2007 MLS FCTP Rookie of the Week...Week 8...

Am I the only one who is shocked we are 1/4th of the way through the MLS season? Heck, FCD is already 1/3rd through its season. Wow, how time flies.

Let's get down to business. This week we saw 188 total MLS players take the field with 9% (17) being rookies. 47% of the rookies started their games while 29% played the entire match.

Complete Game:
Jeff Curtin
Ty Harden
Maurice Edu
Aaron Hohlbein
Michael Harrington

Started:
Guy-Roland Kpene
Kurt Morsink
Dane Richards

Substitute:
Jerson Monteiro
Bakary Soumare
John Cunliffe
Robbie Findley
Brad Evans
Corey Ashe
Wells Thompson
Adam Cristman
Sinisa Ubiparipovic

Players in bold saw the professional field for the first time. As you know, I heavily favor the guys who play the entire game for this award. Something has to be said for the guy who grinds out 90 minutes. This time around no one scored a goal or got an assist...so we're really looking at intangibles. I'm going back to Michael Harrington for this one since he was involved in the most exciting match of the weekend and has started all eight of his team's matches so far this season. Harrington is really solidifying his place on that left say. Dare I say he is the 2007 version of Jonathan Bornstein? Who by the way has been invisible...maybe he misses coach Bradley on the Chivas USA bench. But that is beside the point. Congrats Mr. Harrington...there is your second rookie of the week award.

It will be interesting to see if more rookies feature in coming weeks as many MLS players go train and play with their national teams. Keep your eyes peeled.