Weekly update: Crew again

R knee inflammation - questionable
Mapp, Justin -- R knee Grade II LCL Sprain - out
Pause, Logan -- R foot stress fracture - out
Razov, Ante -- R arthroscopic ankle surgery - out
Whitfield, Evan -- L knee contusion - probable

For the Record:
"That's going to really hurt because I enjoy being with these guys. I love Chicago and I love this team. These guys make me feel great, that's why everything has happened the way it has so far." - Fire Forward Andy Herron, after his latest two-goal performance last Saturday against Columbus, on leaving the squad this week to report to the Costa Rican National Team.

4-4-Who? Jaqua's Red Card Leaves Fire Looking Back for Forwards
After picking up a pair of yellow cards, and a subsequent red card, in last Saturday's 3-3 draw at Columbus, Fire forward Nate Jaqua will be forced to sit out of this Wednesday's return match against the Crew at Soldier Field. Jaqua's suspension, his second of the season, will leave the Fire searching for options at the top of its attack, as the rest of the players that have made up the Fire's forward corps this season will either be gone for national team duty (Andy Herron, Damani Ralph, Dipsy Selolwane and Andy Williams) or will sit out due to injury (Justin Mapp and Ante Razov).

Chicago Fire Juniors to Hold Tryouts for Boys U-15 Through U-19 Teams on Oct. 31 in Wheaton, IL
The Chicago Fire Juniors, the official youth soccer club of the Chicago Fire, has announced that it will conduct tryouts for the club's U-15 through U-19 Boys teams on Sunday, Oct. 31 at Seven Gables Park in Wheaton, IL from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CT. The tryouts will be held on fields A, B, C and D at Seven Gables Park, which is located between Roosevelt Rd. and Butterfield Rd. in Wheaton. In addition, a supplemental tryout will be held on Sunday, Nov. 7 at Seven Gables Park from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CT. This date will also serve as a make-up date should weather cancel the primary tryouts on Oct. 31. For more information on the Boys senior teams tryouts, please call the Chicago Fire Juniors at 630-882-8428 or visit www.chicagofirejuniors.com.

Fire to Face MetroStars Next Monday in National Soccer Hall of Fame Induction Game
The Chicago Fire will take on the MetroStars in the first-ever MLS Inaugural Day exhibition match at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, NY next Monday, Oct. 11. Kickoff for the match is set for 12:30 p.m. CT at the Hall of Fame Campus on At-a-Glance Field. The match is part of the festivities surrounding the induction weekend that will see former MLS and Chicago Fire forward Eric Wynalda and former L.A. Galaxy defender Paul Caligiuri - enshrined as the League's first Hall of Fame inductees. Former U.S. Women's Nation Team stalwart Michelle Akers will be the third member of the Hall of Fame's "Class of 2004."

Etc.

One week after D/M Evan Whitfield accomplished the feat, defender Jim Curtin became the eighth player in team history to play 100 contests in a Fire uniform after suiting up for the "Men in Red" in Saturday's 3-3 draw at the Columbus Crew. The feat was made even more impressive by the fact that Curtin has played in each of Chicago's last 60 matches, including 58 straight appearances in the starting eleven.

The Chicago Fire Juniors took part in a pair of youth tournaments last weekend, with five teams making the finals in their respective age groups. At the Glen Ellyn Classic in Glen Ellyn, IL, the CFJ's Boys U-11 Academy Red, coached by Eddie Voltare; Girls U-12 Select White squad, coached by Scott Meineke; and Vince Kalke's Boys U-9 Select White side all finished as runners-up, while the Boys U-12 Academy Red squad, coached by Pierre Garcia, captured the tournament's championship. In addition, Larry Sunderland's Girls U-18 Academy Red side finished second at the Best of the Midwest Tournament in Naperville, IL.

The Fire's Mexican League sister club Monarcas Morelia moved its undefeated streak to five games last week after defeating Club America 3-2 on the road at Aztec Stadium last Wednesday and earning a 1-1 tie with Santos at Morelos Stadium in Morelia on Saturday. After starting the 2004 COMEX Apertura campaign with four consecutive losses, Morelia (2-4-3, 9 pts.) has climbed back into contention in a tight Group 1 table and now sits just two points behind group leaders Dorados (3-4-2, 11 pts.) and U.A.G. (3-4-2, 11 pts.) at the halfway point of the season. The "Monarchs" will take the week off before returning to League play on Oct. 17, when the club will take to the road face undefeated Puebla F.C. (5-0-4, 19 pts.) at Cuauhtemoc Stadium in Puebla.