I’m very excited to have been along for TWO championships this year. Lucky me.
The KC Royals. You all know my lifelong devotion to the boys in blue. So happy to have been around to see the beginnings of the first small-market baseball dynasty. I’ve been a sports fan my entire life. But I’ve only lived in cities for the World Series title: three in San Fran (2010, ‘12, ‘14) and one in Phoenix (D-Backs 2001). I watched the Royals all year long on MLB.TV.
Now the Portland Timbers. Went to several regular-season games - including a Cascadia Cup battle against Seattle where I sat in the Timbers Army - along with two playoff games. Plus one pre-season game and an exhibition for the T2 reserves against Newcastle Utd. (T2 won easily).
The thrilling win over Dallas in the opening leg of the semifinals was really good. But the best part was the shootout against Sporting KC in the single-game playoff. One potential PK winner for KC went off both posts before bouncing out and giving new life to the Timbers.
Then yesterday the Timbers were able to cling to an early lead and hang on to win the MLS Cup. First in franchise history and the first top-level championship for Portland since the ‘76 Blazers.
So I’m thinking I should be getting a couple calls in the near future from teams (cough Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks cough) with an offer of free season tickets. Come on, guys. I have the Golden Touch.