For Fire, life on the road may be exactly what it needs
The Fire embarks on a three-game road trip this week. Strangely enough in an already strange season, it could be the best news the team has had in a while.
Get away from home, get away from the home media reminding the players that they haven't won in more than a month, get away from questions for which the answers include words like "frustrating", "disappointing" and "feels like a loss."
The team feels a little snakebit right about now, and maybe it's not getting enough credit for what it has done this season. Maybe expectations are too high.
Maybe, but probably not. This roster features plenty of talent, and it's not enough just to bask in remaining undefeated.
If the Fire (2-0-6, 12 points) wants home-field advantage through the Eastern Conference playoffs, it needs to start earning standings points in groups of 3. It doesn't matter whether it comes off a lucky break, just win. One point at a time - as in the current five-game tie streak - just won't cut it.
Tying ugly: Nobody else seemed bothered by it, but Saturday's wrestling match with New England wasn't enjoyable to watch.
It showed how far the Revolution has tumbled. Taylor Twellman's injury-induced absence meant Shalrie Joseph played forward, and Steve Ralston came off the bench as a sub. Michael Parkhurst is overseas and Pat Noonan is in Columbus.
Without the talent to play with the Fire, the Revs were reduced to physical, defensive soccer in which the goal was merely to prevent Fire goals at all costs.
It worked. But it didn't do MLS any favors.
The Americans are coming: The U.S. national team comes to play in Chicago so infrequently that it seems like it should be a big deal here when it does visit - especially when the team plays a World Cup qualifying match.
There's something special about seeing the Red, White and Blue play.
But when word broke a couple of months ago that the U.S. men's national team would play a 2010 World Cup qualifying match at Soldier Field on June 6, I wondered if the U.S. Soccer Federation was being realistic. After all, the national team drew a disappointing 11,000 or so fans to Toyota Park for a qualifier last fall. How could it come close to filling Soldier Field?
It seems only fair to happily eat a little crow now. At last report more than 38,000 tickets - well more than Toyota Park fits - already have been sold for the June 6 match against Honduras.
Tickets are on sale at ussoccer.com.
The qualifiers, including the June 3 match at Costa Rica, start a busy summer for the U.S. team. The Confederations Cup in South Africa follows almost immediately, and then comes the Gold Cup, which could see the U.S. return to Soldier Field in July for the semifinals.
I can't wait.
oschwarz@dailyherald.com