Blog Entries

Section 8 On Tour: Kansas City week 28

martygroark@gmail.com — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Walking over to Toyota Park early Saturday morning, I couldn't help but think I was forgetting something – camera . . . check . . . Fire jersey . . . check…Fire flag …check. What was it I'm missing? Oh yeah, pants. I had the bright idea to wear shorts, and at 8:00 A.M. on an October day in Chicago it was freezing. Why didn't I wear the pants? But there was no time to worry about it. The bus was minutes away and I was about to head to Kansas City for my [...]

Fire Players Are Drunks and Have Become Insulting

jl_murtaugh@yahoo.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:56:53 +0100

...at the very least that might explain the way things are going.

While our complete and utter ineptitude against Dallas is enough reason for disgust (completely winless since 2005 and winless in Dallas since 1999), it's only a symptom of a much more worrying problem -- our faltering defense of our home.

Since 1998 the Fire have never lost more than five matches at home all season, including playoff and USOC games held in their primary stadium. With three home league matches [...]

Match Preview: Fire vs. Dallas

irishboy2001@msn.com — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0100

The Fire come into this game on the back of their worst performance of the season against Colorado last weekend. With the playoffs just around the corner, this is not the time to be in a slump. The Fire could be looking at that situation with a loss to Dallas on Sunday, a team that is fighting for their playoff lives.

Perhaps the most surprising and disappointing thing for the Fire has been their poor performances at home. The 1-0 win over New York, in the last home game, was onl [...]

Did you ever get the feeling...

msegroves@eots.org — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Did you ever get that feeling that something changed and you couldn’t put a finger on it until it had really happened and you wonder how you didn’t notice it when it was happening?

Like following the Chicago Fire? Specifically since 2004, that trying to win every game just wasn’t important?

It sort of hit me, that I might as well be rooting for West Ham or Tottenham or Newcastle or some other team that was rarely going to finish at the bottom [...]

Moving Forward

toaddio@mac.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0100

When Section 8 Chicago first approached the Chicago Fire regarding the allegations of racism at Toyota Park, we were obviously very disappointed in the club’s initial reaction. So disappointed that we felt we had to follow through with our plans for a silent protest at the game on August 16th. And while the team may have lost to D.C. United, the ISA truly hopes and believes that the overall result of voicing our concerns will be positive.

Prior to Saturday’s game, the Chi [...]

An FAQ on the current ISA/Fire situation

bunge@mac.com — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0100

In order to address some of the inaccuracies and misconceptions related to the current situation between Fire fans (as represented by the Section 8 Chicago ISA) and the Chicago Fire Soccer Club (as well as their contracted representatives, Toyota Park and Monterrey Security), we have prepared this FAQ -- a set of the most frequent questions recieved and their answers.

The ISA wishes to remain as transparent and clear in their representation as possible, in order to foster its maximum ef [...]

Reason and Patience Key to Success in Anti-Racism Campaign

benjamin.kumming@gmail.com — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Monterrey Security’s racially motivated inequitable treatment of Hispanic Fire fans is unacceptable. Now that I’ve said that, I can move on. What is needed on the part of supporters now, if they do truly want a resolution to the problem, is patience and reason.

Fire supporters are, rightfully, willing to take action, and the planned protest should go forth as scheduled. However, after that, everyone needs to take a slow deep breath.

This problem w [...]

Section 8 Chicago and Sector Latino Meet the Fire

tjd1979@gmail.com — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:55:27 +0100

Following last Saturday's Fire-Chivas game, the leadership of Sector Latino -- a supporters' group affiliated to Section 8 Chicago -- approached Ben Burton, ISA Chairman, and told him Sector Latino had received racial abuse from the security at Toyota Park. After a public meeting was held with Sector Latino and Fire fans on Wednesday, August 6th, about the issue, meetings were scheduled this week with the Chicago Fire.

On Monday, Ben Burton, Walter Arredondo of Sector Latino and mysel [...]

Ending Racism at Toyota Park

tjd1979@gmail.com — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0100

What is it like to be part of one of the Fire's most dedicated, positive and vibrant supporters' groups and yet to face continual, racially motivated abuse from security at Toyota Park? Ask Sector Latino, who have been targeted since their emergence in 2005 by Monterrey Security, and who received disgraceful racist abuse from guards at the last home game against Chivas USA.

Following this, Section 8 Chicago called a series of meeting to explore the details of the situatio [...]

Super 20s Triumph

tjd1979@gmail.com — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Last weekend, the Fire's developmental team the Super 20s headed to the national championship finals in Virginia Beach. One of their defenders, Greg Klazura from Rockford, has an exclusive account of events in the championships for Section 8.

From: Greg Klazura
Date: August 1, 2008

Section 8,

First and foremost the Fire Super Twenties are extremely grateful for the support of the best fans in the world as we make a run for a National Champi [...]

Getting to Know Tomasz

polahenderson@yahoo.com — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:56:17 +0100

With Chad Barrett gone and Brian McBride in China, we'll be getting to know Tomasz Frankowski pretty well on the field in the upcoming month. So Backdraft decided to catch up with Tomasz off the field as well, as he explains his finishing philosophy, life in Chicago, and his biggest mistake. Read the interview in both English and Polish.

An interview with Tomasz Frankowski. A Polish translation is also available.

BackDraft: You've played in leagues all a [...]

Fuerza Chicago

jl_murtaugh@yahoo.com — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:03:37 +0100

“Yo si le voy, le voy a Chikago!”

For those new to Section 8 the last few seasons, the pulsating rhythms, constant jumping, and perpetual flag-waving of Sector Latino are integral to the flavor of the Harlem End as a whole. Their new location in the front portion of 117 is a product of their alliance with Ultras Red-Side, who occupies the ce [...]

Fire Top of the League, Playoff at Home

tjd1979@gmail.com — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Two Chicago Fire teams are top of the league -- did you know that? And that there's playoff action at Toyota Park this week?

The PDL and Super-20 teams both finished top of their respective midwest divisions this season. The PDL team made the playoffs for the eighth straight season (the only USL team to be able to boast that). On Tuesday, they will host the Kalamazoo Outrage at 4pm on the Toyota Park practice field. The game and parking are free, so come out and support our boys.

Fire Take on Top of The Table RSL

sr.giaco@gmail.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

"The Chicago Fire (7-5-3, 24 pts.) host Real Salt Lake (6-6-5, 23 pts.) in the second of two regular season meetings this Saturday, July 19, at TOYOTA PARK. Kickoff for the match is at 7:30 p.m. CT." That's what is it says on the Fire's homepage. So what is beyond that? What should the Fire expect from the newly crowned (if only for a week) top of the little brother conference?

Well, the first of the two meetings this year (March 29th) was a 1-1 draw, and the las [...]

Back to Basics at the Break

fotop81@yahoo.com — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

What a difference three points makes. Somewhere around 84:30, there was a fair number of Chicago Fire fans ready to torch the entire organization, top to bottom. Denis Hamlett? Out by the All-Star break some would whisper while some of us tried to figure out what the roster would look like by the end of the transfer window. I found myself babbling on more than one occasion [...]

The Hamlett Question or: "Hammer's Lone Ranger"

benjamin.kumming@gmail.com — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

Everyone, naturally, has his or her own opinion on what’s wrong with the Fire. Some blame a mysterious “mid-summer slump,” citing a similar run of poor form in June and July of last year. Others say the dressing room has been lost, and the players aren’t motivated and focused. Maybe the attacking players are unable to concentrate, knowing their futures are on the line for the impending McBride transaction. The one person who doesn’t seem to have a constructive id [...]

Organized Pyro in Chicago?

martygroark@gmail.com — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

The game is about to start. Flares are lit in front of the Harlem End and the stadium begins to look like a smoldering volcano awakening from a long nap. Smoke bellows of out Section 8 and surrounds Toyota Park in an almost dream like haze. The lineups are announced and more flares are lit while huge flags begin waving from all corners of the [...]

Chicago Choreo

jl_murtaugh@yahoo.com — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

While if you were to mention the word "tifo" to a typical sideliner Fire fan, you're still likely to get blank stares or questions about your DVR, there has been a building awareness in the stadium that on important matchdays, there's usually something big going on before kickoff in the Harlem End. Home Openers, league matche [...]

Blanco Sent-Off, In Further Trouble?

tjd1979@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

As most of you know, Blanco was sent-off last night and was apparently involved in further altercations on his way off the field, as the Fire fell 2-1 to DC United in extra time of their US Open Cup quarter-final.

The Washington Post is reporting the following:

In addition to his on-field conduct, which according to D.C. United defender Marc Burch included both punching and eye-gouging D.C. midfielder Clyde Simms, Blanco also allegedly head-butted a D.C. United operations employe [...]

Kings of the Cup That No-One Can See

tjd1979@gmail.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:00:00 +0100

If a US Open Cup quarter-final takes place and nobody sees it, does it really happen?

Tonight, MLS' two most storied franchises face-off in yet another knockout grudge match, as the Fire travel to Maryland to take on DC United in the Open Cup.

Yet not only is the tie of the round not on television, online video streaming was not planned by the Fire, DC United or US Soccer (last minute efforts are being made by Section 8 Chicago to co-ordinate a webcast at the ti [...]