The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Rockets Hire Stephen Silas & Texans Potential Trades

Episode Date: October 29, 2020

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Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Much larger than life. Yeah. Lunch timers is the Matt Thomas show. Three minutes past 12 o'clock in H-10. What's happening in lunchtimes? Good afternoon to you. And welcome to a Thursday edition of the Matt Thomas show. Sports Talk 790, where we are going to,
Starting point is 00:00:35 I wouldn't say necessarily break down Stephen Silas because it's hard to break down a long-time assistant coach, but we can at least just see what you guys think about that. We will break down the week number seven of the National Football League. No, one, we, week eight. Week eight. Are we week eight already? Yes, sir.
Starting point is 00:00:53 Rossi, we're at the almost halfway point. That makes me sad. We were dying for sports. In the Houston Texans rally, we have to wait one more week, baby. They're going to win nine straight, 10 and six onto the playoffs. No, no. Romeo Credel. No.
Starting point is 00:01:07 They're going to pick him. Well, like four guys, they're going to pick him. up and put them on their shoulders. He's going to put up a number one. It might be five. They're strapping young strong men. Oh, no, you have to have a security bling. He's 70-plus years old.
Starting point is 00:01:20 You don't want to put anybody on 70-plus on shoulders. We will get to Dr. Roto today. We'll get a visit with Dana Holgerson today today. So we've got a lot going on this afternoon. H. We've got a whole go today, too. And we're going to check it in Dallas to see what one of my compadres in the business has to say about Stephen Silas.
Starting point is 00:01:34 What's the big U of H matchup this weekend? It is the big matcher with UCF. If you like offense, if you like the, well, I shouldn't say this, but if you like the over, just saying. Okay. So like every Texan's game. Well, UCF likes to score. Cougars like to score.
Starting point is 00:01:54 So I would say sit back. They like to score with the UCF girls. Let me tell you about the UCF. The once around the UCF, delightful. Remember Blake Burrell's girlfriend? Now, what is she doing now? I don't know. She's probably still waiting tables.
Starting point is 00:02:08 Like the most famous girlfriend of a football player is A.J. McCarron's girl, right? No, you mean A.J. Cameron's mom? No, who was? Yeah, Catherine Webb. Yeah, Catherine Webb is Captain McCarran, right? Yeah, they got married. She could be listening to the show right now. And Brett Musburger nearly...
Starting point is 00:02:25 Well, he got excited. Yeah. I'm just going to leave it at that. He was very, very fixated. Can I tell you a Brent Musburger story real fast? And I don't know if this is 100% gospel, but the person that told me this, and I will keep this person nameless. John McLean? No, I don't speak to John McLean.
Starting point is 00:02:46 Not that I wouldn't, but I just don't. Told me a very interesting anecdotal thing about Brent Musburger. Okay. You remember Brent, and this is before your time, was the host of the NFL today in the 70s and in the 80s? I've heard of that, yeah. Okay. Do you remember how he would open up his show on the NFL today? He did it with college football team.
Starting point is 00:03:06 But he did it on the NFL today. Do you remember what he would say? Yeah, he would say hello friends. No, that's Jim Nance. If you don't know, you don't know. I would say love peace and chicken grease. No, he wouldn't say that either. That would be actually pretty funny.
Starting point is 00:03:18 He would say, you are looking live. Oh, that's right, yeah. And the average person, meaning me, thought that that just said, okay, this is cool the guys on television saying you're looking live at this particular view. Do you know why he would say, you are looking live? You obviously don't because I didn't know. So that people on set with them would stop cursing?
Starting point is 00:03:43 Nope. Dang it. What does Brent Musburger like to do besides call football games? Gamble. Correct. Stare at women. Well, staring women, sure. But gambling.
Starting point is 00:03:54 I mean, he has his own network now. What is it called Vizzen? Is that what it is out of Las Vegas? I'll take your word for it. Yeah, he's a big time gambling person now. So back in the 70s, when you didn't have Sports Center, and you didn't have, you know, all the different networks doing multiple hours of shows. The NFL today was the show you would go to a half hour before kickoff, you know, before a noon game,
Starting point is 00:04:19 the NFL today was on 1130. It wasn't this hour thing like it is now, and like ESPN does four or five hours. So that would be a tip to the people in Las Vegas about weather conditions. Because you didn't really know unless you made phone calls before the game if the weather and Philadelphia for the Giants Eagles game was going to be bad, bad, maybe perhaps affecting the over-under or how particular points spread. You could just slip on the weather channel in the 70s. No, you couldn't. There was no weather channel in the 70s either.
Starting point is 00:04:51 I hate to tell you this. There was HBO and your Ford local channels. That sounds brutal. It happened. But it does make a lot of sense. You are looking live at a windy soldier field. Does that affect point spreads? Does that affect over-unders?
Starting point is 00:05:07 It absolutely does. Interesting. Okay. So these are things I just, you know, you learn when you, when you have friends in a business. You go, that's the reason why he did it. One of the reasons why. Okay. So Brent Musburger's been a degenerate for many years.
Starting point is 00:05:19 Oh, I think he'd be the first admit that to you. Good for him. And now, frankly, you know, when I first got in the business, if you ever heard a sportscaster talk about lines, you know, plus and minus over, over, under's favorites, that was a sign they had no idea what the hell they were talking about. Like if you say, let's talk about, like, for instance, if somebody called and said, Matt and Ross, break down the Boston College versus Wake Forest football game, you and I would have no idea how to break that game now.
Starting point is 00:05:52 We have zero interest in either one of those two teams. But if we went, look at the line and said, Wake Forest plus six, we would then be able to start a conversation. But it was a sign to say that you didn't know your head from your ass on those two teams. Okay. But now in 2020, and it's been this way for four or five years, point spreads are just so much about the conversation about a game than anything else is. About who, you know, who does well.
Starting point is 00:06:13 It's so beautiful. I mean the XFL had the lines live on the graphics. That was, that was awesome. I think the NFL should do that. The NFL wants to do that, but feels like they still have to maintain some sort of integrity. They're still getting, I mean, they're partnered with, aren't they partnered with draft kings and Fandul? And they have sports books. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:31 Yeah. It'll happen. We're going to put that in a gut feeling. next five years, there will be point spreads on the NFL on the graphic. During the game. Because it happens before the game, for sure. It's just during the game. It's true. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:06:44 Does it really matter what the points are? On college game day, the spreads come up now every time. Oh, yeah. Pre-game shows it's not longer taboo. It used to be super taboo many, many years ago. I would like to know, and this is something we'd never be able to figure out, what percentage of our audience, the noon-to-three crowd, actually bets on sports? Whether it's going to Vegas,
Starting point is 00:07:04 once or twice a year like I do, or whether it's getting something online, or whether it's betting with your buddies, whether it's having a bookie. I mean, let's be honest, there's bookies out there. You want to take a wild guess what you think would be? And we have no scientific information on this. We would have to literally pull every listener of our show. What do you, what would your, what does your gut say the average man, 25 to 54? What percentage of people bet on sports? 30? I think it's significantly less than that. that. Okay. Because I have a lot of people that I think, I think that no sports that come up to me with some crazy things and that they don't have the wherewithal or the financial means or the
Starting point is 00:07:50 nervousness to bet on a sporting event. I think it's probably more on the long lines of 15% in that range, but that 15% is boisterous. That 15% is very active. It's a, it's a small minority, but it's a powerful, very interested. You get in and you stay in it kind of thing. When I was in college, I felt like it was like 75%. I would bet the younger part of our crowd, it's a much higher percentage. And the higher part of the crowd, it's a much lower percentage. Well, I think 2554 is a 30-year window or a range.
Starting point is 00:08:25 So I think it you, I don't know. Do you mean like betting every week? It's going to be a less percentage. I would say, no, I would say, But we would say active. Like, for instance, in my group of friends, I have one friend, really good friend, that used to bet all the time on everything.
Starting point is 00:08:45 Multiple college games, multiple pro games. If there was a bet to be made on a game, he would do it. This friend of mine has been disenfranchised with sports because of the civil unrest and all the things. So he is now not doing any of that. he's he's just said i'm done with sports for a while i'll come back is he totally out or was he losing his ass no no no no no he no he would uh he did quite well i'm skeptical if you're a complete action junk and you go all the way no he's never said i'm gonna be gonna come back he just says i need
Starting point is 00:09:17 take a break he's probably losing his ass well i think his other business is probably you know look that's that's extracurricular money that's money that's disposable stuff that you would throw away he just didn't have volleyball dudes don't pay for themselves matt preach I think about starting a go-fund-me account for my daughter's volleyball account. Broke-ass Thomas. That's what I am. I'll get your lunch tomorrow, Matt. Would you really?
Starting point is 00:09:41 I'd like that. That'll be able to pay for one hit on the volleyball court. 12-12 is the time. It is a Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. So Stephen Silas is the new head coach of the Rockets. We'll go over first blush thoughts on this because I know we have all got them. If you have a first blush thought on this as well, 713-212-5-790. 713-21-5-790.
Starting point is 00:10:03 We have a busy show today, which does feature Dr. Roto, and by the way, I don't think fantasy football has dropped off. So that's kind of betting if you wager in a fantasy football league, right? That's true. And I know the Daily Fantasy is still out there. We'll also get to Dana Holgerson. Chuck Cooperstein, the voice of the Mavericks, will join us at 2.30 to tell us what he thinks about the Rockets' new hire.
Starting point is 00:10:23 1213, Matt Thomas Show 713-212-5-790. All right. Half the workday is done. Celebrate with Matt. Hey Matt. Love your show. Look, what was I talking about? And by the sound of it, some of you started the party at breakfast. Matt Thomas on Sports Talk 790.
Starting point is 00:10:43 So I was bruising social media yesterday in various websites about Stephen Silas's reaction. XMX team players thought it was a great move. Dallas players in particular. A lot of folks said guys worked his way up, been a long-time assistant deserves his opportunity. That's great. And I look forward to meeting him. And the Rockins have not officially announced anything yet. But, you know, when Woj puts it out there, he's not going to screw it up.
Starting point is 00:11:11 Yeah. The number one thing, Ross, for me, that I saw about yesterday, was not about Stephen Silas becoming the Rockets hit coach. We'd like to guess what NBA-Huston-related issue there was out there that gained more attention. Darrell Moore, going to the 76ers? And somebody else going to the 76ers. Wait, who else went to the 76ers? No, there should be some talk of another player going on the 76 years.
Starting point is 00:11:37 Would that be Mr. Number 13 for the Uson Rockets? It would be. It's funny. If you peruse, you will find, here are some crazy trade scenarios to get James Harden to Philadelphia. Hmm. Okay. So here's the bit on this. Look, I've been a Rockets fan since I was eight years old. So I've seen really, really good times, championships, and I've seen the Catino's
Starting point is 00:12:05 Steve Francis times. I've seen Moses Malone help this team under 500 go to NBA finals, and then I saw Bill Willoughby play major minutes. I mean, I have been through, with the exception of the five years I didn't live here since 1980, I've been a diehard Rockets fan. So I've seen it all. So if you came to me, Ross, and said, Matt, if you wanted, if, you know, if the Rockets wanted to move James Harden and Russell Westbrook, one or both, or neither, I could be cool with either decision. Some people don't want to make those kind of moves because that would be the start of a rebuild. Sometimes you have to rebuild. The rockets have been able to for what, how long? 20-something years, not have to worry about rebuilding since Yao Ming's becoming the first pick of
Starting point is 00:12:49 the draft? Yes. It's been, I don't know if there's another franchise. Because even the Lakers have bottomed out. What's that? Another Stevie franchise? No, they've had over the run of the since, I think since 2000, they have the most wins next to the spur. The spurs, there's spurs. and Rockets too as far as most regular season games. Okay, so the Spurs haven't bottomed out. Right. They're obviously treading very lightly in that, in that category, but every team, Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, all the greats, heat.
Starting point is 00:13:24 Everybody's had to bottom out at some point. And again, it's hard to go tell, you know, an owner say, we need to make this move because we're going to rebuild because it's hard to sell tickets. It's hard to get people interested. So you don't ever want to publicly announce that you're ever going to do that. But if there's some crazy trade possibility that comes out there, because my guess is Daryl likes James a lot.
Starting point is 00:13:45 As he should. And James is still very much in the peak of his NBA career. Now, how much longer that is, who's to say? And we know that Daryl likes to offer multiple first-round draft picks. Even if the Sixers, you know, again, you would think in theory if they're going to win 55, 60 games next year, that if that was the case, it would not be a high first round pitch. And so I don't know where this is going to lead. And I know we do gut feelings on the show only on Tuesdays,
Starting point is 00:14:12 but we always have guts during the course of the week, too. My gut feeling is that James Hardin will not be traded. I think everybody else, the phone calls will be made to a new general manager to see what the temperature is on everybody else in the roster. I'd include Russ. I'd include PJ. I'd include Eric Gordon. And really anybody else at that point.
Starting point is 00:14:33 I would find out what they would want for Daniel House. Daniel House to me is a guy that you would like to see their relationship prepared with his teammates. Because Daniel House, you know how there's great value in sports? Starting small forward, scores your 14, 15 points a game, get you 8 or 9 rebounds. His defense is getting better every year. At $3 million a year, Ross, he's great value. It's hard to move a player. and get it because you're probably not bringing back great value in return.
Starting point is 00:15:06 And it's nice to have great value once in a way. Yeah, the rockets are in a really tough spot. Really tough when it comes to the salary cap and what kind of movement they can make. I was actually looking at the Philadelphia 76ers payroll, though. They're in a tough spot too. Oh, I think they're over too, aren't they not? Yes. You have basically around $30 million each to Tobias, Harris, Al Horford, Wolf and then Ben Simmons and Joel Embed.
Starting point is 00:15:29 I would expect, I don't know, I don't know how much value Tobias Harris is going to have, but Al Horford's probably got to get moved out of there. Yeah, and that was a big, and the Rockets were signing when that happened. Yeah, that was a way overpay. The Rockets had shown some interest in him, too,
Starting point is 00:15:43 but I don't think they would have paid him at that kind of dollar. So I don't know what the thing of Steve, Steven Salas, because again, he's only been an interim coach, and that's because he's replacing somebody that got fired, so it's not like he was inheriting a team that was going to win 50 games. but I don't know what to expect.
Starting point is 00:16:01 I just don't think the roster is currently constructed is going to be the same one that opens up the season, whenever that be maybe in Christmas week or in January as some of the players want. I feel like something's going to have to happen. For the Rockets roster? Yeah. They're not going to hashtag run it back?
Starting point is 00:16:22 Well, they can hashtag, let's kick the tires on what we can move. I don't see if you're going to hashtag get much value for any. I think one of the reasons... It didn't it funny there was a story like Knicks may be interested in Russell Westbrook. Apparently that fell apart. Two days later, Darryl Morey steps down.
Starting point is 00:16:36 He's like, man, I can get rid of this crappy contract. My goodness. Let's get out of here. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know where they're going, but I just... My feeling of my bone says that they're going to try to do something
Starting point is 00:16:49 to try to gently move away from what is currently this roster. Because this roster doesn't have a center. and I can't imagine Robert Covington doing it for a second consecutive year. Tyson Chandler says hello. Tyson Chandler says, I'll put the uniform on, but please don't play me. He's been a great cheerleader for the Rockets. One of the best bench guys you can ask for. I mean, one of the best bench doesn't play, probably doesn't even put a suit on kind of player.
Starting point is 00:17:22 So, you know. So if you're calling and you want to say, Matt, tell me more about Stephen Silas. Well, I can tell you that he has paid his dues. And being a lieutenant or a top lieutenant for a lot of NBA teams works out well. But there's obviously a bump and pressure and expectations when you are the head coach. Yeah. Well, he was on the staff with the team that in the Dallas Mavericks last year who had the best offensive all time as according to offensive rating. And you know what?
Starting point is 00:17:51 If he could take some of that from there and bring it to Houston and figure out a way to have Russ and James coexist and be successful and work things out and make sure both guys get their opportunities. to get their shots up and get their points. And over there, he had a point guard who was great at getting to the basket, who made a lot of stepback threes, and it was a wonderful passer. That's what he's got over here. Mm-hmm. But he's an even better, he's an even better shooter. People don't realize, look at Donch's three-point numbers aren't great.
Starting point is 00:18:18 No. Donchis just gets a lot of attention because of how young he is and how fast he's got on that triple-double machine. Mm-hmm. I still like him. Yeah. Porzingis to me, though, and I don't know what we'll get with this with Chuck Cooperstein later, but he's just injury riddled, not prone, but definitely has a history.
Starting point is 00:18:40 And I don't know how much you're going to be able to invest in a guy long term if he's always missing 15, 20 games for you. But that happens a lot of teams in sports, so I don't know. All right. So again, we'll get more on the Maverick's perspective of that when Chuck Cooperstein joins us coming up at 2.30 this afternoon. The Astros have made a move that signifies an open spot in their pitching staff. We'll tell you what that is when we return. Plus, later this hour, why has there been so little movement on the trade front, especially with a team like the Houston Texans that have, I would think,
Starting point is 00:19:17 plenty of players that would like to get moved or they could move for and get something back. We'll find out more about that as well. 713-212-5-790. 713-215-790. It is the Matt Thomas show. We appreciate you listening to Sports Talk 790 with a word here for Balcones Distilling. The folks in Waco, that's where their distillery is, have put together some amazing whiskeys, amazing bourbons that you will find, and it's all about Texas. It's Texas blue corn. It's Texas wheat. It's Texas rye. It's Golden Promise, molten barley. It's all the things that a proper distillery would want in the city of Texas using Texas
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Starting point is 00:20:31 international awards for the best young distillery in the state of Texas. Jared does a great job, and I promise you once you taste Balcones, you'll be hooked. That's Balcones distilling, distilled to appreciate. Real honest, real unbiased. On it, non-biot opinions. Sports Talk 790, Real Texas. Talkie. Talkie. Talk 1233 on the Matt Thomas show Sports Talk 790. Early August before the trade deadline or just after Roberto Osuna was acquired a couple years back during the 2018 season from the Toronto Blue Jays. He was welcome with open arms here in Houston. Far from it.
Starting point is 00:21:15 No, not even close. How would you describe Roberto Osuna as a Houston Astro? I'll do it easy. Good, not great? I would say great. Great on the field. No issues off the field, so a win-win wins for both sides. Roberto got to clean up his image a little bit.
Starting point is 00:21:33 Yes. He was effective for the Astros. But not a losing proposition. Now, a lot of heat early on. Yeah, so nobody died. He didn't get arrested five times. Well, he behaved himself. And that's the goal is when you give somebody a second chance, you want them to behave themselves.
Starting point is 00:21:48 And he did. Especially a guy who didn't go to jail and a guy whose job is to throw baseball. Well, he pitches of what? one or twice, two times during the course of this year. And he pulls himself out of a game. Yes. And it was pretty apparent that he may be headed for another major surgery. The Astros today outright waving Roberto Osuna,
Starting point is 00:22:13 not offering him a contract. He was due for one more year of arbitration. They will not tender him a deal. Basically means that his time as a Houston Astro is over. They're not going to pay him arbitration money to recuperate because it sounds like to me he's probably going to go on to the night for the second time in his major league career. That's unfortunate. Well, for him it is for sure because he was going to make very good money, clearly. I mean, his numbers were going to, we're going to dictate
Starting point is 00:22:40 him having a very, very successful run in arbitration. So add that officially to the list of what the Astros have to do this offseason. We've already discussed the outfield in terms of whether or not they're going to bring back George Springer, which I think is zero percent chance. put Michael Brantley a 10% chance. I put Josh Redick probably in the 0% chance too. So you've got to figure out at least two, if not three outfielders. And now you've got to make a strong decision about whether or not you believe that Ryan Presley can be a closer for a baseball team in a full 162. He was fantastic when he first came here. Still good. Yes. But not shutdown. Shut down. That's what you want. You want a shut
Starting point is 00:23:28 down guy. He hadn't been that. You want, if he could be Roberto Osuna, you would accept that in terms of success. Didn't he get a little shaky in the playoffs last year, too? Yeah. In 19? Nothing was, nothing was... He was good in the regular season and then got a little bit shaky. Yeah, and here's the thing. What we want from a closer
Starting point is 00:23:46 is guy to finish one, two, three, pitch nine pitches. We all want Mariano Rivera. Yeah. Or the old Kenley Jansen. Or the, uh, eroldus Chapman who doesn't get beat up in the playoffs. Yeah, that's isn't that the thing about closures,
Starting point is 00:24:04 though, we can point, except for Mariano Rivera. Everybody's got a checker past. Who did give up the run in the 2004, right?
Starting point is 00:24:12 Wasn't when they were up 3-0 on the Red Sox at the end of the game? Oh, yeah. I mean, Mario Romero was far from perfect, but he is the closest to perfection when it comes to
Starting point is 00:24:20 October closers. Right. Everybody else, shaky. Everybody. That's the thing, though. I feel like closers.
Starting point is 00:24:30 They do your job nine times out of ten, and you just focus on the one. Not you. I'm saying, you're saying collectively. And what you also do is you also don't give them any credit for all the nails and lights out performances between April and September. Exactly. And the one time they have a blemish in October, you think they're, they suck. Well, let's be honest. Two of the most dominant closers in baseball are no longer the dominant closers.
Starting point is 00:24:50 Kenley Jansen, they don't have a roll from with the Dodgers. It didn't necessarily matter because they won the World Series, but he lost his closer spot. And he rolled as Chapman has seen the. last pitch he's thrown, end a season for his team. Yes. So it's just one of those situations that you hope the closer that you've picked and you've said, you're our guy can be as good as he can for as long as he can, knowing that sometimes the pressure in the big moments of October are sometimes too big for the dominant
Starting point is 00:25:20 closures of a business. So maybe Ryan Presley has the closer is okay. Maybe we're holding it to too high of a standard. Yeah. But I would say this. if you polled astro fans and you said, hey, how do you feel about Ryan Presley being the closer opening up the 2,021 season? You're kind of like, wasn't there anybody else out there?
Starting point is 00:25:39 I think the Astros will frankly kick the tires on some closers. I think they should try. I mean, yeah, they need bullpen help, period. Or some sort of bullpen. Unless all these rookie guys are just going to develop and be, I mean, the scrubs and the Blake Taylors and the Anoli Parade Ases, if those guys are going to end up being reliable bullpen arms, your bullpen's actually a plus. Well, but some people believe, in our. our cohort where Adam Wexer believes that one there's one guy out there that could potentially
Starting point is 00:26:02 be the closer and that's Anoli Peretti's. I'd have to get a better sample size of that, frankly, to see what little limited I saw is he's got amazing stuff. It's just very inconsistent. As is the case with most young pitchers. I mean, to be honest, to give a incomplete assessment of Anoli Prides as a major leaguer after one season, it's just not fair. A gimmicky, 60 game frame. I mean, so I would be, I'm not, I'm not opposed of that, I would think that if you are dusty or you're the Astros organization, you do want to make it a competition for 2021. I think Ryan Presley understands that. I don't think Ryan Presley's feelings are going to get hurt if all of a sudden they bring in somebody else because he doesn't
Starting point is 00:26:46 have that classic blowaway closer stuff. He's done it, but there have been a handful of times over the course of the year that a lead off walk of Ryan Presley would tie or give up a lead in the ball game. So it's not like he was Mr. Perfect last year. But it is to show you that injuries can cause problems, especially if you're in the career of Roberto Osuna, a guy that would have stood to make a pretty good chunk of change. Now he's probably going to have to do that somewhere else. Multiple Tommy Jones.
Starting point is 00:27:12 That's crazy. It's happening a lot. It's almost like if your kid is a baseball pitcher, why don't you just knock, go ahead and knock it out. Yeah, knock one. You at least get one off the list. Yeah, do it at 16. You're young.
Starting point is 00:27:23 You're fertile. You feel fine. The girls will feel bad for you. They'll sign your cast. Don't you get a UCL from a cadaver or something like that in that procedure? Maybe they're getting, they need to start screening these cadavers. So you have talking about a dead person's body part is in your body? Is that right?
Starting point is 00:27:40 I'm making, I'm not 100% sure. I'm pretty sure that's what happens in ACL. I think that's what happens in UCL as well. I'm not a doctor, but I felt like I should go get a medical opinion on this, what you just said. Oh, yeah, one from a deceased donor. Yeah, that's right. I know about eyes. So make sure you get, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:27:57 I know about hearts. I didn't realize UCLs were also in that same situation. If you go like dig up Sandy Kofax as UCL or something like that? Well, he had arm problems too. I thought he's still alive. Wait, is he, is he dead? Is he not dead? Wait a minute.
Starting point is 00:28:15 You want to dig up Sandy Kofax. Oh, he's alive. Who's still alive? He's 84. Okay. Sure. Whatever. somebody. What is
Starting point is 00:28:30 Whitey Ford alive? How about that guy? I think Y.D.4 is dead. I'm not sure. Would you like a dead pitcher's arm? Yeah, YD4 just died three weeks ago. Well, Tom Seaver died this year. Okay, yeah, get his UCL. It's probably pretty strong. Probably?
Starting point is 00:28:47 Well, I don't know if he's in his 80s, maybe not. He wasn't in his... I'm trying to think these through, Matt. These things through, Matt. You're just trying to save yourself from the embarrassment of thinking that Sandy Kofax was dead. I don't care. Okay. You are the worst dead-in-lawed person I know. I mean, he's 84. He's close.
Starting point is 00:29:03 No, he could be spry. Let's get the tributes ready. It's not a death sentence to be 84 years old. He had multiple arm issues anyways. He also pitched and retired at a relative to the young age. Oh, so maybe that UCL is looking good. Okay, well. Maybe Roberto soon and he's, keep an eye on that.
Starting point is 00:29:20 If we ever get Sandy Klofax on the show, the first question is, first of all, did you realize you're actually alive? And secondly, how's your UCL? How's it feeling? Feel good? There's a special place in hell for you. It just is. We've known this for a while.
Starting point is 00:29:35 Yeah, poor Sandy. First of all, I got named Sandy as a guy. Yeah, that's true. His name is Sanford. Oh, then I don't get, then he's really not a Sandy. Sanford, Kofx.
Starting point is 00:29:47 It's a good strong name. Is there any other male Sandy's out there that we know of? Sandy Alamar. There's two. Is there a Sandy Alamar senior and a Sandy Alamar Jr. If that would be the case, it would be three. Sandy Bullock?
Starting point is 00:30:09 No, that's Sandra, and she's a girl. I tried. You did try. All right, he's trying to rally from thinking that Sandy Kofax is dead. I don't need a rally. It's whatever. I don't care.
Starting point is 00:30:19 People are already judging. That's fine. Mistakes were made. Sandy Kovacs is alive. He's in his 80s. Shoot me. Yeah, so this is, again, Rossi, when you're 84,
Starting point is 00:30:29 I don't want to say, well, I can't believe Ross still alive. I'm hoping you get to 90. I won't be able to believe I'm still alive if I'm 84. Yeah, all the things that you've been jested in your life. That'd be a good run. All right, 1242 is the time. It is the bad top of the show.
Starting point is 00:30:42 Sports Talk 790. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. We're about 45 minutes away from Dr. Roto. We have Paul Silas' kid, Stephen Silas, has the new head basketball coach of the Houston Rockets. Have you done any due diligence? Have you checked on them?
Starting point is 00:30:58 Have you thought anything about him? We're going to give you a little background of him later on on the show. but if you want to let us know if that was a right decision, at least in your mind, overtaking Jeff Van Gundier or John Lucas, 713-212-5-7-90, plus COVID's breaking out again in the NFL. We'll tell you about that in a moment. 1242 on 7-90 with a word here for TGS insurance.
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Starting point is 00:31:40 And then a few seconds after that, they'll give you a quote that I think is going to save you a lot of money on your home policy. But it all starts with you going to your phone and texting money, MNEY, to 23, 23, 23, 23. And the folks at TGS Insurance will promise you their savings are real. They have a nearly perfect online rating with over 800 reviews. and that customer savings is nearly $900 a year. And there's no need to wait until your renewal because TGS Insurance will save you money and help you get refunded on your previous policy,
Starting point is 00:32:09 and they'll do that right away. TGS Insurance, open right now, text money to 23, 232323 and start saving. That's money to 23, 2323. Rockets Basketball! Rockets PA announcer and sports talk show host. One might get the impression Matt Thomas loves to hear Matt Thomas's voice.
Starting point is 00:32:29 Go ahead, Matt, talk for us. A couple of things I want to pass along. It is Matt Thomas Show at 1247. 713212-790. 7-1-3-1-2-5-790. You know, Wisconsin had a massive COVID outbreak on their football side, and they had to cancel the game in Nebraska. And the Big Ten doesn't have any wiggle room to reschedule games,
Starting point is 00:32:58 so it's a no contest. They're not going to play it. at all. So Nebraska's like, we're good. Yeah. We want to play. Yes. We're going to invite UT Chattanooga to come play. Chattanooga. It's an FCS school. Yes. They've only had one game this year. They've only scheduled one game this year. What is, is Chattanooga just sitting sitting around waiting in the wings? Like, what are they doing? Well, the answer to that is yes. They're just practicing and going week to week waiting for them. Are they like a... It's a free year for everybody. You know that, right? It's like they're at the Army base waiting to get deployed.
Starting point is 00:33:28 Well, no, they're on reserve. You ever had a buddy Naval Reserve? You ever had a friend of yours as a flight attendant for an airline and they don't know where to go but they're still in uniform because in case they get the call
Starting point is 00:33:38 to airport. Yeah. That's what UT Chattanooga is. So UT Chattanooga set up this game in Nebraska. Big Ten said, no. You can't do it.
Starting point is 00:33:49 Because they're afraid that UT Chattanooga's testing protocols are not as good as what they are in the Big Ten. UT Chattanooga jumps on a plane, flies to Lincoln, does the game,
Starting point is 00:34:00 perhaps infects a bunch of Nebraska players and is one of being a long-term mess, so the game will not take place. That's ridiculous. Why don't they ask Dutti-Chattanooga what the protocol is? Well, they obviously have checked. They've asked. And it's not good enough? Well, no, I don't think U.T. Chattanooga is
Starting point is 00:34:16 testing three times a week like Big Ten schools. Okay, so if they were, you think that the game would go on? Yeah, I do. Get it together, UT Chattanooga. What does it cost in these schools to do this? I think tests are cheaper now, right? But even so, but an FCS program doesn't have that kind of cash. They just don't.
Starting point is 00:34:33 What's the mascot of the UT Chabinuga? Mocassons, I want to say? Is that right? Yeah. I'll take your word for it. You're pretty good with that. Yeah, I'm not 100% on those things, but I bet $750. But yeah, that's the problem is that.
Starting point is 00:34:47 The moccasins or the mocks. Now, my guess is if the game was in two weeks, wouldn't you, if you're Nebraska, wouldn't you send those tests and say, we'll pick up the tab on that to get your kids? Absolutely. you'd probably net some positives. But so the bottom line is, if this was two weeks from today, it wouldn't have been an issue. But since they wanted to play this Saturday,
Starting point is 00:35:07 they said, no, it's not going to happen. That's unfortunate. I mean, I don't blame Nebraska, right? Yeah, they got to get some cash. Well, I don't know necessarily it's about cash. I mean, because you're only going to put in probably, what, 10,000 people in Nebraska game at the very most. It's bought, I think, just keeping the kids wanting to play
Starting point is 00:35:22 and getting another week of reps in before you get back into into Big Ten competition. That's why this whole big. 10 thing is just a mess. They were so late to the party, Ross, that they really don't deserve the goodness of playing in college football this year. Don't you agree? I mean, deserve got nothing to do with it, Matt.
Starting point is 00:35:40 I don't understand. Well, what I'm saying is that if they would have been with everybody else, you would have started the season weeks ahead of time and then had some spots where you could replace some games and put some different times and it move games along. But since they were so late to the party, they built this eight-week schedule over eight weeks, not having any room for error whatsoever.
Starting point is 00:36:01 So they shouldn't have canceled, as my point. They jumped the gun. They jumped the gun. And if you want to play, then don't worry about the damn national playoff. The reason why, and Joe Clad brought this up on the show yesterday. And I tend to believe him. I think the only reason why the Big Ten is playing is because Ohio State's a legitimate national title contender. And that if Ohio State can't go play for a national championship, that big old chunk of change that the Big Ten would get for having a team in it, they wouldn't be receiving it.
Starting point is 00:36:27 It's money-related. Yeah, it's all money-related. Of course. So what Big Ten Goop by doing was they should have played the season like everybody else did or at least started a lot sooner than which they did. Pack 12 is going to be in the same spot too. I think what happened, what really opened their eyes was the test got a lot cheaper. But, I mean, you could have predicted the tests were going to get a lot cheaper.
Starting point is 00:36:46 At that time, they're probably, you know, $100 a piece or whatever. Just throwing numbers out there. And now they're down to like five. So, I mean, they didn't anticipate that. And I think that's one of the big reasons they moved and the fact that they, that is money and makes a lot more affordable for these schools to do this and then try to go ahead and make that money from a New Year 6 Bowl or from a national championship. And I guarantee you that if there was two weeks in between the games and UT Chattanooga said, look, we can't afford the test. Nebraska would have said, get the test.
Starting point is 00:37:12 We got you. We got you. Yeah. Because to help that UT Chattanooga, those kids would be able to play. Or anonymous donation of like 500 tests ends up on their doorstep. Why don't they have been anonymous? I think you say, look, we'll help. We got you.
Starting point is 00:37:24 All right. One of the thing I want to pass along before we get to the top of the. hour. The Roy Jones Jr. Mike Tyson fight is officially on. It'll be at the Staples Center. It will be in, let me see the exact date, November the 28th, so at the end of next month, there will be no fans in the arena, but they'll have the fight at the Staple Center. It's an exhibition match. Yeah. How many rounds? Don't know. I'm just looking at a tweet just a couple of minutes ago. I don't know if these guys can go past about four rounds.
Starting point is 00:38:00 You don't think either one of them go more than four? They're in their 50s. I'm saying after the fourth round, it's probably going to get ugly. They're going to be hugging and holding on to each other. So either you think it's going to be a knockout early or the thing goes 11 round and it's a wrestling match. I mean, are they going to be wearing headgear? How's this thing going to go down? Exhibition matches you're usually probably going to be wearing headgear.
Starting point is 00:38:19 They don't want to get it. I think one of the reasons is because they know that it's not going to get sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission. So that's why you call it an exhibition. Are they officially calling an exhibition? It might even be, I mean, you can do any, an exhibition, you can do anything you want. You can do two minute rounds. You can do headgear. You can make, I mean, a giant ring, a small ring.
Starting point is 00:38:38 You can do whatever you want. Well, I don't want, I don't want, is I don't want either one of them to embarrass themselves. Which may not be happening. I mean, it may not be happening. It may be happening because sending two 50-year-olds in the ring would just generally speaking be embarrassing. And this is going to be on pay-per-per-view? You're going to buy it, Matt? Absolutely.
Starting point is 00:38:53 100%. Okay. Don't get your hopes too high. Well, I would hope the undercar would be something that would be appealing to us as well. The last thing I hear of... Here's the thing, Russ. You're not going to rent the Staples Center out. I don't care how cheap it is to put in one ballot, right?
Starting point is 00:39:10 You're going to have probably a five or six fight card, right? Oh, I hope so. With real actual competitive fights, hopefully... I mean, who's promoting? Who's putting this on? Is it a bomb arm? It's not Bob Arm or PBC, is it? Those are the two big...
Starting point is 00:39:25 Yeah. That I don't know. I just don't know if it's one of those situations that you just put those guys in and sell it like that. I think you have to sell a couple of side fights to it that at least would have some somewhat recognizable names. But yeah, I'll buy it. Because I think Mike Tyson defies his age. I do. You've seen Mike Tyson on movies.
Starting point is 00:39:50 You've seen him in television. You've seen him on roast. He looks very physically fit. Now, again, granted, physically fit. and then going into a boxing ring is two different animals. I understand that. But if there's anybody that was 50 plus that you think could probably entertain us for 15, 20 minutes,
Starting point is 00:40:06 even even Mike Tyson. I mean, didn't Larry Holmes fight into his 50s, like professionally? Yeah, George Foreman, same situation. That's true. Now, granted, he wasn't going against top flight competition. And I was always a Roy Jones Jr. fan growing up. So it's not like he's that far removed from the ring. But it's two different weight classes, right?
Starting point is 00:40:25 I mean, what was Roy at his heaviest? Roy went up to heavyweight and he beat John Ruiz for the heavyweight championship, a piece of the heavyweight championship. But normally he was in his prime, he was at 160, 168, then got up to 175 and then finally up to 200, but then went back down. So it really around now, I think his last fights were probably light heavyweight, which Like I haven't seen Roy Jones on television a long time. Is he still doing color commentary?
Starting point is 00:40:49 While atio boxing is kaput, it's totally nothing. Yeah. So what's he doing now to keep himself active? Fighting Mike Dyson. But aren't you curious to see what he looks like and how he, how is sure? he's always been in shape and he's still pretty fast. He just can't defend himself and well his brain is turning to mush. That's the reason why he signed out of this fight.
Starting point is 00:41:07 Yes. I mean, I don't even know how you handicap it because are these guys treating it seriously or is it a gimmick to them? I would think they're treating it seriously. I'm going to go with the Keep It Simple method and go with the bigger man and Mike Tyson. Yeah, I'd go with that as well. All right. The trade deadline is next Tuesday in the NFL. Is it woefully quiet because trade deadlines are normally that way in the NFL?
Starting point is 00:41:29 Or is it woefully quiet because the Texans are pontificating and trying to figure out which deal is best for that? You mean quiet in Houston or quiet all around? It's really quite overall, right? I mean, Everson Griffin was traded. You had Carlos Dunlap traded. Oh, that's true. It's too. Yonick and Gokwe was last week.
Starting point is 00:41:47 But there's been a couple of trades right here. Okay, so I'll change my thought then. Why is it so quiet in Houston, Texas? Let's discuss that next. 1257, Matt Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790. This is the Matt Thomas Show. Here we go to 103 on Sports Talk 790. Dr. Roto with us in a half an hour from now.
Starting point is 00:42:14 Dana Holkerson in one hour. And we'll go to Dallas to find out exactly what the voice of the Dallas Mavericks believes will be some of the keys to success for Stephen Silas is the new basketball coach of the Houston Rockets. again, the Rockets at this point have been officially announced anything. So when they do, we'll hopefully get some people on on the show to discuss why Steven Siles got the job over the other candidates. Texans NFL trade deadline coming up, what, on Tuesday, 3 o'clock? The clock is ticking, Matthew.
Starting point is 00:42:45 I love when it's at 3 o'clock. Because we get artificial drama on this show for at least one day. That's true. But then it's going to, maybe it'll break it at 259 and then the A team's got another easy show. Yeah, what happened just yesterday? You even said it was going to happen. wait a minute so what happened with a gut feeling then he got he lost it was day off day off one day off one day off one day off and one minute off that's so i get in the car and it says and wodes drops the bomb that's tough
Starting point is 00:43:11 i don't get it i almost feel like i feel like we should maybe give it to him i no no no he's a he's a day off i'm sorry brendan i tried brandon you had a whole week you know what you can you can you can decide whatever you want i'm with ross i count it in my book what i'm troubled by is Waxler and Clanton get all this. They get numerous Astro Day games. Yes. They get all the breaking news at three. It's almost like they're like,
Starting point is 00:43:38 let's punish Matt by not giving him the juicy stuff between noon and three. Why doesn't anybody just take care of Matt Thomas? I don't disagree. As you know, Matt Thomas needs more. I give and don't yet receive enough. That's true, Matt. That should be on my business card. I give so much but yet receive nothing.
Starting point is 00:43:55 That seems a little pretentious. Slightly. All right. 713, 212, 5, 790. So to the Texans. A little bit on Randall Cobb, a little bit on Kenny Stills, a lot about Will Fuller. Very little on JJ Watt. I feel like that if we were to go into Cal's office, and right now they just finished up lunch.
Starting point is 00:44:20 Uh-oh, what did he have today, Matt? Well, I'll tell you based on what was Hannah there or not. No. Chicken fried steak. Okay. Mashed potatoes Yeah Corn on the Cobb
Starting point is 00:44:31 Oh, you're making me hungry And a slice of pie What kind of pie? Was unable to secure that information Oh, you really? But apparently Cal was upset it was not Alamode So I'm going to go with
Starting point is 00:44:44 Maybe if it was Alamo Maybe a pecan or an apple Is there any point to eat in pie If it's not going to be Alamode Name a pie that doesn't go The only pie I can think of Is pumpkin You just go heavy whipped cream on that
Starting point is 00:44:56 That's true Homemade whipped cream We got to go to House of Pie soon after the show. Can we go right now? No, we actually cannot go right now. Friend, you guys, you wanted your big break? Here it is.
Starting point is 00:45:05 You talked to Roto for two for it. Can you bring me some food, though? Yeah. You're in House of Pies? I don't know. I don't think so. Oh, it's dry down the street, too. It's a Houston drunk food staple.
Starting point is 00:45:15 Shout out to my buddy, my buddy Craig. Yes. I've never in my life ever seen a restaurant with a line for pies during holiday time. Yes. And it happened when we were there. Yeah. All right.
Starting point is 00:45:28 Down the street. Okay, so chicken fried, so he's eating the chicken fried steak. He still has his napkin and his bit and is over his shirt. Still going with a napkin bib? Yeah. Okay. Do you think he's worried about the public backlash he thinks he would get if he moved JJ? Because I think he would be minimal.
Starting point is 00:45:48 I think, now Texans Darlene would lose her mind. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I think if you say, if there was a tweet, Texans have traded JJ Y, J.J. Almost for anything, unless it's like two first rounds. They're going to be uninformed. Texans fans are going to be like, I can't believe they traded JJ Watt for a third round pick. So here's a question I will ask.
Starting point is 00:46:08 I don't know if we'll get any reaction to this. Because I think the people that listen to our show when it comes to Texans seem to have a fairly good head on their shoulders. I don't think we have the Kool-Aid drinking, traveling Texan. My nickname on Twitter is, you know, deep steel blue mark. You know what I'm saying? So if you are any sort of Texan fan, whether you are a diehard or you are just, it could be a hater, in your group of friends, including yourself, if JJ Watt was traded and I announced it on this show or any show,
Starting point is 00:46:48 what would be your reaction? Well, I would need the compensation, but I would be, even if it was for hardly anything. What if I said for a fourth and a fifth? Let's go. Yes. do it. I'm happy. You need draft capital. You need to throw, you needed many
Starting point is 00:47:04 darts to throw at the board as you can. That would seem to be not getting very much for the best defensive player the Texans have ever had. What was the, did we find out the Dunlap compensation? I think it was very low. It was like a seventh rounder or something like that? We're not seeing first and second round picks jumping around.
Starting point is 00:47:20 Everton Griffin was a sixth that can turn into a fifth. Yonikin Gokwe was a third and a conditional fifth. So I'll ask you, 713-212-5-790 If you happen to see on your Twitter account Or you listen to this radio show Or your buddies at the office said
Starting point is 00:47:36 Did you just see what happened on the internet That J.J. Watt got traded for a fourth and a fifth. Wait a second. Breaking News rule. I already saw it. We'll get in a second here. For a fourth and a fifth, what would be the reaction of the people That you hang around with?
Starting point is 00:47:55 I think most people would be on board with it. See, I believe the Texas need to be in a complete rebuild, 100% rebuild. And so how do you rebuild, Ross? You continue to stockpile draft picks. You don't do 100% rebuild with a franchise quarterback, which they have. And a franchise left tackle. Okay, I'm going to challenge you then.
Starting point is 00:48:16 Okay. When you're saying not 100% rebuild, then you would keep what other parts besides your left tackle and your quarterback? Well, the left tackle and quarterback are two of the three most important positions. So that's huge. Okay. The Jets are in 100% rebuild. They should be drafting Trevor Lawrence if they get the number one overall pick if he even decides to say. Okay.
Starting point is 00:48:36 So when I mean my overall, what I rebuild is you got to rebuild. You got to rebuild your secondary. Yes. I mean, Justin Reed, I think is, I mean, he's good. Okay. Roby is a keeper. So that's what you have to rebuild. Roby and Reed are two pieces of the keep.
Starting point is 00:48:50 That's two of your four are secondary guys. That's pretty significant. You probably need linebackers that can cover receivers and or tight ends out of the backfield. doesn't necessarily mean that Whitney doesn't need to be moved or that Zach Cunningham does. Whitney's a bad contract. You need to get out of that one. But Benardrick McKinney's a bad contract.
Starting point is 00:49:10 You've got, in theory, three bad contracts back there. I don't call Bernardic McKinney when he's healthy. Okay, we don't know what that's going to be. Now, again, we can presume. He's been a pro bowler and he's still relatively young. He is on a big contract. But how would you describe the linebacking corps for the Texas overall? Would you say it's built the foundation?
Starting point is 00:49:30 is there? As Jeff Van Gundy would say substandard. Okay. Well, that's okay. So you're now going to tell me that a defense that needs half of its secondary fixed and needs probably at least one new face in that linebacking core. And oh, by the way, you're going
Starting point is 00:49:46 to trade JJ want and you're going to... Hopefully for draft picks. And anybody else in the defensive line has meant basically nothing. That to me is a complete rebuild. Okay. Well, you're not going to have pro bowlers at every single position. I don't disagree with that. But you want solid. Like, you don't, Whitney
Starting point is 00:50:02 Merseys and Zach Cunningham. Tennis Howard has been better. I mean, you have, what, we, wide receivers is going to be probably an issue because you got to got a lot of guys on. And you got to replace your running back. That's every NFL team. The roster is turning, you're turning over probably 15, 20 people every year. Okay. So I will do and maybe you and I will disagree on this. I will say
Starting point is 00:50:18 when you are looking at seven positions on your football team that need massive overhaul, that's a rebuild. Running back, wide receiver, because you're going to presume you're going to move a couple of if the bare minimum one, maybe even more than one, secondary, linebacking court, defensive line, that's five.
Starting point is 00:50:39 Yeah, they need help. They're a bad football team. Yeah, it's a rebuild. You've got a franchise quarterback to me is like number one thing, though. I don't disagree. It's huge, huge, huge. It's the most important position. But you have a franchise quarterback right now,
Starting point is 00:50:54 and you've got a franchise defensive player in your one and six. You need better court. You need parts around it. You need those non-pro bowlers. to be at least good NFL players and the Texans don't have that. So maybe we're all fighting over semantics. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:51:07 I'm just saying I don't think this is a quick fix. So that's why I believe that if you start selling pieces off, you're okay. And the normal logically thinking Texan fan can say, this makes sense. Let's tear this thing down, renegotiate contracts, work on the draft,
Starting point is 00:51:27 have 11 draft picks to go with on draft day, maybe not even a first or second, but at least give us plethora of options to choose from that are going to not only hopefully stick, but are young and most importantly, Ross, cheap. Because you spent a lot of money on those two franchise players you just spoke of. I think if you get a smart,
Starting point is 00:51:44 offensive-minded coach in here, you get a couple of players who can play on defense. You're talking about at least somewhere around a 500 team next year. If you get, I mean, getting rid of Bill O'Brien and getting an actual good offensive mind to build around with Deshaun Watson. and really whatever weapons.
Starting point is 00:52:01 Yeah, they need a running back, but you can find running backs in the fourth or fifth round. You can find running backs who are street-free agents. I'm saying if there are smart football people come in here, which, given this ownership's history, is a big question mark. I can see this team being competitive within the next couple of years. I think a rebuild just two years away. If you're in rebuild mode, you're going to need this season and next season.
Starting point is 00:52:29 If I'm saying, and again, we're all defining rebuild differently, if I'm telling you the Houston Texans are a rebound or a rebuild mode, that means the next time they're going to be relevant in the AFC would be 2023. No, that's not true. 21 would be a mess. Maybe 22 you get back in the game. But I don't think it's an overnight fix. I don't think they're just one or two players away.
Starting point is 00:52:56 And especially if you bring in a general manager who doesn't have the, in his piggy bank, a first and second round pick to go to. It's hard to rebuild. And you also have to realize that even though you want to replace guys like Cunningham, if you do, I'm not saying they do, but even if you want to replace Whitney Merciless, and I'm not saying they do. Because sometimes guys could just have bad years. But it just feels like it was a bad contract when it was signed.
Starting point is 00:53:19 It doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to rebuild or replace them with younger, cheaper players who are better. There's no guarantee of that. 1.13 on the Matt Thomas show. Is Cal really going to be worried about the perception of the team if significantly useful star players get moved. I'm definitely afraid Ross that he's just not going to want to even entertain the thought of moving JJ because he's afraid
Starting point is 00:53:42 that Texans Darlene's going to be pissed. Well, I hope he doesn't care about that. I hope he worries about that. I hope I'm wrong about that, but I don't see any signs of that. It took a player revolt to move Bill O'Brien. It just did. 114. Sports Talk 790. 713-212-5-790. Breaking news from baseball. Stunning news from baseball.
Starting point is 00:54:03 ball. Next on 790. The morning sports show for those who partied in Midtown way too hard last night. The Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. I am stunned by this and I know that it had been out there
Starting point is 00:54:27 for a few days. The new manager of the Chicago White Sox is a former White Sox manager. Not Ozzy Gehan. not I'm trying to think of
Starting point is 00:54:47 who else has been a manager for them Jim Not Jim Lear It's there was Leeland Jim, not Jim Leeland I'm staring at him
Starting point is 00:54:55 Detroit right Yeah No at Pittsburgh Detroit Detroit and Pittsburgh Screw it Tony Larusa Jim Fragosi
Starting point is 00:55:02 Jim Fragosi is I was thinking of Thank you I pulled up the list Tony Larusa 76 year old Tony Larusa is the new manager of the Chicago White Sox.
Starting point is 00:55:20 Been a successful manager no matter where he's gone, whether it be White Sox, A's, Cardinals. But damn. AJ Hinch is like, man, this, I thought, I thought that was my gig. We'll see. I don't know how much his name is going to play well with, I guess, fan bases. I mean, America hates A.J. Hinch and the Astros right now.
Starting point is 00:55:48 I think America hates the players more than they hate the manager. That's true. Not that I think most average fans will know who AJ Hinch was. They know who George Springer is and who Carlos Gray is and who O'Alteauvay is. They probably know AJ Hinch as well. Yeah, because he was associated to it. But I would think generally speaking that AJ is now an immediate top of mind manager. Well, let's hope Tony Larusa is never asleep at the wheel with the White Sox.
Starting point is 00:56:14 76 years old. Not that we're one of those type of people that worries about age. We're not ageists. No. 76 is just quite old. Because let's be honest, it's been a little bit of a learning curve for us talking to 70. How old is Dusty? 72. 71 or two?
Starting point is 00:56:34 Yeah. It's been a little different talking to him. He'll go through, you know, he'll reference one of his players and then go to a player that he played with in 1977. Yeah, he'll always make analogies. Some player from like the 70s that you are like, oh, I remember that guy. I mean, I remember them, but I don't remember them vividly. Like he talked about the other day about third baseman. They were talking about Wendell of the, of the race.
Starting point is 00:56:58 And he goes, you know, the only other third basement of my life that I thought were just awesome. And he mentioned somebody recently, and he said Greg Nettles. I mean, I haven't heard Greg Nettles name in 25 years. It was a good comparison, but it just wasn't a comparison that I was thinking of right away. So there's only at this point one job in baseball. open, I think, right? And it's the Detroit Tigers. So we go to our Detroit Bureau of the Matt Thomas show.
Starting point is 00:57:25 Could A.J. Hinch work in Detroit, Michigan? One, he's supposedly the favorite and two, definitely. Tigers fans would be pumped. It is interesting. The White Sox, when they made their announcements that we wanted somebody that had postseason experience. They said World Series experience, right? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:57:43 That's what we thought we were going to go. In which Tony Larissa does have. Yes, he does. I just don't think we were thinking him. It sounded like to me. me the White Sox were going right along with that AJ Hinch car, especially when Dallas Keiko goes to Twitter and goes, you know, this is going to be good because he thought, I mean, I'm assuming that A. Jane Dallas got along well.
Starting point is 00:57:59 Did you see Bob Nightingale said they never, the White Sox never interviewed Hinch? Do we believe Bob Nightingale? I know. He's so full of mistakes. But I just, I wanted to throw it out there that he did say that. No, that I would believe him on that. I think if LaRusa takes the phone call from the White Sox, you know, Reinsdorf's been still still the owner, he remembers LaRusa
Starting point is 00:58:22 back in the 80s when the White Sox were very first relevant, at least in this generation of White Sox. They probably didn't, they probably had to stop with one interview. My guess is that Jerry Reinsdorf had that name pegged along the entire way. I just don't know how many other teams would have offered a guy that has been, when's the last time he managed?
Starting point is 00:58:46 I don't know, has it been five years or so or more? Let's take a look here. His last year was 2011. Damn, he's been gone that long. That doesn't seem like it's been that long. Yeah, it's 10 years since he, you know, he's working in the MLB office with Joe Tori. But man, 10 years since he left the Cardinals. He walked off with a World Series victory.
Starting point is 00:59:10 That's what you're supposed to do it, right? In theory. So, Tony LaRouza. I practice, it's a little more difficult. Tony LaRosa. 76 years old. He just turned 76. So he was a young.
Starting point is 00:59:22 76. Yes. Fresh 76. We're about to, we may have a 78-year-old president here in a few months. Or a 70, what's the other guy?
Starting point is 00:59:32 74 or 5? Is Trump that old? What's Donny T? I know Biden's going to be the oldest president ever. Okay. I'm telling you, AARP's got to be loving this.
Starting point is 00:59:41 All these hires? Yeah, Donny T 74, Biden's 78. See, 70s are supposed to be death now. Now you just get to read. I think 75's a new 55, Ross. As long as you're, pampered politician with the best health care in the world.
Starting point is 00:59:58 And the ability to give some facial work done, make you look younger. You know, that orange spray. We're taking next Tuesday off, right? Why? It's a luxury day. I got a gut feeling. You're going to save it for that, right? Yeah, I don't know.
Starting point is 01:00:12 I'm just kidding. All right. Let's go to Brian downtown before we say how to Dr. Roto. Hi, Brian. On I, I am, T. You tell me. You know what? Isn't it kind of frustrating when we're two one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL
Starting point is 01:00:28 and for a running back? And I just heard Ross, and we need a running back? That's just really disappointing, you know? What? I could have sworn that you guys just said, we need a running back. We just traded the best. Yeah, they do. They need a running back.
Starting point is 01:00:47 Johnson's not, he's nowhere near. It was a terrible trade, man. And I think it's proven out that way. Anyway, what other thing I want to tell you, Matt, is you know what the rockets need to do now? Hmm. They need to make Matt Thomas D number one voice of the Houston Rockets. All we do to that, man.
Starting point is 01:01:07 Thank you, Brian. I'll see you later. I appreciate that. I'm very happy in my spot. By the way, the Chicago White Sox mentions, not good. Oh, oh. Read it some gems if you have some.
Starting point is 01:01:21 We've got to get to Roto here. Let's save this for 220. Okay. 220 this afternoon was we got Roto for the next half hour. Then we've got Dana. At 220, we're going to read what the White Sox have done with their new manager and the responses to at White Sox. Not a sports empty theater, but not necessarily very pleasant.
Starting point is 01:01:41 These are not good. 127. Dr. Roto's up next to your fantasy football advice coming straight ahead on Sports Talk 790. Let's spend the fastest 30 minutes in Major Market Radio right now are they a good friend, the one and only Dr. Roto on Sports Talk 790. Dr. Roto, please try to sell me on the fact that I want to spend any length of time watching the Falcons and the Panthers tonight. Then you're not a fantasy football guy, M.T., because if you were, you know there's a lot of guys in this game that you'd want to have. Teddy Bridgewater, Mike Davis, DJ Moore, Robbie Anderson, Calvin Ridley, Julio Jones.
Starting point is 01:03:11 who loves Thursday nights, Todd Gurley, Matt Ryan, need I go on? Oh, you know what? You mentioned Robbie Anderson, a sneaky good eighth round pick by yours, truly, by the way. Not that anybody cares, but I just had to brag on myself for a second. He actually has been really good. You know what? That was a smart free agent signing. He went to his old college football coach who knew exactly what to do with him and one place to run.
Starting point is 01:03:35 You leave Adam Gage. You go to a guy who wants you, and boom, look what happens. Yeah, well, all right, so you've given us plenty of fantasy. All right, so I'll watch it after all. Let's get to some games that we are very curious about. How is Lamar Jackson going to do against the Pittsburgh defense this week in Baltimore? Look, it's really not a great matchup for him. So firstly, Mark Ingram is not 100%. There's a real good chance he doesn't play this week.
Starting point is 01:03:58 So then you've got Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, who have been dying to see more of this year. The Steelers are very good against tight-end, so it's really not a good week from Mark Andrews. I think the guy who's got the best matchup is Marquise Brown, you know, Hollywood Brown. But can Lamar find him? Lamar is a great athlete. I mean, a supreme athlete, but is he a great quarterback? Not so sure he's going to be running for his life this week. So, I mean, he's a good start, but he's not a great one. All right. Let's get down to South Florida. Tua Tagovolo is going to make his first start for the dolphins at three and three. Should we expect much different from the skill position players we have what we take from Miami? I mean, look, Tua is very accurate and he throws a great deep ball. And they were going to move on from Ryan Fitzpatrick, but Fitzpatrick didn't do anything wrong, but the Dolphins know the two is the next step, right? But the Dolphins' defense has been very good. You know, I don't
Starting point is 01:04:48 like West Coast teams who travel over the East Coast, especially in a short week. I think this has the makings of a Dolphins victory here. You know, the big thing is that Vante Parker is going to be shut down by Jalen Ramsey. So Two is going to have to find whether it's Preston Williams or Mike Isseki or Miles Gaskin. Somebody's going to have to step up and make a play if they want to wait. I'm really surprised the NFL schedule makers put this game in this spot because the Rams played the Monday night game. It was home, but it's fine,
Starting point is 01:05:16 but then they have to travel, usually teams that go one direction to the other end to the coast go two days early. It doesn't feel like a real good wrong practice week for the Rams. No, it's not, and I think people need to take advantage of that. So if you choose to put a few dollars down on the game, or if you're playing on draft
Starting point is 01:05:32 games, you're playing in seasonal leagues, look, I like the Rams this week, but I don't love them. I mean, I think it's a tough matchup of the Dolphins defense is very underrated. So, you know, maybe I play Cooper Cup. Maybe I play Daryl Henderson. After that, I'm not playing anybody. All right. We know what the Chiefs are going to do. Even they put up points, even on weeks where they get slow things going offensively. Is there anybody on the jet side worth playing at KC on Sunday? Sure. So Michael P. Ryan is getting more, you know, touches. He's a pretty good player.
Starting point is 01:05:59 And the Chiefs have not had the best run defense. I think he's interesting. I think this kid, Denzel Mims, who you guys might know well from Baylor, I think he's got some talent. he's interesting. Look, the jets are going to get killed. They're going to lose by 25 to 30 points, but I think those guys, if you're looking for some fantasy goodness, I think you can find it there. We saw firsthand how good Devante Adams was for the Packers. The other receivers kind of got involved because Devante had to take a couple of breaths. Are the Vikings underperforming fantasy-wise like their record is, or are they kind of doing what they're doing despite the fact they're one in five? No, but I mean, look, the Vikings are a very good defensive team. However, Daniel Hunter is out for the year.
Starting point is 01:06:37 Anthony Barr is out for the year. It's a young secondary. They're a bit overmatched. I mean, had they had Hunter and Barr, it might be a different story. So look, this week, you play Aaron Rogers, you play Devante Adams. I don't think Aaron Jones is going to play. The Packers are very, very, you know, careful with their medical team. So I think Jamal Williams plays again. Robert Tonion might actually score this week. And on the other side, I really do like Dalvin Cook. I think a lot of people are not going to want to play him. But he's back. He's missed two weeks. I think he's ready to go. This seems like a sneaky high-scoring game. Colts and Lions.
Starting point is 01:07:11 The Troits, I think, is a massive surprise at 3-3-and-3. Are we seeing some of their skill position players performing better than expected? You know, it's a really good call there, I think this game could either be really boring and terrible, or it could really be wide open and high-scoring. It just depends on how it shakes out. Both teams want to run the football, right? Jonathan Taylor is a really good start. You know, DeAndre Swift's a good start.
Starting point is 01:07:33 But both their secondaries are really, bad too. So is this a week that Kenny Galladay perform as well? Is this a week that T.Y. Hilton finally shows up. So I think it's whichever team is willing to open up their offense first will win, but I do think that Hilton and Goladay are good plays this week.
Starting point is 01:07:49 OBJ is out for the Browns. How does it affect everybody else on that offensive side of things for Cleveland? Look, you're going to think I'm crazy, and maybe you do. But I think that Baker Mayfield's going to be better without Beckham. I do. I think when he was back there, and Beckham demanded the ball. He was forcing the ball to
Starting point is 01:08:05 Beckham. And he's making a lot of bad throws. Now without Beckham there, you've got Rashad Higgins, and Baker's always had a good connection with him. You got this rookie Donovan People Jones, who's very tall and rangy, and you have Jarvis Landry, who's a great route runner. I think the Browns are going to be more efficient. They're not going to be more explosive, but they'll be more efficient. I think you're going to see better numbers from Baker Mayfield. All right, Dr. Rololol's going to be with us to the top of the hour. If you've got a question for Dr. Roder, want to get in the next segment, you can join us at 713-212-5-790, 7-1-3-212-5-7-90.
Starting point is 01:08:37 You can also send us some questions at SportsMT and at DR Roto, Dr. Roto. Back to the noon games on Sunday. You've got the Titans and the Bengals. Is it safe to say that Joe Burrow is the rookie of the year fantasy-wise or is some other candidates in the mix? I mean, Justin Herbert's looking pretty good, too. So, I mean, I like both those guys. I will say that this is the game that you want a piece of. I mean, between Tannahill, Derek Henry, A.J. Brown, John Hous Smith, maybe even Corey Davis,
Starting point is 01:09:07 Joe Borough, J. O'Berner, A.J. Green, T. Higgins, Tyler Boyd. I mean, look, I've given you all these guys who should feast in this game. It's the highest-scoring game, according to Vegas. I think it will be in real life, too. All right. Cam Newton's had back-to-back subpar weeks. It's not, I don't think it's coincidental coming off of the COVID. Have we started to abandon skill position players that were using? in fantasy for the Patriots, or can they get right in a place they've had a lot of success over the years in Buffalo?
Starting point is 01:09:35 Yeah, I don't think so. I think the reports for Julian Edelman's going to miss time. He's not 100%. I don't know if he's going to miss the season, but he's going to miss a significant amount of time. So now that you don't have Edelman, you've got Damier Bird, you've got Jacoby Myers. You've got issues there at receiver. You really do. You've got to kill hiring.
Starting point is 01:09:50 Cam, most inaccurate quarterback there is. So I don't like any of these guys. They don't have a tight end to use. So maybe this is a James White Week. I mean, they might have to use him more than not, but I really like the bills this week. I think Josh Allen has to play better. I think Stefan Diggs is going to step up. The bills want to be the AFC champions.
Starting point is 01:10:08 Go out win this week. All right, you mentioned Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Who has benefited mostly from his taking over the starting quarterback spot there? The entire team. I mean, he's really good. I don't think that I even in my wildest dreams thought this guy was going to be as good as he is. I think he had seen a big spike. The problem is that Mike Williams has all sorts of talent, but they don't open it up enough for Allen and Hunter Henry and Mike Williams.
Starting point is 01:10:34 So Keenan Allen's a great start. I think Hunter Henry is a really good start this week. I think the running game is always a good start because Anthony Lynn likes to run the football. So Joshua Kelly, Justin Jackson. On the other side of the ball, I mean, this is a Melvin Gordon revenge narrative. I love it in this week. All right. Seahawks are 5 in 1 with maybe one of the five worst defenses in the NFL.
Starting point is 01:10:53 Does that mean the Niners we're going to load up on their players this week when they go up to Seattle. Yeah, it's a good question, but, you know, look, they've been out Jamal Adams, who's only the best safety in football, right? So when he's not there, teams feast on the Seahawks. They just signed the trade of Carlos Dunlap from the Bengals. He's pretty good. I think their defense's going to get better. But this week, you know, Adams still could be doubt, and Dunlop's not playing because of COVID. I love George Kittle this week. I love Brandon Ayup this week. But the question is, do we trust Jimmy G. Jimmy G is so mercurial. Some weeks is really good. Some weeks it's really bad.
Starting point is 01:11:26 is it a good one? I don't know, but I know the guy I want to start in this game. D.K. Metzap, all in on him. All right. You know, I don't trust this Bears' record at 5-2 and 2. Are you with me on this? And how are they going to suit up fantasy-wise against the Saints? Yeah, this is the worst 5-2 team in the history of football. I mean, come on. Nick Foles is terrible. He hasn't called a good play in weeks. Alan Robinson has concussion issues. I just don't know what the points are coming this week. I really don't. Maybe Cole Komet, who looked pretty good. I love the Saints this week with or without Michael Thomas. Robin Camaro this week. Drew Breeze knows how to go and win games like this. The Bears have a really good defense. I get that. Their offense is putrid. All right. We're going to go to the Sunday night game, the Monday night game, and then start
Starting point is 01:12:07 taking some of your responses. If you've got a question for Dr. Roto against 713-212-5-790, 7-1-2-790 through Twitter at SportsMT and at Dr. Roto. More with Dr. Roto to the top of the hour here on Sports Talk 790. Again, 7-1-3-2-1-2. 5-790. Right now, a word for my friends at the Shell Federal Credit Union where I am a member of Shell FCU. I got a loan from them for one of my vehicles and I have yet to make a payment on it because they allowed me to defer my payments till December. If you would like to find yourself in a spot where you can get 1.99% APR on a new, a used, or a refinance vehicle that you currently have, get with the Shell FCU group today. You'll also get a couple of skip a page. You'll get $250 in cash back that you put, towards a savings account, and you'll be able to work with a company that gets you 1.99% for 36 months.
Starting point is 01:13:02 Do yourself a favor, check them out online, and get yourself the process started on saving significant money on a brand new loan from the ShellFCU. Shellfcuh.org for auto loan rates as low as 1.99% APR. Welcome home to ShellFCU. Let that boring brown bag lunch rot in the employee refrigerator. Oh, what's that sense? The Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. Our good buddy, Dr. Roto, with us to the top of the hour.
Starting point is 01:13:40 If you got a question for the good doctor, get your fantasy football line set up. 713-212-5-790, 7-13-212-5-790. And you can ask your questions through Twitter as well at SportsMT. All right, good doctor. Let's go to a couple more games where we get to the phones, and we'll start with the Sunday night matchup. You've got, well, a sucking. matchup. Dallas against Philadelphia, the only reason why this game hadn't been flexed, because
Starting point is 01:14:08 Dallas, no matter what their record is, grabs television viewers. They're a hot mess with a quarterback situation. How damaging has it been for anybody that's had a skill position player for Dallas to see all the movement on that offensive side of the football? I mean, it's really brutal. You drafted Z. Gelliot probably with a third overall pick, and he's terrible, and C.D. Lamb had a big goose egg last week. Michael Gallup feels cuttable. Amari Cooper, who actually looked good, he gets to play Darius Slay this week. Good luck with that, Amari. So there's just nobody I really like, I guess it's Ziciel Elliott, because, I mean, I think Ben Zanucci's going to be the quarterback.
Starting point is 01:14:41 They're going to have to hand the ball off about 47 times. I think for the Eagles you play Boston Scott, I think Dallas Goddurt may return from the IR this week. He's interesting. And Travis Fulgin has been pretty darn good this year. So I think if he's out there in any leagues, pick him up. All right, and the Monday night matchup, boy, Tom Brady has no reservations about jumping on the road and going to play.
Starting point is 01:15:01 They crushed Las Vegas last week. They're going to the other end of the country to play the Giants this week. Tom's heating up just at the right time for fantasy owners, is he not? Yeah, look, I mean, Brady's great, and I think the biggest fear here is what happens when Antonio Brown returns. Chris Godwin's out. He had surgery in his finger. He's probably going to be out next week as well. I don't love Mike Evans this week.
Starting point is 01:15:21 He's going to see James Bradbury. That's a tough matchup. So the question is, is Scotty Miller helping? Rob Gruncowski, Leonard Fournette. I mean, the Bucks are going to win this game. They're better than the Giants. It's just going to be a lot of guys you may not have heard of who are going to be putting up the box score numbers because I'm not sure this is an Evans week. It could be Rojo.
Starting point is 01:15:39 It could be Fournette. It could be Miller. It could even be a Cameron Brayette's citing. But, I mean, the Buccaneers are clearly that a better team. Is Gronk? If Grock is a 10 as a New England Patriot, what is he as a Buccaneer so far fantasy-wise this year? Six, which is, you know, look, Tyn is a wasteland. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:15:57 There's a lot of bad tight ends out there, so you'll live with a six. For sure. I've been bouncing through four or five, ten. It's not been a great year at that particular position. Let's get to the phone. 713-212-5-790. We'll start with Sam and Austin for Dr. Roto on 7-90. Hello, Sam.
Starting point is 01:16:12 Hey, how's it going? I have a quick question, either Tyler Boyd or Devante Parker. And then I have Ben Ropletburger starting, but I'm looking at the pre-agents, and I have Derek Carr or Teddy Bridgewater. Which one out of those two, if anything, would have. I replayed Robbinsberger with. Yeah, you're going to want to start Teddy Bridgewater against the Falcons who've let everybody throw against them.
Starting point is 01:16:37 I mean, I would think Teddy's going to go for close to 250 and two with three touchdowns tonight. Look, Devonte Parker is going to see Jalen Ramsey. That's a bad matchup. Tyler Boyd is playing the Titans. You saw what Juju Smith-Schuster did to the Titans. Titans do not cover the slot receiver well. You'd want to get Tyler Boyd in your lineup.
Starting point is 01:16:53 Did we underestimate Teddy Bridgewater this year? Well, I think we underestimated the competency of Matt Rule. and Joe Brady. Joe Brady was the offensive coordinator at LSU. Look what he did with Joe Burrow. Matt was one in college before. Teddy Bridgewater, yeah, I think we saw him as a game manager, but he's better than that. I mean, he's not a superstar, but he's pretty good player. All right. Let's continue on. Mike on line two for Dr. Roto on 7-0. Go ahead, Mike. Yeah, a quick question. Should I start on DJ Moore or Cooper Cubs? Yeah, I mean, look, Cooper Cubs is probably the guy with the best matchup there, but I mean, I think
Starting point is 01:17:30 you start the guy on the better game. I mean, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons should be a high-scoring game. Now, look, people are going to talk about the rain tonight. Rain doesn't bother me, okay? These guys have played in rain before. The offense always knows where they're going, and these are two not-so-great defenses, so I'm okay playing DJ more. I got to tell you something, Rodo. I think weather is the most overrated thing out there. I'll give you case and point. The Denver Kansas City game last week in Denver. I have Pat Mahomes in one of my leagues as a quarterback. sluggish start first half. He still put up comparable numbers, not like amazing five touchdown days,
Starting point is 01:18:06 but good offenses, good quarterbacks, no matter what the conditions are, really with the exception of, I think, really, really windy, out-of-control wins. They're going to put up their numbers, are they not? Absolutely. So, I mean, that is the one thing, M.T., it's the win. So if it's like 30-mile-an-hour wins, maybe they're only throwing 10, 12-yard passes and not the default. But rain, snow. One of my best fantasy games of all time was when the Eagles played in the game. I can't remember who they played against where there was like 20 inches of snow. I had Nick Fulze and LaChine McCoy. They put up like 80 fantasy points for me. And I was like, should I play him? Should I play him? I played him. It made me a rich guy that weekend.
Starting point is 01:18:43 All right. Before we get to your lock of the week, I want to ask you, if the Texans make some moves, Kenny Stills moves, Will Fuller, maybe Randall Cobb. what do you think about their second half of the seasons if there were different football teams? Because you're presuming they're going to go to a team that is in desperate need of a wide receiver. Right, but I mean, I don't know how you're better when you trade Will Fuller. I know he's at injury history, but he is very talented. I don't know how you're better when you trade Randall Cobb. Randall Cobb is a solid receiver, and Watson needs weapons, right?
Starting point is 01:19:15 I think this Isaiah Colter is going to be a good player. I don't mind giving up stills, but let's not give up the farm. I don't think the Texans are far away. I think they're just certain pieces away, maybe a good linebacker, maybe another guy in the offensive line. You know, I think they just need some better coaching, right? I think O'Brien needed to go way before the season. I mean, they lost from the beginning. So I think if the Texans panic, it's going to be a big mistake.
Starting point is 01:19:41 See, I'm actually, I'm going to completely disagree with you on what you just said. And I actually want to know about what those players could look like in different uniforms. Would you start them a little sooner if they were working, had that a different signal caller throwing the passes to them? Well, you know, look, with COVID, they've got to sit out a few days. Then they have to go and learn somebody else's playbook. So can Will Fuller thrive anywhere? Yes, because he runs great patterns and he's super fast. So I think he can thrive anywhere. I think Randall Khan may not be able to thrive anywhere. It may take him some time to learn the routes and what they, what these, because he's more of a timing guy. So I think Fuller goes
Starting point is 01:20:14 anywhere and succeeds. All right. And last question we're getting to the lock. LeBion Bell long term in Kansas City this year. What are you expecting? Well, you're stealing my lock of the week, M-T, because... Well, wait a minute. I didn't mean to do that to you, then. Let's slow play this then. So I'll forget I even ask that question. Ladies and gentlemen, I ask Dr. Roto once per week to give us a player or two-thee.
Starting point is 01:20:32 He thinks it absolutely going to crush in the fantasy football world. We call that Dr. Roto's. Hard to fathom what it possibly could be, lock of the week. Exactly. How do you not like Levy on Bell scored a touchdown this week? And then when he gets the ball, he takes it and he's... likes it in front of Adam Gase's face and says, take that. I mean, look, so you're asking about Levi-on-Bell,
Starting point is 01:20:55 he's probably going to get 10 to 15 touches, and I think Clyde Edward Tiller get somewhere between 10 and 12 touches a week. They will coexist. I think Bell is more of the touchdown goal-line guy. I think Edward Tiller will get a few more receptions. I think both these guys become good fantasy players, but no stars anymore. And that, my friends, is Dr. Roto's block of the week. Where can we find you this weekend, Dr. Roto?
Starting point is 01:21:22 You could always find me at Twitter, my friend, a DRROTO. Now, we'll leave it there. Have a great weekend. We'll talk to you again next Thursday. All right, take care, guys. You got it. The one, the only Dr. Roto with us here, fantasy football guru, extraordinary, here on Sports Talk 790. Dana Holgerson, coming off the win against Navy and a good matcher with UCF this Saturday.
Starting point is 01:21:41 We'll talk with him next to start the final hour of the Matt Thomas show, 156 on Sports Talk 790. Is the Matt Thomas show? 201 on Sports Talk 790, the final hour. The Matt Thomas show begins. We will have a update on what's happening with the Rockets new hire in Stephen Silas in 30 minutes. Tyler Russo not getting a warm reaction to becoming the new manager of the Chicago White Sox. We'll tell you about that in 20 minutes. But right now we're going to spend 10 quality minutes with our friend and a man who led his Houston Cougars on the road last week to the Naval Academy,
Starting point is 01:22:25 beat them by a final score of 37 to 21. Dana Holgerson with us here, brought to you by the Joint Chiropractic, the official chiropractor of U of H Athletics. Coach, nice to visit with you as always. Congratulations. Good trip to Navy, mission accomplished. You come back with a nice win against the midshipman. Not the easiest place to go get a win on the road.
Starting point is 01:22:48 That's, you know, that's somewhere. It's a place I've always wanted to go. I've never been there. I don't know how many times you've been there, Matt. it's a pretty special place. They got a lot of history, a lot of tradition. It was a beautiful October, fall afternoon, up in the Northeast, and, you know, lined up against the team that has won a lot.
Starting point is 01:23:08 You know, they won their last nine conference games. They were 3-0 in the conference this year. They've played in some tough games, and they find ways to win. They're obviously difficult to prepare for both, you know, just the whole game's hard, whether it's offense, defense, special teams. And it was proud of the way our guys, you know, improved from game two to game three and got out there at the win. So excited about that, no question. Yeah, Dana, I've been there three or four times. And the thing that's so aggravating about it is you go up there, that triple option can go 15, 16 plays. It can take seven minutes off the clock. It gets your defense tired. Your offense has no rhythm. I thought one of the underlying stats that you and I actually talked about in the post game after the game last Saturday was your team was able to keep their offense off the field. Your team was able to have some nice.
Starting point is 01:23:55 time-consuming drives, and I think it makes such a big difference. Yeah, that's something that we try to do. You know, I mean, we're a, we can be an up-tempo team with the best of them, and we can be an air raid, you know, go fast, all that stuff. We can do it with the best of them, but it's just not, it's not what's great for your football team sometimes, you know, and I think that I've learned that over the years of being the head coach and know I can control it best when I'm calling the plays. but, you know, we got out of there with pretty much even 30 and 30-30 time of possession.
Starting point is 01:24:30 I had some long drives, which was good for our defense. You know, that third quarter against BYU, we went on a nine-minute drive or something like that. So we have it in us, and we can do it. It's all about moving to change and being efficient and staying out there on the field. It's going to be big this week, too. I mean, it's central Florida, one of those teams that goes fast every single snap. and is averaging like 95 plays a game or something like that. So, you know, we're going to have to do our best as far as controlling the ball.
Starting point is 01:25:00 To me, that's just being able to control the clock, and I think it helps your football team in general. How big of an adjustment is it, or is there none at all, about going against a team that doesn't huddle up like UCF does? Well, we're practicing a little differently this year. We don't have as much numbers, and O-line and D-Liner a little banged. up and all that stuff. So we practice against each other quite a bit, you know, and it's kind of the NFL
Starting point is 01:25:28 model, if you will, where they don't have a ton of numbers, but you've got to get your work done. So our team has been great, just, you know, understanding that we've got to help each other out. Like our second team needs to, you know, maybe focus on helping our first team defense at times, and our second team defense needs a focus on helping our offense sometimes. So we've worked together really well. We've practiced really well together. You know, like I said, I can do this.
Starting point is 01:25:52 that. I can put an offense out there and snap it and, you know, three and out in 10 seconds with the best of them. You know, so we've been able to simulate it. You know, I don't know if you can totally simulate what Central Florida does as much as they do it and as often as they do it and as fast as they do it. But we certainly try and I think our defense can be ready to play. Well, I'll say this. I don't know how many scouts are going to be at the game, but each team, your squad, their squad have got some receivers that I think are going to gain some serious NFL attention. This could be a track.
Starting point is 01:26:22 meet in terms of how these quarterbacks get down the field with their guys down the field with different wide receiving threats. Yeah, we've got guys coming on too. You know, I thought Keith Corbin's, you know, coming on a little bit. I had some really big third down catches last week. He's a guy that's kind of coming on to his own a little bit. Obviously, when you got more Stevenson out there, they got to pay attention to it. You know, he's a guy that we're, we tried to get involved last week,
Starting point is 01:26:50 kind of broke the game open there in the second quarter. I'm sure Central Florida's got some guys, they always do. Had three or four of them last year that moved on to the NFL. They probably got three or four of them this year. I mean, all I hear about is is how Central Florida has got the most talent in the league. You know, and that's, you know, they've got some DVs that are going to garner some NFL attention, too. But, you know, our team's excited about that challenge and excited about lining up against them and excited about having opportunities and be able to make plays.
Starting point is 01:27:19 And I think that's really what it's going to come down to, you know, especially receivers versus DVs on both sides, which guys make the most plays is probably going to be one that wins. Dan, as you know, there have been a lot of special quarterbacks recently on this campus over the last decade or so, but to say that Clayton Toon is the first one since case to throw for 300 yards and four consecutive games, I think it would catch some people by surprise,
Starting point is 01:27:43 but nevertheless he's been able to do it. What are you seeing in him today that maybe you didn't see a year ago? Is it just the fact that it's his team? He knows what to do, more snaps, that kind of thing? Yeah, it's all of that. It's all of the above. And you can't stop with that, too. I mean, just the relationship that he's had with the receivers. You know, we get Jeremy Singleton back this week.
Starting point is 01:28:03 You know, Trayvon Bradley's coming along. Tankdale is coming into his own, you know, as far as getting comfortable, understanding what to do. Christian Trahan is a weapon in the passing game, and then we already talked about Marquez. And I had CalPortar got about 60, 70 yards in passing last week with screens out of the backfield. I've got a lot of guys that can make plays, and just the relationship that Clayton has with him, not only on the field and off the field as well, just being comfortable knowing it's his team and having the respect to the team, taking all the reps, get used to it.
Starting point is 01:28:35 Clayton's still got two years after this, you know. So we're going to be talking about him in records here for a long time. You have told me on multiple occasions. You just want him to not get hit when he doesn't need to get hit. He missed two different parts of the game on Saturday. How much of that is just staring at the film going, see what you're going? you could have done there or how much of it is just think on your feet, be wise. Yeah, some of it's going to be unavoidable. I mean, he's competitive and he's going to fight
Starting point is 01:29:01 for extra yards when he needs to fight for extra yards. I mean, there's going to be times when, you know, the pocket breaks down and he's got to kind of wiggle out of it. I can't do anything about cheap shots from the opponent team. You know, that was a cheap shot. That shouldn't have, shouldn't have happened. It got called and the guy got thrown out of the game. Now, the first one, you know, when he crambles out and he gets the first down. I mean, I don't understand why you've got to fight for two or three extra yards when you already got the first down. Just go out of bounds and line up and play. That wasn't even a very hard hit.
Starting point is 01:29:30 He just landed awkwardly. You know, so it's kind of proven my point. Just don't take those unnecessary ones because there's going to be times where you're going to get them. There's going to be times where you've got to fight for a first down or, you know, a touchdown there in the fourth quarter to win the game. But just a normal first and 10 in the first quarter, you need to go down. And so he's learning with that, but he's just so competitive and wants to play the game and wants to do good. He came out. I tell you, Logan, went in there and did a good job.
Starting point is 01:30:00 He went in there. He was ready. He was prepared. He got us a couple of first downs, didn't screw anything up, and did what his job is as the backup quarterback. Last question, I don't want to jinx this. But a running bit among college football fans is, Dana, you can't trust college kickers. But Dalton did a great job for you. How nice is it to have that insurance policy, even when the team was struggling offensively in the first half,
Starting point is 01:30:25 to be able to go out there and get those points from him? Yeah, we had decent field position. You know, the first one, you know, I talked a week about playing smart. And in the first series, we did like four stupid things right in a row. So maybe I'd take the approach this week and not talking about it very much. But after that, we had pretty good field position. I thought our special teams was pretty good for the most part all day. We had good field position.
Starting point is 01:30:49 we moved the ball a little bit, but just, you know, you're going to, you're going to, you're going to filter out a little bit, you know, and didn't blink an eye when he was out there kicking 50-yard field goals, I got all the confidence in the world in him. You know, has made a bunch of them in the time that I've been here. Yeah. You know, he went on a school record of consecutive kicks there after Tulane last year, and so he was excited about playing Tulane this year. He got his one miss out of the way, and so he said,
Starting point is 01:31:19 that he's going to be good for the rest of the year. So got a lot of confidence in him. When we need points, we're going to put him out there and get him. I have a feeling, Danny, you're going to need lots of points this week. I don't know if we're going to surpass the length of time in that BYU game that was played, but it feels like maybe first to 40 wins this bad boy on Saturday. Man, I don't know. They're pretty high-powered and all that, but our defense is going to have something to say about that.
Starting point is 01:31:40 I like that. Thanks, the time, as always, friend. Appreciate it. You got it. You got it. You got it. That's it. Go Cooggs.
Starting point is 01:31:45 Dana Holgerson with us here on Sports Talk 790. Rossi, I got to read here because we're going to read some Tonal Russo responses to him being hired. Our buddy Jeff Passing, close friend of the show. I don't know if you saw this or not. It just came down in the last 50 minutes, and of course he's pretty smart. He's so it is what it is. He says that many members of the Chicago White Sox organization are, let me see if I would get this right here. Ruffled Feathers.
Starting point is 01:32:15 A number of employees have concerns about his ability to connect with you. younger players and how he'll adapt to the field after being away nine years. This was a Jerry Reinstorff decision, simple as that. Usually is the owner's decision, right? At the end, yes. But an owner, I think, can, you have some hands-off owners and some who forced decision. It didn't feel like it was a group decision.
Starting point is 01:32:39 That feels like to me that somebody in the baseball ops, maybe even the general manager of the White Sox called and said, yeah, I didn't know. I didn't do with this. It's just a, hey, Jeff. Yeah, this wasn't me. And by the way, when this doesn't work out, It wasn't my hire. You know I have it on the record.
Starting point is 01:32:53 Jerry Reinsdorf is only 84. He looked at like he was in his 90s during the last dance. I'm surprised you didn't think he was dead too. Well, I knew he was alive because I saw him in the last dance. If you didn't watch the last dance, you would have put him in Sandy Kofax grave to grave next to each other. Maybe they can be someday. I don't know.
Starting point is 01:33:12 I don't think a Dodger grain and an owner of the White Sox and Bulls are right next to each other. Maybe they're boys. They're the same age. They're both 84. Is it a race to who gets to 85? Jerry Faust is dead, though, right? Yeah, long, yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:33:25 Okay. And I think a lot of people, frankly, are sad because they would have liked to have heard Jerry Krause's side of things, although it probably would have been not nearly the same thing that Michael Jordan would have said. Jerry Seinfeld alive, Jerry Stiller, dead. Uh, that is correct and correct. Seriously. Tomorrow we're going to, today is, today's believing or not is Tony LaRosa.
Starting point is 01:33:47 Tomorrow, I'm going to handle dead or alive, and it's going to be either. I'm going to be guests. Nobody's going to want me for help. It's going to be. Believe it, it's going to be, hell yeah, not, or ask Ross. And then whatever Ross tells you, go the opposite direction. Exactly. Do the opposite. 2.13. More on Turner Larusa.
Starting point is 01:34:03 And by the way, in 15 minutes, more on the Rockets hiring of Stephen Silas. It's 213 on Sports Talk 790. Matt Thomas, we'd like to thank his parents for only giving him two first names. Because who would listen to Billy Ray Thomas talk about Houston sports? The Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. 217 on Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show. We'll visit with Chuck Cooperstein,
Starting point is 01:34:35 the voice of the Dallas Mavericks coming up in about 10 minutes from now, maybe 15 minutes. He could tell us a little about Stephen Sallis. Apparently, I looked at Chuck's Twitter this morning. Ross, he and Steven Sillis were neighbors. So, frankly, I want to know if he keeps his yard up. Does he take the trash out on time? Yeah.
Starting point is 01:34:55 Is he friendly? Does he blast music? Does he put out candy for Halloween? Are you putting out candy for Halloween? Yeah. By the way, I got to ask you this. How's that working COVID times? I was just about to ask that.
Starting point is 01:35:08 We are going to a family Halloween party. That seems safe. So the question is, are the kids in the party going to go to houses, or are we just going to, we're supposed to bring candy to this party, and they're just going to just mix the candy up themselves and call today? That sounds dangerous. no you know what I mean I mean there's nothing dangerous to it I mean what point is is that are they just going to swap candy at the party or are they going to try to go to the houses and are people putting out candy for the you know people to knock on the door and I don't know COVID's really screwed this all up yeah can you like individually wrap all of them in like Ziploc bags and say please take one uh no I think if you go if you are going to send your kids out to thank to thank you to Halloween it's got to be the Halloween that you're used to doing Yeah, but I don't want any kids putting their filthy mitts in the candy jar time after time. Kids are like the biggest germ spreaders ever.
Starting point is 01:36:02 No, you have somebody at the house that just, you throw, like you throw it at them. No. Yeah, you put on rubber gloves. You say, go along, a little Timmy, and hit him in the back of the head with the Snickers. How about one of those grabber things? I don't even know what they're called. Oh, yeah, like a, I know what you're talking about, a little claw grabbers for like when grandma can't bend over like she used to. So you pick, what would you call that?
Starting point is 01:36:25 A claw. Pick her up or a thing. Picker, upper-claw thingy. I disagree. I think if... Oh, it's a trash picker, I guess. I think you do one or two things. Either you...
Starting point is 01:36:38 Yeah. You have a party at your house and you invite six or eight kids over and you just exchange the candy as long as you trust the kids. Or you do it like you normally would do and you knock on the door and you hand the candy out like you would do it. I mean, I don't know if you put it out there like you were suggesting. I like the trash picker idea. You just want to throw it and injure kids and give them concussions. What can't injure anybody? No.
Starting point is 01:36:59 Yeah, I've seen you throw it. Something I'm not that difficult. The scrape on the knee is going to make you stronger, all right? I'm doing these kids a favor. Thank God there are no little Villarreal's running around that we know of, or that you know of, actually. No. Or it's a reacher? You call it a reacher.
Starting point is 01:37:15 Yeah, you get them with the reacher. You reach around or just a reacher? Matt, a reacher. Oh, okay, because the reach around is a little bit different. Like Jack Reacher. Okay. What would you do if you guys are kids? What would your mind?
Starting point is 01:37:27 Forget about what you would do. What would Brendan's mom, would you, would you, would you would Would your mom let you go trick-or-treating this year? I don't think I would have left the house since February. There's no way I'd be trick-or-treating. No way. I don't think my parents would care that much. No, I would like, if Carly wanted to go trick-or-treating, I'd let her go.
Starting point is 01:37:46 You just spray her down when she gets back. That's fine. I mean, she wore a mask. Oh, that's good. You suck her to the mask, bit. Your mask is sanitized. You're good. They're going as Eminem.
Starting point is 01:37:54 Her and her little volleyball team buddies are going as Eminem's. Marshall Mathers? The rapper? The candy. Oh. You know, the different colors? Are they making the brown kid be the brown one? No.
Starting point is 01:38:07 No, no brown kid for me. I get it. Stop. That's wrong. So, you're such a reverse racist. You really are. What are you talking about? You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Starting point is 01:38:16 I'm just messing with you. Do you mess with her? I've been up in K. Anyways. Anyways. So she's not trick-or-treated. What are you all doing? No, she is.
Starting point is 01:38:30 They're all going to the party. They're going to make the decision whether they're just going to stay and chill out and watch. TV and do that. What's spooky movies? Can we play Monster Mash on the show tomorrow? That's almost like a time. Oh, do we will play?
Starting point is 01:38:40 You want to play all the Halloween hits tomorrow? Tomorrow's Halloween hit Friday. Thriller, somebody's watching me, Monster Mash. What other Halloween songs are there? The Adam's Family theme? Duh. Scary. Any movies, any theme songs from scary movies?
Starting point is 01:38:57 Halloween. What else? What's the, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun. That's up though with the hollow. Yeah, it's from Halloween is what you're thinking about. Psycho. Psycho. All that stuff.
Starting point is 01:39:08 How about Highway to Hell? Don't fear the Reaper. Any song that scares the hell out of us. The Monster Mashwollen. The Exorcist theme. I think that's what you were. That's what I was thinking, The Exorcist. So tomorrow is scary movie songs and Halloween songs.
Starting point is 01:39:24 Witchy Woman? By the Eagles? Yeah. Why not? Does that count? I don't know. Sure. Real fast before we get to Chuck Hooper.
Starting point is 01:39:33 Justinous. So this Tony LaRusa hire has not done. So let me ask you this. If you have A.J. Hinch and Alex Corr available to you, don't you at least interview them? Maybe you don't want cheaters on your squad, Matt. Oh, please. Baseball's littered with cheaters.
Starting point is 01:39:49 Super cheaters. So you're saying that Jerry Reinsor was like, I don't think it was a question of those guys not being qualified. I think he just had Tony LaRousseau on the brain since day one. He probably had Tonya Rousseau on the brain. Probably, I would imagine. Well, was he the owner? in the 80s?
Starting point is 01:40:05 Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. 33 years, I think, separates the two times they were the manager. Wow.
Starting point is 01:40:11 Yeah. All right. So responses to Tony LaRuso being the White Sox manager, not particularly good. Go ahead. CEO faux show, front of the show.
Starting point is 01:40:21 Will the other California raisins be joining the staff? Next. Bad move. Guys too old to manage in today's game and has said some pretty controversial stuff regarding issues today.
Starting point is 01:40:37 How is he a better fit than Ozzy for this team? Next. Let's see here. It wasn't Ozzy Gans saying controversial stuff every week too? I don't pay attention to that stuff. Not happy with this decision at all, Han. Sounds like you weren't able to do your job and hire who you want. I'm assuming Han is a general manager.
Starting point is 01:40:55 Han Solo? Very brutal hire, in my opinion. Diehard fan for decades and you come up with this. Ozzie would have been a better fit for this club. Disgusted to be a fan right now. now. Damn. Rick Hahn is the GM apparently.
Starting point is 01:41:08 Okay. A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora were available and you went with Larusa. LaRusa is a legend, but he's very old. Hinch and Cora are young guys you'd want to make franchise managers. Another guy says, just a ridiculously awful hire. Some girl says, what? And I cannot stress this enough. The blank.
Starting point is 01:41:30 Let's see here. LAMO. He hasn't managed since 2011. he's too out of touch for what the socks having that clubhouse, terrible move. Are you kidding me? He's a racist old man. Didn't you want a guy with a recent winning experience?
Starting point is 01:41:45 Might as well say we don't want any big free agents. Like I said, he is a good managing career, but isn't it all recent? And, yeah, just a lot of he's an old racist white person. Uh-oh. It is what it is. Oh, by the way, Gordy just texted us. Says we have to play the Gordy Monster Mash parody
Starting point is 01:42:06 from J.J. Watt from years ago. It's a SWAT. we still had that right yeah i'm sure gordy saved most of them gorty sent it to us sent it to brend through email it's probably in his yeah we probably have it in his folder yeah all right so um a j or cora nate call your shot detroit tigers manager i'm going a j i think a j gets the job it's because of my detroit insider tells me that he's the number one guy on the list oh is that what is that the word uh okay then i'll go with a j hitch then too because my detroit insider says that's the word How many other radio shows in Houston
Starting point is 01:42:40 have a Detroit insider? It's just us. I think so. Probably not coincidental. Who's a next coach of the Detroit Lions? Well, it's not happening for another year. Oh, they're going to keep Patricia around? How about three hours ago,
Starting point is 01:42:55 John Heyman saying, A.J. Hinch, among others, in consideration. And then Bob Nightingale comes out and says he was never interviewed. Who do we believe between Bob Nightingale, who's more trustworthy? A guy that makes mistakes all the time versus a douche. I don't even know. Which, which is which.
Starting point is 01:43:11 Yeah, you do. I don't think Haman makes mistakes. Oh, yeah, you got a little Twitter fight with John Haman. I forgot about that. Yeah, I did. And I don't want to do that very often. I don't like that. But he's such a dispersp-
Starting point is 01:43:20 He's such a P. He just really is. And you can... A pleasant person? No. You can guess with the next few letters. No. Persimins?
Starting point is 01:43:29 Nope. Perfunctory? Nope. Punctual? You're done. Okay. Um, I'd have to believe Haman over...
Starting point is 01:43:39 Nightingale just gets things wrong. He just, he's getting so much stuff wrong. He botched the DH deal in the World Series that her day. Remember he botched that the Astros hadn't been in Dodger Stadium in three years or whatever? He botched the decision to make a pitching change. He's just so inaccurate.
Starting point is 01:44:00 Yeah. And Bob's a decent guy. I think Kaman's a... Oh, he had botched it. Alex Bregman got hit. He said he got hit in the head. The ball went over his head. Remember that? he's either he's either just guessing wrong or people are sending him wrong information
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Starting point is 01:45:19 Get back in the game of life. Get feeling better with Synergenics, Houston's Premier Men's Health Clinic at 833 FixLOTE or 833 FixLOTE.com. The Astros World Series champions. The offense are going to do it again. Real winners play and real Texans Talk on Sports Talk 790. 233 on Sports Talk 790. We're going to check in in Dallas, hopefully in the next couple of minutes with Chuck Cooper's,
Starting point is 01:45:58 in the voice of the Mavericks. So should I read, believe it or not, today, all things turn Lewis in like an old 75-year-old voice? What you're going to have to get the shakes, Betty? Believe it. No, don't do that. Or not? That would be rude. Yeah, we have a manager in our 70s here, Matt.
Starting point is 01:46:16 Who are we to? Who are we too? I'm telling you, I want to be getting jobs at 75-76. Don't you? If you want to be employed, like, how would you feel if another radio station said,
Starting point is 01:46:28 Ross, you had success back in your 40s, but now that you're 75, we don't think you can handle being a major market radio host and say, you know, Fort Smith, Arkansas. It wouldn't be a major market.
Starting point is 01:46:39 That seems fairly minor. Yeah. I would be understanding of that, Matt. I'm going to have a game for the next 25 years. You're not getting rid of me. You're making Sanford Sun references in 2050. Let's go.
Starting point is 01:46:54 Yeah, but at that point, there'll be nothing but a 24-hour Sanford and Sun channel. Do you think so? Saying. Is anybody watching that? I don't know. Aren't there like sub-channels of like 2, 1113 that do nothing but old sitcoms one after the other? I guess. I could watch hours of the Jeffersons.
Starting point is 01:47:16 I could watch hours of Dallas. I could watch out. I mean, yeah, that's fine. I watched a little Jeffers's back of the day. Sanford's said not much. great shows. All right, let's say hi to an old friend of the show. And usually I get to call two games from his palatial American Airlines Center arena.
Starting point is 01:47:33 But unfortunately, because of the COVID, we did the games on television. Chuck Cooperstein, the radio voice, the Dallas Mavericks here on the Matt Thomas show. Coup, long time, no see. I actually miss calling games in Dallas this past year. Yeah, what's the deal with that? What's going on? It's your fault. I know.
Starting point is 01:47:50 Well, no, it's kind of out of our control. I know. The schedule never quite worked out that way. Yeah. Very, very weird. I think we should. Yeah. But I would not call, I would not call our spot palatial.
Starting point is 01:48:03 But I would call it spacious. Spat. I would not call it palatial, though. Palatial, yeah. I would say among the Texas cities, actually, the Toyota Center is not half bad compared to San Antonio in Houston, but that's just play-by-play guy's bitching. Coup, I didn't realize that Stephen Sittles was a neighbor. So do he take his garbage out on time that is, do you not use fireworks?
Starting point is 01:48:23 No, no. Here's the deal. I mean, we live in the same community, but it's a fairly large community. And his house is probably about a mile and a half to two miles from me. So, I mean, we're in the same jurisdiction, in the same area code. But, you know, we're not passing each other where when I'm walking the dog in the morning. Oh, so there was no carpooling after late-night trips coming home from Milwaukee. No, no, there's not that. He's working, he's working way too hard after the game.
Starting point is 01:48:57 I understand. Well, obviously some of the players in Mavericks were very happy for him. When you heard the decision that the Rockets made, what were some initial thoughts about your relationship with him, what you've seen from him developing young players in the Dallas organization? Well, I mean, that has been a strength of his, really, for the last 20 years. I mean, when you think about, you know, his dad was an outstanding coach, not to mention an outstanding player. He worked for four years for Don Nelson, who is a truly brilliant coach in a brilliant mind.
Starting point is 01:49:30 If you can't learn from him, then you've got a problem. And then, you know, he worked, you know, with Steve Clifford for so long. And Steve Clifford is a sensational coach. In the last two years, obviously, he's worked with Rick Carlisle. And, you know, I think Rick Carlisle is as good as it gets. So, you know, he's been around 20 years. He's more than prepared for and seen so many different styles that, you know, it was only a matter of time before he was going to get the chance to run his own ship.
Starting point is 01:50:04 And I'm so far. He's a really good guy. You know, he's really easy to talk to. You know, it's always interesting when you. move the 18 inches from the suggestion box to the one who's on shoulders that everything is riding. But I think he's more than ready to handle this. Obviously, he's got an interesting situation in Houston.
Starting point is 01:50:29 You know, I don't know that he has an ideal roster to work with right now. He's got two really good players. What I'm interested to see is, you know, what he does not even so much with Hardin, although, you know, I think that you'd like to see Harden move a little bit without the basketball. But really what happens with Westbrook, because I thought that from January 1st until the leak shut down in March, that was probably the best that I'd seen Russell Westbrook Club ever. Yeah. Ever.
Starting point is 01:51:03 It was almost as if he finally came to the realization of this is what I do and this is what I can't do. I don't know who got to him, but I know the game that he played against Dallas at the end of January, that was absolutely phenomenal stuff from him. And my guess is I don't think you just saw the same guy coming out of the bubble because I think he was hurt and I think COVID got him a little bit. And so I think there's a little bit of up in the air. I don't know how your opinion is of Russ, but there's still a which Russ is going to come back and open up this season. Well, you know, I've never been a huge fan, to be honest, because I just don't think that,
Starting point is 01:51:46 I don't think he's a good decision maker and never have thought he was a good decision maker. I love how hard he plays. I mean, that's the great step that he's, you know he's going to bring everything that he has every night, but sometimes that does work to his detriment. He takes shots that he shouldn't take. And I don't have a shot that I'll never understand why he takes. the shots that he takes.
Starting point is 01:52:10 I don't think he's a very good defender, and especially now. I think he's a gambler. He's not really great within the team concept. But as an individual athlete, he's phenomenal and still phenomenal. But I would think,
Starting point is 01:52:27 but I'm Steven Silas, and I'm sure he remembers this day at the May January, that he's the Russell Westbrook I want to see. And if I can get, that out of him every night. And show what, we're in a pretty good place.
Starting point is 01:52:43 I think we're going to figure out, you know, that the hardest is going to score, and he's going to do whatever he does. But to me, you know, Westbrook is the X-factor. And if he totally buys in, and to a certain pretty hard, it's the idea, you know, we're not going to play isolation football all the time.
Starting point is 01:53:01 We're going to play a lot of ticket ball. We're going to try to kick it and swing it to all that stuff. Because I think, you know, if you look at the Mavericks, offense and how efficient it was last year. I think that's what Steve is going to try to bring to Houston. And if he gets the buy-in that I have to believe that he's going to give it his ability to relate to players that the rockets are going to be okay.
Starting point is 01:53:27 And that Stephen's going to do a really, really good job. Maybe you can help me answer this a little bit. We're visiting with Chuck Cooper, seeing the Voice of the Mavericks here on the Matt Thomas show. People have asked me in the last 24 hours, what are you thinking? And I don't have an answer because, frankly, the years that I've been in Houston, especially my second tour here, I'm only used to coaches that have taken over that have had lots of NBA experience.
Starting point is 01:53:49 Kevin McHale's been in a front office with Minnesota. He had a little bit of coaching experience. Obviously, Mike Dantonian moved around as well. We're kind of flying blind here on a coach that's never been in a head coach. And as you talked about, you know, going from that first assistant chair to the chair is quite an adaption. Let me ask you, what do you think will be the biggest thing? You work with Carlisle, but he had previous experience before. So tell me what you think in all your years of traveling in the NBA
Starting point is 01:54:14 is the most difficult adjustment for a top-line assistant become the guy, and what do you think Stephen will have to do when he gets here? Well, it's that balance that you walk of getting the players to understand that you care about them. I think that's maybe even it's so different now, I think, than even say 15 years ago when you have, when you might have had an autocrat for a head coach, but the players have to see that you care about them and how you can get them better. And Stephen, in his time, wherever he's been, you know, I mean, look, you know, he's worked with Steph Curry and he's worked with Kimball Walker. and he was Lucas' workout guy in Dallas the last two years.
Starting point is 01:55:10 Guys get better around him, and that's really important. But along with that, you have to make sure that you establish that you're the man and that what you say goes. And if the players see that you care about them, then they're far more likely to listen to what you have to say. you know, even if everything, you know, may not be the way it was, and it may go somewhat counter to, you know, what you believe your best attributes might be. All words of wisdom from Chuck Cooperstein, the voice of the Dallas Mavericks here on the show.
Starting point is 01:55:54 Chuck's been a longtime Dallas sportscaster, one of the greatest in our state ever, and I'm meant to saying that because you're on with me now. But give me 30 seconds on how back-blank crazy Dallas-Fort Worth is over the Calvarez. boys and what's going on with them right now. You know what? I've always said that things, think that the best scenario always for football and NFL team and
Starting point is 01:56:19 sports radio is a team that goes 10 and 6 and loses in the first round of playoffs. And we understand that. You guys understand that. For sure. But there are times when you completely melt down where
Starting point is 01:56:34 it alternates between, you know, just lappable and just totally absurd. And that's kind of where we are with the Cowboys right now. Because even if they get a whole bunch of people back, even if Altlin was able to come back, and Jack Martin apparently is going to come back this week, they're a bad football team.
Starting point is 01:56:55 And when you think about everything that they did in free agent, every major free agent signing that they had this spring, none of those players, literally, Matt, none of those players are on the active, roster right now. They're all gone. Any chance Mike McCarthy gets the hook after one year? No, I don't think that's
Starting point is 01:57:16 going to happen. Jerry doesn't like to pay people not the coach. Yeah, Jason Garrick can back up on that, for sure. So I don't think you'll see that, but I do think especially on the defensive side that you will see major changes. And
Starting point is 01:57:32 that's going to be hard for Mike, because obviously his relationship with Mike goes back, well over 20 years. And, you know, Mike Nolan was responsible for Mike McCarthy getting his first entree into the NFL. So, you know, the idea of letting him go would be very, very difficult for McCarthy to stomach. But I think that's something that may be insisted upon from on high. Thank you for your insights.
Starting point is 01:57:59 Small prayer. I know I'm saying it every day that we're calling games inside arenas again, friend. I hope that to you and your family stay safe and we'll talk with you very soon. I'm right back at you, Matt. Take care. You got a Chuck Cooperston. You can follow them on Twitter. Great stuff at Kup Mavs. I just found him just today. It's a worthwhile follow. Great insights on Stephen Silas. 2.45 is a time. We're back to play, believe it or not. After I tell you about classic Chevy Sugar Land, classic Chevy Highway 6. Two great locations. Jeff and Tiffany Sebastian are absolutely killing it. Amazing selection. Great prices. Customer services second to none.
Starting point is 01:58:36 Matt, how do you know all that? Well, I can tell you that they are the GM dealer of the year 10 years in a row. So if you want to relax and enjoy the difference, you do it at Classic Chevy Sugar Land. I'm currently driving a 2020-Civilado, Texas Edition. It is such a fine ride. I mentioned this a couple days ago. It's like I'm driving on puffy clouds. 36 months at 3.49 per month. 2021 Tahoe LT signature package now available at Classic Chevy, and that's available at $6.59 per month for 36 months. And when you purchase a new vehicle from classic Chevy Sugarland, you'll be getting two years of free maintenance.
Starting point is 01:59:12 Not six months, not a year, but two years of free maintenance. So find new roads at classic Chevy Sugarland.com and Classic Chevy Highway 6.com. That's Classic Chevy Sugarland. Please tell me your buddy Matt Thomas from 790 sent you to the GM dealer of the year 10 years in a row. Classic Chevy Sugarland. You kind of fired up for tomorrow's show.
Starting point is 01:59:45 We're going to play Halloween music. We're going to play a gorty parody, one of the best of all times. The JJ Watts. We've got to have something Halloween related for Hellier or not tomorrow. By the way, we're going to make our NFL picks. Brendan, I asked you, do you have last week's pick somewhere? I have mine. I have mine.
Starting point is 02:00:05 I can get Rosses if he doesn't have it. I don't have three and one. I don't have mine at all. I believe I won 6K. I'm horrible. I mean, I can definitely get them ready before tomorrow show. Okay. So we need to because let me tell you some.
Starting point is 02:00:16 I have kept up. with our six weeks of betting so far, we're all making money. We need to brag about ourselves a little bit. I'd have a great week. I had Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Detroit, I'll cover, and then I had the tax. As of week six, which was last, not this past week, the week before, Brandon, you were up plus 16,000. I was plus 8,000, and Ross, you were plus 4,000.
Starting point is 02:00:38 So not only are we, we're doing okay with our selections, but we're putting our money in the right games. Yes. Which is the key to Vegas, you know, betting on the games you really feel good about and put betting heavy. and thus we'll do that tomorrow. Brian T to be with us as well. And, you know, again, we're going to have a good time.
Starting point is 02:00:54 Just overall, great times and hilarity. Yeah, maybe a press conference. You never know with a press conference. Although my guess it'll be on the afternoon show. Maybe I'll think a baseball player is dead and he's not. Oh, tomorrow. Oh, yeah. We'll save the dead or alive for a day that we're not doing it.
Starting point is 02:01:10 Halloween related, believe it or not, tomorrow. In what way? We've done Halloween, believe it or not for years. Maybe by Halloween songs. I'll just retool. won from five years. You do the best. That's fine. Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do?
Starting point is 02:01:25 We should play America Sports. America's Sports. I'm out of America's favorite sports game show. Yeah, that too. Oh, hell no. ATX Humboldor girl just announced that Scarlet Johansson and Colin Jocke got married in a private ceremony for the love
Starting point is 02:01:42 of God, what the hell's wrong with you, woman? Oh, sorry. Let's play. Believe it or not. Here's that word. call 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Today's edition of Believe or Not, brought to you by Woodhouse Day Spots. With now four Houston-ary locations. Printout your gift card for the gift of free,
Starting point is 02:01:59 laxation in Houston Woodhouse Spas.com. Category today is all things about the brand-new manager of the Chicago White Sox, Tony Larusive. The statement is completely not really accurate. You'll say this. Believe it. It's erroneous full of bunk and made-up.
Starting point is 02:02:12 You will say this. Not. Two, believe or not, in a row, still win you a prize. I think we've got a couple of $25-dollar gift cards. It's two of them. $2.25 gift cards give away to the Raging Cajun. One of my favorite eateries in Houston period in the story.
Starting point is 02:02:26 I've been that way for decades. Raging Cajun on Richmond Avenue. You want great food, crawfish, shrimp, gumbo, fried seafood, relaxed atmosphere. It's the Raging Cajun. Line 1. Edward on 790, Edwards. You ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Tony Laruso was once a promising Major League prospect, but a softball in
Starting point is 02:02:48 injury in 1963, shorten his MLB career. Believe it or not. Believe it. Believe it. You're sure quick there, fellow. Statement number two for the win. Tony Larusa earned a law degree from Florida State University in 1969. Believe it or not.
Starting point is 02:03:07 Believe it. All right. One winner down. Ain't that a blip. Good job, Edward. By the way, we did Halloween related in 2014 and 18. Best up tomorrow then. Donald on 790, ready to play, believe it or not?
Starting point is 02:03:23 Believe it. As a youth, Tony LaRuso was Pony League baseball teammates with Lou Pinella. Believe it or not? Not. Yeah, he was. Why don't you have that roster in front of you? That's more about you than it is about me. Paul on 790.
Starting point is 02:03:38 Paul, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. In 1994, Turner Laruso was fine for publicly criticized Commissioner Bud Seelig for adding a wildcard playoff spot, saying it cheapen the regular season. believe it or not believe it no Ross made that up that's so good give yourself a pat on the back and give yourself a high-five line four Nathan on 790 Nathan you ready to play believe it or not believe it in 1980 Tony Larusa was on the television show to tell the truth and he tricked the celebrity panel believe it or not believe it believe it that is correct
Starting point is 02:04:18 statement number two for the wind in the 1980s Tony LaRusa appeared in advertisements for Bush beer. Believe it or not. Believe it. Believe it is right. All right. We gave away the 225s. Desperate measures for desperate times.
Starting point is 02:04:39 I have one $50 gift card that was supposed to go to Ross. Your fault. You didn't trick him. Jay on 790. Jay, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Tony LaRusa baseball was a video game. in the 1990s that appeared on Sega Genesis consoles and other platforms.
Starting point is 02:05:01 Believe it or not. Believe it. Believe it. Statement number two for the $50 gift card. Tony Larusa is a longtime vegetarian and an avid supporter of PETA and animal-related causes. Believe it or not. Not. Believe it.
Starting point is 02:05:20 Oh, no. He had the hush puppies in his hand, too. That jumble eyes going to me, man. Instead, he gets nothing and likes it. All right. There you have it. Great show today. Thanks to Chuck Cooperstein, the voice of the Dallas Mavericks for joining us.
Starting point is 02:05:36 Thanks for Dr. Roto. Thanks to Ross. And to Brendan. Thanks for Adam Clanton for working for what a fourth consecutive day. Wow, he must be exhausted. I know. Hashtag overtime. Clanton, Wexler, part of the A team.
Starting point is 02:05:49 And they're up next on Sports Talk 790. Talk to you tomorrow for anything goes Friday at 12 noon.

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