I'm not sure whether this represents a particular disdain for ESPN, or if Chicago fans just enjoy flipping the bird in general ... I'm guessing the latter. One thing we do know: The time of Boston sports dominance really does appear to be over. As I'm sure you're aware, Chicago beat New England on Thursday 3-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, breaking the Revolution's streak of three straight appearances in the MLS Cup final.

The Fire will meet either the Kansas City Wizards or the Columbus Crew in the final, which I'm sure will be ratings gold for ESPN. Of course if they ignore the game and simply pan the spectators for the duration, that will help.

Fire Changes The Picture [Chicago Tribune]

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