Spencer Won’t Quit His Day Job Just Yet

An Alaska Airlines commercial featuring Portland Timbers head coach John Spencer is getting a lot of attention these day after the spot made its debut on television this past weekend.

“The things you do for love, you know,” Spencer said. “I want to keep the relationship good. [Owner] Merritt [Paulson] put pressure on me to do it.”

It only took three or four takes, which isn’t too bad for someone who doesn’t have any acting experience.

“I was nervous,” said Spencer. “You’re standing there not used to doing something and speaking to a group of actors that are professionals—I felt like a little bit of an amateur. But it was fun doing it.”

Spencer did get some notes during filming, including a critique of his apparently not-so-thick accent.

“They asked me to try and speak more Scottish,” said Spencer. “I didn’t realize I didn’t speak Scottish. When you try and not do something for ten, eleven years so people like you guys can understand me, and then try to go back to your normal dialect… I couldn’t do it. [I've spent] so many years trying to speak clearer so you guys can understand me.”

Team captain Jack Jewsbury hasn’t given Spencer a hard time yet, but he expects some good-natured joking around to take place at some point.

“We like to give guys grief for stuff like that,” Jewsbury said. “I thought he did a pretty good job of acting. It definitely put a smile on my face.”

But don’t expect Spencer to forgo the pitch for a stage any time soon. Although if things don’t work out with the Timbers he did leave the door open for a possible career change.

“I’m the coach of the team,” Spencer said. “I just want to try and do the best job I can for the organization and for my players, and if it’s good enough at the end of the day I’ll be here for a long time. If it’s not, maybe I’ll be working as a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines.”