Alaska Airlines are the 2011 Timbers’ Shirt Sponsor

By: mao | 3 Comments

As expected, Alaska Airlines today announced it’s sponsorship of Portland Timbers, at the very least in the capacity of appearing on the 2011 kits. It does not appear that the Seattle-based airline will be using their name in what is currently known as PGE Park. Because of the current contract with Nike for kits, the Timbers cannot release an adidas version for MLS until the current contract is finished. As such, the club will not be releasing the new kits until December, allowing both for anticipation and Christmas sales.

It is also not yet known whether Alaska Air will use it’s wordmark or that of it’s sister airline, Horizon Air on the Timbers’ kits. Horizon’s history in Portland is clear, having merged with Air Oregon in 1982. The use of the word ‘Alaska’ on the kit of a club in Portland, Oregon could be both confusing and detrimental to the growth of the club’s brand. This space continues to believe Horizon Air will be the shirt sponsor for the inaugural MLS season, in the same way XBox Live appears on Seattle Sounders‘ shirts rather than Microsoft (or even simply XBox).

Mandjou Keita Officially Leaves Portland Timbers

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Pune FC of the I-League, India’s top-flight, have signed Mandjou Keita as their fourth foreign player. Indian sides are allowed what’s locally known as the Foreign Four, though only three are allowed on the pitch at any one time. Keita of course flamed out at Portland Timbers this season, having been reduced to a substitute’s role with the rise of young Bright Dike. After leading the American second division in scoring in 2009, the Guinean striker went on loan to Salgoacar over the winter, gaining his first experience in the I-League. But his return to Portland came after the start of the season and never amounted to much more than the one goal he scored against AC St. Louis on May 15. The former Guinea U-23 captain returns to India in the hopes of salvaging what was once a promising career.

Timbers to Announce 2011 Shirt Sponsor

By: mao | 6 Comments

Portland International Airport will be the site for the long-awaited announcement of the shirt sponsor for Portland Timbers in their inaugural season in Major League Soccer. Rumors have been swirling for some time that Alaska Airlines will be said sponsor, perhaps even taking over the rights to the name of the stadium. Interestingly, Alaska Air is based in Seattle and uses Portland as one its three hubs (Seattle and Anchorage being the others). While it is widely believed that the Alaska Air wordmark will be featured across the chest of the new adidas kits, this space believes that it might be Horizon Air, Alaska’s sister airline (and also based at SeaTac), that is featured on Portland’s kits. What is almost certainly not going to be on the kits is the famous Nanook of the North, used by Alaska Air on the tail fins of their aircraft. But there is the very real possibility of at least one plane getting a Timbers make-over, not unlike those featuring the four major colleges in Washington and Oregon.

That information will have to wait until December though, as the club will apparently not be releasing the new kits until the end of the calendar year. Of course with a contract with Nike currently in use, the club is not allowed to begin selling adidas kits while the current Nike versions are still worn on the pitch.

Game 26: Portland Timbers v. Puerto Rico Islanders

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Portland Timbers will play their last ever second division home game on Thursday night against Puerto Rico Islanders. Amazingly the Timbers have played twenty-five times without yet facing Puerto Rico. Now the game with the Islanders comes both as an emotional end of an era in the Rose City, but also as an important game with major playoff implications.
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Futty Danso Called up to Gambian National Side

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Photo by Mitchell Dyer Photography

Portland Timbers center back Futty Danso has been called up to Gambia’s national side for an African Cup of Nations 2012 qualifier against Namibia. Gambia are in Group F and the Namibia match will be their first of this qualifying campaign. Futty will return to his native country as the first match of the group will be held at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. Gambia have never qualified for the African Cup of Nations, though they did finish just one point shy of qualification for the 2010 edition held in Angola. Algeria bested the Scorpions and reached both the CAN and the World Cup. In qualifying for 2012, hosted jointly by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, Gambia join Namibia and Burkina Faso in Group F. Mauritania was set to be in the group as well but withdrew ahead of qualifying on August 22, leaving Group F with just three sides while Group K has five, due to the late inclusion of previously banned Togo.

Futty has never before played with his full national side and his inclusion in the team for this major qualification campaign marks the second Timbers’ player to leave during this season for national team duty. James Marcelin took part in Haiti’s friendly with Argentina ahead of the latter’s World Cup campaign.

Game 25: Timbers 3 – Palace 0

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Portland Timbers put together their first complete game since April in a 3-0 rout of Crystal Palace Baltimore. A third home sell-out in four games saw Portland dominate from start to finish against one of the league’s worst sides. Of course Palace had beaten the Timbers in each of their previous match-ups, so the clean sheet was a bit of revenge for Portland. Ryan Pore scored his league leading fourteenth goal and Bright Dike recorded his first brace, his fifth and sixth goals in the past seven games. Goalkeeper Steve Cronin was rarely tested as three important home points take the Timbers four points clear in fourth place.
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Game 24: Timbers 1 – Austin 1

By: mao | 1 Comment

Despite a man advantage and nearly 15,000 fans urging them on, Portland Timbers failed to take more than shared points from Austin Aztex at PGE Park on Thursday night. While a 1-1 draw against one of the league’s top sides is not a disappointing result on its face, the circumstances surrounding the draw make it yet another frustrating night in a season full of them. Bright Dike did get another goal, this time in the twelfth minute, but Portland were unable to keep the high-scoring Aztex from putting at least one on the board. The point does move the Timbers up to fourth place, one point clear of Carolina RailHawks, but still ten points shy of third place Austin.
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Game 24: Portland Timbers v. Austin Aztex

By: mao | 2 Comments

Portland Timbers begin their final stretch of home games with a match against third place Austin Aztex at PGE Park on Thursday. Though Portland have very little chance of catching up to Austin, who are currently ten points clear of the Timbers, the race for fourth place is still very much open. Only three home games remain in this 2010 season and the Timbers, who have won their last two games, need to pick up as many points as possible. Austin will not be an easy victory though, as the Aztex have scored more goals than anyone in the league by a wide margin.
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Timbers Sign Kevin Goldthwaite

By: mao | 3 Comments

Portland Timbers today announced the signing of defender Kevin Goldthwaite for the rest of the USSF Division II season. The 27-year old defender was released by Red Bull New York in order for the club to sign Rafa Marquez earlier this month. A veteran of four MLS clubs and even a loan spell with the Timbers in 2005, Goldthewaite brings 87 games of MLS experience to Portland. Clearly this is a move that could have ramifications for the MLS version of the club, though the immediate focus will be playing out the rest of the Timbers’ final season in the second division.

Timbers Will Chose First in MLS Expansion Draft

By: mao | 3 Comments

Nearly a month after the ‘coin flip’ decided that Vancouver Whitecaps would get first pick among the eight means of player acquisition, those same Whitecaps chose to have the top pick in January’s SuperDraft. That left the door open for Portland Timbers to select the top pick in November’s Expansion Draft as the means to begin building the Major League Soccer version of the club. The other six venues were then spread between the two clubs to round out the legalese surrounding how the Whitecaps’ and Timbers’ rosters will be filled.
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