Will the real Fire rival please stand up?
By: Tom | March 28th, 2007Offside regulars may have noticed the furious debate going on over at Laurie’s ever-irreverent and amusing LA Galaxy blog on who the Galaxy’s rivals are. Well, we in Chicago are ruled out by Laurie: as we share ownership she says it would be rather like hating your cousin, which is fair enough. Though, given our shared master AEG’s continued favouritism towards its more glamourous offspring (no love for the Chicago Olympic bid, AEG?), I’m starting to think the embers of jealously could push me towards a strong dislike of the Galaxy.
Still, the Fire already have two legitimate contenders for rivalry status, and a third on the horizon. In the beginning, it was Dallas. The rivalry was pushed hard by supporter’s groups, who created the Brimstone Cup in 2001 to stoke the contest. A contest which has turned out to be a touch one-sided, as Dallas leads 4-1, perhaps one reason Fire fans are a little quiet on that front these days.
But the other reason the Brimstone Cup is not what it used to be is that Fire fans seem to be more fixated these days on the New England Revolution, who have eliminated each other in the contest for the MLS Cup five years in a row. These kind of contests are where rivalries are forged.
Of course, even better would be a local rival, for its often the geographical proximity of a neighbouring team – sucking the blood from your potential fanbase, local enough to crow after a game – that is the best fount of rivalry, the kind that doesn’t go away with the ebb and flows of the schedule. In which case, if Milwaukee does obtain an MLS team, it would be the natural rival for the Fire. The only problem there would be if Peter Wilt was heading the Milwaukee operation, which would make them rather hard to hate for the most loyal fans who still express their love for Peter to this day.
So, Fire fans, who is our bête noire to be?
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MLS Forums | Chicago Fire Results |  |
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Category: Off the field
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Comments
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I’m glad SOMEBODY got the joke.
Posted from
United States
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The responses were rough, but perhaps it’s a good sign for MLS that people cared enough not to appreciate your sense of humour and to debate the rivalry question at all…
Posted from
United States -
I don’t mand fiery debate, but this did catch me a bit by surprise because the post was so non-serious. I guess I should never have implied that the Europeans do rivalries better. Because, well, dammit, everybody knows Americans are best in the world at hating!!
Posted from
United States -
mm, it it tough to say.
1 New England (we have the biggest tension with them currently)
2 Dallas (longtime rivals who once were just as tense as New England is now, and we can’t seem to beat)
3 LA Galaxy (same owners who favor their other club far over us)
Dallas is not as strong mainly because we are no longer in the same conference. There were as many Dallas matches that were representative of the rivalry as New England ones the last few years, including the season openr last year
the question of course is which will last for the long haul. New England may not as it is player-based and those move on. Dallas is about the team and that doesn’t change
Posted from
United States -
i’m pretty sure Chicago’s rivals are:
1) the Cleveland Crew
2) the Bradley Women’s Soccer Team
3) the Sheboygan Volunteer Fire Department’s Rec TeamPosted from
United States -
We New England fans accept your hate. We’ll mail you flaming bags of poop as soon as Homeland Security loosens up a bit…the pinched asses on those men….
Posted from
United States
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