Alright, I've seen 2 Chicago Fire players in public within the last month and it's getting a little weird... A couple weeks back I saw Jim Curtin at Wrigley Field wearing cargo shirts that still had them and he was wearing a red baseball fitted hat backwards. Then today, I see CJ Brown and his wife at the Blue Line at Washington. I kept staring at him from a pretty far distance, and I kept thinking no way a Chicago Fire player would be taking public transportation with his wife. He was decked out in all Nike stuff. So CJ gets on the last train and I get on the second to last to check it out. I'm staring through the windows and finally assume its CJ Brown. As I'm about to switch cars, he gets off with his lady at Clinton. This thread is pretty pointless, just don't understand why these guys aren't popular in public.
The Fire is (maybe) the 6th most popular team in Chicago (behind the Cubs, Sox, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks in no order, plus any others), and you have to ask that question?
On the other hand... I'd recognize anyone from the Fire, but aside from Sammy Sosa, I wouldn't recognize a single player from another sport. Actually, I don't even really know any players from any of the other teams. If someone started saying, "Well, what about this guy?" then I'd recognize the name, probably... but I can barely think of any. It's just what's important to people. The Fire is the only Chicago sports team that means anything to me. Other teams mean more to other people.
Re: Re: Re: Chicago Fire Sightings No, and that has nothing to do with my point, which was that of all the "major" sports in Chicago, odds are that if you pulled some guy off the street he wouldn't be able to recognize any Fire players. Maybe he'd know we have some guys from the World Cup team, maybe he'd know we have "that black guy, the goalie" (actual quotes I've heard several times), but I don't think that a Jim Curtin for instance would merit the average Chicago sports fan's knowing who he was or what position he played, nevermind what he looked like.
There may be a comfort level in looking like everyone else. Acting like everyone else. Nothing wrong with taking public transit, esp to get around downtown. Saves a lot of headaches and parking costs and even time. Also, a lot of these kids might not recognize them out of uniform. I know it took me a minute to register that Evan Whitfield was standing in front of me when I was working security at the Aragon when Moby played there a couple of years ago. He said hi to me first because of my Ultras scarf (it was cold man and when you are security at the 'gon you need to look tough. ) I really don't understand people who get all gushy when they see a "celeb" sports or otherwise. They are just doing their job just like you do what you do to pay rent/mortgage. I've hung out with lots of mid-level stars and just treat them like everyday people. That is want they want the most. They don't like having to sign a lot of things -- despite what they say and smile at you politely. They don't like answering all the same questions over and over again. I once got into a very deep conversation with a drummer on the space-time continuum. The tour manager had to drag him to the stage, but he was more interested in continuing the conversation b/c it was different. To swing this back around to the Fire, I talked most with Jason Moore at the meet-the-team social at the Enchanted Castle b/c we were discussing Chicago traffic, how things are different here. Adjustments. (Yes, I think he's hot, but that's beside the point. I"m not a school girl and never really was in that sense of the term.) Okay, rant off. Sorry this has been long, but if you've read this far. Thank you. Salut!
i agree. everyone shits bricks and get all excited when they see "stars" gimme a break. they're people that's it. treat them like the people that they are. the whole concept of 'celebrity' is rediculous. i guess that's the only thing that really bothers me.