The Section 1904 Podcast

Darren Smith

In pursuit of smart conversations since 2004. The Section 1904 Podcast is a 20-year radio career, distilled for small batch consumption. Quality over quantity. Made in San Diego. dsmithshow.substack.com

  1. The Champions...

    HACE 17 H

    The Champions...

    Been a dramatic day for the Champions League on two different continents. (Yes, it’s called Champions Cup in Concacaf but these are details we can push aside) Eric Gomez from ESPN joined me immediately after the final whistle in Munich and we touched on the UEFA matchup between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, including thoughts on Atletico Madrid crashing out in the semifinal. Has the Diego Simeone Show run its course? We then turned to Wednesday night’s Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal in Toluca. Been a whirlwind of contradictory news out of Mexico about which potential Mexican National Team players would be available against LAFC. First, Alexis Vega and Jesus Gallardo would be allowed to play. But then, things changed. The Club confirmed that the two key players would leave the team and report for National Team camp. What is happening and why is this happening now? Eric has the scoop. We ended the conversation talking about the Fox TV commercial currently circulating, in which the United States Men’s National Team wins the World Cup. What would the reaction actually be if that were to happen? Would it be anything close to scenes we’ve seen in other countries? Hypotheticals on hypotheticals. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    37 min

  2. HACE 1 DÍA

    Paralysis of Analysis

    (This is the audio-only version of Tuesday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode, click here.) Pretty impressive to scroll through Padres Twitter / Blue Sky / Threads etc and see so many solutions to Fernando Tatis Jr’s hitting woes. I’m hooked. “It’s his lower body!'“ “He’s hurt!” “His swing load is wrong!” “He’s wearing the wrong gloves!” On and on it goes and - honestly - since he doesn’t seem to know how to fix things and his coaches haven’t yet figured out a solution, why not peruse social media for ideas at this point? In this podcast, Marty and AJ Cassavell ask if Fernando should be more like Luis Capusano and just “stop giving a fuck”. We are reaching Bull Durham levels of analysis. After Padres talk (including Luis Arraez’s impressive 2B defense), we talked some NBA Playoffs, UEFA Champions League with a dash of Game Of Thrones sprinkled in. Enjoy Tuesday’s MartyTimeTV & Section 1904 collab. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    42 min

  3. HACE 4 DÍAS

    LAFC Preview w/ Mikey Varas

    Had the chance to go 1-on-1 with SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas about the team taking a “step in the right direction” against Portland, how he evaluates Duran Ferree’s decision away from goal and how the club will attempt to fill Jeppe Tverskov’s rather large boots. We also talked about SDFC’s need to be more aggressive in attack while balancing patience & buildup play. Sounds like LAFC will field a heavily rotated team this week, though Head Coach Marc Dos Santos suggested Denis Bouanga will see minutes at Snapdragon Stadium. This interview will air during the SDFC Kickoff Show on San Diego Sports 760 and the IHeartRadio App, starting at 6pm. Adrian Garcia Marquez and I will have the call at 6:30 and, as always, you can listen on AM 760, the app or on AppleTV by locating the “Home Radio” icon. (See below) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    7 min

  4. 28 ABR

    Foul Ball!

    Baseball is a very confusing sport. Fernando Tatis Jr has a .295 slugging percentage, which is bad, but he’s hitting the ball harder than anyone in the sport, which is good. Are we supposed to think he’s off to a bad start or an unlucky one? There are also confusing rules. On Monday night, a ground ball in the 9th inning appeared to be clearly foul. The umpires ruled it fair. Online arguing - pardon the redundancy - ensued. Regardless, Mason Miller’s streak ended against the Cubs. So what’s the deal? The Official MLB Rule Book suggests that was a foul ball. But wait! Apparently there’s something called the “Umpire Interpretation Manual”, which I had never heard of until today. There's precedent for that being a fair ball. Similarly seemingly obvious calls have led to online discussion in previous seasons. So…WTF? Thankfully, AJ Cassavell from MLB.Com is here to set us straight, despite feeling exhausted by the subject. We also talked about Mexico City, Manny Machado and what to make of Tatis’s ridiculously high exit velocity and ridiculously low launch angle. Per usual, AJ delivers. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    52 min
  5. SDFC vs PTFC VI

    24 ABR

    SDFC vs PTFC VI

    San Diego FC lost. Again. A player was shown red. Again. New opponent and different player but all-too familiar themes for SDFC fans. Four straight losses and seven red cards in 13 matches. What is happening? This is all uncharted territory for San Diego Football Club. The current winless & losing streaks are unprecedented in the Club’s 43-match regular season history. Something something about the weight of expectations, or whatever. But it hasn’t been pretty for the past six weeks. In Houston, there were signs of improvement from the team in buildup play and on the defensive side but the attack was nonexistent. Injuries and red cards have certainly taken a toll (Ian Pilcher just played for the first time since Toluca; Sergeant hasn’t played since etc) and the red card suspensions have had a knock-on effect. Is Portland the right opponent at the right time? SDFC didn’t lose to Portland in 2025. The Azul y Chrome was, officially 3-0-2 (w-l-d) in the five meeting last season, losing the PK shootout in G2 of the MLS Cup Playoffs opening series. San Diego outscored PTFC 12-3 in those five matches. Oh, and Portland’s record away from Providence Park is - how should we say? - atrocious. (Time for a glass-half full moment: If SDFC wins on Saturday, they will have 14 points in their first 10 matches - the exact point total they had through Matchday 10 in 2026.) In this podcast, I talked about a few key moments from Wednesday’s match, Mikey Varas going 3-4-3 for the first time and why Saturday night feels like a pretty massive moment. My guest is Adam Susman of The Timbers Review. Adam covers the Timbers from top-to-tail and does a tremendous job taking fans inside the Club. Enjoy this Pod and don’t forget to tune in Saturday night at 6PM for the Kickoff Show with actual kickoff at 6:40. You can listen to Adrian Garcia Marquez and myself with the call on San Diego Sports 760, the IHeartradio App and on AppleTV by switching to the “Home Town Radio Call” in the lower righthand corner of your screen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    35 min
  6. Mikey Varas Pregame

    23 ABR

    Mikey Varas Pregame

    This is the “Coach’s Conversation with Head Coach Mikey Varas”, recorded ahead of Wednesday’s match against Houston Dynamo. These previews are heard on the SDFC Kickoff Show on San Diego Sports 760 and the IHeartRadio App. Our pregame coverage starts 30 minutes before kickoff for most matches. We talked about the Club’s decision to travel straight from Salt Lake to Houston, what went wrong in the first 10 minutes against RSL and how Mikey manages a mistake that turns into a viral moment, like the howler for Duran Ferree last match. Mikey isn’t on social media but his players are. Interesting stuff. We also talked about the subs and what stands out about Dynamo so far. Join Adrian Garcia Marquez and me on the radio for every MLS match and a reminder - you can listen to our radio broadcast on AppleTV for all home matches by locating the “Home Radio” option in the lower right corner of the broadcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    8 min

  7. 22 ABR

    Lucas Giolito is a Padre

    (This is the audio-only version of Monday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode, click here.) Timing is everything! Just as we started recording Wednesday’s show, news broke. Lucas Giolito. Padre. Marty and I were joined by our friend, ESPN’s Eric Gomez, and we talked about the Giolito addition and what it says about ownership, the health of the rotation and the next steps for the Padres' newest arm. Eric was initially invited to offer some advice to those traveling to Mexico City this weekend for the Padres / Diamondbacks series (or anytime, really). Want to know the top foodie locations, taco shops and cafes? Eric has you covered. Plus and few do’s and don’ts for your trip to a phenomenal city. We then turned our attention to the World Cup, now just 50 days away and how the USMNT and El Tri seem to be headed in different directions. The USSF is losing key figures while Mexico is announcing FC Barcelona legend Rafa Marquez as the next head coach. There doesn’t seem to be much enthusiasm for the U.S., with a reported 30,000 tickets still unsold for the opener against Paraguay. Blame FIFA and the dynamic pricing or just a melancholic attitude towards the team? There have also been a few controversies about transportation , whether Iran will participate while warring with the United States, requests for a moratorium on ICE arrests and myriad issues that have made headlines. Will any of this matter when the ball starts rolling? We discussed. Plus, SDFC takes on the Houston Dynamo tonight, and we took the opportunity to talk about Héctor Herrera’s impact on the sport and the region. The Tijuana-born legend is back with the Dynamo and has been a key contributor this season. Tonight’s broadcast starts with the Kickoff Show at 5pm, with actual kickoff scheduled for 5:40. You can hear the call with Adrian Garcia Marquez and myself on 760am or the IHeartRadio App. We also have a postgame show - SDFC Extra Time - immediately following the match and will hear from Head Coach Mikey Varas when his post match press conference begins. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    56 min

  8. 20 ABR

    What Makes the Padres Good?

    (This is the audio-only version of Monday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode, click here.) Darren and Marty are back and focussing on the Padres news both on and off the field. After a few minutes discussing television wardrobes and makeup, we talked about the weekend of information-gathering regarding the Padres reported sale to Jose Feliciano Jr. Marty made her way to Anaheim for clubhouse reaction to the sale from Manny Machado and we discussed the report that Sycuan is partnering with the purchasing group. We also talked about the weekend protests against Chelsea Football Club, a team that Jose Feliciano Jr and his partners own, and what that might mean to fans here. (Including the pic we discussed from the fan protest at Stamford Bridge) Attention was then turned to the product on the field and we read some listener responses to the question - “Why are the Padres good?” We appreciate the replies and talked about many of them, from Stammen vibes to Mason Miller and guys not named Machado or Tatis making things happen. Finishing out this show, Marty and Darren discussed San Diego FC’s most recent loss, with some reasons why this team has hit the skids and how close they might be to turning their fortunes around. It’s been a bit forgotten that in April of 2025, the team also lost three straight matches before turning their season around. Also, with one win in their next two matches, this team will be level on points (14) with last year’s record setting pace. Next match is Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo. Pregame coverage on San Diego Sports 760 and the IHeartRadio app starting at 5PM. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

    45 min
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In pursuit of smart conversations since 2004. The Section 1904 Podcast is a 20-year radio career, distilled for small batch consumption. Quality over quantity. Made in San Diego. dsmithshow.substack.com

Información

  • Creador
    Darren Smith
  • Años de actividad
    2 k
  • Episodios
    32
  • Clasificación
    Explícito
  • Copyright
    © Darren Smith
  • Mostrar sitio web
    The Section 1904 Podcast

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