Late in the 2013 MLS regular season, after defeating the LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter was asked about the performance of Jack Jewsbury.
"He's an experienced player, you know? He's a salty dog. And he knows how to get it done, some way," Porter said.
Jewsbury, now in his 13th MLS season, has scored two stoppage-time winners in 2015 and after Sunday’s left-footed goal, was described as a "Salty Dog" again by coaches and teammates alike. But what most fans might not know is that Jewsbury was a Salty Dog long before he arrived in Portland.
After earning a roster spot with the Kansas City Wizards for his rookie season in 2003, Jewsbury was loaned to an expansion USL A-League side in July to gain some professional experience.
The team he was loaned to? The Syracuse Salty Dogs.
In his two months in Syracuse, Jewsbury performed well, notching two goals in his seven games.
But Jewsbury’s A-League experiences are a far cry from the majority of his professional career. Nowadays, the Joplin, Mo. native is known for his fiery play on the field and a longevity that has helped him rank 19th all-time in MLS matches played. Back then, he was just another rookie searching for his footing as a pro.
When Jewsbury scored his first professional goal, it came in an away match at the Virginia Beach Mariners on a Friday night in front of 1,500 fans. There was one newspaper reporter present (from the Virginian-Pilot) and when the game story ran the following morning, there was no mention of the significance of the goal in Jewsbury’s career. In fact, according to the story, it was a player named "Jack Dewsbury" who had actually scored the game-winner.
Later in the season, Jewsbury scored his second of the season in a 1-1 draw with the Atlanta Silverbacks when he blasted home a shot from outside the penalty area.
Yet after just seven matches with the Salty Dogs, Jewsbury returned to Kansas City. Syracuse had hoped to bring Jewsbury back for the 2004 season, but the midfielder stuck with his MLS team. The Salty Dogs ended up folding after just two seasons.
The term "salty dog" was originally meant to describe a sailor who has spent most of his life on the sea and someone who other sailors and shipmates look up to. And 12 years after being a Salty Dog, Jack Jewsbury is now the salty dog for the Portland Timbers.
