OTFATT 2008: Final Update

Previous Updates #1 4/14 68 players remaining #2 5/18 40 players remaining #3 6/8 25 players remaining #4 8/18 13 players remaining #5 10/17 10 players remaining OTFATT is short for "On the field, all the time." In these updates throughout the season, I've been keeping track of which MLS players have played every minute of every game (regular season only). We lost four players over the past two weekends. Jon Conway was suspended, Nat Borchers was hurt, and the Crew rested Will Hesmer and subbed off Brian Carroll. But we still finished the season with 6 players who played every minute, a new record. This feat has now been accomplished 35 times over 13 seasons, by 28 different players. It helps to be a goalkeeper or a defender, obviously. And as a keeper, having a weak backup is a help. 3/4 to make it this year had a backup who has never played an MLS game. More facts: The overall breakdown is now 18-17 in favor of field players. Kevin Hartman has now played every minute for two straight seasons, joining Peter Vermes (1999-00), Scott Garlick (2000-01), Pat Onstad (2005-06), and Matt Reis (2006-07) as the fifth player to do that. Cannon, Hartman, and Rimando have all played every minute for a second time, and are 3 of the 7 men with multiple appearances. 4 teams have not had a player play every minute: CHV, DAL, MIA, and TOR. 1996-2008: Played Every Minute (players in bold played every minute of every game in all competitions, goalkeepers in italics) 1996 Preki (KC), Steve Trittschuh (COL) 1997 Mike Burns (NE) 1998 (none) 1999 Peter Vermes (COL) 2000 Joseph Addo (TB), Nick Garcia (KC), Scott Garlick (TB), Peter Vermes (KC) 2001 Scott Garlick (TB/COL), Tim Howard (NY), Steve Jolley (NY), Zach Thornton (CHI), Kerry Zavagnin (KC) 2002 Nick Rimando (DC) 2003 Tony Meola (KC) 2004 Joe Cannon (COL), Jim Curtin (CHI), Richard Mulrooney (SJ), Steve Ralston (NE) 2005 Todd Dunivant (LA), Simon Elliot (CLB), Pat Onstad (SJ), Bo Oshoniyi (KC), Michael Parkhurst (NE) 2006 Pat Onstad (HOU), Matt Reis (NE) 2007 Kevin Hartman (KC), Chris Klein (RSL/LA), Matt Reis (NE) 2008 Jon Busch (CHI), Joe Cannon (SJ), Jimmy Conrad (KC), Kevin Hartman (KC), Jay Heaps (NE), Nick Rimando (RSL) Order of teams being totally wiped out for 2008, with last surviving player: 1. DAL-Dario Sala (6/1) 2. COL-Facundo Erpen (6/7) 3. CHV-Brad Guzan (6/14) 4. TOR-Marvell Wynne (7/28) 5. DC-Clyde Simms (8/23) 6. LA-Steve Cronin (8/30) 7. HOU-Bobby Boswell (10/4) 8. NY-Jon Conway (10/18) 9. CLB-Brian Carroll (10/18)