It's rumored this morning that Timbers owner Merritt Paulson had an emotional outburst during yesterday's negotiations with the city over the siting of the Minor League Baseball stadium. Paulson is rumored to have slammed his hands on the table, thrown his phone down, and exploded in a stream of difficult-to-decipher expletives. Difficult to decipher because they were so loud.

City Commissioner Randy Leonard told the Lents neighbors with a wry grin on his face last night: "We've been having very difficult negotiations, and in fact today we almost lost a city attorney in the line of duty."

A source familiar with the outburst said Paulson was verging on similarities to the character Michael Myers in the movie Halloween. "He was pale," says the source. "He had a hollow look in his eyes. It felt like I was looking into the face of Satan."

MYERS: PAULSON COMPARED TO HALLOWEEN BAD GUY...

Asked to confirm or deny whether Paulson had let fly with a string of expletives yesterday, City Commissioner Randy Leonard answered only: "Who doesn't?"

Negotiations are set to continue today, but Leonard says the city is no closer to making a deal than it was at last night's meeting. A spokesperson for Paulson is yet to return a call for comment.