July 23, 2024 • 29 mins
On today's episode, Jason discusses how LeBron James was able to save Team USA's bacon for the second consecutive game of Olympic exhibition play, how the USA rotation might shake out if and when Kevin Durant finally returns to action and what roster changes need to be made moving forward to ensure that they remain the world's basketball superpower for the foreseeable future. Later, J-Mac shares his thoughts on Jordan Love's decision to holdout from Green Bay Packers training camp as he seeks to break the bank following just half a season of high-level quarterback play.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What is up straight FIREFAMP. It's me Jason McIntyre, Straight
Fire for Tuesday, July twenty third. Boy, folks, I know
you may be out on basketball, although not many people
who listen to Spot are out of basketball. I know
some of you don't really care about the Olympics, and
I get that. I totally understand all that. But I'm
(00:32):
going to be one thousand percent honest when I say, folks,
we've been hyping this USA basketball, the competitive level in
the Olympics here in Paris. Over the next couple of weeks,
it is going to be fascinating to watch the USA
against Germany and Exhibition start to pull away, then they
give up, you know, a big run. Then they start
(00:53):
to pull away, give up a big run. Then they're
trailing for like an entire quarter, and then with I
don't know seven minutes left, they're down five. To watch
them come back and watch the oldest guy on their team,
Lebron James, the oldest guy on the court, totally dominate
and just take over the game. He said, guys, we're
not losing. I'm gonna I'm gonna do this. Can you
hand me the basketball.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Lebron took the game over my guy. You know, I will,
I will, you know, put on the cape for Steph
Curry all the time. Curry a bit of a tough game.
And there was a moment he drove against Dennis Shreuter
and got his shot blocked by shrewder. Shreuter goes the
other way, throws an alley you for a dunk, and
it's like, oh my gosh. And folks by the way,
(01:35):
like I love Curry, he's my guy. His coach is
Steve Kerr. Steve Kerr pulled Curry. I think it was
like the final ninety seconds after a timeout they had,
you know, they're coming out in defense. He put in
Drew Holliday for Steph and I saw it, and I
didn't put anything on social. I didn't see anybody making
it a big deal out of it. I think that's
gonna be a thing because they were hunting my guy,
Steph Curry, Dennis freak Intruder and I if you watch
(01:58):
the Olympic men's basketball exhibitions, guys like Josh Gitty and
Dennis Shruter are kind of middling to nothing special in
the NBA. In international play. Oh my gosh, they are dynamic.
They're unbelievable in all aspects. Offensively, Dennis Shruter was hell
on wheels for the Lakers in this game against Germany,
and Josh Giddy had like eighteen seven and five. He
(02:20):
had good numbers. And to watch Shrewder go toe to
toe with Curry and then essentially there was like two
minutes left and he's calling for Curry. He's like, bring
him over here. I want that matchup. And the US
isn't totally great in their switches. So halfway over, Anthony
Edwards switches onto the guy who had been called for
(02:41):
the screen and Anthony Davis, I guess, didn't get the
memo and they ended up getting an open three. They
missed it, But man, that game, Rob, I thought that
was one of the most scintillating basketball games pre Olympics
you will see. And I had my wife, who was
in the room, be like, wait, I don't remember the
USA Basketball exhibition. Is this a new thing? And I
(03:02):
thought for a sec, Damn, Rob, I can't remember the
last time that I was this into a USA Basketball
run up exhibition game. And the only answer I could
come up with is they're superstars at every country right
now playing basketball. Germany has one of the Wagner brothers,
who just sound like a two hundred million dollar deal.
(03:23):
They got shrewd. Daniel Tice has been a smart, rotational player.
Wagner's good, and then the other guys just know how
to play basketball. It is. I'm just telling you Germany,
by the way, should get out of the group stage.
And Rob listen, I did this over the weekend with Sausudan.
Some of you guys were not happy. I challenge you.
Take the Germany basketball roster. Go put it up against
Croatia from ninety two the team the Dream Team smoked. Okay,
(03:47):
this Germany squad is better and deeper than that Croatia
team which had Drazen Petrovic and Tony Kuko. Okay, this
German team is very and they're not I don't even
think they're a top three team. That's the craziness. I'm
totally fascinated by this. Also, I'm into beach volleyball because
I live out here in the South Bay. Volleyball is huge.
A couple buddies I know play sometimes with Chase Budinger,
(04:07):
who is obviously going to represent the US. I believe
he's the first player or first athlete to go to
the Olympics in two sports. He obviously was on the
basketball Olympic team way back, and then he is on
the volleyball twos. So, like I don't know, I would
say basketball and volleyball for me are the two big ones.
I'm sure track is gonna be fun. It always is,
(04:28):
but the basketball one is basically circle the date, put
it in the calendar on your phone just so you
don't miss it. Because Rob, I'm just telling you, Germany
USA was tremendous on the heels of South Sudan USA.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
It was an incredible game, especially if you're a Laker fan,
because Lebron James, for the second straight game when you
know it was nutcutting time, ended up being the best
player on the floor. And who would have thought at
age forty that Lebron James would still be doing Lebron
James type things. He finished the game twenty six and four,
eight of eleven, shooting two of two from three. Those
numbers don't even do it justice how good he was.
(05:03):
In crunch time. At the four oh eight mark, team
USA is down by one. Here's the stretch that coincide
lap of Lebron James, Lebron rebound, Lebron dunk, Lebron steal,
Lebron layup, Lebron rebound, Lebron two free throws, Lebron rebound,
Lebron two free throws. There's a little one minute stretcher,
(05:25):
nothing happens. Then it's Lebron James three pointer. Next thing
you know, Team USA goes from down one to up
by four with a minute and a half left, all
Lebron James. And now I can see if you watch
this game why you still not feel very optimistic about
Team USA's chances Because throughout most of the game, to
(05:46):
be quite honest with you, Germany looked like the better team.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
They just play, wait a minute better.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
They play a brand of basketball that is going to
supersede more talented teams that they there's very similar to.
I know this is like a really odd apples to
oranges conversation, but we've had this conversation on this podcast
before about the twenty fifteen twenty sixteen Warriors, the pre
(06:12):
KD Warriors versus Lebron's calves. And I've said on this podcast,
if you just went down the rosters and you said,
who has the more talented roster? I'm picking the Calves
ten out of ten times every day of the week.
Lebron Kyrie, Kevin Love j R. Smith Like, they were
absolutely loaded just in terms of talent what Golden State
(06:33):
had differently, even though they did have talent too with
you know, Steph Clay and Draymond. But what they did
is they played a style of basketball that fit them.
They ran a unique system, and what Germany was doing
throughout the game was running a system that was so
jarring when compared to what Team USAY was doing. Team
(06:54):
USA was IO heavy one pick and roll, but it
wasn't there. They kind of stood around and guy would
drive into the to the paint. Anthony Edwards don't like, like,
why is it Tatum doing any of that? Exactly?
Speaker 2 (07:07):
It was just so much Anthony Edwards hyeh pick and roll,
whereas you're right, Germany's having the big guys curl off
the screens and just splash threes, and it was like,
oh yeah, they take DOWNSA.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
They had a system that that works, and credit to them.
That's the reason why, you know, despite not being as
talented as USA, not being as talented as probably Canada.
You could argue how they compare against Australia and France
in terms of the roster they are, I believe the
reigning World Cup champions. They are the ranked number three
team in the world because they play good, fundamental, structured basketball.
(07:42):
And I think that USA is going to have a
rude awakening when they get to Paris and they run
into more teams like this.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, a couple of reasons why Lebron is so good
Rob is people just I don't think everybody gets it.
All these dopes chiming in on social media. Well we're
was this in the playoffs, folks, That's at the end
of an eighty two game season. And oh, by the way, rob,
FIBA games are forty minutes long. NBA games are forty eight.
And Lebron's bench in the league. You don't need me
(08:09):
to go over how you go from. You know, who
do they have now coming off the bench? Anthony Edwards,
Bam out of Bio, Anthony Davis, all NBA guys. Whereas
with the Lakers, if Lebron needs a spell, it's like, oh,
it's Max Christie time, you know, Like Lebron doesn't have
to log forty minutes. They had a little respite after
(08:30):
the season, and he's playing with superstar, Like, you can't
straight up double Lebron. What are you gonna leave Devin Booker. Ope,
you're gonna leave Anthony Edwards. So you just can't do that.
He is the ultimate just chess piece in this and
the German guys who listened, like you said, they put
up a good fight. I don't know if they were
quite equal. USA led by seven most of the first half,
led by seven at halftime, eight at the end of
(08:52):
the first quarter. But I think the weird part is,
like I don't know how you stop Lebron if you're
you know, any other country like wee min Ya'm a
different story. But most of these Europeans like Lebron's quickness
and athleticism. Against a six to ten guy, he's gonna
win out all the time, you know. And on the
perimeter you can't have a guard guarding him because then
(09:12):
he blows by you. That's why, and yet another reason
he's to go. And this is not a knock on
Kobe or Michael Jordan, but like Kobe was a carbon
copy of Jordan, same height, same mannerisms, same everything. That's
where he was. You can't make a carbon copy of
six eight, two hundred and sixty pound Lebron Jake. That's impossible.
(09:33):
With his speed. You see him on the Boon, he drives,
it's over like nobody's stopping him on these drives. It's
crazy And I don't know, man. I guess the one
big thing Rob that I would ask you is as
they were coming back, of course, Joel ANDMB I haven't
seen a plus minus? Does the USA box scrab plus minus?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Rob? I have the plus minus right in front of
me if you're ready for Okay, so what do you
want to know?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I want to know Joel em beads plus minus.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Minus one in twenty one minutes.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I figured he was down a little because it felt
like when he was on the court and Germany's like
up by one, up I three, up by five. I'm like,
where the hell is Davis? And bam Adebayo, And then
I remembered, Okay, how do you play Lebron ad and Bam?
Is that too big? Because then you've got inevitably Lebron
chasing around the guard. Now, Bam can guard smaller guys,
but it's probably too big. So down the stretch. It
(10:22):
looked to me like they went ad Lebron Anthony Edwards?
Was it?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
It was Devin Booker and Evan Beker and Curry and
then they subbed out Curry for Holiday.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yes, I don't know. I like d book He had
a couple of nice moments. I would put him in
the in the with the backups and get Anthony Edwards
with the starter. So I don't know, what do you think?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Obviously the big question mark is what's up with Kevin Durant.
They were saying that he was going to play Brian
Windhorst and said it was a very good chance he
was gonna play, and obviously he didn't. So that's something
you got to be concerned about because I think he
liked Lebron. James is that matchup nightmare that other international
squashes can't handle. Like you mentioned Lebron six eighty two
sixty freight train, very few guys can match up with that. Well,
(11:05):
how many guys are going to match up with seven
foot can pull from anywhere and can also cross you
up whenever he wants to. So it's those two guys
are kind of like the big the Queen's on the chessboard.
If you will, I know you're not a big chess
fan with the USA starting lineup if they're insisting on
starting Lebron, Steph and Embiid, which I believe and I
(11:25):
think you've alluded to it yesterday, that the MB thing
is kind of a politics type situation. Yeah, part of
me believes that that he would. He The reason he's
on the team is that Steve Kirk promised him a
starting job and that's how they do. You got to do,
That's how and that's how they got him away from France.
But if you're gonna insist on starting those three guys,
MB can only play one style of defense. That's what
(11:46):
they can't. Mentioning in the broadcast, Lebron is good in
spurts defensively, he can't really stay with it the entire
time at this age, even in eighteen minutes. He just
there was times when he was getting kind of lost
back there because he's playing free safety. So what you
need is the other two guys to be three and
D type. So I would actually rather start Tatum over
Edwards in that scenario because a little bit size, he
(12:07):
can cross match a little bit better, and Edwards when.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Tim at the three. Yeah, so, and what a lebron
for Tatum three? And then what's the back.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Drew Holliday and Zeph Curry.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Okay, And because.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Anthony Edwards, I think you've seen this throughout this exhibition run.
He definitely thinks he's the best player, so he will
isolate and do a lot of Anthony Edwards type things,
which is fine if you're in Minnesota. When we're a
team this loaded, it seems kind of extra in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So then who are your wings off the who's like
your big wing off the bench?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
You?
Speaker 3 (12:41):
I mean, you don't really have one, but you're banking
on the the Anthony Davis bam Adebayo front court to
kind of erase everything at that point.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
M I do, what if it was just Aunt Edwards
instead of Booker, then you can still have Tatum leading
the second group. Book and An. I don't think there's
a huge difference. I just think Ant's way more aggressive
attacking right. Booker can attack, but it feels like he
settles Anthony ed which is so explosive.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Would you agree absolutely? I just think that sometimes he
kind of gets into tunnel vision mode a little bit,
and with if you're already gonna have Lebron, Stephen mb there.
That's a lot of guys who kind of need the ball,
so to speak.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Yeah, because Aunt does need the ball. I thought there
was too much pick and roll with Ant. Although listen,
other than Lebron, I think Lebron and ad Aunt's probably
been their third best player.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Sure, absolutely so far.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Bam out of Bayo. I mean, I guess you could
make a case. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
The other thing.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Where was Halliburton? Was he injured?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
No, he has been determined as the guy who was
the twelve man with the arrival of Derek White and
Derek White the box scorer, yeah, the box scorer doesn't
say that that Derek White did much and then get
two points one steal though. Yeah, but he played and
he fills the gaps that Tyre's Halliburn at this stage
just doesn't do. Because we have enough guys who can score,
we have enough guys who can do other thing. So
having someone who's gonna defend, you know, screen, move around,
(14:05):
create space like that's kind of stuff that they really
need more so than another ball handler.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Okay, so let's drill down for a couple of moments
on Kevin Duran and let's be real, he didn't play
any the exhibitions and now you're gonna thrust him in
a to the starting lineup. B What rule does he
But I don't know. I think you got to pull
the plug and be like, listen, Katie, you can come along,
you can hang out and get sit on the bench,
you can hang with the guys. But we need somebody
who's gonna play. And I know everybody's gonna say Jaylen Brown,
(14:33):
but Rob, I've seen enough. I need another big man
on this team. I think that's undeniable. Listen, they only
have three and if something were to happen to one
of those three foul trouble, eh, But I don't want to,
you know, use injury. But one of them goes down
and all of a sudden, you're thin in the front court.
And I don't want to hear like Lebron's gonna be
(14:55):
playing before all the time certain spurts like you said, fine,
I think the move has to be Cooper Flagg. I
don't know how much burn he'd get, but I think, listen,
you've been pretty fine without KD. You're winning, you're not dominating.
But I don't know I would go Cooper Flag and like, listen,
somebody gets in foul trouble, I think you could steal
minutes from Cooper Flag. I just don't see how Jalen
(15:17):
Brown does enough for this team when it's pretty clear
they're gonna have to play two bigs often because I
don't know about you, man, but I saw that German
team when it was only embat on the floor. They
kind of dominated the glass and there were moments where
I think it was only Anthony Davis and like, AD
can't do it all themselves. So I don't know. I'm
officially get me Cooper Flag. If Kevin Durant's out, I.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Would not hate that at all. And my big takeaway
you mentioned that the centers that you wanted another big
man out there. Cooper Flag, to me, is kind of
more like a four and he's actually the exact kind
of prototype of guys I think they should target, whether
it's this round or in four years from now. Is
what you're seeing with this current roster with Kevin Durant
not being there, is they have a big wings. It's
(16:02):
Lebron James, it's Jason Tatum. All the other guys are
six five and under. Booker Holliday, Curry, Edwards White. So
you're basically playing one center whether it's MB or two
centers when it's Ad and Bam, and then a bunch
of guards. So if there's a way you can find
(16:23):
that big four, you know, or big three, small four
hybrid kind of position, that's kind of what made Carmelo
Anthony such a good player for the Olympic team back then.
If you recall, he was one of those guys who
caused matchup problems because he was big enough to defend
relatively some of the international big guys, but he could
also stretch him ount to shoot a little bit. And
that's why you saw on some of the previous Olympic
(16:46):
teams guys who are not all NBA caliber players, but
like Jeremy Grant, was important when he played, you know,
Harrison Barnes, I recall, had had some time where he
was important for their team just because they fit a
certain prototype that we just don't currently have with this
specific roster.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
My guess is that and that's a great point. I
think when you look to the next Olympics in twenty eight,
remember there will be no Lebron, no Kevin Durant, no
Steph Curry. I'm gonna go ahead and guess Joel Embiid
ain't gonna be on the Olympic team. And when he's
you know, four years from now, who's the other guy
that we'll be missing?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
No Ad, aad will be thirty five by.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Then, probably not a d Right and probably not Embiid.
I think they're gonna have to go with give us
four stars and then glue guys in the mole, like
a Derek White, Not Derek White, but a guy like that,
a guy like Drew Holliday. Because the stars, we get it,
you wanted to go Stars, just stuck. But who are
(17:43):
going to be the leaders of that team? Now? Maybe
someone else emerges, maybe Zion or John Morant, rise from
the ashes, stay out of troubles, get their weight in check,
no injuries. I mean Zion would be I would love
to see him in the Olympics. I don't know what
he would be like because he's Lebronish in that you
just don't see people his size. John Morant, Anthony Edwards,
(18:03):
Cooper flag maybe, but Tatum obviously. But I think I'm
just telling you guys now, enjoy this run to probably
the goal. But I don't think it's a lock because
I'm just twenty twenty eight. Is going to be very
difficult when you remove some of these guys that you're
seeing dominate out here.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Robi.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I'm curious when you told the wife, hey, sorry, next
Monday can't do anything. It's USA Serbia, Like, what was
the reaction or have you not told her that yet?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
I have not told her yet, and hopefully she's not
listening to this pod this morning, otherwise I'm going to
be in very, very big trouble, my friend.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Yeah it is, uh oh wait, it's not next Monday.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
It's Sunday, Sunday day, Sunday morning, I believe.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, uh oh, I didn't know. I don't have the
time change in the calendar. So that's the new move.
The married guys will know what we're talking about. You
beat the wife to the calendar with whatever you want,
and then you say, oh no, I locked that up. Sorry,
it's in the calendar. It's not my fault. You didn't see.
It's a shared calendar, so I definitely have that in
but I didn't have the time change, rob That is
so clutch. Thank you for that. All right, let me
(19:07):
quickly pivot to an NFL story that popped up yesterday
and as Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
I'm sure it's a big nothing burger and it's just
a July brush fire. But Jordan Love came out and
told the Packers, Hey, guys, I know we're opening camp today,
which was Monday, but I'm not going to practice until
I get a new contract. And I think the Packers
had an idea was headed this way. They did not
seem totally caught off guard. Love has been a model
(19:49):
citizen all off season, took part in meetings and other
camp activities except for practice. Earlier this offseason he went
through the program and the mini camp, and he had
to do that to get a five hundred thousand dollars
workout bonus, to get paid half a million dollars to
work out. Gotta love that. And so Love's like, just hey,
(20:13):
I'm still in the building, I'm still doing everything. I'm
just not practicing, which is fine. I don't want a
risk injury.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I totally like that, no point in risking it when
you shouldn't. Jordan Love sat for three years. Then they
kind of tore up his deal last year and gave
him one that essentially pays him eleven million dollars on
like the mini extension they gave him. His base salary
(20:40):
last year was one million dollars. And for the first
half of the season it was like, Oh, I don't
make he beat on himself and this does not look
good and something like a sweat. I think for me
watching him rock Bottom was Packers Raiders on Monday Night Football.
He was so bad. I think it either cost me
(21:02):
something in the contest or fantasy football, and I remember
watching it being so angry, like Gouys, this guy's terrible.
He just wasn't good and he didn't totally bounce back.
Then like a couple games against Minnesota and Denver, like
he just wasn't playing well. They were losing a lot,
But for whatever reason, there was a game against the
Chargers where it kind of all clicked. Now the Chargers
defense is banged up and Love shredded them at home.
(21:24):
Then came a big game against Detroit, which at the
time was on fire, and Love went and won that
game on Thanksgiving. You remember, he was just exceptional. Outplayed golf.
And then after that came the Chiefs game and another
high profile game at night, and you know, obviously there
was the non flag on the past interference over the
middle deep, but Jordan Love was good in that game.
(21:48):
Three touchdowns. Final eight games, Love finishes eighteen touchdowns, one pick,
and then goes into Dallas throws three touchdown games in
a play three touchdowns in the playoff game. And it
wasn't just three touchdowns, it was seventy six percent completions,
three touchdowns, thirteen yards per complete. I mean, it was
(22:08):
nearly a perfect quarterback rating. Incredible game. They smoke Dallas.
Then they go to San fran and a little regression
against what the best team in the league. I thought
they were the best, and they still nearly win. And
then after that you're like, oh, Jordan Love's gonna get paid,
So they go all season they don't pay him. Now
there's been a million talks, and you could argue that
Love excelled with a young receiving corps, so so mid
(22:33):
offensive line, they had running back injuries and it was
like wow, and he still went for eighteen touchdowns one pick. Huh,
they got something here. I'll just stop you and let
just let the question sink in. Sometimes just asking questions helps.
Who's the real Jordan Love, the guy who sat for
three years and then came out and was a bottom
(22:54):
five quarterback for the first half of the season. Or
is it the Jordan Love who something could and he
had eighteen touchdowns at one pick in the final lighte
games of the regular season. Which is the I don't
know the answer to that. I don't know how you can,
but you can offer an answer. You could try. The
Packers have seen him more than anyone, sitting for three
years and then every rep in practice on the field,
(23:15):
everything right, They know his work habits. Is he the
first one in, last one out?
Speaker 3 (23:20):
All that?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
You know, that's cheesy stuff that does matter. Don't scoff
at it. It doesn't matter. Does he have all those qualities?
I'm of the belief that yeah, he probably does. But
are you giving him fifty mili for an eight game
sample size? I gotta ask, because you know, we saw
Trevor Lawrence get a deal five years, two hundred and
(23:41):
seventy five mil two hundred million guaranteed fifty five million
a year, And you know, Lawrence has been up and down,
but I would say he hasn't matched expectations from when
he entered the league. Now, expectations were massive for him
because he was a superstar at Clemson and slam dunk
number one pick. But I don't think he's met expectations.
(24:02):
One playoff win, and I know it's a team sport
and wins don't matter, and Trevor Lawrence is good, He's
also got a shit ton of turnovers. It's not Actually
Trevor Lawrence has been incredible. I would say he hasn't
met expectations. I'm not down on him. I still like
Trevor Lawrence, just hasn't happened yet. So do you give
him that kind of money if you're paying Jordan Love?
I don't know. Joe Burrows accomplished a hell of a
(24:24):
lot more. He's been injury prone, Glass Joe, do you pay?
I don't know if you can give Jordan Love that
kind of money. I don't think you can. It's an
eight game sample size. But then is it disrespectful to
give him? And there's a big drop off after the
big guys like Kyler Murray's at like forty six mil.
(24:44):
And then nobody wants forty six mil. That's a that's
a contract from two years ago, right, And it's like, oh, okay, well,
Dak's still out there and two is still out there,
and none of these none of these teams want to blink.
They want to hold out as long as utterly possible.
The problem with the Packers is you are building something
(25:04):
as opposed to Dallas, which you know, we've seen this
with DAK for several years now, like they kind of
sort of feel max out and Mary maybe Jerry's had
enough and said, you know what, We're not investing anymore,
let's just see what they got, orreas the opposite. It's true,
it feels for green Bay, which is building something chemistry
(25:27):
with the young receivers. You've got the young quarterback, like
it opens up a lot. The problem is, though his
rookie deal was not wasted, but they had Aaron Rodgers,
so they didn't totally maximize the rookie deal. And now
with an extension and all of a sudden, he's making
fifty mil. It's like, oh, well that's not great. Hopefully
you can you know, split the baby or whatever they
(25:49):
call it, Like the Trevor Lawrence deal essentially doesn't kick
in for two more years, but they got it early.
I don't know if the Packers can structure it given
where is in his career, where Love doesn't go from
making eleven this year to fifty next year. You know,
maybe there is some some middle ground they can find,
(26:10):
but I don't. Obviously it has to get sorted out.
And it's funny because you know, Coward was talking about
this and I'm sitting here like, Okay, well, you know,
my deal's up next year, and I love it here.
I want to be part of the team. I don't
want to go anywhere, but I'm also not gonna work
if I don't have a new deal. Well, no, it's different.
(26:32):
You know, practicing football, you could get injured. I don't
want to injure my vocal cords. I mean, if you
love me and I'm you know, an integral part of
a team that has now become the number one show
at the network and the highest ratings in the show's history,
I shouldn't be that difficult to pay me no, right,
so show me the money. And I kind of agree
(26:55):
with the Packers, like you don't go off an eight
game sample size and give somebody the Joe Burrow Trevor Lawrence.
Do you just can't that being said, you went from
Farv to Rogers and you've had a really good run
at quarterback stability in the most difficult position to find stability.
(27:16):
Don't you just want to lock it up? Now? Just
do the deal. I always joke like, yeah, when you
find a good barber, lock in, you do. Now, when
you find a good messuse make sure you're on the
calendar all the freaking time. Don't mess with it. And
it kind of sort of feels like the Packers are there,
They've got their guy, they've got their young core, got
their coach. They're set for the next few years if
(27:40):
they believe Jordan loves the guy. Now on the outsiders
can only speculate, Yeah, he looks like the guy Pagan
not my money, But I don't think you want to
lowball Jordan Love here and get things off on a
rocky So then it gets a little weird. The problem
is that quarterback market, man, it's ugly. I don't I'm
not as high on the Packers as everyone else. Obviously
(28:01):
they are ascending, and it feels like they're a hot,
sexy team. But let's just remember they started last year
two and five and were hurtling toward no playoffs. And oh,
by the way, Vikings another year with the with the
great young coach Kevin O'Connell. The Bears draft a quarterback
number one who appears to be a generational talent, and
they added oh by the way, Romadonza Keenan Allen. Like,
Bears are going to be better, So the division is
(28:23):
making a bit of elite. I think for the package,
you got to get this done. I'm sure it'll be
done here in the next couple of days. The only
only you know question is how much does Jordan Love get?
And after that then it's just down to two guys.
Tua obviously and his situation in Miami. I don't totally
know what to make of it at this point. I mean,
(28:46):
you think they would keep him, but I don't know.
Last season at this time it was to a stay healthy.
We don't know, what do you do? What do you well?
They didn't draft a quarterback and Tua played great. He
was a fringe MVP candidate. They got to the playoffs,
they nearly won the division, except for a late collapse,
so like, yeah, you kind of got a sort of
(29:07):
pay toua. And then the Dak Prescott one is weird
because it just it doesn't feel like they're all in
despite saying they're all in. And the Dak one's tricky.
If you pay him fifty five mili, there's not much
else to go around. Can you win with him chewing
up that much of the cap? Which is a different
discussion from love and certainly different from tua. Anyways, football
(29:29):
camps are here. Get excited. We'll talk to you tomorrow.
This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What is up straight FIREFAMP. It's me Jason McIntyre, Straight
Fire for Tuesday, July twenty third. Boy, folks, I know
you may be out on basketball, although not many people
who listen to Spot are out of basketball. I know
some of you don't really care about the Olympics, and
I get that. I totally understand all that. But I'm
(00:32):
going to be one thousand percent honest when I say, folks,
we've been hyping this USA basketball, the competitive level in
the Olympics here in Paris. Over the next couple of weeks,
it is going to be fascinating to watch the USA
against Germany and Exhibition start to pull away, then they
give up, you know, a big run. Then they start
(00:53):
to pull away, give up a big run. Then they're
trailing for like an entire quarter, and then with I
don't know seven minutes left, they're down five. To watch
them come back and watch the oldest guy on their team,
Lebron James, the oldest guy on the court, totally dominate
and just take over the game. He said, guys, we're
not losing. I'm gonna I'm gonna do this. Can you
hand me the basketball.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Lebron took the game over my guy. You know, I will,
I will, you know, put on the cape for Steph
Curry all the time. Curry a bit of a tough game.
And there was a moment he drove against Dennis Shreuter
and got his shot blocked by shrewder. Shreuter goes the
other way, throws an alley you for a dunk, and
it's like, oh my gosh. And folks by the way,
(01:35):
like I love Curry, he's my guy. His coach is
Steve Kerr. Steve Kerr pulled Curry. I think it was
like the final ninety seconds after a timeout they had,
you know, they're coming out in defense. He put in
Drew Holliday for Steph and I saw it, and I
didn't put anything on social. I didn't see anybody making
it a big deal out of it. I think that's
gonna be a thing because they were hunting my guy,
Steph Curry, Dennis freak Intruder and I if you watch
(01:58):
the Olympic men's basketball exhibitions, guys like Josh Gitty and
Dennis Shruter are kind of middling to nothing special in
the NBA. In international play. Oh my gosh, they are dynamic.
They're unbelievable in all aspects. Offensively, Dennis Shruter was hell
on wheels for the Lakers in this game against Germany,
and Josh Giddy had like eighteen seven and five. He
(02:20):
had good numbers. And to watch Shrewder go toe to
toe with Curry and then essentially there was like two
minutes left and he's calling for Curry. He's like, bring
him over here. I want that matchup. And the US
isn't totally great in their switches. So halfway over, Anthony
Edwards switches onto the guy who had been called for
(02:41):
the screen and Anthony Davis, I guess, didn't get the
memo and they ended up getting an open three. They
missed it, But man, that game, Rob, I thought that
was one of the most scintillating basketball games pre Olympics
you will see. And I had my wife, who was
in the room, be like, wait, I don't remember the
USA Basketball exhibition. Is this a new thing? And I
(03:02):
thought for a sec, Damn, Rob, I can't remember the
last time that I was this into a USA Basketball
run up exhibition game. And the only answer I could
come up with is they're superstars at every country right
now playing basketball. Germany has one of the Wagner brothers,
who just sound like a two hundred million dollar deal.
(03:23):
They got shrewd. Daniel Tice has been a smart, rotational player.
Wagner's good, and then the other guys just know how
to play basketball. It is. I'm just telling you Germany,
by the way, should get out of the group stage.
And Rob listen, I did this over the weekend with Sausudan.
Some of you guys were not happy. I challenge you.
Take the Germany basketball roster. Go put it up against
Croatia from ninety two the team the Dream Team smoked. Okay,
(03:47):
this Germany squad is better and deeper than that Croatia
team which had Drazen Petrovic and Tony Kuko. Okay, this
German team is very and they're not I don't even
think they're a top three team. That's the craziness. I'm
totally fascinated by this. Also, I'm into beach volleyball because
I live out here in the South Bay. Volleyball is huge.
A couple buddies I know play sometimes with Chase Budinger,
(04:07):
who is obviously going to represent the US. I believe
he's the first player or first athlete to go to
the Olympics in two sports. He obviously was on the
basketball Olympic team way back, and then he is on
the volleyball twos. So, like I don't know, I would
say basketball and volleyball for me are the two big ones.
I'm sure track is gonna be fun. It always is,
(04:28):
but the basketball one is basically circle the date, put
it in the calendar on your phone just so you
don't miss it. Because Rob, I'm just telling you, Germany
USA was tremendous on the heels of South Sudan USA.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
It was an incredible game, especially if you're a Laker fan,
because Lebron James, for the second straight game when you
know it was nutcutting time, ended up being the best
player on the floor. And who would have thought at
age forty that Lebron James would still be doing Lebron
James type things. He finished the game twenty six and four,
eight of eleven, shooting two of two from three. Those
numbers don't even do it justice how good he was.
(05:03):
In crunch time. At the four oh eight mark, team
USA is down by one. Here's the stretch that coincide
lap of Lebron James, Lebron rebound, Lebron dunk, Lebron steal,
Lebron layup, Lebron rebound, Lebron two free throws, Lebron rebound,
Lebron two free throws. There's a little one minute stretcher,
(05:25):
nothing happens. Then it's Lebron James three pointer. Next thing
you know, Team USA goes from down one to up
by four with a minute and a half left, all
Lebron James. And now I can see if you watch
this game why you still not feel very optimistic about
Team USA's chances Because throughout most of the game, to
(05:46):
be quite honest with you, Germany looked like the better team.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
They just play, wait a minute better.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
They play a brand of basketball that is going to
supersede more talented teams that they there's very similar to.
I know this is like a really odd apples to
oranges conversation, but we've had this conversation on this podcast
before about the twenty fifteen twenty sixteen Warriors, the pre
(06:12):
KD Warriors versus Lebron's calves. And I've said on this podcast,
if you just went down the rosters and you said,
who has the more talented roster? I'm picking the Calves
ten out of ten times every day of the week.
Lebron Kyrie, Kevin Love j R. Smith Like, they were
absolutely loaded just in terms of talent what Golden State
(06:33):
had differently, even though they did have talent too with
you know, Steph Clay and Draymond. But what they did
is they played a style of basketball that fit them.
They ran a unique system, and what Germany was doing
throughout the game was running a system that was so
jarring when compared to what Team USAY was doing. Team
(06:54):
USA was IO heavy one pick and roll, but it
wasn't there. They kind of stood around and guy would
drive into the to the paint. Anthony Edwards don't like, like,
why is it Tatum doing any of that? Exactly?
Speaker 2 (07:07):
It was just so much Anthony Edwards hyeh pick and roll,
whereas you're right, Germany's having the big guys curl off
the screens and just splash threes, and it was like,
oh yeah, they take DOWNSA.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
They had a system that that works, and credit to them.
That's the reason why, you know, despite not being as
talented as USA, not being as talented as probably Canada.
You could argue how they compare against Australia and France
in terms of the roster they are, I believe the
reigning World Cup champions. They are the ranked number three
team in the world because they play good, fundamental, structured basketball.
(07:42):
And I think that USA is going to have a
rude awakening when they get to Paris and they run
into more teams like this.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, a couple of reasons why Lebron is so good
Rob is people just I don't think everybody gets it.
All these dopes chiming in on social media. Well we're
was this in the playoffs, folks, That's at the end
of an eighty two game season. And oh, by the way, rob,
FIBA games are forty minutes long. NBA games are forty eight.
And Lebron's bench in the league. You don't need me
(08:09):
to go over how you go from. You know, who
do they have now coming off the bench? Anthony Edwards,
Bam out of Bio, Anthony Davis, all NBA guys. Whereas
with the Lakers, if Lebron needs a spell, it's like, oh,
it's Max Christie time, you know, Like Lebron doesn't have
to log forty minutes. They had a little respite after
(08:30):
the season, and he's playing with superstar, Like, you can't
straight up double Lebron. What are you gonna leave Devin Booker. Ope,
you're gonna leave Anthony Edwards. So you just can't do that.
He is the ultimate just chess piece in this and
the German guys who listened, like you said, they put
up a good fight. I don't know if they were
quite equal. USA led by seven most of the first half,
led by seven at halftime, eight at the end of
(08:52):
the first quarter. But I think the weird part is,
like I don't know how you stop Lebron if you're
you know, any other country like wee min Ya'm a
different story. But most of these Europeans like Lebron's quickness
and athleticism. Against a six to ten guy, he's gonna
win out all the time, you know. And on the
perimeter you can't have a guard guarding him because then
(09:12):
he blows by you. That's why, and yet another reason
he's to go. And this is not a knock on
Kobe or Michael Jordan, but like Kobe was a carbon
copy of Jordan, same height, same mannerisms, same everything. That's
where he was. You can't make a carbon copy of
six eight, two hundred and sixty pound Lebron Jake. That's impossible.
(09:33):
With his speed. You see him on the Boon, he drives,
it's over like nobody's stopping him on these drives. It's
crazy And I don't know, man. I guess the one
big thing Rob that I would ask you is as
they were coming back, of course, Joel ANDMB I haven't
seen a plus minus? Does the USA box scrab plus minus?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
Rob? I have the plus minus right in front of
me if you're ready for Okay, so what do you
want to know?
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I want to know Joel em beads plus minus.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
Minus one in twenty one minutes.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I figured he was down a little because it felt
like when he was on the court and Germany's like
up by one, up I three, up by five. I'm like,
where the hell is Davis? And bam Adebayo, And then
I remembered, Okay, how do you play Lebron ad and Bam?
Is that too big? Because then you've got inevitably Lebron
chasing around the guard. Now, Bam can guard smaller guys,
but it's probably too big. So down the stretch. It
(10:22):
looked to me like they went ad Lebron Anthony Edwards?
Was it?
Speaker 3 (10:29):
It was Devin Booker and Evan Beker and Curry and
then they subbed out Curry for Holiday.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Yes, I don't know. I like d book He had
a couple of nice moments. I would put him in
the in the with the backups and get Anthony Edwards
with the starter. So I don't know, what do you think?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Obviously the big question mark is what's up with Kevin Durant.
They were saying that he was going to play Brian
Windhorst and said it was a very good chance he
was gonna play, and obviously he didn't. So that's something
you got to be concerned about because I think he
liked Lebron. James is that matchup nightmare that other international
squashes can't handle. Like you mentioned Lebron six eighty two
sixty freight train, very few guys can match up with that. Well,
(11:05):
how many guys are going to match up with seven
foot can pull from anywhere and can also cross you
up whenever he wants to. So it's those two guys
are kind of like the big the Queen's on the chessboard.
If you will, I know you're not a big chess
fan with the USA starting lineup if they're insisting on
starting Lebron, Steph and Embiid, which I believe and I
(11:25):
think you've alluded to it yesterday, that the MB thing
is kind of a politics type situation. Yeah, part of
me believes that that he would. He The reason he's
on the team is that Steve Kirk promised him a
starting job and that's how they do. You got to do,
That's how and that's how they got him away from France.
But if you're gonna insist on starting those three guys,
MB can only play one style of defense. That's what
(11:46):
they can't. Mentioning in the broadcast, Lebron is good in
spurts defensively, he can't really stay with it the entire
time at this age, even in eighteen minutes. He just
there was times when he was getting kind of lost
back there because he's playing free safety. So what you
need is the other two guys to be three and
D type. So I would actually rather start Tatum over
Edwards in that scenario because a little bit size, he
(12:07):
can cross match a little bit better, and Edwards when.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Tim at the three. Yeah, so, and what a lebron
for Tatum three? And then what's the back.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Drew Holliday and Zeph Curry.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Okay, And because.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Anthony Edwards, I think you've seen this throughout this exhibition run.
He definitely thinks he's the best player, so he will
isolate and do a lot of Anthony Edwards type things,
which is fine if you're in Minnesota. When we're a
team this loaded, it seems kind of extra in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
So then who are your wings off the who's like
your big wing off the bench?
Speaker 1 (12:40):
You?
Speaker 3 (12:41):
I mean, you don't really have one, but you're banking
on the the Anthony Davis bam Adebayo front court to
kind of erase everything at that point.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
M I do, what if it was just Aunt Edwards
instead of Booker, then you can still have Tatum leading
the second group. Book and An. I don't think there's
a huge difference. I just think Ant's way more aggressive
attacking right. Booker can attack, but it feels like he
settles Anthony ed which is so explosive.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Would you agree absolutely? I just think that sometimes he
kind of gets into tunnel vision mode a little bit,
and with if you're already gonna have Lebron, Stephen mb there.
That's a lot of guys who kind of need the ball,
so to speak.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Yeah, because Aunt does need the ball. I thought there
was too much pick and roll with Ant. Although listen,
other than Lebron, I think Lebron and ad Aunt's probably
been their third best player.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Sure, absolutely so far.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Bam out of Bayo. I mean, I guess you could
make a case. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
The other thing.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Where was Halliburton? Was he injured?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
No, he has been determined as the guy who was
the twelve man with the arrival of Derek White and
Derek White the box scorer, yeah, the box scorer doesn't
say that that Derek White did much and then get
two points one steal though. Yeah, but he played and
he fills the gaps that Tyre's Halliburn at this stage
just doesn't do. Because we have enough guys who can score,
we have enough guys who can do other thing. So
having someone who's gonna defend, you know, screen, move around,
(14:05):
create space like that's kind of stuff that they really
need more so than another ball handler.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
Okay, so let's drill down for a couple of moments
on Kevin Duran and let's be real, he didn't play
any the exhibitions and now you're gonna thrust him in
a to the starting lineup. B What rule does he
But I don't know. I think you got to pull
the plug and be like, listen, Katie, you can come along,
you can hang out and get sit on the bench,
you can hang with the guys. But we need somebody
who's gonna play. And I know everybody's gonna say Jaylen Brown,
(14:33):
but Rob, I've seen enough. I need another big man
on this team. I think that's undeniable. Listen, they only
have three and if something were to happen to one
of those three foul trouble, eh, But I don't want to,
you know, use injury. But one of them goes down
and all of a sudden, you're thin in the front court.
And I don't want to hear like Lebron's gonna be
(14:55):
playing before all the time certain spurts like you said, fine,
I think the move has to be Cooper Flagg. I
don't know how much burn he'd get, but I think, listen,
you've been pretty fine without KD. You're winning, you're not dominating.
But I don't know I would go Cooper Flag and like, listen,
somebody gets in foul trouble, I think you could steal
minutes from Cooper Flag. I just don't see how Jalen
(15:17):
Brown does enough for this team when it's pretty clear
they're gonna have to play two bigs often because I
don't know about you, man, but I saw that German
team when it was only embat on the floor. They
kind of dominated the glass and there were moments where
I think it was only Anthony Davis and like, AD
can't do it all themselves. So I don't know. I'm
officially get me Cooper Flag. If Kevin Durant's out, I.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Would not hate that at all. And my big takeaway
you mentioned that the centers that you wanted another big
man out there. Cooper Flag, to me, is kind of
more like a four and he's actually the exact kind
of prototype of guys I think they should target, whether
it's this round or in four years from now. Is
what you're seeing with this current roster with Kevin Durant
not being there, is they have a big wings. It's
(16:02):
Lebron James, it's Jason Tatum. All the other guys are
six five and under. Booker Holliday, Curry, Edwards White. So
you're basically playing one center whether it's MB or two
centers when it's Ad and Bam, and then a bunch
of guards. So if there's a way you can find
(16:23):
that big four, you know, or big three, small four
hybrid kind of position, that's kind of what made Carmelo
Anthony such a good player for the Olympic team back then.
If you recall, he was one of those guys who
caused matchup problems because he was big enough to defend
relatively some of the international big guys, but he could
also stretch him ount to shoot a little bit. And
that's why you saw on some of the previous Olympic
(16:46):
teams guys who are not all NBA caliber players, but
like Jeremy Grant, was important when he played, you know,
Harrison Barnes, I recall, had had some time where he
was important for their team just because they fit a
certain prototype that we just don't currently have with this
specific roster.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
My guess is that and that's a great point. I
think when you look to the next Olympics in twenty eight,
remember there will be no Lebron, no Kevin Durant, no
Steph Curry. I'm gonna go ahead and guess Joel Embiid
ain't gonna be on the Olympic team. And when he's
you know, four years from now, who's the other guy
that we'll be missing?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
No Ad, aad will be thirty five by.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Then, probably not a d Right and probably not Embiid.
I think they're gonna have to go with give us
four stars and then glue guys in the mole, like
a Derek White, Not Derek White, but a guy like that,
a guy like Drew Holliday. Because the stars, we get it,
you wanted to go Stars, just stuck. But who are
(17:43):
going to be the leaders of that team? Now? Maybe
someone else emerges, maybe Zion or John Morant, rise from
the ashes, stay out of troubles, get their weight in check,
no injuries. I mean Zion would be I would love
to see him in the Olympics. I don't know what
he would be like because he's Lebronish in that you
just don't see people his size. John Morant, Anthony Edwards,
(18:03):
Cooper flag maybe, but Tatum obviously. But I think I'm
just telling you guys now, enjoy this run to probably
the goal. But I don't think it's a lock because
I'm just twenty twenty eight. Is going to be very
difficult when you remove some of these guys that you're
seeing dominate out here.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
Robi.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I'm curious when you told the wife, hey, sorry, next
Monday can't do anything. It's USA Serbia, Like, what was
the reaction or have you not told her that yet?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
I have not told her yet, and hopefully she's not
listening to this pod this morning, otherwise I'm going to
be in very, very big trouble, my friend.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Yeah it is, uh oh wait, it's not next Monday.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
It's Sunday, Sunday day, Sunday morning, I believe.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Yeah, uh oh, I didn't know. I don't have the
time change in the calendar. So that's the new move.
The married guys will know what we're talking about. You
beat the wife to the calendar with whatever you want,
and then you say, oh no, I locked that up. Sorry,
it's in the calendar. It's not my fault. You didn't see.
It's a shared calendar, so I definitely have that in
but I didn't have the time change, rob That is
so clutch. Thank you for that. All right, let me
(19:07):
quickly pivot to an NFL story that popped up yesterday
and as Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
I'm sure it's a big nothing burger and it's just
a July brush fire. But Jordan Love came out and
told the Packers, Hey, guys, I know we're opening camp today,
which was Monday, but I'm not going to practice until
I get a new contract. And I think the Packers
had an idea was headed this way. They did not
seem totally caught off guard. Love has been a model
(19:49):
citizen all off season, took part in meetings and other
camp activities except for practice. Earlier this offseason he went
through the program and the mini camp, and he had
to do that to get a five hundred thousand dollars
workout bonus, to get paid half a million dollars to
work out. Gotta love that. And so Love's like, just hey,
(20:13):
I'm still in the building, I'm still doing everything. I'm
just not practicing, which is fine. I don't want a
risk injury.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I totally like that, no point in risking it when
you shouldn't. Jordan Love sat for three years. Then they
kind of tore up his deal last year and gave
him one that essentially pays him eleven million dollars on
like the mini extension they gave him. His base salary
(20:40):
last year was one million dollars. And for the first
half of the season it was like, Oh, I don't
make he beat on himself and this does not look
good and something like a sweat. I think for me
watching him rock Bottom was Packers Raiders on Monday Night Football.
He was so bad. I think it either cost me
(21:02):
something in the contest or fantasy football, and I remember
watching it being so angry, like Gouys, this guy's terrible.
He just wasn't good and he didn't totally bounce back.
Then like a couple games against Minnesota and Denver, like
he just wasn't playing well. They were losing a lot,
But for whatever reason, there was a game against the
Chargers where it kind of all clicked. Now the Chargers
defense is banged up and Love shredded them at home.
(21:24):
Then came a big game against Detroit, which at the
time was on fire, and Love went and won that
game on Thanksgiving. You remember, he was just exceptional. Outplayed golf.
And then after that came the Chiefs game and another
high profile game at night, and you know, obviously there
was the non flag on the past interference over the
middle deep, but Jordan Love was good in that game.
(21:48):
Three touchdowns. Final eight games, Love finishes eighteen touchdowns, one pick,
and then goes into Dallas throws three touchdown games in
a play three touchdowns in the playoff game. And it
wasn't just three touchdowns, it was seventy six percent completions,
three touchdowns, thirteen yards per complete. I mean, it was
(22:08):
nearly a perfect quarterback rating. Incredible game. They smoke Dallas.
Then they go to San fran and a little regression
against what the best team in the league. I thought
they were the best, and they still nearly win. And
then after that you're like, oh, Jordan Love's gonna get paid,
So they go all season they don't pay him. Now
there's been a million talks, and you could argue that
Love excelled with a young receiving corps, so so mid
(22:33):
offensive line, they had running back injuries and it was
like wow, and he still went for eighteen touchdowns one pick. Huh,
they got something here. I'll just stop you and let
just let the question sink in. Sometimes just asking questions helps.
Who's the real Jordan Love, the guy who sat for
three years and then came out and was a bottom
(22:54):
five quarterback for the first half of the season. Or
is it the Jordan Love who something could and he
had eighteen touchdowns at one pick in the final lighte
games of the regular season. Which is the I don't
know the answer to that. I don't know how you can,
but you can offer an answer. You could try. The
Packers have seen him more than anyone, sitting for three
years and then every rep in practice on the field,
(23:15):
everything right, They know his work habits. Is he the
first one in, last one out?
Speaker 3 (23:20):
All that?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
You know, that's cheesy stuff that does matter. Don't scoff
at it. It doesn't matter. Does he have all those qualities?
I'm of the belief that yeah, he probably does. But
are you giving him fifty mili for an eight game
sample size? I gotta ask, because you know, we saw
Trevor Lawrence get a deal five years, two hundred and
(23:41):
seventy five mil two hundred million guaranteed fifty five million
a year, And you know, Lawrence has been up and down,
but I would say he hasn't matched expectations from when
he entered the league. Now, expectations were massive for him
because he was a superstar at Clemson and slam dunk
number one pick. But I don't think he's met expectations.
(24:02):
One playoff win, and I know it's a team sport
and wins don't matter, and Trevor Lawrence is good, He's
also got a shit ton of turnovers. It's not Actually
Trevor Lawrence has been incredible. I would say he hasn't
met expectations. I'm not down on him. I still like
Trevor Lawrence, just hasn't happened yet. So do you give
him that kind of money if you're paying Jordan Love?
I don't know. Joe Burrows accomplished a hell of a
(24:24):
lot more. He's been injury prone, Glass Joe, do you pay?
I don't know if you can give Jordan Love that
kind of money. I don't think you can. It's an
eight game sample size. But then is it disrespectful to
give him? And there's a big drop off after the
big guys like Kyler Murray's at like forty six mil.
(24:44):
And then nobody wants forty six mil. That's a that's
a contract from two years ago, right, And it's like, oh, okay, well,
Dak's still out there and two is still out there,
and none of these none of these teams want to blink.
They want to hold out as long as utterly possible.
The problem with the Packers is you are building something
(25:04):
as opposed to Dallas, which you know, we've seen this
with DAK for several years now, like they kind of
sort of feel max out and Mary maybe Jerry's had
enough and said, you know what, We're not investing anymore,
let's just see what they got, orreas the opposite. It's true,
it feels for green Bay, which is building something chemistry
(25:27):
with the young receivers. You've got the young quarterback, like
it opens up a lot. The problem is, though his
rookie deal was not wasted, but they had Aaron Rodgers,
so they didn't totally maximize the rookie deal. And now
with an extension and all of a sudden, he's making
fifty mil. It's like, oh, well that's not great. Hopefully
you can you know, split the baby or whatever they
(25:49):
call it, Like the Trevor Lawrence deal essentially doesn't kick
in for two more years, but they got it early.
I don't know if the Packers can structure it given
where is in his career, where Love doesn't go from
making eleven this year to fifty next year. You know,
maybe there is some some middle ground they can find,
(26:10):
but I don't. Obviously it has to get sorted out.
And it's funny because you know, Coward was talking about
this and I'm sitting here like, Okay, well, you know,
my deal's up next year, and I love it here.
I want to be part of the team. I don't
want to go anywhere, but I'm also not gonna work
if I don't have a new deal. Well, no, it's different.
(26:32):
You know, practicing football, you could get injured. I don't
want to injure my vocal cords. I mean, if you
love me and I'm you know, an integral part of
a team that has now become the number one show
at the network and the highest ratings in the show's history,
I shouldn't be that difficult to pay me no, right,
so show me the money. And I kind of agree
(26:55):
with the Packers, like you don't go off an eight
game sample size and give somebody the Joe Burrow Trevor Lawrence.
Do you just can't that being said, you went from
Farv to Rogers and you've had a really good run
at quarterback stability in the most difficult position to find stability.
(27:16):
Don't you just want to lock it up? Now? Just
do the deal. I always joke like, yeah, when you
find a good barber, lock in, you do. Now, when
you find a good messuse make sure you're on the
calendar all the freaking time. Don't mess with it. And
it kind of sort of feels like the Packers are there,
They've got their guy, they've got their young core, got
their coach. They're set for the next few years if
(27:40):
they believe Jordan loves the guy. Now on the outsiders
can only speculate, Yeah, he looks like the guy Pagan
not my money, But I don't think you want to
lowball Jordan Love here and get things off on a
rocky So then it gets a little weird. The problem
is that quarterback market, man, it's ugly. I don't I'm
not as high on the Packers as everyone else. Obviously
(28:01):
they are ascending, and it feels like they're a hot,
sexy team. But let's just remember they started last year
two and five and were hurtling toward no playoffs. And oh,
by the way, Vikings another year with the with the
great young coach Kevin O'Connell. The Bears draft a quarterback
number one who appears to be a generational talent, and
they added oh by the way, Romadonza Keenan Allen. Like,
Bears are going to be better, So the division is
(28:23):
making a bit of elite. I think for the package,
you got to get this done. I'm sure it'll be
done here in the next couple of days. The only
only you know question is how much does Jordan Love get?
And after that then it's just down to two guys.
Tua obviously and his situation in Miami. I don't totally
know what to make of it at this point. I mean,
(28:46):
you think they would keep him, but I don't know.
Last season at this time it was to a stay healthy.
We don't know, what do you do? What do you well?
They didn't draft a quarterback and Tua played great. He
was a fringe MVP candidate. They got to the playoffs,
they nearly won the division, except for a late collapse,
so like, yeah, you kind of got a sort of
(29:07):
pay toua. And then the Dak Prescott one is weird
because it just it doesn't feel like they're all in
despite saying they're all in. And the Dak one's tricky.
If you pay him fifty five mili, there's not much
else to go around. Can you win with him chewing
up that much of the cap? Which is a different
discussion from love and certainly different from tua. Anyways, football
(29:29):
camps are here. Get excited. We'll talk to you tomorrow.
Host
Jason McIntyre
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