—by Garrett Dittfurth

*Yadda yadda this isn't the official statement of the board it's just one guy's opinion yadda yadda*

All kinds of things happened on June 28th. The Battle of Sullivan's Island, which was the first decisive victory of the Americans in the Revolutionary War. Labor Day was declared a national holiday. Seoul was captured by North Korean troops. Mike Tyson Chewed Evander Holyfield's ear off in an act of cannibalism. So basically it's a day that things happen. Oh yeah this year the Timbers play too. They play the Sounders. You've heard of them I'm sure. They're the fishing village to the north that wears nuclear goat urine stained uniforms. It's very appealing to those with a taste for the late 80s and early 90s fashion strategies. I mean I get it. It was the 80s. I had a ski jacket that looked like an experiment of J. Robert Oppenheimer. OK enough with the nostalgia.

It's going to be upwards of 100+ degrees on Sunday. At 4:00. Right when the match starts. Most of you are going to be in the sun for the majority of the match. They could move the match like sane people would but they would cause TV. So you're going to be in the sun at about 100 degrees for the majority of the time you're at the stadium. Here's some advice.

#1) Bring a water bottle. You can bring in an empty water bottle. There is a new water bottle filling station in the north end. If you don't want to wait in the line just go to the bathroom and fill it in the sink. Seriously every single one of you do this. It isn't worth passing out with heat stroke to drink a bunch of beer in the sun. You also probably don't want to pay $4 for a bottle of water, which is the insane price they charge. Or at least it was the last time I had to buy a bottle of water in 100+ degree heat at the stadium. Just bring an empty water bottle and fill it. Drink several of these during the match.

#2) Don't spend the entire day drinking. Seriously nobody wants to carry you up a flight of concrete stairs and miss the rest of the match because you thought mimosas and beer all morning were a wonderful combination. You'll feel like crap on Monday and someone else will have to miss the match to deal with your hot mess.

#3) Bring misters. You know...basically a water bottle with a squirt handle on it. Fill it up in the bathroom and then squirt everyone around you. Rinse and repeat. In 100+ degrees you'll be the hero and someone will probably buy you a beer...don't buy the $4 bottles of water for misting. Actually no I'll say it. Don't buy the $4 bottles of water. #1 they're terrible for the environment and #2 it's a goddamned ripoff to charge $4 for water. Bring your own bottle and refill it...many, many times.

#4) Dress cool. No I don't mean dress in pink neon (though that would be rad) dress cool. Wear shorts and short sleeves. Do not dress like Borat unless you want to be made fun of for the rest of your natural born life.

#5) Put on sunscreen. Am I your mom? Most of the north end will be under the sun for much of the match and all of the pre-match. Put the stuff on or you're going to be a potato chip by halftime.

Hey if they won't move the game time (and they won't because TV) we may as well enjoy it. Just enjoy it safely. We have people in the TA who will help you out if you're having distress but please please please don't do anything to cause that like drinking excessively. They want to watch the match too. If anyone in your section has serious issues like passing out please get an usher who can get the correct medical personnel to come help. It's going to be hot. Drink a lot of water and enjoy the match. Just take proper precautions and also rub some sticks together for the players on the pitch. That turf is 20 degrees hotter than it is in the stands. No joke. The Seattle match in 2012 with the huge tifo I spent the first half of it pulling down the rigging. I poured two bottles of water into my shoes because it was so hot on the turf and I was just pulling down ropes right under the wall by the TA.

This past weekend a group of 107ist members volunteered at the Metropolitan Family Service Community Cup Soccer Tournament and Resource Fair (formerly Soccer de Mayo), hosted at Davis Elementary. The Community Cup is an annual soccer tournament for elementary students in East Portland who participate in the SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods) program through Metropolitan Family Service. The SUN program serves area kids who are homeless, living in poverty, and/or at risk of academic failure. The event featured matches between 12 different MFS SUN Community School coed teams; activities including T-shirt decorating, a photo booth, and a version of duck duck goose with sploosh balls; a delicious lunch for participants; and a community resource fair for families.

We pitched in on a fairly wide variety of volunteer tasks alongside neighborhood parents, teachers, and other community members. Some of us reffed matches, while others helped kids with spelling as they decorated their T-shirts, or prepped food, or checked in the teams and handed out extra shin guards and keeper gloves. The kids' energy and passion for soccer was infectious, both for their own game and the international game—between matches, kids from every group were writing Messi, Ronaldo, or Neymar or drawing the Barça or Real Madrid logo in fabric marker on their blank T-shirts. Who knows, maybe there was a future Timber or Thorn or another Rubio Rubin among the players who got to benefit from this great opportunity.

It was a pleasure to spend a sunny day running around, making art and eating burritos with so many young fans of the beautiful game. We hope to see you there when this event rolls around next May!

WHAT:  A 7 vs 7 Half Field Outdoor Soccer Tourney

WHEN:  Saturday August 1^st from 10am to 8pm

WHERE:  Buckman Field Park

WHO:  Room for 20 teams of 10 players each at a cost of $250/team or $25/player.  Players must be 16 yrs of age or older

WHY:  A Fun in the Sun Fundraiser for the weeknight schedule of Open Play sessions at Jefferson HS Field. PLUS, Who doesn’t like Donuts and Soccer?

BONUSES: (even if you aren't in the tourney)

• Expansive and shaded Beer Garden
  
• Koi Fusion Food Cart
  
• Sweet Limited Edition Tourney Specific Merch for sale
  
• Delicious Donuts provided free to players (courtesy of 107IST Partner business Coco Donuts)
  

REGISTER YOUR TEAM WITH THE TOURNEY REGISTRAR:  Justin Warber

FULL PAYMENT OF THE $250 REGISTRATION FEE SECURES YOUR TEAM'S SPOT.  You can get this done all at once with a team payment of $250 or you do it individually by getting 10 players to each pay $25 using the payment links generated for the team (email the registrar or your team manager if you don't have your payment link).

Or, if you do not have a team, register as an individual and we will work to place you on one.

---

THE DETAILS

Snappy Soft Tourney Tee

The TAFC is putting on our first ever outdoor tournament as a summer companion to our wildly successful Winter Classic Futsal Tourney.  Come out and enjoy a day in the sun at Buckman Field Park.  Each of the 4 divisions is limited to ONLY 4 TEAMS.  All teams will play within their division only. Each team will play 3 games.  Divisional Winners will be determined by point total.*

NEW TO THE 7 v 7 GAME?

The rules are very similar to Futsal; 2-25 min halves and a 5 min halftime, Place on the line kick in for throw in, No offside rule, No slide tackles, played with a standard outdoor ball and on a half size field with smaller goals than standard outdoor.

DIVISIONS (we must have 4 teams registered to launch each of these divisions)

Gold Open** – Skilled players; men or women

Green Open** – Regular players; men or women

Recreational Open** – (CANCELED - Lack of interest)

Women's World Cup Redux – Women players only; regular skill level and above

Recreational Coed*** – Occasional or new players

TO REGISTER  -  HARD DEADLINE 7/20

Registration is now open.  We are accepting Full Team Registrations AND Individual Registrations to a team. Email the tourney registrar Justin Warber to secure your spot.  He will take your information and will send you a link for payment. Existing TAFC teams will be given priority for the first 2 weeks of registration (until 6/12) but we WILL be accepting waitlist requests starting right now.

Come on out and join the fun.  Food Cart, Beer, Soccer, ....DOOOOOUGHNUTS.

What could be better?

* If we are unable to fill any particular division with 4 teams by the registration deadline of 7/20 we will contact the registered teams in that division to discuss a format solution, be that a modified format or refund.  

**Open Division teams have no gender limits on roster or field players

***Coed Division teams must have 4-6 women AND 4-6 men on their limited roster of 10 players and field 3-4 women AND 3-4 men at all times

—by Mike Coleman

While I serve on the 107ist board of directors, this is an editorial piece and does not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of the Timbers Army or 107ist board as a whole.

“Real supporters support their team through thick and thin”

This is what Twitter user @andyjpdx tweeted at me in response to a discussion we were having on  the “Same as it ever was” banner.

And, I’ve had other conversations with my fellow TA about what is appropriate and not appropriate behavior for supporters. To some you can never hold a player accountable for poor performance. To some our coach is beyond reproach. To some the Timbers as a unit should never be questioned.

I’m not for one second trying to convince you, Constant Reader, how you should support the mighty PTFC. That is, and always should, be your choice.

But, for me, as I’ve said on Twitter, support does not equal blind allegiance.

I don’t support any particular player (although I do have ones that I really enjoy watching play the game, and I have others that consistently leave me shaking my head). I don’t support any particular coach. I don’t support a specific GM, owner, or other administrative team.

I support a club. To be more specific I support the Portland Timbers Football Club.

This is the distinction for me: Clubs persist. They stand after players and coaches have passed through their grounds, and they persist after owners have either made enough (or lost enough) to decide it’s time to sell.

In my world, I (and my fellow supporters) are the stewards of this club. We are the ones who will remain constant throughout all the turmoil. We are the ones the club should be striving to reward.

Rewards don’t have to be silverware (although, that’d be nice). Hell, it doesn’t even have to be a winning season.

To me, I want a team that fights. I want players who battle for each other. Who hustle, who play their hearts out every match. We have players like that.

We also have players who don’t hustle back on defense, who hang their heads when things get tough, and who aren’t playing up to the level they should be. Put them on the bench or ship them out.

We have a front office who I believe wants to win. They want the exact same things that the supporters want.

But, this is also a front office who feels it’s ok to routinely lash out at their fans by calling them “idiots”, “morons”, and (the latest) “Einstein”. A club who’s personnel decisions have often left us scratching our heads.

So, what’s my point?

My point is that calling out a player or a coach or an owner or a GM for underperforming doesn’t mean I don’t support my club.

In fact, it’s 180 degrees from that. It’s saying that this club matters, and performance matters. And, if there are pieces of this organization that are consistently failing (hint: there are), then get rid of them.

Let me repeat: I believe 100% wholeheartedly that the entirety of this club wants to win. They want it as much, if not more, than we the supporters do.

But . . .

Our run in MLS has been less than stellar. Our performance this year has been hit or miss. And, it’s not just this year. John Nyen over at The Axe PDX has done a great job of detailing not just our MLS shortcomings, but also the USL days as well (which are before my time).

To those who would say “this is all too soon”: Is it? We’re basically in the exact same place we were last season when we missed the playoffs - except we are once again without the best player on our team for at least one more game. And, it’s not just 2014 or 2015. It’s 2011, and 2012 (and a bunch of years in USL).

In the end, to me, support means I show up and give my all in the stadium. I do what I can to give my team an edge when they’re playing at home. I travel to let them know they’re not battling on the road alone. I create tifo. I spend an inordinate amount of my free time working to make sure we are the best supporters group in MLS.

None of this means I’m going to tolerate mediocrity. I’m not going to stand idly by when I see incompetence and (perhaps) apathy holding this club back from what it can achieve.

Because, when it’s all said and done, I’ll still be here when most (if not all) of the people associated with running or playing for this club today are long gone.

—by Matthew Lindley

Back in mid-April, while most of the TA’s attention was focused on the 400 strong that made their way to our boys’ first trip to “the House that Steinbrenner Built,” I was having a monumental away experience of my own.

It was midway through the offseason that I found out about the Inland Ultras, a regional supporters’ group based in the “Inland Empire” region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho. I was immediately intrigued because—being a Spokane native and a Washington State alumni—there was finally a group of fellow supporters in my old stomping grounds. Luckily for me, the stars aligned when a conference had me travelling to Pullman and Spokane the same weekend as the match with NYCFC. Through the magic of social media, I was able to contact Dan Scott and Peter Anderson, who organize the group, and they arranged a get-together in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at Capone’s Bar and Grill.

Capone’s is one of a couple bars in the area that the Ultras use for their viewing parties, and I wasn’t the only one who traveled to watch our boys: Dan, along with his father and brother, drove the two hours from Moses Lake, Washington, while Peter, a current student at WSU, traveled in from his home in Moscow, Idaho.

Dan got the group started a few years back. Although never a Portland resident, he credits trips through the Portland area to run at cross-country events as the reason he became a Timbers supporter. He says seeing the passion of Timbers supporters around town—even back in the USL days—made him PTFC before he was ever able to see a match in person. His cohort Peter, on the other hand, is a Portland native with fond memories of coming to pre-MLS Timbers matches, but now finds himself in the distant confines of the Palouse.

So there we were, the five of us, outliers in a sea of NASCAR and NBA fans, but occasional odd looks from fellow patrons didn’t faze anyone — our boys in green were on. The modest turnout is par for the course: Dan and Peter say the most they’ve had at a watch party is eight or nine, but they have enough passion for the game and the Timbers to fill any room. Around the time that Dairon Asprilla scored his eventual game-winning goal, we realized we had a few more Timbers fans in our midst, and they joined us for the closing moments of the match. As the third whistle blew, I snapped up my newly acquired Inland Ultras scarf and thanked my hosts—not just for providing me a place to watch the boys while on the road, but for bringing a part of the culture I love so much to the area where I grew up.

I must admit that at times I have been skeptical of the regional groups, but these guys are just as PTFC as anyone back home in the Rose City. So if you should find yourself in Spokane, Pullman, Walla Walla, or anywhere else in the northeastern portion of Cascadia, be sure to hit up the Inland Ultras.

This piece does not necessarily reflect the official opinions or attitudes of the Timbers Army or 107 Independent Supporters Trust

Earlier today MLS released salary figures for all 20 MLS sides. Now, if you've heard Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson talk on the subject of salaries, you've heard him say that these numbers aren't the complete picture - but until MLS decides to be a bit more transparent on total compensation we'll have to take whatever data we can get as being gospel.

Additionally, Merritt has also repeatedly praised Timbers GM, Gavin Wilkinson, for his ability to work within the convoluted rules structure of MLS to pull together amazing deals. Again, until we see proof of those rules, we'll have to take his word for it.

When I saw these numbers I was curious if there was any parallel between spending and results. And, yes I realize we're less than a third of the way through the season. And, I also realize that some teams have had key (high priced) players battling injuries early in the season (I think we ALL realize this here in PDX).

But, that doesn't stop me from drawing ridiculous conclusions from the numbers.

The chart above shows the amount each team (reportedly) spent on salaries, as well as their points per game through this morning.

The third column is how many points per game they earn for every million they spend in salary (otherwise known in technical terms as "Bang for your Buck"). You can see something right away - the big spending teams are all at the bottom of the list using this metric. Both $eattle and NYRB are posting very respectable PPG numbers (1.9 and 1.7 respectively), but they are vastly overpaying for those results when compared to DC United and FC Dallas. Those teams get roughly 4x the value for their dollar vs $$FC and NYRB. But, hey, at least they're not NYFC and Toronto who have two of the three highest payrolls, and rank dead last in my Bang for your Buck metric.

The fourth column represents how much a team spends relative to the league average ($7.9M) Toronto spends about 2.6x the average on the high end, while Colorado spends less than half the league average. It appears, Colorado seems to be getting exactly what they paid for.

The final column looks at how a teams "Bang for the Buck" metric plays against the league average (.227 points per $M spent). This is really just a way to easily see how efficient teams are with their spending. NYCFC is only about 19% efficient whereas DC United and FC Dallas are killing the efficiency game.

So, where does that leave the might PTFC (besides in 9th place). Our team spends about 75% of the league average. So, it sounds like there is at least some truth to complaints the we're not willing to open up the pocketbook. Merritt has said recently that if the right opportunity came along, Gavin could spend the money. Clearly that hasn't happened yet. As for efficiency/Bang for the Buck, They are near the bottom 3rd of the league (12th out of 20 teams with an efficiency rating of 88%).

So, clearly you can't draw any sort of conclusion with respect to spending and results. Teams like DCU are competing with $$FC, while NYCFC, with the 3rd highest payroll have the worst PPG. One conclusion someone could reach, however, is that overspending doesn't really buy you all that much - the top 6 spending teams are also the lowest in terms of Bang for your Buck.

 

May 7^th, 2015

Harper’s Playground
Attn: Cody Goldberg
1477 NW Everett Street
Portland, OR 97209

Dear Cody,

On behalf of the 107 Independent Supporters Trust, I am pleased to offer our full support for the proposed Harper’s Playground at Couch Park.

As an organization whose mission is to promote playing the game of soccer in and around Portland, we understand the importance of providing all children with opportunities to play. We were proud to support the original Harper’s Playground at Arbor Lodge Park, which has become a destination playground for families across the city. It is a vital community space that is breaking down a major barrier to inclusion.

Bringing a fully inclusive playground to Couch Park will open new doors to the community in Northwest Portland, just a stone’s throw from the Timbers’ stadium at Providence Park and our own Fanladen location. The 107 Independent Supporters Trust welcomes this possibility, and looks forward to rallying the Timbers Army and Rose City Riveters behind it.

We are the Rose City, and we believe in community, inclusion, and play!

Sincerely,

Scott Van Swearingen
President, 107ist Board of Directors

Our annual homebrew competition is coming up here on 5/17. You don't want to miss out if you're a homebrewer. Here are the details if you don't already know.

Former board member Abram Goldman-Armstrong, and editor of Northwest Brewing News has this to say...

The Timbers Army Duane Graf Memorial Homebrew Competition is dedicated to the memory of an avid Timbers supporter and homebrewer. Duane Graf was a longtime member of the TA, and like most of us love his beer and yelling at referees. For Duane, mocking the incompetence of officials in the A-League, USL, and later MLS wasn't the mere arm-chair critiquing that most fans of the beautiful game partake in. Duane had actually gotten certified as a referee years ago, so he knew what he was talking about.

As a homebrewer Duane had a focus on German biers, and hosted a legendary Oktoberfest party. He also enjoyed helping pick apples for cider, and told of his "midnight gleaning" of fruit in North Portland with a panking pole and bicycle. He was vibrant and full of life, always friendly and upbeat, as a member of the old "Row N Infantry" in section 107, or sharing his homebrew at tailgates or on bustrips. He is greatly missed in the community, and we dedicate the Timbers Army homebrew competition, running since 2010 to his memory.

The Timbers have chartered a flight for the team the May 23 match against Toronto FC and have generously offered 18 spaces on that flight to 107ist members. Included with the trip is travel on the chartered team plane, transportation to and from the airport, a match ticket and transportation to and from the match. Those travelling are responsible for their own hotel accommodations. The team is in the process of acquiring a group rate at a downtown Toronto hotel. The schedule for the trip is:

Depart Portland: Thursday, May 21 at 12:00 p.m.

Match: Toronto v Portland, May 23 at 5:00 p.m. (EST)

Depart Toronto: Saturday May 23 at approximately 8:30 p.m.

The drawing is now closed. Winners will be notified on 5/12.

—by Nicole Barker

In an effort to continue to sell out away supporter sections across North America, here are some timely tips on how to snag a good rate on away day airfare.

Where should I start?

First and foremost, check flights on AlaskaAir.com. Not only does Alaska Air regularly offer lower-than-average airfare, but 107ist members also receive 10% off roundtrip airfare from PDX to away games. In addition, for every 50 Timbers Army members that travel on Alaska Airlines during the 2014/15 regular season, the 107ist will earn one travel certificate, while you continue to earn miles as usual. To ensure your travel will count, register your Alaska Air mileage plan member number. Plus, you get priority boarding if you wear your Timbers jersey on a flight departing from PDX. Also, on select Cascadia flights, Alaska Air’s subsidiary, Horizon Air, offers passengers complimentary regional wine or beer.

When should I aim to book my airfare?

Start keeping an eye on airfare about 75 days before game day, and aim to book your airfare 47 to 54 days in advance. If a low-cost airline, such as Spirit or Frontier, flies to your destination, you could hedge your bets on scoring a last-minute deal 10 to 15 days beforehand. For example, Frontier typically releases promo codes that offer approximately 10 to 23% off flights to select destinations two weeks in advance of a range of dates that typically span three to four weeks. While last-minute deals can be valuable, they can be also tricky given how quickly away match tickets can sell out.

What’s the best way to keep an eye on airfare?

Currently, Google Flights is reputed to be the fastest and most robust airfare search engine. It doesn’t offer price alert emails, however, so you will need to manually check rates.

You can also sign up for email airfare alerts for specific dates and destinations from sites such as AirfareWatchdog.com and Kayak.com. Be sure to cross-reference rates with other airfare booking sites and, most importantly, directly on the airline’s website.

Also check SouthwestAir.com, too, as their rates do not always appear in airfare search engine results. When rates are equal between an airfare search engine and an airline, it’s usually best to book directly with the airline.

Sign up to receive email newsletters from airlines that fly to away days you would like to attend.

Enable mobile notifications for airlines’ twitter accounts to receive an alert when a promo is announced.

Enable price-alert mobile notifications for apps from airfare search engines such as Kayak.

Try searching for flights in “incognito” mode in your web browser. There are reports of folks getting different rates when doing so, but that may be due to dynamic pricing. It doesn’t hurt to try.

What else can I do?

Consider signing up for frequent flier mile programs — even with airlines you haven’t flown. It doesn’t cost a dime to join them, and the airlines may try to lure you with promos targeted for members who yet haven’t flown with them. Of course you can also sign up for airline credit cards, a game that when played right — with diligence and organization — can really pay off.

If you have a reservation with Southwest Air or Alaska Air and you see the price drop on your flight segments, kindly call and request a refund for the difference. Both airlines have been honoring this, even for non-refundable reservations.

If you have a bunch of frequent flier miles with an airline that doesn’t fly to an away day you want to attend, check whether the airline is part of an airline alliance, such as OneWorld, that allows you to book equally valuable — or even more valuable — reward flights with partner airlines.

If you are traveling for work or pleasure and an away game is located at a feasible layover destination, you may be able to schedule a stopover (an extended layover) for free or for far cheaper than if you had booked a separate roundtrip ticket. Even if you don’t see options for a stopover online, call the airline and ask a booking agent. Beware that some airlines charge for booking over the phone, so you may just want to get the flight codes from the booking agent and then book online.

Be familiar with the fine print. Airfare search engines and airlines are all required to post the total cost of a reservation within the dollar amount listed — no more additional fees at check out. However, some airlines have easily avoidable fees that can feel unexpected when you’re uninformed.

If you can fit everything you need into a single carry-on bag, consider flying with a low-cost airline, such as Frontier or Spirit. These airlines have a la carte pricing, which means you pay for anything beyond a cup of water, one carry-on bag, and a seat they choose for you. They can save you a lot of money, though, if you aren’t particular and don’t need a bag of pretzels.

Don’t write off booking with a travel agent, so long as their services are complimentary. If anything goes awry with your reservation, they have more leverage than you do alone. In some cases, they may be able to get you a group rate for your crew or perks that would typically cost you more, such as assigned seating with your travel companions and checked baggage.

Lastly, don’t forget the tried-and-true tactics of searching for nearby arrival airports (especially in more densely populated destinations east of the Rockies), bundling your flights with a hotel room and/or rental car, and having flexible dates. Currently, it is purported that Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are the cheapest days to fly.

What if I see a great air rate but I am not yet sure whether I can attend the match?

If you see a great rate on Southwest Air, book it. You can cancel your reservation any time and receive a 100% credit to be used within a year, perhaps for another away match. No fees apply.

If you see a great air rate and can quickly figure out if you can attend the match or not, book it. Nearly all airlines offer 100% refunds with 24 hours of booking — no sob story needed. Just be sure to verify that the airline offers full refunds within one day of booking.

What if I acquire a last-minute match ticket but I don’t have a flight reservation?

Check out “GTFO,” an app that instantly displays the cheapest flights out of PDX for the next 24 hours.

Drive. Gas prices are forecasted to stay low this summer. You can research whether it’s cheaper to fly or drive with a price comparison calculator.