Alright, they've existed for 15 years and for a majority of that time I've never given a fiddler's fuck about them. But this year I'm going to make an effort. The continued suckfest of Liverpool FC has awakened a morbid curiosity in my blackened soul to know more about our local soccer team. Also, I will be attending my first Fire match this April. Pathetic considering Toyota Park is about 10 minutes away from my house. The Fire finished last season really well so of course optimism is abounding at 71st and Harlem.

From what I have gathered the stars of this team are:

Dominic Oduro
Sebastian Grazzini
Pavel Pardo
Logan Pause (the captain)
Marco Pappa
Federico Puppo

Season starts March 17 against the Montreal Impact!

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Looks like the Fire have added to the roster...Signing German defenseman Arne Friedrich

http://www.chicago-fire.com/news/2012/0 ... -friedrich

A friend of mine is a season ticket holder for the Fire. I'm not looking forward to hearing him talk about the Fire for the next 7 months.

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Until Frankie Klopas is out of the organization, the Fire will never be good again.

I was entertained at the last game I was at by a guy behin me who complained "I came all the way from 79th and Cicero to watch this?"

I like soccer. I like watching the EPL and the Spanish league on Fox Soccer. The MLS is like watching mid major college football.

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At least mid-majors usually light up the scoreboard. Fire set the MLS record for ties last year about 1/2 way through the season.

He was a decent player but has had the injury bug.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

I didn't get my "fandom" off to a good start as I completely forgot the team had a game today. But they drew 1-1, well on their way to break their record for draws in a season.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Yeah, yesterday Fire v. Impact was on at the same time as Barca v. Sevilla. Guess which one I watched!

I usually don't bother watching the Fire until the summer after the European leagues & Mexico are done. Of course with the Euros this June, that will push the Fire until July. Once the European leagues start again in August, the Fire goes to the back burner.

I actually went to two games last year and had a good time. Their attacking combo of Oduro and Nyarko are fun to watch for their pace, but neither guy can finish.

That is the main problem I have with the MLS--most teams are really poor in the final third.

The atmosphere in Toyota Park is usually pretty positive--but the location is a bear for me living on the north side.

Just read on the Chicago Fire website that the Fire will be hosting Aston Villa at Toyota Park on July 21st.

http://www.chicago-fire.com/news/2012/0 ... rk-july-21

Soccer rain delay theater currently.

I was at that shit. Two fucking delays and then called at FT in the 66th minute. First ever Fire game. But I was in one of the suites so we didn't suffer all that much.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

Form the the in case you missed it files (I'm sure you did). Chris Rolfe got out of his contract in Norway and re-signed with the Fire...Then went out and sprained his ankle in a training session and is out for today's match in Canada against Toronto FC (2:30 pm DIRECTV Channel 603). With the Fire making their NBC Sports Network debut....Fans will get to hear Seattle Sounders play-by-play announcer Arlo White and Kyle Martino providing analysis. If you're so inclined, ESPN Deportes will provided all the action on FM 97.5"

Hey, at least it isn't Dan Kelly and Evan Whitfield.

2-1 loss last night to the Seattle Xbox's. But the Fire's goal was scored directly from a corner kick. I think the wind blew it in. And of course I didn't see the game since it was televised on NBC 5.2 and Directv doesn't carry that channel.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

It took them about 20 minutes to get the picture right. I got a green screen for 10 minutes and then the picture was off-center and the signal was cracking all over. Wasn't too bad because they had a full 1/2 hour pre-game show for some reason.

I was able to watch the match on MLS Direct Kick with Ross Fleycher and th recently-retired Kasey Keller on the call. Pretty sad that I have pay $20 a month to watch a home team broadcast with the visiting announcers. This is why no one watches MLS.

This league is fucking dumb. I just got home and figure I can watch the second half of the Fire-Chivas match and it is only televised on ESPN Desportes, which you can stream on ESPN3.com, but is naturally only en Espanol.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

I'm screwed both ways because my Internet provider (Suite Solutions) isn't one of the providers on the list for espn3.com..I called Customer Noservice and they didn't know what espn3.com was...What pisses me off is that I had AT&T and was able to get it and the apartment complex we live in dropped AT&T and signed an exclusive agreement with these bozos at Suite Solutions.

Marco Pappa, boom!

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Git on back there.

Fuck yeah. I saw that. Last kick of the match. Nice win.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.

I guess according to the Daily Mail in London. Wigan Athletic manager Roberto Martinez wants the Chicago Fire's Marco Pappa to take Victor Moses' spot at The DW Stadium.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... ement.html

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Aston Villa comes to Toyota Park to play the Fire on Saturday nite at 7:30 pm. If you aren't planning to be in the crowd at Toyota Park and want to watch the match. It won't do any good to turn the TV on.

Apparently, the match will only be available on http://www.chicago-fire.com or http://www.csnchicago.com

I'll be damned, 3rd most points in the league so far. Guess I'll begrudgingly give Klopas some credit.

Home opener tonight. The match was on NBC Sports. What's with Klopas pulling both forwards and burning all the subs by the 65th minute? The Fire played nothing but donkey ball in the second half. They move around the pitch with the grace of a barge on the Cal Sag.

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Back off, Warchild. Seriously.