And that’s how soccer replaced hockey as the national sport of Canada.

Mora as a false false 9 works so well for Bassett. Mora uses his slightly deeper starting point to move off the ball into the box, and Bassett just feasts on the space created by Mora’s movement. #RCTID

2026 is giving 2024. #RCTID

Cole Bassett’s first 30 minutes with the Timbers might be the best debut 30 minutes I’ve seen from a Timber. The best player on the field right now by a huge margin. #RCTID

Legit incredible that six weeks before his 40th birthday, Diego Chara remains the Timbers’ opening day starter in central midfield. #RCTID

I know nothing about hockey, but the only comparison I can make is this is like if Vince Carter’s dunk over Frederic Weis was to win the gold medal at the buzzer.

Here’s the Timbers’ next step on the international winger treadmill. Interesting deal. Had success at a young age in Chile (which is a notable step down from MLS) but didn’t break through at Gremio (a notable step up from MLS). Probably in that class of dice-roll int’l MLS signings. #RCTID

In the ‘25 playoffs I recall, the Timbers: Game 1: Got jumped out of the gates before being okayish enough to make it competitive; Game 2: Started well but lost control until the game state flipped to desperation and were saved at the death; and Game 3: Tire fire. Am I remembering right? #RCTID

So, for starters, the Dribbly Bois is officially the Timbers’ nickname for 2026. So that’s done. And this is a great deep analytical dive on how the Timbers shape up for 2026. The defense may be primed for a step back while the attack is…more crowded, but questionably more dynamic. #RCTID

Just finished Rachel Maddow’s Burn Order podcast. What an extraordinary story. Strongly recommend for a listen to a story that is equal parts infuriating and inspiring with profound parallels to today.

I’ll forever be mystified by MLS entering into a media deal in which it relied more than ever on sickos paying for a bespoke membership and then promptly eliminating everything its sickos liked. Matt’s MLS content has been indispensable. He’s been more valuable to the league than 99% of its DPs.

Shorter Doyle: The Timbers have a poor coach. #RCTID

What Dundon’s doing is dirty business—in line with many in this generation of Mr. Potters who have leveraged control of civic institutions to raid public coffers. But civic institutions are vital and the Blazers are a critical one. We shouldn’t like it, but PDX has to protect the Blazers. #RipCity

Well, shoot, that was tremendous fun.

We’ve built an entire discourse around the online left being obnoxious killjoys and, look, it’s not entirely off-base for some. But the *central figures in the Republican Party* have an unquenchable thirst for craning to find any tiny slight in every cultural event to turn it into a grievancefest.

I know both soccer leaders in Portland and nationally have demonstrated indifference toward Portland’s irrelevance in the international soccer scene, but if I was a City leader and saw Portland repeatedly missing out on what should be gimmies like this, I’d be deeply displeased. #RCTID #BAONPDX

The delay hiring a coach is particularly troublesome. Moving on from Gale after an objectively good season was at least seemingly more about ambition than necessity. But ambitions turn self-destructive if you don’t have the capacity to fulfill them. #BAONPDX

I haven’t been following the Epstein files developments today all that closely, but a takeaway from this whole mess is that the reframing of the Me Too movement as liberal tsk-tsking is beyond dumb. It was an overdue, thoroughly deserved reaction to widespread, egregious misconduct by powerful men.

The only reported “rhetoric” that had any proximity to the killing of Alex Pretti was “Are you okay?”

Re Bassett, he’s a more attacking player than Ayala, so there’s a stylistic difference. But the Timbers probably lose some defensive bite—putting pressure on Ortiz or Chara. And it’ll be interesting to see how Bassett fits on the field with DDC. Great value on a U22 deal, tho. #RCTID

Seen some surprise at the Timbers being so high here. The context is that most of this was reinvestment of the Evander funds, so it nets out to some extent. Whether the Timbers reinvested wisely is another discussion. #RCTID

I really, really like this. #RCTID

To be clear, this is the sequence of events: 1. DHS agents killed Renee Good. 2. Videos surfaced of DHS agents threatening others with Good’s fate—“didn’t you learn your lesson?” 3. Thousands of Minnesotans protested DHS’s conduct. 4. *The next morning* DHS agents killed Alex Pretti.

The most charitable reading of this is that it’s lowkey but ruthless goalkeeper erasure. #RCTID

It’s been under-discussed how the Timbers pushed a *lot* of chips into the middle last summer…and it really didn’t pay off. Tough spot heading into 2026. #RCTID

PTFC Glory Days: “Our house in the middle of B.C.” PTFC Gory Days: Canadians occupying Providence Park. #RCTID

One thing I wonder about periodically with the enshittification of the Timbers is the effect of selling a minority stake in the club to PE. It’s impossible to know from the outside. And PE clearly doesn’t have a controlling stake. But lots of ways in theory it can affect internal decisions. #RCTID

Trump increases prices for US consumers in pursuit of deranged effort to buy giant sheet of ice to which we already have unfettered access.

By this metaphor, the Timbers’ 2025 season closely mirrors my track career. Competent at the 800; total dumpster fire at the 1500.

The Hustleboard is the most Portland element of the Blazers game experience. It’s a truly random collection of stats that we inexplicably add up to create an arbitrary number with no bearing on the game. Yet it’s survived multiple arena moves and renovations. A wonderful, nonsensical institution.

Just saw the Instagram video of Neville’s “everybody’s saying the same thing today, but what sets us apart is our work, our trust, our attitude, our togetherness, our spirit” speech. What sets us apart, indeed, is our ability to string every soccer manager cliche into a single sentence. #RCTID

I won’t say this is the most important factor here, but we’re currently seeing a total cratering in law enforcement professionalism during its interactions with the public. The number of videos we see of law enforcement yelling and cursing at members of the public is truly shocking.

If they don’t make a significant signing to replace Coffey, I’ll agree. But the obvious assumption is that they’re going to try to do that. Now Agoos has to earn his keep by making an impactful signing to keep what should be a “go for it” year on track. #BAONPDX

I dissent. #BAONPDX

This is a wrenching, thorough analysis of yesterday’s homicide by an ICE agent. It’s disturbing, so exercise discretion in deciding whether to watch. But I believe this is a moment in which we cannot simply look away, and that we have a moral and civic obligation to know the facts and seek justice.

One of the most common signs of authoritarianism is the overuse of the term “terrorists.” It’s a cheap rhetorical trick used to justify excessive state violence. Protesters aren’t terrorists. Immigrants aren’t terrorists. Drug traffickers aren’t “narcoterrorists.” Only terrorists are terrorists.

That’s (a) a pretty tepid return; and (b) a pretty brutal—albeit somewhat ambiguous—last paragraph. I’m a fan of Ayala even if I thought some of the hype coming from the Timbers was a bit overcooked. But this opens a big hole to fill without all that much in terms of resources to fill it. #RCTID

Well that’s too bad. Would’ve liked that signing. Will be interesting to see if PTFC’s pursuit of a DP means they’re parting ways with DDC or if they’re now going with the 3/3 model—I’d assumed they needed the GAM from 2/4. A low-dollar int’l attacking DP, IMO, isn’t worth the cost. #RCTID

In fairness I don’t know why you’d want to hire a coach who’s earned 1.74 PPG over 215 all-comps games with one major and two minor trophies during his time in MLS when you can retain one who’s earned 1.34 PPG over 171 games and has arguably won one playoff game. #RCTID

I’m absolutely begging the Timbers to make this call. I’m begging in vain, mind you. But begging nonetheless. #RCTID

I’m late on this, but Ken Burns’ documentary on the American Revolution is so spectacular. The Revolutionary War was, in many ways, so much messier than we learn. And yet, from that messiness came a political miracle that delivered liberty to some—and laid the foundation to deliver it to many more.

This is like if you asked AI to create the perfect metaphor for 2025.

Not sure James Madison would’ve even made the Founding Fathers Playoffs.

Don’t play with me, @thornsfc.com. If you’re gonna post that on IG you gotta deliver. #BAONPDX

This is specific to the film industry, but it’s descriptive of the entire consumer experience cycle right now. 1. Find a Good Thing; 2. The Good Thing gets popular and big; 3. The Good Thing gets less good; 4. We have to decide whether to acquiesce in the Less Good Thing or try to go back to 1.

If they’re doing it regardless of weather it’s not a player welfare measure. FIFA’s latest cash grab is to add a planned commercial break to World Cup games.

The thing that makes this even better is that there is a sizable number of his supporters who grow enraged at the idea of nine year olds being given participation trophies for rec soccer.

My survey response: The driving editorial force in the Apple TV coverage seems to be fear of receiving angry emails from club owners and executives. So the commentary takes on a Lake Woebegone-like dynamic where all the teams are above average. As a result, it’s boring.

This is genuinely incredible comedy.