A genuinely poor performance it was not. It was, however, a rather terrible result.
A myriad of culpable parties
Chelsea again surrender a lead despite being in a position to record a comfortable win. First
Wigan, and now Fulham. What the hell. More bemusing, the fact that this latest setback arrived
just days after we put in an excellent shift at White Hart Lane in a game we easily could have
won.
Ever read those posts on SI.com, Fox Soccer, or ESPN.com with the "five thoughts about ..." and
then, well, lo and behold, they offer you five random thoughts about a topic?
Yeah, I always thought they were mailing it in too, too rushed or whatever to come up with a
lede, coherent structure for the column, etc.
I know it's been a while since we've had a new Lumberyard post up, but we've been fairly busy
with travel and a host of matches lately, and it's kind of fallen by the wayside. Regardless, The
Lumberyard's back, and with it are a couple of things to talk about this week to tide you over
until our Portland Timbers take the field again.
Rocking chairs. Porches. Cross-stitching. Some things were made for long international breaks
before worthless international friendlies. Entertaining and insightful sports writing is not one of
them. At least not in these here parts. Instead, we bring you the next best thing random thoughts
and musings sent our way via electronic mail from you the reader.
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?
Hey everybody, I hope things are going well as you scrounge around the ESPN3 replays and ready
yourself for international friendlies during the upcoming week and a half. I'm pretty excited about
the USMNT friendlies coming up; it's always nice to see what a fresh pair of eyes can do for a
team, and I want to see if they can continue to build off of the momentum from the second half
against Mexico a few weeks back.
Hey folks, I'm going to be helping out around the website as the new "Social/Community Manager".
What this aforementioned title basically means is that I'll be leading efforts to increase
Stumptown Footy's presence in the community (think more watch-parties at bars, meet-ups, etc.) and
shying away from more of the hard analysis that is so capably handled already around here.
My favorite time of the year is almost upon us once again! I am, of course, talking about
Oregon's Brew Festival that takes place this year from July 28th-31st. I know last year was a bit
cramped and hot during the weekend days but it is, in my opinion, worth it to take the time to
experience all those delicious craft beers from around the nation.
Mr. Tevez married upHere's another edition of Random Thoughts; no I don't have anything else to
write about. Deal with it.
- Um Carlos Tevez, please go away. Go play in Brazil. Go play in Italy. Go play in Argentina. Go
play with yourself. You've become tiresome and a punchline. Your wife and kids don't like England,
then make a call for chrissakes.
Mr. Tevez married upHere's another edition of Random Thoughts; no I don't have anything else to
write about. Deal with it.
- Um Carlos Tevez, please go away. Go play in Brazil. Go play in Italy. Go play in Argentina. Go
play with yourself. You've become tiresome and a punchline. Your wife and kids don't like England,
then make a call for chrissakes.
The gap between these has gotten out of hand!
Well Timbers fans, it's time for the biggest match of the year: #2 vs. the hated northern rivals
down at JWF. For me, it's a first, and I'm lucky enough to be present for the ass-kicking that the
Timbers will surely dole out come Sunday at 1 pm.
It was a tough Saturday for fans of the US Mens National Team. I think it was a rather humbling
experience for the guys on the team as well. To lose to Panama like that was not only
disheartening, it was downright embarrassing. After all the hype during last year's World Cup about
how the USMNT was getting better and better and would, within a few World Cups be able to win, it
was quite a shock to see such middling play come from the team.
Rough game last night. There's really no other way to put it than that. The guys got what they
thoroughly deserved in my opinion. They gave a lackluster effort and went back into the locker room
with nothing to show for it. Perhaps I'm being a little harsh, but it's been a slow build up to
this since the Philadelphia Union game.
Again, the ball was dropped! Gotta do much better in the future!
So we survived our first Cascadia Cup match with a 1-1 draw vs. the color-challenged team north
of us, and then we followed it up with a not-so-memorable 1-0 win over Columbus and their
not-quite-intelligent-because-they-intentionally-chose-to-sit-in-full-Crew-gear-in-the-middle-of-the-Timbers-Army-section
fans.
As we draw towards the close of another Premiership season, I wanted to offer a few random
thoughts about how things have played out and, of course, a view on Tottenham Hotspur's year.
Tottenham's year
One of the things that has been creeping into conversations I have had recently with fellow
Spurs fans, is the desire to avoid being in the Europa League next season, preferring to miss out
on Europe all together.
Jack Jewsbury, Portland Timbers vs Chivas, Photo: Gary Sheldon | ProstAmerika.com
Have you caught a Portland Timber's game yet? If not, Farmer's Gastropub now has the MLS DirecTV
package. A call to the restaurant can ensure that you'll catch the game and a good meal. Here's
some reports from Week 3:
Soccer by Ive's provided his wrap-up
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 1, PORTLAND TIMBERS 1 (HIGHLIGHTS)
Man of the Match Shalrie Joseph.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
From Vancouver's thrilling three-goal comeback to Dwayne De Rosario's debut with the New York
Red Bulls, MLS Week 3 was memorable for a variety of reasons.
The Whitecaps posted a thrilling battle from three goals down, including a pair of Camilo goals
in stoppage time.
The first week of the MLS season has come and gone and won't soon be forgotten after giving us
some unforgettable moments, and thrilling finishes.
Whether it was Charlie Davies' emotional comeback, Juan Agudelo's game-winning goal, or Kevin
Hartman's clutch late saves, or Vancouver's thorough dominance of Canadian rival Toronto FC, MLS
Week 1 had it all.
No, not them. As the offseason winds down, the Red Bulls have undergone quite a facelift. New
York has added plenty of new faces and parted with some old ones as well. With all these changes,
the question on many fan's minds is, "How will Hans Backe make it all work?"
First things first, the Red Bulls have officially signed long sought after striker, Luke
Rodgers from Notts County in England.
MLS has undergone a pretty drastic transformation right before our very eyes this offseason, one
that has left me asking, "Where have all the stars gone?" alla Hershey's Cookies and Cream
commercials circa 1998. Many of the league's big name stars have hit the road for various
reasons, leaving behind an opportunity for many of the leagues budding young talents to take their
place.
On the up.
Player of the season, without question
There are still issues to be dealt with, but consecutive wins is very much a sign of
improvement. Many thanks to Branislav Ivanovic for driving the team on, not only with his superb
defensive play but also with his ability on set pieces.
On the up.
Player of the season, without question
There are still issues to be dealt with, but consecutive wins is very much a sign of
improvement. Many thanks to Branislav Ivanovic for driving the team on, not only with his superb
defensive play but also with his ability on set pieces.
Haradona puts down random thoughts bugging him at work on a dull rainy monday Continue reading →
