FOX Sports ⚽ play-by-play. Formerly with NBC, the Portland Timbers and SportsRadio 750 The Game. Spending time with my family instead of checking my mentions.
This is the first time Josef Martinez has done a live interview in English, even Atlanta staff members were surprised! Huge credit to Josef for how hard he's worked at the language, and further proof
@Katie_Witham
is the 🐐
A decade ago, there were prominent members of Portland's sports media who argued--loudly--that this was a waste of the city's time and money, that no one would go or care. Others (👋) argued back, sometimes live on the radio. So, yes, this is special tonight
Ten years ago tonight, I went on a date with the star forward of the Portland Rain. Two kids, two dogs, three cats (and a Copa Libertadores appearance and 2011 WPSL Golden Boot) later, celebrating on a gorgeous night with 22,000 others marveling at how far soccer in PDX has come
What a joy, what a blessing, what a privilege to be here, to be able to call this game of games, and to do it with two of my best friends beside me. Let's have some fun!
On May 15th, 2010, the Portland Timbers decided to give their 24-year-old backup radio announcer a tryout calling a game on TV (1-1 vs AC St. Louis). A decade later, with a slightly fuller--and grayer--beard, and a much balder head, I'm awfully thankful they did.
To give you a sense of what a big deal
@fccincinnati
are in their town: the local FOX affiliate just wrapped up a TWO-HOUR live pregame show from here in the stadium
A rare bit of news from me but reporting live from Timbers practice in Beaverton: Sebastian Blanco has been upgraded from Questionable to Probable for tomorrow's Western Conference Final (6:30pm ET on FS1) with his hamstring injury suffered vs Colorado last week
#MLSCupPlayoffs
Congratulations,
@JohnStrong
and
@StuHolden
🎙️👏
America's lead soccer commentary team will call its 300th match today, more than any other English-language TV pairing since 2014
#WorldCupOnFOX
I got this folder my sophomore year of high school on a tour of the Rose Garden Arena with my student newspaper class. It's held my notes for every broadcast I've ever done, which for the first time tonight includes a US match at the
#FIFAWorldCup
. And we still have two hours!
Anyone who worked with Grant, shared meals with Grant, had laughs with Grant...well, a friend today used the word 'numb', and that's apt. He brought such joy, enthusiasm, and passion for the sport to his work. We'll try to do the same tonight.
Just a Thorns fan from day one, humbly lending voice in support of this incredible group of women. You make our city proud
@ThornsFC
!
And as luck would have it, on my way to Philly for tomorrow's
#MLSCupPlayoffs
East Final, detouring to DC to be in the stands tonight!
#NWSL
One of the knocks against American Soccer is it's supposed lack of history. Seattle vs Portland is living history, almost 50 years now, and it's a very personal thing for me to get to be a part of (for a 16th time on national TV? Crazy). Watch the latest chapter today on FOX
Silver lining to not calling
@NWSL
games? I get to be a fan. These new
@ThornsFC
shirts are SENSATIONAL. Nicole and I both looking forward to being back at Providence Park to see these in action at some point down the road!
Today ends a working year that's taken me from Madrid to Mexico City, Cardiff to Kazan, Tennessee to Toronto and lots in between. Thankful for those who work so hard behind-the-scenes, for so little credit, without whom I wouldn't be lucky enough to do this for a job. On to 2018!
Darlington Nagbe's goal in 2011 gave my career a bigger boost than any moment I've called, to this day. Will be odd to see him in a different jersey, but really looking forward to watching what he adds to an already exciting Atlanta team
Gotta say, of all the different fun things I've received from MLS teams, this might be the coolest (and yes I'm biased, so sue me ha ha, I grew up going to this stadium). Looking forward to being in the stands Saturday night AND Sunday afternoon!
#RCTID
#BAONPDX
A dream of mine comes true! Sort of! Many thanks to
@TimbersFC
for hosting me today, looking forward to kicking off 2021 with the
#USMNT
vs Trinidad and Tobago **in Orlando**, 7pm ET/4pm PT on FS1
Want to support a local Portland soccer bar? Want to hear a bald guy tell World Cup stories? Failing that, want to just drink on a weeknight?
I've been invited to guest at Soccer Night in PDX, this Wednesday at Gol, SE 18th and Hawthorne. Come hang out and ask me whatever!
Happy Birthday today to
@stuholden
: five years of working together, five years of friendship, there's no one I'd rather have standing to my right when a game kicks off.
Fun fact: we are actually the same age
I'd argue that Jorge is one of the most remarkable (and underrated) stories in recent American soccer history. Got his shot in the pros via a reality show as a teenager (); won titles in MLS and Liga MX, and a Gold Cup with the US, in a 15-year career!
After 15 years of playing soccer at the highest level I have decided to retire from the sport that has given me so much joy and fulfillment. I’m proud of the trophy’s I have won the goals I have achieved and the friends I have made along the way.
Thanks you soccer!
...and if there's anything I LOVE just as much as calling an expansion team's first ever game, it's calling the first game in a new stadium.
@fccincinnati
's looks incredible, so excited to have this one on FOX in May
My earliest Thanksgiving memories are of being at Great Grandma's house in Manitou Springs, CO watching football before dinner. Now to get to call a Thanksgiving game involving my hometown team, a rematch of my first MLS broadcast...pretty cool. Coverage starts now on FOX!
Ready to fly home after 28 days in my own personal Southern California bubble, incredibly thankful to the many people who sacrificed a lot more time away from family than I did to put
#MLSisBack
together and allow us to get back to what we love to do. Hope to be at it again soon!
Toured new
@fccincinnati
stadium: it's outrageous. From safe-standing supporters experience in The Bailey to all-inclusive food and drink with your premium seat inches from the players, every part of the building feels unique. And in heart of Cincy! Thrilled to show it off on FOX
Always an exciting part of the start of a new MLS season: new jerseys! Very cool approach taken by
@TimbersFC
(complete with actual wood shavings), excited to see these in action starting next week
Driving around downtown before heading to the studio for our
#FIFArabCup
quarterfinal (Qatar vs UAE, 2pm ET on FS1, huge rivalry game!), super fun to see the build-up for
#MLSCup
around Portland
Friendly reminder that at international competitions like World Cup, Gold Cup, Champions League etc, broadcasters around the world take a single feed from a host broadcaster, have no individual control on what replays/shots are/are not shown. Also 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Things I don't take for granted: this view, my 4th
#MLSCup
, or being eight days from flying to Qatar. What a way to cap off our 8th year of MLS on
@FOXSoccer
, this should be incredible
Thanks to
@ATLUTD
for sending along one of their new shirts for their fifth (!) MLS season. Being back in a full MBS watching a healthy Josef Martinez is one of the things I'm most looking forward to. That and just eating food in Atlanta generally
This is very cool: Alessandra played soccer at Central Catholic HS when my wife Nicole was coach! And now look at the good she's doing in the world! Super neat to see her honored this way
Say hello to Alessandra Fazio, tonight's
@Safeway
Hometown Hero! A nurse at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, she's been on the front lines in the COVID unit during the pandemic. We are so grateful for Alessandra & her colleagues during this unprecedented time in our lives.
Thorns! What a tremendous game that was for NWSL on network TV, sensational final few minutes and then drama in the shootout. As the wife of a former Coug soccer player great to see Weaver win it. Big congrats
@ThornsFC
on the win and
@NWSL
for the occasion
Have you not been getting my tweets the last 14 months? So weird. Anyway, thrilled to be at Allianz Field (this place is amazing), about to go live with
@AlexiLalas
over at
@FOXSoccer
tune us in!
The last time I had this particular view from this particular booth at DHSP was June 2013, my last game as Timbers announcer. Super fun to be back tonight filling in for the irreplaceable
@JakeZivin
. Timbers vs Galaxy at 730 on FOX 12+ with
@RossSmith_20
@liam_ridgewell
Thorns! Huge congrats to the entire group on this accomplishment, so so deserved. What a treat to be here for it. And big thanks to
@jennhildreth
@alywagner
and
@ChristinaUnkel
for letting me watch with them. Off to Philly!
Twenty years ago I attended a World Cup semifinal in my hometown of Portland, US vs Germany, as a college freshman. What fun to be in the stands for another semifinal, this time with twice as many people, and my wife and son as well!
Pretty incredible day in the Pacific Northwest, 44 years of history and hostilities renewed between the Seattle Sounders at Portland Timbers right after
#ORLvRBNY
on FS1
First ever Club World Cup finalist from CONCACAF vs Alphonso Davies and the 30-time German Champions. Really looking forward to Thursday,
@stuholden
and I will have it for you at 1pm ET/10am PT on FS1
A fun treat today from
@ROOTSPORTS_NW
and
@pbrowntv
: me, days after my 26th birthday (look at all that hair!), alongside such an important mentor and friend
@The2RobbiesNBC
, and about to make the most significant goal call of my early career (July 2, 2011)
#Nagbeeeeee
Certainly among the more unique promotional items I've received, but a fun (and delicious) way to get excited for Heineken
#RivalryWeek
--including our tripleheader Sunday on FS1!
(Also,
@MLS
you know me well, beer-related items are always welcome at The Strong Household)
Really impressed by our first visit to St Louis since
@stlCITYsc
came to be: first-class stadium, fantastic training center across the street, fabulous downtown location...and for our purposes, a terrific broadcast booth and SOFT-SERVE IN THE PRESS BOX. USA vs SKN now on FS1
My son decided he's a Seahawks fan this fall, so his Christmas present was his first NFL game. Funny to think how many times I've been here over the years, looks so different than I'm used to! Just makes me excited for the start of the MLS season
Hello from Foxboro, Mass! First visit since 2015 Gold Cup, and for a cause infinitely more important than soccer. The Final Whistle On Hate, and the game between the Revolution and Chelsea, on FS1 tonight at 8pm ET. Special pregame
@FOXSoccer
at 7:30
As a follow up, if
@stuholden
and I are still around in 2025 I think we should dress like this for a 50th anniversary Sounders-Timbers telecast (I'll need to find a toupee, but Stu already has Cliff McCrath's shirt)
()
I have actually thanked Darlington for this goal and the effect it had launching my career!
Though I was petrified afterwards: if I had butchered the call, he'd have to mute it when playing it back for his kids and grandkids. Time will tell on that I suppose...
Heartbreaking to watch Robbie--a man I so admire, and owe so much to, and am so thankful to say is a friend--overcome with emotion. Heartbreaking that he, and we, need to keep having this conversation. But a reminder of how important it is to keep saying
#BlackLivesMatter
"If we stand together in the fight, we've got a chance."
Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle and Kyle Martino have an emotional, open and deeply personal discussion about race in society.
Four years ago, weeks apart, I was lucky enough to check two items off my bucket list: USMNT vs Mexico in Columbus, and MLS Cup (in Toronto). Fun to be here once more to combine the two, and bring down the curtain on the 25th MLS season
#MLSCup
8pm ET/5pm PT on FOX
Remote broadcasting + off night in Copa America = date night with my wife Nicole! Can't tell you how wonderful it is to see this place full(-ish) again
So full of admiration for
@stuholden
who has worked tirelessly to put
#KickInForHouston
together for his hometown. Join us tonight at the stadium, watch tomorrow 3:30p PT on FS1, and donate to Harvey relief at now!
Inevitably, still somewhat emotionally hungover from the US loss last night. But what a joy and a blessing to get to continue calling games at this World Cup! Can France be the first back-to-back champs in 60 years? Their next step is against a resolute Poland here at Al Thumama
Hello from the
@Tommy_G
memorial press box at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati! Sold-out for tonight's Gold Cup QF doubleheader, get-in price of $400 resale right now, and the cacophony of horns from fans is already loud outside. See you at 5pm ET/2pm PT on FS1!
There are so many people who've put a ton of work in over the past days, weeks, and months to create
#MLSisBack
, at the league office, the teams, our friends at ESPN and elsewhere. Stay safe, good luck, excited to watch in a bit and to join the fun Saturday night!
Bit of a different viewpoint for us today for the Thorns, and great to have our five-year-old son with us today too! This is after the opening goal just now
How about my fellow
@UOsojc
alum
@Fletch_Johnson
with the terrific local radio call of Evander's winner!
[Also here's to more local radio announcers across MLS getting a spotlight like this, love it!]
What a blessing to be able to do something like this for a job! My fourth Gold Cup Final, seventh US vs Mexico...this is the view the birthday boy
@stuholden
and I will share tonight. Coverage starts 8pm ET/5pm PT on FS1