The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Astros vs Angles, Rockets vs Lakers, Will Houston Step Up?

Episode Date: April 11, 2025

Astros vs Angles, Rockets vs Lakers, Will Houston Step Up?  

Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. I'm going to tell you the truth this goal around here. By the way, it's anything goes Friday here on the Matt Thomas Show Rawls. You can clearly tell that I am not sounding my best. I don't feel real good. I went to bed last night at 8 o'clock Pacific Time and got up at 7.15 Pacific Time. And I was hoping to get like nonstop sleep, just let this thing sleep off.

But I woke up every 75 minutes to cough and to go to go. the bathroom. So I'm going to be brutally honest with you. We don't have anybody as backups. Dan works a four-hour show. Adam and Adam do their four-hour show. Ross need to take some time off. So sometimes you have to gut it out.

And that's exactly what I'm doing today here on the show. I'm going to gut it out. We do have a lot of great guests coming up on the show today. We'll have a Gordy stopped by at 10.50 this morning. We will also have Robert Ford, the voice of the Astros, stop by at 11 o'clock, looking forward to talking with him. We usually have him on opening day, but I wasn't working opening day because the rockets were on the road

and the guys were at the opening day plaza ceremony, so I missed that opportunity, so we'll talk to him. We have I'm Saurys at 1130. You're like, what is that? Well, if you're new to the show, first of all, where you've been, second damn glad to have you. I'm sorry's is where you get to call and apologize for anything you've done.

And we really don't judge. you very much on that. I mean, we can judge you a little bit, but not a whole lot. So I'm sorry as they're coming up at 1130s. If you want to apologize to anybody in this world, know that you can do it on this radio show. We'll have the news at noon. And then later on today, we will have Craig Ackerman, the Voice of the Rockets, television, sign. We're with us at 1230. He's bumping around here somewhere in L.A. And we'll talk to him. And then IMA Addoca is going to join us at 1.30. We'll have the non-Florist stories. And of course, hell you are not. So I put together a few things.

today to hopefully make it less of me and more about the other great people that are on this show. And I've got all my good friends joining me today on the radio program. Now, I consider you, my friends. So if there's anything you want to get to today, and you're like, Maddie, we feel sorry for you. And I heard your take on this and you can't fight me on this because you're at about 30%. You're right. So today is a, go after bat on sports takes day. Like if you want to say that Joe Espott is a reason why the Astros are five and seven, I ain't going to argue with you.

I'll listen. I may not agree, but I'm not going to fight you on it. I'm not going to go Jameson on you like we have done in the past. If you want to get into the Jalen Petrie signing, which just happened within the last hour, as Nick Casero continues to spend a lot of money on the defense and took that money that he did not want to use towards Larry Townsend,

and put it into other people's hands. That's very interesting. We'll get to that as well. We will also get to the Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers tonight. I'm looking forward to taking a nap at noon Pacific today to hopefully get my voice up to at least broadcast material for that. Rockets have two games left to go in the season before they get to the postseason. And who are they playing?

I have no idea because these things fluctuate. literally every day. And I've told you all this before. I have a problem. I mean, I have a lot of problems. But my number one problem is I'm infatuated by looking at the standings in the Western Conference. And last night, it moved all the way around. Case and point.

Last night, the Golden State Warriors were the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs before the game between Minnesota and Memphis was played. Now, there's a bunch of tie break. you had a bunch of teams of similar records. I woke up this morning. I actually woke up several times this morning about, I don't know, 1.32 o'clock in morning to go pee. I don't mean to say pee a lot, but I did.

I know that it was terrible. And right now, Golden State has bumped up to the sixth spot. Golden State, Memphis, Minnesota, all have the same record at 47 and 33. So clearly, if there is a three-way tiebreaker between those three teams, the Golden State Warriors would have the advantage. over Memphis and Minnesota, my guess is because of who they've beaten.

So far be it for me to try to figure out who they're going to play because you got games tonight, you don't have anything on Sunday, and then you are a Saturday, and then you have all these afternoon games on Sunday. So I will still stare at these standings. I will still be obsessed with it because that's a problem I have, but that's just me. Because I can't wait to see what the Rockets do as a number two seed in the Western Conference playoffs and whether or not they're going to be taken on a clippers team a minnesota team a memphis team or golden state i mean all of them are certainly into play even for that matter if the clippers

lose uh their last two games that could be a possibility so it's going to be a very interesting time for the rockets and how they play this up knowing that they can have a hand in the decision-making as to who they play. Does he may play a lot of guys tonight? Does he may sit down a lot of guys like he did against the LA Clippers? Does he pull go full throttle today and then backs off on Sunday? We'll ask he may come up at 1.30. But I really think that they're not going to still be able to figure that out for a while. So that's going on with that as the rockets are down to two games. And I really hope. And I've been saying this before. I really hope that this city who is lukewarm on certain things, especially if you don't win,

can kind of get into the Rockets playoff vibe. I can't guarantee a series win. I can't guarantee a long playoff run, but I can guarantee they're going to play their ass off, and they have done so to finish the number two seed in the Western Conference, because I know for a fact I didn't have him as a second seed. My guess is the Rockets didn't have him as a second seed, and you certainly didn't.

So we'll see what kind of energy we have on the Rockets between now and the start of the playoffs. We mentioned Jalen Petrie getting a new contract. It's a three-year extension worth $39 million. That's it. Excuse me. Nikki C. spent some serious money. Shurn up that defense.

Texas football in 2025 is we're going to lock you down defensively. We're going to put the best players out there, give them nice long-term deals, and then we're going to pray that our offensive line can keep C.J. Stroud up right. because the one thing they haven't done is spend a lot of money on the offensive line. Now they may go do that come draft time. I mean, I would be startled if they didn't pick at least two offensive line

in the first three rounds. So that's what I think they'll do and there'll be guys that you won't recognize. And let's be brutally honest, the Texans have spent the last couple of years reinforcing an offensive line with draft picks and it hasn't worked out. Thus, the mess they're in right now.

but there's something that you can do, and that's the defensive players that have hit. Pay them, make sure they don't test free agency, and get them locked in. And that's exactly what Nick Ossero has done. Astros and Angels play a series tonight in Diken Park, three-game series with the Halos, and then they go back on the road for a series

at St. Louis early next week, so we'll get into some Astro chat if you want to. The story of this show today is less of me and more of you. although I sound like very wide did I know what hell was that you sound amazing man I just went to see

like the how it sounds on air you sound like a smooth late night talk house you know what I mean the very first sound you made today was a cackle and it was that a cackle of respect were you legitimately laughing

about the situation yes do you feel sorry for me at all I kind of do I have a lot of pride and I'm proud of you for doing this thank you very much and I wish we had backup

people at the station, but we don't. So it is what it is. All right, 713, 212-5-790. You get carte blanche today more than you ever have before in the history of this show because, again, I need to hold on to this voice for four hours and then call a basketball game tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers. 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-790. 7-1-3-2-5-7-9. Come in and say hello. I don't care if you babble at this point. You're talking. You command the floor. Let's go. It's a Matt Thomas show with out Ross today from Los Angeles here on Sports Talk 790. It is an anything

goes Friday. By the way, those of you on Twitter, I believe I was with the strippers last night. I wish I was. But instead, I was in my bed at 8 o'clock Pacific time. That was the anti, well, I wasn't with the stripper,

put it that way. I could have been a bed at 8 o'clock with the stripper, but that's not here nor there. I wouldn't do that. It is a sports talk seven out of here from Los Angeles We will look forward to talking with you Because again, more of you and less of me saves my voice So you're going to get as much of a leeway as you've ever had on the history of this show So I think any of you that say hey I'm going to call and say how to Matt

I got a sports take I want to get to Or I got something about my life I want to get to You can do that right now It's 713-212-5-790 713-212-5-7-90. My first, my new best friend, Clay and Hockley, at 1019 on 7-90. Clay, good morning to you. Morning, man.

How you doing, Matt? Stupid question. I can tell you. That's all right. You can say it's all right. Yeah, I got a question for you about the batting coaches. You know, for the Astros. I understand, you know, not every player is Mike Trout.

And some of these guys are just hitting them up to their, you know, their best abilities. but my question is when do you start looking at the batting coaches for things like well you know going deeper in the count or not hitting you swing out of pitches you know two feet outside in the dirt you know do you think they can it the batting coaches make that much of a different than the MLB? I really don't Clay and I've been doing this a long time I think when you start attacking hitting coaches you're just trying to find blame with somebody when it's really not there these are athletes that have been playing professional baseball for many, many years.

Some of them have been in major leagues for a long period of time. I don't think all of a sudden Christian Walker crushing the ball in Arizona a game here to Houston and learned some bad habits and all of a sudden can't hit anymore. So I think it's the lowest of hanging fruit. We're talking about the two astro hitting coaches, Alex Entron and Trace Nicker. If they walked into your house right now and Clay, you wouldn't recognize them. So it's very difficult for me to attack a group of people that I don't see what they do. all I will say is this if it was a if there was a prolonged team-wide slump

and things are really underperforming sometimes hitting coaches are the sacrificial lambs sometimes the player the pitching coaches are I don't endorse that under any circumstance but sometimes just like in football you have to get you have to get rid of coordinators and that certainly happened with the Texans and Bobby Sloick being moved. I've seen hitting coaches being fired before, and I've seen some of them make significant differences, but more times than not, they don't make any difference.

Like the Astros, way back in the day, like going back before they were good, 10, 12 years ago, they fired the hitting coach, and Jeff Bagel did it for a little while. And Jeff was cool, but, Jeff Bagwell, excuse me, can only do so much. And if you're trying to correct Matt Dominguez and make him a major league hitter, that's not going to happen. If you're trying to make Justin Maxwell an everyday center fielder in the big leagues,

that's just not going to happen. So no matter what you have in your camp, and no matter what you think you can offer, it's more about the athlete. It's more about what that player has done in the past, and adjustments he can make. Now, the good pinning coaches are the ones that will see something and say, hey, you're moving your left foot,

or your back foot isn't a particular situation, or your bat speed is not where it used to be. What can we do to fix that? But I just, it's just, it's so nuanced that I can't as a radio host go on my show and say, the Astros offensive O's would be all fixed if they got down to one hitting coach or they replaced the two hunting coaches that are there and there.

That's just, that to me just doesn't vibe. Now, what you would see is if there were some issues, people would whisper about it. Everybody wants to whisper as long as you don't attach your name to it. And I don't think that has been the case. It certainly wasn't the case at all last year. And all you've got to do is get Christian Walker

going to what he did last year. all you got to do is get Janar Diaz to start popping the ball and Jeremy Payne and whatnot and you'll be fine. I mean, look, Jose L. Tube is having a good start to the season.

And people thought there may be a downturn for him and his career. Maybe those guys have been influential in keeping Joseo Tube with an OPS of 900 or a thousand. I just can't speak to that. And certainly you wouldn't make a decision like that. based off of a 12-game sample size.

You just wouldn't. Thanks for the phone call, Clay. Thank you for speaking. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. I mean, like I said, it would be the same situation if all these relievers the Astros have. I mean, they've been journeymen.

That's what mental relievers typically are. I mean, are we all of a sudden going to tell, say, Josh Miller and Bill Murphy, you guys are on the hot seat because Taylor Scott is not performing well, or that Brian Abraeu, who has been lights out the last couple of years for the Astros, all of a sudden sucks? Is that on you guys? I've just been always of the belief that it's up to the athlete more so than the coaching,

unless there is a really deep disconnect that we would hear through the grapevine. And that would be guys like Chiazza and McTaggart and Matt Kawakawa over at The Chronicle saying, hearing rumblings of this, this, this, and this. And I don't think you're hearing that at this point. And certainly nobody else is making that public. It shouldn't be. It's 12 games. It's small sample size.

713-212-579 if you want to get in. Thank you, Clay, again, for rescuing me for a little bit. 7-13-2-1-2-5-7-90. And again, as crazy as things are, as bad as things have been so far for the Astros in terms of underperforming with its bullpen and its offense. We're sitting here 12 games in the season. The Rangers are 9 and 4.

You're 3 and a half out. I mean, that's nothing. That can be made up in 7, 8 days. And I'm not going to really start to settle in on what this season's going to be until I watch probably the 50 game point or maybe the 75 game point. I think Astros' Twitter can't do that. I think Astero's Twitter likes to go pounce on whoever's not performing well have them fired, whether that be the general manager, whether it be the manager or the player.

It's just too easy. And you've got to go through a long stretch, like I said, 50, 75 games before you really start thinking about whether or not any staff changes are going to be made. And even so, most times that doesn't happen unless somebody whispers and say, hey, you wouldn't believe what's going on right now. 1027 on Sports Talk 790. It isn't anything goes Friday. 713, 212, 570. 713, 212, 570. If you want to reach out through Twitter, you may do that as well.

It's at SportsMT. Excuse me. We have Gordy coming up for a stop by in about 25 minutes from now. Robert Ford, Voice of the Astros joins us in just a little bit. It is an anything goes Friday here. I'm the Matt Thomas show with Ross, who is off today. We'd like you to be a part of the show. And for those of you that have joined me, thank you.

For those of you that will be future joining me, I really appreciate you. 713212-5-799. 7-1-3-1-2-5-79. I don't know if I've got allergies or just a sore throat or I had a fever last night. I'm just like, ugh. Listen to me, bitch and moan. What a baby I am. I am really.

and I don't know if you all are, I don't know who's ever a good sicky, but I'm the worst sicky. I want massive amounts of, oh, I'm feel sorry for you. That's just who I am. It's a character flaw. Back on the phones we go, let's talk to some people and say hi to Ronnie in Houston on the Matt Thomas show with Ross at 1032. Ronnie, good morning to you. Good morning, man. I have a suggestion for you guys, and I don't know if you can do it or not.

First off, I've been a fan. I mean, I've been a fan of yours, although I would prefer somebody else to do the radio broadcast, just because it's not anything against you personally. It's just that, you know, you have certain preferences. And I know Gene Peterson left some big shoes to fill, and also Mike Edmund's doing U of H broadcast. You probably remember M. But I would, for tonight, I wish you and Craig could switch places. That way, you wouldn't have to talk as much being on a. the TV side or even more

you know interesting would be as you did a simulcast with Craig you don't like me doing the games is what you're saying not with a sore throat and a hoarse voice and coughing oh well we got we got time I will rally trust me I will rally well but I you know I don't I'll say that I'm a bigger fan in terms of just style and it's all a matter of personal preference it's nothing against you because my God I have a lot of respect for what

you've done in radio in Houston all the years you've been here back and forth and whenever but I have a lot more I like Jeremy Brownham I wish you could fly him up to L.A. and he could do the game instead of you having to rest you you know if we're going to rest some of the players we need to rest Matt Thomas and get him ready for the playoffs you know so but I mean I hope you can do well tonight because I don't want you to try we're going to try for the playoffs we need you for the playoffs. All right. Thank you, Ronnie.

I think. So thank. Appreciate the phone call. I think. I think. I don't think he likes me. You know, he gave you a lot of questions. It was very backhanded, right?

He came. He came trying to like a corporate way, you know, like in a corporate area. He was trying. Yeah. Yeah. That's fine. I mean, I get it. I'll be ready for the playoffs.

Trust me. This two show pass. Let's go to Ryan and Sugarland at 1035 on 790. Ryan, good morning. And thanks for holding. Yes, good morning. First of all, I like you guys, and I appreciate you guys.

Second of all, U of H game, the Cougars, I know this past Monday night. I was there in person. Me too. We'll go down as one of the biggest choke jobs in Houston sports history. And then my second take is on the Rockets. Who would be a favorable matchup for the Rockets? Will we rather play the Clippers? Memphis or Minnesota and I'll hang up to listen.

Thank you. I mean, all those turnovers late. Couldn't get shots up. I mean, the Cougars did it to Duke and then Florida did it to Houston. It's painful. It's very, very painful. We were in our seats in San Antonio on Monday night. And we were all sitting around, or standing around.

We were standing. And we said, who's going to take the shot to win? Do you go for a two-pointer? Do you go for a three-pointer? And I said a manual sharp for the win. And he thought about it too, except instead of doing the pump fake,

shot fake, that didn't involve the ball leaving his hands, he let the ball leave his hands because he saw a Florida defender coming right at him and thought the ball was going to hit it, and was going to hit him and block him. and then he couldn't grab it because it would have been a travel and there was a mad scramble

and the game was over a ridiculously painful way to lose the game ridiculously so I don't like to use the word choke but if I said it against Duke

I mean I guess I have to be fair that the Cougars had the lead with a minute left to go, couldn't take good shots, turn the ball over, couldn't run their offense. Do you know what it is to me? Say again? Do you blame any of that

on Samson? No, it's on the players. Calvin Samson executes everything beautifully. I mean, you can't, you can't give him his flowers when he draws up that play against Purdue and all of a sudden say he can't coach him. They drew up plays.

And even Calvin has said as much. so yeah that was indecision that was the moment was too big and franklin that happens a lot in college athletics 66,000 people in the stadium playing for a national championship millions and millions and millions of people are watching on television it takes something special to make that happen and the googers couldn't do it and it really hurts. You know, I will never forget in 83 when the Cougars lost to North Carolina,

and the buzzer beater. I mean, I was 11 years old. But I'll remember where I was, how I watched it, and that will never. I don't think I'll forget this either. Because I was actually in the building. So these are those moments that you go, oh, I remember where I was when these things happened. So it stings very battling and probably stings as much for Calvin Sampson because of any of it.

Because that was the best opportunity for him to finally win a final four and get the national championship. Now, as far as the playoffs are concerned, I don't like Golden State. I've told you that multiple times. The Rockets did be it did be Golden State. But they still are a playoff savvy team. Been there and done that. Maybe they're not as good as they were a year ago.

Clearly that's the case. Or even the last three or four years. My preference is I'd rather the Rockets play in order. Memphis 1, Clippers 2, Minnesota 3 Golden State 4 That'd be my preference of who would want to see

in the first round And the reality is And it could be Denver 2, you never know I mean again, you've got two games left Everybody, you've got games tonight And you've got games on Sunday So A lot of me just says

You know what, whatever happens happens You can't really root Because there's so many people trying to play each other And beat each other up That you got tiebreakers in play You don't know exactly what's going to happen But yeah

I would say of my teams that I would want to play, I want to see Memphis 1st, Clipper 2nd, Minnesota 3rd, Golden State 4th. But I can be convinced otherwise. Thanks for the phone call. 713-212-5-790. If you want to jump in, 713-212-5-790. If you want to reach out to me on Twitter, I appreciate that. But more an opportunity for you to come in and say hello today,

even if you want to say that I'm not as good as Jeremy Brandon or Gene Peterson or Mike Evans. I can live with that. 713-212-5-7-9-0. Let's talk to my man Biscuit here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Biscuit can always fill up some time. What's that Bickett? Cookega, Matt. See, your call it just called in, man.

It's not even close, man. This is painful, Matt. Don't get me wrong, now. Spitz from Cougar like yourself and me. It's painful, but we wouldn't even face it. going into the game. Now, we had the game in our hands, but we weren't the favorite. In 1983, man.

That was, we was, that was supposed to be signs field delivered. I know. And we, and we choked it off. And then that, that oil game, when they had that great lead against Buffalo, come on, man. That was, that was. Oh, yeah, those are from me at the top two.

They got, that got a team ran out of town, Matt. Oh, it did. It was a day that it was, you know what it was? Basically, it was the day of the oldest died. Right, because then Bud came out and wanted a new statement. Like, man, you better get out of here. But I called in Matt to, first of all, I knew somebody had to get in the portal, Matt. So, you know.

Arsenal, yeah. Man, Sansa, he got some horses coming in, Matt. That's the way I told you the other day, Matt. And, you know, I'm from Indiana, Matt. Right. and I started to go down there to the Alamo Dome on Monday because my buddy did because my color cooos, but I'm telling you right now, Matt,

I'm going to meet you in Nap Town. First round, going to be on New Lake City. By the way, Indianapolis is a great place to watch the Final Four. Downtown is awesome. Exactly. And so I'm going to see you in Naphtown, man. And to the Rockets, you still think you want to play the Lakers? I don't know, man.

No, I didn't bring the Lakers out. Denver. I don't think the Rockets are going to play the Lakers. Yeah, but I mean the other day you said you didn't know, I'd rather play Denver, Memphis, and even the Timber Wars, because the Timber was so streaky, you know. They sure are. But I like you say, they don't look like it. It looks like it's either going to be between Minnesota, Golden State and Memphis. One of those three probably two are going to play.

Right. But I like the Rockets' chances. Second round, though, Rockers and Lakers, man, that's going to be fun. Ooh, a lot of star power, a lot of national, a lot of big-time ABC Saturday Night Games. Right, sir. I was very mad at 86. Me too. You know, right in the summit, back in the date.

Back in the day. Thanks, Biscuit for the phone call. I appreciate you listening. I miss the summit. There's a generation of rocket fans that have no idea what the damn summit is. It was such a magical place. First of all, the name was ridiculously cool. secondly

the roof was low so you could you know all the noise was really really loud and then third you could just you could you could pick me up blindfold me and drop me in the summit anywhere you wanted to and I could smell

I would know where I was it was like burnt caramel corn it made me some of you know like why don't I want to smell burnt caramel corn it was just the smell the arena had but I loved it.

I also love the fact that you didn't have to pay for parking when you were there either back in the day. How about that? Now everybody's charging big time about parking. 1043 Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Ross has the day off. We've got a Gordy drive-by coming up next here on Sports Talk 790. Getting ready for the weekend of Astros baseball.

Robert Ford is going to join us in about 10 minutes. Congratulations to Chris Gordy. He was named the program director by the Houston of the year by the Houston Media Alliance last night at Big Shindig. Congratulations. This is Gordy. Thank you, Matt. Exciting times.

Couldn't do it without all of our staff here and our host. So you share a part of this. Jonathan shares a part of this. Time to be modest, Matt. Maybe Raw. Maybe Rawls shares a little part too. Sure. Go ahead.

What do you want to say, Jonathan? He's just to be modest. Oh, is he? Okay. He slept with it last night. He made low. He put it next to his pillow, I guarantee you. I will say it didn't, it didn't hurt to have our competing program director.

there in the building too. Oh, really? That's always fun. Okay. Let's come. Did you walk up there and say, suck it? Yeah, I thought about it. Good for you.

I'm modest, though. I don't want you acting with class indignity. I don't want that. Well, you were nominated for one of the awards. You got a loss, apparently. But Adam, well, it's tough because you're going against like FM DJs and all kinds other stuff, but Adam Clinton was there because Teresa was nominated. She did not win either.

But we had agreed that if you had won, I told Adam, that he would have to go up there and accept on your behalf. Yeah. Well, you didn't have to worry about that. It's fine. That was nice to be nine money. That's all I can ask for. You've won things in the past. Yeah, but that's, I mean, it's good.

I mean, it's nice to be recognized. I appreciate that very much. All right. Gordy, off day for the local nine yesterday. Chance to lick their wounds a little bit, and then the angels coming in for a three-game series. Yeah, it's a weird kind of like they were on the road for six, and then they come home for a quick three gamer and then they immediately head back out to St. Louis for a series with the Cardinals up there.

But yeah, the day off is nice because with the Aragetti injury, it kind of gives you a day to reset things a little bit. But they're going to go with Ryan Gusto on Saturday. And then so it'll be Ronald Blanco tonight, Ryan Gusto tomorrow, and Hayden Wisniewski on Sunday. And this is an interesting Angels team. I mean, they've got some firepower. They've got some, you know, pitching's decent. will avoid Cacucci in this series. So you don't have to see the guy that you traded for last trade deadline.

But it's going to be a good. I mean, this is one or it just feels like you've got to get that bad taste out of your mouth on Wednesday and come back and win tonight. Because let's be real, too. Ronald Blanco ain't been great so far. And if he struggles tonight, I mean, the ERA's over nine right now. Like, if he struggles tonight, that's going to be really big red flags. And there's really nothing you can do, though.

Because with the injury to Aargetti, like, you're kind of stuff. Blanco has to be part of this rotation. And unfortunately, there were some warning signs about his performance in spring training. He did not have a good spring. So that's, he did not bring with him a new approach to Houston because every time I'd listen to the Astros, he was getting hit pretty hard. Yeah, the thing you just always worry about is like, okay, a guy like Taylor Scott last year has one of his best seasons ever. Right. And then this year, it's kind of the numbers have gone back up again.

okay, was last year that anomaly? Like, you know, was that the one year, you know, we saw it with Raphael Montero in 22? He was awesome. Raphael Montero was part of the reason you won the World Series in 22. But we can also say that was the anomaly, that he was never that good before, and it looks like he'll never be that good again, and that's what you worry about Ronald Blanco. Amazing year last year. But that you can make a case, he will never be that good again.

And so, you know, you look at this rotation. And again, if Arrogati's health. Maybe it's not that big of a deal. You guys, the number five guy, whatever. But now you're looking at him a little cross-eyed. And this is, I mean, all these guys have to pitch well this weekend. But Gusto's been awesome. That's been the nice surprise so far this season.

I'm excited for him to get his opportunity on Saturday. Well, the reality is this. Everybody has to worry about middle bullpen. I've never been around a baseball team for two or three years in a row that said, hey, man, we are so locked in our fifth, sixth, seventh inning guy. We've got nothing to worry about. It's, first of all the time. second of all you do take advantage of the one great year you have and turn it into money that's where

teams typically overpay for people and that's what the astros did with montero so um and then usually it bites in the ass i mean the the only crazy money gordon i would spend on relievers would be frankly the closers and i'd keep it at fair market value with everybody else um but you need a dominant closer those other guys you know you could have i mean taylor scott was fantastic last year, mid so far this year, you know, they change all the time. And so I'm I just pray

that somebody catches fire that a guy from last year who wasn't good could be good. And I thought it might have been Montero because he got a second chance but now he's playing for the Atlanta Braves. Yeah, I got a text for our buddy Atlanta said, hey, is Monterey good? I said, no. No, just no. That was the one-off.

It really was. By the other question, though, was like, when did Luis Contravers earn, you know, like, okay, he made the opening game roster. I feel like we didn't even really talk about him. He made a couple appearances in the middle of last season. But like him, the other, I thought that was tempting fate in that game on Wednesday when, you know, Bennett Sousa got the one out. And then you bring in, you know, Catreras.

He gets you out of trouble. But then he comes back to start the next inning, I think it was at the eighth. And then he loads the bases up with nobody out. And then they go to Okert. And no offense to Okert. You know, he gets the next two outs before he gives up the Grand Slam. But I don't really blame O'Kert in that spot. O'Kard had been lights out.

O'Kert's sitting there going, hey, if you'd have given me a fresh, clean inning to start, I probably would have gotten out of this thing. So I just didn't understand the bringing Contreras back out for another inning. And I also don't feel like that guy has earned the trust yet to be a reliable guy to go to in big spots. No, my guess is, again, Contreras is in a situation where his, his valuable is, his high leverage situation is going to flux, right? You're going to have to hopefully put him in spots to make him look good. He's got the stuff, but it's inconsistent.

And I don't think anybody was like, man, Luis Concheris now part of this bullpen. We are rock and we're rolling now. So I think you just got to pick your spots and probably minimize how much he pitches. I think that the extension that he gave the guy over the weekend in that Seattle series is probably going to be a one-time thing. Yeah, and I guess it was a five-nothing game at the time. So you're probably thinking, no big deal. here. Yeah, you have to get length. You've been wearing, you've been wearing out your bullpen, Gordy. You know that. I mean, they've got to get some guys a day off here there because if you're

sitting here 12 games in the season worrying about your leveraged bullpen guys, you're going to run out gas really quick. And I think the problem is too. I mean, look, Hayer had pitched so much already it wasn't available on Wednesday that, you know, I think it was a little unfair. Like Brian Abraeu has been good in that eighth spot, but what he's been called on at times, you know, to pitch ninth. He hasn't been great in that night the few opportunities he's had. So I mean, I don't really put it on him either. He just, he didn't have his best stuff. But

that game just sucks because we'd be feeling so different about this team. If they had gone up to Seattle, take it two out of three after taking two out of three in Minnesota, it's just one game, but it does, it's a completely different feeling coming into today. Well, the reality is you want very few of those types of

games. If you can put those types of losses on one hand, you're going to be in a good spot. If you start thinking about those being 10 times with the Astros at a multiple run league going to the eighth inning, you're going to really start working out about whether or not this team can overcome everything because I think this American League West is going to be really, really tight

the entire way through. It feels that way. I mean, Seattle is good enough. The Rangers are loaded. I think the surprise right now is the Angels being 8 and 4. You know, the A's or are the A's. I mean, they got Brett Rooker and Mason Miller. They got some good players. They're not great, but

you know, they're right there five and eight Mariners at 5 and 8 and you're at 5 and 7. So this is a big series with the Angels just because they're three up on you right now. Like you lose two out of three or get swept by the Angels. God, now you're chasing not just the Rangers, but you're chasing the Angels too. Yep. And

Mike Trott is Feaster Fam and five home runs with batting average of just over 200. Gordy is here to help you with some beverages when you get to the stadium this weekend. Yeah, I was just looking at that. They're doing the back for the homestandering. They're doing that happy hour thing. Start at 5 o'clock today. If you have a ticket to the game, you can get a little bit early

and get started on the happy hour. But when you get in the ballpark, no mistake, and what makes the feel of the ballpark even better? That's grab a nice cold Crawford Bach from our friends at Carbock brewing, the tequila sunrise stripes on the can and on the signage all over the ballpark. I like that big tall Crawford-Bock can they have behind home plate there near the escalators when you come in the ballpark. But grab yourself a nice cool Crawford-Bock.

You've head out to the ballpark this weekend at Dikin Park. And root on the Astros. It just goes better with Astros baseball. Let's hope the Astros win to us. out of three and enjoy across the box from Carbach Brewing. It is 1101 here on Sports Talk 790. Matt Thomas with you from Los

Angeles. Rockets and Lakers tonight. We'll have the broadcast for you. I believe we're going to KTRH tonight. I don't I don't even know. We're KTRH or 790. I don't know which one it is, but we're 930. The other station will have the Astros on. That was where Robert Ford will be. He's a longtime friend, and

we usually have him on opening day, but I was not working opening day, and I'm thinking Well, with Ross being gone, I've got to get the voice on here. Robert Ford, you have already been to see Adel once. You're going on the road back to St. Louis. Do you even know what a lengthy homestand is at this point? I do not. As a matter of fact, I just started packing after getting back, what, Wednesday night.

So, yeah, that's just the way it goes sometimes. Yeah, for sure. Hey, I got an interesting question earlier today, and I couldn't answer because I'm not around the team like you are, to the level that you are. Tell me about the relationship in general with hitting and pitching coaches about nuances about time in the video room, the subtleties, because, you know, I think there's the lowest hanging fruit is if something doesn't go right, you have to get rid of people.

And I've never believed in that under any circumstance. I think it's about the player. But you are an opportunity to see a little bit of that behind the scene stuff. So what can you tell us about in a major league level the role of pitching and hitting coaches about just getting guys out of slump or making subtle adjustments. Well, I mean, those coaches,

the hitting and pitching coaches, probably are the ones who are the busiest on any team in any clubhouse. Whether it's hitting coaches with guys in the cage, looking at video pitching coaches obviously out there when guys are throwing bullpins or even when the pitchers are playing catch

before the game just to see how guys are feeling. They are constantly in motion and constantly on the move. And you're right. At the end of the day, it comes down to the player getting the job done. And it also comes down to when a player is struggling to seek out the hitting or pitching coaches or seek someone out who can help them. I think that's a part that a lot of people don't understand who may not be around a team on a regular basis is a lot of times a hitting coach and pitching coach or pitching coach can see what, you know, what's going wrong with someone,

what somebody needs to adjust. But if that player is not interested in listening to that coach at that given time, there's not really much that you can do as a coach in those situations. You can, it's a little easier with younger players, obviously, than it is with veteran players. But really with all players, it comes down to they have to be ready. to listen to feedback and get information. I always think about something, Brent Strom, who of course was the Astros pitching coach for a long time,

something he used to say, and I don't think he came up with it, but I always liked this expression. He always said, when the student is ready, the teacher appears. And I think that's what it really comes down to for hitting and pitching coaches. Yeah, that's some good insight. Robert Ford, the voice of the Astros with us here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross on 790.

Cam Smith makes the roster coming out of spring training. wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, excited about it, and the numbers haven't been great. He's had, what, three hits in the last couple of days? What's it like watching him in the small sample size? And I look, Descentos played some right field as well, but kind of watching him learning and going through the growing pains right now, at least for the first 12 games of his major league career.

Well, you said it. I mean, it's growing pains, and this is something that he's never really had to deal with. I mean, only played 32 games last year after getting drafted. I mean, he was at Florida State, you know, this time last year. There's a lot that has to be learned. And then you throw on the fact that he moved from the infield to the outfield the last couple of weeks of spring training. So there's been a lot thrown at Camp Smith. And honestly, he's handled it all about as well as you could hope.

And I think when it comes to playing right field, he's looked great out there, honestly. He's looked very comfortable. And talking with Dave Clark the other day, Asher's first base coach, who works a lot with the outfielders. He said he described Smith to me as a sponge was the word he, used and he said that you tell him something once and he's got it and he's able to implement it. That's what he's seen working with him on defense. And I actually had a conversation with Joe Espada a few days ago about Cam. And I just asked him, I was like, hey, what are you seeing? And he said, you know what? The thing about Smith is, yeah, he's struggling, but he hasn't looked like he's overwhelmed.

He hasn't looked like the moment's too big for him or anything like that. He's just trying to figure it out. but it hasn't been a situation where he just looks overmatched or overwhelmed, and that's encouraging. And it certainly seemed like the last couple of days, after sitting for the two days before that, he started to swing the bat a little better. Perides and Walker were built for Minutemate Park in particular, and they neither have not had a great start offensively.

What are you seeing from those two guys? Is it just misses? I know they, and I don't like this stat, but I hear the XPA is incredible, but give me your thoughts on why those guys have not been able to click just yet. I think the biggest thing with Christian Walker is in the game on Wednesday in Seattle, he walked twice. And that's after not having walked at all before Wednesday's game on the season, which was the most glaring thing. I mean, the strikeouts were up, but to me, the lack of walks.

I mean, you're talking about someone who saw the 10th most pitches per plate appearance of the big leagues last year, and he hadn't drawn a walk for the first, you know, 11 games of the season. So I think that's encouraging. He also, and he did strike out in that game as well, but he worked to count full and, you know, struck out on a pretty nasty pitch. So he's starting to see more pitches. So I think that's good for Christian Walker. And he even mentioned in Minnesota about how, yeah, when you come over to a new team,

you know, especially in his situation as a free agent, sign a big contract, you, you know, it's kind of natural to put a little pressure on yourself. You want to show what you can do. You want to prove that you're worth what they're paying you. But I think we saw signs that Walker may start to be figuring some things out. As for Parades, I mean, he has hit so many loud foul balls. I mean, he is just missing pitches right now, like just out in front, still seeing a lot of pitches, still having very good plate appearances.

You know, he was number one. He mentioned Walker was 10th. Parades was number one in terms of pitches for plate appearance in the big leagues last year. And that certainly has carried over. but it seems like he's just maybe just a click off. And sometimes with guys like that, it can take one game, one swing to kind of get them back to where they need to be. And also, like, on the defensive side for Parades,

I hadn't heard, not that I'd heard bad things about him, but I had heard great things about him defensively. But he's been, he's better than I thought it would be over at third base, honestly. Very sure-handed, handles everything that he can get to. He's been a pleasant surprise for me on the defensive end. visiting with Robert Ford for a couple more minutes here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross here from Los Angeles. Robert, it was such an even-keeled clubhouse for all these years. Never too high, never too low.

And look, 5 and 7 is nothing in the big picture of things. But you don't have Tucker anymore. You don't have Breggman. You don't have Presley. I mean, there are some veteran influences that are now elsewhere. Have you noticed anybody taking that next step up, or is that just kind of going to be organic? and when you start seeing guys be a little more demonstrative, it's maybe because the season is a little more impactful

and you're looking for guys to kind of take over and be those leadership roles that obviously Braggs and Tucker, some other folks did. I've seen some little things. I mean, I think, you know, I've noticed that, you know, Christian Walker has been in almost every mound meeting when the pitching coach goes out there and a lot of times even when it's just a catcher who goes out there.

You know, it's a small thing, but I think especially for someone who, you know, a track record, but is new to the Astros. It's certainly noticeable. So, you know, I've definitely noticed that. I think Pena probably has stepped it up a little bit. He's probably a little more comfortable. Maybe not necessarily as a big-time vocal leader,

but I think certainly leading by example. I mean, he and Altuve, to me, are the hardest workers on this team. The guys, at least that I see, who are out there, not to discount anybody else, but those are the two guys that stand out for me in terms of the work they put in. And then you just think about what Altuve has done, you know, didn't, he could have said, even the ass was approaching about moving to the outfield. He could have just said, no, I want to stay at second base.

And that, that would have, that's what would have happened. But for him to be willing to switch to the outfield, be willing to potentially embarrass himself, be willing to maybe potentially fail more than he has in the past, I think that says, that speaks volumes. I mean, if that's not leadership, I don't know what is. All right, Robert. Lastly, let's get to what has been like just being with this team right now, 12 games into the season. We've mentioned a lot of road trips so far. We're also talking about a situation where you've got a lot of young men who are trying to play for playing time.

Brendan Rogers probably wasn't on the radar even a month before the start of the season. He's playing some time. Zach DeSensell is getting some movement. Are you as curious about what the starting lineup is every day at this point? Or is that a situation where you think Joe is just trying to kind of figure out what? fits right now? Yeah, I think it's a situation where he's just trying to figure out what fits because, I mean, it's a combination of things.

One, you have a lot more turnover from last year this year than the Asher's have had in quite some time. So a lot of guys to kind of figure out. And then also the team's gotten off to a slow start offensively. And so not that you're trying to reinvent the wheel, like he's been pretty consistent with the top four hitters and things like that, but you're trying to get, guys going and figure out where guys are most comfortable and

what works best for different players in terms of how much they play. We're in the lineup they are, things like that. So I think there's just been a lengthy period of adjustment with this ball club, particularly on the offensive end, which is so many new position players compared

to years past. Robert, great hearing your voice, man. I will be out of the ballpark when the rockets are done. Hopefully it will not be for a significant long period of time. And we thank you for joining me on the show today. Thanks for having me and go Rockets. You got that right. Thank you, Robert Ford.

Thank you. Robert Ford, voice of the Astros with us here on Sports Talk 790. It is 1112 here on the program. Anthony and Deer Park wants to talk some Rockets. We'll get to him. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, we need to say, I'm sorry. This is people. Who do you need to apologize to?

It's very simple. Who is owed? an apology. Let us know. Bottom of the hour. 713. 212. 5790. All right. 1117. We can't tell. I'm sick as a dog.

But powering through it. Only two hours and 43 minutes left. We're going to make it. It's an anything goes Friday, which means you get to call in with anything you want. And you get as much leeway as humanly possible because the less, the more you talk, the less I do. and I'd appreciate that. I've got, I'm sorry, it's coming up at the bottom of the hour.

What are you wanting to apologize for? You got something you want to apologize for, 713, 2,1, 5, 790. It's coming up at the bottom of the hour. Anthony and Deer Parks have been patiently waiting to talk some rockets. Anthony, good morning and thank you for holding. Hey, good morning, Matt. I'm also under the weather, so I figured I'd get in here and stuff with you for a few seconds. Thank you.

I do want to get to the rockets, but if I may first, of all the negatives that we've seen from the Astros, I would just like to give Brian King his dues. I think every time Joe Spot has called on him, he's answered the bell, and he has been phenomenal out of the bullpen for the Astros. And, you know, honestly, Anthony, there will be times where Brian King doesn't come through.

You know, middle relievers are cyclical, and the problem is you have one bad performance and all of a sudden the ERA spikes up a lot. at this point he has been a go-to guy and there's been very few of those mineral livers that the Astros have been able to rely on and so Brian King shout out to you it's a very good assessment on your part um as far as the rockets go uh I don't know if it's the same for you but um that game against Golden State um it it kind of changed my perspective of the Rockets a little bit I um I know they're they're talented enough to beat anybody um

but watching the way that they handled that game and that's as close to a playoff game as you're going to get without being in the playoffs. And just the way Alpi stayed within himself and continued to play his game and I think the leadership of Fred Van Vleet, I think this team can really go and beat anybody in a seven-game series after watching that Golden State game.

Here's my completely honest perspective on this. and this is because the Western Conference has been so filthy close between really two and eight this year. If anybody wants to do any predicting, they're going to be foolish to do it. Anybody can beat anybody. I think an eight can beat a one.

Well, maybe not. I think maybe Oten, maybe not. Seven could beat a two. The Rockets could win this series. They could also lose it. Six, three is going to be a coin flip. Four or five is going to be a coin flip. Because again, we're talking about these games,

these teams being separated, by tiebreakers. They're all about the same record. So, yeah, there's nobody I'm scared of, but also there are probably other teams saying the exact same thing about the Rockets. Rockets 2 seed, well, then they've never been there before. They haven't won the playoffs.

They don't shoot very well. They're a lot about hustle. I just think, yeah. I just think going into Golden State, you know, both teams have everything to play for, you know, Golden State's fighting to stay out of the, the playing games, the Rockets are trying to wrap up the two-seat.

It's dampacked. It's loud. Draymond's doing what he does. Right. And the way Amin Thompson was able to just completely take Steph Curry out of the game, it just encouraged me because Golden States playing the best basketball, I mean, some of the best basketball in the NBA right now. I mean, they're one of the hottest teams in the league. Yeah.

And it just gave me that little sense of comfort. Now, obviously, I know, you know, the Rockets can also go lose the seven-game series. It just showed me that these guys are going to be able to stay within themselves in the toughest of environments. The reality is, Anthony, they have beaten Cleveland twice, Boston once, Oklahoma City twice, Golden State twice. They have some character-building wins. on their resume. This wasn't not just beating up on Utah and Phoenix and Washington the entire season. There are

awesome huge wins. Before I go, I just want to hear kind of your perspective of having, you cover the team every single day. I just want to hear your perspective of how important Fred Van Bleets' leadership and

experience is to this team. And take care of Matt. I hope you get to feeling better. Thank you, Anthony. I appreciate it. Yeah. If you guys want to keep calling, you save my bacon. I would greatly appreciate that. Fray Van Valle, team missed him while he was going. That's for sure. He is going to have nights where he is going to shoot you into games.

He's going to have knights that are going to shoot you out of games. But he's a steady veteran influence. He's willing to guard anybody. That may not be what you want ultimately, but he can at least go against anybody. He's not a friend to go against guys that are taller and bigger and stronger than he is. He's very calm. he's very much

taking advantage of what's out there with him with the men Thompson and Jalen Green trying to make those guys look as good as possible. He doesn't turn the ball over. And then a night's where he shoots really well, it's fun to see him do his thing. But I don't think Friend Van Bleed has to make five or six threes in a game

in order for the Rockets to win playoff series. He just has to play as best he can defensively, run the offense, and not turn the ball over. And that's what he's done for 98% of the season. So, yeah, the Rockets missed Fred Bamblin. To a lesser extent, they missed Jabari Smith when he was out with that broken hand. Defense matters in the postseason. It just does.

And the Rockets have been able to use their defense and their offensive rebounding to make them a team that is very well respected, a team that is going to be very physical with you. They're going to crash the offensive boards. They are going to be in a situation where they're not going to let you have a free basket unless there's a defensive miscommunication. Dylan's going to get right in front of you. Alper is going to do whatever he can. And Alpe on the offensive side has been fun too.

He's not afraid to go against Traymond, not afraid to go against Rudy Gobert, not afraid to go against Zach Ead. Some of those big centers. He has been able to go right after those guys, and it's been fun to see him do that. He needs to continue to do that come postseason. And oh, by the way, the Rock is going to do a better job of shooting free throws, too. if I had hair, I'd lose it again after watching some of the Rockets miss free throws. In close games, it's going to make a difference. So they've been around 74, 73% the entire year.

That's a dead last in the NBA. So got to get better at that. And part of that is, Alpi is, if you watch Alpi, he leans into the shot sometimes at the free throw line. And I don't know if it's a nervous tick or whatever the case would be, but he's not shooting it the same every single way. And that's the reason why guys have troubles making their free throws. Got to make your free throws, especially in close tight games. Time is 1125 here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross Ross with the day off.

Listen, you owe people an apology. You just do. I want you to call this show and say you're sorry to people. 713 212-5-790 7-1-3-2-5-7-90 on Twitter it's at SportsMT

send us a note there if you want to send me a tweet saying you're sorry to somebody I'll read it for you but better yet I'd rather you talk because that means last time for me 7-13-212-5-7-90 it is a sorry Friday come in here and tell some people you're sorry next here on 790 thank you for listening to Sports Talk 790

on anything goes Friday. So what I did on the Good Morning Strippers, I went down an octave. Usually I go up because I figured on my force was going to crack. I still gave you length on that. You probably can click that too. I was for now.

I was going to say, hey, that was really good. I liked it. That was nice. I figured you were happy with that. Yeah. All right. 713-212-5-790.

I went 17.25 seconds. Oh, okay. Bourbon and baseball had me at 17.25. That's not terrible. I can go 20 or 25 if I need to, but... It doesn't sound like it. Oh, you're right. You're right.

I'm a sad sack. I've got to be honest with you. All right, let's get to the news at noon. Normally, Ross handles this, but he is out today. So I'm going to handle the news. news at noon. And the news at noon will start locally with the Astros starting a three-game series with the hated Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Ronell Blanco is going to throw it today, O-N-1 with an E-R-A-M-9.45, something called Jack K-K-O-C-H-A-N-O-W-C-Z, is pitching for the Halos.

know he's pitched 11 innings giving up eight hits eight strikeouts three walks and he's given up three home runs okay maybe this will be Christian walkers night maybe it'll be Renele Blanco getting some offensive support I'm all for it

Joseo Tuves your home run leader with three Yorna Aurez has one his batting average is 195 things have got to change Angels and Astros tonight all right also the rockets are in action this evening taking on the Los Angeles

Lakers that'll be at the crypto.com arena I expect to see many more starters play tonight than they played against the Clippers on Wednesday. Lakers need one more victory to clinch the three

spot in the west. The rockets have clenched the number two spot already in the west themselves, but there is a massive jumbled mess between 5, 6,7,8 in the west. With games tonight, nobody in the NBA is playing tomorrow, I don't think. And then everybody's playing in the afternoon on Sunday.

So games besides the Rockets and Linkers, you should pay attention to. One of them would be the game between the Nets and the Timberwolves. Wolves would be heavy favorites against Brooklyners mailing it in. The Grizzlies Nuggets game is going to be very interesting. And then you have, let's see what else, Warriors Trailblazers should be interesting. And Clippers are at the Kings. Two games left to go in the season. and at this point we still have no earthy idea

who the Rockets are going to play come playoff time. It could be a variety of teams. It could be as little, it could be, let me tell you who could be. Minnesota, Memphis, could be Golden State, could be the Clippers, could be Denver. I don't think it's going to be the Lakers. So basically you've got five teams fighting for that stay out of the playing game, which the Rockets will play the winner of.

And right now, if the playoffs were to start today, the 7-8 matchup would be Minnesota at Memphis. Memphis right now, the 7-seat. Golden State, who I don't want to see at all until I have to, is currently the 6-C-seat. But they are tied with Minnesota and Minnesota and a three-way tie, all at 47 wins and 33 losses. NFL news today.

Jalen Petrie has himself a brand-new contract. Congratulations to him. He signed a three-year contract. extension for $39 million. So the Texans continue to spend serious cash on members of their defense. We had Derek Stingley Jr. already get his money as well in the off season. And now Jalen Petrie getting himself a new extension. So Jalen Petrie now has a three-year deal worth $39 million.

So Stingley and Petrie, two-fourths, half of your secondary are locked and loaded for the long term. All right. Other things. The Masters is being played right now. And let me tell you who is winning that event. Let's see here. You've got, let's see here. Justin Rose is at top the leaderboard.

He is at minus 8. He's minus 1 through today. He's played 15 holes. Bryson Deschambeau is one back at minus 7. He's 4 under for the day. Then you have in third place. You have Matt McCarty, who's a minus 6. and then you've got a player I've never heard of Sung J. M.

He is also in a tie for third. Other players you would know, Scotty Schephler today has not teed off. He is at minus four. He has set the tee off in about 15 minutes. Rory McElroy is minus two today through 10. He's minus two for the tournament. And Dekhi Matsui, I'm at Ziyama, I should say, is minus one. don't anybody else you guys have recognized

Freddie Couples is even Jordan Speeth is plus one and he is at the T-off. He will tee off today in about 23 minutes. The projected cut right now is plus one and those in the outside looking in would be Bernard Longer, Zach Johnson, Brooks Kepka, Phil Mickelson

is a plus three and that's in terms of a guy that I think you guys are recognized. So Jose Maria Olatobo is a plus seven so fire. And there you go. There is your master's update here on the radio program. All right, and that's the news at noon today

here at 1212. We have Craig Ackerman going to join us next in the next two segments at 1230. He'll join us to talk some rockets basketball. He right now is at rocket shoot around. They're getting ready for the game against the Lakers. E. May Adocke is going to be with us at 1.30 today to talk some rockets with him as well. So we have a lot of rocket chatter coming up. We've talked a lot about the

Astros so far. We had Robert 4 with us earlier today. I hope you caught that. and we have anything goes Friday, which means you get to talk and I don't get to. That's the blessing of anything goes Friday. Say what you want to say. I'll bow out because I'm holding on for dear life. I got an hour and 48 minutes left of this Friday edition of the show. 713-212-5-790.

7-13-212-5-7-90. It is anything goes Friday, whether you be on Astros and Chatter, whether it be about the Rockets playoffs coming up, whether it be about Jalen Pitcher getting a new deal, all that is fair game here on the show. Whether it's Masters Chatter, you can do all that if you want to between now and 2 o'clock. Anything goes Friday, 713, 212, 5, 790. I politely ask you to please call and talk to me because, as Joe Naman said,

once in a long time ago, I'm struggling. 1212 on 790. All right, Craig Ackerman is going to join us in the next segment of the show. It's 12, 17. You may have to be with us at 131, 9, 4 stories of 120, and then we'll say goodbye for that. Hey, I don't know how much you guys and ladies follow the NIL stuff. I don't know if you're exhausted by it,

or you're intrigued by it, or you're sickened by it. But there is a really bizarre situation going on right now at the University of Tennessee. They have a quarterback named Nico IMA Leva. I believe it's how you pronounce it. Don't hold me to that. All right. Apparently this morning,

he did not show up at practice today, spring practice, after reports of his NIL negotiations surfaced, a source with direct knowledge of the situation telling the Knoxville News. I. Emma, if I'm pronouncing it right, I Ameliva's absence from practice was a surprise to coaches and players, and it tosses the offseason into terminal,

especially because I Ameliva's team leadership has been a focus in practice. There are now questions of whether I Ameliva will attend or participate in Tennessee's orange and white spring game tomorrow at Neeland Stadium. If I Ameliva does not play in the spring game, redshirt quarterback's Jake Merk Linger and freshman George McIntyre will replace him. So apparently on Thursday, I Ameliva is negotiating a new multimillion dollar NIL deal just ahead of the transfer portal opening. He's like, the portal opens, but I don't want to go and do it because I'm going to get my money at Tennessee. In 2022, I Ameliva signed an NIL contract, which paid him more than $2 million per year. and that helped the five-star recruit go to play at Tennessee.

But the market has now changed, and now you can get more than $2 million. I Ameliva, I hope I'm pronouncing it right, has not commented on the situation, but his absence or practice at Leifes gives the optics of a holdout. Apparently, I Ameliva's representative is one of the NIL pay increased to $4 million. using the possibility of him entering the transfer portal as leverage. Miami's Carson Beck, Duke's Darien Mensa have gotten close to $4 million, and apparently I Ameliva's dad has not responded for a request for comment to the local paper. He did, the dad did put on social media.

More games being played off the field than on the field. NACOS, the reporter from On3 Sports called and asked me directly. I told him I had no idea on what he's talking about. He said his close source that he trusts with his life from University Tennessee staff gave him this information. So y'all can ask them what's going on because it ain't from us. So apparently, ladies and gentlemen, to be a quarterback at a high-end college, like Tennessee, $2 million is not enough. And apparently I am a leave of once $4 million. or what other guys are getting.

It is absolutely crazy to me. Excuse me. I got you, Matt. Oh, thanks, Gordy. Ia Maliava. Ile Maliava. Ile Maliava. Ila Mala Lala.

I'm whatever. I may I be able to speak at this point. Okay, so what am I missing on this? He just wants a cash grab, correct? Yeah, when he originally signed with Texas, or Tennessee, it was a, it was a deal for $8 million NIL through his junior year. And so he's going into his junior year, so they want to rework the deal. Now, not helping Tennessee's cause is they draw 110,000 people per game, correct? Yeah, and the other part of this, too, is he was a five-star quarterback.

He was the number two quarterback right before Arch, or right behind Arch, and much of that recruiting process. He was ahead of arch. He was thought to be the number one guy. So, I think a lot of Tennessee fans are looking at and going, yeah, we like what you've done here. You've been good, but you haven't been elite elite. So what are they going to do? I think they're kind of

calling his bluff here. I think they're saying, look, we've already paying you $8 million. We're not going to $12 million, but this is the weird error of like contract renegotiations because it's like the NFL now. You know what, Ross, or I say, Gordy, it's not even

sort of like the NFL, it is literally the NFL. Every single year a player signs a a one-year contract. At least in the NFL, you sign four or five-year contracts. Now, granted, you can get those erased and you can release because they're not guaranteed, but in college, they're worth

12 months at a time, right? Well, I mean, you've got to do what A&M did when they were signing kids to NIL deals. It was like it would come out and be like, they gave this kid $8 million, but it was $2 million per year each year you stay. So it was basically a two million a year contract the more you stay at a.m. The more you're guaranteed

that money. But if you leave, you only get what you got for that one year. And the money that's coming for him is coming directly from boosters, correct? The Vol collective or whatever it's called. The Vol collective, which is boosters. But now what's changed is the SEC revenue sharing landscape. Now these schools are allowed to share the revenue from the TV contracts, which the SEC, it's around 20 to 22 million per school. So he's going, give me, some of that money. Man. You know what?

Who does have the bargaining power now? I think both sides do. Both sides do, because if he wants to not stay at Tennessee, and there are probably 10 or 15 schools that can pay him what he wants, he can go be a starting quarterback in any

place he wants to. Yeah, and Josh Heipple has shown he's worked with, you know, really good quarterbacks from his time at UCF to what he did with Hendon Hooker at Tennessee. And I think Nico's on that path, but it only he only continues to develop, I think, if he stays with Hypo. I don't know if he's going to continue to get great coaching if he goes elsewhere. So obviously, this is how I deduce it, is that

this kid is seeing what other guys are getting. And he's like, I'm better than those guys. It's time to pay up. Yes. And that's what makes us such a blessing for Texas, is that Arch obviously grew up in a good household where his family has said, you're going to do work your butt, bust your ass, do everything you got to do. Like, it's just kind of funny to say. It's just kind of funny to see the contrast because Arch has been, he's getting paid, but he's being diligent about it, and he's waited his turn there at Texas, whereas

these other guys are going to pay me my money. Well, but Arch is the abnormal one because, again, he doesn't have to worry about money, and there's a lot of kids out there in this country that their way to take care of their family is through these NIL deals. But it's also no your worth, and his worth is worth way more than he's getting

at Texas. That's true. Is this I. Malavir or whatever his name is he, is he worth $8 million? $1alia. No. Yeah, okay. I mean, if they don't play, if he transfers, where is that football program today?

Well, I think you'd have a ton of suitors call it. I mean, even schools that have their starting quarterback right now would say, we'll throw a couple million. I mean, you know, just throwing out like the Florida States, schools like that, they have a starting quarterback, but they're like, Nico might be better. Iamalia. How about that?

I amaliaava. I amalia. You got it. Yeah, I just saw your pronunciation. Thank you for that. So Tennessee is going to go going to. So they've got this money that's sitting there that if the kid doesn't stay, they can pay somebody else.

But man, you're really risking something, spending a lot of money on a kid that hasn't been in your camp until now April. Well, here's the tough part, too. The SEC, I don't know if they've changed the rule, but the rule they've been steadfast with the last two years was if you enter in the spring portal, you can't go to another SEC school. It would have to be outside of the conference. So, you know, and vice versa, if you're a Tennessee player, or, you know, if you want to go play football in Tennessee, you can't come from another SEC school.

Man, it's dirty. But it's free enterprise. It's what the, it's what the NFL free agency is. It's just, it, you know, it's, I guess it's not dirty. It's just what the NFL does. And if any school can pay for it, it's Tennessee. Because I'm sure there are 110,000 people paying crazy amount of money that want to win, that want to play in the national championship with an Uber competitive SEC with all the television. dollars they can afford it and that's what he's probably saying you can you can afford this

maybe we should adapt that here i just won the program director of the year award can i read can i ask my bosses for more money now craig ackerman joins us in a matter of moment thanks for coming in on that and saving my voice anytime cc talk yeah i figured i just i knew i was butchering the name i knew you come help me out 713 212 5 790 713 212 5 790 the voice, television voice of the Rockets. Craig Ackerman will join us next year on Sports Talk 790. 713, 212, 570. You know, Alpi's English is significantly better.

I mean, massively improved. Since he first became a Houston Rock, I was the first press conference he was at, and he can speak in English. He does very well know for himself. A man who's also a great orator is the television voice of the Houston Rockets. joins us from a parts unknown where the Houston Rockets are shooting around, getting ready for tonight's game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Craig Ackerman is with us.

Craig, I had a caller earlier today said they needed to, you and I needed to switch because I don't feel good and I would do less talking on television than I want on radio. So just give me a heads up on that. Wow, you'd actually don't sound all that great. That happened pretty quickly, huh? I'm sorry. It did. I was like, yeah, it hit me at the last second. I went to bed at 8 o'clock last night and got up about every 75 minutes. Wow. I'm sorry to hear that.

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. But the show must go on, Mr. Ackerman. The show must go on. Shoot around just did wrap. It was a very quick one. I'm still here on the campus of UCLA, so. Are you at the Ackerman Student Center?

I am not actually physically in the Ackerman Student Center, but I can throw a rock and hit it. Yeah, we should explain that Craig is so famous at UCLA that they had named a student center. center after him there. Yep, they have. All right. Hey, are you as obsessed with the standings as I am or not as much? Oh, I am completely obsessed because it's just trying to, well, I mean, look, ultimately

the Rockets won't know who they're going to play. It'll be down, it'll be whittled down to basically two teams here pretty soon, you know, once the play in tournament starts. But yes, I am obsessed in terms of who's going to finish where, who they ultimately could or could not play. and yeah, I do kind of keep an eye on it every single night and it had been for several weeks. And that's why I told a caller earlier today, Craig, that even though the rockets are a two-see, and no matter who they play, it's not going to be a significant favor,

not that we should let Vegas decide who's going to happen to what, but you could be taking on in theory five teams that are separated by one or two games that could be as high as three or four and as lower seven and eight. Yeah, I mean, I pretty much think everybody outside of the Lakers in the Thunder, and then the Mavericks and the Kings are still in play for the Rockets. And then, you know, whether they win or lose this game here tonight, I guess this one doesn't technically matter in terms of those other teams as much. But depending upon how this one takes shape here tonight,

and the one obviously on Sunday versus Denver, still so many different scenarios to take place. Obviously, that big game, and for the Clippers and the Warriors to end the regular season, I mean, still, again, so much madness as of right now with so many teams within the game of one another. And I think, what, Minnesota crushed Memphis last night, and I don't think really gained any space or spots in standard or something like that.

It was very strange. So, again, anything could happen. So if Ime Adoka said, hey, come down the bus with me, let's talk about who we want to play, and how much we want to play tonight against the Lakers and how much we want to do against Denver, what would you be advice to him? What would my advice to him be?

they're trying to thread the needle here, obviously, between rest versus Russ. But again, they're going to have a week off anyway in between games to begin with. They have to do what they feel's best for their players. Fred hasn't been 100%. Obviously, you know, a man has the ankle thing. You've got to make sure you're 100% okay about. And so I think the goal ultimately is just to make sure that these guys are completely and fully healthy. Because regardless who they play in the first round, even at the two-seat,

going to be a really, really tough matchup because there's some, there are a lot of really, really good teams in the Western Conference. So I think they're just kind of trying to thread the needle. And look, I mean, ultimately, if they do go with a similar lineup that we saw the other night in LA against the Clippers and like the one that we saw in Oklahoma City, those guys play super hard. They gave both teams a game. And so if they decided to go with that particular group again here tonight, I'm sure they're ultimately going to attempt to try to win this game. best they can, but ultimately it's about being 100% healthy and ready to go for the playoffs.

Craig Ackerman, television voice on Space City Home Network with us for a few minutes here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross from Los Angeles. Greg, was there a turning point in your mind this year where this team went, okay, not only are they good, their playoff good, and their top four good.

There's so many big wins this year. I think, you know what? I mean, early on in the season, the big win against Oklahoma City was a pretty good sign that this team was legit. The road win at Memphis as part of the NBA Cup play as well kind of made me feel like that they were legit. But I think ultimately maybe the win on the road in Boston against the defending champions, I know a lot of people probably picked a home win against the Warriors in the Cup games, and then to Vegas as the biggest win of the season.

For me, I thought it was the one in Boston, and I think that's when I kind of realized that, you know what, this team does have home court advantage in the first round, not just potential, but probable. And so to me, that was the one, I think, where I personally was ultimately convinced that everything that we had seen up to that point, which was really good from this team, was going to continue to be really good the rest of the way. Rockets, Craig, beat the Warriors Sunday in San Francisco.

They had a lot to play for. They since have lost to San Antonio. We have had a lot of terrible times in San Francisco and in Houston for that matter. Telling me. Oh, my gosh. Was there anything that you took away from that game going? Maybe this isn't your mom and dad's World's Warriors team from five years ago. Well, what I took away from it was that this particular rocket team is, and we already kind of,

have seen it. We saw in the second half of last year. We've seen it all year round this year. They're just, they're not going to allow anybody just to punch them in the mouth and take it. That if somebody does, they're going to punt them back. And oftentimes the rockets are the ones that hit first. And that's what I ultimately took away from that game. I mean, this group finally got over the hump. I mean, outside of Jeff Green, nobody on this team had ever beaten Golden State up until the point that they won that home game. And then a lot of these guys hadn't ever won in San Francisco either up until the game a few days. back. And so I think psychologically for this group, they got over a

couple of humps against the team that they've really struggled with, especially again this young core. And winning on the road in that environment, with everything that was going on was, again, another sign that this team is just not going to back down against anybody. But that series, if they do happen to play the Warriors, it's going to be

an absolute battle. I mean, I mean, with Raymond Green and all of his stuff and then playing with, you know, Dylan Brooks, and the men Thompson and Alper and Shungo not taking anything, and the rocket's punching back and everything like that. That'll be an absolute war if it happens to be the first round matchup. Craig Ackamming with us from UCLA. Rockets are

warming up or shooting around, getting ready for tonight's game. What do you, when the rockets were making those playoff runs, Areza had playoff experience. Chris Paul did, James Hardin, Dwight Howard. And obviously, Dylan and Fred Habit and Stephen Adams has it, but there's a lot of guys, a lot of key guys, a Jabari, a Jalen, unamend, that don't know what Tari, that don't know what the playoffs are all about. What do you think that EMA is telling the guys about what they're about to experience here starting in about 10 days from now?

Well, I think what they've been prepping these guys for is that playoffs, obviously, the level of intensity turns up a notch. But this is the team that plays with that kind of level of intensity anyway. So I think they're already used to sort of playing in that kind of environment. But look, the vets and these coaches have got these young guys along, well over the last couple of years. But the playoffs are a different animal, and I think much like as players grow and learn and mature in the regular season, there's no substitute for experience in the playoffs.

And so a lot of these young guys will be facing this for the very first time in their careers, I think we'll ultimately have to wait and see how each of them respond to that kind of, that level of intensity in those situations, especially if they happen to get messed up against a team like Golden State that has guys who have won multiple championships. So we'll have to see how that all plays out. But ultimately, again, I think their style of play, the way they approach, the way they play teams with such physicality,

will ultimately prepare them for a playoff series. But ultimately, again, for the young guys, experience is something that they'll just going to have to learn on the fly. And as we all know, the playoffs are a process. And typically you have to go through some pain to experience some pleasure in this league. And so I'm sure there will be some of that. And again, hopefully their talent.

And again, everything they've been taught and the way they've been played with all year long can kind of overcome the lack of playoff experience for so many of these guys. Very last thing. You have been in L.A. all week. You took a little side trip to the Joshua Tree. How was that for the audience? Do people know what a big hike? It was awesome. Yeah, it was awesome.

Yeah, we had a couple of days off. So I went out to Joshua Tree National Park. You know, I enjoy hiking. And so it was just me, nature. and the desert. And it was awesome. It was really cool out there. I highly recommend anybody

who gets an opportunity to go check that place out to check it out. Although I will say that basically probably the middle of April would be my recommendation for the latest

that you ultimately want to go there if you plan on doing any sort of serious hiking because it was already 90 degrees and make sure you pack and bring plenty of waters and it's about to get much hotter than that. So it was awesome.

It was a really, really cool experience. I really do like high desert landscapes, both in California and Utah and Colorado and some of the other places that I've been and had a chance to go hiking. But it was really cool. You should get out there sometime. Yeah, that's not going to happen. Hey, well, at least today it's not going to happen. Hey, thank you very much for coming out of the show. No, not today for sure.

Yeah, we'll see you later on tonight. And what was I going to tell you? Oh, Chuck Brown. Do you have any like vitamin you can take or anything? You know, there's a pharmacy not too far from the hotel. You can start, you know, guzzling down vitamin C if you want. All right, so you're going to pick it up for me? That's nice of you to do that.

I didn't think you were going to do that. You want me to go grab me some vitamin C, Matt? Apparently, one of our listeners, Bianca, says, I need to take a leave. What did she send me here? She sent me, this is the definitive medicine here. You drinking any hot tea? No, I had coffee this morning. A leave D, sinus, and cold.

Does that work? I'm not a big fan of over-the-counter stuff. I don't know if I've ever taken that. that per se. I do like, for me and one of my go-toes is like aquifers are cold and flu, you know, the stuff that you pop into the water

and the tablets and drink that down along with a lot of vitamin C and then green tea with honey and lemon, but you don't like green tea, so. No, I'm finicky, just like you are. Hey, great to hear your voice. Thank you very much. We'll see you on the bus letter today and good luck with your calls tonight.

Likewise, get a nap in. Get a nap in before we head over today. Oh, for sure. Thank you. See you soon. Thank you, buddy. Okay, Matt. Gakerman, voice of the television voice of the Rockets with us here on the program. 1243 is our time. We take you till 2 o'clock today. 713-212-579.

If you want to jump in, 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. E. Mea-Doka joins us coming up at 130. We have non-flora stories at 120. 12-43, come on in and join us. If you join me, I'll be super nice to you because I'm down the home stretch. I need you guys to come through for me. Look, I try to give you guys every day that super energy, but today is just not

that day for me. So come on in, say hello. We want to talk some Astros, Rockets. Jalen Pete are getting a new three-year extension worth $39 million. I'll take it all. 713-212-5-790. And we are with you today until 2 o'clock. Then the A-team will take over. Astros baseball, I believe, will be at 6 o'clock tonight.

And then we got Rockets also, I believe, over on 740 this evening. so they take on the Los Angeles Lakers at 930. We'll have it for you over on 740. Rock is off Saturday, and they play the 230 game against the Nuggets on Sunday to close out the season. Everybody's either going to play at noon or 2.30 on Sunday, so we'll know by about 536 o'clock on Sunday night who we're playing. At least the playing game will be determined 7 versus 8,

and then we'll be able to see which one of those two teams wins, because they're going to play that game, I believe, on Tuesday. 713-212-2-790 is how you reaches if you want to get in today and for that I thank you let's go to Manuel at 1251 on 7-9 Emmanuel thank you for calling the floor is yours hey Matt I thought I called a savior help to save your voice a little bit thank you thank you I'm out here in SoCal I live in Riverside and Craig is right man Joshua Tree is amazing so really I I tell everybody go to Joshua Tree if you ever come out here in SoCal it's beautiful

I as official like a just enough fan, a diehard fan of the Rockets, in my humble opinion, the rebuild is over. I think we're finally, the elite squad, they're on the edge of it being an elite squad, and now they just got to go experience the playoffs. And I think this team, I don't have to go with a championship this year, but I at least think I think they can at least get to second or maybe second round or even the Western Conference final. I just really believe that much in this team.

And I'm just really really. really happy and just so you know what I'm really happy about too is guys like Jabari and amen you know there's no egos on this team they're all just trying to fight together to become a great team one guy got hurt the other guy steps in amen and then Jabari got hurt I'm then steps in and there's no fighting when the next guy comes back there's like okay you take your wall on the bench you come off the bench we work together as a team and I'm just loving how van of athletes just running the whole squad together I mean I mean I I wish you'd work on that jumper a little more and make it a little more.

But, I mean, overall, overall, I'm just so excited and so happy for them. Now we have respect on our name. When I tell people, Maracott's friend, they're like, oh, man, your squad is good. And, you know, again, I'll hear out here in SoCal, all we hear is about the Lakers, how great they are, and Clippers a little bit. But I'm just so happy to shove, you know, get Ws on them, beat teams like the Warriors and the Thunder and the Nuggets. And that's so amazing. It makes me happy to tell people, yeah, I'm a Rockets fan. I'm wearing my Accumelajuan jersey.

I'm wearing my great jerseys. I'm wearing my jerseys. And people are like, oh, yeah, we got to respect them now because they're coming in, they got players. We got ballers now. So that's all I got to say, but go Rockets. And I'm just so happy. I'm just happy for the squad and all the fans in Red Nation.

Thank you very much, Manuel. That's a great phone call. Thank you. All right. All right. See you later. Yeah, it's fun. It is fun to watch this team do what they're doing.

It is fun to see them not only make the playoffs, but avoid the playing game, which most people thought probably if they were going to make the playoffs, it would be a playing game. Win total is around 44, and they're going to be at least at 52, I think, when the dust settles. Again, it doesn't really matter. They're the two seed in the Western Conference.

They will have won at least 60% of their games this year. and now it's the great unknown. The great unknown is, A, who are you going to play? B, which matchup suits your best and C, what are these young guys going to do when they have been in the situation where you have to watch the playoffs with a different approach to it because the whistles are going to be more difficult to get.

They're going to know everything about you and you're going to know everything about them. There'll be no hiding in terms of drawing up plays to all of a sudden throw the other opposing team off. And the Rockets will be the same thing. I mean, they will scout this opponent left and right.

And I'm anxious about it. I'm very, very anxious to see how things go on this. I'd love them to win at least one round. If they get two, that's awesome. If they win three, if they played it with third round, that's really going to get people energized.

Oklahoma City has been the number one team this entire season in the West all year long. They have looked, for the most part, unstoppable. The Shaggilders-Alexander probably going to win the MVP award. They've got Jalen Williams, Jett Holmgren when he plays is good. It's a nice, really deep basketball team, and Shake Gilders-Alexander is an elite score, as in a case with all the 30-point games up. But the Rockets have beaten them twice this year. Now, that's me putting in the cart well before the horse.

I want to make sure I don't do that. Let's just worry about the first run opponent instead. And the reality is, I don't know who that's going to be. It could be Minnesota. It could be the L.A. Clippers. It could be the Memphis Grizzlies. It could be the Golden State Warriors. And a small chance it could be the Lakers, too, but I don't think that's going to happen.

It's going to be fun. And for those that have not been around it before because it's been five years, you're going to love it. Everything's going to be magnified. Everything is going to have a lot. lot more intensity to it. There's no gimmies against Charlotte. There's no gimmies against Brooklyn. There's no of those boring games against Atlanta.

These are highly intensive games with a lot of animosity. And if you think Dylan Brooks is going to be riled up for this, definitely will be, especially at some point if they do take on the Lakers, because he certainly was the last time he did so in the

playoffs. Let's go to Dave in spring before the top of the hour on 790. Dave, thank you for holding and good afternoon to you. Hey, Matt. Hey, two things. First, I want to congratulate Jalen our safety there, Petrie. For that contract.

I mean, local kid, went to high school here, went to Baylor. Everything you hear about him is good, too. I think he was our Walter Payton nominee for the Texans, you know, which tells you, it's a super community guy. It's just nice to see good stuff happen to good people, and he just seems like a good dude, and I'm happy for him. So now let me get to my main point. I want to ask you about the coogs,

and we're still smarting for Monday night, obviously. And I heard yesterday, and I haven't listened much to them, busy in and out of the car, so you maybe talked about this already, but I saw where Terence Arsenoz entered the transfer portal. And I was wondering,

do you think there'll be any other cougars who might be thinking about the portal? I'm a little worried about Milos in particular. You know, we got a five-star point guard coming in next year. I assume he's happy with the coogs, but I'd hate to lose that guy. And, you know, just your

thoughts on the coogs and the portal and how it might help and hurt us. And I'll just hang up and listen. They did get a point guard. It was a transfer from Creighton, so they got that kid in just the other day. Miles Uzanne, I don't know, he might declare for the draft. That doesn't mean he's going to stay in the draft.

He might do. As long as you don't get an agent, you can go do that and then pull yourself back out of the hat. I don't think he's ready for the NBA I don't think he's ready either The number one mistake I see with all these young kids is they think they're NBA ready Too too soon

So I would agree with you on that It's like the center on Duke I don't think that guy's ready either They talk about him coming out You know, Melosh or whatever his name is I mean he didn't have a rebound in 23 minutes I don't know if I'm going to be in a hurry To draft that guy in the top 10

Like he's projected Yeah well It's really about Cooper Flagg at this point I mean he's something he's the real deal at this point. Yeah, but yeah, I don't know. Arsenal, I think, would be the only transfer. I mean, things certainly can change.

There's an NIL situation is clearly in hand here. But I think Arsenal's still going on the walls that the recruiting class is about to get really, really filthy. And playing time would be probably not nearly as prevalent today as it would be, say, next year when those players come in. I don't mind losing Terrence Marrasona, to be honest. They don't want to be too dismissive. But I always kind of, when he came into the game, I was always a little nervous. And when he started putting up shots, my nerves. nervousness doubled. So, you know, it's sort of like Trayon Mark. Remember Trayvon Mark or whatever

his name was? Yeah, he's the kind of guy. Yeah, he went to Arkansas then to Texas, and he's bounced all around, I guess, cash and NIL checks, but I didn't mind seeing him go either. So some guys don't look like they fit too well with what Kelvin's trying to do. And that is part of it. Thank you for the phone call. Great information. Thank you, Dave, for joining us. That's part of it, is that Kelvin is not going to change who he is, even with NIL and transfer portal. I respect that because there's a lot of coaches that can't do that. A lot of coaches are worried about the portal. A lot of kids are worried about NIL. A lot of coaches are. I mean, I think it's a concern, and I think obviously Kelvin's got to take care of those guys that are

there, but it doesn't seem like he makes him sweat like other schools do. All right, let's get the final hour of the Matt Thomas show with Ross underway next. We're going to talk to EMA Don't get coming up in 30 minutes. James and Klein will open up with you to start the final hour of the show. If you want to follow James, I would greatly appreciate that. 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Final hour of the Matt Thomas show with Ross.

Ross is the day off. I am fighting through this. Got an hour left to go. Thank you very much for putting up with my sickness. And thank you for joining the show. Helping me out a little bit. Appreciate that. Thanks to Craig Ackerman and to Robert Ford for joining us as well.

We got M.A. Ducker coming up in a few minutes at the bottom of the hour. All right, 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790. Jalen Petrie, three-year contract worth $39 million. Renele Blanco takes them out today for the Astros against the Halos. 6 o'clock beyond deck show. And then we have Rockets Basketball over on KTRH. tonight at 930 as it take on the Los Angeles Lakers.

713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Let's go to Stephen here in L.A. on the Matt Thomas Show of Ross. Stephen, thanks for holding in good afternoon. I'm sorry to hear that you're under the weather, Matt. Thank you. You know, you're staying at Beverly Hills, right?

Oh, yeah. So just throwing it out there. There's a place that's called the cure IV. They have an IV hydration drip for cold and flu. I had a cold that knocked me on my ass about a month ago. Yeah. I took one of these hydration drips, and I was playing oops by that night. Wow.

And they have mobile services, too, that can come to your hotel. So just throwing it out there if you need it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The cure IV. The cure IV? Just going to cure IV.

Yes, sir. I know, you know, no sponsors. anything like that, but, you know, just throwing it out because I know you're struggling. Yeah. I will just run through some weaknesses and strengths for the Rockets playoffs, just to give you a little bit of a voice break. So I'm just going to go through what I feel like are some strengths and weaknesses for the rocket setting into the playoffs.

Obviously, you know, weaknesses, I'm wondering if this team is going to struggle to shoot the ball, you know, in the playoffs. That's always been kind of like an Achilles heel, especially their free throws. you know, and especially in the playoffs, you've got to make your free throws. That's the killer when you struggle like the Rockets do sometimes. But, you know, as far as their strengths, you know, I feel like this is obviously a very good defensive team.

They can rebound the ball really well. I like the way that they can kind of manipulate their lineup and either go really long with their wings or they can go double bigs with, you know, down the stretch if needed. And so it all depends on obviously the matchup and any matchup in the West is going to be tough, obviously. But I really do think that the Rockets can win the first round,

maybe even the second round, in a seven-game series. So, you know, I'm looking forward to, you know, seeing some basketball. I'm looking forward to hearing your calls. And I just hope you get better, man. Thank you very much. I appreciate it very much. killed a lot of time. Great insights. You didn't

mess that up. You're good. You know what I need today? I need a Gerard call. Girard, where are you at? You say, my bacon with the Gerard call call. You just making fun in the last two weeks. He might not call back. No chance. Girard's my guy. No chance. Gerard is my guy. Gerard has always got cars blonde. So, Gerard,

if you're out there to listen today, you want to give us a rocket breakdown for the playoffs? The floor is yours. I mean, literally the floor is yours. Let's go to Jamal over in Memorial at 107. on 790. Jamal, thank you for holding a good afternoon.

Hey, how's it going? First, while I get to my take, man, Matt, I called a show of yours last week. I always thought you was a Mady Creek, O.G., I didn't know you spent a little time, your roots are from the Spice Lane. You cut up one of your shows you were saying you were back on Spice Lane

in the 70s. And so, so, yeah, I just had to take a nod because I was I grew up, my roots was there from the 90s. I was over there on the 90s, I was over there on the 90s, I'm a beginning, so. Nice. So when you start talking about Boone Elementary and all that, I knew exactly what you were coming from. Good, yeah.

I was Boone for, I want to say, first and second grade, and then I moved to the Kiti area, went to mental schools after that. But, yeah, I'm an OGA leaf, for sure. Okay, okay. But, man, now, so on my U.H. take, man, tough loss. I went back and, you know, I finally had a little time to digest it, but I went back and looked at that last play. I wanted to get your take on it because I thought it was a good design,

but when I went back and watched it, it looked like the big guy, Roberts, if you go back and look at it, man, the reason why we couldn't get acquired a ball on that first initial action, and then even with sharp, why he had a good clothes, So I looked like Robbers then his screens were kind of half lazy to where they couldn't get, they couldn't get the spacing they needed. That's the reason why Sharp, thinking about that, Jamal, that's the reason why Sharp was shot-faked because he saw the Florida player coming at him.

And if you have a good enough screen there, he takes that screen, that pick, and he can shoot it up flawlessly. He was scared it was going to get blocked. That's the reason why he came down and eventually get rid of the basketball. So, yeah, the team did not work out very well. Exactly. And so here's my take. I think, so this is my opinion.

I think the coach is going to have to loosen up his, he's going to have to change his philosophy a little bit. I think his style and everything that he's done. Their perennial tournament team as they go, I think they, you know, he can continue to make sweet 16. But I just think that heavy defense and minimum offense, that in that style it matched out. It matched out with

getting to the championship game and losing. I've seen an interview from the Yukon coach and he said something to the fact, don't quote me, but he was like, I'd rather recruit offensive players and then teach them, you know, try to teach the best defense that they could possibly

have rather than the other way around. And I just wanted to get your, you know, and I think that's what Kelvin Sampson will need for, just more offensive recruiting, and then don't lose your defensive identity, but we've got to have more offense there because that was brutal. The way they closed

off that game, and just wanted to get the take on it in. Yeah, thanks, Jamal. We can remember, Jamal, during the course of the year, and it wasn't like they were playing the poor sisters, they shot much better than three, much better from the floor than they ever had before with Kelvin's teams in the past. They just ran into

a really, I mean, two excellent, excellent defenses. Duke's defense was top six in the country. I think Florida's was top ten. ever take. And I think there's a combination of that. I think there's a combination of is the pressure too big, is the moment too big? And I think there's part of that could be put into play.

Certainly in Duke's case on Saturday in that national semifinal game with the Cougars did on Monday. But this is one of the highest scoring teams that Kelvin ever had shot much better than never had before. So I don't see a whole lot from an offensive standpoint that I would necessarily change except for the fact that you had Uzon up and down at times. You had Manuel Sharp up and down at times. And then L.J. Cryer, I mean, they just didn't shoot well. I mean, both teams were less than 40% from the floor.

And a lot of that was because of, I think, the moment was big. And also, I think a lot of it was that there were some really good defenses. I mean, the Cougars have the number one ranked field goal defense in the country. So it was going to get into a situation where it was going to be a lower scoring game. You didn't want to get into an 85-81 game with Florida, because that's not what you wanted to do, nor did you want to do that with Duke either, and you both held those teams to under their season average. I think we're just trying to find something to go,

how did that last 15 seconds go down? How did that last minute 20 go down? and I think just reading between the lines and what Calvin said is like I draw these plays up. We do this all the time and the guys just

did not come through and they did not they didn't they buckled under the pressure a little bit I guess again there was too uncared

I mean having Arsenal not Arsenal having Manuel Sharp lose it off his foot I mean, that's, you can't, you may have the best play drawn up, but you couldn't use it because you kick the ball out of bounds. And then the shot fake, which should have been a slide over as compared to in a dribble as compared to putting the ball up in the air, is because, again, he had a Florida guy coming.

And he kind of got really nervous about what was, what to have to do. The right thing would have been, frankly, to grab the ball, could call for a travel, at least put a couple of seconds left on the clock, hopefully come in a foul and then have some sort of massive heave. But in that moment in time, that's awful hard to tell an athlete to do that. I know I wouldn't have been able to do it. Good stuff, Jamal. Appreciate it. 1-13 on the Matt Thomas show with Ross.

We have non-flora stories coming up at the bottom. Our email is going to join us in 18 minutes. We have Dean and Alex and James to get to all of you as well. This is Sports Talk 790. All right, let's get back on the phone. We'll talk to some people. Let's talk in terms of the longest wait. Dean is with us on 790 at 118.

Dean, thanks for holding good afternoon. Hi, Matt. Your voice, I'm sorry you don't feel that well. You can just hear it. You're staying at the four seasons, correct? So they ought to have something there to get your voice right by tonight, I hope. Don't you stay at the four seasons every time you travel? I cannot confirm nor deny that.

All right. Real quick, I know any of the teams in the West are going to be pretty good. I would kind of hope for Memphis, although, I mean, I don't want to, I'm very happy with what the Rockets have done. I thought they'd make the playoffs, but I didn't think they'd be it too, obviously. But when you start looking at matchups, they have done pretty well against the Clippers. And I'd rather play them if we can advance a little bit later, because Hardin seems to get worse as the playoffs go along. I wouldn't want to play them right off the bat. But a bunch of that is tough to pick,

because like you've already spoke about, most of those teams are pretty good. I would probably prefer Memphis. And I think when they play, I've got a couple questions and a couple of points. I think free throws are going to be very important because I think no matter what, they always are, but we have some games where that percentage could be extremely bad.

And if we can be good to very good, I think that would push them over the top. And do you think that they'll play any of the double bigs? Because from a point differential standpoint, it's been effective. But in the playoffs, they'll play both the big guys. Yeah, if they play Memphis, they'll do that because you got Zach Eden, you got Jaron Jackson Jr. playing for Memphis. So you could definitely do that for sure. It's kind of impossible to project, though, because, I mean, if you're in the two-seed,

you got the playing game and everything else. And they're also like, you don't know where they're going to land, right? So I know it's crazy with two games left, and I know you've already spoke about it, but I don't know. I'm just, when I'm sitting there looking at it, first round, I'd be pretty happy if we draw Memphis. That's just what I think. That would be my, yeah, thank you for the phone call.

I appreciate you listening. That would be my preference as well. But honestly, I think everybody's hoping they play Memphis. And, you know, but again, things could change. I mean, it all depends on who's playing, who's not playing. I feel like those teams do not want to play the playing game. That's an extra game and extra travel for one of the teams. And the playing is dangerous.

So, yeah, I've said this earlier than the show, and I'll say it again. The teams in terms of most preferred to least preferred, in my mind. It's just, and I'm willing to change. this. Memphis 1, then I would take on one of the place the clippers on, then Minnesota, then Golden State.

Or Denver, for that matter. I mean, now, what is Denver going to do now with a new coach? I don't know. I don't know if it inspires them, if they're thinking about mailing it in, whatever the case may be. I don't know on that. But, yeah, I think everybody's

preferred opponent because the fact that the Memphis is just really not played well for a better part of two months and does the reason why excuse me they made a coaching change there too let's go to Alex and Conroe at 122 on 790 Alex good afternoon going on Matt a couple things

I haven't been able to listen to your show for basically all week just because of the sports the travesties that we've been dealing with and it's just not been something I want to hear about So that Cougar game, man, that was the worst ending I've ever seen. I don't understand why you don't just come over half court, push the ball into the paint. We need two points.

Push the ball into the paint. Let Roberts get in on the basket, and we're not shooting. You know, we're not, I just, you know, go for a higher percentage shot is where I'm coming from. And that's got in me. Do you follow the Cougars pretty tightly? Not. I'm going to be honest with you. I listen to everything that they're doing on the radio.

I catch a couple games here and there, but I definitely have been watching for the last two months. Honestly, I would have rather have taken an... Not that they were going for three for the win, but Roberts and Tuggler and Tuggler fouled out, they had not had a good night in the low block. They were missing everything. The Rockets, or the Rockets, the Cuckers inside the paint

was about 32, 33%. Honestly, I would have rather have seen Emmanuel Sharp go for that three-pointer win the game. So I didn't have a problem with the play call. I just obviously the execution is a disaster. Fair enough. And then going on to the Rockets, a couple weeks ago we played the Lakers. Yeah.

And, man, I tell you what, dude, I listen. I work late. I get off work at like 9.30, so I end up listening to a lot of national sports broadcast as well at night. Yeah. Basically, this is sports radio all day. And at night, man, they were talking about, they were just making comments about how, you know, Oh, the Lakers had it. Dude, the reality is if the Rockets were able to sink like three, three-pointers,

because they just went super cold, the Rockets almost damn near won that game without being able to shoot a three. Like, I don't know where the delusion comes in that the Lakers are that much better. But no, dude, if the Rockets are even halfway on, they're going to win. They're going to win that game. So I'm hoping tonight we go out there and stomp a mud hole. And speaking of mud holes, gut feeling, man, I have a feeling that. that the angels are about to pack it in for us, man.

They're about to, they've been the dogs for the last, what, seven seasons at least. I have a feeling that they're going to really put in an effort on the Astros tonight, so I hope Ronell can actually get a good start in. But as for the Rockets, one more thing on the Rockets and Astros, this would be great. After the game is over, typically the Astros play that, my Texas song or what, I don't know what it's called. If we get on a streak, Rockets or Astros, I think it would be great for the PA announcer to play that clip from old school

where Will Ferrell, he's at that college party, and he gets all sauced up and decides they're going to go streaking. He's like, we're going streaking! That would be hilarious to hear on the PA, personally. I'll pass it along. Thank you for the phone call. Real quick, before we get to E.M.A. Adoka, let's talk to James Incline on 790. James, what do you got today?

Yeah, the biggest surprise with the Rockets so far this year is how Stephen Adams and Chagoon have worked together. I'm just amazed how well they work together. I don't know how you feel about that. Oh, for sure. Yeah. I never thought they would work together like that, but they have been very, very effective. Yeah, that's all I really have to say. That's the biggest surprise.

Yeah, it's a surprise because I would not have thought that was in the repertoire, but it has worked out very, very well. All right, let's talk to EMAIDOCA next. He'll join us here on the program, 713. 3-212-790. 7-13-212-2-1-790. Ime Adoka is next. It's 126 here on Sports Talk 790.

130 on Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Ross, the day off. Let's spend 10 call-a-minute minutes right now with the head basketball coach of your second-seeded Western Conference playoffs, Houston Rockets. It's E-May-Docco with us on the show. Coach, thanks for joining me late this morning. a thought or two about

first of all capturing the two seed and obviously you sat out some folks against the clippers on their night and what's it like being in a really good spot here where you can rest some guys between now and the end of the regular season. Yeah, it's an accomplishment obviously. We've got more to go but

our guys should be proud of where we're at and the fact that we earn some rest and are in a position to pick our own destiny and fate instead of having to rely on anybody else or being the late season battles like a lot of teams are doing right now. So guys understand that. They deserve it. They put in the work to get here.

And now it's a chance to get healed up, rested up, sharpened up, and give some other guys some opportunities so we can improve our depth. Is everybody, I mean, by the time that you guys get started, you feel like everybody will be back to close to 100 percent? Is this off time between not only these games that they may or may not play in the week off? Is that put you as close to 100% as possible? Oh, absolutely. I mean, other than all-star break,

you don't get this amount of time off in the season at all. And so we got guys nicked up, you know, Fred got the ankle. Jabari had come off the ankle and got a little growing. Some Alpi got a little back and things here and there. They could obviously play through if we needed to, but it's a chance to get healed up, obviously, in these games. Don't want to be off too long, so we'll get in some work in the next two games. But a chance to stay sharp, get rested, get healed.

And at this time of year, with that week off before the playoffs, avoiding the playing is a big advantage. as well. So is there going to be a big watch party at the Adoka House on Tuesday night to see who you play? Not a watch party, but I'll be watching alone to see something like that. Obviously, myself and the staff will be preparing for two opponents, and so we'll have a step ahead regardless of who it is, and then obviously focus and zero in on the opponent once we figure out who it is.

But it's a little bit different than years past where you may know a week before who you're going to play based on seatings. The plan brings another element to that, but exciting for the fans, opportunity for other teams to sneak in, but we have to prepare for two as if we're playing each of them. You may have your personal favorite, and I wouldn't ask of that of you, because I have my personal favorite, and I don't want to give that out too much either. But the point being is that, you know, I've looked at the standing, I look at it every day, I look at it 15 times a day.

I didn't anticipate the Spurs beating the Warriors a couple nights back, and then they lose that game, and then Memphis, loses to Minnesota and that moves up the Golden State of the sixth spot. It's incredible how tight these teams are and how you try to anticipate who you might be playing and it would be frankly idiotic to do it because things could just change here a lot in the next 48 hours. Yeah, that's why ever since probably with 10 games out, 20 games out, we've worried about ourselves and wanted to be in this position to solidify our seed and not have to worry about anybody or get the help. And at this point, to your point, it could be anybody.

Changes on a nightly basis. And a lot of these teams are playing each other heads up, so it can change and flip-flop, like you said, game-to-game night tonight. And so for us, we worried about ourselves. We'll figure out the opponent when it's there and not try to get too cute and manipulate anything. And like I said, being in the number two seed with the days off and the rest is that was our goal. Be healthy, be playing our best basketball, be sharp, and then we've achieved that.

You might not have said this yet, but I know there's going to be a speech coming up from you about what playoff basketball is like. Dylan knows about it. Stephen knows about it. Fred knows about it, but you've got a lot of young men that don't. So what have you told them from your experience about the game of the NBA playoffs that is unlike a regular season game? Yeah, that everything's heightened. I think we've done a pretty good job of building toward that in the last 10 games. We obviously, our last eight games, I think seven of those were against high-level teams, playoffs contenders. And so we already had our mindset around starting to shift our mentality towards that, preparing for the playoffs, so we don't have to flip a switch.

But what we do is what we do, and it carries well in the playoffs, the physicality, the effort that we play with, all those things are great things going forward. But you have to experience it for the first time, but at the same time, keep it simple. It's just basketball. And what we do works and what we've done all year, the guys have bought into. So at the end of the day, that will carry over well. I'll let the vets talk to the guys about experience as well, but we'll share our stories. but getting out there and getting their feet wet for the first time is the best way to handle it. What do you think was more impactful?

And it could be both, the answer to it. You guys playing more zone second half of the year, or are you going to the double big lineup second half the year? Well, it coincided with each other, honestly. And so the reason, obviously, when you play a smaller lineup, we can switch some things and the results are great. I mean, we're top, whatever, three in the league and defense. And so what we do mainly works, no doubt.

But when you want to play the double bigs, which is really good offensively. You have to go to the zone with some of those smaller lineups, and so they coincide with each other. The more double big we played and teams don't match it, they try to downsize. We have to play some zone for matchup purposes, and our zone is really good.

Communication is good. We got great activity. Feels like we are talking even more in the zone than a man. And then on the offensive end, we take advantage. We have big bodies down there, getting second, third opportunities. And so they go hand-to-hand, no doubt. But even when we do play with one big, we do like our zone. The activity is good.

Keep teams out of rhythm and protect guys if they're in foul trouble or a little bit of rest. You may talk about us for a few more minutes here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. You took the Celtics to the NBA finals and you played three series and won them. What is it like for the players? Because look, video is a huge part of it. Are there a lot of things that teams will throw at you different wrinkles, or is it just kind of accentuate the... stuff that you want to do.

I mean, meaning, is there anything that other teams could be hiding that they have not put out until the playoffs? And wouldn't that surprise you at all if teams would make a massive shift or that just doesn't happen in the NBA in right now? Well, it's a little bit of both. You have to do what you do really well. And then obviously somebody's going to make an adjustment at some point. If what you're doing is working, obviously stick with it and try to amplify that.

But teams that are struggling will obviously go to adjustments. And that's the job of the coaching staff to have, you know, plan A, B, C, D, E, if you need B. And for us, I think we've thrown a lot of our guys this year mixing some things to keep teams off balance, off rhythm, and you don't throw it all out in a meaningless game, but you save certain things that you've seen worked well, and then obviously you have all your stuff in your back pocket.

And so if what you're doing works, you go with it until need be, but expecting other teams to throw adjustments if they're struggling in a certain area or trying to take advantage or something. So it's a little bit of a chess match, of course, much different than a regular season game where you're preparing for that team one time and then you're moving on to the next. It's back and forth,

ups and downs of a playoff series, and a lot of times it comes down to that. In your mind and your history of being in the league, are the whistles tighter or are they a little looser come playoff time? No, I definitely think they let you play more, which, like I said, goes well for us.

We want to be a physical team. We are one of the more aggressive physical teams, and at times we have to adjust to how they're calling it in a regular season game. In the playoffs, the game slows down. The physicality goes up. And I think, like I said, what we do well, what we do well travels in the playoff. And so it's not like we're trying to flip a switch and become aggressive all of a sudden. That's who we've been all year. And so they let you play more, no doubt. I think, like we said, the pace slows down. You have to

grind out possessions on both sides of the ball. And so it bodes well for us. It's in our favor to have that. And we like the games that they let us play aggressive. And so that's the case in the playoffs. Great stuff as always, Coach. Thank you for the time. We'll talk again next week prior to the series, and we'll see you later on tonight in the Crypto.com for the Rockets and Lakers. Appreciate it as always.

Thank you. I will see. You may have with us here on Sports Talk 790. All right. There's a few thoughts about the Rockets playoff from the head coach himself, and we will have those games starting up a week. I think it's going to be a week from Saturday. Don't hold me to that, but the first playoff game, the first two games of the playoffs will be

in Toa Center, they will have the two-seat, and they will have games one, two, five, and seven, if that is needed in a seven-game series. All right, let's do non-Florida stories next to wrap things up today. I just did not do a believe it or not because I'm just not feeling great. And so thus, if you have an opportunity to listen and just relax and enjoy this final segment of the show, I thank you for that because we're going to give you some stories

that every other state in the union can brag about except Florida. because every other radio show in the marketplace does stories about Florida. We do not in Florida stories, and we'll have it for you next here on the show. 140 is our time. 713-212-5-7-9 if you want to jump in and say anything about what EMA had to say. Any thoughts about the Astros Weekend Series with the Los Angeles Angels. All that is fair game. Plus, Jalen Petrie signs a new contract, a three-year extension for $39 million.

And that means that Petrie and, Stingley had both been paid this off-season. So half of your Texan starting secondary is very, very well compensated. 713-212-5-7-90. If you want to chime in and say hello, we've got the non-floor stories coming up in just a matter of moments. Again, 7-13-212-5-7-9 in the 18. We'll be with you today coming up at 2 o'clock. We find interesting stories that occur outside the state of floor.

Oh, my gosh, here on the people of Houston. It's time for none. Oh, my gosh. I know, I made it. Down the home stretch here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. I'm going to take a big nap. Hopefully be in a much better frame of mind for the Rockets and Lakers later on tonight. Since Ross is not here, I'll do two stories.

And, Jonathan, you'll do one. Yes, sir. All right, I'm going to go first. We're going to go to space. You okay with that? Okay. For, let me see here. And I'm going to read this sentence from the story that I saw.

For humanity to become a space-faring civilization, there is a blank ton of problems to solve. I think all of you know what blank is. There's a blank ton of problems to solve. One of which is how to deal with our poop. Oh, God. currently on the moon. I don't know if you knew this or not.

There are 100 plastic bags of human crap on the blue moon right now. Because the people out there? Yeah. They just wave. You got to go, you got to go. I mean, Oh, that's filthy. Huh?

It's filthy. Well, I mean, it is what it is. I didn't realize it was that many. That's a lot. Oh, my God. To spark solutions, NASA has long. launched the Luna Recycle Challenge. It is a $3 million competition, quote,

focused on the design and development of recycling solutions that can reduce solid waste and improve the sustainability of longer-term lunar missions. Space Agency says that NASA is committed to sustainable space exploration. As we prepare for future human space missions, there will be a need to consider how various waste streams, including solid waste can be minimized as well as

how waste can be stored, processed, and recycled at a space environment so that little or no waste will be needed to return to Earth. What's the problem with doing space litter? What's the scientific reason why? They don't want 100 bags of poop out of moon. That's what they don't want.

According to the Space Agency, innovations could also trickle down to Earth and eventually lead to technology to help terrestrial communities eventually and safely deal with their own poop. I don't believe it. How can you recycle poop in space? NASA will pay $3 million for an answer.

So if you have the answer of how you recycle poop, it could make you a very rich man. If you would have said, Matt, how many bags of poop are on the moon? I would not have said 100. But now you know, 100 bags of poop. Is it like trash bags or is it like? I don't know. That's a great question. I'm having a hard time seeing the bags.

It's going to be like, well, my guess would be maybe like sandwich Ziploc bags maybe. No way. It's going to be like a big CBS bag, at least, right? Yeah, I mean, you've got to leave yourself plenty of room. You don't want to mess it up. We're messing somebody's lunch up, I just know it. I know. There are people driving around town going, did I need to hear this right now at 149?

Yes, you did. Because that is my first non-Florist story. What do you all you got? All right. I got Jude Hill. of Plymouth, England. She went and traveled to Thailand a few months ago after her fire at her home in September, Metro News reported.

Around 3 a.m. on Christmas, Hill, and her boyfriend that she went and traveled with were seen in the lobby of the Fliper Lodge, Hotel, and Pataya, Thailand. Consumating their relationship on a sofa in the middle of the lobby. That's fine. Bear, no, no, just straight, you know what I mean? Witnesses said the pair then tried to move the glass table in action, but as they were going and getting more experienced, it shattered.

Quote from the staff lobby that was there behind the desk, when they got approached from the people who said, we approached them and they discovered they weren't even hotels customers at all. So we tried to usher them out, but he'll try to run away with her clothes as well as a boyfriend. going and getting detained by a nearby beach over in Thailand by an armed officer. The hotel plans to plus charges on both hill and the boyfriend. So basically these people went to a hotel, didn't stay there and had sex in the lobby. Just she had her fire, her house was burnt down.

They wanted to go travel and they went in the middle of 3 a.m. There's just no one in there. You know how 3 a.m. the hotels, no one's in there. Nobody's there. Boom, just went crazy. and broke the table in the process. Okay. I mean, love knows no bounds, correct?

Love in Thailand, I guess. I don't... Ooh. Could you imagine walking into a hotel and having people just having sex? I mean, it doesn't only matter if they're attractive, but not just the whole act of having sex in the middle of the line.

This smell is probably horrible. Oh, my God. That's true. Thank you for that Thailand non-Florida story. You're welcome. My last night. know, my story, is about a woman by the name of Marie Pearl Zellmer Robinson. She admits she has a big yawn.

When she opens her jaw, there was always this sizable gap between her top and bottom roll of teeth, exposing her tongue. Okay. She tells the Catch-A-Can Daily News in Catch-Can, Alaska. I've always kind of known I've had a big mouth. I talk a lot, and apparently I do have a physically big mouth, but we never really did anything about it. I was always just kind of a joke that I could fit two, you know, three and a half jingo blocks in my mouth.

Excuse me? What? Okay. She can fit three and a half jingablocks. I'm trying to how that is not. How, that's like a size. She is submitting evidence. Oh. To the World Records Club that she has the largest mouth gap in America today. She wants that title. She wants that title.

The irony If there's any women listen to the show right now Would you want that title Of having the biggest mouth I couldn't imagine introducing your wife Yeah this is my wife The biggest mouth on the country You know in the world

There is video of this Not video there are still photos of her shoving a Coke can Or a soup can in her mouth A soup She's very proud of her record She says she just doesn't go around showing you everyone.

When I do, it kind of creeps people out. That's a creepy jaw, she says. And what's wrong with that jaw? Nothing wrong with it. It's just, it's big. She was just born that way. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, no. How many jingas can you put in your mouth? Can you put three and a half? She's talking about the mega jingo blocks, because I'm trying to think the usually jingo

box are kind of small, no? Yeah, I mean, the videos, I mean, the photos in there, she can stick, she can stick a wad of $100 bills in her mouth? Single block. Her mouth is 7.59 centimeters long or 2.98 inches. So those of you playing at home, 2.98 inches how long her mouth is. Vertically. Yes.

Her jawbone is positioned back near her ear canal, providing her with a wider range of movement. She's really proud of this. These jingle blocks are huge, dude. Oh my God. I mean, don't you think you should be on America's Got Talent to do something like that? I mean, that's crazy. I don't think anybody on America wants to see that on television. You're probably right.

I don't think like when the musicians do the sword thing in their throat and try to, like, oh, I can't. You know what? I've never watched one full episode of that show. Americans Got Talent? Nope. Is because of Nick Cannon? Is that the guy? No, no, I just don't like that kind of stuff.

I watched American Idol the first year, but then I kind of get tired of it. I watched the first season of Hill's Kitchen and I got tired of it. I'm not a big reality show guy. Yeah, I like Master Chef. Master Chef, yeah, I get that. Because it's scripted half the time, though? Like Jerry Springer came out with scripted. I was like, oh my God, my childhood is a lie.

I don't know. Poor you. Jerry Springer, goad. And that is how we close out today's edition of Non-Florida Stories and the show today. We made it. Thank you very much to all of you that called the show. because I was not feeling good. You guys came through for me.

Thank you very much to Jonathan for his hard work today. Woo! As I pulled up the four-hour shift. Now I'm going to take a deep nap. You can't call me. You can't text me. I don't care what you want to do. I am unavailable for the next two hours.

Up next to entertain you for the next four, it's the A team with Glenn and Wexler next. I'll talk to you for rockets at 930 on 740. Good on, everybody. Good night.