The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Cougars Clinch ANOTHER Big 12 Title, Blanco To Start In Astros Spring Training Game

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" recap the No. 4 Houston Cougars defeating No. 10 Texas Tech 69-61 on Monday. The Cougars clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title with the win, becoming the first team to win a major conference title in its first two seasons in a league since Idaho did it in 1922-23. Matt and Ross also:preview the Rockets hosting the Bucks without Fred VanVleet in the lineupdiscuss Ronel Blanco making his first start for the Astros this season in a spring training matchupbreak down the latest headlines ahead of the NFL Combinegive their latest "Gut Feelings" and more.

Launch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. 10.1 in H-town. Good morning, everyone. And welcome to a Tuesday edition of the Matt Thomas show with Ross here on Sports Talk 790, where your team, my team, America's college basketball team. Knocked off the Texas Tech Red Raiders last night in Lubbock. Even though they're not America's College basketball.

basketball team. That would be Duke. No, no, no, no, no. America's going to fall in love. Fran Frashella loves the Cougars. Matter of fact, I think Fran Fischella wants to make sweet love to the Houston Cougars. That's how much he loves the Houston.

Probably. Always great, great informed, cliche analysis from Fran Fershilla. Oh, man, if we ever get him on the show, I'll make sure you'll take a break or something, work on believe or not. Yikes, Sports RV. He's not listening now, is he? Well, I mean, we've tried to get him on before.

I'm sorry. We tried to be honest on this show, Matt. You really think he's a cliche machine, huh? You think he's not? I've never really paid a whole lot of attention. I just know he's just a huge Calvin-Sampson fan. For that, he's a guy in my book. Well, who couldn't love Calvin Sampson?

Despite his career being marred by several cheating scandals, he's just done a really great job and really built up this Cougars program. That was a one-time thing. And by the way, what he got a five-year ban for, basically. Not basically. It's 100% legal now. Well, that's okay. It still was completely illegal then, so Matt, And just because you break a marijuana law when it was actually on the books doesn't mean that you know what?

You're about to get blocked. You're about to get blocked like that guy that blocked me this morning. I mean, completely disgraceful NCAA sanctions. But other than that, I mean, it's just been great. Fantastic stuff from Calvin Samson, one of the great all-time college coaches. First ballot, pro-backer. I'm not sure. First ballot basketball Hall of Fame.

One of the goats. Absolutely. By the way, shout out to Texas Tech. That place was rocking last night. 15,000 people at the... Wow. Shmited supermarkets arena. What?

Not to be confused with the airline. I'm very confused. Yeah. Is the supermarkets like the airline? Yeah. Not owned by the airline. There's delays in every single line. Oh!

They lose your grocery bags? Oh! I mean, this is great material, but I want to know the foundation of why this is coming in so quick. I'm feeling great, Matt. I can tell. My gosh, you have come in. I mean, all guns of blazing. So I did tweet yesterday, sorry for your loss, at Pat Mahomes, who was at the game yesterday.

That's a shame. I actually dropped a like on. Somebody put that AI picture of Pat Mahomes crying with Calvin Samson. That was hilarious. I saw that, too. That was very funny. You know, I'm like an eight-year-old when it comes to these AI pictures. They always make me laugh.

Well, the problem is, as much as I want to laugh, there are sometimes that makes me very scared because I get fooled about what is being said or what is being shown. So as long as we, I would give this advice to you and to anybody out there, let's just be super careful what we consume and what we believe to be AI and what is, you know, because it very well could be AI, and that's completely false. But there is a photo of Pat Mahomes in a, in a Chief's uniform shaking Kelvin Samson's hands that is pretty funny.

So, and Ross, you and I have talked about this before. You and I in particular, we smack-talk each other's university, right? I mean, it is unbelievable. We've been talking smack about University of Houston and University of Texas for 15 years. Yeah, it is unbelievable that you continue to talk smack about U of H when they've really just done nothing. Well, all I can tell you is we're going to win another Big 12 regular season championship. We're probably going to be a worst case of two-seat in the NCAA tournament. Let's get that one seed, baby.

Let's go. I'm ready. and next week when I go to New Orleans I'll be taking some Venmo money from you and we'll be putting down a certain wager towards our beloved Houston Cougars. Yeah, I'm feeling a much better that now I felt better when it was 12 to 1 and now that they keep

winning it might keep going whittling down but it was 9 to 1 last we checked. Now remember my gut feeling was the Cougars are only going to lose one conference game. Yes. They have three left. You tried to say zero and I backed you off of that. I know. I almost went back to two down. I'm like you know I got to stand on my

staying firm on this. So there's 16 and 1 in the conference. They have three conference games left. Do you know what they are? You know, I'd have to look it up. Okay, I got it. I got it. Home for Cincinnati, Dub.

Home for Kansas, Dub, at Baylor, Doug. You're all good. Those last two could be kind of tricky, although Kansas isn't the same team they were the last couple. Baylor's 500 in the Big 12. Okay. That may be one of my five best gut feelings? Yeah, because normally they're really bad.

Thank you very much, Ross. That's strike three so far on the insulting people today. I told you. I think I'm like 20% meaner to you when you're on the road. Maybe it's subconscious some of it. I think it's fully conscious, 100% of it. Are you kidding me? By the way, we are with you today until 1150.

We've got Astro Spring Training Baseball. And Ross, they're going to play today. The weather is much better in West Palm than it was yesterday. Do we have anybody that we can get a West Palm weather report? Well, the forecast yesterday was day-luse. and it was like the game was called like at 7.30 in the morning like we're not playing this game. I think the entire state of Florida was under a severe thunderstorm. Games all across the state were basically canceled.

Okay. So I want to go back to my central point on this. So, and maybe I'm just built differently, but I think smack talk among your buddies in college is absolutely 100% of very. to us we should do it as long as we're not taking really really bad cheap shots you know insulting your heritage or insulting your family or insulting i mean just you know there's a line and i did by no means that i crossed a line yesterday when i said sorry for your lost pat mohomes that's just regular old smack talk he's not going to respond to it he doesn't care he gets 9 million tweets he's also worth

500 million dollars at least if there's anybody that's not going to worry about a little old radio host in houston and announcer it's going to be me it's going to be pat malhomes but i had one guy not only unfollow me rossy but he blocked

me love it blocked me that's good you don't want him in your life i don't want and he's a texas tag guy and he's a 1960s music connoisse sewer, which probably puts them out of demo, which, you know, bye, but that's not here nor there. But then this morning when I woke up and I, you know, sporadic sleeping habits, I put a tweet

out this morning. I said, look, my son went to Texas Tech. I love Lubbock. And you know if you've listened to show for any link to time how much I love Lubbock. You didn't have to send this, Matt. Just because people are being soft. But I was going to do it regardless of that guy or not, I was like, because you know, I mean, this is the thing is that you wish that everybody that following you on Twitter, listened to your show every day. No. But they don't. So I'm just saying, I am very pro-Texis tech. I absolutely love it.

And if I would have known more about Lubbock when I was in younger, I may have gone there. They don't have much of a communication school, so it was not really on the top of my list. But I loved going there. I love when U of H plays there. I wish it could have gone last night. But at a Rockets game here today, plus a show. I think Lubbock's fantastic. It's a great college town.

now basically people that have told me for generations including my son and my wife too she went to texas tech for a while either you love lubbock and you want to you want to spend as much time there or you want to get home as fast as possible because you're likely homesick and you don't like west texas it's there's no middle ground it's either you love love it or you hate it so i love it but this gibroni i was like are you kidding me not only did he unfollow me which again people unfollow things for bad tweets or they don't like him you argue but to block me I would say one small thing, Ross, and please excuse my French on this. Bitch, please.

And I'm done. Thank you, Matt. He was obviously very upset about the loss last night. Great crowd. Do you know what the most impressive thing about the entire night was? What was the most impressive thing about the entire night? That dude, did you see the putt? I did not.

You didn't watch the game, did you? I had it on in the background. I was, you know, looking up every now and then checking the score. there is a guy, college kid, that put a golf ball on the baseline on one end of the floor, on the floor, and rolled a putt 94 feet to the other side of the baseline, and it went through the hole to win the prize. Oh, wow, nice. Impressive.

So, first of all the time, at Toyota Center for the Rockets games, and people generally speaking aren't very close. The last guy was close. Yeah, but I mean, it's been, it's been, it's been, off watching, honestly. So, and the thing is I can't figure it out, maybe somebody can help me out with this. I don't know what the guy won, but it better be a damn good prize. That's a hard-ass thing to accomplish.

90-foot, four-footer on hardwood? On hardwood. Pretty tough. Toyota Center, at least they put it on like a green felt or something. Yeah, they put the felt out. That was, and then as soon as he won, and I mean, give the guy, the kid props, he were Noval Litter and bumped hips with Pat Mahomes. Oh, really?

Yeah. That's cool. Good for him. What a thrill of a lifetime. That maybe in itself was the award that he should, you know. He got a $100 gift card to that supermarket. By the way, best name of the night last night for Texas Tech. Their starting center, Rossi.

His name is Federico, Federico. I like that. sounds like an opera singer. Hey, did you know Federico? Federico? He's going to be at the hobby center? Ooh. Would you like to do a Federico and Federico impersonation when we come back?

No, I think we're good. I don't think I'm up to par of my opera singing, man. I mean, I could do it if you want me to. No, let's have Connor do it. Connor, you want to do a little opera Federico, Federico? Sure, I'll give him my best go. All right, ladies to gentlemen, we come back. Conardee McGovern is going to sing

Impersoning Federico From Finland Is he really? Yeah Now I will say this What was Mrs. Federico thinking When she named her son Federico Is probably a family name of some sort

I don't know Now my Uncle May he rest Was named My dad was Jerry It's twin And his brother Thomas

My last name is Thomas So it does happen occasionally that my uncle Tom was Tom Thomas. Tom Thomas? Yeah. That's pretty funny. I don't think he was a big fan of it, honestly. Do you think Lori Markin is scared about being the seven-time finish player of the year? Now with Federico Federico, Federico into the fold?

Federico, Fereco was two for two of the slam dunk last night. Played 29 minutes. He's climbing the ranks of all-time great finish players. All right, I'll start. I'll go with Federico, Federico. I'll go Lori Marketing in. And I give up. Oh, look at Dodgers.

You should have made me start. He's, no, he's Slovenian. Slovenian. No, I think he's got to finish. You ain't got a nationalization there. All right. If you'd like to join us today, let me ask you all a question. When you smack talk with your buddies, can you base it that'll get away with college stuff more than you can, anything else?

Like, you're not going to make fun of your wife or your girlfriend or your job or your. or your hair or your stomach or your facial hair or your clothes. You have boundaries on that. For me and my bros, college smack talk is just a rite of passage. And I just, I, there's, like, I hear Ross, and I'm going to get to a break here, I hear Cougar High all the time, all the freaking time.

It does not bother me. I hope you notice that I don't use that one, Matt. It's low-hanging fruit. It's a low-hue fruit. I mean, if you're going to insult me and tell me, if you're going to bash on U of H, you've got much better material. Like, I'll give you, I'll help you all out. Conference USA.

The American. Robertson Stadium. Hoff Seine's Pavilion. Crime. I'll give you. I'll give it to you. Most of that has been resolved. Not all of it.

713-212-5-790 7-13-212-5-7-90 How far can you take your smack talk with your buddies when it comes to colleges We can go We go There's very few things off limits When it comes to our colleges

But maybe I'm just, me and my buddies are a different group 7-13-212-5-790 I want to remind you That Love Volleyball is back in action This weekend at the Fort Bend epicenter. In fact, it's going to be on Thursday night. 7 o'clock, it's League One volleyball, Houston, taking on League One Volleyball Salt Lake. It's the Fort Bend County

Epicenter. Seven o'clock is match time, and we want you to go buy tickets. You can do that by simply going to the league website at LOVB.com. That's LOVB.com for League One volleyball. Best Olympians, best college, All-Americans, outstanding international players are now representing the city of Houston in the new pro volleyball league that is known as League one volleyball check it out online lovb.com to get your tickets this thursday if your daughter plays if your son plays if you love volleyball you played back in the day go check out the very best that are doing it at the professional level league one volleyball houston v salt lake seven o'clock

thursday fort bank county epicenter lovb dot com be there this is the matt thomas show with Ross on sports talk 790 prior on the bounce prior the leaner lost the ball bounces around prior has a kickout us hand left wing three got it mylos use and with a massive left wing three to put the cougars in front by six walton on the bounce top of the key launches the three in and out there's the horn and the cougars win for the scoher's second season in a row, the Cougars are the Big 12 champions. 69, 61, the final. And America rejoices.

Record ratings for that game yesterday. I believe 17 million people watched that game yesterday between Texas Tech and Houston. Is that accurate? No. I was trying to catch you off guard. I was like, there's no way. Yeah. But, I mean, there's nothing else going on.

Monday Night Raw was on. Yeah, like I said. Well, you know why? You know the rest of networks did? We can't put a game on the night. That's true. It was like the Super Bowl. Exactly.

Nobody could put anything on but reruns. That's exactly right. By the way, today's tweet of the day is brought to you by Southside Rich 64. Rossi, he says, when that kid at Tech hit the putt and won the prize, I was shocked you didn't get a flag for hitting Patrick Rahomes. Hmm. Unnecessary roughness. That's funny. It's a chuckler.

It's a chuckler. It's the tweet of the day. So I got the block of the day and the tweet of the day right there. Yeah, we're proud of you. I didn't do anything. 713, 212,1, 790. All right. So, Ross, you and I go at each other with Texas and Houston.

Generally speaking with your friends in your life, how far can you take college smack? I don't do it that much. You're the one more obsessed about it than anybody else. I probably know. Which again, is crazy considering you represent a program that hasn't won a national championship in any major sport ever. And golf. Yeah, like I said, major sport.

Well, I'm going to tell you this right now. And I mean this in all sincerity. And you can't, you're not supposed to think this way. But this is just the reality of it. If they don't win the national championship or at least, I should say, let me check. bet. If they don't get to the final four, I will be devastated. They're getting in the final four, I think.

And that means anybody that hates me or anybody wants to tease me, if you're going to send me sorry for your loss, I fully expect that. You will have earned it. I will have absolutely earned it. But if they do go to the final four, I will be even more insufferable than I normally am.

Yeah, what if they win it all, though? then you're probably going to have to, I don't know what I'm going to do. Because I don't know what that's, do you understand, Ross, and I don't mean to, I don't want to show age here, but I'm going to tell you,

I'm 52 years old, okay? I have been a Houston Cougar fan since 1982. I have been a Cougar fan for 42 years of my life. I went to college at the University of Houston. I met my wife at the University of Houston. I have called their basketball and their football games on two separate occasions.

I do some television for them right now. I am as cougar as it gets cougar, okay? I can't handle a, well, we competed hard and lost the sweet 16 level. I can't handle that. I don't want that. It's not fair. Okay. So there is no...

hard fought season. Damn, the breaks when you didn't go your way. What else? Good job. It's hard to win, Matt. Huh? It's hard. It's about winning.

Now, if you're a little, if you're Texas that just gets in the tournament as the last 14 going in, if you win a game or two, it'd be fine. If you're, I want more, I just don't expect more. Yeah, I mean, if you're like, um, who's, uh, if you're an Iowa state or if you're a, uh, I don't know. Iowa State's probably got some expectations. Okay, but I mean, give me a... If you're in Missouri,

I mean, nobody in Missouri is thinking they're going to the final four. No. So if you win a tournament game or two, man, this was a fun season. I don't have time for that. Anybody got time for not winning the damn going to the final four? And I can't tell that Coach Samson, because they don't get mad at me. He will get very mad at you. I mean, let me ask you this.

You're an alum. You didn't finish school. Let me put you went there, and you still proudly represent the University of Texas. I don't represent anything there, no. I'm going to root for their teams. You're ruining my, excuse me, you like them. Is that better?

Yeah. I'm not an ambassador. Well, God knows. I wouldn't expect them to. Yeah, I root for them too. I still get emails asking for donations. I bet you do. You say, new address, who this?

They don't mind me cutting the checks if they want them. So you have been a bridesmaid two straight years. Not even a bridesmaid. Well, you were bridesmaid one year and you were like a groomsman. No, you were an usher one year. No, they didn't even make the final either year. Okay. So

aren't you ready for them to win the whole thing now? Aren't you, you're just like... It'd be nice. I'm... I've drinking from the championship cup. I was on campus when they won. you know what it's like. I don't know what it's like, Ross. It was great. I got three final fours back to back to back with maybe the greatest college team of all time and I got Bupkis for a national championship. I need more. Not only that, but Texas beat the greatest team of all time. If people forget, ESPN was literally running a series of that U.S.A.C. team going up against like the four horsemen and great army teams, not the Detroit Lions, but like the 0-1 Miami, it was like,

here's how we break down the they had like Kirk Herb Street on there breaking down hypothetical matchups against like 1941 army they're the greatest team of all time and they were going to beat every team throughout history and Vince Young and Texas beat them

oh it's beautiful Drew and West Chase at 1027 on 790 Drew good morning Good morning, good morning Ken Folk fellow Thomas here just got to say C-O Oh, no, no, no.

Be careful. Be careful. Be careful. Okay, be careful. The brother effing. All right, here you go. Okay, let's keep it family-friendly, Drew. We've got to be careful.

Oh, yeah, yeah. This is a Christian show, I already know. But, no, it's all good, man. What a team. What a city. What a coach. So proud of him, man. And to get to your question of the day,

I think you can take it pretty far. I mean, there's really no hard feelings. I mean, it's not something to be sensitive about. It's all in good fun. Like, I could say, you know, U.T. is a culture full of brats that throw trash on the field when they don't get their way. You know, something that, you know. Hey, it only happened that one time. I mean, Texas Tech is what, let's be honest, Texas Tech is known for being in BFE, Texas.

Number two, it smells their half the year, which I don't mind. it is what it is. Three, they throw tortillas, which is one of the dumbest bits I've ever heard of my entire life. Yeah, yeah, I don't get that. There's Raider Rash. I mean, anybody knows what Raider Rash is. Yeah, yeah.

Right, you know what I mean? Yeah, and, you know, I was listening to the show since I started, and I noticed Ross was in a little bit of a mood, and so I was, like, wondering why. I scoured the top 25 of the college basketball rankings. I didn't see on that. And then I was like, no, that can't be right. So I double and triple check, no.

And then I went and looked at the record, what, 16 and 11? Ah, man. No, Drew, you're checking the wrong rankings. Texas is number one. Texas is actually number one. Texas is number one. In basketball. Texas is number one in college basketball.

Fact. Yeah, there's no argument to that. Of course, it's the smaller basketball. It's the women's game, which is fine. Yeah, Matt. It's great. Don't be chauvinist. Texas is number one.

I'm respecting U.T.'s's greatness in women's basketball. All right, Astros update. Joe Espada giving us the daily update of what's happening with the Local 9, his spring training squad ticking on the, are they taking on the Mets? I don't know who they're playing. I think it's the Mets. I think it is. All right.

We've got the broadcast. We should know these things. We really should, but we know who Renele Blanco is going to pitch today. How about that? Love it. There's some breaking news for you. Just stay healthy. I don't care how many runs he gets up.

Just give us seven runs in two innings. No discomfort. Yeah. No absolutely zero to discomfort. All comfort. 713-212-5-790. With the word right now for the Shell Federal Credit Union, if you're looking to purchase a new vehicle,

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A $200 gift card to the tractor supply. That's actually not a terrible guess. Free tumbleweed removal. Ooh. He spun a wheel before the put and he won a pair of AirPods. Are you serious? That is, that's weak. Yeah, I mean, it's college basketball.

Budgets probably limited for Texas Tech College Basketball. Sponsors also limited. That's pretty bad. I mean, come on. Give the Pat Mahomes. Cut the kid a check. Pay for a semester of tuition or something. Oh my gosh.

That's terrible. Absolutely terrible. All right. 713, 2125-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790 is how you reach our show if you want to get in today. We have a shorter show today. We got gut feelings at 1120 this morning, I should say, 1120 this morning. So if you want to partake in said event, that is coming up in a...

about 45 minutes from now. From Brian McTaggart, real quick before we go back on the phones, Pedro Leone is a grade 1 MCL strain and is out for, quote, a while. I was going to do all this at the news at noon, Matt. We don't have the news at 11 o'clock. Nope, nope, nope, nope, none of that today. Sean Dubin has shoulder inflammation and is shut down. Hmm.

That doesn't that sound good at all. All Otto and then Gather have been reassigned on minor league camp. Okay. That's fine. Yordon Alvarez and Jeremy Paineau, will play on Thursday. Okay. And Jose Al-Tuvae will get in a game in left field later this week. Let's go, baby.

The left field experiment. Do you feel like we need to record some of our shows now and play them back later this year? No, I don't want to hear any of this. Are you sure? Yeah. Because right now your glass is extraordinarily full on Jose Al-Tube and Lerbe in L'A. Yeah, we don't want to hear, I don't want to hear any of this. When he starts butchering balls,

when, like, Chas McCormick strikes out 76 times in a row. Oh, God. When, like, three pitchers get hurt. I don't want to hear any of my optimism from spring. It's going to make me even more sad. I do think we should record. I told you, every year we go to spring training. Every year, I come out of there, like, yeah, let's go, baby.

100 wins. You're 100%. Feeling good. Yeah. Kyle and Pearland at 1038 on 790. Kyle, good morning to you. Good morning, Matt Ross. Hope you guys are doing well.

Thank you. Got a comment. You know, you talk about these schools. You know, U of H in Texas has pretty classy fans compared to the Arizona fans. I don't know if you saw what they did the other day at the BYU game. That's uncalled for. I know BYU has some bad fans up in Utah with the Utah Jazz especially. But I don't know if you heard what they did, but there's no room for that.

the sport. It was kids around and stuff. How do you feel about that? No, religion is off limits 100%. Exactly. 100% off limits. And unfortunately, it is low-hanging fruit for people that

play BYU to do that. And it's uncalled for. Now, that's not my religion. I don't quite understand their religion, but that's not my, that's not my place to judge that. Exactly. So, you can't do that. You can't talk about ethnicity. you can't talk about somebody's kids, somebody's wife.

The smack talk we're talking about is, I mean, again, if you're going to smack talk me, you're going to make fun of the Cougar High Bit, you're going to make fun of the fact that our fans don't fill the building, that we've had a bunch of different coaches, our facilities weren't great until about five or six years ago. There's plenty of good old-fashioned smack talk you can get in. Like when I, like Texas State, I mean, basically Ross, we've talked about before. It's basically open enrollment in Texas State, right? I mean, let's give it. Let's call it as we see it.

Except since rate is close to 99%. I mean, it is what it is. We're not going to, you know, we're not judging too much. But we love our Bobcats. To your point, Kyle, it is happening way too much. And all we're getting from these institutions is I'm sorry. And if I was that, of that faith, I would be offended by that. And I think it's uncalled for, but it's happening a lot.

And the only thing that, first of all, there's no justification. for it. But BYU fans have been rather boisterous over the years, and certainly when they grow up, they become jazz fans, and they're come. And jazz fans are typically some of the worst in the NBA with their blank talking back to NBA players that do insult

their ethnicity, that do insult their relationships, that do insult things. So I'm not saying that an eye for an eye, because it's not the case, because what they did the other day, and it's happened in a lot of BYU games, is pathetic, frankly. Yes. I just want to see how you felt about it, man.

Oh, my God, yes. So I appreciate it. Yeah, yeah. It's just, I mean, religion is completely off limits. Thanks, Kyle, for the phone call. I can't imagine anybody going, oh, man, I mean, seriously, Ross, could you imagine attacking an ethnicity or religion going, that was a really good one?

I'm really proud of myself on that one. Yeah, maybe off air and private with people you know. You know what I'm saying, like, of that certain, that religion. Or of that. Yeah, if you've got a Mormon buddy, you might make a Mormon joke. It depends, but it depends on who that person. Your friends, right. It's your friends is what I'm saying.

You don't go up to the Mormon church and start shouting stuff. Yeah, I have a Mormon friend who we tease each other about the food that Mormons like to eat. And it's a joke, but it's very, very hard. If you're close friends with somebody, nothing is off limits with the real bros. Yes. I mean, Ross for years in this show would play Gunfire when bringing up University of Houston. I'm sad. I don't have that instant replay machine anymore.

That was good times. Thankfully, Connor has some tact. It will never do such a thing like that here on the radio show. And for that, we thank him very much. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Ross, the NFL Combine begins tonight. You excited?

Huge. Can't wait. It is such a big deal that they're doing it at night now. Really? Yeah. Makes kind of sense. Anything NFL does put on in prime time. It'll be fine.

I guess. Well, Shadur Sanders won't be there. And your buddy, Ashton Genti brought this up yesterday, is not going to compete at all either. He will not be signed. I've heard he has refused to sign with Thomas Sports Enterprises. Thomas Sports Enterprises is not bullish on Ashton Genty. But they're bullish on Will Levis. Let me tell you, you can't wait for me to be wrong.

Oh, man, it's going to be great. I'm kind of scared, actually right now. Oh, you should be. I mean, I've never prayed for a man to get hurt. Oh, come on now. That's too much. I kid. I kid, I really do.

We can hear you gritting your teeth. 713, 212. I'm not going to say any more in this segment. Yeah. 7.13-2-1-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. We're with you today until 1150. So please come in and say hello to us.

We've got gut feelings coming up at 11. We have Rockets basketball tonight against the Millie Wauke Bucks. We'll discuss that among the things. Plus Astros baseball spring training back in the air today on 790. Back to Ross at 1043. And back to me telling you to go to, look, put it in your browser. You've heard me talk about synergenics. Synergenics.com. They are the true TRT experts. You've got a lot options. I understand when it comes to testosterone clinic. Should I go here? Should I go there? I'm going to tell you why synergenic. Some of those other places, there's just going to

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You can hit those New Year's resolutions with synergenics. They've got clinics all over town. at CinergenicsHealth.com. That's S-Y-N-E-R, G-X-Health.com, Cinergenics, health.com. Matt and Ross, return. Return on Sports Talk 790. 1049. The Matt Thomas show with Ross.

It's very nice to have all of you with us on this Tuesday. Astros baseball coming up at 1150. And we'll have an old show 10 to 1150 tomorrow as well. Gut feelings coming up in a half an hour from now. Rockets against the bucks tonight. We'll have it for you here on 790. beginning with the launch pad at 6 o'clock, hosted by Sports RV Ross Villarreal.

That is correct, Matt. Live from the Toyota Center. So I'll see you later tonight. Looking forward to it. 6.30, the network pregame, and then we'll have the tip time a little past 7 o'clock, San Antonio, after that tomorrow night. We'll say I'll tell you.

Oh, Fred Van Vleet listed as questionable for today's game. That's good. Better than doubtful or out. Put it that way. Yes. he has missed let's see how many eight straight games

let me ask you this real quick before we get back to the NFL talk do you think Fred has done enough by being out to basically tell the Rockets man you'd really need me you might want to opt in on that Rockets

you don't I mean yeah I don't know if they will go with a opt out and have a renegotiation maybe a longer contract that could happen I guess I'm sorry out of dollars but he's only I keep thinking he's older than he is. He's only 30.

Yeah. I mean, I don't know if I don't know how he would take to being a reserve or... Oh, I'm sorry, 31 today. This is birthday. Happy birthday. So he's 31. Let's get him a gift. How about the gift of a... I think he's doing okay. He's making $40 million a year. And by the way, he's a good dude, okay?

I want to make sure I'm very clear on this. But this shows you how crazy the NBA is. Fred's a nice player, right? Yes. One time all. One-time All-Star, part of a world champion Toronto team a handful of years back. Yes. And has been a huge part of the reason why the rockets are now relevant as compared to a couple of years ago when they were not. And you had to take a fly-on guys.

And you had to, you know, and in this case, when the rockets were with three straight 60 losses, you got to overpay sometimes to get back on the map. And so he's done quite well for himself. Yeah, they needed to get to the cap floor. They also needed to spend the money to attract a veteran like Fred Van Vleet. So it wasn't overpay, but it's, I mean, it's worked wonders here in my opinion yeah i mean no one ever goes if you're at anti-fred guys because you just don't like fred's game but you're not going you're not saying you're anti-fred because he makes

forty million dollars yeah i'm cutting i ain't cutting the check i don't care i'm happy fred's here i again i like him a lot i think if you all get to know him a little bit you'd like him a lot and i think he likes it here so much that i think he would actually take less money to stay here now you know i never had this conversation because that's not my business come on matt you're supposed to be our Rockets insider. Oh, so you want me to go to a guy and say, hey, would you take Lex money, please? Okay, I mean, I'll do that. You know, if they win tonight and I talked to him in the post game, shall be the first question.

Hey, Fred, how good was it? I know you want to talk about getting back on the floor, but let's be honest. Where is your contract situation right now? That sounds great. Those are probably questions you'll get nowhere else in here on Rockets Radio. But, again, I like him. I hope he's around. I think he's a really good influence.

I think he's really good influence on the younger basketball players and his team. And look, the Rockets just haven't been as good. They've been missing a clutch factor since he's been out these eight games. I think the word that continues to be used by Yomodoka is organized. He gets them organized. And that's absolutely works. Yep. It's right.

All right, NFL Combine is tonight. By the way, D'Amico Ryan's is going to speak later today. And you know I'm not talked about this, honestly. And it'll be up to Nick Aserro to speak tomorrow. In all seriousness, is there anything you want to hear from Domeco? or are we just looking for the typical D'Amico clichéid stuff that he's given us the last couple of years? Is there anything that, to me, I'll give you one thing. And he's not going to give away company secrets here.

But how much do they want to bring Stefan Diggs back? Wrong side of 30, Rossi, coming off an ACL. Would he take a discount? And more importantly, I guess the bigger question would be is how much interest around the NFL right now is there in Stefan Diggs? Yeah, I mean, they talked about how they loved him here. He was voted a captain. Stefan Diggs talked about loving it here. Yep.

And I think if it's the right deal, another, he was here basically on a prove it deal. Right. Nick Casario loves him some prove it deals. Loves those deals. Honestly, Ross, this would be a gut feeling I would get wrong. You put your name on it. You put your name on it. No way, no how, by the way.

Oh, did I really? Okay, well, I'll stick with that. But I will say this. I will take the L on that one, and I'm okay with that. That's okay. Because the reality is this. I don't, unless they go after a wide receiver in the first round of the draft, they are,

remember how two years ago we were worried about how bad the wide receiver room was? It will be worse if they don't discuss bringing in a legitimate number two receiver to compliment Nico Collins. Even then, he's kind of just a possession guy. He's not a game breaker. You're missing that element big time with Tank Dell. So they're going to have to dress otherwise. Yep.

And I would likely via the draft. Because I don't think, I don't think they would go first around with the receiver and then bring him back to. I get, I don't know what, you know, look, no one's giving us the intel inside there. But I can't imagine him spending out of money on a number two, or maybe Stefan Diggs is a number three,

unless Stavon thinks he's a number two. I mean, who's to say? I don't know. That's why to me, And I want you for the last time to walk me through this, okay? Okay. Why weren't you not bothered by the fact that Texans just cut the contract up and said, we're just going to cut it down to a year?

Because at least if he's hurt and he comes back and he likes it here, you would have had two more years of this. I wasn't bothered? Yeah. When did I say I was on board with it and I thought it was a great idea? I got the feeling it was like, you know, it was to prove it. No, no, it was curious to me. I didn't understand it.

I still don't understand it. I said it at the time, Matt. I don't think. I think you were doing a different show at the time. Oh, my God. I said I didn't understand it, but I guess, you know, I always try to see the lens of why, because I don't think Nick Casary was stupid.

So the only reason it made sense to me, I guess, is because he thought he was going to get his best effort if he was on a proof of deal. Yeah. I don't know what the cap implications were. I didn't understand it. So at its core, though, why would you give up a second round pick,

granted you have an extra one? But why would you give up a second round pick for a guy that was only guaranteed to play for you one year. That's the thing that struck me at the moment those last two years were voted out. I think it was a way. There was a pushing of the chips of all. I think it was

we don't know that this is going to, the goal was Super Bowl last year. That's what it was. And they got the division around again. And if Diggs and Dell were healthy, I mean, they would have at least been better off. But I think it was Nick Casario. First of all, again, he loves proof of deals

for whatever reason. he gets best effort from guys and generally he has we've seen that with some other people but it was that and then it was it was pushing all in for this year as far as the the cap implications or this year being 24 because right now as it stands give me the characteristics of stephan diggs needs to come back unless you give it you get a sweetheart friendly deal back because most NFL general managers would how old is dick's 31 I think he's 301 I think he's 30 31 somewhere in that neighborhood. Coming off an ACL.

Which is not a devastating injury anymore. Yeah. It'll be 32 start next season. He's 31 right now. Ross, or November 29. I'll take the loss if it's a minimal deal. Well, I have some good news for you.

The No Way Know How that you said was actually just for a franchise tag, which that's not happening. Oh, yeah. Okay. So I have a little bit of wiggle room. Yeah, you're good. For people who don't know, Matt puts his name on it, and then the No Way Know How was like the Mega Game.

guarantee. Okay. Now, I feel a little bit better. Yeah, you should. Thank you for, thank you for accurately chronicling my picture. I keep the documents. You do, you do. All right, let's get the second hour started

to the Matt Thomas show in a matter of moment. 713-213-2-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-9-0. I want to tell you about Big City wings. They're opening up in five minutes. You're looking for a place for lunch today? How about 999 lunch specials at any of their 13 locations? $9.99.

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Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas Show. 1101. It is our number two of the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790, 713, 212-5-790. If you want to join our conversation, 7-13-212-5-7-90. If you want to follow us on Twitter, you may do that at SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Conardee McGovern. A quick shout-out to our friends at Scott Callahan and Associates. We're being a partner of this radio program. if you're a business owner and would like to have me speak for your company, send me an email at mt at sports 790.com.

And thanks again to my friend Scott Callahan and Associates for their partnership. Astros taking on the hated New York match today. 1150 will be our broadcast time. Ronell Blanco is going to throw for the local nine. We'll have it for you today here on 790. Rockets tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks, Houston holding on raw so that fifth spot in the Western Conference, getting a couple of breaks the last day or so. The Clippers have lost two straight, so they've gained a game on them.

Tonight, it's Milwaukee. Tomorrow, it is San Antonio. NFL Combite gets underway tonight in Indianapolis. I'll do it for a couple days. And I meant to ask us to you, and I think I asked him, but didn't get an answer. Is there anything from Domingo you want to hear today? For me, it was about the future of the wide-receiving position, wide-receiver position with Stefan Diggs.

Anything else you want to hear from him specifically? Not really. and I don't think we're going to get a whole lot from him and that's his right, that's fine. Yeah. A lot of great players. We're looking to improve all facets of the team, stuff like that.

Yeah, he got some great advice from somebody that said, don't speak about much when you ask questions. Probably from being a player all those years too. He spent a lot of time in front of microphones. Yeah. I wonder how red ass he gets. Because I can tell you this, Ross. I don't think it takes any imagination to figure out

how pissed off E. adoka gets when the Rockets don't play well. Well, he does it on the floor. He should choose him out on the floor. Yeah. And then he has some well-placed, not Barb's, but brutal honesty in the post-game business. Or even the eye. Did you see the recent eye rolls?

There was a reporter saying, yes, you have such a young and talented team. And then he kind of rolled his eyes. I'm telling you. He's, Dan Tonya was my favorite Rockets coach of all times. We got along so well, and he was joked with me, and we back and forth. I have a different respect level for EMA because of the fact that

he can command a locker room. Granted, it's not 53 man. It's 12 to 15 depending on the night. But he can get away with stuff that most NBA coaches Ross can't get away with. Yeah. And I would say as far as media

wise, Daytoni would let loose every now and then. He really would because especially towards ZAN, he was like, I don't care. I'm a maid man in the NBA. It's what. whatever. But Ema Edoca does that every day. Yeah. And the reality is also

is that, you know, Mike D'Anton never hid the fact that he had to make sure James Hardin was happy. That's true. He's like, man, he'd tell me this on multiple occasions. He'd say, Matt, if James isn't happy, I'm out. Yeah, that's true. And that's kind of sobering, isn't it,

that you have to rely on, you have to keep one guy happy in order to keep your job for a guy that was as accomplished as as Mike Dantone was? Because Mike knew. You get sideways with Camarral Anthony. You're gone. You get sideways with Kobe Bryant. You're gone. That's true. Unless they just have your utmost restraint. You had to respect Phil Jackson, no matter what he said.

Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, look, I love Dan Tony. One of the best offensive minds in the history of the NBA, peered into story. It won a lot of basketball games, but was unable to get over the hump. And, you know, look, EMA in his first year in Boston. I mean, granted, he had a great team around. to get to the NBA finals in your first year to head coach, not bad. And again, he's got this Rockets basketball team right now at the fifth spot in the Western Conference.

And hopefully you can get that back into the number two spot. I think, let's see, Memphis didn't play last night, but Denver did win. Minnesota, how about this? I don't know if you caught this or not, Ross. Minnesota beat Oklahoma City in overtime in OKC last night. The Thunder were up 25 points in the fourth quarter. Wow. Or at least the late second half.

I think they were outscored 4119 in the fourth quarter. Crazy. Yeah, it's the second half, the recap I see. Yeah. But yeah, either way. That's incredible, especially because of who it was. Yeah. So the Timberwolves are the rally team.

What were they down 15 or 17 to the rockets in the fourth quarter? I know. Thanks for bringing that out. It's fine. They're really good. But are they unbeatable? Are they, I should say, are they beatable? Yeah, the Thunder?

Not by the Rockets, but by somebody maybe. What? Nothing. What? Nothing. You wouldn't lie to you. No, I mean, I wish you would lie. You lie about other things to me.

That's true. You're doing great, Matt. See, there's lie one. We're only seven minutes into this second hour of the show. Gut feelings coming up in about 15 minutes here on Sports Talk 7. And if you're new to the program, A, where the hell have you been? B, Dan, glad to have you and C, got feelings where you call and make sports predictions. It's very simple.

713-212-5-790. Dwayne's with us on the Matt Thomas show. Dwayne, good morning to you. Good morning, gentlemen. I've got a couple of comments and a couple of questions for you guys. That Shaday Sanders is not going to go to the combine, but the most important things are in that combine are the medical and the test that they have to go through. to get, you know, whatever it is they have to get.

But because he doesn't go to the performance and stuff like that, he can be picked up after the combine is over, but will that hurt his, when they have to choose the draft and stuff? And the other comment I wanted to make was at this time, the Lakers are playing some really good basketball. They actually got a defense now. And not only am I going by what the Denver Nuggets when they played them and stuff like that, but do you think that they can continue to play this same defense, man to man,

and then the other one, but do you think they have a possibility to do good this year in the NBA playoffs? and I just want to ask you guys that and God bless y'all and take care thank you two randot questions rosti how about that yeah your thoughts on now shudor Sanders will be at the combine he's not going to throw

yeah if you hide medicals you're toast doesn't mean you're not going to be drafted but it doesn't mean but you are going to be you're going to have question marks all over the place so I don't know exactly yeah is he getting measured and weighed I don't think so

No, I think he's not doing any of that stuff. I think he's just only meeting with teams. Right, yeah. And then he's supposed to throw it at the Colorado ProDay, I believe. Right. Yeah, I mean, yeah. No team is going to take a first-round player without looking at medicals. Now, I don't know how far that goes, Ross.

Again, that's not my world I live in. I mean, do you take a six-round flyer in a guy that's had injuries with his knee? You're not 100% sure if he's there. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I can't give you an answer on that. And as far as the Lakers are concerned, I have not seen them play yet in person, or not in person, but on TV since the Luca trade. They've been winning a lot. They're winning a lot, but Luca's a minus defender.

So I can't imagine him playing better defense with Luca on there, out there than with him. Maybe he's actually engaged now. He's a Laker. Did you have been saying that, though? I never thought he was disengaged as a maver. Oh, yeah. What do you mean? I thought he just bitch and moaning officials a lot.

You didn't see him eating popcorn in the same? stands whenever they're on defense you mean he went in the stand sat down to somebody and said hi how are you let me have a couple popcorn bites yeah no I just think I think from a from an athleticism standpoint he can't defend anybody

that's him that's a different he's big but yeah he's crazy because he's quick I don't even know how to explain it but he's not super fast kind of like honestly I mean the comparisons early in his career to James Harden or James Harden didn't have like

super great lateral quickness, but he had great stop and start so he could get some he could get open on anybody. Yeah. If you're bringing Luca to your basketball team, you're looking for him to wake up with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 or 5 a 6th.

He's already like 7th on the all-time triple double list. He's 25. Yeah. To me, I'm not even thinking about what he brings defensively. And all LeBron has to do is say give a professional effort, but LeBron at this point in his career can't give you the defensive work that he did back earlier in his career.

No. Again, Dwayne, I hope you all understand. I need to look at the Lakers for a game. Matter of fact, are they playing the Mavericks tonight or tomorrow? What's going on? I'm going to look at the NBA schedule.

Lakers play Mavericks to-night. Oh, yeah, Mavericks Lakers tonight. Nine o'clock. You can catch that. Ooh, Quebec. Watch second half of the house? There you go. So, Ross, I want you to picture.

Look, look. This is going to shock you, Matt. A lot of national games for the Lakers. TNT tonight. Yeah. NBA TV tomorrow on Thursday. Yeah. ESPN Friday.

Yeah. The next Thursday, TNT. Next Saturday, ABC, ESPN. Like, TNT, the next Thursday. Friday, NBA TV. The next Sunday, ABC. Yeah. You'll have time to catch them, Matt.

Yeah. So call back tomorrow, Dwayne, or we'll give you a remind us. Wow. You're going to give us the Lakers scouting. report. You know, I mean, we're going to put our defensive goggles on and get after it, Ross. Okay. We're going to cut up the tape.

By the way, the Rockets-Lakers game in April got moved to TNT. Funny how that works. And it's funny. It was on a night where they don't even broadcast NBA games on TNT. It's not a Monday night during, you know, they always put them out early in the week because of the NCAA tournament. Didn't the ESPN do that for Lucas debut? Yeah. And they went up bumping the Coogger games.

All right. Bye. Bye, Coogs. You Cougar fan, so ESPN 9 will hide the rest of your game on. It's Luca time. You guys are right. You were guys with a lead-in to Cornhole Championships. We used to be on the U all the time.

Now that was just like a one-off. Now it's just ESPN Plus. No, we're on ESPN. The game was on ESPN. It had like 23 million viewers lost. Now you're making it up. You don't know that? I do know that.

713-212-5-7-9. It's how you reach the radio program if you want to get in. 713-212-5-790. Now we're looking for gut feelings. Do you have a sports prediction you would like to brag about and you think you're going to be right about? Let us know right now at 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790. Gut feelings are up next.

1113 on Sports Talk 790. The Matt Thomas Show with Ross continues on Sports Talk 790. Listen up, girls and more than Matt Thomas. This is their gut feeling on the Matt Thomas show. 713-212-5-790. You have a gut feeling about a sports prediction. Anything in the world of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, pro wrestling. I don't care what it is.

We need your gut feelings. And we'll do that right here at 1118 on Sports Talk 790. Before we get to this week's gut feelings, Ross recaps how we did from one week ago. Oh, right now? Yeah, what do you want to? No, in 12 minutes. I'm sorry, my computer, I had to restart my computer. So I wasn't paying attention. I'm sorry, it said it needed dire updates.

Dyer. It said dire on your screen. I don't believe that. I said downloaded a virus or something. It was, I needed to restart now, so I did it during the break and then I forgot to bring up the thing. Well, I did see, though, you look at it. All right, I got it now. No, I wasn't. We were in West Palm Beach.

Shut up. All right, here we go. You got Jelly Roll doing the halftime. Yep. You have Lauren Michaels retiring after this 2026 season of S&L. Yep. This is all really timely. You got the Cougars covering the 11-5 versus Arizona State, which they did.

Didn't do that. You have Alex. Oh, no, no, no, excuse me. They did do that, yes. Yeah, they did. They didn't cover, I can't. Iowa State. Yeah.

But they did cover Arizona State. And then you have Bregman not opting out after this. next season. Feel good about all those still on the board. Okay. The only one I wrote down for me was the Red Sox Everyday Third Baseman will be Alex Bregman.

You know what I didn't do yesterday? And that's a big fail on me is I didn't see where position he played yesterday. Do we even, let me look and see if I can look at the Sunday box. Probably third. Let me look at the box score here. I think we would have heard about it if he wasn't playing third. So I'm going to say third.

All right. I'm looking at the box score. And for the Boston Red So, when he went three for three, he played third base. Connor McGovern, the only thing I wrote down for him was Rockets win their next two, which they did not. They lost to the jazz. Don't bring that up.

Seriously. Frigan Utah, Yaz. Unbelievable. Except I believe it. And those are already got a Felix. All right. Who wants to go first this week? I think you do.

All right. I'm going to tell you that the Rockets win the next two games. We need a little bit of a positive, some positive mojo. We need to win some games and further supplant our spot and hopefully get back to the top four in the Western Conference. No better way to do that than taking on a mid-Milwaukee team and a team that's melded in the San Antonio Spurs.

Which one does Fred Van Vleet play in? If I was a betting man, I'd like that tonight and skip tomorrow? Okay. Does that make sense? If he's healthy enough to do that? You know, I'm going to follow you on that. Tail it, as they say.

Okay. Rockets win next two. I'm with you on that. Okay. I'm going to tell you that the Nick Casario is going to make another significant draft

trade before the draft next month. He has a very itchy trigger finger, and I think he likes to make those deals move up and down. I would not be surprised if he tries to move up from where the Texans are right now. Late 20s. Get, you know, I don't know how far.

So he moves up. Yeah, I think he moves up. I could see that. I think there is too much work to be done at two particular positions, wide receiver and offensive line, and probably Rossi. Then wouldn't you say, Pat, keep your picks, use as many possible? Be sneaky and try to get some work in the defense. I think they're going to need to work on their line backing court, too.

Uh, okay. I will say this. Defensive interior taken, now the draft isn't for months. Right. Defensive taking, interior taken at some point, maybe even two.

Apparently it's supposed to be a really deep defensive interior draft. Is that what the NFL experts are saying? Okay. Or is that in your draft study? Yes, it's a yes in my draft study.

I've been breaking down tape like nobody's business. I'm glad you said Texans. Texans trade up in first round. Is that what you're saying? I'm going to trade up in the first round. Interesting. Okay.

Okay. We appreciate you. I'm going to say, unfortunately, I have to agree with you. I think it's going to be wide receiver in first round. Yeah. Did I back off of that and re-engage in the wide receiver first round? I don't know. Here's the reason why I was thinking about this is because

Casario has spent a lot of draft capital on the offensive line. I mean, it's littered with upward first day and second day draft picks. Yes. He just hasn't been able to find and hit on one that have been successful. long term. Yeah, and I think also it's not like there's a bunch of guys in the free agent market. So. Yeah. Okay. Connor, what do you got this week? You guys were trash talking to Missouri a little bit.

Oh, no. Something came in the studio and was trying to talk to me, so I didn't have a chance to respond. But I'll say Missouri makes the Sweet 16. Let's go. I won't say Final Four, but I'll say Sweet 16. You know what the key to that success is is wearing those old school Missouri jerseys. Those, with the Block M's on them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Those are good. That's when Derek Chivas, former Missouri great, was wearing him before he became a Houston rocket. We did it before Michigan, too, so really it's ours.

Did you know Ross that Missouri did not win a SEC game last year? They went Ofer in the conference? I did not know that. And now they're 14th in the country, and he beat Alabama. They put 110 points up in Alabama. Ooh. He raised his voice like Gordy raises his voice. 110 points, Matt.

Let's go. Let's go. U of H Missouri in a round two matchup. What do you think? Ooh, that'd be cool. You want to take a loss that early? Okay, that's fine. They're not going to be an eight-nine.

No, they're not going to be an eight-nine. It would have to be this further down. I wouldn't like my chances, but it'd be cool. What is Missouri? What is our friend, Joe Lenoree have him? Oh, I'm not sure. I'd have to look that up. All right.

And then I'll say the Rockets beat Bucks, Spurs, and Kings, but then lose to the thunder. Oh, God. And then Texans re-sign Stefan Diggs. I'm still saying Stefan Diggs is not re-signed. They have Missouri as a five. Okay, so that would not be until what, sweet, a round of 32?

No, it would be a round of 16, right? Texas has an 11. How is they in there? Hey, let me tell you, Ross, if you want to, if they make a, if they make the final four, and the last four in, you can go to Dayton,

on my dime. Okay, I'll take your word on that. Don't write it down, anybody. False promises, the Matt Thomas way. I mean, it sounds good for the show. Mm-hmm. For you to lie? But do you want to go to Dayton, Ohio?

What would you think about going to Dayton, Ohio? Why not? Let's go on us to see some basketball. If it's the Longhorn's playing. Can I use miles and points? I know you are. You're America's Miles whore. No, a Miles efficient.

Why would you not take advantage of a system that allows you to get benefits of a reward? That's true. Like how many rewards programs are you a part of? Me? Yes, in your life. Zero? I don't know. Yeah, I'm in them, but I just don't fly enough to get any, any miles.

I'm talking about it in general. Like, are you a member of a certain, like, are you a McDonald's app guy? Yeah, I mean, I use most of them, yeah. I just don't rack up stuff on them. Okay. like I am a let's see a roger plus member

everybody is yeah I was gonna say now that just charges double the amount I don't have any fast food apps I have Rick Relay is I have a I have the Rick Relay app

Don't you have Marbux? Well I have Marburgs that's right too and then I have Milton Berriott I see this is ridiculous Smited Darkbreast

and RELTA You're out of control with the rhyming. You know what? They want to spend money Ross on the show? I got another one, Matt. Lance McCullough's Jr.

contributes to the 2025 Houston Astros. Does that mean throws or you mean like... He contributes. Plus player. He contributes on the field. Okay. Do you want me to reply to that or just let him go?

I don't do whatever you want. I don't care. Let's go. I choose to be optimistic. Let's go, Lance. I don't know how he's going to do, but we're not going to see him until May. That's probably accurate.

So what? He's throwing bullies. He's feeling good. Supposed to have live BP later this week. What if he said he was feeling bad? Would you have flipped out? Yes. Yeah, I would have flipped out.

Yeah. He continues to throw. Every fifth day. He continues to throw. That's good. Boy, he hadn't been shut down yet. You know, I'm going to give you a more specific date. He doesn't throw until May 15th, at least, in a major league game.

Okay. Just call me the calendar, man. 1127 on Sports Talk 790. All right, we have one segment left to go. We have Ryan and Seth on hold. If you want to follow those gentlemen up, you may do that right now. At 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790.

If you want to send us a tweet, you may do that as well. At SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Connor D. McGuverin. 713-212-5-790 gut feelings leading you into Astros baseball coming up in 20 minutes right here on Sports Talk 790. Back to Ross to make us feel better. Make you feel better about your day-to-day life if you've been slowing down. If the energy hasn't been there, if you haven't been feeling like yourself, you made these 2025 resolutions. You're going to hit the gym or you're going to hit it more often or you're going to lose all this weight and it's been tough. You haven't felt motivated.

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Book your appointment because they have clinics all over town at cinergenicshealth.com. That's S-Y-N-E-R-GenXhealth.com. Energenics Health.com. Ross and Matt Thomas. Yo, they got a good feeling. Lunch timers, gut feelings continue now on the Matt Thomas show. We've got a nice long segment here. Let's go.

We want your gut feelings. Put your name on some things if you want to do it as well. 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-79. Ryan at 1133 on the Matt Thomas show at Ross. Ryan, what's in your gut this week? Good feeling is that Kevin Durant will be a Houston rocket.

OKC will get bounced out. I'm thinking second round. And Bragman will be a runner-up or in line for MVP next M-O-B season. Thank you, Philip. You've got to write all that stuff down. Ross, how does it he be he's a handle?

Yeah, he's putting him MVP? Could the green monster reinject the OPS of above a thousand for one Alex P. Bregman? Mmm. Mm. You brought it up yesterday, and it's worth repeating.

Okay. If he bats 300 in April, this city's going to lose its mind. It'd be pretty funny. No, well, we'll be pissed off. What are you talking about? Nobody will be laughing about it. You can't do anything about it, Matt. Just sit back and enjoy life.

It's out of your control. Okay. I got you. You want to make a prediction about his OPS in the first month. I don't say slow start. He always starts slow. Why would it be any different? There's too much history to say that he's, April numbers aren't great.

Maybe he's finally learned, though, because he always comes in in, like, incredible shape, and it's almost like he's got to lose the weight to gain some flexibility in his swing or something. Maybe he's coming into camp a little doughy. You never know. Yeah, I mean, he's going on the, he's on the dunchage diet. Yeah, he's eating really well. Let's go to Seth, over by Minute May Park at 1135.

Seth, what is in your guy? up, my friend. What's up, guys? I'm going to throw two of them out of the off. First one's going to be, I don't know if the Nolan Aronado thing is going to happen, but I think one more acquisition gets made with the Astros before opening day. Who knows, but I'm optimistic that one more move gets made. And then second, with what we're seeing so far with the ABS system,

mark this down, the automated ball strike system will be in the majors next season. Okay. You know what? We'll write those down. Seth, thank you very much. Remember, if you get these right, call back and brag. Now, I did see something weird, Ross, on the ABS yesterday. Okay. There was a game that ended with a strike call that was challenged. Yes. The ABS system overturned the call. It put the runner at first on a walk. Then the pitcher got pulled. so and then they had to go through so it was like an eight minute sequence between the ABS calling it a ball

the pitcher then getting removed the other pitcher going back in to get the final out of the game now that's just semantics that's just going to happen with games but it was an awkward finish to the game in that spring training game they were testing it on that sounds great the game should have ended on a bad

call no no I'm not saying it no I think it's no this is the right thing it's just you're going to have some clunky endings. That was certainly one of them yesterday. Yeah, I don't know. That's, that makes me happy. That a game that would have ended on a bad call doesn't end. That's beautiful.

Man, what if we could get every single call right? Oh, Ross, you're going to die on that vine, my man. Wouldn't that be crazy? I know. I know. You want it 24-7. I know. And I'm tired of fighting you over it because in theory, you're right. Not in theory. You are right. But they want the human element still in the sport. The euphemism for errors, mistakes.

Human element. Okay. I don't mean to be the, may have bad news, but that's just what we're hearing. Those little streets are telling us. But how about this, Ross, why don't you keep that optimistic

that if it works so well in the next two to three years, maybe they'll do every pitch? I think it eventually happened. I'll say within the next 10 years, who knows, but you got to deal with the umpires union and the players. And like we were talking about with, not with Lance, with Spencer Arrogatti, pitchers, you might need a slight expansion of,

because the zone as it is in the rulebook, is kind of tight to where it's called. It's very tight to where it's called. So a slight expansion, slight percentage, some kind of compromise, and then fully BS. One day. At least if, I think it happens before I hit my deathbed.

That's what's the most important, Matt. So you're saying by 2035. Yes. Okay. I mean, we can all hope for things, right? Mm-hmm. See, 2035 will put me in... I mean, I'll still... I think I'll still be in the business

unless it get kicked out for some reason. That's not what I was hearing. This show... Seriously. I don't know who, whatever you're needed in your witties today, but it's... I'm just making jokes, Matt. You know I was joking, you laughed. Very personal.

Philip and Pearland on 790. Philip, what's in your gut? Oh. Hey, Matt. Well, I was Well, I wonder, is the ABS zone, is that three-dimensional? It's just two-dimensional.

Three-dimensional. It is. So that reversed call, how did that work? So what, did the ABS call? Somebody challenged it. Called it. Right, but challenged, was it the umpires call or the, the ABS call?

No, no, no, you can't challenge it. the ABS call, you challenge the umpires. Right. Okay. I just wanted to be clear about it. You know, this is new to me. I know it from tennis really well. That, yeah, you can't challenge me. That's the call.

There's nothing. But, oh, all right. So the umpire made the call. All right. Who would we give up for Durant? Well, again, I'm afraid to hear. Well, I don't know. Any of the current players, you know.

Thank you. Oh, yeah. then it had to be current players. I think they want draft picks too. Oh, by the way, I lied. It's a 2D system. I don't know why I thought I saw 3D recently, but it's too. You added an extra D is what you're saying then.

Yeah, an accident, an extra dimension, Matt. I'm sorry. I don't know why I thought I saw it in 3D. It's 2D. What's the difference between 2D and 3D? Like it would go through all the way through the back of the plate. Oh, okay. I think it's the way I'm seeing it is in the middle of the plate.

I don't know why. Yeah, it's in basically the middle of the plate. Ross, can you guess the first 3D movie I ever saw my entire life? Jaws. That is accurate. That is correct. What do I win? Nothing.

Scared a crap out of me, literally. Really? You really? You defecated on yourself? I think I urinated on myself for sure. And then they called you pee pants. School of the whole rest of the time, huh? This is what they called me?

Okay. I was on a one of a word of it. Everybody remembers that one kid that peed himself, right? I remember his name. I'm not even going to say it out loud. I hope he's doing well. I'm going to tell you right now because I'm an honest person. I peed myself one time in my...

Oh, that's right. Weren't you at the... Spelling bee? Oh, my God, that's got to be tough. It was tough. I was embarrassed. The word was bivouac. I got it wrong and then I peed myself.

And that's why you hid behind the mascot mask, Matt. Wow. But I turned out okay, right? That explains a lot, actually. And as far... If the Rockets really went after Durant, my guess is they'd have to give up one of their starters, at minimum, plus trackers. Jabari Smith, Jr., come on down. The reality is, Durant's an early now slowing down.

I mean, am I a little weary of 30, maybe with 37 next year? Is that right? I think so. They're coming back to Houston one more time before the end of the year, and we go to Phoenix one time. So two more games of the suns before the end of the season. Just keep that in the back of your hat. Wrapping things up, let's talk to Chris in Jersey Village on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross. Chris, what is in your gut this week?

Hey, this is gut feelings, right? What was that guy's gut feeling right there? Did he have a gut feeling? I think he said, I think he had utter confusion. That's a segment on tomorrow show. Yeah, yeah, it's easy to get your days mixed up sometimes. I've got my gut's telling me two things, guys. First thing is, Yordon Alvarez will hit more than 35 home runs this year.

And secondly, Jose Altuve will win the gold glove in left field. Oh, God. Okay, you're on crack. I mean, I'll be honest with you. I hope not. I hope you should. Crack, you don't. Crack is whack, Matt.

Crack is whack. Is that what Whitney said one time or was that about the Brown? Yes. Well, I think it was Whitney. She was saying she was too classy for crack. I think over 35 bombs feels good for York. Lordon, you know, he's never hit 40. Can you believe that? Isn't that crazy?

You know the thing that troubles me a little bit by you saying that? He plays in primarily American League ballparks, and most American League ballparks are a can of corn home run. I mean, if he was a Detroit Tiger or a Baltimore Oriole, I'd kind of get that. But now, if he was a right-handed hitter, wouldn't you just, he could fling his left forearm out and hit home runs, but he's a lefty. So it's a little bit more of a poke to right, but it's not like it's overly.

What is it? $3.25 to write in a minute. I mean, sorry, Dyken Park. We have the tip jar ready for every one of the times. One of us says the name of the ballpark wrong. No. Well, I stopped myself there at least. Yeah, you did. Yeah, you did.

Can your own angle 40? Oh, I'm sorry. It looks like it's 326 to write. I was a foot off. But when he hits home runs right, like, he's the upper deckers. They're upper deck. Yeah, his OPS career is 973.

That's insane. It's better. Bagwell, Berkman, et cetera. You want to make Yaron Alvarez a top five MVP candidate? We'd like to do that for the wrap up the show? He finished ninth last year.

Yeah. Third in 2022. But he doesn't play the field, so that hurts him. It does? I will not put him as an MVP. Okay. Who would be the favorite right now, Judge, probably? American League.

Yeah. And then Shohey Autonomic. with a back-to-back in the National League. We should do a gut-filling soon on what Juan Soto's going to do as a Met. That'd be fun. Yeah, we'll do that next-A. Oh, Bobby Witt, yeah. Who, Witt.

Can a small market guy win an MVP? Absolutely. Yeah, especially the Royal and make the playoffs again. I would say, well, it looks like betting odds he's third. It's Judge Witt, Alvarez. No, actually, depending on the book, Gunner Henderson. So he's top four. Okay.

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Ross, back with you tomorrow at 10 o'clock. Get some rest. We put a long day in today. I'm working the game tonight. I'll see you there. Rockets, bucks, later tonight. Right now, Astros baseball next on 790.