were 21 to 19 and 38 to 37. I see it.

I think the, what's the overrunner in this one? I just had it. I'll take 45 and a half or something. I'll take 3124 Rams. 46 and a half. 3124 Rams. Take you over in the Rams. 27, 24 Los Angeles Rams.

Oh, we're both taking them. Okay. Yeah, that's not good for us. Look at the production value that Jonathan's putting in over the music. I like it. Yeah. All right. Let's go to Scott before we get to non-employed stories stories.

Hi, Scott. Matt, Ross, what's going on, guys? First off, I had a question for you, Matt, about the Rockets. I wanted to ask yesterday, well, I was calling away yesterday. I know you guys were just talking about him. That guy y'all had on from Seattle yesterday, that was one of the more entertaining interviews I have ever listened to. If you guys can get him on whenever, like, pre,

we play the Mariners or post when we play the Mariners throughout the season. Scott? Scott. Scott? Have you listened to our show for any length of time? Any length of time? Quite a bit, I have. Softie's been on probably 10 times in the last five years.

That was the first time I've heard him. I'm pretty sure. Is he normally on when y'all wouldn't bike around? Matt, it's okay, Matt. We like to fight with him when the Astros and Mariners play because he hates the Astros and we hate the Mariners. Well, I'll be paying even more attention than I'm going to do. Good. God, love you.

The Mariners play. Thank you. But I had a random question kind of off the wall when you know we're talking about the rockets a little bit. Sure. What do you think, Matt, traveling, you know, obviously you're with the team every game. In your expert opinion, being around just the NBA in general, what do you think the main difference is between playing at home versus on the road? Is it the crowd momentum? Is it the travel schedule?

Like all things, granted, I mean, obviously some teams have, you know, great records on the road, and we have before. Obviously, it's not happening this year. But in general, there is an inherent advantage to playing at home. So what specifically is it do you think that makes playing on the road more difficult? I will give you three quick answers to that. And thank you for the phone call, Scott, and we appreciate your long listening to the show. number one

in the NBA referee association is not going to want to hear this I think whistles are a little friendly to the home team in general by way Scott Foster's officiating tonight's game is our crew chief Ross I don't if you knew that or not okay I mean whatever one

I think the home whistle is a little friendlier than road whistle number two I do believe there is a familiarity knowing the building shooting in the building. And oh, by the way, 16, 17, 18, 19,000 of your closest friends rooting you on.

I do think there's a value in that. And number three, and Ross likes to tease me about this, even though you're traveling into five-diamond hotels and you're flying in the charter planes and you're staying in nice places, it's still logistically a pain of the ass. And I do believe that when you're at home, you don't have that. You go from your workout facility to your arena to your house. house, it's regimented.

And if there's anything I've learned about being around sports all my life, at least covering pro and college teams, is people like regiment. Last night, we play the Philadelphia 76ers. We jump on a plane in the middle of the night in flight of Detroit, where we landed at seven degrees, getting on a bus, getting to the hotel, waiting for our bags,

or going to get our bags, strange hours. I do think there's a, you know, I think back-to-backs are tough for anybody, in sports, especially in the NBA, and I do believe that there's a little value in that. So you take all those three factors, and that's why winning percentages.

I don't know what the difference is and what percentage win teams are in the NBA, but I think it does matter. I think largely the most important thing is familiar building, fans behind you, and I think a friendlier whistle towards the home team in general. Am I missing anything, Ross, or that I might not knock it out? I don't think I have any disagreements of that.

Yeah. Although the Phil Luffy fans did not think there was a very friendly home whistle on the Kevin Durant call. They did not. Calls are missed all the time. Do you think the NBA, the referee, should just call goaltending every time because you cannot review a non-goaltending call.

You can only review a goaltending call and overturn it. I mean, if they didn't think it happened, I didn't think it happened in real time. I was like, and then I saw the repo. Oh, oh, yeah. I mean, we get the super slow motion. We're like, look how obviously this is. These guys are flying up 10, 12 feet in the air

and so fast, and it's so hard to tell with the naked eye what's going on. Yep. And even Adam Clinton yesterday said that the Rockets got a benefit of a fishery call. That's good for him. That's so rare for him to say that. I mean, you don't know how rare that is, folks. No further comment.

Oh, come on. He loves us. We love him back back. Non-Floras stories are up next. 131 on Sports Talk 790. We find interesting stories that occur outside the state of Florida and share them with the... people of

Houston it's time for not no al- ladies gentlemen sometimes bring it minds think alike and I want to give a shout out

to a Twitter follower of ours and it is I'm at Dave at Texas thank you Dave at Texas you've got the one that I was going to go with on the 9th floor 3 this week

which Rossi we're going to go to Louisiana you ready to go to Louisiana always something crazy going on there. Always something going crazy in Louisiana. There is a woman by the name of Aaron Sutton. Her middle name is Elizabeth. You're saying, well, how do you know that? Because anytime the police report comes out, we always find out how their middle name.

She's 41 years old, Rossi, and she was arrested in Union Parish. I don't even know where you in Paris. Union Parish. Oh, I love Union Parish. Oh, Lord, you don't Peron now, baby. Well, the Union Parish Sheriff's Office

got a 911 call for finding out that Ms. Sutton allegedly trespassed a property in Linville. Oh, I know. Okay, Lynnville's where it's at. Okay. Linville, Louisiana. Linville, Louisiana. Talk about Linville High School Football Grades in Carjong. That property has a substantial pond, but it belongs to her neighbor who called the police for help. Okay. The caller told dispatchers that Sutton had been

swimming nude in their pond and refused to leave the water, despite repeated request. Okay. As officers were arriving at the caller's home, they learned that Sutton had been swimming. They learned that Sutton had allegedly started screaming when she was asked to leave the water. The caller said this was not the first time that Sutton had availed herself of the pond and that she repeated past warnings to stay out of the water they had been ignored. Deputies allegedly tried reasoning with Sutton who allegedly refused it first to get out because, quote, as Sutton told the police, she was trying to be a mermaid.

The officers eventually coaxed the sea nymph. That's what the story says. that. The officers eventually coaxed the C-Nymph want to be out of the pond and called EMS to evaluate Sutton. As that was happening, Sutton moved into a, try to move into an unspecified home where she started to charge at one of the deputies. Sutton was then tased, again, she's still naked during this,

but Cobb said the electrical jolt had zero effect and she continued towards the officer. It's alleged that when Sutton reached the officer, she kicked and punched a deputy. The statement notes that Sutton was finally restrained and taken to a hospital, allegedly threatening to kill the deputies and the paramedics the whole time and the whole where they were there. Oh, boy. Sutton has been charged with three counts of resisting an officer with force or violence,

two counts of public intimidation, two counts of battery with a police officer, one count of disturbing the peace, and one count of criminal trespassing. Wow. 41 years old, naked at a neighbor's pond, and had to get tased, and it didn't affect it the first time around. that, my friends, is your Louisiana, Livville, non-flora story. Sounds like she's got

schizophrenia. She needs help. I'm looking at her mug shot. Okay. It's fine. Okay. She looks cold. I mean, 41, you know,

she looks cold. January, the weather can't, the pond can't be warm, right? It's Louisiana. It's probably probably about 75 Mac, minimum. I got you. What do you got for your non-floor story? Yes, Matt. I know this story popped up on this show before,

but I wanted to reiterate because it continues to make headlines. A federal class action suit levied against McDonald's. Oh, no, don't know. No, this story, no, stop it. Claiming that millions of people have been misled by the McRib being sold as real pork rib meat and how that quote distorts the facts. The 45-page complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois takes issues with the product's name and presentation, notably the term, quote, McRib and its rib-shaped patty, which they say would lead a reasonable consumer to believe the sandwich includes real rib meat when there is none.

According to the complaint, the McRib is actually made of restructured pork, which combines shoulder, heart, tripe, scalded stomach, None of which would qualify as rib meat. The lawsuit asserts 16 claims of fraud, breach of warranty, breach of contract, and violations of state consumer protections laws. Well, guess who is not suing McDonald's? This guy. In fact, I'm less to sue McDonald's if they don't serve the McRib more often than three times a year. Sorry, I'm just reading more about this lawsuit. Is that you had a McRib with me and you were not disdained by you.

It wasn't that bad, but I'm not going to go out of my way to have one. And I'm also not going to call it America's sandwich. If you put a Big Mac or a quarter-pounder or even a double cheeseburger and a McRib in front of me, a thousand times of a thousand I'm choosing the burger. Flee a fish? A fly of fish was See, what's wrong with you? It tasted like fish sticks.

It was not good. A fish on a bun. I thought it was in third grade eating Gordon's fish sticks. Yeah, it was delicious. Yeah, for third graders. Yeah, but you know what? You know what?

I'm not arguing food with you right now. All right. Jonathan, what's your non-floor story this week? All right, mine's coming from Australia. This comes from the musical duo Bootleg Rascal Out of Brisbane, Australia They were having a concert

Carlos Lera said their manager Had informed them that someone wanted to propose On stage during their third song Third song came up A man climbed up on the Stick the microphone He called his partner Jamie to the stage You can see how this is going

Tell the crowd that they have seen the band Last two years before And it was their favorite band together And he said, I thought today, why not? Maybe today is the time. Got down on one knee on stage. And suddenly, Jamie started shaking her head. Trying to pull him back up, then ran off stage.

Mm-mm. Mm-mm. The musical duo even said, I don't think I've ever felt this awkward on stage on my life. The sprung boyfriend stayed on one knee until someone in a Scooby-Doo costume ran up to help him get on his feet and hugged him.

Rot row. The artist said they checked up him afterwards and he said he was looking for a couple of beers. They gave him some free merch so he wouldn't go completely unempty-handed. So he went for an engagement and got some free t-shirts instead.

Yeah. Let me both ask you a question to wrap this up. Have either one of you dressed up like a a cartoon character when going to a concert. Not at a concert, but for Halloween. But, I mean, you're not going to go see, like, one of your favorite bands at Rockefeller's and you dress up as Scooby-Doo, correct?

I don't think so. Maybe if it is Scooby-Doo. No, when I go see John Cougar Mellon. When I go see John Cougar-Mellon camp in August at Cynthia Woods, I will dress up as a cartoon character. Oh, you know who is that? Oh, no, you know, you know, Master, Dress-Up as a movie, Mr. Clean.

Perfect. Wait just a minute. It just sprung on my head and I feel like that's just, that's the gold. Like, you have to do that. You just need a white t-shirt. Mr. Texas, Mr. Clean. Wait, doesn't he have an earring too, though? You can a little clip on, yeah.

Hey, that's, you know what you described? Rod Ryan? What's up? What's up? What's up? Yeah, it works, actually. Wow. He just dropped a Mr. Clean on you.

Yeah, it's fine. Jonathan's sick You can't say I don't know which one it is But it's definitely one of them All right Hell yeah or not Is up next

145 on the Matt Thomas Show at Ross Here on Sports Talk Saturday If you want to play 713, 212 579 I have no idea what the topic is But it's going to be amazing When we come back

713 212 5790 All right Rockets tonight Six o'clock Rockets play Monday against Memphis Grizzlies somebody sent me a message and said that the game's starting to be played.

As far as I know, everything is on schedule. Astros Fast is still on schedule for tomorrow, which Ross and I will be there from 1.30 until 4. And I don't know about Monday. It depends on how bad Sunday gets, honestly. I know Memphis will have to try to fly in. I don't know. That's going to be.

In fact, they play a game on Sunday afternoon, and they fly in right after that. So I don't know exactly what's going to happen. But the NBA games try to play as much they can because this is a very tight schedule with events happening all over the place. And so the last thing you wanted to try to reschedule something. But, you know, what, weather's going to ultimately, you know, play whether or not Memphis can get in. I know that the Cougars game tomorrow has been moved up earlier in Lovic because they're worried about the weather there too.

So just keep it here on 790 for all your sports updates. And y'all be safe this weekend, don't anything crazy. And Ross, we'll be praying for you for your eight-minute drive between the office and your apartment. It's usually four, but yeah, it could take six to seven minutes. I mean, we'll see how I see that bridge is. That's Trump. Hey, all it takes is one icy bridge and I make it in, Matt. And we would miss you.

Yeah, you'll be fine. I'll call in. I'll call in every hour. Really? I can actually get up real early and walk. That would be good. Get your blood flow a little bit. What a great idea.

Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play America's fastest growing sports radio game show. Monday through Thursday. We call it B. Leave it or not, but on Friday's we call it a hell, yeah, and out. And here's how it works. You call 713-212-5-790.

7-13-212-5-7-90. Today's edition of Believe or not, it's all things about Detroit-area artist, born and bred or grew up here, whatever the case may be. I'll read your statement about the Detroit artist. Statements is completely not early-accurate. You'll say this. Hell yeah! You have the statement's erroneous, full of un-a-buncombed-up.

You'll say this. Not. Two, believe or not, two hell-year-n-n-n-n-n-old-win-year-prize. either a 790 t-shirt, a four-pack of tickets to see Monster Jam, February the 15th at NRG Stadium, or four-packed tickets to see the Houston Auto-Botive show at NRG Stadium. If you want tickets to that, Houston Auto Show.com, or if you want tickets to the Monster Jam event coming up in early February, you go to Ticketmaster.com for NRG Stadium and Monster Jam or the Houston Auto-Botive Show. Let's play Hell Yeah or not.

Kyle on 790, Kyle, you're ready to play Hell Yeah or not? Yes. Kyle, Stevie Wonder was signed to a recording contract by Motown Records at the age of seven, which is still the record for youngest to ever do so. Hell yeah, or not? Not. That is correct. He was age 11, and others have done it five years old, et cetera, et cetera.

Statement number two for the win. In the 1960s, Smokey Robinson had an extramarital affair with Diana Ross. Hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. And they did. Congratulations. All right. to John in downtown.

John on 790, what was your favorite part of today's 10-2 radio show? Listening to you, Matt. In 2008, Rolling Stone magazine named Aretha Franklin, the greatest singer of all time. They re-ded the list back in 2003. Aretha was still tops in the list.

Hell yeah, or not? Not. That is a correct answer. I'm sorry. Thank you for playing now. Very tricky. Ike on 790. Ike, you're ready to play Hell yeah or not? Hell yeah

In the 1970s Madonna worked in New York as an elevator operator but she was fixed fired excuse me she was fired when it was discovered she was having sex

with a waiter in the elevator Hell yeah or not Not Hell yeah Ross where did you find that It was at Terrace in the Park in New York which is kind of a famous place Mike and Katie on 790

You're ready to play hell yeah or not Hell yeah M&M finished second in the 1997 rap Olympics, which got him noticed by record executives. Hell yeah, or not? Hell no. Hell yeah. Thank you for flying. Ross, I'm very impressively, by the way.

You've got a lot of research on this. That was a duh. Come on. That was a duh. Matt, your favorite part of today's 10-2 radio show. I always like the Florida stories. Those are nice. Thank you.

Bob Seeger began his music career. recording and covering the blues and incited muddy waters and howdy wolf howlin wolf excuse me as his biggest influences hell yeah or not hell yeah no he didn't play the blues he liked little richard however though thank you for playing and elvis kevin and parland on seven on a kevin you're ready to play hell yeah hell yeah marvin gay was first noticed by blues legend beau didley who push record companies to sign his singing group the marquise hell yeah Or not? Hell yeah.

That's right. Hey, Number two for the win. Kid Rock has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards, winning Best Rock Performance for All Summer Long and Best Hard Rock Performance for... What is that? What is that song, Ross? Bar with a bar!

Bar! What to Bar! Hell yeah or not? Oh, man. Hell yeah. No, he's never won. Ross. trying to get me on a ba with the bah whatever that hell that means bah with the bah

that a good song ross i definitely did that on purpose is this in here yes is this on your phone bap with the bah up with the next the a team bah with the bah i don't know what that means