The road to expansion is long and hard much like the road to hell and the inaugural season for an expansion team can be just as rough a trip through hell. Next season we'll get to see just how difficult the road can be and how an organization handles its newfound status. Bobby Howe will serve as an inspirational leader for the Portland Timbers next season and Jim Taylor will try to be the little man behind the curtain pulling the strings in an effort to build a winning club for a city whose fans, quite frankly, deserve it. I stated awhile back that Portland deserved pro soccer and I stand by that assertion. Now they've got it and it will be interesting to see what they do with it. The expansion into Portland for the A-League and USL is something of a coup seeing as Portland was once considered a strong dark-horse in some circles for expansion to MLS. Portland has a known and knowledgeable fan base, a tradition of being something of a soccer town, and a rich history of soccer. The bottom line is both Portland and the A-League deserve this.
It seems that for the most part every unbiased observer across the league wants this Portland franchise to succeed and the fans of Vancouver and Seattle may want success in the seats for the Timbers but not necessarily success on the field. Either way this franchise could become another flagship franchise for the league with the reputation of a man like Bobby Howe running the squad and the expected crowds in a newly refurbished Civic Stadium (now called PGE Park). Some people are already calling for a season average attendance closer to Rochester's than Minnesota's without the slightest click of a turnstile or kick of a ball. I think an average around 4-6K a match should be considered a success in their first year. Unfortunately, though, with such lofty expectations for this team the quality of the on-field product, if it disappoints, could serve as the major culprit for a lackluster showing at the gates. Success on the field, though, could mean a few wins in the Northwest derbies between themselves, Vancouver, and Seattle, a possible play-off run (though with only 12 teams in for next season this could prove a more than daunting task), and overall a respectable point total at the end of the season. All the right things appear to be in place at this point for Portland to achieve a modicum of success heretofore unknown to expansion clubs in the A-League. As it appears right now Portland could be well poised to reclaim their title of "Soccer City, U.S.A."
What breeds this kind of optimism in a city that has gone almost 20 years since the 'original' Timbers of the NASL graced the fields of Portland? A major part has got to be the $38.5 million renovation going on at PGE Park and the presence that an "essentially new stadium", as GM Jim Taylor calls it, brings to the city. The city has also been a valuable ally through this process as they've helped with the renovation and management of the PG-13… I mean PGE (the "piggy" maybe?). Brand spanking new facilities combined with the reputation of Howe and the relationship with the grassroots fans in Portland give the Timbers an awful lot to be excited about. According to Taylor the Timbers are also getting an early push of support from "Oregon Youth and Adult Soccer Associations" as he went on to say the support of those organizations was "one of the main reasons" why Portland won a franchise. A sponsorship deal with Umbro and a retail deal (which will hopefully includes scarves!) with G.I. Joe's (not the Hasbro ones guys) are another reason to be optimistic. Taylor also said that the Timbers were "working on about a million other marketing things" (no, not literally 1,000,000) to raise future interest. Still, much of the optimism has to be focused on the potential that a Bobby Howe led team could hold going into the next A-League season.
The product on the field is currently being worked on and they hope to have a full squad sometime in the not so distant future. Of course the new season is still 6 months away but they have been looking at players for awhile now. Taylor said that their "primary focus this past couple of months has been on the college ranks" (Conor Casey, are you out there?) but with the latest rendition of an A-League season completed they will begin to look at free agents. Taylor says that they plan to be aggressive in the free agent market so look for a couple of big names to land in Portland in the next six months. The Timbers also plan to hold their first open public tryout on November 11th with more to follow as they "test the waters" of the local market in Portland. Taylor said they would "follow up with invited tryouts later this winter." So the fans in Portland should look to have themselves a legit, bona fide team within the next 4 months at the latest.
With all of the pieces of the puzzle falling into place it looks like Portland could very well turn into "Rochester West" as some observers have commented on the situation. Either way it seems that through all of the poking and prodding and testing by the league the Timbers have come through with flying colors. The expansion process was definitely long and trying for those involved but an overriding sense of impending triumph had to play a part throughout the long wait. Finally, the dreams of Portland soccer fans old and new has apparently come true and all of this before the kick of the first ball. The closer that first kickoff comes the more the anticipation will build, not just in Portland, but around the rest of the league. The buzz has already started and as Jim Taylor said "It's just about Showtime." Jim, I think I speak for a lot of people in the league who are looking forward to the "Show" and everything it will bring with it.
You can see what all the fuss is about in Portland by going here.
En Fuego
That is what Onandi Lowe has been throughout this postseason for the Rochester Rhinos and he proved he is definitely a force to be reckoned with as he helped the Rhinos defeat a strong Minnesota side in the League Championship last weekend. The 6'3" 195 forward has proven to be a tour de force for both the Rhinos and Jamaica of late and has got to be on the lists of people looking for talent in some of the top leagues in our region. He has steadily improved through the past five seasons here and has now fully arrived as a major talent in the A-League. Last season with Richmond he scored 15 goals to go with 7 helpers to put him on 37 points near the top of the league and get him named to the all A-League squad. Besides spending last season in Richmond and this year in Rochester he has also played for the Montreal Impact from 1996-98 and did time at home in Jamaica with Harbor View where he was the First Division MVP in 1994. His game seems to improve every year and fans should expect more of the same next year whether he's still in the A-League or not. So congrats to Onandi Lowe and company on a great run to the Championship and a great season overall.
Spare a Thought
Let's not forget Minnesota. They had a wonderful year as well and should be regarded as a threat to repeat this season's success no matter which division they're placed in. Guys like Menyongar, Adair, and Zeba will have the opportunity for another shot at the title next year if the Thunder hold that team together. That being said I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a few of their players moving elsewhere. While we're on the subject of teams and people who had better seasons than their playoff runs (or lack thereof) exhibited let's take a second to give it up for Seattle, Charleston, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Long Island who surely didn't come into the season with quite the same expectations as the two finalists. All of those teams played well all year long and just as easily could've wound up in the Final if it weren't for some tough luck along the way. One of the biggest things teams had to gripe about was the quick turn around and travel between aggregate matches. It was hardly fair when Charleston and Rochester had to play their matches on back to back days and somehow I doubt we all got to see those two teams at full strength for both matches. Seattle played well all year long and could have arguably been one of the most consistent sides as the season wound down. Nobody expected some of the best soccer this season to come from deep in the heart of Virginia but it turned out that Virginia is indeed for lovers… of great soccer that is. Long Island surely deserved a better fate this season than to have been knocked out in the first round by an amazing effort from Toronto but that's the way the chips fall come playoff time. Let's not forget the kids in P-40 who probably have little idea where they're headed and how they'll get there. They get a trip to Argentina this off-season (just what they need, another road trip!!??) and after that, who knows? Last, but not least, spare a thought for the Indiana Blast fans who may be watching the slow death of the team they support. As always that's the view from here and I'll see you all in the coming weeks. Thanks for reading.
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