In addition to funding spectacular tifo, providing the means to set up organized away matches, and affording discounts at businesses throughout town, your 107IST membership also supports a variety of charities and community outreach efforts. These efforts include opportunities to bring more of the community into JELD-WEN to experience the Portland Timbers and the Timbers Army first hand. Thanks to your support for community outreach and charitable giving, some of Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare's clients had the chance to share in the preseason tournament experience.

Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare is an organization that provides community mental health and addiction services in Multnomah, Clackamas and Lane County. They serve a variety of individuals: some have been homeless, some have battled addiction or have otherwise have been struggling in the community. CBH provides comprehensive treatment services and also seeks out different activities to help integrate their clients into the community. One of the CBH staff members is a die hard Timbers fan and Army supporter and has taken clients to matches in the past as part of the community integration effort.

As part of our community outreach efforts, the 107IST ensured that several tickets to two of the preseason matches were donated to Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare for their clients to use, so that they could enjoy the game day experience. One of the residential counselors recounts their experience during the preseason:

"The first game, our staff member Meghan (also a huge Timbers fan) took a great group of guys. They had Pizza at Hot Lips and found great seats in the upper levels of the TA section. Two of the guys are huge Timbers fans and attended several games last season with our facility. They were very excited to see the Timbers play again, see captain Jack (who is their favorite Timber), and just be back in Jeld-Wen. For the 3rd guy, it was his very first Timbers match, but he was very excited. The other guys helped him find Hot Lips pizza, helped him find his way around Jeld-Wen, and taught him some of the cheers. Our staff member began to tell him the basic rules of soccer and he explained that he that played soccer as a young adult in the Portland area. They enjoyed the game very much.

"For the second game, our staff member Kyle took three guys to the match. They also got pizza at Hot Lips and then found their seats. All 3 of the guys had been to a Timbers game last season, and had been asking if they would be able to attend this season, so they were very excited to go. Last Christmas, one guy had been given a Timbers hat by his family as a present and this was his first chance to wear it to a match.

"One of the guys, an older gentleman, isn't very talkative at all and hardly even does any group activities...except Timbers games. At the Timbers games, he is animated and cheering loudly and smiling... And for several days after the game, we are able to sit with and talk sports with him.

"Last season, he caught 'Timbers fever' and was an integral part of bringing Timbers news and updates to our clients. He reads the morning sports sections daily and speaks to me and other clients about trades and injuries and any other Timbers news. He watches 'Timbers in 30' on TV and makes sure the TV is on the correct channel for away games. He even asked staff to teach him to use the computer and Internet so he could read news on the Portland Timbers website. He especially enjoyed following Darlington Nagbe from his rookie start, seeing him score his wonder goal, and to go on to win goal of the year.

"Thank you so very much for this opportunity. Many of our clients have been in and out of hospitals and group homes their entire life. That life causes them to feel separate and different from everyone else and not feel part of their own community. To be able to attend a major league sporting event and cheer on their local team has brightened their lives. During soccer season and even during off season, they have a connection with each other, staff, timbers fans and the Portland Timbers players that you can just see on their faces." (Angela Markham, Residential Counselor, CBH)

On behalf of Angela and her clients at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, thank you, 107IST members, for continuing to include the community in the Timbers Army experience, and for supporting community outreach efforts such as these. Your membership makes it all possible.

—by Andrew Brawley

Let’s just call New England what it really is: Boston. We could spend this time droning on about how Gillette Stadium isn’t even in Boston (it’s actually 30 miles away!), or how the Revolution’s stadium situation is less than optimal (the Patriots come first, followed by their cheerleaders, major concerts, a rodeo or two, and THEN the Revs), or how the Revs front office’s “interaction” with their supporters’ groups has been somewhat unpleasant in recent years. Oh, and we also won’t discuss this…not at all.

Instead, let’s focus on the fact that Boston is actually a pretty great city. The connections between Portland and Boston are definitely worth a read. I’ve been to Boston, but both trips did not allow me to really explore the city enough to provide my own tips (aside from a really rad pho place). However, I think this post’s guest contributor more-than-makes up for my travel shortcomings.

MLS/NASL player, and Portland native, Ryan Cochrane spent 2011 playing defender for the New England Revolution. While he was only there for one season (he spent previous seasons in San Jose and Houston), he’s been around the league long enough to know how to seek out the local haunts. Now playing for the San Antonio Scorpions, he took the time out of his schedule to send these suggestions for TA members traveling to Boston. Thanks Ryan for the hook-up!

 

Faneuil Hall is a cool place in the city that has all of the shops and food spots you could ask for. Also a good selection of bars and pubs like The Black Rose Pub in this area as well.

For the most authentic Irish pub Boston has to offer, it’s got to be Mr. Dooley's Boston Tavern. An all Irish ownership and staff keeps it very traditional. Most days you'll find soccer on the TV's and live music.

In a similar area downtown is, in my opinion, an awesome walk through the city along the Freedom Trail. If you want a little history it's about 2.5 miles and worth the trip.

For more upscale shopping the place to do that is on Newbury St. downtown (however you wouldn't catch me on Newbury).

Boston Public Garden is also a cool spot to be if the weather is nice. Pretty scenic area within the city.

One place I definitely recommend is the Sam Adams Brewery. Portlanders love their microbrews and Sam Adams is THE Boston beer. Tours at the brewery are pretty interesting and it’s a good time all around. Their seasonal beers are fantastic!

You can't go to Boston without sampling the best clam chowder you'll ever taste! Everyone will tell you that Union Oyster House in Boston is THE place to go for it. It’s also the oldest restaurant in the country and located on the Freedom Trail, very close to Faneuil Hall. It can be a little touristy but it’s a must! You could say Union Oyster is the Voodoo Doughnut of Boston.

—by Chris Rifer

The Portland Timbers scratched out a point in Dallas on Saturday night in an ugly game that featured plenty of tackles but few chances.

Monday’s opener made it easy to forget just how painful it was to watch the Timbers on the road at times last year. The first half hour in Frisco made it easy to remember.

Portland came out unable to time a tackle or a pass, as the match started off with some of the least aesthetically pleasing soccer you’ll see all season. Fortunately for Portland, for the first twenty minutes Dallas looked almost as inept.

While the Hoops were lacking much of their creative talent, they weren’t lacking their finisher. In the 22^nd minute, Carlos Rodriguez sent an early cross through the box. After Rodney Wallace failed to clear it for a corner, Bryan Leyva hit hard low shot that forced Troy Perkins to make a difficult diving save. The rebound, however, found the feet of FC Dallas striker Blas Perez, who slotted into the open net.

Two minutes later, the bleach-coifed Andrew Jacobson again found some space toward the top of the box, but sent his shot well wide. From there, though, FC Dallas were completely devoid of ideas.

It took half an hour, but the Timbers finally started to develop some rhythm late in the first half. In the 36th minute, Jack Jewsbury sent one of his signature world class free kicks from the right wing into the box, but Lovel Palmer’s header glanced off the far post and Dallas cleared.

Portland’s next chance came six minutes later, as Kalif Alhassan took a ball from Rodney Wallace on the wing and sent it across, but Eric Alexander’s header went wide.

After a positive last quarter hour, but still down a goal, the Timbers went into halftime facing a hill to climb, but some confidence to climb it with.

Take that confidence, stir in some luck, and glaze it with a clinical finish and you have yourself a fine recipe for an equalizer. That’s the dish Darlington Nagbe cooked up six minutes after halftime.

After Dallas keeper Kevin Hartman popped up a clearance only as far as the top of the box, the ball fell to the feet of the freshly introduced Nagbe. Darlington controlled the ball in the box and calmly rolled it by a helpless Hartman to pull the Timbers level.

Kris Boyd would call on Hartman twice more before the day was out, but both times the veteran keeper had the answer. In the 59^th minute, Alhassan found Boyd on a through ball. The Timbers talisman hit a hard shot first time, but a perfectly positioned Hartman punched the effort away. In the 71st minute, Boyd collected a throw from Palmer, turned a fired right at the near post, but Hartman’s left foot was there to keep the ball out.

From there, neither side seemed to have any more questions to ask of each other. The ball largely played around the midfield, as both teams seemed content to share the points.

In the end, the point is a quality result for Portland. While the potential for a win over the short-handed Hoops was clearly there, the Timbers will be happy to leave Frisco with a point in hand.

Match Observations

• As goes the midfield, so goes the Timbers. The middle of the park was wretched for the first half hour for Portland, as everything was poorly timed. Thereafter, however, the Timbers midfield started asserting itself, and Dallas never truly threatened the rest of the way.
• While the result was fine, the performance was somewhat lacking from the Timbers. At their best, the Timbers were passable. At their worst they were unwatchable. This FC Dallas team was missing a lot of its quality, and a decent Timbers performance—especially in the final third—could have led to the Timbers walking away with maximum points.
• To be fair, though, a lot of the Timbers struggles at the front were due to some good defense by FC Dallas. While Portland exploited Dallas’ defense toward the end of the first half, once Schellas Hyndman brought on George John, the Dallas backline was much better. The Timbers were able to unlock it once, but really never had anything golden after that.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 6 Believe it or not, his best moment may have been when the Timbers conceded. Perkins did well to block Layva’s strike, and certainly can’t be faulted for Perez’s put back. Otherwise, Troy controlled his box well and was hardly called upon to do any emergency goalkeeping.

Rodney Wallace, 3.5 That’s the Rodney we grew to know and be frustrated by last year. Culpable for the concession and had some absolute forehead slappers on the defensive end. Unlike Monday, he was also mostly ineffective coming forward.

Eric Brunner, 6 Nice outing for Brunner, as he seemed to be defending two positions most of the night; his and Wallace’s.

Hanyer Mosquera, 6.5 Very strong in the air and was overall dependable in back. Good regular season debut. If he keeps this up, Futty will have a hard time winning his spot back upon when his foot heals.

Lovel Palmer, 6 Had a nice night. Combined well with Kalif at times, and wasn’t caused any problems in defense. Lovel was unlucky his header didn’t deflect into goal—from that angle that’s as close as you can come without scoring.

Eric Alexander, 4 Had some nice moments on the left wing where he showed some ability to break defenders down, but had two pretty appetizing looks at goal the he got all wrong. His spot is Songo’o’s to lose.

Jack Jewsbury, 6 The ball that Palmer put off the post was magical. Nothing short of magical. In the first 30 minutes, Jack looked like the only guy that had things together. Jack sat a little bit deeper as the game went along, but he certainly contributed to the Timbers’ dominance of the midfield in the second half.

Diego Chara, 6.5 Looked out of sync at the outset, but by the second half was single handedly dominating the midfield. Earlier I said as goes the midfield, so goes the Timbers. You can refine that a bit to as goes Diego, so go the Timbers. Diego is quietly the most influential member of the team.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 Different guy on the road than we saw at home last week, isn’t he? Had a few nice moments on the ball, and his crosses are substantially better than they have been in the past. Kalif, though, disappeared for extended periods on Saturday.

Jorge Perlaza, 3.5 Absolutely anonymous. When he did get on the ball, his touch was either heavy or too numerous.

Kris Boyd, 6 Hardly got a touch on the ball, but he nearly scored both times he did. Both of his opportunities were half-chances that he turned into something potentially deadly.

Darlington Nagbe, 7 Great work on the goal. He was the guy who put the pressure on Hartman that caused the poor clearance, and then had the presence of mind to know what to do when the ball took a surprising bounce off a Dallas defender. Otherwise looked like the Timbers most dangerous threat, too.

James Marcelin, 6 Like I said, I love Marcelin in that closer role.

Preseason Prediction: Dallas 2-1 Dallas, Shea, Boyd, Perez.[1]

Actual Result: Draw 1-1, Perez, Nagbe.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Garrett Dittfurth

March 15, 2012

Commissioner Garber,

We are writing on behalf of the Independent Supporters Council, a group made up of twenty-seven American and Canadian supporters groups, including supporters from almost every team in Major League Soccer. Our mission is to advocate for fair treatment of home and away supporters at all levels of American and Canadian soccer.

Our members and supporters across the league are alarmed by the recent punishment handed down by the league office to supporters groups of the Houston Dynamo, including ISC member the Texian Army. We, representing supporters from across the league, support the Texian Army's official response to this matter and ask that the league meet with the Texian Army and the other Houston supporters' groups to review this unnecessarily harsh action.

We have no issue with the league taking individual action against individual fans who violate stadium policy at any league stadium. As we understand it, there have already been individual bans issued to some Dynamo supporters responsible for the problems at the MLS Cup. We do not take issue with the individual bans. But we object to the league taking retaliatory action that serves only to harm supporters' culture in Houston. The statement from MLS read “As of March 1, Dynamo traveling supporters will not be permitted to utilize items listed as Supporter Group Exemptions in the MLS Prohibited Items policy (e.g. flags, banners, confetti, drums).”

Banning flags and drums will not stop individual fans from smuggling smoke into the stadium or throwing prohibited items on the field. Cutting off safe, legal avenues of support does not punish the flashlight throwers. Instead it punishes supporters who spend their own time and money making flags and banners, and creating the atmosphere that the league loves to promote. Such broad-based punishments do not address the troublemakers. All this action does is punish the majority of supporters who show the passion and dedication you claim to value.

Furthermore, the Houston away supporters' section at the 2011 MLS Cup was a supporters' section in name only; it was a mixed group of fans, including both members of supporters groups and unaffiliated fans. It is one thing to ask the supporters to police themselves; it is not reasonable to ask them to police every Dynamo fan, especially on a trip where they were not given the opportunity to organize or screen the attendees.

We ask that the League:

1. Does not hold supporters groups responsible for the actions of unaffiliated fans. Hold the individuals who behaved poorly accountable without punishing good supporters groups.

2. When supporters do travel, take attacks on them as seriously as you do incidents involving them. Traveling fans are regularly treated to racist chants and thrown items, not from other supporters' groups, but from other fans in the stadium. They do not receive support or follow-up from security or the front office at these stadiums. This does more to contribute to ugly incidents like we saw at the MLS Cup than any number of flags or banners.

3. If the league intends to punish supporters for incidents at games, work directly with the leadership of the affected supporters' group first and give them an opportunity to appeal, rather than simply announcing an open-ended ban.

Banning flags, banners, and drums will do nothing to further the goal we both share: creating the best possible atmosphere in every American and Canadian stadium. No amount of heavy-handed bans and restrictive security measures will stop someone from throwing something on the field. That is an element that we must work together to eliminate. Work with us, not against us. Only by working with your supporters, instead of against them, will we build a relationship of mutual trust & respect and accomplish our common goals.

Sincerely,

The Independent Supporters Council

—by Owen Longstreet

Of all the clubs in MLS to put out a video making fun of another club, it's New England that puts out this pile of garbage? Here are some notes for whatever "genius" in the Revs' front office dreamed this up.

1. If you're going to have some dope in a green shirt do our chant at least make sure the dope gets the words to the chant right.

2. If you're going to have your mascot tackle someone you should probably have just used the Patriots mascot because Pat Patriot is about 100 times more terrifying than the Revolution's fox furry. By that I mean neither is terrifying or inspires any amount of trepidation. Just keep the mascot in the kids' section where it belongs.

3. Whomever is writing descriptions of videos should probably know the difference between a beard and what the dope in this video has. Special to the dope in the video: The 1990s called. They want their goatee without a mustache back.

I suppose I shouldn't expect any less from a club that inspired a mass revolt from their own supporters group and a league-wide protest from virtually every supporters group around the country. When the owners clearly don't care and the President is obviously far more concerned about his US Soccer position it allows some guy down the food chain to come up with these sorts of "clever" ideas. That video is basically MLS 1.0 in a nutshell. Coming from a club still dripping with MLS 1.0 syndrome I really shouldn't be surprised.

—by Chris Rifer

And we’re back.

The Portland Timbers downed the Philadelphia Union 3-1 in a torrential downpour at Jeld-Wen Field on Monday night, using a dramatic second half comeback to win comfortably.

The Timbers started on their front foot, as Eric Alexander put a seventh minute shot on goal that Zac MacMath could barely tip wide of the far post. Just two minutes later, the Timbers looked to be running into the box with a free look at goal again, as Jorge Perlaza sped by Danny Califf. When Califf pulled Perlaza down in the box, however, referee Baldomero Toledo refused to point at the spot and put the Union captain in the book.

Portland continued to press until the 20th minute, when Perlaza cleverly played Kris Boyd into space, but MacMath was able to close down the angle and block Boyd’s effort.

Philadelphia’s lone legitimate chance of the first half came just a minute later, when Josue Martinez found the Union’s Colombian import, Lionard Pajoy, in the middle of the box. Pajoy’s header, however, was blocked by a perfectly positioned Lovel Palmer to keep Troy Perkins’ sheet clean.

Neither team could muster much in the way of rhythm or chances for the rest of the first half, however, and Portland reluctantly went into halftime level with a fortunate Union side.

Just three minutes into the second stanza, however, the Timbers foreshadowed the drama that was about to unfold. Alexander’s cross found Kalif Alhassan beyond the far post, but while Kalif’s bouncing shot beat MacMath, it was cleared off the line by Carlos Valdes.

The game changed in the 51^st minute when Freddy Adu appeared to get a cleat stuck in the turf. Toledo, however, whistled it a foul on Jack Jewsbury. Gabriel Gomez’s free kick from 40 yards out whipped into the box, skimmed off the head of an inexplicably ducking Andrew Jean-Baptiste, and into the net. Completely against the run of play, the Union found themselves with an unlikely 1-0 lead.

Open, floodgates.

Three minutes later Jack Jewsbury sent a free kick in from 35 yards out on the right wing. Jean-Baptiste, looking to forget his blunder on the defensive end, nodded the ball toward the far post. What should have been a relatively routine diving save for MacMath turned into a goal when the wet ball skidded beneath his gloves and into the far corner. Game on.

The Timbers didn't waste much time breaking the deadlock. In the 66^th minute, Alhassan collected a ball from Alexander on the right side, earned himself a sliver of daylight, and sent a cross near post. You know who likes to sit near post? Kris Boyd. 2-1.

Alhassan could scratch providing expert service off his to-do list, but his agenda wasn’t finished for the evening. In the 76^th minute, Kalif received a short set piece from Jewsbury, took two touches, and chipped the ball over the helpless Union defense into the far side netting.

As the two sides took care of some formalities, a party broke out in Portland. The 2012 MLS season has officially begun, and it looks like it might just be absolutely tremendous.

Match Observations

• It looked for a moment like the Timbers might get Toledo’d. After Portland dominated vast stretches of the match, Philly pulled ahead on a set piece that probably shouldn’t have been. How many times have we seen the Timbers hang their heads in that situation and go on to a harsh result? Not so tonight. The Timbers immediately seized control back from the Union and put the game away as quickly as it had slipped away.
• Here is some shocking news: Baldomero Toledo is still the worst referee in the MLS. I don’t know how he kept his job in this economy, but his refereeing on Monday could only be describes as completely random. The missed penalty<<a href="#ftn1">[1] was shameful, and apparently he left his cards in the dressing room. During the match, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Independent Supporters Council could draft a resolution calling for his sacking. The North American game would be better off for it.
• It’s going to be an even leaner year for the Eastern Conference than I expected. After going 1-5-0 against the West, the East looks downright awful. The Philadelphia Union, fingered by some optimistic prognosticators as contenders, were run out of Jeld-Wen Field. Dallas shellacked New York, another East favorite.[2] Montreal and Columbus were blitzed by Vancouver and Colorado, respectively. Even the San Jose Earthquakes got in on the fun by beating the supposedly improved New England Revolution. But for Houston[3] needing second half stoppage time to beat Chivas USA,[4] the Eastern Conference would have gone home empty handed.
• Finally, congratulations to the Army, and thank you to all who participated, for a wonderful tifo display. It was great to get the whole stadium involved; something I would hypothesize made for a livelier atmosphere throughout Morrison Street for the rest of the match. It’s a little unfortunate the fireworks diminished the effect a bit, but from what I could see it came off fabulously.
• Look at the Timbers’ By the Numbers piece. That, friends, is a back alley whoopin’.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 5 Really wasn’t tested. Was caught a little flat footed on the concession, but that had more to do with Jean-Baptiste than it did Troy.

Rodney Wallace, 7 He looks like a totally new player. Was dangerous coming forward and, except for a couple relatively insignificant moments, looked pretty reliable in defense. We have all spent a lot of time ruing the McCarty-Wallace trade. If Rod keeps this form for the rest of the season, the Timbers will end up on the better end of the deal.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste, 5 This would have been a pretty bloody grade had he not scored the goal. Looked pretty unsure in defense and has absolutely culpable on the concession. He redeemed himself, however, with his first goal as a Timber. With his physical tools he will be a stud. Just not yet.

Eric Brunner, 5.5 The backline was understandably a little bit dodgy tonight. AJB was certainly not his expected running mate in central defense, so Eric gets a little bit of a pass this time. Brunner still had a few nice clearances, and didn’t do anything to reflect poorly on his sterling reputation.

Lovel Palmer, 6 You can see the beginnings of some chemistry with Kalif on that right side. Lovel overlapped well, and for the most part looked improved in sending crosses in. He had one cross late in the first half that was the second best ball sent in all night. Who sent the first? If you don’t know already, keep reading.

Eric Alexander, 4.5 I was ready to absolutely murder Eric for what looked to me at first glance as a horrible outing. And don’t get me wrong, there were some brutal moments. But when I looked back at some video, I realized that Alexander had a little bit of influence on a lot of big plays. He was still the worst Timber on the evening, and has to be looking over his shoulder at Franck Songo’o getting fit.

Diego Chara, 5 Not Diego’s best night as a Timber by any means. Looks a little bit rusty, as he’s turning the ball over more than we’re used to seeing. Still has a tremendously positive influence on the midfield, however, which was one phase of the game the Timbers absolutely dominated.

Jack Jewsbury, 7 Great stuff from Jack tonight. The Timbers’ captain was the best player in the center of the pitch all night long, and he was rewarded with a pair of assists.[5]

Kalif Alhassan, 8 What can I say? Well, a few things. First, I was wrong—oh, so wrong—about relegating Kalif to the bench. Second, what a night. His cross to the forehead of Boyd was world class. His goal was world class. He still dribbles too much, but oh my goodness the dazzling things he does with the ball at his feet. Kalif does too many good things—even if sometimes they’re the wrong good things—to keep him off the field.

Jorge Perlaza, 6 Can join Rod as the underappreciated player of the evening. First off, his handles have improved substantially since last season. He still takes a heavy touch here and there, but he has already left more defenders grasping at air this season than he did last. Absent something radical changing, he is Kris Boyd’s strike partner, at least in my mind.

Kris Boyd, 7 As I’ve said before, 90% of this grade revolves around whether he scores a goal. Mission accomplished. Having him on board might just be a lot of fun.

Darlington Nagbe, 4.5 Pretty anonymous in a fairly lengthy stretch. Not surprising, though, considering the amount of preseason he missed.

James Marcelin, 5.5 While some clamor for Marcelin to start, I love him in the role of defensive sub for Boyd.

Preseason Prediction: 3-1 Timbers, Boyd, Alexander, and Perlaza.[6]

Actual Result: 3-1 Timbers, Jean-Baptiste, Boyd, and Alhassan.[7]

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

The offseason acquisitions are completed.[1] The team is fit. Jeld-Wen Field has been warmed up. Welcome to the 2012 MLS Regular Season.

Many have pointed out how expectations for 2012 are substantially higher than 2011. No longer do the Timbers have the expansion excuse for dropping points. “Not bad for an expansion side” will not be available to soothe the sting of missing the playoffs.

Nor are there community victories to be had. 2011 was about making the Timbers relevant not just to the diehard Second Division supporters, but to the City of Portland as a whole. Mission accomplished.[2]

Now it’s time to win. Anything less will be failure.[3]

2012 Match Predictions

3/12/12 – Timbers v. Philadelphia Union

Timbers 3, Union 1. In an evening reminiscent of the 2011 opener, Portland builds a 2–0 halftime lead off of goals from Eric Alexander and Kris Boyd. Portland native Danny Mwanga pulls one back early in the second stanza, but Jorge Perlaza puts the match out of reach by cleaning up a Zach MacMath bobble.

3/17/12 – FC Dallas v. Portland Timbers

FC Dallas 2, Timbers 1. Portland overcomes an early Brek Shea goal to pull even just after halftime when Kris Boyd finishes a perfect cross from Timbers debutante Franck Songo’o. Portland can’t hold the result, though, as Blas Perez beats a gassed Hanyer Mosquera for the winner.

3/24/12 – New England Revolution v. Portland Timbers

Timbers 3, Revolution 3. New England’s leaky backline can’t handle the pace and creativity of a now in-form Diego Chara, who contributes two assists on the day to Boyd and Songo’o, respectively. The Timbers defense, however, is punished by the Revs’ wings, Kelyn Rowe and Benny Feilhaber, who register a goal each. New England looks to take the lead in the 74^th minute as Saer Sene knocks one past Troy Perkins, but Eric Brunner’s 82^nd minute header off of a Songo’o corner splits the points.

3/31/12 – Portland Timbers v. Real Salt Lake

Timbers 1, RSL 1. Portland’s first true knockdown, drag out fight of 2012 ends in disappointment when Alvaro Saborio cancels out an early Jack Jewsbury penalty to steal a point in absolutely gut wrenching fashion.

4/7/12 – Portland Timbers v. Chivas USA

Timbers 2, Chivas USA 1. Still smarting from a crushing draw the week before, Portland jumps on the Goats early. Another nodded goal from Boyd puts him in the early running for the All-Star game, while Rodney Wallace opens his 2012 account.[4]

4/14/12 – Los Angeles Galaxy v. Portland Timbers

Galaxy 2, Timbers 0. The Home Depot Center remains the Timbers house of horrors, as early goals from Edson Buddle and Juninho put this one away without drama.

4/21/12 – Portland Timbers v. Sporting KC

Timbers 1, Sporting KC 0. After getting blitzed in LA, the Timbers defense reaches its turning point in the season, absolutely shutting down The Wiz’s 4-3-3. Songo’o finds Perlaza with a perfectly weighted pass in the 65^th minute and the Colombian silences his doubters with a clinical finish.

4/28/12 – Montreal Impact v. Portland Timbers

Impact 0, Timbers 0. It’s been a rough go for the Impact to date, but their defense, for the first time this season, stands tall in the face of a dominant Portland side at Stade Olympique.

5/5/12 – Portland Timbers v. Columbus Crew

Timbers 1, Crew 1. After a strong start, the Timbers come away with their first unexpectedly disappointing result of the campaign. After conceding an early goal to young winger Dilly Duka, Jack Jewsbury’s 68^th minute crack from distance pulls the Timbers level.

5/12/12 – Houston Dynamo v. Portland Timbers

Dynamo 1, Timbers 0. After two consecutive disappointing results, Portland comes to Houston desperate to break out of their mini-slump. Their hopes are dashed straight on, though, as Brad Davis finds Will Bruin in the box for a 3^rd minute goal. While the Timbers defense holds firm the rest of the way, the offense can’t solve Houston’s league-leading backline.

5/20/12 – Portland Timbers v. Chicago Fire

Timbers 3, Fire 0. Having been on the disappointing end of results for the better part of a month, the Timbers come out aggressive and are on their front foot the entire way. Kris Boyd gets the party started – and ends his own month-and-a-half long slump – with a 12^th minute headed goal off a Songo’o cross, but Kalif Alhassan steals the highlight reel with dazzling run through the Fire defense which he finishes past Sean Johnson. Perlaza puts this one in the books in the 58^th by slotting home a Diego Chara through ball.

5/26/12 – Portland Timbers v. Vancouver Whitecaps

Timbers 2, Whitecaps 1. Scoreline sound familiar? The game looked familiar, too. The Timbers keep their run of form going by dominating the first 70 minutes of this one. Jorge Perlaza opened the scoring in the 29^th minute after Joe Cannon spilled a low Jack Jewsbury strike from outside the box. Portland seized control in the 48^th when Perlaza registered his brace by getting on the end of a long ball from Lovel Palmer, taking a touch past Cannon, and tapping it home.

6/17/12 – Los Angeles Galaxy v. Portland Timbers

Galaxy 2, Timbers 1. Coming off an extended break, a confident and rested Timbers team looks to end their troubles in LA, as Galaxy have started slow due to CCL competition, international duty, and Omar Gonzalez’s injury. Portland opens the scoring just after halftime with an Eric Alexander volley from a Lovel Palmer cross. The Timbers cough up a late lead, however, by conceding twice within the final fifteen minutes, with Mike Magee and Chad Barrett dashing Portland’s hopes.

6/24/12 – Portland Timbers v. Seattle Sounders

Timbers 1, Sounders 1. Limping home from a crushing loss in LA, Portland comes out flat in the Cascadia derby, conceding a 17^th minute goal to Alvaro Fernandez. The Timbers remain lifeless through the first half, lucky not to dig themselves deeper into a hole. The second half, however, brings Portland back to life as Franck Songo’o tucks one inside the far post in the 54^th minute. For the next half hour plus, the Timbers shell the Sounders defense, but stellar goalkeeping by Michael Gspurning preserves the draw.

6/30/12 – Colorado Rapids v. Portland Timbers

Rapids 1, Timbers 0. Portland plays a solid first hour, but can’t find the opener as Matt Pickens denies Kris Boyd not once, not twice, but thrice. In the 65^th minute Colorado’s Colombian import, Jaime Castrillon, beats the Timbers defense with a curling shot from the corner of the eighteen.

7/3/12 – Portland Timbers v. San Jose Earthquakes

Timbers 2, Earthquakes 0. The improved Earthquakes come to Morrison Street looking to take advantage of a Portland team seemingly in another midsummer slumber. What they find, though, it the shiny forehead of Kris Boyd, who nods home two first half crosses to put the match away before intermission.

7/7/12 – Real Salt Lake v. Portland Timbers

RSL 1, Timbers 1. RSL sits above the Timbers on the table, but when the two sides get together it again turns into a physical, nip tuck affair. It takes the Claret and Cobalt 73 minutes to get on the board, as Will Johnson cleans up a rare Troy Perkins mistake. Bright Dike, however, makes his presence known. Moments after coming on following the RSL goal, Dike powers his way through a tired RSL defense to equalize ten minutes from time.

At the halfway point of the season, the Timbers sit barely in fifth place in the West on 23 points. The West standings are bunched at the top, with the Real Salt Lake leading by a nose on 31 points.

Kris Boyd is as advertised with seven goals in the first half. Jorge Perlaza is second on the team with five goals – a marked increase from his pace from the previous year. The Timbers 22 goals put them in the top half of the league, while the Timbers increasingly stingy defense has only conceded 18.

Not surprisingly, Kris Boyd is your midseason MVP, but Eric Brunner’s efforts in leading a surprising backline have earned him some of the credit he has been due for more than a year.

7/14/12 – Portland Timbers v. Los Angeles Galaxy

Galaxy 2, Timbers 1. Portland opens up the scoring early, as Jack Jewsbury puts home a ball laid off by Diego Chara. Portland, however, can’t keep the lead, as just before halftime David Beckham serves a beautiful free kick into the box where it finds the net via Andrew Boyens’ head. LA takes the lead after Robbie Keane turns and puts one in the back of the net from the top of the box to hand Portland its first home defeat.

7/18/12 – Chivas USA v. Portland Timbers

Chivas 2, Timbers 0. The cellar-dwelling Goats reward the few dozen “businessmen” that took advantage of their Wednesday afternoon match. The Goats spend much of the first half sitting back and daring the Timbers to break through their defense. The strategy pays off when, in the 33^rd minute, Mike Lahoud gets out on the break and puts one in against the run of play. The Timbers, then, can’t break the Goats’ shell, and concede the killer to Juan Pablo Angel late in the second half.

7/21/12 – FC Dallas v. Portland Timbers

FC Dallas 3, Timbers 0. It’s another nightmare for the Timbers in Texas, as Dallas once again lights up Portland in the heat.

7/28/12 – Portland Timbers v. Chivas USA

Timbers 2, Chivas 1. After a frustrating road trip, the Timbers begin a redemption homestand by dominating Chivas USA for 90 minutes. Kris Boyd breaks through in the 22^nd minute with a blistering strike from the top of the box. Eight minutes later, it’s Jorge Perlaza’s turn, as the Colombian takes a long ball from Franck Songo’o, runs into the box, and finished past a helpless Dan Kennedy.

8/5/12 – Portland Timbers v. FC Dallas

Timbers 2, FC Dallas 1. Dallas takes the early lead after Fabian Castillo flies up the wing, into the box, and blasts one past Troy Perkins. Still, the Timbers dominate the run of play. Portland’s efforts pay off with an equalizer just before halftime, as Jorge Perlaza finds Kris Boyd in the box in a goal eerily similar to the one scored in the preseason against AIK. Portland takes the lead for good in the 63^rd minute when Kalif Alhassan scores his second of the season by making a pretty run and slotting the ball just inside the near post.

8/15/12 – Toronto FC v. Portland Timbers

Timbers 2, Toronto FC 0. While Portland’s road form to date has been better than 2011, the results have only been marginally so. Finally, however, the Timbers earn a road win in dominant fashion, as two second half goals – by Kris Boyd and late-substitute Bright Dike – lift Portland to victory.

8/19/12 – Red Bull New York v. Portland Timbers

Timbers 2, RBNY 1. It’s August, and the Red Bulls are afloat again. Portland looked to land the knockout blow in the 53^rd minute, as Wilman Conde lost track of Jorge Perlaza, who tapped the ball into the net. New York is bailed out, however, after Lovel Palmer is called for a foul in the box and Thierry Henry puts the penalty away in the 74^th. Eric Alexander comes to Portland’s rescue just two minutes later, however, as his strike from the corner of the box finds the upper 90.

8/25/12 – Portland Timbers v. Vancouver Whitecaps

Timbers 2, Whitecaps 0. On a fine run of form, Portland deals Vancouver’s waning playoff chances a serious blow, as a pair of goals from Kris Boyd continues the Timbers’ hot August.

8/31/12 – Portland Timbers v. Colorado Rapids

Timbers 1, Rapids 1. The Timbers open the scoring in the 42^nd minute, as Franck Songo’o makes a dazzling run into the box and slots past Matt Pickens. Portland can’t hold onto the six-pointer, however, as Jeff Larentowicz strikes one from 30 in the 73^rd minute to pull things back to even.

9/5/12 – Colorado Rapids v. Portland Timbers

Rapids 2, Timbers 0. A week ago, Portland had the opportunity to put themselves on firm footing in the race for the playoffs. Instead, they have drawn themselves back into the fray after dropping two results to the Rapids. This time, Omar Cummings’ 52^nd minute strike and Quincy Amarikwa’s 84^th minute icing were enough to bring the ‘Pids back into the race.

9/15/12 – Portland Timbers v. Seattle Sounders

Timbers 2, Sounders 1. The Timbers finally break through against Seattle, beating the Sounders outright for the first time in the MLS. After Hanyer Mosquera erased an early Fredy Montero goal in the 39^th minute, Kris Boyd puts the derby away by nodding home Franck Songo’o’s 80^th minute cross

9/19/12 – San Jose Earthquakes v. Portland Timbers

Earthquakes 1, Timbers 0. Portland squanders another opportunity to put away a team in the hunt for the 5^th seed, as an early concession to Shea Salinas lets the Quakes drop back and defend for the remainder of the match.

9/29/12 – Portland Timbers v. D.C. United

Timbers 2, United 0. The Timbers finish off an up and down September with a dominant performance over D.C. United. Kris Boyd bags another, and Eric Alexander gets back into the act, as the Timbers bank a much-needed three points heading into the home stretch.

10/7/12 – Seattle Sounders v. Portland Timbers

Sounders 1, Timbers 0. With plenty at stake for both sides, the Sounders pull out a tight one at the Clink. In a sloppy game long on fouls and short on genuine chances, Steve Zakuani’s 73^rd minute goal was enough to keep the Sounders #1 seed hopes alive in a very close Western Conference race.

10/21/12 – Vancouver Whitecaps v. Portland Timbers

Whitecaps 2, Timbers 2. In one of the most entertaining matches of the season, the Timbers equalize at the death to put Vancouver’s playoff hopes to bed and set up a huge final weekend. Diego Chara opened the scoring for Portland in the 51^st minute, while it was Kris Boyd who knocked home Songo’o’s corner in second half stoppage to send Vancouver home disappointed for a second season in a row, and bring the Cascadia Cup home to Portland.

10/27/12 – Portland Timbers v. San Jose Earthquakes

Timbers 2, Earthquakes 0. They don’t come much bigger than this, Rose City. Coming in, the Timbers could put themselves in the playoffs with three points. They never left it in doubt. Jorge Perlaza opened the scoring in the 17^th minute after he threaded through the Quakes defense. A second half goal by Captain Jack Jewsbury lights Jeld-Wen Field on fire and lifts Portland to its first MLS Playoff appearance.

The Timbers finish 2012 with 49 points, qualifying for the playoffs by two points over the sixth-place Colorado Rapids. Kris Boyd is an All-Star, the team’s MVP, and second in MLS with 15 goals.

The Timbers have a modest year offensively, scoring 42 goals, but conceding only 35.[5] While Kris Boyd’s dominance was a huge story, the real story of the year was the Timbers’ defense, led by Eric Brunner and Troy Perkins. The road results didn’t improve dramatically, partially due to a brutal road schedule, but Portland turned Jeld-Wen Field into a fortress, only losing once in the friendly confines on the season.[6]

Onward into 2012, Rose City!

—by Andrew Brawley

Last year I wrote a few posts about what to expect for the 2011 season. Those pieces were geared toward both veterans and rookies of the Timbers Army. I felt (at that time) that both groups needed to have a few issues addressed before we launched into the (now verified) stratosphere of American soccer supporter culture.

Well here we are, one year later. Last year’s rookies are no longer rookies. Veterans are now even more “veteran-ier.” In addition to the many role changes in the North End, we will have a new batch of rookies to indoctrinate into our way of life. (Is this sounding like a cult, yet?)

I don’t think we need to draw this out over a series of blog posts, so we’ll just get right to it. Feel free to add your own input in the comments section below. Keep it polite and respectful. Bonus points for being clever.

VETERANS, or those who attended Timbers matches in the pre-MLS era:

You’ve been coming to these games for how long? Man, that’s impressive! Y’know, I truly feel that this whole experience wouldn’t be the way it is today without your contributions, so thanks for all your hard work. Remind me to buy you a beer at the next match.

What’s that? No, I don’t remember when that guy played here, so your reference went over my head a little bit. Well I’m sorry, but I've only been on the planet for so many years, making it impossible for me to naturally acquire such in-depth knowledge. I’ll try better next time if you promise not to roll your eyes next time we chat.

Seriously, you know Pong outside of Timbers games? What's he really like?

LAST YEAR’S ROOKIES, or those attended their first Timbers match in 2011:

Welcome back! Thanks for sticking around and making another go of it.

Who, those people? Well I guess they’re just sitting there. I’ve never seem them before, either. Maybe they’re new this year. Well, I understand that was “your seat” toward the end of last season, but I guess it’s not your seat today. Well that’s because they got here before you did. I dunno, maybe they have a better job than you where they get out of work earlier. Maybe you could just sit behind them and show them a thing or two.

Oh don’t worry, Pong’s still gonna be right there. Hopefully he doesn’t remember you from last year.

THIS YEAR’S ROOKIES, or those who will attend their first game in 2012:

Who let you in here?! Just kidding. Thanks for joining us. Say, how did you even get tickets this year? Hopefully you didn’t buy them from scalpers.

Here, have a chant sheet. (Or, watch these videos.) Give yourself some time to learn the chants.

Well I guess you COULD sit in section 107, but you really don’t have to. We have 16 sections to choose from, and even more seats than last year, so there’s plenty of room for everyone in the whole North End. Yeah, I used to sit in the 100’s, but sometimes I just need some space, so now I tend to sit in the 200’s. OK, I might be a little older than you, but I’m not that old. It’s just where I like to watch the game from. Sure I still chant and sing and jump and scream. Why wouldn’t I?

Oh, that guy down there yelling at everybody? That’s Pong. He’s great, but you might wanna wait a few weeks before you sit in his section. And by his section, I do mean HIS section. Just watch a few games from within viewing distance and see if you’re up for it. You might think he’s scary now, but if you've got the goods, he’ll be your best buddy by the end of this season. I promise. (And no, he’s not a hair farmer…at least I don’t think he is. You never know with that guy.)

GUYS:

There will be more of us in the stadium this season, but the number of urinals has not increased with us. Let’s cut the chit-chat and get our business done in a brisk, hygienic fashion. And please, for the love of all that is sacred and holy, wash your hands. (Clean hands = more goals.) Also, don’t bring your beer into the bathroom. It’s gross.

LADIES:

Honestly, I got nothin’ for ya’. Keep up the good work.

KIDS:

The lyrics are actually as follows:

“thank your woman and bring her beer”

“and we’ll yearn to study lots”

“you’re so silly it’s unbelievable”

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

—by Chris Rifer

If Sunday night is any indication, this could be a fun season.

For those wondering how long it would take for Kris Boyd to notch his first Timbers goal, here is your answer: Six minutes and change.

The Timbers and AIK spent the first moments of the match feeling each other out; getting a feel for opponents they had seen before but never met on the pitch.

Kris Boyd apparently isn’t one for feelings.  In the seventh minute, Rodney Wallace found Jorge Perlaza on one of his signature runs down the right side. Perlaza looked up, saw Kris Boyd running into the middle of the box, lifted the ball, and put it on Boyd’s head. A striker does the rest. The ball glanced off Boyd’s cue and nestled into the far side netting.

From there the Timbers midfield established control over the first half. Portland wasn’t creating chances at will, by any means, but the Timbers midfield kept AIK largely pinned in their own end. Portland’s best chance came when Kalif Alhassan found Perlaza streaking up the right side again, but Jorge cut across his shot too much and it flew wide of the near post.

The Gnaget came out in the second half looking substantially more dangerous than the first, but the Portland defense had an answer for every question AIK asked of them. The Swedish giants, however, only mustered a couple dangerous moments. The Gnaget’s best moment came when veteran midfielder Daniel Tjernström hit a swerving left footed shot from the top of the box, only to see it parried away by a diving Troy Perkins.

The Timbers weren’t done creating chances of their own, as Kris Boyd and Rodney Wallace each saw goal-bound efforts tipped wide by AIK keeper Ivan Turina.

After weathering AIK’s miniature second half storm, the Timbers salted away the victory with a final fifteen minutes of consistent possession. It wasn’t long on scoring chances for Portland, with the exception of Bright Dike getting a head to an Alhassan cross only to see Turina answer the call again, but it was short on anxiety.

In the end, Boyd’s goal was all the Timbers needed to secure a well-deserved victory and close the preseason on a high note. From now on the games count. The offseason is officially over.

Match Notes

• The Portland Timbers Football Club has not lost a preseason match in its MLS history.
• There was a fair amount to like offensively on Sunday, but at times the Timbers midfield seemed to get a little bit greedy in their passing. Very often midfielders—Diego Chara was probably the biggest offender against AIK— would look to spring the big run or send a ball through the defense when a simple pass would have done the trick. A little bit more offensive patience could really pay off. That said, AIK’s defense is partially to credit for this—they did a great job of sealing off the seams that many MLS defenses would leave open. And, with Boyd lingering in the box, can you really blame the midfield for being a little bit antsy in the pantsy to send the ball in?
• I was surprised to see Hanyer Mosquera in the starting lineup with Futty back from Gambia. The defense, however, played very well. Even in the second half, when AIK looked to have some more intent going forward, the Timbers backline limited the Gnaget[1] to only a couple real chances and a handful of half chances.
• My second favorite postgame tradition—next to the presentation of the log slices—has to be Kalif jumping on James Marcelin’s back. The look on his face is just precious. Perhaps with the exception of his tendency to over dribble, there is literally nothing about Kalif I don’t enjoy. Not only can he be thrilling on the pitch, but he has turned into one of the club’s most vibrant characters as well.
• Finally, the Tournament was absolutely fantastic. The soccer was a little tedious at times,[2] but downright thrilling at others. Just as importantly, though, the Tournament gave the Army a chance to meet a very classy club with some very classy supporters. Best wishes to AIK this season and beyond. With luck, they won’t be strangers.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 7 Rarely called upon, but more than capable when he was. Made one great save diving to his left in the second half and was in perfect position to corral another potentially dangerous shot.

Mike Chabala, 5.5 Good night in defense getting pressure on AIK’s wide players trying to send crosses in. Had a few crosses and nice overlaps, but really didn’t contribute a whole lot in the attack, but to be fair that was partially because the ball moved up the right side much of the evening.

Eric Brunner, 6 Quiet night for Eric; exactly what he would like to hear. Lead a very well organized backline, and was rarely called upon to do any emergency defending – something he unfortunately became rather expert at last year.

Hanyer Mosquera, 6 Made a few more plays than Brunner did, but also had one mistake that led to a dangerous situation where he let an AIK attacker turn on him and have a free shot at goal. On the whole, though, a very positive evening for Mosco.

Lovel Palmer, 6.5 Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a night where Lovel has looked better as a Timber. Very solid in defense and paired up well with Kalif on the right side. Even his usual worm-burner crosses were getting airborne.

Rodney Wallace, 7 Had some absolutely brilliant moments in the midfield going forward, but primarily I thought his defense was superb. He was picking pockets and clearing balls—not to the middle of the field—better than at any point in recent memory.

Jack Jewsbury, 5 Maybe the quietest Timber on the pitch on Sunday—which is pretty common stuff for a true holding midfielder. If the tactics shape up like it looks like they will, Jack will be the most underappreciated guy on the team.

Diego Chara, 5.5 I thought Diego was great defensively. The Sidler was in fine form, as many an AIK midfielder found themselves spinning around to see Diego going the other way with the ball. Still, didn’t have his best night in distribution, where he has looked a little rusty in each of the matches at home. Once he polishes that back to where it was late last season, Diego is poised for a stellar MLS sophomore year.

Kalif Alhassan, 6 I never know how to grade Kalif because his best asset is also his biggest liability. The ball is absolutely Velcroed to his feet, for better and for worse. Absolutely impossible to dispossess, but also has a hard time finding the right pass or proper moment to pull the trigger. For extended periods, though, he was the most dynamic player on the field. His solid week may just reopen the Alhassan-Alexander debate that seemed settled coming home from California.

Jorge Perlaza, 5.5 Great assist on the goal, but otherwise had a fairly quiet evening. Seemed a little reluctant to fancy himself at times, as he chose to pass or take an extra dribble a couple times when he could have had a good rip at goal. He also sent the ball wide in the one good chance that he took. I understand it was from a tough angle, but that has to be on frame.

Kris Boyd, 7 Fantastic number nine stuff on the goal. Put yourself in a spot where your strike partner can find you and finish it clinically. He wasn’t done, though, as all three of his shots on goal were dangerous. But for some stellar goalkeeping from AIK’s Ivan Turina,[3] Boyd may have made a couple entries into the scorebook. He will get criticized this year for poaching too much—hanging out around the box and giving marginal effort elsewhere. That criticism[4] will be unfounded. Boyd is here to do one thing—score goals. His play is beyond reproach as long as he’s doing that.

Bright Dike, 5 Came on for a gassed Kris Boyd and was his usual disruptive self. Until his quality in the attacking third improves, however, he’s going to find himself in a role where he’ll only see time when Spencer wants somebody to wreak havoc on the opponent’s backline.

James Marcelin, 5.5 Came on as a defensive substitute for Chara in the 79^th minute and did his job. Before his introduction, AIK seemed to be pinning their ears back a little bit and looking for the equalizer. After James came on, the result was rarely in doubt. Maybe it’s a little bit of post hoc, ergo propter hoc reasoning,[5] but Marcelin was almost certainly a factor in the Timbers’ late dominance.

Onward, Rose City!

Last year old a rain soaked night we welcomed MLS to Portland and ushered in a new era with the "It Takes an Army to Raise a Club" tifo everyone remembers so well. That very same night the Timbers Army sang the Star Spangled Banner rather than having a performer sing the National Anthem. As a board we thought it was a fantastic idea and supported it wholeheartedly. It turns out singing the national anthem as a group was one of the more memorable events in an evening sopping with memorable events.

This year the club asked the board if we wanted to repeat the performance. We respectfully declined the offer for a few reasons, which at the time made a lot of sense to us. The main reason being we didn’t want to try and recreate such a singular and memorable event. In other words we were thinking that the cover is never as good as the original.

We received a lot of feedback about that decision. Some of it in support but much of it expressed a lot of disappointment that we weren’t going to sing the National Anthem at the home opener again. We have heard your feedback loudly and clearly. We’re happy to announce than upon reconsideration we’ve decided that we will sing the National Anthem again at the home opener because the Timbers Army wants it. We decided to be the sole ones responsible for singing it, as we already sing it every game with the talent on the field. Let’s make this year louder and even better. You have a little over a week to get your voice ready to welcome in the 2012 campaign.