—by Andrew Brawley
It's home opener week. We got lots of information to share this week. Spread the word!
Sunday: Do's and Don'ts
Monday: Tifo 101 + the National Anthem
Tuesday: Guide for First-Timers
Wednesday: Guide for Veterans
Thursday: Game day!
So your first Timbers game is quickly approaching, and lucky you, you’re sitting with the Timbers Army! Are you a little anxious? Excited? Worried about what you might have heard about us from your Grandpa or a confused Oregonian journalist?
That’s alright. We all had a first time in our lives, but we surely won’t ever forget it, and neither will you!
In honor of all our new friends joining us in The North End, here are a few tips to make your first game the most enjoyable experience possible.
- Stretch. You’re going to be doing a lot of standing. And yelling. And singing. Possibly some drinking. The off-season is hard on all of us, which is why there’s a pre-season: it gets us warmed up for the regular season. Wear some comfy shoes (preferably ones that can withstand occasional beer spillage) and get ready for a workout.
- Read. Can’t make out what we’re singing? No problem! We’ve got lyric sheets for all our chants at the 107ist booth in the concession area. (Get a head start and print one out at home.) You’ll be singing like a pro (in our eyes, at least) in no time!
- Relax. We’re all here to do two things: support the Timbers and have a good time doing it. Nobody wants to get into a scuffle. If you need to lay off the beer, that’s fine. If someone else does, kindly help them out. This is a fun sports event, not a drinking contest.
- Spread. Remember that ‘107’ is a state of mind, not an address. The old days of clamoring to be stuck in the thick of it are over. You no longer HAVE to be in section 107 to get the full TA effect. We got 16 sections of the North End (101-108; 201-208) to play in. There’s plenty of room for everybody.
- Participate. We pride ourselves on being Silicon Forest social media savants, but this is not the time to bury your head into your iPhone and post updates to Twitter or Facebook. Unless you’re texting your FFF (Flounders-fan-frienemy) that the Timbers just scored, keep the phone in your pocket and join in the fun.
- Learn. Nobody expects you to be an expert after one match. If you would rather play the role of observer at your first match, we suggest sitting somewhere in the 200 level seats and witnessing the party from up on high. There’s no need to dive right into the deep end of the 100 level seats from the get-go.
- Prompt. More than any other season, it will pay greatly to arrive early this year. Saving a couple seats near you is fine, but holding 20 seats for your lazy pals right up until kick-off is not a good way to introduce yourself to the TA.
- Play. We’re all here because it’s fun. We hope you are as well.
Questions? Post them here. The veterans will surely help you out.
Tomorrow, a guide for the veterans. Yeah, they need one, too.
