King of Clubs TIFO

Not bad Timbers Army. Not bad at all....

Bumpy Pitch Collaboration with PTFC

I've been meaning to post this for awhile now, but if you follow The Original Winger or Bumpy Pitch you have probably seen this shirt inspired by Clive Charles and the Portland Timbers. Here is the copy from the official press release:

"This graphic and shirt hold a particularly special place for us (the BPFC team) as the inspiration for it can be found in a figure that played a huge role in our lives.

We had the pleasure of playing for Clive Charles on the US Olympic Team back in the day (Dunny much longer than myself). Clive was an amazing human being and coach. I’m sure anyone that ever met him, played for him, was a teammate, etc would tell you the exact same thing.

We’ve wanted to pay tribute to Clive in our own way for quite awhile. But it’s never been an easy thing to do and finding the right medium and message always needed to be done correctly. As a Portland institution and Timbers legend, the launch of the Portland Timbers in MLS this year seemed to provide the right time for us to do something for Clive.

We partnered with the Timbers Army and the 107ist on this to help continue to build the movement that these good folks have been building for years.

For those that dig into design elements, we made sure we put in a couple that pay tribute to Clive. His initials and retired number are featured on one of the axe handles, with the opposite handle seeing a nod to 2009 and the year that Portland was awarded an MLS franchise."

Shirt costs $30 which may be a little steep for some people, but it's unique and a portion of the proceeds goes to the 107st to help build the Timbers atmosphere we all love.

Undefeated. 5-0

If you have never experienced a Portland Timbers home game, here is a taste of what your missing out on. Game this WED against AJAX... go buy tickets now.

Mr. Cooper preparing for Portland BrewFest

2011 MLS Player Salaries Revealed

The MLS Players Union released the goods today. The 2011 salary information for every player in the league is now in public view. It's always interesting to compare salaries amongst players, as there are certainly individuals who don't deserve the figures they get.

As a Portland fan I'm pleased to see our management has assembled a squad with a low salary total. This gives us the ability to resign our younger players to more lucrative deals as they develop. Click over to this page to see all the teams in alphabetical order.

Golazo, Welcome to Portland

If you haven't noticed I have been absent for about 2 weeks now. The explanation is simple. I have been stuck at 199 posts since I started this site, and I wanted to celebrate my 200th post with something truly special. Well here it is folks!

Golazo Energy is set to make its much anticipated debut in the Portland market this month, and I have been given permission to post the debut commercial! The spot is brilliant and it's sure to create a buzz around the drink. Let me know what you think!

Paint the Plane Entry: Joshua Guerra

Earlier this week the Portland Timbers announced the winner's and honorable mentions for the Paint the Plane Contest. There were some good plane designs on display, but I'm sure there were many other worthy contestants. Here is a submission I received via email from Joshua Guerra, a fellow Timbers supporter. What do you all think of his design?

Must read article on ESPN.com

Where the dream of soccer lives on

by Jeff Carlisle

Two More Players Released from Camp

In the latest article from the Portland Timbers website it has been announced that Quavas Kirk and Taylor Mueller are no longer training with the team. I started to think Gavin and Spencer would consider taking Kirk, because of the Gilbert situation at right back. That hasn't been the case however, and now we are left with 5 players still vying for a spot and 24 (23 if Gilbert is no longer in the picture) signed members of the team. Here's who we've got left:

1. Rodrigo Lopez
2. Bim Ogunyemi
3. Chris Taylor
4. Spencer Thompson
5. Brian Umony

Who do you see earning the final spots on the team? Last week I picked my five remaining player signings. Roster is expected to be 28 players for the inaugural season.

Dos Equis x Portland Timbers

Portland Timbers Reach 12,000 ST Sold

Big News Today. On top of Jorge Perlaza finally inking a deal with the Portland Timbers, we now receive word that the Timbers have sold more than 12,000 season tickets! This was determined to be the cap from the outset, but as I expected they have opened up some additional seats due to demand. Here are the key points of the article:

• 500 additional season tickets will be sold
• Hard cap at 12,500 for the inaugural season
• Half season ticket plans are nearing sold out status
• All 23 suites have been sold on a multi year basis
• Fewer than 125 season tickets remain in the Timbers Army
• 50 seating sections have been sold out

In other words, if you plan on buying season tickets do it ASAP. You don't want to miss out on this experience. Single game tickets will go on sale soon, but everyone with season tickets will have first crack at them, so don't expect to see any for Seattle, Vancouver, New York, or LA available for purchase. Every game is going to sell out this season!

7 Figure Bid for Marcos Flores?

Looks like Paulson and the Timbers may sign their first designated player in the near future. Rumors are swirling that they are looking to sign the A-League standout Marcos Flores. Gavin and Paulson have both stated publicly that a 7-figure offer has been put on the table for a mystery player, and reports out of Australia have pointed towards Flores. Let me know what you think of this potential signing? Are you impressed with his video highlights? Make sure you watch the goals at the 4:20 and 7:00 minute marks... incredible finishes.

5 Roster Spots Left: Who Gets Signed?

The Portland Timbers currently have 23 players under contract for the upcoming MLS season. With Mike Golub the Chief Operating Officer of the team recently announcing we will likely carry a 28 man roster (rather than the 30 max), players are fighting for their spot. Here are the 5 players I expect to be announced prior to the opening game on March 19th.

#1 Brian Umony: A loan deal appears to have already been agreed upon and signed. Brian expected his announcement to come earlier this week. Extra help at forward was deemed necessary with the injury to Dike. I bet Umony gets announced later today!

#2 Jorge Perlaza: The Columbian forward would already be signed if his previous club weren't trying to rope in a transfer fee. Some bogus second contract Perlaza apparently signed is holding the process up. The Perlaza signing is taking longer than Gavin would like, but he will eventually be a Timbers player.

#3 Chris Taylor: The 22nd overall pick in the SuperDraft out of Tulsa. Chris is a solid defensive player that Amos and Spencer were really fond of. He was ecstatic to join the team and he will provide some extra depth at defense.

#4 Mystery Midfielder: Still have my hopes that Gavin will bring in a dynamic center midfielder. The man they want has proven more difficult to obtain, with multiple clubs seeking his services.

#5 Paul "BIM" Ogunyemi: Former U-23 winger is back in camp with the Timbers after being released from FC Dallas. I love watching this kid play and he was a major part of the 20-0-0 season the PDL squad had. He is young and has tremendous potential. Your my boy Bim!

Paint the Plane Contender

Still awaiting word from Alaska Airlines and the Portland Timbers regarding the winner of the paint the plane contest. I'd expect the announcement to come in the next week or so. Browsing the web I came across this gem, designed by Damon Law. As I said before this contest is sure to bring out some really talented artists. Love his work here.

The Peruvian Maradona. Future Timber?

The Portland Timbers have been evaluating Roberto Merino Ramirez during camp. This guy has some mad skill and would instantly be a fan favorite. There may be some concerns due to his size (5 ft 5 in), but his sheer skill is impressive. Watch this clip here from the Portland Timbers Facebook page where Merino breaks the ankles of a Montreal player before sending in a perfect cross for the winning goal.

UPDATE: Roberto appears to no longer be in camp. He has been removed from the online roster. It looks like he may be returning to a club in Peru. It's a shame... would have been fun to watch.

Timbers Stadium SnapShot: 2/23

3 major updates have taken place at PGE Park this week. Here are photos of the recent changes compliments of Portlandreigns in the order of significance. With the exception of the South End seating (where I'll be located) the bulk of the work now lies in the interior structures. This includes the press box, locker rooms, Key Bank Club, Providence medical center, and concessions/restrooms.

#1: The turf pitch has been rolled out. Awaiting the rubber infill.

#2: P O R T L A N D. All the seats have been placed in the new stands.

#3: State of the art video board has been constructed beneath the MAC Club balcony.

Timbers Stadium SnapShot: 2/18

U-23s Get Promoted! Congrats Freddie + Jake

It's official folks. I knew it was bound to happen eventually, but today the press release came out. Freddie Braun and Jake Gleeson will be members of the Timbers in 2011. These two deserve everything they get. I had the pleasure of watching them perform this summer for the U-23s and they are both class individuals. They were always willing to lend a hand and they made me feel welcome amongst the team. We had some good times hanging out at the stadium and our trip to Kitsap was a blast. Freddie will add to our depth at the CM position, and Jake has the potential to be our number 1 keeper in the next few years. Big ups to these guys, can't wait to see them take the field.

Photos courtesy of Portland Timbers

Rumor: Brian Umony Loan Deal

A while back I suspected Brian Umony would be one of the players signed by the Portland Timbers as a replacement for the injured Bright Dike. I figured we needed one more forward option, and Umony is a young talented footballer who has had a productive preseason.

Now there are reports that a loan deal for Umony is imminent. I found this report at MLS Rumors, so it's not official by any means. However, I think most people would argue that Umony is a solid signing. I expect the next round of player signings to be announced following the teams trip to Arizona.

MIA: Kerrea Gilbert

Out of 20 signed players, Kerrea Gilbert is the only member of the Portland Timbers that has yet to report to training camp. A report came out on OregonLive on February 9th that Gilbert was having trouble securing a visa.

Hopefully he is able to join the team as they venture to Arizona. Gilbert is falling behind in gaining match fitness and familiarity with the rest of the players. He was one of the signings most Timbers fans have been extremely excited about. A young player who came up in the Arsenal system with loads of potential. We hope to see you in Timbers green soon!