Dave Knows Portland

Portland Timbers Roundup (04/09/2010)

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TimbersThe 2010 season starts soon! The Timbers’ home opener is next Saturday, April 17th, but other teams in the league kick off tomorrow:

USSF Division II Season Begins This Weekend by mao at Timbers.TheOffside.com

The USSF Division II season will officially begin this Saturday, April 10, as two matches will launch the new year. Two more games on Sunday will follow before the Timbers kick things off next Saturday, April 17 at PGE Park. [more]

So what can you expect PGE Park matches this year? Any exhibition match news?

Highlights from the Liaisonnaires Meeting on Wednesday, April 7th (via Keeper01’s notes on SCUSA):

1. The club expects to play four or five exhibition matches this year. There may be two matches with Premiership teams and another match with a Mexican club.

2. Mandjou Keita is expected to return next week; he is not likely to play in the home opener.

3. Webcasts should be available for all home and road league games.

4. The club plans to stage two World Cup events this summer.

5. Yes it’s true: There will be a $1.50 pre-game food-and-beverage menu.

(More details about these items can be found on a different SCUSA thread: Liaisonnaire Notes: 4.7)

In other Timbers fan news, Shawn Levy was a guest this week on Ham Fisted Radio – every Timbers fan should listen to the podcast: Shawn does a great job capsulizing the history of and passion for soccer in Portland (NASL Timbers, U of P, PGE Park, etc.).

Episode 019: Timbers Army, the Joys of Portland Soccer, and Batman’s Wedding with Shawn Levy

Film critic, author, and avid soccer supporter Shawn Levy regales us with tails of Portland football — including his own rendition of Portland Timbers-themed show tunes! [download the podcast!]

And also this week the Timbers made possibly their last pre-season signing announcement:

Timbers Officially Sign OJ Obatola and Bright Dike by mao at Timbers.TheOffside.com

OJ Obatola, hero of the Community Shield, and Bright Dike have been added to the burgeoning Portland Timbers roster in the hopes of bolstering attack and in the interest of adding youth. Both forwards are just 22 years old and bring scoring prowess to the Timbers’ final season in the American second division. [more]

And don’t forget to check out the Timbers Tidbits from earlier this week, for even more Timbers news!

April 18: Portland Pinbrawl 2010

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Pinbrawl 2010Portland Pinbrawl 2010 takes place Sunday, April 18th at Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade (511 NW Couch). Match ups start at 11am.

It’s over a month away as I type, but you need to know now because the registration list is filling up fast! Registration is capped at 128 ballers. Last year’s event drew over 120 players from throughout the region.

More details from Ground Kontrol:

Portland Pinbrawl 2010 will also feature “side stage” tournaments with highly challenging rules including one-handed play, and “split flipper” play – where 2 players each control one side of the pinball playfield!

Competition signup fee is $20 per person; spectators get in for free. Doors open at 10:00am, Sunday April 18th. Admission is limited to 21 and over with valid ID for competitors and spectators alike.

If the pre-registration doesn’t fill the entire roster, you can sign up at the door on the 18th – from 10am until 10:45am – but I would recommend pre-registering to be sure you have a spot!

Grand Prize is a Williams’ Johnny Mnemonic Pinball Machine, and cash and assorted sundries go to other top finishers.

So sign up now, then whip out your Portland Pinball Map iPhone App and find some machines to start practicing on!

Portland Pinball Map iPhone App Released

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PPMLast month we got a sneak peak at Drew Marshall‘s artwork. We learned then that the talented Isaac Ruiz was working on an application for the iPhone that would bring the Portland Pinball Map, your best source for finding pins in Portland, to your fingertips.

And now we have it: the Portland Pinball Map iPhone App was released yesterday.

I have the app already, and it’s slick.

Over 340 pinball machines in over 170 locations in the Portland area (including Vancouver, Washington) are covered.

You can search for machines by location, proximity, or name.

Only interested in places that have four or more machines? Wondering where new machines have shown up recently? The Portland Pinball Map iPhone App can show you.

According the the Facebook fan page, in addition to artist Drew Marshall and developer Isaac Ruiz, we also have Portland Pinball Map developers Scott Wainstock and Ryan Gratzer to thank for this excellent application, and Nicholas B. Kula for the epic app store description.

Visit the apps page at Portland Pinball Maps for details on the app. There’s a useful support page there too.

And of course you can find the app on iTunes, of course. It costs 99 cents.

Sneak Peek: Portland Pinball Map iPhone App

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Portland Pinball Map iPhone App Splash ScreenHmm, what would make The Portland Pinball Map even more useful?

How about an iPhone app?

Artist Drew Marshall is working on the (as yet unreleased) app’s look and feel. At his website, Works By Drew, he gives us a sneak peek of what the splash screen will look like, and explains a little bit more about the app:

About a year ago, some friends of mine put together the comprehensive Portland Pinball Map —a list of pretty much every machine, their condition, and location in the bars and restaurants of Portland, OR. Then, a couple weeks ago I got the call and heard the talented Isaac Ruiz was making an iPhone app for it. Well of course, it’s bound to be on everyone’s phone in a couple months when it’s out, but just remember where you saw it first…

Luckily, until the app is available, we still have the excellent Portland Pinball Map website, where you can:

  • Check your favorite locations for their latest line-up
  • Search for machines throughout town
  • Browse the machines in your region
  • Search for locations with four or more machines
  • Comment on a machine’s condition

January 29-31: Pinball Pedal and Chocolate Fest

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January comes to an end. Though it’s felt almost spring-like a few days this month, we still have a couple more months of rain and 40 degrees (sorry if this disturbs you but I speak the truth!). So, we make the best of it. The best of it this weekend involves two of my favorite things: pinball and chocolate . . .

Chocolate FestChocolate Fest

Chocolate Fest returns to the World Forestry Center (4033 SW Canyon Road) again this year, and even football fans can make it because it won’t be held on Superbowl Weekend (like last year). [more]

Pinball Pedal

Pinball is one of my favorite participatory sports (juggling would be the other), so the upcoming Pinball Pedal is one of the first bicycle tours to interest me. Though not as ironic as the Tweed Ride which occurs the same day, bikes, beer, and pinball make for a quintessential Portland-style event. [more]