I posed some statements to the other writers of Stumptown Footy and asked them to buy or sell the statement with a brief explanation. Here are our answers:

Kris Boyd will score 10+ goals this season. Andrew:

Sell. I've held this opinion close to my chest. I want to believe that Boyd is going to be the goalscorer the Timbers organization has cast their lot in, but to me there are still just a few too many questions.

You might have caught wind of reports that the Portland Timbers were getting ready to sign 20 year-old left back Juan David Duque out of Colombia. Stumptown Footy had solid looking reports up on January 25 and February 1. Here we are on February 8 though and still no Juan David Duque inking a deal.

File this one under the category: most likely to attract choice commentary from Seattle Sounders supporters.

As the Sounders-less MLS First Kick fast approaches, we here at Stumptown Footy are spooling up the statistical analysis drives in preparation for the 2012 campaign. Lacking much in the way of hard data so far, with just one preseason match under our belt, we've decided to start with the schedule.

A great post by Stumptown Footy on just how difficult it is for foreign-based players in MLS. You know it is tough for young foreign players but sometimes you really don't know how tough until you are around them a good bit.

Fitness continued to be the focus for the Portland Timbers as they neared the end of their first week of preseason training in 2012. The sun shone brightly on the turf and allowed some players to shed their extra layers. Again the players participated in an 8v8 half field scrimmage after warming up and doing a few drills, but the consistent theme throughout the session was keeping everyone constantly in motion.

The Columbus Crew now has a home on SBNation

Some inter-network news this morning for you all. As you guys may very well know we here at Stumptown Footy are part of a much larger, bigger and all around fantastic sports network of blogs and sites. This works out great for you guys since it means we have more resources available and more clout with which to get us into sports events and the like.

So it's been quite a while since anybody here at Stumptown Footy convened at Jeld-Wen Field for a training session. It was good to get back out there and, more importantly, it was good to get back out into the stadium. Forgot how much I missed that place!

Anyway, today's Quotes and Notes edition might be a tad shorter than usual.

The 2012 MLS Superdraft will start at 9:00 am on ESPN2/ESPN3 and we will be live blogging the whole thing. Feel free to join in and add your thoughts as we test out the Cover It Live live blogging software.

The Timbers have the 8th and 27th picks in the draft. The full draft order can be found here.

New Kickette Footy League Rule: A minimum of three players per squad shall be required to change into a fresh pair of shorts mid-match. Image: Mundo Deportivo.

Congrats (and Happy Belated B-day to the most Gingerific man in La Liga) you crazy kids! Image Credit: Vanitatis.com.

While the global footy community is full of hot and heavy, high profile relationships, not all of them are as wonderful and easy going for us to cover as Xabi and Nagore's is.

New Year's in NYC x AFR

No, the whole AFR Team didn't come together to take over the Big Apple. Now that would be writing a few thousand words about. But my brother and I, alongside a couple of friends, did enjoy a few festivities and quite a bit of footy.

The men of Real Madrid as well as we wish all our beloved readers the best of holidays. We love you all! Image Credit: RealMadrid.com.

We're nearly there, Kickettes: are you getting any time off for the holidays?

In this season of indulgences and excess, we would never deprive you. As a result we will still be posting gossip, breaking news on exposed six packs, and a Rear End Review of footy in 2011.

Image Credit: BIG Picture Photos.

We've been a bit fidgety lately and felt a change of pace was much needed somewhere, somehow.

Since we're too afraid to dye our hair an ombre shade of blond, our HQ was the only thing we could futz with and not do permanent damage to.

You don't mind change, right Kickettes?

Found Kicking Around in Copacabana: The Kings of Convenience

The Kings of Convenience, one of our most beloved bands, have been touring South America these past few weeks. Their latest stop was Brazil, more specifically Rio de Janeiro.

Xabi Alonso strokes his beard whilst mulling over his team's chances of winning this weekend's El Clasico.

It's going to be a big, contentious weekend of footy, we can feel it.

Short on time or interest to catch all the action as it happens? Yeah, we can feel that too.

There is a solve, though, that we've never explored before.

Yesterday we saw the release of the players who will be involved in the 2012 MLS Combine. It was quite the impressive list of 52 players and one that we here at Stumptown Footy will be pouring over as we look for potential candidates for the Timbers #8 pick in the 2012 SuperDraft.

One thing to note is that this is not the full list of players that will be involved in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

Welcome to "The Gents" with Stan Bentley - The Yorkies' regular advice column for our valued readers. Bring your modern day problems and have them answered by the most valued voice - a 1950's journeyman footballer. "Back of the net!"
　
Dear Stan,
I'm very attracted to a woman who I work with and get the feeling she feels the same.

NOTE: I know several of you have stated that you really don't care when I write about that other sport I referee. If that's the case for you, you can safely skip this series of entries. This blog still has the same purpose as always (self-evaluation and venting when necessary), but it won't be focused on footy for a while, as for me this is the soccer off-season.

Fox Sports FC has changed this year and it's not a great look or feel for the better in my opinion.
Adam Peacock couldn't control the boys Bozza and Slater so a change had to come I guess. Simon Hill and Andy Harper as hosts were always excellent.
Now we have Andy Maher as host, no probs with him, not great as a football lead but professional, and Andy Harper and Mark Bosnich as the experts.

Happy Cyber-Monday everyone! I've been scanning the internet using some of the new apps that check for deals and its been making things a lot easier. Although it feels like cheating when you don't even have to work on your search-fu to find bargains. Cyber-Monday is another day for celebrating the glories of American consumerism by blowing off work.

Welcome to the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft! We've covered the event quite extensively already here on Stumptown Footy, but now here's the real deal. Who will the Montreal Impact take? Could Ryan Pore be on his way out? No more need to speculate as the event kicks off.

I'll be following the event live and updating the thread here with the picks as they come in, as fast as I can.

As many will know, we are in the middle of Movember. Yup, in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Ireland, chaps are being encouraged to let the above-the-lip stuff grow unchecked for a month.

And this has exactly what to do with the greatest football club in the world (that's us, in case there's any misunderstanding)?

Not to be taken too seriously GK – Paul Robinson The Blackburn goalkeeper has retired from international duty, presumably due to the time taken commuting from 22 Ramsay Street, Australia. Add this to also owning the Erinsborough news, and it's a wonder Robbo finds time for footy at all. RB – Glen Johnson Often criticised [.

Not to be taken too seriously GK – Paul Robinson The Blackburn goalkeeper has retired from international duty, presumably due to the time taken commuting from 22 Ramsay Street, Australia. Add this to also owning the Erinsborough news, and it's a wonder Robbo finds time for footy at all. RB – Glen Johnson Often criticised [.

The Timbers continued their post season training today, playing an 8v8 scrimmage which occasionally featured an extra attacking player going either way.

Bright Dike, James Marcelin and Steve Purdy worked off to the side with the Timbers strength and conditioning coach Karim Derqaoui early on before leaving the field early.

With the Expansion draft less than a month away it is time to decide who we, the Stumptown Footy Community, would protect. The goal is to create the top 11 players whom you want to protect through a vote by comments. We will not be following the international player rules as it gets super complicated if you want the rules go here.

Liverpool is ready to step up their chase for long-term Arsenal target Jan Vertonghen, according to Footy Bunker.
The versatile Ajax player can player in a number of positions including centre-back, left-back and defensive midfield – something which may appeal to Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish with the Reds yet to keep a clean sheet at home this season.

First week of the off season... well for Timbers fans anyway. Many of you might be dreading the weeks that come as they're considerably less packed with soccer and, as a result less news from yours truly. But fear not! We here at Stumptown Footy HQ have plenty of stuff to cover over the off season.

Well the Portland Timbers were officially eliminated last night by an own goal by the Philadelphia Union. Quite a disappointment if you ask me, but ultimately after giving up two very important home wins to San Jose and Houston it probably should have been expected.
So tomorrow is the final Portland Timbers game of the season.

Within the past two free time days of ours, we had an epiphany. Vodka isn't an evil, horribly-tasting means to our stressful week ends. No, it's actually water packaged up in pretty (and chilled) glass bottles specifically made for fun people like ourselves.

We're so fun, in fact, that our gossip cheat sheet is insanely late and error-ridden due to our post-alcohol shakes.

We broke the curse. That's all you need to know. Well, not really. Once again I'm taking you on a running diary odyssey of sorts. The madness, after the jump:

No Church in the Wild

Much like the last go around, I woke up on Saturday morning, broke out the laptop, and did my best to track the madness of the match in whatever fashion I could surmise.

No work today I'm getting my fitness back Former Liverpool star Robbie Fowler has become quite the journeyman. After leaving British football he spent two years in Australia with North Queensland Fury and then Perth Glory, before this season ending up at Muang Thong United in the Thai Premier League.

Unconfirmed reports in England are linking Tottenham Hotspur with an ambitious move for Liverpool defender Glen Johnson.
According to footy bunker, Harry Redknapp is keen to bring the player he signed for Portsmouth to the Capital as he looks to bolster his right back options.
The 27-year-old defender is currently sidelined from Liverpool action with injury however the emergence of Martin Kelly and John Flanagan means that he will face a tough task reclaiming his first team spot.

Random thoughts from Saturday's game, where the Three Amigos from the Nutmegging (or Nutmegged) blog were finally reunited for a game. I still love the blog's postcript salute to the redneck American prejudice against footy as if it's a noncontact sport- 'I love soccer- am I gay?' Here goes:

• Why did we bring in Carr if we stay with the diamond, which compacts play into one third or ½ of the field when we have possession?

By Dru Boyer Welcome back to your (nearly) weekly update on America's footy heroes abroad. This week saw Timmy Howard get paired with an American sidekick, Friedel chase out the competition, and the AmeriGers on fire. POTW honors go to the two-headed goal scoring monster of Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu for their performance this [.

Another very important home game for the Portland Timbers tonight (geez I feel like I'm beating a dead horse now!). Really there's no such thing as a unimportant game, but with only 6 points left up for grabs at home, it's imperative that the take them.

There's not really much more to say than that.

Slowly, we're taking over the football world. Image: AP Photo.

With misbehaviour by fans in Europe plummeting to new depths of depravity, football associations are becoming increasingly innovative in their sanctions.

So congratulations to the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), whose latest punishment is in honour of the firecracker wielding, pitch invading supporters who've been troubling their fixtures as of late.

The second of two must win homes games in a single week is tomorrow night against the San Jose Earthquakes, a team that the Portland Timbers are currently winless against. That's right, those of you who think far back to the Timbers short lived U.S. Open Cup run will remember that the San Jose Earthquakes actually came to Jeld-Wen Field and beat the Timbers for the first time at home.

- Jason Davis
In 2011, after Seattle and Philly and Portland and Vancouver and Montreal and the wave that came before them (yes, San Jose counts) and all of the talk of candidates and fees and ownership groups and stadium plans and color schemes and whether names should be "historical" (since 1975!

Tonight at 6pm PT the Seattle Sounders will play DC United, a team which, with a win, would jump back ahead of the Portland Timbers in the wild card standings, knocking our boys back below the playoff cut. This situation puts Timbers fans in an uncomfortable position, one that many of us saw coming but few of us would admit to being prepared for.