I know that a lot of the people subscribed to this newsletter/podcast subscribed to hear my thoughts on the San Diego Padres. It’s been a while since I dove deep into the team and gave any sort of grand thoughts. So, I thought I’d do that today, starting with the media covering the Padres and then getting to the roster construction.

I haven’t hosted a podcast in a really long time. I haven’t posted a podcast on Substack ever. I wanted to see how it works, so I recorded myself talking about Juan Soto signing with the Mets and a personal obsession with comparing Fernando Tatis Jr. to Luka Doncic.

My friend George Wrighster is a Dodgers fan. It’s not his fault, he grew up in Los Angeles and lives there to this day. But imagine my surprise when he started texting me, after the Padres swept the Braves in the wild card series, with trash talk. I replied with my objective thoughts about the Dodgers (not realizing that George was on the air with SiriusXM at the time) and….well, you should probably just listen.

My wife Rebecca isn’t just a fan of the Dallas Mavericks, and she’s not just the person who made me a fan of the Dallas Mavericks, but she also covered the team for years as a beat reporter. We’ve spent the hours since the Luka Doncic trade trying to deal with our own emotions and decided to do some of it on a podcast. Enjoy! Unless you’re Nico Harrison. Then you should never enjoy anything ever again.

With so many known unknowns about the 2026 San Diego Padres, I thought now would be a perfect time to chat with Dylan from Letters to A.J. about all of them. We talked about Tatis hitting cleanup, faith in Nick Castellanos, Luis Campusano losing a major-league swing, the range of potential outcomes, the actual impact of ABS, strategies for Craig Stammen to implement, and what a fast sale could mean for this season.

Nick Burke is friends with John Gennaro and a former baseball player at UCSD. As such, the two of them don't always agree when it comes to their favorite baseball team, the San Diego Padres.

In this episode, John lays out all of the reasons he's worried about the 2026 Padres team before the season even begins and Nick adds his own perspective as both a fan and someone who has a better understanding on what is going on inside of a baseball player's head out on the field.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro don't know what to talk about today, which is how they end up spending a bunch of time talking about Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua, who (perhaps unknowingly) made an antisemitic gesture and said the NFL referees brag about missing calls while on a live stream with Adin Ross.

The guys talk about what can be done, what Nacua is or is not responsible for, and what the NFL or the Rams will do about the situation. (By the end of the podcast, Nacua's public apology was published and read by Darren.)

Darren and John then turn their attention to the world of darts, specifically the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship that is happening at Ally Pally over the next few weeks, and Section 1904 subscriber Mason is on the scene with a report about the big stories from the early matches and what to do in London as a tourist.

The guys end the show with some brief apologies for not spending much time on San Diego State basketball, who routed Air Force last night and has a huge game coming up against Arizona this weekend.

00:00 - Introduction

06:30 - Puka Nacua steps in it on Adin Ross' livestream

23:45 - A report from the 2026 PDC World Darts Championship in London

39:00 - Puka Nacua issues an apology / The new face of 'media'

50:00 - SDSU routs Air Force, Arizona is up next

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

After a busy weekend of San Diego sports, Darren Smith and John Gennaro get together to talk about the San Diego Padres taking 2-of-3 from the Los Angeles Dodgers and then spend a ton of time debating whether manager Mike Shildt screwed up by bringing in Jeremiah Estrada in the 7th inning of a tie game on Sunday.

Later, the guys talk about San Diego FC being the first MLS team to clinch a spot in the playoffs and wonder if this is the best expansion team from a major league American sport in the last 50 years.

Timestamps

00:00 - Padres take series, but lose on Sunday vs. Dodgers

49:30 - San Diego FC's historic expansion season

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro are trying to temper their excitement for another weekend of Dodgers-Padres, this time at Petco Park. Both guys agree that the home team needs to show a bit more mental toughness and sharpness than what we saw at Dodger Stadium a week ago.

With the Portland Timbers coming to San Diego, the guys chat with Adam Susman about the similarities in the two cities and how Portland's supporters club can be something of an example for SDFC to follow and dig into what the perception of SDFC is outside of San Diego.

Afterwards, Darren and John talk about the kid who ran onto the field during a Padres game the other night and his attempts to make it into a viral marketing moment for a gym in Carlsbad.

00:00 - Padres/Dodgers series preview (again)

37:20 - INTERVIEW: Portland Timbers broadcast Adam Susman

68:30 - Kid who ran on the field has life advice

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John traveled back downtown to Bottle Rocket Bar & Grill and talked about the San Diego Padres picking up a win against the San Francisco Giants last night, what's affecting Fernando Tatis Jr. (and why he's still great) and what changes Mike Shildt might make to the lineup this weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The guys also talked about how we, as San Diego sports fans, might feel about both the Padres and SDFC after this weekend.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

The San Diego Padres are back in the win column, but Darren and John spend most of the time talking about the kid who ran on the field or Fernando Tatis Jr.'s apparent mood because the game was rather unremarkable.

Instead, the guys turn their attention to the Savannah Bananas, who are coming to Petco Park in about two weeks. The Bananas have a history of bringing former MLB players back to their former home stadiums, leading to John wondering which former Padres will put on the yellow uniform and play some Bananaball?

Finally, the guys play a game called "Rate That Take". Each of them brought three takes that they want to rate and they're judged equally for delivery, rationality and entertainment value. Enjoy!

00:00 - Padres end their losing streak / Fans on the field

12:00 - Is Fernando Tatis Jr. okay?

18:00 - Savannah Bananas are coming to town, which former Padres player will join them?

36:00 - Rate That Take!

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith had a very eventful morning at San Diego FC training, which delayed today's podcast some, but he still jumped on with John Gennaro to talk about the San Diego Padres losing their 4th consecutive game (this time to the San Francisco Giants), the intricacies of fan interference calls, and Mike Shildt barking back at a reporter who questioned his lineups.

The guys also talked a bit about Pat Murphy, who could be headed for his second consecutive Manager of the Year award after a rocky start with the Padres a decade ago, before getting into Gavin Newson's new communication strategy and whether it's helping or hurting.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro get together to recap an incredibly frustrating sweep of the San Diego Padres at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It felt like the Padres made every possible mental mistake while bumping into some bad luck as well. Will they be able to move on from this series and get back into a rhythm for (at least) the homestand that starts tonight against the San Francisco Giants?

Before moving on to San Diego FC's win over the San Jose Earthquakes, the guys spend a few minutes wondering how impending realignment in Major League Baseball will affect the Padres and their long-standing rivalries.

Finally, the guys get to talk about SDFC, who sit at the very top of the MLS Supporters' Shield standings after a comeback win in San Jose. Marcus Ingvartsen, who was expected to be vitally important to the team to start the season but has ended up missing most of it due to injury, was involved in both late goals to give San Diego the 2-1 win. His return to form could be exactly what SDFC has been missing since the departure of Milan Iloski.

Timestamps

00:00 - Padres swept by the Dodgers

40:00 - MLB realignment?

46:00 - SDFC's comeback win fueled by Ingvartsen

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

After a disappointing offensive performance by the San Diego Padres against Clayton Kershaw on Friday, the guys came back and scored even less against Blake Snell and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. John Gennaro hosts the live post-game show on YouTube, which Darren Smith joins about halfway through, and they talk about how disappointing it is to see the Padres tighten up in this situation and if it brings back memories of the playoff series between these teams last year.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

After last night's 3-2 Padres' loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Darren and John jumped on a YouTube live stream and had a half-hour long postgame conversation about everything that happened and how lifeless and disappointing the whole thing felt.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John ventured downtown to Bottle Rocket Bar & Grill and previewed an incredible sports weekend with the owner of the establishment, Eli.

The Padres face the Dodgers in LA for first place in the division, SDFC is in San Jose triyng to hold onto first place in the Western Conference, and the EPL season is underway. There's no shortage of sports to watch this weekend!

The guys talk about whether Padres fans should be confident and if SDFC's game in San Jose is going to be closer than Vegas thinks.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John woke up with the San Diego Padres all alone in 1st place of the NL West division, so they talk a bit about the team sweeping the Giants in San Francisco and the struggles of the Dodgers, who they will face in Los Angeles this weekend.

Later, Darren chats with USA under-20 men's national team head coach Marko Mitrović about how he ended up in the role and the six players from San Diego FC's roster that are under consideration to join the team.

00:00 - Padres sweep Dodgers, Dodgers swept by Angels

35:00 - USA under-20 men's national team head coach Marko Mitrović

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

The New York Knicks are 2025 NBA Cup Champions and Darren Smith traveled from San Diego to Las Vegas to watch it happen in person. He and John Gennaro discuss the game, if the NBA Cup means anything, and going out in Las Vegas (where are the crowds?).

They also spent a while talking about the opportunities missed by San Diego not having a modern sports arena, including the NBA Cup and NBA expansion, and wondered in Viejas Arena could maybe be a host to some NBA Cup games in the future.

Darren and John also talk for a bit about a rumor that connected San Diego Padres President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller with the Dallas Mavericks opening at general manager, which might not be quite as crazy as you might initially think.

They close the episode with a short conversation about the Union-Tribune getting caught making a mistake earlier in the week and a subscriber who wasn't happy to hear about it on the podcast.

00:00 - LIVE FROM VEGAS: The Knicks are NBA Cup Champions!

33:30 - Padres news & rumors: A.J. Preller to the Dallas Mavericks?!?

49:45 - Were we unfair to the Union-Tribune?

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

A longtime favorite guest of The Darren Smith Show, MLB Network's Adnan Virk joins Darren and John to talk about why he gave up the Cinephile podcast, why he wrote a Cinephile book, some of his favorite TV shows and movies, and how Manny Machado is the Brad Pitt of his generation.

Before Adnan joins the show, Darren and John talk about the San Diego Padres taking a share of 1st place in the NL West and what it means for the team to have chased down the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After Adnan leaves, the guys talk about their reaction to watching the first episode of Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues, which makes Tom Brady look terrible.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Recently, San Diego FC rookie (and #1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft) Manu Duah sat down with Darren Smith and Adrian García-Márquez to talk about being cheered on by his family in Ghana (despite the time difference), switching from midfield to center back in his rookie season, getting energy from the home crowd at Snapdragon Stadium and being challenged by the SDFC coaching staff.

Credit: SDFC Mid-Week Live

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro are still trying out some new technologies for the Section 1904 community, and they talk about that at the top of the show before jumping into the Padres' 4-1 win over the Giants and Yu Darvish's brilliance. John raves about Darvish looking like "the old Darvish," Darren appreciates every single Darvish start, and guys agree that Darvish is something of an artist on the mound.

The guys then dig into an article written by Dennis Lin about how AI has become a major part of identifying pitchers' tells, which was on full display during the Padres' series against the Red Sox, and they talk about what it means for the future of sports.

Finally, Darren lays out the schedule for the rest of the week and identifies a very interesting situation for Mikey Varas and the six SDFC players that are eligible for the United States U-20 men's national soccer team.

00:00 - New ideas for the show

04:30 - Darvish is brilliant in Padres' win in SF

23:30 - Tipping pitchers and AI

40:30 - SDFC's U-20 players & Mikey Varas

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

On this week's weekend recap, Darren Smith and John Gennaro talk about the San Diego Padres taking 2-of-3 from the Boston Red Sox over the weekend and San Diego FC getting an ugly 2-0 win against Sporting KC, but not before the guys spend some time talking about swimming in the Pacific Ocean and sports media analysts who don't actually like sports.

The guys also spend quite a bit of time talking about the Padres' next 13 games, against the Giants and Dodgers, and the opportunity for San Diego to take control of the NL West.

To end the show, Darren and John figure out that they've been watching/enjoying The Studio and they talk about their favorite elements of the show.

00:00 - Weekends at the beach / Why we love sports

22:00 - Padres win series vs. BOS / Giants & Dodgers next

40:00 - SDFC beats Sporting KC 2-0

74:00 - Talking about The Studio

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Chef Emily Brubaker, Executive Chef at Omni La Costa, recently won NBC's "Yes, Chef" competition and joined the show to talk about her experience on the show, what made her want to become a chef, how she and her husband balance parenthood with their careers, the significance of plating in the age of Instagram, and the mental health struggles that almost every chef goes through.

But first, Darren and John talk about the Red Sox coming to town this weekend and if the Padres should be pushing to win the NL West. Also, somehow the WNBA dildo-throwing story has turned into marketing for a crypto company's memecoin(?).

After talking with Chef Emily, the guys talk about the new additions coming to San Diego FC and laugh at a Los Angeles politician who doesn't understand how the World Cup works.

00:00 - Red Sox are coming to town

09:00 - Green dildo crypto memes take over the WNBA

14:00 - Chef Emily Brubaker joins the show!

54:00 - LA city councilperson doesn't understand how the World Cup works

60:00 - SDFC's new additions

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John kick off the show by talking about possibly dipping their toe into making this podcast more of a (live?) video show and the benefits, and drawbacks, of building the plane while flying it. Also, John talks about the struggles of trying to stay healthy as the parent of a young child.

The guys then turn their attention to the story of fans throwing dildos on the court during WNBA games, including the funny side of the story and the dangerous/disrespectful/sexist side of it that also needs to be addressed.

Later, Darren plays the role of boomer trying to figure out ESPN's new direct-to-consumer pricing before the guys talk about last night's Padres win and a pretty cool personal connection between Mason Miller and Michael King.

00:00 - Should we be doing video?

12:00 - WNBA dildo-throwing incidents

31:00 - ESPN's confusing DTC launch

49:00 - Padres take series in AZ / Mason Miller redemption

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro kick off today's show by talking (briefly) about last night's win by the Padres in Arizona and San Diego FC's home win against Mazatlán before welcoming to the show Joseph Lowery from Backheeled.com, who recently wrote about the historic expansion season that SDFC is in the midst of and what the future of the team (and Major League Soccer) looks like.

After Joseph says goodbye, the guys open up the mailbag from Discord to talk about the NFL acquiring 10% of ESPN and play the world's worst version of f*%k/marry/kill with former colleagues.

00:00 - Padres win in Arizona

13:00 - San Diego FC plays spoiler vs. Mazatlán

20:00 - Joe Lowery from Backheeled

62:00 - Answering mailbag questions

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John start the podcast by saying they don't want to talk about sports and then spend the entire 75 minutes talking about sports.

First, the guys discuss what San Diego FC's game tonight against Mazatlán means and what fans should be looking for. There should be plenty of opportunities for some of the guys on the bench to get real playing time and impress the coaching staff for the stretch run into the MLS Playoffs.

Then, Darren and John turn their attention to the San Diego Padres, who lost last night in Arizona and stirred up the fanbase with yet another increase in season ticket prices. The guys look back at the new acquisitions and talk about how trades aren't quite as simple and clean and fans make them out to be before getting into the supply-and-demand aspect of increasing the cost of attending a Padres game. Also, does tourism (and a potential lockout?) factor into these future plans at all?

Finally, the guys talk a little bit about Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues, an upcoming docuseries that covers Tom Brady's involvement as a minority owner of the Birmingham City Football Club.

00:00 - We don't want to talk (about sports)

03:00 - SDFC's interesting matchup vs. Mazatlan

09:00 - Padres lose to D'Backs, trades are hard

39:00 - Padres raise ticket prices (again)

54:00 - Tourism's impact on sports

65:00 - Tom Brady's venture into European soccer

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

It's Monday! That means Darren and John are recapping the weekend in San Diego sports and that this is a completely free episode for everyone to listen to. Tell your friends!

The guys recap their thoughts on the Padres' trade deadline moves and what it means for the (short-term and long-term) future of the team, as well as why A.J. Preller might have been motivated to push in some of his chips to give this year's squad a better chance to make a deep playoff run.

Darren looks up the team's playoff odds and strength of schedule while they discuss whether the Padres can catch the Dodgers and win the NL West divison.

Finally, San Diego FC has seemingly been eliminated from the Leagues Cup, and that's fine. However, Milan Iloski is back in MLS, playing for Philadelphia Union, and that's upsetting to some.

00:00 - Welcome back / Padres trade deadline recap

39:40 - San Diego FC loses to Tigres / Milan Iloski back in MLS

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

John Gennaro is joined on this episode by a Section 1904 subscriber, known on Padres Twitter & Bluesky as "mensrea" or "mensie", who has lost his love of the San Diego Padres due to how A.J. Preller has handled the team.

That's a fascinating position, losing your love of your favorite team during the winningest stretch in the team's history, so John turned that into an idea of interviewing Section 1904 subscribers and calling these bonus episodes "The Comment Section".

This is a bonus episode for paid subscribers of Section 1904 only. If you like it and would want to hear more of these types of episodes where John talks to regular Padres fans, reach out and let us know!

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

As Darren Smith gets ready to jet off to Las Vegas to catch the Knicks in the NBA Cup final, he sat down with John Gennaro and talked about a whole host of issues. First, they talk about the trip and Darren's plans, as a Knicks fan.

Later, the guys talk about Yu Darvish, who made a public appearance and spoke to the media yesterday for the first time since getting surgery that will force him to miss the 2026 MLB season. There were takes flying from every direction, but one of them in particular came across as a little gross.

The guys come out of that with a game of "Rate That Take" from former MLB GM Jim Bowden, who had some not-great advice for fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates that leads to a conversation about what sports fandom should be.

Finally, Darren gets John sorted out on why Inter Miami can outspend San Diego FC by more than double in a salary capped league, and then Darren admits to a holiday card mistake and weighs his options.

00:00 - Introduction / Getting excited for Knicks-Spurs NBA Cup final

22:45 - Yu Darvish's uncertain future (and the coverage of it)

41:00 - RATE THAT TAKE: Trading your sports fandom

58:45 - Trying to make sense of the MLS salary cap rules

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

John Gennaro is joined by Dylan from the Letters to A.J. substack to talk about all of the moves the San Diego Padres made yesterday and what it means for the future of this year's team.

The guys also talked through some roster crunches and hard decisions that A.J. Preller and Mike Shildt will be forced to make, but these are good problems for the Padres to have.

Tune in to find out why Freddy Fermin is not Austin Nola, why Fernando Tatis Jr. is trending in the right direction, why Mason Miller's best future might just be staying in the bullpen and whether Luis Arráez is finally fully-healthy.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

John Gennaro walks you through all five of the trades the San Diego Padres made today before the MLB trade deadline, giving his thoughts along the way on how these pieces could fit in the roster and if they make the major league team better.

Then, Darren (again) checks in poolside from Cancun, this time after a few shots of tequila, and talks about how much fun it is to be a fan of this team when A.J. Preller is in charge.

00:00 - Padres trade deadline review

34:15 - Darren checks in with his thoughts

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

John Gennaro gets you updated on the news that the Padres have traded four of their top prospects to the A's in exchange for closer Mason Miller and LHP JP Sears. On it's face, it looks to be a pretty dramatic overpay for San Diego, but maybe it's leading to something more.

Darren Smith chimes in poolside from Cancun, Mexico to talk about how no prospect is ever untouchable for AJ Preller and the Padres, even if it's the #3 prospect in baseball (Leo de Vries).

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John kick off the show by talking a bit about the MLB trade deadline and when/what the San Diego Padres may or may not do before it hits. Then, they welcome today's guest to the show:

Karim Zidan is an investigative journalist who has written about the intersection of sports and politics for ESPN, the New York Times, The Guardian and more. He now runs his own Substack, Sports Politika. He talks with the guys about what the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics might look like and why President Trump has leaned into UFC's fandom, as well as Saudi Arabia becoming a key player in global sports ownership.

After Karim leaves, Darren and John recap last night's San Diego FC's loss to Pachuca and wonder how much Anders Dreyer's red card will affect how far the team can go in the Leagues Cup.

00:00 - Padres / MLB trade deadline

10:00 - Karim Zidan on the intersection of sports and politics

54:00 - San Diego FC loses Leagues Cup opener

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro talk about what to expect from San Diego FC's matchup against Pachuca tonight and recap a great, almost playoffs-like, atmosphere for the Padres' win over the Mets at Petco Park last night.

They also wonder what that start does for Dylan Cease's trade value, John explains why he'd rather the Padres trade Robert Suarez (and why he's bullish on Fernando Tatis Jr.'s offense), before discussing the potential salary cap that will probably lead to an MLB lockout after next season.

Finally, the guys open up the mailbag from Discord and answer some questions about enjoying this year in San Diego sports and other sports they want to follow more closely.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro recap a sports weekend that included some bench-clearing in St. Louis and another home win for San Diego FC.

First, the guys talk about the San Diego Padres finishing their road trip 5-5 and how different it might've felt if they had lost the last two games instead of winning them. Then, they get into a long conversation about what the Padres will be able to do at the trade deadline and how the long-term strategy of the franchise shifted following the death of Peter Seidler.

Later, the guys recap a very fun game for SDFC against Nashville SC that featured highlight plays from the team's all-star players as well as continued success from the youngest backline in MLS history. Darren breaks some news about SDFC transfers and gives whatever thoughts he can on the new additions while the guys debate Leagues Cup strategy for Mikey Varas.

00:00 - Padres talk / MLB trade deadline

40:05 - SDFC beats Nashville / Leagues Cup next

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro get ready for a weekend of San Diego sports, talking first about the Padres losing their third consecutive game and another disappointing start for Yu Darvish. John feels bad for Darvish, who feels like he has the team's season riding on his shoulders at the moment, and Darren thinks the team needs to prioritize adding more pitching if they want to go far in the playoffs.

Then the guys turn their attention to San Diego FC, who welcome Nashville SC to Snapdragon Stadium this evening for a matchup of two of the best teams in MLS this season. How will SDFC's lineup change with some guys injured and some former starters returning from injury?

Finally, South Park took some shots at Donald Trump and Paramount in their season debut episode and the guys spend a few minutes playing clips and cheering on the sentiment.

00:00 - Padres trade deadline tension

29:30 - Match Preview: San Diego FC vs. Nashville SC

46:30 - South Park takes on Trump & Paramount

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John kick off today's podcast by talking about "smashing the like button" and some podcast milestones before getting into their thoughts on last night's MLS All-Star Game. Full warning, before welcoming a guest to the show, there is an inordinate amount of time spent talking about Hulk Hogan and his penis.

The guys then welcome Mark Neville, CEO at Sports San Diego, to the show to talk about what went into bringing NASCAR to San Diego and what people can expect from next year's race on Naval Air Station North Island.

Afterwards, the guys discuss their own experiences attending races and what their expectations/plans are for the NASCAR event.

00:00 - Smash the like button

10:00 - MLS All-Star Game thoughts

15:00 - Hulk Hogan was only a character

33:40 - Mark Neville on NASCAR's 2026 race in San Diego

58:00 - Darren drives fast

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

John travels down to Imperial Beach to podcast from Darren's place and the guys keep one eye on the Padres game while they talk about why social media is mad at the Padres, who might be headed out of town before the MLB trade deadline, why nobody in San Diego cares about the Chargers anymore, and what it means that Lionel Messi is skipping the MLS All-Star Game.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

John kicks off today's podcast by stumbling into a war amongst San Diego Padres fans on social media and Darren tries to catch up before pivoting to some trade rumors with the MLB trade deadline coming up.

The guys then discuss the Los Angeles Chargers holding practices in San Diego, posting a retirement video for Philip Rivers, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria naming a day after Antonio Gates. This is love-bombing at best and propaganda at worst and Darren's not having any of it either way.

Finally, Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports have teamed up with FOX Sports and the guys are curious how this will play out and what is happening in the relationship between talent and media companies.

00:00 - Stumbling in social media wars

03:20 - Padres talk

18:50 - Go home, Chargers

36:40 - Barstool teams up with FOX Sports

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro reconvene after the weekend to talk about the sports that they watched, including the semifinals of the NBA Cup (leading Darren to book a trip to Las Vegas), Philip Rivers' return to the NFL (leading John to be inspired) and a wild end to the Liga MX playoffs.

They also discussed the rumors coming out about the San Diego Padres and break down what they actually mean before discussing a potential new addition to San Diego FC's roster and digging through the Yelp reviews of one of Alabama's favorite Mexican restaurants.

00:00 - Introduction / Weekend plans

04:00 - Darren's headed to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup

17:50 - Padres trade rumors

42:10 - Philip Rivers goes for it

63:00 - Mexican food power rankings

68:00 - Liga MX grand final / SDFC linked to Lewis Morgan

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro got off to a late start on the podcast today but still managed to talk plenty about the San Diego Padres taking two-of-three from the Washington Nationals and what it means for the MLB trade deadline that is only 10 days away.

Later, the guys discuss San Diego FC's 1-1 home draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in which their young players gave a glimpse into the team's future, and the team's recent issues with referees. Also, how much will this week's MLS All-Star game effect SDFC's match against Nashville on Friday night?

00:00 - Welcome to Section 1904 / Obituaries are expensive

08:00 - Padres take a road series from the Nationals

21:30 - SDFC shows off their future in 1-1 draw

41:15 - NASCAR is coming to San Diego, but where?

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

The podcast is back in regular order, with Darren Smith joining John Gennaro for a conversation about losing his father, getting support from the community, and the important distraction that sports can sometimes provide in difficult moments. Also, the guys talk about the joy of going out the way you want to.

Later, they transition to talking about the San Diego Padres and the upcoming trade deadline before focusing in on Dylan Cease, who will try to turn around his disappointing contract year with a strong second half.

Finally, the guys preview San Diego FC's game against Vancouver Whitecaps Whitecaps FC tomorrow night by looking back at what happened against Toronto FC on Wednesday, and John is wondering how much the turf at Snapdragon Stadium is playing a role in some disappointing home games this season.

00:00 - Darren's back / Dealing with grief

27:00 - Padres trade strategy

40:50 - Dylan Cease's last chance

47:00 - SDFC tries to bounce back against Vancouver

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith checks in with a report from San Diego FC's loss to Toronto FC last night, including Milan Iloski and Jasper Löffelsend leaving the team.

John Gennaro then welcomes MLB writer and reporter Hannah Keyser to the show to talk about the MLB All-Star Game, how baseball media should talk about the trade deadline, and how becoming a parent changes your perspective and brain chemistry.

00:00 - Darren recaps SDFC's loss to Toronto FC

17:15 - John talks with Hannah Keyser

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith kicks off today's episode by remembering his father and thanking everyone who has offered support over the years.

John Gennaro is then joined by Darnay Tripp from NBC San Diego and the On Friar podcast for a conversation about the MLB All-Star Game, Milan Iloski leaving San Diego FC, what the Padres should do before the trade deadline and if the Chargers will return to San Diego to play in a new stadium in Chula Vista.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren and John are back together and talking about footwear for way longer than anyone should before they get into their thoughts on the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, the MLB All-Star Game (happening tonight), ways that baseball can bring some personality back into the game, and an impending war between the players and team owners.

The guys then get into what the heck is going on between Milan Iloski and San Diego FC, including quotes from (partial) team owner and San Diego Padres 3B Manny Machado.

Finally, Pangea is being built in Chula Vista and the guys are eager to get more details and more information about what it means for the future of the city and its professional sports teams.

00:00 - Darren's footwear dilemma

08:55 - The Home Run Derby sucks

12:00 - Why MLB players are mad about the all-star roster

35:00 - A war brewing between MLB and its players

39:15 - Milan Iloski's future with SDFC

52:40 - Pangea in Chula Vista?

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

While the San Diego Padres head into the MLB All-Star break, Darren and John talk about if the team should be buyers or sellers, if trading for a catcher midseason is a good idea, and whether or not they'll be watching the Home Run Derby tonight.

Later, the guys discuss the FIFA Club World Cup Final, which Chelsea won and then had to share the stage with Donald Trump. It was an awkward moment that is almost assured to happen again next year at the end of the FIFA World Cup.

Finally, San Diego FC went to Chicago and got back to their winning ways, but now the team seems to be in a difficult situation with Milan Iloski's loan.They talk about what led to the win and why it's important that SDFC gets the Iloski situation straightened out.

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith is out today, so John Gennaro is handling this one solo. He talks for a bit about the San Diego Padres winning last night, why he believes in a Fernando Tatis Jr. resurgence, and why he thinks the team has told the front office to be (bargain bin) buyers, instead of sellers, at the MLB trade deadline.

Also, after John complains a bit about how the 7th inning was managed last night, he re-visits his Padres trade ideas from yesterday that would bring in two new OF/DH options and a new starting catcher.

After that, Darren Smith has sent in a couple of funny clips that show off the perspective of Europeans when it comes to American sports hatred and American weather. Both of them are very funny.

Finally, stadium talk is back in San Diego. Not really, but kinda. Hopefully, nobody takes it too seriously and we can move into the weekend where the Padres and San Diego FC have critical games ahead of them.

00:00 - Introduction to the solo podcast

03:00 - Padres win / Tatis & Manny hit HRs

09:00 - Michael King returning soon?

15:40 - The Padres should be (bargain bin) buyers

28:45 - The view of American sports from Europe

32:30 - The return of San Diego stadium talk

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith is in Florida but still wanted to chat with John Gennaro about the San Diego Padres and whether or not they should extend Dylan Cease a qualifying offer this offseason after the terrible first half to the season he's had.

John gets wrapped up in a quote from Mike Shildt that seems to point the blame for the team's poor offensive output on GM A.J. Preller, and whether or not Manny Machado is leading a joyless clubhouse.

00:00 - Darren's in Florida / new microphones

07:00 - Should the Padres give Dylan Cease the qualifying offer?

27:05 - Padres team dynamics (Shildt vs. Preller?)

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

Darren Smith and John Gennaro try to make it a short podcast and fail, going a full hour-ish on translators in the locker room, Mike Shildt's love of wearing the baseball uniform, bone-in filet mignon and the proper way to order a steak, AI and ABS taking over for referees/umpires in professional sports, whether or not Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) should be legal, why Red Bull sacked their Team Principal in Formula 1, and how casual is too casual when it comes to explicit language. Enjoy!

00:00 - Appreciating the Section 1904 guests

06:00 - Padres win 1-0 on Luis Arraez HR

18:00 - Mike Shildt gets tossed, keeps the uniform on

30:05 - ABS coming to MLB All-Star Game / AI at Wimbledon

39:30 - CA makes Daily Fantasy Sports illegal

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.

We finally have an episode without a guest, so Darren and John get to dive into their midseason Padres thoughts (Manny gets 2000 hits, Darvish looks good in his return, Tatis lacking power but still a valuable player, etc.) before spending some time talking about a potential UFC event at the White House and San Diego's reaction to JD Vance and Usha Vance dining in University Heights (and screwing up traffic).

00:00 - Introduction / Technical challenges / Emo Brown podcast

10:30 - Yu Darvish looks strong in return

18:30 - Manny Machado reaches 2000 hits / Trade value talk

44:30 - A UFC event at the White House? / Vances visit San Diego

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering subscribing at Section1904.com to support our work for as little as $5/month.