—by Andrew Brawley

It's home opener week. We got lots of information to share this week. Spread the word!

Sunday: Do's and Don'ts

Monday: The National Anthem

Tuesday: Guide for First-Timers

Wednesday: Guide for Veterans

Thursday: Game day!

The Timbers Army does some things pretty well.We make a ruckus, we do chants, and we create the atmosphere for the stadium. On Thursday April, 14 we have been chosen to do something rare in sport across America. We all know it's usually a celebrity that sings the National Anthem for big events. Who could forget Whitney Houston killing the game at the Super Bowl in 1991?

Absolutely incredible. I still remember that performance vividly from when I was younger.

Other countries have had very memorable anthem performances that give me chills. Take a couple of minutes and watch the Canadian National Anthem being sung by the crowd in Edmonton.

Oilers fans kind of give you chills with that don't they?

I am honored and extremely pleased to announce to the Timbers Army and the world that the Timbers Army has been selected to sing the United States National Anthem against the Chicago Fire in the inaugural home game at Jeld-Wen Field for the 2011 season.

What does this mean for you? Clear your throats. Drink warm tea with honey. Protect your throats. On Thursday April 14, 2011 you are singing the National Anthem on ESPN.

Follow the capos for instruction. Learn the words. At the end of the National Anthem we have a tifo display planned. There will be some obstructed views in the Timbers Army section. We appreciate you reading and participating in the instructions that will be taped to your seat.

I.CANNOT.WAIT.FOR.THIS.TO.HAPPEN.

IT'S.GOING.TO.BE.EPIC.

FROTH.FROTH.FROTH.

Tomorrow, what to expect if it's your first time...

—by Andrew Brawley

It's home opener week. We got lots of information to share this week. Spread the word!

Sunday: Do's and Don'ts

Monday: Tifo 101 + the National Anthem

Tuesday: Guide for First-Timers

Wednesday: Guide for Veterans

Thursday: Game day!

The home opener’s almost here. Here’s a quick list of do’s and don’ts for anyone who may be new (or needs a refresher) to the Timbers Army scene. We'll elaborate more throughout the week.

DO...

• plan to have fun within the realm of common sense.
• recognize that we stand, yell and sing throughout the entire match. You might miss a sweet pass here or there, but you’ll see it on Fox 12, Tivo or YouTube later that night. Wayne Garcia will make sure of it!
• contemplate the fact that you might have no voice at work/school the following day.
• grab a chant sheet from the 107ist booth (or print one here) and learn them all.

DON’T...

• throw anything onto the pitch (a.k.a. the field). We consider this a major sign of disrespect toward our players and the game itself. Plus, it will get you thrown out by JWF security. (Click here for a complete set of rules at JWF.)
• scream ‘YSA’ during opponent’s goal kicks. It’s childish, unoriginal, pointlessly obscene, and just makes us look dumb. If it’s wildly popular in Seattle, chances are good that it’s no longer cool. We’ve moved on…you should, too.
• yell “F*ck Seattle” during the non-vocal break of the “Heeeeeeeeey Portland Timbers!” chant. Again, it’s unoriginal, pointlessly obscene, childish, and practically a given sentiment. Some proposed alternatives are:
  • “We-Sa-lute-You!”
  • clap-clap-clap-clap
  • cowbell-cowbell-cowbell-cowbell
  • silence-silence-silence-silence
• spill beer, whether it’s yours or someone else’s. It makes the ground sticky. It ruins clothes. It can cause fights. It turns a good time into a bad time. Plus, you paid $7 for it!
• bring vuvuzelas (those annoying horns from the 2010 World Cup). Not only is it against JWF policy, but sneaking one in and using it will likely get it taken away and broken in half over a knee, even if your child is carrying it. It won’t be us that made him cry, it’ll be you, the bad parent.

Tomorrow, details on tifo participation, and what will be most awesome performance of the National Anthem EVER!

In recognition of the debut of Major League Soccer later than evening, the Oregon House of Representatives is scheduled to declare Thursday to be “Portland Timbers Day” in Oregon.

To make sure that the vote is unanimous (heh, heh, heh), Timber Joey will be representing the Timbers during the vote, scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday in Salem’s State Capitol building. The club is inviting members of the TA and 107ist to take part in this historic event.

Meet Joey in the Capitol rotunda at 10:00 a.m.; car-pooling is encouraged. The morning session begins at 11 a.m., and the “Timbers Day” bill, carried by Speaker of the House Dave Hunt (D-Clackamas County) is one of the first items on the agenda.

The club has asked for an approximate headcount; if you’re interested in going, contact 107ist Board Secretary Roger Anthony at Roger.Anthony@107ist.org.

Next month, Timber Joey and 107ist Board member Sean Moran will be leading the Timbers Army into the fight against children’s cancer.

For nine years now, the St. Baldrick’s Foundation has been raising money in order to fund childhood cancer research. All told, the foundation raised $22 million last year, with $133,000 of that collected in Portland.

Joey already has his own fund-raising page on the St. Baldrick’s website, and you can go here to donate.

You can also collect pledges and raise money by shaving your head along with hundreds of others on Saturday, May 14 at Oaks Park. Details for Timbers Army participants are here: www.stbaldricks.org/teams/timbersarmy

Joey will set the tone for the event on May 5, when he has his head shaved during Drew Carney’s “Out & About” segment of the “NewsChannel 8 at Sunrise” newscast from 5-7 a.m.

For his part, Sean has promised to have his head shaved during the bus trip up to Seattle on May 14th – hopefully on a straight, smooth section of I-5.

What the Timbers Saw

Normally the TA doesn't bother with monthly gatherings once the season's on, the logic being: "OK, I'm going to see enough of you people over the next eight months, let's not overdo it." (I think of this as one more way in which the Timbers Army is like a real family: sometimes you just need to get the hell away from them.)

This year though there's a special event planned for Thursday, April 7, one that's more aligned with what the bulk of Portlanders think when they hear the phrase "First Thursday," which is to say: Art.

From the press release:

Local Artists Neil Perry and Susannah Kelly, in conjunction with the Timbers Army, are organizing a group show of Timbers-related art to celebrate the team on the eve of their first Major League Soccer game at the newly renovated Jeld-Wen Field.

What the Timbers Saw will open on April 7th at The Bitter End, located at 1981 W. Burnside, as part of the Timbers Army first Thursday event. The organizers are hoping for a typically buoyant atmosphere.

“My favorite thing about attending Timbers games is the sense of camaraderie among the crowd, there is a real sense of community and that is something to be proud of’’ said co-curator and artist Susannah Kelly.

As soccer in Portland approaches the dawn of a new era, excitement about joining MLS builds, and the city’s local artists are paying tribute to the team. The roster includes natives and adopted Portlanders alike. Former club mascot, Timber Jim Serrill, is among those making work for the show, which will showcase two of Portland’s most passionate communities.

Co-curator Neil Perry said: “My re-location to Portland from the UK was largely down to two things: the internationally renowned art community and some very good friends, members of the Timbers Army, who I met when they visited Sunderland to watch my team play in 2006. It’s an honor to be able to bring these two passionate cultures closer together.”

30% of sales will be donated to "Operation Pitch Invasion", a local charity dedicated to repairing and maintaining soccer fields in Portland. Members of the 107ist, a supporter run non-profit, created this organization.

Please contact Neil Perry with any further questions.

See that last part? It's for a good cause, too. So go to the Bitter End and get some culture, you brutes!

—by Chris Rifer

On an April morning in a town southwest of Boston, a young upstart group of men stepped up to take on an elite group. They were outnumbered and outmatched. Our boys were routed. Sent packing with their tails between their legs, only hoping they might fight another day. That afternoon they dusted themselves off and took to the field again. This time, in the town of Concord, our boys stood tall. They won—sort of. Tactically, it was relatively inconsequential. The message it sent, however, was clear. Those rag-tag Americans meant business.

Saturday was the Portland Timbers’ Concord moment. It was a draw. One point. Still at the bottom of the table. But make no mistake; the Portland Timbers are here to compete.

The match got off to a familiar start. The first twenty minutes were pretty wide open, with both teams getting a couple chances and not much of the game being played in the middle third. The Timbers seemed to be asserting themselves, but in the 22^nd minute, after the Timbers failed to clear a New England corner kick, Stephen McCarthy knocked home a volley from just outside the 18-yard box.

That was the end of the familiar script, however. The Timbers wouldn’t take long to respond. In the 38^th minute, Kenny Cooper gained possession on the left side of the midfield, made a long diagonal run to the right side, and sent a ball into the box for Jeremy Hall. Like so many Timbers crosses in the past two weeks, Hall struggled to get a handle on Cooper’s cross. This time, however, he controlled it just enough to lay it off to an onrushing Jack Jewsbury, whose low strike snuck inside the right post and into the back of the net.

In the second half, the Timbers continued to assert themselves in possession. While the game turned more to the midfield, the Timbers’ new combination of Kalif Alhassan, James Marcelin, Jewsbury, and Jeremy Hall proved that they were capable of controlling a match in the midfield. The Timbers’ chances culminated in the 70^th minute, when Kalif Alhassan’s free kick appeared to beat Revs keeper, Matt Reis, only to find the near post.

New England made the most of their possession in the second half, producing a number of scoring chances requiring the attention of Portland keeper, Jake Gleeson. The Revs nearly broke through in the 79^th minute when Sainey Nyassi—twin brother of former Sounder Sanna Nyassi—pulled his shot wide, rolling perilously in front of goal.

In the end, however, the Timbers collected a well-earned point in Foxborough. The draw further builds to the momentum established in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Chivas USA in U.S. Open qualifying, and sets the table for the Timbers to open Jeld-Wen Field on April 14^th.

Match Observations

• The team played with a confidence today that we hadn’t seen until now. Even after conceding the early goal, the Timbers quickly reestablished dominance and found an equalizer. There is a belief about this team that there wasn’t a week ago, and that appears to have made all the difference with results this week.
• John Spencer made a number of changes to the starting XI before the match, inserting James Marcelin in place of Peter Lowry, Kalif Alhassan for Ryan Pore, and David Horst instead of Kevin Goldthwaite. Each of the three replacements justified the boss’ moves, as the play in both the midfield and backline was the best we have seen it in regular season play this year.
• As Darlington Nagbe and Sal Zizzo get healthy it is going to be interesting to see what John Spencer does with the wingers. Kalif Alhassan has had some moments of brilliance in both games this week, and considering his youth and potential the Timbers are certainly going to want to keep him on the field quite a bit. It seems that Zizzo and Nagbe would still be the likely starters on the wings, especially if the central midfield continues to play as well as they did against New England, but with those two coming back there is suddenly a glut of viable talent in the outside midfield.
• Troy Perkins is the starting goalkeeper. Jake Gleeson has certainly performed well, and has shown his tremendous potential. That said, there are still a number of situations in which Gleeson shows his youth. He seems a little bit reluctant to cover up the ball in traffic, often preferring to resort to a sliding tackle, which with an unlucky bounce can yield a rebound goal. Make no mistake, Gleeson has been good—and at times fantastic—but Perkins provides a consistency on goal that Gleeson hasn’t developed yet.
• After watching the replay on Root Sports, I think this was the team’s best all-around game by far. The individual mistakes that had plagued the side the last two weeks were minimized. Really, nobody had a really bad game. It was the first time all season that I felt like the Timbers were competitive at 11 positions on the field.

Timbers Grades

Jake Gleeson, 5.5 Made some very nice saves, but at times was a bit of an adventure in goal. Still, the upside on this kid is tremendous, and doesn’t seem to wide-eyed.

Rodney Wallace, 5.5 His best match of the season. Didn’t look to get forward as much as he did against Toronto and Chivas, but looked substantially more reliable in defense.

David Horst, 5.5 There were a few runs that broke the backline early, but as the game went along the backline looked more and more organized. Horst looks to have substantially more chemistry with Brunner than Goldthwaite. At this point, it is the Horstache’s job to lose.

Eric Brunner, 5 Had a couple rough moments today, losing his footing a couple times in crucial spots. Still, he was the leader of a backline that ably did its job in front of Jake Gleeson.

Steve Purdy, 5 Probably his most nonchalant performance of the season, and at times seemed to struggle with the pace of Nyassi, but still made a number of his signature timely tackles.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 Showed a little more pace today than I had seen from him in the past. That said, he doesn’t make quite the runs that Ryan Pore is known for, but his distribution on that wing is clearly a cut above right now. His effort on the free kick in the 70^th minute was top notch, and was unlucky to not come away with the winner.

Jack Jewsbury, 7 Man of the match for the Timbers. Obviously was a solid strike on the goal, but was also commanding in the midfield, winning physical tackles and distributing well. The team seems to be taking on his confidence and attitude—exactly what you want from a captain.

James Marcelin, 5.5 This grade might even be a bit harsh. Paired very well with Jewsbury, repeatedly wining 50-50 balls in the midfield and looking better in distribution than we have seen him.

Jeremy Hall, 5 Seems to be getting more and more aggressive in going at goal by the game. Made a smart run to the middle of the field in the run up to the goal, and did well to just knock the ball to Jewsbury. That said, still seemed to disappear at times.

Jorge Perlaza, 4.5 Maybe this is a little generous, but on a second watch of the game, he was only a step off two goals—one on a Steve Purdy cross and another on a rebound of a Kenny Cooper shot. Isn’t creating much off of his own runs, but I think he is closer to being comfortable and productive than I initially thought.

Kenny Cooper, 6 Was again disruptive up front. Shares the credit for the goal, where he showed his versatility. Basically transformed himself into a winger, made the right pass into the box and set up the equalizer. Continues to earn fouls extremely well, setting up set pieces in dangerous areas, where Jack Jewsbury and company are getting more and more lethal.

Brian Umony, 5.5 Came on and created a few chances. Was more active up front than Perlaza, even if sometimes a bit too active. Could be an interesting player to watch throughout the season—again another young player that has shown some potential. The guess here is that we see him as a frequent substitute, especially as long as Perlaza is still getting comfortable in MLS.

Darlington Nagbe, 5 The realistic expectation for today’s appearance was simply for him to get some pitch time, get comfortable, and begin to reestablish some of that chemistry with his teammates. Looked a little bit tentative and lost at times in his short stint, but also showed some flashes of being adept on the ball and doing a good job tracking back.

—by Andrew Brawley

Earlier this week, I proposed a Twitter-specific event on this here blog section, and the TA Twitterazzi responded with overwhelming positivity. Now we have a public event specifically for those who can’t break away from their laptops or mobile devices for more than five minutes. This will be interesting.

Personally, I’m excited for it. I went to Tuesday’s Open Cup match with the intent of meeting some Tweeters I follow. Thanks to a nasty combination of long commute, rushed dinner, one beer (followed by a lack of many beers at Merlo Field), and an unbelievable amount of rain, my enthusiasm to meet fellow Tweeters was diminished pretty quickly. If the Timbers didn’t win the match, my mood woulda been more foul than the weather.

As a result of that disappointment, I figured I’d throw this concept out there to the masses and see what people thought about it. About 24 hours later, we had an official Meet-N-Tweet event on the calendar, one that I have zero expectations for. It could be a success. It could be a bust. What I hope it becomes is a memorable night where we take social media into new territory…a territory where people are actually talking to each other via their mouths and hand signals. It’s an old-school concept, but one that may lead to solidified friendships and conserved cell phone battery life.

This event is open to almost everyone (sorry under-21’ers). Fans. Media. Critics. O-Live commenters. Even our favorite balding journo, who I’ll buy a drink for if he actually shows up (he won’t). Anyone who cares to meet their allies in pushing the boys in green into the limelight. Even if you don’t use Twitter, come on out and teach us what it’s like to live such a primitive lifestyle.

#RCTID

#Horstache

Tweeters, go outside and play

What was once a daydream became a goal. Fifteen months later, the goal became a reality.

This week, the 107ist welcomed its 1,000th member – Grant Engler. To commemorate his spot in Timbers history, we took a moment to download Grant’s thoughts on the amazing community that is Timberana.

Q. How long have you been following the Timbers?

A. I'm a relatively new Timbers fan because I haven't lived here very long. I've been a fan since I've been here though, about four years.

Q. Where in the stadium do you watch the game?

A. The North End, of course.

Q. When the Timbers are on the road, where do you watch the matches?

A. My fiancée and I are in the process of moving to a different part of town so I need to find a place nearby. The 4-4-2 perhaps…

Q. Why did you join the 107ist?

A. I joined because I am insanely excited for this season, and I want to do all I can to support the Timbers and the TA. Drink discounts around town are nice, too.

Q. What does it feel like to be the 1,000th member of the 107ist?

A. It’s great. Let’s go for 2,000 this season!

Q. Who is your favorite Timbers player?

A. Ryan Pore. Eric Brunner is a close second; he's been very impressive so far.

Q. What is your favorite Timbers chant/song?

A. “Timbers Wonderland”

Q. Did you grow up in Oregon? If not, what brought you here?

A. I grew up in Wisconsin. We moved out here for a number of reasons; jobs and better weather mostly.

Q. What is your favorite aspect of the 107ist?

A. I love the organization and support that the 107ist provides to make the Timbers Army the best fan base in the country.

—by Chris Rifer

The Timbers on Tuesday night knocked off Chivas USA 2-0 in US Open Cup qualifying behind late goals from Jack Jewsbury and Eric Brunner. Jewsbury, the usual wearer of the armband, came on in the 71^st minute and didn’t waste much time breaking through, scoring on a strike from 30 yards out in the 84^th to put Portland up 1-0. Two minutes later, game captain Brunner knocked in a rebound off of his own errant header to seal the 2-nil victory and assure the Timbers of at least another game in Open Cup qualifying.

The match started off with some of the best Timbers play of the young season. In the first 20 minutes of the match, the Timbers strikeforce and attacking midfield had their way with the Goats’ backline, bullying their way to a series of long balls and crosses that created several early chances. Portland failed to capitalize on any of those early chances, and when Chivas righted the ship on their backline, every Timbers fan had a flashback to the litany of chances with no result in Toronto.

In spite of the long ball success largely drying up, Kenny Cooper continued to be a nuisance to Chivas’ defense, forcing Andrew Boyens into two first-half yellow cards, leaving the Goats a man down for the rest of the match.

The shorthanded Goats, however, refused to go away quietly, controlling much of the play through the start of the second half. In spite of the disadvantage, Chivas wasn’t satisfied to sit back and pack the box hoping to weather the storm. Instead, the Goats pinned the Timbers in their own end for long stretches and on a few occasions created quality chances that were only snuffed out by last ditch defense and a relatively heroic effort in goal by young Jake Gleeson.

Portland reasserted itself as the half went on aided by the insertion of fresh legs into the midfield, bringing on Jewsbury and Jeremy Hall in place of Peter Lowry and Ryan Pore. Both players’ increased activity in the midfield unsettled the all-too-comfortable Chivas midfield, opened the game back up, and helped the Timbers take their first slices off the victory log as an MLS club.

The win gives Portland a shot of much-needed confidence, and advances the Timbers in U.S. Open Cup qualifying, setting up an April match with the San Jose Earthquakes.

Match Observations

• The first twenty minutes of the match provided the best Timbers soccer of the season. Kenny Cooper, Jorge Perlaza, and Kalif Alhassan were all particularly active in the opening stages as the Goats’ defense and midfield struggled to control Portland’s pace. The offense still relied heavily on the long ball, certainly to the dismay of many in the Army, but the strategy created early chances virtually at will.
• The Timbers are still struggling with lacking a little bit of quality on some crosses and finishes. Quality finishes could have easily cut a slice or two off the log in the early going. As the match progressed and the game turned to the midfield a bit more, too many Timbers possessions were ended by a poor cross into the box or a needless giveaway by a careless pass.
• The defense didn’t look quite as organized in some situations as it has in the previous two games. Against Toronto, the Timbers defense was vulnerable against the counterattack, but looked to have pretty good shape and organization in the normal run of play. Tuesday, I thought that shape and organization just wasn’t quite there. It wasn’t awful—they kept a clean sheet after all—but I felt that it had been better.
• It is clear that Jorge Perlaza and Kalif Alhassan both like to have a nice open flow of play. When the play was open both were effective, with Alhassan looking like the best player on the pitch in the first 20 minutes. When the game tightens up, however, it seems they do as well and have a tendency to disappear for stretches.
• The boys could use a little bit of work on their goal celebrations.

Timbers Grades

Rodney Wallace, 5 Rod’s best performance of the season so far, but was a bit Jekyll & Hyde. Had some brilliant moments, making some great long runs up the left side and one beautiful crack on goal from distance in the first half, but also had some brutal moments with poor crosses and needless giveaways. Looked better in defense, although that’s not a terribly high standard.

David Horst, 5 A couple nerve-wracking moments, but on the whole fared fairly well. Nothing to write home to Pine Grove about, but that’s music to a central defender’s ears.

Eric Brunner, 5.5 Would have fared better here because of the goal, but because he was charged with leading the defense gets docked just a touch because of the little bit of disorganization in back. Overall another very solid outing in a good start to the 2011 campaign.

Steve Purdy, 6 Maybe I just love this guy, but I think he’s been the Timbers’ best player thus far. How many crucial, perfectly-timed tackles did he have Tuesday? Add to that the fact that he may be the Timbers’ best server in the run of play right now and I think you have your Timbers MVP to date.

Kalif Alhassan, 5.5 Looked to be the best man on the pitch in the early going, having tremendous success in feeding the strikers and wreaking havoc in a scared-looking Goats midfield. Folks, he was born in 1990. Tremendous upside potential.

Peter Lowry, 5.5 Had perhaps his best outing of the young campaign as well. Strung together a few nice passes in the midfield and defensively was pretty reliable before coming off in the 71^st. Would like to see him look up at goal a bit more and direct the attack, but I’m just not sure we’re going to get that from him.

James Marcelin, 5 Typical James Marcelin. Reliable defensively. Mixed bag in the attack. At times looked brilliant and at times looked maddening. That said, he’s a nice guy to have to bring on in the midfield when the Timbers have a lead to protect and need a bit more defense.

Ryan Pore, 4 Positionally didn’t look like a fish out of water on the right side, but struggled mightily with his touch. Just looks like he’s lacking a little bit of confidence right now, as the usual Ryan Pore quality just doesn’t seem like it’s there. It may take him getting a goal to rediscover it.

Kenny Cooper, 6 This might be a bit generous considering he had a couple chances that he should have made better of, but the guy just wreaks havoc in back. That’s valuable. He’s the guy that makes defenders spout obscenities. Isn’t that right, Andrew Boyens?

Jorge Perlaza, 4.5 Clearly hasn’t put it all together yet, but we shouldn’t expect him to at this point. Had some nice runs, especially in the early going, but has a knack right now to disappear for extended periods. Also had some moments of comically poor quality, but the feeling here is that will improve as he gets more comfortable. Some decent service never killed anybody either.

Jake Gleeson, 6.5 I agree with Ross Smith, he was man of the match. Unbelievable tools as a young keeper. So good, in fact, that you have to be a little concerned about who is watching our games. Still shows signs of being a young keeper from time to time, but on the whole Timbers fans couldn’t be happier with his play over the last 135 minutes.

Jeremy Hall, 5.5 Loved how active he was off the bench, as he stirred things up in a Chivas midfield that was way too comfortable for being a man down. Had a couple head scratching fouls, but more than made up for them.

Jack Jewsbury, 6.5 Was also disruptive in the Chivas midfield, applying a little bit of high pressure. Showed his two primary offensive tools; taking cracks at goal from distance and providing quality service from set pieces. Both produced goals.

Pardon me while I nerd out here. Is anyone interested in having a Twitter-specific TA event? Something where the TA Twitter fiends can actually meet in one place (one that actually exists in reality, not the Internet), match the faces to the names over some pints? Perhaps, with civility, settle some differences in person? And then tweet all about it!

Of would you rather continue to tweet anonymously?

Reply with your comments to this post and let me know. I have plenty of Twitter followers and followees I'd like to finally meet in person. Match days are not the best opportunity, as much as we'd like that to be. If the replies can justify (that rhymes), I'll get the wheels turning and put something together.

If we do this, wearing nametags with your Twitter handle will be a requirement. Otherwise, what's the point, right?

Sincerely,

@Andrew_Brawley

#RCTID