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Mike Magee, 2003
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Ten Best: Rookie seasons
April 1, 2010
We're one game into the season, and everyone is already anointing Tim Ream the next (first?) great Metro defender. The same Tim Ream who, when drafted, screams of "who?" were interrupted by questions of "why did we draft him so high?" Godspeed, Tim, and best of luck. Let you make the following list when the season is over:
10) Dane Richards, 2007
Is there a current player more polarizing than Dane Richards? When on, he can terrorize defenses. When off... In his rookie season, the second-round pick surprised many by starting 30 matches, scoring two goals and adding six assists.
9) Brad Davis, 2002
Drafted with the third overall pick, Davis contributed immediately, scoring gamewinners in Metro's third and fourth games. He ended the season with four goals and three assists, but his lack of a defensive mindset led to a trade to Dallas for the fourth overall pick... see below.
8) Miles Joseph, 1996
The original rookie success, Joseph started 26 games in the team's inaugural season, with four goals and five assists. He even got capped for the US national team as a result. It quickly fell apart, however...
7) Michael Bradley, 2005
He might not have been the player then than he is now, but you could see flashes of brilliance in the then-17-year-old Bradley. Toughness, vision, leadership, and one of the biggest goals in club history -- to put Metro in the playoffs. He started 33 games, only to be sold for peanuts by the red clown Alexi Lalas.
6) Jozy Altidore, 2006
The supposed story here is that then-coach Mo Johnston spread rumors that Jozy will miss the entire 2006, leading him to drop to the second round. He joined the team late in the year and played in ten games, making five starts. Two of his four goals were 1:0 winners, instrumental in pushing Metro into the playoffs. One came in the playoffs themselves, tying the series vs DC.
5) Mike Magee, 2003
With the fourth pick acquired for Davis, Metro drafted Magee. And while now the trade might not be considered in Metro's favor, in his rookie season Magee did not disappoint. He played in 36 games, starting 21, and scored seven goals... all at the age of 17.
4) Ricardo Clark, 2003
Taken two picks earlier than Magee (Eddie Gaven would complete the terrific rookie class), Clark immediately showed that he will be a star. A bulldog in midfield, he disrupted opponent's attacks game after game. He started 35 games, and even contributed on the offense, scoring three goals.
3) Mike Petke, 1998
Little did we know back then that the blond-dyed left back would go on to become Metro's all-time leader in games played. Drafted with the eighth overall pick (acquired for Brian Bliss), Petke stepped into the lineup in game four, and never looked back. He played in 30 games his rookie season, started 28, and scored a memorable goal on a blast vs New England.
2) Rodrigo Faria, 2001
Metro's only MLS Rookie of the Year, he came from unheralded Concordia college before being snapped up in the second round. The rumor here is that then-coach Octavio Zambrano had Faria tank the player combine so he would drop that low. Faria equaled the then-MLS record of eight rookie goals, which actually led the team that had Clint Mathis (granted, he was injured for most of the season), Adolfo Valencia, and Alex Comas.
1) Jeff Parke, 2004
Acquired with the 60th -- and last -- pick of the draft, Parke started the season by scoring the gamewinner in the final of La Manga Cup. He then surprised most by starting on opening day -- and continuing to do so, appearing in 31 games, 30 of them starts. Playing alongside Eddie Pope, he outplayed the US international, showing a veteran's poise (something we're hearing about Ream now), and made himself the automatic choice in central defense for years to come.
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