In August of 2011 the 107ist board decided to award two scholarships to two exceptional young men Alex Segovia and Rubio Mendez-Rubin whom after years of hard of dedication both young men earned an incredible honor to study and train at the IMG Academy as two of the top 40 U-16 players in the United States. Prior to this both had participated in the U-14 US National Soccer Development Program Team during the 2009/2010 season.

Alex and Rubio come from close-knit, hard-working families and share the important value of love of family and friends. The boys serve as an inspiration to all. Despite their modest means, both families have made extreme sacrifices in an effort to support their respective son’s pursuit of playing soccer at the highest level. The boys and their parents understand the importance of the educational opportunity associated with the residency program and will place primary emphasis on academic achievement as a precursor to success on the field. Success and balance in both disciplines will advance Alex and Rubio one step closer to their goal of one day playing on the men’s U.S. Soccer National Team.

Alex Segovia – His first experience playing organized soccer was his U-13 season at Westside Metros 2008/2009. In addition to team practices Alex spends countless hours at soccer fields working on and improving his skills with his brothers, friends and teammates. Alex possesses a strong, yet quiet confidence in himself and is very competitive – he meets challenges head on and just keeps his eyes on the goal. His dedication and commitment has resulted in him earning this incredible opportunity to advance his personal growth and development both off and on the pitch.

Rubio Mendez-Rubin – He is one of the original Westside Metros youth development players that has lead his team to four Oregon State Cup Championships starting his U-11 season. It was clear to everyone that witnessed him play, even at a young age, that he was a special player. His passion for the game of soccer, his competitive spirit and personal drive are beyond measure. He plays with heart, every minute of the match, no matter what the temperature, score or opponent. The fire inside him to dream big and achieve at the highest level started long ago. At ten years, when other kids missed practice because they couldn’t find a ride, Rubio rode the city bus. He’s humble, yet supremely confident in himself. On occasion you will see him smile or laugh when he plays- just because he loves to play the game of soccer. Even players on opposing teams have become “fans” out of respect for his ability and approach to the game.

Over 80 Timbers Army members volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank on Saturday morning, and a great time was had by all, young and old. We packed snap peas and pasta, to the tune of more than 14,000 pounds; which means that each volunteer was responsible for packing roughly 500 servings of food that will benefit those in need, and all in only two hours of work.

Timbers Army at OFB West in Beaverton

This was the second time we've had an organized TA day at the Food Bank, and we had big groups at both the Portland and Beaverton locations. We'll have these outings roughly every three months from now on, with our next coming sometime in December. Watch this space for further details, and if you'd like to receive updates about future dates, email me at Lucas.Grzybowski@107ist.org and I'll add you to the list.

Two hours of your time can help bring food to hundreds of hungry people, so thanks again to everyone who volunteered, and thanks to Oregon Food Bank for making it so easy to help.

—by Chris Rifer

The Portland Timbers logged perhaps their biggest win as an MLS club on Thursday night, knocking off Chivas USA 1-0 in a match rife with playoff implications. Before the match, many had professed it to be make or break, but for one reason or another it didn’t have the feel of a big game. There were no bright lights. There was only slightly above average giddiness in the Timbers Army. There was almost no national pregame hype. And yet, when you looked at the table, the importance was obvious. A win and the Timbers were right in the thick of the playoff race. A loss, and Portland was probably cooked.

Luckily for the Rose City faithful, the Timbers had a complete grasp on the importance of the moment. From the first whistle, Portland showed tremendous impetus going forward. Portland shelled Chivas early, culminating in a Kalif Alhassan 5^th minute cross that Goats keeper Dan Kennedy snagged just before it fell to the head of a waiting Sal Zizzo planted at the far post.

For the entirety of the first half Portland would keep applying the pressure. The Timbers moved the ball effectively down the left side, leading to countless crosses into the box from both Mike Chabala and Kalif Alhassan. Chivas created the occasional chance—namely a Laurent Courtois strike from distance that Troy Perkins just tapped over the bar—but was held on its heels through the entirety of the first stanza.

For just a brief second in the 32^nd minute it appeared as though Portland was destined to pull ahead. Jack Jewsbury sent a ball from the right wing into the box, where David Horst had muscled his way on the ball. Horst’s header appeared fated for the net, but at the last moment Kennedy switched directions, dove, and tapped the ball just wide.

In the 44^th minute, the Timbers would stop teasing. Chabala, taking over the duties on corner kicks from the right side, sent an in-swinger to the near post, where Eric Brunner got just enough of a head on the ball to redirect it across the goal, past a helpless Kennedy, and into the side netting.

In the second half Portland would trade dominance for defense. Down a goal, Chivas began to show much more intent in coming forward, but the Timbers defense was more than up to the task. Led by some brilliant play from their center backs, prominently including the extra-human performance of David Horst, for the first part of the half the Timbers limited the Goats to efforts from distance that were easily mopped up by Troy Perkins.

The Timbers, meanwhile, showed that they could create some chances on the counter. A Kenny Cooper crack from distance was parried away by Kennedy. Kalif Alhassan’s chip from 30 yards forced Kennedy into action again. Finally, a last-ditch tackle forced Diego Chara to send an effort just wide of Kennedy’s post.

Chivas wasn’t done yet, however. In the 73^rd minute, Marcos Mondaini sent a volley off of a long ball just wide of the far post. In the late stages, the Goats continued to pin down the Portland defense, as the once stalwart legs looked to get a bit heavier. Finally, two minutes into stoppage time, a headed cross fell to an unmarked Courtois in the box. This was the moment— the Rod Wallace handball moment, the Drew Moor moment—that had haunted the Timbers all season. This time, though, Courtois had his steps mixed up. Instead of a clinical finish with the right, he was forced into an awkward stab with his left. His effort sailed wide, and Portland pocketed three hard fought points.

The match more than met the moment. This was a big game complete with inspired play by the boys in green, thwarted opportunities, a brilliant goal, and gritty defense to hang on through the drama to the finish. The ramifications are complex, but can be summed up quite simply: The Timbers are still in contention.

Match Observations

• It’s too bad that match was buried in a midweek showdown on regional TV. That is exactly the kind of match that MLS needs to get out to households across the country to show that this league can be top notch without involving gimmicks like David Beckham. Make no mistake, on Wednesday night there were two teams out there desperate to win. There was fantastic drama. There was physical play. There was everything a sports fan could ask for in a soccer match. Except there weren’t that many viewers.
• I thought John Spencer was a little bit slow with his substitutions. By the 65^th or 70^th minute it was clear that some legs were starting to get a bit heavy. Specifically, Sal Zizzo and Mike Chabala looked completely cooked. With Chivas having to burn two substitutions early in the match, the Timbers would have done well to bring on some fresh legs, control possession, and make Chivas chase the match a little bit more. Instead, Portland seemed spent and had to retreat into a shell a little bit. With the exception of a couple nervous moments, it worked out well. But still, it created some pretty nervous moments.
• The last couple matches at home have been vintage Timbers.[1] Portland has gone back to the direct style that was successful for them early in the season. Portland has looked to play the ball up the wings a lot more and send balls into the box. The difference between this and that early-season tactic, to me at least, is the play of Diego Chara. Whereas in April and May the Timbers pretty much exclusively moved the ball up the wings, now Chara brings a different element. If given a little bit of space he brings the threat of being able to take the ball into the teeth of the defense. As has been thoroughly discussed on message boards around Soccer City, it is not necessarily the prettiest style of play, and it usually doesn’t show that well on the stat sheet (possession in the low 40s again), but it has produced results in the last two matches.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 6 Okay, not even the Perkins detractors could detract from this performance. Name one moment in the match where he did anything subpar. I dare you. That’s what I thought. He doesn’t get an amazing grade because he was very well protected through most of the night, but still, when called upon he was stellar.

Mike Chabala, 5 Chabala was fantastic in the first half. He was marauding. He was effective defensively. And he was Chewy on the Spot with his crosses and set pieces. As the second half wore on, though, he lost his legs and became a complete liability. Lots of his men—Justin Braun, most often—were left unmarked in the box. So, it all evens out to a 5.

David Horst, 8 In his poorer moments of the night, he was very good. In his best moments of the night he was superhuman. Most of the time he was somewhere around fantastic. There was one sequence in particular where he cleared three Chivas efforts in quick succession. I know Brunner scored, but Horst is my Man of the Match.

Eric Brunner, 7 I’m sorry pal. Any other night and you would probably be MotM. No, you didn’t do anything wrong in defense. You were really good there. And yes, you scored a really nice goal. I know, I know. I’m not undervaluing that. But seriously, did you see what Horst was doing all night? Don’t take it personally, Eric. David just logged the best defensive effort of the year by a Timber. And yes, I just spent most of Brunner’s grade space talking more about Horst.

Lovel Palmer, 5.5 Had a nice evening on the right side. He certainly doesn’t get forward as much as Chabala does, but I imagine Brunner and Horst secretly appreciate that. Still, he showed some signs of getting more comfortable in the green shirt on Wednesday.

Kalif Alhassan, 6 One of his better outings. Was great on the ball, and again was smart in mostly making the simple pass. Most exciting was that he put a couple on frame. A few more of those, Kalif, and you might just log yourself a goal. Baby steps, though, baby steps.

Diego Chara, 6 I love how active he is. He didn’t have his best night, and was somewhere short of ridiculously effective, but I would still say he was very effective.

Jack Jewsbury, 6 I noticed him more in defense than I usually do. Late in the second half he had one particularly nice sequence where he picked up a man in the box on the ball with his back to goal, shut him down, and made him play the ball out of the box. Just the kinds of things Jack can do that don’t always go noticed.

Sal Zizzo, 4.5 Wasn’t awful. Had a few nice crosses, and was maybe even a bit unlucky to have Kennedy pick off what would have been a tap-in goal. It looks to me like he’s still struggling through some tired legs. He’ll be as pleased as anybody to see the off week after D.C.

Kenny Cooper, 5.5 Did an awful lot of dirty work, and also had a couple nice sequences on the ball. I really like when he hits balls from distance. For having such great pace on the ball, he does a good job of keeping it down and on frame. When defenses are preoccupied by the quickness of Perlaza, that very well could end up being a nice way to tally a surprise goal.

Jorge Perlaza, 4.5 Struggled just a touch with his first touch. Even then, he came oh-so-close to notching a second straight assist to his countryman. I’ll also say this, Chivas was paying a lot of attention to him defensively. I better stop typing before I talk myself out of this grade.

Eric Alexander, 4.5 When he came on he looked understandably out of sorts. As the minutes wore on, though, he seemed to be finding himself a little bit. More importantly, when are we going to be able to find this guy some meaningful training time? Oh, right, next week. Don’t expect much from him until after that.

Darlington Nagbe, 5 Had a couple moments of nice possession, but was otherwise pretty quiet.

Rod Wallace, 5 Was the prudent move to make, but he didn’t provide much cover for the ailing Chabala. Can’t really blame Rod for anything, though.

Onward, Rose City!

Hi everyone! It appears that this is the Summer of Volunteering! You've got the Oregon Food Bank volunteer day, Operation Pitch Invasion, and now I'm here with another opportunity!

We just got word that Sunday Parkways is still looking for volunteers on Sunday, August 28th. If you're available that afternoon, read on!

Ok, here's the deal:

If you're not familiar, Sunday Parkways is a now a Portland summer tradition. The city shuts down a 6-mile or so loop of neighborhood streets, in a different neighborhood each month, to motor vehicles (unless someone living on the route needs to get home or leave), and the surrounding community takes to the streets to party.

People ride bikes, walk, run, skateboard, eat, drink, and dance. There's live music, games for kids in the parks...everyone has a smile on their face.

However, this requires large amounts of volunteers!

We had such a great time when we went to the Sunday Parkways events last year that we decided to do it again! So, who wants to help?

Photo Credit: Jonathan Maus at www.bikeportland.org

We'll be working:

South East Portland Sunday Parkways

August 28th

12:45pm-4:30pm

Info and map of route here.

Your task (if you choose to volunteer) will be:

-- Stand at an intersection - we'll hopefully have a few in a row so you might be able mingle with fellow supporters - and wave to kids. Also help route car traffic around/through the event. I've been told we are highly encouraged to "Timbers up" these intersections; i.e. crest chalked on the ground, music (green is the colour?), flags, scarves, a bit of street soccer, etc... make it yours!

What's in it for you?

-- A free t-shirt (Woop.); some snacks and drinks on the day of the event, provided by sponsors; repping the TA, the 107ist and the Timbers; and doing something good in and for your community!

How to register to volunteer:

-- You'll want to go to this website to fill out a volunteer registration form. Then click on the "Sign up to VOLUNTEER NOW!" button.

When you register, you'll have to choose a position based on location.

Sign up as an Intersection Superhero from 12:45-4:30 at the SE Harrison and 47th location.

Put down "Timbers Army" as your company or organization.

These two things will ensure that you're more likely to get to hang out near other TA whilst volunteering!

Please also let us know in the comments if you've signed up, so we can get an idea of how many are coming.

You'll need to complete an online "training" if you haven't volunteered with Sunday Parkways before.

Things to bring:

Something to sit on is probably a good idea. A collapsable chair or the like. Something to fill the downtime if there is any. A book to read, or iPad/Kindle/Nook, a puzzle, a small rodent to play with...whatever. Of course, sunscreen and a hat or umbrella, you might need shade. A refillable water bottle, as volunteers will be bringing water around on a bike trailer. Cash money for food and merch vendors if you get a chance to go to them. Some backup snacks for if you get hungry and no one is bringing free Clif Bars.

SERIOUS BUSINESS ALCOHOL POLICY

-- The official policy we have been asked to pass along is that alcohol consumption while volunteering is forbidden. We were also definitely not told that if one were to consume before they started, or they were only drinking what appeared to be a coke while hanging out in the warm sun...not told anything like that at all. But seriously, think of the children.

After the event we could all go to the Hawthorne Street Fair or Bazi Bierbrasserie, a 107ist partner bar nearby ($1 off all beers!) and have a pint together!

Questions are welcomed!

Hope to see you there!

If you live in this neighborhood, help us out! Represent!

—by Chris Rifer

The Portland Timbers’ quest for the Cascadia Cup and a playoff berth lives on today after the Timbers knocked off the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on Saturday evening. In a physical match that befitted the rivalry, the Timbers showed far more moxie in front of goal and tremendous patience to seal a less-than-stressful victory over their fellow MLS freshman.

Portland didn’t waste any time getting the party started, as in the 2^nd minute Diego Chara collected a pass from countryman Jorge Perlaza, took one touch and slammed a shot inside the near post. Inside his box, Gavin Wilkinson was probably nodding approvingly while giving annoying “I told you so” glances to everybody around him.

From there the Whitecaps looked to establish a measure of control over the match. While they dominated possession, the ‘Caps looked completely harmless coming forward. Anything that looked like it might develop into a half chance was quickly extinguished by a Portland defense that was well prepared for anything Vancouver threw at them.

Any supporters who were growing anxious about the Timbers lack of possession were mollified in the 33^rd minute. After Jack Jewsbury’s set piece was knocked down in the box, Jorge Perlaza beat an observant Whitecaps defense to the ball and slotted the ball past Joe Cannon.

Timbers fans have been here before, however, where Portland took an early lead and failed to control the match the rest of the way. Saturday would be different.

The Whitecaps would continue to control possession, but couldn’t create anything truly dangerous from it through the middle of the match. A few shots from distance directly at Troy Perkins and a couple crosses to nobody in particular were all Vancouver could muster.

Portland would, however, create one more golden opportunity. Unfortunately it fell to the foot of Kalif Alhassan. Chara looked to take advantage of ‘Caps midfielder Gershon Koffie’s pathetic header toward his own goal by laying the ball off for Kalif for the tap in. Kalif, now legendary for his ability to miss the target, would put his tap in off the inside of the near post for the crown jewel of his season-long goal-scoring ineptitude.

In spite of Kalif’s miss—which certainly aroused some memories of Brunner’s header off the post that would have put Portland three up against Toronto—the Timbers were successful in keeping Vancouver from creating any bona fide opportunities.

That is, of course, until the 88^th minute when Camilo took a ball, shook David Horst with a pretty pirouette, and tucked a bending ball inside the far post to pull one back.

That was the end of it for the Whitecaps, however, as for perhaps the first time all night the Timbers took control of possession and killed off the remaining moments without much drama.

With the three points in hand, Portland finds themselves back in playoff contention. Their ridiculous stretch of play, however, continues through the week with the two biggest matches of the season on the horizon: Chivas USA and at D.C. United.

Match Observations

• As absurd as that last sentence would have appeared at the beginning of the season, it’s the absolute truth. Both teams are just ahead of Portland in the playoff hunt. The situation breaks down fairly simply: 6 points and the Timbers put themselves in an enviable position. 4 points and it’s “game on”. 2 or 3 points and Portland clings to life. One or fewer and the Timbers are virtually eliminated. Chivas looks to have the best form right now, at 1-1-3 in their last five away matches, including quality draws at Seattle, Colorado, and Kansas City. D.C., as they have through much of the season, have been wildly unpredictable. In their last three home matches, dating back to July 20, they are 1-1-1, with a 4-0 drubbing of Vancouver to their credit, as well as a mystifying 1-0 loss to New England. The matches probably mean the most to frontrunner D.C., who enter a brutal September that consists of fixtures at Chivas, at Seattle, Chivas home, RSL home, and at rival Philadelphia. Chivas, on the other hand, has a more favorable schedule with RSL at home, the home-and-home with United, at Chicago, and TFC home. Portland falls in the middle with tough road trips to Philly and New York, but friendlier home fixtures with New England and San Jose.
• So, after all that, you probably want a broad-view prediction. Well, I’ll give you a conditional prediction. Portland has to take at least 7 points out of their next 3 home matches—Chivas, San Jose, and New England. Three of those have to come from Chivas. No question about that. The road matches, at D.C., at Philly, and at New York, then, are crucial. If Portland takes 3 points out of those, there is hope. 4 or more points and there is expectation. 2 or fewer and there is despair. Write that down. You can probably mock me with it later. Or now, if you like.
• I thought the midfield—especially the center—was masterful on Saturday. That’s an odd thing to say in a match in which your team has less than 40% possession, but I thought they were both the difference in the defense and the catalyst for the offense. The possession statistic is highly deceptive in this instance. The ‘Caps had a lot of harmless possession that the Timbers more or less gave to them. Most anytime Vancouver looked to get forward with any intent, the Timbers midfield was there to clog up the lanes and keep the Whitecaps from creating anything serious.
• Finally, the trade. Jeremy Hall for Eric Alexander. I love it, and here’s why. Hall and Purdy, while different, bring about the same overall quality to the right back spot. Both decent, but nothing to write home about. The center of the midfield, while a position of strength in the Starting XI, has virtually no depth after the trade of Adam Moffat. More important, however, is that I feel that Alexander’s upside is greater than Hall’s. Alexander is a guy that was called up to the USMNT for a quick cup of coffee this year. Is he the next Michael Bradley? Probably not. But the national team program is intrigued with his potential. Here’s the other thing: Jack Jewsbury is 30. He’s not ancient. He probably has at least 2 good years left in him. But still, he’s 30. And then there’s this, and this one is surely to elicit some cries of disgust: Jewsbury, in the midst of a career year and coming off an All Star appearance, has never been valued as highly as he is right now, and likely never will be valued this highly again. Bringing Alexander in gives Gavin the ability to listen to offers for Jewsbury from around the league. I’m not saying you shop him, I’m just saying now you don’t have to slam down the phone if somebody calls. That’s big, especially if somebody is offering something enticing. Did Jeremy Hall, a nice guy and a solid player, give Portland anything like that? No.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 5 Didn’t have much to do, and absolutely can’t be faulted for a pretty fantastic goal by Camilo. Was trustworthy the few times he was challenged with shots from deep.

Mike Chabala, 5.5 He couldn’t be more different than Rod Wallace. Whereas with Wallace the left side was an area of anxiety and, at times, promise, now the left side is substantially quieter.

Futty, 6 I thought Futty had a really nice outing. The boys in the middle were getting lots of cover from their midfield, but when they were called upon Horst and Futty did a nice job.

David Horst, 6 I liked his play, but I also liked his “don’t take no crap off nobody” attitude when Vancouver got physical. He gets docked just a touch for getting schooled on the concession, but that wasn’t entirely his fault.

Lovel Palmer, 5.5 Again, gets credit for a good overall defensive performance. I’m just waiting to see exactly what it was that made Spenny and Gavin bust tail to go out and get this guy.

Kalif Alhassan, 4 For his body of work, this is a harsh grade. For the most part Kalif was making good decisions on the ball and actually played a few sequences of decent defense. But seriously, somebody better have an EpiPen on the sideline in case Kalif ever hits the target, because at this point it has to be assumed that he is deathly allergic to goal.

Jack Jewsbury, 6.5 His defense was good, his distribution in midfield was good, and he got a quality assist on Diego’s goal, and, it could be argued, deserved one for Jorge’s goal.

Diego Chara, 8 I want to point out two things here. First, considering his affect, I think it’s hilariously ironic for Spencer to refer to Chara as a man amongst boys. Second, if you want to look for a reason Portland isn’t the same on the road as they are at home (at least recently), look at Diego. Fabulous at home, quiet on the road. Being that this is his first year in the league, with the difficulty in travel, that is to be expected to a certain extent. But if Diego were to put together a home-like performance at D.C., N.Y. or Philly that would go a long way toward bolstering Portland’s playoff hopes.

Sal Zizzo, 5 Sort of a quiet game from Sal. I wonder if the ridiculous stretch of matches in a row has taken a little bit out of his legs, because the runs don’t seem as crisp as they did a couple weeks ago.

Kenny Cooper, 5.5 His play in the midfield to dispossess the ball and play it to Jewsbury to set up the first goal shouldn’t go unnoticed. The rest of his play, however, largely did go unnoticed.

Jorge Perlaza, 7 A goal and an assist. Solid day at the office. It wasn’t in the way that he usually does it, but Jorge created his goal with his speed. Looking at the replay, there is no way Perlaza should have been first to that ball in the box. In fact, there were two and maybe three ‘Caps that should have been able to get a foot to it before him. They didn’t. In fact, not even close.

Bright Dike, 5.5 It’s starting to look like he’s rounding into form. Had a couple nice runs in a modest spell.

James Marcelin, 5 Not a ton to report here.

Eric Brunner, 4 This is the guy that bears the bulk of the responsibility for the concession. Camilo may well have been offside, but if there was anybody holding him on, it was Brunner. The Timbers were in an offside trap, and Brunner busted it. Snap out of it, beanpole,[1] your team is going to need you.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Andrew Brawley

I’ve been to DC a couple times. I was 11 years old the first time I went. It was part of a pilgrimage to the Boy Scouts Jamboree many summers ago. I remember all kinds of historical monuments, unique architecture, and people willing to take everything in for what it is: history overload. I’ve been meaning to go back and spend some free time there, but we all know that’s easier said than done.

Thankfully we have a very active TA member to serve as this entry’s voice of authority. Ben Anderson, who some of you may know better by his Twitter handle @DCExiled, returned to PDX from DC just as the 2011 season got under way, and I cannot imagine a better resource for this particular travel guide. Here’s Ben’s take on how to do DC right.

PS - Minor Threat and Bad Brains are from DC. Respect!

So, you're headed to DC.  It's not a very big city but there are a number of things to do and see while you're there.  I make the following suggestions based on my 2 years living in DC.  I'll warn you: DC is a coffee and beer desert.  Follow these directions to find the spots that took me over a year to discover.

Coffee

This is perhaps the area that DC lacks the most. If you're not interested in drinking Starbucks all weekend, here's where you should go.

• Mid-City Caffe: 1626 14th St NW (U St.). Small cafe located above a vintage/antique shop. Currently serving Counter Culture.
• Baked & Wired: 1052 Thomas Jefferson St. NW (Georgetown). Busy coffee shop in Georgetown. Currently serving Stumptown and Intelligentsia. Decent baked goods but unfortunately a major player in the DC designer cupcake fad. Nice staff and a decent atmosphere.
• Chinatown Coffee Co.: Located at the corner of 5th and H NW (Chinatown). Small private roaster. Busy spot but the coffee is good.

Food

There are a number of good restaurants in the DC area but you end up paying handsomely. Here are a few spots that are good and (mostly) affordable.

• Mitsitam Cafe: National Museum of the American Indian (National Mall/Smithsonian). It's a museum cafe, but please don't write it off too quickly. Contemporary creations based on traditional native foods, Mitsitam is arguably one of the best eats in town.
• Kaz Sushi Bistro: 1915 I St NW (Midtown). A bit pricey but one of the few places in DC where you will find high quality sushi.
• Open City: 2331 Calvert St. NW (Woodley Park). One of the best breakfasts in town. Coffee is home roasted. Staff is friendly and sporting a number of tattoos.
• Lalibela: 1415 14th St NW (Logan Circle). If you don't eat Ethiopian food while in DC you have let yourself down. Lalibela is a great little family-owned restaurant. Get the combo platter and split it several ways.
• Dukem: 1114-1118 U St NW (U St.). Dukem is considered by many to be the best Ethiopian food in town.
• El Rinconcito II: 1326 Park Rd (Columbia Heights). Salvadoran with Mexican influences. Tiny restaurant but the food is great. There will be football on the TV - guarantee it.
• Kramer's Books and Afterwords Cafe: 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW (Dupont). The beer selection is decent, the food pretty great.  Go in, grab a book, have a bite. Warning: new books only, don't expect any great deals.

Bars/Drink

There are a lot of bars in DC. That said most don't serve much that is worth writing home about. The following bars and pubs are listed more for the atmosphere than the selection.

• Lucky Bar: 1221 Connecticut Ave NW (Dupont). The beer is pretty bad, be warned. That said, if you'll be in town for the weekend EPL matches, this is a good place to watch. Primarily an Arsenal spot, you're still sure to find supporters of your EPL club if there is a match on. Decent breakfast on match days.
• The Pug: 1234 H Street NE (H St.). This is probably the closest thing you'll find to a dive bar in DC. Small and decently cheap. Also a good place to catch a match.
• The Big Hunt: 1345 Connecticut Ave. NE (Dupont). Pretty decent beer at affordable prices. Huge place but usually pretty busy. Don't bother with the food.
• Bier Baron Tavern: 1523 22nd St NW (Dupont). Formerly the Brickskellar. This pub boasts 50 drafts and over 500 bottles. The new owners have kept the same beer list as the old ones. Expect to pay a little more, but in DC good beer is tough to find.
• The Tombs: 1226 36th St NW (Georgetown). Kind of a khaki pants and polo shirt scene due to its proximity to Georgetown University, The Tombs is a quality place with cheap drinks and late night snacks. Legend has it that Charlie Davies was drinking here before getting in a car he probably shouldn't have.

Things to do/see

DC isn't too hard to figure out. There is an historic site or a museum on every corner. You'll see some great stuff no matter what, but here are some places that you might not know about. Don't miss them.

• National Museum of the American Indian: National Mall. NMAI is a fantastic museum and one that doesn't get visited as often as it should. The docents are incredible and are available to chat and answer questions any time, not just during guided tours. If you're doing the Smithsonian thing, don't skip this museum. (Free)
• National Zoo: Woodley Park. It's free and bigger than the Oregon Zoo.
• The Newseum: 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (Midtown/Capitol). One of the few museums you'll have to pay for, The Newseum is worth every penny. See pieces of the Berlin Wall, the Unibomber's cabin, and read newspapers dating back to the birth of the US. Don't miss it.

Other tips:

• Take the Metro everywhere, especially on your way to RFK for the match.
• Wear the lightest clothing you can manage - it'll be hot.
• Watch the107IST board for pre-match tailgate plans and post-match pub plans.
• Buy a pupusa at RFK, they're actually quite good.
• Don't wait in line for a White House tour unless you have arranged it in advance (you need a background check a couple weeks in advance).
• Go into the Library of Congress. You're welcome in advance.
• Bring a zip-lock bag to RFK. DC has freak rainstorms and you should be prepared to get your cell phone and wallet out of harm’s way.
• For tailgate: buy beer in Virginia (better selection).
• If you fly into Dulles, go to the Air and Space Museum there.

—by Andrew Brawley

Apparently the couple in front of me at last night’s Timbers/Whitecaps match, that’s who! I wish I was exaggerating here, but it seemed like these two couldn’t be more than six inches away from each other for the entire match (pre-game, game, and post-game).

I can admit to being young once. Maybe my poor track record with women made me a bit jealous. Maybe my age prevents me from allowing young love to naturally blossom in my surroundings. Maybe I’m upset that as a married suburbanite, I had nothing to do with Portland’s recent claim to fame as being the most promiscuous city in the US (side note: we beat Seattle!).

Ooooorrrrrrr…

Maybe I just recognize that there is a time and place for making out. It’s called the couch in Mom and Dad’s living room after they’ve gone to bed, and NOT in the Timbers Army section. Ever!

I didn’t buy season tickets to have my view suddenly blocked by tongues battling it out in a collective mouth. I bought them because I want to support the team I love. I actually found a way to watch the game, sing and dance along with the array of chants, and hold one or two beers all at the same time. This is not an easy process, so I consider it to be a major accomplishment. Your constant flow of PDA is throwing off my game.

Alright, so I might be turning into Andy Rooney, but y’know what else made it annoying? Yesterday was the hottest day in Portland for 2011. First day above 90 degrees. (Brief pause to allow nearly all other MLS team supporters to quit laughing.) It was pretty disgusting out there. Despite everyone’s best efforts, anti-perspirant and cologne can only help so much. In short, we all smelled pretty bad. I know when I try to impress a lady, I prefer to be clean. Maybe you’re meant to be together since you both like making out in a sea of smelly filth. Call me old-fashioned, but in that temperature, I don’t even wanna shake my wife’s hand.

It is well-documented that there are many happy couples out there who were brought together by the Timbers Army experience. Marriages. Babies. Grandkids. They’re all there, and we honor and respect them. However, it’s the Beautiful Game that is the centerpiece of this experience. If you feel obligated to put on a show in front of a bunch of sweaty party-goers, take it down to Club Sesso.

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

2011 Portland Flag Display versus Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Photo by Randy Rasmussen, The Oregonian

—by Chris Rifer

On Wednesday the Portland Timbers showed up at Livestrong Sporting Park, licked a stamp, and mailed it in. There is no kinder way to put it. Portland’s anemic effort was the worst since the disaster in Dallas, and once again made a mockery of John Spencer’s vow to have a hardworking, scrappy team.

The Timbers came out completely lifeless, letting the Wiz dominate possession. Fortunately for Portland, for the first 20 minutes or so, Sporting showed a lack of moxie as they approached goal.

Eventually, though, K.C. would become emboldened by the Timbers’ toothlessness.  In the 25^th minute, Sporting midfielder Graham Zusi collected a Rodney Wallace clearing header and fired the ball from 25 yards out into the far corner. For the second match in a row the Timbers conceded a goal on a brilliant strike from long range.

Fifteen minutes later – only about ten of which were actually played after a long stoppage caused by Jimmy Nielsen being hit in the eye by a flung bobblehead – Kansas City would strike again. This time the Timbers failed to clear a ball out of the box, and after a bit of a scrum in front of goal, Zusi forced the ball over the line. For the second match in a row, Portland found themselves down two goals in the first half.

For the second paragraph in a row, I pointed out a troubling similarity to the previous match.

The determination to get back into the match that Portland demonstrated against Houston must have skipped the trip to Kansas City, as the Timbers came out equally indifferent in the second half as they did in the first. While Portland was able to get forward with a little bit more regularity—largely thanks to Sporting’s complete lack of concern—the Timbers struggled to create any chances worth writing about.

Any fool’s hope of a comeback was put to rest in the 72^nd minute, as an Eric Brunner challenge at the top of the box ricocheted off of Soony Saad’s foot and floated, in painfully slow motion, back into Portland’s goal. It was a fittingly ugly goal, as Portland’s pitiful effort was appropriately punished by an embarrassingly fluky concession.

In a late effort to save face—largely fueled by the entrance of a few substitutes who seemed comparatively motivated—Bright Dike opened his MLS account. It was a feel good moment for a guy who has worked tirelessly to recover from a devastating injury and prove that he deserves his place on the team.

The warm fuzzies from Dike’s goal, however, don’t help the Timbers on the table. With already faint playoff hopes quickly slipping away, Portland has given themselves a mountain to climb in their efforts to reach the postseason. After an effort like Wednesday’s, however, it is hard to argue they deserve it.

Match Observations

• To be perfectly honest, there aren’t a whole lot of observations to be had about the match. So, in this midweek post, we’re going with some more general observations.
• After watching that match, I am convinced that everybody that has complained about Portland’s artificial surface needs to at least say a little apology. I don’t know whether it is mismanagement, overuse, or what, but the surface at K.C. is in embarrassing condition for such a new facility. The penalty area on Portland’s first half defensive end was virtually a sandlot, and there were so many divots throughout the pitch that it looked like a fairway on Sunday of a PGA tournament. So, artificial surface at Jeld-Wen, I apologize for all the mean things I have said about you. I appreciate that you play true, even if a little fast. Sure, you could be a little bit bigger, but at least you aren’t bare dirt over substantial portions of your surface. And I must admit, you do look awfully nice after the waterboys give you a spray.
• Dear Chivas USA: We’re sure glad you took the skeleton of Juan Pablo Angel off of Galaxy’s books so they could sign Robbie Keane. I don’t know if you have watched him at all this year, but we actually think you got ripped off in parting with a 3rd Round Supplemental Draft Pick. Most especially, thanks for making the most loaded team in the league better by doing them a gigantic favor. Sincerely, The Rest of the League. P.S. Stop being a subsidiary of a club in a competitor league. Nothing against Chivas de Guadalajara, but you are making us all look very minor league.
• Finally, a very early comment on this upcoming postseason. I generally agree with the effort of trying to build a foundation without investing huge gobs of money in 30-something designated players this season. Moreover, I’m sympathetic to the argument that making major changes midseason can sometimes be more disruptive than helpful, especially when you’re trying to build a long-term nucleus. That said, this offseason is going to be a choice time to spend a bit of money. We shouldn’t be near the point of Arsenal fans, who have very forcefully made known their feelings about their club’s relative austerity, but I think it is reasonable for Timbers fans to expect a bit more quality on the roster next year. There are two ways to build depth, from the top and the bottom. I think the Timbers have done a good job of putting together a solid core of legitimate MLS talent, but the time is approaching to add some star power to the lineup. We’ll talk more about this after the season.
• Glad Nielsen is okay, but Sporting, that’s what you get for having stupid, warmed-over promotion nights like that. Again, sort of like Chivas, try not to make the rest of us look minor league. May I suggest a little originality?

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 4.5 I do feel bad for the guy. There have been times this week where he has just appeared stranded out there. The vast majority of Wednesday’s embarrassment wasn’t his fault, but truth be told, he should have done better on the second concession.

Rodney Wallace, 5 Rod was partially to blame for the first concession, but otherwise I actually thought he was one of the Timbers’ better players. That’s not exactly saying a whole lot, but at least Rod looked like he cared.

David Horst, 5.5 Against the grain, Horst has quietly put together a nice spell of play over the last couple weeks.

Eric Brunner, 5 Not much to say about Brunner. Unspectacular outing. Can’t fault him for the third concession, which was just bad luck.

Mike Chabala, 3.5 I don’t understand playing him out of position like that when you have Jeremy Hall, a serviceable right back, available. He gets a negative grade, but it’s hard not to think that he was set up for failure by the coaching staff’s late move.

Darlington Nagbe, 3.5 Also shares some of the culpability for the first concession, as he was rather casual in closing Zusi down. Was also otherwise ineffective.

Jack Jewsbury, 4.5 A bit lucky to get the assist on Dike’s goal. Had a pretty invisible game in the midfield.

Diego Chara, 4 Unusually anonymous match from Diego.

Sal Zizzo, 4.5 I wonder if he is a little banged up after the Houston game. He wasn’t very good in that first half, but he also wasn’t awful. Sal has arguably been the Timbers’ best player over the course of the last couple weeks, so it was surprising to see him get the hook at halftime.

Jorge Perlaza, 4.5 Didn’t do much, but the utter ineffectiveness of the midfield didn’t help his casue.

Kenny Cooper, 5 Actually, I thought Kenny had several nice touches that just didn’t work out for one reason or another. He didn’t make a huge impact, but on the whole I wasn’t dissatisfied with his performance.

Kalif Alhassan, 5 Maybe gets a little bit more generous grade because he brought a bit more energy than he did in his stint in Houston. Wasn’t especially effective, but also wasn’t terrible.

Brian Umony, 5.5 He truly had the look of a guy who was out there to prove that he belonged in the team. I think Umony needs a little bit more seasoning, but the mentality seems to be there for him. I, for one, would like to see him back in the club next season.

Bright Dike, 5.5 It was really nice to see Bright get a goal. Nobody pulls off the awkward goal quite like Dike does. His tallies are very rarely pretty, but they make their way into the net all the same.

Onward, Rose City!

NOTE: Members of the Timbers Army will present a check for $20,375 to Cody Goldberg of Harper’s Playground prior to the Aug. 20 match between the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps at Jeld-Wen Field. Gametime is 7 p.m.

NORTH PORTLAND – As diehard supporters of the Portland Timbers, the Timbers Army knows something about goals.

And they’re closing in on a crucial one.

Prior to the Timbers’ Aug. 20 match at Jeld-Wen Field, members of the Timbers Army will present a check for $20,375 to Cody Coldberg, executive director of Harper’s Playground.

The check is the latest step in a year-long campaign to raise money for Harper’s Playground, an inclusive playground to be built in North Portland’s Arbor Lodge Park.

The project is named after 6-year-old Harper Goldberg, who has Emanuel Syndrome. While Harper continues to defy the odds in her battle to gain independence, her parents, Cody and April Goldberg, have pledged to raise $350,000 for the project.

The Army got involved at the end of the 2010 season, raising over $3,000 through the sale of scarves commemorating the team’s final season at the second-division level before joining Major League Soccer this spring.

That caught the eye of “Timber Jim” Serrill, the retired logger who’s been the team’s mascot for more than 30 years. He spearheaded a second fund-raising campaign using specially designed Harper’s Playground scarves. Both scarves were designed by Timbers Army volunteer designer Daniel Gerhardstein. Sold throughout the season, that project raised the $20,375 that will be passed along to Goldberg on Aug. 20.

"My wife and I can't find the right words to describe how thankful we are to Timber Jim, the many members of the 107ist who helped make this happen, and to all the fans of the Timbers who bought Harper's Playground scarves,” says Cody Goldberg. “The smiles they’ll see on all the children's faces when they enjoy the playground will have to suffice.”

Added Serrill: "As the director of Love and Celebration for the Portland Timbers, I must say that Harper’s Playground truly defines what ‘Spread the Love’ is all about. Every child deserves a place to play and Harper’s Playground will provide that experience for generations.

” One little girl, Harper Goldberg has inspired her Mom, Dad and our community to make sure everybody plays. This will be a world-class playground named after a girl with world-class love.

The project team is now 70 percent of the way toward the $350,000 goal.

For more information on Harper’s Playground – or to donate – go to www.harpersplayground.org.