Section (one oh!) Eight!

Fire power ranking not so powerful

2011-03-15T23:55:00.001-05:00

Fox Soccer power rankings are out. Last year, Chicago started the season at Number 3. This year, we earned Number 16.

That was not a typo.

Just a reminder. There are only 18 teams in the MLS.

Well, no place to go but up. I'll be tracking it all year. Count on it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Philly

MFLS Division "Section (one oh!) Eight" is Alive Again!

2011-03-13T11:27:00.007-05:00

I've created a MFLS Private Division once again for any of those interested and confident enough to challenge the 2 year Reigning Divisional Champion "Fire_Fan"! So what that there was like no one playing last year or anything, but the year before that, I kicked, well, you know what!

Playing in this Fantasy League has been lots of fun for me in years past and I look forward to another year of entertainment. This was a great idea by Jim years ago when he started us on this MFLS journey. Participating really forced me to learn more about other teams, other players and how the rest of the league was performing, which got me more involved, more interested, more educated and I had much more fun!

For those that might be new to the fun… follow this link for the fantasy league web page (MFLS.com), this link for the MLS Teams so you can start your research (Major League Soccer). Once you have created a team on MFLS, you can join a division and our sis named “Section (One Oh!) Eight” and you will need a password which is the same it has always been, “Fire”.

Good luck to all those who dare challenge me and GO FIRE!

Uraguayan Connection to Replace Salvadoran Connection?

2011-02-21T21:26:00.003-06:00

The Fire have announced yet another striker signing from Uraguay. See the Fire home page for the press release on the signing of Diego Chaves. What's going on here? Did Klopas or de los Cobos vacation in Uraguay this winter?

Maybe...But maybe not;

The rumor wire is once again twitching and this time its not South America but Eastern Block. Perhaps building on the popularity and success of the Ristic move, Klopas appears close to cinching a deal for Marco Babic, a Croat (sp?) International currently in search of a club. The next few days are going to be interesting as Klopas and his tech staff work to complete the roster.

Fire Make Unexpected Designated Player Bid

2011-02-12T18:54:00.004-06:00

Rumor Wire -- Technical Director Frank Klopas and the Chicago Fire are rumored to be close to closing a deal with EPL Powerhouse, Arsenal. On the block appears to be none other than U12 wunderkind [Little] Stevie Gavrilovich. LSG (pictured left during a Arsenal very-reserve team training) is reportedly a "very unexpected bid" by the Fire, who saw both 2010 DP deals result in disappointment.

Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger, reportedly thinks highly of Little Stevie. "Ya, Ya. Little Stevie is a true professional. His mama always brings great cookies to practice, too."

As always, no details have been disclosed by the teams. However, a source close to the negotiation reports Arsenal is holding out for a 13,000,000 pound transfer fee in addition to LSG's 23,400,000 pound / year contract. That's alot of cookies

Salvadoran Experiment Comes to an End

2011-02-12T18:27:00.004-06:00

The Fire anounced this week the departure of Deris Umanzor. Umanzor, together with Julio Martinez, comprised the brace of players that Coach de los Cobos brought over from the El Salvador National Team when he signed with the Fire.

Niether player ever looked comfortable in the league or found a solid role with the team.

"[I learned] a lot of things," De los Cobos said. "I really want to be honest with you. The characteristics of this league are difficult. Not all players can play in this league. It's difficult. For me as a coach, I learned much about the league, and I know things better than my arrival. It helped me make decisions for the next season, bringing some different players with special skills.

"I need to take advantage of this knowledge I have taken from last season."

Let's hope that new Uraguayan import Gaston Puerari was chosen by de los Cobos using that hard won knowledge...

So That's Where the Jersey Money Went...

2011-02-07T09:47:00.005-06:00

Ripped from the Headlines of Wall Street Journal...

A Best Buy spot starring pop star Justin Bieber and rock legend Ozzy Osbourne dressed in space-aged suits received high marks from ad executives. Mr. Osbourne, confused by new technologies, is replaced by the young star on a commercial shoot.

Madison Avenue executives said the celebrity pairing was a perfect match for the electronic retailer's message and will play well across generations. The electronics retailer is likely to drive even more buzz in coming days with its pick of Mr. Bieber, who has more than seven million followers on Twitter. Further, Ozzy's strong fan base in rehab programs and detox centers has the potential to open up a new marketing niche for the company; an attractive prospect in the the cut-throat electronics retail sector.

The commercial was Best Buy's first-ever Super Bowl ad and was created with money diverted from the firms recently ended jersey sponsorship deal with Chicago's MLS franchise, The Fire.

Also today, Best Buy anounced their new merchandise return policy. Customers will be entitled to a full refund, as long as the merchandise is returned to the original store of purchase, in the original unopened package, 15 minutes prior to actually making the purchase.

Keeper Controversy in the Offing?

2011-02-06T22:48:00.004-06:00

The 2010 season kicked off for Chicago with a stunning Goal Keeper controversy - the sudden departure of Fan Favorite John Busch in favor of Andrew Dystra, a second year player who had never started an MSL game.

Well, 2011 is here and with it another shake up at Goal Keeper. However, this time, it comes as less of a shock. Gone is Andrew Dykstra who had quickly lost his starting job to Sean Johnson. Now, with Dyksta cut from the roster, the Fire need a backup keeper. And, with the reserve league starting again this year, they might need a third keeper to play on the reserve.

Enter Jon Conway, formerly of Toronto FC. Conway, a 30 something keeper has seen starter time with Toronto and Red Bull. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes flat. It should be interesting to see if Conway's experience gives him an edge over Johnson for the starter spot.

No One Strikes Like Gaston...

2011-02-06T17:48:00.003-06:00

Ok, maybe that obscure movie reference doesn't work for anyone without little kids. FYI, It's Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Apropos?

Well that remains to be seen. Will the Fire's latest acquisition be a Beauty or a Bust? Frankie Klopas announced that the Fire have signed Gaston Puerari from the Uraguay Primera Division. Gaston is a striker by trade. But as is often the case with South American strikers, he is not a 6 foot target forward. Rather, Gaston is a speedy, penetrating dribbler. If that sounds alarmingly like a description of Nery Castillo, don't despair. In 2010 Gaston scored 5 goals in 14 appearances for his Primera Division side, the Montevideo Wanderers.

C.J. Brown Joins RSL

2011-02-06T16:36:00.002-06:00

Former Fire Captain, Fire Original, and one of the longest playing professionals in MLS history, C.J. Brown has joined the coaching staff of Real Salt Lake as Assistant to Jason Kries.

RSL have built their style on a stingy defense, so bringing in a defensive specialist as Assistant Coach is not much of a surprise. Perhaps the bigger surprise is that Chicago had an assistant spot open this year. If C.J. was available, why didn't Chicago pick him up?

Oh well, yet another Fire starter we are going to have to face on the opposing bench this year...

Time to Break out Your Date Book!

2011-02-04T23:02:00.003-06:00

Finally! Today the league anounced that the complete 2011 regular season schedule will be release this comming Thursday, February 6th. Get ready to pick games and reschedule that family vacation you were planning! (I've actually been putting off all my relatives so that I could plan my visit to Texas around the Houston Dynamo game...)

Would You Like Some Nuts with Your Pepsi?

2011-02-02T22:38:00.004-06:00

It's been a while since I've come across a commercial worthy of inclusion in our continuing series of cool/funny/outrageous soccer commercials. Here's the latest. It brings new, and painful, meaning to the phrase, "Take one for the team." Enjoy (and grimace).

Nery Packing?

2011-01-16T22:03:00.003-06:00

After only eight games in a Fire uniform, it seems that Nery Castillo is packing his bag and heading back to Greece. Numerous rumors now have Castillo heading to Club Aris in the Hellespont. The rumors kicked off with Nery posting to his Facebook page that he and his brother (who acts as his agent) were working a deal in Greece for a transfer.
The Fire maintain that Nery is expected to show up at camp and make good on his contract, which runs through the 2011 season, but does have an opt-out clause at June.

The general buzz among Fire faithful posting on sites with this rumor is "good riddance!" Hopefully the Fire eject Nery and get a new DP - maybe Ibrahimavich!

Rebuilding...Again

2010-12-21T22:06:00.029-06:00

Alright, the off season is in full swing and things are now not happening at an amazing pace! Therefor, it's time for a little off-season blogging to at least start to get back in the soccer frame of mind...

So, in this first of several year-end, year-beginning blogs, let's recap where the team is at today by reviewing who/what's In and Out.

First Up - Strikers / Attackers

Out: Brian McBride
Out: Colins John
Out: Stefan Dimitrov

I'm sure I didn't need to remind anyone that Brian McBride retired. It's also probably no surprise that the Fire have taken a pass on renewing Colins John's contract. Having reviewed my posts from this time last year, I was on record as saying that the John signing was "the most exciting pre-season move". We'll, the pre-season excitement gave way to regular season doldrums and John never looked like he was really trying.

The reverse was true of Brian McBride; he never looked like he was giving less than 150% on the field. Where will the Fire find that kind of on the field leadership this year? As you read on, you'll see that the list is thinning.

Who the Fire will find to fill the striker roll this year will be an urgent question to be answered by the technical staff. As John (our John) never misses a chance to point out, you can't win if you can't score; and you can't score enough if you only rely on shots and runs from the midfield to put the ball on goal.

Players currently on the roster who will be competing for striker or withdrawn striker positions: Nery Castillo, Patrick Nyarko, and Calen Carr.

Second lets talk...Designated Players

Out: Freddie Ljungberg
In: Nery Castillo

Say it ain't so Freddie! Certainly, FL was the best of the two DP deals the Fire did last year. He fought, he played through opposition, he dove spectacularly, and bled for the team and fans. He even scored several goals and made several assists. I'm a fan. However, Europe is once again seeking Freddie's services so, although the deal is not inked, it now seems more likely than not that Fred will end up back in Europe next year playing for Scotish side Celtic F.C. and will not resign with the Fire.

Nery, Nery, Nery...what can you say? He started his tour of duty by showing us all, and millions of viewers on ESPN (for three weeks in a row), just how many different ways there are to be caught offside. Then he suffered some training injuries, probably brought about by his extreme lack of fitness. When he was reintroduced to the lineup, it was as a midfielder - doubtless the intention was to get him as far as possible from the offsides line without sitting him on the bench. The results were dismal; few minutes, fewer touches, zero penetration, no shots that didn't pass over the goal by a good 10 feet.

What we have seen of Nery is that he has some quick moves, good enough to make a last defender - or even two defenders - miss. We have not seen him pass dangerously, nor shoot from distance (even on restarts) with any threat. My conclusion: teach him what offsides is and move him to withdrawn striker. Hopefully, Nery has been conditioning all winter and will arrive at camp a new player.

Next Up: Midfielders

Out: Justin Mapp
Out: John Thorington
Out: Peter Lowry
In: Logan Pause
In: Bratislav Ristic

First off, I felt compelled to mention the departure of Justin Mapp, even though it occurred during the regular season, because Justin's departure (during his best season in years) was precipitated by the signing of Freddie L - who's services we are now all but certain to loose. That's a bitter pill.

Thor and Peter Lowry were both selected during the expansion draft by Portland and Vancouver. So, not only will we loose their services, like Mapp, we'll have to play against them. Gaaarrg!

The one position that is not in flux this year is that of Holding Midfielder / Stopper. Logan Pause will again be in a Fire jersey for the 2011 season. He is now a frosty haired veteran and the longest serving player on the Fire squad - including the entire coaching staff and the Board Room.

And YES!! Bratislav Ristic will be returning to the team in 2011! I admit, I haven't been this amped about a new player since Marco Pappa debued. After watching the Red Star Belgrade games, I was lusting after some Serbian dynamism. Ristic proved he's got what it takes to make a difference. I think he would have been an even bigger impact last year if we had had a potent wing defender to support him. As it was, Ristic played more of a defender last season than an attacking midfielder. If we can remedy that and get him set loose in the other teams defensive third, it should be fun to watch. At least, I'm sure the body count will go up and he and Segaras may be competing for team yellow card leader.

Remaining in the lineup to compete for midfield posts: Patrick Nyarko, Marco Pappa, Baggio Husidic, Mike Banner, Corben Bone, and Victor Pineda (a 17 year old local signed from the Fire development system)

On to...The Defense

Out: C.J. Brown
Out: Wilman Conde
Out: Krystof Krol
In: Gonzolo Segares
In: Cory Gibbs

OUCH!! If Defense wins Championships, we are hurting, big time. I don't know about you, but I was not overly impressed with the fire defense last year. They were individually skilled, but had a propensity for stunning unforced errors and miscues. It's one thing to be broken down by excellent ball movement and skill, but quit another to let the ball pass between your legs, over your head, or to pass the ball directly to the other team's forward! So, in one sense, the departing players represent both some of the most skilled defenders, but also some of the most frequent offenders when it came to bone-headed play last year. Still they will not be easy to replace.

On the bright side, Gonzo is signed with the team and the Fire has acquired Cory Gibbs from the Revs. Gibbs is a veteran very reminiscent of C.J., so he's bound for the center back. Which would be good, because otherwise we will end up wasting Gonzo in the center when we really need him behind Marco or Ristic.

The other potential bright spot (for me at least) is returning second year player Steven Kinney. Yes, reports of his death (mostly be me) turned out to be greatly exaggerated. I look forward to Kinney as the counter balance to Gonzo.

Remaining on the squad to compete for defender slots: Daisan Robinson, Mike Banner, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, and Deris Umanzor.

Other notable substitutions and departures:

Out: The Kansas City Wizards
In: Sporting Kansas City

Jumping on the "Let's Sound European" band wagon, KC has dropped their name in favor of the Sporting Kansas City moniker. New Jerseys, New Logo. Since a "sporting club" necessarily competes in more than one sport, I wondered what the other sports represented in the Sporting K.C. stable might be. Turns out there really is another sport - LaCross.

Out: Community America Ballpark
In: K.C. Soccer Stadium

Finally, no more games will be played at the postage stamp masquerading as a soccer field, Community America Ballpark. Of course, with the change of venue, K.C. will loose one of the most daunting home field advantages enjoyed by any MLS franchise. Lot's of teams have rabid fans, but only KC had a special set of restarts and transition plays developed just for their crazy short home field.

Out: Best Buy
In: Moe's Weiner Wagon

Well, maybe not Moe's Weiner Wagon, but the Fire are purportedly looking for a locally based Jersey Sponsor to replace Best Buy, which will not be renewing their Jersey Sponsorship deal in 2011. Their reason for leaving? Marrisa Vanez, Best Buy's V.P. of Advertising stated "We realize the the Chicago Fire are an organization dedicated to professionalism and customer [fan] service - and those values just don't mesh with Best Buy's corporate culture." [yes, Best Buy gave me a hassle returning something recently]

Speaking of customer service...

Out: The Entire Season Ticket Holder Account Manager Staff
In: A top of the line answering machine purchased at a discount from Best Buy

Need I say more. Farewell and good luck to Julie Jawor in particular. I hope the Fire can maintain the high expectations you upheld for all your clients.

And more notables...

Out: The 24 man roster
In: The new 30 man roster
Out: The 30 game regular season
In: The 34 game regular season
In: The Reserve Squad

More games, More players, and the return of the Reserve Squad. Not bad. Our ticket package remains 20 games. Now, 17 of those will be regular season MLS games, leaving 3 bonus games. Each MLS team will play every other team twice - once home and once away. There's lots to be said for the balance and equity of that schedule, but it doesn't leave the opportunity to stack up games for regional or historic rivalries. Regardless, the extra players will be a bonus to the team, especially with the reintroduction of the Reserve Squad.

The Summary: Currently the Fire have 18 men on the roster, leaving 12 slots to fill their 30 man roster. There are some special rules, like only so many players can be foreign and some slots are set aside for home grown players (a big advantage for the Fire given their strong player development squad). But, no matter how you slice it, the Fire need to get busy very fast if they are going to field a squad capable of competing, like so many prior squads, for a playoff slot!

2010 Fire Fun

2010-10-17T13:19:00.005-05:00

I have posted here all the pics i took this year for everyone's enjoyment. If you want any for yourself, and cant get them off this site, let me know.

Although the season did not produce the victories we had hoped to see, I know the Britvich's had a great time with friends and family.

Cant wait till next year!

AC Milan v Fire

2010-05-30T22:08:00.001-05:00

Fire come up short v Italian power house A C Milan. Final 1 -0. CJ mishandled the ball onto Seedorf's foot. 3 yards out from goal. He won't miss from there!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Toyota Park

Fire Sign Collins John

2010-03-13T14:26:00.004-06:00

It's official. This week the Chicago Fire closed the last, and potentially most significant, deal in what has shaped up to be a [insert over the top adjective here] preseason building spree.

Coming into the pre-season, the Fire technical staff of Frank Klopas faced a daunting number of holes in their starting eleven. Pretty much every talking head and blogger was of the opinion that, while still a strong team, the Fire would be out of contention for the MLS Cup and, instead, would need to build back their strength for one or even two years. And, really, who could blame them. Even Fire faithful were worried (not me of course) with the departure of DP Blanco, Wunderkind Chris Rolphe, Attacking Left Back "Gonzo" Segares, and Brandon Preidiux. The starting eleven had been gutted of key talent. Add to that the parting of ways with Head Coach Dennis Hamlett and the approaching dotage of C.J. Brown, and, really, there wasn't any reason to be optimistic.

Bravo to Klopas and his staff! They launched immediately to work landing, in quick succession, a new head coach, a new left back to replace Segares (Krol), a new midfield engine to replace Rolphe (Martinez), and added strike force with former Fulham player, Collins John. Not to mention executing what has been recognized by just about everyone as the best series of picks in this year's Super Draft.

Can any of these guys replace the Blanco spark? Alone, no. But together, with McBride and Thorington, and Papa...maybe so.

There are only a few days left until the openner at the new Red Bull Stadium and here's the talent list Coach los Cabos will have to select from...

McBride - Nyarko - Thorrington - Pappa - Ward - Krol - Bushe - Martinez - Pause - Conde - Husidich - Mapp - Dimitrov - Collins John - C.J. Brown - Robinson - Banner - Carr - Lowry

GO FIRE!!

Labor Negotiations "Not in a good place"

2010-02-22T18:47:00.001-06:00

This article was posted to Ives Galarcep's blog. I've reprinted the entire article here because it's the most complete bit of journalism I've seen on this topic.

Taken from Soccer by Ives:

The 2010 Major League Soccer season may still kick off as planned, without a delay in the start of the season, but the process to get to that point is going to be a messy one after labor talks went public on Friday, leading to an ugly back-and-forth that might just be the beginning of a lengthy battle.

It started with the players union going public on Friday and breaking a public silence that had stood since negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement began. MLS officials, after initially insisting they would not "negotiate through the media", responded to the union's accusations with their own defense on Saturday. The union responded on Sunday by calling into question the validity of the league's defense.

So where exactly do we stand? Who do we believe? If anything is clear from the weekend's back-and-forth, it is that there is no clear-cut villain in this. The players union painted MLS as the bad guy with its stories of mistreated players and unfair rules, and it was a narrative that was easy to buy into because it touched a chord with fans who weren't likely to side with a faceless collection of owners and league officials in the first place. That said, you can't help but wonder how accurate the portrayal is given the league's clear insistence that it has already offered up a good number of concessions.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Now the question is whether the two sides can find their ways closer to that middle in order to avoid a truly messy situation. The answer is yes, but only when the sides accept that changes need to be made.

MLS has already made the first major shift in strategy in this labor situation by publicly stating that it is prepared to go into the 2010 season operating under the old CBA (a clear change in policy after the league made it clear to the union in early negotiations that it had no intention of operating under the old CBA). As writer Kyle McCarthy laid out so perfectly on Monday, this maneuver puts pressure on the player's union to either accept a deal or strike.

Is the union as strong and determined to fight this fight as it will need to be? MLS clearly doesn't believe so, which would explain the willingness to operate under a CBA the league itself was demanding be scrapped less than two months ago.

Does this all mean the players don't have gripes? It is pretty clear they do, even as MLS officials do their best to explain away every argument the players have. No, the $60 million magic number offered up by MLS president Mark Abbott as the increase the league was ready to offer players never did sound completely genuine (and joins David Beckham's initial "MLS salary" of $250 million as inflated numbers used for effect.).

Players union chief Bob Foose shot down the $60 million figure, pointing out that it included, among other things, salary figures for teams that haven't even begun playing yet. He also pointed to percentage changes in the new deal that would see a decline in the growth of player salaries from 5.9 percent a year to 4.8 percent a year.

On the surface, that figure doesn't seem so damning. After all, there aren't many employees who wouldn't be happy with a 4.8 salary increase per year. While this is true, it ignores the fact that the face and business of MLS player acquisition is changing. Rapid MLS expansion is forcing MLS to use new methods to stock and strengthen the player pool. Chief among these changes are the designated player rule, increases in the number of international players and an increase in the money used to land young talent.

Why is this a major concern for the rank and file of the players union? It's simple. Not only would the new CBA shrink the growth of player salaries (if the union's numbers can be believed), but with more and more of that money going toward Designated Players, high-priced foreign talent as well as high-priced rookie talent, the players who will be squeezed in the equation are veteran MLS players.

Consider this off-season, which saw the largest-ever Generation adidas rookie class. MLS devoted a record amount of salary to landing this year's crop of top draft talent, which on its face is a promising sign, but when that comes in the same off-season where some of the best players to ever play in MLS are being squeezed out of jobs, you can understand why the union feels so strongly about wanting a stronger CBA in place to help protect them.

Does this mean MLS shouldn't spend money to attract top young talent to MLS? No, but it does offer evidence that perhaps some changes need to be made so that top veterans are paid what they deserve. That brings us to free agency, which MLS has made into The Untouchable Option. I have yet to hear a truly clear explanation for why intra-league free agency is a non-starter for MLS. I like to consider myself a pretty sharp guy, yet still couldn't understand the evils of MLS free agency despite multiple explanations from Abbott on Saturday.

Let's think about this for a second. How exactly would free agency within MLS hurt the league as long as the league has a salary cap? It really can't, not from the standpoint where skyrocketing salaries would be a concern. As long as there is a salary cap, a maximum limit on non-DP contracts, and as long as the league's player personnel department still signs off on deals, how could free agency hurt MLS?

It could have to do with MLS wanting to maintain control of player valuations, which could come under fire if teams were able to bid on free agent players. Suddenly a veteran highly-coveted by one team could potentially earn much more than his previous team, or the league, believes he is worth. This goes against the single-entity ethos the league is built on, and allowing it would ultimately give more control and freedom to teams and take away control from the league itself (No, I don't see the problem with this either).

Could it be that there are certain teams that are simply opposed to this because it would force them to compete against other teams for the right to keep their own players? Let's consider if a certain team or two had a history of paying lower salaries, and wanted no part of having to compete with other MLS teams for its own players, could those teams have enough pull with the league to keep free agency off the table? That's entirely possible if those teams had influential ownership.

Would having some competition within MLS for top players be such a bad thing? Considering how many quality players are leaving MLS for questionable alternatives abroad (or in Steve Ralston's case, an alternative in a lower division), how could free agency really hurt the league as a whole? As far as I can tell, at worst, it would force ALL teams to start getting serious about paying top talent, and just might help keep some of the talent that is leaving year after year.

If you listen to MLS officials, free agency isn't even that necessary because, according to them, the current system isn't nearly as restrictive as it is being portrayed. While it may be true that the current systems in place do eventually lead to players being able to move around and away from teams that don't want them, the arduous process currently in place winds up badly hindering players who wind up seeing their options dwindle while they let the current process play out. This is why quality veteran players like Kevin Hartman and Dave Van Den Bergh remain unemployed just a month before the season, and why a player as respected and as decorated as Steve Ralston ultimately gave up on MLS rather than wait around for others to decide his fate.

Veterans like those deserve better, which is ultimately what is driving the players union. It isn't about the money, because the increases being discussed are marginal, but rather about the options that players, particularly the veteran players on whose backs the league was built on, can have as the league changes and grows. One veteran player said it best when he told me, "If players like Kevin Hartman and Steve Ralston, two of the best players to ever play in the league, are treated this way, what is going to stop the league from treating any of us the same way."

A new CBA could help keep that from happening, which is why the players appear more determined than ever to fight. If the league is serious about offering up new proposals that address these concerns, then a deal can and will get done, but if we see a player's strike next month, it would be pretty clear evidence that the offers being made by MLS aren't nearly strong enough.

Regardless of who is ultimately most to blame, if a strike winds up happening, both the players and the league will wind up wearing the label of villain.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Brandon's Judo Class

Players and Owners Heading for Work Stoppage??

2010-02-21T17:26:00.003-06:00

It's all over the wires - Jimmy Conrad and Pat Onstad say the Owners are "not taking the players seriously". Which is usually union code for "strike".

The owners rep has come out and said au contrair, we are serious, we know the players are serious, but we can't make them love our offer.

Negotiations are set to continue next week. The deadline is February 25.

Is a work stoppage looming? The league will probably not survive if it happens.

Here's to cooler heads prevailing.

Something Lost in Translation

2010-02-15T21:47:00.003-06:00

So I stated earlier that Krol was acquired from his Polish team to fill the void left by the departure of Gonzolo Segares at Left Back.

Well today I learned that, apparently, Krol has been playing halfback at camp thus far. So I'm tearing up my fantasy line-up and waiting for the season kick-off.

Of course, its possible this is all a mistake brought on by de Los Cabos' reportedly aggressive style. Perhaps Krol is on defense - Left Attacking Back, perhaps??

Yeah, I hear you, tear up the line-up...

Labor Update

2010-02-15T21:38:00.002-06:00

By now you may have heard that the MLS Owners and Players extended the deadline to reach a negotiated labor agreement out until February 25th. The reason given was "Snomeggedon" in D.C.

No?

How about "Snowtastrophe"?

Either way, the negotiations will presumably resume once the snow is dug out.

SuperLiga 2010

2010-02-11T21:58:00.004-06:00

Contrary to what I said earlier in the year, it turns out that the Fire have made the 2010 SuperLiga draw. As yet, no schedule is available for the tournament. Nor have any venues been announced.

However, seeing as SuperLiga games are all played in the USA or Canada, and Toyota park was the only venue to sell out every single game for SuperLiga last year, I think there's at least a reasonable chance for Chicago to host, at the very least, group play again this year.

Fingers crossed, and more later!

Conde Watch

2010-02-06T17:49:00.002-06:00

Well, the answer to our poll is in...

Wilman Conde reported to Toyota Park for his physical right on time and is participating with the rest of the team at indoor training in McCook, Illinois.

Papa has reported as well. So has Collins John. Krol is expected in a week or so, and I'm not sure about Martinez. So, it appears that all of our internationals have gotten their visas and are at camp or on the way.

The report from camp, after the first week, is that the veterans are very impressed with the new players. Hopefully, we get some idea about de Los Cabos' style once the team moves outdoors (next week or week after).

Myself, I certainly could do with some more attack minded soccer.

Oh, and there's a film from practice up on the Fire web site. Only one player is shown scoring a goal - Justin Mapp.

Red Stars New Line-Up?

2010-02-06T17:31:00.002-06:00

OK, its not a Chicago Red Star's training video, although red stars do figure prominently (China - Communist star - get it? - No?). No, its the next installment of "Why Don't We have Soccer Commercials Like These?"

However, if this was the Red Star's line up, I'd be buying season tickets!

Help Wanted

2010-02-01T22:46:00.000-06:00

The USA World Cup Roster continues to thin.

Currently on the "Injured Reserve" list: Cherundolo (thigh strain), DaMarcus Beasley (thigh), Charlie Davies (knee, elbow), Clint Dempsey (knee), Maurice Edu (ankle), Jermaine Jones (leg) and Oguchi Onyewu (knee).

Add to that Donovan (dead pan), Bornstein (Jewish and conflicted), Kljestan (hair crisis), Conway (Old), Adu (clinical shortness), Howard (twitchy), Cunningham (Really Old), Beckham (English), and pretty soon we're looking for subs in Sam's Army.....Not Pretty. (literally...they are not pretty.)

I'm praying for a little faith healing. Failing that, I'm part German....

Where Chicago Goes, Chivas Soon Follows

2010-02-01T21:38:00.000-06:00

For Chicago fans, its like having two teams. Watch them first with the Fire. Catch the rerun with Chivas USA. March, Razov, Thorton, Curtain, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera...

Now, however, Chivas seems unwilling to follow our lead and, instead, is trying to match us step for step; We hire a Mexican coach - they hire a Mexican coach (Ok, I admit that one was a bit of a given). We cut a deal for an Ecuadorian WCQ Midfielder, they cut a deal for an Ecuadorian WCQ Midfielder.

Perhaps its time to Add Chivas USA to the most dispised rivals list:

Fire Fans Most Despised Rivals list:

New England Revs (no explaination needed)
DC United (Ditto)
Columbus Crew (oldest regional rival, and now actually competition)
Chivas USA (big fat copy cats)
Toronto (canadian - enough said)
Dallas FC (no matter how much they suck, they still KEEP BEATING US!!!)
New York Red Bulls (hey, if a New York team isn't on the "Most Dispised" list, its incomplete)

Still room for 8,9, and 10. Please suggest your own!

Red Bull Stadium - Jealous Much?

2010-01-31T21:05:00.000-06:00

Here it is. Red Bull Stadium in Harrison NJ. Site of the Fire's fist game of the season.

Yes, that really is a transparent roof over the seats protecting them from the elements. Yes, its really two tiers all the way around. Yes, that's a damn nice looking pitch in there.

But - HA! - No Parking!! I KNEW Toyota Park was better! SNAP!

Transactions Update

2010-01-30T16:06:00.000-06:00

I finally got the update on Collins John (see earlier post for updates on Krol and Martinez).

Collins John, the former Fulham striker, will be joining the Fire for a trial during the Pre-Season camp in Arizona. John, who's best career play came beside Brian McBride at Fulham, is only 24 years old. Recently, his career has stalled. It's certain the Fire are interested in seeing if the veteran McBride can re-ignite the spark in John, and maybe bring some EPL striking action to the MLS!

Where's Conde?

2010-01-28T21:11:00.004-06:00

The ides of January are past and February is nigh upon us, meaning that it is once again time for teams to hold the pre-season physicals, open the first leg of training camp, and, if your a Fire Fan, begin that perennial winter pass time known as "Conde Spotting"

This year, everything's quiet on the Conde Watch.......to quiet....

Is Conde in the US yet - Visa in Hand? Or has he sold all his possessions and moved to NY?

Everybody keep your eyes and ears open, and let the rest of us know if you get a hint.

And don't forget to take the "Conde Pre-Season Poll" in the side bar.

Everything in good fun, ofcourse. I have been, and remain, a big Conde fan. I've even got a cave painting of him on my wall at home.

Two Down, One To Go

2010-01-28T20:44:00.002-06:00

In an earlier post, we talked about three prospects being courted by the Fire technical staff. Two of the three deals are now complete; Martinez from the Ecuadorian World Cup Qualifying squad will join the Fire on loan from Club Leon, and K. Krol will come to the Fire from his Polish squad.

Details on both deals available via the Fire News links in the side bar.

The only deal still not closed is for Collins John, the ex-Fulham striker. No update on that.

Also, I still understand that Klopas is shopping Blanco's DP spot. The Fire are definitely serious.

Rebuilding Year my butt.

Labor Negotiations Extended

2010-01-28T20:41:00.003-06:00

Following on the heals of the Owners agreement not to lockout players on the 1st of February, players and owners issued a joint statement through the Commish' today indicating that the deadline for negotiating a new contract would be extended through Feb. 12.

See the link in the MLS Headlines section in the sidebar for the official press release from the MLS.

Labor Negotiation Update

2010-01-27T23:10:00.002-06:00

It appears that the owners have responded to the Player Unions statement instructing players to report to camp as planned by retracting the threat of a Lockout if the current labor agreement is allowed to lapse without a new agreement in place.

Sign of real progress? I have no information. At least both sides are willing to back away from nasty threats for the time being. Hopefully, that means there's still room to negotiate and compromise.

Less than 60 days to First Kick...

If you travel far enough, you will eventually meet yourself

2010-01-25T20:35:00.002-06:00

OK, so I was googling today, looking for soccer related news, and what should pop up number six on the google search screen? Section (one oh!) Eight.

If this site is now an authority on anything, we can truly understand the sad state of affairs we find modern culture in.

But, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I will gladly assume the proffered mantle of punditry, write a book, and run for President in 2012. Wait, do I have to win a beauty contest first?

MLS Owner Concerns Understandable

2010-01-24T20:52:00.004-06:00

Off the wire: Manchester United raised 504 million pounds ($813 million) through a bond issue meant to help pay off some of the club’s large debt.

A UEFA survey of 629 clubs across Europe’s 53 soccer nations showed that the clubs’ revenues rose by 10 percent last season, but spending on transfers and salaries went up 18 percent.

Clearly, owner concern over runaway labor costs is understandable. Not trying to say that without a repeat of the current contract, we'll be paying ManU salaries by March. Just passing on some interesting facts.

Hopefully, players and owners will see the value of a collaborative partnership to expand the league and share the benefits. Hopefully.

New Jerseys - Part Deux

2010-01-23T20:39:00.001-06:00

Pictures are worth a thousand words.

Moving pictures are worth...more than a thousand words.

Great Moments in Soccer History...?

2010-01-23T10:25:00.004-06:00

1) The Big Bang

2) Earth coalesces out of dust and rubble circling a new Sun

3) One random molecule is formed which can replicate copies of itself ad infinitum

4) An endless struggle ensues for survival, involving much clubbing of one life form by another life form.

5) Eventually, one particularly clever group of primates appoints surrogate "clubbers" to contest matters for them using a set of rules called "Soccer".

6) The clever primates greatly enjoy this development, although they are frustrated because they are forced to watch these contests on little glowing boxes which use analog technology. Bad bananas.

7) Finally, when the threat of renewed clubbing was becoming a real possibility, the clever primates took another clever step......

At Last, Enlightenment.

Contract Negotiations Update

2010-01-21T21:28:00.003-06:00

The union told the MLS players to report to camp as planned. However, the union also made it clear that there is, as of yet, no contract. At minimum, this is a significant good will/confidence building measure on the part of the Union. At best, an agreement may now seem likely to the Union, so no squeeze tactics are necessary.

Still keeping my fingers crossed that the Players and Owners will avoid ANY sort of work stoppage.

Following the Draft come the Transactions...

2010-01-20T21:15:00.004-06:00

Thanks to Jason for tipping me off to a possible Polish defender trade this morning. Further thanks to Ives Galercep's blog for more details.

Here is what Jason, the blogosphere, and general rumor and innuendo have Klopas and the Fire Technical Staff up to since the draft:

Transaction #1: The fire are pursuing Polish International Krzysztof Król. The deal would be a loan with his current club (who's Polish name I will make no attempt to type here). Krol is a left back, clearly intended to vie for Gonzo's vacated spot. Krol has also been part of the Real Madrid organization, although he never played with the first team.

Transaction #2: Looks like de Los Cabos' Mexican connections are paying off. The Fire appear to be cinching what looks to be a loan deal for Ecuadorean International Wing Midfielder Julio Martinez. Martinez was recently signed by Mexican side Leon. However, the Mexican Primera has rules regarding how many non-Mexican nationals can be on a team's roster and Leon has exceeded their limit. Hence, they are willing to deal the halfback. Being a natural righty, Martinez immediately competes for Rolfe's vacated slot.

Transaction #3: The Fire appear to be going after Dutch Striker Collins John, formerly of Fulham and prior team mate of Brian McBride. Collins scored 20 goals in 95 appearances for the club. Two years ago, his performance went flat and Fulham began a series of loans and trades with Collins until he was picked up by Dutch team Roeselare. However, Collins is currently available since Roeselare terminated his contract in December, siting continuing disciplinary problems. Hmmmm. Have we finally found our Rodman? Obviously, Collins is looking to play in any first division to show that he can still perform. As such, the Fire are expected to be able to make this deal without using their designated player slot.

Very exciting stuff. Woe to ye who did not renew your season tickets!

No More Postage Stamp

2010-01-20T21:04:00.003-06:00

KC is on its way to becoming the next MLS team with a soccer specific stadium. Local government in KC has cleared way to begin construction of the Wizard's new home.

(Child) Artist's Rendering of the New Stadium

Couldn't come soon enough, IMO. I'm done watching pro-soccer played on astroturf and youth size fields.

Road Trip!

Going Street

2010-01-19T20:23:00.002-06:00

We need to seriously pick up our pre-game parking lot pass around...

I'll be expecting everyone to be practicing thier signiture moves this spring. John, you go with the round about kick. Kris, you do the back flip kick. I'll be the human ball tee.

Can you Shoot? LA may need YOU!

2010-01-19T19:59:00.004-06:00

Rumor from England is that, with Landon Donovan playing solid soccer for Everton, his 10 week loan may be extended past the start of the MLS season.

Will LA really consider this, given they just signed a 9 million dollar multi-year deal with Donovan? And, Beckham will probably be unavailable until after the World Cup, what with his loan to Milan?

It looks like LA may be looking for strikers this year. At least they should have the cash to pay! Oh, forgot, salary cap.

While we are talking about rumors, here's the scariest rumor / headline I read during the Christmas season when I wasn't posting to the blog....

Eric Wynalda to Coach Chicago?

Boy, am I glad that one was a rumor...

Are the Fire Shopping?

2010-01-18T18:36:00.001-06:00

Word in the press.....the Fire are out shopping around for the Designated Player slot openned by Blanco's departure.

That's pretty exciting news. The report is that Klopas is looking for an attacking midfielder at the DP salary range. No names yet.

Also in the press - it seems to be generally agreed that, of all playoff teams, the Fire had the best draft - no contest. Pretty exciting again.

One last item. Good "vibes" comming out of the owner/player meeting today. Agreement in the offing? Fingers crossed.

Oh nelly! 68 days and counting!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Do you FIFA?

2010-01-17T22:51:00.004-06:00

No reason for this post, other than I like the fact Chicago Fire made the cover of a video game box. If that banner was just a little bit higher, I could pretend Wayne Rooney was actually Chad Barret. And Lampard looks kind of like McBride. My God, its the All Fire FIFA! i'm ok now... Hey, this is for the IPhone....gotta go now.....

Se' Habla Espanol?

2010-01-17T22:17:00.002-06:00

Ok Kris - we need some translation here....

Looks like Landon is a star in Mexico! How come nobody you meet on the street knows his name? Maybe if he brought a .45 into the Galaxy locker room...

Labor Disputes and Lock-Outs

2010-01-17T15:41:00.006-06:00

Following up on our disscussion at the bar, here is some information on the ongoing labor negotiation between the MLS Players Union and the MLS Owners.

Gleened from the soccer blogosphere:
"According to two veteran members of the MLS players union, Major League Soccer is playing hardball with the union and hasn't come close to considering some of the demands being made by the players. Guaranteed contracts, allowing teams to negotiate contacts rather than the league office, and free agency are issues the players union appear ready to fight for, but are three issues MLS is apparently not ready to budge on."

As we discussed, players want the right to free agency with other MLS teams, if their contract lapses. Right now, that is not the case. Players like Rolfe and Segares who are no longer under contract can transfer for $0 to other leagues, but they are not free to negotiate with other teams inside the MLS. This, of course, is anathama to the league right now. The last thing they want to see is a bidding war for any player.

Unfortunately, I agree with this, as unfair as it may seem (or be). I've watched one professional soccer league die in my lifetime - I don't want to watch a second.

The players would also like a boost in the salary cap. Somthing can be negotiated here, I would hope. Especially given the cartel nature of the league. Move some money from market to market and make this happen.

Finally, the players would like guaranteed contracts. I admit I'm not an expert at this.

Here's a statement from Commissioner Garber dated yesterday:

We are working hard, collectively, both the MLSPU and the league, to try to reach an agreement that’s going to be good for both players and management. We are working very hard to do that. We are meeting regularly…we met several times last week and we’re meeting again next week. But we are going to get to a point where both players and management are going to have to make some tough decisions.

We’ve been doing very well over the last ten years making this league very stable. We need to ensure we have the right kind of deal to continue to develop the game the way we have and clearly the players are going to have to try to decide what kind of deal they will accept to get the type of things they are looking for.

At the end of the day, this is still a very young sport. For 50 years, soccer has failed in this country. And here we are, about to have 18 teams, nearly 10 soccer stadiums, all because we’ve had a system that albeit different, is one that allows us to have this ability to continue to operate and grow for another day.
Don Garber

The international organization, FIFPRO came out condeming the practices of the MLS and in support of the players. However, it's not clear if the players solicited this intervention or not. Right now, it seems the union is fractured with power players like Keller and Twellman talking strike and the vast majority of lesser paid players hoping for a negotiated deal.

January 31st is right around the corner...

MORTAL KOMBAT!

2010-01-16T22:15:00.002-06:00

The much awaited next posting in the "Why Don't We Have Soccer Commercials Like These?" series is here. (It was "much awaited", wasn't it?)

Project Runway, 2010

2010-01-16T21:53:00.003-06:00

Behold, the new kits for 2010. Do these look like MLS Cup Championship Ready Kits? Yes, I do believe so....

Funny thing about the stars on the jersey - they are not visible if the jersey is tucked into the shorts.

The away kit definitely looks better than last year. They finally integrated the "Best Buy" on the away Jersey. With this improvement, maybe we'll even win a game in our Whites this year!

Time for me to go buy a Jersey...

An Ohio Yankee in Prince Hamlet's Court

2010-01-16T21:36:00.002-06:00

Chris Rolfe has arrived in Aalborg, Denmark and had his first practice with his new club, AaB. AaB TV has posted an interview with Rolfe on thier web site. Here's the link.

Aalborg's coach is on the record as expecting Rolfe to compete immediately for a starting spot. GO ROLFE! GOOD LUCK!

The Starting Eleven - 2010

2010-01-16T18:09:00.022-06:00

Ok, so a little self endulgence. I've decided to sit down and imagine the starting eleven for the upcomming season. Who will de Los Cabos put in the line up? Here are my picks. Post your picks too.

GOALKEEPER: Ok, I didn't really spend a lot of time thinking about this one. Bushy has been solid and reliable when he's not being brilliant. He had a handful of mistakes last year. I'm sure he's spent the off season watching them over and over again on film. This guy will be ready for another "Goal Tender of the Year" award in 2010.

DEFENSE: Jees - rough year for defense in 2009. We've had several significant departures. First and formost, Gonzalo Segares, Gonzo, has headed to Apallon FC in Cypress after his contract expired this year. A huge loss. Brandon Prideaux, always reliable if not beloved, having never suffered a significant injury, retired before his luck ran out. And, of course, Sumare left for France during the regular season. However, the Fire still have talent to put on the field in the defense. Here are my choices:

Center Back: C. J. Brown, does he have one more season in his old legs? CJ has the smarts, but he's been prone to injury. If he can keep healthy, he's sure to be on the defensive starter list for Cabos.

Center Back: Wilman "Conde the Barbarian" still has two years on this contract. The Fire are still unlikely to release Wilman, no matter how much he squirms, so I expect to see Wilman anchoring the Defence at Center Back again this year. Although, he would be a formidable holding midfielder if we pick-up a center back in a trade somewhere.

Left Back: Tim Ward? Danny Woolard? Danny's the natural lefty, but I'm going with Timmy, because I think Tim will earn a spot on the lineup, and I also think Woolard will be edged by the superior height of Dasan.

Right Back: Dasan Robinson. If Dasan can't stay healthy or fails to show up, Woolard is ready to step into the role of left back and Timmy will take the right. But I have a feeling Robinson is going to show and be ready to start. Of course, Dasan would prefer to take C.J.'s spot in the middle - we'll see.

MIDFIELD: Here's where the talent for the fire is perhaps the deepest, and also the most uncertain. Who will emerge as the starters for 2010? Here are my picks.

Defensive Mid: It must be Logan Pause yes? Conde, no doubt wants this position. Can he convince Cabos to move him there? I don't think so. Cabos will want the consistency at this position, given the experimentation he's going to have to do at the other spots around the field.

Wing Mids: Marco Papa and Justin Mapp. Baggio wants Justin's spot, and there is no player on the roster who is more inconsistant than Mapp. But Mapp is still very young but very experienced. He needs to show early, capture the starter spot and hold on to it. Besides, Papa is a lock and Mapp has shown that he is the perfect foil for Papa.

Maestro: Who else, John Thorington. With Rolfe's engine out of the line-up there is only one player who can bring comparable pace and endurance and that's Thor. He's proven he can score from outside the box. He only needs to show that he can pull the trigger quick. This could be a massive year for Thorington.

FORWARDS: Scoring, scoring, scoring. It was the biggest disappointment from 2009. Plus, we had scoring from virtually every quarter of the field. Minus, not very much scoring. We need McBride to get immediately back on the wagon and we need someone to step up as a second target. Dimitrov? Nyarko? Banner? Carr? Here's my pick.

Striker: Brian McBride remains the craftiest forward on the team. He's lethal with his head in the box and he can get open and muscle off centerbacks. He will be Cabos' choice for striker and I think he'll immediately start to produce.

Forward: I'm going with Nyarko. Without Blanco play making, we are going to need to stretch the field and make space for play. Nyarko has the speed to turn defenders and cause havoc. Havoc and space that can be exploited by Mapp, Papa and McBride. What about Carr? Yes, his speed is comparable to Nyarko's, or used to be. He just didn't show after his return from injury last year. But if he prepared well during the off season, his longer pro experience might just give him the edge over Nyarko.

SUPERSUBS: Who will be the super sub for the Fire this year? Here are a few ideas:

Dimitrov: With his height and quick shot, this guy looks like he's ready to do something. He is the only player with a chance of commanding the air in the box like McBride. Look for Dimitrov to enter the game for McBride on occasion.

Peter Lowery: I expect Lowery to get a fair amount of starting time this year, but look for him as a frequent 60 minute sub for Mapp or Papa. I think his superior outside shot and carnivore attitude will give him the edge over Banner and Carr as the choice for midfield sub.

Calen Carr: If Nyarko is being made to run, run, run, Carr is going to need to sub for him by 70. Expect Carr's speed to make an impact against a tired defense.

Well, that's my starting 11. Only 70 days until we see the real thing.

Canada Sucks!

2009-09-26T17:23:00.001-05:00

Yep, Toronto FC at 730.
Playin' washers, eatin' ribs.

-- Posted from my iPhone

What next?

2009-09-05T08:15:00.001-05:00

I just learned that Rolphe has reached terms with a Danish first division team. He will depart in January. Now I'm waiting for the next shoe to drop...Segares? Blanco? Pappa?
In the mean time I think I'll visit Rolfe's blog and post my congratulations. I hope Rolfe uses these last few matches to put on a show.

-- Posted from my iPhone

Frick!!

2009-08-29T22:02:00.001-05:00

It's August, it's 50 degrees, and we lost. This sucks!

-- Post From My iPhone

Halftime

2009-08-29T20:30:00.001-05:00

It's halftime and the fire are trailing 0-1. But we are totally stomping on these guys. It's only a matter of time...GO FIRE!

-- Post From My iPhone

Chicago Fire Power Ranking Dialed in at 2

2009-05-26T20:40:00.002-05:00

The league / pseudo press has been putting out the MLS Power Rankings all year. After starting out in position 1, briefly degrading as low as 3, we have now cemented into position 2 for the last few weeks.

Of course, you can guess who's ahead of us in number 1 === Yep, Chivas. So this is the week to break the lock and take back number 1 with a decisive victory over Chivas U.S.A.

The game will be televised on ESPN2 (in HD if you've got it). John broke the news, however, that the game starts at 9:30pm central time. So, stock up on caffeinated beverages!

GO FIRE!!!

Del Gooooooooool! Del Rolfe!

2009-05-24T16:09:00.002-05:00

¡Oh sí! Nada es más dulce que ganar a los Red Bulls, a menos que ganar a los Red Bulls de Nueva York Chris Rolfe en un objetivo en los últimos segundos de la primera mitad!

Próxima parada, California, EE.UU. y Chivas!"

(Translation: Oh my god - Jon Busche saved our butts! Big Time! (and Chris Rolfe scored))

Up, Up, and Away!

2009-05-23T19:02:00.006-05:00

Some will already be aware of the catastrophe at the Revs game; one of our flagpoles fractured and collapsed! Investigation has confirmed that it was a strength of materials issue. With that in mind, design on version 2 was begun. And, oh yes, we can rebuild it - better, stronger, higher than before.

Implementation of version two was all but complete today. From it, satellites can be launched into low earth orbit. The carbon nano-tube design makes it incredibly strong. And the embedded servo gyros make it self steadying and self assembling.

All that remains is for us to purchase a Fire flag of adequate size to be seen from 75,000 feet. I'll leave that to you guys. Hopefully, it doesn't cost 6 million dollars....

Update - Kris Locates Viable Flag

After an exhastive search (his reply was posted like 10 minutes after I posted the original blog), Kris has located a flag of sufficient size to be seen from low earth orbit. Hopefully, its made from silicon fiber so that it can survive the heat of re-entry...GO FIRE!

Sierra Mist [Fire] Goal of the Week

2009-04-27T21:37:00.002-05:00

Let's just go ahead and rename this thing, since we own it. For the third week running, McBride has been nominated for Goal of the Week. And this week he's joined by Gonzolo Segares. So, pick your flavor - McGoal or Gonzo Goal - and vote here.

Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold...

2009-04-24T20:38:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know. I've dug this old saw out before, and I guess I'll keep doing it until we avoid getting knocked out in the playoffs and finally win the MLS Cup. I'm convinced we're going to put the Crew in a world of hurt tomorrow. Watch the game on Fox Soccer Channel. Here's the game guide for your viewing pleasure.

Grab a beer and watch the Fire crush the Crew. Or, as Khan would say, "I've done more than beat you. I've hurt you. And I wish to go on...hurting you. I shall leave you as you left me. Scoreless for all eternity in the center of a dead stadium. Buried alive... Buried alive... Buried alive..."

Tim Ward Here To Stay

2009-04-24T00:03:00.006-05:00

John made a comment in passing this morning - which I couldn't let pass. It was too brilliant.
Tim Ward has been making a place for himself on the pitch, so we'll make a place for Tim here at Section One Oh! Eight. What follows is a (somewhat hastily assembled) homage / welcome video to Tim.

Unfortunately, Tim is not the most highly photographed player in the MLS. I promise to add more photos when they become available (and in so doing force you all to watch this again). One thing's for sure, however...TIMMY ROCKS!

Thanks (or curses, depending on your taste) to John for the inspiration.

McGoal? Sure, Make Mine a Double.

2009-04-20T22:15:00.002-05:00

Having won the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week in Week 4, Brian McBride is back again for a second helping. His cross the goal mouth flying header gets the nod (sorry) this week. Take a little sting out of that tie and vote for McBride to win Goal of the Week two weeks running. Watch the Nominees and Cast your vote here...

Take it To the Next Level!

2009-04-17T00:36:00.003-05:00

My Ocasional Blog Series, "Why Don't We Have Soccer Commercial Like This in the U.S." continues with this beaut from Nike. Watch and Enjoy (and get hyped for the game)!

All Hail The Prophets Light on Earth!

2009-04-16T23:47:00.004-05:00

It's Official. The winner of the Fantastic Prize for Week 1-3 of the Fantasy Competition is Troy Behning and Shake 'N Bake. Exploding out of the gates with the single best week score of 32, John Britvich and Fire Fans Wanna Win could not hold off Shake 'N Bake, as Troy managed his team to a three week score of 59 to top the competition.

As promised, Troy's Fantastic prize is the Caliphate of Turkmenistan. As Caliph, Troy will be adored as the Prophets representative on earth. As such, he will be too Divine to mingle with the common rif raf, and instead will be locked inside a palace and attended to by eunuchs. And, since Troy will need to convert to Islam, wine and beer will be off limits. And, per Taliban decree, all TV has been banned in the Caliphates Palace. So its just Troy, koolaid, and the eunuchs.

Fantastic!

Now, the Fantastic Prize for Leg 2 (weeks 4 - 6). This one took some thought. I mean, how do you top the Fantastic Prize from Leg 1?!? But I did my best. The winner of Leg 2 will be named the official Tail Gate Captain for the next 3 home games! As Tailgate Captain, you will direct the festivities, choose the food and beverages to be served, serve as chef (if you choose), and will wear the coveted Tailgate Captains Armband to the events so that everyone will recognize your greatness and respond accordingly (showering you with respect, affections, and free food and drink).

Huh? How about it? Fantastic, eh? So get busy managing those teams!

Week 4 scores are already in and, once again, Fire Fans Wanna Win has jumped out to a early lead...Let's get him!!

Vote for the McGoal of the Week...

2009-04-13T23:08:00.003-05:00

Apparently, the powers that be have tired of seeing wicked Rolfe stingers voted Sierra Mist Goal of the Week, because the game tying goal ripped in by Rolfe didn't make the cut for week 4. However, the acrobatic Blanco header to McBride spin (what the!) slot home goal did make the cut.

McBride's McGoal needs your vote to land Goal of the Week honors. Vote here, vote early, vote often!

Fire Vs. Quakes - on TV in english....

2009-04-10T12:37:00.011-05:00

It appears that the Fire are becoming more popular in Chicago! Comcast SportsNet Chicago will air this weekend's match against San Jose! See the link for more details. I'm not sure how far the CSN Chicago broadcast reaches, but this will beat having to translate on TeleFutura! I will be scanning from Indiana and with the Mc's in Missouri, who knows! Happy hunting for CSN in your neighborhood.

http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090407&content_id=237016&vkey=pr_chf&fext=.jsp&team=t100

Opening Dayyyyyy with a Winnnnnnnn! (sorry frozen fingers)

2009-04-06T18:14:00.001-05:00

“It was a cold and wet December day…” wait it’s April, what the heck! Yes, true to form opening day was once again a cold and wet one, but Kris, Cindy, Mary and I toughed it out, or were just too frozen solid to move out of the elements once we got comfortable. Oh and we were comfortable and dry right up to the end of the national anthem, then the freezing rain began; lovely. With our rain proof gear donned, where all you could see was the horizontal slits for our eyes to peak out of and freeze in the open positions were ready for a nice and steady game. Oh the eye icicles, how I love the eye icicles!

So we didn’t see Blanco, not even during warm ups. If he was smart he worked in a “I don’t play in the snow” clause into his contract. Probably a good day to sit out with the way we were getting fouled (16 on NY) and with the elements opening the possibilities of a misstep or unexpected slide. No complaints here about him sitting this one out. We had our defense back again, with Ward in for Prideaux. The midfield looked solid with lots of speed and strength, and Nyarko and McBride started up front.

Steady game, right! Suddenly Thorington was issued a red card for almost a perfect slide tackle from behind after being the only player to hustle after a Red Bull on the loose. Speaking of Red Bull, why the heck does Toyota Park sell Red Bull when they are the enemy! I suggest a Red Bull protest! What kind of idiot in the marketing department stocks up on Red Bull for the day of a game against the sponsored team? Oh, and they ran out of coffee and hot chocolate, but there was plenty of Red Bull on ice! But I digress.

So I don’t think Thorington’s tackle was card worthy let alone a red card and you could tell that the Fire were just dumbfounded by the call. It might have been the first whistle of the game; I don’t recall (ice cubes in the ears). But needless to say I was a bit worried about playing 70+ minutes a man down against NY, since they should have been starving for a win, but I’m happy to say we kept the pressure on, all game. The defense was really good, the pressure was great and just a few lapses gave NY 4 shots on goal. Honestly, I think the elements were more of a challenge for the Fire than the Red Bulls. But Papa came through on a NY rebound and riffled a left foot shot in off the post and across the entire face of the goal before ending up in the side netting. GOAL!!!!!!!!! Suddenly the elements weren’t so bad, at least for about 90 seconds, and then we noticed our feet were frozen solid and we couldn’t stand!

Anyways, there were several good strikes and great defense by the Fire; it was a great game to watch! Rolfe and Prideaux made it in and then Washington came in real late to play up front, not sure what for, but anyways. All in all it was a great game to watch, live and we won! GO FIRE!
Seats, I forgot to mention the seats. They’re great! (insert Tony the Tiger voce) They are actually just to the right of center. Between our left most seat and the next seat in the row is the centerline, they are nice and tight to the field and no interferences. Although the staff, mascot and cheerleaders (whatever they were) still can’t through freebees high enough to get to us! We do have several seats on either side of us, so stay put unless you want to fight the knee step-over game. We didn’t get to commiserate too much due to the weather, but we had a wide variety of people around us; old, young, families, middle age groups, etc. It’s gonna be a great year, I can’t wait till the next game!

Ok, too long of a review, gotta go… GO FIRE!

Number One Fire Fan - Redux

2009-04-01T22:43:00.001-05:00

If you liked the Jim Belushi spoof, here's a link to the extended version...

Watch This Before the Toronto FC Game

2009-03-30T22:41:00.002-05:00

Proof positive that it isn't the victor who writes the history books -- rather, its the guy left owning the publishing company who writes the history books...

But what this really teaches you is that you should never get your history from a soccer fan blog.

Death to Toronto! Death to Canada! (Sorry, that was harsh, eh?)

Missing Chris?

2009-03-29T21:27:00.003-05:00

Missing your Chris Rolfe fix? We aren't getting much of last year's Golden Boot winner this year - Hamlet has him riding lumber due to poor conditioning as a result of a stomach virus.

Well, there's no substitute for watching Chris bulge the old onion bag live - but since we'll have to wait for that, here's some retro Chris to hold you through to Rolfe's first start....Red Bull?

Download Your Game Guide Here...

2009-03-28T08:27:00.002-05:00

The Fire go up against DC United (Die! Die! Die!) today. You can download your game guide here. (Although I'll eat my supporter scarf if this is really the starting line up!) (not to mention I'll loose fantasy points...)

GO FIRE!

The Number One Fire Fan...

2009-03-24T23:16:00.002-05:00

In case your wondering who the #1 Fire Fan is...well, his name is Jim. Who else?

Fire Fans Wanna Win

2009-03-23T22:06:00.002-05:00

Do they ever!

Week one has ended, and "Fire Fans Wanna Win", managed by John Britvich, has jumped out to an early lead - doubling the median score of the field!

Last year's winner, Jason, is respectably in the pack, while my team is eating everyone else's dust (*cough*)

Tania has a tenuous lock on second place at the moment and Kris is right behind in third.

Remember, the Caliphate of Turkmenistan is on the line. So get busy trading players and shoring up your starting eleven....cuz I'm commin' for ya! (from way back - but I'm commin')

Beckham and Posh on Ali G

2009-03-21T23:09:00.002-05:00

As promised, here's that hilarious interview of Becks and Posh by Ali G during the Save Africa telethon several years ago.

Week One Under Way

2009-03-20T00:06:00.002-05:00

Week 1 of MFLS is underway, and with it, the quest to defeat Jason. To spice up the competition this year, I've decided we'll compete for 10 FANTASTIC prizes, to be given away to the point winner over each 3 week period. Emphasis on Fantastic.

Our first Fantastic prize........drum roll..........The Caliphate of Turkmenistan!

Yes, score the most Fantasy points and you will be crowned the Caliph of Turkmenistan. What a Fantastic prize! Don't you think? True, there aren't many people in Turkmenistan - but all there are will worship you as their Divine Ruler!

But don't count your slaves yet. First you need to score the most Fantasy points between now and the end of Week 3.

Good Luck!

What's That Sound?

2009-03-19T23:42:00.002-05:00

What's that sound? It's me sitting in front of my TV yelling "Holy Crap!".

Did we just witness the birth (or rebirth) of what will be the most storied side in MLS?

Okay, I know, calm down - its just one game. But Holy Crap! That was the soccer equivalent of "Shock and Awe". Did you see Angel at the end of the game? He was just standing in the center of the field turning in circles. And did you catch the camera pan across the Red Bull bench? Juan Carlos was sitting at the end of the bench with his trench coat pulled up over his head, his thumb in his mouth, rocking back and forth mumbling "Mio Dios, Mio Dios, Mio Dios...".

In the 73rd minute, I actually saw a kitchen sink hit Goldwaith.

I was actually considering not going to the Seattle game.

CHANGE OF PLANS!!!!!!!

Beckham Love-O-Meter on the Decline?

2009-03-12T22:07:00.003-05:00

In the wake of the Milan/Beckham deal, lots of talking heads are proposing the end of the Beckham love fest. Maybe? Don't know. But if so, this commercial might be a glimpse into the future....

Nyarko Late Season 'Slo-Mo' Finally Explained

2009-02-24T23:53:00.008-06:00

John made the observation last year that Nyarko looked like he had lost a step after returning from the knee injury he suffered earlier in the year. I never heard an official explanation for that, until I saw this blurb in the Trib...

Feeling better: Patrick Nyarko's knee continued to bother him even after his MCL surgery in August. According to the Fire forward, a cyst built up in the back of his knee after the surgery."At the end of last season, I was getting shots before games," said Nyarko about the pain.Nyarko had the cyst removed after the MLS season and spent about a month on crutches. The 23-year old forward since has recovered and has not missed any time during the pre-season."There's some soreness, so I ice it after practice," Nyarko said. "But the knee is getting stronger every day."

John's future as an MLS trainer or talent scout is secure. We'll know Nyarko is fully recovered when we see John add him to his Fantasy Roster!

Mapp Scores, Nyarko Continues to Show

2009-02-19T22:28:00.005-06:00

Justin Mapp scored the Fire's only goal in a preseason freindly today vs a Mexican side in Mexico. Reports say it was a right footed effort assisted by Chris Rolfe.

Nyarko played forward, again getting valuable minutes to show his stuff pre-season. The Trib had an interview in which Nyarko reported that most of his time has been at Temo's position, and the "obviously, he would need to give it up". Nyarko sounded a bit worried about his prospects to break into the line against Rolfe, McBride, Mapp, Temo, Thorrington, and Papa. He reported that he's been working hard on his "defensive positioning". Could it be that Nyarko thinks his best chance is to move from Forward to holding mid and challenge Logan Pause for his spot? Nyarko's coming after Logan's spot from the front and Conde's coming from the back. Sucks to be Pause.

Ofcourse, Conde can only advance to mid if Brown or Robinson can step into the roll of ceterback. So far, I haven't heard anything about Brown this year and his injuries. Again this year we might have more talent than we know what to do with. Sweet.

Major League Fantasy 2009

2009-02-17T21:52:00.004-06:00

The 2009 Fantasy Soccer League kicks off this Sunday (Feb 22)! Feel free to start your teams immediately. Remember, unlimited transfers until opening day.

I'll post more on what prizes we'll have this year.

Obviously, if you haven't been paying attention to the preseason, the time to start is now!

Find the links you need to navigate to the site on the sidebar - same as last year.

Get Jason!

Pan Pacific Tourney Kicks Off Tomorrow

2009-02-17T21:46:00.003-06:00

The Pan Pacific Tournament, which features the LA Galaxy vs. Asia (the continent) starts Wednesday, February 18, at 7:30 CST. Two games will be played the first night (the second game starts at 10:00) and two games will be played Saturday (same times).

I'm actually interested to see the Galaxy without Donovan and Beckham. What will Lewis do? Who will they put in goal? Will there be anything remotely resembling a defense on the field?

All games will be televised on Fox Soccer Channel.

The Prodigal Son Returns...

2009-02-09T22:31:00.002-06:00

At the border they don't take American Express...but that's ok, cuz Conde's got a Visa!

Our beloved unfrozen caveman fullback has cleared customs and immigration and it back for another season of "Conde CRUSH Little Man" and "Conde SMASH Bouncy Ball" and "Conde no like man with tweety whistle"

Let's hope this is a smooth year for Conde. On the bright side, he's only missed half of the pre-season. His agent is a known factor. And, since he gave his phone away (see earlier posts), JCO can't call him and sow dissent ("Tricksy Words Make Conde Brain Hurt").

All I know is - It's a good season for me when Conde is in the back!! GO FIRE!!

Conde Watch

2009-02-04T21:28:00.003-06:00

The Word from Diego....Conde is resolving Visa issues and will be reporting to camp as soon as those matters are...um...resolved.

A negotiating tactic? I have no idea. You would, however, think that by now US immigration would realize he's a soccer player (and not the Progressive Insurance spokesman) and wave him through.

Regardless, the Fire dropped a pre-season game today to the Wizards, 3-2. Nyarko scored 2 (John will be happy), but then gave up three (one on PK). Busch, Rolfe, and Thorrington are in USMNT camp, so Nobel had the GK duties. Defense was same as last year, except no Conde and no Diego.

Hurry Conde! Baky misses you!

The Fans Formerly Known as...

2009-01-26T20:42:00.002-06:00

It's official. We are no longer Fans from Section 108 at Toyota Park. Our relocated seats are now in Section 107.

As such, our supporter group needs a new name.

Ok all you suppressed marketing types, lets have your best ideas. And not just a name; this time I want a NAME and A LOGO IDEA. Because this time, we are going to have our own Supporter Group Flag to fly at the tailgates!

Start posting your suggestions to the comments! Time is short cuz I sew slow!

Oh, and don't duplicate any other supporter group names/logos...we're not ready to rumble!

Conde Watch

2009-01-26T20:20:00.005-06:00

Update on Senor Conde:

You may have heard that Diego Gutierrez has become a sports talent agent. But you probably didn't hear that the ever mercurial Wilman Conde has signed with Diego.

I'm guessing this is good news; since Diego doesn't get paid unless Wilman is playing, I'm hoping he won't be counseling him to sit out the season in the Colombian jungle!

Jealous Much?

2009-01-23T21:45:00.004-06:00

The following post has no purpose other than to flash a picture of the Red Bull Stadium currently under construction.

I kind of like the transparent roof thingy (seeing as we got drenched twice this year).

On the other hand. Leave it to New Yorkers to hide from the elements. Typical.

Regardless, the point is probably moot; the stadium is being built in New Jersey and, as you might expect, political interference has already delayed construction completion from summer 2006 (not a typo) until summer 2010, at the earliest (still not a typo).

I intend to write a letter tonight to the NJ EPA asking if they're certain Red Bull Stadium will not endanger the fragile New Jersey swamp skrewt. That'll get 'em two more years! Take that JCO!

Got Schedule?

2009-01-22T18:10:00.001-06:00

The league is dropping hints that next week will be the week. The week when the rest of the regular season schedule is released, that is.

Guess we better pick our seats!!

Meet Richard Jata

2009-01-21T22:09:00.003-06:00

Starting at about 3:55 into this clip from the "Lalas Show" (sorry for anyone who doesn't think there might be two too many Lalases in Major League Soccer) is a clip of an acceptance speech given by Richard Jata, the fourth round pick of the Fire.

He's listed as a Midfielder (he looks like a midfielder). Apparently, he sat in the audience the whole time until he was picked. That's like all day. Bodes well for his work ethic.

Anyway, I thought you might be interested to see a little preview of a new player.

If you really want to see a preview, here's a highlight reel, created by a family member of Richards and posted to YouTube.

North Meets South - Cross Border Competition Announced

2009-01-20T18:42:00.003-06:00

The Fire and Club America have agreed to hold an annual home-and-home competition between the two clubs for a-yet-to-be-named cup. The games would be at Toyota Park (obviously) and Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. No rules yet on tie breakers, etc.

Bonus Game Anyone!

I think this is a fantastic idea! Certainly, for us it is. Will it be as popular in Mexico once Temo retires or leaves Chicago, um, probably not. But, who knows how long Temo will stay and who will replace him.

Now the only questions is, what will we name the Cup? We already compete for the Brimstone Cup with FC Dallas (made more sense when they were called the Dallas Burn). What's a good name for a cup between Club America and the Chicago Fire? (ps - Club America are "The Eagles" or "Las Aguilas")

Copa America
Copa del Norte
The Green Card Cup
Two Eagles Cup
Copa de las Aguilas
The New World Cup

Got any ideas? Post them in the comments section...

There goes another day!

2009-01-19T23:15:00.002-06:00

Nobody likes Monday. Sunday's out because, well, the next day is Monday. Tuesday? No good - still recovering from Monday. Friday, Saturday - OK. That leaves Wednesday and Thursday. Until today, Thursday was my favorite because, of course, MLS Primetime Thursday in glorious HD was on (at least for 31 Thursdays per year).

But as of today, that appears to have changed. ESPN announced that they will no longer be doing the Thursday Night Prime Time thing. Not good enough ratings!

Nobody called me! I was watching every Thursday! Ask my wife!

Great. Now Thursday sucks.

Of course, this might mean fewer Thursday games on the home schedule, which is a plus.

Regardless, apparently ESPN will still continue to broadcast the same number of MLS games, they'll just do weekend games instead.

To bad. I liked the Thursday thing. Beats watching "The Biggest Looser Dances with Super Nanny's Mamma's Boy" (I can't keep track anymore).

Second Round Pick better than First

2009-01-18T19:38:00.002-06:00

The Fire might have pulled a rabbit out of their hat with a crafty trade and second round pick Thursday at the Super Draft in St. Louis. Here a story from the Trib concerning the Fire's maneuver.

Baggio Husidic is a local player and a Generation Addidas player, like Sumare, so his contract will not count against the team's salary cap. And that is probably the best part of this deal.

Armas Moves On

2009-01-16T21:03:00.002-06:00

Did you know Chris Armas was from New York? Why am I always the last to know?

Well, the original Fire fixture, Chris Armas is moving on after 10 years in the red and 1 on the bench as assistant coach. And how many years as captain?

Too bad for us. I liked to see Chris on the side with his headset getting signals from God.

So long Chris. Good Luck.

(And it goes without saying that here we have yet another New York connection - JC Moriarty at work again)

New Year Resolutions - For the Section 108 Fan

2009-01-14T22:37:00.002-06:00

John sent an email today that reminded me we should be making resolutions for the upcoming Fan Year. Here's a start. Please join in and add to the list as you think of things...

The Fans of Section 108 Hear by Resolve...

To flash yellow and red cards any time the opposing team nicks Blanco, Rolfe, McBride, Mapp or Thorington;
To enjoy a Heineken mini keg at at least one game this season (and sing the UEFA Champions League Anthem);
To paint our faces, or otherwise dress embarrassingly, in manic support of our team (once or twice);
To come up with a Section One Oh! Eight Emblem and Banner which we will fly proudly at each and every game;
To invent ridiculous nicknames for each other;
To get better (much better) at washers;
To bring better mix tapes (or IPOD play lists) to the games;
To win Season Ticket Holders of the Game like 8 times.

Your turn.

Wilman Conde Bucking for a Discharge??? Again??

2009-01-14T22:28:00.002-06:00

Yes, this is the second time I've used this head line.

Yes, he's at it again.

Apparently, Wilman has moved out of his apartment and sold or given away all of his possessions. This according to a "friend". His cell phone is disconnected. He's left the country.

Klopas says, predictably, "He's still under contract for the next 2 years. We fully expect him to be at camp and playing for the Fire come February. We have no current plans to trade or loan Wilman." (I'm paraphrasing, but you get the picture)

Word is Wilman wants to play in Europe or South America, not New York. Yet, I can't help feeling the tingle of web strands being pulled by that master of intrigue, Juan Carlos Moriarty.

Paranoid? We'll see...

Later Lider

2009-01-12T22:13:00.002-06:00

Lider Marmol has left the building.

Remember Lider? We first encountered him as part of a devious conspiracy, hatched by Juan Carlos Osario (the Moriarty of the MLS), to thwart the Fire.

Well, after a less than satisfying season with the Fire, the club granted his request to be release from his contract to play for a team in his native Paraguay.

Don't be surprised, however, if he shows up on the Red Bull roster as Joe Smith, or something.

Juan Carlos is devious.....oh so devious.......

Draft Preview

2009-01-12T22:04:00.002-06:00

Jason asked if there were any major talents waiting to be picked in the MLS Superdraft Thursday.

"Ummm, Idohno", said I.

But this guy knows...so here are some links to a blogger who thinks he knows.

Combine News

I would post speculation on who will be drafted in the first round, but the Fire don't have a pick until, like, number 24 or 27. Virtually the third round, so I think we'll be focusing on deals outside of the draft!!

2009 Season Kickoff Luncheon

2009-01-10T09:39:00.002-06:00

The Fire have announced the date for the Kickoff Lunch Program they do every year. Players will appear (at least twenty of them (more on that later) and there is a silent auction for stuff (balls, sweated on jerseys, etc.).

This year the program will be Tuesday, March 24th, at 11:00am - ?? and will be held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, 301 East North Water Street (East North??).

Tickets cost $65, or $60 if you buy ten. Also, if you are among the first twenty tables of ten, a Fire player (hopefully one with good manners) will eat with you.

I have blown this off every year. But it occurred to me that I really should be offering this to everyone. I have some interest. I'm sure Tania would have some interest (since the kids will be in school - unless we take them out to attend). Maybe, we have enough interest to get a table of 10 and eat with Blanco. Kris could translate. Or better yet, the Jamrowski's could translate!

Anyway, just throwing it out there. Comment back if you have any interest and, if so, we can look into it further.

Blaaaancoooo! G'oooooal!

2009-01-09T22:06:00.002-06:00

Whew!
The Fire have signed Temo! And we are guaranteed that the rest of the league will despise us for at least one more season!

Here's the Blanco promo Video. Enjoy!

The Year in Review

2009-01-01T21:01:00.008-06:00

The beginning of the new year is always a good time to take some time to organize your thoughts and review the year past. In that spirit, I sat down to review the year as recorded by the Section (one oh!) Eight Fan Blog...

The "fan year" started off distressingly; First, our newly minted (and, we thought, beloved coach), Juan Carlos Osario (hereafter JCO), defected to the NY Red Bull siting "family reasons" (his son needed an XBox AND a Play Station 3 for each room in the house). Fan Ire followed. Soon after, the truly beloved Wilman Conde wrote an open letter asking to be transferred to NYRB and a wide ranging conspiracy, worthy of an Illinois Governor, became apparent to the Fire faithful.

Eventually, Dennis Hamlet was named coach (at the time, it was quite the let down from JCO). Wilman and Lider DID NOT transfer. We bled off some defensive players on waiver and picked up Brandon Prideax (soon to become our most solid defender, with the exception of Gonzo - but at the time, I remember saying "who?"). We also signed Andy Herron and Tomas Frankowski to the offensive ranks. Suddenly, just as season tickets were arriving, we looked like we might be an offensive powerhouse with Barret, Rolfe, Herron, Frankowski, Mapp, Blanco, first-round draftee Nyarko, Thorrington, and Calen Carr all with striker potential.

The season opener came, and then another game, and we were waiting for the offense to develop, although the defense looked fairly solid considering we had a rookie in the middle and Diego playing Center Back (remember how short Diego Gutierrez looked lined up next to Sumare?), an unusual position for the veteran. Then, the home opener arrived on a cold and wet day in April. A grudge match if ever there was a grudge match. I need say no more, but after this game we all came away believing that we might really be an offensive power house and hoping that we were in for a special season. And for the next few games, the offense was ever-present, even racking up a couple Sierra Mist GOTW.

But then things settled down and we came to understand we would be a great defensive team with a competent possession game and sometimes spotty offensive finishing. Never the less, except for the fact that we seemed to do all the winning away from home, the season continued to be a blast.

Detour now to the Fantasy League. By now, our experimental foray into Fantasy Football (EU Football) was underway and we all had a shot at the title. Looking back, I realize that I should have had an award for best team name (O'Leary's Cow would have taken it). However, it was a good overall competition. You can review the final results here.

Back to the season - Second place overall - WOW! A fantastic showing by the Fire. But even better, the final home game of the season turns out to be against the Hated Revs!! The symmetry was preternatural, as you'll see in the posting for that game...

Alas, that would be our last win, as the Crew came back to beat us in the Conference Final. A great season. The one blemish - JCO and RBNY won the Western Conference (nobody has yet managed to explain to me how NEW YORK could be WESTERN Conference Champion?!!). But, I just remind myself that we beat the NYRB 5-0 and 5-1 this season...

It's also worth mentioning that the Fire roster picked up a huge amount of International Experience this year. Rolfe, Thorrington, Blanco, Marco Pappa, Gonzo, Mapp, Conde, Busch, and don't forget McBride. We look strong and stable.

I'll part with a link to a highlight reel, just for reminiscence and all.

Season ticket planning starts February - First home game April 5th! Oh yes, and don't forget, that home opener is against JCO and RBNY (can we go for 6-0 this time?!!).

HAPPY NEW YEAR SECTION ONE OH EIGHT!!

New Year Resolutions

2009-01-01T16:44:00.003-06:00

Do people still make New Year resolutions?

I admit that my life has become so busy that I hardly notice the passing of the new year; work, work, work, pop cork, work... Am I alone? I doubt it. Maybe its the kids, etc., but I bet we've all become desensitised to big calendar moments as we become more and more driven by the little calendar events that crop up every week.

Well, I'm bucking the trend (on behalf of the Chicago Fire) and making up my New Year's Resolution list for the Fire. Here are the things that, I think, the Fire should resolve to change in the coming year.

Keep Chris Rolfe under Contract. This guy is an amazing professional. We need him. Others will want him. Don't let him go. Keep him happy and productive.
Get Marco Pappa into the lineup. I'm very premature in saying this, but I have the feeling that Marco could, just maybe, be the understudy we need to take over for Blanco when he leaves.
Re-up Blanco for one more year. He's still exciting to watch and he's good for the team and the league. He gets more cheers and more boos than any other player in the MLS. He was the All Star MVP for a reason and we need him in the lineup.
Figure out how to use Mapp in the system or trade him. I've been watching Mapp for 3 years and he's always on the verge of a break out. If Justin can't break out with us, trade him to another team and give him a chance in another system.
Find some ridiculous speed - somewhere. Maybe Africa. Every other team seams to be finding speedy African talent. Maybe Nyarko (if that knee injury hasn't hobbled him). Maybe Carr. Whatever, we have McBride and Blanco. Great, but these guys are not going to win any races.

Well, that's five. More than I made for myself. How about you guys? Got some resolutions for the fire (or Section 108) for the New Year? Let's here 'em - post away!

"Humiliations Galore!"

2008-12-30T20:33:00.002-06:00

Score Lines:

Chicago Fire 1 Columbus Crew 2

Fire 0 New England 1

Fire 0 Chivas 3

Fire 0 D.C. United 5

Commentator Quotes:

"Not much football played here today..."

"Simply Awful."

"Well, when you don't score and you play poor defense, you should expect to lose."

"I doubt the manager will be showing his face in public anytime soon."

FIFA 08 --- I hate this game.

Chicago Fire 1 Columbus Crew 0 !!!

2008-12-28T11:43:00.002-06:00

The two evenly matched squads battled each other to a scoreless draw after 86 minutes. Then a bit of dazzling midfield play found Wanchope at the top of the crew circle with the ball at his feet! The defense closed in and Hesmer left his line to cut down the angle. But Wanchope dropped the ball off to Blanco who took the angle and drove a long low ball past the over-committed Hesmer. The ball skipped, caromed off the far post and trickled over the goal line to give the Fire the go-ahead goal with only 3 minutes of regulation left to play!!

After that, the Fire's impenetrable defense ran out the clock, giving the Fire the victory, and sweet revenge!

No I'm not dreaming. I got FIFA08 for the WII for Christmas and that was the first game I played!!.

Cool Game! I saved some money and bought 08 at a steep discount, since 09 is for sale. As a result, my Fire squad features Wanchope, Matt Pickens, and Chris Armas.

I may need to take a couple weeks off just to master this game! I mean, of course you can pass and shoot, but you can also put spin on the ball, execute step overs, fake shots/passes, chip shots, lead passes, long balls, and something that is almost, but not quite, a Maradona turn.

To do this with the Wii controls, you have to move the controls through space and manipulate joysticks and buttons (often multiple points simultaneously). The end result is you look a little like an epileptic yogi master with turrets.

But 1-0 vs Columbus was worth it!!

Gotta go to bed now....stayed up until 2am......

One Hundred Twenty Three...

2008-12-02T21:19:00.002-06:00

One hundred twenty three more days until the Fire 2009 home opener - but then, who's counting? Oh yeah, we're counting.

Today, the league announced the home openers for all the teams. Chicago plays at Dallas on March 21st, takes a week off, and then comes home to Toyota park to face RBNY and JCO.

Start chillin' the beer...