Looks space city, created created, created City. Welcome to another Space City.
Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Dan Matthews Live a local h town breakdown
of the world that matters to you, does Houston Sports World? All these
great Houston fans here, We love you all. So finish up on that
to do list. Flute up for Joler, because you can't drink in talk
sports all day if you don't start. Now this Space City Saturday. Here's
seven nineties Dan Matthews. Everything he just said is true. Good morning,
Houston, what's going on? Happy New Year. I'll go ahead and say
it because I'm not gonna get it. It's at least into these live microphones
to be able to say that until I'll actually be doing rockets, launch pad
and rap because Ross Villarrial at that time gonna be at the Sugar Bowl watching
his beloved Texas Longhorns take on the Washington Huskies as special thanks to Doug Pike.
Always great to hang out with him for a few minutes. You know,
talk a little bit of golf with him, do all that kind of
stuff, and you know, look like I said with him at the end
of his show. Yeah, man, the PGA Tour season firing up.
I love the West Coast swing this time of the year because there's not a
ton happening sports wise after the Super Bowl, and you know, we're waiting
on spring training to get going, and in the past few years with the
Rockets, that has definitely been the case. We'll have a little bit more
to chew on right now because the Rockets are at least a competitive organization this
season and hopefully getting better after getting some injured guys back, and hopeful we
get over this little three game losing skid there on. All of a sudden,
the home front not so great for the Rockets, red so the hometown
heroes, crew jerseys and the Dunkster not court, everything of the such.
Yeah, took a huge l this week oh to three for the Rockets.
So we'll talk about that and much more as the show goes along. But
the golf thing I was talking about, I mean, you know, I
always loved that time of the year, and you know it's also too I
understand, and I'm not going to do golf here on the show. Probably
very rarely we will ever have a golf topic on here. I mean pretty
much there's not very many storylines. Let's be honest here, most of the
players on the tour now are not very interesting to talk about, so we
won't do it very much. But you know, I just as they mentioned
to you all, I'm a huge golf guy. I love it, love
watching when they play at Tory Pines on the West Coast, on the West
Coast swing, go to Riviera La, play there too, Pebble b each
of course, h Scottsdale with the TPC at Scottsdale right there the sixteenth hole,
the stadium hole right there that they have that little part three that's always
fun to watch on Super Bowl weekend to get you ready for the game.
And yeah, you know it's something to kind of pass the time a little
bit. So we've definitely got that. If you want to weigh in on
the program, you can. It's Semon one three two one two five seven
ninety seven one three two one two five seven ninety Once again, it's Semon
one three two one two five seven to nine zero is the way to get
in on the show. Texans talk absolutely gonna happen on the show today.
We will get into that as they have a huge one tomorrow. It is
in every sense of the word a must win in that game against the Titans
tomorrow. And I know that most people out there might say, oh,
come on, it's the Titans. It's not gonna be that much of an
issue for the Texans to try to overtake. But look, there are a
lot of different things that could get in the way. And again, I've
said it before and I'll continue to say it. That's an NFL team with
guys who get paid to play NFL football and are professional in every sense the
word, and can also really be able to jump up and beat you.
And I don't think there's any doubt about it that the Titans could be a
team that could be an issue for the Texans tomorrow. I mean, you
know, you've got Derek Henry, Me and Adam Clanton talked about it on
the A team. You got to believe that he wants to be able to
have a better performance since the last game, Will Levis he would like to
get back at this defense that absolutely made that last visit to Tennessee very tough
on him. So there's a ton of motivation. And while the Titans season
is done, they've been eliminated from the playoffs. Absolutely, Mike Vrabel is
the type of guy that reminds his guys, hey, we've got a chance
to end somebody else's season, because if they come in here and win that
game tomorrow, then the Texans season is effectively over. Would have to have
so much help in order to be able to make the playoffs from Jacksonville,
have to go on the road and win at Indie, all of those different
types of things. The scenario is simple. You win these next two games,
you're in and if you win only one of these two games, you
need help. If you lose both of them, then you're out altogether.
So we know the scenario. It's there right in front of us. So
that's what the Texans have to do against the Titans tomorrow. Obviously, the
number one storyline with that is getting CJ. Stroud back, and he is
a huge help to this offense. We've all seen it. I mean,
last two games showed us all we need to know. Great job by case
Keenum last game. Davis Mills did some good things, but they're not number
seven, and having number seven on the field has made a difference. He
has made a group of receivers who frankly I thought were not capable of really
being an effective group, an effective group, and that's been because of CJ.
Stroud this season and also to the running game these last few weeks has
actually gotten at least it's at least been capable. Can we at least say
that. I mean, Devin Singletary taking over the primary role there has been
a huge help to this team. And now pretty much we know that Damian
Pierce is more of a special teams use guy on kick returns. He showed
it last week against Cleveland, but that is so what we see from that
group now. But I mean, you know, it's something that offensively,
it's a huge help to have CJ. Shroud back for everything that he has
shown us this season. And on the defensive side, we'll have to wait
and see. With Will Anderson Junior. I mean we saw yesterday limited in
practice and listed as questionable for the game tomorrow. If I had to guess
what that's going to mean, it probably will mean about this time when the
players start going on the field, if you get there early enough, they're
not in their pads yet. You know, maybe they've got their pants on
with their with their leg pads on, but they're out there just kind of
getting loose, getting warm up a little bit, kind of getting a feel
for the field and for what the conditions are going to be that day,
and then they go back in, put everything on, come back out for
the team warm up, and then of course get it going at noon our
time. And I guess the good news is TV wise, tomorrow, we
don't have to worry about the whole TEGNA KHOU thing, right, That's that's
good if you are a Direct TV subscriber, which I am. So we're
actually gonna be getting Chris Myers and also Robert Smith on the call tomorrow for
Fox, So this is gonna be a Fox game, so all over there
on Fox twenty six you'll be able to watch this one. But we obviously
know what this means for the Texans. The Rockets, as I mentioned,
losing their third straight last night to the Philadelphia seventy six ers. As it
was a game that looked like it was going to be a good finish for
the Rockets, but they were unable to hold on, getting out scored in
the fourth quarter forty one to thirty and they fall by four points again one
thirty one, one twenty seven, A little bit of a rough stretch here.
I mean, it's not been fun, it's not been great. It's
obviously things that we would have liked to have seen this team avoid, but
they have not been able to avoid it to this point and now also to
really up until this recent stretch, the Rockets have been pretty fortunate with injuries
through the first thirty games of the season, but a couple of games ago
that was not the case. With Dylan Brooks he left with the oblique issue
uh emy Udoka before the game last night, seeing about a week or so
for him to be back. Don't expect it to be a prolonged absence in
the same deal with Jabari Smith Junior, as he left the game against Phoenix
with the ankle issue in the third quarter, and it was something too that
he may udoka, as you heard Rossville Real play on Rockets launch pad before
the game last night. They don't expect it to be in a Men Thompson
situation where a Men Thompson obviously had a pretty rough sprain to ankle because he
missed about a month of the season and he's trying to work his way back
into playing shape right now to be an effective player for this team. But
they feel like Jabari won't have as long a prolonged absence. That's good,
I mean, because I've said it before and I'll continue to say it again.
It's an incredibly young basketball team still, even with the additions of Dylan
Brooks and Fred Van Vliet and Jeff Green and Aaron Holliday. I mean guys
that you brought in with the explicit purpose to shepherd the young guys. Bring
along Jalen Green, bring along Alprinshingoon, bring along Jabari Smith Junior, and
Amen Thompson and Cam whitmore guys like that to be able to have them become
true NFL players and true pros and guys that know that I say NFL,
NBA, you know what I meant, but true NBA players that are true
pros and know what this level of basketball is. And I think that right
now you're just seeing a little bit of a struggle of a team kind of
trying to find what they are right now because you have a couple of very
key pieces that are not part of the rotation right now. I mean,
we've seen what this team looks like at times. With one game this year
that Fred van Vliet had to miss, we saw the team looked like when
you had to go that route. And also too, you're finding out what
it looks like to not have the defensive presence of Dylan Brooks out there and
the physicality that he brings on the floor. And I think also too the
same from an energy perspective, and also too a guy that really I think
kind of started to find himself offensively and Jabari Smith Junior. So losing streaks
happen, I mean, we don't want them to happen. They're a little
bit more pronounced in say football, if your team hasn't won a game in
two or three weeks, but in basketball they happen Baseball, I mean,
gosh, a three game losing streak in baseball, you're just kind of like,
yeah, get through it. And I think in certain ways the NBA,
with it being half the length of a Major League Baseball season, there
still is a little bit especially this time of the year too, because I
feel like, really, you know, we've heard people say that the NBA
season starts after Christmas. Well it's after Christmas, but still I think that
people don't necessarily truly pay attention until after football season is over. So once
we get to about February. That's when you know things like this happen and
you're kind of like, well, we're fifty sixty games in at this point,
I mean, how much better can you really expect this team to be?
And the Rockets haven't even reached the halfway point of the season yet.
I think that's still again getting some of those guys back, being able to
get back into some of the rhythms that have helped you this season. I
kind of rolled that in there, DENNI, but the rhythms of the season.
As the Rockets have at times shown very good defensive performances, they've also
shown some defensive laps games at times, and also too offensively, sometimes it
looks really great and sometimes it doesn't look so great. And a guy that
wears the brunt of that is Jalen Green, who had one of his best
offensive games of the season last night, thirty one points for him in the
effort against the Sixers. And he's a guy too that I think has probably
been trying to regain the confidence in that shooting stroke, and last night he
looked good twelve to nineteen from the floor, five of nine from three,
and again those thirty one points out of him Fred VanVleet thirty three points from
him, ten assists, So nice little double double from him in the game
in Alprin Shingoon. I mean, he's just been who he's been all season
long, pretty much a double doubles machine. Missing out on both of those
last night actually was kind of, you know how like a poker and outside
straight draw. Well, he had an outside triple double chance draw, I
guess as he finished with seven rebounds and eight assists in the game last night.
But it's just one of those stretches for this team. And now you
hope that probably the upcoming stretch for the Rockets is going to be one that
can provide them some chances to get back to their winning ways because you just
went through a pretty strong stretch of really good teams in that recent line of
games that you had just had. I mean, Indiana is going to be
a playoff team and going to be a team that probably is going to compete
to try to win the East. And the same deal goes for the Suns.
They have been banged up, they haven't had Bradley Beal. They got
him back last night, but still Kevin Durant and Devin Booker both showed you
who they are and they were absolutely able to crush you, along with former
Rocket Eric Gordon in that game. So the Suns, I would expect probably
will as they get healthier, start to get going as well and become the
team that I think a lot of people believe they would be. And even
though you didn't have Joel Embiid last night, I mean, this is the
Philadelphia team with Nick Nurse now as their coach, that is right now second
in the East in terms of the standing, but twenty two and nine overall,
and a team kind of like I talked about with Indiana as well,
that is, they're further ahead than you are right now in terms of where
they are as an organization. So you have that as well. So that's
a little bit of Rockets talk to get us started, along with a little
bit of Texans talk. But as I mentioned to Texas themselves, the Longhorns
are in the college football playoff and Chris Gordy is alive in New Orleans.
We'll have a chance to catch up with him a little bit later on,
as he had a chance to catch up with some of the members of the
Texas Longhorn football program. We will let you hear those conversations a little bit
later on, and Astro season is almost here, we will get into that.
I mean, of course, we had Jeff Blum as part of the
A team this week, and you know he you know, it was one
of those things I felt like if we were seeing Blummer, then we were
starting to feel good about, you know, how close we are to the
season, And was great to hear him and a see at times talk a
little bit of baseball, so you know, one of the things he said
that gets me even more excited about the season. I'll talk about that a
little bit later on, and also to one more Astros note that we'll get
to as the show goes along. When we get there, you'll know.
Bad takes in this business, they happen. I think if you were listening
to the A Team yesterday you know what I'm talking about. But if you
didn't, then you'll get to hear it and I'll react to it. We'll
talk about that. Plus, gonna let you hear from Chris Gordy's visit yesterday
with Aaron Wilson, our NFL insider here on Sports Talk seven ninety as he
gets us ready for the Texans and Titans. All that and much more as
we continue here on Space City Saturday. But coming up next, it's the
Astros fault that we feel the way we do. I'll talk about that coming
up right here, Space City Saturday. It's Stan Matthews here with you until
noon on your home of the Astros in the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety.
Welcome back to Space City Saturday. On Sports Talk seven ninety. Indeed,
true, it is Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you until
noon. If you want to weigh in, you can. It's someone three
two one two five seven at ninety. But this actually might be a topic
of conversation that people want to join in on, and that is the Astros.
I said it was their fault. I think it's their fault. From
this perspective, it's kind of thrown out our expectations of the other teams in
town because I think that most of us probably let's just take the Texans for
example, we had incredibly low expectations for this team this year. Now we
had high hopes that we would see good things that would at least show us
all right. As CJ. Stroud gets more experience and more chances he will
be a better player and probably somebody that could help this team win in the
future. But in twenty twenty three, no, not so much. Will
Anderson Junior same deal. Yah. You know, maybe he will become a
really good sack artist in this league and he will be somebody that is an
absolute terror off the edge for opposing offensive lines and opposing quarterbacks. But this
year, eh, maybe maybe not. Demiko Ryans first year head coach.
What can we really expect? I mean, because all of that I think
was boiled into the same with the Texans, of they were an incredibly awful
franchise for the last couple of years. There is no debating that it was
an organization that had no necessari They had no direction in terms of having this
thing trending towards a winner anytime soon. I mean, I think we probably
looked at the way the Texans were these last couple of years the same way
we probably looked at the Astros in about twenty eleven twenty twelve, when they
were in the dregs of a really stark rebuild and it wasn't anywhere close to
where they are right now, and it still took time. It still took
patience, and it still took us really kind of having expectations for not necessarily
thinking that this was possible for them to reach where they are right now,
and where they are right now is the best in baseball across the board.
So that is something that again it took time to be able to get to
that point. But then it's also to the rockets where I'm actually going to
take this on a singular player approach with this one, and it's Jalen Green
and Jalen Green second player overall taken a guy that was expected to have an
incredible high ceiling in terms of what he could be as an NBA player,
and also to somebody that was immediately going to become one of the best young
players in the game. He was on a bad team last year and he's
on a team now that has a system in place with the head coach that
wants you to be a complete player, that he wants you to be much
more than a scorer. You're going to have to play defense, You're going
to have to factor in terms of other parts of the offense that maybe do
not involve you putting the basketball in the hoop. And I think that you
know it's been a little bit of an adjustment for him because he's actually playing
true NBA basketball now. I think that probably last year it was pretty much
Jalen, just be you and just find your way, and if you've got
a shot, take it. If you've got the ability to be able to
go for a steal, then go ahead and go for it. And I'm
not saying that he's you know, thinking too much on the floor, but
I think that probably it's been an adjustment to playing the style of basketball now
that ima Udoka wants him to play. And I think that now you're starting
to see him kind of flourish in the system and be able to kind of
accept the other roles that are being expected of him, and also too getting
too where he's not necessarily thinking about the shot, just kind of making it
happen on the floor. In the last couple of games, I think I've
shown you that we're going to continue to see that Jalen Green than the one
we've seen before. So I bring this all back to the Astros, because
what have the Astros been the last seven years. They've been one of the
best in baseball. They've made it to what four World Series during that time,
they have won two of those World Series, and they've also had chances
to be able to get to more. I mean, they reached Game seven
in the twenty twenty ALCS against the Rays after being down three, and they
had a chance to be able to do that. In former Astro Charlie Morton
was the reason that they didn't get there. And then this past year,
they're up three to two coming home and we said, I know that home
field has not been great, but all they got to do is just won
one, and they can win one and we can move on and we can
be you know, I have a chance to win the World Series once again.
And we felt good about our chances if they had played against the Arizona
Diamondbacks, that the Astros would have been the better team and the Astros would
have won. I guess we'll never know, because well we won't never know
because they weren't there. The Rangers were able to come in win those two
games and move on. But I think that of all of the things that
having this run of success does with the Astros is it changes expectations for what
we think that sports should look like. I mean, for example, with
the Texans now I can already see it. If they lose either one of
these final two games of the regular season, and let's just go ahead and
skip to the end they missed the playoffs, there are going to be people
who are going to say, oh, this season was a disappointment. I
don't know if they're Twitter trolls, but I've seen at least a couple of
instances of this already, of people already calling in the question Demiko Ryan's coaching
ability. Again, I'm not going to give names to it, but I'm
just gonna say that I've seen it, and I think that more than anything,
they're just being Twitter trolls. They're saying this because they know it's going
to get people fired up. Because anybody with half a brain in their head
can look the job that Demiko Ryans and his coaching staff have done this year
and say nothing but bravos. You guys have been unreal in terms of the
culture that you have built. He's changed the culture in that building over on
Kirby because now they actually believe that they can win and know that they can
win in games like the ones that they're going to have in these final two
games, and also to a chance to get into the playoffs. That's a
reality now. He brought that that's here. And also too, we've seen
a team that has been incredibly prepared for games at times, and we've seen
a team that has probably overlooked some things at times. I mean, I
think the loss to the Falcons on the road, that was one you could
point to it and say, all right, early in the season. The
Carolina loss, Yes, that was inexcusable. That was not great. Stan
Northfleet, if you're listening out there, I'm one hundred percent on board with
that. That was inexcusable to lose that game. And also to the loss
of the Jets, that was just a disaster from the beginning. But it
also was just not a very good offensive game plan that day. Those happen,
that's fine, But to say that Demiko rans has done anything other than
be fantastic for this organization, not only for what he's done this season,
but also too what he's brought back to the organization. Over on Kirby,
we had no belief, We had no confidence in anything that the McNair family
was doing it running this team right now, or anybody else for that matter.
Hell, we didn't even have any full confidence in the GM running this
team and thinking that probably he was not going to be long for this job.
But I think now with the two massive successes that he has found in
the first round of the draft with CJ. Stroud and also Will Anderson Junior,
I think that probably now you look at it and say, Okay,
you know, maybe he is on the something. Maybe he does have that
scouts ee that we hear Dana Brown talk about over with the Astros. So
maybe he is some way that we can stick and stay with for some time.
But if anything, though too, like I said getting back to the
Astros, is now the expectation for the Astros is at the very least the
ALCS, and if they do anything other than reaching the ALCS, then it's
considered a massive failure. I mean, like we talked about yesterday over on
the A team me and Adam Clanton, is that Alabama fans, for example,
feel that way about the job that Nick Saban has done. That's the
culture he's created. And Josh c the noted Alabama fan, reminded me too,
where I said three losses a couple of years ago, Well, they
haven't lost more than three games since twenty ten. That was last time they
lost three games. I mean that just shows you how good they've been over
at Alabama. So, yes, you do create that, and I think
that you have to embrace it if you're part of the program at that point.
I mean Astros players and Alex Bregman and jose L Tuovey and Jordan Alvarez
and the guys that are the core of that team, they embrace that.
Yes, there's an expectation now with as part of this team. The expectation
is we get into the postseason, we win the Divisional round, and then
we move on to the ALCS and we win that and go on to the
World Series like ALCS is in a World Series. Are the expectation now?
And if you fall short of that, I already know what people are going
to say, Oh, the dynasty's over. Oh you know they're they're not
what they've been Oh this is the beginning of the end all of those things.
The run that the Astros have been on is unprecedented. The run that
they have been on is not the norm. It's the exception in every sense
of the word. We haven't seen a major league team be on the run
that the Astros have been on since probably the late nineties, early two thousands
Yankees. And I mean, you can point to the Dodgers and what they've
done, what they've done, but how many times have they gotten into the
NLDS and lost in the NLDS. So they haven't even touched what you've done.
The Braves the same deal. They beat you a couple of years ago
in the World Series, but aside from that, they have not been able
to solve the Philadelphia problem of the Phillies beating them in the postseason. So
those are things that you've been able to do. And I know that Astros
fans, we've got the taste of this. I mean, after they won
their first World Series in twenty seventeen, I want to see the next one
even more because I said, hey, this feels awesome. I want this
feeling more and more and more, And so did they accross the way.
But I think that you know, like I said, with the examples of
the Texans in the Rockets of it kind of changes our expectations for everyone else,
because I think with the Texans now the expectations have changed. It's no
longer just good enough that they're in this position to be playing for the playoffs.
It's no, the season is not going to be a success if they
don't make the playoffs. And I get that, I understand you're there.
While you're there, you might as well do it. And the same deal
with the Rockets right now. Of the fact that they've gotten off to the
start that they have, of if we look up at the end of the
season and they miss out on the play in tournament or they miss out on
the postseason altogether, then I think you look at the some of the parts
of what this season looked like, and I think you're probably going to be
looking at a team that's right around five hundred, maybe a couple of games
above, maybe a game or two below, but they'll probably be right there
at that mark. And when you consider where they've come from, that's a
sizeable jump from where they have been these last couple of years. So I
think, if nothing else, it's sometimes just keep the expectations in check a
little bit. But also two, yeah, it's okay to have high expectations
for your teams and want to see them be successful. That makes you a
great fan if that's indeed how you try to approach things. So if nothing
else, we definitely want to see playoff football here. We definitely would love
to see playoff basketball, and of course we would definitely love to see a
deep run in the postseason again for the Astros in twenty twenty three. All
right, coming up next, Aaron Wilson, our own NFL Insider, had
a chance to catch up with Chris Gordy on next up, as we will
hear what he has on the latest with the Texans before they take on the
Titans tomorrow over at NRG Stadium. That'll be next right here on at Space
City Saturday. Dan Matthews, this is your home of the Astros and the
Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. This is Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven
night. It is Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here for a few minutes,
as we will have a chance to hear from Aaron Wilson right now.
As a matter of fact, he joined Chris Gordy yesterday on next up as
we get ready for the Texans and Titans tomorrow over at NRG Stadium. Without
any further ado, let's go to Aeron Wilson with Chris Gordy. It's great
to have him along. You can get him at Aaron Wilson on Twitter at
Aaron, should we expect a conservative or touch and feel and see approach to
this game? Or all twelve cylinders going for Bobby Sloan in this offense in
the CJ. Stroud approach to his health, right, I think you know,
Jimmy the Ryan said, well, you have to protect him. That's
a big thing. So what your protection you can and then as far as
you know what you just did this past game against them, you have to
work off of that blueprint a little bit. And they ran the football very
effectively with Devin Singletary. He's got the offensive line, you've got the opportunity
to pound the football a little bit. It can help your defense, which
is banged up, and he's going to be playing some backups in some spots.
So I would say, let's CJ throw, let CJ cook, But
at the same time, just make sure that you're protecting him, and I
think they will do a good job with that. The Tights aren't the usual
Titan State still going to call autry, but they'll be without Jeffers Simmons,
who was on your reserve. So yeah, it's it's still a label coach
defense. But it's not exactly you know, the still hurting out there.
What would you have done? And I might have even asked you then,
But what would you have done if I'd have told you in June this team
was going to be in position that they eight and seven control their own destiny
for the playoffs. The quarterback was out two weeks, that they're going to
be led by a rookie head coach, a rookie coordinator, and a rookie
quarterback, and that we'd be with two weeks to go, that this team
all they had to do was win two games, and it's always tough to
win, but two games in your division and you are in the playoffs.
What would you have said to me if I told you that in June?
I would have thought you were very optimistic, a full fledged homer and nuts
right, Yeah, for sure. I mean my win projections have never been
above seven. There was a frequently mentioned by me. So, but you
know, projecting winds and big three totals, all that stuff, It is
difficult. You could just go off the schedule and say, oh, well,
you know they can win this skin and win that game. We didn't
know, and they didn't know quite fairly that Strout would play this well.
No, they've acknowledged that before. What without ripping him. They just said,
you know, hey, I mean you hope, but to expect that
would be unreasonable. Aaron Wilson joins us. You can see his stuff all
over the place, and Aaron Wilson on Twitter is as good as there is
in the business to cover in this league. I wonder, I think Demiko,
I think Plake, I think you know the culture change is it?
Is it just as simple? And I know it's a lot of things.
This isn't tennis and golfer, it's one person. But is it just as
simple as the quarterback has raised everybody the head coach. If we pointed to
one thing about this urgent turnaround, and we only had one that we could
put in the coffer, what would it be Beyond the quarterback? It would
be a standard that they have in the building and a tough environment that sometimes
players gripe about. It is not easy to Niko rans a tough boss.
He's demanding. He's also a guy that is carrying and compassionate with these guys.
But it is not easy over there. They practice very hard. This
has been like it was a country Club with David Kelly and Lowis Smith.
But it has gotten tough, and I think that's part of the reason why
they have more resolved and are able to play well in close games and false
reason why it's a lot of injuries. But it's got a double edged sword
there. What's the biggest task, Aaron they face this week with the Tennessee
Titans. What is their toughest task this week in any part of it,
whether it's emotional, mental, physical, a certain player, what is their
toughest task. It's probably not there, and normally it is. This time,
I would say it's getting a pass rush on Will Levis. When you're
going to be playing without both your starting defense events and potentially do without to
interior defensive linement. There's still a little bit of hope that Malie Collins will
play and Sheldon Ranks will play. Will Anderson Junior and Jonathre Gernard are not
expected to play, so that's starting defense events are going to be Dereck Barnett
and Jerry Ughes, and that's what they're preparing for. You don't have Jimmy
Ward anymore, so it's going to be Don Euston, Carson and Jalen Petrie,
Jalen off off of that benching, getting his job back, and you
get play cash on the back. So there's gonna be some some personnel coming
back to you. But I mean it's going to be Khalil Davis and Kurt
hein Ish a lot out there next to Jerry U's and Jerrick Barnett and some
Isisi Sanders mixed into. Is there a part of the Petrie situation? Why
was he benched number one and two? Is any feelings hurt or is that
part of that culture expectation? Deal with it, don't get don't be sensitive,
and come back out and play better. Why did that happen last night?
It was not one thing. It was many things let up to it
in terms of coverage lapses and the communication issues they've had. And you know,
last year he kind of played it his way and had a lot more
freedom and he nail out plays. He also missed a lot of tackles.
This year is a sounder tackler not making as many plays, and you've got
to help these corners. And I think it was just that built up and
built up and built up, and eventually in the game they did it.
He was upset about it, but he did maintain a good attitude. When
they asked him to go back in and play on the dime package, he
did it. He also recovered an on side kick. I think the way
you handled it, which is, you know, it's a good example of
Okay, they're telling you they're upset. Much play is sitting me down,
but they're asking to you something else. Have a good attitude about that,
do it well. I think that's a thing that helped him get his job
back. But sometimes the coaches will give you a wake up call or warning,
and that's what they did with him. But it wasn't the first time
that they've had a reinforced coaching point with him or all other players. So
they actually do mean what they say, and this time they did it.
They set it down. But yeah, they had meetings this week with him.
They talk with him, and that went well. It was productive.
He was accepted the feedback. He didn't want to do interviews about it or
anything like that, but yeah, it seems to be in good spirits and
he's back in the fold. That happens sometimes guys, you know and football,
will get benched and then sometimes they have the job back. The long
play with him is because of the bright future. Yeah. I hard to
argue that. Yeah, well, I'll end with this you mentioned and I
talked about it earlier. We talked about what's the biggest tasks they face,
and with Stroud coming back, the aggressiveness, there can be a tendency.
You're in great position, win two and you're in your quarterback's back, but
to play not to lose in these forgetting that, not even with the with
the Stroud coming back from injury. I'm just talking about as a team that
they haven't seen this much. There's guys who've been in the playoffs here and
other places, but this, this is not normal for them, and there
can be a sense of a part of man, let's just keep it close
and winning the end. Is any of that existing or is this a team
that says, yeah, that that they're not that they're not they're playing on
house money. I don't believe in that either. I have no idea.
Yeah, I doubt that, right. I think the attack they go after
it, they try to run a normal game plan, and I think with
stroudback, they call it differently, right, And I would expect Bobby Slower
to give them opportunities. But you know, these receivers, these kinds,
they got to be open. You know, you do have Nico Collins back
for this one, so he may have he may feel more freedom. It's
Nico's second week back from the calf. I think he'll be closer to his
usual explosiveness. You still have Brown, you still have Schultz. He's got
choices, he's got receivers. He's had success going too. And if they
take something away, then you got to do something else. But you know,
they got like just enough weapons I think to manufacture small offense. And
it won't be a cake walk in Nashville. I mean, sorry fan in
Nashville. Here in you staid, It'll be still a difficult, close football
game. I think despite the Titans record, there's nine team you really look
forward to facing. The last time that they played them, they shut down
Hopkins. He had nine targets, he had a couple of catches, and
in that game, Steven Nelson was playing with a cast on his hand.
He had an interception. This time. He hasn't practiced this week and he's
a question in two. He's got a foot injury that he played through.
He's got a hamstring injury, and that's probably the most problematic for a corner
is having a hamstring, so that's something to keep an eye on. We
touched a lot about the defensive line injuries. If you don't have him,
then you're gonna play Knar Holman Opposite Derek Stingley Jr. And that's a difference
feed us for interceptions. He's played very well all year and he's banged up,
so we'll see how they go forward with that. If he's able to
go, he's always played hurt all year. He's gonna go all over time.
You have to if you're the Texans, limit the home runs. You've
got to force a rookie quarterback to be patient and hit singles. Most rookies
don't have the patients to do that for four quarters. They'll eventually throw it
to you, Aaron, great stuff man to look forward to talking to you.
Hopefully another win, and then we're headed to the last week of the
season with a chance to control your own destiny as they do these last two
weeks. As you could clearly hear, that was Aaron Wilson, but with
Sean Salisbury. So my apologies on getting these shows mixed up there. Hey,
we're all one huge family here at Sports Talk seven ninety. But Aaron
Wilson getting you caught up on what we could see tomorrow over at NRG Stadium.
All right, coming up next. These happen in the business either by
choice or just honestly by mistake. But the answer is to know how to
pull this off. We'll talk about that next right here as we close out
our one right here Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews with you here until noon
on your home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talks seven ninety,
Space City Saturday. Continues on Sports Talk seven ninety. Sports Talk seven ninety
Dann Matthews here Space City Saturday, closing out our one of the show.
If you want to weigh in, you can at someone three two one two
five, seven ninety. I know I've thrown a lot at you. And
look, you know, it's one of those things that sometimes you can do
a show where you know, you just stick with one topic. Every once
in a while you've got those types of topics and you're able to just run
with it and just go with it, and you know, be able to
stick and stay with that and if you want to, uh, you know,
go ahead and go that route and allow it to be able to I
guess you could say seep like hot tea and be able to have the best
flavoring out of it. Wow, you can go that route. But you
know, it's one of those things that I get two hours, so I
want to try to cram as much into that time as I can. And
one of the things that happened this week, if you're listening to the A
Team yesterday, you heard me and Adam Clanton talk about the topic that we
are going to hear. So Manzie Belanos is on Fox Sports Radio and she
caught some She caught some flack and for the right reason for a take that
she had. I will expand a little bit more after we hear what she
had to say when she was talking about the argument of Lamar Jackson being good
enough to be able to win the MVP of the NFL this season. Let's
hear what she had to say. I want my quarterbacks to be quarterback ye
And to me, Lamar Jackson is just a great athlete and he's done a
really good job, and he had a great game against the forty nine ers.
Prisoners of the moment, he is not the MVP. Christian McCaffrey is
the MVP, and he has been. I've been saying this for a week.
It's not like I just decided after this game. That's what happened with
Lamar. After this game. He jumped up, But he wasn't even in
the conversation. He was like an afterthought. It was always like tuuh the
No, it's Christian McCaffrey. And then two And you know, I'm not
a huge fan of Tyreek Hill because of what he does off the field,
but even a was a separate conversation. He's the second one. If it's
not Christian, it's Tyreek Hill. Those are the two that have stood out
every week, every week, not Lamar Jackson's not that I don't like Lamar,
all right. So the reason why I bring that up is obviously it
is started to unravel into another part of whenever social media gets involved and it's
people reading into messages that are just not there. Frankly, guys and ladies,
it was a bad take, all right. Bad takes happen. They
are there, and it's one of those things that I guarantee you, if
you are in this business long enough, you will have these as well.
I've had them, Lord knows I have. I've had bad takes that afterwards
it was, yeah, that was a bad take, and I'll cop to
it and I'll say, yeah, it sucked. It was terrible. But
her argument in terms of him being a quote unquote quarterbacky, I don't even
know what that means, because Lamar Jackson is a quarterback and he's a very
good quarterback. He's one of the best in the league, and he's been
one of the best in the league this season. As I'm going to enlist
one of my teammates on the A team, the Wexler Research Team and the
Wexler Research Team, the WRT they were working while wex was on vacation.
I mean, like I said, Wex's Troy Polamalu in those head and shoulders
commercials never not working. And in this case right here he brought up in
if you follow him at Adam J. Wexler on Twitter, he brought up
the total offensive leaders this season. This is total yards. And her argument
too, that she tried to back it up with on social media was that
he's fifteenth in passing yards. Well, as we've seen now the quarterback position
over the last few years has evolved even more than it used to be.
Yes, it used to be don't run if you're a quarterback. If you
do well, you're going to be in some serious trouble. And if you
do then it kind of cheapens your ability to be seen as being quote unquote
a true quarterback. We've seen that's not true with the renaissance of the run
pass option and the way that offenses are run, both in college football and
now in the NFL, that the quarterback position asks for you to be much
more than just drop back. Maybe roll your right, maybe every once in
a while roll to your left, but aside from that, you're trying to
get the football to someone else on a pass if you're not just outwardly handing
it off to them. And the offensive leaders this season, Lamar Jackson is
sixth amongst offensive leaders this season. Patrick Mahomes is first forty one, forty
three in terms of total yards. Tuatongovailoa who I think if you I want
to talk about him being more of a candidate for the MVP, then we
can have that conversation. Absolutely. Josh Allen a little bit of a rough
start to the season, but he's been able to pick it up since then,
and he's third at four thousand and sixty eight. Brock Perdy probably last
week probably knocked him down with a four interception performance, and also to a
guy that he's got on his own team, a Christian McCaffrey. Sure the
same deal. Jalen Hurts sixteen yards out of him so far this season,
probably the offensive struggles of the of the Eagles the last couple of weeks,
and just where they are as a team at this moment. I don't think
people are viewing him in the same discussion. I think that Dak was a
guy that probably until the Bills and the game last week against the Miami Dolphins,
was being considered. But I think that's probably fallen off just a little
bit as well. And like I said, we get to Lamar Jackson with
total yards this year thirty nine, thirty four, And again I think that
if nothing else, the things that hurt Lamar Jackson are things that have nothing
to do with the MVP conversation. I talked about this yesterday Lamar Jackson.
I think that the reason why people don't believe in Lamar Jackson is his lack
of success in the postseason and I get that we've seen it all throughout the
NFL. Dak Prescott is another one of those guys that gets the same thing.
Peyton Manning had the same thing as well, but again you're not talking
about that with this argument. It's the most valuable player. It's the player
in the season and what they've meant to their team. And if you watch
the Ravens this year, Lamar Jackson I think has probably taken his game even
to another level of what he's been able to do with Todd Lunkin as the
offensive coordinator there and what the Ravens have been able to do. And it's
also too it's look at what the Ravens have had around him as well,
that they really have never had that great of a receiving corps and it's been
a lot of Lamar Jackson creating for himself and being able to make plays himself
and be able to try to help guys around him. In this year,
I think that with what Todd Munkin brings from the success that he had with
the last couple of years at University of Georgia and what you saw he did
with that offense and his NFL background, it was good enough for John Harball
to say, yeah, you know what, I think that is a good
fit with my quarterback. It's been a hell of a marriage this year.
But the whole thing about him being quote unquote quarterbacky. I mean the co
host that was on with her is Dan Byer, And I don't know if
you know, because I like, you only heard that one cut right there,
But I think the co host the best part of doing that when you
do have a co host situation on the show, quarterbacky, what does that
mean, Like, go ahead and squash it right there, Go ahead and
knock it out right there and have that conversation and have that be part of
the segment. I mean, if nothing else, you kind of help your
co host in that regard where they had a bad take. She was looking
for an exit, she was trying to find every single way, and we
got the word salad that we got right there. And that's what happens when
you have a quote unquote hot take, because I think some people do it
for effect. As a matter of fact, I know a lot of people
in this industry do it for effect, and I think that the whole point
is having hot takes is good. Having hot takes is fine. Have the
evidence, man, because you are in the court of public opinion at this
point when I hit on on this microphone, Yes, I am accountable for
what I'm saying into this microphone right now and any takes I have. If
you disagree with them, you're more than welcome to let me know someone three
two one, two five seven ninety or also two on Twitter at Dan Matthews
Hou. It's all fine and good. I don't take it personally if you
don't like what I have to say, but also too at the same time,
I try every single time that I speak into a microphone to at least
have points to back up my arguments, because if I don't and I'm not
backed by fact, and I'm trying to get into kind of this mental gymnastics
and this mental maze of trying to get you to see my side of things,
then I've probably already lost in that regard. And I think in sometimes
in situations like this, just because you thought that it was a good idea
doesn't mean you need to execute the idea. And again I'm sure that with
the things that she's done afterwards of deleting her tweet about the being fifteenth in
passing yards and anything ever since then that she tried to defend her take,
She probably afterwards decided, Hey, I hit a bad one off the tee.
The golf reference here, hit a bad t shot off the t don't
you. Sometimes you're able to have a breakfast ball, but a lot of
times you just have to go drop and hit the next shot. And in
some cases like this, go ahead, Manzi, drop hit the next shot.
It's not gonna be the worst one you're ever gonna have. You'll have
plenty more. But at the same time, though too, yes, bad
takes to exist, and just live up to them, just cop to them.
They have. What are you gonna do? All right? That's our
one in the books. Hour two is coming up next because it's time for
us to stop having this reaction when someone does this, because we've already got
the scoreboard. You'll know what I mean as we open up the eleven o'clock
hour right here on Sports Talk seven ninety year home of the Astros in the
Rockets, Space City Creating Deep Created Deep Created Syme. Welcome to another Space
City. Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Dan Matthews Live a local h town
breakdown of the world that matters to you, the Houston sports world, all
these great Houston fans here, We love you all. So finish up on
that to do list. Flute Upcrooler, because you can't drink in talk sports
all day if you don't start now this this face City Saturday. It's insane.
Here's seven nineties Dan Matthews. Yep, that's true. And you know
I know that some people say, oh, drinking before noon. Well,
if it's college football Saturday, yeah it's allowed. And as a matter of
fact, a game is about to kick off, the Chick fil A Peach
Bowl, So yeah, go ahead. What's the why you work? You
know, it's always funny before we get to the astros topic that I have
for us here in just a second, is you know where it's it's allowed
for you to uh pop a top before the you know, crack went open
before the noontime. And of course, you know the person that always says
whenever somebody says something, well it's five o'clock somewhere in this case, you
know, we've we we know the spots, I mean, tailgates, it's
it's allowed. The airport, uh airport bever are so good? I mean,
is there anything better than an airport beer? Really, is there anything
better? I mean, I know Friday after five beers, those those are
good ones. I mean we've all seen the lists, but you know those
are the places where it's allowed. So in this case right here, it's
a weekend. It's even more of a holiday weekend because most of us will
be off on New Year's Day, so you got that as well. But
now, you know, look, go ahead and have a little bit of
fun. Like I said, it's the holidays, let your hair down a
little bit, have some fun. You can as well with me here on
Space City Saturday, Dan Matthews here, it's some one three two, one
two five seven ninety all right, Like I did with the last segment,
I'm going to let the audio speak for itself before I react. But if
you were watching it Thursday Night football, al Michaels Kirk Curve Street, part
of the Amazon Prime Video crew, and it was Jets Ian Brown's and it
got to a point in the game where the Browns We're trying to get loud,
and I guess somebody was well banging on a trash can. And I'll
let al Michaels take it. The rest of the way. Get at Kim
Schwartz right now, is boling a few things up. The defensive coordinator for
the Browns, Sody pounding on that trash can. I think the Astros most
being a down. I'm sorry, yeah, I'm good, good cool Ripley
to the thirty four yard lines. And I guess al with of course,
being an LA guy, I'm sure he's probably a Dodger fan too as well.
He knows the dynamics. He knows that, yes, Astros fans,
whenever something like that is said, then Astros Twitter goes ablaze. But we
played it and talked about it yesterday on the A team, and I have
the same argument again today. Stop reacting to it, all right, we
get the joke, we understand it, We got it. It's there.
We know that they banged on trash cans. We know that they did it.
All all right, fine, we get it. And I think that
you have to have the same reaction this as we have two old comics.
I responded to somebody and you know, talking about the comedy example of there
are comics who still to this day have the same shtick. They use the
same one with their audiences, and there's a reason why they're no longer playing
sold out stadiums and sold out arenas, they're playing comedy clubs or there.
Maybe, like I said, use the example. You get off the plane
at McCarron Airport in Vegas. You see the slots, you see all of
that. Yep, you'll see Thunder down Under and Blue Man Group and Chippendale's
all that. Yep, you'll you'll see all of that. You'll see what
is it jubilee at Bally's. You'll see the ad for that. You'll see
whatever Vegas performer is there. But then also too, you'll see that a
comic who was huge in their day. Oh, they've got a residency over
at the Mirage. Oh they've got a residency over at Palace Station. I
don't know is Palstation still there? Whatever? You get My point here is
that they finally reached a point where the check is still there, but the
audience is not as much. And it's what it is. It's the same
old tired joke. And you'll have the morons on Twitter, which that's who
I think most of the reaction to is. Like I said, I saw
the barstool post that they had where they said, oh, Michaels is still
the goat. Folks. I've talked about this numerous times that most people in
the crowd that are on Twitter or that you think are in the crowd that
are are are pushing this narrative along and going along with it and having fun
with it all of those different types of things. They're morons, Okay,
they want to have the lowest fruit possible. They want to have something that
they don't have to work that hard for to get, and they want to
just join the crowd. Don't worry about those people. And also to the
whole oh well they're against us, it doesn't matter because like I said,
they're idiots. Most of them just have no bearing on your life or no
bearing on what the Astros do or anything else. And that's the last part
of this. The Astros have had scoreboard on most of these fan bases.
Who are most of these fan bases that are in their Yankee fans and even
though they got them in the ALCS, they're Ranger fans. Wouldn't you agree
that more often than not, the Astros have had scoreboard on Ranger fans that
yes, they got a nice little one and they've got bragging rights right now,
that's fine, but overall, you've had their number and you probably will
continue to have their number going forward. And the same deal Dodger fans is
they can say what they want about twenty seventeen, but guess what, Dodger
fans, the pennant still flies and the World Series trophy is still in the
Astros possession. So say it all you want, and after your little facacta
Disney World, little World Series that you won in twenty twenty, I mean,
you have enough people that are coming at you about winning a sixty game
season World Series that you don't need to worry about the Astros. And that's
the thing that always cracks me up to as well, is the power of
what the Astros have done these last few years continues, because it's still very
much a situation that I've brought up in recent times with the Michigan handling.
Notice how we don't hear anything about Michigan's cheating scandal. Now there's no huge
emotionally driven pieces online of they've ruined the integrity of the game. You don't
have that because in some parts with Michigan, it's allowed if a Clemson or
a Florida State or somebody like that had been accused of doing what Michigan was
doing. Oh, I guarantee you, Pat forty and all of those people
would have been writing those pieces because again, they would have appealed to the
morons who want to go with lazy arguments and want to believe what they want
to believe in order to say, yeah, hey see, I knew they
couldn't do it on their own. They're not the blue bloods. There's no
real there's no way other than them cheating that they can get to this point.
I think we can agree validation has happened and then some since twenty twenty,
right, because that's been in the same time frame the Astros have continued
to make the alcs and they've even won a World Series during that time as
well. So again, don't get offended by the low hanging fruit joke that
people make. It's going to continue to be made. Why is it going
to be continue to be made because you get upset about it and you get
offended by it, don't don't. You're going to have Ranger fans who somehow
shoehorned their way into all of this with the Astros cheating scandal because it's like
number one, why are you even here? Like why are you even involved
in this? Because the Astros have had your number more often than not,
as I mentioned, And yes, you had a nice little year. Oh
boom rolled you know, adultis Garcia, he had a nice little series.
I get it. It's fine. It's fun. Enjoy your fun, enjoy
your world series when that nobody talks about and nobody watched and everything else.
The Astros, which I'll give credit, the ones who have probably avoided this
the most, are the ones that matter the most. The players, the
Astros organization. They don't react to this. They don't care. They care
about winning, they care about doing their jobs. They care about their own
organization. Maybe Dave Roberts and the Dodgers could continue to do that, and
maybe Brian Cashman could stop talking about the Astros, because hey, Brian,
your team hasn't been winning because of you, not the Astros, And if
you want to continue to have that and be able to try to stick with
that in to say, oh, well, that's why we didn't win in
twenty seventeen. No, you didn't win in twenty seventeen because you weren't the
better team. The better team beat you. That's why you didn't win.
In twenty seventeen, you didn't hit They did enough and they won. That's
how it went. So again, folks, the work speaks for itself.
The Astros have been validated in terms of them still being an outstanding organization and
still a really good baseball team. And if people want to continue to make
their jokes, let them make their jokes really quick. Let's get Ed and
Houston what's away? In on Sports Talk seven to ninety Ed, what's going
on? Yeah, I read a book about a year ago. Skuy wrote
about exchange scandals and baseball all the way back to Abner Double Day. And
you know the thing about the Giants or who is that somebody? When they
hit that home run that won the World the playoffs the National League back at
fifty one fifty two, the the winning team, yank Giants, were had
a man in centerfield with binoculars and they were relaying that to their matters.
So it's nothing new, And the only reason the networks are hyping it is
because they would rather have a Dodger. So the Yankees and or Boston and
Chicago's teams in the World Series. Yeah, I appreciate the call ed.
I mean, yes, and that's been the other thing as well. And
of course you've had people, oh well, just because you get pulled over
your argument of others we're speeding doesn't matter. Yes, you're right, it
doesn't. But at the same time, though, too, just the moral
high ground that people have tried to have of this entire situation outside of the
Astros has really just been nothing short of you're just trying to make yourself feel
better, and you're not a better person because you sting it against the Astros
in this regard as a matter of fact, you really just come across as
again a person who's just virtue signaling. And yes, I mean it's been
pretty documented that others have been doing it as well, and the Astros were
the ones that had the spotlight put on them, fair or not, that's
the way it was. And again I've said it numerous times and I will
continue to say it. If Mike five felt slighted by the Yankees or the
Dodgers or anybody else, this would have been nowhere close to the reaction.
But because it was the lowly Astros, who clearly have no business being a
winning organization, right, that's how it was handled by everyone because it was
an easy target for them and for people to be able to try to attack,
and that's why we've seen it be the way it is. But again,
I mean, look, the jokes are going to be made. Let
them make their jokes. Did what did the brothers say in the breakup?
You know what, you want to make your jokes, make your jokes,
but it's not going to get you fed. And that's the case. Go
ahead and continue to make your jokes. And if you want to continue to
have that to make yourself feel better about what happened with the Astros, then
go ahead. And when they beat you, well, then go ahead and
continue to make your jokes, and the Astros will be the ones still playing
baseball. So that's how that all shakes out, all right. Coming up
next, the Rockets are who we thought they were. That's not a bad
thing. We'll get back into the Rockets conversation plus here from Chris Gordy with
a couple of members of the Texas football program as media day wrapped up over
at the Superdome in New Orleans ahead of the Sugar Bowl on Monday, a
game that we will have right here on our family of stations on iHeartRadio in
Houston, as we will have that for you as well as we will continue
to have more Texans Titans talk as well. And you can also weigh in
at Sebone three two one two five seven ninety. Again that's seOne three two
one two five seven ninety. Dann Matthews here on Space City Saturday on your
home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. It's Space
City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety. Okay, sending up. Thanks Sports
Talk seven ninety. Dan Matthews here with you for about another forty minutes or
so as the Texas Longhorn is gonna take on the Washington Huskies in the Sugar
Bowl part of the College Football Playoff. Winner of that comes here to Houston,
and in about ten minutes you're gonna hear a couple of conversations that our
own Chris Gordy had with Kleine Kine Product and Texas running back Jayden Blue as
well as he's a DFW guy, but he's the QB. And if you
catch up with the QB, well you got to talk with the QB.
As Chris had a chance to catch up with Quinn yours as well, so
we will hear those conversations coming up here in about ten minutes as we get
you ready for Texas football on Monday night, as that will be a very
busy Monday night here on the Family of networks. So we have over at
at iHeartMedia as well as Sports Talk seven ninety and what we have going on
here, I mean, we're gonna have have the Rockets and Pistons that night
over here and over on KTRH you will have Texas and Washington. So News
Radio SEV forty is where you can catch that one. But speaking of the
Rockets, it's been a little bit of a rough stretch for them. They've
lost three in a row. They've run into a little bit of injury situation
with the team doing Brooks being out for an extended period of time as well
as Jabari Smith Junior gonna be out for an extended period of time. And
last night it's a little bit of a frustrating game. I mean, it
looked like the Rockets we're gonna have a chance to be able to have that
one, as they led at the half by one and even extended their lead
to seven in the third quarter. But then the fourth quarter, Tyrese Maxi
and the Sixers got going and they just continue to show why they're so good
and why they are twenty two and nine and why the Rockets are a five
hundred basketball team right now at fifteen and fifteen. But again it gets back
to expectations and what we talked about a little bit earlier, because you know,
we talked about earlier that you know, the Rockets this year, what
were our expectations of them to be improved? Yeah? Sure, and what
was improvement? If they had got to, say, thirty thirty five wins
this year, wouldn't we say that's improvement, Yeah, off of what we
had seen. Don't don't get blown out. For the most part this year,
they haven't had that happen. I mean, Orlando was one, and
even though the score pulled away from them at the end and that lost to
Milwaukee, they were still in that game for most of the game. And
the Bucks pulled away and won that one, but they only won it by
nine too, So it wasn't like the Rockets got blown off the floor.
It just was not a great night for them. And of course the other
night against the Suns, it was one that you never necessarily felt like they
were going to come back into that game. I mean, ima Udoka himself
even pretty much made the decision to say, yeah, this one, we're
not going to try to check this one. We've got to get some guys
off their feet. We've got to try to be able to set up for
the road ahead where the Rockets are not gonna have a ton of off nights.
They're gonna be off tonight, they're gonna be off tomorrow, and then
Monday night you get the Detroit Pistons coming to town, which a lot of
people believe the Pistons might be able to break that long losing streak that they
have had to this point, as it's been twenty seven straight for the Pistons,
as they have just not been able to find a win after starting the
season two and one. But that is one as well that a lot of
Rocket fans look at, and even some that are Rockets broadcasters I was talking
with yesterday, no names, not gonna name names, but they were saying,
oh, man, that one kind of worries me a little bit.
That one is a situation where if you're the team on the other side of
the on the other side of the Pistons. At this point, you're saying,
I don't want it to be us. If it is, then that's
pretty embarrassing. You don't want that to be the case. So the Rockets,
of course, want to make sure that they are able to take care
of business on Monday Night against the Pistons again. Rockets launch pack and me
coming your way at six, and of course I'll have Rockets rap as well
here on Sports Talk seven to ninety to get us all set up for that
game. But you know, with the Rockets though, at this point,
I mean, I think it's been pretty much if you had any expectations for
this team. I know that some of you had low expectations see these last
three games and say, yeah, see that's who they are. But I
look at the body work as a whole, and they've been an incredibly fun
team to watch. And it's also too been what you could probably have expected
from a team that had a good mix of young and veteran talent. And
I've said it before and I'll continue to say it again. The growing pains
are going to happen. I had the tweet last night too as well,
of you know, the tired. Take this is what the Rockets are or
wired. There's still very much a growing, a growth in progress type of
situation, and they are a work in progress. That's the word I was
looking for there. But still it's a situation with this team that they will
have performances like last night where they're in it, they have a chance to
win it, but the better team usually comes out on top. That's what
happened. Sometimes that happens. Tip your cap move on, or also too
where you'll have games where, yes, there's been injuries in them, but
like an impressive win on the road for their first one of the road slate
this season, beating the Denver Nuggets and taking them three out of four games,
and you can say, as well, well, they didn't have Jamal
Murray for two of those games. Again, that's their problem, it's not
the Rockets problem. And you were able to get those wins, and you
were also able to have some good games that you came up short in.
I mean the Hawks loss that was a little bit tough, but that was
also a night that Trey Young was just unreal to Jontay Murray, same deal.
They were just shooting the lights out of the gym, and you just
were unable to be able to hit enough shots and get enough stops in order
to be able to beat them. And we've heard ema U Dooka talked about
it all year. At times he's praised their defensive effort. At times he
said, yeah, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more
at the defensive effort than what we saw. And again, when you have
a team that is still as young as they are, you're going to have
those fits and stops. You're going to have where they are able to have
a great performance and win a game that you come away from saying, Okay,
I feel really good about this team. And then you're also going to
have performances like last night where you say, ah, man, not quite
where I thought they would be, But this is where I thought the Rockets
would be at this point, they're going to be a five hundred basketball team.
If we look up at the end of the season and they are right
around five hundred, maybe just a little bit above five hundred, that's the
success of a season because you are seeing that the system is working, you're
seeing that they are progressing, and you're seeing that they'll continue to add to
this and be able to work towards their ultimate goal of not only winning the
Western Conference, but having a chance to hoist the Larry O'Brian Trophy again someday.
They've done it twice in the past, and they want to do it
again in the future. Every NBA team does right, and the Rockets do
have. Like I said, the good mix of both the young and veteran
talent. Jalen Green I think has probably started to find his offensive confidence again.
That's a good thing. Alprin Shingoon has been a borderline All Star this
entire portion of the season. We've seen it on the offensive end. We've
seen him have some really good things on the defensive end as well at times,
and also too, he's had some frustrating performances, much like any other
young player on this team, and you've also had great things out of Tarry
Easan. The bench has been something else that's made me believe that this team
has a chance to accomplish some really good things this season and have a chance
to play for an opportunity to maybe get into the play in round or maybe
even make the playoffs outright. But the fact kind of like we talked about
with the Texans. The goal for the Texans coming into the season was be
competitive. That's what it was. That was the goal for the team this
year. And they've done that, and now that they're at that point,
the expectation is we'll make the playoffs. For the Rockets, it's hey,
be in position to make the playoffs and if they do, then it's say,
all right, well, now try to do something with what you've got.
But up to this point, again, there's been frustrations. There's been
some good things. It's been pretty much what I think we could have expected
from this team this year, and I think if nothing else, it at
least shows you, hey, they're on the right path. And if they're
on the right path, then that means they're viable option again in this city.
And that hadn't been that, that has not been the case these last
couple of years. All Right, Coming up next, we'll have a chance
to hear our own good buddy, Chris Gordy, as he had a chance
to catch up with a couple of members of the Texas football program. We
will hear his conversation with former Klein Caine product Jaydon Blue, running back for
the Longhorns, as well as even though he's a DFW guy, when you
have a chance to catch up with the quarterback, you catch up with the
quarterback, as Chris Gordy had a chance to catch up with Quinn yours as
well over at Sugar Bowl Media Day. We will hear those conversations coming up
right here on your home of the Astros in the Rockets and also Longhorn football
and basketball in the City of Houston. It is Sports Talk seven ninety,
Space City Saturday. On Sports Talk seven ninety, it is Space City Saturday.
Dan Matthews here on your home of the Astros in the Rockets and also
Texas Longhorn Football and basket Ball Sports Talk seven ninety. Speaking of the long
Horns, our own Chris Gordy had a chance to catch up with a couple
of members of the Texas long Horn football program. It was media day over
at the Sugar Bowl and right now we'll have a chance to hear his conversation
with first Jayden Blue, formerly of Klein Caine High School here in the Houston
area. As Blue has been one of the contributing members of that running back
group that they have in the Texas program. We will hear from him as
well as the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns quinn Youewers. So let's hear Gordy's
conversations in this time. It's not Sean Salisbury, it is Chris Gordy has
he had a chance to catch up with Jayden Blue and quinn Ewers. Catch
it up with Texas running back Jaden Blue. Of course a Houston native and
been over there in Austin a couple of years. Man, crazy year two
already for you and look at where you guys are. Is this is kind
of a real for I wouldn't say so. You know, we we we
believe who put it in the work on day in and day out, and
you know we always thought that we'll be here at some point, and you
know we've put it into work and here we are. It's crazy. Uh,
you know the course of the season, all the ups and downs and
all that take me through. You know, the season's going along. Jonathan's
having a great year running the football. He gets hurt. The running back
room is that immediately, hey, next man up, we got to go.
You know, seeing JB go down was hard. You know, he's
having one of the best seasons out of any running back in the country.
And you know, our mindset when he went down this we have multiple guys
that could step up. You know, there's very versatile. So I mindset
was, we just can't let the boat sink. We just had to pick
up where he left left off. You obviously very highly tired of recruiting that
sort of thing, But so it's all about getting your chance and showing what
you could do. These last couple weeks you had a little bit more workload,
and what's that been like, kind of getting you know, getting going
here and really starting to show what you can do. It's been good.
You know, I've always waited my time seeing guys in front of me.
You know, they have set the example for me. You know, it's
been huge. So me seeing the guys in front of me and now is
my time, heals me a lot. It's got to help too. That
offensive line pretty good in front of you guys. How good has that old
line been for you guys all year long? Pass protecting and run blocking?
Uh? Yeah, you know, we have one of the best on lines
in the country. Them guys work hard every day, They give maximum effort
every play, So you know, having them, I'm very grateful you know,
they lead away for us, so they're very good. Obviously. You
know, everybody makes so much about that that early season win against Alabama,
and it was huge for you guys to go in there in Tuscaloosa and get
that win. But it was so early in the season. It was like,
man, we still got this whole journey ahead of us. And then
and then the the Oklahoma game comes and obviously then after that, yeah,
you got to sit there with a bye week. Was that kind of the
week where you kind of you guys kind of reset and say, look,
we still got everything we want to play for ahead of us. Yes,
sir, most definitely. You know, the Alabama win was a key win.
You know, you know, it's very hard to go and Tuscaloos and
win, especially in a night game. You know, hasn't it hasn't been
done much, so getting that win was one of the was a huge win.
You know, it was a big thing for us. You know,
also coming off the ball week, you know, it was a time for
us to just you know, sit back, you know, rest up,
and then get ready for the past. The next game is coming up.
You guys obviously got tested too. Quinn gets hurt Maleak's got to come in
and play quarterback. A couple of games, a couple of close games you
guys had, But it seems like those close games are those ones that pay
off down the road because you look back and go, you're battle tested,
because you know how to win in close games. You know, one of
those close names is always a good thing, you know. It just shows
that we're a versatile team, that we could win different ways. We're just
blowing the team out, whereas it being close, or we're just you know
us and not scoring very many points in the defense, you know, holding
their offensive to minimum points. So it just shows that we could win versatile
ways. I'm talking with Jadon Blue, running back for the Texas Longhorns,
and these last couple games, Man, I don't know if you could be
more dominant than you guys were the game against Texas tack and then of course
the big twelfth title game against Oklahoma State. What was it about the offense
in those two games? Just I mean right out of the gates clicking.
Yeah. I just think, you know, towards the end of the season,
we just started getting rhythm. We always preached, you know, finishing
games, and he made a big emphasis on that this year because that's something
we didn't do very much last year. So we emphasized finishing and I think
we started peaking at the right time. So those last few games we've been
out of our best. Give me a little bit of insight into coach Shark.
What's he like as a head coach and what what ultimately kind of attracted
you to want to play for a guy like that. You know, Coach
Sark is a is a great coach, he's a even better dude. You
know, when he was recruiting me, you know, he's one of the
guys that I followed everywhere he went, and once he got to Texas,
you know, immediately opened my eyes because, you know, why not want
to play for Coas Sartin. You know, he's a he's a genius when
it comes to play calling. He puts guys in the right position. He
tried to find, you know, mismatches. So I think Coach Sark is
one of the best which is in the country, And you know that was
one of my reasons. What do you like most, not just football?
What do you like most about your time in Austin so far? What have
you come to really like, I'm really just experienced. You know, this
is a great city. You know, I enjoy being around my teammates overall.
You know, it's just a great place to be. Okay, what
are you miss us about Houston being I mean, you're not too far away.
I'd say probably just my friends back home and my family. You know,
I'm a big family guy, so being away from my family while,
you know, that's something I have to adjust to. Who's got the better
food Houston or Austin Houston for sure? What's your go to seafood like shrimp
or crawfish? What are you doing? I say boil seafood, not like
cowfish too, but my mom coulks a lot of boils seafood, so it's
probably one of my favorite. I love. We're talking with jadon Blue talk
a little bit about this test you guys have ahead of you. Obviously,
Washington really really good team and good defensively. What have you kind of seen
on filming the challenges that are going to present? You know, it's a
big test for us. Washington is a great team. You know, played
them last year, they got the best of us. But we're a new
team this year, and I think they're going to give us a run for
our money. This year is going to be a great match up. You
know, they have a great offensive line, that have a quarterback that was
in the Heisman race, that have you know, three receivers that's going to
the NFL. So you know it's a big test for us. So we
just got to keep working and we're putting it in the work. I think
back to these last two games. You know, you guys score early and
often and kind of set the tone. I mean, it's that kind of
the key. And this one is because look, everybody's predicting it's going to
be a score fast, but I mean it's got to be imperative to get
out there and maybe grab that early lead. Right, You're right, Almond
said, you know, we want to score every draft. You know,
we got to come out fast. We can't play behind. And I think
we come off fast and our defense is going to do their job, you
know, do what they're used to doing stopping them, and then we'll be
in the right position. What do you see that out of a Quinn this
year and his development as a quarterback. How much has he improved? Quinn
has proved a lot. I think He's one of the most doll damn players
on the team. You know, if you look at last year, you
know he changed the way his body was and just eating habits. You know,
he also came into this year what Ama said that we're gonna go win
this thing and we could win it no matter what. And I think these
last few games is when he really flipped the switch and showed everyone that,
you know, he's really ready. And I think he took that next step.
He was a highly tied to recruit arch manning. The excitement from this
fan base when he got in and against Texas Taglan Stateium was going nuts.
And now with Malik going in the portal, Arch has to step up here
a little bit. What have you seen from rch kind of growing and just
his freshman year. Yeah, I think Arch is you know, he's ready
whenever his number is called. You know, he prepares really well. He
takes inside from from Quinn and the other guys that's in the room that's older
than him. So I think when his time come, Archer be really ready.
Last week, for you, I've seen a lot of Texas fans in
town here. Looks like you guys are gonna have a lot of Longhorned fans
in the stands gott to be excited to have. You know, it's not
too far from Austin, right down the road here in New Orleans. But
it seems like you guys are gonna have a pretty pretty excited fan base here.
Yeah. You know, we were pretty good, very good teams here,
so of course everybody want to see Texas play. And but I think
it's gonna be a great matchup. I think offense, I know we were
capable of and what we're gonna do, and I just think it's gonna be
a great matchup Texas Longhorned running back Jadon and Blue Jaydon. Thanks so much
of the time, man, thank you, Quinton. Just a couple of
questions for you here, what's uh, what's his like? I mean,
obviously this is what you hoped and dreamed of and you're in your time coming
to Texas and now you're here getting experience. Is it all kind of surreal
or is it? This is this is the dream come true right here?
Yeah, I mean it's a dream come true for sure, But it still
feels the same as any other week, which I think is is a good
is a good thing. So I know we're all pretty loose, and we're
all pretty fired up to for Monday. Talk a little bit about the season.
Obviously, you know, the the ups and downs, the the you
know, you're getting injured and that sort of thing having to come back.
But uh, it really looked like you guys hit your stride these last couple
of games, that the offense, particularly just playing lights out. What was
it these last couple of games the offense just took off. I think it's
just the way we prepared. I think we really, you know it took
a look at ourselves and and focused on what we needed to improve about ourselves.
And you know, we we know the defense was gonna play great,
so we just kind of wanted to match what they were doing. What's the
biggest challenge look at a film so far with this Washington team, obviously undefeated,
they've been underdogs a couple of times, answered the call beat Morgan not
once, but twice. What's the toughest challenges you're gonna face from them defensively?
Oh? Yeah, I mean they're a great defense. Obviously, it's
a great team. They wouldn't be here if they weren't a great team.
But you know, they got a really good d line that I know the
offense is, the offensive line is going to be you know, fired up
to go to go block, but no, overall they're just a really good
defense. Y'all did a good job of spreading the ball around and you know
you're getting all your different receivers involved, and then on top of it,
have an adjust on the fly when JB goes down and the next you know,
Bevy running back steps up. But just to evilue this offense, how
much have y'all improved since since day won this year? Yeah, I mean,
if you if you want to be here where we're at right now,
you got to improve each week. And like you said, it sucks to
see Jonathan go down, especially with the season he was having. But like
you said, I mean those guys in the in that room stepped up,
and I know coach choice is is firing those guys up and super proud of
the way that the running back room has has stepped up this this year.
Well more for you here in New Orleans. You gotta look, there's great
food everywhere. You gotta be a little bit smart though right with without you're
eating kind of balance it out. Yeah, I know, one hundred percent,
hundred percent. It's really good food around here. And like you said,
you really got to watch what you eat. Do you have a go
to like something you've tried so far? You like, Oh, I have
this short rib. I forget where it's from now, but it's like short
rib bread pudding. I don't even know all this stuff. I don't even
know half the words that were or the half the side that we're with it.
So what it was solid? Thanks quiet appreciure man, Thank you all
right. Oh, a chance for Chris Gordy to catch up with Jaden Blue.
Great conversation there, as well as the conversation he had with the starting
quarterback of the Longhorns. When you weres so all of those conversations that Gordie
had no doubt you can find him at Sports Talk seven ninety dot com.
As I mean, he caught up with everyone this morning. We just only
had time to play a couple of those. As he had a chance to
catch up with Arch Manning for about a minute, caught up with Ady Mitchell
of course, another Houston area guy, and Devandre sweat guy that's gonna make
a lot of money after this season is over. As he was the Big
Twelve Defensive Player of the Year as well. So the Longhorns are gearing up
for the Washington Huskies Monday night. And on Monday, go ahead and follow
me on this because I will let you know where to find anything and everything
that can be heard on our iHeart Radio network of stations. As coming up
on Monday morning, starting at ten, you're going to get LSU taking on
Wisconsin and they rely a Quest Bowl. So Tiger fans out there listening wanting
to hear if their team can finish up with a tenth win for the second
straight season under Brian Kelly, then you can hear that right here sports Talk
seven ninety. We will also have the Rockets that night right here on Sports
Talk seven ninety starting at six with Rockets Launch Pad as they get ready to
take on the Detroit Pistons, and then six point thirty over on News Radio
seven forty KTRH, you can hear the Longhorns and Washington Huskies in the Sugar
Bowl as part of the college football playoff. All right, coming out next
give some final thoughts on the Texans game tomorrow. Also a quick look back
at the year that was right here on our beloved Houston sports scene. We
will do all of that as we close out this edition of Bay City Saturday.
Dan Matthews here with you on your home of the Astros and Rockets,
Sports Talk seven ninety. We now returned to Face City Saturday Sports Talk seven
ninety. I promise you, Matt Thomas, this is not a bit steal.
Adam just decided to bump back with blitz kreegbop by the Ramones. We're
not doing ro's, we're not doing to o's, we're not doing ao's,
we're not doing any o's in that regard. Well maybe some x's and o's,
but yeah, we're not gonna do the overreactions. That's that's a Matt
Thomas thing. I mean, you know, that's one that as part of
the Wednesday Bit Steel that we do on the A team. We haven't broken
out just yet, but maybe we could here pretty soon. I mean,
who knows, maybe if things don't go the way we hope tomorrow with Texans,
that maybe we could break them out. I don't know, we'll see.
We will take it into the last aboratory and see what is able to
come of that here on our show and the many shows that we have here
just a reminder too, New Year's Day, like all of you going to
be off New Year's Day, so we will have all of the games that
I had mentioned right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. But then Tuesday
is when we will be back, and that of course will be the reaction
to the Texans game. We'll have immediate reaction to the Longhorns in Huskies and
the Sugar Bowl. Hopefully it is us getting ready for the Longhorns to come
to Houston and have a chance to play for the national championship. Maybe that
is on the horizon, so we will see how that goes. Real quick,
a couple of minutes on the Texans before we get into the year that
was in sports here in the great city of Houston. But Texans Titans tomorrow.
I mean it comes down to being just as simple. You're the better
football team, play like the better football team. And I understand there are
some key injuries. Last time you played, you had a better setup in
terms of your defensive front. We'll have to see what happens with Malie Collins
tomorrow as well as Sheldon Rankins, although it looks like Rankins will be good
to go for this one, if I had to guess, with the questionable
designation, I think they will see how much Will Anderson could play and try
to put him through a pregame workout and see if that works out for him.
And if it does, then I would probably have to believe with him
being out for these last couple of weeks and at high ankle spring, not
being able to get a ton of a work on the field, so probably
not as in gread of game shape as he would be if he were still
playing, And I would probably have to believe if he is available, it'll
be in a very limited capacity in this game. I mean a handful of
plays I think is what we'd be looking at there. So all of that
kind of boils into stopping the top offensive weapon that the Tennessee Titans have,
and he is Dereck Henry, and I've got to believe that he wants to
have a strong bounce back performance with the way that the last game went in
Tennessee because the Texans defensive front, I mean, they were absolutely able to
hold him in check for that game. So that will be something to keep
an eye on. And I think that the other one is CJ. What
do we get from CJ in this game on you tomorrow. I mean,
is he going to be rusty or is the time off going to be good
for him? Because you heard him say earlier this week as well that this
is the longest layoff he's had in terms of being in a season. He's
never missed an extended period of time. He was out for a couple of
weeks with the concussion and also too incredibly limited to what he could even do.
I mean you even heard him say as well that he couldn't even watch
football until they got to that game on Sunday against the Titans because just the
camera angles everything. It just you know, with his brain trying to heal
from the concussion, the sensitivity was too much in terms of the lighting and
also to just the movement everything else of the sort. So that just kind
of showed you where he was. And he got a little bit better last
week, but still wasn't good enough to be able to give it a go
on Sunday. And now he's back, he's clear the concussion protocol, talked
with the media on Thursday, so you know, now he is good to
play in this game tomorrow. He will have pretty much his full allotment of
receivers back as well. Nico Collins is good to go as well as Robert
Woods and also to Noah Brown, and you know also Dalton Schultz as well,
so that's a huge help. Again. You know, Devin Singletary has
been able to do some really good things at times this year, so having
him out there helps as well in this game. So the Texans should be
solid from the offensive side of the ball. And when you have CJ.
Strout on the field, you feel like you have a chance. And I
think the Texans feel like they have more than a chance. And it's a
must win. I mean, in every sense of the word. These next
two games are must wins if you want to, no doubt get into the
playoffs. Otherwise you need help, and trying to get help it's not fun
when it's not in your hands. We've been there before, I mean two
thousand and nine, Like I said, we remember the Texans beating the Patriots
that day and having a couple of other teams that needed to lose. But
then you needed the Bengals to go to the Meadowlands that night and beat the
Jets and they didn't. And that early season loss to the Jets is what
ended up hurting you. So that is something that you want to avoid if
you can, if you're the Texans, and we'll see if indeed they are
able to do that. So the year in review that was Houston Sports.
I mean, you know, just real quick as we've got a couple of
minutes left here again, Dan Matthews here on Space City Saturday. The Astros,
I mean, it was a completely up and down season. I mean
it started off rocky because you didn't have jose L Tuve because he got hit
on the hand in the World Baseball Classic and he missed about the first three
months of the season. That was not great. But the positive you got
to see the rise of Mauricio Dubon, a guy that showed you he could
be a very meaningful contributor to this team, and somebody that was a contributor
all the way through to the postseason, being good enough to even win a
goal Glove this season. So that was a positive. As well as Chas
McCormick, you feel like took a step forward in his career. You found
out that you have your catcher of the future in janer Diez. And I
know a lot of people wanted to see him play a lot sooner than he
did, or at least play a lot more than he did last year.
But still, now you've got your everyday catcher, and Dana Brown and Joespota
have both let us know that that's going to be the case. He is
going to be the everyday catcher. So that was nice. But yes,
it was all marred by how it ended. And it wasn't only how it
ended to the Rangers. It was the fashion that it did. That you
weren't even close in any of those games and they just completely came here and
just beat you like crazy, and you have to sit on that this entire
offseason. And I made the comment to Adam Clinton as we were doing the
show yesterday, I said, it just seems like this offseason has been so
long because of that. But fear not. I mean, you heard Jeff
Blum say it the other day that as a baseball player, and you know
a coach, a manager, part of a baseball organization, that once it
hits New Year's Day, your mind kind of starts to hit that next gear
of it's almost time, because yeah, then a month and a half later,
we're going to be in West Palm Beach at spring training, getting you
ready for the season. And then soon enough, right here on Sports Talk
seven to ninety, we'll have the Astros playing regular season games and trying to
make it to their eighth straight ALCS. We'll see if that's able to happen.
I mean, the Rockets signaling they're taking a step forward. That was
nice. The Texan's serious about winning again, hiring to me Niko Ryans and
drafting c J. Strou Will Anderson Junior, and then also too you of
h football deciding to take the next step in their program. All those things
happened in this past year. I want to thank Adam Snyder behind the glass.
I want to think all of you out there who listened today to Space
City Saturday. I'm Dan Matthews. Until next time, continue listening to us
right here on your home of the Astros and Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety.
Have a great day, everyone,