Caleb Porter may have been the recipient, but the message FC Dallas manager Oscar Pareja was trying to send was not merely aimed at the Portland Timbers head coach.
Instead, it was directed at all MLS managers.
Two days after having a now infamous confrontation with Porter that involved a tissue following his team's 3-1 loss to Portland, Pareja told FOX soccer analyst Alexi Lalas on Monday that he was hoping to make a statement to all coaches across the league about their constant badgering of officials.
The FC Dallas manager also pointed the finger at himself, stating that he also needed to better learn how to deal with his emotions when calls don't go his way.
Contrary to Porter's version of what happened at Providence Park on Saturday, the 46-year-old Pareja said that he did not put the tissue over his nose before handing it to the Timbers boss. His gesture was apparently meant to be more symbolic.
While Pareja's comments might bring an end to Tissue Gate, the two Western Conference clubs are not done with one another just yet. They face off again on July 25 at Toyota Stadium.
