The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - The Matt Thomas Show: Plans For The NBA, Jim Nantz, Tim MacMahon

Episode Date: April 9, 2020

Much larger than life. Yeah. Lunch timers. I'm on my way I'm making you. Is the Matt Thomas show. On the Sports Talk 7-Hine, what's happening in lunch timers? Good afternoon to you. And welcome to the Matt Thomas show.

Alongside our producer, the one the only Joe George. Ross Villarreal, there's only one, thank God. Oh, he's here. He's wearing rocking gear today. You look good today. Hey, we are both wearing Rocket shirts today, aren't we? And I'm wearing these. I don't know what these are made up, but these are the most comfortable, like, shorts of ever.

And people are calling them like cargo shorts. They're not cargo. I need to open this door. There's a lot of smell of hand sanitizer and wipes. Yeah, we are chloroxing. Because when we shift, people don't know. To peel the curtain back, man, as you like to say, when there's a shift change in here, first of all, we don't have a whole lot of time.

Second of all, we just wipe everything down and just douse ourselves in hand sanitizer to be as safe as possible. Yeah. By the way, tomorrow we will social distance this show by about 35 miles. The Kingwood Studios get opened up tomorrow. And then we're just doing the responsible thing here. It's not that bad. Grant, again, I'm unable to breathe at this point, but at least the studio is in good shape. I'm breathing in pure Chlorox, I think.

That's not healthy. We have a really interesting show for you. I think two very, very good guest. And the first one's coming up at about 25 minutes from now. I just literally, less than 10 minutes ago, got off the phone with Jim Names. from CBS. And you have to say CBS. The bastards on CBS.

And I, when you have a super, super big guest, you want to make sure you get four, five, six things because you could go with a variety of different things with him, from football to college basketball to golf. And I, you know, they said, look, you get about 11 minutes. You got to go. I, I prepared seven or eight. And I was, we were 90% done with the interview. And I think I'd ask three questions. So it was really surreal that he is such a great orator that he can just expound. anything you give you and give you really thoughtful, deep answers.

So that visits coming up with Jim Nance of CBS at the bottom of the hour under the category of people we miss hearing from, and we certainly do. Because as I told him, and this is, I mean, this time of year, Ross, is as good as it gets for a competition when we have it. You have the NCAA tournament. You have the final four. You have baseball season starting up. You have the NBA regular season winding down.

You have the most famous golf tournament out there. and I don't know golf's not for everybody, but even for the novice golf fan, you're going to watch a Saturday and Sunday on the Masters. It's just one of those things that you've always been able to do. And to have none of that right now is very interesting. I did want to ask him,

and I didn't get a chance, but I think I know the answer. The NFL plays in November. The Masters are supposed to play in November, and he loves November so much that I, and I saw this, I think somebody did ask him about this, that he will skip an NFL weekend to broadcast the Masters. It's just that big of a tournament. So Jim Nance's visit with me coming up in about 25 minutes from now.

Tim McMahon lives in Dallas but covers a lot of Houston Rockets games. Matter of fact, and we'll tease him about this, I think he wears out Southwest Airlines between Dallas and Houston because not only does it cover the two teams, but he also travels on the road with the Rockets and the Mavericks when they're on the road. So we'll talk to Tim coming up at 1.30 today. Get a perspective from him on the NBA and whether or not he sees a season resuming and what if we gave him the commissioner, the keys of the commissioners always, how he would handle the rest of the season.

And that's kind of it. With you guys involved, too, it's 713-212-5-790. The big NBA news today, and big is certainly relative term, Ross. There will be a game of horse played in the NBA, and the SPN's going to broadcast it. Wonderful. Did they finish up the 2K tournament yet? That kind of ended with a dud, right? Is it over?

I don't know. The fact that not a single person in our audience has tweeted about it, called us and said, hey, do you see that great play that, you know, Derek Favors put in there? I mean, I don't even know who was in. I know Pat Beverly was in it, and I think Durant competed too, right? I think he was. Durant was out in the first round. Yeah.

Is it done? Do we even know? No, they're down to the Elite 8. They still haven't played the second round, apparently. Yeah, okay. That'll be something I will not be watching. And I'm watching a lot of sports. But that's, so the game of force.

The quarterfinals are tonight, actually. Really? Yeah. Well, look at us promoting. I'm going to be very busy. Give it a good watch. So what do you think about horse? I don't think I've ever let a radio show off with a conversation about horse.

Hmm. One of the reasons they did horse at the All-Star weekend for a couple of years there, but the problem was it just turned into a three-who can make the most three-pointers contest, and Kevin Durant was winning every year. Yeah. You can't dunk, by the way. And remember, it was sponsored. They weren't playing horse.

They were playing Sprite. Oh, I didn't even, yeah, I decided out of mind. NBA All-Star Saturday night for me just hasn't done much. Now, this year's was pretty good with the two guys competing and the one guy won over the other guy that shouldn't have won. The three point always is somewhat intriguing, but, you know, all All-Stars just don't do much for him, but that's just my own personal opinion. Yeah, they did it in 2009 and 2010. Kevin Durant won both years because he just made more threes than everybody. and Omri Kaspie

competed with Kevin Durant and Rajan Rondo and then the year before it was Joe Johnson and OJ. Mayo. They also did it in 1978 when of course, as you remember Matt, Paul Westfall won.

Oh, did he? Over Pete Marevich, Kevin Grevy? Yeah, that's it. And Mo Lucas. Not to be confused with John Lucas. Right. All right.

So it's all going to be about how they presented on television. If it looks aesthetically pleasing and interesting. We'll watch it. But does that mean somebody, because they're going to do it from their own houses, they're not going to come together. They're going to do it from their homes. They need to make a rule that has to be some kind of special shot. And it also has to be a rule of no dunks. No dunks is already in there for sure.

Because Zach Levine would just win that. Well, I would assume you got to call backboard a lot. Of course. Yeah, the stuff that we did as kids. Right. And we do as adults. Sitting down on the ground, blindfolded bank. That's how you make it interesting. Yeah. Not just top of the three-point arc three-point shots.

Yeah, that's what happened. That's why they canceled it. Yeah. So my guess is they've had an extraordinary and large amounts of time to figure out what would make sense to at least keep capture some of the audience. Because the video game thing didn't worry. And look, I applaud ESPN and NBA trying to do things. I mean, at least keep people active. You got to do something.

Because you can only show so many games. Now, the thing I've been doing every night, and this is just because I'm just really bored, is I record all the NBA classic games on the NBA channel. Yesterday was a Mike Dan Tony Fest. Him as a coach of the Knicks, another game with the Phoenix Suns when they played the San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference Championship.

Rossi, he rocked that stash. He really did. But now you said yesterday, you're glad it's gone. Yeah, I think he looks more dignified. Dignified? Yeah. Like he was some kind of, low life before?

Only low life wear mustachees. That's from Matt Thomas. No, no, no. That's not what I said at all. And again, thank you for taking that out of context. I just, as he looks better. Okay. Now, and maybe in 2003, the stash was in.

When did we start? The stash has not been in since like 83. Well, he was international. He's Italy. Italy had different rules. That's right. But, yeah, horses in, and I just don't know how long that's going to last. Again, it's all about production value.

The problem is you're going to have Chris Paul's kid or somebody or his wife shooting the video. And that's it. And they've got to send it in. Or maybe how do you live feed a basketball court? Are they going to zoom it? These are questions. I don't even, I don't even, I don't even answers to.

But that's the latest on the NBA side. What else is going on in sports? You've been perusing the headlines. I was busy talking to Jim. So anything, any top shelf headlines? We got a number of things. We can get to definitely at some point on the show. Chris Johnson was involved in a murder for hire plot.

We have the NBA thing you mentioned. We have Tua Tungaviloa. I found out is the correct pronunciation. Tungaviloa. Tungavala. Tung of Iloa. Not Tung of Aloa? Tung of Alaw.

Okay. He's been red flagged by two NFL teams. They're completely off his board. We were talking yesterday with Dane Bruegler about it and how he's going to be one of the more interesting guys. You asked him what's going to be the drama. on draft night. He said to us. So it looks like that could definitely be some drama.

Bob Bowlesby is not sure if there's going to be a full college football season. We should say who, explain who Bob's Bullsby is. He's the commissioner of the SEC, right? Big 12. I mean, Big 12, whatever. Your conference. Whatever. My conference.

My future conference. It's not your future conference, Matt. Sorry. And let's see. Oh, here's one that I think is interesting. You have a subject of most hyped prospect for all 30 major league baseball teams. Yes. I don't care by the other 29.

I'm curious who the Houston Astros most high prospect is. We can discuss, Matt. Can I guess who it is right now? You want to guess right now? Sure. Forrest Whitley. Incorrect. Am I close?

It's either Forrest Whitley or is it not. How are you close? Is it a picture? No, it was Forrest Fitley. Yeah, you're real close. Is it a pitcher? I don't know, Matt. Oh, these are things you'll have to...

It's time for a break. Yeah, you'll have to listen to find out exactly who that overrated prospect is, according to ESB. We didn't say overrated. It said most hyped. Oh, well, then that's not that bad then. Most hype would mean it would be something positive then. Could be like Phil Nevin, perhaps. Oh, this is of all time?

Of all time. Oh, no. Okay, I completely misread the question then. Maybe J.R. Richard. He was a hype prospect. Most hyped. Most hype prospect in franchise history for the Houston Astros. Well, for all 30 teams.

Okay. Then we can go through some of the teams then. Okay, that makes better sense. 1212 is our time. It is the Matt Thomas show. 713-212-5-7-90. Jim Nance at the bottom of the hour. You guys next.

This is Sports Talk 790. Right, half the workday is done. Celebrate with Matt. Hey, Matt, love your show. What was it talking about? By the sound of it, some of you started the party at breakfast. Matt Thomas on Sports Talk 790. Talk 790.

It is the Matt Thomas show. 713-1-2-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. To a Tunga-Belowa. Do we know who the two teams are? not going to say who the two teams are, right? According to your story? Let's see, Matthew. It said one was a top 10 pick,

but that's it. This is according to Mike Lombardi, by the way. Do we trust Lombardi? Does he bat a thousand? Joe, you don't know this, but we always, when we hear reports from football people, we grade them on a scale of how accurate their reports are. Like Schaefter and Jake Layser bat a thousand. The other people, the Lombardies of the world, the Lockin Forres,

they go anywhere between 750 and 950 in terms of batting average and accuracy. Lock and four is like, bats like 200. Ooh, is he really that bad? I think so.

And I think Lombardi's like a 500. Wow. And the other guys, when they get like sources inside the Texans, that's just Bill O'Brien calling them. Albert Breer, Ian Rappaport. Yeah, they bat a thousand on that

because Bill O'Brien does call them. And by the way, I found something out, Can I divulge my source of us? Uh-oh. John McLean. No.

No. There are burner accounts out there that watch over Houston media. Oh, of course. That's not, that shouldn't be shocking. That's not shy. That's why I didn't make it shocking. I sent you one. I don't know if we were going to talk about it on air now.

No, no, no, because there's definitely a burner account of somebody in the Texas organization. Four, yeah. Four, Jacko, 69. Yes. But wouldn't you, if you're doing a burner account, wouldn't you, you wouldn't be that obvious. I know. It says, Will J is the name of that account.

But the only people they follow are Houston media people. Yes. And every time you say something bad about the Texans or someone high profile, they attack them. The last one was Ross Tucker, like going at them for being critical of Bill O'Brien's moves. It almost seems too obvious. That's right. But if you look back at the Jerry Calangelo story, Brian Calangelo story with the 76ers, we never would have noticed. But it was pretty obvious.

saw the interaction. Like if I was to have a burner account, which I don't because I barely can handle sports MT without making massive mistakes. Should we read some of these tweets from this person? I would have, I'd follow about 100 people, I'd follow the media people that I would want to keep my eye on so I could report back to Bill O'Brien and say who's not being nice. And then I would also, then I would just follow 100 other random people and mute them. So it looks like I give a damn about what those other people have to do when I really don't. I'd put a few IG models in there I'd put a few political figures

I'd put a few television stars and then I would put people on just randomly just pick people that's how you do a burner account right Ross you know these things I guess I don't know I don't have a burner yeah I that if I want to see somebody I'm blocked from or something

I just log into the 790 account what is it that's my burner for what is it for Jacko 69 that's guys that's too obvious what do you mean he only follows Houston media people and he attacks he's that person is only who is this person whoever it is well who is it I don't know that's a great question what type of person there's definitely somebody

involved with the Texans organization Matt they follow you know there's no doubt in my mind I know they're someone involved in the Texans organization that person's never gone after me which is fine that's because you don't tweet a whole lot about things about Bill O'Brien because you love him I do love him um no I just I think again a successful burner account is like an account that that you have to hide it better than what this person Joe just said, look at the Calangelo burners. You don't, people aren't hiding them. These people aren't smart. Yeah, it doesn't

have to mean it's necessarily Bill. Yeah, I don't think it's Bill. No, no, I can tell you this. I don't believe it's Bill O'Brien. No, it's not Bill. It's somebody in the Texans organization. It's feeding Bill O'Brien in the Daily Information. I mean, the Calangelo was like, everyone thought it was him. And then we quickly found out it was his wife. Oh, I believe spouse play

is definitely a factor. Yeah, it could be Bill O'Brien's wife. Yeah. Here's like their first tweet Texans are a player away from having a great defense. Nothing coaches can do about injuries to key players. That's awful. That's embarrassing. Let me say hi to Zeb and Katie on 790.

Hi, Zeb. How you guys? How are you doing today? Good. What's going on? Good, I guess. Anyhow. Well, you were discussing the classic games on what they're repeating right now.

Dude, I'm done. I'm done. I'm overloaded with Lakers. I'm overloaded with Yankees. I'm overloaded with the Patriots and the Celtics. It seems like every time I turn it on, that's one of the teams playing. Well, they're playing the hits. I mean, it's really not out of the ordinary from playing them in the old games

and playing the ones that are in 2020. I don't see a lot of Memphis, Sacramento games on NBA Classic TV. I mean, they're going to play the games that people want to actually see. Well, the Hardwood Classic, there's a ton of them out there. Why don't we have to keep seeing the Lakers and Celtics? Because they're... Same with the baseball and the football, the Super Bowl, the replays are.

So something's not from the 70s, man, when they played football. I don't disagree, but they... I think these networks understand that television production in the last 20 years has taken it to a new level and that you're not going to want to watch three hours of a game that was produced in 1971, no matter how good the game was. there aren't instant replays, it isn't done in HD, that has to be a contributing factor.

Not that I agree with it, Zeb, because as I was telling Ross yesterday, when they were putting the Monday Night Football Classics on every Monday on ESPN, there isn't anything older than 2004 or 5. That's when HD was around. That's when you had the 80,000 cameras. They're not putting Houston, Miami on from 1978.

It must be because the broadcast quality, maybe not good enough, maybe too grainy. I don't know, They have no interest in putting things on from the 70s because they're trying to keep 25 to 35-year-old men watching it, and they probably think that putting games on anything past 2003 isn't going to interest anybody. Fair enough, but the excitement isn't any less because it's not HD, is my point. And I agree with you, too, to an extent. Well, if you're an old-school fan of sports, Zep, thank you for the phone call.

I go to YouTube and watch one I want to watch. Yeah, if you want to watch some old whatever, there's full games available on YouTube, about basically anything. Yeah, I have seen, I was watching a little bit today of the 84 World Series between the San Diego Potters and Detroit Tigers. Oh, how was that? It was okay. But you know how YouTube works. You go in and watch a couple minutes of what you want to see and you get, you duck back out.

Okay. That's how I do it. But yeah, I mean. YouTube, you're saying. YouTube, that's right. Okay. Yeah. But as far as, if you're, if SPN's going to put three and a half hours together for broadcast, they're going to have recognizable people doing a remarkable.

things. I mean, they've played, I mean, I've seen, they did some classic Bulls games and some NICs games. You were, you saying you were watching Nick's Timberwolves. That was on NBA TV. Yeah, so I mean, they've had classics from a lot of other different teams. But that was 19, no, no, it was 2010. So that was 10 years ago. I mean, if you're looking for great Houston games, it's going to be 94, 95 and 2017, which is probably tainted right now, and MLB doesn't want to play. So it's, it's looking pretty limited. on the Houston sports side. They showed the White Sox Astros 2005 on MLB network.

Yeah, you want to watch that? No thank you on that. Chat calls. NC State versus U of H. That's already been on a couple times. Yeah, today. By the way, I do ask Nance about that. So he'll give you a long story about where he was on that day

as part of the conversation. Yeah. Yeah, again, if you want that, it's really easily available to you. Go to YouTube. Now, you may not be able to get the full games, but if you need a little quarter fix, you can get it. You want to watch Earl Campbell destroy the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football

where you know how his jersey is being torn off? You can find that in three seconds. It's not difficult. 713-212-5-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790. That's how you reach a show. If you want to reach out through Twitter, you can do that as well. At SportsMT, at SportsRV, and at Joe George Radio.

So back to this, what is it, for Texans for Life, whoever that Twitter account is. A 4-Jacko-69. Read this last 7 or 8. Anything negative in the mix. Is he getting any fights with anybody? Let's see. This is to a...

Here we go. Carlos Hyde filled a need for the Texans last year, admirably. Carlos was a hard runner and had his best season with the Texans. David Johnson is an explosive back, and his versatility will make the Texans' offense much less predictable. Yeah, that's somebody with the last name of O'Brien,

related to the O'Brien. Or somebody, I mean, here's the thing. The PR department can't do that because if they ever got caught, they'd be the laughing stock of the industry. It has to be a member of the family or a best friend that can directly report to. Easterbury can't even do it. O'Brien can't do it. It's got to be through association.

As much as the PR department wants to put a positive spin on things because that's their job, they're not going to take the chance of being ridiculed. and everybody finds out who runs that. Here's one where Deshawn Watson and Will Fuller are on this cartoon from Bleacher Report, and it's Bill O'Brien and they're acting like they don't like each other. This is from Ford Jacko. Take this down. You have no idea what the relationship is like between Bill O'Brien and Deshawn Watson.

No player has been more outspoken in support of Bill O'Brien than Deshaun Watson. What a joke of a website. These are not funny. Okay, Mrs. O'Brien. Here's a reply to Patrick, Pat Pat DeStat of State of the Texas. Texans.com. One good thing Bill O'Brien has done for the Texans has been the investment he's made in the IT and analytics department.

Few teams have as much invested into the technological side of the football as the Texans. Here's another one to another radio personnel in the city. We'll leave it at that. You love to make fun of Bill O'Brien, but Bill O'Brien prioritizes having a strong analytics team and has one of the more technologically advanced

front offices in the entire NFL. Yeah, this is his wife or something. Okay, so let's just do this. So we wrap up this segment. If anybody out there is a computer hacker. Let's find out who this is. Joe George, you're not very busy after, say, 7 o'clock tonight, right? I tried to find an email, but it didn't work.

What do mean an email? You can easily find someone's email for their Twitter account. Really? Yeah, you just do forgot password. You type in their Twitter username, hit forgot password, and if they have an email link to their Twitter account and it's public, it'll pop up. That's what popped up was the last two digits of a phone number.

that's all we got for this one. But sometimes you get a full email address. That's how the Calangelo's got found out. Was they typed up an email and like someone did the forgot password and a Calangelo's email came up. That is crazy. It's so simple. Yeah. So like this person clearly knows that, not to do that, but it's just the phone number.

Okay. So if anybody can ever find out who this person is, whether, and maybe, and maybe there's a small part of me that thinks that this is just a ridiculously big Texans fan that doesn't want any negativity out there that maybe Texans Karen has a burn as a burner account which why would you want that she didn't be afraid who she is we got to find out who this person is because the amount of positivity now again if you're how many followers is this person intriguing i don't know i followed them just in 500 yeah they used to have before this blew up and ross tucker retweeted them i think they had like 40 something if even that so what did ross tucker say back to this person it was like i'm not saying this is a bill o'brien uh burner but it probably

is. I don't think it's Bill. I think it's somebody very close to Bill. Does the person that runs that account have the last name of O'Brien? Possibly. Is there a bloodline that connects that person's account to Bill O'Brien? I think it's his wife. I'd put my money on Easterby. Could be Easterby,

but that's where I would There's no part of any of the three of us that believe this is a legit human being that is just a diehard fan that doesn't want a negativity about the team. No. Not at all. You're right. I think you're right. All right. Jim Nance. from CBS Sports University of Houston graduate.

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What a pass. What a finish. Listen to your home of the rockets on your smart speaker. Just as. Hey, Google. Play Sports Talk 790 on I-Hard radio. That is something else, folks. Welcome back to the Matt Thomas show here on Sports Talk 790,

fellow Houston Cougar and one of the all-time broadcasting greats. Jim Danz with us here on the show. Jim, first of all, nice to have you with us. Thanks for covering out some time. How surreal has it been for you? The last basketball game you called was where it all started over on the campus of the University of Houston. March the 8th, I will never forget. Memphis against Houston and the loving embrace that my Cougar Nation gave me that day, it was just, It was beyond words. And leaving the Pretita Center that day, of course, we knew that things were brewing with this virus,

but I would have never guessed that just a matter of days later as I was en route making my way to the airport to fly the following few days later to Indianapolis for the Big Ten tournament and the selection weekend, that all of a sudden there would be this shutdown, which thankfully there was. And, yeah, it's just all surreal. I mean, this is usually the most challenging and fulfilling time of this year, going through the NCAA tournament doing 15 games in about a three-week span. We can include the Big Ten tournament, semis, and championship through the Masters. It's tactic. It's chaotic, but it's exhilarating and rewarding.

And then suddenly, not to have any of it, it's hard to put in the words. Yeah, I was going to ask as a follow-up. We all have routines and schedules, school and work and vacations and whatnot. But, Jim, for 35 years, give or take, your April has been on the calendar the exact same thing. So of all the times of the year for this to happen, when it's at your busiest, I don't know if you're obviously spending more time with the kids and family and everything, but this is not where you're supposed to be right now. You're supposed to be finishing up the championship game and then flying to August as fast as humanly possible to catch practice rounds in par three's. Yeah, that's the whirlwind really referring to because you do go from a high-energy vibe inside a 70,000-seat stadium, calling the championship and pushing your voice and energy.

And then the next day, you're on the beautiful grounds of Augusta. This year, of course, the Final Four was scheduled for Atlanta, and to make the move from Atlanta to Augusta was as easy and as convenient as it gets, just 150 miles roughly, sort of tournament. But I have to say this, man, I get so many phone calls and texts in a day from people wondering how are you getting through this and feeling sorry for me and wondering, you know, hey, how am I handling it? And, yeah, I miss it. Trust me. I miss NCAA tournament right now, the Masters. I know exactly where I would have been at any given moment. and I love those events so much.

But, you know, it's taken me a while. If I'm just forthright about it here, it's taken me a good couple of weeks to get kind of with it mentally, be in the present and not be always longing, always wanting to know what I should be doing, what I'm accustomed to doing. And the sooner that you're able to get present with it, the more that you can make the most of that time.

And this time is important. My kids, my wife, they need this time. We all need to be comforted by those we love, and we need to be there for them. And they have to all these years adapt to my lifestyle, and nobody's feeling sorry for me or for them. But as far as like real quality, unrushed family time, it's always in short supply. I go from football to basketball to golf, back to football. It's just you circle the calendar. You're on the treadmill all the time.

And then all of a sudden, it's taken away from you. And, wow, you know, we're going to wake up and make something new and fresh about today with limited options. You're not really leaving your house other than take family walks and being fully aware of how devastating and how tragic these events are with thoughts and prayers to all those who have been so directly affected by it in every life that's been lost is a true. tragic story on its own. But I know there are people who are listening who have to look at their universe and what they're doing to make sure this goes away with their sheltering and their social distancing, their time at home. And inside of that little bubble inside your home, you have to make the most of it. You have to be positive. You have to be prayerful. You have to be optimistic that things are going to get better. But, you know, my kids, I've got two young ones and an older

daughter. I got a six and a four-year-old, my little Finley and James, or they're getting there at home without him being in a rush to go somewhere for the first time in their young lives. I'm usually coming home, unpacking a suitcase, and two days later, packing it up and marching off somewhere else again. And I'm treasuring inside of all of these bigger picture things the fact that I have a chance to even do some deeper and more meaningful bonding with my family. Well, I promised CBS that I would promote the Masters replays this weekend. You have to help me out and tell CBS never to air North Carolina State, 83, and Albuquerque ever again. Can we make that promise to me and not my audience?

I actually watch that. Matt, you're too young to even, I think. I was 12 years old. I was 12. Okay. You know, I knew you were a young lad. I was in the stand that day in the pit. And a story, you know, I had hosted Guy Lewis's TV show when I was a student.

It aired on Channel 2, KPRC back in the day. And I was a public address announcer, you know, for all the games in Hoffines Pavilion. I was close to that basketball program. That was my launching pads of my career, was through U of H basketball. So a year out of school, I went to Salt Lake City to work for the CBS affiliate, and now here we are playing in Albuquerque. I had to work and put shows on the air, sports broadcasts on the news, shows on that Saturday when Houston beat Louisville.

But there was no way I was missing Monday. So I flew short flight, really, Salt Lake to Albuquerque. But I called in advance to Guy V and some of the people that really helped manage the basketball programs travel. And I got a room at the Houston Hotel. I stayed at our hotel. I actually rode into the arena to the pit that Monday night on the team bus, which of course meant you got there a couple of hours earlier.

And I walked in with the players, the managers, and the basketball program, and the coaches walked into the pit through the ramp. And once I got into the arena, I was on my own. I wasn't going to be in the locker room or anything like that. I didn't have that kind of access to nor should I have. But the agreement was I was going to get in an arena and I was right back with a team after the game. So I walked into the arena, the pit. They didn't have seats. They had bench seating with numbers on top of the benches like high school teams do.

and I looked around and I saw the CBS set. It was in the same corner of the court where the Houston bench was. So I marched over and saw that Brent Musburger was hosting the coverage. He wasn't doing play-by-play that Gary Binder was. And Brent was running through the elements of the show for that night. He was rehearsing his opening and rehearsing halftime. Well, you know, I was in awe seeing Brent there live and in person. And I took the seat at the end of the bench that was nestled up right next to the CBS

a set. I could have, the set was just a little bit above me. I was basically right on eye level with Musburger's shoes. If he needed someone to like shine his shoes at that very moment, I would have been able to just reach out with my right hand,

and I could have shined his shoes. And I would have. Yeah, sure. It was an awe of Musburger. And I sat there for the whole game. You know, again, the bench, this Houston bench was just on the other side of the set, the end of the Houston bench. And Charles, Lorenzo made the dunk

the game winning shot at the other end of the floor. But anyway, I got to sit that night and watch Brent post the show, watched him, studied him when he wasn't on, just still sitting on the set, turning his chair around and watching the action. I never said hello.

I never made an introduction. But two years, two and a half years later, I was hired by CBS and Brent was introducing me to the nation on the game show to a Notre Dame Michigan football game and three years

later from Albuquerque, Brent was now calling the games with Billy doing the game call. Right. And I was sitting on that same set. Now, I was the host. Amazing, amazing story. Yeah. Last question, because I've got, I have 50 questions for you, but I know your time is available. I want to get NFL in quickly. Two things on

Tony. Tell me about the screen test, because obviously the biggest media news of this offseason has been that he's going to stay with your network. So tell about the screen test and did you know from the moment that you worked together for the very first time you had a special chemistry? And then fast forwarding to the divisional playoff game of all the games you have called, obviously years and years of the NFL, did you see a 180 contest ever before, like you did before the Texans and Chiefs game in Kansas City? I'll start there, never seen anything

like that before because it was 24 to nothing and early in the second quarter. And, you know, Houston, the Texans had the football inside the 15 and failed to convert. on third and short, and Coach O'Brien elected to go field goal, which was the right thing. But you would look back and always wonder, one play, what difference could have made. Had they kept that drive going and make it 28 to nothing, you still know Mahomes has the ability to bring them back. But it could have, who knows, it could have been a killer shot if they could have converted on third down. I've never seen a turnaround like that in any game to that level. But as far as Tony's screen test, we never auditioned him.

he got the job before he had ever been in a booth to be auditioned. Did I know the chemistry was there? I mean, my goodness, he started in 2017. I'll go back to 2011 when he and Candace got married. I was invited to their wedding. We were friends. We had a great friendship. We bonded over golf, his love of golf.

And, of course, I was calling occasionally Cowboy Games once or twice a year, and he was a huge follower of everything CBS Golf did. He would even come out on occasion when we were in town to do the Byron Nelson or the colonial tournament, he would come out and sit in the booth, not be on the air, but he would sit in the booth off to the side. So we had a friendship and a chemistry that was real and it had time and space to it. It wasn't a new friendship. And that helps because oftentimes when you get a new partner in broadcasting and everybody

can say this, whatever the sport might be, they're trying to become friends fast and create chemistry like they really like one another, but a network has arranged the marriage. They don't really know each other. Well, Tony and I, we knew each other. But the first time we ever went into the booth was in May of 2017, went to the CBS Broadcast Center and did our first practice game together. And within, I don't know, really the first or second series of the game, I can still remember we were calling a Raiders Carolina game from the previous fall.

And Tony was exactly what I thought he was going to be. His personality was there instantly. And it was good enough. It's going to sound crazy. The first time we ever put the headset on, it was good enough to be on the air, right on the spot. But to playoff of one another, to ease into situations, out of situations, to finish each other's sentences, that was there from the beginning. And that was there because we had history together. And still to this day you do.

And congratulations on that quick adjustment, because, again, I loved you and Phil together. And to see you and Tony thriving is amazing. Jim, thank you for the time. I hope CBS always pencils in a Houston Cougar game in early. March so you can always make a yearly trip here. Take Raff out to a great dinner somewhere around town. Thank you for the opportunity. Continued success to you and your family, and we appreciate you spending some time on the show today. I appreciate you, man, I'm proud of you, and you make the Cougars proud. And I would take that right now every year one game down in Houston. Wouldn't that be

sweet? But I'm grateful for the one we had this year. You take care of yourself and everybody out there keep doing what you're supposed to do. Please keep your distance, stay home, and things are going to get better real soon. I'm optimistic and have a lot of hope and faith that it's going to be getting better here in the short term. The great Jim Nance from CBS joining us here on the program. Remember CBS Sports will have the final rounds of classic masters, both on Saturday and on Sunday. More coming up in a moment. This is Sports Talk 790. Rockets Basketball. Rockets PA announcer and sports talk show host. One might get the impression Matt Thomas loves to hear Matt Thomas's voice. Go ahead. Matt.

Talk for us. Hope you appreciate the visit with Jim Nance from CBS. If you're just joining us, where have you been? Second, we're damn glad to have you. Hi. And third, we will replay the conversation at 2.30 if you jumped in late. Wonderful. A little bit about college football, I should say college basketball, the Masters.

Way too much Cougar Talk. Well, he was the one that got into it. I was just kind of being like, hey, just play the Masters over and over again. Never play North Carolina State of Houston. He wouldn't do along. thing about that. But you know what? He's one of the goats, right? Of course. We were talking

about this off air. If you were to go goats of current sports play-by-play broadcasters, not the analyst, not the play-by-play guy. Best play-by-play man working now. You go, Nance is in the mix, Buck.

Yeah. Sorry, Joe. I know you love Joe Buck. He's good. Kevin Harlan. Kevin Harlan. Harlan. And you go Al Michaels, I don't think Chris Fowder's, I'm thinking about the thing about the number one guys in their sports. Chris Fowler, no. Dan Shulman, who does college basketball and ESPN did baseball for a long time. I like that new guy, that guy that's on baseball tonight.

I mean, what's his name, Matt Purrish, Scherner, Fersian? I like him. Yeah, he's been around a long time. But it's hard to give a one-trick pony guy. I guess you could. It's hard for him because his booth is so bad. Well, the booth got changed. His booth is bad.

It's just him and Alex Rodriguez now. How about Mikey Torrico? Mike Tariko? Mike Tariko is my number one. Mike Tarrico does everything really well. He is as, you just don't catch him making any mistakes. No. And when he does make mistakes, he fixes them so you don't notice.

I think he's got one of those. What do they call it when you can just look at something for five seconds and memorize it right away? Edict memory, photographic memory. Your word sounds way. too scientific. Telegraphic mind? Is that right?

Photographic. Photographic mind? Idetic is also, they mean the same thing. Okay. Let's go with I didic. It's a big word for the show. Nobody ever used the word

idic on sports radio. They don't. He is an idetic mind. I think he can look at something and then put it in the context of a broadcast right away. So yeah, my guess is it's Toriko,

Al Michaels, even though Ross is not the biggest fan. I think he's lost this. I think he's lost to basketball. I'm sorry, the last couple years. Kevin Harland. Ion Eagle, too. I mean, Ion Eagle gives you great stuff too. I know he's not nearly as well known because he's more East Coast, but we'll

have Ian on the show next week. Oh, will we? Yeah. You know, of course, the best Iron Eagle moment ever. When he went after Mike Fretello for Mike Fretelow was trying to act like he didn't know what a slip screen was. Yeah. And then Ion Eagle got really pissed about it and went after him, like,

live on air. Really? It was awesome. You never heard that? I've never heard that. I've never heard that. I'm not going to play that show. I'm not going to play with Ion on the show. I can say that. You should lead into it with Ian.

So Ion's son, Noah, Noah is the radio broadcaster for the LA Clippers. Okay. Noah Eagle. Noah Eagle. That's a good name. And the two of them. Hi, I'm Noah Eagle.

And they look, I mean, obviously father and son. But they look identical. They look identical. Noah's 22 years old doing the Clippers. Wow. Are you going to nepotize your son into broadcasting gigs? No, because he's not involved in it. I thought that, I thought, what was his major up there?

It's business. Okay. Bidness. Yeah, he got a little taste of it and he's like, man, I'm good, dad. He wants to get into sports. He doesn't know what he wants to do yet. Okay. But first of all, Noah is a very nice young man and very talented.

And, you know, obviously the eagle name carried a little bit of cloud. But he's earned, you know, he's done very well for the Clippers. He's doing a smart thing. And we'll tease Ian about this next week. Noah, you know, his grown man now living in California. You know what he's during this coronavirus? What's he doing? He's living back at home.

Yeah, what's wrong with that? Saving money. No, it's a genius move. Smart move. He's piggybacking off a mom and dad. Yes. Cooking meals. Yes.

Washing clothes. Of course. Saving that L.A. clipper money. Well, if he's getting it. I'm pretty much sure. I've not heard anybody else. Hopefully. So he's doing the smart thing.

thing. So the two of them were on an NBA video playing a game of horse or something. So yeah, so we will tease Ian about that next week, but Noah Eagle is on it. But Ian's on that group. Whose college football? Would you put Brad Nestler on that

short list? He's all right. He does, you know, Vern was SEC football for the longest time. That's true. He talked, speaking of losing the fastball. He lost his for a couple years. He lost his fastball for sure. Keith Jackson lost his. But you know, you're 7th. these, you're calling games.

That's a lot to remember. Will you come to me, and if I'm doing rockets in my 70s and say, Matt, we need that to talk. Matt, I need you to put your Walker down for a minute. Do you want me to do that? No, not from you. Because you probably said. Anybody but me. Yeah, I'll take anybody's response except yours.

I will not accept yours. Matt, I think you do a fantastic job on the rockets play-by-play. How long is it the Iron Eagle thing with Fortell? It's like 45 seconds. All right, let's go ahead and play it. This makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm such an Iron Eagle fan. I just want to say that earlier, you had a very patronizing tone towards me.

I fully understand what a slip screen is. I've been doing the NBA for 18 years. But the way you presented it initially was gobbly gook. So like the audience, I wanted you to come back and explain yourself. And you then just took a firing line on me. And it was uncalled. I don't think so That's exactly what happened

You are overly sensitive to him I am not Did you have a bad day today? That's good stuff right there Yikes You know, I like how Ian just stands up for himself In the middle of a broadcast It's like a 15-point game

Between the Celtics and the Nets The Celtic got the free throw line And he just It's like, you know what I'm not putting up with this anymore I don't like your patronizing Your turn is all wrong I respect the hell out of that.

It was good stuff. Let me tell you. And there are very, most network guys, Dave Pash, I mean, when they get to the network level, they become different human beings. Ian is a super, super guy. Kevin Harlan, too. I mean, these are all, I mean, the people you get on this show, not because they come on the show, because we've had a lot of other, we've had other great broadcasters, but they're just nice people. I seriously had never heard that. It's good, right?

And I'll never forget it. I will never forget. Listen here, Mr. Fratello. And it's funny because Fratello is the top of NBC for a long time. And then he got bounced down a little bit. Again, they don't want 65-year-old guy. And the only person I can think of in sports

that is really super, super old that's still doing high-level games. Do you know who I'm thinking of? Dick Inberg? No, he's dead. Bill's pretty old. Bill Walton. Bill Walton is old, but I was...

think of i'll give you a hint nba oldest guy right now maybe even living doing games oh uh huby brown i've made dickenberg rest in peace i thought it was still doing games so we start calling you show prep villeraal like that kind of stuff you're awful let's start the second oh my all right uh tim mcman for bspn's good a job We're going to us in about 35 minutes. Right now a message here for TGS Insurance. If you would like to save some serious coin, I mean major, major coin in your home policy for insurance, why don't you get with TGS insurance, and it's so simple.

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anyone to 23, 23, 23, and start saving big with TGS Insurance. Yeah. Is the Matt Thomas show. Here we go, 102 on Sports Talk 790, hour two or three. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, Tim McMahon's going to join us from ESPN. Covers really all the Southwest Division teams, and we'll get his thoughts. Just want to get a different perspective on what the NBA is all about. There is something, there's been some stories put out in the last.

last few days about the NBA season. Again, this is all largely conjecture. When this first coronavirus came into play, there was the, we're going to play this season. We're going to pick up in a few weeks, and we're going to finish off the regular season, delay some games, move some things around, and we're going to finish and get as close we can to 82 games. We're going to play. Do you remember start of April was an actual goal for one of the first things we heard? And then, after that, it became, well, Let's be smart about this. Let's think about pushing the season back as far as possible,

maybe crowning a champion in September, which is still the goal. They want to get this thing done by Labor Day. And we need to give them a few warm-up games to get them ready, maybe get everybody to an even number of, say, 72 games, and then you play the playoffs from there. And then it was, okay, then maybe we could go to the Bahamas. Actually, it was more like Jay Williams is putting that out there.

There had no foundation to it whatsoever. There had been some talk about Las Vegas, and that had been kind of poo-pooed, at least for now. And then now Commissioner Silver has basically said, I'm not going to say anything and guess and predict anything until May 1st, which we're still talking about more than four weeks away from that point. So all this is, it's just us first talks your host to kind of figure this out. By the way, if you'd like to join us, 713-212-5790 is our number 7-1-3-212-5-790. Well, I saw a couple of stories in the last 24 hours about, you know what, look, if you really want to have an NBA season, we need to just play the playoffs. Because there are 30 teams in the NBA. There are 14 teams that will not make the playoffs.

So you have 15 players times 14 teams that's 210 players that will never have to worry about stepping on a court again and potentially being in a bubble if you do go to that system. or at the worst case, just beating each other up, playing games, and potentially spreading a virus if there is something. I am more and more towards that avenue of, I know that there are some teams in the Western Conference. I think they've got a puncher's chance, but I just looked up the standings. I had not looked it up in a long time.

The 8th place team right now in the Western Conference is the Memphis Grizzlies. They are three and a half games better than Portland and New Orleans and Sacramento. So in theory, if you came back and played four or five games, it would take Memphis to lose every one of those games and one of those three teams to win every one of those games for maybe an eighth-seated team to slip in the playoffs, only to probably get their brains beat out by the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, short series makes the opportunity for them to pull off an upset much greater.

It's usually series that goes seven games. The better team does win over. But I am more of the thought of, yeah, Yeah, let's not try to put together any sort of long schedule. The only question is, if you said, let's just go with the playoffs, how do you warm up for that? I mean, I know you could get the guys back together on a practice court. You can get the guys playing some scrimmages against each other.

But if you're going to crown a champion, don't you need maybe one or two kind of pick me up games that are treated like a game so you can kind of get in the flow of it? There's a story of the in The Chronicle. Eric Gordon hadn't shot a basketball in a long time. long time. Because where he is right now, there's no basketball hoop. And my guess is gyms or whatever the case may be aren't open for him to go shoot. And I'm sure some of the other guys that don't have courts on their homes are in the same

predicament. So I don't know what the right answer is. But I don't think I need five or six more regular season games with all 30 teams in the NBA so I can figure out whether or not the Sacramento Kings can upend Portland and Memphis to grab the eighth playoff spot. only to be beaten like a drum by the LeBron James led Los Angeles Lakers. Well, the Rockets are one game behind of the Jazz. They could go from the 6-seat to the 4-seat.

Oh, there's scenarios. I mean, there's more room for maneuvering within the playoff bracket than just turning the 8C. Yeah, I would like to see the Rockets get home court advantage if they had the opportunity for a couple of games. It just all depends on what time left. What's the time frame and how long the playoffs are going to be in all that type of stuff? But see, I don't think the issue that would be if you set up. all right, we're going to play some regular season games,

but we don't need to involve the 14 teams that aren't going to get in, then how do you drop a schedule that's fair? How do you say, okay, the Rockets are a game out of the four spot, right? Is that what you said they are? Yes. How do you go, all right, let's give the Rockets a chance to go get that four spot. Or remember, if the Rockets and Jazz were to tie, the Rockets would have the home court advantage

because they win the season series. I feel like that I'm in a spot where I don't know the answer to that question. How do you give them real game action so they don't go in the playoffs brutally cold, but yet understand you don't need a lot of this because you're fighting the calendar. Anybody got an answer? No. I don't know. I guess you would just have them play what's on the schedule.

It's supposed to be like the next five games of their schedule. But my point is, is that do you, why bother getting those 14 teams that aren't making the playoffs? Why get them involved at all? Yeah, see, I wouldn't get them involved. I just, New Year's season's over. You're out? It's your bubble. Because you're, if you go to the bubble, which I don't know if it's been really honestly overly discussed, except for just a couple of meaty people just speculating.

But if you were to go to a bubble and send everybody to one city, like major league baseball is doing this Arizona thing is a bubble too. It would be 210 less basketball players, several coaches, equipment, medical trainers, equipment managers, you take, that's 400 people. less in that if there was, so to speak, a NBA bubble that you could get rid of. Yeah, but I mean, what about the players that want their paychecks? Yeah, I mean, that's part of the problem. But, like, what do you do?

So the Trailblazers are, like, they're 29 and 37. The Grizzlies are 32 and 33. So the Blazers have played a handful of games more than the Grizzlies, but there's really no reason why they're not going to catch the Grizzlies.

So, like, why do they need to play at all? It just grows your bubble and makes it more dangerous. But who's going to get, I mean, who's going to get pay? Are, I mean, Dame Lillard and Siege McCollum and all them, they're making a lot of money. Are you cutting them off and saying, hey, you're not making the playoffs? Because in the regular scenario, they would get all their paychecks up to the playoffs, and then that's that, right? And then you start getting playoff bonuses.

Do you start at playoff bonuses and you don't pay them for the last 20 whatever games that they missed in the regular season? Because the NBA said today they're going to issue checks. for the middle of April, but for May 1st, they're not sure if they're going to be able to pay them. Or if they're going to be like a percentage is missing. Right. I mean, I think that's what the NBA, P.A and the NBA would just have to make an agreement.

I'd be like, hey, if you don't make the playoffs, if you're not in the playoffs, certain money, your check is gone. You're not getting paid by. Or do you still pay them? I mean, with what money? It's almost like, when we talk about people who are essential employees to a business

and who are not essential. Yeah. The playoff teams... Trailblazers, you suck by. The playoff teams are essential employees right now. No. So they would be looked at differently in a standard business. Like the trailblazers are not essential employees at this point. The Sacramento Kings are being furloughed right now.

We'll walk. We'll walk back. You have been laid off the suns. In all honesty, that's kind of where it is, though. Like, they're not essential. We don't need them. I think if you were to go to the bubble, well, for that matter, if you don't go to the bubble, why would you want to have the people in Chicago go to anything and potentially, and again,

these are a hotspots. Well, you can't play in Chicago. United Center's closed. For refurbish? No, they're using it as a COVID. Okay. So, like, that's even, there's even problems like that. Well, I mean, if you're, if they resume the NBA tomorrow and said, we're not playing in front of fans, there are 80 gyms in Chicago that can go play it.

For sure. So that, that would be the least of their work. I don't even think you'd want to staff that. You know what I mean? Does what the, just as an example, what the Bulls are doing, does that give you indication? Like, they already hire their GM or their president? the guy from Denver, who used to be here in Houston. Right.

Does that give you any indication that you think that they might believe their season's already over? That they're making these moves now and they're not waiting? No, I would think that would be, they would not have a factor in it whatsoever. It's business as usual. Yeah. Okay. Here's what, here's, oh, I think really what it is, Joe. I think there are hundreds of players that are desperately wanting to get back on the court.

You have 30 owners who are desperate to get back on the court so they can recoup some of this, money. You got one big problem. The CDC and America and this virus is not giving them clearance. So you have all these people that are, that there's no one that is saying, let's just forget this season. They're all trying to figure out a way to get on the court somewhere, somehow. They probably would even take the parameters of, okay, we're starting the playoffs tomorrow.

Maybe, you know, maybe my answer to my own question is you don't get warm up games. You just better have some hard-ass practices. because guess what? You guys are lucky that we're able to even put a NBA NBA game on in the month of June. That this sucks and that you think a warm-up will be appropriate, but guess what? You don't get that.

You want a championship so bad. You want to play this out. Guess what we're going to do? We're going to start the playoffs. We're going to do a best of three in the first round, best of three in the second round. We're going to do a best of five conference championship and we'll do a best of seven NBA title.

Those other 16 teams that don't make the playoffs or 14 teams and all of your staff and all your people, your season is done, you've been furloughed, you don't get a chance of a playoff bonus, you get your check of whatever we think it is, and we've got to put these games on so we get recuperate our TV dollars. I think the longer this goes and the, and the quieter the NBA offices, and the NBA offices, frankly said May 1st, we'll talk again. They're going to just have to accept any option of playing basketball.

There's not going to be a chance to sit in a room and go, okay, we're back to playing now. what should we do? I think Adam Silver is going to have to have a drop dead date and he's going to have to say if the CDC or the president or the individual governors of these states say we're playing basketball again,

here are the rules. By the way, Brooklyn Nets are probably going to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, right? They're in that one of those top eight spots. How old are we going to play a game in Brooklyn, New York? Or in New York, period, the entire state. That's the problem. And the link that Adam Schaeft had tweeted out yesterday from

the L.A. Times, that California won't be lifting their coronavirus stay-at-home rules anytime soon. And it says maybe till Thanksgiving in the article. So you can't play in California. Like that's... So then do the California teams get a disadvantage? Because if you were to say, let's say the Lakers and Rockets playing the second round of the playoffs, if Houston is not a hot zone and Houston gets to hosting and they can

take a play over at any gym in around town, the Lakers are going to be. like, wait a minute. Why do we have to travel? Why don't, you know, what this is unfair to us? That's why, even though I think no one is willing to admit this, that if you're going to go to this bubble system, at least you're playing in a neutral site where everybody's in the same spot. But then you create the problem of how many people are going to possibly be in this one facility. And you have to drug, not drug test. You have to COVID test every day. I feel like I'm talking myself out of no season every time I get into this conversation. Yep. That's the thing that makes the most sense, unfortunately.

Hopefully, Tim McMahon will brighten up our day in 15 minutes. Hopefully. But that's in his responsibility. He's a reporter, Matt, not a magician. Yeah. Yeah, that's true. 713-212-5-790. Tim McMahon, ESPN in 50 minutes.

Rossi, let's go over this running back, who is apparently out for a murder-for-hire situation. No, I can't wait. Would you like, could you do a little raw story time next? Okay. 114 on Sports Talk 790. The morning sports show for those who partied in Midtown way too hard last night. The Matt Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790.

Sports Talk 790, the Matt Thomas show. Joe and Ross, I'm Matt. 713-212-5-790. So Joe need to play some like criminal activity music or something like that? Oh, like the Law and Order theme or something? Yeah, because you're going to read a story to me that I have not heard. Yes. And it'll be up to me and the rest of the audience to decide whether or not we believe the plaintiff.

Or the defendant. Okay. So, Joe, whenever you're ready, just start. Oh, hold right on cue, my friend. Ross has a story involving crime and punishment. In the court of law, there are whatever, and there are perpetrators and the accused and the lawyers who investigate these crimes. These are their stories. I try to get that as close as I could.

Nice. TMZ, thank you. This is just going to be, I'm reading from a Mike Floreos, one of the greatest aggregators of our time. TMZ.com reports that court documents accuse former NFL running back Chris Johnson in a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the shooting deaths of two men in 2016.

Johnson has not been charged with anything yet, but the incident traces back to March 2015 when Johnson was shot in the shoulder in what was allegedly a gang-related effort to kill him. In two separate instances in 2016, the two men who were believed to be the shooters in the March 2015 incident were shot and killed by Dominic Bolden, who as the apparent argument goes,

committed the crimes at Johnson's behest. What? Okay, so apparently, Chris Johnson got shot in 2015 by two guys. Is he okay? He was okay. He got shot in the shoulder. Those two guys, a year later, were killed by Dominic Bolden. Ooh. And Dominic Bolden apparently may have been hired by Chris Johnson to murder those two assailants.

In a revenge plot, Johnson strongly denies the allegations, which deserves to be noted no matter how predictable the denial may be. So where is it right now as we speak? He is being investigated. So no formal charges. No charges against Chris Johnson yet. But it just so happens that this guy killed the two guys that shot Chris Johnson. There's not enough meat on the bone here for me to figure out who's telling the truth and who's not. I mean, murder for hire seems like it's hot right now.

It's so hot right now. Just ask Joe Exotic. You can't ask Carol Baskins because she did her own dirty work. Yeah, she did in her own way. allegedly. She fed the husband of the tigers, supposedly. All right. Do we know what the argument was about or what this whole thing started off with?

Was it money related, I'm assuming? Or do we know the cause of such grief between these individuals? No. Okay. Well, then, you know what? My father did not do his job of properly aggregating the story. Hmm. Well, this is an incomplete story that I don't know what to go.

Well, but what was the reason behind it? Why he originally got shot? The gang wanted Chris Johnson killed. For what reason, we don't know. Are gang still a thing? Yes. What was the last time you saw a gang? Five years.

So you don't know if they're a thing or not. You haven't seen a gang. You've seen one gang in five years. Well, no, I just said, I mean, since that's Chicago. Well, of course. I'm not counting Chicago. Chicago's littered with gangs. Yes, Matt, there is still gang activity.

Maybe not a whole lot in the K-Will. Wait, man, I've been to your apartment many times. I've seen no gang activity. I'm not in the hood either. And you've been to my apartment once. I mean, I didn't have to walk to, uh, what was it? Where was the Houston, Cincinnati game a couple years ago? Uh, Intergy Stadium?

No. Which sport? The basketball game. Oh, on U of H campus? Yeah, there's some gang activity around there. It was a TSU. Yeah, TSU. Didn't feel safe there.

There was gang activity at TSU? No, but I had like, I was, walking and I got lost. It was sketchy. I'm just saying it was sketchy. What was so sketchy about it, Joe? It was very run down. I felt like I was in the bad parts of Chicago all of a sudden.

You're on Halsted Street? Oh, you might have been on U of H campus. Stop. U of H campus is full of energy. Armed robbery. Full of positivity. Murder for higher plots. No, it's not crazy.

All right. So no one's been around gang. So we can officially feel comfortable. There's no more gangs in America. Yeah, there's zero gangs and gang activity in America. Especially with rich athletes. Okay. All right.

Oh, this is a close-up picture of Chris Johnson's shoulder wound. And it doesn't look great. Here he goes. Here's his bullet hole, just for you, Matt. That's three seconds of my life. I'll never get back again. It's disgusting. 7-1-3-21.

How do we segue into this? Please, I'll take Joe, spin the wheel of topics. I'll talk about anything you want. except what we just talked about for the last three minutes. You brought it up. Well, I thought it was something more interesting to it. What's on the wheel? God, there ain't much.

Tim McMahon's going to hopefully help us stop the wheel at 130. What did it pull up? Chris Johnson and Murder for Highland. One of the biggest rating hits of the coronavirus, aside from these briefings, it's been a show on Netflix called Tiger King. And the man who's the star of this is a former zoo owner, who's serving a 22-year prison sentence. He's asking you for a pardon saying he was unfairly convicted.

Your son yesterday jokingly said that he was going to advocate for it, and I was wondering if you've seen the show and if you have any thoughts on pardoning Joe Exxon. Which son must be Donned? I had a feeling it was Don't. Is that what he said? I don't know. I know nothing about it.

He has 22 years for what? What did he do? He allegedly hired someone to murder an animal rights activist, but he said that he didn't do that then. You think he didn't do it? Are you on his side? Are you recommending a pardon? No, I'm not advocating.

As a reporter, you're not allowed to do that. You'd be criticized by these. Would you recommend a pardon? I'm not weighing it on Tiger King. I don't think you would. So Donald Trump's getting asked about Tiger King now at press conferences. Thank God for the will of topics. Okay, honestly, do you think he has any idea who Tiger King is?

Yes. I think he does. I told Ross that I would bet money that Donald Trump or someone from his business has purchased an animal from Joe Exxon. Let me tell you, for his background as a reality TV host, he absolutely has the pulse of what's going on in reality television. In fact, while the president is trying is trying his best to stop this coronavirus and trying to get people back working and lift all these problems and get our economy going,

he also can give you intimate details of The Bachelor. I think so? I absolutely. Okay. He can't be thinking. about this 20 hours a day. He needs an hour of time. Maybe five hours a day. What's that? Nothing. He's watching, can't watch SportsCenter. That's just getting tiresome. No games to watch. He knows about Tiger. Matter of fact, he even knows what happened in season three of Ozark.

Oh, you think he's an Ozark guy? Yeah, I would pencil the press as an Ozark guy. Would you guys not? Maybe. I don't know what he sees TV have. I've never seen it so I'm not sure. Outside of, I mean, copious amounts of Fox News. I don't know really what he was watching. I just kind of envision he watches his TV show, The Apprentice. You think he watches himself? Yeah. You think he's got a channel inside the White House. It's just an endless episodes of The Apprentice? Yeah. And like

just various things he's been in, like Home Alone 2 and stuff. You know, he isn't in the W.W.E. Hall of Fame. He had a WrestleMania match. He lost his hair, or to McMahon lost their hair. No. Who lost their hair in the match? I thought it was McMahon that lost. McMahon did lose. Yeah. Who could forget?

I think I did for a split second. All right. Tim McMahon on the NBA beat. He covers him for ESPN, Southwest Division, Dallas and Houston especially. We'll visit with him next. It is the Matt Thomas Show, Sports Talk 790 at 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790 with a message here for Cromberg's flags and flagpoles. The folks at Crombergs, they're working out of their home offices.

and they are able to still take phone orders and available through 24-7 their website as they are there for you for any of your flag and flagpole needs. A large variety of quality, ground set, and wall-mounted solutions are available for residential flags. If you want to get a U.S. flag, a state flag, a Texas flag, any U.S. historical flag, but also have a lot of different sports flags. This past year, we gave away Astro flags on our Astros coverage, and we're going to do it again this year once the Astros do resume. So if you need anything, any flag to kind of decorate your home or your business,

I want you to get with Cronberg's flags and flagpoles. Go to their website. It'd be easy to start the process there. They'll have great customer service. And as I said, the availability for them is always 24-7. Order comes in, they can get it to you very, very quickly. That's Cronberg's flags and flagpoles. Also, don't forget about those banners either.

Go online. Cronberg's K-R-O-N-B-E-R-G-S, Flags, and Flagpoles.com. This is your home for Houston Rockets Basketball, Sports Talk 790. Matt Ross with you on the Matt Thomas Show 131 is our time. Let's spend 10 quality minutes with one of the better NBA basketball writers you will find in America. Tim McMahon, ESPN with us. Tim lives in Dallas, but I feel like he covers more Rocket Games, anything else. The folks at Southwest and the United Airlines are missing your miles, aren't they?

Man, I know. I'm an American airline. Oh, I had two choice, three guesses, and I had to miss on that one. Yeah, yeah, because I live closer to P.S.W. than the Lofield. Okay, I got you. They're missing me. I'm missing the NBA. But unfortunately, I think it's going to be a while before we get any of that. We spent a lot of time because obviously people know my love for the game and working with the Rockets,

going through different scenarios. There was a story in the last 24 hours, I think Bleacher reporter somebody put it out about. It would be in the best interest of the league to just forget about the 14 teams and aren't going to make the playoffs. And if you're going to go to this bubble or whatever you're going to do,

go it down to 16 and just start the playoffs right away. How have you personally, in your mind, thought about this season from the time the suspension began to where it is right now? Where are you right now, as we're speaking, as compared to where you were, say, three or four weeks ago? You know, really since, since this shut down, you know, I wasn't in denial about just how serious this was going to be.

And, you know, I really don't think, at least in the NBA League office, there's a whole lot of denial there. You know, there was a time where I thought the best case scenario could be, you know, play a handful of regular season games, at least enough to let the team satisfy their local TV agreements, which is an important thing from a five. financial perspective and then play the playoffs, maybe even a shortened playoffs. I don't know if that's going to be a possibility. The longer we go, it's not just the less time you have to actually play games, but it's the more time that guys would need to get ready to play those games. You can't just, you know, let's say that things go really well with a flat end of the curve and then these instant tests are become widely available, which I think is an absolute requirement.

You know, they can't just be available to the NBA. They have to be available to the public at large for that to be something I think they'll be able to do. But let me say everything goes well and, you know, the possibility of, you know, being at one site, Vegas or whatever, you know, playoffs or whatever, let's say that's the plan. These guys are going to need time to get back into basketball. shape or you're risking, you're putting them in major risk of injury. And I know David Griffin, the Pelicans, I believe President, is his title, was on NBA TV. He said they, he thought they would need a month.

So you have to fact, you know, I don't know if they'll get a month, but it's at least going to be a multi-week training camp before we can even get to game action if, you know, put together that kind of plan becomes a, you know, a reasonable possibility. It seems like, Tim, anytime we come up with these solutions of where the game should be had or what's going to happen, there just are more problems that arise than the problems that we're solving. And I mean, is there anything that has come up or that has arisen to you that makes complete sense and that you could think could actually get employed by the NBA? You know, again, I think obviously what you're looking for is the best, you know, less than ideal scenario. And so, you know, forget about fans. That's not happening.

You know, home arenas, all that, you know, it would have to be one site. You know, Vegas is the one that you hear about the most. I think that makes sense from a, you know, just the perspective of there's a relationship there. Obviously, the NBA has their summer league there. They're used to holding, you know, massive, basically, tournaments or, you know, a massive league. wide event there every year with multiple gyms and all that sort of thing. So I still think, you know, if there's going to be, you know, a completion of the season, if the NBA is going to be able to crown a champion.

I think the Vegas scenario is the one that sounds the best. I also think it would be extremely complicated and delicate to be able to pull that off. And, I mean, an NBA championship, I mean, that's obviously the ultimate goal for any team. and it builds legacies and it means a lot to the franchises, to the players, to the coaches, to the fans. Do you think, I mean, is this going to be like an asterisk championship? How are we going to look at the NBA champion? Is it going to depend on who it's crown? Like if it's the Bucks, it's more legitimate than if somehow it's the Miami Heat or something like that.

I mean, how do you think this championship is going to be viewed? I mean, obviously there'd be an asterisk with it. You know, but a champion with an asterisk is better than not being able to have the playoffs. at all if you know if you're not jeopardizing public health um and honestly i think that it would be better and i was going to say it would be better for a i'll say this the spurs you know they won that lockout the lockout shortened season the 50 game season they won the championship and then they went on to obviously win several other championships so who cares if there's an asterisk because obviously they were able to prove that they were legitimate championship franchise several times after that.

So I think that for this to be a title that's not kind of given the yap-butt treatment, it would have to be a team that would have either won it before, which, you know, it ain't going to be the Warriors and, you know, maybe the Raptors could pull it off. that would be a pretty big upset. Or it would have to be a team that, you know, this is something that they would repeat. You know, not necessarily next year, but at some time with this same core. We are visiting with the great Tim McMahon from an ESPN.

You can follow them on Twitter at ESPN underscore McMahon. You mentioned the month of getting the guys ready. Could be games, could be not games. You know, if they're going to crown this champion, by say at the very late at September the 15th. I know that Adam Silver has not said anything about making any sort of further comments publicly until May 1st. In your mind, what is the drop dead date for a decision whether to cut this season or somehow, some way, try to finish it off before, say, the middle of September?

That's a good question. I don't know the answer. I think you are. I think you are hitting right when they're talking about wanting or needing to, you know, or needing to have the playoffs done by September 15th, the champion crowned by September 15th, just because, you know, obviously, you're still need an offseason. You know, you still need, you know, you don't want to do anything that would really dramatically shift next season and have this impact next season as well, although, you know,

maybe they do bump the next season back to start on Christmas. that's not out of play either. I'll say I don't think that you're going to get Adam Silver to be very concrete or, you know, to really put a whole lot of, you know, to put anything out there that could, you know, put him in a position where people would say, hey, you said, you know, this and that, you know, why didn't you, why weren't you able to follow through on that? I think he's going to be very, very careful until, they reach a point where, you know, they have a firm plan in place and feel like they can execute it.

And, you know, I don't think he's going to publicly announce or even want it out there that, hey, if we don't have a decision by whether it's June 1st or whatever, then forget about it. Because I don't think he wants anything. I think wisely, he wants to maintain as much flexibility as possible because, you know, the circumstances can change. day-to-day and week-to-week. All right, I'm going to do a worst-case scenario here. We don't want to do this.

We've got to deal in realities. If on May 1st, Adam Sovers says, look, we tried. The CDC doesn't want us doing this. It's going to be too hard to figure out putting people in a bubble or doing it in smaller venues around the league and other cities. Plus, we can't put teams in California, New York to play because those states are just very much in the hot spot. If he cancels the season, and obviously, Tillman here in town, we all know about Tillman and Hall, the properties, the casinos, the restaurants, he's taking his own public, or say the business angle of his being destroyed there right now as we speak. How is the health of the league going to be

if it indeed does get canceled from television contracts being paid off to empty arenas, to a non-complition of a season? And how does that affect not only the individual owners? And I know you're, I don't mean if you just speak on 30 of them, but as a whole. And then the players itself, well, how much money will they stand to lose on this as well? Yeah. And then, you know, those are all things. that the NBA and the Players Association need to figure out. And I think the good thing is that they recognize that it's something that they need to figure out together, that they need to figure out as partners and not as adversaries.

I think that the Players Association, it's a totally different issue. But I do think that they learn from being just so hardline against the smoothing of the NBA cap when there was the huge cap spike, and they kind of saw the consequences of that. I think that it's a deal where, you know, if the cap is going to be deflated significantly, I think that, you know, there would be a smoothing of that, and it would necessarily be a massive immediate drop. And, you know, the thing is there are different issues for different owners. And, you know, some of that's based on, is it a small market, you know,

or is a big market. You know, some of it's based on just how much the economy in their market and, you know, the community and their markets have been impacted by this pandemic and by this crisis. And then some of it, you know, I think could be influenced by just how much, you know, the other business interests of the particular owners have been impacted. And obviously, you know, you mentioned it Tillen Furtita right now. I mean, every business that he has, you know, whether it's the casinos, the restaurants, obviously, you know, the NBA team. I mean, he is taking a massive hit basically across every company that he owns.

It's, this is devastating. I hate to even bringing it up. Last question, we'll try to spin into another direction, another angle of this. If they play games, and we finish out this season, there's no doubt in our minds that the NBA season would be pushed back to a December start, whether they play 82 or they come. it down to 70 or whatever the case may be. If we don't play a season, is there still going to be talk of the NBA pushing its calendar back to start of December around Christmas time? Not only because it will give us more time to get this virus and get these arenas back going,

but ultimately, and something I've talked about for many years on the show, Tim, the NBA misses out on two months of coverage because it's still, when their season starts, college and pro football dominate the sports world. Well, I think that obviously, you know, if the virus dictates that the season will be pushed back, then absolutely they would. I will say, you know, that was an idea that was floating before this pandemic happened. You know, I mean, there was discussion in NBA circles. I know, for example, the Atlanta High, the Dallas College of the ownership groups that have been, you know, have been strongly in expressing their opinions that they would be in favor of the league starting on Christmas and playing deeper into the summer.

And it's, you know, for the exact reasons that you stated, I mean, would you rather compete against Major League Baseball or the NFL in college football? Yeah, I mean, me, Senator. Tim, me selfishly, if we play, the Rockets can play Milwaukee in March as compared in middle of December, I'm whole for that because the weather sucks during 80% of the NBA season. This is a purely selfish reason, but you're right. I thought you were going to say that you want to watch, you know, you want to watch as much football as possible. No, no, I'm worried about travel. I'm selfish.

I'm worried about those terrible East Coast trips. I can see that as well. I will say I am one who I've had a lot of football. games on the little press road TV while I've covered NBA games. I wouldn't be opposed to getting all my fall weekends on the cloud. If you're talking completely selflessly,

the only thing I wouldn't like about that plan is I don't know how I would be able to take my kids on summer vacation. That's true. That's true. You know, from an NBA business perspective, I think that is a schedule that could make a lot of sense. I think that, you know, one thing, though, that could be complicated

and you could have to consider, again, is those local TV deals, you know, The majority of these teams are with TV, local TV partners that also televised. Baseball. Major League Baseball. I'm not sure. Are they both in the same station down there in Houston? No, they are up there in the Metro West.

AT&T, Fox Sports Southwest. Yep, same thing. Right. So I think it's something like 22 88 teams have, you know, local TV partners that also televised. You know, they're also flagship stations for Major League Baseball. team. So, you know, I don't know exactly how that works because obviously baseball is pretty much at every night's thing. That's right. Hey, thank you for coming on the show today. Your insights are always appreciated. Stay safe with you and your family. And hopefully next time we visit,

it'll be about starting up this season again. Tim again, thanks very much for the time. Sounds good. Thanks for having me. You got it. Tim McMahon, ESPN, ESPN, underscore McMahon. If you want to get some of the best insight in the NBA, you get it from a guy, despite the fact he lives in Dallas, covers the Rock. It's as good as anybody. 146 is our time. It is the Matt Thomas Show. You can join in if you'd like to at 713-215-790. 7-1-3-212-5-790.

Good news. It's the Matt Thomas Show for lunch. Let that boring brown bag lunch rot in the employee refrigerator. Oh, what's that smell? The Matt Thomas Show on Sports Talk 790. Matt Thomas Show continues. Here on Sports Talk 790, Ross v. Real Matt Thomas, Joe George. with you folks.

It's 713, 212.5.790. Good conversation with Tim McMahon of ESPN in the last segment. I found it's just an interesting topic to me that if the NBA does resume and if there is a playoffs and if it is a shortened playoffs and we do crown a champion, how will that champion be viewed from not only now but from you? years from now. And I thought Tim had a good answer about the, like the 1999 Spurs. At the time, people forget 20 years ago, that was almost like an asterisk championship because they only played what, like 50-something games in the regular season. But the fact that they went on to go

solidify it, that that helped them along and to help legitimize that championship years later. But what if you have like some, for example, let's just say the Houston Rockets win the NBA championship. They'll have to win another one. We won't care here in Houston. They're going to hang the banner up. They're going to get their rings. Probably won't be a parade. It's going to be going to be tough to social distance during a parade. We may be done with parades for a while. Yeah. No, but if you

win it, you have, that's why the whole ridiculous talk of the Rockets 94-95 when Jordan was out doesn't hold merit because Jordan came back and he won a championship the next season. I think if you win it this year, you'll have

the big old asterisk next to it, but if you went in 82 games and they're going to say, you know what, you just were the best. For instance, Milwaukee is searching for a championship. Yes. The Rockets are searching for a championship. The LA Clippers are searching for a championship. LeBron is a Laker looking for one more. Anybody that wins this year, it's not going to be a hearty-har-har-har. You didn't deserve it. It was a, well, you were the best of a sucky season. It's like, I guess you're the champion. Yeah, like, well, somebody, it's like this. Well, somebody had to win it. Yeah. That's why the 2020-21 season will

be a chance for that team to double down and say, you know what, it wasn't a fluke, because that's what it's going to be. Whoever's going to win the championship this year, whomever it may be, whether it's a rocket, the Mavericks, anybody else, the term fluke's going to be put next to it or made the best of a bad situation. Short of that, you've got to win it next year or you'll always carry that tag. Because here's a thing, Ross. People can forget about the 1999 season all the time. Nothing about the year 2020, Ross, we're ever going to forget. That's true. We will be saying, I'll be telling my kids about social, my kids' kids about social distancing.

And the term COVID and mask and all the other things. Stay home, be safe. Maybe we'll have like COVID-29 and COVID-39 by then and all kinds of crazy stuff. If that's the case, then you know what? We have indeed reached the apocalypse. But my point is this, you won't want to worry about it. if this year's champion, if there is one, wins it again. I'm ready to make this prediction.

And Tim, when I talked about it toward the very end. I think the NBA is going to December calendar schedule no matter what happens whether there's a season or not. Because if they cancel the season, guys, they can give themselves a couple of extra months to get the buildings ready to go. They're going to have to plan out one way or the other. I can't imagine the NBA schedule makers are making a schedule based on an October start and based on a December start.

You just can't just pick up those two months, plop them in. There's got to be people in the NBA offices right now sitting around going, okay, we need to schedule next year. Because when they do the NBA schedules, they start them in the January of that year, and they don't release them until, like, what, early September? I mean, it takes a long time to massage 30 NBA schedules. Because you're doing television, you're doing dates, you're doing hockey, you're doing concerts, and also you want to make sure that great games are on certain nights

where they've been picked up on national television. You can't ask the NBA schedule makers to come up with a schedule, well, are we going to start October 20th like we normally do? Or are we going to go December 23rd? I think there's going to be a come-to-Jesus meeting sooner rather than later in saying, when is a 2020 season going to start? And I think it's going to be December. I mean, but where, I mean, when is normally the NBA schedule put together? It starts in January.

For the next year? Yes. Oh. I was listening to a podcast with Tom Corelli, who's in charge of scheduling. And he goes, yeah, we start the parameters of it in January. So they're behind. Oh, hell yeah. That's why I said that.

I don't think there's an option. I think by, I bet you by May 15th, we know when the next season starts, regardless of whether or then there's basketball. Now, if we do come back and play, then it's a no-brainer. if they don't play a season out, does that then push the envelope to say, well, we got to get back in October

because we would have not have played games since February. Or does it say, you know what, this is the perfect time to just reshape the league and get into where it's popular. I'm telling you, these TV ratings were terrible this year, Ross. And I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that you could put the Lakers on against the heat or anybody in the middle of November

and nobody cares. I do think the party brought up about television partnerships, though, is really challenging. I mean, think about how it is for us. We have to decide which games are going to air on 790, which games are going to air on KTRH when there's double games. If you move the NBA schedule, it becomes a real problem for a majority of the NBA season. Yeah, because here's two things that's going to happen. you're going to have to have if an AT&T is going to have to have a subchannel, which it already does. It's confusing as hell to the audience.

But if AT&T insists on carrying every game, then they're going to have the subchannel. Now, let's go back 15, 20 years ago when half the games were on over-the-air TV and half the games are on cable, you set the schedule. And so if the Astros are playing in the same day as the Rockets, you can put the Rockets on the Over-the-Air channel and you put the Astros on the cable or you flip-pop them. I mean, that's easy enough to fix. We as a radio station, we have KTRH and 790, and if we really, if we needed to put 950 in the mix as well, we've got three radio stations that we can put a- Bump Delilah off.

No, don't you? Don't you? No, Sonny, Delilah is untouchable. We had Rockets games on Sunny back. Way back in the day. A couple of times. Which you're just talking about is a conundrum, but honestly, Joe, it's a good conundrum. No, I agree.

I think it may, I mean, it's, I, think moving the NBA season back makes so much sense. Like, to me, a December 1st start date, it's perfect. The only people that I think will really argue about this will be the television people, the locals. Because TNT, I mean, they don't do baseball. They still do the NCAA tournament even with the NBA going on. But it's a regional.

It's exactly what you're talking about. Does the Fox Sports, whoever owns Fox Sports eventually, want to have a logjam between March 20th and will they cover the first round of the playoffs? Well, when the first round of the playoffs start? If they started in December season, starting to, you're moving two months back. What does they normally start? Late April? Yes, it would be late June.

I don't know. Nothing else major is going on during that time in the summer, except basically. I think these are problems. I think the NBA could go to those local television networks and say, your ratings are going to be higher. Because a Rock, a Rockets, let's be brutally honest, a Rocket Charlotte game in mid-November. How's it doing, ratings-wise?

Why is it better in mid-December? No, I'm saying if you move that... Or mid-February. If you're competing, if you're not competing against the NFL, you've got to puncher's chance. Well, if it's on Wednesday, it's not competing against the NFL. The NFL, but NFL and college football's all over the place. You don't even have that as a part of a conversation piece. You get basketball.

Basketball gets its own world from about, what, December 30th, minus the championship games, to about April 15th. And even early his and baseball games don't count. I'm just saying I think you got a better shot of getting a higher rating on a nondescript game, even the middle of the week, if you're pushing everything back two months. Just my thought. Because college basketball in February, nobody cares. Duke plays North Carolina Ross.

Does anybody in Houston care about that game? Oh, hell no. Except Mrs. Thomas, that's it. College basketball doesn't resonate nationally. It just doesn't. It hasn't for a long time. Kay in the Southside will get to you to start the final hour of the Matt Thomas show. If you missed our Jim Nance conversation, that is coming up.

30 short minutes. It is Sports Talk 790. 713-212-5-790. Yeah. I'm on my way. Is the Matt Thomas Show. 5 is 203. It is the Matt Thomas show with Sports RV and Joe George Radio.

I'm Matt Thomas. I feel like Joe have not done enough Chicago Bulls talk today on the show, or White Sox, or Cubs, or Chicago Fire or Bears. I like the hire for the Bulls a lot. Former Rocket executive. I can't pronounce his name. Nor can I. Okay.

But he's made a lot of his moves in Denver, and Darrell Mori speaks very highly of him. Very excited on Twitter last night, Darrell was. Darrell Mori underwent. He saw the news. Is his tree more successful than the Bill Belichick tree? Well, let's talk about.

Sam Hinky didn't do so hot in Philadelphia, although he began the process there. I mean, I would give Sam Hinky more credit than he gets. His long-winded letter about his resignation or getting fired was a little odd. But I've heard nothing but great things about Sam. Let's see who else is in the... Gerson Roses is the Minnesota Timberwolves now.

They absolutely love DeAnda... Was it Deandra Russell they were in love with? And they got him. Was Dennis Lindsay a part of the Mori? He was... Lindsay was here before, Mori, right? I don't recall. Yeah.

But did Lindsay and Mori ever work together? I'm going to say, yes, they did. But don't... That had been early in Darry, but I wouldn't say necessarily Lindsay was a more a tree disciple. But I think it's a fair conversation to have. Who's got a better tree?

Bill Belichick or Darry. Who's the best tree period in life, in sports life? I think Mike Holmgren, Bill Walsh, which, I mean, Holmgren's under the Bill Walsh tree, right? Right. It's basically the Bill Walsh and the Parcells tree has been going at it for like 20 years. Yeah. Yeah.

Worst tree, the Belichick tree sucks. Yeah. I mean, you put him under the Parcells tree, though. The Parcells tree is pretty good, I think. Yeah, but his, like, his branches off. The Belichick tree is not good. Patricia. Sean Payton's on the Parcells. Mike Zimmer, Anthony Lynn. Brian's a shining star. He not only is he a head coach,

but he's also a general manager of a four-division time. Bill O'Brien is the most successful coach to come from the Bill Belichick tree. That says something. Roman Cornell, Eric Mangini, Matt Patricia, Bill O'Brien. It's rough. Josh McDaniels Josh McDaniels One playoff went with Tim Tebow

Stop Stop No one I don't give you time on the show You bring up Tim Tebow's name Josh got to playoff Yeah that's what happened He fist pump in the air For like 85 seconds

Yeah Was that against Denver Pittsburgh? Yeah Yes Hey he threw a DeMarius Thomas It was zero coverage

Demarius Thomas beat his man And there was a touchdown Big deal How did any Secondary get fooled by Tim Tebow They didn't The game plan was to blitz at every turn and they did nothing, but finally

he did beat it once. Crazy. It was Demarius Thomas who did most of that. Let's go to Kaye on the north side or it's south side on 790. Hi, Kay. Hey, what's going on? I was listening to you guys talk about the whole concept of an asterisk being

applied to anybody who may win the championship if they resume the season. I just don't subscribe to the whole asterisk thing when every team will be playing under the same format in the same rules.

No one has any particular advantage. So anytime they say, well, the championship wouldn't be the same. Not to me. If Houston was to win the championship, it's a legitimate championship. Any other team in the league, even if they broke it down and said, well, we're going to do the first two rounds, three out of five like they used to do, whatever new twist they add on it, everybody has to go through the exact same process. And I just don't like that.

I think a lot of times people are selective when they want to decide who they want to put the asterisk on. If you think about the Rockets in 94, 95 or 93, 94, if in 95 of Jordan to Bulls, when he came back, if they were to won a championship, then obviously it would just be back to normal. But because a team other than the Bulls won it, oh, it's an asterisk. When the Spurs won it, 50 games season, oh, it's an asterisk. Nah, nobody has an advantage. If everything's in the air and everything counts. That's just my opinion. Y'all can tell me what y'all think.

Yeah, I'll tell you, okay, it's metaphorical. There isn't an Astrid next to the San Antonio Spurs. They won a championship. They didn't play less games than everybody else. They didn't have to win fewer playoff games. If one individual team played by different rules, then there would be clearly an Astrid next to it. But they didn't. They had every other team in the NBA, other 29 teams, had just as much opportunity to win the championship as the San Antonio Spurs did.

We bring up Asterick because it wasn't a normal 82 game schedule, just like whoever wins a championship here, if they resume this season, we'll get to have a ring, we'll have a trophy, maybe not a parade, but we'll have banners hung in their arenas, and they'll be champions. But in the people's minds of sports and the other cities that are fans of other teams, they will say, well, this didn't really count anyway. And so that's the reason we brought up that whoever wins it this year, if they do resume, it'd be in their best interest to win it again.

the final season or within two seasons of it. So it does further substantiate how good their team was this particular year. Yeah, but it's not fair to whatever team would end up eventually winning the championship because you made a good point earlier when you talked about how looking back at it 20 years from now, nobody looks at the Spurs 1999 championship as anything other than a championship. Now, them winning four more didn't hurt the cause, but if they hadn't ever won another one after that, I just don't think that people would be looking at it like that. In particular, those, you got people who weren't even born or with little babies when they won it.

All they're going to see is, oh, they won it in 99. So, I mean, it's not fair to these guys who are coming out and competing. I understand the process of it. But if everybody is playing the same way, same rules, same format, then I think you should get these guys that credit whoever comes out of it. But I appreciate y'all taking my talk. Thanks, okay. Good to hear from here.

No, I think Ross, the Spurs winning multiple championships. Absolutely, absolutely, without a doubt. If the San Antonio Spurs had won one championship in 99. And only in 1999, and they had been heard from since or were first round and outs or 45 win teams, we'd be teasing a hell out of them. And I think especially this year, there will be that type of feeling. certainly if it's a best of three type of situation in the first round or maybe even the second round as well or best of fives

if it's not all best of sevens in every single round I think you will definitely have this I don't want to say maybe a taint I guess you would call it not an asterisk they're not going to put it on it would then mean something was cheated we can think of the right word less impactful or recognized or taken seriously I don't know

less honored. It just wouldn't be or revered. It wouldn't be the same. It just wouldn't be seen the same. And I think that's going to be natural. We'll see. We don't know.

There might not be a season at all. This conversation could be completely moved. Let's be brutally honest. James wins the Rockets in the championship this year. Oh, there's a huge asterisk in the mind of America. Well, of course, James, you went in in the one year where you can't play a full season.

I can't wait. I bring it. I won't care. Milwaukee's saying thing. Milwaukee, yeah. Although Milwaukee shelf life for being on the top of the Eastern Conference could last quite a while.

I think it'll be interesting to see. A lot of it will depend on the matchups. If somehow the Miami Heat get hot and win the championship, people are going to be like, okay. They're not really the champions. Because anything can happen in a three-game series. Yeah.

It will happen. Was it last year when the Clipper, did they get up 2-1 or 3-2 on the Warriors as a 1-8 matchup? Yes, because game six was in Los Angeles. No, the Clippers were up. Did they get up to 1? They got up in this.

They were down and they eventually fell by 3-2, yeah. Obviously, just in different circumstances, but that's a team went. Two-one is a win in a three-game series. Let me tell you, I got news for you. Who's the worst team in the NBA? The Knicks or... Let's go with the... Who's wretched?

The Warriors have the fewest wins. Caves are pretty bad. Okay, the Cavaliers can beat the Los Angeles Lakers two out of three. Yes. Yeah, Colin Sexton gets hot. They win. And what Ross and I have talked about this for years? The greater, the longer the series, the greater the chance, the better team wins the series.

Simple mathematics. Yeah. Colin Sexton can beat the Lakers. He can. Two times in three days? Yeah. Maybe back to backs. It would be very interesting to see if they have to go to best of threes.

If Kowah or LeBron wins the title, though, is it still as much of an asterick because they've won titles before? The asterisk goes to the individual who hasn't won one yet. So like it would go to Paul George and Anthony Davis. And James Harden and Russ Westbrook. I feel like LeBron would get one a little bit too. I don't know. He's won so many titles, though. Well, he's won three, but a lot of people, I don't know.

They just like to downgrading it than he does. He can breathe wrong and it will cause problems. He doesn't have to win another championship in my mind. to be the second greatest player of all time. He gets points for being the greatest or getting closer to the greatest if he wins another championship of Los Angeles. But if it's this year, he may have to win it. Again, I'll say this with any player.

I think if you really want to put yourself as a real world champion, NBA champion type leader, you've got to have one besides whatever gets crowned this year. So if Kauai wins his third finals MVP on his third different team. I mean, I don't think there's any asterisk there for him. I mean, he might be the only guy. But Kauai puts himself

in a different level if he's able to achieve that. Kauai wins it today in his first year with his new basketball team. You're right. To go to another team in very, very weird scenario the way the schedule played out. He still wins a championship with all these new teammates. Yeah, you're probably right. You don't think LeBron gets the same benefit of the doubt.

I think he does. I think he should. I'm just saying the first time winners, are going to have a hard time holding up that trophy if this is the only championship they win. Especially James. Yannis? Because Yonis isn't hated like James. Not yet.

Yeah. I think history will look not fondly at Yonis. Why do you say that? Because I think eventually he'll be hated just like Curry. Curry was loved. Hardin was loved. Westbrook was loved. And then you become the enemy eventually.

Well, here's how Yonis gets hated. He goes to one of the super teams. If Yonis doesn't play his entire career in Milwaukee, or 90% of it, the prime of his career, he'll want it being hated because that's going to leave yet another small market team that can't keep the superstar. 214 is a time. More phone calls coming up. Plus, Jim Nance at the bottom of the hour. It's a Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790.

Matt Thomas, we'd like to thank his parents for only giving him two first names. Because who would listen to Billy Ray Thomas talk about Houston sports? The Matt Thomas show on Sports Talk 790. A nice visit with Jim Nance. if you missed it earlier, we'll have it free at the bottom of the hour on Sports Talks. Tomorrow will be our anything goes Friday show. We'll also, tonight I'll have two topics up for our Friday great debate. We do one retro topic and we do one current topic.

That'll be at 1230 and 1.30 tomorrow. What are the candidates? I can tell you that Pete Rose and a Hall of Fame will be a candidate. That's in a retro category. Well, I mean, that's like evergreen. Yeah. In the retro category, we'll be that steroids really ruined baseball. Ooh, that's a good one. And we'll think of something. So we do three topics. And what I'll do is, I'll probably take...

You can borrow some from... Well, I'll borrow the one from last week. I'll take the highest vote that didn't make it. Okay. And let that person carry on. Maybe that'll be a topic. So, and then we'll have three fresh topics at 1.30 on things that are currently going on in sports. Okay. And then we have a debate about what we're going to do on the Fantasy Five. because Ross and I were talking about we were going to do hottest sideline reporters. Yes.

Joe George is an example. How many sideline reporters can you really name right now that you would consider hot? Could you name 10 hot? No. See, that's the problem. No chance. I can try it. I mean, you might have to get down to like Susie Colbert or something, but.

There are enough out there to choose from. The problem is that they're not household names. That's my point. They're digging. We did sportscasters in general, right? So they could be in sports in any capacity. Hmm. Can we still name 10?

I think so. I'm not giving away my list. Maybe. Hannah Strom on your list? No comment. Now, Bert McHenry is now a news reporter. She's down with sports. See?

I'm just... My close personal friend, Colleen Wolf, might be on the list. Is Colleen Wolf a household name? You know what, let's do it. We can do it. Yeah, who cares? We'll just have to sell a little bit harder. Welcome to 2020.

Yeah. So, yeah, just do your homework and we will do the hottest female sportscasters. I think Ross just teased his first pick. In front of the show. Do you think I'm going Colleen one, number one? In front of the show, Allie LaForce will not be on my list. I won the last fantasy five, right? Yeah, you did.

Interesting. And by the way, Joe, you know you're the seventh vote tomorrow. So I'm the tiebreaker? Or you may be the third, but we haven't had a whole lot. to call slowly. Actually, a couple folks that want to say hi right now. Let's talk to them. Bob, if you always want to, you're welcome to join us at 713-212-5-790.

Nigel on the Matt Thomas show. Nigel, what do you got today? Hey, guys, how's it going? Good. So I got a scenario for you in football. I mean, I know how it's going to play out, but I just wanted to get you guys opinion on it. So let's say that Miami,

is the team that ends up drafting Tua. And let's say that they also signed Cam Newton as, I guess, an insurance policy, maybe a mentor. Let's say Cam starts out two-and-two struggles and then really turns it on, and let's say they go 10 and 6, 11 and 5. Obviously, Tua was your guy that you drafted for the future, but do you let's let's go? that point? I mean, what does Miami or any other team, let's say, the draft one of these top quarterbacks in Cam? Because I think

Cam still has some ability. I don't envision a team drafting one of those players then going to get Cam Newton. Does that make sense? I don't think... If you're Cincinnati

and you are putting the number one draft pick Joe Barr out there, you're putting him out there to play. And you're doing the same thing with two of a Taga Volo? Is that how we're pronouncing it now? Tunga Volo. Yeah. I don't think Nijl, a team that picks either one of those quarterbacks or either the other two quarterbacks that are considered first-round guys, they're not bringing Cam Newton into nurture him or to compete. They're giving them those guys opportunities to be the starting quarterback.

Well, the reason I say that, the reason I say that is because I've heard talk of teams could possibly do that and give two of the year off to make sure that he's 100% healthy. So that would be the scenario that I was going with is a team that has decided they're not going to try to push Tua back too early. And then what happens if Cam comes out there and takes you to the playoffs? I mean, that is certainly within the realm of possibility. I don't think it's very likely. But there have been a lot of other rookie quarterbacks that have had to wait because veteran backups have done a good job. I just think today's NFL world, Ross, you tell me if I'm wrong, they're throwing these guys out there a lot faster than ever before.

Yeah, I think so. I mean, Pat Mahomes would probably be a recent exception, but for the most part, you're just throwing your guys out there. I mean, it was how long was it? There was the plan for Deshaun Watson to sit behind Tom Savage for a little bit. It makes no sense for the Bengals to go get Joe Burrow with the number one pick and then have him sit and hold a clipboard. I mean, what's the point? They're not going to the playoffs, so you might as well get some reps in so he can make his rookie mistake. So in two years or three years from now, the length of time in between playoff appearances and then being good is, shorter because you gave him the opportunity to play more. I don't think you're bringing in Cam Newton to Cincinnati or Cam Newton in Miami to compete with a guy that you think is your future franchise quarterback. Well, I would agree with you on those other quarterbacks.

I guess I was really just talking about Tua because of the injury and the severity of it and just the team that particularly kicked him. Because they're going to, I mean, they're going to have to bring in somebody else. I mean, unless they're just counting on Fitzpatrick to be the guy. I think Ryan Fitzpatrick, thank you need you for the call, is a terrific backup insurance policy. If Tua can't go, you know Ryan still can. I mean, that'd be great, but you know, he's serviceable. I think having a good serviceable backup behind a future franchise quarterback is a way to go. Cam Newton doesn't want to go somewhere and he may have to start as a backup.

But my guess is why isn't, you know, I think Cam's kind of kind of have to wait to see if somebody gets hurt. Are we sure that Ben Rathesberger is 100% in Pittsburgh? What's the scenario? What's going on with Washington right now? There's going to be five or six spots. They're going to be better for Cam Newton to go somewhere and grab hold of the starting spot again way more than going somewhere where he's going to have to go against

the number one overall, a first round pick, even if it's tug of a loa. Let me go to Greg on the north side of 226. Hi, Greg. Hey, guys. I love the show. It's always a host every day. Thank you.

I'm going to get your guys' thoughts about eventually how the sports landscape is going to change because of this epidemic long term. And what will it look like and how will we as fans react to it? Well, the initial thought I have is you're going to have to absolutely 100% make sure that social distancing is not a big problem. or we're going to have empty arenas for quite some time. I mean, there's one thing, Greg, about putting players on a court and putting them in a bubble and trying to have a season, whenever they decide to do that, it's another thing to put an arena full of 18,000 people together that are sitting, you know, six inches apart,

and drinking out of a water fountain, and using the same sink to wash their hands and their same urinals. There's not going to be fans at sports for a long, long time. Greg, I don't I don't want to, I don't go out and say bombasted things just to say them, but Rossi, would it be totally nuts if we don't see a live human being in a sporting event until

2022? Two years? That'll be a year and a half. Almost two years. Do you think they could just add, if they get this test that gets a positive or negative response within up to 10 minutes? Yeah. Could they just add that to the

line to get into the arena? You got to take this test. Yeah, you go through. let you in if you're negative. You go through the metal detector. And that's why I'm saying... And then you take the coronavirus test immediately after? So you're saying...

Okay, so then you're... You're talking about these tests that are like, take the test and throw it away, kind of disposable things? Yeah. Then you're going to have to give the TOTA center, 250,000 of those. You're going to have to give the American Airlines Center 250,000 of those. You're going to have... I mean, you see what I'm saying?

No, but if the testing is that widely available, I think a lot of the epidemic will be quelled. I hope you're right. Greg, what do you think? Give me one thing before I let you run. Yeah, I think this is going to be something that will have some long-term effects. Like you were talking about the strict man of ESPN and the NBA. I think what fans will have to get used to is maybe having to not go to the sporting events like they're used to for a while. And maybe just having to get used to having events where you don't have fans

and you don't have the kinds of raucous places that people are used to, simply because nobody knows that. this is going to turn out. We probably won't have a vaccine for over a year, if that's even longer than that. And even when we do, it didn't necessarily mean people will be automatically ready to come back into the societal landscape to do everything they've been doing before

because there's going to be a little fear in the beginning. And I think sports will be a part of that too. But for anybody who thinks this is going to be some quick fix, you know, like I've heard a lot of the different, whether it's MLB or the NBA. I mean, we would all love to have the hope that everything comes back. Well, we've got to be at least a little realistic to understand that this is something long-term, and we just have to get used to it for a while.

Yeah. Thank you for the call. Great point, Greg. That's why I said 2022. Realistic, answer my question. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I'm okay. Joe George, the moment, the date in mind that everything is right back to normal,

just throw it out there, throw a date out there. say January 22, just to say it. I something like it happens this year. I'll say early next year. Okay. I hope, frankly, I hope Ross is right, because I think if you're right, then we're doing it. We're trying to be too quick on the return on this. I think once you have, the biggest thing is testing, and I mean, all these tests are coming

out. And, I mean, this is in, we're in basically two months, if that of the United States taking that seriously. And we already have a lot, testing much more. widely available. I think in a few months it'll be even more widely available. And that will be the way that we can really stop the widespread of this as much as it is happening because when everybody can get tested, we can all, we can all know whether or not we have. And all that you just said is helpful to restaurants and bars and movie theaters. Yes. I'm thinking

70,000 seats stadiums is what I'm thinking is why that part of it's going to take a lot longer. My visit with Jim Nance is up next, 2.30 on the Matt Thomas show. Hey, listen to Lou Holtz and listen to Sports Talk 790 on your sports speaker. Your smart sports speaker. You're smart speaker. Just ask. Hey, Google, play Sports Talk 790 on Iheart radio. Welcome back to the Matt Thomas show here on Sports Talk 790, fellow Houston Cougar and one of the all-time broadcasting greats. Jim Nance with us here on the show. Jim, first of all, nice to have you with us. Thanks for covering out some time.

How surreal has it been for you? The last basketball game you called was where it all started over on the campus of the University of Houston. March the 8th, I will never forget. Memphis against Houston and the loving embrace that my Cougar Nation gave me that day, it was just, it was beyond words. And leaving the Pretita Center that day, of course, we knew that things were brewing with this virus, but I would have never guessed that just a matter of days later as I was en route, making my way to the airport to fly the following a few days later to Indianapolis for the Big Ten tournament

and the selection weekend that all of a sudden there would be this shutdown, which thankfully there was. and yeah it's just all surreal I mean this is usually the most challenging and fulfilling time of this year going through the NCAA tournament doing 15 games in about a three-week span when you include the Big Ten tournament, semis, and championship

through the Masters. It's tactic, it's chaotic, but it's exhilarating and rewarding. And then suddenly, not to have any of it, it's hard to put in the words. Yeah, I was going to ask as a follow-up, We all have routines and schedules, school and work and vacations and whatnot. But, Jim, for 35 years, give or take, your April has been on the calendar the exact same thing.

So of all the times of the year for this to happen, when it's at your busiest, I don't know if you're obviously spending more time with the kids and family and everything, but this is not where you're supposed to be right now. You're supposed to be finishing up the championship game and then flying to Augustus as fast as humanly possible to catch practice rounds in par three's. Yeah, that's the whirlwind really referring to because you do go from a high-energy vibe inside a 70,000 stadium, calling the championship and pushing your voice and energy, and then the next day you're on the beautiful grounds of Augusta. This year, of course, the final four was scheduled for Atlanta, and to make the move from Atlanta to Augusta was as easy and as convenient as it gets, just 150 miles roughly door to tour. But I have to say this, man, I get so many phone calls and texts in a day from people wondering how are you getting through this and feeling sorry for me and wondering, you know, hey, how am I handling it? And, yeah, I miss it.

Trust me. I'm a NCAA tournament right now the Masters. I know exactly where I would have been at any given moment. and I love those events so much. But, you know, it's taken me a while. If I'm just forthrighted about it here, it's taken me a good couple of weeks to get kind of with it mentally, be in the present and not be always longing,

always wanting to know what I should be doing, what I'm accustomed to doing. And the sooner that you're able to get present with it, the more that you can make the most of that time. And this time is important. My kids, my wife, they need this time. We all need to be comforted by those we love, and we need to be there for them. And they have to all these years adapt to my lifestyle, and nobody's feeling sorry for me or for them.

But as far as like real quality, unrushed family time, it's always in short supply. I go from football to basketball to golf, back to football. It's just a just circle the game. calendar. You're on the treadmill all the time. And then all of a sudden, it's taken away from you. And, wow, you know, we're going to wake up and make something new and fresh about today with limited options. You're not really leaving your house other than take family walks and being fully aware of how devastating and how tragic these events are with thoughts and prayers to all those who have been so directly affected by it. And every life that's been lost is a tragic

story on its own. But I know there are people who are listening who have to look at their universe and what they're doing to make sure this goes away with their sheltering and their social distancing, their time at home. And inside of that little bubble inside your home, you have to make the most of it. You have to be positive. You have to be prayerful. You have to be optimistic that things are going to get better. But, you know, my kids, I've got two young ones and an older daughter. I got a six and a four-year-old, my little Finley and James, or they're getting buried at home without him being in a rush to go somewhere for the first time in their young lives.

I'm usually coming home, unpacking a suitcase, and two days later, packing it up and marching off somewhere else again. And I'm treasuring inside of all of these bigger picture things, the fact that I have a chance to even do some deeper and more meaningful bonding with my family. Well, I promised CBS that I would promote the Masters replays this weekend. You have to help me out and tell CBS never to air North Carolina State, 83, and Albuquerque ever again. Can we make that promise to me and not my audience? I actually watch that.

Matt, you're too young to even, I think. I was 12 years old. I was 12. Okay. You know, I knew you were a young lad. I was in the stand that day in the pit. And a story, you know, I had hosted Guy Lewis's TV show when I was a student. It aired on Channel 2.

KPRC back in the day. And I was a public address announcer, you know, for all the games in Hoffines Pavilion. I was close to that basketball program. That was my launching pads of my career, was to do U of H basketball. So a year out of school, I went to Salt Lake City

to work for the CBS affiliate, and now here we are playing in Albuquerque. I had to work and put shows on the air, sports broadcasts on the news shows on that Saturday when Houston beat Louisville. But there was no way I was missing Monday. So I flew short flight, really, Salt Lake to Albuquerque. But I called in advance to Guy V and some of the people that really helped manage the basketball programs travel.

And I got a room at the Houston Hotel. I stayed at our hotel. I actually rode into the arena to the pit that Monday night on the team bus, which, of course, meant you got there a couple of hours early. And I walked in with the players, the managers, and the basketball program, and the coaches walked into the pit through the ramp. And once I got into the arena, I was on my own. I wasn't going to be in the locker room or anything like that.

I didn't have that kind of access, nor should I have. But the agreement was I was going to get in an arena and I was right back with a team after the game. So I walked into the arena, the pit. They didn't have seats. They had bench seating with numbers on top of the benches like high school pins do. and I looked around and I saw the CBS set. It was in the same corner of the court where the Houston bench was. So I marched over and saw that Brent Musburger was hosting the coverage.

She wasn't doing play-by-play that Gary Binder was. And Brent was running through the elements of the show for that night. He was rehearsing his opening and rehearsing halftime. Well, you know, I was in awe seeing Brett there live and in person. And I took the seat at the end of the bench that was nestled up right next to the CBS a set. I could have, the set was just a little bit above me. I was basically right on

eye level with Musburger's shoes. If he needed someone to like shine his shoes at that very moment, I would have been able to just reach out with my right hand, and I could have shined his shoes, and I would. Yeah, sure. I was an awoke of Musperger. And I sat there

for the whole game. And again, the bench, this Houston bench was just on the other side of the set, the end of the Houston bench. And Charles, Lorenzo, made the dunk the game-winning shot at the other end of the floor. But anyway, I got to sit that night and watch Brent post the show, watched him, studied him when he wasn't on,

just still sitting on the set, turning his chair around and watching the action. I never said hello. I never made an introduction. But two years, two and a half years later, I was hired by CBS, and Brent was introducing me to the nation on the pretext. game show to a Notre Dame Michigan football game and three years later

from Albuquerque, Brent was now calling the games with Billy doing the game call. Right. And I was sitting on that same set now. I was the host. Amazing, amazing story. Yeah. Last question because I've got, I have 50 questions for you about, I know your time is available. I want to get

NFL in quickly. Two things on Tony. Tell me about the screen test because obviously the biggest media news of this offseason has been that he's going to stay with your network. So tell me about the screen test, and did you know from the moment that you worked together for the very first time you had a special chemistry? And then, fast-forwarding to the divisional playoff game, of all the games you have called, obviously years and years of the NFL, did you see a 180 contest ever before, like you did before the Texans and Chiefs game in Kansas City?

I'll start there, never seen anything like that before because it was 24 to nothing, and early in the second quarter. And, you know, Houston, the Texans had the football inside the 15 and failed to convert on third and short, and Coach O'Brien elected to go field goal, which was the right thing. But you know, you would look back and always wonder, one play, what difference could have made. Had they kept that drive going and make it 28 to nothing, you still know Mahomes has the ability to bring them back, but it could have, who knows, it could have been a killer shot if they could have converted on third down. I've never seen a turnaround like that in any game to that level. But as far as Tony's screen test, we never auditioned

him. He got the job before he had ever been in a booth to be auditioned. Did I know the chemistry was there? I mean, my goodness, he started in 2017. I'll go back to 2011 when he and Kansas got married. I was invited to their wedding. We were friends. We had a great friendship. We bonded over golf, his love of golf. And, of course, I was calling occasionally Cowboy Games once or twice a year, and he was a huge follower of everything CBS Golf did. He would even come out on occasion when we were in town to do the Byron Nelson or the colonial tournament, he would come out and sit in the booth, not be on the air, but he would sit in the booth off to the side. So we had a friendship and a chemistry that was real, and it had time and space to it. It wasn't a new

friendship. And that helps, because oftentimes when you get a new partner in broadcasting, and everybody can say this, whatever the sport might be, they're trying to become friends fast and create chemistry like they really like one another, but a network has arranged the marriage. They don't really know each other. Well, Tony and I, we knew each other. But the first time we ever went into the booth was in May of 2017, went to the CBS Broadcast Center and did our first practice game together. And within, I don't know, really, the first or second series of the game, I can still remember. We were calling a Raiders Carolina game from the previous fall. And Tony was exactly what I thought he was going to be. His personality was there instantly. And

It was good enough. It's going to sound crazy. The first time we ever put the headset on, it was good enough to be on the air right on the spot. But to playoff of one another, to ease into situations, out of situations, to finish each other's sentences, that was there from the beginning. And that was there because we had history together. And still to this day you do. And congratulations on that quick adjustment, because, again, I loved you and Phil together, and to see you and Tony Thriving is amazing. Jim, thank you for the time. I hope CBS always pencils in a Houston Cougar game in early March, so you can always make a yearly trip here.

Take Raff out to a great dinner somewhere around town. Thank you for the opportunity. Continued success to you and your family, and we appreciate you spending time on the show today. I appreciate you, man, I'm proud of you, and you make the Cougars proud. And I would take that right now every year one game down in Houston. Wouldn't that be sweet?

But I'm grateful for the one we had this year. You take care of yourself and everybody out there, keep doing what you're supposed to do. Please keep your distance, stay home, and things are going to get better real soon. I'm optimistic and have a lot of hope and faith that it's going to be getting better here in the short term. The great Jim Nance from CBS joining us here on the program. Remember CBS Sports will have the final rounds of classic masters, both on Saturday and on Sunday. More coming up in a moment.

This is Sports Talk 790. Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas Show. Final segment on the Thursday to issue of the show. Thanks again to Jim Nance. Tim McMahon for joining us on the show today. We're getting through these days. Some are easier than others.

Combined, they are Jim McMahon. Jim's not doing well, I don't think. Concussions and all that kind of stuff. Plus, he's... These have issues for a few years. You say? Jim's okay. Are you sure?

The last time I heard from him. You have his number? No. Last time I heard him with Sean. Oh, okay. they're pretty good together who's Sean's favorite guest because you work for Sean

for Sean who's your favorite guy on with Sean Barkley Sandler no Barkley's pretty good isn't Barclay

doesn't Barclay with everybody though I mean who's who's ever done a Charles Barkley interview that didn't come across going man that was not 15 minutes of radio

gold the guy that he threw through a window yeah but that guy doesn't do radio or TV you don't know that yeah I do I feel pretty confident 713, 2, 1, 2, 5, 7.90.

Charles Barkley will go down as the goat interview pretty much on a variety of topics. He'll get into politics if you want him to, don't necessarily need him to. He will say things on basketball. Here's the thing, he doesn't necessarily even believe what he says half the time. But Charles is a goat interview. Who else in sports that you just know doesn't disappoint? Like Kelly Endo when he first became a star

When he'd go on sports radio shows I'd always figure out a way to have him on Because the John Man was always amazing And the George Bush was always good And the Morgan Freeman was always good And it doesn't mean he's not good now But it's almost like When Frank does John Madden

Nobody even knows who he is anymore Yeah I don't think he he's got some fresher ones That he's been doing The Grudens and stuff like that Like I said, I was asked, I told people on Twitter, on Facebook history, I've never interviewed Adam Sandler personally because by the time it was my turn to talk to Adam Sandler, he'd either just quit or was sick or, they just triple booked him. Like Bill Walton at the final four. Bill Walton. That made you so mad.

The reason why I got so mad is because you get to ask one question and you're done. Like I asked him when I had him on the last time. This probably, what was the final four in San Antonio? It wasn't 2003. It was in San Antonio. 2017? No, 2016. Had to be before that.

Somewhere in the 2000, yeah, because I wasn't, we weren't in this building at the time. I had Bill Walton on. I asked one question about Akeem Elijah on, and I was done. He took the stick, Mike. He didn't want to be on a headset. And he just stood up and he talked and he talked. I could have gone to the bathroom, got a down. Danish, called my family back in Houston, and he'd still be answering the same question.

That sounds amazing. Oh, it is the best. Speaking of the best, Joe Exotic is the best. Well, maybe if not, he's the worst. Jimmy and Tombal to wrap things up. Hi, Jimmy. Hey, guys, I'll make it real quick. But if you ever want to know the odds of something on, you know, presidential polls or whatever aren't always accurate.

But just go to Bobata or one of the Vegas websites, and you can best. on who will be the next president or anything. And I was scrolling through the other day, and one of the things you could gamble on is if Joe Exotic would receive a presidential pardon. What were the odds? And I forget which one's plus and which one's minus, but if you bet $100, you would win $2,200 if he got pardoned. If you bet $100, you get $2,200?

You bet $100 and you win $2,200 if he is pardoned. Yeah, so $22 to $1 plus $2,200? You're not taking my money from me. He's in prison. I don't think he's going to get pardon. He may be out early, but he's not going to get part. He's got coronavirus. Yeah, well, that too.

He's quarantined in Dallas and his prison. He's in Fort Worth, yeah. Yeah, thanks, Jimmy. No, he's... 2008, the Final Four is in... That's when it was. Also in 2004. I said 2003, but that was regional because I was thinking of Texas's magical run.

No, it had to be 2003, because in 2008, I was working in Salt Lake City. 2004? Yeah, that sounds right. Just before I left it, go to Salt Lake City. There you go. And it was in 2018 as well. You get a lot of final fours over the old San Antonio. If you wanted to rotate the final four between New Orleans and San Antonio, it would be fine, right?

Houston just got a couple of them. Supposed to get it in 2023. When's a women's final four going to be here? Who knows? Why do you care about that? Because Vic Schaefer is going to lead the Texas Longhorns to many final fours? Because I know that you're a big sporting event fan of all the sports regardless of sexes. So you're really excited about it.

Oh, look at Waxhorn, a U of age shirt. What? The laundry must be getting really low. We're going to get your fresher logo, though. That's an old school logo. And what's old school about it? The U.A, that U.S. logo is old. It looks like you have the same one.

No, it's different. What's different? That one is much more flatter. It's way different. I'm just telling you that's just that that's the UBH logo when, like, Dan & Demmel was the coach. So like when my former co-host who loves U of H might have had one to give me around that era? Yes, that's where I got it from. Okay.

Matt Jackson. You got it. MJ for sports. Remember I used to always say what's on the rather large program? It was a big show. It was a big show. The biggest of shows. All right. Hoops, basketball goals, and sporting equipment is a big place to go for, to get a basketball goal to satisfy any of your children when it comes getting outside and getting some exercise.

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