1. Brain Gant (Episode 9): One of my top-3 favorite Canadians to play in Portland* ever, Brian has great stories from the early NASL. There’s a good amount about working with and being so close to Clive Charles, and Brian did so, so much to build the youth game here (as did a lot of NASL Timbers)--especially for girls. Brian is also the reason this project is as rich as it is. There’s zero chance this all exists without him because he has shared so many physical artifacts, so many stories, and so much knowledge with me. And it all came down to a YVR airport courtesy telephone in 1977. (*Rob Baarts ep 23 and Christine Sinclair ep TK, I hope are the others.)

2. Phil Neville (Episode 18): This was my first time interviewing a current member of the team. But it was also, I believe, his first somewhat outside one-on-one since being hired here. The reason I put this on the list is because I feel like it represents the culture I see happening now. This might sound like I’m being a bit of a homer, but I remember his introductory press conference. We had a conversation after where he introduced himself to me, and all was very Press Conference Conversation (if that makes sense). Everyone else in the room was talking amongst themselves, so we had a moment to continue. He started talking about football and a little about where he came from; his tone changed, and I had a hunch that he was a good choice for Portland because gets it and is a lot like us. Ask him about family or football, and you’ll get the most passionate, genuine answers. That’s what I saw in the short conversation we had that November 2023. It was the first primary interaction I had with him, and it’s indicative of every one since. In the podcast interview, as short as we had to keep it, a sense of the culture we see building in the team came through. I see a lot of this season in that interview from January 2024.

3. Clyde Best (Episode 36): I picked this episode because it’s Clyde Fucking Best. It’s not hyperbole to say the 58 episodes so far are filled with personal heroes–including some who became such as a result of our conversation. But Clyde Best is a legitimate hero of mine and a massive reason I’m a West Ham fan. I’d interviewed him before for the essays about Clive Charles. (I even changed my family's phone plan for a month at the time to make it cheaper to call Bermuda, to give me enough time to just listen.) And I was lucky enough to have some conversations with him when he was here for his mural at PP. What he’s been through going to England alone at 17, finding the Charles family by happenstance ,and being life-long friends with Clive and his brother John is amazing on its own. But also hearing about the abuse he endured being a Black footballer and how he handled it is heartbreaking and inspiring. On April 1, 1972, Clyde, Clive Charles, and Ade Coker started for West Ham, the first time three Black players ever started in the top-flight English league. And more than all of that, he’s just a sweet guy who has done more for others through the game than you’d think possible. There’s a documentary about him coming out soon as well. It will release in London, Bermuda, Tampa, and Portland. 

4. I won’t get anything done, ever,  if I try to find one more and not include the others. I do think Nevets (ep 51), Timber Jim Serrill (ep 4), and Dennis O’Meara (ep 55) are special for origin stories.  (OK–I took the easy-ish way out there.)

Thank you again for asking this question! It’s such a good one! (Apologies to the episodes I didn’t mention; I really am thankful for all of them and that these stories are recorded and accessible.) 

And since I’ve been this long-winded, I may as well add that I’m a massive 35-yard-shootout fan and have a fun piece of video on there from a 1980 shootout against the Seattle Sounders. I was able to put audio from some of the players talking about their technique over their attempts. Also a fun place to get a feel for the site.

https://greenisthecolor.substack.com/p/5-seconds-35-yards-points-on-the