Timeline of longest-tenured Metros
September 15, 2010
With Seth Stammler's pending retirement, he will pass on the crown of The Longest Currently Tenured Metro to Carlos Mendes. Which got us thinking, who held the title throughout the team's history? Please note that for inclusion on the list, the tenure must be continuous (so, for players who have returned to the club, it's their return date that counts as beginning of the tenure). The start date on the list below is the previous titleholder's departure date, NOT the start of player's tenure with the club.
January 6, 1995 - September 21, 2002: Tab Ramos
Well, this first one is easy. Ramos was the first player to sign with MLS on January 3, 1995 and was allocated to the yet-unnamed NY/NJ franchise three days later. He played for seven years, announced his retirement in May of 2002, and left the team after the last game of the season.
September 21, 2002 - December 23, 2002: Mike Petke
Petke was drafted on January 31, 1998. His term with the title was short-lived, as he was traded to DC United two months after Ramos' departure. (Bob Bradley, we know why you traded Petke. But did it have to be DC? Sigh.) Of course, Petke would return in 2009.
December 23, 2002 - July 14, 2003: Tim Howard
Howard was signed as a Project-40 player just two days after Petke's arrival: February 2, 1998. He lasted a half season longer than his longtime teammate, being sold to Manchester United midway through 2003.
July 14, 2003 - December 4, 2003: Steve Jolley
Acquired from Los Angeles in a trade on April 19, 2000, Jolley held the title for the rest of the 2003 season. He was traded to Dallas, but returned in 2006. We sense a theme.
December 4, 2003 - January 22, 2004: Clint Mathis
Another short term as Mathis, who was acquired from Los Angeles in the Luis Hernandez Dispersal Draft on May 17, 2000, already had one foot out of the door when he took the title. He signed with Hannover, but returned in 2007. The theme continues.
January 22, 2004 - February 10, 2004: Joe Addo
This is where it gets fuzzy. Addo, who was claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay on March 19, 2002, was never officially released or retired. But he was first removed from the Metro preseason roster on February 10, 2004, so we will count that as his departure date.
February 10, 2004 - November 19, 2004: Mark Lisi and Craig Ziadie
Lisi and Ziadie were acquired from DC United in the same trade on May 9, 2002. They jointly held the title until Ziadie was taken by Chivas USA in the Expansion Draft.
November 19, 2004 - November 29, 2006: Mark Lisi
Lisi held the title on his own for two years, earning the nickname "The Cockroach" from the local media for his survival skills. He retired after the 2006 season.
November 29, 2006 - January 14, 2009: Mike Magee
Speaking of survival, for six seasons, nothing could get rid of Magee. Drafted on January 17, 2003, he was dumped by the Osorio-Agoos thinktank to Los Angeles a day prior to the 2009 draft.
January 14, 2009 - ?, 2010: Seth Stammler
So Stammler has held the title for a year and a half. He was drafted on January 16, 2004, and will stay with the team through the rest of the season, when he will retire from soccer.
?, 2010 -: Carlos Mendes
Which would leave Mendes as the longest currently tenured Metro. Signed from USL's Rochester on March 21, 2005, Mendes will also become the last remaining MetroStar on the team.
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