You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Say "Asshole"

The perfect storm, or a tempest in a teacup? It has proved to be a breakout year for the Timbers Army, bolstered by cover stories and "Best of Portland" shoutouts, which helped exponentially grow the fiercly loyal group until their numbers spilled into neighboring sections 106 and 108. But it has always been a double-edged sword for PGE Park and the Timbers management. One one hand, the TA takes care of the word-of-mouth canvassing and advertising that the apparantly anemic Timbers marketing office can't be bothered to do themselves, but part of the appeal of a Timbers game is the raucous crowd with salty language, to the extent that much of the TA growth can be attributed to newcomers that are there as much or more to see the TA spectacle than what's happening on the pitch.

The storm clouds began to gather three weeks ago, when Timbers General Manager Jim Taylor made a plaintive post to the TalkTimbers board. The Saturday, Aug. 20 match against Seattle was also planned to be Oregon Youth Soccer Association night (OYSA kids would get discounted tickets), as well as a Timbers 30th Anniversary celebration. With all of the expected children in attendance, Taylor argued, couldn't the TA find it within itself to curb the blue language? Because really, won't someone think of the children?

Between the fact that only a small percentage of Army members actually read the TalkTimbers board, the general proclivity of an attitude of teenage rebellion among the TA, and the fact that the Timbers were playing their deepest rival Seattle, Taylor's request (also distributed in hard copy at the game itself) was roundly ignored, and the F-bombs did floweth like water.

Picking up on this storyline was the Oregonian's Abby Haight, who covers the Timbers beat, and on the 23rd, the front page of the sports section ran this story (oddly enough, Timbers match results don't even make the front page of the O's sports section), painting the army as an "increasing headache for the team's management." The story portrayed the plight of the beleaguered suburban soccer mom forced to never return to their one Timbers match per year, and how the TA is daring to hold back attendance figures with their willful flaunting of FCC regulations.

As one would expect, a torrent of debate was unleashed among the TA, or at least those regulars of TalkTimbers. Calls for boycotts, the heads of Jim Taylor and the entire PGE Park front office, enjoinders to retire the stale and lifeless "You Suck Asshole" goal kick chant, pleas to not let this be the Army's Yoko era. Feelings were hurt, longtime Army members began to openly wonder what had happened to the nice folks they had stood by and cheered with for so long.

Really, it was all just brewing under the surface, waiting to erupt.

The Timbers Army has always had tenuous relations with Timbers management. The team appreciates the fact that the TA does all the marketing footwork, but has never appreciated any of the in-game contributions, demanding over the years that the TA refrain from standing on the dugout in front of 107, or cease lighting flares and smoke bombs after goals are scored. Since the Army has never had organization, and never had a leader, negotiations have never been easy. The language issue has always been a point of contention, especially since soccer in America has yet to throw off the yoke of its "family friendly" reputation. None of this, however, has stopped PGE Park from selling their own overpriced Timbers Army t-shirts in the merchandise store at games.

The next week, Taylor went to meet with Army members at the Bullpen and explain the POV from the front office. Reporting that people above him, presumably the team's ownership (still unclear at this point, since the deal is caught up in financing), PGE Park officials, or possibly even city officials have given him an ultimatum, Taylor told the gathering that there would be increased security and police presence at the next home game, and they would be authorized to eject, after a verbal warning, any fan engaging in organized swearing. Taylor claimed the higher-ups had wanted to shut the Army down completely, even cordon off 107 entirely, or charge exorbitant prices for that section only and enforce seating assignments.

Again as one would expect, this inflamed some Army members even further. Some talked about wanting to forget the Timbers altogether and start their own fan-owned team. Some argued that the Army should come to grips with reality and just lose or alter the 4-5 chants with adult language. The largest consensus seemed to agree on a general boycott of 107 and PGE concessions for the next home game. some Army members would move to other sections for this game, others would mass outside the park's east gate overlook on 18th avenue.

Quietly, while all the sound and fury was going on in Portland, the Timbers (the actual soccer team, remember?) had a mixed showing on a long road trip, leaving them tenuously holding on to sixth place in the league standings, the last slot available to earn a playoff spot.

So whither the Timbers, their Army, and their management? Many many questions, and few answers. These last two home matches are the final regular season games for the team, and with the ownership deal still unresolved, the team's fate on the field and in the park still is up in the air. Without a clear consensus from the Army on whether Taylor's message to them is merely a glove slap or a full on clothesline, the simmering tensions will be out front and vocal. And with increased security goons and PPD officers present among a fiesty Portland crowd, almost anything could happen.

The Timbers take on the Atlanta Silverbacks tomorrow, September 8th. On September 10th, they'll play their last regular season game against the Richmond Kickers. Both games are at PGE Park and kickoff at 7pm.