The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - The Matt Thomas Show 1-20-20

Episode Date: January 20, 2020

The Matt Thomas Show w/ @SportsMT, @SportsRV, and @ProNickLow 1/20/20We all knew changes were coming for the Texans, but these aren't the changes we wanted (0:00)Who becomes the next Manager for the Houston Astros? (22:13)Bill O'Brien, the Texans' Godfather (1:21:52)

So much larger than life. Yeah. Lunch timers is the Matt Thomas show. 1202 in H-town. What's happening to lunch timers? It's the Matt Thomas show live from Toyota Center as we celebrate MLK Day with Rockets and the Thunder later today on Sports Talk 790.

We have a really strong structure in place here. You know, can't go any further without mentioning Cal. Cal and I talk every day. Cal talks to, you know, a lot of people in the organization every day. He's really done a great job of leading this organization. Very strong structure in place. We meet together. We think about things.

We make best decisions in the best interest of the team. And it's been really exciting. And there's a buzz in the building. And, you know, we all know that in the NFL, you know, it's all about winning. So we're trying to do the best we can to do whatever we need to do to help the team win. And that's what we're all about right now. Oh, yeah, we knew there were changes coming. We were all hoping and wishing for one big change.

But sports RV, who joins me here, high atop the lower concourse. Very high atop the lower concourse. This is very comfortable, by the way. This is where we sit for media. This is where I normally broadcast games on the road when I do the play-by-play. Okay. About this exact same spot. Yeah, there are changes over in Texanville today.

Yes. We have a new defensive coordinator. We, we, because, of course, I work for the Texans. Yes. The Texans are looking for a new outside linebackers coach. And they are also looking for a new vice president of basketball, or basketball football administration because capologists to the stars. Chris Olson is out of work.

He was also fired yesterday. Times are changing over at NRG, or as my man, Larian Sappher would say, over there on Kirby. Well, Matt, first up, I have to give you, we have to give you kudos, right? You made the 18 or was it a 19 star selection. You said that Romeo Cornell was going to step down as defensive coordinator. He kind of got, did he step down, or what's the official word? Well, I mean, he was on the plank and got pushed, although he'll be able to be saved because of a life preserver known as senior advisor or some sort.

It's a scapegoating to me. I mean, there was not a whole lot of talent on that Texans defense. We've seen him be, I mean, he's one of the great defensive coordinators in the history of this sport. So I think he just kind of had to be scapegoated a little bit, and he's gone. Now we'll see what Anthony Weaver's got. Last time they took Romeo Cronel off to the defensive coordinator spot. First of all, the guy got a head coaching job, and he made it to the AFC championship game. Too soon.

The defense wasn't good, though, under Mike Frable. No, but sometimes you can sell, you know, if I had better players or this is my philosophy. Well, that's what I'm selling now is because if Romeo Cornell had much to work with, I mean, the secondary wasn't very good and except out of side of Justin Reed and everybody's hurt or old. Oh, and oh, by the way, we're going to get rid of Wittie Mertie Mertie, or not way, Jadvian Clowney before the season starts. You got rid of J.J. Watt goes down in the middle of the season. I mean, the linebackers are good, but they weren't necessarily progressing in guys like Zach Cunningham and Bernardic McKinney, Dylan Cole, who was hurt off and on throughout the season. defense wasn't very good this year, but I'm not putting it on Romeo Cornell personally. All right.

So let's be fair and balance as we are on this show every day. We don't know if Chris Olson's good on his job or bad. All I can tell you is every time someone mentions Chris Olson's name, former vice president of football administration, it's always spoken in very glowing terms. A major capologist, a guy that massages the cap every day, blah, blah, blah, blah. He's been with the organization along. period of time. If Chris Olson walked in here

right now, I mean, I know what he looks like now because he's got a semi-gray, semi-black beard. It's kind of a mixed beard, if you will. Okay. But from what everyone that I at least trust in the football industry, I think Chris Olson was thought of in high regard. Well, Jack Easterby and Bill O'Brien did not. So I can't tell you if he's good or bad

at his job because maybe Bill O'Brien's right. Maybe that they needed to make a change. Maybe there is somebody else coming that is more in tune with how Bill O'Brien and Jack want to run the capology of the franchise. Again, it's not for us to say, this is a terrible move, this is a great move, we just don't know. We know Romeo Cornell. Right. And we know that this was going to happen.

And we know that Chris Olson just got an extension in 2018 in January. Chris Olson was thought of very highly by Bob McNair. May he rest in peace. I don't know if Cal likes it. Well, I know Cal didn't like it because Cal, if Cal would. have liked him, he would have kept his job. But we're never going to know what Cal likes. We're going to know what Bill O'Brien likes because he's running everything.

And I want to once again, for the 5,000th time, double down on the following statement sports RV. Please hate me and please make me serve bowls of crow when it happens. The Texans will never go to the Super Bowl with Bill O'Brien as their head coach. Yeah, and it seems like we get to this place every single year of where we're looking at, it's like we're jealously looking through the window of other teams who are celebrating six, like the Niners. Did you see yesterday? Kyle Shanahan, young coach, John Lynch, young general manager. They were embracing on the sidelines. That franchise in the last two games

in the regular season, not kind of this year, 10 previous victories in two years, but they stayed the course. They trusted each other. They were in sync. There wasn't a, well, Kyle wants this, and John Lynch wants that and vice versa. They were on the same page and two years, or actually one year removed from winning a total of 10 games in two years, they're playing in the Super Bowl. And the Texans, meanwhile, are sending out this crap from Bill

O'Brien at the end of the year press conferences. Yeah, they had their, I mean, even under Bill O'Brien, they had their bad year. They had their, what was he, 4 and 12? They had their, you know, let's get something at the top of the draft, but then they didn't know having the draft pick because of the whole Brock Oswald. Brock Oswald.

Yeah, they never picked through the third round. It sucks. I don't know. It sucks watching everybody else turn it around and have all these successes. And it's just, and it's not only because it's not only Bill O'Brien error, it's not only the Texans area. You go back to the Oilers. It's just always, when it comes to professional football in Houston, we're on the outside looking in. And then just being on the outside looking in, watching those games, and they weren't great games, especially not the second one.

but just sitting there on your couch on a Sunday watching knowing your team is not involved and they could have been watching everybody celebrate and talk about championship and Frank Clark's talking trash about Derek Henry in front of James Palmer and all this cool stuff is happening and your team's not involved. That's why I have zero emotional attachment

to the Houston Texans. I mean, I just get mad and I get happy when things do go right because there are so many of you that are listening to my in on this show that do love them i have an emotional attachment towards the rockets and the astros and i and i get disappointed when things aren't going well like the rockets are trying to end the three games kid today the houston astros and broiled and the greatest baseball controversy i don't know in the sense black socks scam i i'm help me put help me put it in a proper context as far as sanctions yeah so you go by what what rob manfred handed down and

this is unprecedented so i'm hurt i'm hurt on those teams and i just look at the texans and i shake my head. And it really did yesterday Ross pissed me off that those two guys, Shanahan and Lynch, were in a warm embrace, celebrating their hard work, their togetherness. And again, I don't know the

intimacies of the Niners. They may despise each other. I don't think they do. But I don't think you go from four wins and six wins to the NFC championship without some smart decision making, staying the course, making good draft picks, and coaching them up

Right. And not making dumb mistakes. It wasn't an accident. You can't say, like, we've seen Super Bowl runs and they're fluky, you know, the Joe Flacco Ravens and the New York Giants, Eli Manning, or the team just get hot. Or the Titans, they're making it into the championship game. You're like, wow, they're kind of playing over their heads. They're getting hot. The 49ers belonged in that game and then some. They dominated.

That's no accident that they beat a 13 and 3 team. What was it? 40-something to 8 or 38. 37 to 20. No, I'm talking about the first one. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. They beat them that bad in the regular season. And then 37 to 20 yesterday, it's no accident that the Niners are this good.

I think we're setting ourselves up for maybe one of the most competitive Super Bowls in history. Vegas believe so. Most games are five, six, seven point favorite one way or the other. I saw it one this morning. Am I right about that? One and a half is what I saw. Yeah, and that's one of the things I love is that when I first had the match of my head, I said, I don't know who to pick

and that's great. That's exciting to me. My first thought is I would take Kansas City because again that prolific offense is going. Tyree Kill who by the way hiked his leg before the kick. Okay, whatever. Sammy Watkins was good. Damien Williams was good. And as I said

two weeks ago when the Texans were playing, it feels like the Sean or Pat Mahomes walks in a football field already with 275 yards and three touchdowns on his resume. He did it again yesterday. 299, 294. and that touchdown run. Holy smokes.

Down the hippie towing down the sidelines, breaking tackles. It's going to be the unstoppable force, the immovable object, the offense of the chief versus that defense and especially that nasty defensive line for the San Francisco 49ers. Obviously, we've got two weeks to talk about it. It's going to be great. All right. A lot to get to.

Rockets trying to snap a three-game losing streak will get to on the Texans changes. We had a manager in town yesterday, a longtime manager, that I think a lot of people would like to see potentially be the manager of the Houston Astros in 2019 or 2020. And I got to tell you, if you're a Kirby enthusiasm fan, it's back. It didn't let me down. And Ross, there is an episode of Will & Grace that was on last week as I was cleaning out the DVR yesterday. Well, Grace is still on? Yeah, the second version that we've all been a part of in our life.

Okay. And I'm going to make sure that you absolutely will verify on air that, yes, it's happened to you. Okay. It's the Matt Thomas show. We're coming to you from TOTA Center today, where the Rockets will take on the hated Oklahoma City Thunder. It's a 6-7 matchup right now in the Western Conference. A little creepy there. Final time for Chris Paul to come in, at least during the regular season. Let's talk it out. It's 7-1-3-212-5-790s. How you reach our show today. 7-1-3-212-5-79. Right. Half the workday is done. Celebrate with Matt. Hey, Matt. Love your show. What was I talking about?

By the sound of it, some of you started the party at breakfast. Matt Thomas on Sports Talk 790. 1218 on the Matt Thomas show from the TOTA Center. It's really weird being here as early as we are. There is not a soul. There's only a handful of lights on. I do a lot of post games. A fair amount, not a lot, but a fair amount of post games here.

So I'm used to this. You always trash people instead of. Let's go play a game of horse. You want to? You want to? Yeah. I'll dominate you. I don't doubt that.

I haven't been getting up some shots lately, though. You know, we were talking on the sports RV show. You know how Charlie used to do listener football games? I think about doing some listener pickup basketball. Oh, no, I've met our listeners. You don't want any part of that. I mean, actually, you probably would dominate. I don't know if I'd dominate, but, you know.

By the way, have you noticed in today's NBA world how much headband game there is? Yeah, well, James Hardin ripped his off in the fourth quarter, though. I know, but Alex Caruso. Well, he's balding. I'm balding, but I don't wear a headband. Yeah, but if you were losing, if you were in the middle of losing your hair on national television at age, he's like 25.

But there's like seven or eight guys that are head, I mean, Daniel House. There's a reason. Come on, man. He's got to wear a headband. He's got to shave that thing. He's 25 years old. Yeah, shave it. I can tell you 25, it's time to shave.

Guys making millions of dollars. He can get whatever he wants in terms of little. friend, you know what I'm saying, saying? You know what I'm saying. Alex Crusoe. Hi, I'm Alex Crusoe. Played for the L.A. Lakers. Girls are going to be ready for him, regardless of whether he's got hair or not. Trust me on these things.

He should wear a hat. Whatever. But there's like, I was watching Rockets, like, like seven people had headbands on. What's got to keep the sweat out of your eyes? No, it's a bad fashion statement. Terrible. What's wrong with that? Just saying. It doesn't look good.

It's like they had the headbands of brothers. back in the day when Jason Terry and Corey Brewer and who else is wearing? And Corey didn't shoot well. Josh Smith. And the jet was past his prime. I mean, who's the best headband game guy right now?

Gosh, that's a good question. Just think about it for a minute. We are the Matt Thomas show. All the time, I'll go Ben Wallace. That can be fair. I bet you could Google it and find who's the best of all time. Oh, LeBron James.

Well, yeah, yeah. So why is he wearing anymore? He's comfortable in his locker hair. He's gone off headband on headband. so I'm going LeBron James Best Headband player ever I'll agree with you on that We're second greatest of all time

So automatically making the number one Michael didn't wear a headband ever I think I got him third Who do you get two? Karim I might have Karim one I don't know I always think about Krik

Six-time MVP Matt Yeah but Lebrons How many how many MVP is he won? LeBron's won four MVPs I believe Michael won five But Michael defended four positions LeBron defended four positions.

Hold on. I mean, LeBron can do all five. Okay, well, I was going at least four. We can't talk about this. Summer time. We can't talk about this. We got other things to get to. We got other things to get to.

LeBron might be getting that fifth MVP this year. He's in that list. I think it's him and Yon. It's kind of won two right now, right? I think so as well. All right. 713, 212.5-790. 7-1-3-2-7-9.

We come to you from the TOTA center where the launch pad will start at 3 o'clock today. And then the tip time at 4 o'clock. A rousing edition of the launch pad here on Sports Talk 7-9. So happy MLK Day. If you don't get a chance normally call the show because you are out busy, you are more than welcome to do so today. Days on like this are a little lighter when it calls because people are spending time with family or going to the movies or hopefully come to this 4 o'clock game. So if you've never called the show before, don't be a stranger. We're fairly friendly, unless you just have an ass-a-nine take and then we'll destroy you.

But in short of that, it's a pretty easy place to come, right? Even then we can be friendly. Oh, yeah. Let me tell you some. I take more dumb callers than any other show in the market. good place. But I still love you equally. That's true. We appreciate each and every one of you Okay. So what do you make up these Texans changes is what I'd like to ask the audience today. Do you go, all right, you know what? Every year things change. Nobody knows except the people inside

the building of Chris Olson did a good job. I can't, I don't have evidence to go, man, Chris, you saved the Texans a lot of money because what Chris is doing is he's basically going to Kubiak or Smith or Gain or O'Brien saying we have this amount of money for this, this, this and this. and how do you want to massage that money? We've always talked about Texans' cap space. They just never use it, so it seems like he's doing a good job. Yeah, I mean, there was a plethora of money to be spent last year, and none of it came, I mean, except for Geryon Conley and other,

I mean, you save some money with some of those fringe you picked up in the middle of the season. But, you know, I don't know. Pagnano, the outside linebackers coach? I mean, when you lose your number one outside linebacker, you're kind of doomed there, right? When Gidevian Clani is not wearing Seattle Seahawk gear. But it's not like the linebacking court was a hot mess this year. In fact, it was one of the more consistent parts of the defense.

Yep. So, you know. We wish Chris Olson the best, whatever he looks like and whatever he does. Chris, I don't know if you're listening to show. But if you are, don't call the show. Call me off there and give me all the dirt because I know you got it. Or send an email to mT. at Sports790.

Or I'll give you my cell number. You know, text it that way. If you need a reference. Yeah, whatever. I'll push it along for just a quick timetable. in an interview for sure. I think everybody keeps waiting for the following. Look, Brian T. Smith's column

yesterday in The Chronicle, when are we going to hear from Cal? We hear from Tillman all the time. We hear from, I mean, how embarrassing is it for Jim to have the press conference last Monday? He spoke Friday at the Astros Gala. Yes. I mean, so we hear from two of the three owners in this town on a semi-regular basis. Yes.

It has been, I don't ever believe Cal's ever spoken in a press conference. Now, he did his little lip service to their Texans radio show. but that was basically him reading off of a statement. We don't know organically what he's like. Except I do know what he's like. When you don't speak and you give all the power to one person,

I think you're not a very good owner. Gray, the ownership of Cal McNair. Do you want to give it in complete? I'll give it a, I mean. What do you want to give him? You want to give him a C? They are division champions again. The Forbes value is very high, so he thinks he's getting an A.

But I'm not talking about as an investment. I'm talking about as a. That's all he care. That's all he should care about. He doesn't care about winning. Look, it would be cool to hear from him. But he doesn't owe us anything to come out there. Yeah, he does.

No, why? Absolutely. Why? Because every owner speaks. Everybody owner, we want to know the direction of the frame. Absolutely. What if he says? These are the customers.

People that listen to show, people to buy the tickets. They keep coming. Well, that's their fault then. He doesn't, if I'm Cal McNair and I'm not comfortable talking or maybe I'm not good. That's clearly the case. And I'm not good at talking. And I'm continuing to make money. and we're making the playoffs,

I don't feel like I need to owe anybody anything, as long as they're going to keep coming and keep paying me money and keep making me money. If I don't want to speak, and we don't even know. Maybe it's a king's speech situation, and he's got a bad stutter. I don't know.

No, I just don't think he knows what to say. I think if you put Cal in front of a press conference and were peppered with questions, he wouldn't be prepared for it, even if he had massive rehearsals. It would be nice if he spoke. I don't think he owes it to us to say. I absolutely believe he owes it to their people.

But until the people, the people meaning the season ticket holders, the fans, stop going because they're like, you know what? The direction of this franchise, you were putting it in the wrong hands. Cal McNair is putting the franchise football team in this town in the wrong hands. Period. End of story. He is giving every bit of the power to a man who has been a 500 coach, a below average playoff coach, and a guy that thinks he's Bill Belichick, but he's really. frankly closer to Jerry

Glenville. Oh, don't put that on them. Jerry went to the playoffs. It's true. Jerry was boorish. Four years out of five. Jerry was antagonistic. Jerry had enemies.

Yeah, but I don't think Jerry Glenn... I don't think Bill's that bad, right? Because everybody hated Jerry, right? Players... Who likes Bill? Deshawn? Okay, I think his players like him. Deshaun likes him. He has a locker room. Does he have the staff? Do you think the staff

walks around Texanville going, hey, Coach O'Brien, how you having a good morning today? Anthony Weaver's probably a big fan of him right now. Anthony Weaver loves him right now. And maybe that's too strong of a top to bottom. But I think there are some people that are listening to me right now going, okay, I see how he could have said that. Probably. If we were a fly on the wall in the offices of the Houston Texans,

do you think anybody walking around there when Jack Easterby and Bill O'Brien are around there going, you know what, this is a good culture? This is a good atmosphere. We got the right things going. I have a chance to, do you think Chris Olson could have ever said anything to those two gentlemen that contradicted what they wanted to believe in? You know what, Chris, you made a good point. Clearly not.

Because if Chris Olson was one of the most respected capologist in the NFL, then why is he out of work today? Because he probably went against what those guys wanted. I don't know. You're right, we don't know. But I'm going to guess. I'm going to guess it's like everybody else listening right now. I'm going to guess he's, how long has Chris Holson been there?

I think a decade. Okay. I'm going to guess Bill O'Brien wants to bring in... His own person. His own person. Okay. And that's what he's going to do. Bill O'Brien is getting all his buddies up there.

He says, hey, you're not with me. You're from a different regime. You're out. That's fair. Sometimes you want your own people. Yeah. But I don't know how you go. All of his own people aren't necessarily having the best successes, but...

But Chris Olson is not one of his guys. Although Chris, I bet I could find Bill O'Brien. bragging about Chris Holson in previous sound bites. I bet I could. 713-212-5-7-90. We go to your phone calls next. 7-13-212-5-7-90. I want to hear about how AstroFest went this weekend.

Bregman and Altube did speak. We'll hear some of that over the course of the show today. Bregman was very busy during our, he was supposed to be on with us, but it happens. He got caught up, you know? Sure. But I want to know what the tenor was like. I want to know the vibe. Okay.

There were supposedly 10,000 people there. things and say okay we'll talk about that and i got to get into how awesome curb was if you're a curb fan don't miss on that and did you have a grace moment uh from the tv show willing grace it's a little disgusting but it's all happened to us hey is joe green from clush city fires another three to crust city and the astro this is sports talk seven night home for your home team time is 1233 the matt thomas show here for From the Toyota Center where tonight the Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thundermeat, the Rockets losing streak started actually against Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City, Memphis, Portland, the lane. Am I right about that? Is there a win in the mix? They only scored 19 and then, yeah, because they beat Atlanta. They dropped four in a row. No, three out of four. Okay. Four to five?

Who am I forgetting? Four to five, I think. I think it is three in a row and four out of five. I think you're right. And the one win was against Atlanta that they tried to cough up that lead. Okay, so they lost to Oklahoma City. They destroyed Minnesota. There's the win in the group.

So lost Oklahoma City, win Minnesota, lost at Memphis, lost to Portland, at home for Portland, Lakers. So they've dropped four to five, only winning against a Minnesota team. Oklahoma City tonight, Denver on Wednesday, and then a four-game road trip. They're not going to see you much next week. They're okay. They only scored like 92 against Thunder, which is like the worst, Was it the worst total?

And James Harden was horrible. He only scored 17. You know what? We're going to have a better week. We have to have better week. Last week sucked. There just isn't a way that the week of Houston sports can get any worse. That's why it's going to be better because the only place to go from Rock Bottom is up.

If they win today, it's a better week. Yes. Coverage begins at three with Ross, Craig. And I believe it's Clanton at 3.30 and then the 4 o'clock tip here inside Toyota Center. Lee calling us from somewhere in 7. Southeast Missouri in the Matt Thomas show. Lee, how are you, sir? Good, how are you?

Good, what's going on? All right, so I've been listening to you guys here for the past couple months and everything. And with this Astros news that broke out last week, what do you guys think about the next manager for the Astros? I'm intrigued by all the different candidates, honestly. I don't, you know what, Rossi? I like Dusty Baker. Been there, done that.

What? Yeah, I mean, I don't think it's for the long term. Clearly, if Dusty Baker is coming in for interview, it's not for a five or six-year visit. It's to, you know, it bridge the gap until you figure out what you want to do long-term. Okay, if you're looking for a stopgap guy for a year or two, I guess I'm down with that, but, I mean, you're trying to win the championship this year. Are you not? But, Tusti can help that.

I mean, a lot of experience. Been there, done that with every scenario. This will be the best team he's ever had, probably. better than even those giant teams he had in the 90s when he was taking up his grandson or nephew or whatever out of the way showed flexibility that was like 10 years ago that was like 10 years ago Lee who would you like is there somebody on your list

well I like a spot and I definitely like Dusty Baker but I just don't know how he would do good with the analytics the Astros of being the last several years Yeah, that's a good point. Thank you, Lee, for the phone call. Yeah, appreciate it. I don't know what the new analytics are going to mean for the Astros, because the Astros were on the far end of it, like number one.

There was no 1A. It was number one analytical team in baseball. I don't know if the new regime is going to be... Look, every team does analytics now. It's a question of how far do you take it? They're not going to hire somebody. I don't think that's not at least open to analytics. There isn't a person alive that's a general manager of a baseball team

that doesn't have some sort of analytics to their game. And I will say this. He will be helping. if we're still looking to replace Wade Miley's name for Civil War veterans. Dusty Baker. No, I disagree. I'm not putting Dusty Baker in the 1880s. Dusty?

No. Oh, Dusty Baker. He sounds like an old prospect. No, no, no. No. Try it. Yes. I'm going to give you an example of what I think it is.

Well, it was Lewis and Clark that paved the way to the West. Check your text, by the way. Nick in about five seconds. I'll give you my example. And young Dusty Baker made his way to the California gold mines. He sought a new life to get away

from his wife who died of the typhoid fever. No, I ain't buying it. You're not? I think it's good. Keep going. Keep on. Keep on. That's enough. Nick, are you buying this, Nick? Yeah, Dusty? Sure.

Yeah. All right. I got something better okay go ahead tell me when you're ready i check your text nick you're saying you're going to say country and western singer aren't you you never know oh that's i nailed it let here all right here we are you tell me when you're ready he's not ready he's playing white model music it's okay next look we can talk more about dusty baker turn it up 1969 new orleans louisiana what a smoky filled roo There's glasses that are cackling back and forth. You're thinking of Chet Baker.

I got ladies gentlemen, coming to the stage right now to entertain you, you cool cats. The Dusty Baker Band. That's not bad. Turn it up. Dusty comes up, Mike. Playing the saxophone. Jethro B. Jones. Chethro B. Jones.

Over there on the sacks. And the drones I present to you Morris Miller. We are the Dusty Baker band. I'm buying late 60s, early 70s, New Orleans jazz band. Does one of them have... Does one of them have a plunger head as a mute for their trumpet? Yeah, and which one's on the washboard? We got time to figure this out.

His coaching staff. I love it. Okay. Now, turn that off. Here's the problem. If John Gibbons gets a job, that's a country western band. No, he's in the ZZ Top.

That's too easy. Now, Buck Showalter, there's no band. Wait, there is a dusty and a Gibbons in ZZ Top. Buck Showalter doesn't want any music at all because he's that cranky. Buck may be good, but Buck is so old school. He, analytics.

I'm on hard-nosed baseball man through and through. You'll have no fun in this club. Club Astros, the hell with that. There'll be no Club Astros. Y'all got massive trouble. I'm going to fix it. Okay. I'm Buck Showalter.

Why is Buck's Showalter sound like that? I don't know. We do that to ourselves. Oh, man. See, we haven't laughed about the Astros in a long time. And we kind of needed it, right? Look, I don't care. I'll take anybody.

To me, talent prevails in basically every sport, but especially baseball. So as long as Stromy's there, I'm good. Yeah. What you need is you have to figure out which one's going to keep the clubhouse, not guarded from criticism because it's going to come. And here's the question. We're going to play some of this audio probably at the top of the next hour. You know, the asterisk are in group, not everybody to an individual,

or saying we'll explain ourselves later. clearly the leader was an Astros fan fest. At some point they're going to have to open up because it will never stop being asked until somebody comes up and says, okay, here's what we sort of somewhat did. I mean, I know there's a, there was a perceived, you can't say anything because of the hush of the major league baseball interviews. It's done. There's been punishments.

I don't think it's going to be that easy. I think it's going to be. No, I'm saying it's time. The time to say something is now. It's probably now to get it out. season starts. Because no one believes they're innocent. Right.

And they're not innocent because Major League Baseball said they weren't innocent. And that's the thing, though. There's been nothing from, like, apologetic or anything on the Astros, right? It's been all, we're going to cooperate, blah, blah, blah, blah. The time to speak about this is later. There's been no apology issue, right? Except for, I mean, Jim Crane didn't even apologize, I don't think. Oh, no, I'm sure.

What do you say? Yeah, I mean, it's coming. I'm just saying it hasn't happened. Yeah. Oh, I think he said these changes were having to be made because we have to get the, you know, we've get things fixed. I took Jim crazy. But there was no, I want to apologize to the fans and other fans of other teams.

Didn't say other teams. I think he said he wanted the Astros of an organization and everybody was proud of. Okay. He basically said this ain't happening again on my watch. No, was Clint Eastwood with him or what? I mean, was it was a gunnish holster? Yeah. Was he meeting somebody at high noon?

No, no, no. Okay. All right, let's go on that nose. It's you can hit break. All right, I can. Thank you. Rockets basketball. Rockets PA announcer and sports talk show host. One might get the impression Matt Thomas loves to hear Matt Thomas's voice.

Go ahead, Matt, talk for us. There's a new sheriff in town with the Texans. Actually, he's not new. He's been there forever. Rossi's just gaining more power, unfortunately. Yes, with every offseason, he grows more and more. Oh, my goodness. We have one general manager in this town.

One. Three professional teams. One general manager. Yeah. But the one. But now, Bill O'Brien's GM. I can't say de facto. He's definitely the general manager.

There's no de facto about it. He's president of football operations. He's general manager. He's a lead fire guy. I mean, he'll do everything powerful. Matt, you handle this segment. Okay. Let me give you feet of the mind here.

uh ross and i are in the last row of the lower uh concourse here at the arena the rocket dancers are rehearsing their get-up uh their routine for tonight's game and ross can't focus i just i'm a lover of dance matt yeah um that's what i would call it a lover of dance i had the privilege of judging these ladies to determine who was qualified enough to be in this group did that come with any special perks uh i think you had a diet coke or something out of it yeah That's good. 713-21-2-5-7-90. 7-1-3-21-2-5-7-90. Kevin and the Woodlands on the Matt Thomas show at 1250. Hi, Kevin. Yeah, hi, guys.

I want to throw kind of an outlier in for the Houston Astros' manager job. I know he didn't make the first cut, but I want to put Jeff Blum on that list. And the reason I'll put him on is he knows the Astros inside and out, former player. As a radio guy, he's been there. He's been right there in the clubhouse. He knows the team. I think he would hold it together. And again, I think Jeff would deserve some consideration.

What do you think? No. I don't think he's interested. I wouldn't imagine. Well, I wouldn't say he would. You think if they came to him and said, Jeff, we want you to be the manager? He would say no. I think it would take some pretty good convincing.

I think Jeff likes to play golf. I think Jeff likes to, his girls are in the teenage years. They're very competitive in volleyball. He's got triplets, right? I think there's at least twin. I think he's got three triplets girls. Kevin, I think Jeff's fantastic. We're very lucky to have him as a radio, as it says,

as a television broadcaster and does weekly appearances on our station. Right. But, no, I don't think he's interested. All right. Well, I want to put his name on the list, and I don't know. I think somebody needs to just give him a shoulder tap and say, Jeff, could you do this? I think he could.

and I think he'd do a fantastic job for the Astro. Oh, I don't doubt that, yeah. But it takes two to Tango. Thank you, Kevin, for the phone call. There's a lot of people. You know, I think Lance Berkman would like to be a Major League Baseball manager. I would imagine. He really wanted the Rice job.

He really won the Rice job. I think he came out in the press conference yesterday, or the Astro Fan Fest and said, hey, I'm here for them, whatever they need me to do. I think he'd be very interested. He knows the guys. He's not that far departed from playing the sport. But again, it also takes, you know, my feeling is by the people that have been introduced as potential candidates unofficially, all those people have experience being Major League managers. And I think that's something that Jim Crane wants desperately.

I don't think he wants to put a newbie in that position. Would you turn and focus and look at me? Yeah, stare at me. I'm not nearly as attractive as those girls are down there. I'm just picking up my – Your tongue? Yes, you are picking up your tongue. I'm rolling a back.

I'm moving my chair. So I can get in a more comfortable position, Matt. Good. Stare at me, not them. That's why. Because it makes you focus on the show. Given the choice of the two. Like, I'm worried for you when you go to Miami next week.

You can be able to handle the show from Miami? Yeah, well, all the beautiful people there in South Beach? That's fine. You've been to Miami before? No, yes, I have, actually. I went for like three or four days. I was in my early 20s. I didn't really know how to travel too well, but I went to South Beach,

went to a couple of nice restaurants. It's the most amazing people watching city in the country. I stayed at the Doville Hotel, which is in the Irishman. Really? The movie. I would not see that. The movie was too long. Anything over an hour and a half, I bore out.

Yeah, you don't like mob movies anyways. No, no. Okay. Real fast, before we get to your thoughts, on the top of the hour, we're going to talk about the weekend that was Fan Fest and a couple of sound bites from Breggman and from Altooube. So,

so the show Will and Grace, I think it's very funny. it's back in its second go-around. And it's a little bit of a different show. It may not be everybody's cup of tea. So this episode, and I don't watch it regularly. My wife had it on, so I thought I'd sit and watch with her because we were watching different things.

Saturday wasn't a great sports day before the Rockets-Lakers game. It just wasn't just a bunch of college basketball I didn't care about. So there's an episode where she is trying to reconnect Ross with an old flame of hers. and she winds up to spend the night, and this is just a great experience for her reconnecting. Okay, so they had intercourse. They probably intercourse.

She actually had intercourse with his dad. What? And his son. What? So that's the reason why there was a breakup, because she had three generations of loving. Three generations? Yeah.

Son, the main guy and the dad. And grand. Yeah. She had sex with all three. Then over one period of time. Not in a row, not in the same day, just in general. Well, clears she has a type.

Did you say we could all relate to this? I've never had sex with anyone's dad or grandpa. Stay with me. Stay with me, Nick. I've never been in bed with any sort of mom and daughter. She wasn't feeling well. And she needed to go to the bathroom. Okay.

She couldn't make it to her own apartment. Right. So she had to do what she had to do in his bathroom. Yeah. To the point so bad that she clogged the time. toilet. Oh. And it was an entire episode of how she was going to try.

She tried to hire a plumber. They couldn't get a plumber there. And apparently it was so bad. Well, he wasn't there? No, he wasn't there. She wanted to make sure it was all gone by the time he got back to the apartment. Oh, so what did he leave for? Where he went to work.

To work. Yeah. Okay. So she basically gets a fire extinguisher. She's trying to get the stench out of the bathroom. She winds up destroying the bathroom, destroying his whole apartment. That the police get called. in and she's so embarrassed by this and ultimately she's telling the female cop hey you know

something's girls happen in guys apartments and you want to cover it up and the cops says well she just took a dump yeah it was just 20 of the funniest minutes of my entire life okay so the point being is has it ever happened to you where i where you've been in a place where you didn't want to go but you had to go and then there were some consequences like the toilet yeah i guess so nothing's super specific is coming to mind but i think i remember clogging a toilet or two in my day with places I shouldn't have. Well, it's happened once in my life while I was married. Okay.

So now we have a new rule. While you're married, then what's the problem? The rule is, well, if you're in a hotel room, it doesn't, there's really nowhere to go with it. Yeah. So the rules, I have to go in the lobby. You know what? You tried to enforce that rule on me before, so that's the genesis of this rule. So I'm pushing it along here.

You can't, I mean, look, these toilets in 2020 are really much more difficult to probably. Which obviously, Grace must have had. really had a bad day. But it was just funny that that was an episode where she's basically trying to, she doesn't want him to see it because he had obviously think very badly of her. Yeah. Sometimes you just got to bite the bullet. We're all human.

If a relationship is strong, it survives a bathroom. I'm with you on that. Oh, look who's out there shooting baskets. Who? Russell Westbrook. He's ready. All right. Well, let's work on a three-point stroke.

There are eight guys that they're ready to shag basketballs for him. It's like little kids. There's like he's probably some kind of, well, some of them look like kids. No, most of them are kids. A couple of adults in the way. Yeah, maybe it's some kind of youth involvement program. Like win a chance of shagg balls? What's the matter with you?

I don't know. This guy's trying to ask me a question. It was like we're on air. You can take a break, Matt. We can. All right, so I had passed on the woolen grace. I thought it was a very funny episode because all of us. I've been through this.

Oh, boy. Some more than others. This is the Matt Thomas Show. 102 on Sports Talk 790, Matt Thomas, Ross, Villarreal, with you today from the Toyota Center. We're coming up in three hours from now. It'll be the Rockets against the Oklahoma City. Thunder, Houston trying to snap a three-game losing streak. If you've not heard, Romeo Cornell out as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans,

Anthony Dream Weaver Is everybody with the last name of Weaver get named Dreamed? Is that how that usually works? Everybody's last name of Weaver is Dream. Like if you are, if your first name is Ray, you're always going to be Sugar Ray, no matter who you are? Huh. Well, bottom line is Anthony Dreamweaver is the new defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans.

Like Hashim the Dream the Beat? No, that's not a great cross-reference at all, not at all. All right, real quick before we get to some of the sound bites from Fan Fest, help me fix the Rockets. What do you want to see tonight? Good shot selection. Focus on defense. I think it was a huge issue in the second half on Saturday.

Unfortunately, Clinton could not handle Javelle McGee. I mean, isn't it strange how he goes against Joel Embed, who's younger, bigger, faster, stronger than Javelle McGee? and Javeo McGee got it to him and started Dwight Howard for that matter. That one-two-center combination for the Lakers is really good for them. I think they gave up, I mean, they gave up so many easy buckets

to the Lakers. I mean, transition, just not getting back, lack of focus. I mean, there was videos all over Twitter of, I mean, James Harden losing focus and Russell Westbrook losing focus. It seemed like for a team that was so locked in in that first half, and then the second half was just weird, right? Oh, the third quarter was crazy. It was the Zach Zarbah show.

It was technical fouls. I want to say there were four offensive foul calls in the quarter alone. Maybe the four in the first five minutes. What was Zach Zarbert doing? I like him. Zach Zarba was the lead official. He wasn't the only one calling him, though. Yeah, but I feel like he was, like, taken over the game for a little bit,

and there was a lot of offensive fouls, and I was sitting there watching the game going, what is going on? This is the weirdest quarter ever. And then the Rockets couldn't make a wide open three. You had Klingapela missing layups. It was just frustrating. I think offensive fouls, and no one would be able to prove this to me, but this is my own personal theory.

Don't you think offensive fouls clear up potential, really messy, uber physical, maybe over-the-top games? You start calling them, they're like, take a step back, back off a little bit. I can get that. And yeah, it was getting a little chippy and very physical. All right. So Rockets and Lakers are played Saturday. Today it's a Thunder.

4 o'clock. You'll have the launch pad at 3. Tip time at 4 o'clock as the Rockets try to snap this mini-skid. All right. To Saturday. Rossi, tell the first. folks where you were sitting were y'all what y'all did and we can play some of the soundby from alex spragman and hose al-tube who met the media on saturday we were out in the concourse we had

a nice setup we had the iHeart crew out it was good a bunch of people came in but first thing i noticed was at the beginning when we were trying to get in and because we were around we went around the long entrance so we were actually cutting a little bit close but uh the line was not nearly as long as it was in years past. It didn't seem like there was as much buzz around the team. Then when we finally got set up and we had some players around, now one thing, of course, we didn't, truth be told, we didn't have a ton of huge big-name players.

But no matter who we were we having, we were having, especially last year in the last couple of years, there would just be a huge throng of people showing up and trying to get pictures and getting with the players and yelling at them and all this type of stuff. we went from probably in the last year, I would say, maybe like 40 to 50 people surrounding us to five or six.

So how was the credit? They said 10,000 were there. Did it feel? That's their number. But you felt like it was way more crowded last year than it was this year. Not even close. Significantly more crowded the last couple of years. And I don't think it's because of the fact that there are less astro fans.

I think they knew that there weren't going to be a lot of heavy hitters there. And when you have an event like that, when you're going to stand in line, with all due respect to a Ken Emanuel, there's not going to be known the line for him that would be for, say, a Justin Verlander. Right. Last year, I mean, we had Springer, Al Tuve, Furlander, Bregman. This year, you choose, Matt.

Who was our biggest name? It was either Chris Devinsky or Kyle Tucker. Or Josh James, really? Probably, well, the fact is a Kyle Tucker, you would say on paper, because you're presuming that he would be making the roster next year and maybe a starter over John. Rush running in right field if it all works out.

I mean, there were some signs. There weren't enough that ultimately we didn't see them until September. All right. So that was the scene on Saturday. Also as part of it, as we mentioned, there weren't a lot of top flight players there. I don't know if they're just either I don't know if they're too good for it or just were like told, hey, we don't need you this year because obviously everybody's going to be pepper. But two guys took it, so to speak, to the media. and one was Alex Bregman, and, you know, Alex is one of my guys.

He's one of my all-time favorites. It's called the show on several times, came in wearing a robe one time, and that was it. He's just a funny, interesting person. And unfortunately, this whole controversy has quashed a lot of that. Here's Alex basically giving the same answer to just about every question that was posed to him. The commissioner came out with a report. MLB did their report, and the Astros did what they did. meaning they made their decision on what they're going to do

and I have no other thoughts on it and I think when asked four or five different questions the same result so it's kind of one of those I'm here because they asked me to be here or I don't want to get fined which wasn't this was this was all somebody had to be there you couldn't just have anybody running away from the microphones constantly but it just shows you

the power of what has happened in the last week that a guy that isn't afraid to talk that isn't afraid to go on social media, that isn't afraid to yuck it up with fans and Tyler Bauer, that Alex is just the same person right now. Yeah. And will we ever get that Alex pregnant back that was one of our favorite people on social media?

Probably not. I think so. It'll take a while. It will take a while for sure. I think it'll take some time, but... Well, you know what's going to happen? They're going to have to win one of the World Series. Jose L2 seems to think they're getting to the World Series.

All right, so here is Jose. basically, oh, by the way, here's Bregman talking about the year 2020. This is cut 12. Alex, Bregman, talking about what 2020 is going to be all about. The 2020 year, our actions will speak louder than our words. And I like that. Yeah. Keep your head down, play by the rules.

Behave yourself. What the players do have going on their side is, number one, we live in an age, especially in 2020, where we forget about stuff so quickly. we're not even going to be thinking about this probably a year from now as much. That's right. It's not going to be a huge story as the time goes along and even maybe even a couple of months into the season once we get fired up. So they have that on their side. And another thing you have on your side is despite the Twitter musings of one crazed Yankee fan,

there is nothing as far as evidence or anybody coming out with anything as far as 2019. In 2019 was their best team. So you can point to that and say, there was nothing in the report about 2019. There's nothing that anybody, I haven't heard Evendrelich, Kevin Rosenthal, the whole lot. I haven't heard anybody say anything about 2019. They were squeaky clean as far as we know that year, and that was their best season. Jose Altoouet was asked about the electronic device thing, which took a world and took Twitter to a crazy place on Thursday. Here's Jose discussing that.

That wasn't upset, to be honest. Even thought it wasn't true. You know, we all know that some people made that up. And like I said, the best thing that happened to me was the MLB investigate that, and, you know, they didn't find something. But at the same time, you know, you can't control everything. You control what you can control it. And he also said any talk of this was absurd.

That's ridiculous. You know, MLB did their investigation. They didn't find anything. And he also commented on AJ Hinch and Jeff Luno, their jobs over this. I feel bad for them. They were good guys. They show up every day to do their job.

But like I said, once again, we have to keep going, move forward. We don't have any choices right now. Also, one last thing that Ross alluded to that will play for you. Jose, we were talking about the World Series. He believes that this squad will be there come hopefully in 2020. Believe me, in the end of the year, everything will be fine. We're going to be in the World Series again. People don't believe it.

We will. You know, we will like, we made it last year. We won one game away of winning it all. You know, I'm happy for the nationals. They want everything. They're a really good team. They deserve it, but we'll be in the worst. Seriously again.

Maybe with them, maybe with another team. Okay, I'm good with that. That's how you fix it. Head down, stay away from controversy, stay away from, you know, a lot of fights, maybe probably being off of social media for a year in terms of being spicy. Went 105 games. Go back and win the game.

you know, game seven, and we can celebrate the right way. Yeah, that's the easiest remedy to all of this is just go out there and win. And they have to do that. They have, they're a talented team. I think, what is the Vegas win totals, has them at third, I think. It's Yankees and then maybe Dodgers and then Astros, I think. Because here's the thing, Ross, if this team takes a massive step down, let's say they get to 88 wins.

That's not. I don't understand. Just hear me out here. I'm not. I believe they're going to say, well, they couldn't win without electronic help. No. And that's the last thing, because this team is just. too talented to be put in that situation right I think we have our own house band here

that's good it's keeping me keeping the energy up in the show last time we had a band performed during my show I lost my mind that's true are you gonna tell them to turn yourselves down but if I scream down there you know what they're gonna do back to me they're gonna show me I'm number one no you might get tossed out of here Matt don't go don't go make a scene I got you all right 713 2 1 2 Five, yeah. But they mean, could you do PA tonight too? Yeah, I don't really have an experience with that.

I don't think I would be nearly as good as Matt. I bet you can get away with it. I wouldn't know the ins and outs of it. But, you know, I can give it a shot. I can definitely do the road team. Chris Paul. Shea Gildes Alexander. Stephen Adams.

713-212-5-790. If you went to Astro FanFefense, this weekend. What was your experience? I'd like to hear from a couple of people that did so. If you went, do you have a good time? Because again, it wasn't like it was the A-list group out there. Was Dvinsky good? How far

did you feel like you could go into with that conversation? It's all right. It's not the most conversational fellow ever. Josh James was good. Man, if there's about 15 solid minutes of Joe Biazini sitting on the floor and stuff. Does he even,

You've been asking him a question? He just comes down to his talks, right? Well, that was the Michael Connor and Brian Lelema handled that portion. I got out of there because I had to work on Rockets pregame. Yeah. All right. So if you went, did you have a good time? What was different about it?

And were there any good deals on old Astros jerseys? Yes. Like, how did the Mike Fires old school Astros jersey sell? Yeah, they probably pulled those, right? Probably. The morning sports show for those who partied in Midtown way too hard last night. The Matt Thomas Show. on Sports Talk 790.

119 here on the Matt Thomas show from Toyota Center, where tonight the Rockets and the Thunder will play beginning at 4 o'clock. Our coverage here on 790. It starts now. If you are a rocket fan that's disappointed, discouraged, frustrated, Ross is raising his right hand. 7-1-3-212-5-790. It's high-reach our show.

7-1-3-2-1-2-5-79. I hope everybody's enjoying. I think most people are off today, right? Schools are closed, banks are closed, city offices are closed. I'd say like 70% of people are there. Yeah, maybe it'll be a little higher than that. We are working today because we are grinders. We work hard, we play hard.

And so if you don't get a chance to normally call us because you are busy doing your life's events, 713-212-5-790. You sign you reach our show. 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-7-90. Chris Clemens getting some shots up right now over on this side of the court. I could just watch him shoot three-pointers.

Yeah. He could probably make it. He's 5-9 and there is not a spot on the floor. He feels like he can't make a jump shot. Yeah, these visiting kids, a couple of them are talking to him. Yeah, but he's making more money. He's making more money. He's got a brand-new three-year contract out of it.

He has been a bench coach, I want to think, on two different occasions. He's a bench coach under both order. Yeah. So he has some asteroid. Eduardo Perez will be a manager at some point. But I know he's been closing a couple of things. Okay. So you get Kansas City beating Tennessee yesterday.

Was there a part of you when they were up 10-0? You're like, I'm getting really nauseated at the thought of the Tennessee Titans represent the AFC? No. Actually. I actually felt the two different occasions. They were down to, they were up 10-0, and they were up 10-0, and they were. They were also up 17-7. And I thought to myself, there's no way that Kansas City is going to have to make a second straight week of a massive comeback.

And then I thought to myself, oh, they can do it because Tennessee's defense is not very good. And their offense is spectacular. It will only take a matter of time. And then they went on to outscore them. I think they scored with 28 straight points, something like that. I didn't expect it to go that well for the Chiefs, but I felt like they were still going to win. I just thought, I was like, wow, well, now it's going to be a shootout. I predicted, I actually predicted 33 to 24.

So it wasn't that far off. But I thought it was going to be, once the Titans got up, I was like, well, I know the Chiefs are going to score. Patrick Mahomes is going to get going. But at that point I was thinking, and the way that they were just scoring with ease, the Titans were just marching down the field with the play action and all that type of stuff, I was like, well, this is going to, we're in for like a 35, 38. I thought it was going to be shootout type of deal, but I still felt like the Chiefs were going to win. I just remember in the first quarter telling my wife, it has been the crappy sports week for Houston and pro sports team.

Now, college, my university cougars knocked off Wichita State, so that was a saving grace. Congratulations to them. But from a pro perspective, it was the most awful week in Houston sports, between the losses, playoff, rockets, losing streak, and the Astros situation. I remember thinking this just can't happen. The Tennessee Titans just can't be the team. And they weren't.

Because you know what? For all the talk of Casey's run defense being, eh, guess what? Travis Henry, who was unstoppable the two previous weeks, carries the ball 19 times for 69. Derek Henry. What I said? How about I think I wrote Travis Henry for some reason? They used to have a Titans used to have a running back, Travis Henry. Okay, so I wasn't off.

It was some Henry. And he made a lot of babies, and one of my fantasy teams early in our league was the Travis Henry babymakers. How about that? Okay, so Derek Henry, 19 carries 69 yards. He gets seven yards in the second half. So, and that's a big question mark is, do you see what the Niners run game did? Who is this guy? Rahim Mostard.

Mosterd. Mostert? I like to go French and go Rahim Mostel. But I don't think that's accurate. I don't think if you bring that up when you go to next week, the people will be like, who you're talking about? Moster or whatever how you pronounce it, 220 yards and four touchdowns. This is after Kevin Coleman got hurt. Yes.

So the Niners win the NFC with Jimmy Garoppolo throwing eight passes. Eight, Ross. Awesome stuff. I thought it was going to be a lot low scoring. I just knew that the defensive line, I just can't get over it. And this is also what I'm thinking of when I'm trying to think of what's going to happen in the Super Bowl. That defensive line of the Niners with Bosa and DeForest Buckner and They're all good.

They have four good defensive linemen, and they're just nasty, and then you can run behind the offensive line of the Niners. That's old school football. You're just going to control the run game on both sides of the ball. You're going to be tough to beat. All right, so we watch the Niners defense make Aaron Rogers look terrible, and they've made a lot of defenses look terrible over the course of the year, right? Yes.

Against the Kansas of the offense, which has put up 35 points yesterday in a championship game in 51 against the Texans of previous week. Yeah. So what's the rule? Best offense versus best defense who usually wins? Is there a formula? Have we ever seen a one versus one and who wins out? I would have to think at some point.

There's the old adage of defense wins championships, but that's not always true, and that's especially not always true in 2020. You know the reason why I think in 2020 it's not nearly as valid is because when you used to use that old school theme of better defense, you didn't have quarterbacks that scrambled. You didn't have quarterbacks to improvise. The run I thought that Pat Mahomes had, tippy towing down the sideline. Yeah. And that run was amazing.

Twitter exploded. I couldn't believe that that happened that he got in there. That was a great run. It was a fantastic play. How much separation? Now, I think they were separated by what? Two draft picks, right? Pat Mahomes and Deshawn Watson were, right?

Something like that. Something close. How close are they in the big picture of things? I mean, I'll throw this question to the audience. If I throw Deshawn Watson in the Kansas City offense, is Deshawn Watson in the Super Bowl with the Chiefs? No. So by that definition, there is a massive difference between those two guys.

I believe so. I believe there's a, I mean, look, Deshawn Watson is top 10, top 12 quarterback in that neighborhood. Patrick Mahomes is like a top two, top three. Who would you put above him? I might put him one. I mean, I'm putting him up there. Lamar Jackson's up there. Point being is this.

Russell Wilson. Yeah. I think it's top three comfortably, maybe even top two. But Pat Mahomes to me, and I was trying to discuss this with the family yesterday, the biggest difference is

I think the arm strength is greater on Patma Holmes. That's the game changer. And maybe he does a better job, Ross, and how much better that is, I don't know. Maybe he's just a better overall decision maker. I think so.

I think he's quicker with his. decision. Now he has a better offensive line, but it's not like the chiefs have one of the best offensive lines ever. But I think he's a more, he's a better quick decision maker. He has a better arm. He can, he's not the scrambler and the runner that Deshaun Watson is, but he's still good at those things. I think he's better at being in the offense on schedule. And Deshaun Watson's best asset is doing things off schedule. And Patrick Mahomes can do both. And he has the arm to back it up. That thing is a game change. It's like having an ace in your back pocket.

So how are the Texans going to beat that? Defense. Improving every which way they can. Defensively. We saw two weeks ago, they're the standard. You got up 24 to nothing on them with gift. Gift dropped after gift drop and a gift block punt for a touchdown. I mean, you've got everything handed to you, and you still lost by 20.

You're going to have to have it. I think the San Francisco defense is going to be able to slow them down a little bit. Because here's the thing. If the Niners do slow down Mahomes, Bill O'Brien and his staff, whoever that is going to be by the time it comes to draft, should put more of the focus on defense than anything else, because that's the recipe for stopping them. Now, if Mahomes goes 25 for 32, 351, and 4 scores, then we may be looking at a dynasty in the AFC, the transfer of the dynasty. Right, because, I mean, your hope is that Deshaun Watson gets better. Patrick Mahomes is going to get better too

he's young too he's 24 same same draft here as DeShone what there's no reason why one doesn't progress and one doesn't and you have Lamar Jackson so the way the Texans are going to win in this the way they win the AFC is going to have to be on defense in my mind and I mean saving money they've got money for free agency

they do drafting defense second round drafting blindbackers drafting front seven and second and realistically Jonathan Joseph should never be a starting cornerback for this team again. Right. If you're going to bring back Gary on Connolly,

he might be your extra defensive back. I don't know if there's room for Hargraves anyway. He's such a poor tackler. I don't know that we're having Deshawn Watson win shootouts against Lamar Jackson and Patrick Malm's year after year. And oh, by the way, they need to also improve one other category on the offense. They need a better receiving core.

Kiki Kooten clearly isn't in the picture. Will Fuller can't stay healthy. Stay healthy. At some point. Then you have the best in the league. You do. But he isn't the game changer on the one throw. Now, he does catch and goes for a million yards.

He's over reliable, catches everything close to him. He's going to be at the end of the day, 8 for 94 for the touchdown. But who is that deep threat? Who's going to stretch defenses? It was supposed to be Will Fuller. Can't get on the field. The hamstring in the groin and prove otherwise. This is Michael Brantley.

Exclusive coverage. At every game, sports talk 790 is your home of Astros baseball. 134 from the TOTUS Center in downtown Houston with Ross. I'm Matt. Nick's back in our 790 studios. We've not suspended Nick for anything he said so far today, so it feels like it's been a good show. Wow, yeah, that's unprecedented almost.

It is. The last couple of weeks. We'll be back in the studio tomorrow. Oh, work on that. We will hope. You know, no, you don't. Just stay right with who you are. Rockets trying to snap a three-game losing streak.

You know, this is a tough schedule coming up for the Rockets tonight, Oklahoma City, who's firmly entrenched of the seventh seed right now on the Western Conference. And then we got a four-game road trip that will start Friday against Minnesota, probably one of the big disappointments this year in the NBA. And then after that, it's Denver, Utah, and Portland. So not an easy stretch of things. Frankly, the entire schedule for the Rockets before the All-Star break is not particularly easy. So if they're going to get back in this race to get in the upper half of the Western Conference,

they're going to have to kind of pick up some wins against losses they shouldn't have had, namely Memphis and Portland last week. It would be nice for them to turn it around wherever they want to. Sooner the better. We've been talking about, it seems like we talk about it every year, Matt, how tough the Western conferences, how tight it's going to be. And we keep saying, you know, hey, you're only one game out of the two-sweet. And now we've gone to saying, hey, you're only two games out of the two-seat.

Now you're three games out of the two seed. So you just keep climbing and climbing and falling and falling. And it's not just you versus the two seed. It's not like, hey, it's Rockets versus Clippers. In between them, sandwiches, three other teams. So even if you go on a crazy winning streak or you go on a run where you're winning 12 out of 14, another team could be doing that or ripping off 10 straight wins like the New Chart has this. So even if you want to say, hey, you know, we're only two, three games back from the two seat.

You also have to factor in all those teams. You've got to jump. So they need to get it together as quickly as possible. they're just I don't know Here's here are some factors James hasn't played well Correct

The Daniel house we saw in the first 20 games of the years Now Noor to be found right now Yes I think PJ Tucker I think the Rockets are admitting that these 36 minute nights Are catching up with him a little bit And he's hurt

He's been hit He went to the uh he had the Stinger thing And he went to the locker room on Saturday And he came back And you love that about him And they were talking about on the broadcast how he had, he's played more games in the NBA than anybody in the last seven years. He has not missed a game since he's been here.

That's all cool and well and good. Let the man get some rest, especially if he's hurting, especially if something's wrong with his shoulder. And this is going to be, you know, I don't know if maybe he's just trying to make it to the All-Star break and he'll be fine. Yeah. But I don't like him playing all the minutes that he has

and also not being healthy because you need, you need PJ Tucker in April and May and June more than you need him in February. And there may have to be a situation where Mike Dantone's going to have to. I know he's been saying keep it to 30. The day he says that, he plays 36. There might have to be somebody that's going to, you know, I remember on the Showtime of the Apollo where they had that stick with it?

The guy, the, yeah, like the cane? Yeah. Where you get the broom and you brush him off? There may have to be a magic cane when it hits like 2930 to say, all right, this is it. You're done after this. I know it's possible. They were doing it to Eric Gordon. Eric Gordon wasn't playing more than 30 minutes a game when he was.

He was, yeah, he played 30 minutes on Saturday. He's been on a minute's restriction. I'm playing 30 minutes, so treat it like a health minutes restriction. Well, who is the back? Who's the real four for this team behind PJ? And PJ is playing four at 6'5, by the way. Yeah, I mean, Dabocephalosha, I guess, was getting some time. He checked in on Saturday, and I mean, he's been playing much.

I was confused for a solid, like, 10 seconds. I was like, who is that again? Oh, yeah, Tabo Cephalotia. He's in. What's he play? About five minutes a week? He played a little bit on Saturday when he... It's like he'll play seven minutes and then miss three or four games.

Yeah. Same with Isaiah Hartnstein. He's on a Saturday-only schedule the last two weeks. Maybe he only plays on national television games. Right. And then Isaiah Hartinstein, you know, it's him or Chandler. I wonder who Mike prefers. I mean, he's going to say the right things publicly,

but ultimately this organization, we talk about metrics all the time, they size these things up. And if Clint Capella is having a difficult time going against the DeVille-Mage, Dwight Howard combination. They must not have the kind of confidence that Isaiah Hartenstein can fill in those minutes as well. On the minutes that Clint doesn't play. I think against the big bulky centers, when he's

available, they prefer Tyson Chandler. Yeah. I just, Isaiah's a big dude. So he's big. He just can't move like he used to. Isaiah's biggest problem is foul trouble. Gets into foul trouble very early, which not only necessarily means foul trouble for him, but it means getting to the bonus

a lot faster, getting teams of the free throw out a lot quicker. Let's go to a phone call here, and let's say how to some folks. 713-21-2-5-7-90. Gerard is with us on the Matt Thomas show at 140. Gerard, what's going on? Oh, man, ain't too much how I was going, Matt. We're good. Hey, man, I was watching the game, man, a record-gaping out on ABC, man, and I heard you,

I think the Brajames was checking into the game, man, and then you introduced him in with no enthusiasm, low-key. It was kind of funny. I think he kind of looked over at you, and like, damn, you're going to introduce me like that. He was checking back into the game. that was kind of funny. That's how you're supposed to do the players on the opportunity, man. Let me tell you, my man.

LeBron James. Yeah, you said it in a very non-enthusiastic way, but it was funny. Good. That's my accomplishment. Gerard, I have very little enthusiasm for people that don't wear a rocket uniform. Let me just tell you that. Right, right, right. Yeah, man, like you said about James Hart, man, he's going to have to get out just a little sluffy being, man. All the time I have with James.

He's a great player. You know, he should have been to won the MVP, in my opinion, two or two times in the time he's won in two years ago. But I think he's sometimes getting a little bit too offensive happy. I think he's got to try to get his teammates in a rhythm a little bit better. That's one thing I do like about the Bronjames. Man, he affects the game in so many ways outside of scoring, man. He set his teammates up. When you watch that game, it was the Rockets, man.

He controlled the tempo in the face of that game. He was finding Danny Green in the corner for the threes. And he just kind of, like I say, he's Magic Johnson, basically. He reminds me of Mexico so much where he can control the game without putting up big numbers as far as scoring. And I think James Harden needs to maybe take a little page out of the barred James book as far as. You can get your offense at any time. But, man, try to set your teammates up and get those guys going, man, get your shoes going,

get Eric Gordon going, going into the game, hitting three. And then you can always take over at any time with your office because of repertoire and to take over the game, man. You know, see that to me, the only person he kind of the first to is Russell Westbrook, man. He let him go, but outside of that, man, he's looking for the offense. And I know he's probably, you know, I know he's probably trying to miss the average 40 points of game. That's probably something that he wants to do. But at the same time, man, he's got to be a little bit more of a facilitator that the Rockets actually want to get over that hunt.

And another thing, man, for the trade deadline coming up, man, I often think the Rockets need to get another shooter. One more shooter to go to go with the guys they got on the team now, man. a guy like a Danny Green, Carl Corval, a guy that's a knocked-down, dead-eye, three-point shooter that can help that offensive out. They got a lot of guys that are streaky shooters, but to me, they're not pinpoint, dense, dead-eye, three-point shooters, man. I think that's one of the keys that Dale Moore needs to look at going into the season, man.

So what's what happens, man, as far as the season goes, man. Thank you, Geron, my man. I always appreciate your insights. It's easier said than done. What tradable, you know, I mean, let's be brutally honest, if you're going to go get that extra shooter, the number one trade chip is probably your best, one of your better outside shooters,

and that's Eric Gordon. So you're just replacing one player for another. I don't see how, I mean, realistically, I don't think House or Rivers or Cephalosha or Chandler or any of the guys that come up the bench bring you any sort of trade value back in return. No, no. I mean, you don't have picks to trade.

It's, I think for the most part, this is going to be the group, and you're going to have to dance with who brung you. I mean, they talked about the rockets and how they're possibly interested in Robert Cumington. That hasn't materialized. And apparently the rockets, according to the reports, have backed off on that.

It's just you don't have a whole lot to offer up. And I believe there is enough talent on this team as is. And that's the thing that probably Darrell is saying, and probably Mike and anybody else that's in the organization with the door locked, that these gentlemen need to be playing better. that there isn't a reason why Eric Gordon can't give you 18 points off the bench comfortably every single night. There isn't a reason why Clint Capella shouldn't be able to give you a double double every single night

and hold the zone against most NBA centers. Now, sometimes two-headed monsters like Dwight Howard and Javelle McGee may cause problems. But on the nights, Javette, but against Joel M.B., he's got zero problems going against him. When he goes against Carl Anthony Towns, he thrives. When he goes against Jermon Green is a different issue. That's probably just who Clint's going to be. But Clint's going to give me more good nights and bad. The alley-up still works beautifully.

The one positive is the fact that Russ is really putting up some huge numbers, not shooting as many threes as he has in the last 10 games, 15 games that he has in the first 20. You take a single three on Saturday. He's becoming more and more efficient. There was a number of times the Lakers were doubling off of him. A lot of teams have been doubling off him. As soon as he got the ball, flashed to the basket. And he was getting layups.

That's what he needs to do. I think there's enough talent. I do. But you've got two MVP's on your team But it feels like when it rains It pours with guys missing threes And House has got to start warming up He just has to because he's getting

Too many minutes for him to have As inefficient time as he is making baskets Good news It's the Matt Thomas show for lunch Let that boring brown bag lunch Rotted the employee refrigerator Oh what's that smell The Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk

790 149 of the Matt Thomas show. We come to you from Turner Center. Where tonight in, I'd say tonight is two hours and ten minutes. This afternoon. It's a matinee. Thunder, rockets, three o'clock with the launch pad. And the Thunder?

Don't do it. Your favorite song. I hate that song. I also despise the city of San Francisco. Or should we be playing all Thunderstruck? No, no, no. You like Thunderstruck? Yeah, I do.

ACDC is wonderful. But not tonight. We used to play that before Texas basketball games. How'd that go turn out? Usually when I was there, they were good. When are you going to start acknowledging the greatness of the University of Houston basketball? They are right now. Yeah, and Calvin Samson joins the show tomorrow, 105.

Wonderful. So be ready for that. Longhorns would beat him. By the way, you can't have my coach. I don't care. He's too old. Oh, really? Oh, now we're an age just on the show.

What do you mean? What do you mean? You just said he's too old. Why? I didn't realize you stopped learning how to the coach basketball. He's maybe in his early 60s, and yet he's coaching the 24th ring of the team in the country. How old Shocker Smart? He's shock is smart?

How's that going, by the way. He's not even 50, is he? Yeah, how's that going? It's a work in progress. He's 42. By the way, my son says you can't have his coach either. Oh, yeah. That guy's a UT alum.

What's his name again? Matt's something or Chris Beard? Yeah, Chris Beard's coming. I don't know. Why would you want to go? Why would you want to go to a school that is, frankly, one of the biggest brands, the entire college sports. And football. has a fertile recruiting ground.

Draw 6,000 people to their games. That's fine. Apathy is in abundance. Who wants to live in Lubbock, Texas? Now, you can get that program going. We're the top dog in town, you can. Sure. When I used to go, when I was at school there,

people would camp out to be first up into the end of the student section. Okay. Well, that was 25 years ago. No, it wasn't 25 years ago. 20 years ago. It was 13 years, 14 years. And how many times do people camp out since this decade? Okay, it's possible.

I'm saying you can. If you win, they will come. I'm just telling you, United States Market's 14,000 strong. Cam had to wait an hour to get his tickets the other day. What a final force is going to do for you. There's nothing else to do in Lubbock. Watch tumbleweeds go by. Get the Raider rash.

Yeah. Great times. You're saying this someone to pay tuition to the University of Texas. 7-13-212-5-7-0. I'm mad at San Francisco quickly because the Warriors Ross dominate for a better part of a decade, right? And now the Niners are going to the Super Bowl What are the Giants and A's next? Why do they get to enjoy all that?

And we have to go through what we're going through right now. A's been pretty good. No, they haven't made you. I haven't advanced far, but they lose in the wild card both years. Last two years? Yeah. That's a shame. But they're going to the Super Bowl.

We can't even sniff a conference championship game. And they've got, how many of the Niners do they have four or five? Super Bowl wins. This is Super Bowl appearance seven. So I don't know how many of them are wins. They won, Montana won four. And then Young won once. They got five.

Yeah. They're going for six. A city that does not deserve great football is getting it. An entire region. Yeah. Step over the poop on the street and you'll be fine. And meanwhile, we got the coach is never going to take the Texans of the Super Bowl getting more power. Let's go to James and Alvin.

At least the Rockets are doing great. James on 7.9 at 153. Hi, James. Hey, Matt. How you feel? sir. Thank you for accepting my call. Listen, I've done an evaluation on A.J. Hinch, and I came to the conclusion that A.J. Hinch and the last four years, well, within the last four years, he has been nothing but a disgusting embarrassment to the whole city of Houston.

2016, 2016, three outs away, he let the Kansas City Royals come back. 2017, one World Series, but guess what? He cheated. 2018, let the Boston Red Sox defeat him. 2019, he let Washington Nationals defeat him. What has he done that makes everybody so gone whole over AJ H? If I'm Jim Crane. One of the only teams in history to win 100 games, three straight years.

years in spite of AJ Hitch. Two World Series appearances, one win, one loss in a game seven. The loss in 2018, I mean, the Red Sox was a buzz saw. Red Sox were better, frankly, unfortunately. It's all AJ Hitch's fault. Thank you, James, for the call, but it was awful. Wow, that's an all-timer. That's a good one.

And James usually has crazy-ass ticks, too. There are people who agree with James, though. There are people who think the Rock, the Astros were winning in spite. Oh, and by the way, I mean, I, I, I, I spent most of Saturday night after the Rockets game hearing about how Mike Dantonia should be fired. Oh, no. Was that on the postgame show? No, it was just on the Twitter.

On the Twitterverse. People hate Mike Tentony. Rockets' Twitter hates everything. Rockets' Twitter. This is what Rockets' Twitter think. Mike Dantone is horrible. Chris Clemens is an All-Star. Where's Gary Clark when you need him?

Gary Clark. Yeah, Gary Clark is going to the Hall of Fame. This is Rocket's Twitter. Let me give you. I don't stereotype, but I'm going to. Let me give you stereotype. Texans Twitter. I hate Bill O'Brien.

Yes. I hate this. I hate that. Can't wait for training camp, okay? Y'all flippity flop like a flapjack. Yes. Okay. Astros' Twitter.

We are so disrespected. We are, don't do this. Why is Jake Marizek only playing once per week? AJ causes the game. Roberto As soon as garbage. and what else I'm ever forgetting about. And the MLB hates Houston. And MLB hates Houston.

Then let's go to Rockets Twitter. Everything is angry. Why isn't Gary Clark playing more often? Mike Dan Tony should be fired. Mike Dan Tony is holding back the careers of Gary Clark, Isaiah Hardenstein, Chris Clemens. Anybody on the end of the bench is like one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA to Rocket's Twitter. Yeah. Why isn't Kyle Walter getting 12 to 15 minutes a game?

Right. And Mike did, Tony. So basically what I've just described to you is not every one of you, not 20% of you. But 10% of you are bat-blank crazy on Twitter. Maybe even a little higher. Maybe 15%. Probably. Completely irrational.

Nonsense. Oh, by the way, here's another one on a Rocket Twitter. Referees hate us. The league hates us. Yes. James Hart. That's a big rocket. Oh, my God.

It is not. So all I say is Texan's Twitter, Astros Twitter, Rocket Twitter, calm down H-town. Yes. It's never as bad as you think it is. You know what? We haven't had a good calm-down H-town therapy session recently. Is it time for another one? Not today.

Okay. Because the music's too bright in here. Okay. It's lower now. Well, but I mean, we need it. We need like music that you play when you're in the back. It's serenity. Serenity, yeah.

You know what we may need if the Rockets lose today? What's that? A revival. It's been a minute. Four in a row. Last one. Last revival didn't work. It was in...

Did you try to revive after game seven? Before game seven. Maybe the revivals are a terrible bit. They can be effective. Don't work. If you just don't want to overuse them, that's where you get in trouble. That's right. 713-212-579.

If you'd like to join us for the final hour of the Matt Thomas. show. I've seen Isaiah Hartnstein make about 50% of the three-point shot he's attempting. Oh, let's go, baby. Isaiah's got a couple of trays. Rockets' Twitter believes in you. Rocket's Twitter wants, why is an Isaiah Hartnstein shooting more three-point shots? Yeah. Is the Matt Thomas Show. We have a really strong structure in place here.

You know, can't go any further without mentioning Cal. Cal and I talk every day. Cal talks to, you know, a lot of people in the organization every day. He's really done a great job of leading this organization. Very strong structure in place. We meet together. We think about things. We make best decisions in the best interest of the team.

And it's been really exciting. And there's a buzz in the building. And, you know, we all know that in the NFL, you know, it's all about winning. So we're trying to do the best we can to do whatever we need to do to help the team win. And that's what we're all about right now. There are changes over in Texanville Sports RV. We'll have a new defensive coordinator is Anthony Weaver. We've taken over for Romeo Cornell once it's officially announced by the organization.

So far, all the different national folks are saying it's done. I'm not surprised you give up 41 straight points and 51 points in the final three quarters. And it was a fait of complete. A different voice. My guess is even before that that Romeo Cornell working on the final year of a contract probably wasn't going to be the defensive coordinator regardless. It just made it a lot simpler.

Anthony Weaver is fairly highly thought of and the organization's been a D-line coach the last handful of years and he will be a brand new first-time defensive coordinator for your beloved Houston, Texas. Okay. I mean, I can't really feel too strongly one way or the other about this.

I mean, Anthony Weaver is, I mean, from all the quotes and people talking in like Rex Ryan who he was a player under Rex Ryan right or he started as a coach under him everybody thinks everybody says he's smart everybody says he knows what he's doing he's learned from Romeo Cornell one of the greatest defensive

coordinators in the history of the game that's right same thing with Mike Rable I would like to see no matter what Anthony Weaver needs some talent some more talent on the front seven and talent always makes coordinators better and I'll but it does go along the lines of yet another move to prove that

everything Bill O'Brien in terms of his organization in and around him, he will control. And clearly you would control your coordinators because you do want to have your own staff. But he's going to have a offensive coordinator who doesn't call plays. Yes. Who's young in that job as an offensive coordinator. And he's going to have a defensive coordinator who has been a defensive coordinator for the very first time. Doesn't mean he's not qualified to do it.

Doesn't mean he should be given the chance. But your two main lieutenants are very inexperienced. and in one particular case, you don't give that lieutenant full reign to do his job, meaning that I want to control everything, a la the fact there's no general manager. It sounds like there's no general manager coming. And then on top of that, you have Chris Olson, who was the leader in the terms of the salary cap of the organization that was fired yesterday. So they're, I wouldn't say cleaning house, but they're certainly getting the broom out and swim some of the, I guess, dirt out of it, if that is indeed dirt.

Or it's just that these are people that weren't yes man to Bill O'Brien. You know what this feels like? What? This feels like a mob movie where the mob boss gets it like into power or something like that. Do we need some mob music as you described this? And then he just kind of moves everybody else like he like, yeah, this is my nephew, Pauley. Pauley's going to be running the operation over here. Like Bill O'Brien is just squeezing out everybody that isn't involved in his organization

and putting in figureheads that are in the Bill O'Brien crime family and a, installing them and everybody's just slowly getting choked out like a boa constrictor seller to us music always helps sell it yeah look uh look chris olson uh we really like what you've been doing here for a decade uh but we don't need you no more all right so uh pack your things back you get the hell out you look don't make a scene about it all right and we say even though we sound like we're from philly we're not it doesn't matter what kind of accent I'm doing right now. I'm Bill O'Brien from

It could be a Hawaiian accent. Yeah. I went to Brown. I know everything. I'm smarting you. Oh, hey, Romeo Cornell. You're a nice guy. We've liked you here for a long time.

But you're an old. You're getting a little old. You're slipping a little bit. I want to show you out the door. You're a class guy. We appreciate you. You're one of our guys. We'll always remember what you did for us.

But we're going to go with some new guys. And oh, by the way, when people ask about me. You keep the secrets to yourself, okay? Don't be telling nobody anything about us, about me and Jack Easton be. Yeah. You keep Jack and my name out of your dirty mouth. Little Jackie's going to take care of everything for you. All right, docked him on your way out.

And here's the problem with Eastbrook. Eastbrook comes in a room. Oh, hi, guys. What's going on, Romeo? You're not with us anymore? Oh, I'm so sorry. No, Jack. Can I help you carry yourself out?

Isserie standing back behind him with his hands at his side or clenched in a, what would you call it, whatever this is, and just, like, not saying a word. Yeah, he's pretty ignorant. I don't know what was going on. No, Easterby is a conciliary. Yeah, Easterby is the concierge. Exactly, Nick.

I don't trust Easterby. And Romeo looks over to Jack, and Jack just throws his hands up. Like, not me. I didn't do this. Talk to the boss on this one. And then when Bill O'Brien kicks Romeo of the office, He's become the princess. You handled that well, my friend.

Kisses him on the cheek. Yeah. Hey, we got this going in the right direction. We ain't no John Lynch. We ain't no Shanahan going to the Super Bowl, but we got our own deal with a lot. Bill and Brian is just slowly but surely muscling everyone out and putting in his own guys. He's the Texans' godfather, right? He's putting friends of ours.

So what the hell is Cal McNear doing? Is Cal just giving him the keys to the entire organization? Cal is the like the former boss, he's the former mom boss, but he's a coma. No, Cal's the guy that woke up with the horsehead in his bed. He's afraid to do anything. No. No, no, no, he's not. That's not accurate.

That would be like if he was like trying to make a trade with Andy Reed or something. No, Cal's, you know, Cal's like, hey, Bill, what are you doing? This is my team. You, hey, cow, go eat your apples sauce. Andy, we want to trade. We want to trade Patrick Mahomes for Deshawn Watson. Andy Reid hangs up the phone. All right, we're going to make him an offer.

He can't refuse. Then he puts it like a chopped up prime rib or something in his bed. I think this has got legs. Godfather O'Brien. Godfather O'Brien. You know what I'm going to do now? Because I owe it to the show. I will have Godfather watch by the time I get back to this rock-uprochard.

I make my solemn promise to you. Do you hear me, Houston, Texas? We go on a four-game road trip. Yes. Which includes some downtime in these cities because it's going to be cold A-F in some of these cities. I will knock out the Godfather by the time I'm back with you on January 31st. What about the Godfather, too? Are they still both on Netflix?

Maybe. I just know if you watch all three of them, it's like an 11-hour event. Yeah, don't do the third. Third you can wait later. Okay, I'm watching it because if we're going to go with this Godfather, O'Brien, I've got to be at total speed on this. Make him an offer. He can't refuse them. They're good movies.

By the way, how far is the bat from Easterby's office, too? The baseball bat. He's going to hit him over there with a baseball bat. He's going to hit Romeo Cronnell over the head with a baseball bat. But Romeo's going to go, why? What did I do? Look at you gave me. You sent Judevian Clownie to the Seattle Seahawks for two bags of chips.

Big Ben 6-21 says Cal made a mistake. He got his tongue cut out. That's why he doesn't talk. Give me dad. Hey, listen to me. Cal, speak to us. Let us know you have a pulse. Blink three times if you're in trouble.

Like I always said, if my daughter was in trouble, and she's on the phone with me. She repeats her first name, her middle name, and her last name. Then I'll know something. Because nobody would ever say, when did you get this going? This is dark. But I'm just saying, you never know. Okay.

I'm carding. She's hanging out with a lot of CD characters? No, but I'm just saying. That's what, Cal, if something's wrong, if Bill O'Brien is holding you hostage for some ungodly reason, tell us. It's like when the woman called 911 and she tried to order a pizza. And she was like, no, I need a pizza. And the guy's like, you called the wrong number. He's like, no, I need a pizza.

See? The guy figured it out. That's what I'm saying. If you need a pizza. What can we possibly do to show to save Cal? Because clearly Cal is being locked up in his own office. He's being held hostage. He is.

Take the canoli. Because here's the thing. Chris Olson was beloved by this organization. I don't know if he was good or bad at his job. But he wasn't one of us. But he wasn't one of the Bill O'Brien's. That's what Bill O'Brien says. He was a good guy, but he wasn't one of us.

You know, Cal's listening. That's why he could never be a maid man. Call the show. Let us know that you're alive. There's some sort of pulse. And that you are being held hostage. Matt Thomas. We'd like to.

thank his parents for only giving him two first names. Because who would listen to Billy Ray Thomas talk about Houston sports? The Matt Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790. Time is a 217. It is the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790.

If you'd like to join us, come on in. 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. If you want to reach out to us on Twitter at SportsMT, at SportsRV. Hope you guys are enjoying your LK Day off for most of you. 4 o'clock for the tip time and

Russell the launch pad at 3 o'clock and you'll be also doing the Rockets Rap Call and Show after the game. That's right. I'm just going to be up here for like the next nine hours. And this is like your second home, I think, here. 713 212.5-790. I have a survey I want to tell you about and I have a

fan group I want to tell you about. What do you want first? The survey or the fan group? I will go with a fan group. All right. And those who are on hold will get to you in a matter of moments. Don't go anywhere. There is a Dodger fan group. It is called Pantone 294. I don't know what that means.

I don't particularly care what it means. It represents 3,000 Dodger fans that occasionally travel to road trips throughout the course of the year. It's like traveling Texans. Sure. Probably as goofy as they are. Okay. The Los Angeles Times checked in with the owners of Pantone 294 after the news of the Astros scandal.

And Desiree Garcia, you know these girls named Desire, they're a strange group. Yeah, you got to watch out for those. Says the group of Pantone 294 is thinking about chartering a fleet of buses and sending thousands of Dodger fans to Anaheim during MLB opening weekend. When the Astros begin the 2020 season against the Angels. Let me get the exact calendar date on that to make sure we know what's going on with these things here. The first time the Angels have a home game will be on April the 3rd. The Astros will have already played six games, four against the Angels in Houston. Then they go on the road right away to Oakland to take on the Ains.

It's going to be more impressive if they'd come to Houston. He's going to I, Anaheim? Yes. So Pantone 294 says, we're going to get you Astros. We're going to boo you. In Anaheim. Okay. Boo!

Boo! Blue! Breckbad! I guess they know nobody's going to be there. Well, first of all, they'll be able to get tickets at Bull. The Angels are like,

y'all come on! Yes. We got nobody going to our games. We'd love to have you. Dodger dogs to Angel dogs. But if you really want to have Stones-Pantone 294, come on to H-town. Get your ass to H-town, baby.

That's what you got to do. Come and meet some of the same. That's what you need to do. Why don't you bring your 3,000 people to Houston, Texas, and boo the Astros in their home ballpark? Let's see how that goes. Told Garcia-Tales the L.A. Times, it will be a really cool thing to do.

As Dodger fans, we definitely feel like we've been cheated out of something. We don't know if we're willing to take that business risk and bring a bunch of angry people to Anaheim Stadium. Well, I've got a quick bit of news for you, Pantone 24. for if you are so bitter about what the Astros did that you're chartering buses and buying tickets and going to another stadium of another team so that you can boo them for a three game series you are a loser get a life who thinks it's cool to go to another team's stadium and boo the Astros or boo any team and also are you going to be booing the Red Sox you will be

the biggest dorks in sports history. I understand you're mad. The Astros understand they will be booed in every stadium they go to. But for a section 100,000s, it doesn't matter, of another fan base who will go 40 miles. Okay, that's really being bold to go all the way down to the orange. counting to take on the angels who will love your take that's stupid it's it's asinine it's petty it's small it's a waste of your time you are just i mean how do you care so much about your about the dodgers and their world series futility that you go ahead and you're going to go ahead and

boo in anaheim and oh by the way matt uh what game in what game of that world series did the Dodgers lose the world? That would be game seven. Where was that? That was at Dodgers Staineman Chavez Reveen. And oh, by the way, the Astros won game two. In Dodgers standing to even the series at a game of peace. Marwin Gonzalez says hello. All right, so I just had to pass that along that Dodger fan

is so butt hurt. And I understand they're pissed. We'd be pissed too. I'm not denying that, Ross. But to think they're going to make a difference by having 3,000 or whatever the case may be, 500 people wearing Dodger Blue booing the Astros you're going to be made fun of by me

by the tens of Angel fans that'll be at the game get a grip on reality all right other things I want to pass along before us go to some more phone calls so ESPN a couple days ago put out a poll on the Astros situation and needless to say

America's not happy with the Astros to be expected 58% of adults responded that the Astro players should have been penalized by Commissioner Ron Manfred. In addition, the vast majority said they would suggest MLB taking additional steps to punish players who are involved in signed stealing. And you can go to ESPN and read all the different percentages and whatnot. And it does make sense. If I was called and I was a fan of the Yankees and somebody ESPN called me and said, do you think the Astro players should be held accountable?

I would say yes. Yeah. Hell, if they called me, I'd probably say yes. But here's the bit, gang. You would not know, Major League Baseball would not know 95% of the issues that were involved in the Astros if the Astros were not given immunity. That's just the truth. The only thing they would have. They struck a deal.

The only thing the Astros would have, or the Major League Baseball would have, would be what Mike Fires said. If they weren't given immunity, everything would have. A.J. Hinch would have said nothing. Yep. Jeff Lennon would have said nothing. Great point. Probably the owner of baseball would have said, you can't talk to my guys.

And if you think Alex Breggman was being coy on Saturday, that's what he would have heard over and over again Rob Manfred did. They were giving immunity. So you can't ask for additional penalties when the rules were going in. You spill your beans. We'll keep it private, and you get to play an opening day.

Yeah. That means you like it. Doesn't mean you agree with it. But this also shows me, Ross, that Rob Manfred is deathly afraid of the players' association. Deathly afraid. That any sort of punishment to the players, he would have faced appeal. He would have faced public outcry. And he would have absolutely had to face.

He would have then had to take it to the next level, meaning he's going to go to every baseball team, to make sure that the Astros were being treated the exact same way. And the Boston Red Sox will be treated. the Cleveland Indians would be treated, the Chicago, anybody, any hint of impropriety would have had to go into the same microscope. When you give the immunity card, you don't have to worry about that

because the Player Association knows that their membership isn't going to be suspended for whatever they say. Yeah, that's funny. Like in the report, it's like, yeah, we could have suspended the players, but now it's going to be too hard. It's going to just be too much work.

Let's just go ahead. You know why it's too hard because it would have been everybody. He has power over the owners and over organizations more than he does. does over the players. It would never would have flown to the Players Association. Because that Players Association would have had to defend the asteris. I hadn't even thought about that angle, but yeah, absolutely.

Let's go to Brian in downtown at 226. Hi, Brian. Hey, sports, MT. How are you doing, brother? Well, buddy, what's up? Man, I just had to call him and stick up for my guy, AJ Hinch. Man, that dude, they just blasted them. You know, let's not forget, guys, before we jump off the bridge here,

that AJ Hinch and Jeff Luno gave us the best four or five years. in Astros franchise history. And before we all go overboard and just blacked these guys to death, let's remember that, man. That was some of the best enjoyment of baseball I've had in my life, and I will never forget them for that, and they'll always be remembered

as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for that, man. All right, Brian. Appreciate it. Ross, and you and I've talked about this at Oz. It's just like a college basketball team winning a national championship and having its victories vacated. You can't turn away the memories of a final four run Of course not.

Or a college national championship. You just can't. You can take the banner down. You can say a team didn't win any football games, but we know what happened. Of course. Like, for instance, if Texas in that chain... Whoa. Just, I said, for example...

Let's talk about U of H in the Wednesday had vacated. If every player would have had it and that championship team would have lost it, it was a 2005, right? Yes. If Vince Young was taking $25,000 cash and everybody was taking money... He would never do that. A man of integrity. Would you have erased the memories of the Texas beating U.S.

seen the Rose Bowl. No, you wouldn't have. I didn't cry, but I came close, Matt. Who doesn't cry? Yeah, there's no national championships to take away from U of H, I guess, so. Well, it's because of poor fishing. Excepting. Officiating and conference affiliation takes away national championship. And track and field. We are good track and field team.

Carlos, you met him? He was a new of H guy. Matt Thomas returns on Sports Talk 790. Baseball, football, basketball, and Houston. for your home teams. 2.32 on the bat, Thomas Show from Toyota Center. Now the lights are all up. A little more energy in the air.

4 o'clock tip time for the Rockets and the Thunder. You'll have the launch pack coming up in to 25 minutes from now. If you want to get in, those of you that are Rocket fans heading the arena right now, want to talk some hoops, we can do that. We just, we need some goodness out of the Houston Rockets. It has been a good but not great season to so far. It has been a lousy week for them. And I still think they've got a chance to gain some momentum here a little bit to get us off the stench that has been a turbulent Astros off season and a very disappointing way for the Texas to end their season.

Can they do it? It's currently constructed. I want to hope they can. Because Westbrook, I think in the last 20 games, has been ridiculously good. perfect no but well way more efficient I think another thing we didn't talk about earlier with them that I think has to improve is their turnover count

and starting to really pile up especially in the first quarter of games they had what and even again the game that Minnesota like a week ago they had like 11 turnovers in the first half like James did at 20 on Saturday and that's been I mean look I think I find myself also though Matt some scoring somewhat fatigued with all this you know we're going to get it together we need to sit together

we got to fight through this we got to fight through this like Let's stop talking about fighting through it And let's fight through it We know what they know what they need to fix And it's not rocket science, right? Play harder on defense Better communication, better rotations, fewer turnovers, less sloppy play

Because here's the thing The talent is there They're never going to be a high percentage Three point team So that means slumps are going to happen Right But because of just sheer volume They're going to stay close in games

Does that make sense? You can't control I mean you can somewhat control Obviously if you're making shots But on a 90-not basis some nights you're going to be hot, some nights you're not going to be making shots. On a 90 basis, you can always control your effort. You can always control how sharp you want to be in communicating on those guys.

Boxing out and rebounds. Yeah, going after loose balls. You can control your energy and you can control your effort level every single night. And they're not doing that. That's what probably is more turbulent than anything else. Because James is going to have some nights where he's externally efficient. In fact, I feel like in the last 25 games, there have been a lot of nights where James is, you know, 12 of 18 from the floor, six and nine from three gets the free throw line 12-13 time i mean that's as as efficient as it comes

but there's been the four for 20s from threes four for 18s two for 12s there's been those too but and so how do you combat that well here's what you do you rebound you box out you make your free throws and you cut your turnovers down pretty simple and all the things like that have been reasons why i think the team has struggled the last week or so because those things haven't come into play and look spurts come in the NBA all the time i see guys I see teams get up 12 in the first quarter, no problem, and find themselves down double digits. It's how do you fight through that? And how do you maintain the look of confidence?

And if that's James putting, you know, his, he's going to have to put more trust in probably, at least Russ, if not some other teammates. But then on nights where his other teammates are not shooting particularly well, does that mean James goes into that well? If I can't do it, nobody else can mode. And I think that's where they are right now. I think James is conflicted about what he can do for this basketball team on a night where he's not shooting well. He's shooting, you know, he's got 21 points in the first quarter.

You keep feeding that beast all over and over again, right? Right. But if it's a night where he's missed nine of his first 11 shots, does that mean then he attacks a basketball? Does he give up the three? Because here's the thing. The only time he really gets separation, frankly, is on the stepback. But then that also dwindles his chances of making the shot.

I thought the Lakers had a very effective job of forcing a lot of double teams again. Some teams can do it very well. Some nights James fights through that. And then other teams, some nights that they don't do it particularly well and other guys get hot. And that's where the Rockets become their most vulnerable. When teams take that concerned effort to guard him, double team, especially across the timeline, that leaves Ben McLemore open. That leaves Eric Gordon open. That certainly leaves Daniel House open. And right now, if I'm an opposing team, I'm taking my chances with those guys beat me as compared to having James beat me. It was interesting because the

Lakers did something. They were sending double teams, but a lot of teams sent a trapping double team where they try to swarm James. The Lakers were sending a double team like they were standing in front, like bouncers at a club. They were zoning it. It was a zone trap. Yes, it was very, I don't know how much I've seen. It's probably seen it some here and there, but I didn't see a team do it as much as the Lakers did. I wonder if we're going to start seeing that. Well, I think rather than swarming them, which he can pass out or split, kind of just or draw contact too. Or draw contact. Like they're kind of, they're kind of just like almost escorts. courting him around the court. Well, what Ross is trying to explain is it's almost like a two-step separation between.

Yeah. There are two guys coming on to him and they're just playing passing lanes. But they're almost in some cases either trying to through their length and around passing lanes or daring James to try to split that double team. And there were a couple times he tried to pass out of it and he would hit, you know, Jail McGee and he turned it over a couple of times in that type of defense that the Lakers were playing. It's something he'll get used to because I, Me personally, I've watched nearly every Rockets game. I don't remember seeing that a whole lot, so he'll get used to it, but I thought that was a very interesting wrinkle from the Lakers last night.

I think we're down to 41 games. I think if you took the next 41 that James played in, providing that he plays in all 41, my guess is two-thirds of three-quarters of the teams in the NBA are going to take that chance, especially if House is struggling, and McLemore comes up and down. I think McIntymore's been more up and down.

But what the House Rudd is in right now is pronounced. PJ has lost his three-point mojo for the most part. Did have some key threes on Saturday. And that might spike a smaller lineup like we've seen. If PJ isn't in there, Cephalotia

just isn't a prototypical four. For that matter, PJ, because of his 6-5 length is just not a prototypical four, you're going to have to rely on that perimeter shot even more so. That's where, that's where, frankly, the Rockets have got to find somebody that every time he steps on the floor, he's going to bury you for three or four three-pointers per game.

And right now they just don't have that. It's like JJ Redick. No matter what team he's on, Ross, when the dust settled, he's got four-threes. Danny Green, no matter what team he's on, he's got four-three-pointers when the day is done. The Rockets, I mean, in their run, they haven't had a guy like those that have track records of making around 40%. Most of the guys in the Rockets, 35, 36, somewhere in that neighborhood. You don't have one of those guys that's just been dead-eye, 40-per-good defense. It just hasn't...

First of all, those guys don't grow in trees. And they're also getting outrageous cash. I mean, J.J. Redick, in the last couple of years, I think, has been $15, $16, $17 million a year. And that's a wonderful number and good for him to get it. But the Rockets, because of findings, because they're so heavy on the superstars, don't have that kind of free of money to spend. His first year in Philly, he made like 23. I know that. What's he doing in New Orleans this year?

I'm trying to find it. But it's like... I don't mean to single out of him, but... Danny Green kind of in the same category, too. It looks about like a three years, 30 million-ish. No, two years 26. I'm sorry. So the Rockets just don't have that kind of cash.

They just don't. Dang, I would love that. Because they were heavy with Chris and James, and now they're heavy with Chris and, I mean, with Russ and with James, and with Eric Gordon and with Clint Capella. I mean, your top four players are taking up a majority of the salary count. Yeah, you sold yourself to the James Hardin era. You keep Max extending them.

You should. He's one of the best players on the planet. I mean, it's not money poorly spent. No, it's not. You just have to rely on that more than other teams do because there are very few teams that are going to carry that kind of space with those two guys. Yeah, now EG got a max in the off-season. So you go EG, Hardin, Westbrook Capella.

Those guys are basically your entire salary cap the next few years, so it's going to be difficult to build around them. That's why, Dorey's, Daryl's. got to be a magician. And I'll say this. He has traded contracts and I never thought in a million years. In my time, people would say, how do you get rid of Ryan Anderson? Remember how bad it was during the playoffs? He went from a guy that started to came off the bench and never playing at all. They moved that contract. And then when you saw Chris Paul's skills start to dwindle a little bit, you thought to yourself, well, Chris, best days are behind him, plus he's hurt. He can't trade. He's been able to do it.

I mean, yeah, there's going to be stuff like Ben McLemore was basically a throwaway, right? He's a reclamation project. Absolutely. Non-caring guaranteed deal. He's made his way into the starting lineup. So he's going to have to do stuff like that. Find the Ben McLemore's of the world. The Daniel House juniors of the world who bounced around.

I mean, these are nice players. And so we're just going to need somebody who's liked of that ilk, but even a step better as far as on-court performance. All right, real fast, before we get to our final segment, again, if you'd like to join a 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. You don't curb your enthusiasm is my favorite show. Yes. It is pound for pound. And for the lousy,

week that we had in sports, it didn't let me down. Good. Do you have a show like that? No matter what happened in your life, like if you were sick with the flu, or had a bad day at work, or your mom got mad at you for something, that you sat down last night, which I did at 9.30, and I just laughed my ass off for 30 minutes. It was just everything that I possibly asked for. I don't want to give away any spoiler, because people may have it on a DVR,

But it was one of the funny things that we laugh about all the time. Part of the episode was people wishing Larry Happy New Year. And he's like, it's kind of late for that. He's like, for like three days, January 1, 2, 3 you can do it. After that, it's a little much. Like, is it proper on the 20th of January to wish somebody a happy new year? No. What is the proper protocol for happy new year wishes?

Till the next weekend. You give it a full week. So, well, if it's a Monday, if it's on a Saturday, Sunday, you get a full week. If it's on a Wednesday, you get until Friday. But Ross, if I say goodbye to you right now. If it's on a Friday, Monday, it's done. So you're saying to me that on January the 20th, if I wish you a happy new year and you're not a happy, that's not a well wishing for you to have 11 months and 10 days of goodness?

Pump the breaks. Like, it's fine. So you don't mean a downgrade, you want me to say, just have a good day. Yeah. But what if I want to wish you 11 months of wellness? Happy New Year. Well, you can do that. If you want to, you should look like an ass.

But it was just funny that a running joke among my friends was a running joke on the show yesterday. Yeah. So that's why you have to watch it. And by the way, if you are a proponent of Talcum Powder in however way you want to use it, you must watch the episode as well. I tried to get into it a couple of times and it's just never taken for me. It's just too. Sometimes he's too over the top. You have to do a lot of suspending of disbelief with any show.

show, but sometimes it's too much with it. It's the funniest show in the history of television. I'm not going with that. What's the funny issue? If that's not it, what's the funny issue? It's always sunny in Philadelphia. Telling you need to watch that show. I will do that because you will love it.

You've been telling me this for years. Because I know your sense of humor. It's dark, it's depraved. You will love it. That's what I am. That's the Matt Thomas show. Dark and Depraved. Thank you for referencing now.

So any of you that are curb fans that have on your DVR, get home and watch it after the Rockets game. Lunch timers. Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas Show. Final segment of the Matt Thomas show here on a sports talk 790. Ross via Real Matt Thomas broadcasting live from the beautiful Toyota Center as both other few rockets and some of Thunder players warming up. Austin Rivers who had the thumb injury missed Saturday's game is getting up right now, Matt.

Yeah, he's going to be a game time decision with the sprained thumb. So we'll see. I see Stephen Adams shooting. free throws. I think I want to meet Stephen Adams. Not like to be like Bessies with him, but I think we could be bros. Me and Stephen Adams. It's like Tyson Chandler have always wanted to meet because he was such a cool guy when the Rockets would face him all these years. Austin River's Cornerstroke is looking pretty good. Need somebody, right? But Tyson Chandler is everything I thought he would be. Cool, salty AF veteran 19 years, been around in there and then nothing's going to phase him. Yeah, it's good dude. Nothing's going to stop him now if we built this together. Well, father time is going to frankly stop.

but that's not here or no there. Where was I going to go? I don't know. I don't know. Oh, we'll have Calvin Samson on the show tomorrow at 1 o'clock. Looking forward to visiting with him. His cougars are now ranked number 24 in the country. Well, the coaches, 25 in the AP.

Yeah. I trust coaches over media. Do you? Sure, why not? In this case. It just sounds better. Until they jump in the AP. Is Texas receiving votes?

No. They lost this weekend. And win this. This way. There was a good first half. Then they just couldn't make a three to save their lives. It's amazing to me. I don't know what other big cities are, but it feels like college basketball just has zero resonation. Zero. Zero here for sure. Even though there's going to be regional games here, right? Or... Sweet 16. Sweet 16 games. Yeah, I'll be out of town for those. I wonder how the crowds will be for that. Now, the Rockets...

No, not the Rockets. The Summit used to host regionals in the late 80s, and they were sparsely attentive. I think we're moved we've moved forward to that where if your team's in the sweet 16 it's this is what a 17,000 seed arena it's not gonna be here though is it good yeah oh really yeah I thought it was gonna be because they usually do NRG for like final four yeah yeah I think it's here okay cool you can fill up 17,000 seats well we'll see for sweet 16 depends on the matchups you can Kentucky here won't be an issue yeah and they'll try to reach and they'll try to regional like who is the best team within 500 miles of here. Baylor? Baylor's number one, right? Baylor's a national championship contender.

So Banner could fill the building up. With like four or five, you're looking for four to five thousand. I mean if you bring but a good bunch of crazed Art Briers fans in here it's fun. Too soon. By what did you see how strange that was with Art Biles last week? No, what happened? There was a published report that had Art Browles becoming the new coach at Missouri State and everybody was up in rural and arms over it and then there was like, oh no, no, That's not who we're bringing in. We're bringing Bobby Petrino.

So people got it... People got it goofed. They thought it was... They thought high profile... You know what they did? They did that to, like, soften the blow. Yeah, because Bobby's never done anything except cheat on... Well, you got involved with a girlfriend's fiancé or husband and got his ass beat.

But then, you know... It's like if you ever... Like when you start a negotiation really high and you're like, what, that number's crazy. And then you come down to... from that or like if you're i don't know if you're you're admitting like the stuff that you did yeah you're trying to think an example of it's not as bad oh what's the way to like the way you would soften the blow like in life oh okay um let's see this works i went at the doctor because i

had a lot of chest pains yeah okay and no you didn't have a heart attack but you had a very terrible heartburny once you change your diet immediately yeah you start off you make them fear the worst. Because Art's the worst. Art's never coaching division one football again. Not happening. He's going to be in his own world coaching high school football, which

in itself probably could bring up a lot of controversy. Sometimes you don't get a second chance. So you put it out there, hey, we're thinking about our bryls, but it's not that bad. So would the Astros do something like that with the manager? We're interviewing Dusty Baker. But people like Dusty. I don't think people are very interested in Buck's

Show Walter. Okay, Showalter. He interviewed Showalter. We don't want an old crusty manager? Oh, it's Dusty. Okay, that'll be fine. That's exactly what it is. Yes.

You're softening the blow. You soften the blow for it and bring a 71-year-old to manage your baseball team. Exactly. Let's wrap it up today with Carl, Northwest Houston, the Matt Thomas show. Carl, good afternoon. Hey, please, no. It's going fine today. Please know, Dusty.

Something about that two-pick just bothers me. I had a suggestion. I don't know what kind of words. the Astros have got from the league head about not antagonizing people, but I just wanted to throw out a couple of suggestions. The very first time they go to Yankee Stadium when they've taken batting practice, just have a little fun because you know they're going to be called cheater this and cheater that. So the first time they take batting practice, have them go out,

and all of them have to be wearing headphones when they come out and go to 8th hardware and buy some wire and have some wires hanging out of it. of the back pocket and then have a guy like maybe one of the bench coaches wear one of those rainbow wigs and go behind the left center field and every every time they they take before they take a swing they point out at the guy and he waved his arms around and just something to have some fun with it because you know that they're going to be it's going to be brutal in new york for the first time they come there well they're going to be brutal thank you for the phone call It's going to be brutal in every city.

Ross, it's going to be brutal in Kansas City. It's going to be brutal in Cleveland. Now, it may not be to the thousands, depending on the crowds, but every city is going to get him. Here's the thing. I know you don't want to hear this, everybody, but there'll be nothing. No one's making fun of this at all.

The Astros are going to have to be as chill as humanly possible in 2020. You're going to see a different Alex Breggman that you have never seen before, or at least one that's going to be way more focused on the sport. there'll be times Ross that I think that if Alex comes on our show it'll be hard to joke with him it'll be all business it's going to be about the sport it's going to be about the game it's going to be about the opponent it's going to be about the respect there will be no I don't think you'll be going

and flashing the hand signs or doing any sort of things that would put him on camera I think all that's gone for at least a year I think he will I think it's maybe the first month or something of the season I think eventually he'll be back to himself Okay, so let's do this. I don't think he can be able to hold off. Yeah, because it's pretty. All right, so let's this.

Hold off for a whole year. If I set the over-under date on the All-Star break, will we see any glimpse of the friendly? Gosh, I don't know. That's, I'm just talking. I think it's a great bar. Something that would be the normal bregs. If you get to the All-Star break and they're like in first place and they're playing really well, I think that, I think that's going to dictate a lot of this. If they're losing and they're playing like 500 ball, you're not going to hear it.

peep. If they're playing well and they're crushing it and they have one of the best offenses, I think we'll start to hear. They'll start loosening up a little bit. Before we get to the launch pad with Ross, a message for TGS Insurance. If you are driving around right now, trying to think of ways to save money in 2020, by the way, happy New Year. Get with my friends at TGS Insurance. Tex sword money, Mone1 to 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, and start saving on your home insurance policy with TGS insurance. The last for your address being a text,

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As you listen to Ross in the launch pad, MOTN1 to 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, M01 to 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, and say big with TGS insurance. Don't go anywhere. We take a short time out. Ross has the launch pad. I'll be downstairs on the floor,

and we'll talk with all of you tomorrow at 12 noon. We'll recap this Rocket game and visit with Calvin Samson. All as part of the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. Rockets launch pad is next.