say hello, say goodbye

Well, what a great night of kicking off a new season while saying goodbye and honoring a Portland icon. Yes, not just an icon to the team and fans, but a symbol of all Portland, old and new, green and aged, worker and hipster.

This beautiful slideshow captures the mood and moments of TJ's swan song better than any other. As for the game itself, you can read better detail at one of the many other fine Timbers sites, but i'll just add a few raw thoughts i had (with video to come later!):

- The turf is extra-specially nice. Real grass is always better, but the FieldTurf the city installed at Merritt's behest is the next best thing. no more pinball, fewer turf-related injuries, and opens the door for better teams to come play us in exhibitions. Plus the color is so much closer to the real thing that you can kinda pretend it's real grass.

- Did Puerto Rico do any preseason training? Multiple players cramping after only an hour gone? Even in the USL, players have to be able to go a full 90 on a colder Portland night. It's not like they were dehydrated from the heat.

- Why couldn't we capitalize on a three-man advantage? I'm going to chalk this one up to early season chemistry. But at one point in the game, PR had 8 players on the field and the Timbers didn't look decidedly better. Worrying, but i'll wait to pass final judgement.

- Suzuki and Brown will be an excellent partnership. "Strike partnership" is historically a phrase not used when describing the Timbers front line, but that ends now. Suzuki was deftly working one- and two-touch passes in tight spaces, and Brown always knew where his partner was. Once the early season jitters die down, I have a feeling these guys will combine for many many goals. Taka also has a knack for floating outside, beating his man and sending in pinpoint crosses. Not the curving English variety, but laser-guided chaos inducers that beg for someone to redirect goalwards.

- There's only one Timber Jim. 'Nuff said