Protect the Quarterback!

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcomeboard, Welcome to another Space City Saturday on Sports Talk
seven ninety Dan Matthews Live and local h Town breakdown
of the world that matters to you, the Houston sports world.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
All these great Houston fans here. We love you all.
So finish up on that to do list.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Flute up the cooler, because you can't drink in talk
sports all day if you don't start.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Now bear me the eight.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
This is Space City Saturday.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's insane.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Here's seven nineties Dan Matthews.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Indeed, it is away. We go here on Space City Saturday.
Dan Matthews here with you on your home of the
Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety. At least
one of those two gonna be on your airwaves a
little bit later today. That's, of course the second team
I mentioned the Rockets, they will be on later tonight
taking on the Portland Trailblazers, Rossville Reale, going to have

(01:06):
you covered for Rockets launchpad. Then MT and either of
the atoms going to be on the call.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Of course MT there in Portland.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
And I believe it's WEX tonight without looking at it
in front of me, I'm sure I'll get a text
from him in a second telling me to look at
the schedule. You know, you know how wex is semantics, snark,
you know all of the s's wex as at all.
And I'm sure he'll probably let me know that here shortly,
because you know, wex always listening, always listening.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
He's always there. But we appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
But of course today, a massive amount of the conversation
going to be on what's happening in Kansas City at
three point thirty a little bit later today, that's going
to be the Texans and the Chiefs Divisional round huge
one tonight there in Kansas City as the Texans trying
to make franchise history by taking down the two time

(01:59):
defending champion Kansas City Chiefs who this season. I mean,
you know, it's funny and you're gonna hear as part
of our conversation a little bit later on as I'll
have some of the great interviews we had this week.
I mean, you want to talk about the just great
guests that we were able to have on We had
dan Orlowski with me and Ross when I was in
for Matt Thomas on Thursday. We're gonna have that sometime

(02:23):
during the show and also Kevin Harlan, who is going
to be on the Westwood one radio call today with
Ross Tucker and his daughter Olivia Harlan Decker is also
going to be on that call. So it was great
to be able to catch up with Kevin. And it
was a double whammie for us with Kevin because the

(02:44):
night before in Sacramento, he and stan Van Gundy were
on the call of the Rockets and the Sacramento Kings,
so we were able to get into a little bit
of Rockets conversation with him as well. So that is
all for you, So we'll have that a little bit
later on and then we're also as part of the
show today, going to get the A team with Sterling Holmes.

(03:09):
Sterling Holmes is a midday host there in Kansas City
on eight ten WHB, which is the flagship radio station
for the Chiefs up there in Casey, so we're going
to get his perspective of the Chiefs side of things.
But the Texans for this one at last checked an
eight and a half point underdog, and as watching the game,

(03:31):
deview home field advantage on NFL Network right now with
our good buddy Cynthia Freelan and company. They are talking
about this game, and yes, it is holding steady right
there at eight and a half, and I mean, I just,
you know, I just don't see it. I think this
is a Kansas City team that all season long has
kind of by the skin of their teeth one and

(03:54):
they're fifteen and you know they were six.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
Well were they fifteen and two?

Speaker 4 (03:58):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Fifteen and two too. For a reason.

Speaker 3 (04:01):
I mean, you know, it's not like it was a
mistake that the Chiefs were as good as they were
this season.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
And I say it all the time.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
I think people look at winning close games the wrong
way is it's not a weakness and it's not an
indictment on your team. And you can only get lucky
so many times in the NFL. It becomes a point
where you know that you can win those games and
you're comfortable in those situations. And I told you with
the Texans when they were in so many close games
and people were saying, oh, that's that's not going to

(04:30):
be good for later, I said, no, the complete opposite.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
I believe I think that's.

Speaker 3 (04:34):
Going to be great because when you get to this
time of the year, these are the type of games
you're going to have you're going to have a tightly
contested game, and you know, if you're winning and moving on,
you're probably winning and moving on by about a you know,
a single score, you know, you know, three or four
points something like that. I mean, that's that's how you're

(04:55):
able to move on. So that's what the Texans are
obviously hoping they can count on today. It's going to
be a cold one there in Kansas City, so a
lot to get to on that front. And the Rockets,
as I mentioned, they lost the other night, they snapping
that five game win streak that they had on their side,
but trying to start a new tonight in Portland.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
And this has been a fun team to watch. I mean,
it has been.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
Just awesome, awesome, awesome, And like I said, you know,
with Kevin Harlan, you know, he was singing the praises
of em Udoka Rafelstone and the Rockets and what they've
been able to build up. So it is been a
lot of fun to be able to keep up with.
As Jalen Green has been fantastic for the Rockets. And

(05:43):
you know, I'll say this too, I mean it we're
probably at least a month away from Jabari Smith junior
coming back. But we talked about it the other day
when I was in with Ross on the Matt Thomas Show.
Jabari Smith Junior is now a reserve. I mean, you
necessarily haven't done anything to lose your position, but you
know what's the old saying, what's the best of what's

(06:04):
the best ability availability? And you're not available right now,
and while you're out, Men Thompson is filling in admirably.
And not only is a men Thompson filling in incredibly well,
but I mean that's increased minutes for Cam Whitmore, and
Cam Whitmore has been fantastic off the bench for you.
I mean he's been pseudo your sixth man. And the
other night it was also great to get Tory Easten

(06:26):
back as he's been somebody that I think you have
sorely missed in what he can give you from a
defensive perspective as well as you know, just being able
to just be a bulldog down low on the boards
and everything else. So it's great to get him back.
Steven Adams, as he continues to get more and more healthy,
he has been a massive help for the Rockets. So

(06:48):
things coming together at the right time for this team,
and you know, I can't remember. I think it was
Ben du Bow's when he was on with Ross and
we used it on Rockets launch pad the other night.
The Rockets have had one of the most difficult schedules
in the league. That kind of surprised me. Ben, if
you're listening, please correct me if I'm wrong, if I'm
attributing that in the right way to you. But I mean,

(07:11):
you know, this is still a team that's got to
play against some of the better teams in the NBA.
I mean, you know, this coming week you're going to
have the Boston Celtics and then you're going to have
not back to back in terms of nights, but back
to back games against the best team record wise in
the NBA and or at least one of them, in
the Cleveland Cavaliers. So I mean, that's another test that

(07:33):
you're going to have. So the Rockets will start to
see a little bit of an amping up in terms
of the difficulty of this schedule. But the good news
for you to this point is that you've been able
to build a nice little cushion for yourself with these
wins and taking care of business against some of the
teams that you need to be able to take care
of business against. So that's been massive, and they still

(07:56):
hold on to the second spot in the West, fourteen
games above five, one hundred and twenty seven and thirteen
on the season, and trying to make sure they could
pick up win number twenty eight tonight, that would be massive.
I was talking about game debut on NFL Network. They
did a little pick segment just you know, a few
minutes ago. Our good friend Cynthia Freeland, who we had

(08:19):
on yesterday with us.

Speaker 2 (08:20):
On the A team.

Speaker 3 (08:21):
She went with the Chiefs but winning twenty six to
twenty and Patrick Claybaugh went with the Chiefs as well.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
But Greg Rosenthal picking the Texans. So it's not a
clean sweep right there.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
Usually fan bases, you know, this is more on the
college game day side that usually fan bases. It is
a situation where you want your favorite team to be
picked against and you want everybody to go with them.
I mean remember in the Georgia Texas game earlier this

(08:53):
year in Austin, that was the rallying cry for the
Bulldogs of Hey, you guys all picked Texas to win
this game. And it's not to say that that's the
reason they went out there and played the way they did.

Speaker 2 (09:04):
But still it's fun for the fan base.

Speaker 3 (09:06):
Oh you counted us out, you doubted us all of
these different things. So not everybody doubting the Texans today.
So Greg Rosenthal picking the Texans to pull off the upset,
I mean, we dream for a second, how awesome that
would be. I mean, I'm going to be out somewhere
later today. Follow me on Twitter if you want to
find out where I am for the game, as I

(09:29):
think I actually might be meeting up with Rows and
Lalima for this one, so we'll see. So if that's
the case and you spot us out somewhere, come on
over say hello. But I mean, can you imagine that
the Texans pull this off? It would be just the
buzz that that team has created in this town would
be at a fever pitch if that were the case.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
So we'll see if the Texans.

Speaker 3 (09:52):
Are able to do that a little bit later on
in the show today as well. I think to start
off the eleven o'clock hour, one of my absolute favorites
in the business, and I think many of ours as well.
Bob Uker passing away earlier this week, from a battle
with lung cancer. I hated to see the news. I mean,
you know, what wasn't he in life? I think is

(10:14):
the better question. Because he was on mister Belvidere Wwe
used him. He was the front row guy for Miller
LTEs and I saw a nice little touching tribute his
statue outside of the Brewers Ballpark and people, of course,
you know whenever a legend passes away, like you know,

(10:34):
I've told you that for you know, ten plus years
I worked in Atlanta, and during that time, I was
there when Hank Aaron passed away. And obviously you know
what Hank Aaron means not only to baseball but to
that community. And the amount of flowers, jerseys, hats, whatever
it was at his statue inside Truest Park. People came
and put those right next to his statue, in front

(10:57):
of his statue. And I saw up in Milly that
there were a lot of Miller Lite cans on Bob
Uker's statue.

Speaker 2 (11:06):
Of course, you know we knew him from those commercials.

Speaker 3 (11:08):
If you grew up watching Johnny Carson, you remember him
as being mister Baseball on there. And of course you
know I've mentioned all of those that had even mentioned
the one that he's probably most notable for his work
as Harry Doyle, the voice of the Cleveland Indians on
Major League So great stuff, and of course, you know
he had some great one liners during his careers. So

(11:31):
we're gonna pay tribute to Bob Uker Harry Doyle himself
a little bit later on, so I'm looking forward to
being able to do that again.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
Just a huge fan of his.

Speaker 3 (11:41):
And if you follow me on Instagram at Dan Matthews
two seven, I posted a picture of me back in
twenty thirteen where we were both in the same press
box together, and I was in the cafeteria there in
the press box, and I noticed that Bob Buker was there,
you know, and I knew where he would have to
walk to get to his booths. So of course I'm

(12:02):
kind of doing the you know, the creepy you know,
wait there because I know they have to come through
here kind of thing. And of course, you know, he's
walking walking over and I knew that he had enough time,
so asked him, you know, hey, mister yucker, can I
get a picture? Absolutely, young man, you know, and of
course we pose for the picture. Take the picture. And
you know, just you know, shook his hand and told him,

(12:24):
really enjoy your work. Oh, I appreciate that very much,
thank you so much. And he went his way. I
went my way, but still it was awesome to be
able to have that brief interaction with him, and like
many of us, a massive fan of Bob Yucker.

Speaker 2 (12:38):
So we'll have that a little bit later on.

Speaker 3 (12:40):
And also too, we're not too far away from Astros Baseball,
as we had Astro Line last night to know, Blummer
caught up with Astro's manager Joe Espada, and next week
we're going to be at dyke In Park as we
will be there from eleven until four for Astro's FanFest
next week. So looking forward to being able to do that.

(13:01):
I know a lot of you going to be out
there for it, and it'll be a ton of fun.
And I think the good news is is with the
hard freeze this week, at least as I was watching
the local news weather this morning, I don't think it's
going to be a downright cold where we are all
going to be just freezing or you know what's off
as I don't know what it is about dyke In Park.

(13:24):
You know, even before it was named after an air
conditioning company. That's I mean for years, you know, if
you've been there for the College Baseball Classic or for
anything else that when it's cold out, I mean it
seems like it is even colder. It's almost like a
refrigerator in there when it's cold out. So I don't

(13:45):
know what it is, but bundle up is so what
I could tell you if you're going to be out
there next week. But again, I don't think it's going
to be incredibly cold, so that's good news.

Speaker 2 (13:54):
So hopefully we can get it on the warmer side
of winter for that one.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
So we'll be out there and of course stay tuned
to us right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. We'll
have everybody that's gonna be coming by our table sitting
down with us talking, and I mean we're not too
far away. Once you hit you know, once you hit
Astros fan Fest, then you know, about a couple of
weeks from there, it's pictures and catchers showing up in
West Palm Beach, and then a week later it's the
full squad, and then about a week after that it's

(14:22):
spring training games right here on your home of the Astros.
So it's right around the corner. We can feel it
looking forward to it. H Nick and the galleria, John
in Galveston. I see you guys right there. I'll get
to you guys here in a second. If you want
to join them on the phone lines, you can do so.
Seven one three two one two five seven ninety. Once again,
that's seven one three two one two five seven nine zero.

(14:44):
Coming up next though, we'll continue the Texans conversation because
I feel like a convenient excuse could be had, but
it won't be the reason. I'll explain what I mean
at next as we'll get to Like I said, Nick
and John, I see you all right there, get you
guys in on the phone lines as we are just
getting started right here on Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews
here with you on your home with the Astros and

(15:05):
the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
Welcome back to Space City Saturday, Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
Talk seven ninety Matthews.

Speaker 2 (15:18):
Here with you.

Speaker 3 (15:20):
Every time I hear this song, I always think of
the wedding singer, you know, Grandma.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
She gets up on stage and she sings a song.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
So anyway, it's it's a good, feel good tune and
we're feeling good today. It's a nice little Saturday here.
It seems like the last one we're gonna have, at
least for the next week, because I mean, you know,
we were all watching the news and keeping up with the weather,
and you know, Tuesdays seems like I mean, I you know,
I saw too, Melvin where you know you've got school

(15:48):
districts already, you know, shutting.

Speaker 2 (15:50):
Down for Tuesdays.

Speaker 3 (15:52):
So it seems like, you know, Tuesday is going to
be the day of go ahead and have everything taken
care of and nice little snow at the house. But
you know, the blessing and the curse of this business,
well there are no snow days because well we'll be
on with you, and of course you know that our partners,
our sister station, News Radio seven forty KTR, they're gonna

(16:14):
be all over it. So in addition to listening to us,
and I mean, you know, I can't tell you a
better time than now to download the free iHeartRadio app,
the new and improved Free iHeartRadio App, and of course
you've got the scanning function and all of our great
stations here as part of our iHeartRadio Houston Cluster News

(16:35):
Radio seven forty as well as KPRC nine p. Fifty
and also ninety four to five the buzz, I mean,
you know the beat as well, so you've got us all.
But you know, with the severe weather event coming up,
you know that news Radio seven forty and the crew
over there at KTRH they're going to have you covered

(16:57):
with all the up to the minute information and so
invite you to check them out this week to try
to help you stay safe through the winter weather coming
through our area. Sub one three two and two five
seven ninety is the number to get in again. Sub
one three, two and two five seven nine zero. As
you know, I mentioned that this could be a convenient

(17:20):
excuse for the Texans today, and I don't think that
it will be the reason if things don't go their way.
So our good buddy Aeron Wilson, who covers the Texans,
and this was talked about this week. With Shaq Mason
coming back on the practice field, there was a question
of does he get reinserted back into the starting lineup. Well,

(17:40):
Aaron Wilson this morning on Twitter pointing out that Mason
is indeed expected to get the start at right guard
today and I know that that immediately brings up some
of the reactions. I mean, I didn't see any of
the responses to it, but it was just a few
hours ago. Got he he had it just after five am.

Speaker 2 (18:02):
Aaron, when do you sleep? Man?

Speaker 3 (18:03):
But veteran guard Shack Mason back from a grade to
knee sprain back in starting lineup playoff game against the
Kansas City Chiefs. Now Like I said, I don't think
this will be the reason if indeed today does not
go well. But I mean the question that I have
for not only Bobby Slowick, but offensive line coach Chris Strasser,

(18:25):
Tamiko Ryans, I mean, everybody that's making this decision is why,
like what necessarily has Shack Mason done this year to
make you say, oh, we have to have him back
in the starting lineup because what have we heard the
last couple of weeks from the Texans when it comes
to this offensive line.

Speaker 2 (18:43):
We really like their play. They've been a lot better.

Speaker 3 (18:46):
I mean, you know, we talked and I talked with
Titus Howard after the game and I asked him, is
this group of five offensive linemen are you guys coming together?
And he said emphatically yes, we are, Like we like
what we have up front right now, and then of
course versus he hit the left guard, Larrymy Tunzel left tackle,
Jared Patterson at center, Jew Scruggs at right guard, and

(19:07):
Blake Fisher at right tackle. And I mean that's again
getting back to the why why mess that up? I mean,
I said the line in the first segment the best
ability is availability, and Shack Mason hasn't been on the field,
and those couple of weeks that you've had this group
of starting five, I understand that the Tennessee game was

(19:27):
a little bit of an outlier because it wasn't necessarily
a game that you were giving it a full go in,
and neither was Tennessee because it was more advantageous for
them to lose then for them to be able to win.
But last week, its second half against the Los Angeles Chargers,
you had your best performance of the season as an offense,

(19:49):
and I think a huge part of that was the
guys up front and what you were able to do
against a very good LA Chargers defensive front, and you
were able to keep them off your quarterback for the
most part, art you were able to run the football.
I mean that was the first time since December, the
one when the Texans beat the Jags in Jacksonville that
Joe Mixon had gone above one hundred yards in a game.

(20:11):
And I mean, it just kind of gets to a
point where it's paralysis by analysis.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
It's overthinking it.

Speaker 3 (20:18):
I mean, how many times are you told by your friends,
don't overthink it, don't overthink it. This is overthinking it
one hundred percent. This is overthinking it. And I just,
for the life of me, I can't understand, you know,
the desire to have Shaq Mason back in this starting
offensive line, because for the most part this season, he
has not been good. And I think going forward, even

(20:40):
if you know, you go into the offseason at about
seven o'clock tonight or if you're preparing for a game
next week after this season comes to an end, I
don't have him back. He's one of the guys that
I think you go ahead and move on from and
try to rebuild this offensive line in the effort to
protect your top and.

Speaker 2 (21:00):
Which is your quarterback number seven, C J. Stroud.

Speaker 3 (21:03):
And it's been a rough season on him from that perspective,
So again, I think that it can be a convenient
excuse him. I'm sure that the tweets will be fast
and furious today if indeed, you know, things don't go
their way, and C. J. Stroud is consistently pressured. But
I mean again, you know, kind of to do a
little bit of a best of X right here. I

(21:23):
mean some of the responses that Aaron getting to that tweet.
One of them smh, another one, No, hell no, so
he can get beat every single play again another one.
I am disappointed with the decision. While I trust the coaches.
The lines of the line has been below average all season.
We did some decent improvement after he left with injury.

(21:46):
So I mean, look, I understand the frustration of it all,
and I share a lot of it too, but I just,
for the life of me, you know, Chris Strausser and company,
you got to explain this one to me, because I mean,
you went ahead and made the right decision when it
came to Kenyon Green. You know what Kenyon Green is
at this point, and injuries are a part of his development.

(22:08):
But when he's been on the field, he's not been
good for you. And that's been something that I just
when you have something consistently going in your right direction
at this point, that you now decide to go ahead
and say, oh, well, you know, he's one of our
our our veteran guys in that group.

Speaker 2 (22:27):
We've got to put him back out there.

Speaker 3 (22:29):
I'm not riding with you on that, so I mean,
I've I've shared my objections about it. I'm sure some
of you have some as well. Against someone three two, one, two, five,
seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (22:39):
Is the number to get in.

Speaker 4 (22:41):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (22:41):
Nick in the gallery has waited patiently enough. Let's get
to you, Nick. What's going on, buddy?

Speaker 4 (22:47):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (22:47):
I had a question in the light of all this
Larmi Tounzel stuff throughout the season. You know how how
players have incentives in their contract to reach certain numbers.

Speaker 6 (22:56):
Can can you do the opposite approach and.

Speaker 5 (22:58):
Find a player for each you know, hey, man, after
your first five off sides or you know, fall starts,
we're gonna start funding you, you.

Speaker 6 (23:06):
Know, five grand of pop here.

Speaker 5 (23:08):
Can you start doing that to like Lineman or to
whoever would be causing you negative impacts based on their
poor play?

Speaker 3 (23:16):
No, you cannot, And if you did try to do that, Nick,
you would have the NFLPA filing so many grievances against
you in such a quick amount of time. And I
think you would even have guys in your own locker
room saying, whoa wait a minute, you're taking money out
of my pocket for things on the field. I mean,
you know, the penalties, things like that. I mean, you

(23:40):
at that point leave it up to the league. But no,
I mean, I know it's frustrating, I know it's annoying.
It's all of those things, and of course they try
to handle it a different way, but no, you would
be in Dutch with the NFLPA and maybe even the
league at that point because they'd be like, hey, you're
creating a situation for us that we don't want.

Speaker 5 (24:01):
Could you could The Texans management kind of threw their
hands up in the air just say like, listen, you
know anything. Knowing is it's not going to get approved,
but just to say, hey, learn me. It's that bad
that we tried to start finding you five thousand dollars
per penalty because you're doing that much harm. Yeah, you
think that could be something that as a statement, but

(24:25):
not as.

Speaker 6 (24:26):
An actual policy.

Speaker 3 (24:29):
Again, I mean, I just I think you're getting into
grievance territory. I appreciate the call, Nick, we're up against
it here, but no, I mean again, you would have
a grievance filed against you so fast that you wouldn't
even be able to get to the point where you're
trying to be able to recoup.

Speaker 2 (24:46):
Some of that money.

Speaker 3 (24:47):
I mean, I get it with Tunsel at times this
season it's been frustrating, but also though too. I mean,
you know, he had a lot of them early on
in the beginning of the season, and you haven't heard
number seventy eight announced by the official on the fie
as often in the later going this season, so I
think at least it's been message received by him. But
in terms of teams doing that, you're not gonna have that.

(25:09):
You don't want to set that precedent because you start
doing that. I mean, you know, the Texans are trying
to improve this offensive line this offseason, and if you're
trying to go out on the free agent market, you
do stuff like that, don't you think that other players
are gonna be like, well, hell, I'm not going there
if I've got to do that much overthinking on the
field in addition to my play, Yeah, it's a non starter.
So I appreciate to call Nick, but yeah, not happening.

(25:33):
The best you can do is try to coach it
out of him, and that's at least what Chris Strausser
and the Texans coaching staff have tried to do all right.
Coming up next, as I mentioned yesterday on the A team,
we had a very very very special guest. I know
that AC was especially excited at when he joined us,
Kevin Harlan, who of course is going to be on

(25:54):
the west Wood one radio call today, but also we
know that he's with Tea and Tea. You see him
on CBS with the NFL coverage and also part of
March Madness. He is just a treasure in every single way.
So we appreciate Kevin Harlan's time and it was great visits.
So I want to give you guys a chance to

(26:14):
be able to hear that that's coming up next right here,
Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you until noon
on your home of the Astros and the Rockets Sports
Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (26:25):
This is Space City Saturday on Scorns Talk seven night.

Speaker 3 (26:34):
The Rockets, one of those teams comes up in the
conversation you're going to hear right now because Kevin Harlan,
the legendary voice of CBS Sports. You also see him
as we did on Thursday night as part of the
Rockets or excuse me, the NBA coverage there on TNT,
and also today you're going to be hearing them on

(26:57):
the radio if you're listening to the west Wood One
call of the Texans and the Chiefs. He does it all,
and he's incredibly talented and incredibly entertaining, all in one swoop.
So we appreciate Kevin Harlan's time with us yesterday on
the A team. So here is our visit with one
of the legends of our business.

Speaker 7 (27:19):
Joined as promised by the Man, the myth, the legend,
friend of the show.

Speaker 6 (27:24):
His name is Kevin Harlan.

Speaker 7 (27:26):
Kevin, I know you're calling the Texans Chiefs game tomorrow
and I should hesitate to congratulate you because it's not
official yet, but I'm really rooting for that Amazon deal,
and I'm just going to say it out here in public.

Speaker 4 (27:39):
Well, thank you. Yeah, we're not quite we're not quite there.
Were trying to figure out a few things. Will be
nice to say that. By the way, I didn't see
your Rockets last night. Did the game for TNT out
in Sacramento, and that's a good young team you have
out there. My goodness, it's the first time I've seen
them in person actually, and wow, at TNT, we haven't
done the Rockets and for so this was really a

(28:02):
treat to see what has happened. They kind of fell
off the NBA map, but not no longer number two
in the West and playing well and even though they
didn't win last night in the second of a back
to back for them after beating Denver the night before,
there's a lot to like about that team. But the
NBA is a great product. I'm honored that they want
to have me maybe involved and in the next chapter

(28:26):
of how they're going to televise these games, and we'll
see where it takes us.

Speaker 8 (28:29):
We are the home for the Rockets on the radio,
the flagship station. But obviously we are aware you and
Stan had the call of the game last night, and
I definitely hear what you're saying about they've not been
there in a while on national TV on TNT, because
we've talked about that quite a bit. It's a totally
new era with what the email has put together and
obviously the talent that Rafel has added to this team.

(28:50):
And obviously we could go on and on about how
exciting they are to watch now that you've seen them
just the last night. But obviously a little focus on
the postseason game tomorrow with your crew, with Westwood One
coming in for it or going to Kansas City for it. It's
kind of like every year to us here, who's going
to be Kansas City? Who's going to keep them out

(29:11):
of the AFC Title Game at least if not the
Super Bowl? What has come to your attention this week
that makes you even think, yeah, maybe it's the Texans.

Speaker 4 (29:19):
Well, the dynamic playmakers on defense, which we saw. Trent
Green and I did a couple of the Texans games
for CBS's past year. Most recently we did the game
they played against Miami down in Houston, and the defense
was just superb. And after watching what they did last week,
to Justin Herbert, they're right in line and building in confidence,

(29:43):
and I don't think they're going to blink. You know,
they just played the Chiefs this season late in the
year and lost, but it's not like they're coming in
having never faced them, not knowing what they've got and
how they work. They're in the playoffs last year, they're
in the playoffs this year. They got to win now,
and I think why not? Why not the Texans? I

(30:06):
know that in a lot of people's dance cards, it
may not be that close the game. I think just
the opposite. Quite frankly, I think I think the the
Dexans will come in. I think they'll play loose, and
I think they'll rely on that defense. I think the
quarterbacks playing with confidence, and I mean, you just never

(30:29):
know in these games. Right, We've seen some amazing spreads
and the underdog has come in out of no place
and won. And it would be a formidable challenge clearly
to come to Arrowhead and win tomorrow. But I don't
see any reason why you'd be amazed if they came
in and beat the Chiefs. The Chiefs have been beat
the ball season. They have just found ways late in

(30:50):
games to win. They played it with a lot of grit,
and but when you live on the edge like that,
sometimes some of the magic that you pull off doesn't
necessarily work. And I think that's what the Dexans are
counting on and trying to build off of last week's
nice went over the Chargers.

Speaker 7 (31:09):
You've been in a million different venues, You've called a
billion different games, and it just doesn't always line up
this way where a team goes back to the same
venue they just played in about a month ago. And
you know, sometimes people buy into things like that or
look into things like that because it's Arrowhead, because it's
the Chiefs, because it's.

Speaker 6 (31:29):
Mahomes and the aura and all that.

Speaker 7 (31:31):
Do you think there's any advantage to having just been
there for this Texans team as it pertains to this
playoff game tomorrow?

Speaker 4 (31:39):
I do you know? I know that this is the
scene where Tank was injured and the loss for the season,
and the emotional loss that was let alone. The loss
was on the field, and his close relationship with CJ.
But I would envision that might be a rallying Cris
saying let's go back to the the crime, so to speak,

(32:01):
and and and see, uh see if we can. They're
not gonna blink. Like I mentioned before, they've uh if
you haven't played someone in a long time and aren't
and and all you do is you watch and read
about what they've accomplished in the championships they've gotten. I
can see where a team that's an uncommon opponent would

(32:23):
come in with a little bit of like like a
little wonder, a little bit of like uh oh like,
but not I don't get that from the Texans. I
I like you said, they just played them, familiar opponent,
and uh they know exactly what they are. So some
of that aura, so to speak, some of that that
that mystical feel that championship teams always possess. I don't

(32:47):
know that that's going to be an influence on the
Texans at all. I think they're going to look at
just another football game and just try not to make
mistakes and a lot of resting on that young quarterback, clearly.
But when you have the kind of defense they've got
and what they showed last week, defense can travel in
this league regardless of the of the weather conditions. And
it is going to be cold in Kansas City tomorrow

(33:07):
for sure, but the Chiefs are going to have to
play in it too. So I do think it's an
advantage that they've just played them. They know about them,
and it's not like they've they've just been looking at
Afar and wondering, you know, what it's like to play
the great Mahomes. They just did it, and they and
while they lost, they it was a close game and

(33:27):
tight game's.

Speaker 8 (33:28):
Talking with Kevin Harlan will be on the call of
Westwood One Radio of this game coming up between the
Texans and the Chiefs.

Speaker 6 (33:35):
Kind of along those same lines.

Speaker 8 (33:37):
It's the fourth playoff game in you know, thirteen months
for CJ. Stroud and Will Anderson Junior and Demiko Ryan's
all new to the league, but now not new to this.
Do you think that also plays into just going out
there and playing football beyond being worried about anything else
that now they're kind of used to what playoff football
is like.

Speaker 4 (33:55):
Yeah, And what a blessing right that these kids have
been exposed to big games as early in their career,
games that are important and matter. You know, a playoff
game in any sport is such a great experience. But
to go through it as they have now multiple times
for young players in two years of the young coach, uh,

(34:17):
you know, this is just it's you could not ask
for a better recipe to to broad development, to aid development,
to you know, be a you know, to to join
the growth that these games always bring out of the players.
There's no doubt that you know, you can play a

(34:38):
regular season game and and it's it's amazing in the
NFL or the NBA or whatever sport, but the playoffs
are always faster, sharper, require more focus. They just it does.
It takes it to another level. And the fact that
these young players are now playing in multiple games at
this stage of their careers only adds and in fact

(35:00):
in the kind of team they are to become and
the kind of players they're going to become. Listen, this
is the way that CJ and Anderson have developed, and
what Denil has done for that team since he's been there,
and the way that secondary I love that secondary, by
the way that secondary that as the makings that secondary,

(35:20):
if they stay on this path, could become one of
the great secondaries ever. I mean, I just think there's
enough talent. It's young, but boy, if they've been incredibly impactful,
and sometimes you know you, age doesn't matter. It's skill,
it's concentration, it's focus, it's preparation. They'll come the Texans

(35:45):
will with all those assets and arrow at tomorrow. I
don't think they blink. I think they come in there
and they play a whale of a game. Winning is
one thing, but they would not get embarrassed. They'll build
upon last week. Brain's going to continue to roll. This
is all This is the good stuff right here. These
are the beginning moments of what's to come, and clearly

(36:08):
what's to come for this young team, young coach, young
quarterback is incredibly impressive.

Speaker 7 (36:14):
Kevin Harlan providing the goosebumps here on Sports Talk seven
to ninety right now. You know, we talk about the
future and the promise of this Texan squad and then you,
obviously on the other side, you have the establishment. And
as a guy who called so many of Tom Brady's
amazing games, did you ever think we'd be even having
discussions with a straight face that Patrick Mahomes or anybody

(36:37):
at the quarterback position might be able to chase his
ring count down at least this early on after Brady
finally walked away.

Speaker 4 (36:46):
Now, I really didn't, and you hit all the points.
So this close to the end of that New England
dynasty and Brady's run to do this is just unbelievable.
They have met the two of them in the Super
Bowl when Brady was with the Buccaneers and Brady beat him,

(37:08):
so they have crossed at this very important level before.
But I don't think anybody after watching Brady and Belichick,
you know, for those twenty years in Voxborough, do what
they did. The succession of Super Bowl appearance is the wins.
You're saying, you know, it's no one to even come
close to it. And here we have a guy right

(37:28):
on the heels of that who is on that same path.
And he's not thirty yet. Mahmes is not thirty years
old yet. So the coach is there, he's in his
mid sixties. He has no place to go. He wants
the coach the organization. Although they lost one of their
assistant general managers to the Tennessee Titans, today is their
new guy in charge of football down in Nashville. And

(37:50):
there's a little brain train. And this is kind of
what happened to the Patriots. By the way. They lost
assistant coaches, they lost a lot of front office people,
and they just they just could not stop the flow
that people were escaping too quick and it was hard
to replenish those important positions. And the chiefs are actually
in a position where they may not only lose their

(38:12):
assistant GM who they coveted, but they could lose both
their coordinators. So when you have a run like Brady
and Belichick, they're that certainly the number one sentence in
that story, But it's all the people that were there
at the same time, you know, holding out of the
rope and pulling in the right direction that made Brady

(38:34):
and Belichick possible. And I think that that Reid and
Mahomes would say the same thing. It wasn't just us,
although we may be, you know, the headline. It's been
the assistant gms. It's been the coordinators. It's been the
assistants and the staff and the personnel to draft and
continue to replenish what we have and go out and
scout like so, it takes a lot of different parts

(38:56):
to make it happen and when it and it's so rare,
you know, you can count Dinadh in the NFL in
one hand. We had Green Bay, we had Dallas, we
at San Francisco, we had Pittsburgh, and clearly we had
New England. And now we've got Kansas City. But that's
over fifty plus years of football, sixty years of football,
so they're hard to achieve. But clearly in Kansas City,

(39:19):
this has been a remarkable, remarkable story.

Speaker 7 (39:22):
He called the Rockets game last night. He's going to
call the Texans Chiefs tomorrow. He's Kevin Harlan, by the way,
unabashed fanboy moment.

Speaker 6 (39:30):
Marv Albert was always my guy.

Speaker 2 (39:32):
You are now my favorite.

Speaker 7 (39:33):
You're at the top of the list, and we love
talking to you every time we get a chance.

Speaker 4 (39:36):
Kevin Harlan interviews and that I take that as an
incredible honor. Marvis d Boys will always be the voice
of the NBA and just to be able to call
that great game is terrific. And I'll tell you this
what I saw last night, And like I said, I
had not done a Rocket scheme. I was thinking last
I think Doug Collins was my partner, and I'm going

(40:00):
and back like six seven, eight years, like forever. And
we used to be down there all the time when
Harden was there and and they were writing up the NBA.
But this team seems to have a lot to it.
They've got depth, they have talent. It's funny actually, how
the Rockets and the Texans are kind of on parallel paths.
They rely on young superstar talent, the talent teams, but

(40:23):
sure enough to handle the the duty, the job in
front of them, and they're not They're not disappointing. It's
it's it's great to watch this revitalization of these two,
these two franchises. But I'm excited to watch tomorrow. The
Texans are a quality team. They deserve to be in
this round, their division champ and I think they'll give
the Chiefs all they can handle.

Speaker 7 (40:44):
Good stuff as always, Kevin Harlan, we appreciate the time
and looking forward to hearing your call tomorrow and catching
up with you again very very soon.

Speaker 4 (40:52):
Thanks so much, great great to be out with you.
Take here and have a nice weekend, all right.

Speaker 3 (40:57):
We definitely will try to do that, Kevin Ken Kevin
harl And joining us yesterday on the A team and
Rockets Sexans fans, you got to feel good about what
he had to offer right there. Of seeing the trajectory
of both organizations definitely on the up.

Speaker 2 (41:13):
That is great to hear.

Speaker 3 (41:15):
For sure, the Texans today a huge part of what
could lead to their success. I think we all know it,
and it's all about him. We'll talk about that next
here on the other side as we close out our
one here on Space City Saturday.

Speaker 2 (41:32):
Again, Dan Matthews here with you.

Speaker 3 (41:33):
If you want to hop aboard on the phone lines,
you can do so. Seven one three two one two
five seven ninety. Once again, that's seven one three two
one two five seven nine zero. As we continue to
roll along here on Space City Saturday, Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
Space City Saturday continues by Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 9 (41:54):
This is.

Speaker 2 (41:56):
Matthew's here with you.

Speaker 3 (41:58):
A great trash you, Ivan. I appreciate you bringing us
in with good stuff today. As we always know that
Melvin is going to be all over it when it
comes to the bumpbacks. He's one of the dynamite guys
in our business for a reason, so we appreciate him
doing that. Again, if you want to hop aboard on

(42:19):
the phone lines, he can do so. Set one three
two one two five seven ninety. Once again, that's seven
one three two one two five seven nine zero. So
we've talked about what the keys are for the Texans today.
I mean, you know, I've given my thoughts on the
reported news that Shack Mason will be back on the
offensive line as a starter. I've given my objections. I've

(42:39):
told you I feel about that. We've talked all week
about this defense, and you just heard Kevin Harland, I mean,
you know, talking glowingly about the Texans not only this defense,
but the defensive playmakers, as he said, and even calling
his shot with the secondary of Derek Stingley, Kamari Laster,
Kayln Bullock of saying that that group could be one
of the best for some time to come here in

(43:01):
the NFL, and there would be no better way and
no better place to prove that you were well on
your way to doing that than today in Kansas City.
So we'll see if they are able to do that.
But trumping all of those is the play of c J.

Speaker 2 (43:15):
Stroud.

Speaker 3 (43:15):
Now we saw in the second half last week against
the Chargers in the wildcard game.

Speaker 2 (43:20):
That was the CJ.

Speaker 3 (43:21):
Stroud that we saw all throughout twenty twenty three, twenty
twenty four, right, Like, that's the guy that was confident,
he was making plays, he was stepping into his throws.

Speaker 2 (43:29):
He was that guy again.

Speaker 3 (43:31):
And it's also a question of can that translate to
this week?

Speaker 2 (43:34):
I mean, because that.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
Was incredibly refreshing to see. After he had the fumbled
snap and you know, running scrambling out to his right,
finding Xavier Hutchinson and leading to the Texans Furst score
of the game, you were.

Speaker 2 (43:48):
Kind of like, Okay, hey, hey, he's that guy. Again
like there you go.

Speaker 3 (43:53):
We knew number seven, we knew he had that in
him still and still trying to be able to prove
that he can do that this week against Kansas City.

Speaker 2 (44:02):
And CJ did speak with the.

Speaker 3 (44:03):
Media earlier this week and going to play a couple
of those cuts for you right here as the first
one we're gonna have for you. So the second time
the Texans are seeing the Chiefs this season. The first time,
of course, it was the injury to Tank Dell that
kind of zapped the energy out of this team. After
Jared Wayne ran into his knee on that touchdown catch

(44:24):
and they had to bring the card out, there was
an emotional scene on the field. We've gone through all
of that part of it all, but CJ talking about
seeing the Chiefs for the second time and how it
could really be a benefit to the Texans this time around.

Speaker 10 (44:39):
Yeah, you definitely got to go back and you know,
see you know, things that work, things that didn't work,
you know, and I think that definitely helped playing them
so recently. But you know, they also have that advantage
as well, so you know, we got to be able
to you know, still have a new game plan and
do things that are you know, new and but yeah,
it definitely does help to see the I know your

(45:00):
team again and you know they're you know, they do
a lot of great things, and you know, we didn't
really see a whole bunch of it, I think of
the exotic things, so you know, I wouldn't be surprised
if that stuff started to show up. So yeah, but
it definitely does help that we've seen them not too
not too long ago.

Speaker 3 (45:15):
And I mean, you know he touched on it right there.
I mean, this is an outstanding coaching staff with Andy
Reid and with Steve Spagnolo there in Kansas City. The
defense is one of the best in the NFL. I mean,
he's going to have his work cut out for him today.
And they're also going to look at what didn't work
the first time against the Texans. What can we exploit

(45:36):
in terms of giving it to our you know, helping
ourselves out to our advantage in terms of being able
to make those adjustments against the Texans this time around,
and CJ and the offense trying to do the same
thing today. But you know, I mentioned Tank Dell and
what happened there in Kansas City the first time. Another
bit of motivation for CJ in the crew today is

(45:59):
last week they had Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs on
the sidelines with them, and the players talked about what
a huge morale boost that was. Well, trying to continue
that morale boost up in Kansas City today. CJ talking
about trying to get it done for number three.

Speaker 10 (46:14):
You know, it's emotional spar we play, especially, you know
when you be with somebody for so long, you know,
you see how hard they work, you know how much
they led a game, and you know the sea tangle
out like that was was very tough. And I think
you've been seeing him this weekend after game and better spirits,
you know, smiling again and gave us like a boost energy.
So you know, now we got to go do it
for him away in the same stadium he got hurt,

(46:36):
But you know we got to find a way not
sage emotional and channel Dad. And I think we'll be
able to do that and you know, just be more
inspired than anything and try to get it done for him.

Speaker 2 (46:47):
See, and I talked about this.

Speaker 3 (46:49):
I had zero issues with CJ and the emotions she
showed that was genuine. It was in the moment that's
how he felt. And I know that some people, you know,
said out the quarterback can't do that, quarter can't show
any weakness.

Speaker 2 (47:01):
All of those different things.

Speaker 3 (47:02):
We kind of touched on it right there of you
know a little bit at the end of that cut,
taking the emotions out of it, and you know, realizing
there's a job to do there, there's a game to
be won, and there's a performance to be had, and
you know that you're not gonna have Tank Dell on
the field with you, but also go out there and
try to make sure you keep this thing going in

(47:23):
his honor and that you're able to continue the good
things on the field. So you know, I told you
that I felt like CJ was going to learn from
that experience. I would probably suspect if something like this
ever happens again, that he won't have the same reaction,
because I'm either wondering if just himself, you know, realizing hey,
I can't do that, or if somebody came to him

(47:45):
and said, hey man, something like that happens. We got
to you're you're the guy that leads, you know, sets
the tone. You're you're the guy that leads the charge here,
Like we've got to have you still with your head
in the game and for us to be able to
try and be able to pa this thing off. So
good stuff there from CJ. Stroud and hopefully good stuff
today from the Texans.

Speaker 2 (48:07):
We're gonna take a brief break.

Speaker 3 (48:09):
Away from the Texans because, as I mentioned at the
top of the show, I want to pay homage and
give honor to a man that was a true titan
in our business, a man who it's almost a question of,
like I said earlier, what didn't he do in this life?
But Bob Uker passing away earlier this week, and we
will remember the life and the career in the public

(48:32):
spotlight of Bob Uker. And so we open up the
eleven o'clock.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
Hour here again.

Speaker 3 (48:37):
If you want to hop in on the phone lines,
you can do so. Someeone three two one two five
seven ninety once again, that's someone three two one two
five seven nine zero as our one is.

Speaker 2 (48:47):
In the books.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
Here on Space City Saturday, hour two straight ahead right here,
Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 1 (49:01):
Welcome aboard, Welcome to another Face City Saturday. On Sports
Talk seven ninety, Dad Matthews Live and local h Town
breakdown of the world that matters to you, the Houston
sports world.

Speaker 2 (49:14):
All these great Houston fans here. We love you all.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
So finish up on that to do list. Lout up
the cooler, because you can't drink in talk sports all
day if you don't.

Speaker 2 (49:26):
Start now bear me the eight.

Speaker 1 (49:29):
This is Face City Saturday. That's insane. Here's seven nineties
Dan Matthews.

Speaker 3 (49:36):
Sports Talk seven ninety and Matthews here with you on
your home of the Astros and the Rockets, as we
will get the Rockets a little bit later on tonight,
as mentioned earlier, a nine o'clock tip from up there
in the Pacific Northwest and two teams with completely opposite
records right on the number, as the Rockets twenty seven

(49:58):
and thirteen on the season, while the.

Speaker 2 (50:00):
The Blazers are thirteen and twenty seven.

Speaker 3 (50:03):
So the Rockets, hoping they can be able to pick
up a huge win tonight, would probably expect Fred van
Vliet to be back on the floor for this one
after missing the Kings game the other night, So we'll
see if indeed that is the case, as the Rockets
up there in Portland to take on the Blazers later tonight.

(50:24):
See a couple of you on the phone lines as
we will. As a matter of fact, Martin, I'll go
ahead and get to you here before we get to
our Bob Ucker tribute here as Martin and Angleton wants
to weigh in Sports Talk seven ninety Martin, what's going on?

Speaker 11 (50:38):
Hey, Dan? Hey, before I get some comment? Hey, Thursday,
you came in for Matt And how'd you like my
singing exploits my tribute to John Dinner? How'd you like that?
Pretty good? Huh?

Speaker 2 (50:51):
You know, Martin, I think I appreciate it a lot
more than Ross. I mean I know that.

Speaker 3 (50:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (50:57):
Let me take Ross knows that I'm way funnier than
he is, and when I come on, I make him
kind of look bad at times, and he didn't like that.
But see Ross, Dixy's funny, and he's he's very much
not funny. And I'm hilarious. I'm a hysterical guy. I'd

(51:18):
crack people up at work, and and I'm an entertainer
at work, you know, and people get a big kick
out of me. But anyway, it shoots in the in
the Texas, I my boy. You know, I love my
Houston teams. I love the Oilers. I do love the
Texas but I just still think the Texans are ready

(51:39):
for the moment yet. I think they're gonna go up
there and get beatn like thirty one to six or
thirty one to nine or thirty three to nine or
something like that. I think they're gonna get embarrassed. I
don't think they're ready for it. I hope I'm wrong.
I hope they prove me to be very wrong. But
I think that the Chiefs are gonna win this handedly
and comfort, and so that's what I think. But I

(52:03):
hope I'm wrong.

Speaker 3 (52:03):
Dan, Yeah, I appreciate the call, Martin. I don't see
it going that way. I just I think this is
a Texans team that was able to find a little
bit of what they've been looking for all season long,
and that was that edge to be able to play
the way that they knew they could play. I mean,
we knew how good this defense could be. They've probably

(52:25):
even exceeded expectations this year in terms of stopping the
run and how good this secondary has been. I mean,
I think that's something that they have on their side
in terms of confidence today. And the key is, just
as I talked about in the last segment, Martin, it's
the offense, it's c J.

Speaker 2 (52:41):
Stroud.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
If he's confident, if he's able to make plays today,
then you keep yourself in the game. If you're able
to get Joe Mixon involved, then you're able to give
yourself every opportunity to stay close and maybe even come
out what they win today. I think the part that
you know they can't fall into is, oh, this Chief's
team is incredibly beatable. That being as true as it

(53:03):
might be, this is still a team that again, I mean,
we make comparisons all the time down here to the
Chiefs and the Astros. Right where the Astros when they
get into the postseason last year with standing, but when
they get into the postseason they feel like that's their time.
The Chiefs feel the same way that. Last year. You
had a lot of people doubting them being able to

(53:24):
go to Buffalo and win, they did it. Doubting them
being able to go to Baltimore and win, they did
the same thing all of their games. Now, if they
are able to finish off the string of getting back
to the Super Bowl, are going to be right there
at Arrowhead. So it's a little bit of a different
path for them. But you know, they did tempt fate
quite a bit this season, But the finisher of all

(53:45):
of that is they still finished fifteen to two on
the season.

Speaker 2 (53:49):
That's a really good football team.

Speaker 3 (53:50):
So I don't see it, you know, being that much
of a gap between these two teams today. I mean,
the Texans obviously shorthanded in terms of skill position play
as opposed to what the Chiefs are rolling out there.
But I still think with this defense, they give themselves
an opportunity to stand in line to maybe be able
to pull off the wind. So hopefully they can do

(54:12):
just that all right now as promised, as mentioned the
Life and Times of one Bob Uker. I mean, you
might have known him as Harry Doyle, you might have
known him as the Miller, like front row guy, mister
Baseball from Johnny Carson, any of those things. There's one
thing though, that I think we can agree he did
this life very well. As the news earlier this week,

(54:35):
Bob Uker passed away at the age of ninety. He
had been battling a small cell lung cancer for the
last couple of years of his life and worked all
the way until the end. I mean, you know, one
of the clips that had been making its rounds. This
week after Bob had passed away, was his final call
on the Milwaukee Brewers broadcast after the Brewers lost to

(54:58):
the Mets in the Wildcar and around, and you know,
talking about the ninth inning comeback by the Mets and
how that was going to have some sting to it
for how it ended for the brew crew this season.
But you know, like I said, with Bob Buker, it
was the many things that he did during his life
and of course the things that made him, you know,

(55:20):
a a household favorite for a lot of people out there,
and one of them was you were watching TV there
in the eighties and those Miller like commercials would come
on and at least one of them had Bob Uker
as part of it.

Speaker 4 (55:34):
You know.

Speaker 12 (55:35):
One of the best reasons about being the next big
leaguers getting preties to the game.

Speaker 2 (55:38):
Called the front office bingo.

Speaker 12 (55:40):
And once these fans recognized me, I probably won't even
have to pay for my life here from Miller. I
love them these fans. No, I'd break lay because it's
less Philly and it tastes great good.

Speaker 11 (55:50):
See sir off shape Bunny, come on, Oh, I.

Speaker 1 (55:53):
Almost be in the front of crew like beer from Miller,
everything you always wanted in a beer.

Speaker 4 (55:57):
And less great buddy miss.

Speaker 3 (56:05):
And of course in that commercial too, that's the you know,
the whole punchline of it, The shtick of it is
that they moved Bob Uker all the way up to
the upper deck where he was up there high five
in Saint Peter and they're at the Brewer's home ballpark
in Milwaukee. They had Bob Buker seats way up behind

(56:28):
home plate. I think even might have even had some
obstructed view as part of the Bob Buker seats. But
I did see that one cartoonist did a tribute to
Bob Buker and they had his seat for him was
row one, seat one, so Bob after his death definitely
did get upgraded to the front row. So great stuff

(56:51):
there from Bob on the Miller Lite commercials. And as
I mentioned to the memorial that Brewer fans had set
up for him up there in at Milwaukee at his
statue outside their ballpark as a lot of Miller like
cans there as.

Speaker 2 (57:07):
You know, hey have one more Bob.

Speaker 3 (57:09):
So anyway, that was one way we remembered him, of
course too on the big screen in the movies Major
League one, Major League two, Major League Back to the Miners.
Didn't have that as part of this montage from Major League.
But of course, you know, we know the one that
we were playing all week, the just a Bit Outside
Call with Rick the wild Thing Vaughn, where Vaughn was

(57:31):
a juvenile delinquent in the off season.

Speaker 2 (57:34):
I mean, just all of his lines just so good.

Speaker 3 (57:37):
And I think I heard Matt Thomas earlier this week
talking about Uker on Major League that that was all improvised,
that it was basically they just told him, hey, just go.
And I think the director really had no idea that
he actually was a broadcaster. I think had seen him
on Johnny Carson and just thought.

Speaker 2 (57:55):
Oh hey, he'd be great for this movie.

Speaker 3 (57:57):
And he brought his broadcasting chops to the the.

Speaker 2 (58:01):
Movies there in Major Leagues.

Speaker 3 (58:03):
So of course we also remember Bob Buker as Harry Doyle.

Speaker 12 (58:08):
Postgame show is brought to you by Right.

Speaker 2 (58:14):
I can't find it, the hell with it?

Speaker 12 (58:16):
So the Traad drafts its third train on this trip
six to one to the Rangers for the Indians one
round on let's say one hit.

Speaker 4 (58:24):
That's all. We got.

Speaker 13 (58:24):
One hit you can't see one.

Speaker 12 (58:28):
Don't worry, nobody's listening anyway. You're in the top of
the Knights leading ten to seven bases, loaded to down,
and Rick Vaughan has come on to try and nail
it down against Philippe Aguilar, dangerous right handed batter.

Speaker 3 (58:41):
Here's the pitch, ah Man, so good, so good. I mean,
you know, that's that's always to the question what's the
best men you know baseball movie? Of course, you know,
some people will go with Major Leagues, some people go
with Bull Durham, some people will go.

Speaker 2 (58:59):
With the Sandlot.

Speaker 3 (59:00):
But his performance in all of the Major League franchise
movies so good. As Harry Doyle, I mean, I think
he almost made the movie himself, just as much as
you know, Rick the wild Thing, Vaughn, Charlie Sheen, you know,
Jake Taylor, Roger Dorn, Pedro Serrano, any of the characters

(59:20):
in the movie that we came to love, Eddie Harris,
Vaseline Ball, I mean, just all of them that he
had in Major Leagues, so good stuff as Bob Uker,
as Harry Doyle. But then finally too, the wrestling fans
out there, you remember him from one of his best
moments as part of I believe it was WrestleMania three

(59:41):
there at the Pontiac Silver Dome. They're in Detroit years
ago and it was his promo that was cut with.

Speaker 2 (59:49):
Andre the Giant.

Speaker 3 (59:51):
And I know it could be a little hard to
understand Andre, but it's Uker's part that really makes this
promo what it is.

Speaker 2 (59:59):
And everybody you know this.

Speaker 6 (01:00:00):
This thing is really getting kind of serious.

Speaker 4 (01:00:02):
Now.

Speaker 12 (01:00:02):
I haven't been able to locate van of White and
I was supposed to be a Hi Andrey, my good buddy,
you get me.

Speaker 14 (01:00:11):
You got the Giant the only professional Westlo is still undefeated,
and Rogan, I'm proud to be it because now that
all the way up, that's why you're paid me for
to keep you out of the tournament organ and you
are and I know one thing, and that's why the

(01:00:31):
people go to know too, and that's why they go
to Readmumber.

Speaker 4 (01:00:35):
You are the ex champion. Ol Hell are you there?

Speaker 15 (01:00:40):
You have it?

Speaker 12 (01:00:41):
I still haven't found yeah, right, X champion.

Speaker 14 (01:00:44):
Don't worry about Fana White. Now I'll Trollian arc Tremena
is over.

Speaker 12 (01:00:55):
How about getting your how about getting your foot.

Speaker 13 (01:00:57):
Off my shoulder?

Speaker 2 (01:01:05):
So good?

Speaker 3 (01:01:06):
I mean Taylor made for WrestleMania coverage was Bob Uker.
And of course you know the face he's making when
Andre's feet for hands are around his neck, choking on
oh oh man, great stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:01:21):
But I mean, you know, I can't say it enough.
It's almost like what didn't he do in life?

Speaker 3 (01:01:26):
And even though you know he was more regionally focused
with you know, the Milwaukee market up there, with being
on Brewers coverage for years, Bob, all throughout the seventies, eighties,
and nineties he was on our TV sets. I mean,
you know, even as part of Mister Belvedere and again

(01:01:46):
on Johnny Carson. Just how great he was whenever Carson
would bring him out as mister Baseball. So what a
life well lived by Bob Uker. So just want to
play some of his best hits from his career, and
I know that many of us enjoyed those very much.
All Right, we're gonna get back into the Texans conversation

(01:02:07):
coming up next. If you want to weigh in on
the phone lines, you can do so seven one three
two one two five seven ninety. Once again, that's seve
one three two one two five seven nine zero.

Speaker 2 (01:02:17):
We will come back with a conversation we had earlier
this week.

Speaker 3 (01:02:20):
On the A Team with Sterling Holmes from eight ten
WHB there in Kansas City, as he'll give us the
chiefs side of today's game and what the Texans can
expect from the back to back defending Super Bowl champions
as they try to upset them and move on to
the AFC Championship. As we will hear from Sterling next

(01:02:42):
right here on a Space City Saturday.

Speaker 1 (01:02:46):
It's Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 3 (01:02:52):
Seven ninety and Matthews year with you on your home
of the Ostros and the Rockets. As a promise, right here,
we're gonna head on up to Kansas City and hear
from a guest that gave us the chiefs side of
today's game there in KSE. He is Sterling Holmes from
eight ten WHB. He joined us just on Thursday with

(01:03:16):
Adam and Adam on the A Team. So let's get
to that conversation with Sterling Holmes about.

Speaker 6 (01:03:22):
Time to visit Kansas City.

Speaker 8 (01:03:25):
Sports Radio eight ten WHB, co host of The Zone
mid Days is Sterling Holmes, and he's nice enough to
carve out a little time for us for our listeners
here today in Houston, the Chiefs and their billions of
days of rest have like the cleanest injury report I
think you could ever see. And it's very unlike the
last meeting when we were all worried that Pat Mahomes

(01:03:47):
and his one healthy leg would find his way through
the football game. But in all reality, this is truly
the healthiest this team has been. They've gotten guys back
like Marquise Brown specifically to the offense. Sterling, how much
do you think the Texans really might not know about
how Pacheco and Hunt will be used, how Worthy and Brown, etc.

(01:04:09):
Kelsey will be used this time around against the Texans.

Speaker 13 (01:04:13):
Yeah, fellows, thanks for having me on.

Speaker 16 (01:04:16):
I think even here in Kansas City, we're still a
little wondering how it's going to play out with DeAndre
Hopkins and Hollywood Brown who was getting eased back into
the lineup. But you have Xavier Worthy who's really taken
over that wide receiver one role. You have a healthy
Patrick Mahomes. You have Kareem Hunt who got worn down
as the season went on. You have Isaiah and Checko, who,
while yes he did come back, was very ineffective. I

(01:04:37):
think those twenty four days off will help him. And
then you have someone like Chris Jones who was injured
was gonna miss Week eighteen, whether they needed to win
that game or not. He was injured with that calfs train.
Chris Jones will be healthy. I mean, yeah, this is
great news for Kansas City. I feel for you guys
out there in Houston. The plethora of injuries to your
wide receiving corp and now the news about Joe Mixon

(01:04:59):
on I kind of feel for you folk down there
in Houston.

Speaker 8 (01:05:03):
Yeah, the news on Joe Mixon is much more alarming
in print on an injury report than I think it's
likely to be on Saturday. I don't know that for
a fact, but my belief is since he was limited
yesterday and did not participate today, that's the designation that
goes along with it. Fully expect him to be out
there on Saturday afternoon and leading the rushing attack as
he has throughout this season and certainly last week against

(01:05:26):
the Chargers.

Speaker 6 (01:05:28):
If I were to ask, and knowing the answer can't.

Speaker 8 (01:05:31):
Be Chris Jones or Trent McDuffie, who's the most important
defensive player or who might be the most other impactful
defensive player in this game on Saturday.

Speaker 16 (01:05:41):
You would say for the Chiefs, yeah, I'll give you
two names. I'll give you one obvious one and then
one I think underrated player. The obvious one Nick Bolton,
the Chiefs middle linebacker. He is the engine in the middle,
especially with the Houston techan what they try to do,
especially with the injury that wide receiver, you know they're
going to try and run the rock a lot. That's
at least expectations here in case. Nick Bolton is one

(01:06:03):
of the better run stuff in linebackers in the NFL.
So I think Nick Bolton should have a big game,
you know, on Saturday. Then more underrated. I think it's
gonna be church On Wharton. Turk Morton alongside Chris Jones
gave him to tackle.

Speaker 4 (01:06:17):
Everyone knows, you.

Speaker 16 (01:06:18):
Know, George Carlostis and Charles and Van who has come back.
But Turk Barton has had a really nice, underrated season,
great year to start the year, got a little overworked
Charleston men who came back, Turk Morton snapped went down,
but the effectiveness of those snapcounts really skyrocketed.

Speaker 13 (01:06:34):
I got took a little bet right now.

Speaker 16 (01:06:36):
I think Turk Morton gets at least one sack, and
of the Houston Texans offensive line that's down the best
in the NFL by any means. Larrymy Tunsil will do
his thing on the left side going against George I
think Turk Morton gets a lot of one on one
then he will win.

Speaker 13 (01:06:49):
If you won one to miss one.

Speaker 2 (01:06:51):
Do we want to.

Speaker 6 (01:06:51):
Reconnect, Yeah, let's give it a shot.

Speaker 8 (01:06:53):
Work all right, We're gonna say we can fix the
line a little bit if you don't mind, Sterling, because
we'd like to hear more of what you have to say.
And I do think one of the things, well, their
defensive line. That's why I brought it up every day
this week I've been here. It's so much more than
Chris Jones. Bolton because of the rest of the team,

(01:07:15):
gets far less mentioned than he should have. Sterling Holmes
back here with us, and I want to ask you
something quickly and sorry about that connection issue. Did you guys,
at any point this week or maybe before the game
on the twenty first get conversation with Charles Amena who
about his extreme disdain for the Houston Texans.

Speaker 13 (01:07:37):
No, we have not heard about his disdain the Houston Texans.

Speaker 16 (01:07:40):
I will say he's been such an integral part of
the Chiefs defensive lineo ever since he come back from
came back from injury, because it really pushes everyone down.
He's the guy who can win one on one. But no,
I did not know he had this sort of disdain
for the Houston Texans.

Speaker 8 (01:07:54):
To explain it, it doesn't really have much to do
with this version of it. It's much more to do
with those that were here there and the management and
the coaching staff that was there.

Speaker 4 (01:08:02):
Then.

Speaker 8 (01:08:02):
It's just something that I know he wasn't real excited
about how his time went here, and it's probably because
of what you now see on the field, a much
more helpful player than I think the Texans ever let
show and there were instances on both sides where it
probably could have gone more smoothly. But is in a
pretty good situation now, And I think he'd say the
same thing for each of the three former Texans that

(01:08:24):
were there in Kansas City for that twenty twenty game
in the postseason that are now members of the Chiefs,
Justin Reid and DeAndre Hopkins being the other two.

Speaker 16 (01:08:34):
Yeah, Justin Reid specifically has really taken on a leadership role.
Don't know what he was like down there in Houston.
I know when he first came to Kansas City there
were some questions about his overall outlook, his impact. You know,
if PFF grades, if you want to go by that,
were not great.

Speaker 13 (01:08:48):
When he was a Texan.

Speaker 16 (01:08:49):
But he's come to Kansas City. He's been a real
leader both on and off the field. He's a guy
that gets that secondary going. Obviously very good in the
run game, but I think his coverage has really improved
and matured as he's been here in Kansas City. DeAndre
Hopkins obviously we've seen him take over a game when
he was here in Kansas City when they played against
the Buccaneers. But it almost feels like they're saving d

(01:09:10):
hop for the playoffs. Don't know if that has anything
to do with that lingering knee injury when he came
over from Tennessee or not. But DeAndre Hopkins I think
is going to be unleashed in the playoffs. A lot
more of him, Xavier and a Hollywood Brown on those
trip set to the left, you saw it just as
smattering of that as the regular season came to a conclusion.
But that bunch set on the left was very effective.

Speaker 7 (01:09:32):
Sterling, you know about this having been there a while
and seeing this kind of dynasty unfold with the Chiefs.
You know, when you win a lot, and we went
through this with the Astros in the last several years,
you have an aura and so when you show up
to the venue, you already kind of have that, you know,
that one foot up or whatever. And I think that

(01:09:53):
to me, having Joe Mixon specifically on this Texans team,
given that he was on one of the teams to
actually derail that monster at one point in the last
several years, you know, how much do you think that
can be an intangible something like that, Because anybody that's
coming into Arrowhead, it doesn't matter who you are, whether
you're an upstart like the Texans or you're, you know,
one of the heavyweights like the Ravens or the Bills,

(01:10:15):
you've got to have a certain amount of we're not
going to be intimidated or you've already lost the game.

Speaker 13 (01:10:22):
Well, I think it's a.

Speaker 16 (01:10:23):
Really good point, and I've been bringing this up for
a long time. Everyone wants to talk about white teams
collapse in the fourth quartering ins case s it's because
I think teams are so close, like we're going to
beat the Chiefs, We're going to do it, and all
of a sudden it goes to their fingertips.

Speaker 13 (01:10:36):
They get nervous. The Chiefs don't beat themselves very often.

Speaker 2 (01:10:39):
You saw.

Speaker 16 (01:10:40):
I know these are bad teams, but the Raiders, for example,
with the snap. How many teams does that happen to?
Because they get scared, they get nervous the moment gets
too big.

Speaker 13 (01:10:49):
Very good call on Joe Mixon.

Speaker 16 (01:10:50):
That is the guy who will not be blown away
by the Arrowhead crowd. They've been there, they've done that before.
If you can get that message to c J. Strad
Nico call into the rest of the guys. I do
think there is something there. Arrowhead will be laft, it
will be rocking, and there's a reason why it's the
loudest stadium in the NFL one hundred and forty two
point two decibels. Mixon is going to have to be

(01:11:12):
the guy that calms Joe, mix it down and hopeing
the offensive line of Houston in that instance, they don't
have too many false starts. I know there's been a
lot of moving pieces on that offensive line. All season long.

Speaker 8 (01:11:23):
Sounded like you were trying to speak that into existence,
and I bet she'll be right at least once Sterling Holmes,
My money's on LARAMIZNSOL Sports Radio eight to ten WHB
in Kansas City. I'm curious what it was like there
in Kansas City during this fifteen win season. I'll tell
you what it was like here talking about this isn't
the same team. They're so beatable, which was being said

(01:11:45):
every week after they would not get beaten every single week.
And remember this is the only time during this run
they've had a fifteen win regular season, and they got
it in sixteen games. What was the view of the
people covering this year's Chiefs about this year's Chiefs kind
of as it relates to what we might see on
Saturday versus what they've always been.

Speaker 16 (01:12:05):
Well, you had the optimists, right, You had the optimist
that says it doesn't matter how it happens as long
as you win, which in the grand scheme of things,
that is true.

Speaker 13 (01:12:13):
But then it also took a.

Speaker 16 (01:12:14):
Little bit of digging to see why the Chiefs played
in such close games, but also why they kept winning
in such close games. Yes, they had some luck I
like to call it variants. I don't like using the
word luck. I like to call it variant. The Chiefs
had some variants go their way this year, that is
for sure.

Speaker 4 (01:12:28):
But they were so.

Speaker 13 (01:12:29):
Effective on third down. They were so inexplosive.

Speaker 16 (01:12:33):
Now that might change with Hollywood Brown being back in,
DeAndre Hopkins and Xavier Worthy, right, but they came into
the season with a lot different game plan. They expected
Hollywood the entire year. They had Rashi Rice, who was
their wide receiver. One you thought you might get a
little bit of Xavier Worthy, So they had.

Speaker 13 (01:12:47):
To adjust on the fly, and so.

Speaker 16 (01:12:49):
They're often poked a lot different. They had to go
out and bring in Kareem Hunt, who is good for
three point five yards to carry pretty much just anytime.

Speaker 13 (01:12:56):
He touches the ball.

Speaker 16 (01:12:57):
He does not break off large carries, but he gets
you into a lot that third and shorts where Patrick
Mahomes is the best quarterback on third down. So I
think what you saw is them putting up twenty one
twenty two points. They're a very well rounded team, maybe
the most well rounded team in the Patrick Mahomes era.
The defense is top ten, the offense is top ten.
When you break down some of the underlying analytical numbers.

(01:13:19):
Special teams has been solid, but a little bit of
a concern with Harrison Bucker in the injury.

Speaker 13 (01:13:23):
I just think it looks different.

Speaker 16 (01:13:24):
So everyone's trying to figure out why they don't look
the same as when Tyreek Hill was here, even a
couple of years ago, when the offense was still moving
the ball very effectively through the air.

Speaker 8 (01:13:35):
Just before we let you go, you've left you barely
enough time for prediction.

Speaker 4 (01:13:39):
On the game.

Speaker 16 (01:13:41):
Oh man, I don't mean to do it to you, guys.
I have a lot of respect for Houston. I have
a ton of respect for that Texans defense. They're outstanding,
Elzer Alshie Heer's great, Will Anderson's outstanding. Danil Hunter loved
the Texans defense. But I think the Chiefs offense does enough.
I think it's a twenty seven to twenty game that
means the Techans cover, or at least.

Speaker 13 (01:14:00):
I'm never in Vegas right, give me that. I just
think the Chiefs offense in Patrick Mahomes in.

Speaker 16 (01:14:05):
The playoffs, they will be too efficient. With all the
injuries to the Houston Texans on offense, I think it's
going to.

Speaker 8 (01:14:11):
Be a struggle very different than the twenty seven to
nineteen game that was just played there in December, a
twenty seven to twenty finals. Sterling, we actually really appreciate it.
He's going to hit the extra point.

Speaker 6 (01:14:21):
Good insight and look forward to what takes place on Saturday.

Speaker 13 (01:14:25):
Hey, thanks fellas, appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (01:14:28):
There you go, Sterling Holmes again from A ten whb's
on mid days up there. I know that Soren Petro,
the PM Drive host up there on A ten, was
on with Matt and Ross yesterday, so good stuff from him.
Appreciate his time earlier this week with us on the
A team. All right, coming up next. It was a
conversation that I was part of as Matt Thomas was out,

(01:14:51):
but Ross Villa Reale was in as part of the
Matt Thomas Show. With Ross, we were both able to
catch up with Dan Orlovski, former Texans quarterback. Of course,
now you see him on pretty much every single ESPN
program if they are talking NFL, well, the former quarterback,
he is part of it. And we got hot and
heavy in terms of some Texan chiefs conversation with Dano.

(01:15:16):
So we will do that next right here on Space
City Saturday. Dan Matthews here with you until noon on
your home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk
seven to ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:15:29):
Space City Saturday.

Speaker 3 (01:15:30):
Sports Talk seven ninety Space City Saturday. Is exactly what
the Texans.

Speaker 2 (01:15:36):
Are hoping they can do today.

Speaker 3 (01:15:38):
They are hoping they can knock the door down. And
the door is the AFC Championship Game. So if they
can get past the Chiefs today, that becomes a reality.
So hopefully they can do that again. Three point thirty
kick from up there in Kansas City, the Texans and
the Chiefs, and in that vein we continue the conversation

(01:16:01):
as me and Rossville Real as part of the Matt
Tomas Show with Ross a couple of days ago, able
to catch up with a former Texan now you see
him on ESPN. He is dan Orlovsky and we had
a great conversation for you to now enjoy.

Speaker 17 (01:16:18):
Right now, please to be joined by dan Orlowsky. Mister
do everything for ESPN on get up on the NFL shows,
does a great job as well.

Speaker 6 (01:16:27):
Thanks for joining us, Dan.

Speaker 4 (01:16:29):
How are you.

Speaker 15 (01:16:30):
I'm doing fantastic.

Speaker 4 (01:16:31):
How about you? Guys?

Speaker 2 (01:16:32):
Good?

Speaker 17 (01:16:33):
We're also pulling our hair out trying to figure out
what's going to happen with this technisan offensive line.

Speaker 6 (01:16:37):
We'll get to that in a second.

Speaker 17 (01:16:38):
But you, as the quarterback, of course, and as somebody
who played here in Houston, Ross and Dan with you here,
I do have to ask you right off the bat,
who is the real CJ.

Speaker 2 (01:16:48):
Stroud?

Speaker 9 (01:16:48):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (01:16:49):
I mean cjs a sensational player. He's a young man
that you know, obviously took the league by storm last year,
and you know all off season I was one who's
pretty clear of what he did was even greater than
maybe the numbers painted the picture as because he was
so remarkable on third down and that masked a lot

(01:17:10):
of some of the inefficiencies of the offense as a whole,
and that's obviously one of the harder downs to be
good at that position of the league. So it was
even more impressive then again maybe the surface numbers said.
And then this year it caught up to them a
little bit this year.

Speaker 9 (01:17:23):
The poor performance on first down.

Speaker 15 (01:17:25):
Caught up to them this year, the lack of consistently
being able to control the line of scrimmage on a
load of downs, and the poor production. I remember going
back to Week one and I did a quick little
thing on the NFL at I was like, man, they
better figure out that production because it was ugly and
it's rained terror on their offense and as it impacted
CJ's you know, play negatively. There's no question about it.

(01:17:45):
Has he played lesser than he has had last year, Absolutely,
But I think that's the direct reason why that the
protection has kind of impacted him, impacted his vision, made
him a little antsy at times, which is a real thing,
but I don't think that's made him a lesser player
now again.

Speaker 3 (01:18:06):
Dan Orlowski joined us here on the Matt Sama Show
with Rosty and Matthews in for Matt. You know, Dan,
A couple of the things that we've been talking about
all week that seemed like it was the aha moment
for CJ is one the busted play with the fumbled
snap and he's got to roll out find Xavier Hutchison
and also using his legs. Did you see a guy

(01:18:27):
in the second half who got back to being the
guy that he was last year where I mean, let's
call it what it is his own words, he was
a killer on the field last year.

Speaker 15 (01:18:37):
Yeah, Yeah, I mean that's kind of one of the
things that he has done a little bit more, I
would say this year and just take off with his
legs and be a threat.

Speaker 9 (01:18:45):
You know, situationally, it's not necessarily that.

Speaker 15 (01:18:48):
You're designing quarterback runs for him, but those situational backbreaker
Patrick Mahomes Joe Burrow type of runs where you know
it's third and six and they take off and it's like,
oh my gosh, everyone was covered, but he got a
first down.

Speaker 9 (01:19:01):
So yeah, I saw that.

Speaker 15 (01:19:02):
I don't have any reservations about who CJ is or
what CJ is. I think that, you know, some of
the injuries and the lack.

Speaker 9 (01:19:08):
Of performances have been the significant part of.

Speaker 15 (01:19:11):
Why the playoffs falling off. But that's going to be
a huge part of this game for them this weekend
as well as you know, for both quarterbacks, is who's
going to have.

Speaker 9 (01:19:19):
Those two or three runs and those crucial.

Speaker 15 (01:19:21):
Moments to either you know, keep a drive alive or
put points on the board, or take three minutes off
of o'clock longer. And so yeah, I think that's another
kind of as I don't want see astrisk bullet point
in this game is you know, can CJ pull those off?

Speaker 2 (01:19:37):
One of the big.

Speaker 17 (01:19:37):
Problems with the offensive line has just been allowing those
free runners Dan with maybe a lack of communication, and
I am worried about that going up against the Spagnola
defense this weekend on the road in a loud, Arrowhead environment.
How did the Texans in the offensive line prepare for that?

Speaker 15 (01:19:53):
Yeah, I mean it's it's obviously a huge part of
the challenge.

Speaker 9 (01:19:57):
I think the number one thing that they can do
it that is you've.

Speaker 15 (01:20:01):
Got to run the football and twenty one personnel is
something that actually going back a couple of weeks when
they did play, they were decently successful at it.

Speaker 9 (01:20:09):
And so twenty one putting a fullback on the.

Speaker 15 (01:20:11):
Field or maybe you doizn't tight end in that role,
but you've got.

Speaker 9 (01:20:14):
To be able to do that.

Speaker 15 (01:20:16):
The second thing is this, Actually, I'll make this the
first thing. Every single time that CJ breaks down and
walks the on of scrimmage, he's got to be thinking
blitz because it comes at any point from anywhere. As
situations don't matter.

Speaker 9 (01:20:28):
So there has to be a constant at the forefront
of his mind, where's the blitz coming from?

Speaker 15 (01:20:34):
Where's the n If they don't, it's almost like as
a quarterback, you're often reacting to the blitz. This is
a reacting to the no blitz situation. If you're CJ,
like every play, you're expecting a blitz so it doesn't
surprise you. Then again, the twenty one personnel has got
to be a big run. I think the second thing
is you got to try to hit some screens against

(01:20:56):
them when they pressure you. You know, there's there's two
methods that dealing with pressure as an offense. You want
to try to survive it or you want to try
and kill it. And one of the ways that you
try to you know, do both of them at.

Speaker 9 (01:21:08):
The same time.

Speaker 15 (01:21:08):
As some perimeter screens where it protects you, you get
the ball of your hands. There's usually more than not
a bad play than that. But if you touch it
at the right time, right angle, right people, you can
hit on run. And so I think some of the
perimeter screens or slip screens.

Speaker 9 (01:21:22):
Would be a big deal. And then I mean, one
of the things that was disappointing is the plan for
protection and the execution for protection.

Speaker 15 (01:21:28):
And so you know, you got to have a plan
for it.

Speaker 9 (01:21:31):
You got to know exactly how.

Speaker 15 (01:21:33):
You want to protect it and communicate it. And while
it's hard, you know, It's one of the challenges of
the business. You know, if it's third to out, I
wouldn't be surprised if you get into some no huddle
and try to give yourself as much time at the
line of scrimmage to communicate. And then, you know, one
of the things I've always learned and I learned this
from Coach Koubac, and you know, if everybody's wrong.

Speaker 2 (01:21:53):
We're going to be okay.

Speaker 9 (01:21:54):
So you don't take the perfection in these situations.

Speaker 15 (01:21:57):
You know, like to think that you're going to get
the line stream, you know exactly what's going to happen,
and that's not real. But as long as everybody's on
the same page and it knows what or who.

Speaker 9 (01:22:08):
The problem is, you're gonna be okay more often than not.

Speaker 15 (01:22:12):
And so that's the big thing is you can't have
four guys thinking one thing and one person doing another thing.
That's when catastrophe happens again.

Speaker 3 (01:22:19):
Dani Orlowski join us here on the Matt Thomas Show
with Ross and you mentioned the screen game. I mean,
that's something that I've been screaming about all season. Dan
with Joe Mixon, I mean, you see it all the time.
He's running into a wall. He's running for forty fifty
yards a game. You can't really get the run game going.
And you hear Bobby Sloan talk about want to get
the run game going. But all off season Dan, we

(01:22:40):
heard about what a great pass catcher he was out
of the backfield. I mean, are you kind of disappointed
in Bobby Slowick for not using that part of his
game more especially factoring in the struggles at times?

Speaker 15 (01:22:50):
There's no question about it. I mean, I'm a massive
fan of the screen game in general. I mean, if
you look at just if we're tree Top, do you
look at some of the offenses that have been really
good this year and certainly in years past, you would
sit there and go, Kansas City Man, Okay, really good
screen game. And then you'd go, well, Detroit yet really.

Speaker 9 (01:23:09):
Good screen game, and all the Minnesota Vikings a really
good screen game, and the Los Angeles Rams really good
screen game, and the Buffalo bill is really good screen games.
So you know, I think as in totality, and you know.

Speaker 15 (01:23:21):
That that's got to be one of the foundations staple
of your offenses. It's different screens that you can get to.
It you're just trying to create a numbers advantage and
then the space advantage. And so I think it's a
different way to get Joe mix in the ball.

Speaker 9 (01:23:35):
It's a different way to you know, what of mix.

Speaker 13 (01:23:37):
And strengths is.

Speaker 15 (01:23:37):
You know, he's a tough tackle, man Like this is
a tough tackle in space, and so you know, I
think it's also a breather for your quarterback. You know,
we're calling this player, we're running this laid off the
think mush and so you know it's something that I
would try and hit four or five.

Speaker 13 (01:23:50):
Times on this game.

Speaker 3 (01:23:51):
A couple more minutes with Dan Orlowski and Dan, I
mean off topic football wise, I told Ross, I told
the audience, I'd ask you this. You're pretty renowned for
your food takes. So two part question here. Number one,
what gets more of a visceral reaction analysis that maybe
upsets a fan base or your food takes? And is

(01:24:12):
there a food take that you were willing to die
on a hill for? And I mean even you're hunched
over skull and bones on that hill when it's all
said and done, that you.

Speaker 2 (01:24:22):
Will not come off of it.

Speaker 9 (01:24:24):
Yeah, definitely the fan bases.

Speaker 15 (01:24:26):
You know, I always say this every year it feels
like the fans become more and more passionate and listen,
when you're in my role, like and you're convicted about
the things you say, it's gonna come your way. So
at times I'm like, well that's a tough one.

Speaker 9 (01:24:40):
But definitely the fan bases.

Speaker 15 (01:24:42):
But the food does make people upset in an odd way.

Speaker 4 (01:24:46):
You know.

Speaker 15 (01:24:47):
The food take that I would die on is I
think mushrooms are disgusting.

Speaker 9 (01:24:53):
That's the one that I ain't blinking off. I ain't
blinking off that one.

Speaker 4 (01:24:59):
Yeah, I know.

Speaker 9 (01:25:00):
I often say like I.

Speaker 15 (01:25:02):
Love a good meal.

Speaker 16 (01:25:03):
I do.

Speaker 8 (01:25:03):
I do.

Speaker 2 (01:25:04):
I love a good meal, but.

Speaker 15 (01:25:06):
I don't need a good meal every time I eat.
It's not like I have to walk away from having
you know, food and being like, oh my gosh, that
was on a body experience.

Speaker 9 (01:25:15):
And so you know, I think that that's probably one
as well.

Speaker 15 (01:25:19):
It's funny, you guys Houston. We used to live down there.
We were having in a group text with some friends
up here in Connecticut. We were my wife was vividly
describing LTMPO to them and done, I honestly did not
know that, And it was it was great having the
questions fired back from them of like wait what they

(01:25:40):
put brisket in case?

Speaker 2 (01:25:41):
So we're like, yup.

Speaker 15 (01:25:42):
And then they were like, wait you dip your pahetas
and butter and We're like, yeah, it's just the food
stuff triggered my mind.

Speaker 17 (01:25:51):
That's great, that one last one before we get you out,
just uh your eyes what the Texans defense is going
to have to do? And then in a prediction a
prediction and then take it easy on us with the
prediction here in Houston.

Speaker 4 (01:26:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (01:26:03):
Again, I think can't say wins the game.

Speaker 4 (01:26:04):
I don't want to.

Speaker 15 (01:26:05):
Misrepresent it, but I do think Houston can hang. And
there really question is that can they do enough offensively?
You know, can they do enough? Obviously the depletion, but
I think defensively, if you had to ask me, you know,
build a defense that could you know, really hold its
own and have success against this Chiefs offense, I say, man,
you've got to have two good head rushers and you've
got to be able to play man coverage well, you know.

(01:26:27):
And so I think that's what gives them a good
feel in this game is you know, Will and Danil
were freaking unbelievable last week, and I think their heavy
hands are a big deal versus these tackles. Our shy
here definitely you know, was a miss, you know when
you felt his impact, and then they can play man,
you know.

Speaker 9 (01:26:44):
And so I actually think that their defense.

Speaker 15 (01:26:47):
Can keep them in the game. I wouldn't be surprised
that this is a one score game on the fourth quarter.

Speaker 9 (01:26:52):
I just I don't know if they could.

Speaker 15 (01:26:54):
Do enough offensively versus at darn good defense.

Speaker 3 (01:26:58):
Dan Lawski with earlier this week on The Matt Thomas
Show with Ross and good stuff from him, and if
you missed any of him, Kevin Harlan, Sterling Holmes, any
of the conversations we had this week. Again, I can't
say it enough. The new and improved iHeartRadio app. It
is your friend and another F word. It's free, very

(01:27:20):
free for you. So download that on your device and
be able to catch Sports Talk seven ninety wherever you go.
All right, coming up next, give some final thoughts on
today Texan's game.

Speaker 2 (01:27:32):
Of course, predictions have been a plenty from the.

Speaker 3 (01:27:34):
Guests we had this week, but also too, I talked
about this a little bit the other night on the
night Cap, and we'll get into a little bit of
college football because Texas fans. Yes you, I'm talking to you.
You can't complain anymore. Most of you finally got what
you wanted, So we'll discuss that on the other side.
As we close out this edition of Space City Saturday,

(01:27:56):
Dan Matthews here with you for a few more minutes
on the home of the app Stros and the Rockets,

Speaker 1 (01:28:04):
We now return to Space City Saturday, Sports Talk seven ninety,

Speaker 3 (01:28:11):
Dan Matthews here week for another couple of minutes and
home of the app Shock again Sports Talk seven ninety.
Texans hoping they can get their role on today. Melvin
Brown basically just taking me back to middle school, high
school right there.

Speaker 2 (01:28:26):
That's the sweet spot of music for me. So now
appreciate that.

Speaker 3 (01:28:30):
Melvin doing a great job as he always does both
with me, with Doug Pike and if you watch us
daily on Space City Home Network with the A team
three to six every single day right here as the
TV side of things, Melvin our technical director for that.
So Melvin is a man of many talents. We appreciate

(01:28:51):
him very much, so great work from him as always.
But uh, final a few minutes here if you want
to squeeze in again someone three two, one, two, five,
seven ninety. You just spend a couple of minutes on
the Texans and then a couple of minutes on I think,
you know, I'm going to talk about Arch Manning if
I was talking to Texas fans, So we'll do that.

Speaker 2 (01:29:10):
But the Texans and Chiefs, I mean, you know, just
for the.

Speaker 3 (01:29:13):
Texans today, look, I just I think that we know
that it is going to be a tough assignment no
matter what.

Speaker 2 (01:29:21):
And I know the Clay Martin.

Speaker 3 (01:29:23):
Story was a huge part of it of people trying
to draw comparisons between him being almost the NFL version
of Scott Foster. Like we know Scott Foster with the Rockets,
it never really goes well well. Now, the same comparisons
being made with Clay Martin, because the Chiefs six and
oh all time, when Clay Martin officiates their games five

(01:29:45):
and oh in the regular season, one and oh in
the postseason. So that's a storyline that's out there. But
I mean, you know, it's just really a thing with
the Texans of fighting yourself at times and at times
this has been a team that their aggressiveness gets the
best of them, and we see it with penalties. So
we see it with pre snap penalties, special teams penalties.

(01:30:06):
I mean, geez, how many times we've seen Chris Boyd
draw a special team's flag on the field at times
this season. So those are things you got to keep
to a minimum. And I mean with CJ, he's the key,
you know, I talk about it when I'm talking rockets
of the key to the offense.

Speaker 2 (01:30:21):
It's simple. It's number four. It's Jalen Green.

Speaker 3 (01:30:23):
If he's shooting, if he's able to knock down shots
and he's able to put up points, then that frees
up everybody else on the offense.

Speaker 2 (01:30:30):
The same deal goes for c J. Stroud today. It's
really that simple.

Speaker 3 (01:30:33):
If he is able to get it going on the field, well,
then the Texans can be able to have some good
things happen for them. Joe Mixon right behind him. Doesn't
sound like the ankle is going to be much of
a hindrance to him. I mean, I know that he
missed a couple of days of practice, but I mean
he's not missing this game. That's really as simple as

(01:30:54):
it can be. So we'll see if indeed he is
able to give it a go and it a full efforts.
I mean, you really want to get him going. You
heard me talk about with Dan Orlovski in the last
segment that he is, you know, a guy that can
also be used in the screen game and is as
somebody that maybe if you're running into some trouble against

(01:31:16):
George Carloftis and Nick Bolton and Chris Jones and that
you know Chiefs defensive front, that maybe you get him
going in the passing game a little bit and then
you know, chances to As I've mentioned before with OC's
it always just annoys me to no end of Oh,
we want to get our playmakers out in space, Okay,
well then do it. So that's something that we're definitely

(01:31:36):
hoping to see today from the Texans.

Speaker 2 (01:31:38):
I got Texans twenty four to twenty one.

Speaker 3 (01:31:40):
I think a thirty nine yard Kyami fairbearon Fueld goal
to walk it off and send the Chiefs fans home sad.
That's what I'm banking on today. So I like Texans
in this one. Let's let's pull it off. Final minute
here on the show. And you know, talked about it
earlier this week on the Nightcap with Quinn Youwers declaring

(01:32:01):
for the draft moving on. And I mean it's been
a lot of different opinions of Quinn youewers time with
the Texas Longhorns. I mean, last year he was fantastic.
This year he had to make some adjustments in terms
of not having the same receiver help that he had
last year, and that was a difference for this Texas team.
But the message to you Longhorn fans, don't complain because

(01:32:24):
a lot of you were, you know, really pining hard
for arch Manning to be out on the field, and
now you're gonna finally get your chance.

Speaker 2 (01:32:32):
And he's going to have a.

Speaker 3 (01:32:33):
Roster pretty much overhauled last year this coming out in
the year because you're gonna have a lot of players
leaving for the draft, transfers coming in, signings, all of
those different types of things. And the one thing that
I cautioned people with quarterbacks at all time, you're going
to end up being annoyed with your quarterback one time
or another. I mean, God, Patriots fans even at times

(01:32:54):
got annoyed with Tom Brady. So what makes you think
that Arch Manning is going to be any different. One
of the most thankless jobs and sports is quarterback, because
if you do one minor thing wrong, then people hold
it against you. And I think soon enough that's gonna
be coming arches way. So you know, now you've finally
got your wish to care for what you wish for

(01:33:14):
Texas fans, because it might not be one hundred percent
what you want. That's gonna do it for us here
on Space City Saturday, I want to thank everybody who
jumped aboard, and again I want to thank our guy
back in the studio, Melvin Brown, doing a great job.
As always a man of many talents. We appreciate him
and then some also too. It is great to hear

(01:33:35):
from Kevin Harlan, from Sterling Holmes, and from dan Orlowski.

Speaker 2 (01:33:39):
Again if you missed any of those, I can't harp
on it enough.

Speaker 3 (01:33:43):
The new and improved iHeartRadio app it is your friend
and you can go catch all of those conversations right there.
Dan Matthews next week talking to you from Dykin Park
from eleven to four for Astros FanFest.

Speaker 2 (01:33:57):
Look forward to that.

Speaker 3 (01:33:58):
Until then, everybody, enjoy the game, enjoy the Rockets tonight.
We will talk to you on Monday morning at six
am on The Shawn Salisbury Show, where Brian Alima.

Speaker 2 (01:34:06):
Other than that, have a great weekend.

Speaker 4 (01:34:07):
Everyone

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