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.
July 5, 2007 WEIGHING THE OPTIONS
New Ownership Appears to Be Inevitable, Will AEG Sell to the Right Group?
The good. The bad. And the ugly. New ownership could lead to any one of those three items. Hopefully, it will be good. Assuming of course, AEG gets an offer it can’t refuse. Let’s take a look at the options.
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?
April 7, 2007 SEASON 12 IS UNDERWAY
MLS Appears to Be Heading in Right Direction
Major League Soccer kicks off its 12th campaign today. There are a lot of positives and signs that the league is headed in the right direction.
Colorado opens its stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT today on ABC. Toronto FC kicks the ball for the first time becoming the 13th team in the league. Their stadium will open May 12th against the Chicago Fire. Those are just a couple bright points.
June 24, 2006 RELAX AND WATCH SOME GAMES
World Cup has been Exciting and It's Not Over Yet
Four years ago, I was excited. Thrilled the USA advanced. This year. I was crushed. But after the initial shock wears off you realize, there’s still soccer to watch. It would be awesome to witness it in person. But since I’m here and it’s in Germany… I’ll watch it on TV. It’s been a blast.
May 19, 2006 It's Time to Get Excited
Soccer is All Around Us
Calling all soccer fans. Calling all futbol fans. It’s time for us all to come together. It’s time to get excited. Summer is the time of year where soccer can be seen on fields across the country. Come rain or shine, you’ll see kids and adults kicking around balls any time of the day.
