Portland Rivalry

by jamesington on Aug 11, 2010 4:20 PM PDT

I just watched the John Spencer news conference and was struck by how the folks in Portland are already pumping up the rivalry with Seattle. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but the "You Can't Fake This" line reminded me of the ridiculous accusation that we were pumping crowd noise into the stadium last year, when the blinding success of Seattle's first season was causing serious envy with the Seattle haters down there. Also, Spencer (who is a pretty likable guy, judging by the press conference) answered an inaudible question by saying something like 'we don't play video games here' which must have been a reference to the Xbox sponsorship.

Anyway, it's going to be fun kicking there a**es around the pitch!

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I am eagerly anticipating a portland blog popping up on SBN

because of all the cross posting and trolling that will explode comment sections. should be fun.

by agtk on Aug 11, 2010 5:07 PM PDT reply actions

Portland is weak sauce and they will be sucking hind tit for many years to come

by lemonverbena on Aug 11, 2010 5:10 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs

I have a hard time taking Portland seriously

Because so much of their identity seems to be wrapped up in being “not Seattle”. Well, great, guess what? Nobody else is either. Just like Seattle is “not Columbus” or “not San Jose”. We don’t obsess over it because it doesn’t matter.

Two other things: 1) “You can’t fake this” instantly put MC Hammer in my head, even though I know it’s not quite right, and 2) why would we want that, real or fake?

by CarlosT on Aug 11, 2010 7:54 PM PDT reply actions

Can't fake this?

Why would anyone want to fake being losers?

I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart

by Dave Clark on Aug 11, 2010 8:50 PM PDT reply actions 4 recs

A carved melon?

Was that a picture of a melon with the Timbers logo (such as it is) carved in it?!! Nothing screams ‘passion’ like carving a melon.

by jamesington on Aug 11, 2010 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions

The Timbers fans really, really want it to be a rivalry

because it makes them relevant.

Don’t give them the satisfaction. I’ll consider it a rivalry as soon as they beat us in a game that matters, which hasn’t happened in a long time. Until then, I’ll just ignore them.

by sidereal on Aug 12, 2010 1:24 PM PDT reply actions

It's the Portland corollary

to Fight Club Rule 1.

by 108Ultra on Aug 12, 2010 2:28 PM PDT up reply actions

Seriously?

The Timbers are a rival. Stating otherwise is crazy.

by Aaron Campeau on Aug 12, 2010 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions

I would make the case that there is a difference between a biggest rival and a biggest competitor.

Houston is our biggest competitor and we have stood in each other’s way on the way to multiple cups. I don’t necessarily like them but I respect them.

The Timbers could lose the next 1000 games against us and I would still consider them and their fans on par with the white stuff that accumulates at the corner of your mouth when you are sleeping. That’s a rivalry.

by Robert on Aug 12, 2010 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

TA has stage fright?

There is a very vocal minority of portland fans that are real haters. I think that most fans are just looking forward to a (mostly) friendly rivalry. However the haters don’t seem to hate our team, they direct their hater-atrics at sounders FANS. As far as I can tell the haters don’t like us because:
our stands are full of “bandwagon” fans, not “real” fans.
“You can’t fake this!” implicating that we do, and again aren’t “real” fans.
I think the root of this is the haters being insecure about joining the mls. They have the rep as the best fans in the USL-1, and they are want to keep being the best, wherever they are. But the move from the USL to MLS is huge; in USL you could maybe go out for drinks with the team after a game, in the MLS no prayer of that kind of constant personal involvement. And I think some of the TA feels their relationship with the team threatened. Just look at their logo fiasco. And I think its easier to just hate us for being “fake” and pat themselves on the back for being “real”.
7k ST sold. they need a better bandwagon.

by Jonboy86 on Aug 12, 2010 7:06 PM PDT reply actions