As the Portland Timbers prepare for their 2019 season home opener at a renovated Providence Park against LAFC Saturday (10:30 pm ET | ESPN2 — Full TV & streaming info), their fans are anxiously counting the days until kickoff.
One famous season-ticket holder is Greg Rucka, who is an award-winning writer of comics and novels. His comic book series “Stumptown,” will debut on ABC this fall, starring Cobie Smulders as Portland private investigator Dex Parios.
Penning comics is Rucka's job. The Timbers are his passion. A season-ticket holder since the club’s debut MLS season in 2011, Rucka detailed in a first-person piece on the club’s official site how the Timbers helped him escape clinical depression and give him and his family something to look forward to every week.
He watched Bundesliga matches on television with his father growing up and the two were in the stands at what was then PGE Park to watch the US face Germany in the 2003 Women’s World Cup semifinals.
Now he and his own son attend every game they can at Providence Park — Timbers, T2 and Thorns. His professional life revolves around Timbers games.
“My life now orbits around home games,” he writes. “When I have to travel on business, the first thing I do is check the schedule and if the Timbers are playing at Providence Park, I move heaven and earth to make sure I can be there. I have turned down guest appearances at conventions and other engagements for this reason, no lie. Those people I work with regularly from out of town now know they need to check the schedule, as well. I’m unapologetic. I wouldn’t expect them to cancel going to church on Sunday morning for me.
This is my church. I am become devout.”
Rucka’s account, detailed here, is a must-read and likely resonates with any MLS fan.
