In the course of the first 15 days of August, our boys will cross North America 3 times on the way to Montreal, then LA, home to Portland and then back to Boston.
And that just sets up the holiday trip to Providence, Guyana - presumably straight from Boston. Not counting added miles for connections, the Portland Timbers will log 15,644 miles in the air in only 34 days between July 27 and August 30.
Date | Home | Vistor | Miles |
7/18 8:00PM PDT | Portland | Colorado | |
Fly from Portland to Montreal, Canada | 2330 | ||
7/27 5:00PM PDT | Montreal | Portland | |
Fly from Montreal Canada to Los Angeles, CA | 2470 | ||
8/2 11:30AM PDT | Los Angeles | Portland | |
Fly from Los Angeles to Portland | 834 | ||
8/9 7:30PM PDT | Portland | Chivas USA | |
Fly from Portland to Boston | 2530 | ||
8/16 4:30PM PDT | New England | Portland | |
Fly from Boston to Georgetown, Guyana | 2580 | ||
8/19 5:00PM PDT | Alpha United | Portland | |
Fly from Georgetown, Guyana back to Portland | 4650 | ||
8/24 2:00PM PDT | Portland | Seattle | |
Fly from Portland to Vancouver | 250 | ||
8/30 7:30PM PDT | Vancouver | Portland | |
Log 15,644 miles, then go to September and fly to Toronto |
This is no doubt great for players frequent flyer accounts and elite status progress. But as someone who has logged just under 2 Million flight miles over the years, I can attest to the strain this much time circling the globe in a low humidity, pressurized, cramped tin can puts on the human body. It's no fun. Jet lag is real. Travel and time zone changes put even elite athletes off of their peak.
Coach Porter really has his work cut out for him if he wants to make a showing in the CONCACAF Champions League and continue to keep hopes alive for MLS playoffs. To make the Championship phase of CONCACAF the Timbers really need a road point in Guyana, or barring that at least keep the goal difference close. Road goals also make a difference.
Presumably the Timbers are going to do what they can to minimize impact on the team for the MLS season. Loaned players will get called back. Perhaps the coaching staff will split. But who will stay and who will go to Guyana?
I'm guessing a mostly reserve side is heading to Guyana, with enough starters traveling to keep it close.
Keeper - Weber
Defense - Peay, Mackenzie, Paparatto, Powell
Holding Mid - Zemanski, Chara
Attacking Mids Alhassan, Nanchoff, Tschuma
Forward - Fernandez
Bench: Gleeson, Zakuani, Wallace, O'Rourke, Jewsbury, Adi, Evans
In this speculation, a number of Timbers regulars 'rest,' including Ricketts, Kah, Ridgewell, Jewsbury, Harrington, Johnson, Nagbe, Valeri, and Urruti.
What would you do in Guyana? Send the starters and risk an MLS loss? Send the reserves and hope it's kept close?