Dran is a bit out of range for a
meetup, so I had to handle this hard-hitting expose on my own.
D&C: Hi, Jamie, thanks
for digitally sitting down with us today. Help yourself to some of this
non-local, non-organic, GMO coffee.
You've worked and written extensively
on the mental aspects of sport. What impact does your former (or ongoing)
research have on your day-to-day writing?
JG: I think a lot about the mental side of sports
when I'm determining what articles to pursue and evaluating the performance of
players and what's happening on the field. It's always something that's in the
back of my mind because it's an important topic for me and something that I
think is integral to understanding sports performance.
D&C: What did you write about pre-Timbers? Was
writing about the Timbers/Thorns (or soccer in general) something you wanted to
do?
JG: Before moving to Portland to cover the Timbers, I
was pursuing my Master's degree in journalism at UC Berkeley. I worked
primarily for a hyperlocal news site in the Mission District of San Francisco
covering politics, news and features, but I also wrote freelance sports
articles on the side. I spent a lot of time writing an article for SI.com about
concussions in high school girls' soccer. I've always wanted to cover sports
full-time and soccer is a sport I've played and followed my entire life. I was
really excited when I received the opportunity to come to Portland
and cover the Timbers and Thorns.
D&C: Cal-Berkely,
right, right. Fantasitc institution; Consistently tip-top in US News & World Report’s Top
Colleges. In regards to their food service, would you say they served good food
in the cafeterias?
[Long
Pause]
JG: Since I attended
Cal for grad school, I never ate in the cafeteria. The only time I've ever eaten
in the Berkeley cafeteria was at a Cal softball camp when I was 10-years-old. I
remember being unable to scoop rice on my plate because it was stuck to the
bowl. I think I ended up eating pizza instead.
D&C: Sorry to hear
about that rice debacle. Hopefully they got that issue sorted. Since we’re
talking about food, what fast food restaurant has the best $1 dollar menu, and
as a follow-up, why is it Taco Bell?
JG: I haven't been
to a fast food restaurant in a long, long time, but I liked the dollar snacks
that I could buy at the vending machine in my old apartment building.
D&C: Wow, that
sounds delicious. A hospital I worked at a few years ago had a great vending
machine that would tell you which snacks were good for you. The jalapeno
cheddar Cheetos weren’t on that list.
The
Timbers had somewhat of a down year in 2014. Mustard or Mayonnaise?
JG: Mayonnaise.
D&C: Couldn’t agree
more. What’s your favorite lunch spot in Portland?
JG: Uno Mas
Taquiza. Best tacos in Portland and this coming from someone who lived in San
Francisco's Mission District.
D&C: Again, I
couldn’t agree more and this is coming from a Texan. I’ve had a fair amount of
Mexican food in my day.
Alright,
I have to ask this. I know it’s a hot-button issue and it could alienate you
from your readership. #OlivesIN or #OlivesOUT?
JG: #OlivesOUT.
#OregonLiveIN.
D&C: I respect your
opinion
and I’m sorry to hear that.
Let’s
change the subject. You write
for The Oregonian. How
would you say The Oregonian affects
your view of how The College Football Playoff system works?
JG: When Oregon is in the College Football
Playoffs, it's much harder to get in touch with my editor.
D&C: Covering the
Timbers, you have locker room access post game. Is being in the locker room after a loss scary? I’d probably
take a security blanket with me.
JG: I'm mostly scared that the locker room will
be empty and I'll miss deadline.
D&C: Interesting.
You’re braver than me for certain.
Who’s
your 2nd favorite player
to watch play soccer, excluding MLS players?
JG: I've always been a big fan of watching Abby
Wambach and since you didn't say anything about excluding NWSL players...
D&C: Great answer.
Abby is a great player and a patriot.
Jamie,
if Italy were on a Rorschach test, what would you say it resembles? What about
Colorado?
JG: You could have chosen Italy or
Florida and gotten a similar answer. Colorado is a square, which
reminds me of my laptop, which remind me of the soccer articles I need to
write...
D&C: We’re almost done. I know you’re busy.
What city do you most want to visit and why?
JG: Managua, Nicaragua. My mother's
family is from there and I've never been.
D&C: That’s very
cool. My family is from England/Scotland.
Drayden
told me he just had Panera’s new Steak and White Cheddar panini. What’s your
go-to panini?
JG: Pesto Chicken.
D&C: Drayden and I both have dogs named Timber. Why didn't you
name your pet Timber also, if you have any pets...?
JG: I don't want people
to confuse my dog with your dogs (that's if I had a dog...). As someone who
grew up in a class that included a Jamie A., Jamie B., and Jamie G., I strive
to be unique when it comes to naming pets.
D&C: I really admire your
sense of individuality. I can’t thank you enough for sitting down with me
today. Anything you'd like to
tell your readers before we close up?
JG: This was
very awkward. I don't know why I agreed to it.
D&C: I don’t know
how to respond… Ummm, what are you working on right now that you’d like our
readers to know about?
JG: With Timbers
training camp starting this week, I will hopefully be writing a lot of articles
about the new players. I will also be traveling to Arizona and covering the
team's training camp while they are there.
Also, we are working to put together a series of pieces this year
in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Timbers. I have some stories in the
works already, but we’re interested in hearing from readers about stories
they have or think should be included in our 40th anniversary coverage.
Jamie Goldberg is a soccer reporter at The
Oregonian covering the Portland Timbers, Portland Thorns and other
soccer-related happenings.
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