Photo Credit: Rick Morrison

Seattle got supporters because of MLS... Portland got MLS because of its supporters.

The Timbers Army has been invading Qwest Field for years, but this year feels a bit special.  The 107ist/TA will mark the occasion with the release of the 2011 Awayday Legends t-shirt.  Your first chance to get your hands on this piece of the Awaydays set will be at the Centralia rest-stop, Saturday. Shirts will be $15 (one per person, please bring exact change) and limited to 100 shirts for the Seattle trip.

Have Fun

Be Smart

Sing Loud

Be Legendary

—by Andrew Brawley

How do I even approach preparing an away guide to our rival city? It’s not that far away, so chances are we’ve all been there at least once outside of away game travel scenarios. Some of us are even former residents...some left by choice, some did not. That city is currently home to what is likely to be our favorite NFL and MLB teams, but also formerly to a hated rival NBA team that left for some town in the Dust Bowl region. Above all of that, however, is that the city is home to our biggest rival (sorry Vancouver, but you’ll always be in second place for that discussion).

The team with a minority ownership stake held by a game show host.

The team with the marching band.

The team with blinding kit colors and a racerback design.

The team that even non-Pacific NW supporters groups go out of their way to hate.

The team that is not worthy of mentioning by name here.

Rather than take the easy-and-biased approach and hate on the city with a major superiority complex, I figured I’d take an objective path and highlight the finer things that Seattle has to offer. Seattle and Portland share a lot of commonalities. Naturally, I believe that Portland’s offerings in the majority of these categories are far superior. However, I can say without any doubt that there are just some areas in which we’ll never be able to usurp Seattle’s throne. Below, with head humbly lowered, I submit this list of superior places to visit in Seattle.

• Like music? Of course you do, and in Seattle, there’s an abundance of it. So if you wanna buy some CD’s, head over to Best Buy. There are four locations throughout the Seattle metropolitan area to serve your needs. They carry a wide array of music, ranging from bands like Linkin Park and Disturbed, to bands like Korn and Papa Roach. They got it all. No Seattleite purchases music without going here first. Don’t skip this music Mecca!
• Ah, food. Over the past few years, the Pacific Northwest has become a haven for its innovation in the culinary arts. We are so lucky to have direct access to the pristine coastal waters and its glorious bounty. To sample the finest of Seattle’s seafood offerings, you should check out Red Lobster. With only a few select locations in the metro area to choose from, you’ll likely be waiting more than just a few seconds to get through the doors.
• Not everybody likes seafood, but everybody likes to try something new. If you’re feeling really crazy, head over to the Westlake Center Mall and throw down for some authentic Italian fare at Sbarro. Don’t be fooled by the other surrounding outlets in the food court area. This is the real deal. You’ll be blown away by the size of their pizza slices. Hold it next to a baby’s head...I promise you the pizza will be bigger.
• While you’re at the mall, you might as well do a little shopping. Disregard that pesky Washington state sales tax and buy some one-of-a-kind jewelry at Claire’s. Their wide range of accessories will make even the most cynical 12-year-old girl blush with glee. In addition to boasting a massive selection, they’ll even offer to pierce your child’s ears right there in the store. Share a bonding moment with your child as a highly skilled worker places a snapping metal object onto your child’s ear lobes and BANG! Memories for a lifetime.
• But this trip isn’t just for the kids, right? Mom and Dad need some cool new gear, too! When you’re done at the mall, head on down to Old Navy. They got clothes in all kinds of cool colors like red, green, blue, purple...the list goes on. And if you like words on your clothes, especially the words “Old” and “Navy,” boy are you in for a treat. You might never leave!

Since most of the TA have chosen to travel to Seattle in one large group (via a staggering 10 buses) to this match, they probably won’t get to partake in the aforementioned places. With that in mind, here are a few key points of interest to look at as they make the drive up I-5 to the stadium:

• It’s been said that reading is the key to a solid education. So for the avid readers out there, check out the barrage of billboards along the freeway to Seattle. You’ll learn all kinds of neat things about what Jesus has in store for you upon His return. Plus, the Tea Party has a few choice messages for you along this route as well. Pay close attention in towns like Chehalis and Centralia. Pulling over in these towns may lead to a message that is personally conveyed to you by the locals!
• Bus trips can be hard on the body, so it’s helpful that the Washington State Department of Transportation has strategically placed multiple rest stops along I-5 to assist in the safety of your voyage. These rest stops boast numerous amenities, but nothing can top the multi-stall bathrooms. If you’re lucky, you might find a bathroom with more than one working toilet. Consider yourself blessed if you locate one with an automatic flush feature and a hand sanitizer dispenser nearby. Before you leave, don’t forget to drop some coins into the vending machine, where you can choose from a massive selection of healthy snacks like Bugles, Combos, Funyuns, Cheetohs, etc.
• When traffic starts to clog and the road gets a little bumpy around Tacoma, put down your various beverage cans and cleave your boredom in half by taking in the view around the world famous Tacoma Dome. While you may not be able to see what’s going on inside the udderly majestic arena, there will likely be some cool activities going on outside. It’s never a bust at this place. This arena’s parking lot really racks up the outdoor activities like roller hockey tournaments, skate jams, motocross demos...all kinds of events that appeal to a diverse audience. But if you just have to know what’s going on inside, just read the sign out front, next to the freeway. As if Seattle didn’t already have enough cool things on its own, Tacoma (and its dome) is clearly nipping at their heels in the race for who has the coolest stuff.

Well I think I’ve covered everything Seattle has to offer. If you need more than this, you must be a high-maintenance person, because Seattle has it all!

Travel safely.

A big game deserves a big screen.  So when the Timbers take on the puke-green poseurs of S**ttle on Saturday night, you can catch all the larger-than-life action at the Bagdad Theater & Pub.

Doors open at 5:30, and besides a pub menu filled with burgers, pizza and McMenamins microbrews, there will be tables to peruse and a bonus pre-game attraction that culminates with the Rose City’s original pitch invasion.

Admission is free; minors are welcome when accompanied by parent.  Game time – which you should know by now – is 8 p.m.

If you’re interested in volunteering for this or helping out at other 107^ist events, please contact Eric at Eric.Berg@107ist.org

You can also RSVP for this event on Facebook.

This FREE and ALL AGES viewing is hosted by the 107 Independent Supporters Trust:

Supporting The Timbers, Soccer and Portland.

—by Chris Rifer

The Portland Timbers are showing that they know how to beat good teams in close matches. A week ago they ended Real Salt Lake’s 18-match MLS unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win marked by stifling defense. The schedule didn’t lighten up any, as Philadelphia Union brought their league-best defense into Jeld-Wen Field on Friday. The result was the same.

Portland showed good moxie in defense and patience getting forward as a 72^nd minute Futty header was enough to provide the winning margin. Whereas the Timbers’ previous three wins at Jeld-Wen Field were highlighted by Portland jumping out on top early, it was clear from the outset that the Union were going to be a bit stingy in back.

Despite the fact that Portland had the better of possession in the first half, few chances presented themselves in the run of play. The Timbers’ best opportunities came by way of set pieces, where Portland has appeared to be among the most dangerous in MLS. In the 26^th minute, Futty got a clean nod on a Jack Jewsbury corner but couldn’t turn it enough to keep it from sailing wide of the far post. In the 45^th, Jewsbury sent a beautiful free kick in from 40 yards out, but Eric Brunner’s header sailed tantalizingly over the bar.

Union nearly capitalized on a Timbers defensive mistake, as Portland expatriate Danny Mwanga easily shook Rodney Wallace on the wing and sent a ball in to Sebastien Le Toux’s, whose soft effort was easily corralled by Troy Perkins.

The second half began much like the first, with Portland controlling the run of play but struggling to find much in the way of opportunities as Philadelphia packed in. Portland’s best chances came from distance as both Jewsbury and Sal Zizzo took threatening shots from deep.

In the 72^nd, however, Portland’s set piece magic would return. Jewsbury sent a ball in from near the center circle—a brutal angle from which to take a free kick—and found Futty in the box, who flicked the ball inside the near post.

The final 20 minutes did not lack for action. With Philly down a goal and desperately looking for an equalizer, Diego Chara and Jorge Perlaza made several nice runs on the counterattack to create chances in behind Union’s defense. In the 84^th minute, Jeremy Hall knocked down another Jewsbury corner but Brunner’s stab at an open net went high and wide.

Finally, it was for the defense to finish off the victory. With Union sending everybody forward, Portland struggled to clear a Philadelphia threat. After several shots had been deflected, a final effort on goal was gamely smothered by Perkins to secure three more points.

The Timbers take the momentum they have built at home—this time defeating two of MLS’s most formidable sides—to Seattle for the first installment of the Cascadia Cup in MLS history.

Match Observations

• Forgetting for the moment—and with luck for eternity—about the poor outing against the Quakes, these wins over RSL and Union feel very different than the wins over Chicago and FC Dallas. The first two wins had a distinct jump out early and hang on for dear life feel about them. The wins this week have felt like much more dominant, controlled victories. I think getting these kinds of victories—over good teams where you have to work for 90 minutes—sets Portland up to get results on the road. The chances of blitzing somebody on the road are pretty remote. You really need to show that you can grind out three points. That is exactly what the Timbers have done twice in the course of a week.
• The combination of Jorge Perlaza and Diego Chara really began to shine as things opened up in back over the last 20 minutes. Both of those guys have some serious wheels, and are very good at making runs to collect long balls. They got a little bit cute as they got close to goal, but especially late in the match, both did very well to put themselves in position to score.
• I don’t think there is much debate about this, but Portland is among the elite teams in MLS on set pieces. The Timbers have a very effective combination of big guys who like to operate in the air—Cooper, Futty, and Brunner—and an outstanding set piece server in Jewsbury.
• With 12 points out of the last 15, Portland is tied with Real Salt Lake for the best team in MLS over the course of the last five matches.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 6 Had one bobbled cross, and wasn’t tested that often. When he was made to work, however, he was outstanding. He does a great job of organizing and leading his defense. Jake Gleeson may be the keeper of the future, but I don’t see much question that Troy Perkins is the right choice right now.

Rodney Wallace, 4.5 Rodney didn’t have his best outing. It’s hard to give a negative grade like this when the defense overall had a good performance, but he was exposed a couple times on the outside and gave away a needless corner or two. Also was foolish to unnecessarily pick up his fourth yellow of the season, as that brings him within one of suspension.

Futty, 6 The central defense—really the entire center of the field—was dominated by the Timbers. Futty has done well to settle into his spot and, especially considering the prowess he has shown in the air, puts John Spencer in the unenviable position of picking between him and the also-effective David Horst.

Eric Brunner, 6 Does anybody know if Brunner is a Bruce Springsteen fan? The way this guy plays embodies blue collar Americana. He brings his hard hat and lunch pail to the pitch every day, locks down his backline, and hardly gets noticed.

Jeremy Hall, 6.5 He was awesome on the right side of the defense. Wasn’t terribly active in the attack, but he was stellar in defense. The left side of the Union attack was shut down all night, and the few times they ventured over Jeremy’s way he made them look downright silly.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 Kalif was his usual self, but largely because of some really good Union defense, there wasn’t a ton of room for him to make the last pass.

Diego Chara, 6 He and Jewsbury dominated the center of the midfield. Everything that Union could get going had to come up their right wing, largely because Chara was winning everything in the middle. When he gets forward he needs to fancy himself a bit more. Had a few good looks at the net where he chose to lay it off for somebody else. In the spirit of Bill Walton, throw it down, tiny man!

Jack Jewsbury, 6.5 Gets a ton of credit for the Timbers’ prowess in the middle of the pitch, but the thing that makes him remarkable is his quality on set pieces. Repeatedly put balls on a dime Friday, as he has all season long.

Darlington Nagbe, 4 Son, you’re thinking too much. When the ball rotated out to him, it often stopped in its tracks as Darlington tried to break down his man (often men) by himself. I think a big part of it is that he hasn’t quite adjusted to the speed of the MLS game, so it would be foolish to give up on him, but he was brutal at times on Friday.

Kenny Cooper, 5 The Union defense did a great job of keeping Kenny quiet. He was working just as hard as he normally does, but it was clear that he was the focal point of their defensive game plan.

Jorge Perlaza, 5.5 Again showed how dangerous he is in receiving balls over the top and on the counter attack. A similar comment to Chara, though, in that there are times when he needs to be a bit more selfish and take the shot himself.

Sal Zizzo, 6 Had a very effective outing in place of Nagbe. I like the runs that he makes into the interior of the defense, especially with somebody like Jeremy Hall behind him who really likes to overlap.

James Marcelin, 5 Came on as a defensive substitution and did what he does. Solid, but not fantastic. Did his job.

Ryan Pore, INC Actually had a fairly nice three minutes of run, but it was three minutes of run so that’s sort of difficult to gauge.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a U-23 match to attend.

Onward, Rose City!

The opening season of MLS in Portland has seen the TA merch crew step their game up to an unprecedented level of creativity... However, we must not forget our roots.

The Timbers Army is proud to present to you the "Shirt of the Month" series!

The No Pity Van will be rolling out a new design every month this season in limited quantities. The "Shirt of the Month" series will continue our tradition of producing quirky, fun, DIY style designs that will be available for a limited time (just like the old days).

For years the Timbers Army has been producing some of the most creative merchandise around, and May's Shirt of the Month is no different.

The Soccer City, USA Dream Team

 So swing by the No Pity Van on Friday and join the "Soccer City, USA" Dream Team!

These shirts won't last long!

The inspiration behind May's shirt of the month. The original Dream Team.

—by Lucas Grzybowski

Soccer Nerds Rejoice! The best team you've never heard of is about to return!

Portland Timbers U23 — 2010 PDL Champions with a perfect 20-0-0 record — will begin their title defense 1pm this Saturday, May 7, at JELD-WEN Field vs Victoria Highlanders. The whole bowl is general admission, tickets are five bucks.

The Timbers yesterday announced the U23 roster, and oh what a roster it be. Joining a large group of returning stalwarts (including ONE BRENT RICHARDS) will be two names familiar to fans of the Big Timbers: Ross "Who wears short-shorts? Ross wears short-shorts!" Smith and some guy named Scot Thompson. Scot is one of the Timbers' Community Ambassadors. You might also remember him as the one who stole your heart with such hits as "sacrificing his face and going home in a Miami ambulance station wagon" and "writing poetry about the supporters". He's kind of a legend.

Some thoughts on the roster, schedule, etc.:

• Brent Richards was a man among boys last year, scoring approximately a million goals including one bicycle kick in Tigard, Oregon that was the most beautiful thing I'll ever hope to see, en route to winning the 2010 PDL MVP and the hearts of literally tens of adoring fans. Brent is the real deal, and going into his senior year at You Dub (he turns 21 this month) he's someone I would love to see make it onto the Big Timbers - even if it's just a pit stop before he heads overseas.

• Richards leads a great group of players returning from last year's championship squad: Ricky Abrego, Bim Ogunyemi, Steven Evans, Ryan Kawulok, Roberto Farfan and Tracy Hasson, the dynamic 5'4" winger who flew into the sky and scored with his head in the title match against Thunder Bay. Joining them are some players I've never heard of before today, but who I'm told are top notch. One to watch is Camas HS product and USA U-17 star Nick Palodichuk. Oh and I'm sure I already mentioned it but your BFF Scot will also be on the team.

• 
  

• Kiwi keeper Jake Gleeson and former Louisville Cardinal Freddie Braun won't feature for the U23s this year, because they play for the Big Timbers now. This is a youth system bearing fruit, folks, and it's only going to get better with the advent of the Timbers new OYSA-partnered academy, atop which the U23s will now sit. Other former U23s making their careers professionally include Collen Warner (Real Salt Lake), Graham Dugoni (Charleston Battery), Logan Emory (Puerto Rico Islanders) and Best Name Ever candidate Sterling Flunder (Pittsburgh Riverhounds).

• Saturday's game is one of only three this season that the PDL side will play at JWF, with the remaining five home games taking place at regional high schools, continuing a fantastic tradition of spreading the Timbers Love around the metro area. When the Big Timbers aren't playing and you need a fix, you can do a lot worse than a Saturday night with the U23s in Sherwood, for example. The locale I'm most looking forward to this year is Kiggins Bowl in Vancouver (Sat June 18); I've missed the U23 match there the previous two years, and it looks like a great spot.

• The PDL Northwest Division has undergone some shakeup during the offseason (not a surprise considering this is the 4th division of American soccer we're talking about here). Longtime NW standby Yakima Reds (who featured former Timber Jake Sagare for the past three years) folded, as did the cannon fodder Spokane Spiders. Nine teams minus two equals seven, plus one equals eight in the form of new squad North Sound SeaWolves FC, who will play in Everett. For whatever reason, the PDL has decided to keep the schedule at 16 games, meaning we'll play an unbalanced schedule (we host Tacoma Tide twice, and travel to Seattle twice to play the Washington Crossfire).

• If you're bummed about the Timbers crashing out of US Open Cup qualifying, fret not because the U23 can still qualify for the tournament. After their opening match against Victoria, the next four league matches will serve double duty as USOC qualifiers. Timbers will play two on the road (Crossfire, Kitsap), then two at home (SeaWolves, Tide).

• Qualifying from the PDL is no mean feat. With five American teams in the division, it's a true round-robin, and the best team after four games qualifies for the USOC. Last year the Kitsap Pumas edged the U23s on goal differential, so even a team that would go on to post a perfect record and a national title couldn't make it far enough to lose to the MIGHTY PTFC (which Kitsap eventually did for the second year running). If the U23s can get maximum points in those first two road games — and particularly any kind of result in Kitsap — they'll have a shot at qualifying this year.

• One of my only negatives is that game in Kitsap, which is being played simultaneously with the senior Timbers match vs Columbus at Jeld-Wen (Sat May 21). Kitsap Away has become a bit of a tradition recently (last year's NW Division final four weekend in Bremerton was a blast) and it'll be a bummer to miss it this year.

• Beyond the tough early season test to qualify for USOC, the U23s will end the season with three games on the road, including two in less than 24 hours in Victoria and then Seattle. C'est la sched. Again, road mettle will go a long way toward delivering another division title to Portland this year.

• Today it was announced that the New York Cosmos will unveil a U23 team, which will play an exhibition schedule this year and become a full PDL member beginning in 2012. I don't expect this will affect the Timbers U23 in any way this season (Cosmos 2011 schedule isn't released yet but I doubt they make it out here for a match), but it is something to keep your eye on. The PDL is already a strong league, and high profile entries like NY Cosmos can be a big boon if handled properly.

Come on out and support the kiddos, they're a real treat. Tickets will be cheap, but unfortunately there won't be a season ticket available as there has in years past. Tickets for the games at JWF are $5, and the high school venues will set admission pricing for those games, and I expect they'll all be $5 too (I've been assured they won't be more than $10 but nothing is set).

—by Chris Rifer

Well, so much for taking the U.S. Open Cup crown. On Tuesday night the Timbers fell 1-0 in extra time to the San Jose Earthquakes in a match almost as pretty as Carlos Tevez. Portland, fielding a squad of almost entirely reserves, played a pretty even match that was long on sloppy play in the midfield and short on genuine scoring chances.

For the majority of regulation, the Timbers played on level terms with a San Jose side consisting of four starters, arguably including San Jose’s two best players, Bobby Convey and Chris Wondolowski. The match was about as ugly as they come, featuring 45 fouls called and 8 yellow cards issued.

For the most part, the chances that presented themselves were less than golden, and even when an opportunity presented itself, both sides lacked the finishing quality to put something on the scoreboard.

As the match progressed, the Timbers appeared to lose their legs a little bit, as the midfield and backline that had been strong throughout the match started yielding runs in behind them and struggled to clear crosses.

The Quakes appeared to break through in the first extra time period when Steven Lenhart nodded home a corner. As it turned out he didn’t so much nod home the corner as punch it home, with the referee disallowing the goal and awarding a yellow card for a blatant handball in the box.

In the 120^th minute, just as it appeared the resilient Timbers Army would be rewarded for their patience with penalty kicks at the North End, Ike Opara took a cross from Sam Cronin and headed it into the lower right corner past a diving Troy Perkins.

While the loss eliminated Portland from U.S. Open Cup competition, the match provided the Timbers an opportunity to give their starters a bit of rest before Friday’s crucial match against Philadelphia Union and give the reserves valuable experience in a meaningful game.

Match Observations

• The decision to play reserves is certainly one to have rankled much of the Army. Personally, though, I don’t mind the decision to focus on league play this year. Portland’s early success at home has suggested that if the Timbers can get a few results on the road, they may be in a place to contend for a playoff spot. This has to be the top priority. If you want to be able to both get a playoff spot and compete for a U.S. Open Cup crown, you need depth across the field. Your best XI simply can’t play that many matches and have the legs to make a playoff run. While there certainly is an anything-Seattle-can-do-Portland-can-do-better sort of motivation to the Open Cup, I think it is worth mentioning that Seattle, in spite of their Open Cup and regular season success, has only scored one goal in four postseason matches (a meaningless goal last year in a rout in L.A.) and has never advanced beyond the first round. I don’t think that is the kind of fate we would like for our boys. When the Timbers can build up enough depth to be able to get rest for starters on a consistent basis while also competing in the Open Cup, then I think placing a bit more importance on these games makes sense. Until then, I don’t mind using it to get some younger players some run, even if that comes at the cost of truly competing.
• I thought the defense did an admirable job containing Wondo and Convey throughout the match. Those guys, especially Convey, weren’t lacking for time with the ball at their feet, but when they did get it they found little room to operate.
• It was a little bit disappointing to see so many empty seats on the east side. In the future I think the FO needs to consider more heavily discounting U.S. Open Cup games for season ticket holders to encourage more regulars to come out, or further reducing single game prices for the Open Cup.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 5.5 Nothing he could be expected to do about the goal, and provided the senior leadership for a backline that acquitted itself nicely. Is still struggling in distribution, though, as again several of his balls sailed out of bounds.

Steve Purdy, 5.5 His appearance on the left side of the defense foreshadows his role for the time being: defensive super-sub. The guy has played a lot on the right, now some on the left, and last year even a little bit in the middle. Showed reasonably well last night, even if he was a bit nondescript.

David Horst, 6 It looks like Horst is getting close to full health. Because of his extended duty on Tuesday, we probably won’t see much of him Friday, but once fully healthy and recovered from Tuesday’s marathon, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the starting XI.

Kevin Goldthwaite, 5 Did alright wearing the armband, but at this point it’s hard not to think that barring injury he doesn’t have a ton to offer the first team. Had a few adventuresome clearances, but didn’t make any huge mistakes.

Freddie Braun, 6 Had an impressive showing on the right side. Gets a lot of the credit for keeping Convey quiet, was reliable in defense, and did fairly well when he looked to get forward. It may take a year or two more of development, but I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point we see him challenging to get some first team minutes either in the midfield or at right back.

Rodrigo Lopez, 4 He is still young, and at times you can see flashes of the potential, but right now he really is still a free kick specialist.

Adam Moffat, 5.5 There were points in the early going where he looked like the best man on the pitch. He was active in the midfield, cutting out balls and launching the attack. Petered out in the second half a bit though, likely due to lack of fitness, and looked dead on his feet by the end of extra time.

James Marcelin, 5 Classic Marcelin game. Held pretty well, made a couple nice passes, made a few needless giveaways.

Sal Zizzo, 5.5 I like Sal a lot when he makes runs into the interior. Basically, like a little bit more skilled Ryan Pore. Linked up pretty well with Braun for a lot of the evening, and until he ran out of gas looked like the Timbers most dangerous player in the attack.

Ryan Pore, 4.5 It’s been a rough beginning to the season for Ryan. Had some chances early on and failed to make much of it. Just doesn’t look terribly confident on the ball, and disappeared up front for much of the match.

Spencer Thompson, 5 I like what he brings when he is operating in the middle of the field looking to go at goal, but he really struggles to send in crosses when he gets wide. If he wants to be a contributor at this level he is going to have to figure that out, but he certainly looks to be an interesting prospect.

Futty, 5.5 Came in as the Quakes were starting to find themselves in the attack a little bit (largely due to tired Timbers legs). Did well to hold down the back line along with Horst.

Jeremy Hall, 5 Came on in the second extra time period, but didn’t make much of an impact. In fact, considering there were a couple set pieces near goal in that time, the team probably missed RoRo in that spot a little bit, even though Hall provides much more in the run of play.

Darlington Nagbe, 4.5 Didn’t have many opportunities to make an impact, but the few that he had he seemed to be struggling with his touch a bit. Frankly, I don’t think he expected to play and simply wasn’t ready to do so.

Sorry - this opportunity is now closed.

Are you available on Thursday May 19th during the day? (specific time/duration TBD – will probably take most of the day though)

We're looking for about 20 people to come in TA gear and be a chanting crowd on a plane as part of a new commercial for Alaska Air that's being filmed that day.

If you're interested and available please go here to RSVP and we'll be in touch soon.

Note: please don't RSVP unless you know you're free on that day!

—by Chris Rifer

Soft. It is the one word every athlete despises. An athlete would rather be called stupid, untalented, or even downright terrible. Last week in L.A. the Portland Timbers were pretty soft.

Ask Real Salt Lake if the Timbers are soft. They will look at a first half where the Timbers dominated the run of play and the quality of the chances. Then they will look at a second half, where they pinned Portland in their own end, controlled possession, and came away with virtually no quality chances. RSL finished with three shots. Read that again, three shots. No, something tells me that Real Salt Lake wouldn’t use the word “soft” to describe the Portland Timbers.

In the first half, the Timbers were the clear aggressors. Aside from some chances coming from set pieces, including one that resulted in a disallowed goal due to a foul drawn by Jack Jewsbury, Real Salt Lake looked to be nursing a mean hangover from their heartbreaking loss to Monterrey in the CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday.

The Timbers, on the other hand, looked to have regained their home pitch form from the kickoff, creating a number of early chances. In the 14^th minute, Diego Chara did well to win a ball 30 yards from goal and send a perfectly weighted pass forward into the box for Jorge Perlaza, only for Chris Schuler to make a saving sliding tackle to clear the danger.

In the 22^nd minute, however, Portland’s efforts were rewarded as Kalif Alhassan sent a beautiful ball into the box for Kenny Cooper, who calmly volleyed with his left foot into the net.

The Timbers’ chances weren’t done, though, as RSL keeper Nick Rimando did well to deflect efforts from distance by Jewsbury and Alhassan, and was fortunate to see a Jorge Perlaza header sail just wide.

The second half, though, is where Portland showed its grit. Real Salt Lake looked to get more aggressive to search for the equalizer. RSL brought on Will Johnson and Andy Williams at the beginning of the half, in a clear signal that Real did not want to leave Portland empty-handed.

RSL’s efforts were for naught, however. Despite controlling much of the possession, Real Salt Lake struggled to create any serious chances in front of the Timbers Army. The Timbers defense showed it had more than enough toughness to be up to the task, making a pretty easy time of things for Portland keeper Troy Perkins. In the late going, RSL found its best chance—a Nat Borchers header that Perkins handled flat-footed.

In the last three weeks the Timbers have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are tough at home. This time it was Portland’s defense that held the line, delivering the Timbers three points and an important bounce-back win. Onward, Rose City.

Match Observations

• The tribute to Gisele at the beginning of the match was one of the most touching moments I have witnessed as a sports fan. Although I saw her at plenty of matches, I wasn’t one who was blessed to have known her personally. I thought it was the perfect moment to honor a person who means so much to the Army.
• Kalif Alhassan is tied for third in the league with four assists, and Kenny Cooper is tied for fourth in goals with three.
• In the coming days we’re likely to hear a lot about how this was a Timbers win over RSL’s reserves. While there were certainly some key players missing for RSL, it’s not like they rolled their youth development side out there. Here are the players that played for RSL on Saturday that also got minutes in the CCL Final: Nick Rimando, Chris Wingert, Ned Grabavoy (70’), Nat Borchers, Will Johnson (46’), Andy Williams (46’), Tony Beltran, Javier Morales, Arturo Alvarez, and Alvaro Saborio. That’s 10 men that played in the CCL final that also played Saturday – 7 of which played the whole match, and 9 of which played at least 45 minutes. Throw in Kyle Beckerman, who certainly would have played in the CCL final but for suspension, and you see that 11 of RSL’s contributors on Saturday are players that regularly see first team action. Even the three remaining players – Colleen Warner (3 appearances, 2 starts), Chris Schuler (3 appearances, 3 starts), and Jean Alexandre (3 appearances, 2 starts) aren’t exactly bench warmers. So, when you hear somebody cynically talk about the Timbers win over RSL as a win over a sort of JV team, roll your eyes and kindly point the speaker toward the facts.
• If I were an opposing manager watching this game, I would want to get the Timbers involved in as open a match as possible. The Timbers showed on Saturday that their defensive unit is more than capable of sitting back and absorbing any pressure the opposition can apply. Where the Timbers’ defense has really been punished has been when play has been a bit more open. That said, when play opens up you have to think that Jorge Perlaza and Diego Chara are also going to be more comfortable. So, pick your poison, I guess.

Timbers Grades

Troy Perkins, 5.5 How do you grade this performance? Perkins struggled a little bit in distribution, sending a few balls out of bounds.  He really wasn’t tested much in goal, although when he was called upon, he looked more than up to the task.

Rodney Wallace, 5.5 Didn’t get forward as much as we have seen in the past, and still gave away a couple needless corners, but on the whole had the left wing on lockdown, supplying valuable pressure when RSL tried to send balls into the box.

Futty, 6.5 The center of the defense today was marvelous. RSL was able to send a few balls in, especially on corners, but very few amounted to anything at all. Repeatedly cleared danger by winning headers in the box.

Eric Brunner, 6.5 Much the same as Futty, gets a world of credit for leading an organized backline.

Jeremy Hall, 6 I’ve thought that Steve Purdy has done well in back, but as the match went along I have liked this move more and more. Like Wallace, Hall covered the flanks very well – applying great pressure when RSL got wide to send crosses in. Also adds an extra bit of dynamism when he overlaps.

Kalif Alhassan, 6.5 Didn’t have quite the Super Tecmo Bowl-like dynamism in the attacking third that we saw a couple weeks ago, but was better tracking back in defense and still showed very well in the attack. Great service to Cooper for the goal, and was a nice Nick Rimando save away from notching an MLS Goal of the Week.

Jack Jewsbury, 5.5 Didn’t have his best day on set pieces, but also deserves some credit for the defensive performance. Hardly crossed the center line in the second half, but still made his presence felt.

Diego Chara, 5.5 As expected, we’re still only seeing flashes from Chara, but some of those flashes were pretty spectacular. His pass to Perlaza in the 14^th minute was one of the best we have seen from a Timber this year. Still needs to develop a little bit of chemistry, though, as there were a few miscommunications in the midfield.

Darlington Nagbe, 5 Was pretty adept at working into a little bit of space going forward, but struggled a little with what to do with the ball when he gets into space. For the most part did well in providing a layer of cover for Hall in defense, although had a couple minor breakdowns.

Jorge Perlaza, 5.5 Jorge was very dangerous when the game was open in the early going. It’s not pretty, but he feeds very well off of long balls coming over the top. Was a little bit unlucky not to break through today, as he had a couple nice chances.

Kenny Cooper, 6 Cooper is becoming a bit of a cult hero in Portland, which is sort of hilarious considering his quiet off-field demeanor. Did well to finish the goal, and you can see a little bit of chemistry developing with Perlaza, as the movement of the forwards was good.

(if you don't know what a capo is, read this for a decent explanation)

Well, we're two games settled into our new/old home, and things are going pretty well! Moving up in the table, a bit at a time, and support like this league rarely sees!

But let's not go patting ourselves on the back just yet; there's ALWAYS room for improvement!

Here's a few pointers on things everyone can do to make our curva among the best and to ensure that our club has the best support possible, as well as some reasons why you should care:

Why you should care

Have you seen photos from back in the early years of USL era Timbers, and wondered why there weren’t those assholes up front yelling back then, but there are now? It has to do with the growth of the North End and a maturation of supporters culture in Portland.

Let’s think about the North End as a political rally or protest for a minute.

What would be a more effective strategy, everyone yelling out whatever it was that made them happy or sad and creating a wall of indecipherable noise, or everyone chanting “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Sammy Sounder has got to go!”? It would be the gimmicky chant that everyone does at once because it creates the illusion of a united front. The same is true in the North End. We capos are part of a larger vision that can only succeed if EVERYONE in the North End participates. Participating is fun and easy and makes everything more meaningful because you are not an observer, but an active participant. There are a few simple things that can be done that will make everyone’s experience more awesome.

The easiest thing to do is just sing. (Capo says: "Open your mouths!" "Sing!!")

Sing and chant with all your heart. Try to use pitch and harmonies if possible. Don’t worry about the people standing next to you. If they are not singing, when you start up the people around you won’t feel foolish joining in, and eventually the small group not singing will be the ones acting the fool.

When chanting and singing, use your arms and clap above your head. (Capo says: "Hands up!" "Claps up!" "Use your arms!")

This is really important! The arm gestures help add visual clues to people in other parts of the stadium (or even our own section, it's pretty big now!) that may not be able to make out what we are chanting, but recognize the beat/pattern by looking at our arms. The speed of light is almost one million times the speed of sound, which means that people will be able to see what you're doing long before they hear you. This is even more important on away days and when doing “call and response” chants.

On “call and response” figure out what your section is. (Capo alternately points at you and other parts of stadium, or raises arm and drops it to let you know when your turn is)

If everyone around you is doing the "call" don’t think you need to do the “response.” With the Ultras section of the stadium being almost all of the North End, the sections are going to be huge. Expect to do call and response with other parts of the Park and with the North End cut in half. These call and response chants will only work if everyone works together. Otherwise it no longer becomes a call and response and becomes that wall of noise that we talked about before.

Flags fly. (Capo says: "flags up!" or starts waving their flag)

Flags were meant for waving. Not just for after the Star Spangled Banner (free Cascadia) or after goals, or at the end of the match, but for the whole thing. Flags are placed before the match in strategic locations for maximum visual effect; if you do not wave these flags, their meaning is lost. Feel free to wave the flag until your arms burn and then pass it to someone that will do the same. Another suggestion, make 2 or 3 friends that want to wave the flag, and pass it every 15 or so minutes so not one person is feeling all of the burn. Your chest and shoulders will end up getting pretty buff by the end of the season. REMINDER: flags stay in the section. If you didn't bring it, and you take it home, you are stealing from your fellow fans and your brothers and sisters. Either leave your flag where you found it, or pass it to someone who's collecting them. (or help pick them up at the end!)

Have mercy on your capo. (Capo has a sad face, or looks confused)

Sometimes we capos kill a chant too soon, or start a bad one, or miscommunicate, or...you get the picture. We're human too, and we're learning what works best and what doesn't as we go along. Please bear with us, because when we get it right, it's pure magic.

If a media person points a camera at you, please don't look into it and sing.

We do what we do for our club and each other, for our city and our pride, not because a journalist asked nicely. The PTFC belongs to us. Remember: football for fans, not TV.

So consider the match your weekly workout, but with beer. Jump, clap, circle-pit, etc. hold your arms high and sing will all of your heart. 5,000 of your best friends just joined you for a workout night. Everyone will be hot, tired, sweaty, and hoarse at the end of the match, and we will all love every minute of it.

Help us make 2011 special by helping and encouraging others to participate. Take a n00b under your wing and tell them the lyrics. If it’s a song that has a particular meaning to you or in its origin, share that as well. Make the experience personal for people. Lets make PTFC and the North End mean as much to them as it does to us.

Love,

Your capos