A hopecast is a prediction of an upcoming game based on the desires rather than the beliefs. The cast is the result best placed to advantage the club supported by the person making it.
A Portland Timbers hopecast is therefore the results from other games that would best benefit Portland.
PORTLAND TIMBERS SEPTEMBER HOPECASTS
H=Home Win A=Away Win D=Draw
Saturday, September 5, 2015
New England A Orlando
Given New England’s play off prowess, Portland might prefer someone else to represent the East in the post season. That said, everyone outside the top 5 there looks awful.
Montreal A Chicago
There is not much in this all East battle for Portland, but they might prefer someone more predictable than Montreal in the Eastern half of the playoffs.
Seattle A Toronto FC
Sounders losing at home takes significant pressure off the sides above them, including Portland.
San Jose A Philadelphia
This is the most important other game for Portland after Seattle’s. If by some miracle, the Earthquakes mess up against the second worst team in the country with home advantage, it would be reduce the number of points Portland need for higher seedings and even allow the luxury of a Sounders revival.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Columbus H FC Dallas
There’s no downside in Dallas losing in the battle for Western Conference playoff slots. Oscar Pareja could do Caleb Porter an enormous favor by losing and thus helping him reel FC Dallas into the sixth place scramble. You have always got a double chance of sneaking above the red line if more than one team is catchable. If San Jose are going to keep on winning, then Dallas losses become even more helpful.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Vancouver D Colorado
Vancouver may not be mathematiclly out of sight but Colorado could be a late threat for sixth place with some wins. More importantly, Portland need several teams to start losing if they are in hope of a late Shield run, and they often play each other.
It’s better to allow Vancouver their Shield glory than risk Colorado becoming a pesky fly, and be watching them nervously at the end. Colorado have 5 of their 8 games left on the road, and it may be later hopecasts are for their victories.
This was a tough one to call and we think a draw is the coward’s way out. It takes all the steam out of the Rapids’ late charge but will be seen as two points lost for Vancouver.
Portland H Sporting KC
A Portland hopecast is obviously for a Portland win.
Best case scenario Western Conference table
| # | Club | P | PTS | W | PPG |
| 1 | Vancouver | 28 | 46 | 14 | 1.64 |
| 2 | LA Galaxy | 28 | 46 | 13 | 1.64 |
| 3 | Portland Timbers | 28 | 43 | 12 | 1.54 |
| 4 | FC Dallas | 26 | 41 | 12 | 1.57 |
| 5 | Sporting Kansas City | 26 | 40 | 11 | 1.54 |
| 6 | Seattle Sounders FC | 28 | 38 | 12 | 1.36 |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 27 | 38 | 11 | 1.41 |
| 8 | Houston Dynamo | 27 | 35 | 9 | 1.30 |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 27 | 34 | 8 | 1.26 |
| 10 | Real Salt Lake | 27 | 32 | 8 | 1.19 |
