DON'T MESS WITH MACK
Ken Hoffman calls out a radio host's lame Twitter attack on Mattress Mack
Nov 4, 2019, 2:55 pm
Photo courtesy of Gallery Furniture
This article originally appeared on CultureMap.
When you shoot your mouth off, especially on Twitter, it'd help if you knew what, and who, you're talking about. You could catch a lot of hell.
Witness fool radio host Clay Travis, who's known for being purposely outrageous and controversial. Many times, I'll give it to him, he's on the money.
This time, though, he really stepped in it. Here's his misguided Twitter take from a few days ago:
"I find myself rooting for this Mattress Mack guy to lose all of his money because I'm tired of hearing about him. Marketing genius but I want this guy to go bankrupt. I wish he would lose $100 million."
Houston responds
To say he caught some blowback would be putting it mildly. You don't mess with Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale in Houston, Texas. (He has reportedly lost millions on betting on the Astros.) Perhaps a friend in the press box should have told him to lay off Mattress Mack. Travis would have been on safer ground attacking Mother's Day or military vets.
Some first responders:
"I know multiple families who lost their homes and belongings during Harvey. He let them sleep on beds in his stores, fed them hot meals and made sure their children had clothes. That's what he's done for this community."
"What the F have you done for yours?"
"It's going to happen to you for wishing it on him."
"Oh, look who has another trash take."
"Do a little research and you might feel differently. Our world needs more Mattress Macks."
"Clay, this ain't it. Mattress Mack is a legend."
"This is the wrong take. One of the biggest philanthropists in Houston."
And the one who said it best:
"You're wishing bankruptcy on the man who bought 100-plus tickets so veterans could go to the World Series, who opened his store to those who needed escape from Hurricane Harvey, regularly supports community charities, provides furniture to families in need. I could go on and on and on. GFY."
(You'll have to google GFY.)
Continue on CultureMap to read about the time Ken Hoffman has a similar fail.
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A month into the 2025 season, the Houston Astros have emerged as one of MLB’s most confounding teams. Their offense ranks near the bottom of nearly every key category, yet they remain competitive thanks to a pitching staff that has quietly become one of the most formidable in baseball.
Despite winning back-to-back games just once this season, Houston’s pitching has kept them afloat. The Astros boast a top-10 team ERA, rank seventh in WHIP, and sit top-eight in opponent batting average—a testament to both their rotation depth and bullpen resilience. It’s a group that has consistently given them a chance to win, even when the bats have failed to show up.
Josh Hader has been the bullpen anchor. After a rocky 2024 campaign, the closer has reinvented himself, leaning more heavily on his slider and becoming less predictable. The result has been electric: a veteran who’s adapting and thriving under pressure.
Reinforcements are also on the horizon. Kaleb Ort and Forrest Whitley are expected to bolster a bullpen that’s been great but occasionally spotty—Taylor Scott’s 5.63 ERA stands out as a weak link. Lance McCullers Jr. missed his last rehab outing due to illness but is expected back soon, possibly pairing with Ryan Gusto in a piggyback setup that could stretch games and preserve bullpen arms.
And the timing couldn’t be better, because the Astros' offense remains stuck in neutral. With an offense ranked 26th in OPS, 27th in slugging, dead last in doubles, and just 24th in runs scored, it's clear the Astros have a major issue producing consistent offense. For all their talent, they are a minus-two in run differential and have looked out of sync at the plate.
One bright spot has been rookie Cam Smith. The right fielder has displayed remarkable poise, plate discipline, and a polished approach rarely seen in rookies. It’s fair to ask why Smith, with only five Double-A games under his belt before this season, is showing more patience than veterans like Jose Altuve. Altuve, among others, has been chasing too many pitches outside the zone and hardly walking—a troubling trend across the lineup.
Before the season began, the Astros made it a point to improve their pitch selection and plate discipline. So far, that stated goal hasn’t materialized. Many of the players who are showing solid discipline—like Isaac Paredes or Christian Walker—were already doing that on other teams before joining Houston. It raises the question: are the Astros’ hitting coaches being held accountable?
The offensive woes are hard to ignore. Catcher Yainer Diaz currently owns the second-worst OPS in baseball, while Walker ranks 15th from the bottom. Even a star like Yordan Alvarez has yet to find his groove. The hope is that Diaz and Walker will follow Alvarez's lead and trend upward with time.
With so many offensive questions and few clear answers, a trade for a left-handed bat—whether in the outfield or second base—would be ideal. But with the front office laser-focused on staying below the tax threshold, don’t count on it.
For now, Houston's path forward depends on whether the bats can catch up to the arms. Until they do, the Astros will remain a team that looks good on paper but still can’t string wins together in reality.
We have so much more to get to. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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