photo courtesy of Robby Russell.

Kips blog and Game Recap.

It is reported today that the Seattle Sounders are practicing this afternoon at 2pm down at PGE Park.  Give them hell.

Tomorrow, the epic journey of the Portland Timbers-Seattle Sounders rivalry continues.  Like 2009, they will meet again in the United States Open Cup.  Seattle edged Portland 2-1 in the nationally watched match that included a sellout crowd, and a stellar atmosphere.

The teams met again this past March.  This time in the Community Sheild match that was arguably the largest preseason crowd for two U.S. domestic clubs. 

And now, the two rivals will square off in the United States Open Cup 2010.  

This is a match you will NOT want to miss. 

Seattle Sounders @ Portland Timbers – June 30th, Wednesday at 7:30pm, PGE Park

With a big game in two days, the Portland Timbers didn’t get caught overlooking their opponent Sunday.

The Timbers put Wednesday’s game against the arch-rival Seattle Sounders on the back burner and remained focused on the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies long enough to win 1-0 in front of 8,892 at PGE Park.

The Timbers (5-5-4, 19 points) face Major League Soccer’s Sounders in a U.S. Open Cup game Wednesday. But the Timbers wanted to win an important league game against the Rowdies and maintain the momentum from winning two consecutive games.

Portland coach Gavin Wilkinson used his typical bluntness when he addressed his players about not looking ahead to Seattle.

“The simple truth? Do well (Sunday) and you’ll have a chance of starting against Seattle,” Wilkinson said. “Do poorly and you’ll miss out one of the most exciting games you’ll ever play in.”

Rest of Article

The World Cup Bracket Challenge is officially online now.  Scores and rankings can be found at the top tab, titled “World Cup Madness”, throughout the World Cup.  Good Luck to all!

World Cup Bracket Challenge Scores and Rankings

1. Timbers vs. Seattle  – June 30th, Wednesday 7pm, PGE Park
2. U.S.A beats Algeria on a last minute goal, in a must win game to advance!  They win their group, England gets 2nd.
3. Timbers dominate Kitsap 4-1, in yet another epic roadtrip for the Timbers Army.
4. World Cup Madness Bracket Challenge is on the verge of starting…just waiting for the final games to be played.
5. Timbers play host to the FC Tampa Bay “Rowdies”…on Sunday, enuff said.
6. The French go up in flames after poor World Cup showing, you have to laugh.

I don’t know if I want today to end, I am so happy.

Go Timbers, Go Yanks!

• Timbers split points with Minnesota over the weekend.  Home loss on Thursday, and a Saturday victory on the road.
• World Cup is heating up!  It will take the third, and deciding game to figure out, who’s in, and who’s out!
• Timbers play host to Kitsap on Tuesday in Bremerton, WA.  This second round U.S. Open Cup game, will decide who plays Seattle next week.
• Several new Portland MLS ads can now be seen around town.

The World Cup Madness Bracket Challenge scores will be up soon!  We are currently making a program that is easier for scoring, sorry for the delay, but we will have it up and running soon at RowdiesPDX.org

The 107ist  (The 107 Independent Supporters Trust) is having a fundraiser in a week.  Booze for a good cause!  It’s very important with the strong push we have toward next year, that we support this organization that has done so much for us.  Click here to visit the Facebook event.

On Sunday, June 20th, join fellow 107ist members at Apex Bar in SE Portland for a special World Cup viewing party and 107ist fundraiser event. The bar will be open at 7am for the Italy vs. New Zealand match for 107ist members.

Drink! Hopworks is donating a keg and we will have discounted pints and pitchers available with proceeds benefiting the 107ist organization. All other beers will be available at regular price. Bring your membership card to get these drink discounts (membership cards and t-shirts can be picked up on game days at the Timbers Army trailer before and after matches.)

When: 6/20 at 7am
Where: Apex Bar
1216 SE Division
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 273-9227

Sorry, this is a 21+ only event.

We hope to see you there!

• World Cup Madness Bracket Challenge officially reaches 70 submissions.  Filled-out brackets to be released soon online, all are locked, and we are not longer accepting submissions.  We are still constructing our bracket program.  We had some issues, and bugs, but once we get it fixed, it will be posted.  Stay tuned.
• Timbers draw Austin, lose in Miami.
• Timbers logo revealed, mixed emotions from fans.
• Additional Tifo Fundraisers are being discussed.  Right now, the Rowdies Cup (Beer Pong Tournament) is set for August 7th.  And the Beer Olympics are set for August 28th.  More information to come soon.

Full Story here…

We are still getting the several details organized, stay tuned to RowdiesPDX.org for all brackets, and scores. 

Posted in the World Cup Madness tab above, are the submissions I have recieved.  If it says confirming, it just means I have not recieved the forwarded emails from our 107ist rep yet.  If you mailed yours, it may not be posted, as we will check the mail Friday.   Any questions, feel free to contact us: RowdiesPDX@gmail.com

And we’re off!!!  World Cup 2010!!

The Timbers now are winless at home for the past four games.  A story which was unheard of in 2009, the Timbers seem to be letting the opponent take our homefield advantage lightly.  The Portland boys take on Austin on Wednesday.

Full match story, and results here.

Please help us reach our goal of 100 submissions, and raise Tifo money in the process!  For more information on this fun contest, please click the tab above labeled “World Cup Madness.”

PORTLAND, Ore. – Midfielder Rodrigo Lopez provided a key assist and then scored the game-winning goal as the Portland Timbers defeated Argentina side Boca Juniors 3-2 in an international exhibition match Saturday at PGE Park before 14,106.

Down by a goal, Lopez made an immediate impact upon entering the match as a sub in the second half. He assisted the Timbers’ equalizing goal by defender Stephen Keel in the 74th minute, which leveled the score at 2-2. On a free kick in second-half stoppage time, Lopez then found the go-ahead goal to lift the Timbers to victory.

Keel tallied his first goal of the season, midfielder Ryan Pore scored in his second consecutive game and midfielder Alex Nimo logged an assist to lead the Timbers. Goalkeeper Steve Cronin made five saves as the Timbers backline faced 22 shots from Boca Juniors in the contest.

Midfielder Matias Gimenez and forward Nicolas Blandi each scored two minutes apart in the second half to help Boca Juniors take a 2-1 lead in the 52nd minute. Gimenez also recorded an assist and a team-high four shots, while forward Lucas Viatri attempt three shots of his own for Boca Juniors, which ended its United States tour with its third straight loss.

One of the most successful clubs in the world, Boca Juniors visited the Rose City as part of a three-stop tour along the West Coast. Before Saturday’s match, the 23-time Argentina first division champions played against Major League Soccer clubs the Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC.

The Timbers took the lead in the 16th minute on Pore’s eighth goal of the season. From midfield, Nimo played the ball down the right side and spotted forward Mandjou Keita and Pore on a run into the box. Nimo’s cross connected with Pore, who settled the ball and then ripped a shot inside the left post past Boca Juniors goalkeeper Josue Ayala.  

Entering the exhibition against the Timbers, Boca Juniors was still looking for its first goal of the tour, and put the Portland defense under pressure throughout the game. In the first half, the three-time FIFA Club World Cup-winners attempted 14 shots and earned nine corner kicks.

A foul by Timbers defender Ross Smith set up a dangerous free kick attempt for Boca Juniors in the 11th minute from just outside the box. Midfielder Jesus Mendez, a member of Argentina’s National Team, blasted a shot that sailed just over the crossbar.

The pressure by Boca Juniors produced results early in the second half, as the visitors scored twice within a two-minute window to grab the lead.

Boca Juniors’ first goal of the tour came courtesy of Gimenez in the 50th minute. Midfielder Carlos Nicolas Colazo played a perfectly-placed through ball from the left side into the box for Gimenez 15 yards out from goal. With a right-footed shot, Gimenez slotted a low drive past the diving effort of Cronin and inside the far post to level the score at 1-1.

In the 52nd minute, Gimenez set up another quick strike by Boca Juniors. From the right side, the ball was played into the box and found Gimenez on the back side. He headed the ball back towards the center of the box, and Cronin left his line to play the ball. Blandi was the first to the ball and hit a shot on frame. Keel attempted to clear the shot off the line but was unsuccessful, and Boca Juniors claimed its first lead while on tour.

Cronin turned in a key save in the 67th minute to keep the Timbers within reach. He denied a hard-hit shot by Blandi with a diving save to knock a shot on frame wide of the mark.

Portland pulled level at 2-2 in the 74th minute on header by Keel. Lined up 25 yards out from the left side, Lopez delivered the ball into the center of the box. From the penalty spot, Keel fought off his marker and drove a shot into the back of the net for his second professional goal and second as a member of the Timbers.

With the equalizer, the Timbers gained some life late in the match, and a foul on Keita just outside the box led to the game-winning play. Following the foul, the Timbers put their initial free kick attempt off Boca Juniors’ four-man wall, but a foul on that play gave Portland a second chance. Lopez stepped up to take the kick and drilled a shot from the left side into the top right corner of the goal, just beyond the reach of Ayala to seal the win.

The Timbers return to league play on Sunday, June 6, at PGE Park as they play host to the Carolina RailHawks. Tickets start at $12 in advance and are available at the PGE Park box office, area Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Notes: Smith made his first appearance with the club since a March 11 pre-season match against Seattle Sounders FC; he missed the team’s first eight league matches due to injury … The 14,106 on hand was the second-largest home crowd for the Timbers in 2010 … Guest player Jerome Mechak entered the match for Portland as a sub in the second half.  

Lineups:
POR: GK Cronin, D Kirk (Mechak, 83), D Keel, D Joy (Cameron, 45), D Smith (Farber, 63), M McManus (Purdy, 54), M Marcelin (Suzuki , 84), M Nimo (Lopez, 71), M Pore, F Dike, F Keita

BOC: GK Ayala, D Ibarra, D Munos (Gaona Lugo, 45), D Monzon (Aguierre, 80), D Achucarro, M Mendez, M Erbes (Rossi, 51), M Colazo, M Gimenez, F Mouche (Bonilla, 45), F Viatri (Blandi, 45)

Scoring Summary:
POR: Pore (Nimo), 16
BOC: Gimenez (Colazo), 50
BOC: Blandi (Gimenez), 52
POR: Keel (Lopez), 74
POR: Lopez, 90

Timbers Player Ratings (as submitted by members of the Portland media; on a scale of 1-10):
GK – Steve Cronin – 6.5, D – Quavas Kirk – 7, D – Stephen Keel – 7, D – Ian Joy – 6.5, D – Ross Smith – 7, M – Tony McManus – 6, M – James Marcelin – 6.5, M – Alex Nimo – 8, M – Ryan Pore – 7, F – Mandjou Keita – 7.5, F – Bright Dike – 8

D – Jerome Mechak – 7, D – Steve Purdy – 7, D – Josh Cameron – 7.5, M – Brian Farber – 7, M – Rodrigo Lopez – 8.5, F – Takayuki Suzuki – 7

An utmost congratulations from all of us.  Liam Michael Hardwicke was born at 12:33pm on May 26, 2010, measuring at 19 3/4 inches long, and weighing in at 8 lbs, 8 ounces!  The proud father, Christopher Hardwicke (General Zod), has been a loyal member of the Timbers Army for years.  We are glad everything went smooth, and we happily welcome little Liam to the world!

Liam, may you be blessed from this day forward, and let the Timbers force flow within.

LOWS:
- The obvious, Portland Timbers losing to shit Baltimore again, this time 2-1 in Maryland.
- What’s up with this shitty weather?  The local soccer fields were in not good condition to play for an afternoon scrum.
- Just thinking about the Timbers four game winless streak…
- Hearing news of the St. Louis soccer financial situation.
- Division II soccer in 2011? We’ll see…

HIGHS:
- Watching Champions League: didn’t care about the result, awesome game between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.
- Discussing the World Cup Madness with folks, hoping to fundraise a good chunk for the Timbers Army tifo fund.
- Eating Swirl Frozen Yogurt in SE Portland with a fellow Rowdie.  While there, many people noticed my Timbers jersey, and commented either on the game played against Baltimore that day, or MLS 2011.
- Hearing news that the Portland Timbers MLS crest will be revealed on June 12th, during halftime of the USA-England game.
- Timbers Army season ticket package is complete!  Great work to the folks for getting this done.  Stay tuned for further updates…
- Finally getting a date set for the Timbers Army tifo fundraising event, Rowdies Cup Beer Pong Tournament.  After several attempts, we finally found a date that works for the several reasons at hand.  Date to be revealed soon…
- Seattle 0:1 San Jose, watching Freddie Ljungberg complain the entire game, priceless.

There’s No Pity in the Rose City.

Today, the Rowdies announce World Cup Madness!  A Tifo fundraiser, and a fun way to win prizes!  50% of the entry fees will go toward the Timbers Army Tifo Fund, and the other 50% will go toward prize money payouts.  Forms will be handed out at the Rowdies Soiree Party on May 29th at the Marathon Bar.  Contact me for a form if you are unable to come by, and pick one up.  All brackets, scores, and everything else will be posted at the Rowdies website, under “World Cup Madness” page at the top.  All rules, and regulations are below:

FULL DESCRIPTION

The Rowdies are raising money for Timbers Army Tifo throughout the 2010 season.  All of the flags, banners, streamers, etc. that you see throughout the North End of PGE Park during games, are 100% fan subsized by the great folks of the Timbers Army.

We’ll be holding a contest for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  Its format is the exact same way that the College Hoops March Madness Tournament brackets are built.  You will basically predict your 2010 World Cup from Pool Play, all the way to the Championship game.  Point determination is based on the advancement of teams,  if a tiebreaker occurs between enteries, the point penalty kicks (ppk’s) will come into play.  1 ppk will be awarded for each accurate entry for the bracket placement of teams.  The entire bracket will be added up for the ppk’s.

PORTLAND, Ore. – A first-half goal by midfielder Tony Donatelli led the defending-champion Montreal Impact to a 1-0 victory over the Portland Timbers before 6,573 at PGE Park on Wednesday. Portland was dealt its second loss in the last three games.

The Timbers conceded another first-half goal that would prove to be the game-winner for the visiting side. Donatelli struck in the 31st minute and the Impact (3-1-2, 11pts) endured 17 shots by the Timbers to pull out the road win and improve its unbeaten streak to five games.

Midfielders Johan Claesson and Brian Farber contributed three shots apiece and midfielder James Marcelin had a late shot hit off the crossbar in the loss for the Timbers (3-2-2, 11pts). Portland’s backline held Montreal to just five shots in the match, but surrendered its third goal in three games.

The Impact jumped on the board just past the half hour mark. Defender Stephen deRoux broke free down the left wing and connected with forward Eduardo Sebrango near the box. Sebrango quickly re-directed the ball to Donatelli on a run at the right post. He blasted a shot past Portland goalkeeper Steve Cronin and under the crossbar for the go-ahead goal.

In a spirited second half, the Timbers had chances to equalize, taking 11 shots, and their best opportunities came late in the match.

In the 76th minute, defender Josh Cameron dialed in a well-placed cross from the left side for Farber on the back stick. Farber out-jumped his defender and put his head on the ball. His header just skimmed over the crossbar as it crossed back across the goal mouth.

Nine minutes from time, a free kick by midfielder Ryan Pore from 30 yards out found Marcelin inside the box. Stationed along the left post, Marcelin battled his marker for the ball in the air. His header found the crossbar near the top right corner of the frame and Montreal was able to clear away the deflection.

Portland thought it had a chance to equalize in the 68th minute, when it appeared that Montreal had committed a handball in the box. However, referee Fotis Bazakos waived the call and continued play.

The Timbers travel to face Crystal Palace Baltimore on Saturday at 4 p.m. (Pacific); it’s just their second road trip of the season. The match will air live on 95.5 The Game, with a live video webcast available at www.portlandtimbers.com/live.

Notes: Montreal won its first game in Portland since Aug. 31, 2006 … Making his first career start in league play for the Timbers on Wednesday was second-year defender Josh Cameron … Both Claesson and defender Mamadou Danso left the match due to injury … After ending the month of April with a 3-0-1 record, the Timbers are 0-2-1 in May.

Lineups:
POR: GK Cronin, D Kirk, D Purdy (Lopez, 85), D Danso (Keel, 36), D Cameron, M Nimo (Suzuki, 75), M Marcelin, M Claesson (Josten, 56), M Pore, F Obatola (Farber, 45), F Keita

MON: GK Djekanovic, D Aaboubou, D deRoux, D Gatti (Braz, 85), D Joqueviel, M Hemming (Testo, 72), M Di Lorenzo, M Donatelli (Donatelli, 89), M Billy, F Placentino (Soares, 77), F Sebrango (Byers, 65)

Scoring Summary:
MON: Donatelli (Sebrango), 31

Timbers Player Ratings (as submitted by members of the Portland media; scale of 1-10):
GK – Steve Cronin – 6.5, D – Quavas Kirk – 6, D – Josh Cameron – 7.5, D – Steve Purdy – 6.5, D – Mamadou Danso – 6.5, M – Johan Claesson – 6.5, M – James Marcelin – 6.5, M – Alex Nimo – 7, M – Ryan Pore – 7, F – O.J. Obatola – 6.5, F – Mandjou Keita – 7

M – Brian Farber – 7.5, M – Rodrigo Lopez – 6.5, D – Stephen Keel – 7, F – George Josten – 6.5, F – Takayuki Suzuki – 7

from Portland Timbers.com

The Portland Timbers and Tropical Smoothie NW challenge you to concoct the official Portland Timbers smoothie, which will be available at the Tropical Smoothie NW locations during the Timbers 2010 season. 

In a special contest, fans are invited to submit recipe ideas from select ingredients as well as name suggestions for the new menu item on the Timbers’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PortlandTimbers (Note: if there are repeat recipe submissions, the first person to submit the recipe will be selected).

The winner will be selected by Portland Timbers players on June 2, 2010 from 1-2p at the Tropical Smoothie NW location on Burnside.  Timbers players will be tasting select smoothie recipes, signing autographs and taking photos with fans at this exciting event!

The winning smoothie recipe will be available at Tropical Smoothie NW locations with $1 of every Timbers’ smoothie purchase going to the Portland Beavers & Portland Timbers Community Fund (PBPTCF), which donates more than $100,000 annually to youth-focused nonprofits in the greater-Portland area.

Portland would outshoot St. Louis 14 to 3 in the contest, as once again the Timbers would dominate the match.  Too early to panic, however as long as the Portland boys continue to dominate matches, results will come.  Yev predicted it in the TimberCast, quick defensive breakdowns will give away to easy goals, and that is exactly what happened Saturday night.

The Portland Timbers take on the Montreal Impact at home next Wednesday, let’s look ahead to this: a very possible playoff match-up.

Game recaps I always enjoy reading…

Dropping Timber

Portland Timbers official site

The Timber Mill

It’s been a great five seasons in the heart of the action, but sometimes decisions have to be made for the greater good.  That greater good is the Timbers Army, and the future it may hold.  The Rowdies will no longer be occupying the front rows of Section 107, starting this Thursday.  Sure, a few members may stray behind for a game or two, but for the most part, the growth for the Rowdies will be moving somewhere else. 

After several discussions with members of the group, it’s been decided that Section 104 in the North End will be the new home for the Rowdies starting Thursday, and for the remainder of the 2010 season.  Nothing has been finalized for the long-term future.  This decision was based upon several factors:

• The Rowdies would often cram up the front row of 107 with sometimes 2-3 people deep, making it very crowded.  As the years went by, the group saw growth, and more attended matches; space obviously ran out.
• Timbers Army resources need to be spread out.  Section 104 is the new “outlying” territory.  No need to crowd certain areas where growth is no longer needed.
• Section 105, home of the “Howitzers”, have a great capo, which the Rowdies will be feeding off of.
• A common goal of the Timbers Army is to expand all the way to the east wall, the Rowdies want to help assist in that project.

Overall, it’s a good move.  I think with growing pains, alternative solutions need to be established.  Let’s face it, it’s not 2006 anymore.  The Timbers Army is growing, and will continue as the time clock goes forward.  As long as these solutions are communicated diplomatically, and with good intentions: our common goal of creating the best atmosphere in the United States, will be reached.

continued at Portland Timbers.com

courtesy of the offside.com

After the Portland Timbers Facebook page gave several hints as to where Joey will be on Saturday, 12pm to 1, the location will be Skidmore Fountain.

from the Portland Timbers Facebook page:

Timber Joey will be out at Skidmore Fountain (SW 1st and Ankeny) TODAY during the Saturday Market from 12-1 pm! Fans will have the opportunity to take photos and collect a limited edition Portland MLS 2011 patch! You must be wearing Timbers gear to receive a patch!

While Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal will see expansion sides in the next two years, MLS is not quite done yet…

From MLSsoccer.com

Commissioner Don Garber said Friday that the league has no intentions of slowing down following a 2012 expansion to Montreal, and that a second New York franchise could be in line for 2013.

Garber told the Associated Press that the league has aspirations of soon fielding a 20th franchise to follow Montreal, which was officially announced on Friday as the league’s third Canadian club and 19th franchise overall.

“Our attention is very focused on a 20th team as we speak. We’d like that team to be in New York City representing a second team in the tri-state area,” Garber told the AP. “The Red Bulls are very supportive of that and believe that rivalry will help grow the popularity of the sport in the New York metropolitan area. So we’re going to work hard and try to get something done perhaps as early as 2013.”

A second New York-area franchise has long been a rumored expansion possibility for the league, along with St. Louis, Atlanta and Miami. Portland and Vancouver will join the league in 2011.

The New York Red Bulls moved into their sparkling, $200 million Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. in March, giving the market arguably the premier soccer-specific facility in the nation.

Garber added that he has held talks with the Wilpons, the ownership family in charge of the New York Mets, and that those talks may resume.

“Our discussions, which were fairly active with the Mets, clearly got put aside with the energy that they were putting into the launch of Citi Field,” Garber said. “We haven’t had discussions with the Wilpons in over a year and we’ll hopefully reopen those discussions.

“But there are certainly many, many other potential ownership opportunities in that market. With the economy turning around, we hope to be able to start some discussions with potential other investors.”

However, to actually have the score read 6:6 after fulltime, bizarre.

In the SPL Wednesday night, down 6-2, Motherwall comes back and scores four straight goals.  An absolute amazing game, not just of the high tally, but being down that many in the second half — and coming away with a draw.  Wonder if our Portland Timbers will see any games like that this year ?  Video highlights below.

Scoring Summary

Motherwall 6:6 Hibernian
HIB: Colin John Nish (11)
MOT: Giles Coke (16)
HIB: Colin John Nish (20)
HIB: Derek Riordan (28)
HIB: Colin John Nish (36)
MOT: John Sutton (39)
HIB: Anthony Stokes (56)
HIB: Anthony Stokes (65)
MOT: Giles Coke (67)
MOT: Tom Hateley (72)
MOT: John Sutton (76)
MOT: Lucas Jutkiewicz (pen miss 87)
MOT: Lucas Jutkiewicz (90)

After 4 weeks of play in the USSF Division 2 league, nothing unexpected has come about in the NASL/USL based league.  The only real surprise so far in this early season is the 2nd year Austin Aztex.  For the most part, this squad sat most of the 2009 in the cellar of the table, however 2010 is looking entirely different.  The no-brainers currently at hand are the Timbers, Whitecaps, and Islanders sitting atop the table.  While the 2009 league champion Montreal, are experiencing yet another year of showing up fashionably late to the party. 

Current Table – May 5th

Last week up in the Emerald City,  Electron Boy saved the city of Seattle from enemy forces.  No these forces were not the Portland Timbers soccer club, nor the rabid Timbers Army; rather fictional  ”Dr. Dark” and “Blackout Boy”.  The Make-a-Wish Foundation granted this young boy living with cancer a chance to be a superhero for the day, and save the Puget Sound city from the evil villains that shunned it.  Electron Boy than saved the Seattle Sounders soccer team, by laser cutting the door.  Such an event got front page media on The Oregonian Saturday morning, as such a noble cause deserves. 

 This was an incredible act done by many individuals, as I am personally familar with this foundation.  A fellow Rowdie had cancer, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation was there to step up, and make a day brighter.  Sometimes in life, a smile is worth the cause.  Full story below from the Seattle Times.

Full Story

The Timbers scored first, but the visitors answered with 3 straight goals.  The gameday crowd of nearly 8k saw an entertaining match nonetheless.

For full match reports:

Dropping Timber

Portland Timbers.com

The Timber Mill

After coming off an impressive 2-1 victory over Vancouver Thursday, the Timbers now focus their attention toward an exhibition game versus Costa Rica’s Puntarenas FC.  Game starts at 7pm, and weather looks great for the evening match!

Full Match Information

Full Story at Portland Timbers.com

How much time will Keita get?

How much will the Timbers win by tonight?

…And how much rain will not fall, making Yev look like an incompetent weatherman

Stay tuned tonight for these answers…

First, the Kansas City miss:

This is bad:

Yikes:

Demand will soon be rising like the morning sky, have you secured your Portland MLS tickets for 2011? 

Remember, we’re talking about Soccer City USA!  Visit the website for more information!

Ryan Pore scored halfway through the 2nd half, as the game became rather chippy.  A ticky tack call would send the home team to the spot, and the game became equalized late.

The Timbers still remain undefeated in Montreal in the last 6 matches.  Portland takes on rival Vancouver this Thursday, game set for 7pm.

The Timbers have done extremely well historically in Montreal.  The Timbers are 4-1-1 there lifetime with five shutouts.

Interesting facts so far this year; the USL is 6-0 versus the NASL.

The Timbers belong to the USL, whilst Montreal resides in the NASL.

Game started out with a goal within the first minute of the game.  Roughly 20 seconds in, Ryan Pore finds net to put the Timbers up 1-nil, and from there, the Portland Boys would cruise.

Some great postgame reports, including one from our friends over at Dropping Timber.

DroppingTimber.com Portland-St. Louis postgame report:

http://www.droppingtimber.com/2010/04/postgame-timbers-blowout-ac-st-louis-3.html

(video loads slow, but definitely worth the wait.)

I’ve definitely seen fans this uncoordinated at Timbers games before, however never to the point where they have challenges with a piece of clothing.  A hilarious video of a wise gentleman trying to put his flip-flops on at Coachella 2010 last week.  The Palm Springs area music festival is a yearly famous attraction. Point of the story, if you’re going to drink as much as this dude, don’t wear flip-flops.

Okay, whether you can’t stand anything that isn’t a Pacific Northwest microbrew, you have to admit Thirsty Thursday’s are the best invention since the cheese slicer. It makes work go “that” much more faster on Friday. Tonight the Portland Timbers battle expansion side St. Louis in the first Miller Lite Thirsty Thursday of the year. Cheap beer and good eats, makes for a wonderful evening.

My advice
To make long beer lines go faster, I always recommend bringing cash, rather using card. It’s helpful for everyone else that wants to make a quick run to the concession, and back to the boisterous North End.

I did a study believe it or not. When paying with cash (exact change always encouraged), it takes the clerk 5 seconds to complete the transaction. By the time you grab your two beers, and head back into the concourse hallway, it’s 10 seconds total, after you give the clerk your money.

With card, it can take up to 30 seconds for the transaction, plus an extra 15 seconds putting the card back in your wallet or pocket, than of course the 10 seconds to walk back into the halway concourse. All of this totaling a minute!

When you have many people doing this, it really makes a difference. Remember, at Timbers games — cash is king.

This is why.

The color palette is made up of several hundred types of colors.  Ranging from red to black to orange.  As demonstrated by the Oregon Ducks football team, several combinations of colors can be used.  Yes, maybe not all of us find the Eugene pointyball uniform experiment attractive, however my point is — I am pretty sure the Ducks would never resemble a combination that may similar to the Beaver logo.

As of now, several hardcore Seattle fans are crying foul over the 3rd kit that the Seattle FO has brought into circulation, as it basically pimps the colors of their arch rival.  They call it “electric”, I call it Timbers colors on a bright sunny day.  As the Seattle customers may not notice the difference, the fans that are some of the fanbase’s most vocal, do.  All us Portland fans can do, is laugh hysterically at these fan frustrations.  The more of these gaffes that occur from the Seattle FO, the more and more I respect the Portland front office.  Their collabration with other legitimate sources, and more importantly — with the fans, is an example of what Portland soccer wants to be.  Pride, honor, and respect.  We care about our image, we respect what we put out on the field, and in the terraces.  While the laughs may continue to be pointed up north, it’s days like this I am so proud to be a Timbers fan.  Rose City til I Die.

———- Caution below ———-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/higginssigns/sets/72157623889288422/show/with/4534378337/

Link for Timbers Army merchandise:
http://www.timbersarmy.org/merch/t-shirts/

Lines outside the stadium were stretched as far back to the suburbs of Beaverton, and Gresham, literally.  In the past, it was very regular to get a spot in the Timbers Army North End around 6:30-6:45 before the game. However the long lines were discovered by 5:30, as the folks were eagerly waiting to get in the stadium. 

Sure it was the home opener, but Soccer City USA?  It’s become more apparent every game.

Stay tuned, I will have a more detailed game review tomorrow, my busy life today permits this from me, but I plan to do this every home game.