Steve Zakuani will now face a long recovery. (Getty Images)

Like I mentioned yesterday, week six in Major League Soccer was a pretty ugly one. While the Red Bulls and Galaxy were stomping their way through their games, most of the folks out there were yet again focused on the fouls and one non-foul that hurt two big stars in the league.

The last couple days have been a guessing game on Twitter and at various sites. Most seem to think the tackle by Colorado Rapids midfielder Brian Mullan on Steve Zakuani deserves at a minimum of five games suspension. Intent and Mullan’s background as a nice guy comes into the fold when looking at these sorts of things which could ultimately save him in the end from getting what Ricardo Clark got back in 2007 when he kicked Carlos Ruiz while he was on the ground. Clark received the highest penalty given by the league, 10 games (nine games plus the normal one game ban for the red card).

Is Mullan’s tackle worth ten games? Most Seattle Sounders fans would tell you that they think so. His comments after the game probably made it worse however as he said it was a tackle he’s done a hundred times and would likely do again. He apologized to Zakuani but the manner of the way he did seemed more like a forced thing and not a real one by Mullan. It probably didn’t help that a camera was shoved in his face after the game to do it, I’d be willing to bet that a day later his comments wouldn’t have sounded so ass-hole like.

The league is currently reviewing this challenge and the one by Vancouver defender Jonathan Leathers on FC Dallas midfielder David Ferreira.

The tackle by Leathers isn’t as cut and dry as the Mullan one. Mullan’s had some intent behind it when he didn’t get a call just moments before his reckless tackle on Zakuani. Leathers was trying to play the ball and instead came in and got Ferreira instead. Interestingly enough there was no foul given, no card shown and all Dallas got was a corner kick that they actually scored from.

Leathers’ tackle was easily more clean than Mullan’s and I never felt that his tackle was meant to injury Ferreira. As a writer who covers Dallas a lot, you’d probably expect me to be all in rage over the tackle but I’m not. Leathers was playing the ball, not the man, and unfortunately for Ferreira his foot got stuck in the fake turf causing the injury.

Should Leathers’ have been carded then and there for the challenge? Probably so. At least a yellow seems fair as he didn’t get that much of the ball and he did come in from behind in a ways.

Again, the league is reviewing these two tackles. Mullan’s deserves a harsh penalty in my mind. I think the league has to come down hard on challenges like this one and give it a pretty lengthy suspension. As for Leathers, not so much. I’d be shocked if he even received a suspension here.

What did you make of each foul? Think Mullan deserves a long suspension? Does Leathers? Let’s hear it.

I think now that we are halfway through the season we can have a better understanding of who is in this race and who is not. Some guys have floated on that bubble, while others are starting to place themselves in the true discussion for this award. A lot has to do with playing time, how their clubs are doing and what impact they are actually making on the field.

Still no true order to this list though, that will still come later on. Feel free as always to post your short list or discuss mine.

1. Sean Franklin, LA Galaxy: Still one of the favorites in most people’s minds right now. Even with the lack of actual success on the LA backline, Franklin is still making solid strides to be one of the better center backs in the league. Let’s just hope Abel Xavier’s terrible play doesn’t rub off on the rookie.
2. Kheli Dube, New England Revolution: Others will have Dube atop their lists. He is definitely up there on mine.
3. Julius James, Toronto FC: The more time this kid gets on the field the better. Come October he will be an absolute beast for this club.
4. Justin Braun, Chivas USA: I must say, I still get impressed by this kid each time I see him out there. He isn’t making loads of headlines or anything but he is still for the most part a mainstay in the Chivas lineup.
5. Andy Iro, Columbus Crew: Another guy that is starting to see a lot more time is Iro. The kid is a tower on the backline for Columbus with Chad Marshall. Another kid that come later this season will be a total beast. Hell, I think he already is.

Fringe guys for the list:

1. Danleigh Boreman, New York: I don’t know what has happened with Boreman recently but I tend to lose him out on the pitch. Then again his club has been pretty terrible in recent weeks so that may be why.
2. Chance Myers, KC Wizards: Number one pick isn’t playing like one anymore. He may not even be the best rookie on his club at the moment.
3. Jonathan Leathers, KC Wizards: Who is the better rookie, Leathers or Myers? Right now I would honestly say Leathers.
4. Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo: Continues to get better with each game, and I’m not saying that because I know the kid. More PT coming up could help his cause in this award.
5. Patrick Nyarko, Chicago Fire: Not playing a whole lot now but you will begin to see a reason why people thought he would have been the number one pick in the draft come this fall. He will be torching clubs as a sub in the 70th minute.
6. Pat Phelan, New England Revolution: Toronto will be wishing they had kept Phelan in the long run. I know they needed to free up a roster spot but in the long run he will make them wish otherwise.
7. Eric Avila, FC Dallas: That perfect cross to Abe Thompson is reason why this kid will begin to make his way up the charts here.

Others that should be considered, but won’t:

• Emmanuel Ekpo, Columbus Crew: I’m pretty sure he won’t count as a rookie, if he does put him up near the top. He has seen time with other clubs in Africia, so that is why I think he won’t be considered.
• Sainey Nyassi, New England: See Ekpo.
• Kenny Mansally, New England: See Ekpo.