The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Astros vs Mariners.. AL West #1 vs AL West #2 Tonight! Can Astros Keep Their Momentum?

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

Astros vs Mariners.. AL West #1 vs AL West #2 Tonight! Can Astros Keep Their Momentum? 

is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. And welcome to a Friday edition of the Matt Thomas show and Ross. This is Sports Talk 790. He tried to two-piece Brenda. Try to stand her up, yeah. Try to square up with Brenda. Square up. I wanted to hit that wig off that bitch.

Man. I got news for him. Terrible. I'm headed back to the L.C. tomorrow. And you best be out the way. way. These hands are, you know what, these hands are going to find that wig. You need to give a Friday sorry to that poor young lady. Poor, first of all, she ain't young. Second of all, that blue hair. Third, don't be hitting on 14 against a four and we'll be fine.

Terrible. I actually want to apologize in advance. This is a little, I'm sorry before the I'm sorry. You should. Because we'll be back on Monday and I will be discussing something that went wrong this weekend. Yes, you're already, yes. I'm anticipating poor. time we go and play black check. Nobody plays perfectly. It's just as likely to help us hurt you.

You need to get over it. Never. I play the odds. And you as a stat guy should understand these things. I understand that it's just as likely to help is hurt. Now, yeah. But then you and I need to get on a table,

and I will go against the rules every single time. We'll see how we do. Okay. It's simple math, Matt, hit google.com. I ain't Googling it. I know. because I've played 49 million hands of blackjack. All right, I'm going to bring a

notepad. Do they let you do that? I'm going to bring a notepad and I'm going to write down as much as it helps this hurts. Okay, so this will do. I do get mad when I need a 10 and someone takes my 10, yeah. Okay. Let's just feel my pain. That's all I'm asking of you. Everybody doesn't like it. Everybody hurts sometimes. But sometimes they take a 6 that would, uh, that you

didn't need. Okay. I would say to back up your otherwise flawed idea, I would say of the times that I go, oh my God, what the hell are you doing? We went about 25% of the time. So there is a percentage.

And I won't deny that. Okay, well, your percentage is made up. My percentage is real. I think you're making yours up, too. I've talked to Hoyle about these things. Good morning, everybody. 10.05 on a Monday or Friday edition of the show. It goes Friday already.

It is an anything goes Friday. By the way. What? Make sure people are out there. You all right? Do it good. Oh, okay. We got a busy show today.

I thought you just blown some, food off your microphone. Well, that's going to happen, too. Although today, let me tell something. I was going to bring my lunch today, and I forgot it. I went and got, I went to Rick Ronald's, and I got the steak egg bagel meal. Ooh, it's classic. And I put the hash brown in the middle of it. It's a huge meal. You put a hash brown in the middle of the sandwich. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Wow, that's a boss move, actually. It's outstanding. I'm actually impressed. And I'm super full. You should be. I will not be worrying about eating something at 1230 today. You just down about 2,600 calories. I don't even have. I don't even

want to know. But Jonathan, you're a Rick Ronald's fan too. I'm telling you. Do you like steak? You like the thin steak they make there? No, I've never tried that. You haven't had the steak bagel. It can be the best thing they serve. Most the time it is, but sometimes it can be the worst thing. If you get one of those pieces of steak with like the big cow vein in the middle,

it's not good. They gave me extra onions and didn't even ask for them. Love that. Oh, wow. Love the sauce. The bagel's a little chewy. I'd rather than toast the bagel, but you know, he can't be beckers here on this. No, I like it. I like it. I don't understand what you're saying, but I like the way it is too.

Yeah. It's just a lot of food. And I'm going to have to take a nap in between the middle of the show. Okay. So can I take like a half hour off? Yeah, go ahead. That's fine. 12 to like 1230?

Sure. No, no, no. I'm not going to go anywhere. No shit, any of you because we're going to excite. We have a very busy show today. We do. I'm very excited about it. Me too.

Rick Ballou, 1010 XL Radio in Jacksonville will be on this program at 11 o'clock today. Give us a thought or two about the Jaguars. Veteran friend of the show. Oh, he is a, he is a. I think he's been coming on literally for 15 years. I don't know if he's an OG, but he's pretty close. Yeah. And it's funny, you and I have never been on their station.

No. All these years. He doesn't ask us to reciprocate. No. What's that about? He's like, screw these guys, whatever. So we got that. Okay, 1130, we're going to apologize to people.

You know what? I have a sincere apology for you. Oh, my God. This is so exciting. We'll wake the strippers up today at 12 o'clock. 1230, Dick Fain from KJR Radio in Seattle. Excuse me? Dick Fane.

Okay. Long time. You better get all this out of your chest off your chest really quick. Capillaries, arteries, sorry, go ahead. So Dick has been with KJR for a long period of time. He's Softie's co-host. Yeah.

Softies at a golf tournament. I'm sure he's heard all the jokes, so. And we're not going to add to them because we're not. I haven't made one yet. You've been thinking about it. I was half a one when I just made. Sorry. You know what?

I'm sorry. Okay. Good. Because I don't want to embarrass. him or us. Oh, I'm writing down what I'm apologizing to you about, so I don't forget. Okay. And then we got Dr. Roto at 1 o'clock today, plus nine Florida stories.

And Helgaher, did you hear a little bit of the Sean Salsbury show without Sean Salsbury today? Didn't catch a second. Did you guys hear who the potential and the lead dog is for the halftime act that's the next Super Bowl, which will be in Santa Clara? Taylor Swift, right? No. Oh, okay. Who? I want to see if you can figure this out, because you didn't hear it.

Okay. Female crooner. Cruner? Like, you mean like from, she's modern or she's 90s, 2000? Very modern. Ariana Grande. Way more.

Sabrina Carpenter. No, no, no. You're very cold. Adele? Bingo. Oh. Okay. What's wrong with that?

That's fire. Adela like Adela? What? It's like Adele. Adele is a megastar, Maddie. Adel's got them. hits, Maddie. She can sing. She's not a crooner. She's a

powerhouse. You don't like Adele, Matt? I'm not on Adele. No. It's after 1979. No, no, no. No, no. Okay, who is a current artist who released an album this year who you like? This year, probably nobody. But I will say I like this. Okay, the last three years. I like listening to Miley Cyrus. I think she's

got a good voice. Okay, okay. I like Ariana Grande. Some of Taylor Swift songs I do like. Okay. I guess I'm... She's like the ladies. I'm infiltrated. You're talking about modern... It's your daughter. Oh, yeah, my daughter and my wife are our major Taylor or whatever they call, Swifties.

So I'm by default. But I mean, there's probably five or six songs of hers I like. That's good. I'll tell you this. My favorite Taylor song is when she was a star, but not a megastar, is when she sang with Tim McGrath. That duet. Oh, when she was a country star and then she went pop? Yeah.

That's probably my favorite Taylor song. Hey, I'm country Taylor. Now it's time for pop music to make more money. Now she's worth $2 billion. It was probably a good transition. Yeah, the biggest pop star on the planet. And we'll be safely the most, the biggest star in the history of music when it's all sudden done.

Ooh, no. Who is it now? I have one name that popped in my head. Of all time? Still alive or no? Dead. Michael Jackson. That's who popped in my head.

Michael Jackson. Elvis Michael Jackson Elvis I'm going to put her in that category right now I mean I'm not saying you're I'm really not gonna yeah I would agree I'm not saying you're wrong I'm just saying that's crazy I think when when when the earth when the sun burns out and we're done uh huh it'll be sooner than that sun's got a couple more billion okay here we go Jackson Jackson Elvis um who we talking about before uh Elvis. Taylor.

I mean, the Beatles as a group. But are you talking about individuals? Yeah, I don't know if I can put Paul by himself. I don't think I can. John was better. Shut up. I don't think I can put Elton John or Billy Joel. No.

Maybe Prince? No. See, even Prince isn't there. No. Prince is a better musician than Michael Jackson, but Michael Jackson was a more world-famous star. I think we're going to keep it at three. I really do. Michael Jackson came out in the Super Bowl.

Didn't say a word for like eight. minutes and then people wouldn't people wouldn't shut up. That's star power. I really don't think I can any more. I think those three are just in that own space. I still got Michael one but yeah, Taylor's on the list. Maybe Shakira? No. You go worldwide.

If he's, that's actually not the craziest thing. She's huge worldwide. She's not as big as in America anymore, but like South America and Europe, she's huge. That's what I'm saying, that may, like, you know, you may okay, so me not living around the world, I can't necessarily

argue, I mean, whether or not, but I... Those hips don't lie, Maddie. Oh, no, no, no. But Michael Jackson, yeah. Elvis has been dead for 50 years and people still can't get enough of him. That's true. Michael Jackson's, they're never going to stop

playing Michael Jackson songs. And Barry Manilow. Barry Manil. I mean, very, he's a 1A, but not in the 1. I know. No, I don't know. I think it's... I would not put... No, I would not even put close to Shakira on that list. Well, you know who just had a sold-out, worldwide European and American tour.

stadium tour. Kendrick Lamar, let me guess. Kendrick Lamar. God's gift of music. I was going to say the weekend. Who are you talking about? Well, Kendrick Lamar had one of those two. Okay, so if we're going to do groups, and this is very sports,

because we've got a lot of sports going on here. Groups, I would put the Beatles. Of course. Rolling Stones. You're put the stones on that one line. Yeah. They've been doing stadium tours for the last 60 years. Okay, yeah.

Stones, yeah. Okay, so stones, the Beatles. on the one line. And I mean, you have to be so awesome to be on that one line. Eagles a slight bit down on that? You would say, Eagles down. I would say, Led Zeppelin, no,

because they broke up when John Bottom died in 1980. Yeah. Even though Led Zeppelin's a better band. Maybe it's just those two? Maybe just those two. Unless you want to put Queen, but you have to see that, because Freddie Mercury.

Yeah, nope. I don't think I can put Queen on there. He died. But, I mean, I don't think, yeah. I mean, Queens done well for himself. All right. All right, there you go. Anything goes Friday.

There it is. All right. Hey, we have a huge, huge sports weekend. Yes. And it works out perfectly. Like I said, Sunday, the Texans play at 12 noon against Jacksonville. And then the 6 o'clock, you and I will be in the car coming back from Lake Charles. We'll be to listen to Robert and Steve called game three of hopefully an asterer sweep against the Mariners.

I don't even want to call it underrated. I just don't know if maybe some people underrated. Road trip baseball is amazing. You know why? You should listen to the game on the road trip. The reality is we're going to be tired. Yes. We're not going to want to have a deep conversation between the four of us that are going.

No, we're all going to be mad because we lost money. Correct. And I will be discussing the blue hairs that cost me money on the side. Take a deep, deep breaths, Matthew. Okay. I'm going to make the solemn promise to you. On Monday's show, there will be no conversation about some blue-haired biddy that cost me money. We'll wait until Wednesday for shut your bon ass up.

Write that down. That might be a possibility. Okay. 713-212-5-790. If there's anything you want to get to, Ross explained really quickly the essence of anything goes Friday. Did you hear the first segment? We got the Astros of the big series. The Mariners, we're talking greatest all-time artists.

What else we were talking? Anything you want to get to. Phone lines wide open. You also got Texans game number three. Teams don't normally start 0-3 and 3 and make the playoffs. Big weekend for the Texans. 7-13-2-790 is the phone number 7-1-3-212. 5-790. Back on it.

This will get 40,000 people energized. Inside, Dinkin Park, downtown Houston. Listen to this, Jonathan. You get to the crescendo. Guys leave the dugout, run under the field. This song is being played in the background. It'll be a seven-run day for the local night. She gets shihadi to come down here and cover the series.

It's not over, is it raw sports RV? And it will not be over. I don't want to have to rack up any more, sorries. Here it comes, everybody. Get ready. Get excited at H-town. 80. This is jamming of Johnson.

You kind of like it. I kind of want to hate on the tub, but. You can't hate on it. You can't hate on it. That's fine. All right, anything goes Friday. Sports Talk 790. Ross is holding, I mean, literally, holding the anger and disappointment in his core, his veins. That's a great song, Matt, and you have great music choices. I don't you like jazz. Ross, that's kind of jazzy.

It was kind of jazzy. It's kind of janky. It's Yat Rock, the greatest genre period. Oh, my God. Now that's Yot Rock. It's so made up. There's no rules. Now you're really trying to get me angry. I wouldn't do that. All right. So how are we feeling about the series?

I'm a feeling... Seattle, by the way, won 2-0 yesterday in Kansas. I listened to the radio when I was in the car going to see my mom yesterday, and I was getting aggravated. Lots of strike threes taken by Kansas City hitters late in games. Hitting coaches did not do a good job. If you really want to get mad at somebody, get mad at the Royals hitting coaches. That's where you anger should go.

Okay, so Vegas has today is a toss-up. Brian Wu versus Hunter Brown 1-10-1-10 apiece. That's a toss-up. So let me ask you this. Now, again, I don't want to read the minds of Vegas. But the Astros are a good home team. The Mariners are a below-average road team. And Hunter Brown's the ace.

That surprised me that there is so much lean, if you want to call it, that towards a Seattle game. Well, Brian Wu's been there, ace, and they have a better lineup. I mean, the fact the matter is, yeah. Yeah, but they don't play as well. I mean, they're a porous road team. You know what they say? Come on down.

Come on down to the window. If you disagree, I'm not, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, I'm with you. I would have thought the a show would have been favored too. They're saying come down to the window if you think the Astros should be favored more. So either way, it's a toss up. It would be, I think it's important in a number of ways to get this win. Because it's Hunter Brown, because it's your ace, because it's the first game of the series,

you can set the tone, and tomorrow is just going to be a box of chocolates. Which fromba are you going to get? Hey, tomorrow, we're betting the game tomorrow, right? Woo-hoo! Don't you want to do this for the sake of it? Betting who? The same, put his head down with his side.

How did you see that? He is kicking to see you now, yeah. Damn it. We have to bet the Astros tomorrow. I know I don't. A good gambler knows when to stay on. ESPN predictor has the Astros at a 56.56% favor to win the game tomorrow. No, because I look, if I bet them and they win, I'll be happy,

but I'm going to really be mad if I bet them in Frumber blows up. All right. Here's how many. How do you not kick yourself? What I'm going to do, Houston, Texas, because I love you. I am betting the Astros to win, and I'm going to spend $100 on the bet. To win 100 or to spend 100? Well, no, to win one.

So if I got to do 1-10, I'll do that too. Whatever. What if you got to do like 1-50? Jesus Christ. And they're not going to be that big of a favorite versus George. George Kirby has been struggling, but he also has owned the Astros multiple times. Yeah. I'm just telling you, I will print, I will get the copy of the ticket, and I will put it on it on Twitter so you know I have a financial interest in the game.

I think the first two are toss-ups, and then the third game, you might give a slight edge to Logan Gilbert over Jason Alexander. and so I say the Astros win two out of three. What's up? Okay. I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Tomorrow night, $100 win bet on Ron Broomaldos. How we're feeling?

Let me tell you something. If he doesn't win for me tomorrow night and for us, or Brian O'Berue, or Brian King, or Stephen O'Kert, or who else we got left? See? You see who you're a bet, no? You know what? I don't care.

Seven and two-thirds strong for Framber tomorrow. Okay, now you're getting crazy. Seven and two-thirds. I just seen a money-line win. There'll be a bunch of props. You can bet any kind of Framber props you want. I'm okay with that. I'm staying away from that.

Okay. Well, I think his last eight starts, their Astros are one in seven, and it's like a 6.41 ERA or something like that. To you're saying there's a chance. Yeah, he's due for a bounce back. Doug, on Seven-90, on anything goes Friday. Doug, what do you have today?

This is it. Matt, that's what you got? Yep. That's the song that came to Brent in your mind whenever you were thinking about the Astros. Oh, hell's yeah. This is it. We got more songs to get to it. We got, we got How about a little Van Halen right now? Oh, we're going to

go with right now. We're going to play a little what else did you say this minute ago? Final count down. Final count. We'll do that. All that. We'll have all of it knocked out between 2 o'clock. Okay, I just want to make sure in the air tonight is in the playlist. Duh. All of those are superior choices.

to this is it, by the way, Aggy Doug. Yeah, I mean, like, I mean, Ross, you've got to, I mean, I realize that it's the Matt Tosho with Ross. Yes. You got to take some artistic creative, you know. Here's the thing, though. I criticize his food choices. I criticize the sports takes. I criticize the music takes.

And sometimes I just try to take it easy on him, Doug. I can't criticize every move the man makes. I just feel bad. I get it. You got to move, look, a little bit to stay where you are. But, you know, it is what it is, you know. Thank you, Doug. Have a wonderful weekend.

Hope your Aggies don't lose by two touchdowns Auburn next week. Ray and Miami on 7.90. Ray, thank you for holding and good morning. Good morning. I just want to tell about the Texans. I understand people keep bringing up the division record, like 11 and 1 or some on the road.

I want them to look at just like one game, like they're trying to at least get their first win of the year. And I think a missing puzzle, to the puzzle would be um who's the guy he hasn't played so much i forgot his name he broke his leg well that won't do us very much

we had him we had him for the speed you know you're talking about Joe Mixing they say hey no the ride receiver that broke his leg um oh you're talking about Tank Dell yeah tank Dell actually could be an ex it's possible he's the missing X vector

yeah he opens up the field yes he opens the field like he when we beat him 45 or something 17, there was Tankdale opening up the field everywhere. And we don't have that. And, you know, Nico reminds me of Andre Johnson. He's big, but he's not. He can't open it up, you know, like Tariq and guys like that.

And we lost Stefan. He can open it up. But I think we may struggle, but I think we're going to get the first win in a close game. And I'll hang up and cry. Hang up and cry. You got that right. All right. I like that.

Oh, man. Tank Dell is possible I mean it's not possible It is he's a missing X factor But it's also like We don't know if and when he's coming back And how effective he's gonna be when he does Didn't he like snap his femur or something

I mean he broke every He was like LICMins I never heard of Let me tell you all You know how I feel about this Tankdale is a Houston Cougar And he'll be a Houston Cougar For Life That's right for life

Don't want Don't count on Tankdale For us NFL career I'm sorry. He's just, the build is not going to allow him to stay healthy. It's just not. And that's why he was a third round pick.

Maybe he was drafted a little higher than he should have been. Well, somebody ran into his knee when he was running full speed. Anybody's knee would have exploded there, unfortunately. I understand that. But I'm just saying. Yeah, dislocated kneecap and torn ACL. I mean,

God love him for his rehab. God love him for the ability to get back out there, not wanting to quit. But don't just trust me on these things. By the way, I have a ridiculously hot take about the Texans coming out of the break here. Ridiculously hot. I mean, super sizzling. Spitting hot fire.

Hot fire. 713212-5-790. Ryan Davis and James will be joining us along the way as well. We will be talking to Rick Blue. I would say a 790 guest OG coming up at 11 o'clock. We'll do that after I tell you about what's happening at Quality Home Products of Texas. All right. Super hot takey time. Are you ready, Rossi? This is as fiery as it gets.

You ready? No. Here it is. If Indianapolis beats Tennessee. Uh-oh. And Houston loses to Jacksonville. Okay. There will be a new AFC South champion. Week three. Yep. Of 17. Yep.

Okay. You're declaring the... Now, by, though, speaking of... which, by the way. How are you feeling about your put your name on Astros or AOS champs? Confident. Really confident. I'm going to put $100 behind it, Saturday, bitches. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm not just a fan. I'm putting my money where I'm out there's. What?

It sounds reckless. It does sound reckless. All right. So we want to write this down? Write it down. Okay. Are you... Now, both things have to happen. This is a gut feeling?

I don't know what you want to. You can put it in your own kettle. or I don't care. And I don't think I'm by myself on this. Okay. I mean, I understand. The odds will not be in their favor. We put the odds here on the show.

No, okay. Generally speaking. Okay. Literally one segment ago or two segments ago, you're telling me about your own blackjack, you're made up blackjack odds. So let me ask you this. Okay. It's not the craziest thing you've ever heard in your life.

No, it's not crazy. Okay. It's hot takey. It is hot takey. That's what you would go on a first take. The Texans had no chance of winning the, AFC South now that they're 0 and 3. I didn't say they were going to make the playoffs

although that would also be in doubt as well but you're not coming back from a three game deficit. So by that logic you're calling this weekend a must-win game for the Houston Texas. It's a must win if they want to win the AFC South. Yes, I'm saying that. Okay. By the way, Molly Karam is off that

first take show. Yeah. That's a loss. It's probably the reason why I woke up sometimes. You only got up to look at Molly Karam. Yes. Okay. You don't think she's attractive? I didn't say she wasn't.

I just don't watch the show. I don't either, but I mean, if I'm going to watch it's because of her. I mean, I don't care how nuclear hot someone is. It's not going to make me watch Stephen A. And I don't even know who he's barking at these days. Probably Kendrick Perkins. Shannon Sharpe's off, right? No, he's off.

It's not. Who? Kendrick Perkins. Kendrick Perkins and Cam Newton? He only brings the hot takes during basketball season. Again, I'm good. Okay. I'm good.

On the phones, we go on anything goes Friday. It's 713, 2, 1, 2, 2, 5, 7. We will check in with Rick Ballou of 1010 XL Radio in Jacksonville in about 20 minutes. Ryan on 7 on 8. Ryan, hello, Ryan. Hey, guys. Oh, yeah, I just want to start.

I wanted to talk about this, but I'm going to change gears here, but I'm going to bring it up. Kenny Loggins is an S-tier level performer, and he deserves the respect that comes with that. Kenny Loggins is awesome, and I bet that'd be a wonderful Super Bowl halftime performance. Let me tell you something. I was a lot 0.0% chance. There is never, it's never going to happen. I know it's zero. You know what the thing is, one of my greatest regrets in life was he was here for his farewell tour about six months ago and I did not go.

That's one of your greatest life regrets? Among them, yeah. I've got quite a few of them, actually. He's, he's 77 years old. And it's still can jam. I mean, he's got, Kenny Longas has 15 top 10 hits, I would think. He's got some hits. Yeah, all the movie hits in the 80s, right?

He did right. He did right. He did right for himself. I mean, Loggins and Messina was together. How's Messina doing these days? Probably not financially successful as Kenny Loggins, to be honest with you. So, the second part of this, second part of this, Matt, I believe in you, you got me ready to run through a brick wall. Send me your Venmo. I want to match your best for the Astros tomorrow night.

At SportsMT. You know where to find me. You got it. It's coming your way. Okay, good. Because I'll, I mean, I'll, you know I'll find you. I know where you are. So I'll find.

If anybody wants to do that, send it to me. I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Let's go from bad From bad Friumbar Ferdas Gonna get us some money on Saturday

Baby Let me go Woo Sorry What got into you today I'm just feeling good I had the big ass Bagel from Rick Ronald

Yeah Actually you can breakfast today That's fine of why Yeah By the way Yeah By the way Blood pressure went up

Oh for sure cholesterol Everything's up What By the way Speaking of breakfast. So I landed late on Wednesday from New York. And guess what I saw on Will Clayton Bullerard headed back to the house? Homeless people? Oh, homeless people by the airport.

That's Aldeen. A, Rortons is opening up over there. There's a few of them in here, so now, there are, yeah. But to have one as close as getting off the airport, you leave in the airport? I mean, isn't it just like a Duncan? It's exactly like a Duncan, but it's just better. Okay. Is it better because it's better? Is it better because you don't have access to it? Probably yes. Okay. But I'll say this.

Did you stop there? Or you say it's being built? I don't even know if it's, I saw the sign up. I don't know if it was 10 o'clock a night, so it may have been closed. But it's definitely there. So if anybody's going to the airport and gone to Rim Rortons, let me know because that coffee is, you know you always trying to get me away from Rarawks? That Rim Rortons will get me away from Rourt's.

I'm not trying to get you away from it. I just say it's mid. No, Red Morton's is not mid. Okay. Just saying. Let's talk to Davis and Lafayette. Yo! Oh, Davy and Lafayette now, baby.

Davis Boudreau, you're on 7'9. Good morning, hey? I'm not Lafayette. Oh, well, it says on the screen, so you must be. You are Lafayette, in my mind. Wow. Well, I wish I was there at LaBerge, but anyway. I was wondering why no one's talking about every,

time between innings Carlos Correas has got a back brace on. I have not seen that. I have not seen it. I don't deny that he doesn't or does not have it. But my guess is when you're a little bit older and you want some support, the back brace is there and playing.

I got zero problem with that. I don't get it. Like in the dugout, he's putting on like a corset? Yes. Yes. Every game, if you watch him, when they turn to him, he's got a full back brace corset on.

Hmm. I have not noticed that. I mean, it would be like maybe, maybe, you know, an ice, you know how baseball pitchers ice their arms during the game? Maybe the same kind of thing. I don't know. Yeah. It is concerning.

I mean, he plays every day, Davis. I mean, I don't, I don't feel like I should be worried about it. It's been good at the plate. Yeah. No, but I've just, I've never seen that. Well, you just gets to be worried the way they hide our injuries. Well, if he was injured, he wouldn't be playing. So obviously, it's not holding him back.

Yeah. Well, check it out next time. Take a look. Thank you, Davis. We will. Wherever you are. Davis calling from parts unknown. Didn't want to call and talk raging Cajun football with us. Harold Austin O' first down in 10, going to throw a 19 yard. Oh, baby.

Caught that at the 27. Get him a free bottle of a bag of Cracklands over there at Boudreau's Crackland Farm. Right off I-10 and Highway 44. Near South of Fush. We play South of Fush. Pre-game Shire. show 645 here on K-Tibodeau. K-T-B-D-O. You know what? I'm going to do some small-town high school football before my career is done.

They have it here. I mean, I mean, I, we used to carry games, remember? I, you know, in my first play-by-play job was in 1991. Yes. I did Tomball High School football. You were the voice of Tomball High School? What's their mascot? The Cougars.

Oh, wow. And we had. Very inventive guys. And we had a bunch of local sponsors. And one of them was a barbecue restaurant that would give us free food. So on the way, for Tomball Home Games, we would drive by the place and then bring us a bunch of food. We'd take up to the booth with us and eat before the game. It was very, very nice.

And I remember we had one road game in Nakadoches. I thought it was a big deal. I get to travel to go to a road game. And that's in my story. Okay. I was Googling Carlos Curry back brace. Well, I mean, I hope he's okay. Yeah, apparently the Twins Reddit was upset about this four months ago.

And the Astro is still trading for him. Yeah. And he's been good since drawing the team. I guess I'm not concerned, but maybe I should be. Okay. He's wearing a back brace in the dugout. This is five months ago from Twins Reddit. Okay.

Don't go to Twins Reddit. That got to be a dangerous group. I'm sure they're doing great. 713-212-5-7-0. 7-1-2-5-7-0. It's an anything goes Friday. Those of you on hold, please do not go anywhere. We will get to you.

It's at anything goes Friday. We get you an update on the Jaguars. We get you an update today on the Mariners. We say our sorries at 1130. Oh, yeah, we got these songs going for you. A little ban hailing for you. Hey, man, he fast-forwarded the piano intro. It's the best part.

Nobody wants the piano intro. Oh. That's the first one. And I will say again, that's what makes the song dramatic. I understand you fast-forwarding in general. No production about it. But if I get you. But for this particular song, that's what makes a song like a, who used to use this for, um.

Everybody. For intros? Everyone? Everybody, big. It's a very sportsy song. Yeah. Here comes the chorus. Let the chorus.

Okay, no matter. This is good right here. Singing. There's no tomorrow. Wait, yeah, there is. And a Sunday. Good, cherry question. Okay.

I have met Sammy Hagar or I have met David Lee Roth, which one of those is to tell the truth. Sammy Hagar. What do you think, Jonathan? I have no idea who these two people are. Okay. It's going to be transparent. You know what, or other than you'd be honest with me? They're both different frontmen for Van Halen.

when was the original and one who took over then one that took over no I met with Sammy Hagar at his bar he's the one that took over original with David Lee Roth I thought it was Sammy Hagar first and came back oh now we're going to be trivializing it I don't know Van Hylum very well

I thought David Lerth was the original I thought it was Sammy Hanger who's now we're going to figure this out Jesus what's wrong with us now I'm about to have three different callers coming I know they're going to be like oh you guys by the way what was I going to tell you

Oh, oh, people are sending us, the back brace might, not necessarily a brace, it's probably just a back heater, keeps it warm. Whatever, he's staying loose. Yeah, I mean, again, it hasn't affected him. So why, we got enough issues with people that have been affected by injuries. Yeah. He's just, you know, he's in his 30s and sometimes your back hurts.

Especially when you mean lifting people and carrying shows for so long. Oh, that I said that out loud. My bad. And now I'm looking this up. Where are we on this? I'm right. It's David Lee Roth. He was the first one, really?

Okay. So then he left and then came back. Oh, that's right. 85, Roth left the band, and then Sammy Hagar came and replaced. Montrose lead vocalists at the time. Yeah, Joe, tell me that smacking the back of the head that you should know this.

I don't know. I don't think I should know anything. I mean, I like the song, but I don't know histories of songs of groups. That was the case of being very confused. What? I'd say it a word. I'm just hanging out.

I don't realize we were playing Music Jeopardy on the show. Every time you got to do this, I guess, like, at least two bad colors. See, I'm staying out of this. Yeah, I really thought Sammy was the first. Okay. But I said it. I mean, you know what? People make mistakes.

Because guess what? I'm going to come to your work. I'm going to see what you said to your friends. And I'm going to correct your mistakes. We talk for four hours. We don't get everything right. But if you, we were all fair, I would have thought. I really did think Sammy was first.

Yeah, I mean, sometimes, you know. Right. You get something wrong at home. they don't have people calling in. Yeah. But if you want to come to my house and tell me how I'm wrong I am, actually my wife can handle that for me.

James on 790. Hello, James. Yeah, are we still going to have the three segments that Ross created while you gave me the keys to the kingdom? What? Hello?

Hello? Hello? Yeah. He created three segments while you were gone. He's not going to live in your shadow forever, Matt. He created take a chance on Mock with Longhorn Talk.

It might be whack, but I'd bet on the Mac Holy Toledo, another win. And then my favorite, he created a road trip where we load up to sports RV and we go around to different college campuses. One segment was there's no blues in Baton Rouge.

Did you really do this? And then there's that fat. Jesus. There's that fat cat down on Cullen with 3 and 0, but, Let's drive because they're not in the top 25. You take your meds today, James?

No, this is what I'm talking to tell you, man. He's not living in your shadow forever. All right. We're done. I want to apologize for whatever that train wreck was. You know what? I don't know what we got with that. Me and James had beef like a couple years ago and now he's being nice.

So I appreciate you, James. James, that was a horrific call. It wasn't good, but I'm glad that we don't have beef anymore. I'm glad we're going to smooth things over. You know what? I might have to apologize. I apologize to James coming up. Because we had beef.

He was talking about why are the Longhorn is going to make the playoff and then they made the playoff? Love you, James. Great call. James, you're completely indifferent to me.

Alan and Tombo. Hi, Alan. Hey, guys, how y'all doing? He's okay. I'm on Bluetooth. Yes, sir. I mean, if you could get us off, it'd be better.

I mean, you don't have to be selfish or anything. Yeah, it sounds like you're in a helicopter. Go ahead. Yeah, I'm trying to be safe here, right? Oh, you know what? Be safe then. That's most important.

Mostly table or a slot? I am 0% slots. I will play slots if I've had a few. You like because I'm trying to figure this out. Yes. Wheel of Fortune! Let me tell you, Alan, if I was a slots player, I would play Wheel of Fortune. I love that game.

I am like a six-year-old. When that, the wheel spinning. I'm the wheel spinning. Can you see the wheel spinning? That's what I do when I'm at a slot machine. Mm-hmm. because the last time I played blackjack for my daughter, I lost 200 bucks in about five seconds.

But I'm done with that. That's it. Because you probably didn't play the rules right. That's light work, maybe. I can do that in five seconds too. By the way, you really want to lose some money, Alan?

Bring Rossi to throw dice at the craps table. See, you're such a liar and you're so wrong. He will lose you big money. Okay. I didn't play craps for you with you the last, like, 25 times you played craps, and then what you do? Stop playing craps.

Yes. So you're going to blame me, or maybe you're the mush? I'm not at the mush. I'm not playing anymore. You literally retired because you were losing so much money, and I did not play with you. So is it me or is it you, Maddie? It's you.

Could be a combination of both before the top of the hour. Sorry, my coffee's sitting. Yeah, I'm ready to give me a cut myself of some Rinne Whartons. Mike on Sevenotti. Hi, Mike. Hi, guys. How you do? Happy Friday.

Same to you. Hey, I'm going to talk about pitching contracts, Dickley Hunter. So Hunter just turned 27 here in August, August 29th, so he's a fresh 27. Farmer turns 32. He's 31 right now. He turns 32 in November. Hopefully we'll be

having a little series on our belt by then. So they're a full five years apart, almost exactly, like four years, nine months or so. So, I was talking buddy to mine. One one's got a pitcher, his son's a pitcher, which I don't want to vault right now, but he's talking about contracts. We think farmer is worth

about three years, $100 million. No chance. And Hunter, hold on here. And Hunter, is worth five years, $200 million, and we should get Hunter like right now, so he'll be turning a 32 when he got his contract. And the only reason we want to keep Farmer around

is because he's durable as hell. I mean, yeah, he's a headcase. I agree. I know all the problems with Hunter. Sorry, Farmer. But Farmer. Farmer. Farmer. Farmer. Is durable as hell. He's a mental headcase.

Agree. But do you want a durable guy? Or a headcase? Over the course. Yeah, you want a durable guy that's reasonable. I mean, he's in a funk right now. Put it this way. If he goes out and lays a day Saturday night, that's going to be a huge problem.

But what are you going to say come Monday morning if he goes out and, you know, pitches two hit, one run ball, and we win? Yeah, I'll be very happy, but I'm not investing any money in him. Thank you for the phone call. Frumber is not getting $35 million a year. It ain't happening. I'm not even good on math. It ain't happening. No, he's...

Good thing with a Joe's a gentleman's bet we made on his length of his deal. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Three in the morning here on Sports Talk 7 to 90. On the Matt Thomas show with Ross, Matt Thomas and Ross Viery out with you until 2 o'clock. We got a lot of stuff to get to. Big series with the Houston Astros taking on the Seattle Mariners tied atop the American League West. And also a big game coming up this weekend. Your Houston Texans taking on the hated AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars right now.

Rick Ballou, long-time guest of the program. We appreciate him joining us. Always ready and willing to talk some Texans and Jags. Rick, how are we thanks? Matt, everything is great. I'm wondering why, though, you folks would hate Jacksonville if you come here yearly and win. Okay, first and foremost, that was Ross, okay? So, Matt was

getting coffee. I was getting, Rick, I was getting coffee. First of all, you are always welcome on this show. You are an OG guest of ours. You've been one of those probably at least 10 years and for that, we thank you. I listen to you back in the day when you're doing national radios. That's much of respect I have for you. So, and then secondly, you're right, the Texans love coming to Jacksonville. So let me ask you this.

Does your audience, are they grumpy when the Texans come to town? They know that there's such a long streak in favor of the Texans in this series? Well, first of all, my audience is grumpy to begin with. Okay, that's fair. This is the losing-est franchise and team athletics over the last 10 years. If you look at the NFL, Major League Baseball, the NHL, in the NBA,

and, you know, they go through coaching changes. They go through front office changes. And, you know, this year, notwithstanding, the roster, I think they had 54 out of their 90 was new. And right now, I want to say unofficially, they have. have 28 new players on their 53 man roster. So yes, they're grumpy. They're extra grumpy the week here of Houston. And, you know, these fans are great, but I've really described it as Houston rolls

in the Duval. They beat the living tar out of the man, and they steal the woman, and they drive back down to Houston or back over to Houston, I guess I should say. It's not down from here. but you catch my drift. And, you know, it's tough to separate fandom from players and coaches because players and coaches, when you change that fast, they're not aware of 9 of 10. But certainly the fans are.

So, you know, it's really somewhat of a conflict if you look at it that way. Well, I will say this. I spent a lot of time, and Ross and I are both big Red Zone guys, and we love watching it. And for some reason, your game was on the Red Zone. than perhaps others was yesterday. Browning kept throwing interceptions. I'm like, Jackson was going to win this game. You're really going to win this game.

And then the receiving core just dropped one pass after the other. How did the Jaguars lose that game in the nattie last Sunday? Well, you know, it was really interesting being there watching this game, because you pointed it out. I mean, you have a backup quarterback. You knock out Browning. And if you just say your backup comes and he throws three picks, I mean, you win the football game. And that wasn't the case.

I mean, there was so many things that went wrong for Jacksonville. I thought they should have taken the three points to go up six. They didn't. They went for it on fourth down. Trevor Lawrence made the right pass. Brian Thomas Jr. dropped it. That's a huge issue here in town. Brian Thomas Jr. looks scared.

There's something going on with him. We don't know if it's a personal situation. We don't know if he's jealous of all the attention. Travis Hunter is getting. We don't know if he does not just like playing with Trevor Lawrence. He had much better numbers a year ago with Mack Jones. But, you know, Jacksonville's defense has played some pretty decent football. Then all of a sudden with 3.42 to go, they allow a 15-play 92-yard drive.

And, you know, it totally changed the outcome of the game. When you needed it most, it didn't happen for Jacksonville. And that's been a huge problem for years here. Complementary football. At times the offense does its job, it times the defense does its job. They lost 10 games last year by seven points or more. And if you look at it, when the defense would step up, the offense would fall. When the offense would step up, the defense would fall.

So that's something that Liam Cohen's going to try to change. But yeah, it was a very difficult loss. That is a game that they flat out gave away. They outplayed Cincinnati. They should have won it. And, you know, they had a ton of penalties and made some mistakes. And now they're one in one on the year. You mentioned Liam Cohen, who is supposed to come in and kind of nurture Trevor Lawrence

and help him reach his full potential. What was your thoughts of the hire when it was made? And then now through training camp and seeing a couple of games on the field, field of how he's doing with Trevor Lawrence and that offense. It's better than I expected. I mean, I had heard a lot about Liam Cohen, but I really wondered about his, you know, stability and he never stays in one place too long. He went back and forth to L.A. and Kentucky then took over a Tampa Bay offense and,

you know, it was just fantastic. They were number one in Red Zone. They were last in rushing three years ago. He came in there and put him in the top four in rushing. they got here, they totally, you know, redid Trevor Lawrence. You give a guy $275 million, and then all of a sudden you hear that they're working on changing his footwork. And everything from literally, you know, top to bottom changed for Trevor Lawrence. Now, I really think this offense is going to benefit him. And the key is will they be able to still run the football? But,

I mean, this just feels like they started from ground zero with everything here in Jacksonville. And that includes Trevor Lawrence, who, you know, once again, you look at his numbers. He's 28th and completion percentage. He's 27th in quarterback rating. Granted, there's been nine drops. I think that's kind. I think they're double digits into the drops. I still think that this is going to work.

I believe that Liam Cohen is the right guy for Trevor Lawrence, and it's going to take a little bit of time. But, you know, we'll be here to see what actually does happen. But, yes, I'm impressed totally with what I've seen with Liam Cohen. But, you know, the other side of it was no one else was interviewing Liam Cohen. No one else was interviewing James Gladstone. You know, they were guys that were certainly the law. were here and wanted here, but they weren't wanted with those other vacancies across the NFL. Rick Blue, 1010, XL, and Jacksonville with us here on Sports Talk 790.

Here in Houston, obviously, the offensive line has been much maligned and talked about and the pressures on C.J. Straub, but the defensive line is one of the best units in football. How would you assess the trenches on both sides for the Jaguars? Yeah, it's going to be a lot of fun there. I think this game is one in the ditch. You know, they brought in six new offensive linemen here. Tony Bisselli taking things over with James Gladstone. They've played really well so far.

They lead the league in rushing. They've only allowed one sack. And, you know, it's the passing offense that really needs to pick up a little bit. Defensively, Anthony Campanile has come in and really changed a lot of things. You're told you can't pitch Joe Burrell. Well, they did last week. And their blitz rate is his. really gone up. I think every

layer certainly does have a playmaker. The concern for Jacksonville would be the middle of the field. Safety. They said goodbye to Darnell Savage. So, you know, Anthony Campanile has played an awful lot of three safety looks, more than

20 plays a game. And, you know, he got rid of a guy who played 28 plays against Carolina and 20 plays against Cincinnati. And now all of a sudden you're going to put it in Antonio Johnson who's taking one snap in two games. there at safety. So, you know, I think it's going to be intriguing. I think the Jaguars will have some success against Houston's offensive line with Walker and Heinz Allen. And, you know, I really think

the key to the game will be who's able to run. I know Houston struggled so far this year without Joe Mixon and Jacksonville's done very well. It could come down to that. I mean, forever I covered you know Florida Florida State Miami it was something like 32 out of 33 years in that rivalry whoever rushed for the most

yardage won the game and I kind of look at this one on Sunday as that statistic being huge whoever was able to rush the football more I think is going to win this contest last question how much is on the side of the ball is Travis

Hunter playing right now and what you think if we were to visit you in late December, where do you think that split would be? 42 plays on offense both weeks. He only played six plays on defense against Carolina. Jari and Jones went out with a back injury. He played 43 snaps against Cincinnati. So he went from six to 43 on the defensive side. Parker, Washington has had an incredible camp, and they did not target him against the Panthers. They did so five times on Sunday against the Bengals five for five for 76 yards. Parker Washington has earned more snaps. I think this game with a Jones injury, Buster Brown looks like he's going to come back, but he hasn't played at all this year. I think this is a Sunday where we see

more snaps for Travis Hunter on defense and less snaps for Travis Hunter on offense. That would be intriguing because they said from day one that it was going to be 75% offense, 25% defense for Hunter, but I think it's a fluid situation and this would be the week that I expect him to play more on the defensive side.

Great stuff, my friend. Thank you, Rick, for joining us this year and in previous years. We hope to bother you again down the road and we enjoy you having on the show and have a great weekend. Thanks for joining us. Never to bother. Have a great weekend. Thank you again. Rick Ballou, 1010 XL in Jacksonville. appreciate the time as always

I wonder how Jackson I've never asked this do they their jaguars 90% of the time right maybe 70 I guess so I wonder if it's a big

Gator Florida I wonder it's closer to Florida okay because Tallahassesey is closer to the Panhandle but I mean I wonder

it's got to be big Florida country I would imagine yeah I don't know I guess we could have asked them oh we're more A&M

than we are Texas right but we're not really a whole lot of anything. What? You know what I mean? We don't get into deep dives into college football stuff.

We just don't. I don't think any show in town does. No weird. Dallas is more of a Texas town and then I guess... I think we're more of a Houston. I think it's pretty close. I think it's close.

For example, but I don't know. I don't know. You're just guessing. That's fine. All right. Hey, we're going to say some sorries coming up at the bottom of the arm. People like futility and losing.

I don't have that with University of Houston. Off to a 3-0 start, baby. Going to crush Oregon State. 4-0. It's going to be text. Text, take me 5 and 0 and then we'll start thinking about the CFP baby let's go 1115 on sports talk 790 I'm sorry's in just 15 minutes right on time great job all right 713 212 5 790 it is the astros and

americans we'll get more on that dick fain's going to join us from kj r Seattle in one hour from now working with a seven-year-old over here I didn't do anything you smirked no I didn't if we were on TV people would see your smirk. That's not true. I didn't do anything. I'm just sitting here. I'm sitting here talking on the radio. Yes, you are. We're doing a very effective job, at least the first time. I'm trying. All right. Cal Raleigh. What about it? Handed slow down.

Yeah. By the way, I'm going to get rid of a misnomer about something that happened at the All-Star break. You know what? You want to be in the All-Star home-run competition? It's okay. Because Cal Raleigh was in it and he's doing just fine. See, what did I tell you? You're not right about everything. But there have been some guys that have gone in sums, but we have seen a straight in the last couple years.

There's no causation. There can be correlation. And I'm saying that I'm going, okay, now buy it. I'm not, you know. I wasn't like saying I've got no doubt in my mind proof. I'm just saying that I didn't like it. Okay. I'm kind of changing opinion.

Cal Ralee doesn't seem to mind. He's doing all right. Maybe it even sharpened him up. I don't believe that. I just only could hurt. hurt him. Yeah. A couple guys slumped once, like, I don't know, 10, 15 years ago or whatever, and then

people became a narrative. He's doing okay. He's got 118 runs batted in and 56 homers. He's the MVP of the Yacht League? Don't you say that to Yankees fans? Or Aaron Judge? How's old Aaron Judge doing? I think it's voter fatigue.

I think Aaron Judge is the better player overall and having the better season. He doesn't have as many home runs, but he's, okay, you want me to do a player comparison? Let's do OPS and that's about it. You already mentioned 118 RBIs. 945 OPS for Cow Raleigh. Aaron Judges is over 1100.

Ooh, maybe then it isn't a slam dunk. 1129. 48 home runs to 56 advantage rally. 104 runs batted in to 118. wins above replacement 8.7 for Judge 6.7 for Rally. So the question is going to be among the voters, how metricly driven will they be? And my guess is today's voters are significantly more metricly driven than they were. They have been more.

20 years ago. That's how Mike Trout kept winning MVPs on bad teams, and deservedly so. Best player in baseball. OPS Plus, Matt, of course, you know, 100 is, league average. 168 for Cowrally. 210 for Aaron Judge. It's Aaron Judge.

I'm sorry. Cal Raleigh is a great story, but Aaron Judge is a better. You know what? You've given the numbers that make it not even... I mean, it's close, but it's not that close. Yes, but we also know writers like narratives, literally. But Judge's not a bad guy. No, but I mean, Cal Raleigh is the better narrative.

Aaron Judge being excellent, we're used to. He's won multiple MVP's. Kyle Raleigh, not necessarily coming out of nowhere. He's been good, but he hadn't been this good. And he's having a historic season from the catcher position. If you want to give him the extra benefit of the doubt because of that position that he plays and how it wears on your legs. I think you can do that.

I don't, if you want to, because it's the MVP, he's playing a more difficult position. He doesn't have what, I mean, does he, I mean, Swares is added to the team. They had a new first basement. Josh Naler. Taylor's been an add on. Julio Rodriguez is one of the best center fielderers in baseball. Randy Rosarena. They've got great pitching.

And they're not in, well, they're not alone in first place right now. But neither are the Yankees. Yankees aren't going to finish in first place. They're three back of the Blue Jays. I would hope if I had a vote, I wouldn't vote for somebody just because I was tired of him or I didn't like the team. But frankly, it does happen because here's the thing. Yeah, it's subconscious.

In the NBA, you could have given LeBron James seven or eight MVP's in a row. and not thought twice about it. He should have won 10 in a row. Michael Jordan should have won about 12 in a row. And you just get voter fatigue and like, you know what? This guy's got his MVP. So, oh, wow, this guy's a new story. Let's say, for example, I'll give you one.

Derek Rose winning in like 2011. LeBron James was better than Derek Rose was that year. And honestly, who has gathered more headlines in baseball? Cowrally or Aaron Judge? And the answer is Cal Raleigh. The answer's probably Cal Raleigh. But, yeah, it's close-ish. I mean, 48 home runs at 11-Hode.

he is I mean Aaron Judge is going for a batting title right now he's hitting 328 with power I'm going to assume his strikeout numbers have dramatically decreased Am I right about that? I think well let me look at I'm sorry I was trying to look at cow rallies Now batting average of course is a little archaic

But a cow rally is hitting 247 Aaron Judge is hitting 328 Yeah I mean It is what it is It's Aaron Judge He's still striking out a ton 154 strikeouts for Aaron Judge. So basically if Aaron

Judge doesn't get on base, it's because he's not getting past home play. Yeah, about 174 strikeouts for Cowralli. And sluggers are going to actually have a high strikeout 26% for Carlisle strikeout 24% for Judge.

Aaron Judge. John on 790, 1128. Hi, John. Hey, how you doing? Good. Hey, you got a few You've got to consider Aaron Judge in the playoffs before you jump to these conclusions. No, you know, it's a regular season award. It's a regular season award. He's got a 200 average.

John, it's a regular season award. Well, okay. But I would not take Aaron Judge over your catcher that you're talking about. I think what he's done is extraordinary. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. No, we're talking, we're debating two guys.

We're debating two guys for a 2025 regular season award. That's what we're discussing. Okay. Well, I don't know. I guess playoff appearances in the past don't count any of the day. They do not.

And you're right. Aaron Judge, not been great postseason. Cowellie's hitting 227 in his playoff his career. I mean, yeah, I was going to say, no Mariners have been worried about their playoff numbers and they had much of it. Yeah.

I don't worry about judging the playoffs. I really don't. I mean, he's just every year. He just, He bombs. And I don't know, you know, maybe one time he'll have a breakout or something. But, I mean, so far it's been pretty hard to watch. Yeah.

Well, John, we're not, and thank you for the phone call. We're not trying to decide which player we want on our team. We were discussing literally the MVP race. Aaron Judge does strike out a lot. And when he's going up against the best pitchers in baseball, he does strike out. It seems like the strikeout numbers go up, especially we've seen that in the playoffs. And my guess is Aaron, I don't know Aaron Judges per numbers. It would take me one second to figure it out.

But if you were to say, in your mind, do you think of Aaron Judge being a clutch postseason hitter? My answer would be no to that. He's come through clutch some, but not a ton. He does have 16 home runs in the postseason. But they've been in the postseason a lot over his career. Yes, that is in 58 games. 16 home runs and 58 games. That's still pretty good.

Okay, if you pled that over 162, he'd be at about 40. I can get you the exact number, 44.7. Ooh. But a 205 average, the 768 OPS. But breaking news, numbers, overall numbers, generally go down to the playoffs because you're playing up against the best pitchers in baseball. And Jeff Bagel and Craig Bezio

do not argue with that at all. And Jose Altovae's career OPS is lower in the postseason than it is in his regular season. But again, because Jose's been so awesome in a postseason, generally speaking, he is the best, greatest aster of all time, yet being the worst base runner of all time. And sometimes, like in 2022, he's completely horrible, and it's a team game, and then they win a World Series. Yeah, but most time it's been,

He's been a big help. All right, 1131. Time for us to say you're sorry. Ross is going to apologize to me. Now, for what? Oh, you said you wrote it down. You're right. I forgot.

If there's anything you want to apologize for it, like being forgetful. Or like Jonathan forgetting to give away little Wayne tickets Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, on the show. That was me. That was me. By the way, I lied career OPS, 841 for Jose Al-Tube in the postseason. 826 in his regular career. He's been great. Sometimes he's not, though.

The greatest of them all. but by far the worst-based winner I've ever seen of a future Hall of Fame. 7-13-212-5-790. Say some sorries. You apologize, people. We're doing it next year on 790. Before we get time, Sari's, we got some breaking news. Now, I don't even know what it is. Breaking news. Okay, it's definitely at least two. Is it least another one? That's two. You know what? It's a huge weekend for the Astros. Let's go three, baby. Matt, guess what it is? Yeah, you can probably guess it. I think it. I think it's a You saw it. You're on your phone the whole break.

No, I don't know. Issaic Prerty's back. Yeah, that is correct. Brian McTaggart. First. Brian McTaggart. He will join me on the Astros on deck program around 615 tonight. He is first on the scene, I believe.

Isak Paredes expected to be reinstated from the IL tonight by the Astros and be available for the huge series against the Mariners. And I'm going to presume that at that point it would be, uh, Your Honor on the a IL? I would imagine there is no corresponding move related at the moment. But Isak Paredes reinstated and available for the Astros. This is insane. Okay, so I got to take an L on this. I thought there was no chance.

So let me put it this way. We sometimes say as SportsHawk, I'd rather, SportsHawk hosts, I'd rather have something percent of somebody than 100% of somebody else. Yes. we are literally getting 60% of he's like preternies back he's he's gonna be instructed to jog on the base pass they're gonna put a governor on him

I'm getting word from major league baseball Dana Brown has asked if there's a designated runner rule gonna be put in place for this weekend I think he's gonna be wearing also sources say he's gonna be wearing forest gump leg braces that's messed up hold on getting more word from my manfred no he's not allowed to use a crutch at the plate

it's only bad and bad only Okay. I mean, I am, I'm certainly excited, but I'm very, my expectations are minimal. And I'm saying that at the very least. Can I tell you another angle of this too that could potentially worry something? Remember, his hamstring probably torn off a bone. We don't know that for a fact because they never told us that. but when he pulled up lame in that series months ago and was like,

I can't move, I can't walk, get me to a hospital fast. And then all of a sudden a shot was supposed to fix this in time. Okay. Let's go. Ross, what are you thinking?

Those shots do work, though. I will say those shots they do take does help a lot with recovery. What, I would say, faction entity or I guess staff of the Houston Astros has been under a lot of fire. in the 2025. That, of course, would be the marketing team. No.

That, of course, would be the ticket staff. Well, the hitting coaches, yes. But as far as, you know where I'm going with this. Finish? The training staff, the medical staff, if he gets re-injured, and all these players have come back and gotten hurt, and every pitcher's got elbow inflammation,

and everyone, and I'm not talking about us necessarily. I'm just talking about the fans and how the trainings and medical staff has been under fire basically all year. long. If he comes back and he, if he comes back and he gets, he re-injures himself is going to be like pitch forks storming Crawford in Texas. All right. May I give you the opposite angle of this?

Okay. If he comes back and is somewhat successful and can be that DH pinch hitter, whatever he's going to be, well then we hear thank you the medical staff. for bringing him back and getting him back on the field and competing when most people said he would be unavailable to play the rest of the season. I don't think we'll hear that. I don't think so either. You know how it is. You don't get credit when you do your job.

But if the training staffs like in front of Jim Crane, Jim's like, why should I keep your asses right here? Well, look what I did for East Sike Paredes. This is interesting. This is real interesting. And I hope that it just popped into my mind. I'm not, I want E-Sac Paredes to be good, good to go. Don't get re-injured. Everything worked out.

Hit a couple of home runs. We're all good. Right, right, right. I'm going to ask the medical staff, and I've never met any of them before my life. Yeah. They probably should put four sales signs in front of their home. They brush up the LinkedIn. They need to be cleaned out.

It's, it's, there's too many things, too many issues, too much to go, oh my gosh, this has been such a terrible coincidence of a season. The optics look horrific. And Jim Crane is, he's a salesman. And his sales, and if he doesn't do anything, it gives off the impression that, quote, unquote, this is fine. We're doing, maintaining the status quo is okay. You don't have, how many players have been the injured loss this year? Not up to 19. 19.

How many season enders? Half dozen, seven, eight, nine. I mean, you know, are you really going to tell me that everything was done? as precautions to make sure these players were never going to go through this. Now, again, there are season-enders in sports. There are. But it just feels like it's been a terrible, terrible two-year stretch

that even a Paretis return cannot save their bacon. I mean, they didn't put Paretas' hamstring off his bone. Jeremy Payne got hit by a pitch and he got a rib injury. I mean, the hand thing for Yordon is certainly questionable. But he was fine, and then he twist his ankle sliding on home plate. That's a freak accident.

If the trainers are losing their job, they're losing it because of the Kyle Tucker, whatever the hell that was. And they're losing it, I think in part because of the Ordon-Alvarez situation. They're losing it in part because of the Jake Myers long return. Now, granted, that was also a previous general manager. So maybe that, I don't know, I just, I think sometimes you, I just can't, Rossi, I cannot believe that everything was done by the book when you have so much. many different players of so many severe injuries the last couple of years. Yeah, I'm just going to say

I don't have a medical degree. I wasn't look at anybody's charts so I don't know. But you are correct, you are correct to say that there have been questionable handling of injuries and there have been a lot of injuries piling up. Now, Brenda, you were singing us a very lovely song. Were you

not Brenda? Kind of. Here she goes. Right here. Does you know what Brenda is? There she is. Okay. We're going to go to break, but Ross, I want you to tease what you're sorry about. What do you mean? I got to say multiple sorries and one of them is directed towards you. That's next.

Yeah, one second, we got a shorter segment here to do. I'm sorry. We had to bring up the priorities news, which is big. Yeah. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-70. If you want to say sorry to somebody, let's hear from you right now. You got one second.

So get in here right now and apologize. Quickly as possible. 1149 on Sports Talk 790, Ross. You've got some apologies. Let's go. You know what, Matt? You did Robert Redford, believe it or not, yesterday. Yeah.

And I wasn't as glowing in my praise for your questions as I should have been. You wrote some nice ones. Yeah. And I tried to downgrade them, especially the ones that I got wrong. Correct. Because I can be competitive. Yes, like it isn't to tell the truth. Jop me up on that.

Well, usually your takes are bad when I get that wrong. That's a different story for a different time. Point well taken. But anyways, and oftentimes proven wrong when I disagree. But anyways, you know what, I'm sorry about that too now. And I'm sorry for not heaping as much praise as I could have on your wonderful, believe it or not questions. I will tell you this. Thank you very much for the apology.

I went to see my mother yesterday. She's had some more surgery a couple days ago. And we went to played, believe it or not, and it was quite a hit. And I went to dinner with my family after the. that and we played believing around on that too. They thought the Robert Redford questions were good and they got them wrong 80% of the time, which means it's a win for me and for you. That's great. By the way, hell, you're not today. All the things about Clayton Kershaw today at 150. Yeah. He's retiring. Okay, you're writing that? No. What do you mean? You did so great. No, I'm busy. Matt, I just said you do so great.

You should write some more. If you want me to Ovo. Yes. I'm not going to do it, though. You'll do it today. Jonathan, what are you apologizing for? Come back to me, hold on. All right. You know, I'm going to apologize as Houston Astros. Please. I literally made, I've been making more videos, Matt, on my Instagram at Sports RV, where you can check them out. If you want to see Ross's head in eight different shots, final sports RV.

It's one, but I understand how that confuses you with your blurry vision. At Sports RV on Instagram. Literally last week, this was Yordon went down. or was it Yordaun had gone down? No, Yoran didn't go down after that. It just, everybody was getting hurt. Everybody had elbow inflammation. And I was just sitting there.

Brian O'Bray was falling apart at that time. And I was like, it just doesn't feel like it's the Astros year. And it still kind of doesn't as far as making the World Series and stuff like that. But since that time, they've won five out of six games. So I want to apologize to the Astros. So sorry. I didn't think they would be able to sweep the Rangers the way that they did. you face Kelly and de Grom and you sweep that series

impressive stuff Houston Astros sorry for doubting you I got news for you I have been a gentleman this week so I will not apologize for any of my previous first of all you're calling a nice old lady a B word multiple times I took her wig off I think he said right you said you wanted to split her wig

now I might have to do double sorry's next Friday if the bitch is at the casino this week You know what? I'm going to find her and call her and I'm going to bring her to your table. No, you're not. You're going to apologize to her. Not going to happen. You need to apologize to math for believing it's not as likely as they're going to hurt as help you.

Then why have the car to begin with? Then why play the odds? You help yourself. You're helping yourself. It doesn't affect other people. She not hitting a 14 against a 4 where I'd have been 10 to get me 20 would have helped me. We're going to count. Shut your bum ass up, biotch. Not you, her. Thank you. That's what you meant to say. Exactly. I'm sorry. No, you're not.

Listen to me, this is not even, this is not even a real one. I'm sorry to all of you that waste your time with fake media that have YouTube pages that were telling you how awesome Nick Cayley is going to be and that Bobby Sloick was the Antichrist. Those people owe you and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. But they're out of work and have no talent. So it's not that big of a deal. Continue on. You know what? I am sorry to those people.

people. Of course, yes, they're not as famous, talented, or celebrate as Matt Thomas, but they're trying to carve out a career for themselves. No, they're losers who are gravy training off of something they have no talent for. And so they're shooting their shot. And they're missing. They're chasing their

dreams. They're getting $11 checks from YouTube. They're trying their hardest. And they're and they want interviews with Hannah and eat hamburgers with Cal. Big BFD. And they want to make a name for themselves. And they're not going to do it because they're giving you bad information because I want they want to be their chill-hitters.

Let me tell you something. I give you Texas analysis. I break news first and foremost. Secondly, I told you that Miami was going to cover the love and a half and they did yesterday. I am an NFL analyst and a Texas insider. Oh, they did cover that. They did. So I'm sorry to those people who are just trying to live their lives and chase their media dreams.

And then you just get downgraded on this show. Oh, sorry. They're not doing the right way. So F them. We all can't. How's the right way Matt Thomas? You tell us. Working hard and actually being objective and fair, not being water carriers for teams.

Just like that. That's it. You see the mic drop? How Ross. What's up, Matt? 713-212-5-790. Oh, by the way, I need an apology. I took a picture of myself on the plane yesterday.

And the woman behind me was sleeping. I didn't realize it until after I took the photo. But I still post it. On Twitter. You did? Did you delete it? No. I didn't see that.

Man, it's not against the law to sleep on a plane. Yeah, I think you got, I got you mostly weeded out of my algorithm. That's fine. Let's talk to Gary in spring. Gary. Oh, man, this lady is knocked out. She is sleepy. I was just putting the work in, Rossi.

Hi, Gary. Oh, hey, guys. Great show. You guys work very well together. Thank you very much. Thank you. It's really good, and everything. My apologies is going to be to the city of Houston for all the, you know,

hardworking people that work all week long and they buy Astros tickets and they want to go have a good time of cold beer and everything even though they have Marlboro's rolled up in their sleeves and they probably live in trailers like Matt Thomas accuses you guys are all doing. When you get to the game tonight, please, whatever you do from the first inning forward, don't let Matt Thomas piss on your fun parade. Start the way the first inning through the end of the game and do what you want to do to have fun. so don't let any radio host tell you what to do. And last but not least, I hope you guys have a great time next week at the casino.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Real quick, Gary, though, real quick. Did you see that the Astros fans were doing the wave when Ennio Della Santos gave up that two-run shot to Jonah Heim and they almost came back into the game? Okay. I'm just asking if you saw it. Was that a question?

Was that a question? I'm sorry. Yeah, did you see it? Yes, well, I saw it on TV. Okay. We got a lot of tweets from Wave Busters, people. Oh, Wave Busters did not like it. Thank you, Gary, for the phone call. I appreciate it.

It's 6 to 1, and then all of a sudden the wave breaks out, and then it's 6 to 5. Yeah. Please, please, please, if the wave is important to you, do not go to this weekend's games. We don't need you there. We don't want you there. Stay in Baytown, in your double-wide, have your smokes, Don't worry about your hair and putting color in or whatever and letting it grow longer. Just stay in your jorts and watch the game on your antenna TV.

Actually, you can't yet have cable, don't you? Well, you're not going to be to watch the game. Listen to it on 790. Sports Talk 790. Yeah. Astros on deck coming your way. At 6 p.m. Sean, on 790, Sean, what are you apologizing for?

I'm not apologizing. I need to tell you the last call to shut his bum ass up. There you go. That's my boy. That's my boy. Thank you, Sean. Thank you, Sean. Thank you, Sean. Bless you, Sean. I got a crazy idea, Matt. You go to the baseball game? You watch the baseball game.

That's what I think. And if you want to cheer and boo, I'm okay with it. There's some people that don't believe in booing. I'm okay. I'm booing. Yeah. But just don't do the wave. Don't act like you've never been to a game before. You have no idea what you're talking about.

Now, again, I think, frankly, people that do the wave are a part of Astrosse's Twitter. I think they're one of the same. And I want that, I want that group minimized. What's the burner account again? It's not a burner. It's a real logistical account. Wave Busters, H-O-U. Let's check.

Y'all need to follow it because we will lie. It doesn't follow back. Nope. I've got, how many people got now? 1,059. Oh, you know, I have it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the listeners that want to, you know,

joining the conversations and joining to the polls on SportsMTs page. And when you guys reply, you guys get hit with the at, follow at SportsM-T's. instead of an actual response. And I want to say, I'm sorry. You know why? Because those people don't follow me. I'm so sorry. And I'm not going to follow.

I'm not going to respond to people that don't follow me. If you want to follow me, we'll have a good conversation. You don't follow me. You can shut your bum ass up. I saw the other day. I was like, you know what? Come on, Matt. No, no, no.

If you want to have a conversation with me, you got to follow me. It's just simple rule. What do you think it's a good simple rule, sports RV? Dave on 790. Hello, Dave. Yeah, I'm sorry to have to listen to Matt Thomas not know that David Lee Roth's the original singer, Van Dave, you're absolutely right.

It's 1978, buddy. I know. I don't. I know. Dave, you know what? You know what? Dave, you're absolutely right. Thank you for the phone call.

I'm sorry that I did not know that David Lee Roth was an original one. I apologize. Hit the sounder. Hit it because I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry. See? I can make mistakes. Oh, yeah.

I'm not immune to, from criticism. I can handle it. See, that was good. Felipe 790 Felipe, who are you apologizing for? I'm sorry to the people of Houston and to the Matt Thomas show

or an idiot calling in promoting the wave and the wave nobody loves the wave it should be outlawed it should be a felony us the wave F the wave

I like it Wow This is the Matt Thomas show With Ross in H-town. Hour of the Matt Thomas show and Ross. This is Sports Talk 790. I'm going to hit that wig off that bitch.

Don't you shake your head at me. Terrible. You should be ashamed of yourself. Don't hit 14s against the 4. We'll be fine. Not your sweet old lady. Next time you do, you'll see these hands. She got a few $5 chips out of her little coin purse.

Place them slowly on the felt. And she was trying her. her hardest. She wasn't trying to lose Matt. No, she was trying not to play by the rules and she got her ass beat. Well, she didn't know all the rules. The whole table then asked somebody. You need to ask somebody for some help. I want the entire table to win.

I want to play the best chance I have. Odds are not perfect. Blackjack still, the house has a distinctive advantage. I get it. But we got a chance. Let's go. The worst. Let's play as a team. There's no I and team. Embarrassing. And there's no blue and blue hair. 12-09. Time now.

for the news at noon. All right, Matt. You know, the use of Ashros have a huge series with the Seattle Mariners this weekend three games set. As the matchups will be, Hunter Brown versus Brian Wu. Frumber Valdez versus George Kirby, Jason Alexander versus Logan Gilbert. And we got the news earlier today. Isak Paratus expected to be reinstated from the IL, according to Brian McTaggart, who will join us in the Astros on deck program coming up around 6 o'clock.

What capacity will he be used? We do not know. What is the corresponding move? We do not know. But Isaac Paredes reinstated from the IL4 your Houston Astros. Let's make a little side gut feeling on this. There are nine games left to go in the season. Okay.

How many hits do you think he gets in nine games? Hits? Oh, I thought you were going to say how many games does he play. Do you think he plays all of them? No. No chance. Six. Six games? All at DH?

Five games at DH? I mean, because also he could come back for one game and get hurt. If I set the number for you at five hits, 5.5 hits, 5.5 hits and nine games. Under. Okay. So basically you're saying minimal return. By the way, how many home runs did Jordan Alvarez hit when he came back?

How does he have three? Yeah, was it three? I think it's three. Yes. My two number is pretty close. I know you win, but yeah, you didn't go over. So yeah, you did win. I did zero.

So I was only three off. It's not bad. He's been an asset, though, for sure. Well, now he's hurt. And actually playing quite a bit of left field, honestly. And now he's hurt. All right. Esec parade has five hits.

I'll go under. I don't know. I have no clue. I have no clue. I could see him coming back and, I mean, somehow being, if they're reinstating him, he's got to be effective to some degree. This is insane what's happening right now with Asock Paredes.

Okay, so we don't know how many hits he's going to get. How many wins for the Astros this weekend? Matthew. Vegas has tonight's matchup, by the way. Now a slight Seattle lean, minus 115 to minus 105 for Houston. I'm only caring about the whole series, but I really care about my big bet I'm making Saturday night at the casino. Let's go Frambair.

I'm wishing the best. I will be staying away. Well, if I have a good Friday now, I'll put a taste. Come hang with me. I know for camaraderies. When you go on a gambling trip together, you tail for brotherhood. Yes, that's exactly right. I'll put a little taste on it.

Our buddy in Montgomery is going to put, it's already in Venmoe me some money. Yeah, you call it a little taste. Don't look like that. It's a gambling term, Jonathan. I don't know if I want to heard that. By the way, Jonathan, he's tasted things in Louisiana. Trust me. I've seen it firsthand.

Why wouldn't you? It's delicious. except they were kind of older. Oh, black, blue hair? That's why he's the pink hair? No, just short hair and old. Portly. Was she rich?

What she got married? I don't know. These are falsehoods. You continue to perpetrate on me. It's a good falsehood, though. First of all, you heard the story secondhand. You were not there. Second of all, they were completely falsehoods.

Your brother told me. See, that's not true, actually. Who told me? Who told you? Who told me? Doesn't work here anymore. Ooh. Continue on with the news at noon.

And it was a lie anyways. But I digress. What were we talking about? Astros Mariners. Yeah. Astros Mariners. Yeah, let's go to your Miami Dolphins, Matt. I don't know why I keep saying your Miami Dolphins the last two days.

Did you have them covering the spread? 11.5. I certainly did. Look at you. Miami Dolphins did cover the spread. They lost 31 to 21. It wins a win, baby. Hey, dubs a dub, baby.

You take that back to the window. That's right. To a tongue of Aloa with a crucial I&T at the end of the game. And Mike McDaniel's Dolphins lose 31 to 21. Some arguments on Twitter, by the way, of whose fault that interception was. But I digress. Anyways, you have the owner of the Miami Dolphins, whose name is? It used to be Wayne and his thinking about it was a long time ago.

Stephen Ross. Oh, yeah, yeah. I was waiting for the page of the load. Stephen Ross, saying he would only fire Mike McDaniel. if two things happened. If the fans stopped going to the games, or if the players have quit on Mike McDaniel. But so far, an 0-and-3 start for the Miami Dolphins,

could Mike McDaniel be fired at some point this season? I'll say that for Tuesday. Oh, ho, ho, I think we got a gut feeling. Oh, ho! I don't know why I did that. You know, it's national talk like a pirate day. Is it really? Ar, matey.

Would ye like a fish plank, the Houston Texans be plundering the Jaguars for gold. Have we made our predictions in the game this week, by the way? We have not. And quick, one more quick NFL note. The commanders have ruled out Jaden Daniels. Starting for the commanders is

Marcus Marriota. Marcus Marriota. And we'll have Dr. Rodo coming up in 45 minutes. He's going to give us the news. Dang. This is a good show in it. Unbelievable. We got Dick Fane coming up at the bottom of the hour for all things, Mariners here on Sports Talk 790. And that's

your news at noon. 12-14. You're ready. I've got some more news for you. You want to go have some lunch today somewhere? We will get the perspective of how the Mariners feel this series is going to go. Dick Fane of KJR, Seattle in about 10 minutes here on the radio program. Now, earlier on the show today, I brought up a semi-hot take, and Ross does not believe it was one of my hotter ones. It was hot, but it wasn't sizzling.

It wasn't an inferno. Is that a simmer? I said a simmer. That's what I said. if the Texans lose this game to the Jaguars on Sunday and what is it now? I think what the Texans have won what seven straight years in Jacksonville? Something crazy like that is a long streak. If the Texans lose the Jaguars and the Colts beat the Titans this week,

the Texans will not win the AFC South. The Texans are underdogs. Okay. Slight. And the Colts are favorites. Okay. Here's what I, here's why I will not. say it's a guarantee, put my name on, all that kind of good stuff. Daniel Jones has had two really good weeks. But the Colts should be one-in-one.

It's not like the Colts dominate. Now, they dominated Miami in week one, but Miami has turned it to be a hot mess. And if not for the launching personal foul call against the Broncos, and it missed field goal that gave the Colts an opportunity to kick again, the Colts would have been one-in-one. So while they're playing better than expected, and Daniel Jones has certainly made everybody forget about Anthony Richardson, and Jonathan Taylor has been normal Jonathan Taylor's self.

They've been good but not great. This is more on me about the Texans what's ahead of them than I'm more worried about how great Indianapolis is. You still have Kansas City, you still have Buffalo, you still have Baltimore on the schedule. That's what worries me more than anything what the Colts would do. and maybe at the end of the day it will still only take nine wins to win the EFC South.

Yeah, I'm not really familiar with the cult schedule, but you're already at a two-game deficit. And three games is going to be much more difficult to climb out of. And I kind of pulling up the cold schedule. I mean, they have to go at the Chiefs. But other than that, I mean, it's not a murderous road. They're not playing a first-place schedule like you are. Right.

That's right. So, again, to me, it's not about what the Colts are doing that are so exemplary. It's the Texans defense, I thought against Rams was pretty good. I thought it was just okay against the Buccaneers. I mean, the point total is still low. 20 points should get you some wins in the NFL. But Baker Mayfield made all the key conversions third down like Matthew Stafford in week one.

The running backs for the Buccaneers were getting five yards to carry Ross. They just were more. Yeah. Yeah, I would say a concern to say the least about the way that they were gashed in the run game. And we had Rick Ballou on. He talked about how good the Jaguars have been in the run game. And Travis Aetian has been one of the better running backs by yards per carry this season. And 7.1 per carry for Travis Eton this year.

And frankly, if you listen to what Rick Ballou said earlier from our station in Jacksonville, it's not been really Trevor Lawrence's fault. The Jaguars have struggled. It's been the receivers have had the inability to make the key. key receptions. The Texans are a middling team. They're basically smack to me. They're playing a mid-team.

They're playing a mid-team on the road. That's why the Jaguars are favored by a point in a half. So let me go macro on you here for just a second. Like I said, we're going to get back to the Astros in just a minute here. If you're 10 and 7, and you have Will Anderson and C.J. Stroud, and you have DeNeil Hunter, and you have Nico Collins. Now, you were going to say you have Joe Mixing because you didn't realize how severe the Joe Mixing situation was. You make a change at offensive coordinator.

Did this team looking back, and again, it's easy to do this after an 0-and-2 start, did this team do enough to really improve themselves in the offseason? Because it feels like some of the same issues were worried about. Clearly, the offensive line has been number one all the way through. But the nose tackle spot, the defensive tackles were mid. your linebackers were men Henry Toa Toa did not play well this past week He had a lot of tackles

Al-A-Assadr, Al-Zir, Auxa-Shahir, just a mid Again, he had a lot of tackles But he had a lot of mistackles I mean, I know Jimmy Ward Might be coming back now that he's been cleared Of all his issues But your safeties have been just okay And Petra's been dinged up a little bit

Did the Texans Under the radar for us Just not do enough to go, oh, that's going to take you guys to the very next level. I mean, it's possible. This is where we are. We're two weeks in. There is a world where

Arionte Ursary gets better, which he had a better week two. The pockets were cleaner in week two. And unfortunately, CJ Stroud just wasn't making the throws. So if you have cleaner pockets and he makes the throws, I don't know what's going to happen.

Maybe Woody Marks will play a little bit more and they can get some juice there because I'm still not a big believer in Nick Chub and him being an effective running back. And especially for pass pro, you need Woody out there because nobody else can do it as good as he has, at least from the current running back core. Yeah, they just haven't been picking up runners, and that's been a problem for a couple of years now. How long is Joe Mixing going to be out?

Because I think he's obviously one of the pillars of this offense. He just is. But I can't count on him. I mean, even Rossi, if he's ready to go, he hasn't been hit by anybody in months. I mean, he's a veteran guy. I'm not necessarily worried about that. He can, he was, didn't he miss practice all the last year? And then week one against a Colts, he was spectacular.

Yeah. But Father Time wins in a running back room especially. Well, and it's winning right now with his foot injury. Yeah. Yeah. But I'm saying I'm not worried about him not being fresh. I'm not saying he's going to be great. I'm not saying I'm worried about it being fresh.

I'm worried about him even being ready. Okay. Well, I'm not. I mean, just whenever he's out there, he's got to perform. I think the Texans, overly vague philosophy about his return is not a good sign. That's why if you get him back, it's great. But if you don't get them back,

then they just didn't want to tell you the truth. Unless they were just huge believers in Nick Chubb, which is possible, I would have figured Nick Casario and the Texans would do something more. If they know, let's say they know right now, Joe Mixins is out for the year. They need to be on the phones trading for basically anybody

out there as far as backup running backs. And to show you what they don't think of their running back, core, they deactivated Damian Pierce for last week's game. So in a situation where you could have used another running back that could have made a difference, they're not carrying four on game day.

And Daria Gumawale, if he misses one more block, Ross? One more block. That's it. Okay. Got to release him. Wow, they really like him and what he brings and pass catching and third. He's been their third down back for two years. He's the darling of, I don't know who, if it's Nick Casario, or if

it's D'emico Ryan's or what, but they like him in a third down rule. And Woody Marks has shown some juice both in the legs and pass catching. I'd like to see some more of him. All right. Let's get back on the Astros Mariners series. We'll get a Seattle perspective next, 1230 on Sports Talk 790. 1233 on the bad time of show with Ross. One of the legendary sports radio stations in our I-Heart family is K.J.R. Seattle. We usually visit with Softie, but he's busy playing golf or God knows what he's doing.

He was unavailable for us. So we got his partner on 93.3 FM. Dick Fain is with us from KJR in Seattle to talk about today's series of the beginning of the series with the Mariners. Dick, it's Matt and Ross. How are things in Pacific Northwest? Oh, they're beautiful, beautiful. It's the best time of year, man. 70, 75 every day.

We love September around here. Yeah, how's that January going to treat you, though, about 48 in rain? January. Yeah, January 6th. sucks, but you know, I don't mind January because I'd rather have 48 in rain than 22 and 6 feet of snow. So I'm okay with the, I'm okay with the 48

and rain. Bless you on that. Hey, okay, so you are in a football craze town, clearly correct, yes, but you're also in a town that is starving for a deep postseason run. Let's go macro view first, Dick, on the Mariners' season. Get out to a very quick lead. The Astros get

it all the way back. Have a huge seven game lead. You make a couple of trades. The trade deadline to the Mariners, and that seven game lead is a race going into today's series. Am I missing anything else from the storyline of the 2025 Seattle Mariners? No, that sounds about right. And, you know, we've kind of seen that before where the Mariners have blown big leads to Houston. I do think this is different, better Seattle Mariners version than the one that lost the 10 game lead to Houston not long ago. So I think those trade deadline deals are really coming to fruition. I mean, you had Josh Naylor, you had Gino Suarez.

I mean, the Mariners were by far the most aggressive team at deadline, getting two middle of the order bats. And it's really coming to a ruse now, especially when they're at home. Now, they have not been as good on the road. It was good to see them get two out of three in Kansas City and hopefully carry some of that momentum into Houston. Has Naylor been better than Suarez since the deadline, or is they coming closer to each of? other now because I know Naylor was really hot and Suarez wasn't so early in that trade. Yeah, definitely in the first three weeks or so, Naylor was far outperforming Gino

Suarez. But Gino's coming alive, big home run a couple of days ago. And I would say that Mariner fans are happy with both acquisitions at this point. All right, you brought up the home road splits. So if you and I are sitting down having a cold beverage at a home game, we're enjoying ourselves because the pitchforks are out and everybody's having a good time. the road games have been frankly aggravating when you are seeing them play poorly. Is it that bullpen that's being exposed on the road, perhaps more so than the home field? Yes, I would say that the starting pitching, and that's why it was so good to see Louisville come out and have a really good outing yesterday in Kansas City because he has been miserable on the road. He had a five ERA on the road going into that start yesterday, and some of the other Mariners starters have been hit and miss, and usually they're pretty good at home.

and on the road, you never know what you can get. I mean, we've gotten four and a third innings out of George Kirby. We've gotten bad starts from Logan Gilbert a time or two, Bryce Miller as well. And this is a starting rotation that was thought to be and proved last year. I mean, it was arguably the best starting rotation in all of baseball in 2024. We thought that would carry over. It has not, but they're starting to mesh a little bit and starting to pitch better as a unit. It seems like we've always had one or two guys in the road.

rotation pitching well and one or two guys in rotation not pitching well at any given point in the season. And what about that bullpen? We know that Munoz has been one of the best relievers in baseball, but what about the guys behind him? Yeah, I mean, Munoz's second half of the season has been a little scarier than the first. I mean, the first half, he was untouchable. And it's like, all right, are we really going to quibble with Andres Munoz getting one or

two guys on base in the ninth inning consistently in July and August because he was perfect before that, but his ERA is still sub-2. So he is, yes, top three closer in baseball. Matt Brash has been the most reliable guy up until the last few outings. He's the eighth inning guy with the nasty slider. Hopefully Matt Brass gets back to his first half of the season self, because if he is, you can pretty much shut the door on opponents after the seventh inning. Dick Fain with us here on Sports Talk 790. Cal Ralee, obviously, having a huge MVP, caliber season. Where does this come from? What has been the difference from him? How has he been so good? And me here in Yusin, I was even saying this month ago, like he's got to slow down at some point and it just hasn't happened.

You know, I lost a big wager to Softi. I mean, we had an over under set like a month and a half ago. We set the over under at 52 and a half and I felt like I was pretty safe. I was like, there is no way Cala Raleigh is going to keep this up. He is a catcher. there is no way a catcher can keep this pace up. So, I mean, like, you're telling me Softie that he's going to break the all-time home run record for catchers by like six or seven home runs. That's not going to happen. And well, here we are. And now he's broken the all-time switch hitter record set by a guy named Mickey Mantle. He's tied with Ken Griffey Jr. for most home runs as a mariner.

It is just, it's preposterous. I mean, honestly, I've said on the air multiple times, I think it's probably the most improbable individual. sports achievement in Seattle sports history. How do you go from a guy that's, you know, in the middle of his career, it's not like he's a rookie. How you go from a guy that's career high is 30 home runs to a guy's now going to push 60 home runs? And I think a big thing had to do with that, that torpedo bat, as soon as he got that, go back and look at his OPS when he was handed that torpedo bat in late April.

His OPS was like 550. And as soon as he got that torpedo bat, he has just taken off. It's been unbelievable. Will Softie's Twitter feed if he doesn't win the MVP will be, oh my God, this is an outrage. I can't believe that the New York-based media would once again vote for Aaron Judge, or is there a little bit of a philosophical approach from the fan base saying that while Cal's season is amazing, Aaron Judge is doing some pretty incredible things in New York as well? Well, will Softie's Twitter be off the hinge?

I mean, what do you think? He's going to go nuclear, is what he's going to do, Dick, honestly. And I've had a debate with them. I mean, I've got money on Aaron Judge to win the MVP because I just think that when it went down to one-to-one, when they were basically even, I was like, you're giving me, you're giving me plus 110 for Aaron Judge, like for a day. And I jumped all over that. I was like, come on, it's Aaron Judge.

He's beating Cal Raleigh in everything other than home runs and RBI's by a mile. So while Cal is deserved of the MVP, Aaron Judge is also very deserved of the MVP. Mariner fans are going to be ticked off, but you know what? If you were to trade a World Series appearance for an MVP, 100 out of 100 Mariner fans are going to take that trade. I'm so jealous because I look at y'all's show tweets, and y'all are always doing shows of casinos and talking about bets. Meanwhile, we've got to go to the state border to make our bets. So I just want to say we're very jealous on behalf of you guys. You're lucky to have.

When did you guys get casino gambling in Washington State? All five issues right after COVID. I think COVID pushed it back a year. I think it was supposed to start in 2020. Didn't start until late 2021, I believe. So it's been four years. And so, yeah, every Monday afternoon, we do our show literally 15 feet from a sports book. So that's exactly where I place that here in Judge NBP.

Terrible. You're making us upset now. Now we're pissed off beyond that. Okay. And we're still ticked off here because we can't do it on our phones like some states do. Like we still, we can't do draft kings. We can't bet on our phones. phones. You have to be

at a tribal casino in order to place a bet. But you can play blackjack and craps and all that too. Is it a casino gambling right? Yes, yes. Yeah, full-on casino. It's beautiful. You have a beautiful city. And you don't have NBA, which every time I come on y'all's show,

it is the biggest crime still that the NBA is not decided to expand. I don't want to pour salt in your ruins on that. All right, so let's get to it. Even if the Mariners do not win the series, which obviously our audience, and we personally don't want that to happen. You've got the Mariners have three with the Rockies and three with the Dodgers.

I would presume you are rooting hard for the Dodgers to take care of business this weekend so that series in Seattle next weekend means absolutely nothing to them. Absolutely. And I think it's really going to, I think the division is going to come down to whether the Dodgers take care of the Padres ahead of time. I think this series goes to one between Houston and Seattle. I don't think either team sweeps the other. And, you know, frankly, if I had to put a lot of money on it,

at the Emerald Queen Casino, I'd bet Houston wins two out of three. So, you know, you guys get the home field. Seattle has not been consistent on the road. And so you go into the last six games of the season, really with the two-game lead on Seattle, because you'd have the tiebreaker. And Seattle would absolutely have to go five and one, which if the Dodgers weren't playing for anything, five-and-one is very doable for Seattle against a terrible rocky team who's mailed it in. and then a Dodger team has mailed it in.

But I think if the Dodgers are playing for something, it's going to be tough for Seattle to go five and one. Well, Dick, you've been very polite on this show. I will not be nearly as polite when I join your program a little bit later on this afternoon. I've got to bring the fury because we've got Isak Prady's back, even though he's at about 40 percent. He's coming off the injured list.

So life is much more enthusiastic around these parts because we're getting a player back. One of our 30 players that have been hurt for about two months now. So there it is. Enjoy talking to Softie. I am taking the day off because I am taking the day off because I am taking the family across the eastern Washington and go watch my Washington Huskies

absolutely dispatch of the Washington State Cougars and the Apple Cup tomorrow. So you enjoy your time with Dave. All right, well, good. Thanks very much, Dick. Nice to hear from me. Appreciate you coming on the show, very much. See, Matt. All right, that's Dick Fane.

K-J-R Radio, the Apple Cup. You ever been to the Apple Cup, Rossi? No. Me either. Does it get the people going? I think probably in Washington State it does. I guess so. That's not bad, right?

I think Washington's, what, a four-touchdown favorite? No. Sounds like a real rivalry. I bet it's been... I often go to the best rivalry in college sports, Matt, of course. The best game. That would be OU versus Texas. Split down the middle at the Cotton Bowl. Will I be going this year?

Only if the Asheras aren't still in the playoffs. What do you think? I know how much you enjoy it. And you always come back with a good story. So I'm kind of... You're going to have to miss this year. I just... I don't think I want you going. That would be...

I think that would be... I think that would... be game five of a potential ALDS on October 11th when that game was happening. So maybe the series ends in four. You never know. And then I can go. Or three. And then the C.

Oh, okay. By the way, the Washington Huskies are 20 and a half point favorites at Washington State. That's no rivalry. We're going to bet that game, aren't we? We could. Who could you got? We'll do it for soft. You're going to take Washington plus 20 minus 20.

I don't know. Yeah, those guys are. I thought he was from Pullman. Ooh, Washington State is plus 900. You got a money line that bad boy? Lock at a week on a money line. It's a recorded line. You gotta call us.

Dr. Roto at 15 here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. This is Sports Talk 790. So there was something that Ross brought up earlier today when we were talking about the ESOC Paredes return to the Astor lineup, or at least on the active roster that you absolutely hit it on the head. Astros' Twitter is losing their mind over this. Not because he's coming back. I mean, there's general excitement with this.

But I went to the 4 U tab. but that's where I see most of Astor's sweater because there's no way I can follow those people. They're nut jobs. Most of them are like, God help this team if he gets hurt again. That's the thing I'm noticing, and I'm not saying that everybody's saying this,

but I am noticing a trend that people are not predicting or forecasting, but just maybe anticipating that this not going well. You're worried about it. Anxious about it. And unfortunately, it is something that's creeping in our head and it's something that's continued to come up, with the injuries.

It just continues to happen, and it's something that popped into my mind. And look, I'm sure Isok Paredes is given the full 100% go. Like, hey, I understand. I'm sure he understands the full risks of where he is that he could get re-injured. He wants to contribute to the team.

He wants to be out there. I'm going to tell you that the Astros as an organization had to have said, here are your two options. We can inject you with something. something in prey and you can rest or you can have surgery. You're done for the rest of season, but you should be ready to go in time for the 2026 season.

Those are two logical explanations. I'm sure the Astero has made a recommendation. What that recommendation is, I don't know. No one would possibly tell me this. But the professional athlete and the player probably says, if you're giving me a shot, at playing this year, I'll take that shot. So in that respect, I do give him plenty of respect for at least not saying, well, it is what it is.

I guess I'll be ready to go for 2026 because frankly, he may be brought up in trade conversations for the start of the 2026 season because there are, there is one too many infielders for next year's team. But we'll worry about that down the road. So I do give him his props, his flowers, for doing whatever he took to. to get back to where this is. The only thing that scares me is, if he does hurt himself now,

does he further, if he was to get any sort of injury, which we don't know that to be the case. We're not doctors. We don't know if he does get hurt. But if he does get hurt, and it's severe because of the fact that the hamstring is not 100%

and should not be tested in a competitive level, is he endangering part of his 2026 season when surgery would have more than likely taken care of it had him ready for spring training him next season. That's why you're saying that, and we've been thinking about this since this came down, I'm starting to think, is he, what type of role is he going to be in? Is he going to be tonight in the lineup?

Is he going to be in the lineup at all? Is he going to be de-hing? Is he going to de-h half the games? Obviously, we know he's not going to be in the field. So you basically have to wonder, is he strictly a pinch-hit bat? That's basically the lowest of where he would be. The highest possible would be de-hching every day. Is he going to be somewhere in between?

I don't know. I can't figure this out. Let's just do a guess. My guess is he doesn't wear a glove at any point this year. Yes, I would agree with that. I don't think he plays every single day. I think there could be a pinch hit role. I'll put it this way. I would think he's probably going to more pinch hit than DH. I would agree with that, I think. But hell, we could be wrong. We're just throwing out as conjecture. Well, yeah, we're not watching him run and all that type of stuff.

but Joe Espada did say earlier this week like hey we're going to ask him not to run 100%. Because here's what I think. If you pinch hit him, he gets a hit, you can then replace him with a pinch runner. Just if he was to DH, you're giving him four chances. Now again, he's been a good hitter, but you're also giving him four chances to get on base,

run first to second at less than 100%. And oh, by the way, second to third or trying to score on a sack fly and maybe re-injuring himself. And again, I'm not trying to treat him like he's some piece of a Christmas ornament where it could break. But it's got to be. It feels like it. It just kind of does.

That's why I'm starting to think maybe it is mostly a pinch, just a strictly pinch hit role maybe. I think they have in their mind what they think it's going to be, but what it turns out to be depending on how he feels once he gets the adrenaline going, it'd be something different. In theory, if you're putting him in D.H, he's top four in the lineup. I mean, you're going to put him out there first inning. could get on base and you're telling him not to run, you're costing yourself opportunities that runs. Yeah, because he'd be the slowest, he'll be, he was never quick to begin with. Correct.

But he'll be, he'll be, because I think the Astros is an organization will say take it easy out there. Don't try to get, don't try to go first, third on a base sit. Don't try to score from second on a base it. Unless he's just healthier than we think. Correct. And we'll find that out, not by what Joe Espada tells us. Yeah.

How we see it on the field. Tom, before we get to Dr. Roto. Hi, Tom. Hey, what's up, Matt? Hey, Ross. How are you doing? Good. Thank you.

Listen, can I be just right to the point with the Astros? I know you might have a lot of people waiting. I'll be quick. You've got your two best pitchers going tonight and tomorrow night. If they can't come through for us and the Astros can't get more than four runs, they're finished. Going into the series against a team that's hot, they've won 12 or 14 games. Can they keep that up? I don't know.

They've got a win on the road. They just won two hours. of three, but it's about the pitching for the Astros. These two games are must wins. Ross, don't roll your eyes. I did. But they are. I know you did. But we're

in that territory, guys. These are must wins, especially tonight. Draw first blood. I'm hoping that happens. Thanks for letting me in, guys. Thanks for the phone call. All right, let's get to Dr. Roto next, and we will discuss that non-flora story is coming up, Rossi. In 35 minutes, where's your non-flora story from?

That would be Bangkok, Thailand. All right. And Rossi, we also have today's edition of Hellyer and Not All Things About Clayton Kershaw. Oh, yeah, we're three quarters of a way done. Do you believe that, folks? And I've got turned out to be up. I don't know which one. I need to try. Go to give me the news. I really don't know what I should do. Fastest 30 minutes in Major Market Sports Radio, our good friend, the one the only.

Talk to Roto on Sports Talk 790. D.R. How are things, my friend? MT had a good week. It was a weird game last night. I thought that, I don't know, I thought the bills receivers are tough because there's so many guys there and there were names I'd never heard of before,

which is never a good sign. If I don't know your name, that's not a good thing. So bills are hard for fantasy because we love Josh Allen, we love James Cook, and then it's like a cast of guys that we wish we knew. more of. I understand. And are we going to start abandoning? Well, we'll talk about abandoning Miami

when they play next, but Buffalo obviously clearly is an excellent football team and has plenty of receivers to go to and put together a late stretch. Let's get to the injuries. The word Mr. Daniels is not going to play for Washington this week. How does that affect the commanders? Obviously it affects the commanders. But Mario is not terrible. It's been in the league for a while, knows how to run this offense. He ran it last year when Daniels missed some time. If there was ever a game to miss, I mean, playing the Raiders, not probably the worst case in area. D. Bo Samuel will get some shots. I don't really love Terry McLauron this week. I don't think that works out well. But if you've got this Kid Kroski Merritt, this would be the week to start.

I can't imagine that he doesn't get 20 carries. All right. And then we got Cincinnati with a new quarterback as well. And this goes to part of the Houston Toros for off to a two and oh start, Dr. Roto. Thank you for a sound advice, as always. Mr. Higgins, T. Higgins has let me down the last couple of weeks, kind of a slow start. How are we anticipating the skill position players for the Bengals with the new QB? Yeah, we don't love T. Higgins this week either. I do like Jake Browning.

Okay? Jake Browning is imagine James Winston. Guy who's going to throw for maybe 250 to 300 yards, going to throw for one to two touchdowns and he's going to throw two to three interceptions. He's going to make bad plays, but he's not afraid to throw the ball, but he's not afraid

to make a play. And I think when backup quarterbacks get get in there, you're like, oh, maybe it's going to hurt my skill players. I don't think it hurts the skill players a ton. I think Chase Brown gets actually more passes out of the backfield. Jamar Chase is never going to lose opportunities. The reason I don't love T. Higgins this week is who they're playing. Minnesota. Minnesota is going to do ball control because Carson Wentz is their quarterback. You're going to see a lot of Jordan Mason. So I'm a little scared off about T. Higgins this week, but not in general. All right. Well, that answer my question.

Thank you very much for that. Let's get to Aaron Rogers through two weeks. We noticed a significant difference between games one and two, because in that week one, game he threw for four touchdowns. Yeah, I mean, but look, Rogers is going to do exactly what he does. I think the surprise has been the Steelers defense. They've been horrific. The Jets look great. Sam Darnold and the Seahawks look great. So the question is now, is he going to make Drake may look great.

The better the opposing team plays offensively, the more Aaron Rogers has to do. I think Jalen Warren is going to get even more involved. Rogers realizes how good he is out of the backfield catching passes. And D.K. Metcalf is always a good start. I mean, Rogers goes to his top guy, and D.K. Metcalf is his top guy. I don't know if a lot of folks had the Cleveland Browns littered throughout their fantasy rosters, but the expectations were minimal, especially with Joe Flacco starting. They've got Green Bay coming in.

A lot of folks think this could be a huge blowout. How do you see this? And how are you concerned if you are, if things get out of hand in that Packer game? So look, the Brown's run defense has been surprisingly solid. Josh Jacobs, though, seems to score a touchdown every week. So I like Jacobs to get like 60 yards in a touchdown. I think where it explodes is Jordan Love. Jordan Love is going to have a pretty good week.

If the Packers are going to win, which I fully expect that they will, and Vegas has them scoring about 24 points. So if we give one touchdown to Jacobs, that's two to Jordan Love. Now, is it Romeo Dobbs? It could be. Is it Dontevian Wicks? Very well could be because they play a lot of Man Cups. Cleveland plays a ton of man coverage, and Wix does very well against man coverage.

So if there's a sneaky guy to catch a touchdown this week, it should be Dantabian Wicks. On the other side, Quinn-Shon Judkins is going to ramp up his opportunities. He's a very good player. Look, Joe Flacco is a placeholder. The next couple of years have really strong drafts for quarterbacks. I'm sure Cleveland will have one of those guys, but this year they don't. All right. Let's get to Indianapolis, 2 at 0 on this season.

frankly should be one in one because of the launching penalty that was called against Denver. I have not watched a lot of Daniel Jones. I'm watching Red Zone, but the little that I see, it's pretty good. Stund, are you? And if so, can he do it for Thursdays or week against a very subpar Tennessee team? I think he can. You look, Brian Gable never wanted him. Didn't want any part of him.

Now he goes to Indianapolis with Shane Steichen, who has worked with mobile quarterbacks before, like Jalen Hertz. and he's with a team that actually wants him to be there. They have good skill players. Michael Pittman is good. Josh Downs is good. Tyler Warren is terrific. Jonathan Taylor's great. So Jones has more than he had in New York.

So plus he's in a division. That's much easier. Now, Denver, that was a lucky win, like you said. That leverage penalty was crazy. But playing Tennessee, Tennessee's just not a very good team. I think Cam Ward is doing his best, but the Colts are better. Now, I think this game's going to be close. I do.

I think Tony Pollard will. play well. I think Calvin Ridley will play well. But look, I think this is the Colts game to win. I think Daniel Jones gets about 220 yards passing, maybe one passing touchdown, but he's always a threat to run. He could have 40 yards in a touchdown. He does that. You're looking at like a 28-point game from him. All right, we saw the Buccaneers on Monday night firsthand. They can run the football. I mean, they absolutely can. And Baker Mayfield can make the throws. And he can actually run occasionally to grab first downs. Maybe it was poorest tackling from the Texans. are home for an O&2 Jets team.

Have we not spent enough time prioritizing all the different key position players for the Buccaneers so far this year? Maybe so, but the Buccaneers have tremendous offensive line issues. Okay, Tristan Works is out. Cody Mock was placed in the IR. Another guy, Luca, got a key. He's out too. So this is a make shift offensive line.

The crazy thing is that Baker Mayfield, like you said, just makes plays. Now, what's even crazier is that Vegas still thinks the Buccaneers going to put up 25 points even without three offensive linemen. So what does that tell you? I think it tells you they believe in Bucky Irving, which I do too. And look, we have not seen the Mike Evans siding. We will see the Mike Evans siding this week.

I think he finally scores a touchdown. Chargers 2-0, probably going to face their best defense of the year at home against Denver. Can they make it a third straight week of putting up some big points? I think they can. You know, the way they play, they're just a very well-coached team. They call the right plays at the right time. Justin Herbert is very athletic, way more athletic than people giving credit for. There's a guy who can run for 30, 40 yards in a game. Their receivers, Quentin Johnson is actually holding on to the football. I mean, look at what happens when a guy doesn't drop the ball. Right? Now they have Keenan Allen. I love Keenan Allen this

week. If there was ever a week to play him, this is it. The Denver is, you know, open to slot receivers, right? They're a little suspect against slot receivers. So I don't really like Quentin Johnson or Ladd-McConkey this week. I really want to see O'Marion Hampton. This guy hasn't done enough yet for a first-round pick. We expect more. All right, let's get to the Texans and Jaguars. Jags should have beaten the Bengals last week.

You forced three turnovers and not win the game. That's silly. As far as the Texans are concerned, we saw Nico Collins reach the end zone very early in the game against the bucks on Monday, but was really silent after that. Are you getting nervous at all about the receiving core, especially Nico, and C. Jay's overall performances as the Texans go to Jacksonville this week.

Yeah, good point about Jacksonville. Diami Brown catches that ball last week in the end zone. I think there's a different outcome to that game. I think Jacksonville wins. The Texans have played really well on defense. But Stroud was so good two years ago, so good, that I think our expectations of him were to only get better and better. But maybe that wasn't the real CJ Stroud.

Maybe he's just a solid, decent quarterback, back, but not a star in this league. But you said it the best. Their wide receivers are young. Nico Collins is a stud. Kirk hasn't been healthy. Hopefully he's back this week. Higgins is a rookie.

Noel's a rookie. Schultz is okay, but he's limited. And they don't have a real running game. Nick Chubb doesn't look very fast to me. I mean, he's breaking some tackles, but he's not fast. I want to see more Woody marks. I think the more Woody marks we see, maybe the better because it's another person that a linebacker has to cover.

otherwise they're sitting and I'm double covering Nico Collins if you're the opposing defense why wouldn't you do that so do I think they beat Jacksonville I do I think Trevor Lawrence is going to be in for a tough week because the Texans past defense is very good and Lawrence as we see just those high hard to catch footballs and you're not going to win in the league if you do that all right time now for Ross Villarreal's weekly question to Dr. Roto yes you mentioned to Jake browning earlier just your thoughts overall on some of the backup quarterbacks because a lot of people have some guys injured. As far as waiver wires, it's maybe not the top build quarterback name that you think can perform this weekend. All right. So in terms of backup quarterbacks, I'm a big fan of Browning. I am. Marcus Marriota is one of those safe guys. I don't expect much. Same thing with Tyrod Taylor, right? Tyrod Taylor has been around this league forever. Are you winning with any of those guys? You're probably not. Carson Wentz is interesting because we know that Kevin O'Connell always makes his quarterbacks better. I think we haven't seen anything from T.J. Hawkins.

and I think we might this week. So that's a good pickup. I've got to believe that Daniel Jones is still out there in some leagues. Maybe people should be picking him up. I would say Daniel Jones won Browning two. Maybe Michael Pennix also this week against Carolina. It's a pretty good matchup. All right.

We got questions for Dr. Roto. You call in right now and get them in. 713-212-5-790s. Mariah Carey, huh? Okay. We haven't gone to her in a while. So said many men. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790 for the good doctor here on Sports Talks.

I mean, you have any questions or thoughts? Let's go. Let's get your questions in for the man who is going to help me finally break the Cal's Roughwriters' run of a championships here at the IHeart Radio League. We're going for four straight, baby. It's ridiculous. All right, Roto, let's go. Jonathan put up line two for us since let's say hi to Philip. on 790. Your question for Dr. Roto, please. Yeah, so I lost Joe Burrow. Yeah, I'm here. So I lost Joe Burrow, and I've got Michael Pennix or Aaron Rogers, and I'm trying to decide who to start. Yeah, I think I'm

going to go Aaron Rogers, because I think that's the game that could explode a little bit. Both defenses have not been spectacular. Here's the thing about Pennix. I like Penix, but two guys are really going to have a great week. One is going to be Bejan Robinson. I mean, against Carolina's own scheme, he should have. 100 yards in a touchdown. And I think Kyle Pitts, they run a lot of cover three there, and Pitts does very well against that coverage. So this feels like a Pennix 220 yard and one touchdown game where it could be more for Aaron

Rogers. All right, thanks for the phone call. Let's open the line up at 713, 212-5-790. 7-1-3-1-2-5-7-90. Let's go to Greg and Livingston for Dr. Otto. Hi, Greg. Yes, I lost Joe Burrow as well. but right now I'm picking up between Daniel Jones

and Trevor Lawrence. Now, I also have a Texan defense, so kind of curious about that. Mobile. And Trevor Lawrence, listen, there was some point last week's game, I don't know if you guys caught it, that Liam Cohen was basically screaming at Trevor Lawrence

to throw the ball so the guys can catch it. Brian Thomas Jr. is very upset. He had a great year with Mack Jones last year With Trevor Lawrence, he's been struggling. So Lawrence is not throwing a catchable ball right now. And that's an issue. Daniel Jones is confident on a good team. Give me Daniel Jones right now.

I can't believe I'm saying that, but I am. By the way, we've had two Joe Burrow calls to open up the show. And I know Rodo injuries you cannot predict. And when he's playing, he's awesome. But there's been a lot of downtime for Joe Burrow. It does affect our fantasy leagues. It just does. Yeah, it has to.

I mean, every year you go, and you say to yourself, if I have borrowed a chase, I have borough and T. Higgins, I'm going to win my league. And you probably will. But, I mean, how many times has this guy gotten hurt? And you'd think, get an offensive line in there. Somebody protect him. Right? It's like David Carr.

David Carr could have been a really good quarterback. We'll never know that because he got sacked 847 times a season because he never put out an offensive line in front of him. Yeah. Sounds like it could be another team here in Houston, Texas. Just saying, got to get that line protection for Cedray. Let's go to Hugh on 7.90. Hugh, you're on with Dr. Roto.

Go ahead. Hey, Dr. Roto. I got a question for you. I've got Xavier Worthy in multiple leagues. What are the chances he goes? Because I don't have anybody else on Sunday night or Monday. Yeah, no, Worthy's expected to play. I don't think there's a problem.

I've been watching some video from practice. He should be out there and they need him. I mean, who would have thought the chiefs are 0 and 2 and they're going to New York on a Sunday night game needing this win, they need this win badly. I think Pacheco is going to play better, and I think Davey Worthy's going to help Mahomes play well, so you can start him. All right, let's go to Jim in Missouri City on 790. Hi, Jim. Hello? Yes. Okay, Dr. Roto, I've got three players. I need to start two of them, which one doesn't make it? I've got Latman Kanky, Marvin Harrison, Jr., and Debo Samuel.

ball. Out of those three, which is two to our start? Yeah, I'm definitely playing Debo. For sure, I'm playing Debo. Marcus Marriott is going to throw some short passes to him. Ladd and Harrison, that's a tough one. It really is. Because, first of all, I don't think Lad's going to have that generational game against Denver. Nobody seems to. I guess I'm going to go with Marvin Harrison, but I don't really like that matchup either. I think the 49ers are going to control the pace of play. I think you're going to see a lot of Tray McBride. But if I have to choose between one or two, I'm clicking the button on Marvin Harrison.

Thanks for the phone call. Roto, is there any defense we need to avoid our skill position players playing? Anybody that's dominating so far through the first two weeks? Let's see. Who wouldn't? No, I mean, right now, I haven't seen anything that I'm targeting. I mean, obviously there are some bad teams, right? I mean, the Cowboys defense is bad.

The Bears' defense are bad. But the cards' defense are playing better, right? So certain teams' defenses, the Patriots had a good week last week. I think the Texans are playing well. So, you know, football is a very weak to week. game. I like the Falcons defense this week. Why? They're playing Carolina. Will I like them next week?

Maybe not. So, you know, that's why I always believe in streaming defenses and playing matchups. Scott on 790 for Dr. Rodo. Hi, Scott. Hi. I have Wondell Robinson or Jerry Judy on a flex position. Yeah, I don't really love

either of them, to be quite honest with you. You've got to think, though, that Packers are going to be winning and Judy is going to get some garbage time production. Wondale was sensational last week. But look, the chiefs are a little bit better than that. I guess I probably would go with Wondell just for the Sunday night, you know, mystique. And the fact that the chiefs have been beaten through the air before and not necessarily on the ground. And the Giants don't run the ball very well.

So if the Giants won't have any chance of competing, they're going to have to use neighbors in Wondale. All right. Thanks for the phone call. We appreciate that. Let's go to, let's see, Josh on 790. Hi, Josh. Hey, how you doing, sir? Yeah, I got J.K. Dobbins or Jordan Mason.

And then another one, Chubbard or Kenneth Walker. All right, first of all, you're playing Walker. Walker looks sensational last week. They're getting the Saints at home. Not sure he should have a great chance for one touchdown, maybe two. I like J.K. Dobbins, but we'll be talking about Mason in just a minute. Ooh, Roto, a little sneaky there, all right? Well, on 790.

Go ahead, Will, if you're a question for Dr. Roto. Yeah, I got Juan Jennings or Tyler Warren. Yeah, I kind of like Jennings this week. I think the way to beat the Cardinals is with short passes. Ricky Pearsall is more of their deep guy and the bigger play guy, and the Cardinals don't give up a lot of big play. So I think this feels like a lot of short passes to Jennings and to McCaffrey. Look, Jennings makes good plays, and they need him.

And it's a good – this is a big game for both teams, so I think I like Jennings. All right. Which running back in this group? Walker, Pollard, Pacheco, or Dobbins? Whoa, that was some crazy thing I overheard. Was it Pacheco or Dobbins? Is that my choice? Yes. Give me J.K. Dobbins in a revenge narrative and because we don't trust Pacheco. By the way, I gave everybody out here basal-tuton last week. I remember talking about him. Here's a guy you want to know for this week. Richard Smith from Kansas City. If Pachekyll can't get the job done this week, Rashad Smith's going to have a shot at that job.

He was really good at SMU last year, and I think that he could actually do pretty well. So just keep him on your watch list. He's a guy that you might be very interested in. All right. Jordan Love or Justin Herbert this week? Jordan Love because you can't run on the Browns, and I think that he's going to throw for at least two touchdowns.

All right. There are three people here you need in this PPR group of five. Three. Kamara, Brown, Thomas Jr., Warren, or Walker. Let's see. I'm going to play Camara and Chase Brown in a PPR for sure. Seattle gives up the most receptions to opposing running back, so that makes Camara interesting. Chase Brown, I think he's just going to have a lot of more opportunities.

It's hard to trust Brian Thomas Jr. And I think I've got to go with Kenneth Walker at home. All right. And David Montgomery or Brian Thomas? Wow, man, I like Montgomery at home. I don't like him usually on the right. road. Brian Thomas has been so annoying, but he's going to play.

I'll give him a shot only because I don't love Montgomery, and I think that Thomas is capable of having an explosive day and not Montgomery. I'm just going to tell you something right now, Rodo. This person emailed me the question on that. The last time he sent me an email was November the 20th, 2014, when he asked for you,

Pierre Galsone, Tori Smith, Kenan Allen, Marcus Colston, or Bishop Sanky? Bishop Sanky, that's a name. That's how long you move is, Rono. 2014 people have been asking you questions. Holy smokes. All right.

Last one on the phones. Koso, you're on 790 for Dr. Roto. Go ahead, please. All right. I got Elyke. I Aminora, Matthew Golden, DeAndre Hopkins, and I picked up this guy,

Diami Brown. Which one would you start in the flex? Thanks. Yeah, I think I'm going to start Golden. Love is saying all the right things about him. He feels due. I like Ayam. but not this week. Hopkins don't go chasing last week's points.

I mean, Brown is interesting. I mean, look, if Brian Thomas, for some reason, can't get his head straight, Brown had an opportunity to have two touchdowns last week. He caught one early, and he should have caught one weight. But I think Matthew Golden is the guy who would start. All right, ladies and gentlemen, we ask Dr. Roto once per week to give us a knockdown, drag-out, solidified winner that will help us in our fantasy leagues. We present to you, Dr. Roto's lock of the week.

Yeah, we teased it earlier. Jordan Mason, there's no Aaron Jones. I can't even tell you the backup for Minnesota. All I can tell you is that they said they're in love with Mason. They think he's going to be the Belcal back against a Cincinnati Bengal defense. We know how mediocre it is at best, good pass rush, not great anywhere else. Jordan Mason should get 100 yards in a touchdown. Lock him in.

And that, my friends, is Dr. Roto's lock of the week. Where can we find you between now and Sunday? 6.9.8. Central. And then, of course, you can find me at Dr.roto. And if you're on X, a DRROTO. All right. Dr.ROTO for all of his programming updates and his great service. Good doctor.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend. We'll talk again next week. Appreciate the time as always. Take care. I'm seeing. Bye-bye. All right. That's Dr. Roto with us here on Sports Talk 790.

1.30 is our time. non-Florida stories are coming up and i know rossi i know you're stunned by these things we've done it every friday for about nine years now dr rhodo then non-flora and then we've got hell yeah and out all things about clinton kershaw 131 on sports talk 790 we find interesting stories that occur outside the state of florida and share them with the people of hugh it's time for non-hore. Well, unfortunately, my story was flagged by the company for blocked content, but I was able to get it, so it's a legit story. Yeah, right. But it's a little dicey.

Would you like me to go first, second, or third sports RV? Go first, Matt. All right, here we go. Essex, England, gentlemen. An Essex woman says her marriage has fallen apart. You're saying, well, what happened? What happened? body cams caught police officers laughing at her sex toys during a raid on her house.

During the raid, Nicola Kor said officers from the Suffolk police were like, quote, children in a playground, throwing a G-string back and forth and pulling out thousands of dollars with the verotic gadgets out of the box while joking they were, quote, sticky. Thousands? Were they wearing gloves? She complained and Suffolk Police have now paid Nicola compensation after its professional standards department found the officer's behavior to have been, quote, unprofessional and unacceptable. Nicola's marriage has fallen apart since the incident, saying she blames trauma from the incident for the divorce, saying it diminished the couple's sex life. The raid, which happened back in October of 2003, was conducted on the suspicion that a member of her family was allegedly involved in the supply of control. drugs. Nicola was not arrested and the police investigation was no charges or prosecutions.

Nicola said one of the male officers was at the bottom of the bed. He picked up a pair of knickers and he threw them to the other male officer and he looked down and said, did you just throw them at me? After they threw the underwear, they found the box of toys. A young female officer got it down, put it on the bed, started pulling out all the things saying, oh, this is sticky, Oh, this is sticky. There was a blank ring in the drawer. They made a point of going, oh, look, there was a blank ring. They were taking the absolute blank.

It was like they were children in the playground the way they were acting. It was disgusting. Suffolk police denied officers ever touched the sex toys. A box containing sex toys was found, which is subject to comment with laughter from the officers, but at no point do they touch or play with the items. The underwear appeared to be moved in jest without any thing. thought given to the upset who could cause for the upset this could cause into the owner.

Here's a picture of her. Why are you showing me a picture of her? I just want to let you know that she's very upset look at her. They did make her, did they ask her to scowl before taking that picture? She's a scowler. Can you see Jonathan me in the computer? No, they're supposed to that. I can't say it. Oh, okay, I was going to say. So just be careful if your house is being raided by any, for any reason, like a drugs or anything or any sort of illegal activity, put the sex toys away.

because the officers may play with them. And that is my non-Florida story. Okay. Thank you, Matt. You're welcome. You want me to go? I don't care. Sure, why not?

Matt, what's your favorite strip club? Oh, the strip house in Las Vegas. It's an excellent steakhouse, right? No, no, strip club. Oh, I've not been to one in probably 15 or 20 years. Have you ever been to Rick's? I have. Vivid?

No. Onyx? Yes. Extyc? No. All these clubs. and more are owned by a company known as RCI Holdings Incorporated. And out of Houston?

I'm sorry, RCI Hospitality. And yes, they are Houston-based. Okay. State, you know, a lot of you know, should listen to whatever that's coming up because it could be affecting you. Well, unfortunately, some RCI executives are in hot water as they have now been charged with bribing a New York official with free trade. to some of the venues, private dances, and more to avoid paying more than $8 million in sales tax, authorities have said Tuesday.

New York Attorney General Letitia James alleging that RCA gave an auditor at least 13 complementary trips to Florida, including hotels and meals, plus up to $5,000 per day for, private dances at its strip clubs, including Tutsi's Cabaret in Miami. The auditor also received free dances, free food, free admission to the clubs in New York. James saying, quote, the executives shamelessly used their strip clubs to bribe their way out of paying millions of dollars in taxes. So you're saying a strip club operator using illegal tactics to avoid taxes. tactics to avoid taxes. Correct.

This is not a surprising story at all. 79 counts in a grand jury indictment unsealed on Tuesday. Five executives and three clubs in Manhattan charged with conspiracy, bribery, tax fraud, and other crimes. So the question people are asking is they're driving around town is, are those places still open? I would imagine so. And I'm going to guess more than just dances were given out at some of these. clubs. Jonathan,

any of ruling from you, please. If my radio career is cut off for some reason, which hopefully it's not.

I've got a long way to go still. Could I make the transition to strip club DJ announcer? Yeah, but you'd be under

three months you'd be kicked out for improper you'd be like these guys. And could you do the hours though?

Could you even stay that late? Yeah, man, you'd be falling asleep. Well, if I'm waking up with the strippers

at noon, my shift doesn't start until three. The strippers really wake up at two. You know strippers are open awake at noon. The original, the OG wake-ups. Yeah, it's terrible. Yeah, we just, yeah.

Okay. Oh, forget I asked that question. Move along. John of the Wood is you're not in Florida story this week. Okay. The Rhapsody of the Sea's cruise ship had pulled into a port in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 7th. As a passenger disembarked in a very unusual way, USA Today, report. reported Jay Gonzalez-Diaz jumped ship with his backpack.

A criminal complaint alleges which contained $14,600, two phones and five IDs. Two passing jets picked him up. Customs and Border Protection later detained him near the Puerto Rico Capitol. Gonzalez Diaz told CBP, customs border protection, that he went overboard because he thought he was going to have to be taxed due for bringing the currency in. But it's turned out He had a 16,710 debt with the cruise line Almost exactly Exactively

Excusively, excuse me Associated to Casino and Gaming Expenses CBD said Gonzalez Diaz could face a fine of $250,000 And a five-year prison sentence or both So rule of thumb Pay you back your debt

Don't go gambling on a cruise ship I think that's a very Well here's the thing. People are going to run in the dead on cruise ships. It's going to happen. But 16,000? Well, but you can't jump off the boat to avoid it. I mean, that's not, that would not have been the practical way to do things, right? Five IDs. Whose ideas were? Oh, they were, they were fake ideas, right? Yeah, yeah. I guess he was trying to like, I think he came with the money, right? Probably had a lot of money. Then had $14,000 left, and it was $16,000 in debt and try to jump ship. Well, uh, yeah, it sounds like you never shook

out on the boat to begin with. man, five. How many, I mean, have you ever gotten a fake ID before? No. In my entire life, the answer to me is no, because I was always older than I look, so I never had to worry about it. In Kentucky, they just give you the alcohol regardless, so. And don't forget the cigarettes either. Yeah, exactly, too. I'm not, not everybody. You don't want to come in?

Hmm. You don't make it mood shine or anything like that at all? I got nothing to say. Okay, that's fine. All right, and there's are your non-floor stories of the week. Thank you, Matt. Thank you. Again, if you have a lot of it.

sex toys, not going to judge you, just don't let the officers look at them. Right? Well, I don't think she was showcasing them, Matt. Especially they're not clean. No, they, yeah, they work. Yeah, that's true. Don't you clear? All right.

Believe it or not, is up next. Helly Aaron out is up next. 713 212-790. 7-1-3-212. 5-790. Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play America's fastest growing sports radio game show Monday through Thursday. We call it B, believe it or not.

But on Fridays, we call it a hell, yeah, or not. And here's how it works. We call 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Today's edition of Hell Yeah or Not is brought to you by absolutely no one. I'll bring it brought to you by my Instagram account at SportsMT. category today is all things about Clayton Kirschall. Regist statement about Clayton Kirshov's name is completely utterly accurate.

You'll say this. Belly, no, you won't. You'll say this. Hell you! There you go. If the statement's erroneous full of bunk and made up, you'll say this. Two hellier, not in a row. When you a pair of tickets, see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performing the Ghost of Christmas Eve. It's the best of TESO and more, December the 19th at Toyota Center. Tickets to the afternoon and evening shows are on sale now at toriotacenter.com.

713-212-5-7-90. Ken on 7-90, you're ready to play hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. Before being drafted 7th overall in 2006 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw had committed to play baseball at Texas A&M. Hell yeah or not. Not. That's a hell-ya, sorry.

Got to know that. Chris on 790, Chris, you're ready to play hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. Clayton Kershaw is third on the all-time. Dodgers strikeout list behind Dyn Drozdale and Don Sutton. Hell yeah or not. Not. That is correct. He's first. He's above both those guys.

Statement number two for the win. Clayton Kirschaw's regular season ERA is 2.94. His postseason ERA is 6.49. Hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. No, it's not that high. It's four and a half. It's not that high. Ross and Bellis a little bit. John on 790. John, what was your favorite part of today's 10 to 2 radio show? John.

I just tuned in. I just got on my lunch break. Imagine that lunch break at 154. All right, good luck to you, John. According to baseball reference.com, Clayton Kershaw's nicknames include The Claw and the Minotaur. Minotaur. Is that what it is? Minotter? Minotaur. Minotar. Hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. There you go. Statement number two for the win. Clayton Kershaw's only home run.

of his career was hit off as at Granky. Kershaw signed the ball and gave it to Granky as a joke. Hell yeah or not. Not. That is also correct. Congratulations. We're going to get you a better lunch hour. That lunch hour at 154 is kind of late.

Aaron on 790, ready to play hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. Clayton Kershaw has never had Tommy John surgery. Hell yeah or not. Not. He has never had it on. Oh, yeah. Thank you.

Sean on 790, what was your favorite part of today's 10-2 radio show? I just tuned in, Matt. Not going to lie. Okay, Elisha you're honest. Clayton Kirshaw is a huge fan of the band Metallica, and in 2016, he was brought on stage to raucous applause during a show at Dodger Stadium. Hell yeah, or not? Hell yeah. No, Ross made that up.

People just tune in at 155. Are they just waiting for the A-te-te-te-te? I mean, am I supposed to be offended by? I mean, it's okay. Tony on 790, ready to play hell yeah or not? Hell yeah. Clayton Kershaw has four children, all of them with C-names. Chance, Charlie, Callie, and Cooper. Hell yeah, or not?

Hell yeah. There you go. Congratulations. Rossi, have a great weekend. You'll be on Astros duty tonight. Yes. And then I'll see you tomorrow morning early. Yes.

Do I need to call you and wake you up? I'll be fine. Are you sure? Yes. You can call your brother, wake him up? If you will, I don't know about him. So many drinks he has at the Maine Millis show. All right.

Oh, yeah, you're going to see Maine Millis. I'm not. But you're working Astros. Correct. A man who's going to entertain you for the next four hours. His name is Adam Wexer. He is one half of the team, and he's next on 790.