Chicago Fire mural on 16th Street, Chicago, Pilsen neighbourhood. Recently restored and updated with new imagery, original produced in 1998, showing the Fire at Soldier Field:

See more pics here.

Photo credit: Frank Cardenas, WB05.

The reliance on Fire connected players and coaches will be an important factor to creating a unified team chemistry that will give the US its best chance of success.

Here are the XI. players and coaches that give the Fire even more influence on the 2010 US roster than Simpkins-Ford did on the 1950 US roster.  Listed after each name is the position with the US World Cup squad and the years affiliated with the Chicago Fire:

XI.     Michael Bradley, Central Midfielder, 1998-2003: He was only eight years old when he began kicking the ball around with the likes of Piotr Nowak, Frank Klopas, Ante Razov and Chris Armas on the Chicago Fire training field.  Before he left the Fire for New Jersey at age 13 with his dad, Michael’s list of training partners included Eric Wynalda, Hristo Stoitchkov, current US teammates DaMarcus Beasley and Carlos Bocanegra and current US coaches Mike Sorber, Lubos Kubik and Jesse Marsch.  The son of the Fire’s first Head Coach and the current USMNT Coach, Bob Bradley,  never played a game in a Fire uniform, but he shined the players shoes, helped with equipment, discussed the team every day with the head coach and trained with the Fire before and after practice sessions throughout the team’s first five seasons.

The next four players never played for the Fire’s first team, but they were recruited by and played under current Chicago Fire Assistant Coach Mike Matkovich with the Fire’s PDL team, the Chicago Fire Reserves.

X. Brad Guzan, Goalkeeper, 2004-2005: Guzan grew up in suburban Homer Glen, IL and starred with the Chicago Magic under Matkovich.  Matkovich annually assembled one of the top collections of college stars in the country and for two seasons his goalkeeper was Guzan.  He was very well regarded as a youth goalkeeper and I recall the first time I saw him play for the Fire Premier, aka Reserves, as a gangly 19 year old in a US Open Cup tie against SAC Wisla, a local amateur team.  While the Fire Reserves won the match 5-1, I was disappointed by Guzan’s play.  Just as the peasant-turned-newt did in “The Holy Grail”, however, he got better.   His 0.388 goals against average was the best in the PDL in 2004.  He went on to star for Chivas USA where he earned MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2007 and currently is Brad Friedel’s backup at Aston Villa where he has shown his knack for saving penalties.

Matko’s Memories: “Brad Guzan, he’s like my son. I’ve known him since he was 11 years old. I knew he was going to make it because he’s a tough guy. He’s got a lot of talent from a young age. You know how you can tell when a guy’s young, you know he’s going to make it because his head is on right? He’s the perfect guy for that.”

IX. Jay DeMerit, Central Defender, 2001-2002: The Green Bay, WI native and former University of Illinois-Chicago defender played two seasons with with the Fire Reserves where he was mainly ignored by then Fire head coach Bob Bradley and me.  His rags with English seventh-tier club Northwood to riches with Watford story has been well told and now he is on the cusp of making a real difference on the soccer world’s biggest stage.  This time, he wasn’t ignored by Bradley. 

Matko’s Memories: “He’s super athletic kid, good guy, good willingness to work. It’s interesting to see how he ended up where he is because he ended up just going overseas on a walkabout with this other guy named Kieran, who was an English guy. And he ended up sticking England. Ever since then, it’s been nothing but successful. When we had him, he was a very good defender. We were able to play 3-5-2 with him on the field. I remember him marking Pat Noonan and taking him out of the game; Pat didn’t have a shot at goal. He was just so good athletically. He’s one of the best defenders we’ve ever had in the Fire Reserves. I can see why he’s where he’s at.”

VIII. Jonathan Spector, Right Back, 2003: The second most famous soccer player from Arlington Heights, IL, Spector played briefly with the Fire Reserves, before signing with Manchester United.  I saw the highly touted Spector play in one of his few appearances with the Fire Reserves and it was in the midfield.  A few months later, he was moved into the back by Sir Alex Ferguson and was training with his new club, Manchester United.

Matko’s Memories: “We only had Jonathan one year. We got him out of the Residency program. We actually played him outside/left mid. He was only 16 when he played for us, he was very young. But he was a special guy. He had the profile to make it. When he was in with us and to start him it was a good experience for him playing with us in the PDL because he played with older guys. I think it really helped him when he was back down in Residency.”

VII. Ricardo Clark, Central Midfielder, 2002: I certainly didn’t spot future stardom every time while scouting Fire Reserves games, but Clark’s talents were obvious as a 19 year old in his only season with the PDL club.  His loping strides and deft touch reminded me of a young Manuel Lagos.  The following winter, he turned pro early and was selected second overall by Bob Bradley and the MetroStars.  Bradley was pleased that DC United used the first pick to take New Jersey native and local favorite Alecko Eskandarian as he preferred Clark for his new club’s needs.  The Fire picked third overall and were disappointed, but not surprised, when Clark was taken leaving us with Nate Jaqua, whom we also felt would be a solid MLS player.

Matko’s Memories: “We only had one season with Ricardo. He played U-19 and he played in the Fire Reserves.  When he came obviously you can tell this guy had talent right away.  He was in and out of the national team pool. At the level with the PDL he covered a lot of ground. Had the ability to take games over and dominate the middle of the field from a holding spot. When we had those teams he was only 18/19 but he was one of our better guys at that age.”

VI.     Mike Sorber, Assistant Coach, 2000: The St. Louis native was Bora Milutinovic’s MVP for the US in the 1994 World Cup, went on to play for UNAM Pumas  where he was the first American to be named to the Mexican league All-Star team then played in MLS for four seasons before joining the most talented team in Fire history, if not MLS history in 2000.  He played 24 games helping the Fire capture the Central Division title and reach the MLS Cup Final.

Five players, the coach and the son of the coach of the 2000 Chicago Fire are among 11 2010 US World Cup players and coaches with ties to the early Chicago Fire.

V. Lubos Kubik, Assistant Coach, 1998-2000: The Czech international is my favorite Chicago Fire player ever.  His skill on the ball, economy of movement defending the Fire goal and genteel personality all exuded class as he worked with Piotr Nowak and Chris Armas to stabilize the spine of the Fire through its first three MLS seasons.  The Ring of Fire member has great insight into the game developed over decades of playing and coaching in the top leagues of Italy, France and Germany.  Bradley has used Kubik to scout European and other World Cup competitors as well as American players in Europe.  He also provides insight that is valuable from a former player of Kubik’s pedigree that includes 56 caps, including the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championships.

IV.     Jesse Marsch, Assistant Coach, 1998-2005: Jesse was always a coach as a player.  Coaching probably comes more naturally to him than playing.  He made the very most of his playing abilities by working hard and analyzing the game.  Those qualities and his long history with Bradley dating back to his college days at Princeton University make Jesse a great complement to Bradley’s staff.

III. DaMarcus Beasley, Midfielder, 2000-2004: DaMarcus came to the Fire in a draft day trade with the Los Angeles Galaxy just moments after we selected Carlos Bocanegra.  The Fort Wayne, Indiana native flourished in Chicago where his parents were able to drive to all the home games.  He electrified fans with his speed on the ball and through Bradley, learned to become a tenacious defender.  At the time we sold him to PSV Eindhoven, he was the most popular player in Chicago and one of the most popular in America.

II. Carlos Bocanegra, Defender, 2000-2004: Carlos was a high school football and soccer star in southern California.  fortunately for US Soccer, the future national team captain chose to focus on soccer at UCLA.  We worked exceedingly hard the week prior to the 2000 MLS SuperDraft to move up from our #4 slot to get the MetroStars first pick overall, so we could be assured of selecting Bocanegra – and failed.  As the old saying goes, “sometimes the best trades you make are the ones you don’t.”

The night before the draft, we had even arranged a scenario that would’ve given the MetroStars the #3, 4 and 6 selections and put Chicago #1 to assure getting Bocanegra.  The MetroStars said “no”.  The failure to make that deal led to the most productive ten minutes in Chicago Fire history.  Little did we know that Octavio Zambrano was holding onto the pick to use for another UCLA defender, Steve Shak, who went on to play 38 games over two MLS seasons before finishing his career in the USL.  Kansas City and Colorado followed with selections of Nick Garcia and Adin Brown leaving Carlos available at #4 and allowing us to trade the #6 pick along with a 2001 1st round pick to LA for Beasley.

I. Bob Bradley, Head Coach, 1997-2003: The best decision I’ve made in my career was hiring Bradley as Chicago’s first head coach.  Not only did he build the Fire into a great team, he taught me important life skills about communication, family, priorities, accountability, listening and integrity.  He’s taken those qualities with him to the US Men’s National Team.  I’m not surprised one bit that he has the winningest record in US Men’s Soccer history while playing the most difficult opponents and taking a look at the most players in US Soccer history.

Bradley coached seven of the ten others on this list in MLS - five with the Fire, Brad Guzan at Chivas USA and Michael Bradley at the MetroStars.  He has surrounded himself with players, coaches and staff that he is familiar with and whom are familiar with him.

There is a level of trust, respect and understanding in the group overall, but especially among the coaches and the players who have previously played for Bradley.  This relationship has developed over years of working together, talking to each other, challenging each other.  It has built a sense of unity.  The group really came together at the Confederations Cup after they rebounded from a poor start to challenge for the championship.  Fifteen players on that Confederations Cup roster are on the US World Cup roster.  I’m convinced that the unity this team has acquired as a result of the shared history and methodical assembly of both team and staff will lead to America’s greatest soccer success.  That common bond and past relationship has helped build the collection of individuals into a true team and for eleven of them that shared background includes time in Chicago with the Fire or Fire’s PDL team.

Peter Wilt lets his sports' team support influence his emotions for better and worse. Here he reacts to Chicago Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens giving him his 2006 US Open Cup championship medal

I tend to be an emotional person and need to work to avoid both highs and lows in my life.  I also tend to let sports results effect my mood inordinately.  The last week was a difficult week for me personally and professionally and the results of the soccer teams I follow all went against my desires.

I’ll avoid detailing the personal and professional downers except to say that they’re nothing anyone else doesn’t have to deal with on occasion.  I only mention it as it seemed to marry with last week’s soccer results which kept me down for an extended period.

I suppose sporting results, both good and bad, effect every sports fan’s mood to a degree.  Those reading this probably tend to be effected more than the average sports fan and more by soccer than other sports, so I imagine that these readers will commiserate with me a bit more than the typical person.

I had serious interest in four soccer results last week.  The matches and the results in order of importance to me:

UEFA Europa Cup Final, Fulham 1, Atletico Madrid 2:  The Cottagers are the only non-American team I’ve ever supported in any sport.  My Fulham fandom began in January, 2004 when Carlos Bocanegra left the Chicago Fire for Craven Cottage.  Since then Fulham has always had at least one American on its roster.  Fulham has never won a major trophy in its 131 year history and prior to last week had only competed in one other major championship game.  Fulham lost 2-0 to West Ham United in the 1975 FA Cup final.  Yet they seemed destined to win  the Europa Cup this year ever since Clint Dempsey’s special goal advanced Fulham past Juventus in the return leg of the last 16.  131 years without lifting a major trophy is a long time….in any sport.  Wait till next year!

Women’s Professional Soccer: Chicago Red Stars 0, Philadelphia Independence 1:  I left early. I rarely leave early.  But after 72 minutes of this match I could see where this game was going.  My WPS team – I’m a partner in the Red Stars - gave up an early goal (again), staggered through the first half and improved to frustrating in the second half.  We have an owners meeting tomorrow and we’ll be discussing the usual topics of financial and operational updates, but I imagine the topic of this talented team’s inexplicable poor record will also be on the agenda.

Major League Soccer: Chicago Fire 2, Kansas City Wizards 2:  There are two kinds of draws – those that feel like wins….and this one.  Brian McBride subbed in for Collins John at the half and scored a few minutes later to give us what seemed to be an insurmountable 2-0 lead.  It was the second time this year that the Fire captain started the game on the bench only to score soon after being subbed in.  That begs the question that Paul Gardner asked on Monday:  When a star forward scores off the bench, is it coaching genius or a sign that the coach should’ve started the forward in the first place?  Alas, Fire Goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra was caught off balance on the first KC goal and he left a rebound so wide open in the 90th minute that even Kei Kamara couldn’t miss.

FA Cup Final: Chelsea 1, Portsmouth 0:  I’m not proud of it, but as sports allegiances go, I’m also a bit of a hater.  While I passionately support the Wave, Red Stars, Fire, Fulham and White Sox, I also support whoever’s playing against the Cubs, Bears, Manchester United and…..Chelsea.  After winning the Premiership the previous week it was easy to support former Blues coach Avrum Grant and his relegation bound Portsmouth squad in Grant’s revenge match against Chelsea at Wembley in the FA Cup Final.  While the FA Cup brings memories of Monty Python’s philosophers football match -  Immanuel Kant was a real pissant - this match provided real hope for an upset as the clock ticked away.  In fact, Portsmouth had a 56th minute penalty to take the lead, but Kevin-Prince Boateng took it right down the middle (and earlier took Michael Ballack out of the match and the World Cup) and allowed Petr Cech to save.  Just three minutes later Didier Drogba’s 59th minute free kick caught David James flatfooted and the post finally yielded for the first time in six chances against Chelsea.

Throwing himself into his favorite teams has allowed Peter Wilt to enjoy their successes to their fullest.

The cumulative virtual effect of these four decisions along with the barbiturate effect of recent real world factors resulted in my morose mood that carried over to mid-week.  I wish I could separate these results from the reality of life, but long ago I allowed sports results to be part of my life.  The benefit of living life this way is that the victories send me on a high that is memorable and inspiring.

So while I may be down today, the same passion for my sports teams that made me despondent this week will allow me to love and live life to its fullest tomorrow.

This Saturday at Toyota Park, for the first time in Major League Soccer history, two Mexican-born coaches will go head-to-head: Martin Vasquez of Chivas USA (or, You’re-Not-Really-Chivas) and Carlos de los Cobos of the Chicago Fire. While Vasquez has extensive experience in American soccer, having moved to California at the age of 12 and having played in Major League Soccer for the Tampa Bay Mutiny and San Jose Clash, de los Cobos had spent little time in the United States and had limited English skills when the Fire boldly picked him to replace Denis Hamlett as head coach this past winter.

I had the chance this week to sit down with Carlos and talk with him about his first few months in Major League Soccer. What I didn’t tell him was that I have a vested interest in his success: not just as a Fire supporter myself, but because I’ve got a wheel of cheese riding on it in a bet with a friend on the Fire’s success (or not) this season in making the playoffs.

Shortly after the Fire announced they had hired de los Cobos, it became clear that others had vastly different opinions on the Fire’s selection. Former Fire President and General Manager Peter Wilt disagreed with my thoughts on the wisdom of plucking an outsider and plonking him in the curious waters of Major League Soccer and wrote a column on this very site explaining why he had some reservations.

After five games of the season, it’s far too early to tell how it will all shake-out, and the Fire are mediocre so far in results with two wins, two losses and a draw.

For his part, de los Cobos is adapting to Major League Soccer. Indeed, he has already adapted: the entire interview, and a dinner last week with de los Cobos and Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas, was in English, with a translator only needed to clarify one question.

I first asked de los Cobos what had surprised him most about MLS. He said that he’d been impressed by the speed and strength of his players and how they fit into the system of play:  he emphasised that he feels good about the fact that they are “very disciplined tactically and respect the system.”

But that discipline has a downside. “Sometimes players need to take the initiative, change things up and take chances,” he continued, saying he was encouraging players to do the unexpected and not worry if it doesn’t always work out. “We don’t have a Blanco,” he continued, observing that the departure of the Fire’s creative fulcrum for the past three seasons Cuauhtémoc Blanco had left something of a void. Instead, he said, he was encouraging attacking midfielders Marco Pappa and Justin Mapp to take creative roles and “improvise.”

Mapp, something of an enigma in recent seasons, is a player de los Cobos thinks can play a big role if motivated to play consistently. Many fans have lost patience with Mapp — still only 25 but a talent who has not fulfilled his potential –  though the coach clearly believes motivating and demanding that consistency from Mapp can bear fruit. So it may turn out that, unless the Fire go out and sign another creative player after the World Cup, the wheel of cheese turns on the man the Fire under Peter Wilt traded for as a teenager back in 2003.

De los Cobos’ focus on the need for more improvisation and creativity from MLS players is interesting, because the other word that pops-up again and again in conversation with de los Cobos is a near antonym of improvisation: discipline, on and off the field. This word has real roots for de los Cobos; delivering his words thoughtfully and seriously, you tend to believe that what he says has meaning.

And so he explains that as a young player, de los Cobos moved to Mexico City at the age of 18 to play for Club América, an experience that has obviously shaped his life: young and, as he put it, “immature”, he explained that he grew up fast there and relied on what he called his “principles of life” to “complete his dream” and ultimately play for the Mexican national team at the 1986 World Cup. He wants, he said, to instill in young players those principles of respect for others and respect for oneself.

Curiously enough, his dream to play professional soccer was not one he had in his earliest years: he was born in Matamoros, a city in the northeast of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, a stones throw from Texas.

There, the main sports are American football, baseball and basketball. It was only after de los Cobos’ family moved to central Mexico that he started to play soccer at his religious school, eventually signing as a teenager for local second division team Querétaro FC before his big break signing for Club América.

His wandering coaching career after playing saw him eventually impress with an unfancied El Salvador team in their unsuccessful 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. Two of those players, Julio Martinez and Deris Umanzor, have now joined de los Cobos in Chicago, but the coach isn’t playing favourites: both have been benched since their debuts. De los Cobos said he has high hopes for both, but they need to — especially in Martinez’s case — adapt to the MLS style of play.

De los Cobos is adapting to Chicago, too, he said as we concluded our chat: a “beautiful” city, though he hasn’t yet found a house, living out of a hotel and often too “focused on my job” to get out and explore the neighbourhoods.

He loves the stadium the team calls home, though after a record home opener crowd, the fall-off in attendance last Saturday prompted him to say that the responsibility to fill the stadium falls on himself and the team by playing well and winning.

Down by the locker rooms of Toyota Park, as I prepared to leave and gazed at the imposing passer-by (Wilman Conde), de los Cobos commented on his excitement about the quality of the people and facilities at his disposal: “I have the tools,” he concluded. All he needs to do is make use of them so this fan gets his wheel of cheese. . .

Big Story

On Saturday at Toyota Park, I watched parts of a game between the Chicago Fire Academy and the US Youth National U-17 Team, a game won by the Fire 4-0. To be fair, many of the Fire’s players were a year older than their opponents (though the Fire were also missing a couple of their best players, Technical Director Frank Klopas mentioned to me), but it was still an impressive showing.

Remember the name Victor Pineda (who also plays for the USYNT), Fire fans: the talented 17 year-old looked awfully good in the glimpses I saw, and MLS rule changes announced last week make it much more likely a player like him could be signed to the first team squad sooner rather than later.

MLS roster sizes were increased from 24 to 26, with two more slots added solely for homegrown players from their youth academies. Clubs now receive three-quarters of the transfer fee for a homegrown player who goes abroad, an increase from two-thirds, and something that will, for example, be welcomed by a club like Vancouver who are about to join MLS with one of the continent’s leading youth academies.

The changes to the homegrown players rule considerably grows the incentives for clubs to invest in their development academies, building on MLS’ Home Grown Player Initiative founded in 2007, which now means every single club has an Academy team in US Soccer’s Development Academy, itself also founded in 2007 with a significant financial investment by US Soccer. The Development academy requires the participating clubs, 77 in total in 2009-10, to hold three training sessions per week, and limits the number of games the teams can play, to encourage a focus on the improvement of skills rather than maximising game play.

The Fire now have a free Academy that means kids from poorer backgrounds can get top-level training without having to pay the enormous fees typical of elite clubs in the United States in the past. They have a youth system that runs all the way from U-6 to the first team. And they have a very talented crop of players from a diverse variety of backgrounds.

The Fire are not doing this solely out of the goodness of their hearts. It is an investment in developing local talent that will not only improve the first team, but will eventually — they hope — make the club money through the transfer fees received in the future. MLS is going the right way in rewarding clubs for their substantial investments in youth development both on the field and off it. That’s the only way it can work.

Some don’t believe there is a need for this structure at all, as one of Paul Gardner’s rambling recent essays demonstrated (he’s not calling for ‘anarchy’…but it’s not at all clear what he is calling for).  But for me, watching local kids of all backgrounds from all parts of the Chicagoland area wearing the Fire badge beating the US Youth National Team on the main field at Toyota Park suggests to me a bright future for youth development in this country and its necessary connection to the elite professional league here.

Quick Hits

• Steve Davis has a theory about “the steaming pile of pooh at DC United“, deserving to be read for the title alone.
• AC St Louis get off to an inauspicious start as they start their first league game with ten men, while a player fetches his passport from the hotel.
• For sale: Liverpool.

The Sweeper appears daily. For more rambling and links throughout the day every day, follow your editor Tom Dunmore @pitchinvasion on Twitter.

There hasn’t been a lot written about this massive fail (one does wonder if the fact that half of America’s soccer writers also write for MLS’ official site now might have something to do with that….). But the scale of the problems the site has encountered, especially given the central importance of the internet to MLS’ marketing and communications strategies, remains astonishing.

From basic functionality not working to missing links to bizarre content, I simply don’t know where to start. When developers are too lazy or too overworked to do the simplest stuff – like using margins for text – you know something has gone seriously, horribly wrong somewhere. Not to mention the failure of its most basic function, to provide accurate score-reports, something MLS has at least apologised for.

And I won’t start, because Fake Sigi has absolutely nailed it with a blistering take-down of the site’s development process. I feel bad for the man at the centre of the attack, MLS Director of Digital Strategy Chris Schlosser, because FS’s post is a call for him to lose his job. I’m sure Schlosser isn’t too happy with Rocket Fuel, the consultants who have developed the site for MLS;  and FS has plenty of venom for them, too.

But FS is right that the site has been an absolute travesty, and it’s MLS’ responsibility, whatever mistakes the company they hired have made. It could probably form the centrepiece of a very useful case-study on how not to develop a major website.

The problems are so pervasive as to possibly be terminal. I wouldn’t be surprised to see MLS struggle through a year of this site before totally ditching “mlssoccer.com” and rebranding with something entirely new. At the very least there will be another redesign in the next couple years. The die has already been cast for this turd.

I don’t say any of this lightly. I’ve been involved in projects like this. I know how mistakes can happen, and how a radical change in web site architecture can create unforeseen issues that need to be dealt with. I’m also acutely aware of the nature of web sites as changing, developing entities. At some point in the future, bugs will be fixed, functionality will be restored, and everyone will get used to the new site.

But what happened with the MLS web site to this point goes far, far beyond the normal hiccups that typically dog tech projects of this nature. It’s impossible to go point by point, screen-cap by screen-cap to eviscerate the totality of the new website because I have over 50 screen-caps of problems, and right now that’s not counting the stats, players, community, supporters, espanol, mobile, or store sections.

MLSsoccer.com is the one of the worst website redesign rollouts I’ve seen in years. It represents a lost opportunity and a monumental failure in execution. It exposes the weaknesses of those in charge in the worst way.

And quite frankly, for an organization the stature of MLS, one that relies so heavily on publicity to bridge the gap to profitability, one that is run by marketing professionals, such a misstep is unforgivable and inexcusable.

One aspect that FS does not delve into is how this has filtered down to the team-level as well. For some months, I was excited to learn that the Fire would be getting a new site, and would have more control of the content; they were taking that in-house, making good hires, and they talked several times to me about how once the site was launched they’d take feedback and do what they could to incorporate my suggestions into the supporters’ section of the site (for those that don’t know, I’m chairman of Section 8 Chicago, the Fire’s Independent Supporters’ Association).

It seems to me they’ve been hung out to dry by MLS. The site’s launch date kept creeping back…and then it finally launched on the eve of the season. And boy, did they drop a stinker on the Fire. At first glance, it looks nicer (apart from the inexplicable two inch grey space at the top of the site):

Similar to the main MLS site, the basic formatting of the text and pictures on numerous pages looks like it was developed by somebody who just took their first class in HTML design and hasn’t figured out this whole CSS formatting thing yet. Text is crushed against pictures, the fonts used are poor and inconsistent, and well, you get the idea.

The information on these pages is horribly outdated and has some bizarre flaws. As I understand it, the Fire’s front office still has to send in updates to these static content pages to be fixed in New York. Somewhere along the line, something has broken down as egregious errors have not been corrected in a week since launch. The worst example is undoubtedly the Ring of Fire page; what should be a tribute to the Fire’s members of the Ring of Fire is instead about a separate honour the Fire bestows on fans, the Wall of Honor.

The supreme irony there is that the two current members of the Wall of Honor, Brandon Kitchens and Dan Parry, were in 2008 selected for the Ring of Fire by the current members, a decision vetoed by Fire ownership who decided to create the Wall of Honor instead.  Oh, the bizarre twists of internet fate!

The Fire history page? Well, it’s an excellent explanation of the club’s history up until the end of 1997…before the team had even played its first game. The Important Dates in Fire History page gets a little further, but stops in 2007 with the resignation of Juan Carlos Osorio.

It’s inconceivable that the Fire’s front office, who quite honestly have been on top of their online game this offseason with engaging social media work, could be happy with this state of affairs content-wise. It’s clear they do not yet have the control of the site they were promised when it was trumpeted MLS and teams were taking these sites “in-house”.

A peek underneath the hood does nothing to inspire confidence that the site’s developers took any care or spent any time on the site. A basic search engine optimization piece of code that takes 10 seconds to write and has been in use since the 1990s is, for example, an empty tag:  <meta name=”keywords” content=”" />

This is where it might be useful to write in, I don’t know, “Chicago Fire”, “MLS”, “Soccer”. See, that took me five seconds.

The developers are too lazy to even embed hyperlinks.

Did I mention the site often slows to a crawl and goes offline?

The curious part is there is nothing difficult development-wise about the Fire’s site. It doesn’t rely on anything more complex than the open-source content management system Drupal, a piece of web development software so easy to set-up and deploy that I’ve done it. All we have here are some static pages and dynamic content easily edited in a web browser, themed for the Fire. But it’s clear the developers are so overwhelmed dealing with the disaster that is MLSSoccer.com and its myriad problems that the team’s individual sites have been neglected as well, simple as they are.

The sad thing is, long before Seattle supposedly rewrote the rules on having a compelling MLS website, in 1998 the Fire had a site superior both to today’s incarnation and the previous league-run site, by local company TribeAgency (you can see their portfolio from those days here).

Some teams haven’t even had their new sites launched — see Columbus, for example — but quite honestly, that’s a blessing in disguise. Better to have a functional site than the bug-ridden, poorly coded, poorly implemented site MLS has dumped on the Fire.

Quick Hits

• The San Jose Earthquakes have become the final MLS team to launch their own youth academy, a belated but welcome step. And the other new team joining the US Soccer Development Academy program will be the Minnesota Thunder.
• Oliver Kay in the Times looks at the “£150m cost of debts owed by Premier League clubs.”

The Sweeper appears daily. For more rambling and links throughout the day every day, follow your editor Tom Dunmore @pitchinvasion on Twitter.

"Don't ask me!"

“It doesn’t make any sense.”  That’s what Jon Busch told me he was thinking after he learned he was waived by the Chicago Fire a little over a week ago.  It was also the sentiment of most Fire fans when they heard the news last week that the man who started every MLS game in goal for their team the last two seasons, who was the team MVP and League Goalkeeper of the Year two seasons ago, and was one of the fans’ favorite players was being released less than a week before before the MLS opener.

The question on everyone’s mind was why?

Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas said it was simply a matter of second year pro Andrew Dykstra having a better pre-season than Busch to earn the job.  Fans of the popular goalkeeper who loved playing in front of Section 8 couldn’t believe it was as simple as that, so conspiracy theories started popping up.

I’ve been where Frank Klopas, the Fire’s Technical Director, is now and I know it can be very difficult, but necessary, to let go of a player who has given his all, been successful and is loved by the team’s supporters.  After the 2002 season, the Chicago Fire was more than $1 million over the salary budget and we had to move four of the team’s most popular – and highest paid - players: Hristo Stoitchkov,  Dema Kovalenko, Josh Wolff and the hardest of all, Peter Nowak.  The off season moves were made on the heels of losing Head Coach Bob Bradley to the MetroStars.  New Head Coach Dave Sarachan and I were roundly, and understandably, chastised by Fire fans for trading four of our greatest stars for a few draft picks and an untested Nike Project 40 player.

I responded by writing an open – and as transparent as possible – letter to Fire fans explaining how we got in the situation, why we made those moves and where we planned to go from that point.  The letter started:

Dear Fire Fans,

I would like to take this opportunity to explain the Chicago Fire’s recent moves and try to address any concerns you may have about the Fire going forward. The Fire had an embarrassment of riches over the last several years – we had assembled more talent than any MLS team has ever had. Last year, many players deferred salaries, gave up bonuses or hadn’t reached their salary potential, which allowed the Fire to stay under the League salary budget for the 2002 season. This year, everything kicked in at the same time resulting in the quantum leap of salaries sending the Fire more than $1,000,000 over the salary budget.

Even with the pending move of Hristo Stoitchkov, the trades of Dema Kovalenko and Josh Wolff, along with several players taking pay cuts this year, we were STILL significantly over the limit, resulting in the unthinkable trade of our captain and leader Peter Nowak. Unfortunately, the only real alternatives to trading any of those four in order to get under the salary budget included trading Carlos Bocanegra or Chris Armas, which we refused to do for the following reasons.

We believe that Carlos and Chris can help the Fire compete for more championships for years to come while Peter and Hristo would likely only give the Fire one more year. Josh had requested a trade knowing that the Fire could only afford to keep him or Ante as a maximum salaried forward and his injury history meant he felt that he needed a fresh start with another team. Dema is another player that we did NOT want to trade, but given the option of trading him, Carlos or Chris, we believe we made the best move for the Fire and our fans.

I am more frustrated and torn about losing Peter than anyone could be with the exception of Peter himself. We exhausted all options including naming him a player/assistant coach in order to shave some money off the player budget, but it was still not possible to keep him and keep the team under the salary budget. Any alternatives would have resulted in crippling the team…

The full letter and fans’ reaction to the letter can be read here.

The 2002-03 experience has several parallels to Busch’s release.  Both involved moving popular players.  Both involved transitions to younger players.  Both were done under new head coaches and both involved fans believing there must be ulterior motives behind the moves.

While the Busch release was not as impactful as the 2002-03 off season slaughter, it still hit a nerve with many fans.  Klopas’ explanation did not seem to resonate with many fans – or Busch.  While Klopas said Dykstra beat Busch out in pre-season, Dykstra hardly played in the preseason and didn’t play any MLS games his rookie season.  A shoulder injury limited him to less than two games in preseason – giving up one goal in 40 minutes vs. Vancouver and one goal in a full 90 vs. Houston.  He didn’t participate in the team’s extended camp in Mexico. And even if Dykstra did beat Busch out, why not keep the veteran around as insurance and a mentor?

Well, the conspiracy theorists of soccer have come up with a number of potential, though all unconfirmed Busch-Whacker theories:

1. BUSCH CONFRONTS KLOPAS: After Busch was informed of the decision to start Dykstra in the Fire’s opener in New York, he went upstairs to the Fire’s offices in Toyota Park and voiced his displeasure to Klopas.  This theory has de los Cobos questioning whether the veteran could be a good soldier and support Dykstra as a backup leading to his release the next day.

Klopas’ comment on ESPN 540′s “Soccer Saturday” Presented by the Milwaukee Wave” indicates he believed Jon would struggle in a reserve role: “We felt that making that decision that (Andrew’s) going to be our number one goalkeeper, we needed to support him and we needed people around him to support him,” Klopas said.  “Jon needed a situation where he wanted to play.”

Busch says he did go from his meeting with de los Cobos where he was told he wasn’t starting in New York directly to Klopas’ office.  But he says he was calm considering the circumstances and agreed to support Andrew and work hard to earn the number one spot back.  “I met downstairs with Carlos where I said ‘OK, I’m very disappointed, but I’m not going to be a problem child.  Let’s get through New York and I’ll do whatever you need me to do.  I’ll come back and work hard,’” he told me.

“I then told him I’m going to talk to Frank.”  Busch walked up to Klopas’ office and asked the Ring of Fire legend “‘Frank, what’s going on? I can’t agree with the decision.  I played every game for two years.  I had a great preseason.’ I questioned his reasons.  All he told me was that Andrew has potential and Carlos likes to take risks. Frank said ‘That’s what Carlos wants.  I’m going to have coffee with Carlos and talk to him about it.’  I told Frank that I want to stay and fight for my job.  I’m confused,” Busch said.  The next day Busch went from #2 to the waiver wire.  “How did it change in 24 hours?” Busch asked Klopas.  “Is it the budget?  Frank said no.”

2. THE NEW CBA: The newly negotiated MLS CBA is certainly a tremendous victory for both the owners and players due to the timing of the settlement, the benefits achieved by both parties and the sense of partnership that resulted from the generally amiable talks.  In any agreement that results in new policies, however, there will be unintended consequences and despite Klopas’ claims to the contrary, there is reason to believe that Busch’s employment may be one of those.  The new CBA provides guaranteed contracts for all MLS players age 24 or older with three or more years of service including Busch.  Busch’s newly guaranteed contract was believed to be close to $150,000 in 2010.  Klopas denied Busch’s release was due to the budget, however.

3. ANOTHER GOALKEEPER IS COMING: Some people thought the Fire may have wanted to free up budget room for another player.  That cap room could be used, the theory goes, later this year to sign another goalkeeper such as, Salvadoran international Miguel Montes.  Good sources indicate that the Fire has cap room available however and no interest in Montes. Klopas vehemently denies interest in Montes, so perhaps the extra cash could be used on…

4. A NEW FIELD PLAYER: De los Cobos has reportedly not been pleased with the pace of defender Krzysztof Krol, who was acquired on loan in the off season and de los Cobos recently told the Daily Herald that he plans to sign Salvadoran left back Deris Umanzor soon. “He’s coming,” he told Orrin Schwarz.  The Fire could sign Umanzor using Busch’s salary for the Salvadoran left back.  But again, the Fire actually had the room already to sign him and Klopas specifically said the release was not due to the team’s salary budget.

Klopas and new Fire Head Coach Carlos de los Cobos both steered conversation away from the theories above as contributing factors and instead focused on the opportunity to promote the inexperienced Dykstra.

“This decision was not made because we’re bringing someone else in. That’s inaccurate,” Klopas told MLS Insider. “This decision was not made because the players’ union came to an agreement on the CBA. This decision was made over the course of time in preseason.”

Frank elaborated last Saturday on “Soccer Saturday” when he told me:

“When we first signed Andrew a year ago, we believed he had the potential to be the goalkeeper of the future.  Has a tremendous presence when u see him on the field, he’s 6’4”, very athletic, he’s very quick.  The few games that he did play, he was a goalie that was very composed, made very good decisions, he made the saves that needed to be made to keep you in games, but also a guy that was a guy for the big moment.  It didn’t phase him. He didn’t show any fear.

“We have the utmost respect for Jon.  He’s a guy that’s done a lot not only for the Fire, but someone who’s been in the League many years and those are not easy decisions.

“[It's] Unfortunate that we had to make some quick decisions. It was best to try to help Jon move along if we could find a team, but in the short time of the CBA being announced it was going to be very difficult, we made a decision at that time to put him on waivers and give him an opportunity to see if he can get picked up and go somewhere and if there was an opportunity for him to play, because we made a decision to go with Andrew. We all believe he’s ready and has the potential to be a great goalkeeper.”

Sometimes the truth is not as interesting as the theories, so people enjoy thinking of nefarious alternatives.  Regardless of conspiracy theories, time marches on for all parties. And all parties will likely be better off in the long run:

• Jon Busch: While the timing of the move  likely cost the 33-year old a starting role with another MLS team and a chance to earn the type of money he was scheduled to make in Chicago, Busch did sign earlier this week with the San Jose Earthquakes where he’s expected to provide depth to Joe Cannon.  “It will be a fun challenge,” Busch said.  “I’m excited about it.”  And Busch holds no ill will to his successor, “I even texted Andrew before the game to wish him good luck in his first MLS game.  It has nothing to do with him,  he is a good kid.”
• Andrew Dykstra: His christening by fire, so to speak, was last Saturday at Red Bull Arena’s MLS debut.  Dykstra faced three shots.  He gave up one goal, dropped — then recovered — a second shot and saved a third.  He has his teammates and coaches confidence, tremendous physical gifts and he will have support from incredibly loyal fans.  Like Zach Thornton in 1998 and many other goalkeepers, Dykstra is getting his chance and will have great support to achieve success.
• Chicago Fire: The Fire’s first game in the post-Busch era was a 1-0 loss that provided glimmers of hope in a disappointing result.  De los Cobos used the opportunity to speak philosophically about playing beautiful in a loss sometimes being more important than winning ugly.  He, too, will have time and great support to achieve success.

The generational growth of soccer in the United States is exemplified by the Hack family, Nicole, Vivian, Allison and Al.

I’ve often talked about how too many Americans expect an instantaneous soccer revolution, when in fact they should recognize that the sport has instead undergone a phenomenal, yet deliberate, EVOLUTION over the last twenty years.

That point was driven home to me recently in the person of longtime Chicago soccer supporter Al Hack who died suddenly Valentine’s Day morning.  To me, Al represents a generation of Americans who helped escort soccer from the dark ages of the sport in the 1980s to today’s relatively enlightened era in which soccer plays an important and relevant part in the lives of the majority of Americans.

It was at a soccer game of course where I first met Al – a Chicago Storm indoor soccer match at the UI-C Pavilion – four years ago.  I knew Al as a Chicago Fire and Chicago Red Stars fan, but mostly I knew him as the jovial and loving father of two soccer passionate girls.  One of his daughters, Nicole, was the founding leader of the Chicago Red Stars supporters’ group Local 134.

Al’s soccer-loving path reflects the evolution of both the size and the nature of soccer’s generational movement into the American mainstream.   He was a conduit of soccer’s growth in the United States.  Like so many other American men he was first introduced to the sport through interaction with immigrants and opportunity to connect with his children in a youth soccer program.  Al coached his daughters Nicole and Allie for a total of 13 years.  He didn’t know a lot about soccer, but he loved sports and he loved his daughters, so when the Tinley Park Bobcats needed a coach, Al stepped in.

Through soccer he was able to connect with his daughters.  Before you knew it, Al was taking the girls to Chicago Power professional indoor soccer games at the Rosemont Horizon.  Some of Nicole’s fondest childhood memories were attending those Power games with her dad.

Al and Nicole didn’t go to the games by themselves.  Al worked for 33 years at the Andrew Corporation in Chicago’s south suburbs.  Many of his co-workers were European immigrants who brought their passion for soccer to Chicago with them.  It was one of those co-workers, Jake Setter from Germany, who first introduced Al to soccer and went with him to pro soccer games…first it was Chicago Sting games, then Chicago Power games and later Chicago Fire games – at Soldier Field, Cardinal Stadium and finally Toyota Park.  Jake and Al were later joined by fellow co-worker and Scotsman Ian Brown and then by Al’s former Chicago Fire ticket sales rep Nick Zahos.

Like so many other new Americans, the immigrant friends knew the sport well and were more than happy to share their knowledge – and opinions – with Al.  Through long discussions and debates over many beers at many soccer matches, Al learned the sport and gained a passion for it.  A passion that he passed on to his daughters.  That transference of passion in sport from father to child had been occurring in American sports for more than a century…but now with Al’s generation it was happening with soccer.

His daughters played throughout their youth.  Allie also played some in high school and excelled in gymnastics, too.  Nicole continued with soccer in high school and continues to play recreational indoor and outdoor soccer today.  Al and Jake attended the World Cup at Soldier Field in 1994 and longed for the day Chicago would get an MLS team they could support.

Al used the Fire to provide a social connection for his whole family.  His wife Vivian and their daughters also attended soccer matches along with Al, Jake, Ian and Nick.

“Obviously, Allie, my mom and I were also his soccer buddies,” Nicole said.  “He thought that soccer would keep us together as a family and I must admit it was working.  The brick I bought my parents that’s in front of Toyota Park says ‘A red heart can never be broken’, and our hearts may be hurting right now, but it will never be broken.  My dad was my ultimate soccer buddy,” she said.

Al became a veteran of attending soccer matches.  He no longer coached, but he had gained much knowledge from his coaching, his years of watching soccer and debating it with Jake, Ian and Nick.  He wasn’t content sitting quietly in the stands.  He was vocal and even joined Section 8 on occassion to provide colorful support to the home team.

Al and Vivian Hack

The last time Al and I spoke was a couple weeks ago at the Section 8 Chicago Annual General Meeting.  He wasn’t one of the younger attendees, but he certainly was one of the youngest at heart. Vivian told me at the wake how much he enjoyed our conversations.  I can say the same, because he always was laughing and always made me feel better about whatever was going on at that time.  She then provided me with great praise by telling me that my spirit reminded her of Al.  Surely, no higher compliment could be paid.

After many years of supporting the Fire, a professional women’s team came to Chicago.  His daughters, all grown up by then, were thrilled and Al was thrilled.  Again, he committed to supporting the team with Red Stars season tickets for his family.

To me, Al’s life seemed to center on his family and soccer.  It was only at his wake where I realized the fullness of his interests and the scope of his impact.  Long lines of mourners snaked around the funeral home for more than five hours to pay tribute to this wonderful man. The lines wound past dozens of images that showed his love of Walt Disney World, the White Sox and the Eiche Turners as well as the love I already knew he had for the Fire, Red Stars and family.

While Al has passed, his wonderful memory lives on in all who were fortunate to share a beer, a cheer and a laugh.  His individual legacy will live on in Vivian, Allison, Nicole and his countless friends, but he is also part of a generation whose legacy was largely unforeseen 20 years ago.  A generation that transitioned and translated a foreign sport to their kids and helped make it a part of the fabric of American culture as much as Walt Disney World and Valentine’s Day.  Thank you Al and thank you to the millions of others who joined him on that successful journey.

Last week, as Peter Wilt discussed in his column here, I was elected as the new Chairman of Section 8 Chicago, the Independent Supporters’ Association (ISA) for the Chicago Fire Soccer Club.  The ISA is a non-profit organisation that aims to represent all Fire supporters, working with the club to represent the supporters’ viewpoint, organising tifo displays, trips to away games, social events, and selling a lot of merchandise and a lot of tickets.

How the hell did I end up being the volunteer sucker taking all that on?  I wasn’t even born in Chicago, or even the United States, and I wasn’t even a Fire fan, or even a fan of MLS, when the club was founded in 1997. I plan to post each week here on my experiences as Chair of the ISA, and so I thought I’d better start with a long but hopefully helpful explanation of how I ended up in this position in the first place. Take a deep breath, and read on.

Goldstone97

In 1997, the home ground of the club I had grown up supporting on the south coast of England, where I had stood on the terraces week in week out since the age of 11, was demolished. The Goldstone Ground, Brighton and Hove Albion’s stadium since 1902, was the victim of the club’s spiral into near extinction at the hands of owners mendacious and brazen enough to try and stiff the club and sell off the property for profitable development to line their own pockets.

Protests marked the final two years of the Goldstone Ground; pitch invasions, poetry and people power ruled the day. Most of it was peaceful, some of it disturbed the police. The Fans United day at the Goldstone, which saw supporters from dozens of clubs travel down to Brighton in support of the fans faced with the Albion’s plight, was one of the greatest days in the history of supporter solidarity.

It was those dying days of the Goldstone, with the club only saved from extinction by the active, creative protest movement that saw Brighton fan and businessman Dick Knight buy out the hounded and chastened owners that same year, that made me realise there was more to being a football fan than standing on the terraces and singing.

cf97

Two thousand miles away, while Brighton were veering on the precipe of extinction, a new club was being born: the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer. The MLS expansion team’s first employee, Peter Wilt, spent the early part of the year convincing the owner of the team, Phil Anschutz of AEG, that calling it the Nike Rhythm as the sporting goods company wanted it to be was a bad idea. Instead, Peter thought, the team needed to have an identity conneced to the history of Chicago, to become a lasting part of the community.

Fortunately, the young General Manager was able to convince his billionaire employer this was the right move, and the Chicago Fire’s name and logo was announced at a ceremony on the 116th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, at Navy Pier in downtown Chicago on October 8th, 1997. In their first season, the Fire won the league and cup double, thanks largely to future Ring of Fire members Piotr Nowak, Bob Bradley, Frank Klopas, Lubos Kubik, Peter Wilt and Chris Armas.

Two thousand miles away, I had no idea this was happening. I knew Major League Soccer existed; I also knew Chicago existed, but I don’t remember hearing of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. I knew of Michael Jordan, and of the Untouchables. And that was about it. In England, nobody cared much about what they called soccer in the United States.

Meanwhile, I’d left Brighton, and though I didn’t know it, I had essentially left my hometown for good. I went to university in Manchester, going to the odd Manchester City game at Maine Road. On visits home, I couldn’t see Brighton play in Brighton, because we didn’t play there any longer. Without a stadium, we groundshared a miserable few hours drive away around three motorways in Gillingham. It was shit. The first time I went there, we lost 1-0 in front of a shit crowd in a shit ground and I crashed my car on the way home. Again, shit.

After graduating from Manchester in 2000, within a little over a year, I found myself in Chicago, for a Masters degree in social science at the University of Chicago. I was supposed to fly there on September 11th 2001, but, well, you know why my flight was delayed. Little did I know I’d not just be there for the one year Masters program, but end-up staying on to undertake a PhD in history (nope, my dissertation still isn’t done).

Moving to Chicago did not immediately increase my knowledge or awareness of Major League Soccer. I didn’t hear much at all about the league, the country’s sporting culture that fall going crazy over the World Series, and then the Patriots run to the Super Bowl, while the aftermath of September 11th was played out.

For my football fix, I tuned in to Brighton games via a subscription to the club’s internet radio service that autumn, but I don’t recall paying much attention to the Fire making it to the semi-final of MLS Cup that autumn as well.

The next year, the Fire’s own stadium problems became apparent to me, as I learned more about the team: their home, Soldier Field (best known for Bears games, of course), closed for renovation, so the Fire moved to far-out suburb Naperville, playing at Cardinal Stadium, essentially a small college gridiron stadium.

It was there I saw my first Fire game. It was all rather weird; despite all the work of the club, it was little like the experience of watching football I’d had anywhere in England: silly expectations, of course. Despite the best efforts of the hardcore supporters, the whole experience didn’t win me over immediately. Professional soccer seemed an awkward fit in that stadium. But I will say, the quality of play impressed me. Going back for further games, the likes of DaMarcus Beasley and Ante Razov surprised me and interested me: Beasley in particular, with his willingness to beat player after player with his pace, despite the awful hacking his opponents resorted to.

Still, though, I didn’t get to know any other Fire fans, dragging friends there myself, with drinking sessions on the long train ride out there half the attraction for us (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I didn’t feel part of the Fire community, though. I didn’t run into Peter Wilt, sadly, nor any of the friends I’d later make.

The Fire returned to renovated Soldier Field in 2004, and I went to games there infrequently. That I found an even odder experience: the giant stadium hosting small crowds. Now, I’d seen a couple of thousand show up for Brighton games at the Goldstone, and that was a pretty miserable experience on a wet Tuesday night in January, but somehow 15,000 in a 65,000 capacity stadium seemed worse. I still couldn’t call it a passion that matched what I had grown up with the Albion. I would regret this attitude later.

The Fire moved to their own stadium in 2006, Toyota Park, thanks to the work of Peter Wilt (AEG had already shown their appreciation by dismissing him, to the dismay of fans). It was there, from my first visit on, that I became a Fire supporter in the true sense of the word. The Fire had a home, and I felt at home again, a decade on from the crisis at the Goldstone. The 20,000 capacity stadium was intimate, the grass was made for football. And at the middle of the Harlem End, in an area known as Section 8, I was more impressed than in the past by the in-stadium displays, the dedication to singing non-stop, and began standing in the middle of it.

In 2007, I bought my first Fire season ticket.

Those early weeks of ’07 saw my initial encounter with the leadership of Section 8 Chicago, the Fire’s Independent Supporters’ Association. They were encountering problems that piqued my curiosity.

Despite moving into their “own” stadium, I soon learned the Fire didn’t actually own the stadium. It was owned and had been paid for, at a cost somewhere around $100m, by the Village of Bridgeview, a suburb just slightly outside Chicago. The stadium management was unhappy with the behaviour by a small minority of fans, particularly alcohol being sneaked inside, and had decided to institute pat-downs at the gate where the supporters who stood in what was known as “Section 8″ (then section 118 at Toyota Park) usually entered.

This selective targeting was extremely questionable from a legal standpoint. The supporters were incensed. I had a blog on the Offside at the time, and looked into the controversy, getting in touch with Ben Burton, the new head of Section 8 Chicago, and making a phone call to Peter Wilt, by now the ex-GM, who gave me some very interesting insight into both sides of the dispute.

Section 8 Chicago got in touch with the mayor of Bridgeview, and realising the embarrassment and legal liability the Village faced, the mayor very sensibly killed the selective pat-downs. Instead, the supporters collectively worked to police behaviour themselves.

I was very impressed by the organisation of the supporters. Over the year, I got to know more and more of them personally. An away trip to Toronto with 300 other Fire fans the 600 odd miles away for the grand opener at BMO Field brought me further into the fold. These guys were not fucking around, it became apparent to me. The pride in the club and the city so many shared became obvious to me, and I wanted to be part of that.

Some beer, some whiskey, plenty of hours shooting the shit about the Fire and football far and wide, and suddenly I was part of a community, meeting people who would become close, close friends. I joined a supporters group, Whiskey Brothers Aught Five; motto, “drinking, cursing, Chicago Fire.”

WB05 is just one of many supporters’ groups that stand together in Section 8, and come under the umbrella of the Section 8 Chicago ISA (people always get confused by this and think “Section 8″ is one group, but the whole point is that it isn’t; it’s made up various groups and independents, with support available from the democratically elected ISA liaising with the front office). This, it seemed to me, was a wonderful way for supporters to have a collective structure and voice with the club whilst allowing groups and individuals to follow their own path for supporting the Fire. Some groups are serious, some are jovial, some are large, some barely constitute the Wikipedia definition of a group.

They may have fundamental disagreements among them, but since the Fire’s original supporters’ groups the Barn Burners and Fire Ultras 98 began to stand together in Section 8 at old Soldier Field over a decade ago, the culture of Fire support has largely been about finding ways to bridge differences and come together in support of the team. That’s why the mission statement of Section 8 Chicago makes sense to most:

Section 8 Chicago, the Independent Supporters’ Association  for the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, encompasses a number of affiliate supporters groups and independent fans. The vision of the ISA is “. . . to unite all Chicago Fire fans, to create a dominant in-stadium force unseen in any American team sport and to establish a home-field advantage whenever the Chicago Fire play.” The ISA exists to supplement the efforts of independent fans, coordinate between the supporters groups and act as liaison between fans and the Chicago Fire Soccer Club. As a non-profit organization, a board of directors is elected yearly at the Annual General Meeting in February by the assembled supporters.

As an independent supporters’ association, we will create an inspiring environment for the Chicago Fire organization and its fans. We will do this through fostering an increased level of passionate support, providing a conduit amongst the fans and with the organization, enabling participation in activities for Fire fans and organizing, coordinating and directing in-stadium support on an unprecedented scale, regardless of where the Fire play.

As I learned more about the mission and operations of the ISA, I started helping out Section 8 Chicago however I could, beginning with the website, since I had some skills there, and then doing some writing.

Then a very bad thing happened in the summer of 2008.  Some members of an Hispanic supporters’ group, Sector Latino, were abused by security guards at Toyota Park, physically and verbally, with unpleasant racial epithets tossed their way for good measure.

Unfortunately, when Sector Latino and Section 8 Chicago leadership approached the club about the unacceptable behaviour by security, it fell on deaf ears.

For some reason, the then Chairman of Section 8 Chicago, Ben Burton, asked me to help him negotiate a solution to the crisis with the Fire’s front office.  It took a lot of work — an ugly meeting, draconian moves by the stadium management, a protest, a reasonable conversation, and a path forward mutually found, to sum up a month of painful initiation for me into supporter-club relations — but I still believe the resolution of that was a turning point in front office-supporter relations. The following turnover in the club’s leadership brought in a new attitude towards supporters that saw slow but steady improvement in relations.

In January 2009, sucked into the vortex, I was elected to the board of the ISA as Vice-Chair. In the course of last year, though we faced new obstacles in some ways, by the end of the MLS eason we had found new ways to work with the club. We agreed a three-year contract on a ticket stipend for the ISA to continue encouraging growth of the supporters’ culture. The club found room to allow us to conduct massive tifo construction projects at the stadium (like the one below), worked on tirelessly by many folks with more creative skills and energy than myself.

We did Q&As and social events with Technical Director Frank Klopas, who reached out warmly to the supporters’ community. We began work, albeit we did not finish, on a Club Charter, a mutually agreed document between supporters and the club defining the club’s values, and the responsibilities and rights of supporters.

Importantly, we also opened up new channels of communication for supporters with Fire owner Andrew Hauptman. I expressed some frustration on these pages last summer about the direction of the club’s leadership, but this soon improved as Ben Burton and I met with Andrew for a frank and productive discussion, followed-up by a public Q&A forum organised by the ISA. Meanwhile, we built a solid and fruitful relationship with our new liaison at the club, Emigdio Gamboa, who has put countless hours of work in to help us.

And meantime, our efforts at promoting the supporters’ culture bore fruit, thankless to the tireless hours of work put in by volunteers manning the growing tailgate, the beer buses to games, the social events, putting together the tifo displays and making sure we could safely visit every stadium in MLS. In 2007, Section 8 barely filled one section of Toyota Park, 118. By the playoffs, Section 8 overflowed from three entire sections, a growth from a few hundred to 2-3,000. On our own, we would sell over 1,000 tickets on our online store to the Conference Final.

Section 8 filling the Harlem End of Toyota Park

After a long year of work for the ISA, it took me a while to decide to run for Chair this year, with the heroic Ben Burton retiring from the position after three years. My wife has been a Fire fan for longer than me (having attended the first game in 1998), but all the volunteer work is extremely time consuming. At the same time, it was through the Fire and Section 8 community that I had met my wife in the first place. And it was through that culture that I had made so many good friends. The future of the club and of the supporters’ relations to it means a lot to me, partly because it means a lot to so many close to me.

Soccer is just a sport that doesn’t matter much at the end of the day, but the people you meet and share these experiences with do. So I decided I owed it to the culture and community I had come to and had been embraced by to give back what I could. Over the year I will share the ups and downs of this here: I’m sure it’ll be fun, frustrating and fueled by plenty of beer, and hopefully capped by the Fire’s first MLS championship since the club’s inaugural season.

Section 8 Chicago has formalized its structure & become a proficient non-profit with an annual six-figure budget.

The nature of the Chicago Fire’s organized fan support has matured over the years much like MLS itself.

Section 8 Chicago, the Chicago Fire’s Independent Supporters’ Association, held its Annual General Meeting last Saturday in the Toyota Park Stadium Club and it was remarkable to me how far the supporters have come.  A dozen years ago, there were a couple of Fire supporters groups, the Barn Burners and Polish Ultras, who worked separately and successfully to organize support for the expansion MLS team.  The groups met in bars and discussed activities online as S8C does today, but the depth, breadth and formality of the organizing has grown tremendously.

The original supporters groups, while not as formalized as today’s S8C, were critical to the success of the team in the early years and critical to the success of today’s supporters groups as well.  Barn Burners 1871 and the Fire Ultras laid the foundation of today’s professionalized Section 8 Chicago, an umbrella association working on behalf of more than a dozen supporters groups and thousands of independent fans.

The Barn Burners and Ultras had bus trips, tifo, scarves and tailgates as do today’s supporters, but the level of all has grown along with the professionalization that has emerged under the leadership of the S8C independent supporters association’s first two chairmen, Marcin Tłustochowicz and Ben Burton.  Under Tłustochowicz, S8C instituted board positions and responsibilities, added more road trips, merchandise sales and more regular tifo displays.  Under Burton’s leadership the last three years, S8C increased its fundraising, amended its by-laws and grew its marketing and road and home support.  Much to his chagrin, S8C failed to finish its club charter with the Fire under Burton’s watch, but it certainly wasn’t due to a lack of effort or passion on his part.  The Fire is finally taking the club charter seriously and will likely ratify the important document in new chairman Tom Dunmore’s first term.

The Barn Burners were the original Fire supporters group.

Saturday’s meeting exemplified the organization’s growth.  The location of the AGM alone is a sign of growth  both for the team and the supporters.  Prior to Toyota Park, the Fire never hosted a supporters event, which normally were in back rooms of local bars and restaurants.  This time, printed copies of the AGM’s agendas were passed out at the door and the AGM started with an hour-long social that brought supporters together with club seat holders and Fire staff.  Unfortunately, the timing didn’t allow any players or coaches to attend.  There was no upper management present, but Fire broadcaster Fred Huebner attended and a very nice letter from Fire owner Andrew Hauptman was read to the 100 or so in attendance.

The meeting itself was more IBM and less Animal House than previous AGMs…though the presence of beer and Jim Beam at the board members table served as a reminder that this was still a meeting of fans that included the election of a Whiskey Bros. 05 supporters group member as its new chairman.

The formalities of the meeting began with a welcome from outgoing S8C Director of Marketing Melissa Hamming, who served as the AGM’s moderator.

Director of Finance Mario Ortega led the audience through five pages of proposed by-law amendments, which revised board of director titles and descriptions, allowed absentee voting and created a clearer process to amend by-laws in the future.  A couple of friendly amendments were added by those present and the changes were agreed to by acclamation.

Next came the annual election of officers highlighted by the uncontested elevation of Vice-Chairman (and Pitch Invasion Founder and Editor) Dunmore to Chairman.  Dunmore accepted graciously and rightly showed his appreciation for the herculean efforts of Burton, his predecessor, over the last three years.  He promised continued growth, improved relationships with the front office, outreach to Fire fans and peace in our time.

Dunmore’s Vice-Chairman role will be filled by Joel Pitkel, another longtime Fire supporter who has been active in efforts to organize a North American affiliate of Show Racism the Red Card.

Director of Events and Director of Operations were the only two contested positions. Josh Graning won the former with the help of a well designed campaign flyer highlighting his “experience, initiative, honor and dedication” as well as his “humility”. Graning won over absentee candidate Marc Bahnsen who was out of town for work at another AGM…US Soccer’s…and had his campaign speech read to the supporters by the moderator.  Michael “Giaco” Giacometti was re-elected to head up operations over perennial candidate DJ Racis who gave an eloquent and serious speech that was followed by an equally thoughtful extemporaneous rebuttal by Giaco.

Ortega was re-elected Director of Finance after reviewing the 2009 finances with everyone.  The gross income and expense of approximately $154,000 isn’t challenging the GNP of any small island nations yet, but is still impressive for the registered non-profit. Road trips, ticket and merchandise sales and tifo displays are the main areas of revenue and expense for the S8C.

From the left: Fire's founding GM Peter Wilt with Section 8 Chicago Chairmen Ben Burton, Tom Dunmore and Marcin Tłustochowicz in front of the Toyota Park player tunnel and Section 8 touchstone from Old Soldier Field.

A few further things I picked up on from the day:

Learning: I learned more about how Chris Rolfe originally came to the Fire’s attention.  While Fire Assistant Coach Mike Matkovich deserves tremendous plaudits for coaching Rolfe with the Fire Reserves, developing his skills and promoting his ability to the Fire, two others deserve mention as well.  Rolfe was discovered for the Fire reserves in 2003 by Fire Reserves Assistant Coach Jeremy Alumbaugh.  And then during the 2004 PDL season, Fire Assistant Coach Craig Reynolds importantly served as a mentor to Rolfe and nurtured his development in the summer before the Fire drafted him.

Observation: I saw several club seat holders at the meeting including longtime Chicago soccer supporters John Keller, Chet Young and Doug Thompson.  Club seat holder participation in the AGM is a very good sign.  While active volunteers for S8C primarily consist of fans who stand in Section 8, as an independent supporters’ association, it represents all Fire fans.  Under Burton’s leadership, they have worked to open lines of communication with fans in all areas of Toyota Park both with themselves and with the Fire and Toyota Park staff.

Learning: Fire player developmental staff tells me that new Head Coach Carlos de los Cobos has done a great job already integrating the developmental staff with the first team staff to create a true club culture.  This marks a sea change from the separation of departments that existed previously.

Observation: New Fire Communications Manager Brendan Hannan brings soccer and MLS knowledge, enthusiasm and sensibility to the job.  Brendan, multi-lingual Communications Coordinator Franco Sui Yuan and Jeff Crandall, also added to the communications department from the USL, give the Fire a level of soccer acumen that will pay off dearly.

Learning: While both are working on new languages, de los Cobos’ English is improving faster than Matkovich’s Spanish.

Observation:The AGM attendance was diverse in its gender, ethnic, age and socio-economic makeup.  Soccer is known for the diversity of its fan base, but it was still refreshing to see that old and young, rich and poor and people of various ethnic backgrounds came together for this meeting to show their support of S8C and the Fire.

Learning: Fire staff are optimistic that Collins John’s trial will lead to his signing and reunion with former Fulham FC teammate Brian McBride.  As usual with any trial, how he fits in to the team and his salary needs will ultimately determine the outcome of the trial.

Observation:

Tradition is a continuum. While it is natural to think about a team’s tradition pertaining only to what’s happened in the past, it’s very much about what’s happening in the present.  While the off season is always a time for optimism, early indications in 2010 provide good reason to think that the Fire’s rich tradition will continue to grow.