Let’s Discuss the Men Who Run Women’s Soccer

Both fans and players are wondering how the teams can move forward with ownership that prioritizes saving face over protecting players.

The fanatical fan base, the Timbers Army, show up to support the Timbers. (John Rudoff)

Men are the problem.

Take, for instance, the situation currently faced by Portland’s beloved Thorns, our women’s soccer team owned by Merritt Paulson, who also owns the Timbers.

When presented with sexual abuse allegations by Thorns team members who were being manipulated by their coach, Merritt just kind of performatively fired said coach. And sent him away...with what? Not a warning that he may be a serial sexual abuser, but glowing words of recommendation. From whom? Oh, just a high-ranking white man. In a powerful white man cabal. And the coach coached on.

Sound familiar? Yes, of course it does.

Today, I’m talking to my pod pal Anthony Effinger about his cover story, a deep dive into the soccer scandal that has shaken Portland’s showstopping Thorns and Timbers soccer teams and their powerfully progressive, social justice-minded fan bases, leaving both fans and players wondering how the teams can move forward with ownership that prioritizes saving face over protecting players.

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