Streamer Display Against DC United - 9/29/2012

Photo Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer/Portland Timbers

We are pleased to announce that we have finalized the date and location for our Annual General Membership Meeting.

The meeting is free to attend and is open to current members of all ages. In addition, you are invited to bring one guest to the meeting who does not need to be a 107ist member. Well behaved children are welcome.

Important: Because space is limited, it really helps us plan if you can RSVP for the meeting - see the form below or click here to RSVP.

When you RSVP, you'll be able to submit a question or suggest 2013 activities or priorities for the board. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions in person at the meeting.

Here are the details:

What: 107ist Annual General Meeting

When: Sunday, January 6th, 2013.

Doors: 1:00 pm

Meeting: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Volunteer sign-up/Mingling: 3:00 pm

Where: Bagdad Theater, 3702 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.

Proposed Agenda

1:30 pm - Welcome

• Board member introductions (announcing outgoing and incoming board members)
• 2012 Progress and accomplishments overview
• 2013 Plan
• Q/A, General discussion

3:00 pm - Mingle

After the meeting, you can:

• Meet your Board--Board members will be available after the meeting to answer additional questions in person
• Join/Renew--join the 107IST or renew your membership after the meeting if you haven't already done so
• Volunteer--sign up at tables in the back after the meeting to volunteer with the 107IST (for things like game day/tifo, travel, community outreach, member services, and other areas)

Hope to see you there!

—by Chris Rifer

'Twas the night before Christmas,
And all over the pitch,
Merritt Paulson’s winter plans,
Had hit a big hitch.

Better fullbacks he needed,
His defense to fix,
And a new young playmaker,
Though clearly not Mix.

But as Christmas drew closer,
Lil’ Merritt did see,
There were still too few pieces,
For PTFC.

There was no one on the right,
Save ole’ Captain Jack,
And the brand new creator,
Right out he had backed.

He has still much work to do,
With camp in four weeks,
Many deals to seal,
To dry up the leaks.

But The Morrison Report,
Has presents to share,
For many Portland Timbers,
Naughty, nice, and fair.

Bright Dike: Airplane Neck Pillow and Noise Cancelling Headphones – Maybe nobody is more firmly entrenched on the “nice” list than Bright. After his second call up to the Nigerian National Team camp, it looks like Dike is going to be logging some frequent flyer miles in 2013. These should help keep him rested.

Kris Boyd: A Cardboard Cutout of John Spencer – The season started fine for Kris, but he completely derailed after Spencer was sacked, as both he and his waistline fell out of favor with nearly everybody in Portland.  If he returns to the Rose City in 2013, maybe a cutout of Spencer – and a kale-heavy diet – can bring Boyd back to form.

Eric Alexander: Playing Time – One would expect the team’s leader in assists to make more than 24 appearances and 14 starts, yet there was Eric in 2012. Of players that made more than 15 appearances in 2012, Eric was 12^th in the league in assists per 90 minutes. The guy right above him? Brad Davis. Right below him? David Beckham.

Jack Jewsbury: Smoking Jacket and Pipe – With the Timbers bursting at the seams with midfielders – and potentially adding another – Captain Jack’s run of consistent starts is in danger. Accordingly, he’s quickly approaching the stage of his career where his biggest contributions to his team will be made off the field. The team’s elder statesman will look even wiser with his new smoking jacket and pipe.

Kalif Alhassan: Blinders – The oft-injured and oft-distracted Alhassan is approaching the biggest season of his life. Between work ethic and health deficiencies, he has lost much of the last two seasons. If he loses a third, it’s a safe bet that Kalif will never fulfill his immense potential. The blinders should help him keep his mind – and, by extension, body – on the field.

Diego Chara: Cutoff Jeans Jacket with Punk Rock Patches – A perennial juggernaut in the yellow card race, you would think Diego would be cultivating a bad boy image by now. But then you realize he’s 5’5” with the biggest smile in the league. A punk rock jacket should start Diego down the path of being feared.

Sal Zizzo: Cannoli – The day I found out his food cart stopped serving it was one of the tougher days of 2012.

Darlington Nagbe: A Bust of Himself – Darlington might be the only person in Portland unconvinced of his own awesomeness. When Darlington commands the ball he looks like one of the best attackers in MLS. And then he disappears for weeks at a time. Nothing says “I think I’m awesome” like having a bust of yourself.

Danny Mwanga: Dance Dance Revolution – He has the arm movement down, but Danny could really improve on his footwork on goal celebrations.  A copy of DDR should do the trick.

David Horst: Power Tools – Or maybe something else really manly.

Gavin Wilkinson: Gift Card – Because he’ll just return anything I get him and call it an upgrade.

For the supporters who sing,
Whose scarves read No Pity,
I have but one last message,
Onward, Rose City!

Congratulations to Jeremy Wright and Sherrilynn "Sheba" Rawson on their re-elections. Congratulations to our newest member on the board of directors, Mike Coleman. We look forward to their 3 year terms serving on the board and working to accomplish our goals for the Timbers Army and 107ist for 2013 and beyond.

The board wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Stephan Lewis, John Holden, Brian Pendergrass, Derek Espinoza, Joe Gotshall and Todd Danger for offering themselves as candidates. Running for any office can be a stressful experience for any candidate regardless of what type of office it is and all candidates should be commended for participating in the process.

Coming out of the 2012 season, it appeared as though serious roster turnover was inevitable.  On Monday, the Timbers took a big step toward seeing that through. In a flurry of action that will be remembered for some time, the Timbers added three faces and said goodbye to five more with potential for an imminent sixth departure. Here is what all happened on Moving Monday.

Incoming

Will Johnson – By far the splashiest newcomer of the day, Johnson has spent most of his career playing left mid at Real Salt Lake. In many ways he is the anti-Franck Songo’o. Gavin Wilkinson was clear on Monday that the team’s acquisitions were more about mentality than talent, and Johnson certainly fits that role. Although certainly a nice player, Johnson’s reputation largely centers around his work ethic and consistency – two attributes the Timbers have been lacking at left mid. It’s hard not to think, however, that Johnson’s arrival makes virtually certain an imminent move away from Morrison Street for Franck Songo’o. The question about Johnson, however, is whether he is worth his $243,750 price tag.

Michael Harrington – The Timbers’ biggest offseason positional need is clearly at fullback and specifically, until Monday at least, right back. While Harrington is naturally a left sided player, he has played both left and right back, as well as some defensive central midfield. Harrington, on at least a $125,000 salary number for 2012, spent much of the season on the bench for Kansas City behind two of the League’s better fullbacks in Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic. His salary number doesn’t shock the conscience considering his past solid form and versatility, but his lack of recent play is a little bit of a concern. Then again, the last recently relegated bench player the Timbers picked up from Kansas City turned out pretty well. At this point, considering the Timbers now have holes to fill at both fullback positions, it seems likely Harrington will have the inside track into the opening day XI at one position or another.

The HGP Rights to Bryan Gallego – As part of the deal that sent Kosuke Kimura mercifully far from these shores, the Timbers got back the Homegrown Player rights to Akron sophomore defender Bryan Gallego. Gallego started every game for Akron last season, and is ranked as the #52 upperclassman in NCAA Division I by TopDrawer Soccer. It seems likely that Caleb Porter will look to bring Gallego with him to Portland to continue his development this year. Don’t expect much from Gallego in the short term, but if anybody is in a position to know if this guy can play, it’s Porter.[1]

Outgoing

Kosuke Kimura – While perhaps the nature of his exit is a mild surprise – he was rumored to be getting looks in lower leagues in Europe – Kimura’s ultimate departure was utterly predictable. Timbers fans should come away from this one pleased that the Rose City got something – anything – in return for him.

Lovel Palmer – Palmer expressed frustration with criticism from Timbers fans about his poor play. My parting advice to Lovel, considering the quality of his performance in Portland over the last year plus, is if he wants unconditional love and adoration he should seriously consider getting a dog because his substandard soccer will never earn it. Adieu.

Steve Purdy – Purdy was another predictable release, as he struggled to break into the lineup at a position where the Timbers were a breath away from holding open tryouts. Nonetheless, Purdy’s tour in Portland was a more than honorable one. The players that came up with the USL side will always garner a little bit of extra love, and Purdy is no exception. He’ll be remembered as a good guy and solid player willing to play anywhere he could help on the backline. It’s guys like Steve Purdy that will always have a cold beer waiting for them in Portland.

Eric Brunner – While he didn’t come up from the USL side, Eric Brunner represented the second-to-last Expansion Draft pick on the team.[2] Traded to Houston for what must have been a respectable lump of allocation money, Brunner struggled with injuries in 2012, making way for the ascension of Hanyer Mosquera, emergence of David Horst, and development of Andrew Jean-Baptiste. In short, Brunner’s lengthy time away from the pitch made him a luxury. Still, Eric’s departure surprised me a little bit, as I thought his consistency when healthy and leadership role on the team would keep him in Portland through at least 2013. Perhaps as much as any other player, Brunner endeared himself to fans by seamlessly fitting in with Portland’s culture. That makes this departure a little more painful than some others.

Steven Smith – Late in the day on Monday, news surfaced that Steven Smith would not be re-signed. Word has trickled out that the offers he is getting in Europe would put him in the designated player salary range, something that is clearly too rich for Portland’s blood. Smith represents by far the biggest on-field loss, as he was one of the team’s better players over the last several weeks of the 2012 season. By all means it looked like Smith could become one of the better left backs in the MLS in 2013, a surprising development considering the Timbers picked him up in desperation last summer. Whereas his countryman Kris Boyd appeared to quit on the team after John Spencer’s dismissal, Smith seemed to become more dedicated to the team as the season went along. A tremendous professional and better-than-serviceable left back, Smith leaves Timbers fans with a decidedly “we hardly knew you” sort of feeling.

Rodney Wallace – Rod also found himself on the preliminary Reentry Draft List on Monday. While that generally suggests a player is on the way out, word has leaked out that Wallace is still in negotiations with the Timbers over a new, presumably smaller contract. If they can get a deal done before Friday, he may well be retained.

What’s Next?

For starters, I still expect a few more names to be added to the departure list. It seems almost inevitable now that Franck Songo’o and Kris Boyd will be leaving, if at all possible. The club’s comments on Monday almost exclusively focused on bringing in players that have a reputation as a hard worker. Any list of players in 2012 with a fragile mentality prominently includes Boyd and Songo’o – even if the latter showed substantially more on the field late in the season than the former. Simply put, Boyd quit on the team and Songo’o, while demonstrating solid play at times, was the green and gold standard of inconsistency. It’s hard to see how those two factor into what appears to be Morrison Street’s future plans.

Second, the Timbers seem to be in tough salary cap straights this year. This is probably in part due to Darlington Nagbe’s imminent removal from Generation Adidas designation and a rumored balloon in Danny Mwanga’s contract – perhaps to as high as somewhere in the $500,000 range. Obviously the Timbers won’t be parting ways with Nagbe, and would seem loathe to let go of Mwanga this early. Assuming the Timbers can offload Boyd,[3] don’t be surprised to see Portland re-designate Mwanga as a young DP for the year, making his salary cap hit a much more reasonable $200,000.[4] That way, Portland could keep Mwanga for the year with the possibility of renegotiating at the end of 2013, and save some much needed cap space for a couple more signings.

Speaking of signings,[5] where will the Timbers focus? Well, obviously, fullback must remain the top priority. Right now, the only outside backs on the roster are Harrington, Ryan Kawulok, and Chris Taylor. So there’s that.

I also still think the second priority is likely holding midfield. Seeing as how he is on the wrong side of 30, the Jack Jewsbury Era is living on borrowed time a little bit. While many have whispered Jonathan Bornstein’s name about as a potential fullback solution, I think it’s more likely he would slot in at defensive central mid if the Timbers choose to pursue him as an option.

Monday, then, posed as many new questions as it answered old ones.  While it is hard to quibble too much with any decision the Timbers made at the opening of the transaction window, it is clear that the moves’ genius or foolishness are far from determined. The offseason is just beginning.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Andrew Brawley

Earlier today, Prost Amerika Editor Steve Clare posted a great piece about the future of MLS as it ventures into the “post-Beckham” era. Like him or hate him, it’s hard to argue that the “Beckham experiment” wasn’t a success. Attendance is up. TV viewership is up (slightly…more on that later). Combined with the Cascadian expansion and NHL lockout, MLS is in prime position for continued positive growth, while other pro sports leagues look to have steeper hills to climb.

After proclaiming NBC Sports commentator (and former Sounders voice) Arlo White to be the something along the lines of a soundtrack for the advancement of soccer in America (insert obligatory anti-Sounders rant here), Clare uses the second half of his article to say that the role of David Beckham as the unofficial face and ambassador of MLS is likely to be filled by the fans, particularly supporters groups.

If you think about it, supporters groups are a major factor of the MLS experience that helps the league stand out from the American pro sports pack. We’re numerous. We’re fun. We’re loud. We’re diverse. We’re organized. We make clever signs. And, to the delight of big name advertisers and media buyers, we’re young and have disposable income.

Clare further states that supporters groups and the suits at respective teams’ front offices, as well as at MLS headquarters, will need to collaborate on a frequent basis in order to protect this forward momentum. Clare then uses a word that tends to strike fear in the hearts of supporters groups: “compromise.”

While Portland’s front office staff and supporters can talk a big game within the realm of MLS, something tells me that both sides of the negotiation table (front office on one side, 107ist board members on the other) will need to go even further when it comes to compromising in the future. Today’s announcement of a 96% season ticket renewal rate, plus a waiting list of about 6,500, reveals that the Timbers front office will have to go to great lengths to screw this thing up (no, I’m not challenging them to that). It also reveals that Portland sports fans might be gluttons for punishment.

Considering the 2012 season was one of the most emotionally painful sports journeys I can remember, a 96% renewal rate, plus a deep waiting list, does give the front office a bit of negotiating advantage over the TA when it comes to things like game day operations, post-mortem incident reviews, away travel issues, etc. (In summary: “if you don’t like it, there’s someone else behind you waiting to buy your seats.”) However, owner Merritt Paulson has gone on record plenty of times saying that the Timbers Army is a large part of what makes every Timbers match special. I can’t imagine him having the gall to implement major restrictions that would alter this experience.

We’re quite fortunate with what we’ve got here in Portland, likely to the point where most other MLS teams and supporters groups would label us as “spoiled.” And I think I have to agree with that sentiment. When fans line up too early on match days and scratch and claw against line cutters for prime general admission seats, a wristband solution is developed. When food options get slightly repetitive, local food carts are invited into JELD-WEN Field on match days. Don’t care for Budweiser? Why not have one of many local microbrews (let’s just forget about that one-time Spiced IPA thing, ok?). Oh, and so what if our team has spent all season hovering around the bottom of the table…we’re still gonna see camera crews from ESPN and NBC (that’s right…not just NBC Sports, but NB-MF’n-C) at JWF!

In Portland, this is status quo. For most other teams in MLS, these are situations that both fans and front office staff would sell their eternal souls for.

Speaking of TV, this is one area where we could probably use a slight amount of compromise amongst ourselves. We seem to have appointed ourselves to be the “keepers of cool,” especially with regard to “sticking it to the Man” by going out our way to defy any act that might resemble an endorsement of Walt Disney and Comcast (owners of ESPN and NBC, respectively). That’s an admirable stance to take considering you probably already pay them money to watch Timbers away matches on TV, but I digress. God forbid we see a camera boom whip around 10 feet in front of us in the North End and resist the urge to extend 20 middle fingers into the air, or unleash the fury contained within what you perceive to be the most mind-blowing hand-made two-stick ever. Hate to break it to ya’, but Portland’s status of cool-by-default left town once Portlandia season two began production. National TV networks are gonna be at Timbers matches whether we like it or not, so you might as well get used to it, Occupiers.

Granted, the support of national TV networks toward American soccer in recent years has been lackluster at best. Putting a Saturday afternoon marquee match (such as our 9/15 match hosting Seattle) on NBC to compete against Lord-knows-how-many college football games was a terrible idea. The fact that it pulled even a 0.4 rating is amazing. Meanwhile, last weekend’s MLS Cup match drew an also-terrible 0.7 rating. This is actually below the 0.8 rating that the 6/24 Portland-Seattle match drew on ESPN, which also happened the be the third-highest-rated regular season MLS match on cable ever.

While we strive to never kowtow to the demands of the suits representing the front office, MLS, and TV networks, we must recognize that unless the TV numbers improve over the next few years, this current forward momentum could be greatly reduced. If that happens, the sport suffers.

In addition to TV issues, when MLS touts their average attendance figures becoming larger than those of the NHL, threatening hockey’s place as the number four pro sport in America, they usually forget to mention that NHL seasons consist of 82 games, half at home, half on the road. That’s 41 home games for season ticket holders, families of four, local businesses, temporary workers, etc. to attend over about seven months, not counting playoffs. MLS currently remains at a 34-match season (17 home games), with more days of rest between matches over eight months, not counting playoffs.

Plus, hockey’s a bit more of an expensive sport to grow up in (skates, pads, ice rink rental, etc.) and/or follow compared to soccer. It’s a much larger revenue stream to manage, and that’s without corporate logos on players’ chests. I could go into my unmowed backyard on this rainy night and start a pick-up soccer game with my dog right now if I wanted to. There’s far more money to be made (and lost) with hockey in this country. With soccer, if the MLS Players’ Union threatens to strike at the next round of negotiations with team owners, I’d be surprised to see it anywhere near the front page…of the sports section. Yes, soccer is growing in this country, and could become #4 soon, but that just means that soccer is in 4^th place. That wouldn’t even qualify for a medal at high school track meets.

While MLS and the American soccer scene are on the right path, it’s still on fragile ground, and even the slightest bump in the road could derail the entire thing. As members of the Timbers Army, arguably the largest and most under-the-microscope supporters group in this country, we must acknowledge that our actions (both positive and negative) will have an impact far beyond our city limits.

A wise man named Uncle Spiderman once said “with great power comes great responsibility.” We didn’t go out of our way to become this phenomenon. We just happened to become it, simply by being our unique weirdo selves. As a result, we must recognize that it’s in our best interest to act as leaders in all aspects of our support.

• Have spirited fun in the North End, but snuff out those whose idea of fun includes language or actions that are sexist, homophobic, racist, etc.
• Volunteer and/or donate to the TA’s charitable causes and other community initiatives like Harper’s Playground, Operation Pitch Invasion, AC Portland, etc.
• Avoid looking foolish in front of anyone holding a camera. Just be yourself…a Timbers supporter. (While you're at it, don't get involved with any Nickelback-wannabe bands. Seriously.)

We can’t use the 2012 Timbers season as a measuring stick to compare future awesome seasons against if the league ceases to exist. By acting as leaders, both inside and outside of JWF, this sport has no option but to grow within the United States.

 

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

And history has repeated itself...welcome to the AEG Cup! Er, um, we mean MLS Cup featuring Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo.

Join the Timbers Army and AC Portland for the 2012 MLS Cup Viewing at Alberta Substation. This family-friendly locale features numerous televisions and big screens, as well as great food and drinks. There will be a $5 suggested donation, the benefits of which go to AC Portland.

The match starts at 1:00 PM, so come a bit early for a prime viewing spot and decent parking in the Alberta Arts District, which can be a bit tricky. See you this weekend!

—by Chris Rifer

Kings of Cascadia! But seriously, that was mostly wretched. In any case, it’s over now.

From a league-wide perspective, the end of 2012 feels an awful lot like the end of 2011. Galaxy-Dynamo in the MLS Cup Final! Is David Beckham leaving MLS?! Fredy Montero, no means no postseason goals! But we’ll deal with the MLS in a couple weeks.

This week, it’s about our team, the mighty PTFC. There were reasons for optimism after a 2011 campaign that saw a fast start, a muddled middle, and a strong finish. Finishing four points out of a playoff spot, the obvious expectation for 2012 was to qualify for the postseason. We all know how that worked out.

Nonetheless, there are reasons to think that 2012’s ineptitude was as much a mix of bad luck and bad mentality as it was a bad roster.[1] First, as we’ve discussed ad nauseum, the Timbers luck in 2012 was awful. Moving on. Second, the 2012 Timbers showed a remarkable ability to ship points to bad teams while playing up to quality opposition. Don’t believe me? 24 of the Timbers’ 34 stinking points this past year came from playoff teams. Finally, many of the most cringe-worthy performances came from that midsummer nightmare wherein the Timbers’ wheels came completely off the wagon. So, as I’ve discussed previously, I think this team was poor, but perhaps not as bad as their position on the table suggests.

That said, clearly serious changes are in order this winter. While it’s unlikely further changes are going to be made at the top, there should be a number of 2012 faces missing from the practice pitch when the Timbers come back together in 2013. Who will those be? Glad you asked.

Former Timbers

Freddie Braun – Showed flashes of being a guy that could break into the lineup in one capacity or another, but apparently wasn’t improving at the necessary rate to stay with the team. Of the three already announced departures already announced, the former U-23er is emotionally the toughest loss. All the best to Freddie.

Charles Renken – If Braun was the toughest loss, Renken was the biggest surprise. Considering he looked halfway decent for his age in a handful of reserve matches, you have to wonder if something in his contract was a bigger problem than his potential. Still, surprised he didn’t get one more year to show some development.

Ian Hogg – Not the Kiwi many supporters wanted to see on the waiver list.

Imminently Former Timbers

Lovel Palmer – Obvi.

Steve Purdy – If he couldn’t make a case to be in the team at right back this year, he never will.

Mike Fucito – There’s more to soccer than running a lot and being small. In 2012, Fucito found that out the hard way.

Kosuke Kimura – The fact that he didn’t lose his job a right back is a testament to how desperate that whole situation was.

Kris Boyd – Objectively, seven goals in 26 appearances isn’t as disastrous as it felt. But it’s hard to shake the impression he quit on the team after John Spencer was shown the door. While his contract may make him difficult to move, I would be surprised if the Timbers didn’t find a way to offload him, even if it means eating a substantial portion of his wages.

Chris Taylor – The fact that the team brought in Ian Hogg for a glorified trial doesn’t bode well for Chris.

Rodney Wallace – He’s clearly lost his spot at left back to Steven Smith, and there are a number of better options at left mid on the roster already. With his salary number, there is no way he should be back as a backup left back or – at best – third-choice left wing.

Futty – This makes me sad, but it’s probably the right thing to do.

One Bad Year Away from Being a Former Timber

Kalif Alhassan – Kalif’s 2012 season eerily mirrored the Timbers’. It started with tremendous promise, and was quickly derailed by inconsistency and bad luck. There is absolutely no question Kalif has the talent to be an impact MLS player. There is substantial question about whether he has the maturity and durability. If he doesn’t show some of the latter in 2013, he may find himself putting his hands up for a new club.

Jake Gleeson – Had his 2012 club season put on ice by injuries, but even when he was healthier toward the end of the year, it looked like Joe Bendik had become the undisputed #2 keeper. A working class hero, maybe, but a #3 keeper isn’t something to be.

Eric Brunner – Perhaps the safest of the bunch, and this was also largely injury related, but David Horst and Hanyer Mosquera emerged as the clear top choice centerbacks in 2012. With Andrew Jean-Baptiste showing potential behind him, if Eric has another lackluster year, he could find himself on the outs.

Ryan Kawulok – He looks an awful lot like 2013’s Freddie Braun. That said, considering the desperate right back situation, if he can develop he might find himself in the team.

Eric Alexander – He led the team in assists in 2012 with a grand total of 24 appearances and 12 starts. So there’s a strong case that he’s undervalued. But with Franck Songo’o and Sal Zizzo having the inside track to start on the wings, and Kalif Alhassan always lurking, Eric may have to find a way to ply his trade in a more central role if he wants a long-term place with the Timbers.

So, if that’s who is on the outs – or at least on notice – what should the Timbers be looking to bring in before camp opens?

Offseason Priorities

Right Back – The clear top priority. Ryan Kawoluk is the only 2012 right back with a snowball’s chance of returning in 2013, and he’s not a legitimate starting XI candidate at this point. The Timbers will have to bring somebody in here or you can write the story on 2013 before it begins.

Defensive Central Midfield – This isn’t as pressing a need, as Jack Jewsbury is still passable at this spot. But the captain is getting on in years, and Diego Chara is The Sidler, not a destroyer. The Timbers will need one to take Jack’s spot at some point in the fairly near future, and nobody on the roster is an obvious candidate. While some have mentioned Jonathan Bornstein as a candidate at fullback upgrade, I think it is more likely he could step into this role if he returns to MLS, even if he is an imperfect fit for Caleb Porter’s system.

Striker – The Timbers have lots of interesting young pieces at this position, but nobody proven. Bright Dike made a surprisingly compelling case for being a legitimate MLS striker late in 2012, and the roster still features well-compensated youngsters Danny Mwanga and Trencito Valencia, but no veteran presence to bring the young guns along. Kris Boyd was a serious disappointment in that respect. Accordingly, don’t be surprised to see Portland bring on a veteran striker, perhaps from the MLS ranks, this offseason. Would Merritt Paulson throw crazy money at Chris Wondolowski? I’m only 80% sure the answer is no, and 52% sure he shouldn’t. After all, in many ways, Bright Dike is a Steven Lenhart with dignity.

Onward, Rose City!

At the Sunday board meeting, the board voted unanimously to send the next issue of the Whipsaw out to all members. The deadline is fast approaching, so please submit original stories, art or photos to whipsaw[AT]timbersarmy.org

This is the off-season issue so stories about the past season or predictions for the next are welcome. Write up your Seattle Away experience, muse on the future of the roster, or write about your reaction to the fanladen. We're always open to new stories, so send em in before November 22nd for inclusion in the next issue.

Cheers!

We all had a great time introducing you to the Fanladen and snuggling up to the Cascadia Cup. It was a fantastic afternoon and also a landmark moment in the evolution of 107ist and Timbers Army. Thank you to everyone who came out and shared the day.

We must thank our exceptional photographers. They are all pros who volunteered their time and talent: Steven Lenhart, Liv Schelly and Colleen Sparks. Please consider using them the next time you want any sort of portraits or sessions done.

Steven Lenhart's website

Liv Schelly's website

Colleen Sparks's website

And for those that missed out...should we do another photo shoot?