Dave Knows Portland

Timbers Army First Thursday (6-January-2011)

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Timbers ArmyToast the New Year with the Timbers Army at the first Timbers Army First Thursday of 2011. It’s going down tonight, January 6, 2011, at the Bitter End Pub (1981 W Burnside).

When the announcement that the Timbers are joining MLS came in March 2009, 2011 seemed so far away. And yet, it’s just a couple of days away, as is the first First Thursday of 2011!

Come one and all to your home away from home, the Bitter End, on Thursday January 6th for drinks, TA and crystal ball gazing as we head towards our first MLS season. Start time is 7:01 PM. As usual, there will be multiple beer specials and an $1 Irish whiskey discount for 107ist members (with card), and happy hour food ’til 10PM.

RSVP at the Facebook page, or better yet just show up at 7:01pm!

Tuesday Timbers Tidbits (4-January-2011)

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TimbersThe first official news out of the gate in 2011 is the healthy season tickets sales. The Timbers have sold 10000 season tickets with plans to cap the total at 12000. This will leave around 8000 tickets each game available for walk ups and promotions.

For a recap of the ups and downs of 2010 for the Portland Timbers, check out Dropping Timber‘s two part Timber Bits – 2010 Review (part 1, part 2). Over at OregonLive Kip has accomplished a similar task with his Timbers Rewind for 2010 (part 1, part 2).

New blog Stumptown Footy, goes in the other direction with A Time Line of Events From Now Until Season’s Start. Much of the same information is now also available on the PortlandTimbers.com homepage – in the navigable Important Dates calendar at the bottom of the page.

And tune in today to a very special edition of mao’s Football Show, live at 4pm today on Cascadia.fm. 2010 Timbers captain Ian Joy, live from Scotland, will be the special guest!

Portland Timbers Roundup (31-December-2010)

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Timbers

Supporter News

A view from the stands of the Timbers by Stanley Holmes at Sportspress Northwest

Garrett Dittfurth, a board member for the 107ist of the Timbers Army, was not present during those heady NASL days. But he knows they were a good team — they produced three playoff seasons (1975, 1978 and 1981) and found themselves in the 1975 Soccer Bowl. Crowds reaching 20,000 per game were the norm, back in the day. [more]

Roster Speculation

DT Perspectives: A Few Thoughts on Building the Roster at Dropping Timber

Cheers to all! It’s an exciting time as we enter into the new year and continue towards a new era in Timbers soccer. But before we step into 2011, Dropping Timber would like to offer a few different perspectives on what’s been an interesting off-season so far…. [more]

International Timbers Wish List by Geoff Gibson at Stumptown Footy

As we get closer and closer to January and thus closer to the international transfer window, I can’t help but get excited at the possibilities of who we might sign. [more]

Rooney to join Beckham in the MLS! But it’s John, not Wayne, hoping to crack America at the Mail Online

John has been looking forward to his American adventure since having trials with Seattle and Portland in August, keeping fit by training with Tranmere ahead of his new year move. [more]

Marcus Hahnemann to Timbers? Unlikely by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

Marcus Hahnemann is in the final year of his contract with Wolverhampton, and he has reportedly indicated a desire to finish his career in the United States with a Major League Soccer team. [more]

The Competition

Whitecaps ready to play their cards by Bruce Constantineau at the Vancouver Sun

The Whitecaps and their MLS expansion cousins, the Portland Timbers, were allowed to carry players over from their USSF D-2 squads into MLS with no fear of losing them to other teams, so the Caps essentially loaded up. [more]

Timbers History

Timbers Weekend: MLS Player Updates and Part 1 of Timbers Rewind for 2010 by Kip Kesgard at OregonLive.com

Timbers Weekend: Part 2 of Timbers Rewind for 2010 by Kip Kesgard at OregonLive.com

And tune into mao’s Football Show on Cascadia.FM on Tuesday, January 4pm. Special guest Ian Joy, live from Scotland, will join the show to discuss his time with the Timbers, his off-season training regimen, plans for the future and other thoughts about football in general.

Tuesday Timbers Tidbits (21-December-2010)

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TimbersThe big Portland Timbers news since last Friday’s roundup was the trade: Steve Cronin for D.C. United’s Troy Perkins. This event led to much gnashing and gnawing of teeth by supporters, but at the end of the day all parties know it’s a business, yo?

And then more big news arrived yesterday: the 2011 MLS home openers were announced. The Portland Timbers travel to Colorado to face the defending MLS champion Rapids on Saturday, March 19. On March 26 the Timbers take part in another home opener, at Toronto FC. And then finally, on Thursday, April 14 2011 at 8pm the Portland Timbers face the Chicago Fire at PGE Park [or whatever the park will be called then]. Here’s the rest of the First Kick schedule for you weirdos that watch other teams besides the Mighty Portland Timbers (though I’ve highlighted the important ones. Home team listed first):

Tuesday, March 15
Seattle Sounders FC vs. LA Galaxy, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Saturday, March 19
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Toronto FC, time TBD
D.C. United vs. Columbus Crew, 4:30 p.m.
New York Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 4:30 p.m.
FC Dallas vs. Chicago Fire, 5:30 p.m.
Houston Dynamo vs. Philadelphia Union, 5:30pm
Colorado Rapids vs. Portland Timbers, 6 p.m.
Chivas USA vs. Sporting Kansas City, 7:30 p.m.
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 20
LA Galaxy vs. New England Revolution, 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 26
Chicago Fire vs. Sporting Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Columbus Crew vs. New York Red Bulls, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia Union vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 1 p.m.
Toronto FC vs. Portland Timbers, time TBD
New England Revolution vs. D.C. United, time TBD
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy, 6 p.m.

Thursday, April 14
Portland Timbers vs. Chicago Fire, 8 p.m.

Thursday, June 9
Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire, time TBD

And finally, Portland Timbers assistant coach Amos Magee got hitched – congrats!

Portland Timbers Roundup (17-December-2010)

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Timbers

Player News

Timbers Add Four More Second Division Players by mao at The Portland Timber Blog at The Offside

Four more members of the 2010 USSF Division II Portland Timbers were officially announced by the club today. Joining Steve Cronin, Ryan Pore and Bright Dike are Khalif Alhassan, Futty Danso, Kevin Goldthwaite and James Marcelin. [more]

Alhassan clinches Portland deal at Ghana Soccernet

Newly-promoted American top-flight side Portland Timbers have handed a professional contract to former Ghana U21 midfielder Kalif Alhassan. [more]

Portland Timbers roster tracker (updated Dec. 15) by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

The Portland Timbers have signed nine players to Major League Soccer contracts, and acquired the rights to six others through the expansion draft and related trades. The number of players on the roster is 15. [more]

Colorado Rapids pursued Portland Timbers signing Gilbert by Andrew Slevison at TribalFootbal.com

Colorado Rapids coach Gary Smith has admitted he was interested in signing Kerrea Gilbert before he joined expansion franchise Portland Timbers on Monday. [more]

Say What? Brunner Compares Hometown Atmosphere To Portland’s by Ryan K. at Crewture

The Timbers have a Columbus feel to them. They signed two Crew players, Adam Moffat and Eric Brunner, in the expansion draft. Additionally, the Timbers gave the Crew’s first round pick, Bright Dike, a second chance after the Crew cut the player in preseason. [more]

Team News

Timbers To Hold Player Combine in California at PortlandTimbers.com

PORTLAND, Ore.— The Portland Timbers today announced that the club will conduct a two-day, invite-only player combine January 29-30 at Ventura College in Ventura, Calif., to scout talent for its upcoming debut season in Major League Soccer. [more]

Signing Of Arsenal’s Kerrea Gilbert Another Sign Of Portland Timbers’ Ambition by Jeremiah Oshan at SBNation.com

Dec 14, 2010 – By this time next year, Portland Timbers coach John Spencer will likely be hailed as a genius or derided as an over-ambitious fool. What other conclusion can you draw after the latest pieces of news to emanate from one of MLS’s two expansion teams? [more]

Supporter news

Timbers ArmyTimbers Army 3rd Saturday

The final Timbers Army 3rd Saturday of 2010 takes place tonight, December 18 2010, at Weird Bar (3701 SE Division). Festivities begin at 7:01pm (at 9pm a cover charge of $1 will be required, so arrive early!). [more]

MLS Approves 500-seat Requirement for Cascadia Away Support by mao at The Portland Timber Blog at The Offside

Major League Soccer today announced that it will require Portland, Vancouver and Seattle to each sell 500 tickets to their Cascadian rivals for the purpose of guaranteeing away support. [more]

Fußball ist in den USA immer noch ein Stiefkind in Der Tagesspiegel

Nach 1994 bewerben sich die USA erneut um eine WM. Der amerikanische Fußball wartet immer noch sehnsüchtig auf den Boom – wie das Beispiel der Portland Timbers zeigt. [more] [HERE for Babelfish translation]

We Are Timbers: Abram at PortlandTimbers.com

Our next profile is on the double-axe wielding Abram Goldman-Armstrong. One of the original supporters of the Timbers during the USL re-birth in 2001, Abe was among those who helped mold the Timbers Army. [more]

Timbers Fans’ Hopes for MLS 2011 by Joseph Gallivan at PortlandTimbers.com

Of those gathered for the unveiling of the new kit in an airplane hangar at Portland International Airport last Thursday, Timbers season ticket holders and staff of the shirt sponsor, Alaska Airlines, made up the bulk of the guest list. [more]

The Last Draft And The Next Draft

Portland passes on Re-entry Draft by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian

The Portland Timbers took a pass on the MLS Re-Entry Draft Wednesday. The Timbers didn’t select a player in Stage 2 of the draft after not drafting a player in Stage 1 last week. [more]

DT SuperDraft 2011 Big Board – Top 10 Players by Kevin at Dropping Timber

With the 2011 MLS SuperDraft set for January 13th, 2011, it’s time to start seriously thinking about the upcoming talent that’s out there, if you haven’t been paying attention already that is. Vancouver will have the #1 pick, followed by the Timbers drafting in the #2 spot. [more]