21 Comments

Go on that tour!!! I'll eat (drink?) that content right up.

Expand full comment

We definitely will, just waiting for them to send us times :)

Expand full comment

I'm here for "The STF Gang Meets Deadpool and Mac" episode of the pod.

Expand full comment

You've got to be kidding me.

An absolutely seismic event happened this week concerning the Timbers, whose ramifications are still being sorted out, an event that has a ton of talking points that could be debated and discussed by a lot of your Timbers-supporting readers. And yet in STF-land, it's as if nothing happened; there was no post about it at all, no mention of anything.

It's a match day, and there's been no Timbers-related content all week; no preview, no training report, nothing at all since the Team of the Matchday award post on Monday. And now, after a very active week in Timbers soccer, and a very successful on-pitch start to a new season which you'd think would occasion some sort of post, we get...a puff piece about this year's new stadium food? Really?

I'm a paid subscriber, and I'm generally happy to support your work. And your Thorns coverage and community is absolutely fantastic, and I hope it continues to be that as it's some of the best around.

But y'all either reeeeeeeeeeally need to up your game on the Timbers side of the house, or just become a full-time Thorns blog, as that's clearly where your passion lies and where your focus is.

I'm sorry to vent like this in-thread, but there's also no way to directly communicate with staff (I'm not on social media) so I don't know how else to get my concerns across.

Expand full comment

Appreciate the feedback. We actually just recorded an amazing podcast with another Timber (fan favorite) a few days ago and that'll go up next week. We have consistent interviews coming :)

I will be helping put more news out on the Timbers side too. That will help a bunch.

Expand full comment

There should be an article about the DaBella thing, but this is a.....very strange take given there have actually been many MORE Timbers-related articles than Thorns as of late. I follow both teams, but there are plenty of Thorns only people here that would (and have) argued the exact opposite. You can run through the past 15 articles posted- Saying this blog prioritizes the Thorns is just completely, objectively, incorrect.

Regardless....I'm not sure if everyone realizes this, but Phuoc, Sam, and the rest of the STF folks are quite literally pretty much the only media access we have to either org at the moment after Clarke got re-assigned, and I'm sure they have a ton of other stuff going on. Five days of no Timbers articles ain't the end of the world. There are still articles where the DaBella/preview discussions could be had- We have 500+ comment threads on three week old articles all the time for the Thorns.

(Also, $5 per month to support independent fan blogs where the writers get paid very little is NOTHING. Not even sure why that needs to be brought up)

Expand full comment

This is an objectively hilarious take given that there’s been 3x more Timbers content lately, and there’s usually just more in general even when the Thorns are in season. There’s been two more Timbers posts since I last looked at this post lol…

An active Thorns comment section doesn’t mean there’s more Thorns content. Our comment threads build up specifically because we’re lacking new Thorns content lol

Expand full comment

I get where they're coming from though. The Thorns don't play for another two weeks and there's been a lot going on in the Timbers org this week without a whole lot of coverage. You're right that STF is pretty much the only game in town, but this week we've had The Dabella thing, which is a pretty big deal, a big win, and the rumor that they bid $15m on Germán Berterame from Monterrey. I'm hoping these things get covered in the podcast (which I've really enjoyed so far).

Expand full comment

This is very fair.

We were going to put out news on Berterame, but the game was today as well. Feedback for us is always needed and helps us steer the boat in the right direction. We'll continue to improve for sure, I have no doubt of that.

Expand full comment

Thanks for the response Phuoc, I think it really speaks to the editorial character of STF, as well as the sense of conformity you all foster here. Keep up the good work!

Expand full comment

My guess at this point is STF is a labor of love rather than a money making enterprise. My assumption is you will listen to the feedback and improve.

Appreciate the articles and a place for the discourse.

Expand full comment

It's 100% a side hustle at best. Let's go nuts and say STF has 500 paying subscribers (I don't think I've ever seen 50 likes on anything). At $5 at pop that's $2500 per month, split 5 ways and you're taking maybe utilities and a week of groceries for each of the STF crew.

Expand full comment

This is the news we can use to plan our match days. 😀

Aviation Gin should sponsor you. STF does great work.

Expand full comment

Aww thank you!

Aviation Gin said they'd like to have us down for a tour, so we'll have to take them up on that :)

Expand full comment

Not many vegan options except alcohol. 😡

Expand full comment

Yeah seems like the jackfruit with rice or nachos is the only choice. You’d think by now there would be way more choices…

Expand full comment

Is Horan wearing a gigantic engagement ring? I thought players didn’t really wear jewelry during games. Or maybe it’s some sort of fitness tracker?

Expand full comment

EIGHT TAPS next to the 101 entrance and not a single IPA. Here in the birthplace of the craft brew revival, nothing but swill. At $14 a pint. What planet is this vender beaming in from? Nothing like being completely oblivious to the local culture.

Expand full comment

That’s super-interesting and definitely a shift from the past. Given the usual lack of creativity, I wouldn’t have thought the beer buyers could even name eight kinds of beer outside of IPAs and lagers. A few years ago I shared a photo with a friend that showed 12 taps which were allocated to eight IPAs, three [pale] lagers, and a cider. Though it is mind-boggling to me that there would be a place in town where IPAs don’t outnumber all other options combined (and clearly this is shifting the balance too far), I’ll admit it does make me a little happy to hear the sound of the spoiled and entitled have to live like the rest of us for a day.

Unfortunately, from the aside about this being the birthplace of craft brew, it sounds like all eight taps were domestic lagers of some kind, which would be a sad shift in an even less desirable direction. So, out of curiosity, what did they find to fill up that many taps without a single craft beer? Do they even make that many kinds of Budweiser?

Expand full comment

Dreck: Coors, Modelo, etc. I didn't pay much attention. Maybe a Hef. And a "Hazy IPA", which is decidedly not IPA. You know you're around a real aficionado tap tender when they smile and say "Oh no, we do! We have a Hazy!"

Expand full comment

#ad

Expand full comment