"There are two things that the Portland Timbers struggle with: offense and defense." #RCTID

The much anticipated answer to the "hope or kick in the nuts" question, in this episode of STR! #RCTID

Wake up babe, new Stumptown Radio ep just dropped - and they rambled for like an hour. @alex-barnes.bsky.social, @luukasojala.bsky.social, @jeremypeterman.bsky.social, and myself attempted the impossible: crafting a sustainable identity for the Portland Timbers. #RCTID

K this is an awesome question and I feel like I have to write about it during the WC break. Much more interesting than "good or bad season" or "successful or disappointing season". #RCTID

A real sentence I wrote in the rundown doc of tonight's recording of Stumptown Radio that perfectly encapsulates the 2026 Timbers: "Should we have hope? Or is this set to be just another kick to the nuts?" The exciting answer coming to your podcast feeds tomorrow. #RCTID

NEW VIDEO: How did sports debate shows turn into the way we talk about everything? I went inside the rise of hot take culture, talked to the people who built it and traced how hot takes took over media. In collaboration with Vice Sports: youtu.be/ndGUBh3EjJw?...

This is a fascinating and incredible look at the hot take-ification of sports, politics, life from @joon.bsky.social. Highly recommend everyone - not just those in & around sports - watch it.

First the NWSL's social account gleefully spotlights Jameis Winston on the sidelines at a Gotham game this season, now the league welcomes the Haslams as owners of a new Columbus side. Women's sports: We don't have to prop up or do business with problematic men just b/c they're rich or famous.

From Matt’s power rankings: Timbers brass insist they are in the bottom right, “good & underperforming”, section. The data suggests that they are… not. #RCTID

Seven game round one series for ALL THE TOSTITOS

Good ol’ Everton. Breaking my heart by 8am. Glad some horrors remain depressingly familiar. #EFC

OLE OLE OLE OLEEEE BETOOOO BETOOOOOO GET IN BIG LAD #EFC

The emotional whiplash I just experienced as an Everton fan in the derby should entitle me to financial compensation. Brutal. #EFC

The task for the Timbers this week was proving that last week wasn’t just a blip, and they couple put forward that kind of performance consistently. So after that game… I think that last week was like the blippiest blip to every blip. Yikes-a-roni and cheese, guys. #RCTID

For as hilarious as the rest of footy internet finds Tottenham's death spiral, as a Toffee who survived multiple relegation escapes in recent years my heart goes out to Spurs fans. Ain't no existential terror like relegation existential terror.

NOOOOOO Pour one out for Seattle’s most iconic power couple - hell one of the most iconic sports power couples of all time

The inaugural kits for Portland Cherry Bombs FC are here, and they’re, well, da bomb. @rockymcneff.bsky.social has everything you need to know from the rollout here.

We root for the Thorns (wearing the USWNT jersey) #BAONPDX

I'm really bad about plugging my own podcast on social media (anxiety is fun!), but I do really want to plug this latest Stumptown Radio ep I did with @alex-barnes.bsky.social and @luukasojala.bsky.social. Some really good chat about the feelings surrounding Portland's big win. #RCTID

Who's going to be the new Inter Miami coach (wrong answers only).

Timbers vs. Miami in a month's time featuring an interim head coach that's in charge of *Miami*, not Portland, is pretty wild. (Tho I guess it very well could be interim vs. interim by that point??) #RCTID

This is a weird Victory Sunday take to have to say, but apparently it needs to be said: the Timbers winning a soccer game is a good thing, actually! It’s okay to be happy about a good thing happening! #RCTID

However you feel about the Coach, GM, or owner, don’t discredit the players’ efforts in today’s win. It’s been a hellish start for everyone this year, and those guys haven’t quit. They haven’t quit on each other, the coaching staff, or the supporters. Don’t quit on them. #RCTID

“Caicedo was a DAWG today,” says Kristoffer Velde #RCTID

*Taps sign after Portland gets their biggest win of the year* #RCTID

Me, in the 80th minute: Okay if I finish the recap now it might change things Me, in the 87th minute: Wait no not like that Me, in the 96th minute: YES PLEASE JUST LIKE THAT #RCTID

These guys. These ridiculous, maddening, exhausting, glorious guys. The Portland Timbers, man. #RCTID

Maybe the most pivotal second half of Portland's 2026 season so far begins with them conceding a screamer from a 17-year-old, from outside the box. I mean what else can you do at this point except laugh? #RCTID

First time in 2026 that Portland has had a lead at home going into halftime. They've had halftime leads on two separate occasions on the road in 2026, and both have resulted in losses. If this game ends 1-0 Portland I will be flabbergasted. #RCTID

That's Kristoffer Velde's third goal in four games, and Cole Bassett's second assist as a Timber. Both are now top in those respective categories for Portland in 2026. #RCTID

LAFC's backup 'keeper today is HG 21-year-old Cabral Carter, who made his pro debut last year with LAFC2, appeared in two Open Cup games, and has yet to tally an MLS minute. Related note: the Timbers have yet to take a shot. Seems like a great time and situation to change that! #RCTID

Literally a minute later, Bouanga sneaks up on Fory and screws him into the ground, barely missing the goal by inces. Yikes! #RCTID

Phil Neville's Yell-O-Meter is already at like a level 6 ten minutes in. Hope he has some good throat lozenges today. #RCTID

Portland’s strongest XI of the year vs maybe LAFC’s weakest XI of the year. What could go wrong! #RCTID

“Happy” Matchday Rose City! The Timbers desperately need points, so you should jump and clap and sing for a shock win today. And The result today will not in a vacuum save or (probably) doom Phil Neville. So if you had any reservations for this afternoon, imho it’s safe to put those aside. #RCTID

Listen to Houston go wild as the first astronaut emerges. 😆

“Three good looking chutes”. Just incredible, man.

The team with a mercurial Brazilian player that has a history of checking out big moments thinking about signing a *different* mercurial Brazilian player that has a history of checking out in big moments? What could go wrong!

LAFC wound up winning leg one 3-0, with leg two in Mexico set for next Tuesday and a trip to Portland sandwiched in-between. Do I think they rotate? Probably - but not as much as they would have if the scoreline was closer. Do I think it will matter? Yeah probably not. #RCTID

It might wind up being academic cuz the Timbers are ass and a half at the moment, but LAFC, who come to Providence Park on Saturday, started a very first choice lineup against Cruz Azul tonight (and are up 2-0 at the moment). #RCTID

It’s not unreasonable at all for Ned Grabavoy to want to give Neville until the World Cup break to save his job. But that’s just 8 games, 5 of which are on the road, and probably only 2 of which you could call “winnable” on paper. The seat is blazingly hot. #RCTID

Some of what we learned from Timbers GM Ned Grabavoy’s presser #RCTID “I want to give them (coaching staff) the full opportunity through this first 14 games.” -Timbers turned down two sizable offers for young players this window

Ned Grabavoy on the head coaching position. #RCTID

I guess we're just waiting around to see if this demented psychopath kills everyone: defector.com/i-guess-were...

The recap of last night’s fresh Timbers hell from @alex-barnes.bsky.social is really really good and you should read all of it: stumptown-footy.ghost.io/match-recap-... But these two snippets in particular stood out to me, and are very likely to become relevant soon. #RCTID

Phil Neville postgame: “I feel frustrated for my players… I think there was a lot of outstanding quality from my players. Factors outside of our control cost us the game.” #RCTID

"We need to grow up as a group." -Finn Surman #RCTID

A very visibly frustrated Finn Surman postgame: "I don't know what to say other than the goals we've been conceding have just been poor," #RCTID

Five minutes away from one of the signature wins of the Phil Neville era, and Portland bundles it away in astounding fashion to somehow lose. Soccer is dumb, actually #RCTID