If you believe in symmetry, then you have faith that both Montreal and Vancouver will triumph in the away legs of their USL semi final-series and face each other in the league's first ever home and away two-leg final.
Not that the league itself wants it that way. Not only are these teams both Canadian, but one of them will be leaving the league for MLS in the near future, and the other one desperately wants to join them.
It's against this backdrop that the Whitecaps are diligently preparing for the future. It's still a year and a half until they play their first match in Major League Soccer, but the planning is well underway. Like last year, they will have a delegation at the college combine and MLS SuperDraft in January, even though they won't take part until the following year. They're also deep into negotiations with MLS regarding just how many players currently under contract will stay that way when the team joins the league. With their extensive residency program, the Whitecaps have a lot of them. Look for a final decision soon.
The Whitecaps are a team of multiple (and sometimes conflicting) goals. Win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship (maybe next year); make the USL playoffs (done); win the USL title (maybe). And finally, build a young team that's ready to compete in MLS by 2011 with a little help from the expansion draft. Some would argue that building for the future in MLS would come at the expense of the present in the USL. Maybe, maybe not. But the Whitecaps are quietly signing as many quality players under the age of 25 in order to hit the ground running in 2011.
Portland will join the fray that same year, but seem to be a team built for success right now. After all they finished first overall this year and could still win the league if they can overturn their opening leg semi-final loss to Vancouver. But the Whitecaps have 14 of 29 players listed on their website born in 1985 or later. Portland has just six.
Vancouver may pay the price next year, but it won't matter with their first MLS season looming. What matters more to them right now is the status of the B.C. Place stadium renovations. All quiet on the western front on that topic since the you-know-what hit the fan a month ago. I believe it will still get done. But the politicos had better make a decision soon or it will be too late to get it completed by opening day in 2011. It's a complicated process which ultimately leads to delays and cost over runs that sometimes results in doubt about the project ever getting off the ground. Not that MLS cares all that much; it'll still get the money and that's all it is concerned about. After all, have you seen the facilities that San Jose and Kansas City have been playing in?
The B.C. Place roof reno will get done. Otherwise the politicians will look like jackasses.