Timbers' Rowdy Rumble

As an old timer,  I like continuity.   Makes it easier if I don't have to remember too many new things and can just brush off the old.  The Timbers faced off Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at PGE Park in a very physical match.  As the picture shows,  the old NASL Rowdies used the green and gold bumblebee stripes way back in the 70s.   Interestingly Old Tampa Bay Rowdies featured Clyde Best and Stewart Scullion.  Best,  pictured here,  scored the second goal in beating the Timbers at the 1975 Soccer championship and was later recruited to play here in PDX.   If you can't beat 'em hire 'em!   


As I mentioned,  Sunday's match was very scrappy.  Timbers' coaches,  according to The Big O's coverage,  started a different configuration of players hoping to unlock the potential they believe lies in the talented crew. Bright Dike (dee-kay as I think everyone is learning) was a bull in front and cracked the woodwork early in the game. And he wasn't the only one.  Shots were taken close, out on the rim of the penalty area and from the flanks.  At the end it paid off with a crackerjack finish from Dike.    It was great to see a match when a goal wasn't given up with seconds left.  On a sad note,  however, Josh Cameron,  who had just been featured in a newspaper writeup before the match,  was carried off on a stretcher.   


Small observations.   I would really like to understand Ross Smith's shorts.   Respectfully.   The man looks like he came from the 70s when sport shorts were....um really short!   Anyone have a thought on that?   The guy played well,  looks smart.....and who cares really about his kit.  Right.
The other thing that got my attention was the name Kljestan on the Tampa Bay roster.   Turns out it's Sacha's big brother Gordon who is carrying the family banner for the Rowdies.   The things I didn't know!   Enough for now I guess.


Next up....the Flounders!