Timbers Army

The Timbers Army is the unofficial supporters' group of the Portland Timbers soccer club located in Portland, Oregon, United States.

History

When the PTFC was formed in 2001, a small group then known as the Cascade Rangers [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010509135331/sport.oregonlive.com/sport/cascaderangers archive of Cascade Rangers site] ] began congregating in section 107 at the north end ('The Shed') of PGE Park ("The Piggy") to create a European-style rooting section for the club, complete with drumming, flags, scarves, smoke bombs and constant chanting and cheering.

In time, partly because the Timbers' uniforms resembled those of the Scottish club Celtic (whose arch rivals are Rangers), the name Cascade Rangers was dropped in favor of Timbers Army (though some early TA scarves bore a CR logo as a trace vestige of the original group). In the coming years, the Timbers Army grew steadily into the dozens and then scores. By the end of the 2003 campaign, in which the club just missed the playoffs, there were approximately 200 regulars in the Timbers Army section.

In 2004, the group exploded with increased media coverage in the Oregonian (Portland's daily newspaper) and other local outlets. Early in the 2005 campaign, the number of people standing, chanting and wearing scarves in the area around section 107 (long since swamped) was 1000 or more, with people from all over the United States and, indeed, the globe, and every age, background and walk of life represented.

With those numbers, the Timbers Army is certainly the largest supporters group in the USL soccer and exceeded only by a handful of MLS clubs' supporters sections. A typical night with the TA was memorialized in a classic [http://homepage.mac.com/merussell/iblog/B835531044/C1162162177/E1320928499/index.html CulturePulp] cartoon in the Oregonian by Portland artist and writer M. E. Russell. Later the same season, Willamette Week, Portland's alternative weekly, did a [http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=6493 photo essay] on the Timbers Army as a cover story.

The Timbers Army isn't only found at matches. Besides organized bus trips to away games in Seattle and Vancouver, and an April 2006 trip during which many TA members visited Sunderland, the members congregate at a few pubs local to the ground -- notably the Bullpen Tavern, and [http://www.thebitterendpub.com/ Bitter End] Pub. During the off-season, they hold regular monthly gatherings and play together on an indoor soccer team and [http://www.underdogportland.com/bigturkey Big Turkey Bowling.] They produce a monthly 'zine -- Ax to the Head (not available on-line) -- and a number of other promotional items: stickers, posters, men's and women's t-shirts, beer glasses, and so forth. Many of these items are sold at not-for-profit prices, and in many cases all proceeds go to charity. The group engages in a number of charitable activities, including volunteering at Habitat for Humanity sites and raising money for a trust fund established for Keiana Serrill, the granddaughter of Timber Jim ( [http://www.timberjim.com/ timberjim.com] ), the team's amazing lumberjack mascot. Timber Jim's daughter, Hannah, was killed in an automobile accident in 2004, and in her memory, the TA has made a tradition of singing "You Are My Sunshine," often led by a tearful Timber Jim. The chant has been known to inspire goals, including the legendary back-heeled " [http://www.soccercityusa.com/timbers/mil082904-3s.mov Sunshine Goal] " by Syrian forward Fadi Afash.

Controversy

In late August 2005, "The Oregonian" ran an article that criticized the Army's use of profanity in their chants, [cite news
title=Language Barrier
url=http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1124794525320440.xml&coll=7
publisher=The Oregonian
date=August , 2005] most notably in the chant "You suck Asshole!" which typically accompanies an opposing team's goal kick. The TA questioned the fact that the article was principally built of interviews with people who seemed to harbor a cultural agenda that had nothing to do with soccer or the Timbers.Fact|date=February 2007 The Army's salty language had drawn criticism before; but in this instance, then-General Manager Jim Taylor stated that "People should not come to a sporting event or any event and have to listen to this kind of language…There is no explaining away the actions of that group. It's unacceptable."

Many Timbers Army members noted hypocrisy in the Timbers' management, which had begun using the Timbers Army in their advertising and promotions.Fact|date=February 2007

The Army retaliated on September 8th, in a crucial late-season match against the Atlanta Silverbacks. The Timbers Army organized a boycott of section 107, leaving fewer than 10 fans in an otherwise vacant section, in order to signal their displeasure. The seats on either side of section 107 were packed, and some fans watched the first half from the fence along SW 18th Ave. The Army planned to rush into section 107 at the 75th minute of the game. As it happened, the Timbers scored a goal just a minute or two before that, and the still-celebrating Army rushed into the section. The Timbers responded with three more goals in the remaining 15 minutes, knocking Atlanta out of the playoff chase.Fact|date=February 2007

Chants

Led by drummers, trumpets and generally rowdy fans, the Army has several chants that it returns to again and again through the course of a match, such as "Rose City 'Til I Die!" and this signature tune:
WE ARE THE TIMBERS ARMY!!!
WE ARE MENTAL!!!
AND WE'RE BARMY!!!
TRUE SUPPORTERS FOR EVER MORE!!!
ROSE CITY TILL I DIE!!!

Rose city till I die!Rose city till I die!I know I am, I'm sure I am!Rose city till I die!

Some of the Timbers Army refer to rival teams using nicknames. For instance, Seattle is reduced to "Shittle" and Vancouver is instead known as "Wank-ouver". These are interchangeable in many chants.

The Timbers Army is famed for their homemade scarves, stickers, banners and semi-organized antics.

References

External links

* [http://www.talktimbers.com Talk Timbers - busy forum for all matters regarding Timbers and the Army]
* [http://www.timberjim.com/ Timber Jim]
* [http://www.soccercityusa.com/timbers/ The Timber Mill]
* [http://home.comcast.net/~kurtds2/ Timbers Army Page]