In March, the Ring of Fire members unanimously selected Dan Parry and Brandon Kitchens to join them as members of the Chicago Fire’s tribute of honor known as the Ring of Fire. Piotr Nowak, Frank Klopas, Lubos Kubik, Bob Bradley and i all believed Dan and Brandon exemplified the necessary characteristics of leadership, integrity and dedication to the Chicago Fire needed to join our exclusive club. We immediately notified the Fire and received positive responses lauding our selection from team President and General Manager John Guppy and Senior Director of Community Relations Donald Ortale. Our selection unfortunately was not communicated to ownership.

Dan and Brandon were longtime Fire supporters and Section 8 leaders who died tragically. Their families were informed of the Ring of Fire selection by me three weeks ago at the request of the Fire's front office. Prior to the selection being announced publicly and upon learning of the selection, Fire ownership rejected the Ring of Fire's selection for the 2008 Ring of Fire. I was told that Dan and Brandon were not appropriate inductees, not because they would dilute the Ring of Fire, but because they were never formally part of the organization and it may serve as a difficult precedent in the future if there were further such tragedies. The Fire has been touched by Dan and Brandon's story, however, and are now planning an alternative memorial at Toyota Park with details to be determined. The memorial will likely include a permanent plaque of Brandon's epic tome "Stand and Deliver" which has since become Section 8 Chicago's creed.

The plan is to unveil the memorial later this season. The Fire's Interim President Javier Leon has been very honest and transparent with me throughout the last three weeks, while the Fire researched and discussed the issue before coming to their decision. I also believe that Fire ownership believes they are doing the best thing for the long term interests of the organization and I believe in their hearts they think this is the right and appropriate decision. I applaud them for their honesty and for wanting to do the right thing.

I vehemently disagree, however, with both the idea of overturning the Ring of Fire committee's selection and the justification used to overturn it. That being said, I plan on attending and applauding any memorial the Fire dedicates to Brandon and Dan and invite everyone else to do the same.

The Fire has also strongly suggested that the Ring of Fire members open up future Ring of Fire selection discussions to Chicago Fire leadership. While I don't believe this is in the spirit of the original notion of the Ring of Fire selection process, I am comfortable changing the policy in order to strengthen the relationship between the Fire's past and its present and I ask everyone to support the new policy regardless of personal feelings on the new direction. I do think it is great that the team now has an engaged owner who takes strong and passionate interest in the team and I recognize that his views will not always align with mine or anyone else's for that matter.

Frank Klopas and I met with Javier Friday and the three of us agreed that it would be best not to select another Ring of Fire member this year. Unless there is another change of direction, it is likely no one will take Dan and Brandon's place this year as an inductee into the Ring of Fire.

Javier and I have separately spoken to Dan and Brandon's families since the Fire reversed the committee's selection. While disappointed, Brandon's mother and Dan's brother both expressed appreciation to the Ring of Fire and remain honored that the members selected them and that the Fire will still be honoring their loved ones. They both plan on returning to Chicago for the expected ceremony to unveil the memorial later this season.

My opinions do not necessarily reflect any or all of my fellow Ring of Fire members. i am sorry that this selection has caused people (including me) to get upset. Both Brandon and Dan were strong minded men of incredible conviction and if they were still around and this issue was about anyone else, they'd probably be upset, too. Their memory continues to give me strength in challenging situations like this. The Fire's permanent memorial in Toyota Park will give countless others strength and inspiration as well. And for that I am grateful.

Brandon Kitchens

President, Whiskey Bros. o5

Dan Parry

Chicago Fire Supporters, Northern Guerrillas, Celtic Supporters

Peace,

peter

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6 Comments

John G. June 02, 2008	I think the Fire front office treated this issue fairly. Based on your comments above, it seems that Brandon and Dan will be recognized at TP for their devotion to the club and fellow fans in respectable and permanent fashion.
el tiger June 02, 2008	I think transperancy is alright and all that, but You know the section is the Fire, without it they would have nothing. I take back by praise, and now I am a little bitter....
WT June 03, 2008	I understand the distinction made between dissatisfaction with the RESULT (disagreement, but with respect for differing opinions and perceptions of what the Ring should be about), and Mr. Wilt's dissatisfacton with the PROCESS, that is, how the decision was disseminated and overturned. It's an important one, so respect the plan to honor Kitchens and Parry, by all means. As I've been explaining to fellow Democrats in recent weeks, when you allow the rules to be changed in the middle of the game (usually, because you didn't like the result) you violate one of the basic principles of fairness in decision-making. I call it the "Rollerball" scenario; remember how the rules of the game kept changing after each match? Management trusted the sitting Ring members to reach a decision on this issue; an incredible honor, I would think. I can think of no rationale by which management is justified in overturning the Ring's decision.
JJ June 03, 2008	If the original guidelines used by "Ring of Fire" members did not specifically exclude such a choice, then the choice of Brandon and Dan should stand. That being said, coupled with my utmost respect for Peter and the rest of the group, I think the present plan to honor Dan and Brandon seems appropriate. After all, it seems like the "ring" should be a single inductee, such as Chris Armas perhaps. My heart goes out to the family members who must feel an additional sense of loss. To be told of the honor then not get it, that is the real injustice.
Angela June 04, 2008	The new ownership of the Fire is not justified in overturning this decision. This is another incident that makes me wary of their way of doing things; they seem to be utilizing their power to micro-manage every aspect of the Fire, and this is just the latest example. I don't like this, and I think they are on the verge of disrespecting the decision-making process--and the fans and supporters--when they do things like this.
el tiger June 04, 2008	I aggree with Angela, who knows better than the ring? The new owners or managers? I think it ultimately was the wrong choice. This thing of ours is unique in all professional sports because of the level of fan involvement, they are going to exclude two fallen comarades, but they don't exclude the profits they make when the section brings positive attention and increased attendance to the park and the game. Changing the rules midstream? The owners write the rules, so when something benifits them they are on it, when they don't like a democratic outcome they overturn it...