Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

Latest Episodes:

Kevin Durant's Case for Best Player in the World & The Hypocrite Charles Barkley Aug 06, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a deep dive into Kevin Durant’s case as the Best Player in the World coming off his virtuoso performance against Australia in the Olympics. This isn't a new discussion by any means but it is worth talking about given that everybody seems to have a different criteria when defining the Best Player in the World. Does he have to be a guy that you can drop on a team of scrubs and instantly make them contenders? If so, Luka Doncic and LeBron James probably have a better case than Durant. Does he have to have won a championship? KD has two, but people still rip him for the way he got them. Is it something that is generally decided by your peers? If that's the case, then the way all his Olympics teammates deferred to him against Australia should make KD a lock. Later, the guys take Charles Barkley to task for suggesting that LeBron James should be eliminated from the GOAT conversation because he’s always played on stacked teams. This is such an odd thing to say considering Barkley himself forced his way to Super Teams twice (Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets) after starting his career playing alongside multiple Hall of Famers. Talk about a hypocrite. What’s more, Barkley decided that Michael Jordan should be held in higher regard than LeBron because he had to struggle in Chicago before finally breaking through and winning his rings… while conveniently leaving out the fact that by the time MJ starting winning, his Chicago Bulls were the Super Team of that era.

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LeBron's Message to the Haters & Philly's Pursuit of Damian Lillard Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

On today’s episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a few thoughts on LeBron James’ since-deleted tweet taking aim at the members of the media who have been critical of the current Los Angeles Lakers roster. The King accomplished two things with his tweet: 1) He stirred the pot in such a way that it's bound to keep the NBA in the news for at least another couple of days, and 2) He addressed the 'old roster' narrative that could be the biggest reason why he's back in the MVP race next season. In any event, the guys agree that the Lakers should be very good next season and would be shocked if they're not back in the NBA Finals. Later, the Jason and Rob G get into a little debate about whether or not LeBron James actually makes his superstar teammates better. Does the fact that LeBron helped Chris Bosh and Kevin Love win championships prove that he does? Or, does the fact that both Bosh and Love had to turn themselves into glorified role players to win prove that he doesn't? It's a fascinating discussion. Finally, the guys close the show with a quick note on the Philadelphia 76ers' decision to add Damian Lillard's longtime trainer to their coaching staff. Would Dame and Joel Embiid instantly vault Philly to the top of the Eastern Conference? Either way, let's just celebrate that Tampering Szn is officially upon us!

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NBA champion Eddie House on LeBron and the Lakers, Giannis, the New-Look Heat & More! Aug 04, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, NBA champion and FOX Sports Radio NBA analyst Eddie House swings by for a lengthy basketball conversation. In the interview, House explains to Jason why he thinks the additions of Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker gives the Miami Heat a slight edge over the Milwaukee Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference next season, why the Bucks and Phoenix were always the two best teams last year even if they didn’t have as much star power as the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, which former NBA general manager rubbed him the wrong way during his own Draft process back in the way, why he believes the Lakers Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook will work out, why he loves the Malik Monk and Carmelo Anthony additions by the Lakers, why he fully expects to see the Lakers and the Nets face off in the next NBA Finals, and much more!

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NBA Free Agency Frenzy: Zion's Exit Strategy, Heat Culture 2.0, the L(AARP) Lakers & More! Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G give you wall-to-wall reaction to Day One of the NBA Free Agency period. Lonzo Ball kicked things off by inking a 4-year $85 million with the Chicago Bulls. What should be a welcome addition to the Zach LaVine-Nikola Vucevic core could also be what ultimately pushes Zion Williamson out of New Orleans in a few years. Few teams have done a worse job of surrounding their young superstar with talent than the Pelicans. Zion could be planning his exit strategy as we speak. On the flip side, the big winners of Day One have to be the Miami Heat. They added Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker to a roster that already includes All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and should immediately be viewed as a top-4 team in the East. Heck, if things break right, they could even challenge the Brooklyn Nets for Eastern Conference supremacy. Later, the guys share their thoughts on the suddenly aging Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook will be surrounded by the oldest set of role players in the NBA. Unless the Lakers can flip Dennis Schroder for younger parts in a sign-and-trade, we may need to start referring to them as the L (A.A.R.P.) Lakers.

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Summer of Soccer Rolls On, Kyle Lowry is Feeling the Heat + Football Outsiders' NFL analyst Aaron Schatz Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on the USMNT’s victory over Mexico in the Gold Cup final. The Summer of Soccer has been fantastic on all fronts, so it was fitting that the Gold Cup ended in dramatic fashion. And if you watched the match on FS1, you saw that that buzz for soccer is building considerably here in the USA. Later, Jason explains why he's not too high on the impending sign-and-trade that will be sending Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat. At 35 years old, Lowry is still a very good player, but he's not good enough to help Miami overtake the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference. On the positive side, with the Lowry domino falling, we should see the point guard market (Lonzo Ball, Dennis Schroder, Spencer Dinwiddie, etc.) heat up in a big way very quickly once the free agency period officially opens on Monday night. Finally, Football Outsiders' NFL analyst Aaron Schatz swings by to discuss why he expects the Minnesota Vikings to give the Green Bay Packers a run for their money in the NFC North, the notion that the New Orleans Saints are due for a 2020 Patriots-esque fall this season, the ugly truth behind the Los Angeles Rams' top-heavy roster, why he believes the Dallas Cowboys are a sneaky pick to make the Super Bowl, why the numbers don't always jive with what he actually believes (ie. the Baltimore Ravens being better than the Kansas City Chiefs), why it's more likely that Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers take a step back than they take a massive step forward, and much more!

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Russell Westbrook to the Lakers, NBA Draft Reaction & Damian Lillard's Passive Aggressive Trade Demand Jul 30, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason and Producer Rob G kick things off with a deep dive into the Los Angeles Lakers blockbuster trade for Russell Westbrook. The Lakers traded away most of their depth (Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope & Montrezl Harrell) for a one-man wrecking ball who may or may not be a fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. For all the stat padding that Westbrook does during the regular season, his numbers fall off pretty consistently in the postseason. Maybe that's why guys like Kevin Durant, Paul George and James Harden decided they'd rather play somewhere else than alongside Brodie. Westbrook will absolutely help the Lakers win regular season games but his inability to shoot could doom them in the playoffs. Later, the guys share a quick thought on the rather underwhelming NBA Draft. Outside of Jalen Suggs slipping to the Orlando Magic at #5, everything pretty much went according to plan. Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Evan Mobley went 1-2-3, and a bunch of guys you probably never heard of got picked (and traded) as the night wore on. Finally, Jason and Rob G closed the show with a few notes on Damian Lillard's social media beef with True Hoop founder Henry Abbott. Lillard continues to deny that he's planning on a requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers this summer... while simultaneously reminding us why he would request a trade if he decided to do so. This whole thing is bizarre and it just might be the most passive aggressive trade demand in NBA history.

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Simone Biles and the Stigma of Quitting, Senator Aaron Rodgers & the Next Step for NIL Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into the Simone Biles situation that took place this week at the Olympics. Say what you want about her mental health an anxiety, but in a word, Biles quit. Period. But that doesn’t mean it has to hold a negative connotation or disqualify her from any larger conversation about her place in gymnastics history. There’s no perfect comparison for Biles in sports history but one that comes close is Robert Duran’s famous ‘No Mas’ fight against Sugar Ray Leonard. At the time, Duran was widely criticized for throwing in the towel. But years later, Mike Tyson said he admired the courage it took for Duran to recognize he didn’t have it and quit. The same logic can be applied to Biles. Moreover, anybody who thinks that Biles can no longer be considered the GOAT of women’s gymnastics because of this is asinine. Should LeBron James be eliminated from basketball GOAT consideration because he melted down in the 2011 NBA Finals? Of course not. Later, Jason shares a few thoughts on Aaron Rodgers’ ‘senatorial’ address to the media detailing everything that’s gone wrong with the Packers organization for the past few years; Rodgers gave the organization a verbal spanking for the world to see. Maybe next time the Packers - or any other NFL franchise - will take their superstar's feelings and thoughts into consideration the next time they decide to make wholesale changes. That's not to say that NFL teams should bow down to their stars, but they'd be foolish not to at least consult them from time to time. Finally, Jason closes the show with a quick note on Quinn Ewers' decision to forego his senior year of high school so he can immediately capitalize on his Name Image and Likeness at Ohio State. Is this going to become the norm for college sports? Only time will tell.

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The NFL's Free Agency Problem, Damian Lillard's Future + NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock Jul 28, 2021

Show notes

Jason kicks things off with a deep dive into Xavien Howard’s trade demand coming out of Miami. Howard is arguably the best cornerback in the NFL so this isn’t something to be taken lightly if you’re a Dolphins fan. What’s more, the Howard situation is a microcosm of a bigger problem throughout the NFL. Most NFL layers don’t like when their team brings in a high-priced free agent before they pay their own guys. When the Dolphins brought in Byron Jones to play opposite Howard, they unknowingly started a chain reaction that led to him ultimately requesting a trade. Either way, you must expect the Dolphins will do everything they can to keep him in town now that they have a legitimate chance to win the division for the first time in years. Later, Jason shares a quick thought on the latest report detailing Damian Lillard’s frustration in Portland. All signs point to Dame requesting a trade from the Blazers at some point this summer - perhaps even before the NBA Draft. That's definitely something to keep an eye out on in the next 48 hours. Finally, BasketballNews.com NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock swings by to explain why he has Scottie Barnes in his top-4 and the inevitable comparisons to Ben Simmons, why it's not a stretch to say that Jalen Suggs has some Jrue Holiday to his game, why he still expects Cade Cunningham to go first overall to the Detroit Pistons, why he believes that both Evan Mobley and Jalen Green may have more overall upside than Cunningham, why Jonathan Kuminga's stock is 'falling' in the days leading up to the Draft, how 'ageism' is impacting the back half of the lottery, and much more!

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Pelicans Making Moves, One Last Dance for Aaron Rodgers + Super Bowl champion Will Blackmon Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a quick thought on an NBA trade that went down on Monday between the Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Pelicans. Pelicans president David Griffin is clearly doing all he can to try and atone for his past mistakes in a last-ditch effort to keep his job – and hopefully keep Zion Williamson in New Orleans for the foreseeable future. In the process, however, the Pels have also set themselves up to be major players in the Kyle Lowry Sweepstakes this summer. Only problem is: Are we sure Lowry wants to sign with an also-ran like New Orleans? Later, Super Bowl champion Will Blackmon swings by to discuss why he's not surprised that Aaron Rodgers is coming back to play at least one more season with the Green Bay Packers, why Rodgers still has arguably the most arm talent in the League with no sign of slowing down, the misconception that Rodgers is some 'weirdo', how Deshaun Watson's prodigious talent could lead him to still get traded even as legal issues loom over his head, why he believes Odell Beckham Jr. is the NFL's biggest star outside of Tom Brady, why he's so high on Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts entering next season, the biggest reason why the San Francisco 49ers went all-in on the Trey Lance, and much more!

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Team USA Basketball Bricked Again + ESPN Basketball analyst Jay Bilas Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

On today's episode, Jason kicks things off with a few thoughts on Team USA Basketball's loss to the France in the Olympics. The fact that several players are already reportedly fed up with head coach Gregg Popovich's offense is not a great sign moving forward. If things continue to go sideways during this tournament, Pop could get the axe. Later, Jason gives us a full breakdown of the tennis tournament he played in over the weekend. Finally, ESPN basketball analyst Jay Bilas swings by to share his thoughts on Team USA's disappointing loss to France, why guys at the top like Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Green could make this the best NBA Draft class we've seen since the vaunted 2003 class that featured LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, how the G-League helped prepare Green and Jonathan Kuminga for the pros in ways that the NCAA just can't, the inevitable Scottie Barnes-Ben Simmons comparisons, how Jalen Johnson's decision to leave the Duke basketball program in the middle of the season could impact his draft stock, why some NBA teams have an aversion to taking upperclassmen at the top of the Draft, why there's a bit of a Moneyball element these days to the way NBA teams evaluate talent, and much more!

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