Good Friday morning Caps fans. Hope it’s been a good week for you all, and that the weekend brings rest and relaxation.
The biggest news of the week was the Big Meeting ™ between MLS and governmental leaders of all stripes on Wednesday. The Daily Hive reported that the shindig even included a federal cabinet minister, which would be good news for this effort.
The statements that followed the meeting were encouraging, even though there were no concrete takeaways. The involvement of First Nations tribes is a major new development and a significant boost, potentially signaling new opportunities for development or investment.
I’m not celebrating until we see a more concrete plan for how all of this could play out. The Whitecaps’ statement, while largely a nothingburger, signaled that there would be further discussions to figure out how to do this. Seemingly, the best case scenario game is a four or five year deal at BC Place to buy time to figure out a more permanent stadium solution. The fact that everyone is pulling in the same direction in terms of government officials is a positive step toward making that happen but we’re a long way off from real, tangible progress being made.
Everyone at the negotiating table missed the Whitecaps’ 3-2 win over FC Dallas, which vaulted the Caps back up to first in the Western Conference and Supporters Shield tables.
It was a classic midweek match: there were some periods of attractive play, long stretches of plodding play, and some WTF moments.
Fortunately for Vancouver, the WTF moments included two fantastic long-range goals from Sebastian Berhalter. Sure, there was some help from goalkeeper Michael Collodi, who could have done better on the ultimate game winner. But Seb was brilliant from start to finish, controlling the game and fully deserved the two goals.
Meanwhile, the backline responded well after being tested early. Tristan Blackmon conceded a penalty minutes into the match but settled down after to command the box against a physical and hard-nosed Dallas attack. And shout-out to Ranko Veselinovic, who came on to see out the game at the end. I forgot to mention it in the post game but it is a big deal for a guy who has been through a lot in the last year.
Jesper Sorensen will be looking to address Vancouver’s recent propensity to giving up early goals — every goal conceded in the last three games has come in the first 10 minutes of the half. That is mildly concerning, even as the Caps have done well to come back and get results.
But overall, this was a great win. The Caps weren’t at their best but still found a way to brute force a win, which good teams sometimes can do. I thought four points would be the break even point for the week and they are already ahead of pace. A date with Houston on Saturday awaits, as the Caps try and do a Texas two step.
Shameless Self Promotion
We run down the midweek proceedings in Dallas (or Frisco rather) in our post match recap.
Best of the Rest
More on how the proceedings went in the meeting room on Wednesday night and where things go from here.
Sebastian Berhalter has deservedly won goal of the matchday for his match winner.
The latest salary dump has plenty of interesting nuggets, both for the Caps and the league as a whole.
The Caps will return to Swangard on July 8 to host the Voyageurs Cup quarterfinals.
as i said months ago, the Waututh lease land at Hasting Park for their small casino– and they want to make it bigger, knowing that there will be something significant being developed on the adjacent lands where the race track was- it was leaked out months ago that the Waututh were interested in investing in the Whitecaps
a surprise was the Musqueam Nation at the meeting- perhaps they might be in the investment plan with other local investors
another surprise at the meeting was the federal representative, former Vancouver Mayor, Gregor Robertson- it could have to do with funding for a in-the-planning stage of a Skytrain extension from DT Waterfront to the North Shore and passing Hastings Park- Skytrain gets some funding from the Federal Government and, i believe, regulate land near the shoreline where the CP railtracks are next to Brighton Park; also, a new IronWorkers Bridge which is part of the Highway 1, a Federal Government road, is in the planning- and possibly that is where the Skytrain link to the North Shore crosses, much like it does at the New Westminster-Surrey bridge/Skytrain bridge
the BIGGEST surprise- we havent heard anything about who the serious and well-funded local investors are- that will eventually leak out – too many people were at the meeting to keep it a secret
i am very hopeful that we will hear more this year, maybe even during the WC- our Provincial and City governments need some good news to up their negative status in the polls- the Whitecaps will stay in Vancouver (why would MLS loose an expansion fee of well over $600 mill if they allow another city to get the franchise? doesnt make sense) i refuse to get into the panic mode
BC Place Stadium for at least the next 4-5 years and a better lease contract- beyond that will be determined by what will happen to the City-owned land at Hastings Park North
Salty