The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Astros Lose First Game Of Series Vs Guardians, Rafael Stone, Joe Espada, Cooper Hummel Join The Show

Episode Date: July 8, 2025

Astros Lose First Game Of Series Vs Guardians, Rafael Stone, Joe Espada, Cooper Hummel Join The Show

is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 10-02 in H-town. Good morning. And welcome to a Tuesday edition of the Matt Thomas show at Ross. This is Sports Talk 790. I saw part today at the reception. Sports RV, you just can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you'll get what you know. need? Well, you'll be needing hopefully a victory tonight because the Guardian's got their first

in the last 10 games. That's baseball. You didn't let me finish my sentence yesterday. Sorry. I knew what you were thinking. So did not have the Astros as heavy favorites in that game. No. Our guy, Colton Gordon. Oh, he's okay.

Were you surprised they put him back in the game after he took a 70-mile-an-hour ball directly to the dome? I was thinking as soon as it happened, we should try that live on the air. Okay. So we're going to set up Jonathan with a pitching machine. Well, I was thinking which one of the two of you wants to take the brunt to the head?

I'm good. And I haven't decided yet. Okay. But we could. You know, we're going to be on location Thursday. Maybe we should do it there. Hit Ross with a 70 mile an hour flying drive and see how long it takes. No, I don't think so.

If you could finish the show. All right. Well, how much? We can put together a GoFundMe account, that's for sure. Good morning, everyone. Can I put a face mask on? I'm too pretty for this. What's more important?

Your face or your hair? Face. You had to think about it for a second. No, I didn't. Okay. That's pretty quick. It wouldn't too bad. Hey, it's the Matt Thomas show with Ross.

Good morning, everybody. That's Ross. I'm Matt. Hi. Jonathan is a producer. Put together that little mix there. Yes. He's getting good at this.

He's getting... Our little pupper is growing up. You are growing up. First one, we're giving you, we're giving you, have you heard that song before until today? No, I haven't. I'm going to give it a definitely an eighth. I didn't like the intro, though, like the very long. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

The long. I was like, okay, okay, I like it. The long acoustic intro. It's all about setting the tone. I am a fan of the Rolling Stones. I'm not a super fan, but I'm a fan. That's one of my top five. Huh, I'd have to go to the list.

That's French top five. It's candidate. What's the other rolling stuff? Satisfaction would be probably their most famous song. Start me up. And yeah. And J. Ah, okay, okay.

Ander. Uh, they got, yeah. Paint it black. Jumpin' Jack Flash. Jumping, low. Give me shelter. I used to use Jumping Jack Flash as my theme song for the Matt Thomas show in Minneapolis. Sympathy for the devil.

I don't, ooh, it's going to be fringe top five. Miss you? Is this a fantasy five? Uh, we've never done it. I don't think. Honky Talk women, quite underrated. Let me just say, I was, uh, one of my, my first ever concert in a stadium. Now, I've been to arena concerts, my first ever stadium was to see the Rolling Stones of the Astrodome in 1989.

It was a steel wheels tour. Really? Yeah. And it was fantastic. First and foremost, I got to go without any adults. It was me and my coworkers from McDonald's. We went and had a great time. Wow.

I felt like I was my first little for a little foreign to being a young adult. I got to go all the way in from, I lived in the Katie area. Several floor burgers, and then you went... Well, I might have done that, but Angela deserved it. And then got to go to the Astrodome on a school night and went to the concert. It was packed, 50-something thousand people at the Astrodome. And that was like kind of their... We'll see you later tour.

That was also 1989, so, you know, now 40-something years later, they're still performing. 20 farewell tours later. That is true. Excuse me. I will. Over a clempt here. You're all right. thinking about my younger days.

Hey, we got a great radio show today. We've actually put together a show that I think people are going to want to listen to the entire four hours. Really? I mean, usually I'd be like, yeah, I listen to Matt and friend Ross for 20 minutes, and I'm done. Hopefully we get a Colton Gordon update from Joe Espada. From Joe Spada. We got Rafael Stone coming up at 11 o'clock today. Oh, really?

Rockets General Manager. Just kind of, you know, it's funny, and I'll actually phrase it to him this way. You know, there's that phrase that has been talked about, I don't want to know how the sausage was made. Just, I want to taste the sausage. Oh, damn it. What? That's 1107. 10.08.

Don't try to throw them off. 1146. Okay. I want to know how the sausage was made. I love the behind-the-scenes stuff. And I don't know how much detail you can give us to us on this, but it's interesting, you know, were there lots of texts, where there are lots of phone calls, was there, you know, were there days of, hey, this deal's.

not done. Deal's done and dad a little more too. You know what I'm saying? That's the kind of stuff that I always find very intriguing. Yeah. I think I, yeah, that's totally fair and I'm interested as well. Because he's not, I mean, if we say, what do you think about having Kevin DeRane your team? He's going to say, that's great. He's awesome. He's 37 years old, plays like he's 30. He's fine. He's going to be

great. We know that, but I always like to find the back, the backstory. So Rafael Stone will be with us at 11 o'clock. He got gut feelings at 1130. The news at noon. Joe Spot, as you mentioned, 1230. We have NFL rewined at 120. Cooper Hummel, who DH, last night for the local nine.

An interesting lineup the Astros put out there. Not because they were doing Sugar Land Space Cowboys Tribute night. It was, we're down a bunch of players, and we've only got so many spots. But Cooper D.H., and he'll join us at 130, and then, of course, we've got to believe it or not today at 150. No Jake Myers again yesterday. So I've got to ask about that. No Jeremy Pena. Christian Walker on the paternity list.

So you were down a couple of folks. And so you had to come. kind of throw out Taylor Tramel who did hit an Apo home run last night. He hadn't done much as an offensive player, but he went Apo Taco to the Crawford boxes last night, as the Astros did lose

to the Cleveland Guardians by a final score of 7 to 5. Unfortunate. So, the question was and my son Peyton, my middle one, is very emotional about sports. I've talked about this before. Mostly Aggies, right? Or no? Mostly Aggies, but of course, the local teams as well.

And he's like, Dad, how do the Astros go on the road and beat the Dodgers three straight times? How do they beat the Phillies and how do they beat the Cubs? And they have a chance to come home and play the Cleveland Guardians who had lost 10 consecutive games and they lose. And I said, and he didn't understand this. But I said, son, that's baseball. It just is.

There's really no. It's the phrase you have to go to. I mean, if it's a cliche. Jordan Alvarez could be in the lineup. Jeremy Payne could be in the lineup. They could have reinvented an AI Alex Breggman and Kyle Tucker. They still could have lost the game last night. Absolutely true.

And they did. I mean, they lost to the Rockies. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's going to happen. So, now you don't want a whole lot of those. I mean, yeah, look at the back in the lineup. I mean, Keratinny's been great, but it's not like he's an all-star, every perennial All-Star.

And then Hummel Trammell Short Corona. I mean, what was that? It's a miracle they got five runs, honestly. They scored five. Thanks to a big swing from Taylor Tremel. Yeah, I mean, again, Taylor Tremel can play some defense, but offensively is the reason why it's not been a major leaguer for on a consistent basis. He's in 067, but that one hits pretty good.

That's enough. That's enough. That's a fact. I'm sorry. Love Taylor. And his OPS is now 489. How about this? For a guy who's an 067 batting average, his OPS is 489.

So he makes them most of those hits. Yes. He sends them into the Crawford boxes. Now, front of the show, or soon to be front of the show, Zach Short. O for three, his OPS still at 1,200. A real, a soon-to-be friend of the show, Cooper Hummel. Yeah. Legend.

And then Kennedy Corona, by the way, Kennedy only has one in his first name. Usually Kennedy has a second end. Well, he's from Venezuela, Matt. Okay. So, you know, they only use one in there. There's a shortage of ink on the type. righter. I'm sure there is. So yeah, it wasn't a murderers roll lineup last night for the Astros. And all good things must come to an end. And look, the guardians are not great, but they're

far from super suck. I mean, they're 41 and 48. It's not, but it is what it is. They've won 41 times. Yeah, they've won 41. They just lost 10 in a row. Streaks got to end sometime. Strix got in sometime. All right. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. If you'd like to join us, you may do so. 713-212-5-790 7-1-3-21-5-7-90. It's 1013, and this is Sports Talk 7-90. We brought this up very briefly, and I want to bring it up now.

We're going to be on location this Thursday. We're going to go over to Talia Brewing on Imperial Boulevard for Thursday's show from 10 o'clock until 2. So we're talking about delicious beer, yes, pit barbecue, what pizza oven, and us two good-looking hunks.

Yeah, but mostly the other stuff. Yeah. And we'll have some prizes and that kind of good stuff give away too. Really? Yeah, we're going to have a good time. Thursday. Thursday, 10 o'clock until 2. And this is in Sugar Land.

In Sugar Land, right next to Consolation Field. Now, unfortunately, the Space Cowboys are not playing, but we're going to have some pass to give away some games that you can just kind of pick and choose when you want to go. Okay. I have an important question. How important one to 10? How?

Well, seven? Okay. four. How close is this station to on your way to the on the way to the brewery? Meaning you don't want to drive. I mean, we're going to a brewery. I'm off the rest

of the day at two that day. As I am I. I could Uber home after. I would like to have a couple of flights of Talmud's finest. Just see folks, I'm asking him on air, put him on the spot. I thought about this earlier. You can say no. It's not that far out of your way. It is actually. I take 59. I can take 59 all the way.

Yeah, so you just get off here. It's like one exit. Postoics like one exit off 59. You make a little loop and we're back. We're off of 610. We're not off of 59. We're off of 16 and 59. How far is 59 from our exit?

Miles. Two max. Okay, fine. Matt's getting mad. All right, fine. I'll Uber out there. No, no, no. No, no, don't worry about it.

How about I give you some Uber money? Would that be better? No, it's fine. Don't give you money. I'm going to give you some money. I just won't drink. That's a lie. If you,

they have a, they have a, they have a, new FOMO Houdis, which is their new one of their crafts. Oh, my God. Good Lord. I may want to spend the night at your place. Yeah, you can. I got to pull out couch. This has been cleaned?

I mean, it's not dirty. They'll put clean sheets on it. Okay. I like that idea. They don't clean the mattresses at hotels. They just put new sheets on it. Some of the hotels I said, they clean mattresses. Oh, yeah.

Well, you're the nice ones. I'm talking about where I stay. Okay, I got you. All right. Malice, man. 1021. So Thursday, come have lunch with us. Okay.

And drink a flight of beer at Tyler Brewing on Imperial Boulevard. We'll be there from 10 o'clock until 2. All right. So the Astros dropped a game yesterday. That's fine. I don't want, don't worry about a skid. Don't worry about, I mean, I don't even want to say it's a letdown. But there was a high energy being like the Lakers, the Dodgers three straight times.

And it is the Guardians. And I'm going to still chalk it up to it's baseball. Okay. I'm not reading anything more into it. I didn't know that Christian Walker is on paternity leave. That didn't help. And Jake Myers was, what do we decide, a quad or the hip? What are we worried about here on him?

It would be the calf. The calf. The calf, right. Calf. I'm not a big fan of calf injuries. Oh, yeah. You got a nurse that bad boy. We're on an Achilles'i-Suchy situation. I know who Tyrese Halliborne's not a big fan of the cap.

Oh, did you see yesterday that's confirmed that Tyrese will miss the entire 2025, 26 season. That is frankly, as cruel as it gets, does it not? you go from being a guy that not single handling but pretty much did a lot of the heavy lifting of helping the pastors win the Eastern Conference, get to a game seven of the NBA finals. Not only do you hurt yourself in your last game, but they've

already said you're not playing next season. Yeah. That's pretty cruel. Oh man, and he said he would do it all over again. But it's the nature of the sport. And I think it just feels like these are, you know, we have to collect more data on all this, I guess, but it just feels like Achilles injuries are happening more and more and more and more and everybody's got theories as to why you have any theories i

don't have any theories i think it's just in general guys pushing their bodies more and this maybe sounds stupid but how about just their leaner and they're tougher and there's more if they were a little fatty to them i don't know i mean help me out with this there's more focus to explosion like you have you have strength and conditioning coaches that are teaching explosion and uh and tailoring your bodies for maximum explosion and and and jumping up and stuff like that and quick first steps. So when you're doing that, yeah, you're putting a lot of stress on those tendons and ligaments, and then you're going to end up with these injuries.

That's my theory. I don't know. Somebody with a way better sports science background than me and maybe even one of these teams' trainers. I bet you if you talk to 30 team trainers, you might get 30 different opinions. And they're all very well-educated on the matter. The NBA has hired their medical staff to put together a report of what they can do. I don't know what the answer is. Because let me tell you, even if you load manage and you play 60 games, you hurt the calf in game 56 and you go, well, a couple games of rest, that becomes a torn Achilles in game 59.

Remember when Michael Jordan worked out all summer when he lost to the Pistons in the late 80s? That was like a huge news story. He's hitting weights in the offseason? What is this? And now it's if you're not hitting weights in the off season, you're a bad teammate, where you're getting shame by your other guys and your team and your general manager is like. Like, man, you don't care about the team, man. You don't care about your teammates. You're not working out this summer.

You're not pouring your entire self 365 days a years into this. You're a bad teammate. It's almost a damn if you do, damn if you don't be. Exactly. If you let's say you gain weight. That means you're going to have a belly, which means your stamina is going to be an issue. Which means you're going to put more pressure on your feet and your knees and your back. Then you're like, well, you didn't come into shape, in the camp in good shape.

Thus, these little injuries could happen. Or you could have soft tissue issues. You're Luca Donchich and you're in the finals and you get a hamstring injury. Everybody's like, oh, it's because you're fat and you didn't work out the off season. And then if you work out too much, then you risk injury. You risk injury that way too. It's almost, I don't know. The reality is this, if you are in a professional sport and you do it for, let's say you work 11 months of you.

By the time you take days off and you go on vacation, you are at least putting something towards your crap 11 months of year. you're going to get hurt every, not every year, but to go injury free or not go through an injury at least once every 18, 24 months, you should consider yourself blessed. I think in many ways we've kind of gotten numb to the injuries in the NFL by the end of the season. There's like 10 quarterbacks who aren't the starters are out there and you're down to however many practice squad linemen and stuff like that. And we kind of just, we just don't even really think about it much more. Like, think about the great players in the NBA.

Chris Paul, numerous injuries over his career. Oh, yeah. Kevin Durant, numerous injuries. My buddy Eric Gordon, longtime NBA player. Heard every year. Joel and Bede, we can go ahead. Joel and Bid. That's why... Chris Horsing is, well, one, two years in, Chet Holmgren.

Yeah, that's why it's almost like, and for those that will have taken their shots at Jalen Green for his performance, you do have to give him his props and his flowers for being able to play 82. There's a guy named McKell Bridges. Nicks, correct? Yeah. Has it missed a game in his life, in college or in pro? What's the matter? No, I was just thinking about Mikkel Bridges. I mean, nice player. Matter of fact, there was some rumors about him coming to the Rockets at one point.

And all he does is play. There is some value in that, but it's certainly the one-off. It's not the regular rule. Yeah, those are the exceptions rather than the rule. We can, I mean, if we went to, I wonder how many, and I guess we can, I can do the during a break or something. If we went to like 1980, how many guys could we find that played 82 games? I mean, remember, Wilk Chamberlain played all eight.

He averaged over 48 minutes in a season. And then had sex with 10,000 women. Yeah. I mean, talk about a war. I mean, that's a unicorn right there. That body should have research done on it. Yeah, he overestimated, though. There's no question.

The two people in the world that have overestimated their sexual, actually there's three. Conquests? Conquest is one, Rick Flair, two, Wilst, than three you. No, that's not true. 1028 on Sports Talk 7. I was just throwing your name just throwing it.

I appreciate that. I don't even know your conquest. We haven't had the conversation. I'm saving myself for marriage, so I'm at zero. Me too. 1028, Sports Talk 790. This is the Matt Tava show with Ross. 713, 212-1-790.

7-1-3-212-5-7-90. If you want to chime in, you're like slow out of the gate, right? Mm-hmm. Leary-eyed. Yeah. I don't know why. You probably, you should have got your eight hours.

Maybe they're taking cues for me. I had one mad 10 o'clockers just now. So, I mean, okay, good. Why? Was he mad? Oh, he was mad. Oh,

this is good, perfect. He was mad because he said, all the other time slots in Sports 790 talk sports. What happened to Ryan Ross? Uh-oh. As y'all are talking about the Guardians and Ashurst game immediately.

I just looked at him or just said it silent. He just hung up. Yeah, well, who was that person? Had that person called in a name. He didn't have a name. He didn't have a name.

So he didn't want to give you the name. Well, loser. You were just talking about the Astros and Guardians, loser. That's what I was going to say. McHill Bridges and sports injuries. You know what I say? I wish you,

I don't wish you nothing, man. Y'all need some stones. If you got some problems with the show, call and tell us about it. We're big boys. I think it's mostly sports. Yeah, we go off topic a little bit here. We talk for 240 minutes a day.

Four hours. I mean, do you want me to get into a deep dive of Pacers confirm Hallibur? Actually, I already mentioned that. Yeah. Thank you, Matt. Palo Ben Carroll got a $239 million rookie Macs deal. Year by year breakdown from Matt Thomas next segment.

No, we're not. We're going to talk like we're human beings. Yeah. And we just spent two segments talking about injuries and the Astros. We always say, Matt, we are two guys sitting at the sports bar. We talk mostly sports, and sometimes you list your top five Rolling Stone songs. And how much I enjoyed as a kid in 1989 going to the concert. Steel Will's tour was great.

In the Astrodome, RIP. Farewell Tour, 1989. 1029. 713, 212, 5, 790. We'll talk about sports or whatever you'd like. It's a bad time to show with Ross here on Sports Talk 790. I don't know what browser you use to, when you first slot in your computer. Our company gives us through a, what do you call it? Microsoft Edge?

Yeah. It's terrible. I'm a Chrome guy. And one of the headlines was Alex Breggman most certainly will opt out of his contract. Ooh. So I went to go look at it. Was it from MSN? Yahoo Sports?

Yeah, they're bad too. Go ahead. Was it misinformation? No, aggregation. Bregman can still remain with a White Sox long term. This is the Yahoo Sports article, but the athletics, Jason Stark, revealed that it will have to be through free agency, as Bregman will likely opt out.

This is what Jason Stark said. The following. He's already making $40 million a year in the first year of his free agent deal, so nobody has to worry about Breggman's earning power. But you can, and he will almost certainly opt out. And when you combine his 158 OPS plus, he is in it to win it intensity and the ripple effects of the Devers trade, he's in prime position to cash in. So my guess is he's thinking the Red Sox are going to want to keep him. Yes.

And they're going to have to save face in the Devers deal that went to San Francisco and that if anybody's going to take advantage of Devers leaving and trying to keep a mainstay there, it would be Alex Spragman. Is he back in the lineup? Not yet. Okay. And that seemed like that hurts his leverage, major injuries? One American League executive telling Jason Stark, I've been laughing about this for two weeks. Just thinking about Scott Boris's reaction to the Devers Trail with Breggman because you know he's sitting there thinking, just give me a blank check because whatever I want, you guys are going to have to pay me. That's why when we talked about Jeremy Pena signing with Scott Boris, this is exactly what Scott Boris does.

The reputation is absolutely accurate. The reputation, the evidence shows. Money. You go to Scott Boris. You go to get him to be your hired assassin. I hear this all the time from people I respect in baseball. I hear it from fans. Well, it's the player ultimately has to make the decision.

The player did make the decision. The player said, I want, it's like choosing an attorney. Mm-hmm. If you get a divorce, here comes analogy. Hit me on this. Let's go, baby. If you hire a divorce attorney that says, hey, we're going to need an amicable split. We need to be 50-50.

Let's not be over-aggressive. Then you go, okay, you hire attorney A. But if you know there's a shark out there that's going to go for your spouse's throat and take as much as you can, you go hire B. Okay. And that's what, and that's what Boris clients do. They go to him because of the trap record, not all the time, but most of the time say he's going to try to get you as much. money for the buck for the value of the contract and it doesn't really matter where it is he'll just find it for you it's like rather than going from some guy off a billboard you go to rusty hardon

go to the top of the top guy who gets results or tony busby in some respects well he's uh mean he's not batten a thousand these days j z shoot him away pretty quickly but i mean but he's clearly the the women that were involved in the deshaal watson stuff they went to him because they got paid really well understand understand. So, yeah, I do respect when people tell me it's up to the client. And there are cases of that. Lance McCullors and Jose Al Tuvaer are two-partum examples. But although that Lance McCuller deal was pretty good at the time. That was really good. We were like, you're paying this injured guy, what? I know. And we kept saying as long as it's healthy, it's good value. And it hasn't been.

But that's, those are outliers. Most times you leave to go to Boris because you're unhappy with what you're currently being offered. Clearly, Jeremy Pena was not particularly pleased at the, what was it, 5105, that his previous agents were getting from the Astros on an initial deal. So you go find something and get you more. I don't have an agent, but I would probably do want the

same thing, right? Let's go. Yeah, let's get you one. Now, I'm good. No, let's get you one. I've been doing this for 30 years. I'm good. Get you New York, L.A., Chicago. No, no, no. All agents do is just create hard feelings. Hmm. I'll see what I can do. I'll find you one. No, I don't want one.

I think you should go on a bigger and better things, Matt. Oh, my God. You are, you can't get rid of me fast enough. You're a top three market talent, Matt. Well, I'm in market. What market are we in? Six, seven, eight, depending on what they're. It's not bad.

I think it's six radio eight TV or something like that. Yeah. Although I know we're bigger population-wise than DFW, but they're media markets larger. For whatever. More television sets. Yeah. Yeah, you know.

I'm just saying. I'm just saying I'm not getting one. Oh, I was talking about, oh, I thought we're talking about, uh, it's Jeremy Pena. Oh, oh, I'm just saying that Jeremy Pena was like, you're 5105, no thank you. You're really cool and everything, bye. Yeah. I know you were with me. I was so Scotty B.

I know. I know you're with me from the start. How does that happen? Who contacts who first? You think Scott Borses is like, his OPS is what? All right, let me talk to Jeremy. Well, that would be tampering. Oh, okay.

Not that every situation is the same, but my guess is if you were to take the last 10 Scott Boris clients, you took from somebody else that probably seven or eight of the 10 called Boris first. I don't know that for fact. What if Jeremy Payne was hitting 221 with like five home runs? Then the Acme agency would be very pleased. They weren't the Acme agency. His agent wasn't wild E. Coyote. It wasn't generic.

It wasn't store brand agent. Oh, man. It's funny. We were talking about just the other night of dinner, about how some products at grocery stores, I will buy the generic brand. Yes. But there are some things in my house that my kids and my wife are snobs.

Refuse. Yeah, like chips. Like potato chips. That's exactly one of the things. I think the Rach Re-Potadottero chips are pretty good. Zero issue with it. The potato chips, yes, tortilla chips, no. What?

What? I can't agree with you on that. The potato chips? I think they're fine. The tortillas. Oh, like the fake roritos? No. No, he's not what the ones they first made.

Oh, you're talking about the... Oh, no, those are good. Those are good. From the bakery, that's different. I'm talking about from the bag. From the bag. I'm not talking about everything in the bakery is good. Next to the boobitos.

Exactly. The fake bobitos, those are terrible. So there are some things. My philosophy is the Raitree. The only thing I don't like, I do buy the high high-end grocery, the garbage bags, because the cheap bags tend to break when you're trying to change your trash

out and you're living in your kitchen. So I will go to that. Okay. And by the way, we're getting word is Joe Espada at noon. That's fine by us. He can read us the news at noon. I don't think I'm going to ask him that.

Okay. You can read, what's going on in the Espada house? You can read him the news at noon. It would be funny. The first 12 minutes. Hey, what do you think is happening with this Tyrese Hallibird and stuff? That's funny. 1041 on Sports Talk 790.

If you want to jump in, 713212-5-790, 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-790, if you want to follow us via Twitter. We'd love to have you do that. At SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Sports Talk 790. The Astros will enter play tonight six and a half in front of the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners last night were off. You know the Mariners? I was on Seattle radio yesterday. Not soft a show.

It was soft a show, but he wasn't there. they've won seven to ten they're a wild card team I know they won't go away Calarale by himself is trying to lead them to the wild card seriously when you throw in the definition of most valuable player

oh he's going to win it now the only thing would hurt him would be does the fact that Seattle doesn't get a lot of national play hurt him but when you are smacking home runs you know three a week I would say I don't know second half of the city he's already well above his career as far as home runs

and he is a catcher who a lot of times they wear down as this season goes along but he's already got a career high 35 home runs I don't even know what to say that's insane all right when we come back I got to play some audio of a Yankee broadcaster and talk shows does what I

do in New York but he does it for the Yankees not really happy with Yankee fans these days who would be a bunch of losers they're quite emotional I mean I bet Yankees Twitter is 15 times more poisonous than Astros Twitter is. Probably. Well, not 15 times.

Okay, 7. 1043 will have Rafael Stone, 11 o'clock here on Sports Talk 7.9. I need 11 really awesome people to follow me on Instagram to get me to the magic 2,700. I'm at 2689 right now. So if you are a cool person, it would like to follow me on Instagram. I will thank you for it. 11 people. Just 11.

You know what? you're such an ass. Why? You never mentioned your Instagram once until I started doing it. Not once. It's at SportsMT. 11 people gets me to 2,700. You are the worst.

He's trying to get some of your jeeprod. I know. He doesn't want me to catch him. It's not going to happen. I don't think so either. But I'm looking for 11 nice people. If you're not nice, don't follow me on Instagram. If you're a wonderful sweet people at SportsMT, 11 people get me to 2700.

I'm putting pictures up occasionally. and putting the little reels up. It's all good. Oh, my God. Matt, you didn't mention it once until I started doing it. So people follow the OG pimpor of their Instagram at SportsRV. Just 11. I'd like to have 30, but I'll be happy with 11. If you follow me in the next 10 minutes, I

will follow you back. I am not going to do that. See? 11 people, though. Sports RV will follow you back. Now, if you have interesting Instagram, I'll follow you back. Oh, okay. You mean if it's a woman in a bikini. All right. Michael Kay is the television voice of the New York Yankees. The Yankees have not had a great

month. They've dropped 7 to 10. They have lost three in a row and they went from leading the American League East of three games. So now a deficit of three and a half to the Toronto Blue Jays, which is stunning. So funny. Because yeah, people are posting these clips from the Yankees like, oh, it's so fun. It's fun to I mean, it's fun to finally have an easy year in the AL East. Right. Now they're down. Right. So the Blue Jays have played really well. And George Springer is

not making the All-Star team at this point, but his OPS has been fantastic. really, really good for them. They have won nine consecutive games. So Michael Kay is in a handful of people like myself that is a broadcaster for a team that also does a radio show. And you have to kind of gently walk the line of being a host who calls it as you see it, but also understand that you're going to have probably a more optimistic view. When something that when the Rockets get beat up badly, I never come on and go, well, at least Jay-Shon-Tay play. Well, I don't, I've never done that.

Some in this town have. Well, let them do that. That's them. But I am going to be very, very bullish on the rockets. I'm very excited about the trade. I'm very excited if they would have done nothing. I'm excited about what last year was and what the future could be. So Michael Kay, on his show, decided he needed to admonish the fans for flipping out

because the Yankees find themselves down three and a half in the ALE East. What are you trading? What are you rebuilding for? You're three games out of first place. So you think that what's happened over the last week is indicative of how they're going to be for the rest of the year. I don't see that. I don't see it. There are moves to be made.

Brian Cashman does make moves at the trade deadline. I got jazz chisholm last year. And what did that do? That ignited them and they got to the World Series. And I love, by the way, Yankee fans, they said, well, they should be rebuilt. They should rebuild, reload. Really? You couldn't take losing in the World Series.

You went to the World Series last year. and now you've had a bad three-week stretch and you want the manager and GM fired and you want to reload and you're going to be able to handle that, you can't handle losing in the World Series. Imagine finishing last in the American League East.

Imagine. Some people need their head screwed on a little bit better. All right, that's it. He's speaking to the 1% club, right? Or how big is that club? That is something I always think about and kind of struggle with. I feel like with the Yankees fans, it's a little bit more. I think we as sports host in general speak to the lower common, not common than I'm in it,

but the lowest percentage of radicalism. Like, when we look at Astros' Twitter after a loss, we go, well, that's how most Astro fans feel. I would not believe it to be the case. And that could be for all the sports. The Texans lose week one to Los Angeles Rams. There's going to be a certain segment of Texans. Texans fans are going to lose their mind because of this. The Rockets get off to a two and seven start.

Oh, the Kevin Durant trade was the worst thing ever. That's a small minority. I think he was speaking to a small minority. But the reason why I played that was I wanted to let you know that it's not just Houston, Texas, that goes to the fire the general manager, fire the manager. This is a team that went to the, World Series that won the American League pennant. They are only three and a half games out.

They lost to a juggernaut in the Dodgers. I mean, the Dodgers are great. And is anybody thinking that Toronto could do this all the way? I mean, it would be against the odds for them to do it. And you know the Yankees are going to be buyers of the deadline? The Yankees should never be sellers. If I was a Yankee fan, I would never want to hear the term sell ever in my vernacular. So I just want to give you a little perspective that it's happening in other cities as well.

Yeah, it's interesting. And I wonder what the percentages are. I mean, I can think, and one thing we always have to remember too, Matt, is social media is not real life. No. I think we've learned that from a number of things, just going out, talking to people, election results, stuff like that. So it is interesting. Like, for example, whatever percentage we think of fans that wanted Joe is spotted fired or the hitting coaches fired, it's probably a lot smaller than we think. I think.

I don't know what that number is. We can't speak to everybody that considers himself an Astros fan. And also we'll get a scenario where four people call in and they're mild-mannered and reasonable and we're like, oh, that's cool. But then two people call in

and we're like, you've all gone crazy. So, yeah, it's interesting. But a Yankees fans are crazy. And they probably are asking for too much. He's totally right. Like, you're mad you lost the World Series. And that's the kind of, you know, the standard that's been set.

If you are overly passionate, does that make you overly anxious when things don't go your way, even though it's the mundane part of a July part of a baseball season? Yes. The more you invest in a team, and it feels like for whatever reason in baseball as well, is baseball this happens more, even I don't even know why. But the more you invest in a team, of course, the more it's going to affect you. So to those people, I would say, get a life, get a hobby. Watch the games. Don't make it your life. But if baseball, more so than any of the other three of the other sports, it is such a marathon. For instance, the Astros worked their ass off to get to seven-game lead in the Mariners. If they go two and five this week and the Mariners go six and one, that's four games gone in a handful of days.

These leads can evaporate just like the Yankees a month ago, at a three-game lead on Toronto and Tampa Bay. And they were fighting for supremacy for the best rock in the American League. the Astros were trailing the Yankees 95% of the season. The Yankees might go on a streak where they may win 12 but 14 and get right back to the top spot in the American League, or at least second place spot. I just, I heard that yesterday and I kind of cackled man.

Man, we all have to deal with it. Yes, we do. All right, let's talk to Rafael Stone, the Rockets General Manager, part of the huge offseason for the Rockets basketball team. We'll talk to him next 1057. And it's the Matt Thomas show with Ross. This is Sports Talk 7-9. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross.

11 o'clock sports talk 790. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross, and we are very happy to be joined by a man who has given a lot of energy to the city. The last handful of days, the last couple of weeks. In fact, with the acquisitions of Kevin Durant, Doreen Phiney Smith, my friend, Clint Capella, all back in town. Rafael Stone, the Rockets General Manager with us here on 790.

Raffell, when I sit with my family at the end of the season, and they're like, dad, it's good to have you home. You've been gone a lot. Wife's like, now you can do the honey-do list. I have never been more excited. This is, God's honest truth. Excited about a schedule release and the start of this season as we have right now. I'm sure you feel the exact same way.

Yeah, I mean, I'm probably looking forward to next year. I'm really excited for Summer League in like a month off. Okay, I get it. I get it. But having said that, yeah, no, I think. you know, I think it'll, when we all get back together kind of, yeah, I don't know, probably end up happening end of August, beginning of September, it'll, it'll be fun. And by that time, I'll definitely be recharged.

So is it like, you know, look, I could ask you, hey, how's cool as I to have Kevin Duran? Everybody knows. He's great. He's one of the all-time grades. So is it, was it like in previous years, more so the texting, the phone calls, you couldn't leave your cell phone beside? I mean, how rigid was this? or were there days in between that you could kind of let both sides, whether it's the suns breathe, yourself breathe, the agents? Where was it in terms of the intensity of just having to be a part of every single decision that was being made along the way? No, like, you know, it was, you're talking about specifically the trade with Phoenix for TV?

Yeah, any of the problem. I'm just because you did so much, and I'm always curious about, you know, I always like to know how the sausage made when it comes to this kind of stuff. Was it just you hear from them, they hear from you, you take a couple days off, they want more, you give them more, do you want less, they want less? Where was that in terms of communication process? Yeah, no, I mean, first Phoenix was great to work with. Second, I think, you know, I think we, very early on, we kind of decided that the deal kind of had to look a certain way. And so we articulated that. And then I don't want to say we were kind of done, but to a certain degree, that's kind of where we were.

And if that ended up being something that they wanted to pursue great, and if not, then we understood. And so there wasn't a ton of back and forth. I, you know, I don't know what it was like on their end, but for Mars, yeah, it was just kind of, you know, making money work in the NBA is hard. And so there are kind of very limited ways to do it. And so kind of once we figured that piece of it out, I think we knew from a value position that we were giving what we thought was a lot.

We thought that I think they did great to trade. I mean, we gave them a tremendous amount of value. And so that was kind of it from our perspective. And then, you know, like they had to canvas. They had to do whatever they did on their end to get comfortable. And eventually they did, and then the kind of deal happened. But it wasn't one of those, like, you know, three weeks of negotiations or anything like that. Yeah, it was not from my perspective, at least.

You re-sign, Stephen. You get a new contract for Jabari. You bring in Dorian Finney Smith, who was a rocket killer. It felt like the last couple times you faced him. You bring back Clint Capell. Were those easy-fitting pieces because of the fact that you, had some money to spend, you weren't having to give up a whole lot in terms of a little bit of salary flexibility. Was that as easy as it came across or was there a lot of puzzle fitting together to make all those things work together at one time?

No, there's a lot of puzzle fitting together. Yeah, and just because you have no idea going into free agency who's going to end up doing what. And so we had a lot of irons in the fire. And then you've also got your priorities of like, okay, This is the thing we're most worried about. So maybe that's the first meeting, you know, at, I don't know, whatever time it was, 3 o'clock, 5 o'clock. I don't remember what time you can, the first meeting is.

But you've got that. And then you've got to wait for an answer. And as much as you might tell somebody, we need an answer very quickly, they don't always give that to you. In this case, we were lucky. We got it, which then allowed us to flip immediately to the next guy. And it just kind of worked out. out that way. But, you know, but yeah, so it, yeah, things fell in the place a little bit for us

for us this year, but obviously you have to be, you have to be ready for 35 different scenarios and everywhere. Ross with you as well here, Rafael Stone Rockets GM with us here on Sports Talk 790. And you mentioned you gave up a lot and I agree there are a lot of people saying, oh, it didn't cost you anything, but what was it like for you balancing what you did give up? the value of 82 games of Jalen Green and 75 games of Dylan Brooks and getting back what you did. But knowing to succeed in the playoffs, you need somebody like Kevin Durant who can beat great NBA defenses. Yeah, I mean, you know, we're extremely fond of Jalen and Dylan and they were an enormous. Yeah, you pointed out, Jalen played 82 this year, played 82 last year.

Dylan plays every game that he possibly can, like, set foot on the court on. And so, and we, we, we're coming off two very good years. And so, yeah, so, you know, we, we didn't give those, you know, in a vacuum, we would have never given those guys up. It was only the opportunity to add somebody like Kevin with his super unique skill set that, you know, that made us even consider it. And obviously, we did it, so we wanted to do it. and we're happy about it, but

but it's always hard when when really quality people and really good players are part of it. You know, it's part of this business and it's not even a bad part because hopefully they go on to great opportunities too, but it it's not easy is what I would say. What was the feeling for you when the deal was done

and you made it? Was it just, were you relieved? Were you excited, anxious, a little bit, all of that? And now that it's kind of been done for a little bit, how are you feeling now? Yeah, a little bit of all of that. But then it's like, okay, well, yeah, we need to backfill. Like you pointed out, Jalen plays every game. Dylan plays virtually every game. And we want Kevin to play as much as he's able,

but we also want to make sure that we don't run them into the ground. Plus, it's just we gave up two guys and we only got one back. So, you know, immediately after it's like, you know, you're excited about it. you're excited about the possibilities, but then it's also like, okay, how are we going to back? You know, now all of a sudden we've got these other things we want to accomplish that are, that are, you know, that are brand new. And so, so it's, you know, it's a little bit of, it's a little bit of all of it. Please never ask me, Raphael, to try to quiz me on the seven teams that were involved in the trade.

How did that come about? What got into the thoughts that we need to make this the biggest trade literally in NBA history? Oh, you know, well, the vast bulk of that was Phoenix, because they, they reflipped all those second round picks. And so, yeah, I mean, it definitely wasn't, yeah, I mean, from my perspective, it was just a three-team trade. But, you know, one of the things about doing deals this way is that we kind of had two weeks before the deal could get consummated. And so it did give, it gave everybody time to explore possibly expanding. expanding the trade, which is what happened. Farlett, at your run, you're going to be headed to Vegas here shortly for a camp.

The most recognizable name, obviously, is Reed Shepard. Assess what you thought of year one, and not that anything's going to get accomplished in Vegas, but more importantly, there's a lot of folks that are very bullish on Reed. I'd be one of them. You certainly were. I know that his name was being bantied about in potential trades and whatnot, whether that's true or not, who knows. But the point being is that he is being given an opportunity to kind of say, hey, let's do a

not necessarily a redraft, but hey, we're going to give you a spot here to get some serious minutes in 2025-26. Yeah, no, I think, I think Reed, you know, he came into a very fully formed team and a super deep team last year. And we were able to, like, kind of carve out a little niche for him the first two-thirds of the season. But, you know, and it just when we start playing great, he broke his thumb. But, yeah, no, I mean, I just think Reed's going to have to be really good for us. He's, we've them into a big role. And everything we've seen kind of in practice and everything else is he's going to be ready for it. But, you know, practices aren't games, and he's going to have to transfer it.

He's really working on his physicality, which I love. And, you know, and we'll see. And Summer League, you know, the great thing about Summer League is you just get games. It's kind of hard to find NBA quality games. And they're not actually. NBA quality games, but it's the closest thing you can kind of find. So he'll get a few games in, which is great. And then, you know, kind of it'll be a little bit of a barometer where he's at

and give him a chance to get going, going into the kind of, you know, second half of the summer. But he's been in the gym every day. He works really hard. He's really smart. And I do think he's absurdly talented. His name was being bandied about the summer, not because of us, but because other teams wanted him.

Right. We were not very interested. We definitely want to play this out and give me the chance to develop. As compared to previous years, final question, you're going to go to Vegas. A general manager will pull you aside and say, hey, let's have a visit. With it being as active as this offseason was, do you think you'll get a lot of those kind of side visits this upcoming next couple weeks, or do you think things that will have cooled off a little bit? you know Vegas tends to be pretty low-key on that front just because so many deals get done around the draft that half the league at that point is not tradable or three-quarters of it isn't tradable because just because of the way the rules work when you kind of acquire people in late June there's there's you can't reflip them or re-aggregate them and so Vegas tends to be to meet least. I'll definitely talk to other GMs and other owners, or not other owners, but to owners and coaches and everybody. It's kind of like a big convention, but it's more of setting up the setup.

Like, you know, it's more kind of, hey, directly where are you guys going? Oh, we'll keep eye on you. And sometimes those conversations lead to things in February or the next summer, but rarely is it as immediate as like, you know, some, you know, as kind of a December type thing. And for us, given what we've done, I think like I said, you know, we

have maybe a tiny bit of flexibility with our 14th and 15th roster spots. But for the most part, I think we're just going to play it out for a bit, see how this team can gel and hopefully, you know, hopefully things turn out pretty good. And, you know, we have a successful season. Sounds awesome.

Raffel, thank you for the time. We appreciate coming on and safe travels of Las Vegas. talk to you soon. Thanks, guys. You got Rafael Stone joining his Brockett's general manager here on the radio program. I'm serious. I cannot wait. I've already, in the last

two weeks I've been on in San Francisco. I went on Oklahoma City yesterday. Wow. I went on Seattle Radio. I've been to Phoenix. I mean, people are kind of, there's a lot of Oklahoma City v. Houston forecasting of the Western Conference finals this year.

It's the collision course, but the West is tough. Denver got better, I think. Yes. Minnesota's been the finals back-to-back years. Western finals, of course, is what I mean. Quiet, but does that mean they are happy with what they've done? I mean, they did

re-sign Julius Randall. The Lakers, is Luca in shape? That's all the early reports, or he's going to be in the best shape of his life? How vested will LeBron be in Los Angeles with him being his final year? Well, how much does he have to give? He's going to be

41. in the middle of this season. He's still really good. He is. I know it's easy to start talking about the demise, and there are nights where you go, he looks 41, but there are also plenty nights who it looks like he's 25 years old.

Yeah, but I, yeah. But it feels like for the first time in his career that even the unbelievable, large amount of LeBron truthers are like, yeah, okay, we know. Father time is eventually going to win. Did you see the clip of him on the Gulf Range? I did not. Was he hitting bombs?

Yeah, this swings a little off, but he's I know he was, I did see it. You know what he was playing with? Phil Mickelson. Steph Curry. Oh, Steph Curry is a great golfer. Yeah. And a good jump shooter.

Well, the best of all time. Is hand-eye coordination, elite. If we needed to send one person to the aliens for some kind of hand-eye coordination contest, I'm sending Steph Curry. Second, I'm sending Jose Al-Tuv. Do you think he uses his mouthguard on the golf course? Because it's like a nervous twitch.

Okay. I got worrisome for a second. No. I hope not. That thing is nasty. You think he changes it out on a semi-regular basis? He doesn't always bite his mouthpiece at the line. People have numbers, like, of him.

Oh, stop. Seriously. No. Yeah. That's gross. Of numbers of him shooting with and without the mouthpiece being bitten. If you had those kind of numbers, you need to find a girlfriend. You really do.

1114. You know we got coming up at the bottom of the hour? Gut feelings. Okay. Where's your calendar? I email you every week what we're doing. I do. You're going to laugh.

I'm not sure where it is. That's zero surprise. So I'm not going to buy you a day camera. I was going to buy you one, forget it down. I think it's in my backpack. 1115, bottom of the hour. I got it, I got it. All right, there you go.

It was in my backpack. Got feelings. Fifteen minutes on Sports Talk, seven out. You know, Ross has his search daily for it. soccer on our TV. That's not true. I'm searching for any live sports. You want to watch Talking Heads on mute. You can do that. I look for live sports. Say again?

Wimbledon. Wimbledon. 1118? 1119? Yeah, you got to have the D. Got to have the D when you're saying Wimbledon. I'm going to watch women's tennis as much as I can when we're not having games on and stuff. Okay. So far, you want to pronounce either one of those names? Anissimova

That sounds good Pavly or Chinkova She's from a country with a purple flag Pavly U and Chinkova Pavli Chinkova Oof a lot She's about the Paviloss I hear the bell

Yeah All right So there you go on that That's your Wimbledon update Wimbledon update Matt is transfixed by these These players That's all I'm going to say

Yes I am By way, shout out to all of you that follow me on Instagram. You know what? I'm so upset. You should be upset. You should be happy for me. I said I was going to follow you people back. And Matt got more followers. This is upsetting.

At Sports RV. At SportsMT. And again, if you're intriguing. You're so ridiculous. I think, I just want to thank you. That's all I want to do. You're so ridiculous. I'm very angry because you never mentioned your Instagram once until I started doing it.

Well, now I need to get to 3,000. It's good for the show. We'll have a 3,000 party. Follow SportsMT. We've got to grow the show. Yeah. One way or the other. One way or the other.

All right. So we got gut feelings coming up in about 10 minutes from now. Astros game two, Hunter Brown's going the night. Guaranteed win night? Yes. Okay. Hopefully Jake Myers is back. By way, Joe is spot a normally scheduled for 12.30 is going to drop up a half an hour to 12 o'clock.

Must be going to get some lunch or something. So we'll talk to him right at noon. Hopefully it's not any bad medical news. No, I wouldn't think they're. I don't think so either. No, I'm just saying hopefully. I think he gets the text. He probably already knows.

Okay, good. And he'll probably tell the folks at the ballpark letter today. But we can certainly ask. I am worried about Colton Gordon. He took a pretty big, nasty hit last night. Of course, I'm worried about Jake Myers. As does the rest of us? The fan club is holding a candlelight visual tonight.

The water tower is up and going? Yes. When you used to the water tower, that was such a great thing. Well, I don't have Photoshop anymore. They took it off of our computer. They don't want to pay the licensing. And then Adobe went from flat feet. and now subscription.

Money grab. Everybody's money grabbing. But yeah. So we'll look forward to having that. First pitch will be at 7.10 and you will be doing the on-deck show at 6 o'clock tonight. Oh, yeah. Your daytimeer says that. I got it right here, baby.

And I've got tomorrow night. Adam Clayton, there's no, not on the schedule whatsoever. He's busy. Doing what? Preparing for the next WrestleMania. That's not bad at all on your part there. So we need some sports. Portch predictions. We'll get those for you. Me at 713212-5-790. There is a little bit of NFL stuff that I want to get to. You know, we get these rando betting sites about various stats. And I'm not giving the name of the company. I don't spend money with us, so you don't get it. But there is a betting log on who will throw the most passing yards in the regular season. 17 game season. Do you want to guess, I don't think you.

will get the first, I don't think you'll get the first two right. Okay. What, I'm sorry. What is this again? Most passing yards in the regular season. Most passing yards in the regular season. So I've given you a little precursor.

You give me a kind of a hint in that way. So I will say Justin Herbert and? Oh, is it right? No. Oh, dang it. Most passing yards. One of them is a surprise. Joe Burrough.

Joe Burroughs one of them. He's number one. He's five and a half to one to have the most passing yards. Jane Daniels. Dak Prescott. Huh. Is there a defense that bad?

First of all, they're presuming that Dak would play 17 games. You have to pick somebody with a bad defense. Yeah. So the top five, Baker Mayfield is five. Pat Mahomes is four. Jared Golf three. Dak Prescott, two in the favorite of the most passing yards,

is Joe Burrow at 11 to 2. C.J. Stroud in that list is, is 8th, 4, 5th, 7th, excuse me, 7th. Okay. The 6 in front of him are Purdy, Mayfield, Mahomes, Gough, Prescott, Borough.

The first of all I brought this up is our friends at Pro Football Focus, your buddies. Uh-oh. Our buddies... Put out a list within the last 72 hours of rating the offensive lines going into the season. I saw this. I saw it, and I actually tweeted it out a few days ago. didn't get a lot of traction because I don't know if people particularly care what pro football focus

has to say it's just a service it's one data point yeah and they really do care yes and they are there's I don't think there's a bias per se no and they've been downsizing recently as well yeah I think Chris Collins were bought them a few years ago and

downsize they were one of those they were at the forefront like 10 years ago and now there's there's like a billion data sites right they were like like the big dog and then now there's their they were the the big fish in a little

pond now it's an ocean it's also hard to monetize it it just is yeah but pro football focus remains one of the number one metrical people's goes to sites the point being is this they graded 32 NFL offensive lines the Texans

coming into the season are ranked 32nd as we said that's one data point but it's not like there should be in the top five if you can you can argue with them and say they're off, but they're not going to be a top five offensive line than they have them 30 seconds.

Here's the reason why I don't I don't, first of all, it's not fun to hear that. No. But let me ask you this. Would you feel any better if they were the 23rd offensive line? Not really. I would be, I would have significantly better than the 32nd. Because if you,

if they are telling us the truth, C.J. Stroud does not survive the season. I'm telling you, if You were to go back and look. Not for today's show. But my guess is if you took the last 10 years or pro football focus and you found out who their 32nd offensive line was going in.

And they do weekly rankings, by the way. What percentage of the last 10 years was the pre-season 32nd quarter offensive line? Did that quarterback stay upright for a full 17 games? Okay. I don't want you to read it. searcher right now. I won't. But you see my, I'm just using this as a generic example of this. If I'm the worst, that means my quarterback is in serious trouble. They are going on also what it looks like now.

Now, I can say right now it's definitely in a bad state, but as Battle Red Ross, I'll tell you, Blake Fisher got better as this second half of the season went along. So can there be some growth there for him in his second season? Arionte Urshari, we don't know anything about. So it's easy to give a low grade on that. Yeah. Unless he was considered a first round pick, which he wasn't. If Blake Fisher doesn't develop and then Cam Robinson is your left tackle the rest of this, the whole season.

Yeah, they're going to be bottom third for sure. hopefully they can get to like 20s if ursery turns out to be pretty good and Blake Fisher develops So my question and you're And Jake Andrews is a yeah I think you've already answered it

If this team winds up being the 23rd best offensive line Does C.J. Strout is he able to Now granted you can have the number one Offensive line your quarterback so it could hurt I mean that can happen absolutely But largely if you have a porous offensive line

Your quarterback is going to have a difficulty He's either staying upright or B being overly accurate. Can you have an elite quarterback when your offensive line is deemed the worst going into training camp? Joe Burrow says hello. Joe Burrow has never had a great offensive line. He's also been heard a lot of times. He's also been hurt a lot of times. I don't know where Cincinnati's offensive line is.

I don't know. I have the list. I'm doing a lot of scrolling right now. No way. They're 31st. Okay, so if you think it's bad in Houston, you got Joe Burrow, who is your franchise quarterback, you've already spent a gazillion dollars on him, and he's worth every penny as long as he is available and ready to go. He's one of the great pre-snap readers in football, which is why he can cover up for a lot of the warts of that offensive line.

And so that's what CJ is going to have to do to take the next step in his development. And that's who CJ was compared to in his rookie season, was Joe Burrow with the pre-snap reads and figure out where the ball is going and getting it out. rhythm. Second season, he struggled a little bit more with that. And also, I will maintain he, he just seemed banged up like he wasn't moving well the second half of the season. But that's also going to happen in the NFL season, especially when your offensive line is ranked 30 second. Right. Yeah. All right. 1129 on Sports Talk 790. We will look forward to talking with you on gut feelings. Time for to make some predictions. How did we do last week? How we doing this week? Now, if our buddy Brad calls in, which he's not done so yet at 713, 21579, 713-212-5-790.

Listen to me very carefully. If he calls in, he will get on the show. But if you call in front of him, you'll get to the top of the list. You will go on before Brad does with your gut feelings. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Time for you to make sports predictions. If you get them right, we let you brag.

If you get them wrong, as long as you don't embarrass yourself, you're not going to be made fun of. 713212-570. Listen up, girls and boys. They've been so appealing. Girls Russ and Matt Thomas. Yo, they got a gut feeling. This is their gut feeling on the Matt Thomas show. 713-212-5-790.

That's the number you call in with predictions. simple. We ask you to make gut feelings. Okay. My first gut feeling today will be involving an NBA team. But first, we must read Texas. No. My first gut feeling, we need to recap how we did last week. I want to say we have a mixed bag. We do. You said the Rockets, wait, was this? Yeah, those from last week. Rockets will have a new player by free agency. They did. They had multiple new players. Yep. You said the Astros will finish as at least the two seed in the American League. We shall see.

Feel great about that? You said that the Astros will not trade for Cedric Mullins, which is a vote of confidence in Jake Myers. I appreciate you for that. I just... You just don't get it. I just don't get the bad. It's not a great bat.

I mean, I understand. He's got power. I mean, you could move Chas McCormick and then shift Myers to left field, I guess. But why are you doing how you move up? No, I think Atouba's days in the left field or I think when Pena and Alvarez come back here. Are you sure? Well, okay. Well, one will be back in two to three weeks and one will be back in a month and a half.

Yeah, we'll see. Hopefully. Okay. I like the optimism there. And then you said the Astros would go four and two on their Western road to trip. And they did not. They went five and one. You did that twice in a row, I think. Yeah.

But that's good. I still count that as a win. Do you? I thank you very much for that. You say I'm going to get a B on this test and you get an A. It's good. See, I wish my mother would have thought that. I always said, Mom, I'm going to get a D on the test.

I'm going to see mine as shit. We're still unpleased with it. Oh, you're trying to keep low expectations. There you go. It's very smart. Yes. That's what I try. I said Manchester City is going to win the primary league.

We'll see. And how they're doing on that? It starts in August. You gave us a gut feeling on something that's going to happen not for a few months? The season starts in August. going to be finished until the end of May. Oh. All right.

Continue on. I said the Astros would sweep the Rockies and lose the series in L.A. That was rude for a four and two trip. Okay. I was way wrong. I said back by August 1st for Jeremy Pena. TBD. I'm feeling good.

Okay. I'm feeling good. Don't make that noise. Okay. Don't do that. Okay. That was kind of a broad brush on that one. What do you mean?

Well, I mean, that's still four weeks. Yeah. So I think he's going to be fine. That's like saying, I think you're going to have Alvarez be back by 2027. I mean, he's going to be back before then. No, it's not like that at all. All right. Ridiculous.

All right. Christian Walker for Jonathan Allen. He has him having five hits. This is what he read. He said Christian Walker's bad is going to wake up. and he's going to have five hits in the Colorado series. That's a ding and a ding. Just letting you know, Brother Nose Ball over here, guys.

I'm just saying. Yes. That should be your new Twitter account. Baseball. Baseball J.K. Mr. Brother Nose Ball. I like that. And if Brad had some last week, I didn't write those down, I must have been very upset.

All right. Since you got that one so spot on, right bull's eye, we'll let you go first. What did you got for a gut feeling? You don't have anything. Come back to me. All right, he's passing. I got two right at the top. Okay.

We will not see Yoron until September the 1st. Okay. Inflammation. September the 1st. Yep. September. We will see, you know, whether it's the breakage, the fracturing, the inflammation. That's a chalk pick.

Oh, that's like me saying Jeremy Paine is going to be back by 2026. No, no, no. Dana Brown's had a lot more encouraging than September 1st. You never put a date on it. but yeah, I will say September 1st. Jeremy Pena, no way, no chance, no how is in the All-Star game.

Yeah, I'm with you on that. I got two more for you. Fraubber will be in the All-Star game. Okay. And my NBA one. Yonis and then the Kumpo will open the season as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Will they finish there? I can't tell you. Will he start there? Yes. Yeah. That's a good one. Uh-oh, why are you saying it that way? You're looking at me side-eyed. I just said it's a good prediction. Okay.

Gosh. I know something's coming. Can I be nice? No, you can't. It would be out of your DNA. I just was. All right. Hunter Brown.

Tonight. Quality Start Plus. I'm telling you. Are you making up this metric now? Yes. I just made up Quality Start Plus. Quality Start Plus, I'm talking. Six innings, one run ball.

Write that down. Six innings, one run ball. Now, what if he goes, gives up two runs over seven? Are you going to claim credit for that? No, I lose. If he gives up one run over seven, I'm calling half credit. So you're saying he's not giving up two runs. By the way, do you remember last year in the middle of the year?

You said I was crazy. I said by the end of next year, Hunter Brown is going to throw a no-hitter. Yes. It was crazy, but. It's still crazy. But, but. But he would not be the, it would not be a ridiculous surprise. But you see my vision.

You see my vision. Okay. There you go. It wasn't like there was going to be a NASCAR race on the moon. I had no vision for that. Whatsoever. The best. I was thinking to myself, how high was Trey when he said that?

No. Some days he was on his med. Some days he was off. But my point is that how do you get those vehicles up there? That's a question. for trade answer. And then the gravity. And the press passes and the media coverage.

And the fuel. And the food and the crews. You're talking about several hundred people being up there. I truly believe he was on a little estrogen that day. That's fine. How are you feeling about your gut feeling that Alex Breggman was going to opt in, by the way? Jason Stark doesn't bathe about a thousand for me. That's true.

He is not infallible. So I'm going to say Brighman opts in for the $40 million for next year. Again, the Devere situation does cloud things. I didn't anticipate that. And I understand the rationale behind that Scott Boris is like, if you're a boss and you got to keep your star players. But this isn't necessarily mean the Red Sox Ross

have to go overboard for one of their own. They go overboard for any free agents of it may be out there. It doesn't necessarily have to be Alex. Briggins. Okay. So I'll stay with it. that. I'm not going to change course. All right, Jonathan, we've killed enough time. What do you got?

Guys, I think I have it. Hummel. Cooper? Guess the show coming up in an hour and a half. He did his deep dive on Cooper Hummel. He didn't even know his first name. Tonight. No, no, no. It's a perfect. This is one fake.

Tonight. Three hits. Three hits. You are, Psycho on this one. I guess we're going to tell Cooper Hummelton. when he joins us at 130. Three hits. Three hits. Three hits. If this hits tomorrow, you get to play any song for any of the...

We should keep all the Cooper Hummel highlights and play him. Is it a song with him? I told you so, basically. Yeah, something like that, probably. We can find something. All right. Geo and Green's point has his gut feeling. We'll get to him next. Oh, I got one more quick one. Yes, please. Because people are all upset that Kim Whitmore got traded. They're like, they only got two second round picks for Cam Whitmore. He's not a future star. I always say to not speak in absolutes, never say never, never say always, but this is just a gut feeling so I can put it under that umbrella.

My gut feeling is that Kim Whitmore will never be an NBA star. I'm not worried about trading him away at all. The trade's not going to sting. I don't think. What's up? What's up? Look, he's going to score 20 points a game for the Wizards. Okay.

But there's just one room for him. I just, I don't think that some, some, a burgeoning star was traded away like a lot of people on Rockets Twitter. Yeah, 1144, Sports Talk, 790. We'll get to your gut feelings next. 713, 212, 570. All right. Brad is second in cue. If you want to delay the inevitable, 713, 212 570.

713, 212 570 with your gut feelings here on the mat. Thomas show. Joe Espada joins us in 10 minutes. Let's go to Geo on 790. Gio, what's in your gut this week? Hey, good afternoon, guys. I have a couple soccer gut feelings if you're interested in those. So I have Fluminense upsetting Chelsea today in the club World Cup final. And who else?

Oh, and I have Paris-Sing, Germain, qualifying for the final as well. And I also have a gut feeling that Cam Smith will get a hit today. I think he's like his last 12 at batch or something like that. So I hope he's for that. All right. Gio, I didn't hear a word of the first half of your conversation. I understood the second half.

Ross, did you get his soccer predictions down? Why not? Man called in with some passion soccer takes. Chelsea's beats. I know Chelsea's over somebody. I'm tuned out of the FIFA Club World Cup Because Manchester City's out Wait a minute

Who's out of what? FIFA Club World Cup What the hell is that? It's clubs from all over the world competing in one Competition Wait a man You cannot jump in and jump out

Of your soccer passion Why not? Because Are you watching Pirates Reds? I would if it was on No you're not I don't care about National League I don't pretend

I'm the camera of the national league. You can't jump in out of your fandom. No, I never care about the National League. I'm all-American league. Oh, okay. Yeah. Well, I don't care about the Club World Cup, especially with my team's out. Feels like there's a lot of bitterness right there.

Soccer guy, you're so inconsistent. What? Yeah. That's what you are. You're like, oh, I'll watch. Are you watching the CFL? The Canadian Football League? Yeah.

I've never watched it before my life. Okay. Well, it's all football. It's all the same, man. I don't know. You watch the same thing. CFL sucks. Okay. I'll never watch it.

Period. And a story. I wouldn't watch it. Nope. Not interested. Okay. You're watching Southland College football? Oh, look at you picking and choosing.

I love the Southland. So ridiculous. Me State versus New Orleans of Louisiana. Next on ESPN plus. Sure. Why not? Let's go to Brian on 7-Henny.

Brian, what's in your gut this week? Brian? Hello, Dan, Brian. Hey, why did you say it like that? Hello there, Brad. Hey. You're on Lafayette as a sports leader, baby. Welcome this week.

There, the guy on the day on talk. We'll have South Lafoucher on the talks of defensive coordinator of football. Defense of coordinator on the Ridge and Cajuns. Reg and Cajons. Harold Osano is going to be with us. Then we got Timit de Pidado is going to be with us to talk about the offense here on the Klaff. Got the charity coffees ball this weekend.

Then we're going to talk some 14-5A parish football. Try him one more time. All right, we're going to try this again. Maybe line two's better. Usually line two's terrible. Brian, second time's a charm. What do you got? Is it working this time? Yes, sir.

All righty. Well, I got Shane Van Gisberg in the one last week in Chicago Street Race. You did. I remembered it vivid. How can we forget? I'm going to start writing these down, Brian. I'm going to go with Tyler Reddick out there in Sonoma this week. And I just want to say, God bless all the first responders out there in Central Texas doing what they do. Amen.

Thank you very much, Brian. And your mask, our take went over my head just like the previous soccer. Can we get like a normal, can we get a normal? What? Gut feeling. Oh, I'm sorry. Soccer, the most popular sport in the first. The planet.

Not in America, though. You're all right? Oh, don't say rice. Food. Food and availability and cheapness of food is completely different than choosing to watch a sport. Soccer's got a ball and that's it. And a net. Okay.

Basketball's got a ball in a net and that's it. No, it doesn't? Well, you got to build baskets. Okay? You got to build nets. No, you don't. You just have little two little pint little cones. Okay?

You can put up a peach basket. You can't put peach baskets. Yes, they are. That's why they call you peach basket. All right. Do you want to stop doing that? I've seen more and more people call you peach basket. Okay.

I can live with it. If you don't mind. It doesn't matter. Okay, I could stop. No, you know. Because we had to stop the curse bid, if you recall. Yeah. Brad, good morning to you, Brad.

Give us as many guffills as you can possibly have. No, no, no. You're 60 seconds. Shorten it up. Two. I only got two. Um, damn, we're more. Two.

And they will let him have his room. And I think he'll wash him. 20 points plus per game. At least another one, I think the New Orleans Saints are going to be the in the NFL this year. That's it. Couldn't have said it better myself, Brad. Thank you for the phone call. All right, these IT guys have been begging me for more examples.

Let me write this one down. Will you please send them a chair check? And do the world. Do the what? And as well as our hotlines are messing up as well. Okay. Yeah, sweet. We may want to call Joe Espada on a different line maybe.

I don't know. Who knows? He calls in. Oh, we're toast. Yeah, we'll see how that goes. All right, that was got feelings. What else we got? I think we're good, ready to go for Joe Espy.

Let's do that. Let's get a break in now, get to Joe Espada, and then we will hear from him on the Astros. Get an update on Colton Gordon. So hope he's doing okay. 713-212-5-7-90. You looking for some lunch today? We are very happy to spend 10 quality minutes

with the manager of your first place. Houston Astros is a six and a half game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the American League West. Joe Espada, getting ready for game two tonight between the Guardians and the Astros. Skip, first of all, thanks for joining us. Number two, how's our friend Mr. Gordon doing? That was a pretty big bump he took last night.

Yeah, thank you for having me. He's doing okay. You know, we kept an eye on him last night. he went through some concussion testing and everything checked out well. We'll see him. I'll see him here in a few once he gets to the ballpark. Yeah, you know, was that, how much of a conversation? Did you have to go through a kind of a test and say, do you know who you are?

Do you know where you are? That kind of stuff. That has to be scary for at least a short period of time. He went out there and he conducts that test. and then he asked him to through two more warm-up pitchers, and then he went through another sequence of questions and to make sure that he was able to get back and to get back in the game and finish that inning, yes.

If he says who's your favorite manager of all time, he doesn't say your name, you definitely have to pull him out at that point, correct? No, we ask him where he was, you know, ask him who hit the ball, questions like that. just to make sure that he was aware of where he was standing at the time of time. Well, hopefully all is well when you get the report later on the day. Hey, what a phenomenal trip. Look, I don't care about yesterday.

You want to get all those victories, but this baseball is a crazy sport, and it's going to happen. Hopefully you'll get back on the winning track with Hunter tonight. But just the road trip at all. Take us through. First of all, you beat the Dodgers to a pulp on Friday, and that's the greatest loss they've ever suffered. And then just to get consistency, great defense. You got some hot hitters. Christian Walker played well.

Your starting pitching did good and your bullpen was lights out. It couldn't have gone any better for you guys in Los Angeles during those three games. Yeah, and I think that's been the story for the last month. I think we have found consistency on both sides of the ball. You know, everything starts with our starting rotation. They've been doing a remarkable job, keeping us in the game, us getting big hits, you know, during the game and be able to hand the ball to our back end of our bullpen to close to the deal. Consistency, you know, throughout, you know, a whole entire lineup.

We got some different guys stepping up every single day. We just, we got into a group here, what we all believe in one another. We understand that they could be a hero, a new hero every single day. And that's contagious. And we find ourselves playing really good baseball. And I'd be super proud of our effort, you know, going to L.A., It's a hostile environment and, you know, the way we play with the energy and the passion and be able to, you know, sweep them there at home, it was a great, great feel. And Altuvae, of course, had a great weekend there.

What is it like for you as a manager? You've been around him for so long. And he's given us so many wow moments. But at the same time, he just continues to do stuff. Are there moments where you're like, you almost feel more like a fan? You're like, I can't believe what I'm seeing. 100%. I'm his biggest fan, especially when we go to stadiums where he receives, you know, that kind of treatment on there, looking at fans on the top step, you know, behind the on-deck circle, saying things that I would never even imagine saying, especially in front of kids.

And he just goes out there and hits homers. He walks by them, doesn't even acknowledge them. He's professionalism, his toughness, his mindset. You know, honestly, I don't, I know how he does it, but I could not imagine anyone else being that tough. Astros manager, Joe Espada, with us here. What is your just mentality, especially as it comes to a lineup construction coming down the stretch here? You have so many different guys out, so many different mixed parts, also wanting to keep guys in a rhythm. What has that challenge been like for you recently with, with some.

especially with the injuries continue to pile up. Yeah, just trying to, you know, just trying to, obviously very important is the guys who are playing every day, our everyday starters, you know, trying to give them off their feed. But also some of these new players who are in, put them in a position where they could match up well against their starter or their, you know, their bullpen, whatever the case may be. trying to keep pieces on the bench where I can, you know, deploy them laying the game and trying to keep defense in the game late in there. There's so many moving parts right now. But these players are responding very well.

I'm communicating with them, the roles that they're in right now, and just trying to piece it together while, you know, they're Jeremy Pena's and the Jordan Avers, and those guys are sitting on the sidelines. And once those guys get back and we could be on full force, we could, you know, we can run those guys out there and give us another boost. I want to ask about the intelligence you get about your own players. Look, Joe, you have seen these guys through the system. You saw them in spring training.

But when you leave for West Palm Beach, you worry about the 26 in front of you. You have had to go to the ball, to the minor leagues a bunch. I mean, your lineup yesterday was especially back half of guys that weren't with the team to begin with. you don't need a refresher, but what is it like when you get a new player? Who do you trust? Who is the guy on your staff that says, all right, here's what I've seen, here's the intelligence reports tells me, here's what we can use this new guy to our best advantage. Well, it starts with me building a relationship with those guys when they're in West Palm.

I've seen a lot of the players who came through the system. Like, for example, Kenny, Corona, he's someone that he's been around for the last couple of years. So I have a relationship with Kennedy. I don't want that relationship. I don't want the first time he gets, you know, the manager is when he gets with the big league. No, he's in big league camp. I go down in the minor leagues and watch him play. When we play a night game and, you know, the monosolix are playing during the day.

And so we have reports from my player development where I get them before a player. Once the player gets to get to the big leagues, we have a full report what the players been working on. you know, drills that the players is doing both offensively, defensively, so we can hand that information to our coaches so we can continue their development process at the major league level. And we have a pretty good idea of what, you know, the areas they're, you know, controlling offensively, they're doing well offensively, things that, you know, I need to be aware of not to expose in certain things.

And I get all those reports once those players get, So I have a pretty good idea on how to use those players in different times during the game. Taylor Tremel, the offense has not come around for him much, but the big home run for you yesterday, defensively, you always knew he was a major league guy. What's it like for him to get a second chance, knowing that his glove work's never been the issue. It's been a consistent bet. That's precluded him from having a longer major league career. Yeah, you know, I've been trying to put him in, you know, against pitching.

that I know he can handle certain areas of the play really well. I'm trying to match him up against that type of pitching. And then once he start getting the hard contact, I keep doing yesterday, then you can start building up from there

and you start building up confidence. We know he can control the strike zone. We know he's super strong. We just need to get him to make more constant solid contact. And once you do that, you get the projection that we got from him that you saw last night.

And with the injuries we talked about in guys like Taylor Tremel and others stepping up, you have a guy in Victor Keratini who's stepped up in a huge way. What is, I mean, how does this happen to where, you know, guys are going down and people are stepping up. And Karatini, what is it about him that just allows him to thrive in the way he has? Yeah, and he did it last year. Got some huge hits for us, especially off the bench. and I feel like the more he plays and more confidence he gets. He really has learned he's swinging while works for him,

what pitches he needs to stay away from both sides of the place. He's having some success. And also the job he does behind the plate, filling in for Christian Walker, what he's at home with his family, can provide some coverage to our first base. Keratin can do so many things to help us win games. A couple more minutes here with Joe Espada, getting you ready for game two of the series tonight against the Cleveland Guardians.

Look, you took on a Cleveland team that had lost 10 in a row coming in. It's baseball. You can get no hit one night and score 13 the next night. But there are some fans that go, oh, what happened to our squad? Take us through that because we're not in a dugout. We're not playing the game that even the teams that record-wise are the worst can play better. that aren't long losing streaks. I guess my point is that people are like,

well, how could the team be a letdown? I didn't think it was a letdown. I think it was just a force of, you know what, you had some guys out, you just finish a long road trip, and baseball is not a game where you win 15, 16 in a row on a regular basis. Oh, man, I wish our fans will understand that you're not going to win every game. We wish we can. I hope we can't, but it doesn't work that way.

And number two, you're talking about the Cleveland Guardians who are lost 10 teams, you know, let me just remind folks that, you know, this team went to the CS last year against the Yankees, you know, it's a really good team going through a tough stretch. They have a pretty good lineup. And it happens. Any given night, any given night, pitcher can have a good day. Gators can have a tough night, and it happens. One thing that I'll tell our fans is that we are a team that we know how to turn the page.

going to get ready to compete and give everything we've got tonight and try to even the series back up. All right. We won't talk to you next week because you'll be on an All-Star break. What are you guys going to do? Are you going to stay in town, run out of town for a few days? What's the plan? No, I'm staying in town with the girls and, you know, reset and then get ready for

for a second half. All right. Please tell Jeremy Pena, he can go, but he can't play. I mean, I just want him bubble wrapped. I don't, I mean, look, I know it's hard for an athlete to get that kind of accolade. it would not be able to play. But there's some bigger fish to fry here at this point. Yeah, we, you know, our focus is to get Jeremy back on the field.

So we, we, all our energy is, it's on that right now. And hopefully we could get him back here pretty soon. And lastly, Jake Meyer, should we be overly concerned at this point? No, I don't, I don't think so. You know, once I see him, he's going to do some running in the outfield, and hopefully he's able to, you know, be in there today. But I don't think we should be concerned about any of that. not right now at least.

Skip, thanks for the time. As always, congratulations. The great run. We'll talk to you later on this week. Thank you. That's Joe Spada, joining us here on Sports Talk 790. Our time is 12.12. We appreciate his visit with us.

Colton Gordon, hopefully will be okay. We will talk to Cooper Hummel at 130. And our producer, Jonathan's already said he's going to get three hits tonight. He's starting the Cooper Hummel fan club. Now, if he doesn't play, it's going to be an issue. That's true. It's a good thing. It's okay.

It'll be the next day. So you're saying... The next time he's in a lineup. Are you going to say that next time he's in a lineup? You want to go with that? Do you feel better with that? You know what? Yeah, I do.

I do feel better. Okay. We will let you get away with it. So the next time that Cooper Hummel is in the lineup, he will get three hits tonight or tomorrow for the Astros in honor of our producer, Jonathan. All right, 713-213-2-750. We'll come back with the news at noon at 1220. Noon-ish.

The news is at noon-ish. The news at Noonish. Next. 1220, Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. We welcome you at 713-212-5-7-9. If you want to join our conversation at 7-13-212-5-79. Ross presents to you the news just shortly afternoon.

Let's lose at Newtish here, Matt, and I appreciate you having to be here. Of course, we do lead off with the Houston Astros, the Cleveland Guardians on a 10 game losing streak yesterday. It was snat at Dyken Park. They got the 7 to 5 victory. Colton Gordon taking a bump on the Noggin, continuing to pitch, giving about three-run bomb to Jose Ramirez.

Team did battle back, but the back five of the lineup, Matt, Karatini, Hummel, Tramel, short, Corona. What is going on with them, Houston Astros? That would be a AAA All-Star team. The future... Is this the future?

game. Yeah, but it'd be funny if they said, hey, if they asked said, look, it's a Monday night. We don't have a full lineup. We're going to charge your space Cowboys braces. Man, they're not going to do that. And dogs are denied it for a buck, right? Oh, I'm working the game tonight. Do I go back? I have to, you need to get

my bobblehead for me. What? There's a, there's a friend's bobbled. Why am I just your errand boy? I'm over here, cutting audio for you. I'm picking up your bobbleheads. He won't even take you to tired of doing. I know. Oh, he's going Thursday. No, he won't pick me up. I'll pick you No, it's fine.

All right. Yeah, if I pick up your bobblehead, you're picking me up. That's fine. Or I'll pay you for Uber. What bobblehead is it? It's something I'm revolving around. It's Friends Night at the ballpark. Is that tonight?

Yeah. Okay. So you're getting an extra one? You've contacted somebody? Well, I'm going to do that in a few minutes. Yeah, you do that because I will keep mine, and of course, I'll flip it on my eBay account at Sports RV. There's the... I'm just kidding.

It's a bobblehead of... Oh, isn't it? Well, somebody with a turkey. on their head, right? It's a turkey on their head. Yeah, it's orbit with a turkey on his head. So, okay, so are you going to out whoever's asked you for this? Because I know you don't want it. There it is right there. Okay. Are you going to out who's asked you for this or not? I guess I could. You don't have to. I mean, I sleep with her. Hmm. Okay, that later narrows it down to eight or nine.

I knew you were going to say that. Oh, so your wife is a big friends fan. She likes it and she heard about it. She's like, can you get me one and I'm like... Okay. So I'm going to get you one. Well, either that, I'm going to go tomorrow and get it. But you get it for me tonight. All right. Okay. Tell me who to talk to and where to go from this.

Okay. From there. Continue. What were we talking about? Oh, it's the lozad do, Matt. Yes, we continue as... Let's see. Joe Burrow, did you hear about this?

I didn't. He was going to buy the Batmobile or a replica of a Batmobile for 3 million dollars. But if you recall, you had a home burglary situation recently in his home and unfortunately he has scrapped his plans to buy a replica three man

$3 million dollar Batmobile. Now, which version, which Batmobile was it going to buy from what movie? I'm going to guess the Dark Knight version one that looks like that. Oh, that. Okay, good. All right. Thanks to the audience. What are you talking about?

It looks like the Dark Night one from 2008. You never saw that one? Okay, what answer were you looking for? I was looking for the one with Bert Ward and Adam West. I don't think he was going to get that one, no. No, okay. I don't think he's going to get the one from the latest one starring Robert Pattinson, which I believe Batman, the Batman 2 is coming.

I don't know. Right now, Superman is out. But I say all this to say, I say all that to say this, Matt. If you had $3 million to spend on your dream car, what would it be? And don't say the Oscar Meyer, Weiner. Can I say that can I get a vehicle that has a driver? That's it.

Oh, yeah, whatever vehicle is going to have a driver. Oh, so you want like a stretch Bentley? My guess that I'd want a some sort of very comfortable stretch SUV, high-end vehicle with a driver. I will sacrifice the value of the vehicle in order to pay the driver a lot of money, so I don't never have to drive again. Okay, so you don't care if it's a Prius as long as you don't have to drive. I would let somebody pick me up

in a Dotson 626. Hmm. Okay. All right, Matt. Moving along. Yeah, thank you. On the news at noon, did you know that my computer is freezing? And also did you know that Taylor Fritz, Matt? He won his Wimbledon match in four sets.

He's onto the Wimbledon semifinals. Your thoughts? Taylor Fritz? Is he related to our University of Houston coach? I don't think so. he's got a smoking hot girlfriend or fiance or something i don't remember what her name is can i ask you yes who is the most recognizable face right now in the world of tennis right this second novojokovitch who's the most notable american taylor fritz i had never heard of him until today you've never heard of him never heard of him super newsworthy but i've heard of him a few times here and there

he's number five in the world matt he's just no yonnik sinner And then there's some other young guy, Shelton. I think he's American. Okay. This is not a get-off-my-law moment. Uh-oh. Or OG guy moment. Mm-hmm.

But I've never played tennis on a regular basis. Put a little bit in high school just for fun. Mm-hmm. But when I was younger, when Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras and John McEnroe and Under Agon-Rae were playing, it was kind of must watch. It was. and I'm in them, I think I'm on the minority on a weekend afternoon morning when you're getting up and it's on ESP.

You're like, oh, I'll sit and watch. But I haven't intentionally said I got to get up at 7.45 in the morning to make sure I'm part of breakfast at Wimbledon. Why is that? Depending on the match. Is it because I'm so much in sports in my life that I got to take. Yeah, you mentioned like you said, was it even yesterday or was it last week about how Sunday night. Baseball used to be this big deal. Yeah.

This, everything used to be a bigger deal, and we just had fewer options. So it's part of that. It's part of the fact that there is an American star. Taylor, for instance, never won a Grand Slam, to my knowledge. I think he's made a final or two. It's dominated by Carlos Alcarez from Spain, Novak Djokovic from Serbia. For a while, of course, Rafael Nadal from Spain as well. If you put them in a lineup and match name with player, I couldn't do it.

I'm sure you could. Those three that I just mentioned? Yeah, I couldn't do it. Novak Djokovic and Raphael Adol? I'm not and that's I'm not against me I'm not saying that's wrong I could not

pick the person with the name you're missing out Matt some good tennis being played right now but I understand we all have our things that we buy into and things that we don't yeah okay I'm not here to shame you

but I would say the same thing about golf too I just watched a lot of golf when I was younger Tiger Woods is involved I'm watching even when Phil McKleson was doing his thing I was watching him and we also have some other sad news Matt. Dwight Howard's wife has filed

for divorce after six months of marriage. Six months? Yes. She didn't like a snake? He was in... What'd you say? He's got snakes. In like a terrarium?

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. He's got a house of snakes. Hmm. Hmm. Did I interrupt your story? I apologize. No. She's a rapper named Amy Luciani. Hmm. Never heard of her music.

Well, that's her rap name. Her real name is Amber Rose, but of course she had to change her name because you know that woman Amber Rose that was with. So what is she citing as the reason for such dissolving of the marriage? The marriage is irretrievally broken and there are no prospects for reconciliation. Six months, huh? Irreconcilable differences in six months? They didn't work very hard on it. And of course, she has asked that all marital assets be equitably divided and is.

seeking alimony. After six months, you know what the judge would say. Shut your bum ass up. I don't know. Depends on the state. We'll see. Dwight Howard currently playing for the Big Three, Four? The Los Angeles Riot.

Ooh, he's in California. The Los Angeles Riot? Yeah, it seems like a bad name. That feels like a terrible name. Didn't they have the Watts riots and there's a lot of L.A. riots and the Rodney King riots? Why would you make any lighthearted note about riots? Well, do you know what the MLI?

team is called in Chicago. The fire. They had the great fire of like the 1900s. It'd be like Houston calling themselves the humidity. Why don't I want to brag about that? The hurricanes. Yeah. We used to have a Houston hurricanes. Okay. NASL back in the day.

Well, they folded. It's a bad name. Okay. And that's the news almost at noon. Thank you. Thank you. By the way, how many more 500-year flood events are we going to get every six months? We have to stop using that turn. Seriously. We are having a 500.

They called this recent one, 500 to 1,000 years. And then they were like, yeah, the same thing happened in 1987. Like North Carolina got the 500-year flood last year. Yeah. So they're just rotating around the different parts of the country, it sounds. I guess. And by the way, please, if you have not, if you have a chance to donate a couple of bucks, I'm sure the wonderful people of Kerr County and the Hook Country would certainly use your help.

As we hear at IHeart Radio and you've heard many ads about it, trying to lend some financial support. our website, sports 790.com, has a place you can directly donate, and they certainly could use any assistance. So please, if you have a couple of bucks, we would greatly, greatly appreciate that. All right, 1230 sports talk 790. Coming up in 50 minutes from now, we have the NFL rewind. We have a Cooper Hummel's going to join us at 130. Believe it or not today, what's the category?

What? All right, 713, 212-5-790. By the way, I want to applaud you in Houston, Texas. Not that I've watched every Astero game, but I've watched 90% of them. And it feels like the wave is not doing a lot of damage so far. There was one last night. There was? When it was...

Oh, wait, was it last night? They were doing the wave in Los Angeles. Big time. That's my point was that Wave Busters LAC is not in play. It was last night in the... I was looking, I was on my, you know, I'm always on my Twitter when I watch the games anyways, but I was kind of just anticipating somebody to tweet you or me about it and then Wave Busters H.U. It was going in the, it was zero, zero in the fourth inning.

And it was happening. There was a nothing, nothing game. Hmm. What was I doing in the, what was I doing? What was I doing about 8 o'clock? I don't want to know. Oh, I do. I remember.

Okay. So was it an abundant, long lasting way? I just saw it go by once or twice, I think. I don't think it was, but it was definitely people getting the wave going in the... But you're right, it hasn't been a month. It hasn't been as much. But let me ask you this. Why is every person that ever starts the wave, they looked about the same?

Hmm. Because y'all, those of you that are wavebusters, and by the way that Twitter account is Wavebusters, H-O-U. There is one common thread for sure in all of them. Jorts. I was going to say drunk. Here is, and we don't stereotype on this show. But we're going to do it here.

Jorts. Yes. Alcohol. Yes. Long hair. Probably. Backwards cap. Backwards cap.

Usually outfield seat guy, lower level, first base, third baseline, they're not doing a whole lot of that. Usually outfield, not upper deck, but outfield like, not Crawford boxes, but like right field, that group out. What do they call that area? I guess right field. Right field. It used to be King Teton. Kingdom. He's gone now.

What is it with that person I just described? Because what I don't see is I don't see people that go in business suits that do it. Nobody's at the game in a business suit. Well, very few. Hey don't you mean button down. I don't see people in khakis in a collared shirt doing it. It is a certain type of person. I don't see 11-year-olds do it.

Hmm. I don't see 20... Women. I have not seen a woman. I've never seen a woman do it. Have you? I don't think so. No, I haven't seen a 28-year-old Buxham woman do it.

I've never seen... What does Bucson mean, Matt? I've never seen any... You know what I'll rephrase. Brian Buxton? I've never seen any woman do it. Okay. We could have stopped there.

I've never seen a 66-year-old do it. You're right. Generally, he's around... 48 to 55. The guy... I was going to say like 25 to 45. Oh, 25 to maybe a little. I'll go a little.

I've seen young guys do it. Okay. I would say 30 to 55. Okay. Why do you do it? Because if you say it's for the kids, that's just a lie. You're doing it because you want to say you started it and you want to brag your buddies. You know, I don't want to be.

Do it. Whatever you don't want to be that guy. But it's fine. There's, their attention sinking. And this gives them some sort of fulfillment. It makes them happy. They probably feel a sense of accomplishment when they see the wave go around. around a couple of times, and it gives them joy.

And, and you know, that's okay. We all got to find our joys in life somehow. Like my accomplishments, husband. Yes. Father. Okay. Been able to do steady. Make creek hall of famer.

May creek hall of famer. Steady, steady employment for, you know, since I was 19. Yes. Actually, I'm looking at 16. I've raised some money for charities. That's good. I've done a variety of speaking engagements. I've tried to help out.

people in young in the communication business grow and learn to tell them to not do it well sometimes the truth it does hurt but they they come back to thank me later it's it's not on my list of you know like if i was ever to get honored by anything you know matt thomas did this did this he's a university university used to graduate it's a father's a husband a broadcaster involved with a rock catastrophe but never it's like he created nine waves during the two thousand one season yeah but you know what that night he was happy and maybe we should should just let him have that joy man. No.

And the kids do like it. No. But it interferes with most of us that don't like it. Every time they have a survey in right field. Yes. Brought to you by Rutterer, they say, how do you feel about the wave? And every time someone sent it to me,

the percentages of people that hate it grow up. The last time I saw it was like 6832 is against it. Yeah, but every time it happens, at least 60% of the stadium is participating. But that's what bothers me is that what's going in the building. You can't pay attention to the polling, Matt. Haven't the last three elections taught you anything? That's true.

But those people that are in the stadium are the ones doing the... Like, outside forces are not polling. It's what was built in the polls. You know what I mean? I don't get it. I get that you don't get it. I don't know. It's a phenomenon.

I mean, it was cool like in 1993. But not. I'm over it now. And I especially, I will, of course, always stand by. I'm okay when it's a blowout, whatever. And the Dodgers, their people did it on Sunday what their team was at bat. If you're going. First of all, there's no reason ever to do it.

But if you, like, if it's a nervous twitch in your body, you must do it. You do it when your team is on the defense, not on the offense. Playing the field. Yeah. That is the epitome of my life of the I just don't get it. The way. I would want to distract the pitcher either, though. But you don't really see Wave at football games, generally speaking.

It did. Remember JJ Watt called the fans out? That was years ago. I've only seen the, in my nine years ago, in the Rockets, I've only seen the wave on the road one time. And you would never guess where it was. You get one guess and one guess only. New York City. That's exactly right.

Madison Square Garden. Because that was recent, right? Within the last three years, yeah. I looked to my left. In the back of my head. Because I know we're weighing the upper deck. Really high. Worst vantage point in the league by far.

Uh-huh. And they're doing the damn wave. I'm like, wait a minute. The New York Knicks who pay you like $500 to be seen and be seen at the arena. This great basketball, New York's the home of basketball, and they're doing the damn wave. Does Ben Stiller doing the wave? I'd expect the wave in Charlotte. Okay.

I'd expect the wave in, say, I don't know, Orlando. Yeah, I've never seen it in the Toyota Center that, I can recall. Dang, and let it make sure it's that way. But you've been, I mean, yeah, you go to every game for the last, however many years. Yeah, I just don't get it. So thank you to those of you that have, if you don't, if you believe in Wave Busters, go to the Twitter account. It's at WaveBusters, H-O-U, and continue to take those videos and film.

And shame people. And shame people. No, don't cause of stir up. No, I just boo them. If I see Wave starter guy, I just go, boo! Or the wave comes by. I just go. I would say, get a job and get a haircut.

Hmm. And nice pack of smokes in your shoulder that you've hidden underneath your t-shirt. that's about two sizes too small and stop being two months back on your alimony i didn't say that that that couldn't be true but all right uh 1243 on the matthomas show ross 713 212 5790 713 212 5790 the rewind is coming up at 120

uh we had raphael stone on a little bit earlier today to kind of give us the behind the scenes of the trade with involving the rockets and Kevin Durant, whatnot. Win totals are out. If you didn't catch it, we'll run through that a little bit for you as well. And what else we got going? The trade wins in baseball have been kind of quiet so far. Is that a good sign or is that just a, it's just too early to get to stuff?

Is it too quiet? No, I would say with it being July, it's probably two, it's not. And how loud will it get in Houston? for perhaps the left-handed back, what you're thinking? Or? Taylor Tremel's just hitting bombs. I know. Don't roll your eyes. 1244. We've got Cooper Hummel coming up in 45 minutes here on Sports Talk, 7.8.

Day one of the Big 12 Media Days is going on in Dallas. Usually it's during the All-Star break, but next week is the SEC Media Days, and the Big 12 is like, if we don't do ours ahead of the SEC, we'll get no attention whatsoever. and they're not going to get a lot of attention anyway. Brett, Your Mark is a very interesting man. He is the commissioner of the Big 12th conference. Very progressive, very forward thinking. He just doesn't have the ammunition, the SEC, and the Big Ten have.

He thinks he does. And look, I love the Big 12. Publicly, he knows he doesn't. Oh, yeah, privately he knows. But publicly he has to do it. is what he's doing is to try to get as much positive publicity for the Big 12th conference. And so today it was his kind of day to speak to the media that was up in Dallas. And we'll check in with Joseph Duarte tomorrow and give a little update of what's going on there because it's a two-day event.

He is very bullish on the 5 plus 11 model for the potential future 16 team NCAA college football playoffs, CFP. You think it's going to happen by next year? That makes about sense, right? So you're saying... They said they weren't expanding from four. I know. And I said they were lying then, and was so we knew. But he asked, it's like, what is it going to take?

I think they should have maxed out at 12. Okay, right now it's at 12. There has been no formal introduction of 16, but there's going to be an introduction of eventually during the course of the year, especially because Alabama bitched and moan about not being in there last year. So if they go to 16, there are two different proposals out there. Okay. One is the 5 plus 11 model, which is your four Power 4 champions.

And your group of six best percentage or seating. Like Pack 12 or anybody. It could be Mountain West. It could be Mid-American. It could be Sunbelt. It could be any one of those. Wait, is PAC Pac-12's not in there, right?

Pac-12 doesn't exist right now. Yeah. They're trying to come together. They'll start in 2006. Oh, okay. So it could be Mac, American, Conference, USA, any one of those would be the fifth team.

Right. Then they would just take 11 at large, based of what the committee would say. Mm-hmm. That is model number one. Model number two, and this is where the Big Ten, the SEC,

and said, we believe we should take fourth spots. Each every year. That's eight. We'll give the ACC and the Big 12 two spots guaranteed. That puts it then at 12. Then you have four open spots after that. Terrible. So you might have a really awesome Sunbelt team and really an awesome American team

and a really awesome Mac team. Again, awesome is a relative term because if you're playing each other and it's on a power conference, just how awesome are you? But you might lose a spot because the fourth best team in the SEC is going to get in

because the SEC under plan number two will be guaranteed a four spot. So if that happened last year, it would have been Alabama getting in as a guarantee at 9 and 3 having lost to OU and Vanderbilt. Yes.

So let me get to the fundamentals of it. What you want and what you think are going to happen are two different animals. Should the SEC and the Big Ten, which are known for them being the two best football leagues, pound for pound, maybe ACC could have a little bit of our argument with Clemson and Florida State and Miami back in the day. Okay.

But right now, are they the two best football conferences? Yeah. Are they the ones that drive the most television sets? Are they the ones that are going to fill up the stadiums more than the other ones? Yes. If you're them, you love the four guaranteed four spots. Absolutely. Is that what's best for college football?

It's best for eyeballs and revenues and money. So what is the goal? What's the goal? Is it goal for the TV sets and the eyeballs and the seats being sold? Or is it good to have the true national champion? The goal would be the true national champion. but the actual goal is the most money. You cannot argue that the teams

13 through 16 are really getting slighted and are the best in the country. I just wouldn't buy that at all. It is interesting too. Also remember this, neither one of these new models guarantees Notre Dame a spot because they're not in a conference. So in reality, Notre Dame probably takes,

I mean, what does Notre Dame going to typically do? They're going to typically go 10 and 2 every year, right? they probably would take another spot. So that's basically 13 spots in the Model B because you have your two ACCs, your two big 12s,

your four ACCs, I mean your four SECs, your four Big Tens, the Internet makes 13. That gives you now three open spots. And that really is going to squeeze out a non-power 5, Power 4 school.

Yes. You got no shot. I mean, look, and old models and the BCS model and whatever, the small schools had no shot anyways. If I am the Big 12, if I'm the ACC, if I'm the American, I'm from Comfort, USA,

if I'm this brand new Pact 12 that's going to start up in a couple of years, I would be pushing just like Brett Yormark would do and say, I need 5 plus 11 in the worst way. Right? You can hope and wish all you want. But I mean, I just don't. it feels like the Big Ten and the SEC will get their way. So if I'm Brett Your Mark and I'm trying to convince the Big 12,

excuse me, the Big Ten and the SEC to vote my way, here's how I sell it to them. Let's say you have an amazing year and you have seven teams. Why would you limit yourself to just four if I can get seven in? Well, they can, it's a guarantee of four. They could still get more. They still could. But I would think it'd be a little bit more difficult because you're then allowing two ACCs, two Big 12s to get in.

Well, maybe the league is only one. Like last year, the Big 12 only had one team in the tournament, right? Arizona State. Mm-hmm. Was there another school that was worthy of being the second Big 12 team? Nope. No. I don't know.

I don't remember how the ACC was, but was there a second team in the ACC that was worthy of playing? Well, yeah, two made it because Clemson won the championship and then SMU, they lost. SMU is the one that lost the championship and they got in. It's an at-large. Yes. So, again, I can see it both ways. And number 13, Miami didn't make it. For me, 5 plus 11 probably makes the most sense.

But if you're ESPN, TNT, and anybody else that's involved in this new television deal, you do want, though, you want as many schools that provide the most eyeballs. And that typically comes from the Big Ten conference in the SEC. Yeah, the SEC has. had six teams last year finishing the final 16. It almost feels like when you have a commissioner like Brett Your Mark of the Big 12

saying these things, pushing it, it's like he's trying to get ahead of everything. It's like a political candidate who knows he's down 15% in the polls. I go out there, I'll make this change. I'll promise you this and promise you that. Knowing well full well that the other candidate who's got more money,

bigger fan base, bigger reach is going to come in and swallow you up. Big Ten had four in the top eight. Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana. So there's something to think about as we think probably this could be the last year of a 12 team. And apparently now they'll go 16 teams,

which remain they'll be playing the NCAA college football playoff until March, and then March Madness will kick in. Well, if they don't seed by champions, that would be Oregon taking on Clemson in round one. Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Ole Miss. All heavy match. It'll be all heavy weights.

But where's the reward? Where's the reward for a season where you don't have any blemishes on your record and then anything can happen on any given Saturday? And then you're out in one week after going 13 and 1. Let's say you go 14 and 0. Who's going 14 and 0? I don't know, whoever. Oregon went 13 and 0 last year.

And you can be out in one week? That's the same as a 16 seed or the same as an 8 seed or as 9 seed? I just think you should reward the teams who have. the best regular season. Could you double buy it? Double buy. That's never going to happen, I wouldn't think. It'd be a long layoff. That's what I'm saying. So I like the current system. One buy for the top four. Regardless of seating, not with like Boise State getting a buy like that happened this year.

So why is there, is it simply because there's another two set of games, a set of two games that can add for more money. Money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money. Tickets sold, money from the TV. And you know, here's the thing, Ross. Network. You know they're going to sell the tickets. This isn't an if. It's going to be a then.

If you give us two extra games, we'll sell them out. Even if they're half full, guess what? That's better than zero tickets sold. And there'll be another television deal put in place. All right, 1 o'clock. Let's get the final hour of the Matt Thomas show. Ross underway. 106 on Sports Talk 790.

We've got the NFL rewind coming up at about 50 minutes with Ross. What's happening around the National Football League? We know what's happening in baseball. Your local 9 last day losing to the... the Cleveland Guardians by a final score of five to three. Astros, no, seven to five. It was five to three at one point. It was seven to five.

Caratini, you mentioned guys the home run yesterday. Yes, he did. He's been stepping up huge. All you do, put me in four space, home run. Let me catcher, home run. D.H me once in a while, big hits. Grand slams. Two.

Hitting salamis. His team's slug has gotten a lot better. He had two career grand slams, and then he went on a road trip and came back with two more. Pretty good. Pretty, pretty good. What do you put that in the individual accomplishments? Grand slams?

Yeah. Hmm. Let me give you a list. I don't know. We don't know who has the most, do we? No, no, I'm talking about it. I'm going to guess Hank Aaron. I'm talking about it in life.

Okay. I put you in a sports uniform. Okay. I'm going to give you a chance to dunk on an NBA floor. Okay. Oh, my leg hurts hearing about that. I give you a chance to hit a big three-pooner. Hmm.

It's going to be tough. Catch a touchdown pass? throw a touchdown pass. Okay. Hit a grand slam and the sixth and final option, rob a home run. Put them in order. Now we're talking about game winning touchdown passes or any touchdown passes. Grand slams or any grand slams?

I'm going to give you, those are the six options. Grand slam home run. Yes. Take one away. Okay. Throw a touchdown. Catch a touchdown. Big slam dunk.

Like a big, not like a follow-up dunk. I'm talking about a massive throwdown. Like how I throw down on the six-foot rim. Exactly. Or hit a big three-point shot. Those are the six things. Big three-pointer. Is your number one?

Yes. Hmm. Well, that was the most clutch moment you mentioned. I'm not saying it. Not robbing a home run. Robbing home run's good. I'm going to tell you, I think I would want to rob a home run.

That's good. I think I'll go a grand slam up there. Yeah, I'd put those in my top six. I only gave you six. because not only does it show your athletic ability and your leaping ability. That's true. But he demoralizes the other guy who just is circling the bases.

So you want to hurt somebody emotionally? Yes. I'm okay with that. So number one for me would be robbing the home run. Yeah. Number two would be hitting the home run. Uh-huh. Number three would be throwing the touchdown pass.

Okay. Like I threw something so accurate the guy in the end zone caught it for a touchdown. Big deal for me. Number four would be The dunk No, no, no, number four would be the big three-pointer Okay Number five would be the dunk

Number six will be catching a pass Okay Those are my big six right there Now, we've also forgot about hole in one Oh, I'll put a hole in one first Whole One's good That immediately jumps at the top About a 50-foot putt

That's pretty good Can't beat a hole in one though No you can't I buy everybody beer at the... Which is terrible. I've talked about this for years and it's fallen on deaf ears. Why am I the one that has to pay for it when I'm the one that created the accomplishment?

Don't you think? Yeah. I just go and show up to the bar every day hoping somebody comes in for a fear with a free beer for me. Ross is the kind of person... I don't even play golf. That sits and says,

can I check your scorecard? Yeah. Uh-huh. Checking Twitter, seeing if somebody hit one, then you head to the bar for a free brusky. Now, how far would you go to make this happen? Not far.

Because the only course near you is Memorial Park. That's true. They have a bar and grill, but they have a, isn't it a mex mime or something? It's a mex mime. But I'm sharing a beer there. Yeah, but are people hanging out there after 18 holes? If you come in with me in Kingwood, go to the country club. You got a puncher chance there.

They kicked me out last time. Because you were very rude. And you wore jorts. Jorts are coming back. No, they're not. Yeah, they are. No one's ever said Jorts are coming back. They are.

John Cena may have said that, but that's the only one. I'm going to let jort sales up. Let me Google this. Yeah, you're going to also find that crock sales are up, too. Doesn't mean it's good. Okay. I told you that Berkinaw stocks were back, and you got mad at me for wearing, buying. That's not true.

I didn't get mad at you. I just made fun of you. That's different. You actually made fun of my wife. All right, back to it. I told you mustaches were coming back, too, and you thought I was a liar. And look, look at this. Everybody's got stashes.

Not everybody. It's more, you have to have the. Have you seen the college world series? About 85% of the college world series. But those are baseball bros. The bros are bringing the mustache back. That's like coaching a 15-year-old team from guys we know. Okay.

Astro is getting ready for game two of the series with the Guardians. It'll be up to Hunter Brown. So Hunter pitches today. Yes. Then when, they don't have an off day before the alls are going to think. Let me check the schedule. No. Or wait, no, they're off Thursday.

Let's see. Right or no? Where are we in July? Oh, they're off Thursday. So if Hunter pitches today, he would not pitch again until after the All-Star break, which would make him prime to get some innings in the All-Star game. Correct. Frommber, meanwhile, pitched Saturday.

He would be scheduled to pitch Friday against the Rangers. He would also be ready because during the All-Star. Star game would be a day when he would just throw. With the day off, as I'm just, ESPN's probabilities are always off, but they have Friday McCullors. That would be his run, the rotation. And then Framber on Saturday. Well, I'd have to pull up like that.

Well, see, okay, July 5th is when Yordon pitched. Frommber. Frommber, excuse me, Frommber pitched. Four games after that, the off day. Are they in a six-man rotation? I can't be in a six-man rotation at that point. Because Gusto threw. Gusto's back in the rotation.

So yes, right? Yeah, maybe they are in a six-man. Gusto, Walter, Gordon, Brown, Hunter. Hunter Brown, and Valdez. Okay. I'm confused. Lance threw, what, Friday night. Yeah, maybe so.

Maybe if they go with a sixth man. But you know what? I didn't say Brandon Walter, did I? No, but the thing is, we didn't even know about... We didn't even know that Ryan Gus was pitching Sunday until after the game on Saturday. At least it publicly was set. That's true.

So, yeah, they could change. way, these guys, we're going to You know what? Can I add my gut feeling here at 113? Absolutely. It's Tuesday. Both astro pitchers will pitch in the All-Star game. Bramber Valdez is going to the All-Star game, and he's going to pitch. Okay. Well, that was your gut

feeling that he was going to be in there. He's going to be in, and Hunter Brown's going to be in, and they're both going to pitch. We're going to see two Astros pitch in the All-Star game. In Atlanta. Okay. Conversely, I want no part of Jeremy Payne up playing in the All-Star game. He won't.

There's no way. I'd be shocked. Oh, you know what? Can I throw Josh? That'll be another week, though. I'm going to make this a super gut feeling. Okay. Oh, that would be three Astros. All three Astro pitchers are going to pitch in the All-Star game. Okay. Well, that's, yeah, you're probably right.

It's not crazy, right? No, you're not crazy on this one. If Fromber doesn't make it there, it's going to be, I think, a travesty, but look, if you're the fringe guy that just got left off, not every pitcher says, oh, yeah, I'm going. Because there'll be some guys that will pitch on Sunday. They're like, I'm not, I'm not going up there. there to pitch, no chance. You should have a bum ass up. Exactly.

So I get, that's my gut feeling. Three Astro pitchers will pitch in the All-Star game. Now, I won't say that Josh Hader will get the save, but I'm going to say that three are going to pitch. Okay. I feel pretty confident about that. All right, let's get to the NFL rewind,

and that is up next. And then after that, we're going to talk to Cooper Hummel of the Astros. And if you did not hear earlier, Jonathan, who gets probably, what, 10 to 50% of his predictions, correct in that 15, 20% range tops, just predicting that Cooper Humble is going to get three hits when he plays the next time he plays. Whether it be tonight or not, we don't know.

People are feeling it. I know they are. Who's feeling it? Everybody that heard it. They're like, you know what? Jonathan's right. Three hits. Oh, we feel it.

That's what the streets are saying. Are the streets really talking about the show? I mean, I hope they are. I think so. I hope they are. 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Our I-Heartreel Music Festival.

Presented by Capital One is back in Vegas. Team Mole Arena. September 19th and 20th. Streaming live only on Hulu. Fifteen artists. Two nights. One stage. Get tickets now at AXS.com. Hear up, music fans.

Hyundai is back as a proud partner of the 2025 I-Heart Radio Music Festival. Join us as our electrifying all-star lineup hits the stage like never before. This report is sponsored by Straight Talk Wireless. straight talk might not be on your shopping list, but it should be. Next time you're grabbing some milk off the shelf at your local Walmart, stop by the straight talk aisle and switch to real unlimited data. It's quick and convenient. It won't even take up room in your cart.

Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking all state first. Like you know to check the GPS directions first before driving to the mall. Turn right at the light. In 1,000 miles you will reach Montreal. Not Montreal, the mall. Recalculating. thousand miles to Nepal. No, the mall. Checking first is

smart. Calculating. So check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Save is very. Subjected to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate fire and casualty insurance company and affiliate Smithbrook, Illinois. In a world parts for excitement, twisted teas your refreshing thrill ride of flavor.

The hard iced tea that's smooth made with real brewed tea and 5% alcohol. Twisted tea. Keep it twisted. Plused tea brewering company Cincinnati, Ohio, are responsibly. At Parsons, we're on a mission to create and maintain safe, efficient, and sustainable water facilities and processes. Learn more about our advanced water and wastewater treatment capabilities at Parsons.com slash Lone Star.

Frequent trips to the restroom keeping you up, 50% of men over 60 and 90% over 80 suffer from BPH, an enlarge prostate that disrupts sleep. At a late health, they offer P.A.E, a minimally invasive procedure with quick recovery, minimal pain, and no need for catheter. And it's covered by Medicare. Call 713-58-388. Or visit Choose p-a-e-e-com today.

Up late, why wait? Call elate. Foundation damage is never something you planned for. When cracks appear and doors stop working, it can feel scary and overwhelming. And Ramjack Foundation repair, we understand. For over 40 years, we've helped Texas homeowners navigate these challenges with engineered solutions that are built to last and fit your budget.

At Ramjack of Houston, we're committed to doing what's right for you, your home, and your family. Let us give you a peace of mind with free on-site evaluations and free second opinions. Scheduled today at Ramjack.com. That's ramjack.com. Hey, it's Coach Ludoka. Nothing foot nylon. Hear every Rockets game on Sports Talk 790. And on the I-Heart Radio app.

Home of Your Rockets. Matt Thomas Show at Ross continues. 132 is our time. We are very pleased to be joined by Cooper Hummel, D-Hing yesterday. Been with a team a handful of weeks, making the most of his playing time,

and we are happy to happen with us on the show. Cooper, it's Matt and Ross. Thanks for joining us. By the way, we've got no pressure on you whatsoever, my friend, but our producer, Jonathan, says the next time you're playing in the game, you're getting three hits. So good luck to you on that.

Well, I love the faith and thanks for having me on. And I'll take those three hits any day you want to give them to me. Well, I don't need them over two weeks, brother. I need them in one game. If you get three hints in two weeks, we're having an issue. But that's nothing. Come on now. We can talk about that later, but I'll get three in one day.

How about that? All right. I want to do this for you because there are so many newbies on this team. Where were you a year ago? And what was your mindset on July 8th of 2024? Oh, so a year ago, I had. just gotten sent down. I sent down.

We were in Canada playing Toronto. I think it was July 2nd. I got sent down. And there was a bunch of frustration for myself. You know, I felt like I had been doing some really good things in Sugar Land that year. Obviously, it earned a call up

and then got up here. And, you know, there wasn't really an opportunity to kind of show myself. You know, we had some guys that were producing and there wasn't really that role, but I was here to be a guy to fill in when needed. So obviously there was some frustration then.

But coming back now, you know, different mindset, understanding, you know, every guy has a role and every guy needs to do their part. So just a different mindset coming into the year. And, I mean, man, it's been a journey of a year so far. So I'm just glad to take that mindset throughout everywhere I've been. All right. So the reality is this, Cooper, you could have felt sorry for yourself.

And my guess is you did for a while, because if I was in your spot, I would have. But you had to shake it. What shook you? Absolutely. What shook you? And whatever it was, you need to tell that the other guys, because it's going to happen to some other people before their careers over with. And it works because you have fought past that. Absolutely. No, I appreciate you saying that.

Yeah. I mean, so I recently became a father. I have a five-month-old daughter. so that shakes you in a lot of different ways. But I think the biggest thing is just understanding that, you know, this game's not forever. And, you know, putting on a big league uniform is pretty cool, you know. I know that's a pretty big cliche. But when you're sitting at a Dodger Stadium on 4th of July watching fireworks on the field and you're like, wow, I've got the best job in the world.

You know, it's a constant reminder of whether you're in AAA or whether you're in the big leagues, this is by far the best job. I'd rather do this than anything in the world. and when you can have that mindset every day and then understand that, hey, just go play, have fun, live it up, and love it. You know, usually the good things happen. And, you know, I'm seeing that right now.

I'm seeing the results from that. I'm trusting my process. I'm trusting God. And, you know, it's a big, it's been a big work in progress, but it's been great. I'm glad it's paying off for you. Cooper Hummel with us here on the Matt, Thomas O'Ross.

So you mentioned the five-month-old. What time did you guys get home Monday morning? Probably 1 o'clock in the morning, give or take? Yes, right around then. Does the five-month-old realize that, or did Mrs. Hummel to help you with that a little bit? So my wife and daughter are actually back home right now. I got to see them in L.A. They did not travel with us.

With the way the year's been, she's been away from me, some of it, and has been kind of bouncing back and forth to different locations. but she's more on baseball scheduled than you would assume for a five-month-old, though. Nice. Now, who is in California right now? Who's living out there with you or with your wife? So it's my in-laws. My in-laws lives in-laws live in-law's in-laws.

And my wife's been out there with them. And it's been nice to see my wife and my daughter and my in-laws when we went to see the Angels and the Dodgers. So it was really cool. Yeah, that was playing in. LA, was that a dream coming true? Look, you've been around to a lot of different places over your young career, but there's always something a mystique about Dodger Stadium. I would say the same thing about Yankee Stadium, but let's face it, there's Fenway, there's Wrigley, and then there's Dodger in terms of longevity. Yeah. For me, it would be still a kid to candy store.

Yeah, no, Dodger Stadium's cool. I would say, so playing with Arizona in 22, we went there a good amount. Right. I would say it's a very different environment when you're with the Houston Astros versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. in Dodger Stadium. Yeah. Not because of the team you're on, but more so the hostility, you know. Dodger fans are very, I'll say, they love their Dodgers to a fault. So no matter, you know, what side you're on, they're always going to be a little hostile, they're going to be a little aggressive, but, you know, it's all in their faith for their Dodgers.

But it's a little more so when you're on the Houston Astros compared to the Arizona Diamondbacks. don't you next time you go out there, say that to my face next time. I'm going to get in the stands and kick your ass. You know what? We're going to keep it peaceful. Oh, that's terrible. They were a little quiet this weekend, so we'll let them be.

Speaking of that Friday game, 18 to 1, and I told us to my audience many times, Cooper, the best part of that was those people had to stick around because they wanted to see the fireworks. They had to see a beating of their team in front of 50, 50,000 of their diehards that paid high prices for that game because of the fireworks of those, you know, those more expensive tickets, they just around to watch that.

I mean, that had to be cruel and I don't feel bad for them. Yeah, you know, obviously we were laughing up that a little bit. Usually Dodger Stadium would be half empty if they were losing by that much. But yeah, the fireworks, it made it a very interesting sight to see seeing the stand still full in the ninth inning down 18 to 1. But no, those games are fun being on the winning end of those. That's a series, just like we did, it versus the Cubs and the Phillies that will stand out for the rest of the year. And they keep you going for the whole year.

Cooper Hummel with us here on Sports Talk 790. Cooper, of course, as you know, a lot of injuries plagued this entire year. And one of the reasons people say that the Astros continue to win is kind of a winning culture and all that type of stuff. Would you agree with that? And can you kind of explain to us what that exactly? means as somebody who's been in several organizations. Yeah, no doubt. I mean, this group is very tight-knit.

It's very much like a family. Not a lot of places you go have that really close, tight-knit family. It starts from top. You know, it starts with Joe. It starts with Omar. It starts with the coaching staff in the front office. But it also starts with your guys like Jose. You know, you walk into this locker room and you got a guy like Jose who's been around

who's, you know, a future Hall of Famer. you know and you go to some other places and those big dogs you know they're doing their own thing but no he he's in it he loves the guys you know all all our top guys are like that um it just really shows and it starts in the miners too like last year sugarland team we won a national championship there uh in triple a and and there's a there's a different feeling when you're in the astros organ it is it's all about winning you know obviously there's development at the lower levels but the the idea is in the end you're you're playing to win and you're playing to win and you're playing to get to the big leagues and win a World Series in big leagues.

How much D-Hing can be done over your career? I did a little bit in Arizona. I did a little bit in Seattle. Wasn't there very long. I've done it in the minors, too. It just kind of depends. In the minors, it always depends on who you got on your team and how guys fill in roles and who's healthy and who's up and down.

But in the big leagues, it was with Arizona. I was finding a role. Mostly did it left-handed because we had David Peralta. in left field. Yeah, I've done a little bit. Is it a nice little break, or do you feel like, okay, if I don't get a hit, I really not doing my job because I can't help you out defensively. Yeah, you know, early in my career, it was harder to separate it.

Like you just said, you know, if you're only hitting, like that's your job. Like, if, you know, you quote unquote, didn't get a hit, you know, you didn't do your job. I think the older I've gotten and the more I've been around the game, there's little things you can take away from a DH day. You know, did you see seven pitches one at that? Did you tire him down? Did you relay something that you might have picked up? You know, when you're on the bench early in your career, you're like, oh, man, I got to do my job.

But there's other things you can do, you know, you got the iPads and the dugout, you can try to figure out a tip. You can try to relay information. You can start talking positioning with guys. And there's different things that you can do. But it is, you know, it takes some time to. figure out how to go about it and how to lock in the right way for it.

Because yeah, it can be a grind. Those would do it their whole career like Dave Ortiz. I mean, it's impressive. Yeah, but you also have like 400 bombs to make that happen. So it didn't earn your salary that way. Hey, before I let you run, I got to ask you, can Portland, Oregon be a future home of Major League Baseball?

You know, I think it can. I know some people that are involved in that project. and I think it could be. They've got a unique design for a stadium and a great location. I think Portland has a fan base that really loves their trailblazers, the NBA team there. They've done a great job supporting an MLS team there. They sell out almost every game.

I really think that could be a place that fans would love Major League Baseball. And I think from a baseball perspective and a player's perspective, it's a great place to play in the summer when you don't have the wet weather. So right about after May. You know, it's a lot like Seattle, but you're going to get beautiful summers, and I think from a player's perspective on travel,

it'd be really great to have more teams on the West Coast. Reason for those don't know. Cooper's from Portland, went to school at the University of Portland, a proud pilot. All right. Lastly, greatest trailblazer of all time is... Oh, I mean, it's Scotty Pippin or you got... Whoa, whoa, whoa, Scotty Pippin.

Damien Lillard. Damian Lillard. Bill Walton? I mean, you could go Bill Walton. I'm just throwing out different names. I mean, it's kind of hard. Does Clyde Drexler ring a bill? I don't know.

Mike Drexler. I mean, you got a good group. I mean, you're forgetting that the era that I play, I watched basketball and was more Brandon Roy, Damian Lillard era. So, I don't know. That's tough for me. A lot of really good names. I mean, you're forgetting also the Arvita Subonis.

era. You know, we got a lot of different guys. I don't know. When you got one championship, it's kind of hard to say who's the greatest, just they didn't lead to a lot. You were not around for that. Were you upset that Anthony Simons got traded, or do you even know who Anthony Simons is? I do know him. I was, I wasn't upset. I think the Blazers are in an interesting place right now. You know, you got to do what you got to do to build for the future. And I don't think he had much control left on his contract. But I was more disappointed that Brandon

that Damien Lillard got traded a couple years ago. And who knows, maybe we'll end up getting him back after the bucks waived him. Do you ever get back there very much? The last time I was back there was in 23. So I might be going back this offseason. I got some friends that are up there that are keep begging me to go up there. And I actually have the fantasy football punishment that I got to do with some friends up there. Last question.

I got to, yeah. We got to ask what it is. Here it is. Yeah. Well, first of all, what's your punishment? Then I got one question beyond that. Go ahead. I got to take a six-foot-tall teddy bear on a dinner date.

What? I got to order it dinner and wine from a spot from my hometown. And my friends are going to be at a table, like, not too far away. And, yeah, they're going to be watching and laughing. So it was a rough year that year. that's actually a two-year-old punishment right now so i i'm i'm overdue all right have you been to kellys in portland i have not i have been to kelly's many a time okay because i did rockets games and we try to find late night places to have a couple of pops so it's a biker bar which should not

not normally be my forte but it's interesting now the other question you don't do not have the answer have you ever been to marries marries no okay good it your wife will appreciate that. Cooper, it's a pleasure to have you on the show. Continued success. Remember, no pressure by my producer, Jonathan, introduce yourself to Cooper here. Hey, I got, I believe it.

How's it going? I appreciate you. Three hits the next time you play, not in three games or in four, three hits, one game, or you're going to have to go back in Portland with a nine-foot teddy bear. Well, I'll tell my friends to go get a bigger one if that's the case,

The goal is a hit every at bat. So there you go. Let's keep this going and let's go to get a W. That's the biggest thing. That's it. Thank you, friend, for the time. We really appreciate it. Absolutely, no problem.

Thank you. All right. You got a Cooper Hummel joining us here on the show. But yeah, Kelly's is a legendary biker bar. Well, he'd never heard of it. Well, we need to get him out a little bit more. Mary's too, but that's for all fair. 146.

Let's play, believe it or not. What is today's category of sports, Harvey? It's all things about Wimbledon and the Wimbledon Championship. Is this Wimbledon woman out there and is she attractive? Believe it. No? All right. That's not one of the questions now.

713-212-579. If you want to play, believe it or not, 713-212-5-7-90. It's time to play America's fastest growing sports radio game show. We simply call it be. Leave it or not and here's how it works. Your call 7-1-3-2-5-79. 713212-5-790. Today's edition of Believe or not,

it's all things about Wimbledon. I'll read your statement about Wimbledon. The statement is completely utterly accurate. You'll say this. Believe it. In the statement, it's erroneous, full of bunk and made up, you'll say this. Two believer or nots in a row in your prize.

What are we playing for today? Jonathan. A pair of tickets to see the psychedelic furs live on July 12th at House of Blues. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. And of course, we've got the Sports Talk 790 t-0. All right. 7-1-3-2-2-790.

Mark on 7-90. Mark, you ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Mark, the first Wimbledon tournament was held after eventual champion William Renshaw met an open challenged all-comers at the All-England Tennis Club. Believe it or not? Believe it. No, it was made up to raise funds for the All-Nment Club.

Duh. Was he in a terrible rainstorm? It sounded terrible. 713-212-5-790. Randy on 790. Randy, what was your favorite part of today's 10-2 radio show? Actually, when you guys talk about college football and all the conferences and the messed up joints they got going on right now. Randy, bless you, my friend.

The type of grass used at Wimbledon is called Red Fescue. Believe it or not? Believe it. No, it's called perennial rye grass. Duh. 713-212-790. I don't know if, what is the name of this band we're giving away tickets for? Psychedelic furs.

Psychedelic furs. opens to be an overly popular group. They got a lot of hits, Maddie. They did? So many. Roger on 790. Roger. You ready to play, believe it or not? Roger? Roger? Roger? He's a prize whore. What is going on, Roger? Where are you, Roger?

That's not like him. All right, we'll put you back on Holder. That's my favorite psychedelic first song, actually. Where are you, Roger? Yes. All right. Edward on 790, Edward. You ready to play, believe it or not? Yes. The Wimbledon Trophy bears the inscription.

All England Lawn Tennis Club single-handed championship of the world. Believe it or not? Believe it. Believe it. Statement number two for the win

with 15 titles in the open era. More Americans have won Wimbledon in any other country. Believe it or not. Believe it. That is correct. Nicely done, Edward. Edward cannot wait to go

to the psychedelic furs. Oh, Roger? Yes. Roger, where were you? I was answering another call I'm at work at things are getting and look crazy right now

Prize money was not awarded until 1968 before this the Wimbledon Championship was an amateur competition believe it or not God I gotta believe it

you should Believe it Statement number two for the win Each year about 75 ball boys and girls are used for the Wimbledon tournament 75

Believe it or not I believe it No 250 Come on now Roger, how are you not know that. That's elementary, my dear Betsy. John on 790, ready to play, believe it or not?

Believe it! The winners of Wimbledon do not get to keep their trophy. They remain on display at the All England Club Museum and the winners go home with a small replica of that trophy. Believe it or not? They do get to keep it out. And on that note,

we wish all of you a very happy restful rest of your Tuesday. See you Thursday? See you Thursday. See you Thursday at Tiger Brewing. We'll see you tomorrow here at 10 o'clock. Lock. Up next, Adam Clinton and pals. Minus one on 7.00. New News Radio 744. Your storms likely this afternoon. High 88, a stray shower or storm tonight, low 77.

This report is sponsored by Straight Talk Wireless. Straight Talk might not be on your shopping list, but it should be. Next time you're grabbing some milk off the shelf at your local Walmart, stop by the Straight Talk aisle and switch to real unlimited data. It's quick and convenient. It won't even take up room in your cart. Market volatility isn't slowing down. If you're nearing retirement, now is not the time to wait and see.

Every day of uncertainty can put your future at risk. It's time to diversify. I'm Jeff Jr. with Trajan Wealth, and I want you to know you can create certainty. Locking in guaranteed income for life. This means predictable, stable cash flow, even in turbulent times. You've worked too hard to leave your retirement the chance. Right now, there are options to receive up to 30% up front or annual growth of up to 10% for retirement income. That's up to $30,000 up front or up to $10,000 per year on $100,000, all guaranteed for retirement income.

Don't wait. Call Trajan today at 346-371-3330. That's 346-371-3330. Annuity guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing insurance company. Any examples provided are hypothetical. annuities are issued with perspective and sales brochures and should be reviewed carefully before funding as features and benefits vary. DBA and most states a strait and wealth insurance solutions. The biggest used car sale of the summer at Fred has Toyota World. Budget friendly used cars priced under 15 grand.

Plus get a complimentary lifetime engine warranty. Fred has Toyota World. Excludes Pt Lent 2 or 25-Bel of view of the example. VDO 42649 T.Bal Supplies. Warrant. Warrant innovation imports exclusions apply. Make this your year. Looking for a new career in the high demand fields of IT and cybersecurity?

Attend classes live online or on campus. Go to My Computercareer.edu and take the free career evaluation today. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. Attention taxpayers. If you owe $5,000 or more and have missed another tax deadline, you're officially on the IRS's radar. The IRS has resumed aggressive collections. That means wage garnishment, bank levies, even seizures of your home, car, or retirement accounts. If you owe $5,000 or more and miss the deadline, you're stacking new debt on top of what you

already owe. Call priority tax relief now. Their experts fight back fast and are saving their clients millions and tax debt every month. I owed over $50,000 and they settled it for pennies on the dollar. These guys are as legit as they come. After speaking on my behalf with the IRS, my entire debt of $25,000 will be eliminated. Whether you've received collection letters or you're already facing liens and garnishments, call for your free consultation.

There are no upfront fees, priority tax relief. Let's make your taxes our priority. Call 800-994-6885, 800-994-6885, 800-994-6885. Life doesn't wait, and neither should you. A leave can help you deal with pain less throughout your day. With just one pill, a leave lasts up to 12 hours. Don't let those aches and pains hold you back from doing what's important to you. Use as directed.

For millions of kids, school isn't just a place of learning. It's where they can depend on access to health. healthy food. When school's out for the summer months, many of those meals disappear, but there is a solution.