Backs 3, Drinos 2

Tough loss by the Padres on Sunday. Randy Johnson came out of retirement to strike out 10 over 6 1/3 innings but, even with that retro outing by the Unpleasant One, the Padres were one timely hit in either the eighth or ninth inning of tying, and perhaps winning, that ballgame. And that was a huge game. It meant the difference between being 7 games back and 9 games back.

So I don't really want to talk about it.

I'd rather congratulate Rafa Nadal (pictured above) on a great win at Wimbledon and segue from that into a brief discussion of the great year for sports 2008 has already been. And, before you cower at the thought of me eliciting bad memories, don't worry. I'm not going to mention the Rose Bowl, the AFC Championship Game, the Illini basketball season or the first three months of the Padres' season.

It's only July 7 and here is the sports year we've already had: a classic Super Bowl where the Giants beat the undefeated Patriots 17-14; an incredible NCAA final where Mario Chalmers sank a prayer three to send the game to overtime where the Jayhawks' eventually prevailed; an NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Lakers that went to six games before the Celtics won in record-breaking fashion; a U.S. Open for the ages where Tiger Woods sank a putt on the 18th hole to send the tournament to a Monday playoff where he finally prevailed over Rocco Mediate; a Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United that went to PKs and Man U prevailed after John Terry missed a chance to clinch wide right; a Euro 2008 final where Spain defeated Germany 1-0, it's first Euro victory since 1964; and, now, on Sunday, a five-set Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles final between Nadal and Federer that John McEnroe said was the best match he's ever seen.

In the immortal words of Dick Enberg, "Oh my!"