July 23, 2011 FIRE RENEWS FAITH
A good showing vs. Man U is a positive
Saturday afternoon the Chicago Fire renewed faith – in the team that is. It’s been a rough season for the Fire, leaving longtime fans of the club distraught, and the players and coaches frustrated. Something had to give. Saturday, it did. The Fire went toe to toe with one of the top clubs in the world, Manchester United. That in and of itself gave Fire fans a reason to smile.
October 21, 2010 HARD TO SEE HIM GO
Brown was a true pro, on and off the pitch
Athletes like C.J. Brown are the reason many of us sports-writers pursued our careers. When I was fresh out of college, I joined the Chicago Fire as an intern. From there I learned what the club was all about. I remember meeting all these guys who blew my mind – Peter Nowak, Lubos Kubik, Chris Armas, etc…
And then there was C.J. Brown.
October 21, 2009 DOWN TO THE WIRE
Fire needs result to make the post-season
It’s down to the wire for the Chicago Fire. Thursday night’s match has switched from a season finale, honoring one of the team’s best players (Chris Armas)… to a must-get-result match. A win or a draw and the Fire is in the post-season. A loss, and it’s the end of the road for the 2009 squad. And possibly time for some spring-cleaning a bit early.
July 4, 2009 WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
Half-Way Into MLS Season, Fire Attendance Not So Hot
I decided to take a break from Chicago for a couple of weeks and head to Seattle. I wanted to go to a city where I know people have passion for soccer. They expect and demand that a good product be put on the field every match. The stands are full of Sounders jerseys. And quite frankly, everywhere you look around Seattle, there are Sounders flags flying or stickers on cars. You gotta love that! Sunday I wandered around a packed stadium of 32,526 fans and wondered what is wrong with the Chicago market.
April 26, 2009 THE REAL DEAL
Can Fire make it to MLS Cup 2009? Perhaps.
For the past 10 years, I have seen as much, if not more, Chicago Fire soccer than your average fan. I saw a couple of games in 1998. But in summer of 1999, I became a regular in the press box. In this past decade I’ve seen it all. But I gotta tell you – this year’s team has something special about them. The players are the real deal and they don't give up without a fight. Does that mean they’ll be a contender at MLS Cup 2009 in Seattle? It’s possible.
Marech 19, 2009 SEATTLE DOES IT RIGHT
Opening night showcases a true soccer town
Seattle fans have it right, hands down. Actually, the city of Seattle has it right. Wear your pride on your sleeve, or around your neck. Turn the city blue and green. Give a new team the welcome it deserves. And more importantly – Show your passion.
Aug. 21, 2008 NEW BEGINNING?
New players, teamwork seem to have the Fire heading in the right direction
Could it be a new beginning for the Chicago Fire? It’s the second half of the season. The team has a handful of games left. But something has looked different about the Fire as of late. Perhaps it’s the addition of Brian McBride and Marco Pappa. Maybe it’s teamwork. But something seems to be working.
June 28, 2008 SO GLAD JUNE IS OVER
Fire Hit a Brick Wall in Third Month of Season
After impressive campaigns in April and May, the Chicago Fire seemed to hit a brick wall in the month of June. With one game left to redeem themselves, the fate is in the players hands, or at their feet.
May 2, 2008 ONE MONTH DOWN
April was a busy month on and off the field for the Fire
Well folks, one month of the Chicago Fire season is over. So what do you all think? Personally, I’ve been speechless at times both positively and negatively. They’ve been fun to watch at times, and aggravating at others. But things are changing on and off the field. The Denis Hamlett era is officially underway and the John Guppy era is no more. That’s a lot for one month.
April 8, 2008 BREATH OF FRESH AIR
After First Week Campaign, 2008 Looks Good
Wooosh… what a relief. That was my impression after the first week of the 2008 MLS campaign. While we never know what exactly to expect as reporters, the first week proved to be a breath of fresh air.
March 13, 2008 JUST FOR KICKS
A Look Back And A Look Ahead
How many out there are wondering what the 2008 season will bring for the Chicago Fire? I know I am. After 2007… this should be a rather tame year. Let’s take a look back, just for kicks.
Jan. 10, 2008 COME ON NOW...
Somebody, Anybody Name a Coach
Remember the glory days? The days when the Fire was unstoppable. The team was looked to as a model for all teams in the league. On and off the field, everything ran smoothly. And if it didn’t, it still had that appearance. They won the double their first season out. Everyone hoped expansion could be that easy.
Well that was then. And this is now.
Nov. 13, 2007 A TRUE INSPIRATION
Armas Inspired More Than Just Teammates
April 4, 1998, I was there. I sat in a seat at Soldier Field, FREEZING, but watching the inaugural Chicago Fire home game. It was history. And I was there. I remember looking through the program and seeing all the new faces and Chris Armas stuck out. I decided on that night that he was my favorite Fire player. I watched him play and was impressed with everything. He was truly a fun player to watch.
August 30, 2007 ON THE BANDWAGON
Blanco Has Won Me Over
I hate to admit it… but I’ve hopped on the Cuauhtemoc Blanco bandwagon. While I have the utmost respect for him as a player, I had no idea what he would bring to the Fire. What he’s brought is a spark that has been missing. In his five MLS games he’s tallied two goals and four assists. In his Fire debut, he scored the lone goal in a 1-1 draw vs. Celtic. Blanco is the real deal.
July 21, 2007 WHAT'S GOING ON?
Becks and Blanco Arrive to struggling Galaxy and Fire
It’s here – the weekend we’ve all been waiting for. David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco will make their debuts this weekend (hopefully). But why are they debuting on two of the current worst teams in the league, statistically? Chicago (4-8-4, 16 pts.) is last in the Eastern Conference. Los Angeles (3-5-4, 13 pts.) is second to last in the West.
June 17, 2007 TIME TO REGROUP
After Two Months of Mediocre Play, Fire Gets Two Weeks Off to Get Things Together
Thank goodness for small favors. After a less than impressive performance for the last two months, the Fire has two weeks to regroup. Sure they have a friendly game in there… but they will not play another MLS game until July 1st. Woosh. It’s time for a break. I’m pretty sure the players, coaches, front office and fans agree that it’s time to regroup.
May 31, 2007 A LITTLE BETTER
Fire Shows Signs of Life
So things are shaping up for the Chicago Fire. Well kinda. I guess it’s too early to make a long-term prognosis – but at least the defense is back.
Sunday, the defense came together and held Real Salt Lake to zero goals. It’s a huge improvement since they’ve been allowing about three a game as of late.
May 25, 2007 SERIOUSLY… TAKE TWO
Fire Falls Again, What’s the Deal?
So Wednesday I asked what’s the deal with the Fire’s slumping play. It’s Friday, and I’m asking again. Not only did the Fire lose again… but they got shut out 3-0. I’ll give credit where credit is due – New York is a tough team. They have some good scorers. Maybe that’s the secret.
May 23, 2007 SERIOUSLY... WHAT'S GOING ON?
Fire Starts Out Strong, Falls in Three Straight Games, What's the Deal?
Seriously… Can someone tell me what is going on? The Chicago Fire started off the season looking sharp. Sure… the offense wasn’t exactly clicking. But the defense was tough. The team started off undefeated in four games. The defense allowed just two goals, and posted two shutouts. It was a new beginning.
And then… they lost 3-1 to New England, 3-1 to Toronto and 2-1 to FC Dallas. What happened?
