Tim Hotze
@timhotze.com
Managing Editor @meninred97.com Chicago Fire (& other) soccer Member @soccerreporters.bsky.social MLS Roster Rule nerd. GAM aficionado.
Fire have their 1st Leagues Cup game in the tourney's new format tomorrow. To understand the stakes for the Fire and the tournament's new format, here's what @meninred97's primer from December www.meninred97.com/chicago-fire-to-compete-in-2026-leagues-cup/ #cf97 #VamosFire
Chicago Fire To Compete in 2026 Leagues Cup
With the Fire in it, here's what you need to know about the tournament's new format
meninred97.com
Some of what I write doesn't fit in with my @meninred97.com coverage. I needed a place for league-wide analysis and structural deep dives. I'm calling it "The Beautiful GAM" First up: I'm going to convince you that Don Garber was actually a great commish for MLS. Here's pt 1.
The Garber Era, Pt. 1: Survival and Stability
Let's get this out of the way: Fans will always hate the commish. In every league in every sport. Roger Goodell is regularly booed at the NFL draft. When NHL fans are at their happiest – seeing their...
beautifulgam.com
Fans never like the commish of any league but you really can't overstate how hard it is for Garber to do what he did, taking a league that was barely holding on that was small enough where you could hold an owner's meeting in a phone booth to a 30 team league with a 9 figure media deal.
Arman Kafai@armankafai.bsky.social · 2d agoLarry Berg, you are now tasked with advancing MLS to the next chapter. Interested to see what a new voice as commish will do and if he can get things done in the manner that Garber did for years
With his brace against Charlotte, Robert Lewandowski was voted the MLS Player of the Matchday. First #cf97 player to be so honored this year.
Chicago Fire II started 9 1st team players and beat FCC II 7-2, with a hat trick by Jason Shokalook and goals from 1st team players Puso Dithejane, David Poreba and Viktor Radojević and Fire II's Damian Nigg. Berhalter told us we'd see more of the squad used in Leagues Cup group stage this week
The Fire got their first win in 10 weeks and Lewandowski got a brace. Here's what we learned last night at Soldier Field. www.meninred97.com/what-we-lear... #cf97 #VamosFire
What We Learned: Chicago Fire's 2-1 win over Charlotte FC
Things are starting to click in Chicago as Robert Lewandowski gets his first two goals with the team and the Fire fight their way to a win
meninred97.com
After tonight, pretty clear that the Fire figured a lot of things out. Lewy looked like Lewy and the Fire looked like the Fire for the 1st time since the WC break. We'll have more thoughts on this @meninred97.com tomorrow
#cf97 looking at how Cuypers is doing in Monterrey
Godfather Massacre
ALT: Godfather Massacre
static.klipy.com
CHICAGO FIRE WIN! The first of the Robert Lewandowski era in his #cf97 home debut at Soldier Field with a 2-1 victory over Charlotte
Being told that Robert Lewandowski is the 4th #cf97 player to score 2 goals in his home debut after Frank Klopas in 1998, Andy Herron in 2008 and Thomas Frankowski in 2008 #VamosFire
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI! GETS A BRACE TO PUT THE FIRE AHEAD! 2-1 for #cf97 in the 68th minute!
FWIW: That's also the first goal for the Fire from outside the box in 2026
Tim Hotze@timhotze.com · 4d agoAnd Robert Lewandowski gets his first goal for #cf97! 1-1 in Chicago
Pep Biel takes advantage of a bad Fire giveaway and puts Charlotte up 1-0 in the 18th minute #cf97
The Starting XI for Robert Lewandowski's #cf97 home debut. I'm expecting it to play like a 4-4-2 but it could morph into a 4-3-3 with the same personnel.
RIP Erkut Sogut's weekly posts about DC United and MLS.
The Verge@theverge.com · 6d agoAs part of a series of updates to reduce the volume of AI slop on the platform, LinkedIn is introducing an actual button that lets you flag a post as something that “Seems like AI slop.”
This is Meta's plan to stop being a non-factor in AI? Access to Newsmax content?
Bill Grueskin@bgrueskin.bsky.social · last wk.AYFKM “Meta will be able to draw upon Newsmax's significant current reporting as well as archived content to support AI queries across Meta's apps and devices.” ir.newsmax.com/news/news-de...
Sounds like the changes @paultenorio.bsky.social has championed for years but the devil really will be in the details here.
Tom Bogert@tombogert.bsky.social · last wk.💰 Sources: MLS owners expected to hear presentation on significant changes to structure of roster rules, centered around a more open salary cap system Potential huge change for future of MLS. DPs would remain Reporting with @paultenorio.bsky.social Details ⬇️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/747...
Two games, two losses to start the Robert Lewandowski era in Chicago. Here's what we learned this week www.meninred97.com/two-games-tw... #cf97 #VamosFire
Two Games, Two Losses: What We Learned
Two tough losses provide tough lessons at the start of the Robert Lewandowksi era in Chicago.
meninred97.com
Full time analysis, once again courtesy of my mom. Maybe we've got a new columnist @meninred97.com ? #cf97
The Fire weren't able to get anything to connect through the middle of the pitch and Lewandowski wasn't able to be a difference maker. Match recap for a forgettable night for #cf97 www.meninred97.com/hostile-conf...
Hostile Confines: New York City FC 3, Chicago Fire 1
The Fire looked listless as their streak of futility in New York City continues
meninred97.com
Tied game! Joel Waterman even things out off of great service by Anton Salétros. 1-1 at Yankee Stadium #cf97 #VamosFire
Absoluteterrible goal as Elliot is too casual and Salétros can't get anywhere hear it as NYCFC go up ahead of a goal by Nico Fernández 1-0 in favor ofN YCFC #cf97 #VamosFire
