The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Texans Were Not Buyers At Deadline, First CFP Rankings Released, Bregman's Agent Talks Next Contract

Episode Date: November 6, 2024

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" discuss the Houston Texans not adding to their current roster prior to the NFL trade deadline. Minutes before the clock hit 3 p.m. CT, general manager Nick Caserio traded defensive tackle Khalil Davis to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2026 seventh-round pick. Matt and Ross also:react to the first set of rankings for the College Football Playoffsreview the latest comments from Astros general manager Dana Brown and Alex Bregman's agent Scott Boras concerning the third baseman's next contracttalk with Rockets head coach Ime Udoka about Wednesday's matchup against the San Antonio Spurstell people to "Shut Yo Bum Ass Up, Ain't Nobody Got Time" and more.

Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. 10.3 in Houston. Good morning, everyone. And welcome to a Wednesday edition of the Matt Thomas show. Now 10 to 2 right here on Sports Talk, 790. Oh, with Ross. I'm sorry. My mind is a little fried.

Are you okay, Matt? You look a little frazzled. Well, I'm a creature of habit. Uh-huh. And so you have to change the habit sometimes. You have to adjust, and if you don't adjust, then you're going to be left. So, as I've said before, I despise driving, and I really despise driving in traffic, and now this two hour earlier means I need to leave the house significantly earlier than I used to.

A little more traffic at 9 a.m. than there was at maybe 11 a.m. Yeah. So I have to leave now. I've just been texting with my wife. I've got to set up a firm. I've got to leave by time. Let's get you on the easy tag, Maddie. I wish I could.

That would just take me to downtown. We live in the gallery. I thought we were supposed to have flying cars by now. Well, I would love to be George Jensen at this point. I'd have zero problem with that. I mean, I'd have a hot wife. I mean... Okay.

Judy. Yes. A cool, observant dog. She's a cartoon. I didn't think of her as hot, but... Yeah, I mean, she wasn't ugly. I was more of a fan of Rosie. When you were a kid, you'd have gone out with...

What's the daughter's name? I can't remember. Judy, there's Astro. Elroy was the son. Yeah, Elroy. What was the Judy? I just remember a Rastro. Yeah, Judy Jetson.

What was Judy's daughter's name? Yeah, no, Jane was the wife. Oh, Jane. Judy was the daughter. Jane, you, yeah, we all had been proper thoughts about Judy back in the day. All right. Sorry, it's a giggle fest. Sorry.

The show stays the same. Sorry, Kurt. Seifold's douche, Matt, just don't even think about him. Move on. He can't hurt you. He's going to immotimate me every single day. That's good. I'll stop laughing. Yeah, you should.

All right. We have a very busy show today. We've got coming up. Well, we always do. I mean, if you could check your tax. I don't. Okay. We've got to shut your bum ass up today at 11.30. That now moves a couple of hours ahead. We used to do it at 1.30. We're now pushing it to 1130. Okay.

At 12 o'clock, we got the news at noon. and this will be sports news. It won't necessarily be what else is going on. No, we have off-topic stuff as well. I'm ready today. Oh, do you? Okay. I'm ready.

Good. We get the news at noon. And then we've got IMAIDOCA at 1 o'clock as the Rockas take on the San Antonio Spurs this evening inside Toto Center. 7 o'clock to tip time. And who has the launch pad? That would be me, Matt. I will be in the arena. And also, Emio Doka, probably going to replay it.

I mean, it's five hours later. Yeah. So, really, I would suggest just put the game on at 7th. right up. Why? I'm going to break down the previous night's game. Nice win against the New York Knicks. We'll have a little EMA Adoka conversation. And then we'll run through your particulars, Matt.

The Injury Report, starting lineups. Keys to a victory all coming up on the Rockets Launchpad. All right. You know what? Give it a listen tonight. And then critique it and let us on how it goes tomorrow. Okay. All right. So, EMA ad doca, we'll join us today at 1 o'clock. How you join us today, for those of you that are new to the 10 o'clock hour of the show, 713, 212-790, 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-7-90. You can also follow us on Twitter.

By the way, I lost a boatload of followers yesterday. You did? No many people that I would know or respect. It was just political people that got on there and got in and got out. Oh, really? I think I lost like 30 people yesterday. Really? Which is okay.

I wasn't following them. I'm sorry, Matt. No, it's fine. I mean, do you need a hug? Are you okay? I was just curious. Did you drop any today? I have no idea.

I don't track how many people are followed. me. Yeah, because we used to have it. We had a party for 10, 20, 30, and we're never going to have a party again because we'll get you to 40. It's never going to get 40. By the time you're dead. I was going to say, you can probably have a retirement slash funeral slash 40,000 Twitter party. That sounds fun. It does? Yeah. And I'd like to be there, but I don't, you know, again, the chances aren't great. I'll speak well of you. Well, all I need to do is do something viral and the numbers will just. Yeah. Will you break some news? This is what you do. You know what I need to do. I need to do what Taylor does. Walking bets. Sources, like I said, nobody wants to see your jiggle. Okay. This is what you should do.

Sources close to me, according to MLB sources, more substantive talks today between both sides, Dana Brown, Scott Boris, and Alex Bregman. That means nothing. That doesn't mean anything will come together, but you'll get a bunch of retweets and follow us out. I don't want to lie to the people. It could be true. What if they don't speak today? Literally. Just say your source.

Your sources, then you blame your source. They're like, oh, man, trustworthy source burn me on this one. Sorry, guys.

Okay. And then you'll get a bunch of followers out of it. This is how media works in 2024. All these people that are non-media, that just basically cut and pace in aggregate who all these hilariously large numbers are basically just Jones and other people stuff. Remember in the middle of the scene?

There was some non-media guy talking about how Trevor Bauer, the Deachros attended a workout for Trevor Bauer. That was a call. complete fabrication. Right. And it got like hundreds and hundreds of retweets and comments and likes. You know what? I'm going to say I'm going to say my number. Oh, man. I know. I know you're disappointed. I'm trying to help you. Now, I've done the, I've done the rolling eye emoji before. Then people lose their mind over that. Just lie and lie and lie some more. It's 2024. Let's go. You know what? This show is about honesty.

Largely. You're the one that talks about lying eight times a day. I do, but I'm trying to reduce it. Whether I'm successful, it's going to be a different story. The lie, Reduction Act. We passed. It may not work that way. Okay, so we are going to, and I don't know if this is to our positive or detriment, but we're not going to talk about anything that happened yesterday because we are a sports

radio show. We are entertainers. I will say this. Ross is going to play more soundbites of our new president. No, I won't. Are you sure? Because you've fallen into that rabbit hole before. You just started firing them off. I was producing then, though. I mean, I was, when I was producer, I was hitting those bad boys every five seconds.

It was good times. So you're telling me you're not going to do any of that. anymore. I don't know. Do you want me to go through it? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it. We're sports and entertainment. We're not politics. We're not politics. Okay, so. Okay, how about this? Can we say goodbye to the Joey B ones? This is the final farewell to these? Yeah, how about a final farewell? You'll never play this again. Oh, man, come on. Okay, and you're asking the computers to work in here? This is freezing up on me. That's going to be a huge shock. Okay, here I got it. Here we go. Okay. I'm beginning to see why your wife left you.

RIP, that's a good one. This is one of my favorites. Folks, I can tell you and I've known eight presidents, three of the minimum. This is my favorite. Connor, this one's for you? You, off the board. I'll come up and drag you all. I like this one. The pandemic is that the president has no intercourse whatsoever with the rest of the world. That's a good one. Oh, this is a top one here.

We hold these truth to be self-evident. men and women created by go you know the you know the thing joey come on joey this one's for you matt i'm beginning to see why your wife left you and then of course the coup de grace oh this is a fate of complete the all-time fave last one poor kids are just as bright and just as talent as white kids come on joey you can't say that that's all right so there goes there's the fond farewell to those soundbites never to be uttered on these uh at least our station our show ever again uh we're going to talk a little open on the baseball side of things. We'll do that in the next segment because we have

some audio from Channel 2 with Dana Brown speaking of the general manager's meetings. Okay. But real quick, I was right. I told you that Texas were going to make a trade. I did. I said, I told you that Hannah was going to force to me. Hannah

executed the Khalil Davis trade. Is that what you're going with? I think Hannah wanted wanted the deal done and said, Nicky Cee, get in there and do it. This is how you twist things to call yourself correct? I mean, it kind of works. No. It's a gut feeling it. It's a gut feeling it's a gut feeling L. All right. You're going to... RIP, Khalil Davis. We'll always remember you.

Texans legend. I was almost going to say, what was your favorite Khalil Davis as a Texan moment? And then people would be like, who is this Kalil Davis you speak? Yeah. Congratulations to him. I mean, he's a decent rotational guy. So here's the cut and dry on this. You ready, bro? You ready? Let's go. Let's go. your squad's not making to the Super Bowl. It ain't happening.

Sorry. Guarantee. Put your name on? I guarantee they're not going on the Super Bowl. Okay. I'm going to write this out on the file. Now, I don't want to guarantee they won't make it the AFC championship game because that wouldn't be fair. Because they can win two playoff games.

Absolutely, they could. But as I've said many, many years ago, this was actually, they could win three. They're not going to win three. She's almost lost in the bucket of ears. Putting my name on it lets F. If Todd Bowles would have rolled the dice and went for two, they could have lost, the Chiefs could have lost this week. Yeah, that's right. That's absolutely right.

And again, you and I have already talked about this. I don't think the Chiefs are going 17 and 0. They're going to have a blemish somewhere along the way. You would think so. But they're also getting some breaks along the way as well. I'm going to pull up the file here. So, yeah, put it down. I also told you like seven or eight years ago that as long as Cal was running the team,

the team was never going to the Super Bowl now. You also said at that time five straight losing seasons, which didn't. So I want to amend it a little bit to say, Now that Hannah's running things, I give the Texans a punching chance. See, but that's no. Your statement was never make a Super Bowl with Cal McNair as he's the chairman and CEO of the team and the owner. But Hannah's doing all the wrestling. He's a heavy lifting.

Hey, you should have known. Like Nancy was doing it for Ronald back in the day. Yeah, but he's the, the owner is the owner. She's an owner. She's not the owner of the team. Janice gave it up to D. Calhoun. So everybody knows, Hannah's running. on this football team. But everybody knows.

You said as long as Cal McNair is the owner. It doesn't matter who's running it. First of all, Cal's never run anything. That's true. He was just letting Jack Easter be run it. Now he's letting Cal and Hannah run it. Well, again, major kudos for him making that decision to make the crossover. Well, Hannah stepped it.

Somebody had to because Cal couldn't handle it. All right. Let's get to Alex Bregman. Positive or negative comments will listen and you guys then decide. We're going to hear from Dana and Brown coming back. Yes.

And when we do, you're going to then call 713-212-5-790 and say, okay, I'm feeling better today. Or feeling worse or feeling the same. 1013 on Sports Talk 790. 1019. It is a Matt Thomas show with Ross. We are with you today until 2 o'clock. 1130, shut your bum ass up. Now that's anything so we may have to have the dump button on some things here.

Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Just kind of saying. Oh. Just throwing it out there. By the way, Jordan Schultz, you're a complete douchebag, but your dad's coffee is pretty good. I'm just going to say, thank you, Ross. It's fine.

Actually, I think it tastes a little better in the morning or something. I normally don't get up this early. You said the line this morning to go get your Rarox was super long. There's one literally right next to our building, so as a matter of convenience, I will go there. Yeah, that's good. And not because I think their coffee is mid, but it's convenient. And when I start figuring out the proper time to leave my house to get to work, I will be more than happy to buy you some as well.

Thank you. I appreciate that. You owe me now. Yeah, I'm all in it on that. For sure. All right. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. So the general manager's meetings are happening. Not a lot of things happen, but you do get conversations going. Now, the main kind of free agent signings, trades,

happened generally at the winter meetings which are a little bit later and they're actually I think before the end of the calendar year they stay winter meetings but they're really not in the winter. If that makes sense. I don't know when the exact schedule is but the GMs meet first and again you talk about things you can certainly pull off some deals but when the general

manager speaks in which Dana Brown did and Channel 2 cameras were there and we are a partner of Channel 2 so we have to play some of their audio. Dana Brown had a chance to discuss the number one free agent that maybe the Astros have a chance to keep more than any of the other free agents.

We'll see. We'll see. Let's play the audio. Again, thanks to Channel 2. Here is Dana Brown. Positive Talks with Scott Boris and the Bregman Camp. Yeah, we've had a lot of discussions with Scott Boyd. Multiple conversations.

So we'll hope that they've been productive. And we're hoping that some good things happen. We feel like they have a decent chance. I think we have a really good chance. So I think it's kind of hard to hear there at the end. He says, I think we have a really good chance. I think we have a really good chance. Okay.

Okay. So at first blush, this is, because I heard the audio yesterday, but we've not had a chance to come out. Dana does not come across to me as a, I wouldn't say a liar, but a fibber. Is his glass going to be half full, perhaps, but most general managers, most front office people in sports have glass half-fulls on everything. Like Nick Casario. when he discusses the next time he discusses anything, we'll be asked about why he didn't make any trades, and he will give us a glass-half approach to why he feels like the Texas.

Yeah. So that's not atypical for people in his position. Although Nick Casario did say, remember guys, we won a lot of one-score games last year. Yeah. He was kind of set up. Do I believe, okay, I am encouraged that they are talking. I am encouraged that he sounds encouraged.

but however However Rossi Because he has always Glass half full on things You have to kind of sometimes separate the fact from the fiction And I can speak to this on multiple occasions What Dana will say Will not necessarily match what the players' agents have said

In other situations I don't think That Dana's assessment of of Kyle Tucker's ailments throughout the course of the year matched what Kyle Tucker's agent thought about the situation about all the time he was gone. I think there was conflicting thoughts about how everyone approached when Kyle was going to come back. I'll give you another one. He went on these airwaves in Sports Talk 790 when Jose Abrae was sent to the Florida complexly. Sold it hard, yeah.

And he talked about how this was going to be a great move and help him turn things around. I mean, it's not that Dana Brown, it's not that he sees the glasses half full. He sees the glasses spilling over when it's half full. And to quote Chandler Rome, he put it perfectly in his article, Brown is perpetually overflowing with optimism. And that's just, it makes it, it's a good quality to have, I think. I mean, I like that he's always positive about the Astros and he always thinks they're going to turn it around. Remember he told it they were 12 and 24?

He's like, we're going to turn this thing around. And he was right. He was right. He was right. But he's... You say Kikuchi and most people are like, what are you doing? And he was right. And he was right.

So that's why I'm saying he should be given some benefit of the doubt on some of this stuff. Not everything, but some. But he's always, no matter what you say, he could have this situation come up 100 times. And a hundred times he's going to say, yeah, I think we can get the deal done. So it's hard. You have to take it with a little bit of grain of salt because of that. That doesn't mean that Bregman won't be back here. That doesn't mean that he doesn't believe the top.

are positive, but it also means that's always the way that he's going to look at it. So you have to temper this, then? I think so, yes. All right, let's hear more from Dana. Yes, so he does believe that Alex Bregman could stay in Houston. Here's what Dana Brown has to say about that. Our mindset right now is that he's not going elsewhere and that we want to sign him. So if he ends up going elsewhere, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

but I'm going into this off-season with the thought process that we're going to get pregnant done. Hopefully, you know, we can do it. And as I said, you know, the conversations with Scott have been together. Okay, that one gives me a little more optimism.

Can I give you an analogy? Because that's what, if you're new to the show in this time slot, I do this quite a bit. Matt, you've been here for 15 years. People know who you are. Let's go. I don't know. You never know these things.

You and I are college. college coaches. Okay. And we have been recruiting this kid. Okay. And we are selling them hard on, we have great academics, we have great facilities, hot ladies, we have NIL money for you. And you and I as coaches are like, we're going to get this kid. And we're like, this is going to be awesome. And the kid's like, yeah, I like this place. It's kind of cool. Okay. The kid's not going to tell you that he's being talked to by three or four other schools to say, well, you know he is. You know. but it also means that you don't have to believe it and say that maybe what you're offering is better.

I'm a little afraid that Scott Burroughs may be saying all the right things to Dana knowing in the back very well that maybe three or four other teams are going to jump in at the very last second and try to scoop him up. By the way, Scott Boris is going to speak today at the general manager's meetings. Oh, really? Is he going to be wearing a Boris hat? Well, the channel room just put on his Twitter account, there is a backdrop of the Boris logo. Yeah, yeah. He's been doing that for a while. By the way, do you like my analogy or no?

I've had better. It's okay. It's not your worst. Okay. See, I'll choose to be Dana Brown positive. I'll accept it. It's not your worst. Thank you.

Because I think whatever any deal that he gets from anywhere else, the Astros will have the right to refuse. I think if he says, hey, the Mariners are going to give me seven years. 189. Can you match that? And then the Astros will have a decision to make. And I mean, Dana Brown's optimism. And there's reasons to be optimistic. Suarez is gone. The third base market is terrible. You have a championship window that's only going to be open for a couple of more years. Signing Alex Bregman extends that or helps prop up, I should say, that championship window. And he's a legend of your organization. organization. All right. So what I want you to do right now is play those two cuts again real quick,

without us commenting. I think just the second one. Whatever. The first one's hard to hear. Play the second one. And then we want the audience to jump in and say, how do you feel after you're hearing what Dana Brown just said? I feel a lot better after this one. Listen. Our mindset right now is that he's not going elsewhere and that we want to sign him. So if he ends up going elsewhere, we're across that bridge when we get there. But I'm going into this offseason with the thought process that we're going to get pregnant done. Hopefully, you know, we can do it. And as I said, you know, the conversations with Scott have been together.

I'm going into this offseason with this mindset that we are going to get Breggman back. How do you feel, Houston? How do you feel? How are we feeling? 713-212-5-790. 713-212-5-7-9-0. One hour from now, shut your bomb ass up. EMAIDOCA at 1 o'clock.

These are the airwaves that we call Sports Talk 790. Coach Sark here. Touchdown, Texas. You've got Sports Talk 790. Houston's home of Longhorn football. The Matt Thomas show continues now. All right, we just heard Sark. We're going to go through the NCAA football first playoff seatings that

announced yesterday. The biggest news of yesterday. And we'll do that in about 15 minutes from now. Yes. So I think you're happy, would you say? Well, we'll find out. That's fine. Whatever. It doesn't matter. Yeah. All right. So Alex Breggman's agent will be speaking today. Dana Brown spoke yesterday.

Again, I like Dana. I don't really know him that well. You know, I had a very good relationship with Jeff Leno. I had basically zero relationship with James Click and that's fine. That's everyone. He went there very long and he was so... Even Jim Crane had zero relationship with him. That's probably the reason why he's not here. And Dana, you know, maybe we'll break bread sometime.

I don't know. I'm ready because I do think he does a good job. He was brought here for the most important reason was to replenish the farm system and make some deals. I don't think he's intimately involved in the serious, serious negotiations. I think when Dana speaks, when he spoke yesterday, he was speaking as obviously a guy that was going to be he's got Jim's checkbook, but he can't sign it. He can fill it out, but he can't sign his name. Signature to it, yeah.

Yeah, it's like when you were a kid and you, well, this is way back of the day, folks, and it was something you needed for school, and you guys got to bring it to your mom and have her sign it. Like a progress report. Yeah, like a progress report, or if it was, I don't know, like a check for something at school. Right. Like you need to buy your gym clothes or something. I have written one check in five years in the last,

and I wrote it within the last couple months. My old apartments used to take check for rent, and I used to do that, but that's it. But I mean, when I was younger, I really had to worry about it. Like, I was down like 25 checks. I'm like, I got to order these checks quick. Yeah. And you figured out if you want to put a sports logo on it or your school logo or something in the backdrop. But now I'm like, I think I know where my checkbook is in the house, but I'm not completely sure.

You want to hear something funny. When I did my first checks when I was like 17 years old, I did old English. I did my name in old English because I thought that was cool. How stupid is that? I was like, yeah, I'd be cool. I'm getting my name in old English on my checks. I mean, that doesn't sound ridiculous. I will say this.

The coolest thing I thought as an 18-year-old was getting my first credit card. That was much to my detriment. I didn't realize I had to actually pay the bill. And those bills came for the Columbia House CDs. Yeah, when you're a freshman at college, it gets in these, hey, get your first credit card. 19% interest. I'm all right with that. I'll pay it off every month.

That sounds good. We're happy to do that. All right. So we've determined that Jim Crane has the checkbook. He's giving it to Dana, but he has to sign it. Yes. It's his money. Okay.

So I'm going to paint with a broad brush on this. My guess is when at the end of the day, the most competitive offer the Astros will make will be one that will have much more validity to it than say Carl's Correa's offer, much more validity to what Gary Cole's offer may or, and have been much more validity to it than what George Springer's contract was. Here's the thing. If Washington, we mentioned this yesterday, if the nationals are a team that's been long rumored, does Alex say, man, I have two World Series rings.

Absolutely. I have a gold glove. I was a part of excellent teams year after year after year. I'm going to go finish my last half or the last third of my major league career. I just getting a big ass check. And you know what? I got news for your sports fans. A lot of athletes do that.

A lot of athletes will chase the check, especially after they turn the age of 30. Two-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion, Gold Glover, runner-up to MVP, Silver Slugger. What does he have left to chase? Winning is fun.

I mean, it would be just winning is fun. And who's to say the nationals can't win? That's true because he says, I'll come here and make you relevant again. I think they have some really good young up-and-coming prospects. I've not done a deep dive on the nationals just yet. I mean, I could. Yeah, don't quote me on that if I'm wrong. But I think they do have some stuff in the pipeline.

Yeah. Oh, I think no one's ever said that they were a horrific organization. They just had a really frankly since the World Series run, they've been a terrible team. I mean, what guarantees do you? Let's say he stays here. You're still not better than the Yankees. You're still not better than the Orioles, I don't think. Guardians is closed.

And while I give a very super slim chance that Alex stays, and I mean, I'm putting it at about 1%. I think the thought of Kyle Tucker staying here is at 0%. I think we're still close to 0 on Bregman. I got swept up in the optimism 10 minutes ago. Wait a minute. You just were optimistic at 1026. How could you have changed your mind at 1037? They're going to be on the tax again if they sign them, aren't they?

Yeah. Because, oh, by the way, we forgot to mention this. Guess who's talking? Who? Justin Verlinder's agent and the Astros. God. Is this a crane white belt deal? What is a white belt deal?

When two dudes have the white belts, they want to hang out with each other as long as they can. They bump them together or what happens? No, when they play golf, they play with white belts. It's the white belt club? That's better than the White Hood Club. The White Belt Club is undefeated. Is it?

He signed away with New York the last time. He drew a line in the sand there. Well, yeah, and then everybody got hurt, and, well, Ashtro's needed starting pitching. Yeah. He signed away once. He can sign away again. So let me ask you this. Why are they talking to Justin Verlander? You're exploring all your options.

They should be talking to you say Kikuchi's people. Oh, by the way, Scott Boris. Oh, really? Okay. Well, let's go. That's one meeting. One less meeting. One less sandwich you got to buy. I wonder if you can do, if you sit down and do both guys in one conversation or Boris is so regimented. he's like we're only here to talk about Breggman or we're only here to talk about... Yeah, he probably has a system, I'm sure. He's got all the

big free agents every year. One of the most successful agents in the history of agents. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's got it down. Yeah. That may be bothered me more. I mean, look, I love Justin Verlander. He's one of the greatest astro pictures of all time. Yes. But it

took him forever to ramp up and he never really got ramped up. No. He was hurt on two different occasions. He's going to He's going to be even older. When he was out there, he was bad. He was giving up home runs like crazy. It's not getting swing and miss.

Stuff's not there. Do not sign Justin Verlander, Jim Crave. Well, the reality is this. If you're signing Justin Verlander, I don't even know if he believes in a discount, but my guess is that you would maybe get a Jim Crane semi-discount because he likes the asteros. Yeah, he owes Tommy John discounts.

He owes. I was crappy last year discounts. He owes. Well, it means that he doesn't want to go chase. Some veteran players, Hall of Famers, don't want to bounce around towards end of their career.

Some are built differently. In the NBA, you see it all the time. Chris Paul's been with six teams. Chris Paul's going to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Chris Paul don't care where he goes. He just wants to collect the check. Some guys are like, you know what, I've been a Met, I've been an Astro,

I've been a tiger. Do I want to finish the last three years of my life going between Toronto and Washington and Arizona? You know, maybe some guys like familiarity. I think Justin Verlander takes the highest offer possible that he can get, no matter where it is. And maybe this conversation between Dana and Justin's agent was just, here's the courtesy of your, I was on your payroll last year. Where are we at now? And maybe Dana sets the market for where Justin may go if he wants to pitch somewhere in 2025. I don't know. All right. So there you have it on that.

Yeah, I'm trying to buy into the optimism. I just brought myself back to Earth. once I thought about how it's going to be luxury tax again. And then it's just the 20% penalty, the first year, 30% the second year. That's a lot of money. And after once they get everybody through arbitration, they're going to be basically already nudged up against the tax. And here's a little reality that, that nobody, well, I guess some people can control. You don't have TV money coming in anymore because the Space City, you're now, the Spacey Network was owned by a group of people.

Now it's owned by the team. so you don't have the automatic revenue coming in to the likes of what it was before. You got a World Series pop from attendance, and that waned. You didn't draw as many regular season that you did the previous couple of years. You took a little dip on that. And then you had the tax threshold, the issues. Now, you do, see, you don't even really lose that much on JV's contract as most of it was paid for by the Mets. The guys you also got rid of, the Arquitties of the World and the Trey Cabbage's.

They're blips on the radar when it comes to your salary. And oh, by the way, if you sign Bregman and you figure out a way of sign, if Verliner wants to come back and, you know, Vernliner ain't going to come back, I don't think on the cheap. Where does that leave you for even talking to Kyle Tucker? If you're already over the threshold on a second time in two consecutive years. You know, this is why baseball executives get the big money because what Jim is saying is that, you know what, Dana, here's my turn. checkbook and here's my puzzle piece you need to

configure it for us here. But I'm giving you a number that you cannot go over on certain guys and if it isn't what it is, we're going to move on. The problem is there's just nobody ready to play third base right now. Zach DeSenzo might be a starting first basement for this team. It sounds like third base isn't really an option. Shea

Whitcomb. Yeah, we've been saying that. We've been saying Desendo didn't profile defensively third base. I don't know if Shea Whitcomb, again, I don't even want to use a small sample cells of what he saw during the course of the year. Yes, we let's... Let's Elis that for memory. Eliminate the four-erer game.

It never happened. I don't think anybody in the organization thought Shay Whitcomb was the heir parent, phenom. No. Just a very nice, solid. Yeah. But going from Bregman to Whitcomb would be losing tremendous power. Defense. And tremendous glove.

And leadership. And leadership. Because Jose Al-Tuvae, for as great as the leader he is, doesn't say much. He leads by example. who's the next greatest leader on the Astros not named Jose Altuve Yordon talked about

taking up a leadership role I don't know if that really materialized because I don't know I'm not in the clubhouse is a question for more for a beat reporter or something but maybe Yordon maybe Verlander

I mean that he's going to be gone Bregman I think was probably the big dog in terms of that type of leadership of the squad 713-212-5-790 7-1-3-212 The college football playoffs were announced yesterday, at least the first round of them. We'll run through the list, see what you think, and if you're a Texas A&M fan.

Right now, you're on the outside looking in. We'll discuss that next. 713-212-5-790. Matt Thomas and Ross B. Real. Two guys extremely passionate about Houston sports. You can tell them to go get a room. We've shared a hotel room. But they already have.

And then I've shared a bed. Truth be told, thanks for the visual. Pillow in between. There's no pillow between you and more lunchtime Houston Sports Talk on Sports Talk 790. Of all the liners we play, we probably get the most attention out of that one. It's pretty good. Even Garrett Cole and a mobile commented on it. He did like that one.

By the way, I have a secret source. Okay. That says that the Nationals have. have a fellow LSU alum named Dylan Cruz who considers Breggman an mentor. Okay. Also young talent like Trey Lipscomb, James Wood, an up-and-coming team. James Woods? I loved him in a casino.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no ass on the end of it. Okay. So, I trust this source, and it's not Gordy, so. Oh, okay. But it sounds like an LSU source. It is, I would say fair to say an LSU source. I would say that's fair to say. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross on Sports Talk 790.

We are with you today until 2 o'clock this afternoon. So Rossi, Maddie? Did you go to the movies yesterday? I didn't know if I did actually. Would you go see? I went and saw Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. And review quickly? I thought it was, I'll get like a 6 out of 10.

It was good, not great. Some of the fun nostalgic beetle juice-like moments were fun, but I think the script was a little all over the place. I felt like they had 50 different ideas and they should have cut a few of them and they tried to cram them all into the movie. So it felt a little all over the place. As someone who loved the first one,

your lukewarm review makes me not want to go see the second one. Like for instance, I loved coming to America. The second one got mid-reviews. I never saw it. I will say if you're at home and you and the wife are like,

hey, let's flip on a movie. Flip it on. Yeah. But I wouldn't say, and also it was a Tuesday, day so it was half price. If I had paid full price, I might not have been as happy. Did you pay full price for the popcorn and all that stuff too? No, I didn't do any of that.

Oh, okay. I ate beforehand and smuggled some candy. Smuggling, I have zero problem with. I bought the candy. It's not like I stole it. No, no. I just don't want to pay $9 for a small pack of Mauer Match mids. You don't have to rhyme that. It's a brand.

It's a brand, but you ate the brand. I mean, you consumed it. Mauer Match. Mitch Mids is never going to sponsor an AM sports radio show around men. That's my favorite candy. I have a pretty good feel in that. It's my number. All right.

So, okay, that's it. Now, there's a movie with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in it. Yeah, it's called Forrest Gump. No, well, that's the one when Jenny's a whore, but that's a different issue for a different time. Hey, come on. Movie called Home. Yes. Or it basically takes place in one scene in this one home over generations.

So if anybody has seen home, I need a movie review on that because I'm a huge Robin Wright fan because I loved her in Forrest Gump. And I loved her. You loved her? You just called her a whore? The character was a whore, but I loved her. And then I loved her in House of Cards. So that show went complete bat-blank crazy. There is not, and I promise I'm going back to sports show. There is not another television show in my life.

And maybe for you, it's Game of Thrones, that I wanted and loved and could not appreciate more. It's going to be fixed. Then the first four seasons of House of Cards that could not have let me down more than seasons five and six. I was like, let's just get this over with. It became more and more preposterous after every episode. And it greatly disappointed me how absolutely horrific the last two seasons were. Not even like watchable, like just turn it on and I'll cook dinner while I have it on in the background.

It was so disappointing to me. I'm sorry, Matt. I'm sorry that happened to you. Now, I've had disappointing final episodes, but I'm talking about House of Cards sucking for seasons. That's why I don't get into shows. I wait until they're done. Okay.

Because anybody had time to sink into four or five seasons of something, and then it falls off a cliff. Because didn't Game of Thrones fall off a clip for you? Well, it went from the greatest show of all time to just decent. And I would say even good, just relative to what it was, it fell off. Okay, sure. All right, 713212-5-790. 7-1-3-21-25-7-90.

So the top 12 are been announced. Again, these are going to do it as I guess every Tuesday, right, for a while? Yeah. Number 12, Boise State, 11, Alabama, Notre Dame 10, BYU 9, IU 8, Tennessee 7, Penn State 6. Penn State 6, Texas 5, Miami, 4, Georgia 3, OSU 2. Oregon 1. Honestly, I was with my daughter in her volleyball match last night. Was there any sort of we were robbed

kind of stuff? Or is it seemed pretty fair? Okay. So I mean, it looks like to me... First blush is Indiana's an eighth. Wow, that's crazy. Good for them. They're not only beating opponents. They're destroying them. And they've played a good schedule so far. A&M, and by the way, you Aggie fans

at number 14, SMU at 13, LSU at 15. There is nobody in the top 12 except for Alabama that has more than a loss. Alabama right now at 6 and 2. Wow. You know what to me, I really don't think at the end of the day when the final one is out, we're ever going to seriously have massive complaints about the top 12. No Vanderbilt? No.

Who do you want? Is LSU fan gripping because they're number 15? I don't know. Ole Miss is 7 and 2. I mean, there's a boatload of teams in the SEC. I mean, so your non-power 5, your Boise comes in at number 12. Yes.

That comes as really no surprise. Their only loss is a close one to Oregon, right? Yeah, right. So it just shows you what the committee thinks. When you have to include one in the top 12, we're going to put you down as far as humanly possible. That's what they did. All right, 713, 212, 5759.0.

713212-579. If you want to join us via Twitter, you may do that. And it's at SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Connerdy McGovern. Our Wednesday feature, shut your bum ass up. Normally at 1.30 is now today at 11.30. Okay. I'm ready. I'm a little anxious to see where this goes.

Hmm. Are people more or less cranky at 1130 than they are at 1.30? Well, I'm more not necessarily worried about that, but just about the tenor of conversation. Look, if you want to say something today, you might as well get it off your chest. Go ahead. 713-212-2-5-790. We got EMA Adoka coming up at 1 o'clock this afternoon here on Sports Talk 7-9. 1057, second hour next.

Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas Show. Here we go with the hour number two of the Matt Thomas Show with Ross, as we are now in our 10-2 slot. We'll be here every single day, Monday through Friday. and we will be with you up until that 2 o'clock hour. Still coming up in 30 minutes, shut your bum ass up. This may be the most... I don't want to guess what it's going to be.

Because you can be bothered at something at work. Yes? I'm going to tell Houston traffic to shut their bum ass up. Woo. Poor Maddie, Maddie was upset. And everybody was given. I walked into that. And again, I don't like to ever walk in at the very last second.

That's not what I like to do. I like to get here, try to get here 45 minutes an hour before show. Everybody walked by and giving you the business. You are not very happy. Sorry, Matt. I gave the eat blank and grin look. I would say it was more of a death stare. Okay.

So mission accomplished. My bad, Matt. But it hasn't affected the show so far. Oh, you've been doing fantastic. I mean, 10 of 10. I mean, I'm crashing. I'm already caffeine crashing one hour in, but I'm going to see what. I can do. That's funny. We have

the news that new coming up today, which you'll hear more from Dana Bryan if you did not catch what he said earlier. Again, IMA Adoka coming up at 1 o'clock. And believe it or not today, at 150. What are we playing for today, Connor? We always feel like I'm teasing the prize way too late in the ballgame here. So what are we, what's in the old prize vault for a Tuesday edition,

Wednesday edition of the, believe it or not? We got a four pack of tickets with pit passes to Monster Jam. Then we also got a pair of tickets to that matches firm, battleground, 2K24 college basketball featuring the Cougars versus the Auburn Tigers and Rice Owls against Florida State. Good little double header at Tota Center if you were going to be in town. I will not be there. I would

like to go because I want to see. Bruce Pearls I mean, say what he is. He's a crook, but he coached the good basketball. Yes, he does. So he's bringing his Auburn Tigers in and I'll be in Detroit, so. But you'll be at the casino, right? Oh, hell yeah. There you go. Randomly making bets on Air Force versus Utah

State. And hitting 80% of those. It's a modern miracle of science. Seriously, my cousin-in-law sent me another text. I can't thank you enough. I'm like, you're welcome? Yeah. If you don't know, I sent my cousin-in-law three rando bets. I mean, because he's like, do you have a guy?

I'm like, no. No, so I'll just tell you. The metalletics. The metallics. Don't think about it. Just first blush to give you a result. There you go. There's a guy named Jeremy Sohan that plays with Spurs.

Yes. Looks like Dennis Rodman. Hates the Rockets. despises the Rockets. He is really hurt and he will not play tonight. Mm. That's a shame. So he is out.

Greg Popovich will not be there tonight. A health scare over the weekend. Yeah, go ahead. And the last time I checked, they've been very kind of rather vague about it, right? I don't know. Shams said it's a bad situation was the latest from Shams. But it's still vague, right?

Here's, there is a great level of concern around the situation. It says, quote. Okay. I mean, I don't think it takes a genius to figure out that he's maybe perhaps in grave condition. Yeah. They're saying serious and grave level of concern. He's 75. Yeah. Greatest NBA coach of all time, or do you take Phil Jackson? Red Hourback, Phil Jackson, Popovich. Pat Riley?

Maybe Pat and the Mount Rushmore. But maybe Pat gets it because of being both a coach and a general manager, but that's not what I asked you. My question is, is he the greatest, who's the greatest NBA coach of all time? Now, what did Red Arbach do against similar teams? He didn't have very many similar teams. That was a dynasty for a long period of time. Yes. Popovich also was only in one situation.

Phil Jackson won in two places, which really, that's why to me, honestly, if you want to argue to switch sports like Andy Reid over Belichick, because he won in Philly and he won in Kansas. although he didn't win Super Bowl's there. And he also surrounded himself with four or five of the greatest players ever to play. That's the thing, though. Phil Jackson won with, I mean, three Hall of Famers on one side, and then on the other side it was with Shaq and Kobe. And then Kobe and Powell, I think Phil Jackson. I'll go Phil Jackson.

If I needed a coach. Ooh. I think here's a real quick. If I need a coach for one game, is it different than a season? I think for a season I'm going to go Phil Jackson. If I need one game, that might not be either one of them. If I need one, you know what? I'll tell you with this.

I'll tell you this. And this may be, I have no foundation for this, but it's just my initial feeling. If I need one game, I think I'm going Pat Riley. Hmm. Do we put Steve Kerr in this conversation? Oh, Steve Kerr. Steve Kerr. Steve Kerr.

Steve Kerr. I got a wild card for you. You know what, whatever it is, I'm not going to be shocked. Go ahead. I think you might be a little shock. Eric Spolstra. Oh. Not shocked than thought of.

He is a wizard of a in playoff series adjustments outside of that first year with LeBron and company. Yeah. He's kind of a wizard. Yeah. Spolstra. And he's a Riley disciple. Okay. Let's turn this to other sports real quick.

Okay. Longevity, greatest coach of all time, Belbelechick. Yes. But granted. He had the greatest quarterback of all time. Yes, he did. So, I'm still, oh, God, it's hard. Man, Bill Walsh, Rossi, but he, and he did it with two different quarterbacks.

He did. He did. Chuck Null did it with one, but the NFL wasn't nearly as. It was pre-salary cap and all that. Don Shula, Bill Parcells, and again, I will go to. Bill Parcells, too. I will go to the. Andy Reed card because they were really good in Philly.

They were great in Kansas City. He's a three-time Super Bowl champion now. And his coaching tree is pretty insane. Belichick coaching tree didn't really do much. Not at all. All right. Here's my assessment. Fight me if you need to.

Belichick, the greatest coach of all time. I want Andy Reid for one game. Hmm. And honestly, Alex genius too, though. I'll go bell it. But I could, but I would rather, I think I would, can I, can I be convinced of Bill Walsh because he can invent it an offense? That's 40 years later people still are using?

That's true. Depends on how you want to look at it. Revolutionary coach, best coach, smartest coach. Relatable. To the players, you got to be. Yeah. Hmm. We're missing the, the, the guy that the Super Bowl trophy is named after.

Yeah, but I. I have no frame of reference to the 60s. Ian Bartlett's star, leading the boys on the charge. All right, I'm going to change it. I'm going to go Bill Walsh over Belichick. But although Belichick was harder to win Super Bowls in his era that it was for Walsh. It was a salary cap era. And, well, you did get a lot of salary cap relief from the greatest quarterback of all time,

always taking smaller deals. Yes. And he didn't surround himself with A-list receivers, with exception of Randy Moss. He had no super duper running back at any point. It wasn't like his team was loaded with defensive all pros. They were good. Gronk is arguably the greatest tight end of all time. And Aaron Hernandez before he went bat blank.

Well, he was always bat blank. Before he got pinned for murders that he committed. I'm going to Belichick. Okay, I'll take Belichick over Walsh by a smidge. Andy Reid, I want in one game. Okay. All right, baseball. I'm going

Connie Matt Damn it you took mine I was going to go Walter Alston George and West U said Tony LaRusa Mm Go want him in one game I'm going Bo Porter

You can't lose La Rousa I don't think now Because of the fact that You're still stained From his weirdo tendencies in Chicago But I don't even want to count that Boy

La Rusa took championship teams In St. Louis Oakland and what was else to see LaRusa Chicago White Sox The first go-round Is LaRusa the greatest manager of all time?

Sure, why not? One game manager, to me, it's kind of moot in baseball. Yeah. Because if you have somebody throwing darts for eight innings, you didn't do anything to manage it. You got one out there and threw three-hitter.

Dusty Baker? 2000 manager wins. Yeah? Bruce Bowdo. Bochy? Oh, Bochie's too. He's good, too. A lot of good options here. These are things we ponder. Yes. KJ on 790. Hi, KJ. Good morning, fellas. Good morning. Good morning.

Hello? I think we lost KJ. KJ. I hear the background. Yeah. Call us back. Hopefully everything's okay. Yeah, I'll be in an accident. Yeah. I would say in the history of this radio show, we probably had, in my entire career, I probably had a half dozen accidents for people driving. Really? Yeah. I don't remember that. On this show. Maybe one time here with us. I don't recall it. But I remember back in the day when Hans Free was first in play? People that were driving crazy now and people were kind of used to it.

Yes. Yeah, maybe half of them is too many. Maybe two or three. Okay. I don't. I'm not saying, I'm not saying I'm not saying I don't remember. I will lie to you. I know you will.

Okay. I'm not saying in this instance, you're a liar. Yeah, so Popovich, that news does not sound good at all. No. When it's called a serious health issue and then great level of concerned by Shams Sharania. He's got hospital sources, too? Well, I mean, no, I'm sure he's not calling Dr. Robinovitz.

No, he's probably talking to somebody. He's got like R-Ns on the, on the payroll. Here's, if you're going to be an insider, here's what you're going to be on the inside. General managers, coaches, maybe catch an owner or two, and people that work at the airport. Those who need to be your fore. Being a source from a player, no need to worry about that anymore. You're good. But back in the day, you have.

had to get to know the players. That's the difference between the disconnect between media and its players now is that you don't have those relationships. You have the relationships with the agents who are also going to want, you're going to have to be, I mean, these shafters and shams and all their spin machines too. Yes. They're being used and these reporters like, yeah, you can use me as long as you help me out the next time around. I need something. 713-212-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. Shut your bum ass up and ain't nobody got time for that is all coming up between now and 2 o'clock this afternoon. 713-212-5-790.

7-1-3-21-2-5-7-9-0. Want to tell you about Big City Wings, $8 Burger Wednesdays at any of the 13 big-city wing locations. You, Katie, folks, you're so lucky you get a new location on Kingsland Boulevard. Now, if you don't live in Katie, but you live all throughout the city of Houston and you are driving around town, maybe you are looking for a place for lunch. They have lunch specials every day for $10, which includes a drink, a main course, and a side. But today is also the burger Wednesdays.

$8 with the side. You can put avocado on it, egg, bacon, cheese, grilled onions, mushrooms. Loaded up, baby. You can take care of yourself with a great tasting burger, plus the delicious wings that can be found at any of the 13 Big City Wing locations. Also, it's a whiskey Wednesday today. If you go get you a whiskey tonight as you're eating dinner at Big City Wings, they're five bucks as you watch the Rockets and other NBA sports events.

That's all from Big City Wings and Big CityWings.com. $8 Burger Wednesdays at Big City Wings. Texans on three One, two, three Back to Battle Red Ross And Liberty white ass Matt Thomas

What up, what up? That's what I am Real Pale Texans talk Continues on the Matt Thomas show What up, what up? Time is 1118 We got shut Joe bum ass up

I just can't do it to traffic Because we're all in it Nobody wants to hear me bitch about traffic I do No, you don't Absolutely I do You're going to be complaining and yelling? That's always a good theater.

God. Haven't you learned anything from ESPN and get up? No matter what you're yelling about, yelling is good. People love it. I'm so over it. And I've loved to hear 75% of my life, and I just still hate it. Mutro Traffico. Let's get you in the city, Maddie.

Trying. Let's get you that downtown high-rise. You just slide on down Memorial. Good views every morning. I'd give up my car and just Uber everywhere. I really would. Ooh, you pull a Darry Yeah.

Those who don't know, Darrell didn't, when he lived in Houston, didn't have a vehicle. I'm guessing in Feldolph he doesn't have one. He also had Rafael Stone chauffeering him everywhere, too. You don't know that? Yeah, they talked about it. They do? Yeah, he would just drive him like, he would be like, you know, Daryl, hey, Raphael, can you take me? I got to go to Target.

And then he would just take him to Target. At San Philippine 610? No, I don't know about that one. By the way, no, I think they rode to work together. As bad as your Cal McNair is, your Darryl Morey is. spectacular. Thank you. I believe they, like, they rode together often.

Okay. I'm not trying to. I'm sorry if I'm, uh. Yeah, it kind of caught me off guard on that a little bit. They talked about it publicly, like how Daryl would be, he would be driving Daryl around and stuff like that. So if I got an apartment near you, would you come pick me up and take me to work every day? If it was on my way. What if it was slightly out of your way?

How slightly? Fifteen minutes. 15, no. 10, 10 you got a deal. 10 is the line of demarcation. All right. Over under 9 and a half. KJ, I think it's.

phone is back working. Hi, KJ. What up, fellas. I guess we got the sequel of Driving this Daisy in the works right now. Got that right. Driving SportsM.T. I love the show. Yes. There you go. Real quick, man. My take was, I'm looking at the Rockets. I wasn't a real big fan initially, and the jury on my

end is still out in regards to the signing of Fred Van Blee. I feel like with a young team like this, that's immensely talented. You need more of a Florida General or Rondo, Jason Kidd or Chris Paul, not saying get either one of those guards, but someone of that caliber who actually runs in offense.

The reason I bring this up is because their identifiable qualities with everybody on this roster. For the most part, obviously we know we get out of Green and Shingoong. To me, Amari Thompson and Tori Eastern are our defensive stoppers who are willing to play consistently around the basket. Cam Whitmore is a bucket waiting to happen. I envision them being like a Ben Gordon slash Dan Marley. looking off the bench type guy. I'm not a, I'm not a Jabari-Smith at all.

He's too inconsistent. Man, who do you? Who do you like? You hate everybody. Man, you're tough, AJ. No, no, no. No, no, that's not what I'm saying. That's not what I'm saying.

That's not what I'm saying. Actually, as a collective, I am a fan of the talent on the team. I can point to something about everybody I don't like. My question is this. Based on what you guys have seen, moving forward, because I'm assuming with all this talent, and the bill is going to come due soon, so somebody's going to get traded.

Who do you guys foresee them trading at some point to keep them having to pay all these young guys because they're not going to be able to? And also, who do you consider the most effective lineup at Crunch Time down the end? Because I noticed the last time we played the Spurs, Shingun wasn't even on the floor consistently. So I'm kind of wondering if they're having some issues with his defense. So who do you see in Christ's starting on the floor for the Rockets? Okay. I'm going to sit back and listen. Thanks, KJ.

Appreciate it. First of all, to say who's most trade-friendly, the Rockets, and I'm not speaking on a turn here, the Rockets don't have any interest in really training anybody. They would like, they've drafted these players. They've compensated many of them. They would ultimately like for all of them to grow up together and be a part of this team.

They're not looking to go, well, we're going to put all this money in Shangoon's pocket, all this money in Jalen Green's pocket in order to help them be made more trade friendly. Now, with that being said, both those contracts are not so preposterous financially that you couldn't move them if you decided you wanted to. to. And again, I don't think the Rockets under any circumstance want to do that. But crazy situations could present themselves. Whether that's Phoenix implodes and Durant

becomes available or Devin Booker becomes available. If Milwaukee implodes and Janus wants to move, I don't know. Those are things I don't know at this point. I think ultimately the Rockets would like to keep the core together because when you chase Ross and there's a certain part of it, You chase free agents. At some point, it comes back to haunt you a little bit. I think that's what the Rockets fell into towards the end of the Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, John Wall, James Hardin run. You started going out of these high-priced guys. And when you let a couple of them go, you were left with Christian Woodardger,

alpha dog, and that's just not going to work out for the team. He had a good season that year. You drop three and I think of one of the games. Okay, so I would say they want to keep it as is, but have left flexibility to maybe make a move if a special situation presents itself. Yeah, I don't think they're trading people away unless it's for a star.

In which case, Fred Van Vleet could become attractive because his 42 million, what you're also got to look at is in this type of soft-capped NBA league, expiring contracts are valuable. And $40 million of Fred Van Vleek coming off the books for next year, that has value. A lot of it about Fred would be, do the Rockets feel comfortable with Amend Thompson, Reed Shepard,

being your starting point guards or point guard duo? It's where they are comfortable. If Reed becomes a knockdown shooter, that makes things a lot easier. If a men Thompson becomes a satisfactory mid-range guy, because everything else, bowl handling is good you could live with that. Now the reason why Fred gets the time not because of a three-point shooting

which has been not good so far this year he's shooting at about 28%. He'll be better. He has 39 assists and five turnovers. Do you know what a huge thing it is for a coach to hand the ball to basketball to a player and him not turn the ball over? That is a huge part of what makes coaches

feel reassured about what the guys are doing on the floor. Yeah, and KJ's first point about not having a floor general. I disagree because I think that's who Fred Van Vleet is. He can, he distributes the ball, he doesn't turn it over. I think he sets a good edge as far as the attitude

and effort defensively. He does a good job and I mean, he guards, unfortunately when they're switching, he guards one through five. It's not like they want him to guard one through five, but he, you know, he gets back down in the post by, I don't know, Victor Wimb and Yombeyanam or whoever else, and he does a good job because he holds his ground, he gets

loose balls, he's smart, yeah. having Fred Van Vleet is valuable right now. Let's go to Koso before you do find out what people want to do and telling people to shut their bumasses up. Hello, Koso. Hey, what's going on, guys? Hi. Can you hear me?

Yeah. Yeah, sorry about it last week. I was in Marfa, Texas, and my call dropped about with Dr. Roto. My quick question about the Rockets is kind of piggybacking like KJ said, but kind of the opposite. I feel like Fred Van Vleet, his number one skill set for this. team is setting up the offense. I think fans are upset because the shot's not falling and for what he's being paid for. But like you guys said, it's coming off the books or I think a team option next

year, not a player option. So there's some flexibility with that. But my question is, I don't think EMA has the longest leash for the young guys, especially we barely seen them play this year. But it's very early. You know, EMA is here to win. So, given that if there's a player that he sees that he can add to this roster, I feel like, I think it was either Bill Simmons or Zach Lowe that mentioned the contracts by Al P and Jalen. They're very movable. They can be moved very easy.

Do I want that? No. But I'm thinking maybe like a Cam Whitmore or, God forbid, maybe even a Jabari could be flipped in a deal for someone you think E. May would want to put into his system to get them, not into the play end, but to the playoffs. So I'm kind of wondering what you guys think of that. I know you kind of just talked about it.

But also, it's my first year anniversary was on Monday, and I want to take my wife to a Rockets game. Matt, you got any tickets or what? You know what you are? You're a Chilikin Hoare is what you are. No, dude, I've been talking to you for years. We've been met at the big city wings and either. I know, but you, what do you do for a living?

I work at U of H. Okay, so you make money, right? Yes? I mean, it's not the best paycheck. Come on now. I want the fancy. I would try HoustonRockets.com. Oh, look at Ross,

tell you go to HoustonRockets.com. Yeah, Ross also told me he likes it when I lose on, believe it or not. Oh, that's not you as much, Kay. So it's more, well, you are one of the big prize wars, that's for sure. Oh, you told me. No, I've given up my prizes. I have given up my prizes. me when did I tell you this?

At the big city, you know, you were like, I like it when this guy loses. It was like, it was a joke. Case will send me an email. I like when everyone loses, first of all. We'll figure it out. That's why you shouldn't discuss my tickets. Unbelievably, I didn't discuss anything. It's been discussed. I didn't do anything.

They're their mother calling for tickets now. I'm sorry. Can I have some? I'm just kidding. I already went. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3. shameless, shameless activities from KCSO. Very comfortable, uncomfortable situation here on the radio program. Well, it is time for a break, so that's good. It is, thank God.

713-212-5-790, 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. If you are not ready, you better get ready. It's time for people to shut their bum-ass is up. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Let's say about, oh, Ross, feeling better about yourself. I know you need to do that for the... the great audience and so how does that happen?

Yeah, you know what? If you've been feeling tired, Matt, you look like hell. Let's get you some energy. Maybe, well, you don't need to lose weight. You've been doing great with that. But if other people, I'm thinking about losing weight, how about muscle tone? Well, how about synergenics, testosterone, and weight loss? First of all, you're going to get a personalized TRT plan best in the city.

It's more advanced in the basic standard therapy. You're going to get with other providers. Some of them even just give you a bottle and send you on your weight. No, sir. You are going to get treatments tailored to you. You have types of testosterone in your body, multiple types, and they're going to tailor to those types and what those levels are. Also, the professionals at Centrogenics, experts with G-L-P-1 weight loss. You can be evaluated for prescription weight loss medication.

So stop waiting. Don't even wait to the first. Get the, hit the ground running now. Start looking and feeling your best. They've got clinics all over town. Book your appointment at CinergenicsHealth.com. That's S-Y-N-E-R-GENX-Halth.com. Cinergenics Health.com for synergenics,

testosterone and weight loss. Matt Thomas continues on Sports Talk 790. Ain't nobody getting time. Ain't nobody getting time for that. Hey nobody getting time for that. Ain't everybody getting time for that. All right. This is our going to be always has been,

since we've started this segment, our favorite half hour of the week. This is where you get to call 713-212-5 is 790. 713-212-5-790 and you can tell some people that you are irritated with, mad at, frustrated with, just shut their bum-ass up, man. Shut your bum-ass up, man. Or if there's something that is just eating away at you and you've got people bothering you and repeating things and talking at nauseam and wasting your time,

you simply tell them, ain't nobody got time for that. Ain't nobody got time for that? And that's where I will start first at 713-212-5-790. to every elected official that got a hold of my phone number that sent me 9 million texts in the last 30 days. Ain't nobody got time for you to be texting me, and I guarantee you, Kamala Harris ain't sending me a text. Ted Cruz didn't send me a text.

J.D. Vans didn't send me a text. Donald Trump didn't send me a text. Colin Alra didn't send me a text. Ain't nobody got time for you to be texting me like that. Ain't nobody got time for that? Oh. Bless you. The political season's over with, at least for now.

Yeah, you went with the text. I was just going to go with the ads. I'm so glad they're over. Ding dong, the witches are dead. All these political ads, there needs to be some sort of legislation put in place that we can limit to like one minute an hour or something. It's been way too much.

It's ridiculous. It's over the top. Ain't nobody got time for all these political ads. And I'm glad they're over. Ain't nobody got time. for that. Jeez. It was like every time I clicked on a YouTube,

it's too much. And guess what? Never mind. Don't say it. I don't even know what you're going to say, I don't want you to say it. I'm just going to say money well spent, some of y'all. Well, we're not.

I don't think everybody spent the money properly. Anyways, again, moving on. 7.13, 2, 1,2, 5, 790. 113-212-5-7-98. Conardy McGovern, the best dancer in Houston, Texas. Cutting a rug in many bars throughout. Yeah.

What's the matter with you this week? So the girl that I'm seeing signed me up for, signed us up for a turkey trout 5K on this evening morning. Oh, okay. Oh, she's athletic? Yes, she is. That's a good thing, Matt. Well, that's true. It's a very good thing.

Okay. But if she wants to run, that means she doesn't want to lay around on a lazy Sunday and watch football with you. Well, it's a 5K. It's a 5K, Matt. It's fine. We're part of a group, and I was never much of a runner,

but I'm getting more into it. So 5K, something to work towards. You're in a running club? No, I'm not in a running club. I just run on my own. But anyway, turns out the group, now wants to sign up for the 10K. Ooh.

Which, Ooh. How does me work towards the 5K and then trying to switch up on me saying we're doing the 10K. That takes some commitment. Shut your bum ass up. We're not doing that. We're not trying to take a nap.

Let me see you. Shut your bum ass up, man. If the girl wants you to run on Thanksgiving as compared to watching football and eating all day, you've got to drop the girl. I'm serious. I do not endorse this under any circumstance. It's a 5K. I'll be back in time for the big first kickoff. Okay.

But the 10K, I'm not doing it. I don't care how much they, I'll be the only one doing the 5K then. I don't care. I'm not doing the 10K. Do you have run for a girl, Ross? No. No. Neither.

Effort? That sounds like. Too much. I mean, I've gone to like a play or something for a girl, but that's about as far as it goes. Go to an opera? No, I wouldn't do that. That's the ballet. I mean, I like the ballet.

I've gone to rom-coms for girls before, but that's about, yeah. Okay. But then, of course, I do like rom-coms, so it's not like a-huh. It was strange a much for me. Fillier launch, your favorite movie all the time. Or how to lose a guy in 10 days? Four weddings and a funeral or something like that. Oh, okay.

Anything involving Drew Barrymore? Made in Manhattan. Sneaky-ha, Drew Barrymore, by the way. What's sneaky? about it. She's just hot. She runs hot and cold a little bit. Well, she's always boiling to me. 713.

713, 212.1, 7190. 713, 212570. 7190. Look who we have on line 3, Ross. New York. Let's go. James on 790. Hi, James. What's the matter with you? Hey, thank you, Governor Thomas and Connor for taking my call. I'm

going to go override sports, and I got a personal, I got a personal, I got a person who's born to pick with this business institution over under 5,100 block of Shepardt called mini storage. Well, I know people need to put their stuff in storage because they overcrow their house and everything because people are wholeness in and I am one too. But I've been notified the last two and a half three years. I wasn't even paying too much close attention to my business affairs. I let my advocate friend take care of that since I'm visually and they're and they're and they're taking me literally blind. I mean, they're like

Blood-thirsty vampires that gouging your eyes out and trying to rip out your organs, they more than double the price range of my fee, my monthly fee, to like over $200. And I only have a five by 10. I'm very mad. I feel like I should talk to the business bureau about this or whatever, and I don't know if they'll do anything. But I know, thankfully so, we got a new day on the horizon.

And maybe the country will start healing and everybody won't have to complain about things like that. Thank you guys for taking my call. And I ain't got time for none of that, but I'm going to try to cope with it. Thank you, thank you, Governor Thomas. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Governor.

Yeah. I don't really understand a word he said, but he was obviously a lot of passion in his voice. I don't know. The country's going to heal now, so that's great. Because of his mini storage? I don't know what he was talking. He said he was getting robbed blind and his financials? I didn't.

I kind of zoned out there. Generally speaking, many stores places can shut their bumasses up. Explain. I had one for multiple years, very long, satisfied customer. They raised my rates like $15 a month, which is a significant amount of money over 12. Yes. And I said, hey, I've been with you for three years. Let's keep it the same rate now.

We can't do it. So I got out. So instead of getting most of my money, they got none of it. So to self-stores, I don't know what the name of the places, shut your bumass up. Shut your bum ass up, man. Mubik Morridge. I mean, electricity hasn't gone up that much. I'm sure you got a regulated special deal.

So I know you ain't worried about labor because nobody's ever working there at the self-storages. Free market economy, Matt. You exercised your right to say no. And I did. I got out of there. My garage is a hot mess, but it's a different issue for a different time.

Yeah. Okay. Will you come clean my garage? I would pay you to do it. What is your deal? What is my deal? Why do you think I'm just some... some cash employee for you. Why are you saying that, Matt?

I mean, be tax-free for you. Weird. Would it? I'm not going to hand you a 1099. I thought you might. No, I wouldn't do that to you. 7-13-212-5-790. 7-1-3-21-5-790. If something's bothering you, let your voice be heard right here on Sports Talk, 790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. I want to tell you about quality home products at Texas. As we get to more, shut your bum-ass up in a minute. Right now, Quality Home Home. products is looking to hire people because their business is going so well as they continue to

hire more people to install Generic standby generators. You can do that today by going to their website at QualityTX.com. That's QualitytX.com or calling 713 quality. 73 quality. 77,000 people in Houston have had their Generac standby generators installed by Quality Home Products. And they're looking for electricians. They're looking for plumbers. And they want to hire you, give you competitive pay. They want to give you 401k. They want to give you holiday. They want to give you competitive benefits with medical and dental. And they want to give you a good work atmosphere that has had this company get over 14,000 five-star reviews for the insulation process of those generaq standby generators. For more to tales about how to join that great company, you can call 713 Quality or go to QualityTX.com.

Installing could be a great career change for many of you out there. 713 Quality QualityTX.com. lunch timers back to Houston's longest running lunchtime sports show with a guy that yells nothing but nylon nothing but for a living yes Matt Thomas the legend continues now all right last call if you want to tell some people to shut their bum asses up or anybody got time for that 713212 570 713 212 5 790 uh Connor is going to run a 5K on Thanksgiving will not run the 10K. Two of our female listeners, Leah Van,

who works for the Houston Chronicle, and our friend of the show, Tiffany, said they both run on Thanksgiving morning and then go eat and do all their TV watching. Yeah, maybe that's a good plan. We can all... You're about to have a lot of... No, I'm good.

Well, I'll be out of the country. You're going to be gone for Thanksgiving? Yeah. Oh, I need to tell my family. Oh, they don't know that yet. Do that? Hey, mom or dad. Sorry if you're listening.

All right. I need a ruling on this because I'm going to be flying back from Philadelphia on Thanksgiving. morning so I won't have time to run. You weren't going to run anyways. You don't know that? Yes, I do.

Okay, maybe, yeah, you're right. Okay, okay. You could walk. You could walk it. You're going to be walking on the tarmac. I'm going to be getting home at like 3 o'clock in the morning. There's no chance. Okay, instead of taking the, what do they call that, the Skywalker or whatever, that moves?

No, no, we're landing at the, this private terminal. Oh, never mind. I can't, I can't, I mean, I can't. What am I going to say? consistent going to the public tournament, the regular tournament? No, then what do you always want? You're always whining about all this travel, and it's like five-star travel on private planes. Yeah, but the, but then it's, it's just, it can eagerly.

Pick a lane. You can't brag about being all the fancy travel and then complain about it as well. All right, I will, the lane I pick is, the lane is, it's amazing travel. Okay, I will say, I will say consistent on that. That's what I need to hear. But I want to know, I mean, does our audience get a good run in before Thanksgiving because they feel guilty about the food they're going to eat the rest of the day? I don't know.

Little known fact about me. This comes a zero surprise. I've never cooked a turkey. Yeah, that makes sense. You'd probably try to microwave it. Don't you go to the country club? I do. Yeah, that's right.

Country club, Matt. I remember that from last year. I rolled eyes. You know what? Why you're rolling the eyes? It was like my second week working here. You learned a lot that day, didn't you? That's terrible.

You did. You learned a lot about high horse mat. Not high horse. It's a family tradition. We don't want to cook. We don't want to go through all that. We go cook. We eat.

We want. We go home and take a nap. I forgot to add that to the list of nicknames. High Horse Matt, Fancy Matt. Country Club, Matt. Not my decision. The family says, let's go to the country club. I go to the country club.

What do you want me to do? Oh, yeah, five diamond, Matt. You want me to cook my own turkey by myself and while the rest of the family's gone? And, of course, peach basket. Oh, my God. I hate you. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790.

We have the news at noon coming up, which will feature a couple of comments, not audio, but at least quotes from one, Scott Boros. Boris. Boris. Scott Boris has spoken. Yes. On both Alex Bregman and you say. So the question I have is, will we have tempered our enthusiasm of what we thought we heard from Dana Brown a little earlier in the show today because of that?

We'll find out coming up at noon. The news at noon coming up on 790. guys want to get in with something you want to shut people bomb asses up let's go 713 212 5790 713 212 5790 if you want to send us a message you can do that as well on twitter at sports mt at sports rv and at connor d mcgovernn anything else ross i'm surprised we've not not seen a single political person kind of sneak in their way in with a shut your bum ass up that's fine i'm good i'm happy with that at least we people know they can't come to that the show for that although i would have given him a

an opportunity today, but after that it's over. Everything is going to be perfect in this country now. Thank God. It's like, you know, when people always say, are you better off today than you were four years ago? And I'm like, yes. In the previous four years before that, yes. I encourage people to control what they can control.

That's right. Work hard. Get up earlier in the morning. Yes. Get on the streets earlier so they don't have to come in at 9.57 when the show starts at 10. We swapped the rolls today. God, I did pull a Ross. I was here like 906. Now, you usually set your alarm for 11 for a 12 o'clock show.

What do you set your alarm for now? 11 is the fail safe last gas. So people know, I live like 10 minutes away. So it's not like... And you're also show prepping at 3 a.m. in the morning just to balance things out here. Yeah, when I'm staring at the ceiling and I can't sleep, I think about the show. That's all I like to do. I think about...

I just picture your face, Matt. You know, there's a t-shirt with my face on if you want one. Yeah, I burned it. It feels rude. Sorry, that was a joke. Let me say, I honestly don't even remember what I set my alarms for now. 815 and 825. I got a little, I got to leave in the house about 820.

Because, yeah, there's more traffic for me too. And so it's just bad traffic now. Now it takes me, it used to take me 10 to 15 minutes. This morning, it took me 25 minutes to get to work. Oh, I got one for you. Summer Creek High School, where my daughter played a volleyball playoff game. yesterday. Yes. What do they call those, not road humps?

Speed bumps? Speed bumps. I went over a speed bump yesterday going very low, I would say 15. The speed bumps were the thickest, biggest speed bumps I've ever seen in my entire life. I literally had my vertebrae sore for like a half an hour. Were you on your phone, Matt? Nope. I swear to God, I was like, no, if you're a kid and you are driving,

in the Summer Creek parking lot, you're going to break your neck if you try to speed over those bad boys. You need to slow down. Then don't speed over, Matt. But speed bumps aren't supposed to. Speed bumps are not supposed to disable your vehicle and hurt your back. You know what? And sever your spine. You need to shut your bum ass up.

Summer Creek High School. Ain't anybody got time for your ridiculously big, nasty speed bumps. You're out here trying to do donuts in the Summer Creek parking lot over there. That's not true. And you're over there bouncing around. You got to slow down, Matthew. I was at 15. That's too fast.

Oh, my God. Terrible. They're calling you Donut, Thomas. Go for a donut right now. Playing glazer or what? Didn't we get a catered lunch in here once in a while? No, we're not going to eat. We can't.

This is worse, right? This is way worse. You used to at least have to have lunch at 11. Now you had to have breakfast at 8.30, and then you can't eat until 2. Mm-hmm. Which means I'm going to gain weight. Because at 2 o'clock, you know, we're going to go gorge something really quickly. I'm going to play a hot plate up here and start making.

mixing up some eggs or something. You know, I might do an all soup diet. You need soup during the show. What if I brought one of those like Coleman griddles and I started making his breakfast every morning? Would you make us a breakfast panini before every show? Absolutely. That sounds good.

Like the Form and Grill? Kind of a waste. A lot of work to clean it up. Can we get a form and grill in the green room? It's not very well ventilated. I don't want to die carbon monoxide poisoning. That's true. How about just a big old batch of oatmeal available to us every morning?

I like that. I bring some oatmeal. All right. last chance. I mean, we got 30 seconds literally for... Or romance? No, for shut your bum ass up. Now, if you want to call in romance, that's fine too.

But I don't know if this would be the place and opportunity to do so. Okay. Coming up at 1 o'clock today, we have Emaidoka. We have, believe it or not, today at 150. What is the topic? Don't you side-eye me. You know the topic is. Modeled mump?

Modeled mump. Huh. That's really up to you. I mean, we can say it. Donald Trump. He's our next president of life. I mean, you guess you could. He's back.

Could you do sports-related stuff? He's back, baby. Why don't you do a sports-related? No. A sports-related-related? Donald Trump's got a huge sports history. Yeah, he called, he said that A.J. Hinch did a great job skippering. One of the greatest games.

Seven was one of the greatest games at all time. Even though what was it, a five-to-one game? Ayesha, what's going on with you, young lady? I mean, you know, I get angry at those sleeping policemen, otherwise known as speed bumps also. Thank you. I wanted to ask you, what? What color were they? Because they have installed them at the Social Security Office on Westtime and Eldridge.

And they're horrible. These were yellow. Yes, yellow and black. Huge. Yeah. So I feel bad for you. Thank you very much. Thank you, Ayesha, for having my bag.

My coworkers do not. You do. And for that. I thank you very much. And that is this week's edition of Shut Your Ball Mess up. And anybody got time for that. Every Wednesday at 1130 here on Sports Talk 790. I just got to keep thinking of us on Pacific Time.

And it's helping me. I'm adjusting. Okay. Whatever we can do to make you feel better. It's very difficult. Let's talk about two creekscrossingresort.com. Right now, 40% off, now through February, on the cabin rentals. Friends, you want to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city streets.

You want to get out to the nature. You want to get out near Lake Livingston. And you want to relax in a beautiful cabin. Maybe you and another family want to go. Maybe you want to just take a weekend with the bride and hang out and enjoy. and enjoy pickleball and barbecue grills and a full pool and a hot tub and workout facilities and high speed Wi-Fi, but yet you want peace and quiet. That's why you go to Two Creeks Crossing Resort and that website, Two Creeks Crossing Resort.com.

It's about 90 minutes, maybe 95, downtown Houston. If you live north of the city, you're going to be even closer. You'll experience beautiful cabins, full amenities, and peace and quiet. And the weather's going to start to cool off here, it's going to be even better for you. You need an escape. If you own an RV, they've got RV pads. If you don't own one, no big deal. They've got all different type of accommodations for you and your family.

Two Creeks Crossing Resort.com's a website. That's Two Creeks Crossing Resort.com. Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. 1203 on Sports Talk 790. What's happening in lunch timers? Time now for the news at noon on Sports Talk 790. This is where we run through all the headlines of the day so far.

And so far it's been a pretty juicy late morning. Really hard for me not to use by TV News Voicebat. Well, since you never been on TV before, you probably shouldn't use it. Hey, you don't got to call me out like that. Sorry, I didn't mean to do that publicly. Okay, so we will get to the Scott Boris comments about Alex Bregman and that situation. But a quick update from Aaron Wilson NFL. Nico Collins has passed all tests for hamstring, no setbacks per league sources.

He has regained speed, mobility, and ready to go. Matter of when, not if he'll be designated for return. His team still determining if activating him for Lions game might not practice today. Well, that feels like to me that's not a 100% get ready to watch him on primetime television. I think it literally means they're going to give him today off to just give him one more. day. He's going to wake up tomorrow, put some practice pads on, and see how he feels running routes. I think

it's very much still up in the year whether he plays on Sunday. Yeah, it sounds like good news, talking about him passing all his tests and all that stuff, and then he brings it back with we'll see if he practices. So could be some good news coming up on Nico Collins, much needed if they're going to be able to score with the Detroit Lions. Have you

check the line on this game? Has it moved? No, I'm just curious. Okay. No. I can check it right now. Let's see. Your use in Texans at home this weekend against the Detroit Lions are holding at three and a half. I said under 49 and a half and it's gone down to tick, 48 and a half. Okay. That doesn't mean a whole hill of beans to me.

Hey, but I locked it in on Tuesday. I locked in the 49 and a half, just saying. So the line going down a bit. It feels like it might be a little bit lower scoring game just because I don't know if the Texans can win a shootout anyways, but the line holding at three and a half there. Now, by the way, did they did not make a trade yesterday before the deadline at three o'clock? How are you feeling about that? Um, not spectacular.

Hmm. I don't think CJ is. I want to pour some truth serum down his pores. Okay. And he would say, get me some help. I'm not going to be able to stand upright. So if you're Davis Mills, Truther, you're going to see him this year. It's funny you say that.

They use truth serum in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Really? At one point in the film. How was Michael Keaton, by the way? You can tell he's older. But with the makeup, he looks the same. I mean, Beetle juice looked like a corpse in the first one. It looks mostly the same.

Winona Ryder? She's a little bit older, but she's good. No Gina Davis. I've always had a thing for Winona Ryder since Beatles. I love Winona Ryder. Spectacular. Browley Bychie was good in that as well.

Yes. And then she was good in that. And then what's her name? The mom. She was McCulley Colkin's mom and Home Alone. Oh, uh, Catherine something. O'Hara. O'Hara, that's right.

She was good. No Gina Davis. No Gina Davis. What? You're alive. Okay, I'm worried about Gina Davis, but not being alive? You could have told me she was dead,

I would have believed you? No, Alec Ball one, I'm assuming. I think he saw from movies for a while. He couldn't make the shoot. The views expressed by Ross are not those of Sports Talks 790. Back to the news at noon. Okay, Chandler Rome,

with some quotes from our old friend, Scott Boris. First of all, Alex Bregman had a bone chip removed from his elbow, should be back swinging in a few weeks. I believe this is certainly a gut feeling, maybe even a put your name on it, hit for Matthew Thomas. I know what you're going to say. I believe you said Bregman was going to have surgery after the season.

But that was no, I mean, that was an easy one. See, I'm trying to give you a compliment. This is what you do. I'll say thank you, but it was an easy one for me. Okay. More from Scott Boris. Did you get a sense they are serious about pursuing a reunion with Alex Bregman and willing to exceed some precedents that have existed during Jim Crane's ownership?

Scott Boris's response to that very good question. They understand the rarity of being in four world series and being in the postseason eight years in a row and him being a centerpiece of that. As to meeting markets and the demands of this kind of player, you just don't have many players on the dirt that does what he does. It's a market certainly that the Astros are very aware as healthy for him.

Well, what a bunch of words, Sal, that is. He didn't really answer the question. He just said it sounds like the talks have had some substance. It also sounds like, yeah, we're happy the Astros want to talk, and we're going to talk to some other people too. That's what I get out of that. Yeah, a healthy market is what Scott Boris is saying, but do we expect him to say anything different about Alex Brighman on that front?

No, I think he's going to be coy. Why would he want to give out any information? Why would he want to open up any optimism him unless he feels like the market is dried up and that he wants to get other teams involved. And then one more. Of course, Scott Boris is the representing agent for

you say Kikuchi. Scott Boris, quote, without having a qualifying offer, which means teams don't have to give up a draft pick, you see a whole menu of teams that would not normally be participating for a starter at that level. For that reason, he's one of the most sought after

players in free agency. That's definitely agent speak. Now, did you say Kikuchi? He got that sounds like he got on. You say did rebuild his image. I mean, he couldn't have asked for a better short-term tenure with one baseball team than you say Ketka. I hope he wasn't listening when that trade was made here on 790. Oh, by the way, I wish I cared enough to keep receipts of everybody that hated it.

And that includes basically every Astros fan on Astros' Twitter. Joey Loporffito is a future Hall of Famer. Right, right. How do you get rid of Joey Lope? How do you get rid of Jody Hall of Famer? Oh, I like that. I like that. That's good.

Okay, Matt, and then we can wrap with one off-the-wall story, as you would like to do it, news at noon. For sure. Matt, did you hear that there have been North Korean troops sent to bolster Russia's war on Ukraine? I've not heard that. Thank you. Okay.

Well, did you know that in North Korea, Korea, they have a lot of censorship on the internet. According to a report, North Korean troops sent to Russia to help out with the war on Ukraine have immediately began quote, gorging on pornography.

Further explain. That's it. Basically, Russia has unfettered access to the internet. In Korea, they have throttled and censored internet. So,

these North Korean troops that are supposed to be there helping out Russia and their war with Ukraine are just gorging on porn. I mean, they're Biden time, basically. By way, going back to Kikuchi for a second, I don't know if you, I don't think you didn't say this, but the Astros couldn't offer him a qualifying offer. Right, because he was traded in mid-season. So they could not give him a qualifying offer. Thus, teams do not have to give up a draft pick to sign him. Right. And thus his market is more robust.

Right. So nobody has to give up draft picks. Yeah, we'll thawalab an offer to him, for sure. Mm-hmm. Yeah, all right, that's what makes sure you get that. So armies are looking at porn when they're not fighting battles. Yes. Sounds like every...

What name of a country that their troops aren't watching porn? I'm at a loss, Matt. You don't have one, do you? The Swiss Army. They don't even have one, right? Swiss Army porn? Is that a category? I don't know.

I guess they do. Aren't they always neutral, though? They still have an army? I guess you've got to defend yourself. Yeah. Okay, we're moving on. I don't even know how to possibly comment on any of that. Hey, you wanted wedding stories. I have one news item. Can I pass it to you? Yes. I'm going to give it to you running. Here's the story from today on the news at noon.

The upper deck golf is coming to Minute Made Park? Yeah, go ahead. Minute Made and Upper Deck Golf, is that Upper Deck like the card company? Never heard of it. Tea Times will be available for booking to the public for a free one-of-a-kind golf event inside the ballpark. The event will take place Friday, February 21st to the 23rd, and it will give fans an up exclusive opportunity to play a round of golf inside the stadium. You mean on the field of play or hitting like on the third deck down below?

Like top golf. Okay, if it's 150 to center, I mean, 450 to center to dead center, isn't that a hundred and, uh, 130 yards? He can only bring wedges. 150 yards? That's it. You can't bring a three hours. Anything, yeah, no drivers. Not even a five wood you can't bring.

Seriously. I mean, how does this work? I don't know the answer to this, but my thought would be maybe you can, you, like, they have those, it would be like top golf. You would, you would hit from the second deck down to the field. Oh, it's like a pitching putt, putt. Interesting. Yeah, well, I'm busy that weekend. I would do it.

When is it? February. Do I have rockets? It might be close to the All-Star break, actually. Yeah, but I'm out of town. Oh, my gosh. T-times will be offered in two-player increments, and VIP T-T-T-Times will be available that will offer more premium experience for fans looking to enjoy additional perks. Free entry into driving, chipping, and putting challenges, and complimentary food and beverage.

I'm in for this. I would do it if I could. That Friday, the Rockets play the Timberwolves at home, and then they go to Utah for a Saturday game on a back-to-back. It's a home and Utah back-to-back. I won't say anything because you don't want me criticizing travel. Please don't. And that, my friends, was the news at noon. All right, Dana Brown spoke yesterday.

We're going to place some of that for you coming back. And we're going to take that plus what Scott Borough said. And we're going to try to figure out if Alex Bramond, indeed, can stay as a Houston Astro. 713-212-5790. If you want to jump in, 7-13-212-5-790. The folks at Berkeley-Eyson and I want you to step into getting Lasic laser vision correction. And you can do that by going to call 713-526 I, 713-526 EYES, or checking out BECLASIC.com. Right now, Black Friday savings all month long, that includes $1,600 off LASIC laser vision correction, plus 40% off of sunglasses, designer sunglasses, from the amazing people at Berkeley Eye Center.

So again, all you got to do is go to beeclac.com or call 713526 eyes, mention. mention me, Matt Thomas, and you will be able to get preferred appointment times, and you'll be able to get $1,600 off a procedure that will change your life and is having clear vision without glasses or contacts. 713-526-Eyes, massive savings on both LASIC and sunglasses from Berkeley Eye Center. More Matt Thomas now on Sports Talk 790. Ross, you have one assignment and one assignment only. You must choose. Listen to political ads for an hour Or an episode of dudes on dudes Which one are you going to listen to?

Just put a hot poker through my ears And then I'll put a dudes on dudes, I guess And you're just going to bleed out? Yeah Poor guy Oh gosh We promote the crappiest podcast We really do

We are a great company But man Maybe dudes on dudes is the best podcast you've ever heard Just give it a shot, Matt extraordinarily busy. I guess I would have to go with, I would choose dudes on dudes. I'm not going to be happy about it. Clip that right now.

Oh, right. Clip it. That's good for Friday. We'll take that. This is your fault. That was an easy one for me. I appreciate that very much. You set you up for that. Yeah, I did set you up.

That's fine. All right, 713-212-570. 7-1-2-790. This is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. We're with you until 2 o'clock today. Coming up in 40 minutes, we'll speak to IME Addo. head basketball coach of your beloved Houston Rockets taking on the San Antonio Spurs tonight. Okay, so we heard a little bit the quotes from Scott Boris.

Let's play a little audio from Dana Brown earlier yesterday. He was at the general manager's meetings where Scott Boris is today. Yes. And you heard these quotes a couple of hours ago and you were like, oh, hell yeah, our guy's going to stay. And then 10 minutes later you change your mind. Well, let's have you re-listen to see if you indeed liked them. Okay, Dana Brown believes they can keep Alex Brickman. Our mindset right now is that he's not going elsewhere and that we want to sign him.

So if he ends up going elsewhere, we're across that bridge when we get there. But I'm going into this offseason with the thought process that we're going to get pregnant down. Hopefully, you know, we can do it. And as I said, you know, the conversations with Scott have been together. All right. So he's going to cross that bridge when he gets pregnant. gets there. That's a bridge over perhaps troubled water.

He did pause when he was saying that he's going to go with the thought process that we are going to have Bregman back. I guess that's what he's saying. Plan A is Alex Bregman, is your third baseman next year. Plan B, we will see. Plan C, who knows?

There isn't much out there in the fringe waters. We will get a baseball expert out on the next handful of days once the GM meeting subside. because the list I've seen are a bunch of guys that are either can't hit, have never hit on a regular basis, or are past their prime. Yes. It's a year after Alex Bregman, you're into the bargain bin, basically, at third base.

But you had to know that going in. Yes. And Ross, I got news for you. They knew that a year ago. They knew that, yes. They, sports front offices look at contracts two, three, four years down the line. They just aren't, their eyes don't wide open and go, oh my God, we're down to this. Yeah, Dana Brown didn't just go, huh, Alex, pregnant, free agent? Wow.

What? Or look at the crop of 2025 free agent third baseman. Oh, nothing here? Wow. Oh, by the way, check a look at our minor league system. Ooh. Well, Dana Brown saying that, and he also was asked about his priorities in the offseason. And well, here's what he had to say about that. Yeah, so the biggest priority is third base.

you know, without a doubt. You know, I mean, we would love to have Alex Bregman back. You know, I mean, it's our biggest priority. So, I mean, then if we could, you know, do something, you know, for a production at first base and, you know, get some help in the outfield, maybe with a nice right hand, I mean, nice left hand back, sorry, you know, to work out with Myers and McCormick. I mean, that would be good as well. And then maybe add some more in depth to the bullpen. And as I've

always told you guys, I'm always in the market for starters. So if we have any opportunity to acquire starters, you know, if we trade or whatever, what have you, we would do that as well. Speaking of the outfield, there was a comment made by Dana about Rossi, the

Chas McCormick Jake Myers dynamic. Yes. Well, is it dynamic? Well, we'd like it to be somewhat dynamic. We would like if either of them could hit because both of them didn't this year. But Chas McCormick, of course,

with the better bat in the history. Here is what Dana Brown had to say about those two folks. Yeah, I mean, look, McCormick had a down year. You know, McCormick is a good player. We expect him to come back and at least, you know, get to like a 750 OPS or better.

The year before he was over an 800 OPS with over 20 old minds. And, of course, the defense is really good. So, you know, we have to check that one off. It's a bad year. It was a down year. And hopefully we can get him to bounce back because we, you know, we really need them. And then maybe we can get them, you know, some help where he doesn't have to face, you know, all of the right-handers as much.

I mean, that could be productive by getting a left-handed hitting outfielder that can really step in and do a good job. So those kind of things we're trying to do to improve this club and maybe, At certain points, do some platoon, you know, particularly if he's struggling. But ultimately, you know, we're just trying to make certain moves to increase, you know, more production than the offense. You know how I interpret all that as? What? I'll worry about this in spring training. I ain't got time.

I've got to figure out what I'm going to do with my starting third base spot. Ain't nobody got time for this. But the center field spot is a question mark. Jake Myers was a gold glove finalist. They have to go. zero at the bat. Ross, they have to get more production out of the outfield in general. Yes.

Because I don't even count Jordan Alvarez as an outfielder. I know he likes to play a lot, but he's got an IH. He's an IH guy. He just is. He is? Yes. How many games did he play? Well, you get hurt at the end of the year.

Yeah, he could barely move towards the end. You played 147 games. But again, a lot of that was de-hging. You play 147 games and you hit 35 home runs. You had a pretty good year. You know what? If he wants a big poppy the rest of his career, I know he likes playing outfield,

but if it keeps him... Now, granted, the injury that he suffered was trying to slide into second base. So that wasn't necessarily because of the outfit. Could happen to anybody. Sure. 53 games in left last year. I would like to see that number reduced in 2000.

You know, the only way you reduce that, frankly, is by 50s. feeling better by who your left fielder is. Year before was 40. Yeah, that feels about right. Year before that, 56. Yeah, 40 sounds about right. Okay.

The problem is if Chas McCormick isn't hitting. I mean, what's your issue within one field is just injuries? Uh, yeah. Okay. For a guy with an injury history, less time out there, would only probably help my cause. That means it's going to guarantee not getting hurt. He didn't get hurt in the field this year.

He played 50 plus games. And I will just say the counterargument to that is you also open up the DH spot for other guys, especially if it's going to be Yonner Diaz you want to put in there. And my guess is down the stretch, you're probably going to see L. Jose, get a few more DH days. Jose Altuvae D. If you somehow retain the services of Bregman, he's 30 plus years old. I do like the availability of the DH spot to give other guys a spell, especially when it's at minute. made and it's a smaller left field. Real quick on

Brangman, one thing I just thought of. You know Bregman plays like 155 games a year. Yes. He played, did he play 161 last year? What did he play this year? It's close to that. I'm going to that number, right? Okay. If Bregs is gone, your replacement, third basement isn't playing 150, 160 games. Yeah.

145 this year, 161 the year before, 155 the year. You know what I'm saying, though? I mean, that's unrealistic to go get a makeshift third basement for at least 2,025 until Bryce Matthews is ready. And even when Bryce Matthews plays, Breggman is as an outlier. Guys don't play 150 anymore. They just don't. Yeah, but I mean, Breggman, I feel like a couple of years ago, we were calling him injury prone. He played 90 games and 40 games.

I don't think about him that way in the last couple of years. Okay. Yeah. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212. 5-7-90. We will speak with a rocket's head coach coming up in a half an hour from now. When we return, we'll tell you exactly what the mindset would be if you're,

and maybe you guys know this as well, if you're C.J. Stroud today and you're at practice. Okay. You don't seem concerned about this. That's not the way that I would frame it. But we'll discuss. Okay. 713-212-5-7-90. I want to tell you about Game Day, Men.

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They'll also handle any issues you may have with erectile dysfunction or potential weight loss issues as well. That's game day men's health.com slash Houston. Game day men's health.com slash Houston. So Naco Collins is not a Texan's practice today. is that one more day arrest or is that, well, he might be cleared physically, but they're going to just be very cautious. I can't imagine them being overly cautious when they need the Detroit Lions are coming to the town. They're going to try to score 35 points and outscore them. Hmm, maybe they're taking the approach of we're going to lose that game anyway, so what's the point of rushing back Nico Collins?

How about that? There's no chance that D'Amico Ryan's going, guys, we're going to get an hell this week. him. It's not his decision. Well, but it isn't, well, okay. He wouldn't say it publicly, but privately do you think he, like, when he lays his head, head to bed tonight and goes, and we ain't got a chance. We can't score these MFs. No, I wouldn't think so. I'm sure he thinks they have a chance every week.

Yeah. They generally have, except for in Minnesota. Yeah, I mean, everybody can beat anybody. I mean, we saw Cleveland beat Baltimore this year. Yes, they did. Two weeks ago. Yeah. And a week later, they're looking. unstoppable. Jared Patterson is back at practice today. Jared's Patterson. Wonderful. That's going to get the entire Houston buzz and everybody's high-fying each other today. Hey, the bar is low. All he has to do is be better than Kenyon Green.

And the bar is Kenyon Green. And by the way, stay up right. Yeah. Stay healthy and be better than Kenyon Green. That's it. That's all we're asking for. So what if he sucks this week? What are you going to do then? I don't know. Then it's Kendrick Green time. then maybe Jalen Green, Al Green, I don't know. Al Green? Yeah. Gerald Green? Yes.

Seth Green? Any of them. The hope I imagine is that Jared Patterson is going to be, it is on his own and proves your line. Are the diehard Texans fans pissed off that didn't make a move? Or is it because it's not a superstar player they were going after that, Like, for instance, if this team needed a quarterback, that's a question for the people. 713, 212, 5790.

When you found out Texans fans that they did not make a deal to get somebody and they sent a reserve to San Francisco would say you. I think my reaction would be disappointed but not surprised. Like a front of the show, John McLean, was all over this. He is a friend of the show. Yeah, I loves a show. he, yeah, he retweeted me the other day. He did? I appreciate him for that.

That's nice. It didn't follow me though. But that's okay. He follows me now. I don't need him to. I don't follow him. What did he? I see he retweets like 80 people over and over again.

So I don't even remember what it was. Something about the Texans, maybe? Well, yeah, I mean, he's been covering the NFL for a long time. But he was all over. Now, he works, I think, for the Texans part time, which is kind of weird. Oh, it was a, I said, curious to see how Brian Cashman spends this World Series meltdown towards the 2017

Astros. Look at you trying to go witty on Twitter. At sports RV. Witter. That's what we call it, Matt. Let's go. So is Nico Collins going to play this week? Probably no. No, there's no way we can tell.

We could say no right now. He shows up tomorrow practice and it's, who cares? We've got to get our practice report from Adam Wexler. That's what we need to do. Well, that's what I'm saying. Adam is out there looking around. and he can't find him. He sees Jerry Hughes and Jeff Okuda.

He also sees Aziz Al Shire or Al Shire. We'll wait to see what Mike Tarrico calls him on Sunday. Yes. Oh, yeah, we do get Mike Tariko. That's nice. I like Chris Collinsworth too. People seem bothered by the number one analyst. People like Tony Romo for like six weeks and they hate it on him.

That's true. I think in generally we just like to hate on the big ones. The big announcers. Yes. Like nobody ever goes, God, Tiki Barber, you sucked last week. No. Who the Texans have in the game? They have.

I don't remember. Well, they were on Thursday night. I mean, no. Oh, yeah, it was Al Michaels. It was Al Michaels falling asleep at the microphone in Kirkhurstreet. I think Kirby does a good job. I think he's, I mean, he's as highly regarded and probably as well-competed as anybody out there. Mm-hmm.

It's a private plane run around. So, you know, I don't. I think his dog is ailing. Yes, I did see that on Twitter. It's unfortunate. Yeah, so he says a lot of people have been very nice. Of course. I mean, we all...

I think that's something the whole country can always rally around. Dogs. We can be red or blue. Yes. The man, the thought of dogs. And I've got two dogs that are in the double-digit ages. Oh, come on. Don't bring me down like that.

Thankfully, they are... There's no wood in here. I know. No. That's... Yeah. go ahead no go ahead no no no no let's hear it on friday are we going to do that twice a day oh do we think we need to because we're like a 10 in 10 and 10 and 12 30 no 10 in 1 because it's final hour of the show get people on a good mood mail in the final hour of the show we're not going to be mailing in any hours that's true four hours a hall mattie it's fine we get we're heavily compensated for it pays the big bucks 713 212 5790 713 212 5 790 So again, no Nico Collins, but

No, Will Anderson, says Adam Wexler. Lions. Detroit Lions are coming into town. I hate for you to get your crystal ball on, but you're going to have to get it out. Go ahead. I'm ready. When they lose on Sunday.

Yes. That's going to be three losses and four years. Yes. Okay. So furthering the crystal ball. Yes. Shake it up. Okay.

They'd be a pickam against Dallas. No, that's not true. They'll be favorites. Jack Prescott has hurt. Oh, forget. what I said. There'll be three point favorites. Then you've got a couple of

Tennessee's coming up. Dub. You got a Miami. Dub. And an off week. You got a Jaguars in there too. Oh, Jaguars too. Miami, Jacksonville, a Tennessee an off week, I think. It's Lions, Cowboys, yeah. Titans.

I'm sorry, Jaguars, and then the buy. So they're going to lose this game this week. They're going to win in Dows. Yes. They're going to beat Tennessee. Absolutely. They're going to beat Jacksonville.

Agreed. And they're going to beat Miami. I think so? That one's probably... Okay. So tell me what the state of Houston Texan fan will be in approximately six weeks from now. After I just described what they're going to do in the next four to five. That will be...

What will that be? That would mean nine and four. Because there's six and three now. They lose Detroit at six and four. beat Tennessee 7 and 4, beat Jacksonville 8 and 4, beat Miami 9 and 4, beat Dallas 10 and 4. It'll be 10 and 4. I think we're okay. You know as well as I do. There'll be nobody in this town except for the darlings of the world going, we're 10 and 4, baby.

Our record is what our record is. Yeah, it would be. They would be. The record would be what the record is. And then you got Kansas City and Baltimore coming up and now you're 10 and 6. So you beat the teams you're supposed to beat and you got no chance to beat the teams you're not supposed to. wouldn't say no chance. Well, of course. If I told you right now, they split

Chiefs and Ravens, it's not the shocking most not at the world. Chiefs have been close to everyone. Ravens have a couple of bad losses. But unfortunately, it's the same storyline for this team. They just, you were looking this year to get over the hump. Correct. You still can. They're looking,

I think maybe we got a little bit, some of us. Some, I can guarantee you that. I had them at 11 and 6. It's not like I had them winning the football. I'm at 9 and 8, which I will gladly take the loss on that. We'll see. You could be there.

I don't think so. No, I don't think so. I think it'd be closer. They're closer to 11. They are not to 9. Just because the division is so bad. You're 3.5 point dogs. 3.5 point dogs win in every sport every week.

Absolutely. So you win this week. Everything is, everything is Pitchie Keene, hunky, dory. And then you're talking about 11 and 3. You win this week. And the people are nervous about the offensive line and worried about the fact that Neal Collins is not 100% and the fact that Will Anderson's not 100%

he ain't scared anymore. You're like, you know what, bring it on. Joe, in our building and win. If we can get Joe Mixing to run for, I don't know, 130 and two touchdowns, C.J. Stroud stays somewhat upright. I mean, even when he was getting crushed against the Colts, he threw for 285 and a touchdown, no picks in that game,

I, yeah, I'm feeling okay. I'm not feeling great. You need this one, though, don't you? It's a must-win game. It's a must-win for confidence game. I would say so. Well, it depends. Oh, my God.

Monday, if they lose the Lions on national TV, this team is a... The record isn't who they are. If the Lions come up here and blasts you 52 to 14 like they did, the Titans, absolutely were there. But you have to be realistic, and you have to know that the Lions are among the top three Super Bowl favorites. And you want to be that, though.

But you're not. Yeah. You're not. We were hoping they would progress into that, but they have not. They were a little ahead of schedule last year, and I think they're a little behind schedule this year, a little bit. That feels fair. You're still six and four.

Yeah. 1243, Sports Talk, 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. We've got EMA ad doken coming up in just 15 minutes from now. You can join us right now if you'd like to at 713-212-5-790. That's 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. I have a list of things. that you could be concerned about in your day-to-day life.

And if any of these are something that relates to you, then you need to go to synergenicshealth.com. Talking about weight loss, talking about energy, talking about libido, motivation, muscle tone. Any of that stuff you think you would like to improve in your day-to-day life? SynergenicsHealth.com. At synergenics, testosterone, excuse me, synergenics, testosterone and weight loss, you're going to get personalized TRT plan,

more advanced in basic standard therapy. They're also experts with GLP1 weight loss. You can be evaluated for prescription and weight loss medications. They also have clinics all over town and often treatments are covered by insurances. So stop waiting. Book an appointment. Cinergenicshealth.com. That is S-Y-N-E-R GenXHealth.com.

CinergenicsHealth.com. Don't leave Matt Thomas in your car. Take him with you. Download the free iHeartRadio app for your phone at Sports790. Tom. Just remember you'll have to feed him. Matt Thomas show with Ross continues. Eme Adoka in a handful of minutes here on Sports Talk 790. Rockets and Spurs tonight.

The launch pad will be hosted by your buddy, Ross Villarreal, and he will take you at 6 o'clock. 6.30 in the network pregame show, I believe I'm working with Wex on this one. I never know. I should look. You just always have to say, Adam, and you're good. Yeah. Adam and I will have the broadcast beginning at 6.30. Tip time shortly past 7 o'clock. and then the Rockets tomorrow will be on their way to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder Friday, Detroit on Sunday.

You're going from taking on a title contender to a team that might lose 65 games. Yes. Perfect. Is it perfect 7-0 for the old Oklahoma City Thunder? Yes, and I believe they've won all of their games by 10 points or more. Wow. Don't hold me to that? Okay.

Rockets currently in the four seed. Oh, hell yeah. Can you say that again like in late March for me? I can say it. Will it be true? I don't care. Just keep saying it. Whether it's true or not. Whether it's true or not. Let's talk to a Laurel on 7.9 and at 1250. Laurel, thanks for waiting. Good afternoon.

Hey, good afternoon, guys. We love the show. Thank you. I just want to say, don't discount my Texans yet. I believe in CJ. I think we're going to pull it around. and I hope and believe that they're going to have a wonderful season this year. Your thoughts? Yeah, I mean, thank you for the phone call, Laurel. We appreciate you listening.

We are concerned about CJ. CJ is a wonderful and ready for this, Rossi, a franchise quarterback. Hey! Whoa! Because I'm a realist. Oh! I think that's the first time you've set it on air. There you go.

Mark it down. I told you by November. now it took November 6th. Yeah. Yes. He is a franchise quarterback. He is a franchise quarterback. Yeah, put a smile on my face.

Who's going to have to be picked up by a spatula if he doesn't get started getting better protection? He said, he's going to follow him around with a gurney all week. Or all Sunday? The Texan should be looking for an emergency care sponsor. Hey, come on. Davis Mills, Money Mills is ready. He's waiting in the wings, Maddie.

I don't want to get morbid on you. Oh, uh-oh. Okay. He's not going to be able to stay up right. There's, you can't all the sudden change. Jared Patterson isn't going to all of a sudden give him three extra seconds to pass. I will say your concerns are valid. First of all, you've had bad protection.

You've had high pressure rates. He's been running for his life. He's been banged up. He's not 100%. Kirk Herb Street said on that Prime Video podcast, that he kind of whispered to him, I'm kind of banged up. And then he was slow to get up multiple times in that game on Thursday. Now, you've gotten the extra time off, which is good, but how much closer to 100% is he going to be?

You're in the middle of the season. Nobody's 100% in the NFL. I understand that. But I will say I am concerned and your concerns are valid with the long-term health and viability of C.J. Stroud. and the fact that we are weeks away from the bi-week. And didn't help that he planned on a very difficult surface. Life is apparently the worst turf in the NFL. Which is strange.

Didn't Saus Gardner go down for a little while? They were like seven, eight people went down at some point in that stupid turf. But it's also the NFL. So I don't want to say I'm scared of death, but I'm scared for him. And I think a lot of, you can, to be fair, you can be scared about, everyone. The moment that Pat Mahomes goes down for any length of time, Kansas City's toast.

The moment that Josh Allen goes down for Buffalo, they're toast. You can say that about every really good quarterback in the NFL. But the difference is I don't care if Buffalo, I worry about the team that this community watches and loves. And CJ, this is not a problem that just cropped up last week in New York. It's been a problem for him all season. long and I just

through my novice eyes I don't see it getting any better I don't think Laramie Tunsell goes on the offensive line part of the of the locker room and say boys we got to do our better job they're going to have to philosophically change something whether it's shorter drops whether it's play action more more tight ends bringing a tight end in bringing a full back in to help Chip I don't know Ross but our guy isn't going to be able to stand up to this.

He is dodging the eventual fate of him being taken away off the field and not being able to play. He's facing too much more sure. And that's, I mean, that's every quarterback, as you mentioned. But also, the offensive line has slipped significantly in the last few weeks. Our friends at Pro Football Focus most years, most weeks have had them at like 15, 16, 17. They have met 24th this week, 24th ranked. There are worse offensive lines? Yes, there are.

Okay, so let me do this. You said the Texans, according to pro football focus, are the 24th best offensive line. Yes. What is the defensive line for the Detroit Lions ranked? Can you find that out? Actually, they do that. I can go find it.

I only pulled up the offensive line. And remember, even though those PFF guys never get laid, I respect their work. Now, they're going to bring that up, Matt. Because if you're going to be an analytics-driven dude, you're probably not having sex and you have very little friends. Okay. So James Click has no friends and he's not having any sex?

He's analytic driven. He's married, so obviously the answer to that is yes. Jeff Luno has children. What is the human aspect? I'm talking about the Uber geeks at Pro Football Focus. Not the regular geeks. Okay. All right, so what's the lion's defensive line?

Hold on. I found it 12th. See, the 24th best offensive line going against the 12th best defensive line. Yes. This is ahead of week nine. I couldn't find week 10. Oh, we'll go with that. That's fine. Thank goodness. Aidan Hutchison is gone. But now this also, you know what? This was also made before they traded for Zadarious Smith.

Right? The lines did? Yeah. Yeah. He's a good defense event. Okay, let's get this straight here. The ranking's probably higher. Kansas City made a trade. Yes. Detroit made a trade. Yes.

Baltimore made a trade. Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh for sure did. San Francisco made a trade with Arbor. beloved Texans. Yeah, but I mean, that was a minor deal. Davis.

That's not really like that. Dallas made a trade. Yeah, that was stupid trade. Jonathan Mingo for fourth rounder. I'm just throwing it out there. Okay. Vikings traded for a left tackle. You're right.

Teams who are fanciing themselves contenders made trades. Do the bills make a trade? They trade for Murray Cooper, who's been hurt. Yeah. Hmm. Chiefs, bills, Steelers,

Ravens all made trade. trades to improve. Texans said, we're good. Standing Pat is okay by us. They maybe didn't say that. Maybe they said the markets for what we wanted were too rich. Is Nick Casario, do? Do they do like a post-trade deadline presser?

No. He'll only go on with the flagship. That's fine. They can do that. No, they said a presser, like a press conference. No, no, no. You do a baseball. No, I mean, we won't hear from him anymore the rest of the year.

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This is the Matt Thomas show. Tonight inside, Toyota Center is the Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. We'll have it for you right here on Sports Talk 790, beginning with a launch pad at 6. Network pregame at 6.30, and we'll tip it off shortly past 7 o'clock. And joining us right now to discuss that game in all things. Rockets is our friend and the head basketball coach of your. or Houston Rockets, E. May Adoka, for his normal Wednesday, 1 o'clock visit. Coach, thanks for the time. Congratulations against the New York Knicks.

Kind of a strange, interesting game that they tried to go with seven players, did the best they could. You used your bench. You got some great work out of your defense. Got some good fourth quarter work from Alperin and Shangoon. Just a good win against the team, I think, in the East, it's going to be pretty good for them this year in the Knicks. Yeah, it was a pretty good overall game. I liked how we bounced back from the Golden State game. came out with the right mindset against a tough physical team.

You know, I think we had a really good first half other than the last three minutes where we kind of let him go on a 10-0 run. Had a chance to push it from 15 to 20 and went the opposite way, but loved our resiliency in the second half. You have a young player in a man, Thompson, that embraces defense, EMA, you know that. The way he made life miserable. Now, Brinson's still got his points, but he had to work damn hard for him. Yeah, you don't always look at the final. number and you look at the way he scored the way he had to work and it wasn't just a man obviously Dylan started on him but um yeah but throwing multiple bodies at him I'm in kind of finished the job

there and he's a night nightmare matchup for a lot of guys as far as his size and length and on on the shorter guard as well but um you know you look at nine for 24 more so than the 29 points that he had and that was great to see that he was able that he embraces it how hard is it You've been around a lot of players as an assistant coach, head coach now. I always say defense is more about want-to than necessarily the mechanics of it. When you have a guy on your team, whether it's here or in Boston, that just embraces the role of defense, that guy is always going to have a roster spot free in rotation time, correct? Yeah, I mean, if you want to be known as a winning team and a defensive-minded team,

you have certain players. And for us, obviously, Dylan sets the tone with the first group. Fred's obviously tough, but guys have grown across the board, whether it's Jabari, Jalen. Alperin last year you saw some growth and they carried that over to this year but then you bring in Tari you bring in a man and you're bringing these big physical defenders of Stephen or wherever it else it is and you have a nice line about there and so yeah that was Markets smart you know one defensive player here he set the tone there and Dylan does that for us but our luxury is coming off the bench with the guys of really good versatility and length of size Jalen's number shooting wise have not been great the last couple dames but he got you eight points in that fourth quarter I know he is among the leaders in three points attempted this year. If you were to take a look at those shots and you isolated them, are those hey, good shots that aren't falling or do you want

to be a little more careful in the type of three point shots he attempts? Well, the unconfested ones are good and teams have specific game plans, which, you know, we played a few really big centers to start the season. Obviously, with Wem and Yama, we had, you know, some guys that were really dropping and plugging the paint

early on. And so those looks were good. We missed them early on, but I think he found his rhythm, obviously. Ben off a little bit the last few games, but I loved how he finished the game, you know, two for ten going into the fourth quarter and then, you know, goes three for six in that quarter, makes two big threes and has three assists. So stuck with his stay at the course and didn't get frustrated from some missed shots. He found other ways to impact the game, guarded well on defense and really helped us pull out the fourth quarter. Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that last

part. Feels like defensively, his intensity has been pretty good and maybe a little bit stronger than he was earlier in his career as well, Jalen Green. Yeah, he's taken on the challenge. He, you know, he's, has different matches. We switch a lot, so he has to know the personnel of pretty much everybody, every wing or guard on the other team. And what he's took and taken pride in, it was not being a weak link out there. And if teams are going to try to target him, his numbers are off the charts against, you know, guys isolation one-on-one. And so he's taking on that challenge improved drastically in that area and just makes us overall a better team. So add that to his scoring, prowess and the playmaking that he's growing in that area. He's becoming a more complete player right in front of our eyes. Rocket Head coach, Ema Odoca with us here on Sports Talk 790. How would you assess Reed Shepard's season so far last game? He stuck him with him a little bit longer and he had a career high seven points. Yeah, Reed is fine in his way and it's going to take time for most rookies. But more opportunity against the better he'll be.

And so trying to find him extra minutes, obviously. And we've had some tough games where we've had deficits and tried to come back or lost some leads. And so consistency across the board will not only affect him, but will affect our team in general. And I think my job is to find him the minutes and continue to help him grow as he goes. And so he's seeing a lot of things for the first time already. You can see the game slowing down for him. And he gets the shots we love for him to take.

But he's also taking the challenge defensive in and making the right reads and the pick and roll. So he's going to continue to grow. And we look forward to him taking those steps as he goes throughout the season. You mentioned picking spots for him to get in. Give us a case and point. Is that going against maybe a second tier group, whether that's going against a defensive matchup that you think he can work with? Because look, when we saw him playing college hoops, the thought was,

well, yeah, he can guard some people in the NBA when he eventually gets some repertoire and some experience out there. Yeah, I mean, I don't think, you know, he's not going to be as strictly against second team guys. We have confidence in him. And the lineups that he's been out there with seem to be some bigger guys around him, but he's going to have to switch and guard as well. And so we haven't played the big wings with LeBron James and Kevin Durant and certain guys like that. So we don't feel like we've had to hide him at all or anything. But you have a man with him, Tari, with him, Steve,

and you have some length and size around him that can, you know, work some things schematically. But he's taking on the challenge. It's about moving his feet and, you know, not reaching down, slapping down. He has great hands, but not bailing some guys out. So he'll learn the game as he goes and learn personnel in the league. But I think overall you've seen him grow already, and things have slowed down from on both ends of the floor. And so that's all it will take him getting his feet wet one time,

and he's pretty quick winner. Eighth game of the year tonight, Coach. This will be the third game against San Antonio. Look, there are always going to be scheduling quirks in the NBA, but how do you approach this without guys going? It's just San Antonio again. How do you do that? Is it because Victor possesses so many things that you have to worry about

and you don't think about that on the schedule but you're facing the same team for the third time in 10 games? Yeah, not at all. I think it was very similar last year to start the season. And so we've seen these guys in preseason, seen them twice already. And obviously the game, the first game at their place we lost. should be enough of a wake-up call.

And then we came back the second game with a different intensity and mindset. And so for us, it's about challenging ourselves to be consistent regardless of the opponent. Webbenyama presents all those challenges that you mentioned. But Chris Paul has been playing extremely well. He's kind of rounded into form a little bit. And they've added some veterans here, some Barnes and some different guys like that. So they're not the same team. And they obviously gave us a loss.

And then we came back in a hard-fought win against them. But all we have to do is look back at the last game against the Clippers when they're up 27 points. in the first quarter and end up losing, but they are dangerous from the start if you let them get too comfortable. Wimby nine blocks in his last game. What is that like for you as a coach with the message to the team? You want them to be aggressive. You want to still play your game and get to the pain, but also be aware of Wimby's presence. Yes, it's making the right reads. It's picking your spots and, you know, he's going to be in a deep drop. So the shots will be there. They're trying to, you know, funnel everything toward him. But pick your spots and know he's going to come over and try to, uh, and, and, you know, he's going to come over and try to, uh, and,

intimidated the rim so our outlets and spacing needs to be in the proper places and then you know make them work as well on both ends you know we crowd them with a bunch of tough active wings that we have but Alprin got to make them work the other end like you did last year at times and so you don't want to let them off the hook and just let them roam free

we'll try to go at them like Alprin did last game with Carl Anthony Towns and wear him down a little bit that way lastly for let you run a couple of folks called in and said hey what's going on with Fred's shooting so far and slumps are going to happen I think young guards Emay would let the poor shooting affect the other parts of their game.

But I'm looking at the numbers right now for Van Bleet. 39 assist in five turnovers. The defense against bigger guys, 9-09 out is still superb. What does that say about a guy that can give it to you, if not on both ends of the floor every single night, tonight, last night, hopefully next future nights, he's going to be able to hit some threes and add to the work that he's done by

dishing the ball off and most important not turn the ball over. And we look at the shot quality and the looks that he's getting and those are great looks that he's made all throughout his career. But he's going to continue to do the other things like you mentioned. I think he doesn't let that deter him from running the team and getting guys in their proper spots and taking the challenge defensively. Understanding he can impact the games. And if he had made some shots against Charlotte, Jaylon made some shots against Charlotte, Alfred and made some out of the gate, we might have a different story right now, but you can't, nobody tries to make and miss shots. As long as they're taking the right ones and continue to do the other things that help impact winning,

we can live with those misses. And everybody, the worm will turn for everybody like they did for Jalen and Alper in last game. And we understand guys are going to round into form a little bit better. But, yeah, we'd love for those shots to fall. And we have confidence that they will as the season goes off. And very lastly, you mentioned Alpy going against Wemby. Last year had a lot of success. So far not nearly as much.

Is it a – look, when you talked to Alpy about him, he's like, he's tall. Is there a comfort that he needs to eventually get against him? or is it just, you know what, no matter what time of year it is? How many times you play against a guy, guy like Wimonyam is going to cause problems for any center, much less yours? Yeah, I think he's grown since last year, and he's a second year guy, so he's going to be better across the board and defensively. But Alper in the scene at all from every center basically in the league,

and he's had shorter guys up under him. He's had bigger guys with length on him, and he's had success against everybody. And so he figures it out as he goes as well, and we move around in different spots. and, you know, I think I attribute it more to a slower start from Alpi than, you know, any defense that anybody's throwing at him because he was missing, you know, some pretty easy point-blank looks that he normally makes. And so you don't want to overreact to that. And, you know, you saw him find his rhythm last game. And we expect Alpine to be great and have bouncebacks as usual.

Thanks to the visit. Always, Coach, we'll see you tonight. Thank you. And good luck against Spurs. Thank you. You got it. Eman Doca, joining us here on the Matt Thomas Show with Ross getting ready for tonight's game with the San Antonio Spurs again, 7 o'clock here. on Sports Talk 790.

Can't wait. Let me give you Wembe's line. Oh, my God. If you're listening. Oh, don't listen. Well, I mean, it's mixed. It's still mixed. Well, he's not a bum or just a guy.

24 points for Wembenyama. Okay. He didn't have to take 22 shots to get to the 24. So that's quite a bit. And not efficient. Not a 22. He was 2 and 9 from 3. Made all four of his free throws.

13 rebounds. Three assist. Three steals, nine blocks. Season averages of 18.9, 10.3, 3.1, and I don't have his blocks per game number. You know what? 3.9. 3.9. He's leading the league.

He led the NBA last year with 3.6. He's leading the NBA this year with 3.9 blocks per game. They're just a guy bum, according to some. I don't think Adam called him a bum, did he? Or did he? 713-212-5-790. 713-212-5-790. Ross, what is today's edition of Believe or not coming up

at about 35 minutes? It's 150 now. I know you've got to get used to it. I'm adjusting. I'm tired. You can't be tired. We're doing four hours of a goofy radio show. Let's go, baby. It's a laugh fact recording. It takes injury. I mean, what energy.

See, I can't even speak. I've shut my bike off. You know, I should ask. Should we have the Clanton-Wexler duo rotate bringing us lunch? I like that. Like handhelds. Like finger food. Like cheese sticks, egg rolls.

With flavor, hopefully. Yeah. Don't ask Teresa for those cheese sticks. Wouldn't like some fried cheese right now with some marinerot. It would be just about perfect at this point. No, my nap sounds perfect. 713, 212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90.

Our time is 114. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross with a word here for Two Creeks Crossing Resort. I have had a great experience going to visit with those folks up there at Two Creeks because there's so many different options. They have amenities like fishing, pickleball, live music. They have these waterfront cabins that are exquisite. They have 23 different cabin rentals overall. They have a fitness center, barbecue grilling facility, a community fire pit, a boat ramp if you're bringing your boat with you. They have RV pads.

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It's 713-212-579. If you want to jump in on anything we've talked about today, including the Texans, no Nico Collins at practice today, no Will Anderson Jr. But Al-Zish Al-Shai-Ear was at practice today? I think with Jimmy Ward as well, I think. I believe that's accurate as well. Texans getting ready for the Sunday night tilt with the Detroit Lions. We have the Rockets against the Spurs tonight.

We've got free agency conversation going on right now in San Antonio. It's kind of a strange place at the general manager's meetings. Yeah, why are they doing over there? Not a good convention town. Is it? There's only 30 GMs. It's not like you need a bigger space. Or remember the Alamo?

I don't think any. Zero chance a general manager went to the Alamo. Any general manager? Not this trip. No chance. No chance? No chance. I think you're wrong.

No, I am 100% right on this. I'm betting the over on 0.5. I'm taking the under. Not one single general manager took a second to go check out the Alamo. You got to, glad I have one of them is like a history buff. I'm going over 0.5. I mean, you've got way more wiggle room than I do. Mine is zero.

Well, you're, you brought it up. I'm going to go to. I'm saying zero. All right. You know what? I got to get to my sources down there, that source being channel. LaRome. But Chander's not going to go ask 30 general managers if we went to the Alamo.

I just need to see. I need to see, hopefully, please, folks, if you see a news story of some general manager visiting the Alamo, I need it. It will be a huge win for you. I will go over 0.5. I'm sure one of them's got to get bored. It would be like saying the general manager's meetings were in San Diego. I would say that none of them went to the zoo. Why not?

One of them wouldn't go to the zoo? I'd go to the zoo. It's a great zoo. I'm not a big zoo person, but it's a great zoo. I mean, you see the Alamo. It's literally a shack. It takes five minutes to see the Alamo. I think that's been frankly disrespectful.

Why? Calling it a shack. For what? It's a historical landmark. You don't call historical landmark shacks. Well, it's where a bunch of people got massacred in a war. Chandler on Twitter, in your discussions with the Astros, did you get the sense they are serious about pursuing a reunion with Alex Brugman

and willing to exceed some precedents that have existed, during Jim Crane's ownership tenure. Scott Boros' response. They clearly understand the rarity of being in four-world series and being in the postseason eight years in a row and him being a centerpiece of that. They've certainly measured to me throughout the process they're actively engaged.

As to meeting markets and demand of this kind of player, you just don't have many players in the dirt that does what he does. Also that Brighman can play second base, third base, his leadership. It's a market certainty that the Astros are very well. aware of and it's healthy for him. So, now this is breaking news, but he might be going somewhere where he

might not be playing third base. Correct. Scott Boris has wisely said that he's willing to play second or wherever. Multi-tooled player. Yes. Defensive leadership. Offensive bats. Winning baseball.

Long period of time. That's why Scott's who Scott is. Scott Barros. Lee Steinberg Who's the third guy? Drew Rosenhaus. Who's the final guy on our Mount Rushmore?

What? I don't like using Mount Rushmore. Oh, okay. Rich Paul. Oh, that's it. There's your four. It was a guy in basketball named Dan Fagan, but he passed away about

a decade ago. But yeah, there's your Mount Rushmore right there. Google says David Falk. Oh, David Falk, old school. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's good, too. Okay. But really the first three guys I mentioned are way ahead everybody else.

I'll take your word for it. Okay. Scott Boris, not dumb. We'll put it that way. Does Bregman want to make a move to the second? I mean, I doubt it. It's a little easier defensively, but it still presents tremendous challenge. He literally just won a gold glove at third base.

Yeah. Not that it's premium, but it's more premium than second base. Most guys typically go from middle infield to the corners as compared to going from the corner to the middle. But I imagine you get way more action at third than second. Has he ever played second in major leagues? No. I'm going to say no. I know he's had a little bit at shortstop, but they're very, very, very limited.

I can pull it up, but I'm going to say gut feeling is zero inning. Well, of course, with the Jose Al-Tube being there, you're not going to supplant him for any length of time. I mean, he's... Oh, I was wrong. What do you have? In 2016, he played 12 innings there. In 2017, he played nine innings. So 21 innings over his long-tenured major league career.

No, I'm wrong. Well, you plus 18, he did it. So 32 total innings. Okay. That's funny. I don't remember him ever doing it, but he's obviously done it enough to be about three and a half games. It's been, yeah.

32 innings over nine different games. He started two games at second. I don't recall that. Wow. The things you don't know. 16, he started one game there. And 18, he started one game there. Man, what a...

Either we don't have good memories or that was just... Just one game. Yeah, I was going to say. I'll give us a pass on that. All right. This is the number one thing we're going to be thinking about. Because I got news for you. Next year will be much more.

anti-climactic when it comes to discussing the key free agent. They gone and I think Bregman, he gone. Second guy, definitely gone. This one most likely gone. I still put him at, I put Kyle Tucker at zero percent. I put Bregman at one percent.

One percent. I like that. I'll go one and a half just to be a little more optimistic. Really? Why don't you round up to two? Okay, let's do it. Why don't I say seven? It doesn't matter what I was going to say? 14%. 49% folks no don't do it

I wouldn't do that I don't think it's going to happen 713 212 5790 if you want to jump in 713 212 5790 so scott boros go into the he can play multiple position card

yeah I mean if anybody could do it it's a gold glover right yeah he'll be fine if you play second it'll be better if you play second yeah better than a gold glove I don't know what it does is it It makes you now think about teams that are looking for second basement.

I just mean better long term as he goes later to his 30s. 713-212-5-79. If you want to chime in on the conversation, 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. I want to tell you about affordable tree service, and these wonderful folks need to see your trees because you don't know how your trees are. They could be in great shape. It could be in absolutely miserable shape. Wind and rain can cause some issues. Colder weather can cause some issues.

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That's 7-1-3-699-2-66. name of the company, affordable tree service. You know, we have taken a little bit of an opportunity to perhaps question why Nick Assyrio didn't make a move before yesterday's NFL trade deadline, which was at 3 o'clock. But you could be the Cleveland Browns. And by the way, clearly Nikki C. fleeced the Browns because you got all those first-round picks. Yeah. Deshawn has been hurt most of time and when he's not been hurt, he's been terrible.

Yes. Story today out of Cleveland. The general manager of the Cleveland Browns, Andrew Barry, non-committal about Deshawn Watson standing as the franchise quarterback after suffering his right Achilles tendon tear a couple weeks back. Which, again, is not a surprise because he's been hurt a lot. He hasn't been very good. But the reality is this.

When you make a deal with Deshawn Watson and your franchise quarterback and he either underperforms is hurt or all the above, it can screw with your franchise for a long period of time. The Browns still owe Watson. This is cash. Fully guaranteed. Forgetting about the salary cap implications. $46 million each of the next two seasons. Woo!

His cap hits, which is different than the actual money that is being paid because of deferred money and bonuses and whatnot. His cap hit in 2025, his cap hit in 2006, is $72.9 million, the second highest in the NFL. Wow.

If they got rid of him, after the season and said, you know what, we need a new quarterback. Keeping him around just isn't very good. Dead cap hits of $172 million in 2025. That's not possible. A salary dead cap hit of $99 million in $2,026. $99 million cap hit? Before that $172.

And again, you're asking us to do the NFL math, and that's way beyond our comprehension. Isn't the cap around like two-fittier? something? What is the NFL salary cap? Well, assuming I'm it's going to go up because it goes up every year based off of revenues. This year it's 255 and his dead cap would be 172 of that.

You can't field the team. That's what I'm saying. You better be super careful on giving you the great money or just have to suck it up and go, you know what? He sucks but he's our suck guy.

You can't even Damn it 138 I'm sad that I talked over the end of that You can't keep him on the team You can't get rid of him You cannot get rid of him So all this talk of him being non-committal

About being the franchise quarterback starting It's moot He's gonna be there That's coach speak stuff Yeah You have no choice Dets And do you think there's a part of you

Now granted The quarterback is the most important part person on the team. There's no way of fans or bets. No one is winning a Super Bowl, nobody's winning regular season games, no one's going to the playoffs on a regular basis if you have a below average quarterback. But isn't it a little tough for a general manager to navigate and put together a big roster of successful players long term, if so much money is tied up into one position that one goof can screw your franchise over for multiple years, forgetting about just paying the guy.

Like, for instance, the Rockets paid John Wall $40 million one year to sit. That hurt. But John Wall, active in playing, wasn't going to turn a 21-win-Rocket team into a 37-win team or a 45-win team. Well, they wanted to lose and get the highest possible draft pick. Yeah. You mess on your quarterback, and it will take you a half-decade to recover. Like Bryce Young has been a miss for Carolina. there's no optimism in Charlotte right now for the Panthers.

Excuse me for the Panthers. No. But they also haven't put him on a big contract. If you pay your quarterback to a huge contract, then that's when you, and he's not the guy, that's when you really get hamstrung. Like the New York Giants,

what they did with Daniel Jones. Yeah, forget about, yeah, I should say that. Forget about the rookie deals. It's the Daniel Jones. It's the Sean Watson's. Derek Carr. It's frankly, Dak Prescott. Yeah, Dick Prescott deal is a big,

L right now. Big L. They're not a serious NFL contender. They're going to be lucky even to get a walled card spot if the way they've been playing. You can win with Dak Prescott, though. You just have to have a really good team around him. And when Dak Prescott was at his best is when they had the

no doubt about it unquestionable best offensive line in football. And you're in a prime Ezekiel Elliott at the time. And he's sitting back there. What was it, Des Bryant? I mean, whatever it was the weapons? Was Jason Wooden telling his career? Still, yeah. So, I mean, it was a different era. and he looked great and he was throwing a bunch of touchdowns, no picks,

because he was sitting back there with time to operate. I don't think the Texans have to worry about that. No. But it does cross your mind. No, it doesn't cross my mind. Franchise quarterback, I ain't worried about him. He hasn't had any weird going on that we know of. That's true.

I guess we didn't know about it. And really good franchises, Ross, can still pay their quarterbacks obscene amounts of money and they just keep on and keep it on. Kansas City. Signed. Pat Mahomes was a half billion dollar contract for years back. Baltimore Ravens signed Lawyer Jackson. No one's fron in those deals at all.

You also had, yeah, you have to hit on draft picks and make good moves elsewhere with that. And you have other teams that will just chase after these guys and pay them, I'm seeing the amounts of money, hoping to be in that uprolet. Like Atlanta. I mean, Minnesota, Kirk Cousins, just continues to.

make ungodly amounts of cash. And they drafted Michael Pennix high in the draft. You're weird over. I don't know what the hell I don't know what Atlanta's doing. But Kirk Cousins has been good for them and they're really good this year. They have no regrets. They're six and three in leading the NFC South. Does anybody think Atlanta is a serious NFC title contender? I don't think they are, but can

any given Sunday they want a couple of games to get hot? Sure. But they do, you know, I'll tell you what? If you're Atlanta Falcon fan right now, you're feeling better than you did a year ago at this point? Because you had what was the name the Cincinnati quarterback, Desmond Ritter. Yeah. Who beat the Texans. Hey, we have to bring that up.

I'm saying. He sucks, though. You're not good. No. Backup, right? Where's he backup now? Somewhere west, right, I think? I don't remember.

It doesn't really matter. It doesn't. I just saw the story about their non-committal about his franchise. Well, sorry, I guess what? The pay stub that you give him every week makes you committed to him. Oh, Desmond Ritter is starting for Las Vegas this week? I knew it was somewhere out west. It's tough scenes for Gardner Minshu.

Wow. Desmond Ritter is starting this week for the Raiders. I didn't even know that. Well, we'll talk about that tomorrow with Dr. Roto. More Raider Talk. Rader Talk, 7-8. I don't think so. That'll be in the Rotten 5. Oh, yeah. That's tomorrow. Tomorrow, by the way, we have Dr. Roto with us.

Okay. We have the Rotten 5. Yes. And what else we got going on tomorrow? No, Willie. friends because they were they're off this week so oh that's good well you had them earlier in the week yeah and hopefully we'll have a long exhaustive conversation about a rocket 17 point went against san antonio rockets win tonight i hope so we got to keep this four c in the west

okay four c means home court advantage in the first round it's not happening come on let me have this time no i'm giving you a little dose of reality i need some some of us in this country need a little dose of reality i need i need this from you 713 212 57 713-212-5-790 if you would like to play believe it or not we are playing today for those double-header tickets over at tootica center what does that call it's not called the underground it's the battleground 2k of 24 event first game is going to have florida state versus rice second game is the the game anybody cares about houston versus auburn a good top 25 matchup right there. If you want to play for tickets for that, that's coming up next with Believe it or not, 713-212-790, 7-1-3-212-5-790.

Greg Bizio here, the heart of the order is up right now. Matt Thomas is swinging for the fences here on Sports Talk 790. We may have to chew on this a little more tomorrow, Ross, but a really weird story has just come out today about Stephen A. Smith on his TV show today, and it wasn't involving him personally,

involves the Rockets. on today's edition of ESPN's first take. Stephen A. Smith shared this anecdote pertaining to Daryl Morey's Houston years. Now, the sixers are off to a rough start in Philadelphia. Joel M.B. just got to spend in three games. So maybe there's a little bit of a microscope or what's going on right now in Philadelphia. But here is what, just read this. I don't know you haven't seen this because it just literally came down.

This is Stephen A. speaking. They're not going to be happy that I revealed this, but I didn't find this out from parties involved so they're just going to have to get over it. One of the things that led Tillman Fortita wanting Darryl Morey out of Houston is they would literally lose a playoff game or a series and Darrell Mori would walk up to him with the analytics and say, see, we actually won.

Are you kidding me? He's respected because of his analytics and obviously knows the game of basketball, but he hasn't won a championship yet. Where are you seeing this posted? Clutch points, Rockets Wire, ESPN. And so I'm trying to read the context on this. Darrell would say, the analytics say we were supposed to win this game. Yeah.

I put the team together to win this game. Analytics wins. The real life game didn't win. Hmm. Okay. I mean, you cannot play someone and lose in any sport. So the narrative out of that is that sometimes the analytic people get so involved in the analytics they don't look at real life.

It's how I take that conversation. Process over results. Yeah. Now, going to Tellman and literally saying, see, we actually won. If that quote is actually accurate, that sounds crazy. That's like saying, look,

we gained 500 yards this week in the Texans and the Colts only gained 250 yards, but we turned the ball over a few times and we lost. But really, we outplayed them. That can happen. You can't play somebody in a baseball game and lose. I would not do, I would not, but I would never be an analytical guy and go say the numbers on the computer screen say we won the game. It's very common in soccer as well.

They call it, you're going to love this, Matt, expected goals. Oh, geez, oh my God. Expecting goals. How about expected nap time? 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 called a B, believe it or not, and here's how it works.

You call 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-7-90. Today's edition of Believe or Not is brought to you by affordable tree service at 7-1-3-6-19-6-3. Category today is all things about players in the NFL that were traded yesterday. I read your statement. The statement is completely utterly accurate. You'll say this. Belie Bailie.

The statement is erroneous full of bunk and made up. You'll say this. Two believer in a row in a year prize. What are we playing for today? Connor. A four pack of tickets with pit. It passes to Monster Jam on Sunday, February, 2nd at NRG Stadium. A pair of tickets to mattress firm Battleground 2K24 college basketball this Saturday, November 9th,

at the Jota Center featuring the University of Houston Cougars ticket on the Auburn Tigers and Rice Owls going head to head with Florida State and some 790 T-shirts. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Neil on 790. Ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Mike Williams has a degree in sociology from Clemson University. Believe it or not? Believe it.

Yeah. Believe it. Statement number two for the way. Amari Cooper is an avid chess player and has participated in tournaments on chess.com. Believe it or not? Not. He has. He's played Ross twice and beaten him both times. Hey, that's not true, is it? What's his rating? Ray on 790. Ray, what was your favorite part of today's radio show? The Breggman and Scott Boresh breakdown. Deontay Johnson holds the NFL record for most receptions in a season without a touchdown with 86. Believe it or not. Not. That's true. Believe it. That's on Wikipedia, right?

Probably. One on 791, you're ready to play Believe it or not? Believe it. In high school, Zadaria Smith was more of a basketball player and didn't even pick up a football until a senior year. Believe it or not. Believe it. Yes. Statement number two for the win.

Coming out of high school, excuse me, coming out of the 2016 NFL draft, Mel Kuiper called Cam Robinson, quote, a future Hall of Fame offensive tackle and had him number one on his board. Believe it or not? Believe it. No, he thought it was just a guy. Vince on 790, Vince, your favorite part of today's radio show. Email doka. Before signing with the Texans, Khalil Davis last played for the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.

Believe it or not? Not. He did, but thank you for playing and thanks for us on Emek. Wednesdays is at 1 on Sports Talk 790. Nick on 790. Nick, you're ready to play Believe it or not. DeAndre Hopkins is an advocate for reducing red meat in diets and has partnered with Beyond Meat to raise awareness for meat alternatives. Believe it or not? Not.

Yeah, he's all about the plant-based. J.C. on 790, you ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Marshawn Lannamore is a competitor. of Madden player and has reached the highest online rank of superstar. Believe it or not? Believe it. No, it doesn't even play. Sorry.

Thanks for playing. No. But you know what? I bet he plays Underdog Fantasy and you should too because you want to win with the NBA. I don't think you do that legally. I just did. Underdog is like, yeah, whatever. That's cool. Underdog Fantasy is going to take the knowledge you know about your favorite players. You're going to go to underdog fantasy.com right now and you're going to download the Underdog Fantasy app and you're going to see what?

What's going on with today's player stats in the NBA games tonight, whether it be the college football and the pro football tomorrow, whether it be on Saturday or Sunday as well, and you're going to make some serious cash. In fact, up to 1,000 times your money just by choosing higher or lower on those player picks. All I want you to do is go to the Underdog Fantasy app, sign up with the promo code SportsMT, and deposit now to get up to $1,000 in bonus cash instantly. That's the promo code sports MT. They offer discounts, they offer profit boost, they offer free picks. That's download on the app, underdog fantasy.com with the promo code SportsMT. Must be 18 plus in present and state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Terms apply, concern with your playing, call 1-800 gambler, or visit www.

www. ncpgambling.org. With the pick-um games, big-time money. They've got all your favorite leagues, your favorite teams, and all your favorite stars. That's Underdog Fantasy. The promo code is SportsMT. Wex and I are wearing the exact. same shirts today. We are a powerful one-two duo.

The best duo, however, in the afternoon is with Wex and Clanton. They are the A team, and they're on their way next on Sports Talk 790.