FanPost

To celebrate 40 years of Major League Baseball in San Diego, the Padres are bringing back a familiar dubious distinction. And happy 50th birthday to the WWE's Finlay on October 20.

After this week's debacle at the ballpark at the Ravine 125 miles north of America's Finest City, I checked out the Friar Fastball report in the Union-Tribune this morning (as in 9:20 am Eastern time), and we might be bringing back a tradition that would make founder/original owner C. Arnholt Smith proud...

We currently own the worst record in major league baseball!

Here is the proof courtesy of http://www.signonsandiego.com:

Friars    53-86

Nats      54-85

M's        53-85

Yes, if we go 9-14 the rest of the way, we will have our 1st 100 loss season since '93, the wonderful year when Andy Benes and Mr. Padre were all-stars in Baltimore.  The year Phillip Alan Plantier, who was a Jr. Padres Club member back in '84, hit 34 homers for San Diego. (And Phillip Alan would be traded to the Astros on 12/21/04 for Kenneth Gene Caminiti and Steven Allen Finley, marking the birth resurrection of the New Padres, brought to us by John Moores.) And oh, yeah: San Diego got rid of some big stars (McGriff, Sheffield, Santiago, Randy Myers, etc.) that turned a playoff contender into a doormat, brought to us by one of the current owners of the Red Sox who was also the executive producer of those 2 classic disaster sitcoms, "3rd Rock from the Sun" and a certain show that I will not say, because the star who shared the title of the show embarrassed the team and our country back in 1990 when one of the current Red Sox owners who used to own the Padres (and it's not Larry Lucchino) sung the Star Spangled Banner so off key the New York Post (which is owned by the same Australian media mogul that gave us back Saturday afternoon baseball, American Idol, Bill O'Reilly and from 1998 to 2003 ripped the Lost Angeles Dodgers from the O'Malleys--another reason to hate the Dodgers) had a huge headline for this comedienne's performance at the Murph/Q: BARR-F! (Mr. Werner should've had Phylicia Rashad, star of the Cosby Show-a Tom Werner show- to do the anthem, in my opinion). But do remember, as well, '93 was the year Trevor William Hoffman, baseball's all-time saves leader, came to the Padres in the Gary Sheffield trade. Then things started to look good. But now, the Padres are fighting for the worst record in baseball. I'll just follow the Padres as the rest of you, until the season ends 9/28 against a Pirates team that's been cursed by Barry Bonds.

But right now, 4 things will be in my mind for the rest of 2008.

Notre Dame football starts Saturday against SDSU, and I expect the Fighting Irish to go 8-4 this year. No 38-0 embarrasments to Michigan and USC, no 2-game losing streak to Navy after we beat them 43 in a row, no more 3-9, or 2-10, or 1-11 or 0-12. Ever. (Check out http://www.rakesofmallow.com, SB Nation's Notre Dame blog.)

The Chargers open up at the Q Sunday against the Panthers. Shawne Merriman will have a great season, and get 25 sacks (even with that damaged knee), Antonio Cromartie will have 15 interceptions, Philip Rivers will pass for 4,000 yards and LT will rush for 2,200 yards and score 35 touchdowns. And the Chargers will beat Philly in Super Bowl XLIII. (Why can't SB Nation have a Chargers blog?)

Notre Dame Basketball returns in November, and I predict that center Luke Harangody will be 1st team All-American, and sweep the National Player of the Year awards. And the Irish will be in the Final Four in Detroit in April, they'll destroy everyone to win their 1st NCAA championship in basketball! (Remember to check out http://www.rakesofmallow.com for the latest Irish hoops news.)

And finally, since the Padres season is a disaster, I'll enjoy my other favorite sports icon:Finlay! The Fighting Irishman from the WWE is right up there with LT, Andrew Bogut (of the Bucks) and Adrian Gonzalez (of the Padres) as my favorite sports stars. I found a great site for fans of Finlay, it is http://www.myspace.com/fitfinlayfansite and I am also part of the Finlay Fan Nation on Facebook and I am known as Finlay Fan on the Chargers Forum at http://www.chargers.com.  And it's all to celebrate the upcoming 50th birthday of one of the greatest international wrestlers of all time, Finlay himself. Love to see Finlay get a chance at the Padres managerial job in 2009...

Anyway, I'll keep on posting throughout the year as Finlay's 50th birthday "Year of Finlay" continues. Oh, by the way, Padres fans: Found out from one New York sports forum that the Padres will help the Mets open up Citi Field (the Mets new home) on April 14, 2009. That is subject to change, but the Padres will be opening up Citi Field next year. And I hope Finlay is the Padres manager. ("My name is Finlay, and I love to fight...but I hate the Dodgers!")

Go Padres, avoid 100 losses.

Go Chargers, beat the Panthers, win the Super Bowl.

Go Irish, beat SDSU, destroy Michigan, have a winning season, win a bowl game, return to glory!

Go Finlay and Hornswoggle, best dynamic duo in sports since Jake Peavy and Chris Young, LT and Philip Rivers and Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman.

Happy Birthday, Finlay... (on October 20!)

This FanPost was written by a member of the Gaslamp Ball community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gaslamp Ball staff or SB Nation.