Amid a busy schedule involving division rivals, difficult matchups, and a desired playoff run, four key contributors who play pivotal roles for FC Tulsa all reached their 100th career regular-season USL Championship appearances in 2021. Joaquín Rivas, Eric Bird, Bradley Bourgeois, and Mo Jadama all have reached the same milestone together this season, a testament to the quality of play from each man as well as the sustained success that each has garnered on an individual level. Here is a quick recap of how each player got to number 100.
Joaquín Rivas (April 25)
The first to reach appearance no. 100 was Joaquín Rivas in the first match of the season. Rivas gave himself and fans an extra reason to celebrate by scoring a brace that evening, securing a 2-0 win over rivals Oklahoma City Energy FC.
Rivas has spent three total seasons with Tulsa, two of which came in the Roughnecks era from 2017-2018 before joining FC Tulsa this season. In those three seasons, Rivas has climbed to the top of nearly every attacking statistical category in club history. Rivas is first all-time in club appearances (72), minutes played (5,807), goals (22), and has converted three PKs for good measure as well. This season, Rivas is on top of the club goal list with five scored in 11 appearances to go along with one assist.
Outside of Tulsa, Rivas made 19 total appearances for Sacramento Republic FC from 2015-2016. He would later join St. Louis FC from 2019-2020, scoring three goals after departing from the Roughnecks in 2018. In total, Rivas has logged 110 regular-season USL Championship appearances and scored 24 regular-season goals, along with two playoff appearances and one playoff goal in 2020 with St. Louis. Rivas also appeared in one playoff game with the Roughnecks in 2017.
Eric Bird (July 28)
Eric Bird was the second FC Tulsa man to reach the 100-mark this season and did so on the road in Atlanta. Bird has become a stalwart in the midfield for FC Tulsa, a player who has proved an excellent defensive presence but can still direct the attack up front. He leads the club in both tackles (38) and tackles won (26) this season while also being third in duels won (74) and fourth in interceptions (24).
Bird joined FC Tulsa before the start of the 2020 season and has logged 29 appearances, scoring twice and recording one assist. Bird’s most memorable goal was an unforgettable screamer in 2020, a last-second blast off the volley to beat San Antonio FC in the final seconds. The goal would later be voted the FC Tulsa Goal of the Year.
Before joining FC Tulsa, Bird made six appearances for the former USL club Harrisburg City Islanders and would later spend 2016-2019 with Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. With RGV, Bird would make 76 appearances over four seasons, tallying 13 goals and seven assists. Bird would also make six appearances for the MLS-side Houston Dynamo in 2018 on its way to winning the U.S. Open Cup that season.
Bradley Bourgeois (August 7)
The FC Tulsa captain himself, Bradley Bourgeois, was the third player to make his 100th career USL appearance this season. Bourgeois was able to celebrate long into the night as FC Tulsa won that match in dramatic fashion, scoring two goals past the 88’ minute mark to send fireworks into the Tulsa sky.
Bourgeois spent one season with the Roughnecks in 2017 before joining Nashville SC, later returning to Tulsa for the 2020 season. In 2020, the captain led the club in clearances (47) and aerial duels and would be named FC Tulsa Defender of the Year. Bourgeois has dealt with injuries in 2021 that kept him sidelined for five matches. However, he still finds himself second on the club in interceptions (31), second in blocks (10), and third in clearances (36) to go along with one goal and one assist. In total, Bourgeois is fourth all-time in club minutes for FC Tulsa with 4,622 minutes.
Bourgeois also spent time with USL sides RGV in 2016 and Nashville SC from 2018-2019. In total, the native Texan has scored four goals and assisted five in 101 regular-season appearances. In addition, Bourgeois had three USL Championship playoff appearances for Nashville SC in which he scored a goal in 2018 and two total playoff appearances for Tulsa, one with the Roughnecks in 2017 and one with FC Tulsa last season.
Mo Jadama (August 14)
The most recent player to appear on a USL Championship pitch for the 100th time in his career in the regular season was Mo Jadama. Jadama has become a rock in the backline of FC Tulsa, his physical play dictating the lanes and angles of the opposing striker. The Gambian center-back spent 2017 with the Roughnecks, as did two others on this list, before returning to FC Tulsa in 2020. In 2017, Jadama would appear in 30 matches and scored once, assisting his teammates five times.
In his time with Tulsa, Jadama has made 45 appearances totaling 3,849 minutes. He has scored once and recorded four assists, all of which came in 2017. This season, Jadama has been used more as a defensive security blanket rather than aiding in play in the attacking end. He leads the club in clearances (51), blocks (15), and is fifth in interceptions (23).
Jadama began his professional career playing in Chile on loan from Portland Timbers in 2015-2016 before joining the Roughnecks. Following his departure from Tulsa after the 2017 season, Jadama would return to Portland from 2018-2019 where he would make 42 appearances for Timbers 2, scoring five goals and being named captain. He would also make a couple of appearances for the Timbers’ MLS side as well before joining Atlanta United 2 in 2020. In Atlanta, Jadama played all 1,350 minutes of the 2020 season and was named captain of that squad, just as he was with Timbers 2.
Amid a busy schedule involving division rivals, difficult matchups, and a desired playoff run, four key contributors who play pivotal roles for FC Tulsa all reached their 100th career regular-season USL Championship appearances in 2021. Joaquín Rivas, Eric Bird, Bradley Bourgeois, and Mo Jadama all have reached the same milestone together this season, a testament to the quality of play from each man as well as the sustained success that each has garnered on an individual level. Here is a quick recap of how each player got to number 100.
Joaquín Rivas (April 25)
The first to reach appearance no. 100 was Joaquín Rivas in the first match of the season. Rivas gave himself and fans an extra reason to celebrate by scoring a brace that evening, securing a 2-0 win over rivals Oklahoma City Energy FC.
Rivas has spent three total seasons with Tulsa, two of which came in the Roughnecks era from 2017-2018 before joining FC Tulsa this season. In those three seasons, Rivas has climbed to the top of nearly every attacking statistical category in club history. Rivas is first all-time in club appearances (72), minutes played (5,807), goals (22), and has converted three PKs for good measure as well. This season, Rivas is on top of the club goal list with five scored in 11 appearances to go along with one assist.
Outside of Tulsa, Rivas made 19 total appearances for Sacramento Republic FC from 2015-2016. He would later join St. Louis FC from 2019-2020, scoring three goals after departing from the Roughnecks in 2018. In total, Rivas has logged 110 regular-season USL Championship appearances and scored 24 regular-season goals, along with two playoff appearances and one playoff goal in 2020 with St. Louis. Rivas also appeared in one playoff game with the Roughnecks in 2017.
Eric Bird (July 28)
Eric Bird was the second FC Tulsa man to reach the 100-mark this season and did so on the road in Atlanta. Bird has become a stalwart in the midfield for FC Tulsa, a player who has proved an excellent defensive presence but can still direct the attack up front. He leads the club in both tackles (38) and tackles won (26) this season while also being third in duels won (74) and fourth in interceptions (24).
Bird joined FC Tulsa before the start of the 2020 season and has logged 29 appearances, scoring twice and recording one assist. Bird’s most memorable goal was an unforgettable screamer in 2020, a last-second blast off the volley to beat San Antonio FC in the final seconds. The goal would later be voted the FC Tulsa Goal of the Year.
Before joining FC Tulsa, Bird made six appearances for the former USL club Harrisburg City Islanders and would later spend 2016-2019 with Rio Grande Valley FC Toros. With RGV, Bird would make 76 appearances over four seasons, tallying 13 goals and seven assists. Bird would also make six appearances for the MLS-side Houston Dynamo in 2018 on its way to winning the U.S. Open Cup that season.
Bradley Bourgeois (August 7)
The FC Tulsa captain himself, Bradley Bourgeois, was the third player to make his 100th career USL appearance this season. Bourgeois was able to celebrate long into the night as FC Tulsa won that match in dramatic fashion, scoring two goals past the 88’ minute mark to send fireworks into the Tulsa sky.
Bourgeois spent one season with the Roughnecks in 2017 before joining Nashville SC, later returning to Tulsa for the 2020 season. In 2020, the captain led the club in clearances (47) and aerial duels and would be named FC Tulsa Defender of the Year. Bourgeois has dealt with injuries in 2021 that kept him sidelined for five matches. However, he still finds himself second on the club in interceptions (31), second in blocks (10), and third in clearances (36) to go along with one goal and one assist. In total, Bourgeois is fourth all-time in club minutes for FC Tulsa with 4,622 minutes.
Bourgeois also spent time with USL sides RGV in 2016 and Nashville SC from 2018-2019. In total, the native Texan has scored four goals and assisted five in 101 regular-season appearances. In addition, Bourgeois had three USL Championship playoff appearances for Nashville SC in which he scored a goal in 2018 and two total playoff appearances for Tulsa, one with the Roughnecks in 2017 and one with FC Tulsa last season.
Mo Jadama (August 14)
The most recent player to appear on a USL Championship pitch for the 100th time in his career in the regular season was Mo Jadama. Jadama has become a rock in the backline of FC Tulsa, his physical play dictating the lanes and angles of the opposing striker. The Gambian center-back spent 2017 with the Roughnecks, as did two others on this list, before returning to FC Tulsa in 2020. In 2017, Jadama would appear in 30 matches and scored once, assisting his teammates five times.
In his time with Tulsa, Jadama has made 45 appearances totaling 3,849 minutes. He has scored once and recorded four assists, all of which came in 2017. This season, Jadama has been used more as a defensive security blanket rather than aiding in play in the attacking end. He leads the club in clearances (51), blocks (15), and is fifth in interceptions (23).
Jadama began his professional career playing in Chile on loan from Portland Timbers in 2015-2016 before joining the Roughnecks. Following his departure from Tulsa after the 2017 season, Jadama would return to Portland from 2018-2019 where he would make 42 appearances for Timbers 2, scoring five goals and being named captain. He would also make a couple of appearances for the Timbers’ MLS side as well before joining Atlanta United 2 in 2020. In Atlanta, Jadama played all 1,350 minutes of the 2020 season and was named captain of that squad, just as he was with Timbers 2.
