The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - The Matt Thomas Show 11-12-19

Episode Date: November 12, 2019

The Matt Thomas Show w/ @SportsMT, @SportsRV, and @ProNickLow 11/12/19JD Update (0:00)Astros World Series In 2017 May Have An Asterisk (22:22)Eric Gordon Needs Surgery (30:44)Aaron Reiss on Texans v Lamar Jackson, "Goal Is To Keep Him In The Pocket" (38:25)

Much larger than life. Yeah. Lunch timers is the Matt Thomas show. 12.03 at H-Town. What's happening in lunchtimers? Good afternoon to you, and welcome to a Tuesday edition of the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790 alongside Ross Villarreal. And Niccolo, I'm Matt. We are very happy that you have made the decision to spend some time with us today.

We're going to entertain. inform, maybe inside a few arguments, whatever we need to do between now and three o'clock to keep you right here on these airwaves that we call sports talk 790. So let's just not even mess around here. We have had a lot of JD Clowny talk in the offseason. Remember we had a new matter of fact. Nick, can you find us the old JD Clowny Update? We miss playing that because there is no more updates because he did get traded and he did

move on to the Seattle Seahawks. Oh, there is an update. he's kicking ass with the Seattle Seahawks. So let's get you on here. JD Update. When is he going to show? He certainly showed up last night. And what turned out to be

a pretty amazing Monday night football game. I was, thank you to technology. After the Rockets New Orleans game, I got under the team bus and then was able to put it on my phone and watch most of the fourth quarter and obviously all the overtime before we left to come back to Houston.

That was a great football game. As I correctly predicted, a four-star selection. The Seattle Seahawks were going to win the game. Yes, you did call for the outright upset, but also your score prediction had an under which you didn't hit. But that's okay because it went to overtime. That's right. That's right. So J.D. Clani gets an opportunity to be on the national stage.

I mean, the Seahawks don't make a lot of Sunday. They're not a super big national TV. team. I think they're decent. Decent. They're on as much as the Texans are. I would say possibly more. Point being is this. They're on Sunday night football and literally next week. Point being

is this. Monday night football the after week after that. But how many times? Sunday night football week after that. No. Yeah. Look, Seahawks. 7 p.m. NBC. 7 p.m. ESPN. 7 p.m. NBC. 3 straight weeks. That must have been a flex or something. probably getting out of a Buccaneers Falcons game.

All right, so point being is this. J.D. Cloney, when he's in the Pacific Northwest, is out of sight and out of mind, right? I've been keeping an eye on him. Well, I'm going to say that I haven't because it'll make me sound better because I don't want to think about

what the Texans gave up and in return got a pass rusher in Barquevius Mingo. How's Kiki Mingo been doing? Kiki's been at least active for games. Jacob Martin is a solidifying himself as a backup linebacker for this team. Nothing in terms of being a starting lineback, but just solidifying the reserve role. And then the obligatory third round pick that the Texans will wind up either trading away or releasing the guy because the guy's out of shape or whatever the case may be.

So yesterday was a day where you sat back. you wanted to watch a little Sunday night or Monday night football and then J.D. Clowney did his thing. Second and seven. And he is take ball. It's a slight that things can change so quickly. Sharon Reed forced it out. Clowny's scoop and score. Second defensive touchdown of the year for J.D. Clownie, by the way.

Then he would do this. Ropolo as the ball is out and it is Seattle's ball. That is who came up with it. And then after you see those two amazing things on Monday night football, you get booger to brag on him. It's called a, they call in the business a booger brag. Just look at the power.

We talk about his athletic ability, but Giadion Clowney just walked number 69, Mike McClinchie all the way back. Just watch him get underneath. Watch him and just extend the arms and just lock McClinchie out. He has been a one minute. wrecking crew tonight. Sacks pressure. This is the DeVion County. They traded for and he's showing up in a big time game. And you know what? It hurts. It absolutely hurts. That he's not wreaking havoc.

Imagine what life would have been like. Okay, JD, uh, uh, J.J. Watts done for the season. Peck muscle. Man, that sucks. This is a guy J.D. Clowny, ferocious as ever. Doesn't feel, Doesn't feel great, Matt. Doesn't matter. Should matter. Now, granted, the Texans are six and three. Yes. First place, AFC South.

Very important stretch of games coming up. It'd be nice for J.D. Clowny to go chase after Lamar Jackson for a better part of three hours on Sunday. And you can point to the fact that Clownie only has three sacks the entire season and ten games. Okay. But he's been really good. It's not all about sacks with him. We know that. I mean, he's never had double-digit sacks his entire career, but he still is such a game-wrecking force, what he does in the run game, the pressures that he gets.

Yeah. The fact that nobody in basically in the entire NFL can guard him one-on-one because of how strong he is and how explosive he is. And we saw it on full display on Monday night, and it stings a little, Matt. And absolutely it's going to sting for quite some time, especially if the Seattle Seahawks swine up one of the NFC this year. and if she's wide open. I could argue that Seattle's going to win the thing. I could argue that Green Bay could do it. I still could give you an argument that San Francisco's got a chance.

New Orleans? Yeah, I think New Orleans got a wake-up call with the loss. Yeah, they just lost to the Falcons, but they're still a really good team. Yeah, I mean, you're going to have some bad regular season losses sometimes here and there. It's a wide-open race. And don't forget the Dallas Cowboys either. I think if the Cowboys could ever put it together, you saw enough of them offensively to go, man, how is any team going to stop that for four quarters?

especially with the aerial attack that Dack Prescott was putting out there against Minnesota on Sunday night. Minnesota, by the way, don't forget. I mean, the NFC is wide open. It's really going to be fun. I think the playoffs, those in playoffs, I are like four times more interesting than the AFC playoffs are going to be, where you have like the Pittsburgh Steelers waltzance in there with the Buffalo Bills and stuff like that. Yeah, Pittsburgh, Buffalo in the mix.

Indianapolis without their quarterback. The Raiders are in the hunt. NFC is much more top-heavy right now. isn't even close to being invincible at this point. Oakland could take over the AFC West. So, and look, we're not going to belabor what happened last night because it's not like it's three hours of how bad do we feel for ourselves that J.D. Clonney's doing this for Seattle as compared to Houston.

But it was an opportunity for them to be on the prime stage. And the guy that left for Barquevius Mingo, the barkster. Is that what they call him? The barky man? and Jacob Martin in a third round pick. It doesn't seem like the Texans are one in the trade. I think he's getting better every week. I bet you'd too, Bill.

Could you imagine somebody at the Wednesday press conference going up to Bill O'Brien and saying, hey, coach, you have a chance to watch somebody in the night game? What were your thoughts on JD's impact? I would love for someone to ask him that. We can't do that. It would be amazing. He would basically, he would tell Amy Palsick, the Texans' PR director, who is that person? Please escort him out of the building.

He chose who we chose and we're happy with who we chose. Yeah, I don't know. I don't think Mingo Martin and a draft pick equals J.D. Cloney at this point. All right. Aaron Reese is going to join us in The Athletic coming up at 1 o'clock for some Texans' conversation. You are welcome to join us throughout the course of the day. Did you watch the game last night? And when you, as you were watching it, were you,

and maybe seething Ross is too strong of a term? but there had to be a little bit of, man, he should still be doing that for us. I think it's very fair to say that. It's weird seeing him doing it in a uniform that is not the Houston Texans. Boy, I don't know. There's been some times he's been dismissed time here and there. I haven't been like, man, this was a sure be a good JD clowning game. Now, I thought that as soon as JJ Watt went down for the rest of the season.

That's when he was usually at his best. That's right, when the two were not on the field at the same time. 713-212-5-790 if you want to get in on the show today. 7-13-212-5-7-90. The college football playoff polling is going to be out again today. We should have a clear definitive number one base of what LSU did. We have our favorite rookie, Jordan Alvedo, the rookie of the year. And something happened yesterday when Yoron was announced as the American League rookie of the year that made me sad.

And I blame Ross for this. I'll explain that. And the Rockets picked up their 40s. straight win last night against the New Orleans Pelicans as James Hardin was the Western Conference player the week last week and lived up to that with his performance last night. So a lot to get to today. We'd love for you to be a part of our show, 713-212-5-790 on Twitter at SportsMT, at SportsRV and at Pro Nick Lowe.

It is a Tuesday edition of the Matt Thomas show where we are getting you ready for the start of the biggest stretch of three Texans football games of the team has had in quite some period of time. former running back of Herschel worker. You're listening to Matt Thomas on the Sports Talk 7-9. Our friend ATX-O-Gerl on Twitter may have said it best

is watching J.T. Clowny, J-T. Clowny, J-D. Clowny, Jilted Lover Syndrome. The one that got away. She's happy now, Ross. We didn't send her away. We didn't break up with her. She didn't break up with us. Well, for the sake of the argument of this segment,

we did. Okay. There was a breakup. There was a breakup. Yeah, semantically, we don't care. There was a breakup. The Texans is an organization, and J.D. Clunney could not come to a long-term contract extension.

Franchise tag, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. There was a breakup. Hmm. So guess what we found out? We lived. We found out that our girl moved, Ross, 1,800 miles away to Seattle, Washington. Kind of out of mind.

And guess what? We've been dating. We're done all right. Yeah. And, you know, we've had some good. Good dates. You have some downgrades as well. We've had some downgrades, but generally speaking, we've been able to, as they would say, keep busy.

Not think about the past. Okay. Then we went on Facebook. Right. And then we saw the girl in Seattle with her new beau and join life. She's got a ring on her finger. I've found the man of my dreams. and things couldn't be any better.

That's what J.D. Clowny has done. He loves his new teammates. He loves his new team. Oh, by the way, that team has, you know, got just as much a chance as his old team of going to the Super Bowl. So it's not like he's not missing anything by being here. JLTid. J.D. Clowny is the jilted lover.

Okay. I guess I'll buy it. You should buy it. For the sake of a Tuesday at 1222, you should actually buy it. Yeah, sure. We miss you, J.D. We wish you weren't gone. You know, because here's the thing.

It would be one thing if fans were to say, if JD was here, the team would be bankrupt. They would be handcuffed by move because of Clowney's contract. And that just really isn't the case. All right, I'll make it this way. How about this? I'll alter it slightly. Okay. It's like if you were dating a girl like in high school and then she had to move away.

and then you go see she's happy with someone else. Because, you know, it wasn't our fault. Us as Texans fans didn't break up with her. Bill O'Brien broke up with her. It wasn't our fault. So like her dad made her move? Yeah, like her dad was like, hey, I got a new job in Seattle. We've got to move away.

You're like, baby, I love you. I want you to stay forever. I'll always remember you. But high school, we get over the high school relationship pretty quick, right? true. You want me, if you want to age this girl up a little bit. Oh my God, sure. Let's get her to 22. Okay, it happened in college and she had to transfer. She had to transfer. It doesn't fairly as creepy now. Yeah, okay, I'll accept that. We're both in high school. That's not creepy. Yeah, but high school relationships, bleh. That's flung, you must have some. Clownie, that wasn't a high

school relationship. Okay. That was a commitment. That was a, we were almost going to get married. But we didn't break up with her, him, her. Well, no, Bill O'Brien is the Texans. The Texans. That's what I'm saying. It's a breakup. Okay, it's fine. It's like our dad stepped in and said we had to break up with her. So we're really mad at the dad. Yeah, this could be like a Capulet and Montague situation.

Oh, wow. Or a Hatfield and McCoy as a card you like to go to. I do like to go to the Hatfield and McCoy card. I like how you said that to like Russell Westbrook. He's like, what? Okay. Well, we've been able to change the story since then. Yeah, so yeah.

So dad broke. us up. Yes. And now we're really mad because we went to Facebook and Instagram and saw. Yeah. We saw she grew up quick. She's matured. She's blossomed. She doesn't miss us.

J.D. Kloni does not miss the Houston Texans. No, he doesn't. He's on a better team, quite frankly. That's on me. It is on you, Bill. But you know what? We'll all forget about this because we will not be spending a whole lot of time talking about the Seattle Seahawks unless they advance further in the playoffs than the Houston Texans

and then they're going to be really, really better. Clowny's been good. I miss you. I wish they would have locked you up long term, but I understand they want to get Tunsel and Deshawn Watson locked up with their money. But you could have at least had them for a franchise tag. Yeah.

And said, hey, let bygones be bygones. We'll fix this at the end of the year. We will make sure this doesn't happen again. Because I'm the new sheriff in town. Well, I'm actually now the sheriff with multiple guns because I got rid of the other guy with other gun. Okay. Now these analogies getting way out of whack now.

That's okay. I'm still on cold medicine. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-2-1-2-5-7-90. If you want to reach out on the program today, we will get more on the Texans coming up in a half an hour from now. We will get into some Baltimore stuff tomorrow. We are tentatively scheduled to have Ione Eagle on sub-CBS,

who will be calling the game on Sunday on the show. I want to ask him if he knows what. a slip screen is. Why, why that? That's what he got all mad about Mike Fratello. Oh, no, no, no. Did we have that somewhere? I think we might.

We might. Ayan is one of the rare Syracuse people who are nice. That's true. Unless you question about whether or not he knows what a slip screen is. Yeah, I'm not going to do that. So I said, hey, Ian, can you join the show? This is a little behind the scenes. I said, can you join the show tomorrow, meaning Wednesday?

And he says, look, I'm taking a flight to Salt Lake City to do a Nets, jazz game tonight. Red Eye back to New York right after the game and then he leaves Thursday morning to go to Cleveland to do the Thursday night radio broadcast of Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Wow.

Normally most broadcasters would have said, I don't have time for you. I'm sorry, I'm really busy. I'm moving from one end of the continent to the other. He said, let's talk Wednesday to see if we can squeeze a few minutes in. Wow. That's what makes him the nicest Syracuse grad I've ever

He is a sweetheart and even more of a grinder than Matt Thomas. They're making serious much more money than old Matt Thomas' grinder money is. That's either here nor there. But, yeah, so we'll hopefully have him on. And then we're going to try to get the voice of the Ravens on in a couple of days as well as it gets you everything possible ready for this game coming up on Sunday. That's great that he's going to come on. I've tried to book people. Sometimes they're like, oh, I got lunch that day.

I'm busy. Yeah. Most Syracuse guys won't do it. I don't know why that is, because they're generally speaking pretty arrogant people. But Ian is in the exception, much rather than the norm. Beautiful. All right. Let me do this.

I want to applaud and thank and congratulate Jorn and Alvarez for winning the rookie of the year yesterday. Unanimous. Congratulations. I would like Ross for you to go to your Twitter timeline at SportsRV. And I want you to read verbatim what you see. said as soon as you found out that Yarnon Alvarez was the American League rookie of the year.

At Sports RV. All of these awards rolling in and no World Series Championship to go with it is going to sting a little. Are you going to do that when one of the two pitchers wins the American League Syang Award? Yep. Are you going to do that when Alex Spragman either

finishes first or second in the MVP award? Yep. I've got to stop you from doing that. It sucks, Matt? Do we still really care if Garrett Cole wins the Sion? Oh, don't be that guy. Yeah, why not?

We absolutely do. He wore it. And before he put Scott Boris gear on, he wore Astro gear. So absolutely we care. But then he did wear Scott Boris gear. And by the way, the, why y'all get mad at him for that? He wore Scott Boris gear all the time. Yeah, apparently they, yeah.

That's fine. It doesn't matter if you wore it 100 times. Don't wear it five minutes after your team lost game seven of the World Series. That's the hat he came to the... I have no problem with it. Oh, I have 100% problem with it. I saw the video of when he didn't want to go on. He already had the hat on.

So he was like trying to get out of there with the hat on and not go in front of any cameras. So he wasn't trying to make a statement there. That's just a hat he wore. He was just grumpy and he decided he wanted to be a non-team employee as soon as the final out was recorded. He was pissed. He got called up into the bullpen twice and he didn't get to go into an elimination game, which we can talk about that decision.

That's a different discussion for a different time. But he was upset and he wanted to get out of there. And he wanted to make sure you knew that he was no longer an Astro employee. I were in the Scott Boris hat. I think he was trying to get out on the technicality. He was like, why do I have to talk? I'm not an employee. He just wanted to go home.

I'm not worried about the hat at all. I just know that he's probably not an Astro anymore. So go Verlender. Oh, now you're rooting for Verlander to win just because you don't believe Garrett's going to resign. Well, he's going to be an Astro next year. So, yes, I want my Astros team to win as many awards as possible. Okay. Point being is this.

I don't want Ross, and I don't want. others of you bumping around town going, well, these awards are nice, but we lost. Ross, we did lose, and it stinks. But I'm not going to run to my social media and feel sorry with the Astros lost Game 7 the World Series. It was a crappy loss.

And the way we wanted it to. But they are the American League champions. They got to Game 7. They won 117 and a half baseball games. Congratulations. Fine season. Are you really going to be that way? What?

I said fine season. No, I hear, people hear it in your voice. What? It was a good season. That you're going, every time something great happens to the Astros is going to be, well, that's great. Nice job, JV. Yeah.

Where were you in the World Series? You suck. I didn't. I didn't say any of them. No, but people are thinking it. You didn't. People are, but they're wrong. Fine season.

Great job, Justin Verlander. Not a great job in the World Series. I'm just telling you, I'm not going to let you do it at Houston, Texas. Okay. Well, I'm going to do it. I may be a one-man gang on that, but I'm going to tell you, I'm not going to allow one frustrating seven-game series. To tie into the analogy earlier, it'd be like, yeah, something in the time hop

showing up. It'd be like, you broke up with this girl who you loved, and then you go on Facebook and time hop from six months ago. Hey, remember when Justin Verlander was so great he was going to win the Cy Young? And then it pops up, and it stings a little, Matt. I'm okay with it. I mean, I don't care of them losing, obviously. But it was still a magical season.

Yeah, great job. Ross, we got months to fix this. Okay. I'm not crying. There's no crying in baseball. Not crying. Just a little lip quiver. You know what you can do?

You can bemoan this until January 1st. And then I want a fresh, we'll see. I want a fresh, upbeat, baseball's right around the corner, guy. I can't control my emotions. Well, that's why I'm here for. That medicare. 713-212-5-790. Are you having this hangover? So anytime any good news comes out of the Astros, Silver Slugger Award, Best Defense Award, Rookie of the Year, it's, yeah, it's nice, but we lost

the World Series. I hope you're not feeling that way. It's okay to be disappointed, but I'm not going to let clinical depression kick in during baseball's postseason awards. Hey, it's Craig Afferman. Listen to the home of the Rockets on your smart speaker. Just as. Hey, Google, play Sports Talk 790 on IHartRadio. No fear. No worries. And no hair.

It's the Matt Thomas Way. Houston Sports Talk continues with the Matt Thomas show. I know we are in the midst of football, and we will get to more on the Texans coming up at 1 o'clock with our friend Aaron Reese from the Athletics. Speaking of the Athletic, story just dropped five minutes ago, Ross. Ken Rosenthal, Evan Drellich, he used to work here in Houston.

Both the gentlemen working for the athletic. Ken, as you know, is the bow-tying-wearing reporter on Fox. Yes. Headline, literally five minutes ago. The Astros stole signed electronically in 2017. Oh, boy. Part of a much broader issue for Major League Baseball. Four people who were with the Astros in,

2017, including pitcher Mike Fires, said that during that season, the Astros stole signs during home games in real time with the aid of a camera position in the outfield. Now, an MLB investigation into the Astros culture in the wake of the team's firing of assistant general manager Brandon Tomlin could be expanded to determine who in the organization was aware of the sign stealing practice and whether it continued or evolved. in subsequent seasons. MLB in a statement. Beginning in the 2017 season,

numerous clubs expressed general concerns that other clubs were stealing their signs. As a result of these concerns, and after receiving extensive input from general managers, we issued a revised policy on sign stealing prior to the 2019 season. We also put into place detailed protocols and procedures to provide comfort to clubs

that other clubs were not using video during the game to decode and steal signs. After we review this new information, we will determine any necessary next steps. I don't want to read the whole story to you outlaw because it would take too long. But Ross, I think you and I have

been very consistent. At least I have been on this. Stealing signs, the old-fashioned way, like the kids used to do it back in the day, and using the hand signals and whatnot, if you can figure it out, good for you. Stealing signs via video is Bush. Yes, correct. Not a bubble.

We've talked about this. No if, but no misconstruiting of any of this. Let me try to read one more paragraph because I don't want to read a whole story. Okay, go ahead. Early in the 2017 season, at least two

uniformed Astros got together to start the process. One was a hitter who was struggling at the plate and had benefited from signs dealing with a previous team according to club sources. Carlos Beltran? Another was a coach who wanted to help. They were said so strongly believed there were some opposing teams who were already up to no good. That's not playing the game the right way, said Fires, who was with the Astros between 2015 and 17.

They were advanced and willing to go above and beyond to win. Three other sources who were inside the organization in 2017 and had direct knowledge of the scheme discussed its existence on the condition of anonymity. The Astero set up required technical video knowledge and require the direct aid of at least some of the baseball operation staff. I mean, so let's put a few things in perspective on this. Okay. It doesn't mean it's not true, but this is an ex-astro who was not wanted going to another team and now spreading the goodness of what happened while he was on an Astros clock,

okay? Talking, you're speaking of Mike Fires. Talking Mike Fires. Also, one of the reporters of this article, Evan Drellich, had a very adversarial relationship with the Houston Astros organization. That is true. While as a report, I believe, for the Houston Chronicle, correct? Correct. So, that doesn't mean that the information is out there that is not true and that they're getting credible reports.

But there is going to be a little bit of who is the one writing this story, who is the one giving the detail? I don't care. You can do it all you want. You can say that Drellich is holding a grudge. He may very well be doing that. You can say Mike Fires is holding a grudge. He very well may be doing that. That doesn't mean they're making it up. That doesn't mean they're lying.

That doesn't mean what they're saying is not true. And that doesn't mean there aren't other sources. Maybe Drelich went at this story 50% harder because it's the Astros as opposed to some other team. But if he's uncovering these facts and if he's putting his reputation on the line as a reporter and Ken Rosenthal is involved as well, I have no reason not to believe this. I 100% believe that the Astros are doing something that's not above board because it just seems like it's an organization that looks for every single little edge. I will go to the, I'm an Astro Buddy. I'm going to be really naive.

I'm going to hope that a lot of this is erroneous, incorrect information, that this is a lot of speculation without. real proof. Why would Mike Fires hold a grudge? Moving to the athletics was a promotion for him. No. No, no, no.

He was not a part. Did he not make a playoff roster? I don't believe he did. No. This is ex-employee saying, well, when I was there, this is how we conducted our business. This is not about,

this isn't Mike Fires being something out of the norm. This is just ex-player saying, back when I used to play with that team, we didn't do it the right. way. So if he really, if he really believes of the Aster's a cheat, then he should probably send his World Series ring back, right? Yeah. I guess. No. They didn't have to sit it back. So let's do this. We need to read it. We'll have more on this tomorrow for sure. But it's a terrible look. And

it's, in Ken Rosenthal's name carries credibility. It just does. So if he puts his hand, if he put his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, his, is, his, is, his, is his, his story with heaven. There's probably got some, this got some legs to it. And I think it's an awful, awful look. And I really, really hope that there is either some lying, misinformation, or the major league baseball will do a thorough job in, in, in, in kind of figuring out what, what, what separates speculation and what actually happened. Because if this is indeed true, this is Belichickian, Ross. Right?

Yeah, I would say so. This is video cameras. This is bombshell right. This is bombshell stuff right now. This is huge. And I hate it because the Houston Astros, as a baseball team, are really good. And that 2017 team was amazing and fun. And I don't want video stealing of signs to be anywhere near this story and that team.

But if this story is indeed accurate and there's more to it, there's going to be an asterisk next to that World Series team. And that sucks because I'm sick and tired of asterisks involved in sports. Whether it be because of drugs, whether it because of cheating, whether it because of behind the scenes intelligence. Ugh. Load up on those napkins, straws, ketchup, hot sauce, mustard. Oh, and don't forget duck sauce.

It's the Matt Thomas show for lunch on Sports Talk 790. So how will Sunday play out between Houston and Baltimore? We'll get an update on what we think could happen with our friend Aaron Reese and the athletic coming up in 10 minutes here on Sports Talk 790. 713-212-5-790. That's how you reach his show. We have a breaking news sounder here again. What now? Shams Shariniya.

Houston Fears Guard Eric Gordon needs surgery on his knee. that would sideline him at least one month. League sources tell the athletic and stadium. Gordon is gathering more information today for a final decision, but leaning towards cleanup procedure per sources. I feel like, you know, we haven't checked it on much lately? Florida. Florida Evans?

Florida Evans. I'm interested to hear Flo's reaction to this Eric Gordon story. Flo, let me ask you quick. Eric Gordon out of month. Thoughts on this? Hey, Flo. Your thoughts on the Astros apparently electronically stealing signs in 2017

during the regular season and postseason. Hey, Florida, how are you feeling about J.D. Clowney getting a sack fumble and also scoring a touchdown as the Seahawks defeated the undefeated 49ers? Hey, Flo, your thoughts about the McRib going away not too long from now, which is, again, America's... She should be celebrated. America's treat.

Down, down, down. Flo doesn't like to make rib. And also, Florida, your thoughts on Yordon Alvrez winning the rookie of the year and awards continuing to roll in despite the fact the Ashwood did not win the World Series. What? Thanks, CEO for sure. We sucks. This sucks right now for sports time in Houston.

This is not good. Thank out we got the Texans are going to go to Baltimore and beat the Ravens on Sunday. Get the 7 and 3 and get even a wider and more comfortable league in the AFC South, right? Go Texans. I'm back in studio. We haven't been seeing each other by what one day in the last two weeks. And this is what you've done. This is what you bring me, Matt?

No, you're going to bring me down. Eric Gordon's going to be out for a month with a knee injury. You can't handle the truth. The Astros' only World Series championship is now tainted by a bombshell report from Ken Rosenthal and Evandrelich. J.D. Clowney is over here being a human wrecking ball, tossing the right tackles left and right and causing fumble sacks and running. in touchdowns on a really good football team.

And now you are on Alvarez and everybody else is going to be winning awards and they didn't win the damn world series. And the Cougars got to win three games just to get poll eligible. And Texas basketball is playing something called California Baptist. Is that even a real school that sounds made up? Why are we doing sports then? I don't know. Let's do disco.

Remember we were supposed to do disco mad if they lost the World Series? Oh, you like a whole day of disco on the show? Yeah, a whole day of disco music or 70. seriously, this Astro story better not get legs to it. It's going to have legs. It's going to be a problem. I'm saying it better not have legs. It's going to.

Robert in the Woodlands at 1254 on 790. Hi, Robert. Hey, guys. I want to ask two questions, actually. First of all, I always wanted to know Cabella, that orange spot he has on his head. Well, why does he have that orange spot on his head? and then off actress mac he lost all that money and i was wondering that you have to pay taxes when you win do you get to deduct also uh yes a gambling losses are tax deductible up to a point

they are why haven't i deducted them yet because i've had my share of deductible losses uh well you better keep track and better track your bets and just ask just ask harrison whoever because that's why they take your card they're keeping track of how you're winning or losing you can get a report from them how much money you've lost there over a year. Okay, I like that a lot. There you go. And as far as the spot, it's a dye. It's his dye in his hair.

That is actually prevalent with quite a few international players. Yeah, whatever. Doesn't bother me. No, it's not my style. If he wants to get 20 rebounds a game with no hair or with all blonde hair, I don't care. Back to back by the back to back 20-rebound games. Only nine in his career, two of them in the last two games. Yeah.

In both rocket wins. Beautiful. So there's some encouraging news. Clint Capella is a rebounding machine. No, he's going to have to rebound a whole lot more with Eric Gordon out. Well, that means there's a couple of wing players now. You've got no Gerald Green now for the year. Yes.

Gordon probably out for a month. Daniel House is a back-intuitive. Daniel House is not going to play tomorrow because likely the back problem. But we, you know what we've done for you today? This first hour of the radio show, despite my amazing demeanor and warm, fuzzy, calming, soothing voice to the Houston Air, waves has been nothing but a clinical depression lesson for six minutes. Can we start next hour with like happy thoughts only or something? Like some kind of soothing music and just like only positive thoughts. With Aaron Reese though? Oh man. 120. We're going to play some music to get Ross out of this

funk because he's dragging the show down. He's dragging me down. I'm sorry. And he's dragging down the tens that are listening to the show. This is depressing. I don't know what I'm, look, Eric, Eric's out a month. Okay. I can live with that. Yeah. JD Clowny doing his thing, that's fine, just as long as we don't have to see him in the Super Bowl. The opposing season awards, good. We knew this was coming. I'm no problem with these guys winning awards,

despite the fact that... I mean, yeah. Congratulations to Jordan Alvarez on an all-time rookie season. Yeah, in a less than 100 games. And I don't want to live with Major League Baseball coming after the Astros. It's almost like the negative karma is just... It's just the mushroom clot is growing.

Yeah. Between Tobman and this now and losing. I want to hug my favorite Astros and say, protect my boys. I can't believe I just said that on the radio, but that's the truth. You know what I mean? That's what you say to your jockstrap when you put it on. Yeah, that's why I said I probably shouldn't have said it that way. Aaron Reese is going to tell us that the Texans can beat the Ravens Sunday in Baltimore.

Last time the Texans were in Baltimore, was it a, It's been since Jacoby Jones fumbled, right? I'm sure they played there in a regular season game. There was a postseason game when they lost at home, I think, in overtime. I don't want to say to there. The history with the Texans and Ravens has been overly successful. Not that you play them a whole lot, but you know what? This could be the most anticipated one in quite some time.

713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Matt Thomas show. 103 on Sports Talk 790 League. Let's get to some NFL talk on the Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. The most important stretch of the season, three games coming up here. Baltimore Sunday at NRG for a game against the Colts on Thursday, and then home the following Sunday for the New England Patriots.

Aaron Reese is with us from The Athletic. Aaron, first and foremost, give us. a health update? How healthy can the Texan secondary be going against Lamar Jackson and gang on Sunday? Yeah, I mean, Deshaun Gibson said yesterday reporters that he expected, he expects to play.

I imagine he'll play. I think Bradley Robey is a little more up in the air, but when Bradley Roeby got hurt against the Chiefs, it was always kind of thought that he would come back after the buy. The question really was whether that would be this week or, you know, another week or so after. I think that one's the one that we're still waiting to see a little on. What did you think just as a football fan watching J.D. Clani yesterday was there a part of you going, man, he still still speaking doing this for the Houston Texans?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's the people in Houston saw for him too, right? I was watching the broadcast in there saying, you know, the stack numbers haven't necessarily been there for him this year, but the fact numbers have never really been there for him. But that's not really the point. I think when you think about him that way, I mean, he got a second in that game last night, but that was only his third. this season, right? I mean, that's not really, that doesn't mean everything. That doesn't tell the whole story with Connie. And even the numbers that, the really good numbers that he did have, you know, five QB hits and stuff, even that doesn't and the phone work coverage for the touchdown. Even that doesn't really tell the story of everything he does.

I mean, I was just reading something that the athletic Seahawks supporter had. It was kind of some of the plays he sort of influenced and stuff that didn't even show up on the stat line and how that just kind of energize the team. So I think you know, he's certainly a player who the Texas would probably like to have

at this time of year without JJ Watt as they enter this comment. All right. I think all of us know watching any bit of football, the differences between Deshawn Watson and Lamar Jackson, about one's a better thrower, one's a better runner. It doesn't matter. They're both dynamic players. They're both servicing the MVP consideration, and the Ravens have been one of the big surprises this year.

So let's go to first, if you are Baltimore's defense. How are you going to confuse Deshawn Watson and making some mistakes? because it's really the only time he's ever vulnerable is when he throws an unnecessary interception in a wrong place in a wrong time. Yeah, you know, I actually, I was just, I just wrote kind of a step-heavy look at Watson and just kind of by the numbers of where he's improved

and stuff this year. And, you know, you mentioned, you know, he's not very vulnerable to many places this year. Yeah, I don't know. You know, early in the year, I think that teams were having some success that they brought a lot of blitzes and stuff against them. But I don't know, I don't necessarily know

if that's going to be the case anymore. I think that when it comes to this team now, I think that the line, which should be fully healthy again, it's kind of found some continuity and has played better, and Watson has done better job getting into the ball quickly. The last time this team lost, right, against the Colts, he was a little bit, they took away some of those RPO stuff that the Texans like to do, and a lot of that was just having a really good linebacker in Darius Leonard, who I think can kind of make up for, prevent the Texans from getting out in space with the tight end,

Darren Feldman, to make it stuff happen. You know, that I think that the Baltimore has some versatile defenders and this will be a tough challenge for Watson up. All right.

On the other side of things, if you're the Texans defense in Romeo Cornell, who did a really nice job of making Gardner Minchu look beyond pedestrian out in London against the Jaguars, what is he dialing up this week?

What are some things? Because I don't know. I mean, if you put a terrific pass rush on him, he's got great escape He's been able to bounce off tacklers. How does somebody, and this may sound strange, can you force Lamar to throw the ball more than maybe he wants to as part of a key to a victory? Yeah, you know, I mean, I think that is, I think definitely the technicians with DJ Reader

yesterday, kind of just like the key is really staying disciplined in terms of your rush and mostly trying to contain them. I don't think that the end game here, obviously, if they end up sacking them six times or whatever, that's great. But the goal is not necessarily, I think, to try. try to hit him so much as to make sure he could stay in the pocket. But he is, like you said, but I mean, you know, even if you make him throw him more than he wants to, he's plenty of dangerous.

I mean, given that two games, they've been against the dolphins and the Bengals, but he's twice now throwing for more touchdowns and incompletions in a game, including last week. That's crazy. I mean, for a guy that doesn't get the reputation of being a good thrower, more touchdowns than in completions. Now, I will say this. Twice, yeah.

You prefaced it by saying who they played. I mean, they played God-awful football teams. Right, but if other quarterbacks could do that against the Dolphins of Angles every week, they would, right? I mean, he's pretty special. Is he getting plenty of line protection in the games that you've seen in play? I mean, is that an issue? Can there be any sort of pass rush the line backing court can put out there? The front four can do to really force Lamar to maybe make a throw that he would normally a throw.

No, you know, I mean, I think this line is pretty solid. and also what is beyond kind of the protection is getting, obviously, I think just the idea of all the things that the offense can do with the Ravens and all the kind of misdirection and all the guys who could potentially end up having the ball and running with it or throwing with it, whatever, you know, that freezes defenders, right?

So they find ways to kind of, to create time for him that goes beyond simply just blocking their man. And, you know, I don't think that, like I said, I don't think that they're going to hit Lamar a lot. The hope has to be kind of that you don't let him make two guys miss and then burst out for 60-yard run. Yeah. Visiting with Aaron Reese of The Athletic here on the Matt Thomas show,

getting ready for Sunday's game. You know, we have spent, Ross and I have a lot of the last week and a half because we've had an off week talking about this next three-game stretch. If this team goes three-and-o, they're going to win the division, correct? Because the bottom four games are a piece of cake. Let me give you the other side of it. Let's say this is a prolonged losing skit because they're all three good opponents. Not like any of the three, the team has had a lot of success.

against so in recent years. Where would you put this team if this team was to drop all three games? Yeah, you know, I think it definitely becomes a little strange. You know, I originally a couple weeks ago, I would have thought that they would win both those games against the Titans when they play them, do the final three games of the season. Now I think, you know, you probably, wait for football as I think you probably think they maybe lose one of those, right? And then if you, so if you lose one of those, I don't think you can kind of, you may

probably beat the Bucks and the Broncos, but, um, you probably can't lose all three of these. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the Colts slide is something that continues, but I think they're going to get brisked that back sooner than later. So I think they definitely got to win at least one of these. Is Will Fuller expected to be back and just talk about your thoughts on the receivers overall?

And we know Kiki Kootie's falling out of favor. And I thought he was a guy, especially last year, who added a lot of wrinkles to the offense. But this year, he's just not being used at all. And what's going on with that? Yeah, with the rest, Couti, O'Brien has actually been pretty honest about it, saying that he kind of has to play, you know, be a little bit more paying attention to details. And I talked to Couti yesterday, too, with another reporter.

And he said, and he was, he admitted it too. You know, it's not necessarily knowing the playbook being kind of a little more decisive in terms of his routes and stuff like that. So, you know, maybe I'll get back on the field soon. It doesn't seem like O'Brien wants him to be on the best forever. I think a lot of people will say that Kutti is the more talented player than Deandre Carter in terms of the burst and stuff like that. But it's more about kind of Deshaun being able to trust him. So I imagine he'll get back on the field soon. I don't know if you'll get back to the point where he's going to have all those snaps and Carter has none of them.

Carter clearly has kind of has earned some trust on this offense. As for Will Fuller, he was in practice yesterday. But typically kind of they let a guy gear up for a week before they play. So I'm not sure that they'll bring him back out just yet. I think, especially with Fuller's history, kind of you don't want to push them. And the Texans, they kind of have the luxury. They don't necessarily need to push them. Kenny Stolls can still be that deep threat for them.

And then obviously they have DeAndre Hopkins, who is statistically not having the season that fantasy owners are hoping stuff. We've still been a really effective player for them. Let me ask you this. Why haven't opposing defense has been able to figure out how the Texans have so successful have been able to use the tight end in the last seven or eight weeks? I mean, it is an absolute almost guarantee that a tight end finds the end zone at least once per game during this winning ways or run as of late. Yeah, it really is. You know, I wrote about this recently.

There's a lot of factors at play here. One is kind of just that they are using the two tight ends that's so often that, you know, you can't just predict it's going to be this RPO. But when it is an RPO, they have kind of all these pieces that make it really effective. You know, like I said earlier with Lamar, same sort of deal. the threat of Deshaun being on the throw. I mean, that's going to freeze the defender. And if they play towards the quarterback run, then Carlos Hyde can hit the hole really fast. He's been one of the most efficient runners in football in terms of if you look to all the tracking data and stuff.

And then I think Darren Feld was kind of, they found something in him with sort of these easier completions and stuff that he's a powerful player. And he's proven to be more than just a blocker. You know, the cult has success, like I said earlier, because Daris Leonard is a really good linebacker can kind of play all over the field. I'm not quite as sure that every team can do that. We'll see if the Ravens can. I think the winning team, to wrap this up here, Aaron, has to score 32 points to win this football game. I think this is going to be a very high-scoring game on Sunday. Agree or disagree?

Oh, no, yeah, I definitely agree. I mean, I think that, you know, overall, the back half of the schedule, all the kind of advanced numbers and stuff, to the Texan defense was catching a little bit more of a break in the back half from the beginning, and that would allow them to kind of weather the storm of losing JJ Watt and stuff. But that doesn't really apply to this game specifically. I think it's going to be a really high-scoring game. And, you know, if Deshaun wins, I think, can do a lot to kind of boost that sort of MVP narrative and stuff. And if Lamar wins, then he'll only further his own case.

And I'm really excited to watch it in person. Yeah, for sure. Thank you very much, Aaron Safe Travels of Baltimore. We'll talk again next week. Yeah, thanks, Scott. You got Aaron Reese with us from the athletic. Aaron J. Reese on Twitter. Texans and Baltimore, has the line shifted much?

Have you been paying much attention to the odds on this game of it all? Sorry, what? This one, this weekend? They're four-point dogs, Texas. It seems about right, right? Yeah. I think you and I have the same feel of how this was going to go. I'm leaning Baltimore right now.

You can actually not speak under such low tones. I'm leaning Baltimore right now. I'm still believing if I'm going to give them two wins, in this three games set that they're going to have to win this one and win the Indianapolis game. Probably that would be your best beds. Although I don't know they're going to be much more

than the four-point dogs at home on a Sunday night against the Patriots. Yeah. They could very well use the lose to the Colts as well, by the way. No, no, no, no, don't speak to that. No. That's not a guaranteed win. Sure it is.

Texans on Thursday night against the cults are very good. Okay. I think. Can somebody make sure T.Y. Hilton can't get on the plane? Because I feel like that NRG Stadium is the house of T.Y. Hilton built. Yeah, is he hurt? Is he back yet? Yeah, the games, unfortunately.

Can Adam and Terry come down here? Because God knows, well, actually, he loves pain. They need to cut him. Yeah, they've actually got a couple of kickers in camp, but they have not made a decisions yet. Back to the Mad Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790. For the corner, and let's go! home of your Astros. You know what?

This isn't going to work. Ross is sucked me in. He's right. It's not working. It's not working. Eric Gordon's out four to six weeks. I got the Astros being accused of being cheaters during the 2017 season. Wonderful.

I got J.D. Clani scoring touchdowns with the Seattle Seahawks. Fantastic. Yeah, and my Cougars are three and six. Daniel House is hurt. Daniel House won't play. Russell won't play in a back-to-back, either Friday against Indiana or on the road at Minnesota on Saturday. Yeah. I'm working both of those games so I don't have a weekend.

Same. Sunday, let me tell you, I'm turning my phone off on Sunday. You won't be able to find me. You want to hang out? No. My wife and my children between my travel and my sickness the last two weeks have not seen. me. They're like, dad, are you really our dad?

The dad how you love would say hi to me once at a while. It was a lengthy road trip. Well, we've had six to seven away from home. And then I mixed, then the two days I was home, I was battling terrible cold and upper respiratory, which I'm still trying to get over. So I'm in a bad mood about that.

You need relax. 9-0 is not coming back next year. Is that what you're upset about? Well, I mean, there's just matter of fact. Sorry you can't see Tori spelling. Like, I'm I'm going to really miss seeing Jenny Garth, frankly. So here's what we've just done, Houston, Texas at 122. We've given you one after the other amount of bad news.

Does anybody have any good news? Yorra is a rookie of the year. That's good news. Cougar basketball opens up tonight against Alabama State. Oh, okay. Titus Howard's alma mater. Yeah, that's right. I bet titles will be at the game tonight.

Longhorns are 16 and a half point favorites against California. Baptist. Baptist. Oh, I got one. Eric Gordon looked really good in the game last. Oh. No. He did look good.

He did. He did look good. That's why I'm so upset. He was 4-07 from 3, 7 or 14 from 3 in his last two games. Yes. It looked like he'd been turning the corner. And then this. All right.

Does anybody have any good news? 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. if you have any good news because what we've just given you over the first 80 or so minutes is bad. I really, here's what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid I'm going to go home tonight and get my athletic subscription and read this story about the Astros and cheating and we really pissed off. Really pissed off. Well, actually, so I read about a third of it.

It's pretty lengthy. Okay. The big gist of what I'm taking away from this is that basically it's happening everywhere. And that's what Astro fan on Twitter is. is also all over the place saying this, hey, it's happening everywhere. It's happening. Everybody else are doing it. It's okay. It's not that big of a deal. Everyone else is doing it. That's the card we're going to have to go to if we're going to be looking at this through an Astros prism, through the blue and orange. And that's what Astros shoulder would do.

That doesn't make it okay, though. Nope. That doesn't mean they didn't cheat. That didn't mean, doesn't mean they didn't break the rules. Doesn't mean they didn't skirt, you know, trying not to get caught. So to me, it's still a bad look. Even if everybody was doing it. you broke the rules. So then, okay, so if everybody's doing it, why are they pinpointing the Astros? Is it because they're the world champions in 2017?

Is it because there's a dislike of Jeff Luno and the baseball operation side of things? Probably a little bit of that, but also the players interviewed and the people interviewed and the anonymous sources, most of them are astrocentric. So why don't we go do this for the Reds? Why don't we go find out how many times the Reds use videos? You know why? but nobody cares about the rights. That's true.

The Astros are front and center in this story because they've been so successful. Like you said, if the Miami Marlins were doing the same thing and, you know, nobody cares about them, they're not doing well, then they're not going to be the headline. They're not going to be front and center of the story. All right. So if you've got any good news, let us know because my Astros didn't win the World Series. We weren't any of that. And now they're being accused of using video enhancements to steal signs. And look, I don't mean to be a broken record on this.

but stealing signs, good old-fashioned way, I'm more than okay with it. The video thing is slimy. Setting up somebody, apparently, like, there's people in white shirts with signals and out in center field and stuff like that. And apparently multiple people from baseball ops have been involved in these sign stealing operations. It's been like a network of people. And that, to me, is problematic. And that to me is clearly breaking the rules and cheating. I think Brandon Tomlin would give up some information like that.

Apparently he's going to be interviewed by the Major League Baseball. I'm sure he knows some stuff. Oh, I don't think he might know stuff. He knows stuff. MLB investigation into the Astros culture in the wake of the team's firing of Assistant General Manager Brandon Tomlin could be expanded to determine who in the organization was aware of the science stealing practice. There is an expected interview with Tobman and the MLB will likely attempt to learn as much

as it can about the Astros operation. League also expected to interview current and former Astros, players, and employees according to sources. So this is ongoing. This could get worse. Is there any hypocrisy to going after old guys and saying how they used to do it? When Mike fires, I'm just trying to... Yeah, he didn't say anything in 2017.

Correct. Why didn't he come out and say, hey, guys, this is not how we play baseball. This is wrong. He partook in this. Right. So, again, how much... do you go What's a good example?

How much of this is jilted lover? How much of this is? There's a percentage of that. There's a percentage of Evan having, like you said, friction with the Astros organization in the past. And Evan Drellich, reporter, Boston guy, worked for the Chronicle for a while, didn't get along with the team.

Did not, under any circumstance, get along with the team. And so, if we're going to be fair in saying, the Astros may have done some things on the side that are very, very less than sportsmanlike, that we ought to be fair in saying that Evan Drellich is probably foaming at the mouth because it's a story on the team he doesn't like to cover and they didn't treat him well and vice versa.

And so he's probably taking, hey, I want to keep finding stuff more and more stuff. It's just a balance both sides. All right, we're going to ask you to give us some good news because we desperately need it. If not, I'm just going to go start drinking right now. 713-212-5-7-9. 713.

212.12. 790. Back to Matt Thomas. Drives the state to left center. This is Sports Talk 790. Home of Astros baseball. Oh, this is, is this like the MLB lawyers walk into the Astros' front offices and saying,

all right, let us see your cameras. The investigation is ongoing as the Houston Astros stole signs in 2017. Allegedly. What will Brian Tobman have to say? Brandon. Will, whatever his name is?

Will Mike Fires come back and say some more? What does Brian McCann have to say on the issue? Oh, he wouldn't dog his team like that. He wouldn't snitch. Who's a snitch in that 20? I would expect fires to snitch.

I definitely wouldn't expect Brian McCann ain't snitching. Carlos Beltran, not a snitch. Oh, no, no, no, no. Carlos Beltran would say, absolutely. I don't think so. But he would be like, oh, I didn't mean to tell him that. I was just talking just general picture old school baseball.

Who's in that 2017 team that's no longer around? Can you run that roster? JD Davis. Pageless baseball is like, JD Davis. Hey, my name's J.D. Davis, and I want to tell you all the bad stuff the aster's did, and they're like, what do you do, J.D? I play baseball. I did. Marwin Gonzalez? Marwin's not snitch.

Not a snitch. Uncle Charlie. Charlie Morton, not a snitch. He might just be really, really nice, and when he gets interrogated, he cracks down a little bit just because he's too nice. I would put him in the Brian McCann Club. He would never intentionally dog his...

Oh, Nori Aoki? No, not an issue. Translator to snitch. Evan Gaddis? No chance. Evan Gattis is going to the grave. Yeah. Luke, oh, Kenny Giles.

He is singing like a bird. Kenny? Let me tell you something. And let me be perfectly clear. Kenny Giles, he's got like four phones in his hand. He can't reach enough MLB investigators right now. Juan Centeno. Remember when people loved Juan Centeno?

Not really. Didn't we give, didn't we glossom a nickname? International Man of Mystery, Juan Centeno? Something like that. I think we did. I think we did. Anybody else? Okay.

Frankie Martez is still. No. No. Nope. Tyler White. They said early season struggles. Wouldn't he,

wait, did he even, was that the season he started off in New York and he was really good? Was that 16? Yeah, I'm going to put him

not in the list. Okay. I'm going to tell you that Ken Giles Luke Gregerson. Absolutely. So Gregerson, potential snitch,

Ken Giles, definitive snitch definitive snitch Mike fires Tony snip Cip Cip Tony Snipp

Tony Sip No he's He doesn't talk to anybody So no That's true Okay Not real boisterous If you know what I'm saying

Hmm Okay All it takes is two or three To back it up Ramin Goudwan Then you got Ex employees Uh

That are in the scouting departments Of other teams now And AJ Reed You got Every year You got scouts Have been fired

Remember that? I mean You got plenty of people that are going to have agendas. David Paulina. Okay, we're good. We've figured it out. 137 on Sports Talk 790. Tyler Clippard.

Let's go. Not Tyler Clippard. Let's go to David in Vegas on 790. Hi, David. Hi, I've got good news for you. Yeah, what do you got? Your longest, most faithful listener is here to save you from getting into tax trouble by claiming too many deductions. Please explain and do it very quickly because I got a lot of folks.

Which you were about to do. Now, just real quickly, you can deduct your gambling losses as trust said, limited, only to the amount of your winnings and only in that particular year. So if you have 10,000 winnings and 10,000 losses, you can deduct them. You have any more losses than that? You can't deduct them against your ordinary income like you can with stock market losses to a limited degree, and you can't carry them forward to future years. It has to be that year.

Okay. And so the next year, you make, you know, so first year you lose $60,000, that's tough. Next year you make $100,000. you have to pay tax on a whole hundred thousand dollars. You can't, you know, the 60,000 you lost the year before doesn't be any good. Well, unfortunately, I will not ever be in that situation, my friend, but yes. Well, the one place that might be handy, if you ever win a lottery, and you're thinking about that choice of taking the lump sum or the payments,

lottery winnings are considered like gambling. So if you actually took the payments, in every one of those years, you could take your gambling losses and offset it against those payments, whereas if you took a lump sum only that year and then after that all your loss, how's that? I like it. Free tax advice from Las Vegas. Thank you, David. You're always going to hear your voice, man.

I'll keep that in mind when I win $200 million. Now, when it comes to lotteries, I've always been told that if you are with a bunch of people, like if there's 10 or 11 of you, hell, if there's even just two of you, you take the lump sum because you don't want to worry about spreading the money out over the years, you know, but if you're buying it by yourself, then go ahead and do the annual payments. Right. And then you can invest the lump sum, and you're, you don't want to spend. you'll make more with interest than you would over the payments.

Yeah. These are terrible problems to have. Buy your own lottery ticket. You're not gaining enough by going into a pool mathematical. I disagree. You would have to buy... Well, you can't disagree with the math, Matt. You have 53 million tickets to basically ensure you get a hit.

Then why do people do it and have been doing it for decades? It's dumb because it's just going to leave you into a legal battle if you all happen to win. Not, I really know. If we go get the lump sum and we create our own little foundation based off of the money we win, what kind of legal problems are we working on. It doesn't matter. Whoever holds that ticket owns the money. I play maybe once a year anyways. Let me tell you, there's a young lady on our third floor.

Sophia, I've worked with Sophia for 20 years. When it gets the obscene crazy amount of money, she always does it. We always document it, take photos of it, all that kind of thing. There's no way that she's going to run off and hide with all of our money. when we hit. Have you all signed a legally binding contract? Exactly, yes. I've got Judge Judy in the third floor watching this over the first.

Exactly. And that's why you buy your own tickets. I don't know. I think, I believe in strength and numbers. Nick always wants to be Debbie Downer. You do. You're not helping the show today.

We've given the audience nothing but bad news. Bad, bad news. Let's see. Megamon's Jackpot is up to 163. It's not bad, but it's not good. No, it's always good. When's a lottery total ever bad? I mean, you want to at least be getting your money indecently well, so you need it over,

especially the way they change the numbers now. You need it to be over $300 million. No, you don't. If somebody said, Matt, you win the lottery tomorrow on $163 million, I'd be just fine. If I won $1 million, I'd be great. Yeah. If I won $1 million, it'll be the Ross and Nick show. Really?

Yeah. That's unfortunate. A million I would stay. You'd be different. Well, yeah. You'd have to do the show with a bunch of my diamonds and gold blinging in your face. That's actually true.

I would do the show, but I'd have women feeding me cheese and grapes the whole time. That's what I'm saying. You can't still come in here 12 to 3? I'd get here at 1159 and leave it 301. Yeah. God, I'd be, I'd even be,

I'd be for the first time of my life a diva. Yikes. I'm glad you even know that's a joke. Larry and Galveston. Hi, Larry. M.K. How are you? Great. I've got a...

first of all, I want to start off with some real good news. And I want to apologize for not getting in touch with you last week when you were really under the weather. Well, that's nice you to say that. Here's the thing. I'm at 75%. I've been stuck at 75 for like three straight days. And I don't know what to do. I've got to go for another doctor or something because I just, I want to get to 100.

And I don't know if the weather is going to allow me that to happen. but thank you very much, Larry. What's on your mind about Mike Fires? Hey, Matt, first of all, forget about going to the doctor. Go home and head your wife fix you a hot toddy. You got a bad connection there, Larry. Thank you very much. He went into a full-on tin can mode on us.

Yeah, we got to fix that cell phone. A hot toddy, I thought, was like hot tea and bourbon. rum hot toddy recipe I thought a hot toddy was a girl that went to Old Miss well it's actually a drink by the way it's bourbon bourbon honey lemon juice and hot water this one says okay stroze relegation is a great

idea uh why don't we at our 30,000 Twitter party all buy one lottery ticket and we'll share the proceeds no we all chip in 20 cents a piece no we'll each buy one pull the 30 thousand together

we'll have 30,000 tickets out there for a chance for us to win some serious cache. Okay. No, I'm going to stick with my own. Yeah, okay. You just said the worst. 143 on Sports Talk 7.90, an hour and 17 away from today's edition of the A team. Before that, at 252, it's, believe it or not, what is the topic this afternoon coming up in about an hour from now?

Go ahead and hit the crickets. It feels like it should be, like, automatic. Whenever I ask Ross, the topic is, he never knows what it is. If you're just joining us, the Astros apparently are going to be soon to be under investigation. We'll tell you about that if you've not heard it. It's in a story from the Athletic, 144 on Sports Talk 790. Hey, this is Joe Green. Sports Talk 790 is your home for Houston Rockers' best.

Time is 150. News on the Astros and a report on the Athletic in 10 minutes. Rockets go for their fifth consecutive win tomorrow night against the Los Angeles Clippers. It sounds like that Paul George is going to, they're playing back-to-back games. They play the Rockets tomorrow night, and then Thursday they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It appears that Paul George will not play tomorrow against the Rockets, but will make his season debut Thursday against the Thunder. Kauai Leonard, under the load management plan, is only going to play one of the two games. So you would think he would do it against the rockets and then take the next sign off, right? Why is that? Thunder suck? Paul George's back.

Don't need him? I mean, both of them. So there is a, what Greg Popovich used to do when he would do his rest is rather than take yourself in a 50-50 game to like a 52% chance, you go a game where you're like 80% to beat the Thunder and you go up to 90%. You know what I'm saying? It's a 10% jump instead of 1% job. Yeah. So you do the more. sure thing. They both count the same

in the standings. So you give yourself a more of a sure thing against the thunder. And you also have the chance of you blowing them out and then you can don't have to play your guys that many minutes. Seems fair. That's the logic. Lodd management sucks, by the way. I get it, but it still sucks. I get it as well.

It's not ideal. But it is what it is. It's the NBA in 2019. Yeah. It is absolutely what today's because they do load of management in baseball they get guys days off but it doesn't matter it's 162 games and there's plenty of games

and no one's ever questioning that it's the 82 and it's I think a lot of it's like tomorrow night if Kauai Leonard decides to sit out it's the LA Clippers without Kauai Leonard on ESPN against the Rockets how's the ESPN going to feel about this?

They're not going to feel great but how would they feel if he got a head at ankle sprain or something and he would miss the game as well. So By the way, Archie Miller, he's the coach of Indiana, right? Okay. Apparently, he has a little bit of thought on load management. This is where I love where college coach comes in and says, here's my bit about load management.

I only play four minutes today. Just due to load management, like coming back to- Load management? What is that? Coming back from injury, conditioning, like. Load management? Yes. Load management.

Is that something like they got going on in like the NBA? or something I got? Oh, don't be naive. I think Doc Rivers got fined like $50,000 for like talking about load management. I don't think I should talk about load management. There's no load management in college basketball. You play every minute that you can play. And in Duran's case, I thought his minutes in the game were pretty good. I told him after the game, he should have got a little bit more run there.

But the way our team is built right now, you're going to have to find a way on the floor with your opportunities and cash in. And he'll do that. Load management. You mentioned a lot of state. Load management. He went full Alan Iverson practice. Load management. We're talking about load management?

Not a game that I die for. We're talking about load management. Yeah. Could you imagine we were kids, Ross, you and I sitting around in front of our neighborhood. We're about to play some baseball or stickball or whatever. It'd be weird because you're like 12 years older than me. Okay. If we were both the same age.

Okay. Hey, y'all want to put a day? Yeah, I'd love to. You know what? I need some load management on outside time. Well, if I was on a million-dollar contracts, it makes a little more sense and trying to win championships.

The goal of load management is to have them ready for the playoffs. The goal load management is to wear a nice suit on national television and get a tailor to recognize your skills. That's true. You could do that. Get notice and get some free stuff from some kind of highfalutin fashion. That's right. That's what load management is.

We're a nice suit and get plenty of isolation shots on television. for your Taylor. Let's go to Manuel in San Juan Capistrano. Hi, Manuel. Or Manuel. Hey, man. How's it going, man? Good, buddy. I called back a couple weeks ago, and I sounded like a guy who was taking a lot of breath on the phone. I overheard it and didn't sound too well. So I'm thinking I'm going to pick up more breath and I just have a conversation this time. Just breathe. I'm not a, oh, go ahead, sir. Well, he just wants you to breathe. Okay. Yeah, I got a little out of control that time. I was too anxious. But I'm going to cheer you up here. Let's take a couple of the problems. First, the asteros. So if you cheated, you cheat a little bit. Who does it? Look at the Patriots. They've cheated their weight in multiple Super Bowls. Just take the win. You guys got the championship. They can't take it from you. It's yours. Eric Gordon

It sucks he's out But look at this way At least it's not It's not May Going into the playoffs Going into a big time And then also he'll help him Save up his energy

Because he is a little older player So when he gets come back Around January around there Going into All-Star break He's going to be rolling And then he's going to be working on a shot During that time

He's going to be ready to go And then we also have Probably one of the best GM's in the business. He's going to go get if somebody, if we need to get another shooter, I rely on. I expect there are a morning to do something awesome. He's not going to just sit around and let the rockets go down. He's going to make something happen if he has to have.

They have to. Okay. That's nothing but positivity right there, Manuel. You did good breathing. Everything was well there. Didn't fall over, didn't slump over. It was good succinct stuff. Really good.

Proud of him. By way, Eric Gordon's 30. He's not 41. Do you say 41? No, I'm just saying that, you know, he's older. These guys, the word old in the NBA shouldn't be used to 35. No, I feel like a big man who's 33 is pretty much. Not done, but it's...

Okay, but that's the five. And how we're talking about 15 people? Okay. Most wing players at 30 should be spry. I mean, Russell Westbrooks, how old's what? Ross 30? He's 30, 31. How does he look?

He gets up and down the court like nobody's business. There is no other thing in life that, when you turn 30, you're old. Like in regular life, when you're 30, you're thinking about marriage, you're thinking about your career, you're a relatively new out of college. When you're 30 in the NBA,

it's like, you know, he's starting, he's on the wrong side of 30, or the wear and tear, or maybe he needs load management. Maybe in the model game. I don't know. If you're looking for the 19-year-old gauntlet, Look, yeah, then that 30 is probably too far.

But they're a lot of hot 30. I mean, Cindy Crawford was modeling in her 30s, and she was fantastic. Yeah. Christy Brinkley. You think Kate Upton's loss? Every time somebody says Christy Brinkley, I think of Christy Alley. And that's just a different. That's not even close.

I know, but they're names. I get mixed up in my head. Well, I'll show you pictures of both of them. I know who's who. And you will never mix them up again. I can just tell you that. 157. Final hour of the Matt Thomas show.

All right. Rossi, take some of the chunks of the athletic that you think is most important for the audience. Do you have a dramatic reading? You know, I guess we could, but we would have to put it under law and order music, right? Law and order is not bad. Yeah. We will read you some clips of the athletic story that is out today, Ken Rosenthal and Evandrelix, who is a noted Astro Hater.

doesn't mean he's lying. But he's an astro hater. The story about how the Astro is during the 2017 season would use video cameras to assist in stealing signs. Astro is not prepared to make a comment at this point except to probably say, if we did it, so did everybody else. Because that's the overriding sentiment I think I get from baseball fans is that if the Astros are doing it, so too are the Cardinals. and so two are the Mariners, and so two are the Braves.

713, 212, 5790. 713, 212, 570. Is the Matt Thomas Show. Sports Talk 790, you're home for Amazing Rockets Basketball. You're American League champion Houston Astros. Sometimes news comes out. You've got to run it through and just, Take it for what it is.

Make up your own mind based on the information presented. Ken Rosenthal, Evandrelich of the Athletic, with a story today that Major League Baseball will be investing in the Houston Astros for the use of videos for sign-stealing purposes in 2017. I had a hiccup there. It sounds like you get scared by ghost. Well, I'm getting scared by the MLB ghost.

Read some more and do it in a really dark voice. Okay. As Ross runs some more of the salacious material, according to the athletic. The Astros set up in 2017 was not overly complicated. A feed from a camera in center field fixed on the opposing catcher's signs was hooked up to a television monitor that was placed on a wall steps from the team's home dugout at Midd May Park in the tunnel that,

runs between the dugout and the clubhouse. Team employees and players would watch the screen during the game and try to decode signs sitting opposite the screen on massage tables in a wide hallway. When the onlookers believed they had decoded the signs, the expected pitch would be communicated via loud noise. Specifically, banging on a trash can, which sat in the tunnel. Normally the bangs would mean a breaking ball or off speed pitch was coming. No more?

No, that's good. Okay, so based on that, Does that sound like something that a bunch of grown-ass men would do in a major league baseball game? Yes. I was hoping you were to say no. But I mean, if there's... Come on, you can't go into that detail and they're just making that up. If there's 35,000 people in the stands...

Right. You better hit that damn trash can really hard, right? How do you... I mean, noise does play a role in this, yes? I'm trying to be glass-half-full in this. It's hard, to be honest with you. pretty rudimentary. Hey, how are you signaling this? In 2019, when you

have, I mean, Apple Watches, you had the Red Sox get busted for it. You have all these high, high technology things. Yeah, we're banging a trash can. What? That's what you went with? By the way, the Astros

in, oh no. Oh, no. I want to repeat that again what Ross just said. A feat, okay, everybody... The Astros had a better road record than a home record in 7. Yeah. Remember 17 that couldn't win at home? There was like long losing streaks at home. So just again, if you are not driving, you're allowed to close your eyes. But if you are driving, just envision this. A feed from a camera in center field fixed on the opposing catcher's signs was hooked up to a television monitor that was placed on the wall steps from the team's home dugout at Minutemade Park in a tunnel that runs between the dugout in the clubhouse. team employees and players would watch the screen during the game and try to decode the signs.

What happened to just, I'm going to hit the pitch you're throwing at me? I feel like we're playing a game of Clue back there, right? It's like, actually, it's like a game of mousetrap. Yeah, that's right. Which was a classic, by the way. Can I just say that this sounds stupid? That the Astros are better than this? that I do believe every team tries to circumvent the rules.

I believe every team tries to steal other team signs. And like I said, if you're banging on a drum, you're banging on a trash can, if you got orbit running around with his belly moving in a different direction, meaning a certain pitch is coming, that's fine. But don't go, don't use video, don't use technology. Two sources said the Astros used to the system extended into the playoffs. Another source adamantly denied that, saying the system ended before. for the postseason.

You know why he would adamantly say that? Because Major League Baseball has all sorts of investigators around playoffs. Astro's source said he had vivid memory of hearing the garbage can right before an Astro's home run during the postseason, yet he believed that during the World Series, it was probably too loud inside the park for the Astro system to be effective. That's what I'm saying. And Mike Fires, by the way, is like, this is not right. I'm one of the people that I'm willing to tell you that I'm testifying that this is what

the Astros did. The Astros did not use the system in away games, which of course they had a better road record than a home record that year, and they won the World Series on the road. How much of this is paranoia? How much is this of is we've got to figure out a way to dethrone the most successful Major League Baseball team, you know, even though they're a world series, but won, but in the last three years, they've won over 100 games three years in a row. I mean, these sources are Astro's sources, or former employees, or former employees, or form. former players or former coaches or staffers. And could be disgruntled.

That's true. And that's why they're speaking out. I don't think this is a coordinated effort to make this up. The question is how much did, how much, how deep did this go? How much and how much did it help is the biggest question? That's right. And doesn't seem like that much. It seems like Major League Baseball needs to shut the door in the Astros and say,

whatever y'all are doing, stop it. Don't let this become SpyGate. or anything that's the thing. As great as a Patriots, do the Patriots need to do all the things they need to do during their run? Were they getting that big of a competitive advantage by stealing signs and deflating Bay footballs and whatnot? It ruins part of the charm of what the dominant football team has been the last 20 years in the New England Patriots. And I don't want the Astros to have this kind of stigma attached to them. So if the Astros are doing this, stop.

So we don't have to spend any more time about this. and we don't have to have disgruntled ex-chronicle employees going against a team they didn't like and coming up and finding stories that may have merit to it. Former pitcher Danny Farquhar of the White Sox mentioned that he noticed there was some kind of banging. He said there was banging from the dugout, almost like a bat hitting the bat rack, every time a change-up signal got put down.

After the third one, I stepped off. I was throwing some really good change-ups and they were getting fouled off. After the third bang, I stepped off. then they change up the signs and the banging stopped. This aren't starting to hurt my head. But the athletic went with it. Ken Rosenthal went with it. He says there's guys who don't like it.

This is another thing that I've heard from batters. Some badders don't want to know what's coming. And that's what my fire said. There was guys who didn't like it. There are guys who don't like to know what's coming, and there's guys who do. So not every player would use it all the time. All right.

So there you have it. Full-on conspiracy about how the Astros were able to circumvent the system in 2017, in which their road record was better than their home record. Maybe, maybe Major League Baseball is like, y'all keep trying to do this, but proof is you're not any better because of it. And you're just making themselves look foolish. Again, I hope this is a, what's the worst case?

The worst case is they've got this serious spy system in place at Minutemate Park that's going to really ruin anything that's been of the luster of the 2017. The worst is you got a bunch of very, very paranoid, other opponents that are just making things up just to make things up, right? This is too well-sourced. There's definite fire to this smoke. There's fires to this smoke, is what you're trying to say. I see what you did there, Maddie.

Geron on 7-90 and 210. Geron, what do you have today? Oh, man, ain't too much, man. How are you guys doing? All right. Yeah, the thing about the Astros, man, you know, perception is reality, man. You know, this stuff was really first brought up. When Astros won their first championship, you know,

they were saying that they had their dog's. was tipping his pitches, you know, that's my friend got his home run and stuff like that. And there's nothing wrong with, as far as in baseball history of, if you tip your picture and say a guy on second base is picking up the

signals from the catcher and he's relaying to his teammate in the balance box. There's nothing wrong with that, but if you start putting up cameras and, you know, you're doing it on that level, you know, that's taking it to a whole other level, you know, if that's the case, man. We don't know we got to look at it and look at

the evidence, but that's true. I've got to put the dark cloud over Astros 1 in the last, you know, last three years, in particular in 2017. This is going to be able to make more information to come out, but, you know, you don't want, you don't want people to kind of perceive that. That's what it's all about perception is reality. No matter what the reality actually is, if you proceed that way, and people take this stuff and they've run with it.

So hopefully we'll get a little more information to find out what's really going on. But as far as the Rockets go, man, I'm going to see her air going to be out six to eight weeks. I think he had his best game last night. He did. Yeah, last night. You know, he had a real good game. Shooting a three, he was hitting it from the garage park a lot. He was, he had a very good game.

So it's a shame to hit him here that he had, he got to have knee surgery. You know, he came into the season. I kind of noticed him doing a time out earlier this job. He looked kind of chunky, man. Look kind of bigger than usual. You know, it wasn't that bad, but it wasn't prime condition state that I used to seeing here going in.

So hopefully that didn't play a part in, hurting his knee, not coming in in the tip-top prime condition, but luckily it's early in the season. This is going to give the guy that I've been looking at during the preseason, Charles Clemens, I mean, Chris Clemmman, the guy out of that small college. I think it's Campbell University. I think he came out. Campbell Campbell's, yep.

Yeah, yeah, a real good preseason. So we're going to need him to come up to day to give us some numbers. I like what we're getting out of Austin Rivers. He's played well, especially the last two to three games. He's playing real well off the bench. So hopefully he can continue that without. Eric Gould. And Clemonds is going to have to be the guy to give him that scoring, man.

Because I don't feel it's getting too much out of stuff. He's not looking at all for us coming off the bench this year. I like what I saw earlier on from the guy from Sacramento. I can't remember the name of the guy. Ben McLemore, yeah. Yeah, McLemore. I like what I shot earlier, but he seemed like his three-point shot is kind of tippered off.

But I like what he brings to the table defensively. So Clemens, I think it's going to be the key guy, man. We're going to need him. Yeah, I disagree, Gerard. Thank you for the phone call. Chris Clemens is 5-9. He's not going to be able to defend anybody. It's just he's into shoot the ball.

Immediately the ball reaches his hands. I don't expect him to be a major minute guy under any circumstance. I just don't. All right. He's a new fan favorite that everybody's laughing on to. Well, that's fine. That's okay. I mean, he comes in and he's not afraid to shoot. There's not a spot on the floor.

He's not afraid. But no, I don't expect him to be major rotational minutes. That's for sure. 214 is the time. It is the Matt Thomas show. 713212-5-7-90. If you want to get in, 7-13-212-5-7-90. The college football playoffs will be announced the next round,

the next voting of the top four. Chris Gordy, our resident LSU honk, is running around scared to death that Alabama gets into the top four. Let's run through with who the possibilities could be. We'll do that next. The Matt Thomas Show. on Sports Talk 790.

Escalated. Home of the Stroves. 220 on Sports Talk 790. So people, and we have a great audience, sending us tweets, a video of Danny Farquhar pitching for the Chicago White Sox. Yes. And hearing the bang of the trash can. Yes, I just listened to it during the break.

It's pretty clear. It's, first of all, very clear. Secondly, why is that game available on YouTube out in the middle of nowhere? I don't know. Okay, because again, that's a, what's the day of that game? September 22nd, 2017. So just again, I'm not trying to put up a defense here. Why would a random September 22nd Chicago White Sox Houston Astro three-hour game be available on YouTube?

I don't know, but the MLB uploaded it and... Do they upload every game? I don't know that. Okay. I don't think so. This is slimy. What do you mean? This is slimy at the Aster's edit, and this is slimy that there are very convenient ways to find said video evidence on the YouTube.

I don't think that's slimy. MLB just uploads videos of certain games, and this one's up there. I don't know why. That's what I'm saying. I want to know why. It was not a classic game. Nothing involving the Chicago White Sox is classic. And by the way, the Astros scored one.

run in this game. Yeah. And the moment you're talking about on the video, Evan Gattis Evans Strik strikes out and that's the third strike out in a row for the White Sons. But that's after he strikes out after the signals got changed. Yes. You hear the bang

of the trash can and then the catcher calls for time. They go up to the pitcher's mound. They obviously shake things up a little bit and then Evan Gattis strikes out. And you go a little bit before that. Yeah, Carlos Breltrans just lines out. I mean,

grounds out in this game's a 3-1. They only score one run this entire game. But if you go earlier in that at bat, you can hear the banging on change-ups, and you can hear that there's no banging on fastballs. So that's pretty much smoking gun to me. This is terrible news. This is terrible depressing, embarrassing news. I was going to talk about the college football poll,

but I don't want to now because this is just bad. Well, you can look at it this way. Number one, as I said, the biggest question is how much did it help? It helped them all the way to one run in the entire game. Number two, you can say it's pretty widespread and other teams are doing this type of stuff. Maybe not exactly what the video in the trash can and all that. Yeah. But it's pretty widespread.

Everybody else is doing it. It doesn't really help that much. It doesn't seem to. Their home record was worse than their road record. You know what? Maybe you just throw your hands up and say this is baseball. I don't know. There is also a little bit of inside of every person, Ross, that's what can I get away with?

Yes. We are built with lungs and kidneys and a brain and the what can we get away with? We did this when we were kids. We did it in college and in high school. We do it as adults. And we do it as in the high-pressured world of sports. where you're trying to get a competitive advantage any way you can.

Do you think this will be the last time we ever talk about a team trying to get a competitive advantage through video? No way, no how, no chance. We thought we were done with it after New England Patriots. This is just another version of it. And it seems to me

the work is way too much is too big than the reward is, right? It doesn't guarantee success. It's not like we stole the place. You still have to hit the baseball. So why would you put yourself as an organization through all this with video cameras and banging and this and having potentially somebody catch you when it's still not a guarantee that even though you know a changeup is coming, you might pop the damn thing up. There is still a greater success, it's greater failure than there is success. So why would you go through all this?

Try to find any edge you can. Any. These guys are competitors at the highest level, and it's the most difficult to win, obviously, at the major league level. And you try to find any little edge that you can. As far as tipping pitches, as far as all that type of stuff and preparation and watching video,

and then you add in if a batter can know what pitch is coming, that's pretty darn valuable information. It's just like these ridiculously athletic, ferocious big men that were jamming steroids in their ass. They were powerful guys that were hitting the ball yard of the yard. They were still going to do it even when they weren't jamming with steroids, but they wanted to get just a little bit more of advantage. That's what we've done.

That's what professional sports does. It's what can we do to get over? To just get over. And if we get caught, we better have a great defensive mechanism in play. And maybe that's what the Astros have. The Astros have said in the past that they were watching, they were doing video work because they were trying to kill. catch other teams cheating on their work.

And if you're the Astros, if you're Jeff Leno, you probably said, look, I got evidence of that because the Cardinals, you know, got into our computer system, try to steal our stuff. So that's why we're so apprehensive. That's why we have our dander up. Now, I don't equate what the Cardinals did as a justification of what the Astros are being accused of doing. I'm not saying that.

But I'm just saying that maybe everybody in Major League Baseball has paranoia, some teams just have greater levels and some teams might just say hey we think we've got a little system here that's going to give us just a little bit more of advantage because it's hard hitting the baseball it's hard scoring seven runs a game and if we can give

our guys just a little bit of help we'll try and if we got to pay a consequence down the road so be it because let's say the league baseball says yeah we caught y'all Ross what are they going to do they're going to take the World Series trophy away from no we're not vacating wins they're going to find him They probably just levy a fine, and then I don't know,

do you think any sort of draft picks would be taken or anything like that? I mean, if you want to sting draft picks, you sting with heavy early first round, you know, first second round picks. The thing would be, we know everybody is doing this. We don't really think it's a big deal, but we have to make an example out of you. That's what I would think. Then the a a aster's going to say, then you better check on every other baseball team. You better do a complete audit of the other 29 baseball teams.

And that could send Major League of Baseball investigators. geters into a frenzy. That's why I think penalties and incident of all the athletics don't go crazy because if you penalize one school like a death penalty, that death penalty school is going to be like okay, hey, I got 15 more of these other schools and do the exact same thing. Yeah, that could be the Astro Saving

Grace is that this is just so widespread and players just haven't been talking about it until now. David and the South Side on 790. Hi, David. Hey, guys. I agree that there's probably a lot of paranoia and

everyone's trying to get an edge. But this sounds stunningly stupid. Imagine how many people would have to know about this. The guy banging on the drums, the guy with the camera, everybody in the dugout, including people who have left Alex Cora, bench coaches, other players, the chances that this was going on and that nobody talked about it until now is really, really low. And so when we hear about four people knowing about it, is that four people who witnessed it, Or is that four people, three of whom talked to Mike Fires, or it happened in one game?

So I think before we even characterize these allegations, we sort of have to break them down and think, what are the odds that something this widespread happened all season? Let's look at a bunch of games. See if we hear the bangings for multiple innings, for multiple pitches, for multiple games. And then we can sort of get a sense of could this be possible? But the stupidity, if it did happen, the stupidity is almost unbelievable because so many people would know about it. There's no way to hide it. Yeah, and by the way, loose lips will always sink.

I mean, someone is going to eventually talk. I mean, you couldn't imagine. And anybody that knew about this at some point wasn't going to get a new contract or might have been fired that could use this against the organization. It would just seem to me at face value to be way too risky to even try. Yeah. Thanks, David, for the phone call. That's the only other way. Yeah.

Thank you. Because if everybody knew about it, not everybody's going to be an Astro for life, guys. Not everybody's going to be a good employee in the Astros. Somebody's going to get sideways. The Astros may not like somebody. Why would you want to put that intelligence in the minds of 20, 30 people, whomever that may be?

Knowing that if Mike Fires didn't get a new contract with the Astros, he'd be the first one to chirp. knowing that if an employee of a scout or an assistant general manager or a baseball operations person did not get rehired by the team, that he would be like, you know, you wouldn't believe what the a asteros are doing. Just because you're a jilted lover and upset with the organization doesn't mean you're lying, though. No, no, no. What I'm saying is that if it's all the truth, why would you take the chance in doing it knowing that everybody that knows about it, is going to keep quiet about it.

You should do bad things and don't think about the consequences. And that's human nature. People talk, though. That's true. People talk. You've got to be careful in 2019. You got to have a, I mean, your circle of trust, Ross? It's got to be small.

It's got to be like an oval tops. Not a full circle. I mean, it's got to be like a little, like an eyeball. Hey, it's Jeff Blum. Blum fact number 14. I was on the White Sox in 2005. Yeah, sorry about that sweep, H-Town. But we're all good right now, right?

World Series champion. Back to your lunchtime champion, Matt Thomas. Man, I feel like I need to be very careful where I walk around in. It made Park in future years. All right. We will get more on that on the Astros. What do we have for believing or not today? You got the topic work, Don?

Why do you look at me with this blank stare? We've done this every day for like nine years. What do you thank you? Right on time right there. What do you want? I don't know. Load management questions. Well, it can't do Paul George.

That's the point. We've been doing it for nine years. We've been out of topics for three. Well, we can do like Johnny Carson do the best ofs once in a while. Brings them back. Yeah. All right. College football rankings are going to come out tonight.

You want California Baptist questions in Alabama State? That's where our college basketball programs are playing tonight? Well, that's because we have a ferocious conference schedule. Not harder than the Big 12s. I don't know. Wichita State, ding, SMEU, Ding, Yukon, ding. Okay. What else is good in our league?

All right, college football rankings are going to come out tonight for the next round of the future postseason. LSU was number one, Ohio State 2, Clemson 3, Alabama coming in number 4. Ross, are we prepared for our fellow LSU friends? We have a lot of them we work with to lose their blank if Alabama finishes fourth in the latest round of this postseason thing. You know, Matt, I'm a big fan of Schadenfreude, as you know. What is it? He's rooting for the unhappiness of others, especially when it comes to sports. What did you call it?

Schadenfreude? I've never heard that word. I've never heard that word. Nick's heard it. Yep, heard it. You're always the last place on this. Shotdenfreude? Yeah.

Or Schadenfreude is supposed some people would just call it. Yeah. I have never heard that before. That's not true. You've heard that before. Now, I like enjoying the misery of others. I get you, I give you that, but I never heard of friends.

So, yeah, I'm totally rooting for Alabama to sneak into the playoffs. Here are the candidates to be the number four seed. Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, and then Minnesota, who had a very impressive win against Penn State. They're also undefeated. The other teams that we just brought up have a loss. Was Alabama's loss to LSU Saturday bad? No.

It was a quality game that came down to the final possession. Yes. And in a power league with two super heavy weights playing. Yeah, Alabama's

going to finish. It's going to be number four in this coming out tonight. And I guarantee Chris Gordy, who was our lead dog LSU guy in this floor. We got some other guys on the third floor on the third floor that are just beside themselves, too. They're going to be like, how in the world can they do it? How in the world can they have no good victories? They're not very good.

They're not very talented. Well, then if that's the case, then your victory against Alabama doesn't mean very much because they're not a very good Alabama team to begin with, right? You can't have it both ways. Yes. You have to brag on beating a very good Alabama team with a Heisman candidate and two attacking for Lowa. You have to brag that you went to Tuscaloosa, one of the most difficult places ever to play a college football game, and you won. You have to speak highly of the Crimson Tide.

Because if you don't, then it makes your victory against them doesn't seem very important. Doesn't seem it was worthy of much. Calling them trash. Who have they been? beaten. Don't do that. Yeah. It makes you feel like, it makes you look silly. Agreed. It's like when, you know, I brag about the University of Houston's big wins in the last

handful of years. There's been very few of them. What's the biggest football win in the last couple of years? Well, we beat Oklahoma, Baker Mayfield, beat Florida State into Peach Bowl. Okay, that was like five years ago. That's 2016, so four, you know. God, it seems like a long time ago. It was. That was two coaches ago.

Depending on how this season turns out, you might be able to have Tom Herman back. You don't want to, is there any, you didn't know heat on him, is there? No, he's fine. Well, probably, well, they're underdogs in Iowa State. I don't count Orangebloods.com as heat. Yeah, under Orangebloods.com, there's a lot of heat. I don't count 40acres.com heat. You know what he...

Shaggy Bivo. You know what heat is? What's heat? When you find out that schools are asking money from their donors to pony up $18 million to pay off contracts, i.e. Willie Tagger to Florida State. That's heat. Yo, he's already gone. There's no heat.

That body is dead and cold. Okay, I'm going to throw a question. I just for fun here in the last second. Okay. If I could pick up Tom Herman, bring them back to U of H, and Texas had an opening, who would you want as your head of football coach right this second? Ed Ogeron. Just kidding.

That's a great question. If I gave you Lincoln, Ronnie, would you want him? Yeah. I can't have Rinkin for Raleigh, though. I guess you'd go P.J. Fleck. Do you think this P.J. Fleck is the real deal, or is he just catching lightning in a bottle here? Well, he was really good. Where was he really good? Western Michigan.

Yeah, okay. But being really good at Western Michigan, I mean, I think in Minnesota, you have to sustain it before you become the next super hot commodity. I don't know. I'm not really ready to get right. No, I'm not asking you that you are, but I'm saying if you had a chance to replace. I'll go PJ Fleck.

Would you have said that if it lost 37 to 10 to Penn State on Saturday? No, but they didn't. So that proves something to me. Okay. Or how about Nikki Saving? What's he up to? He wants a new challenge. I don't think he wants a new challenge.

I think he's, I think he's, he finds this week to be a quite a challenge. Ooh. How about Clare? L.A. Helton getting the win against Arizona State when the first question asked him during the game is, I've heard you have a new AD. Are you worried about your job? He should be. Yeah, I'll go Urban Meyer 1, PJ Fleck 2. For guys that I think would be available. Okay.

It's off the top of my head. I don't know. Maybe there's somebody I'm missing. You know what? It doesn't worry. It doesn't worry about it because Tom's going to get you guys where you want to be. I like Tom. You know I like Tom.

I think Tom was a right fit. He was a dream school opportunity. I just don't think you brought him to University of Texas to finish 8 and 4 and out of a potential chance at a Big 12 championship game. The Matt Thomas Show continues on Sports Talk 790, where Rockets and Astros play. And real Texans talk. 249 on the Matt Thomas show.

Tomorrow on the radio program, we will visit with Joel Clatt from Fox Sports. I think he'll be seeing Ohio State for the ninth consecutive week. week. Has that line changed in an Ohio State Rikers game? If you listen to show yesterday, we mentioned that Ohio State was a 50 and a half point favorite. And the total was 56. That's almost not fair. It's gone up. It's gone up.

They're now a 52 point favorite, and the total is up to 61. So 50, 50, k, 61, so that would be. like 56 to 6, wait, 57 to 5? Yeah. Wait. This is confusing. 56 to 6.

Does Rutgers have a press conference? Because we have to get a quote. 57 of 4. From the Rutgers head coach about being a 52 point dog at home. If anybody's going to Vegas, I want to put money on Rutgers plus 52. What was?

What's the line on that? What's the, what's the, what's the, what's the, the juice? The juice is regular. Minus 110, 52, minus 52. You got to figure you can cover 52 at home. No matter who you are. Do you? It is Rutgers.

Nick, I'm going to put you on a sign of it. I know Rutgers has a press conference. We have to find somebody in the media is going, and they're going to be very politically correct about it. They're going to say, hey, coach. Do you bring it to the kids that you are a tremendous home underdog? And the person will shake as he tries to say these things. And he will try to not say 52 points.

But he will somehow paraphrased by saying, you're going, Vegas thinks you're going to get your ass kicked at home. Any thoughts? I mean, that's probably shouldn't do that. But I mean, there's going to be somebody. That's New Jersey media. They're going to have to do something. No, it'll get ass.

Oh, yeah. New Jersey. the last time I can think of a team that would be that big of a dog at home would have to be like an SMU fresh off the death penalty, right? Probably. Where U of H was just running up the score on them mercilessly. Well, somebody had to. Chameful.

All right, five minutes left to go on the show. Andre wears way into a Heisman. Stop it. Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play a Maryland. America's fastest growing sports game show. We simply called it.

Be leaving it on and here's how it works. You'll call 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Today's edition of a leave-in-on-on-on is brought to you by Woodhouse Day Spas. Print out the gift card for gift of relaxation at Houston Woodhouse Spas.com. Category today is whether or not, oh, this is highly Googlable, whether this college plays Division 1. Basketball.

What did I put? Well, I just make sure. All mascots are correct. Division would be only the not part of it. Right. Okay. So I'll give you a school if it played Division I hoops and they do. You'll say this.

Belie it. You'll say this. Two believe it or not to a row win your prize. Ross, what's the prize? Matt have a four pack of tickets to the U of H homecoming game versus the Memphis Tigers at TDECU Stadium. This Saturday, November 16th with a 2.30 p.m. kickoff. Also, they have a homecoming special, four game tickets, four Red Zone passes, four hot dogs,

four small sodas for just $100. That is what I call on the business value. Yes, sir. To see the Houston Cougars upend the top 20 team in the Memphis Tigers. Possibly. Believe it. What's the spread on that one? Let's not worry about it.

They're only 10-point dogs. That can happen. You've got a knot. Sorry. Borat has spoken. The fact that you two worked together in cahoots. There was no cahoots. Believe it.

Roger on. 790. You ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Rider University Bronx, believe it or not? Not. Believe it. Watch up for those Bronx. I wish I knew players from Ryder, but I don't.

Line number two. John on 790, John, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Fairfield University stags. Believe it or not? Believe it. Believe it. Statement number two for the win. Campbell University Camels.

believe it or not believe it that's right clas clemens how about that so our uh winner is going on finally winning get to go we'll do something let's continue line number four bill oh hi bill yeah man i was at that game nine to five 21 man and jr were i should be the same with no he should no he should appreciate the fact that he was able to score against such a ferocious defense but they let you know how old i am you see san diego tritonel Believe it or not. You see San Diego Titans.

Tritons. Wait a man. Are you sure about that? Their division two. Sorry, Bill. I mean, not really sorry. Now, University of San Diego has a team. That's the Aztex.

No, that's San Diego State. Oh, San Diego State. What are you talking about? Yeah. Tritons, their division. I just looked it up. You see San Diego is Division 2? Yes.

What is University of San Diego? Terraros. I think it's what that is. Yeah. Okay. There's a bunch of schools in San Diego. Okay, I got you. Jeez.

Matt on 790. Ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Cal State, Sacramento, Hornets. Believe it or not? Believe it. They call them SAC State. I call them the Hornets.

They steam. James on 790. Ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Florida Southern Mockasins. Believe it or not? Oh, my God. Not.

Division two. Statement number two for the win. Howard University Bison, believe it or not. Believe it. There you go. Nice job. We're going on the Cooters. One more.

Jay on 790. Ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. University of Evansville Purple Laces. Believe it or not. Not. Ben Division won for a long time. All right.

Woodhouse Day spas. Go to that website again. Houston, whathouse spas. com to print out your gift card for the gift card. of relaxation and you will not be disappointed. Vintage for the North Siders, South Siders, you go to the Sugar Land location. Please mention Matt Thomas from 790th century because you're going to go there and having a great experience and give a gift that your wife, your girlfriend, your sister, your mom,

your grandma is going to love every single day. The gift of relaxation. All for my friends at Woodhouse Day Spas, Houston, Woodhouse Spas.com. Joe Clatt tomorrow. I believe I and Eagle tomorrow. We'll see how it's trying to do. travel plans go. Have a great rest your day. A team is up next.

They'll take you three to six with the half hour edition of the nightcap at six right here on 790. Full preview versus California Baptist.