A vital 3 points in the bag after a weekend road-trip see the Timbers in the 6th and final playoff spot with 4 games to go in the regular season.

Dan Antoniuk's 2 goals led the Timbers to a 2-1 win in Atlanta on Sunday, Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar getting his league-leading 10th assist of the year.

The previous night had seen Charleston get a late game winner, Alon Lubezky breaking the deadlock in the 88th minute to give the Battery a 1-0 win.

Antoniuk, the Timbers 2-goal hero, will miss the Timbers next game after getting a red card late in the second half in Atlanta.

Portland play at Virginia Beach on Friday, Richmond on Saturday before returning for 2 games at PGE Park (Atlanta on 9/8 and Richmond on 9/10)

...it does continue.

According to Scot, the cliffhanger in his last diary entry was on purpose and he will have more to say on his trial when he is back after this weekend's games(!)

...in the timberlog's view one sign of a vibrant and healthy city is the presence of pirate radio. If the timberlog was in the market to do a story unrelated to the Timbers I'd be asking about the strange reggae pirate that broadcasts over Portland on 100.7 FM at weekends.

Nice tunes.

Any one know anything about that?

Latest numbers are up and Portland are showing a positive change (+1.8%) in announced attendance over last year's numbers (as are most teams) and the league as a whole up 3.2% over last year (ignoring teams who are not in Div 1 this year).

My compilation of disciplinary numbers is slightly out-of-date, but hopefully will be updated soon.

A skilled team of operatives from timberlog heavy industries has tracked down former Timbers' fave Brent Sancho and a short Q&A is on the cards.

Brent has just signed for Gillingham and if anyone has any questions, forward then to the timberlog email address.

Aug 22nd 2005

I'm tired today, a little drained mentally and very lethargic.

Partly because of training and being at the grounds until this afternoon, partly because I went shopping with Nugsy to buy a gift for my beautiful caring girlfriend and partly because I want to know what's going to happen football wise.

I know that the manager has been pleased with how I'm playing and I love being around the players on the squad but they have just signed a huge Frenchman today and not huge like 5 million pounds, I mean 6' 3 190lb, the next Patrick Vierra huge. I've seen him play and he can easily play in the back but he is primarily a defensive mid. Either way I'm going to keep playing hard but my trip is coming to the end, just as I'm becoming more attached to being here.

Speaking of Sunderland, I was told today that my journal was very interesting by one of the front office personnel here. I don't know if I should be flattered that someone beyond my family and friends are reading these, or scared that people here actually know about this. I've already been chastised once by my mother for what I've written and once or twice, maybe thrice by others very close to me.

That's all I need is the manager reading this and telling me off in pigeon British, me looking back 2 inches tall, not understanding him, wide eyed and dumbfounded... I think I'll keep writing my politically correct thoughts instead of my usual immature rantings, it should save me a bunch of apologies in the end.

all the best

The Timbers pulled a single point out of the bag Saturday night at PGE Park when Shaun Higgins equilized on 86 minutes converting a Tom Poltl cross. The Sounders had led from the 22nd minute after Scott Jenkins had given Seattle the lead.

The Timbers are now unbeaten in the last 6 games.

August 11, 2005

I'm waiting in Montreal for the KLM counter to open. It was a good trip, got a road win which everyone thought we couldn't do against Montreal.

The defense played well, Gavin had a great game for the first full one back and we shut down their beast of a forward, I swear this guy's parents must have been a horse and an ox. For those of you who know McKinley Tennyson it was like marking an ugly Canadian version of him. So now I have to leave just as we get our first winning streak for the the greatest opportunity of my life. Hopefully we keep it going and roll into the playoffs.

August 13, 2005

I'm completely full right now, I just got back from dinner with Jon Stead and his family, Chinese food in Newcastle is just a little better than in Portland especially after you watch a premiership match, unfortunately though Sunderland lost 3-1 to Charlton.

The atmosphere alone was amazing 33,000+ fans screaming at the start, Charlton fans chanting talking smack after their goals, hands in the air chests out singing in glory. Sunderland fans yelling screaming cheering singing clapping spitting back, divided only my a few fluorescent security guards and a tunnel leading deeper into the stadium, was by itself worth seeing.

Tomorrow I'm going to walk through Newcastle, the city is only a couple of minutes drive from Sunderland and I'm staying along the Tyne river. I start training on Monday because of the game this weekend so hopefully the jet lag will be out of my system by then. When I arrived I was exhausted, I hadn't slept in 18 hours. The flight from Montreal to Amsterdam was so quick that I didn't have the chance to fall asleep and by the time I landed I was afraid of falling asleep in the airport and missing my connecting flight.

When I finally arrived at the training grounds the team was out on the field so I had the chance to relax in the players lounge. Thirty individual top quality reclining leather chairs facing a 30 inch flat screen tv with pillar speakers on either side, and of course a PlayStation2 mounted in the wall in the back of the room. I spent 4 hours in that room watching sky sports over and over and over again waiting for a ride to the hotel. Because I was trying so hard to stay awake I really couldn't appreciate my surroundings, and by the fourth hour and sixth repeat of analysis I finally started to crash. hopefully on Monday I'll have a better description of their facilities.

August 14, 2005

Another day off, but one day closer until I start training. I went for a 20 minute bike ride this morning down in the gym and mixed in some sit ups with light lifting. Afterward I watched the Arsenal v Newcastle game but missed the second half...damn jet lag got me again. But I was lucky enough to watch the Chelsea v Wigan which was on immediately afterward. So I watched an amazing game where the newly promoted Wigan club held off the premiership champions for 92 minutes with chances of their own to win. But it was that 92nd minute when Crespo unleashed a 23 yard blast that left the entire stadium including myself stunned.

Later that day I went for a walk through the newly developed areas of Newcastle, uphill from my hotel to a bastion of soccer. Like a citadel amongst peasant houses, St. James stadium, the home of Newcastle United Football Club, rose from the city, a futuristic home playing a game centuries its elder. I took a picture, but my camera could only capture a corner of immense size. Hopefully I'll get a chance to walk by on match day.

August 19, 2005

Today was good day, a very good day.

It's not often that I'm happy with how I play but today was one of those days were I felt like I stood out a little. Because the team plays Liverpool tomorrow it was a light day, and maybe that's why I did so well. I guess I'll never know, but we began the training split into four teams of five. It turned out to be a funny game and very confusing but it also tested your skill and how well you thought on the pitch.

The restrictions were that two colors were on a team together, but Taft, the assistant manager, would call out new teams throughout the game. So it would start red and blue teams vs. yellow and black, but a minute later it was blue and black vs. the rest. Further complicating the game was the restriction that you couldn't pass to the same color. So if I had the ball I couldn't pass to my other blue teammate. We didn't play for points but it got you moving and thinking, especially picking your head up to find the right pass.

We then moved into a half field game the width of the box 10 v 10. My squad lost 3-2 but individually I played some good balls out of the back and even though I made mistakes in giving the ball away, I did stand out some. We finished with set pieces and some lunch.

The rest of the team left for Liverpool as I took a cab back to the hotel and passed out, consequently I've given up on the language barrier. I've come to realize that I speak muttered American and people here speak pigeon English. The cab driver and I had trouble holding a decent conversation...nice guy but we couldn't really speak to one another without saying "what" or "pardon me" a few times.

As we drove back to the hotel I realized that everyone on the first team has Louis VI ton man purses. It's funny and a little strange, but its the custom amongst most footballers, especially those that can afford to buy the full man purse set.

hahaha...I really shouldn't laugh because it's not like my Nike cleat bag is any better. And speaking of rich footballers, I think some people might have gotten the wrong idea about these guys when I explained how they are like the pros in the states. What I meant was that they are very well known within their respected cities and highly scrutinized. It's nothing like the athletes in the states who are ego driven, and poorly represent themselves and their teams. Not to say that all players here are angels, I just feel like these are a good group of guys and that by not saying what occurs when they go out was just a matter of respect and by no means a way to hide drunken belligerence and debauchery.

These guys are the best in the world at what they do and take great care of themselves and hopefully I'll have the chance to be one of them. And if I am so lucky, it will only happen because of my family, friends, and loved ones whom I have the utmost respect for and love unequivocally.

After a couple of mentions on talktimbers.com and some fruitless (so far!) attempts to track down former Timbers' fave Brent Sancho, my thoughts wandered to another popular former player McKinley Tennyson.

It appears McKinley now coaches for the PCSC (Pacific Coast Soccer Club) in Ca and is listed on their website with another former Timber Keith Costigan and current Timber (and globetrotter) Scot Thompson.

August 18, 2005

So today was a long hot drawn out day. I've finally gotten into my normal sleeping habits, which are just as bad as having jet lag. I lay in bed until about 2 am watching tv until I finally go to sleep, fortunately we didn't train today until 2 pm. So this morning I watched about 2 hours of analysis for the England v Denmark game. The embarrassing score of 4-1 brought back haunting nightmares of the Rochester game and even though this was at the highest of levels I realized that on any given day a team can have a nightmare, and that this can be the cruelest of games.

It's funny but in my hotel room, out of the 11 or so channels 3 of them were showing the main friendlies this weekend between Wales/Slovenia, Italy/Ireland, and England/Denmark and once they were finished they were all replayed. The funny part is that all the news networks also replayed the highlights on a continual basis. Football is just a way of life, and when you're here, not as a tourist, it's so easy to become completely immersed in it. It's understandable how people feel so connected to all the players because they see their faces every night in their living rooms.

When driving to training, I always see at least 10 or so kids running around with Sunderland jerseys on, and everyday someone is waiting to have a jersey signed outside the front gates. Today's training was somewhat strange as many players spent most of the time standing around and watching. We started with some technical work and then went into possession. Afterward we played half field offense vs defense but emphasis on what certain players need to for the game on Saturday. I was playing right back and it was at this point in training that I felt like I played my best today.

Off of the first attack I closed down the outside winger, poked the ball away from him to the left back, and like a mad pitbull closed him down and forced the turnover. It was good, and everyone noticed, but afterward I was spent. The mad pitbull turned into whipped lapdog. The rest of the time I played ok, I made some good stops and cut out a couple of passes to break up the play, but their winger was fast as hell and quick.

During training I really questioned how this team lost to Vancouver 3-0. After training with the squad for three days, I've realized that the majority of players that played against us were reserves or u18. Don't get me wrong, they are top notch players, but it was their preseason and new playing with each other. I have no doubt in my mind that a full fit first team would have a much better result if they were to come over again. By the way, it's hotter than Africa today. You come over expecting the nasty, wet, cold weather and so far its been nothing but southern California. OK maybe not so cal, but equally as nice as Portland in the summer.

I'm going to have to start wearing sun block soon if this keeps up.

yea I'm worried about getting skin cancer in northern England...hahahaha.

Scot.

Ahead of Saturday's game against Seattle (where the Timbers will be celebrating their 30th anniversary, Bryon Alvarez and Dan Antoniuk have made the USL Team of the Week for week 17.

So today was the first day of training, for me at least and I was beyond excited, but surprisingly I wasn't nervous.

I had a locker set up for me, #40 in the reserve side of the locker rooms. There was two separate locker rooms, one for reserves and one for starters. It felt like I was in there forever but around 10:20 we started walking out to the fields.

First of all, which was new to me, is that you're not allowed to wear your outside shoes within the club house. There is a separate room for the shoes you come in and there is a separate room for everyone's football boots.

On the way out we walked along rubber paths that snake throughout the fields, four total, but each field has three football pitches on it. And that is only a quarter of the land that Sunderland owns around the club house.

So I'm wearing my studs thinking that the pitches would be muddy and wet and of course it's a perfect carpet of grass. The first thing we do is fitness, the "3 fields run" which consists of running one lap around a total of 9 playing fields, then back around the opposite way, and finally a lap around just three fields. The best part was the hills inbetween each set of three that makes your legs burn that extra little bit. So we did that, I finished 2nd in my group a respectable time of 11:25 but in all honesty I should have done better.

Next we went into 5v2 with various restrictions which I thought I played well in. I played quickly and sharply and when I had to defend I defended well. Following that we went into a three team 12 v 6 game and my play dipped a little. We stayed in the three teams and then went to goal. My team played horribly and I wasn't pleased with how I played.

Finally we played a 9 v 9 game where I played better, but I was beginning to feel the run in my legs. I made a few good stops, played a couple of good balls but all in all I think the day was just ok.

After lunch and two hours of rest we go into the gym for weight lifting. The team was split into 2 groups, one doing 2 circuits of free weightlifting and the other doing boxing. Yea boxing. I started on the boxing, 4 rounds of three 30sec sets punching a medicine bag alternating with my partner. My arms have never hurt so much in my life, for a little while I thought I had somehow broken my shoulder and after that we go straight into the free weights.

I'm a little surprised I can type right now and tomorrow we have a 11 v 11 game so we'll see how that goes.

Scot.

After handing top of the table Montreal their first home loss of the year on Wednesday, thanks to a Dan Antoniuk goal from a Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar free kick, the Timbers try to keep the momentum going tonight.

A short-handed (cut and paste this phrase for the rest of the season methinks) Timbers play Minnesota tonight without Gavin Wilkinson (suspension) , Tom Poltl (personal) and Scot Thompson (world conquering).

Wednesday's win took the Timbers back to respectable mid-table, but more importantly level with Atlanta (currently in the 6th and final play-off place) with 3 games in hand.

Check out all the goss on Andy Mac's Ax to the Road.

...neighborhood busybody.

New coffee place alert near timberlog towers. Ristretto Roasters, where Winterborne used to be on 42nd and Fremont. Open in a couple of weeks, run by Nancy Rommelmann's husband (Nancy you might remember got into a spot of controversy when she reviewed Saucebox for the WW). Looks like Nancy will be doing the baking for the new joint. Peeped through the window today and saw the gleaming roaster in back and the bar area under construction.

God am I turning into one of Oregonlive's neighborhood blogs? Perish the thought!

...anyway, as you were.

Timbers winger Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar was named as the USL First Division player of the week for his 2 assist/1 goal weekend. Congrats Hugo!

The Timbers improved their chances of picking up a playoff place in the 2005 USL First Division with a draw and a win over the weekend against Minnesota and Seattle respectively.

3-3 on Friday night against Minnesota with Byron Alvarez, Scot Thompson and Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar (his first in the league this year) scoring for Portland.

Then a 77th minute goal from Paul Conway (his first in the green and white) gave the Timbers a 1-0 win over Seattle on Sunday leaving the Timbers in 9th place, but with games in hand over most of the teams above and only 1 point adrift from the 6th and final playoff spot.

After tomorrow's game in Montreal, Scot Thompson will miss the next 2 games as he wings his way to Sunderland for a trial. Good Luck Scot!

It's customary in these situations to say "...well, at least we can concentrate on the league now", so let's go with that.

The San Jose Earthquakes came to PGE Park last night and ended up with a pretty comfortable 2-0 win after 90 minutes with goals from Wade Barrett and Brian Mullan.

The Timbers started the better side, but from about 20 minutes in, the Earthquakes took control and apart from a few of chances (a Dizzy header on 24', a Tom Poltl shot on 58', and a Hugo shot off the bar on 82') the outcome never looked in doubt.

The Timbers really missed their suspended or injured players, but without much time for reflection they have to pick themselves up for Friday's league game against the Minnesota Thunder. KO 8pm (to accommodate a national broadcast on the Fox Soccer Channel)

[full match report]

The San Jose Earthquakes visit PGE Park tonight after cruelly taking away the Timbers' new loaner Kevin Goldthwaite for tonight's game!

After training with Portland for the past few days, the Earthquakes decided that they would recall the 22-year old left-back for the US Open Cup 4th round tie leaving the Timbers short-handed at the back and up front (Bryon Alvarez misses the game for the red card he received in the 3rd round).

Oh well, kick off 7pm tonight at PGE Park.

The Timbers new on-loan player Kevin Goldthwaite will be available for Wednesday's cup game against San Jose and today's O profiles the left-back.

...and from that same article the news that Scot Thompson might be getting a trial with Sunderland after impressing in the exhibition.