Was hoping to see Michael Harrington

in the fray against South Korea today but it appears the left back position is pretty solidly sewn up.   On the other hand,  another familiar Timber name is on the roster and on the field. Eric_Alexander is getting time with the senior squad.  Alexandar played for our side in 2011 and 12 and went, I recall, to the Red Bulls….but you can check the details as they're attached in the link.

On a different topic,  today was the opening of the 2014 Winter Season which I always call the short season since it's only five games.  Much  to our surprise today,  it was short in another respect as the officials had on their schedule to run 25 minute halves.   Not enough time to work up a sweat or get close enough to noon to make a trip to the pub sensible--at least for us old guys.    Maybe a tablespoon of Geritol.   What the heck ever happened to Geritol?   I never hear about it anymore…maybe there's just not enough alcohol in it to make it interesting.

1920s Player Trophy surfaces

Local business leader, Patrick Donaldson, was kind enough to contact me recently to note that he'd found a small trophy in a chest belonging to his grandfather.   As he relates  "While going through a family trunk I came across a small silver in color trophy.  It had the following inscription on it ' P.S.F.A. Camerons 1924-25 J. Donaldson'.  I suspect it was my grandfather John Milne 'Jock' Donaldsons. He was an immigrant from Huntly (Banffshire) Scotland who worked as a streetcar conductor before dying at a young age in 1950."

I am guessing that the trophy is one given to individual players after successful seasons, in addition to the team trophy.   I'm hopeful that Patrick will send a photo or two along as well as any other information about his grandfather. 

My presumption is that the Portland Soccer Football Association was the mid-Twenties league.   Camerons was likely the select team sponsored and perhaps assembled by George Cameron who gave us the Cameron Cup.   It would have been very consistent with the time for team managers to give a tryout to immigrants just off the boat.  Always looking for that new player whose style hadn't already been assessed by the local opposition.

Thanks Patrick, and please send us pics.   

I've been ferociously busy with family issues in the past several weeks and that's limited my posting.   With any luck at all,  I'll be getting out a commentary on such things as the new Argentine connection wearing green this coming season.

I was happy to see Michael Harrington getting a look at his first cap with the National Team this coming week.  I was interested to note that one of the other guys in the mix was Eric Alexandar,  another Timbers' alum.   I'd like to see Harrington thrive on the World Cup stage….as long as he doesn't miss any games for us.   

MLS Cup battle decided by wood

The MLS Cup on December 7th in Kansas City was marked by freezing temperatures and hot tempers as Sporting and RSL faced off.  The game was played with enough intensity to melt some of the ice on the field,  went through the two overtimes and then was decided in penalty kicks when RSL's Lovel Palmer took his kick and struck the crossbar at just the angle to take the ball down and away from the goal line.   Palmer, who made 34 appearances as a Portland Timber in 2011-12,  was a late entry in the match and almost kept the PK exchange alive.  

In my opinion,  the game was a close battle in most ways,  but the geometry of the goalpost played a greater than usual role in keeping RSL from the winner's circle.  At 29 minutes of play,  Robbie Findley , the former Oregon State star who bedeviled the Timbers this year,  took a shot when Sporting's keeper failed to clear the ball.  Only the post deflected the easy shot away and into Jimmy Neilsen's arms.   At 61 minutes, RSL's Beckerman took a shot that also hit the post and bounced away.   And in the seventy-second minute,  RSL's Morales hit the post on a shot Neilsen could not have stopped.   Any one of those three  shots would have taken away the overtime game and given RSL the win.   Sometimes the wood just doesn't like you.   

Two more notes about the match.   Former Timber, Lawrence Olum, played a significant role for the Sporting.   Olum played forty-four matches and scored six goals for the Timbers in 2007-8.   And former Portland goalkeeper, Josh Saunders,  appears on the RSL roster as a backup keeper.  Would you want to be backup to Nick Romando?  That's gotta be a hard position.   

For my money, the game should have been RSL's for several reasons,  not just the bad luck with frame.  The truth is that 'should have' doesn't show up anywhere in the glossary for futbol champions.   

Timbers gather laurels with stalwart MLS season

Our guys fought their way to the Western Conference final this year.  Coming from the deep waters of the 2012 season anything better would have been a 'well done',  but streaking to the top as they did under Caleb Porter's amazing leadership went beyond that mark to reach legendary status. 
Porter's selection as coach of the year is one reflection of this truth.  Having Diego Valeri selected as newcomer of the year highlights one reason why.   But this is not a superstar phenomenon.   Will Johnson and Donovan Ricketts made the first 11 of the MLS All Stars and Ricketts could well be keeper of the year.
All of which whets our appetite for the season yet to come. You can imagine that every team in the league is looking at the Timbers' performances with an eye to breaking it down and taking away what our team accomplished this year.   And I imagine that we're girding ourselves to answer that challenge--whatever it might take. 
In this season of thanksgiving,  I am very grateful to have had the chance to see a Portland side play at the highest level of American futbol with such success.   I think the cinderella season of '75 was the last comparable run although we have had good success in years past in the lower divisions.
I assume this year's performance is no fluke.   I believe it's a foundational year for a franchise we'll watch with pride and joy.