MLS Goalkeeper of the Year: Brad Guzan

Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan was named MLS goalkeeper of the year. MLS announced the award this morning. The league also named New England defender Michael Parkhurst as the winner of the Fair Play Award (Columbus won the team award).

These were two of the easier awards to give. There were some good goalkeepers in the league this year. Pat Onstad, Joe Cannon and Troy Perkins had outstanding seasons, while Matt Reis maintained his high standard, but Guzan was outstanding this year. Outstanding enough to have English power Arsenal scouting him.

I don't think the Fair Play team award is something to write home about but cheer up Crew fans, you have something to put in the trophy case.

What do you think of these selections? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Lawrence]

I bet the fair play award isn't as shiny as New York's Reserves Runners-Up Trophy.

The crew can be excited about Robbie Rogers. Kid is going to be one of the best in the league, and unlike altidore he's going to be around to help the crew for awhil.e

[kriz]

he is only going to be around to help the crew out because he isnt as good as altidore

[Brant]

I'd rather have Warzycha coaching and the team showing a little more fire late in the game. I'd give up the fair play award to have Danny O'Rourke knock some of the Wizards on their tails in stoppage time of the game in KC that Columbus lost. Win that game, and Columbus is in the playoffs... Or win the one at Dallas when they were up a goal and a man with 12 minutes to play and blew it.
Give me some more no-nonsense ruggedness in the midfield to go with GBS's acrobatics up front, and a shooter not afraid to pull the trigger, and CLB challenges for a 3-seed instead trying to decide who stays and goes next year.
And you know what? All those corrections are the same ones they made under Warzycha in his half-year as an interim head coach 2 years ago, when they won 7 games in half a season (instead of the 10 in a whole season they managed with Sigi...)

[tex]

Onstad screwed again.

[KingSnake]

I'm sure he's losing lots of sleep over it ...

[Amanda]

When do teams have to release their list of protected/unprotected players for the expansion draft?

[Ben]

Some time after the rules of the expansion draft are anounced.

[Dominghosa]

The Crew won something?
There must be some mistake.
Guzan will be the next great American goalkeeper in the EPL.

[eastlachiva]

Guzan was almost a draft bust in his first year. He "won" the job after Zuniga got hurt in 2005. Zuniga never came back and now hosts the Spanish Chivas radio show.
Guzan needs props from you guys who have not seen him play. Do it now.
He's the guy that's going to be stopping and stomping on Mexican goals in the coming years.

All hail El Guzano!!
Dale Chivas!!

[Amanda]

I love Guzan, but he's not very intimidating-looking, is he? I know he's like 6'5", but that's a baby face if I ever saw one.

[Nathan]

Rimando had some of the best stats for any keeper. Too bad he plays for such a crappy team, he should have won. He was a life saver for RSL many times.

[John]

I think Rimando probably made more great saves and game changing plays (positive ones) than any other GK in MLS. But Rimando also cost RSL a bunch of points early in the season and also late. Even at his best he flails at crosses.

[Byron H]

Onstad gave up the fewest number of goals in MLS history. Guzan was a terrible choice.

[Toothless]

Onstad is dumb and stupid. Guzan is a good choice. And besides, the ale tastes good.

[ben]

"But Rimando also cost RSL a bunch of points early in the season and also late."

When did Rimando cost RSL points late? I'll admit, he cost them a couple early, but late he did not. I still say he was GK of the year, even with the bad start. The last 1/2 of the season he was superhuman.

[Tim Crawford]

I think this is the stunning part about Parkhurst. He is one of, if not the best defender in the MLS, and does it WITHOUT GETTING ANY YELLOW OR RED CARDS. That's ridiculous. The man doesn't know the meaning of professional foul since his idea of being professional is simply taking the ball away. It's amazing to watch, but it's time he gets the credit he deserves and wins Defender of the Year.

[Tim Crawford]

Also, for GK of they Year. If the record and points don't matter, it should've been Cannon. Talk about "SuperMan". Yowsers. Otherwise, Guzan has been spectacular and has the numbers to prove it. He definitely deserved it hands-down.

[Derek (Brooklyn)]

Not disagreeing with your general point, Tim, but it is funny to see someone write that Parkhurst "doesn't know the meaning of professional foul" considering his deserved yellow card in the first game of the playoffs for pulling down Jozy on the break.

[m@]

Guzan is a great keeper, but you'd think the award would go to the GK who set a record for fewest goals conceded in the season and fewest goals conceded per game: Onstad. Not to mention the consecutive scoreless minutes. And to do that at 39 years old? Impressive.

Guzan will surely win this award again. Will he be able to break Onstad's records though? And if so, will someone else get the recognition those years?

[Tim Crawford]

Yeah, but still a wise decision by Parkhurst this weekend. It's amazing that that was his first. I realized that he had that yellow card this weekend, and when it happened this weekend, I was instantly thinking about how few times he's had to do that.

On the GK subject, Onstad has Eddie Robinson, Craig Waibel, Wade Barrett, etc. Do Lawson Vaughn, Orlando Perez, Shavar Thomas, and Jason Hernandez show anything? Yes they have Suarez, but the defense isn't nearly as good in front of Guzan. More importantly, what I've seen of Guzan has been better than Onstad. His saves have been outstanding.

[brant]

sorry to just rant about the Crew earlier.

Congrats to Guzan and I hope the US can keep a few quality players in MLS instead of all of them dashing to England. Although it would be pretty cool to up our count of EPL starters (when they aren't hurt) from 20% to 25% of the league.

[jason]

Perkins and Cannon are better goalkeeprs and had better seasons, as did Onstad.

[josh]

You know, Guzan's hair is starting to look a little thin up top...he could be a contender.