Dallas Burn midfielder Brad Davis was named Honda MLS Player of the Week by the Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA) for the week ending July 25 (Week 17). Davis' first two goals of the season came in timely fashion, padding the Burn lead and insuring a 5-1 victory over D.C. United on Saturday at home in the Cotton Bowl.
The third-year player tallied his first point of the game with an assist on Dallas' first goal, a curling free kick in the 10th minute from the right side that found the head of defender Steve Jolley. With a two-goal Burn lead heading into halftime, Davis surged forward on a long run into the box on the left and as United defender Bryan Namoff tried to cut him off, Davis' shot deflected off the United defender's leg and looped over D.C. goalkeeper Troy Perkins for his first goal of the year.
"There's been a huge monkey on my back this whole entire year," said Davis. "It feels very good to finally hit the back of the net and I hope there's plenty more to come. Hopefully from here on out it won't be so hard."
Davis struck again in the 63rd minute finishing an exemplary display of passing by the Burn, after a perfectly slotted diagonal through ball by midfielder Oscar Pareja that went untouched through the center of the United defense. The 22 year-old found himself all alone in front of Perkins and easily slid the one timer by him to seal the Burn victory, giving them a 4-1 advantage.
The St. Charles, Mo., native earns his first career Player of the Week honors, becoming the second Burn player to win the award this year (Goalkeeper Jeff Cassar, Week 15). The 2002 Rookie of the Year finalist was drafted 3rd overall in the 2002 MLS Superdraft after his stellar career at St. Louis University.
Also receiving votes were Brian Ching of the San Jose Earthquakes, along with Davy Arnaud of the Kansas City Wizards, Burn forward Eddie Johnson, who also scored two goals in the victory over United, and Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon, who recorded his sixth shutout of the season against the Columbus Crew. The Honda Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected every week throughout the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from the Professional Soccer Reporters Association (PSRA).
2004 PLAYER OF THE WEEK WINNERS:
Week 1: Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
Week 2: Pat Onstad (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 3: Fabian Taylor (MetroStars)
Week 4: Carlos Ruiz (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 5: Henry Ring (Chicago Fire)
Week 6: Jovan Kirovski (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 7: Pat Onstad (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 8: Alejandro Moreno (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 9: Jovan Kirovski (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Week 10: Pat Noonan (New England Revolution)
Week 11: Jeff Cunningham (Columbus Crew)
Week 12: Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United)
Week 13: Amado Guevara (MetroStars)
Week 14: Davy Arnaud (Kansas City Wizards)
Week 15: Jeff Cassar (Dallas Burn)
Week 16: Brian Ching (San Jose Earthquakes)
Week 17: Brad Davis (Dallas Burn)
