OK, all you north siders. Here's your chance to see the CFR (and all the future MLS players they will have on their roster) without having to travel way down to the southwest side or out to Lemont. Mark your calendars now for Saturday, 22 May. There is no Fire match that evening; they play the next day. The CFR will be hosting their match against their international opponents, the Thunder Bay Chill at Loyola University Field, Devon & Hoyne at 7:30 pm on the 22nd. This is a great opportunity to see some of the potential future stars of MLS as well as support out namesake PDL team. And it's cheap. Regular tickets are just $8 for adults and $6 for kids. Hope to see you all there.
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update Damn, I was just starting a similar thread this morning when I got dragged off to sit down, drink beer, and watch the bears . . . at Brookfield Zoo. I'm sure Hala won't have a date that night & will show up. BTW any help with parking info would be appreciated. The CFR season starts next weekend (already?) with a match against perennial PDL door mats Wisconsin Rebels (who are rumored to be much improved) @ St. Rita H.S. - 77th & Western. Tape our cutomary a$$ whupping of the MetroScum & take a trip to the South Side (Orange Line to the #49 Western Av. bus). The Clanton - Grabavoy - Pickens era has ended. However, I spoke with cfr soccer (one of the team principals) at the FWFK Kickoff Luncheon and if one out of three of the NCAA Div. 1 stars he bandied about are on this year's roster there will be little, if any, drop off in talent.
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update I'm going to be out of town, but would buy a ticket to support the team.
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update Any chance that the CFR's would play some scrimmages against the Fire back up players this summer to give them some games? I know other MLS teams take advantage of this opportunity if a PDL team is nearby.
Chicago Fire Reserves Update I'm probably gonna go to this game. Are there any players in specific that I should look out for? I'm planning on actually showing some support for the reserves this year so I figured I should get to know some of the players(not personally but as a fan).
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update I don't know about scrimmages, but CFR players often train with the senior side. Sarachan & Wilt know all about players like Clanton & Pickens. The only official friendly match was three years ago. It ended with a 22 man cage match in stoppage time. Tim Regan was ready to throw down with Evan Whitfield after Evan tied the match in the 90th minute. Eleven players who appeared for the CFR that night went on to make MLS, or A-League rosters. http://chicago-fire.com/pressbox/gamerecaps/gamerecapstext.asp%3FgameID=119.html
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update Mike @ CFR indicated that they might have a roster up sometime next (this coming) week. They just had their tryouts a bit ago and are finally practicing together, but the roster tends to be a bit fluid at the beginning of the season.
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update You have every chance to get to know the players personally as well. I tend to hang with the people who are closer to my age like managers & such, but last season they had after sets with the players in Lemont. We won't know the roster until it's released, but you can bet there will be at least 6-8 players with Chicago Magic roots & a few more ex-Chicago Sockers as well. If last year is any indication throw in a few more who were ex-teammates of first, or second year Fire players. Don't be surprised if some current Bradley, Indiana & Wisconsin-Milwaukee players suit up as well. The CFR people have earned a good reputation with college players with decent accommodations. Chicago is a way cool place for college kids to hang out in the summer (in case you didn't know).
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update I guess I might go, as it's at Loyola and all. It's an alright stadium, if small. Unfortunately not on Loyola's campus but whadya gonna do?
Re: Chicago Fire Reserves Update I'd like to encourage everyone who follows the reserves to post match threads and updates here this season...it's a big part of Chicago soccer, has produced more than a few pros now, and carries the club name; so we should give it some more attention.
Re: Reserves :: v Thunder Bay (@ Loyola University, Devon and Hoyne); 22 May 7.30p Bahmp! Who is going?
Re: Reserves :: v Thunder Bay (@ Loyola University, Devon and Hoyne); 22 May 7.30p Bump again. May have to bring a radio to follow Philly v Tampa Game 7.
I'll be there with the missus. Afterward we plan on heading to the Double Door for Legendary Pink Dots.
Due to the folding of the Columbus Shooting Stars, the USL awarded previously overlooked (by me) Ft. Wayne a 1-0 victory in their cancelled weekend match for USOC qualification purposes. Since Ft. Wayne defeated Toledo Thursday night the May 22nd highly unofficial current USOC qualifying table looks like this: Ft. Wayne . .4 ga. 10 pts. +5 . Qualifying over CFR . . . . . . 3 ga. . 9 pts. . +9 . game rem. 1 Boulder . . . . 3 ga. . 9 pts. . +7 . game rem. 1 Michigan . . . 3 ga. . 7 pts. . +6 . game rem. 1 Des Moines. . 3 ga. . 6 pts. . +2 . game rem. 1 Last night St. Louis fell out of the running with a 5-3 loss at Colorado Springs. Des Moines, as expected, spanked Wisconsin 5-1; however, if I read the qualification rules correctly, they were eliminated by the Columbus forefeit. Don't be surprised to see Des Moines coaches/players in attendance at Loyola tonight. Key USOC matches this weekend: Saturday Boulder vs. St. Louis - St. Louis was eliminated while the Boulder team probably watched from the stands. Boulder will qualify with a win, & they should. Sunday CFR vs. Des Moines 5:00 CDT @ Eisenhower HS - The Menace would love to eliminate the CFR at home for the second time in three years. More smack to come, if necessary. Michigan vs. Cleveland 5:30 CDT - Yes, the CFR match is scheduled to start b4 the Michigan match. Cleveland plays at home tonight, then travels to face a rested Michigan side. Michigan should win. Hey Mark, Mike, John whomever . . . push back the official start of your match to 5:30 if you can so we can get some Section 8 support to Blue Island!
CFR 3 - Thunder Bay 0 The biggest story last night was the stormy weather which halted play in the 6th minute for an hour and a half & eventually forced the match to be abandoned in the 77th minute. Yours truly & Joe P. abandoned the match at the half after a brace by striker Julian Nash (2nd & 3rd on the season). The CFR trotted out a virtual reserve side (Reserves squared?) to the delight of tonight's opponent, the Des Moines Menace, who arrived late, paid their way in, and apparently saw enough at the half to encourage them to get the hell out of Rogers Park b4 really bad things happened to them. Nash's first goal was a brilliant individual effort of blazing speed and deft touch that saw him gain control at midfield and slash through the heart of the Thunder Bay defense, round the keeper, and slot home. He earned his brace when midfielder Jimmy Klatter one timed an errant Thunder Bay clearance from the center circle behind the defense for Nash to run on to and slot home. Substitute Nowaf Jaman added the CFR's third 7 minutes before the storm that ended the match. Regular starters Hamid & Boyzz Khumalo didn't even dress for Saturday's match, and fellow first choice players Moor, O'Rourke, Odwell, Rolfe & Zayner spent the night on the substitute's bench to prepare for tonight's match.
Damn straight. I never liked currys b4, but I had some kind of chicken curry Pakistani burrito that made me sorry I only bought one, but glad that I bought one 'cause I tasted it all night.