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It’s Portland Timber home opener and it’s like old home week for me. They’re hosting the Chicago Fire, which is about as close as Des Moines gets to a local team. The referee is Riccardo Salazar, my husband’s roommate at National Referee Camp in 2000, their rookie year as National Referees. But most importantly, it’s Portland. The expansion team I’ve been most excited about coming into MLS.
I am only realizing tonight how big a Timbers fan I am. It’s a well established fact that I love a good supporters section, especially a team that has a better supporters section than their level of play. Timbers had a MLS level supporters section when they were still in the A-League. How do I know? Because my husband is an idiot.
Yep, in 2005, I was all set to celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary. I didn’t have a specific plan, but I figured….double digits, we’ll do something. Until a few months beforehand, when my husband came to me with that “I’m already in the dog house” look. My ordinarily awesome husband forgot to block his soccer schedule, and got scheduled to referee the Timbers ON OUR ANNIVERSARY. Not the same weekend. On the day. Ooohh I was pissed OFF. You do not turn down a referee assignment in the A-League, so that wasn’t an option, but I was sure as hell not spending my 10th wedding anniversary by myself.
So I went to Portland, with my referee ticket at the half line. Yee ha. Then I looked (longingly) across the stadium. It looked like the Portland fans were having a righteous good time. That’s the only invitation I need. I joined their party and was instantly in awe of this amazing supporters section. They sang, cheered, they were funny. It was great. Then they found out that I was the referee’s wife, on my wedding anniversary. They became my supporters, ripping on my husband, sharing their Timbers swag, and buying me beer. It was, by far, the best time I’ve ever had at an away game, and it wasn’t even MLS.
Now I see their supporters on the MLS broadcast, and I’m right there with them. They’ve got great tifo, they’re loud, they’ve got Timber Joey cutting off a huge chunk of log every time they score! It’s fantastic stuff. So count me in Timbers. I’ve been a supporter since May 28th, 2005.
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