This week everyone was on the same page. Especially at the beginning of the first half when we were able to put together multiple successful strings of passes resulting in goals. We were quickly up 4 - 0 within the first five or six minutes and ended the half ahead 7 - 0. In the second half pulled the intensity back a little bit but we were still getting many shots on goal and forcing the opponent's keeper to a handful of good saves. We posted our first win in this new session (8 - 4) and look forward to another successful match next week. Much thanks to Mike who came in to play goalkeeper this week and we look forward to him playing for us again...

Goals: Dave 2, Derek 2, Randy 2, Micah 1, Owen 1

Assists: Dave 1, Todd 1

—by Chris Rifer

Nobody at Jeld-Wen Field will forget Saturday night.

The indelibility started in the 3^rd minute, as Kalif Alhassan found Kris Boyd near post on a brilliant cross, which the Timbers designated player redirected home.

The Timbers, however, couldn’t establish any sort of control in the midfield, and the Galaxy made them pay in the 19^th minute, as David Beckham—given acres of space by Eric Alexander—bent a magnificent ball from 35 yards out into goal.

Portland would make way for some Beckham magnificence again five minutes later, as a poorly constructed wall[1] allowed Beckham to unleash his signature curling free kick and tuck it inside the near post.

The Timbers dug themselves a deeper hole two minutes later when Kosuke Kimura lost Michael Stephens on a throw. Stephens, however, took a poor touch that was bouncing hopelessly away from him, but Kimura bailed him out—and enticed Baldomero Toledo into making a half-brained call[2]—by colliding with Stephens in the box.

And if that weren’t enough, just two minutes later, David Horst would lose Landon Donovan on the right wing,[3] where he would send an easy cross to Robbie Keane to do what he has made a career out of.

Just like that, ten surreal minutes after Portland had a 1-0 lead, they were down 4-1.

The Timbers would make noises of a comeback in the 34^th minute, after Josh Saunders bobbled Boyd’s direct free kick and Kimura erased his earlier mistake by putting the rebound home.

In the 36^th minute, Horst nearly pulled the Timbers within one with a well-placed header off of a Steven Smith corner, but Saunders atoned for his previous sin by making a solid diving save.

The Timbers should have pulled within one after halftime, as Troy Perkins’ fantastic distribution[4] freed Nagbe on the break, but Darlington dribbled too much,[5] and Saunders closed him out.

The Galaxy would deliver the fatal blow in the 64^th minute, however, as Beckham caught the Timbers defense upfield in finding Sean Franklin on the right wing. Franklin easily found Keane in the box, who casually slotted home.

The Timbers, however, couldn’t let this one out of their teeth just yet. Five minutes later, in the least surprising free kick strategy since Beckham’s in the 24^th minute, Kris Boyd took a set piece off of Jack Jewsbury’s tap and drove it into the bottom corner.

What the Timbers had in pluck, however, they lacked in gas, as the comeback effort sputtered and stalled in the late stages. It was a strange night to cap off a strange week that deals a significant blow to the Timbers’ increasingly longshot playoff chances.

Match Observations

• I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a unit as desperately disorganized as the Timbers’ central midfield was in the first half and, to a lesser extent, the second half. If Jack Jewsbury and Lovel Palmer ever patrol the center together again, it should result in an automatic sacking for the manager. Two disasters in a row. Their inability to slow down the Galaxy attack to any extent hung the back four out to dry. If Keane and Donovan are coming at you with a full head of steam, your defense is in serious trouble. Not that they acquitted themselves particularly well, either.
• Looking at the stats is absolutely maddening. The Timbers had 61% possession, 83% passing accuracy, and 571 completed passes. 15 shots, 10 of which were on frame, and 18 open play crosses. Unreal. As wretched as the defense was, the Timbers offense was as good as we have seen it all year. Although this was at least in part because the Galaxy were up big and determined to score in the double digits, the numbers are glaring enough that they can’t be ignored. In addition to the three goals scored, the Timbers had four other pretty legitimate chances to put the ball in the net.[6]
• The difference in the game, then, was the ability to maintain composure after conceding a goal. The Galaxy did, the Timbers oh-so-very didn’t. While it’s refreshing to hear a coach take responsibility for a loss,[7] and while I think Gavin out-thought himself tactically a little bit in this one,[8] 4 goals conceded in 9 minutes isn’t tactics. It’s mentality, and that’s in large part on the players. They did it under Spencer and they’ve now done it under Wilkinson. And if they don’t learn how to handle being scored on, these last 16 games are going to be torture.
• Diego Chara is incredibly important to this team. Oh my goodness. For those questioning whether Chara is designated player quality, I present Saturday as Exhibit A of my argument against in support of Diego.
• The grades will be all over the map. Just a warning.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 3 Culpable on the second concession for setting up a sloppy wall that cut off a free kick directly hit at the far post (which Beckham was never going to hit) and opening up a sizable gap for a curler (which Beckham was always going to hit). Also didn’t have his best effort on the fourth concession, where he may have been able to cut off Donovan’s cross with a better effort. At least on that one he was exposed by his defense.

Steven Smith, 3 Conceding goals when Smith is caught upfield is becoming a bit of a pattern. Both the fourth and fifth concessions came from Smith’s left side with the Scot nowhere to be found in defense.

David Horst, 2 Absolutely dominated by Donovan. His selection over Futty looks bad in hindsight, as Horst’s mistakes are piling up and his poor closeout of Donovan on the fourth concession gave the Timbers a mountain they couldn’t climb.

Hanyer Mosquera, 3.5 Got crossed up on Keane’s run to the fourth goal, and botched his mark on the fifth. A couple crippling mistakes overshadow the fact that he was otherwise the most competent defender on the night.[9]

Kosuke Kimura, 4.5 A relatively neutral game again for Kimura. Obviously made the massive error in letting Stephens get behind him on the throw, but made up for it moments later by putting back Boyd’s free kick. Otherwise, was close to competent if unspectacular.

Jack Jewsbury, 3.5 He and Palmer were undressed defensively, as LA moved at will through the Timbers midfield. Jewsbury at least made some contributions to the attack.

Lovel Palmer, 1 Wretched. The kind of performance that gets a player cut. Stalled the attack and was nowhere significant to be found defensively. Paging James Marcelin.[10]

Darlington Nagbe, 4 Had some nice moments breaking down the Galaxy midfield, but, and I’m getting so tired of writing this, is dribbling way too much. He seemingly tried to dribble the ball into goal on his breakaway.

Eric Alexander, 4 Bears some culpability on the first goal, as he failed to close down Beckham. There is an argument to be made that it was Palmer’s position he was being asked to defend, but still, when Palmer isn’t there he has to defend it.

Kalif Alhassan, 6.5 A very good night returning from injury. Assisted on the Timbers’ best goal of the evening and was a threat on the right side until being pulled for fitness reasons.

Kris Boyd, 8 Heard some griping about Boyd in the stands on Saturday.  Here’s what I say to that: two goals. His seven on the season all of a sudden don’t look too bad. Any fault that goes to Boyd for the Timbers’ struggles is misplaced. He was brought in to score goals and 18 matches into the season he has seven.

Brent Richards, 3 Down 4-2 at half, I don’t mind giving the kid a chance to see what he can do, but Brent was a little bit wide-eyed out there. Stalled the attack a few times and looked out of sorts defending on the left wing.

Danny Mwanga, 4 Came on for Kalif and didn’t have much in the way of an impact. Kalif’s absence was conspicuous.

Sal Zizzo, INC. Very late sub didn’t have much of a chance to make an impact.

Preseason Prediction:[11] Galaxy 2, Timbers 1. Jewsbury, Boyens (ha!), and Keane.

Actual Result: Galaxy 5, Timbers 3. Boyd, Beckham, Beckham, Donovan, Keane, Kimura, Keane, and Boyd.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Andrew Brawley

Imagine having celebrities hanging out in the North End during Timbers matches. As if the Timbers Army needed any more publicity, right?

Now imagine those celebrities consisting of the cast of Jersey Shore, The Real World, and current fans of Tosh.0 (yeah…current as in after Daniel Tosh’s recent ‘rape joke’ fiasco).

This actually happened at last night’s game. And guess whose fault it is.

It’s the fault of ticket scalpers!

Last night saw a collection of alpha male types that I’ll refer to as “dude-bro’s” (you might be more familiar with their common name, “douchebags”) assembling in the far upper corner of section 208. What started as four DB’s turned to eight, which turned to 12, and before we knew it, we had approximately 20 of these chuckle-heads sitting together, double-fisting beers well before kickoff was even scheduled.

So how did this group get my attention? Before we get into that, let me state that I don’t claim to be any kind of expert in DB’s  (I find Juggalos to be far more fascinating) or security, but I do happen to have a couple small items of note on my resume. At one time in my wild career path, I was the lead bouncer at a nightclub in Los Angeles. Also, I happen to have an OLCC permit, and monitoring behavior induced by alcohol happens to be a major component of that training program.

So when I see a large group of these types getting together, they tend to draw my attention. When all 20-ish of them insist on wearing matching bright yellow or bright orange trucker hats, they identify themselves as a group aching to be noticed. When they aren’t participating in pre-match Timbers chants, they demand my attention. When they subtly-but-noticeably boo our Timbers as they enter the field for pre-match practice, my gut tells me something is up.

However, there was nothing visible at this point that ultimately said “these people are Galaxy fans, get them out of here before something bad goes down.”

That is until one of them removes their shirt to reveal a Sharpie-drawn LA Galaxy logo on his chest, and a mock jersey-style “Beckham” and “23” on his back. NOW WE’RE IN BUSINESS!

(Note: this Sharpie-drawn-on-body thing is worthy of its own blog entry, but my writing priorities are clear this day. I’ll get to you next year, pal.)

Now that we’ve identified a large group of Galaxy fans sitting in the Timbers Army section, which is far, far away from the away fans’ section, we must take evasive action to neutralize this situation. As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” And at the rate these guys were drinking and escalating their behavior, I woulda bet my entire savings account on some shenanigans going down.

Rather than confront them myself (I may be a big guy, but come on, this is serious, and I’m no dummy), I notified JWF security, as well as a 107ist Board member and the designated TA security rep. Within 15 minutes, the majority of the group was moved to a more appropriate section of the stadium.

So why do I hold ticket scalpers to be responsible for this? These DB’s somehow got their hands on a whole bunch TA section tickets. Throw in the fact that this game against the Galaxy was one of the first to sell out after tickets for the 2012 season went on-sale, and we reveal some form of major flubbery. Either these guys all acquired tickets via an exorbitant sum of money paid to StubHub or on-site scalpers, or somebody (or bodies) in the Timbers Army sold their ticket(s) to this match and didn’t bother to care about whom they sold their tickets to.

This is just one of many reasons why a large faction of the Timbers Army decries the use of ticket scalpers. I understand the need to resell tickets to a match that you can’t attend. You want to get your money back. Nobody will sweat you for that.

However, when you blindly post your tickets for sale on Craig’s List, StubHub, or any number of reseller sites, or sell your tickets to those dirty, filthy scalpers lurking in front on JWF on match days, you are essentially handing over the keys to the Timbers Army’s vehicle, and allowing anyone to jump in for a ride, regardless of their condition and/or intent.

You may be comfortable picking up hitch-hikers on the highway, and if you’re the only one in the car, be my guest. But would you pick one up if your kids, friends, and/or friends’ kids were with you? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

If you need to resell your tickets, sell them to your trusted friends, co-workers, or any number of people who you would trust to represent you. Let them celebrate in the fun we get to have at every match. Don’t let the riff-raff in by selling your tickets to anonymous buyers.

Finally, if you feel the need to call me a narc or tattle-tale by my notifying security about that group of DB’s last night, be my guest. The way I look at it, I had to leave my own well-behaved circle of friends and clean up someone else’s mess. So if you feel that way, you don’t need to thank me, but still…you’re welcome.

8:45 pm UPDATE: judging by some Twitter conversations directed my way, it appears the group in question may have been a bachelor party from Vancouver. Can't say this is verified in any way, but having a Vancouver-based hockey writer for NBC Sports ask me if I got my "panties in a twist" has to account for something, right?

Regardless of this group's home base, and if this truly is the case, I stand even stronger by my actions as we don't need Vancouver fans sitting in the North End, whether they pose as Galaxy fans in jest, or not.

Dear Vancouver, your antics reflect poorly on your beloved country. I guess this is why all the clever things to come out of Canada (Kids In The Hall, Strange Brew, Picnicface, et. al.) originate from the eastern portion of "America's hat."

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

REMINDER: on July 27th the Timbers Army is hosting a blood drive in Vancouver, Washington in conjunction with the Timbers Army Northern Alliance.

We all bleed Rose City Red; now it's time to bleed for a worthy cause: The Timbers Army Blood Drive, Friday, July 27th, from 10 am - 7 pm at Clark County Indoor Soccer, 16311 NE 15th St., Vancouver, WA 98684.

No matter the season, the American Red Cross is always in need of blood donations:

• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
• More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day.
• More than 1 million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.
• One donation can help save the lives of up to three people.

If you are healthy, at least 17 years old, and weigh at least 110 pounds, you are probably eligible to donate (if you are a minor you'll need your parent's or guardian's permission to donate). Whether you're an experienced donor or you'll be donating for the first time, you can find out more about the donation process here. You can read more specifics about eligibility requirements here.

If you are interested in donating, please check the following link to select a time that works for you:

Link to make a donation appointment

We will also need volunteers for various things, so if you're interested in volunteering in addition/instead of donating, drop a message to TABloodDrive@gmail.com with whatever times you're available and the best way to contact you.

What about tattoos? If I have ink can I still donate?

Since this was mentioned in a discussion thread, we'll mention it here as well: If you have tattoos, yes, you can donate, as long as you got inked at a licensed tattoo parlor. If you got your tattoo in Oregon you are in luck, as Oregon licenses and regulates tattoo parlors. If you got your tattoo in another state, you will have to check to see if that state regulates tattoo parlors. If you got your tattoo in another state that does not regulate tattoo parlors, you can donate as long as it has been at least 12 months since you got tattooed. For more information, you can contact the Red Cross, or read more about eligibility requirements and blood donation here.

Any other questions, feel free to ask.

I know I am, I'm sure I am, Rose City Til I Die. In the meantime, we can give life by giving blood. We invite you to do the same.

What a game! The opening game of the session did not disappoint. This match was against the team that knocked us out of playoff contention last session. We got some sweet revenge, too, as the final score was 7-6, good guys.

This was mostly due to the Herculean efforts of Mike Kuh, who had five, that's right, FIVE goals! 3 or 4 of which came within the last 5 minutes of the game.

Final Score: Coat? FC 7, opponent 6

Goal distribution:

Milon Good - 1

Mike Kuh - 5

Kevin Imber - 1

The message is simple:  VOTE NANDO!!!!

If you're a Timbers fan, you probably know Fernando Machicado -- or Nando as he's called by almost everyone.

Perhaps you've seen him managing the crew at the 107ist merchandise van, or running charitable events for 107ist and Operation Pitch Invasion, or helping to manage Timbers Army game day operations inside JeldWen Field, or maybe you remember his image from one of those epic Rose City Till I Die billboards: his sat right across the street from Powell's and then, blown up to 747-size, on the parking garage on Broadway near Burnside.

Wherever the Timbers Army is, especially when it's involved with charitable works, Nando is at the forefront -- or, more often, behind the scenes, working in advance with community partners, sponsors, donors, and Timbers Army volunteers to make stuff happen. He's the president of Operation Pitch Invasion, which works with Portland Parks and Recreation to restore and maintain soccer fields, and he sits on the board of the 107 Independent Supporters Trust, where he chairs the Game Day Operations and Merchandise Committees and co-chairs the Community Outreach Committee.

As part of his 107ist commitments, Nando has been the spearhead of a program to bring soccer gear and mentorship to 4-15 year olds at the Tamarak Apartments, a public housing complex with a history of losing kids to gangs, and he has been 107ist’s principal liaison to the Portland Public Schools, providing an avenue for the Timbers Army to donate equipment and sweat-equity hours to soccer programs at four local high schools.

With Operation Pitch Invasion, he has helped rehabilitate the soccer fields at several Portland parks, helped put a turf field where a blacktop once sat in a North Portland schoolyard, is negotiating the funding and installation of an artificial turf soccer field at New Columbia (another public housing project in an economically disadvantaged community), and helping to assemble a program of volunteer coaches and instructors for a soccer program at the new field.

It's safe to say that Nando's commitment to the game of soccer, the local community, and the Timbers Army and its various organizational and charitable bodies makes him a living embodiment of the phrase Rose City Till I Die. He exemplifies the Eternal Golden Triangle of Team/Town/Timbers Army.

Nando has been nominated by the Timbers front office as their candidate as MLS W.O.R.K.S. 2012 Community MVP, which involves a $10,000 award which he intends to donate to Operation Pitch Invasion, and you can help him win. The prize is being awarded on the basis of votes cast on the web, and (and this is the genius part) you can vote as many times as you care to (and we hope you’ll care to a lot).

For all subsequent votes, do the same as above and then enter the captcha codes you’ll see on the screen. Do this often enough and you can actually see Nando rise in the standings before your eyes! Voting ends at 2 pm Pacific on Friday, July 13, and we’d like to see Nando’s name on top of that column at 2:01.

Maybe you’ve wanted to get involved in the charity works of 107ist and Operation Pitch Invasion but haven’t quite been able to find the time. But throughout this week, if you take a few minutes once or twice a day and bang on that voting booth a couple of times, you could be the person who puts Nando over the top and brings OPI $10,000 closer to a signature project that will add immeasurably to the legacy of Soccer City USA. You know you’ve got the time to spare. Go on and vote!

In order to provide a fair and consistent entry procedure at Gate 3, and after much collaboration between the 107ist Board and Timbers management, we will be distributing wristbands to facilitate entry at the LA Galaxy match on 7/14/2012.

This FAQ will also be distributed as people collect their wristband so they know what's happening. Please feel free to post any additional questions in the comments and we'll endeavor to answer them as soon as we can (remember, we're all volunteers!).

When will wristbands be given out?

Volunteers will arrive to distribute wristbands at a variable and unannounced time for each match. If the volunteers have not yet arrived, you should plan to stand in line at the TA gate as usual.

How many wristbands will there be?

The first 1000 Timbers Army section ticketholders in line will receive a numbered wristband based on arrival order. You will need to show your TA section ticket in order to receive the wristband.

Does a wristband guarantee me early entry before all the other gates?

Yes it does – But please remember that you'll need to be back in line, and in numerical order, before the TA gate opens.

Can I take an extra for my child/spouse/brother/friend etc.?

No, wristbands will be placed on each fan upon arrival; you must be physically present to get one.

What happens after I get the wristband?

You can leave the JELD-WEN area, but must be back in line 180 minutes before kick-off (5:00pm). If you don't return by 5:00pm you are not guaranteed priority entry.

If I have this wristband, why do I have to be here again three hours early? Why can't I just show up 5 min before the gates open?

You have to be in line and in order per the number on your wristband. It's going to take a while for everyone to sort themselves out.

Where do I go when I come back?

Head to Gate 3 (the TA gate) and line up in number order - each wristband is consecutively numbered.

When will the TA gate open?

Gate 3 will open 120 minutes before kick-off (6:00pm).

How will wristbands work with the bag-check line?

If you bring a bag you'll still need to have it searched and your entry will be delayed. The non-bag line always moves faster, so if getting in quickly is your #1 priority, don't bring a bag into the stadium.

What if all the wristbands are gone?

You can go to the end of the Gate 3 line, but please remember people that *do* have wristbands will be returning to the line and will stand in front of you.

Alternatively, use any of the other JELD-WEN Field gates that open at 6:30pm. These are gates, 4, 2 and 1.

Does this mean I get a reserved seat up front?

Not necessarily. The TA section is general admission and all seats are first come first served. Having a wristband only ensures that you get in via the TA gate before the other gates open.

IMPORTANT:

Once in, can I still save extra seats for my child/spouse/ friend etc.?

Please DO NOT try to save multiple seats for late arriving people.

We have a policy of '1 scarf =1 seat' in the TA section. This means that it's ok to save a seat for a friend as long as they get to the stadium at least 30 mins before kickoff.

Saving a seat any longer than that, or saving more than 1 seat is just plain rude and inconsiderate of your fellow Timbers Army members.

—by Chris Rifer

Hey, you. Yeah, you under the rock. I have some news. John Spencer was fired Monday morning.

It wasn’t a long time coming, but it was coming. The beginning of the end was the embarrassing loss to Cal FC in the U.S. Open Cup that denied the club its dignity and a major gate payday. Before then, while the results had been poor, they were showing signs of turning around. Back the Cal FC debacle up with two more humiliating road blowouts, and John Spencer found himself out as manager of the Timbers on Monday morning.

What even a few weeks ago seemed premature became necessary after two embarrassments in the Rockies.  It became increasingly clear that Spencer was failing to prepare his team to play on the road, and with every road loss the tactics became more desperate.

There was no clearer example than Saturday, as Spencer employed not one, not two, but three defensive midfielders in a desperate – and historically doomed[1] – effort to keep the RSL attack at bay. Spencer had a fever and thought the only prescription was more central midfield. He was wrong.

The sacking comes at a time when the Timbers increasingly had little to lose. Without the ability to earn points on the road, their postseason fate was sealed. And Spencer showed – over and over – that he couldn’t produce those results.

As Merritt Paulson stated today in the press conference, there will be aspects to Spencer that will be missed in the Rose City. He, like very few coaches in the game, could match the passion of the Timbers Army. While he was often prickly with media, reluctant to accept responsibility for the team’s shortcomings, and occasionally made personnel moves that led some to suggest he may have gone mad, he was as good for a one-liner as anybody that has ever come through the club.

Ultimately, however, it takes more than passion and a good zinger to be a successful manager. Accordingly, John Spencer is no longer with the Portland Timbers.

For the remainder of the 2012 season, Gavin Wilkinson will reassume his old role as the manager. Wilkinson, 50-29-39 as manager of the USL Timbers from 2007-2010, is a logical choice to be a caretaker. Gavin earned a reputation in Portland as being a pragmatic, defensively minded manager. While he won’t take your breath away with his tactics, his record speaks for itself as to his effectiveness in the lower division.

The biggest knock on Wilkinson – that his teams roared in the regular season before withering when it mattered in the playoffs – is hardly relevant to a caretaker whose lame-duck tenure will be adjudged a roaring success if the team even makes the postseason.

Additionally, it was reported the Timbers are poised to add Sean McAuley to the coaching and technical staff. McAuley, a 2002 Timber, has since plied his trade in charge of the youth development academy at Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in the English Championship. As discussed below, if McAuley is signed, he may be an eventual candidate to take on a long-term role as manager after the season.

The Timbers have more pressing challenges directly ahead, however, namely a Saturday fixture against the on-again, off-again L.A. Galaxy. They go forward, however, without their manager and with a little bit less innocence.

Here’s wishing John all the best wherever he goes from here.

The Candidates

I’ve never been one to be shy about speculation. With the Timbers’ current makeup, I suspect a premium will be placed on MLS and youth development experience. By all means, the Portland job is an attractive one. You have a club with a good revenue stream, an owner that is willing to spend to win, a massive fanbase, and some pretty promising young talent. So, no reason to think small here. Here are a few all-too-early names to keep an eye on.

Bob Bradley

Wantability: 9. The former USMNT manager, and current Egyptian National Team gaffer, is in many ways the polar opposite of John Spencer. Whereas Spencer exudes passion, Bradley gives off an icy stoicism. Whereas Spencer oozes charisma, Bradley is as affable as a tortoise. Whereas Spencer’s Timbers teams developed a reputation for coughing up deserved results late in games, Bradley’s American side became the darlings of the 2010 World Cup group stage by drawing on vast reservoirs of pluck to scratch out needed results.

The Timbers current roster also fits Bradley’s pragmatic style nicely. The team is in good shape defensively for the next few years, with Diego Chara, Hanyer Mosquera, and Eric Brunner having productive years ahead of them. The club also has some young – albeit raw – attacking talent in Kalif Alhassan, Darlington Nagbe, and Trencito Valencia for Bradley to form into an attack sufficient to get the goal he needs for his result.  Also, Bradley has almost a decade of MLS experience from before he moved to the national program, so the rigours of the league[2] won’t be alien to him.

He even has youth development experience after a couple years with the American U-23 side. If he wants the job, you have to think it’s his.

Getability: 2. He started in Egypt just over a year ago, and while there are plenty of reasons to desire Portland over Cairo – the summers, to name one of the more trivial – you get the feeling Bradley will want to see the project out. The Egyptians have committed to him through 2014 World Cup qualifying, and odds are Bradley will reciprocate. Still, it’s more than worth a phone call.

Sean McAuley

Wantability: 5. It’s hard to say, since he has little first team management experience and hasn’t spent serious time in Portland for a decade. Still, his experience in youth development at Sheffield Wednesday is promising, and he was twice a caretaker manager after the Owls sacked their managers, building a 3-2-2 record in all competitions in that time. Nonetheless, seven matches does not a managerial resume make. If he does well over the course of the season’s second half, however, he could find himself in the running.

Getability: 10. If reports are true, he’s already here. Have to think he would take the spot if offered.

Tab Ramos

Wantability: 7. The USA U-20 manager has been praised for his work in youth development with the national team, and has been whispered about as a someday senior team manager. The Timbers would be a perfect stepping stone for Ramos. A couple years’ success in Portland, plus a group stage World Cup flameout by current manager Jurgen Klinsmann,[3] and Ramos could be a prime candidate to take over the highest job in the land. His experience with youth development is a big plus, as is time playing in MLS as a player. Still, he has yet to lead a senior team, so there is some risk there.

Getability: 7. It probably would take a serious offer, but Paulson could likely lure the 81-time American international to the Rose City.

Caleb Porter

Wantability: 5. A year ago this would have been much higher, but a defenseless showing with the U-23 National Team in Olympic qualifying has deflated his stock substantially. He is still the hottest professional coaching prospect in the college ranks, but that’s not always a guarantee for success. Does have a relationship with Darlington Nagbe, though, and coached him to his best soccer.

Getability: 9. He would take the gig.

Jay Heaps

Wantability: 6. The Timbers are one of the few clubs in the league in position to pluck a manager from another club, and Heaps is one of the more attractive pieces of fruit. Inheriting a club that was a joke coming into the season, Heaps has the New England Revolution sitting just outside a cramped East playoff picture halfway through the season. Hasn’t shown he can win on the road consistently, however, which is a bit of an issue on Morrison Street.

Getability: 4. The Timbers could make an attractive offer, but Heaps is a New England man. If things have turned a corner on an organizational level in Foxboro, he will be tough to lure west.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Andrew Brawley

“Well, that happened.”

--Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, January 31, 1948

Today was one particularly trying day in a never-ending series of tests for Portland sports fans. For a city full of counter-culture hipsters, outskirted tea party enthusiasts, and once-cool-now-boring suburbanites, today was that rare day when you could go to your nearest non-corporate coffee shop and/or food cart, see the person next to you, eyes closed, with their finger and thumb gently grasping the bridge of their nose and know exactly what they’re thinking.

They’re thinking “well, that happened.”

The only reason they’re not clenching their fist and hitting their forehead is because they’ve become accustomed to this feeling and no longer need to numb themselves from this pain. It’s generally known as “being a sports fan in Portland.”

If you weren’t casually grasping your nose, you were likely following the developing story lines on Twitter…all while likely delaying that thing you were supposed to be working on (not the case for me ;)). The media-savvy in this town, all of them, will serve up an opinion just as quickly as they’ll absorb one. Today, the opinions, conspiracy theories, and predictions were flowing like indescribable items in the Willamette.

For Timbers fans, the inevitable finally went down. Original MLS coach John Spencer was relieved of his duties. While many were offering opinions on whether or not it was the right thing for owner Merritt Paulson to do, nobody could say it was a surprise.

For Blazers fans, news of Pacers all-star center Roy Hibbert likely remaining in Indiana hit just a few hours before the Blazers introduced this year’s draft picks at a press conference. Hibbert’s lynchpin status means that forward Nicolas Batum might be in a Timberwolves uniform by the end of this week, and the entire 2012-2013 season may have gone from “reload” to “rebuild” in a matter of hours.

For fans of both teams (and believe me when I say the percentage of crossover fans is huge), this was not a fun day. Portland is a passionate city, and the two local pro sports teams get to reap the rewards that come with that passion. Both JELD-WEN Field and the Rose Garden are known throughout their respective leagues as being incredibly difficult places for opponents to play in, regardless of how good the home team might be. Portland is proof that fans can actually contribute (more or less) to the outcome of a game.

In the announcement of Spencer’s departure, it was evident that Paulson did not come to this decision lightly. Both of them appeared (publicly, at least) willing to go to great lengths to see the other succeed. Anyone questioning Paulson’s devotion to winning prior to watching today’s press conference has been rightfully quieted. While many had chosen sides on Spencer’s tenure (and, to some degree, Wilkinson’s) long ago, those calling for him to be sacked could not have watched today’s press conference with a smile. It was a somber moment, so much that even the tone on Twitter was rather subdued by even the most vocal of fans.

So Portland sports fans, here we go again…again. As the Timbers try to replace a boat engine from the middle of the river, the Blazers just had their prized boat bought out from under them and have to find a new one altogether, not to mention they still need an engine as well. (For non-Portlanders, we have lots of boats and water here, hence that analogy.)

If you’re looking for answers on what to do from here, I’d advise you to search within. I’m not the Confucius you’re looking for, and I worry I’m starting to become the Andy Rooney of the TA (eyebrows and all). I imagine my method of healing will involve our generous bounty of local microbrews, specialty donuts and some carefully selected Slayer tracks. Anyone is welcome to tag along, as long as we remember that healing and looking forward are the main objectives.

Our title(s) will come one day, perhaps even within our lifetime. In order to appreciate the highs, you have to experience the lows. This is a concept our rivals will never understand as we do, and I am (mostly) thankful for that.

PS – best wishes to John Spencer and his family on their next adventure. Your tenure here will not be forgotten.

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

The lads and lass of Old Growth FC finally reached the end of their inaugural season on July 8 when they played Sellwood Moreland UTD. The original date of this fixture was slated for back in mid April, but was moved as part of the whole Delta Park field configuration issues that caused many issues around fixtures. The list of OGFC players unavailable was daunting, but the 16 players putting on the green were going to give it their best.

After some worrisome moments when fill in manager Kip Kesgard was delayed getting to the pitch with the lineup sheet because of the Marine Drive closure, the sheet was in the official’s hand with just under 12 minutes to spare as both teams warmed up at Delta Park’s only artificial surface, Strasser Field. As the sun burned down on the turf, it was fortunate the start time was 10 AM as the conditions weren’t as bad as they were expected to get later in the day.

OGFC started out rather tentatively, as some players were filling roles they’d not played much in, so Sellwood Moreland spent plenty of time attacking. However, the OGFC defense, or more specifically goalkeeper Rex Forkner, kept them off the board early. Forkner was calm in handling a few shots from distance and moved off his line to thwart a few runs, but after the early barrage, the OGFC defense was starting to settle down.

About 20 minutes into the match, Eric “Destroyer” Berg came in for a role in center midfield, and the OGFC co-manager started hovering around the ball quite a bit. On a turnover in the center of the pitch, Berg stuck with the play and created a turnover, which he punched forward to an attacking teammate, Lane Scheideman. Scheideman showed incredible patience to bring the ball under control and after a few moments of control, he slotted the ball past the Sellwood Moreland goalkeeper to put OGFC up 1 to 0. Yes, folks, it was in the tenth match of the year, but OGFC had finally taken a lead in one of their matches. The group of players celebrated with some quick moments of encouragement from Coach Rustam Kocher until we realized that Sellwood Moreland had kicked off the ball while the congregation was still going. Thankfully, the threat was stopped, but there was confidence in the OGFC side.

The back and forth play continued until about the 33rd minute when Sellwood Moreland finally got on the scoreboard with a nifty misdirection. About three minutes later, they got a second goal and around the 40 th minute, a third was put in from a wicked angle. The OGFC team was getting a little tired, but at the same point, they were fighting for space and marking incredibly well. Unlike previous matches where goals were being scored rather easily on them, OGFC was making other teams really work for their goals showing how much this team has improved from its early days.

After the break and some much needed water and encouragement, the two teams resumed the match. Early pressure caused some confusion in the back for the OGFC defense, and a breakdown led to a fourth goal given up. At around the 55th minute, Kesgard fell victim to an accidental elbow in the box as he crumpled to the turf under a sea of obscenities directed at nobody in particular. The Sellwood

Moreland UTD player didn’t mean to get his elbow up high and the official was clearly screened, but that didn’t matter much as a few non PG-13 words were flying from the turf. The situation wasn’t nearly as bad as manager Todd Diskin’s broken nose, as Kesgard was able to return to the match moments later after cooling off, getting some water and checking for any damage.

Goals 5 and 6 came around the 80th minute as the conditions were getting extremely warm on the turf. However, there was some great late match work from two members of OGFC that have spent time on the injured list, Thomas Augst and Paul Atkinson. Augst had strained his ankle earlier in the year, but was able to play a short time in their June 30th match while Atkinson went on the shelf early in the season with a severe ankle sprain. Both players provided some great efforts even if their fitness wasn’t up to where they would have liked. While Sellwood Moreland UTD got a seventh around the 84th minute, there was some late match pressure against their goal that could have led to a few OGFC goals. The folks in green didn’t give up at all, and kept playing through the final whistle.

As we collected to the bench, there were plenty of cheers and smiles as the team completed their first season. Forkner was outstanding in this match, as the score probably would have been worse without him, while the entire team could take solace in playing a very competitive match without some of our key players. It was also great to see the celebration after Scheideman’s goal, as some of the newer players to the game get a chance to celebrate a great accomplishment. As the folks headed off to their separate destinations, it was plain to see that while the results weren’t always pretty, OGFC became more than just a bunch of guys and gals kicking a ball about, they’d become a team. With more experience and training, they should become a force to deal with as they’ve already got the kickbutt uniforms.

Final Score: OGFC 1, Sellwood Moreland UTD 7

Goals: Lane Scheideman

Assists: Eric Berg

Cautions: None

Ejections: None

OGFC Starters: G Rex Forkner; D Kip Kesgard, D Jamey Billig, D Dave Petterson, D Lee Tyler; M Rich Recker, M Huck Bales, M Thomas Augst, M Lane Scheideman; F Jonathan Drews, F Eric Kilgore

OGFC Reserves: Nikki Suydam, Eric Berg, Rustam Kocher, Paul Atkinson, Sean Moran

OGFC Injured List: Fred Henning (back, TBD), Juan Paredes (knee, TBD), Steve Kuenzi (ankle, TBD)

OGFC Unavailable: Steve Holmes, Brad Ashton, Eric Maurice, Jeremy Chase, Josh Barrett, Todd Diskin, Sean Pope, Rich Meneghello, and Rich Sheals

Goals in GPSD Spring 2012 (5): Brad Ashton (1), Rich Recker (1), Sean Moran

(1), Sean Pope (1), Lane Scheideman (1)

Assists in GPSD Spring 2012 (2): Todd Diskin (1), Eric Berg (1)