WEBVTT 1 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:18.359 Looks space city, created created, created City. Welcome to another Space City. 2 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:24.359 Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Dan Matthews Live a local h town breakdown 3 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:29.399 of the world that matters to you, does Houston Sports World? All these 4 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:34.640 great Houston fans here, We love you all. So finish up on that 5 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:39.359 to do list. Flute up for Joler, because you can't drink in talk 6 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:48.240 sports all day if you don't start. Now this Space City Saturday. Here's 7 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:53.840 seven nineties Dan Matthews. Everything he just said is true. Good morning, 8 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:58.359 Houston, what's going on? Happy New Year. I'll go ahead and say 9 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:02.560 it because I'm not gonna get it. It's at least into these live microphones 10 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:07.560 to be able to say that until I'll actually be doing rockets, launch pad 11 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:12.159 and rap because Ross Villarrial at that time gonna be at the Sugar Bowl watching 12 00:01:12.159 --> 00:01:19.599 his beloved Texas Longhorns take on the Washington Huskies as special thanks to Doug Pike. 13 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:22.079 Always great to hang out with him for a few minutes. You know, 14 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:23.359 talk a little bit of golf with him, do all that kind of 15 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.840 stuff, and you know, look like I said with him at the end 16 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:30.359 of his show. Yeah, man, the PGA Tour season firing up. 17 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:34.959 I love the West Coast swing this time of the year because there's not a 18 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:38.799 ton happening sports wise after the Super Bowl, and you know, we're waiting 19 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:42.400 on spring training to get going, and in the past few years with the 20 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:46.799 Rockets, that has definitely been the case. We'll have a little bit more 21 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:52.719 to chew on right now because the Rockets are at least a competitive organization this 22 00:01:53.040 --> 00:02:00.159 season and hopefully getting better after getting some injured guys back, and hopeful we 23 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.480 get over this little three game losing skid there on. All of a sudden, 24 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:07.520 the home front not so great for the Rockets, red so the hometown 25 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:15.240 heroes, crew jerseys and the Dunkster not court, everything of the such. 26 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:20.039 Yeah, took a huge l this week oh to three for the Rockets. 27 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:23.240 So we'll talk about that and much more as the show goes along. But 28 00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.159 the golf thing I was talking about, I mean, you know, I 29 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:30.159 always loved that time of the year, and you know it's also too I 30 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:34.039 understand, and I'm not going to do golf here on the show. Probably 31 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.479 very rarely we will ever have a golf topic on here. I mean pretty 32 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:42.960 much there's not very many storylines. Let's be honest here, most of the 33 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:46.120 players on the tour now are not very interesting to talk about, so we 34 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:50.560 won't do it very much. But you know, I just as they mentioned 35 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:53.560 to you all, I'm a huge golf guy. I love it, love 36 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:57.039 watching when they play at Tory Pines on the West Coast, on the West 37 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.240 Coast swing, go to Riviera La, play there too, Pebble b each 38 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:05.520 of course, h Scottsdale with the TPC at Scottsdale right there the sixteenth hole, 39 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:08.199 the stadium hole right there that they have that little part three that's always 40 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:10.800 fun to watch on Super Bowl weekend to get you ready for the game. 41 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:15.520 And yeah, you know it's something to kind of pass the time a little 42 00:03:15.520 --> 00:03:19.360 bit. So we've definitely got that. If you want to weigh in on 43 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.840 the program, you can. It's Semon one three two one two five seven 44 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:25.680 ninety seven one three two one two five seven ninety Once again, it's Semon 45 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:31.280 one three two one two five seven to nine zero is the way to get 46 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:36.439 in on the show. Texans talk absolutely gonna happen on the show today. 47 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.199 We will get into that as they have a huge one tomorrow. It is 48 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:45.800 in every sense of the word a must win in that game against the Titans 49 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:49.159 tomorrow. And I know that most people out there might say, oh, 50 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:52.280 come on, it's the Titans. It's not gonna be that much of an 51 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:55.759 issue for the Texans to try to overtake. But look, there are a 52 00:03:55.800 --> 00:04:00.879 lot of different things that could get in the way. And again, I've 53 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:03.960 said it before and I'll continue to say it. That's an NFL team with 54 00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:10.240 guys who get paid to play NFL football and are professional in every sense the 55 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:15.079 word, and can also really be able to jump up and beat you. 56 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:19.920 And I don't think there's any doubt about it that the Titans could be a 57 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:25.879 team that could be an issue for the Texans tomorrow. I mean, you 58 00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:29.120 know, you've got Derek Henry, Me and Adam Clanton talked about it on 59 00:04:29.160 --> 00:04:31.120 the A team. You got to believe that he wants to be able to 60 00:04:31.160 --> 00:04:36.160 have a better performance since the last game, Will Levis he would like to 61 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:42.160 get back at this defense that absolutely made that last visit to Tennessee very tough 62 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:45.920 on him. So there's a ton of motivation. And while the Titans season 63 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:49.560 is done, they've been eliminated from the playoffs. Absolutely, Mike Vrabel is 64 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:53.480 the type of guy that reminds his guys, hey, we've got a chance 65 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:56.759 to end somebody else's season, because if they come in here and win that 66 00:04:56.800 --> 00:05:00.839 game tomorrow, then the Texans season is effectively over. Would have to have 67 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:04.920 so much help in order to be able to make the playoffs from Jacksonville, 68 00:05:05.160 --> 00:05:09.319 have to go on the road and win at Indie, all of those different 69 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.319 types of things. The scenario is simple. You win these next two games, 70 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:17.040 you're in and if you win only one of these two games, you 71 00:05:17.079 --> 00:05:20.680 need help. If you lose both of them, then you're out altogether. 72 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:25.920 So we know the scenario. It's there right in front of us. So 73 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:30.439 that's what the Texans have to do against the Titans tomorrow. Obviously, the 74 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:33.839 number one storyline with that is getting CJ. Stroud back, and he is 75 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.160 a huge help to this offense. We've all seen it. I mean, 76 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:41.839 last two games showed us all we need to know. Great job by case 77 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.000 Keenum last game. Davis Mills did some good things, but they're not number 78 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.160 seven, and having number seven on the field has made a difference. He 79 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:53.519 has made a group of receivers who frankly I thought were not capable of really 80 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:57.319 being an effective group, an effective group, and that's been because of CJ. 81 00:05:57.399 --> 00:06:00.680 Stroud this season and also to the running game these last few weeks has 82 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:05.319 actually gotten at least it's at least been capable. Can we at least say 83 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:10.519 that. I mean, Devin Singletary taking over the primary role there has been 84 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:15.480 a huge help to this team. And now pretty much we know that Damian 85 00:06:15.519 --> 00:06:19.879 Pierce is more of a special teams use guy on kick returns. He showed 86 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:25.959 it last week against Cleveland, but that is so what we see from that 87 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:30.319 group now. But I mean, you know, it's something that offensively, 88 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:32.360 it's a huge help to have CJ. Shroud back for everything that he has 89 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:35.639 shown us this season. And on the defensive side, we'll have to wait 90 00:06:35.639 --> 00:06:39.920 and see. With Will Anderson Junior. I mean we saw yesterday limited in 91 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:45.160 practice and listed as questionable for the game tomorrow. If I had to guess 92 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:48.399 what that's going to mean, it probably will mean about this time when the 93 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:51.279 players start going on the field, if you get there early enough, they're 94 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:55.079 not in their pads yet. You know, maybe they've got their pants on 95 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:58.959 with their with their leg pads on, but they're out there just kind of 96 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:00.560 getting loose, getting warm up a little bit, kind of getting a feel 97 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:04.680 for the field and for what the conditions are going to be that day, 98 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:08.160 and then they go back in, put everything on, come back out for 99 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:13.000 the team warm up, and then of course get it going at noon our 100 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.439 time. And I guess the good news is TV wise, tomorrow, we 101 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:19.639 don't have to worry about the whole TEGNA KHOU thing, right, That's that's 102 00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:24.839 good if you are a Direct TV subscriber, which I am. So we're 103 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:30.639 actually gonna be getting Chris Myers and also Robert Smith on the call tomorrow for 104 00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:32.920 Fox, So this is gonna be a Fox game, so all over there 105 00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:38.000 on Fox twenty six you'll be able to watch this one. But we obviously 106 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:41.560 know what this means for the Texans. The Rockets, as I mentioned, 107 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:48.680 losing their third straight last night to the Philadelphia seventy six ers. As it 108 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:53.399 was a game that looked like it was going to be a good finish for 109 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:57.399 the Rockets, but they were unable to hold on, getting out scored in 110 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:01.240 the fourth quarter forty one to thirty and they fall by four points again one 111 00:08:01.399 --> 00:08:05.319 thirty one, one twenty seven, A little bit of a rough stretch here. 112 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:09.720 I mean, it's not been fun, it's not been great. It's 113 00:08:09.879 --> 00:08:13.399 obviously things that we would have liked to have seen this team avoid, but 114 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:18.920 they have not been able to avoid it to this point and now also to 115 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:24.120 really up until this recent stretch, the Rockets have been pretty fortunate with injuries 116 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:26.759 through the first thirty games of the season, but a couple of games ago 117 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:31.080 that was not the case. With Dylan Brooks he left with the oblique issue 118 00:08:31.559 --> 00:08:35.960 uh emy Udoka before the game last night, seeing about a week or so 119 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:41.039 for him to be back. Don't expect it to be a prolonged absence in 120 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:45.159 the same deal with Jabari Smith Junior, as he left the game against Phoenix 121 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:50.440 with the ankle issue in the third quarter, and it was something too that 122 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.279 he may udoka, as you heard Rossville Real play on Rockets launch pad before 123 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:58.679 the game last night. They don't expect it to be in a Men Thompson 124 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:03.720 situation where a Men Thompson obviously had a pretty rough sprain to ankle because he 125 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:05.840 missed about a month of the season and he's trying to work his way back 126 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.879 into playing shape right now to be an effective player for this team. But 127 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:16.440 they feel like Jabari won't have as long a prolonged absence. That's good, 128 00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:18.679 I mean, because I've said it before and I'll continue to say it again. 129 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:24.720 It's an incredibly young basketball team still, even with the additions of Dylan 130 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:28.240 Brooks and Fred Van Vliet and Jeff Green and Aaron Holliday. I mean guys 131 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:33.440 that you brought in with the explicit purpose to shepherd the young guys. Bring 132 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:39.480 along Jalen Green, bring along Alprinshingoon, bring along Jabari Smith Junior, and 133 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:43.559 Amen Thompson and Cam whitmore guys like that to be able to have them become 134 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:50.159 true NFL players and true pros and guys that know that I say NFL, 135 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:54.840 NBA, you know what I meant, but true NBA players that are true 136 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:58.600 pros and know what this level of basketball is. And I think that right 137 00:09:58.639 --> 00:10:01.559 now you're just seeing a little bit of a struggle of a team kind of 138 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:07.799 trying to find what they are right now because you have a couple of very 139 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:09.879 key pieces that are not part of the rotation right now. I mean, 140 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:15.080 we've seen what this team looks like at times. With one game this year 141 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:18.720 that Fred van Vliet had to miss, we saw the team looked like when 142 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.000 you had to go that route. And also too, you're finding out what 143 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:24.960 it looks like to not have the defensive presence of Dylan Brooks out there and 144 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.639 the physicality that he brings on the floor. And I think also too the 145 00:10:28.679 --> 00:10:33.000 same from an energy perspective, and also too a guy that really I think 146 00:10:33.080 --> 00:10:39.399 kind of started to find himself offensively and Jabari Smith Junior. So losing streaks 147 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:41.720 happen, I mean, we don't want them to happen. They're a little 148 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:46.320 bit more pronounced in say football, if your team hasn't won a game in 149 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:50.279 two or three weeks, but in basketball they happen Baseball, I mean, 150 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:52.279 gosh, a three game losing streak in baseball, you're just kind of like, 151 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.799 yeah, get through it. And I think in certain ways the NBA, 152 00:10:56.279 --> 00:11:01.399 with it being half the length of a Major League Baseball season, there 153 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:05.279 still is a little bit especially this time of the year too, because I 154 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:09.440 feel like, really, you know, we've heard people say that the NBA 155 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:13.279 season starts after Christmas. Well it's after Christmas, but still I think that 156 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:20.039 people don't necessarily truly pay attention until after football season is over. So once 157 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:24.000 we get to about February. That's when you know things like this happen and 158 00:11:24.039 --> 00:11:26.320 you're kind of like, well, we're fifty sixty games in at this point, 159 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:30.080 I mean, how much better can you really expect this team to be? 160 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:33.559 And the Rockets haven't even reached the halfway point of the season yet. 161 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:37.000 I think that's still again getting some of those guys back, being able to 162 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:43.759 get back into some of the rhythms that have helped you this season. I 163 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.720 kind of rolled that in there, DENNI, but the rhythms of the season. 164 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:50.879 As the Rockets have at times shown very good defensive performances, they've also 165 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:56.200 shown some defensive laps games at times, and also too offensively, sometimes it 166 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:00.519 looks really great and sometimes it doesn't look so great. And a guy that 167 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:03.720 wears the brunt of that is Jalen Green, who had one of his best 168 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:07.480 offensive games of the season last night, thirty one points for him in the 169 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:11.840 effort against the Sixers. And he's a guy too that I think has probably 170 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:16.480 been trying to regain the confidence in that shooting stroke, and last night he 171 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:20.480 looked good twelve to nineteen from the floor, five of nine from three, 172 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:26.480 and again those thirty one points out of him Fred VanVleet thirty three points from 173 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:31.000 him, ten assists, So nice little double double from him in the game 174 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:33.600 in Alprin Shingoon. I mean, he's just been who he's been all season 175 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.360 long, pretty much a double doubles machine. Missing out on both of those 176 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:41.679 last night actually was kind of, you know how like a poker and outside 177 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:46.240 straight draw. Well, he had an outside triple double chance draw, I 178 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:52.919 guess as he finished with seven rebounds and eight assists in the game last night. 179 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.200 But it's just one of those stretches for this team. And now you 180 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:01.240 hope that probably the upcoming stretch for the Rockets is going to be one that 181 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:07.399 can provide them some chances to get back to their winning ways because you just 182 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:13.360 went through a pretty strong stretch of really good teams in that recent line of 183 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.759 games that you had just had. I mean, Indiana is going to be 184 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:20.399 a playoff team and going to be a team that probably is going to compete 185 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.120 to try to win the East. And the same deal goes for the Suns. 186 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:26.240 They have been banged up, they haven't had Bradley Beal. They got 187 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:31.679 him back last night, but still Kevin Durant and Devin Booker both showed you 188 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:35.919 who they are and they were absolutely able to crush you, along with former 189 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:39.960 Rocket Eric Gordon in that game. So the Suns, I would expect probably 190 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:43.480 will as they get healthier, start to get going as well and become the 191 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.279 team that I think a lot of people believe they would be. And even 192 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.120 though you didn't have Joel Embiid last night, I mean, this is the 193 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:56.919 Philadelphia team with Nick Nurse now as their coach, that is right now second 194 00:13:56.039 --> 00:14:01.919 in the East in terms of the standing, but twenty two and nine overall, 195 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.840 and a team kind of like I talked about with Indiana as well, 196 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:09.360 that is, they're further ahead than you are right now in terms of where 197 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:13.039 they are as an organization. So you have that as well. So that's 198 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.679 a little bit of Rockets talk to get us started, along with a little 199 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:22.080 bit of Texans talk. But as I mentioned to Texas themselves, the Longhorns 200 00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:28.519 are in the college football playoff and Chris Gordy is alive in New Orleans. 201 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.799 We'll have a chance to catch up with him a little bit later on, 202 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:33.840 as he had a chance to catch up with some of the members of the 203 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:37.440 Texas Longhorn football program. We will let you hear those conversations a little bit 204 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:43.600 later on, and Astro season is almost here, we will get into that. 205 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:46.279 I mean, of course, we had Jeff Blum as part of the 206 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:48.559 A team this week, and you know he you know, it was one 207 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:52.720 of those things I felt like if we were seeing Blummer, then we were 208 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:56.000 starting to feel good about, you know, how close we are to the 209 00:14:56.039 --> 00:15:00.919 season, And was great to hear him and a see at times talk a 210 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:03.080 little bit of baseball, so you know, one of the things he said 211 00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:07.200 that gets me even more excited about the season. I'll talk about that a 212 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:11.200 little bit later on, and also to one more Astros note that we'll get 213 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:15.360 to as the show goes along. When we get there, you'll know. 214 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:20.200 Bad takes in this business, they happen. I think if you were listening 215 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.919 to the A Team yesterday you know what I'm talking about. But if you 216 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:26.320 didn't, then you'll get to hear it and I'll react to it. We'll 217 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:31.000 talk about that. Plus, gonna let you hear from Chris Gordy's visit yesterday 218 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:37.279 with Aaron Wilson, our NFL insider here on Sports Talk seven ninety as he 219 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:41.240 gets us ready for the Texans and Titans. All that and much more as 220 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:46.639 we continue here on Space City Saturday. But coming up next, it's the 221 00:15:46.679 --> 00:15:52.440 Astros fault that we feel the way we do. I'll talk about that coming 222 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:56.519 up right here, Space City Saturday. It's Stan Matthews here with you until 223 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:58.720 noon on your home of the Astros in the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. 224 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:11.960 Welcome back to Space City Saturday. On Sports Talk seven ninety. Indeed, 225 00:16:12.039 --> 00:16:18.519 true, it is Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you until 226 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:21.440 noon. If you want to weigh in, you can. It's someone three 227 00:16:21.480 --> 00:16:26.840 two one two five seven at ninety. But this actually might be a topic 228 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:30.519 of conversation that people want to join in on, and that is the Astros. 229 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:34.200 I said it was their fault. I think it's their fault. From 230 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:40.919 this perspective, it's kind of thrown out our expectations of the other teams in 231 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:45.960 town because I think that most of us probably let's just take the Texans for 232 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.960 example, we had incredibly low expectations for this team this year. Now we 233 00:16:51.080 --> 00:16:53.519 had high hopes that we would see good things that would at least show us 234 00:16:53.720 --> 00:17:00.639 all right. As CJ. Stroud gets more experience and more chances he will 235 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:04.720 be a better player and probably somebody that could help this team win in the 236 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.640 future. But in twenty twenty three, no, not so much. Will 237 00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:12.920 Anderson Junior same deal. Yah. You know, maybe he will become a 238 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:17.839 really good sack artist in this league and he will be somebody that is an 239 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:22.880 absolute terror off the edge for opposing offensive lines and opposing quarterbacks. But this 240 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:26.400 year, eh, maybe maybe not. Demiko Ryans first year head coach. 241 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:30.480 What can we really expect? I mean, because all of that I think 242 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:36.720 was boiled into the same with the Texans, of they were an incredibly awful 243 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:41.160 franchise for the last couple of years. There is no debating that it was 244 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:47.960 an organization that had no necessari They had no direction in terms of having this 245 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:52.319 thing trending towards a winner anytime soon. I mean, I think we probably 246 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:56.079 looked at the way the Texans were these last couple of years the same way 247 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:59.640 we probably looked at the Astros in about twenty eleven twenty twelve, when they 248 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:06.319 were in the dregs of a really stark rebuild and it wasn't anywhere close to 249 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:08.559 where they are right now, and it still took time. It still took 250 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:15.119 patience, and it still took us really kind of having expectations for not necessarily 251 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:19.599 thinking that this was possible for them to reach where they are right now, 252 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:23.200 and where they are right now is the best in baseball across the board. 253 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:30.160 So that is something that again it took time to be able to get to 254 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:33.799 that point. But then it's also to the rockets where I'm actually going to 255 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:40.240 take this on a singular player approach with this one, and it's Jalen Green 256 00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:45.039 and Jalen Green second player overall taken a guy that was expected to have an 257 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:49.079 incredible high ceiling in terms of what he could be as an NBA player, 258 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:53.960 and also to somebody that was immediately going to become one of the best young 259 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:57.920 players in the game. He was on a bad team last year and he's 260 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:03.640 on a team now that has a system in place with the head coach that 261 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.519 wants you to be a complete player, that he wants you to be much 262 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:10.400 more than a scorer. You're going to have to play defense, You're going 263 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:14.720 to have to factor in terms of other parts of the offense that maybe do 264 00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:18.359 not involve you putting the basketball in the hoop. And I think that you 265 00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:23.000 know it's been a little bit of an adjustment for him because he's actually playing 266 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:27.720 true NBA basketball now. I think that probably last year it was pretty much 267 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:33.000 Jalen, just be you and just find your way, and if you've got 268 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:37.160 a shot, take it. If you've got the ability to be able to 269 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:38.720 go for a steal, then go ahead and go for it. And I'm 270 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:41.839 not saying that he's you know, thinking too much on the floor, but 271 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:47.279 I think that probably it's been an adjustment to playing the style of basketball now 272 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:51.720 that ima Udoka wants him to play. And I think that now you're starting 273 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:55.839 to see him kind of flourish in the system and be able to kind of 274 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:00.480 accept the other roles that are being expected of him, and also too getting 275 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:03.319 too where he's not necessarily thinking about the shot, just kind of making it 276 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:07.039 happen on the floor. In the last couple of games, I think I've 277 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:11.279 shown you that we're going to continue to see that Jalen Green than the one 278 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:14.880 we've seen before. So I bring this all back to the Astros, because 279 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:18.160 what have the Astros been the last seven years. They've been one of the 280 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:22.720 best in baseball. They've made it to what four World Series during that time, 281 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:27.599 they have won two of those World Series, and they've also had chances 282 00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:30.319 to be able to get to more. I mean, they reached Game seven 283 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:36.799 in the twenty twenty ALCS against the Rays after being down three, and they 284 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:38.960 had a chance to be able to do that. In former Astro Charlie Morton 285 00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:42.079 was the reason that they didn't get there. And then this past year, 286 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:47.440 they're up three to two coming home and we said, I know that home 287 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:49.839 field has not been great, but all they got to do is just won 288 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:53.079 one, and they can win one and we can move on and we can 289 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:57.279 be you know, I have a chance to win the World Series once again. 290 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:00.279 And we felt good about our chances if they had played against the Arizona 291 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:03.519 Diamondbacks, that the Astros would have been the better team and the Astros would 292 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.720 have won. I guess we'll never know, because well we won't never know 293 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:11.359 because they weren't there. The Rangers were able to come in win those two 294 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:15.400 games and move on. But I think that of all of the things that 295 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:22.240 having this run of success does with the Astros is it changes expectations for what 296 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:25.400 we think that sports should look like. I mean, for example, with 297 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:27.920 the Texans now I can already see it. If they lose either one of 298 00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:33.000 these final two games of the regular season, and let's just go ahead and 299 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:34.759 skip to the end they missed the playoffs, there are going to be people 300 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:37.119 who are going to say, oh, this season was a disappointment. I 301 00:21:37.160 --> 00:21:41.480 don't know if they're Twitter trolls, but I've seen at least a couple of 302 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:45.160 instances of this already, of people already calling in the question Demiko Ryan's coaching 303 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:49.039 ability. Again, I'm not going to give names to it, but I'm 304 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.880 just gonna say that I've seen it, and I think that more than anything, 305 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:56.039 they're just being Twitter trolls. They're saying this because they know it's going 306 00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:59.400 to get people fired up. Because anybody with half a brain in their head 307 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:02.799 can look the job that Demiko Ryans and his coaching staff have done this year 308 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:08.559 and say nothing but bravos. You guys have been unreal in terms of the 309 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:14.279 culture that you have built. He's changed the culture in that building over on 310 00:22:14.359 --> 00:22:18.720 Kirby because now they actually believe that they can win and know that they can 311 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:22.079 win in games like the ones that they're going to have in these final two 312 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:26.119 games, and also to a chance to get into the playoffs. That's a 313 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:30.200 reality now. He brought that that's here. And also too, we've seen 314 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:33.640 a team that has been incredibly prepared for games at times, and we've seen 315 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:37.480 a team that has probably overlooked some things at times. I mean, I 316 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:41.920 think the loss to the Falcons on the road, that was one you could 317 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:44.440 point to it and say, all right, early in the season. The 318 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:47.640 Carolina loss, Yes, that was inexcusable. That was not great. Stan 319 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:49.720 Northfleet, if you're listening out there, I'm one hundred percent on board with 320 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:55.799 that. That was inexcusable to lose that game. And also to the loss 321 00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:59.440 of the Jets, that was just a disaster from the beginning. But it 322 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:03.599 also was just not a very good offensive game plan that day. Those happen, 323 00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:07.720 that's fine, But to say that Demiko rans has done anything other than 324 00:23:07.799 --> 00:23:12.000 be fantastic for this organization, not only for what he's done this season, 325 00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:17.400 but also too what he's brought back to the organization. Over on Kirby, 326 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:22.000 we had no belief, We had no confidence in anything that the McNair family 327 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:25.720 was doing it running this team right now, or anybody else for that matter. 328 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:29.559 Hell, we didn't even have any full confidence in the GM running this 329 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:33.880 team and thinking that probably he was not going to be long for this job. 330 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:37.960 But I think now with the two massive successes that he has found in 331 00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:42.039 the first round of the draft with CJ. Stroud and also Will Anderson Junior, 332 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:45.079 I think that probably now you look at it and say, Okay, 333 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:49.319 you know, maybe he is on the something. Maybe he does have that 334 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:55.359 scouts ee that we hear Dana Brown talk about over with the Astros. So 335 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:59.319 maybe he is some way that we can stick and stay with for some time. 336 00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:03.440 But if anything, though too, like I said getting back to the 337 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:10.079 Astros, is now the expectation for the Astros is at the very least the 338 00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:14.519 ALCS, and if they do anything other than reaching the ALCS, then it's 339 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:18.640 considered a massive failure. I mean, like we talked about yesterday over on 340 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:22.240 the A team me and Adam Clanton, is that Alabama fans, for example, 341 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:26.359 feel that way about the job that Nick Saban has done. That's the 342 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:30.720 culture he's created. And Josh c the noted Alabama fan, reminded me too, 343 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:33.799 where I said three losses a couple of years ago, Well, they 344 00:24:33.799 --> 00:24:37.000 haven't lost more than three games since twenty ten. That was last time they 345 00:24:37.079 --> 00:24:41.160 lost three games. I mean that just shows you how good they've been over 346 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:44.720 at Alabama. So, yes, you do create that, and I think 347 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:48.160 that you have to embrace it if you're part of the program at that point. 348 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:52.720 I mean Astros players and Alex Bregman and jose L Tuovey and Jordan Alvarez 349 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:56.920 and the guys that are the core of that team, they embrace that. 350 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:02.319 Yes, there's an expectation now with as part of this team. The expectation 351 00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:06.359 is we get into the postseason, we win the Divisional round, and then 352 00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:11.000 we move on to the ALCS and we win that and go on to the 353 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:15.119 World Series like ALCS is in a World Series. Are the expectation now? 354 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:17.880 And if you fall short of that, I already know what people are going 355 00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:22.000 to say, Oh, the dynasty's over. Oh you know they're they're not 356 00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:25.559 what they've been Oh this is the beginning of the end all of those things. 357 00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:27.960 The run that the Astros have been on is unprecedented. The run that 358 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:33.279 they have been on is not the norm. It's the exception in every sense 359 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:37.359 of the word. We haven't seen a major league team be on the run 360 00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:41.119 that the Astros have been on since probably the late nineties, early two thousands 361 00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:45.279 Yankees. And I mean, you can point to the Dodgers and what they've 362 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:48.599 done, what they've done, but how many times have they gotten into the 363 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:52.599 NLDS and lost in the NLDS. So they haven't even touched what you've done. 364 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:56.920 The Braves the same deal. They beat you a couple of years ago 365 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:59.799 in the World Series, but aside from that, they have not been able 366 00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:03.680 to solve the Philadelphia problem of the Phillies beating them in the postseason. So 367 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:08.240 those are things that you've been able to do. And I know that Astros 368 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:11.160 fans, we've got the taste of this. I mean, after they won 369 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:15.880 their first World Series in twenty seventeen, I want to see the next one 370 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:19.359 even more because I said, hey, this feels awesome. I want this 371 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:22.359 feeling more and more and more, And so did they accross the way. 372 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:26.799 But I think that you know, like I said, with the examples of 373 00:26:26.839 --> 00:26:30.599 the Texans in the Rockets of it kind of changes our expectations for everyone else, 374 00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:34.559 because I think with the Texans now the expectations have changed. It's no 375 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:38.839 longer just good enough that they're in this position to be playing for the playoffs. 376 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:41.759 It's no, the season is not going to be a success if they 377 00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:45.839 don't make the playoffs. And I get that, I understand you're there. 378 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:48.839 While you're there, you might as well do it. And the same deal 379 00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:51.799 with the Rockets right now. Of the fact that they've gotten off to the 380 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:53.799 start that they have, of if we look up at the end of the 381 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.599 season and they miss out on the play in tournament or they miss out on 382 00:26:56.599 --> 00:27:00.680 the postseason altogether, then I think you look at the some of the parts 383 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:03.720 of what this season looked like, and I think you're probably going to be 384 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:07.759 looking at a team that's right around five hundred, maybe a couple of games 385 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:11.400 above, maybe a game or two below, but they'll probably be right there 386 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:15.359 at that mark. And when you consider where they've come from, that's a 387 00:27:15.400 --> 00:27:18.640 sizeable jump from where they have been these last couple of years. So I 388 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:22.799 think, if nothing else, it's sometimes just keep the expectations in check a 389 00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:27.319 little bit. But also two, yeah, it's okay to have high expectations 390 00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:30.359 for your teams and want to see them be successful. That makes you a 391 00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:36.960 great fan if that's indeed how you try to approach things. So if nothing 392 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:40.359 else, we definitely want to see playoff football here. We definitely would love 393 00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:44.640 to see playoff basketball, and of course we would definitely love to see a 394 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:48.759 deep run in the postseason again for the Astros in twenty twenty three. All 395 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:53.039 right, coming up next, Aaron Wilson, our own NFL Insider, had 396 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:57.799 a chance to catch up with Chris Gordy on next up, as we will 397 00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:02.759 hear what he has on the latest with the Texans before they take on the 398 00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:07.680 Titans tomorrow over at NRG Stadium. That'll be next right here on at Space 399 00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:11.400 City Saturday. Dan Matthews, this is your home of the Astros and the 400 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:18.720 Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. This is Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven 401 00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:30.839 night. It is Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here for a few minutes, 402 00:28:34.680 --> 00:28:40.000 as we will have a chance to hear from Aaron Wilson right now. 403 00:28:40.119 --> 00:28:45.319 As a matter of fact, he joined Chris Gordy yesterday on next up as 404 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:48.279 we get ready for the Texans and Titans tomorrow over at NRG Stadium. Without 405 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:52.759 any further ado, let's go to Aeron Wilson with Chris Gordy. It's great 406 00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:56.680 to have him along. You can get him at Aaron Wilson on Twitter at 407 00:28:56.680 --> 00:29:03.160 Aaron, should we expect a conservative or touch and feel and see approach to 408 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:07.799 this game? Or all twelve cylinders going for Bobby Sloan in this offense in 409 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:11.319 the CJ. Stroud approach to his health, right, I think you know, 410 00:29:11.400 --> 00:29:14.799 Jimmy the Ryan said, well, you have to protect him. That's 411 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:18.799 a big thing. So what your protection you can and then as far as 412 00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:22.160 you know what you just did this past game against them, you have to 413 00:29:22.200 --> 00:29:26.799 work off of that blueprint a little bit. And they ran the football very 414 00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:33.440 effectively with Devin Singletary. He's got the offensive line, you've got the opportunity 415 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:38.079 to pound the football a little bit. It can help your defense, which 416 00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:42.640 is banged up, and he's going to be playing some backups in some spots. 417 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:48.200 So I would say, let's CJ throw, let CJ cook, But 418 00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:52.839 at the same time, just make sure that you're protecting him, and I 419 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:57.559 think they will do a good job with that. The Tights aren't the usual 420 00:29:57.640 --> 00:30:02.960 Titan State still going to call autry, but they'll be without Jeffers Simmons, 421 00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:07.799 who was on your reserve. So yeah, it's it's still a label coach 422 00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:14.039 defense. But it's not exactly you know, the still hurting out there. 423 00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:18.000 What would you have done? And I might have even asked you then, 424 00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:21.400 But what would you have done if I'd have told you in June this team 425 00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:26.720 was going to be in position that they eight and seven control their own destiny 426 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:30.160 for the playoffs. The quarterback was out two weeks, that they're going to 427 00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:34.279 be led by a rookie head coach, a rookie coordinator, and a rookie 428 00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:37.440 quarterback, and that we'd be with two weeks to go, that this team 429 00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:41.720 all they had to do was win two games, and it's always tough to 430 00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:45.680 win, but two games in your division and you are in the playoffs. 431 00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:47.920 What would you have said to me if I told you that in June? 432 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:52.359 I would have thought you were very optimistic, a full fledged homer and nuts 433 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:56.839 right, Yeah, for sure. I mean my win projections have never been 434 00:30:56.960 --> 00:31:03.039 above seven. There was a frequently mentioned by me. So, but you 435 00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:07.519 know, projecting winds and big three totals, all that stuff, It is 436 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:11.519 difficult. You could just go off the schedule and say, oh, well, 437 00:31:11.559 --> 00:31:14.400 you know they can win this skin and win that game. We didn't 438 00:31:14.440 --> 00:31:18.400 know, and they didn't know quite fairly that Strout would play this well. 439 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:22.960 No, they've acknowledged that before. What without ripping him. They just said, 440 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:27.640 you know, hey, I mean you hope, but to expect that 441 00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:33.400 would be unreasonable. Aaron Wilson joins us. You can see his stuff all 442 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:36.640 over the place, and Aaron Wilson on Twitter is as good as there is 443 00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:40.200 in the business to cover in this league. I wonder, I think Demiko, 444 00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:42.880 I think Plake, I think you know the culture change is it? 445 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:45.319 Is it just as simple? And I know it's a lot of things. 446 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:48.400 This isn't tennis and golfer, it's one person. But is it just as 447 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:53.079 simple as the quarterback has raised everybody the head coach. If we pointed to 448 00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:57.680 one thing about this urgent turnaround, and we only had one that we could 449 00:31:57.720 --> 00:32:04.880 put in the coffer, what would it be Beyond the quarterback? It would 450 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:12.960 be a standard that they have in the building and a tough environment that sometimes 451 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:19.200 players gripe about. It is not easy to Niko rans a tough boss. 452 00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:23.319 He's demanding. He's also a guy that is carrying and compassionate with these guys. 453 00:32:23.319 --> 00:32:28.759 But it is not easy over there. They practice very hard. This 454 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:31.079 has been like it was a country Club with David Kelly and Lowis Smith. 455 00:32:31.119 --> 00:32:36.920 But it has gotten tough, and I think that's part of the reason why 456 00:32:36.920 --> 00:32:40.880 they have more resolved and are able to play well in close games and false 457 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:45.119 reason why it's a lot of injuries. But it's got a double edged sword 458 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:49.000 there. What's the biggest task, Aaron they face this week with the Tennessee 459 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:52.400 Titans. What is their toughest task this week in any part of it, 460 00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:54.759 whether it's emotional, mental, physical, a certain player, what is their 461 00:32:54.799 --> 00:33:01.960 toughest task. It's probably not there, and normally it is. This time, 462 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:06.839 I would say it's getting a pass rush on Will Levis. When you're 463 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:13.640 going to be playing without both your starting defense events and potentially do without to 464 00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:17.559 interior defensive linement. There's still a little bit of hope that Malie Collins will 465 00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:22.400 play and Sheldon Ranks will play. Will Anderson Junior and Jonathre Gernard are not 466 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:28.799 expected to play, so that's starting defense events are going to be Dereck Barnett 467 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:31.880 and Jerry Ughes, and that's what they're preparing for. You don't have Jimmy 468 00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:37.480 Ward anymore, so it's going to be Don Euston, Carson and Jalen Petrie, 469 00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:44.119 Jalen off off of that benching, getting his job back, and you 470 00:33:44.119 --> 00:33:46.960 get play cash on the back. So there's gonna be some some personnel coming 471 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:51.839 back to you. But I mean it's going to be Khalil Davis and Kurt 472 00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:58.720 hein Ish a lot out there next to Jerry U's and Jerrick Barnett and some 473 00:33:58.839 --> 00:34:05.319 Isisi Sanders mixed into. Is there a part of the Petrie situation? Why 474 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:09.079 was he benched number one and two? Is any feelings hurt or is that 475 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:14.719 part of that culture expectation? Deal with it, don't get don't be sensitive, 476 00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:16.800 and come back out and play better. Why did that happen last night? 477 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:22.519 It was not one thing. It was many things let up to it 478 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:28.960 in terms of coverage lapses and the communication issues they've had. And you know, 479 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:32.800 last year he kind of played it his way and had a lot more 480 00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:37.960 freedom and he nail out plays. He also missed a lot of tackles. 481 00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:40.400 This year is a sounder tackler not making as many plays, and you've got 482 00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:43.960 to help these corners. And I think it was just that built up and 483 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:46.599 built up and built up, and eventually in the game they did it. 484 00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:51.880 He was upset about it, but he did maintain a good attitude. When 485 00:34:51.880 --> 00:34:53.679 they asked him to go back in and play on the dime package, he 486 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:58.920 did it. He also recovered an on side kick. I think the way 487 00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:02.440 you handled it, which is, you know, it's a good example of 488 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:07.039 Okay, they're telling you they're upset. Much play is sitting me down, 489 00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:12.119 but they're asking to you something else. Have a good attitude about that, 490 00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:15.960 do it well. I think that's a thing that helped him get his job 491 00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:19.840 back. But sometimes the coaches will give you a wake up call or warning, 492 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:22.760 and that's what they did with him. But it wasn't the first time 493 00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:28.079 that they've had a reinforced coaching point with him or all other players. So 494 00:35:28.719 --> 00:35:30.480 they actually do mean what they say, and this time they did it. 495 00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:35.000 They set it down. But yeah, they had meetings this week with him. 496 00:35:35.039 --> 00:35:37.119 They talk with him, and that went well. It was productive. 497 00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:44.880 He was accepted the feedback. He didn't want to do interviews about it or 498 00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.960 anything like that, but yeah, it seems to be in good spirits and 499 00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:52.039 he's back in the fold. That happens sometimes guys, you know and football, 500 00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:57.639 will get benched and then sometimes they have the job back. The long 501 00:35:57.760 --> 00:36:01.360 play with him is because of the bright future. Yeah. I hard to 502 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:05.719 argue that. Yeah, well, I'll end with this you mentioned and I 503 00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:07.800 talked about it earlier. We talked about what's the biggest tasks they face, 504 00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:12.960 and with Stroud coming back, the aggressiveness, there can be a tendency. 505 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:15.519 You're in great position, win two and you're in your quarterback's back, but 506 00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:20.760 to play not to lose in these forgetting that, not even with the with 507 00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:22.599 the Stroud coming back from injury. I'm just talking about as a team that 508 00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:25.960 they haven't seen this much. There's guys who've been in the playoffs here and 509 00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:30.440 other places, but this, this is not normal for them, and there 510 00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:34.960 can be a sense of a part of man, let's just keep it close 511 00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:37.000 and winning the end. Is any of that existing or is this a team 512 00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:40.320 that says, yeah, that that they're not that they're not they're playing on 513 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:43.880 house money. I don't believe in that either. I have no idea. 514 00:36:44.000 --> 00:36:46.360 Yeah, I doubt that, right. I think the attack they go after 515 00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:50.480 it, they try to run a normal game plan, and I think with 516 00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:53.480 stroudback, they call it differently, right, And I would expect Bobby Slower 517 00:36:53.639 --> 00:36:58.320 to give them opportunities. But you know, these receivers, these kinds, 518 00:36:58.360 --> 00:37:01.480 they got to be open. You know, you do have Nico Collins back 519 00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:06.239 for this one, so he may have he may feel more freedom. It's 520 00:37:06.320 --> 00:37:09.119 Nico's second week back from the calf. I think he'll be closer to his 521 00:37:09.280 --> 00:37:14.800 usual explosiveness. You still have Brown, you still have Schultz. He's got 522 00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:17.480 choices, he's got receivers. He's had success going too. And if they 523 00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:22.800 take something away, then you got to do something else. But you know, 524 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:27.440 they got like just enough weapons I think to manufacture small offense. And 525 00:37:27.559 --> 00:37:30.880 it won't be a cake walk in Nashville. I mean, sorry fan in 526 00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:35.960 Nashville. Here in you staid, It'll be still a difficult, close football 527 00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:39.480 game. I think despite the Titans record, there's nine team you really look 528 00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:45.760 forward to facing. The last time that they played them, they shut down 529 00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:49.599 Hopkins. He had nine targets, he had a couple of catches, and 530 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:53.519 in that game, Steven Nelson was playing with a cast on his hand. 531 00:37:53.519 --> 00:37:59.559 He had an interception. This time. He hasn't practiced this week and he's 532 00:37:59.559 --> 00:38:01.679 a question in two. He's got a foot injury that he played through. 533 00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:07.719 He's got a hamstring injury, and that's probably the most problematic for a corner 534 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:10.559 is having a hamstring, so that's something to keep an eye on. We 535 00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:15.280 touched a lot about the defensive line injuries. If you don't have him, 536 00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:21.840 then you're gonna play Knar Holman Opposite Derek Stingley Jr. And that's a difference 537 00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:28.280 feed us for interceptions. He's played very well all year and he's banged up, 538 00:38:28.679 --> 00:38:32.039 so we'll see how they go forward with that. If he's able to 539 00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:37.400 go, he's always played hurt all year. He's gonna go all over time. 540 00:38:37.719 --> 00:38:42.360 You have to if you're the Texans, limit the home runs. You've 541 00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:45.960 got to force a rookie quarterback to be patient and hit singles. Most rookies 542 00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:51.280 don't have the patients to do that for four quarters. They'll eventually throw it 543 00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:53.000 to you, Aaron, great stuff man to look forward to talking to you. 544 00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:57.000 Hopefully another win, and then we're headed to the last week of the 545 00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:00.719 season with a chance to control your own destiny as they do these last two 546 00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:05.599 weeks. As you could clearly hear, that was Aaron Wilson, but with 547 00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:09.239 Sean Salisbury. So my apologies on getting these shows mixed up there. Hey, 548 00:39:09.280 --> 00:39:14.199 we're all one huge family here at Sports Talk seven ninety. But Aaron 549 00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:20.039 Wilson getting you caught up on what we could see tomorrow over at NRG Stadium. 550 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:22.679 All right, coming up next. These happen in the business either by 551 00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:29.320 choice or just honestly by mistake. But the answer is to know how to 552 00:39:29.440 --> 00:39:31.960 pull this off. We'll talk about that next right here as we close out 553 00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:37.320 our one right here Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews with you here until noon 554 00:39:37.320 --> 00:39:43.559 on your home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talks seven ninety, 555 00:39:43.800 --> 00:40:19.840 Space City Saturday. Continues on Sports Talk seven ninety. Sports Talk seven ninety 556 00:40:20.360 --> 00:40:25.239 Dann Matthews here Space City Saturday, closing out our one of the show. 557 00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:28.880 If you want to weigh in, you can at someone three two one two 558 00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:30.719 five, seven ninety. I know I've thrown a lot at you. And 559 00:40:30.760 --> 00:40:35.119 look, you know, it's one of those things that sometimes you can do 560 00:40:35.119 --> 00:40:37.159 a show where you know, you just stick with one topic. Every once 561 00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:42.920 in a while you've got those types of topics and you're able to just run 562 00:40:42.960 --> 00:40:45.039 with it and just go with it, and you know, be able to 563 00:40:45.559 --> 00:40:49.599 stick and stay with that and if you want to, uh, you know, 564 00:40:49.639 --> 00:40:53.000 go ahead and go that route and allow it to be able to I 565 00:40:53.000 --> 00:40:58.280 guess you could say seep like hot tea and be able to have the best 566 00:40:58.280 --> 00:41:00.760 flavoring out of it. Wow, you can go that route. But you 567 00:41:00.760 --> 00:41:02.960 know, it's one of those things that I get two hours, so I 568 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:07.400 want to try to cram as much into that time as I can. And 569 00:41:07.639 --> 00:41:10.320 one of the things that happened this week, if you're listening to the A 570 00:41:10.440 --> 00:41:15.679 Team yesterday, you heard me and Adam Clanton talk about the topic that we 571 00:41:15.719 --> 00:41:22.639 are going to hear. So Manzie Belanos is on Fox Sports Radio and she 572 00:41:22.199 --> 00:41:28.519 caught some She caught some flack and for the right reason for a take that 573 00:41:28.639 --> 00:41:32.039 she had. I will expand a little bit more after we hear what she 574 00:41:32.199 --> 00:41:37.519 had to say when she was talking about the argument of Lamar Jackson being good 575 00:41:37.639 --> 00:41:42.599 enough to be able to win the MVP of the NFL this season. Let's 576 00:41:42.599 --> 00:41:45.960 hear what she had to say. I want my quarterbacks to be quarterback ye 577 00:41:45.320 --> 00:41:49.760 And to me, Lamar Jackson is just a great athlete and he's done a 578 00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:52.360 really good job, and he had a great game against the forty nine ers. 579 00:41:52.519 --> 00:41:55.760 Prisoners of the moment, he is not the MVP. Christian McCaffrey is 580 00:41:55.800 --> 00:42:00.239 the MVP, and he has been. I've been saying this for a week. 581 00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:04.000 It's not like I just decided after this game. That's what happened with 582 00:42:04.079 --> 00:42:06.519 Lamar. After this game. He jumped up, But he wasn't even in 583 00:42:06.559 --> 00:42:10.320 the conversation. He was like an afterthought. It was always like tuuh the 584 00:42:12.239 --> 00:42:15.519 No, it's Christian McCaffrey. And then two And you know, I'm not 585 00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:16.760 a huge fan of Tyreek Hill because of what he does off the field, 586 00:42:16.760 --> 00:42:20.719 but even a was a separate conversation. He's the second one. If it's 587 00:42:20.760 --> 00:42:23.039 not Christian, it's Tyreek Hill. Those are the two that have stood out 588 00:42:23.400 --> 00:42:29.440 every week, every week, not Lamar Jackson's not that I don't like Lamar, 589 00:42:30.719 --> 00:42:34.920 all right. So the reason why I bring that up is obviously it 590 00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:40.960 is started to unravel into another part of whenever social media gets involved and it's 591 00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:47.400 people reading into messages that are just not there. Frankly, guys and ladies, 592 00:42:47.559 --> 00:42:51.800 it was a bad take, all right. Bad takes happen. They 593 00:42:51.800 --> 00:42:54.360 are there, and it's one of those things that I guarantee you, if 594 00:42:54.400 --> 00:42:59.039 you are in this business long enough, you will have these as well. 595 00:42:59.239 --> 00:43:04.079 I've had them, Lord knows I have. I've had bad takes that afterwards 596 00:43:04.199 --> 00:43:07.000 it was, yeah, that was a bad take, and I'll cop to 597 00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:08.840 it and I'll say, yeah, it sucked. It was terrible. But 598 00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:14.920 her argument in terms of him being a quote unquote quarterbacky, I don't even 599 00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:19.480 know what that means, because Lamar Jackson is a quarterback and he's a very 600 00:43:19.480 --> 00:43:22.519 good quarterback. He's one of the best in the league, and he's been 601 00:43:22.679 --> 00:43:25.239 one of the best in the league this season. As I'm going to enlist 602 00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:30.079 one of my teammates on the A team, the Wexler Research Team and the 603 00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:37.280 Wexler Research Team, the WRT they were working while wex was on vacation. 604 00:43:37.760 --> 00:43:40.199 I mean, like I said, Wex's Troy Polamalu in those head and shoulders 605 00:43:40.239 --> 00:43:45.559 commercials never not working. And in this case right here he brought up in 606 00:43:45.079 --> 00:43:49.280 if you follow him at Adam J. Wexler on Twitter, he brought up 607 00:43:49.679 --> 00:43:54.039 the total offensive leaders this season. This is total yards. And her argument 608 00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:57.920 too, that she tried to back it up with on social media was that 609 00:43:57.960 --> 00:44:01.960 he's fifteenth in passing yards. Well, as we've seen now the quarterback position 610 00:44:02.719 --> 00:44:07.599 over the last few years has evolved even more than it used to be. 611 00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:10.039 Yes, it used to be don't run if you're a quarterback. If you 612 00:44:10.119 --> 00:44:14.119 do well, you're going to be in some serious trouble. And if you 613 00:44:14.239 --> 00:44:19.800 do then it kind of cheapens your ability to be seen as being quote unquote 614 00:44:19.800 --> 00:44:24.719 a true quarterback. We've seen that's not true with the renaissance of the run 615 00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:30.239 pass option and the way that offenses are run, both in college football and 616 00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:34.880 now in the NFL, that the quarterback position asks for you to be much 617 00:44:34.880 --> 00:44:38.159 more than just drop back. Maybe roll your right, maybe every once in 618 00:44:38.199 --> 00:44:42.039 a while roll to your left, but aside from that, you're trying to 619 00:44:42.079 --> 00:44:45.559 get the football to someone else on a pass if you're not just outwardly handing 620 00:44:45.639 --> 00:44:49.760 it off to them. And the offensive leaders this season, Lamar Jackson is 621 00:44:49.840 --> 00:44:54.800 sixth amongst offensive leaders this season. Patrick Mahomes is first forty one, forty 622 00:44:54.880 --> 00:45:00.199 three in terms of total yards. Tuatongovailoa who I think if you I want 623 00:45:00.199 --> 00:45:04.639 to talk about him being more of a candidate for the MVP, then we 624 00:45:04.679 --> 00:45:07.880 can have that conversation. Absolutely. Josh Allen a little bit of a rough 625 00:45:07.880 --> 00:45:10.440 start to the season, but he's been able to pick it up since then, 626 00:45:10.760 --> 00:45:16.000 and he's third at four thousand and sixty eight. Brock Perdy probably last 627 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:21.519 week probably knocked him down with a four interception performance, and also to a 628 00:45:21.559 --> 00:45:23.440 guy that he's got on his own team, a Christian McCaffrey. Sure the 629 00:45:23.480 --> 00:45:30.840 same deal. Jalen Hurts sixteen yards out of him so far this season, 630 00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:35.320 probably the offensive struggles of the of the Eagles the last couple of weeks, 631 00:45:35.400 --> 00:45:38.239 and just where they are as a team at this moment. I don't think 632 00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:42.880 people are viewing him in the same discussion. I think that Dak was a 633 00:45:42.920 --> 00:45:46.760 guy that probably until the Bills and the game last week against the Miami Dolphins, 634 00:45:47.239 --> 00:45:52.280 was being considered. But I think that's probably fallen off just a little 635 00:45:52.280 --> 00:45:55.199 bit as well. And like I said, we get to Lamar Jackson with 636 00:45:55.280 --> 00:46:00.800 total yards this year thirty nine, thirty four, And again I think that 637 00:46:00.840 --> 00:46:06.280 if nothing else, the things that hurt Lamar Jackson are things that have nothing 638 00:46:06.280 --> 00:46:09.559 to do with the MVP conversation. I talked about this yesterday Lamar Jackson. 639 00:46:09.599 --> 00:46:14.519 I think that the reason why people don't believe in Lamar Jackson is his lack 640 00:46:14.559 --> 00:46:17.559 of success in the postseason and I get that we've seen it all throughout the 641 00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:21.880 NFL. Dak Prescott is another one of those guys that gets the same thing. 642 00:46:22.239 --> 00:46:25.440 Peyton Manning had the same thing as well, but again you're not talking 643 00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:30.719 about that with this argument. It's the most valuable player. It's the player 644 00:46:30.920 --> 00:46:34.679 in the season and what they've meant to their team. And if you watch 645 00:46:34.760 --> 00:46:37.400 the Ravens this year, Lamar Jackson I think has probably taken his game even 646 00:46:37.400 --> 00:46:42.079 to another level of what he's been able to do with Todd Lunkin as the 647 00:46:42.079 --> 00:46:45.719 offensive coordinator there and what the Ravens have been able to do. And it's 648 00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:50.199 also too it's look at what the Ravens have had around him as well, 649 00:46:50.519 --> 00:46:54.440 that they really have never had that great of a receiving corps and it's been 650 00:46:54.519 --> 00:47:00.079 a lot of Lamar Jackson creating for himself and being able to make plays himself 651 00:47:00.360 --> 00:47:04.519 and be able to try to help guys around him. In this year, 652 00:47:04.679 --> 00:47:07.800 I think that with what Todd Munkin brings from the success that he had with 653 00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:12.119 the last couple of years at University of Georgia and what you saw he did 654 00:47:12.119 --> 00:47:15.800 with that offense and his NFL background, it was good enough for John Harball 655 00:47:15.920 --> 00:47:19.760 to say, yeah, you know what, I think that is a good 656 00:47:19.760 --> 00:47:22.599 fit with my quarterback. It's been a hell of a marriage this year. 657 00:47:22.280 --> 00:47:27.960 But the whole thing about him being quote unquote quarterbacky. I mean the co 658 00:47:28.039 --> 00:47:30.920 host that was on with her is Dan Byer, And I don't know if 659 00:47:31.079 --> 00:47:35.280 you know, because I like, you only heard that one cut right there, 660 00:47:35.760 --> 00:47:37.519 But I think the co host the best part of doing that when you 661 00:47:37.559 --> 00:47:42.199 do have a co host situation on the show, quarterbacky, what does that 662 00:47:42.280 --> 00:47:44.960 mean, Like, go ahead and squash it right there, Go ahead and 663 00:47:45.039 --> 00:47:47.639 knock it out right there and have that conversation and have that be part of 664 00:47:47.639 --> 00:47:51.440 the segment. I mean, if nothing else, you kind of help your 665 00:47:51.440 --> 00:47:54.519 co host in that regard where they had a bad take. She was looking 666 00:47:54.519 --> 00:47:58.199 for an exit, she was trying to find every single way, and we 667 00:47:58.280 --> 00:48:01.880 got the word salad that we got right there. And that's what happens when 668 00:48:02.079 --> 00:48:07.440 you have a quote unquote hot take, because I think some people do it 669 00:48:07.480 --> 00:48:09.000 for effect. As a matter of fact, I know a lot of people 670 00:48:09.039 --> 00:48:13.960 in this industry do it for effect, and I think that the whole point 671 00:48:14.119 --> 00:48:17.239 is having hot takes is good. Having hot takes is fine. Have the 672 00:48:17.280 --> 00:48:22.320 evidence, man, because you are in the court of public opinion at this 673 00:48:22.440 --> 00:48:27.519 point when I hit on on this microphone, Yes, I am accountable for 674 00:48:27.559 --> 00:48:30.000 what I'm saying into this microphone right now and any takes I have. If 675 00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:34.199 you disagree with them, you're more than welcome to let me know someone three 676 00:48:34.280 --> 00:48:38.000 two one, two five seven ninety or also two on Twitter at Dan Matthews 677 00:48:38.119 --> 00:48:42.119 Hou. It's all fine and good. I don't take it personally if you 678 00:48:42.159 --> 00:48:45.400 don't like what I have to say, but also too at the same time, 679 00:48:45.519 --> 00:48:49.199 I try every single time that I speak into a microphone to at least 680 00:48:49.440 --> 00:48:52.639 have points to back up my arguments, because if I don't and I'm not 681 00:48:52.760 --> 00:48:58.960 backed by fact, and I'm trying to get into kind of this mental gymnastics 682 00:48:58.960 --> 00:49:02.280 and this mental maze of trying to get you to see my side of things, 683 00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:07.119 then I've probably already lost in that regard. And I think in sometimes 684 00:49:07.199 --> 00:49:10.079 in situations like this, just because you thought that it was a good idea 685 00:49:10.360 --> 00:49:16.440 doesn't mean you need to execute the idea. And again I'm sure that with 686 00:49:16.639 --> 00:49:23.000 the things that she's done afterwards of deleting her tweet about the being fifteenth in 687 00:49:23.079 --> 00:49:28.880 passing yards and anything ever since then that she tried to defend her take, 688 00:49:29.280 --> 00:49:32.480 She probably afterwards decided, Hey, I hit a bad one off the tee. 689 00:49:32.639 --> 00:49:36.840 The golf reference here, hit a bad t shot off the t don't 690 00:49:36.840 --> 00:49:39.000 you. Sometimes you're able to have a breakfast ball, but a lot of 691 00:49:39.039 --> 00:49:44.519 times you just have to go drop and hit the next shot. And in 692 00:49:44.559 --> 00:49:47.920 some cases like this, go ahead, Manzi, drop hit the next shot. 693 00:49:49.360 --> 00:49:51.840 It's not gonna be the worst one you're ever gonna have. You'll have 694 00:49:51.880 --> 00:49:54.519 plenty more. But at the same time, though too, yes, bad 695 00:49:54.559 --> 00:49:59.400 takes to exist, and just live up to them, just cop to them. 696 00:49:59.599 --> 00:50:01.440 They have. What are you gonna do? All right? That's our 697 00:50:01.519 --> 00:50:07.719 one in the books. Hour two is coming up next because it's time for 698 00:50:07.800 --> 00:50:12.639 us to stop having this reaction when someone does this, because we've already got 699 00:50:12.639 --> 00:50:15.800 the scoreboard. You'll know what I mean as we open up the eleven o'clock 700 00:50:15.840 --> 00:50:19.920 hour right here on Sports Talk seven ninety year home of the Astros in the 701 00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:37.920 Rockets, Space City Creating Deep Created Deep Created Syme. Welcome to another Space 702 00:50:37.960 --> 00:50:44.480 City. Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Dan Matthews Live a local h town 703 00:50:44.639 --> 00:50:50.079 breakdown of the world that matters to you, the Houston sports world, all 704 00:50:50.119 --> 00:50:54.360 these great Houston fans here, We love you all. So finish up on 705 00:50:54.440 --> 00:51:00.760 that to do list. Flute Upcrooler, because you can't drink in talk sports 706 00:51:00.800 --> 00:51:07.679 all day if you don't start now this this face City Saturday. It's insane. 707 00:51:07.800 --> 00:51:15.679 Here's seven nineties Dan Matthews. Yep, that's true. And you know 708 00:51:15.800 --> 00:51:19.920 I know that some people say, oh, drinking before noon. Well, 709 00:51:19.960 --> 00:51:22.079 if it's college football Saturday, yeah it's allowed. And as a matter of 710 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:25.159 fact, a game is about to kick off, the Chick fil A Peach 711 00:51:25.159 --> 00:51:29.360 Bowl, So yeah, go ahead. What's the why you work? You 712 00:51:29.400 --> 00:51:32.280 know, it's always funny before we get to the astros topic that I have 713 00:51:32.360 --> 00:51:37.840 for us here in just a second, is you know where it's it's allowed 714 00:51:38.119 --> 00:51:44.519 for you to uh pop a top before the you know, crack went open 715 00:51:44.960 --> 00:51:49.440 before the noontime. And of course, you know the person that always says 716 00:51:49.440 --> 00:51:52.760 whenever somebody says something, well it's five o'clock somewhere in this case, you 717 00:51:52.800 --> 00:51:55.800 know, we've we we know the spots, I mean, tailgates, it's 718 00:51:55.840 --> 00:52:00.719 it's allowed. The airport, uh airport bever are so good? I mean, 719 00:52:00.840 --> 00:52:05.760 is there anything better than an airport beer? Really, is there anything 720 00:52:05.800 --> 00:52:09.039 better? I mean, I know Friday after five beers, those those are 721 00:52:09.039 --> 00:52:13.079 good ones. I mean we've all seen the lists, but you know those 722 00:52:13.079 --> 00:52:15.800 are the places where it's allowed. So in this case right here, it's 723 00:52:15.800 --> 00:52:19.880 a weekend. It's even more of a holiday weekend because most of us will 724 00:52:19.880 --> 00:52:22.760 be off on New Year's Day, so you got that as well. But 725 00:52:23.400 --> 00:52:27.519 now, you know, look, go ahead and have a little bit of 726 00:52:27.519 --> 00:52:30.039 fun. Like I said, it's the holidays, let your hair down a 727 00:52:30.079 --> 00:52:32.920 little bit, have some fun. You can as well with me here on 728 00:52:34.039 --> 00:52:37.079 Space City Saturday, Dan Matthews here, it's some one three two, one 729 00:52:37.119 --> 00:52:42.360 two five seven ninety all right, Like I did with the last segment, 730 00:52:42.440 --> 00:52:46.440 I'm going to let the audio speak for itself before I react. But if 731 00:52:46.480 --> 00:52:52.039 you were watching it Thursday Night football, al Michaels Kirk Curve Street, part 732 00:52:52.039 --> 00:52:57.719 of the Amazon Prime Video crew, and it was Jets Ian Brown's and it 733 00:52:57.760 --> 00:53:00.360 got to a point in the game where the Browns We're trying to get loud, 734 00:53:00.599 --> 00:53:06.239 and I guess somebody was well banging on a trash can. And I'll 735 00:53:06.280 --> 00:53:08.519 let al Michaels take it. The rest of the way. Get at Kim 736 00:53:08.559 --> 00:53:12.960 Schwartz right now, is boling a few things up. The defensive coordinator for 737 00:53:13.039 --> 00:53:17.000 the Browns, Sody pounding on that trash can. I think the Astros most 738 00:53:17.039 --> 00:53:21.639 being a down. I'm sorry, yeah, I'm good, good cool Ripley 739 00:53:22.639 --> 00:53:27.039 to the thirty four yard lines. And I guess al with of course, 740 00:53:27.079 --> 00:53:30.519 being an LA guy, I'm sure he's probably a Dodger fan too as well. 741 00:53:30.559 --> 00:53:34.360 He knows the dynamics. He knows that, yes, Astros fans, 742 00:53:34.400 --> 00:53:38.800 whenever something like that is said, then Astros Twitter goes ablaze. But we 743 00:53:38.840 --> 00:53:44.800 played it and talked about it yesterday on the A team, and I have 744 00:53:44.880 --> 00:53:49.239 the same argument again today. Stop reacting to it, all right, we 745 00:53:49.320 --> 00:53:52.599 get the joke, we understand it, We got it. It's there. 746 00:53:52.880 --> 00:53:54.440 We know that they banged on trash cans. We know that they did it. 747 00:53:54.480 --> 00:53:58.679 All all right, fine, we get it. And I think that 748 00:53:58.760 --> 00:54:01.960 you have to have the same reaction this as we have two old comics. 749 00:54:02.079 --> 00:54:07.559 I responded to somebody and you know, talking about the comedy example of there 750 00:54:07.559 --> 00:54:13.519 are comics who still to this day have the same shtick. They use the 751 00:54:13.559 --> 00:54:16.760 same one with their audiences, and there's a reason why they're no longer playing 752 00:54:16.800 --> 00:54:22.719 sold out stadiums and sold out arenas, they're playing comedy clubs or there. 753 00:54:22.760 --> 00:54:24.840 Maybe, like I said, use the example. You get off the plane 754 00:54:24.880 --> 00:54:29.239 at McCarron Airport in Vegas. You see the slots, you see all of 755 00:54:29.239 --> 00:54:34.400 that. Yep, you'll see Thunder down Under and Blue Man Group and Chippendale's 756 00:54:34.440 --> 00:54:37.960 all that. Yep, you'll you'll see all of that. You'll see what 757 00:54:37.159 --> 00:54:42.400 is it jubilee at Bally's. You'll see the ad for that. You'll see 758 00:54:42.960 --> 00:54:47.320 whatever Vegas performer is there. But then also too, you'll see that a 759 00:54:47.440 --> 00:54:52.360 comic who was huge in their day. Oh, they've got a residency over 760 00:54:52.480 --> 00:54:58.079 at the Mirage. Oh they've got a residency over at Palace Station. I 761 00:54:58.119 --> 00:55:01.480 don't know is Palstation still there? Whatever? You get My point here is 762 00:55:01.639 --> 00:55:06.719 that they finally reached a point where the check is still there, but the 763 00:55:06.760 --> 00:55:12.400 audience is not as much. And it's what it is. It's the same 764 00:55:12.440 --> 00:55:16.400 old tired joke. And you'll have the morons on Twitter, which that's who 765 00:55:16.440 --> 00:55:20.679 I think most of the reaction to is. Like I said, I saw 766 00:55:20.840 --> 00:55:23.480 the barstool post that they had where they said, oh, Michaels is still 767 00:55:23.480 --> 00:55:29.840 the goat. Folks. I've talked about this numerous times that most people in 768 00:55:29.880 --> 00:55:35.880 the crowd that are on Twitter or that you think are in the crowd that 769 00:55:37.039 --> 00:55:42.280 are are are pushing this narrative along and going along with it and having fun 770 00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:45.760 with it all of those different types of things. They're morons, Okay, 771 00:55:45.119 --> 00:55:50.559 they want to have the lowest fruit possible. They want to have something that 772 00:55:50.599 --> 00:55:53.239 they don't have to work that hard for to get, and they want to 773 00:55:53.320 --> 00:55:58.440 just join the crowd. Don't worry about those people. And also to the 774 00:55:58.519 --> 00:56:01.360 whole oh well they're against us, it doesn't matter because like I said, 775 00:56:01.480 --> 00:56:07.840 they're idiots. Most of them just have no bearing on your life or no 776 00:56:07.920 --> 00:56:10.719 bearing on what the Astros do or anything else. And that's the last part 777 00:56:10.760 --> 00:56:15.400 of this. The Astros have had scoreboard on most of these fan bases. 778 00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:19.599 Who are most of these fan bases that are in their Yankee fans and even 779 00:56:19.639 --> 00:56:22.480 though they got them in the ALCS, they're Ranger fans. Wouldn't you agree 780 00:56:22.519 --> 00:56:27.480 that more often than not, the Astros have had scoreboard on Ranger fans that 781 00:56:27.639 --> 00:56:30.840 yes, they got a nice little one and they've got bragging rights right now, 782 00:56:30.920 --> 00:56:35.079 that's fine, but overall, you've had their number and you probably will 783 00:56:35.119 --> 00:56:38.679 continue to have their number going forward. And the same deal Dodger fans is 784 00:56:38.719 --> 00:56:43.239 they can say what they want about twenty seventeen, but guess what, Dodger 785 00:56:43.280 --> 00:56:45.960 fans, the pennant still flies and the World Series trophy is still in the 786 00:56:46.000 --> 00:56:51.639 Astros possession. So say it all you want, and after your little facacta 787 00:56:51.800 --> 00:56:57.280 Disney World, little World Series that you won in twenty twenty, I mean, 788 00:56:57.719 --> 00:57:00.119 you have enough people that are coming at you about winning a sixty game 789 00:57:00.199 --> 00:57:05.039 season World Series that you don't need to worry about the Astros. And that's 790 00:57:05.039 --> 00:57:07.320 the thing that always cracks me up to as well, is the power of 791 00:57:07.320 --> 00:57:13.800 what the Astros have done these last few years continues, because it's still very 792 00:57:13.920 --> 00:57:17.280 much a situation that I've brought up in recent times with the Michigan handling. 793 00:57:17.599 --> 00:57:22.519 Notice how we don't hear anything about Michigan's cheating scandal. Now there's no huge 794 00:57:23.760 --> 00:57:30.920 emotionally driven pieces online of they've ruined the integrity of the game. You don't 795 00:57:30.960 --> 00:57:37.519 have that because in some parts with Michigan, it's allowed if a Clemson or 796 00:57:37.559 --> 00:57:40.159 a Florida State or somebody like that had been accused of doing what Michigan was 797 00:57:40.199 --> 00:57:44.679 doing. Oh, I guarantee you, Pat forty and all of those people 798 00:57:44.920 --> 00:57:47.280 would have been writing those pieces because again, they would have appealed to the 799 00:57:47.320 --> 00:57:52.039 morons who want to go with lazy arguments and want to believe what they want 800 00:57:52.079 --> 00:57:54.480 to believe in order to say, yeah, hey see, I knew they 801 00:57:54.480 --> 00:57:59.320 couldn't do it on their own. They're not the blue bloods. There's no 802 00:57:59.360 --> 00:58:01.960 real there's no way other than them cheating that they can get to this point. 803 00:58:02.440 --> 00:58:07.320 I think we can agree validation has happened and then some since twenty twenty, 804 00:58:07.400 --> 00:58:10.280 right, because that's been in the same time frame the Astros have continued 805 00:58:10.320 --> 00:58:15.280 to make the alcs and they've even won a World Series during that time as 806 00:58:15.360 --> 00:58:20.960 well. So again, don't get offended by the low hanging fruit joke that 807 00:58:21.000 --> 00:58:23.000 people make. It's going to continue to be made. Why is it going 808 00:58:23.079 --> 00:58:27.880 to be continue to be made because you get upset about it and you get 809 00:58:27.880 --> 00:58:34.599 offended by it, don't don't. You're going to have Ranger fans who somehow 810 00:58:34.800 --> 00:58:38.599 shoehorned their way into all of this with the Astros cheating scandal because it's like 811 00:58:38.840 --> 00:58:44.000 number one, why are you even here? Like why are you even involved 812 00:58:44.039 --> 00:58:47.440 in this? Because the Astros have had your number more often than not, 813 00:58:47.679 --> 00:58:51.599 as I mentioned, And yes, you had a nice little year. Oh 814 00:58:51.719 --> 00:58:57.039 boom rolled you know, adultis Garcia, he had a nice little series. 815 00:58:57.079 --> 00:59:00.800 I get it. It's fine. It's fun. Enjoy your fun, enjoy 816 00:59:00.840 --> 00:59:05.519 your world series when that nobody talks about and nobody watched and everything else. 817 00:59:05.559 --> 00:59:09.199 The Astros, which I'll give credit, the ones who have probably avoided this 818 00:59:09.280 --> 00:59:13.280 the most, are the ones that matter the most. The players, the 819 00:59:13.320 --> 00:59:16.480 Astros organization. They don't react to this. They don't care. They care 820 00:59:16.519 --> 00:59:21.119 about winning, they care about doing their jobs. They care about their own 821 00:59:21.280 --> 00:59:25.000 organization. Maybe Dave Roberts and the Dodgers could continue to do that, and 822 00:59:25.039 --> 00:59:30.000 maybe Brian Cashman could stop talking about the Astros, because hey, Brian, 823 00:59:30.440 --> 00:59:34.760 your team hasn't been winning because of you, not the Astros, And if 824 00:59:34.760 --> 00:59:37.599 you want to continue to have that and be able to try to stick with 825 00:59:37.639 --> 00:59:39.960 that in to say, oh, well, that's why we didn't win in 826 00:59:39.960 --> 00:59:45.039 twenty seventeen. No, you didn't win in twenty seventeen because you weren't the 827 00:59:45.039 --> 00:59:46.880 better team. The better team beat you. That's why you didn't win. 828 00:59:46.880 --> 00:59:52.280 In twenty seventeen, you didn't hit They did enough and they won. That's 829 00:59:52.320 --> 00:59:57.000 how it went. So again, folks, the work speaks for itself. 830 00:59:57.280 --> 01:00:01.000 The Astros have been validated in terms of them still being an outstanding organization and 831 01:00:01.079 --> 01:00:06.639 still a really good baseball team. And if people want to continue to make 832 01:00:06.679 --> 01:00:08.760 their jokes, let them make their jokes really quick. Let's get Ed and 833 01:00:08.840 --> 01:00:12.880 Houston what's away? In on Sports Talk seven to ninety Ed, what's going 834 01:00:12.920 --> 01:00:16.280 on? Yeah, I read a book about a year ago. Skuy wrote 835 01:00:16.320 --> 01:00:22.400 about exchange scandals and baseball all the way back to Abner Double Day. And 836 01:00:22.639 --> 01:00:29.679 you know the thing about the Giants or who is that somebody? When they 837 01:00:29.760 --> 01:00:34.639 hit that home run that won the World the playoffs the National League back at 838 01:00:34.639 --> 01:00:42.440 fifty one fifty two, the the winning team, yank Giants, were had 839 01:00:42.440 --> 01:00:50.599 a man in centerfield with binoculars and they were relaying that to their matters. 840 01:00:51.320 --> 01:00:57.599 So it's nothing new, And the only reason the networks are hyping it is 841 01:00:57.639 --> 01:01:01.960 because they would rather have a Dodger. So the Yankees and or Boston and 842 01:01:02.039 --> 01:01:07.760 Chicago's teams in the World Series. Yeah, I appreciate the call ed. 843 01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:09.400 I mean, yes, and that's been the other thing as well. And 844 01:01:09.440 --> 01:01:13.360 of course you've had people, oh well, just because you get pulled over 845 01:01:13.760 --> 01:01:17.800 your argument of others we're speeding doesn't matter. Yes, you're right, it 846 01:01:17.880 --> 01:01:22.119 doesn't. But at the same time, though, too, just the moral 847 01:01:22.239 --> 01:01:29.199 high ground that people have tried to have of this entire situation outside of the 848 01:01:29.239 --> 01:01:32.400 Astros has really just been nothing short of you're just trying to make yourself feel 849 01:01:32.400 --> 01:01:37.239 better, and you're not a better person because you sting it against the Astros 850 01:01:37.280 --> 01:01:40.840 in this regard as a matter of fact, you really just come across as 851 01:01:40.880 --> 01:01:46.000 again a person who's just virtue signaling. And yes, I mean it's been 852 01:01:46.159 --> 01:01:51.639 pretty documented that others have been doing it as well, and the Astros were 853 01:01:51.679 --> 01:01:53.400 the ones that had the spotlight put on them, fair or not, that's 854 01:01:53.440 --> 01:01:58.360 the way it was. And again I've said it numerous times and I will 855 01:01:58.360 --> 01:02:01.559 continue to say it. If Mike five felt slighted by the Yankees or the 856 01:02:01.599 --> 01:02:07.639 Dodgers or anybody else, this would have been nowhere close to the reaction. 857 01:02:07.840 --> 01:02:12.719 But because it was the lowly Astros, who clearly have no business being a 858 01:02:12.760 --> 01:02:16.679 winning organization, right, that's how it was handled by everyone because it was 859 01:02:16.719 --> 01:02:22.039 an easy target for them and for people to be able to try to attack, 860 01:02:22.199 --> 01:02:23.800 and that's why we've seen it be the way it is. But again, 861 01:02:24.320 --> 01:02:27.760 I mean, look, the jokes are going to be made. Let 862 01:02:27.800 --> 01:02:31.480 them make their jokes. Did what did the brothers say in the breakup? 863 01:02:31.880 --> 01:02:35.039 You know what, you want to make your jokes, make your jokes, 864 01:02:35.239 --> 01:02:37.519 but it's not going to get you fed. And that's the case. Go 865 01:02:37.519 --> 01:02:42.400 ahead and continue to make your jokes. And if you want to continue to 866 01:02:42.440 --> 01:02:45.960 have that to make yourself feel better about what happened with the Astros, then 867 01:02:45.280 --> 01:02:50.199 go ahead. And when they beat you, well, then go ahead and 868 01:02:50.280 --> 01:02:52.039 continue to make your jokes, and the Astros will be the ones still playing 869 01:02:52.079 --> 01:02:57.480 baseball. So that's how that all shakes out, all right. Coming up 870 01:02:57.519 --> 01:03:00.920 next, the Rockets are who we thought they were. That's not a bad 871 01:03:00.960 --> 01:03:05.800 thing. We'll get back into the Rockets conversation plus here from Chris Gordy with 872 01:03:06.039 --> 01:03:10.239 a couple of members of the Texas football program as media day wrapped up over 873 01:03:10.480 --> 01:03:15.480 at the Superdome in New Orleans ahead of the Sugar Bowl on Monday, a 874 01:03:15.519 --> 01:03:21.800 game that we will have right here on our family of stations on iHeartRadio in 875 01:03:22.079 --> 01:03:25.320 Houston, as we will have that for you as well as we will continue 876 01:03:25.360 --> 01:03:30.320 to have more Texans Titans talk as well. And you can also weigh in 877 01:03:30.320 --> 01:03:34.119 at Sebone three two one two five seven ninety. Again that's seOne three two 878 01:03:34.119 --> 01:03:37.800 one two five seven ninety. Dann Matthews here on Space City Saturday on your 879 01:03:37.840 --> 01:03:44.119 home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. It's Space 880 01:03:44.199 --> 01:03:52.880 City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety. Okay, sending up. Thanks Sports 881 01:03:52.920 --> 01:04:00.440 Talk seven ninety. Dan Matthews here with you for about another forty minutes or 882 01:04:00.559 --> 01:04:06.360 so as the Texas Longhorn is gonna take on the Washington Huskies in the Sugar 883 01:04:06.400 --> 01:04:12.079 Bowl part of the College Football Playoff. Winner of that comes here to Houston, 884 01:04:12.360 --> 01:04:15.719 and in about ten minutes you're gonna hear a couple of conversations that our 885 01:04:15.760 --> 01:04:24.000 own Chris Gordy had with Kleine Kine Product and Texas running back Jayden Blue as 886 01:04:24.039 --> 01:04:27.679 well as he's a DFW guy, but he's the QB. And if you 887 01:04:27.719 --> 01:04:29.960 catch up with the QB, well you got to talk with the QB. 888 01:04:30.199 --> 01:04:33.840 As Chris had a chance to catch up with Quinn yours as well, so 889 01:04:34.079 --> 01:04:39.719 we will hear those conversations coming up here in about ten minutes as we get 890 01:04:39.719 --> 01:04:46.000 you ready for Texas football on Monday night, as that will be a very 891 01:04:46.039 --> 01:04:51.039 busy Monday night here on the Family of networks. So we have over at 892 01:04:53.000 --> 01:04:58.800 at iHeartMedia as well as Sports Talk seven ninety and what we have going on 893 01:04:58.960 --> 01:05:02.280 here, I mean, we're gonna have have the Rockets and Pistons that night 894 01:05:02.480 --> 01:05:09.039 over here and over on KTRH you will have Texas and Washington. So News 895 01:05:09.119 --> 01:05:12.159 Radio SEV forty is where you can catch that one. But speaking of the 896 01:05:12.239 --> 01:05:15.119 Rockets, it's been a little bit of a rough stretch for them. They've 897 01:05:15.159 --> 01:05:19.079 lost three in a row. They've run into a little bit of injury situation 898 01:05:19.440 --> 01:05:25.519 with the team doing Brooks being out for an extended period of time as well 899 01:05:25.559 --> 01:05:29.519 as Jabari Smith Junior gonna be out for an extended period of time. And 900 01:05:30.199 --> 01:05:31.960 last night it's a little bit of a frustrating game. I mean, it 901 01:05:32.000 --> 01:05:35.559 looked like the Rockets we're gonna have a chance to be able to have that 902 01:05:35.599 --> 01:05:40.559 one, as they led at the half by one and even extended their lead 903 01:05:40.760 --> 01:05:45.320 to seven in the third quarter. But then the fourth quarter, Tyrese Maxi 904 01:05:45.639 --> 01:05:49.840 and the Sixers got going and they just continue to show why they're so good 905 01:05:50.119 --> 01:05:54.199 and why they are twenty two and nine and why the Rockets are a five 906 01:05:54.280 --> 01:05:59.400 hundred basketball team right now at fifteen and fifteen. But again it gets back 907 01:05:59.440 --> 01:06:02.960 to expectations and what we talked about a little bit earlier, because you know, 908 01:06:03.039 --> 01:06:08.400 we talked about earlier that you know, the Rockets this year, what 909 01:06:08.519 --> 01:06:12.559 were our expectations of them to be improved? Yeah? Sure, and what 910 01:06:12.760 --> 01:06:15.920 was improvement? If they had got to, say, thirty thirty five wins 911 01:06:15.920 --> 01:06:17.920 this year, wouldn't we say that's improvement, Yeah, off of what we 912 01:06:18.000 --> 01:06:23.599 had seen. Don't don't get blown out. For the most part this year, 913 01:06:23.719 --> 01:06:27.000 they haven't had that happen. I mean, Orlando was one, and 914 01:06:27.119 --> 01:06:31.079 even though the score pulled away from them at the end and that lost to 915 01:06:31.519 --> 01:06:34.280 Milwaukee, they were still in that game for most of the game. And 916 01:06:34.400 --> 01:06:38.920 the Bucks pulled away and won that one, but they only won it by 917 01:06:39.039 --> 01:06:42.440 nine too, So it wasn't like the Rockets got blown off the floor. 918 01:06:42.639 --> 01:06:45.760 It just was not a great night for them. And of course the other 919 01:06:45.840 --> 01:06:49.679 night against the Suns, it was one that you never necessarily felt like they 920 01:06:49.679 --> 01:06:55.239 were going to come back into that game. I mean, ima Udoka himself 921 01:06:55.400 --> 01:06:59.239 even pretty much made the decision to say, yeah, this one, we're 922 01:06:59.239 --> 01:07:00.880 not going to try to check this one. We've got to get some guys 923 01:07:00.920 --> 01:07:04.199 off their feet. We've got to try to be able to set up for 924 01:07:04.400 --> 01:07:09.199 the road ahead where the Rockets are not gonna have a ton of off nights. 925 01:07:09.239 --> 01:07:12.719 They're gonna be off tonight, they're gonna be off tomorrow, and then 926 01:07:12.719 --> 01:07:15.639 Monday night you get the Detroit Pistons coming to town, which a lot of 927 01:07:15.639 --> 01:07:20.280 people believe the Pistons might be able to break that long losing streak that they 928 01:07:20.280 --> 01:07:26.840 have had to this point, as it's been twenty seven straight for the Pistons, 929 01:07:27.320 --> 01:07:30.960 as they have just not been able to find a win after starting the 930 01:07:31.000 --> 01:07:34.239 season two and one. But that is one as well that a lot of 931 01:07:34.320 --> 01:07:40.000 Rocket fans look at, and even some that are Rockets broadcasters I was talking 932 01:07:40.000 --> 01:07:43.280 with yesterday, no names, not gonna name names, but they were saying, 933 01:07:43.360 --> 01:07:45.239 oh, man, that one kind of worries me a little bit. 934 01:07:45.119 --> 01:07:49.440 That one is a situation where if you're the team on the other side of 935 01:07:49.440 --> 01:07:53.599 the on the other side of the Pistons. At this point, you're saying, 936 01:07:53.880 --> 01:07:57.800 I don't want it to be us. If it is, then that's 937 01:07:58.119 --> 01:08:00.320 pretty embarrassing. You don't want that to be the case. So the Rockets, 938 01:08:00.360 --> 01:08:03.320 of course, want to make sure that they are able to take care 939 01:08:03.360 --> 01:08:08.280 of business on Monday Night against the Pistons again. Rockets launch pack and me 940 01:08:08.320 --> 01:08:12.599 coming your way at six, and of course I'll have Rockets rap as well 941 01:08:12.599 --> 01:08:16.479 here on Sports Talk seven to ninety to get us all set up for that 942 01:08:16.560 --> 01:08:21.079 game. But you know, with the Rockets though, at this point, 943 01:08:21.159 --> 01:08:25.920 I mean, I think it's been pretty much if you had any expectations for 944 01:08:25.960 --> 01:08:29.520 this team. I know that some of you had low expectations see these last 945 01:08:29.520 --> 01:08:32.520 three games and say, yeah, see that's who they are. But I 946 01:08:32.560 --> 01:08:36.920 look at the body work as a whole, and they've been an incredibly fun 947 01:08:36.920 --> 01:08:43.079 team to watch. And it's also too been what you could probably have expected 948 01:08:43.079 --> 01:08:46.479 from a team that had a good mix of young and veteran talent. And 949 01:08:46.800 --> 01:08:49.880 I've said it before and I'll continue to say it again. The growing pains 950 01:08:49.880 --> 01:08:54.279 are going to happen. I had the tweet last night too as well, 951 01:08:54.399 --> 01:08:57.760 of you know, the tired. Take this is what the Rockets are or 952 01:08:57.840 --> 01:09:01.840 wired. There's still very much a growing, a growth in progress type of 953 01:09:01.880 --> 01:09:05.680 situation, and they are a work in progress. That's the word I was 954 01:09:05.680 --> 01:09:12.640 looking for there. But still it's a situation with this team that they will 955 01:09:12.680 --> 01:09:15.560 have performances like last night where they're in it, they have a chance to 956 01:09:15.600 --> 01:09:19.000 win it, but the better team usually comes out on top. That's what 957 01:09:19.079 --> 01:09:24.159 happened. Sometimes that happens. Tip your cap move on, or also too 958 01:09:24.199 --> 01:09:28.039 where you'll have games where, yes, there's been injuries in them, but 959 01:09:28.720 --> 01:09:31.600 like an impressive win on the road for their first one of the road slate 960 01:09:31.680 --> 01:09:36.840 this season, beating the Denver Nuggets and taking them three out of four games, 961 01:09:36.880 --> 01:09:40.319 and you can say, as well, well, they didn't have Jamal 962 01:09:40.399 --> 01:09:43.199 Murray for two of those games. Again, that's their problem, it's not 963 01:09:43.239 --> 01:09:46.000 the Rockets problem. And you were able to get those wins, and you 964 01:09:46.079 --> 01:09:51.520 were also able to have some good games that you came up short in. 965 01:09:51.880 --> 01:09:55.920 I mean the Hawks loss that was a little bit tough, but that was 966 01:09:55.960 --> 01:09:59.840 also a night that Trey Young was just unreal to Jontay Murray, same deal. 967 01:10:00.159 --> 01:10:03.439 They were just shooting the lights out of the gym, and you just 968 01:10:03.520 --> 01:10:09.560 were unable to be able to hit enough shots and get enough stops in order 969 01:10:09.600 --> 01:10:12.680 to be able to beat them. And we've heard ema U Dooka talked about 970 01:10:12.720 --> 01:10:15.119 it all year. At times he's praised their defensive effort. At times he 971 01:10:15.279 --> 01:10:17.840 said, yeah, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more 972 01:10:18.000 --> 01:10:23.079 at the defensive effort than what we saw. And again, when you have 973 01:10:23.159 --> 01:10:26.600 a team that is still as young as they are, you're going to have 974 01:10:26.800 --> 01:10:30.680 those fits and stops. You're going to have where they are able to have 975 01:10:30.880 --> 01:10:34.560 a great performance and win a game that you come away from saying, Okay, 976 01:10:34.720 --> 01:10:38.199 I feel really good about this team. And then you're also going to 977 01:10:38.279 --> 01:10:42.479 have performances like last night where you say, ah, man, not quite 978 01:10:42.520 --> 01:10:45.359 where I thought they would be, But this is where I thought the Rockets 979 01:10:45.359 --> 01:10:49.000 would be at this point, they're going to be a five hundred basketball team. 980 01:10:49.279 --> 01:10:51.720 If we look up at the end of the season and they are right 981 01:10:51.760 --> 01:10:56.399 around five hundred, maybe just a little bit above five hundred, that's the 982 01:10:56.399 --> 01:11:00.159 success of a season because you are seeing that the system is working, you're 983 01:11:00.199 --> 01:11:04.439 seeing that they are progressing, and you're seeing that they'll continue to add to 984 01:11:04.520 --> 01:11:11.039 this and be able to work towards their ultimate goal of not only winning the 985 01:11:11.039 --> 01:11:15.199 Western Conference, but having a chance to hoist the Larry O'Brian Trophy again someday. 986 01:11:15.239 --> 01:11:17.439 They've done it twice in the past, and they want to do it 987 01:11:17.479 --> 01:11:21.399 again in the future. Every NBA team does right, and the Rockets do 988 01:11:21.560 --> 01:11:26.920 have. Like I said, the good mix of both the young and veteran 989 01:11:27.000 --> 01:11:31.000 talent. Jalen Green I think has probably started to find his offensive confidence again. 990 01:11:31.159 --> 01:11:36.680 That's a good thing. Alprin Shingoon has been a borderline All Star this 991 01:11:38.119 --> 01:11:41.680 entire portion of the season. We've seen it on the offensive end. We've 992 01:11:41.680 --> 01:11:45.000 seen him have some really good things on the defensive end as well at times, 993 01:11:45.279 --> 01:11:47.680 and also too, he's had some frustrating performances, much like any other 994 01:11:47.800 --> 01:11:51.439 young player on this team, and you've also had great things out of Tarry 995 01:11:51.520 --> 01:11:57.079 Easan. The bench has been something else that's made me believe that this team 996 01:11:57.119 --> 01:12:00.960 has a chance to accomplish some really good things this season and have a chance 997 01:12:00.000 --> 01:12:03.920 to play for an opportunity to maybe get into the play in round or maybe 998 01:12:03.960 --> 01:12:09.520 even make the playoffs outright. But the fact kind of like we talked about 999 01:12:09.520 --> 01:12:13.960 with the Texans. The goal for the Texans coming into the season was be 1000 01:12:14.079 --> 01:12:15.840 competitive. That's what it was. That was the goal for the team this 1001 01:12:15.960 --> 01:12:18.720 year. And they've done that, and now that they're at that point, 1002 01:12:18.800 --> 01:12:23.680 the expectation is we'll make the playoffs. For the Rockets, it's hey, 1003 01:12:24.000 --> 01:12:27.600 be in position to make the playoffs and if they do, then it's say, 1004 01:12:27.640 --> 01:12:30.399 all right, well, now try to do something with what you've got. 1005 01:12:30.000 --> 01:12:34.760 But up to this point, again, there's been frustrations. There's been 1006 01:12:34.800 --> 01:12:39.399 some good things. It's been pretty much what I think we could have expected 1007 01:12:39.399 --> 01:12:42.159 from this team this year, and I think if nothing else, it at 1008 01:12:42.239 --> 01:12:45.119 least shows you, hey, they're on the right path. And if they're 1009 01:12:45.159 --> 01:12:48.319 on the right path, then that means they're viable option again in this city. 1010 01:12:48.399 --> 01:12:51.800 And that hadn't been that, that has not been the case these last 1011 01:12:51.880 --> 01:12:56.279 couple of years. All Right, Coming up next, we'll have a chance 1012 01:12:56.319 --> 01:13:00.000 to hear our own good buddy, Chris Gordy, as he had a chance 1013 01:13:00.119 --> 01:13:02.680 to catch up with a couple of members of the Texas football program. We 1014 01:13:02.720 --> 01:13:09.640 will hear his conversation with former Klein Caine product Jaydon Blue, running back for 1015 01:13:09.720 --> 01:13:13.159 the Longhorns, as well as even though he's a DFW guy, when you 1016 01:13:13.159 --> 01:13:15.439 have a chance to catch up with the quarterback, you catch up with the 1017 01:13:15.520 --> 01:13:18.279 quarterback, as Chris Gordy had a chance to catch up with Quinn yours as 1018 01:13:18.319 --> 01:13:24.279 well over at Sugar Bowl Media Day. We will hear those conversations coming up 1019 01:13:24.399 --> 01:13:28.439 right here on your home of the Astros in the Rockets and also Longhorn football 1020 01:13:28.479 --> 01:13:31.800 and basketball in the City of Houston. It is Sports Talk seven ninety, 1021 01:13:35.680 --> 01:13:51.880 Space City Saturday. On Sports Talk seven ninety, it is Space City Saturday. 1022 01:13:53.000 --> 01:13:57.520 Dan Matthews here on your home of the Astros in the Rockets and also 1023 01:13:57.720 --> 01:14:02.560 Texas Longhorn Football and basket Ball Sports Talk seven ninety. Speaking of the long 1024 01:14:02.600 --> 01:14:06.000 Horns, our own Chris Gordy had a chance to catch up with a couple 1025 01:14:06.079 --> 01:14:12.279 of members of the Texas long Horn football program. It was media day over 1026 01:14:12.479 --> 01:14:15.560 at the Sugar Bowl and right now we'll have a chance to hear his conversation 1027 01:14:15.800 --> 01:14:21.800 with first Jayden Blue, formerly of Klein Caine High School here in the Houston 1028 01:14:21.880 --> 01:14:30.600 area. As Blue has been one of the contributing members of that running back 1029 01:14:30.640 --> 01:14:33.960 group that they have in the Texas program. We will hear from him as 1030 01:14:34.000 --> 01:14:39.760 well as the quarterback of the Texas Longhorns quinn Youewers. So let's hear Gordy's 1031 01:14:39.760 --> 01:14:44.600 conversations in this time. It's not Sean Salisbury, it is Chris Gordy has 1032 01:14:44.640 --> 01:14:47.159 he had a chance to catch up with Jayden Blue and quinn Ewers. Catch 1033 01:14:47.159 --> 01:14:51.720 it up with Texas running back Jaden Blue. Of course a Houston native and 1034 01:14:53.000 --> 01:14:56.920 been over there in Austin a couple of years. Man, crazy year two 1035 01:14:57.000 --> 01:14:59.520 already for you and look at where you guys are. Is this is kind 1036 01:14:59.520 --> 01:15:02.520 of a real for I wouldn't say so. You know, we we we 1037 01:15:03.199 --> 01:15:06.319 believe who put it in the work on day in and day out, and 1038 01:15:06.760 --> 01:15:11.239 you know we always thought that we'll be here at some point, and you 1039 01:15:11.279 --> 01:15:14.560 know we've put it into work and here we are. It's crazy. Uh, 1040 01:15:14.840 --> 01:15:16.640 you know the course of the season, all the ups and downs and 1041 01:15:16.960 --> 01:15:21.239 all that take me through. You know, the season's going along. Jonathan's 1042 01:15:21.239 --> 01:15:25.640 having a great year running the football. He gets hurt. The running back 1043 01:15:25.680 --> 01:15:28.079 room is that immediately, hey, next man up, we got to go. 1044 01:15:28.880 --> 01:15:30.119 You know, seeing JB go down was hard. You know, he's 1045 01:15:30.520 --> 01:15:33.279 having one of the best seasons out of any running back in the country. 1046 01:15:33.279 --> 01:15:36.399 And you know, our mindset when he went down this we have multiple guys 1047 01:15:36.439 --> 01:15:41.399 that could step up. You know, there's very versatile. So I mindset 1048 01:15:41.640 --> 01:15:44.399 was, we just can't let the boat sink. We just had to pick 1049 01:15:44.479 --> 01:15:47.840 up where he left left off. You obviously very highly tired of recruiting that 1050 01:15:47.880 --> 01:15:50.439 sort of thing, But so it's all about getting your chance and showing what 1051 01:15:50.479 --> 01:15:55.000 you could do. These last couple weeks you had a little bit more workload, 1052 01:15:55.119 --> 01:15:57.800 and what's that been like, kind of getting you know, getting going 1053 01:15:57.840 --> 01:16:00.640 here and really starting to show what you can do. It's been good. 1054 01:16:00.680 --> 01:16:02.520 You know, I've always waited my time seeing guys in front of me. 1055 01:16:02.760 --> 01:16:05.319 You know, they have set the example for me. You know, it's 1056 01:16:05.359 --> 01:16:10.359 been huge. So me seeing the guys in front of me and now is 1057 01:16:10.439 --> 01:16:13.359 my time, heals me a lot. It's got to help too. That 1058 01:16:13.720 --> 01:16:16.279 offensive line pretty good in front of you guys. How good has that old 1059 01:16:16.279 --> 01:16:19.399 line been for you guys all year long? Pass protecting and run blocking? 1060 01:16:19.840 --> 01:16:23.039 Uh? Yeah, you know, we have one of the best on lines 1061 01:16:23.039 --> 01:16:26.600 in the country. Them guys work hard every day, They give maximum effort 1062 01:16:26.600 --> 01:16:29.279 every play, So you know, having them, I'm very grateful you know, 1063 01:16:29.439 --> 01:16:33.399 they lead away for us, so they're very good. Obviously. You 1064 01:16:33.439 --> 01:16:38.079 know, everybody makes so much about that that early season win against Alabama, 1065 01:16:38.119 --> 01:16:40.880 and it was huge for you guys to go in there in Tuscaloosa and get 1066 01:16:40.920 --> 01:16:43.680 that win. But it was so early in the season. It was like, 1067 01:16:43.720 --> 01:16:45.520 man, we still got this whole journey ahead of us. And then 1068 01:16:45.560 --> 01:16:48.840 and then the the Oklahoma game comes and obviously then after that, yeah, 1069 01:16:48.880 --> 01:16:51.039 you got to sit there with a bye week. Was that kind of the 1070 01:16:51.039 --> 01:16:54.239 week where you kind of you guys kind of reset and say, look, 1071 01:16:54.239 --> 01:16:56.640 we still got everything we want to play for ahead of us. Yes, 1072 01:16:56.680 --> 01:16:59.000 sir, most definitely. You know, the Alabama win was a key win. 1073 01:16:59.119 --> 01:17:00.920 You know, you know, it's very hard to go and Tuscaloos and 1074 01:17:00.920 --> 01:17:03.840 win, especially in a night game. You know, hasn't it hasn't been 1075 01:17:03.880 --> 01:17:09.119 done much, so getting that win was one of the was a huge win. 1076 01:17:09.199 --> 01:17:10.960 You know, it was a big thing for us. You know, 1077 01:17:11.079 --> 01:17:14.840 also coming off the ball week, you know, it was a time for 1078 01:17:14.960 --> 01:17:16.680 us to just you know, sit back, you know, rest up, 1079 01:17:16.800 --> 01:17:19.600 and then get ready for the past. The next game is coming up. 1080 01:17:20.000 --> 01:17:24.640 You guys obviously got tested too. Quinn gets hurt Maleak's got to come in 1081 01:17:24.680 --> 01:17:27.319 and play quarterback. A couple of games, a couple of close games you 1082 01:17:27.359 --> 01:17:30.760 guys had, But it seems like those close games are those ones that pay 1083 01:17:30.760 --> 01:17:32.880 off down the road because you look back and go, you're battle tested, 1084 01:17:32.920 --> 01:17:35.680 because you know how to win in close games. You know, one of 1085 01:17:35.760 --> 01:17:39.960 those close names is always a good thing, you know. It just shows 1086 01:17:39.960 --> 01:17:42.960 that we're a versatile team, that we could win different ways. We're just 1087 01:17:43.119 --> 01:17:45.439 blowing the team out, whereas it being close, or we're just you know 1088 01:17:45.720 --> 01:17:48.640 us and not scoring very many points in the defense, you know, holding 1089 01:17:49.159 --> 01:17:54.359 their offensive to minimum points. So it just shows that we could win versatile 1090 01:17:54.439 --> 01:17:58.720 ways. I'm talking with Jadon Blue, running back for the Texas Longhorns, 1091 01:17:58.720 --> 01:18:00.479 and these last couple games, Man, I don't know if you could be 1092 01:18:00.520 --> 01:18:04.840 more dominant than you guys were the game against Texas tack and then of course 1093 01:18:04.880 --> 01:18:09.359 the big twelfth title game against Oklahoma State. What was it about the offense 1094 01:18:09.399 --> 01:18:11.720 in those two games? Just I mean right out of the gates clicking. 1095 01:18:12.079 --> 01:18:14.680 Yeah. I just think, you know, towards the end of the season, 1096 01:18:14.760 --> 01:18:16.359 we just started getting rhythm. We always preached, you know, finishing 1097 01:18:16.399 --> 01:18:20.000 games, and he made a big emphasis on that this year because that's something 1098 01:18:20.039 --> 01:18:25.039 we didn't do very much last year. So we emphasized finishing and I think 1099 01:18:25.079 --> 01:18:28.720 we started peaking at the right time. So those last few games we've been 1100 01:18:28.720 --> 01:18:30.439 out of our best. Give me a little bit of insight into coach Shark. 1101 01:18:30.479 --> 01:18:34.159 What's he like as a head coach and what what ultimately kind of attracted 1102 01:18:34.159 --> 01:18:36.520 you to want to play for a guy like that. You know, Coach 1103 01:18:36.560 --> 01:18:40.920 Sark is a is a great coach, he's a even better dude. You 1104 01:18:40.920 --> 01:18:43.239 know, when he was recruiting me, you know, he's one of the 1105 01:18:43.279 --> 01:18:45.960 guys that I followed everywhere he went, and once he got to Texas, 1106 01:18:46.000 --> 01:18:49.399 you know, immediately opened my eyes because, you know, why not want 1107 01:18:49.399 --> 01:18:53.159 to play for Coas Sartin. You know, he's a he's a genius when 1108 01:18:53.159 --> 01:18:55.439 it comes to play calling. He puts guys in the right position. He 1109 01:18:55.520 --> 01:18:58.760 tried to find, you know, mismatches. So I think Coach Sark is 1110 01:18:58.840 --> 01:19:00.960 one of the best which is in the country, And you know that was 1111 01:19:01.000 --> 01:19:04.119 one of my reasons. What do you like most, not just football? 1112 01:19:04.159 --> 01:19:06.520 What do you like most about your time in Austin so far? What have 1113 01:19:06.560 --> 01:19:10.239 you come to really like, I'm really just experienced. You know, this 1114 01:19:10.319 --> 01:19:14.880 is a great city. You know, I enjoy being around my teammates overall. 1115 01:19:15.079 --> 01:19:16.800 You know, it's just a great place to be. Okay, what 1116 01:19:16.840 --> 01:19:19.720 are you miss us about Houston being I mean, you're not too far away. 1117 01:19:20.399 --> 01:19:25.359 I'd say probably just my friends back home and my family. You know, 1118 01:19:25.479 --> 01:19:28.800 I'm a big family guy, so being away from my family while, 1119 01:19:28.800 --> 01:19:30.720 you know, that's something I have to adjust to. Who's got the better 1120 01:19:30.760 --> 01:19:38.560 food Houston or Austin Houston for sure? What's your go to seafood like shrimp 1121 01:19:38.640 --> 01:19:41.600 or crawfish? What are you doing? I say boil seafood, not like 1122 01:19:41.600 --> 01:19:44.720 cowfish too, but my mom coulks a lot of boils seafood, so it's 1123 01:19:44.720 --> 01:19:47.359 probably one of my favorite. I love. We're talking with jadon Blue talk 1124 01:19:47.399 --> 01:19:49.840 a little bit about this test you guys have ahead of you. Obviously, 1125 01:19:50.079 --> 01:19:54.920 Washington really really good team and good defensively. What have you kind of seen 1126 01:19:54.960 --> 01:19:57.840 on filming the challenges that are going to present? You know, it's a 1127 01:19:57.840 --> 01:20:00.199 big test for us. Washington is a great team. You know, played 1128 01:20:00.239 --> 01:20:01.960 them last year, they got the best of us. But we're a new 1129 01:20:02.000 --> 01:20:05.880 team this year, and I think they're going to give us a run for 1130 01:20:05.920 --> 01:20:08.840 our money. This year is going to be a great match up. You 1131 01:20:08.840 --> 01:20:11.720 know, they have a great offensive line, that have a quarterback that was 1132 01:20:11.760 --> 01:20:15.960 in the Heisman race, that have you know, three receivers that's going to 1133 01:20:15.000 --> 01:20:17.760 the NFL. So you know it's a big test for us. So we 1134 01:20:17.880 --> 01:20:20.720 just got to keep working and we're putting it in the work. I think 1135 01:20:20.760 --> 01:20:24.600 back to these last two games. You know, you guys score early and 1136 01:20:24.640 --> 01:20:26.960 often and kind of set the tone. I mean, it's that kind of 1137 01:20:26.960 --> 01:20:30.000 the key. And this one is because look, everybody's predicting it's going to 1138 01:20:30.039 --> 01:20:31.520 be a score fast, but I mean it's got to be imperative to get 1139 01:20:31.520 --> 01:20:34.039 out there and maybe grab that early lead. Right, You're right, Almond 1140 01:20:34.079 --> 01:20:36.119 said, you know, we want to score every draft. You know, 1141 01:20:36.159 --> 01:20:39.880 we got to come out fast. We can't play behind. And I think 1142 01:20:39.960 --> 01:20:42.840 we come off fast and our defense is going to do their job, you 1143 01:20:42.840 --> 01:20:46.079 know, do what they're used to doing stopping them, and then we'll be 1144 01:20:46.119 --> 01:20:48.479 in the right position. What do you see that out of a Quinn this 1145 01:20:48.600 --> 01:20:53.199 year and his development as a quarterback. How much has he improved? Quinn 1146 01:20:53.239 --> 01:20:56.000 has proved a lot. I think He's one of the most doll damn players 1147 01:20:56.000 --> 01:20:58.159 on the team. You know, if you look at last year, you 1148 01:20:58.159 --> 01:21:00.560 know he changed the way his body was and just eating habits. You know, 1149 01:21:00.600 --> 01:21:05.000 he also came into this year what Ama said that we're gonna go win 1150 01:21:05.039 --> 01:21:09.079 this thing and we could win it no matter what. And I think these 1151 01:21:09.159 --> 01:21:12.720 last few games is when he really flipped the switch and showed everyone that, 1152 01:21:12.840 --> 01:21:15.279 you know, he's really ready. And I think he took that next step. 1153 01:21:15.840 --> 01:21:20.560 He was a highly tied to recruit arch manning. The excitement from this 1154 01:21:20.640 --> 01:21:25.000 fan base when he got in and against Texas Taglan Stateium was going nuts. 1155 01:21:25.039 --> 01:21:28.319 And now with Malik going in the portal, Arch has to step up here 1156 01:21:28.359 --> 01:21:30.960 a little bit. What have you seen from rch kind of growing and just 1157 01:21:31.000 --> 01:21:33.840 his freshman year. Yeah, I think Arch is you know, he's ready 1158 01:21:33.840 --> 01:21:36.960 whenever his number is called. You know, he prepares really well. He 1159 01:21:38.079 --> 01:21:41.960 takes inside from from Quinn and the other guys that's in the room that's older 1160 01:21:41.960 --> 01:21:45.279 than him. So I think when his time come, Archer be really ready. 1161 01:21:45.000 --> 01:21:47.840 Last week, for you, I've seen a lot of Texas fans in 1162 01:21:47.960 --> 01:21:51.239 town here. Looks like you guys are gonna have a lot of Longhorned fans 1163 01:21:51.239 --> 01:21:54.800 in the stands gott to be excited to have. You know, it's not 1164 01:21:54.880 --> 01:21:57.359 too far from Austin, right down the road here in New Orleans. But 1165 01:21:57.479 --> 01:21:59.960 it seems like you guys are gonna have a pretty pretty excited fan base here. 1166 01:22:00.640 --> 01:22:02.880 Yeah. You know, we were pretty good, very good teams here, 1167 01:22:02.920 --> 01:22:06.399 so of course everybody want to see Texas play. And but I think 1168 01:22:06.399 --> 01:22:10.520 it's gonna be a great matchup. I think offense, I know we were 1169 01:22:10.560 --> 01:22:13.319 capable of and what we're gonna do, and I just think it's gonna be 1170 01:22:13.359 --> 01:22:15.840 a great matchup Texas Longhorned running back Jadon and Blue Jaydon. Thanks so much 1171 01:22:15.840 --> 01:22:17.880 of the time, man, thank you, Quinton. Just a couple of 1172 01:22:17.960 --> 01:22:20.560 questions for you here, what's uh, what's his like? I mean, 1173 01:22:20.600 --> 01:22:24.439 obviously this is what you hoped and dreamed of and you're in your time coming 1174 01:22:24.479 --> 01:22:28.159 to Texas and now you're here getting experience. Is it all kind of surreal 1175 01:22:28.279 --> 01:22:30.560 or is it? This is this is the dream come true right here? 1176 01:22:30.199 --> 01:22:33.600 Yeah, I mean it's a dream come true for sure, But it still 1177 01:22:33.600 --> 01:22:38.079 feels the same as any other week, which I think is is a good 1178 01:22:38.239 --> 01:22:40.439 is a good thing. So I know we're all pretty loose, and we're 1179 01:22:40.479 --> 01:22:45.039 all pretty fired up to for Monday. Talk a little bit about the season. 1180 01:22:45.079 --> 01:22:46.760 Obviously, you know, the the ups and downs, the the you 1181 01:22:46.800 --> 01:22:49.039 know, you're getting injured and that sort of thing having to come back. 1182 01:22:49.119 --> 01:22:53.079 But uh, it really looked like you guys hit your stride these last couple 1183 01:22:53.079 --> 01:22:56.520 of games, that the offense, particularly just playing lights out. What was 1184 01:22:56.560 --> 01:23:00.600 it these last couple of games the offense just took off. I think it's 1185 01:23:00.800 --> 01:23:05.359 just the way we prepared. I think we really, you know it took 1186 01:23:05.359 --> 01:23:09.960 a look at ourselves and and focused on what we needed to improve about ourselves. 1187 01:23:10.079 --> 01:23:15.119 And you know, we we know the defense was gonna play great, 1188 01:23:15.720 --> 01:23:17.680 so we just kind of wanted to match what they were doing. What's the 1189 01:23:17.960 --> 01:23:23.319 biggest challenge look at a film so far with this Washington team, obviously undefeated, 1190 01:23:23.319 --> 01:23:26.359 they've been underdogs a couple of times, answered the call beat Morgan not 1191 01:23:26.399 --> 01:23:30.279 once, but twice. What's the toughest challenges you're gonna face from them defensively? 1192 01:23:30.720 --> 01:23:32.560 Oh? Yeah, I mean they're a great defense. Obviously, it's 1193 01:23:32.600 --> 01:23:35.359 a great team. They wouldn't be here if they weren't a great team. 1194 01:23:35.760 --> 01:23:40.720 But you know, they got a really good d line that I know the 1195 01:23:40.760 --> 01:23:43.800 offense is, the offensive line is going to be you know, fired up 1196 01:23:43.840 --> 01:23:46.960 to go to go block, but no, overall they're just a really good 1197 01:23:47.000 --> 01:23:50.119 defense. Y'all did a good job of spreading the ball around and you know 1198 01:23:50.119 --> 01:23:53.520 you're getting all your different receivers involved, and then on top of it, 1199 01:23:53.520 --> 01:23:57.199 have an adjust on the fly when JB goes down and the next you know, 1200 01:23:57.640 --> 01:24:00.279 Bevy running back steps up. But just to evilue this offense, how 1201 01:24:00.359 --> 01:24:03.560 much have y'all improved since since day won this year? Yeah, I mean, 1202 01:24:03.560 --> 01:24:05.600 if you if you want to be here where we're at right now, 1203 01:24:05.600 --> 01:24:10.199 you got to improve each week. And like you said, it sucks to 1204 01:24:10.239 --> 01:24:14.680 see Jonathan go down, especially with the season he was having. But like 1205 01:24:14.720 --> 01:24:16.079 you said, I mean those guys in the in that room stepped up, 1206 01:24:16.079 --> 01:24:20.039 and I know coach choice is is firing those guys up and super proud of 1207 01:24:20.079 --> 01:24:24.199 the way that the running back room has has stepped up this this year. 1208 01:24:24.680 --> 01:24:28.399 Well more for you here in New Orleans. You gotta look, there's great 1209 01:24:28.399 --> 01:24:30.279 food everywhere. You gotta be a little bit smart though right with without you're 1210 01:24:30.279 --> 01:24:32.640 eating kind of balance it out. Yeah, I know, one hundred percent, 1211 01:24:32.800 --> 01:24:36.279 hundred percent. It's really good food around here. And like you said, 1212 01:24:36.319 --> 01:24:39.560 you really got to watch what you eat. Do you have a go 1213 01:24:39.680 --> 01:24:44.359 to like something you've tried so far? You like, Oh, I have 1214 01:24:44.479 --> 01:24:47.199 this short rib. I forget where it's from now, but it's like short 1215 01:24:47.319 --> 01:24:51.119 rib bread pudding. I don't even know all this stuff. I don't even 1216 01:24:51.119 --> 01:24:55.000 know half the words that were or the half the side that we're with it. 1217 01:24:55.119 --> 01:24:59.199 So what it was solid? Thanks quiet appreciure man, Thank you all 1218 01:24:59.319 --> 01:25:01.720 right. Oh, a chance for Chris Gordy to catch up with Jaden Blue. 1219 01:25:01.800 --> 01:25:05.399 Great conversation there, as well as the conversation he had with the starting 1220 01:25:05.479 --> 01:25:13.720 quarterback of the Longhorns. When you weres so all of those conversations that Gordie 1221 01:25:13.800 --> 01:25:16.760 had no doubt you can find him at Sports Talk seven ninety dot com. 1222 01:25:16.960 --> 01:25:20.079 As I mean, he caught up with everyone this morning. We just only 1223 01:25:20.479 --> 01:25:24.680 had time to play a couple of those. As he had a chance to 1224 01:25:24.720 --> 01:25:29.199 catch up with Arch Manning for about a minute, caught up with Ady Mitchell 1225 01:25:29.279 --> 01:25:32.359 of course, another Houston area guy, and Devandre sweat guy that's gonna make 1226 01:25:32.479 --> 01:25:38.720 a lot of money after this season is over. As he was the Big 1227 01:25:38.800 --> 01:25:43.800 Twelve Defensive Player of the Year as well. So the Longhorns are gearing up 1228 01:25:43.960 --> 01:25:48.800 for the Washington Huskies Monday night. And on Monday, go ahead and follow 1229 01:25:48.880 --> 01:25:54.359 me on this because I will let you know where to find anything and everything 1230 01:25:55.000 --> 01:26:01.279 that can be heard on our iHeart Radio network of stations. As coming up 1231 01:26:01.640 --> 01:26:06.079 on Monday morning, starting at ten, you're going to get LSU taking on 1232 01:26:06.239 --> 01:26:12.840 Wisconsin and they rely a Quest Bowl. So Tiger fans out there listening wanting 1233 01:26:13.000 --> 01:26:16.479 to hear if their team can finish up with a tenth win for the second 1234 01:26:16.520 --> 01:26:20.920 straight season under Brian Kelly, then you can hear that right here sports Talk 1235 01:26:21.159 --> 01:26:26.840 seven ninety. We will also have the Rockets that night right here on Sports 1236 01:26:26.840 --> 01:26:30.359 Talk seven ninety starting at six with Rockets Launch Pad as they get ready to 1237 01:26:30.479 --> 01:26:33.840 take on the Detroit Pistons, and then six point thirty over on News Radio 1238 01:26:33.880 --> 01:26:43.000 seven forty KTRH, you can hear the Longhorns and Washington Huskies in the Sugar 1239 01:26:43.079 --> 01:26:46.840 Bowl as part of the college football playoff. All right, coming out next 1240 01:26:47.079 --> 01:26:51.199 give some final thoughts on the Texans game tomorrow. Also a quick look back 1241 01:26:51.359 --> 01:26:56.880 at the year that was right here on our beloved Houston sports scene. We 1242 01:26:56.880 --> 01:27:00.960 will do all of that as we close out this edition of Bay City Saturday. 1243 01:27:00.119 --> 01:27:03.479 Dan Matthews here with you on your home of the Astros and Rockets, 1244 01:27:03.479 --> 01:27:12.000 Sports Talk seven ninety. We now returned to Face City Saturday Sports Talk seven 1245 01:27:12.079 --> 01:27:18.039 ninety. I promise you, Matt Thomas, this is not a bit steal. 1246 01:27:18.439 --> 01:27:25.520 Adam just decided to bump back with blitz kreegbop by the Ramones. We're 1247 01:27:25.560 --> 01:27:30.600 not doing ro's, we're not doing to o's, we're not doing ao's, 1248 01:27:30.600 --> 01:27:34.640 we're not doing any o's in that regard. Well maybe some x's and o's, 1249 01:27:34.760 --> 01:27:39.199 but yeah, we're not gonna do the overreactions. That's that's a Matt 1250 01:27:39.279 --> 01:27:42.439 Thomas thing. I mean, you know, that's one that as part of 1251 01:27:42.520 --> 01:27:45.279 the Wednesday Bit Steel that we do on the A team. We haven't broken 1252 01:27:45.319 --> 01:27:48.920 out just yet, but maybe we could here pretty soon. I mean, 1253 01:27:48.920 --> 01:27:54.880 who knows, maybe if things don't go the way we hope tomorrow with Texans, 1254 01:27:55.319 --> 01:27:57.920 that maybe we could break them out. I don't know, we'll see. 1255 01:27:58.600 --> 01:28:02.199 We will take it into the last aboratory and see what is able to 1256 01:28:02.399 --> 01:28:08.600 come of that here on our show and the many shows that we have here 1257 01:28:08.960 --> 01:28:12.399 just a reminder too, New Year's Day, like all of you going to 1258 01:28:12.479 --> 01:28:15.199 be off New Year's Day, so we will have all of the games that 1259 01:28:15.319 --> 01:28:20.159 I had mentioned right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. But then Tuesday 1260 01:28:20.560 --> 01:28:24.680 is when we will be back, and that of course will be the reaction 1261 01:28:24.840 --> 01:28:30.279 to the Texans game. We'll have immediate reaction to the Longhorns in Huskies and 1262 01:28:30.680 --> 01:28:33.960 the Sugar Bowl. Hopefully it is us getting ready for the Longhorns to come 1263 01:28:34.039 --> 01:28:38.359 to Houston and have a chance to play for the national championship. Maybe that 1264 01:28:38.640 --> 01:28:42.680 is on the horizon, so we will see how that goes. Real quick, 1265 01:28:42.960 --> 01:28:47.159 a couple of minutes on the Texans before we get into the year that 1266 01:28:47.520 --> 01:28:54.840 was in sports here in the great city of Houston. But Texans Titans tomorrow. 1267 01:28:54.960 --> 01:28:58.079 I mean it comes down to being just as simple. You're the better 1268 01:28:58.119 --> 01:29:00.439 football team, play like the better football team. And I understand there are 1269 01:29:00.479 --> 01:29:05.720 some key injuries. Last time you played, you had a better setup in 1270 01:29:05.920 --> 01:29:11.680 terms of your defensive front. We'll have to see what happens with Malie Collins 1271 01:29:11.760 --> 01:29:15.720 tomorrow as well as Sheldon Rankins, although it looks like Rankins will be good 1272 01:29:15.760 --> 01:29:18.680 to go for this one, if I had to guess, with the questionable 1273 01:29:18.840 --> 01:29:25.199 designation, I think they will see how much Will Anderson could play and try 1274 01:29:25.239 --> 01:29:29.119 to put him through a pregame workout and see if that works out for him. 1275 01:29:29.319 --> 01:29:32.560 And if it does, then I would probably have to believe with him 1276 01:29:32.600 --> 01:29:35.640 being out for these last couple of weeks and at high ankle spring, not 1277 01:29:35.840 --> 01:29:42.720 being able to get a ton of a work on the field, so probably 1278 01:29:43.159 --> 01:29:45.319 not as in gread of game shape as he would be if he were still 1279 01:29:45.359 --> 01:29:49.760 playing, And I would probably have to believe if he is available, it'll 1280 01:29:49.800 --> 01:29:54.800 be in a very limited capacity in this game. I mean a handful of 1281 01:29:54.880 --> 01:29:57.920 plays I think is what we'd be looking at there. So all of that 1282 01:29:58.039 --> 01:30:02.399 kind of boils into stopping the top offensive weapon that the Tennessee Titans have, 1283 01:30:02.640 --> 01:30:05.680 and he is Dereck Henry, and I've got to believe that he wants to 1284 01:30:05.840 --> 01:30:11.359 have a strong bounce back performance with the way that the last game went in 1285 01:30:11.520 --> 01:30:15.920 Tennessee because the Texans defensive front, I mean, they were absolutely able to 1286 01:30:15.039 --> 01:30:19.960 hold him in check for that game. So that will be something to keep 1287 01:30:19.960 --> 01:30:24.000 an eye on. And I think that the other one is CJ. What 1288 01:30:24.279 --> 01:30:28.880 do we get from CJ in this game on you tomorrow. I mean, 1289 01:30:29.239 --> 01:30:31.199 is he going to be rusty or is the time off going to be good 1290 01:30:31.239 --> 01:30:35.119 for him? Because you heard him say earlier this week as well that this 1291 01:30:35.279 --> 01:30:40.239 is the longest layoff he's had in terms of being in a season. He's 1292 01:30:40.279 --> 01:30:43.600 never missed an extended period of time. He was out for a couple of 1293 01:30:43.680 --> 01:30:47.359 weeks with the concussion and also too incredibly limited to what he could even do. 1294 01:30:47.560 --> 01:30:50.960 I mean you even heard him say as well that he couldn't even watch 1295 01:30:51.000 --> 01:30:58.239 football until they got to that game on Sunday against the Titans because just the 1296 01:30:58.319 --> 01:31:02.079 camera angles everything. It just you know, with his brain trying to heal 1297 01:31:02.199 --> 01:31:09.560 from the concussion, the sensitivity was too much in terms of the lighting and 1298 01:31:09.680 --> 01:31:12.960 also to just the movement everything else of the sort. So that just kind 1299 01:31:13.000 --> 01:31:15.359 of showed you where he was. And he got a little bit better last 1300 01:31:15.399 --> 01:31:18.520 week, but still wasn't good enough to be able to give it a go 1301 01:31:18.800 --> 01:31:25.239 on Sunday. And now he's back, he's clear the concussion protocol, talked 1302 01:31:25.279 --> 01:31:29.880 with the media on Thursday, so you know, now he is good to 1303 01:31:29.960 --> 01:31:32.920 play in this game tomorrow. He will have pretty much his full allotment of 1304 01:31:33.000 --> 01:31:38.760 receivers back as well. Nico Collins is good to go as well as Robert 1305 01:31:38.800 --> 01:31:44.760 Woods and also to Noah Brown, and you know also Dalton Schultz as well, 1306 01:31:44.960 --> 01:31:47.439 so that's a huge help. Again. You know, Devin Singletary has 1307 01:31:47.439 --> 01:31:50.880 been able to do some really good things at times this year, so having 1308 01:31:51.000 --> 01:31:56.560 him out there helps as well in this game. So the Texans should be 1309 01:31:56.640 --> 01:31:59.640 solid from the offensive side of the ball. And when you have CJ. 1310 01:31:59.680 --> 01:32:01.199 Strout on the field, you feel like you have a chance. And I 1311 01:32:01.239 --> 01:32:04.359 think the Texans feel like they have more than a chance. And it's a 1312 01:32:04.439 --> 01:32:06.920 must win. I mean, in every sense of the word. These next 1313 01:32:06.960 --> 01:32:11.720 two games are must wins if you want to, no doubt get into the 1314 01:32:11.760 --> 01:32:15.239 playoffs. Otherwise you need help, and trying to get help it's not fun 1315 01:32:15.399 --> 01:32:18.039 when it's not in your hands. We've been there before, I mean two 1316 01:32:18.079 --> 01:32:23.039 thousand and nine, Like I said, we remember the Texans beating the Patriots 1317 01:32:23.079 --> 01:32:25.640 that day and having a couple of other teams that needed to lose. But 1318 01:32:25.760 --> 01:32:29.560 then you needed the Bengals to go to the Meadowlands that night and beat the 1319 01:32:29.680 --> 01:32:33.399 Jets and they didn't. And that early season loss to the Jets is what 1320 01:32:33.600 --> 01:32:39.279 ended up hurting you. So that is something that you want to avoid if 1321 01:32:39.359 --> 01:32:42.560 you can, if you're the Texans, and we'll see if indeed they are 1322 01:32:42.720 --> 01:32:48.520 able to do that. So the year in review that was Houston Sports. 1323 01:32:48.840 --> 01:32:51.079 I mean, you know, just real quick as we've got a couple of 1324 01:32:51.119 --> 01:32:57.319 minutes left here again, Dan Matthews here on Space City Saturday. The Astros, 1325 01:32:57.479 --> 01:33:00.520 I mean, it was a completely up and down season. I mean 1326 01:33:00.720 --> 01:33:03.439 it started off rocky because you didn't have jose L Tuve because he got hit 1327 01:33:03.520 --> 01:33:08.119 on the hand in the World Baseball Classic and he missed about the first three 1328 01:33:08.159 --> 01:33:13.039 months of the season. That was not great. But the positive you got 1329 01:33:13.079 --> 01:33:15.359 to see the rise of Mauricio Dubon, a guy that showed you he could 1330 01:33:15.399 --> 01:33:21.079 be a very meaningful contributor to this team, and somebody that was a contributor 1331 01:33:21.119 --> 01:33:25.840 all the way through to the postseason, being good enough to even win a 1332 01:33:25.920 --> 01:33:29.800 goal Glove this season. So that was a positive. As well as Chas 1333 01:33:29.880 --> 01:33:32.319 McCormick, you feel like took a step forward in his career. You found 1334 01:33:32.399 --> 01:33:38.239 out that you have your catcher of the future in janer Diez. And I 1335 01:33:38.319 --> 01:33:42.000 know a lot of people wanted to see him play a lot sooner than he 1336 01:33:42.159 --> 01:33:44.840 did, or at least play a lot more than he did last year. 1337 01:33:44.880 --> 01:33:48.159 But still, now you've got your everyday catcher, and Dana Brown and Joespota 1338 01:33:48.479 --> 01:33:51.439 have both let us know that that's going to be the case. He is 1339 01:33:51.520 --> 01:33:55.399 going to be the everyday catcher. So that was nice. But yes, 1340 01:33:55.520 --> 01:33:58.640 it was all marred by how it ended. And it wasn't only how it 1341 01:33:58.840 --> 01:34:01.000 ended to the Rangers. It was the fashion that it did. That you 1342 01:34:01.079 --> 01:34:06.079 weren't even close in any of those games and they just completely came here and 1343 01:34:06.359 --> 01:34:10.880 just beat you like crazy, and you have to sit on that this entire 1344 01:34:10.960 --> 01:34:15.319 offseason. And I made the comment to Adam Clinton as we were doing the 1345 01:34:15.359 --> 01:34:17.039 show yesterday, I said, it just seems like this offseason has been so 1346 01:34:17.319 --> 01:34:20.760 long because of that. But fear not. I mean, you heard Jeff 1347 01:34:20.760 --> 01:34:25.800 Blum say it the other day that as a baseball player, and you know 1348 01:34:26.000 --> 01:34:30.439 a coach, a manager, part of a baseball organization, that once it 1349 01:34:30.560 --> 01:34:33.880 hits New Year's Day, your mind kind of starts to hit that next gear 1350 01:34:34.119 --> 01:34:38.800 of it's almost time, because yeah, then a month and a half later, 1351 01:34:39.159 --> 01:34:42.640 we're going to be in West Palm Beach at spring training, getting you 1352 01:34:42.680 --> 01:34:45.319 ready for the season. And then soon enough, right here on Sports Talk 1353 01:34:45.359 --> 01:34:48.239 seven to ninety, we'll have the Astros playing regular season games and trying to 1354 01:34:48.319 --> 01:34:53.680 make it to their eighth straight ALCS. We'll see if that's able to happen. 1355 01:34:54.279 --> 01:34:57.279 I mean, the Rockets signaling they're taking a step forward. That was 1356 01:34:57.399 --> 01:35:00.760 nice. The Texan's serious about winning again, hiring to me Niko Ryans and 1357 01:35:00.880 --> 01:35:04.359 drafting c J. Strou Will Anderson Junior, and then also too you of 1358 01:35:04.520 --> 01:35:10.279 h football deciding to take the next step in their program. All those things 1359 01:35:10.439 --> 01:35:14.159 happened in this past year. I want to thank Adam Snyder behind the glass. 1360 01:35:14.159 --> 01:35:16.119 I want to think all of you out there who listened today to Space 1361 01:35:16.199 --> 01:35:20.720 City Saturday. I'm Dan Matthews. Until next time, continue listening to us 1362 01:35:20.800 --> 01:35:25.159 right here on your home of the Astros and Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety. 1363 01:35:25.239 --> 01:35:26.079 Have a great day, everyone,