Keeper of faith, Reis emerged

Reis was a Los Angeles backup when the Galaxy defeated the Revolution in the '02 final, and he moved to New England the following season. In fact, Reis displayed the anticipation a goalkeeper needs on the playing field in making the move, reasoning that Brown was hoping to move to Europe and also had been injury-prone.

Reis was convinced by Revolution coach Steve Nicol that he would get a chance to be the starter. He did not want to repeat his experience in Los Angeles, where he was a reserve behind Kevin Hartman with the Galaxy after backing up Hartman at UCLA.

"Adin had a year on his contract and there were indications he would be going to Europe," Nicol recalled. "We had the opportunity to get [Reis], and we told him he was not coming in as a No. 2.

"I don't agree with the No. 1/No. 2. Adin was clearly established with us but if [Reis] got a chance and did well, I was not changing the team. In Los Angeles, Hartman was the guy who played, but we didn't look at it like that; I wanted to use the guy who was in form."

Reis needed the opportunity the Revolution provided.

And the Revolution needed Reis's dependability and tactical versatility to evolve into a team that attacks from a 3-5-2 alignment.

"We were talking about the situation coming here the other day," Reis said. "Pat Noonan and Shalrie Joseph came in that first year ['03]. Any team with the opportunity to pick up three players like us would love to do it."

Joseph had passed unnoticed through MetroStar tryout camps; Noonan was the ninth pick and has scored more professional goals than any other player in the '03 draft; Reis was on the verge of being labeled a career backup.

"I needed to get a look outside of LA," Reis said. "The first year here, it didn't happen. But Stevie has given us all a chance, and that's all some players need, a fair chance, then they have to prove the rest.