There was a moment during Fridays training session in Obetz, Ohio, where Whitecaps players were doing their “2 in the middle” drill, a fun warm-up exercise they would have performed hundreds of times. As me and some other stragglers were chatting informally with Caps Coach Carl Robinson, an explosive roar came from the group, some of whom were now on the ground laughing. I said to the coach, “Thats a good sound." "Brilliant” he replied. Something special is happening within a group that has representation from all over the world and that varies in age from 20 to 34. Theres a togetherness, despite a language barrier that could easily divide the locker room between the Latin-based players, the younger Americans and the senior pros. Midfield maestro and Designated Player Pedro Morales was in the hotel lobby with a few teammates having a coffee when he remarked on how this might be the best team spirit hes experienced in his career. This is a 10-year pro who was playing in La Liga only a few months ago with Malaga. Prior to Wednesdays Amway Canadian Championships, a game which featured a very young, Canadian heavy squad, all the senior players remained in the locker room right up until kick-off to offer support and encouragement for the youngsters who are likely to replace them one day. Nigel Reo Coker, a veteran of the Barclays Premier League, who played in the Toronto game, teased the armband-wearing Russell Teibert as the Niagara Falls, Ontario native gave his first captains speech in the huddle. “Speak up, Russ. I cant hear you.” More laughter. More calming of nerves before a team of kids was about to battle a line-up that featured Jermain Defoe, Michael Bradley and Gilberto. The Whitecaps more senior group then followed up the Toronto performance with a solid, cohesive and monstrous away win at Columbus, where 23-year-old Eric Hurtado, in only his fifth MLS start, scored his first MLS goal. It was a moment of individual brilliance, as the sophomore took an ousted clearance off his chest and rolled his defender before turning and unleashing a left-footed blast into the top corner. His celebration was oddly muted, as if hed scored that type of goal a hundred times. But the occasion wasnt lost on his teammates who gathered quickly to mob him. When asked about the goal after, Hurtado immediately acknowledged his colleagues role in the goal and the win. It might be overly simplistic to compare team-building with cooking a dish - you follow a recipe that you think will work and then add certain missing ingredients until it tastes just right. Only, there is no recipe for team-building. While the 2014 edition of the Whitecaps is nowhere near ready to put on top of the table, what is simmering on the stove has a wonderful aroma. Its also creating a healthy appetite for hungry Whitecaps fans. Wholesale Shoes China . The underachieving franchise finished 17th in the 19-team league with a 6-17-11 record this season. "Our soccer team is absolutely in complete disarray," said Leiweke, drawing laughs during an Empire Club luncheon speech about the future of MLSE teams and plans to improve them. Cheap Shoes From China . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. http://www.cheapshoesclearance.com/. Fognini won 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 after Argentinas Carlos Berlocq had beaten Andreas Seppi 4-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1 on the outdoor clay surface. Doubles are set for Saturday with reverse singles on Sunday to decide which team reaches the quarterfinals. Cheap Shoes Wholesale .com) - A pair of programs shooting for their 10th win of the season get together at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, as the NC State Wolfpack tangle with 22nd-ranked West Virginia during the challenge round of the Gotham Classic. Authentic Shoes Wholesale . Johansen scored twice and Derek MacKenzie, Brandon Dubinsky and Cam Atkinson also had goals to lead the Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night, ending a three-game losing skid.NASHVILLE -- The Nashville Predators wanted experience and a proven winner as their new head coach, and general manager David Poile believes thats what they got in hiring Peter Laviolette -- just the second coach in the franchises history. Laviolette has won nine of the 14 post-season series he has coached with the Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. He also won the Stanley Cup in 2006 with Carolina and coached the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals in 2010. The Predators announced Tuesday they signed him to a multi-year contract. "Weve taken a big leap in the right direction getting our team back on the path, and that path is toward the playoffs," Poile said at a news conference. The Predators reached the Western Conference semifinals in 2011 and 2012 but missed the playoffs the past two seasons. Laviolette will take over in Nashville once he finishes coaching the United States at the 2014 World Championship. He said in a statement he loves the Predators nucleus starting with defenceman Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne. "My challenge will be to impart a system that enables our young forwards to thrive and reach their offensive potential," Laviolette said. "Being a perennial Stanley Cup contender requires buy-in, passion and commitment from every player on the roster. I cant wait to get to Nashville and get started on our journey." Poile said hes known Laviolette for years through USA Hockey. Also general manager of the 2014 U.S. Olympic team, Poile named Laviolette one of that teams three coaches. He also interviewed Laviolette for the Predators job along with a couple others he did not name originally planning to hire his new coach in June. Openings in Florida, Carolina, Washington and Vancouver prompted Poile to move quicker to avoid losing Laviolette. Poile said he was very comfortable hiring Laviolette. "Basically in some form, I was interviewing him all year long," Poile said. Laviolette has been a head coach over 12 seasons starting with the New York Islanders between 2001 and 2003, Carolina from 2003-09 and Philadelphia frrom 2009 until October.ddddddddddddHe has 389 wins and 866 career points and six playoff berths, winning nine series. He helped the Islanders end a seven-year post-season drought with back-to-back berths in 2002 and 2003, and the Flyers lost the cup to Chicago in six games in 2010. Laviolette is considered an offensive-minded coach with his teams finishing in the Top 10 in six of his eight full seasons and not lower than 13th in goals scored. That helps fill a major need for the Predators who scored only 216 goals this season when they finished three points out of the final Western Conference playoff berth. Poile said he wanted a coach with a different style of play, and Laviolettes teams play more up-tempo and are more offensive oriented. Thats what Poile wants out of the Predators. The general manager said theyve been working to improve their forwards, including trading Martin Erat in March 2013 for Filip Forsberg and David Legwand to Detroit this March for Calle Jarnkrok. Forward also is likely to be the position the Predators draft with the 11th pick overall in June. Young forwards already on the roster will get a second chance with Laviolette. Mix that with what Poile believes is one of the best defences in the NHL, and he expects the Predators to be back in the playoffs next year. "With his system and different ideas if you will, I think offensively we have a chance to be a lot better under his leadership," Poile said. Forward Matt Cullen helped Laviolette win the Stanley Cup in Carolina and is looking forward to playing for him again. "Hes a great fit for our team and what we need going forward," Cullen said on a conference call. "And I just think a lot of Peter as a coach. Hes a good person, and he just has that real ability to bring out the best in all of his players." The Predators also hired Kevin McCarthy as an assistant coach. He joins assistant coaches Phil Housley and Lane Lambert. They worked with Barry Trotz, the only other coach for this franchise who the Predators announced April 14 that he would not return. ' ' '