It's an Adidas sample of a rejected potential away kit from 2019 according to the seller... or a really good boot leg.

Hi all!

Matt founder of MIR97 Media here. Tonight is the night for our first LIVE Hot Takes of the year. Join us at 7pm for a fun time! Can't make the live show? Don't worry! We put all LIVE shows on Spotify, Apple, and Google podcasts (@meninred97).

Here's the link to join https://discord.gg/9xua9a9B?event=1332017020048375829

Seems like this is an annual question around this time of year - but what are some good podcasts for news and discussion about the Chicago Fire?

ExtraTime Radio was shutdown recently, Chicago Soccer Conversation ended in January 2023, CHGO Fire hasn’t had an episode since October, Intercontinental Football Show ended in December 2023, Windy City Football Experience doesn’t appear to be on Spotify anymore.

So far I’ve got SoccerWise for all things MLS, and Feed the Fire and Sad Bois FC for specific Chicago Fire coverage. Anything else out there?

Hello r/chicagofire,

Over the couple weeks, the subreddit has seen the highest amount of engagement in our subreddit’s nearly 14 years of history. Part of this is due to the Neymar related content posted on this subreddit which brought additional people to our subreddit. In addition, r/chicagofire in part was subjected to a coordinated astroturfing campaign aimed at banning the X (Twitter) platform from Reddit in as many subreddits as possible. Our subreddit statistics and mod level view into all profiles that engaged in the debate demonstrate that far too many redditors who are not a part of r/chicagofire fueled the discourse and engaged in brigading, which is a direct violation of r/chicagofire’s Rule 1. As a reminder, this is Rule 1:

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Rule 1: Be Respectful and Exercise Proper Sportsmanship

This community thrives on mutual respect. Posts or comments that attack, belittle, or degrade others will be removed. Name-calling, personal attacks, or harassment will not be tolerated. Repeated violations may result in a ban. Brigading other subreddits may also result in a ban. Everyone here is a fan, so treat others with the same respect you'd want on and off the pitch.

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These are the facts:

The average number of “Unique Viewers” to r/chicagofire is ~1,300 subredditors per day. On January 21st and January 22nd, the number of “Unique Viewers” to the subreddit rose sharply to ~2,200 subredditors. In addition, the post discussing  the X ban on r/chicagofire saw a record ~20,000 views and stands at over 300 upvotes. The discussion post in question saw a record 69 shares. Our average Reddit post receives ~4,500 views and only 1-3 shares max.

Therefore, because of the brigading unto r/chicagofire, any ban does not currently reflect the will of the subreddit’s actual base.

To that end, the r/chicagofire mod team is revisiting the X ban, amending the phased approach to banning any platform, and placing the decision in the hands of the subreddit members where the decision belongs. The r/chicagofire moderation team has always taken pride in being a light touch moderation team. Moderation to censor information from any platform regardless of the reasoning behind that censorship without the explicit input of REAL r/chicagofire subredditors does not align with the values held in this subreddit for almost 14 years.

Prior to the brigading on January 21st, Rule 3 of the subreddit was updated as a response to the increased engagement the subreddit experienced prior due to the Neymar coverage and discussion on the subreddit. As a reminder, this is Rule 3:

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Rule 3: Posting from Original Sources, Verified Media, Rumors, and Speculation

Before posting any news from social media, see if there’s a full article/source with more context. Posts to social media linking to articles will be removed. Use “[Author] Title of Article/Contents” when posting articles to keep things organized.

Flair Guide:

Chicago Fire FC: "Official" 

Trusted Sources: "Verified Media" 

Unconfirmed: "Rumor/Speculation"

Prioritize content that adds value to discussions. Posting false info consistently may lead to shadow banning & posting restrictions.

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This change removed specificity to X in order to address content from all social media platforms outside of Reddit, including and not limited to X (Twitter), Meta, Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and yes even BlueSky & Mastodon. Rule 3 was updated to ensure that from January 20th forward subreddit members were encouraged to prioritize posting content from original sources, reporters, and articles first before resorting to sharing information from non-Reddit social media platforms.

Beginning today through an indefinite time yet to be determined, r/chicagofire will continue to allow ALL social media sites to serve as a vehicle for sharing content related exclusively to the Chicago Fire when all other avenues or means for sharing information has been exhausted..

This is how it’s going to work:

Step 1: In order to course correct subreddit karma and mitigate brigading damage to the subreddit, the X discussion post and subsequent initial moderator decision posts will be deleted (but screenshot for our historical records). This is necessary to ensure the social experiment by this subreddit is met with as little outside influence and obstruction as possible. Brigaders will experience a reduction in access to this subreddit and subreddit crowd control will be elevated. Not one individual has been banned from the subreddit in the past 12 months with the exception of 1 who was previously espousing bigoted language in mid-2024 and dealt with swiftly. Evasion is against Reddit rules, brigading individuals have been identified, and all subredditors are encouraged to keep their communities safe from those who do not share in the subreddit's mission to support or discuss the Chicago Fire. Please let the mod team know of any activity that goes against subreddit or general Reddit rules

Step 2: Automod will be updated to flag posts AND comments from non-Reddit social media platforms for community up/downvoting and moderator review. This approach requires action from real subreddit members in order to combat evasion and subreddit brigading

This is the language that will become active when posts and comments are added from those social media platforms. This is the automod code that has been added:

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domain: ["x.com", "twitter.com", "instagram.com", "facebook.com", "bsky.app", "tiktok.com", "threads.net", "mastodon.social"]

comment: "We are encouraging use of official and direct sources over the sharing of information from all social media platforms including but not limited to X, Meta (Facebook), Instagram, Threads, TikTok, BlueSky and Mastodon per Rule 3. Please downvote this comment/post to flag to the mod team for review and potential removal subject to Rule 3. Upvote this comment/post to allow it to remain in place."

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Step 3: The moderation team will identify a select group of individuals (hereby referred to as the r/chicagofire subreddit committee) with more significant r/chicagofire subreddit karma and longevity to advise on the potential ban of any/all social platforms on r/chicagofire. Subreddit approved users will be encouraged to share their experiences and partake in a respectful and nuanced discussion to assess the pros and cons to censoring or limiting any content on the subreddit. Participation is optional

Step 4: The moderator team will summarize the subreddit’s collective decision via engagement with Automod on posts & recommendations from the r/chicagofire subreddit committee and announce the decision as it pertains to ALL social media platforms on r/chicagofire. Bans may be enforced, and bans might not. That decision is not solely on the moderators to take.

Questions you may have:

• Why not just ban X?
  • Subreddit data as previously discussed shows that true desire for an X ban is inconclusive due to brigading and astroturfing on r/chicagofire. The mod team’s light touch approach has always prioritized true subreddit member impact and any decision should be done with the subreddit’s input in mind.
• Then why not just do a poll?
  • Polls are not safe from brigading and astroturfing. Our new 4 step approach ensures that feedback comes from real r/chicagofire members.
• Why not allow screenshots?
  • Screenshots have not been allowed as a “source” of information for quite a while (years in fact) in r/chicagofire. If the intent is to deny any visibility to posts on other social media platforms, screenshots still require users to visit the platform to create the post and requires subreddit members and mods to use those platforms anyways to validate the content for subreddit discussion. Any ban would be an all or nothing ban of that platform or its content.
• Can we post from BlueSky or non-X platforms?
  • Per this post, you may still post from any and all social media platforms if raw sources are not available or if the individual in questions acts a source. The moderators of r/chicagofire will not promote one platform over another. For example: If BlueSky content also contains the true source link, the BlueSky content will be removed by the mod team and the subredditor will be asked to resubmit the source because it is available. In the end, all subredditors will be able to up/downvote Automod’s post to help inform on whether or not any content from other social media platforms should be removed.

I am concerned that not removing X is still an endorsement of its owner (or the use of other platforms and their owners). Thoughts on that?

The moderators have agreed to this collective statement on the matter related to Elon Musk’s actions on January 20th and the moderation debate on this subreddit:

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Each of us moderators has his own set of experiences that inform the approach to r/chicagofire’s ban of X due to the actions of its current owner (or the potential to ban other platforms). Regardless of these differences, one thing is clear. We moderate r/chicagofire with the intent to serve as an open forum for discussion of the Chicago Fire FC organization, its partner organizations, supporters groups, players, and the world of soccer in which it operates.

We without a shadow of a doubt hold the unanimous opinion that hatred, racism, sexism and bigotry in all forms against but not limited to people of different ages, creeds, religious affiliation, sexual orientations, gender identities, disability status, and other protected classes is wrong and an affront to what it means to be a decent human regardless of the social contracts we are expected to abide by.

Taking a stand against injustice requires actually taking a stand. Confining ourselves solely to spaces without venturing into spaces with uncomfortable rhetoric only reinforces that rhetoric.

The saying is, that if you have a bar, and a Nazi feels comfortable in that bar, and then he brings friends, then it is a Nazi bar. When proper moderation is absent and moderators refuse to act for fear of negative perception or to avoid conflict, spaces risk becoming what many believe X is today.

But this could be taken a step further; If you come across a Nazi bar, you should take it back if you are brave enough to do so. A day which should have celebrated the great Reverend Martin Luther King Jr instead highlighted the complexities and dark realities of living in such a divided country. In his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" MLK Jr stated "we will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."

The moderators are not running away from this debate and are instead relying on Reddit’s tools to come to a proper solution with the input of the Chicago Fire subreddit. Given the potential impact to the subreddit in the context of all who inhabit it, including those who use other platforms in honest good faith to discuss their favorite team, we iterate that this decision is not ours to make alone.

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And with that, we welcome your input via modmail only as this post remains locked. We thank you for participating in r/chicagofire and look forward to sharing in the upcoming season and supporting our Men In Red.

Yours truly,

The r/chicagofire Mod Team (Gary, Dean, and Joe)

TL:DR - Given recent astroturfing and brigading on r/chicagofire, the moderator team is seeking nuanced input from r/chicagofire members to influence subreddit policy on all non-Reddit social media usage. The approach allows social media posts only on an as needed basis per subreddit Rule 3. Common questions are addressed, and the moderators share a statement on taking a stand against hatred and bigotry.

Love seeing the roster take shape. Given the roster restrictions (i.e. only one more INTL spot left), what would you like to see still happen before the start of the season? Do you have (realistic) specific players in mind that you think could fill those needs and fit into GGG's system?

Someone posted a clip online of him at camp today.....thoughts on him maybe joining the team? I'd be fine with a backup spot and he'd be great to teach our youngsters too depending on the price.

Per Bogert

https://www.givemesport.com/mls-sets-us-open-cup-leagues-cup-and-champions-cup-update/

Just throught I'd share while going down the sofa score rabbit hole. In other news Kascper has 4 goals in 16 matches. Took him 25 at the fire to reach that mark. Nico Giatan is about to retire. Kaitai still getting good minutes in Serbia. Anyone else got any favorite, "where are they now" guys?

I just got an email from my new STM rep and it explains the new rules for ticket exchanges this year. 2 new things this year. There are now Gold matches and Silver matches. Also, there is now a limit to exchanging into Gold matches from Silver or one has to pay an additional charge.

Anyone know where to find out which matches are Gold and which are Silver? I couldn't find any info on their website or in my Account Manager.

Thoughts on this everyone?

https://sports.yahoo.com/emran-soglo-move-marseille-chicago-193000643.html

Bringing a big group with me around 10 ppl to the opener vs DC and was wondering what lot would be the most lively to tailgate in. where would we see majority people at so we don’t feel isolated you know

Hello friends!

Exactly what the title says, wanted to know if you guys have an away section (because i have to pay to be in a supporters group to get those tickets on my end)

Thank you so much, and I will visit your beautiful city on 4/19

hi, I’m a representative of AmerykańskaPiłka, a Polish portal dedicated to USMNT and MLS (our site is https://www.facebook.com/amerykanskapilka). Every year, we publish a MLS guide, and this year it will be printed again. We've added a new theme to this year’s guide because our plan is to interview passionate fans from each team about topics like matchday traditions, away days, tips on how to enjoy a match to the fullest, and include this in the guide. If we gather enough content, it will also be featured on the guide and our website. Here are the questions we’re asking:

1. What does matchday mean to you, which match are you most excited for, and what’s your best memory from away games?

2. what do the team colors mean to you, your experiences, traditions, how long you've been a fan, and when did you join the supporters' club?

3. Practical tips for European fans—what’s a typical matchday like, how to get to the stadium, where to stay, when to arrive, how to find the supporters' section, where to eat and drink, any specific spots where fans gather, is there a pub/bar, and what are the must-see places in the area around the stadium?

4. Is there any other sports team in the city worth checking out when we come for an MLS game?

5. Do you have a dedicated fan shop—does it exist at the stadium? Is it possible to tour the stadium? Is there a club museum?

6. Are there different supporters’ groups? If so, can you share a little bit about what makes each one unique?

7. Any special tips for newcomers? Which opponents should we go see, and which ones might not be as exciting? What are the prices for different matches?

8. Is there a chance to see how the supporters' groups prepare their tifo or banners?

9. If you have any other ideas, I'd love to learn something new

I swear I saw an interview with Jack Elliott a few days ago on YouTube or somewhere. I didn’t watch it and decided to save it for later, but now I can’t find it. Does anyone have the link? Thanks!

Any particular highlights/misses you guys are focused on? Any glaring holes you still see on the roster? Personally, I can't remember being this excited going into a season.

Where are some of the best places in Chicago land (western burbs here) to watch the away games with other fans ?