The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - The Matt Thomas Show 10-24-19

Episode Date: October 24, 2019

The Matt Thomas Show w/ @SportsMT, @SportsRV, and @ProNickLow 10/24/19Terrible Astros takes (0:00)Matt takes all the Astros Calls : The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (12:17)Dr. Roto's Fantasy Football Feature Week 8 (1:12:39)

Much larger than life. Yeah. Lunch timers is the Matt Thomas show. To left deep, going back is Brantley looking up, and it is off the out-of-town scoreboard. Scoring Turner right behind him, Eaton. He scores as well, a two-run double for Rendon, off the out-of-town scoreboard, and it's a two-nothing nationals league. It's three to two nationals.

And that's a ground ball on the left side. Bregman will bubble into his line. left and he can't pick it up it was a long way to his left he cut across and couldn't come up with it cleanly it'll go down as an infield single and the nationals now lead four to two that's a liner into center field that's a base hit scoring is turner scoring is Soto two runs in on the rbi two rbi single by cabrera and the nationals all of a sudden lead six to two. Curve ball,

it's bounced down the third baseline. It's going to be trouble for Bregman. He bare hands it, throws, and he throws it away. Kendrick scores, and now behind him, Cabrera, as Zimmerman over to second base. Bragman probably didn't have a chance to get the runner to first and ends up throwing it wide. Nats score two more, make it need to two.

Don't cry, Matt. Matthew. Okay, it's okay. One of my sad. The Astros being too down, two nothing. I mean, I'm not happy about it. It wasn't a must-win yesterday. Damn well, I needed a win, but it wasn't must-win.

You know what I'm crying about? What are you crying about, Matthew? The dumb-ass fans! I'm telling you, I listened. Thankfully, I fell asleep and didn't get to hear much of the 10th inning show with Michael Connor. I bet that was a blank show. I didn't catch it. So I get in my car this morning

and I listened in the trenches with Greg and Big Sarge's filling in today for Indy. Fantastic callers today. What did they talk about the U of HSMU game, Texans versus Raiders? No, I wish they would have. I wish they would have gone strictly with football conversations. They were in the dugout today? They were in the dugout.

And apparently, I don't know what's worse. Stupid-ass callers calling that show or dumb-ass people on Twitter. Twitter. Twitter is worse. I think so. It's hard to top Twitter. There is this person out there.

And I won't give their Twitter account, Astros Ball, that had this ridiculous argument of this team lacks leadership. There isn't a Brian McCann in the clubhouse. Are you kidding me? News for you, Houston, Texas. I got news for you Astro fans. the nationals are playing way better than your team. Way better. They look calm.

They look cool. They look happy, go lucky. They're swinging the bat. They're getting outs. Their bullpen nearly isn't as bad as we thought it was going to be, at least that the sample size is there too. The Astros look tense. They look up tight.

They're struggling. Their defense is a hot mess. right now? I think it's a disgrace. That's what makes me cry. Not that the Astros are down to nothing. Not that I'm disappointed in the way they performed against the National League pennant winning team, but the ridiculous excuses that I am hearing from people that think they know

baseball. I'm not asking you to give me a long rundown of four seam versus two seam, okay? I'm not asking you about situational hitting when we talk on the internet. But when I hear on the 10 o'clock show on this radio station, the home of the Astros, where one guy calls up, and I don't mean to be screaming, but I'm just fired up today. And wants to tell the two hosts that are on this show at the time that Alex Breggman's contract extension was a bad idea because of what happened yesterday. It made me, I wanted to pull over on the side of the road,

find a bottle of Jack Daniels, drink it, get really, really blank-faced, vomit for about 12 to 15 minutes, call Ross, say, hey, Ross, you got the first hour of the show. It's bad. And how about that leadership take? How do you win 107 games and make the World Series? The leadership take is so stupid.

Stupid. Another one. The Nationals want it more. Stupid. I cannot handle stupidity. Another gibrony on Twitter. I put up there yesterday to try to lighten things up. Hey, everybody.

Kurt Suzuki is 36 years old because apparently Fox insists on telling you the age of every player. Some jabroney, some jackass is like, this is the reason why I don't listen to your show anymore. What? I saw that. What does that even mean? Because I was making a joke that's not funny. I think they didn't understand. No, no, no, no.

He completely understand. The guy's an a-hole. Okay. He is. I'm Donald Trump, and I approve this message. And then people are like, Ryan Presley being out there and then at seventh inning. Worst thing ever. What is AJ doing?

I don't know. Ryan Presley induced a ground ball to Alex Spragman, who completely goofed it. Err. E5. Ryan Presley shouldn't be out there anymore. He's got, you know, his cartilage is broken, and he's, you know, he's not the player that he was. No, I saw one that they, Brian Presley lied to the Astros,

and this is, he's going to cost them the World Series. He went out there and did his job, number one. And number two, A.J. Hinch and Brent Strom, and the Astro staff saw him throw a bullpen the day, the day before the series started. Or he wouldn't have been on the roster. They liked what they saw in the bullpen, so they know that he's at least reasonably

healthy. And then, by the way, he did his job. I mean, look, there's a perfect storm going on right now. The Astros suck right now. It ain't over. It's close, but it ain't over. You had your heavy hitters one and two lined up. Garrett struggled. Verlanders won good. First inning, Justin Verlander is just, it hurts the team. Thankfully, Bregman did hit that home run yesterday to make it two, two.

We were that way for long. I mean, it was almost like. it was watching two different baseball games. You had the first six innings where it was close, competitive, and interesting, and mono-a-mono, and then you had the floodgates open up because of defense and because your bullpen got smacked around a little bit. You can't commit defensive mistakes in the World Series

and expect to win. Go assy New York Yankees. They butchered everything defensively in the American League Championship Series and the Astros took advantage of it. but I mean to go to Twitter and say this team needs a Brian McCann type what

that team is littered with leadership and oh by the way this isn't July 1st this is October 24th these gentlemen have played about 200 baseball games give or take and won a lot of them

this is tremendous talent, tremendous leadership. So do not be, do not think that because you have a Twitter account and because you go to three to five baseball games a year, you know anything. There's a lot of things about baseball Rossi. I don't know about. And I am the first one to tell you. But the first thing I can tell you is, and you got to trust me as a talk show host,

who goes in that clubhouse that knows some of those guys that have been around this baseball team for a long period of time. They're not sitting around going, damn! If we had Evan Gaddis' leadership right now, we'd be in a different situation. Damn it, I need a Brian McCam-Pep talk right about now. Yeah, they're not saying, you know what? We just don't have leadership. We won 107 games, made it to the World Series, and we don't have lead.

We need leaders in this clubhouse. And Alex Spragman, hey, man, you suck today. I don't think we did the right thing by giving you a bunch of years of paying out of your arbitration and free agency. because we wanted you to be here long term. That was a mistake in our... Give me a break. Come on. Let's not have this, Houston.

I'm afraid we're going to. Because I heard the 10 o'clock hour of the show today. I couldn't even, Rossi, I couldn't even listen to the 11 o'clock hour because 10 o'clock made me so today I'm mad. The Nationals, Ross, beat the Astros, beat them, defeated them, outperformed them. AJ Hinch said it after the game.

They all played them. They're a really good team. That's it. Don't overthink it. They got to figure something out. They've got to win four or five. That's basically what's happening right now. Figure it out.

They're on the plane for three and a half hours today. Figure it out. You're a good baseball team. You're just not playing that well. And slumps continue up and down that Astros lineup. My blood pressure. I took three pills today. Take a deep breath, man.

I can't. I'm so disappointed in the city that I do sports radio in that there are some, I mean, flat out ignorant takes. Ignorant. Again, Rossi, I learn things about baseball and sports and athletes and games every day. There's new nuances to sports that I learned that I didn't even know six days ago. But one of them is, I don't think that locker room's like, man, we could certainly go for a motivational. Is Matt Foley available?

Would Matt Foley change the Astros ways in game three, four? and five. I need a drink. Craig Bizio here, the heart of the order is up right now. Matt Thomas is swinging for the fences here on Sports Talk 790. We just needed to stop the bleeding. There's a lot of baseball left in the series, and we're going to go to Washington with our heads all high, ready to go, get after it. We've lost two games before.

So I remember when we lost three in New York and the world was coming to an end, and then next thing you know, we're in the World Series in 17. we've been here before. All right, so Breggman's sad. He was terrible. It was an up and down game, literally. I mean, the emotions of finally breaking through after having a really tough postseason of the plate,

and then his glove lets him down not once but twice. As part of, I mean, the worst ending of Astros postseason baseball, as long as I remember. I mean, it just kept getting worse and worse and worse. And snowballed. And snowballed and snowballed. It just got bad. It was horrible.

Yeah, worst inning that I can remember in Astros baseball. From that, like you said, from after that first inning, when Alex Breggen tied it up with that two-run, home run, and then just no runs getting scored

for the next five innings by either team, I really, at that point, I felt like the Astros were going to win. I really thought they were going to be able to pull this game out somehow, and then to just get hit over the head with a hammer in that seventh inning was so deflating. It was so deflating.

And I don't even know why I watched the next couple of innings, but I did. Well, I checked out. I'm honest with you. I just did. All right. So we, and look, I don't think most of Astro fans are completely irrational, but they're vocal.

The ones that are completely irrational or vocal. There's this guy that sends us emails. His name is Steve. He sends them, I think, to like 40 different talk show host. Okay. Because you never see a, hey, Matt, or it's, it's. Copy and paste? It's copy and pay.

Well, I don't even say, it says, this guy's name is Steve, and he puts, it says to nobody, C, C, nobody. So it's obviously to a bunch of people. Oh, does this? say greeting sports talk host. Is it like one of those spam emails you get where people are trying to solicit you for stuff? No, no, no. This is definitely a local person. And this is to show you how just ridiculously some of you are.

Not all of you, some of you are. I'll read it aloud. Dear one of 40 radio hosts I send this to, I was going to use the excuse the senator slash expo slash nationals slash Don Trump dancers slash Little League All-Star. I mean, this is where he thinks he's getting off to a funny start here. Had a week off and the vomit strows, that's what he's calling him. Vomitstros. Oh, come on. I'm putting this on Twitter, by the way.

I'm going to take a picture of this. This is just the crappiest of emails. The vomit strows, two days as a reason for poor play and lack of effort, but I won't. It appears the practice games the Nats had last week were more competitive than the last few days against the baby diaper vomit strows. sucking their thumbs. It's clear the vomit strows don't care and the gnats do. All the vomit strows have demonstrated is that they are disrespect their opponent and have put out zero effort.

The vomit strows deserve to be humiliated globally over the next few nights by the junior high team. The only thing they're taking back after Saturday are their uniforms to store away for next season. I'm done playing the fool and continuing to watch the inevitable outcome of the vomit Strow's and now on the Rockets basketball and Texans football, which we can only hope turns out a lot better outcomes. You are a rude, terrible person. This guy sends emails all the time, and I usually just hit delete right away.

Because, again, if you're going to take the time to write, send an email, send it to me, not to 89 people. Imagine typing away at your desk and thinking this is just a great take with the saying vomit strows 76 times. it's what I do unfortunately Ross as I lose faith in mankind is what I do well I think you made a good point earlier

though it's not everybody no it's very it's very few let's give some credit there are a lot of good people who are tweeting us and they're saying you know what hey we're down

oh two it's going to be okay and we kind of ignore them sometimes I think the majority of fans still believe in this team and know that they won 107 games they're in the World Series they're extremely talented yes they are down but they are not out

I think we can can say that at least. But yes, the people, the idiots who are speaking up and sending these emails and talking about not leading leadership and not wanting to resign Bregman and all this type of stuff, like you just need to calm down. And if you're going to send an email like that, at least come up with something better than vomit strokes. That just turns my stomach.

Stop saying that. So I'm going to put, I'm going to take a picture of this email and I'll say the guy's name because I don't want to embarrass Steve anymore than he's about to be embarrassed. But it's just awful. And again, here's the thing. small minority. Look, let's be real. The majority of Astro fans believe the Astros

are not going to win this World Series. Correct. That's just the truth. I feel completely different than I did 48 hours ago, Ross. I just do. How can I not? Slumps continue. Defense has been porous. You had your two best starters get rocked.

How am I supposed to feel, oh, it ain't over. What do they always say? It ain't over until the series isn't to start until another team wins in your home field. Well, guess what? It's happened twice. It ain't over till the other team wins four games. How about that?

You've got to go win four out of five against a very good team. It's going to be difficult. Difficult. Not impossible, but very difficult. Very difficult. Very difficult. Let's go to some phones. Alex and Hobby Airport, 1227 on 7-90. Hello, Alex. Hi, Matt. Listen, man, we just got to win a game, you know, and take it from there. You know, the nationals, they're way better than people giving credit.

for, you know, I predicted the Astros and Fire. Now I look like a fool, you know, these guys, they can hit, you know, they work the count, they have a good approach, and they adjust from at bat to a bat, and it's been a grand. Now,

what I think now, the psychological advantage that they're getting, it has to be massive, you know, they came to our place, they beat both of, our aces, and now they feel like this kid, Juan Soto, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he, he win, uh, he, he wants the world. And he probably, you know, he probably does. He, he, he, he, he

need some type of momentum. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the phone call. Okay. So, let's answer that. let's get let's what is a momentum Ross momentum is fast starts momentum is not taking not getting called out at third base trying to steal an extra extra 90 feet Jose Altuvae I gotta love you why are they trying why is he trying it

you know what that is that's a byproduct of a team that's struggling with the plate that they're trying to manufacture runs because you don't trust the guy behind it's going to get you a base hit yeah you understand I mean Kurt Suzuki did he say threw out he'd thrown out only thrown out like five of 50 runners or something like that throughout the season so you understand while he's trying to run on him. But the conventional baseball wisdom tells you don't run to third with a left-hander

because he just has a free path to throw you out, right? I don't want you running the third period. I am not a fan of grabbing the next 90 feet when a base hit of any sort of magnitude with Al-Tubei speed gets you home. Right. I didn't understand that at all. And Al-Tube, I mean, we love El-Tubei. He hit the walk off.

I love Al Tuve. But that's just one byproduct. It's something he's done. He's done this before. He's done aggressive, going first to third and getting thrown out and stuff. He did that throughout the season. Yeah. I'd like to say that's not out of his repertoire, but it is.

That's who he is. But that's the negative of otherwise an amazing baseball player, the greatest actor of all time. I'm pretty good. You are pretty good. Pretty good. But Ross, they need a three run first. They need to get to that bullpen to the nationals really early.

Annabelle Sanchez is going to start game three tomorrow night. They've got, you know, this is a guy that was no hitting the St. Louis Cardinals. The Washington Nationals are, they're not a better team in my mind, but they are playing like it for sure right now. Yeah, there's no way to deny that. They're up to nothing. They're really good. They've been playing well, and the Astros shot themselves on the foot in that seventh inning. We are former players.

We are lifelong fans. And we're your home for your voice. You can go have a bullshit heard today. Sports Talk 790. Your most complete lineup in Houston sports. Rockets tonight. Astros are still in the World Series. Texans have a relatively big game against the Raiders.

By the way, you know part of the reason why the Astros lost yesterday? Who was sitting in the second row by an home plate? Cal! They lost because of Cal McNeary? Cal's not supposed to be there. Is he bad luck? Yes. What does he brought good to the city?

Gary on Conley? Again, I'm going to repeat. Here's what Cal's done since he's taken over the team. He's given Bob this ridiculous, I mean, a bill this ridiculous extension. He went to try to go get Nick, what, what's trying to go get Nick, what's to say, to hear you, he brought in Jack Easterby to be the general manager slash preacher slash chaplain. What is he done?

Do not, look, Jim Crane, we're not friends, but he certainly knows who I am. I know who he is. I saw him yesterday. I wished him good luck. if Jim was listening right now, do not allow Cal if Cal's going to sit anywhere, sit in the 400 section.

I don't need him in the second row behind home plate. Come on. No Cal at Astros games. You're on re today. I am. I love it. I am, I have little tolerance today. I'm going after people on Twitter for dumbass takes

and I do not apologize for it. because at the end of the day, you need me to do that. You need me to be consistent. And the fact is the Astro Series is not over. It may feel like it is, but it ain't. And we got a deal in the realities. Verlander was not great yesterday in the first inning. And to give up the home run to 91-year-old Kurt Suzuki, that was troublesome.

It was not great. Alex Spragman's glove led us down twice. You know what? He slept with the bat. Got to sleep with the glove now. No, be fine. He'll sleep with the glove tonight. I don't care who he sleeps with.

In a fancy Washington, D.C. hotel. I know where they're staying. It's really fancy. Really? It's a super fancy. Trump Tower. No. That's not happening.

The White House. I mean, that would be really interesting. I don't think people, some Astro fans would appreciate that. But can President Trump invite an Astro over to spend the night? I think so. He and Verlander, boys, right? If Verlander, if Verlander got a call from President Trump and said, hey come spend the night at the house

the crib is what would you accept Donnie T says because he's not pitching tomorrow that's true if anybody you probably get away with it it's him yeah very fakeness you gotta wake up at like 6 a.m. to watch Fox and friends though are you going to include the congressional black car what that one was labeled wrong

yeah let's not ever play that again he says yeah I know what that one is it's not labeled wrong he just has to he interrupts the lady oh okay whatever that was that was a lot James and Alvinan 7 odi James how are you, sir. I'm good, sir. Thank you for accepting my call.

You guys hilarious. Listen, on a serious note, you know, I can deal with the loss last night, and I can understand that. And, you know, either team could have bust out, you know, those crooked numbers. But the first game with the Washington Nationals being on a week-long vacation and Astros still in rhythm, off of the day win over the Yankees, I was very upset in the third inning when Michael Brantley was on first base, Uri Gris hit a pop fly in the center field.

Robles got on his horse because he was playing deep. He dove for the ball. The glove came off of Robles' hand, and the ball bounced harmlessly. And Michael Brantley was doing this little cha-cha-cha between first and second. He hadn't even got the second base with two outs. He should have been bust. If he had been busting it, he could have scored on the plate.

Well, Gruel ended up on second, and Michael Brandley end up on third. And I just said, man, of all the people, he the one don't have a championship ring. He's the one supposed to catch that ball. What anything are you talking about again? Huh? That was the third inning of the first game. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you going back to first game bit?

Well, what I'm trying to say is they shouldn't be down zero and two. That's what I'm trying to say. What I'm saying is they had every opportunity to win the first game. In other words, I want to say this here. The Astros have came in and took in the Washington Nationals lightly because they are the prima donna of the lead. there's no way you can compare Washington Nationals lineup against the Uson Astros lineup. The Washington Nationals only have two hitters that Soto and Randon. There's no way you can compare the Washington lineup against the Astros lineup.

There's no way you can compare up. You know what? You're absolutely right. The Washington lineup has been significantly better than the Astros. You're right. You're right. I put it like this here. The Astros, they have not showed up and performed.

In other words, they hadn't applied themselves to their fullest ability because they are much better than the Washington National. And also is the starting rotation. Also is the bullpen. Also is the manager. I say the Houston Astros have came in and took the Washington Nationals lightly. The only thing that they have on their side is two games. I don't think the Washington Nationals can beat the Astros two more times before the Astros can claim four games. I hope you're right, James.

James, I hope you're right. It doesn't feel like that right now, but I hope you're right. Yeah, he kept going through the play by play of the game. I'm like, I don't remember any of things he said. I mean, I don't even know the plate he's talking about. It doesn't really matter. No, he's, I think he's missing. Springer and Ead and not Brantley and Robles?

I don't know. It doesn't matter. I was confused. Can I just go home? No, no, no, no, no, no. I'm let you do that. No, no, no, no. You wanted to be on this side of the glass.

You have to be here on good times and it bad. I'm suddenly feeling very under the weather, Matthew. Isn't there a song in good times and in bad? Oh, Elton John. All the good times and the bad times. I'll be there talking sports forever more. I don't think that's how that goes. That's what sports talk 790 is for.

Oh, the Bregman hits and the line drives. God, I'm just, that's what's happening. I'm singing terrible lyrics to songs of mid-80 stars. And you're staying around for it. I got to go. Let's go. Houston's official sports cliche translator. I'm working hard.

I'm trying to be a good teammate. I'm trying to go out here every day and do my job. Matt Thomas. Taking it one day at a time. I have some really good news for you. Ross, would you like some good news? Hey, it's the greatest man of all time. All right, that's not true.

But that's neither here nor there. Talk number one of Led Zeppelin 1. Good times, bad times. Okay. Fantastic drums by John Bonn. You're pushing away the good news I have. You know, the Nationals and the Astros share a spring training home. Really?

In West Palm Beach, Florida. And it's weird because you go left, it's Astros. You go right to the national. Same entrance. One ballpark and one center practice fields at the left, one to the right. And they're obviously playing in the World Series. We have just secured a trip for two to the Palm Beach's for next spring training. Really?

Somebody that listens to Sports Talk 790 is going to win that trip. Are you ready for this? No. Tomorrow at $4.50 during the A team. 4.50 tomorrow. Someone is going to win a trip for two to the Palm Beaches. The price package includes four days, three nights of combinations, round trip airfare, rental car, tickets to the World Series rematch at spring training for the season opener between the Astros, the Nationals. A VIP behind-the-scenes tour of 15 ballpark at the Palm Beaches. All from our friends at the Palm

Beaches in southeast Florida. Online the palmbeaches.com. Listen today to the A-Team. They'll tell you how you're going to win it. But somebody tomorrow that listens to this radio station at 4.50 is winning a trip for two in February to go to Florida to see the Astros and Nationals compete in the spring training opener on a four-day three-night trip. How cool is that? Matt, that's, I mean, I always like to say funny stuff, that's one of the best prizes we ever given away. This just literally came together minutes ago.

We wanted to make it happen. We wanted to keep everybody in as good a moon as possible. Thanks to our friends at the Palm Beaches.com. We're giving it away tomorrow at 450 more details with the A-Team at 3 o'clock. Let's go to Line 2 and Cary and LePort on 790 and 1251. Hi, Carrie. Hey, Matt. How are y'all doing?

We're doing good. Thank you for calling. What's that? Yeah, enjoy the show. I just got the guy that called from Alvin about the game one play. I'm not sure Brown. We couldn't score. We had plenty of other chances to win that game.

We're outperforming. I mean, that's not a big secret. They are the better team that I know. You know, and I have I could disagree with that. No, yeah. And look, there are nuances to every part of the game, and I've had a couple listeners say, hey, I remember that play, too, with Brantley.

I just, here's my thought on this. And you can say, Matt, you're wrong. You care, I'll accept that. I'm not going to take one little instance and ruin what has turned out to be an amazing season with a bunch of guys that are largely responsible, like entirely responsible for putting the Astros where they are. And you know what?

The whole play with Springer maybe looking at the home run ball, maybe too much. Maybe Kyle Tucker tagging when he didn't need to. I wish I could say that everybody's perfect come playoff time. It just doesn't happen. And yeah, the microscope is on these players and guys taking extra feed or Jose L Tuve trying to steal third. These are all things that do drive you crazy

because there's nothing else to watch except every single moment of the game. But I just can't go up to Michael Brantley. I can't go to Alex Spragman and say, hey, Alex, you've had this amazing season. You are hitting a home run in the World Series to get everybody back in their mojo going again. You had two misplays. You suck. We hate you, and you need to go away.

I'm not that kind of person. I hear you. I want to talk. You mentioned that out to that play. That's really what I was calling. he's a great player. We love him. I'm not sure he's the smartest baseball player out there.

He's definitely one of the hardest working and one of the guys that wants to win and one of the most talented. But you mentioned he's done that before. There's some guys on Facebook talking about that play. He said the coach called that play. He said that guy runs when he wants to and a lot of them do. But, you know, going to third from second, you mentioned one of the left-handed batter, but really, too. on the first pitch, not even seeing the guy if he's going to look at you,

watch twice, not look at all. Usually they do that. And I know he's trying to make something happen. You can't fault into that. Well, I'll say, yeah. That's just my take right. He is, I mean, if there's anything to really, if you really want to go big picture, Ross,

Jose's an average base runner at best. Whether it's taking an extra base, whether it is getting a bad jump, whether it's being picked off. If there is anything that you were really to say that Jose is not. amazing at its base running. Yeah, I mean, he's stolen 50 bases in his career,

but he gets caught a lot. He does make mistakes going one to three. And it's almost always erring on the side of aggression. But I think sometimes you can be too aggressive, right? You can be too aggressive in things in any, basically any walk of sports. You can be too aggressive swing on the bat. You can be too aggressive on the base pass or a pitcher or whatever. I think sometimes on the base pass, he gets a little bit too aggressive

and borderlining reckless. And I think that's what that taking of that third base was. I'm just, and maybe it's because I have too much faith in the astro bats. And maybe, again, as I said before, when Jose gets picked off or thrown out a third, it's a byproduct of this team is slumping collectively and that you, you know, that at least if you induce a ground ball of anything or a fly ball of any distance, getting from third to home is significantly easier as compared to hoping that a single brings you home. That's what I had to been thinking during that time.

It's just, sometimes you try to do too much. And I think that's what Jose Altovae was doing. there. He's just trying to do too much. You've got to let the game come to you sometimes, and he didn't do that. He tried to make something happen, which you like, but you also need to know when to dial back a little bit. Tim and friends would at 5-4-1. Hi, Tim.

Good. I'm saying that, you know, baseball also has a lot of luck involved. You know, it seems like every ball they hit fine holes. We hit all these balls really hard. It's usually right at somebody. And, you know, some of it's just the way the game is. You know,

you hit the ball hard, and they actually miss some balls and we couldn't make plays on it. So the luck factor involved in baseball, too. It's not just, you know, guys not playing well or things like that. Yeah, I don't know. Luck to me, and thank you for the phone call, is a ball that takes a strange bounce off a wall. Luck is a ball that gets deflected and still gets caught.

Ross, the Nationals are just beating the tire out of the Astros. Especially yesterday. I'm with him. I felt like more of that was happening in the Yankee series. where things the ball just wasn't bouncing their way for the example of Yulee just hitting balls everywhere but they were just spraying line drives everywhere and they were just finding people's gloves.

I think some of the balls are bouncing the Washington Nationals way but that's what's going to have to happen and you have to kind of overcome that. It is baseball and you know that their random stuff is going to happen. I mean the umpiring has been inconsistent throughout basically these entire playoffs but these are things you have to overcome and at the end of the day

we're not going to have the Astros lose this series and say you know what? They just got unlucky. Right now the Washington Nationals are playing better than the Astros are. Maybe some of the brakes are going their way, but also you don't lose a game 12 to 3 via bad luck. No.

Defense has let him down. I think Brantley misplayed two balls in left field so far in this series. And again, that's just a small microcosm of the issues. Pitching hasn't been great. The hitting has been. Carlos Creer looks lost again. I mean, batting averages aren't on to us, friends. They're just not. Is the Matt Thomas show?

You don't want to be down two games and none, but here we are. So I don't think anybody here is, you know, I think their message is just don't hang your head. We didn't play our best baseball. You know, things didn't go our way. You got an off day tomorrow. You know, we don't have time to feel bad about ourselves. Yeah, well, we lost two games before during the regular season, and everyone in here knows how to bounce back.

We've done it before in the postseason, and we're going to go to Washington with our heads held high and get after it. The Nats have out played us, bottom line. And they came into our building and played two really good games. And, you know, we're going to have to try to sleep off the latter third of this game. I think the conference and us still right there. So, yeah, you know, we know we have to go there and win some games. We have no choice. But, you know, there is no reason why we're not going to do it.

We're good as a team. We're rooting for each other. So I think we're good. Ross, do we need to walk in on Sunshine? get people back in the good spirits. I think you got to let the people grieve for a little bit. Tomorrow. Tomorrow's walking on sunshine Friday.

Tomorrow we're walking on sunshine. This is it. Ain't no stopping us now. Okay, maybe that ain't no stopping us now. Not this is it. Right now there's no tomorrow. This is it. It didn't work for game two.

That's true. This is making me want to go to a piano bar, smoke a cigarette. You're from the Hulk and cry. Very good. You're on top of your game today, Ross. Thank you. Wait a minute. How do you know that?

from a family guy episode Yeah, this is a very famous song I was gonna say That's not Bruce Spanner Don't make me angry You wouldn't let me when I get angry Maybe so what Alex Bremer needs to do

Is get angry Yeah Get thrown up by an umpire Maybe we need Lou Ferreigno To give him a speech No, we don't need Lou Forigno to do anything Back off the roids You know, since obviously Brian McCann's unavailable

Because that's what one Astro dumbass Twitter follower thinks That's the reason why they're not winning Who needs to go and give him motivation speech. Matt Foley? I don't know. Stone Cold Steve Austin? Sure. The Rock.

They did a badass job on it. Thanks, Steve. John Sina, you can't see me, Nationals. It's funny. Tony Robbins over there. Seriously, I don't want to play this song. Can we play something else? I don't even care what it is. This is depressing. Yeah, don't play even play something horrible like something from Edie Brickell.

I don't care. Just get off this song. E. Recall. Oh, no. Not only The Beach Boys? Not only is this song depressing The Beach Boys You know what I want to hear?

Beach Boys, thumbs down. Give me some Ray Charles America the Beautiful. We're in the nation's capital. Yeah, okay. Watch this. Watch our mood change dramatically. I'm with...

Right on tune, my friend. Nicely job. Nicely done. This is one of the greatest songs You ready? Period. Yes. The team is flying right now as we speak to DC.

This also reminds me of the greatest baseball movie of all time. This is an instant mood change for me. This is. I felt significantly better. No more sadness in this show. We had the last night's video to watch to be sad. I miss Ray Charles. The goat.

Greatest of all time for me. He is massively underrated. Is it? Oh, yeah. He's really? pretty high. Get down on Nationals ballpark.

Great movie, too, by the. Great movie. All-time songwriter, all-time singer, all-time womanizer, all-time heroin addict. Just checks all the boxes. He did everything. He and Johnny Cash, really, both of them.

All of them, anything in biopic is made and there's going to have that. All right. Let's go to the phones. Now I feel better. I needed to shake that off a little bit. I'm just going to go ahead and listen to that while you go ahead and talk to the rest of the show.

I'm going to listen to music. No, I'm out. You're out. I'm really going to lose you when Rodo's on for 10 minutes. All right. Something called Mr. Infield on 790. Hello, Mr. Infield. What the heck? Hey, guys.

I wanted to get your opinion on Astros, why AJ stick with Jordan, and everybody's kind of pounding in Berkman. and I feel they're going Did he come Did he drop a Jordan and a burthen on Yeah Go go

Astros Go All right, so Birkman isn't playing in this series because he's really old. All right, let's go back to the phone. 713, 2,1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 790. 7.1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 790.

Let's go to Carrie and Spring on 790. Hi, Carrie. Carrie. Carrie. Carrie was like, damn, I haven't speechless left for that last call. Kevin and Pearland at 108 on 7-90.

Kevin, how are you? Oh, I'm doing great, Matt. Thank you. My main goal is to avoid y'all playing the Go-Go-Go Astros. Good luck. Hey, we're on edge, my man. We're on edge. Anyway, just two topics.

I want to ask you about the Cougars game tonight, but I did want to ask you, And I know this did not cause the ashes to lose the first two games, but I just wanted to ask you, when Carlos Correa said that, hey, we're trying to do a dynasty, I think if anything, and of course the nationals didn't need any bulletin board material to win the games. But I think, what do you think? You've got to win at least two championships before you start talking about that. No, I think I think Dynasty started three, actually.

Oh, three. Yeah, that's just my own... I didn't cringe. No, no, that's my own rule. But I winced a little bit. You know what? I heard it too. I'll be honest, I didn't wince.

Because I think that the Astros have been talking about World Series since the first day of spring training. So this isn't an indictment against the nationalists. It's about what they think they are and who they are. Right. And I love Carlos. And, you know, hey, I love the positive attitude. So that's all cool. But with the Cougars tonight, what do you?

you think? I think SMU, their favored by 13 and a half. They haven't scored less than 41 points in any game. The over 67 and a half, so I think Ross is more of the degenerate. What do you think, Ross? What should I go with? Well, I mean, I know those are the spreads,

but I can't say I've known a ton about SMU and EOH football. I can tell you a few things. First and foremost, I think Clayton is back tonight, which is a good sign. He was really good against North Texas before he had the injury with the hamstring. Shane Bouchel, Ross, going to hate to hear this. Baller.

Is having an amazing season, like draftable NFL player season good. Why would I hate to hear that? Because he's a former Texas player. I wish Shane the best. Do you really? He lost out to Sam Ellinger. Sam Ellinger's a better quarterback. He is throwing for career highs and yards and touchdowns.

His interception numbers are dramatically different. They are, the only thing that you can hope, Kevin, is they are overplaying. They had 109 plays of offense against Temple last Saturday. You're going to run out of gas if your offense is out there 109 times. So hopefully the Texans are the, you said, The Cougars will stop them and not be able to do that, but they are not only throwing the ball for more than 300 yards a game, but they're also rushing it for about a 150 contest. This is the best SMU team. They've had since the death penalty.

This is how good they are this year. Exactly. Well, thanks a lot, Matt and Ross. All are the best. We'll see you. I appreciate it. Thanks for the phone call. We're worth 13.5 point dogs at home to SMU?

Why don't you just kick me in the testicles repeatedly? Come watch the game with me at Timeout Sports Bar and Friendswood. courtesy of Dosakis, ice cool and refreshing. Is it ever lukewarm? No, why would you have a lukewarm, a beer? Well, at some point, beer is a lukewarm. They don't naturally come out of the game. And then you don't drink them.

You order another one, or you throw it back in the freeze for about 15 minutes. Okay, very good. Okay, so, yeah, I'm not there because I got Rockets tonight. I'll take a rocket call. I damn well will after a day like today. Rockets, one and a half point favorites over the Milwaukee Bucks. Did you see anything last night? We were busy watching baseball, right?

I didn't watch any. I watched a couple nights ago. I watched a little bit of Lakers Clippers. That's the only NBA I've watched so far. Yeah. I am so excited. This is a really good way to open up the season. Three home games against three teams with interesting storylines.

Now, obviously Zion Williamson not playing for the Pelicans, you know, puts some of the star power out of that, but who cares? It's the New Orleans squad that thinks they're going to make the playoffs this year. And, of course, Milwaukee thinks they're going to win the East, and then you got Chris Paul coming back to Oklahoma City. So it should be a good weekend starts tonight with Milwaukee, and we'll have it for you right here on 790 beginning at 6 o'clock, right? Yes.

Launchpad? I think so, with one of the Adams. I will be having your launch pad during the World Series game Saturday. So, you know, if things go, if the wheels start falling off and the Astros are getting swept, just tune to me on KTRH. That's right. When in doubt, go to Ross. 713-21, 5.

790. We are to continue with you guys spilling out your guts. You're upset. You're mad. And we're not going to play any more depressing music. I don't think between now on 3 o'clock. It's 113 on Sports Talk 790. Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson here. You're listening to the Matt Thomas show

on Sports Talk 790. Welcome to a slow dance part of the Matt Thomas show. Ross, how'd you feel about slow dancing when you were in junior high? Um, I was against it. I didn't really go to dances and stuff like that.

This is a good slow dance song, right, Nicola? Back in the day when you were a kid? Sure. What movie is this song in? No, no. What is this? It's Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House, so one-hit wonder. I don't think it's over.

I had a Halloween party in my garage in the sixth grade. We did a couple of slow dances in our Halloween costumes. Did you get separate? What were you dressed up as? I don't remember. I really don't. Fred Sanford? Stop.

I don't want you do that these days anymore. You don't need to be creepy old garbage junk man. 7-1-3-3-th. That'd be a good question. You ever want to have a good time with your buddies when you're having a cup cocktails. Can you name the first song you ever slow dance to? I can tell you mine because we were big fans of Chicago when we were kids.

Yeah. I think I had to probably go a hard to have it to break would be the song. I was mine. This had to be a slow dancer for somebody. I really don't remember. Yeah. No idea. It's probably Montel Jordan.

This is how we do it. I don't think that was the slow dance. No? No, I don't think so. So slow dance with your girl tonight and then get revved up for the Astros. Yeah, we can take a day off. Like, you just relax. Watch some baseball.

I mean, I watch some basketball, watch some football. And then get ready. Get World Series mode back tomorrow. Like tonight, I'm all in the rockets. Yeah. Got the first game, Milwaukee, I'm going to scream Russell Westbrook's name for the first time in a regular season game. I'm all amped up. Got to boo the bucks.

Tomorrow we're going to be at Twin Peaks at 290 doing the show. Wonderful. And then we're going to just have a couple of cocktails there, take a nap, Uber home, then watch game number three of the World Series. Monday when we're back, are we still talking about a series? one, two, three. Yes. Yes. What?

What? Let's try this again. One, two, three. Yes. Okay. One, two, three. Yes. Come on, Nicholas.

Nick. Where is it, Nikolai? Brian. Are you rushing? I don't know. I'm no double agent. Hey, good afternoon. Roth, M.T.

Hey, quick question, Matt on the Rockets, before I get to my aster's point, with Green being out most likely for the year, does that just give, say, Daniel Howlton? I know Green isn't a full-time starter, but does that give probably Green more playing time, or does it switch over to like McLemore? I think McLemore gets some time. I think, you know, I don't know, to be honest, and again, rotations can change. But, Brian, my first thought about a healthy Gerald Green is he probably plays 12 minutes a game. so it's not like you're having to really soak up a lot of miss playing time. And I could be wrong, but I just thought with the team is with the depth that they have in the Daniel House and Eric Gordon and don't forget about Austin Rivers and now McLemore. Yeah, I would have thought he's 12 to 15 minutes.

So I don't know where those minutes get chewed up, but I don't know if it's something that's going to keep Mike Dantony awake at night. Yeah, it's not that big a deal. I was just wondering if you had heard, you know, maybe, you know, they're going to give a few more minutes to house or just kind of evenly divided between everybody and all that. Well, Daniel House is going to be a starter. I mean, that's the thing is that, you know, I think they want to reestablish Eric Gordon as a six-man. And I'll tell you, honestly, Ross, I know how you feel about it.

I'm right there with you. I love the fact that Eric Gordon, in theory, can give you 18 points off the bench per night, if that's how it works out that way. Eric Gordon is exactly essential to a championship team as a guy who, you know, as in front of mine isn't a superstar, but somebody who can go out there and get the job done, both defensively and offensively.

can go score you 20, and then we saw, like, last year in the playoffs, he can go lock down Donovan Mitchell for stretches as well. So, Gary Gordon is extremely important, vital to the success of the Rockets. Yeah, and hey, Matt, on the Rock, or on the Astros, two quick points. One, do you think when that comes to Sanchez, since he's a righty, that maybe Yordon, based on the way he's hit the last couple of games, gets the start over Reddick? I mean, I know you lose something defensively, but, you know, right now you got to have some kind of hop in the lineup and at least he's starting to, looks like he's hitting the ball a little bit harder. That would be my guess, at least for one of those games.

And then I'm not doing this as a troll job, but I saw the numbers that Wexler tweeted out yesterday during the game, I guess, in the World Series, JV has given up nine earned runs in the first inning. Yeah, his ERA in the World Series games, and his first inning ERA in the postseason has been really bad. I mean, you give me JV second through seventh inning, and it's good. The first inning, for some reason, has haunted him, especially this year. Which brings me to my point, would AJ even consider, and I know it's hard to say, consider going with an opener? No. No. No, no chance.

No chance. No way. I know. I know it's crazy to say. That's why I'm going to shoot it down. No chance. No way, no how. It's crazy to say because it's crazy to say.

It makes logical sense. But he would never forgive it. Verlander would never He would never forgive AJ for something like that Verlander's come out and talked about how he's not down with the opener No he would he would scold AJ to make AJ afraid to come outside for a couple days in play

That's just the truth Yeah it's what I thought but I was like You gotta get him through that first inning with that high A-F-E-R-A so It is high A-F that's for sure thing That's the only reason I brought it up Yeah that's very fair Brian thanks for the phone call good hearing your voice

Rossi I think he brings up a good point Who's starting in left field and game three or game four or game five or do you want to talk about three four or four or four five reddick doesn't i mean from an offensive perspective reddick is michael brantley starting a left field centerfield springer in right field redick would you uran's only a left fielder yeah i know no no i'm not putting him anywhere but left field i'm not even talking about that you're talking about game okay game three is going to be sanchez with the righties righty.

Yeah. Brannley Springer, Reddick, I think. No, no. Remember, don't hedge. Okay. Call your shot right now. Brantley Springer Redick. So you don't think Yardin plays in game three as a starter. I don't think so.

I would have to agree with you. But the trigger is going to be quick. If Redneck looks overmatched, they can shift it pretty damn fast. All right, how about this? I'll throw this out to you. Does Yordon start a game in this series? You mean on the On the road

Road side of it It would only make sense To do it here with a pitcher No He's hit the ball better Now he's not hitting a lot of power But at least he's hitting If he is in the lineup

It'll be It'll be tomorrow Not gonna start him Against Corby Nope You might even see Mariznick In that game I don't

I don't You know I'm not saying you're the one Selling it But there have been people Selling Jake's nice But he's not Starting him

Does not mean You're going to be a plus position. No, me either, but he plays great. You improve the defense, and you know, you should need to get a hold of one. I'll tell you this. I'm going to call my shot right now. Okay. I'm going to call it. I think Yordon Alvarez plays left field tomorrow. Brantley and Wright Springer in center. Correct. I'd be down with that the way that

Alvarez is him better and you need, you need bats. And AJ's going to be asked about this. They meet, they get to D.C. in a couple of hours and they'll have a media availability tonight. His bat's better. Unless you just believe he's a complete butcher in left field. That's one reason. Think about this, though. Grinky, I would be more confident in a Cole or Verlander start because they get more strikeouts in fly balls

than Grinky who is looking for contact, soft contact. So we're actually pushing our own cause then to say that Yor Dine starts then. If you're saying soft contact ground balls... Well, I mean, there's going to be more balls in play and get a Grinky start than a Verland or Cole start. That's the thing that would give you pause. Yoron starts tomorrow.

Okay. I'll say he does it. saying I want him to or I'm trying to guess. I'm just going on a hunch that says Reddick's bat is just, it hadn't been good this whole postseason, to be honest with you. Right? Correct. Well, he had one home run so far, but the rest of it's been a lot of goose eggs.

A lot of goose eggs. Real Texans Talk H-Town Sports all day. On Sports Talk 790? No other radio station set on my pre-bed. Home of your rockets, your Astros, and your talk. I felt good in the box all day and whether I'm 0 for 10 or 10 for 10 every time I walk up to the plate I believe that I'm gonna hit a missile. Friends and us still right there so yeah you know we know we have to go there and win some

games we have no choice but you know there's no reason why we're not gonna do it we're good as a team we're rooting for each other so I think we're good. I really wish there was some leadership in that clubhouse, Ross. That's the reason why this team is down O2. Stop. Says dumb-ass Astro Twitter. Some of those takes just aren't worthy of... Here's what I'm going to start doing.

If your take is so bad, I'm going to put it out there, retweet it, and ask you to take out the word Astros, rockets, cougars, anything that would... Dynamo? I couldn't even tell you if Dynamo take was dumb or not. But point being is, if you have a take on a... team that I cover and or like or both. And it's so bad, I'm going to ask Twitter to have you rename your Twitter, your avatar. Because I can't have the word Astros in dumbass Astro takes. Rocket fan for Life's like, why don't the Rockets trade James Hardin and Russell Westbrook

in order they can go get Serge Abaka? You know what I'm saying? I just, I can't have that. So your takes are so bad. and I see them either through people that I follow and they retweet or I follow you, you're going to have to get exposed. It's called old sports MT exposed. MT exposed.

MT exposed. Okay. I just go straight to the mute button. Now, I don't mute. If somebody disagrees with me, I don't necessarily go to the mute button. But if somebody says something that is so asinine and off base that they just clearly are living on another planet than I am, then I just go for the mute button and I just try not to worry about them. And here's the thing that's funny is, is that when,

someone takes a shot at me and I fire back, they go, oh, look who's being all sensitive. Wait a minute, Gibroni, you started it. It's true. You started it. Yeah, some people feel the need to just go at people on Twitter. I don't know. Because you know why. I don't mean to stereotype, but you're losers, okay?

You have no friends. You stare at your computer all day. There's no chance you're having sex at all. Probably not happy with your life or your home life. Yeah. You're eating ramen six days a week and really, pissed off about it. Somebody didn't invite you to a party. You didn't

get to kiss a girl on your 16th birthday. All the stuff that makes you who you are is what you are. So don't take it out on me. If you want to disagree with the take I have, I'm more than accepting of that. But do not taking a shot in the mean just sitting and going,

well, I think I should just let him say what he said about me. No, I'm coming to act you, especially when I'm fired up because the Astros are down O2 in a playoff series. If the Astros had won both games, I I would have let it slip by. But I'm not that way today. I'm ownery, as the kids say. Cantankerous, M.T.

Yeah. Because I ain't given up. And I sure is how I'm not going to sit around and look at my timeline of people saying, well, if there was a Brian McCain leadership type, this team will be. What? Dumbass. Jose Al Tuvei is a leader. Justin Verlander is a leader.

Alex Bregman is a leader. George Springer is a leader. A.J. Hinch is a leader. The team has too many leaders. Should the tech, should the Astros have less leaders? They're like the UN. They have a whole council. That's right. Ms. Carroll on 790.

Ms. Carol, what do you got today? Ross and Matt, let me tell you something. All this shenanigan, immature talk, I'm glad that you're lamb blasting it. Because I got a, well, I got a text today. And they're saying this team is dead, bring back the bodies. I know one thing, this team has got grit and it's got guts. It worked. This team had worked hard to get where they are today, and they're going to prove it.

Now, I don't like the fact that they're O and two, okay? But, no, I don't like it, but they're going to change it. And I'm going to tell you, we're going to see who gets the last laugh. I know the nationals are good. They, they, this is their first time in the World Series. And, yeah, they ought to be excited. But we're more excited because we accomplish something. And we're going to send a message.

And Matt Thomas, I love you and Ross. Hey, we go celebrate, like you said before, ain't no stopping us now. Ain't no stopping us now, Miss Carol. You can even tell Miss Carol's got a little burrup or you know what. Yes. It's beautiful to hear. I think she said, hell no. You know, Miss Carol is a God-faring woman.

She's in the church choir. Did she? Oh, yeah. Oh, good for her. We're not doing a revival tomorrow, are we? I don't know. It worked last time. Did it work?

Yeah, they were down to more. Wait. What did they get? We're doing a revival tomorrow. I'm tired. Because here's a problem. This might be tomorrow maybe the last time to do it. It might be the last Astro survival season.

And by the way, if the Astros lose this World Series, two things. One, they're American League champions, okay? Nothing that sneezed at. Third time in the World Series ever. That's an accomplishment. And number two, that means the Nationals just played a better series. They did. Nothing fluky, no umpire, no breaks, no pass interference calls or stuff like that.

They did a much better job. Astros in seven. I had Astros in five. I had Astros at 6 and now I just have to extend it. Nick, I didn't want to ask your answer because you're just going to be a negative Nelly. Yeah, you're probably right.

It's probably a good idea. You know what he's thinking? He says, well, let me these World Series are rolling. I go back to my non-Florida stories. I got them all backed up now. He's got stories for months he wants to tell the audience. That's true. We haven't been going to that well.

We'll go back. It's not true. I just do it like the Astros and go by the numbers. Going with what the numbers tell me. A quick segmental. Dr. Roto coming up at the top of the hour, because we've got to get some fantasy football in. Hey, we have a logjam in our fantasy football league. I'm sure that no one cares, but I just wanted to say that. We're like, we get six teams in a game of each other. That's why we play

fantasy football. So Dr. Roles can give us some good advice. He'll do it for us at the top of the hour. The most awkward nooner you'll ever be a part of. This is the Matt Thomas show. Is a sun going to go down on the Astros? Answer the question, except you, Nick. Elton John has a lot of depressing stuff that fits right in. Yeah, we could actually do Elton John for an hour if we had to. What other song would he... Sorry, seems to be the lonely word.

The Astros threw their season away, like a candle in the wind. Oh, too soon. Goodbye, Justin Verlander. We hardly knew you at all. Turn it out. Turn it out. We're going to see if he can do this. You open this can of worm.

You've got to finish it. I'll help you. Goodbye. Gary Cole We hardly knew you at all I don't even know the lyrics after that

No one of this is negative This is about the Nassar's not Astros I won in the series Goodbye Gary Cole No Turn We never

We never We didn't Forget this song Oh I'm still I'm still standing We should do that though Goodbye Garrett Cole If he leaves

That's a great parody We'll like Gordy handle this Paird Altuve could be tiny Dantor Tive Because the Astros are still standing better than they ever have. Oh, boy.

Hitting the baseball. Doing it like a little kid. All right. Can we get a win so we don't have to do this? Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop.

All this time. Gonna win the series in seven games because it's on my mind. I'm still standing. Yeah. Oh, come on. That's good. That's good improv right there. Wonderful, Matt.

Oh, man. You are tough. We're proud of it. No, I said wonderful. I don't believe you. Josiah and Beaumont on Seven on. Oh, no. This is getting great.

It's just, I mean, what are you going to do? As I was watching the game last night, I was thinking, what could be worse than with what I'm feeling right now? There's nothing worse. And then I thought, well, I could be a Yankees fan or I could be a communist like LeBron James. But I believe I'm not either one of those things. And then I started listening to the all show today. and I got a couple of smiles at. Thank you.

So we're here for it. Make a smile. Yeah. Yeah. The middle school slow dancing, man, brought a smile to my face. I jumped up a little bit. Yep. Yeah.

I'm feeling good. Yep. Yep. I like it. I thought, what's one good thing that happened in the game last night? We didn't have to see Roberto O'Suna come in and give up a two-run, tie, and home run. So, I mean, there's always a silver lining.

Too soon. There's always the silver lining, guys. All right, that's it. Go, Stroves. We're going to come back. We're going to come back. We got. I hope you're right.

And Osuna, if the Astros can't win the series, a lot Osuna doing a job, helping the cause. I agree. So if you want to be, if you want to be anti-Roberto Osuna, that means the series is going to end miserably. He's not trash on the mound. Yeah.

Jim and Memorial 154 on 7.90. Hello, Jim. Hey, I'm going to agree with Carol, Ms. Carroll. Yeah, I'm not scared at all. I'm concerned, but not scared one bit. Okay. But we can do that for you. This is what the show's for today and tomorrow.

Hey, okay, so I've got one question. Yeah? The question is, with the aggression that the other team's hitting, and I'm not seeing the same aggression on the edges or watching too many balls go down the middle with no swing at all, I've seen that throughout the entire season, and it just doesn't seem like the quotient of them swinging on a ball has improved. The approach of them swinging a ball?

when they watch a ball go down the middle, no swing, or if the ball is on the edge, inside or out, no swing. That's been going on since spring season. Oh, come on. Jim, no, we're not doing spring. You've been watching the game. I have. I've been watching them all year long.

You're telling me they are beats on the plate right now? Yes. No, I'm not saying right now, no. But you use spring training card, which gives me a segue to say, what a trip to see the Astros is playing spring training next year. tomorrow. But you're telling me they're beast. Right now they should be beasts,

and I see them not swinging on balls, watching balls go past them at about the same level they were doing in spring training throughout the season. I don't see them becoming beast. Top five in home runs, top two in OPS, top and batting average number. You can watch them at the plate, watching balls go by,

not taking swings on the edge, and say they're doing great. No, they're not good hitting this postseason. But they're also, So they've also won, Jim, Jim, Jim, they've also. Yeah, but Jim, they've won two postseason series already. I love it, love it. I am not a Debbie Downer on the after.

Oh, I could say, I would see otherwise. You drop spring training on me. That makes me feel like a Debbie Downer moment. Oh, hell no. Okay, good. They're doing great. All right. I have a question about the swinging.

When are they going to become a beast? And when was it going to improve? It didn't improve throughout the whole season. Didn't improve. been they were number one or two all year long. What was you wanting to do? When you see, I know you watch those games just like I do. And so when you see them sit there at the plate and they're zero and two because they

watched one go down and then they foul one off, that has not improved at all. I mean, I get what he's saying that there have been, so they've been letting some strikes go by. But I mean, sometimes they've been working counts, especially against surger in that first game. They were working counts. a lot of full counts. They were trying to get them out of there and they were going more of a slower approach and not ambushing like they have done against other pitchers.

That's just what they do. These are professional hitters. I mean, we see guys just watch Garrett Cole or Justin Verlander. See, the Nationals do that. They watch pitches go right down the middle as well. It's just hitting. It's what you do. You're not always seeing fastball.

You're trying to get a look at the pitcher and stuff like that. This is just what happens. This is baseball. And all by the way, who were the first two? starting pitchers they saw in the series to the most dominant pitchers the last decade. Max Scherzer and Strasberg are pretty good.

All right. Those of you online, Jay, Brian, Jimmy, Steve, anybody else that wants to get in. Hang tight. We are not messing around. We're going to take more of your calls. We need to breathe it. We need to get our fantasy football teams together, don't you think? Okay.

Me, the Good Doctor, is up next. Fantasy football talk for a segment that will back to your phones. Believe it or not today is all things about the Milwaukee Bucks. So Ross, get it working. Believe it or not, Milwaukee Bucks. Is the Matt Thomas show.

All right, good doctor. A snack size edition of your segment this week because we've got a lot of baseball folks that want to talk about what happened the last couple of days. Let's get to what's going on in New Orleans. What are we supposed to do about the Saints? Who's the quarterback to start? Well, look, you're going to play Avon Kamara or Latavius Murray. We don't know who's going to start there.

We're going to play Michael Thomas because that's what we do because he's only like one of the top three bus players and all the fantasy football. And then I expect that Drew Brees is going to play. If he says he's going to play, I don't think Sean Payton's going to look and say, no, Drew, I think we're going to wait another week. So I'm thinking Brees plays.

But Teddy Bridgewater has held his own. I mean, it's not like he's done a poor job for them so far. No, he's actually been very good in the defense that has been sensational. Look, Breeze probably has what, maybe another good year, maybe two. At least you know now that Bridgewater is the future of this franchise if they're willing to pay him. Other teams, though, are probably watching him and saying, look, if he's free, they might be willing to take him like Nick Foles type of thing. I want to get back to the other game there with Arizona.

We want to watch Chase Edmonds as well. Cliff Kingsbury screwed most fantasy owners around the world last week by playing David Johnson for one carry. When he knew rightfully well, he wasn't going to use him. I think Edmonds plays this week, and I think we start him. All right. Let's get to the Thursday night game this evening, Vikings and the Redskins. Are we seeing for maybe the first time in quite some time, consistency from Kirk Cousins? We are, and look, this has revenge narrative written all over it, right?

He wants to do well against Washington. And, of course, we have the Adrian Peterson revenge narrative in this game. So I think Cousins has a nice night. I think Dalvin Cook is a must start. And I think Stefan Diggs is a must start. Outside of that, I really don't want anybody in this game. But Cousins has produced. He's way more confident than he was in the beginning part of the season.

There's no Adam's feeling tonight, so that might be interesting. I don't think he throws for maybe more than 250 yards and one or two touchdowns, but it'll be a very solid night. We've got two teams in a hot mess situation, the Chargers and the Bears. Now, as we talked about ad nauseum on the show, just because records are not good and the matchups may not be sexy, it doesn't mean it can't impact our fantasy. Is this a case this week? Well, look, I think they're their own worst fault. Mitch Trubisky's terrible.

Let's just call it one of this. He's terrible. I don't know why they traded up to get him. He wasn't good in college. He's not good at the pros. I think they're going to move on from this guy. So that's why the Chargers are struggling. The Chargers are struggling because they're playing Melvin Gordon,

who's averaged like 1.2 yards per carry, and they're feeding in the football when Austin Echler's obviously the better player. So I think what's going to have to happen this week for the Chargers, we need more Echler and a concerted effort to get Keenan out on the football. I think fantasy owners don't want to play him this week, but you have to because he's, a star. I think the interesting play on the bear side is Alan Robinson. Casey Hayward's a shutdown corner, but he rolled his ankle last week, so Robinson might be better than people think.

All right. Now, on the other side of it, you've got a really good matchup between Carolina and San Francisco, but this game does not scream of a lot of fantasy points, or does it? No, it really doesn't. So look, the 49ers run defense is one of the top in football. Does that mean they're going to stop Christian McCaffrey. No, but they may slow him down. I think he'll have a lot of catches out of the backfield as opposed to rushing for 100 yards. I think DJ Moore will have a good game. I don't love Curtis Samuel this week, and I don't love Greg Olson this week. I think this can be a very physical defensive game. For the other side, I mean, Emmanuel Sanders was an absolute steal, and they needed a number one receiver. They didn't have that. They had Tittle, but they needed

another guy there, which they now have. But I'm going to call an upset here. I think the Panthers win this game. Give the Niners their first loss of the season. We had a chance to watch Jacoby Percette firsthand against the Texans last week. Are we starting to really see some additional numbers, maybe more,

so than we ever thought with Jacoby with the Colts? And how will they do against a Bronco defense that, frankly, has been a massive disappointment so far this year? Look, the Colts are arguably the best coach team in football. I really think Frank Rice is a genius. And I go back to it when he won a Super Bowl with the Eagles. People give Doug Peterson the credit. I'm going to give it to Frank Reich.

I'm telling you, this team Bressett doesn't make many mistakes. They use all their players. They run when they have to. They throw when they need to. I like Marlon Mack this week. I think he's a guy that people have forgotten. I just think that he comes back and has a big week. When Denver, if they fall behind, you know the Rikers want to pound that football. So look for him. I like T.Y. Hilton a little bit. For Denver, you know, I think the Colts defense is very underrated. nobody out there that I'm dying for except Cortland Sutton. I think he will move into the number one receiver role. He's very good.

If you're dying for another player on your waiver wire, Deshawn Hamilton should take over as the other starting receiver. I think if we looked at our NFL schedules in April and said, give us one of the sexiest Sunday night matchups. The Packers and Chiefs would have been probably right at the top of the list, especially now that Aaron Rogers is throwing the ball over the place and that offense is as fluid as it's been the last few weeks. Kansas City, Mahomes is moving around.

not going to play, I don't think, but what do we expect from the Chiefs with a backup quarterback who was really good last week in Denver? I don't know whether we don't know whether Mahomes is going to play. I think he wants to play. I think the question will be, will Andy Reid let him play? If I own Mahomes, what I would do right now is pick up Matt Moore. I would, and I would wait until the very last second to see what happens because I wouldn't be shocked. I would say there's a 20% chance Mahomes go, so watch that. Look, Matt Moore is pedestrian, but he's been around the least. league a long time. He knows how to win a game. That's important for a backup. He's not scared. So the fact that he's not scared, you've got Tyree Kill and you got Travis Kelsey, you've got Nicole Hardman. You have weapons. I think this should be a really good game with one exception.

The Chiefs run defense is terrible. So if Aaron Jones and Jamal Williams batter them with all, with that football and keep on running and keep on running, the Packers are going to win this game easily. Let's get to the Sunday matchup here in Houston, Texas, the Raiders and the Texans, who sits and who plays on both sides? Man, I'm playing pretty much everybody. I'll say that the Raiders are pretty good at stopping the run. But I think Hopkins has a big game. I think Kenny Stills has a big game.

I think Phelves might even find the end zone. So I really like those guys and you have to start Watson. On the other side, I think Carr has an actually a pretty decent game. Darren Waller is a must start. Never asked that question. You must start. I mean to star. And I think Tyro Williams is expected back.

So I really think if you're into the overrun I go over in this game. All right, let's get to what we ask you once a week is to find us a fantasy football league player that's going to dominate. We predict, we ask for, we need Dr. Roto's lock of the week. I really like John Brown this week. The Eagles have struggled in their secondary. Brown has been tremendous.

Josh Allen's more confident than he's ever been. But Brown's not going to be the greatest receiver all year, but he's going to be a great receiver this week. I think it's 100 yards of a touchdown, and I'm locking them in. You know what I need to ask you, who's our fantasy dud of the week? If you had anybody right now that's just like, I've been sticking with this guy and he keeps letting me down? Would that be like everybody with the Cleveland Browns? Is that fair to say?

Well, it could be. And how about O.J. Howard, who I know a lot of people took in like round seven or eight thinking he was going to be a breakout player. And not only has he done nothing, he's got a hamstring issue, killing people. All right. So you are such a big Baker-Mayfield fan earlier in the year. It doesn't feel like it's going to be a good week for them at New England because it's just they're really good. and the Brown's offense is sputtered. Yeah, it's bad.

Look, I think the big mistake here is why the Redskins have not traded Trent Williams to the Browns. The Browns are desperate. They're willing to overpay. Williams wants no part of Washington. That's a trade that would help both teams. It should get done, but it hasn't and without it, Baker just has no time to throw. All right, good, doctor. Tell the folks we can find you between now and Sunday.

You can find me at full-time fantasy.com into the promo code Roto 50 for 50% off your first two months. You can find me at sI.com backslash fantasy. That's sportsillustrator.com, backslash fantasy. And, of course, at Twitter at DRROT. Great stuff. Thank you, my friend. We'll talk again next week. I'd enjoy the games.

Be well. That is the good doctor. More of your phone calls coming up. Plus, believe it or not, shortly. This is the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. Daryl more. This is the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. No more sad songs.

None of a bit of happiness tomorrow. Tomorrow. Okay, tomorrow. Tomorrow. I got a bunch more Eldon Johnson. I figured you did. You've been thinking about it, haven't you? I like it.

I respect that. You respect it? Believe it or not, today is all things about the Millie Walk A Box. Wonderful. I'm excited about the opener tonight. Right here on 7.90, 6 o'clock with the launch pad with Adam Wexler, I believe. They're at TOTA Center today to do their show. And by the way, listen to them for details.

We are giving away a trip to see the Astros play the Nationals in spring training next year in West Palm Beach, Florida. I found it's a four-day three-night trip. Yeah. Four days in West Palm Beach, Florida? Three nights. Three nights. Rental car?

Yeah. VIP tour of the ballpark. Wonderful. Tickets to the first spring training game. Take us on the trip. Well, you might see us down there. You never know. Okay.

You play your cards right. One would hope. I've been in the bars in West Palm. They do okay. Oh, really? What goes down over there? What happens in West Palm stays in West Palm. Is that right?

So Adam and Adam, the A team are going to give away the trip tomorrow at 4, details more about it today during their show 3 o'clock until 6. And check a look at our social media platforms and whatnot. We'll keep giving you reminders. But this is a quick turnaround. Quick trip. Tomorrow, 450, somebody is going to win a trip for two to West Palm Beach, Florida. 4.50 p.m. put it on your calendar.

4.50. All right. Let's go back to the phones and say hi to Brian and the Woodlands on 790. Brian, thanks for holding. What's going on? What's going on, fellas? I'm a little nervous, but I got faith in these boys. I just had one question.

Maybe y'all could help me out with it. It's never been a huge fan of celebrating too early, but does the NFL celebrate the division championship with Champaign and Budweiser? You mean like official celebrations? No, they don't typically do that. What about the AFC championship? Do they celebrate the campaign and all that? Yes.

They do? Yep. Because they're just kind of, you know, I think instead of us winning a divisional championship, which we pretty much expected to do and then, you know, celebrating like crazy, like it's the, you know, the end of the world. And then the American League Championship comes up. Yeah, that was a close game. That was awesome.

We won it. But I think we're all expecting, you know, we want bigger and better things for the team. I just don't, I just, I've never quite understood the whole, you know, I mean, Scott Sparks was just losing his mind. And I know it was a big game. I understand. But I'd rather see a pinata hanging in the, a clubhouse when they get back in that is in the shape of the Washington Nationals, that shortstop

with that smirk on his face after he stuck his hand out and made that lucky catch, just that little smile. If they had him hanging there as a pinata, and we could just beat the living crap out of it, getting ready for the next team instead of saying, hey, let's pop champagne. We did such a great job. Aren't we proud of ourselves? Yeah, we are proud. We are proud as hell.

But let's keep our eye on the real goal here. it's not beating the Yankees. It's not beating the, you know, yes, we need to do that. But I just, you know, I feel like that's like a Formula One race. You know, people popping champagne with 20 laps to go and you're in the pits and you're in second place. You know, it's just I'd rather see them do it after the. Yeah. Brian, are you aware of how the 2017 season went for the Astros?

Yeah. They celebrated after division championship and after an ALDS. win and after an ALCS win that year, too. Do you know in 2018, the Red Sox, when they won the American League East, they had a celebration. And then they won their division series, they had a celebration. And then when they won the American League pennant over the Astros in Houston, they had a celebration there too. Well, if we get, if we, I mean, I'm not saying it's going to happen. But if we get swept, what was that celebration really for?

Okay, I'm done. It was for winning a pennant. I can't do this. Matt's walking out literally. It's for winning a pennant the third time in your history. The Washington Nationals celebrated when they won as well. The Astros aren't celebrating it in drunk off champagne and saying, you know what, we're not going to care. We don't care.

And that's another thing I keep seeing. Well, we took the Washington Nationals lightly. People don't care. The team isn't caring about the Washington Nationals. They're just happy to be there because they got over the Yankees. Do you really think that the Astros and AJ Hinch and Alex Bregman and Garrett Cole, they look up and down the lineup, they see that Max Scherzer is starting for the Washington Nationals, and Steven Strassberg in game number two,

and they say, you know what, we got this. We don't care about the Washington Nationals. Why would we even try? No, the Nationals are a very good team. They've taken the first two games of this series. The other guys get paid as well. It doesn't mean the Astros are overlooking them. It doesn't mean the Astros have celebrated like they've won the World Series.

It doesn't mean that they don't care. It doesn't mean that the Nationals want it more. It means the Nationals are a really good team. they won a couple of games. And by the way, there are a lot to celebrate when they win big series. You don't get to make

the rules on that. Didn't the national... I'm guessing they celebrate and all the... God! I like the idea of adding a pinata, though. Piniata sounds fun.

So now we are bitching about how they celebrated. Are you serious? Deep breath, Maddie. No. Deep breath. I don't know what makes y'all tick. Celebration.

It's a celebration. Well, they win the division because, because they played 150 games. It's a freaking marathon. I'm sorry if you don't like how baseball teams celebrate after every series. It's none your business. It's none of your business because you ain't in that world.

You're not. Holy smokes. I'm losing listeners today. I get it. But I can't do this anymore. I cannot handle you don't like how somebody does it so thus they're going to lose or it's not the right way. No, every team in baseball. It's just what baseball does. They grind. They're there in the middle of February. So they want to pop champagne in September,

by all means, let them do it. A five-game nasty, hard-fought, tough series against Tampa so they can go on. They're allowed to do it. You'll play the Yankees who won 102 or three. games and it's a knockdown dragout six game series and they win let them celebrate let steve sparks go crazy let steve sparks do whatever he wants let them enjoy this we don't have enough joy in our life and you're trying to take it from them what's the matter with you you're right man you know what I really need some days off. I think all of these days and having this, maybe we just don't, what do they always say, Rossi,

you don't deserve to have nice things? Correct. Maybe we just, maybe just easier to be 81, 81 every year, and then just bitch and moan about how the Astros aren't doing something, and then we can just go on to the Texans. Matt, can I show you that you should look at this video that's on my... I'm following people here left. Hold on, I'm going to follow this.

This is ridiculous. This video that's on my... What? Laptop, what do you see? I see people celebrating. Yeah, that's the Washington Nationals on September 25th after clenching a wildcard spot. Why? They shouldn't have done that. And Brian Dozier are getting doused with Budweiser in Champaign.

I'm unfollowing people. I'm muting people. It's worked out okay for them. Yeah, the Nationals are doing, they celebrated. They still seem to be doing okay. Maddie, the greatest sports talk show and the great state of tick. Hi, Jay. What's going on, man? It's been average at best, maybe below average slightly.

You know, it just said because, in my opinion, the Astros are the best team in baseball, American League and National League, 107 wins. And for some reason, they didn't show up the last two games. I don't know. I don't know. But now it turns into a one-game series for the Astros. If they can just take one game at a time, don't look to two games. Take it one game at a time. They'll climb back in it.

I'm pretty confident. I hope so. Thanks, Jay. Appreciate the phone call. 226 on Sports Talk 790. We got some rocket calls in, Rossi. I'll take those. Seriously, I need to go take my blood pressure because I think I'm really losing it today.

Today just, it just isn't a day for me to accept this. There is about 5% of you that, I mean, there are 95% of it. Well, let's get to the 95. We love the 95, right? Yes. The 95 that people come up and say how to meet Astros games, the 95 that come by and see us at home plate barring reel that will see us tomorrow. That will see us tomorrow. Pinemont.

Pinemont. Look at you. 290 in Pinemont. We're going to be there tomorrow. We're going to be in a good move. We're going to eat. We're going to drink. We're going to talk about the game.

Go to Washington for a couple of our reports. That damn five. Ooh. Something's wrong. Some of y'all don't seem to stop watching sports, because you don't take any joy in it whatsoever. Whatsoever. Hey, it's Coach Dan Tony.

Step back three, and the quarter is good. Matt Thomas, my favorite voice in Houston. Now, that's the Lord's eyes where I am. Back to the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. What? You just play more on John Sox. I like how you're thinking, though. I do, I do.

All right, Rossi, he had five calls I get to in this segment. Short, to the point, let you have your peace. Fair? As you work on, believe it or not, all things, Milwaukee, Bucks. They're working very hard. Kyle and Pearland on 7-0. Go ahead, Kyle. Man, it's just a privilege to talk to the best radio talk show

and best public address announcer in the world. Very nice to you to say that. Thank you. I try to cheer you up without a happy ending. Listen, how are the Rockets going to do tonight? And what is their starting five, I know, Who's going to be coming off the bitch, you think? I think Eric Gordon comes off the bench.

I think Tyson Chandler comes off the bench. Who else am I forgetting? Austin Rivers will be off the bench. There's eight right there. I'm trying to think what else. I think you will see the same sort of rotation that you had with Westbrook and Hardin, with Hardin starting. Westbrook taking an early break, just like Chris Paul did.

Staggering, as the kids call it. Yeah, the kids call it staggering. anybody else Ryan Anderson may get a little bit of playing time I think Ryan and Tyson are going to probably split that back up five spot Flying Ryan Anderson Anything else? Anybody else I'm missing so far?

Now, Nene has hurt, is it? Yeah, I would not expect to see much in Nene this year. Nursing that shoulder injury or whatever it is for a long time. It's a serious nurse. Do you look for him to play a lot of minutes for the starters and just kind of feel their way along? Mike said generally speaking, and thank you for the phone call, Kyle, the nice words.

Mike likes to play a starters quarterback. bit. Trying to think of anybody else that would really, you know, NBA rotations, frankly, are nine. They've been trying to walk back the minutes of James Hardin for a couple of years. I mean, they tried to do it last year and the Chris Paul injuries. They've tried to do it, done it before, and he doesn't like coming out at all. He wants to play, whether it's, you know, the end of the season where they've already clinched everything or whatever.

James Hardin likes to be out there. But hopefully I would like to see them go with not necessarily full on load management, but I would like James Harden to not lead the league in minutes like he has been or at least been in top five the last few years. Yeah. McLemore, I'm curious about. Ocephalosia, Tabocephalosia will get a little bit of playing time too. I forget about him.

He's kind of under the radar guy for this. I just don't know much about him as a rock. We'll see it right in hand. Three home games first before they go on their first four-game road trip. Let me go to Jose and a Tescacida. Hi, Jose. Hey, what's up, Matt? What you got to take on my call?

Sure. I'm nothing much, man. I just want to call her to you. up, man. You know, you just can't fix stupid, man. And you're going to drive yourself crazy trying to fix it. The only problem is nowadays we get to stupid is pretty much magnified to the millions because of all the information that's at your fingertips.

But anyhow, ghost shows, they're going to do this in six games. And they just play hard. And they never quit and they won't quit. So for those that don't understand that, don't understand sports, that's just too bad. But that's how it goes in sports. Yeah. I appreciate Jose for the good words. Look, we're here to argue about a player being used, a player not being used, a situation, a start.

I don't. There's nothing wrong with how the Astros have conducted their business on the field at all. They are losing to a really good. better playing national team. One of the things that we do as fans and it's not, I mean, a lot of us are guilty of it, is if a team loses or they're not playing well, we say why. And sometimes it's the simplest answer, right? The Occam's Razor.

It's because the other team's good. But then we start to come up with reasons. We have to think of, well, maybe this guy's having trouble at home. Maybe they're not focused. Maybe they're taking their opponent lightly. maybe they shouldn't have celebrated maybe they're distracted maybe this and this we just for whatever reason us in the sport as sporting public and people who talk about sports we just try to invent reasons and sometimes it's just not that complicated the nationals are good they're having better at bats

the astros played horrible defensively and they lost two games that's it we don't have to invent other reasons of why they lost and here's another thing yeah here another thing the people are saying the astros look like they're pressing Well, yeah, when you're going to the plate and you're swinging and you're missing, you're pressing. When the ball hits the bat beautifully, you feel loose. Trust me, I've never been around a baseball team that was pressing after a 15-hit, seven-run game. They don't press. Nationals are loosey-goosey. Well, of course they are.

They're getting home runs. It's, we assign narratives. Like, for example, if the nationals had lost the first two games of this series, we'd say, well, all that long layoff, they just weren't sharp. they weren't ready for this series because they were off for nine days. They've won the first two games. Well, that long layoff really helped them out. Things are going well. I mean, we just assign narratives based on results when sometimes it doesn't need to be that way.

Yeah. The Astros have respect for the nationals. Yes. The Astros are not void of leadership. They're not taking them lightly. You know, AJ's not being outmanaged. There's just going to be a few things that you just can't go to. And the simplistic notion, you know, fact of the matter.

matter is, the nationals right now are playing like a team. It's two wins away from one of the World Series. And since being 19 and 31, they're on a, they've won all those games. They went whatever it was, 70, whatever in 30. They've been on 105 win pace since that time, since they've gotten healthy. They're a really good team. Wayne and downtown at 239. Hi, Wayne. Hello, Matt, and Ross, Andrea, on show as always. Thank you. I haven't been able to call her. I haven't been able to call on a while, but I've been listening when I can and I enjoy it. Hey, I was just going to say, you know what?

I, of course, I'm an Astros fan. Don't get me to be wrong. But it doesn't happen. It doesn't happen. I enjoy it. I enjoy watching it. Sometimes some of these teams in the Farc Classic in October, they just get hot at the right time, and they're a good team.

And I enjoy watching the game. But, of course, I'm not saying the Astros have lost it, of course. But it won't be a shock if the Nationals win at this point. But they just, they look like they got hot at the right time. I'll hang up and listen, thank you. Yeah. And here's the thing. The bats have never been hot for the Astros at all.

I mean, there have been a game or two. There's been, there have been dramatic home run moments. But this is, what we're watching the last month is a team that's collectively facing better starting pitching. And some cold bats. Most runs they scored, I think, was the aid against the Yankees. And that three of those were un-run because the Yankees were just booting balls all over the place. And oh, by the way, the Alex Bregman that we normally see picks up everything at third base has made some, critical errors. Michael Brantley, who,

I mean, let's face it, the last two times he's been in left field, he's misplayed balls out there. That's not the Michael Brantley we know. Michael Brantley's played 80 games out in left field. By the way, Alex Breggman, a finalist for the Gold Glove Award. Yeah. So this is abnormal work. This is not, oh, he's overrated, or not good, or tired, or

overconfident. This is bad place, bad time to be having the worst stretch of games they've had. A five Astros, finalist for Gold Gloves. Bregman, Al-Tuvey, Uly. Guireel and Josh Redick and Zach Rinkie in the National League. All right. James, East Side on 7-90. Hi, James. Hey, good afternoon, guys. Hey, listen, everybody needs to relax. This is the thing.

Baseball is the funniest sport out of all three major sports. On any day, the best team in the league can get shellacked by the worst team of league. It's not like football where the Patriots are going to lose to the Miami Dolphins. You can win. Baseball is a funny game. Astros thought they were going to walk in there on the first game with Gary Cole, shut them down, and get the win. It didn't happen. So they're starting to stress out a little bit. Second game, hey, look, the nationals are playing loose. They already got one. All they wanted was one. They already got one. They already got one.

So they're playing loose. JV. didn't have the stuff. Hey, look, press was on. Errors were being made. Balls are being dropped. The heating's not there. The heating has not been there. Now all the pressure is on the Washington Nationals, because now they are expected to win. They are expected to close it out. Astros can play loose.

We just have to get past the third game. The third game is the key. If you put that win in our pocket, and the Washington Nationals will really start to panic and start to think about things. Everything is all right, fellas. The coach is the same. The players are the same.

Just not putting the sticks on the ball. Don't panic. Look, we've been there before. Choke City, turn into Club City. It can happen. It's funny because I have a really good feeling they're going to do it and the rocket is going to be one of the top three teams in the West.

You'll have a good afternoon. All right, thank you very much with the phone call. Let's get to believe it or not next. We'll do it at 243-7-1-3-2-1-2-5-7-9. All of you on hold, either call back or be around for the A-team. They're going to be up 18 minutes live from Toyota Center, but we've had a good job on the phones today. Some of you have driven me crazy, but I still love you.

No matter how crazy we get, I'd love that you'll listen. I love that we can fight. I just want some of you to not have crazy-ass sports take. Like, imagine me calling a political talk show. That's what would happen sometimes. Imagine me call Michael Berry talking about anything politics. I'd be the same thing. He'd be wanting to scream at me.

I get it. Calm down H-town. Calm down H-town. This is James Arden. It goes to hard. Three to shoot. Jacks up a three-hands. This is the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk, 7-90.

Are you? She packed my bags last night, free flight. Zero hour 9 a.m. And I'm going to be high as a kite by then. I say this is the greatest Elton John song of all time. It's fitting for tonight.

It is. I miss the earth so much. I miss my wife. We've done Elton John fantasy five, right? Yeah, you lost. I know. I figured I did. Went and out of L.

Mark Sherman even said I had a stronger list. Well. because I drafted the song that taught you all about lion sex. Can you feel the love tonight? Is this the goat of Elton John's songs? Yes or no? You know, I'm the rocket man tonight.

I'll go crocodile rock. Oh, stop. Nick, goat of Elton John's songs is? It's either this or tiny dancer or honky cat. Yeah, I think. I like Campbell in the wind better than this. I like... Okay, let me tell you.

If you see a 47-year-old white bald man in a white explorer today heading downtown later tonight with the windows down screaming this song, it's me. And say hello. And don't tell you, should I honk at you and tell you the Astros don't have leaders? Well, they shouldn't celebrate with champagne. They should have one large pinata of the next team that's ahead of them. Hey, the pinata idea wasn't bad. That's probably not.

This Guardian.com pole has tiny dancer number one. Rocket Man number two. Benny and the Jets. No, that's not better than this. It's not the best one. What about your song? Philadelphia Freedom. Your song is good day.

The Philadelphia is not better than Rocket Man. This is the, okay. Now you're just being perfectly good chari. Let's go to a Starbucks or a bookstore and grab a coffee and just talk about this for three hours. You want to some time? Yeah. About Elton John? But no, Elton John.

songs. You know, Elton John's, Bernie Taupin wrote most of his songs. Bernie's brother lives in the Woodlands, listens to show. Kid if you're listening, what's up? Did you say Kid? Kid. Kit, K-I-T. Oh, is that like his nickname? I'm sure, I think it's his name. Kit Toppin. That's his brother.

Oh, okay. Yeah, Kit listens to the show. I don't listen to this and play Believe it or not, but you know what? Yeah, you know what? I can do that. No, you're already well done with the strongest. On Astro Fans and Rockets. This is a jam, though. This is a jam. Play this for strikeouts by Roger Clemens.

Or baskets after James Harden tonight? All right, let's go. Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play America's fastest-growing sports game. Show we simply called it. Believe it or not, and here's how it works. You'll call 713-212-5-790.

7-1-3-2-5-790. Today's edition of Believe or not, brought to you by Woodhouse Day Spas. Print out your gift card for the gift of relaxation at Houston Woodhouse Spaws.com. Category today is all things about the Millie Walk A. Bucks. I'll read your statement about the bucks. Statements

completely utterly accurate. You'll say this. Bally the bit. Statements erroneous full of bunk and maynip, you will say this. Two, Billy Renauts on the Bucks. Win your prize? Ross, what's the prize? You know what? We're stealing from the A-Team. How about a pair of tickets to see Russell Westbrook and James Harden

reunite for your Houston Rockets as they take on Chris Paul and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, October 28th. the Toyota Center information and tickets at Rockets.com. And you've got to get two correct to win this. We'll do one pair of that. We've got a pair of XFL tickets who give away to their first game ever. So it's either XFL or the Rockets. We're giving you sports tickets here on a sports talk

show. Who knew? Michael on 790, ready to play, believe it or not? Yeah. In their history, the Milwaukee Bucks have retired the numbers of nine different players. Believe it or not? Believe it. Sorry. Thank you, friend. We've got to go fast in this. Roger on 790. Ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. The Milwaukee Bucks were originally to be named by fan vote.

The winning name was Robbins, but the team went in a different direction. Milwaukee Robbins, believe it or not. Believe it. Believe it. The state bird of Wisconsin, Wisconsin. Statement number two for the win. The Milwaukee Bucks play their games at the Bradley Center. Believe it or not.

Believe it. No, now they're at the brand new FISA Forum. It's a tricky one. feel bad about that one. That was a little minutia-esque, but that's fine. Larry on 790, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Come on with it. In addition to twin brother Robin, Brooke Lopez has another brother who has played basketball

professionally. His name is Alex. Believe it or not. Let's go with that with a believe it. Believe it. Statement number two for the win. The Milwaukee Bucks costumed a deer mascot is named Bango. Believe it or not.

Bango, believe it. There you go. Nice job. Either the XFL or the Rockets, so you're coming your way. line number three. McLean on 790. McLean, your favorite part of the radio show today. I love it.

Listen, everybody might cry about the Astros. The winning as head coach in Milwaukee, Buck's history is Don Nelson. Believe it or not. Not. Oh, sorry he is. Or is they say in Canada. Sorry.

Robert on 790. Robert, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. While in high school, Eric Blasso had a math grade inexplicably changed from an A to a C. From a C to an A, I'm sorry. From a C to an A, so he can be eligible to play in college.

The NCAA investigated it, but took no action. Believe it or not. Statement number two for the win. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time Bucks leader in points. Second place is Glenn Big Dog Robinson. Believe it or not. Believe it. There you go.

Two winners. Just what we needed today. And we're taking care of. Beck and Maston, Buick, GMC has nothing but winners. thousands of vehicles on their lot at amazing savings because those 2020 vehicles have got to start rolling in the 2019s that are left over need to move we're talking about $13,000 off the MSRP in a 2019 Yukon how about $11,000 off a 2019 enclave or $12,500 off the MSRP in a 2019 Acadia I speak of these vehicles I speak of so many of them because I have purchased not one vehicle

from Beck and Maston but two I'd love you to purchase two but go by and get one and you'll see why selection, price, and repeat business is the reason why Houston's favorite Buick GMC dealer is Beck and Maston, Buick, GMC. Two locations, FM1960 and Jones Road, 45 and Fouquet, online beckhamaston.com. For Beck and Maston, Buick, GMC, where you can experience the new Buick today. Tomorrow we're at Twin Peaks at 290 and Pinemont. More details on a chance for you to win a trip to Florida to see the Astros and Nationals in spring training with Adam and Alamos.

Adam, they are the 18. They will entertain you between now and 6 o'clock. They're doing a three-hour show today. Gosh. Imagine them. Are they going to be okay? They're going to be, they may have to take a vacation day or something. Talk to you all tomorrow at noon for an anything goes Friday on 790.