Team
As part of our inaugural group of ticket holders, Cord won the chance to have a VIP experience for the Portland Timbers vs. Chivas USA match on May 12th, including KeyBank Club seats, and a chance to visit with Timber Joey on the field!
We asked Cord a few questions after the match:
When was your first match or memory of supporting the Timbers?
The MLS Opener on April 15th, 2011. Portland 4, Chicago 2 – especially Jorge Perlaza’s 29th minute goal, assisted by Kalif!
What was your favorite moment of this match?
Wallace's goal to put Timbers up 1-0. His game has dramatically improved since last season.
Who would you nominate as Player of the Match?
I'd have to go with Futty Danso. He was so solid on the back line as well as aggressive on the attacking side.
What is your prediction for the next match – Timbers versus the Vancouver Whitecaps?
I no longer predict the scores, and since I've stopped, we've had a great run!
What else should we know about your Timbers fandom? Any favorite pieces of Timbers memorabilia?
I was invited to the first Banquet dinner. Let's just say I had a little too much red wine and I took a wood carved axe that was on display. I got it signed by the team and it is become a permanent fixture in my house.
A big thanks to Cord and Tammy for being our guests and for their fantastic support!
If you are an Axe Society member and would like to enter to win the title of Member of the Match, please register here.
Dominic was the recipient of a Spread the Love welcome packet for the May 2nd match against the New England Revolution. Mick Hoban, current Timbers community ambassador and former NASLTimbers midfielder nominated him.
“I was looking forward to being in the company of soccer lovers, the Timbers Army, Timber Joey, [and] watching a great game of soccer,” said Dominic.
A native of Sierra Leone, Dominic spent 25 years teaching physical education in the Lake Oswego area. He is currently the head coach of the Lake Oswego High School girls’ varsity team, and is a former OYSA Girls Coach of the Year. Well-versed in soccer, Dominic says he was impressed with the how the team played.
“The team played a great game,” said Dominic. “The team's effort and gamesmanship on the field was very good. Especially team defense, speed of play, and possessing with a purpose.”
He says he also enjoyed the environment at JELD-WEN Field.
“I had a blast. The match was exciting. The Timbers fans were at their best. Their chanting and cheers echoed [through] the stadium the entire evening. The atmosphere was spectacular.”
In addition to being a coach, Dominic knows what it means to “Spread the Love” off the field. In 2006, he formed a non-profit organization called Kaimba Incorporated, also known as Dynasty House. The organization's mission is to help rebuild the lives of the people of the war-torn Sierra Leone by providing family housing and educational scholarships. So far the organization has built two five-bedroom houses, which are now home to six families, and is currently sponsoring 116 scholarships for grade school and high school age boys and girls.
What does “Spread the Love” mean to Dominic? “It means more than just those three words,” he said. “It is an act of giving/sharing a piece of whatever one has with others who might need it or benefit from it. It means making someone happy.”
Know someone you think is worthy? Nominate them at www.spreadtheloveptfc.com.
The Portland Timbers Don't Cross The Line.
Liviu Bird of Soccerwire.com goes in depth into the creation and growth of the Timbers Academy charting not just its MLS development but also its early roots going all the way back to the USL era.
“It’s a tremendous pyramid we have within the top level of soccer here in Oregon,” Timbers Academy co-director Mike Smith said. “We basically would love to have everybody on the same page and under the same umbrella.”
It's a good read and charts out how the Timbers are looking to build deep roots throughout the entire state. Take a closer look at it here.
As part of our inaugural group of ticket holders, Mark and Cathy won the chance to have a VIP experience for the Portland Timbers vs. New England Revolution match on May 2nd, including KeyBank Club seats, and a chance to visit with Timber Joey on the field!
We asked Mark a few questions after the match:
What was your first memory of supporting the Timbers?
Growing up in London and having football in my blood, I was excited to take my two young sons to those early seasons when the Timbers first started, back up in the then A League. The crowds were sparse, but the fun was there. What I remember best is hearing the sound of some distant drumming and realizing it was coming from Timber Jim who was perched on a telegraph pole at the far end, beating a rhythm on his drum! I couldn't imagine that at any other football game in the world!
What was your favorite moment of this match?
My favorite moment was the give and go between Valeri and Nagbe in the first half, while the shot did fly over the bar, the lay off from Nagbe was exquisite!
Who would you nominate as Player of the Match?
Player of the Match for me was Chara, while we know he can run box to box endlessly, he has now added the telling pass to his repertoire, another great game for him.
What is your prediction for the next match – Timbers versus FC Dallas?
Dallas will be tough, realistically a draw would be a good result, at the moment though with the way the Timbers are playing and creating chances I'm going for a 2-1 Timbers win!
What else should we know about your Timbers fandom? Any match day superstitions?
My son Simon and I usually go to Alexis restaurant on Burnside for a big plate of calamari prior to a Timbers game. If we are lucky we may get a free shot of ouzo to help us on our way!
Thank you for a lovely evening, Cath and I had wonderful time! I think what made it a night to remember was the care and consideration that came from everyone on the Timbers staff, it did make us feel extra special!
Thank you again for a memorable night!
No Mark, thank you! And thank you for your wonderful support!
If you are an Axe Society member and would like to enter to win the title of Member of the Match, please register here.
Kaitlyn was the recipient of the Spread the Love welcome packet for the April 14th match against San Jose.
Carrie Cool, president of West Hills Junior Soccer Club, presented Kaitlyn with her Spread the Love packet.
Carrie and Kaitlyn had never met prior to their Spread the Love contact, but Carrie chose Kaitlyn for two reasons: “[Kaitlyn] had never seen a live Timbers game before,” and also works with the disabled in our community. “She won me over.”
Kaitlyn could not hold back her excitement when she received her packet.
“I was over the moon about finally getting to see the Timbers play live,” said Kaitlyn. “I was most looking forward to the atmosphere of the fans at the stadium, and being able to yell and holler at the game as opposed to just the TV!”
The Timbers took three points from San Jose that night after a sensational free kick goal from Will Johnson.
“It's hard to say whether my favorite part of the match was seeing Johnson score a beautiful goal,” said Kaitlyn, “or being in the crowd high fiving my friends and strangers as we all went wild right afterwards.”
She told us the excitement didn’t stop after the 90 minutes was over.
“Once I was in the car and out of public, there was a lot of smiling, laughing and all out jovial hollering with joy over the whole deal.”
Kaitlyn says she is officially hooked.
“I plan on trying my best to attend many more Timbers and Thorns FC matches in the very near future!”
After hearing about about Atticus and Green Machine's memorable Make-A-Wish 10-9 win over the Timbers, ESPN's legendary sportscaster and fellow cancer survivor Stuart Scott spoke on SportsCenter tonight about the game and announced it as the No. 1 ESPN Top 10 Play of the Day.
"That is my new hero: Atticus."
Watch it:
Winning Instagram from April by @robynshuey
Midweek matches often change how fans travel and prepare. But for the most superstitious of fans, it doesn’t matter what day or time a match is, the matchday ritual is the same.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters want to know what your ritual is. Do you wear your lucky Timbers socks to work? Do you bring your scarf to the office? Share your ritual with us.
Throughout the 2013 season, the Portland Timbers and Stumptown Coffee Roasters are asking fans to share their pre-game rituals for the first home match of every month. All you have to do is Instagram a shot of your morning pregame ritual and share it with the hashtag #SCRTimbers.
One random fan will be selected each month to win a prize pack from Stumptown and the Timbers that includes:
- One (1) Signed Timbers Jersey
- One (1) 12oz bag of Kenya Gaturiri Coffee
- Two (2) Stumptown Coffee Roaster Mugs
- One (1) Stumptown Branded Red Rooster Hand Mill Grinder
Last month, @robynshuey won the Stumptown & Timbers prize pack for Instagram shot above. This month, it could be you.
For full contest rules, click here.
Last week we shared Jared Montz’s journey across the country, and more specifically about his time in Portland. The former Chicago Fire teammate of Will Johnson is raising funds and awareness for the OSA World Juggle-a-thon and Nothing But Nets.
Since then, Jared has completed his tour and and shared the final video, which includes several Timbers and Thorns players.
Today is World Malaria Day, which means today is the Juggle-a-thon. If you didn’t see Jared’s story, you can catch up here.
It’s also not too late to donate, which you can do here.
One of the most beautiful things about soccer is its ability to unite people around the world, whether it’s behind a team, a nation, or in this case, a cause.
Former professional soccer player Jared Montz believes that part of being a pro is giving back to your community. He started the Online Soccer Academy to provide free online resources and training to soccer players around the world.
This year, the Online Soccer Academy is putting on their 3rd annual charity event called the OSA World Juggle-a-thon to raise money for Nothing But Nets. On April 25, World Malaria Day, players of all ages will juggle at 6pm their standard time anywhere in the word they have a ball. Jugglers try to beat their personal juggling records and in the process they raise money for Nothing But Nets.
Every 60 seconds a child in Africa dies from a malaria infection. With this in mind, the UN Foundation created Nothing But Nets in 2006 to raise money to provide African children with anti-malaria bed nets. The campaign was inspired by sports columnist Rick Reilly, who challenged each of his readers to donate at least $10 to purchase anti-malaria bed nets.
As part of the campaign, Jared Montz is Soccer Walking America. This 45 day, 15-city video series tour to raise awareness for the event included a stop in Portland, where Montz juggled with some of the Timbers and Thorns.
To become a juggler and fundraise, or to make a one time donation, please visit the OSA World Juggle-a-thon website.
Follow Jared Montz on Twitter to keep track of his tour.
