The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Our Top 10 Most Impactful Houston Players, ESPY'S Talk, Brian McTaggart Joins The Show

Episode Date: July 17, 2025

Our Top 10 Most Impactful Houston Players, ESPY'S Talk, Brian McTaggart Joins The Show

is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 10-1 in H-Town. Good morning. And welcome to a Thursday edition of the Matt Thomas show with Ross. We are Sports Talk 790. I am back here in Houston. I don't want to be here. I do want to live my summers in Rhode Island. Don't say that 30 seconds into the show.

No, I mean, I want to still work through the show with you. Well, all right. I mean, I got a little inside information. Yeah, you wouldn't be saying that if you went in January. That is accurate. You know, I could be, I would be a want to be a snowbird, to be honest with you. You could do a summer in Rhode Island. A summer in Rhode Island.

And I'm not trying to be. It sounds like your memoir. Yeah, it sounds like a song, a crooner song that you can find on the Yacht Rock Channel tomorrow. If you've ever said, hey, I want to go somewhere different. And you've done that. You are very much more adventurous than I am, especially when it comes to national parks. I've been to eight now. And Mountain Lions.

You could fly to Boston, do the Boston bit for a few days, and then just get in a car and just go up throughout New England, which would include going actually going a little south because Providence and Rhode Island is south of Boston. It's just unbelievable. The mansions in Newport make river oaks look like shacks, and I'm not being facetious on this. some of the biggest houses I have ever seen in my life 35, 40, 45,000 square foot homes. Again, this is not people of industry.

This is 1949 money that has been passed around from generations to generations. Old, old, old, old money. Okay. Apparently, Taylor's got a house up there, Swift, not Mathis. See, I get confused. I know.

Taylor Swift has a home up there that she only goes to one day a year and it's over 4th of July weekend. That's how... And she owns it? And she owns it. She knows Airbnb that bad way, right? It's funny. I brought up to the girls on that and they're like,

Dad, that's a terrible dad joke. That's not going to happen. We just make some cash. You know how much people would spend to stay in her place? But then, yeah, who knows what they're doing in there? Correct. Weirdos. She's got stalkers and whatnot.

And my guess is the house is probably 25, 30,000 square feet. How do Airbnb be that? That's going to cost you. I mean, it is going to cost you. So all I'm saying is if you've ever wanted to go somewhere where it's got a complete change of pace. The weather was hot yesterday. It got hot and humid, but typically it's 85, 69, every day in that area. And it is absolutely gorgeous. And I am so ridiculously excited. My daughter is so pumped to go there starting not this year, but the year after. So if you're going to be, if you want it,

you're home for Rhode Island Rams Talk, it's going to be right here at Sports Talk 790. That's great. No, I mean, I won't do it a lot. Okay. Oh, boy. There we go. Maybe. Well, I'm sure we can get updates. it's on your Instagram. Oh, that's kind of... At sports. For sure, for sure.

All right. So, as I was flying back yesterday, you know, I mean, I'm anti-espies. Mm-hmm. But... However. Again, I didn't watch it. I told you I wasn't going to.

Uh-huh. I am obsessed with Shane Gillis. I told you he's hilarious the last two years. There is... Now, first of all, when he was on SNL earlier this year... Uh-huh. The couple of beers. The couple of beers thing, I mean,

belly laughing funny. Uh-huh. There is a tweet, I'll have to find it. The entire, because a lot of the clips of life nights, I found the whole thing too, and watched it. It's eight and a half. Or nine and a half. Nine and a half. I've watched it three times already.

I watched it once when I got home last night, and I watched it two more times this morning. First of all, it is absolutely hysterical. Secondly, it attacked everybody. Left, right, right. woke, non-woke, liberal, conservative, black, every lesbian, straight, everybody, Trump, Maga, everybody got insulted.

And that's the best form of it, is that nothing he said was, was anything more than not a message or a political slant. It was just, I've got jokes. He is so, he's just got a certain something you can't teach. He's naturally funny. Because I don't think he's... Because he's not a 10... One to 10 delivery, he's not a 10.

He's an 8. Yes. But the message is just so good. Well, then, like, the awkward comments between jokes, he's like, I didn't write that one. Like, it's just funny. He's funny. He's funny. So I got introduced to him.

I got introduced to him in SNL. My middle son, we went to pick me up at the airport. He's got a Netflix special that's called Tires, I believe, is what it's called. No, it's a sitcom, kind of or... Oh, is it on Netflix, though? He's like, Dad, you've got to see this. It's hysterical. So that's my next viewing is tires.

But it was nine and a half minutes of one slam after the other. My kind of humor, as you would know. It was, yeah, like roast humor. It was roast humor. The biggest thing that pissed me off, and I don't use that word very often on the show, but the SB crowd could not have been more of a Debbie Downer group. I mean, they were all looking at each other to see us.

okay to laugh. I don't want to laugh at the Shador Sanders joke and then somebody's going and then Dion's going to come after me. You have to kind of like, you don't want to get caught on camera laughing at these jokes. Like, I'll give you an example. The Caitlin Clark she's going to retire and she's going to go fight black women at the

Waffle House is just funny. It's the Epstein joke being deleted. Funny. President Trump having a January MMA fight to

the last time he had one on January 6th was Mike Pence almost died. That's funny. We have got to, and I don't mean to get all philosophical on you, we have just got to laugh at everybody's jokes. And that's why, and I know much of our audiences not

know this because Johnny's been gone for a long time, Johnny Carson, part of his staying power for 30 years, Rossi, was that he was able to make fun of everybody and nobody took it too seriously. Nobody wanted to cancel anybody over anything was said. And Carson played no favorites.

He took jabs at Nixon. He took jabs at Reagan. He took jabs at Carter. He took jabs at... I mean, the best comedians have to understand if you just go along one line, you're going to piss the group off. If you insult everybody and make fun of them, then we're supposed to laugh. And I just thought

the SB crowd never laughed yesterday, and it was nine and a half millions of absolute brilliance. Yeah, I thought it was great. It was funny. And I think with anything when when lines are crossed

you allow it to me you allow it when it's comedy and 100% because it's just supposed to be for laughs and that's okay

and I thought it was hilarious but yeah and people are talking about people being offended and I actually most of the comments I have not seen many of that

exactly even on the 4U tab which you don't follow well yeah that's because you're getting all the only fans models but

it's true I mean, maybe. And I actively sought out because there are people who are like, oh, man, and people are going to be offended by these Shane Gillis things. And I was searching Shane Gillis and I just put it in the search tab. And I'm like, I'm just kidding. There's a few people who are like, eh, it wasn't for me or whatever. But there's virtually nobody, and this is on the internet where you can usually find anybody with any opinion.

I really didn't find many people offended. So I think a lot of people are waiting for people to be offended, but they weren't. And for the most part. the Sjour Sanders comment about the fact that why do he get his jersey retire? Well, he went 13 and 12 and almost were the Alamo Bowl. People say it's nepotism, but it's not nepotism. It's because he went 13 and 12 and almost won the

Alamo Bowl. I mean, genius line. Pretty funny. And I also noticed it. And then he used the Norm McDonald joke at the end. And that's where the delivery wasn't nearly as good as what Norm did it. I mean, Norm is just one of the guts. Oh, you can get a YouTube hole of Norm jokes. With OJ.

Just OJ. That's true. but all of it. All right. So, again, didn't, I didn't watch SB's. Don't care who wins what. It felt like it's a little self-gratification. I have no idea who won anything. I just saw the monologue like you.

So don't ask. And like I didn't even watch it, but I, again, the Shane Gillis monologue, just amazingly funny. That was a chef's kiss he did, folks. Oh, when the show gets on TV. It sounds like you were eating a pork chop. Ooh. Shake a bake?

Beef rib. Ooh. All right. So the radio today will feature the following. I'm moving a couple things around. Brian McTagger told us he needed an extra half hour, so he'll join us at 1130 this morning. We will do.

I just don't get it at 1230 today. Okay. At 10.30, which is in 20 minutes from now, we're going to debut the first ever list on this show that I think actually makes some sense. It's our Houston player impact top 10. And you're saying, what hell is that?

Well, that's something I thought of for about an hour last night as I was on a plan. Like, we didn't call this thing. You were bored. I was. Long-ass flight, though. It's not the top 10 players. Okay.

It's the top 10 most impactful players coming up for the next season. Astro season is currently underway. Texans. So the 10 would be the least of the 10. The number one most impactful player, obviously, would be number one. So you and I will give us our own list, 10 down to 1. And we'll just kind of see how close we are. Okay.

eligible candidates are Texans, Rockets, Astros, Cougars. You could put Dynamo and Dash in there, but I could name a player in either team. But there may be one in that group there. You don't know. By the way, sorry that the Dynamo lost last night to Vancouver 3-0. Oh, man, 3-0. Come on, boys. Excuse me, 3-0. Yeah, 3-0.

Boys aren't, how's the season going? I have no idea. Oh, they're an 11th. They're 11th in the West. How many teams get in? assuming? Nine actually. Oh, nine. Oh, sorry. It looks like there's a play in between eight and nine. Okay. All right. So our impact top ten is coming up at the bottom of the hour. You may join us at 713-212-579 if you want to be a part of the radio program. 7-13-212-5-7-9-0. Under than that, there was really nothing sports-related going on. Like I thought, I was flying yesterday. So I don't know.

Did I miss anything in the local side of things? No, I don't think. think so. Did Texas Tech grab another player for six more million dollars? I don't know. Brian Brayman has died. Yes, former Texan, yes. It was battling cancer. Oh, man, I forgot about that. Yeah. Unreasted free agent, special team's guy for the Texans, right? Yeah, he unfortunately passed away, he had a rare form of cancer and it got to him, unfortunately. So I know JJ Wat gave some money to his, I don't know if it was a go-fummy account, but just helping out with medical bills. Let me tell about JJ. Why? Jay was a little corny as a player.

But he's a really, at the end of the day, Corey's a good dude. Yes. And I'm not talking about giving money. I'm just talking about it in general. I mean, he is active on social media that's fun and interesting. He comments on things. He seems playful.

He's very, very photogenic and television liked him. I mean, so much to the point where he gets on the NFL today and becomes a star there. And now he's the number two broadcaster on CBS. I mean, it's pretty good jump. Oh, no, by the way, he won three defensive players of the years. Oh, by the way, he's going to go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame at some point. Yes. So, I mean, I'm saying, I mean, he's got it going on.

He's obviously a good family man, he's got a couple of kids. He donates to charities. Wife is hot. Yeah, yeah. And that doesn't hurt. But, yeah, I just said it was a nice gesture by JJ. Didn't have to do that. Probably hadn't even thought of Brian Brayman for years, but, you know,

but came through and helped out. So that was nice for the Brayman family. 713-212-5-790 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Other things to get to on the radio show today will include Brian McTaggart. I just don't get it. And our Houston player impact top 10. That's all coming up bottom of the hour here on Sports Talk 790. 1019, Matt and Ross with you, Sports Talk 790.

Matt Thomas Show with Ross. 7-1-3-212-5-790. 713, 212 5790. All right. Chandarral, made minutes ago, put out the probabilities. Dang, I was just going to say this. Well, you do it now? No, go ahead.

You got it. I'm going to sip some coffee. Well, you and I are on the same page. That's a key part of the show. Why? You look a little tired. Yeah, I'm all right. Okay, good.

Astro Probables this weekend for the Astros against the Seattle Emeritus. Brandon Walter will get the start on Friday. Hey, you get to reset after the All-Star break and you go out with your number one, number one. That's not necessarily true. Don't listen to Ross and that's a lie. Okay. Brandon Walter's been good.

I think of the lot, he's been the best, right? Of the Gusto Walter and Gordon. Colton. Yeah. He's the one that doesn't deliver walks. I can tell you that. I think he's got the lowest. just the short-term results of

as far as lowest ERA, I think, to keep it simple. I think that's been him. Saturday. Lance McCuller's Jr. will throw. A, on the road, big part. That's smart. Get him in there. Frumber Valdez

Sunday. So my... Okay, just... I'm going to repeat it and then I want you to tell me the first thing that came to your mind. We talked about this was Brian Bogushevik yesterday. Brandon Walter Friday. Lance McCuller.

Colters Jr. Saturday, Robert Valdez Sunday. Talked about it on Sports Sunday with Randy McAvoy as well. That he's seen the last couple starts, a little tired with the location. Brian Bogusevic said it himself with the great analysis that he gave us, that when you get a little fatigued and the release point gets a little more inconsistent, and that's kind of what he was seeing. And so he kind of guessed that it would be the third game of the series for Hunter Brown, but he's not going to pitch the series at all.

So he needs a few extra days, not worried. What's up? That is my very first thought. Okay. Uh-oh. But knowing what we know about the Astros. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. I'm just saying if it's not crossing your mind about something more that's wrong than you're nuts.

I do believe if I had to put a bet down and in their, in my heart of hearts, knew what the Astros were thinking. please Father of the name is some of the Holy Spirit It's extra time Yeah That this series while important Ain't the end all This isn't late September

It's not a must win the series Correct That an extra set of days off Will help him regain his mojo back Fix a couple of things And give a tired arm a rest Okay But there's going to be some segment of the population

And frankly I don't necessarily completely blame you. Yes. That would think, okay, there's something more to this because put it this way. If you want to give him a couple of extra days rest, then give him Friday

and Saturday off and he can pitch on Sunday. Right? Mm-hmm. He's going to completely miss the series. Unless you're saying, well, I've got two aces, which you do, Framber and Hunter, one A and one B. That if I don't use one B,

1A is not going to work. So he'll be ready to go, locked and loaded for Monday's game in Arizona. Now, I'll say this. If he doesn't pitch Monday in Phoenix, then I think... You're getting alarm bells? Then the alarm bells go off.

But I'm not going to do that right now. That's not fair. I will... I guess we'll come to that bridge when we cross it. We probably don't have to get on the bridge at all. Okay. We'll just look at the bridge. I mean, drive right past it. Yes.

I'm not worried. I'm not worried. He's younger. He hasn't had seasons where he's thrown the innings that Frember Valdez has. He was, I mean, at the end of the season last year, he was still really good, right? His first month of the season for Hunter Brown was not good. The second month, the rest of the way, was good. I'm saying he didn't break down at the end of the season.

I don't think he did. His playoff start was good, right? Number had the bad one in game one and then he was good in game two. Yeah, the Astros' offense just didn't show up. Yeah. Well, they had to go against Tarek Schuble and then AJ Hinch with his playing matchups with the bullpen. It's tough. I'm giving them some.

You know what you just gave the sound out? You give the hand effect. Wizard hands. Of what do you call? What was Pinocchio? He was a... Oh, a marionette. Marionette.

You were doing marriette for the pitching staff of the Detroit Tigers. I mean, that's what... And it worked. He was the puppet master. He was the puppet master. So that's where we're... we are on that. So no Hunter Brown until

now. Don't look at you like this. Monday, right? Monday. Maybe. I don't care. Until they announce something, you know what? It is what it is. Whatever will be, will be. So if it's August 1st. The future is not ours to see. So it's August 1st, you won't be worried either.

If it's August 1st, that might be a little bit of a day. If he hits the IL, if we hear the words IL retroactive 2, then yeah, I'm going to get a little worried. But outside of that, it is what it is.

Okay. So there you go. That's the Astro News of the day. Oh, extra rest. One of the first comments to Mr. Rome is somebody talking about him getting rest and it's an interesting decision. And then his first response, General Rome says, October is more important than July.

100%. And you know what? Look, we see load management in the NBA. Yes. We don't see too much in the NFL, except for like late in the season. Late in the season, everybody's out. Yeah. But why can't you do it during the baseball season?

To expect pitchers these days to give you 25 starts is just not reasonable. The Astros have been doing load manager for years. And the crazy thing is Astro fans still get mad. Why is O'DoDoovie out of the lineup? Well, they've been doing this for years. And everybody got mad at Dusty Baker when he was doing it. And AJ Hinch giving guys days off. And oh, then come October, huh?

Funny. They're all fresh and they're going there making deep runs. And people are confused. Cal Ripkin's streak is 2,632 games. Never, never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever going to be touched. Who has, who is the active one? I'm going to look it up right now. Oh, yeah, that's a good question.

I want to give you a kind of a prediction. Okay. Active. Well, that ain't my trout. Leader. Oh, geez. Not your honor now, whereas. Yeah, I can tell you more who it's not than it is.

Right. Let's see. You're finding it. You know what? While you do that, why don't you follow you on Instagram, Instagram at SportsRV. I just passed a thousand How?

I don't know, Matt. We're building up pretty good. At SportsRV, just over a thousand followers. I got another video coming your way today. Matt Olson is apparently with number one. 713 games. The Atlanta Braves, All-Star

Maddelson, right? Yeah. Yeah, he was. He's very good. How old is he these days? He's kind of old. Oh, he's not that old. 31, I looked it up. All right. I will give you this. This is a, this is a evergreen, longstanding gut feeling.

Okay. We will see no one ever get beyond 1,200 ever again. Oh, okay. Yeah, well, I mean, Matt Olson, obviously the best candidate. Do you know, does it say who's number two by any chance? So. I'm going, I'm going, I'm going. There's nobody at this point.

Cowrickon is safe. 50th in the list. and that's also got these are nobody's played these games and nobody's active so nobody has more than 500 that's active except for matt olson yeah i think we're done we're first of all cow's got that locked we're never going to see 2000 lou gehrick safe i think 1500 is not going to be in play either you're talking about nine seasons yeah he matt olson has done it basically for three and a half yeah and jeremy pain you wanted to be a 162 guy this year but the disabled list kind of interfere with that well then he cracked a rib all right

All right. When this radio program returns, we have a list. And this has been the list week on the show. We even inundated you over consumed you with list. But today's list is our Houston player impact top 10. These, to me, are into Ross. Are the 10 most important people that have to play well for their respective teams? On the court or floor. On the court or field or field. No coaching. no general managers, no trainers, no physicians. I got Astros trainers number two. They're going to change my list. You got to bump that off.

That list is coming up in just a moment. Each of us have it, and we will give you an opportunity to say, hey, that makes a lot of sense or hey, it does not. 713-212-5-7-99. First of all, I missed this show. Great, as the kids would say, episodic television. How many seasons was it? I want to say three.

I'm going to have to watch it. And it's done, done. And it's still done. See, I wait for a show to be done and thought of it as one of the greatest of all time. They absolutely could make a spin out. Because it's such an investment. It is. But just get in there.

Shiv. What's up, girl? Just like Shane Gillis told Carlyne de Towns. What's up, girl? Did you see that last night? Yes. He, Ooh.

Shh. Oh. Habitual. line stepper, I believe, is the correct. It's the phrase I will use. I was like, oh, my God, because it's been an internet meme for a while.

Carlintheid towns and and what? Hmm. Quickly? No. Okay. All right. Back then. You get it. I get it. I just want to see how you're going to explain to the audience. People

on the internet like to hint that he might be homosexual. Yeah. There wasn't any much hinting about that yesterday. Cheonggillis did not hint. No, he did not. All right, back. Let's get that succession music back going again.

Yeah, thank you. Please keep it the whole segment. Yeah, the whole time. All right, so we have created a list. You and I am not going over each other's list. This will be as we'll be surprised as anything. These are the 10 Houston impact people for the 2025 slash whatever happens in 2006.

And I will go from 10 down to one quickly. and then Ross should do the same. Then we can go, hey, why did you pick this, put this guy in this spot, what did you do? And again, it's all semantics. Just a list that we put together. The 10th most impactful person coming up for the Houston sports scene will be Houston Cougar quarterback Connor Wegman. Highly. I didn't put any cougars on my list.

Well, you don't have to them. It's okay. Holly thought of quarterback at Texas A&M. Kind of petered out, had a little bit of injury issues. The transfer decided to get out of there. come to Houston, and I am on money was good at NAM. A&M, I'm assuming it's pretty good at Houston for him. And, you know, the Cougars, second year for Willie Fritz.

All Willie Fritz is done is when he goes to a different school. He has a tough first year, Wednesday's the second year. So I think for getting the Cougars back on the map in terms of at least being competitive in the Big 12, I think Connor Wegman's got to be on that list at my number 10 position. And number nine is Alperin Shangoon of the Houston Rockets. Alpy was an all-star last year. Alpi got a brand new contract line. last year, Alpi was also not traded and for the most part not being discussed in very many

trade spots. I think Alpy needs to take the next progression in his NBA career, continue to work on his defense, continued. Now he's got a playoff game under a series under his belt, Ross. And I want to see if he is ready to help take this team further than it went last year, winning a series. Can he maintain all-star status? Can he maintain, you know, being a low post threat?

Can he continue that mid-range shot? and can he continue not to get his coach mad at him. Okay. I like that. Okay. And yeah. Number eight, Joe Mixing. Oh.

Okay. Joe Mixing quickly on this. I mean, the easiest way to protect a quarterback and not having put him in harm's way is making sure the running back game is strong. He was a steal of a pick last year and on the draft from Cincinnati. Usually Father Time does get to running backs after a certain time. he had a little bit of an offseason where he didn't work out very much. I think he is your best, I think he's your quarterback's best friend when you're running back one.

RB1 is a huge impact part of the season. So I put Joe Mix at number eight. Number seven of men Thompson. Men's going to be the number two guard for this rocket team. He can play in four or five different positions. And the strides he made from season one to season two were astronomical, especially in the defensive side. I think there's going to be more limelike. shine on him, shined on him.

The scoring was better. Can the outside shot get better in season three than it was in seasons one and two? And again, he has been considered quote unquote untouchable by any trade conversation. So I think a man, Thompson on my list makes number seven. Number six is C.J. Stroud. Number six. Because some of the things that I'm asking C.J. Stroud to do are out of his control. He needs protection.

He can't control that. He didn't have a bad season last year. I think the downturn in his career was largely overstated. I think he's gotten quite a bit of disrespect from my NFL circles. And I think you should use that as a proving ground to say, you know what? I was more like the first year quarterback than I was in my slight downturn in season number two. So I put C.J. Stroud at number six.

At number five, his left tackle, Cam Robinson. you're replacing Laramie Tunsell. And everybody and your mother thinks you're going to be a bust. Because you weren't very good the last couple of years. You're the most important member of that offensive line. And if you can't protect C.J. Stroud's backside, Cam Robinson will be exclusively related to the number of concussions that C.J. Straug gets in 2012. So for that, Cam Robinson, in terms of impact, is my number five, Houston athlete.

Okay. And number four, Framber Valdez. whatever you did in the first half, even though you got slotted for the All-Star game, keep doing what you're doing, keep throwing every five days. You've been there and done that. You've been through pennant races before.

You know what it's going to take to get over the hump? Framber Valdez. Easily, to me, at number four on my impact top ten. Number three, the guy who will not be pitching this weekend. Hunter Brown. If Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez do not perform the same way in the second half of the year like they did in the first half of the season, the a asterer's not going to win the American League West

and probably will not make it a wild card spot. With all the influx and up and down of the rest of the rotation and who's healthy and who's not and who's playing and who's not doing good on a home and road, there have been two consistent. Framber Valdez my number four and Hunter Brown my number three. Impact player back half of the year.

Hunter Brown number three. Jeremy Payne comes in at number two for me. Ooh. Reason why? Guess what do the asteros do when they inserted him in the leadoff spot? They explode it offensively. The team has been a different baseball team since Jose Altova was taken out of that leadoff spot and Jeremy Payne inserted it.

And look what the team's kind of done offensively since then, struggling, not being able to get a consistent infield. Love Maricio Dubon. Love what he does. But Jeremy Payne and I love what Zach, what's not Zach Scott? Short. Zach Short, I should say for shortstop,

has been able to fill in now and then, but Zach Short and Jeremy Payneur, I've never been the same class ever. So for this Astro team offensively and defensively, it's Jeremy Payne in my number two spot. And number one, the biggest move since the Chris Paul trade, maybe one of the biggest offseason moves the Rockets of her made, is going to get 37-year-old Kevin Durant,

one of the greatest players ever to play in the NBA. Expectations went from a team that might win 50 games again and might win a playoff series to, hey, you're number two in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma City. Why is that happening? It's Kevin Durant. He is my most impactful player for the rest of 2025 and 2025 and 2006.

There is my impact top 10. Wow. We have a slightly different list, but some similar names. And we'll go to your list when we come back. How about that? Does that seem fair? That's fine. Is there anybody in that list that I have omitted that you have on yours?

I think so, yeah. Okay. So I'll give you my list quickly again. Yes, please do. Wegman 10, Shangoon 9, Mixin 8, Thompson 7, Stroud 6, Robinson 5, Valdez 4, Brown 3, Pena 2, and Durant number 1. My number one guy's not on your list. Hmm.

That's why you listen to this radio show. 713-212-5-79. All right, I was given information about Ross's list during the break, and I have an argument, a solid one. Okay. For your list when you are about to announce it, which is going to be right now here on Sports Talk 7-90. Yeah, perhaps I have aired in my ways, and that's okay. Oh! I'm scared. Sorry, I scared me.

Shiv. Okay, sorry. Are you relax? Jesus. My, Kim knows I like Shiv. Well, hopefully she's not listening. There's to know Rhode Island spend him in my money. Well, I'll tell you who she likes.

Number 10 on my list. Astro's shortstop? Jeremy Pena. Wow, you have him at 10. I have them at 2. Okay. I'm listening. I just think impact, well, I guess this is going to be a counterargument to me later on my

list. But impact on baseball can be lesser than other sports, and we're talking about impact, but I went with Jeremy Payne at number 10. Hopefully he recovers soon from his rib injury. Number nine, I have Joe Mixon. I believe you had him number eight on your list, so we're pretty similar there.

This one, number eight, I have lower than yours, and I have a reason. That would be Cam Robinson, the left tackle of the Houston Texans. I think you haven't been top five, but you have other, I mean, you're hoping Blake Fisher makes a leap. You're hoping Ariante Ursary by the end of the season takes over and can be an impact rookie.

So Cam Robinson is important. If I could just put like the offensive line as a whole, I would put him like kind of where you had five or four. But if it's just Cam Robinson, everybody else can be kind of good enough. CJ Stroud needs to improve. So I put him eighth on the list. Number seven, Alperin Shingoon. Of course, needs to have a great season.

But right ahead of him, I put him in Thompson ahead because we saw a leap from Alperin Shingoon to become an all-star. You're hoping for that third-year leap from Amin Thompson to where he can be 17, 18 point per game score and first-team all-defense. We'll see about the shooting. I'm not really expecting a whole lot from there,

but if he can be a more impactful score than he has been and give you first-team all-N-BA defense, I mean, he's going to be great. Number five and four, I think where you're four and three, Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. Not much of an explanation needed. I mean, those are the two horses in the rotation for the Houston Astros. Number three, I put Kevin Durant.

Now, I did not put him number one because of the other two guys I have on this list. I'm in Thompson and Alpern-Shingon. Now, you're going to need him to score those 25 points per game and come playoff time. He's going to have to have a huge impact. But I think the Rockets team as a whole is very good. So that's why I put him number three. It's not all in on Durant. We've talked about this many times.

but it's as all in as you can get without it being a like if Kevin Durant doesn't play well and doesn't and is hurt for a lot of the season the Rockets probably aren't making a deep playoff front but it's not like Kevin Durant the move could potentially ruin the franchise for four or five years and that's why I have him lower down on the list because he he's on a really good team

like in the old days it was like if James Harden doesn't go for 40 Rockets ain't win it if Kevin Durant doesn't go for 40 Rockets can still win they've got really good young players. They're a deep team. This is the deep as the team has been in a couple of years. So that's why I put Kevin Duran a little bit lower than you at number three.

I put C.J. Stroud up at number two because yes, the offensive line is a question, but you've got to bounce back. We've talked about Joe Burrow. We've talked about other guys who have had offensive lines who are not among the best in football. And you've got to rise above it. You got Nico Collins. You got a couple of draft picks. You got Christian Kirk.

and we'll see what happens as far as the offensive line, but he's got to be better. He knows that. And I think as far as the impact of the quarterback position, I put in number two. And number one, not on my list. Not on your list, not in the top 10. Astros aren't winning the World Series if Jordan Alvarez isn't on the team.

I'm saying it. And that's a huge impact to me. Now, I don't know what's going to happen with his hand. I don't know how long he's going to be out. but they need him in the middle of this lineup or they are not winning the World Series. Other things have to happen, of course. Pitching bullpen has to be good as well.

But Jordan Alvarez has to come back. He's one of the best hitters in baseball. As far as the impact that he can have, and we're talking about championship success, I put him number one, Matt. I understand why he's on your list. I understand he's number one. But for me, he has been so out of sight.

out of mind that I can't give him the pressure of being the most impactful Houston athlete if I can't get him healthy in uniform. Yeah. Okay. I guess I saw it different. Like his impact and I don't, and with him talking about it not being a refrapture, sounds like he is going to play by the end of the season.

He's got to play and also he has to play well because start of the season, he wasn't very good. He was on track for like the worst season of his career. He had had some of the worst. stretches of his career. He's got to come back. He's got to be old Yordon. He's got to be that guy that's striking fear into all the opposing pitchers or they are not winning the World Series. We have a harsh gut feeling here on this. Okay. My harsh gut feeling is the following.

Phone's ringing by the way. Who's trying to call the show off? I don't know. It's probably spam. Yeah, it could be. It's interesting, put him out. you can't Ross expect Yordon to just pick up where he left off last year. No. I don't think we see even anything close to Yordon, the real Yordaun until April of 2006. I think when he comes back,

and again, I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV or radio, but my expectations of him are so low right now that just getting him to line up and doing a little bit here and there would be kind of nice. but I can't put him to be an impactful player because I don't think that's going to happen until he has a complete offseason where he goes and sees more hand specialists

to say, you know what? This is becoming a recurring issue. My hands have cost me lots of playing time. What can I do to change that my hands don't become an issue for the second time of my career? I mean, hand issues happen. No, no, that's not, hand issues happen.

He's got the osteoporosis? But most players don't have to deal with this. No, but it happens. I'm sure we can find some people who have had a hand fracture at baseball. I'm sure. I'm sure hands. Yeah. But to happen a second time? He had a setback.

It wasn't a second fracture. That's what Dana Brown said. Well, okay. By the way, is Spencer Arrogati ever going to come back and put the cast on a wrong thumb? I initially had Spencer Arrogatti at the bottom of my list, but I bumped him and Christian Walker for Jeremy Pena. And I could also say the exact same thing about Spencer Rigetti. Who, I mean, if he's not. right around the corner, like within the next two weeks.

He's going to be needing about two weeks to get stretched out. And then he's going to be on a pitch count. I mean, why are we supposed to think that Spencer Arrigetti is all of a sudden going to be a difference maker? He's going to be fine. I think he is. And it's not anti- Spencer-Reggerty. This is just the human body. I'm pro-Spencerergeti.

I mean, you know, I wanted to make an impact. He's easy to root for. He'd know hit the Rams twice, and Man Creek Rams twice. Yeah. Who were we interviewing? And he's like, oh, I know what kind of school you went to. Once you said that Araggeti had, was it, Weske maybe? Yes.

Yeah, yeah. He was like, well, if they got him once, we can give, forgive that. But if he got them twice and your school's not very good athletically. I get that. I understand it. I just, and I think I speak for other fans. I do. Not everyone fan.

But if you get anything left, anything out of Araggetti, anything out of Yordan. No, you need to get it. Javier, anything out of Luis Garcia. For that matter, anything I know that Chas McCormick is with the rookies right now on rehab appearance. It's all gravy at this point. The only way this team is really going to rock the boat, shake up things, is by doing something that I think that Dana Brown doesn't want to do in two weeks. Let's make a trade.

I know who my Astros are. My Astros are going to win the American League West. it's going to be a dog fight it'd be more difficult than it should have been especially with Jeremy Pena and Jake Myers being out. We'll see what happens this series. You have already declared them AOS champions. I have. But

anything beyond that, I can't predict them to win a series or American League Championship or go to the World Series. They'd be heavy underdogs to the probably the Yankees and the Tigers. I think this is just a gut feeling. We are definitely, and rightfully so, heming and Hong, I think every little thing

going to be all right. Right. One of Araggetti or Javier will come back. I think Arogati's going to come back. I mean, it was a bone fracture and he's going to build up and he'll be good. I mean, it's July 17th. I think within the next couple of months he'll be fine. And maybe that means the arm is fresher as well come playoff time. And Javier, we'll see he's getting built up. You get one of those two, Javier Araggetti, Yoron back. Pena's coming back, of course, because it's just a rib issue. But I feel like, I feel like. Did we record you just saying this on May 19th? No, because Jeremy Pena's rib was fine. Prove that it's July 17th right now. Shane Gillis just did the Sbies last night, and also a CEO was caught cheating on his wife at the Coldplay concert. It was a CEO.

And the HR girl. That's a tale is oldest time right there. So let me tell you really quick, we got 30 seconds here. Last Sunday, we went to the Patriots Gillette Stadium. They have a little lighthouse that you can run up an elevator. It's five bucks each person. Okay. You get an outside view of Gillette Stadium.

You get to walk around the lighthouse, and you get to see the stadium from the outside. I mean, if you're never going to go to a Patriots game, it's worth five bucks. So we went to look at the field, and the field was in a state, was in a concert format. There was no turf on the field. It was all seats were on the ground. Yeah. And I'm like, there's a stadium event coming up for a big concert here at Gillette Stadium. I wonder who's playing.

So I went to Gillette Stadium.com. It was cold play. not only can cold play fill up a stadium once they were playing there twice When do we do? I just don't get it. Doesn't cold play suck? Coldplay sucks. Like I make fun of like, you know,

Neil Sedaka and Seals and Crofts and the boys or whatever. I mean, that's actually not that bad. Cold play actually sucks. Cold play twice, Foxborough, Massachusetts. I'm sure I just made some people mad. If you're a Colplay defender, let us hear your voice. Second hour, the Matt Thomas,

starts next. This is Matt's favorite band. Welcome into hour number two, the Matt Thomas show with Ross. This song sucks. This group sucks. Goldplay has a huge fan base for sure. Well, yeah, Gillette's name two times in a row.

I'm about when the video of the couple is on my Twitter account now. Brandon on Twitter says you both need to shut your bumasses up with your cold play. take. This take is as bad as all of Brad's. Oh. Tread lightly. I know. They got, dude, they got like five number one albums. I'll tell you, y'all,

Coldplay is like huge. Wouldn't y'all think? Probably up there with 10. Way more than I think. Well, apparently, let me see. CEOs and HR chiefs apparently love it. A Rush of Blood of the Head, number five album. X and Y, number one album. Viva La Vida, number one album. Milo Zyloto, number one album. Oh, my God. God. I got you. I'll coach with them. It's okay. We'll have a jam out.

Are you a big, are you a big cold play guy? No, but I didn't have good songs, though. You think this is good? You put the most, okay, this is the most overplayed version. Like, you gotta get another cold play song. This is, push me off a bridge music. Come on, man. Can you give me one more song that gives me some hope? What's the greatest cold play song of all time?

God, this makes me want to throw up. Okay, the guy's name is, yeah. I'm more, oh, it's a group called Astronomer, the name of the company they worked for. Yes. CEO Andy Byron and HR head Christian Cabot from astronomer caught having an affair on the jumbo trying to co-play's Boston concert. I was just literally there three days ago. That's so weird. It's not that weird. That's not.

This sucks. This sucks. I put on a different song and this one came up. I don't even know what this is. This is horrendous. This filled up a 70,000 seats. stadium two days in a row? I know that I was born.

Any angel on my windowsill. You know what? Screw it. Oh, this is bad. I'll try and get a different song. Oh, man. Oh, man. God. Yuck.

Yikes. Terrible. I'm a good co-play fan. This is torturing terrorist music. All right. Boy, they start,

and they're going to be They're in Nissan Stadium in Nashville. They're going to play two nights at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. They're playing all these huge stadiums. They're going to England to play at Wembley. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 days in a row. The hell! 10 days at Wembley?

Yeah. Yo, Wembley, I think it seats like 50,000, right? Music of the Spheres Tour. Two hours and one minute of show length. Oh, they're doing it at the Sphere? Yeah. No, this is what they call their. tour is the music of the sphere

sphere tour music of the sphere tour oh wait wembley gets 90k never mind they're playing at wembley from august 22nd all the way to september the 8th and they're going to be in madison it can't they were at camp randall stadium they played for jesus man 90s music blows it just does uh this was more two okay 90s and two thousands it all sucks it's all equally suckage

Yeah, their first album released in 2000. Okay. They got like five number one albums. They don't have that many big hits. Viva La Vita, the first one we played, which is a horrible song, was a number one hit. Let's go back to the CEO for a second. Let's go back to Cole play. Why don't you just slow play it and just keep the hug going?

And then no one would know who you are. Yeah, they screwed up. They got caught up in the moment of being on the Jumbotron. They got scared. There was a jump scare. Yeah. Yeah. And they're both married.

And she's in charge of HR. That's like, yeah. Don't you have to notify HR of a relationship? She doesn't have to notify herself. That's like going out with a diet. Call on here with Coldplay. Hold on. Oh, Callum is one of our programming people here and he's here. He loves Cold Play.

He loves Cold Play. He's got long hair and a beard. He's in a Cold Play cover band. He works at a barista at Starbucks when he gets off the air here at 950. Mm-hmm. Oh, God. Okay. What do you put? Yeah, put this on.

Yeah, whatever this next one is. This is, is this a definitive? One of the better ones, hold on. Brian McTaggart, by the way, bottom of the hour on 790. You know what you should do? You should hug your HR chief when you're at this concert.

Look, just imagine their atmosphere right now. I mean, I guess you could lay somebody on sweetly to this. At a festival on the lawn, you said the lawn with the blankets, you know? Yeah, I would have to be heavily inebriated. This is not. not good.

It's just not good. I'm sorry. Doesn't do it for me. Whatever this lead seeker's name is, I don't like it. Sounds like he chugged a bottle of NyQuil and started singing. All right, I apologize for giving you six minutes of coal play. Yeah, we have lost every listener that we could possibly have.

What few we had to begin with, we've lost the ball. First of all, if they were cold play fans, we pissed them off. And if they hate cold play, they're tuned out. And secondly, we got no one left. it's not our fault it's a CEO and the HR director from Astronomer. Yeah, what is this place? Astronomer. Whatever it is, it's going to have,

it's got a serious front office up people coming up. It's some kind of software company. Okay. Well, those they change it. They change the spots all the time anyway. Oh, my gosh. I can't unsee them holding our, he's holding

her midsection. Imagine finding out your wife or husband's cheating on you because they were at the cold play concert and everyone in the internet knows about it and that song was playing. Oh. I mean, let me put it this way. Are you madder that they're at Coldplay or are you matter that they were cheating on you?

Stay with me on this. If my wife is cheating on me and she's at Elton John or Paul McCartney, I'd give her a second chance. If she's at Coldplay or if she's in Imagine Dragons, we were filing for divorce immediately. I think you have to take into consideration

who you're cheating. Who you're cheating with and what concert you're at. Okay. I mean, if she's at, I don't know, the weekend, I mean, I may give her a second chance. We can't got some hits, Maddie. That's I'm saying. I mean, I would respect her musical taste. Don't make a face.

Weekend has hits, that's a fact. If she's at George Strait, I can say, all right, mistakes happen. No, I made a face because you'd rather have her at a weekend concert. Those songs are very, um, in the coldly. Lude and lascivious people. Oh, so you're saying that, you're saying the things that have happened with my wife and her adult her friend. We can make some baby making music.

Yeah. Can you make babies with Coldplay? I guess. I mean, if you're a very healthy 20-year marriage with a 401-K. Yeah, babies named Bray Lynn. Now, they both look like they're in their... Now, the Homeboy CEO did look like he had gray hair. How many babies named Braylin have been made to cold play?

Spell... Spell-B-A-R-A-G-H-L-Y-N-N. We got to stop making up names. We just did. Mike on 790 and 1110 Mike good morning Hey guys how you doing Wonderful thank you for asking Hey listen I love you guys

You guys are the best listen to you pretty much every day Thank you sir With the cold play take I mean really I'm not a big huge cold play fan But do they suck? Absolutely not Come on This is a classic case of whoever holds the mic

And has the platform rules the world This is just ridiculous. Look at the following they have. You know what? Hey, Mike, they have scoreboard. They are filling up Gillette Stadium two days in a row. They're filling up Wembley Stadium for 10 days in a row. Not just that.

Oh, I know. Other places too. Other play me. I mean, I just kind of, this is kind of what I feel like when you're running off to Vegas being Liberacee and... Hey, Liberace. Or whatever. I just... I mean, I just don't get this cold play and take.

I just don't. All right. Thank you, Mike. Yeah, man. He loves it. Coldplay. What you said? Bob Dylan's wildly popular. You said he sucks. I mean, we can all think people suck.

Yeah. And you just have your two favorite midday hosts think this band sucks. I think it's different because I haven't even heard a song from Coldplay. No, I've heard most of those songs in elevators. Well, put this way, I've asked you to find me a song I like and I can't, they've not been able to find one. I've heard most of those songs in advertisements for pills and I don't know what they do. That's what it is. It's background like, yeah.

It's target music? Yeah. All right. We will stop to be respectful for Coldplay and their filling of stadiums. We will stop the Coldplay slander. They're number one in the Barnes & Noble coffee shop. That's great. When I'm getting my Grande, Pike plays, two creams one spunda, I happen to hear Cole Play.

You're so wrong for this. We're just two people. As the caller said, yes, just because we two have microphones and happen to agree on something, I mean, everybody agrees on it. It's only two opinions. Yeah. But my opinion is, Colplay sucks.

And my opinion is Colplay really sucks. 1112 on Sports Talk 790. Brian McTaggart will join us in about 18 minutes from now. 713212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. I have a friend who's listening right now, Bill, who's very cranky that we're talking about, Cole Play.

And I love Bill. father figure to me. But Bill, Jack going on in sports. I mean, stay with me here. I got a CEO and a HR chief

hooking up at a cold play concert. It's worth a segment. A couple of tweets are coming in on this. Oh, wow. Well, that's early.

I made a poll on my Twitter account at Sports RV. This is what Southside Ridge says. Is it more embarrassing being caught with a woman, not your wife,

or being caught at a cold play concert? Looks like we've struck some nerves. Coldplay is very divisive. Brutal. This is what Tesla bus driver says. Brutal. That's the last way anyone wants to find out their spouse likes Coleplay. Willie V. says, you pay big dollars for the most visible seats in the building for Coldplay.

Yeah, I mean, they're stupid. How stupid can you be? Look, if you're going to have an affair, you just don't go out to concerts. Maybe you go to a dinner in a different part of town. Yeah, go to the Scottish inn like a normal person. Yeah. Let me tell you, if you're going to have an affair in Houston, Texas, there's plenty of PIs on the way between our offices and 59. You're going to be fine. 59 and 45 and bison out of your friends. Don't be going to collect Marriott points. I'm going to do any good.

Right now in this poll, Matt, we're in the minority. What is your poll question? How did you? I just put cold play. Makes good music? Does not make good music. And the survey says 55% makes good music. makes good music. Now, I'm going to go vote right now. Yes. And I just voted from the 790 account.

Oh, didn't get to vote. Because it's my, you can't vote in your own poll, so it's my vote. Right. I got to get one vote in, so I just do it from the 790 account. See if I can change this. And my various burners. Yeah, how many burners you got? That's none of your business.

Wow. This is, this is all, the, the 4U tab is losing its mind over this. Oh, you should, because it's very, it's pretty hilarious. I mean, the, the terrible part is you have two spouses that are, not only embarrassed because their spouses are having adult or relationships, but it's being now publicly out there for everybody. Okay. Pedro says, not my jam, but respect. Talking about cold play. Ethan says they make okay music, but unfortunately, it all sounds the same. Eric says, this is going to offend you, Matt. Our generation's Billy Joel, few decent songs, but the rest suck. Who said that? Eric. That's an automatic block. And then this one, uh, Tesla bus driver,

put nails on a chalkboard. By way, 50-50 now on the coal play. Oh, okay, after your vote. Yeah. We're doing all right. Brian McTagger will be with us coming up at about 10 minutes or now. We'll get back to sports. I swear to God.

I will say this. A former rocket once told me many, many years ago, not that I was looking for his advice because I don't cheat on my wife, but my point is this. He said, because of where he was talking about, he's not been a, this is not a recognizable player. This is a long, long time, old time, rocket. As far as I'm going to go with that. He said the key to having an adulterous relationship

is you just have to get a separate room for her. Because if that wife wants to surprise you and say, give me the, I'm this player's wife, you show up in your room and the girlfriend's with you, it's going to cause some issues. Do these player wives have any delusions

about what's going on? I feel like most of them have to really just be like, yeah. It comes with the territory, right? If you were to, now I can't speak to wives, but I have spoken to girlfriends. What? Side pieces? Oh, are you mean, oh, okay. You mean girlfriends who have not gotten married yet?

Correct. Okay. The girlfriends understand. I thought you were talking to the side pieces. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. The girlfriends understand that there's 30 NBA cities. And they happen to be in stop number one. and they got it's you and 29 others.

I mean, it's not a huge group. But you might be a bigger group of 30. You might be a group of 35. Yeah. Alamone is nice. Of course, you get the college towns. That could go to maybe 39, 40, 41 range. It's a give and take.

Yeah. And they know it. So I would just say, you know, I'm talking about sports and not real world. Real world men don't live in the NBA world or professional sports world. And real women in real life. Don't live in the real Real girlfriends and wives Don't live in the NBA real world

Okay Okay Oh people People are attacking you on my Twitter poll Why? What did I say? No, because we talked about

Billy Joel This guy, Michael says The Beatles suck I'll just give that a like Rolando says Barry Mantle will walk So Colplay could run Absolutely awful

J.M.O. City says they are dreadful If you think the Beatles suck. You absolutely suck. 100% suck. You just don't music. They don't suck. They are absolutely revolutionized music. Yes. It's just not

my everyday jam. And the greatest rock band of all time. A pop band. They make good music better than Barry Manilow, says Taylor. A lot of people coming after you for Barry Manilow. Y'all can suck it on Manolo. Yeah, well, Manilow's not my jam either. Uh-oh, Cole plays getting back. Glenn on 790 at 1123.

Glenn, thank you for getting on us. of this hole we're in right now. Hello, Glenn. Not out of it yet. Did he just say Cole plays the greatest rock band of all time? He didn't, did he? Who's he? The other co-host.

Yeah, what did you say other co-host? What did you say? I said that the Beatles are the greatest rock band of all time. That's me, man. Oh, well, forgive me. I got a phone call there. Yes, they are the greatest rock band of all time. I agree.

Thank you, Glenn. All right, getting on to Astros, getting on to Astros. What do you guys think they're going to go for free agency or after the break? Is the trade deadline over yet? It's July 31st. I know you guys have talked about it, but just give me a hotspot on it. I can do that. Thank you, Glenn, for the phone call.

The hot spot is, I think at the end of the day, Dana doesn't want to make a move. I think Dana's going to have to make a move because if injuries are going to have just depleted this team, I don't think Dana A wants to give up what he's got. And more importantly, Ross, we talked about on the show yesterday, I don't think there's going to be a lot of teams that are like, ooh, that minor league system, let's jump in there. Let's see what the Astros have. And what they want to keep?

Like, I don't know if there's an A or AA player that the Astros are trying to hide that other teams wouldn't know about. I mean, you've got to realize these teams spend months and months and months scouting minor league games. You can't hide a player. and the Astros have been routinely, even with Dana running the operation, have been 28th, 29th, or 30th in evaluation of Modeling System. And as I said before, I give the Astros credit because they've gone to that monoling system

and they've pulled up some players that have helped. The modeling system has helped the Astros. The Astros gave up some prospects that helped them win games that didn't hurt them because those players have gone on elsewhere and weren't nearly as good as those other teams thought they were going to be, i.e. Joey Lopafito. Jake Blas. Jake Bloss. Who's Tommy John, right?

Will Wagner. I mean, you know. How's Willie Wagner doing? The Toronto trade has not hurt. But to think that the Astros are going to be in on, I said this before and I'll say it again, they're going to make a move, it'll be just somebody that you're going like, who is that? What did he do again? If you thought you say Kukuchi wasn't much of a move, I would expect to be a lesser move even than that.

Like, I mean, I don't even know who's, again, or, This is all speculation, but who would be a, I mean, I guess you could raid the Baltimore Orioles, right? Sellers. Yeah, who are the ultimate sellers and who are the most important players in those sellers teams? Yeah, we've talked about Cedric Mullins. Cedric Mullins, Ops is well under 700, correct, I think? We've talked about Ryan O'Hern. Ryan O'Hern, we talked about just yesterday.

Let's see with the old Cedric Mullins Ops 713. Okay, that's not as bad as I thought. it was going to be. He's hitting 2.18. Which means when he hits a baseball, which isn't very often, he's hitting it for a lot of power. 13 home runs, solid. But if Cedric Mullins comes here, you know the Orioles are asking for quite a haul, right?

I would think so. And are you doing this just because Jake Myers has gone for a couple weeks? Or is Jake Myers have something more of a serious injury that we don't know about? And that your center filler that has helped you out so much this year with his glove and surprisingly his bat, isn't going to be around to help out? We'll ask these things to Brian McTaggart coming up in a minute. What were you going to say? Yeah, I was going to say the exact same thing.

And we will ask Brian McTaggart, who is a musical expert about cold play. About cold play. It's going to throw it out there. 713-212-570. Brian McTaggart on the MLB Beat is next. Matt Ross with you. It is Sports Talk 790. You're proud home of the Astros.

Astros will start a series. Tomorrow in Seattle, joining us right now, a man who will be sitting in Economy Plus in a flight to Seattle. It's Brian McTagger. Tags, how was your All-Star break? It was good. You know, unplugged a little bit. Watched a little bit of the All-Star Derby, none of the game. But, yeah, it was nice to run a little bit.

But, yeah, second half is coming quick. Second half is coming quick. We just had a caller before. And I know your guess is as good as ours at this point. do you expect the Astros to be active in at least conversations? And what my prediction is is it's going to be, they're going to make a move of some sort, but it's going to be somebody that's going to be spectacularly underneath the radar.

Number one, do you agree with that? And number two, if you don't, what could the Astros give up that could make them have a splashy trade deadline pickup? Yeah, I mean, I think they will be active. I mean, I think they're going to be looking at two things. I mean, we all know left-handed bat, which they wanted even before Alvarez, you know, seem like he's going to be out a while. Dana Brown's been, I guess, on record saying that, you know, they still want a left-handed bat. There's some urgency there.

And also starting pitching, even though they have some guys trending back, you can never, you know, have enough starting pitching. And they feel that if they get another starter and plug him behind Fromber and Hunter Brown, It'll give them a really monstrous one, two, three in the playoffs, which we put them in good position because in the playoffs, it all comes down to pitching. Will it be under the radar? I don't know. I mean, if they get a guy like Seth Lugo from the Royals, is that under the radar? You know, Andrew Heaney from the Angels, is that under the radar? I mean, I think they're going to, if you're going to get a starting pitcher, you're going to get somebody that I think, if you're a baseball fan, you know who it is and what they're going to give up.

they're going to have to give up prospects, you know, plain and simple. But, you know, Jim Crane is not shy about giving up prospects because nine times out of ten, you give up these prospects and they don't really pan out. So if you look at all the trades they've made the last 10 years, I mean, how many prospects have come back to bite you? Not too many. So they're in win now mode. They think if they can, you know, shore up a couple of things, get a couple guys back from injury. They got a shot to make a run at this.

Do you feel like the Astros have been incredibly lucky? I think they have when it comes to all these moves, whether it's a rank, whether it's Justin Verlander, whether it was you say Kikuchi. I mean, there is nobody really that has bent him in the ass in terms of, oh my God, this guy's having a long, lengthy 10-year career. I mean, maybe you could say Josh Hater many moons ago, but was he ever forecast to be a dominant closer? I think the asteros have been remarkably lucky

the players have come back and not done a whole lot since wearing a different team's uniform. Yeah, I think you're right. I mean, another one maybe to put in there was, you know, Oscar Hernandez, you know, he played in just maybe even one game for the Astros, and they dealt him away, and he's gone on to have a really nice career. I mean, that was still a few years ago, but you're right. I mean, look at the prospects they gave up last year for Kukuchi. I mean, you know, all three of those guys are still young in their careers and could pan out, but I don't think anyone's, you know, when they got traded, everyone was freaking out that, you know, they gave away three budding superstars. And one of them's heard. And, you know, Will Wagner wasn't able to duplicate what he did right off the bat. you know, low profitos bounce between, you know, Buffalo and Toronto.

So, I mean, and like I said earlier, I mean, Cray knows that prospects are nice, but he wants to win. And, you know, if you got to give up two or three of your top 10 prospects to go out and get a pitcher who's going to put you in really good position and make a run at the World Series, I think they're going to do it. Brian and Taggart with us here on Sports Talk 790. And just Brian, I'm curious your thoughts on just the trade ecosystem as a whole, especially with the Astros. with you have fewer sellers now with the third wildcard. The Astros don't have a ton of resources. They do have a lot of guys coming back from injury. So I guess I'm just asking how aggressive will Dana be considering all of those factors

that even if he wants to make a bunch of deals, it's going to be difficult for him. Yeah, it will be difficult because you're right. I mean, there's very few teams that are out of it. I think other than the Nationals, Marlins, Rock. He's and Pirates. Everyone else is within seven games of a postseason spot. I mean, I guess it's up to some of these teams, you know, what they want to do, like the, you know, the debacks and rays and teams like that.

But there's going to be a lot of teams looking for those pitchers and a lot of teams looking for bats and left-handed bats. So, yeah, but pitching specifically, it does seem like by the end of August, they could get Javier back. They could get perhaps Garcia back, Erigetti. You know, he could be right in that mix as well. he's a guy not coming off surgery, so maybe you feel a little bit better about him coming back than the other guys.

And I think that maybe that could go into Dana Brown's factoring into trades and how much he gives up. And if he feels, hey, this is too expensive, you know, maybe we'll stand pat right here and then just, you know, hopefully we get one of these guys back and it can deepen our rotation a little bit and maybe we'll focus on a left-handed bat. So I think whoever they get, it's going to be, you know, a rental, obviously, because you get someone with some time remaining on their contract,

it's going to cost even more. But like you said, I mean, they've made some pretty good trades the last year. Kikuchi trade worked out pretty well for them. And he didn't pitch in the playoffs. But I think last year when they faced Detroit, it was just worst case scenario, wild card round. They got to stay out of the wild card round, get that first round by. And if they get another arm or get one or two of these arms back, I think they'd be in good shape to go, you know, make a good push here to at least the LCS.

One of the arms they do have, Hunter Brown, not listed as a probable this weekend. eyebrow raise for you at all. Of course, we know the last couple of starts was a little bit shaky, so just needs a little bit of extra rest. I'm not saying we need to be concerned or anything, but what was your reaction when you saw that?

Yeah, a little surprising. I thought for sure that Hunter and Frumber would pitch there. I mean, I haven't had a chance to ask anybody about it. You know, that'll happen tomorrow, but my guess would be they just need a little bit more reps. You know, you're right. His last two starts before the break, giving up 10 earn runs.

and I'm not sure how many endings he pitched, but, you know, 10 runs and two starts. Not what he wanted. Hunter said that he, you know, coming off to start Sunday that he thought he made, you know, the right pitches and it was just one of those days. So obviously, I think it might be just a chance to build in some rest. Yes, this is a team. You really, you know, you want to win this series. Obviously, you don't want to get swept. So showing a lot of faith in Brandon Walter and McCullors off the bat and then Frumber. So I'm guessing that Hunter would start the first game in Arizona.

Not sure. I don't want to make any assumptions. But yeah, I was a little surprised. I thought for sure that they would throw their best two pitchers against Seattle. And I can't give you 100% reason why that's not happening. Yeah, I guess it's more for an answer for tomorrow. But dead arm can happen. Guy is making 26 starts a year and not happening anymore.

I would think the red flag would go up if he doesn't start Monday in Arizona. That would be my guess on that. So anytime he pitches in that Arizona series will be fine. but if it's late in that series, that must be, man, I need some downtime here. And that's not the most encouraging thing you want to hear when you're sitting here trying to fight off a Seattle team. It just finished off sleeping the Detroit Tigers. Yeah, and I guess you're right. I mean, if he's still in the first rotation, waiver rotation out of the break, then, yeah, Monday in Arizona, then fine.

But, you know, these are all things we'll have to answer tomorrow when we get to the ballpark and talk to Hunter and talk to Joe and see where they're at. But I know they keep close eyes on these guys. And, you know, maybe you buy him an extra day here or there. And that's, you know, something that can benefit him down the stretch. And he thought of you going down to West Palm Beach? There's going quite a few stories down there. My God, everybody's going down there to hang out and work out. Because I would like to know some more things beyond well.

Things are progressing well and throwing off flat ground and pitching to PCL players. I mean, I never would have thought that an injured thumb would have caused Spencer, Erigetti basically 80% of the season so far. Well, yeah, you're right. I mean, when he got injured, they said he would be out six weeks, and that was early May. That was actually in Seattle, so it's been, what is that now, four months, so I'm not sure if something else has gone on. I mean, Hunt, talking with Spencer before he went down there, I mean, he was good

spirits, the thumb felt good, it was completely healed. It was just a matter of getting built back up. So, yeah, I mean, I actually thought about going to West Palm. The Astros play the Marlins here in a couple. a couple of weeks or early August. And I was like, you know, if I could squeeze in a day on either side of that series, go down there. Because you're right, there's tons of guys down there.

There's Tons of guys down there now. This is kind of new this year where you start sending guys to West Palm. I mean, they haven't been, they've been doing that in years past with guys with long-term injuries, especially pitchers who were, you know, coming off Tommy John. They go down there. But now they're sending, you know, like Jacob Melton, Luis Guillaume. there's a few others I'm not even remembering. There's like a whole team of guys down there in West Palm.

So, yeah, I might poke my head in there and see what's going on. Stay tuned. Astros five games ahead of the Mariners, and we know the slew of injuries. Just how you think the AOS shapes up, how much of a threat you think the Mariners will be, and do you still have the Astros as a strong favorite for the division? I think there'll be a big threat because they're finally playing up their capabilities, they're hitting the ball better. They have an MVP candidate behind the plate.

They have a better rotation than the Astros right now. So, yeah, I mean, I think they're going to make this really, really interesting. But still, the Astros have a five-game lead, which is pretty significant. They got a shot coming out to break here to, if they can win two or three, get back up to six. And the Astros also have the benefit of having the second easiest schedule the rest of the season. Only Cleveland has an easier schedule. So I know they haven't exactly played as well, it seems like, against bottom feeding teams as they have against contenders, you know, sweeping the Phillies, taking two out of three against the Cubs and winning a series against the Padres and the Tigers. But still, you'd rather have an easier schedule than the hardest schedule down the stretch.

So that's something that's going to benefit them as well. And what we talked about earlier, they're going to get healthier. As long as they don't get injuries, more injuries, there's reinforcements coming, and that's going to help them as well. And yeah, I still think the Astros win this division. Last and most importantly, your thoughts about Coldplay. Coldplay. You know, surprisingly, I kind of like Cole play. I could probably tell you about 10 songs that I know.

And if you came to me with tickets to a concert, I'd probably go. I don't think I'd pay for it. But yeah, they're not bad. I've known you for 20 plus years. I couldn't be more disappointed in one human being than I am right now. That's a little surprising. Now, I'd rather go to a George Strait concert. There you go.

All right, you've rallied a little bit. Hey, safe travels to Seattle, and we look forward to visiting with you again in the same spot next week. Thanks for the time as always. All right. Thanks, guys. Brian McTaggart, Colplay aficionado. Now, he wouldn't pay for the tickets, but he would go.

We're losing the poll, Matt. What is the latest update? 55% like Coldplay, or say they make good music. Oh, 58%. See, we're in the minority. I want to meet these people. I want to meet you. I want to see what you're like.

I want to see how you roll, so to speak. Well, I mean, some people have commented that they blow chunks. That they're dreadful. Yeah, the Beatles hate will not be stood for on this show. That's just going to be not going to happen. All right, 1145. We have the news and news coming up in about 15 minutes. We have, I just don't get it.

Ross, I think you and I agree. Colplay. We just don't get it. Yeah, that's on my jam. Look, if you like it. If you want to go cheat on your wife at this Coldplay concert in Foxborough, that's fine. I mean, seriously. I don't really talk about the CEO and what a dumb ass he is.

I mean, terrible for them to be doing it to begin with, but really, did get on the Jumbotron? I mean, and then if you get to the Jumbotron, just act real cool and calm. Natural. That was the worst thing they could have possibly done. They completely butchered it. 1145 on Sports Talk 790. Now, obviously, unfortunately, I have been tied to you a lot in my. career, Matt.

But this is still probably unprecedented. I made a poll talking about Coldplay. And I'm getting destroyed. And Craig and H-town. 70% of the comments are about you and Barry Manilow. I don't think a Barry Manelow super fan has any right to criticize

Coldplay fans. I don't even really like Colplay, but come on. Candido says Coldplay equals good taste of music. equals crap taste in music. You just haven't been to a concert. Literally another person just now.

What is happening? Turn it up. Mike. Don't do it. Don't sing. Oh, I won't sing. Jonathan's face is not, he's not vibing. Man, I'm with you on all this music, but this guy sucks, man.

I was like, Matt Fitz, this is, funny enough, my brother's listening. He's like, you guys are wrong. Should we play? It's a miracle? Coldplay sucks. I mean, it cold play's good. My brother loves cold play.

And he also, this is like unprompted. Everybody's coming after Barry Manilow. Dang. It's like your Achilles heel, even though you've got like 17 Achilles heels with your music tastes. Let's check the open scoreboard. What are you want to? Something called Fitzpatrick.

minus four. Lee, minus four. Why are you talking like Triumph the insult comic dog? Jess Olison, minus four. Yeah,

yeah. Like you literally 70 comments about Barry Manilow. You hear it's a miracle. It makes you get out of your seat and jam. No. First of all, you probably got osteoporosis.

You can't get out of your seat. I was, look, we saw, Peyton and I were both the two of the younger people there, especially Peyton. get your calcium up.

I'm with you, Matt. Coal plays. By like, Cole is believing or not today at 150. Are they? They have to be. I would rather do

the astronomer, CEO. The HR chief. Let me check his LinkedIn page. How's that going? How about this one? Have you had anybody at your office

as a CEO and an HR person hooked up? 713-212-5-790. So if you're the chief of HR and you're supposed to report relationships at work, do you report it to yourself? Hmm.

Well, here's the thing. If you're the HR chief, the person that you report to is the CEO. So you're good. You've got no wonder you don't report to yourself and you don't have to report to your superior because your superior has already seen you probably completely naked and you've done things. Good for them. I'm hurting for the wife. This sucks.

Well, for their spouses. For sure. Imagine finding out on the internet that your wife was cheating on you and she was at Coldplay. So somebody says on Twitter and I get so many tweets about it that apparently the I think the wife of the CEO is already... They found her on Facebook and she had already changed her last name. Oh. Yeah.

It's, I would say, stay out of the people's personal lives. In this time just last night. Oh. Yeah. I mean, what, what, there's no room for interpretation. You are hugging at Coldplay. I mean, there's no mistake on identity. There's no AI generation on this.

Hmm. Hmm. Well, I mean, adultery is terrible, period. But it's really bad when you're on the jumbo term. The entire nation knows. Yeah. Not only the city, the entire country now. I don't even know what astronomer does, but you mentioned a software company.

I'm sure it's doing okay. How's the stock doing today? Let's make the stock go up or down. I'm going to come in. What's going up or down at this point? 1155, sports talk, 7.9. We have the news at noon coming up. We have a just don't get it at 1230.

If you missed our list of the Houston Impact Top 10, we'll revisit that coming up at about an hour from now. Okay. I kind of like our list. although you and I have a different number one. Your number one's on my name on the list. He's not even in your top ten. Because what I tell you, when they show up, they show up. I don't have any interest in talking about any player that isn't around.

I mean, I have out of mind Yarnan Alvarez, of audicide out of mind Spencer Arroghetti. I mean, look, I don't know exactly what happened, but let's recreate. I'm in the outfield. Yes. A ball hits my thumb. A batted ball in batting practice was coming after him. And they say if it had hit his thumb, he would have been okay. But he put his hands on his head to protect his head and it hit the thumb against his skull, basically.

So it had something to not give. If it had leeway to give, it wouldn't have hurt him so bad. But it went against his skull, so it basically pressed up against it and broke. So basically, if we were to get an x-ray of his thumb, It's in 35 pieces. I don't know that. I mean, come on. He didn't get surgery, right?

I haven't heard anything about that. I mean, he basically... Yeah, they said six weeks and then... Basically, let's put it this way. You went and you got a dumbbell and you threw it on your thumb. It would probably go into a bunch of different... Yeah, probably going to a bunch of pieces. Right.

Well... But, I mean, that was... When was that? I mean, I think I... May, yeah. I think. Broken thumbs, was... it's six weeks?

That's what they said. So McTaggart said six, seven, eight weeks, tops? Actually, April 7th. That's been three and a half months. We've had the worst thumb in the history of Houston sports here in this town the last year. The worst shin.

By far the worst shin ever. Shin bruise. And the worst hand fracture in the history of sports. So again, you can't make an impact for me. me if I can't count on you. That's why there was a certain awesome left field slash DH didn't make my list because of that.

Arrogate is going to be back. He's throwing... I forgot. Is he at sides or is he at BP? Or is he at live BP? That's what I'm saying? Maybe you and I should go do the show down on West Palm. We've done it before. Yeah, let's do it. I don't take a week down there. I don't sit that motel 6th. That was gross. No, we weren't there. We were at the... Yeah, we were at a decent place.

We were at the Ming Hill's meets. Yeah, you were racking up points. I didn't rack up points. I got some points. I didn't rack them up. The news at noon. Yeah, I'll book it. I got it.

I got it. Well, I expensed it. If you want to get the points next time, I'm all for that. I'm okay with you getting points. My computer's down. 713-212-5. Wait, we're two hours into the show. Yeah.

That was quick. Hey, I want to thank our friends. Cold play. I don't want to thank Coldplay. This is the Matt Thomas show. with Ross. 123 Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show.

We'll be in 25 minutes. We'll be asking you a simple question. What don't you get? I felt like a lot of the show today has been about what don't you get? My 4U tab is all memes about the CEO. I know. Not the poor CEO.

It's like everybody at HR looking at the lady walking in. Oh my God. Just terrible. Let's present to you the news. at do. 124. Sports Talk 790. I could not be more prepared for this.

Every day at this time. And I mean not sometimes. Every day, Jonathan, at this time, you play that sounder, presents the news at noon. And just like Ross is every single day, he's prepared to give us the news of noon. Matt. Yes, sir.

Well, you know what? We'll start with the Houston Astros. Back in action tomorrow. against the Seattle Mariners for three games. Tomorrow will be a 9-10 start. Saturday at 840, Sunday 3-10. So two late ones coming for the Astros as they'll be back in action against the Seattle Mariners. The probable pitchers named for the squad over the weekend.

Of course, you know, you reset it. You start with your ace in the second half. Don't even say that. Astros going with Brandon Walter. What? I like Brandon Walter. I like Brandon Walter too. He's been good.

Doesn't walk anybody. Lance McCullors, Jr. Last time he pitched in Seattle, wasn't he the starter of that 18- inning game against George Kirby and he had a great start? George Kirby. Sick of George Kirby. Me too.

Although he asked him to be George Kirby lately. From Ber Valdez. So no Hunter Brown in the opening series for your Houston Astros. Matt Thomas, your reaction. My reaction is, I'm not worried about Hunter Brown. Unless he doesn't pitch Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Unless, if he doesn't pitch there, then we are in, not we, the Astros are in serious. But you know, I can say we, I've been an Astro fan all my life. We, that's we's fine. I won't do it too often, but that's fine. I'm a we guy in this particular case. All right. So you're not concerned. We are now, by the way, two weeks to the day, Matt, from the trade deadline.

What time does that trade deadline end? actually I think I know but I can't remember because I don't want the Adams to get the big big story when it happens during our show no no no no no let me look does that Gregke happen oh yeah that's at 5 p.m. Oh then they're going to get it then

that sucks. It could happen earlier in the day we could get it Matt it could happen on our show or it'll probably happen at 203 yeah and then they're going to have the whole show where they can just talk about anything they want to and this thing's going to drop out of nowhere, and they'll be like, oh, there's our show already done. Congratulations, 18.

Knock it out. Jerks. I'm just kidding. All right. Well, I know we had do gut feelings, but how are we feeling right now? Number of big trades, number of medium trades, number of small trades.

Small trade, starting pitcher. I say one medium, one small. Really? What's up? You don't write that down? Nope. Okay. All right, moving along, man.

Oh, he's got the open Chapmanian ship happening at the Dunluis course in Northern Ireland. Right now, uh, Jacob Olison is that a minus four leading the way? Okay.

He is tied with Lee Howtong and Matt Fitzpatrick. Your thoughts on those three guys, Matt? Tied at top of the leaderboard right now and finished for the day. Scottie Shepard three under 68 today. Ray McElroy who's a Saurpus, a two under through nine.

Rory McAvoy. Ricky Fowler in the mix, tied for 13th at minus two. And let's see. John Rom at a minus one. And that's your Open Championship update. All the news at noon. Yep. Just kind of shows you how what's not going on the world of sports.

Matt, elsewhere in the news. We just play Shane Gillis over and over again. We could. You know, I didn't make any clips of that. I meant to, but I didn't get here in time. Tired. Rashi Rice sentenced to 30 days jail time According to sources Says ESPN

4 and 5 years probation for his role in a multi-car crash last year Oh this is according to Adam Schaefter Even though he's not on the byline for whatever reason Dallas judge ruling that Rice can serve jail time at any point during the five-year probation period sources telling Adam Schaefter He also received deferred adjudication The case will be be dismissed if he completes five years of probation. Of course, if you recall last year, he was driving

119 miles an hour in a Lamborghini sport utility vehicle before the crash in Dallas. He was facing one count of aggravated assault and one count of collision involving seriously, serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. And what was the punishment ultimately? 30 days jail, five years probation. He's very lucky. Extremely lucky. 119 miles an hour. When is I just don't get it?

That's in 20 minutes from now. Okay. All right. I might have gotten the best tweet of the day when it comes to our friend, the CEO. All right. CEO faux show? No, it's at Mr. underscore P underscore level. Okay.

Team bonding exercise. That's a very, it's a very H-R-E-type phrase, team bonding. Also, Matt, we have, unfortunately, Diamondback star Catelle Marte, home robbed during the All-Star break. Burglarized during Major League Baseball All-Star Break, according to police. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. The department is investigating high-dollar residential burglary

that appeared to happen Tuesday night. It seems like when people know you're going to be out of town, that's when they rob your house with these athletes. Joe Burrow get robbed. Some other guys. Pat Mahomes. Kelsey. Travis Kelsey.

Yeah. Why? Let me just tell you, everything is getting more sophisticated. And that includes burglaries. It seems like it would be harder with everything on camera. The ring cameras. And I imagine they have some kind of security system that maybe they're disabling. I don't know exactly how this is going down.

But it's crazy. Well, I, I, I'm just going to say that if I was an athlete, I wouldn't tell anybody where I was going. Either that or just, if you make $5,10, $15, $20, $25, $30, $40 million, hire security live human beings. Yeah, it's tough. It's a big expense, really. Oh, please.

You can afford it, but you'd rather not have to. For an armed guard and a security system that's going to cost you probably $250,000 a year. When you make $40 million a year, suck it up, Nancy. Well, you got to put a lot of it. in the, Matt, Lamborghini insurance is expensive. You're not going to make me feel sorry for these people. Trips to

say, Saint-Roll-Pay. These are expensive trips, Maddie. Hey, Newport, Rhode Island. I understand these things. Gold plate of Bentley doesn't pay for itself. Those payments are high. All right, 713-212-750. That was the news at noon.

You can just tell this. Also, in other news, Matt, astronomer CEO, whatever the hell his name was. And HR chief. whatever her name was. Have terrible taste of music. Have caught on the Jumbotron at Coldplay.

And that's Andy Byron is his name. With HR chief Kristen Cabo or Cabot. Let's Google Andy Byron net worth. I mean, how big of a mistake was this at the end of the day? Networth about $65 million. It's about to be 32.5. Yeah. And weekend visits with the kids. You can spend all the free time he wants with Kristen. What's her name?

Who's also married. And I'm presuming that she's also got kids. I mean, again, we're not making a lot of this because we've got two spouses who are really pissed off. And one has already scrubbed her name from the Facebook world. Terrible. And that's your news and new. Thank you. The Houston Texans had a have a website and a Twitter account, and they were bragging about five of their players being named in the top 100 of something, which is fine, right? Yes.

But I had never heard of this website until I saw the tweet yesterday. We will discuss. We'll discuss that next. 1213, Sports Talk 790. I just don't get it coming up at the bottom of the hour here on the Matt Top. I'm a show with Ross. How are we feeling? How are we feeling?

You know, I'm trying to be nice. Because I know when you really like something, you love it, you cherish it, whether it be a movie or a music or a band, a TV show. And then someone says, yeah, that show sucks. Yeah, that band sucks. You're like, you know what, you suck. so I don't want people to say that to me but I also have to give my honest opinion

What the hell is this crap? I mean, come on It's great monologue music You like this? This is the song I was looking for earlier. This is the one I'm like This is actually fine. Like I find Viva LaVita offensive.

Like this is not offensive. Okay, I can see it. I mean, yeah, this is like you're breaking up with your girlfriend background music in a 19 or 2010 show on the CW. Yeah, so the all the people that went to me. I'm going to care for you, Kara, but I just don't think it's going to work out. I've got bigger dreams than staying in this small town all my life.

But I'm always going to love you. Yeah, it's, It sounds good for that. But I'm not going to put this on in the car and put the windows down and jam. It just ain't me. I'm sorry. It's not hardbroken, man. To all you cold play lovers, which there are many of you, it's at 50, it's a 55-45.

45 right now on the poll at Sports RV where you can vote if you'd like. And people are chiming in big time, still hating on Barry Mantle. Yeah, we're just taking a loss on this. And we can, we're not experts on everything. We're expressing a lot of things. 45% of the people are with us. Yeah. And that's generally better than how you normally do all these polls.

If I'm going to pull out, it's a miracle. Or weekend in New England. What was the crappy song you had earlier? Can't smile without you. Give me another better. It's America. Copacabana is the most famous, but that's just overplayed. It's a jam.

Copacabana is a certified jam. I want to hear Matt. Matt, we'll give me your top. It's a miracle. Go look if it's a miracle. No, no. Well, I guess it's fine. I will do it as I run through this little Twitter thing I happen to see from the Texans.

Okay. It's going to add to the show for sure. God. It is. So the Houston Texans were bragging about this list of top 100 players that were, you know, when the NFL puts out their top 10 list, you go, okay, it's a pretty big deal. And maybe if pro football talk was to do it or pro football focus. The one I happened to see from them yesterday, which did not include C.J. Stroud in their top one, 100, which is really surprising to me.

I was like, okay, well, maybe there's just a different set of eyes. Okay. And they even quote, they even gave you the name of the website. PFSN 365. What the hell is that? Pro football sports network? I'm just guessing. I don't know what it is, but why do I care what PFSN has?

and all they did was bag on this website for not having the Texans player on there. I mean, they're most record. You're telling me that C.J. Stroud is on a top 100 player? I find that almost impossible to believe. Yeah. Like, no C.J. D. F.U. Okay, you know what I'm saying?

They got Jalen Petrie in there? Yeah. Who's better, Matt? Now I like Jalen Petrie. But, hmm. I mean, no Will Anderson. Jr. Nico Collins at 39 is criminal.

C.J. Stroud Snub is diabolical. I mean... We got to slow down on the diabolical. What? People are misusing that. Diabolical is mean. Diabolical is like if you're like...

I don't know. It's more plotting. But if you're going to put together a top 100 list in Will Anderson and C.J. extra out or not on that list? I completely discredit the list. Do you not? I don't see him.

Okay, the NFL list isn't done yet. Never mind. They're releasing the top 100 list. The NFL does every year as voted on by the players. I just thought it was just really weird that they had Yeah, he's got to be top 100, I think.

The Texans would brag about a list that doesn't have their two most well, their most recognizable defensive player and the most recognizable offensive player. Maybe not Will Anderson's most recognizable defense, but among the most recognizable, right?

Got a great breakout season for the Texans last year? I mean, I guess I would have to see this list. They had CJ Garner Johnson the list. See, he's going to lead the league in smack talk, but will he be nearly as good as his snack?

Yes, he's good. He was traded away. It was more of a cap casualty with the east. It was a cap casualty, yes, but it was also... What? A little lippy. So what?

I think players get tired of lippy. Well, this player is lippy. We're going to have to trade them away. This is in 1966. I didn't realize Foghorn-Langhorn was an Eagles general manager. Well, look at this young C.J. Gardner-Joneson is a little lippy. We'll have to trade them away from the Super Bowl champion.

It's not an exclusive southern term. And Foghorn Langhorn is not running the Philadelphia Eagles. Okay. That guy's a little lippy. You know, get about it. He's top 100. Okay, so then why were the Eagles... Why would the Eagles try to top-hundred play?

I just said, I just told you. They can't pay everyone. They have the best roster in football. Well, they should get rid of some Mids then and keep a top-hunter player then. They have to get rid of some guys. Okay. Can't keep everyone, Matt. That's the beauty of the hard cap in the NFL.

My advice is the Texans. When's the last time we had repeat Super Bowl champ? I guess the Chiefs? Did they go back to back? Before that, it was long... It was all where they went back to the Patriots? Yeah. Box never did it.

Yeah, cheeps back to back, because they were going for the three-peat. Yeah. I don't know. I just, if I'm the text in social media, I don't, why do I care what the hell PFSN is? They don't include my quarterback. I've seen that website. I don't really know it. They'd be like radio.com saying, hey, IHeart Houston does a great job, and Michael Berry's on the list.

You can't have Michael, you can't have Michael Barry now on the list. Hey, Ramon, what do you think about C.J. Gardner Johnson? Is he a little lippy? Ding. Now, why wouldn't C.J. Stroud be in the top 100? Do you think we should call C.J. by his real first and middle name? Did you watch Shane Gillis on the S.B. Awards last night, Ramon? Did you find him funny?

I'm trying to look at this top 100 list and see which quarterbacks they have. I mean, we can name that. I mean, hell, okay, put it this way. If they have Lamar Jackson number one. If the executives thought that CJ was the 11th best quarterback, if you're the 11th best quarterback in the NFL, is there room for you in the top 100? I would think so, right?

I know there's a bunch of positions. I'll just go by quarterback on this list. Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hertz, Jaden Daniels, 33, Baker Mayfield 46, Jerry Goff In the 63 Justin Herbert 77 Go ahead

Brock Purdy Uh huh Go ahead 88th All right This list is invalidating Okay So PFSN

First of all you suck First of all your talent evaluations is even worse And Tyler Murray 92nd Yeah PFSN is the Cold Play of football evaluations Dack Prescott 98th

Okay We can argue about CJ Stroud being top 10-ish. I mean, I guess I'm open to a Brock Purdy conversation. Perhaps I'm open to a Dak Prescott conversation. You're not to a Kyle Murray. No chance. No chance. No way, no how. He's horrible. No, he's not horrible. He's very average. He's mid. Yeah. To below. And he made the top hunter list. Houston, Texans, if you're listening to me on the IT, this list, social media list, delete this one. That's a

massive L. All right. I have a simple course. for you, Ross. I've asked it for you for the last year and a half or so. What don't you get? You're about to find out. We ask you a simple question once per week. What don't you get? And then we try to give you an answer. My perspective is a husband and father of three. Ross is an enterprising middle-aged person. And Jonathan as, well, Jonathan's young and sexy. And thinks that as, The Fays going to be Houston in football. I think I would leave.

You believe a lot of things. We can do it all day. You know, man, I have a document and I write down stuff to try to remember later, and I forgot about this, but I'm looking back at, I have one that is going to attack one of the fabrics of America. And it just don't get it. That is what we call professional radio. I'm probably going to get crushed.

Worse than me getting crushed on Colplay? Which you should be taking as much of the Cahid as I should be, and I don't know why you're not. I don't know why either But well it's because people are Barry Manilow is the low-hanging fruit It's a miracle More people don't love it more than I do

Hmm And it looks like you made it Oh it's a jam too That's Oh you and oh Bum All right stop But da put down

Please Oh what a good jazz What a good drummer Actually I'm not only attacking the fabric of America I'm attacking the fabric of the world When we come back All right, it's I Just Don't Get it. 713-212-5-790.

7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Do you have something in your life that you just don't get? No need to worry. No need to fret. We will discuss the topics to see if we comprehend. The things that may confuse our friends, it's time to say, I just don't get it. And now we ask you what don't you get? 713-212-5-6.

790. 713212.5790. Now you teased a tweet that's going to anger people. It's going to attack the world. Go ahead. This is something that's been a staple and countries across the world for centuries. And I just don't get it. Especially when it's not cold. And I'm talking about hot coffee. That's right. if it's not cold outside, why would you prefer a hot drink that you have to wait 15 minutes before you can even taste it? And it's going to warm you up as well when it does, especially here in Houston, Texas.

It's 110 degrees outside, and it feels like a sauna. Why am I enjoying a hot cup of coffee? I prefer the cold brew, which is less acidic, which is smoother tasting. which has higher caffeine content as well. So if you need the hot coffee for caffeine, you're getting more caffeine in cold brew. So I understand I am attacking a centuries-old staple,

but hot coffee when it's hot or just when it's not cold? I don't get it. Why do you want to order something that you've got to sit there and wait 10 to 15 minutes to take a sip of? What are we doing here? You are preaching to the wrong crowd. You know me at 2 o'clock most days. I go to the Rar Rucks right down the street from our office.

And I order a Pike Place with two creams and one splice. I know. And I do it probably three times a week. Explain it to me. It is a good energy boost for me. Cold brew, better. I don't like cold drinks like coffee. And hot drinks, I can drink at 87 degrees, 94 degrees, or 14 degrees.

I like the taste. And so, Ross, I just don't get your take because I guarantee you every day that I, hold on, when I go at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when I go through the drive-thru at Rar-Rux, I'm always the fourth or fifth car. And I always see hot coffee being served. Not cold. Not saying that people don't drink cold coffee and the fratapapingos and the fratapinginos and a rock-a-rockerrinos and all that kind of stuff. That stuff works well. But don't, don't come after us hot coffee drinkers. We enjoy it.

I get that you, I just don't get it. I just, after, as being a multi-years now into the, into the colder bruise, at the very least ice coffee, I mean, I just don't need to be warmed up at 2 p.m. I do. So I'd say I just don't get it. I understand. I'm in the vast minority in this. All right.

Vast minority. But I don't get it. 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790. There's something in your life you just don't get. We are here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross to help you with such issues. We are here until 2 o'clock. Believe it or not, today is what, by the way?

Are we doing, you know what? Believe it or not? Believe it or not, believe it or not? No, we can't, no. We'll do it like the last week of the year. That was pretty funny. Hey, it's the slowest week of the year. It is a slowest week of year.

We do the software company, the astronomer's CEO. Has your CEO slough with their HR director? Believe it or not? Believe it or tell us? Jonathan, anything this week for you, except I don't get why you have this dumb notion that SFA is going to be Houston in football. I just don't get it. Y'all hear that? It's okay.

It's okay. Like I said before. Oh, so young. A lumberjack is nothing to a cougar. So I go to my point. What, you mean the other way? You said a lumberjack is nothing to a cougar. A cougar.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm here. But I actually came with something to this week. I don't, and I'm having a hard time understanding when people give an option or like they say, like this and then that and they go I chose the ladder. I have no idea. I just don't get it. I actually don't know how you use that in a

conversation. I don't know when I pick the ladder. There's the former and the latter. Number one is former. Number two is ladder. L-A-T-E-R, not L-A-D-D-E-R. But where's that from? Where's that from? I don't know. English books. Give me a example. I don't know. S-F-A English. Would you rather listen to Coldplay or Barry Manilow?

I'd listen to the latter. Matt would rather listen to the latter than the former. Oh, okay, okay, okay. You take English class at SFA? No, I'll tell you, I took all these into classes. Was your major, I know you're a track star, so was your major general studies at SFA? No, I'm telling you.

I'm telling you, I literally, I... Answer my question, seriously. How many basket weaving classes do you take at SFA, seriously? None. Uh-huh. All right. Yeah, maybe the kids aren't saying former in the ladder, Maddie. no they are saying it the former

they're two very fundamental words ladder meaning previous latter I've never I've never even heard it from you and professors until the other day I was looking I was watching an interview and I was like she kept saying oh yeah I picked the ladder I was like well I'm glad we could explain it to you Jonathan we're here to

educate you should you put a would you trust being underneath a ladder or is that a bad idea was it former or the ladder on that shut up what's your high school English teacher day what high school did you go to? Forbe and Travis?

Oh, that doesn't really count. We need to get them on the horn. Sheesh. The horn means the phone, Jonathan. For the CEO of this company, if you're going to have an affair, that I would recommend it under any circumstance, I know divorce is difficult,

but at least being honest is an important part. If you really have fallen in love with somebody else. But if you're going to have this affair, you go get a room at the Rallus Rinn or at the Mumford meets. Well, clearly the affairs progressed past that. They're in a relationship.

You're going to the coal plate. You're in a relationship. The rules about affairs are simple. You don't go out in public with them. You pick, again, my, my suggestion would be a motel on 59 near Laura Copy. Anything on Bissinette would work. And 45 on Tidwell would work as well. just get your room for a couple hours

express your feelings towards each other but you can't go out to have dinner you can't go to cold play concerts you can't share an Instagram page you just have to keep it private if you're going to do it so that couple I don't get why you would

make it so public by even going on in public I just don't get it you think they stopped being cold play fans up to that no no really it's not going to hit the same though You can't listen to Coldplay, at least for a few months.

Got a feeling of this. Do you think that they both like or do you think he liked it because it was an opportunity to be with her for a few hours? Maybe she's the cold play. A lot of, like Matt, we're losing the poll, Matt. People love Coldplay. All right. We're going to go to the phones here and we come back.

Now, Caleb is in San Antonio. Now, Caleb, we played a call on his show on Monday. He was the one I think sounded like Michael Connor for a little bit. No, I don't think it's him. He's trolling, though. But he was definitely trolling when he dropped Houston Dash. Houston Astros in the same sentence. It's hilarious.

It's great. All right. Caleb, Brian, John, and Jason, we're here to help you. We'll do it next as we, I just don't get it continues on 790. All right, let's go to the phones. Here we go. I'm deathly afraid this is terrible Caleb calling from Sunday's 10th ending show. Caleb, did you call about the Houston Dash and Joe a spot of reference?

Yes, sir. Okay. That was me. All right. Fire away, my friend. What don't you get? Hey, well, first off, speaking of that guy at the cold play, The guy who was having an affair, I don't know what's more embarrassed in getting caught with an affair or being caught at a cold plate concert.

I mean, a lot of guys with short khaki shorts and flip-flops there. He seemed like one of them. But besides that, I just want to let you know, I'm actually a Stephen F. Austin graduate. That makes sense. That makes plenty of sense. I also ran track at Stephen F. Austin. Your old coach, Phil Olson. I partook in the midnight.

mile relay, if anybody knows what that is, which you only have to run track there to understand that. What do you have to run a mile to go get your GED? What is it? Oh, I can't expose everything. All right. You've got to run track there. But here's

the deal. Something that I'm frustrated with is it's two things. It's the Kevin Durant Hyde Hype for Houston. And the way you guys defend Joe Espada, you remind me of when you have a group of guys and that one keeps bringing the girlfriend over that nobody likes and he's trying to force her on you like hey she's great guys you just you just don't understand and you just almost

stop calling him just because of her i feel like that's you guys you will defend him till the end i'll make two predictions right now um the Houston uh rockets and the astros will not make it past the first round uh neither neither team will double double whammy there uh so we just wanted to share that with y'all. That's not, I just don't get it. What are we doing here? I don't. What's your dilemma here?

We're here to give advice, not to get your predictions. We don't care about your predictions. How is Joe Espada holding back the Astros? How is he holding back the Astros? Yes, it's not rhetorical. Let's go.

Got an answer? Yes, I do. I will leave it with this. Would LeBron James want Joe Espada coaching him? Absolutely not. Caitlin Clark, absolutely not. Nolan Ryan, absolutely not.

Right? Caleb running track at SFA, absolutely not. I'm going to hang up and listen. Listen to any of the players in what they say and how much they love and respect Joe Espada. Let me just say that's an SFA call right there. Literally. That call is SFA level.

I beg you, read one article, listen to one interview. He took the loss. I know. He took the loss like SFA is going to take about nine of them. LeBron James and what is it? It's stupid. Well, all right. Well, no.

Hi, that was Matt said that not me, Ross. No, I'm saying that guy, Caleb and SFA is stupid. I mean, I'm sure he may be a swell fellow, but he's not very bright. Look, I have a lot of friends that are stupid. Again, that was Matt. That wasn't me, Ross. I might not be the brightest thing you're met in your life. I think you're relatively smart. Relatively smart, but I'm no genius.

Those people will call me stupid. Caleb, it seems like, I mean, he's something had a nice, great dis... But go to the Nolan Ryan wouldn't want to be coached. Yeah. This is stupid. He's stupid. it and that's fine. We can't all be brilliant. I mean,

the reason why there's SFA is there for a reason to let Caleb in. And others. Matt. John, Matt's firing it. Is it all the Barry Maniloh hate you getting? Is that why you being so salty today? He wanted to hear it's a miracle and he haven't played it yet. So I'm kind of pissed off about that. One o'clock. One o'clock, you're playing it right at the very beginning.

Oh, my God. All right. I've been waiting. You can lose every listener we have left. Brian, what don't you get, my friend? I don't get a lot of things, but hey, what's that gets me is it's 110 degrees out here, guys? What are these teenagers doing in hoodies? And they think it's okay.

Is that cool or is that the lamest thing you've ever heard of any life? You know what, Brian? I don't get that either. Thank you for the phone call. Excellent point. I think it's kind of an introvert type of anti-a-a-social. I wear long-sleeved shirts, but it's because of my, I think everything is cold.

It's like when we were in high school, man, the weird kid wore a jacket, like a big puffy jacket to school every day because they just wanted to be in their shell. I'm not hot. I'm not hot. No, rooms and restaurants are cold typically to me. I think it's in a kind of a shell introversion thing. And I think the way that kids come up now with the, they've been on these tablets and phones ever since they're two years old.

Yeah. They're less social. That's my theory. When I was in school, you know what I was wearing? Birkenstocks and shorts? No, I got Birkenstops right now. Hold on. That's what I'm saying. I like him. Don't, don't let him shame you. I'm just asking. Corrective shoes and jorts?

Jonathan, I was wearing Coca-Cola T-shirts. Okay. And Hard Rock Cafe T-shirts. Coca-Cola with a polo shirts, Hard Rock with a T-shirts. Coca-Cola? Polo? No, yeah, Coca-Cola Polo. Okay. You know what? I will find one, and I'll put on Twitter and I'll ask if you wore these when you were in high school

or junior high. Let's go to John and Deer Park. John, what don't you get? I'm still laughing at corrective shoes and jorts. Don't listen to who's clinically ill. But I'm with Rosser pretty good. And it'll be 100 degrees outside

for construction 2. 3 in the evening. And these guys open up a thermos, use humidity. It's too off his coffee. And they're drinking hot coffee. I just don't get it. I just don't get it. All right.

So he's on my side. Yeah, you guys are a minority. And unfortunately, the line is... John, sorry about that. But you know what? I'm waiting this down. Give this to IT. I'm going to need that guy's phone number.

John, I'm going to get you, next time you come to an event, I'll buy you a cup of coffee. I'll buy you a cup of coffee. I'll buy you a cup of coffee. Yeah, he's at the site. It's hot 100 degrees and everybody's getting the thermos out. Not a good steaming cup of coffee.

Oh, right after. How about a nice, smooth, delicious, less acidic and bitter, cold brew. I'm fine with coffee. Appreciate you, though. Hot, a cup of coffee, cream, good times, good conversation. And why don't you have some boiling hot soup too while you're out there? Boiling hot vegetable soup and hot coffee for your 110 degree day?

Wait a minute. You don't want to go get a cup of French onion after the show today? Maybe a clam chatter, if you will? I'm good. I will. Do you have hot soup more? in the winter? Yes. Or in the summer. Winter. Okay.

All right. Jason and Katie. Jason, what don't you get? I don't get. I'm still in there? Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah, I think our phones are messed up. Go for it. Yeah. Line five. You need to get you a nice, chef. You know what you need? You hear that? Oh, yeah.

IT? This is going straight to this. This is right for you, IT. We appreciate all the help and the headway that have been made. You know what? IT? Wait, let me try this. I'm going to put them on. holding put in back. Nice. It's the final.

It's two different lines. Jason. Jason's not gone. That's fine. Thanks. We'll try to get this. Yeah, we'll try. Well, it's definitely two and five is the main ones.

It was three. It was three. You know, we have to send these things on a weekly basis. It's fine. Is it? It's great. It's great. Thank you, IT.

Our friend James and Garden Oaks, James. Hello, James. What don't you get? Okay. Thank you for checking my call, fellas. Governor, Governor Thomas, I don't like talking about my private life and everything because you know how we keep things private and everything. But this one, I have to tell you guys. And you tell me what you think.

My wife suffered a stroke back in March and she's had a hard time recuperating. And I'm doing everything I can to, you know, just make her life more comfortable day by day. And it's hard to begin with. She had to be going to rehab for a 20-day stint straight from this hospital. that she was there for five days and they threw away her dentures and it cost me $4,000 and they when I inquired about it because they gave everything to me and everything they were very inquisitive about how my wife's doing how my wife's doing da da da da da and I didn't realize to about a week later hey my wife says I don't have my dentures and I go oh dear I can't find it in any of these belongings that I retrieved and then when I called them back they act like they don't know. know what they're talking about. So it's costing me $4,000. And somebody told me I should sue their pants off for it because, you know, they're taking you for a fool. And I go, well, I don't know. You know, me being a Christian, I don't want to go that route. So I'm just lost that they never acknowledged me. And so that's my story, guys. Sorry to, sorry to give you, you know, one that kind of makes you feel confused. you very much, Alex and Garno's. Hope you that you're doing well.

James Garno, excuse me. People are getting out of their cars. I'm about to go nail the client, big sales meeting, big six-figure. You know, no, not the HR chief. A prospective client, big six-figure deal. Okay.

Wouldn't believe where I've been. Yeah. The city's in town, from Boston to Denver. Everybody knows your name. I'm really trying to be nice. You shouldn't be nice. You shouldn't be nice. Why don't you correct me on something?

Well, I do that daily. Y'all are so cute. You have your delete keys. You have your backspace. You're right, Matt. It's easier to make mistakes and live exposition. That wouldn't change my career for the world, but y'all need to back off. Enjoy the great Barry Manlo.

As we continue the slowest week in sports. You don't hear this with Wexler and Clanton. What do you think? Jonathan is a little bit of regroup on for you? Just say it. It sucks. Where's the chorus at? It's a miracle.

It's a chorus. Who? This is definitely better than other one, though, for sure. Listen to them. This is a romantic. This is the stuff that CEOs use their HR chiefs. I don't think so. They're making love to cold play.

We already know that. That's true. All right. 106 on Sports Talk 7. We had a list earlier today. It's our impact top 10 of Houston athletes. And I want to run through my list really quick. Will you run yours really quick as well?

Yes. And what we decided to do on this list was, and this is the only week we do list radio. We don't do list radio any other week of the year except this week. This is the slowest week of the year. It pops up. Is the 10 athletes that we expect to have an impact on the rest of their year, whether it's the Astros, the entire Texan season, the entire rocket season.

And if I, excuse me. I did put one University of Houston player there. So my top 10 list is very simple and it goes like this. At number 10, Connor Wegman,

the University of Houston quarterback, I think probably one of the more famous transfer portals for U of H and a lot of the guys usually go elsewhere as compared to coming to Houston. So the Cougars are getting one as compared to losing them.

I have Alperin Shingun at 9, Joe Mixen and 8, a man, Thompson 7, C.J. Stroud. at six, Cam Robinson at five. Reason why Cam Robinson's there, he's replacing Laramie Tonsel,

and he's the left tackle. He's, in theory, the most important offensive lineman, and he protects the blindside, and if the Texans' offensive line is going to be anything close to what it needs to be in terms of being average, Cam Robinson's got to be better

than what people are thinking is going to be. I googled Cam Robinson today, Ross. He is pound for pound expected to be the biggest free agent bust of the 2025 They didn't sign him to a huge deal. They didn't either, but a $15 million or something. There must be people that despise him.

But Cam Robinson put number five. 12 million. Frauber Valdez four. Oh, wait a minute. Why didn't you give us the proper amount of the salary on that? Yeah. Fraber Valdez is four for me, Hunter Brown, three, Jeremy Payne, 2, and Kevin Durant.

And the way the Texans have, you know, not essentially gone all in, but there's a lot of people believe they have gone much closer towards competing for a championship. Now that Kevin Durant is a rocket. So I think there's going to be certain expectations of that. And that's the reason why Kevin Durant is my most impactful Houston athlete for the upcoming season. I'm sorry, who was two? Jeremy Payne. Pena.

Pena, the Astros D offense has been different since he's been out, not playing shortstop every day and not leading off of the Astros. Okay. Not that Eastak Pernis has been bad. Matter of fact, he's done much better than I thought he was going to be as a lead-off guy. but you want ESOC Paredes helping you out more of the middle of the order than having him by the top and having certainly no disrespect to Mariso Dubon, but Mariso Dubon and Jake Myers are not your centerpiece heart of the order type players on your lineup. Okay.

I put Piny at 10. I'm mixing at 9. You had him at 8. I have Cam Robinson also at 8 lower because, like I said, you're hoping Ursa or somebody else, and the whole of the offensive line can be better. If I did the whole offensive line, I would have had a little. higher. Then I had Shingoon and a men, and both

of us have a men ahead of Shingoon, the All-Star, which, I mean, we're obviously in agreement there, but our Shingun's pretty important, but Amin, Thompson, we feel like has the higher ceiling, I guess? Well, let me ask you this when it goes to Shingoon.

Can the Rockets with new Dorian Finney Smith, new Klincapella, new Kevin Durant, and the exact same production that Alperin Shingun gave you. Is that enough to win the West? Or does Alperin have even better than he was last year?

If you get growth from a guy like I'm in Thompson or Jabari Smith Jr. And then Kevin Durant should produce more, at least when the games really count, he should produce more than Jalen Green did. I just think the reason why Alperin has got pressure on him is because of a variety of reasons. One, he was never talked about his trade possibilities. And that's a lot of faith in a basketball team. that you don't throw his name around like through Jalen Greenfield. Yeah, the only name we heard, we heard him kind of mentioned in Yannis rumors, but that was,

but that's also an MVP. But that's just kind of died quick. The two most prevalent names, actually there were four names that were brought up out in the Rockets Trade Conversations. First of all, Jalen's never went away. Reed Sheper's name was brought up, a little bit of Jabari Smith and a little bit of Tarisen. But it was primarily Jalen and what else, you know, Dylan Brooks's name really didn't get brought up until it actually happened. Yeah.

So I want Alpi to play at at least an all-star caliber level like you did last year. I want Alpi to get to 70% at the free-thall line. Would that be asking too much? He had a really hot start of the season, but he was over 75% around December.

And then he just cratered. And then kind of fell off. I like to see his defense take another step up. That's the reason why I've got him on my mind. He's improved, but he just is going to always have the physical limitations as far as the, you know, he's not very fleet of foot. All right. Continue your list. I'm trying to pull up his free throw percentage.

Yeah. Man, he ended up with his worst career free throw percentage when he was great the start of the season. Anyways, rest of my list, Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, I had Kevin Durant three. Because of the other guys we put on this list, I'm in Thompson, Alpern-Shangoon, I mean, Jabari, it's a good team. I'm not putting, it's obviously a huge impact player, but I'm not putting. the same impact as Kevin Durant. C.J. Stroud, he's got to overcome the offensive line, so I have him number two.

And then Yordan Alvarez, the Astros do not win the World Series without Yordaun Alvarez in the lineup. They need them. It's got to come back. Be healthy. This squad needs Yordaun Alvarez in there. I put him number one. That is completely fair.

Can't argue that. But I did not put him on my list because I don't know when I'm getting him back. and if I'm getting him back, what kind of pressure am I putting on a guy that hasn't seen and at bat since May? It's a lot. I guess, okay, two months from now it would be middle September.

Can he come back in two months? Sounds like it? Conjecture. Don't just throw it up there. You're right. Conjecture. Conjecture, I will say yes, and then that's 10 to 15 games and then get into the playoffs.

And he's just your DH. Swing the bat, man. You wrap them hands up. Let's go. Because here's what, and I'm not trying to be Debbie down. I'm just being Robbie realistic. Oh, wow. I'm going to take that.

Okay, you can. That's pretty good. Thank you. When he comes back, what's he going to do? He's going to swing hard. Those hands are going to be in the same position they were before the helmet. Who's to say this is not going to linger? Like, you know, the way I always say you, once a back injury, always a back injury.

You've got to be very careful. Mm-hmm. It could be in his case. Once a bad hand. Always a bad hand. No. I don't. Is there a precedent? I mean, in Major League history, I'm sure maybe there's somebody we can think of that. Maybe chronic broken hands. Jeff Bagwell kept getting hit on the hand. Yeah. I mean, you have chronic back feet, but hands would not be in that. But this is the second time. He would be fine. You promise? No, you can't.

114. Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 719. We will have a visit with Brian McTagger coming up at about 15 minutes. Not that I'm going to watch it. I'm sure there's going to be plenty that are going to. Did you see the 2025 WNBA All-Star Rules? Explain. Well, I'm going to. It's really bizarre. And it's, I would say, the...

Coal plays British? Yeah, that's why they're going to London. They're going to do so well. Oh, that makes sense. This is why you're getting so much hate guys. Oh, is it because we hate Britain? Because y'all don't know anything about Kofloy. I know their music sucks.

I know it's hard to listen to. All right. You ready for this? Yes. There is a four-point shot in this WMBAL star game. Oh, that's actually fun. I believe it's three feet from the basket. Oh, Matt, come on.

That was uncalled for. Oh, come on. That was terrible. That was, I'm sorry. That was wrong. I've been listening to too much Shane Gillis. That was terrible. I didn't mean that at all.

I'm just teasing. The shot, clock is going from 24 to 20 seconds. Tell me when you like something, okay? Four point shot, ridiculous. 28 feet away from the rim. 20 second shot clock down from 24. They're going to have live play substitutions.

Teams can make hockey style substitutions with one player entering and another exiting during live play, provided they do so in the back court between the 28-foot mark and the half-court line, and the entering player doesn't touch the ball in the back court. Automatic points for free throws. In most situations, the players who would normally shoot free throws will be awarded the maximum available points of those attempts instead of shooting the free throws. So really, the only free throws you'll be shooting

will be in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime. So in the first 38 minutes of the game, if you get fouled in the active shooting and the shot does not go in, you get two points anyway. They're eliminating free throw shots. Huh. That's interesting.

There's a foul problem in the WNBA? I think they don't want to stop the game for free throw shooting. They think free throw shooting is mundane. Didn't they float out Adam Silver or somebody one shot for two points? I'm sure it's been floated out. I would actually accept that. It would now also, though, it's kind of a good time for players to get a little bit of a rest. Especially like a 40-year-old

LeBron, he's like tying his shoes, fixing his shorts. Do you get two chances? Do you get two chances for the two points? No. It would be one for two and you're out of there. Just one shot. Or one for three. That would be kind of fun. It would build drama. So what if Adam Silver came to us and said we have to

use one of these WMBA rules, what would you use? Automatic points for free throws. I would say no on that. That's ridiculous. Live play substitutions Seems a little intriguing I don't think it's completely preposterous 20 second shot clock I'd be okay with that

The four point shots ridiculous Could you imagine adding another layer of a line To give more points for crazy-ass shots taken From long distance now The NBA would be further than 28 feet But you get my drift on this Yeah I will tell you this

I might watch a little bit of the BNBA for the live play substitution. You have to do it in the back court. You can't touch the ball and you can't do it past midcourt. But it does give you an opportunity to step in and change your defense right away. Yeah. Or your offense right away, depending on the situation. I mean, it's not.

It's dumb. It's gimmicky. It's gimmicky for sure. It's gimmicky. But I would, it's not the worst thing I've ever heard of in my life. part of the appeal to me of basketball is that players have to play both ways, offense and defense. To me, you could see some confusion about how many players on the floor when something happens. You could run into a lot of – and again, I don't know the sport of hockey at all, so I don't know if it ever happens in hockey, but could you run yourself in a spot where you've got seven or eight players on a floor by accident and something happens and you got to stop the game because of it?

I don't know if it happens in the NHL. Probably youth hockey. Got like 11 kids on the – that's right. On the ice. So what this is is a good example of WNBA trying to be relevant. Speaking of that real quick, so Shane Gillis last night. Yes. His biggest burn, well, Carl Anthony Towns got it really bad. Yeah. President Trump got it pretty bad on several different occasions.

The worst was, or the best, was he says, I want to introduce to you four-time WMBA champion, and he mentioned some Rando's name. That was funny. And people started clapping, and they showed a picture of her. And he goes, oh, I was just kidding. She never played in the WNBA. That's my buddy's wife.

I knew you would clap because you guys didn't know any players in her on the WNBA. Now, when he said that, I was like, who is that? And I didn't know who she was. Now, of course, I wasn't there. I didn't clap. But I don't think that was that big of a gotcha. because probably most people were like

who is that? Okay, how about this one? Joining us in the crowd tonight from the NBA champion Oklahoma City of Thunder Cindy Malone. Congratulations, Sydney, glad to have you here. I bet you if you go on in some random crowd, you could get claps. But he said four-time

NBA, yeah. I mean, you... I thought, did you say four-time All-Star, I think? Or whatever it was, but it was definitely multiple times that you would think if you were four-time anything, people would recognize who you were. I mean, I guess. Just, again, Don't want, you miss the, you miss the SPs.

I'm assuming you missed nothing because we didn't watch it, but the eight minute and monologue opened the show is pretty damn funny. Brian McTaggart on the Astros next. 133 on Sports Talk 790. We had a chance to catch up with Brian McTaggart earlier today on the show. If you missed it, where were you? Second, you get a chance to catch his glory right now. Here's McTaggart on whether or not he believes the Astros will be active at all at the trade deadline.

Yeah, I mean, I think they will be active. I mean, I think they're going to be looking at two things. I mean, we all know left-handed bat, which they wanted even before Alvarez, you know, seem like he's going to be out a while. Dana Brown's been, I guess, on record saying that, you know, they still want on left-handed bat. There's some urgency there. And also starting pitching, even though they have some guys trending back, you can never, you know,

have enough starting pitching. And they feel that if they get another starter and plug him, behind Fromber and Hunter Brown, it'll give them a really monstrous one, two, three in the playoffs, which, you know, we'd put them in a good position because in the playoffs, it all comes down to pitching. Will it be under the radar? I don't know. I mean, if they get a guy like Seth Lugo from the Royals, is that under the radar? You know, Andrew Heaney from the Angels, is that under the radar?

I mean, I think they're going to, if you're going to get a starting pitcher, you're going to get somebody that I think, if you're a baseball fan, you know who it is and what they're going to give up. They're going to have to give up prospects, you know, plain and simple. But, you know, Jim Crane's not shy about giving up prospects because nine times out of ten, you give up these prospects and they don't really pan out. So if you look at all the trades they've made the last 10 years, I mean, how many prospects have come back to bite you, not too many? So they're in win now mode.

They think if they can, you know, shore up a couple of things, get a couple guys back from injury. They got a shot to make a run at this. Do you feel like the Astros have been incredibly lucky? I think they have when it comes to all these moves, whether it's Zach Granky, whether it's Justin Verlander, whether it was Yusay Kikuchi? I mean, there is nobody really that has bitten him in the ass in terms of, oh, my God, this guy's having a long, lengthy 10-year career. I mean, maybe you could say Josh Hader many moons ago, but was he ever forecast to be a dominant closer? I think the Astros have been remarkably lucky the players have come back and not done a whole lot since wearing a different team's uniform. Yeah, I think you're right.

I mean, another one maybe to put in there was, you know, Teosca Hernandez. You know, he played in just maybe even one game for the Astros, and they dealt him away, and he's gone on to have a really nice career. I mean, that was still a few years ago. But you're right. I mean, look at the prospects they gave up last year for Kukuchi. I mean, you know, all three of those guys are still young in their careers and could pan out. But I don't think anyone's, you know, when they got traded, everyone was freaking out that, you know,

they gave away three budding superstars. One of us heard, and, you know, Will Wagner wasn't able to duplicate what he did right off the bat. And, you know, low perfidos bounce between, you know, Buffalo and Toronto. So, I mean, and like I said earlier, I mean, Cray knows that prospects are nice, but he wants to win. And, you know, if you got to give up two or three of your top 10 prospects to go out and get a pitcher who's going to put you in a really good position to make a run at the World Series, I think they're going to do it. Brian and Tragutk with us here on Sports Talk 790. And just Brian, I just curious your thoughts on just the trade ecosystem as a whole, especially with the Astros, with you have fewer sellers now with the third wild card. The Astros don't have a ton of resources.

They do have a lot of guys coming back from injury. So I guess I'm just asking how aggressive will Dana be considering all of those factors that even if he wants to make a bunch of deals, it's going to be difficult for him. Yeah, it will be difficult because you're right. I mean, there's very few teams that are out of it, I think, other than the Nationals, Marlins, Rockies, and Pirates, everyone else is within seven games of a postseason spot. I mean, I guess it's up to some of these teams, you know, what they want to do, like the, you know, the debacks and rays and teams like that. But there's going to be a lot of teams looking for those pitchers and a lot of teams looking for bats and left-handed bats. So, yeah, pitching specifically, it does seem like by the end of August, they could get Javier back. They could get perhaps Garcia back, Erigetti.

You know, he could be right in that mix as well. He's a guy not coming off surgery, so maybe you feel a little bit better about him coming back than the other guys. And I think that maybe that could go into Dana Brown's factoring into trades and, you know, how much he gives up. And if he feels, hey, this is too expensive, you know, maybe we'll stand pat right here. And then just, you know, hopefully we get one of these guys back and it can deepen our rotation a little bit. And maybe we'll focus on a left-handed bat.

So I think whoever they get, it's going to be, you know, a rental, obviously, because you get someone with some time remaining on their contract. It's going to cost even more. But like you said, I mean, they've made some pretty good trades the last year. Kikuchi trade worked out pretty well for them. He didn't pitch in the playoffs. But I think last year when they faced Detroit, it was just worst case scenario, wild card round. They got to stay out of the wild card round, get that first round by.

And if they get another arm or get one or two of these arms back, I think they'd be in good shape to go, you know, make a good push here to at least the LCFs. One of the arms they do have, Hunter Brown, not listed as a probable this weekend. Eyebrow raise for you at all. Of course, we know the last couple of starts was a little bit shaky, so just needs a little bit of extra rest. And I'm not saying we need to be concerned or anything. But what was your reaction when you saw that? Yeah, a little surprising.

I thought for sure that Hunter and Frumber would pitch there. I mean, I haven't had a chance to ask anybody about it. That'll happen tomorrow, but my guess would be they just need a little bit more reps. You know, you're right, his last two starts before the break, giving up 10 earn runs. And I'm not sure how many endings he pitched, but, you know, 10 runs and two starts. Not what he wanted. Hunter said that he, you know, coming off to start Sunday that he thought he made, you know, the right pitches and it was just one of those days. So obviously, I think it might be just a chance to build in some rest. Yes, this is a team you really, you know, you want to win this series.

obviously you don't want to get swept. So showing a lot of faith in Brandon Walter and McCullors off the bat and then Framber. So I'm guessing that Hunter would start the first game in Arizona. I'm not sure. I don't want to make any assumptions. But yeah, I was a little surprised. I thought for sure that they would throw their best two pitchers against Seattle. And I can't give you 100% reason why that's not happening.

Yeah, I guess it's more an answer for tomorrow. But dead arm can happen. Guy is making 26 starts a year and not happening anymore. I would think the red flag would go up if he doesn't start Monday in Arizona. That would be my guess on that. So anytime he pitches in that Arizona series will be fine. But if it's late in that series, that must be, man, I need some downtime here. And that's not the most encouraging thing you want to hear when you're sitting here trying to fight off a Seattle team that just finished off sleep in the Detroit Tigers.

Yeah, and I guess you're right. I mean, if he's still in the first rotation, waiver rotation out of the break, then, yeah, Monday in Arizona. then fine. But these are all things we'll have to answer tomorrow when we get to the ballpark and talk to Hunter and talk to Joe and see where they're at. But I know they keep close eyes on these guys and maybe you buy them an extra day here or there and that's something that can benefit him down the stretch. And he thought of you going down to West Palm Beach there's going quite a few stories down there. My God, everybody's going down there to hang on and work out because I would like to know some more things beyond well. Things are progressing well

and throwing off flag ground and pitching to PCL players. I mean, I never would have thought that an injured thumb would have cost Spencer Araggetti basically 80% of the season so far. Well, yeah, you're right. I mean, when he got injured, they said he would be out six weeks, and that was early May. That was actually in Seattle. So it's been, what is that now, four months. So I'm not sure if something else has gone on.

I mean, talking with Spencer before he went down there, I mean, he was good spirits. The thumb felt good. it was completely healed. It was just a matter of getting built back up. So, yeah, I mean, I actually thought about going to West Palm. The Astros play the Marlins here in a couple of weeks or early August. And I was like, you know, if I could squeeze in a day on either side of that series, go down there. Because you're right, there's tons of guys down there.

Chas McCormick's down there now. This is kind of new this year when you start sending guys to West Palm. I mean, they haven't been, they've been doing that a year's past with guys with long-term injuries. especially pitchers who were, you know, coming off Tommy John, they go down there. But now they're sending, you know, like Jacob Melton, Luis Giorme, there's a few others I'm not even remembering. There's like a whole team of guys down there in West Palm. So, yeah, I might poke my head in there and see what's going on. Stay tuned.

Astros five games ahead of the Mariners, and we know the slew of injuries. Just how you think the AOS shapes up, how much of a threat do you think the Mariners will be? and do you still have the Astros as a as a strong favorite for the division? I think there'll be a big threat because they're finally playing up their capabilities. They're hitting the ball better. They have an MVP candidate behind the plate. They have a better rotation than the Astros right now. So, yeah, I mean, I think they're going to make this really, really interesting.

But still, the Astros have a five-game lead, which is pretty significant. They got a shot coming out to break here to, if they can win two or three, get back up to six. And the Astros also have the benefit of having the second easiest schedule the rest of the season. Only Cleveland has an easier schedule. So I know they haven't exactly played as well, it seems like, against bottom feeding teams as they have against contenders, you know, sweeping the Phillies, taking two out of three against the Cubs and winning a series against the Padres and the Tigers. But still, you'd rather have an easier schedule than the hardest schedule down the stretch.

So that's something that's going to benefit them as well. And what we talked about earlier, they're going to get healthier. And as long as they don't get injuries, more injuries, there's ready. All right. That is Brian McTaggart, joining us here on the radio program with us every Thursday, usually at 11, but he was with his 11.30 today. And we catch some of his best stuff in the 1 o'clock hour. Believe it or not, Cole play. It's a low water market on a believe it or not game.

It just is. but we are taking massive losses today. Last time I checked your survey had 56% of the people that like you, Ross, or at least following you on Twitter, like Coldplay. It's not a massive L. If you get 44% with you, you're not alone. All right, you 44s, let's stay strong. Usually you're losing 95 to 5 on those things.

That's not true at all. Not true at all. 143 on Sports Talk 790. Let's play, believe it or not. It's all things cold play. All right, Jonathan, what are we playing for? We still have those 80s tickets. We got something people that are actually going to want to play for.

I still have 80 tickets. We got that until tomorrow. We got 80, all 80s. Listen to me, it's the 80s. It's Wang Chung. It's John Waite. It's Rick Springfield. It's all the people that you watch MTV for in the 80s.

You want to go to the concert. You want to experience the goodness of this concert. Come on and play. You know why we don't like Adam Clinton? You know, I walked by. they're supposedly prepping for their show. Let me count the ways. You know what he says to me,

did y'all talk about the CEO today? Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening. Adam. We basically made the whole show about Coldplay and the CEO. I mean, seriously. What is wrong with him? What else is he possibly doing? Nothing.

Running over hookers on Grand Theft Auto? He does have a massive man cave. I mean, congratulations to him. It's very nice. He's got arcades in there. a lot of hard work and married well and, you know, stuff like that. Tomorrow on the show we have our 10 o'clock open. Have we behaved ourselves this week?

Are you kidding? Not at all. Oh, that's too bad. All the first two hours was getting the clips on one. Oh, no. By the way, I'll be sending you a Robert Ford clip for use tomorrow. Okay. We don't get Robert Ford very much in the show, but we're going to do that.

We could get more. We could certainly do more. Right now, we've got five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play America's fastest growing sports radio game show. We simply call it B, believe it or not, and here's how it works. You call 713-212-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790.

Today's edition of Believe it or not is, are you kidding me, all things about cold play? I'll read your statement about cold play. Statement's completely utterly accurate. You'll say this. Believe it. The statement's erroneous full of bunker made up. You'll say this. Two believe it or not to win in your prize.

Folks, we've got to win these away. Help us out. What are we playing for, Jonathan? A pair of tickets to see Rick Springfield, John Waite, Wang Chung, and Paul Young on the I Want My 80s tour. Friday, July 18th at the Woodlands Pavilion. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster. dot com and of course you know we've got the Sports Talk 790 t-shirt. It'll be

I'm going to go and say this. It might be the best concert you've ever been to in your entire life. Are you going? No. But if you're going, you'll come back and call us and say, oh my God, this is the best concert I've been to in our life. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90 Loretta on 7-0. Loretta, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Yes.

Cole's first record deal was with fierce Panda Records. Believe it or not. It was I know If I said it once a thousand times You gotta know who you sign your first record deal with Let's talk to Chris on 790

Chris What was your favorite part of today's 10 to 2 radio show Sing about you all to do And arguing Colplay has seven grandio We got a bad phone line there That's fine We're writing that down

Yes All right we'll try this We're going to get you anyway, Chris. Good luck. Coldplay has seven Grammy Awards out of 34 nominations, while Barry Manilow has one win out of 15 nominations. Believe it or not? Not. That is a believe it. Obviously, the people of the 70s were on drugs and couldn't realize the value of won Barry Mantelow. Brandon on 790, brand you're ready to play, believe it or not?

Believe it. Early band names for Coldplay included Starfish and Big Fat Noises. Believe it or not. Not. That is two early names. People certainly don't know their co-play trivia if they love them so. Al on 790, Al, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Yes, sir.

Al, good luck to you. You two frontman Bono has called Co-Play the most important band of the 21st century. Believe it or not? I'm going to say, believe it. No, you shouldn't because he wouldn't be that stupid to say that. 713. 12-790. 7-1-3-21-2-5-7-90. Roger on 790. Ready to play, believe it or not?

Believe it. Five different Coldplay albums have reached number one in the U.S. Billboard charts. Believe it or not? Believe it. That's right. Believe it. Statement number two. In 2021, Coldplay publicly feuded with then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson over his handling over the COVID-19 pandemic. Believe it or not? Believe it. No, Ross, I guess that for the end of the year. That was really good.

Thank you. Where did you get that from? That's a good win. Somewhere deep in the recesses of my brain. Looks like that cold bruise helped you out with a cold play. Jose on 790. Jose, what was your fair part of today's 10 to 2 radio show? The affair, the public affair part.

Are you kidding me? Yeah, are you kidding me? Jeff Bezos is a cold play. Superfan. He has hired them from events for his company and has been spotted at their concerts worldwide. Believe it or not? Not. That is correct. Statement number two for the win. Coldplay lead singer Chris has partnered with Senheiser and is... Chris Martin. And has partnered with Senheiser and his own line of studio headphones,

microphones, and other equipment. Believe it or not? Believe it? No, we're not giving away any of the 80s stuff. Listen, if you want them. Well, we'll get tomorrow will be free for. Tomorrow, you just can win them. If you want to go, we're not going to make you work for. Do you want the tickets? Believe it.

Believe it. Hell yeah. Do you not want to work for them? Not a problem. We do get it. All right, we wake the strippers up at noon tomorrow. We have a non-flora stories tomorrow. We have got hell yeah or not.

And we have complete breakdown of Houston Seattle Preview. Astro Mariners. Should we get softy on tomorrow? A little blank talk. That's fine. Let's do it. Okay. You get all mad at me for not bleep talking him last time, so I'm going to have to...

Definite bleep talk tomorrow. Bleep Talk Friday was Softie from KJR. We're going to find him. Up next, Clatton, Waxley, the T. about Sports Talk 790.