Around the Forest: Mimi’s Fresh Tees, Sophia Smith and more

Welcome back to Around the Forest! Every Friday, Stumptown Footy puts together some of the biggest stories from the week about the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns, as well as some news from around the MLS and NWSL. This week, we have the Thorns partnering with Mimi’s Fresh Tees, Lindsey Horan on an exhausting 2020, a Sophia Smith profile and some old but still exciting Jorge Villafana news.

Timbers and Thorns

Earlier this week, the Portland Thorns announced their partnership with Mimi’s Fresh Tees, a “Portland-based t-shirt company that amplifies tough social justice conversations and allows people to wear their truth.” You can read about it here.

Lindsey Horan talked about how strange and exhausting 2020 has been for her and other NWSL players. Read more here.

Sophia Smith hasn’t played a ton since joining the Thorns this season, but she has dazzled in those sparse minutes. Anne Peterson talked with Smith about her budding professional career. You can read about it here.

And finally, while this is an old story, it’s still a very cool one that we did not write about. On Sept. 18, the Hollywood Reporter announced that a show based on Jorge Villafana would be coming to FOX. Read about it here.

MLS and NWSL

Five hypothetical trade proposals for MLS teams, including one for the Timbers — MLS

Blockbuster: Impact acquire Toye from Loons — MLS

MLS Midseason Awards: Columbus Crew, Rossi, Pozuelo, Atlanta United all take home hardware — ESPN

Despite letters, MLS teams likely to release players for international call-ups — The Athletic (Subscription required)

Landon Donovan has always seen the big picture. This week he proved it again. — Washington Post

Personal terms, WhatsApp offers, medicals — transfer details you didn’t know — The Athletic (Subscription required)

Gabrielle Union gushes over the first Native American players in the NWSL — Celebrity Insider

Nikki Washington set to become second black female coach in NWSL as she joins Utah Royals — NewsChain

Have more cool stories to share from the week? Feel free to do so in the comments!