Team: Chicago Fire Coach: Frank Klopas Last Season: 9-9-16, 6th East, 11th Overall Twitter Hashtag: #CF97 In our 2011 preview of the Chicago Fire, I predicted the Fire would either make a surprise long run in the playoffs or miss the ...
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As the preseason gets into full swing and rosters begin to stabilize, it's time to take a look at the men who pull the strings and have the greatest impact on the team itself. The modern manager is part tactician, ...
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If Sporting Kansas City's season had a title, it would be "Night and Day". A tough start to the season, no doubt spurred on by the never-ending road trip, saw the team open Livestrong Park and use its great atmosphere ...
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The Columbus Crew were certainly a surprise team last season. After cutting ties with a number of veterans and going with a roster that looked lacking on almost every part of the pitch, head coach Robert Warzycha coaxed a great ...
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There was only one thing DC United fans knew for sure going into the 2011 season, and that was this season couldn't be any worse than the previous one. After setting the standard for futility, the team not only climbed ...
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The New England Revolution are a team in transition this offseason. Long-time coach Steve Nicol has been fired and replaced by a man familiar to Revs fans: former player Jay Heaps. The new head man comes in at a time ...
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As our long-time readers know, MLS Talk likes to provide serious, well-thought out news analysis mixed with offbeat and laughable soccer-related thoughts. This is the latter type of post. Prior to First Kick 2011, the MLS Talk writers got together ...
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One of my personal favorite DVDs, is called "The Treble" the Manchester United 1999-2000 season review DVD. I enjoy putting it in and remembering watching much of that season, especially the Champions' League run while I was in high school.
Sporting KC has done a good job of marketing the team and creating a great following for the team.

Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo squared off in the Eastern Conference Final in front of 20,839 fans at LiveStrong Sporting Park in the win or go home match.
Both teams had experienced an up and down season but each were bringing impressive late season results into the match. Although Sporting KC might have been the favorite heading into the match Houston had developed a stouter defense of late and were undefeated in their last 6 matches heading into the Conference Final.

The Houston Dynamo took a 1 goal aggregate advantage home to Robertson Stadium to face the Philadelphia Union in front of an Orange clad 24,749 fans in what was the final MLS match ever at Robertson Stadium.
The Philadelphia Union made some head scratching line-up changes for the second match in a row that left many question Peter Nowak's strategy.

With the loss by Philadelphia tonight, Sporting KC now control their own fate when it comes to winning the Eastern Conference. No matter by how much on Saturday, KC win and they clinch the Eastern Conference. There are still ways that KC can tie and even lose and still win the East. I think I got all the scenarios down, here's a look at where Sporting KC fan finish and how.

Anyone who has been looking for a new home understands the feeling of displacement that comes with it: the yearning for something new and different which you can model after your vision, while still feeling unsettled because you haven't found ...
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Photo: Paul Rudderow

After Saturday's action, four points are all that separate the top six teams in the Eastern Conference.

Houston rose to first place when Geoff Cameron scored in the 87th. KC and Columbus are tied for second after the Crew lost to LA and KC tied the Union.

The talking point since First Kick has been the same: the Western Conference is vastly superior to the Eastern Conference. For the past six months or so, we've heard about the top teams in the West and their chances of ...
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Sweet win! Three points for the Union puts them in third place and within striking distance of first if they knock off KC in a week. Check out the current playoff situe in the east.

PSP's Eli rolls out a match report from last night's win.

Rounding up the rest of the Eastern Conference playoff picture's Saturday performances, Columbus lost (obvi), the Energy Drinks won, Houston came back late to nip the points, and KC went down to RSL in a rough and tumble match.

Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Hurricane Irene closed airports, flooded roads and rails, and generally made it impossible to get aroun on the east coast.

Despite this disrupting natural disaster, it will be hard for MLS's Eastern Conference teams to argue that the storm was the reason they didn't show up on Saturday night.

It's that time of the week you've all been waiting for - Diary of an MLS Convert is back, and the converts have, as usual, got plenty to say this week. Topics covered by supporters of Eastern teams include doing just enough, a newconvert still looking for a first win, how transfers differ between Premiership and MLS, meeting a former MLS head coach (and current director of player development), a replacement DC United convert and Danny Dichio's legendary status in North America.

It's that time of the week you've all been waiting for - Diary of an MLS Convert is back, and the converts have, as usual, got plenty to say this week. Topics covered by supporters of Eastern teams include a new 'official' measurement for goalscoring distances, Robbie Rogers in US squad, looking forward to a first live game tonight, flying to America and fining David Beckham.

It's that time of the week you've all been waiting for - Diary of an MLS Convert is back, and the converts have, as usual, got plenty to say this week. Topics covered by supporters of Eastern teams include stamping, poor MLS refereeing, adapting tactics against different opponents, waiting for DeRo goals, mixed fortunes for Boston sports fans and kind Americans.

It's that time of the week you've all been waiting for - Diary of an MLS Convert is back, and the convert have, as usual, got plenty to say this week. Topics covered by supporters of Eastern teams include whether or not to cheer for Real Salt Lake in the Champions League, poor MLS refereeing, sexual flirtation with older women in trains (yes, seriously), the success of an Englishman in MLS, a tattoo to commemorate beating Manchester United and controversy over a red-carded celebration.

The Miami Heat started the season off slowly before catching fire. However, things aren't going swimmingly in South Beach at the moment. After losing 93-88 against the New York Knicks on Thursday night, the Heat have now lost five of their last six games. Miami played its latest game without power forward Chris Bosh, who is still sidelined with an ankle injury.