BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - Chicago Fire technical director Frank Klopas struck a chord in his description of former Fire midfielder Chris Armas. Armas was the model of consistency. Sometimes you see peaks and valleys in many athletes, but not with Armas.
"I think Chris, more than anyone, did his role better than anyone. He did it very well and on a consistent basis for his whole career," Klopas said. "It's not one game, not one season or two seasons. That's what you see a lot of times with some of these younger guys. They play one or two games, but no … it's about consistency. It's about every day at practice. It's about work ethic. He knew his niche, and he battled every day."
Armas was inducted into the Fire's "Ring of Fire" Hall of Fame in a halftime ceremony at Thursday's Chivas-Fire match at Toyota Park. Peter Nowak (Class of 2003), Klopas (2004), Peter Wilt (2006) and Bob Bradley (2007) were there to share in the festivities. Lubos Kubik (2005) was not in attendance.
Chris Armas, best known for his consistent intensity, was honored Thursday night at Toyota Park.
There is a resounding appreciation among the Fire family regarding Armas' attributes. And now his No. 14 becomes the sixth jersey to grace the east wall of Toyota Park.
"Every player has a strength, a certain quality that they bring to the table to make it at this level. Some guys have that gift of speed and strength and height. My ability was to be tuned into games, to bring a consistent level of play," Armas said. "That's something that's been a strength of mine. It's one of the attributes I had. I could stay focused on players and stay tuned in on what was going on. It sounds like an easy thing, but to be tuned in for 90 minutes, it takes a mental and physical exercise."
Here is what some other people within the Fire organization had to say about Armas:
Fire coach Denis Hamlett: I've known Chris from Day 1 in 1996, when I was playing in Colorado and he was playing in L.A. He's a hardworking midfield guy. He was a pit bull, just relentless. He was always attacking the ball. When he steps out there, he gives you everything. Words really can't describe what he is as a soccer player. I'm honored and excited that we are putting him in the Ring of Fire. Of all the guys, the quality player he was, I think that is what the Fire is all about. He's right up there."
Fire defender C.J. Brown: "It was fun playing with him. He's a great leader. He leads on the field, off the field. He puts everything into the game. He's a role model for soccer players, what you need to put into training, what you need to put into the game, what you need to do to prepare your body. He embodies all of that. To this day, I still want to hear from him about what I should do in a game. He's been a big factor for my career. … There is nobody more competitive than Chris Armas. He can turn the littlest game into the biggest game. You could be throwing paper into a trash can and he would do something to try to become a champion in that game."
Technical director Klopas (fellow Fire Hall of Famer): "I've played over 18 years, and I've been fortunate to not only play in this country but in Europe. I've played with some excellent players, and there are very few that stand out in my mind. It's a very short list, and at the top of the list is a guy like Chris Armas. I've been very fortunate and thankful to not only finish my career in Chicago but to play the last few seasons with such a great player and such a great human being."
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Charlie Corr
Charlie Corr is a Chicago-based soccer writer and sports public relations specialist for two professional soccer teams. Contact him by clicking here.
