Timbers Fans Rally for MLS

By: Sean | February 28th, 2009

A couple of posts ago, Bob mentioned there might be a co-blogger to help write for the Timbers Offside for the 2009 season. That co-blogger would be me. I’m Sean and I’ve been blogging for the Offside since last October at the Weekend Warrior about the highs and lows of recreational soccer as an adult player, coach, and obsessive fan of the game. After a recent post on the Weekend Warrior about meeting Timber Jim, Daryl suggested blogging for the Timbers Offside. As I make the jump from writing about stuff that happens mostly to me on the pitch to writing about stuff that happens mostly to other people on the pitch, I hope to augment the fantastic content that Bob posts with local flavor, match summaries, and the like.

Or, failing that, an occasional Timbers-themed word jumble.

About two hundred Timbers supporters showed up at the Salmon Street Fountain earlier this afternoon for a rally and march to promote Portland’s MLS expansion bid. The multi-generational crowd was full of enthusiasm and strong of voice as they paraded through the downtown area to City Hall. Flags, banners, kilts, drums, trumpets, an oversized soccer ball and yes, a chain saw were all part of the pageantry. The response from passing vehicles, based upon an unofficial count of supportive honks, was favorable and well-received by the group, which included the Timbers Army, season-ticket holders, and other supporters. The only downside to the event was the lack of a decent megaphone/PA system, making it almost impossible to hear most of the City Hall speakers. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that their words of encouragement went along the following lines:

1. Portland is getting very close to claiming one of the two 2011 expansion franchises, but with two City commissioners (Saltzman and Fish, I believe) undecided as to how they will vote on the MLS proposal, it is critical for fans to write or email them and make them understand how important this is to Portland;
2. MLS soccer is not only good for Timbers fans, but for youth soccer in general because of the level of talent that is brought in to play would inspire younger players and keep them involved in the game;
3. An MLS team is an investment in the city for the city.

There was a KGW news van parked at the City Hall, so it will be interesting to see how the local media report the event. Or, at the very least, see if you got to be on television. There was a block of letters to the editor in yesterday’s Oregonian questioning the wisdom of the expansion proposal during these difficult economic times and I’m certain that refrain will be echoed in any coverage of the rally.

Personally, I want to see MLS in Portland for a lot of reasons–probably most of the same reasons you do, too. Portland Timbers supporters may number in the tens of thousands, but our football tribe is several billion strong. I can’t think of another sport that brings together entire continents the way soccer does. It would be a shame not to promote the Beautiful Game to the highest level possible here, not only for ourselves, but for our kids, too. It crosses cultures, generations, social classes. I mean, we are Soccer City. If that doesn’t cry out for MLS, I’m at a loss as to what does.

Plus, it breaks my heart to look at the fixture list and not see a Timbers-Sounders derby match there.

Here are a few organizations to check out regarding the MLS expansion movement if you aren’t familiar with them already:
MLS to Portland
MLS to PDX

Rose City ’til I die…