Readying for the Rhinos

We rolled into Rochester at 5:30 a.m. yesterday and it seems like we've been waiting around for days to face the no longer "Raging" Rhinos and finish up this trip.

Tonight's lineup will be different than any other put forth by Gavin Wilkinson this season, but out of respect for the coaching staff, I'll leave the changes to your imagination for now. Needless to say, it's probably a safe bet that Taka will be back in the 11. It's also a safe bet that newcomer Benjamin Totori will not be available after suffering a knee injury in the second half in Montreal.

Totori will be examined by team doctors upon his return to Portland, so there is no timetable yet for his return.

The Timbers face a tough challenge tonight, especially considering they have never won in Rochester. Add to that the fact that the Rhinos are the only USL-1 team without a victory in 2008 and this is a real pressure cooker for the home side. I expect Rochester to come out firing early and if Portland can withstand the attack, they will be in good shape.

Until tonight. Cheers!

Six Points or Bust

Time to take the Ax out on the Road again, this time to Montreal and Rochester. After a 3:20 a.m. alarm, the drive from Eugene to PDX, a round trip in the parking lot shuttle to retrieve the phone from my car, and leg one of a three-plane journey, the ATTR is checking in from LAX at just after 10 a.m. PDT. From here it's on to Cleveland (Cleveland!), and finally the land of Sacre Bleu (not to mention LaBatt Blue).

I'm flying with assistant coach Rod Underwood as the original 20-man travel party had to be increased to 22 due to one-game suspensions to Gavin and Taka, leaving the least essential travelers on our own itinerary. I'll apologize now for any typos as the people watching here in lipstick city is top notch. Rod and I are due in close to 9 p.m. EDT, about an hour and a half after the rest of the crew.

Well, how about that homestand? Yikes. Friday's match against Vancouver was frustrating, but Monday's affair vs. Miami was utter disappointment. I think the league is at an all-time high in terms of quality, which makes results at home even more critical than in the past. The way I see it, the only way to completely erase the Timbers' lost Memorial Day weekend is to rip off two wins on this trip.

Match Musings - Game 8

• If I have to answer one more question from fans, friends or family as to why the Timbers don't score any goals, I may stop speaking altogether.
• Vancouver is good. Again.
  
• That color analyst on FSN has a face for radio.
• Overnight bus rides don't mean jack in terms of winning and losing. Good news for the upcoming game at Rochester.

Match Musings - Game 9

• Penalty kicks in Miami are celebrated like game-winning goals in the World Cup.
• Taka Suzuki is tired of getting kicked.
  
• It doesn't matter how good your team is, a collective mental meltdown can doom the best of them.
• Weekday afternoon games should be reserved for recess.
  

Ax to the Tube

Let this post serve as a recap of Miami and a preview of Vancouver. Now that's a lazy blogger if I've ever read one.

Actually, since returning to the Northwest late Monday, I've spent the bulk of the week attempting to replace the hideous blue tile around my fireplace with slate. Ambitious for someone as unhandy as myself, but at least a decent excuse for avoiding the computer for a few days.

The PR/Miami roadie just had a weird vibe to it. The one-point, comeback draw against the Islanders felt like a win, while the one-point 0-0 affair versus Miami felt like one that got away. Still, to come away from what many believe to be the toughest road swing in the USL (I'd argue that Portland/Seattle/Vancouver is no picnic either) without a loss is a quality result.

On the other hand, the Miami draw is justifiably magnified when you consider that rival Vancouver comes to town on Saturday with Portland's seven-match unbeaten string in 2008 and 18-match home streak without a loss (regular season) on the line.

My gut says that after ample time to train this week (Wed.-Fri.) and a chance to play at home after three straight on the road, the Timbers will come out blazing in this Cascadia Cup fixture. It also says USL-1 meal money leaves it hungry and sad.

The fact that the Whitecaps play at home against Seattle the night before doesn't hurt either.

I'll be switching broadcast mediums for Saturday's affair, heading over to the television side to serve as the analyst alongside Brian Davis on FSN. John Strong and Aaron Heinzen will handle the webcast side of things, and I'll likely be able to join them for the postgame show.

Match Musings - Game 7

• The weather at kickoff made Friday's match in P.R. feel like Portland in April.
  
• Former FC Blue and current Timber Miguel Guante is a bit of a media star in South Florida.
  
• Cameron Knowles and Justin Thompson, when in sync and on their respective games, can shut down any forwards in North America.
  
• I didn't see any Timbers supporters in either Miami or Puerto Rico. What gives?
  
• No offense to Timber Joey Webber, but the Miami FC Angels were a little easier on the eyes.
• That said, the Angels made up about one-tenth of the crowd at Tropical Park.

Quality Comeback

Friday's result on the Island of Enchantment was solid. Not just coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2, but also the fact that the Timbers had never taken a single point in three previous trips to Bayamon, P.R. and had been outscored 6-1 in those losses.

We made it to Miami on Saturday afternoon and the Ax to the Road took in the sights on Southbeach last night. A very unique place to say the least.

Match Musings - Game 6

• Bryan Little is going to cause some serious heartburn on opposing benches this year if he plays like he did on Friday.
• The local media covering the match have never heard of the universal "no cheering in the press box" rule.
• The Islanders will have more wins than losses at home the rest of the year.
  
• I don't like casinos and they don't like me. That has nothing to do with the match, I know, but had to be stated.
  

Checking in from P.R.

After a pair of flights sandwiched around an hour in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, we arrived in Puerto Rico late Thursday. We made pretty good time for a 4,000-mile trek, clocking in at 13.5 hours from my driveway in Eugene to the runway in San Juan. Of course after collecting our luggage and the normal wait at the rental car agency, it was about 10:30 p.m. local time before we formally arrived at the hotel. The digs are nice here at the Sheraton in Old San Juan. I may just have to go up to the rooftop pool that overlooks the bay in order to catch a wireless signal strong enough to post this entry.

Cruised around Old San Juan this afternoon and saw the sights. I'm sure the team has been laying low most of the day as it's hot and muggy outside. The 8 p.m. kickoff should help the Timbers more than the Islanders from a comfort standpoint.

Everyone appears healthy and ready to go. Notables not on the travel squad for this trip are Neil Dombrowski and Arsene Oka, but otherwise the regulars are in tact.

From a broadcaster's standpoint, I'll be engineering the webcast on my own tonight for the first time this season, so be prepared for a hiccup or two. My uberproducer John Strong has a real job now, which means he can no longer volunteer his mixing talents on most of the away matches.

Until the match...