March Madness & NBA Shake-Ups: Rockets

Today on The A-Team, we dive into all things Rockets, including the latest NBA trade rumors. We also break down March Madness, discuss Dana Brown's thoughts on Cam Smith's future, explore Kelvin Sampson's leadership impact, and much more!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Two lifelong Houston sports guys named Adham raised my.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Earl Nolan.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
Multed by the magnificent roller coaster ride that is Houston Sports.
Chill lge down for the only homegrown afternoon team is
talking your teams?

Speaker 3 (00:30):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the A Team.

Speaker 4 (00:35):
A past two forty two time to break? Just kidding,
it is the A Team. It's a Friday edition. The
tournament is going on. The Astros have completed another spring
training game, which means they're one step closer to getting
back on that bird and coming back here to Houston

(00:55):
where they'll play games that matter. And oh, by the way,
Adam or the Rockets play tonight, And a little Birdie
told me, well, I told a lot of people that
a men Thompson is gonna throw Tyler hero down. I
mean he's gonna be back in the lineup tonight. He
is probably going to be in the lineup today. He's

(01:18):
probable before we finish up today.

Speaker 5 (01:20):
And we'll take you all the way up to six
o'clock straight into Rockets Countdown, straight into Rockets launch Pad
which precedes Rockets Countdown, and of course the game itself
against the Miami Heat, MT and yours truly will have
the call of that. We'll know before our show's finished. Probably,
I think so that A Men Thompson is gonna go.
The head coach obviously speaks with the media during the
five o'clock hour for a seven o'clock tip. It doesn't

(01:43):
mean he has to tell the media, Yeah, he's good
and he's playing and he's starting, but he probably will.
He could say he's a game time decision. He could say, oh,
he's gonna go through one more workout and then we'll
see either way. You list of guys, Probably that means
he's probably going to play. They could easily hold him
out another day and just send him off to Houston
with everybody else, so they could play a Sunday's game

(02:03):
against Denver. But it looks like they feel like he's
healthy enough to go. But we'll find out for sure
against the team that is well, they're head in the
opposite direction. I believe the matchup tonight is it's pretty
clear about these two ships and passing in the night.
They passed in the night about a month ago, when
the Heat last won a game nine games ago, and

(02:26):
when the Rockets last lost a game eight games ago.
Rockets are an eight game winning streak and the heat
from twenty nine to thirty one to twenty nine and
forty the record they bring into their ballgame tonight. They
don't have significant injury issues. Looks like they'll probably get
Andrew Wiggins back tonight. Also, he was listed a questionable
earlier in the day, but pumped up to probable. Their

(02:47):
record since they pulled the trigger on the deal that
ultimately landed them a first round pick and Wiggins for
essentially Jimmy Butler, they'll be looking for their fifth win.
I'll remind you the trade deadline was in early February.
They pulled the trigger on this deal on February sixth.
Today's March twenty first, and they're looking for their fifth

(03:09):
win since they made that trade. They're four and sixteen
since they made that deal. Again, like we talked about yesterday,
nobody thought, oh yeah, this is gonna make us better
in twenty twenty five, they're hoping the pick they added
and whatever else they can do for the dynamic of
their basketball team, which even before this slide they weren't good.

(03:29):
They're eleven games under five hundred now they were one
game over five hundred then not a good basketball team.
Not a bad basketball team, but not a good basketball team.
And that one game over five hundred that they were
at twenty five and twenty four when they pulled the
trigger on this deal, well, for our purposes, that's their
one oh four to one hundred win over the Houston Rockets.

Speaker 6 (03:49):
I can't believe that.

Speaker 5 (03:50):
Back in late December, but the matchup between hero and
a men does sound delicious and likely we'll see it.

Speaker 6 (03:56):
Texans were busy again today.

Speaker 5 (03:58):
If they're gonna get rid of three starting offense and
they're gonna need to add more offensive lineman, and they
did again for just three million bucks. You too, cand
of have a former Pro Bowl left tackle heading into
his eleventh season and now reportedly set to do so
when healthy as a Houston Texan is Trent Brown. Handfully

(04:18):
seasons ago, this was one of the more sought after
players a handful of seasons ago. I think some thought
it was a possibility they would consider it. Here He's
ended up bouncing around the league quite a bit. He's
had two stops in New England, and only briefly did
his path cross with either Nick Cassario or current offensive
line coach Kole Popovich. Popovich was a coaching assistant there

(04:42):
during Brown's first stint with the Patriots, but had left
by the time he returned a twenty nineteen Pro bowler,
and then the five seasons that Brown has played since
have been marred by injury. The seventeen game season, the
one full season he's played in the last five years,
he was good again a couple of years ago. He
was able to do that and made sixteen starts, played

(05:02):
in all seventeen games, and was once again regarded as
one of the better tackles in the NFL. But injuries
have absolutely been a major part of his career, and
when he plays next, he will be back on the
field for the first time since Week three of this
past NFL season playing for the Bengals and pass pro

(05:22):
backing up put his right foot in the turf and
his Patel attendant ruptured in his right knee, So that's
what he's been recovering from ever since. And Texans bringing
him in to a team that they had two tackles
on the roster a week ago, and now they have
two more tackles on the roster thanks to this week,
Cam Robinson, Trent Brown has spent better part of the

(05:45):
last ten years starting at left tackle for somebody in
the NFL. Titus Howard has started at right tackle for
the Texans in the NFL, and just last draft eleven
months ago, they drafted a tackle and Blake Fisher. They're
all set to be Texas this year, and certainly the
option I suppose of sliding them to a different spot,
a guard spot, which only Titus Howard has done of

(06:08):
those three, and it's on the table. But this is
how they're going about trying to give their quarterback and
their brand new offensive coordinator the tools to improve their offense.

Speaker 6 (06:19):
I hope dramatically.

Speaker 5 (06:21):
We've talked about the quarterback needing more time, and then
the protection's got to be there and all the miscommunications
got to go. The bottom line is they got to
score more points. They need to be more prolific. They
need to be better on offense. They need to be
better in the red zone. They need to finish drives
with touchdowns more time or not. They had to do
that this year if they expect to be different than

(06:43):
we won the division again. We hosted a game, we
won that too, and then we won on the road
and lost let's try to do it again next year.

Speaker 4 (06:49):
Well, look, this isn't the typical talent level of what
Nick Cassario usually does with these very very very very
short contracts, but it is his mo.

Speaker 5 (06:59):
I mean, the contracts they've signed with the last two
players are performance and hint injury based. If cam Robinson
had a good twenty twenty four with either of the
Vikings or Jaguars and he did not, even twelve million
dollars would have been like he would have gone into
the free agent mark and he would have got a
multi year deal from some team and would have been

(07:19):
their starter for the next three years. But the Texans
don't even want that. The Texans already had that. His
name was Laramie Tunsell. They've decided to go and try
to build. All these tackles are here, and the Texans
are probably going to draft one. It wasn't even their
biggest position of weakness. But for the future, with the
move away from Tunsil, I think they're looking for a young,

(07:40):
long term answer at tackle, and you find those in
the draft. And in the case of Trent Brown, if
Trent Brown had not been hurt last year, I'm gonna
guess he would have been pretty good for the Bengals
at his tackle spot, protecting the blind side for Trent
Brown or for Joe Burrow, and he too would have
either worked something out with Cincinnati or hit free agency,
even as a thirty one year old player, expecting not

(08:03):
only more than three million, which is the reported amount
the Texans are giving him, which is I believe the
least amount of money they'll be on the hook for
on the cap for any of these players they've added
this offseason.

Speaker 6 (08:16):
Robinson, Tomlinson.

Speaker 5 (08:19):
At Ingram and now Trent Brown, four additions, all of
whom started games last year. They added four three, three
and a half starting caliber players. That's the bars where
I'm going to set it today for those players. But yeah,
I Trent Brown's healthy, He's not signing a one year
deal with the With the Texans, it's going to be
much more lucrative and probably for many more years. But

(08:41):
it's just the situation he's in this team is definitely,
you know, taking a bit of a chance and if
it's if it works out, you've got a really good player, again,
if healthy, to try to get you to the part
of your tenures GM where you don't have to worry
about this because so far during his tenure he's worried
about the quarterback position a couple of drafts and a

(09:03):
couple of off seasons, but that went out the door
once you draft CJ.

Speaker 6 (09:05):
Strout.

Speaker 5 (09:06):
You worried about edge rusher for a while, and then
you have Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson Junior, and I
could go on and on. The concern about what they
have on the offensive line is probably the most permanent problem.
Every GM is trying to fix five spots. All be good,
all be under contract, all you know, it's not usually
going to work out very well for many years.

Speaker 7 (09:26):
But it's never even worked out for one year.

Speaker 6 (09:29):
For two years. The Texans can let alone five years.

Speaker 4 (09:32):
Can you explain something to me? I know we just
got done talking about his rather gruesome injury. Why is
it that in a league that is the reputation, especially
at the running back position. What we was talking about, well,
your showf life is on average three and a half seasons.
You know, guys like Joe Mixon, and I think the
ultimate example is Adrian Peterson, who was just bionic.

Speaker 6 (09:51):
Is he playing for this year exactly?

Speaker 4 (09:53):
You wouldn't even be surprised if he was right, because
if you see him right now, I guarantee if he
looks like he can go out there and get you
one hundred yards.

Speaker 5 (09:59):
He's one of the people here in Houston. I know
a lot of people have met at different events, his
own camps.

Speaker 4 (10:04):
Nice guy.

Speaker 5 (10:05):
If even with his you know, he'd be one of
the people. Or I would say, do you ever shake
his hand?

Speaker 6 (10:09):
How are you?

Speaker 7 (10:09):
How are you feeling? Did you go to the hospital
after Herod told you the.

Speaker 4 (10:13):
Biggest hands I shook? As an athlete, I know this
is totally sidetracking, it's not don't think was he active
at the time? Yeah, oh yeah, he only played here
one year. There's your hint.

Speaker 7 (10:22):
Did he bounce the basketball or a very high jersey number?

Speaker 6 (10:26):
Wow? It does star with a five? Nope, star with
a nine.

Speaker 4 (10:30):
Ronald that's him, Ronald our test. Bigger, bigger than yeaw,
bigger than Shack. And I know for a fact Shack's
hand eclipsed my entire left shoulder air.

Speaker 7 (10:41):
Right, Yeah, huge hands.

Speaker 4 (10:44):
But anyways, the reason what I was gonna ask is
shelf life and yeah, why is it that that offensive lineman?
Almost like, as a rule, if you're a good one,
if you're a successful one. Like they routinely play fifteen
plus years in a violent league where they are getting

(11:04):
collided with every play. How is that possible when every
other position gets destroyed physically, including quarterbacks.

Speaker 5 (11:11):
I think they have the benefit versus cornerbacks, wide outs,
running backs, quarterbacks, et cetera.

Speaker 6 (11:16):
They know when the hits are all coming.

Speaker 5 (11:18):
No, they it's more about their knees in their ankles,
Like having an ACL injury on the line seems to
happen a lot more infrequently than with all those skill
position players are talking, they're constantly cutting and put their
foot in the dirt and making a ridiculous move to
separate themselves. Well, that's what they are so good at,
but it also results in like Stefan Diggs has that injury.

Speaker 6 (11:41):
I think offensive linemen injuries.

Speaker 5 (11:43):
First of all, they play through all of them unless
they have a catastrophic injury. Unless they're carted off. They
play the next week. They miss five snaps and go
back out there. It's incredible, but they just don't suffer
as many. It wouldn't seem like season ending blowout knee
And this is literally the word blowout is much more
accurate sadly for Brown because of the Patel attendant. He

(12:05):
literally ruptured on him there. But it is it is
amazing that they're able to do it in the things
that we watch in those other skill position players that
leave them, well, it's not going to leave an offensive
lineman in his thirties. What if an offensive lineman gets
slower in his thirties, how could you even tell?

Speaker 4 (12:20):
Right, as he's still big and fat and keeping you
from hitting your quarterback, then he's good.

Speaker 5 (12:24):
Is he not moving backwards fast enough anymore? For the
four and a half yards he has to move backwards
each play? Is he not able to If you stay
strong and you have a good base and you've kept
yourself in good shape, you just you bowl people over
for half the snaps, and you know, go and reverse
for half the snaps. If you slow down as a
wide out, well you're no longer beating people if you're

(12:45):
not able to make his crisp have moves. That's why
when the wide receivers the shelf life on running backs
and wide receivers it's a different number, but it's the
same principle. You're no longer capable of doing this quite
as well, and that brings you back to the pack,
or you're no longer capable of doing this and now
you aren't creating separation with the defender, et cetera, et cetera,
et cetera. So yeah, the age of a couple of

(13:07):
the linemen they've added is just a number I wouldn't
and they're all there on short term. What if he
can't play in three years, well ask the team he's
playing on them, because it won't matter.

Speaker 4 (13:14):
It makes sense. But again that goes back to the
Casario way of doing things, and I want I don't think.

Speaker 6 (13:19):
I don't think he'll.

Speaker 4 (13:21):
Always do this, Like if he stays put, if he's successful,
if he miraculously duct tapes together a successful offensive line,
you know, through a variety of avenues. By the way,
it would be free agency, moving what you already have
around and drafting. That's going to be your successful formula
for at least twenty twenty five. So if Nick Cassario's

(13:42):
here because he's been successful enough, and believe me, even
if the offensive line gets c. J. Stroud literally murdered
this year, I think he's done so much in every
other facet of the roster he's not going anywhere I
really do believe that now. I didn't think that we'd
be sitting here talking about a new offensive coordinator this
time last year.

Speaker 6 (14:00):
But you know, I think that.

Speaker 4 (14:04):
He'll have the the years ahead of him where he
can put together whatever is going to be a long
term future, not just on the offensive line but everywhere.
But I wonder how he's going to go about doing it.
Will he still do short term contracts or will it
be probably more likely it'll be a mixture of long
term contracts but short term for maybe guys that are

(14:25):
already established in the league.

Speaker 6 (14:26):
Yeah, a little.

Speaker 5 (14:27):
It ends up getting based on where other things stand
on your roster, quite obviously, so it'll always be a combination.

Speaker 7 (14:33):
The better the player, the more likely is a long
term deal.

Speaker 5 (14:35):
Is coming home can certainly confirm the deal and that
On his Instagram story, he has reposted several of the
Trent Brown is going to the textan stories and on
one of them it even notes.

Speaker 6 (14:45):
Going back home.

Speaker 5 (14:46):
If you were not aware a Texas born NFL player,
there's a couple of those out there.

Speaker 7 (14:51):
He's a bass drop native.

Speaker 4 (14:54):
Bass Drop being outside of Austin very good, by the way,
are guys outside of Austin Helsinki. Why are guys named
Trent always offensive lineman in the NFL? By the way,
it's a very linebacks.

Speaker 5 (15:07):
The Travis Johnson hates God, don't like ugly.

Speaker 4 (15:12):
That's what he said about I recall, Yeah, Trent Green,
who's a pretty good analyst.

Speaker 7 (15:17):
All right, we'll take a quick break right here.

Speaker 4 (15:19):
We will dive in officially to the televised side of
things when we come back here on a Friday edition
of the show.

Speaker 2 (15:29):
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Speaker 8 (16:29):
Yes, that's Rockets.

Speaker 1 (16:34):
Sports Talk seven ninety your home for your home teams
from the Parsons that Matchine Next Studios. Two lifelong Houston
sports guys named Adam talking your team. Adam Clinton and
Adam Wexler are the eight teams A A.

Speaker 5 (17:00):
All that opening segment pre three o'clock and we barely
scratched the surface on some of the topics we'll have
for you today and more that will probably arrive over
the course of the day, but we got you until
six o'clock.

Speaker 6 (17:11):
Wex and Ac here with you.

Speaker 5 (17:12):
It is the A team here on Sports Talk seven
to ninety, Day two of first.

Speaker 7 (17:17):
Round to tournament action.

Speaker 5 (17:18):
I'll give a little bit of respect to the teams
that played on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Some of whom
are already done for the tournament itself. All the four
that lost obviously we're done then, also not quite halfway
through this second day. Hopefully you got at least thirteen
fourteen games correct in your bracket yesterday out of the
sixteen and more of the same today. Number two seed

(17:43):
flirted with falling earlier today with Bama sneaking past that
random person they selected to make the tournament. His name
is Robert Morris, Oh Bama. But they did win and
hung on to move along. Baylor is advancing after they
beat a Mississippi State yesterday. Naturally, we told you about
u of H grabbing victory Texas A and M and

(18:04):
Advance Texas Tech and Advance, and the schedule for u
of H puts them on the evening slate seven forty
tip for what might be the best matchup of the
entire second round, And we told you about that yesterday
before Gonzaga even wrapped up their overwhelming victor over Georgia.
Best eighth seed you're going to see in a tournament.

(18:25):
They don't belong in the eight line. They belong on
the four or five line.

Speaker 6 (18:29):
At worst.

Speaker 5 (18:29):
They were really really good this year and we're really
really good in their opener. So the Cougar's in Gonzaga,
we'll have over on nine P fifty KPRC. They're home
for Cougar's basketball and football right here in our family
of networks. That'll be tomorrow evening and we'll get you
caught up on everything else that's taken place today. Duke
on the court and handling business.

Speaker 6 (18:49):
Certainly, do just do it.

Speaker 5 (18:50):
One seed, a pretty good game going on between Colorado
State and Memphis. I think that one was also a
poorly seeded set. I think Colorado State was poorly seeded
as back at the back at twelve, and even though
Memphis was the best team in their conference, I think
they were also poorly seeded at number five. In fact,
this is the simplest way to explain it. If Gonzaga

(19:11):
and Memphis played, Memphis would not win. Gonzaga is an eight,
Memphis is a five. Memphis down ten with three minutes
to go in that game. The Astros obviously wrapped up
what is now nearing the end of their spring training
games in Florida. They still have a game tomorrow, and
they have another game on Sunday. Baseball will be played

(19:32):
in Florida on Monday, and it might include both Christian
Walker and Lance McCullers Junior, as they are two astros
who are not expected to accompany the team back to Houston,
so they can do more to prepare for what lies
ahead for them. Dana Brown gave an update on Christian
Walker last night during Astro Line, so we'll let you

(19:52):
hear it directly from him momentarily, but expects him to
be available for Joe Espada when and they have the
Mets in town a week from yesterday, and the Astros
obviously will play a couple of games before their home
opener on Thursday against the Sugarland Space Cowboys Monday and
Tuesday over at Dyke and Park as Dyke and Park's

(20:13):
construction crew continues to try to finish off every little
bit of changeover from the previous name on the building
and should be in place for Thursday. The City Connect
uniform drop came earlier this week. A few people strolled
on down to the Union Station Team store during the
twenty four hours you had to go and grab it. Obviously,

(20:36):
you can still do that today available online. They've got
special store hours over the weekend. In addition to that
and on that the vice president of Marketing from the Astros,
Jason Wooden, will be joining us in studio.

Speaker 7 (20:49):
At four o'clock. Do you have anything going on at
four o'clock.

Speaker 5 (20:52):
By the way, our simulcast portion of our afternoon will
begin on Space City Home Network with Astros Baseball on
our air. That's usually how we play it, So from
four to six you'll catch us via simulcast and you
can hear from him and see him then. It's also
kind of a busy time. City Connect uniforms drops. They'll
wear them Monday during opening weekend. Opening Day is now

(21:13):
less than a week away, and during the opening weekend
of the season for Major League Baseball, which coincides with
a six game Astros homestand well, the Texas Children's Houston
Open is that very same weekend. The tournament itself Thursday
through Sunday, the festivities essentially a week long from the
twenty four through the thirtieth. So he'll also share some
insight on what you should already know about and what

(21:35):
you might not know about. What you do know about
is they have a tremendous field. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McElroy,
Tony Fenow Wyndham Clark a host of the world's best.
As usual, we'll be here in Houston for the tournament,
so it should be a lot of fun.

Speaker 6 (21:50):
We'll have him in.

Speaker 5 (21:50):
Obviously, We've got a lot of different things that we
need to and we'll always get to here. We're kind
of resetting the table on that and as we opened
up earlier, we'll reset that topic. A ninth consecutive victory
is staring the Rockets in the face. They just have
to go and secure it. Secured a road wind in
Orlando on Wednesday, and now they got the Miami Heat.

(22:12):
The Heat are spiraling out of Well, they're not gonna
spiral out of playoff contention because the East is just
that bad. A nine game losing streak still has them
inside the playoff picture, an eleven game under five hundred team.
They are the ten seed in the East as we
enter played tonight. The Rockets, on the other hand, are
right there at the top, still with the fourth best
record in the NBA.

Speaker 6 (22:34):
Like every time they're idle, you're gonna come in the
next day.

Speaker 4 (22:36):
Oh crap, they didn't even play and they're dropped three
spots in the West. No, not technically, but it feels
that way because of how packed everything is.

Speaker 5 (22:44):
It doesn't anymore, especially since like what's about to happen
with Houston. In the last ten days since the Rockets
got to that point, well, the Nuggets and Lakers have
played twice. Well, they both can't pass you, and certainly
one team would have needed to win both games in
order to do it. The Lakers definitely are looking ahead,
and at this point the season, I don't blame them
or anybody else. Oklahoma City's about to do it. Also,

(23:05):
they just captured the number one seed.

Speaker 6 (23:08):
In the West. I can't believe it took them this long.

Speaker 5 (23:09):
So I'm not sure what exactly they're playing for the
rest of the season beyond health. Who knows what will
be on the floor when the Rockets face them later
this year. But the Lakers and Bucks played last night
and Austin Reeves, Lukadancic, and Lebron James were not playing.
The Lakers did not compete and they did not win good.
But I do think that's because they're trying to be

(23:30):
at their best at the right time and not over
exert guys that are currently essentially healthy and get Lebron
James back on the floor sooner than they need to.
Lakers are now four. Nuggets with the win are now three.
Grizzlies have lost two straight. Didn't play last night either.
They are five, and the Rockets are two game better
than the Nuggets, game and a half better than the Lakers,

(23:52):
two games better than the Grizzlies, and currently they on
the tiebreaker with all three of them.

Speaker 7 (23:58):
That could still change.

Speaker 4 (24:01):
I do you think the Lakers are intentionally wanting a
certain matchup.

Speaker 5 (24:08):
I'm not sure what it would be because I figured
people would start asking about that because who is it,
because of what the other team is, Because most everybody
in the NBA, other than Denver, certainly in the West,
they don't have a clue what the Lakers play like.
Because they haven't played Luca's Lakers. They've played Lebron's Lakers
a bunch, They've played Anthony Davis's Lakers a bunch. The

(24:29):
Rockets haven't played Lucas Lakers yet. They don't know what
they're like. They don't know what it will be like
to match up against them. I think it'll be fine
for Houston. I think Houston's gonna be able to handle that.
But I don't know that for a fact. Who is
it the Lakers want to play? Therefore, would be currently
matchup with Memphis a bad not a bad offensive team
because those don't count. Those don't happen in today's NBA,

(24:50):
but not a team that can they don't. I mean,
you don't want a team that is super explosive offensively
because you cannot defense.

Speaker 6 (25:00):
You don't play defense.

Speaker 5 (25:02):
Even though they've played significantly better defense the last two
months against who though the league two months worth of
games is probably not a schedule so slanted in one direction.

Speaker 4 (25:12):
Okay, Well, if you knew that you were going to
play the Lakers, first of all, would you be afraid
at all? If you're a good defensive team or better? Yet,
would you say, all right, I cannot wait to exploit
that fat drunk on one end of the floor.

Speaker 6 (25:25):
I'm using Nico's words, not mine.

Speaker 5 (25:27):
Three playoff teams had the exact same philosophy last year,
and they all lost to him in the Weast.

Speaker 6 (25:32):
But none of them had just wanted to be let's.

Speaker 5 (25:34):
Target Hi, let's target him, let's start, and they Dallas
to his team.

Speaker 4 (25:38):
Dallas was a significantly better defensive team.

Speaker 5 (25:42):
This is what makes honestly, not to get you away
from the Lakers. This is why I still can't believe
the Mavericks GM who was there last year, did this. Ah,
my team has Luca and Kyrie irving on it. We're good,
but maybe we could be better if we help them
by getting some you know, perimeter or a post defense.

(26:03):
He traded for gafferd he traded for Washington. They're really
good defensively. This team is finally in Luca's sixth year,
perfectly built around him, and as reigning Western Conference champions.

Speaker 7 (26:21):
He decides, Nah, let's not do that anymore.

Speaker 5 (26:25):
Right after I made the deals that absolutely positively, one
hundred percent worked.

Speaker 6 (26:31):
We just won the West.

Speaker 5 (26:33):
I just built the team, or I've been trying to
build the team around you first year as i've been here,
and I finally got it right.

Speaker 6 (26:38):
Better trade Luca?

Speaker 4 (26:39):
Who did they play in the Western Conference finals again?

Speaker 6 (26:42):
The Minnesota's Yeah?

Speaker 4 (26:44):
Do you realize that the conference finalists both decided, eh,
let's blow up our teams?

Speaker 5 (26:48):
At least one of them quote unquote came up short. Yeah,
but I just like, yes, I agree.

Speaker 4 (26:53):
Why would you do that? The Rockets literally did the opposite.
They made the conference finals, they lost in excruciating fashion,
and their hashtag the next year was running back. There
should have been blow it up, because that's what both
teams did, but the Dallas Mavericks just did it more spectacularly.

Speaker 5 (27:10):
Based on defensive rating, since the first of the year,
Lakers are thirteenth in the NBA defensive rating, So it's
before almost three months of basketball prior to that date.

Speaker 4 (27:26):
Do you want to guess twenty seventh, how many teams
are in the league. There's thirty, thirty, two, thirty second.

Speaker 5 (27:33):
Prior to that date, the Lakers defensive rating, it was
not as high as thirteen.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
I know it.

Speaker 7 (27:40):
Look at you, Philipbusters two at I gotta put.

Speaker 4 (27:43):
A lot of fighters in that. That's not that far away.
And that is not good.

Speaker 5 (27:47):
That's not even maybe twenty second with And this is
not Davis Tuluka. This is half of the year versus
half of the year.

Speaker 4 (27:53):
You have to be in the top twenty to be
considered mediocre, and that is stretching it.

Speaker 5 (27:57):
I like that bar So, yeah, the Lakers last night
did not put a full group on the court, and they,
like I said, they did not win. The setup for
the next couple of days tonight and tomorrow for those
four teams in the race for number two. Rockets are
at the Heat tonight, Nuggets are at the Blazers, Tonight,
Grizzlies are at the Clippers. The Lakers play the following

(28:17):
day while the other three teams rest.

Speaker 7 (28:20):
They host the Bulls.

Speaker 4 (28:22):
All right, there is some other Rockets news we need
to get to, but it doesn't concern this season.

Speaker 6 (28:28):
It's a look ahead, if you will.

Speaker 4 (28:31):
There's some names being thrown out there by some names
that throw names out there, and we'll.

Speaker 6 (28:35):
Tell you about that. Reporters.

Speaker 4 (28:38):
Reporters are names that throw other names out there, and
I'll tell you who the reporters are and the name
really obvious that's being thrown out there.

Speaker 6 (28:45):
We'll get to that when we return.

Speaker 1 (28:48):
Back to Adam Clinton at Adam Wexler the eight on
Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 4 (29:00):
Hey, everyone, it's the A team on Sports Talk seven
to ninety Space City Home Network. At the top of
the hour we will be simulcasts and then later on
tonight the Rockets will beat the Miami Heat on both
of these networks for their ninth consecutive victory. The only question,
Adam Wesler, I have for you is will next season's

(29:23):
Rockets who will be capitalizing on at minimum a fifty
win season. There's no way they're not winning fifty games.
How many games are left? Come on, I know you
know the number.

Speaker 5 (29:34):
I mean, mathematically speaking, with twelve games to go and
sitting at forty five wins, I know.

Speaker 6 (29:41):
They have a murderer's row at the end of the year.

Speaker 5 (29:42):
You didn't matter who knows what those teams will be doing.
You're right, they're gonna win fifty. I think they'll win
five more times.

Speaker 4 (29:47):
That is a significant increase from forty one victories last season,
which was a significant increase from whatever it was before.

Speaker 7 (29:55):
I've nineteen win increase last year. I've blocked out.

Speaker 4 (29:57):
Those seasons as as everybody. As we're called the rebuilding years,
the ema Udoka era is to say it's a roaring
success so far is honestly putting it mildly. And again,
they haven't won anything yet. They haven't even won a
playoff game, let alone series or been in one. That's

(30:18):
also true for the first time since twenty nineteen or
twenty twenty, if you're nasty, I mean they had the
bubble and the breaks and all that. So it's technically
that season the Rockets will be taking part in a
postseason game, and it'll even be in an NBA arena
and not some stupid quarantine bubble in Florida. But all
of that is to say that, no matter what happens,

(30:40):
this will have been a successful season. And then you're you,
being the Rockets are gonna have to ask themselves some
very very tough questions, namely, do we want to go
make a deal for a big name that will admittedly
do as much to put butts in the seats as
it will to you know, maybe put wins on the leg,

(31:00):
more wins than whatever they end up with. And if
you do, how much how much do you have to
give up to get what is by all accounts, no
matter how much I say that his game is aging
like a fine wine, he's gonna be thirty seven and

(31:21):
that just doesn't bode well for a long term, successful
future of whatever. Because here's the deal. If you trade
for Kevin Durant, And that's what this is about. Because Sam,
how do I say it?

Speaker 7 (31:34):
The people that say things about people.

Speaker 4 (31:36):
Yeah, Sam, Amico, Amiko, however you say his last name,
you have to say it so many times which one
it is? Is it Amiko or is it Amico sam Amico? Okay,
that's the third pronuncia.

Speaker 6 (31:48):
Am ico whatever it is?

Speaker 4 (31:51):
He uh, he's He posted a link to a Chris
Mannix article in Sports Illustrated and he thinks that not
only is Kevin Durant gonna get traded this offseason, he
specifically wants the Suns to trade him to the Houston Rockets.
And this is what he wrote. It's no secret that
Phoenix will split with Durant this summer. Durant has one

(32:11):
year left on his contract and even approaching thirty seven,
still has incredibly high value. I think, and this is
just my opinion, that Durant wants to wind up in Houston.
I think if the Rockets wanted Durant before the trade deadline,
it would have happened. Durant has a lot of respect
for im Udoka, and in Houston he could be a

(32:33):
missing piece to a title contender. I'd keep an eye
on that after this season. He goes on to talk
about the fact that, you know, if you're into that
sort of thing, which wex is he makes fifty four
point seven million next year, you have to take that
into account, because even if you can get Durant for
what you consider pennies on the dollar, both because he's
thirty seven and because he wants out and he wants

(32:55):
to go to Houston, So there's leverage there, you still
have to match that salary somehow.

Speaker 8 (33:00):
Wow.

Speaker 5 (33:00):
Yeah, the leverage they have is that they have Phoenix's picks.
Nobody else has that. I do think other teams are
going to offer comparable numbers of talented players and numbers
of first round picks, but they can't offer these first
round picks, and that might be the avenue that the
Rockets can utilize to their benefit. There may be more
teams involved in trying to facilitate this deal. Teams usually

(33:23):
will be happy to do so if they end up, hey,
what's in it for us? And there usually is something
that makes it worth their while. Interestingly, the NBA's social
media account just twenty minutes ago posted the how the
Rockets were Built set of graphics. They were built by
adding one player in twenty twenties offseason, two players in

(33:47):
twenty twenty ones off season, two more players in the
twenty two off season, and everybody else on the team
has been added since the offseason prior to twenty three
to twenty four. It's just those five guys, Easan and
Smith from the draft, Green and Schengoun from the draft
before that, and the old guy from a rocket standpoint,

(34:07):
Jayshon Tate. Everybody else was added in the twenty three
off season or this most recent offseason, or remember this
most recent offseason. For this year's team, they added nothing
of consequence. The three G League players and Reed Shepherd,
they're not contributors to this basketball team. It's the same
team they had last year. When you include the trade

(34:28):
they made for Steven Adams. There are not a lot
of salaries here. As you relate it back to the
conversation about Kevin Durant. There's Jack Landell's salary, which is
super tradable, meaning it's not lucrative. It's a good trade
to include Jayshon Tate would be similar. And then you
have your veterans. Are you trading Dylan Brooks in this
deal because he makes money? Are you trading Fred van

(34:51):
Vliet similarly because he makes money and the other team
has to want them in return. Whichever team they end
up on, if it is or is not Phoenix, in
some sort of multi team deal. The basketball itself is
always the fun part to talk about. I really think
there's any combination of current players can be included in
that deal and the Rockets would still be good, and
the Rockets would still be at least where they sit

(35:12):
today from a win lost standpoint. But presumably this isn't
made to get them fifty six wins. It's to get
them four wins against somebody in a playoff series. The
guy that's going to make sure they win that game
because he took the last shot, because he's who the
defense is focused on. When he drove into the defense
and dropped it off to whomever's remaining and they hit

(35:34):
the game winning shot. He passes out to whomever is
hitt the three point line and they hit the game
winning shot. Because they're not played two full seasons of
competitive basketball, basically where somebody else has been that guy. Obviously,
Kevin Durant's not here. Jalen Green has been that guy
on a lot of nights. Jabari Smith has found himself
in that position many nights laden games. They've gone to
Shengoon over and over and over again in post ups

(35:56):
a lot in close games. But they don't have what
I think most other elite NBA Championship hopefuls have, where
it's there's no question who's going to have the ball,
or if there is a question, it's because you have
two unbelievable answers like Lebron and Luca. You know, obviously
Sga is going to handle ladies of the point guard.
He's the best player in the West. He's going to

(36:17):
finish things off for them. Memphis is going to have
the ball in John Morant's hands. He's going to create
for himself or for somebody else. The Nuggets are going
to give the ball to nicol Lejokicic probably going to
play two man game with Jamal Murray. Jamal Murray's a
massive clutch shot maker. The Rockets are missing that, and
they also have no experience with it. Because Jalen Green
could play in his first playoff series this year and

(36:38):
hit two game winners. He's never been there before.

Speaker 4 (36:41):
Okay, there is a part two to this conversation, and
this is a super wrinkle in this whole thing, because
this whole time, Durant's been the guy that if you're
dealing with Phoenix.

Speaker 6 (36:51):
I think the Rockets were going.

Speaker 4 (36:52):
To go for because of what Why Why would it
not be Devin Booker that you're talking about.

Speaker 6 (36:59):
Why tell me I know you know the answer to this.
That's what the owner said.

Speaker 5 (37:04):
The owner can completely change his mind, and you couldn't.
Everybody does it. You go in the league and you
come in with all this bravado and you're talking all
this mess about how awesome your team is, and they
keep telling you with their play you're wrong.

Speaker 6 (37:16):
We suck, we can't win.

Speaker 5 (37:17):
So maybe you have a change of heart and saying
instead of trying to rebuild around Devin Booker and be
somewhere in the same position we're in now, we're not
the worst team, but we're not going to the playoffs.
Maybe he will reconsider and say, we might as well
go down to the bottom five.

Speaker 6 (37:33):
We might as well do all of it at once,
and they can.

Speaker 5 (37:36):
They can acquire what I would call a draft haul
if they trade both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant and
figure out how to get out from under the money
that Bradley belisode.

Speaker 4 (37:46):
Well, that's that last part right there. Might take an
Act of Congress. That's where Chris Mannix and I agree.
He says, the big question is Devin Booker. If you
believe Ishbia.

Speaker 5 (37:56):
Matt Ishbia is their owner, he probably don't know him
too well.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
He's really yeah. He's the guy that made concessions cheaper
so that while you're watching a crappy team, you could
at least eat affordably. He says, if you believe him,
Booker is not available, I'm not buying it. See this
is where you agree. The Sons have control of him
through the twenty seven to twenty eight seasons, so there's
no urgency. But Booker is twenty eight. He's an elite scorer.
His value will never be higher than it is this summer.

(38:21):
That's the part that I keep pushing. If you trade
Durant and you bring Booker back, then what Sons don't
have the draft assets to make a blockbuster deal. You're
talking about bringing Booker back for his age twenty nine
season to a team likely destined for the lottery. To me,
the smartest thing the Sons could do is put Booker
on the block. There would be a bidding war, and Houston,

(38:41):
which holds a chunk of the Sun's future draft capital,
wants him. Houston wants Devin Booker. That's where we've gotten
to from the Rockets and Kevin Durant could be a
marriage because Durant wants to be there.

Speaker 6 (38:54):
What if they traded for both of them?

Speaker 5 (38:55):
Yep, that's what we probably eventually need to grasp. How
can a framework that deal work out? And it's it's
been reported before that there's a belief that the Rockets
their phone calls to Phoenix and around the deadline or
since or before were centered around what would it take
to get Devin Booker and that was met with there's
nothing you could give us that would have us your way.

(39:17):
That's so what Mannix is saying is something I think
a lot of people both inside the league and outside,
like ourselves, believe is what has happened. We shall see
the season is going to play out. A bunch of
other teams will be interested in seeing what they need
to do to get them out of the current situation
they're in, which isn't as promising. Look at these teams
we're talking about. The Celtics are have the third best record,

(39:38):
the Calves and Thunder have the best records, and the
Rockets are fourth. Of those four teams, there's only one
of them looking to do something dramatic this offseason, and
clearly the Rockets are also a good you know, five
to eight games behind everybody else. The Celtics team in
twenty twenty five twenty six, it's gonna look like this
year's team, the Thunders team in twenty five twenty six,
same team, Calves, same team. A couple of fringe pieces

(40:01):
might be added to either one of them. The Rockets
are looking to not do what they did this previous offseason,
and we think it's to go big fish fishing, big
game hunting this offseason. They also don't know what this
postseason is gonna look like. We'll find out shortly. Again, well,
I get the game tonight with the heat, We've got
a bunch of other things to get into. Have hardly
discussed the latest with Cam Smith, general manager for the Astros.

(40:27):
Discussed the latest for Cam Smith right here on our
very airwaves less than twenty four hours ago on Astro
Line last night. So a little bit from Dana Brown
what he has to say about Cam Smith is he
on board the Cam Smith hype train?

Speaker 4 (40:42):
Do it whooo?

Speaker 7 (40:43):
Find out next.

Speaker 1 (40:47):
The aged on Sports Talk seven ninety throw.

Speaker 4 (40:54):
This is Cam Whitman here.

Speaker 6 (40:57):
Every Rocket is game yet more.

Speaker 9 (40:59):
Sports talks and streaming on the iHeartRadio ad Home of
Your Rockets.

Speaker 5 (41:11):
So I mentioned we were gonna hear from Dana Brown,
who spent time on our airwaves last evening Astro line
from West Palm Beach, Florida with Steve Sparks and Robert Ford.
But to transition us into baseball talk, I felt this
was worthwhile to bring up since we've been talking a
little bit about college basketball. So Memphis lost, right, So
how am I gonna guess they did? How am I

(41:32):
going to bring that into our baseball talk.

Speaker 6 (41:36):
Cams?

Speaker 2 (41:36):
Nope?

Speaker 6 (41:37):
Nope.

Speaker 4 (41:37):
Is a huge Memphis fan who's one Florida State guy,
who's one of your three full time astros beat writers, Brianctager.

Speaker 5 (41:46):
There you go, Brian Mctiger's gonna get us into the
baseball talk.

Speaker 4 (41:48):
With Memphis loss. If you're nasty Memphis basketball.

Speaker 5 (41:52):
They posted on their ex platform final Memphis seventy, Colorado
State seventy eight.

Speaker 7 (41:58):
He responded to that Brian did, Yes, he did.

Speaker 5 (42:02):
Memphis and U of H have had a pretty long
and very recent history against each other from their conference affiliations,
and he writes, Lol, real Shocker hadn't played a good
team in months, barely beat teams in a bad league
and lost to some of them, and clearly can't compete
with the big boys of basketball. Memphis has won NCAA
tournament win in eleven years. Frauds all along. I mean,

(42:25):
Adam Clanton thinks that's elite level time. I appreciate that.

Speaker 6 (42:29):
Again. Cougar's played tomorrow night against Gonzaga.

Speaker 5 (42:32):
You're gonna hear from Dana Brown here, and of course
we're gonna be talking about Cam Smith. Cam Smith has
seen himself being earn himself the opportunity to play right field,
to start and play in right field, so he gets
to face major league caliber pitching. He did that earlier
today the Astros and Cardinals got together and you heard

(42:53):
that right here on Sports Talk seven ninety. If you're
listening closely to the Cam Smith at bats, there were
four of them, and uncharacteristically, he went over four not
a couple of strikeouts.

Speaker 6 (43:06):
He's human.

Speaker 7 (43:07):
He is, in fact a human. I was not certain
of that until today.

Speaker 4 (43:10):
A human.

Speaker 6 (43:11):
He's human.

Speaker 5 (43:11):
Jeremy Pania continues to rake. He hit one over the
fence his fourth of the season of spring training. He
went three for three. He's got ten stakes. His ops
is twelve ninety seven. Fromber made his last start in
Florida unless he starts against the Marlins in a road
series later this year. I guess or in Tampa he

(43:33):
went five innings, only gave up three hits. I got
into a little bit of trouble and a staple of
Fromber and anywhere it wasn't wasn't super hard or super easy.
Open with a walk, give up a homer, then retire
the side. He gave up three runs in five innings,
got six k's and almost through ninety pitches. I believe
his pitch count was eighty six. That is, you're ready.

(43:54):
Today was Friday. He will start on Thursday. He will
not pitch again until he pitches against the New York Mets.
But you know where we really want to go, and
I've kind of danced and teased around it the whole time.
It's great to talk about Fromber and Jeremy. Might as
well give Jazz a little credit. Today he hit a
three run homer. He now has a spring training homer.

(44:16):
But you know what we like to do when it's
time to talk about Cam Smith, right? I love that
sounds like that for this.

Speaker 7 (44:28):
I put a fade in it. I don't even have
to do it anything.

Speaker 4 (44:31):
It's a way too much of a fa No, you
know what, I retract that nearly completed statement.

Speaker 5 (44:36):
That's a perfect fade. Thank you, Dana Brown. What's your
impression of Cam Smith so far?

Speaker 9 (44:40):
Look, there's nothing like the energy of the youth, and
so Cam Smith is especially human being. First of all,
he has the great combination of humility and confidence. And
so you look for that in players because you know
these players they go out and sometimes they have success
that do not have success. And when you look at

(45:02):
a guy like Cam Smith, I think he's going to
be very successful. I think his head is in the
right space. And so you know, look, we have some
tough decisions to make, but make no mistake, he's pretty special.

Speaker 7 (45:17):
Make no mistake but that he's pretty special.

Speaker 4 (45:20):
He nothing he said there is, there's nothing wrong with
what he said there.

Speaker 6 (45:25):
And do you just want to make something wrong.

Speaker 4 (45:27):
Well, know what I'm saying is that doesn't automatically mean
oh well, he's definitely gonna make the opening day roster.
Because listen to how Dana is just gushing about him. Well,
lest you guys have forgotten, it's been less than a
month since he stood inside dyke In Park, which had
not had minute made removed from the building yet, and
gushed about how awesome Jose Altuve looked in left field.

(45:51):
And now all we hear about from you guys is
how he sucks and the season is going to be
a disaster. It is. I mean, we got to temper
this like there's got to be somewhere in between.

Speaker 6 (45:59):
And that's coming from me.

Speaker 7 (46:00):
We're the home of the hype train.

Speaker 6 (46:02):
I don't want to.

Speaker 7 (46:02):
I didn't listen to a thing. You just said. This
is home of the Cam Smith hype train.

Speaker 6 (46:07):
None of that.

Speaker 5 (46:07):
Get rid of that, Dana, what tells you that, Like
you just said, he's a very special player, What tells
you that?

Speaker 9 (46:13):
Listen, you mentioned the scouting hat. Look, I've been in
baseball for thirty five years and so oftentimes, you know,
you have to evaluate players, right, but very rare do
you get this type of player that come along and
you feel like he may be a fit. And so, look,
we're making some tough decisions, and so you know, we

(46:36):
want to put our best team forward, and so we're
having these conversations about Cam Smith and you know, we
we think he's really good, and we think he has
really good upside, and so we have to make a decision. Look,
are we going to start him in the major leagues?
He's going to go to minor leagues? What's going to happen?

Speaker 6 (46:54):
Right now?

Speaker 9 (46:55):
I'm just telling you right now. I love the way
this guy swings the back. He has really good at bats,
He sees a lot of pitches, he's well at bance,
and so he's making it really tough for us.

Speaker 6 (47:07):
There you go.

Speaker 5 (47:08):
He just talked about the internal conversations, internal discussions. Is
he gonna be with the big club to start with you?
He said it, not me, So it's being discussed. If
you were, if you if Again, he's telling us everything
that's actually happening. You always have a little bit of
doubt anytime anybody is speaking publicly with inside the sports world.
But I don't doubt this for a second. Of course,

(47:29):
they're talking about it because they're trying to win baseball games,
so this guy can help them win games. With a
GM who likes to advance players rather quickly when earned,
I don't have any doubt that this is what they're
going to do.

Speaker 6 (47:39):
If they do, odds are they're.

Speaker 5 (47:42):
Going to do it with him playing an unfamiliar position
right field. How do you feel about Cam Smith as
an outfielder?

Speaker 6 (47:49):
Is that how you view him? Dana?

Speaker 9 (47:51):
As an evaluator, you go out, you scout players. I
happen to see Cam Smith play as an amateur before
he's drafted because I try to go out and see
our first round pick. And so Cam Smith was, you know,
playing in the SEC tournament. Oh sorry, sorry, ACC tournament.
And I'm like, man, this guy's really good. He's a

(48:13):
big dude. You know, usually you don't see really large
third baseman. You know, you had Troy Glass, you know,
you had Scott Rowland. You see, sometimes guys are big.
But I said, you know what, this guy might end
up in right field. You know, I'm not saying he
can't play third base, but ultimately, look, this guy looks

(48:36):
like he's taken to right field very well. And the
talent is pretty special, the humans pretty special, the power.

Speaker 4 (48:43):
Is really good. He keeps his hands inside the ball.

Speaker 6 (48:47):
Man, I can talk all night about camp Smith. I
could talk to midnight. Well, he talked for quite a while.
Sounds like me talking about him and Tomson.

Speaker 5 (48:54):
Frankly, definitely he has a lot of the things, a
lot of the same thoughts that we all have. And
you know, one of the two broadcasters sitting with him
last night, Steve Sparks. He and Robert handled things for
Astroline last night. I think Steve Sparks could hear what
we're hearing, what our listeners are now hearing, because it
elicited this question from Steve and answer from Dana.

Speaker 4 (49:16):
Would you adopt him if you could?

Speaker 6 (49:19):
Absolutely no doubt about it. This guy, Look, this guy's
a special who knows he has that? I said it earlier.

Speaker 9 (49:28):
He has that combination of humility and confidence, and those
are the special ones in this game.

Speaker 7 (49:35):
The special ones humility incommon.

Speaker 4 (49:37):
Would you adopt him? Absolutely? Absolutely? I mean that is Hey,
you know what though, that bodes well if you're hoping
to see him sooner rather than later on the major
league roster.

Speaker 5 (49:47):
Yeah, probably a few more at bats over the last
couple of games, just today and tomorrow. I think it's
a to me, it's a near certainty. I don't know
if they've been asked. I don't believe we've seen an
answer from it. He's playing at Dyke And Park on
Monday and or Tuesday. I don't think there's any question
about there's no reason for them not to get a
feel for his new domain. That's the baseball side of it.
The fans are gonna be this is the game in

(50:07):
Houston's game at Dyke, and he's never played there before.

Speaker 7 (50:09):
You know, in front of these fans, they're his fans.

Speaker 5 (50:12):
And the type train right here on the A team
is selling you on this idea that this is your
new next star. George Springer, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, Jordan Alvarez,
Kyle Tucker. I mean, only offensively speaking, I think we
might add I could, I should say, Jeremy Pania and

(50:34):
now Cam Smith. In a span of ten years.

Speaker 4 (50:37):
Before brock Lesnar was the Beast incarnate, he was the
next big thing. That's the phase that Cam Smith is
in right now.

Speaker 7 (50:43):
The brock Lessnar, the Houston Astros.

Speaker 6 (50:45):
Brock Wesner.

Speaker 4 (50:46):
I don't know if we can get Paul Hayman to
come in and say his name that way, friend of
the show.

Speaker 5 (50:50):
We'll see if we can hook that up for you.
That's your general manager on Cam Smith. Here a little
bit more from Dane over the course of the afternoon
an update on Luis Garcia his injury situation, update on
Christian Walkers.

Speaker 7 (51:01):
Similarly, as we continue here on the eighteen.

Speaker 1 (51:06):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety, the evolution
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Speaker 1 (56:15):
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler.

Speaker 2 (56:18):
The A Team now continues.

Speaker 4 (56:28):
So my buddy Jason Neville was texting about the Rockets.
All right. I told him that I had read my
I had read his texts aloud to you. He thinks
I did it on the air. How long should I
make him sweat until I toe him?

Speaker 18 (56:43):
No?

Speaker 7 (56:43):
No, I was off here the rest of the day. Okay,
that's mean.

Speaker 4 (56:48):
He's a he's a diehard Rockets fan and he's just
it's it is. I've never seen this because if you
think about making a big.

Speaker 6 (56:57):
Move, and it would be no matter what the age,
and no matter what.

Speaker 4 (57:00):
The Rockets do this offseason, if they trade any of
their core, it's a big deal, no matter who it's for.
Think about past seasons where you would make that kind
of move. It's almost because, Ah, this team's just not
getting it done. Like this team has barely been together
for five minutes. There is still something to be said
for letting this core continue to grow, but I don't

(57:20):
know how.

Speaker 6 (57:21):
There's no exact science to this.

Speaker 5 (57:23):
Go back to when I was pointing out the stage
with which stages that they've added. These players, like you're
the two players that you count on the most, they've
been here the longest. They've played together all of those years.
This year four together for Albert and Chrgoona and Jalen Green.
It's year three together for Jabari Smith Junior and Tari Easton. Granted,
Tari's missed most of one of those seasons last year,

(57:46):
but they've been here as long as anybody. And that's
four of your quote unquote Core. You had Amn Tom, So,
you had Cam whitmore to that, they've obviously been here
less time, but it's also not year one for either
of them. The court has had time to play together.
They just haven't had time to give us the final
answer of who these players are going to be. You know,

(58:07):
Cam's the furthest away from saying that a mend's not
far from that. Then you get to Jabbari and Tari
and you know, we've seen so much improvement from Jabari
Smith Junior. Heck, I think the improvement we've seen from
Jabari since his return from injury is immense. The confidence
that he's shooting the basketball with behind the three point
line been waiting for that since he arrived, and now

(58:27):
it's there. They don't all go in, but he's shooting
it like he thinks they're going to go in. His
teammates are passing him the ball like they think those
shots are going in. I don't know where to point
too much of the improvement on Tari because the way
he plays hasn't changed, and that's an awesome thing. He
came in the league expecting to be an NBA player.
I fit in here. I belong on the court. I
can go out there and make a difference in the game,

(58:48):
and he does. He makes a tremendous difference in the game.
His shooting, I think, has also gotten better. When he
gets even more successful inside five feet against much taller players,
which is a then he'll take that next step. And
then you obviously have Jalen and Alpi, who clearly are
improved players from yere one to two, two to three,
and now three to four, and even Jalen over the

(59:10):
last probably two months, he spent time on the court
without him and Thompson at point.

Speaker 6 (59:15):
He spent time on the.

Speaker 5 (59:15):
Court without Fred van Vliet at point. It's not a coincidence.
He's had his first ever five assists in seven assist quarters,
his first ever ten assist games.

Speaker 6 (59:24):
He's now had three of them.

Speaker 5 (59:26):
His rebounding has been on a much much higher level,
and he runs the show. He runs the offense a
lot of the time. Even when Fred's on the court,
Fred will get the outlet pass from somebody and immediately
give it to Jalen so they can push the ball
up the court and try to get something out of that.
All these things are what you hope for. It's just
how long do you wait until you know what you have? Finally,

(59:49):
when someone's it's not the Rockets just sitting here waiting.
I wonder when Kevin Durant's gonna be available.

Speaker 4 (59:53):
They know when he's available available now they would trade
if they could right now, they would have.

Speaker 5 (59:58):
Done a trade, I think if it made sense at
the deadline. So that's what you're looking at here. That's
the main difference. I think they're perfectly happy watching this
group develop. But I think you can also recognize, don't
you think they look at these guys and turn best
case scenario for all of them and still think, well,
we can still be better, Like there's no obvious, Oh,
this guy's a star.

Speaker 7 (01:00:16):
This guy's Anthony Edwards. They don't have Anthony Edwards on
their roster.

Speaker 5 (01:00:19):
They don't have a Jama Rant like superstar talent, and
even Jaws not from a play and from a shooting standpoint.
There's other parts of his games that need to get better.
But nobody's looking at any one of these players, I
don't think and saying, yep, that's a Luca caliber player.
That is a you're gonna win a championship with that player.
You probably will, and they might ascend to that, but
it's not obvious. You don't know that already. And that's that's,

(01:00:41):
to me, the biggest difference between what they have and
why these names are constantly out there in discussions regarding
the Houston Rockets.

Speaker 4 (01:00:49):
All Right, four o'clock hour comes up next. It will
begin with a simulcast on Space City Home Network.

Speaker 1 (01:00:59):
Two lifelong Houston sports guy's named Adham talking your team.
Adam Clinton and Adam Wexler are the E team.

Speaker 15 (01:01:11):
A.

Speaker 5 (01:01:17):
Team with you on a Friday afternoon. Wex and Ac
here with you. A couple more hours with US Rockets
basketball to follow. I've already delivered you Astros baseball earlier today.
The final spring training start for Fromber. Valdez got in
his eighty six pitches his five innings, and now he's

(01:01:39):
prepped and ready to go to take down the other
New York team. A year after the Yankees came to
me Made Park to open up the season, the Mets
will come to dyk In Park to open up the season.
Fromber set to be the opening day starter, Hunter Brown
to follow sure a very public announcement of who goes three,

(01:01:59):
four and five. After that, Hayden was Nesky hopefully avoided
any issue. If you did not hear earlier this morning
he took a ball off his foot in a backfield game,
or yesterday stayed in the game, so.

Speaker 6 (01:02:11):
You take a sock off and point at it. No,
it was not.

Speaker 5 (01:02:14):
It was not a ball that he hit off his foot.
He hasn't taken any at bats that I'm aware of
at spring training. It's probably not needed. I'm sure the
Astros marketing department would create a Hayden was Nesky sock
giveaway day and against whatever team appropriate. The Astros have
a Jose al to Ve Sock giveaway Day this year

(01:02:36):
when they play the Padres, and they were playing last
year when he could not believe the umpires didn't see
the foul ball go off his foot when it changed
directions after it hit his foot.

Speaker 4 (01:02:47):
And then, like most major sports officials, they compounded the
situation by throwing him out for having the audacity of
pointing out how bad they are at their job.

Speaker 5 (01:02:57):
Well, he's your cheer, being literal, he pointed, He pointed
to his foot. He did, He took his shoe off,
he took his sock. What was on his foot? Like?

Speaker 4 (01:03:06):
He didn't.

Speaker 5 (01:03:06):
He didn't leave the game for the next six weeks
because he broke his toe.

Speaker 4 (01:03:10):
No, but I think it was at least a whelp
I guess. I mean, baseball gets hammered off your foot. Well,
ask Kyle Tucker about that bruise last year. He's fine,
he was after three and a half months he broke it. Well,
now he's in Chicago, sanfter.

Speaker 8 (01:03:27):
No toe.

Speaker 5 (01:03:28):
But yeah, so all that on tap. It's Rockets heat tonight.
The expectation is a men. Thompson makes his return to
the court for the Houston Rockets tonight.

Speaker 6 (01:03:35):
He missed the last six games.

Speaker 5 (01:03:37):
They've won eight consecutive games, and I swept a six
game homestand and open up this two game road trip
with a victory in Orlando. They are back home after
this game to take on the Denver Nuggets. Nuggets, Grizzlies,
and Rockets are all on the court tonight in separate games.
Rockets at Heat, Nuggets at Blazers, Grizzlies at Clippers. Those
three teams, along with the Lakers, are still only separated

(01:03:59):
by two games in the race for number two in
the Western Conference, a cool twelve and a half games
back of the Thunder, who have clinched the number one
overall seed in the West.

Speaker 7 (01:04:08):
That's the Rockets to close.

Speaker 5 (01:04:10):
It's the Rockets that have that spot twelve and a
half spots behind them. The Rockets can get to fifty
seven wins, and if the Thunder play their cards wrong,
they would remain at fifty seven wins. But alas the
Rockets have already lost the season tiebreaker.

Speaker 6 (01:04:25):
You don't think they'll rest everyone?

Speaker 4 (01:04:26):
Or do you don't think they'll rest chet so he
doesn't break a leg walking to and fro the team plane.

Speaker 7 (01:04:33):
They've got thirteen games left. He will miss plenty of them.

Speaker 5 (01:04:37):
I don't have any doubt, and I think everybody, I
mean Jalen Williams has now had to miss a few
games with his injury. You know, same thing with SGA.
Just whatever we need to do to get to the
finish line without taxing these guys, because we earned it.
You know, I was looking through what their record is
against everybody else that matters, so including Boston and Cleveland.
What the what their record is against the current top

(01:04:59):
A in the West and then the only two teams
in the East they could end up playing because nobody
else is gonna win the East. They're thirteen and six. Now,
clearly they've cleaned up against the riff raft. That means
they've played fifty games against everybody else and they're forty
four and six in those fifty games. But thirteen and
six against your playoff competition means you're significantly better than them.

(01:05:22):
The Rockets were in that same position at points this year.
But it also means they've got quite a few games remaining.
The Rockets still have five games left with teams in
the five spot or better, two against the Lakers, two
against the Nuggets, one against the Thunder. How those teams
get played will obviously go. You know, figuring that out,
you're gonna have to figure out what are teams really
after and what other issues do they have As you

(01:05:44):
approach in the last two games of the season, you
know Denver and the Lakers, there clearly will be some
There could be jockeying for position. How about if you
go into that game where one team knows, well, I'm
gonna avoid this team that I'm about to play if
I whatever, if I lose, if I win. However plays
out right now, the Nuggets would get the winner of
the seven eight game. Clippers and Wolves would be in

(01:06:06):
the seven to eight game be played in LA, and
if the Clippers win, that's your opponent. If the Grizzlies win,
that's your opponent. The Nuggets, Lakers, and Grizzlies are the
other teams trying to figure out who they might play
based on their ending spot. The Thunder obviously are the
one team that waits on the play in tournament. They
catch the team that wins the eighth seed, and that's

(01:06:27):
any one of three teams that make the play in tournament.
Could be the eighth seed, could be the nine seed,
could be the ten seed, depending on who wins those
extremely entertaining I hope playing tournament games. Let me ask
you this real quick since the Rockets took care of
this with their win over Orlando, and I talked about
it when the NCAA tournament field was put out. You
got those teams in the first four, you got eight

(01:06:48):
of them. The Longhorns were one of them. I just
don't feel like it's the tournament. You're going to Dayton
to play a team that's just like you. To me,
you're not in the NCAA Tournament, even though technically and
clearly and from a record standpoint historically, that's an insane
tournament game. I tend to feel the same way about
the playing tournament. If you're the nine seed and you

(01:07:08):
lose your first game at home, then it's your only game.
Did you make the playoffs? You played an eighty third
game and then he went home.

Speaker 4 (01:07:14):
It'd be like it'd be like going to a wild
card and only playing two games.

Speaker 5 (01:07:19):
Like the Rockets clinched a playoff berth with their win
over Orlando and what else happened, there's no way they
won't finish in the top ten, but they haven't clinched
a top six seed, which they clearly can still make
the playoffs from seven, eight, nine or ten, but they
then still have to win more games in order to
do that. I mean, I don't think the team cares.

(01:07:40):
The team cared about that when asked as much as
they cared about clinching a winning season.

Speaker 7 (01:07:46):
Great, we'd never done it before. Not our goal.

Speaker 4 (01:07:49):
Yeah, they've been talking the Rockets have been talking about
And by the way, I have a question that goes
back to our prior segment about the Lakers winning a
specific opponent. Guys have been talking about making a playoffs
since Media Day and how that if they don't, it's
a unmitigated disaster.

Speaker 6 (01:08:06):
It's not just not a successful season certainly would be.

Speaker 4 (01:08:08):
Now, well, they were how many games did they miss
it by last year by going five hundred?

Speaker 6 (01:08:11):
They were only out by like a.

Speaker 5 (01:08:12):
Game took the last couple of weeks because they went
on a run in position to say, look, this is
not this is within our reach and then out he
got hurt and they still won.

Speaker 6 (01:08:23):
Yeah, just not enough to truly stay in the race.

Speaker 5 (01:08:26):
At forty one and forty one, you were still because
last year's playing teams were they were pretty good playing
last playing team was ten games over five hundred, So
there were five games out of you. What I was
going to ask is one through ten. Last year, Oklahoma
City to Golden State, ten teams.

Speaker 6 (01:08:44):
Separated by three games.

Speaker 5 (01:08:45):
They were separated by eleven games. One and everybody else
this year is separated by twelve and a half games.

Speaker 6 (01:08:51):
It's insane.

Speaker 4 (01:08:53):
Is there a team and they would never admit this
at all, No team would, but especially this team with
e May. Is there a team you think they think?
All right, I'd rather play them versus anybody else out there.

Speaker 5 (01:09:09):
The Rockets take a look at how you get to
that answer. Okay, who if we played this year that
we've crushed everybody the Clippers, Oh, three games wins?

Speaker 6 (01:09:18):
Everybody good at least once.

Speaker 5 (01:09:20):
Yeah, but they've crushed the Clippers. They haven't lost to
the Clippers. But you could also just say they haven't
played the Clippers, not with Kawha, not with Norm and
all these guys fully healthy. So you have that out there.

Speaker 6 (01:09:35):
Have you know?

Speaker 5 (01:09:36):
Minnesota you've beaten three out of four times. Memphis you've
beaten three out of four times.

Speaker 6 (01:09:39):
But it wasn't that Memphis, I mean, was.

Speaker 5 (01:09:41):
Everybody if all these things keep playing into it every
time you get to one of them. But if they
if the Rockets and Lakers are at full strength when
they play these two games coming up. If the Rockets
and Nuggets are at full maybe you have a little
bit more intel and feel for what that is.

Speaker 4 (01:09:56):
And I don't.

Speaker 5 (01:09:57):
I just look at who they really, truly standings wise,
might end up with, and I think there's a reasonable
chance that you know, they're three in Minnesota is six
or their three in Golden State is These aren't good
matchups for the Rockets. Heck, the Rockets had trouble beating
Minnesota without Devincenzo or Randall out there. I think that team,
both they and Golden State are so much better than

(01:10:20):
a seventh seed or an eight seed. But that's six,
seven or eight. That's where they are.

Speaker 6 (01:10:24):
What your you are, what your record says you are.

Speaker 5 (01:10:26):
You are what your record says you are, except that's
not really the team you've played with.

Speaker 4 (01:10:31):
Well, it's not the group of you added a guy
that wasn't even there for most of the year.

Speaker 5 (01:10:36):
Every team, I think other than Houston and Oklahoma City,
almost all of them can say that. The Lakers, you know,
obviously their trade changed everything, the Golden State trade changed everything,
and health with the others, I think this West like
an eight seed, a seven steed a six seed awfully
good teams absolutely can win their opening series and more.

(01:10:57):
And just look at last year's postseason Western Confiens finalists
Minnesota at Dallas. Minnesota and Dallas currently are eight and
eleven in the West. They were the last two teams standing.
They're eighth and eleventh.

Speaker 4 (01:11:13):
Although only one of those is is over five hundred,
but significantly.

Speaker 5 (01:11:19):
I'm just saying that the Mavericks showing the conference finals
last year, they'd won thirty three of their seventy games.

Speaker 6 (01:11:23):
That's unbelievable.

Speaker 4 (01:11:24):
They traded the guy that got them there, and the
other guy that got them there is dead for the year. Basically,
I mean just an absolute like the trade by itself
would have been a disaster, but when you start factoring
in everything that's happened to Dallas after the trade. By
the way, like none of this stuff happened before the trade.
They weren't dealing with a bunch of injuries.

Speaker 6 (01:11:44):
It was almost like.

Speaker 4 (01:11:45):
The basketball God said, oh, you're gonna not take us seriously.

Speaker 6 (01:11:49):
We're going to plague you with this and this and
this and this and this too.

Speaker 5 (01:11:53):
Rockets Mavericks, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson in the back court.

Speaker 4 (01:11:57):
PJ.

Speaker 5 (01:11:57):
Washington, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Davis front court. Those are the
five starters. Only old man Clay isn't hurt.

Speaker 6 (01:12:05):
PJ.

Speaker 5 (01:12:06):
Washington just came back a couple of games ago. For
the most part, all those guys missed almost every game
since then.

Speaker 4 (01:12:12):
You know what the P stands for in PJ. Washington? Yeah,
I do, because I am your co host. Yeah, what
does it stand for?

Speaker 5 (01:12:19):
Wex Well, you want people to believe the J stands
for face somehow?

Speaker 7 (01:12:23):
Yeah, the P stands for punishable. Yes, what's wrong with that?
Doesn't make sense? Punishable, Jace. That's what it is.

Speaker 4 (01:12:29):
PJ. Washington, punishable Jace Washington. All right, we will take
another break right here. We are scheduled to be joined
very very shortly by Jason Woods.

Speaker 5 (01:12:40):
Paul Germain does not appreciate that that's his name, Paul
Jermaine Washington, junior punishable name.

Speaker 4 (01:12:46):
It's regular name, not when it's him. Okay, he's been
punishable ever since he played the Cougars in the tournament.
I was there, Kansas State, Kansas. It does start with
a king. Pretty wrong. It doesn't matter, Tucky, Yeah, whatever,
one of those teams that starts with the K exactly.
We will get to a conversation with Jason Wooden next.

Speaker 1 (01:13:12):
On Sports Talk seven ninety. The A Team continues on
Sports Talk seven nineties.

Speaker 5 (01:13:28):
Back here with you on Sports Talk seven ninety, the
eight team continues we XAC and has promised joined by
our guests Jason Wooden, the vice president of Marketing.

Speaker 6 (01:13:37):
Over at the Astros.

Speaker 5 (01:13:38):
You know you, of course can catch us right now
as we are in our simulcast on Space City Home
Network as well each and every weekday afternoon from three
to six, when the Astros aren't crushing people on the
diamond like they were earlier today, but very busy time
over with the Astros and the Astros Foundation. The golf tournament,
the Texas Children in Houston's Open Houston Open is coming up.

(01:13:58):
Opening day is now less than a week away, and
the first home stand of the season, which features a
Monday home game, means the City Connect two point zero
uniforms and the gear will be worn. And you've all
gotten a chance to see it and hopefully have been
on over to the Union Station team store to get
it on your back and your domes and everywhere else
but Jason, this has been an undertaking long in the making.

(01:14:20):
When it's time to get together inside the organization and
come up with the latest edition of the City Connect platform.
As we were talking to you off the air, we
think I'm saying this right, we think you hit a
home run.

Speaker 6 (01:14:34):
Well, I appreciate that.

Speaker 21 (01:14:35):
That's our goal is to ultimately do something that the
fans really enjoy, be able to take something that the
fans can celebrate and really hope that it connects to
not only this team, but the overall city in general.
I mean that's the design of the City Connect uniform.

Speaker 5 (01:14:49):
And with it, just like with the previous version, the
number of details within the design of every part of it,
but most specifically the uniform details. There's a really good
story behind all of it, and you guys gonna go
through that with some of your materials. One that's front
and center literally is STROS and I know this is
a long standing portion of fandom of this team and

(01:15:10):
now emblazon across the chest. Tell me about going with Stros.

Speaker 21 (01:15:14):
Sure, it's it was one that we had a conversation
internally and we you know, trying to figure out what
that front statement is is going to be and Obviously
we had Space City in version one. We didn't necessarily
want to replicate Space City again, but we wanted to
go with something new, unique, different, And so one of
the long time fan favorite ways to talk about our

(01:15:37):
team is Stros and we had never as an organization
formally adopted that name, and so we said this would
be a perfect opportunity for us to take that across
the chest, really be able to speak to our fan
base and say, yes, we are the Stros. And if
it's connect to the city, what more than a fan
favorite nickname for the team.

Speaker 4 (01:15:58):
We're talking to Jason Wooden here on Sports Talk seven ninety. Yeah,
I've gotten overwhelmingly positive feedback from everybody I've talked to,
and I you know, you see nationally being written about it.

Speaker 6 (01:16:08):
Oh, the Astros crushed it again.

Speaker 4 (01:16:11):
You were telling me before we got on the air
that you guys, you know, Nike's involved or whatever, but
you guys were in a rat like tell me about
the pra Tell everybody that's listening about the process of
coming up with this, and like, how many people are
in the room, how many people were strangling each other
over detail?

Speaker 6 (01:16:26):
You know, how did it go?

Speaker 21 (01:16:27):
It is a long process. This started almost two years,
so you're already one season into your version one when
you start really having conversations about version two. It is
a three year program with Nike, and every three years
you're supposed to go in and do the remake of
your new city connect design and now we have opinions.

(01:16:50):
Nike is absolutely has a seat at the table and
will will lead a lot of some of those conversations,
especially with technology and what they're able to do with
the jersey. We're going to come up with the great
ideas and they may say, ah, sorry, we can't really
actually do that on a jersey, but we absolutely have
an opinion. We had a focus with version one. We

(01:17:10):
talked about the historical nature of space travel, what Space
City was really about, and why it was established. We
felt that there was a lot of meat still left
on that bone that we said, you know what, we
can talk about the next phase of space travel, and
what's the next phase everybody wants to go. It's to Mars,
and we will absolutely be sitting at mission control and

(01:17:31):
being right here in the city of Houston as somebody
goes and takes that first step on Mars. We wanted
to kind of represent that next phase, that next frontier
with this jersey.

Speaker 5 (01:17:42):
There's absolutely two distinct groups of people that are going
to see this for the first time, be exposed to
it for the first time, and you'll see their reaction
to it. One of them, clearly is your fans, and
there's so many of them, and they were able to
spend time over at the Union Station team store and
go through everything and you get a visual of it
and then obviously their purchase so they can bring them
on out to Dike and Park throughout the year. And

(01:18:03):
the other group is the players and your social media team.
Your digital team has done a tremendous job in letting
us see some of that reaction in addition to seeing
all the parts of the jersey. How'd you feel like
both sets of responses, how'd you feel like they felt
about what y'all designed?

Speaker 21 (01:18:17):
First and foremost fans, We've got a ton and ton
of positive feedback. Like you guys had said, I think
what our fans are gravitating to is not only designed
the details, but also the fact that we took a
little bit of a departure of what you saw with
a lot of the teams going kind of more dark
based and we went with the more traditional kind of white.

(01:18:39):
It does kind of look have a much cleaner look.
That was with intention, so fans are really gravitating to
that give them another kind of color that they can
have inside of their closet. The second was the players,
and that's always one that we hide all of this
from them. They do not have a part in the process.
We hope we are taking a lot of their what

(01:19:01):
we know about them, what they love, into the design process,
but being able to actually show it to them and
reveal it to them. We do have the players walk
in during spring training and see it for the first time.
We got a lot of really really good reactions, a
lot of the oh my god, I can't believe this,
So it's it kind of brings you back when you
were a kid getting your jersey for the first time

(01:19:23):
and seeing it and be able to kind of wear
it and put it on. It does take this jersey
to a next level when you actually see it on
our players and what that that actually looks like what
it would be on the field.

Speaker 4 (01:19:33):
How hard is it to just hide it from your family,
like you're in a select few in a room that
like has to keep this a secret. In the age
of social media and new media, that's got to be
like a challenge.

Speaker 21 (01:19:46):
There are conversations. I will say my son is very
interested in what the designs were going to be.

Speaker 6 (01:19:53):
He's a fan. It's hard, it's really hard to day.
Not necessarily maybe when you leave the building it may.

Speaker 21 (01:20:01):
Be a threat of grounding, but it may not be
an NDA. But obviously it is a challenge to keep
those from you know, the people you love, the people
you want to kind of share what you're doing with.
But it's done with intention and you're hoping you're kind
of really kind of holding back something that you're going
to reveal with everybody and they're gonna be super excited

(01:20:22):
about what they see.

Speaker 5 (01:20:23):
Like Game four of the season is Monday, the last
day of the month, and they will be wearing those
City connect jerseys if you wouldn't mind holding it up
here as I transition to the first game of the season.
Opening Day is less than a week away. It is
Thursday against the Mets. Three games against them, three games
against justin Verlanders Giants to follow. In addition to seeing

(01:20:44):
this during the opening homestand these jerseys, Baseball is back.

Speaker 6 (01:20:47):
Opening Day is back.

Speaker 5 (01:20:48):
This team has done a lot of good things during
this golden era of Astros baseball, and the expectations still
are for more of the same.

Speaker 7 (01:20:55):
How about opening Day?

Speaker 21 (01:20:57):
Opening Day, we're super I mean bringing the Mets in
obviously with a big siding with them.

Speaker 6 (01:21:01):
With Soto be able to have that right off.

Speaker 7 (01:21:04):
There's like his opening Day staple two years in our own.

Speaker 6 (01:21:06):
He's twenty one.

Speaker 21 (01:21:07):
You know, I've su heard that said, so I've heard
that for a few years now. He's a he's a
fantastic player, and being able to have the Mets and
have that kind of the start of the seasons one,
it's going to be a great matchup, but it's also
going to be a test for us, and it's an
opportunity for our fans. I mean Opening Days a holiday.

(01:21:27):
We hope that it is across the city and everybody's
going to be able to kind of take a little
time off. You got three h five start, be able
to come down enjoy, we got street Fest again.

Speaker 6 (01:21:37):
Baseball is back.

Speaker 21 (01:21:38):
There's just something in the air with opening days, so
we kick it off right this weekend.

Speaker 5 (01:21:45):
In general, it brought that up when we brought you in.
Is a busy one and it gets started early in
the week before opening day, the week of festivities over
the Texas Children's Houston Open gets underway.

Speaker 6 (01:21:57):
Festivities have actually already gotten underway.

Speaker 5 (01:21:59):
And I know, Jos, everybody else involved with the Astros
Foundation and the team itself, so much goes into this.
It's become a huge event. The timing of the event
continues to put it in a very large spotlight and
the field that comes along with that, including world number
one Scottie Scheffler. They are ready to go for next
weekend's tournament.

Speaker 21 (01:22:19):
It's I mean again, it is going to be a
week's worth of things for fans to do here in
the city of Houston.

Speaker 6 (01:22:25):
And the schedule sets up perfect for us.

Speaker 21 (01:22:28):
Not only do you get to go see exhibition games
Monday and Tuesday next week, but Opening Day you can
come spend golf, I mean do it in the morning,
come out and then be able to go see Opening Day.
And then the weekend sets up perfect with Friday again
night game with the Astros, all day at golf, and
then Saturday day at golf.

Speaker 4 (01:22:46):
And productivity in this town should be in the toilet.

Speaker 21 (01:22:49):
Let's hope, yeah, let's hope for y'all's sake, I very
much appreciate if everybody would go in and be able
to come and attend both happily have you.

Speaker 4 (01:22:57):
We'll make it a national holiday.

Speaker 6 (01:22:59):
You know.

Speaker 5 (01:22:59):
Jim crane involvement with the tournament in keeping it here,
his involvement, I mean, obviously there's a love for baseball,
it's wise the older of the Astros in his history,
but with golf as well, with what he has in
Florida at the Floridian, with what's going on there. The
players that have come through here before, most of whom
are at Astros games during that weekend as well and
have been Brooks Kepka and his wife, I know, are big,

(01:23:19):
like this is a for Jim himself, this tournament and
for the Astros Foundation. Obviously, it's even more than just
there's a golf tournament in Houston and the Astros are
kind of involved. It's be away beyond that.

Speaker 6 (01:23:29):
One hundred percent.

Speaker 21 (01:23:30):
This was something about Jim really went in and said, hey,
we can't be the only city in the state of
Texas to not have a major PHA event. So when
he stepped in and said, hey, let me go in
and help and figure out how we keep this tournament
in Houston. We started that with the intention and obviously
having to go back to the fall wasn't ideal, wasn't

(01:23:52):
where we wanted to be. We wanted to be right
back where we were in the spring where everybody seems
to know the Houston Open should be, and we did.
And we're two weeks before the Masters. Gives you a
little bit of a sweet spot to where you you're
navigating some player schedules, but some guys don't want to
play that week before the Masters, and you say, great, well,

(01:24:13):
you don't want to play two weeks. You don't want
to go without two weeks, So we're right there for you.
And then you have the guys that are like, look,
I want to keep consistent, I want to keep playing,
and we're right there for him. And you've seen that
with this field. This field is going to be one
of the best they've ever had at the Houston Open.
So a lot of great talent. You got Scotty, you
got Rory that just came in right off the major wins,

(01:24:34):
so a lot of good golfers to see. And then
beyond the golf, it's just the entertainment factor, Oh yeah,
that you have out there too. So the weather's the
weather's hopefully is going to hold out.

Speaker 6 (01:24:44):
And yeah, we have another week or two before the blowtorch.

Speaker 5 (01:24:47):
For those that aren't aware, you guys have created some
very unique signature party holes for this tournament.

Speaker 21 (01:24:55):
We are we are working our way to making sure
that we have some of those signature holes and those
those ones that the fans want to be on, and
whole fifteen is is right there with the best of them.
We will continue to modify. One of the really cool
factors we brought in this year is it's called the
dugout and it's literally right behind the green here and

(01:25:18):
it's with intention, but you are you are green level,
right in front of the stands and able to have
your kind of seats and be there right in the action.
I mean you were right next to the players as
they land their shots on the green and hopefully make
a birdy.

Speaker 6 (01:25:32):
So it's it's a really cool viewing experience there.

Speaker 4 (01:25:35):
Real quick, going back to the uniforms before we let
you go, were you in the room the first time
Jim Crane saw them.

Speaker 6 (01:25:41):
I was not in the room.

Speaker 21 (01:25:43):
You're aware of his reaction. I am aware of his reaction.
His continued reaction. Really, his continued well, one, he was
he loved the jerseys right off the bat. His continued
reaction is make sure we don't run out because we
want to make sure that everybody has an opportuny to
come by these.

Speaker 6 (01:26:01):
That is that's his continued reaction.

Speaker 4 (01:26:03):
Awesome, it's gonna be a problem.

Speaker 6 (01:26:05):
That's fantastic.

Speaker 5 (01:26:06):
Like we've told you, we've received tremendous feedback from those
that we've spoken with and people we know that have
already been out there to get them and be ready
to have them. We'll be out obviously at street Fest
Festival before the Astros home opener beginning at ten a m.
With our coverage on site opening day less than a
week away. At Jason Wooden, the vice president of marketing
for the Astros, We certainly appreciate all of the team's

(01:26:28):
efforts and produce things for everybody, and obviously appreciate you
stopping by today.

Speaker 21 (01:26:32):
Thank you guys very very much and super excited to
come and talk about the big week in front of us.

Speaker 6 (01:26:36):
Congrats.

Speaker 4 (01:26:37):
We will continue discussing all things when we return here
on the eighteen.

Speaker 2 (01:26:43):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 4 (01:26:48):
Hey, it's a man to sit.

Speaker 6 (01:26:53):
Every Rockets game.

Speaker 22 (01:26:54):
Sports Talk seven ninety is streaming on the iHeartRadio app
home of Rockets Basketball.

Speaker 6 (01:27:06):
I might sleep on this tonight.

Speaker 5 (01:27:07):
Yeah, there's a again if you have not seen it,
got it up on our site as well, and a
couple of the hats you can now see in our hands.
With that, as you mentioned, the broken star, familiar to
a lot of people on their domes for many many years,
now familiar again on their Monday night gear every Monday
over at dyk In Park. These are the uniforms they'll

(01:27:30):
be wearing. It'd be awesome if they rolled out to
the field with Spencer Arraghetti on Monday night looking to
go four and oh on the season on the San
Francisco Giants.

Speaker 6 (01:27:41):
So are think second team to visit when was Renel
Blanco's no hitter?

Speaker 4 (01:27:45):
He was the number five starter, Okay, so it would
have been a Tuesday. There's that broken day in between,
so I can't even I'm not gonna try to do this,
but look, if Spencer Arraghetty goes out there in those
jerseys for the first time, because that's how the schedule
lines up with when they wear them and everything, he'll
be the first pitcher, barring any sort of unforeseen whatever. Uh,

(01:28:06):
and he has just a name like because let's if
we're gonna be honest here and transparent. We all remember
the first few times they wore the last City Connects
the first year, it didn't always go so well. He
starts saying something about it. You're usually pretty good at this.

Speaker 5 (01:28:22):
You know what Renel Blanco looked like when he threw
the no hitter, right, sweaty well, yes, sweaty Oh, he
was wearing the City connect uniforms. Oh, that's true. So
that was obviously Monday. They had a four game series
against the Yankees. That was Game five Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Speaker 6 (01:28:38):
Opening series, first win.

Speaker 5 (01:28:40):
They also start the year Thursday this year, but it's
not a four game series with the Mets. They've got
the off day on Sunday before they're playing three games
against the Giants and on from there. So again, I'm
not one hundred percent certain they're three, four, five in
the rotation, but it looks pretty likely that that's how
it would go. Blanco gets the ball against the Mets,
rage wasnsky and probably fromber get the ball against the

(01:29:04):
San Francisco Giants don't know the Giants rotation either, and
that's of moderate concern or interest if you'd like to
see Justin Verlander pitch here. The Giants aren't making a
second trip to Houston any year, certainly not this year,
but there's a reasonable chance that their rotation, and I'm
not mistaken, I don't think they've mentioned anything beyond Brandon Webb.

Speaker 7 (01:29:26):
He gets the ball in their opener.

Speaker 5 (01:29:28):
Like the Astros, they play three games despite starting on
Thursday before they get here, So if he's their fourth
or fifth starter, he'll miss their Cincinnati series and he
will pitch here in Houston.

Speaker 4 (01:29:41):
Yeah, he mentioned the two games, and you mentioned the
two games that Cam Smith will know doubtedly, you just
know he's gonna crush a homer in both games.

Speaker 5 (01:29:49):
Well, he hasn't been able to swing the stick over
at Dike in parks, Crawford boxes and manual scoreboard out
there in left field. He doesn't know much about Houston.
I've ever been here before. He doesn't know much about
the ballpark. These are things that I mean, it's not
a huge deal. He's played twelve innings there. If he
plays in both games and before he makes his debut

(01:30:11):
somewhere down the line, maybe on Thursday. But if they
haven't made it clear by Thursday publicly, I wonder how
that impacts what they do with him on those two nights.
If they know he's not gonna be here, does it
matter if he gets time out there? If they know
he's going to be playing right field in the opener
on Thursday, does it matter that he gets time in

(01:30:33):
right field? Minute made dyk in park? Would they specifically
want to play him for that reason?

Speaker 4 (01:30:38):
I think, regardless of what they're going to do with him,
once the game start counting, he's out there.

Speaker 5 (01:30:44):
And it's also, by the way, even though it's super
fun for us to continue with our constant conversation about
this phenomenal topic, they can swift.

Speaker 6 (01:30:52):
Hive train whoo. There's eight other guys on the field
with him.

Speaker 5 (01:30:57):
There are question marks and plenty of other places on
this team. I presume your starter at first base is
Christian Walker. And to that end, we mentioned the Dana
Brown last night on Astro Line had an update about
what he has planned for the weekend and what they
have planned for opening day with Christian Walker, so figured

(01:31:19):
we'd share that with you.

Speaker 9 (01:31:20):
Yeah, very optimistic he'll be open ready for opening day.

Speaker 6 (01:31:25):
We don't.

Speaker 9 (01:31:26):
He feels good right now, so he's taking batting practice,
ground balls and everything. We don't want to rush him,
right because you need him for opening day, right, and
so we feel really good about him. So he's doing
very well. Uh probably could playing games, but like, why
rush it.

Speaker 6 (01:31:41):
This guy's a veteran player.

Speaker 8 (01:31:42):
He's been through this.

Speaker 6 (01:31:43):
You know, a ton.

Speaker 9 (01:31:44):
He's had no blake in the past, and so, uh,
there's no need to rush it. So we we know
he knows what he needs to do to get ready,
and so we feel like he's gonna be fine.

Speaker 7 (01:31:56):
Very you know.

Speaker 5 (01:31:57):
The first thing he said, we're optimistic, so and then
everything he can to was also optimistic. Though two things
did kind of butt heads. We don't want to rush him,
we need him for opening day. Those things don't normally
go together. But that also indicates from everything he said
that they don't feel like they're rushing him. It is
a tricky injury. At any moment, a guy with no
oblique issue whatsoever could swing a bat and all of

(01:32:19):
a sudden create one. This is now the second time
in two seasons where it's at least come up, missed
about a month of time last year and certainly didn't
hit well after he returned final month of the season
and just wasn't quite the same. I don't know if
it was impactful that he was swinging differently or cautious
because of it, or still had a little issue with it.
And now he goes to spring training here with the Astros,

(01:32:39):
and I think they got to it pretty early that
it wasn't really in a bad spot, but several times
through the lineup. If he's out there three four times,
three four games, you'll probably have a much better idea
if this is something that they need to continue to
be concerned with.

Speaker 6 (01:32:55):
And that's it.

Speaker 5 (01:32:56):
Those are your only questions about the Astros, all two
of them. Everything else is all set in stone for
their regular season opener Thursday against the Mets.

Speaker 7 (01:33:03):
You heard it right here on the eighteen.

Speaker 1 (01:33:06):
We now returned to Adam Clinton and Adam Wexelwerth on.

Speaker 2 (01:33:10):
Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 4 (01:33:20):
You know, we haven't talked a lot about today when
it became a time to discuss the Rockets situation.

Speaker 6 (01:33:27):
What's up?

Speaker 4 (01:33:28):
I mean, Aman Thompson's probably I put emphasis on that
word again. I mean, we should be finding out in
the next like five minutes. Right, sure, officially he's playing
by the way, Okay, good, I can go ahead and continue.

Speaker 7 (01:33:41):
Not officially, but come on, man, that's what probable means.

Speaker 4 (01:33:44):
Well, so anyway, I mean, what's it going to be
like the first time idiot starts mouthing off out there tonight?

Speaker 5 (01:33:52):
As per usual, the other side of the table here
will say this absolutely positively, nothing will happen between a
Man Thompson and Tyler Hero tonight.

Speaker 4 (01:34:03):
Okay, well that's not That is just not going to
work if you're going to be a wrestling promoter.

Speaker 5 (01:34:09):
So I know, but this isn't wrestling. You tell me
right now you think a Men Thompson is about to
get ejected for the third time in three months.

Speaker 6 (01:34:17):
I don't even think going to do something.

Speaker 4 (01:34:20):
But I'm telling you right now, yes, you don't think
he's going to nothing.

Speaker 5 (01:34:26):
That means he wants to fight. He doesn't want to fight.
He exactly wants to talk, mess and make baskets.

Speaker 6 (01:34:31):
That's what I'm talking about.

Speaker 7 (01:34:33):
He's not going you can't handle it, then don't lose
to them.

Speaker 4 (01:34:35):
Well, if he's going to keep talking tonight, something will happen.
And if he's going off, especially when defended by him
in he's going to be chirpy.

Speaker 7 (01:34:44):
This is all game related.

Speaker 5 (01:34:45):
You said, if he's going to talk tonight, if he
if he's going to mouth off. What you're really saying
is if he's playing in an NBA game. He does
that every game, every night, all the time. It's gotten
on a lower scale men's credit nine games while they've
been losing.

Speaker 4 (01:35:03):
Right but to a men's credit. And I mean this sincerely.
He's the only one that threw him down to the
ground like a rag doll when he did.

Speaker 7 (01:35:10):
It, because most NBA players are like whatever.

Speaker 4 (01:35:12):
No, most NBA players were watching that thinking finally it
was like Cortland Finnegan, I'm glad somebody finally did it.

Speaker 6 (01:35:18):
That's what they're thinking. They don't want it.

Speaker 5 (01:35:20):
They want to put a Men Thompson a goat level.
It's probably you know, both of those are tough fits.
A Men v Andre and Courtland v Hero. And I
think some people probably think Courtland Finnegan was a good
NFL player, but I don't. One time All Star Tyler Hero,
second year rocket of Men Thompson. Go ahead and create
your posters, your matchup posters, your face to face with

(01:35:43):
tailor the tape, all the tail of the tape stuff
you need. It's it is really you know, do you
have a saying for it? Like if Jerry Cooney and
Larry Holmes had a fight at Caesar's Palace late in
their careers, you'd call it geezers at Caesar's. Well just
do this is in Miami, Logan Paul and Mike Tye. Well,
I'm trying to just remind you of what it's like.

(01:36:03):
You create a poster and a hopefully a saying to
go with it so you can sell the pay per
views they're playing the game. If you want to use
some you know, geezer as Caesar's. I don't think you're
gonna have a play on the Kasaiah Center, but if
you'd like, I'm just giving you all the information.

Speaker 4 (01:36:21):
Call.

Speaker 6 (01:36:21):
Yeah. What was it before American Airlines arena or center?

Speaker 7 (01:36:26):
They have the arena version, the mass version.

Speaker 4 (01:36:30):
It shouldn't be allowed to have the same. Like there's
a compact Center in San Jose. Nobody thought that was
the Summit.

Speaker 6 (01:36:34):
So I don't.

Speaker 5 (01:36:35):
I mean, they're on a nine game losing streak. The
Rockets are on an eight game winning streak.

Speaker 6 (01:36:38):
They stink.

Speaker 5 (01:36:39):
The Rockets are good. The Heat beat them once and
the Heat beat them all the time.

Speaker 6 (01:36:47):
Mm hmm, I don't. I'm just trying to give you information.

Speaker 5 (01:36:50):
Miami has currently won a franchise record nine straight against
the Houston Rockets.

Speaker 6 (01:36:57):
Yeah, because the Rockets go there.

Speaker 5 (01:37:00):
Your brain is going, and I know there's wheels are spinning,
basketballs are twirling.

Speaker 4 (01:37:05):
Do you have anything? The streak is over, amen? See
what I did there? By the way, so they're losing.
Oh that street this is there's three streaks.

Speaker 5 (01:37:16):
So the Rockets Miami winning streak right the heater on
a nine game winning streak against Houston.

Speaker 6 (01:37:21):
And Tyler is right in streak. You know what?

Speaker 4 (01:37:26):
You know, it's actually more pathetic than any of this
that we're talking about regarding the Miami Heat. And did
I revealed this? Apparently to Matt Thomas during the Orlando
broadcast the other night. He was, uh, he was talking
about something with the Magic and the going back to
the ninety five finals with the Rockets and all that
kind of stuff. He never brings that up, but uh

(01:37:47):
I he did not. Apparently he wasn't aware that the
Miami Heat and maybe some of you aren't aware of this?
Are Are you aware that Michael Jordan has his jersey
retired by the Chicago Bulls?

Speaker 6 (01:38:00):
Were you aware of that? Yes?

Speaker 4 (01:38:02):
Are you also aware that Michael Jordan has his jersey
retired by another NBA team? Yes, the Miami Heat. Yes, Like,
we get it. Okay, you wanna say that he's the greatest,
which is ironic since you formally employed a guy that
a lot of people think is somehow the greatest.

Speaker 6 (01:38:17):
But he's not. He's second.

Speaker 4 (01:38:19):
Michael Jordan's number hangs in the rafters and it's the
second arena that it's hung in because they did this
back when they played at the other place.

Speaker 6 (01:38:28):
And I don't even know what that was called.

Speaker 4 (01:38:30):
Like, I get it, but his logos on all these
jerseys now, which is the definitive I won the goat debate.

Speaker 6 (01:38:37):
But whatever, the.

Speaker 4 (01:38:39):
Miami Heat retired Michael Jordan's jersey and he never played
a game for them.

Speaker 6 (01:38:44):
That's insane to me.

Speaker 5 (01:38:46):
So anyway, I'm sure you missed this earlier this week
because when Matt Thomas didn't know that, we didn't bring
it up. Do you know what comes up if you
search on the X platform? Tyler Hero brother. You're familiar
with what happened this past week.

Speaker 4 (01:39:02):
No, well maybe I am, but I'm not the way
you're framing it. His younger brother plays basketball.

Speaker 6 (01:39:07):
What's his name?

Speaker 8 (01:39:09):
Uh? Uh?

Speaker 5 (01:39:11):
What?

Speaker 6 (01:39:12):
Just because because mcclor is called Trevor Bauer Tyler.

Speaker 5 (01:39:17):
I'm gonna go ahead and say, with one certainty, without
any knowledge at all, his name is not.

Speaker 4 (01:39:23):
Trevor, to be pretty cool. If it was, I'm not
going to go with not. I'm going to go with Austin.

Speaker 6 (01:39:30):
Was a boy. She was going to be named Austin,
my younger sister.

Speaker 7 (01:39:32):
Uh, and then instead went with Amy.

Speaker 4 (01:39:34):
Yeah, okay, well it was a girl Austin, And we
know girls you have named name?

Speaker 6 (01:39:40):
Is it Austin? Yeah? Who names their girl first name Austin.

Speaker 5 (01:39:45):
I'll have to find one, but I'll just so I
can prove it to you. Okay, but Austin hero was
in the uh social media stratosphere. He's say, sophomore basketball
player in high school. Uh that know, I think he's
a sophomore in college but plays basketball for.

Speaker 7 (01:40:05):
Let's see, I don't know. I should have looked all
this up. It wasn't really important.

Speaker 5 (01:40:09):
Uh yeah, he was playing in a basketball game and
in the handshake line after skirmish went very happy.

Speaker 4 (01:40:15):
He started it. He did, he did hate me, and
there was no punches. There were no punches. I know
earlier I talked about PJ. Washington and punchable faces. It
doesn't even come to well, I'm sorry, I knew it.
He has two brothers. There's Mosstins in college. This guy
is Miles with a ya Austin and Miles. Could you

(01:40:36):
imagine living down the street from those losers growing up?

Speaker 7 (01:40:40):
Oh gosh, probably regularly if he went down there to
play hoops.

Speaker 4 (01:40:44):
Yeah, but I would have played football against them and
they would have had it handed to them.

Speaker 5 (01:40:48):
It got handled, but it was a It was a
little bit of a scene following their playoff loss.

Speaker 6 (01:40:52):
So what happened?

Speaker 7 (01:40:53):
He just shoved a gun and then they got.

Speaker 6 (01:40:55):
In the handshake line.

Speaker 4 (01:40:57):
Yes, so you had all game to do it, but
you waited till then. That's very Tyler of you. And
by the way, remember when Tyler got thrown down like
a rag doll. You remember that.

Speaker 6 (01:41:06):
We haven't mentioned that a day that will live in
Miami sports infamy.

Speaker 7 (01:41:11):
It wasn't personal, it was just straight competition.

Speaker 6 (01:41:13):
Did you see in this I know about a man, okay,
any man? Right? Yes? Did you see his face when
that happened to him?

Speaker 7 (01:41:20):
The guy who was laughing?

Speaker 4 (01:41:21):
No, that was minutes later after there was like fifty
people between him. The men was not finished with. Tyler
wanted none of the smoke. He got up and he
started walking away because he knew he got his arms
handed to him.

Speaker 6 (01:41:35):
Yep.

Speaker 7 (01:41:36):
And what did he also do? You're gonna hate this exactly.

Speaker 5 (01:41:38):
Yeah, and thens we're ticked off and it's on them.

Speaker 6 (01:41:42):
They blew it.

Speaker 4 (01:41:42):
They gave a game away. The massive win win is
a win, No, it's not. There's different wins. And you
know it.

Speaker 5 (01:41:50):
We'll be winning all five o'clock hour football. At five
you're gonna hear from the newest richest Houston, Texan next.

Speaker 2 (01:42:00):
Adam Clinton and Adam Whitfloor are the a team.

Speaker 8 (01:42:05):
Ay, there it is. Man.

Speaker 4 (01:42:23):
I cannot wait until we play the audio that has
nothing to do with football soon.

Speaker 5 (01:42:28):
We do need to give you an update on what's
going on in the NCAA tournament, so we will shelve
that for a couple of minutes. Nothing of I don't
think super great consequence. I mean an SECD team has
lost but I think people thought that might be the
case with them. So we'll keep you abreast of what's
taking place there and elsewhere on the sporting landscape. An
hour out from shifting fully into Rockets coverage, Rockets launch

(01:42:49):
Pad at six, Rockets count Down at six thirty, a
tip off against the Heat from Miami with Matt Thomas
and yours truly coming up at seven o'clock tonight. An
opportunity to get to twenty one games over five hundred
and run their season best winning streak of eight all
the way up to nine.

Speaker 6 (01:43:06):
But it's football.

Speaker 5 (01:43:07):
At five last segment, I said we would hear from
the latest most well paid Houston, Texan pen to paper
for Daniel Hunter on his extension. Originally signed last offseason
to a two year deal, it is now a three
year deal with another year at better than well better
than thirty million per season added to it for the

(01:43:28):
final season even help them out a little bit on
this year's cap situation, and then they'll just keep on
kicking that salary cap can down the road in perpetuity.

Speaker 7 (01:43:38):
Every GM will do it. They do it in the
other thirty one cities too.

Speaker 5 (01:43:41):
But Daniel Hunter, in his social media message to you
ac the fans of the Houston Texans.

Speaker 6 (01:43:48):
Hey Texans fans and Daniel Hunter here. I'm excited to
be extended with you guys. Let's continued to chase the
ultimate goal of bring the championship to the city. Ah
is up, Go Texans? Jay?

Speaker 4 (01:43:58):
Why do I feel like I just got trucked by
an eighteen and wheeler just hearing him say that?

Speaker 5 (01:44:01):
Now, you've also seen pretty much all every time, and
especially this last week, when the players literally come into
the stadium, into the offices and they sign their deals.

Speaker 6 (01:44:11):
It happens all over the league.

Speaker 5 (01:44:12):
You'll see a picture of the player sitting there, they'll
have the monitor behind him. So and so signed, and
maybe the family's there and kids and a nice picture
of it. And the Texans are no different, except the
Texans have maarguably the greatest team photog in NFL current history. Yeah,
Zach is just unbelieva. It might not even be his photo,
but I'm just telling you it's true. He's phenomenal. All

(01:44:35):
the crews here actually are for as far as that goes.
If you haven't seen it already, look at the Texans
social media picture of Daniel Hunter signing his contract and
just the boring nature of he signed his contract. You
won't think that for a second when you see this
beast of a Texan signing his contract. Oh my god,

(01:44:57):
I'm terrified of him signing his contract. Yes, it's awesome.
Did you see what I said when he got his extension?

Speaker 6 (01:45:04):
What you said?

Speaker 4 (01:45:05):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (01:45:05):
What did you say?

Speaker 4 (01:45:06):
Well, now I have to find it, but basically, you know,
the news came down. It's another short term deal. But
we know what he's already done. We know that he's
you know, been fantastic and getting after the quarterback is
his specialty, among other things. So I think it was
Tom Pellisario's tweet that I quote tweeted, this is the
first one I saw. That's my rule, and I said,

(01:45:28):
more quarterbacks are going to get dead in the backfield.

Speaker 6 (01:45:31):
That's how I feel.

Speaker 5 (01:45:32):
He had two sacks this past year where that comment
would have fit brilliantly.

Speaker 4 (01:45:37):
I'm gonna go ahead and Quoe tweet this picture. He didn't.

Speaker 5 (01:45:39):
He didn't bring the guy down, he didn't tackle him
around the waist, he didn't push him so hard that
he fell, He left his feet and landed on the quarterback.
Just basically Superman tackled him. It was awesome, and you're right,
more of that probably all all this.

Speaker 4 (01:45:54):
And I can't even remember which one of them did
it more because they both did it. You know what,
my favorite kind of quarterback sack is in the.

Speaker 5 (01:46:01):
NFL where they fall down and you get your record
breaking sack and he's Brett fav and you're Michael Strahan.

Speaker 6 (01:46:09):
And then you go on to a successful news career.

Speaker 5 (01:46:13):
Do you know that Mark Gastoneau is suing over that
incident which then became public when it was released.

Speaker 7 (01:46:21):
You made it an incident. No, he didn't make it
an incident.

Speaker 5 (01:46:24):
There was an incident, but when it was I guess
sensationalized well by the network.

Speaker 6 (01:46:32):
Well you won't.

Speaker 7 (01:46:33):
When I tell you who he's suing, you'll be fine
with it.

Speaker 6 (01:46:35):
Who's he suing?

Speaker 7 (01:46:37):
ESPN?

Speaker 4 (01:46:38):
And then I know, if you show the media these days,
you've got a good chance of winning.

Speaker 7 (01:46:43):
And the NFL, well, yeah, that's their fault.

Speaker 5 (01:46:47):
Twenty five million dollar suit over the viral Brett Farv clip.

Speaker 4 (01:46:52):
I got fifteen from CBS. I think that, Uh, that's funny.
What the h Yeah, you didn't know that for what
they misrepresented something that he they actually do know what
did he get? He got fifteen million, No way, that
was one of the networks. He got another.

Speaker 7 (01:47:09):
He was able to keep one of his hotels open
a little bit longer.

Speaker 6 (01:47:13):
That's like probably just the air conditioning bill for the.

Speaker 4 (01:47:16):
Seed money needed for the Apprentice six. I have a
lot of shrubs at mar Lago. I used it on
the landscaping.

Speaker 7 (01:47:24):
Uh what about his current home? Where does he live?
The white House?

Speaker 4 (01:47:29):
That's the lie. He's there, he seasons there, that's his
summer home. Yeah, mar a Lago golf course.

Speaker 6 (01:47:35):
That seed I'm not even kidding.

Speaker 4 (01:47:37):
At one point I was like, well, if he wins
the selection, he'll probably just run the country from Florida.

Speaker 6 (01:47:42):
Why not.

Speaker 4 (01:47:42):
It's a compound anyway. You're a fan of fast times
at Ridgemont High? Yeah, football at five what?

Speaker 5 (01:47:49):
Yeah, Jefferson must be a story about the football team,
so when you flies in for games.

Speaker 4 (01:47:54):
Pretty much any sort of movie, especially cheesy ones from
the eighties like that one one of the best ones.

Speaker 6 (01:48:00):
Well, it's actually I take that back.

Speaker 4 (01:48:01):
That film's not necessarily cheesy, but the football scenes are.
They're hilarious because how does Jefferson look on camera?

Speaker 6 (01:48:09):
Point of view? Angle.

Speaker 4 (01:48:11):
Yeah, that's what I imagine quarterbacks see when either Will
Anderson or Daniel Hunter sacked them. Do you know the
ones I'm talking about where they come out from the
side like a ninja and they're like.

Speaker 6 (01:48:20):
Who I am?

Speaker 5 (01:48:20):
And they like you know, the Alvin maclaps him, the
Alvin Max shots from the program. Yes, and his commentary
which we will not be repeating here. What about Latimer
plus at the table? But that was on that was
a practice and in the facility the mask macall, when
you were.

Speaker 6 (01:48:34):
Playing football in high school?

Speaker 5 (01:48:35):
Yes, when I was playing football in high school, Hold
on me or any of you out there got it?

Speaker 4 (01:48:38):
Did any of you spit into a teammate's mouth then
have him spit back into yours before you took the field.

Speaker 6 (01:48:45):
And now we're ready?

Speaker 7 (01:48:47):
Good love.

Speaker 4 (01:48:49):
These was only eclipsed by him making the team and
then headbutting a window of a car.

Speaker 7 (01:48:56):
Don't tell a coach about that.

Speaker 4 (01:48:58):
You think he's roading again? That was parapheries line. Oh
good stuff.

Speaker 5 (01:49:02):
So Texas have gotten things taken care of with Daniel
Hunter for several years to come. This season and next season,
do think they will have a repeat performance on the edge.
I think it will be the most feared duo in
the NFL. The timing of it, we mentioned this earlier
this week, I think makes a lot of sense for
the Texans considering Trey Hendrickson and Bosa were you know,
Bosa first and Hendrickson at some point this offseason. Probably

(01:49:25):
we're gonna get more money, and why wait for your
guy to be the last one to get money. The
agent we've probably talked about the most in the last
several years, and deservedly so, is David Muligta.

Speaker 6 (01:49:38):
He's the agent athletes.

Speaker 5 (01:49:39):
First got the extension done here with Deshaun Watson. He
got the extension done with Jalen Ramsey and Jacksonville, but
really caught a lot of news because he then flipped
him to the Rams. You get your guy your money,
but you're also helping to facilitate getting him to a
team he wins the Super Bowl with, and he's gotten

(01:50:01):
money for everybody else. Jase Horns his guy highest paid
cornerback until Derek Stingley Junior, his guy becomes the new
net new highest paid cornerback. What's the biggest player in
the NFL that has not gotten his extension? Even though
he's played his way into it, absolutely deserves it. Michael Parsons,

(01:50:21):
you know who his agent is, David. It's just the
one syllable Tom goog No David Mulligetta. Yeah, and he
took to the X platform today, did Micah in reference
to his agent. And I'm sure in the comments everybody
can figure out exactly what he might be talking about.
Last handful of hours over the course of the day,

(01:50:42):
particulars on different deals finally get divulged, and you know,
you go through the agent's profile and you okay, his
deal works out like this, and information on you know,
T Higgins deal came out, Jamar Chase's deal, and plenty
of others. Michah Parsons earlier today about eleven thirty in
the AM wrote the following, some of these agents don't
have the best interest for y'all, wake up. David Mulligeta

(01:51:06):
has been showing it time and time again. It's sad
seeing some of these players it worked by teams because
of lack of decency and effort by their agents.

Speaker 4 (01:51:16):
You know what I'd love to do. I'd love to
and I don't think. I don't know if it's possible,
although I will always aim high. I'd like to book
him here in studio. Well, he is.

Speaker 5 (01:51:26):
Very he's happy to talk, but he's got so many
of his own platforms.

Speaker 6 (01:51:30):
Sure he could take time for us.

Speaker 5 (01:51:33):
T Higgins is my best guess that that's what he's
talking about. Some of the details on his contract suggest
what did you really get? You were going to play
under the franchise tag and instead you signed a quote
unquote long term deal multiple seasons worth. Well, he really
just signed a one year deal for way more money

(01:51:56):
than he would have gotten on his previous one year
franchise tag deal. It's essentially an additional ten million dollars,
but he'll get all that money in year one and
then they can release him with no real financial penalties
immediately after.

Speaker 4 (01:52:12):
And he's happy because he got paid.

Speaker 5 (01:52:14):
He did get paid. I don't know that they'll have
to let go of him in a year. But when
the finances tell you that the option is right there for.

Speaker 6 (01:52:23):
You, it's a win win for everybody involved.

Speaker 5 (01:52:25):
It doesn't sound like a win win for T Higgins.

Speaker 7 (01:52:29):
And that's what I think Micah is saying.

Speaker 4 (01:52:31):
I look, Micah Parsons, you're ready for a very sizzling
hot take. Yeah, I'm ready. I'm not sure that was rhetorical.

Speaker 6 (01:52:41):
It is, I'm a I'm not sure he stays in.

Speaker 5 (01:52:46):
Dallas, right, but he's still locked in for three more
years if the Cowboys force him to.

Speaker 6 (01:52:51):
Now he could hold out and not play.

Speaker 4 (01:52:54):
How many years did Miles Garrett have left before he
signed his extension or was he a free agent this
like right now where he just he was still under contract.
That that's who I think he's going to be. Only
I think he's going to go through with it. I
think he's going to want out of Dallas.

Speaker 6 (01:53:09):
He's not. They're not going to get better.

Speaker 4 (01:53:12):
I mean, look, oh, Dak was out half the season
last year, and they sucked when he was playing, and
they've gotten worse from a talent standpoint. They've done nothing
in free agency. So unless they have a home run
of a draft, which guess who's their GM, Steven Jones, Dad,
he would. I just I'm just saying not to pour
salt into the wounds of Cowboys fans out there, but.

Speaker 5 (01:53:35):
Football at five on a Friday, your home for your
Southwest home, deep Southwest home for Dallas Cowboys Football.

Speaker 7 (01:53:41):
Sports Talk seven ninety.

Speaker 2 (01:53:45):
The eighteen on Sports Talk seven.

Speaker 3 (01:53:47):
Ninety Adam Clinton at Adam went for it the eight team.

Speaker 4 (01:53:59):
It is the eighteen Sports Talk seven ninety quick story
about the uh subject.

Speaker 6 (01:54:03):
Of this next bit of audio You're gonna hear not
is not happening in this segment that all happened.

Speaker 4 (01:54:09):
Okay, I'm trying to buy you time, man, Come on,
people are listening.

Speaker 6 (01:54:14):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (01:54:15):
Once upon a Time Joseph d'Arte, long time journalist of
sports here in the city.

Speaker 6 (01:54:23):
He's covered all sorts of things, but primarily.

Speaker 4 (01:54:25):
You, of H. He's one of the nicest guys you
will ever meet. If you happen to come across him
at a game or encounter him, absolutely say hello. He's
a good dude, which why which is why I was
surprised when once upon once upon a time, and you
know him and Matt Thomas are boys, because you, of H.

(01:54:45):
I discovered that he had blocked me on Twitter, and
this is when it was still called Twitter, so I
can say this, And I was like, what could I have?
I don't even remember having any sort of interaction. Now,
this happens a lot with some of the other people
on that list. I have no ide idea what I
said to get blocked by, for example, Chris Weber. But
I am I don't know. I know exactly what I

(01:55:08):
said to Mark Cuban. I earned that one badge of honor.
But I saw I just like I was like, man,
and I think I had I might have even had. No,
I didn't have Matt reach out. I think I texted
him because I had his number, and he goes, dude,
I have no idea. Man, I'm so sorry, I'm unblock
you right now, and like followed me back and it
was just kind of like a funny thing. But I

(01:55:28):
bring all this up to say he's a lot like
mc taggart, just like a mild mannered guy. He's just
a very nice man. So it is with you know,
a little bit of hesitation that we play this audio, because.

Speaker 6 (01:55:45):
No, I don't want to clown him.

Speaker 7 (01:55:47):
We're not trying to.

Speaker 4 (01:55:47):
I want to make sure people know we're not doing
this to clown him.

Speaker 5 (01:55:50):
No, we're doing this to note an interaction with two
people who work with each other all the time.

Speaker 6 (01:55:58):
And two people speaking of the other guy.

Speaker 4 (01:56:00):
We also both well, I won't speak for you, I
love love.

Speaker 6 (01:56:05):
The other person.

Speaker 5 (01:56:05):
You're going to hear, yeah, Kelvin Samson, So in between
games at the NCAA Tournament, or in advance of games
which would have been on Wednesday and now today on Friday,
the Cougars have a game coming up against a certain
team with a bulldog's nickname, the not a Cinderella, Not
a Cinderella, an eight seed, So a question about that

(01:56:26):
team was asked of the head coach of the Houston
Cougars at today's in between game in advance of game
media availability. The reporter is Joseph d'Arte, the longtime Chronicle writer,
and he's been on this beat for the Cougars for
a very long time and has covered several other beats
here in town, and you hear him all the time.

(01:56:47):
You've heard him this week right here on Sports Talk
seven ninety also part of our pregame coverage for Cougar football,
all sorts.

Speaker 6 (01:56:53):
Of great stuff.

Speaker 5 (01:56:54):
Great dude been on the road with him covering games
in the past and here in Houston for many many years.
So I think you know, we have plenty of respect
for Joseph dwart to. Here was the exchange in advance
of their game against that eight seeded team coming up tomorrow,
which you'll catch on Am nine fifty kPr Radio. Didn't

(01:57:17):
you try to get a game with Gonzaga in twenty
twenty one?

Speaker 7 (01:57:21):
Zaga, Gonzaga, Gonzaga.

Speaker 22 (01:57:24):
I always always burns me up when people say that. Yeah,
I was like calling me Kevin. My name is not Kevin.
My mother used to say people would see my name
and say, hey, Kevin, and she would don't. Don't let
people call you Kevin. Your name is Kelvin. Make sure
they pronounce your name right. So that's why I'm all

(01:57:45):
my antennas go up with that. Same with Gonzaga. They
were our neighbors. It's and it's not Spokane, and it's
not Gonzaga. It's Gonzaga and it's Spokane. Go ahead, Kelvin,
Sam go ahead.

Speaker 5 (01:57:59):
Nineteen eighty to nineteen ninety four coached at Montana Tech.
That's in the northwest part of our country.

Speaker 6 (01:58:07):
Is that in?

Speaker 5 (01:58:08):
And then he coached at Washington State, also in the
northwest part of our country, but specifically Washington State, which
he clearly was referencing there. I'd feel pretty confident saying
to the first three hours of our show today, I
probably said Gonzaga the way Joseph did and many others do.
I made a mistake, you think happens a lot, unfortunately,

(01:58:28):
and he corrected it.

Speaker 4 (01:58:29):
Being back in nineteen ninety four when Kelvin not Kevin
was coaching in Seattle or Washington State where Seattle is located,
that he was a big Nirvana fan and listened to
it pregame.

Speaker 5 (01:58:40):
So even that if you said Washington State located in Seattle,
he would have stopped you in the very same way.

Speaker 4 (01:58:48):
Well, I meant to say Seattle is located in Washington State.

Speaker 6 (01:58:51):
Because is that state of Washington? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (01:58:53):
Okay, because that is where, of course, the unfortunate demise
of one Kurt Cobain occurred in Seattle. What happened, Uh,
he had an unfortunate incident involving a firearm.

Speaker 6 (01:59:05):
Okay, and he no longer wrote songs after that, okay,
or did anything else.

Speaker 7 (01:59:10):
I understand. I also knew what happened. Oh well, it
was rhetorical.

Speaker 22 (01:59:14):
It was.

Speaker 7 (01:59:14):
It was one of those questions.

Speaker 6 (01:59:16):
What's your favorite Nirvana song?

Speaker 4 (01:59:18):
Wex Oh, yeah, that's that one.

Speaker 5 (01:59:24):
That's how it ends, right. He repeats that line until
he totally fades out.

Speaker 4 (01:59:28):
I thought, for sure, just because you would say smells
like teen Spirit, there are no words that I can say.
That's just now sounds. I was trying so hard not
to snort.

Speaker 5 (01:59:42):
They might have the most popular, the very most popular,
most well known songs, and obviously Smells like Teen Spirit
is at the top of not necessarily their best. They
have other songs that were really really they were somewhat popular.
They're they're well known, but there I like them.

Speaker 6 (01:59:56):
Better the intro and this is probably like smells.

Speaker 7 (01:59:59):
Like teens Spirit because Whirred al got a hold of it.

Speaker 6 (02:00:01):
And what was the title of that song, like Nirvana?

Speaker 5 (02:00:06):
Yes, I uh, which sounds like it was an appropriate
title for him. Yes, well most of them aren't. The
band names not involved in the title.

Speaker 4 (02:00:15):
He he parodied bad and it was called fat. Yeah,
it doesn't smell like Michael Jackson. Well that's not the
name of the song. By the way, this could this
could be my homage to Travis Rodgers, longtime producer of
the Jim Rome Show. He used to he is and
a haircut guy. He and teeth.

Speaker 6 (02:00:33):
He loved teeth.

Speaker 5 (02:00:33):
I have a blue shirt, get haircuts and have teeth.

Speaker 4 (02:00:37):
Also, he's the best. Is that still in his bio?
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (02:00:41):
I love Trey Travis. If you're listening, which you're not,
I love you.

Speaker 4 (02:00:45):
He uh. He used to bump back with a song
called in Bloom. Honestly, pound for pound, it might be
the best intro that's not smells like teen Spirits. Everybody
knows it that they came out with it, just it
hits hard. I use it a lot when the Astros
defeat the Mariners, which happen a ton on the Good
Morning videos that I still haven't decided if I'm doing.

Speaker 7 (02:01:03):
What's the name of the album with the swimming clothes lists?

Speaker 6 (02:01:07):
Baby gosh, it wasn't smells like teen spirit ever? Mind?

Speaker 4 (02:01:12):
Yeah, never mind, that's the name of it. Did you
ever see that the kid? I think the kids sued them.

Speaker 5 (02:01:18):
For indecent exposure, stealing the likeness, not getting the amount
of money he's so richly deserved.

Speaker 6 (02:01:24):
Hey man, my parents put me on the cover of
this album, and I got nothing to.

Speaker 5 (02:01:28):
Get you updated on the activities of the day. We
already gave you the upset. I guess of the day.
Colorado State was only a one and a half point
dog as a twelve seed, maybe Memphis fairly easily seventy
eight to seventy Baylor, a favorite, which is normal for
a nine seed. They beat Mississippi State seventy five, seventy

(02:01:49):
two Bama and Iowa State, both one little bit easier
for Iowa State than Bama. Duke crushed as a number
one mount Saint Mary's did win a tournament game because
they had to play in first four game earlier this week,
but they got clobbered by Duke. Vanderbilt, one of the
SEC teams to fall. They were a ten seed and
not so we oddly, uh, they were dogs. They covered,

(02:02:13):
but they did not win. Saint Mary's sends them home.
Chris Beard's Old Miss team beats North Carolina. North Carolina
didn't belong there. This was to me, their first tournament
game as an eleven seed. All they did to get
here was beat an eleven seed On Wednesday night, they lost.
They're out of the tournament seventy one to sixty four

(02:02:35):
in favor of Ole Miss, and the ongoing action will
have us saying goodbye to the Grand Canyon head coach
and son of Scott Drew Brice Drew, former Houston Rocket.

Speaker 7 (02:02:48):
He's the coach of the Lopes on the men's side.

Speaker 6 (02:02:51):
Yeah, he's not my favorite. Grand Canyon head coach.

Speaker 5 (02:02:54):
Probably true that many of you fans of social media
sports talks have ninety listeners a team. Fans enthusiasts probably
know the head coach of the Grand Canyon basketball team
on the women's side. They actually have the best record
in the nation, by the way, good for them, but
that's probably not why you know their coach.

Speaker 6 (02:03:17):
Why I thought she was really good at x's and
o's and scheming.

Speaker 7 (02:03:20):
She's a lot to celebrate. Well, she clearly is. They're
crushing it.

Speaker 4 (02:03:24):
Didn't she do a gatorade angel on the floor of
the locker room recently? Well, she got destroyed absolutely excuse me,
doused by her team when she was done with some
of her post game obligations and she made her way
into the locker room.

Speaker 7 (02:03:41):
Her name's Molly Miller. By the way, Some believe she
has a resemblance to Paul Skeene's girlfriend, Libby Dunn. Others think,
I don't care who she resembles. It doesn't matter. She
is very very likely.

Speaker 5 (02:03:56):
Whenever they lose in the tournament, they're not gonna win
the national title, but they could be in more than
one game, more than likely headed to another bigger program.

Speaker 7 (02:04:06):
In the very near future, like in a few days.

Speaker 4 (02:04:09):
What is it the Tennessee head coach Bruce Pearl, No,
not that team. Oh, the current Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes. No,
not that team there, Pat Summit's old team. M hm, Yes,
what about her? I don't know what you're asking yet.
Isn't she sort of no longer pregnant?

Speaker 6 (02:04:29):
Is Yeah?

Speaker 4 (02:04:29):
But isn't she similar to the Grand Canyon head coach
in this same fashion?

Speaker 6 (02:04:35):
Uh?

Speaker 7 (02:04:35):
Probably, I think that'd be accurate.

Speaker 6 (02:04:37):
Okay, I thought it was Tennessee.

Speaker 7 (02:04:39):
I can guarantee you that wasn't Vanderbilt.

Speaker 5 (02:04:41):
I'd say one hundred out of one hundred people surveyed
would say she's better looking than Yukon's head coach.

Speaker 6 (02:04:48):
Oh my gosh, Gino.

Speaker 7 (02:04:49):
It's a man.

Speaker 4 (02:04:50):
I can't believe he's still there.

Speaker 7 (02:04:52):
Well, they're still winning.

Speaker 5 (02:04:53):
They're not quite the we're not losing any games this
year status of their program, but still very good.

Speaker 6 (02:04:59):
All right. In case you missed it, as next.

Speaker 1 (02:05:03):
The Age on Sports Talk seven ninety, Myers prusses it
miss said good.

Speaker 6 (02:05:11):
Bye, Hey, Jake Myers.

Speaker 11 (02:05:13):
Catch every astros name on Sports Talk seven ninety or
the iHeartRadio apt home of your astros, just like I.

Speaker 7 (02:05:24):
Said yesterday at this time, you know what this music means?

Speaker 6 (02:05:27):
Wait, did they sign somebody else?

Speaker 7 (02:05:29):
No, that's what I said yesterday when we played different music.

Speaker 4 (02:05:32):
Oh, I feel like something happened, either yesterday or the
day before during this segment where it just totally hijacked
what we were supposed to do because either the Texans
or somebody else made a move.

Speaker 6 (02:05:42):
It has happened.

Speaker 5 (02:05:43):
I do have some hijack worthy material for today's installment
of In case you missed it. In case you missed it,
how I speak and the things I like to say
on the show that usually gets to chuckle out of Adam,
and I hope other people maybe nobody.

Speaker 4 (02:05:56):
You call people by their relatives or spouse's names.

Speaker 6 (02:06:01):
And we had a.

Speaker 5 (02:06:02):
Visitor to the station just like we did a few
minutes ago, and they brought a couple of astros City
Connect two point zero jerseys to show off and have
some social posted.

Speaker 6 (02:06:13):
On those jerseys.

Speaker 5 (02:06:15):
They were actual jerseys with players number and name on
the back. And I said to Ac via texts in
case he missed it, I don't know if he was
listening this morning. A couple of jerseys were on display
and got brought by and he goes, oh yeah, I
go yeah. The jersey of Maddie and Courtney's husbands were
on display earlier this morning here in Sports Talk seven

(02:06:35):
to ninety. Of course, that's Mattie Myers, Jake Myers wife
and Courtney McCormick Jazz McCormick's wife. A number six and
a number twenty jersey were on display earlier. We just
got our first up close look at a number eight
jersey Christian Walker. In case you missed it, Dana Brown
last night said Christian Walker is tracking to be in

(02:06:58):
the starting lineup on opening Day a week from Thursday.
He will be in Florida over the weekend getting in
some more abs. He's already done some field work. They're
optimistic and they feel very good about the situation. Unconcerned
about him getting more at bats in a game before Thursday,
to show that he's ready, because he's a professional and
he is a veteran. Speaking of the Astros, in case

(02:07:21):
you missed it, seven one three, two, one two five,
seven ninety is our number to join the program, and Jim.

Speaker 6 (02:07:28):
Is doing that right now.

Speaker 5 (02:07:30):
To talk a little Astros baseball so let's get Jim
in here. Jim, what is going on this afternoon? Welcome
to the A team. What's on your mind?

Speaker 6 (02:07:41):
Do you like it? I mean, are you sure?

Speaker 13 (02:07:45):
For real?

Speaker 4 (02:07:46):
It sounds like he is now I can hear him?
Can you guys hear him? He's at a loss for words.
He isn't a loss for word. I just wanted to
remind you because sometimes a loss for word. Sometimes we
speak amongst ourselves so much. We always are welcome to you,
and sometimes you do call and we are awful and
don't get to you. We should, but just noting that
you can always bust us off a phone call, especially

(02:08:08):
later this hour. I've been a little negligent on hooking
you guys up with some seats, some tickets to go
see the Houston Roughnecks. Their game on the twenty eighth
opens up their season. They welcome up to Saint Louis BattleHawks.
That's next Friday, and Luke Bryant is playing this weekend
at Rodeo Houston.

Speaker 7 (02:08:28):
So on the final segment of our show, we'll.

Speaker 5 (02:08:30):
Give you an opportunity to procure those tickets. So just
listen closely to in case you missed it, An item
we've not really gone into at any full force. With
the ongoing saga which I'm patting both of us on
the back for and paying almost no attention to of
where will Aaron Rodgers sign and maybe play next season?

(02:08:52):
Might have reached a final resting point. The Pittsburgh Steelers
hosted Aaron Rodgers on a visit and reportedly they really
didn't even talk money because the parameters for a contract
that would be amenable to both sides has essentially already
been put down on paper. It's not like they've agreed
to terms or anything, but the negotiating part of it
went in a manner that said, yeah, if this is

(02:09:14):
what you ultimately decide, we're good.

Speaker 6 (02:09:16):
Is this good for you?

Speaker 5 (02:09:17):
Yeah, it's good for me, but more of a I
get to know you FaZe and see what's going on here.
I do not think, even though every single person that
follows sports will hear about it, the comments made by
mister Hayward will matter one bit because they were completely
taken out of context. Because that's the that's the age
we live in. He was doing a podcast and he
was asked about his recruiting pitch. You made a recruiting

(02:09:40):
pitch to this guy, and you've done this and you know,
and Aaron Rodgers could be here, what would you think?
And my recruiting pitch, my recruiting pitch is, hey, you
don't want to be a Steeler, than don't. If you
want to be a Steeler, then great, come on, sign
sign up, let's go. And it was met with Hayward
is sick and tired of the waiting, doesn't want to
wait for Rogers, isn't happy.

Speaker 6 (02:10:01):
He didn't really say any of those things.

Speaker 5 (02:10:02):
He word for word said that, and it was taken
in a manner that, oh, well, if they bring him here,
well they'll have to get past that hurdle. There's no hurdle,
there's no nothing but Aaron Rodgers. Media is I think
as usual with him. Man, can you just make a decision.
This is really bothering me. I'm a media member. You're

(02:10:24):
not moving quickly enough for me. Like the teams might care,
like the Vikings might care, the Steelers might care, the
Giants might care. But it's not the Hall of Famer
Aaron Rodgers. Not it is him. It's not Hall of
Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 4 (02:10:40):
It's the guy who has Rogers on the back of
his jersey, and that's it.

Speaker 5 (02:10:44):
He's not making or breaking any team anymore, and he
absolutely shouldn't make or break your off season plans, makeing
roster anymore. Yeah, you bring him to the Minnesota, which
I do not think is gonna happen, but others do.
Then he's there to watch JJ McCarthy. I know JJ
didn't play last year, but he's not in year two
as a top ten pick to sit no matter how

(02:11:06):
good they are, they'll sit him if he doesn't play
well and you have a respectable backup because their team's
too good for this. That's what's the interesting situation for
the Vikings has does have something.

Speaker 6 (02:11:17):
To do with Aaron Rodgers. Our team's awesome.

Speaker 5 (02:11:19):
We sh just made the playoffs with Sam Darnold and
we made him thirty five million dollars a year.

Speaker 6 (02:11:24):
We're good. We're going to the playoffs.

Speaker 5 (02:11:25):
If we get any kind of quarterback play, if we
get great quarterback play, then we're a Super Bowl contender.
And they made their team better. I think this offseason.
I love most of what they did with their offseason moves.
And I'm not saying that just because they got rid
of three offensive linemen, and two of them came to Houston.
I'm saying it because I like the way they are
reshaping the rest of their team and they'll have, like Houston,
a little bit of a question on the old line.

(02:11:47):
But one of the players they moved on from who's
now here in Houston. Is Cam Robinson a left tackle? Well,
their left tackle is awesome. He just got hurt during
the year last year. Provided he's back and he's healthy,
they're totally fine at that position. That's why Cam Robinson
one reason why he's not there on the NCAA side.
Duke did get the return of Cooper Flag and once

(02:12:10):
Mount Saint Mary's was proven to be an unfit opponent
for them, which sixteen seeds normally are, he didn't have
to play a full day's work. Hopefully he'll be back
on the court Sunday and then we'll see about the
rest of their tournament. A lot of people wonder with
a player like that, as you go into your conference
tournament you get hurt, do you play it all?

Speaker 7 (02:12:26):
Does your coach even ask.

Speaker 6 (02:12:28):
You to play it all?

Speaker 4 (02:12:28):
What do you want to do?

Speaker 5 (02:12:29):
Your future is somewhat hanging in the balance. He's still
very likely to be the number one overall pick in
the upcoming NBA Draft, and then the shift back to football.
The travels have been numerous for this former Texan, and
in this case, it is a return for this former
Texan after leaving town he's now returning. Started his NFL

(02:12:51):
career there, then went to New England, then the Rams,
then the Texans, then the Cowboys, and into his twelfth
year is an NFL player Brandon Cooks rejoining the New
Orleans Saints.

Speaker 4 (02:13:06):
That's where players go to have their careers ended these days.
Just ask David Carr's brother. His career is the same
as it was before he got the same his career
bank accounts better.

Speaker 5 (02:13:19):
Actually, you're right, his career was over when he was
with the Raiders. That's mean, what's he going to do, Like,
what do you mean careers over? He's going to keep
cashing checks. He's going to keep starting and his team
that he's the quarterback for who sucking keep not doing
anything important?

Speaker 6 (02:13:36):
Well, there you go. That you have that to look
forward to.

Speaker 7 (02:13:39):
Going into his twelfth year.

Speaker 5 (02:13:40):
If they go twenty five and oh, this year, he'll
have a five hundred record as I starting quarterback. And
that if they go twenty five and oh that is
in case you missed it.

Speaker 1 (02:13:52):
The A team on Sports Talk seven ninety back to
Adam Clinton and Adam swear the eighty.

Speaker 6 (02:14:14):
Where are you doing this sweet time watch?

Speaker 8 (02:14:16):
Uh?

Speaker 5 (02:14:16):
Well, first, I'm gonna give away tickets as promised for
those of you listening closely to our program.

Speaker 7 (02:14:21):
We certainly appreciate you.

Speaker 5 (02:14:22):
This is one of the many, many ways we'd like
to get back to you. We've got tickets to go
see Luke Bryan at Rodeo Houston. His show is Sunday,
March twenty third. By the way, tickets and full entertainment
lineup I was available at Rodeo Houston dot com. We
also have a four pack of tickets to the Houston
Roughnecks season opener that is next Friday, that's March twenty eighth.

(02:14:42):
They play over TDCU Stadium. They're welcoming in the Saint
Louis BattleHawks, and tickets for that, along with season tickets,
are available at ticketmaster dot com. So a pair of
tickets to go see Luke Brian or a four pack
of tickets for the roughneckt season opener if you know
the answer to this question, the answer was given to
this last segment during In Case you missed At the
very end of In Case you missed it, a return

(02:15:04):
to his former team reportedly is what is on tap
for this former Houston Texans receiver who goes back to
his original team having agreed to terms as his team
is now posted on the X platform. So who did
we talk about just last segment? Who's making a return
to his former team to try to increase his yardage

(02:15:26):
total which he once increased here as a Houston Texan
call seven one three two one two five seven ninety.
And tell me what, uh what player that is well traveled,
very accomplished player that once played for the Houston Texans,
hand the Dallas Cowboys, and now returns to his former team.
And it's neither of those teams. Seven one three two
one two five seven ninety. You know the answer seven

(02:15:48):
one three two one two five seven ninety. And you
could choose the event you'd like to go to. We
have several of those available for you. Former Houston Texans
wide receiver now back with his former team not far
from here the sun Dallas.

Speaker 4 (02:16:04):
Right, I mean, come on, you want to you want
to say what state he's playing in.

Speaker 6 (02:16:09):
No Okay, so.

Speaker 5 (02:16:12):
Appreciate the team and with their nice graphic that they posted,
they were able to get him in one of their
jerseys since he wore it for five years already.

Speaker 4 (02:16:19):
Yeah, I mean, come on, So what am I doing
this weekend? Yeah, besides watching him in Thomson tonight, because
it's official.

Speaker 5 (02:16:25):
I'll be working Rockets basketball tonight. On the radio side,
You'll be working a Rockets basketball so to speak with
the watch party over at Tom's Watch Bar, twelve oh
one Caroline Street. You will also offer those peeps workers
that swing on over and chat you up the opportunity
to go see Rockets basketball later this weekend. The Rockets

(02:16:49):
are hosting the Nuggets on Sunday. You'll have tickets to
give away to that at the event tonight, so make
sure you wake your round over there. You can listen
to the game on your way or even when you're
inside watching it over at Tom's Watch Bar.

Speaker 6 (02:17:00):
Stage announcements when you're there.

Speaker 5 (02:17:02):
Sands the stage, Yes, do you mean stage quality announcement?

Speaker 6 (02:17:06):
Do you pick up the microphone and now performing at
the Sports Talk seven ninety table me?

Speaker 4 (02:17:11):
Do you do it over the top like certain establishments,
DJs do it all right, guys, come over here when
you're a dimmer, Nuggets Rockets.

Speaker 5 (02:17:19):
Create attention for who's on the main stage or the
side stage, or who's going to be on the stage,
or you've just enjoyed on the stage.

Speaker 6 (02:17:27):
You want to let them know.

Speaker 7 (02:17:28):
Who high energy writes a heart over the eye in
her name.

Speaker 5 (02:17:32):
I'm sure that's what the tat says, but yes, I
absolutely I try to bring the energy on the mic.
We aren't m seeing the event after all. Okay, well
at all our watch parties over at Tom's and there
are still more to come. You got some prizes and
giveaways and additional what we just mentioned. I'll obviously be
enjoying Nuggets, Rockets basketball. I don't know what we have

(02:17:52):
on tap this weekend. Rodeo carnival. We took care of
that last weekend. Is I feel like it's the weather's
going to be equally fan Yes, outdoor activities while maybe
enjoying some college basketball madness probably are in my future.

Speaker 4 (02:18:06):
We're in that sweet spot of Houston weather where it's
forty five degrees in the morning and you send your
child to school in a coat and you pick them
up and they're sweating.

Speaker 5 (02:18:14):
Well, keep in mind, when we return to these chairs
on Monday, the Astros time in spring training will be over.
The Astros have a game in Houston on Monday and Tuesday.
I think there's a chance Monday night, after we wrap
things up.

Speaker 4 (02:18:28):
You should wear your new hat.

Speaker 5 (02:18:30):
I think there will be a ton of people there
to wear their new gear and get their new gear.

Speaker 4 (02:18:35):
You know what, I liked first game at dyke In
Park exactly. And this is not a shot at the Texans,
even though it kind of is.

Speaker 5 (02:18:42):
Yeah, seriously, get it together. How about how about getting
your retro jerseys to us? I know you've only been
around since two thousand and two.

Speaker 4 (02:18:48):
How bad would it be? Hey, we're wearing the retro
jerseys this week. Really from what they're just a shade
and lighter now.

Speaker 5 (02:18:55):
They obviously unveil to brand new scheme now last year,
so their original jerseys are technically the throwbacks, but two
years ago they were wearing them.

Speaker 4 (02:19:05):
One of, if not the most important portions of that interview,
and I actually highly recommend you guys go check it out.
On the podcast, Jason Wooden came in to talk about
he's the VP of marketing for the Astros. By the way,
came in to talk about the the the new City.

Speaker 7 (02:19:20):
Connecting Connect Jersey, He's opening day and.

Speaker 4 (02:19:23):
The Houston argument. Yeah, everything that's happening this upcoming week.
Today's the twenty first.

Speaker 5 (02:19:28):
By March thirty first, all of those events will have
taken place, although the City Connects will remain.

Speaker 4 (02:19:33):
Yeah, and among the things we discussed, in addition to
how they came to design the City connect jerseys two
point zero and somehow improve upon the last ones in
my opinion and a lot of other people's and Jim
Crane's reaction to it. In case you wanted about that,
that's all covered in the interview, but just the fact
that in this kind of flew under the radar, but

(02:19:55):
it's important. Jim Crane said, make sure you don't run out.
You know why that's import because you couldn't get those
h Town blue jerseys until the second wave got delivered,
I mean halfway through the season, because they were then
rather early in the year. I want to say, like
against the Buffalo and you couldn't get your hands on

(02:20:15):
him for a while. Like this is a little early,
but you know it's just I'm glad that that is
a point of emphasis, especially since there's way more games
that people would theoretically wear these new jerseys too.

Speaker 5 (02:20:28):
You'll hear more about it over the next hour, but
it did become official. Amen Thompson is playing Rockets basketball.

Speaker 4 (02:20:35):
Tyler hero is so dead tonight.

Speaker 5 (02:20:38):
I hope Metaphor and a men will be in the
starting lineup. So Rockets and he coming your way.

Speaker 4 (02:20:43):
Next.

Speaker 5 (02:20:43):
Best to the Cougars this weekend so we can continue
talking about their tournament run early next week and I
believe that we will be And like I said, when
we return to these chairs on Monday, the Astros will
be in town for a week's worth of games.

Speaker 4 (02:20:56):
I love it when a plan comes together. Have a
great weekend, Houston.

Speaker 8 (02:21:07):
The A