Blog
Former MLS'er, US international, and KICKTV host Jimmy Conrad who did such great work at Euro 2012 and the recent Mexico-USA friendly at Azteca, goes on location to examine the Portland-Seattle rivalry, the Kicking + Screening Film Festival and more. First up, he goes one on one with Timbers owner and president Merritt Paulson.
More to come as KICKTV goes through the huge Cascadia Cup clash.
Photo: GoZips.com
Can't wait for the Portland-Seattle Cascadia Cup showdown on NBC at 12:30 pm PT tomorrow?
Then get a look at soon-to-be Timbers head coach Caleb Porter as he leads his No. 9 Akron Zips against the undefeated No. 10 University of St. John's on FOX Soccer Channel at 4pm PT on Friday evening. The Zips are hosting the University of Akron Tournament this weekend at FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field with the Red Storm in attendance along with No. 11 South Florida and Butler also participating.
All matches for all teams are also being streamed online free at GoZips.com.
Timbers players Danny Mwanga and Jake Gleeson look to pitch in extra this week by helping run the check out lanes and bagging groceries at the Burlingame Fred Meyer tomorrow to benefit the Sports Buddies program of Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.
On hand from 5:30-6:30pm on Sept. 13, Mwanga and Gleeson will bag any groceries that include Coca-Cola products. Five percent of all Coke products sold within that hour will go to benefit the Sports Buddies program with Fred Meyer and the Timbers matching the donation up to $1,000.
Another familiar face will also be on hand as former Timbers goalkeeper, current Alumni Ambassador, and Sports Buddies Program Coordinator Adin Brown will be in attendance as well.
Sports Buddies is a new, one-to-one mentorship program for at-risk youth with an emphasis on sports and Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest is one of the Timbers’ Stand Together community pillar partners.
Stock up tomorrow. Burlingame Fred Meyer is at 7555 SW Barbur Blvd.
Saturday is a big day for the Portland Timbers: big rivalry, big sandwiches . . . Big-Ass Sandwiches, to be exact.
Big Ass-Sandwiches will be serving up the “best sandwich in the Northwest,” according to The Travel Channel’s Adam Richman during Saturday’s match against Seattle (12:30pm PT, NBC, 750 AM The Game / La Pantera 940).
Taking over the Soccer City Grill concession stand on the east side of the stadium, Big-Ass Sandwiches will have their four original sandwiches available: a choice of roast beef, turkey or ham piled up with hand-cut fries, slathered in homemade bechamel cheddar fondue all in a Fleur De Lis ciabatta roll.
Big-Ass Sandwiches got its start after owners Brian and Lisa Wood went through a few layoffs in 2009. Instead of opening a restaurant, they tried their hand at popularizing their fries-on-sandwich technique, and the big-ass sandwich was born.
Brian and Lisa are also huge Timbers fans. “We have been going to games since the pre-MLS days. We have the ‘No Pity in the Rose City’ scarf hanging in the back of the cart and made shirts three or four years ago that said ‘Timber Joey is My Homeboy’ with part of the proceeds going to a local charity,” said Lisa. “We're vocal about our love for the game and team and offer 107ist and Axe Society discounts, so we've seen a lot of the Timbers fans become regulars at the cart.”
Big-Ass Sandwiches is the fourth food cart chosen by fans via Facebook to serve at the stadium through the Portland Timbers Food Cart Alliance (PTFCA).
“We're excited for the experience and love that we get to bring our crew along for the ride and feed a ton of people,” said Lisa. “We love the team and the fans and if it goes well, maybe we can do it again!”
PTFCA is looking for new members. Applications for PTFCA will be accepted for the remainder of the season. Another fan vote for the remaining two home matches will run this week.
MLS released today, perhaps for the first time ever, the top 25 selling jerseys across the league. The Timbers are one of five teams with multiple players in the top 25: Darlington Nagbe and Kris Boyd.
The list below, which includes sales from March 10-Sept. 10, reflects the 25 top-selling adidas MLS player jerseys across the league on MLSgear.com, MLSgearCanada.ca and MLS club websites.
1. David Beckham - LA Galaxy
2. Thierry Henry - New York Red Bulls
3. Landon Donovan - LA Galaxy
4. Fredy Montero - Seattle Sounders FC
5. Dwayne De Rosario - D.C. United
6. Chris Wondolowski - San Jose Earthquakes
7. Tim Cahill - New York Red Bulls
8. Robbie Keane - LA Galaxy
9. Mauro Rosales - Seattle Sounders FC
10. Brian Ching - Houston Dynamo
11. Darlington Nagbe - Portland Timbers
12. Chris Pontius - D.C. United
13. Osvaldo Alonso - Seattle Sounders FC
14. Young-Pyo Lee - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
15. Kris Boyd - Portland Timbers
16. Barry Robson - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
17. Eddie Gaven - Columbus Crew
18. Brad Davis - Houston Dynamo
19. Roger Torres - Philadelphia Union
20. Freddy Adu - Philadelphia Union
21. Kei Kamara - Sporting Kansas City
22. Kyle Beckerman - Real Salt Lake
23. Mike Magee - LA Galaxy
24. Saer Sene - New England Revolution
25. Arne Friedrich - Chicago Fire
Want to get yours? Head over to the adidas Timbers Team Store and order online. Also, don't forget to vote for Nagbe to be on the custom cover of EA Sports' FIFA 13.
Photo: GoZips.com
Caleb Porter and the Akron Zips came out of the weekend with a split in two matches at the Mike Berticelli Mermorial Tournament in South Bend, Ind.
On Friday, the Zips beat No. 10 Indiana behind midfielder Eric Stevenson's 19th minute goal. Dillon Serna had beat his man on the left flank and crossed into Stevenson who fired just inside the right post. Senior 'keeper David Meyes picked up his third win and second shutout in the match.
Two days later, however, Akron suffered their first loss of 2012 as No. 17 host Notre Dame (5-0-0) defeated the shorthanded Zips 3-1. UA got off to a strong start as Alfred Koroma crossed in a fine ball that Scott Caldwell (right) corraled and fired from the top of the box to give the Zips an early 1-0 lead in the 4th minute. However, Aohdan Quinn received a straight red in the 30th minute, the Zips played the rest of the match a man down and the Fighting Irish were able to counter with three unanswered goals.
With Friday's 1-0 victory over No. 10 Indiana, UA finished second in the tournament. Chad Barson, Caldwell and Serna were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Porter and the Zips return to FirstEnergy Stadium – Cub Cadet Field next weekend to play host to The University of Akron Tournament. UA will host St. John's Friday night at 4 p.m. PT on FOX Soccer Channel and South Florida Sunday at 4:30 p.m. PT.
ADDEDUM: MLSsoccer.com's Daniel Robertson says that Akron "had probably the toughest weekend of anyone in the country," but still rates them highly at #5 in their College Power rankings. He also points out that Friday's match on FOX Soccer Channel against St. John's is definitely one to watch as "practically every player you’ll see on Akron has a possible MLS future, either through the draft or via Homegrown signings."
Dike while with L.A. Blues
With two goals in his last four games, Bright Dike has been on a bit of a run as of late.
After being one of the first Timbers players ever signed in the MLS era, Dike ruptured his Achilles' tendon in the first MLS preseason game and missed much of the 2011 season. After a hard dedicated recovery, he came back to the team and was loaned to USL PRO side L.A. Blues earlier this season.
In ten games, Dike got his groove back and pocketed six goals. So while he wasn't there for the entire season, USL PRO was impressed enough to name him to the 2012 All-League Second Team.
In other MLS-related news in USL New York Red Bulls forward Corey Hertzog was a finalist for MVP after spending the season on loan with the Wilmington Hammerheads. The small but increasing number of MLS teams loaning players to the USL is a growing phenomenon as more and more teams look to further develop their players with more games and minutes. Timbers defender and 2012 MLS SuperDraft first round pick Andrew Jean-Baptiste was also loaned to the Blues in 2012 for six matches.
WATCH: Dike finishes off Zizzo cross against Rapids
Rubio Rubin
The Timbers Academy teams--fresh from announcing their inaugural rosters--take to the field for the first time this weekend against the academy squads of Chivas USA and LA Galaxy.
“We know that thanks to U.S. Soccer we got an easy weekend to start off,” Timbers Academy Director Mike Smith jokingly told TopDrawerSoccer.com. “It is the highest level of competition [playing Chivas USA and Galaxy]. After four weeks of preseason, we are excited to see where the boys are. It will be a good learning lesson for us.”
The article also talks about Timbers U-16 winger Rubio Rubin who was a member of the adidas Timbers Alliance club Westside Timbers and is training with the US U17 Residency program in Florida.
Finally, central Oregon's Bend Bulletin has a good article on Timbers U-16 player Logan Riemhofer who is bypassing his high school team in Bend for the opportunity to be a part of the Timbers Academy. Though a difficult decision, his former coach at Mountain View High School, Chris Rogers, gives his full support:
“As bad as you want him to stay and play for you, (the academy) is so much more important a place to go for his development. I told him if I had that chance (in high school) I would have jumped at the opportunity," he added.
“This is the absolutely best thing for American soccer," Rogers says. “We’re finally doing what the rest of the world has done for the past 50 years."
“I want him to play for that team (the Timbers’ MLS club)," Rogers says. “I want to watch him play professionally and know I did everything I could to help him along the way."
Rain or shine, hot or cold, JELD-WEN Field is always packed and ready to rumble on matchday.
With all the yelling, chanting, flagwaving, pogo-ing and Tetris-ing to be had, it comes as no surprise that one may work up quite a thirst.
But did you know fans are allowed to bring their own empty water bottles into the stadium? And there's drinking fountains on both the west and east concourses as well as sinks in every restroom in the facility?
A quick look through other MLS stadiums as well as other major sporting facilities across the US puts JELD-WEN Field near the top of most accepting of outside water coming in. Moreover, JELD-WEN Field allows small amounts of food for babies and children.
It’s a big match out there. Be sure to stay hydrated!
Everyone I know who loves soccer loves EA Sports' FIFA series. You can play it on Playstation or Xbox, your iPhone or iPad, connect with friends, create a team, and manage it to untold glories.
Check out the latest ad EA just dropped touting FIFA 13's pending September 27 release:
Awesome, right?
MLSsoccer.com has teamed up with EA Sports to create a custom cover for FIFA 13. The number one player from MLSsoccer.com's 24 Under 24 will automatically be on the list, but there's three slots still available and our very own Darlington Nagbe is among the nominees in a special poll.
