The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - The West Is Almost Finalized, Astros Take The Series vs Angels, NFL Draft Talk

Episode Date: April 14, 2025

The West Is Almost Finalized, Astros Take The Series vs Angels, NFL Draft Talk

Launch timers. This is the Matt Thomas show. 10.2 in the a.m. here on Sports Talk 790. Hello. And welcome in to a Monday edition of the Matt Thomas show with Ross without Matt Thomas. He is out sick. He talked about it on his Twitter account at SportsMT. He should be back relatively soon, at least as far as I've heard. I'm going to be honest. I don't always check all my emails and my text, but I think he should be back tomorrow. Jonathan, we have any confirmation on that? Are we in wait in C mode? I don't know. I think he's going to be

broadcasting from home tomorrow. Yeah, I think Tuesday and Wednesday he's coming. He's at the house. He gave us the old, I got to go ahead and broadcast from home and that's okay. You should have heard on Friday, man. It was bad. It was rough. I heard people talking about it on the, on Twitter. So I think I'll, I don't know, maybe I listened for like literally 30 seconds, if that. So yeah, He gave us the allergies and well apparently Matt Thomas is pretty sick. So he'll be out today. I will be joined by a cast of characters. Adam Clanton will be coming up at 1 o'clock.

Chris Gordy, look, I've got to be honest. The man is very busy. He's a man about town. He literally just won. He's riding high because he just won this program director of the year award. So he's trying to big time me right now. We'll see when he's able to show up. We'll get Chris Gordy on at some point.

We also have you as well. Most importantly, you want to get in on the show. You can at 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790 with you until 2 o'clock here on Sports Talk 790. We have a number of things to get to. Jonathan is going to give shot-by-shot breakdown of Rory McElroy's Master Victory. We've got that coming up. Okay, he's shaking his head.

I guess he's not ready. I'm just kidding. I don't think we talk, I would say 1% golf. I can talk about the Tennessee NCAA thing going on. Oh, okay. You know what? You are our official NCAA expert. I could definitely do that.

Can you explain? So, Jonathan, you were a track athlete at, you said you ran the 4x-by-100 or you ran the 400 meters? So I was a 4-2 sprinter, but I joined, I did all the relays in both colleges. Oh, okay. You did all the relays at both Western Kentucky and the Stephen F. Austin, Axum, Jacks. Okay. How did you like living in Nacadocious, Texas? I hated it at first, but then you really, it warms up to you.

Okay, it's got a little bit of charm. It's very hidden. You've got to dig deep to find the charm of Nacadoches. Okay. Speaking of which, I was in Kansas City over the weekend. I was really impressed. It was a celebration of life for my wonderful great aunt who actually passed last year. It was great to see some family and stuff like that.

And I only got a weekend in Kansas City. Kansas City was, man, I put up the picture, some of the pictures on my Twitter account at SportsRV. I would be putting some on my Instagram. Sports RV. That place was pretty awesome. I went to the Negro Leagues Museum. There's a lot.

There's the jazz museum. There's a big jazz scene in Kansas City, which I love jazz music. So I went to the Boulevard Brewing. There was a party there. They got good barbecue. I liked Kansas City. You ever been in Kansas City, Jonathan? No, I've never been.

I heard it's a nice nightlife. A thumbs up. Yeah, some of the bars stay open to 4 a.m., which is actually very dangerous. So for some of you, that's probably a bad thing. For some of you, it's a good thing. As long as you're able to pace yourself. Let's just say one of the nights, I could have paced better.

But anyways, all right. So a great weekend over in Kansas City. But I was watching from afar, catching up on a lot of the Astro stuff over the weekend. We're going to get to that. We got rocket stuff to get to as well. They are locked and loaded in the two seed, which they have been right now. And as it stands, with the standings, they will be playing the winner of the play-in game between the Golden State Warriors or the Memphis Grizzlies. so folks say it with me

let's go Grizzlies the Warriors are kind of scary even though they faltered a little bit at the end of the season losing two of their last three Jimmy Butler, Steph Curry I mean Draymond Green is going to try to end Alper and Shingoon

or someone's career literally just for the health of the Houston Rockets like long term he's going to be out there trying to fracture orbital bones kicking people in the nads and throwing elbows And remember when he went like two, his finger went two knuckles deep into James Hardin's eye socket? And it's like, dude, he's raking everyone over the face.

And James Hardens, both of his eyes were red. It looked like he had conjunctivitis in both eyes. So I don't want to see Golden State Warriors just because they've terrorized us here in Houston for years. And because Draymond Green is literally going to try to hurt somebody. And he's a psychopath. Who needs? All right. Some piece of my microphone just fell off.

All right. this is literally falling. Things are falling apart in here. What is this? All right. The show goes on. So, yeah, I don't want to play the Warriors because I think they're the tougher matchup, and that's not to say that I'll bring on the Memphis Grizzlies.

They suck and they're the horrible. I mean, Jaron Jackson, Jr., John Morant, they're a good team as well. No matter what the first round matchup is going to be for the Houston Rockets, it is going to be tough. And the good thing is, is no matter what the matchup is going to be, the Rockets can win and they should be favored with home court advantage. So they're in the two seed. And then with the Nuggets beating the Rockets yesterday,

Nuggets clinch the four spot, Lakers in the three spot. And then everything else, we're just going to kind of figure out with the NBA playoffs. As you have playing week coming up, then over the weekend, the Rockets will play game number one at Toyota Center. That should be quite fun. Five years, we've been waiting for playoff basketball here in Houston. It is here. This team is the number two seed. They're not, to me, I still put them in the tier two as far as championship contenders with tier one being the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

But right after that, they're up there with anyone. And that is really fun. And we are happy and proud to be your home of the Houston Rockets here on Sports Talk 790. By the way, just a quick programming note. If you're looking for the Astros or the Rockets at any time over the next couple of weeks with them both playing, just look at 790, look at 740. We'll make announcements on the air as they come. So you can pay attention to those. We'll also update it on our social media.

But as a general rule, you're just going to be able to hear the Rockets or the Astros on one of 790 or 740. Very close to each other on the dial. You should be okay there. So Rockets playoffs coming up. I am super pumped. I'm very excited. I'm going to be honest with. I'm supposed to be in Nashville this weekend for a wedding.

And I was like, no, I can't. I'm sorry. Rockets are back in the playoffs. I really appreciate it. It was a wedding I really wanted to go to. But I can't do it. because my Houston Rockets are back in the playoffs, baby. I am over the moon about it.

I'm super excited. I think it's going to be a good playoffs. I think at least into the second round, the Rockets go. I think the Western Conference finals are very much on the table. And then it's probably time to be an underdog against the Oklahoma City Thunder. They can win that series. Thunder have at some points faltered and look vulnerable. They also won their last four games of the season.

They won 68 on the year. they have far and away the best point differential and net rating in basketball. They're the best team in basketball if you ask me, but it would be no shame to losing them. But I would say the Rockets have a shot, albeit a bit of an outside shot. But we'll come to that bridge when we cross it right now.

It will be the first round playoffs coming up this weekend for the Houston Rockets. Your Houston Astros are finally hitting. Can you believe it? It's okay to score runs. I jokingly said on Twitter on Friday when they trash the Angels 14 to 3, Good job, Joe Espada.

Let's go. Was anybody praising Troy Snickr and Alex Sinchron when they scored 14 runs on Friday? All of you like to trash the hitting coaches and talk about how terrible they are. And, well, when the team over the weekend, now they scored one run on Saturday. We don't have to mention they scored one run on Saturday. On Sunday, they scored seven. That's 22 runs over three games. That's still an average of over seven per game with my quick math.

So that's pretty darn good. Bats are looking a little bit more lively. And you know what? If you called in talking about how the hitting coaches are trash, I want you to call in and praise the hitting coaches. Joe Espada also doing, when he did that thing where he set the lineup that scored 14 runs, Masterstroke stuff by Joe Espada.

Of course, I'm joking because everyone wants to call Joe Espott an idiot when they lose. And when they win, when the players do what they're supposed to do, it's all the players. That's just kind of the job when it comes to being a major league manager. But over the weekend, Astros is taking two out of three of the Angels. and yeah, it's like, oh, it's the angels. They suck. They're the worst. But they're the first place, angels, by the way.

They've been hitting a bunch of home runs. Their offense has been looking good. Mike Trout has been on fire to start the season, at least from a home run standpoint. His average is terrible. He's down to 196, but he's got six home runs on the season, so that's propping up his OPS numbers. And funny enough about the Astros,

Isok Paredes is going nuclear. Yordon Alvarez is looking a little bit better. You got some guys in the back of the lineup producing as well, and then all of a sudden Jose Al Tuve's bat goes cold. So he was the one that was like the only one hitting when nobody else was hitting on the team. Every other player on the team was underperforming except my guy Jake Myers.

And then now he goes cold. Jake Myers also did not have himself the best of weekends. It was decent enough. And then all the other bats are going. So kind of funny how that goes. As we always go back to the old phrase, that's baseball. But that's baseball with the Houston National was talking about

hitting some home runs. getting some guys on base and actually bringing them home. Two out of three over the Angels on the weekend. They are now seven and eight on the season. And looky here. There is a team now for the first time, I think, all year, with a positive run differential in the American League West, it is your Houston Astros.

Now, they're in fourth place, but they'll be fine, as we always say, especially in the middle of April. It is early. So how are we feeling about the Houston Astros with this, hitting over the weekend. Are you ready to get an apology? Give an apology to Joe Spotted. No, you're probably not. That's okay. I'm just having some fun with you. Are you ready to talk about some Rockets basketball matchups we got coming up? Again, Jonathan will give us a full breakdown of

Roy McElroy's Masters. He's going to go all four rounds and he's going to go shot by shot. We have that coming up later on. To Tell the Truth is coming up later on in the show. We have Chris Gordy. We have Adam Clanton. We have news at noon. We have you at 713. 212-5-790. The phone number 7-13-212-5-7-90. It is The Matt Thomas Show with Ross with you. Until 2 o'clock here on Sports Talk 7-90. We'll be back after this short break.

Now, pleased to be joined by the program director of the year. I mean, my goodness. Chris Gordy. Thank you for carving out some time. Yeah, at least you acknowledged it. Matt just like pooh-pooed it on Friday. You know what? I'm not going to comment much on that.

I'm just going to say Gordy, you know what? I'm glad you're here. And I'm glad to say this on air. You do so much for us. You're so busy. People don't know this. Gordy is running our websites, our social media. This guy is obsessively dedicated to our station.

So well-deserved for you, Gordy. And the dude's even filling in. Look, Matt Thomas, out sick. Chris Gordy's in here filling in. So appreciate you being here. And congratulations, well-deserved on the award. I know Matt's legitimately sick because I know he never, like, he is in rock.

Remember that time he lost his voice and still called a Rockets game? Oh, my God. Yeah. It was like, someone needs to step in here and takes it. He's like, AJ look great. Step back, great. It's like, I know you're dedicated. But for him to miss the game over an illness, that means it's pretty, it must be pretty bad.

Yeah. Apparently he's got a fever. He's out sick. He'll be back tomorrow. But I'm glad to have you, Chris Gordy. We do have a lot of stuff to talk about. But we were talking about it during the break. I just look at these title odds.

And I was really literally just last segment talking about how I have the Rockets as a tier two contender behind the Celtics Cavaliers. and the Thunder. The championship betting odds completely disagree. They don't think the rockets are in tier two at all, which I think they're idiots. I think this is value here. Now, I don't think the rockets are going to win the championship. But the betting odds right now are the Oklahoma City Thunder are 9 to 5. That's basically like, okay, 10 to 5 would be 2 to 1. It's a little short of that, right? So let's just call it 2 to 1. Same thing for the Celtics. They're basically 2 to 1, meaning every dollar you bet you get 2. You put 20 on it, you get 40. Cavaliers 5 to 1 Lakers 9 to 1 But anyways We go all the way down to the rockets They have They have worse odds than the clippers

The Knicks The Knicks are not getting out of the east Like they're just not Yeah And behind the Timberwolves That one's so long Behind the Timberwolves The Rockets are 45 to 1

Meaning look look Just saying friends 20 bucks you put on it You get 900 back All they have to do is win the championship What is the song? This is Bet Online? I don't know.

Matt doesn't like giving them the free plugs, but it is BetOnline.com. If they give us the odds, I think we owe them the plug, but that's another. That's one of the sites I use, so I'll make it in there. So, yeah, Bet Online has it at 45 to 1. So you just put a measly 20 bucks on the Rockets who are top five in point differential, top five in net rating. They're the number two seed in the West. I think that's good value. I don't think the Rockets are going to win the championship.

But I think they should have just as, number one, they should have better odds in the Timberwolves. Knicks, Clippers. Nuggets, I guess, is arguable. Warriors is well the way they've been playing, but a 45 to 1, especially because you got home court baked in all the way to the Western finals, I put a little 20 spot on it. So this is to win it all. Yes, to win the chance. They have to win, yeah.

Plus 45 under right now. Getting out of the West is going to be tough, and then whoever they play in the East is going to be tough. For sure, I don't think they're going to win it. But 45 to 1, Let me give you what that odd means. Hold on. I just did it to put 20 bucks down.

You did it? Let's go. Hey, can I give you 10 for that? So that's basically implies 2.2% chance. Do you think they have more than a 2% chance to win the championship? It's going to be tough, but it's more like anything could happen, right? I mean, think of us having the same discussion in September of 2017 where we're going, man, Astros are pretty good with Verlinder and the Dodgers, the Yankees.

Like, this is going to be really hard. This path is going to be really hard. But who knows? Maybe the asterisk can pull it off. It was kind of the same thing. It was like that too. But I will also say to me, upsets in baseball kind of happen more than basketball

in seven-game series. Seven-game series feels like. Because if basketball is not only a seven-game series, you're talking about 100 possessions per each game. Like, in baseball, just one bloop single can get you three runs and you win a game. It's a little different. I think experience,

in the Major League Baseball playoffs is a little bit over-eating experience in the NBA playoffs. Yeah, we don't normally see unexperienced teams make a deep runs. That's true. I mean, Hardin struggled with that every year. He always, you know, they called games differently. Yeah, dude, he's like dropping 30 a game and then he's getting shut down by Wesley Matthews in the playoffs. You're like, what's going on here? Yeah, for sure.

So like I said, I don't think they're going to win. But if you tell me, even if you're getting double your money value, if you tell me they have a 5% chance of winning it all. So I don't understand why we do it. So we know who's all playing on Saturday, right? I guess. Okay, so ESPN lists the Rockets playing the winner of Grizzly's Warriors on Sunday. Okay. Is that locked in?

It just doesn't have the time. I don't know. The press release from the Rockets last night said the Rockets will play either Saturday or Sunday. Okay. But I'm looking at the ESPN TV schedule on Saturday is Bucks Pacers at noon, Clippers Nuggets 2.30. Pistons Nicks at 5. And Timberwolves, Lakers, at 7.30. So if the Saturday games are all locked in,

did somebody accidentally post this to ESPN? I don't know. Maybe. Oh, maybe. Oh, are all the teams that are playing play-in matchups on Sunday? Is that what's happening? I think that's what it is. Yeah, it's all the top two seats are playing Sunday. So I guess they are going to play Sunday is what it's looking like. All right.

That's not confirmed. Not unconfirmed reports. that they're playing on Sunday. Who will they be playing? Let's go Grizzlies. Yes. I need to text my buddy in Memphis and tell him, bro, please beat these dudes.

Like, no one wants to see. And I get it. Oh, Jimmy Butler got paid. I don't care. I don't want to see that team. I don't want Draymond's stupid fat face yelling at the rafts. I don't want him.

I said this is the first segment. I don't want him injuring people. Yes. He's going flying elbows. He's going full UFC on Alper and Shingoon. I don't care what any worry he Warriors fan says you don't go up to the basket with your elbow

out like a chicken wing straight into somebody's face where you're trying to end their careers. It's ridiculous. I don't want Draymond Green anywhere near this Rockets team. And plus they're really tough and I don't want Steph Curry shooting a bombing a bunch of threes. I'm traumatized from that.

Enough! Enough with the Steph Curry bombing threes against the Rockets in the playoffs. I've had it. It's ridiculous. But by the same realm, this could be the changing of the guards. right? This could be the final kind of playoff run for the Warriors and it kind of

ends and the Rockets beat them and send the message. Your day is done. The Rockets dynasty starts now. You're right and it could be true. But I don't want to risk that. It also could be

oh, it's final run, the final last gasp of the great run like the San Antonio Spurs in like 2014 when they beat the heat. And it was also, they had young Kauai Leonard, but it was all the rest of the old guys and young Kauai Leonard, and they beat the heatles.

So it is like their last run. Grizzlies are tough too, though. I mean, John Moran is a superstar. Desmond Bain, Jaron Jackson, Jr. I mean, that won't be an easy out. I mean, the Rockets are going to have to play well no matter who they face. Absolutely. It's not going to be an easy out at all. It's going to be tough no matter what.

Rockets can lose a set. seven game series is a grizzlies. That's just the fact of the matter. I don't think they would, especially with home court advantage, but it could happen. They have star power. Nobody on the Rockets team, now they do a pretty good job of slowing down John Morant, but he's still too fast for anybody in the planet. Like Amin Thompson can slow him some, same thing for Tar East and other guys on this team, but the fact of the matter is he's still going to get his. He's still going to be able to get to the basket. And while they have guys that kind of can limit John Morant, they don't have anybody to me that can limit Jaron Jackson Jr. I think.

when he's played them, he's looked really good. And he scores at ease against this Rocket's defense. Just because they don't have anybody that can match the kind of the length and bulk that he has down low, he can definitely do some damage. So it would be a tough matchup for sure. It's just exciting, man. A Rockets back in the playoffs. Like, this is, it's been too long here.

It has been way too long. Like, it's been so long that there are people in this city that are like, like, they don't remember what it was like for, like, 50s. 16, 17, 17, 18, like making the playoffs every year, knowing you had a chance because Hardin and whoever else was around them on those teams. Like, it was fun, man. It was, it was fun. It's good to have playoff basketball back in the same. Yeah, meaningful playoff basketball.

Hopefully the Rockets crowds arrive on time. It's going to be Sunday late, so we should be good. You think it's going to be Sunday late? I think so. I think, well, if it's the Warriors, it'll be the latest game Sunday. That'd be the only, the other two, yeah, Celtics and Thunder are, Well, who are the potential thunder matchup, I guess I should ask. We'll have to get to that.

It would be, well, it could still be the Warriors. Is that Mavericks Kings? Yes. Okay, so I guess if the Kings are involved or the Warriors are involved, if the Warriors are involved, I think the late game is going to be whoever the Warriors is. Bucks Paces is at noon central on Saturday. Is that an NBA TV special? Give me that one Sunday.

Like, if it's Grizzlies Rockets, give me that one Sunday. You know why? because the Astros play Sunday night baseball. Oh, they're playing so... At home against the Padre. So we can get the old double-headers. I forgot about that. It's not the end of the world.

I know the folks over there, Toyoters, probably want the nighttime, prime-time game and all that, but if it's the noon game, I'm not opposed to that. Yeah, all right. Well, we'll see what happens. Rockets are in the playoffs as the number two C. Did you hear what they're doing tomorrow, Toyota, sir? I heard Matt talking about it.

7 to 10 a.m. tomorrow, if you're driving to work, Pass by Toyota Center, they're giving out a Rockets emblem for your car just for being a Rockets fan driving through. Wow, that's great. Yep, 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. tomorrow morning. Sounds wonderful. I could use one of those. I know. I kind of want to go do it.

I'm going to get caught in a lot of downtown traffic. I don't know if I can do that. You're going to go down there? Do it. Well, for people who live in Katie and work in the woodlands, it's probably not ideal. But if you work near downtown, you just stop by. Yeah, cruise on through. All right. We are going to take a quick break here. Chris Gordy is hanging out. Appreciate him. Matt Thomas is out sick. You can get in. We're going to switch to some Astros talk as well coming up. We have to tell the truth coming up at 1130. We got news at noon. Adam Clinton, joining at 1. We also have you. Anything you want to get to 713-790 is the phone number. 7-13-2-5-790. Esoc Paredes.

Greatest third baseman in Astros history? Some are saying. Did you play all three of his home runs on top of one? No, I didn't have the, no, there was some technical snafews. We're doing okay now. I mean, this is what we heard about the guy. He loves. He's going to pull a bunch into the Crawford Boxes. Didn't all three home runs go into the Crawford Boxes?

Well, they said, I was watching MLB Network last night. They said he has never hit a home run to center or right. Every home run in his career he has hit is to left. Born to play at Diken Park. Also, for those keeping track, home run totals on. the season. Esauk Paradeus 3. Alex Bregman 2. Oh. Just want to bring that up. What's the OPS

totals? OPS? Okay. Esauk Pratis 831. Let's go. Alex Bregman 8.06. Yeah. Sucket it, Bregman. Cam Smith hitting a home run over the weekend. 12 RBI to 9 for Esoc. So he does have them there. But again, we have to always caution. But Brinman had like one six RBI game. Yeah. He had a huge game and then I don't know if he what he's been doing since then.

Quite frankly, I don't care. It's Red Sox baseball. But as far as the Kyle Tucker trade is going, which Kyle Tucker, of course, is just mashing for the Chicago Cubs, you got a win from Hayden Wisniewski. Right. You got three home runs from Paredes over the weekend,

and Cam Smith hit his first home run, and he's been playing pretty steady-handed right field. No, that's the funny part about it is, again, we say it all the time. Sometimes in a trade, it works out for both teams. And this is one, as of right now, it's looking like it's worked out for both teams. Now, the caveat is if Kyle Tucker does not re-sign with the Cubs, the Astros still get multiple more years of Cam Smith.

Esauk Pernice Hayden Wisniew. A one-year rental of Kyle Tucker? Great. I'm glad he's doing well for them. He better because they gave up a pretty big haul to get him. Yeah, I'm wishing them the best. And if they sign them, I don't even care if the Cubs win the trade. The Astros have already won the trade.

And they're going to, with what Cam Smith, I think, is going to provide. no whatever level, even if he's just a major league above replacement player for as many as years as he's going to be under team control. This is a win and you're already getting much more than that with Hayden Wiseneski and ESAC Paratus and what they're doing. Yeah. And I was talking about this on the postgame show yesterday. You know, understand expectations for Waznowski.

He is, the expectations where he would be the number five guy in the retention. And he's probably number four right now because Spencer Rettys out. Because his thumb is broken. But what he's doing so far, three starts and an ERA of three, that's exactly what you want out of your number five guy. That's tremendous. That's great. He's doing exactly what you want. That's even better, yeah.

And he's only 27. So, I mean, like, you could probably get three, four more really good years out of him. He could slide up in the rotation if he, you know, if he continues to improve and stay steady. You know, maybe next year he's the number three guy. So, yeah, I think it's a tremendous, tremendous, tremendous. showing so far from Wuzniewski a career high 10 strikeouts yesterday. Yeah, he gave up three solo shots, three mistakes. That's fine. You live with that.

He hit their solos, yeah. Look, it was a quality start at the end of the day, like you said. And 10 strikeouts, he was looking good. I'm feeling pretty darn good about where the Astros are right now, considering how slow they started, how slow the bat started, and Erigetti's injury. And, oh, by the way, Lance McCullors Jr. over the weekend, had a rehab start, didn't look too shabby.

Yeah, and Dana Brown yesterday, they kind of intimated that they think if this continues to go well. Again, don't want to jinx it. But if he continues on this track, that series in Kansas City at the end of the month could see perhaps Lance McCulloch, Jr. rejoin the team in that series. That's crazy. Now, I would be selfish. I'd like to hold him out for the Detroit series when they come back home on the 28th. Why, just to have him home? Yeah, okay.

What's his numbers? His numbers at Minutemade Park, I think, Lifetime are really good. honest there was a year where he was getting destroyed at home and then it kind of flips it I can look at his career numbers but I know what you're talking about wasn't but I think there I think it was flip-flopping with him there were some years he was great at home some years he wasn't and those times of things generally tend to even out I just know this you pair and I open the damn roof if Lance McCullers is pitching he uh he does not like that oh yeah I know that's what it was remember me it was it in Arizona or something they closed the roof in the

middle of the game or they opened it up in the middle of the game and he was like really pissed about it. Yeah, because he wanted to have the best day. Well, if they're striking them out, it doesn't matter where the roof is open or closed, Lance. But yeah. The asterisk tonight, Ross, will go for something that they have not done all year long. Okay. Is when back-to-back games. That is.

They have not won two games in a row all season. Yikes. That doesn't sound great. All right. Career at home for Lance McCuller's Jr., Yeah, way better. 2.67 ERA on the road 4.43. If I had to guess, that was what it was.

Yikes. All right. Well, Kaufman Stadium's pretty big, though. Kansas City, it would be all right. I talked to somebody who was there, though. He said he looked really good. Okay. So, Chris Gordy's sources close to the show are saying that Lance McCuller's

Jr. looked pretty good. His sinker was averaging 91.7 miles an hour, I think, or 91.4. I can't remember what Brian McTaggart's exact tweet. before he went down, it was averaging 93. So the Velo is a little bit down right now. Who knows if that's going to come back up? It could happen. But it's certainly something to keep it on.

And while we've all been keeping our expectations low, I think as he continues to kind of knock these things off his list as far as bullpins, then live BP, then rehab starts, and doesn't have a setback. I'm starting to feel pretty good about how you even mentioned Dana Brown in a couple of weeks. We could have Lance McCullors Jr. starting a game for the Houston Astros. How about that? I didn't think Ryan Gusto's outing was all that bad on Saturday. No, it was solid.

It was out of the gates, it was, you could tell it was nerds. It was Ward singled, Rennhifa doubled, Trout singled. It was like, oh God. And then he kind of settled down from there. And he had some, you know, some quick innings, a one, two, three inning, and a third. Did give up a solo homer in the fourth, but, you know,

to go four innings, three runs, it's not great, but it's just magnified because you only scored one run that day. It's basically what Wisnowski did yesterday, right? He gave up three runs, but no harm, no fall because you course scored seven. Yeah, exactly. If you had a, if you had scored eight runs on Saturday, we'd be say, hey, gusto, pat him on the back, you know? If they had, but they had scored 14 the day before, so they were getting

no hit into the fifth or six or whatever it was. It was a sixth with two outs and then Yordon ripped the double. Thank God. Yeah, off the, that's right, off the left field fence. That's the thing, too, like, okay, the Friday night offensive output was awesome, but then Saturday the baths are cold. And then yesterday, get the big three run blast from Issoc Paratus. That's how that it was five singles. You're still not really. It's okay. It's okay. It's coming along. Oh, I didn't tell you the best part. So, Dubon, yesterday in the clubhouse pregame,

I interviewed him, had him on the pregame show. And then as he's walking out of the clubhouse, Matt Kaar Harrah goes, hey, I see you got the torpedo bat. And Dubon goes, yeah, man. He goes, we're going to see if it works. I'm going to use this thing every day. If it doesn't, we're going to go back to the other one. Yeah. But he showed us on his bat, all his contact is made right in that little sweet spot

where it's the thickest. Uh-huh. So he's like, we'll see. And then what? He has a hit yesterday. Yeah, I think his first A-B with the torpedo bat. Yeah. He had a single up the center, I mean up the middle. So Team Torpedo.

As far as I know, he's the only one using it. Yeah. But more power to you, Maricio. So it sounds like much ado about nothing then. If everybody, if it was such this huge advantage, then everybody would be using the torpedo bat. And he's the only Astro that we know of that you're using it. But what was his hit total on the season prior to it?

I know he was hitting like under 100 for a while. So I think he had one or two. Yes, he had one hit on the season. He doubled that yesterday. Let's go! Torpedo Dubon. Is it a real thing? We'll discuss 713-212-5-790 is the phone number. We're going to take a break. We've got some more Astros talk coming up. Chris Gordy is here. Matt Thomas is out sick. Ross Villarreal with you as well. At 7-13-2125790. Quick break back in a second here on Sports Talk 790. Astros take two out of three from the Angels over the weekend.

And great news, Gordy. They have a positive run differential. Plus two on the season. Let's go. Only team in the American League West with a positive run differential. Well, if you want to look on the bright side. I do. You know, if you want to be half glass full. Do you realize they are that stupid blown game in Seattle on Wednesday?

if they had just done what they needed to do that day. We'd be talking about three straight series wins. Yeah. They took two out of three in Minnesota. They just took two out of three against who were the ALS leading Los Angeles Angels Angels coming into this. That's right. And then Seattle, you lost two out of three, but you should have.

I mean, you were winning that Wednesday game, the whole game. Hunter Brown was outstanding. Luis Contreras was not. He was not. And everybody was blaming to us spot up. Oaker. Ocar's been awesome in every, other. I think that's just a tough out and go basically nobody out. Come get three outs.

Yeah, it's a tough spot to be in. You don't want to give the grand slam like he did. He goes, hey man, only one of those runs is earned to me. Yeah, and even then, yeah, exactly. Even then, Brian O'Brien, who shouldn't have blown the game. I mean, you're up two runs with Brian O'Brien, who should get the job done against a weak Mariners lineup. So they didn't get it done.

Whoever you want to blame, I understand. Some people are giving blame to others. Brian O'Brien with a two-run lead should get the job done. he did not Astros sit at 7 and 8 but them's the breaks that's how baseball goes you just try to continue to win series and rack up more dubs

and hopefully they'll be able to do that in St. Louis for three and then they come back home for a weekend series against the San Diego Padres sunny great a night he's been pretty good I have one bad out and gets the Angels but dominant in the other two and then on Tuesday it'll be Eric Fetty

who's been really good as well but again one bad outing for him so yeah we'll see what to see where again here. The interesting part, do you know the, do you know who leads all baseball in home runs? Mike Trout? Well, I meant as a team. Oh, as a team. You would get the Yankees or the Dodgers. I'm going to go with the Dodgers. It's been the Dodgers for much of this season, but as of today, it is the Los Angeles Angels.

Oh, okay. Yeah, they've been up there as a team. They've been up there as well. That's why I didn't have a problem with, you know, Wisniewski gives up three homers yesterday, but they're all of the solo variety. Solo homeruns don't be. Yeah, but that's also, you should still have a problem with him. He's been having some home run issues as well. But remember when Verlander was cruising, and even Garicol at times, like they'd put up seven innings of two or three run ball, and they were all solo home runs.

Yeah, whatever. But you don't want three leaving the building no matter what they are. So I wouldn't say, as you say, it's a little bit easier to pill to swallow, but I wouldn't say I got no problem with it. I have more of a problem with the aster's only having 12 home runs and being six worst in baseball in home runs. So Yordon Alvarez still has zero, correct? Or does he do you?

He did that one in Seattle. Oh, that's right. That's right. Yeah, it was a bomb too. Okay, so he's got one. Come on, Yordon. You got to be doing a little bit better than this. Let's go.

He's going to get it going. But preseason, we were kind of talking about this with everyone. We did this on opening day. Everyone we were talking to, we were like, hey, we need that breakout year from Yordaun, where he really, really pushes for like 40 home runs. He's OPS, OPS plus numbers have always been great and they're going to continue to be great. But like that breakout 40-year, 40-bomb,

like I'm winning the MVP type of season, it would have been really nice. Correct. You wouldn't see how it was Minnesota. That was the game they were, remember they were losing in the ninth inning. And the stupid twins brought their closer in the eighth and then brought in the setup man the ninth.

And Yoron tied it and we went to extra inning. Griffin Jacks, that's right. What's up, Griffin? Duran. That's their Clare. He came in in the eighth. But you're not how to hit

in all three games of series. It's just, yeah, one double. There are a lot of singles. Yeah, and he brought, they brought in,

Rocco Baudelli brought in, it was like the back into the lineup, right? The Astros line up he brought in Duran or Duran. Yeah. It was funny yesterday in the clubhouse per game.

All the players are arriving, you know, in that early hour or whatever before the game. and Yorna walks in, I'm talking with Gene Dyes from the Astro staff, and Yoron walks up to Gene and does a fist bump with him. And I'm like, oh, okay. And I'm talking to Gene for another 30 seconds or so I turned on the left,

and I realized Yorna had then turned to me with his fist bump and was waiting. He was holding. And I left him hanging. Oh, come on, man. But I was like, I almost wanted to be like, you even know my name? Why do you need a fist bump for me? That's pretty great. He's funny.

Yeah, he is funny. He's kind of sneaky funny. That's pretty funny. Him and Altu-I mean, the personalities of him, Al-Tuvae, I mean, Jeremy Payne, yeah. I mean, you've got some good dudes on this team. So very easy to root for. Very, you know, they just need to produce. That's where we're having it.

Altu-Ovay's doing his thing. He is. Well, he had a bad weekend, but. Can we mention, though, him in left field is actually, it's not been bad. It's been fine. And Cam Smith is getting better and better in right field. Yeah. He's made some nice grabs.

He has. And he's been okay, too. And I like his arm out there. Now, did you see the diving catch Jake Myers made yesterday? Yes, I did. For all the people who want to bitch a complaint about his bat, that is why Jake Myers plays every day. Dude, that was an insane catch.

Hayden was Neski were fired up. He was fired up. He was like, dude, like, you could kind of tell he said bleeping something, bleeping catch. He was fired up about it. But that's why you can get away with Altuvei and left to Kim Smith and right, because Jake Myers is covering the entire ocean out there. Yeah, you're totally, dude. Jake Myers' fan club.

You're preaching the choir right now, Gordy. We love us some Jake Myers. He's also, oh, let's see, oaf. Actually, his OPS plus numbers are gone down pretty significantly. Nevermind. Average is okay, right? He's at 2.50. Yeah, that's among the best on the team right now.

626 OPS. We'd like it a little bit better. But, yeah, he's not, I don't think he has a single extra base. Oh, no, he's got two doubles. That's right. This is a trip I wish was in like a month or so. I've never been to St. Louis. This would be a fun trip to make to go,

them. It's a little too early in the season. Why? Just because the time of year? We got rockets to play off. Yeah, everything going on here. Maybe next year. There's always next year.

Do you have another day game? I love all these midweek day games. It's great. We don't mind them here on the Matt Thomas show. 10 to 2 here on Sports Talk 790. Knock off a little early. Not the worst thing that could happen to me. I think Matt is scheduled to do pregame on Wednesday.

You may want to be on standby for that one. Okay. All right. I'm just going to start calling him a sicky Matt. And the Snoop of St. Louis start times. It's an extra five minutes of pregame for that. Good luck, Matt. Appreciate you.

Wednesday will be an 11 to 1145. I can hang out with him for it. We've done that before. Yeah. Where I'm just like the color analyst of him being the play-by-play of the pregame. I believe the Astros still are saying TBA on their starter for Wednesday. ESPN has Ronel Blanco slated in there. I don't know why they wouldn't.

go Renaulte blanco there. Hmm, unless you're trying to. Because they had an off day, when was that Thursday? Yeah, they were off Thursday. Last Thursday, yeah. So it allows you to kind of slide everybody up. Now, they still went gusto on Saturday. Yes. So I think it,

I think because it's early in the season, they don't, they don't really want to do that. They want to give everybody a little bit of that extra rest, get everybody built up, ready to go for the season. I saw Errediating in the clubhouse yesterday, and one of the guys asked them, how you doing it? He's like, man, doing the business as best I can. You realize how freak of an accident that was?

Yeah. He said they were shaggin' fly balls and a ball was coming and he didn't see it and he covered his head. And as he put his hand on his head, the ball hit right on the bottom part of his thumb and broke it. I was joking of Brian McTaggart. I said, so it almost had been better had he not covered his head. He would just got a concussion for a couple days, but he would have been still able to catch. Yeah, that's true. That's crazy.

Unfortunately, he is out. He's figuring out how to do things left-handed, everything in his life right now. Hopefully he'll be fine. All right, Garty, we do have to get to a quick top of the hour break here, but, you know, Astro season is in full swing, and what pairs best? Hour number two of the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Again without Matt Thomas, he is out sick. he should be back, I believe, broadcasting from home tomorrow.

Taking a little time has Matt Thomas. And, well, he was sick if you heard him on Friday. Unfortunately, it is continuing into the weekend and beyond. So he'll be back, but I am here, Ross Vial. Chris Gordy is here as well. Adam Clant will be joining me at 1 o'clock as well. Nice. Saw Wex and AC on the TV last night.

KPRC Sports Sunday with Randy McAvoy. I didn't catch it. By the way, Randy McAvoy winner of a video. media Houston Oh wonderful Yeah media alliance Award for I think it was best sportscaster

That was the one he beat up Matt Oh really? How's Matt feeling about this? Is that why he's really off today? Did he really take off today in protest? Is that what's really happening? I mean losing a Randy's notion Randy's been doing this what 25 years in the city

Um No shame Is that right? Has it been that long? It's been around a while man Okay Yeah, Matt Thomas tweeting out. I thought I was turning the corner, but I

haven't. Fever, slight chills, aches, no appetite. So yeah, he's going to take Monday off. Hopefully he's feeling better. Getting, I don't know, he's getting liquid IV or what he's doing. He said he was getting an IV at home. Okay, well, that's a hippo violation, Gordy. I don't know what you're doing over there.

I'm just kidding. I think you can buy an IV from like the corner store and bring it to your house. Really? That'd be really helpful on days when you're hung over. They are, so I've heard an IV drip. That is an industry. I've heard, particularly in Vegas they've popped up a lot where you get like you're hungover in Vegas come to the spot

and get the liquid IV but it's like $300. How bad do you want to get over the tangover? Should we really be encouraging alcoholism as much as we do? I mean my God. But people are, I mean people are going to do it. I mean everywhere you look is nah but no but they didn't have that

1976. You went out and you drank too much. You paid the consequences. Can I pose a question to you? Somebody asked me this recently. What's the point in shots? We're doing a shot of liquor? Yeah. To get drunk. To drunk quicker, right?

Yes. Like, that's really the only reason. Uh-huh. There's no other. So you are making a conscious decision when you do a shot. No, I will tell you this. Then what's the point of the fruity shots? Everybody, like, you know, like, let's make some lemon drops or some Mexican candies or some whatever.

It's like, okay. That's kind of, you want to go hard, but not too hard. You want to go a little lighter. Yeah, but usually they're like $8 a piece. You might as well just get a drink and then chug that. You might as well get a cocktail and chug that down. It's true. It's like if you're doing a shot,

if you want to get drunk, let's do some hard liquor. Let's go. $8 for a shot. I don't know. It depends on where you go. Are you the guy who walks up to the bar and goes, what's your highest A.A.V. Yeah, some people do that.

Yeah, I'll take the triple imperial stout. I would like to not know my name in the next 10 minutes. What is going to numb my brain as fast as possible? I mean, yeah, there are some people like that. And that's fine. You've got things you need to get away from. So if you're willing to live that world, I think you're willing to live the liquid IV world.

I'll do shots. I mean, look, I've done some. shots in my day. A lot of shots in my day. But I... Yeah, you're staying out with Greg Cook. A lot of my Irish marmoms. He's like a week of sleep to prepare for that night. I'm like, Greg, it's 1.30 in the afternoon. Why are we doing four Irish car bombs, dude? And then he calls you an expletive. Good God. Yeah. Yeah. An expletive is not safe for air and that's really supposed to be in high usage in 2025. But he would like me because I could

drink. I guess a lot of people couldn't drink with him. I can, well, it depends. It depends. I can handle myself pretty well, I guess. One of the most fun I've ever had was, was that, I'm trying to remember for his Atlanta or what Super Bowl trip

did we go on. We were at a restaurant and we had Greg Cook and Sean Salsbury and they were both just sharing NFL stories. Was that when we're at the, we were at the cigar bar? I think so. We went to the cigar bar after. Did you come to that? I don't know. I didn't go to that. It was the dinner before that. Okay, the cigar bar, things turned up a notch. It was great.

It was one of my, it was, yeah. But they were just sharing stories. It was incredible. I'm going to be honest. That was one of my favorite nights probably ever. Because, yeah, we went to the restaurant. They were telling stories, you know. Sean was more like in the 80s and Greg was more like in the 70s,

but there was some overlap and they were talking about guys that they knew. And like, they were almost finishing each other. So they were like, hey, what was the name of that, that defensive end that went to Penn State? And then Sean would know it. And then Sean would be like, hey, what was the name of that wide receiver that went to? And then Greg would know it. And they were telling all these stories. And then, yeah, we would.

went to the cigar bar after. Greg was like flirting with the waitress. I'm flirting, but like being grabbed. He was, yeah, yeah, harassment charges could have been filed. But it was fun. And was, I think I want to say, yeah, Sean was having some tequila. Greg was going, hitting the bourbon. And I was, I was like having, they were telling these hilarious stories. I was having multiple times like tears streaming down my face. I hate cigars, but that was a fun night. That was a great time in Atlanta. You're not a cigar guy?

No, I hate cigars. I'm sensitive to, maybe that's why tears are streaming down my face, too, is because all the cigar smoke. Even if I, if I'm near cigarette smoke, I'm very sensitive. My eyes will start watering and I can like, I could just feel myself getting uncomfortable. I don't know if I'm technically allergic or what, but I can't take it. I just don't. Crazy to think in the late 80s, early 90s, you would go to a restaurant. They go smoking or not? Yeah. What they're doing an airplane? Everybody's like babies are on airplanes getting secondhand smoke. It's like, okay, it's fine.

I'm two rows away from the cigarette smoke. It's like, no, it drifts. I just remember going to a restaurant one night. They didn't have any, like, oh, we're, there's no weight in smoking. There's a weight for non-smoking. You ever go like somewhere out? So we're sad smoking and yeah, you're just miserable inhaling cigarette smoke the whole night. Or like, sometimes you can still go into the suburbs somewhere and you go into a place and there's a guy's just lighting up a cigarette.

You're like, what? Yeah. Where am I? Did I step into a time portal? What are we doing? doing here folks you're like out at webster or something i don't know you're on the way to galveston and stop to either or whatever or some kind of small

suburb and some dude starts lighting up in the middle of the restaurant you're like what the heck is going on out of here it's crazy all right anyways what were you talking about um well i do want to pass this along okay thank you get us on track this is why i need matt get us on track matt

the uh norl's pelicans announced they fired their GM David Griffin oh okay come on man you can't come with pelicans GM I'm bringing this up because one of the news services there put out a report. Breaking news, Pelicans will keep coach Willie Green. Okay. And Will Gilleri covers the Pelicans.

He said, yes, Willie Green will remain the Pelicans coach for now. But when they hire a new lead executive, that person will decide Willie Green's future. So it's like what is, it's what his caveat. It's like, yes, he is technically still the head coach. Yeah. When they hire new leadership, that leadership is probably going to go, you know what? We're going to make a change. Champs just said the Phoenix Suns have fired Mike Bootenholzer.

Who did they have last year? Was it Frank Vogel? They had Vogel for one. Vogel, NBA championship winning coach for one year, fired. Booneholzer, NBA championship winning coach, fired after one year, I think. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, they had Monty Williams for four years.

Yeah, and then he left a... What, NBA Coach of the Year a few years ago. Yeah, NBA Coach of the Year is a death now. You win that thing. You're getting fired within three years. Yeah, Booneholtzor went 36 and 46. Okay. On a team with Kevin Durant and who else is there?

Yeah, it's Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. And they were terrorists. It's funny because they're running back all these preseason videos of Devin Booker like, ain't nobody going to be able to guard us. We're unguardable. And they're like, oh, well, turns out that's not exactly the case. But yeah, Kevin Durant got hurt down there. And Durant keeps texting the Rockets going, you up?

What's the? They might be, but I don't really want them to be for how old he is. But, man, that's, yeah, that's crazy. So the NBA did announce their Saturday games, so the Rockets will play Sunday, I see. Okay. It just haven't announced the time. Yeah, I just don't know the time. The other part, I meant to bring this up when we were talking about talking rockets earlier.

Did you see the, we get more clarity on the draft lottery as the Sun's tied for the NBA's ninth worst record? Okay. So basically the Rockets, they will have a chance to perhaps. I want to say, I forget what the odds are, but it's like a 4% chance of any of those top four picks. Okay. Like 4%. I thought it was 17%. Okay, yeah.

I thought it was 17% or something like that overall and then 4% for the number one overall pick, something like that. And then the, who tweet this out? Brato tweet this out yesterday. So here's an updated look at that hardened Nets trade. this is what you've gotten so far for Hardin. The 22 first round pick, which ended up being Tari-Eason, that was the 17th overall pick. Your 2024 pick, which ended up being number three overall Reed Shepard. This coming year, you will now have a top nine projected pick from the Sons.

See where that pick falls, could fall even higher. And then you still have the Sons' 2027 first round pick, the Nets' 27 first round swap, and the 29 Sons and or Mavs first round. pick. Okay. So that's still to come from that Hardin trade, and Hardin's not even a net anymore. Like, that just shows the fallout of that trade. He's been to two teams since then.

Yeah. Pretty crazy. It is insane. But yeah, I mean, look, it's not likely, but it's not a zero percent chance that the Rockets can't win the lottery and you end up with Cooper Flag. Cooper Flag, you are a Houston rocket. That would just be stupid.

That would be great. Would that really be good for Houston if it came? We're like, I don't know if that would be Would the number one overall pick consensus best player in the draft be good for the Houston Rockets? I'm going to say yes, Jonathan. Okay, hold on. Fellow Duke players have called him the best freshman they've ever seen at Duke. He's also literally, he should be a high school senior. He's 18.

He should be a high school senior. He dropped 27 on the Cookems. Yeah. But go ahead. I stand correct. Well, that's like Reed Shepherd's 20? I would say, yeah. That's what people making these generalizations, but oh, Reed Cheper can't play.

he's 20. I'm not feeling good about it. You don't think that, you didn't see what he did these last couple weeks? Three-point shots starts fall. Yeah, he can make threes. That's good. Check in two years from now, Reed Shepherd. I'm telling you, he'll be...

All right. I'm not saying he'll be an All-Star. The Kentucky Wildcat wife has infected your brain. I'm not saying it'll be an all-star, but like he could be a three-point specialist. Yeah, he could be a rotational player. Who was the dude that Jim or Ferdet? He can't be that? No, but come on.

Some people were like, oh, I'm getting all my money in on Reed Shepard for for Rookie of the year. Let's not act like there wasn't some hype there. There wasn't much playing time available for them. Yeah, exactly. There was a loaded team with talent. That's the other thing Adam Clinton started with me the other night was if you win the lottery and you take Cooper Flag, Clanton thinks you trade him to go get approved.

I don't know about that. He goes, you go get a proven. Who? He was thrown out there, you call Denver on Yokic. You just start him in place at Dylan Brooks and go on. Well, he was saying you call Denver. You give him a package of Reed Shepherd, Cooper Flagg. and Shingoon for Yokic.

Okay, that's... Then you need to throw in like four first round picks or something. Like every pick... You need to unload every pick you own. Then maybe they'll think about it. But isn't interesting. Like, you've built this thing up. It's all homegrown talent so far with Dylan Brooks and Fred Van Vlead.

Are you... Is this the point where you're... Raffel Stone, you go, let's pull the trigger and go get a proven star. You evaluate. You open up conversations. And you kind of go... go from there. But who's the top 10 player?

Like Anthony Edwards isn't going to be traded from Minnesota. Although, I don't know. I don't know if you can say that anymore because Luca, I would have said Dallas is never trading Luca. That happened.

They traded him for Anthony Davis. God. But anyways. Do they have any other pieces in Dallas? With that dumb GM? Any other players we could poach from them? They gave away Quentin Grimes too.

He was balling in Philadelphia. Yeah, what's left there? It's Anthony Davis and I don't know. Who's the Lakers? GM, he pulled like a Darry Jedi Mind trick. Like, you will trade me. No, yeah. You'll trade me looking to...

Is it Rob Polinka? Remember when Mori would do that? He'd pull off these trades, but like, how do you pull off that train? Is the other GM just stupid? Yeah. All right, we are going to take a quick break here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Without Matt Thomas. Chris Cordy is here. We've been talking some

Rockets. We've been talking to them stroves. Anything you want to get to as well. We'll continue to put off the full shot-by-shot breakdown of Rory McElroy's Masters win. But anything you want to get to, 713, 2.1, 2.15790 is the phone number, 713,

212, 5, 790. Back in a minute here on Sports Talk 790, the Matt Thomas show with Ross. 1119 in the a.m. here on Sports Talk 790. Welcome back to the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Matt Thomas remains out. Ross v. Real with you, Chris Gordy as well.

Jonathan Allen as well. You can get in. You want to talk some rockets. how we're feeling about them in the number two spot. We're basically just daydreaming about them winning the number one overall pick. It's like a 3.8% chance. I don't think it's going to happen. What's happening right now is they are in the playoffs.

They are the number two seed. They will be playing either of the Golden State Warriors who finish seventh or the Grizzlies who finish eighth. The playing is all weird. It's like seven plays eight. Then the loser of that plays the winner of 9-10 in a home game. So you could be the eight seed or seven seed and be left out of the playoff just by losing two games. But if you're the seven seed, you lose two home games. It makes for more drama.

It makes the reason that the NCAA tournament is so good is that there's always this kind of underlying tension at all times to where the season is on the line. That's why I think a big reason we get real big into it and we tune into it, we don't even care who it is, right? It's, you know, Wichita State versus South Dakota State or whoever, but we know the season is on the line. And that's why we get way into it. So that's why the plan that was made during the COVID season to kind of help out with teams not really getting a full season. They liked it. There were ratings.

There was interest. There was talk about it. And what do these leagues like? They like ratings and interest because they get you more advertising dollars. So the playing tournament has stayed. So we'll see who the Rockets play. obviously it's probably going to be the Golden State Warriors that game is coming up on Tuesday

Golden State Warriors are favored by six and a half in that game and then if it's a Warriors for a seven game series I'm going to be on edge because Steph Curry can go off and go nuclear at any time hope it doesn't happen Jimmy Butler's really good team has been playing very well since making that Jimmy Butler trade. But also I'm worried

about Draymond Green wrecking people's careers because he is just, he's a psychopath. He just goes crazy. Seems rather regular, normal, and mild mannered off the floor, but on the floor, he turns into a psychopath. So I don't want Draymond Green near any of these Rockets players, certainly

not for a seven-game series. Again, we saw it when he like, he was trying to blind James Hardin. I mean, come on, man. And literally he was trying to I don't even know what he was trying to do to Alper and Shingoo, and he could have fractured his orbital Burtlebone. Coming in with a flying elbow like that. Dude's ridiculous.

But certainly, one of the things will be keeping an eye on if the Rockets do play the Golden State Warriors. We'll know who their opponent is after that game Tuesday. It's 9 o'clock on T&T. Hawks and Magic earlier there. I don't know if the national interest is getting in for the Atlanta Hawks versus the Orlando Magic. But there you go. That's what we're waiting to see with the Houston Rockets on that front. 713-212-5-790 is the phone number if you would like to get in. We have to tell the truth coming up.

I will give four opinions. I will only believe one of them that is coming up here at 1130 on a sports talk 790. And you can get in at 7-13-212-5-7-90 if you want to talk. We've been talking some Rockets basketball. As I said, we've also been talking some Houston Astros. They won the weekend set against the Angels. Two out of three games exploding for the four. 14 runs on Friday.

That was really nice to see. Look, it was going to happen at some point. And we've been saying this all season long. It's going to turn. It's going to get better. But it's to what degree will it continue to get better? So far, 14 runs in one game, pretty good. One in the next game, getting no hit into the 6th.

Not as good, but seven runs yesterday, even though it was a lot of singles outside of a three-run bond from Issoc Paredes. But they're going to be fine. I really like where Paredes is right now. Jordan is waking up to an extent. He's not fully wakened up, but he's going to be fine. Still not worried about that. I am curious, actually, of all the Astros,

kind of see how the season plays out. What's going to happen with Jose Altuve? Because he did start off white hot of the season. He was carrying this offense. He's hitting over 350. He's got three home runs, I think, already this season. And he's been really good. He did have a cold weekend.

and I'm not overreacting to a cold weekend. I'm not saying, okay, it's all over. He's going to be falling flat on his face. But he did go one for 11 over the weekend. And I'm just talking about from coming off of last year to where he had his lowest OPS that he had basically since 2015 how much of a bounceback year there was going to be this year. Now, after that bad weekend, he's under that.

Last year it was 790. Great number. Appreciate you, Jose, for showing support to the station here. 790 OPEC. for him last year. 783 for him this year. So is he going to bounce back? This is where he is.

It's just something that I'm keeping an eye on. We're 15 games in this season. Again, we will continue to use the words here in the middle of April. It's early, but I would put him on the watch list. I'm just kind of curious how things are going to shake out for him over the length of a season for a guy who is a 35-year-old. And generally, when you have one of your worst seasons, in 10 years as a 34-year-old.

You don't have a huge bounce back as a 35-year-old. But if you want to talk about the outliers of all outliers, somebody who can just keep this train going, who has great hand-eye coordination, and you should be the last person, one of the last people on the planet Earth that you should doubt, Jose Al-Tuvae is one of them.

So I'm just curious kind of to see how this one plays out because I was like that at the beginning of the season. Then he started off really hot, and I'm like, all right, Jose Al-Tuvé is going to bounce back from that year. a bit of a down year last year. He still hit 20 home runs, but there wasn't enough consistent slugging, and he still had a $2.95 average,

but the OPS numbers were lower than they were the previous three years. So now after a bad weekend, unfortunately he's under the number from last year. We're going to see where it continues to go. Just something I'm keeping an eye on along with the rest of this offense. Like I said, Yordon's going to be fine. Christian Walker's going to be fine.

And coming up here, and to tell the truth, I will have a hot take about the Astros hitting, but it will be, do I believe it or don't I? Come on up in the next, how are we feeling about, I mean, I'm not worried about Jose Autuvia, like I said. It's just something I'm curious to see with somewhat of a decline last year from his previous numbers from the previous couple of years. Now into age 35 season, the hot start here has settled somewhat, has cooled somewhat.

Well, but he was so in Fuego that first week. I mean, he's not going to hit 350 all season long. That'd be cool. Yeah. He's about a 300 hitter in his career. I expect that's, he'll level off here. He's been 3.02, so he's exactly where he is in his career. B.S.

He does have the three home runs. Yes, he does. I have no problem with this numbers. OPS, you're not a little bit higher, but. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I don't have a problem. He's the lead-off man, as he well should be. Put it this way.

As the lead-off man, he's only got four walks. Parades has eight. Christian Walker has eight. Yordon has 11. I'd like that walk total. It'll be a little bit higher. He's just so aggressive, man. And there was one of the games over the weekend.

Oh, the no hitter on Saturday that the Angels had, Tyler Anderson had going. In the sixth, Al-Tuva's up. And I think Ty Cowles is like, well, blumber, we'd like to see Altuve put together a competitive bat here. And like, first pitch, swings pops up. I'm like, dude, those are the ones that crush me because I'm like, I know the M.O. was probably trying to jump on his, he's throwing first pitch strikes, try to jump on it. But, dude, like, that just does nothing for pitch count or anything.

Like, work a walk every now and then. Find a way to get on base. Yeah. That's also, it's like the blessing and the curse of Jose Altuve, though. He giveeth and he taketh, and sometimes, I mean, you just have to live with it, and it's almost, I mean, not almost, it is always more good than bad for him. But some of the bad, you're like, ah, that feels like that was kind of avoidable. But you take it what you can, and you add it all up, Jose Altuve, obviously has been huge, and he's been one of the better hitters, even with the bad weekend that he had. and with the OPS dipping below 800, it's been much better than a lot of what's going on

with these Astros hitters. And now, oh, I just had it up. I think they're 20th or somewhere thereabouts in Team OPS. They were like literally 30th at one point. So just over the weekend, oh, I'm sorry, jumping up to 23rd, just behind the Seattle Mariners and just ahead of the Texas Rangers.

That's another good thing that we haven't talked about much. The AOS stinks. I think the Astros should be able to win it. I wouldn't say stinks. It's very competitive. Nobody has a positive run differential. Not a single team. Zero.

All right. Oh, actually, I'm sorry. The team that does, I mean, no team out of the Astros who are a plus two now. How's this first spin? We're the only division in the American League with multiple teams with nine wins. Oh, okay. Well, that's good for them. But how many, that's not true.

Oh, you said in the American League? American League? Okay, sure, in the American League. Well, all I hear all offseason, Day Elise is the best division in baseball. The Yankees, Red Sox, raise Orioles, Blue Jays. Oh my God.

Well, the Yankees are doing decent. Blue Jays are up there in first place right now. Blue Jays are first place. They're coming here to Houston in a couple of days. Orioles has certainly stumbled out of the gates. All right, time for a quick break here on Sports Talk 790. Ross Virea with you, Chris Gordy, as well, when we come back to tell the

truth. I will have four opinions. I only believe one of them. It'll be Jonathan Gordy's, it will be their task to figure out which one I believe that's coming up next here on a Sports Talk 790. Oh, but I do. Know how to tell the truth. Ross V. Ria with you on the Matt Thomas show. And you know what? We're going to shell this real quick because Gordy has stepped out for a second and we have a phone call. Sorry, We're doing this on the fly live radio. We will get this to in a second, but Gordy has stepped out. He's a very busy man.

Program director of the year, and we appreciate him hanging out here. But we do have Luis and Katie holding, so we're going to go ahead and go to him while we wait for Gordy to get back here in studio here on Sports Talk 790. Go ahead, Luis, the floor is yours. Yeah, good morning, guys. You guys were talking about a buvue, OPS and all that, but also, I'm not 100% sure, but doesn't the OPS involves a person? calculation of tucker flies and everything. And if you really see the 7th and 8th

and 9th hitter in the Astros, then only Count Smith have done a little bit better on the RBI but the rest of the guys that really haven't hit anyone. So the front guys of our two weeks do not hit, he's not going to have it in

rubies. I mean, he's been hitting well about 300. So but if nobody is on base, it's going to be hard for him to bring in in RBI. And I just wanted to see maybe from what you mentioned. Yeah, OPS is on base. Yeah, OPAs, it's just on base percentage plus slugging.

So that's why I like it more than batting average. Because let's say two guys go three for 10, but one guy has three home runs and one guy has three singles. By batting average, they both have a 300 batting average. But one guy's obviously producing a lot more. So it's on base percentage, which generally, of course, is going to be when you're drawing a lot more walks, you're getting on base.

and then slugging is the calculation of when you're getting more extra base hits. So on base plus slugging. He's at 783. Last year he was at 790. The year before that, he was at 915. So do you mean that he's not getting on base? Right. His on base is more than last year.

Less than, yeah. Okay. All right. Well, he's getting old, but I think I thought it would still be the best hitter of the of the of the astronauts until last, the past two games. Thank you very much, Ross.

I appreciate it. And keep going. Take care, man. All right. I appreciate it. Thank you. And thank you for getting in, Luis.

So, yeah, look, and it's funny because, like, we get into these arguments with Matt and we talk about it. And I really try to be objective about things.

And I'm not going to say anything bad about Jose Altoe. I'm just talking about the reality of him being 35 years old and also having a number, an OPS number, lower than what he has had basically if you don't count the 2020 COVID season where he only played 48 games and he was

a disaster if you remember in that year he's got his lowest OPS number since 2013 so if you go to OPS plus last year's was his lowest since 2015 OPS plus does factor in ballparks you know if you hit 30 home if ESAC parades hits 30 home runs into the to the left field Crawford boxes it's a little bit different than doing it in, say, Petco. So they average it out for everyone, and then they bring in ballpark factors and stuff like that, right? Like hitting 30 bombs in Coors Field is a little bit different than hitting it in, say, in Detroit.

So that type of thing. That's why I like OPS Plus, and it's very easy to remember. Average of everyone is 100. If you're 101, you're 1% above average. If you're 99, you're 1% below average. average. For example, Jake Myers is an 85 right now. It's 15% below average. It's not good. Even though he got off to a bit of a hot start of the season. Ozao Tuvia is at a 127. So that's 27% better than average. It's pretty good.

But two years ago, he was 151. Three years ago, he was 161. That's all. I'm saying, I'm not trying to call him out. I'm not saying, you know, this is, he's the worst ever. Why is he leading off? He needs to be out there because he just had one bad weekend. And he's fine. It's just one of the storylines I said I'm keeping an eye on because there was a bit of decline in all of his numbers last year. And they're moving him out to left field. It's just been interesting, man. Whatever happens to Jose Altuve, he's a mate man. There's a statue out in front of Dyken Park or whatever it's going to be called at the time. He deserves and will get a statue. He will be in the Astros Hall of Fame. He will be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is a made man in this league if he retires tonight. What? Glory fades. Stars fade. I'm just wondering where we are right now. Like I said, something on keeping an eye on with Jose Altuva. I'm less worried about him than maybe I am some others in this lineup and where they're going to be.

But the hitting has continued over the weekend or at least has gotten a little bit better to where you go from 30th in Team OPS to 23rd. That's an improvement. I'd like to get top 15, hopefully top 10 or somewhere in that neighborhood by the end of the season. If they're where we want them to be. Because the bottom line, expectation level has been set by this organization and what they've been doing and by the owner himself who said that the window will always be open that window he's talking about being open isn't the aOS championship window it is the major league baseball world series championship window so as of right now seven and eight you do have a positive run differential that's good 14 to three on friday helps as well but it's early there's a long way to go but certain things we're all keeping an

as far as storylines and where this team is going to be going forward. And at the top of the lineup with Jose Altuva, that that's something I will be watching. Yeah, runs batted in to me. That's an archaic metric. I'm not super worried about that. It's not something that I'm locked in to. It's, you know, you got a lot of guys on base. Right.

Like, I think it was, what was a few years ago when Jose Abrae, you had that horrible season, he had 90 runs batted in. So it's like, oh, man, great job. 90 runs batted in for Jose Abrae. He must be a really good hitter. No, he was just batting fourth every game. There's a bunch of guys on base. So he ended up with like 90 runs batted in.

But he was terrible by every other metric that you looked at. So I'm not worried about that. I don't think you should be either, especially with the leadoff man. He's not going to get a whole lot of guys on base, especially with what's at the end of this lineup sometimes when it is going to be Jake Myers and or Maricio Dubon. Although Torpedo Dubon, Torpedo Dubon could be a real thing.

He talked about how it fits his swing. makes him a little bit better, and he got a couple of hits with it yesterday. So maybe that's what's going to turn everything around for him. Maybe the torpedo bat's not for everyone, but maybe it is for Maricio Dubon. So that will be better. It's going to be the big boppers in this lineup who are going to have to carry the load. Esoc Parade is doing very well over the weekend. Christian Walker still hasn't fully awakened,

but at least we're seeing some certain signs of life from him and some certain signs of life from Yordon Alvarez. and same thing from Yiner Diaz. I never thought I'd be so happy to see Yainer Diaz have a 119 batting average. But he got three hits on Friday, wasn't in the lineup on Saturday. And he basically more than doubled his batting average from Tuesday when he last played to Friday. Oh, 61 to 132. Huge.

So if he can start to catch fire at some point, he's somebody that needs to factor into this offense as well. You don't have the length in depth. of this lineup that you had, especially, I mean, you lose Kyle Tucker and you lose Alex Bregman. So far, Paredes is producing as well as Alex Bregman could and has. But right now, Cam Smith is not doing what Kyle Tucker did in right field, and you're not really expecting that from him. But where you're supposed to win is especially at that first base spot,

which where you didn't get a whole lot and that's not happening right now with Christian Walker. He's hitting 164. Yikes. He's got to improve for sure, and he will improve. I do feel fully confident in that, and he's at least been drawing some walks. First couple of weeks, he had like zero walks the whole season. Now up to eight walks, so he's getting on base a little bit more, probably feeling a little bit more comfortable. I think Christian Walker is going to be just fine at the center of this Astros lineup as well. All right, we're going to take quick break here.

On Sports Talk 790, where is Chris Gordy? We'll find out. You'll find out when I do. we got to get to the news at noon coming up. We also have to tell the truth as well. You have Adam Clanton joining at 1 o'clock. You also have you, if you'd like to get in, at 713-212-5-7-90. 7-1-3-212-5-7-90. Welcome back to the Matt Thomas show with Ross.

Appreciate you guys listening. Somehow we're already two hours into the show, basically. News at noon coming up here next 1 o'clock. Adam Clanton will join. But now you've been waiting patiently, and we appreciate you. It's time to play to tell the truth. All right, the way this segment works, I will have four opinions for you good folks.

I only believe one of them. You have to tell me which one. I have a list here, Gordy. I'm marking one of them with an X, so I'll show you that I didn't change because I feel like Matt Thomas changes his up all the time. I believe it. Yeah, he totally would do something like that, but that's okay.

I will not do that. I keep it honest and true here on the show. All right, let's get it started. I will give you opinion, number one. The Los Angeles Lakers, who I saw, are well ahead of the Houston Rockets on the championship odds are a hype job. Yes, they have Luca Donchich, but they also have a declined LeBron James. Both of those guys are

minus defenders. Austin Reeds is solid, but then it's what? Jackson Hayes, Gabe Vincent, Contavius, Caldwell Pope. While they do have the star power, they are a hype job. They should not be favored to win the championship as much as they are.

I think they might not even get out of the first round. That's not my prediction. My prediction is that they are a hype job and they're not making it out of Western Conference. I will personally guarantee you that. That is take number one. Okay.

Take number two. By the end of the Astros season, Yordon Alvarez will be number one in home runs for the use in Astros. Number two will be Esauk Paredes. More than Christian Walker, more than Jose Altuve, more than Yainer Diaz, Jeremy Pany, whoever it is.

You got the three over the weekend, Crawford Boxes, tailor-made. I know we're just 15 games into the season, but I'm buying the E-Soc Parade is hype. He will be number two in home runs for the Astros at the end of the season. Take number three. Hayden Wesniewski, sure, he's got a problem giving up the long bowl, but also an end-of-the-season prediction for him on the pitching side.

He will be their third best pitcher now I'm talking about wins above replacement because Arrogatti's missing time it's going to be Hunter Brown in whatever order with Yordon Alvarez number three will be Hayden Wesneski I've seen enough he is going to be good it's a short sample size

but I'm liking his stuff 10 strikeouts yesterday Hayden Wesneski ending the season as the Astros' third best option as a starting pitcher let's take number three it is take time for take Number four.

Gordi, we had all this mess over the weekend with what's his name? Nico Yama Lava. I'm Aumaliava. I just call him Nico because we're bros like that. Nico and his whole situation is basically Tennessee said he wanted some more money from Tennessee. They hadn't heard back from him. They said, shut your bum ass up. You're a free agent.

We were basically having free agency in the football sphere. basketball sphere with the transfer portal and all that stuff as well. NCAA has got multiple Supreme Court cases going on. Within three years, the National Collegiate Amateur Athletic Association or Athletic Association or whatever will lose its tax-exempt amateur status. They will have to operate giving up all those money. You're going to open up a flood of sponsorships.

NCAA Athletics, as we see it, will flip on. its head within three years NCAA losing its amateur status. And that is take number four folks. All right, these are some good ones for us. I'll give you that. Thank you. So to recap, Lakers are a hype job. Astros number two in home runs will be

ESOck Paredes. Astros number three pitcher will be Hayden Wesnesty. Within three years, NCAA loses its amateur status. Cordy and Jonathan, talk this out. And so correct me if I'm wrong. You only believe believe one of these? I only believe one. Well, Gordi, I'm looking at the Wineski's heading, what he's talking right now?

He has eight errors, only have five. Oh, you're looking at the wrong page, I think. Earned runs, earned runs. Earned runs. Yeah, eight earned runs, I think you're looking at. He's a pitcher. I think it's, I think it's believable Winsneski could be the third best pitcher

in the Astros. It's, especially with Spencer Getty's injury. I mean, it's Fromber and Hunter Brown are one and two. So now you're asking him to be better than Renaud Blanco, which I think certainly can happen. Yordon, leading

the Astros and Omarans, but Parades number two, I mean, look, he just hit three and three straight games. That's not a stretch. The way college football is trending, I mean, I don't know if they'll lose their tax-exempt amateur status, but they're definitely going to... But Lakers are hyped, though. They're really, they're...

All right, I got you guys. I got you guys gears turned. I like this. So, Ross's take was the Lakers ahead of the Rockets in championship odds. Not even ahead of the Rockets. It's just that they're a hype job. Overhyped. Overhyped as far as the playoff odds.

And everyone talking about Luca and LeBron. I would think you don't believe that because they are good. That's what you're going for? Luke is good. That's where I'm leaning. That's the one I do believe. Oh, this.

Okay. So that one, so then I'm eliminating that one because I don't think he believes that one. Okay, okay. I'm going to go for right now. I think he believes the instant blade. I'll go. I'll go Parades.

I'm not touching my laptop. You'll see where the X's are. I'll go Parades number two in the home runs. Okay. That's not crazy. Right. Well, you're both right to dismiss the Hayden Wesneske one. A little bit of a short sample size. He's only thrown 89 innings. It is a nice start. I am hopeful that he could end up as their third best starter. But I think Erigetti, even though he's got the broken thumb, it didn't require surgery. So he should be back soon enough. He's going to be great.

And Renel Blanco will see. The next one, I will throw off. Who chose the NCAA one? I did. Oh, you threw it off. I don't think within three years. I think they're going to be able to fight in the courts long enough. You have all those other sports rowing and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

To some extent they should be able to keep their answers. Yeah. It's like, I mean, even if a union is created, it's going to take a while. I'm glad I tricked you on that one, Jonathan. That was good. That was good. I still think Christian Walker is going to be second in home runs for the Astros. Are we both lost?

You better pick it up. Oh, yeah, I guess I should show you. See, I didn't touch it. They'll see all the X is at number one. So you believe the Lakers are a hype job? Hype job. Come on. So it's just been.

LeBron can't defend anyone. By miracle, they suddenly got better and jumped up to the three seed when they got Mooka. They're at the three seed since February 10th. They're 17th in offense. I'm sorry, 17th in defense, 13th in the offense. It's also been a soft schedule for them. I think they're going to be, I think, I think they can get knocked out in the first round. I really do.

Wow. I think it's another Lakers high job. Mark my words. And if I'm wrong, this is the thing. Matt's had some really bad takes on this, but he believes them. And then when he's wrong, you can bring it back, you can throw it to my face. But if I'm wrong, I'm just not believing it. I don't think they're as good as the Rockets, quite frankly.

I don't think they're as good as the Thunder. I think the Nuggets beat them in a seven-game series. They don't have anybody that can guard Nicoliochich. So I do think it is a bit of a hype job on the Los Angeles Lakers because of who they are and the Star Power. Luca can't guard anybody. He can't guard a folding. chair. Yeah, but look, he just got to the NBA finals last year. I know. I know. They had a better team around him than they do this year. I do believe that. And I love LeBron James. You say Kyrie is

better than LeBron? At this stage in their careers, I would say yes. Actually, they're both minuses defensively. What's up? Repeat that. How many 50-point game? Kyrie was dropping 50. LeBron's had a bunch of 30-point games for his time. Yeah, he's good. It's one of the all-time greats. I just think the complete, I think it was more of a complete team with Dallas and what they have in Los Angeles right now. I just think the Lakers were, they were struggling for the first part of the season. And then when they got Luka, they just took off and started climbing up that Western

conference standings. Oh, you know what? I was looking at it earlier and I still have it up. Los Angeles Lakers, since the first game that Luca played, that was February 10th. We're talking about 32 games. They're 13th in that rating. Behind the Bulls, behind the magic bucks.

Why? They're winning loss. I don't know. I can go find that, I guess. I'm going to need a minute for that. Okay, you know, I'm going to come back with that. I'll tell you at the top of the hour, but we do have to get a break here on Sports Talk 7-9. Thanks, guys. Maybe you should just tell J.J. Reddick, he's a damn good coach. To tell the truth. Maybe he is. I don't know. Seems like he did a good job limiting Anthony Davis. Okay, coming up the news at noon, we'll get to all the top news items of the day. Also, at 1 o'clock, we will have Adam Clanton.

Also, you want to get in 713-212-790, 719. 23212-5-7-90. Speaking of April, which I was talking to you by guys about that earlier. Thomas is out. Chris Gordy is hanging out now. Phone lines are open for you. It's 7-1-3-2-7-90. 7-1-3-21-5-7-90.

But right now we have to get to all the top sports news items of the day with what we call the news at noon. All right, Chris Gordy. We've got a lot of stuff going on in the Houston sports world. We'll go ahead and start with your Houston Astros, getting the bats going a little bit over the weekend. Brady's waiting for a 2-2. Here it is.

And that is hammered. Deep to left field. And you can kiss that one goodbye. Out of the Lanzis Cropper boxes. Isok-Radis holders for a third straight day. This one will go-ahead three-run shot. Five to two Astros. Hayden Wisniewski, six innings of three-run ball, three solo shots, career high, 10 strikeouts.

Isaac Paredes continues to be scorching hot with three runs batted in there, did have a couple of K's. Overall, got his OPS over 800 on the season. Astros' bats also score 14 on Friday and do it against, okay, it's the Angels in town, but the Angels, first place in the West. get a couple of wins over the week in there. They needed to win that just from a standpoint of, look, I know it's super early in standings don't matter and all that. I know where you stand on must wins,

but like it would have created a little bit of a gap. Had you lost that series to the Angels because they were leading the AOS, the Rangers have been winning a lot. Like there would have been a little bit of a gap there, and you would have been far with the AES for the bottom of the basement, the AOS. So, you know, this is where I thought a win yesterday. it was very much needed.

Yeah, also in the American League West, how about the Rangers getting swept by the Mariners? Mariners have now won five of the last six, including that series win over the Stroes and then sweeping the Rangers who have fallen back to Earth a little bit. Yeah, the Mariners are still good. I mean, that's what I didn't understand

what people were poo-poo and them. Their offense. Yeah, their offense. The rotation is going to keep them in every game. Yeah, their pitching is good enough. And yeah, they've won four in a row now. but I don't know. I just, I feel like, again, it's very early,

but head-to-head with all these teams, like they won't see the Rangers for another couple of weeks for their first series, but it just feels like the tiebreakers come into play here recently. I just feel like take advantage. When in 20-3 against the Angels, yes. Losing the Mariners, wasn't great.

Like when you play the Rangers in a couple weeks, take advantage, beat those guys. Astros in St. Louis for three games that'll be a 645 first pitch here on a sports talk 790 day game on Wednesday and then they'll come home for three games against the San Diego Padres and three games against the Toronto Blue Jays who are leading the American League East right now they've been very good it'll be hard to uh it'll be hard to beat those guys they their offense been pretty good uh boe bouchette's betting above 300 Vlad Guerrero kind of motivated after signed that big deal he's about over 300 14 year deal zero home runs by the way for flag grero

oh you think they're regretting that 14 year deal their second baseman though andres himineinez he's got three home runs george springer jorge springer he was hot hitting the start is he still keeping it up got a couple springer dingers in there okay but it's their pitch he's been pretty

pretty solid so far Kevin gossman having a resurgent year so far old man kevin gosman okay 233 and how about chris bassett 18 and the third innings pitch 0.980RA. He wasn't good for them last year I thought but okay. Bounce back years for the Toronto

Burgess, good for them. All right, keep it going here. Dana Brown speaking over the weekend on Asheros Radio Network about a 790. Ons well yes on Sports Stock 790 over the weekend about a certain Lance McCuller's junior in his rehab start

with the AAA Space Cowboys four innings pitched one hit, no runs, one walk five strikeouts 13 whiffs here's what dana brown had to say about lance mccullors junior spoke to him today

personally probably just about an hour ago and he feels really good that's the thing that I'm excited about mostly you know when these guys come back from rehabs you know they start getting innings and built up sometimes they don't feel as good the next day

and the fact that he felt great today and he threw well yesterday That's encouraging because we're adding more pitches to his to his starts. And so to get to get to that pitch count and feel good the next day and have a pretty good outing, it's very, very encouraging and exciting. So McCulloch's getting another rehab start next weekend for Corpus Christi at the AA level. Could that potentially be his last minor league rehab outing? Yeah, I mean, the thought process is that we can somehow get them back by, you know,

know the Kansas City series, that would be pretty encouraging, you know. But we don't want to rush it. We want to take it one, you know, one start at a time. But he looks like he's on pace that potentially we might be able to do that. So could be the Royals series in a couple of weeks. I did not mention 61 pitches from Lance McCullors, Jr. So need a little starting pitching help. Ryan Gusto was good over the weekend.

but is it really going to happen? It feels like we've been talking about this for years. You say a couple of weeks. That's a week from Friday. Oh, yeah, a week from Friday. There you go. So, yeah, I mean, it is interesting. I just saw Carbock announced they're going to do an Astros watch party next Friday.

Oh. For that game. Could be McCullors Day. Yeah, what if that happens? LNJ Day. Hmm, okay. Lance McCullors, Jr., striking out Bobby Whit Jr. Sign me up.

It's probably good that they have next Thursday off, though. to rest up that bullpen because, you know, let's be real. McCullors may only give you four. Hey, well, you know. But if you get through four, great, you know. It's early in the season. We'll see what happens. Gosto, uh,

he'll be ready to be ready. Some of those other guys be ready. Yeah, McCullors, the opener, Gusto ready to go right after that. I like that. Yeah, we're going to do a piggyback start. Yeah, a little piggyback action. I like that. I like that a lot.

All right. So elsewhere in the news at noon here, Chris Gordy. Your Houston Rockets, of course, have been locked in as the number two seed. But we know who their potential opponents are. It's going to be either of the Memphis Grizzlies or the Golden State Warriors. They face off on Tuesday at 9 o'clock on TNT. Golden State favored by six and a half in that one. Geez, favored by six and a half.

Poor Grizzles, man. Just a couple of buckets. Let's go gris. I texted my buddy who covers the grizzlies out there in Memphis. I said, please beat the Warriors. He said, we suck. He said, if Jimmy is hurt, though, we have a chance. Rockets will murder us in a series.

Four to five games easy. Well, I like what he's saying there. I like the doom and gloom. Grizzlies will be tough. Hurries will be really tough the way they've been playing lately. I would rather have the Grizzlies. If the Rockets had their choice, again, not to say that it would be easy pickings or anything like that.

But, man. He went on to say, I love your team. Tough as hell. Fourth quarter offense could doom y'all, though. Yeah, that's something that we talk about in, and it gets highlighted most in the playoffs when it's two minutes left. It's a five-point game.

And yeah, you can operate within the year system and you're talking about you're not getting up and down the floor. That's when they, you know, people say the game slows down in the playoffs. It actually doesn't. They have data that kind of goes against that. But it's in the last two minutes. That's when it really, really does slow down. So in those situations, rockets have options.

They don't have the big alpha dog option. And we'll see what happens and what they try to go to. But Coach Udoka is a good. coach, he's going to be prepared. You're going to know the opponent by Tuesday, so they'll be well and ready to go at the Toyota Center Sunday time TBD.

So Warriors, it's going to be a late night probably. Well, you know, on a Sunday maybe not. So Ben DuBose is guessing that the 230 game is ABC National. So he thinks that could be the time slot where you go Rockets Warriors

because you want the bigger audience. The night game is TNT. So he thinks Rockets and Grizzlies would suit more The Night Game on TNT as opposed to the midday national audience on ABC. What about like a Celtics Hawks or Health Celtics Magic? Hmm. Okay. Very, very interesting. We'll see what happens there.

All right, a little bit of NBA news, Gordy here on the news at noon. As you mentioned, the Pelicans have fired their executive vice president, David Griffin after six seasons. Also, Mike Boodenhulzer. The Sun's coach after one year of Frank Vogel, you're out. One year of Mike Boodenholzer, you're out. Both those guys won championships. Maybe it's the roster that stinks over there in Phoenix.

Yeah, I don't know. That thing's a whole mess. That's a mess. At least the Rockets traded, hardened, and tore everything down and just kind of started from scratch. I'm glad they didn't try to do the sustain. No, let's keep going and get, let's make trades. Let's get played. And I think of Mori, it stuck around.

They might have done that. Well, Mori is sticking around, by the way, with the Philadelphia 76ers, as is head coach Nick Nurse, speaking of guys who have gotten fired after winning an NBA championship, Nick Nurse and Darrell Mori back in the fold in Philadelphia. What happened there? Why did that not go right? Injuries, I mean, they've been hurt. Joel Embed is, I mean, he's a monster when he's on the floor, but he's just been hurt his entire career.

Didn't he miss his first two NBA seasons with injuries? Yep. It's just basically his whole career has been really. riddled by injuries. And that is your news at noon here on a sports talk 790. Thanks for listening, folks. It is time for a quick break here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Jonathan Allen with us. You have Chris Gordy with us. Adam Clinton will join at 1 o'clock. And you at 713, 212-5-790. 7-13212-5-790. Mr. Gordy and I are talking during the break.

Yeah, we're worried about the rockets and the playoffs. It's kind of funny. You hit this lull of the sports calendar in February after the Super Bowl. It's not a whole lot going on. It's like NBA All-Star Week. But now you've got the Astros firing on all cylinders. They're playing games. They play tonight against the Cardinal 645 PM first pitch here on Sports Talk 790. Rockets into the playoff this weekend.

And it kind of puts it on the back burner on your radar a little bit, especially with the two teams that we have here. The NFL drafts coming up in like two weeks. not even. April 24th. That'll be a week from Thursday. The NFL draft will be here. And we'll be talking about it here on Sports Talk 790.

We will. Did you see who the, I just saw the Texan Senate release today. I think, what's his face? Jim. Nick Casario is going to, well, I haven't seen him in a while. So his name kind of alluded me. He's going to have a media availability later this week. to not answer questions about the draft.

Yeah, it's going to be one of those situations where we are on the board. It's a process. You know, we look at players we like, you know, players we may like a little bit more than others. And, you know, you just kind of evaluate. It's just the right pick. Yeah, we want to make sure you get the pick right. I have to go with the flow because, you know, any number of different scenarios can play out. And we're going to keep everything on the table, you know, where we think whether it's trading up, whether it's trading down.

Yeah, get ready for that. I mean, we could do a, here's a list of things we could do. You know, we could trade up, we could stand put, we could trade back. You know, there's any way you can go on this. Yes, Nick, I understand how a draft works. Thank you. I understand that, thanks. Yeah, there's a lot of players we like.

There's a lot of players. Does he think some of the media members have never covered the NFL before? It's their first time. Yeah, I mean, look, it's a, it's, what we do is we go in the room and we evaluate talent. We look at film on them and we decide, we build a board. And one of the things is, especially picking where we are, there's so many unknowns at this point. So we'll try to just kind of as it goes along, keep reevaluating our board and keep all our options open.

When we pick where we're picking back into the first, we don't know who's going to be available. Yeah. So there could be a really good talent available there. But this is a good draft, a lot of good talent. No matter who we get, where we get them, we're confident that we're going to get a good player and somebody going to help us build towards the future. Did you see who they are. Thank you. Did you see who the Texans are hosting for a visit?

Or they did. They did host for a visit. Oh, who? No, I didn't. Kelvin Banks. From the University of Texas. Running back. Oh. Jaden Blue.

Jayden Blue. He's at formal meetings with the bills, the Packers, the Eagles, Steelers, and the hometown Texans. Okay. Rest for a career high, 730 yards, eight touchdowns, caught 42 passes, 368 yards, played behind several excellent runs. running backs, including Jonathan Brooks, who's a Carolina Panther.

Yes. And when I look at that Texan's depth chart, Ross, Joe Mixon is, Joe Mixon's doing just fine there as a starter. Yeah, but he's got by basically one year left on his deal. Darry Ogumboalee and Damian Pierce hanging around. Yeah, you need, I think this is thought of as a really good running back draft. Yeah. Starting, of course, with Ashton Gentig, who's possibly going to go in the top ten, some people think. But you've got to mean Scatibu, you've got Jaden Blue, you've got some.

Trayvion Henderson from Ohio State people like. So there's a lot of good running backs in this draft. And I think it would be a good idea for the Texans to try to pick one up. The thing with Jaden Blue is breakaway speed. His official pro-day time at Texas, what was that a week or two ago, was 438? Aaron Wilson, though, says his unofficial times were a 425 and 428. So what, I'm confused then. What is the 438?

official versus unofficial. Yeah. I mean, some guy with a stopwatch clocked him. Yeah, right. I had him at 425. And usually they're pretty close. But 425 for a running back? Like, that's...

Yeah, I don't think of... Reggie Bushby. Yeah, he's very fast. He's definitely not like big and bulky. Maybe he could have some issues with pass protection and stuff like that. But if you can get him second, third round or wherever, I don't know exactly where he's projected to go.

I like Jane Blue. I don't know in the NFL. does a running back get out in space and just says break away, you know, nothing but land in front of them? I feel like in the NFL, everybody's so fast. They're going to, you know, they close so quick. Yeah, that's true. But, I mean, you have guys, a lot of them, you do have home run hitters. I mean, how often have you seen Derek Henry just run by everyone?

It's because you have guys taking bad angles and then you kind of surprise them with your speed. So it's not going to be wide open fields. It's going to be safeties and linebackers taking bad angles because of how fast you are. I just feel like the majority of the NFL is so much. much these days is dink and dunk is move the chains, live to fight another day. So Juan Barclay disagrees. Six-yard run here, five-yard slant pass there. Yeah.

Yeah, Barclay was, I mean, he's a legally. Yeah, how many rushes over 50 yards did he have? It seemed like it was happening every week. Look, blue would be a nice compliment behind Joe Mixon. Yeah, but basically it was those two guys. Oh, here's another. I'm just pulling up like the yards per attempt leaders from last year. It's a couple of quarterbacks.

Yeah, Jemir Gibbs, I would put in that category. Actually, sneaky, Bucky Irving. He had 5.4 yards per carry for Tampa Bay. He was running away from a lot of guys. But to your point, we're talking about basically three or four guys that were really running past everyone. Other than that, going to be a lot of tough inside running and stuff like that. Looking at the running back, yeah, Ashton Gentie is expected to go number one.

Amarian Hampton, catching a lot of love coming out of North Carolina. they are, some folks putting him at the back end of the first. Wow. Like they think Ashton Gentie will go somewhere in the first 15. And you can get a whole argument on should you be drafted a running back that high, that sort of thing. Yeah. If it's somebody that is going to be the mega talent, like who was Sequan Barclay, one of the last? Who's one of the running backs that have...

Well, your guy from Texas. Oh, well, Jonathan Brooks? No, Atlanta Falcons. Oh, you're about Bijon Robinson. Bejan Robinson, yeah. Dude, Bejohn & Robinson was one of the best running backs in football last year. Yeah, Bejohn won eighth overall two years ago. Jamir Gibbs went 12th overall.

So by that judgment, that's pretty damn good. I got a hot take for you as well. I think Bejohn Robinson wasn't healthy all year. Just the way that he was moving early in the season, he was looking electric. Then in the middle of the season and then late in the season, he just looked, he didn't look good at all. And when they got big leads, they were immediately going to Tyler Al-Argir. So I got to sneakie. making suspicion that he wasn't 100%

and I think Bijan could even break out more next year. Jonathan Brooks was the highest draft of a runnerback last year. He went with pick 46. And he had just torn his ACL. Then he came back for one game and tore his ACL again. Yeah, Bucky Irving went in the fourth round. He was pretty good with the bucks.

Ray Davis went in the fourth round to the bills. He picked up some yardage as a year went along. But there weren't really any a ton of other running backs. The Texans took Jaward Jordan in the sixth round last year he didn't do much. But the year prior, Bejohn and Jemir Gibbs, both in the first round, both. Both.

Excellent. Yeah, absolutely. So it varies from year to year. People are saying that this isn't maybe a lot of home run hitting running backs outside of Ashton Genty, but it could be guys who have been very solid. And you could pick up third or fourth round a running back who could really produce in the NFL. Yeah, the other names to watch. It's Ashton Jentee.

Obviously, I don't think that he'll even be in play for the Texans. So, Marian Hampton from North Carolina. Caleb Johnson from Iowa. And then you get Trayvion Henderson from Ohio State, Dylan Samson from Tennessee, Quintan Judkins from Ohio State. Camp Scataboo, that feels like a Nick Casario, New England days would love him. I'm skeptical on Cam Scadabo. Is that wrong? I think a lot of it, and maybe I'm just basing this off, like he was good in that game against Texas,

but that was like fourth quarter after like 30 carries and stuff like that. He was their best player all year. Defense is run down, but there. Arizona State makes the playoff because of Scatibo. Yeah. And the same thing with Ashton Jente at Boise. Mm-hmm. Absolutely.

But, I mean, we'll see. We'll see. I don't know exactly where. Where do you see Cam Scadaboo on what you were looking at, like second third round pick somewhere in that? This thing lists them as like the eighth best running back. So that's probably third or fourth round. Yeah, maybe even further back.

Okay. I'm not saying. I'm just saying. Let's get James and Klein want to talk some NFL draft real quick. What's up, James? Yeah, golden. You see, do you think he's a first round pick? I don't know that he's going to go. Maybe it could be the back end of the first round.

There are some guy, like there's some analytics guys that don't like his yards per route run and some other metrics. But, I mean, he's really fast. I think, and maybe somebody who, the highlights look really good. But when you look at some of the low lights, the people who are questioning kind of his work ethic and how much he wants to be out there and stuff like that. So up and down, I could see. I think Golden could go maybe in the back end of the first round. ESPN list, is it Tederoa, McMillan from Arizona.

They have him projected as the 15th overall pick, so that would be in the middle of the first. They have Matthew Golden at 25th overall, so that would be back end of the first. Okay, well, he hung up. Texans territory. I mean, if the Texans want to add, like you got Nico, Tankdale's very much up in the air on his health,

you added Christian Kirk, you added Justin Watson, you added Braxton Berrios, and you return John Metschi, Xavier Hutch. I mean, look, none of the... If you added Matthew Golden to that room, I mean, he's competing with Christian Kirk for the second best wide receiver on the roster. Yeah.

I think some people took some issues with and with some of his performances throughout the season. He came up big in some big games as well, but it was a little bit uneven for Matthew Golden, but I think he's really talented. Todd for first and touchdown receptions in the SEC. There you go. What about you are?

I think the yards were very inconsistent for him. All right, we're going to take a quick break here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Chris Gordy is hanging out. I really appreciate him hanging out for his appreciate you, Gordy, for hanging out as long as you have. You want to get in, you can. We just talked a little bit of NFL draft. We've also been talking about the NBA and the Rockets as the number two seed.

Astros bats wake up to some degree over the weekend as well. You can get in, talk about anything you'd like. 713, 212, 5-790, 7-7-1-3-21-5. 790. Continuing along on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Without Matt Thomas, he's out sick. He'll be back tomorrow. You folks want to get in.

You can. 713, 212.5.790. Chris Gordy with us as well. Adam Clanton joining at 1 o'clock. Apparently we had off air someone talking about the top offensive tackles the Texans could end up with. I imagine you got Wilkins. Campbell number one, although some people say he should be a guard.

Kelvin Beggson, Willemble, I think, are obviously the two best all I'm in this draft from Texas and LSU. Armaud Membue from Azou has been the guy that's been raising up people's boards. He had a really good show at the combine and good workouts, long arms, good, you know,

big guy who moves well. So Armand Membue's those who kind of thought to be the three top ones. The number four guy is a guy of Ohio State named Josh Simmons. And I'm just looking at the latest CBS mock draft that came out this morning, Ross, and they have going to your Houston Texans at the back end of the first round with pick 25 is Josh Simmons from Ohio State. I would like that a lot. Josh Simmons was a big talent. He got hurt

last year. Was it just an ACL? I can't remember exactly what the injury was. So we only played a few games, but there are a lot of people that think if he played all season long, he could possibly have ended up as the number one tackle on the board. Here's what they say. Texans have completely overhauled They're aligned this off season, but the new additions aren't incredibly inspiring. That's why Houston reunites. CJ Stroud with one of his Buckeye teammates in Josh Simmons, who allowed just one quarterback pressure and no snaps, or no sacks,

and 152 pass blocking snaps last season. That was good for the lowest pressure rate allowed by any tackle with at least 100 pass block snaps. But also a small sample size, right? I think he was hurt early into the season. So, and I imagine the beginning of Ohio State's their schedule, probably a little bit light. I'll tell you another guy to keep an eye on is Tyler Booker,

who's a guard out of Alabama, but really big size. And we know they like their Alabama guys. D'emiko went to Alabama. Basically, all their linebackers went to Alabama. Henry Toot. Yeah, Christian Harris went to Alabama. John Mechie went to Alabama. I mean, they had a little thing for Alabama guys there for a while.

They were going to take Bryce Young. Well, you know what, those Alabama players have been pretty good over the years. They were going to take Bryce Young until the Panthers ended up getting the first big. That's very true. But I don't know, that's just a name I would keep an eye on because, you know, again, if they want to go guard over tackle, which I don't know, you already missed on the Kenyon Green one.

I just, I feel like Guard is never a first round pet. You never go guard first round. You shouldn't, or if you do, it should be a can't miss, no doubt about it, guard. Like a Quentin knows or something. And that's unfortunately not what Kenyon Green turned out to be. It's a lot, what was it, 15th or 16th they picked him? Man, that's high for a guard. But it was their second first round pick that year.

But here's the tough part. If a Mecca Abuka is there, and I know he's kind of projected as an early second right now. I don't think he, oh, is he? That's a guy that C.J. Stroud has chemistry with, loved him in college. That maybe, you know, again, like I would be very intrigued with reuniting those two. Hmm. Yeah. I think what we're talking about right now is kind of what it's got to be, right?

It's got to be either wide receiver or it's got to be a or offensive lineman in some way, probably tackle or guard. Yeah. Like this mock draft has Max Harrison from Kentucky going one pick later. I like Max Harrison a lot, but you just locked up Derek Stingley Jr. paying him a ton of money. you just drafted who's my guy from Georgia last year? I got to pull up a depterer. I'm in basketball, baseball mode,

so I'm having brain farm. I was looking something up. I didn't even hear what you were asking. I was going to hear what you were asking. You feel pretty good about Lassar and Stingley. So, again, that's one of those tough parts. Like, if you get to that pick and you have Max Hirston as your best available player,

that's a tough thing of like, do you just take them because we got them great as such a high player? Yeah. I don't know. It's, well, yeah, it's going to be up to Nicky C and his coach speaker, his GM speaker, what he's going to give us. So we're going to stay true to our board, right? We're going to take best player available.

I feel pretty good they're not going to go safety, because you got CJ Gardner Johnson now, and you just locked up Jaylon Petrie, and you got Kalin Bullock. Like, that feels like, I know Petrie is a little bit more of a nickel back, however they use them, but, like, that's your, you're good at safety. Defensive tackle is an interesting one, because I feel good about the ends with Daniel Hunter and well-Aner,

and Will Anderson. I would like a tackle. I mean, you got Sheldon Ranklin's back. Tim Settle was good, especially as a past rushers. You're fine there, but you don't have like complete game wreckers,

which is fine. You don't necessarily need that. And the way the Miko Rhyans, you had the guys like Mario Edwards and those kind of guys in the middle kind of holding things down. That way the edge rushers and the linebackers can do their thing

and get downhill and stop the run. Like if Kenneth Grant from Michigan Falls and he's there, I feel like he's. You gotta go take him. He, yeah, where's Grant supposed to go, though? Is he gonna fall that far? This mock draft has him going 20th overall.

Okay. Yeah, I guess it could happen, but, yeah, I've heard a lot of people talking about him going maybe even higher than that 20th on the mock draft. Derek Harmon from Oregon, I'm good on him. It's actually supposed to be, I read a very deep defensive interior draft as well. So you could pick somebody a third, fourth, a fifth round,

someone like that. The former Aggie, who finished his career at Ole Miss. He was just in Houston over the weekend. Legend Alfred Collins. You didn't mention him. Come on, man. What a nice year. I worry about those guys who have like the huge last year of college.

Oh, really? When they're best and they're coming in, really coming into their own. Come on, man. It'll be fine. I would take Nolan over it. Nolan, I think you got to push him a little. You know, you got to have a... But D'Amico's your coach, so I have no problem.

I think he would get the most out of them. Yeah. Nolan might fall. This pro football focus board I have has Walter Nolan 8th over. all. Wow. This mock draft has them going 32 over all of the Eagles. Wow. Okay. So yeah, somebody like in Alfred Collins or whoever else, it's kind of at the third, fourth round, you can find guys who can be defensive tackles. It's not a premium position like edge rusher tackle and all that type of stuff. But yeah, as the caller suggested, there's basically a big four of alignment in this draft. It's

Kelvin Banks, Will Campbell, Armand Membue, and then Josh Simmons from Ohio State. If you end up with one of those, I'm feeling pretty good. Yeah, all the rest. I mean, when they got a guy, Wyatt Millam from, Milam from West Virginia, no. Yeah.

There's, uh, yeah. Nick Aser, I'm not banking my future on a West Virginia O-Linman. I think he's supposed to be good. I can't remember what the knock on him was. I was doing,

I was like weeks ago, I was doing all my, like, kind of pre-draft pre-prepping, and then I forgot because all the Astros and Rocket stuff that's been going on. Or you know what? Let's just take Jehad Campbell.

Let's get another Alabama linebacker in there in the room. Yeah, and they might do. that actually. Watch out. Tobico goes Aziz Al-Shayar, you're getting older. We got Tenry to Herito-Atoa. We got, you know, Christian Harris. Let's go ahead and add

Jahad Campbell to the mix. Yeah. Okay. Let's do it. I don't care. I'm on board. Just improve the team. That's all I want. Whoever they get, I mean, I'm not going to it's not like I've been watching tape on a bunch of these guys. I've been kind of reading some draft prospect profiles and stuff like that.

Can I pass along what I heard over the weekend? Yes. So everybody, the consensus now is Cam Ward is the best quarterback in this class, and that's it. Like, it's Cam Ward, and then there's a massive separation. There's been a lot of talk of the Saints at nine, maybe in taking Shador Sanders. In fact, a lot of the mock drafts are falling in that category. This guy I talked to said he's talked to tons of people around the league that they don't even have Shador, like they have Shador rank 40th, 41, 42. Like, they don't even have him in the top.

as a first round pick. I think there could very well, because what you're talking about, I've heard from several people as well. And the name that came to my mind, remember people were talking about Will Levis, like going in the top five, going on the top 10,

and then he slipped all the way to the second round. I think we could see a similar situation with Shedor Sanders. Yeah, I think it's a simple fact. This person brought up that, go back to that, what was that draft in 22, that the attitude of that draft with quarterbacks

was similar to this one, where it was Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ritter, Malik Willis, Matt Corral, Bailey, Zappy. It was like, you like some of these guys, but you weren't in love him. And to be honest, Pittsburgh Reach taking Kenny Pickett 20th overall. Desmond Ritter went in the second round to the Falcons, but he's turned out to be a bus. There was no good quarterback that came, well, I guess the best one was Brock Purdy, the last pick of the, you know, last quarterback picked in that draft. He's doing quite well for himself.

But like, what if I told you that this is much like the 22 draft? I think Cam Ward is thought of as better as all those prospects, but outside of that, it is supposed to be kind of... Did you watch Cam Ward and caught? Like, I didn't... He's good. He was fine. I didn't see like, man, the Titans are going to be a... I don't think he was good at all.

AFC South champs if they take him. Yeah. You don't like to let him, though. If the Titans want to take Cam Smith, Cam Ward number one, let him. Yeah, I'm okay with it, too. I wouldn't be super scared about it. Some people do have camboard going down on their boards, but it's the quarterback position. You got to take a shot.

Who knows if the Titans are going to do that or if they're going to try to trade down. All right, we've got to take quick break here again on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Chris Gordy hanging out, Matt Thomas out sick. You could get in if you'd like. It's 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-7-90. Back in a minute after this quick break. Junction Matt is not here today.

He is out sick. He will be back tomorrow. In some capacity, I believe he'll be broadcasting from home next couple of days. Resting up, getting ready. Maybe the long 82 game season is wearing on him. He'll be ready to go for the playoffs.

Get some rest. He'll be back tomorrow. Chris Cordy has been hanging out. Adam Clanton's coming up in a little bit. You guys can get in, 7-1-3. 2-1-2-5-7-90. 713, 212, 579. We've been talking a little bit about the NFL draft.

That is just a week from Thursday. It's creeping up. We're also talking about the Rockets. In the number two spot, they will be anxiously awaiting the result of the game on Tuesday. I imagine if you talk to Udocha and the players, they don't care. Yeah, we don't really care about the opponent. Whoever it's going to be, it's going to be really good. And it's like, it is kind of, I get it.

Do you want to take on Jaron Jackson Jr. and John Moran? or you want to take on Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green and what they got over there at Golden State? Probably the former, but no matter what, it's going to be a pretty good team, but it feels like maybe the Grizzlies

it'd be easier for them to open up a can to quit. First of all, I don't think they're as good as the Warriors. Second of all, they fired their coach, and they went on a losing streak after that, but they kind of closed the season strong, including a blowout win over the crappy Dallas Mavericks in the season. and they are in the eight spot right now.

So the way the playing tournament goes, seven and eight play each other, and nine and ten play each other. Whoever wins out of seven and eight is going to be the opponent for the rockets who are the two seed in the west. So say it with me on Tuesday tomorrow. Go Grizzlies. Six and a half point dogs they are to the Golden State Warriors,

who I think are the more dangerous matchup. But it doesn't matter. There's no easy pickings. in this Western Conference, which is just ridiculously difficult, which, by the way, speaking of how I've been wanting the rockets to avoid the Oklahoma City Thunder for as long as possible and wanted him to finish in that second or third spot in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder have finished with the best point differential in NBA history, 12.9 points per game better than opponents.

Previously, the record was held by the 1972 Lakers. like that's Jerry West, Wilk Chamberlain Lakers. They're pretty good. I want to say they didn't win 70 games, they won like 68, 69 games, something like that. And so the Oklahoma City Thunder, by point differential,

by the points that they outscored their opponent by, best team in NBA history. 68 wins. I mean, they've been damn good. It's, I mean, I know they beat the Rockets for the coveted NBA Cup. Yes, they did. Earlier in the season.

They've already got one trophy. year than Gordy? Yeah, they do. Hang a banner. But yeah, they've been ridiculous. I mean, that's just stupid. And a big part of

has been Shigil just emerging as an absolute superstar in the league. You think he wins MVP? I mean, who would you give it to over? Yokic. Yokish is the best player in basketball.

Yeah, but that becomes the LeBron thing. I know, I can't give it to him every year, but he's the best player in basketball, so I would give it to him. But I understand. There's fatigue. They were the fourth seed. They fired their coach, all that stuff. But they just, I mean, Jalen Williams has emerged there. Chet, they, you know. Chet Holmgren's good. Lou Dord is great. I mean, he started knocking down three.

In addition to the great defense, first team, all defense type of caliber defender he is. He's been knocking down threes like crazy. They're just a complete good team. They have one of the better defenses in basketball and one of the better offenses. And they smashed. It was 12.3 points per game. The 72 Lakers, this is 12.9. that's pretty insane. It's a crazy thing, too, the last time the Rockets made the playoffs, they played this Thunder team in

August of 2020 in the bubble. Yeah, that's right. It was Game 7 and James Hardin Block Lou Dort at the end there. Yeah. That's when Dort was dropping like 30 and I had Chris Paul was on that team. Yes.

I think how different that team was. Stephen Adams was their starting center for the Thunder. Chris Paul was their point guard and he had Chey Gilges, Lou Dort, and Danilo Gallinari. Danilo Galanari. Their bench was Dennis Schroeder and Nerlands Noel.

It's actually not terrible. And then the Rockets line. Do you think you can name the Rocket starting five? Of that game. Of that series. Russell Westbrook. Yes. James Hardin. Yes.

This is where it's going to get difficult for me. Was that the Robberk? Was that the five out? Robert Covington. Yes. P.J. Tucker. PJ Tucker. Um.

And who? was the other, was it Pat Bev? Eric Gordon. Eric Gordon, okay. And then your bench was Jeff Green, Daniel House, and Austin Rivers. Yeah, not great. Not great at all. They beat the Thunder. Yeah. That's when they traded for, they traded Capella and got Covington and they went, they're like, we're just going to go five out. We're going to search Daryl. Yeah, we're just going to go five out. And everybody throw up threes. All right. Thanks, Daryl. What is, oh, God, brain fart today, the coach. Mike Dantone Where's Dantone?

He was an assistant He's an assistant somewhere, I think. Is it in Philly? Or was it? It was Brooklyn, he was an assistant. Coaching advisor for the Pelicans. Okay, now he's with the Pellys. And they won 21 games this year.

Oh, well, he was an assistant with Nets right after, okay. For just the 2021 season. And then now you say he's an advisor. Oh, this says 2021. He was hired as advisor with the Pelicans. I don't even know if he's still, You may be sitting at the Greenbriar. Yeah, who knows what he's doing.

Join a cocktail. Well, things aren't going so well for the Pelicans. What does that say about Dan Tony, though, by the way? Like the minute you moved on from him, no team wanted him as a head coach. Yeah, I think it was about time. And he was in the playoffs, like, every year he was here. He was towards the end of his career.

And I think he was a good coach. I don't think he was costing as much as everybody else did. And he was also under instructions of, like, look, he had to do whatever, James Hardin wanted. If he crossed James Hardin, he was going to be fired. That's like the bottom line of it. That's what happens in the NBA.

We just talked about, I mean, Nick Nurse won a championship. He's been fired. Now he's with Philly, and they're going to retain him, but he was almost going to lose his job. Budenholter, gone. Who is the, Boondholtzer was gone with the bucks because Janus didn't like him over there. Now he's gone with the sons because there wasn't a fit over there. And now Frank Vogel's gone. I mean, how many coaches is LeBron James gotten fired?

It's the nature of the NBA, man. It's a player-driven league much more so than the others, than the other major sports here in America. I just saw this. Did you see the NFL and ESPN are doing a crossover event? Yeah, so did ESPN buy the NFL network? They were talking about that. Did that happen?

Disney. I don't know. But I assume they had to because it's starting tomorrow, NFL network and ESPN talent will appear on various shows ahead of the NFL draft. Tomorrow, SportsCenter, tomorrow evening, Kyle Brandt will be on ESPN Sports Center, and Mel Kuiper will be on the NFL network.

Good for Mel Kiper. How do all the draft experts on the NFL network feel about this? Daniel Jeremiah, Lanzerline, Bucky Brooks. Thursday, Field Yates will be on the NFL network. Rich Eisen will be on ESPN first take. I will not be watching on. Mina Kimes will also appear on the NFL network. That's great.

Wishing them all the best, I won't be catching that program. She's got a lot of hate. There's a lot of people who hate her for some reason. Yeah, it's a very easy reason. Come on. Oh, being a lady in a sports club. You just have to be. She's smart.

She does her research. I think she's smart. I think she does a good job. I also don't really watch much of her content because I just don't watch much of ESPN. But I mean, I feel like she does a decent good job. I like Dan Orlovsky. I like what he does. I just don't watch it much.

It's because those talking head shows just don't interest me. It's just funny that that's happening because remember for years, it used to be like, we should try to book a guest and be like, oh, you're not in ESPN station. Yeah, Colin Cowher can't go on with you. And then he ends up working at Fox anyway. But it's just funny how it's like they're so protected. I'm like, in this day and age of social media and branding, like go on everything.

Get on as much many platforms as you can to spread your brand. They should be, but whatever. I like when we get guys that's like, You literally work for a subscription service. Like when I reach out to some athletic guy and he doesn't want to come on. I'm like, brother, you're getting bought out by the New York Times or laying people off. You need to get any kind of pub for your website. You work for one of those subscription services.

You better do every area. I love the athletic. I subscribe to the athletic for many years. But it's like you also got to play the game, man. If you need a little bit of PR, we have some wonderful listeners who might be interested in your content if you come on this show. And that's what really kind of irks me. But anyways, I digress. All right.

Time for a break here. And it's also time for the third hour. be over. Gordy, thanks for hanging out. Yeah, man. Thanks. Appreciate you. Matt Thomas will be back tomorrow. We get Adam Clinton. Although at what minute will Adam Clanton be here. Sometimes it's at 105, sometimes it's at

115. We'll see. We'll play Adam Clanton roulette. Figure out when he's actually going to show up. Coming up next. Without Matt Thomas, he is out sick. He will be back, I believe, on air tomorrow, but perhaps broadcasting from the Kingwood Studios, hopefully fully clothed.

Ross v. Real, Adam Clanton, with you and we were getting some bets in folks uh one of you via twitter said put me down for 113 adam clinton arrival time he's early folks he's actually here we appreciate it and he's talking now it's up 102 45 on the clock cash in your tickets hey adam how are you you really were taking bets on my arrival yeah we were we were what if the roles were reversed what do you mean i you and i sail in it about the exact same time for our shows well Well, I used to come in a little bit earlier when it was noon. Now that it's now that it's 10 o'clock and I'm the, I would have been self-admittedly the worst morning person in human history.

After me. Let's talk about when I did mornings and it was a race to see who could be later between me and my co-host at the time. Whoever that may be. Yeah. What's up, man? You know what? How's it going? It's great.

I'm very happy because the Rockets are in the playoffs. Yes. First time in five years? I'm even happier because. I want who I want, and you know who that is. Memphis Grizzlies. Nope. You want the Golden State Warriors?

Absolutely. You want the team that's been playing really well since the Jimmy Butler trade? Bring their heads to me on a pike. You want Stefan Curry who can drop seven, eight threes in any given time? I'll tell you what. No one. I got the biggest reason that I don't want the Warriors. Uh-huh.

Dramon Green's going to injure somebody. No, he's not. Yes, he is. You ready for this? Traymond is going to get injured. Oh, wow. Why? Because the Rock is don't back down from anybody, especially that B.

Okay. Come on, dude. Listen, I don't want to, like, go off the rails here, but okay, I will. No, let's go. I just, like, I'm so tired of that guy in particular, just cruising along doing what he does, and the NBA going, eh, it's different set of rules. He hit, yeah, he does have a different set of rules. He hit Alper and Shingoon with a flying elbow to the face.

See, this is what I'm talking about. Like, you think I'm just like, oh, he's different set of rules. I'm just like, oh, he's just doing that for a hot take, you know, effect. Listen to what I'm saying. Who are they? Okay, if it's the Warriors, right? Yes. If they don't manage to lose to the Grizzlies, which actually would be a lot funnier,

but if they don't, and it's the Warriors and the Rockets. Uh-huh. Who's the one team that doesn't back down from anybody? So if he starts to shenanigans. It's not about shenanigans. It's like he literally could have knocked out Alper and Shinggoon for the season. But they'll hurt you too. Yeah, well, they'll hurt them too, but that doesn't help to you.

That Alper and Shingun's out for the year. Well, no, what I'm saying, he's not going to be, Draymond Green's not going to hurt anybody in this series and knock them out of the series. What I'm saying is... He could. He could. Or he could get himself a little dose of his own medicine. He could, like, Zazaa, Petulia, Kauai Leonard style.

All those times, the rockets have matched up with the Warriors, and we know about the results. Remember when he got two knuckles deep in a James Hardin's eye? Yeah, that's James Hardin. He nearly blinded the man. James Hardin. The dude couldn't see for, like, three games. Well. I'm worried about Shane.

on hurting people and blinding them, raking them in the face, kicking them in the nads, and elbowing them in their orbital bones. All of those valid points, unfortunately, because in today's NBA, that's the reality that we live in. He didn't even get a flagrant two for it. No, I know. I know. This is what

I'm talking about. The one team that you want to see handle that kind of guy is, first of all, America is rooting for the rockets in this series. Nobody, all these people try to tell you, oh, Steph Curry is the greatest shooter average, so like. Nobody likes the Warriors.

Nobody. Nobody outside of the Bay Area likes the Warriors. I was in that building of the NBA Cup game that the Rockets won. There was a lot of Warriors fans in that building. Yeah, you know what those people are called? They're called Cowboys fans and Yankees fans. They're front runners. And they're all Lakers.

They're still there rooting for the Warriors. They're just saying. They were all Lakers fans up until a point that they sucked. And then they put on their 30 jerseys. Absolutely. You were absolutely correct. And then when LeBron was the latest star to get hand delivered on a silver platter to that franchise. they rotated back. Now he's the second

latest. Yeah, exactly. See, there's a pattern here. You guys might notice this. I love the NBA. You and I have that in common. I do love the NBA. We love the NBA. But I'm not going to sit here and act like I don't know what's been happening for the last 40 years. Like, it is what it is. It's this short of professional wrestling

sometimes. I'm not saying it's rigged or scripted, but I am saying that there are determining factors that are put in place. And if you want me to stop thinking that and a lot of other people back me up, by the way, then stop assigning Scott Foster to games that you want to have one. And stop allowing guys like Draymond Green to have a different set of rules.

Because there is no argument the NBA can make. You can go all the way up to the top where the mortician commissioner is in a room, in a courtroom. Let's just say he's in a courtroom. He's on the stand. Okay. And he's under penalty of perjury. You have sworn in under oath that there's no funny business or there's nothing, there's no different set of rules for this guy over here based on fact and evidence.

that this guy gets away with murder. Dylan Brooks would have been arrested and put in prison for 20 years if he did with Draymond Green Day. I think, yeah, then he argued with the refs when he's laughing at them as well. You got Steve Kerr coming out, oh, we don't get enough foul calls. Oh, the hell you don't. Are you kidding me? Let's talk about game seven again in 2018. That's why I want these guys.

And stop saying it's a curse and all this other stuff. Oh, they're just, we're cursed by them. Bring those bitches on right now. That's what I'm saying. I'm good. I'll check you after the series. Yeah, okay. Look, you check me with the series.

Let's see what happens. I'll have all the apologies coming my way. I don't want the hottest shooter in the history of the planet to ever walk to Earth. Yeah, he was so hot last time when a men, Thompson put him in a straight jacket. Okay, that's one game. He's been dropping 50 otherwise. They needed that game, too. They need a game against the Spurs.

They need a game against the, I mean, there's all these games they've lost for all these hot streak that they've been playing right now. They could be had. I'm appreciating. No, no, I'm not saying it's not a winnable series. First of all, if it was a seven-game series, I was. still pick the Rockets. But I'm just saying it's Jimmy Buller's pretty good. You people

need to stop being afraid of this team. They're not that great. Brandon Projimsy is pretty good. Stephen Perry's the greatest shooter ever I'll let you know when I start getting worried about anybody you've mentioned including that guy. And okay, not worried about Stephen Curry. Adam Klan is not worried about Stephen Curry.

No. Like, what's the point? What's the point of it? Okay, so you worked all season to get the two seed and you're just going to roll over and die because of some stupid... No, they're not going to roll over and die. I'm not, I would pick you that. No, I'm not rolling over and dying.

You've already conceded the series in five games. I just said I would pick the Warriors. You said it five games, rockets are losing. That's what you just said. That's what I heard. Don't act like they haven't had a voodoo hex over there. How many times are the rockets, this gold, Steph Curry era warriors, how many times are the rockets be in the playoffs?

Zero. Right. And now it's different and hopefully it's the end of the era is 37 years old. How, not the whole roster. Who is on? Who is on? Who is on? There.

No, no, no, no, no. Forget the war. You are, you're focusing on the wrong thing here. We live in Houston, Texas. I don't care about San Francisco. Okay. Who's on that roster from 2018 still and 2019? For the Rockets? Oh, for the Rockets? Nobody. Exactly. Nobody's somehow. They don't have Mike Dan Tony coaching them. They have a guy who will come out after the game and say, we're not going to put up with that bleep. And that's what he did. It's a different error for the Rockets on this side, for sure.

It's a different attitude, though. Okay. That team, listen, as great as they were, 65 wins, put up points and bunches, had 90 at the half against a good son. team. Like all that stuff the Rockets did. If they had a healthy hamstring from Chris Paul, they're NBA champions. Which tells you that they, the warriors weren't that great to begin with. You win 73 games and everybody's like, oh my God, greatest team ever. Luke Walton was coaching them half that time. That's why Steve Kerr's overrated. Listen, listen, Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time. He's a two-trick pony. He's not a top 10 NBA player. None of that stuff. What is the two-trick? What is the second

trick? He assists. He passes as well. He assists. Play Z. Zero defense, he gets a free pass for it. His defense got better as his career. Really? Give me an example. Give you an example. Of him being a better defender at all. He's a Matador out there. No, he's not a Matador.

He was earlier in his career, not in the middle of his career. Now he's not very good for this. Ross isn't ready. And also, Steph Curry has been very good his entire career at getting to the basket and finishing tough layups. I don't know how you could possibly deny that. It's not like he just sits out there off of curls and he does do like Reggie Miller stuff. But he would get to the basket as well.

Unless you're just not paying attention, I mean, he's made a lot of tough layups, very good at getting to the basket in his career. I'll take him in, Thompson. Over what? That? Any of those scenarios you mentioned? Okay.

Listen. Yeah, look, a men's great. This is great. People need to stop, like, like, if you're, honestly, if you're going into that series, like, oh, my God, it's the Warriors again, then don't show up.

It's going to be tough. It's going to be tough. Why is it going to be tough? Why? You have a home court advantage? The Warriors were good. So what are you predicting? Rockets in four? Rockets is six.

Okay, so you lose two games. You win in six. And you went four. And you're saying that's not tough? Yeah, but you just said they were going to lose in five. I heard you. You just act like they're going to sweep them out of the building. I heard you. He's acting like you're going to sweep them out of the building.

I didn't say that? Warriors are ditty. They're trash. They suck. Rockets in six. Why don't you say what you chest in? Rockets in four. Let's go.

Get the brooms out. Come on now. Mr. Big Talker? Come on. I just said the Rockets are going to win the series. which is more than you said. I just said the Rockets are going to win the series. You're not listening.

No, you said Warriors in five. Oh, my God. You didn't hear that? Is this, is this, Teresa, is this how he gaslighted you? Oh, does that happen? She would say yes. Absolutely, I gaslight her all the time. She deserves it.

All right, on that, though, we're going to take a break. Mack, we see you on hold. I am here. Matt Thomas is not. My name is Ross Vier. Adam Clanton is here. We're talking some Rockets basketball. You can get in at 713-212-5-7-90.

7-1-3-212. 5.790. 118 in the PM here on Sports Talk 790. Rosviorya out with you. Adam Clanton is here as well. And Thomas, he's thick. He actually is. I know he is.

I mean, I texted him after the show on Friday, I think. Remember when he signed off and he was like, no, I wasn't listening. Oh, that's right. You were going, he was like, the NAA team. And I was like, bro, are you okay? It was... Oh, man. Do you remember last year when he called that game and he sounded like he was on his deathbed?

Yeah, he didn't call that game. He just... I'm like, this should not be happening. It was brutal. It was brutal. But it's all good. He's going to be fine. He's rested up.

Going to be ready for the playoffs for the Rockets to destroy the Golden State Warriors. Yes, sir. Adam Silver is going to petition. The Rockets are going to win the first three games by like 40 plus and then they're just going to be a three-game series. Like, you forget. and somebody just tweeted this to us, Sam, the sports fan, that gif of Draymond, just hauling off and kicking Stephen Adams in the nuts.

I didn't forget. Like, it's not, if you look at this gif, I'm going to retweet it just so you guys can see what I'm talking. At Sports RV. Let's not forget. We have our own nut kicker too. Who? Dylan Brooks. Does he kick people in nuts? He kicked somebody in the nuts like two weeks ago or a week ago.

Oh, so it happened in a rocket's uniform? Yes, it did. Remember how like Chris Paul would punch people in the nuts and college. He was our nut puncher once he became a rocket. Yeah, exactly. I just if you look at the, and I just retweeted the gif.

It's not a natural motion. No, it's not. It's not even like, he hauls off and kicks him. What he does is, he does what basically you like when you're kids and your cousins or whatever, like you kind of throw your elbow out, you try to act like

it's natural or you kick your leg up a little extra or like, it's, basically what you do to your brother or your cousin or something like that and that's what he's doing or your co-host or your co-host depending on who it is and that's what the thing is too because you have these idiot warriors fans who defend what he does so does people when he he has his elbows out you don't go up to the basket when you put your arms up what happens adam clinton your elbow locks it goes straight when i fly at you with my elbow and then i go up that means I'm trying to disguise trying to hurt you.

Who was the idiot on ESPN that was watching the highlights kind of, was it Molly Karam who was like, I don't know. Now, obviously, there's a bit of acting here from Alperin Shungoon. Oh, my God. What the bleep are you watching? Like, and this guy, it's not just a matter of like an isolated incident. This guy's done this. He's done this to your Lord and Savior LeBron James.

You should hate him. It feels like. You guys all love this guy. Yeah, he does that and he's like he clotheslines people. Rates him across the eyeballs. Yeah, he tries to act like that's natural too. Like, oh, it's just an accident. Can you recall he did that?

He did it to Blron too. Didn't he rake him in the eyes? He might have. I think he did. I think he rakes like the only people, I watch the playoffs every year. I don't watch every single game, but I watch the playoffs. I follow the NBA. I really love it.

I think it's a great product. I know some people don't agree with that. But I can't recall a single person other than Dremont Green where he's acting like it's a natural thing. He's the only one raking people in the face, kicking them in the nuts, and elbowing them in the face. And like I said, he tries to sell it like you do in front of your dad when you're trying to elbow your brother. He's trying to sell it like it's natural.

And I don't know how, I feel like I'm crazy. Everybody seems to buy it. They convince themselves that he's, this is a coincidence. You're not crazy because that's exactly what happens. That's the problem I have with, it's one thing if you're going to, you know, allow him to do this. And you have. If you're the NBA, you have. There's no evidence that you even.

attempted to curtail this. Don't tell me suspending him in the finals. And that was my favorite part. Warriors fans just wailing and gnashing of teeth. Well, if he hadn't been suspended, why did he get suspended? Because he kicked LeBron in the junk. Like, you can't act like the world is against you

when you've gotten literally every call on the book. Like this whole 27 missed three-pointers, two of those should have been four-point plays that James Harden made. And by the way, I just saw the statistic. The, James Harden has squared off against Steph Curry,

regardless of the uniform, 60 times in his career. Okay. You know what the record is? I don't. 30 and 30. Okay. I know that everybody likes to think that well, the Warriors just own the Rockets and it was Well, yeah, they did win those series. Yeah, they did with those series, but they were all very close. We were a torn

hamstring away. Like, and nobody also ever talks about all of the massive key injuries that happened to Warriors' opponents all along the way, almost every year, especially the year they won the whole thing the first time. But, you know, Kauai Leonard's, Ja Ja, Pichulia, like, people forget about that in 2017. That was after the Rockets lost to them because James Hardin just didn't decide to show up for two straight games at the end of that series.

Lou Williams, remember all that? That was a great time. I don't remember. In America. The Lou Williams trade was supposed to really save the team. Yeah. Good bench scoring. Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving being out against them in that series in the finals.

Like, there was a lot of things that have happened along the way. but as it pertains to the rockets and the warriors. Sorry, somebody sent me a Dremont, I kind of zoned out on you because somebody sent me a compilation of Dramon Green hurting people. Yeah. But this is a good thing.

You guys need to approach this. Like, this could be, this could be the beginning of the end for this national nightmare that is the Golden State Warriors and especially Dramon Green. If you want to be a Steph Curry fan, by all means, go ahead.

I mean, that's your prerogative, do with your life what you want. What was the thing? He had to take like a mental health break he got suspended for the league and he was going to counseling and all that type of stuff. Was that after he chokeholded Rudy Gobert? I can't even remember what he did. Yes, it was.

You say chokehold, I say nearly to capitate. Tomato. He is unhinged. He needs the mental break. We need a mental health break from you. I'm saying the number one reason I don't want him to play the Warriors. I'm telling you this could be a good thing. The rockets tangle with the Warriors.

The stakes are high. It's a playoff series. And he tries that stuff against the team. It's not going to stand for it. Now it puts the onus on the officials to do something for a change. Yeah. Because you finally have a team that's not going to back down from that. I love this version of the rockets. I love that too.

But if he's like locking up with Alper and Shingoon for a rebound and rips his shoulder out of his socket, I'm going to be pissed. If he does that, E-May will come on the floor and take care of it himself. Yeah, but then you lose Alper and Shingun, it'll be too late. Well, if he takes out Alper and Shingun's shoulder, you're going to lose him anyways. And then you're going to lose E-May because he's going to go to prison. That's what I'm saying. That's why I want them to play the Grizzlies. I'm less worried about, I don't know. You know what's funny about that?

You know what's funny about that? I know you're going to call me crazy. You're crazy. The Rockets Grizzly series will be 20 times more physical. 20 times more physical. I've seen them play. No, it's not the grind house. It's not the grind house grizzlies.

It doesn't matter. They have got some big, like, tough dudes, some boys. Plus they have John Moran who's literally insane. Jared Jackson Jr. is a problem. They've got size. Jerry's Jr. is good. The grizzly would be tough, too. There's no easy out in the West playoffs.

There's your not. No. And this is a trade, look, this is going to be the case for every single series. This is the closest I've ever seen the Western Conference. By the way, I'm probably taking the field against the Warriors because of this very thing. Not the Warriors, the Thunder. The Thunder can be had. If they get the wrong matchup, it's, I know they're dominant.

I know they've won 65. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. There's, it's too close. It's too competitive. Like, about the only team that I would, like, completely sleep on. if they somehow snuck in would be the Dallas Mavericks. I just don't think they have the firepower. Everybody else is very evenly matched.

I think the Thunder would be, the Thunder are going to be favored no matter who they play. But we'll just have to see what they play the Celtics. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So in the West, I mean, they just had the best point differential in NBA history. But think about this. If the Thunder don't make the NBA finals at a minimum, you're going to start questioning them. Yeah, that's the expectation. You win 68 games and you have the best.

Point differential NBA history, you should make the finals. All right, let's go to the phones real quick. Mac has been waiting patiently. Mac, go ahead. Want to talk some rockets. Hi, jents. Concerning the Warriors, they're in the play-in series, and all they had to do was win one more game,

and they wouldn't be in the playing series. And when they played us this last time, Curry shot one for ten, correct? Yeah, it was one for something. 33 minutes, he had three points on one for two. One for ten. So somewhere right now in the Bay Area, there's a guy calling in saying, we should lose to Memphis and be in the other side because we don't want to play the rockets.

Who's looking forward to playing us? No, buddy. What you're saying is... We won the season series with Memphis. Didn't we beat the Cavaliers twice? Yeah, you swept the calves. So who's looking to play us? Nobody.

It's true. That is correct. Yeah, nobody's beating the Warriors, nobody's beating the Thunder twice this year, and nobody swept the calves, obviously, and they beat Boston in Boston, with an M-Thompson buzzer-beater, of all things. Rockets are going to be a tough out.

If they turn green or a draymond loose on us, we've got 12 fouls worth of people, big strong people from down under that can retaliate, and if somebody of ours goes out within five minutes, Curry's going to have an injury. This guy's, he's going bad boys on this situation.

I appreciate it, Mac. I don't want this to happen, by the way. I'm looking at this compilation. He rakes James Harden, LeBron James twice in the face, and Nicoliochich in the face. Yeah, he's a terrible person. He should be kicked out of the league,

and I'm not even joking. The fact that he didn't even get a flagrant two and that Dylan Brooks did get a flagrant two, and was ejected in the same week. It's just insane. And this is what's wrong with the NBA. And until you change it, and again, I don't want to go full,

and Ben knows I love him. I'm not going to go full Ben to Bose here. But like, there's some times where I'm like, you know, Ben's got a point here. Why are officials never held accountable for this kind of stuff? You're injuring other players. It's not just a foul. It's crazy.

He is an absolute menace. Like Fred Van Vliet chasing down, who was a Janus, and kind of pulling back. on his chin and he was thrown out for that and then to see to see Draymond not even get tossed and he's begging for a technical right

he's like clapping in the official's face that's my other thing forget the physicality this guy's going to be able to just like have a tirade like several times a game and never get thrown out I've never seen it my life coming up next we'll have Jordan Poole to give his thoughts on Draymond Green okay maybe not but we'll continue Draymond Talk 790 he's out of control

Warriors Rockets who are they going to play That game is on Tuesday. So those of you on hold, I see you. We'll get to you next at 713-212-5-790. It is The Matt Thomas Show without Matt Thomas with Ross and Adam Clanton with you until 2 o'clock. 132, the PM here on Sports Talk 7-90. Did you say hello yet? Hello!

There it is. And welcome in to the Matt Thomas show with Ross without Matt Thomas. He is out sick. Adam Clinton hanging out. We appreciate you. Mr. Clinton. I appreciate you having me. Thanks for stopping by.

We appreciate you here. Folks, you can get on the phone lines at 713-212-5-790. By the way, you were talking about Matt being back tomorrow, but perhaps from his Kingwood estate? Yes. It needs to be from his Kingwood estate. The palatial of Kingwood estate. We share a microphone. I don't need any residual.

You don't want to get sick? No. Dude, I'm going to Vegas on Friday morning. Oh, you are? For what? Okay. Oh, listen to everybody chimes in now because I say Vegas. It's always funny to me, the non-drinker, non-gambler going to Vegas.

You go into the sphere? See, this is where it gets great because you've already, you've eased them in with the non-drinker non-gambler, and then I'm going to go see there, and you'll really love it. Barry Manilow. Oh, man. Come on. It's at the stadium. I'll give you a hint.

It's at the, oh, at the stadium? Oh, Metallica. That's here in June. Some other band. Is it like a rock? It's a show. Oh. Showcase of the Immortals.

I don't know what that means. Listen to you to. WrestleMania, baby. Oh, WrestleMania's going to be there? Oh, great for you. How many WrestleMania's have you been to now? Ooh, 17. 17?

That's a lot. That was at the dome. Okay. Oh, 2017. No, no, no. It was WrestleMania 17. It was actually 2001. That's the first one I attended.

I got you. I've never actually stopped and counted. I think it's like five or six. What's the big storyline coming into WrestleMania? John Cena turning heel? Yes, which was awesome, by the way. Okay. It was great to see little kids crying in the audience.

Yeah, I know. You don't know. I was just overwhelmed with emotion. I can't have your... It's the 50-year-old in Jorts. He's turned bad. He's a bad guy now. He's a bad guy now.

He's a bad guy. But you know when like merchandise and stuff like that as a factor, that's why a lot of people thought he would never do it. And so the fact that he's doing it as his last run, because he was retiring after this, allegedly. I love that. Dude, what is it Jordan mean?

About the kids? Believe them kids? Yeah, that's what he said, basically. That's definitely what he said. All right, 713, 2,1, 2, 579. The phone number, Biscuit has been waiting patiently, so let's go to him. On the phone lines, what's up, Biscuit? What's up, my brothers?

Hey, A, C, man, I seen you on there with Randy last night. I didn't know you were trying to be like Mike, man. I didn't know he had the little don't, the little bald dome there, man. I ain't trying to be like Mike. Okay. I'm trying to be like Steve Austin. Oh, okay. I do like Mike, though.

Let me pose a question there. I think we can all agree that Draymond is the dirtiest player in the NBA. But Ross, help me here. Who is the second dirtiest player in NBA? Second dirtiest player in the NBA? Where's he guiding you to? I know you're trying to make me go.

And the guy with the lead to league in technicals or whatever. and then hit a couple people in the junk a few times itself. Yeah. Yeah. So we're not going to talk about the dirtiness, AC. Yeah, but Draymond's worse. Draymond's raked multiple players. He seeks out the other team's best player and he tries to rake them in the face.

And Brooks don't do the same? No. You know, okay. Not to that extent, no. Biscuit, I honestly, if you're asking. Yeah, but if you're asking that question, honestly, I really don't think he does. like Dylan Brooks, aside from being a much, much better offensive player than Draymond Green all around, and he's having one of his best three-point shooting seasons in forever,

he actually will try to defend you straight up. I'm not saying he doesn't have tactics or things he does at times that, you know, maybe are called into question. But I don't really feel like Dylan Brooks gets up out of bed every morning and thinks about how he can injure a guy. And I don't, I'm not saying that Draymond does, but if you were to ask me which one of those guys would have that mentality first and I'm betting on them, it's definitely Draymond. I agree with that. I'm just saying, man, Brooks say he ain't no choir boy, okay?

No, no one's saying he is. Yeah, okay, but getting to the game, to the series, though, man, and I definitely disagree with you, man. Memphis is imploding, man. If you can get them, that's almost like a buy, I think. You know what I'm saying? So if you can get them, of course you want them, but I doubt if that's going to happen. So going to the Warriors, I like the Rockets fans against the Warriors. By the way, the Rockets have never had,

the Rockets have never had home court advantage against the Warriors in a playoff series. You know that, right? It's always been going to Oakland. I like them. I like that. It's not a huge thing, but I do think that there are certain, like in sports, I asked Wex about this. They did an 18, didn't they?

Yeah, actually, you're right. They did. They did in 18, but they didn't have their second best player the last two games that series. Yeah. Well, his hamstring. When you're going to the Bay Area for a game six and you're up three, two, and you're thinking you're going to end that series. But we're going to take your second best player away.

It kind of evens out the whole home court thing. Just make a couple of those 27-3s. Well, that was game seven when Scott Foster and Tony Brothers showed up and said, you're not winning this. They could have not gone over 27 and won the game. Dude, did you not hear what I said? No. You have probably never watched.

There's a YouTube video of it's a compilation. Yes, they were some of them. They were fouled on a few of them. those, yes. Yeah, they were fouled on on two of them for sure. They should have been four-point plays. But Scott Foster specifically waived those off. You know, the same Scott Foster who text message with Tim Donahey, like hundreds of times around the betting scandal. All right. Yes, he's rigging the league for Golden State. I mean, listen, if we want to like say I'm a

conspiracy theorist, that's fine, but take any other scenario and put those parameters into it, you're going to ask questions. I don't think the league is rigged. I don't think Scott Foster that series was rigged. Okay. It was rigged. No, I just, I can't, I can't sit still and just allow that to go on and act like nothing happened there.

I mean, it's just, it's gross, frankly. Especially when you, if the league was rigged, the team from San Antonio wouldn't have won five championships. That's probably true. Although, Tim Duncan was once thrown out of a game for laughing. That's true. And that's the only time I can recall. Joey Crawford.

That's the only time I can recall the NBA stepping in. Which to their credit, he was supposedly one of their best, which tells you all you need to know about that. He was like one of their top echelon officials and they're like, yeah, you got to go. He was also pockoning the difference on taxes for upgrading his flights. All right, anything else, Biscuit? I would also throw in, remember the, what's the, was it, Jake O'Donnell with Clyde? I think he got in trouble for that ejection when he was with the rocket. Yes, but that took a letter from the mayor's wife to happen.

I mean, these are the kinds of things that have to happen. That's before my time. At least Lanier sent a letter to the league office and he never officiated a game again. What happened? So Clyde gets thrown out of the game in Phoenix and the Rockets, I believe, were already down 3-1 in that series. And he gets thrown out of the game for just Jake O'Donnell was just a jerk.

Apparently in the pre-game circle, he refused to shake Clyde's hand. It was bad. It was a bad look. So he throws him out of the game. Maybe he was offended by Clyde's mustache. Nobody's offended by Clyde's mustache. It's barely there. He throws him out of the game.

The league office gets a letter from Bob Lanier's wife. Really? They were in attendance. What? And Jacob, go look it up. Jacob Donald. No, I'm not calling you a liar. I'm saying I didn't have nervous.

Jake O'Donnell never officiated another NBA game after that. Wow. Famously. Wow. It wasn't just, oh, that's the end of the run for this season. He never came back. He was swimming with the fishes, metaphorically. Okay, I was going to say.

His careers. The Lanier family had him rubbed out? They did. They had his career rubbed out. Okay. He insulted him a little bit. They did. But yeah, I'm not saying that needs to happen to dream on, but I'm not saying it doesn't.

Okay. I mean, you look at these. Let me put it this way. Let me ask you this. In all seriousness, it's not for effect. Rockets play the Warriors in the first round. Okay. Let's just say game two, let's go game three.

It's going to be in San Francisco. He's in his element. Crowd's going crazy. he starts pulling his BS, right? Yes. Like he does something like what we've talked about in a long lineage of these injurious type fouls. Not just a regular foul, not a hard foul, not a hard playoff foul.

He does something that hurts somebody on the Rockets. Yes. What should the NBA do in response? He should be suspended for multiple games. Of the series. Absolutely. Because for every game you suspend somebody in the postseason, that's like five regular season games, let's say, the magnitude of those games.

Yeah, he should be suspended. in it. Okay. Honestly, I feel like you could literally pull up all the videos and make an argument that he should be out of the NBA. I'm not even kidding. But he didn't even get ejected when he elbowed Alperin Shingoon. And this was after he got a technical in the half prior. Yeah. You remember, he got that technical before halftime, right? And then after halftime in the third quarter is when he, quote, didn't lead with his elbow, even though he completely led with his elbow. It was a natural motion.

The only part that was better, and the only part that always is better about those scenarios, is without fail, Steve Kerr will get up there and defend him, and their fan base will act like, what? He didn't do anything. Fan base is terrible. I hate that entire organization and all of their families. That is the one

and only Adam Clinton here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. We're going to take a break. We've got one segment to go. No, believe it or not today when Matt is out, we all give her, I get myself a mental day off with Matt out doing that, so I I appreciate it. I don't have to write those questions. So you're going to want to get in in the last segment.

You can at 7-13-21-2-5-790. Back in a minute for the final segment of the Matt Thomas show with Ross. All right, welcome back to the final segment. Got the Book of Job going on in here. Between segments, always more interesting than during segments. Here on Sports Talk 7-90, Adam Platon is here. Ross Villariel with you. By the way, the book of Job is heavy.

I'll take your word for it. Is that a movie? It's a book in the podcast. It's in the Old Testament. I'm just kidding. Don't look at me like that, Jonathan. It's spelled J-O-B. I grew up Catholic. But anyways, 7-1-3-21-2579.

The phone number. We've been talking a lot of heavy rockets dock. I love it. We have the game tomorrow, which Adam Clinton will be full-throatedly rooting for the Warriors because he wants them to come and take on the Houston Rockets. I don't care. I really don't care who it is. Either way. I just do think, I think the Warriors are going to be a bit of a tougher route.

I don't think it's an accident that there's six. Now, of course, they are at home as well, but they're six and a half point favorites over the Grizzlies. And we can talk about, like you said, we can talk about the aura and all that of the teams, and it's different teams. It's a different here in Houston. I'm talking about as a practicality for the 25 season,

with Jimmy Butler added, the Warriors have been playing pretty good. I think the Grizzlies would be not an easy out, but easier perhaps than the Warriors. And at the end of the day, this is what I always come back to. It doesn't matter what you and I root for, Clinton. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen on that

floor in San Francisco and we'll see what happens after Tuesday night. Let me ask you this. The Rockets get the Warriors and they have games one and two at Toyota Center. Sunday, likely afternoon if it's the Warriors. I just, from that graphic that's floating around, I tend to agree that

would be the matchup versus if it's Memphis it would be later that night. Whatever. We know it's Sunday. We do know that. Sunday. So let's say the Rockets find a way somehow, some way to win games one and two. They're up two oh, that sounds great. So they're going back to San Francisco.

Okay. And you get to the arena that night. Actually, you'll know that morning. Uh-huh. You see that one of, or both of, but likely one of, Scott Foster or Tony Brothers, is the official for game three.

Are you going to call me crazy then? No. Yes. Why? Well, we'll see how the game go. That's the fixer. in. What if the Rockets win that game? What if they do? Scott Foster is called a bunch of games at the word. But I'm not asking about the game. Did the voters say they hated Scott Foster?

I don't know. I know that he and Chris Paul don't get along. Yeah. It was both sides hated Scott Foster. Chris Paul has famously lost like something insane, like 13 straight playoff games that he's been in that Scott Foster has officiated. It's some stupid number. Yeah. But I'm saying the game hasn't started yet. I'm talking about morning of game Three rockets are up to O and you see that. What are you supposed to think if you've been through all of this stuff? We'll come to this scenario when we get it. You'll watch the game and see how it plays out and see how it gets called.

All right. I'm just saying. Okay. I'm just saying. All right. We'll see, I suppose. Who's going to call the L.A. games and get the L.A. moving along. Well, if you talk to anybody out there, obviously the Lakers are winning it all.

It's obvious. It's the path is so easy. I'm glad. Everybody's getting exposed, by the way. Well, we're on the same page. Oh, there you're going to get. I did to tell the truth earlier today, and the one that I believe was that the Lakers are a hype job. Of course they are.

What do you mean? You believe. It's fact. You can't get away from it. They clarified the fourth thing you said. The fourth one? Okay, so you want all four or just the fourth one? No, just the Lakers are a hot job.

That was the first opinion I had. The other opinion I had was Esoc Paratus was going to finish second. with the Astros in home runs, but that was a lie. If you played all of his games at Minute Maid, he could. That's why they signed him. I think Christian Walker is still ended up second. And of course, you are on hope. If you're on isn't first in home runs at the end of the season,

something very wrong has happened with the Astros. He needs to stop being so Alex Bregman. Alex Breggman. As an Astro. As it, I was going to say. Slow starting. He slowed down since that Big Six RBI game as a Red Sox person. Red Sox person.

As a Red Sox. As a Red Soxman. Soxman. Yeah, Red Soxman. That sounds weird to say. I don't want to say that anymore. So going back to the Lakers. The winner needs to talk about Kyle Tucker.

But anyways, going back to the Lakers. Yeah, I mean, look, Austin Reeves is good. LeBron is good. Luca is good. But at this stage in the careers, I mean, Austin Reeves is probably the better defender of the three of them. I mean, they're starting Jackson Hayes at Center. And it's like Gabe Vincent.

You have potentially the most nauseating path to the Western Conference finals possible. You know that, right? If you're the Rockets. Because if it's the Warriors, you get out of that series somehow, some way, because, you know, just automatically they're the Warriors, so the Rockets shouldn't even show up, right? That's what we're being told here by Ross and others. Oh, my God, I did not say that.

I'm picking the Warriors to... If you get to the Simis... All right, the Gaslight King is here. I'm picking the Rockets to beat the Warriors. Okay, so you get to the semis and the Lakers are standing there. You realize that, right? If they beat the Timberwolves, that's who you're facing is the Lakers. Honestly, Timberwolves could knock them out.

Easy. That's true. Easy. And as part of me thinks they probably will. I wish... Lakers minus four and a half for game one, by the way. I wish we had sports gambling here. I would love to see a series price.

I think just on its face, I feel like the Laker, the Timberwolves are going to have a good series price. I would like to probably bet on them. I also like, how about this? We were talking about this earlier, talking about disrespect and all that type of stuff. Championship odds.

The favorites are around two to one, talking about the Celtics and the Thunder. I think the calves are like five to one. The rockets are 45. one. Way worse. They basically think they shouldn't even show up to their games.

25 bucks. I mean, sorry, 20 bucks on that wins you $900. You put $20 on that, but the Rockets have to win the championship. How many teams are behind them? In this playoff field. It's not a lot. I'll go, I'm trying to go, I'm trying to pull up the email. I mean, that's just. I might have deleted it.

And I'm sorry, like, people like that jackass discount Jesus looking dude on FS1. I won't say his name. because he's a turd. Are like, well, you know, the Rockets, they're the two, but they're really the seven. I love LeBron and Patrick Mahalms. Like, he just, the amount of disrespect.

Now, look, if the Rockets roll over and die in the first round, I'm not going to, I'm going to eat in all of this. All right, let's, you know what, I'm going to pull up our good friend, Draft Kings. You know, you can download the Draft Kings pick six app. I'll take your word for it. They don't pay me. Oh. And use code Spotlight. Uh-huh.

Here we go. Team Futures. Finals winner. They have the Thunder, like I said, a little bit under 2 to 1 Celtics as well. So what do they have Thunder Celtics in the finals? Or is it Thunder Cavs? Uh-oh. This is 8,000 to 1? Is this correct?

Is this 80 to 1? Hmm. What? 10 bucks on it. It doesn't sound promising. Dude, you put 20 bucks on that? It's 1,600 bucks. I'll take the rockets at 80 to 1?

Then do it. Well, I can't because we don't live in a state where the politicians aren't controlled enough by the gambling interests, I guess. There's a way. Yeah, all right, I'm going to drive to Lake Charles tonight. Actually, I'm off. I'm off at 2 o'clock for the day.

I can drive down there, hang out for a little bit, and come back. I can't get it. We're supposed to go there in May. It's going to be too late. I literally need to find somebody to get this down for me. I just put 20 bucks on it. 1600s, they win it all? 80 to 1, are you kidding me?

That's tied with the Pacers. Worse than the T-Wolves, Clippers, Knicks, Warriors, your warriors are 17 to 1. They're not my warriors. Nuggets are 25 to 1. Lakers are 14 to 1. Get out of here. That is absurd.

Huh? Hmm. Something to think about. All right, I'm not to get, I'm not to get, seriously, I need to figure something out. But, I mean, look, I don't think the Rocky are winning at the championship, but 80 to 1 is good value. That means if they play these playoffs 80, 81 times,

can the Astros win once? I mean, the Rockets. Yes. It's all takes. That's all it takes. All right, that's going to do it for the Matt Thomas show with Ross. My special thanks to Program Director of the Year, Chris Gordy, for stopping by for a little bit.

I appreciate him. Thank you, Adam Clinton. I don't want any of that's Gordy's thing. Talking about how much you love the Warriors. Appreciate you. Thanks to Jonathan Allen, producing, doing a great job as he always does. Matt Thomas will be back tomorrow.

My name is Ross and Uriel. I'll be back with you too, 10 a.m. right now. Don't go anywhere. It's the A team with Adam and Adam.