The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Vernon Maxwell Joins Matt Thomas In Studio On SportsTalk 790

Episode Date: November 15, 2019

Rockets Legend, Vernon Maxwell, joins Matt and Ross on this Flashback Friday as the Rockets prepare to take on the Pacers

Vernon Maxwell, part of Flashback Friday inside at Toyota Center tonight. Max, I was telling the audience just a minute ago, no matter when you talk to me in the arenas or we visit here on my show, that I always like to describe you as the greatest defender on Michael Jordan. Are you ever going to get tired of hearing that? No, I ain't going to get tired of hearing that. I appreciate that's why I like to hear. How are you doing? Congratulations to your son, by the way.

Thanks a lot, man. Yeah, we just signed this deal Tuesday. Got a full ride of Georgia Tech. I'm proud of him. Basketball scholarship. So look forward to seeing next year in 2020 in the ACC. ACC. Now, who else was in on him besides Georgia Tech?

We had Georgetown, Temple, North Carolina State, Gonzaga. We had over 30 screws, so he's a decent little ball player. I can kind of, come on, Dad, you can brag on the little bit. You can do more than that. Decent. Now you've got to do more for me to do that. What's this how tall is he? How big is he? What positions he play? No, he's my height. He's 200 pounds. I'm about 180. He's 200. He's a big boy.

Yeah, so he's a shooter. And does he have the outside shooting strip that you used to have? I was telling somebody the other day, I think he might shoot it better than me. I know he's a better, he's a better score than me. I don't know about a better athlete, but I know he's a better score than me. Do you try to, can he defend you to this day and vice versa? Well, he probably can now, but I can't guard him. No, he's got too much Steph Curry stuff going on with me. What's the last time you all played one-on-one?

Oh, probably about two years ago. I got beat pretty bad. And that's what you said I'm out? Like swung, not throw a punch, but tried to form him and knock him down, and I couldn't get to him. That's when I knew it was over for me. You know what? When in doubt, you go to the Red Fox.

You've got arthritis and you can't compete anymore. That's what you got to do. That's right. That's right. Hey, I heard you in the studio talking about Mason Rudolph. What do you think about all this stuff going down with Miles Garrett? I know you're a football fan too. Oh, yeah.

Well, I mean, I feel for both the guys, I mean, Rudolph, I feel it was, I mean, he had some part in it too. He was an alligator at the beginning, pulling him trying to pull the guy's helmet off. But don't make it right what Garrett did. I went overboard, I mean, 15, 12 seconds left in the game. I think, I mean, the game was already over. Rudolph probably was a little bit upset

because he had through foreign interceptions and had a bad game, and they were losing. And Garrett, I don't know what happened. It was kind of funny the way he tackled him, and they went down to the ground. And I don't know what happened in, but it's just like Rudolph got upset and tried to pull his helmet off,

and Garrett just, like, he lost it. But I've been there before. Like, I've been on that side of the, spectrum like I was I was Garrett you know when I ran in the stand so and the next day I can say you know it's not a good feeling and you know I mean you think about man wow what I just do I shouldn't have did it but you know it's too late now but you know I mean hopefully this year go by for him and he live and he learned from it and get some counseling because it might I mean the man probably might need some counseling you know I mean so

you I mean so but hopefully yeah I just think it's one of the situations that Max, we don't know how long he's going to be gone. And I understand heat of the moment. You know, when you're playing on a basketball court or baseball field or a football field, it's not like walking the streets. You're in this intense, highly emotional. Millions of people are watching every move you make. So it's not just a 9 to 5 desk job.

But at the same time, when you put the uniform on, you've got to know you've got to keep your cool. No matter how bad the situation is. And I agree. That's what I was saying earlier on a radio station. that, you know, the guy's got to be held up to, you know, you've got to be professional about it. You got kids watching this game. You got kids wanting to play this game.

And, I mean, he's got to be more professional. But, I mean, it is what it is. And it's what, I mean, he's got to deal with this problem now. And hopefully they go ahead and do what they're going to do to him where he knows what's going to happen to him. He don't have to wonder. And we don't have to speculate like everybody's doing the day. And he can go ahead and move on to the next chapter in his life.

the great Vernon Maxwell with us here on the Matt Thomas show and we're here at Billiard Factor Max is back in our studios the catch-em and musters are coming out tonight not like the quasi retro I mean these are the legit retro have you seen them yet yeah I seen him uh very nice uniforms it's gonna be I mean I like the uniform I wish I'd have a chance to play in them so I'm looking forward to see it's NBA players they have like nine different uniforms Max when you played it was you wore the whites at home and you wore the dark colors on the row what is all this with different colors and statement and association jerse is this crazy or what yeah it's i like it though that's what the games then came you know i mean i wish we could have played in a lot of uniforms different uniforms and had different looks and things like that and wear different color shoes and you know when you put on a different uniform you got to put on different shoes so i mean i wish we

could have did all that but um i i like it and i i think it's wonderful i mean to see these guys in different and the throwbacks and the whatever you want to call them i like it a lot Well, again, this is one of the first flashback Fridays, and we're great to have you back in town. Give me a thought or two about what you've seen so far from Russ and James on the floor at the same time. Well, everything I envision, Russ playing with all the energy. And, I mean, it's just a dog out there. I mean, I love him so much. He reminds me of myself so much.

He brings the energy for the team. And I guess the fans, I'm sure they get it too. And then James being James. And I just feel like the guys just have to hold on until everybody get back healthy and Eric Gordon can get back and Capella can get back off the protocol. And I think they're going to have a great year this year.

I mean, you got two starting all-star guards on your team in the back court. So, I mean, you've got great things going to happen for this city this year, I think. I mean, I just, you know, I always tease you about this. I said, yeah, I think you put the uniform on and give us 15 minutes. I really think tonight we may need you for 15 minutes.

There's nobody that left that's healthy. Daniel House has got that bad back going. You mentioned Clinton, Eric. I mean, there could be some time for number 11 out there. Well, tell them and give me a one day then. One day. Could you imagine a one-day contract in 2019 to pay? Oh, man.

That's what I was just talking to somebody last night about a 10-day when I saw Camilla Anthony getting a 10-day contract. And I know when I was getting 10-day contracts when I was back playing in the 90s, 99, 98. I got a 10-day. And it paid about 30, $40,000 for 10 days. I was like, I wonder what a 10-day pays now. It has to be over 100. It has to be over 100.

I think you'd be very jealous. I think I will be too. I need to do another 10-day-to-day. All right. Well, you're doing the first shot tonight at the game. Is that right the first free throw? Yes, I got the first free throw right before the game. So I need everybody to come out and see this.

It's going to be wonderful. Max, we haven't had one made in like forever. We need you to make. Okay, I got it. I put it in the books. It's already made. Mad Max. All right.

Flashback Friday tonight, Rockets, Pacers, Mad Max is going to be there for the first shot before, just before the tip time. Vernon, it's always a pleasure to have you on my show, my friend. Take care of yourself. Congratulations to you and the family on the sun going to Georgia Tech. Oh, thanks a lot for everything. I appreciate you, buddy. You got it. Vernon Maxwell with us here on Sports Talk 790.