Don't punch that horse. This isn't Blazing Saddles.

Punching a horse seems to be a comic trope but isn't something football fans want to be remembered for.  I'm happy to say that Portland Timbers supporters have largely refrained from rowdyism, preferring to dis opponents with great Tifo.     Apparently that concept hasn't caught on in some of the ancient halls of futbol-- Newcastle for example.   Let us search for a lesson here.  

Portland Timbers are rooted in Portland

The evidence that futbol has gotten more than a superficial grip on our little city on the Willamette is reinforced in the recent 9-13 issue of Street Roots, a Portland journal which is committed to classic newspaper standards woven together with a commitment to making the sale of the paper a mechanism for street people to earn money as opposed to asking for handouts.

The above-mentioned issue features a front page photo of David Horst ,Timbers' defender who was injured early in the season,  battling Landon Donovan. The Timbers have been energetic about connecting with community groups responding to many different needs, and Horst is apparently a great ambassador as he recovers from his injuries.

And that epitomizes a club, an organization, a group of men who are genuine and who actually care about the community where they live.

I honor that.