The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Texans Did Not Make A Move Before Deadline, Justin Verlander Might Return?

Episode Date: November 5, 2025

Texans Did Not Make A Move Before Deadline, Justin Verlander Might Return

All right, 10.01 in the a.m. here on Sports Talk 790. Welcome in to the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Matt is having the exact same technical difficulties that I was having the other day at the Toyota Center. So he is going to have to reconnect in just a moment as we start with this song. Matt Thomas is not connected. I knew he wanted to use this song. Is he doing this? Is this a sarcastic nod to the Houston Texans trade deadline? I think it is. Jonathan. Okay. Houston Texans Houston Texans

Trade Day Casario You have the Colts trading for Sauce Gardner One of the great lockdown corners in the NFL And going all in and pushing in their chips You have the Jacksonville Jaguars Trading for the much maligned Jacoby Myers

Who can make plays and improve that offense of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the division. You have other teams looking to improve their teams and trading away and getting defensive players like the Baltimore Ravens,

multiple defensive players, and the Texans stood packed. Them picks, baby. They held strong. They held the line. They didn't buy in into needing to improve this season. They said,

Three and five, we're good. It's no big deal. Colts are seven and two. And way ahead of us in the division, it's all good. No problem. Now I've lost my voice three minutes in and we're going to try to figure out if Matt can connect to us.

All right. Folks, Hello and welcome in to a Wednesday edition of the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Without for the moment, Matt Thomas. All right, let me go ahead and give you, let's give you a peek behind the curtain here. Okay, Jonathan Allen is here in producing. I am here in Houston as I normally am.

And of course, throughout the year, Matt Thomas is on the road traveling with the Houston Rockets. He, of course, is the play-by-play voice of your Houston Rockets. Does a great job on the call. And so it is what it is. He has to travel during the Rocket season. So he is in Memphis, I believe, right now, as the Rockets are taking on the Grizzlies tonight, 7 o'clock tip here on Sports Talk 7.9. It'll be a 6 o'clock launchpad with yours truly.

And we have been having... And Matt, I'm going to tell you folks right now. I'm going to get even further behind the curtain. Matt is screaming right now. Matt is, I don't even know... Really? You think so? There's no doubt in my mind. He's going, ah!

This is a live look at Matt Thomas that you cannot hear right now. Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep. Bleak, bleep. he of course long with I since we've moved to these new studios and these new these new digs where they moved everything to where we used to have hard wires on everything now everything is on the cloud and the web and as you know especially those you who work for home or really just in life sometimes the internet messes up sometimes the internet goes down

and well it's been happening happening a lot lately shout out to our good friends at Domcast. So he is connected and it sounded super staticy. That had been happening to me when I was at the Toyota Center on Monday. It's been happening frequently. So hopefully we can get that fixed. He just has to connect to another machine and I think it's going to be okay. So we'll figure out what's going on with Matt Thomas.

In the meantime, phone lines are open for you folks. It's 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. can also send tweets to at SportsRV. And you know what? I don't normally do this, but go ahead and follow SportsMT. He's got his account back. He followed me back after I got blocked.

And now he's back tweeting at SportsMT. And you can follow him there. You can also follow me at SportsRV. If you want to see my great rousing breakdown of the Houston Texans trade deadline, you can see that at SportsRV. on my Instagram as well. So Matt Thomas will try to get him connected in just a moment. I imagine, as I said, we got a lot of stuff to get to.

First of all, the Rockets are a team that's actually, A, won championships in their history. And B, are really exciting and one of the best teams in basketball. Like, Matt, I don't know how much of that you heard. But I said, here's a peek behind the curtain, folks. I'm going to give you a live look at Matt Thomas. Nah! How accurate is that one to ten? Two and a half.

Oh, really? Yeah, because I'm used to it now. Oh, okay. I don't know if your headphones are loud or something. I'm getting a little bit of an echo of myself, just FYI. Oh, well, I can turn them down. That's fine. I mean, no, I'm just saying.

Well, take your mic up a little bit. You're a little soft here, Matt. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Matt. You know what? There's the reality. We're, uh, I've never been considered soft than anything. Um, but thank you.

Um, turn everything down, turn myself up. How's that right there? Boom. Oh, no. Oh, no, that's too. He's too. too, he's louder than me now. Yeah, yeah, busting down. We don't mean to do this

live on the air. It's how we roll. It's just unfortunate how we roll. Okay, well, I'm glad you're connected, man. It's good to hear you. Thank you. Yeah, I'm not upset. Okay. Also, it's a relative. Go ahead. Go ahead. Because I got my Twitter account back. That's how we were celebrating. We're not celebrating Nick Casero, not making a deal. That's that is, that's malpractice. Texas fans, you need to jump off the bandwagon if you ever got on it.

Better Red Drop. It's high. to drop. No, Matt. Nick Casario wants to stay the course. He's got a lot of picks in the upcoming draft, and he's going to improve the team in the offseason with all these great offensive line picks he's been making. Yeah. Meanwhile, they're doing tweets,

giving off gifts to 23-year-old influencers and buying them a bunch of gifts. Meanwhile, you've got people that are season ticket holders for 20 years who have been buying tickets and buying gear and loving everything energy, and they get squat. Shame on the Texans. Shame, shame, shame, shame on y'all.

Shame on the football office and shame on the business operation. Shame on y'all. Doesn't every team do stuff for influencers? I don't know who any of these people are. No, nobody knows what they are, but don't shove it in your people's face. You just basically said, hey, look what we did for our influencers, and then gave you guys bupkus. Yeah, but they got them to the game to watch them get their ass beat by the Broncos. I mean, did the influencers really win?

They got fresh gear out of it. You don't think the, you don't think Texas Darlene could use a nice bedast. Texans jacket? No, she needs to go to her therapist and figure out why she's so obsessed with the Texans. Yeah. Okay, so let's peel the curtain back because I heard you say peel the curtain back a few times. I did it twice. I feel like our show is a constant peeling of the curtain because we probably should have filters that we don't use.

Yeah. Yeah. I was alarmed the other night when I listened to you on the Rockets Wrap with the horrendous connection. And then as soon as I connect, he's Jonathan's like, you've got to find something else. I'm like, what can I find? And so I've been on a mad text thread. I heard you. I heard the song.

I wasn't super mad because, again, I love our company. We have tremendous people that we work for, and they treat us very well, and they're very supportive of you and me in this show. And I can't be more thankful for that. But we just, we're just not technically as good as we used to be. And that's not done at the Houston level. So it is what it is. it indeed is what it is Matthew but I was playing the song to celebrate my return

on SportsMT now I should have known I did lose quite a few followers because they did not want to hear about the various vehicles that I was buying off of my Bitcoin and my crypto all right so I said I was going to set you up with Authenticator but you're on the road can you get somebody else no no we get back to town you're going to do it for me you can do it I believe I believe I think of social media over there.

Yeah, yeah. Okay, I'll ask, we have a social media department that's with us. I'll ask them to help me with it. I'm sure they use multiple, three-factor authentication. Yeah, I need to. I have put up, I gave you the most, the most difficult password for my Twitter account now. Okay. Casserio is awesome.

So if you want to punch that in on my sports empty, that is my account. Mm-hmm. With one uppercase and a special character. And that O is actually a zero. Okay, so we got off the air yesterday. and we were thinking, oh, maybe Breece Hall is going to be a Houston Texan or something, right? Because the Colts are making moves.

You saw the Dallas Cowboys make a difference. Not that would make a difference. We saw Jacksonville make a move. Do really people, and again, we were on a plane coming up here. I didn't listen to the A team coming up here, obviously. Are people upset, indifferent? I mean, was that the raising of the flag to say this wasn't meant to be? Was there nothing out there sports RV that the Texans couldn't have done to improve maybe getting,

as you said, I was listening to you going to the airport yesterday, an extra wide receiver, an extra running back, maybe an extra swing guard or tackle. They just did nothing yesterday, zero, when everybody else was, not everybody, but a lot of people were doing stuff yesterday. A lot of people, and most importantly, in their division and improving and trying to get better,

and they did nothing. And it is frustrating. And the briefs hall, apparently it came out, according to a guy with S&Y, the Chiefs offered a fourth round pick for Breece Hall and the Jets said no. So that means it would have cost you more than, well, your fourth round pick in likelihood

would have better value than Kansas City's, of course, at the end of the year. But either a third or your own fourth, and I'm going to say, I mean, would you have done a third round pick for Breece Hall? And he's on expiring contract, correct, too? I was looking at that up as you asked. I believe So, I believe you're correct. Yeah.

Well, let's talk about this when we come back because I don't think it's a simplistic yes or no answer. Yeah, we've got to get our bearings here, folks. Yeah, maybe we need to put ourselves in Nikki C's shoes for a little bit. Okay, and his sweater vest? Yeah, and maybe put some fat in his diet. he's got no body fat at all. Yeah, he's guys in shape.

What's wrong with that? Yeah, this is his last year. He's owed $3.4 million for the year, so it would be about half of that. And then it would cost you, in all likelihood, a third round pick. Why wouldn't the Jets do that, by the way? Why wouldn't they do a fourth?

They've got every draft pick in next year's draft. They have more draft picks than the draft's allowing. It's a freaking fire sale over there. What are they going to do with Breece Hall? Was Braylin Allen the backup? Is he still hurt? I can't remember what's going on over there.

It's almost like, if the jets are going to go all in, you might as well completely rid yourself in the roster. Yeah, they're going all. If you're going all out, you might as well trade Brees Hall for a fourth. That's right. Speaking of Twitter, Ross has a poll question up at Sports Harvey. Was it wise for the Texans to not make a move at the deadline? Get your vote in right now.

At Sports Harvey. Thank you, Matt. One guy said H-town Sports says should have been sellers. Oh, wow. I don't know if that was the case. That's rude. So let's logically discuss this. And that's maybe foreign to this show, but let's logically discuss this.

Do you think that, now again, Cal was nowhere near this conversation. It was Hal, I mean, Hal, it was Hannah, it was D'Amico, and it was Nick in the room, okay? Are they looking at each other and going in their heart of hearts? This is not a playoff team. are do NFL teams do teams in general realistically assess who they are I think they do more than you

think they do I think what they say publicly to keep people encouraged is a different scenario sometimes when the door is closed and locked it would that be fair Ross I don't know I will say I will say this I think Damico Ryan's believes they're a playoff team

okay I'm very certain you're helping me out here I'm very certain he believes they're a playoff team. Nick Casario, judging by his actions, more than anything he said, I think he's unconvinced that they are a playoff team. Otherwise, he maybe would have made a move. But that's also not in his DNA. That's not something he normally does.

They made a move for a defensive tackle last year at the deadline for like a seventh round pick. That's basically his history of making deadline deals. He just doesn't like to do it. I think you can also think you're a playoff team and not make a move. you can say, hey, we're just need to get right. And maybe, you know, under the Domeko Ryan's one or one position game away from one in the game, I mean, you could also think that too. I mean, there's a variety of different things.

The number one core question, when Hannah and Cal and D'Amico are speaking, is, is there somebody out there that can make the difference to get us over the top? And that's the question that every NFL answers, asks themselves, and clearly they left the room going no. Now, could there be two or three different opinions? Of course. I mean, Hannah wants to win. Hannah needs a new stadium eventually.

Hannah wants to get a land deal for the practice facility. Hannah likes to be able to go to the country club and be beloved. I mean, if this team doesn't make the playoffs, the shine is off the McNair family to a certain extent. And D'Amico is going to, I think it's comfortable in his skin as a head coach. But my guess is Nick's feeling we'll be feeling a little bit of the heat if it doesn't make it. So either he's really resolved Ross and comfortable in his status, or he just doesn't have it in his DNA,

or it's a what was out there, people were asking for too much. Third round pick for Breece Hall to come help this team on an expiring contract. Do you do it, especially if we've learned anything about Nick Casero, as he loves draft picks? He will trade draft picks just to trade him because he's so bold. board. He wants to trade graphics. So he likes to have the chips in hand. And so

again, we'll never know, and they probably won't tell us the truth, except maybe Nick will say something generic, like, well, we did take phone calls, we tried to make something happen, it just didn't happen. But I do think there is an indirect message to the audience that says, we just, maybe

we're not good enough. That's what it feels like. Maybe we're just not good enough. You know what? If Nick Casario thinks they're not good enough. He's probably right. You're three and five. You're going to be missing CJ Stroud for some time. You're still a mess on the offensive line, the division, and the AFC is, I mean, it's tough. Because if you think Breece Hall is going to be able to do things that Woody marks as a rookie and that Nick Chubb can do, I mean, that's fair. But it also could be a guy that if he comes in, let's say that Breeze Hall was to get 70 yards a game. for the next five or six games.

Would that get the team over the top? Nobody knows because you don't know how games are played out. It just feels like to me there's so much work to do that fixing it with a part-time running back and maybe going to get one offensive lineman who's performing for a team that's under that's not going to the playoffs, wouldn't have been enough. That there is too much work to be done for this team to overcome their deficit. and all by the way, two Indianapolis games, a Buffalo game, and a Kansas City game still on the schedule.

Yeah, they're not making the playoffs. I mean, that was your gut feeling and your... Yeah, to tell the truth. And those are, yeah, it just doesn't look like they're making the playoffs. And I think Nick Casero recognizes that, and he likes to keep his draft picks in the first place, so they didn't make any moves. And remember, we talked about this yesterday.

I think it's going to take at least 10 wins. and some tiebreakers with how things competitive, I think are so competitive in the EFC. If the Texas are going to get to 10 wins, they've got to go 7 and 2 the rest of the way. Now, is it possible? Of course it is. I mean, they can go 9 and 0 for that matter. It's not happening.

Yeah, it's not happening. So, I mean, yesterday I think, especially I was more caught up in the, oh my gosh, these guys are making moves, the Colts are making moves, the Jags are making moves. Everybody's making moves. It was close to a record number of trades made.

Ian Rappaport, or somebody put it out there. Like the three highest amount of trades ever made at the deadline have been in like the last five years. So trades are happening more and more. But Texans haven't been involved with them for the most part. Nick Casario hasn't been involved with them. And they're not a playoff team right now. There's not.

But the reality is off of history of sports, Ross, and you and I've watched a lot of this together the last 15 years. When teams don't make trades the deadline, it doesn't inspire confidence. I'm talking about it all the sports. when the Astros don't make a... Remember when James Click wasn't making major deals of the deadline? That might have been part of the reason

why Jim Creighting went elsewhere and said, you know what, I need somebody that's going to go in there and take that chance on July 31st. Baseball is a little different to me, though. It is. Because your only real asset to trade, you can trade players in the NFL, but generally you're trading guys at the end of the roster.

And draft picks in football, I mean, when you're a team building, and you're a general manager, draft picks are everything, everything. And you don't want to give those away. They're like your babies. But if you,

but if you're not using the draft to your advantage, what good is it? Yeah, but it goes back to the core of who he is. And if you can't use the draft to plenit, to replenish, you know, you can't go get the dynamic quarterback, wide receiver running back.

You have to use those mid rounds to go solidify other parts of your team, lineback. Cork, offensive line, extra members of the secondary, third and fourth wide receivers. I mean, the two guys, the Texans have picked up, they've got a chance to be pretty good. But it wasn't, I mean, was wide receiver two and three the most important thing necessary? Who know? I don't know.

Especially when you went and got Christian Kirk. Now, Christian Kirk's been hurt, you know, 70% of the season so far, so that really hasn't helped. Yeah, I just don't think, especially in the case of Brice Hall, like a third rounder for a of a guy who I don't even think is one of the best running backs at football. Yeah. That's an easy pass for me. Yeah, I don't know if I can't, what I can't tell you is, is that moving Breece Hall from the Jets of the Texas was all of a sudden going to turn things around. And I think probably that's the ending conversation that D'Amico had with Nick was that one running back ain't going to fix it.

But I'll say this, when they don't make the playoffs, and the heat finally gets on somebody in that organization, should not named amico meaning niki c guess what you're going to have to have an amazing draft and what do you have to have an amazing draft ross lots of draft picks yeah and and they are going to have them so 31 votes are in uh 58% say it was not wise for the texas to make a move 42% say yes again this is one of those things you never know how it ultimately was going to end up but i'll just say history says that teams that are on the cusp or close to it and whether you want to discuss whether not the Texans are on the cusp or not is to everybody's own personal opinion. But teams that typically don't make the move because you quote-unquote like what you have

wind up falling significantly short. 1029. Matt and Ross with you here. I'm here in Memphis with the Rockets tonight to take on the Grizzlies. We've got shut your ball mass up at 1130 today. I'm going to go after a transportation provider on shut your ball mass up. Anybody got time for that today, Rossi. Oh, really?

Yeah. I've got to, you know what, I, people might get mad at me. I've got to speak my truth coming up at 1130. Let's go. 713, 212.125790. 713, 212.5. An old Texans coach, Rossi, is very salty. Another example that is next here on Sports Talk 790.

Matt and Ross with you on Sports Talk 790. 719. 3212-5-7-9 if you want to join our conversation. By the way, I think a listener of ours in front of the show, Wade, says there's a reason why Breece Hall is on the Houston Texan, Ross. We have way too many Iowa State players as it is. We can't add one more. It's true. I forgot about that.

Well, no, that's actually a reason for him to be here. He'd fit in nicely. Basically, you know, the Iowa State Alumni Association would be thriving in Houston, Texas, if you get one more player in. That's funny. All right. Remember Bill O'Brien Ross? Does that name ring a bell to you at all? Bill O'Brien. Bill O'Brien.

Yes. Former Penn State coach, former New England Patriots offensive coordinator, former Houston Texans coach. Well, now he is running things at Boston College. How's it going over there? They're 1 in 8. Oh, yikes. Is that bad?

I mean, that's not bowl eligible, so that's saying something. By the way, Willie Fritz will be where this come up at 1.30 today. He's ball eligible. Our Cougars are. We're going to hopefully bounce back in the game at UCF on Friday. Okay, so to Bill O'Brien, has a weekly press conference, as to every coach, and, you know, media, you know,

there are beat reporters, Rossi, and there are television people, and there are radio people, and there's also columnists. The beat reporters are there every week to talk. They're at every game. Then you have the drive-by, the people that come occasionally. You have people that come maybe once or twice a year, and they have people that don't come at all. And it depends on what your responsibilities are for your job

of how much you attend these things. Well, apparently there was a reporter yesterday at a Bill O'Brien press conference in Boston that apparently is also a BC alum that he and this reporter and Bill O'Brien had a small conversation yesterday during the Bill O'Brien Weekly Boston College Eagle Press Conference. I'm wondering, do you even message to the fans,

obviously losing to Notre Dame Catholic school rival 1A. now in the season of BC. I've heard from a lot of fans. I've just really glad. Yeah, I'm really glad you're down. I'm not down. Nobody's down. We're fighting.

We're competing. You know, it's the second year of this program, Mike. You always come in here with these down questions. Like, you show up like once a month or something like that. You come in here with these down questions. I'm not down. I don't know what year you graduated from BC, but this is a program that we're building.

Nobody hears down. We're positive. we're going to show up and play our asses off against SMU. You can go out there in your dark, clouded world or whatever it is and do what you want to do. We're not down. The sun is up and we're fighting. That's my message to the fans.

What's up, Trevor? What's up, Trevor? What's up, Trevor? What do you got, Trevor? You're here every week. Is he being sarcastic saying, I don't know what year you graduated from BC? Or did the guy grab? That's what I'm wondering.

No, I got the interpretation that the guy was a BC alum. Okay. And it would be like me. I mean, I go to U of H events and I'm a U of H alum, so you can, if you're a Houston guy or a Boston guy and you stay and you work in that town, there's a chance you could be alum to that at local school. Okay, so a couple of things. I don't like it when media goes to the, well, fans are saying. Gets a shield. They're hiding.

They don't want to face the wrath of the person they're asking the question of. So they go with the. they go what the fans are saying. Fans want to know. Fans want to know or you want to know? Like, come on. It's 99% of the time, it's you want to know. Now, there have been times that people have called us and emailed and say,

hey, next time you have on this person, would you ask that? There's a difference in that. But when you go to a press conference in a generic weekly atmosphere and you go, fans are saying, is that because you turned on WEEI in Boston and they're pitching about Boston College, that's not a fair representation. So to me, that came across as I'm going to use the fans as the chance for me to dig my heels in against you. And Bill O'Brien is savvy enough.

He's been in front of enough press conferences. He knows that routine. He knows that that's what that guy was doing. Even with that being said, I don't believe there's positivity in Boston. I don't believe that you're 1 and 8 that everybody's fighting hard. I mean, they may be fighting hard, but you know what?

If you suck, you suck. In Boston College, I would not say as a football factory, but Boston College does not have a history of going 1 and 8 on a regular basis. Now, granted, with the NIL and Transfer Portal, you can change this around pretty quick, and you can go from 1 and 8 to 6 and 6 or 10 and 2 the following year. But right now it sucks.

And so, the easiest thing, can do. If you want to drop the fans card in a conversation is you say, hey, coach, what is your message to the fans who are disappointed that are 1 and 8? You don't go to the, I've been talking to fans.

You went in there digging and you went in there looking, and you got the reaction that you wanted from Bill O'Brien. He did start his question saying message to the fans, and then he said, I talked to a lot of fans, and so he lost me there. Yeah, they're, they're, they beat Fordham in week one, and they've lost

eight straight games. SMU, Georgia Tech, and Syracuse to round it out. They're going to be one in 11. They're going to be one in 11. Yeah, they're going to be one. Now, they will lose to SMU for sure because SMU just finished off, beat Miami last week. And I mean, it may be a down, but no, Boston colleges

of, my guess, will be obviously void of talent. And it's hard for those East Coast teams. You ever notice those East Coast teams have a really difficult time really trying to do it because it's on a football hotbed? I mean, how many people go, you know, man, I can't wait to get to Massachusetts to go recruit my players.

Yeah, I mean, Texas and Michigan and Ohio are awesome, and Florida's awesome. But you know what? Those kids in Delaware, oh, they can play some ball. I'm going to head to Rutgers. Yeah. Yeah, it was a powerhouse in like 1909, the Northeast. It was like Yale and Harvard and Columbia. Like all the Boston College.

And Boston College. In Boston College. But, yeah, he ain't that so much in the last 100 years. Yeah. We were good back when their electricity was fresh. Back when people actually didn't live west of the Mississippi. Yeah. What is this red shirt you speak of?

What is this college, you know, back of the day when there were nine college football teams, Boston College is on top of things. It's a great campus. Player coaches and they were playing in cow pastures. Yeah, well, they play with true leather on their heads and whatnot. Yes. But since then. So, you know, Boston College, you know, Bill O'Brien,

as soon as James Franklin was fired at Penn State, there's a certain faction of people that would take Bill O'Brien back in a second. Think about it, when Bill O'Brien was there, he took over for all that whole Joe Paternal mess. He made them respectable, and he kind of cleaned their image up. Yeah, he still, I think the most he won was like eight games there. I can only look it up, but I thought it was a little overblown how great he did there. Well, I'll say this. Eight and four and seven and five.

But think about the negativity. Oh, it was bad. School. I mean, if they had gone four and eight, he might have been complicated. college coach of the year. It was. I mean, that's one of the biggest scandals in sports history. Of all time.

I mean, especially because Joe to paternal, you understand. I mean, if you had a Mount Rushmore of college coaches at that time, Joe Pa was on it. I mean, all he did was win. He didn't go from school to school. He didn't have that firm recruiting base. He had quarterback you for about 30 years. I mean, one great quarterback after the other was going there. Yeah, but he held on way too long.

Remember at the end, it's like, He was walking around without a headset and it became a story. People's like, all right, everybody, they're making fun of Joe Pa for not even having a headset. Let's get him a headset. And they're probably like piping Benny Goodman in there. Well, I mean, if you watch Joe Paa video in 1987 where they had headsets, he wouldn't wear him back then. He was ever a huge headset guy to begin with. Yeah, he just had a rolled up newspaper and he'd slap his hands on it.

I mean, two of my all-time favorite people, Jack Party, he wasn't a huge headset guy until about Adams make him wear it. And then Tom Landry wasn't a huge headset guy. Yeah, but I mean, that was like in the 80s and whatnot, 70s. Yeah, you got to wear a headset in 2025. Now, whether it's plugged in is a different issue. No, I don't think it was plugged in. Yeah. It was plugged in as a Colgate hour.

Lawrence Walk's greatest hits on a rewind there. That's good. Yeah. Do you ever watch Lawrence Walk back in the day? No, I don't know who that is. Me. I did not either. It was sometimes I'd watch Benny Hill. For anybody that was 13 years old and younger, you had to watch Benny Hill just because you just got that feeling for the first time.

But, yeah, Lawrence Welk was unusually before Benny Hill. All right. And that's what Joe Pa had in his headset. Then he thought about Benny Hill for a while, too. Well, he certainly wasn't paying attention to the things going around him. Or he was negligent. No. 713-212-5-790.

7-1-3-212-5-790. College football rankings are out, at least the first round. Were there any surprises? We'll get to that next. Plus come up at 1130 today. Ross and I both have a couple of shut you bum ass up. Ain't nobody got time for that. We need to get those from you as well.

We got the news at noon and Willie Fritz will be with us at 1.30 this afternoon. It's all part of the Matt Thomas show here from Memphis. We're tonight the Rockets take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Matt and Ross with you at 10.50. We've got shut your bum ass up at 1130 today. News at noon. Willie Fritz 130. Believe it or not today, 150.

All right, Rossi, the college football playoff rankings are out. Again, these are fluid. They'll be changing every Tuesday during the course of the college remaining portions of the college football season. Remember, it's the top five conference winners get guaranteed spots in. That's the four power fours and then the group of whatever. It's a group of six now, I guess, or a group of five? I don't know.

I don't know what the groups and the powers are anymore. Yeah, no kidding. So just because you're in the top 12 ranking-wise is not guarantee you a spot because you have to leave a spot open for the group of five champion. And that's exactly what happened so far here is you've got two teams outside. You have one team outside the top 12 that would be the conference champion. That would be Virginia. You have another team outside of the top 12, which would be Memphis. You must squeeze both of those in.

So at this point, the one team that would be knocked out, be unfortunately, Ross, your beloved Texas longhorns. But again, a lot of left. Yeah, it doesn't matter. They need to win their games that are left on their schedule. Yep.

Ohio State 1, Indiana, 2, A&M 3, Alabama, Georgia, Old Miss. The next six would be BYU, Texas Tech, Oregon, Notre Dame, Virginia, and Memphis would inherit the 11 and 12 spots because, again, of the automatic invites. The Longhorns would be number 11.

I'm at least happy that they have Texas ahead of Oklahoma, unlike the AP and coaches poll. when they beat them head to head. That's what I've been trying to explain to people, and I'm sure you've done this exact same thing. People get so angry about the Associated Press or the coaches polls. In the end of the day, they don't mean Jack Squad.

They're talking points. Do not matter. They don't. And really, this poll that comes out right now doesn't matter. I mean, it's good. They come out with it because it's fodder. It's talking. You build it up and get people interested and stuff like that.

Yep. But it gives you kind of a base of where things are in which you have to ultimately do. But remember, as you said, you play the game. games. And the reality is this. I don't anticipate Ross, BYU and Texas Tech, both being guaranteed spot. I mean, the loser of that game probably drops out of the top 12. They're playing this week in love it as a matter of fact. So there's a chance for another squad like the University of Texas slide in. Remember, you've got to get, yeah, got to put an ACC in there and you've got to have a group of five champion in there. So long wins keep winning and you're going to be in.

Well, they've got to win. They're off this week. Next week is at Georgia, then home for Arkansas, and home for A&M. So two top five teams left on the schedule. So it's easier said than done. All right. I don't want to put the card before the horse. That A&M, Texas game. A&M is having its best season ever, right?

Yes. Well, you and I have been in a long time. For a long time. How are Aggie fans going to feel if they go to Austin and lose that football game? I don't know. We'll see. I'm going to be there. There's two trains of thought on this one.

number one, I think the Aggies can still at 11 and 1 get in to the college football playoff. Yes. Yeah, that's true. The game might not matter. The game might not matter. So if you're Aggie and you lose the game, you're like, I don't care, we're getting in regardless. Okay, you can have that train of thought.

You can also the same train of thought of as we're having this wonderful season. We're beating up teams and we're not slipping up against second rate teams. and the only thing we want to do is beat our rival and we can't do it. So there, it's, it's a, it's a, you can, it's, it's, it's, you can, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, how the way that you want to, now if you win the game, not only do you win it, and you have maybe your best season in forever, but you've basically kick out Texas, man, Texas to me, probably has to run the table. Is that fair to say? I, I, some people, some longhorn fans, then they can lose one of those two games. I don't. I don't think so.

I mean, depending on what happens with Virginia as... So Virginia's out, right? Or who's the ACC champ? Virginia would be right now. They would be the 11 seed. Right. Okay. So with that and then the Power 5 team in, I don't think they can lose.

I don't think they can lose it. Yeah, by the way, how does it become Memphis? I guess they rate out to where? I don't see Memphis in the top 25. I think they're the highest ranked non-power-five and they're presuming that Memphis will ultimately be that school they're presuming they'll get in there I guess

okay well you have to somebody's got to go in non-power five has to get it's ridiculous they should use you to top 12 and that's that no auto bids um last year last year Boise State would have been in like they would have earned it they would have been in the top 12 in years past

when it was like you you know UCF or whoever else Well, there's also part of it, though, and this is, again, this is the little guy in me, if you're Memphis and you can play who you can play, and I don't know who, Memphis won at Arkansas this year, right? So they did go on the road to a power four and win, so I'd give them credit for that. But if you're in your conference and your conference is not great, you still should be rewarded with something. So I do like the non, you know, like, remember back in the day, conference champions always were in the top four. I don't like that at all. I do like them getting in.

I do like that one spot open for that team. So I don't have a problem with Memphis getting in. Now, my guess, they'll be number 12 because... Yeah, they're going to be number 25 right now. They're going to get their ass beat. Good for them. You never know. Yeah, we'll see.

It could be a surprise. First round matchup would be Memphis at Alabama, I think, would be a 512 matchup there. Yeah, as I said. Okay, maybe I was wrong. Sorry about that, Ross. I didn't mean to get all spirited for the group of five schools. That's my mistake. Like I said, if it's a group of five team that happens to be in the top 12, yeah, put them in.

Yeah. If they've earned it. I'm trying to, I was trying to pull up last year's rankings. Like, where did Boise State end up like in the actual, actual rankings? Yeah, they've ended up eighth. So yeah, put them in eighth. Or no, that's the final rankings. Hold on.

Let me go before the, yeah, ninth. Didn't they? Yeah. No, I like it as is. I mean, I don't want to go to 16 teams. We're going to get there eventually. it's just so convoluted how the Big Ten or an SEC in a pissing match as to how many teams automatically get in

and how many should there be. I mean, there are conferences. Meanwhile, Big 12 in Acese are like, hey, don't forget about us. I think 12 should be the max, but it's not going to be. No, 12 is good. I'd like for them to be all-on-campus stadiums, but we know that's never going to happen. In fact, my guess is Ross down the road,

these first-round matchups may even be in neutral-site facilities, who knows? man maybe at some point if they start keep cutting checks yeah all right so yeah the longhorns in the outside looking in let's put this way if they can beat Georgia or beat A&M and maybe if they go one and one against those two teams

can they get in? I don't think so but we'll see I'm trying to find out I'll go look for a Texas Georgia line Aggies do they have one tough game left besides Texas it's at Missouri this week as a matter of fact. Yeah, there's six and a half point favorites in that game. Yeah, I really believe that a one loss A&M team gets in.

I think they've got enough quality wins. And so, you know, maybe that game with Texas doesn't mean anything to them, honestly. Now, it could help them get into the top four. Yeah, how long it would matter for conference standings. Yeah, that's true. All right, 713, 21, 2, 5, 790 if you want to chime in, 713, 212, 5, 790. rockets here in Memphis tonight to take on the hated grizzlies.

John Morant, one of the most electrifying players in the NBA is already mad and wants to leave Memphis, it sounds like. And by the way, stop it with these goofy Twitter accounts that are trying to get John Morant as a Houston rocket. The dude does

he's a lot of work. He doesn't shoot very well either. He electrifying, but he's just not a good perimeter guy. I mean, he can get salty quick. We'll talk about that. Shut your ball ass up. The Texans don't make a move on the deadline.

Are you mad, sad, or indifferent? 713, 212, 5, 790. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 1103 on Sports Talk 790. It is Matt and Ross. I'm here in Memphis, Tennessee. Ross is back in Houston, Texas. Rockets and Grizzlies tonight.

We'll have it for you at 6 o'clock with the launch pad. 7 o'clock tip time here. and then in San Antonio tomorrow to take down the Spurs on Friday. Ion Eagle, who will call the Texans game against the Jaguars, and we'll call the Rockets Friday Night Game on Amazon Prime. He's going to join us on the show Friday from the Alamo City. 713-212-5-7-9 if you want to chime in on the conversation we're having today, which we have gotten into a lot about the Texans, a little bit of the college football.

I haven't mentioned really the Rockets much, but we'll maybe do more of that tomorrow. tomorrow. It was email Adoka. We'll be on the radio program. But we really want to hear from you guys. By the way, Ross, to check and make sure we on the air. Everything sounded good. I think so. Okay, good. Sounds good to me.

During the break, yeah. So I want to make sure. Just want to make sure. Okay. You switched back. I did. Okay. By the way, Matt, did you hear some potential troubling news for your Houston Texans?

Is it involving a future? Ring of Honor. Ring of honor member? Yes. Yeah. Go ahead. Tell the people. Well, apparently, Texans kicker, Kimee Fairbairn, is dealing with a lower leg, lower body. They're calling a lower body injury. Whatever that means. Well, he uses only his lower body.

So you would like that to be healthy. They have signed kicker Matthew Wright to the practice squad and are monitoring the situation with Kine. Jamie Fairbairn. So you're telling me, the two best players on offense are not going to be available this week, maybe? C.J. Stroud and Jaime Fairbairn.

Correct. We need some somber music. I think we're toast. Okay. Great. Ladies and gentlemen, and I'm going to wait here to settle this into the music starts, your future Hall of Honor kicker who has no upper body whatsoever

doesn't have any hair on his chest at all yes he does probably you don't know that maybe he shaves it I don't know I haven't looked at his chest you're correct the man who's got a thunderfoot the man that has given you field goal after field goal after field goal

he is the red zone of the Texas Matter of fact, when they put his name up atop the Ring of Honor, it's going to see Kymie Red Zone Fairbairn. And then, C.J. Stroud, who had his head hit the turf on the friendly confines of NRG Stadium, is probably not going to play this week. His second concussion in his many seasons. and your general manager said, I'm not going to trade for Breece Hall or any other running back or any offensive alignment

or I don't know additional depth than the linebacking core. He said, we're fine. Things are going well. We're going to rally. We have more games with Tennessee coming up. We always beat Jacksonville except for this season. Everything is fine.

This is fine. Oh, man. 6-7 on your Texans. All right. It's not 6-7 like as in the song. It's 6-7 as a number of wins you're going to have this year. When So Kami Fairbairn gets his name put up on the Ring of Honor, is that going to have the full name or is he going to just go with K-A-I and be good with it?

It's not going to be the, I mean, it'll be Kaimi. It's not going to be his full name. It's full name is like John Christian, Kami, he's this and that and whatnot. What if he requests that? Well, then there's the last name they're going to put on the ring of honor It's going to be him Well, put it this way When Sebastian Janakowski was in the Raiders ring of honor

They didn't call him Seb They put all the names letters in Sebastian They're not going to do that John Christian Kaimi Kaimi Ulla La Mecca Ikekeke Kumpa A Fairburn There's plenty of room

There's not very many people after him It's getting in the right of time He will be the last one put on there He's nobody else you want to put up there There's nobody It's going to be the ring of Kimee. It's going to be the ring of the McNair family, J.J., Andre, and Kimey, and John Weeks, by the way.

John Weeks that helps you out because there's only eight letters. Oh, is he a J-O-N? Yeah, he's a J-O-N. I forgot. How I know that? I don't know, but it's... Good, we're proud of it. Thank you.

So a backup kicker... He had to kick so many times. D'Amico Ryan's leaning on him so hard. He hurt himself? Like, what happened? I think it's... I think it says he's got his arthritis in the leg. Yeah, he's got knee arthritis.

You know, Wex tweets like 80,000 times an hour. I think he's the one. I don't know if it was him on Twitter or not, because I was having to go back between my burner and my regular account because I got back at SportsMT is back. I think it's Wex that said this. I think this guy that they brought in his kick for like 19 teams. That is pretty accurate.

I was pulling it up. He's a Tampa. He is a veteran of the Tampa Bay Vipers. Check. Okay. I'm not going to go through the whole list. He's been on the Steelers like four times. What?

Steelers 2019, 2020, 2020, 2022, 2024, 24. It looks like he's the guy that you just bring in when your kicker gets hurt. He was on the commanders earlier this year. What? What? He's been on three teams this year. This is his fourth team. Panthers, Titans, commanders, and Texans.

We don't recommend you go into the casino to bet on sports because that's something you have to choose and do and want to do. You shouldn't have to take a recommendation unless you enjoy. doing it. So I'll just say this. If you enjoy doing it, Ross, don't you want to run the Lake Charles like right now and put some money down on this game? On the under, at least. I guess.

But it is Jacksonville. Remember that. Don't forget that. Let's not forget that one key part of this. It's Jacksonville. Trevor Lawrence sucks. Yeah, you've got Davis Mills and you're still holding his favorites. At least last I checked. That's a one and a half point favorite

for the Texans. How embarrassing is your Trevor Lawrence, you are the 1-1. You've been given all this money, and you can't even be a road favorite against a Texan team that lost at home the previous week that has C.J. Strau not in the game, and their kickers hurt. But you know what they're saying?

We're 5 and 3. Suck it. What a foe 5 and 3, by the way. Who do they play? Did they play like a Division 1-A schedule before the start of the season? I thought they had some decent wins early on. I can go look. Let me see who they beat.

Panthers 5 and 3. Panthers is a good win. Texans. Niners, Chiefs, Raiders. They lost the Bengals? They won in San Francisco, too. Joe Burrow played that game, right?

And they beat the Chiefs. I remember that time that it was Trevor Lawrence fumbled the ball at like two yard line and still ran it in for a score? Yeah. Joe Joe Brower got hurt in that game, and then Jake Browning came in and threw three picks and they still lost. I don't, I don't well, their schedule is not.

They do have two Jaguar. They have two Titans games. Still ahead for them. They have to go to Arizona. We're screwed. We're screwed. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90.

We'll take some calls as we come back. Also, by the way, you know, Rossi, we should pull the curtain back on the show a little bit. Remember when Gordy used to do these amazing parodies? Yes. And he's basically, when he got his locked-on SEC, job he doesn't care about us as much as he used to correct me still cares about us but not as not really he just sent us an email that said uh i have a chas mccormick tribute for you in our audio system okay we have to listen to it and let's what we need to do is we need to do an instapol

rate it okay now is it do me a favorite during the break is it a song that he did or is it just like a bunch of highlights i have no idea take a listen to it and see if we need to rate it if we don't need to rate we won't do an instapole but we have a chip all right now let's do it just for like five seconds i want you to be as surprise as i am so okay let's find out what exactly this is but some sort of chas mccormick tribute will be debuted next on the matt thomas show at ross seven one three two one two five seven ninety pass ball ripped into center field and that is going to be caught by chas mccormon diving head first and tumbling afterwards a beautiful catch in center field by McCormick.

Don't make the best of this test and don't ask why. And Chaz hits this in the air pretty deep to right center, going back on it as far. Still going back, looking up. See you later. Opposite field home run for the Philadelphia kid. Chas McCormick. And in Swanson drives this one pretty deep to left center. So back now is McCormick, and he leaps and makes the catch against the pillar.

A tremendous catch by Chaz McCormick in center. Hanging on a shelf in good health and good time And McCormick drives this one to right field Judges going back at the wall And it hits off the top of the wall and is gone A two-run, home runs for Chas McCormick And the Astros lead it, two to nothing That's hit in the air pretty deep to right center

It sends back McCormick onto the warning track Leaves at the wall and he makes the catch Oh, what a catch by McCormick crashing into the 13 foot high one and deep right center field. Two out. The catch of his life for McCormick comes back to Philly, his hometown, and makes a wonderful catch against the wall,

crashing as he makes it at the top of his league. Boy, you dream of a catch like that in the World Series, a game saver perhaps, and McCormick robs the Phillies. It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right. I hope you have the dime of your life In this clubhouse, contribute That's why we're so, such a good team this year And Team Moran.

Chess! By the way, there's no gorty singing in that. That wasn't even a gaudy parody. I told you did not get your hopes up. Well, I was, I gave, I thought you gave me the impression that he had sang something. I didn't give you, I didn't say anything like that. No, you were read, you read things that weren't there. Yeah, you're right, because I was trusting you to give you to give you.

get the good tease. We can't instapole that. That was a mid-1990s song with some of jazz highlights. I mean, what's wrong with that? I was looking for some lyrics. You thought Chris Gordy, who is locked in on locked on San Antonio and Austin and Dallas. I thought he cared about it. He's very busy. He does care. He's very busy. All right. Give the man a break. We'll play it again. of the last two or three years, I think Chas McCormick is the leader in my clubhouse of giving the doubt guy to just give him some playing town guy.

And it just never turned the corner. When he got hurt, he just wasn't the same place. Yeah, the Jake Myers fan club has released a statement. We appreciate Chas McCormick for everything that he has done. We understand there were some contentious moments between the Chas McCormick fan club and the Jake Myers fan club. Oh, yeah. But at the end of the day, we just wanted the Astros to win.

And suck it, Chas fans. Oh, I'm sorry. We meant to strike that last part. And there's also one more thing. Here's your forced sale sign. Ooh. Good old Chas. We'll always have, what was it, 2023?

We'll have the Philly's sketch. When he OPSed over 800? Well, you have that too. We'll always have that. He had that OPS of like 800, and everybody's like, see, Dusty Baker needs to play him every day. Where is that guy? that was mad that Dusty Baker wasn't playing

Chas McCormick every single day. So who is Dusty going to get pudding to now? I don't know. Oh, all right. Thank you. Do you think Dusty's going to send him some pudding? Don't you? Maybe less, you know, he could probably say,

you can now enjoy this more often because you're not playing. 22 home runs in 2023. Just 115 games. Never the same. crazy the head cap of that guy um i think that probably takes jake meyers off the trade market if you were to so do so right don't you think i don't know how's his calf oh lord you mean the one that he was having he ran out there for one most and had to be carried off the field by his teammates god the last season sucked it just did biscuit is with us at 1124 on the matt thomas show

biscuit good morning hello biscuit uh you're still here matt i just don't hear him All right. It's good. This is one of your better calls. You think my takes are way better than Rosses. I agree. Thank you. And go cooks.

He is a cougar. That's true. All right. Come on, biscuit. Thank you, Biscuit. That was good, Biscuit. Thank you. Unbelievable stuff.

So far in the one hour and 24 minutes of the show, we've had one attempt at a phone call, and it was dead air. Back to that. Way, he's claw back. He's gone back. Okay. Hey, Biscuit's back. Maybe.

Biscuit. The Biscuit is back. Wasn't it a Yelton-John song back? No, I don't think so. Close enough. Hey, I don't know what happened there, man, but let me say this. Oh, I do. Two things, Matt, and then Ross. One, on the college football thing,

I don't have no problem going to 16 because we can eliminate those buys, man. And just this one-play 16, 21-15, making an easy bracket and call it a day, you know. and then eliminate all the, you know, no more. This guy, this team should have been out. Probably not be more ABC teams and Big Ten teams, but, you know, it is what it is. That's my thought on that. But, Matt, I called, and tell me, Matt, you got it. And I was over at U of H in the mid to late 80s, early 90s, like 85 to 90.

And we were, you know, did you go into any Dome games, Matt? absolutely i first of i went as a dome kid when gerald landry was the quarterback at the cougars back in the early 80s uh i would go i my first ever ross here's a little note for you my first ever professional pa was doing the pa at the astrodome for a houston cougar football how about that oh really yeah how about that well mad when we were at u of h we were pining to have on-campus games And I know we're a commuter school and, you know, everybody's coming from Paralyand, you know, Cyprus, wherever, you know. But we're like, man, if we get some games on campus, man, we'll, you know, we can, we'll show up. I mean, what we got, Matt, almost 50,000 students.

And you're telling me, I've seen the picture of that game last week. And this, man, it's, it's, it's embarrassing, man. It's really embarrassing. and I'm afraid with LSU, Florida, Auburn, we've got a good coach. And if I'm a coach and you win the top 25 and you got a home game and the stadium only hold, what, 35, and you can't even feel that? I don't know, man, we got to do better, man. That's hurtful, man. I mean, this is me as a former coup.

Let's do this right now. Let's do this right now. Let's you and I have this one-minute conversation because it's going to take a lot more than a minute, but we only have a four-hour show. In 60 seconds, how are we going to fix it? First of all, do the students have to pay to go to the game? I don't know we didn't have to pay. Nope.

We're going to have to start going to the community, man, giving tickets away at high schools, middle schools, you know, getting all the youth football. You know, we've got to feel the stadium, man. It's just, we got a good coach. He got some recruits coming. in you got the quarterback up there in cypress you got a tight end out of i want i want to say port or whatever come on man we have got maybe they maybe the time was throwing on maybe the 11 o'clock ain't a good time and you see oh yeah because because 11 o'clock really throws off 80% of the

country when they put football games on 11 o'clock in in tuscaloosa or in austin or in uh college station or in antiremishian here's a rality biscuit if you wanted to give out free tickets That's cool, but guess what free tickets don't bring you? Money. In this school, that's money. Revenue. But we got to start feeling it first, and maybe that'll catch on, man, or something.

Something got to have to be. 71 should start that going. I don't know. Who knows? And maybe it is used to maybe next year people be on the bandwagon because they had a decent season this year. But I'm just saying, man, we, man, as the CETO's pictures, it hurt my heart, man.

It hurt my heart. I know. well me too I was unfortunately couldn't go because I was in Boston but yeah I mean we needed to have a better better crowd and I'm extraordinarily discouraged

I don't I don't know really what else to say but you can't get even Ross you can't even get 30 for a 7 and 1 team at the time now granted Luke getting your ass kicked by West Virginia wasn't fun and that was sorry and look

that was a tough loss but that but you didn't know that before the game started, you just didn't. I mean, I think going from 25,000 fans, and that's just the list of attendance to a full house and loud, could absolutely change, I mean, have, I don't want to say change the outcome, but, I mean, big, loud home crowds, especially in college sports matter. So, I mean, it could have certainly been a different outcome. I guarantee you, we had 40,000 people in that building screaming and yelling cougars from the start. You could have

had a different result. And I'm not going to put that on Willie to ask him that question. not fair to him. He's got to worry about the football team, but I can say that as a fan. I can say that as an alum. Somebody that has cared for this program when I was doing the PA at the Astrodome back in the early mid-1990s. I can say that. Buildings that are full matter. So maybe we got a cop

tickets for a while, but the problem is if you cop tickets, guess what people want the next time? Cop tickets. The damn tickets were $20 and $20. And Ross, you don't even step in this. This is my 20, because you've already done your... What did I do? I don't do anything. You were fine. I'm nice. And $0.15. You are.

are nice. You're sweet. I miss you. $20.15. Go to get you in the building. Ain't nobody getting time. Hey nobody getting time for that. Hey, nobody getting time for that. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. This is one of the most cathartic half-hours in major market radio. We simply call it.

Ain't anybody got time for that and shut your bum-ass up. Rossi, I'm going to go to the transportation apps. And I will go with Rift on this one. Okay. We had dinner about 25 minutes outside of downtown Memphis, trying something different. And I went with the XL, which is the seats up to six people. That's a scam. We got the car.

We're five normal-sized people. Now, six, we had six in our group, so we knew it would be somewhat tight. there was no way in the world we could get any more than four in the car. So I'm going to call out Rift. And probably my guess is that Boobber does the exact same thing. Well, probably that driver. What kind of car was it? It was a Mazna CX-9.

First of all, he puts his crap in the passenger seat in the front room, on the front side of the car. Did somebody get in the front? We tried to. He wouldn't let us. He was like, I got stuff. No, you don't. He said no. Yeah, this is on the driver. I'm sorry, Biff, when you say you can put six people in there,

I'm not putting six professional wrestlers in there. I'm not putting six Houston Rockets in there. I'm putting six normal, try to. So we had to basically get a second Uber or Biff, I had to pay the XO prices for three of us, which normally would have been an irregular X. Anybody got time for you lying to me, Biff, about the fact you get six people in there.

It's simply not true. I've not normally had this problem. I will never, ever, ever try to get six people into a vehicle ever again. Now, minivans, yes, you could absolutely do it. But regular SUVs can't fit six, so don't make yourself available to do the six. That's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. That's it.

You can't be fits up to six when no. No one ever gets, especially when you're that driver and you've got, you know, your cat food in the front seat, or you've got four cups of coffee or leftover, uh, uh, Rolco there. I mean, come on. And it sounds like this is on the driver. No, but I'm just saying this is gentle. This is like the second time this has happened. And it makes me look bad because I think, oh, Matt, you're cheap. No, I, I showed them. I got the proof of the XL6. Yeah, I'm putting that on the, on the driver. I'm putting it on me because I'm guess what I can't do anymore

No I'm just giving you all some advice because you know what I am I'm a man that gives you all sage advice They call me sage mt If you are in a lift or you're in a group of people And you get the super big car No more than five people No more than five people Period of story

And I've gotten six in there I've had no issues You just got bad luck And Mbasa CX9 does not sit six Well, this says three row SUV on Google. So here's how it worked. You had one passenger seat. You had two bucket seats, and then you had a long rows of three.

Okay, that's six. The third person in the back had to be about 65 pounds and about four foot seven, which we did not have. I'm sorry. I was just pissed off yesterday, so I just wanted to. I'm sorry, Matt. Anybody have got time for a fake Uber Excel. Hey, nobody got time.

for that. Thank you very much. Ross, what you got? You're going to get some people. That happened to us in Taiwan, but people are smaller there. So X-L in America is a little different than X-L and Taiwan.

Mm-hmm. I wasn't in Taiwan. I was in Memphis. I was in the opposite of Taiwan. You had to get the double X-L. Jeez. It was like a, if you wanted a regular-sized car, you get an X-L in Taiwan.

But anyways. So I can, apparently two-time title town says Uber Black SUV. But that's what I got. That's going to be, you didn't get it. No, Uber-Black SUV is. going to be like a escalate. Yeah. Oh, hell no.

I ain't that rich. Come on now. Let's get you in that denali, Matt. I can't. I'm not, I'm not spending $150 to go get some sea bass. Sorry, it's not happening.

Mm, tough. Oh, man, Matt's grouchy. All right, I'm gonna, I don't know how, well, you know what, I should be delicate with this, but let's see. I'm driving to work today, Matt. And I get caught behind, as you know, when we have this U-turn under the underpass, you have to get over very quickly.

You have to be very aggressive. The person on behind probably was born in the Great Depression. They're in a truck. They got the handicapped plates on and they are completely stopped when there's nobody coming. But like one car in a far lane,

they could have gone easy. then while they're waiting, 50 cars come, so I'm stuck behind them. And then when they finally decide to go, they go into the exit only entrance of the building next to us. We got to get, we got to have a age limit. We can't keep doing this. I'm sorry. You old people, you're either driving too fast, you're driving too slow, you're driving too slow, you're driving reckless, you're going to get people hurt, and you're wasting all of our time.

Ain't nobody get time for these octogenarians on a road. We've got to do age limits. We can't do this. Mee Ma does not need to be out of the road with their poor eyesight. This is ridiculous. Okay, so since you're putting the legislation out there. Okay. What's the age?

Competency tests every five years starting at 65. Let's go. I test, eye exams. Like, this is ridiculous. I know we don't need to over-legislate, but no, this is out of control. This is happening for this is not just an isolated incident. This has been happening to me the couple times in the last couple weeks. Okay, so let's do this.

65 to 70 is fine. I don't think you want to go 70 to 75. I think you have to go 70 to 73 every three years. Okay. Yeah, every three years, competency and eye exams. Let's go. Got to get you out of the house anyway somehow. So head to the DPS.

713-212-5-790. Are you an ageist like Ross is? 7-13-212-5-790. Do you hate your meme? 713, 212, 790. Last year, or I'm sorry, in 2023, 65 and older, responsible for 19% of traffic fatalities. Well, 81% were not, though.

Just saying. Yeah, I'm sure more than 81% are under 65. That's probably overrepresented demographic-wise. I would guess. All right. So if you hate old people, 713, 212, 579. See, that's not what I said, Matt. You didn't get your old ass off the road.

I'm sorry. That's how I interpreted for sure. 713-212-5-7-90. Jonathan, what's the matter with you? Yesterday, I hopped into the elevator, getting the work, came out, and I'm stepping on some goo, man. I look down, and somebody, like, I don't know if they had some match or something or like some sauce that got it from the deli. Just spilled it all in the elevator. Oh, I saw that.

It was like yellow green, right? Yeah, yeah. And it trailed all the way from the deli. Yes. And I almost stepped in that too. Yeah, but I just full off stepped in it. I'm like kind of a little slipped and stuff. And I'm thinking, there's no way this dude or woman left this mess and just went to their floor.

And I'm just sitting here like, there's no way people are this inconsiderate thinking the staff is just going to clean after them and their own personal help. Ain't anybody got time for that. The restroom is right there to go get some little napkins and clean up after yourself, but you look, it was everywhere. Ross seen it. It was like, it's just disgusting to me that adults can just leave stuff like that. I'm like, oh, yeah, okay. Yeah, so let's let's clarify here. What color was the goo?

It was like green. I would say it was like greenish, brownish yellow. Yeah, like I can't tell them. You know what? It was kind of like that jalapeno sauce that they have for breakfast. See, okay, that's what I thought it was. But it was a lot of it. Like, you were just splitting it off.

I don't know what that was. I thought the same thing. I was like, I forgot about this. I was like, yeah, somebody needs to clean up after their own mess here. Bread comes up the bread comes. Lead the way. Just pitiful. I'm so sad.

People who work here. First it was the urinal. And now just leaving stuff out. Stupid. Yeah, the urinal. I don't know how, as a grown man with a urinal, the size of the average urinal, that you still hit the floor as often as people do. Can we stop pissing on seats, men, please? Can we talk about this?

Lift the damn seat up. Seriously. Or sit down, dude. No one knows. Your aim, come on now. Let's go. Let's figure this out. It's ridiculous.

We got one more than I'm going to the phones. ESPN employees, stop telling me that I need to contact my, save my channels and all that belonging. If y'all can't get your situation figured out with Boo Boo Booop TV, screw up both of y'all. I don't have time for that. I'm with the wrecked TV and we're fine. So I don't care that you can't negotiate well.

And I can't believe that Senator Warren's getting involved in blaming Trump for the Rooop BVee. Oh, really? Yeah, I was like, I saw that on the Fort U-U-Tel. Like, what the hell? She got bigger fish to fry than Roo-Rub TV fighting with ESPN. Wow. My God. Enough with it.

Wrong. Every ESPN employee is running. It's just cutting and pacing. what their bosses told them to say, it's so inauthentic and so non-genuine. I want that, you know what I want? If you are a Roo-Roo TV person, I want you to go without it forever because it's so disingenuous. Be heartfelt, ESPN. Don't Save MyChann. Don't Save My Channels.com is a website.

Don't save my channels. Leave my channels. Let them go. Let them be free channels. Let my channels go. Let my channels go.com. I don't even new commercials for MacMee. I don't even do it. I'll say it, direct TV.

They're expensive as hell. But you know what? At least I got my channels. So shut your bum ass up. Boo, boo, boo. Shit your bum ass up, man. Oh, quick PSA. Stop sending your scam numbers to over to SportsCard 790.

I'm tired of pick up the phone and hearing these telecom. Are people giving out our numbers? Yes. I got like five a day. There's a Larry there. We used to put them on air. Carl, you need to go pay your hospital bill. Or you have your driving tickets that need to be paid out.

All right. Let's take a short timeout. Come back, give the phones. Corey and Charles. We'll be starting with you guys. If you want to follow those gentlemen up, 713-212-5-790. All right, Ross. I'm going to ask you a question that if you get it right

will be your greatest accomplishment in the 15-year history of the Matt Thomas show. That's a low bar, but that's okay. You will never guess who I just got a text from. You get three guesses. John McClain. That is correct. No way! You've used that name. This is very inside. We have to explain this. Go ahead and explain it. Okay, there's many things I do that annoy Matt Thomas that are like just between us and running jokes that nobody laughs at, but literally me. And one of the things

Whatever Matt just throws out a question. Hey, did you know I heard from or do you know who I did this? Do you know what I that? And I just, I don't know when it started or why it started by, say, John McLean. Because it just makes me laugh. I don't know why. And so you actually heard from John McLean? He heard.

What do I win, by the way? I'll bring you back some ribs from Memphis. Now, we'll hold you back until Monday. Yeah, full rack. Can you get those couple of racks of ribs through TSA? Are those certified weapons? I mean, I can put it. him in my briefcase. Certified gut bombs.

Yeah, yeah. So John has been locked out of his Twitter account for nine days he told me. He just sent me a text. He said, you have your contact. And I said, yes, I do. And so I send him a contact. Oh, okay. So,

so, after all these years of you guessing John McLean, it finally happened. Oh my gosh. That's great. Ugh. That tickles me so. It made me chuckling. You know what?

I don't know why, but my day is made now. That was amazing. Because he says, Hey, Matt, it's John McLean. I've been hacked on X for nine days.

I've heard you got hacked recently and got it taken care of when you have a two minutes, can I call you please and compare notes? So I'm like, I mean, I can call you, but I mean,

oh, man, you guys, you guys are bonding over getting hacked. Oh my gosh. That is too much. I just figured that made you happy. Let's go to the phone.

It did. Tom on 790. Tom, what's the matter with you? Hey, guys. How are y'all doing today? Great. I just wanted to tell our wonderful governor, Landry, to shut his bum ass up. And nobody got time for him messed around L.A.C.

Sports as bad as we need a dental plan in this state. Shit your bum ass up, man. We should explain. Tom is calling us from Monroe, Louisiana, where, yeah, Teeth are optional in that part of the state. Thank you, Tom, for the phone call. We appreciate it. How about that?

Tom and Monroe, Ross. Munro. Yeah, Monroe, Louisiana, baby. Governor Landry, get on the, you know. Seriously, if you're not named Landry or Robes Show or Doe or something, you can't be the governor of that state. Like the name Smith doesn't work. Hmm.

Didn't their governor was, wasn't David Duke of white supremacists? Wasn't he the governor of Louisiana for a while? Was he privately? That's pretty brief. It's some political office, didn't he? I thought. That was way back in the date, though. Yikes. Let's see.

He was in Oklahoma. Oh, he was the Grand Wizard of the Cucca. He says, you know, you know, you got to Wikipedia. It says, in office. It says, in office is the Grand Wizard. He says, normally says in office as president, or I don't know, Secretary of State. In office is the Grand Wizard?

Do they have an office? They have a website, do they? Probably. We hate everybody.com. I mean, basically. He was in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Oh, but I think he was running for governor. If I'm not mistaken.

Okay. From 89 to 92, he was a representative. So he was elected office. Yeah, he did have an appointment. Terrible. Charles on 790. Charles, what's the matter with you? Yes, sir.

I just want to say that ever since Charles Sathbury was let go, I've been forced to listen to Dan Matthews for four hours a day, and ain't nobody got time for that anymore. All the dude does whine and cry, and he shut his bum ass up. Oh, did the damn, Matthews getting catching the stray. Set your bum ass up, man. You know what, that's really, I mean, you're not truly a 790 host

until somebody says you need to be off air and to shut your bum ass up on this segment. A little peeling of the curtain when someone gets let go, no matter where it is, it's usually we feel sorry for that person, which obviously we do. Yes, of course. Tremendously. But then it's, hey, let's get an opportunity to rip on every other people on the show on the station. So you're not really a real member of a sports radio station unless you get ripped on by people that are mad.

That one guy got to keep his job and you lost his job and you get to keep yours. We might have to do former Louisiana governor or not. We got an All-Mone Bolvey. Oh, yeah, 150. Don't even say it. There's your tease right there. We can give it away. Okay.

Henry Tibadoe. Oh, duh. Robert Whitcliff, that's boring. James Madison Wells, that's boring. How about Kathleen Babineau? Oh my God, these are amazing. Most of these are actually normal names. Let's do one.

Lenre Fuqua. Let's do Jonathan Gordy. Because Gordy, everybody knows Gordy's in Louisiana. Oh, okay. Gordy's a Louisiana name. Here's one. Ruffin-Plaison. All right, that's it.

There's your tease. Is this person been a Louisiana governor? Highly Googled. We'll just say highly Googledable from here on. People who are listening now are getting rewarded. Yes, you are. 713-212-5-790. 7-13.

Oh, Jacques Dupree, baby. Sorry. Go ahead. You get a Louisiana accent and you don't ever, it takes you all to get out of it. Yeah, you're right. It's like Daniel Day Lewis shaking off a character. It gets in character.

I know. Like Dana Carney takes a wall to back off of being a President Bush or Johnny Carson or something like that. All right, let's get to the news at noon. We'll do that next. 1158 on Sports Talk 790. 713-212-5-79 if you want to get in.

7-13-212-5-790. I have an Astros question that I'll be asking you in less than 20 minutes that I thought I would never have to ask you. And it came from our friend Chandler Rome. 1159 on 790. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Matt and Ross in 124 on Sports Talk 790 coming up this hour.

I have an asterisk question that I thought I wasn't going to have to ask again, but we're going to have to ask it. And a former contributor to the Matt Thomas show with Ross has some positive things to say about one of Ross's favorite teams. Isn't that two bits of outsuit? teasing for the show? You're the tease master, Matt. I do tease.

Time for us first to get you what's going on in the world of sports. We present to you the news. Is this true? Is it new already? Pretty fast show so far. I like it. It's been going good. I agree, Matt. It's been going fantastically well.

You're not ready to go to this news. And the top sports news. No chance he is. Item of the day. Well, let's just recap yesterday's trade deadline. Your use in Texans? Not involved. I'm still going to say the Jets overpaid for your guy,

Sauce Gardner, Matthew, two first round picks. I mean, A.D. Mitchell wasn't really doing much on their roster anyway, so that's less of an issue. But two first round picks and a guy that's already on a premium contract, Sauce Gardner, a bit of an overpay. but we'll see if it pays off for Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts. I would say that was the biggest blockbuster trade made of the day. Number two might be Quinn and Williams also trade.

Now that happened after you left, I think Matt? Yes. We didn't talk about it. Yes. Quinn and Williams for a first round pick going to the Dallas Cowboys, clearly searching for some defensive help. I got to tell you this. If you're a cowboy fan, you've got to be pumped, right?

I mean, but the problem is, are they too far behind to have one player make that big of a difference this late in the season? They're 3, 5, and 1. The NFC is actually really tough this year, too. NFC felt kind of weak and winnable last couple years, but Buccaneers are improved. Panthers aren't terrible. Seahawks, Rams are great. Eagles, Packers, Lions. Yeah, right now the Cowboys are 11th.

They'd have to jump three teams, Chicago, Carolina, and Minnesota. They've lost already to Chicago. I don't know. I got to check here. They have played both Carolina and Chicago already. And I'm looking. The Panthers beat them, and the Bears beat them bad in Chicago. So they would lose potential tiebreakers.

Also, also NFC conference losses. So that doesn't help your situation either. Yeah, and here's the rest of their schedule. At Raiders, winnable, of course. But then home for the Eagles and Chiefs and then at the Lions. I mean, that's a Guntlet right there. At least you get two of them at home.

Then home for the Vikings and Chargers and at the commanders and giants. It's a mixed bag. There's some tough matchups in there. And of course, they're already hampered by having a tie. They're not making the playoffs, I don't think. Not making the playoffs. So basically they made this trade

just to appease Jerry because he was bored, right? Yeah, well, Jerry had talked about having something in the works. And he did. And well, Quentin Williams is a great player. Quentin Williams was wrecking the Texans last year. Mm-hmm. And was it two years ago when they got...

Last year he was... The Jets was a Monday night game or something, right? Or Thursday night? Thursday night. Jets was a Thursday night game. And the year before was when C.J. Stroud got hurt against the Jets, right? I think Quinny Williams might have been more than that. C.J's...

CJ got hurt. He slammed his head on that horrific turf at MetLife Stadium, yes. Yeah. Quentin Williams has been part. I mean, he's a three-time Pro Bowl. I mean, there's a good player that the Dallas Cowboys got, no doubt. But so how long is his, what was his contract? I mean, I guess he got an extension.

I'm pretty sure he's been extended. I don't know. I'll go look. So one of the draft picks they sent was the one they got from the Green Bay trade, I think. Well, so there was clarification on that. It'll be whichever is highest. as in whichever has more value to the Jets between the Cowboys' Own or the Packers. Great.

All right. What else you got? So there you go. Quinn and Williams, by the way, under contract for two more years after this, at big money, $20 million and then $25 million for a defensive tackle. That's some pretty high money. Elsewhere, Matt, in top 25 action in men's college basketball. Uh-oh, here we go.

Uh-huh. Purdue to 51. Nope. Kentucky beat Nichols. 77 to 51? Nope. You're missing the headliner. Texas Tech meet Lyndonwood?

Nope. Duke covered the nine and a half against Texas. 75 to 60 victory. All right. How much of the game did you watch? All of it. Is the score indicative of the game?

I would say yes. I don't want to go. Duke was getting all the calls. In the Charlotte. In the same. second, there was a bad review that I think the ball was off the Texas player, and then they freaking reviewed it and they still called it off the Duke player, which was ridiculous.

They didn't do which, okay, quick side, quick aside. They didn't do something about this. These referees who were reviewing their own calls. You're just going to naturally, by human nature, going to be biased to stick with your own call at anything you see. The ball was knocked away by the Duke player, but it went, still was in the possession of the Texas player and went off of their hand. So the referee did not.

make the correct call. And these referees, when something's 50-50, they're biased towards their own calls. There needs to be some kind of third-party replay center. There's no replay center. It's basically the production truck to the crew on the court. That's what I'm saying. If you or I or anybody, Matt, if we make a call or a decision or something, we're going to be

biased towards our own decisions. That's right. That's exactly right. It's a bad call. But anyways, uh, that, that Lithuanian dude from FAU was actually pretty good. Matas of Volkatis. Yes. He had 15 points.

Dalyland Swain played a ball. I believe you can treat that with antibiotics. Tremon Mark didn't do much. Thanks, Cougars. Hate to hear that. It's a mixed bag. They were leading at the half.

I think that would be able to compete with the big dogs once they get a little bit more chemistry. I mean, there's literally like seven new players that I'd never heard of on the team. All right. I'm going to ask this question to the audience. 713-212-5-7-9. If you watch the game,

just call and say you watch the game. Okay, Texas versus Duke. It was on ESPN. Somebody had to catch it. I mean, what else was on a Tuesday night? I'm going to ask the January. Well, you had Orlando, Atlanta on NBC last night. I watched that too.

Atlanta blew them out. All you have to do, and you can't be goofy about it. Just call and say, hey, Matt and Ross, I watched the game last night. We won't ask you who your favorite player was. We won't ask you who you're rooting for. We'll just say, thank you. Did you watch Texas versus Duke?

I mean, a... Hold on a phone. Therapeutes of college basketball. What's the number? Texas is not a thoroughbred. Sure they are. Kind of like a... Not really.

One final four since like 1940. Me and Katie, watch the game last out of the bar. I will say a sleeping giant program that just has never woken up. All right. Me and Katie, we're watching a good time. We were rooting hard. Yeah.

How was Dick, how was Dick Vital on commentary? He's losing his, he's, I mean, he's doesn't, I mean, he's obviously,

he's been in cancer treatment for the last couple years. Correct. He just, he just sounds old and, and his voices withered. I mean, as far as,

you know, just from a nostalgicist standpoint, and it's, it's nice to have him out there, but he's not fit to call games. I mean, no, no,

and that's a problem. Is that? No, because Jim Kelly was on the NFL today on Sunday. They, they did a show from Buffalo. He was on. He was one of my all-time favorite quarterbacks. Cancer does affect your body. It, it zaps your voice. It does. And so Jim

decided like he was 100 years old. He's only like 65. So, yeah. Yeah, Dickie V didn't sound too hot. Are anything else? Wait a minute. Oh, I think we're getting some people. Don't forget, there's Duke fans, too, Matt. Okay. We'll get to those people in a second. But yeah, Cameron Boozer was taking over the game. Carlos Boozer's son. He had a good game. Oh, yeah.

He's supposed to be a top five a lottery pick this year coming up. And the Rockets are playing the Grizzlies tonight. Yes. John Moran. And John Moran is going to play? Yeah, John Moran's going to play. He served as one game suspension already.

That's good. Stephen Adams and Jabari Smith listed as questionable to play in tonight's game. Okay. Coach saying on Monday before the game that he figured it would be just one game lost for Jabari Smith Jr., so we should expect him back, but you never know. You know what? We've got to rest up for Friday. Friday's going to be a big game. San Antonio, they're good. It's the group play tournament round of the in-season tournament.

You know Coach Yoder is going to want to shut down Wimby? Oh, hell yeah. Rest up. Rest up, everybody. On Prime Video. And 790. And 790. All right, so let's do this.

Vince in Midtown says he actually watched the game. Vince, did you watch the game? Tell the truth. Okay, I'm going to tell the truth. I actually had planned on watching the game. I turned it on. I tuned in. I watched the minute of it.

I said, nah, it's too early in the season. I'm not going to bother with this. I did not watch it. Thank you, Vince, for your honesty. Wasn't that important to me.

Yeah. Oh, hold on. I'll get you back. Oh, I didn't hang up on him. Jeez, Matt. Why does that, why do I put him on a hole in a hand?

No, because I'll send him off there. Sometimes they sit down and hold. I just send them off. Wow. Vince call back. Is he a, Jonathan,

you have too much of a quick trigger. I'm quickie. That's what she said. Is your trigger quicker than normal? No comments. Vince, call back. You had a part two. We insist on getting your part two.

All right. Also, by the way, we come back. I'm going to ask you a question, Ross, and I thought we were never going to have to ask Astro fans ever again. But it may be happening. Oh, I think I know what you're talking about. You get one guess and one guess. Actually, my lunch you guess.

713-21-5-790. 7-13-212. 790. It is 1220, Matt here in Memphis. Ross is back in Houston. Tomorrow I'll be in San Antonio. Hope of the Rockets will have a winning streak that will reach five. It's currently four.

713, 212-5-7-9-0. 7-1-3-1-2-5-7-90. This is a Matt Thomas show with Ross. All right. So I'm on the plane yesterday, and I was listening to some podcast. And our friend, Channel Rome, is a part of the Crush City Pod, which frankly, I should sue them for copyright. But since I didn't copyright, I can't sue them for it. But that's not here or no there.

You should sue them in violation of something you didn't do. I know. Sorry, Matt. Probably one of my greatest mistakes ever. And I say it like four or five times a year, but it's really, really up there. I wouldn't have gotten rich, but I would have able to at least pay for some of my. kids college me maybe you could have paid for like a habauchy meal oh i'll be doing that don't worry i already told kim about that last time i said to you're gonna let her know because we've been

running you and i've had like many bets over years and sometimes you pay and we've had a couple that you've i think you've paid the last couple of times and she's like when are you going to oh and it's like well i got a big one coming up here mm-hmm he wants fried right yeah you won the bregman bet there was a damien pierce yards bet but That was just a season total. Yeah, and I'm going to get a win total on the Texans, I think, bet, which I never thought I was going to. Goaded you end. I happily goaded you into that, too.

It was seven and a half. Yeah, you did. All right, ladies and gentlemen, here we go. So I'm listening to the Crush City Pod. They brought up Justin Verlander's name. Who? Justin James Alexander. Brooks, I think.

Rodriguez Verlander. Quoting Chandler Rome, he thinks it's better than 50-50 that Verlander comes back. I could see it. He made $15 million, I want to say last year with the Giants. That was Baseball America's projected deal for him would be one year $15 million. He believes, this is Chandler speaking, and I'm paraphrasing here, it's somewhere along the lines of about between $12 and $15 million here. Justin

Horatio Brooks That's Brooks That's fine Last year Pre All-Star break I actually have it here I looked it up

Where did I say I thought you would have it If you're bringing it I can find it Pre-all-Star O and 7 in 15 starts With an ERA of 4.70 Honestly

To be 0 and 7 With an earning of under 5 is actually quite remarkable When you think about it Pulse All-Star Break, which would be July. Four and four with an Ernie of 2.99 and 14 starts. Giants weren't great, didn't give much more in support. ERA3 is ridiculously good.

Now, what you do in August and September does not translate to the following March in April. It doesn't. I mean, you'd like it to do, but that's not always guaranteed. But there is some insatiable thirst. By honestly, Jim Kramer would be much. my guess. I think he loves the fact that Justin Verlinder has worn an Astro uniform once, twice, and maybe even a third time. I don't think Chandler was pulling this out of his ass. I think there is something to this. So I ask you Astro fans, are you ready to embrace Justin Verlender for a third time?

266 and 158 is his career record. Ernie of 332. He is going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. He's not going to reach 300 victories. It would take him years. last year overall he was 4 and 11 with an earner run average of 3.85 his whip was 1.36 that's a little that's actually a significant higher that's pretty high pretty high but again second half season journey of three first half season of 4.70 he will be 43 years old on opening day by the way I'm looking at his bio on MLB.com it says a relationship brother of ben verlander you know who put that in there Benverlander Hey, Ben was drafted. I was in the minors for a bit. With the Tigers. You know what to whisper. You can actually shut, you know.

Look, Justin's not coming on the show, so it doesn't really matter what we say. I mean... That's true. I interview him twice, though. Yeah, because you happen to be there. If I was there, I haven't interviewed him twice. Yeah, but you weren't.

You're busy with Rockets. Yeah, but you weren't. You're right. You're right. He didn't go, hey, my name is Justin Alexander Verlinder, and I want to visit with Rossville. Well, neither does Joe Spot or E-Modoka. You just work.

on the show. We're on the station. No, they didn't like me. They wouldn't do it. We're besties. Whatever you need to tell yourself. We break bread quite often. Okay, so when I tell you Justin Verlander, quoting

Chandler Rome, better than 50-50, what say you, Rossville are you? No, thank you. No, thank you. I mean, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. First of all, it feels like it's going to happen. He says better than 50-50. Obviously, we trust Chandler-Roman. What he says about

the Astros. We know the previous relationship with Jim Crane. It'll happen but I just there are more ways this can go wrong than it can go right. Whether it be injury, continuing age decline,

under performance, whatever. Rather than a 43 year old having a great season and living up to $15 million isn't great. I mean if he but if he did what he did last year with the Giants, that's just okay.

It's not great. His wins above replacement was 1.2. Like, he's a slightly above average pitcher for the balance of the season. And he did have a better second half. But a lot of his, I know you, Matt, you love XERA and all those other numbers. Like a lot of the field independent pitching numbers and expected numbers and all that stuff weren't great. They weren't terrible. But his whip has been extremely high the last two years.

1.36, 1.38 the year before. I mean, when he was winning Cy Young's with the Astros, it was like a 0.8. For people don't know, Waukinson hits per inning pitch. Anything around one is very good for a starter under than that as elite. 1.3 is not elite. It's not even good. It's not good at all.

Well, let me ask you this. If you are thinking about your 2026 rotation, you've got several holes to fill. Several, yes, correct. So are you, overpaying for a four slash five starter? The answer is absolutely yes. There's nobody in Major League Baseball that is paying $12 to $15 million for a fourth slash fifth starter

who probably is going to get hurt, who's no chance, no way, know how I'm going to give you 30 starts. It's just not going to happen. Does Jim just say it's Justin Verlander? If I put Justin Verlander on my mound every fifth day, I get more tickets sold than Colton Gordon. I don't think so. I don't think people are generally looking. It's more about the team that's in town than the mound match. That's right.

I mean, to an extent. To an extent, if you are on a Randall Thursday night and you've got clients in town and you're going to go to an Astros game, if the Astros are putting out, give me somebody in mid from last year, I've already forgotten names. Colton, yeah, Colton Gordon. Colton, Gordon. I mean, you're going to be like, eh, that's fine. But if Justin Verliland, if an out-of-town client says, hey, I've never seen Justin Verlinder

pitch in person, he's a goat. He is in first ballot Hall of Famer. Let's go see it. You got a better than Puncher's chance of having that be in that city more so that if it was somebody... You're probably going with the client anyways. You tell him there's free booze. Tell him you're picking up the tab. Clearly alcohol could be a fart of it, for sure.

Go ahead. I'm just going to say, I think sometimes owners just have pets. Pet? You know, when teachers have pets, when employees people in office have pets, he's an owner's pet. Okay. He's not, he's not, again, you can tangibly say I can get a boost, I can get more Verlender Jersey sold, I can get more tickets sold, and kind of a bin there, done that, I can be the veteran leader for a young pitching staff as I make this transformation because you are

going to lose one of your, I mean, is crazy, I'm not trying to justify it, but I'm kind of saying, I'm kind of justifying it. Look, like I said, it, it wouldn't be, it wouldn't be tragedy if it happens. But there are too many pathways to failure with Justin Verlander getting signed here. He's going to fall over the hill even more. And he's been an injury risk the last couple of years.

Yeah, I can... But one year's $15 million. I mean, hey, Jim Crane's the lit worse money on fire. Oh, God. Let the man just take that L and let... He has. I mean, I'm just saying. What's wrong? That's a true statement. Yeah, but you're already assuming that he's lying the $15 million on fire.

No, I didn't say that. What if... What if Verlanner comes back? and wins nine games. He comes out here, 43 years old and has an ERA under 4 and starts 30 games, and then I will be proven wrong. No, there's no, okay, first of all, he's not starting 30 games. He did 29 last year.

Well, but six-man rotation, he's going to get, no, no, no, no. If he got to 20, I'd be pleased. Okay, then you definitely don't need to sign him if you think he's starting 20 games. Okay, well, I want you to call you. That's absurd. 20 millions for 50, 20 million? I mean, sorry, $15 million for 20 mid-starts. Again, I think there's other angles to it.

I think when you're the... Well, yeah, the angle is their boys. Yeah, relationships matter in any line of work. They share white belts. I mean, it is what it is. Jim Crane wears white belts? Yes. I mean, he's a golf and buddy.

I mean, look, Justin loves to play golf. Jim's got a golf course. It works out perfectly. All right. Well, welcome back, Justin Verlander. We don't know this. We don't know. And maybe he even...

Yeah, if he comes a third time, that 35's getting retired, right? What if I tell you this? What if it's $12 million for the Astros and 15 to stay at the Giants? What do you think JV does? You come to Texas. In San Francisco and those taxes? I know, but people's egos, they go, well, you know. Oh, Justin Verlander's got the AVA ego, or at least he did.

I don't know if he still does. Oh, yeah. All right, so Rossi has two poll questions up on his Twitter account at Sports RV. By way, my account is back up. You want to re-follow me? I'd greatly appreciate that at SportsMT. Do you lose followers? Yeah, I did.

You did? I thought you were at 31.7 yesterday. Yeah, but I've lost like 60 or so. You're one of the people who have not followed me back. Oh, really? Yep. Hmm. Well, you know, the account seems compromised.

We'll wait a little bit. Two poll questions at the great account at Sports RV. All right. You know what? You've been very nice. I didn't even think about it. Because I've, you know, in mind, I didn't unfollow you. Sorry, Matt.

Thanks. There you go. I'm back. Thank you. What are your two poll questions, by the way? Okay. Poll question number one. Justin Verlander, potential one year, $15 million deal for the Astros?

Good idea, bad idea. Matt Thomas, you say? No, Vincent. See somebody already asked our good listener, Ryan. We need a third option. It's okay. No, no, no. Good idea, bad idea.

Let's go. Okay. since you're not giving me the third option, I will say good idea. Because I know, because here's the thing. I know there is more than just the baseball aspect. I think there is some marketing attached to it. I just do. Okay.

I mean, I'm being honest. Justin had a big car dealership endorsement when he was here. I think I'll come back for him. All right. And then my other poll, was it wise for the team? Texans not to make a move at the deadline. 50% yes is a deadlock 50-50 yes and no

some of the sentiment being they suck anyways and they should have been sellers right yeah I've got two emails today from people they're saying they should have been sellers you can't sell you're not out of the playoff race now 7 and 2 is going to be hard to get to the playoffs but you can't sell panoneezer stadium she can't she can't be selling pieces off

oh no no no they're not as bad as the Jets I mean yeah exactly who are you selling yeah you're not selling No, you've got building blocks. And frankly, I mean, who is overpaid? That would be a veteran guy that would say. You're not getting word of Hunter. You're not getting rid of Will Anderson. You're not getting rid of, I mean, there's just nobody that would be like,

oh, my God, that guy's going to make the big difference. You get rid of tow-a-toe, but your linebacking corps is not great to begin with. Now, they're going to dance with who they brung. Yeah, for sure. Let's talk to Stunna on the Matt Thomas show at 1239 with Ross here on 790. Hello, Stunner. What's up, man? How y'all doing?

Amazing. Well, man, last night, that game with Texas and Duke, that game was a setup, man. We knew Duke was going to win that game. But Dickie Reed, Jay Bill's all of them. Hey, man, Texas had the league coming out in the second half and went 0 for 7 in the first five minutes with files that they did

hey man they game was a rip-off and hey Ross yeah it was rigged son is right it was rigged go ahead yeah man it was rigged hey they might go on and talk to Chelsea billips

by how to get done hey hey Ross hey you was talking about the seafood in the in the office the what? Cook microwave and seafood in the office last week.

Yeah, I don't know if Matt was here. We talked, somebody reheated shellfish in the office in the kitchen. No, they did not. Yes. No. Hey, hey, man, we had somebody cooked chicken feet in the office. Oh. You know what?

I don't eat chicken legs to this day because of that. I eat a lot of breast, but land-euvre. I'll eat them. No, sir. Chicken feet? It was... Chicken feet, man. It was... Man, the smell was horrible.

And trust me, whatever you want to say about it, it was terrible, man. I don't think of any chicken feed. No, what is chicken feed? It's the foot of a chicken. Well, I figured that out. You can buy them in the store.

Can you get Kentucky? you fried chicken feet? No, you probably don't want to do that. I had them in Korea. It was, it's like 90% cartilage and gristle. It was not good. I wouldn't do it. I tried it just to try it, but I wouldn't do it again.

Okay. Thank you for that. Chicken feed. Because we went to a place there was like a street food market and you just go to a bunch of places and try all the street food and we got some chicken feet. I didn't like it. Okay. And you've got a pretty decent palate.

I'm very open-minded. I'm not a picky eater. Not at all. If you've seen me. I mean, your belly fat's getting down a little bit. Thank you, Matt. I appreciate it.

I mean, I'm not pinching a foot, but I'm certainly pinching more than an inch. What? Although I've not pinching. Don't pinch me at all. Excuse me? Yeah, I was saying you don't need that. And there's been no pinching going on between us.

I want to make this clear. Sure. Yeah, very clear. We don't pinch here. We may throw a fist, but we don't pinch. What? Gary. Gary.

Let's segue. Gary on 790, good afternoon at 1242. Hey, guys. Can you hear me all right? Yes, sir. Okay. Yeah, I was wanting to comment on the Verlander resigning. Yeah.

And what range did you say that he's going to probably have to sign in? What was the range? The range that Channel Rhone quarter was between $12 and $15 million. Okay. I would even pitch in on that is that it was in the stipulation of the contract that every home game, that what's his wife's name?

Kate Upton? Yes, that Kate Upton was mandatory to sit in the front row of behind home plate for every game, then I would pitch in for part of his salary, just for that. Gary, I got news for you. You could probably find some even more intimate photos

of her on what they call the internet Gary, I don't know how you feel about that, but I don't think you need a live shot. You can just look at the stuff there. Well, my wife's got a block on my on my computer, so I can't do that anymore. Mrs. Gary is very smart.

Gary's been getting into trouble. As long as she comes to the games, it's the front row behind a home place, I'll pay for part of his salary. All right, thanks for the phone call, Gary. How many viruses? How many viruses? How many viruses Gary downloaded.

You got to get the blocker, the porn blockers. All right. I'm going to make this a prediction. If Justin Verlander re-signs of the Astros, he will be a guest this season on the Matt Thomas Show of Ross. Sure, why not? It's going to happen. Okay.

He can't be a diva at 43, can he? Well, I mean, he's one of the greatest of all time. If you're the greatest at all time at something, you would be a diva. Thankfully, you don't work with one because I, you know, you've done a pretty good job here. Okay? I'm sorry, I just saw a ghost in here. Jose L. Tuvae is one of the all-time greats.

He's very humble, and he didn't come on the show anymore, but he used to. He used to. We had Garrett Cole when he was doing his thing. That's true. We thought we were getting prank called. We had... I'm happy to be on the show here, Matt. we had who else we have we've had

Kyle Tucker on the show before we've had all the heavy hitters we had Kyle Tucker early in his career when he was not great with the media and later on his career when he was better yeah we had Carl we've had Carlos Correa yes not this past Alex Breggman We work Bregman regular contributor to the show Michael Brantley was a great interview

yeah yeah all right I'm gonna text Astros PR right now You're doing right now you're hilarious lay the groundwork Mattie get in there baby I'm gonna lay the ground work like your personal mission for years. Because if he really got to know me, which again, part of it's my fault, I don't get to go to very many games, I'm busy. But if he got to know me, he'd be like, I should be on your show weekly.

You're that funny and interesting. 713-212-5-790. Matt and Ross with you here on Sports Talk 790 coming to you today from Memphis, Tennessee. Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies. We'll start things off with the launch pad. Is that you tonight, Mr. Villariel? Yes, sir. I'll be with you at 6 p.m.

right here on your home for your Houston Rockets. Sports Talk 790. And unavailable to use Emé Adokas. He'll be with us tomorrow on the show. That's fine. Oh, sorry. I've done a million pre-in postgame shows without E. May adoki interviews. Say my first rodeo, baby. Let's go.

What's going to be the main feature of today's Rockets launch pad? Oh, well, of course, we're going to recap the last game. We're going to talk about the offense off the hot start that the Rockets have gotten off to. Talk about some of the ball handling issues that the team has had the turnover issues and despite all that

still the number one offense in basketball or at least I've checked yesterday. I don't know if anybody's passed them since then. Love it. All right. A couple things real quick. Number one, Texans are on the practice field. No Kimee Fair Baron out there. No C.J. Stroud. Expected and expected.

The kicker, Matthew Wright. I have not not been Matthew since I was about seven. My mother calls me that occasionally. I call you that when you get in trouble. That's, well, so does Kim. But generally speaking, I don't get a lot of Matthews in my life. I'm just curious why he went, he decided not to go short enough to go to Matt. What's wrong with that? I mean, why? Why? What's wrong to be in Matthew? I'm curious. He's, there are not a lot of Matthews. Even Matthew, even Matt Stafford calls himself Matt

Stafford now. I don't think he's going to be a bad. I feel like Matthew Stafford. Safford. No, Matthew Stafford sounds right. Matthew McConaughey. Okay. Matthew Perry, may he rest? That's not a great example. Why not? His name was Matthew. All right.

Matthew, wasn't he an apostle? Isn't that an apostle name? Excuse me. They're calling him Matt. Who's Jesus called him? Hey Matt. Hey, Maddie. Hey, Maddie. This is my, this is my blood.

Drink of this wine and you are drinking my blood, Matt. Maddie. Former, former Rocket. great Matt Maloney. Matt Bullard? Bulls still with the Rockets, yes? Yes. Yeah, I saw him in the tunnels on Monday.

I was like, oh, okay, good for him. Yep. Who else, Matt? Matt, we'll take it some other ones. But it's interesting when you get an adult, like, John, there's a few more Jonathan. I mean, Jonathan, why aren't you, is that may I call you John, Jonathan?

So I was going to say, I don't like when people call me John. One, that's my dad's name. My name is Jonathan. Don't call me nothing else. Is your dad Jonathan or John? John. John.

He's real John and not just John from John. Yeah, it's just John. He named me Jonathan. They were like, we'll put a thin at the end of my son. Exactly. Don't call me John. You know what I mean? Or Johnny.

Oh, okay. What about Johnny? No, see, that would piss me off. Okay, I'll stop. How about Jay Nuts? Yeah, you know, it's got a nice ring to it. I like how somebody who, you know, I was thinking about that.

Randomly over the weekend, I was thinking about how what are the callers voted for you on the Fantasy 5 and said, I'm going with Hog nuts. I can't remember who it was, but that was great. Hog nuts. We're going to have to get you a 790 shirt with the name.

We'll get them like a Rockets jersey that says Hog nuts on the back. Oh, I would rock that. I definitely know people that can do that. Let's go to Anderson on 790. Anderson, good afternoon to you. Hey, how are you doing, man? I had a couple thoughts on the Texans trade deadline. We're talking earlier about not really having assets that were worth trading,

but with such a tough schedule ahead of us needed to go six and three, seven, and two to get in the playoffs. And like DeNeil Hunter on an expiring contract, why would that not make sense? You know, if Quinn Williams was worth two first, is he not worth at least a second on an expiring contract? the only reason why Anderson we kind of pooh-puted was because I don't think they're giving up on the season. Now, there may not have been something out that they should have gotten to improve,

but I do believe in their minds they can still make the playoffs. And I think if you go the opposite way I'm starting to get better and you are selling off parts, you are the Jets, you are the Bengals, and that would be a horrible message to send to a fan base that thought this team was going to be a repeat champion to AFC South. So, again, what they think about what they are and what we do are maybe two different things. But I think the organization would have been publicly destroyed if they started moving pieces as compared to acquiring pieces. It's better to do nothing at all than try to sell some parts off. Yeah, totally fair.

Appreciate you guys. We love listening to the show. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, Anderson, for listening. All right. Ross, we have our buddy George is in the line. George called the show what?

a month ago maybe somewhere around there and I want to give him the space because he does give us a few updates on his life so let's do this let's take a quick timeout get to the second hour of the final hour of the show what's believe it is first up and it says Astros Hospital guy

this is the Matt Thomas show with Ross Matt and Ross with you at 103 Sports Talk 790 the headlines the day the Texas don't not make any moves the deadline we have the college football playoff has been announced, at least for the first go-around of teams that are eligible. Number one is Ohio State.

Two is Indiana, A&M coming at at number three. The Texans are the Longhorns on the outside looking at number 11. But if they can win out, they will be in the tournament, I believe, because BYU and Texas Tech are at 7 and 8. And one of those two teams is going to bounce out because those two teams play each other this weekend. By the way, first time, I want to say, I think I heard 18. years, maybe even longer than that, that game day is going to be in Lubbock for the BYU versus Texas Tech game.

18 years. It could be even longer than that. It's been a while. Shout out, by the way, to ESPN for actually going to a game day that doesn't involve an SEC school. How about that? It was probably a game involving Texas or Oklahoma, I'm going to guess. Probably so.

I'm looking up to see if I can look up in the last Texas Tech had a game day there. In the meantime, I looked up the the Georgia Texas line for next week. Yeah. Georgia are, the Bulldogs are

two and a half point favorites holding right now. Of course, that could change depending on what happens this week. Are you okay with that? That sounds about right, I guess,

don't you think? Minas two and a half on the road against Bulldogs? Arch Manning with a week off clearing the cobwebs? It's not an easy place to play. I mean, yeah,

it's not easy. Georgia's really good. Yeah. 2008, I think, was the last time. Oh, was that the Crabtree game? And that was Texas, before Texas versus Texas Tech. Yeah, that's the Crabtree game. I'm going to throw up.

You're fine. That was a long time ago. You got a national championship since then, right? No. Oh, okay, sorry. All right, 713, 2, 1-2-5-7-9. You know, when in doubt, blame officiating, that's what I like to do. Well, unfortunately, Blake Gideon dropped the pick, and then who didn't make the play?

What is it? Michael Griffin or somebody? I can't even remember. Doesn't matter. You're asking a wrong person. Let's talk to, now George called us from the hospital last time. Quan Cosby got hurt in that game, I think.

All right, let's move on. Did you say Cosby? Did you say, Cosby? Stop, Matt, please. Bill Cosby here. Did you say Cosby? Sorry. So bad. It's so good, actually.

It's actually what, it's actually. gotten better somehow over the years. It's gone from completely horrible and embarrassing to like just bad. Yeah, I've, uh, I've listened to on podcast. I see. I knew you've been practicing. It's not that bad. I knew it. See, it's not that bad bad. I'm going to tell you it's gotten better, Jonathan, but it used to be like embarrassingly bad and now it's just bad. Let's get some pudding bops to the lump, okay? See, you come on now. I crack myself up. I'm sorry, folks. I apologize. Someone called the theme, Matt Thomas Show at Ross Variety Hour.

We're not trying to do that. We're just trying to have a good time. I don't care. You know what? They can shut their bumasses up. Yes, we talk sports, but it's a four-hour show. We're like two buddies sitting around talking sports, and sometimes we get off topic. We're a regular conversation hour.

That's what it is. We're not going to break down too deep. It's just, it's boring-ass radio. We're going to give you some bad Bill Cosman, person. George. George, how you feeling, George? I'm doing great. And whose house?

Your house? Who's house? Mountaineer's house. No, stop it. Who's house? Well, I was just going to talk about the subject to ham, which I guess is the rocket. Correct? Yeah, go ahead.

Anything you want to talk about it. Go ahead, George. The floor is yours. Yeah, so I just wanted to know what you're. predictions are for the finals. I'm thinking that we're getting another championship. I mean, besides Oklahoma,

maybe Boston out of the east, but I think it's going to be us. And I think we're going to, we need to get ready for the parade on Richmond. You know what? I've been on two parades in Richmond before. It's good. It's a good time had by all. One year was really crazy

and one year I behaved myself. So I was I need to go back to my old days, my old young sports MT days. I don't even want to remember those days. I don't even want to remember those days. But anyways, I'm paying for it now up here

in the hospital, but you know I'm a regular. And anyways, I just wanted to hear your thoughts. I was in a list on the radio, but as far as the Texans, I still believe in the Texans. I don't care what people say. I still think we have a shot at the Super Bowl,

or at least going far in the playoffs. The Astros I heard you're talking about. The Astros, I don't think that we've never had a longer window that we've got. And it's because we have a pipeline, the Mexico and the Dominican League. And I don't think that's ever going to change. I think that we let the Dodgers win one this year. And Seattle punked out like they always do. I'm surprised Toronto didn't take it,

but I think that we're going to be, I think youth in sports is about as good as I've ever seen it. And I go back to the, we love you, a blue air, Earl Campbell and, you know, all that. Jeff Vigio Bagwell, Glenn Davis, Jose Canseco, you know, Bagwell, Vigio, Berkman,

And all the way up to Altuva, Altuva is the best. So, yeah, I just wanted to hear your thoughts on everything. You know, I know that's kind of like just, you know, overall subject to hand. But I love your guys' show. Matt Thomas is the best, no matter what people say. Thank you. That means a lot coming from you, George. Thank you very much.

Appreciate that. George, rest up, my friend. By way, Ross, quick question for you. Okay. Your favorite Jose Canseco is an astro moment? When he took steroids? That's fair. Did he mean Jose Al-Tuve?

Well, he didn't he say Canseco too? Jose Cruz? Who did he mean? No, I think he meant to say Al-Tube, and I think he said, ConSenko. That's fine. Thank you, George. Thank you for listening, and thank you for having my back. Unbelievable stuff.

Yeah, I mean, he, again, I think the medication's hitting him a little bit. I think he thinks, did he not say he believes the Texans are still got a a great chance in Super Bowl. He called it the high water mark of Houston sports. Well, let's put things in perspective. The Astros didn't make the playoffs. The Texans are not going to make the playoffs. And my Houston Cougars lost on a buzzer-beater to the national championship game in Florida against Florida. Yeah, not the

high-water market. Not the high-water. We're getting there. I'm sorry, Matt. I think everybody forgot about that game, but you met. We moved past, and you're still grieving. Oh, I'm going to ask I an eagle about it Friday. He called the damn thing. Yeah, I'm not going to pass it. Look, Ross, to me, 40 years,

can't get past five-s-a-jamma losing it to North Carolina State. How much was going to get over that? This was worse because I was actually there. Yeah, they're a big favorite, so in 80s. 83 is worse. 83 is worse, because Florida's really good. Florida was good, but I felt like...

We lived for 38 minutes of the game. 38, like 38 something. Yeah. Yeah, I had, I lost Cougars plus two and a half of that. Thank you. Oh. You know what I'm going to do for you? Did you lost that?

I'm going to get you a violin. Cougars were the better team. I know. Now, Duke was the better team than them, so it washed out. It did wash out. All right. Quick timeout. We're going to come back, and we are going to get some more phone calls.

And plus, Ross, I've got to play a former 790 contributors comments about one of your favorite teams. Oh, really? Pretty happy. Yeah. Willie Fritz, bottom of the hour. Sports Talk 790. 118. The Matt Thomas Show at Ross.

Willie Fritz joining us in a couple of minutes. Right now, we say hi to Stephen on 790. Steven, thanks for holding and good afternoon. Hey, how are you all doing? I moved to Dallas. I moved to Dallas a year ago, so I'm stuck with the ticket up there, and they're terrible. So the stations down here are so much better, and you probably already talked ad nauseum about the O-line on the performance.

My question is, do you have any insight as if Casario is going to be doing the drafting next year and how many picks is he going to use on linemen considering they also need a running back and probably a receiver? Well, unfortunately, they don't give away company secret, Stephen, in the middle of the course of this season. So thank you for the phone call. I'm sorry you have to live in Dallas. That's, you know, hopefully you get a chance to come back here.

Thoughts and prayers. Thoughts and prayers you, Stephen. No, he's not, first of all, general managers don't divulge any sort of information like that. Second of all, they don't even know what they have yet. but yeah, I would have presumed that offensive line will be a huge part of this team's not only drafting needs but perhaps for agent needs. And so I don't want to give you an answer, but there's no possible way in the early

part of November I can give you an answer of what they're going to do except for, hell, maybe please draft some offensive line and actually give a damn about it for once. That's all I would say. They've drafted some, just hadn't worked out. So yeah, if Casero's a general manager, he makes the calls. I mean, I've never heard of a general manager that doesn't control the draft. The general manager controls the roster. The coach coaches the roster, but the general manager is in charge of the roster, creating it.

Last four years, Kenyon Green, first round pick. Bust. Juice Scruggs, second round pick? About to be a bust. Blake Fisher, second round pick. Bust for second round, for sure. Arionte Ursery, second round pick. Those are the linemen taken in the top.

two rounds the last four years. Yeah. We're not, no great on him yet. If we made a magic wand and all four of those were hits, this would be a great offensive line. They're just missing. Yeah. Yeah. Whoever is in charge, and my guess is that the scarring department is split up

into... You made two of those guys hits, two of those guys. Yeah. But right now you are looking at an 0 for 4. 0 for 3 with an incomplete. But Ersery's been beat up a little bit this year. I mean, he's been getting... They've been bringing those six linemen in Ross, and it hasn't helped. Yeah.

Well, yeah, they do play action off that. That's kind of been a league-wide thing. A lot of teams in the league are bringing in the six offensive linemen and then going with... And that makes the other team bring in their like... Bring in a heavier personnel, and then they play play action off of that. Yep, yeah.

It's not fair for Urstery. There's no way we're judging him this year. Because, first of all, my guess is he's probably played more Rossi than he probably should have because of the fact there were... You got rid of Tunsell, you had injuries. Yeah, it's... More of his been asked of him, but, yeah, I mean... moving positions all over the field.

I mean, yeah, let the young man settle into one position and don't move him. All right. As promised, we used to have Joel Cloud on the show. Joel, who does the number one Fox game every week, which is usually a mid-range Big Ten game. Poor Fox. They spend a lot of money, and they get garbage games.

They had true. So, Ohio State. Yeah, they had that. I mean, it feels like they get some good games on the Big Noon kickoff, right? Some, but does Kirk Herb should ever do a dog game? No, he always gets the best. Well, they get the whole SEC slayed, so they're going to have, like, usually three good games a week, minimum.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like Fox's best game is like SEC is on ESPNU. I mean, you know what I mean? Like, for instance, let me see who they're playing. Let me see who they're calling this week. This is big, the big ten. And my point is this, Joel used to be on the show until we ran out, you know,

he asked for too much money and we said goodbye, which is fine. I mean, you do what you do. I mean, it's business. It's all good. Yeah. Hey, mad at him. No, that's fine. Okay, yeah, it's his game, which is the number one Fox game this week, is, I mean, Indiana at Penn State.

I mean, it is what it is. Indiana's number two in the country. Penn State's going to play in the Nashville. I'll be on Fox 4K. I love those Fox 4K games. Chris Fowlerkerk, Herbstreet are doing BYU, Texas Tech in Lubbock. How about that? They're getting the A crew for the game in Lubbock.

How about that? Wow. So, Joel Clatt has a podcast, and it's very good if you like college football. And he was asked about whether or not the University of Texas can get to the playoff. And here was his response. The biggest takeaway from these rankings is Texas at 11. Texas as a 9 and 3, as the committee is telling us, is absolutely alive for the playoff. When I see where they're sitting, I absolutely get it.

Number one, their loss was the opening week of the season, one of their losses, to Ohio State on the road, which is right now the number one team in the country as the committee views it. And here's something that you have to understand is that behind closed doors, the strong push is to make sure that we're valuing teams that schedule difficult non-conference games. Well, Texas scheduling the Ohio State game, the committee is not going to want to knock them for that. They're not going to want to put them down for losing that game on the road, the opening week of the season with a brand new quarterback.

Some people agree with that. don't, okay? That's fine. I agree with that. We need to get to a place in college football where we encourage games like that in the non-conference. And guess what? Texas has so much ammunition left on their schedule that them being at 11 right now, they're still in a good position, whether they went out or not. Now, they can't go eight and four, obviously. But they still have two monster games in the SEC right now left on their schedule in their last three. They've got to go to Georgia, November 15th, then they're going to have Arkansas at home and Texas A&M at home. So bang.

My biggest takeaway, again, is the committee is telling us that a 9-3 Texas team is not only in the mix, but maybe likely in. I totally agree with him. I don't think you do, but I think the value of beating Georgia and or A&M plus what he's saying of playing Ohio State in week one get you in. Now, again, here's the problem, Ross. The Texas victories this year had been far from sexy, right? You had to hold on late to beat Vanderbilt.

The non-conference schedule did you no favors. Yeah, Vanderbilt was top ten, though. And they... Yeah, I was. The OU game was... That game was never in danger. It just wasn't. The Vanderbilt game wasn't in danger.

They had to come back with a furious 21 points in the fourth quarter. Sark played not to lose, and they couldn't get a first down. And I never felt like that game was in danger. I'm just going to be honest. Okay. Okay, that's fine. So you have two really awesome... victories on your slate in the most difficult college football conference.

I buy it. You beat Georgia or A&M. One of the two, you'll have three top 15 wins on your record. The chips will fall where they may. Do you lose at Georgia? How bad do you lose at Georgia? How does the team look? Then obviously, and look, you have to take, I'm not going to call it like a trap game

or anything like that, but a home versus Arkansas sandwich in between the those two big matchups certainly can get overlooked. So you have to win at home against Arkansas. I know everybody's just chocking that up as an easy win, but who knows? Anything can happen? And then, so you at least at the minimum I have to split the two games and they have to be close. Your loss has to be close to whichever one you lose to. And honestly, probably at Georgia and then home for A&M for a couple of reasons.

Because you're at home and because of recency bias, suffering the loss at Georgia and then winning home at A&M, convincingly or not, we'll see if they even were able to win that game, obviously. It remains to be seen. I mean... I just don't... I can't imagine Texas going to Alabama or to Georgia losing 35 to 7. They could... Probably not, but we'll see.

I didn't think they were going to get destroyed the way that they did at Florida. Kentucky. They honestly, I mean, they held on for dear life at Kentucky, held on for dear... It was a fear... They got lucky in that game against Mississippi. I mean, I'll be the first one to tell you. They should not have been back in that game. Mississippi State, I mean, choked and gagged in that game.

So the wins aren't nearly as impressive when you're all the close game. The ranked wins are good, but Kentucky and Mississippi State, those are almost embarrassing wins. And we'll see what happens against Georgia and A&M and how close those games are. So, many chips still in the air. Where the Longhorns are at number 11, I think is a good sign. If they were at, say, 15 Ross, I think you'd be able to be. be much more nervous than you should be. I'm not that nervous. And don't

get embarrassed in one of those two. They're not good enough to win at all, so I'm not that nervous. I was nervous last year because I thought they could win it all. Two years ago, I thought I was nervous because I thought they could win it all. I just don't think they're good enough this year, so we'll see. I get you. All right, let's talk to Willie Fritz next.

128 on Sports Talk 790. Two on the Matt Thomas show with Rossum here in Memphis. For Rockets and Grizzlies tonight. Let's go back to Houston for a few minutes. Hi to the head football coach of our Houston Cougars. Willie Fritson is presented to you by the Joint Chiropractor, the official chiropractor of a Houston Cougar athletics.

Coach, I always like to ask you about the film study with the kids after a loss disappointing against West Virginia. What was that like? How long did you look at it and how long did you hit the erase file after breaking down that game against the Mountaineers? Well, we're playing this Friday, so we had a little bit of a different week. kicked everything up a day and you know, we came in on Sunday and we watched

the tape, you know, we didn't get through all of it, but we wanted to move on ahead to Central Florida our punt this Friday, but we wanted to look at some of the mistakes we made and you know, kind of put it to bed. You know, sometimes people when they have a tough game, they just don't really

address it. We want to make sure we addressed it and don't do that again. That's, we've had way too many turnovers. Minutes four, turnover, takeaway, margin and on your minus four you have a tough time winning the game. On the turnover front, trying to make things happen, carelessness, a little bit of both, do you dissect turnovers as all turnovers being equal or do you go, all right, I see what

you were trying to do there, but unfortunately, things in that work out to our advantage. Sometimes that, hey, it just happens, you know, there was a hole through a goal ball, to Harvey and, you know, the ball got kicked up in the air, a guy came over and got an interception on it. You know, the part of it was tough was, you know, we didn't make the tackle on it. The guy, I'm getting about another 20,

25 yards on the play. But, you know, we feel like no turnover is a good turnover. We just want to stay even as much as possible. And, you know, all the games we've won this year, we've been even or plus, the two games we've lost. We've been minus.

My career is head coach. I've got one, 91% of the games, and we've been plus one or better. So it's a pretty good barometer on your success in the team. I've had a chance to talk to a couple of your D-Lyman. I'm sure they were very disappointed with the run defense against some mountaineers as well, correct? Yeah, they ran the ball well against us. They really did.

Miss some tackles, but they had a few plays. We just didn't fit up, right? Some plays out on the perimeter. And I did a good job and keep going back to it until we got it fixed. But we're going to have to play a lot better against the run this weekend. and central floor has got a couple good backs. You play with good leverage, you know, do a good job of tackling. If you play leverage, you know, they might get a play on you here or there,

but it's not going to be a big one. And that's what happened to us last Saturday, had a few big ones. You mentioned the short week. So what gets, does everything get sped up? Is there something that doesn't, that gets omitted, or is it just a case of just less recovery time? Yeah, a little less recovery time. We came in on Sunday.

We actually did a team yoga with everyone. buddy after we watched the film. You know, and then Monday it was kind of like a Tuesday. Tuesday was kind of like Wednesday, et cetera, going through the week. You know, you want to be careful not to do too much, you know. As a younger head coach, we try to fit it all in and, you know, a shorter amount of time.

And sometimes, you know, done a lot of guys who recover and be fresh and friskeys and wanted to be on, you know, game day. So there were some of the important things we wanted to get done. Our big work day was yesterday. We had a good workout this morning, and then tomorrow will be like a regular day before ball game, where we basically, you know, it's kind of a jog through, walk through, all the different things, and then we do a lot of meeting the day before the game. So we don't want to get too much of a different schedule.

You mentioned, Willie, yoga. When did you incorporate that into your program? Was that from a strength and conditioning coach? Was that from somebody that you used to work with? and how do the kids, how do 18 and 19-year-olds embrace yoga in 2025? They kind of like it. You know, we'll do it as, you know, we're going to be flying to the game tomorrow. It's going to be a couple-hour flight.

When we get off the plane, we get to the hotel, that's the first thing we'll do. We'll put our bags in the room. Everybody will get in this big ballroom and we'll do yoga. About 20, 30 minutes in duty, you can hear some guys snoring. You know, get some relaxed a little bit. You know, we kind of did a little bit different on Sunday. It's more to speed up the recovery process. There's some different things that our strength coaches did with it.

And, you know, guys felt like they felt better on Monday when we came out and had a practice. I'm curious, do the 300-pound lineman like the yoga, too, or is that more than the skill position players embrace it? They enjoy it. They really do. You know, Coach Haster, you know, talked about a lot. he went and got certified, and he does the same thing for all of them. You know, and his strength coaches, we've got a couple of them that are certified doing it for us. And, you know, the big guys, they seem to enjoy it just as much as the smaller guys do.

And I think it's good for us to incorporate it with the whole team. Some of the coaches even jump in there and get into it as well. Are you doing it yourself? No, I am not. I'm a senior. I had to ask. You know that, right? I had to ask those things. Hey, I understand. The UCF Knights only scored three points against Florida,

turned the ball over, punted a lot. I mean, basically, that's good tape for your kids to look at saying, hey, we show up like we normally do defensively. We can stop this UCF offense. Yeah, they kind of ended off week, kind of like we had an off week. The week before, they played West Virginia got it after big time. So, you know, I don't think that's indicative of their season so far. They've had a tough schedule early in the season.

I guess week three, they got out for North Carolina. Pretty good. You know, just a team that doesn't make a whole lot of mistakes, but just like us last week, they made a lot of mistakes against Baylor. So offense, defense, kicking game. They haven't given up much many points defensively. Offensively, they do a good job running the ball. We've got to prove that we've fixed what was broken last week.

And we've got a couple really good return guys. So we're going to have to do a nice job with our coverage units. You've had to be overall very pleased with your special teams group in 2025, correct? There's been some good stuff here. Ethan Sanchez, 16 and 19 on field goals, which is excellent. We've done a good, solid job and kickoff and punt coverage. You know, we're still looking for that, you know, big return, whether it's part return or kick return.

We've had a couple blocks. We've done a nice job with. I think we look at this deal called Pro Football Focus, PFF, and they rank everybody. I think we're second or third out of 16 teams right now in kicking game overall, which is good. But we feel like we can really improve in the return part of the game. Lastly, Coach, look, you got a week off after this.

then you've got the TCU Baylor to close out the regular season. And the bowl situation will settle itself. But I would think, and not that you need must-wins at any point, but to have this game for you against this UCF team, get on the road your last legitimate plane flip trip, getting out there to get the victory would be a great way for these guys to kind of segue into the final two weeks of the season. Yeah, well, it would be a great way to go into the by week.

You know, all of them are must-wins for us. We've always felt that way. You know, it's going to be a big, challenge. They're a good ball club. We got to between both of us, it's going to kind of see who rebounds first. We want to start good. I don't think

we have started good for three or four. We did one game against our Arizona State, but some other weeks we did not start very good. So we want to really do a great job in the first quarter we've been working on our openers. We really start the game

off with the bang. Willie, thank you for the time, as always safe. travels to central Florida and we'll talk again in a couple weeks hopefully celebrating a victory against UCF thanks for the time you bet you thank you go coogs okay you got it willie fritz joining us here thanks to our friends at the joint chiropractic the official chiropractor of the university of houston athletics all right 141 on sports talk 790 we had a fun show today lots of good conversation lots of different things remember rockets are going to take on the grislies this evening at seven o'clock right here on sports talk 790 uh and earlier today we had a conversation

about a neighboring state. Matter of fact, I think it was let off because of a guy that called about telling somebody to shut their bum asses up. So if you listened to the show earlier today, you know exactly what the category is for today's edition of Believe it or Not. Man in America, Matt Thomas, Matt Troy, reckless, ratchet, and don't give a fuck. 148 on the Matt Thomas show with Ross,

wrapping up today's show. Reminder tomorrow, we've got a busy program. We'll have EMA Doka with us for a few minutes. hopefully celebrating a rocket's victory against Memphis. Let's see. I want to look at the injury report. Again, Stephen Adams still questionable. Jabari Smith is questionable.

Ross, Olivier Maxens Prosper, unavailable tonight. He was governor, I believe. G.G. Jackson is unavailable tonight. PJ Hall is unavailable tonight. Javon Small unavailable tonight. No small and no hall. By the way, you know who the starting center is? Wait, who are they playing again?

The Memphis Grizzics? Zach Eady. He's hurt. Oh. Jack Landell. Oh, good for them. And I think I wrote this down. Let's see.

He averages 11 points and five rebounds a game. Huh. It's not bad. He has 10 of 18 from 3 so far this year. Oh, one quick NBA note, by the way. You were talking about former Rockets made me think. Where are these people that were saying Cam Whitmore was going to be in Star in Washington? I have been looking at Twitter.

Is there anything definitive or just a lot of opinion out there? Well, apparently he was benched. He was benched by the coach. And people are already upset with him in Washington. Well, I mean... The fans already want him traded. Here's a reality. He just doesn't listen to anybody.

I mean, that's just the truth. I mean, he just didn't give a damn. I mean, he can score. But he got Surly and Villanova is one year there. If you don't play hard for E.M. He's going to sit your ass on the bench. And we've not hidden that fact, right? I don't even think EMA's ever hidden that fact.

Let's see. There's a Twitter account called Wizards Film Room. So Brian Keefe is the Wizards coach, yelling to slow it down as Whitmore drove into a crowd in transition and turned it over. Keith immediately pulled him from the game for Will Riley. Let's see. By the way, I got breaking news. PJ Hall, Gigi Jackson, Olivier Maxens Prosper are now all available, as is Javon small.

I just got that. How about that? Oh, wow. Huge, huge stuff. We'll be breaking it down on the Rockets launch pad. I didn't mean interrupt you. I apologize. What were you saying about?

No, it's fine. I mean, Wizards fans are upset with Kim Whitmore already. Are there Wizard fans, period? There are, believe it or not. Not. What a sad franchise. I mean, growing up watching Elvin Hayes and Wes Unselled, Gus Williams, if you're an OGMBA fan, you loved, like, the 19, late 70s Wizard Bullets.

But they've sucked for like 30 years. It's been a sad run for them. They've been a running joke for a first. How long? last time they won the playoffs. And then they changed their name. They changed their uniform colors. The horrible name.

Horrible. I mean. The wizards? I mean, come on. The wizards. I mean, the bullets I kind of get you kind of had to because we were in that world where people were obviously being very sensitive. It's still the Red River Shootout, by the way.

Yeah. And I still call them the Bronx bombers. Can we, we can still do that, right? I guess. Oh, they made the playoffs in 21. At 34 and 38. All right. That will conclude our Wizards conversation for today.

Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play America's fastest-growing sports radio game show. We simply call it B. Believe it or not, and here's how it works. You call 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790. Today's edition of Believe or not is whether or not this person is a former Louisiana governor

or current Division 1 athlete. Now, Ross, do you want to say these names because this is your favorite thing to do? You want me to just read the names? I think you should, and I will comment, but this is your bit. This is of all things. This should be you.

You want me to say the name, and then you'll say the rest? Correct. Okay. So Ross will say a name. I closed the document. I'll put it back up. Go ahead. I'll explain.

Ross will say a name. If it was really a former governor, you'll say this. Believe it. If it's not, it's a current division one athlete in the state, so thus you will say this. Not. Two, believe or not, it's in a row. Get you tickets for Trans-Siberia, get you tickets to see Sting or a 790 t-shirt.

Here we go. Let's play, believe it, or not. We'll start with Davis and Lafayette on the Matt Thomas show of Ross. Davis, you ready to play, believe it or not? Yes, believe it. Go. Ross. Russell.

Babineau. Elected in 1920. Believe it or not. Believe it. No. Wide receiver for the raging Cajuns in your own hometown. Duh. Duh.

You don't follow raging Cajuns. Paul on 790. You're ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Let's go. Hayes Fouke, elected 1878. Not. Not.

Yeah, he's an LSU offensive lineman. Gordi would have gotten that one. Name number two. Grant Fonono, elected in 1921. Believe it? No, there's a pitcher for LSU baseball. Duh. This is one of my favorite ones of the year.

Ike on 790. Ike, what was your favorite part of today's 10-2 radio show? I'm just listening to you guys. Oh, right. Jeez. At least give a half-ass effort. Yeah, try at least next time. Try, kid, try.

All right, baby. Alexander Mouton elected in 1843. Not. Believin. Yes. How do you not know that? Duh. Nuttai would definitely be a governor.

Gary on 7.90. Gary, you ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. We got Jacques Nupri now elected in 1830. Believe it or not. Believe it. Aim number two for the win. We got Dwayne Primo, elected in 1893.

Believe it. No, it's a pitcher for LSU baseball. Why don't you all the LSU pitching staff in front of you? Dwayne Primal go pitching now for them new character for them all tigers now. Andrew on 790, ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Now we got Princeton-Milesh. He was elected in 1893.

Not. Yeah, I messed up. Yeah, you didn't sell it very high. I was a linebacker for LSU. Name number two for the wind. I didn't write down that. I didn't complete this completely. Sorry, my bad.

All right, now we got Paul Abell. You're elected in 1853. Believe it. Paul A. Bill. No, because I, shush. This is the first winner. Shut your bum ass up. There's been eight.

All right. All right. All right. Go ahead, Al. We got here in Timbertoe now. He was elected in 1824. Believe it. Name number two for the win.

All right now we got Wai Fonanol. He was elected in 1936. Not. Not. He's a linebacker at McNeice. There we go. You better watch out Wai Fonanonon on coming down the middle now, baby.

Imagine what have I played for any of those teams in the state. Oh, my God. It's actually harder to find. I think in the air of the transfer portal, it was harder to find Cajun named at D1 athletes than I thought. But you didn't. I'm so proud of it. All right. Up next, it's

Adam Wexedo and Adam Clinton do. Anton. Antoine. A team. Up next, both talk 790. Yeah.