The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Texans Lose To Chiefs, Tank Dell Out For Season, Debate On CFP Format, 'Fantasy 5' RETURNS

Episode Date: December 23, 2024

Matt Thomas of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" and Dan Mathews of "The A-Team" recap the Houston Texans losing 27-19 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.J. Stroud provide an update on Tank Dell, who suffered a significant knee injury in the third quarter. Matt and Dan also:discuss the future of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowikreact to Kirk Herbstreit's take on the College Football Playoffbreak down the Rockets defeating the Toronto Raptors 114-110compete in the "Fantasy Five" of top Christmas songsplay "To Tell The Truth" and more.

Launch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. 10-01 in H-Town. Good morning, everybody. And welcome to a Monday edition of the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Ross is off today in New Orleans. Going to get back in tonight and he and I will reunite tomorrow for the Christmas Eve edition of the program. Dan Matthews is stepping in today for Sports RV.

And look forward to hanging out with him and hanging out with you guys. on this Christmas Eve, it feels like that thankfully we had no traffic today. It doesn't matter to me because I'm in Charlotte, North Carolina, freezing my ass off, but that's a different issue for a different time. We have a busy show for you today. I know a lot of you are doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. And if you want to be like our unofficial traffic reporters

and tell us what malls are crazy or one or not, we will take your correspondence on the show today. we will also take your correspondence on a variety of issues on the Houston sports scene, which would include the fact that Houston Texans have to play another football game in two days. I don't know if they're going to be able to suit up enough players, especially in the wide receiving corps. My goodness. This whole thing about three games in 11 days, you know, and look,

the NFL is hypocritical. The players are hypocritical. They can complain about the season. scheduling. They can complain about the short weeks. They can complain about a variety of things about not giving themselves enough time to heal their bodies, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. The reality is every one of these NFL players at the end of the day is going to take part in and enjoy part of the immense amount of money that these television networks are giving out for these players to play these odd schedules. So I don't feel too, too bad for any of them. For two things, one, they

to collect a huge check off of these television deals, which now includes a double header on Wednesday. Secondly, if you're a Texans fan and you have been asking for the Texans to get some serious national television run, well, you certainly are getting that after Saturday's game in Kansas City, all the Monday night games this year, the Sunday night games, and now the Wednesday Christmas Day game. So my point is this, I don't think you can have it both ways. You just can't. You can't have it both ways. You can't say we enjoy the money, but we don't enjoy the price that it comes with.

And that's why you're going to continue to see different ways for the National Football League to try to bring in additional money, whether it is having every team play at least one game overseas, which I think is ultimately going to come. I think you're going to see eight home games in the United States. You're going to see eight road games in the United States. You're going to see that 17th game against a team, and you're going to play it in Spain. or you're going to play it in France, or you're going to play it in London, or you're going to play it in Brazil.

I think at some point, I don't know when it's going to be, but everybody's going to have to go internationally because the NFL wants to make as much money as they can, and they've basically tapped out in all of the U.S. ports. Now it's got to go find some international waters where you can put all those games on national TV and put them on at strange times, and then you can sell a TV package to another TV network

to, say, every morning at 9 o'clock or 8.30 central time, you can put a game on. So that's just the reality. They're always trying to find the next revenue stream. And you know who doesn't care? Roger Adele doesn't care. And certainly the 32 owners don't care. And at the end of the day, the players don't care.

Because, you know, a certain level of finances goes to the players, and it's based off of league revenue. Well, league revenue is where it's at and continues to get all this. I mean, I think what is Netflix getting, paying $10 million for two games or something like crazy like that? I mean, it's, it ain't much. I mean, I shouldn't say any much. It's a lot for broadcasting two games.

And remember, if you are a non-netflix subscriber, do not worry your game is going to be on local television. Every time you have a game on a streaming service or cable, they have to find an over-the-air television station. So if you're a Netflixer, do not worry. Well, it's worry about buffering. You'll be able to see the game locally. I think it's on Channel 11, but don't hold me too.

that one of the local TV stations has the game so yeah kh i use going to have it okay there you go so uh yeah i i know the story line is this isn't fair dan i know the story line is this is cruel to the NFL players but when the checks come in they start to divvy out the money nobody worries about this it's it's it's a faux outrage to me playing three games in 11 days and i and i i do believe it should be outrageous i do believe it is ridiculous i do believe you are asking you are putting players player safety in in serious conversation. But just like my man, the million-dollar man said, Dan Matthews, everybody has a price. That includes the NFL and its players association.

Well, I thought you were going to go with, if you don't do the job, you don't get paid. I thought that's the deba-c line you were going to go with. Remember, you know, the kid dribbling to basketball, then Virgil stuck his foot out? I know. I could have gone either direction. But remember, everybody's got a price. Sorry about that. One of the best heels that there was.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Ted DiBiase. I prefer to remember Ted DiBiase is a Mid-South guy, but he obviously became a superstar when he was the million-dollar man with the WWF. So there you have it. It is weird, though, Dan. You know, the Texans played on Saturday, and here we are on a Monday. We have Christmas Day Wednesday.

So really, we have just kind of got today and tomorrow to kind of get into the next game. where meanwhile I feel like and you're back home and I'm not so I don't have the pulse of the city of Houston with my local buddies that this is this feels extraordinarily rushed at on top of the fact you're still having to worry about tank Dell situation you have got other guys that were that were being banged up against Kansas City on Saturday if there's any time for the team not to have a short week this would be the absolute worst possible opportunity to do so I mean it's one of those that you don't really have time to be

annoyed and outraged with how Saturday went because there was a good amount to be both with because yet again it was a game that you let slip away, that you were in position to possibly be able to at any time take over it

and win and now I mean, you know, as you said, the short turnaround, it's already on to Baltimore. So you have to worry about beating a team that I don't, if the Texans ever, either in the postseason or in the regular season ever beaten the Ravens? All I can remember is postseason games, and none of them come to mind that are very particularly

entertaining. I mean, and the chances, I don't know what the percentages are. I know there's somebody's doing this, but it's going to be pretty much either going to be Pittsburgh or Baltimore for the Texans in the playoffs. I mean, I know the Chargers can kind of slip in there. I think Denver's got an outside slot, but I think Cincinnati, even if they make the playoffs, would be the last of the wild cards to get in. It's either going to be Pittsburgh or Baltimore with a slight chance of the Chargers and a slight chance of the Broncos.

Tell me how you're going to beat Lamar Jackson two times in the next four weeks. I don't see it. I mean, it's just, it's unfortunate. I mean, you know, I was talking about it over the weekend during the game of it seems like with this Texans team this year. You need a really big offensive series. You don't get it. You need Kaimi Fairbairn to make a kick in a really huge situation. It doesn't happen.

You need the defense to get off the field and you need them to be able to give your offense a chance to get back in this game. It just doesn't happen. And look, I mean, some teams are kind of snake-bitten that way. And this seems like it's a team that like it or not, they're 9 and 6, their division champs. It's all nice. But I heard Rex Ryan talking about it yesterday on NFL countdown on ESPN. And I have to agree with them. I don't trust this team to win.

I don't. And you know, it's funny because they have. been a lot of people, and I would put myself included that it was just like, you know, it's an, it's an eight and five, it's a six and five, I mean, it's a six and four team, it's a seven and five team, it's an eight and five, it's nine and five team. But the city, Houston, except for the bonehead YouTube, uh, want to be radio host that think this team was like on a new stratosphere. No one, no one, no one's, no one's, no one's feeling the vibe. I'm not talking about going to the game and cheering and rooting for them. That's a different. But no one is feeling the vibe of

this is a deep playoff team. And I don't know where it went wrong. Did it go wrong with Stefan Diggs getting hurt? Did it go wrong with the Texans' offensive line underperforming? Did it go wrong with Jalen Petrie being done for the year? I mean, tell me, Dan, in your mind, where did it go wrong? Where did we ever, where did we stop losing the faith that this team was going to go from a team that could legitimately play for an AFC championship, not win it, but get there,

to a team that's probably going to be won and done in the playoffs? probably of the options you just gave out, I'd say the offensive line, because I mean, that's, you know, Stefan Diggs, he was nice, but he wasn't a difference maker for you. Like, he was somebody that, I guess, was a good help out there in terms of being able to take some pressure off of Nico Collins. But especially now that Tank Dells out, it's all Nico Collins. Because Dalton Schultz, nice player. You're not going to win because of Dalton Schultz. You can win with Dalton Schultz. And I, I mean, you know, Xavier Worthy.

I wish you had Xavier Worthy. Xavier Hutchison, if you have John Mechie out there, anybody else, they're not going to be enough to be able to take the pressure off of the tandem of Nico Collins and Joe Mixon. And they can only do so much. And you couple that with an offensive line that's even more banged up. And I guess we'll find out from the Miko Ryans in terms of the status of Shaq Mason and also, too, as well. juice scrugs. Yeah, juice scrugs as well. And then Fisher came back into the game, right? If I'm remembering correctly, I think he did.

Yeah, not listening to the injury report. Jimmy Ward is a guy that I also got banged up in the KC game as well. Right. I mean, you know, so I mean, that's the thing is your offensive line is everything for your team. If you don't have an offensive line, forget getting to the water. You're dead on land. And, I mean, that's been the problem is when you've really needed them to be able to provide enough protection for C.J. Stroud to make a throw down the field. And it's not even about,

you know, at this point, Matt, him having enough protection. That first interception he threw, that was on CJ. He had the protection. He doesn't trust his guys. And if I'm not mistaken, too, didn't we see another quick snap that almost got him in the game? And it looked like he was pretty frustrated with Jared Patterson of, hey, like, we went over this. We went through this. Like, why did this just happen again? What's going on? It's because the offensive line just has never been cohesive. It's gotten a little bit better the last couple weeks, but by no means, I mean, he's been set with second

most sack quarterback in the NFL this year. It doesn't count the hurries. It's just been, it's been an underperforming group, and I think that's a storyline. You can't win if you can't protect your quarterback. No. It's just a simple reality. Not to dumb it down,

but this is a team that has had weekend and week out with the exception of maybe one or two different sequences, a team, that has had a superstar quarterback, not running for his life, but feeling like he's got to get rid of the football, maybe a scotch earlier than he wants to, maybe he has to elude the press rush perhaps one or two more times than he should.

And look, every NFL quarterback goes to this. But there has never been a confidence feeling that in the pocket, C.J. Stroud can go through his progressions, that can find the second receiver that has enough time to throw the football. It has been a storyline for this year. And it's, frankly, a huge indictment against whoever, created this offensive line and didn't try to address it at the trade deadline. Our time is 1014.

It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Dan Matthew stepping in today to tell the truth is coming up at 1130. Dan will have the news at noon. We've got Domingo speaking today. I believe CJ is going to speak today. And if we can get into those conversations, we will do that. Plus, we have a fantasy five today of Christmas songs. I am not a big Christmas music fan, as you guys know.

but today is a day that Dan and I go mono-a-mano on our list of favorite Christmas songs. We'll have it for you at 120, and you guys will judge that. And then believe it or not today, kind of a sad one, RIP to Ricky Henderson, who passed over the weekend, we'll honor him as part of today's edition of Believe it or Not. Lots to get to today, 713, 212-790. 7-13-212-5-790. I'm Matt here in Charlotte with the Rockets last night, one in Toronto. we've got college football disappointments as well.

All that here on a Monday edition of the Matt Thomas Show, Ross, on Sports Talk 790. More Matt Thomas show with Ross. Now on Sports Talk 790. Don't get used to this today and tomorrow. That's it. I've heard your rules. What? Yeah, I mean, I need my channel's back.

I listen to Soul Town with Smokey on that serious XM. It's Christmas Soul Town. I don't want that. It's Christmas classic country right now. I like Christmas music for two days a year, today and tomorrow, and maybe a little bit of Christmas, but that's about it. You're so off, man. As soon as Thanksgiving passes, I am all about the Christmas music. Really?

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, not like every day. I mean, you do need a break from it, but, I mean, for the most part, driving around, Christmas shopping, stuff like that. I mean, you know, especially today on the roadway. which a fair warning to everybody here on the Houston Roadways. A lot of people took stupid pills this morning. I'm going to leave it at that.

Sorry, we're calling you out. Connor and I are calling you out. Connor said there was no issues for him going to work today. It depends on what part of town, though. If you're on any outlet mall or shopping area, it's going to be crazy. Yeah. So where I was coming from, there wasn't much track. It was, for me, you know, coming from the north side,

it was approaching where we're not far from the gallery. And it was pretty backed up. And for reasons I don't know why. you know why it is i think it's because engineering wise we just didn't get it right the first time i'm just there i mean like my my least favorite little thoroughfare is the 59 south heading into downtown just shy of georgia brown it is always snarled there i mean it could be one o'clock in a morning or one o'clock in the afternoon on sunday and it's just gridlock no it's it's the same way right here the west wall of uh the the loop right outside of our

building. It's right there before the post-Oak exits. It's always really a bottlenecked right there and it's not fun. But, I mean... It's never going to change, Dan. Do you realize that? I mean, that's the saddest thing is we could bitch and moan about it for the rest of our adult lives. It's not going to change. Well, it was

also, too, as I left my house, you know, I was going to be here in plenty of time and then I stopped at a fast food spot. I'm not even going to do the rhyming scheme just to get something really quick because I don't think I'm going to be able to get away for for lunch today. So, you know, needed to be able to get some sort of sustenance before eating later on tonight.

And I waited at this spot for about 20 minutes to get a simple biscuit and a drink. Hmm, simple biscuit and a drink. I believe it rhymes with McMollay. Am I right about that? No, no, no, no. It is not them. If anything, efficiency would have taken over and I probably would have been out of there in five minutes. Well, lesson learned.

713-212-5-790 if you want to chime in today 7-13-212-5-790 let's start our conversation today with Travis and cypress on the Matt Thomas show Ross Travis good morning thank you for holding oh it's Trevon All right hello Trevon I knew that I know you did hey Merry Christmas fellas I love you I wanted to kind of thank you I wanted to kind of take it back to Ted DiBiase If you don't remember Ted DiBiasey wrestling at San am used in Coliseum with the glove, right? Quote-unquote, the glove. That actually knocked out Andre the Giant, right?

You're not a wrestling fan. All right, that's just my take on that part. Listen, three games in 11 days is the travesty. We had a litany of injuries. I mean, people were dropping off like flies, not to mention the tank tail part, you know, alone. Of course, that game was over. That game was over after Tang's El got injured.

I mean, nobody could get their heads in the game. We had it in, you know, our grasp, even though the Kansas City Chiefs, I'm sorry, the Kansas City reps, you know, were trying to put it against us. We were still in that game. And I think even, you know, refs accounted for, we still could have won that game. Unfortunately, you know, Tank got hurt. And I guess my final thing is just that. that I was really surprised.

Look, I get it. You know, I'm way over. There's no crying in football. You know what? That was his brother, right? Imagine if that was your son, you know, getting injured like that. I'd probably be the exact same way. I was a little bit surprised that he was broken down like that.

You know, he literally almost barely couldn't get his head in the game. But I mean, dang, even the guy that hit him on the crowding round, I think that was Hutchinson. I think he was in worse condition than CJ. So I just feel like we didn't have a chance after that. But, you know, guess what? You know, it's okay. Hopefully we get our heads together against Baltimore.

But, I mean, dang, our receiving chorus bust it now, man. I mean, you thought going into the season that it was going to be Diggs, tank, right, Nico, and now it's just kind of down to Nico. I mean, what do you got to talk about, man? Yeah. I'm going to hang up. Listen, Merry Christmas. We'll see you guys. Thank you, Sharon. Appreciate it.

Appreciate it. The reality is, Dan, it is down to. It's Dalton Schultz is the second most go-to guy, right? I mean, that's what it felt like to me in the second half of that game. It was steady diet of Nico and Dalton. That's it. It shouldn't be because, I mean, the last two games, and I didn't see, you know, what the targets were for Joe Mixon, but if you're having trouble running the football, that needs to be your second option. Because what did we hear about all offseason before he even played his first snap? with the Texans. How good he is the backfield. Okay, well, then use him because you see how good he is running the football. You know what he means to you in that way. And he was okay running the

ball on Saturday. What was it? 14 carries, 57 yards. And he had that one 22 yard run. Okay, that's nice. But I mean, get him more involved in the passing game. And I mean, I'm looking at the receiving numbers and he was targeted twice. So, okay, then that's, you. That's, your charge now. As D'Amico Ryan's is meeting with Bobby Sloak and the offensive staff, find a way to get him the football. He is one of our best players when he

has the ball in his hands. That is your charge this week. Find a way. It doesn't have to just be a straight up turn around and hand the football off. Get him involved in the passing game. I don't care what you need to do. That's your job this week. Yeah, but okay, so you're saying that and it makes

a lot of sense. Don't you think that Baltimore is going to game plan for that? I mean, they should if they're being smart, but I mean, it's also, though, too. Like I said, with Dalton Schultz. Nice player. You're not going to win because of Dalton Schultz. It's just not going to happen. He needs to be probably at best year.

Well, Hutchison's not going to scare anybody. Cade Stover doesn't play right now. I mean, what, I mean, Metchy is in and out. I mean, this is where depth becomes a problem. You just don't have enough players. This is the wrong time of year.

I guess. I mean, he was one of the higher targeted guys. He got thrown two, six times. He pulled in three. I mean, he in effect becomes your tank dell now. I mean, that, and they had been kind of interchanging with return duties. So, yeah, guess what,

Robert Woods? You're, you know, you're running out. Here's a problem, Dan, and this is all honesty. You're running out of bullets. This is just, I mean, the tank Dell injury just could not, first of all, there's never a good time for it. But to have it this late in the air with already you know,

Stefan being out for the year. Tell me a team in the NFL, Dan, that lose its two of its top three receiving guys, and you're not severely suffering from a passing game perspective. No, I get that. And, I mean, the only time that I can see a team

that had a ton of attrition, and they were able to overcome it was 2011 with the Green Bay Packers, where it seemed like their entire roster was injured. And you're like, God, how are they pulling this off right now? Wait, whoa, whoa, you just pulled a 2011 card? I mean, that's the last one that I can remember of a team that really went through a lot of attrition when it came to injuries.

Did you think about this ahead of time? I didn't give you this question like 20 minutes ago. No, I just came top of mind. Hmm. I just remember that team that, I mean... That's a, I mean, first of all, props to you, but that's a rando poll. Well, I mean, but the point is,

is, you know, it's a one-time occurrence right there because for the most part, it's not the rule. It's the exception. Because when you go through what this team has gone through, then you're going to have the results you have. Just like the team we just saw last night on Sunday night football win, I mean, people for months have been, you know,

just completely convincing themselves that Jerry's moving on from Mike McCarthy. If the Cowboys win one more game this regular season, I'll go ahead and do an early gut feeling right now. Mike McCarthy's staying on as the coach. I'm stunned that he's still there. I, in an honesty, I mean, I thought, I've been predicted for weeks that they were going to get blown out and he was going to lose his job. Jerry just doesn't want to pull the trigger mid-season.

If he's going to make any move, it's going to be done in the next two weeks. Let's get a quick timeout. Real quick on this, because he knows that a coaching change means patience. He doesn't have much patience left. He doesn't have much time left, Matt. He also knows that it's not a great job anymore. It hasn't been a great job in a long time. He doesn't think that.

Well, that's big. But it hasn't paid off. I mean, every coach that goes in there gets undermined by the general manager who should be the general manager. 1030, it's a time. Matt here in Charlotte, Dan back in our Houston studios. 713-212-5-790.

Any Christmas music you hear today during the show will not be a part of the Fantasy 5. We've already pre-drafted, so the selections are in, and we'll have it for you at 120. 10.30. Come on in and join us at 7-13-212-5-7-90. But out of that, a new holiday was born.

A festivist for the rest of us. So Connor is going to the same CD for all of... I see, they don't do CDs anymore. What, I mean, this is not bubblegum. This is, like, pop stars trying to be Christmas hip, right? I think so. I mean, the last one was Bieber. I'm not even sure who this one is.

It's the Josh Brothers. Oh, it's the Joe Bros. Okay. Well, there you go. Yeah, you're right, Matt. I mean, look, there's money to be made in the Christmas market out there. Those royalties, they stick with you. Yeah. Like, I'm sure the Crosby family probably still gets checks in the mail of, hey, oh, it was Christmas time.

That's right. Yeah, there we go. Yeah. All right. There you go. Our hipster is going to handle the music today. And I am the non-hypster, but I'm in Charlotte where the Rockets are going to try to pick up another win before the holidays. Now, 10 games over 500.

What's the last time we had the Rockets? 10 games above 500 in anything. Probably 2020. It's been a while. Been a while. All right. A couple folks on Twitter wanted to ask about the Bobby Slick wide receiver screens. I mean, I wasn't play charting because like I said, we're traveling.

We were on a plane going to Toronto watching a game on the internet. So it wasn't like I was sitting there. But it became a running joke during the game, right? I mean, how many times the little slip screens were. part of the Texans offense, right? Yeah, I mean, they pretty much looked like Miami did the week before with those plays where you're just like, oh, that one again? Okay, good.

Maybe this one will work. Nope, it didn't. Is Slovak? Okay, this is where sports fans can be so reactionary so quick, okay? The Astros pitching staff has a combined ERA of a 2.64, and the pitching coach, the greatest thing since last spread. The next year, the Astros ERA goes up to 3.87, and they, I'm going to fire him.

Got to get rid of Joshman. I got to give it this. Is Bobby Sloick really in jeopardy? If you were to take a look at when the Texan season end, which probably will be either after the Wal-Car game or if they win that after the divisional game, I don't think anybody thinks they're a championship game worthy. Is D'Amico and Nick going to sit down in the room,

door closed, just the two of them and say, we got to fire Bobby Sloan? I don't think that it's going to come then. I mean, I probably, you know, just like last year they lose in the playoffs. It's over that Monday. You get the notification from the Texans that D'Amico will address the media. Maybe a day later, it'll be Nick Casario. And you're going to get the same run of the mill.

We're going to evaluate everything. You know, Bobby did some really good things, all of these different types of things. But I think that if you're looking for the blood in terms of who to blame this on, I don't think you're going to get it then where they're like, yeah, we're moving on. Like that's not going to happen. They're going to give you the run of the mill. Oh, we evaluate everything. That wasn't our only issue this year. That's coming. It sure as you're born. We will get that the Monday after the Texan season ends. So my question again is this. How does one person go from a guy that we can't, oh, my phone's

very sorry. How can we go from one guy who is not we want him not to leave because he's a valuable offensive assistant coach to oh my God we're got to get him rid of him.

Are we that are we that quick to judge? Yeah I mean because Maybe so, maybe we are. Well I mean because it's also too this offense even from the beginning of the season never looked like we hope that it would. I mean you know And of course, what we hoped was that Stefan Diggs would play an entire season.

Tank Dell wouldn't dislocate his kneecap and that you wouldn't lose Joe Mixin for about a month of the season. I mean, you were hoping for all of those things to be avoided, but we're kind of glossing over the biggest issue right here. The biggest issue is something that's not necessarily in Bobby Sloick's control, and that is the play of the offensive line and just how inconsistent they've been all season. But there is something that is in his control. I mean, you know, Matt, you're seeing all of the film breakdown people out there who were going through and saying that sack right there that Kansas City just got on, on C.J. Stroud could have been very easily prevented had he just checked out to another play. Yeah. Like, it's stuff like that. And it's, you know, for all of what we heard last year about C.J. Stroud, oh, how advanced he is, how he grasped this offense.

I mean, maybe I'm not watching the games close enough, but I don't see a ton of check. I don't see a ton of, hey, it's up to you. You see something, say something. Do something about it out there. I mean, and it's just like, how are we, you know, to December 23rd, and they just played a couple of days ago, and that's still an issue. Like, that, that I think is what probably sticks in the crawl of most people, is how have you not seemingly made any adjustments to this point? The stunts are still killing you. Like, the things that continuously are a problem for you remain that, because you don't.

don't want to make the adjustments. Either you can't or you don't know how. So who says that on Bobby 9 telling CJ what to do, is that receivers not on making adjustments to routes, or is that a coaching issue or is that a group of players that have not developed in situations that weren't nearly as pristine as they were a year ago? I would say it's a little bit of insanity. Yes, I would say that it's a little bit of just, you know, them telling themselves, oh, you know what? Hey, look, we just haven't gotten it done right yet. Like, we will get this right.

And it's like, no. Like, you're to the 16th week of the season. Like, if you haven't made these adjustments yet, then guess what? I hate to tell you, you ain't busting through that fourth wall. Like, it's not going to happen. Yeah. You are what you are at this point. All right.

One more thing. Kansas City, the gifts of the officials wearing Kansas City chief's gear and logos on their head was pretty prevalent. The interesting thing to me was the non-fumble on the Pat Mahomes throw, and then he gets hit across the face, and not only do they not call it an incomplete pass, and then they tack on a roughing the passer penalty on top of it. And I think that inside of Texans fans like you wouldn't believe. There were a few of them.

I mean, defensive holdings, I mean, you know, the roughing the passer where Derek Barnett got him up near the helmet, that was a roughing the passer. I mean, by the letter of the rule, it is. But, I mean, again, though, Matt, it's not the reason why the Texans lost this game. They lost this game because this team this season, I mean, you know, either by their own omission or not,

has just, they've hammered nails in halfway. And, I mean, it's again, it's not even just an offensive line thing. It's not a CJ thing. It's where that final drive right there by Kansas City, get them off the field. Give your offense a chance. We hear about how good this defense is. Okay.

We'll then be extra great right there and give yourself a chance to win this game. You know the most aggravating thing for me at a game on Saturday was watching Pat Mahomes rush for a touchdown. I thought he was Gimpy. I thought he was Gimpy, Dan. I was like, you don't let Gimpy ankle guy run

of the end zone. The middle of the field. Middle of the field, too. One of him the sidelines. He wasn't protected by the edge. I mean, it's also, you know, another one you were talking about the memes and the gifts out there. people were using Patrick Mahomes

with an ankle injury, and it was Gene Wilder, Willie Wonka, you know, where he's walking, and you're like, uh-oh, you know, Willie Wonka's dead, and then he does the little somersault, and he's fine. That was Patrick Mahomes.

It wasn't even necessarily a movie reference, though. It was a movie reference. Gene Wilder and Willie Wonka and the chocolate factory. It was a reference to a gift, a meme that was out there. You know what? It's more of a indictment of Conner's just checked out for the year. No, he's not.

When you heard Gene Walder and Willy Wonka in the first force words, you knew that was a movie reference. I'll do that to him. All right. He's in here. He's working. And he's going to be working quite a bit. I got your back, Connor.

Thank you. All right. Come on. I just want to hear you the next time Dan goes to some movie reference that you're ahead of the game. We're having it like I went on a tape delay for the day. That's all I'm asking. 713. 212.790.

713. 212.1.3-212-5-790. It's 1044. It is a Matt Thomas show with Ross. Dan is in. Connor is, and I'm Matt here in Charlotte. And this is Sports Talk 790. More Matt Thomas show with Ross.

Now on Sports Talk 790. Dan, would you like today's edition of the Matt Thomas Boogey moment of the morning? Please. I think we need to get a liner made up for this. We didn't get here to the hotel at almost 2 o'clock in the morning, Eastern time, which is fine. I got a decent night's rest. Still would like to have some more, but that's a different issue for a different time.

So when we have a quick turnaround like this, I go down to the hotel restaurant where the prices are ridiculous, but you just know that's part of the territory. So I got a breakfast today that included juice, coffee, eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast. and it was $29. That's honestly not terrible for a hotel. That's not terrible. Not terrible for a high in hotel. But I'm like, I'm not going to eat until the game tonight. So I want a little something extra.

So I said, can I get a single pancake? I don't want to get a full stack of pancakes. I say, which I'll sure be happy to. So the pancake arrives. And it's in a shape of a Mickey Mouse with ears. Oh. And the woman that was the waitress said, this is funny because I, I, bring up your pancake as a child's pancake.

It comes to a single pancake. And they didn't get to notice it was for an adult. I said, that's fine. It still looks good. Now, granted, it wasn't a full-sized pancake. It was 80% of a pancake because the ears covered up, you know, it wasn't a long pancake. It was just the Mickey Mouse. Yeah, it wasn't their circumference.

Right. So I get the bill. And the bill is like $44. Oh, God. And I looked down, that child's pancake, that Mickey Mouse pancake, single one, $12. Yeah, I mean, that's, you know, like I've had friends of mine who've taken their kids to Disney. And, of course, you do the breakfast with the characters.

And, you know, for getting kids food, I think it's almost like $100 a plate. But I'm not worried about Disneyland. I'm worried about a single pancake costing, and it wasn't a full pancake. It was a Mickey Mouse pancake for $12. that's criminal. You might as well have just gotten the whole stack. Correct for 20. Yeah, I was going to say.

What's a stack? What? 20. Well, but I mean, I'm saying like the amount that you get. Oh, it's three regular, circular pancakes. Yeah. I mean, like you said, I mean, you're probably with the show and then you got to get over the arena and you get the pregame meal. I probably would have said just get the whole stack.

I mean, but that's why I look the way I do and that's why you look the way that you do. Well, that's today. Today's Matt Thomas Bucci moment morning of the moment of the show. And I just wanted to pass that along that, you know what? Heroes and always wear capes. Well, in this case, they wear ears like Mickey. There you go. 713-212-5-7.

Like I said, I don't do a lot of double-takes in hotel restaurants because you know that's just going to happen. But I did a $12 Mickey Mouse pancake double-take. Let's talk to Dominic in Richmond at 1052. Dominic, good morning. Thanks for holding. Hey, good morning to both you guys. Matt, you said, you know, are we quick to judge? Yeah, we are.

I think you're right. Yeah. Because basically it goes like this. We were told, and we drank all that Kool-Aid, all of us. Whether you was a Texas fan or the national media or what have you, we drank all that Kool-Aid. We were told with Stefan Dix coming in, Nico Collins emerging, Tank Dale emerging.

Dalton Shult's doing what he did last season. C.J. Straub playing out his mind. He was on time. He was accurate. He was desiccissed, all of those things. Okay. The whole offense, defense, special teams, playing with the persona of Domechle Ryans

when he actually played linebacker for us. Yeah. And then other than the Indianapolis coach game, the first game of the season, it's been just a disappointment. ever since. So we have a three-headed monster at wide receiver. If you add Dalton Shosten to the mix out of going off of last season's performance, we got weapons out. We've got weapons galore. So Nico goes down. Can't get digs the ball, can't get tanked the

ball, can't get Dalton Shoste the ball. And when you do get Dalton Shoste the ball, he short arms it or he doesn't catch or he, whatever the case may be. Nico comes back. You can only person you can get the ball to what I'm saying consistently is Nico. What happened to the rest of the weapons that we've had? To me, that falls solely on our creative, offensive-minded officer coordinator. And it's sad

because I told my girlfriend recently about a couple of weeks ago and she's a crazy Texan fan. Within a matter of one season, the season is not even over with yet. I understand, you know, playoffs or whatnot. But within a matter of one season, they have

managed to take us through from like enormous highs and just crazy optimism to just like, man, this is not the same old Texans, but this isn't what we were led on to believe that the team was going to be. So, you know, it's not too, it's not too early to judge. And I agree with your co-hosts. We're going to get the same old same. The same old, you know, we're going to evaluate everything.

Is everything working on Bobby, yada, yada, yada, yada. Look, at the end of the day, it is on Bobby. It is on our offensive line. coach and honestly and truly is also on the front office because look I don't know with laramie tussle we'll be here next season but he doesn't need to be Titus Howard maybe slide him into the guard position is his natural position but our two high-price tackles they're not worth the money that they're getting paid Kenyon Green was a first round draft pick by lovey smith's regime and he's not He's not a first round, second round, third round,

or fourth. He's just not a good player whatsoever. You gave Shaq Mason all of this money, and he's like not that great. So heavily invested monetarily into the office of line, they've been horrible. And the main reason I'm going to say this and I'm going to go. The main reason that Bobby Sloick should be out of here, our quarterback has regressed.

He doesn't even look the same. And that's my problem with all of it. He doesn't, CJ doesn't even look the same, Matt. So, anyway. So let me ask you this, Dominic. Hang on one of a second. I want to have a little bounce back over to here. So if you, if the Texans fire Bobby Sloick.

Yes, sir. And things aren't dramatically better a year from now. What does that say about the organization at that point? Because my thought is this, if you fire coordinators after one bad season, aren't you essentially setting a revolving door or B, it goes greater than just the offensive coordinator's fault. Well, here's the thing. CJ

is still on a rookie contract. We made all of these moves thinking that we can push the envelope forward while we still have our franchise quarterback under a rookie contract. If he's regressing, if our phenomenal quarterback from a year ago

is showing signs of regression, that's a problem. The office is, duh. It's just, it's nothing. You're not throwing to the first down marker. You're throwing two or three yards short of it. It's no creativity. You're running plays that the opposing team has snuffed time and time and time and time again.

So for me, with CJ only being in his second year, this, to me, this would be the time. And another thing, and this is not going to be popular because, man, I was a fan of him at Alabama. And when he got drafted by the Texas, I was like, Dermico, Andre Jones. Johnson, Aaron Foster, Owen Daniels, oh my God. Like, we have some pieces. Now I'm starting to, some people in the fan base are starting to look at D'Amico. Because just like we gave Lovie Smith, that same old and the previous coach is the same old. Like they're going to give us the same old talk.

Look, man, other than the defense, which they're great when they want to be. I'm starting to look at D'Amico too because you can't tell me that. Okay, Dominic, come on. Two AFC South championships and you're looking at D'Amico, I find that that it's impossible to believe. What I'm saying to you is not fire D'Amico. That's not what I'm saying. But he is the captain of this ship.

And you're looking at something that we have never ever had. Our quarterback has taken a step back. The office is horrible. So if you bring Bobby Slow it back next season, and it's the same old thing, of course he should be fired. But if you make a power move right now after the end of this season, because no one expects them the way they look, no one expects them to go far in the postseason. If you do fire him for an upgrade at an offensive coordinator, like, what's the problem? I'm just saying you can't sell the fan base.

You know, we're going to evaluate everything. We're going to look at everything. It's not just Bobby. It's not just this. When we're trusting our eyes and we're looking at, it is Bobby. The play calling is horrible. It is the offensive line and the coaching for the office of line. They can't run block.

They can't pass protect. So who does that fall on? That's all that I'm saying. All right. Dominic, good conversation. I appreciate it. And we're going to get to a top of the hour break. Dan, I know that Slovak is public enemy number one.

But if you let him go after this year, then is it just going to be every single year when the offense is a work, it's got to be the coordinator's fault? I think you run into a situation where you need stability. You don't go from a guy that's a hero one day to a goat the next. And if you keep doing that, why would anybody want to come here knowing that if something doesn't go right offensively, he's out in the season? Yeah, I mean, I think there's other things to look at.

And like you said, we can get into him on the other side. But, I mean, I also am not willing to put all of the blame on Bob. And like I said, we can talk about that on the other side. All right, let's get to it. Top of the hour, it's 11 o'clock on Sports Talk 790. Matt here from Charlotte. We've got Dan in for Ross today back in our Houston studios. Tell the Truth is coming up in one half hour.

It's Sports Talk 790. Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. 11.03 Sports Talk 790, Matt Thomas from Charlotte. Dan Matthews back in our Houston studios. And I want to go back to what our previous call was. Good conversation. And look, I'm not trying to be a Bobby Sloick truth or damn.

I'm saying that he can't control his offensive line because it's underperformed and been hurt. He lost his number one receiver. He lost Joe Mixen for a period of time. Honestly, the Dalton Schultz keeping him long term for a three-year deal was not, that was not Bobby Sloick's decision unless Bobby Sloick went into Nick Cic's office. slam the door and said, I want my guy, that guy's my tie-in for the next three years. The schedule got more difficult. I'm not trying to make excuses.

Again, I'm just trying to lay things out here as a radio host. And ultimately, if every year, if something doesn't, I mean, is, here's the question that none of us, you don't know and I don't know, is CJ's progression as an NFL quarterback being stymeter slowed because of the inefficiency of Bobby Sloak running an offense? Now, if the answer is yes, then he needs to be removed. It needs to be a change. If there's other factors surrounding it and they thought that Bobby's love was an excellent play caller and wanted him to stay here and gave him a raise and didn't think about going to another NFL job,

then this should be not even a conversation piece. All right. So like I said, it's not all Bobby's fault. It is really over-valuing what you had on the offensive line, where, I mean, all the moves you made this offseason, now, granted, in an off season, you're not going to get every single move right. No general manager ever does. But at the same time to really, you know, have all of this time that you have.

And, you know, more or less the evaluation during the draft is over analysis that then makes you kind of paralyzed in, oh, well, you know, we can't draft this guy. And, you know, here's the reasons why. And I don't think that you do enough of your own self. scouting. And I think if you were being honest with yourself and you looked at that game last year in the playoffs against the Ravens, you would have said, you know, we're so focused on the defensive line and really what they were not able to do. What about the offensive line? Like, did we get away with some things last year? And the answer, I think if you had done that evaluation would have been, yes,

you did. And even two, I mean, what did we talk about at the beginning of the season when you didn't have Nico Collins for a good amount of time is well you know Nico sure covered up a lot of issues for C.J. Stroud last year in the beginning part of this season. So that's the part that, I mean, is not necessarily on him. Now, is he part of that evaluation process? Well, if that's the case, then yeah, you know what you're riding with. And if you had any doubts, then speak up, man. But it's also two at the same time. I mean, again, it gets back to the evaluation part of it all, or actually the adjustment part of it all. And I mean, you're 16 weeks into this thing.

Like, how do you not diagnose what your problems are and find ways to be able to fix it? I think he's tried with the screen game. I think he also, too, is just so stuck in if we can't run the football, then this offense is kind of limited. Well, okay, fine. Then if you knew that before, then why didn't you get ahead of this issue before it could prop up? So who did that? Who should have gotten ahead of it?

Sloick or Casario? I mean, I would say that from the personnel side, it's Casario. I mean, the fact that you go into this season and you've made all of the moves that you have, which look, defensively, they're good now. When it comes to the off season and the league calendar comes up next year, your priority number one needs to be, we need to find at least three starting offensive linemen that can help this group become a much improved group. because you don't have that right now.

And if that's free agency, if you feel good about what you have in the draft, that needs to be priority number one next year because that right there is what's keeping you away from being the team that you hope that you could be. Well, my overly simplistic view of this on Dan is this, and we'll get some phone calls in a second. If you're letting Bobby Sloat go after this year,

then any time somebody has a down year, you're firing them. And that gets pricey, that ruins reputation. of organizations. I mean, and it's not like this team, I mean, they did win the AFC South. It granted, it is the worst division in football. But it's, I mean, this is not, this is, it's underperformed. It's not a train wreck.

And there are certainly factors that go in from offensive line injuries to underperforming, to being it not addressed, to serious injuries, to down two of your wide receivers. and maybe a natural progression. I'm not saying that C.J's had a sophomore slump. That'd be giving him too much blame. But it's just not the sophomore ascension that you were looking for after a awesome freshman NFL season. Let's go out and talk to the people.

We'll say hello to Dwayne and El Paso at 1108 on Sports Talk 7.09.8. Dwayne, happy holidays. How are you, sir? Hey, happy holidays to you guys, too. and thank you. I wanted to ask you guys a couple of questions. First of all, the question is if you had a choice for a rookie of the year, this year in the NFL, would Brock Bowers be a choice that you would make?

And the second question is, now that the Astros have signed Walker to first or got him into first base for the Astros, do you believe that this year's infield is set and ready to go. And that's all I wanted to say, guys. God bless and take care. Thank you very much with the phone call. Always appreciate the West Texas vibe of the Matt Thomas show with Ross. I mean, 101 receptions, 1,000 yards receiving? Yeah, I mean, I don't watch that there are 31 teams.

I only really worry about the rookies on the Texan side, but Brock Bowers have been a stud, period. No, he's also on a 3 and 12 football team, whereas Jaden Daniels just threw five touchdowns yesterday and beat the Eagles to snap their one streak, and he's going to make the playoffs. So my vote would be, my vote would be Jaden Daniels. My guess is you're probably right. And quarterbacks usually get the benefit of the doubt, but. Usually get more star power, yeah. Right, right.

And again, no one thought he was going to be, people thought he would kind of slowly work his way in and he got going. So, yeah, I mean, that's a pretty good one, two punch. But I mean, for a rookie to catch 100 passes, I mean, that's pretty damn good in his first year. Well, especially, too. But you're right. Jake Daniels is good. Of having the quarterback trio of Gardner Minshew, Aiden O'Connell, and Desmond Ritter, and O'Connell is back. And they beat the Jags yesterday.

Jags are absolute disaster. And don't forget, there were two stars by Joey Bag of Donuts. So he also played a couple of games. So, I mean, it's been impressive. But, yeah, I think that probably the majority of the votes are going to go for G. and Daniels. Yeah, especially because Las Vegas is so off the radar

when it comes to me. You make a playoff team as a rookie quarterback, just like C.J. Stroud. I mean, that was, you know, an easy call out on that one. And as far as the infield

is concerned, yeah, Perretta is at third and Christian Walker at first, you're done. Yeah, you need to find a starting outfielder. I think that's the charge of Dana here in January

is to find somebody because, I mean, the supposed idea of a platoon out and left, Chas and Wright, and Jake Myers and Center. That team does not win the American League West. No, no, no, no, I wouldn't, I would disagree.

The Astros outfield last year was a bottom third performing outfield in baseball, and they still went, you know, they still went the playoffs, still won the division. But the Rangers just got better. The A's are trying to get better. The A's are trying to get better. The A's... Shut up. You know the A's are not going to contend. You know that. They took a massive step forward

last year. No, they didn't. The A's did not take a massive step forward. No. What was the A's record last year? We looked that up, but it was a marked improvement from the year before when they were god-awful. They were the dregs of baseball. The A's are never going to win an American League West championship until they figure out, until they frankly get new ownership and figure out they want to spend money and actually be good and try to be good.

The A's were 69 and 93 last year. that's not a remarkable improvement. From the year previous, I'll look up the year previous, but I want to say they were in the 50s the year before. Your previous, they were 50 wins and 112 losses. Bingo. So 19 more wins. Yeah.

With a serious fate, with a serious tone, you're going to tell me the A's aren't contending for the American League West this year. I don't think they're contending, but I don't think that they're going to be a pushover like they've been. If they're at 69, they can be 75. No, they're going to be in Sacramento this year. They're going to be playing on 120-degree temperatures every day. They're going to fry like the sun, no chance. Well, I mean, they don't believe that because, I mean,

you don't give Luis Severino the deal that he got without actually believing with Brent Rooker and the rest of that team that they've got a chance to take another step forward. I am significantly more concerned about the every other American League team except the athletics. The Angels got better with our buddy Kikuchi. The Mariners look like they're going to come back. The Rangers making some moves.

Yeah, I'm not worried about that. the A's. But point being is that you can still win the division with the outfield the Astros have. You just don't want to. You don't want to put it. You do want to get some additional boosts. But Danny, I think there's, I don't feel that there's going to be much

more movement coming up. I just don't. Well, I mean, and I do hope you're wrong because you do need to have another bat in this lineup. This lineup needs to be longer than it was last year. Because, look, Matt, winning the division, that's not the goal. Even making it to

the LCS. That's not the goal. The goal here now is very simple. You run through, you get to the World Series, and you try to win the World Series. That's the goal. Well, yeah, and your goal is to get to the playoffs. It's your goal is then anything can happen in a playoffs. Okay, and last year was not good enough.

Because you got into a bad matchup against the Tigers. You were still favoring that series against the Tigers. Were you not? Yes. Nobody thought that. Not nobody. the asteros were a significant favorite to win that series. I think they were predicted to finish second among if Vegas was looking at the World Series American League pennant winners.

So yeah, I mean, just because you're considered a favorite and you do it. I think going to the playoffs is a strange event where you can be good for a week and win the whole thing, even if you're not the predicted favorite. Well, I mean, we saw that in 2021 too in the World Series, where they could hit really nothing but singles. and you saw the result that happened. The Braves beat you. All right, 1114 is our time.

They do need to improve the outfield. I just, I wouldn't be holding my breath on that. If they do, it would be pleasant surprise. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Kirk Herbstreet had an interesting perspective after recapping the first weekend of the college football playoff. Do you agree or disagree with his stance?

We'll tell you about that in just a moment. More Matt Thomas Show with Ross. Now on Sports Talk 790 I was checking Twitter during the break, Dan. It's good to see that ESPN's Shannon Sharp doesn't want to have any infighting between himself and Kirk Herbstreet. I mean, what a bunch of oafs. Well, that's what cracks me up about this industry is,

hey, have an opinion. I don't like your opinion. I want to fight you on it. Well, basically Kirk Herbstre's like, during the broadcast yesterday, when Ohio State was playing Tennessee and Ohio State was crushing him, He's like, yeah, I heard what those first take guys said if that Ryan Day, the head coach at Ohio State loses this game, he should lose his job. Can't wait for what they say on Monday.

So then, you know, Shannon Sharp goes on there with Stephen A. Smith and does all that and says, I, if you ever mention me again by name, I'm not going to hold back. ESP and can't home you back. You know what? What a bunch of self-indulgent. Maybe I mean, it's not the term. No, it is. No. He goes, Shannon Sharp, early one for you.

Shut you bum-ass. up. No, that's what it is. Just take your paycheck, have your hot takes and move along, threatening to go crazy over Kirk Herbstree's opinion. When Kirk Herbstree called you out for saying that Ryan Day should be fired if they lose that game, it's preposterous. No, and that's exactly what it is. And I've talked about what this is in our industry before, and it is people who are really not interesting, try to make themselves interesting, because they believe that people care enough about what they say, but really in all honesty and reality, they don't know how to create content.

They're not interesting enough for us to care about what they have to say. And I mean, you know, if you're going to go after Kirk Curb Street, even though he didn't call you out directly, Shannon Sharp, then go after Nick Saban, too, because Nick Saban said basically the same thing on college game day on Friday. Yeah, so I'm just, ooh, it's big Bravo talk from network talk. host to other network. I mean, give me a break.

Matt, it's just... I've told you before that those early morning talking head shows on TV, it's the kitty pool. It's the shallow end of the pool. It is just the same washed over, same takes

every single time. There's a reason why, oh, you know, they talk to cowboys and they talk the, the Lakers all the time. Well, because they think that's what you care enough about. It was the same thing when Tim Tebow was playing. Oh, I'm so sick and tired of them talking about Tim Tebow. Well, if you stop watching and they stop seeing the results from you somewhat caring about it, then they'll stop talking about it. Well, I was saying that for a long time. Don't watch the shows,

but people watch them. So I've given up. I just happen to be seeing some clips. You know, you go to that for you tab, and you just make mistakes. All right, so let me get to Kirk Herb Street. he was asked by Linda Cohn on SportsCenter about his thoughts about this first weekend of the college football playoff. There were four games, and frankly, there were four matchups that were close to blows or, in fact, blowouts. Indiana did not look good. SMU looked terrible. Tennessee did not look good against Ohio State,

and Clemson hung around with Texas for a while, but Texas pulled away as well. And here was Kirk Herbstry talking about. about maybe perhaps adjustments to next year's college football playoffs election committee? I hope next year the committee won't get caught up and went to social media. And a lot of people who are French fans get caught up in, which is wins. They had 11 wins. They must be good. Who did they beat?

I think is much more important than how many wins you have. That's old school a way of approaching it. Indiana having 11 wins and beating nobody. That doesn't mean they're one of the 12. best teams. Remember, I know Lyndon, I'm not taking this out on you, but there's a big difference between deserving and best. What this is all about is giving us the best 12 teams. Now, subjective, how you want to figure out the best 12 is up to you, but that's what I want to see. I don't want to hear about wins. How many, winning is obviously important, but just because you have 11 wins,

doesn't mean you're better than a team that maybe had a tougher road that had nine wins. So I think we get too caught up in how many wins you have. It's really more about who are the best 12 teams, and we need to get the best 12 teams in this tournament every year. All right, so what he's saying is don't look at the L column. Don't look at how embarrassed Alabama was by losing to Oklahoma. And that's the easiest case in point, is that the Alabama loss, especially late in the season to OU,

who was a massive underperformer this year, really hurt Alabama's cause. And I think I remember even saying, man, how do you put Alabama in with a bad Oklahoma loss? What Kirk Herbstridge is saying, and I'm trying to paraphrase and kind of taking into context what he said was, you have to take a look at who the victories are. Indiana this year, I don't mean to pounce on the Hoosiers, but Indiana has 11 wins this year. None of them against a top 40 team.

None of them. They had two chances. Well, one of the regular season, Dan, to prove they were worth something, and that was Ohio State, and they fell flat on their face at Columbus. And then they had a chance to prove the naysayers wrong by going to Notre Dame, beating them and they got kicked in the teeth at Notre Dame on Friday night. So what he is saying is when you're in that committee room, take the L's and put them aside. Look at who you beat.

And that's how you determine who the 12 best teams are in college football, not the overall records. Well, but I mean, it's also too. I mean, you have to factor in how well you did in conference. I mean, I think that absolutely has to be put into the equation. I mean, Clemson was the only one of the weekend that actually gave us a somewhat competitive game. They won the ACC. That needs to count for something. I mean, if you're going to have these bylaws and these guardrails to kind of act with them.

But that's not what he's saying. I'm saying about the at-large teams. Don't forget the conference championships. Those are automatic. You can't fight that. If you're going to have automatics, you can be seven and five, but if you win your conference, you're in. He's saying the at-larges, and he's using Alabama as an example. He is saying Alabama's nine wins.

were more important and more credible than Indiana's 11 wins because of the slated games they had, the non-conference games they had, and the league games they had. Alabama's better than Indiana. And it is so easy to run to Twitter and say, what in the world is out is Indiana doing in an Alabama out? Alabama would have given Penn State a much, excuse me, in Notre Dame a much better game. And SMU, yeah, yeah. So he's saying take the body of work.

on the win column and don't crush them on the loss column and don't fall in love with a team that's got double-digit wins when half of them are against the bottom third teams in the Big Ten, and that's an example for obviously Indiana. Oh, okay. Well, fine. Then by that logic, then for Alabama, don't lose to 6-1 Oklahoma and get crushed in that game. It wasn't like they ever had even a chance to be in that game.

Don't lose to similar 6-1 Vanderbilt. Dang, and you're missing a point. He's saying don't worry about the losses, value the wins. What the hell you mean? Don't worry about the losses. That's ridiculous. You do have to worry about the losses. I'm just saying what Kirk's saying.

No, I get it. You take Indiana's 11 wins, put them up against Alabama's nine wins, who has the better resume? Okay. Then I'm still telling you that you're going to have people who feel slighted. If that's the route that you're going to go. And how do you even define that route? Because then if you go that way, then you have. people with Indiana saying, hey, hey, hey, we want 11 games. The hell you do in the West?

I mean, the same deal with SMU. We want 11 games. We lost on the last second field goal to Clemson in the conference championship game. How does that not count for anything? We had to play an extra game. They didn't. Well, a lot of the argument that will go against Kirk, Herbset, will be is that Indiana could not, if you are in a conference, the conference gives you the schedule. You can't control. The only you can control is your non-conference schedule. But what he is saying is there is a difference between the heart of a southeastern conference football schedule and a heart of a Big Ten schedule. And that's what if you're going to a tiebreaker and you're going who should be in or who should be out, you should value who you played and who you beat as compared to just having the share number wins.

Whether you want to agree with them or not is up for everybody's own, as he said. but it was interesting that he said, you know what? I'm going to, and I don't think he said it per se, but he's going, basically, I'm going to take my nine Alabama wins

and not even all of them were great. He's basically talking about the SEC wins. I'm going to take those great SEC wins that he has over Indiana's lack of great Big Ten wins, and I'm going to say, Alabama should be in over Indiana. That's how I kind of got it from what he was saying just there in that comment from sports.

But, I mean, but again, like I just, I can't dismiss, the teams that feel slighted in this regard and the losses that they had. Yeah, and that's right. If you don't want to believe what Kirk Herbstrude said, Dan, you're more than welcome to do that. I mean, that's a thing.

That was just one philosophy. It's like you can't, you can't lose to seven-win Florida at the end of the season to get your third loss this season and say, well, but we still deserve to be there. No, you don't. You lost to a seven-win team. I mean, the same deal goes with South Carolina. I'm the biggest LSU fan there is. You lost to LSU who's eight and four, playing in the Texas Bowl. And you want to at the end of the season say, hey, we're one of the 12 best teams in the country.

I don't think you are. Sorry. All right. Dave and Spring will get to you. Then we'll also get to tell the truth coming up in a matter of moments. Our time is 1129. Matt Thomas with you from Charlotte. Dan's back in Houston.

We've got the news at noon coming up. We've got, believe it or not, today all things about Ricky Henderson passing away this weekend at a very early age. I guess he had about a pneumonia. And that's unfortunate. the all-time greatest base dealer in sports, maybe one of the three or four greatest lead-off men ever in baseball as well. 1129 on Sports Talk 790. Hey, it's Sparky from the Astros broadcast team.

Catch every Astros game on Sports Talk 790 and the IHeart Radio app. Home of your Astros. Shannon Sharp, blasting Kirk Herbstry and Chris Fowler on first take. this morning. Don't do that Kirk and Chris Fowler, meaning don't bring up first take on his game broadcast because they were saying that Ryan Davis and get fired. If you ever mention any platform I'm

on again, I promise you ESP and ain't got enough bosses to keep me off y'all for what I'm going to say. You know what? You rip on Chris and Kirk, you're going to get fired, Shannon. You're going to be doing a failed YouTube video like almost broadcasters to get off broadcast. Go

run to YouTube. See how much money you're going to make. Enjoy yourself. You will be not you will play nice with Kirk and Chris because they called you out. Just take the L. Well, it's also too. I mean, look, if you have a crappy take and somebody calls you out on it,

that's your fault. That's not their fault. Yeah. And I didn't see whether or not they called out Ryan Day, but it would seem very first takeish for them to call for a firing of a coach after a playoff lost in Tennessee. That's just my take.

I don't know if they did it, but I definitely heard Chris Fowler, I definitely heard Kirk Cribsry say, I can't wait for those first take guys to say what they were going to say about Ryan Day. Well, I mean, they were a significantly different looking team. I mean, because I watched from beginning and that Michigan game and then same deal the other night. As I noted on social media, father-in-law is a die-hard Ohio State fan. I mean, die-hard.

And he lives and dies with every single play. And, I mean, it was one of those things of them throwing the ball down the field. I was like, where was this against Michigan? Like, instead of these screens and just trying. like hell to run the football. It's like you have two of the best receivers in the country. Use them. Yeah.

Let's go. The phones talk to Dave in spring at 1136 on Sports Talk 790. Dave, good morning. Thanks for waiting. Yeah, good morning, Matt, Ross. Merry Christmas to you guys. It's Dan, but what's up, buddy? Two comments.

First off, you know, these teams that have 11 wins like SMU and who am I forget in here, the other team that we're talking about all morning here, who shouldn't have been in the final 12. Indiana. Yeah, Indiana, thank you. At any rate, you know, you don't know until they get in the games. That's the thing is you kind of go, okay, on paper, yeah, Alabama will probably put up a better fight against these other teams. But, you know, I can think back, remember when Boise State?

This is before, you know, all the 12th team stuff, but they got to a big bowl one year and everyone thought, now these guys are going to be way outclassed. And they ended up winning the game. And U of H went to the Peach Bowl and beat Florida State, you know, so sometimes it happens. So you don't want to take away the possibility of it happening. The other thing I was going to say about Kirk Herb Street and Shannon Sharp and first take stuff, I'm so cynical about today's media that I wonder whether that whole thing is choreographed. You know, that Herb Street says, you know, maybe at some cocktail party to Shannon Sharp that,

hey, I'm going to light you guys up a little bit and we'll get a little conversation going, get a little back and forth, and people will be talking about us, and you can, you know, have some fun with it, and I'll have some fun with it. And it works because look what we're talking about today. We're talking about these guys. So maybe the whole thing, we're just being played by these guys, possibly. Maybe so. Anyway.

And you know what? And I'm guilty of it. And I'm sorry, but I just have to be looking at things. It shows that I don't recommend you watching and don't recommend you listening to in terms of getting your sports takes from are the ones that sometimes provide material. And I'm bad about that, but I just sometimes just look at this and go, is this just the national network again trying to create a storyline it's not there is they you know is there infighting is there boastful conversation that doesn't mean much

and in this particular case shannon sharps should be very happy that ESPN affords him the life that he is currently living uh and working that show a couple days a week and um he got called out for it and i get i guess the part of it is is that do you not call it your brother you that you guys are fro your your bro's your fros you're fraternity brothers, you wouldn't take a shot at that person. Be like me if I was like, man, I listen to Adam and Adam today, and their take on the, this was the worst thing ever heard in my life. Now, we tease each other, but if there's something I disagree with, I would say I listen

to Adam and Adam and I disagree with their take was on this, but I, maybe Shannon thought it was a personal slam, but Kirk defends college football a lot. Kirk feels like he knows that sport very, very well, and he hears a take from a hot take show that is frankly preposterous. Ryan Day was not going to get fired, even if they lost to Tennessee, then he kind of had to say, you know what, we've got to check ourselves a little bit. I think that was the purpose of why he did what he did. No, I mean, that's the whole thing of the opinion business.

I mean, you have an opinion and if some people disagree with it, they're going to let you know that they disagree with it, and that's fine. Look, if I have a terrible take on this show or on the A team, whenever, and you blast me for having a terrible take. Chances are it could have been, but it's also too, I had the opinion. That's on me. And I mean, if you're going to throw out an opinion out there, well, then guess what's going to happen? People will have an opinion that probably either rivals yours or pushes back on it.

And if that's the case and you get upset about it, that's the part that I don't think we're talking enough about here is, I mean, if you're going to be that put off by somebody disagreeing with you, Shannon, you're in the wrong business. Because, I mean, this is a business where hurt feelings do happen. And, I mean, it's on you to be able to have people say, you know what? No, he's right. You're wrong. I love you like a second cousin, Dan, but your take on the Oakland Athletics was terrible. That's all I got to tell you.

I don't think it was necessarily that terrible. Okay. But I'm not going to put you on blast and I'm not going to say, oh, you know, Chris Gordy and Brian Erickson. They're going to have to hold me back from you, Matt. Oh, yeah. love the infighting. Ladies and gentlemen, it's a Monday staple in this program. Time for me to tell you the truth.

But actually, I do know how to tell the truth. All right, Connor and Dan, I have three, four takes. I actually believe three of them. You've got to figure out which of the four I don't believe. You guys ready? Let's go. Yep. Here we go.

Take number one with the lack of depth in the wide receiver's spot for the Texans. The Texans absolutely need to go get a field stretcher. First round of the NFL draft next year. The Texan should go get a wide receiver. Stefan Diggs is not going to be 100% when he comes back. I don't know what Tank Dell's future is going to be. Frankly, when you dislocate in fracture or kneecap, that doesn't sound great. John Mechie and Hutchinson and Woods, those are all just side pieces.

You've got to go get a legitimate speed threat, and I think you go get a wide receiver in the first. round. Number two, the only way the Texans win a wild card game is if it's against the Steelers or the Broncos. If the Ravens or Chargers come to Houston, Texas, the Texans are done are one and done in the playoffs. They can beat the Steelers. They can beat the Broncos. They can't beat the Ravens and they can't beat the Chargers. Take number three, book it. The Rockets not only will make the playoffs, but they will be a top six seed. They're going to avoid the the playing tournament.

They're 19 and 9. Still a long way to go. Only a quarter of the season is in the books, but I'm calling my shot on that one. And number four, guys, I've changed my mind. I think Alex Bregman will be in New York Yankee. I had it as a Red So, here are my red sock. I'm changing my mind to the Yankee. So here are my four takes.

I believe three of them. One of them I don't. You've got to figure out which one I'm not telling the truth on. Texans should go with a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft next year. The only teams of the Texans can beat the law card, the Ravens and the Chargers. They cannot beat the Steelers. They cannot beat the Broncos. Excuse me, flip that around.

They can beat the Steelers. They can't beat the Broncos. They will lose the Raven to lose the Chargers. Rockets will be a top 16 in the Western Conference. And I think Brickman is in New York Yankee. Which one of the four am I not telling the truth? Oh, you switch it up. Okay.

Yeah, three of the four, I believe. Oh, okay, you switched up this week. Okay, we're trying to find the lie this week. Yeah, try to find the lie. Yeah. Dan, do you want to deliberate? Yeah, so I mean, the leaders in the clubhouse for me are one and four. I don't think that he, I don't think he's going to end up a Yankee.

And I also, for all the offensive line issues we've talked about this week, I don't think that receiver would be first. I think receiver would be either trade or free agency for this team. I mean, they invested when Blake Fisher last year on the offensive line. They could do that again, but maybe they're looking for some. more established offensive linemen. Hmm. I might go one.

I'll go four. Okay. Rockets, I believe, will be a top six seat. I think some of the teams below them are not going to get out of their funk. I think the rockets also could make a move before the dead line up. You know, just kind of thinking about it. I think the rockets are going to be a top six seed. The Texans can beat the Steelers.

They can't beat the Broncos. They cannot beat the Ravens. They can't beat the Chargers in a long-card game. So that's why I also believe that. and I believe Alex Breggman is going to go to the Yankees. The one I don't believe is the Texans should go wide receivers. They should go offensive lines.

Good job, Connor. Finally. Good job, buddy. The streak is over, my friend. I'm back in the way, call him. If only Ross is you, I'm going to tell them tomorrow. All right, he'll be back tomorrow. That is to tell the truth.

Let's get some conversation going with you guys. The news is at noon is coming up at about 15 minutes. Also, Dimeco Ryans is going to speak at 1215, and C.J. Try on 1245. We'll try to sneak in some of that as well. Believe it or not today, all things, Ricky Henderson. It is the Matt Thomas Show with Ross on Sports Talk 790. More Matt Thomas show with Ross. Now on Sports Talk 790.

I actually like this one. Feliz Navidad, Feliz Naviad. Prospero a year and Felicidad. What do you think? It's great. Jose Feliciano, correct? I believe so Correct

Yeah that is correct Yeah that's right I do have it in front of me Basically it says the same thing the whole time Right for like four three minutes Is flipping between English and Spanish Maybe we should do that with our radio shows Flip languages in between the shows

Just throw in some Spanish every once in a while Of course I know nothing of anything from French or Spanish So I wouldn't be providing much analysis Took it all throughout high school, and I probably could not really be able to carry on a full conversation in it. Yeah, I took French in high school and college and remember about 15 words. Why French? I mean, you know. Oh, because there was a girl out of crush on in school.

Oh, yeah, that's what it always comes down to. Let's go to Jason and Katie at 1151 on 790. Jason, good morning. Cold morning, guys. listen about this college playoff thing this whole thing was so it can be decided on the field while it was decided on the field you know when you have 64 teams playing a 12 game schedule

you're not going to some teams are going to play us off their schedule that's just the way it is you know me personally I'd rather go back to the bowl system we had in the 80s because even with the BCS you had complaints because Nebraska made it because didn't even win their conference you know go back to the way it was in the 80s you knew you were going to get some damn good games on a new year's day to sit there and watch as far as the new national championship is i don't want i don't want voters deciding who my national championship is i want a tournament i don't have a problem with the format um i like 12 teams i like that there was drama going to this week we just happen to get four lousy games out of it i mean that's none but that's nobody's fault it just turned out to be the way that it was Well, I mean, I've been hearing people complaining about this system since SMU made it over Alabama, and it's like, you know what?

It was decided on the field, okay? You know, and until you can come up with a way teams can play each other, all 64 teams play each other on a regular basis, you're going to have this. And, you know, my problem is people talking about Indiana and Tennessee. well, I'm sorry, Indiana and Tennessee played a Big Ten and SEC schedule, which are supposed to be the best conferences. And now you're saying, well, they played a week conference. What week schedule? Well, they played an SEC and Big Ten conference. I mean, if you're going to complain about it this much, just go back to the old bowl system or keep your mouth shut.

You know, let's decide it on the field. If you have 11 wins, you're in. Okay, I'm sorry. That's how way you do it. All right, Jason, thank you. Yeah, they're not going back. an old system. This is still the best thing. Tournament style

is better. That determines the national champion on the football field, not the Associated Press or the coaches deciding it. That was the worst. Well, I mean, we saw it play out that way last year, too, where it was a undefeated conference champion, got left

out, and it was four teams in a Power 5 league, and you ended up taking the Pac-12 champ, you took the Big Ten champ, you took the SEC, and the Big 12, and that's who you had in the playoff last year. And, of course, you had Florida State fans saying, well, wait a minute, what we just did this year, I get, our quarterback is out, but that's the reason why we're not playing in this thing. So, I mean, that's what it really comes down to is no matter what happens, you have 12 teams, eventually there are going to go to the 16 teams.

And then the 17th team is going to be like, well, wait a minute, we should have been in there. You were 8 and 4. Well, but still, we should have been in there. Look at the schedule we played. Yeah, I mean, here's a philosophy, and this will come as no surprise anybody. We complain about everything. If there was a 24-team tournament, we'd complain about the 25th spot. I mean, we as sports fans complain, that's what we'd like to do.

And we're always going to complain about the outside-looking-in teams. And this year, it happened to be, what, Old Miss, Alabama, maybe a little bit of BYU. Am I forgetting anybody else that's kind of got a big argument on this? You're talking about that was left out? That was left out. Yeah, I mean, South Carolina. The only team, and I mean, we'll throw Clemson in there too since they won the ACC, but the only team that seemingly everybody was unanimous on,

yeah, they should have been one of the at-larges was Tennessee, and they got boat-raised. Like, nobody was complaining about Tennessee being in there. And if you were, then you're being, you're being a prisoner of the law. moment in that case because for everybody that I saw in terms of picking games, there were a lot of people who were picking Tennessee to win that game. Yeah. I just, if you're asking for a world we don't complain about something in sports, that's never

going to happen. We are never going to, especially when you have a subjective committee, when they're, like in the NFL, you can't complain about who makes the playoffs because you play each other and there are slots. In the NBA, you can't complain the MLB, but you can complain about the, you can complain about the football tournament. You can complain about the NCAA tournament. What else can we complain about? I don't know, but those ones are top of mind. When you have human beings putting people in slots as compared to what your record says, you're going to have people complaining. So it's just

to me a part of sports. And every year somebody's going to feel like they got screwed. Like Florida State fan is still bent about not getting it last year. I mean, still to this day, arguing about it over and over again. And my guess is Alabama fans going to be really resolved. See, Alabama fan, it's a little hanging fruit for them because Alabama, they're thinking they would have gone to Notre Dame and played a better game. They would have gone

to Penn State and played a better game than what SMU and Indiana did. Well, it's also, too, I mean, the NFL, I mean, I think you listed them as one of your examples. I mean, you win your division, you're in. You are one of the three wildcard teams, you're in. I mean, it comes down to

teams play each other, or if there's enough crossover that you can be able to the tiebreakers in order for teams to be able to get in. Until to Jason's point, they go the route of, hey, let's just make this a Power 5 tournament, or in this case now Power 4, then you're not going to be able to have that uniformity because you have a bunch of rivaling factions working against each other, where then on Selection Sunday or even that Saturday during the conference championship games, you have to have the commissioner of your league go on there and incorrectly say schools like Jim Phillips

did for the ACC and be able to try to stump for themselves in order to be able to try to get in. And when you have that, then soon enough, human error can kind of creep in there somewhere because, again, we're not perfect. We will make mistakes. Yeah, going back to the old bowl system would have created even more chaos. Instead of having two or three teams saying the number one, you'd have five or six teams saying the number one. All right, let's get to the news at noon coming up. And also in the next hour, we hope to hear from Miko Ryans and C.J. Stratt, 1157. Matt here in Charlotte, Dan back in Houston, Connor producing,

and we thank you for listening to the Matt Thomas Show, Ross, on Sports Talk 790. Lunch timers, this is the Matt Thomas show. 1202 at H-town. What's happening at Lunch Timers? We're halfway done on a Monday edition of the Matt Thomas show, coming to you from Charlotte. Dan Matthews in for Ross.

Ross is back tomorrow. Ross and I split a couple of parlays, boys. One college and one pro, and we had, I think, four or five games in each one of them, and we were done with both of them before even half of the games were started. Is it better to have it that way, or is it better, say, you've got a five-leger, and you've gotten four of the five correct, and it's that final one? But parley is, you know, at the end of the day, are probably just sucker bets. They are.

No, every single gambling professional will tell you. that they are. But I had one divisional round weekend leading into the LSU Clemson National Championship game that I had placed. We drove from Atlanta to New Orleans, and we stopped at Bo Revage. And I had placed him there. And if Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks had just kicked the extra point, I would have won that final one between Seattle and Green Bay. But he went for two and missed it. So I lost. You know what? I did it just for blank and giggles, but I think the biggest parlay I'll ever make myself would be no more than two teams. Because I just think when you get to three, you're just asking, you're getting too greedy.

You got to go for value here, Matt. You got to elite it no less than three if you're going that route. If you're going to go less than three, then just go single bets. Yep, that makes sense. All right, time now for the news at noon. And I'm so proud that Dan, when you read these news headlines, you will not do them in your news anchor force. No, no, nobody wants to hear that. Nobody likes it. I mean, it's just you be original. You be yourself. You be genuine, Matt. All right, Texans getting ready for the Ravens Christmas Day, NRG Stadium.

They lose over the weekend of the Chiefs, 27, the 19 in Kansas City. Tankdale done for the season, dislocated kneecap. Gross. Sad. Awful. But why were they being coy about him yesterday? This is what I want to know. I mean, I guess it's also, too, one of those things that D'Amico, unless he has to put out an injury report, usually says, well, if I don't have to tell you about it, I'm not going to.

Do you think you can relocate it quickly? Like when you dislocate something, you know how you, when you dislocate a finger, you can pop it back into place? Yeah, but I think. Does it work that way? I think knees and elbows are a little bit more tricky. I mean, because then it's the whole, is it set in there? and like for example when I was 10 years old I dislocated my elbow on the Astrodome field

at the Astros baseball team. Damn, poor kid? Yeah, I got to sign Jeff Baguaw ball out of it, so it wasn't all a loss. Oh, that's definitely worth. Here's a question for the audience. Would you break something, a finger, a toe, an arm in order to get an autograph picture or a card from a professional athlete?

I would say yes. Yeah, I remembered when they took me into the clubhouse, Randy Noor was sitting on. on one of the couches in there. And Dave Labassier was like trying to prop my arm up to make sure it didn't get worse. And I just remember Randy Norr goes, oh! And that made it even worse.

But Todd Jones came in and was comforting me. He was like, hey, buddy, you all right? Big Todd Jones guy. All right, that's good. We'll hopefully get an update on a tank coming up in about 10 minutes from now. Continue on, sir. All right. So the Rockets win last night, 114-110 over the Raptors in Toronto.

Dylan Brooks, 27 points out of him. Jalen Green, nice game after a nice one against the Pelicans, 22 from him. How about the bench duo of Cam Whitmore, who chipped in with 11? And the player of the game I had on Rockets Rap last night, Matt, I went with Jay Sean Tate. Now, seven points out of him,

but a couple of steals in there. And an absolute energizer for the team last night. Well, you know, the Thunder, the Raptors didn't have a big lineup. Their biggest player that got major minutes was Kelly O'Lenicki, 611, but as we know, he doesn't ever put his back to the basket, so that's not going to be an issue and doesn't necessarily consider himself a defensive threat. Their main go-to's big guy was got a mobbo, 6-9. You can go with a small line up.

That's what the Rockets did. How about being down 16 to being up double digits in the second half? See, and that's the thing, too, is, I mean, as soon as I saw Kim Whitmore and Jayshon Tate go out there, that to me was Ema Udoka saying, you guys just aren't giving it. to me. I haven't played these guys very much, so I'm going to see what these guys have. And they've earned themselves more minutes. What's the concern level on Tari-Eason? I mean, we had the lower leg issue last year.

That ended up costing him the rest of the season. Are we looking at that right now, Matt? I would say without having any inside information that maybe it's the best thing for him, maybe not to play until after Christmas just to make sure he's feeling all right. Again, he was with us yesterday walking around and fine, but that's different than running up and down a basketball. ball court 94 feet at a time. But who knows? I have seen no injury update and probably won't get one for another hour or so.

Yeah, Charlotte Hornets tonight in Charlotte. It's going to be 5 o'clock. Rocket's launch pad coming your way. The Adams, Adam Clanton and Adam Wexler, bringing to your Rockets Launchpad a little bit later on today. Okay, I'll be listening. There you go. There's no chance.

Well, I mean, maybe Josh will have it on for you in there. All right. A couple of signings in baseball this morning, because I'm assuming you guys already covered the Christian Walker signing on Friday. I think that came down right about the time, so we know about that by now. Suck it a team. But the Rangers bring in Jock Peterson two-year deal for him. Walker Bueller to the Red Sox on a one-year deal.

Isn't it crazy that we're sitting here about Christmas time, and we spent basically the entire post-astero season worrying about the future of Alex pregnant, and now it's not even top of mind right now. Obviously he's going to go somewhere else, but none of us are sitting here just staring on our computers trying to figure out where he's going to go. It's closure. I think that's probably more than anything.

Like I had a buddy of mine who's a big Astros fan, and he texted me because he's out of town with his family and goes, hey, what's the vibe there? I said, honestly, man, I think it's pretty much just closure. I think that pretty much everybody at this point is just saying, we know he's not going to be here now, so let's just move on. Yeah, I think we're at this point

We're just like wherever you go I mean, there's just a huge part of me That's not hoping it's the New York Yankees You don't like kind of predicted it But part of me wants him to go to New York Because it'll officially for the last time Shut the Yankee fans up about the June Yeah, I was going to say

If he goes to the Yankees, you don't have a talking point anymore Zero You have pretty much said that everything you've been saying For the last seven years is all bull bleep Because we knew that from the beginning but yeah if you're going to sign a guy that was part of said team and then try to

and they'll try to him and haw it too oh he's a great player oh you know everybody makes mistakes not saying that you know that Bregman directly involved but I'm just saying they will try to find every single talking point without saying yeah everything we said

the last few years was exactly that yeah but it really will they'll have zero to bring up because Toronto's been shut up other teams that have taken astro players have said it I mean frankly the Yankees will be the biggest group that will never have to be they'll be muted for sure

well and seemingly the guy that wears it on the chin more than anybody Jose Altuve was the one who was on the record as he did not take part in it yep by the way Rick and by the way shout out to Jose for trying to keep Alex Bregman here the Astros made an offer

they thought it was fair it was in their range Alex said no, his decision to choose it, no. But there's nobody that should be mad at either side of the situation. Because the Astros, I mean, tell me, Issaq Paredes, pole header, minute mate, or whatever they're calling it now, Dakin Park, Dikin Park, whatever it is. Dikin Park, yeah. Dikin Park.

And then you've got Christian at first base now. I mean, my goodness. And if you add another outfielder, then I think you feel really good about your team. Yep. Again, I don't disagree with you, Dan, but I'm not holding you. my breath on that. Let's be honest with ourselves. The outfield that Dana Brown

throughout there is a possibility, that is... It shook some heads. I don't disagree with you. That is not inspiring confidence for me. All right. What else you got? All right, real quick. You know, I was going to go to a pop-up holiday bar in Kansas City, but we want to get out pretty quickly to be able to get D'Amico Ryan's. You mentioned Ricky

Henderson passing away over the weekend at 66. Matt, I said it. I go, I can't have Ricky Henderson dying. Like, I can't have that happen. Like, that's my childhood. Him, the Bash brothers, Walt Weiss, Dave Stewart, LaRusa as the manager. The Oakland A's of the late 80s and early 90s, that was swag before swag. And he's also the greatest athlete to refer to himself in third person every time.

The John Olerud's story. John O'Rood story is good. It really is. We're not time to tell it, but it's a good story. John 316 story. But Ricky calling himself Ricky is the. the best part of being Ricky, besides being the greatest base dealer of all time.

That's the news at noon. 12.12 is our time. We'll check in with the Texans next. It's the 790. More Matt Thomas show with Ross. Now on Sports Talk 790. As you know, Dan, I'm not a big Christmas guy, music guy.

But if I'm going to listen to it, I want the old school stuff. I don't need the newbies singing my songs. Yeah, that's the go-to is Dino, Bing Crosby, Frank. Absolutely. Always makes me feel good. The Carpenter singing some Christmas tunes.

I do like Annie Lennox singing Christmas tunes, but I don't need to hear like Bruce Springsteen knocking back you know, Mommy Saw Kiss and Santa Claus, that kind of stuff. I like the Springsteen stuff too, but I mean, the crooners, you get a good old fashion

a Manhattan, you got a roaring fire going. It puts you in the mood. You're feeling good. Man, you are in a mood. By the way, various annoyances at Christmas in no particular order. First of all, eggnog is disgusting. I can do it. I feel like

my body is going to go into a sugar shock after having a cup of that. No, I mean, that's why for the drinks that I threw out before that, I prefer those. but, I mean, if you've got some spiked eggnog, I'll do a cup. Number two, putting reindeer ears on your car. What about the Rudolph nose on the front?

Any of it. Just leave your car alone. It's hard and ask for it to be decorated like an ornament. It's the Christmas version of truck nuts. What is truck nuts? They were certain things on the tow hitch of trucks that would embody the, the shape of a certain human organ for men. Yikes.

Yeah, they were ridiculous. I should have probably took the context on that. Anything else that annoys you about the Christmas season? I mean, shopping is that just necessarily evil. You can't really use that. No, I mean, but nowadays where you can do everything online, I would say that. And then it was funny, what was it?

As I was leaving, the fiancé was watching local news this morning, and they were like, the shipping deadline has passed. No, duh. Yeah, they can't get it to you by tomorrow, more than likely. Oh, I've been thinking it to you tomorrow. I mean, if you shop with... It's going to cost you some serious cash, but I'll get it to you.

Bingo, there you go. But, I mean, it's also, too. I mean, you know, take care of your delivery drivers. You know, I always like when I see people do that where they, you know, they leave out bottles of water, anything like that. Say, hey, you know, I know you've got a lot on your plate this holiday season. Take one. That's a nice.

touch. I like when people do that. Do you put a sign out and say, please take this delivery person or do you just leave the water out there and they have to assume it's for them? I think you just assume it. I mean, yeah, maybe a sign of, you know, appreciate your work, know it's a busy season. Hopefully this helps. Something like that. All right.

713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-7-9. We are waiting to hear from Dimeco Ryan's coming up in just a couple of seconds. I'm sure he will tell us a latest on Tank Dell. Also, C.J. Stroud's going to speak before the end of the day. We'll hopefully get some of that audio in as well. And then a reminder that at 120 today, Dan and I will have the Fantasy 5 Christmas songs. You looked at our list.

Do you feel super confident in your list, or do you feel like it's going to be up in the air on that bad boy? No, I feel super confident in mine. Okay. Very. All right. Just want to make sure. I feel really confident in my list too But remember I'm not doing it to win the contest

I'm doing it just because I want to let you know What my favorite five songs are Yeah I mean In the songs we've played so far We have they will not be on the fantasy five Either one of our list I mean I'm trying to remember of all of them But I don't think I've had any just yet

So yeah we've got it We've got two eclectic lists We do All right 713213 12-7-9 again we are in a holding pattern here for Domingo Ryan's he is set to meet with the media in just a little bit I'll make sure I got the time right on this what is today Monday yeah he's supposed to speak at 1215 Bobby Sloick at 1230 I won't put people through that and then 1245 at C.J. Strouds so you don't want Bobby Sloak word salad well no I just think people when you hear a voice you just get irritated he gives word salad he well the whole I mean let's face it to me is not the

most forthcoming coach. He's got a lot of glib, a lot of coach speaking him. Bobby's Word salad and Nick is the king of the words. He's like, what's that place? The sweet tomatoes, where you walk in you and get 40 different salads, your choice? He's the, he's the Malata.

He's the Malada. That's exactly right. Yeah. Good pull. That is basically the Lapotli of the sounds. Are there any more meat oratoes around anymore where you can get like the 40 different salads or met us

Ariseu? Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Good stuff. Those were good. I think salad bars kind of went away for the most part after COVID. Because people are like blowing their nose in it. Bingo. Yeah. I mean, even with the guards that you have on there, the little

half glass windows that are supposed to cover it, yeah, I think that the that's why the mulatas in places like that became more in vogue because you're right. You have people back there who are wearing the proper gloves and hairnets and everything like that and they're taking care of it for you.

And I appreciate too, you know, that they do the mixing with the dressing and everything. You don't have to, when you get home, have to shake the salad container in order to make sure you have the perfect coating of dressing to whatever ruffage you have in there. By the way, do we have Chinese buffets back?

I miss Chinese food buffets. I did. I was a huge. huge. There was one that was off the Southwest Freeway that I used to hit up quite a bit. And yeah, I'm with you on that. And the OG, I can't even remember the name of it, but it was on the North Freeway. And it almost looked like a Vegas buffet. Like, I was like, this place rules.

Seriously, you get like your soup, egg roll, ribs, fries, those fried biscuits, the crab rangoons, if you want them. Crab rangoons, you get the low main, you get the sweet and sour pork, the sweet and sour shrimp, you get the pepper steak. I mean, not that I gourd a lot, but put me in a Chinese buffet and you won't see me for an hour. And I won't feel well when I'll leave, but it'll be fine. There's a lot of MSG in there. If they tell you to cut down on your salt, don't go there.

No. Chris in Jersey Village before we hear from Domingo. Hi, Chris. Yeah, good afternoon. Good morning. Good afternoon, Matt. Hey, Dan. What up?

I live in Atlanta for a while and like John Kincaid and Buck really a lot. Listen, I know John's a friend of yours, so I just wanted to be. give them a shout out. But, hey, we lost three players yesterday. I have a simple question. This might start a little bit of a conversation for you guys. But what's the motivation for D'Amico to play the guys on Wednesday? I mean, short week, short two weeks.

I don't think we're playing for very much. Yesterday was an emotional game. We lost three guys to injury. What the hell? Let's sit this one out. let the backups play and get ready for the playoffs. What do you guys think? I don't think there is anything to play for. They will be the worst of the four divisional winners. No, there's tons to play for. I mean, if you win that game on Wednesday and then you beat the Titans,

I mean, you've got the Steelers still playing against the Chiefs. I can't remember who the final game is for Baltimore. But the three seed is still very much in play. There's zero chance that guys are sitting for this one, for that very reason. No, no, no, I would never but I mean, I'm really being realistic here. So if the Texans went out, they'd be 11 and 6, they could jump Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh, Baltimore, where they can't jump Buffalo. So the highest they could get would be three. Yeah, which would be the best opportunity for them to be able to advance the playoffs,

because them playing against Baltimore, maybe even Pittsburgh this year too as well, now that they actually have a capable quarterback, I would not feel very confident in that matchup. But against Denver, nice. story, but Denver's not ready. No, Denver, you would be, right now you're playing the loser of the Pittsburgh, Baltimore, AFC

North. The wild card would come out of that. So that's who you'd be playing. If you were to jump to the three, you would then have to take on either the Chargers or the Broncos. And the Chargers have the six seed right now. They're nine and six, and they're two games. I'm not worried about them either.

I know that you're worried about Justin Herbert and Lanky. I'm not. I think they're in the same boat. The only one that scares me is the AFC North potential matchup. All right. Chargers, by the way, have two games left, and they are with, let's take a look here. My app is not working. Chargers have at Patriots, at Raiders.

They're winning both those games. Yeah, you would think. I mean, it's just like Buffalo with what they have left. I mean, you knew with your remaining schedule. Yeah, go on. Let's go to Domingo Ryan's. He dislocated the knee who tore his ACL, some other things there. And he'll have to get repaired.

So he'll be out for the year. Also with Jimmy Ward, midfoot spring. He'll be, he'll require surgery. He'll be out for the remainder of the year as well. And Shaq knee injury, he'll be week to week. It's just tough news. And all those are, you know, especially with Tank and Jimmy, too, great guys, great players, but they will miss them dearly.

They've meant a lot to our team. We know we have a lot to pick up losing those two guys, but those guys will attack the rehab the right way, and they'll be back in due time. So our thoughts and prayers are still with them as they attack the rehab and knowing everything that's to come, but they'll make a recovery. Short week and things like that.

I know it's the next game, but I understand all that. Like how do you just move on so quickly? Have you? Yeah, for me, it's, you know, you have to, right? It's easy to sit in and it still hurts. It'll always be there with us. I don't think, you know, the emotional piece will leave us because, you know, those guys are important pieces to our team

and just really great people as well for our team, for our locker room, it's a lot to us. So losing them is hard. It's hard to move on. you know, what's in front of us. You know, we're here. We got the Ravens coming into our house. We have to move on.

And so easier said than done. Of course, with such, you know, tough news to hear, it's easier said to them, but we have to, and that's what we'll do, right? You have to have other guys step up, and we have to move forward. And then our next opponent really, they don't care. So we got to move forward. We got to go play really good football versus a really good team coming into our house. You know what I'll have surgery?

No, it'll be so. Coach, you lost Jayland, and now you lose Jimmy. Is there any possibility that it may be Kamar and will play some inside like he did on Saturday? Yeah, we'll see. We'll see how we move guys around in the back end. Like, it's still a lot of moving pieces on a short week, so we'll see, you know, what we're able to do. At what point, how do you have to bring the leadership of the team in a short week and even trying to get over the hook with these.

wild pieces, you know, that's out of the equation right now. How does the leadership of the team and y'all put it together? Because, like you said, the clock's morning and nobody's sitting there feeling sorry for you, man. Our guys understand that, and that's what we, you know, and my message to our guys is it's about just having laser focus. There's a lot of things, as I mentioned yesterday, there are a lot of things that can, you know, pull our attention in many different directions. like physically, emotionally, everything that's going on right now, short week, Christmas. There are a lot of things that can pull our energy. But right now we have to be laser focused on Baltimore.

And that's what it is. Like there isn't any other thing that should be more important than Baltimore. And that's where our focus is. That's where all of our energy is, focused on Baltimore. And it's a lot to focus on because they're such a talented team. They're playing really good football. I think Lamar is playing some of the best football he's played. Like he's definitely jumps off the tape as the best player I've seen this year.

Talk about the MVP. He's definitely the MVP in my mind just for what he's doing, not only run game-wise, but throwing the football, the accuracy, the decision-making. Like he's playing unbelievable ball right now. So it's going to be a really tough challenge for us this week. You kind of talk about whenever it comes to looking on the inside for building up rosters and names that you.

might be willing to add in. Is it hard to do so on a short week when you really have to just look at the internal makeup of the roster to be able to fill the gaps are needed right now? Yeah, of course. It's hard to add anyone when we're playing two days. It's unrealistic that somebody's coming in and playing for us on Wednesday. So we're rolling with what we have and what we have is good. Or like all our guys, like how our guys work and they understand what we're asking of them and we're going to go out and compete. You talked about after the tape, getting ready for Baltimore, some things that you saw in that thing that are things you think you guys can build on in these couple days as you get ready to face Baltimore. Yeah, for us, looking back from Kansas City, the thing that I look at our team and where we can build on is like we had our opportunities, right? But in those critical moments, situational football, when it came to third down and red zone, we have to improve in those areas. When we've won games, we've been good in those areas, and when we've lost, we haven't been great in those areas. So that's the key for us.

Like, how well do we play in those situations? If we play well, then we'll have a good chance versus this team because they're really good in those situations again. Like, the good teams, they play great situational football. KC. does and Baltimore does as well. They're really good in the red area, and they're really good on third down as well. And those will be the key plays of the game. Do you feel like ball security and also takeaways, how much do you feel like turnovers be important in this game and maybe the pivotal point in the game? Yeah, for us, the ball is always important every week, no matter our opponent, the ball is always our major focus.

We have to protect it. We have to take it away. That won't change. We see you more. The Ravens defense and felt like earlier in the year maybe teams were passing on them with a little bit more success. I mean, it did more difficult the past few weeks. What do you kind of seen from them and the adjustments they've made? Defensively, I think they've done a really good job of eliminating the explosives.

You can see they're playing more shell defense, more cover two mentality. We'll also mix into man coverage, but I think they're playing more sound. Everybody is where they're supposed to be in coverage. Guys are playing well together, probably simplified things a little bit, and allowing their guys to play faster and play together. So that's what I see. And they're tough unit to run against, starting with their defensive line, big style defensive line.

Guys do a really great job of filling their gaps knowing where they're supposed to be on the second level. So they make it tough to run against them. And then in a passing game, they can play sticky man coverage. They'll mix up the looks with the tricky cover twos. And so they've done a really good

job of mixing it up and eliminating and keeping the ball in front of eliminating the explosives. Another former linebacker turned coach, have you seen Zach Orr turn into a sound defense coordinator to replace the I think Zach is doing a really, you know, outstanding job with his defense. You know, people said things weren't going great. He's doing a great job of adjusting.

And that's what good coaches do. He's done a great job of adjusting, you know, fit in the scheme to what his players do best right now. And so that's the makings of a good coach, really admire what he's done as a young, young man, former player, right, how he's turned his coaching career. he's doing a really good job. He's turning into, you talk about guys in Baltimore that have come through that coaching ranks under Coach Harbaugh. There are a lot of great defensive coordinators who moved on and become hit at coaches and other places. I think Zach is on that same track.

Coach, last season, you were in this similar situation. Last time you faced the Baltimore race, it was actually with Nico being the only healthy starting while receiver that you had. What have you seen from Xavier Hutchison and John Mitchie if he's able to play and this second time around me stepping up this season to fill in that role

for Tate and step on. This time around I think Hutch has done a really good job of making some key catches for us in the past few games and he continues to get better each and every week that he goes out there so encouraged by Hutch and what he's doing Mets. Hopefully we'll have him

this week and he can help us as well. It's going to take everyone as always it's going to take everyone. I was just making smart decisions with the football going to wherever the play calls for going to who's open in those in those situations. So it'll be a collective effort. We know it'll take everyone and our guys understand that somebody has to step up, right? Opposite Nico, somebody has to step up and make plays for us and that'll be the key of the

game. Like who is that person that's going to step up and if we that person does it the right way, that's who we'll be talking about postgame. We'll lose some of the standpoint in terms of having a control, discipline rush, that's just run up the field and creating lanes, Sometimes we have a quarterback like Lamar Jackson. What are some of the things that you stress to guys about rushing against a quarterback like him? The main thing when you're playing against Lamar is everyone has to be disciplined, right? Everyone understands and have elite awareness so what he's capable of. And I think everybody knows that by now.

He can run it. Whatever he wants to do, he can buy time and throw the ball downfield, throw the deep passes. So everybody is a matter of just working together as a defense. not only D-Line, but linebackers, secondary. I guess everybody just working together, being disciplined, in our coverages, being disciplined, and our rushes, everybody just being dialed in. With the type of injury has,

is the expectation that at some point next season he can play football again? Right now, the focus is just on tape, just, you know, going through this process, getting the surgery, getting recovered, and we'll deal with that when it comes. But I don't think it's the time. right now to discuss what's going to happen next year with tank just allow him to get this time to heal up and recover.

You mentioned Lamar Jackson in the challenge that he poses. Talk about what they, you know, Derek can't win the run game, that other dimension that obviously is. Oh yeah, that part. Can't forget about Derek. Derek is, wow, you talk about fast, explosive, physical, like he's looking probably the best he's looked in his career. He's found that fountain of view.

It's running behind a really good offensive line. And just schematically, they're doing a great job of using him to his strengths. And, you know, he's running the football very well. Always a tough guy to tackle. Always going to take more than one guy. Got to be aware of that stiff arm when he's out on the edge as well. He's just, he's a great player, man. It's fun to see guys rebound and bounce back the way he's done this year.

He's playing really good football. They're the top rushing team in the league because of him and what Lamar is capable of doing as well. So to have that dual threat is really a problem for everybody. So you don't get a break. Whether Lamar is touching it or Derek is touching it, you have to be on your A game for the entire game. When you look at Kendra Green,

how do you think you performed and then would choose potentially coming back? Is there a bit of a switch up from playing left guard to right guard where if you were to fill in for Shaq, in that standpoint, would he be able to take it? I thought Kendrick did a great job of battling. He was physical. He's played explosive. He did a really good job of just being competitive up front.

And that's what it takes. Like, for us to have firm pockets on the offensive line, especially in the interior. You just got to compete. And that's what Kendrick did. And that's what I like what he did. And we'll see how we can continue to improve there. All right.

Thanks, guys. All right, that is Domeico Ryans. We'll come back and digest what he had to say. some interesting breaking news on two players. We'll discuss that next 1238 on Sports Talk 790. More Matt Thomas show with Ross. Now on Sports Talk 790. Tank Dell, dislocated knee, ACL, and quote-unquote other things he has done for the year.

He'll have surgery at a later date. Jimmy Ward has foot surgery also off of the season. Jack Mason is week to week. Dan, we're going to get to CJ here in a little bit. I don't want to play doctor on the radio, but I'm going to, just for the sake of this small segment we have here, tanks aren't going to be ready for the start of next season.

It seems like he could be pretty tough. I mean, you know, he was kind of touch and go for reasons also outside of the injury he had last year, probably if he doesn't have what happened in Florida last year, that you probably have him ready to go pretty immediately. but I don't know what necessarily is the recovery time just for the dislocated knee. I mean, usually torn ACL. Football players seem to come back from that a lot faster than say NBA players do.

But, I mean, you add that to the equation. And other things. Don't forget the other things part, whatever that means. Right. I mean, so it can be tough. But, I mean, if he is able to come back, that's obviously he attacked the rehab pretty quickly. and was able to recover pretty quickly. But yeah, I mean, you probably now need to go find somebody else

in addition to another option in the receiving game that you probably were planning on having to do in the offseason anyway. So as you look at this, that was a friendly fire snake bit play, correct? Yeah. There's really no, I mean, I'm trying to, I guess this is look, this is two consecutive season ending injuries. Tank, the concern about him was height and weight in bulk, and can you withstand physical abuse of sport like the NFL is when you're of his stature?

Yeah, I mean, that was a concern, and that's probably why he was a day two round three guy. But, I mean, two at the same time, at that position, these types of injuries come with it. And, I mean, I think it was Jared Wayne, was that who ran into him on the field? I'm trying to remember who it was. But, you know, it was one that's, I mean, the way I heard it called was probably the way that I would agree. He's just trying to make a play. And it was unfortunate that they had a collision. But, I mean, he's in the end zone.

He's a receiver thinking, hey, you're coming to me. I need to be ready for this. And the same deal with Tank Dell. And they just happened to collide with each other. And unfortunately, we saw what happened. So can you say damn fluky injury got him this year as compared to trying to block last year? That was a situation. never should have been put in.

I mean, that last year was, it could have been avoidable for sure. This year couldn't have been avoidable, but that's two injury season-ending injuries in two consecutive seasons. It's tough to put a lot of long-term faith in a guy that can't finish out seasons for you. Again, this year, through no fault of his own. I totally understand. And he caught the ball and scored the touchdown, and that was awesome. and obviously just a horrific way to end his season.

But this is what I think people were concerned about. Now, this situation, not his fault, but it is what it is. Slight build, guys are going to have some problems. Well, it's also, too, I mean, you know, initially I had the same reaction last year when he got hurt against the Broncos in that game. But, Wex was the one who kind of talked me through it of, okay, well, then if you're not going to have him in there in that situation, and you're only going to have him on the field,

just in non-blocking situations, then you're alerting to everybody exactly what his role is on the field. So you make him a gadget player, and that's easy to defend. Which very well, he might be for the rest of his NFL career. I mean, he might just, I don't know. You know, I can't have this conference. You just can't.

But my point is that this is not how it was supposed to work out for Tank Dell after working so hard to be that second-day pick and be able to be as big of an impactful player as he has been during his two NFL seasons. Well, I mean... But this is to me, this... And again, I'm not a doctor, but man, this does not sound like this is... When D'Amico is like, oh, he'll be ready for training camp. He wants to know part of that.

Well, I mean, you can't... You can't talk about his career without talking about the two things that have ended his seasons. So, I mean, two years of work. on the field, the pattern is you get hurt and you miss the rest of the season. Fair or not, that's what the assessment is of Tank Dell so far

to this point. All right, back with another time out. We'll come back and hopefully hear from CJ Stroud on the next handful of minutes. 713-212. 5-790. Hi, this is former running back of Herschel worker. You're listening to Matt Thomas on the Sports Talk 790.

As promised, we go to the podium now for Texas quarterback CJ Stroud. Beyond the dislocated knee, unfortunately, he's also torn his ACL. How do you as a team kind of deal with the emotions of this and just being there for Tank this time? Yeah, you know, it's not easy, you know, to see your brother go down like that after just, you know, dealing with a season injury last year. So got us to be there for him and yeah, it's not easy, man, you know, I think everybody kind of

of seeing how hard I took it, but I think that was good, you know, for, you know, I don't know. It's not a lot to say, but this isn't the end for him. This is just another bump in the road. And, you know, there's been plenty of players who have had season injuries back-to-back. Like I was talking to my agent this morning, and he was talking about how Derwin James went through the same thing. And J.C. Horn as well, and, you know, they're playing good ball now. So, you know, that's hope, you know, and there's always light of things. a ton of. I think, you know, just for people to give

a tank a little space right now and just pray for him from afar, you know, let them, let them go through this. Because the worst thing that you want to hear is everything's going to be okay and all these type of things, you know, he clearly, he doesn't want to hear that. So it's good to say it, and I think the truth, he needs to hear the truth,

but, you know, let him spend this time with his family and, you know, try to just give him a little bit of room just to, you know, breathe and, you know, tag in what's really going on and mentally just get sane. So it's not easy, you know, but I'm going to be here for and that's my brother through ticket to end through life. I'm going to be here for him, so, yeah. Have you gotten to talk to him and kind of tell him that you're here for whatever he needs?

He knows that, yeah, but I'll talk to him, yeah. Anything else, guys? I mean, with that aside, I mean, there's a game Wednesday to me, they're talking about Ravens don't care what's going on in this building. How do you guys just move on and continue the season? Because you also have the playoffs ahead of you too. Yeah, it's life. You know, I've got to keep trouble with it, can't.

harder, you know, and the position we're in, you know, it's not a lot of times where you can, like, soaking your feelings for very long. You got to just keep rolling. I think that's a testament to, like, just life in general, everybody has stuff on the plate. Everybody's going through something, you know, and it's just because we're in this position doesn't mean, like, you get to feel sorry for yourself or anything like that. No, you got to keep rolling. And, you know, I think playing, you know, will help, you know, winning helps. And, of course, it doesn't feel the whole void of the hurt, but also, you know, it can make you feel better in the moment. But, you know, I think the main thing for us is just, you know, to put our best foot forward

and, you know, try to, you know, take these next week as serious as we can and focus on one thing at a time. And I think that's the best recipe for, you know, what the rest of the season could be. Last time you all faced the Baltimore Raiders, you're in a similar situation. You only had a neat goal as a starting wide receiver. And this year you're going there. you know, no tank, no Stefan Dix. How much have you seen from Xavier Hutchison and John Metchy if he's able to play them being able to step up and fill the void and feel that role, you know, more than they did in the last game, you know, I played against the Ravens.

Yeah, I think y'all seen it, you know, y'all seen it time and time again of, of Mets showing up, Huts showing up, you know, Jay Wayne, you know, going in there blocking and doing this thing. And, you know, I think those guys, you know, have another opportunity to show who they are. And, you know, I know that they can do it. I see them in practice, do it every week. So I'm excited for them. And it's a good opportunity for them to step up. How are you just handling, how are you just handling that entire situation? Yeah, best of my life, you know, try to just be where my feet are at.

You know, since I'm here in the facility, I've got to be here and, you know, I want to be here. And, you know, game plan for the Ravens and do what we need to do to, you know, put our best foot forward to win this game. So, you know, when I get out of here, be with my feet out is there, you know. So that's his life, you know, everybody, like I said before, is going through something. But, yeah, I'm doing just fine. I'm the last person. People should be worried about it's my brother, you know, that I'm more so on my mind. So, you know, I just feel this way for him because I know how, you know, how many people are depending on him and, you know,

and what he's done to put himself in his position to, you know, come back from injury and, you know, the things he's gone through. So, you know, it's not easy, but, you know, there's a time where we got to come together as community. And, you know, at the end of the day, it's not just about football. It's not just about, you know, the Texans. It's not just about winning the game. It's about a person, you know, who's going through a lot. And, you know, we've got to be there for him and hold him up. So, and he's strong enough to, you know, hold himself up in certain ways.

But there's other things just like, I hope y'all have people. We all have people to lean on when you're going through it. And that's something that I have in my life. So, you know, this is at time for that. And, you know, just being on my feet is, I think, is the best thing for me right now. It comes to the Ravens. It's not often that there's such a, you see such a display of emotion on a football field that you show. Do you think it's important for people to see that and kind of feel that to kind of be reminded, y'all are people too.

This is a game, but y'all are real people. And just kind of, this matters. And, you know, like, I guess y'all are really close. And this is something that really affects you. just a game. Do you think that's important? Yeah, I do. My barber actually mentioned it to me and was like, he thought it was, you know, because I wouldn't say I was like second guessing it, but it was just not easy for me to sit there and be emotional, you know, but it's something that like we all go through in life and it's easy to be a fake tough guy. It's easy to go through life, acting like

everything doesn't affect you, but deep down, we all know we're going through something. And for me, I think it's good for like young men and women out there, kids who, who are brought up and taught, and I was taught this too as a kid, not from my parents, but just from the world, of like, don't let anybody see you emotional, don't let anybody see you down. And, yeah, there's some truth to that in certain aspects, but there's also life. And I think it was good to see people, people see me in that light and knowing that, like, there is still, you know, a human factor to me. And I am a normal person. I make plenty of mistakes. I made plenty of mistakes in my life that, you know, that are interested in what it is.

is and to see something that he had really no control over, you know, and it's not easy. So that's where that comes from. And I think it's just, you know, what God is doing in my life, you know, he's softening my heart in so many ways because I wouldn't have done that probably last year. But, you know, just the new creation that I am in Christ, you know, I'm constantly growing and just knowing who he is and, you know, and reading his word and me and tank do a Bible study every week, at least twice a week. And, you know, I hope that we can continue to keep going with that.

But, you know, there's some of its hope that we have and had, and that stuff doesn't go anywhere just because tragedy strikes. So I believe, you know, that we'll get past this. You know, there is light up in the tunnel, but it might be some, you know, it might be a long way to get there. But I think that was good for people to see that were just normal people at the end of the day. This is a quick follow up to that. It seemed like Joe Mixon was really there for you in that moment talking to you kind of trying to help you kind of get back back on track because you had to finish the game.

You've talked about how important he's been to you as a veteran. Is that just another example of how important he is to you in this team? Yeah, for sure. You know, like, same thing for Joe. Like if I, you know, if he was going through something similar, I'd be right there to pick him up. So he's right there for me, you know. And I think really for me, it was just it hit me so hard. because I'm so close to Tank that I spend a lot of my time with him.

And it's literally like I consider him my actual brother. You know, so maybe didn't resonate for people that way. But, you know, I think Mets, same thing. You know, he wasn't at the game. I think hit him the same way, you know. So when you're really close to somebody and see somebody go down like that and you spend so much time with them, you see how hard they work, you see, you know, the light that they are in this world

and to see that, like, you know, be taken away just for a little bit. it's not easy to see. So for Joe to be selfish right there, because I know he was going through it too, to uplift, his teammates is amazing, and I'm just really happy that I have him on this team. We're going to take three more here in, Jonathan and Sarge. CJ, you're a close-knit locker room

and you'll lean on each other. You look at the other receivers that we'll step up. What do you expect from those guys as they try to fill the void so the other gentlemen they'll fill in? Just being themselves, you know, They have the talents that God put in them for a reason, and this is another opportunity for them to go and show and prove it.

So I think they'll do that, and I'm excited to see. Jared was obviously really distraught after the game. I was wondering if he had to talk to him. Or what can you say to somebody like Jen who probably feels horrible? Yeah. So with Jay Wayne, I mean, like, that guilt and that shame is something I deal with a lot too. And I think for him, the best thing that he can do is just be around us.

And I've been able to pray over him. We went to church yesterday morning. And, you know, I think, you know, for him, I try to tell him, it's not to internalize it. Like, it's football. God didn't cause this. Like, some things in life, you know, it's just what the nature of what you're in, which is football, you know, things like that happen. And just because, you know, something tragic like that happens doesn't mean you should point the finger at yourself or anyone else.

You know, it's part of the game. So I feel for him. You know, I understand what he's going through. And, you know, I think it's good for him to be around just brothers right now. And, you know, we've been able to, you know, actually build our relationship. Even before this happened through the Lord, and I think that's how we've got to continue to go. So I think, you know, just what he's feeling right now is uneasy. And, you know, it's not something that I wish on my worst enemy.

Excuse me, my worst enemy. But, you know, it's something that I believe that had to happen, I guess. And it's not easy to sit up here and say that because I wish it didn't. But, you know, we've got to be here for him just as much we're here for Tank because you can just see it on them. You know, and I think, you know, it's important for us to be around him. Last one, sir. We know the losing Tank was very important, but you also lost two other starters during that game. and Greg Garts, Jack Mason, and Jimmy Ward.

With such a short weekend preparing for such a good team like the Baltimore Ravens, how do you all rally around that and get back into what you all need to do, replacing three starters now, such a short time? Yeah, you got a nice manner mentality. You know, with your numbers call, you've got to make the play. So we're all prepared for these moments, you know. D'Amico does a great job on, you know, competition periods and, you know, and practice during the season.

for practice squad guys to get an opportunity to play against the starters. And I think that's good for them. And it's an opportunity for them to step up and rise to their occasion. So, yeah, I think, you know, that this is something that, you know, it's happening on everybody's team. Injuries happen to everybody. So it's not easy to say that it's the worst part of our sport, but it's a part of it.

And you've got to be prepared for it. I think Nick has done a good job of that. And, you know, DeMiko has done a good job of preparing us that way to, you know, to have that next man mentality up and, you know, to be able to execute a high level when your number's called. How's Josh? That again is, he's a C.J. Stroud, answering a lot of questions about to take Dell and the relationship those two gentlemen have, it's obviously very strong.

If you want to comment on anything that you had to hear from CJ, look, he knows he's the leader of the team, has got to go forward, got to play Baltimore on Wednesday. It will not be an easy goal of things for them, clearly. And it was interesting that he ultimately, He said, too, Tank doesn't want to hear. It's going to be fine. It's going to be fine.

Sometimes you just don't want to hear that for a little while. Eventually, he will, but probably not today. All right, final hour of the show. Listen, ladies and gentlemen, coming up in 20 minutes, we're going to have the Fantasy 5. It's a Christmas edition. Dan and I have each selected five songs. You have to tell us which group of Christmas songs are better. 713, 212, 5, 7.9.

We'll do that in 20 minutes. But right now, we rejoined this final hour of the show with a recap of what we heard from Damico and from CJ next on Sports Talk 790. Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. All right, we're a little bit crazy on our wacky our schedule because of the fact of the two different press availability we have, but it was important to play.

Dan, CJ said all the right things. You know, obviously he's despondent about his friend. I don't think anybody should be taking any sort of shots at the emotions, the raw motions of seeing one of his, best friends suffering yet a season ending injury and look for the moment that he landed on the field in Kansas City no one thought this was a guy that was just going to get right back up they brought the stretcher out they brought the ambulance out I don't think there was much of that I think maybe one person on Twitter or two people said something on Twitter and an elephant manifest itself

by product is anybody that watched that game anybody that's a fan of CJ or the Texans or tank Dell or for that matter, and maybe with a heart had to empathize with the situation that Tankdale went through. So I'm not going to say that there was a large faction of people across this country that are like, why is CJ well enough? That would that have been ridiculous. No, I mean, it was a genuine reaction. I mean, it was, I mean, every bit of what I just said that those emotions came pouring out of him because he does care. He deeply cares about not only Tankdale but his team. And, you know, also too, I mean, I do think he is going to that though, Matt, as a little bit of a lesson because it did affect him going forward.

I mean, we saw a totally different team. The air was completely taken out of not only the Texans offense, but just the Texans team as a whole. And the week before, they saw it happen with a guy on the other side. So I think if nothing else, he maybe takes that as a lesson of, look, you're upset, you're emotional, you're all those different types of things, but you have to also then soon enough reel it back in and say, we've still got a job to do. Like we can't take ourselves out of the game if we want to accomplish what we want to do. Because I think that tank would even tell the guys like, hey, don't feel that way. I'm hurt.

I'm out of the game. It sucks. It's not great. But, you know, don't let it affect your jobs. Like go out there, do your job and try to win this football game. Yeah. It's not going to be good tomorrow Wednesday. It's just not.

I mean, we've got to deal in realities here. This is just not going to end well. I mean, they're not the only team, though, that's going through this. I mean, the Detroit Lions are going through it. We'll see what happens with Jalen Hertz. And I think Kenny Pickett even got hurt in that game against Washington as well. So there's a saying in the NFL is no one cares because that's true. Nobody on Baltimore side is going to be like, well, they don't have Takedell.

They don't have Stefan Diggs. No, Baltimore is trying to win the AFC North. So they need to win this game. And, I mean, it's also two for the Texans. I had said it earlier. I don't know if the Texans had ever won. They actually beat them twice. They beat them once in 2012, and they beat them in 2014.

Aside from that, Baltimore has won the 10 other games. And there is incredible pressure. I don't know if you're with me or not, but to me, there's incredible pressure on two particular people this year in the postseason. It's not C.J. Stratt, it's not many Warren Texanskyer. It's Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Yeah, but, I mean, again, though for what I just said nobody cares

I mean you can't care about that if you're the Texans I mean that's Lamar Jackson's problem that's Josh Allen's problem if you play those guys in playoffs those I don't think they're going to slip I don't think this is a slip up hey long flight for them coming in short week for themselves

big win over Pittsburgh they've had their troubles against them blah blah blah blah I don't expect this to be a trap or a looking ahead of things kind of situation Baltimore wants to win that division. They feel like they get this victory here, and Pittsburgh's got a tougher slate the next two weeks

that they can overtake them. I don't know if the tiebreaker, which team gets, do you know between Pittsburgh and Baltimore? I don't know what the tiebreaker is, but I believe that the Steelers still are in front right now. I don't know if that's common opponents. I have no clue what it comes down to. But I just, I know that being the case.

But look, for everything you just said, the Texans are in the same boat that the Ravens are. They both played on Saturday. They both have equally about the same turnaround time. I mean, the only difference is Baltimore played at home, so there was no plane travel or anything needed than that. But, I mean, you can't have that as a built-in excuse if you're the Texans. Because there's a reality.

The Steelers have the home for Kansas City and at home for Cincinnati. Bengals think they want to get in the playoffs. Their schedule, to me, Ravens have, let's see, they are playing at Houston and then they are home for Cleveland. They have an easier road, to be honest with you. So they've got to be thinking, maybe we win this division, and maybe the Steelers be the team that would be coming into Houston for a wildcard weekend. Yeah, I mean, if Baltimore wins this game on Wednesday,

then they are very much in position to be able to win the AFC North. I would say probably they are the favorite to win the AFC North. But it's also, too, I mean, you're in position to be able to improve your playoff seedings. And I mean, this is a team this year that their best win we can point to is all the way back at the beginning of the season against a Buffalo team that I think a lot of people would probably not expect to happen. If you were playing them again, you wouldn't expect for Josh Allen to go 9 of 30 or whatever he did. And you were able to win that game. But, I mean, this is one for the Texans, I think, is a rallying cry of, hey, let's prove some people wrong. Like, let's win this game.

And all of a sudden, people might say, huh, well, maybe they aren't the ones. Wars team in the AFC in terms of the division winners. All right, real quick NFL note, before we get to the Fantasy 5, if you're a Cowboys fan, you were supposed to play the late game on Sunday afternoon. That game has been moved up to noon our time. How about that the Cowboys

playing noon games? Who would have thunk that? Packers Vikings goes to 325 on Sunday, which is a much better game for us to watch. Playoff seating for that one. The NFL schedule as a whole yesterday sucked. If you needed to do some last-minute Christmas shopping, and I know that the show is all

always, you know, dudes go and do it on Christmas Eve. Yesterday was it, especially the local ones we had. I mean, God, you had the Rams and Jets, gross. And then the later one you had was Pats and Bills. No, thanks. Now, the moment of truth, we need five judges to call in right now. It's 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790.

We need five-7-90. music experts to help us out with a fantasy five who has the better list of Christmas songs Dan Connor has seen the list do you know who he would have voted for it has he told you yet he has not told me do we want to give Connor a vote this week sure absolutely he's part the team what number vote does he get like in terms of importance yeah like is he the first voter the third voter this he the six voter because we go best of seven on this. I'm going to have him be the deciding

vote. So if we need to vote seven, it's going to be Connors. Yes. We need six people to jump in right now. 7-13-21-5-790. 7-1-3-2-1-2-7-90. 5-7-90. The Fantasy Five.

Best Christmas song. We need your votes next on 7-13-212-5-7-90. Matt and Ross return. Returned. Returned on Sports Talk 7-9. Time now for the Fantasy 5 at, what is our time? 223. So if you want to be a judge, we got a lot of judges

that are all dropping like hotcakes. Well, actually, it's God's time right here in the central time zone. It's 1.23. Oh, sorry. That's what I say, 223. You did. You did. And somebody on Twitter was actually calling for that, too.

I'm sorry, I'm the wrong time zone. You know, Eastern Time Zone blows. Yeah. I'm Central Time Zone for life. Central is fantastic. Central is fantastic. 124 on Sports Talk, 790. 713212-5-790.

7-1-3-212-5-790. We have already made our decision. Dan gave me the very first selection on the Fantasy 5. And if you've listened to this show for any length of time, you know I'm not a huge fan of Christmas music. I might lose this competition, but it felt it was only appropriate to do it. And with that, we start with my favorite number one song when it comes to Christmas time. And it ain't even close. I don't care who sings it.

I sing it when I was in high school. And it remains to be a classic. The old school, the better. It's about a little drummer. Oh, this version. Oh, gross. Who is this? Carrie Underwood.

She's fine. I'd have gone Bing Crosby. I'd have gone on Annie Lennox, but you know what? I'm not the judge of this. This is not going to be very popular, especially with parents, but there's a part where her son starts singing. Oh, nails on a chalkboard. I'm sorry.

Some people are afraid to say things out loud. I'm going to say it. You're okay. I would not have chosen Carrie Underwood, but again, this is Dan. this is my selection and the production value from one Connor D. McGovern. Still a great member of our team. Well, you got to give me the artist next time.

You said, artist don't matter. You're right, you're right. It's not me. Yeah, I specified for a couple. You did. All right, so that's my first pick. You, my friend, have the next two picks. Yes, I do.

So number two selection, I am going to go with, I'll be home for Christmas, Frank Sinatra. Now, I believe this was written and performed right after World War II, if I'm not mistaken. I'll be home for Christmas. Come on. Hmm. I mean, Frank, belting it out. Like I said earlier.

Old fashion, maybe a Manhattan. Ripping fire. Yep, got to get the fire in. Haven't unwrap the presents yet, so you still have the leading up to Christmas excitement. Mm-hmm. Yes.

All right, continue on. This is a winner. At number three, I go another classic. I go with Gino, Gene Autry, Frosty the Snowman. Porncob Pipe. I mean, this is growing up as a kid, Matt, CBS. You knew that you were going to get Frosty the Snowman? Thank you, Gino.

Yeah. I don't think it was from a lyrics and music standpoint, just pedestrian at best. I would disagree. We do disagree. My list, I wanted to go a little bit of upbeat down, a little bit, I did a little bit of mix.

My next two selections, one is one that we will never get in Houston, Texas, which I'm very happy for. We will never have a winter wonderland. We did in 2004. I remember that. It's been a while. We went to Zoo Lights that night.

of a white plus you get the king it's not my song oh this is fantastic this is white Christmas this is not mine this is Winter Wonderland by Elvis Presley

well actually I think it's listed as Winter Wonderland this is not this is white Christmas yeah phase this out it's all right

it's okay Connor you doing a great job I'm not thinking winter wonderland there you go There you go. Now, I'm always for the king, though, too. I mean, if you ever got the king, the king will be all right.

There's 46 U.S. presidents, only one king, man. All right, my next selection, I'm going to go a little more upbeat. I'm not, you know, I'm a big fan of Yacht Rock, but I'm also a fan of jingle bell rock. That's my third selection. Now, I've said it before. Every time I hear this, I always think of that scene in mean girls. There you go, Connor. Dang.

Yeah, we'll do it for him because these guys... Yeah, he's got other things going on. There you go. Thank you. All right. So, so far, I've got Little Dumber Boy, Winter Wonderland, and Jingle Bell Rock. You have I'll Be Home for Christmas and Frosty the Snowman, you, my friend, have the next two selections. I'm going to go another classic.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Oh, it's fantastic. Wonderful time of the This reminds me I'm going to a department store and shopping You know what? I was actually about to say that right there Like this would be like if you grew up in New York City

You're going to the big Lacey's there Lacey's that's the right Lacey's That's right You know, Max Fifth Avenue You know if you're walking in there You're going to Bois Russ? Are they even around anymore?

They're not And that's funny you say that Because I'm trying to finish off the gifts For the nieces Yeah And I'm like, there's no toy stores. Like, where am I going to go get this stuff? But we've narrowed down where to go with the help of brother and sister-in-law.

All right. Very good. All right. So we need three more judges to come in and help us out. We're not done with the competition, but we need more judges. 713-212-5-790. I have Little Drummer Boy, Winter Wonderland, Jingle Bell Rock. You have, I'll be home for Christmas.

Frost is a snowman and most wonderful time of the year. My last two selections will be one. maybe an OG all-timer you hear it at church all the time it gets you in the Christmas Eve midnight mass mood it is one and only

silent night for the night before Christmas funk version I like it this is what this is pretty much this is not it this is not what I was thinking I love it

it's fantastic this is not this is not my I just said OG is this sound anything OG to anybody this is the temptations yeah that is OGs he gets

show some respect Matt wait they gotta get to the chorus here eventually put an artist on their next time I'm going to I'm going to have to I'm so waiting for a part of the song I understand this is not what I was thinking not even close

oh this is not the song all right I'm going to sing it turn it off silent night holy night all is and I forgot the words after that you know the song

All is bright All is bright Ron young virgin Brother and child I think it's what it goes You know right? I think so That's whatever that was

Was not even close I'm not a huge singer at mass I'm usually like kind of I just hum along No, but whatever that was was nothing close to Silent Night. All right, and then last, we're going to go classic on this one. We're going to go with a cartoon that I watched when I was a kid, and I still, to this day, even watch it on television.

It's Rudolph the Red Nose Ring Deer. You know Dasher and dancer and prancer and vixen, common and Cupid and Donor and Litsitt. But do you recall the most famous rainier? of all. Here we go. This is catchy. Fantastic.

And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows. All of the other reindeer. All right, here we go. So my five songs, and you only heard four of them, because whatever that was was not Silent Night. Then one

Poggy Chris Little Turner Boy Winter Wonderland Jingle about Rock, Silent 9 and Rudolph the Red Nose Ranger You get the last two songs

Dan Matt All right So I'm going to go with Marvin's cousin Chuck Barry In Run Run Rudolf Now famously Featured

As the McAllister Family was making a tour and pace To their airport gate When they were Trying to make Their flight First time to Paris

France Second time They were going down in Florida I think in the second one they still used it. But Chuck Barry, with the help of Marty McFly, getting that sound he was looking for, he was able to come up with Run Run Rudolph.

Perfect. All right. And your last selection? Last selection? I'm going to go with one that I don't think gets enough respect, and that is this Christmas. A little bit of a jazz number. This is when you're cooking, I would say.

This is a good one when you're cooking. maybe you got a glass of wine with it you know a pino noir maybe even a cabernet working with you right there i have never heard this song before my life you never have no it's a fantastic this is like are you watching a hallmark movie while you're hearing this song in the background no by the way a hallmark movie suck yeah i said it especially the one that they had that featured the Can City Chiefs in it that they were featuring on one of the pregame shows. All the different Christmas songs, you went with this Christmas? It's a great one.

Very special Christmas for me. All right, let's fade out. The list, Dan, I'll be home for Christmas. Frosty the Snowman, Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Run Run Rudolph, and this Christmas, my list is Little Dumber Boy, Winter Wonderland, Jingle Bell, Rock, Silent Night, and Rudolph the Red Nose Ranger. We'll have the votes. next it's 235

make excuse me 135 on sports talk 790 this is the Matt Thomas show with Ross on sports talk 790 much better that one's on me I was ill prepared you know what tell gordon

get out of the office when you're trying to work the show Lord I got to preview these songs can't have can't be messing around with the computers while I'm doing it get that right all right let's get the boats in all right let me rent run run the list one last time just in case you did not hear it we got judges and by the way

connor you are the seventh judge uh here we go with the group uh i have on my list little dermer boy winter wonderland jingle bell rock silent night and rudolph the red nose reindeer ross has i'll be home ross dan has i'll be home for christmas frosty snowman most wonderful time of the year run run rudolph and this christmas james and garden oaks who wins the fantasy five me or Dan. Thank you for taking my call. Merry Christmas to everyone.

Listen, you know, you're my boy, Matt, MT, but he edged you out, 5 to 4. Bingo. Okay. James, Merry Christmas, and go to hell. Thank you very much. Merry Christmas, James. You're the best. James, go to hell, Merry Christmas.

Let's... It's not the Christmas spirit. It's fine. People expect it from me. Brandon, who wins the Fantasy 5? Me or Dan? Matt, having you sing Silent Night Live on the air almost won me over, but Dan had the better version of Rudolph,

so Dan takes it. Wait a minute. What? Run Run, Run, Rudolph is better than Rudolph the Reddose reindeer. Your vote shouldn't count. What is that crap? Chuck Barry is fantastic. Thank you very much. All right. Koso on 790. Koso, who wins a fantasy five? Me or Dan? I'm going to let Miss Koso pick.

Hello. Hi. Hello, Miss Koso. I really love. little drummer boy. So who picked that one? Me? I did. I did.

Well, that's the one we like. Have a wonderful Christmas. Love the Casso family. The rest of you, I hope you get what would you get? Cole. What do you use? Cole in your stocking.

You know what I was going with us. You were a bad kid. All right. Two to one, your lead. Let's go to George on 790. George, who wins a Fantasy 5? Dan or myself. And Mr. Matt,

Happy Hanukkah in two days. Hey, you're Rudolph. Who sang that song? You know the artist? Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. Gina Autry. Gene Autry. Okay, so it wasn't you?

So next time I'll let him sing. But I'll give you the list. You got my vote, though, Mr. Matt. Happy Hanukkah. Okay, thank Happy Hanukkah to you. So, by the way, Hanukkah's on Christmas as year, isn't it? I think so. Yeah, I was trying to figure out when it's going to be.

All right, 2-2. Justin and Montgomery. Justin, me or Dan on the Fantasy 5? Not even close. Matt gets the win. Oh, Justin, Justin, have a wonderful holiday season. Wonderful holiday season.

That's the lead. Justin and Montgomery. Jason and Katie, me or Dan on the Fantasy 5. Well, since Dan's last song, I never even heard of it. That was terrible. Well, I have to go with Matt for the win easy. and by the way, y'all both left out the best song of all. Oh, God, no.

Hell, no. Get him out. Get him out. No chipmunk. Yeah, no Alvin. All right, so I won four to two after being down to one. That's ridiculous. This is, this is jury tampering. I didn't do anything. I should have gotten sixth because I was voting Dan.

So it would have been, it would have came down to the 7th. There you go. So you won four or three. It was a close race. You would have voted Dan with this. This Christmas, that song sucked. That's a great song. Oh, my God. That's a great song. You know what you just? You almost sing like a duet.

It's like a harmony. You almost sabotage me with that ridiculous, whatever that silent night was. Thank God Sinatra came back and helped me. I did. Jeez. Like I said, prejudicing the jury. I was with you, Dan. Ebenezer Thomas with Ross, weekdays.

10 to 2. All right. Believe it or not, is up next. Ricky Henderson. What are we playing for? and the fan and the, believe it or not today. That would be a Connor question, would it not be? Oh, that's why Connor, I'm mixing people up. I'm a little, I'm in

the wrong time zone. I had the silent line on the brain. It's just not good. Prices to be determined. Oh, okay. Yes. I will check the prize vault. All right, the vault is up next. Fantasy 5, win by me, rightful spot. Believe it or not, win by you next.

146 on Sports Talk 790. Load up on those Capkins, straws, ketchup, hot sauce, mustard. Oh, and don't forget duck sauce. It's the Matt Thomas show for lunch on Sports Talk 790. Really quick ruling, Dan. All I want for Christmas is you. Apparently, it's the most famous Christmas song in the last 25 years sung by Mariah Carey.

Your thoughts quickly. Not a fan of Mariah Carey, so not a fan of the song. Agree and agree. I'm anti-Mari Carrey. Hot, but not a great singer. And with that, 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. Call 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Today's edition of Believe it or not is all things about Ricky Henderson, who passed away with the weekend, unfortunately, just shy of, I believe, is 66th. He was born on Christmas, ironically enough. I'll ask you a statement about, tell you statement about Ricky Henderson.

statement is completely utterly accurate. You'll say this. Believe it. If the statement to your running is full of bunk and met up, you'll say this. Not. Two believer knots in a row on all things about Ricky Henderson win your prize. What are you playing for today, Connor? A pair of tickets to see TOTE's live on December 29th at the House of Blues, and a pair of tickets to see sticks with Kevin Cronin of Arroyo Speedwagon, Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles on the Brotherhood of Rock Tour on June 6 at the Willans Pavilion. Let's play. Jimmy on 7-90. Jimmy, you're ready to play, believe it or not?

Believe it. Ricky Henderson is baseball's all-time steals leader. He's also been caught stealing more than anybody else, too. Believe it or not. Believe it. That's correct. Statement number two for the win of all the managers Ricky Henderson played for. His favorite was Billy Martin.

Believe it or not? Not. It was. Interesting. It was that a thousand time you don't know who your favorite managers are of all time. I would have thought that it would have been Tony. Alarusa, that's right. Nope, it was Billy Martin.

Interesting. Justin on 7 on a Justin, what was your favorite part of today's radio show? How can you win the PIT of C-5? You're the best. Ricky was drafted by the A's in 1976 but had at least 12 scholarship offers to play football. Believe it or not. Believe it. Statement number two for the win.

Ricky had several girlfriends over the years, but he never got married nor had any children. Believe it or not. Believe it. No, he married his high school sweetheart and they had three. kids. 713. 212.790. Matt, on 790, Matt, you ready to play, believe it or not?

Believe it. Matt, Ricky Henderson appeared in Toy Story 4 as an Oakland A's bobblehead. Believe it or not. Believe it. Believe it. That is correct. Statement number two for the win. Ricky wore two numbers during his Major League career, 35 and 24.

Believe it or not. Believe it. That's right. Congratulations. Your honor. Rubin on 790. Rubin, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Yes.

Ricky Henderson used to work as a game commentator for NBC sports after his retirement, but was fired for swearing twice during the 2004 All-Star game. Believe it or not? Not. Not. Statement number two for the win. In 1984, Ricky scored a run for the A's on a sack fly from third base, sprinting backwards towards home plate.

Believe it or not. Believe it. No, I made that one up, too. That was pretty good. You wouldn't put it past them. No, but I mean, yeah, because Ricky would do that, because Ricky would tell you Ricky would do that. All right, Dan.

Hey, it was fun working with you today. You're done working with me for a while. Ross is actually going to put some days in here in the next few days. I hear that. I hear that. So maybe you will lay off the Adams a little bit and start going off to your own co-hosts. Oh, no, I want to go off to everybody.

It's more fun to just tease and antagonize all other hosts. Are they putting in a full day today? No, they're not because they've got Rockets Basketball today. Well, they're putting in most of the day because they will have Rockets Launchpad coming your way at 5 o'clock. And then one of them will stick around to hang out with you. Yeah, and be while, I'm working tomorrow with Ross on our Christmas Eve edition of the show. Those Gibonies aren't working tomorrow. They're not?

No. What didn't anybody tell me? I don't think they are. They wouldn't be doing, they're not working Christmas Eve. And they're not working Christmas Day. I mean, New Year's Day either. I guess that means I don't have to show up either. Okay, cool. Sweet. Seriously.

The amount of money we pay those two for hardly working. When baseball season comes around, oh, they'll never be on. I think, I don't make it up to you. All right, they promise, okay. Yeah. All right, up next is Clinton and Wexler. Yeah, that's right. A.C. is back after a week off.

He was in Kansas City for the weekend tilt with the hated chiefs. Details on that. Plus details on what CJ had to say. Damiko had to say all part of the A team. Talk to you tomorrow back in Houston on Sports Talks. I'm talking to tonight for Rockets.