Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter has a collection of souvenirs from all his years in soccer adorning a part of his home. It includes jerseys, photos, a scarf, and even a pair of cleats.
What it does not include is Porter's MLS Coach of the Year award from 2013.
Earlier this year, the trophy met its end, as a cleaning lady accidentally knocked it crashing to the ground. The crystal, which was made by Tiffany & Co., broke into pieces upon impact. Porter and his wife tried to get a replacement for the trophy - which he won in his inaugural MLS season in 2013 with a Western Conference-best 14-5-15 record - but Tiffany & Co. wanted something in return.
"I'm just not the kind of guy who is going to pay $800 to replace an award," Caleb Porter told OregonLive.com during a profile of the Timbers coach at home. "I thought it was a sign. I'm such a symbolic guy it bothered me but then I realized it's just a way of telling me that that stuff is meaningless. Good coaches don't coach for awards."
They do coach for trophies, however, and Porter can move closer to claiming MLS' ultimate prize if he guides the Timbers to a victory over FC Dallas in the Audi 2015 Western Conference Championship. The first leg of that series will be played on Sunday at Providence Park (7:30 pm ET, FS1, FOX Deportes, TSN5).
