One man.  Two sides.  And a World Cup soccer match that could change everything...

Portland’s new Irish theatre company proudly presents smash hit tour de force A NIGHT IN NOVEMBER by internationally acclaimed Belfast playwright Marie Jones (author of the long-running Broadway and West End hit STONES IN HIS POCKETS, among others).  In the divided community of early 1990’s Northern Ireland, one Protestant soccer fan makes the fateful decision to abandon his inheritance of bigotry and intolerance - and the home team - and journey to New York City to support the Republic of Ireland in the 1994 World Cup.  This universal story of personal freedom and reconciliation, told through the medium of soccer, is uplifting, whip smart, and irrepressibly funny.  A delightful evening of unique cultural content and unforgettable craic at Portland landmark location Kells Irish Pub downtown.  Food service available before show, and drinks available before, during, and after! Starring Portland favorite Damon Kupper.

The show will run:

Mon-Wed Feb 17-19, Feb 24-26, and March 3-5

Doors at 7:00, Curtain at 7:30

107ist members can save up to $10 off normal ticket prices.

• Present your card on opening night only (Monday, February 17) and receive $10 off (so your cost = $15).
• Present your card at the door to get $5 off the price of admission (normally $25 - so your cost = $20) on any night.

Shows are limited to 75 seats a night and will sell out, so be sure to make a reservation in advance before showing up (no cost or payment online) at:

More info here: corribtheatre.org

—by Andrew Brawley

Hey Alexi, don't take this the wrong way, but it's a Friday afternoon, and you're arguing with a professional soccer team about philosophy. Over the Internet.

Actually, I take it back. You're arguing about WHO created the philosophy. And about whether it's portable or not. And if there's a posted link where you can see it.

Are you bored right now? Does ESPN not have enough work for you to do right now? Did you clear out your inbox early enough that you're looking to create more work?

It's Friday! Leave early. Go be with your kids. Get some ice cream. Run an errand. Surprise the family and bring home dinner. Hit up a happy hour. There's gotta be a bunch of other things you could be doing right now than pointing your Internet sword at another Internet sword.

Don't get me wrong. I'm actually a fan of yours. But I figure you at least have a rolodex. Make a phone call. Ask for a fax. Maybe the philosophy is more than just a word doc or a tumblr post. Maybe it's a state of mind. Maybe it's in the hearts of little kid soccer players everywhere. Maybe it's like Jesus. You don't know, and odds are good you don't need to know.

2013 was an unexpectedly good year for us. We're not used to it, and we're still cautiously optimistic going into 2014. One thing I think I can say on behalf of all Timbers fans [officially] nobody except myself is that sometimes a little faith in the unknown is a good thing. We don't know the recipe behind what Caleb Porter's cooking, but we're OK with that because we love what he's been serving up. Maybe there's a difference between how supporters and broadcasters approach the beautiful game, but we're still on the same side here, which just happens to be on the outside looking in.

We get it, you're an accomplished player with great access around the league. Nonetheless, just because someone doesn't share something with you doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If you're dying to know the Timbers' philosophy, put down the mic and join the coaching staff.

On second thought, please don't. We prefer you in the broadcast booth, where we can assume you're rolling your eyes at Kasey Keller non-stop.

This is an opinion piece and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the 107ist or the TA.

It's time for the annual 107ist Annual General Meeting.

Come out to hear a recap of what we all accomplished in 2013, as well as a preview of what we'll be working on in 2014. If you're interested in volunteering with the 107ist, board members will be providing information on the various committees that will need assistance. Finally, there will be ample opportunity for both formal and informal Q&A with this year's board members, as well as socializing with fellow 107ist members.

Here are the details:

What: 107ist Annual General Meeting

When: Saturday February 1st 2014
Doors: 11:00 am
Meeting: Noon - 2:00 pm
Volunteer sign-up/mingling: 2:00 pm

Where: McMenamin's Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97209

One of the amazing benefits of being a member of the 107ist are the discounts you get from dozens of merchants in and around Portland every day. However, we've got a special opportunity that's only available to our membership for a limited time.

Anyone who is a member of the 107ist today, or (re)joins before 1/26, will be able to shop at the Nike Company Store one time during the month of February. The Nike Company Store offers a HUGE selection of Nike gear at deep discounts. Heck, if you buy one pair of shoes, you've paid for your membership with the savings.

Note: Existing 107ist members as of 1/14 should have received an email with details  on how to register to shop. If, after checking your spam folder, you find you didn't receive the email, let us know.

Here's how this works:

1. Purchase or renew your 107ist membership today (or at the very latest, by January 26th)! (Click Here to renew)
2. Within 72 hours of renewing, you'll get an email from EventBrite at your 107ist address allowing you to register to shop
3. After registering, your name will be placed on the guest list and you can shop one time during the month of February

Here is some additional information about shopping at the Nike Company Store

• You must renew by 1/26 and register by 1/29  to ensure access (registration email will come within 72 hours of renewing)
• You can shop one time between February 1st and February 28th. Store hours are Mon-Sat 10:00am-7:00pm and Sun 10:00am-5:00pm
• You do not need to bring your eventbrite confirmation, Nike will have your name on a list at the store.
• Your spouse / domestic partner and dependent children may accompany you on your shopping trip so long as the following conditions are met:
  • Photo ID MUST be provided by all shoppers for check in (spouse, permanent partner, and any dependent children AGE 15 AND OLDER. Children under 15 do not require ID)
  • The guest’s spouse/partner must provide proof of the same address to accompany the guest into the store
  • The guest’s dependent children must be: 22 or younger with the same address OR 24 or younger with a valid college ID
• Nike kindly asks that you refrain from wearing any competitor brands in their store
• Select merchandise may be available to employees only.

—by Chris Rifer

As long as they’ve been in MLS, the Portland Timbers have played in the designated player market.  The Timbers signed their first DP, Diego Chara, on April 13, 2011, less than one month into their first MLS campaign.  Like many teams around the league, Portland’s record with DPs is mixed – with one fabulous success in Diego Valeri, one fabulous failure in Kris Boyd, one fabulously underrated signing in Diego Chara, and one fabulously short-lived DP in Jose Valencia.[1]

But while the Timbers haven’t been bashful about making big signings, there has been a significant change in the structure of incoming players’ contracts over the course of Portland’s top-flight tenure.

Upon signing Diego Chara, the Timbers gave him the longest contract in the club.  Similarly, when Jose Valencia inked his initial deal, the contract kept him in Portland for the long term.  Even Kris Boyd – despite a disastrous year prior and not growing any younger – was guaranteed two years on his contract with an option for a third.

While Chara’s signing has certainly worked out, as he recently re-upped with the club, and Valencia’s deal was reformed before the ink was dry, the Timbers early major contracts demonstrated a willingness to commit major long-term money to relatively unknown quantities.

Recently, however, the front office has taken a more cautious approach to structuring the contracts of big signings.  Diego Valeri, for example, was brought in on a loan with an option to buy.  While the Timbers eagerly exercised that option before Valeri’s first season was out, they were able to wait until they knew what they had before committing big, long-term money.

Reports about Gaston Fernandez’s contract indicate the Timbers may be taking a similar approach with the player who looks poised to become the third DP on the roster.  On Thursday, South American-based MLS journalist Emmanuel Quispe reported that the Timbers were bringing La Gata in on a one year deal with an option for a second.[2]

The Timbers recent habit, then, is to be more than happy to spend big long-term money on known quantities – as they did on Valeri, Chara, and Darlington Nagbe midseason – but unlikely to make such a commitment to fresh imports.

The result for Portland is a tremendous amount of salary cap flexibility.  Simply put, missed signings happen to even the best clubs with the sharpest scouting systems, and where a player is brought in on a loan with an option, or with only one guaranteed year, the club’s exposure to any mistake is minimized.  While the MLS Roster Rules contain an amnesty clause, clubs can only exercise it once per year.[3]  If a club has two contracts it would like to jettison in the offseason, then, it can find itself in a difficult spot, as the Timbers did with the contracts of Kris Boyd and Franck Songo’o last offseason.  Simply put, structuring big contracts in this way guarantees that the club can wipe the slate clean and start anew in the offseason if things go awry with its signing.

This contract structure is particularly attractive with DPs.  The downside to such deals is they often carry higher per-year price tags than multiyear deals.  Simply put, because the player is only receiving one guaranteed year, he will often demand more money to make it worth his while.  Similarly, a loan with an option to buy, especially for a good player, often comes with a hefty transfer fee due to the favorability to the buying club inherent in the deal.

For salary cap purposes, however, none of these added costs really matter for DPs.  Because the salary cap hit is limited to $368,750, it really doesn’t matter to financially stable clubs if they fork over $750,000 annually for a player on a favorably structured contract that they would have otherwise had to only pay $500,000 in a multiyear deal.  Simply put, the $250,000 of off-book money is a very small premium to pay in exchange for a contract that protects the club’s salary cap flexibility and guarantees they won’t have to pay substantial money down the road for a player that turned out to be a lemon.

The Timbers front office, then, is deserving of praise for its recent diligence in structuring contracts so as to protect the club’s salary cap flexibility while maintaining its willingness to make substantial long-term commitments to players who have proven their worth to the club.

Using this formula, the Timbers have put together one of the best cores of talent in MLS while maintaining the flexibility to build upon that foundation as needed.

And the product of this formula of spending wisely may well turn out to be trophies.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

At the dawn of 2013, one of the few bright spots for the Timbers was its promising collection of young talent.  And in 2013, each piece of that preexisting talent took – to varying degrees – steps forward on their path to development.

Darlington Nagbe turned his considerable talent into considerable production.  Andrew Jean-Baptiste contributed several solid starts in central defense in which he showed substantial upside.  Kalif Alhassan demonstrated he is well on the way to recovery from the mentally traumatic Spencer Era, and is in the process of getting his development back on track to reach his still-vaulted ceiling.  Jose Valencia flashed his raw ability and a penchant for coming through in big moments.

From his days at Akron, Nagbe has always been a Caleb Porter guy.  Porter similarly made his feelings about Alhassan very clear early on, stating in April that Kalif is “definitely [his] type of player.”  Not surprisingly, both Alhassan and Nagbe inked new deals in Portland and look poised to stay in Porter’s fans for the foreseeable future.

Perhaps surprisingly, however, both Valencia and Jean-Baptiste, as well as Sebastian Riuncon, are making their way out of Rose City seemingly for good.[1]  Two Spencer Era acquisitions, two players with significant talent, two offseason departures.

In their stead are two relatively new additions to Porter’s stable of yearlings.  Acquired midseason, Alvas Powell looked much less out of place in MLS competition than one would expect for a 19-year-old fullback whose youth club experience didn’t take him beyond Jamaican shores.  Maxi Urruti seemingly fell into Portland’s lap when changes came to Toronto FC.  While the jury remains out on both players’ ultimate prospects, Porter clearly rates both youngsters highly.

There are two major conclusions to be drawn from the Timbers’ offseason moves.  First, the Timbers are rightfully approaching this offseason as though the future is now.  With a best-in-MLS midfield core aged 23, 26, 27, and 27, respectively, PTFC would be foolish to make developing young players for three or four years down the road a priority over winning trophies in the present.[2]  Simply put, the team is in its prime – a remarkable development considering where the club was a year ago.

Second, and perhaps more interesting, the offseason moves are a reflection of a quiet, but complete handing of the reins to Porter.  When the Timbers hired Porter, the new coach was required to inherit the already existing coaching staff – an unusual move that seems to have worked out fairly well – and was reportedly signed to a relatively modest contract.  While Porter was certainly given the latitude to make his mark on the club from the get-go, the Timbers were initially a little cautious in giving Porter complete control of the club.[3]

But make no mistake, as 2013 turns to 2014, the Portland Timbers are Caleb Porter’s club.  The reform of the Timbers’ youth very much reflects a club being built in Caleb’s image with the majority of Porter’s inheritance being jettisoned in favor of handpicked replacements.

The offseason acquisitions of the more seasoned variety also have the gaffer’s fingerprints all over them – with the Timbers aggressively pursuing and signing Akron alumnus Steve Zakuani, and the rumored strikeforce acquisition, Gaston Fernandez, reportedly being targeted for his consistency with Porter’s attack dogma and looking like a near-perfect fit to mentor Urruti.

Moreover, with the departure of Amos Magee, Porter is poised to place his first major stamp on a coaching staff that previously had a distinctly institutional flavor.  And Porter’s rookie professional coaching contract has already been turned into a lucrative long-term commitment.

Thus, while the departure of Valencia and Jean-Baptiste has caught some by surprise, transformation of the Timbers’ saplings into Caleb’s kids, then, is indicative of a more significant development within the club – the complete empowerment of Caleb Porter to steer the club toward long-term success and a full trophy case.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

Ask Timbers supporters about Jack Jewsbury and a few phrases come up frequently.  Professional.  Workmanlike.  Leader.  Salty dog.

Without a doubt, these capture a good portion of what Jewsbury brings to the Timbers.  For three years, Jack has given steely professionalism and quiet leadership to a club that until 2013 struggled to consistently produce a product on the field that matched Jewsbury’s demeanor.

The Timbers made Jewsbury club captain because, in the words of Timbers General Manager Gavin Wilkinson, “He’s a guy we label as a quality player and person . . . It’s the whole picture, to be honest.”  Asked if this is what the Timbers had in mind when they targeted Jewsbury back in the winter of 2011, Wilkinson was unequivocal.  “One-hundred percent, yes.  It took a lot to get him from Kansas.”

For Wilkinson, the club captaincy comes down to Jewsbury’s consistency – not just on the field in games, but also in the locker room, in training, and in the community as a representative of the club.  All of that, Wilkinson says, adds up to Jewsbury capturing the “ethos” of the club.

2013 was a year of tremendous change, growth, and success on Morrison Street.  As difficult as 2012 was for the Timbers, the successes of the past year have been equally satisfying, with the team winning the Western Conference and earning a berth into the CONCACAF Champions League.

Amidst the Timbers’ transformation, the focus naturally turned to what was new at Jeld-Wen Field – Caleb Porter and his coaching philosophy, Will Johnson, Diego Valeri, and a confident Darlington Nagbe.  And for good reason – the changes that took place were a huge part of what allowed the Timbers to flip the script in 2013.

Jewsbury, however, has been something of a North Star on the Timbers’ odyssey to the MLS elite – the one constant in a voyage that has produced any number of challenges, failures, and triumphs.  In the wake of so much change, however, this offseason provides a good opportunity to step back and reconsider Jack’s legacy.  In doing so, it becomes clear that is perhaps time add one more word to the Jewsbury lexicon – Legend.

Over the course of the Timbers’ three years in MLS, nobody has loomed larger in big moments than Jack Jewsbury.  For a player who has been shuffled from one unglamorous position to the next, Jewsbury has demonstrated an uncanny ability to be the man to step up when the club needs to take a step forward.  And in that respect, perhaps nobody around PTFC has fingerprints on as much green and gold magic as the old Wizard.

Following a rough road to start 2011 that had many questioning whether the Timbers were ready for primetime, Portland captured some lightning in a bottle in April and May, earning a surprising 5-2-2 record over those two months.  In that stretch, which was catalyzed by the captain scoring the goal to earn the club’s first MLS point in New England, Jewsbury was far and away the most effective player for the upstart Timbers, logging 3 goals and 5 assists from central midfield in eight torrid weeks that launched him to a deserved All-Star selection.  While the Timbers would fade in 2011, it was this stretch fueled by Jewsbury that put Portland in the playoff hunt and set the bar for 2012.

It was a bar, however, that the club would sail under the next year, as everything that could go wrong seemingly did go wrong for the Timbers in 2012.  Portland floundered in the league, crashed out of the U.S. Open Cup in spectacular fashion, and found itself in search of a new coach and a new direction by July.

The lone major highlight, however, was capturing the Cascadia Cup, an accomplishment that signaled the beginning of a momentum shift on Morrison Street.  Having squandered two prior opportunities to secure the Cup, the Timbers went north to Vancouver on October 21^st needing to win or see the Cup retained by Seattle.  There, in the 38^th minute, Jewsbury flashed his affinity for big moments, striking a Franck Songo’o lay off from 35 yards into the far corner to bring the Cup home.  After noting the extensive difficulties of 2012, Wilkinson said simply, “You look at the goal versus Vancouver, and it helped change the tide a little bit.”

While a nearly impossible schedule sent the Cup far to the north in 2013, Jewsbury found a way to make an even bigger impact this past year.  After the Timbers qualified for the playoffs and drew a conference semifinal matchup with Seattle, it was Jewsbury who stepped up and became the undeniable series MVP.  In the first leg in the Emerald City, it was Jack’s run up the right touchline and gem of a cross to Ryan Johnson at the near post that put Portland on the board early.  Later, it was the captain emeritus’s run in the second half that stretched Seattle’s defense to permit Kalif Alhassan’s entry pass to Nagbe for the crucial second.  In the return leg, Jewsbury drew the penalty that permitted the opener with a deft touch that would have put him into space had it not deflected off Djimi Traore’s arm.  Fifteen minutes later, a Jewbsury run up the right had the Sounders defense rushing out to greet him again before he squared the ball for Rodney Wallace at the top of the box to play to Valeri for the score.  Of the five goals scored against the Sounders, Jewsbury was intimately involved in four.

A validating early season run, a sea-changing Cup victory, and a near-rapture-inducing playoff triumph – all in no small part because of Jack Jewsbury.

In between, as Wilkinson noted, Jewsbury has contributed largely solid, reliable minutes at many positions – from both outsides of the defense, to the defensive midfield, to as a box-to-box central midfielder.  Without a doubt, Jewsbury adds little dynamism to positions that rarely call for it.  Indeed, Jack has gone long stretches of time without appearing on the scoresheet or in the postgame recap.  But when the Timbers most needed somebody to step into a position of weakness, Jack answered the call, capably stepping into unnatural spots when called upon to do so for the sake of the team.

“It’s not always the glamor moments,” Wilkinson noted of Jewsbury, “but he ticks nearly all of the boxes.”

Thus, while Captain Jack’s reputation as a quiet leader, hard worker, and versatile player ready and willing to see duty anywhere on the field is accurate, it’s also incomplete.  One of the boxes Wilkinson alluded to, it turns out, is the capacity to turn up at the moments when his club needs him the most.  And that’s what makes Jack Jewsbury much more than a good professional, hard worker, and strong leader.

It’s what makes him a legend.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

With awards season in the rear view mirror, and a number of Timbers’ mantles freshly adorned with individual awards, it’s hard to recall a time where there was doubt about the Timbers’ fortunes in 2013.  But remember that as the dust settled on the Timbers’ regular season opener, there were significant questions about whether this Timbers team could compete consistently in MLS.

For the second time in two weeks – the other being a 3-3 preseason draw against San Jose Earthquakes – the Timbers offense had dazzled Jeld-Wen Field with a dynamic, dizzying performance in netting three goals over New York Red Bulls.  Also for the second time in two weeks, however, the defense had blundered its way to conceding three times in the pair of specious, if entertaining draws.

After the tie against New York, and a first half in which the defensive gaffes were particularly cringe-inducing, I asked Caleb Porter whether the defense was good enough to regularly win games in MLS.  Porter’s clenched-jaw answer was at once confident and defiant.

“Yes . . . Yes.”

Eight months, thirty-three regular season games, and only thirty more concessions later, Porter’s defiant confidence was justified.  Portland’s 33 goals conceded in 2013 were second in MLS to Cup-winning Sporting Kansas City and – more tellingly in the potent, deep Western Conference – best among the teams on the frontier and five goals clear of the next stingiest conference foe.

But it didn’t happen all at once.  Portland continued to ship goals – and sink points – through March, conceding two to Montreal a week later, and at Colorado two weeks thereafter.

The Timbers midfield wall righted the ship, however, protecting a still-fluid backline.  Come April, the Timbers only conceded three goals all month – the same number they bled in twenty-eight terrible minutes against the eventual Shield winners.  And the Timbers would repeat their three-concession month in May before bettering it by only giving up two league goals in June.

July and August brought a flurry of calls-up, injuries, suspensions, and resultant concessions, but by September the midfield rudder was back in tact and the Timbers sailed to one concession against seven tallies as the stretch run began.  Finally, despite a run-in that included games against RSL, Seattle, and away to then-playoff-contending Vancouver, the Timbers only allowed two goals in October to secure their conference crown and a place in CONCACAF Champions League.

Thus, while so many MLS observers were enthralled by the Timbers offensive system and the lip-licking goals it produced, defensive stinginess is what really separated the Timbers from the rest of the MLS pack.

But the way the Timbers defended and a comparison to their trophy-winning Eastern doppelgangers, Sporting Kansas City, reveals just where the Timbers need to get better to take the next step.  While Porter stabilized the backline situation, it never entirely solidified, as the ultimate playoff loss to Real Salt Lake showed.  Rather, it was the Timbers defensive midfield pairing of Diego Chara and Will Johnson – which was often out of service in the dog days of summer – that protected the Timbers backline.  With DieJo together, the Timbers conceded 0.69 goals per game.  With the band broken up, they shipped 1.88 per outing.

So while Porter’s defiant “yes” to my March question turned out to be correct, it was perhaps only qualifiedly so.  The defense improved, but it wasn’t because of the backline coming together as much as it was secondary to Portland’s league-best midfield controlling matches and making matters difficult early in opponents’ buildup.

The need to protect the backline cuffed Porter’s string-pulling hands somewhat, requiring him to be more conservative with his fullbacks and get creative in his efforts to create space for his attack.  When Porter showed faith in his backline by getting aggressive with his outside backs, Portland often gave up goals, as they did in the first leg against RSL.

This is where the juxtaposition with Sporting Kansas City comes in.  Unlike Porter, Peter Vermes has the luxury of Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler in central defense.  Against RSL – as he frequently did in 2013 and before – Vermes was able to pull Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic forward and go toe-to-toe with an outstanding Real Salt Lake team despite a midfield that, while good, falls materially short of Portland’s.  Despite the Timbers outpacing the Wiz at virtually every other position on the field, Kansas City gave up fewer goals and earned more trophies because they had a backline that allowed Vermes to be aggressive in midfield.

So, while the Porter gave a good answer to the question about his defense in 2013, it merits asking again in 2014 if the Timbers are to take the next step.  If his search for a stalwart central defender is fruitful, Porter may be tactically unchained with his fullbacks free to join the attack, spread the field, and open up space for the likes of Diego Valeri and Darlington Nagbe.

And if ever there was a formula for trophies, that’s it.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Kyle Jones

In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of two, count 'em, TWO offseasons. No Timbers. No Thorns. Why not make silly season a little shorter? Come out to Timbers Army Night at the Portland Winterhawks Saturday, December 28. The mighty PWHC – reigning champions of the Western Hockey League, face off against the Tri-City Americans at 7:00pm in Veteran's Memorial Coliseum. In addition, it's lift ticket night – those attending the game will get a lift ticket good for a specific date on Mt. Hood.

We have access to discounted tickets – only $16.50, and we will all be together in section 57. It will be JUST US. We have around 120 tickets being held for our group. While the tickets will have a seat assigned to them, as was done last year, we will treat the section as General Admission. It's just kinda what we do. Clearance for flags, streamers and potentially an organized tifo display is still TBD.

A friendly reminder, the Winterhawks do consider themselves to be family entertainment. What does this mean for us? No swearing, keep the middle fingers down, all the basics. We followed the same rules last year and didn't have our spirits dampened at all.

Please follow the link below to purchase your tickets:

Link to purchse Winterhawks tickets

Remember to use promo code: TA to get your discounted tickets.

While the link does list sales as being open until 4 hours before game time, please DO NOT WAIT. It will be very beneficial to have our allocation sold out by 12/21. If it is not, there is a chance some seats within our section would be opened up to people outside of our group. And those people may not "get" what the TA does. This is not exclusive to 107ist members, but we do want to represent the Timbers Army well. So tell your TA buddies, and spread the news to your closest Riveter. This is just one more way to support the "Town" in Team, Town, TA.

Cheers.

—by Chris Rifer

As has become tradition here at The Morrison Report, with the Timbers 2013 campaign in the books, it’s time to talk who from the Timbers will be in green come March and who will be plying his trade elsewhere.  In the past, this has been a fun – albeit humbling – experience for The Morrison Report, as I labeled Rodney Wallace and Futty “Imminently Former Timbers” in 2012, and openly called for trading Jack Jewsbury in 2011.

But if 2013 has taught us anything, it’s that past embarrassments are not necessarily destined to repetition.  In that spirit, each of the Timbers are categorized below by Gavin Wilkinson’s reaction to receiving a call inquiring about the player’s services.[1]

“[Lingering silence]”

Will Johnson, Diego Chara, Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe – These four guys – the core of the Timbers best-in-MLS midfield – aren’t going anywhere.  There are 18 teams in MLS that would tear their arms off trying to get these guys on their roster, but it’s simply not happening.  The only guy on the list that seems likely to look to take his career elsewhere in the foreseeable future in Nagbe, but, as Wilkinson alluded to on ExtraTime Radio on November 21,[2] his desire for U.S. citizenship and USMNT eligibility will keep Nagbe stateside, and accordingly Timberside, until at least the fall of 2015.

“I’m not hanging up, but that’s probably only because I’m stuck with Caleb on an airplane to Buenos Aires and he won’t shut up about being the dominant passenger[3] on this plane.” 

Kalif Alhassan – Unlike this time last year, there are likely a fair number of suitors for Kalif.  Also unlike last year, it’s hard to see the Timbers parting ways with him.  Kalif showed real signs of development in 2013, improving his defense, schematic understanding, and finishing to the point where he was the first player off the bench for MLS's deepest midfield.[4]  If the Timbers were to ever get an offer they couldn’t refuse for Nagbe, Valeri, or Wallace a couple years down the road, it’s easy to imagine them being willing to pull the trigger because the have a ready-made replacement in Alhassan. Until then, he’s a very capable, versatile first man off the bench.

Michael Harrington – While Jack Jewsbury may have been the key cog in beating Seattle in the playoffs, Harrington was Portland’s most consistent defender in 2013.  Given the dearth of decent left backs in the league – and the world, for that matter – the Timbers won’t be parting with Michael on his current form.

Alvas Powell – The Timbers didn’t bring Powell in for 2013.  As he showed, he’s a little bit of a project at right back, but the potential is there in spades.  No way the Timbers bail on Alvas now.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste – He fell out of favor at the end of the season, but that had more to do with Porter wanting to get more experience on the field in the run up to the postseason than any indictment of AJB’s overall performance.  He’s the clear-cut centerback of the future, and is just a few poor defensive decisions away from bring the clear-cut centerback of the now.  AJB definitely has some maturing to do, but he’s going to do it in Timbers green.

Maxi Urruti – The Timbers really didn’t scratch the surface with Urruti this year.  He came into the team at a tough time of year to get acclimated, so the jury on Maxi should stay out until we see what he has to offer in 2014.

Jose Valencia – The flashes from Valencia are becoming more and more common as he matures as a striker.  Incidentally, his best performance on 2013 was one of the Timbers’ worst – the road draw at Chivas in which he displayed significant prowess as a holdup threat.  If that can become a consistent part of his game to go along with his athletic aptitude, he will be a very, very good forward in this league.

Donovan Ricketts – His performance in 2013 would justify Ricketts being in the first category, but the reality of age and the necessity of finding an heir to his throne at some point make him not as untouchable as the midfield core.

Rodney Wallace – Wallace has tremendous value for the Timbers but, realistically, not as much for just about anybody else around the league.  Rodney fits perfectly with the rest of Porter’s selections in the middle, as he provides spacing with his effectiveness out wide and gives the Timbers a direct threat in a unit that has a habit of getting a little fancy at times.

“I’m alittlebit[5] surprised to hear from you.  To be honest, I don’t think we’ll be interested, but I’ll hear you out.”

Futty – Most of the time, he’s a solid MLS centerback.  Occasionally he’s a trainwreck.  Futty’s role in the Timbers is well-defined, however.  He’s a veteran calming presence in the locker room that can give you some solid minutes at the back if need be.  There’s a good chance Futty finishes his career in Portland, which is more than fine by me. 

David Horst – A lost year in 2013 means Horst has virtually no value on the market.  The Timbers are well aware of what he can be when healthy, however, which makes him well worth hanging onto for 2014.

Jack Jewsbury – He’s at the point of his career when you smell the proverbial milk carton whenever you think about building a starting eleven with him involved, but he’s not showing signs of serious decline any time soon.  Indeed, Jack played his best soccer at the end of the year, something you wouldn’t expect from a player about to turn sour.

Pa Modou Kah – I’ve never been fully committed to the Kah bandwagon, but at this point it’s hard to draw up a starting center back tandem on opening day in 2014 that doesn’t include Kah.  He’s under contract for at least another year, and it’s hard to imagine his value is greater anywhere than it is in Portland. 

Milos Kocic – At this point, it’s hard to say what Kocic’s standing in the team is.  He was fine, if not perfect, in the few performances he put in for Portland when Ricketts was away on international duty.  So while it’s still far from clear that he’s Ricketts’s successor, he’s young and his contract price is very right.

Michael Nanchoff – It’s hard to see Nanchoff breaking into the lineup barring a rash of injuries, but his value next year will be in early U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions League rounds.  If he can perform to the level he did in his USOC and Reserve League appearances in 2013, he could be a big boost to the club in both competitions.

Ben Zemanski – Every team needs a Ben Zemanski.  He can play multiple positions, give you solid minutes as a late-game defensive substitute, and cover the central midfield when somebody goes down with injury or suspension.  While Ben Zemanskis are relatively fungible, I think Porter is pretty happy with his Ben Zemanski.

Ryan Miller – At this point, he’s a little bit of damaged goods having suffered a pretty serious stress fracture, so the Timbers are unlikely to get many inquiries.  But Miller is a solid reserve fullback at a salary level commensurate with such a role.

Steven Evans – While he never broke in with the first team, it’s clear Caleb Porter likes Steven Evans quite a bit.  While I’m far from optimistic that he’ll ever break in as an MLS rotation player, he did have some nice showings in the reserves.  And at a minimum salary, Evans is essentially off-book in any event.

“I’m glad you called.  What was that?  Do I like allocation money?  That’s like asking me if Lucy Lawless is my actress.[6]”

Ryan Johnson – Being a Ryan Johnson fan, this comes with a little bit of a heavy heart.  But with Johnson rumored to either be out of contract or on a club option, it’s hard to see the Timbers bringing Ryan back unless they can secure him for a surprisingly low number.  It’s clear that Porter doesn’t see him as the solution at number nine, and it’s hard to imagine the Timbers being able to bring him back for less than starter wages.

Frederic Piquionne – Also rumored to be on a club option, this is absolutely no impeachment of Piquionne’s performance as a Timber – which well exceeded my expectations.  Rather, it’s about the fact that his reported 10-day ankle knock turned into an eight-week ordeal that apparently never entirely resolved.  Simply put, knocks happen.  And questions about whether Piquionne can bounce back from them at this point in his career make it hard to see how Portland can carry him and his salary in 2014.

Sal Zizzo – Struggled to find his way into the midfield in Porter’s system, as he really is a true winger that likes to get down the line using his pace and whip a ball into the box.  And he’s really not a good enough defender to be a viable option at right back.  While I think Sal has a place in the league, I think it’s unlikely that place is with the Timbers.

“Well, I suppose if things fall into place, we’d keep him on for another year.”

Mikael Silvestre – Mikael is under contract for another year, but considering he is 36 years old and coming off a major knee injury, it’s far from certain he’ll return to form.  The Timbers will take a look at him in camp, but if he doesn’t look like he’ll be able to replicate his pre-injury form, the Timbers may choose to use their annual amnesty rights on his contract.

Brent Richards – So long as he’s on his Home Grown Player contract, there’s no real reason for the Timbers not to bring him back and at least see how he looks given an opportunity post-injury.  2013 was a big year for Brent, though, making his knee injury the most personally unfortunate of any in 2013.[7]

Dylan Tucker-Gangnes – Another guy who had a big year cut short by injuries.  Given the Timbers’ history with concussions, however, there’s a little more question about whether they’ll retain DTG.  He showed some promise in his cameos early on, however, so he may be worth seeing through to health.

Jake Gleeson – As the year went along, it became clear that Kocic was the backup and Gleeson a relatively distant third.  Given that Gleeson comes with a bigger salary cap hit than Kocic and Gleeson’s slow development over the course of the last couple years, the Timbers may be looking elsewhere for Ricketts understudies.

Rauwshan McKenzie – Isn’t a bad squad player as a centerback, but never got close to breaking in at a position that was the Timbers’ most break-inable.  He’ll only be back in 2014 if the Timbers have a spare roster spot and he doesn’t make a dent in the salary cap.  Also, his name is still hard to spell correctly.

“We already loaned him out.”

Sebastian Rincon – Twitter indications are that Seba may have been loaned out for some period of time.  If true, the loan may actually be good news for Seba, as, still only 19 years old, the Timbers may be taking a long-term approach to Rincon’s development.

“Who?”

Brad Ring – A future answer to one of Mike Donovan’s Timbers trivia questions.

Onward, Rose City!