Match No. 1 is in the books and the result wasn't entirely unexpected, considering Portland's USL-1 history in B.C. and the absence of one Byron Alvarez, who has more goals against Canadian sides than any other country or territory as a member of the Timbers (seriously, look it up).
It was very strange to be on the listening end of the broadcast, and to follow that by scouring over other people's accounts of the match. I still feel completely in the dark as to the personality of the 2006 team, something that will need to change in a hurry if/when this booth jockey returns to the booth. Peter Schaad is a pro, so having Vancouver be the first match of the season to listen to certainly wasn't the end of the world.
A slight source of concern was Coach Agnello's postgame quote that he was "very proud of this team because when we went down a goal, they didn't collapse, didn't give up." I'm taking this more as glass-half-full coachspeak spin and hope there was never actually a fear that this version of the Timbers would possibly collapse just 17 minutes into a 28-game (2,520-plus minutes) season.
Surprised: Portland did not score a goal in its season opener ... Timber killer Jason Jordan did not score a goal for the 'Caps.
Not Surprised: Hugo got his first yellow card of 2006 against Vancouver ... Josh Saunders, by all accounts, was solid between the posts ... Jordan figured in the game's only goal (assist) ... former Timber Jeff Clarke was on the winning side against his old team for the 861st time ... Swangard was sold out.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Friday, April 21, 2006
Ten Questions
Since I'm stuck, mumbling and grumbling to myself as I anxiously await Saturday's webcast of the Timbers/Whitecaps with Vancouver's Peter Schaad at the controls, I might as well share my thoughts on the season's first road trip, since that was the original premise of this blog. With no firsthand knowledge this time around, I can't help but wonder what will take place when the bus begins to roll up I-5 this afternoon...
Will Vern be back in the role of coach captain and will he be wearing his magic vest?
Will the rides first viewing of Van Wilder begin before or after the bus leaves the parking lot?
Which player(s) will forget his passport/green card/birth certificate?
How many times will Earl's be mentioned to the new guys on the ride up?
Will Vern speed away from the border again, setting off the alarm?
How many extra security guards will the Whitecaps employ to keep an eye on the Timbers Army?
How many goals will Timbers' killer Jason Jordan score?
How many annoying celebrations by Alfredo Valente will the Army have to endure?
How many cheap shots will Hugo recieve and deliver over the course of 90 minutes on the Swangard pitch?
Will Chris Agnello sit or stand for the bulk of the match?
Will Gavin be confused for a member of a children's musical troupe?
Oh, there's plenty more, but I do have a real job to get back to.
RIP: JT, Bobby, Romer, Tony, Benny, Winters, Aaron, Aaran, Sam, Dizzy, Higgins, Fadi, Shawn, Jarrod and Shonna
Will Vern be back in the role of coach captain and will he be wearing his magic vest?
Will the rides first viewing of Van Wilder begin before or after the bus leaves the parking lot?
Which player(s) will forget his passport/green card/birth certificate?
How many times will Earl's be mentioned to the new guys on the ride up?
Will Vern speed away from the border again, setting off the alarm?
How many extra security guards will the Whitecaps employ to keep an eye on the Timbers Army?
How many goals will Timbers' killer Jason Jordan score?
How many annoying celebrations by Alfredo Valente will the Army have to endure?
How many cheap shots will Hugo recieve and deliver over the course of 90 minutes on the Swangard pitch?
Will Chris Agnello sit or stand for the bulk of the match?
Will Gavin be confused for a member of a children's musical troupe?
Oh, there's plenty more, but I do have a real job to get back to.
RIP: JT, Bobby, Romer, Tony, Benny, Winters, Aaron, Aaran, Sam, Dizzy, Higgins, Fadi, Shawn, Jarrod and Shonna
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Ax to the Radio?
Fans of the Timbers and yours truly are hopeful that the cliche' No news is good news holds true when contemplating the future of the team's presence on the airwaves/internet, not to mention this blog. Trust me when I tell you that the powers that be over at PGE Park want the matches on the air, but have not - as of yet - finalized a plan to make that happen. Will a decision be made before the home opener? We'll have to wait and see.
What I do know for sure is that Saturday's season opener in Vancouver, which is just over 48 hours away as of this post, will have an empty visiting radio booth for the first time in six years. The Accent Inn of Burnaby will have one less bed to make and Earl's Restaurant will lose out on one person's entire per diem (and then some). The Roots outlet store up the road from the hotel will retain at least one more article of clothing in its inventory than usual on a Timbers/Whitecaps weekend. Canadian Subways will take a hit, etc., etc. Woe is me.
The ATTR will sit idle, but its author will attempt to pull in the home webcast via www.whitecapsfc.com. To dispense another cliche' in closing, let's hope this will be The exception rather than norm.
What I do know for sure is that Saturday's season opener in Vancouver, which is just over 48 hours away as of this post, will have an empty visiting radio booth for the first time in six years. The Accent Inn of Burnaby will have one less bed to make and Earl's Restaurant will lose out on one person's entire per diem (and then some). The Roots outlet store up the road from the hotel will retain at least one more article of clothing in its inventory than usual on a Timbers/Whitecaps weekend. Canadian Subways will take a hit, etc., etc. Woe is me.
The ATTR will sit idle, but its author will attempt to pull in the home webcast via www.whitecapsfc.com. To dispense another cliche' in closing, let's hope this will be The exception rather than norm.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Two Weeks and a Day
Hard to believe, but the Timbers' opener is just over two weeks away. My training camp has been going well (down five pounds as of this post with about seven more to go) and I even got a PGE Park fix by attending the Seattle Mariners' exhibition on March 31.
For a minute or two early on, the energy resembled the Sunderland match from '05. After seeing a sold out crowd turn up on a rainy, cold night to watch one Major League team play its regulars for all of three innings, I'm convinced there has never been a clearer sign that Portland sports fans are desperate for anything other than the NBA. Hopefully, the Axemen can also continue to capitalize on this trend.
Great to see the signing of Edwin the other day. If he progresses, he won't be here long, but I'll take him for as many matches as possible.
For a minute or two early on, the energy resembled the Sunderland match from '05. After seeing a sold out crowd turn up on a rainy, cold night to watch one Major League team play its regulars for all of three innings, I'm convinced there has never been a clearer sign that Portland sports fans are desperate for anything other than the NBA. Hopefully, the Axemen can also continue to capitalize on this trend.
Great to see the signing of Edwin the other day. If he progresses, he won't be here long, but I'll take him for as many matches as possible.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The Wedge
If the Portland Timbers soccer team was a salad - and regular readers of the ATTR know my affinity for quality roughage - it clearly would be a crisp, cold chunk of iceberg lettuce with roquefort dressing.
With yesterday's signing of midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer, the squad now has 12 players under contract for 2006 - four of whom are not defenders or goalkeepers - and can now implement my patented Flying Wedge system of play (a 6-3-1).
One month until the first kick of '06.
With yesterday's signing of midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer, the squad now has 12 players under contract for 2006 - four of whom are not defenders or goalkeepers - and can now implement my patented Flying Wedge system of play (a 6-3-1).
One month until the first kick of '06.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Spring Training
Timbers' training camp does not officially open until shortly after April Fool's Day, but I'm no fool when it comes to fitness self-analysis and decided to begin my own preseason regimen a little more than a week before the team. Talking for more than two hours at a stretch for an entire soccer season can be grueling work and getting in game shape is no easy endeavor. Yeah right.
Actually, there is a different reason for my self-imposed spring training. I have a theory about why so many sportscasters and journalists are often times not trusted or respected by athletes. Think about it. You've just pushed your body so hard you want to hurl, knowing you'll be feeling the aftereffects for hours if not days, and some sloppy, out-of-shape media type who has spent most of the night eating popcorn and brownies in the press room, asks a stupid question or makes some crack about a lack of effort. After being hit by this revelation early in my career, I made it my quest to be the anti Tight Jeans.
First order of business was to determine what form of exercise to employ. After much deliberation, I opted to dust off my trusty bike and head out for a ride along the Willamette from my new home base in Eugene. That way I could kill multiple birds with one stone: Listen to some recently downloaded tunes on the iPod, get in a little cardio workout and do some world class people watching. For music, I went with live Dead - specifically some tracks off Dick's Picks Vol. 36 - in an attempt to acquire an authentic Eugene cycling vibe. Real hippies didn't tool around on Rockhoppers while cranking their MP3 players, but this was the best I could do.
It's about a 10-12 minute ride from my house to the nearest entry point of "the trail" as it's commonly referred to here and Jerry and Co. were barely past the midpoint of Playing in the Band. Once on the spacious asphalt path, 21st gear was the most common choice as I whizzed past dog walkers, baby walkers, joggers, lost souls and cyclists just out for a casual cruise. The real bikers, with spandex, camel-back water devices and carbon fiber wheels, blew by me like I was riding a Big Wheel (or more appropriate for this blog - The Green Machine). It's a pretty cool place to ride and over the course of 45 minutes or so you can see people from practically every different walk of life. From teens with dyed blue hair to older folks with actual blue hair, the trail has it all. That's one of the unique things about a college town, where you can witness a guy with a two-foot grey beard tending to his crops in a co-op garden while a sorority girl in a $200 track suit runs by, jogging off last night's hangover or buying herself a few extra calories for the evening ahead. I must admit riding past the guy in the garden while the band played He's Gone did kind of trip me out.
Twenty-four hours later I'm no worse for wear, which means that I either didn't push myself very hard or I'm not as out of shape as previously thought. Even though the weather was a bit on the cool side, spring is definitely in the air and it won't be long before Portland again takes the Ax to the Road.
Actually, there is a different reason for my self-imposed spring training. I have a theory about why so many sportscasters and journalists are often times not trusted or respected by athletes. Think about it. You've just pushed your body so hard you want to hurl, knowing you'll be feeling the aftereffects for hours if not days, and some sloppy, out-of-shape media type who has spent most of the night eating popcorn and brownies in the press room, asks a stupid question or makes some crack about a lack of effort. After being hit by this revelation early in my career, I made it my quest to be the anti Tight Jeans.
First order of business was to determine what form of exercise to employ. After much deliberation, I opted to dust off my trusty bike and head out for a ride along the Willamette from my new home base in Eugene. That way I could kill multiple birds with one stone: Listen to some recently downloaded tunes on the iPod, get in a little cardio workout and do some world class people watching. For music, I went with live Dead - specifically some tracks off Dick's Picks Vol. 36 - in an attempt to acquire an authentic Eugene cycling vibe. Real hippies didn't tool around on Rockhoppers while cranking their MP3 players, but this was the best I could do.
It's about a 10-12 minute ride from my house to the nearest entry point of "the trail" as it's commonly referred to here and Jerry and Co. were barely past the midpoint of Playing in the Band. Once on the spacious asphalt path, 21st gear was the most common choice as I whizzed past dog walkers, baby walkers, joggers, lost souls and cyclists just out for a casual cruise. The real bikers, with spandex, camel-back water devices and carbon fiber wheels, blew by me like I was riding a Big Wheel (or more appropriate for this blog - The Green Machine). It's a pretty cool place to ride and over the course of 45 minutes or so you can see people from practically every different walk of life. From teens with dyed blue hair to older folks with actual blue hair, the trail has it all. That's one of the unique things about a college town, where you can witness a guy with a two-foot grey beard tending to his crops in a co-op garden while a sorority girl in a $200 track suit runs by, jogging off last night's hangover or buying herself a few extra calories for the evening ahead. I must admit riding past the guy in the garden while the band played He's Gone did kind of trip me out.
Twenty-four hours later I'm no worse for wear, which means that I either didn't push myself very hard or I'm not as out of shape as previously thought. Even though the weather was a bit on the cool side, spring is definitely in the air and it won't be long before Portland again takes the Ax to the Road.
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Time to Ramp Up
Good God. Enough dead blog air already!
With the season barely more than a month away, it's time to oil up the fingers in preparation for what I hope will be season number six with the Boys in Green. Honestly, I don't really have a prepared statement at this time, but my lack of blog entries has been eating away at me like a massive guilt trip.
I keep telling myself this blog was intended to be strictly about life on the road with the Timbers, which is a seasonal thing, but there is little I despise more in life than stale web pages. Needless to say, I've got to come up with a better system or some added energy for offseason posting. Thank goodness for Bob Kellett's blog, keeping everyone up to date with the real news surrounding the Axe Men.
With the season barely more than a month away, it's time to oil up the fingers in preparation for what I hope will be season number six with the Boys in Green. Honestly, I don't really have a prepared statement at this time, but my lack of blog entries has been eating away at me like a massive guilt trip.
I keep telling myself this blog was intended to be strictly about life on the road with the Timbers, which is a seasonal thing, but there is little I despise more in life than stale web pages. Needless to say, I've got to come up with a better system or some added energy for offseason posting. Thank goodness for Bob Kellett's blog, keeping everyone up to date with the real news surrounding the Axe Men.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Returning to the Rain
As odd as the people and overall lifestyle are down here in La La Land, it's hard to ignore the weather. Four days here - or any other warm and sunny place for that matter - and the return trip to Oregon can be kind of a downer. I guess we more than make up for it with humidity-free and bug-free summers.
Well, much to my disappointment, there were no real blog-worthy events today. I spent about two hours in a mall killing time before checking in at the airport and purchased a last-minute x-mas gift with some excess meal money. Travel and per diem in the Pac-10 are just a smidge better than the USL, as you can probably imagine.
Next week, the ATTR is off to Boulder, Colo., for a little skiing over New Year's. Until then, enjoy the Holiday weekend...
Well, much to my disappointment, there were no real blog-worthy events today. I spent about two hours in a mall killing time before checking in at the airport and purchased a last-minute x-mas gift with some excess meal money. Travel and per diem in the Pac-10 are just a smidge better than the USL, as you can probably imagine.
Next week, the ATTR is off to Boulder, Colo., for a little skiing over New Year's. Until then, enjoy the Holiday weekend...
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Silicone or Saline?
The ATTR has stood silent for too long, and since I'm back in travel mode and the Timbers have just signed their new coach/GM, what better time than now to get back on the blog?
Today's edition comes to you from warm and sunny Venice Beach, California, where quality people watching is off the charts. I'm down here with my other team - the Oregon Ducks - but the ATTR will never be about them. Even if I wanted too, I'm sure there would be some compliance issue, so best to avoid that altogether.
Anyway, I'll be on the road quite a bit from now until March, and will look to be a bit more prompt in updating this during the "hot stove" season.
Back to the beach... This is my first trip to the Governator's old stomping grounds and one of the first natives I saw along the boardwalk was a greased-up muscle dude in a stars and stripes speedo. He was just standing there posing with - I assume - the intention of impressing the many augmented ladies strolling by. There must be an abundance of people without traditional employment, because I was amazed by the amount of folks just hanging out on a Tuesday afternoon. I think the only people working in this town must be plastic surgeons. I went to high school in a beach town in Maine and my friends who worked down on the beach used to play a game called "babysitter or mother." Here in VB, that game has surely morphed into "silicone or saline."
Back in Portland, the Timbers announced the hiring of Chris Agnello as their new boss - a move that probably surprised a few of the locals. I figured out that I was out of the running when the press conference was called for a day that I was going to be out of town. That's probably for the best since the blog would have to get a lot blander if I was running the real show.
Well, I don't want to overdo it, this being the first post in ages. Got to save up some material for all that down time in the airport tomorrow.
Today's edition comes to you from warm and sunny Venice Beach, California, where quality people watching is off the charts. I'm down here with my other team - the Oregon Ducks - but the ATTR will never be about them. Even if I wanted too, I'm sure there would be some compliance issue, so best to avoid that altogether.
Anyway, I'll be on the road quite a bit from now until March, and will look to be a bit more prompt in updating this during the "hot stove" season.
Back to the beach... This is my first trip to the Governator's old stomping grounds and one of the first natives I saw along the boardwalk was a greased-up muscle dude in a stars and stripes speedo. He was just standing there posing with - I assume - the intention of impressing the many augmented ladies strolling by. There must be an abundance of people without traditional employment, because I was amazed by the amount of folks just hanging out on a Tuesday afternoon. I think the only people working in this town must be plastic surgeons. I went to high school in a beach town in Maine and my friends who worked down on the beach used to play a game called "babysitter or mother." Here in VB, that game has surely morphed into "silicone or saline."
Back in Portland, the Timbers announced the hiring of Chris Agnello as their new boss - a move that probably surprised a few of the locals. I figured out that I was out of the running when the press conference was called for a day that I was going to be out of town. That's probably for the best since the blog would have to get a lot blander if I was running the real show.
Well, I don't want to overdo it, this being the first post in ages. Got to save up some material for all that down time in the airport tomorrow.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Do You Know the Way to San Jose?
There is something about air travel and airports that inspire blogging. Maybe, just maybe, that has something to do with the amount of "down" time not typically available during the average day at home or work.
This post originates from an Alaska Airlines jet on the tarmac in Portland, waiting to depart for San Jose. My other life, outside of the Timbers, is that of a college sports information director, which also requires quite a bit traveling, so there is a chance that Ax to the Road will have regular entries during the offseason if I find enough interesting things to relate.
For those loyal readers of ATTR, you may be curious to know that Wolfgang Puck's Tortilla Soup is now available in cans at your local supermarket. I have to say, while overpriced, it tastes just like the soup at Wolfie's O'Hare based restaurant.
•••
The early morning travel is complete, having arrived in San Jose at 8:30 a.m. I'm at the HP Pavilion, home of the San Jose Sharks, and just peaked in on practice. The reason for this trip is Pac-10 Media Day, something that could have clearly taken place without my presence, but I'm not one to pass on complimentary beverages and lunch.
This post originates from an Alaska Airlines jet on the tarmac in Portland, waiting to depart for San Jose. My other life, outside of the Timbers, is that of a college sports information director, which also requires quite a bit traveling, so there is a chance that Ax to the Road will have regular entries during the offseason if I find enough interesting things to relate.
For those loyal readers of ATTR, you may be curious to know that Wolfgang Puck's Tortilla Soup is now available in cans at your local supermarket. I have to say, while overpriced, it tastes just like the soup at Wolfie's O'Hare based restaurant.
•••
The early morning travel is complete, having arrived in San Jose at 8:30 a.m. I'm at the HP Pavilion, home of the San Jose Sharks, and just peaked in on practice. The reason for this trip is Pac-10 Media Day, something that could have clearly taken place without my presence, but I'm not one to pass on complimentary beverages and lunch.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Cheers Jim and Bobby
A simple chime to signal an incoming e-mail. And while the news release that caused it wasn't entirely unexpected, it still set me back for a moment or two as I read the exit notice of a pair of "New" Timbers' originals in Jim Taylor and Bobby Howe. With Timber Collin Romer jumping ship to the Blazers a few weeks ago, the '06 club is definitely going to have a different feel.
For the five seasons I've been with the team, the constants have been JT, Bobby, athletic trainer Tony Guyette, Gavin, Benny, Winters and myself. I haven't talked to Tony yet, but by the time training camp rolls around next spring, the majority of that group could very well be history.
Bobby was easily the best interview of any coach I've had to work with throughout the course of my career. A broadcaster's dream, I could ask him one question and he'd give a three minute answer covering every thing I wanted to know. I think his departure will be good for his health and happiness in the long run. I've often wondered (this season in particular) what it must be like for someone of his soccer pedigree to suffer through USL First Division travel. I know a lot of people may have disagreed with some of his personnel decisions and tactic over the years, but I have no doubt that his tenure was good for the organization.
That holds true for JT as well, and I was happy to see that he will still be an advisor to the club in the future. Nowhere will you find a hipper GM in professional sports (with Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein as the potential exception) than JT. The fact that he was able to withstand 126 different ownership groups in six years speaks volumes about his value to the team. But more importantly, who's going to burn me CD copies of the latest and greatest alt-rock albums? Jim, my iPod will never be the same.
If you're reading this post with a beverage near by, join me in toasting the two biggest Timbers' fans of us all.
For the five seasons I've been with the team, the constants have been JT, Bobby, athletic trainer Tony Guyette, Gavin, Benny, Winters and myself. I haven't talked to Tony yet, but by the time training camp rolls around next spring, the majority of that group could very well be history.
Bobby was easily the best interview of any coach I've had to work with throughout the course of my career. A broadcaster's dream, I could ask him one question and he'd give a three minute answer covering every thing I wanted to know. I think his departure will be good for his health and happiness in the long run. I've often wondered (this season in particular) what it must be like for someone of his soccer pedigree to suffer through USL First Division travel. I know a lot of people may have disagreed with some of his personnel decisions and tactic over the years, but I have no doubt that his tenure was good for the organization.
That holds true for JT as well, and I was happy to see that he will still be an advisor to the club in the future. Nowhere will you find a hipper GM in professional sports (with Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein as the potential exception) than JT. The fact that he was able to withstand 126 different ownership groups in six years speaks volumes about his value to the team. But more importantly, who's going to burn me CD copies of the latest and greatest alt-rock albums? Jim, my iPod will never be the same.
If you're reading this post with a beverage near by, join me in toasting the two biggest Timbers' fans of us all.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Controlling the Controllable
In an effort to protect the youthful eyes that view this blog, I'll refrain from actually typing the words that immediately come to mind following tonight's season-ending defeat to the dreaded Seattle Sounders. In case you're curious most of them contain four letters and one long one starts with M.
The day began pleasantly enough, with a brisk bus trip up I-5 led by our longtime coach captain on these jaunts northward, Vern. Now, on the ride home, Vern's night vision is causing us to drive by brail (riding the turtle bumps), making it virtually impossible to type. But back to the day...
As has been the case on many a trip in the First Division over the years, our hotel was much more mo than ho, but as we were only using it as a pregame napping pad, it's hard to complain too much.
Lunch turned into breakfast at Shari's with Timber Shonna and Timber Diane - Pancakes all around. Sports on T.V. and lounging followed, leading up to the eventual match. A pleasant enough Sunday - until five minutes into the game. That's when Garrett Marcum was whistled for a phantom foul after a Seattle player tripped over his own boot The result: A free kick that produced a Sounders' goal. A horrendous second yellow card on Aaran Lines after his clean tackle put Portland down a man for good, 27 minutes in, and the season was history.
Gavin was quoted in Sunday's Oregonian as saying, "We can control the controllable." A strange, but ultimately wise statement considering the referee's impact on the flow of the game.
Will this blog now be history? I hope not. It's been a fun exercise that has helped pass the time on the road. The offseason should provide ample to to retool and improve Ax to the Road for '06.
The day began pleasantly enough, with a brisk bus trip up I-5 led by our longtime coach captain on these jaunts northward, Vern. Now, on the ride home, Vern's night vision is causing us to drive by brail (riding the turtle bumps), making it virtually impossible to type. But back to the day...
As has been the case on many a trip in the First Division over the years, our hotel was much more mo than ho, but as we were only using it as a pregame napping pad, it's hard to complain too much.
Lunch turned into breakfast at Shari's with Timber Shonna and Timber Diane - Pancakes all around. Sports on T.V. and lounging followed, leading up to the eventual match. A pleasant enough Sunday - until five minutes into the game. That's when Garrett Marcum was whistled for a phantom foul after a Seattle player tripped over his own boot The result: A free kick that produced a Sounders' goal. A horrendous second yellow card on Aaran Lines after his clean tackle put Portland down a man for good, 27 minutes in, and the season was history.
Gavin was quoted in Sunday's Oregonian as saying, "We can control the controllable." A strange, but ultimately wise statement considering the referee's impact on the flow of the game.
Will this blog now be history? I hope not. It's been a fun exercise that has helped pass the time on the road. The offseason should provide ample to to retool and improve Ax to the Road for '06.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Booth Return on the Horizon
There aren't many things more annoying or irritating than a stale web page, so while I'm not physically on the road with the Timbers, I'm with them in spirit and can only imagine how many precious blogging opportunities a week in Virginia Beach would have produced.
With the seriousness of hurricane Katrina, it's probably best that I didn't waste energy on a humorous attempt at a blog originating from the Southeast. Especially now that we know there have been people stranded in flood waters for four days, deaths due to lack of medical supplies, horrific violence, etc. Is it really 2005 in the United States of America? Can our federal and state governments really not be sophisticated enough to execute rescue efforts in a major US city for four days? Planes crash into buildings filled with corporate Americans and action (as it most certainly should have) takes place immediately. A hurricane destroys an entire city and ravages people in three states, and it takes four days for the National Guard to arrive? Maybe those people we all think are nuts for building bomb shelters and bunkers in their back yards are the smart ones after all.
Not much of a Timbers' related post here, I know. Just had to vent...
On a happier note, my self-imposed exodus from the broadcast booth will end next Thursday at PGE Park. It's been rough having to miss this last stretch of games and I can't wait to get back on the mic as the Lads march toward a postseason berth.
With the seriousness of hurricane Katrina, it's probably best that I didn't waste energy on a humorous attempt at a blog originating from the Southeast. Especially now that we know there have been people stranded in flood waters for four days, deaths due to lack of medical supplies, horrific violence, etc. Is it really 2005 in the United States of America? Can our federal and state governments really not be sophisticated enough to execute rescue efforts in a major US city for four days? Planes crash into buildings filled with corporate Americans and action (as it most certainly should have) takes place immediately. A hurricane destroys an entire city and ravages people in three states, and it takes four days for the National Guard to arrive? Maybe those people we all think are nuts for building bomb shelters and bunkers in their back yards are the smart ones after all.
Not much of a Timbers' related post here, I know. Just had to vent...
On a happier note, my self-imposed exodus from the broadcast booth will end next Thursday at PGE Park. It's been rough having to miss this last stretch of games and I can't wait to get back on the mic as the Lads march toward a postseason berth.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Mostly Cloudy with a Chance of Beer
Sign me up for the Dark Side. I'm not trading in my Timbers Army scarf and t-shirt, but the Thunder's support group, the Dark Clouds, are people after my own heart. Upon arrival at James Griffith stadium tonight, I was presented with a cooler containing a massive jug of Town Hall Gold, a local microbrew. Evidently, the blog's mention of sportswriters in Montreal drinking all of the Heines inspired the Clouds to make sure that didn't happen in the great state of Minnesota. What a surprise, and what a treat. Let me take a five second break from typing to have another pull of the Gold and toast the Dark Clouds. Ahhhhhhhh. When the plane takes off at 8:11 tomorrow morning, I will officially have left my heart in Minny-sotah. I ask the Army to send positive vibes to the Clouds for their quarterfinal Open Cup match at Kansas City coming up. Take the Wiz out of those wankers!
Despite the late goal tonight, this was an outstanding trip for the Boys in Green. This was a barometer match for Portland to determine if the wins against Seattle and Montreal were for real or just a fluke, and the survey said: Absolutely not a fluke.
The folks here at the Kelly Inn also appreciated this visit by the Timbers. The last team that stayed here - none other than Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids - urinated in the bar and threw up on the patio after being disgraced 4-1 by the Thunder. I say the Rapids should be relegated to the first division and Portland elevated to MLS.
The 5:15 a.m. wake-up call forces this entry to come to an end. Cheers!
Despite the late goal tonight, this was an outstanding trip for the Boys in Green. This was a barometer match for Portland to determine if the wins against Seattle and Montreal were for real or just a fluke, and the survey said: Absolutely not a fluke.
The folks here at the Kelly Inn also appreciated this visit by the Timbers. The last team that stayed here - none other than Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids - urinated in the bar and threw up on the patio after being disgraced 4-1 by the Thunder. I say the Rapids should be relegated to the first division and Portland elevated to MLS.
The 5:15 a.m. wake-up call forces this entry to come to an end. Cheers!
The Green Wiggle
Warning: If you don't have young kids, you may have no idea how funny this is.
Honestly, I couldn't make this stuff up. The Wiggles are here in St. Paul this weekend and some star struck guests at our hotel were convinced they were in the presence of the Aussie performers on Thursday night in the lounge. One of the guests finally went up to the table in question and asked if they were part of the group. According to the description given by the server who was telling the story to me (not knowing I was also with the Timbers), "they" were none other than Gavin Wilkinson and Bobby Howe. I nearly choked on my Nachos.
Match day is finally here and the lads are training at the moment. The bench will be very thin tonight with Gavin (suspended), Poltl (personal) and Thompson (Sunderland trial) all unavailable. The Timbers have been playing a 4-4-2 since the debacle in Kelowna, but will have to get very creative to employ that formation against the Thunder.
Honestly, I couldn't make this stuff up. The Wiggles are here in St. Paul this weekend and some star struck guests at our hotel were convinced they were in the presence of the Aussie performers on Thursday night in the lounge. One of the guests finally went up to the table in question and asked if they were part of the group. According to the description given by the server who was telling the story to me (not knowing I was also with the Timbers), "they" were none other than Gavin Wilkinson and Bobby Howe. I nearly choked on my Nachos.
Match day is finally here and the lads are training at the moment. The bench will be very thin tonight with Gavin (suspended), Poltl (personal) and Thompson (Sunderland trial) all unavailable. The Timbers have been playing a 4-4-2 since the debacle in Kelowna, but will have to get very creative to employ that formation against the Thunder.
Friday, August 12, 2005
MOA Musings
If there were a professional mall walkers tour, the championship event would surely be held at Minnesota's Mall of America, where this blog originates from. I just finished circling all three levels and think I may need a hip replacement. My options for this off day were sitting at the hotel watching the PGA Championship or taking advantage of my possession of the keys to a 15-passenger van and hitting the road. Outside of some unintentional exercise, I'm not overly thrilled with my decision. This place - known to locals as the MOA - is massive and mall-like, and that's about it. There is an amusement park in the middle with multiple rides that will assist you with depositing your lunch directly back into the food court, but I guess I just expected more. Three Abercrombie & Finch stores and no Fashionable Male? C'mon. I must admit - I was tempted to get an Aqua Massage and have a few shots at The Oxygen Bar.
Yesterday was pretty uneventful. Our hotel lobby to hotel lobby trek was 10 hours, a time Lance Armstrong would have been pleased with on his bike. Adding to the Bad News Bears feel of this season's Timbers, our vehicles here in the Twin Cities consist of a Buick LaSabre sedan and Nissan SUV along with the previously mentioned beast of a Ford van - the worst handling rig I've ever had the pleasure to drive. I'm looking to purchase an orange jump suit so that fellow motorists will think I'm a prison work crew member on the lamb.
From the "important news that fans are actually interested in" department, the team trained this morning and the 14 players available for tomorrow's match all appear healthy and ready to go.
Yesterday was pretty uneventful. Our hotel lobby to hotel lobby trek was 10 hours, a time Lance Armstrong would have been pleased with on his bike. Adding to the Bad News Bears feel of this season's Timbers, our vehicles here in the Twin Cities consist of a Buick LaSabre sedan and Nissan SUV along with the previously mentioned beast of a Ford van - the worst handling rig I've ever had the pleasure to drive. I'm looking to purchase an orange jump suit so that fellow motorists will think I'm a prison work crew member on the lamb.
From the "important news that fans are actually interested in" department, the team trained this morning and the 14 players available for tomorrow's match all appear healthy and ready to go.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Soup Du Jour
Oh, travel in the First Division always gets old. We were out of the hotel by 6:15 a.m. (Eastern) in order to catch an 8:40 a.m. flight to Chicago. About 20 minutes before our flight was to board, we noticed the gate next to ours was boarding for Minneapolis - a direct flight to Minneapolis on a different airline. A cruel joke as we have more than two hours to kill in the Chicago and most likely won't get the the hotel in St. Paul until 4 p.m. On the plus side, we've probably spent a total of a couple of days in O'Hare this season and know where all of the Starbucks are, hot to mention Wolfgang Puck's, today's lunch spot.
We opted for Wolfie's since Paul Conway had been talking non-stop about the tortilla soup he had there on Tuesday for the past two days. My lunch mates were Conway, Tony Guyette and the two hobbits, formerly known as Kiwis before the Lord of the Rings producers bought New Zealand. The soup was solid, but Puck's portions were in between a cup and a bowl, about three or four spoonfuls shy of total satisfaction.
Aaran Lines spoke of his plans to pen the screenplay for the Scot Thompson story, and we hashed out a rough script. In Lines' movie, Thompson goes from the USL first division to the World Cup in less than a year's time. He ends up sticking with Sunderland (following his current trial that begins this weekend) and works his way on to the pitch for an English Premier League match. As an EPL player, he is immediately recruited by Bruce Arena to play on the U.S. National Team, where he helps lead the Yanks into the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Fortune, fame and a spice girl marriage follow, capping an improbable journey that begins (on screen) with an overnight, 10-hour bus ride following a 4-0 loss in Kelowna B.C., and ends on football's grandest stage. Scotty II, the sequel, will concentrate in the pitfalls of instant fame, a variety of scandals, infidelity, aging ungracefully, etc.
We opted for Wolfie's since Paul Conway had been talking non-stop about the tortilla soup he had there on Tuesday for the past two days. My lunch mates were Conway, Tony Guyette and the two hobbits, formerly known as Kiwis before the Lord of the Rings producers bought New Zealand. The soup was solid, but Puck's portions were in between a cup and a bowl, about three or four spoonfuls shy of total satisfaction.
Aaran Lines spoke of his plans to pen the screenplay for the Scot Thompson story, and we hashed out a rough script. In Lines' movie, Thompson goes from the USL first division to the World Cup in less than a year's time. He ends up sticking with Sunderland (following his current trial that begins this weekend) and works his way on to the pitch for an English Premier League match. As an EPL player, he is immediately recruited by Bruce Arena to play on the U.S. National Team, where he helps lead the Yanks into the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Fortune, fame and a spice girl marriage follow, capping an improbable journey that begins (on screen) with an overnight, 10-hour bus ride following a 4-0 loss in Kelowna B.C., and ends on football's grandest stage. Scotty II, the sequel, will concentrate in the pitfalls of instant fame, a variety of scandals, infidelity, aging ungracefully, etc.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Big Win
As poor as the Timbers played for more than a month stretch entering late July, they have been just as impressive over the past two matches. Handing first-place Montreal its first home loss of 2005 was easily the highlight of the season to this point.
There was beer in the press box and I was planning on grabbing one for the road to celebrate, but the two newspaper writers had a collection of empties around their computers and had wiped out the entire supply before the final whistle. Had to settle for a brew in the room and will call it an early night with a 5:45 a.m. wakeup call in store for tomorrow. Until Minnesota, au revoir.
There was beer in the press box and I was planning on grabbing one for the road to celebrate, but the two newspaper writers had a collection of empties around their computers and had wiped out the entire supply before the final whistle. Had to settle for a brew in the room and will call it an early night with a 5:45 a.m. wakeup call in store for tomorrow. Until Minnesota, au revoir.
Live From Claude-Robillard
The radio pregame show is in the air and while I play a taped interview with Bobby Howe, here is a shot from the pressbox. Great setup here in Montreal. Looks like the rain has let up as the match gets set to begin.
Lunch Hour Lounging in Montreal
I skipped out on going to training this morning, opting instead to cruise around town in the daylight. Montreal is right up there with Vancouver in a battle for coolest travel destination in the First Division (other than Portland, of course). Unfortunately, we are spending the two ensuing off days after tonight's match in St. Paul, Minn., rather than here. C'est la vie.
Looks like the Timbers will employ nearly the same lineup tonight as they did against Seattle. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if Gavin starts or plays significant minutes since he is suspended for Saturday's match at Minny (yellow/red card points). Fadi was heckled by a customs agent at the airport who said "you know (the Impact) have only lost one game, right?" One point would be sufficient against this team.
In case anyone is wondering about the random photos of the stuffed cat in the recent photos link, that is my daughter's toy that she asked me to take along. She calls him Puss in Boots, even though he is sans footwear, and I told her I'd e-mail her pictures of him from the trip. I got more than a few stares as I propped him up for a photo op on a busy sidewalk this afternoon.
Looks like the Timbers will employ nearly the same lineup tonight as they did against Seattle. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if Gavin starts or plays significant minutes since he is suspended for Saturday's match at Minny (yellow/red card points). Fadi was heckled by a customs agent at the airport who said "you know (the Impact) have only lost one game, right?" One point would be sufficient against this team.
In case anyone is wondering about the random photos of the stuffed cat in the recent photos link, that is my daughter's toy that she asked me to take along. She calls him Puss in Boots, even though he is sans footwear, and I told her I'd e-mail her pictures of him from the trip. I got more than a few stares as I propped him up for a photo op on a busy sidewalk this afternoon.
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