The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - The Matt Thomas Show 12-26-19

Episode Date: December 26, 2019

The Matt Thomas Show w/ @SportsMT, @SportsRV, and @ProNickLow 12/26/19The Rockets gave us a lump of coal for Xmas (0:00)How bad are the Astros going to be punished? (22:34)Bill O'Brien sound bytes (54:26)Non-Florida Stories (1:41:22)

Lunchtime is So much larger than life Yeah Lunch timers Is the Matt Thomas show 1202 in H-town What's happening in luncht timers? Happy post-Christmas

And welcome to a Thursday edition of the Matt Thomas show On Sports Talk 790 With Ross and Nick I'm Matt. And look, the food was good. The presents were great.

I got a mind this morning as I got back into town the middle of the night. I was going to say, what did Dan Tony get you? Lump of coal. Actually, his team did. That sucked yesterday. It was bad. It sucked. It actually, I don't want sports to affect my daily day life that much,

but it actually put a damper on my day. And look, every team is. going to have its share of bad losses. And what you try to do is you try to minimize those. Case in point last night, the Denver Nuggets, who are right there on O'Mano for like the top two or three C in the West with the Rockets, lost at home in New Orleans. So trust me, Denver Sports Radio today's God, what the hell was that? It just feels like in the last three or four weeks, the Rockets have had a plethora of these bad losses. San Antonio, uh, um, on And again, the crazy way that ended.

The game against Sacramento on the buzzer beater. Detroit. Who? The loss against the pistons was... Oh, yeah, I forgot about that one. When they didn't have Drummond and Blake Griffin got hurt and didn't play. Thanks for bringing that up. Yep, you're welcome.

And then last yesterday. I mean, Golden State sucks. They just do. They're bad. They were better than the rockets yesterday. It wasn't because of fishing. It wasn't because of their basket was bigger than the rockets. They just played harder, shot better.

and made sure that James Hardin didn't beat them. They went into a mode yesterday, and I'm sure you notice this, Ross. They were trapping James, either just shy of the half-court stripe or right beyond it. And they said, we're going to let Russ, McLemore, Daniel House, anybody wearing rocket gear except James Hardin beat us. And it worked. Sometimes it doesn't work. Matter of fact, most times it doesn't because the three-point shot will fall for the other guys.

but yesterday it did not Golden State crashes the boards hard especially on the offensive end Rockets look like they were tired and you mix all that together plus the fact that James couldn't get to the free thaw line because they really took Golden State took him out of the game

and it was probably the worst loss of the year it was I mean this is a thing though Matt I mean they saw it for like eight straight games or whatever it was where every single team they saw were doubling James Hardin kind of the way that we saw yesterday. And one of the reasons that teams backed off of it

is because the Rockets were getting better and more proficient at scoring in those four-on-three situations. Exactly. But when they first started doing it, now I will say they got better at it and they started getting open shots like in the fourth quarter, they just were missing them.

But when it first started with the Warriors, the Rockets acted like this is the first time they'd seen it all season. Like they were completely bamboozled by it and I just don't understand, number one, why they weren't prepared and number two, why it looked like they hadn't seen that ever before. I mean, there were so many bad decisions made by Russ and Capella and others on these four-on-three situations.

They'd look like they'd never seen it before, and that's what really was puzzling to me. Well, what was happening to me, and it wasn't like they were turning the ball over. That's when you feel like you haven't never seen it before. The turnover count, for the most part, was pretty low. It was, you get past, you know, James passes out of it, throws it to Clint, who's attacking the lane, and then he throws it out to McLemore or to somebody for a contested three. sometimes, you know, I know that three is always greater than two, but sometimes two ain't bad either.

Case in point yesterday. Golden State didn't do a great job of hitting threes, and they hit some lay, including a couple from Draymond Green of all people, but they mid-range the Rockets to death yesterday. Russ had, I mean, a boatload of layups that came up short, or the missed elbow jumpers, which he had been hitting. You got to remember coming into the game yesterday, this was probably the best 10-game stretch of Russell Westbrook,

shooting well over 50% from the floor. He was averaging 30 points per game. He was getting to the free throw line. I mean, it was, hey, Russ is turning the corner and then yesterday happened. I mean, it was terrible. It was very frustrating. Now, granted, the NBA is a wonderful world of Ross where he can come back and get that game back and maybe get a couple more.

I mean, you know, this is the same thing that went to Toronto and beat them on their court. This is the same team on the same trip, Ross, that went to the Clippers and beat them on their home floor. So the NBA is rather forgiving, but I think, and this is the overriding factor I'm thinking of, is that when you are in a tussle with the Clips, Lakers, Denver, Houston, probably Utah, you've got five teams fighting for four spots.

You want to be able to side up where you are come playoff time. You want to have as many home court games as possible. You want to have as many wins as possible. I just don't want to go back or come ahead to April Ross and think about, remember that December 25th game where the Rockets got completely outplayed by a very bad Golden State team as one of the bad losses that separates the Rockets from, say, a two-seed to a three or three to a four or four to a five. But that's the thing that almost makes it more frustrating, Matt, is because they are winning at the Clippers.

They are winning at the Raptors. We know the level that they can play. They're just not being consistent with it. And like you said, in that game yesterday, it wasn't about, you know, oh, it's crazy. Just one of those crazy games and everything went against their way. The effort just wasn't there, especially in the first half when they happened to be up just because they were making shots. And then they matched that effort in the second half, but then the shots weren't falling. So you had nothing to lay back on.

And you just basically got outplayed and out hustled by the Golden State Warriors on national television. And there's a lot of people who don't want to buy into the rockets, and you gave them no reason to last night. Yeah, and that's the thing that makes me so mad. It's because, and again, I don't run to Twitter to defend the Houston Rockets. You defend yourself based on who you are and what your record is. And again, the Rockets still are one of the class teams in the NBA. But being a class team in the NBA and going to win a championship for two different animals. So the point being is this.

I'm not going to let y'all are trash on Instagram or y'all suck. Dan Tony should be fired. I'm not, you know, we're not going to deal in a reactionary out for one game. But it was a day where you gave the haters. a tremendous amount of fuel. Christmas Day, you're the only game on at that time. It's Golden State. I mean, yeah, granted, they won two and a goal, but there's no chance for making the playoffs this year. My guess is Steph Curry. If he plays, it'll be a minimal amount before the end of the year. No Clay Thompson. They've had Dream on Green, missed some time here

and there. Hell, Marquis Christ, Chris, and Willie Caldey Stein get major minutes. It's just not a good basketball team. You just gave the haters, you know, plenty of material. on and that's what I hated because this was one of those situations yesterday that if you beat them by 17 you're supposed to anything short of that and it's a chance to a referendum on how bad the rockets are and I and they will hopefully shake that off but this would have been as part of the schedule that you really really could have got fat and happy off of and maybe even kind of push the Lakers for the top scene in the west because look the Lakers look very human these days LeBron I guess got hurt yesterday in the game against the clips Clippers won the game

instead it's been a good stretch it's been far from a great stretch because you do have a couple of really bad losses in the mix how was your christmas uh my christmas other than that other than the rockets crapping all over it and me having to do a postgame show after that uh and people wondering why i was yelling down the hallways the reality is here's the reality also ross rockets are tired eric gordon coming back probably this weekend either saturday or sunday is going to be a huge jolt for this team you are seeing the top eight in this rotation getting major, major, major minutes. And, you know,

everybody runs at different levels and how much you can play. I think the Rockets absolutely have to think about figuring out a way to get Clint off the court for a few more minutes. I don't know if PJ Tucker in every single matchup can play the five. Tyson Chandler is going to give you a very limited time. You know, it gives you good effort, but it's just, he's never going to be a 15-minute guy again in his NBA career.

He's been in the league in 19 years. you need another perimeter shooter because McLemore can be really, really good or he can be really inconsistent. Daniel House, same kind of situation. Russ, I think, honestly, is better when he takes fewer three-point shots is the case of the last handful of games until yesterday. They need another perimeter guy, and they probably need to back up five.

And I think that should be something that we'll look at before the trade deadline. Yeah, I mean, I think it's going to mostly have to be a buyout market. But, yeah, trading, I mean, I don't know how much the Rockets have to all. offer and trade, but it would be nice to get a couple of those bench pieces that you're talking about. All right. So also today, it is a day after Christmas, and we're live. What was your best Christmas present? Me?

Or were you talking about it? The whole city. Do you want me to answer that right now? Or are we teasing? Yeah, well, let's go to a break, and then you answer it for the argument. Okay, because I know, so, you know, I don't want to jump on your teases. We don't, you know, we hit our breaks on time and we tease effectively. That's what we do here on the Matt Thomas show.

Hey, we got non-Florida stories coming up at 2.30 today. We're going to be kind of losing and goosey today and tomorrow because I think most people are off and kind of bumping around. I hope the malls are not jammed with people trying to return stuff. But my guess they are. If you want to give us a mall traffic report, let us know. 713-212-790. 7-1-2-1-790 with Ross and Nick. I'm Matt.

This is the Matt Thomas Show. We're live on Post-Christmas. We appreciate you listen to Sports Talk 790. Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson here. You're listening to the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. Time is 1217. Hi, Coach Sampson. Ross, did you see my Cougars win the Hawaii tournament beating Washington top 25 team?

Oh, yeah. Where are they in the top 25? They're going to be there next one. No, I meant the huskies. They're like 21st, something like that? Okay. all we do is win tournaments in Hawaii. That's all we want to do.

Oh, yeah, because you're probably not going to win one in America. Well, the contiguous. The contiguous 48th. Yeah, no, no. I'm trying to do it. Too late on that one. Yeah, the Cougars knocking off Georgia Tech. I'll never recognize Hawaii.

And Washington. It's beautiful. We should do a show from there. Like multiple shows. Okay. I've heard somebody who lived in Hawaii told me recently that it's really trashy there, so. Um, here's the thing about Hawaii.

They, even though they, like, they want you to come visit, they don't like it when you once, once you arrive. They just want your money. They want your money. Yeah, what you have to do is you have to go to Maui, uh, Kauai, uh, the big island. Went to going to Honolulu, like in the, um, Waikiki is like downtown Chicago with an island across the street. So, yeah. Interesting. It's a little rude.

Okay. And, uh, I did a rice. Hawaii game many moons ago. And Kim went with me. And she told me, she said, the rudest fans I have ever been to a game in my entire life were Hawaii Rainbow Warrior fans. Really? Fow-mouthed, yelling. I mean, this is a little pesky rice owls. I mean, nice kids,

not going to win a whole lot, good grades, and they are just MF of them for three and a half straight hours. So hopefully I took care of the University of Hawaii PR Bureau there on that great endorsement of the fans at Aloha Stadium. Aloha Stadium. Ross, the home of Hawaii football, home of the Pro Bowl every once in a while, and home of the biggest swap meet in America. Really?

Yeah. You can go there on a random Tuesday, and they'll have thousands and thousands and thousands of little booths set up in the stadium where you can buy pots and pans. The next one, you can buy casserole dishes. the next you can buy auto parts for your car. It's the weirdest thing ever. Hmm. I might have to go down there sometime.

Very expensive. I've seen your paycheck. You're not going. Yeah. But you've got a new mattress. You're happy about that. I did get a new mattress, and it's great. More on that later.

Oh, yeah, I bet. All right, 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790. My favorite Christmas gift of the year? You can come in and brag about it if you'd like. I got some new luggage, Ross. Ross, with all the traveling that I do, my luggage gets beat up badly.

Well, let me ask you this, Matt. I don't mean to put a damper on your Christmas, but did you pay for this luggage? Of course. Oh. I mean, Kim doesn't have a secret stash of cash. But it was a surprise. Well, that you know of.

Yeah, that I know of. Okay. Well, at least it was a surprise, right? Oh, yeah. I mean, she knew. Did you get embroidered? Does it have, like, your name on it? No, no, no, no.

face embroidered on or anything like that. My face. Why on my face on my luggage? Like your face in front of a microphone. You know, it says at SportsMT. It should say at SportsMT. It should say at SportsMT. That's what I'm saying. Because then you can get everybody that ever handles your luggage, whether you're flying commercially or with the team. Like, oh, at SportsMT. That's worthy of a good follow. Yeah, it's free plugs. Well, like the luggage guy is tossing your bag into the plane. He might get out his phone and follow you. That's a genius idea. Or it'll say, look at this D-bag who puts his Twitter hands.

handle on his luggage. Yeah, and throw your luggage extra hard. And then my luggage winds up in Topeka as compared to being at... Yeah, don't put any glass items in there either. Yeah, I'm good. So, yeah, my luggage just gets beat up because I travel so much. So every year I get new luggage or every other year. And, yeah, this is a...

That was the gift that really keeps on giving. Fresh luggage. How about you guys? My best present... Oh, man, I don't know. I got a lot of little good stuff. You know, socks, gift cards. Did you get a T-shirt that said Texas Longhorn football?

Oh, my dad got me a throwback Jeff Bagwell jersey. Oh, nice. See, I'd been, so my dad listens to the show all the time when Charlie's not on. Right. And he was listening to me talk about how my favorite Astros jerseys were the blue with the stripe on the shoulder and the star on the chest. Late 80s. You got those. Those are my favorite.

So he bought me one of those and a Jeff Bagwell. God, he does love you And he listens to the show occasionally He's a good man There you go All right Nick What was your favorite gift? Let's see

I got some framed pictures Of my kids Oh, that's horrible Yeah, that's not horrible That's that Mrs. Lowe being the kind sense It sounds like a waste of time I got some Some shoes

Fresh pair of jeans Did you get a fresh pair of no slip shoes No No I stopped caring about that I just wear tennis shoes It was really No one cares.

So we're for comfort. That's good. My responsibility, because Kim buys all the gifts of everybody, my responsibility is the stockings. So part of the stocking bid I do is I buy lottery tickets for all the kids. And I bought probably $20 a piece. So that's $60 in lottery tickets. And I've been told, because I'm not a huge scratch-off person,

that the more money you can win is on the ones that are either more expensive or the ones that you buy in the machine where they punches compared somebody just ripping them out at the convenience store. So I bought $60 worth of a variety of tickets. The grand total for the kids and that $60 that I spent on them, between the three of them, they won $4 total. It's like the slot machines. Why do I do this to myself?

Why do I do this to my kids? I'd be better served by just giving them each 20 bucks apiece and calling it a day. Yeah, that's what you should have done. But I thought about them getting rich and it just didn't work. We got scratch us every year too. a $10 scratch off, I won $0. Yeah, because really, I know that the Texas lottery has to give

out money. Yeah, that's just, you can't not do it. And I know that slot machines are supposed to pay out at some point, but whoever wins a lot? It's rare. Have you won $100 on a scratch-off before? Yes, actually, I have. Have you won a thousand

dollars on the scratch-off? The most I've won probably is $60. I saw someone win 2,000 once. It wasn't me, though. But, like, I even bought him a Texan scratch-off ticket. Those were $5 a piece. And you could win a suite at a game.

You could win serious cash, $1,000 for life. Can win a suite? To a game. What do you give you a win? Oh, that's the AFC South Championship. Oh, I'm sorry. You're right. Stop.

So Cameron is scratching him off, and you have to get like five consecutive whatever's to get this suite. Rowe faces. He got four Turo faces in a row. He's like, Dad, we're going to a Texas suite. I'm like, son, probably going to be in 2020 because there's one game left at it's Sunday. And then did win another fifth swipe, you know, the scratch. You know, you could check online to see what prizes have already been claimed. Like, if all the suites have been claimed, then you know you're not going to get one.

Why don't you tell me this is like a day, 10 days ago? And if the big price has been claimed, then don't even bother buying it. Oh, man. Lottery logic here. Matt Thomas show. That's what we're here for. Yeah, that and for what your best Christmas gift was. 7-13, and oh, by the way, the Rockets were terrible yesterday.

And oh, by the way, J.J. Watts going to play in the playoffs. What was it? And I was off a couple days ago when this, when this news came down. Was there a buzz with J.J. returning? I wouldn't say too much. No. There wasn't a much buzz on any show on Christmas Eve. Trust me, I was on for six hours. Now, maybe it was me.

Wait a minute. We put you on the air for six hours. Yes. Were you good all six or did you kind of decline as the afternoon progressed? I got to say, man, it was a little bit of a roller coaster. Really? Were you good at least 12 to 3? I guess, yeah. Michael Connor carried me at that point. Okay. And then Wex carried me the final three.

So I don't think I drug it down too much. All right. So you're telling me that people were not like calling every five seconds. This is the best. We're going to win the whole damn thing now. No, no, no. Not at all. That's discouraging.

Yeah, it's a shame. Maybe the other station had a lot of that buzz going. Maybe. Texans Karen had to have been going out of her mind. You think so? Yeah. She's got her pink bedazzled jersey out of the closet. Yeah.

She's like, I haven't worn this JJ Y jersey since week two. I get to put it on this week. Although he's not going to play to the playoffs. So realistically, what are we supposed to expect? I mean, it's a peck injury. And I heard the press conference. I mean, he's a guy that, you know, said, hey, I felt great coming out of a surgery.

You know he's a workout fiend, so if there's anybody that's going to take care of his body and get himself ready to go, it's him. But it's, I mean, is it like gravy to me? Is it you get anything from him as a bonus? I think so. Is there any way that him being on the field could hurt the team? Hmm. No. Yeah, I, he's so good when he is on the field, even as a decor.

He's like the willful or on defense. as long as he's on the field disrupting somebody and causing havoc, somebody else is going to feed off him. DJ Reeder, Whitney Merciless, anybody else, Amenahu, any of those guys, right? Yeah. He's the kind of player that is going to garner so much attention that other guys should be able to feast on the fact that he's probably going to face a double team

against whomever they play. Yeah, it'll be interesting. They probably want whatever team is playing, whatever their team they're playing, probably the Buffalo Bills, is probably not going to double him off. the bat. I think they'll go from there. They'll see what he's got and then adjust accordingly. But realistically, and we'll talk more about this obviously next week

as we get ready for the playoffs. What do you think he's going to have? I don't know. I don't think much, honestly, but we'll see. He's J.J. Watt. He's a freak of nature. So if anybody's going to come back and do it, it's going to be him. But in all seriousness, you can't, he's not going out there to be a mascot. He's going to go. He's going out there because the doctors and the medical team have cleared him to go.

Because as much as the Texans could certainly use him, you can't send 75% JJ Watt out there, especially after an injury like a peck, which has really hurt a lot of guys in years. I mean, just for the Texans, remember how Mario Williams' career ended basically on a peck injury, at least as a Texan. Whitney Marisles has gone through the peck injury before. There's been a lot of guys. You know, I hope, and I really don't believe this to be the case. But I hope that there's no rush to this because I want J.J. Watt to play for the Texans for the next hand

full of years and not let one playoff game further deterrent because he tried to come back too quickly. Yeah, I'm with you. I hope it's okay. We'll see. It's just why you have to be wait and see you because we don't know. We're not doctors. We're not in the training room and we're just, we're just speculating here. Well, I'm going to speculate that the Texans, under no circumstance, would try to force him out there any faster than they should have been. Rossi, I was on this West Coast Road trip with the Rockets, and there was one question that was asked to me by other media that I know in other cities more than any other question. I want you to try to guess what that question is. We'll discuss that next. It's the Matt Thomas show.

This is Eric Gordon. I'm going to pullback. Three hit it. Eric Gordon on fire here. Sports talk 790 is your home? Yes. For Houston Rockets basketball. And it appears that EG be back in action sometime this weekend. My guess would be the Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Eric is one of the nicest. Eric is one of the guys you'll ever meet, Ross, he still gets booed in New Orleans every time he touches the basketball. And you're saying, well, why is that?

Why is that, Matt? Sorry. He signed an offer sheet with the Phoenix Suns many years ago, and the Pelicans matched it, and he was not happy about that. Yeah, I do remember that. Eric Gordon's been around a minute.

He's been the league like 10 or 11 years. A lot of cash. I think he's doing okay for a lot of. himself. Very well for himself. All right. 713,

212. 5. 790. Ross, a sports related question was asked to me yesterday in San Francisco.

And in Los Angeles and in Phoenix, not asked to me in Sacramento, but that's on the hero there. It was a sports-related

question about Houston. What do you think the question was asked by I will say at least four people? Hmm.

When's the long-term Laramie Tensel deal going to get done. That is strike one. And I would say in the cold to warm scale, you are very, very cold. But not a bad opening question, by them. Not a bad opening guess. Why didn't the Astros

bring back Wade Miley? Wade Miley. That is also incorrect, but you are getting significantly warmer. Oh, really? Did the Astros cheat? Bingo. Dang. And first of all,

I told him, I said, I don't know if they cheated. I said, Major League Baseball is investigating. Actually, the correct answer would have been, how bad are the Astros going to get punished? And I said, that's a better question. Because I think other people, and again, this is at least four or five people that I've talked to that are in media or, you know, work with around those teams, they're picking up on the notion that the Astros are going to get hit hard because

Major League Baseball wants to make an example of them, which ultimately scares me because, you know, if you are the main example of them. example of. Remember, think about this in your life, Ross. You and your siblings. If one of you wants to go to the grocery store and pickpocket something, your mom and dad were going to make an example of you so it never happens to the other siblings, right? Yeah, I did that. I had to go back and apologize to the cashier. That's all, yeah, it was your own punishment? Well, I did it on accident. I'm sure I got spanked or something too. Okay. Well, if you were... I didn't on an accident. I was just, I was like six or seven, probably not even, it was, this was the Randalls on

Veterans Memorial, so I was probably not even six. I thought it was just free candy, so I put in my pocket. Yeah, as everybody would. Not your fault. But when you are made example of person, like if you're at the office and there was a question about a commission check and you took more money and you know what I'm saying? And they said, you know what? You claim too much commission.

We're going to punish you for this and we're going to send an email out. You were made fun. You not made them for you. You were made example of person. Yes, the Astros are going to be made an example of as a deterrence to other clubs or as a warning. It's going to be like a warning shot. Like, friends, let's look at the last few big suspensions in the NFL. Do you think Sean Payton was made an example of in the Bounty Gate situation with the Saints all years ago?

Absolutely. Do you think the New England Patriots was SpyGate were made examples of? Absolutely. And it didn't really seem to be much of deterrent for them. Yeah, apparently they're still doing it. usually when you're made example of guy you usually don't ever let it happen again or you're much more

diligent in hiding what you're trying to do yeah we just come back and cheat stronger than ever guys in the plane is just a man everybody's asking about the Astros I don't know if it's because they're curious about what's going to happen or they're excited about what's going to happen one of the or maybe it's a combination of both

I don't think they're hopefully they're not excited I'm definitely afraid. January 10th, you and I are going to be talking about a playoff game or something or maybe a Rockets win against the Lakers and all this stuff. We're going to see Ken Rosenthal tweet something. Buster Only. Word coming down, this, this, this. And here's how I see it playing out, Ross.

There's going to be a lot of erroneous information. What I'm hearing is this. And then what's actually going to happen is going to be significantly different than the initial what I'm hearing from. And then we'll see a statement from the Astros. while we disagree with the decision, we accept the punishments. But you know what, let's not worry about that until the first year. Because, I mean, my thinking is major baseballs.

They're not going to do this during the week after Christmas. Because you're not, nobody's in the office right now. This is the time of year of what, bowl games. This is the time of year of playoff football. You are not going to take this time of year and you're going to try to, you know, make a major headline. They're going to, they want to open up the January like fifth county year 2020. Here's what we found out from the Astros.

Here's what we look through 67,000 emails. 67,000. That's not afraid they're going to go through. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-213-2-5-790. If you'd like to join the conversation, if you want to reach out to us via Twitter, you can do that as well.

That's at SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Pro Nick Lowe. Ross, how much of the Clippers' Lakers game did you watch yesterday? I would say I watched most of the first quarter fell asleep and then watched most of the fourth quarter I'm here can you not hear me I don't think I've heard him okay well Matt can't hear me

apparently well it's about time for break quiet for a moment I watched most of the first quarter missed the second and third quarter because I was napping because I had a lot to eat for Christmas and then the fourth quarter I watched most of that well, I guess Matt can't hear me.

Well, the Lakers have lost four in a row. Do you buy LeBron James' excuse or whatever you want to call it? He says that he felt pretty good with his groin injury from the start of the game, and then he took a knee from Patrick Beverly, and after that it didn't feel so good. I think I buy that. Would LeBron just make that up? I don't think so.

But a lot of people on Twitter were crushing him, crushing him about it. So we've got to talk about the Lakers and the Clippers, of course, those are two teams that the Rockets are going to be keeping. an eye on and the Western Conference standings. And the Rockets, of course, slipping yesterday against the Golden State Warriors. Not the Golden State Warriors of old. The Golden State Warriors of right now,

where a guy named, somebody named Damien Lee is going off for 22 and 15 against you. So definitely we're going to talk some rockets and some NBA picture. A big picture coming up. We've got to get Matt Thomas back. He is at home. We're going to take a quick break here on Sports Talk 790.

If you want to talk about any of that, 7-13, 2-1. 125790. The phone number 7132. 1275790. Back in a minute. The most awkward nooner you'll ever be a part of. This is the Matt Thomas Show.

Time is 1247. The reason why I asked you Ross about the Clippers Lakers, LeBron is claiming that he re-aggregated his groin when he got into a confrontation with Pat Beverly. Yes. I briefly mentioned that while you were on your sabbatical. I think it gets a nice tea brief hiatus Yeah

So here's the thing Sometimes you love players Because they wear your uniform And you can Accept some of their Interesting tactics, so to speak I think we may have missed this on Pat Beverly Pat is getting sideways

In every single game he plays He's played the Clipper The Rockets three times he is fouled out of every one of those games. That's impressive. I mean, that's got to be some kind of record. Yeah, he averages six fouls per game. And he also gets technicals.

And he also got ejected in the last time when we were out there last week. Is he doing that to cover up the fact that he just isn't as good of a player as we think he is? Depends. How good of a player do you think he is? I think he can be a good defensive. player. I think he has moments where he can't hit an open three. He works his ass off. He tries very hard. But he's, as you, you know, you're a very big guy of, you know, wins above replacement or, you know, is this guy a great player? He's easily replaceable, correct?

I will say he brings a certain intangible energy and effort and all that type of stuff that can be in times infectious. But right, the on-court product of what he is, he's not a great three-point shooter, or at least he's not been this year. He's been solid in other years. He is not a guy who's going to get to the basket a ton or score a ton of points. He's just what he is.

He's a role-player guy. He's going to come in there. He's going to play some defense. He's going to hopefully knock down some threes. And he's going to be kind of a glue guy. So he has value from that standpoint, but he's never making an all-star team. He never even should have been,

I mean, how many times he'd been first team all defense? He just basically crowed to writers first team all defense, first team all defense, and kind of spoke it into existence. I've never viewed him as a guy who's going to basically lock people down, like a Kwai Leonard or a Paul George or even defensive specialists back in the day, like a Bruce Bowen or something like that. He's not that guy. But effort and energy are two thumbs up there from him,

but definitely not like. some kind of, I don't want to call him not special, but like you say, he's not much value above replacement, except for if you want to say energy and effort. As you say all these things, though, is he dangerous on the court?

As in like, reckless and going to hurt somebody? Yes, because I think LeBron would give you that. Russell Westbrook would absolutely give you that. Does his reckless play ultimately get guys

hurt. And maybe he doesn't do it a lot, but the notion of you best be careful could ultimately, you know, be a big problem for him, you know, against guys, because he's afraid he's going to get in there and, you know, put a knee in front of you. And again, I don't watch a lot of clip or basketball. You know how much I love Pat as a person. And it's in a great, a lot of, you know, a lot of great charitable things. I do like Pat. But And look, LeBron can be a little bit of, you know, excuse maker here and there if he needs to be. Yes. So I guess I could take it with a grain of salt, but I'm just telling you, three games against the Rockets, three foulouts, one ejection, another technical foul?

Those are numbers that all defensive players boast about, correct? I think that's great. It's fun when it's not against the Rockets. I'll put it that way. Well, he's over there knocking the ball out of LeBron's hands when he's trying to go for the winning shot, which, by the way, what is LeBron doing dribbling down the clock in that scenario? Yeah, I thought it was, it's fun. It's fun when it's not against the rockets. And it was definitely fun when he was a rocket.

That's the thing is we can't be hypocritical. We love. What? Yeah, we can. No. We usually are. Well, sometimes. But not on this show.

fair and balance in this radio show. And if we loved Pat as a rocket because of all the intangibles we just spoke of, is it hard for anybody to downgrade him and take shots at him for doing the exact type of things now that he's worn in different teams gear? It's a little hypocritical,

but that's what sports is. Yeah, I mean, it's our guy. It's like that old Seinfeld bit. We're rooting for laundry. Guy is in our laundry. He's our guy. He's in the other team's laundry. He's not our guy. Yeah. Well, I mean, the rocket have players littered with that.

I mean, how many Russell Westbrook fans were there in Houston, Texas, prior to this trade this offseason? People that weren't somehow displaced from Oklahoma City, zero. Yeah. How about this? How much did we tease about Austin Rivers? Yeah. When he was wearing clipper gear. I'll give you another one.

PJ Tucker, when he was with the Phoenix Suns and the Toronto Raptors. He was kind of a nuisance. Remember the battles he had with James Harden? Actually, I don't. there was a number of times when he was with Phoenix where he would be not necessarily talking trash

but like trying to lock down James Harden and James Hardin would have a good or a bad game against Phoenix and it was like PJ Tucker versus James Hardin was the story. Okay. There's some people out there probably remember that. You know what?

There probably are. Every team's got that group of guys that you were like, I hated you when he would. Like I have to tell the Dawson Rivers to his face. I mean, we didn't like you when you weren't somebody else's uniform. But he has been, not only has he been effective, but he's really a good dude. Because, you know, there's always this reputation of guys that are, you know, when you're a

coach's son, that you've been given the breaks, that you've been given advantages that other players haven't. He's been really good. Now, again, you're not asking him to score 20 points a game. He's not playing 25 or 30 minutes of contest, but by and large, when Austin Rivers gets on the floor, even though he's got that strange shot that leaves his hands. You know, Craig called a knuckleball during the game yesterday, as we're calling it. It really is a knuckleball leaving his hands.

There's really no rotation. It spins sideways. But, yeah, he's having a very good season from the perimeter. And sometimes he disappears. But overall, yeah, I like what Rosson Rivers represents and brings to the team for sure. Yeah. All right. 713-212-5-790.

If you'd like to join us today, we are open-line most of the way this afternoon is we are kind of feeling bad for ourselves. of the Rockets were terrible against the Warriors yesterday. Still a 3-1 road trip, still right in the top of the Western Conference. You just don't hope a loss like this, a loss to Detroit, which Ross alluded to, the San Antonio setback in SA, the game-winning shot by Sacramento. These things, you do not want them to hurt you towards the end of the season when you are trying to battle for home court throughout the Western Conference playoffs. Bill O'Brien spoke a few minutes ago about, again, a lot of the same things that we discussed on Monday's show,

and that's whether or not the starters are going to play in this game. And I was listening to you, was it yesterday or the day before? You were talking about Ross How Bill O'Brien never said the starters are playing. Right. He just kept saying, we want to win. We want to win. That's exactly what he's supposed to say. There's no lying in that.

Exactly. we will hear whether or not he's changed his tune on that coming up in the next couple of minutes here on the Matt Thomas show. 713212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. By the way, Ross, one of our great female listeners, Joan, sent me a tweet a few minutes ago. She says that, yeah, women keep money on the side. And Kim does. I just don't know how much it is at this point.

That's a surprise. Yeah, that's not a surprise. women are smart, man. Women are infinitely smarter than us. So I think Kim texted me a little few minutes ago. She says she's listening to the show. Really? Yeah.

Uh-oh. Hi, honey. We had our Christmas this morning as I was gone yesterday. Right. I didn't get home into the middle of the night. Mm-hmm. So I'm wondering how much money does she have ciphered off? Would you say it's more or less than $200?

Over. That's highly alarming, Ross. Why? Woman's got to eat. So you don't know what you're capable of. Is it more or less than $500? Ooh, I'd go over. What?

My wife is hiding $500 or more for me? I mean, it's probably accumulated over the years. It's just a rainy day fund, like Joan says. Like something happens, and you come to her and you're like, hey, there's this hot young intern at work and, yeah, I'm leaving you. She's got to be prepared for that and have some money or something like that for a worst-case scenario. Now, she has told me about the $100. she keeps in the secret stash. Okay.

And I know that. Okay. But I don't even know if I should count that towards what Joan is alluding to that women have a secret stash. A secret little nest egg. All right. Any female listeners listen to us, tweet at us at SportsMT, and we won't tell your husband. Or you can call anonymously. Or call anonymously.

Any females bumping around town. What is your secret stash that your husband doesn't know about? I would have to say, Ross, again, I'm only, this is just one pure guess. I bet the average woman's got $100 hidden somewhere. Probably. And if it's my wife at $500, we're going to have to have a little conversation about this. No, I say more power to her. I'll contribute.

Don't, don't. No, you out at her, and now you're trying to get back on her good side. I didn't know anything. All right. 713, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 790. Is the Matt Thomas show. 102 on this post-Christmas. Good afternoon, everyone.

It is the Matt Thomas show. Ross, Nick, Matt. We're with you today until 3 o'clock. We have non-Florida stories coming up at 2.30 today. We've got some audio in from the Texans on from Bill O'Brien about how important it is to play the starters. Do you think you really answer that? We'll have it for you coming up in just a few minutes. And yeah, the Rockets didn't give, put a big ol' lump of coal in the fan base yesterday with probably their worst performance of the year, sadly to say.

against the Golden State Warrior team. Frankly, Ross, and we'll get to some other things here, I think they're out of gas. I think these, you know, and everybody's going to have that lull in a particular season, but you have to fight through that, especially against a bad team like Golden State. Yeah, look, and the fatigue sure is a factor,

but you have to, it just didn't seem like the effort was there. It didn't seem like the want to was there, and the Warriors wanted it. The Warriors wanted to win. And then that's why they won that game. So you can't have these slip-ups. It's unfortunate. They are going to happen.

You're not going to win 82 games, but to win tougher games against the likes of the Clippers and even if you want to say the Sons and the Raptors and all those types of teams that they're beating. And then to do this, it's just kind of a letdown. All right. We were talking about the woman-slash-wife secret stash of cash. Yes.

I got somebody on Twitter that will remain anonymous. She says she keeps at least $200 a month. It goes to our kids and our nails and to purchase husbands' birthdays and gifts. Wow. So she's a kind, generous hoarder of money for other people. Now, the nails, you know, I get it. Our next caller, it says on the screen here, she has a secret stash of $8,000. That's what I'm talking about.

Now, I only know one Queenie. Is this the Queenie? Yes. $8,000? That I forgot I even had. He ended up finding it. Oh, my gosh. Queenie, you know you're my favorite of the family.

You know this. So, wait a minute. How did he find it? He was putting something up in this little secret spot. and he ended up, I showed him the secret spot, but I forgot I even had the money in the secret spot. Oh, my gosh. Okay, so we'll keep he as a secret. So he opens up the secret spot.

And find the white envelope. Oh. And there's $8,000 in the white envelope. Does he go, oh, honey, did you, are you saving this for something special? Did he get mad? What was the reaction? No. He said, you forgot you had some money.

I said, what money? He was like, you got some money in the white envelope. I'm like, what money? And then he says it's right here. I was like, oh, I forgot I even had that. I had been saving it this year. So you've been taking a little side money, putting in this white envelope,

and at the end of the day, it's $8,000? Yep. Damn. Yep. That I forgot about. Okay. It just found it like a week ago. So what was it?

end result. Y'all split it up? Did he let you keep it? No. He let me keep it. I still have it. So that $8,000, Queenie, is that going to keep it? You're going to keep it at 80? You're going to try to continue to add a couple of dollars here. I'm going. I'm going. I'm going keep going. Well. Keep adding to it. Would you do me a favor?

Call me back when it gets a $10,000. I sure will. Queenie, tell the family happy holidays from us, okay? Okay. Happy holidays. You too. See you later. Rossi. Queenie has $8,000 in the Secret Stash.

Wow. I told you, Matt. You got to watch out. Now, Queenie is, of course, on a different level than most. Yes. I'm going to have to check with Kim during the break. Matt, let her live. Don't check with her.

You want to tell me that you think if my wife had $8,000 in secret money, that I should just let her live. Yes. With all the money that I have to spend on our children? having to be married to you you think that's worth keeping a secret sash of $8,000? The same thing about this is that in my

relationship she just takes the money. She doesn't need to hide it from me. That's true. She's honey, I'm getting the nails done. Bye. $8,000 on her nails. Now, Queenie you probably get the nails done for $8,000. But I'm glad she's not going to go until she's going to get the 10. That's funny.

All right, females. Jones started this. Joan, it's your fault starting out with. So we didn't even ask Joan how much money hers is. Now we got $200 from one. She says $200 a month. So my secret person that just sent me that note, that's $2,400 a year. Hmm.

It's funny. I'm 47 years old. I've been married for, how long I've been married for? 22 years. And I'm just finding out new things about people's relationships. Man, oh, man, oh, man. It's a process, Matt. It is a process.

713, 212. $8,000, $7.90. 713-212-5-7-9 if you'd like to join our radio show. If you'd like to reach out via Twitter, you can do that as well. At SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Pro NICLO. Pro-Niclo, do you think your wife's got a secret stash? No, we pretty much spend all our money. So you're living hashtag paycheck to paycheck.

Absolutely. But you know what? Here's the thing. Even if you take like $50 here and there, I mean, most people can do that. That's still going to be a pretty good little sum of money for a little getaway. Like you want to go out and get drinks and everybody and your husband's like, no, you shouldn't go out tonight. And then he'll say, well, you go out and have one. Well, you've got the secret stash.

That one drink becomes three. I might have done that on New Year's Eve, Ross. Or not your New Year's Eve, but Christmas Eve. But you might not have. But I probably didn't. Right. But I could have. Right.

There was no Long Island iced teas on Christmas Eve for you. Ooh. It's not like you put the evidence on Twitter or anything. Yeah, I know. I wouldn't have done that. I had a few on Christmas of you. I'll be honest with you. You had a couple of cups of Christmas cheer, Matt.

Well, here's the thing. Being on this West Coast road trip, I hadn't thought, you know, we had been talking about this for several months. We knew the game against Golden State was on Christmas Day. And Kim and the kids knew I really wanted to check out this new Chase Center, which is in San Francisco. How was it? It's very nice.

I mean, it has the lengthwise, their scoreboard isn't. bigger than the Rockets, but top to bottom is way bigger. So more room for ads is what you're saying? Yeah, pretty much. You know, obviously there's a different vibe with it being in San Francisco as compared to Oakland. They're just two incredibly different cities, even though they're separated by the Bay Bridge. And it doesn't, you know, the Oracle for it being a dump that it was was super, super loud because the roof was so low. this one is much like a more characterous

and more of a normal arena because you have this ginormous scoreboard you can't have a low roof on that it seats 18,000 people I mean it was a sellout for a team I mean it was Christmas Day even if the Rockets weren't playing good basketball the Rockets are going to sell on Christmas because I think Christmas and NBA basketball is a very cool thing

but yeah it's very nice got all the bells and whistles but it just doesn't have that same sort of on top of you action so I wouldn't like so I wasn't feeling bad about this whole trip until Christmas Eve because Kim's finishing up the tree, the presents are under there, she's taking pictures for me. I'm like, man, I'm not home.

This is the first time we've been separated at Christmas and I think forever. I've missed a lot of Thanksgiving but never a Christmas. So yeah, so the Long Island teas were available and I had one or two or four, five. What did I remember? Who can keep count? Who remember? Who can recall? Here's the thing, Ross.

They were delicious and they were refreshing. Oh, that's what's important, Matt. How was your headache the next morning? Here's the thing. Everybody always asked you how your headache. I didn't have a headache. I went to bed right away. Oh, okay.

So you slept for like 12. You slept it off. I slept it off. Now, some people are just the opposite. When you drink too much, you'll go find an I-hop and then try to eat the ills away. That's what I do. Or a Waffle House. Waffle House.

Yeah, there's, there were, this comes as a stunter. There were no I-Hops available on Christmas. day at midnight. It's downtown San Francisco. That's unfortunate. And by the way, Matt, can I ask you a question? Sure. Why is it called the town? Does anybody call San Francisco

the town? No. What are the nicknames? Did Tony Bennett say I left my heart in the town? Like, what are the nicknames for San Francisco? Frisco, I guess. San Fran. The Bay Area? That's what everybody calls it. A homeless poop capital of the West?

I don't know. I didn't run any poop, by the way. That's good. But let me tell you some. There is another city that I walk with my head down more than San Francisco. Maybe Portland, too, is pretty bad. But, yeah. The city by the bay?

The Golden Gate. Yeah, city by the bay. The Golden Gates. I mean, nobody calls it the town. Nobody. And they put it on the damn logo on the floor. I took a picture of it. It was really odd.

Yeah, and it's just like a tree. It's half a tree. It's half nothing and half a tree. I'm very confused by the whole thing. Yeah, as am I. Let me get one more calling before we get to the Bill O'Brien audio from today's Texans practice. Hi, Tony, in the Champions area. What's going on?

Gentlemen, how are you? I want to take an opposite take to the stash, okay? My wife is a Chase member for a long time, and she has our whole life on an Excel spreadsheet. And so basically, she gets paid, I get paid, and then there's a house account. and money gets put in the half account, and then she puts it on the spreadsheet, and overestimates for everything, and things funneled down into things that I don't know about. Miscellaneous, Christmas, all that stuff.

So I first learned about this stash early in the year when I needed a new laptop, and I thought it was going to cost a certain amount of money, and she called me at work and said, go pick it up at Best Buy. It's done. And I was like, what's done? And no, it's done. I said, we have the money. Yes, we have that. Then in April, the dryer went out.

So she's like, okay, let's go to Sears. And I'm like, okay, we'll do whatever. We'll get the car. No, no, I got it. I'm like, you got it? Okay. And then something happened with the cars a couple of months ago where we had to have certain things done, timing belt, this.

Got it. And then all of a sudden. sudden there was extra Christmas money. So my estimate is that was about two grand. And I don't know where the two grand came from, but I don't care. I was very appreciative that it didn't have to come out of my pocket. So they sometimes keep us responsible, gentlemen, and they have this cash. So it's not a bad thing. First of all, Tony, thank you for the story. Second of all, I would have to put your wife in the minority because I'm assuming that the secret stash is not for you or for things around the house.

It's for like completely frivolous things. It's for everything. And this is the best thing. My account's my account. Her account's her account. The house account I can't look at. So I like that because then I don't know what's laying around because I'll go buy a new TV or whatever I want to buy.

And she prevents that. So it's like prevent defense, you know? Okay. Hey, let me tell you something. You've married to St. Tony. Thank you for the phone call. I appreciate it. I'm going to go ask my wife right now how much money she's spent on me on secret stash items. I don't know if you want the answer to that, Matt.

I don't think I don't. First of all, she's going to deny there's a secret stash. And then she's going to then say, why would I secret? You know everything we spend. You look at the Chase account all the time. She's currently moving the secret stash as we speak. That's exactly right. That's right. 150.

Let's hear what Bill O'Brien I say about using the starters come playoff time. Oh, and I assume not in playoff time. This Sunday, because the Tennessee Titans are in, who, by the way, could get into the playoffs if things work out. 7-13-212-5-790. It's a Matt Thomas show. This is Sports Talk 790. Daryl Morey here.

This is the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. 121. We'll get back to some more rocket chatter in a couple of minutes, but as promised, because Ross, there's nothing but more exciting to the show than playing Bill O'Brien signbytes, right? I mean, when you think of the... That's what gets the people going, Matt. Yeah. There's nothing that's more entertaining than talking about how people or women are saving money on the side, ciphering it, and then Bill O'Brien signbites. Oh, and quick note, by the way, Matt, all this town in the tree and all that, that's for Oakland.

And they play in San Francisco. Right. I guess they're trying to, you know, they don't want Oakland fans to feel left out or something, I guess. Okay. It doesn't make any sense. I mean, all the Warriors fans are back to being Lakers fans at this point anyways, right? That's true. Until they get the first pick in the draft next year.

Right. And then we're going to just have to just take a sabbatical for a month. How incredulous would it be if the one year the Warriors suck after being this dynasty and they get the first overall pick. Yeah, and they get a great player, and then they play with Clay Thompson and Steph Curry. They go out and they go trade for Yanis and then to Gumpo in the offseason. Wait a second.

They wouldn't do that. Let me tell you, I got up yesterday, Christmas Day, and I turn on ESPN, and they're talking about if the Milwaukee Bucks don't win an NBA title, should Janus ask out of Milwaukee? That's what sports has become. You don't win a title right away, and you are impending for agent, next couple of years. Do the safe thing. Demand a trade. It's way easier. So you can go buddy up

with your other friends around the NBA. Although Janus isn't that kind of guy. Is he Ross? It feels like to me, it's a ride or die guy that I'm not going to go find buddies to join up to go, you know, easily claim a championship. I don't know. It's more difficult now with the, with the max contracts being as much as they are, 40 million now. And it's really hard for the, for the superchew. I mean, that's why the Warriors disbanded the way they did, and Kevin Durant had to go other places and all that stuff, was because of the collective

bargaining agreement the way it is now. We're never going to see a four Hall of Famers like we just saw on the Warriors. I don't think we'll ever see that again. John is might want to play somewhere warmer. He likes it in Milwaukee. With more people. I mean, he's on commercials now. It's not like

he's not being seen. Now, you do have to say his name because his face is not that recognizable. I mean, it is to NBA fans, but the general fan that's a sports fan doesn't, you know, if you put his mugshot or a face picture of him and he's not going to necessarily be, oh, that's the honest. He's really good. Ross, he might win the MVP again. He might. I think it's going to be him or LeBron. Yeah, the only thing it might hurt LeBron is if he's going to start missing some time again like he did last year for the first time of his career. All right. Bill O'Brien, Ross, how many games of the Texans played so far this year?

They have played 15. They are 10 and 5. How many touchdowns have they scored in their opening drive? I can't remember. Is it zero? I believe it is zero. Okay. That's not good.

Bill O'Brien asked about that. There's a lot of things we could do better relative to our first drive of a game. You know, sometimes it's penalties. Sometimes it's missed assignment. Sometimes it's a TFL, a sack. Maybe it's a bad play call, whatever it is. We're all in it together, and we need to fix that. Ross, did you say that seven weeks ago?

Probably. Did he say it nine weeks ago? Probably. Did he say it 11 weeks ago? Probably. And now we're 15 weeks in and they still haven't had a touchdown? Yes. Look, here's the thing.

There are some people that are really bothered by that. I'm not going to be one of those. They're 10 and 5. All drives are created equal. Now, it'd be nice for them to get a good touchdown to put the other team back on their heels a little bit, maybe change the way they play call a contest? Are you bothered by it? Is it like, oh, my God, another opening drive?

Now, it's an ugly stat. It ain't a pretty one. But it doesn't, because you don't score on your opening drive, it doesn't preclude you from one of the football game. Case in point, 10 and 5. Yeah, I think it doesn't matter as much as, I don't think it matters as much as anybody, I mean, is anybody making a huge deal about it?

If you're making a big deal about it, you're doing a little too much. It matters. But it's not that big of a deal. Oh, I think if you, and again, I shouldn't use Twitter's an example, but people that are watching the game, that are taking notes, that are commenting on, I think it does become something that's an early narrative for a Texan football game. But you've never in your mind, at least I haven't,

thought watching the Texans play, they don't get their score, their opening drive, they're going to lose. There has not been one game where a missed touchdown on the opening drive, has ultimately made a difference in a game. Unless it was like they were first in gold to two-yard line, ready to score that touchdown, and they turned the ball over. I don't think that's even been a case. The one thing that I will take away from the Tampa game in particular,

and this is where Bill O'Brien jumps in, I think overall the offense needs to be sharper. Here's Bill. We need to get it sharper, you know, on the practice field and on the game field relative to what we did against Tampa Bay. I mean, you know, I know that we've talked and hear a lot about our offense. Our offense has been very productive this year. We're in the top 10 in just about every category.

We've improved in sacks. I think we were 32nd earlier in the year in sacks. Now we're 24th or whatever that is. I think our offense is a very good offense, but we need to do some things better, no doubt about it. So describe Ross, in five words or less, the Texans offense. Would the answer be very good, should be better? It's we need to do better. Those are the five words.

Yeah, I don't think the Texans offense, the way that it has produced for the most part in the last month, is it good enough to win a playoff game. Not the way that they've been playing and not the way Deshaun Watson has played the last three games. I mean, he was really good against the Patriots. Yep. But since then. But since then, it's just been a mishmash of bad decision-making and accurate throws, not getting rid of the ball on time and all those things. And he needs to be better if the Texans are going to make a playoff run.

And here's the thing. When Bill O'Brien says offense needs to be better, let's not hide this. It's Deshawn, because Deshawn is the offense. DeShon is the one that escapes multiple sacks. Deshawn is the one that extends plays for the good or for the bad. rarely do you ever hear a coach isolate one player and you don't hear it with Bill O'Brien at this point. But I think everything, if you could take the word offense and erase it and put Deshawn, hey, we have a very good offense, meaning i.e. Deshawn's a very good quarterback.

But everything we need to do better, we being DeShan. And whether it be fair or unfair, that's exactly what quarterbacks have to handle. that's the responsibility you know John Harbaugh the coach of the Ravens could talk about how his offense could be better well it's not his offense it's its quarterback and Lamar has been excellent each and every week so he hasn't had to say that but in this particular case insert offense take it out put in to Sean and I think he'd be speaking the gospel

Bill O'Brien number one question really going into the game especially if Kansas City wins and secures a number three in the AMC playoffs is, is there any scenario where you would rest the starters? I think you go into every game with some type of plan. I really do, whether it's this game or any game. I mean, I think we all know what this game is about on Sunday. You know, I think for us, it's our last regular season game of a season that I think's been good. It's been a good season.

We won the division. And so we need to go out there on Sunday and compete at a very high level. against a really good football team that is coming in here, you know, ready to go. We need to be ready to go. So we will. We'll be ready to go. And I'm sure it'll be a really good game. Ross, if Kansas wins, the second team players are playing.

Yeah, there's no doubt in my mind. No doubt. There shouldn't be a doubt in my mind. I would be shocked. How about that? And it would be the wrong call if the starters and Deshaun Watson are all playing. I mean, maybe a series or a quarter if you want to treat it like. a third preseason game, but if they're playing

at any point in the second half, that's a huge mistake. If they're playing at any point in the game, I think, is a mistake. That's it. Here's the thing. If you're putting him in for a series, as you're alluding to, that means you're trying to correct something or there's something he hasn't seen. Deshawn has seen it all. If either you play him because you want the number three seat because the Chargers upset of the Chiefs, or you tell Deshawn,

we will work you really, really hard in practice the next couple of days to keep you crisp and keep you alert, but we're not going to put you in a spot where you could get injured in the final week of the season. He doesn't play. Bill O'Brien doesn't have to say it. We can read between the lines. 131 on the Matt Thomas show. 713212. 570 if you'd like to join us today.

713-212-5-790. One hour from now, Ross, Nick, myself, we'll go through our non-Florida stories. It's always a fun part of our weekly get-together here on the show. We thank you. you for being with us on this day after Christmas. 713, 212.5.7.90.

A little pregnant pause as we were saluting Santa who's getting some rest after a long heartiness one. 135 on the Matt Thomas show. That's Ross. Nick is there. Ross, we've got non-flora stories coming up at 2.30. My

dateline will be High Point, North Carolina. Okay. I am still aggregating stories and looking in selecting. That means you haven't paid one second of attention to it. That's not true. That's true. 713-212-5-79 if you'd like to join us. 7-1-3-212-5-7-9. If you'd like to reach out via Twitter, you can. So at SportsMT and at SportsRV. So JJ Watt is going to return for the playoff game. We'll hear from Bill O'Brien come back in a couple of minutes about what he

exactly had to say about that. very curious, Ross, how it's going to turn out for him. Because it could set up an amazing storyline. Let me give you two storylines. And then if I'm missing one, let me know. Okay, here comes storyline number one. J.J. Watt gets hurt early in the year. Texans pass rush, for the most part, has been non-existent for the last 10 or so games.

J.J. comes back from this difficult surgery. Most guys don't survive. You know, they have to miss the entire season. They've got to miss nine months. He comes back sooner than another. Misses his eight games as required by the rules in the NFL. Gets back on the field, and it says J.J. Watt of Old and leads his team to one playoff wildcard win, an improbable indivisional win, and then win the championship game on a strip sack fumble, okay?

There's a scenario that's like, wow, J.J. Watt is amazing, and what a great way to tie a bow on this incredible. The very fragile story of the Houston Texans. It's quite the fair tale. Yeah, scenario number two. J.J. Watt gets on the football field. And on play number 11, gets hit in that same area, suffers a similar pectoral injury, walks off the field, head held down low, carrying a helmet, people screaming,

J.J., where are you going? He shakes his head and doesn't look at anybody as he goes back to the training room where it is determined that he once again reaggravates the same injury he had earlier in the year. Can I go somewhere in between or do I have to pick them? I would like for you because I've just given you both ends of the spectrum to give me scenario three, which will be hopefully maybe not nearly as realistic as scenario or not unrealistic like scenario one, but hopefully not as bad as scenario number two. I got one

The Buffalo Bill's coming to town JJ Watt is not really super effective The Texans can't get much going on offense And they lose to Josh Allen and the bills 17 to 14 How does J.J. Watt do in that game? He gets like one sack But he doesn't do much other than that

Any of their TFLs besides that? No. I have a scenario four. I'm scared of your scenarios. J.J. Watt gets completely new injury and is out missing time next year. Thanks. Thanks, Nick. Merry Christmas. Jeez. We'll go with Re-Agravates his back.

Yeah, that's a good one. But traveling Texan does not want to hear that from you. It's a home game, the playoff game. Face paint Texan guy with all sorts of chains all over his body and earrings and strange spots. I don't want to hear that from you. doesn't care, he's still going to get all dressed up so he can try to get on TV and validate his life. You think that's the reason why he's doing it, that guy? And there's, that guy, meaning there's like 50 of them.

You mean the guy who paints his face and puts on spiky shoulder pads doesn't want attention? No, because he, Ross, what that guy wants to do is he wants to know, he wants you to know that he is all in on your football team. He wants attention. He wants to be on TV. Now, just because he sits in the very first role of the end zone, the bullpen, does, It doesn't mean that he thinks he's going to get a camera glimpse. He's vying for one. It doesn't mean that if DeAndre Hopkins jumps in the stands, he's not going to be devastated if he doesn't catch him. Yeah, he'll be devastated.

He might cry about it later. Do you think he's the guy that takes his right and left hand and slaps it against the wall when the team is down 21-0-nuffin' screaming defense? Yes. You know why I just said that? because I've seen it too many times. It's going to happen. No offense to you, Texan Steve or whatever. Whatever you live your life.

Texan for life. Okay. So what have we decided on day? And we've got a whole week to kind of think about this. I want everybody to close their eyes, not necessarily today, especially if you're driving, but I want everybody to think about a week from now when the Texans are playing that 3.30 game in the early afternoon. How is J.J. Watts day going in? Ross, can it not end?

Remember the first playoff game that Texans ever played when J.J. Watt intercepted Andy Dalton and took it to the house? Remember how awesome that was? Yeah, I was there. I was hammered. I don't care about your alcohol consumption that day. I'm talking about just in general. I mean, I'm just saying I vaguely remember it. Okay, I just gave you the recap. It happened late in first half. Yeah. The place went bonkers.

Yes, yes, it did. he showed that he's got good hands and that he could run. Now granted, that was also, what, seven years ago? Eight years ago? Oh, eight years ago? Was it, what was it, was 2011? What was his 40 time back then? What is his 40 time now is what I want to know?

If JJ Watt will intercept Josh Allen this week, will he be able to get to the end zone, or will he be tackled from behind at the 14-yard line, setting up a Kimey Fairbairn field goal to end the half? Probably not. Yeah, that was in January of 2012, so the 2011 season, yes. So we're talking eight years. That was eight years ago?

Yes. Which then meant going to Baltimore after that, right? Is that the same year? Yep. Were Jacoby Jones fumble the football? Well, something like that. Who then went on to go play for the Baltimore Ravens? Yes.

Playoff recap talk sucks. Well, in Houston, yes. Houston, is there ever a happy ending to a football playoff recap in Houston, Texas? No. Hey, let me tell you, it was a young sportscaster? I would do the same thing with the Oilers. Hey, remember when the orders beat the Jets in a wildcard game? Yeah, and then they went to Denver and got their ass beat by,

and they threw the dumb-ass staggered lead play? Remember when the orders won like 11 straight games beat the Niners on Christmas Day? And then they hosted the, you know, they went to can't, they went to Buffalo and lost after being up 35. You know what? Playoff talk for football just doesn't have any fun. Not in Houston. 713, 212, 570-143.

The Matt Thomas Show continues. This is Sports Talk 790. This is James Arden. It goes to hard three to shoot, jacks up a three hits. This is the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 79. Are you kidding me? 148 is the time. It is the Matt Thomas show.

Happy host things. Thanksgiving. Well, actually, post- Thanksgiving and post-Christmas, for that matter. Ross, would you for Christmas dinner yesterday? I'll give you one guess. enchiladas. Tamales, close. I was going to say tamales, but I thought because, you know, I don't like enchiladas.

It was one of those things. Well, you know, tamales are a traditional Christmas dish, Matthew. Yeah, they are. In our family, it's on Christmas Eve. Oh, really? Yeah. I eat them for both. Nick, what was the Christmas dinner selection of your house?

Pork, it was a pork tenderloin, actually. I think people are getting back, are staying away from turkey on Christmas. Yeah, I think so. I had media dining at Golden State in their Chase Center. They called it prime rib. That'd be a little bit of a stretch. I would like to just call it tough meat. 149 on Sports Talk 7.9.

We have non-Florida stories coming up. in 40 minutes. Mine is very lighthearted. Mine's not sensational. Mine's not going to be gross. That's unfortunate. We leave that stuff for Nick's story. Nick, on your gross scale of 1 to 10, your non-flora story, 1-10 is what? Today it's like a three. There's no nothing gross about it. Yeah, mine is zero. Mine is just kind of hokey and anecdotal. And then we have, believe it or not, today at 252. Ross, what is the category? Oh, we're doing that? Yeah. I thought we were on Christmas and break for believe it or not. The game must go on unless I'm off.

Biggest upsets ever on Christmas Day in the last 30 years. Too soon. Rockets versus the Warriors. Believe it. Believe it. I'm glad that nobody's called about the Rockets today because I... That's good. I would think there'd be a little blank and vinegar with y'all.

Yeah, I got a couple angry people on the postgame show, but that was it. Only like a couple calls. Maybe this rocket community of ours just isn't going to get amped up into a playoff time. because really, in all honesty, I've got a call in here a second. The end game for the Rockets, this time around with Russ, is the finals, right? Going to the semis does not do anything for anybody. No.

It's just like the Texans. The end game is the championship. At least if you got the Texans, the AFC Championship, it'd be something they've never gone to before. It would be something new and interesting. There could be some satisfaction just out of that. But the Rockets have been to, what, you know, what, three finals in this decade? Conference, conference, yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, their whole slogan is hashtag one mission. And hashtag one emission is let's make the semis and bow out in six games. That's not the one mission. One mission is the NBA championship. And it's just like the Astros. When you do these little catchy phrase things, you know, take it back. They almost took it back.

Oh, we got some Breaking Rockets news, Matthew. What do you got? Shams Sharania has tweeted out. The Houston Rockets and two-way guard Chris Clemens have agreed to a three-year NBA deal. Good for him. Clemens ran out a two-way deal days and is now signing a full contract. So now Chris Clemens back for three years.

You know what? I bet it a good amount of money and knows his role, right? Yeah. Come out here. Take 30-foot three-pointers that you're going to shoot from your chest. And most of them are going to drop in from the sky. And people are going to be owing and on for that. I love it.

Yeah, that's, you know what? I bet he's not making a lot of money. I bet he's making, you know, comfortable living for himself. Sure. I mean, he's making good undrafted free agent money, I'm sure. You mean, five years ago, if I'd have said, we're going to give you a three-year NBA contract. You'd like sign me, I'll sign up. Where?

Where am I signing this thing? Let me go to Mike. Mike, happy post-Christmas on 7-90. What do you got today? Is it Matt Clare Lake? I hope so. Mike and Clear Lake? Yeah, I'm Matt.

I'm Matt and King. Well, are you, are you Mike and Clear Lake? Yeah. Yeah, I'm sorry. I was kind of asking. of it for a couple of days and I might have missed something. I have a quick question and a quick question. The most recent question was why you said a while ago,

because I'm not sure that I understood. When I saw JJ Watt the first time run off the field, his head wasn't down, but you weren't referring to that. You were referring to an ugly scenario that we hope doesn't happen, right? Or were you thinking it was going to be a repeat of that scene? He's running off the field? I said the two scenarios that I thought about would be in play it would be either a repeat of what happened where he leaves the field with his head down and his helmet and his hand and he re-injures himself,

or it's the opposite where he comes back, he plays out of his mind, and the Texans win a boatload of playoff games. I agree with you. I just didn't see his head down. I thought he was just running off to get a band-aid. No, no, I'm talking about what's going to happen in the playoffs. I wasn't talking about what already happened. No, no. That's what I was kind of clarified, because we hoped that he was.

he can't run off looking happy and get a band-a-bend. That's going to be very big. And the other question I had, I looked on the computer and I couldn't find this. But a couple of weeks ago, and previous to that, I saw Ryan Anderson sitting on the Rockets bench. I think I did. And then he disappeared. So there's something going on with him? Yeah, he got released.

Oh, he got released. Yeah. Is he pretty much washed up now or what's going on? He's got another team? That's a relative term. Yes. Yeah. I'd be stunned if he makes it on our team.

Yeah, that wasn't fair. Well, y'all been good to me all year. Bless you and happy new year. And thanks so much. Thank you, Mike. Happy holidays. We appreciate you listening here. Yeah, I would be startled, Ross,

if Ryan Anderson was to play another NBA game again. He might, but I'd be startled if he were much of a contributor. Put it that way. Okay. I get you. 155 is the time it is the Matt Thomas. show 713-212-5-790 on the Rockets is it you know because there's a lot of people that say the NBA season doesn't start until Christmas and look I didn't see the games after the Rockets because we were traveling well the Rockets are own one

yeah I didn't catch much of the Pelicans game yeah pelicans by the way beat the Nuggets in Denver so it can happen to everybody could you imagine how dicey would have been around the Toyota Center if the warriors would have beating the Rockets in Houston? So you're telling me, if the Rockets would have won yesterday, they'd be in sole possession of the number two seed. I'm not telling you that. Are you telling me that? I'm telling you that.

Oh. Boy, that actually hits, it's another punch to the gut is what that is right there. Yep. They would be 22 and 9 a half game ahead of the Nuggets. I'm just, Rossi, I'm just of the belief you have to avoid as many bad losses as possible. I'm talking about bad putrid losses. Yeah, you got to swerve the potholes. You've got to take care of business.

You've got to take out the trash with the lesser teams. Like, how many are you supposed to have? If you're going to be a 56 win basketball team. I'd like more, but okay. Okay, 58. I'm not giving you 60s. Okay, fine. That's, how many losses is that?

24. 24 losses. How many dog games are you allowed to have if you're 58 and 24? Five? Okay. So with that being said, Rockets losing to Sacramento at home. Dog loss?

I'll go yes. Rockets losing to San Antonio. Yes. That's two. Rockets losing to... Detroit? Detroit at home. Yes.

With no drummond and no Blake Griffin in the second half? Yes. Rockets losing to Sacramento on the buzzer. Yes. Rockets was in the Warriors yesterday. So there's five. Wait, wait, no, we said Sacramento twice. Oh, okay.

So they've had four really, really bad losses. I don't know. Maybe they're going to get eight dog losses. No, no, no, no. If that's the rule, because I like when you set up the rules, there are a lot of one more dog loss between now and the end of the season. You know what? I mean, I'll say this.

The Pistons one was third game in four nights. And they were short-handed. It was the second half of the back-to-back. You didn't have Russell Westbrook. No, you're right. Do you want to say that's a schedule loss and not call that a dog loss? I like it. Take it off the board.

Okay. So the Rockets are allowed to have three more dog losses the rest of the year before we're really getting concerned. That's responsible. We're fair and balance on this show, right? Sure. That's what I'm going with. 713-212-5-7-90. Final hour of the Matt Thomas show, we've got, believe it or not, we've got now Florida stories to get to.

We have your contributions. at 713-212-125-790. We were talking about JJ while with our previous caller. What does Bill O'Brien say about the whole process of getting JJ back? We'll hear that next on Sports Talk 790. Yeah. Is the Matt Thomas show. You know, JJ, even before, you know, being declared eligible to come back to practice,

he passed a number of tests along the way. let's just call it 20 tests, whatever those tests might be. So everything from here on out is more about football relative to what he would be able to do. So we'll have to see that. It was only one day of practice. We'll have to kind of see as we go through the next couple weeks to see where it's happening. Oh, he's playing. I mean, if there's anything, Ross, that Bill O'Brien has done during this entire situation

when asked about J.J. O'Watt is slow playing, right? I mean, he's playing. Right. And again, we don't know what to expect. I'm okay with that. I don't even think he knows. But the bottom line is, having him out there is better than not having him out there. And whatever he has done, he has worked his rear end off to get back to the point where most guys who suffer a peck injury don't see the playing field until the following season.

I just went through some scenarios that give you the ultimate positive, meaning he's going to go out there and be the J.J. Wad of Old, and this team is going to really appreciate the pass rush. or he's going to suffer some other injury, and it's going to be one of the saddest days in Houston sports history. I hope neither one of those scenarios come into play. I hope he's just a guy, Ross. I hope he's just a guy that gets out there and gets his feet wet and help somehow, some way, with a couple of plays here and there to help the Texans finally put a pass rush on somebody.

I mean, even James Winston, as bad as he was against the Buccaneers, he didn't really face a pass rush. He was just throwing into coverage because that's what James Winston does. 28 interceptions he's up to, by the way, on the season. 31 touchdowns, 28 interceptions. Congratulations on your fantasy championship, by the way. Oh, yeah. Where's my money?

I think I've got to work that out. Very busy. You're going to have to ask for some secret stash from your wife? No, no, no. I do owe you some money, don't I? Ugh, gross. Why is that gross? Because I don't like giving you any championship.

I don't have to proclaim you a big winner. Congratulations. We used to have a championship belt. Do I get that? Where's our belt? The belt left. Oh. I think I know who took it.

Yeah, you do. 713-212-5-790. It's how you reach our show today. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90, final hour of the show. Coming up in a half an hour from now, we will have our non-floority stories, and we have, believe it or not, today, which should be, what is, you know how there's the festivists we had on the day before Christmas? What is the day after Christmas? That's known as Boxing Day.

It's a big day in the Premier League where there's games all day. Yeah. What's a bigger deal? Boxing Day in the Premier League or five NBA games on Christmas game? They're probably pretty equal, honestly. Obviously, one's a bigger deal in another country than this one. Got some good Boxing Day action going on right now, though, Matt. It's nil-nil-nil, Leicester City versus Liverpool in the 6th minute.

So you're telling me there is a soccer game going on right now where no one has scored. Well, it's five minutes. give them some time. Okay. 713212-5-790. 7-1-3-1-2-5-7-90. We spent some time talking about JJ. We spent some time talking about the playoffs where they should be starting.

Did you hear Indy on his show today? He says you don't play them regardless of Kansas City's result, that all you wanted to get was a home playoff game and that who you play, it shouldn't matter. I would have to disagree with Indy on that. Great respect for Indy and his storied NFL career. and what great talent up here at Sports Talk 790. He is absolutely 100% wrong.

Wrong. You have to go, first of all, you want to avoid Denver. I mean, why do I say Denver? You want to avoid Baltimore. You do want to avoid Denver. Well, you do want to avoid Denver. Luckily, they're not going to be in the playoffs. You want to avoid Baltimore, the other team that kicked the Texans' ass in recent weeks.

And then also, you would rather go against the Patriots, and also you would rather the weaker opposition to come here. here rather than the bills. Of course, any conglomeration of the Steelers, Raiders, or Titans is going to be easier than the bills, in my opinion. All right. So I was looking through a variety of scenarios. The NFL did a really good job of putting out, you know, what everybody has to do.

For the Texans, it's pretty simple. If Kansas City loses to the Chargers, which I can't imagine that happening, but you know what, strange things happen in Week 17. The Texans win, they would have the three-seat, and they would take on. the least of the two wild cards, correct? Correct. Which I think is dramatic. I think Buffalo is as strong of a wild card as we've had in quite some time.

And I don't, Pittsburgh with who the hell is going to start a quarterback, Tennessee, you have already have beaten them twice. Derek Henry's hamstring is probably going to be an issue the rest of the season, regardless of if he plays at this Sunday or not. You tell me about a scenario that doesn't have the... the Texans in a win-win situation if they can avoid Buffalo at all costs, right? Right. You lose.

Okay, first of all, you're not going to lose. If Tennessee, then if the Kansas City Chiefs win, then you're locked in at four. You will take on Buffalo, who will be the five, who's guaranteed there, and you put your second teamers in. You still want to win the game. You're not sending A.J. McCarron to go out there and throw interceptions. but at this point you don't care who the Texans who the other wildcar team is right

because you're locked into playing Buffalo and that's all you've got to worry about because at the end of the day if you're going to beat the Buffalo Bills a week from Saturday because it's going to be the Saturday early game you're either going to then you would then have to play New England which you've already beaten them once and the Patriots while again still very very good are not nearly as good as the Baltimore Ravens

agree sorry Indy And he, I know he's not listening. He's probably taking a nap because that's what they're doing to get older. You know, old NFL players when they retire, they just take naps. I don't understand why he would have possibly fought the other to anything else but that. Yeah, he wants everybody. He says you're getting a home game so it doesn't matter if you host the bills or if you host whoever.

I mean, you kind of get where he's coming from and you want to arrest the players no matter what. You get the players arrest, so it's essentially a buy week and you're already hosting you're already having a home game no matter what. So I get where he's coming from there, but I just disagree. Yeah, I would agree. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Let's go to Kevin on the north side of the 209 on 7-90.

Hi, Kevin. Oh, I'm sorry. Irvin. Kevin. Okay, Irvin. I thought it said, Kevin. Hi, Irvin. I thought we were having a home-alone situation.

Hey, fellas, this is what I don't understand. Sando da Costa I heard of Houston Rockets the money that they make every time they lose I hear people talking about they're tired I'm going to tell you what's wrong with the rocket

you gave up too much much up in that Chris Paul deal D.O.C. What's wrong with the Rockets? You need I'm talking about Dale Murray Marry he gave up

way too much in that Chris Paul deal you're seeing it in your face see that the people he gave up it's doing good good see that you ain't got nobody

around James Hardin and see that but Russell Roop or Westbrook see that the rest of them boys boys is not it's not what you called playoff

see that that's what wrong with Harden. See, the Hardin is good basketball player, a great basketball player, but he ain't, he's not playing with nobody, but Russell Westbrook. And he don't have nobody even coming off the bench. And see that he don't have nobody, he's

playing with that consistent. And see, and I hang up and listen. Ross, I'll let you go first. No, I'll let you handle this one, Matt. No, I insist you go first. You gave up all that you had to in the Chris Paul trade, number one, money would match.

And number two, because you were getting back a guy that you thought would be the number two on a championship caliber team. And he was for at least the first year when they won 65 games. And in my opinion, were the best team in the NBA. And then he went down. So you took a shot. It was Darryl Morey shot his shot on that trade. And unfortunately, it didn't work out.

Yeah, you took a shot that got you to the NBA Western Conference Finals, Game 7, where your guy that you hoped would be there to help James win that in two chances, meaning game six and game seven was hurt, couldn't play. It hurt. It did. You took a shot. You know, everybody's going to have their own definition of, you know, how a team should be run for an office standpoint.

Ross, how many times have we heard that Jeff Leno didn't do enough before the Verlander trades before picking up Zach Grinky? The Astros are just sitting on their hands. I think fans are, and I'll throw media in the mix on this too, we're very finicky. We crucify teams when they go, when they make deal, when they don't make deals, and that when they make the deals, then we get mad at them for giving up too much. Correct.

I will tell you this, Montres Harrell's been very, very good. Lou Williams has been very, very good. Pat Beverly, okay. You know, we've talked about him in the last hour of the show. Very replaceable player, nice player, but very replaceable. Draft picks, you know, the Rockets don't keep draft picks. I think he's not even in the league. Not even in the league.

Who's the other kid? Kyle Wilcher? Yes. Do you miss a Kyle Wilcher? Well, I'm not going to finish that sentence. Okay. They got to the finals. So, you know, again, I understand that when you take a bad loss to Golden State,

it becomes nobody is, nobody can accept Westbrook is with him and the team sucks. They're, what are they, a half game out of the number two C in the Western Conference playoffs, basically? of the Western final, the standings. It's been a sucky year. Yeah, they're half game behind Denver. They would have been a half game up in the two spot if they had won.

Yeah, this isn't a sucky year. There have been some bad losses. But I don't think anybody should be going around going, oh, this is. Now, look, yesterday was awful. You cannot spin in any other direction than that. But people weren't calling to criticize the trade and picking up Restbrook when the Rockets wanted to go,

LA Clippers. They weren't doing that when they beat the tariff. Ronald Raptors, one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference on their home floor, you know, that's what we do. We're not, and we, and I mention this with the Texans, Ross, all the time. We're not going to beat our chest when there's a game that you weren't supposed to win or weren't highly favored to win. You go in there and beat them, but yet when you take an L to a team you've got no business

losing to, that's when everything completely implodes and the team sucks and everybody should be traded or fired. That, my friends, the sports are a nutshell. The Rockets have Red Nation. Matt has Maddie Nation. Things are going to start happening to me now. You've made it. I'm somebody now.

More Matt Thomas. Now. All right, Ross, real quick before I get some more phone calls and we run out. Florida stories coming up here shortly. I told you we were in charge of the stockings of the household. Well, Kim got the kid something that I'm. I had never heard of until I saw it for the very first time about three and a half hours ago. Well, there are thousands of things you've never heard of that are popular.

So I'm curious where this is going. This is going to be something new. Okay, so let's say you were eating the car? Rarely. No, I try not to. But you have in the past. Yes. You get a hamburger, you eat the hamburger.

You have your fries. And what do people normally put on their fries? If I'm eating in the car, I actually don't do ketchup. I don't bother with it. Well, the answer is ketchup. But you don't do it in the car because you're not, you're not tearing the thing open. I'm going to make a mess. You're just asking for a disaster.

Yeah, that's why I don't do it. Same thing could be said for chicken nuggets. Hmm. Okay. You get a 20, you get a 10 piece and you want to dip it in your sweet, sour, or your honey muster, whatever the case. Maybe a 50 piece. Let me tell you, you think I've not knocked back a 20 piece in large fry in my life? Oh, it's happened.

No, I've seen you. I've seen the way. She used to run around here. So she bought them something that she found, I think either while watching Shark Tank or saw something that was talking about a Shark Tank story. These dudes created something where you stick your packet of sweet and sour sauce,

barbecue, whatever you're using, honey, you know, Buffalo. In this container, and that container clips to the vent of your air conditioner. So if you want to eat in your car and you want to dip your nuggets in or your fries into something, you can do it without the fear of having the nugget sauce spill all over your car. My question is this. Does it have something to keep the sauce from flying out if you break suddenly?

I'm going to assume here, and we're going to try this. We're going to my mom's house for Christmas today. I might want to get a six piece on my. the way home just to see if this thing works. Do a break test. Why are you worried about my brakes? Because you're going to have sauce all over your windshield. My guess is that they have thought about this and that the chicken nugget container

is when it's locked in properly to your vent is going to not fly because it's hard to have sweet and sour sauce fly everywhere, right? I don't know if you're doing like 60 on the freeway and all of a sudden there's a wrecking front of you sauce everywhere all right if anybody has any of these things i don't know what they're called but the kids were like oh this seems interesting i mean they weren't like wow this is the greatest gift ever but they thought to themselves because we do eat quite a bit in the car because we're going from soccer practice or volleyball or somewhere going on and or maybe i need a 1130 snack after a rocket's game i've never thought about whether or not i needed to have a condiment

in my car but now with this thing in theory you can dunk and eat at the same time in your car without the fear of the sauce going all over your face. Is it the sauce motto dip clip? Yep, that's it. Ten bucks on Amazon. It's got some high ratings. It says as seen on Shark Tank on here. That's exactly what it is.

Yeah. For the glutton on the go. That's really the Thomas family, right? That's me. Yeah, I don't condiment in the car. Yeah, I try not to because it's just too much trouble. Because if you're trying to squeeze ketchup, I mean, you're just asking for a disaster. Let's say how to our friend Howard and Memorial.

Happy Howard. Holidays, Howard, what's going on? A quick question. Do you guys know how the term boxing day got started? I don't know. This feels like a believe it or not question coming up. I found out when I used to vacation in the Cayman. Yeah, it doesn't have to do with fighting.

It's about boxing. No, no, no, no. When the royals or the aristocracy got presents, they didn't want the day or two after Christmas, they would put them in boxes and give them to the service. And that is how the term boxing day got started. I believe, somebody can correct me, but I do believe that's how it got started. Yeah, it's about boxing up gifts. Excuse me?

Yeah, go ahead. It's boxing a gift. That's exactly right. They put it in boxing. And the other thing is, and I don't mean to be. confrontational, but the Rockets have hardened in company have got to prove they can get out of the second round of the playoffs. They have.

And on a fairly regular basis to make the fans really happy. And that's it. I'd love to see it. What's going on in the back? Are you watching cartoons? What's going on back to the higher? My wife let the radio on, the radio on, I won't mention his name, the guy. It's on one of your stations south of where you are.

But at any rate... Oh, do you listen to Hannity? Is that what you're trying to... Your wife's listen to Hannity? Exactly. There's Hannity on the background. I don't know. I usually turn it off, but this time I left it on as I walked in.

All right. So tell me, the three TV stations I'm about to tell you, which one do you watch the most of? CNN. No, which one do I listen to most on? Which one do you watch more? CNN, MSNBC or Fox News? There's no question there. Fox by far.

I mean, MSNBC is almost exiled from my TV. Anything with that. I do watch Bloomberg a little bit because you can get fast-breaking news, even though I know that it's all orientated toward Bloomberg and his politics. to the left of center and what he wants. Okay. But basically, I watch Fox. I do.

I confess, I confess my sins. I'm not judging you, my man. Have a great holiday. We'll talk with you soon. Thanks for the fallout. I'm Donald Trump, and I approve this message. I think Howard and Memorial Ross is trying to make America great again. Good for him.

And he gave us Boxing Day information, maybe to be used on today's edition, I believe it or not? No, probably not. Okay. All right, non-Florida stories are next. This is where we take every radio show in America does a story about Florida. It's too easy, too dumb, too quick. It takes effort to find stories that are happening

elsewhere. Mine will not win this week. Mine is extraordinarily lighthearted, and mine comes to North Carolina. The rest of the stories are next. 226, 227 on Sports Talk 790. This is Ricky Williams.

I may have worn a wedding dress on a magazine cover, but it still looks better than any outfit Matt can put together. Let your wife dress you, man. Texas fine, Texas fine. Back to Matt Thomas on Sports Talk, 790. All right, it is post-Christmas, so I would hope our non-Florida stories are light, interesting, a chuckle here and there. I would hope not involve a woman going with a battle axe

because her husband didn't buy the cereal that she wanted and wanted the grocery store. Mine is actually Christmas related. All right. I'm going to go with mine because it's light. It's happened yesterday. And it has something to do sort of with Christmas. And I'll read the story. Dateline, High Point, North Carolina.

By the way, we're all going to read our stories. And if you'd like to judge and tell us who has the best story, 713-212-5-790. Twas the night of Christmas. at a North Carolina house, no creatures should have been stirring, not even a mouse. But a Forsyth County couple

awoke with a fright as something was moving about their house in the night. They dashed to their closet in hidden fear, dialing 911 with a sensitive ear. Responding

Sheriff's deputies search the home and found a robot vacuum alone. The source of the scare had quickly been sorted, WGHP TV reported. The robot had seemingly started and gotten stuck. It's beeping and banging made the audible muck. Thomas Milam, the owner of the house,

so the vacuum named Harry was new. They had it for days, maybe just two. He said it's better to be sorry than safe, And he'd call 911 again, even if making a mistake. So, note this. If you think you've got an intruder, yeah, it's okay to call 911, but it might just be your automatic robot vacuum instead. And that's my non-forna story.

You want me to go with next straws? Sure, I can go. Okay, go ahead. He wasn't paying attention. I'm writing, believe or not. You want me to go? Great story, Matt. We're proud of you. Well, let me ask you guys a question. Matt, let me ask you more specifically a question.

If I said I were going to Mike Tyson you, what would you think that would be? No on your ear? Wow. Great answer, Matt. Well, let me tell you about a couple in Salt Lake City. A woman is in jail after deputies say she bit her boyfriend's ear in a severe case of domestic violence. deputies say Angelica Roberts attacked her boyfriend over a statue in a parked car Tuesday night. This is Christmas Eve just before 10 p.m.

It appeared that Ms. Roberts was the primary perpetrator against her partner, says Davis County Sheriff's Office. The fight happened in the parking lot off of Mount. Do you know 3,500 South and Highway 89? Is that your old haunt? Oh, I know where 3,500 south is for sure. During the fight, Angelica said, quote, I'm going to Mike Tyson you. At which point, she bit her partner on the ear. Did it come off and did she like spit it out into the crowd of nowhere? Well, I don't have any details on that.

We just know that she was going to quote Mike Tyson him and then bit him on the ear and she is now in jail on bookings. of domestic violence case. Did she bite a chunk of it off? You know, we don't have those details, man, unfortunately. But I'm going to guess no. It's kind of difficult to do that. She looks crazy AF in this mugshot, though. I will say that.

And explain the reason for this such argument one more time? Over a statue? They were in a parking lot of a retailer store, apparently. Okay. I don't know. Maybe he bought the wrong statue? So wrong statue purchase means wife tells husband, I'm going to Mike Tyson.

you. I just like that she let him know what he was going to do before he did it. Well, clearly she's a sports fan. That's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, it's true. All right. Josh, not Josh. Nick, you got a chance to actually win this bad boy this week, I think.

I didn't think I was going to win, but I might now. I've heard both the old stories. Pretty weak competition. I told you mine would be weak. Mine's weak. But mine would have great production value because it was a rhyme. You didn't write that. Yeah, you didn't write that. That's true. All right.

Colorado Springs, Colorado, Monday, December 23rd at the Academy Bank. A older white male, bearded, white beard, a little on the larger side. Oh, decided to walk into the bank and hold up the place. Oh, no. So he robs the bank and then proceeds right outside and right as he exits the bank. He looks around, pulls the cash out of a brown paper bag, hurls it into the air and yells, Merry Christmas! As the bills fly all over the street.

Then, walks across the street, sits down on the curb, and waits for the police to come arrest him. How much money? It doesn't give an exact amount. Probably just what was in the drawer. Probably a few thousand bucks, maybe. Interestingly enough, pass your box. all of the people passing by simply picked up the money and brought it right back into the bank. Oh, they did. I was going to ask, what would be the rule on that, guys?

If a robber takes money but yet doesn't keep it throws in the ear, you're not really technically stealing it, are you? Well, yes, you would probably be on camera stealing the money right in front of the bank. When it's right in front of the bank, you kind of have to just bring back to the bank. So the guy was basically wanting to get arrested because he wanted to have you wanted a place to stay. Yeah, my guess is this is a homeless gentleman. He doesn't much look like Santa, but he does have a white beard. Well, hmm.

Colorado Springs Police named the suspect as David Wayne Oliver 65. Isn't that the worst when you get arrested? You get your middle name thrown out there too? Yeah. It happens every time. They don't believe he had any little helpers, though. Like Ross, when you get arrested, you will not be Rossville or Rial gets arrested. You're Paul Rossville or Rial gets arrested.

Hey, don't be giving out my name out there. Let me tell you, your group We already know what your real First name is. That's true. All right, so we have three rather interesting, not salacious,

non-flora stories. Which one was the best? Let us know if you want to. 7-13-212-5-7-8. Oh, those three votes will not even get five people on Instagram. You think because this song gets to play, people are going to call in? Not true.

Yeah, why not? Vote for me. I'm going to Mike Tyson here. All right, so the categories are vacuum starts on its own, and the couple thinks it's a prowler. That's my story. Ross has a woman Mike Tysoning her husband, and Nick has a guy that looks like Santa Claus robs a bank, then throws a money in the street. Which one of those stories is the best non-Florida story? 713-212-5-790.

713-212-5-7-9. And categories are vacuum starts on its own. The couple thinks it's a prowler. Ross has man buys the wrong statute. Wife wants to Mike Tyson him. And lastly, Santa Claus, Rob's Bank, throws money in the street. Line two on the instipal. Which one's best not in Florida story?

Merry Christmas and Jimmy and Tomball. and Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson gets a vote. Yeah, Merry Christmas, everybody. We can still say Ross in the day after, right? It's fair to say. That's a very Christmas in middle of July if you wanted to. Line three, best non-Florida story.

Hey, we're going on the Academy Bank for Nickelodeau, buddy. All right, there you go. That's our guy. Happy holidays. Line four on the Instapole, what's your favorite non-Florida story? Tyson. Tyson, all right. Two votes for Tyson.

Line five, best non-Florida story. Happy holidays. Happy holidays. Ho-ho, ho, ho, sanity clause. All right. So two votes for the Santa Claus, robin the bank. Two for Ross.

Will this be the deciding vote? Line two, your favorite non-Florida story. Merry Christmas, and who can hate on Santa Claus? There you go. Nick, you win. I'm the best ever. Ross, you had a valiant effort, but Santa Claus, robbing the bank, one at the end of the day. I'm now going to Mike Tyson, all of those callers.

See, Mike Tyson doesn't even do that material anymore. You know why he's an accomplished actor? Once he did the hangover, it's all good. You can't rip on him anymore for anything he said pre-hangover movie. I want to eat his children. Yeah, he's painted in a pretty positive light for somebody who's a convicted rapist, bit of men's ear off and didn't he push his wife down the stairs?

Yeah. Yeah, I don't think Robin Gibbons likes him. No. Real fast for, believe it or not, let's go to John and spring. Let's talk about the Texans. Hi, John. Hey, how you doing? You know, what I've noticed about the Texans

and other teams plan against the Texas, it seems like they go into it. The other team goes into it is like, hey, we just want everybody to know the Texas has a, the Sari offensive line. So we're just going to rush the entire game. And like the entire game, they just rushed the quarterback.

And I think it's because they know our offensive line is not that great. But it seems like it's like a trend for Houston. Like every team puts five guys in the box sometimes and just rush the ball because they know they can get to the quarterback. I'll hang up and listen. Thanks, guys. Okay. I'll say this, and we've got to get to a break here. I don't think the offensive line has been nearly as bad as I thought I was going to be Ross.

I mean, there are weeks where he gets hit quite a bit he being Deshaun, and there's also times that he saves their bacon because Watson's scrambling ability is good. But I don't think it's been atrocious, do you? I'm with you. I agree. I think they've been average rather than horrible, which they were earlier on. We were definitely afraid, and I'll be the first one to tell you this. I say this every year.

How is Deshaun Watson going to play 16 games? Well, he may not play on Sunday because it may not mean anything, but he played a full season. and Laramie Tunsell edition has helped. Max Sharping has been a fantastic draft edition. Nick Martin's held his own. In fact, he's held its own so much that he's got a new contract. Zach Fulton's okay.

I'm not particularly happy with the combination of Chris Clark and Rod Johnson, but, you know, it's been way, way better than I ever thought it was going to be. Doesn't mean he doesn't get his hits. Doesn't mean they have their off nights. Doesn't mean that Laramie Tunsel doesn't get called for one to two to three to four fall starts per game. but they've kept him upright for 16 weeks. They have. Believe it or not, is next 244 on the Matt Thomas show.

This is Sports Talk 790. At least now we know that losing sucks. And if anybody knows how much losing sucks, it's Matt Thomas. I'm outstanding. This is Whitney Merciless. Back to the Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. Tomorrow on the radio show, we will have our final beat the schmows of the year. It has not been a good year for you for the second consecutive year.

It just hasn't. We have given away entirely too much pizza because of your inaccurate picks. He'll be with you shortly, man. Yeah, he's very busy. Also on the show tomorrow, we'll check him with Brian T. Smith. We'll get you some handicapping help as well. And the question I have, Ross, is Ross back with us? Should we do a little A&M Oklahoma State Texas Bowl preview on the show tomorrow?

I think you should. Full breakdown. Does anybody care? Full hour. I don't believe that to be the case. No, I don't think so. Do Aggies even care? Let me ask you this, because I have been immersed in basketball.

I've been on the road the last week, so I can't speak. Is there any buzz for any bowl games, period, right now? That are not the playoffs, no. Like, we will watch the playoff games. Yes. But we're not eagerly anticipating. I think I am. I'm looking forward to it. Clemson, Ohio State will be very interesting.

I don't think Oklahoma LSU is going to be all that competitive. I think LSU is so much better. But are we excited about... You don't think it's going to be competitive at all? I disagree. I think I like all you are plus the 13 and a half, honestly. I'll say 47 to 30. Okay.

Which that would not... I mean, that would be a lot of points. but does it mean you're on the edge of your seat? Probably not. I think it's going to be points the whole time. Okay. Tell me again. I mean, Texas stayed with one and one score of LSU.

Why couldn't know you? I think LSU is even playing better than they were when they play Texas earlier in the year. I think LSU is a locomotive that is not going to be stopped, even with against Clemson or Ohio State. Okay. All right. So give me just one other bowl that you are giving a damn about besides the two semifinal games. Texas Bowl?

I mean the Alamo Bowl? People hear in your voice, they don't believe you. Love the Alamo Bowl. Huge matchup. Utah versus Texas. I mean, are Aggies fired up for A&M Oklahoma State? No. Why would you be?

And I told you just before. I wouldn't even be fired up for Texas versus A&M. Are you fired up for the U of H bowl game? Well, because of bad of fishing, there will not be a ball game. That's unfortunate. Five minutes left to go on the show. What should we do? We should play America's fastest growing sports game show we simply call it.

Believe it or not, and here's how it works. You'll call 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Today's edition of Believe it or Not is brought to you by Woodhouse Day Spons. Print out your gift card for the gift of relaxation. Look, if you've got your wife a lousy gift this year she's mad at you, fix it. Houston Woodhouse Spas.com. The category today, we like to call it the pouring salt on the rocket wounds category today.

Sorry. How sorry you won the 10? Three. No, two. No one. Today's topic is things about the Golden State Warriors that beat the Rockets yesterday. I'll read your statement about the Golden State Warriors. The team is completely utterly accurate.

You'll say this. Believe it. If it's erroneous fall in bonk and made up, you will say this. Not. Two, believe it or not, in a row on all. Things about this looking, this team's Golden State Warriors. We won a prize. Ross, what's the prize?

Matt, I've got a four pack of tickets and pre-event pit party passes to the first Monster Jam of 2020, January 25th at NRG Stadium. It's 1,500 horsepower monster jam trucks flying 30 feet into the air, flattening anything in their paths. See world-class drivers compete in both monster truck racing and freestyle competitions featuring the most recognizable trucks in the world like Gravedigger, Max DTTM, L, Toro, Loco, Monster Mutt, and many more. I think the read is longer than the event itself. Thank you. Let's play. Line number three.

Joe on 790. Joe, you're ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. Alec Barks played his college basketball for Georgia Tech, where he was a communications major. Believe it or not. Believe it. Not.

No, he was. I wouldn't know what the Colorado was. I don't know what his major was. You got him there early. 713, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 5, 790. Bruce on 790. Bruce, you're ready to play, believe it? Let me get the screen.

Bruce, ready to play, believe it or not? Believe it. In 2014, Alec Berks finished second in the sixth man of the year voting while with the Utah Jazz. Believe it or not. Not. That is correct. Statement number two for the win. Jacob Evans was teammates with Houston Rocket Gary Clark while they were at Cincinnati.

Believe it or not. Yeah, believe it. Believe it. There you go. Congratulations, my friend. Nice job. Thank you. Put you on a hold there, get that four pass of tickets.

Ross, how's your post-Christmas going to be? It's going great so far. I mean, my last show tomorrow. Well, then I do have a show Saturday, but last show of the year for the Matt Thomas show tomorrow. Right. What are we going to do tomorrow besides all the stuff I already mentioned? You were doing best to believe it or not, right? Oh, for sure.

Believe it. And then I guess you'll have to, we'll have to lock in our predictions on the Texans. I mean, but I'll be back like next Wednesday. So Thursday, I mean. When's New Year's Day? We don't have shows on first, right? We're all off on New Year's Day. Wonderful.

And then we're going to all be back on Friday, January 2nd with fire and brimstone. Well, I'll be back a week from today. Okay. We'll miss you. Nick is off tomorrow. So tomorrow will be you, me, and I believe Joe George is going to produce the show. And that is, believe it or not, for today because we're out of time. All right, who's working the 3 o'clock show today?

Is there going to be an Adam in the mix? There might be. Okay. So stay tuned, find out which Adam, if not, maybe both of them show up today for the A team as a hefty has put in a three-full-hour show. Have a great rest of your day. Back tomorrow. Thoughts and praise. Thoughts and prayers.

Anything goes Friday tomorrow. 12 noon, Sports Talk, 790. And again, don't kill the Rockets too bad, although it was a terrible loss. Terrible, terrible, terrible loss. Have a great rest of your day. Relax. We'll visit with you guys tomorrow and noon here on Sports Talk 790.