Portland’s week in the wake of Saturday’s loss to Minnesota United FC has felt like the moments after a workout, when your first time off the treadmill is consumed by refilling your lungs. You’re weak, uncertain in your movements, just trying to get back to feeling like you. Your body is taking inventory of itself knowing that now, with that stress over, it can get back to its normal course.
Now, the Timbers get to resume their normal course. No mid-week games. No overbearing travel commitments. No fast turnarounds to prepare for coming games and, perhaps most importantly, no excuses.