As part of our inaugural group of ticket holders, Jere and Becky won the chance to have a VIP experience for the Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas match on June 11th, including KeyBank Club seats, and a chance to visit with Timber Joey on the field!
We asked Jere and Becky a few questions after the match.
What was your first memory of/first match supporting the Timbers?
We moved to Portland in 2010, just before the Timbers inaugural MLS season, and were encouraged by our good friend (and long-time Timbers supporter) Eric to get season tickets before they were sold out. He was, of course, 100% right, and we look back on buying our seats in the TA section as one of the best decisions we’ve ever made! We were there for the first home match against the Fire (an incredible 4-2 win!), and the memories that stand out the most for us involve the exceptional passion of the fans: thousands of fans in green and gold singing and chanting hours before kickoff; the TA-led National Anthem; flags, scarves, and streamers flying through the air; and hugging and high-fiving strangers after every Timbers goal. The experience we had during that first match definitely made us Timbers fans for life!
What was your favorite moment of the match tonight?
Becky’s favorite moment was Kah’s incredible game-tying goal in stoppage time. For Jere, seeing Will Johnson insist on taking the PK (did we really get a PK call at home?!?!), grab the ball to sprint it back to midfield, and then pound his fist on the Timbers crest on his jersey while screaming at his teammates really exemplified the passion that the Timbers played with throughout the second half.
Who would you nominate as Player of the Match?
He only played a half, but for us Danny O’Rourke was the MOTM. He was hustling all over the field, did a good job disrupting the Dallas attack and frustrating their players, was a calm presence on the ball, smartly got forward a few times, and just generally brought a gritty attitude to the backline that helped us keep a clean sheet in the second half. Valeri definitely deserves an honorable mention for his effort on the night as well… Dallas obviously paid him a lot of attention, but he was still dangerous on offense and put forth nice effort pressing forward on defense.
What is your prediction for the next match – Timbers versus Orlando City U23s?
We’ll probably see a lot of guys on the pitch that we don’t normally see in league matches, which should be a lot of fun. Jere predicts a 6-2 victory with 2 goals each for Wallace and Urruti, a goal for Powell, and one for Tshuma off the bench to round out the scoring; he also predicts that balloon #1 wins the RE/MAX race before the match.
What else should we know about your Timbers fandom?
Before most home matches you’ll find us waiting in line for TA wristbands with the Coffey brothers so that we can try to snag seats in Section 104. While the weather can sometimes be a little wet and chilly, and the wait a little long, it always ends up being a good time (especially once you add in a few breakfast burritos, some Pellegrino, and the warmth of friendship).
While we did miss our crew in the TA section, our Axe experience was truly exceptional, and we were very impressed by how friendly all the staff were throughout the match. While everyone we encountered was very helpful, Bonnie deserves a special shout-out for being one of the nicest ladies we’ve ever met! Ryan, Chris, and Maddie were also great, and really represented the organization well.
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Congratulations again, Jere and Becky, and thank you for your terrific support!
If you are an Axe Society member and would like to enter to win the title of Member of the Match, please register here.
