Parkhurst Wins Fair Play Award

Reis Falls Short of 'Keeper Honor

Novemeber 1, 2007

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Revolution central defender Michael Parkhurst won the 2007 Major League Soccer Fair Play Award while teammate Matt Reis was shut out of the top keeper honor in the first string of MLS awards announced by the league Wednesday and voted on by the media, players, coaches and general managers of MLS.

Reis and the Houston Dynamo’s Pat Onstad lost out on Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year honors to Brad Guzan of Chivas USA. The 23-year-old Parkhurst, who is also a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year, beat out Real Salt Lake’s Eddie Pope and L.A. Galaxy’s Cobi Jones for the Fair Play Award.

Reis finished with a 14-8-8 record with a 1.43 GAA and 10 clean sheets, but Guzan, 23, in only his third year as a professional, was awarded MLS' top honor for goalkeepers after leading his club to the best record in the Western Conference (15-7-8). He ranked first among goalkeepers in shutouts (13), tied for second with Reis in wins (14) and finished second in goals-against average (0.93).

The Revs' Michael Parkhurst won the 2007 MLS Fair Play Award.

Guzan's 13 shutouts rank as the second most all-time behind Tony Meola's 16 in 2000. His goals-against average was the fourth best of all-time in MLS.

As for Parkhurst, the central defender committed just five fouls in 25 games this season, none of which warranted a yellow or red card.

“It’s really an honor to be recognized with this award,” Parkhurst said in a statement released by the Revolution. “It’s especially humbling to be named a finalist with the likes of Eddie and Cobi. They’re both first-class men who have done so much for American soccer. They were trailblazers for the sport in this country and so many players my age looked up to them as role models. It’s an honor to be considered in the same category with them.”

Parkhurst, a native of Cranston, R.I., has established himself as one of the league’s top defenders. Parkhurst was voted to the 2007 Sierra Mist All-Star team as a First XI selection and also earned his first U.S. Men’s National team cap during the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He is also a finalist for Defender of the Year, which will be announced on Monday.

He is a two-time MLS All-Star, and was the 2005 Gatorade Rookie of the Year and the 2006 U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year, as well.

Parkhurst was one of four members of the Revolution who are finalists for MLS end-of-season awards this year. Joining Parkhurst on the top-three lists were goalkeeper Matt Reis (Panasonic Goalkeeper of the Year), Pat Noonan (Comeback Player of the Year) and Adam Cristman (Gatorade Rookie of the Year).

In the other award announced Wednesday, the Columbus Crew claimed the Team Fair Play award for accumulating the fewest disciplinary points during the 2007 season (272.5 points). Disciplinary points are assigned as follows: one point for each caution point received by a player, 10 points for each red card, 0.50 points for each foul committed, and a reduction of 15 points for every clean game in which a team does not receive either a yellow or red card nor has a player sanctioned by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Winners:
2007: Brad Guzan - Chivas USA
2006: Troy Perkins - D.C. United
2005: Pat Onstad - San Jose Earthquakes
2004: Joe Cannon - Colorado Rapids
2003: Pat Onstad - San Jose Earthquakes
2002: Joe Cannon - San Jose Earthquakes
2001: Tim Howard - MetroStars
2000: Tony Meola - Kansas City Wizards
1999: Kevin Hartman - Los Angeles Galaxy
1998: Zach Thornton - Chicago Fire
1997: Brad Friedel - Columbus Crew
1996: Mark Dodd - Dallas Burn

MLS Fair Play Award - Individual Winners:
2007: Michael Parkhurst - New England Revolution
2006: Chris Klein - Real Salt Lake
2005: Ronald Cerritos - San Jose Earthquakes
2004: Eddie Pope - MetroStars
2003: Brian McBride - Columbus Crew
2002: Mark Chung - Colorado Rapids
2001: Alex Pineda Chacon - Miami Fusion
2000: Steve Ralston - Tampa Bay Mutiny
1999: Steve Ralston - Tampa Bay Mutiny
1998: Thomas Dooley - Columbus Crew
1997: Mark Chung - Kansas City Wizards

MLS Fair Play Award - Team Winners:
2007: Columbus Crew
2006: Kansas City Wizards
2005: Kansas City Wizards
2004: Columbus Crew
2003: New England Revolution
2002: Kansas City Wizards
2001: San Jose Earthquakes
2000: Tampa Bay Mutiny
1999: Columbus Crew
1998: Kansas City Wizards
1997: Columbus Crew