The Oregon Spectator out of Oregon City, was the first Oregon Territory newspaper produced on a printing press.* The first issue came out on February 5, 1846.
* The 1845 Flumgudgeon Gazette and Bumble Bee Budget, a handwritten satirical affair, was the first newspaper published in the Oregon Territory.
Team News
MLS Quick Look: Portland Timbers by Scott French at ESPN Los Angeles
The original Timbers, of course, played in the old North American Soccer League; this club was formed in 2001 and has spent the past 10 years in whichever league constituted the second tier of American pro soccer. [more]
Kit Numbers Unveiled for Timbers by mao at the Portland Timbers blog at The Offside
Portland Timbers today unveiled the kit numbers for signed players ahead of their first pre-season exhibition on Friday against Ventura County Fusion. [more]
Portland Timbers surpass 11,000 season tickets sold by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian
With more than two months before its’ first-ever regular season home game, the team has less than 1,000 season tickets remaining. Team officials have said the club plans to cap season ticket sales at 12,000 for its inaugural season. [more]
Player News
Ryan Guy Also in Training Camp with Portland by mao at the Portland Timbers blog at The Offside
Ryan Guy has been officially announced as a trialist in camp with Portland Timbers in Ventura, California this week. The 25-year old right winger has played at St. Patrick’s Athletic in Dublin since 2007 making 132 appearances and scoring 24 goals in the League of Ireland Premier Division. [more]
Kenny Cooper expected to join Portland Timbers next week by Geoffrey C. Arnold a The Oregonian
Portland head coach John Spencer said the team’s high-profile signing could arrive in Portland midweek, possibly Feb. 9 or 10th. [more]
Match News!
Pre-Season Match #1: Timbers vs. Ventura County Fusion by Dan at Dropping Timber
The MLS Timbers will take the field against another side for the first time ever on Friday. This is only the first exhibition match, so the final score will be meaningless, but you’d expect the Timbers to get a positive result against a fourth tier opponent. [more]
The Portland Timbers are off to California for more training, where they will be joined by a collection of intriguing players: Estonian international midfielder Alo Bärengrub, El Salvador forward Andres Flores, and Colombian forward Jorge Perlaza. The latter trialist apparently being the long rumored mystery forward.
2010 USL Timbers midfield Rodrigo Lopez is also in attendance, along with 2010 Timbers U-23 keeper and New Zealander Jake Gleeson.
Speaking of New Zealanders, Gavin Wilkinson explains his New Zealand bias and shares his hope to someday return to New Zealand to coach the national team with the NZ Herald News.
Coach Spencer does not like the phrase expansion team.
Meanwhile, the Portland Timbers’ marketing efforts continue to draw attention, this time from the Footiebusiness blog.
Don’t forget: Timbers Army First Thursday is this Thursday, February 3, 2011.
Also remember mao’s Football Show airs live Tuesdays at 4pm and new Portland Timbers related podcast Shed Culture with Hermes airs Thursdays at 4pm on Cascadia.FM.
On January 31, 1960 ten trucks belonging to contract haulers for the Oregonian and The Oregon Journal were blown up with dynamite.
There was a strike and a lockout going on. The Stereotypers Union went on strike first, followed by almost all the other unions.
Levi Sarfield McDonald, a Stereotypers Union collective bargaining negotiator, was ultimately convicted of dynamiting the newspaper service trucks. Several accomplices said he paid them $100 each to participate.
Something that was never quite settled was what motivated Levi McDonald, and who paid for the dynamite?
The unions condemned the bombing as quickly as the press and public, and even contributed $1000 of the $2000 reward money.
Was Levi paid off by someone connected to the unions, or perhaps by someone connected to the papers?
Player News
Timbers Officially Sign Adin Brown and Steve Purdy by mao at The Portland Timbers blog at The Offside
Portland Timbers today officially added goalkeeper Adin Brown and signed defender Steve Purdy to MLS contracts. Both Brown and Purdy have been training with the team and today’s announcement gives the club further MLS experience at the back. [more]
Timbers take first step toward MLS opener by Paul Danzer at The Columbian
Darlington Nagbe received a warm reception when he arrived in Portland five days ago to begin his professional soccer career. [more]
Soccer a source of calm for Timbers’ James Marcelin by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian
Even with the noise of players talking loudly, the thump of soccer balls being kicked and coaches yelling instructions, the soccer field is a serene place for James Marcelin. [more]
Portland Timbers Eddie Johnson rediscovers love for soccer by Geoffrey C. Arnold at The Oregonian
Timbers forward Eddie Johnson isn’t concerned about the team’s recent high-profile acquisitions. [more]
Media Coverage
Portland Timbers Ink! by David at It’s My Sodden Pitch
My great frustration over the years that soccer has become more popular in our city has been the dearth of coverage by The Oregonian when good and interesting stories have been available to cover. [more]
Kick Magazine from July 8, 1975 at Dropping Timber
Kick was the official magazine of the North American Soccer League and I believe it served as game day program. This issue is dated July 8, 1975 for a match between your Portland Timbers vs Los Angeles Aztecs at Civic Stadium. Enough talk now enjoy [more]
Civic Stadium
PGE Park readying for Portland Timbers’ debut by Dave Nelson at The Daily Astorian
The Trail Blazers are no longer the only [major league] professional team in Portland. Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers are coming to town.
The Timbers’ Chief Operating Officer Mike Golub gave me the scoop on this new team soon to be making its debut. [more]
PGE Park Renovation Update — 1.24.11 at The Nerd is the Word
The Park was once again busy and at times cacophonous today, with workers hammering on light poles and fresh concrete being poured in the South End, including a warning track and the addition of new risers. That big area of rebar means that the stage will be poured very shortly (probably before my next update). [more]
Training Facility
Timbers, Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District Partner on New Adidas Timbers Training Center at PortlandTimbers.com
The Portland Timbers and Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD) today announced a 10-year partnership that is highlighted by the construction of a comprehensive training facility – the adidas Timbers Training Center – for the Major League Soccer club in Beaverton, Ore. [more]
Team Marketing
Timbers, Alaska Airlines Announce ‘Paint-The-Plane’ Art Contest at PortlandTimbers.com
The Portland Timbers and Alaska Airlines invite soccer fans to create artwork to adorn a Boeing 737-700 in a “Paint the Plane” contest. The Timbers-branded plane will be revealed this spring during the club’s 2011 debut Major League Soccer season. [more]
Fan News
And lastly, Shed Culture with Hermes debuted on Cascadia.FM on Thursday, January 27. Shed Culture faces the fans, not the field: it covers the Timbers Army. First guest was the living legend: Timber Jim. Listen to the first show here!