Fire news 1/14/21

I disagree, the biggest upset of the season has to be Chorley FC vs. Derby County. Chorley is in the sixth tier where Derby is in the second tier.

 

Any team can be upset. Yes, a second division side losing to a sixth division side is a major upset, but:

Derby is not the "Greatest Team In The World"™
Derby is barely the Chicago Fire in terms of relevance. (ooh, burn!)

Derby did not win the 'treble plus' (including Champions League) and go on an incredible undefeated run, going undefeated in 30 games (29 wins, 1 draw), were perfect in Champions' League (including the 8-2 drubbing of Barcelona in the quarter-final), played 52 games in 2019-2020 season (despite the pandemic), with a 43-4-5 record and a +109 goal differential.

They have barely let up this season.

No comparison, Bayern losing to anyone is an upset, losing in the first round to a lower division side is the biggest upset.

 

Good that the fire actually receive some semi-positive press, but is this one of the most poorly written articles ever?
The sentences do not even make sense.
Did "J Sam Jones" write this in a foreign language and use "google translate" (including using google translate on his own name. "J Sam Jones" is not real, is it)?

For those of you smart enough NOT to read this bit of detritus.

Team that could jump forward: Chicago Fire FC
Ok, I guess, but why though?: They really weren’t all that terrible last year. Seriously.

Chicago didn’t make the playoffs last season in a conference that allowed 10 teams out of 14. That’s not phenomenal. But looking back at their season, they felt like a team just a few breaks away from not only making the playoffs but hosting a play-in game. And then they...just kind of didn’t?

It’s like running a race and watching someone in front of you take off out of sight. You just assume they’re going to finish well ahead of you. Then you get to the finish line, wait 10 minutes and see them slowly amble to the end with a torn shirt and one of their shoes missing. When you ask them what went wrong all they can say is “These things happen.”

They’ve got a second chance to get it right this year though. It seems that nearly everyone will be back — excluding Djordje Mihailovic, who’s off to the Montreal Impact in exchange for a cool $1 million in GAM — and they have room to add pieces who might be able to help bring about more consistent and explainable results. Mihailovic is certainly a big loss (2g/7a/bunch of created chances) but if they turn his replacement into someone of similar value plus someone who can help keep the defense from losing its mind late, they’re set to compete for a playoff spot.

Even if they don’t find perfect replacements, jumps forward from center back Mauricio Pineda (a baller and a homegrown) and young designated player Ignacio Aliseda (not so much a baller quite yet) could easily fill those voids.

1. Ok, I guess, but why though?
This is an attempt to ask a question (since "J Sam Jones" helpfully put a question mark at the end). Grammatically, it is a mess. That a professional writer wrote this sentence (and article) and had it published is a crime against journalism.

His answer is barely coherent.

2. He does not know what the word "phenomenal" means.
Chicago didn’t make the playoffs last season in a conference that allowed 10 teams out of 14. That’s not phenomenal.
Did anybody even begin to claim it was phenomenal?

3. What is the running simile? Who are the Fire in this metaphor? What does it mean?

It’s like running a race and watching someone in front of you take off out of sight.
It is NOT like that all. The Fire did not "take off out of sight" (so that cannot be the Fire) nor did the Fire see other teams "take off out of sight" only to finish above those teams (so that cannot be the Fire). Also, who tore their shirt and lost a shoe?

If you are going write a metaphor, there has to be at least some resemblance to the actual situation.

4. Mihailovic is certainly a big loss (2g/7a/bunch of created chances).
Yes, Mihailovic created a "bunch of chances." How many? 7, as he had 7 assists.
I suspect "Chances created" may be one of those stupid, stupid non-statistics that the stat dorks love, like "expected goals" v. "goals scored." Opta and their ilk have made a fortune turning bullcrap (sorry "advanced metrics") into statistics.
If not, and he just meant that Mihailovic can pass the ball, but that those passes do not always result in a goal, then fine.

5. The last sentence/paragraph is just stupid. "Jumps forward" is not a phrase that fits the sentence. "Jumps forward" generally means moving rapidly moving in front of someone/something else, not moving "in front" of oneself. "Improvement' would be a better term.

I try to read mlssoccer.com articles. I really try.

 

Let’s just say when 10 of 14 teams make the playoffs, every team except maybe the top few and the cellar dweller is a few breaks away from crossing that playoff line in one direction or the other.

 

The most important news of today:

Voting is live for the name of Lionela Bessie's first born daughter.

The clearly superior "Concacalf" is currently 0.3% behind the also good "Rose Cowbelle". Go vote NOW!

https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/news_article/show/1140746

Edit: This vote narrows the field to 3 potential names.

 

Papa Joe gave another interview:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/spor...0210114-sy3ohmx7bbhshf6bkmqkhmy3lu-story.html

 

I’m still optimistic.

 

He's willing to spend money, and he's not a Dick Uihlein type. Can't really ask for more than that.

Also, sounds like the practice facility deal is near.