When Chicago Fire defender Cory Gibbs recently appeared on Windy City Live to promote the club's
new sponsorship deal with Quaker Oats, the most astute of supporters may have noticed something
different about his appearance: his jersey did had short sleeves.
"I love my long-sleeves," said Gibbs during a recent interview with Hot Time in Old Town.
The Chicago Fire had no trouble dispatching Florida Gulf Coast University 3-0 in their second
game of the 2012 preseason. Marco Pappa scored a goal in the 7th minute and assisted on Dominic
Oduro's goal in the 21st minute. Orr Barouch made it 3-0 in the 60th minute of the game on a Corben
Bone corner kick.
The Revs already have their veteran leader in the back: Matt Reis. (Photo by CHRIS
ADUAMA/aduama.com)
Over the past few seasons there seemed to be a general consensus that the New England Revolution
needed a veteran in the back line to help guide its relatively young defense. Admittedly, I was a
part of that group.
Photo by Brad Smith/ISIPhotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Fans expecting their team to nab that missing piece of the MLS Cup puzzle in the Re-entry Draft
on Monday shouldn't get their hopes up.
Last year, clubs used the mechanism to bolster their rosters with the likes of Juan Pablo Angel,
Josh Wolff, Jimmy Conrad and Cory Gibbs.
By AVI CREDITOR
Don't expect to be wowed by the second edition of the MLS Re-Entry Draft now that most of the
big names initially available are off the table.
Between Bobby Convey being traded to Sporting Kansas City, Bobby Boswell re-signing with the
Houston Dynamo, Ante Jazic re-signing with Chivas USA and Santino Quaranta retiring, the quality of
the draft pool has dropped immensely.
Major League Soccer will hold its Re-Entry draft for the second year in a row. The first round
will take place on December 5 with the second round taking place on December 12. Players available
in this year's Re-Entry Draft include 69 players who had their options declined in addition to a
handful of players that are out of contract.
Dan Gargan -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire and other Major League Soccer teams submitted their 11-player protected lists
Monday in preparation for Wednesday's MLS Expansion Draft for the Montreal Impact.
Among some of the Fire's noteworthy players left unprotected are forward Diego Chaves, midfielder
Daniel Paladini, and defenders Dan Gargan, Josip Mikulic and Yamith Cuesta.
Chicago came very close to the post season, now they have to focus on saving the right 11 for
the expansion draft. (Getty Images)
I took a day or so off from writing these lists, but I hope to get to at least two today.
Today, we are focusing on the Chicago Fire. Frank Klopas' team struggled out of the gate due to
injuries and youth but once former manager Carlos de los Cobos was shown the door, the Fire turned
things around in the summer and ended up being a decent team for 2012.
Fire's Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have not exactly established continuity with their head coach
over the past five seasons. Five different coaches have been at the helm since the start of the
2007 season.
With the Fire's 2011 season in the books, the focus once again turns toward the sidelines, where
Fire technical director and interim head coach Frank Klopas posted an 8-5-10 record after replacing
Carlos de los Cobos.
Fire's Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have not exactly established continuity with their head coach
over the past five seasons. Five different coaches have been at the helm since the start of the
2007 season.
With the Fire's 2011 season in the books, the focus once again turns toward the sidelines, where
Fire technical director and interim head coach Frank Klopas posted an 8-5-10 record after replacing
Carlos de los Cobos.
I was at RFK Stadium last night. I was at RFK Stadium last year when the Fire won on the backs
of two goals after the 80th minute. I certainly did not expect to see a repeat two-late-goal
performance after Dwayne De Rosario converted his 89th minute penalty kick. A fairly blah game
turned into a story for the ages when Sebastian Grazzini scored a scorcher of a goal and Diego
Chaves finished D.
Cory Gibbs -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Now that the playoffs are more or less out of the picture, the Chicago Fire are
simply looking to finish out their final two matches on a positive note.
But the Fire (7-9-16, 37 points) will be dramatically shorthanded when they face Eastern Conference
foe D.
Seattle had an answer for the few riddles Chicago threw at it. The Fire could have given up 3 or
4 goals as the Sounders hit the post twice on offense. That isn't to say Sean Johnson had a poor
night. In fact, he made six saves overall including some lightning fast reflex moves we have come
to expect but are still extraordinary.
Previewing this match it is clear that the Chicago Fire are a different team than they were
during the last meeting. Both teams certainly have injury concerns to key players, but the facet of
the game that will be most effected is different. One can consider that there are four portions of
any game, in ways these are what determined the old three band nomenclature of formations.
On October 4, 2011, head coach Frank Klopas will lead the Chicago Fire to their 6th ever
appearance in a U.S. Open Cup Final. This 2011 U.S. Open Cup journey started over 6 months ago in
Peoria. Since then, a total of 25 players have been used in 4 different stadiums in 3 different
time zones for a total of 5 advancing results.
You remember the Chicago Fire, right? Lots of ties. No offense to speak of. Mired in another
lost season. Well, put all of that out of your mind, because the team standing in the Seattle
Sounders' way of a third-straight U.S. Open Cup title is a lot different from that one.
Unless you follow the blow-by-blow of the Major League Soccer season, you could be excused for
not realizing just how good the Fire have been playing over the course of the last couple
months.
Chicago Fire (7-8-16) vs. Houston Dynamo (10-9-13) October 1, 2011 -- Robertson
Stadium Attendance: 17,544
Scoring Summary:
HOU -- Colin Clark 4 (unassisted) 33
CHI -- Dominic Oduro 12 (Baggio Husidic 2) 43
Chicago Fire -- Sean Johnson, Michael Videira, Jalil Anibaba, Cory Gibbs, Gonzalo
Segares, Logan Pause, Daniel Paladini, Baggio Husidic (Pavel Pardo 67), Corben Bone (Marco Pappa
73), Dominic Oduro (Patrick Nyarko 51), Diego Chaves.
Chicago tied 1-1 with Houston in a fairly ho-hum game of soccer this afternoon. Colin Clark
opened the scoring for Houston on some corner kick madness in the 33rd minute. Ten minutes later,
Dominic Oduro burned Bobby Boswell on defense and got the ball past goaltender Tally Hall on a shot
that required a lot of skill.
Frank Klopas is going with a heavy lineup for tonight's game:
Sean Johnson; Dan Gargan, Josip Mikulic, Cory Gibbs, Gonzalo Segares; Marco Pappa, Pavel Pardo,
Logan Pause; Daniel Paladini; Patrick Nyarko, Dominic Oduro
The U.S. Open Cup Final isn't until Tuesday so there's no reason to worry about overextending
these guys.
By DAVE GUBALA
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill – After watching a two-goal lead in the second half disappear in the span of
two minutes, the Chicago Fire looked destined for yet another late-game disappointment. Dominic
Oduro had other plans however, as he and Patrick Nyarko combined to give Chicago a sorely-needed
win and the Fire continued hope of an improbable run at the playoffs.
As summer winds down on the calendar, so does the Chicago Fire 2011 season. We all know that
summer is already gone in Chicago but it officially doesn't end until next week. In a sense it is
like the Chicago Fire playoffs chances: technically existing but officially extinguished in a
matter of days.
AP photoBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The game had no implications, but the Chivas de Guadalajara fandom came out in
full force in the loudest environment at Toyota Park this year.
Chivas' Jorge Mora scored a 61st-minute free kick goal and Guadalajara defeated the Chicago Fire,
1-0, in front of 18,224 at Wednesday's international friendly.
The Major League Soccer Players Union has released their end of summer update on players'
salaries. If you have wondered how much Sebastian Grazzini and Pavel Pardo are making, we have the
answer and a full update to the Chicago Fire salary picture below. At least, we kind of/probably
do. Let me explain after the break.
The Chicago Fire return to action tonight after a long break due to the FIFA International
calendar. Their opponent is a familiar one as the Fire played the San Jose Earthquakes twice in the
last week in May. The first game was the infamous U.S. Open Cup game where Chicago advanced thanks
to San Jose's Scott Sealy hitting the crossbar on the last PK attempt.
By THOMAS FLOYD
When Freddy Adu, fresh off a breakthrough performance in the Gold Cup, signed with the
Philadelphia Union last month, the 22-year-old playmaker was seen as the key missing cog for a
team with lofty playoff aspirations.
But for a player whose club playing time in Europe has been sporadic at best over the past few
years, gaining the fitness to contribute on a consistent basis has been a challenge early in his
second MLS stint.
In doing research for a story on Chicago Fire goals this season, I came across a couple of
irregularities on the assist credits for some tallies. The initial press release after a game might
have done something like given a second assist credit to Marco Pappa on Cory Gibbs' header vs. San
Jose when he really didn't do that much to set up Baggio Husidic's ball into the box.
The Rapids traveled to Chicago on Saturday, but everyone might have been better served by Colorado
forfeiting the game and staying home for the rest. A 2-0 loss where Colorado was outplayed and
out-hustled all night wasn't any better than the 3-0 forfeit score line and added rest would have
been.
I'd break down the play and the goals, but honestly they're what you would expect for a tried Mile
High Club.
Already a hometown favorite among Seattle fans for status as a local product, Lamar Neagle
boosted his cult hero status in the Emerald City with his hat-trick performance in the Sounders'
6-2 romp over Columbus on Saturday. He also earned SBI MLS Player of the Week honors in the
process.
The Colorado Rapids roster is being tested by CONCACAF Champions League and MLS play, and it is
being found wanting.
The latest evidence came on Saturday night as the Rapids fell to the Chicago Fire, one of the
worst teams in MLS, 2-0 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.
While it was the most disastrous result in the latest string of games, it was also further proof
of the mounting fatigue for a squad battling in two competitions.
The Colorado Rapids roster is being tested by CONCACAF Champions League and MLS play, and it is
being found wanting.
The latest evidence came on Saturday night as the Rapids fell to the Chicago Fire, one of the
worst teams in MLS, 2-0 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.
While it was the most disastrous result in the latest string of games, it was also further proof
of the mounting fatigue for a squad battling in two competitions.
Fire's Gonzalo Segares -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Don't look now, but the Chicago Fire have put together a stretch of
victories.
Dominic Oduro and Cory Gibbs each netted a goal and Chicago topped the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, on
Saturday in front of 15,211 at Toyota Park.
Fire's Gonzalo Segares -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Don't look now, but the Chicago Fire have put together a stretch of
victories.
Dominic Oduro and Cory Gibbs each netted a goal and Chicago topped the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, on
Saturday in front of 15,211 at Toyota Park.
Fire defender Dan Gargan (C) congratulated
by Logan Pause (R) and Marco Pappa (L)
-- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Toyota Park scoreboard was not a mirage.
The Chicago Fire finally found the win column for the first time in more than two months as they
defeated Toronto FC, 2-0, on Sunday in front of 12,020 at Toyota Park.
Fire defender Dan Gargan (C) congratulated
by Logan Pause (R) and Marco Pappa (L)
-- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Toyota Park scoreboard was not a mirage.
The Chicago Fire finally found the win column for the first time in more than two months as they
defeated Toronto FC, 2-0, on Sunday in front of 12,020 at Toyota Park.
Tonight's game represents the beginning of the final ten MLS Regular Season games for the
Chicago Fire. The opponents in this stretch range from the bottom to the top so it will be a good
test and preview for a what looks to be a core coming together. Cory Gibbs is off Friday's MLS
Injury Report so Klopas has to decide between starting Jalil Anibaba and Yamith Cuesta again or
benching one of them in favor of Gibbs.
Wow! Where to begin....
The Fire knew that Sunday's match was a must win. Instead of winning though, the team had their
worst performance of the season, losing 4-2 in a game full of mistakes from both teams. The match
was a terrible advertisement for MLS with dozens of misplaced passes, terrible refereeing
decisions, and little creative play.
Thanks to Toronto FC drawing in a wild 3-3 game against D.C. United last night, the Chicago Fire
enter tonight's game in sole position of last place in the Eastern Conference. Fortunately for
Chicago, their opponent is the expansion side Vancouver Whitecaps who are in last place in the
Western Conference and have even less points than Chicago (19 vs 15).
Even a broken clock is right twice a day. And while the Union offense isn't necessarily broken,
but it only coalesces for the briefest of moments before returning to an unfocused state.
In front of 10,557 Saturday night at Toyota Park just west of downtown Chicago, the Philadelphia
Union found fleeting success and are no closer to re-discovering their identity.
Tweed Thornton of Hot Time In Old Town, SB Nation's Chicago
Fire blog, and I exchanged three questions a piece ahead of tonight's Union-Fire match at Toyota
Park (9:00 PM Eastern, Comcast SportsNet).
The Brotherly Game: Are the Fire really as bad as their record suggests?
The Fire played a good, competitive match yesterday against one of the world's best teams. In
fact, they actually controlled large parts of the first half and hung in there in the 2nd half to
put in a valiant effort. It was great to see Soldier Field so full for a game that involved the
Fire (61,308 officially in attendance).
