—by Owen Longstreet

For quick reference I will link to this blog post. WARNING: You will be directed to a blog with a color scheme similar to that of irradiated goat urine.

Running commentary below.

But while we stood in line, we watched as the Timber's Team ambassadors scaled the lines and decided to kick people out of the line if they were obviously not a Timber fan, and showing support for another team. We saw a poor couple who drove over 3 hours from Seattle and then sat in line for at least a couple of hours in the cold rain to get told they would not sell them tickets.

They pulled out known scalpers and people wearing Sounders gear. Pulling out known scalpers is a no brainer and should be applauded. Secondly, Seattle Sounders supporters have a set of tickets allocated to them by the Portland front office, the same as Seattle allocates tickets for Timbers supporters. There are requirements of all those supporters that travel down. Additionally, how stupid do you have to be to show up in your biggest rival's ticket line decked out in Rave Green?

Sure, good strategy on Portland's part to only sell tickets at the box office, thereby limiting the opportunities for away supporters to obtain tickets. But to kick people out of line, supporters who have traveled hours to obtain tickets for these matches, because they are fans of another club. This is wrong in so many ways.

As I just explained, supporters are required to purchase tickets through their supporters groups, where they have to abide by a certain set of rules put in place by both respective front offices and the supporters groups of both teams. Why don't you cry about this some more on the internet?

The actions of the Portland Timbers organization is so blatantly despicable that there is really no need to embellish.

—by Sherrilynn "Sheba" Rawson

February 29th only comes around once every four years, so it's only fitting that something special happens on such a special day. This February 29th, students at Woodburn's Nellie Muir Elementary were treated to a visit from members of the capo crew--Rob Jerand, Matt Talley, and Frank Oteiza--as they celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday and Read Across America week.

The 502 students at Nellie Muir Elementary School had a worthy goal this month--read at least 200,000 pages for the month of February. They had been told that if they met their goal, they would get a special surprise. Fortunately for the students, they were match fit when it came to reading, and together they logged over 300,000 pages of reading in February. Their treat? a visit from representatives of the Timbers Army capo crew.

Braving freezing temperatures and a crazy busy schedule, Ice Funk, PC, and Fog spent the day at Nellie Muir. They settled right in, selecting a few of their favorite (or newly favorite) Dr. Seuss titles to read in fifteen different classrooms. Many of the children celebrated the occasion by wearing green in honor of the Timbers Army. Since most of the students are bilingual, it was also a treat to have Frank reading a couple of Dr. Seuss titles that had been translated into Spanish.

After their whirlwind classroom reading visits, it was time for a well-earned lunch. The boys stopped in at Luis's Taqueria, *the* go-to spot for Mexican cuisine in town. Although I can't remember what everyone ordered, I'm sure the crew would agree that it was universally a hit. (Yours truly ordered the birria de chivo, in anticipation of the upcoming match against Chivas USA.)

Next, it was back to school and into the gymnasium, where over 500 students packed in and awaited leadership from the capo crew. Accompanied by student helpers, the boys led several rousing cheers, including "PTFC," "Somos Timbers," and "When I Root I Root for the Timbers. " After they understood that yes, they were actually being encouraged to jump and clap and sing, the students enthusiastically responded. Some even approached the capos afterward for autographs, and staff members eagerly posed for pictures with the crew. The students who were scarfed that day cherished their new TA gear and wore it proudly back to class.

It takes a special group of people to volunteer several hours of their day to go out of their way to read in classrooms and lead a gymnasium full of school children in cheers. From the bottom of my heart, thanks, guys, for making the day such a special one for so many youngsters. It's already a soccer mad town; now I know that for many of these children, they will also be able to say with pride: when I root, I root for the Timbers.

Thank you, Rob, Matt, and Frank. You guys rock!

—by Chris Rifer

No, it wasn’t pretty. Yes, it is still preseason. But no, it wasn’t awful either.

The Portland Timbers played the San Jose Earthquakes to a draw on Monday night in front of some 16,000 supporters eager to catch the first glimpse of their team in 2012.

What they caught a glimpse of was something akin to their team, but ultimately fell short of the real deal.

The Timbers, missing somewhere between five and seven likely opening day starters, started the chances off early when Diego Chara burst through the Quakes defense into the box looking poised to tap the ball by keeper Jon Busch. At the last moment, however, San Jose defender Justin Morrow slid in from behind, whiffed on the ball, but took Diego to the ground. It was an obvious foul on a reckless tackle that ended a clear scoring opportunity. Penalty and straight red, right? Wrong. Play on.

From there the Quakes established several minutes of dominance in the Portland half, with the Timbers defense—starting a group that likely didn’t include a single regular starter—looking dodgy at the back.  A few strong saves by early All-Star candidate Troy Perkins, however, bailed out the Timbers defense and kept San Jose off the board.

In the 15^th minute the Timbers got one against the run of play in perhaps the unlikeliest fashion possible. After sending a short corner to Chara, Kalif Alhassan got the ball back five yards from the endline outside the box and curled it just inside the far corner. It was a brilliant effort from a guy who couldn’t get off the goose egg in 2011.

The rest of the first half turned into an up and down affair, with both sides playing some entertaining soccer, but neither side creating anything substantial in the way of chances.  A header off a cross here, a scuffle between Jack Jewsbury and Steven Lenhart there, and the Timbers headed into intermission with a 1-0 lead.

The lead wouldn’t last long after halftime, however, as the 59^th minute brought a needless Andrew Jean-Baptiste giveaway. After Tressor Moreno intercepted the rookie’s ill-advised pass, he sent it to Chris Wondolowski on the byline. Wondo sent the ball in front of goal, where Hanyer Mosquera took an unfortunate touch past Troy Perkins and in for an own goal.

The Timbers midfield, having fallen dormant through most of the second half, finally awoke in the final fifteen minutes. It was too little, too late to earn a winner, however, as the best Portland could do is create a series of half chances—the best of which was a Bright Dike header off an Alhassan cross that bounced torturously off the cross bar.

In the end the sides settled for a just split of the points. The Timbers advance to play Chivas USA on Thursday before a finale against AIK Sunday evening.

Match Notes

• The result and the effort were passable, all things considered. Sure, there were some things to gripe about. The midfield was nonexistent for substantial portions of the match and the defense had some forehead slapping moments. Considering the number of stand-ins, however, supporters shouldn’t come away from the match with too bitter a taste.
• I was a little bit surprised to not see more changes from John Spencer. Considering the number of key players missing, I thought Monday night was a prime opportunity to get guys like Sebastian Rincon, Brent Richards, Chris Taylor, and Charles Renken some run in a regular season-like atmosphere. Instead, Spenny opted for a regular season rotation.
• After watching the second half of the AIK-Chivas match, I’m convinced if the Timbers want to be competitive on Sunday they will have to have more experience in central defense. The dynamic way AIK move the ball around the final third requires a lot of discipline in the back line to handle the short, quick passes off of short, quick runs. Good thing both Brunner and Futty seem likely to be back in the lineup by then, because while AJB and Mosquera were impressively physical, they were by no means disciplined.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 7 Had the challenging task of managing a very green backline in front of him, and rose to the occasion. Was very strong during the early onslaught and can’t be faulted for the own goal. Overall a very promising start to the season for an in-form looking Perkins.

Mike Chabala, 5.5 Decent outing for Chewie in back. Didn’t make any great contribution to the attack, but gave a passable effort as the only MLS-experienced player on the backline.

Andrew Jean-Baptiste, 4.5 This is a tough grade, because AJB was solid for the vast majority of the outing. His mistakes, though, lead to the Quakes’ best chances. This was overall an encouraging performance for the youngster whose mistakes are correctable, and who showed substantial physical capabilities.

Hanyer Mosquera, 5 AJB bears the bulk of responsibility for the concession, but Mosquera’s touch probably should have been better. Still had a good, but not great performance in back. In my mind, it’s clear Futty will start the season as the Watson to Brunner’s Sherlock. That may change as Mosco gets more comfortable in the States and the MLS.

Ryan Kawulok, 5.5 Very promising effort from the unsigned right back. Something tells me that unsigned tag will be coming off shortly. Showed a pretty decent soccer IQ and very good physical tools. Has some touches he needs to refine to succeed at the MLS level, but given a couple years work he should be there. It is a little shocking, considering some of the garbage you see coming out of the second round of the SuperDraft at times, that a guy with the size and athleticism of Kawulok can slip into the Supplemental Draft.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 Had some absolutely brilliant moments, most notably the goal. That said, he showed that he is still the biggest head down dribbler on the team. Too many times Kalif was caught with the ball on his foot rather than finding the open runner. That, ultimately, is why he will likely lose his spot to Songo’o and Alexander. That goal was pretty sweet, though.

Jack Jewsbury, 6.5 From the beginning of the match to the end, Jack was the only guy in the midfield that didn’t disappear for stretches. Because of the 4-1-4-1 (to start at least), Jack was playing a little bit higher up than usual and was very effective in doing so. For a while I recognized as rational the questions about whether Jack is really the best option in the center of the midfield. I am off that bandwagon. He belongs. I also love his feistiness. Preseason be damned.

Diego Chara, 4 Had one of his toughest games as a Timber. It could be because he’s not completely in form yet. Yesterday, though, I think it was that he was playing out of position all day long. Even in the first half, when he was in a central role, he was playing way higher than he usually does. He was essentially in the withdrawn striker position many clamor to see Darlington Nagbe in. I think he was a little uncomfortable there. In the second half he got moved out to the left wing after Alexander was brought off for Nagbe. He was middle-school-dance-uncomfortable there.

Eric Alexander, 4.5 I like what he brings to the wings. I think he’ll end up there if, for no other reason, but because he seems very eager to get wide and send crosses in. That said, I just think he didn’t have a great day on Monday. By all accounts that sounds like an aberration from his previous form.

Jorge Perlaza, 6 There have been criticisms of Jorge’s first touch, and not for no reason. But mind you this: the Timbers offense works best when Jorge is making runs that bend defenses out of shape. Throughout the first half Perlaza made runs that attracted attention from the San Jose backline and created space for himself and others. This is the argument for Perlaza accompanying Boyd in the strikeforce. That space that Jorge creates with his pace and fantastic movement is exactly the kind of space a poacher like Boyd feeds on.

Bright Dike, 5 Actually did pretty well to get a head to Kalif’s cross, which was a bit high. Still, his hold up play needs to improve if he wants to make a serious bid to start at this level.

Darlington Nagbe, 4.5 Never really got involved. To be honest, looked like he was going half speed out there. Because he has missed so much time the last few weeks, I imagine that will be the case until the start of the regular season.

Lovel Palmer, 3.5 If Nagbe was going half speed, Palmer was going quarter speed. He looked far from healthy. If he was as healthy as he was saying beforehand, right back is Steve Purdy’s spot to lose.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

Boyd…Boyd…No! Come on! The [freaking] password is Boyd!

So that was fun.

I know there is a tournament coming up and all, but let’s face it, from here until October the Timbers will rightfully be dominating this space. Sure, we’ll spout off about things around the league here and there, but this week represents perhaps our last best chance to cover topics from around the league.

Without much further adieu,[1] then, here are a half dozen predictions – some bold and some not so bold – for 2012.[2]

I. The New York Red Bulls will not make the Playoffs.[3]

Starting off bold – especially considering there will be staggeringly little competition for the five playoff spots in the tepid Eastern Conference. You would think a team featuring Thierry Henry, Juan Agudelo, Dane Richards, Dax McCarty, Rafa Marquez, Kenny Cooper,[4] and Luke Rodgers would figure to do well in its powder puff conference. What’s missing from that list?

Defense. That’s what’s missing. Okay, so the presumptive fullback combination Jan Gunnar Solli and Roy Miller is inoffensive – if perhaps uninspiring. And yes, New York has brought in a few defenders that may be able to step in and be serviceable in the center. But seriously, look at their roster and observe the number of guys on their defense that don’t have a picture. Then consider the guy they will be counting on to anchor their defense – Wilman Conde – is soon to be 30 and coming off pretty serious foot surgery. Uh oh. And don’t get me started on the goalkeeping situation. In the end this is a largely revamped defensive unit full of question marks.

But oh, did you hear they’re looking to add another geriatric DP in the summer transfer window? This isn’t going to end well. On the bright side, the Timbers own their SuperDraft pick for 2013.

II. Montreal will have a rough go of things in their maiden voyage.

I haven’t exactly minced words with what I think of Montreal’s offseason strategy. And as I look at their roster now I see a list of nice players – Davy Arnaud, Mike Fucito, Bobby Burling, Justin Mapp, Sanna Nyassi, Zarek Valentin, and certainly Donovan Ricketts – but nobody that jumps off the page. I think their midfield will be competitive, but they are sorely lacking up top right now.

The amount of youth on the roster lends itself to laying a foundation for the future, but the immediate future doesn’t look all too promising  Montreal promised to bring in a DP during the summer transfer window, but by July things may already be out of hand.

III. The Houston Dynamo will win the Supporters Shield.

I’ve said this before, but the great tragedy of the 2012 Playoffs was Brad Davis going down in the SKC series. I don’t know if Houston would have beaten Galaxy with him, but it certainly would have been a more watchable affair.

The Dynamo return everything of note from the team that caught fire at the end of 2012. Andre Hainault, Geoff Cameron, Bobby Boswell, and Corey Ashe may be the best backline in the league – to say nothing of more-than-capable netminder Tally Hall. Brad Davis will be the best midfielder in the league and will post a fourth-straight double digit assist season. Will Bruin will have a breakout season on the receiving end of Davis’s doorstep service.

All told, don’t be surprised if, after feasting on a platter full of Eastern creampuffs, the Dynamo win the Shield this year.

IV. Kelyn Rowe will be Rookie of the Year.

The MLS’s worst franchise will have its best rookie. Well, sort of. I don’t think Rowe is necessarily the best player of this year’s rookie class, but it appears as though he will be given a spot on the wings in 2012. With a perfectly respectable midfield of Benny Feilhaber, Shalrie Joseph, and likely Clyde Simms, the Revs may have the creative ability in midfield necessary to score some goals. I think Rowe will be the beneficiary of some of that, to enough of an extent that he’ll beat out Andrew Wenger for top billing.

Don’t get me wrong, New England will still stink, though.

V. It’s do or die time for Real Salt Lake. They will (almost) do.

Over the course of the last three years, Real Salt Lake have been the best franchise in MLS. Jason Kreis[5] and company built a core of talent that made RSL the deepest team in MLS. Here’s the problem, though, they’re getting on in years. Javi Morales is 32. Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave are 30.  Kyle Beckerman is about to turn 30. So are Chris Wingert and Alvaro Saborio. This group, though, has one more run in it. If Morales can successfully come back from his broken ankle, the Claret and Cobalt will put together one more deep playoff run before Father Time comes calling. Will they be able to capture that elusive second MLS Cup? No.[6]

VI. The Seattle Sounders will be a one-and-done…again.

After a successful 2011 regular season, many have their eyes on Seattle to make the next step toward being an MLS Cup contender. The Sounders have taken steps in the opposite direction, however. After earning a CONCACAF Champions League berth, the Sounders decided to unload depth in bringing in Eddie Johnson. That, combined with the unsettled status of Steve Zakuani and O’Brian White, leaves Seattle a bit thin for what promises to be a crazy early season full of matches in various competitions.[7]

Seattle has recovered from slow starts before, and they certainly have enough talent in the Starting XI to do so again, but in a West as packed as this one, dropping points early could doom the Rave Green and their customers to an unfavorable matchup in the first round and another early playoff exit.

Timbers Notes

• One interesting development of the past couple weeks has been the flipping of Eric Alexander and Franck Songo’o on the wings. Against Oregon State Eric Alexander reportedly spent most of his time on the right while Songo’o occupied the left. Early reports from training and the scrimmage are positive, although, considering both guys can play on either side of the field, it seems likely they will be moving around quite a bit. Regardless of exactly where they end up, the two of them seem to have developed a pretty firm hold on the two outside mid positions.
• The emergence of Alexander and Songo’o leaves Kalif Alhassan and Sal Zizzo – when he returns to full form – in a bit of a precarious position. Barring injuries, at least one of them will not get consistent minutes. Considering his potential, between the two of them Kalif is likely to get the better of the minutes, but Sal is a very legitimate MLS winger. If this pattern holds true – and Songo’o and Alexander hold down the wings – it’s easy to imagine a scenario in which Portland may shop Sal midseason.
• The second striker position has also become one of intrigue. Before the preseason, I sort of presumed Darlington Nagbe would step into the second striker role if he lost out on the right wing. By all means, that may still happen. But while Darlington has been slowed by a series of nagging injuries, Jorge Perlaza has put together a pretty nice camp. At this point it seems likely that Darlington will start 2012 where he was for much of 2011, as a frequent sub.
• Oh, and in a non-Timbers note, if you haven’t seen this already, read up on how excited Darren Mattocks is to score a preseason goal. He is the early favorite to win this year’s Victor Estupinan Sweepstakes.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Andrew Brawley

Without exploring the fine details of today’s little dust-up over single game tickets being pre-sold to season ticket holders, I think we can discuss one way of returning power to the people:

Ignoring scalpers.

Don’t buy from them.

Don’t sell to them.

Don’t acknowledge them.

I’m not about to start a new Occupy movement over this. I don’t want to start pointing fingers over who’s to blame for these tickets practically evaporating within minutes of release. But I do think that we, as members of the Timbers Army, have a responsibility of ensuring that any tickets we have in our possession (whether you’re a season ticket holder or not) are re-sold to those who are genuinely enthusiastic  about going to a Timbers match, rather than those who are more interested in making a profit at the expense of others.

I understand there’s a marketplace out there for tickets. Despite ticket prices increasing for “premium” matches (home opener, Seattle, Galaxy, etc.), it looks like people are still willing to pay more for those seats. I can’t blame them. It’s a hot ticket in this town, and market demand justifies it.

However, in order to maintain a sense of balance within the community, we must do what we can to ensure the “beautiful game” remains accessible to all. If you look around the world, this game is played by both rich and poor. If we start raising prices on our own tickets, we’re only diluting the quality of experience that we care so much about in the North End.

If you need to sell your tickets, do so by selling to friends, or asking around on Twitter or Facebook. Avoid reseller sites like StubHub. Even CraigsList is becoming a no-no. Put some elbow grease into it, and your effort will be greatly appreciated.

We may make fun of the east stands during games, but if we don’t maintain some order, those in the east stands will soon be joining us in the north.

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

We all bleed Rose City Red; now it's time to bleed for a worthy cause: The Timbers Army Blood Drive, Friday, April 6th, from 2-7 pm at the 18th St plaza outside of Jeld-Wen Field.

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, send an email to: TABloodDrive@gmail.com with the following information:

First/Last Name

Email Address

Phone Number

Preferred Time 1/Preferred Time 2

We will try and give everyone their 1st preferred slot, but it's possible someone may beat you to it. Please wait for a confirmation email with your scheduled time.

We also need volunteers for various things, so if you're interested in volunteering in addition/instead of donating, drop a message to the same address above 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.

Donations and prizes for donors include:

(1) FREE PIZZA AND SODA to all who donate!

(2) A drawing from among all donors for TWO PAIRS OF TA TICKETS to the 4/7 match against Chivas USA the following day!

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.

This is the week the Timbers Army becomes famous!

OK, maybe not famous. Perhaps a bit more than internet famous, but not quite Lana Del Rey famous. I’m willing to bet we’ll become about as famous as a critically-liked Friday night extended cable sketch comedy show will allow. And that fame will last about a week, right up until next week’s episode hits the air. And that’s fine by me.

The full court press is on for this week’s episode of Portlandia (Friday, Feb. 24, 10/9c on IFC), and Major League Soccer’s own web site kicked it off with a nice piece (and great photo) to preview the TA’s appearance. (Watch for even more publicity around this week’s episode also featuring Trail Blazers all star LaMarcus Aldridge. Apparently the producers of Portlandia felt this season needed an obligatory sports episode.)

Not all Portlanders will admit this, but Portlandia’s a pretty good show. Like most shows, it has its share of hits and misses. But when it hits, it’s REALLY hits. The only people I know who dislike it are those the show tends to mock frequently: people I refer to as “extreme Portlanders.” These tend to be the people who ONLY shop at second hand stores and food co-op’s. (They’re usually vegan, too.) That’s probably not even 1% of Portlanders, but we all know at least one person in town who fits this bill.

I truly believe I’m in the most desired target demographic for Portlandia: married, childless suburbanite who frequents the downtown core. Basically, I’m repeatedly exposed to the wackiness that Portland has to offer, while concurrently able to “breathe suburban normalcy” and view that same wackiness from my front row seat. Trust me when I say most of Beaverton finds nearly every Portlandia sketch to be pretty funny.

The thing that I enjoy most about the TA’s involvement in Portlandia is that it shows we’re not afraid to take the piss out of ourselves. Nothing turns a crummy day around like a clever Twitter meme started by the TA, especially those where we rip our own to shreds for something posted on Twitter / Facebook / 107IST Member Forums / etc. Nobody makes fun of the TA better than the TA themselves. Of course, as good as we are at making fun of ourselves, we’re even better at mocking our enemies (i.e. #LacksSounders).

This is why I tend to get a little frustrated with our Cascadian rivals. Canadians are funny by default (see The Kids In The Hall, Picnicface or Strange Brew). Seriously, it’s in their DNA. I hold the Southsiders to a pretty high standard for being clever. The recent video from the Whitecaps FO to the Timbers FO was pretty good, but they kinda missed the mark with that “Round 2” reference at the end, because this is actually Round 30-something. Plus, that was from their FO, and not the supporters group. C’mon guys and gals! If our own FO did something more clever than us (and remember…we’re awesomely clever), we’d probably have an emergency 107ist board meeting to discuss how to rebound and out-clever them.

As for ECS, don’t get me started. I’m sure they have a few clever apples in the basket, but they tend to be overshadowed by stuff that’s generally unoriginal and borderline offensive. My Sounders-fan friend (who shall remain anonymous) is one of the most clever guys I know, but he’s not involved with ECS. Trust me, he could really help them out, but he has distanced himself from them, and I can see why: they don't have a sense of humor. Even a prominent Seattle-based web site, one that I know numerous TA members read many times daily, missed the overall point of that aforementioned #LacksSounders meme. Nothing riles up the TA like a total misunderstanding of a Twitter meme. If Seattle can give us timeless laughs in the form of Almost Live, then ECS is surely capable of adding some wit to their punchlines and comebacks.

(Side note: I realize I’m feeding the trolls a bit here. But hey, the season starts in three weeks…time to #HTFU.)

As the regular season nears, the Twitstreams will be pinned with smack-talk between all three Cascadian sides. We'll steal each others hashtags. We'll feed the trolls. We'll argue on message boards. It’s all supposed to be in good fun. If you can’t have fun doing it, you’re basically setting yourself up for an online massacre, which is essentially the equivalent of getting an abnormally large amount of junk mail on one day. Yeah, it’s annoying, but it bears no actual burden on your reality, and it’s easy to click “delete” and be done with it.

Watch Portlandia this Friday, and happy trolling!

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

—by Chris Rifer

Last week we looked at a few players who had a lot on the line in 2012. For Bright Dike, Freddie Braun, and David Horst, 2012 will prove crucial to determining whether they are borderline MLS players or can make an impact in the top flight.

The task for this week is to look at the Timbers unit-by-unit, and determine whether its stock has risen, stayed flat, or fallen from last October. For all intents and purposes, it appears as though the roster is relatively settled for the season. This past week, the Timbers officially inked Franck Songo’o. The additional signings of Joe Bendik, former Portland Pilot Ryan Kawulok, and Sebastián Rincón seem imminent, with Stumptown Footy reporting that all three were on the receiving end of a team hug fest at training last week.[1]

With Trencito on the DL, that puts the roster at 30 for the season. If Eddie Johnson is on the shelf long term, then the Timbers may have one more roster spot to play with, but in all likelihood the roster on March 12 will look similar to how it looks today.

So, considering the offseason transactions and the Ouija board-like predictor of preseason games, here is what each Timbers unit’s stock has done over the course of the offseason.

Goalkeepers: ◄►

Additions: Joe Bendik

Losses: Adin Brown

No surprise here. There was never any real question that Troy Perkins would be the starting keeper on March 12, that Jake Gleeson would likely find himself in the backup role, and a new third keeper would be brought in to replace Adin Brown. With Gleeson sidelined by injury – and heading out to play with the Kiwi National Team – Bendik has picked up a few more reps in preseason than anticipated. He seems to have made the most of it, as reports from training and preseason matches have been generally positive.

Center Backs: ▲

Additions: Hanyer Mosquera, Andrew Jean-Baptiste

Losses: Kevin Goldthwaite

With David Horst sidelined by a hip injury, there was some concern about this unit in early January. It only took a couple weeks for the market to turn more bullish on the center of the Timbers’ defense. Eric Brunner seems to have his spot on lockdown. The real competition will be between Futty and El Mosco for the second starting spot. Thus far, Futty seems to have been getting most of the run alongside Brunner, but don’t be surprised to see Mosquera mount more of a challenge as the preseason – and even regular season – wears along. As expected, Jean-Baptiste doesn’t appear to be challenging for first team playing time just yet, but he should get plenty of run in the reserves.[2]

Fullbacks: ◄►

Additions: Ryan Kawulok

Losses: None

By far the most disappointing unit of the offseason. I had this tapped as a very high priority for the offseason, but the result is largely status quo. Lovel Palmer, assuming his hamstring loosens up, will likely hold down the starting spot on the right side, while the less-than-inspiring competition between Rod Wallace and Mike Chabala continues on the left. It seems likely that Rod will be the opening day starter, and he certainly has the greatest potential at the position, but the options are still less than inspiring. Absent a big jump from Wallace, however, a group that was mediocre in 2011 seems destined for more of the same in 2012.

Central Midfielders: ◄►

Additions: None

Losses: None

The Timbers most stable unit in 2011 appears poised to be the same in 2012. The only thing that could change things is if James Marcelin’s development is as promising as the preseason has suggested. If Marcelin is poised for a big jump in 2012, this could be one of the deepest and most effective units in MLS.

Outside Midfielders: ▲

Additions: Franck Songo’o, Charles Renken

Losses: Ryan Pore, Rodrigo Lopez, Peter Lowry

Songo’o has gone from complete unknown among Timbers supporters to the inside track to start on the right wing. If his preseason form holds true in the regular season, Songo’o could end up being the Timbers most complete winger. Renken was an upside pick-up from the beginning, and there hasn’t been anything reported that would dispel such a label. So, Portland picked up one guy who could be an immediate impact player, and one guy who could be an impact player down the road, while losing three guys who weren’t pushing for first team minutes any time soon.[3]

Strikers: ▲

Additions: Kris Boyd, Jose Adolfo Valencia, Brent Richards, Sebastián Rincón

Losses: Kenny Cooper, Brian Umony

The only unit to lose a serious contributor also brought in the most. Kris Boyd – while still having never put on a Timbers kit – is the prohibitive favorite to be the Timbers’ number nine this year. He also appears to be an immediate upgrade over Kenny Cooper. While Trencito will likely be out all year, Richards and Rincón both seem to be high upside signings who will do well to have a year in the reserves to adjust to the MLS game. With a strikeforce that likely includes Boyd, Jorge Perlaza, Bright Dike, Richards, Rincón, and perhaps Darlington Nagbe, the Timbers look poised to blow the middling goal production of 2011 out of the water.

On the aggregate, then, the conclusion that the Timbers have improved over the course of the offseason is unavoidable. The attack looks to be much better than it was a year ago, and the defense should at least be similar.[4]

The Timbers only lost one player they relied heavily upon, Kenny Cooper,[5] and have added three guys – Boyd, Songo’o, and Mosquera – that seem likely to make an immediate impact in 2012. Nobody on the Timbers has shown signs of being past their expiration date, with really only one guy – Jack Jewsbury – even remotely approaching the point at which the twilight of his career would be expected. On top of that, the Timbers have brought in a gaggle of promising greenhorns that can develop while playing with a reserve side that suddenly looks pretty loaded.

All in all, not too shabby.

Notes

• Seattle has made some high-risk moves in the past, but perhaps nothing quite as reckless as trading Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle to Montreal for an Eddie Johnson who hasn’t scored a competitive goal in nearly two years. Make no mistake, if Johnson can regain form this would be a good get for Seattle. That “if,” however, is way too big to justify sending away two very promising, very reasonably budgeted young players.
• The Brian Ching standoff came to a merciful end this week, as Montreal ended up caving and sending Ching back to Houston in exchange for a 2013 conditional SuperDraft pick.[6] Make no mistake, this is a terrible end for Montreal. They wasted a pick in a loaded Expansion Draft and ended up flipping it for a mid-to-late first round SuperDraft pick. While Jesse Marsch sounded surprised by the outcome, in reality it was inevitable. And give the Impact credit for one thing: they realized what an awful hand they dealt themselves and folded.
• Finally, we only have eight more days until the Preseason Tournament begins! I absolutely cannot wait to see everybody in The North End again.

Onward, Rose City!

PORTLAND, Oregon (15 February, 2012) - Soccer rivalries are known for their intensity, but leadership of soccer supporters groups from across the US and Canada set aside their rivalries last weekend in Portland, Oregon for the Independent Supporters Council (ISC) conference.

The ISC works to promote supporters’ culture in North America, and defend the rights of soccer supporters. Over the weekend, representatives of supporters of 16 of the 19 teams in Major League Soccer discussed issues facing supporters, and revised and ratified the Independent Supporters Council Charter, including the Supporters Bill of Rights.

“By speaking with a singular voice for all recognized supporters groups regarding issues that may be specific to one group, but that affect all, ISC can effectively use the collective leverage of all groups to protect the interests of each individual group,” said Jason Corliss board member of Red Bull New York's Viking Army SC.

“MLS is beginning to appreciate the role of supporters, and aren’t just marketing the game to soccer moms any longer. It’s a step in the right direction, but we want to make certain all supporters can safely and passionately follow their team wherever they travel,” said Abram Goldman-Armstrong, a founding member of the ISC and board member of the Timbers Army 107 Independent Supporters Trust, which hosted the conference in Portland.

ISC initiatives include:

Coordinating an annual ISC conference open to delegations of supporters from all clubs in the United States and Canada, including MLS, lower-league levels and women’s soccer

Tracking incidents and advocating for stadium security trained to understand supporter culture

Developing clear, consistent guidelines and fair ticket allocations for traveling supporters

Organizing the administration and funding of a new Supporters' Shield trophy

Advocating for an MLS schedule that is favorable to traveling fans, especially rivalry games

Working for the adoption of a league-wide Supporters’ Bill of Rights

Groups in attendance who ratified the charter:

• Los Angeles Galaxy (Angel City Brigade)
  
• Columbus (Hudson St. Hooligans)
  
• San Jose Earthquakes (Casbah)
  
• Real Salt Lake (Rogue Cavaliers Brigade)
  
• Vancouver Whitecaps (Southsiders)
  
• New York Red Bulls (Viking Army)
  
• New York Red Bulls (Empire Supporters Club)
  
• Chivas USA (Union Ultras)
  
• Chicago Fire (Section 8 Chicago ISA)
  
• Colorado Rapids (Pid Army)
  
• Colorado Rapids (Bulldog Supporters Group)
  
• New England (Midnight Riders)
  
• Portland Timbers (Timbers Army/107 Independent Supporters Trust)
  
• DC United (Screaming Eagles)
• Houston Dynamo (Texian Army)
  
• Toronto FC (Red Patch Boys)
  

ISC - The Independent Supporters Council was founded in 2009 to advocate for the fair treatment of home and away supporters, promote supporter culture, and oppose racism and bias in the stadium. www.soccersupporters.org

107ist - The 107 Independent Supporters Trust is the not-for-profit organization of the Timbers Army, dedicated to supporting soccer in and around Portland, Oregon, from the grassroots to the highest professional level. www.timbersarmy.org

—by Chris Rifer

Oh, the preseason. The time when as supporters we’re so starved for real soccer that we’ll read everything into anything. The Timbers beat Galaxy 4-1? PTFC is the team of destiny. Portland draws Montreal 0-0? It might be a long year on Morrison Street. Portland tops Houston 2-0? Everything is coming up roses.

In the end, the results mean nothing at all. Remember last year? The Timbers defense looked impenetrable throughout the preseason. The team went undefeated. Then the first half hour at Colorado happened.

So yeah, the point is, the results these next couple weeks mean painfully little. Still, we have to talk about something, right?

Over the next few weeks before meaningful soccer is played we will talk more about what this season means to the club. Unlike last year, this year comes with expectations. In many ways, 2012 is more important than 2011 for PTFC.

There are also a few players staring in the face of a massively important season personally. Here are a few who have a lot of chips on the table in 2012.

Freddie Braun

Impressed in the reserves in 2011, but never could consistently break into the eighteen. While it seems likely the experiment at right back is over, there is some opportunity as a defensive midfielder. Jack Jewsbury is 30. James Marcelin has done well as a Timber, but certainly hasn’t locked down a position as Captain Jack’s heir apparent.[1] Lance Davids is pedigreed, but has seemingly been quiet in the first week of his trial and would occupy a precious international roster spot.

At 23, however, Freddie’s developmental honeymoon is coming to a close. If he wants to establish himself at the MLS level he will have to make an impression early in 2012. Otherwise, Freddie may be headed out on loan to the second division. Once there, it’s a bit of a hill to climb to get back.

Bright Dike

Much like Freddie, at 25 there is a certain feeling of now-or-never for Bright. The season seems to be setting up well for him, though. After breaking through in 2010, and being thwarted by injury in 2011, there is a feeling that Dike only needs a chance to make a name for himself.

It looks like he is going to get it this year, as both Trencito and Eddie Johnson are likely out for lengthy periods of time with injuries. Dike’s best case scenario – barring further injuries to the strikeforce – is likely becoming a consistent substitute. Interestingly, what happens on the right wing may be the most important factor for Bright. If Darlington Nagbe takes up the starting spot on the right, then Bright would presumably occupy the third striker spot. In that case, he would get an awful lot of 70^th minute appearances.

If somebody else – Sal Zizzo or Franck Sango’o – lay claim to the right midfield, then the going gets tougher as Nagbe would likely move up front and Bright would have to battle Perlaza for the opportunity to become a super-sub. I’m not saying he couldn’t win that battle, but it would certainly be tough.

David Horst

This designation seems a little bit cruel considering he is injured, but he faces a mountain to climb to work his way back into the lineup. With Brunner, Mosquera, and Futty looking like they’re in fine form early on, and with the club putting a lot on the development of Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Horst is going to have to get healthy and get back in form quickly if he wants to preserve his spot in the team and the league.

David was a borderline MLS player before coming to Portland, with Real Salt Lake consistently loaning him out to the second division. In 2011, however, Horst seemed to put himself on surer footing by being a very dependable backup center back, including a near-herculean[2] performance at home against Chivas USA. The injury, coupled with the arrival of Mosquera and Jean-Baptiste, seemingly put Horst back on the ropes. Last year he established himself as a pretty rough and tumble guy, though, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we haven’t seen the last of David Horst.

Timbers Notes

• The injury to Eddie Johnson is tremendously disappointing. In a year filled with disappointment at striker, there were a couple times in 2011 where Eddie looked like he might be the lone pleasant surprise. And just as he was rounding into form, the concussions began. I really hope Eddie can recover and bounce back, but the team is taking this with the appropriate seriousness.
• The once loaded strikeforce is starting to look a little bit threadbare now with Eddie and Trencito sidelined indefinitely. Enter Sebastian Rincon. There have been a lot of rumors flying around about Rincon, but it seems very likely he will make the team. Merritt reported last week that Rincon held a green card, meaning he wouldn’t take up an international roster spot. Behind Boyd, Perlaza, and Dike there should be room for another young striker to develop alongside Brent Richards. Plus, considering his relationship with Trencito, having him in the club will also help keep the Little Train motivated and happy in Portland.
• Speaking of Kris Boyd, where is he? This is probably premature, but considering the timelines reported by the club the last couple weeks, it seems like we should be seeing the Scotsman in green by now. Last time the Timbers signed a highly touted player from the British Isles . . . never mind. It’s probably nothing; these sorts of things can take time and are hard to predict with precision. Still, it’s hard not have flashbacks to Kerr . . . ugh, never mind.[3]
• Oh, and can somebody please tell us how Lance Davids is doing? He’s a pretty well credentialed player and has been with the club for a week, and yet we haven’t heard a peep about him. I imagine that may change with Lovel Palmer[4] seemingly sidelined for a good chunk of the preseason, if not more.
• For what it’s worth (next to nothing), Sunday marked John Spencer’s first win over longtime friend and former boss Dominic Kinnear, after two regular season losses and a preseason draw last year.
• Finally, a big happy birthday to Eric Brunner! May somebody appreciate your considerable soccer talents in your 27^th year on this planet.[5]

And with that, enjoy the next few matches – we’ll catch up again before the AIK tournament.

Onward, Rose City!