The dirt on CruiznSD

Real Name	Jose
Location	San Ysidro
Date of Birth	3/15/1975
Stats	5'7" 150 lbs, green eyes, brown hair, size 10 shoes... just don't tell the IRS
Drugs/Alcohol	None... never.  I did vow to drink when the Padres win the World Series though.
Marital Status	Unfortunately for lady-Padres fans I've had a girlfriend since 1993, her name is Jandi (pronounced hawn-dee), spanish for Alejandra. I told her years back that we'd get married once the Padres win the World Series, so when you look at it from my perspective, losing the 1998 World Series wasn't all that bad.
Things my girlfriend can do to get me mad	Cheat, "jokingly" put on a Dodgers cap, boo a Padres player
Padres fan since	1985 or 1986 (Don't quite remember)
1st Padres game attended	Oct. 1, 1986 (Last game of the season)
Age at 1st Padres game	11
Who I went to games with	Alone, just don't report my parents to a child-protection agency.
How I became a Padres fan (my apologies to the Padres)	I was watching a Cubs vs. Padres game in Wrigley field.  I liked the game for some reason.  It was a see-saw game with the lead going back and forth between the Pads and Cubbies. When Padres took a lead, I said I'd be a Padres fan.  When Cubs took a lead, I'd figure I'd be a Cubs fan. I got tired of being a band-wagoner so I decided to be faithful to one team.  Since I'm from San Diego, I chose the Padres.
Favorite baseball player in 1986	Tony Gwynn
Favorite baseball player in 1998	Tony Gwynn
Players that I almost replaced Tony Gwynn with as my favorite baseball player (my apologies to Mr. Gwynn)	Will Clark, Barry Bonds (I apologize to all Padres fan... I was young and he was with the Pirates then), Jose Canseco (I don't know what to say here)
Jr. Padres member	1987-1991 (yes, you do have to be 14 years of age or under, but in 1991 when I was 16 I looked like I was 12 years old, believe me)
Padres Season ticket-holder since	1996
The reason I became a season-ticket holder	Right after we signed Rickey Henderson, I for some reason thought that the upcoming season was going to be very special
"Big games" I attended in my early Padres-fan years (in no particular order)	Saw Benito Santiago extend his rookie hitting streak to 31 games with a HR in his final at-bat against the San Francisco Giants. Saw Darryl Strawberry throw a ball over the right-field seats into the parking lot for some unknown reason after catching the 3rd out of an inning. Saw Tim Flannery call it quits in the middle of a game against the Giants.  The PA announcer announced it to all the fans after his last at-bat and Flan came out as a final curtain call in front of a standing ovation. Unfortunately saw the Los Angeles Dodgers clinch the NL West in 1988. Went to the 1992 All-Star Game.
"Big games" I attended in my most recent Padres-fan years (in no particular order)	Unfortunately saw the Dodgers clinch the NL West in 1995. "Sneaked" into Dodger Stadium and saw the Padres clinch the NL West in 1996. Read about it! Sat in the pouring rain and hail storm when the Padres came back to tie the Yankees in an exhibition game. Celebrated with the Padres after clinching the N.L. West Division as I stayed almost until midnight and got sprayed with champagne. Witnessed Sammy Sosa's 63rd homerun (a grand slam) Went to Game 3 of the 1998 National League Division Series Went to Game 4 of the 1998 National League Championship Series Went to Game 3 of the 1998 World Series
Games/Events I regret not attending	Tony Gwynn getting his 2000 career hit. Padres only Playoff game in San Diego since I became a Padre Fan. 1992 All-Star Fan Fest at the Convention Center. 1984 (too bad I wasn't into baseball then)
Who'd I have on my hit-list if I was in the Mafia - I do not condone any kind of violence, and kids, do not try this at home	Kirk Gibson (I'd slap him silly), Hideki Irabu (a 3 Stooge's poke in the eyes), Mike Piazza (give him a bad haircut), Barry Bonds (put his head in a vise-grip and tell him he better stop being such a hot dog or he'll end up sleeping with the fishes), Jose Canseco (give him electric-shock therapy so he can stop doing that thing with his neck), Deion Sanders (High-step him in the crotch and take his jewelry), Dennis Eckersely (cut off his index finger and hair), Jack Clark (TNT in the mouth), Andy Benes (take him to the ATM and tell him to give it all up), Steve Boras (just shoot him before he does baseball any worse), Raul Mondesi (a wedgie first, then I'd throw him from a train), Gary Gaetti (just set up a big mouse-trap for him), Tommy Lasorda (treating him for "all you can eat" at an italian restaurant should make him explode), Albert Belle (chase him around the neighborhood in my truck while calling him "Joey"), Bruce Henderson (I'll file a lawsuit against him for being such a pain) ... I'm sorry if I left out any names, if I remember you cock-roaches, I will get you eventually)
Claim-to-Fame	Caught Carlos Hernandez's HR off Randy Johnson on June 24 1998, also threw out the first beachball of the 1992 season.
My little-known secret to getting out of the Q parking lot faster	I can't give you a detailed description, but there's a path near the area where the buses park behind the scoreboard.  There's 2 ways, just follow the concrete barriers. I'm surprised that not too many people know of it.  Usually you can get out in about half the time if you go elsewhere. It's a very quick route especially when it's an average crowd. On big-crowd nights the parking attendants usually direct traffic thru this area so it might not be such a good idea on big nights.
What I do in my free time	Hook up with friends to play baseball, watch baseball, anything baseball.  (Live, Drink, eat baseball is my motto)
Where you can find me (I don't go to all the games, only about half)	In the parking lot about 3 hours before game time, just look for a goldish-brown Mazda with Padres stickers on the back of my camper shell.  My truck also has a bumper sticker that reads, "I HATE THE DODGERS". 2 hours before game time, I'll be in the left-field grandstand catching batting practice balls with my girlfriend. After batting practice but before the first pitch, you may see me on Padres Street buying food or at the Fastest-Pitcher thing.  (My personal best to date: 72 MPH) Most of the time I'll be at my season-ticket seat in Grandstand Plaza Section 8, Row 1, Seats 1 and 2.  Many times I exchange those tickets for elsewhere but the upcoming games that you can stop by to say hi to me there are Aug. 7, Aug 12, Sept. 2 and Sept. 11.

Read about my trip to Los Angeles to see the Padres win the 1996 N.L. West Division.