Two hours out, a compromise with hope

By: Sean | September 18th, 2010

   

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Self-portrait, or a desperate man - by Gustave Courbet

]So I wrote a couple of days ago about my habit, developed over long years of Cubs fandom, of treating hope (in terms of hope for actual success for my team) as something of a corrosive substance. Hope so long delayed and so often betrayed demands a re-figuring of the nature of one’s fandom: Do I hope for success, and stay perpetually downcast; or do I take a longer view, of the sport as a lovely thing, of tribal passions channelled and used to good end?

I was an adult when the Fire came together, and their immediate success gave me a glimpse into another kind of fandom, one that many people like a great deal: Occasional heartbreak – just enough to keep it interesting – but more often triumph, jubilation. But the seasons have ground on since then, and the reminders of the fleeting nature of success have piled up; now the Fire are the focus of my feelings, and now the Fire have me looking at hope sidelong.

But I’ll face it, just for a moment: A win today in Utah not only brings to an end the longest unbeaten streak in MLS history, but it would almost certainly herald the arrival of the long-awaited de los Cobos style promised to the Fire faithful in preseason. It’s hard to imagine our Fire out-scrapping a team this hard-eyed and stable, so a win would mean real growth, and real growth would mean hope of continuing the roll through the rest of the season, cannonballing into the playoffs winners of seven of eight or something. The Royals are missing their best player, Javi Morales, so there’s that. We get Segares back from suspension and Pappa back from injury. We could do this! Yay hope!

Hope belongs in the corner for a reason, however. Real Salt Lake haven’t lost at home for more than a year for a reason. Even with a win, we’re still longshots for a playoff berth. If not championships, then moments. If not victory, then artful consolation.

Dale Fire.

Category: About Your Blogger, Chicago Fire, Match Preview

   

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