What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
1
Gavin, Gavin, Gavin.
Gavin Wilkinson, the Portland Timbers’ general manager, was expelled from the sidelines late in the first half of Thursday’s wildly successful home opener for his team.
The normally affable New Zealander had plenty of run-ins with officials during his seasons as the coach for the Timbers at the Division 2 level.
So we probably shouldn’t be surprised to see Wilkinson colorfully interacting with the referee. In this case, it looked like Wilkinson was told to leave after holding the ball and delaying a Chicago throw-in.
Timbers fans should love that Wilkinson and owner Merritt Paulson are so emotionally invested in their product. But let’s hope Wilkinson follows Paulson’s tactic of sequestering himself out of public view during play.
2
Area sports fans should be soaking all of this up.
The February-esque rain?
Nah. We mean this:
The NBA playoffs.
The Timbers arrival in MLS.
The Winterhawks’ push for a Memorial Cup berth.
Sure, the weather’s been lousy, but we cannot say the same for Portland’s sports scene. The three teams are unique. But each offers plenty of compelling stories. Having multiple teams worthy of watching doesn’t often happen in this sports market.
So embrace the moments. They are likely fleeting — especially with the possibility of labor issues sidelining NBA basketball at the end of these playoffs.