—by Andrew Brawley

In short, yes. I think so. But allow me to place this asterisk right here.

*

That asterisk represents a series of caveats, “yeah, but…’s,” and a few other items that need to be considered.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, the Timbers Army has become the torch-bearer among American supporters groups. We worked hard for it. We love being in that position. We will do everything humanly possible to maintain that position.

However, the TA doesn’t rent itself out for children’s birthday parties, sporting goods megastore openings, James Beard cooking events, etc. Nor should it. The TA exists to support the Timbers and its surrounding communities.

So what is expected if a WCQ match is held at JELD-WEN Field this summer? Does everyone expect a Timbers Army appearance? I surely hope not. It’s not a Timbers match. It’s a US Men’s National Team match. It wouldn’t make much sense to be chanting about “the boys in green” and setting Seattle ablaze without the Timbers out there in front of us. (OK, maybe the part about Seattle could still apply…I’ll get back to you on that.) Call me crazy, but I think forcing a bunch of TA chants to encourage our national team on the pitch is rather lame.

JWF has hosted a couple US Women's National Team friendlies over the last couple years. I attended the match vs. Canada in September, 2011. Do you know who was in the North End? Quite a few TA folks, who were very heavily outnumbered by girls ages 8-to-17. It was a completely different atmosphere in the North End, and throughout the entire stadium. And you know what? It should have been that way. Even the most grizzled, aggro members of the TA weren’t about to push these girls out of the way just so we could sling out a few TA chants. We all stood toward the top of the 200’s and witnessed the scene. Sure, it was a bit weird, but we understood our place and accepted it.

(No, I did not attend the recent USWNT match vs. Ireland because my bank loan application for tickets wasn’t approved…but the same scenario applies.)

This issue came up yesterday during the TA Annual General Meeting, where a 107ist member asked about how the TA might support the upcoming Thorns FC season. 107ist President Scott Swearingen responded by saying [I’m paraphrasing here] that like the origination of the TA, any organized support for that team should form organically, and not via forced means courtesy of the 107ist. However, the 107ist would absolutely be open to helping out any organically developed support efforts in the future.

I don’t think Mr. Swearingen could have responded any better. I would much rather see an original concept of a Thorns supporter group, rather than a copycat of the TA. Simply swapping out the word “Timbers” for “Thorns” is not only syllabically incorrect, it’s beneath us. Even though many members of the TA will concurrently support the Thorns, I don't think I'm alone in thinking the Thorns club deserves better than that.

Which bring me back to the WCQ’s. The TA-fueled atmosphere doesn’t apply for anything outside of Timbers matches. What does apply? Why, that would be the atmosphere provided by the American Outlaws, of course! U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!

At the risk of sounding like a communist, I will openly declare that I’m not the biggest fan of AO. I find their schtick repetitive and stale. I find this U-S-A chant particularly annoying. The whole organization could use some new blood at the national level, in my opinion. Plus, I’m not aware of any significant AO presence within Portland. They list the Thirsty Lion as the official local chapter bar, so they got that going for ‘em. I’m sure they exist around here in some capacity, but this being the wacky counter-culture land known as Portlandia, I’d be surprised to discover it’s more than a couple dudes out in Gresham. We’re not anti-America here in Portland, but we’re certainly pro-Cascadia around these parts, and we’re known for doing things a little differently. If it's going to be the same AO-led effort here in Portland, color me not-too-stoked.

So what will we get if we find a WCQ match in Portland this summer? A large TA contingent will be there, but not in organized fashion with our arsenal of chants. There’s a decent chance that someone from AO will show up, but how does that group organize a North End without any major presence already in existence in this city?

I have zero doubt the stadium would sell out (barring any exorbitant cash-grab tactics like we saw with the recent USWNT friendly). I don’t doubt the crowd would be loud and supportive of the US team. However, if the expectation is for the atmosphere to be an exact replica of a Timbers match, without any actual effort put in place beyond just the TA, perhaps we should discuss lowering our expectations a bit.

PS – none of this matters anyway. Since JWF has turf, and not grass , seeing a WCQ in Portland anytime soon is unlikely. Anyone with a lawn to maintain around here knows why turf is preferred. Nuff said.

 

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

—by Andrew Brawley

The results of the recent 107ist Board election were announced today. Congrats to Jeremy Wright and Sherrilynn “Sheba” Rawson on their reelection, and to Mike Coleman for winning the open seat. All three do amazing work, and I have every confidence they will continue to represent the Timbers Army in the best way possible throughout their terms.

Upon the announcement of the results, I noticed some Twitter chatter (which, honestly, represents all that it just and true in the world) about the disappointing percentage of voter turnout among the 107ist membership. To play Devil’s Advocate here for a brief moment, I’ll reply with a quote from Socrates*:

“Be careful what you wish for.”

I would NEVER dissuade an eligible voter from doing so. But to encourage non-voters to vote just for the sake of voting doesn’t really help matters, either.

Everyone has their own reason(s) for paying the $25 annual membership fee. Just the same, there are others out there who have reasons to NOT pay the $25 fee.

Let’s be frank here. Some people only pay the annual fee so they can get tickets to Seattle/Vancouver away matches. Some might only want the occasional discount pass to the Adidas store. Some might really love our tifo and wanna see it continue. Some might be tired of the guilt trip we give them for NOT being a member.

Whatever their reasoning, if that’s all they want in return from joining 107ist, then so be it. Their fee is helping the community in ways that more active members get to dictate. Unless they see something happening they don’t like, causing them to not renew their membership, odds are good they’ll continue to renew and business can proceed as usual.

I compare this scenario to the recent election. On top of voting for the Presidency and other offices that I feel do affect me on a regular basis, I also voted for the lone candidate running for my local water district. Why did I vote for that person (whose name escapes me right now)?

A)     They were the only person running.

B)      There was no other alternative.

C)      Who the eff really cares?

As a human, I need water. Quite often. I drink it. Bathe in it. Make hot tea buttered rums with it. I think water is great, and I look forward to its future availability. However, until there comes a scenario where my water starts to taste bad, smell bad, become unavailable, or suddenly cost double, I’m not gonna put much energy or thought into it. They get their share of my property tax payment, I get water to use as I wish, and both parties are happy with the way it all works.

It’s the same situation with 107ist. It’s a well-oiled machine that works well. We realize it’s not on auto-pilot due to the hard work of undervalued individuals. But, unless something stops working or totally sucks, you’re not gonna see a major response. Be thankful for that.

If I were a board member and suddenly saw an unexpected number of people show up to a general meeting, half of me would be stoked, while the other half would head for the hills. (One of many reasons why I would make a terrible board member.)

If the actions of the board caused distress, the “do nothing” faction could become motivated enough to unify, put their own people in charge, and do exactly what their party wishes: nothing. I’m not a fan of the do nothing faction, and I’d be bummed to see that happen. And while it’s an unlikely scenario, it’s not an impossible one.

One of my favorite sayings from my Masonic youth group days is this: “you get out of it what you put into it.” It totally applies here. If all someone wants to get in return from their 107ist annual dues is $25 in savings at the Adidas store and partner bars/food carts, then so be it. Those who pay the $25 dues in addition to their own blood, sweat and tears in the form of volunteering, tifo coordination, etc., obviously you’re getting far more out of it.

Neither person is wrong, or more right than the other. It just is what it is. If the name of the game is to increase volunteerism and community involvement (which I’m not alone in feeling that it should be), then come up with a system that rewards those who put in the effort.

One idea: if Seattle Away tickets are the biggest motivator for driving membership, then perhaps a points system should be put in place, rewarding those who participate with priority access to the prized away match / bus tickets.

Some will love this idea, while others will hate it. If the Board wishes to encourage participation, it’s up to them to implement a plan. Just remember: with every action…reaction….blah blah blah. I’m going to the Adidas store to finish my Festivus shopping.

 

*- not really

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

—by Stephan Lewis

We are very excited to announce the first presentation in what we hope will be a series celebrating the rich cultural history that we celebrate in the Timbers Army. Resident historian and scholar Tracy J. Prince, PHD of the PSU Humanities Department, has offered to give us a presentation of some amazing historical photos of the earliest days of Portland and the creation of the Goose Hollow Stadium from Multnomah Field to what is now called Jeld-Wen Field.

The Timbers stadium was built at the epicenter of the now infilled gulch/hollow, where Goose Hollow got its name. Come learn the history of the creek that carved out Tanner Creek Gulch—the natural amphitheater where the stadium was built; the tannery that once occupied the site—with tannery vats still buried underneath the stadium; the Chinese farmers who grew produce on 21 acres around the gulch; the Native American encampments in the gulch where Alder Street runs today; the squabbling Irish immigrant women who fought over their intermingled flocks of geese that roamed freely through the neighborhood; and hear stories of the Goose Hollow Gang and their exploits as the original OG of the Hollow. Historian Tracy Prince lives in the neighborhood. She dug around in Oregonian, Oregon Historical Society, and private collectors’ archives to find many never-before-seen photos of the earliest days of Portland for her 2011 book Portland’s Goose Hollow. This research has given her keen insight into the history of our sacred place as TA and she is excited to share it with us.

As the community outreach efforts of the Timbers Army/107ist have been continuing to grow, we have been developing a strong relationship with the Goose Hollow neighborhood, the home of our beloved Timbers. As a part of this, we have been helping to fund a street sign capping project in the Hollow to help designate its boundaries to both visitors and residents. The manufacture of the signs is complete; however, there is still a shortfall in funding for the installation costs. We are hoping to further close this gap with your help. The event is free, but we will happily take donations for the streen sign capping project, along with donations for raffle tickets for TA swag.

Hotel deLuxe has generously offered to host this event in their screening room. The hotel has a bar across the beautiful lobby from the screening room for refreshments and an intermission will be included to allow for top-offs. NOTE: Although the event is free, the screening room has a seating capacity of 100 so, space will be limited. Be sure to sign up to save your spot.

Here's the link to the (free) Eventbrite sign up

Hope to see you there!

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!