Chicago Fire Soccer is proud to announce the 2007 Chicago Fire year-end awards for the Honda Most Valuable Player, Fire Defender of the Year, Budweiser Golden Boot, the USSF Humanitarian of the Year, and the Sierra Mist Top 10 Fire Goals of the Year. The 2007 Chicago Fire Awards Reception will be held tonight, Oct. 22, at Emilio's Tapas, located at 215 East Ohio St., beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT. Proceeds will benefit the FireWorks for Kids Foundation.
2007 Chicago Fire Honda Most Valuable Player: Cuauhtémoc Blanco
Since the addition of Cuauhtémoc Blanco to the roster, the Fire have posted a 6-2-6 record, and the native of Mexico City, Mexico has recorded four goals and seven assists through 14 league matches played. Blanco has contributed significantly to the Fire offense over the last 14 league games, and of the 18 goals scored since his arrival, "Temo" has been a key player in 12, most recently scoring with a spectacular 30-yard free kick strike at Chivas USA last Sept. 29 in a 1-1 tie. Blanco also contributed a game-winning assist in the Fire's last match against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday - securing a playoff position for the "Men in Red".
The Mexican National Team attacker scored in his first-ever game with the "Men in Red" in the team's friendly versus Celtic FC, and while appearing in his first MLS match at Toronto FC on July 29, Blanco led the Fire to a 3-0 victory with a game-winning assist. The Fire's Designated Player set a league record for fouls suffered with 12 in the game against Columbus on Aug. 4, and has been able to produce despite being fouled 61 times so far in league play. Blanco recorded his first MLS goal, a game-winner, on Aug. 18 in the Fire's 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake that eventually garnered Sierra Mist Goal of the Week honors for Week 20, and was recently nominated for the Week 26 award for his goal at Chivas USA on Sept 29.
2007 Chicago Fire Defender of the Year: Gonzalo Segares
Costa Rican international Gonzalo Segares has started 27 of 30 games this season, missing two games due to suspension and one for national team duty. Segares did not sub out of a single regular season game in 2007, playing 2,406 minutes in his 27 games. The defender scored a critical game-winner - his only goal of the season - against the New York Red Bulls on Sept. 15, in a 1-0 win. Segares was drafted in the third round (35th overall) of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft, and in his three seasons with the "Men in Red", has played in 73 games, as well as contributed five goals and four assists from the defensive position.
2007 Chicago Fire Budweiser Golden Boot: Chad Barrett
While appearing in all 30 of the Fire's regular season contests, the UCLA product notched seven goals and two assists, for a total of 16 points. Two of the Barrett goals proved to be game-winners - one on June 3, in the 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew, and the other on Oct. 6, in the 2-1 win over the New England Revolution. Barrett is now in his third season with the Fire, being drafted in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft.
2007 USSF Fire Humanitarian of the Year: Diego Gutierrez
The Fire is honored to announce Diego Gutierrez as the 2007 USSF Fire Humanitarian of the Year. This past year, Diego has played a very active leadership role serving as a national spokesperson for the Nothing But Nets campaign. Working together with MLS W.O.R.K.S, the United Nations Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Fire Works For Kids Foundation, and other local Chicago sports, civic and faith based organizations, Diego has formed his own Nothing But Nets fund raising team to raise money to fight Malaria in Africa. In April, Gutierrez was honored for his work in the fight against malaria with an invitation to attend the White House for a visit with President Bush and the first lady in the Rose Garden. Diego and his wife Ginna were joined by MLS Commissioner Don Garber in the nation's capital along with other organizations and individuals involved in promoting malaria awareness.
In 2007, "Team Diego" developed a Public Service Announcement and has helped raise over $400,000 to purchase insecticide-treated bed nets which protect children and adults while they sleep and help reduce the staggering number of deaths each day due to the Malaria outbreak in Africa. Gutierrez also supports local Chicago organizations such as the SALUTE program of the Rehab Institute of Chicago. SALUTE, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness and support of issues facing active military personnel, veterans and their families, and to provide financial support through advocacy and fundraising. Among other involvement, Gutierrez has helped to support to the Foglia YMCA "Kids Need Heroes" program which assisted the YMCA in raising over $275,000 to help offset membership costs and program fees for those less fortunate. Additionally, through the Lake County YMCA's and the Boys and Girls Club of America's "Dare to Dream" programs, Diego represents the Fire and serves as a motivational speaker. Gutierrez received the Fire's 2006 Humanitarian of the Year award as well.
