After a successful opening venture, improving playing fields at Ed Benedict Park in SE Portland, Operation Pitch Invasion tackled its second project last Saturday. OPI teamed up with AC Portland, Depave and the107 Independent Supporters Trust to begin removing a 4,000 sq ft blacktop surface at James John Elementary School in North Portland. The ultimate goal is to install a mini soccer pitch, among new greenspace that will include trees and a grass berm-amphitheater.

Photo by Shawn Levy

About 60 volunteers from 107ist made it to St Johns on a sunny morning to join the fun; and by fun I mean swinging picks and sledgehammers, using prybars, and hauling chunks of asphalt away. These chunks have the charming euphemism "brownie", but I don't recommend trying to eat one (nor do I recommend dropping one on your finger, as I did roughly five minutes after starting work, thereby relegating me to clipboard duty for the rest of the day. Ow. So it goes.).

Photo by Shawn Levy

OPI wants to extend a huge thanks to all the volunteers who helped out, and to encourage everyone to sign up for next weekend, when we'll finish the job at James John.

Photo courtesy of Depave

—by Chris Rifer

The Timbers got back to their struggling ways on Saturday, as they again snatched defeat from the jaws of a positive result in Columbus, falling 1-0 to the Crew on a sticky evening in central Ohio.

As is not uncommon, the Timbers established themselves well in the first half hour of the match. Portland controlled much of the possession and seemingly found opportunities at will. Portland’s passing was crisp, and the Timbers’ midfield dominated the Crew.

Opportunities don’t win matches by themselves, however, and the Timbers couldn’t turn their opportunities into goals. A Lovel Palmer strike from distance was stopped by Crew keeper Andy Gruenebaum. A Jack Jewsbury shot sailed off target. A Darlington Nagbe go, set up by a dazzling run, was pulled wide.

Even if the offense couldn’t put a number on the scoreboard, in the first half the Timbers defense was ready to answer the few questions that Columbus asked of them. Eric Brunner and company held Columbus at bay, maintaining their shape much better than the previous several weeks and crisply clearing away any crosses that the Crew sent into the box.

The Timbers offense would go silent in the second half, however, as an early Jewsbury strike from distance would be virtually the only serious threat of the stanza. Instead it was the Crew that would dominate. The Timbers midfield that had controlled the first half hour suddenly couldn’t keep possession, and when they did they couldn’t take it anywhere.

Meanwhile, the Timbers defense found itself under siege. For a split second it appeared as though the Crew had broken thorough, as Chad Marshall bowled over Brunner to get a nod to a Columbus corner, only to have Darlington Nagbe volley it off the line. The ball was perilously close to breaking the plane of the goal, but the linesman and referee signaled to play on.

The Crew would continue to apply pressure, and their efforts would pay off in the 79^th minute. After Robbie Rodgers shed two Timbers defenders to send a cross to the far post the ball would pinball through the box before finding Eddie Gaven who would softly volley it past Futty for the winner.

As we have frequently seen, after conceding the goal Portland retreated into its shell. Absent was any sense of urgency or desperation. Instead, Portland looked a side that was exhausted and defeated. Probably because they were.

Match Observations

• There were some moral victories out there, but at this point in the season those are worth the same in the team’s mentality as they are on the table. Nothing. Yes, there were some very positive moments from the wide midfielders. Yes, Lovel Palmer showed that he has the potential to be a good upgrade at right back. Still, a tough team would have earned a result out of that match. Right now, plain and simple, the Timbers aren’t a tough team.
• The forward situation is interesting. Neither Jorge Perlaza nor Kenny Cooper were effective on Saturday, but I think Perlaza brings a necessary element in the 4-5-1 that Cooper doesn’t—his pace. With Perlaza in the game it seemed that the Columbus defense and even midfield had to hold back a bit more, otherwise they would get burned by one of Jorge’s signature runs. When Cooper came into the game, it seemed that the Crew were able to pin their ears back with impunity because he doesn’t provide that same threat. On the whole, I am bit less curious about the 4-5-1 than I was before the match. I’m not saying it’s time to scrap it, but absent success over the next few matches it may be time to reinsert Kenny Cooper into the lineup in a 4-4-2. I am bracing myself for the comments on this that will be forthcoming.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 5 Didn’t have a ton of work to do, and can’t be faulted for such a strange goal. When he was called on he generally did well, but can’t really get a very positive grade for such a rather average outing.

Rodney Wallace, 5.5 Rod actually had a nice game at left back. Had a few timely tackles and was one of the players that acted as a catalyst when things were going well up front. Had a couple plays where he misplayed a ball forward or a pass back, but I think that comes with the territory with Rod. Overall a positive game for him.

Futty, 5 Can’t really be faulted for the goal, and didn’t have a poor game in back. Still, he had a couple nervous moments. He is very much Robin to Brunner’s Batman. I like the beard, though.

Eric Brunner, 6 I thought Brunner was just a hair short of fantastic. He came through with multiple saving tackles and always seemed to be in the right spot. Can’t be faulted for the Chad Marshall almost-goal, as he was blatantly fouled by Marshall coming way over the top. Had the referee signaled for a goal, that would have been the topic of discussion.

Lovel Palmer, 5 Had a couple sloppy moments in back, but considering he only had one training session with the team, it was a good debut. I do like how he fancies himself from distance.

James Marcelin, 4 Ranged between invisible and out of control. Gets the most responsibility for the concession, as when the ball falls to you like that in the box, you have to be able to clear it out. I’m not giving him the hook just yet, but if he is going to keep another striker off the pitch, he is going to have to justify it a bit better than he did on Saturday.

Darlington Nagbe, 5.5 Looked electric at times with the ball at his feet. I agree with Robbie Earle that he looks much healthier than he did a month ago. Still, he had two golden opportunities that he pulled wide.

Diego Chara, 5.5 A few people have alluded to this, but one of the most interesting developments has been the chemistry between Chara and Nagbe going forward. I also still love how Diego sidles up to opponents on defense. Or maybe I just like the word “sidle”. I don’t know.

Jack Jewsbury, 4.5 One of Jack’s poorer performances. Put one shot on frame that could have turned this frown upside down, but other than that had a rough day in the midfield as he got knocked around a lot and wasn’t especially effective.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 I think Kalif and Palmer are going to get along just fine. Alhassan looks to be getting his groove back a little bit.

Jorge Perlaza, 4 Needed to be a little bit more aggressive, but to be honest, against a good defensive team like Columbus he is going to have his work cut out for him all alone up front.

Kenny Cooper, 4 At one point John Strong said something to the effect of “Kenny Cooper would have had a free run if he hadn’t fallen down at the top of the box.” That, friends, is the season in a nutshell. That said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him reinserted into the lineup in the next few weeks. Look, if there is one thing you can say about strikers it is that they are streaky. Kenny is in a really bad stretch of form right now, but there is an argument to be made that he just needs to play his way out of it. Again, don’t hate me for saying that.

Sal Zizzo, 5.5 His form over the last few weeks makes it awfully hard to keep him off the pitch. The only problem is that the guys in front of him are also in good form. Sallie was really the only guy in the last 15 minutes that looked like he had the legs and the will to try to find an equalizer. Maybe that’s his role – the closer. Sallie the Closer. It may not be that accurate, but it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

Peter Lowry, 4.5 I think everybody is sort of confused about what his role is on this team. He is a nice enough player – as he showed against West Brom – but I just don’t know where to put him.

Onward, Rose City!

—by Chris Rifer

Oh, hey there. How’s it going? Yeah, long time no see.

Sorry for the absence last week, I was in the mountains of Idaho attending a buddy’s bachelor party and wedding. Accordingly, I wasn’t able to tune into the game, which hampered my ability to write about it. I should give a shout out to my buddy Mike, however, whose text updates kept me well informed of the progress of the match and off the dance floor for a period of the reception. Anyway, on to business.

Fire Observations

• My thinking on Troy Perkins has gone back and forth a little bit this season. There is no question that the trade to get him was a good deal. As much of a Cronin fan as I have been, Troy Perkins is a definite upgrade at keeper. Saturday night he was absolutely fantastic. Not only was he well-deserving of his second Save of the Week award in a row, but he logged his best complete effort of the season, earning the Timbers their win on the road. The challenge for the Timbers is that when he isn’t out-of-his-head good, the defense hasn’t been stout enough to pick up the slack. Even on Saturday, he bailed out a fair few defensive mistakes. You can’t expect you keeper to save your bacon every week, and the fear here is that matches like Saturday in Chicago are more the exception than the rule.
• Jorge Perlaza looks much more comfortable up front as – effectively – a lone striker. Between the Seattle and Chicago matches, he has been as effective up front as he has during any other two week stretch of the season. He still needs to put more of his efforts on goal, as he only has seven shots on frame, but notably four of those have hit the net.
• I’ve heard a couple people sort of question Jack Jewsbury’s inclusion on the All-Star team because a lot of his statistical production comes off of set pieces. I only have two words to respond to that: David Beckham. Without Beckham’s prowess on set pieces he never would have been the global icon that he was in the early part of the decade. Sure, he still would have been a starter on the English national team, and probably even one of their better players. But what made him special was his free kick magic. Now, Jewsbury is no David Beckham, but the point remains. Free kicks are part of the game, and an important part of the game at that. Without Jack the Timbers likely don’t tie New England, Seattle or New York, nor do they beat FC Dallas, Philadelphia or Columbus. If somebody can show me another player in the league that is responsible for that many points and not on the All-Star team, I will stand corrected. Hint: It's not gonna happen.

West Brom Observations

• I agree with John Spencer’s assessment of Darlington Nagbe’s play. He was fantastic. One major difference – he was roaming the central part of the field a lot more. I think that suits his ability to break opponents down on the dribble – to steal a basketball term – a bit more and find seams between the central mids and backs. I have liked what I have seen from the 4-5-1, but if things don’t work out I would be interested to see the team go to a 4-4-1-1 with Zizzo coming on at right wing, Kalif on the left, Perlaza up top, and Darlington withdrawn.
• I’m pretty sure Jonas Olsson is the reincarnation of Ichabod Crane.
• Boy, Eric Brunner is important to the Timbers defense. Portland’s defense was pretty good in the first half, with Brunner as its anchor. Once he left, well, we all saw what happened.
• For the first hour or so Freddie Braun showed me again why I stubbornly think he has an MLS future. It may not be this year, but I think the kid has the talent to contribute at this level. After about the hour mark, though, it was clear that he was not used to playing at that pace. I’m not sure I recall ever having seen many players as tired as he was at the end of 90 minutes.
• I had a similar reaction to the play of Chris Taylor. He hasn’t been as interesting in his few appearances as Braun, but I thought he had a respectable showing in the first hour or so of the match. If I had to choose between the two I would go with Braun, but I think Taylor may be worth the roster spot for another year to see if he can develop a bit more.

Personnel Observations

• In case you haven’t heard, on Thursday the Timbers sent Adam Moffat and a rumored $150,000 in allocation money to Houston Dynamo in exchange for defensive players Lovel Palmer and former Timber Mike Chabala. Palmer seems slated to step in fairly quickly at right back, while Chabala will probably back up, and potentially challenge, Rod Wallace at left back.
• The long and short of the deal is that it seems to be a slam dunk. Palmer will likely be better than anything that the Timbers have put at right back to date, and Chabala provides depth at the Timbers’ thinnest position. Considering Merritt and Gavin have said that another major international signing this year is unlikely, losing the allocation money is of marginal immediate significance. Adam Moffat, in spite of being an all around good guy and a decent player, had essentially fallen to fourth on the depth chart at center mid behind Chara, Jack, and Marcelin. So, the Timbers got a likely starting right back and a backup left back for their #4 center mid and change. Yes, please.
• Merritt has suggested that perhaps the dealmaking isn’t done yet. By filling needs with this early deal, I think the Timbers have given themselves a lot of options going forward. The biggest trade piece, even if some insist he isn’t on the block, is obviously Kenny Cooper. The Timbers do have a couple other pieces that they can dangle as well, however. With the addition of Palmer, it seems that either Steve Purdy or Jeremy Hall are expendable – perhaps Hall more so because of Purdy’s ability to shift to the left or the center in a pinch.
• The priorities at this point have to be finding more attacking talent and perhaps another piece to plug in at center back. To be honest, though, I’m not desperate for either. I’m kind of curious to see how Perlaza can do up front by himself, and I’m not in love with the Timbers’ ability to find something that will improve the Brunner-Futty combo in back on the trade market. If somebody like the Revs or Fire offered me a first round SuperDraft pick or a hefty sum of allocation for Coop, I would have to think long and hard about that.
• Props to Chicago Dan for alerting me to this, but one of the first people to break the trade news on Wednesday night was Ian Joy. I heart him.
• Oh, and to Adam Moffat, thanks for your service as a Timber. Hopefully one day we’ll meet again on the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Or maybe October 14^th when you are on the ticket for the Timbers-Dynamo match. Awkward.

Calling all soccer heads, stat nerds, and Anglophiles: the English Premier League season begins in just over three weeks. This makes you as happy as Bolo Zenden during a 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge, and it also means you have three weeks to build your fantasy team.

If you're like me, by now your MLS fantasy team is probably a shambles; if you've even bothered to keep up with it, you're probably still a hundred points or more behind that bastard Camm (for example). So turn your short attention span toward the land of Excalibur and fish'n'chips, and get your Fantasy Premier League on!

Once you've created a team, you'll need a league to join. mao and Nevets have both got leagues going (mao's is a classic table and Nevets' is a head-to-head style, both of which are very much fun to play), and now there's a Timbers Army league too. If you've played in the SCUSA Free League during the past few years, you'll already be enrolled in the TA league (I've maintained the SCUSA league and decided to change the name this season to accurately reflect the fact that ULTRAS NO SCUSA BRO! Or something like that.).

Create your team here: http://fantasy.premierleague.com; then use the code 58432-22317 to join the Timbers Army EPL fantasy league; and follow the links above to join mao's and Nevets' leagues (they're all on the same site and it's easy to enter your team in multiple leagues).

—by Andrew Brawley

Columbus, Ohio. I’ve never been there. In fact, I don’t know many people who have. Even friends of mine from Cleveland and Cincinnati don’t have much of an opinion on it. It’s just one of those anonymous towns. I think I know more about the town of Sandusky, and that’s only because the film Tommy Boy took place there.

However, we Timbers fans are lucky to have quite the resource for this week’s away game travel guide in Timbers defender Eric Brunner. Not only was he born in Ohio (Dublin, Ohio to be exact), but he played his last two seasons for this week’s villains, the Columbus Crew.

So without further ado, take it away Mr. Brunner!

Short North has a bunch of boutiques and restaurants.  Also a lot of bars around the area.  Bodega's has a bunch of beers on tap and bottle. Most eclectic for beers.

My favorite restaurant is Marcella's in the Short North.  It's Italian and it has the best calamari I've ever had.  I always order it when I go.  Also they have amazing meatballs.

Not too far from the Short North is the Park Street district.  There is a lineup of bars ranging from a Mexican Style Cantina, called Park Street Cantina, a tequila bar type thing.  Great for the outdoor patio.  Also there is a place called Patio, which is right down from it.  There is a bar for whatever you're looking for. Gaswerks is in the same area, and it has pool tables and good deals on drinks.

If you enjoy a good steak, there is a place called Hyde Park, and it has unreal steak.  Great wine selection too.

A little further on the south side of the city is German Village and Brewery District.  This is where I lived for two years and there are some pubs around there.  A cool little place is called Club 185, and they have the best 'pigs in a blanket' that they hand-make to order.

If you want to check out shopping or anything there are two big malls.  The first is Easton, which is out by the airport.  They have everything you can imagine in there.  It's a Town Centre kind of mall, where shops are outside and inside.  It's great to walk around outside if it's nice.

If there is a chance to grab lunch, check out the North Market.  It's right in the park street area and it has shops that sell all sorts of foods.

And if you want to check out the Ohio State campus, there are plenty of bars to take in. South Gateway is home to a few of those places. McFadden's, Ugly Tuna Saloona, Mad Mex and there is new bar that was just opened there.  I will say Ugly Tuna has a very addicting game, where it's a buck or two to play, but it's filled with live lobsters.  If you catch one, they will cook it for you on the spot for free.  I have gotten two in one night, so that's a record to try and beat.

Phase One of the AC Portland project kicked off Friday morning with a breakfast ceremony at the St. Johns Pub and a brief excursion to James John Elementary School, where the first Advantage Centers site will begin taking shape this weekend.

Work parties will be held at the North Portland school over the next three Saturdays, with volunteers from the Timbers Army and Operation Pitch Invasion helping to put a small, artificial turf soccer field in the midst of the expansion blacktop now in place at James John.

The field will become the hub of the AC Portland program at the school, which includes fundamental soccer, literacy instruction, mentoring, coaching and nutritional information.

Friday’s breakfast concluded a first-wave fund-raising campaign that should enable AC Portland centers to open in at least six Portland-area schools stretching from St. Johns to Beaverton.

Friday’s breakfast concluded a first-wave fund-raising campaign that should enable AC Portland centers to open in at least six Portland-area schools stretching from St. Johns to Beaverton.

As a founding partner, the Timbers Army has pledged to contribute at least 1,000 volunteer hours to the ACs;  other founding partners include Adidas, the Portland Timbers, the Oregon Sports Authority and the United States Soccer Federation.

About 15 TA volunteers spent late Thursday and early Friday converting the pub and the playground into a temporary Timbers Wonderland.

107ist President Dave Hoyt and capo and TA pioneer Shawn Levy were among the speakers at the event, while Timbers play-by-play man John Strong served as master of ceremonies.

Portland Mayor Sam Adams pledged a civic contribution of $10,000 to program, while Bill Heuffner, director of development and professional relations for Jeld-Wen, issued a challenge pledge that could raise up to $18,647 in a single night.

L-R: Patrik Nilsson - adidas; Mike Golub - Portland Timbers, Kevin Palau - Season Of Service, Joanne Couchman - 107ist/Timbers Army

Across the street, golden pick axes were distributed to a select group of VIPs that included 107ist Board member and James John neighbor Joanne Couchman.

A fresh supply of soccer balls was distributed, courtesy of Adidas,  and quickly found a collection of young soccer players who picked up a few tips on the fine art of digging deep from ex-Timber midfielder Tony McManus.

To volunteer for one of the three Saturday morning construction parties, contact Board Secretary Roger Anthony.  More info on the work parties can be found here.

(All photos taken by Scott Hartley)

The first of three work parties at James John Elementary School will be held this weekend starting at 10 a.m. Saturday.

All three events, which will transform part of the school's blacktop playground into a small soccer field as part of the AC Portland program, will be held on Saturdays beginning at 10 a.m.  Equipment and supplies will be provided at each event.  You will need to bring your own work gloves. 

Here is a breakdown of the work schedule:

July 16 (10 a.m.):  Cutting asphalt in preparation for removal.  We are seeking six to 10 TA volunteers.  Lunch will be provided by the St. Johns Farmers market, and participants receive a voucher redeemable at a North Portland market.

July 23 (10 a.m.):  Removal and disposal of asphalt.  We will need 50 or so volunteers for this.  There is no lunch provided but there will be a post-work viewing party at the St. Johns Pub just across the street when the Timbers play Columbus at 5 p.m.

July 30 (10 a.m.):  Finishing touches on the field and playground.  Need 40-50 volunteers.  Picnic lunches provided.  For this date, we will need rakes, wheelbarrows and other yard-cleaning tools.

To volunteer, contact 107ist Board Secretary Roger Anthony;  please include email and telephone contact information.

James John Elementary is located at 7439 N. Charleston Ave.;  the St. Johns Pub is located at 8203 N. Ivanhoe St.

You marveled at the display before the match, you've shared the photos and videos of it with your family and friends, and it's made you proud to be a supporter of the Portland Timbers, a.k.a. the King of Clubs. Now you may be wondering how something like this gets done, and how you can get involved with producing future tifo displays.

Photo by Steven Lenhart

Timbers Army tifo has always been conceived, funded and produced independently of the team; we use the sweat equity and creativity of our members, who do this out of love for the club and nothing more. For the two weekends prior to the ill-fated Cascadia Cup match, dozens of Timbers Army members gathered in super-secret locations in and around Portland, putting their time and energy into helping create our latest display of love and support for our boys in green.

It takes an Army to paint something that big.

If you want to help with the next display, there are a couple of ways you can do so:

1) Donate directly to the tifo fund: producing a display of this size is a costly venture, and elbow grease alone doesn't cover the costs of fabric, paint, and other materials.

2) Join 107ist: not only will your membership dues add revenue to the tifo fund, but as a member you'll be able to volunteer to help paint and construct future displays.

—by Chris Rifer

The Portland Timbers continued their 6-week long skid in deflating fashion Sunday afternoon after losing to Seattle 3-2, once again conceding two goals in the final 20 minutes. What for 70 minutes seemed to be an epic match that the Timbers might just be able to salt away turned sour in a hurry, as Portland’s dodgy defense let the Rose City down again.

The first half was a tactical nip-tuck affair. Before the match Portland unexpectedly went to a 4-5-1, replacing striker Eddie Johnson with James Marcelin. The Timbers were looking to control the midfield, provide a little bit more cover for the defense, and let Jorge Perlaza roam the Sounders defense looking for a seam. Seattle, on the other hand, seemed content to let Portland play in the midfield, but played stiff defense and looked to get out on the counter.

The result was a half in which the Timbers seemed to have the better of possession, but the Sounders had the better of the chances. While Portland struggled to create much in the attacking third, Seattle created a number of half chances with a couple Fredy Montero efforts sailing wide and Roger Levesque breaking free behind the Timbers backline once. Still, when the Sounders came calling, the Timbers defense was up to the task, preserving a 0-0 draw at the half.

The stalemate was broken immediately after intermission, however, as in the 46^th minute James Marcelin freed Kalif Alhassan up the right side. Kalif streaked into the box and sent a low cross near post to Jorge Perlaza. Jeff Parke had to make a play on the ball, but the momentum of the cross carried the ball off of Parke’s foot, through the wickets of Kasey Keller, and into the net.

Seattle would answer back in the 57^th minute, as Montero struck a bending, dipping free kick from 25 yards out over the vertically-challenged Timbers wall and into the corner of the net.

For the first time in weeks, however, the Timbers would show a bit of pluck. In the 69^th minute, Diego Chara took possession of the ball in the midfield and played it forward on the right wing to his countryman Perlaza. Just as Jorge appeared to be overrun by the Sounders defense he played a shot that deflected off Tyson Wahl’s leg and into the net. Relief, delirium, and—cruelest of all—hope.

If we have learned one thing over the past several weeks, however, it is that with the Timbers, no lead is safe. This was no exception. Just five minutes later, in the 74^th minute, after the Timbers repeatedly failed to clear Sounders chances, Mauro Rosales found Montero standing alone at the mouth of the goal and Fredy converted the easy chance for the brace.

Relief turned to anxiety, delirium to despair, and hope to resignation. Finally, in the 83^rd minute, the seemingly inevitable happened in familiar fashion. After Eric Brunner let Lamar Neagle slip behind him, Brunner took a final desperate hack to try to tackle the ball away. The result was a predictable red card in the box and a penalty for the Sounders. Osvaldo Alonso stepped to the spot and buried the Timbers.

Match Observations

• It is dizzying to think of how quickly this season has turned from being one that fills the bandwagon to one where supporters earn their stripes. It is a blessing for the franchise to have a strong, loyal fan base—many of whom have been through lean years before. As a Cubs fan, I feel like I know a thing or two about losing, but what has been especially torturous about this stretch has been the way it has happened—two second half stoppage time goals and an 83^rd minute penalty after coughing up a 70^th minute lead. Those go the other way and the Timbers have 24 points and are sitting on the cusp of the playoff picture. So yeah, it’s hard not to think what might be right now.
• This is stating the painfully obvious, but the defense right now is in shambles. Nine goals allowed in three games. Opposing strikers have found space in front of, within, and behind the Timbers defense repeatedly, leading John Spencer to announce the unimaginable today—Kevin Goldthwaite will start the next game, and not completely out of necessity. To date I have been pretty positive about Spencer’s performance, and I certainly don’t think he is the only or even proximate cause of what ails the Timbers. That said, we have seen this defense perform very well at times this year—namely against RSL and Philadelphia, where they were dominant. When a once-formidable unit turns sour without major personnel changes or injuries, you have to look to the coaching. So, here’s looking at you, Spenny.
• One semi-positive note. I liked the 4-5-1 (or some variation of it). I thought the introduction of James Marcelin was helpful, as he was pretty fantastic in the midfield at times on Sunday. I also think that Jorge Perlaza can benefit from it, as he will have lots of room to roam in front. The one downside is that with the introduction of Marcelin and loss of Cooper/Johnson, we lose a target. Still, it’s not like those guys were producing anyway, so why not trade some ineptitude up front for a little possession in the midfield? It will be interesting to see how this evolves, but I give it early passing marks. Speaking of marks…

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 5 I agonized over this one a bit because he was magical at times and none of the goals were really his fault. That said, you conceded three goals and you are the keeper. You can’t get a really positive grade.

Rodney Wallace, 5 Was probably our best defender on the night. That’s troubling. Actually had an okay night. Wasn’t directly culpable on any of the goals and didn’t unleash any Rod Wallace Specials on us.

Futty, 4 Just sort of looked lost in defense in the second half. The Sounders are a good, but not great, offensive side. Futty was a key part of a defense that made them look absolutely magical in the final 45.

Eric Brunner, 3.5 Was not only extremely culpable on the 3^rd goal, but Marcelin was forced to commit the foul that led to the first concession after he was pulled out a bit out of position. Eric will want to forget this one, and won’t get a chance to redeem himself anytime soon as he’ll have to watch the Chicago match on TV.

Steve Purdy, 4 To those of you who didn’t like my assessment of him last week, touché.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 Had a nice day in the midfield, capped off by creating the Timbers’ first goal. That, actually, is a situation in which I think the attacking player should get credit for the goal. By bring the ball down on the byline and sending in a quality cross, he essentially rendered Parke helpless. Parke had to stab at the ball or Perlaza would tap it in, but by stabbing at it, there was a good chance he would knock it in himself. Scoring that as an own goal is harsh to both Parke and Kalif. Seriously, Kalif needs to do something about his allergy to shots on frame, though.

James Marcelin, 6 Had a very nice outing. Possessed the ball well in the midfield and played with very few of the head-slapping giveaways that he has been known to commit in the past. Even though he committed the foul that set up the first concession, it has a foul he had to commit because his teammates weren’t in position.

Diego Chara, 4.5 Aside from his pretty pass up the seam to a streaking Perlaza to set up the second goal, Diego had one of his poorer performances as a Timber. He has been in a bit of a slump lately – like the rest of the side – although he at least has the reason that he is still getting used to the league.

Jack Jewsbury, 5.5 I thought Jack actually had one of his better matches in the midfield, especially in the first half. Helped Portland hold a lot of the possession in the first stanza, which limited the number of fires the defense had to put out. Maybe could have used a little bit more of that in the second half, but ultimately you have to look at the defense for the culpability there.

Darlington Nagbe, 4 After he made international waves with his incredible strike last week, had one of his most anonymous outings of the season.

Jorge Perlaza, 5.5 It’s funny, other than the two goals, Jorge struggled to really get into things. That sentence, however, is a little absurd.

Sal Zizzo, 5.5 Had one of his better outings on the right wing. Controlled the ball well on his side, and made a few of his nice runs into the interior, including one that led to a beautiful cross that Kalif should have been able to volley on frame for a potential late equalizer.

Kenny Cooper, 4.5 I hated this substitution. At the time Spencer was making it effectively as a defensive substitution, but then he ended up coming on right after Seattle’s equalizer. Spenny has to pull Kenny back in that instance. Jorge had been involved in both of our goals. Regardless of how tired Perlaza was, you need to trust him enough to let him run the full 90 there. Cooper didn’t have much of an impact in his spell, and I don’t expect him to have much success alone up front in the 4-5-1.

With that, I think I need some time in the mountains.

Keep on keepin’ on, Rose City.

—by Andrew Brawley

I love Chicago. No joke. If I had to live anywhere east of the Rockies, it would rank in my top 3. However, my extreme hatred for heat and humidity prevent me from ever living anywhere east of the Rockies.

Every time I find myself in Chicago, I always make time to meet up with some college buddies, who never fail to take me somewhere new, fun, interesting, and delicious. So I figured I'd allow one of those college buddies to supply this year's Away Game Travel Guide to Chicago. His name is Eric Jacobson, and he's one of the funniest guys I know. He is a vegetarian, so don't hold that against him. But he also told me he could never become a vegan because he loves cheese way too much, so he's not all that bad.

One small Editor's Note for Eric's diatribe below: Kuma's Corner is a heavy metal burger bar, which puts it in the running for the 'Best Thing Ever' award. And I don't mean heavy metal like Slipknot and Disturbed. I mean heavy metal like Testament and Exodus! When I was there, I ordered the Brujeria. If you go and it's still on the menu, don't blow it by ordering anything else.

Alright, here's where Eric takes over. Enjoy!

Chicago! The Windy City! The home of the Chicago Fire…unless you actually look at a map and realize Toyota Park is in Bridgeview, Illinois!

Let’s get to your questions.

How can I get around Chicago?

Chicago is blessed with an abundance of public transportation and cab prices are surprisingly reasonable. If you visit this city and don’t leave the loop, you have no one but yourself to blame. Be adventurous! If you use Google Maps to look up directions in Chicago, just click the little bus at the top of the browser and you’ll be given a route using public transit. It couldn’t be simpler. And don’t be scared about the safety of the trains. As long as you don’t go watch the Premier League at 6:30 a.m. and get so drunk that you accidentally fall asleep on the train and end up riding it back and forth, from one end of the line to the other for four straight hours, you should have nothing to worry about. By the way, if you happen to see a guy sleeping on the train with his head in his hands at 10:00 a.m., please don’t steal my wallet.

Where the hell is Toyota Park?

Toyota Park is in the middle of nowhere. And not in a nice, tucked in a quiet corner of the city kind of way. It’s in a completely annoying, 20 miles away from the city kind of way. If you were hoping to get to the stadium early and walk around for a bit, I’d recommend against it, unless you’re a big fan of dirt parking lots. Due to the remoteness of the facility, Fire fans do tend to tailgate, so you will see a few people standing around drinking beer while playing cornhole. Please note that, despite the name, cornhole isn’t something worth getting to Bridgeview extra early for.

Where can I get Chicago-style deep dish pizza?

If you ask five Chicagoans what their favorite deep dish pizza place is, you’re going to get five different answers and numerous reasons why everyone else is complete wrong. I’m partial to Nancy’s (2930 N. Broadway), which of course is the best and everyone else can go to hell with their stupid, wrong opinions. If forced to choose a silver medal winner, I’d go with Lou Malnati’s, which is also delicious (be sure to get the butter crust). However, if you don’t mind your pizza being thin, you should definitely consider going to Great Lake (1477 W Balmoral). GQ magazine called it the best pizza in the country. Unfortunately, it’s now near impossible to get served if you don’t show up a few minutes before it opens, thanks to the fact that no more than 10 people can fit in the restaurant at a time. Pretty damn good pizza, though.

What are some good restaurants that don’t serve pizza?

You mean for the day you don’t go to Kuma’s Corner (2900 W Belmont)? If you want to be able to tell people you went to Chicago and stood in a massively long line for an amazing hot dog, go to Hot Doug’s (3324 N California). Don’t let the stigma of the hot dog fool you; as you can probably tell by the fact that they serve duck fat fries on Fridays and Saturdays, this place is amazing. You won’t find a better encased meat. Speaking of best things ever, I cannot recommend the dessert at the Longman & Eagle (2657 N Kedzie) enough. It’s a nice little bar with good food and good whiskey drinks, but whatever you do, save room for the fancy cheese donuts. “Eric,” you ask, “Did you just tell me to go eat cheese donuts?” You’re damn right I did. Speaking of things that sound too good to be true, in Chicago, there is an abundance of BYOB restaurants. Yep, I’m serious. The first time you do it you’re bound to feel like you’re doing something wrong, but don’t be scared. If you were planning to go take a look at Wrigley Field while you’re in town, afterwards, walk down the street to Cozy Noodles (3456 N Sheffield). It is delicious Thai food and the bathroom walls are covered in Pez dispensers. But before you get there, be sure to stop at the 7-11 next door and buy a six-pack of beer or a bottle of wine. At Cozy there is no corking fee and they will even bring you a bucket of ice to keep your beer cold. After a weekend of Kuma’s, Hot Doug’s, cheesy donuts and BYOB Thai, you’ll never want to leave this city.

Where’s the best food truck?

Sorry to say it’s probably back in Portland. In Chicago, it is illegal to prep and cook in a truck, so all the best chefs in the city are staying away for now. However, they are opening sandwich restaurants instead. If you wanted to visit Rick Bayless’s restaurant, but forgot to make a reservation two months ago, no worries. Go to XOCO (449 N Clark) for some Rick Bayless Mexican street food instead. If Wagyu Beef sandwiches are more your style, visit Graham Elliot’s Grahamwich (615 N State). And if all this fancy crap is making you nervous, you’re in luck, because Chick-fil-A (30 E Chicago) opened its first downtown location in June. And don’t laugh, because people are acting like Chick-fil-A showing up is the biggest thing to happen to Chicago since some Transformers invaded and blew up all our cars.

Where can I go for a drink?

Craft beers are quickly becoming the hot new thing in this city, to which I’m sure you’re thinking, “Congrats, Chicago, you’re only 15 years behind Portland.” And while this is true, what it means is you’re going to be able to find a good beer from Illinois, Michigan or Indiana no matter where you go. If you want a place with delicious beer, head to the Hopleaf (5148 N Clark), which has a great selection of domestic beers and more than 15 Belgians on tap. But if you’d be just as happy somewhere with an interesting atmosphere and crappy beer, go to the L&L Tavern (3207 N Clark). They have a free jukebox and, depending on the time of day, a clientele that includes every sort of person you could imagine. It’s a dive, to be sure. They don’t even have beer on tap, but they do have beer in bottles and they do have whiskey. And, if dive bars are your thing, I urge you to be adventurous and visit Cal’s Liquors (400 S Wells). I’ve never been asked my opinion on which bar has the most disgusting bathroom ever, but when the question is finally asked of me, I know my answer: Cal’s. Yuck. Also, they have beer.

Anything else I should do?

Go to the lakeshore! There’s a bunch of boring history type stuff explaining why Chicago has such an amazing abundance of waterfront parks along Lake Michigan, but rather than dropping actual knowledge on you, I’ll make something up: The ground near Lake Michigan is incredibly porous, meaning any building taller than three stories would be too heavy and would sink deep into the ground. So please, go visit the lakefront, because it is absolutely gorgeous, but don’t build any heavy buildings there. And if that story scared you away from the lakeshore, go visit Millennium Park instead. You can see the lake from there and it even has a big metal bean!

Where the hell are all the Chicago hipsters?

If you’re confused as to why there aren’t more people walking around with mustaches and neon colored sunglasses during the weekend of July 16, that’s because they are all in Chicago’s Union Park at the Pitchfork Music Festival. Relatedly, if you see a group of guys walking around downtown with long hair and no shoes on, please say hello to the Fleet Foxes for me.