Timbers Grab Bag 05.14.08

By: Bob Kellett | May 14th, 2008

One of the games I am playing this year to help pass the time between Portland Timbers matches is called 15. Those were the number of points the Timbers earned against the now defunct California Victory in 2007 and it is the number of points they will need to make up elsewhere in 2008 if they want to finish with the same point total. How are they doing so far? In 2007, they earned one point against Seattle; this year they have four. Last year they drew at home against Minnesota; this year they won. Last year they beat Rochester at home; this year they drew. So at this point the Timbers are three points ahead. They can gain more ground by getting points in Puerto Rico on Friday, but will also need to match last year’s victory in Miami on Sunday.

Those blasted speed bumps
Soccernet and The Offside’s Anne Ramzy checks in with her weekly USL First Division thoughts.

Waaah, they played defense, waaah
Seattle coach and world class arsehole Brian Schmetzer checks in with his weekly diarrhea of the mouth in the Trib.

Reliving the Road Trip

Knowles on Team of the Week
After a pair of shutouts you had to figure that someone from the Timbers’ backline would earn Team of the Week honors from the rainmakers in the USL-1 front office. That someone this week is Cameron Knowles. He could probably be on the team every week. There isn’t a more consistent player on the Timbers roster. The fact that Rochester’s Scott Vallow also made this week’s team should be enough to tell you that these awards mean very little. Vallow had a hard time swallowing any ball shot his way by the Timbers and his team then went on to lost to Vancounver.

Ride the bus
If you are a season ticket holder you received TriMet passes good for all day on any day there is a game. It turns out those passes can be exchanged for all day passes for any day of the year. Simply head to the Timbers box office at PGE Park and turn in your unused pass for a new pass that does not have a date stamped on it. You can then use your new pass at any time during the year. That is very cool.

Our contribution to slacker culture
I was not aware of the fact that the Hacky Sack, or footbag if you are European, was invented in Portland, Oregon.

Photo: Larry “the Cat” Olum skies in stoppage time to score against Miami in 2007 at PGE Park. Allison Andrews/Soccer City USA