As a neutral MLS fan turned Fire fan, I have to agree with this. I wear my fire hat around and people think it's the logo of some random out of town fire department. (I also think the font on the logo is too small both from a recognizability and aesthetic sense, but that's small potatoes considering it entered a league full of flaming horses, alien space cats, scorpion-lobster looking things, and swooshy American flags when it debuted) Though I think success would cover up any branding problems. Not like all the "[City] FCs" dotting the American soccer landscape are having problems. Plus, Sporting KC's entire branding is so ridiculous that if a student designed it for a graphic design project you'd be tempted to fail him, but they get away with it because OnGoal built a decent organization around it. FWIW, The Fire are my most followed and cheered for MLS team, but BigSoccer's settings no longer let me change the club in my profile.
[QUOTE="CMeszt, post: 36935716, member: 36573”]Though I think success would cover up any branding problems. [/QUOTE] That’s the bottom line. Some people are just looking for a narrative that fits their world view.
There was a time when this used to be a casual affair. Those times are forgotten by all but a select few, burned from our collective memories from years of self medication or dissolved away from a combination of Malort and sadness. Soccer was never a part of the conversation in this town until the Andell-Mansueto merger. The atmosphere at SeatGeek is palpable and even sitting in the line for parking your breath can be taken away by the experience. As you reach the parking gate it's normal if your hands start to get a little jittery, nervous excitement is to be expected. After inserting $25 into the parking machine the gate raises allowing you entry into the hallowed grounds. A robotic "go fire" can be heard from the machine. What used to be a vast expanse of gravel is now teeming with activity. Replacing the straight shot to your parking spot is a slalom course past all the new shops. Past the Dollar tree, past the JJs food and liquor, past the discount tire and muffler shop and all the stores that make up the Chicago Fire parking complex lies the promised land. The promised land consisting of a beautifully paved lot, rodeo adjacent. What used to be a lawless area where foes of the fire used to congregate has been repurposed. The wallowers have been replaced by vendors hawking big foam fingers and $12 Miller lites. Trekking up the ramps into the stadium once at the top overlooking the field you get the sense that you've arrived. Looking over the stadium there's a bunch of packed seats aside from the one corner section that is left empty as a reminder that nothing will get in the way of the process. As the game begins to start, chants can be heard ringing throughout the PA system spurring the official supporters group "Dons Den" to break out in the official supporters chant "loving you is easy cause you're beautiful" as the national anthem ends and the team is introduced the loudest cheer of the night is when Joe and Andy are shown on the video board arm in arm a classic photo signifying the rebirth of the club. Stand at the top of the concourse with a $16 Heineken and take it all in. This is the new normal. This is Chicago Fire soccer. This is... ok. **Apologies for half assing this one. Today kind of sucks.**
I deleted the post before your response, because I didn’t feel like threadjacking a thread about a new team with an old argument, but the fact that it's used for males and females doesn't excuse your use of it. You're not using 'Andy' or 'Drew' or any other abbreviation of Andrew, you're using 'Andi', and have been, to imply that, what- he's a male with a slightly differently spelled name? That's the insult you're hurling with that deliberate misspelling? Sorry, nice copout, but at least own up to what you're trying to imply, rather than telling someone else to relax and hiding behind a fringe use of that spelling to try to cover your tracks.
Thank you, @Ke1n. I could not remember the reason for the spelling, but I recall being offended for an entirely different reason than @harrylee773, is. I was offended as it was an insult...to ALDI! ALDI offers quality products at very reasonable (say, "cheap") prices, but it is still fighting a 30 year old reputation of being crap. It is a rapidly growing brand in the Chicago grocery market. "Andi" Hauptman simply peddles crap dressed up as something much better and is "cheap" (in money and quality). He has greatly restricted the "brand" in the Chicago soccer market. I had not gone into an ALDI from about 1985 until five or six years ago. It improved almost immeasurably in that time. It is now our go to store for basics (and good German food).
From the same article: 6:30-6:45am: We live in the Streeterville neighborhood which is in the heart of everything. It gives me the chance to learn my way around town and my wife ANNEand I the chance to explore neighborhoods from a good base of operations and quick access to Lake Shore Drive. I get up between 6:30 and 6:45. I do a light breakfast. I’m only a big breakfast guy on the weekends so during the week it’s something real light, like an ice coffee and some fruit and then jump in the car. In the morning my commute is about a half-hour and it’s another good way to learn your way around a new city. The radio is usually tuned to “Golic & Wingo” so I can get my dose of sports. It really ain't rocket science as to where this organization's general attitude comes from.
Thanks a lot! Based on your snippet, I had to read the entire article and I don't want to do a complete point by point tear down of the article. I only have one thing to say about John Urban- Douchebag!
FTR- I'm not offended, I deleted the initial response before the reply because I didn't think it worthwhile to deal with the responses. I've never seen a post from firefan2001 claiming his misspelling was a reference to the store (which is way better than Trader Joe's, imho), and his response to my deleted post wasn't 'I was referring to the store, dude!' it was 'it's a boy's name, too!'. It's dumb - Andrew Hauptman is enough of an insult at this point, there's no need to do anything with it to make it worse, and retrofitting it back to slur the name of a store with high quality goods for low prices (but also a common spelling of a woman's name, wink wink) to make it look like this particular poster wasn't implying something different doesn't make it any more tolerable or change that individual's intent (which has also been called out in other forums without him using the 'hey I meant Andi but like like Aldi's' defense). I'm more offended by the horrible photoshop job on that logo than anything else at this point, tbh.
Yeah, I know there were a few posts questioning his (something?) because he married into money or whatever. I mean, Andell seems too be the appropriate portmanteau for that one but, whatever. I got no problem with legit criticism of his tenure as owner here (holy shit, there is plenty) it's just when it veers into juvenile territory that I feel like "we" could do better.
I will debate anyone, anywhere about Aldi's greatness. I bet I save more than my car payment worth of expenses every month since switching to Aldi from Jewel/Meijer/Caputos. I always temper that by saying I do the majority of my shopping there, but "luxury goods" should still be bought elsewhere. I get my steaks from a butcher in Elburn and my wine/booze from Binny's, etc. I also give the disclaimer that I generally shop at the Aldi in Batavia and there is probably a benefit to the Aldi North American Headquarters also being in Batavia. They tend to get the new improvements first (i.e. the in-store bakery, the non-GMO section. etc.).
You're the only one this is bothering. If another person thinks the same way as you I'll stop abbreviating his name (Andi). What exactly am I implying? Tell me? It's just one of many ways you can abbreviate his name.