Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

Latest Episodes:

Frank Vogel the Lakers Fall Guy & NBA Play-In Best Bets Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a deep dive into the Los Angeles Lakers' decision to fire head coach Frank Vogel. Vogel wasn't perfect, but he was far from the reason why the Lakers failed so spectacularly this season. Rob Pelinka gave Vogel - a defensive coach - a roster full of poor defenders, and compounded the problem by allowing LeBron James and Anthony Davis to convince him into trading for Russell Westbrook. Frank was clearly the 'fall guy' for everything that's gone wrong in Los Angeles this year. With Vogel out of the picture, the only question now is who can they get to replace him? Would an established guy like Nick Nurse or Quinn Snyder be willing to take over a relatively dysfunctional team? Would the Lakers really offer the gig to the criminally overrated Doc Rivers? Is there a young and up-and-comer from the college ranks that could make the jump to the NBA? Only time will tell. Later, Jason closes the show with a very special NBA Play-In Tournament (Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets / Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers) edition of the Best Bet.

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Only 5 Teams Can Win the NBA Championship Apr 11, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason is back from vacation with a vengeance as he and Producer Rob G bring you the definitive preview of the NBA Playoffs. Both guys are predicting that Joel Embiid, James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers will get bounced in the first round, and neither one thinks the upstart Memphis Grizzlies are poised to make a deep playoff run. In fact, according to our fearless leader, there are only 5 teams who can the NBA championship this season: Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks. The Suns with Devin Booker and Chris Paul are easily the best team in basketball, and the Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo are the defending champions, so it's obvious why those two teams are in. The Miami Heat have been the best team in the East for most of the season, so they're in. The Nets and Mavs picks, however, are not without controversy. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are fantastic, but can they get through that kind of gauntlet (Celtics, Bucks, Heat) without playing any defense? The Mavs have Luka Doncic, but are we sure that his calf strain is as mild as some reports are suggesting? Only time will tell!

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An Epic Kansas Comeback or a North Carolina Choke Job? Apr 05, 2022

Show notes

It's Day Two of the Vacation edition of Straight Fire! On today's (very abbreviated) episode, Jason checks in from parts unknown to put on a bow on wild NCAA Tournament Championship Game between Kansas and North Carolina. While most are applauding the Jayhawks for completing the largest comeback in championship game history, Producer Rob G says he's going to remember this game as the one where North Carolina choked away a 15-point halftime lead. No matter which side of the fence you're on, we can all agree that the Tar Heels players looked physically and emotionally spent down the stretch... which is exactly what our fearless leader predicted would happen on Monday's show! Things got so bad that one Carolina player actually vomited on the court during the game. Seriously. Any way you slice it, there really is nothing like March Madness!

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Straight Fire w/ Jason McIntyre - RIP to the 2022 Lakers, Why Kansas Should Win the Title & Tiger Woods on the Comeback Trail Apr 04, 2022

Show notes

It's a special Vacation Edition of the podcast! On today's episode, Jason checks in from parts unknown to help Producer Rob G lay the 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers to rest. The Lakers were one of the favorites to win the championship before the season but a series of injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis - coupled with a general lack of effort for most of the season - ultimately did them in. We can all agree that Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel won't be back next season, but would the Lakers really trade AD as well? This offseason is going to very interesting, to say the least. Later, the guys preview tonight's NCAA Tournament National Championship game between North Carolina and Kansas. UNC is coming off a very emotional win in the semi-final matchup against Duke in Coach K's final game, and the guys are willing to bet that the Tar Heels won't be able to muster up that kind of energy again against the Jay Hawks. Finally, Jason and Rob G close the show with a few thoughts on Tiger Woods' impending return to the golf course in the Masters.

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Straight Fire w/ Jason McIntyre - Giannis for MVP, the Harden Honeymoon is Over + FOX Sports Radio host Aaron Torres Apr 01, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a deep dive into the incredible play as of late of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak has scored at least 40 points in consecutive wins over Joel Embiid's 76ers and Kevin Durant's Nets. At we head down the home stretch, Giannis is making a hell of case to earn his 3rd NBA MVP award. And yet, for whatever reason, current and former players continue to discount his overall play. I guess it's true what they say - folks will build you up just to tear you down. Later, the guys explain why it's become abundantly clear that the honeymoon phase is officially over for James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only has Harden's play tapered off considerably, but now we've got head coach Doc Rivers taking shots at him through the media. With the way things have been going, are we sure the Sixers even get out of the first round in the rugged Eastern Conference? Finally, FOX Sports Radio host and college basketball analyst Aaron Torres checks in LIVE from the Final Four in New Orleans to discuss how each team matches up with one another, the narrative surrounding Mike Krzyzewski in his final season as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, why he's a little conflicted about his preseason pick of the Kansas Jayhawks to win the national championship, what's gone wrong for John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats, and much more!

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ESPN Basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla on the Final Four, NBA Draft prospects & more! Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on Bruce Arians' sudden retirement as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We're not going to say that Tom Brady is reason why Arians decided to step down... but it sure is a coincidence that Brady cut his own retirement short in the same offseason that the coach he's reportedly been at-odds with decided to move upstairs. It's hard to believe that Brady had nothing to do with this. Later, ESPN Basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla joins Jason for a lengthy college basketball conversation as we lead into this weekend's Final Four. In the interview, Fraschilla discusses why he's openly rooting for Villanova to cut down the nets in New Orleans, how Remy Martin's up-and-down season at Kansas has prepared him for tournament play, whether or not Nova is adequately prepared to handle Kansas' style of play, how North Carolina's incredible turnaround midway through the regular season that has carried over into the tournament, Caleb Love's incredible shooting during the past few games, why his early lean is on Duke to beat UNC in the trilogy match, why Duke superstar Paolo Banchero reminds him a bit of Carmelo Anthony coming out of college, why he currently has Auburn's Jabari Smith as the best player available in the upcoming NBA Draft, the notion that Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are like the Buffalo Bills of college basketball, and much more!

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The NFL Fixed Overtime, an Owner Rips His Former QB & NBA Play-In Drama Mar 30, 2022

Show notes

On today’s episode, Jason and Producer Rob G go toe-to-toe debating the merits of the NFL’s revised overtime rule. Our fearless leader says that the change helps to fix what had been a very annoying problem (and fundamentally changes the strategy we’ve all grown accustomed to) while the Producer to the Stars says all these rule changes favoring the offense are killing the soul of the game. Neither guy is ready to back down so it makes for quite a lively discussion. Later, Jason discusses Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay's decision to trash former quarterback Carson Wentz on his way out the door to Washington. Is it possible that Wentz' decision not to get vaccinated drew the ire of his former boss? Impossible to say. However, Wentz has now been kicked to the curb by the team that traded an obscene amount of draft capital to get him and another which was led by the one coach he's had success with in the NFL, and that does not bode well for his NFL future. Finally, Jason closes the show with a quick whip around the NBA as we head down the stretch of the regular season. Paul George's return to the floor makes the Los Angeles Clippers a very dangerous team for the upstart Memphis Grizzlies in a potential 2-7 matchup. And, did we mention that if the season ended today, that LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't even make the play-in tournament? Yikes!

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Day Two of 'Slapgate', College Basketball Memory Lane & NBA Teams Bottoming Out for Banchero Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on Day Two of the Will Smith 'Slap heard 'round the Oscars' fallout. Somehow, Smith's slap has become even more divisive than the Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James GOAT debate. Unfortunately, we've already reached the point where folks are turning this single incident into a microcosm of real societal issues both in this country and around the World. Safe to say this whole thing has jumped the shark. Later, on the 30th anniversary of Christian Laettner's legendary game-winning shot to beat Kentucky in the 1992 NCAA Tournament, Jason takes us all for a trip down memory lane of a few college basketball moments that will forever be ingrained in his own mind. The college hoops hoopla rolls on in the next segment as our fearless leader gives you an update on the lucrative Calcutta League he's in this year. The $50,000+ buy-in is long gone at this point, but the guys can save face if the Kansas Jayhawks end up cutting down the nets in New Orleans. Let's go, Jayhawks! Finally, Jason closes the show with a few thoughts on the obscene tanking that's been going on throughout the NBA the last week or so. Have you seen some of the lineups the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets have been putting out lately? It's getting ridiculous at this point. That said, Jason says if he was running an NBA franchise, the player he'd be most likely to take #1 overall is Duke forward Paolo Banchero; One source even compared Banchero to a young Blake Griffin - with more playmaking skills.

DISCLAIMER - Jason McIntyre's microphone malfunctioned midway through the podcast so he had to record the rest of the show using his laptop's built-in microphone.

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The Slap Heard 'Round The Oscars, the Lakers Could Miss the Playoffs & Final Four Early Predictions Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on the infamous slap by Will Smith on Chris Rock at The Oscars on Sunday night. Rock made a joke about Smith's wife (Jada Pinkett Smith) and the Fresh Prince just snapped. Whether you think the incident was provoked or not, the fact of the matter is Smith can't let his emotions get the best of himself in that situation. It was embarrassing for all parties involved, and Smith should be thankful that Rock chose to press assault charges. Later, Jason explains why the Los Angeles Lakers blowing a 23-point lead on Sunday night to the New Orleans Pelicans has him wondering whether or not they'll even make the Play-In tournament. Anthony Davis is still nursing a foot/ankle injury, LeBron James is dealing with knee and ankle injuries, and the Lakers are only one game up on the San Antonio Spurs for the 10 seed. Making matters worse, Los Angeles has an absolutely brutal schedule to end the regular season. The NBA can't be happy about this one. Finally, Jason closes the show by discussing why he was so opposed to St Peters team making the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Cinderellas are great through the first round or two, but wouldn't you much rather see a competitive game than watch the plucky underdogs get pounded into oblivion? That said, the. upcoming Final Four is full of blue bloods: Villanova, North Carolina, Duke and Kansas. Which of the four has been most impressive thus far? And which two will be facing off in the championship game next week? Tune in to find out!

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Gonzaga Chokes Again, Why We're All Rooting for Duke & Friday Sweet 16 Preview Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G bring you wall-to-wall reaction to the Thursday slate of games in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Things got off to a rocky start when the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs (a team that our fearless leader dropped over $50,000 on in a Calcutta auction) got upset by the Arkansas Razorbacks. Yes, the officiating was bad, but it was clear pretty early on that the Zags just could not handle the Arkansas pressure. Chet Holmgren, Drew Timme and Andrew Nembhard are all fine student athletes, but they didn't have enough 'dog' in them to physically compete with a scrappy Arkansas team. In many ways, Gonzaga in college basketball is eerily similar to Notre Dame in college football: a fine program that isn't quite tough enough to hang with the big boys of the Power 5 conferences. Later, the guys explain why they believe that most sports fans should be rooting for Coach K, Paolo Banchero and the Duke Blue Devils to win the NCAA Tournament this year. With so many #1 seeds exiting early (Gonzaga, Arizona and Baylor), the sport needs either a marquee player or a marquee school to win it all. Thankfully, Duke has both. If the goal of the NCAA Tournament is to bring eyeballs to your product, the powers that be who run college basketball better have their fingers crossed that we get something like Duke-Kansas in the championship game as opposed to an Arkansas-Houston rock fight. Finally, Jason and Rob G close the show with a preview of the entire Friday slate of the Sweet 16. Here's to hoping the Blue Bloods flex their muscle!

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