PITH Whitecaps writer Russell Arbuthnot sounds off on the fabulous crowd at BC Place for MLS soccer matches, and laments the fact that this same atmosphere is rarely seen in an arena that sits just metres away. This season, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and their supporters are putting together a remarkable symbiotic relationship. Attending games at BC Place really is a win-win situation these days.

by Russell Arbuthnot

Here’s the thing about Vancouver.  The city itself is beautiful; widely  recognized as one of the premiere places to live in the world, Vancouver is the envy of many. It has it all. Cradled in the bosom of lush mountains and caressed by sparkling rivers and oceans, Vancouver is indeed a trendy metropolitan area beloved by nature lovers and urban adventurers alike.

But there’s this other thing about Vancouver. It’s the ugly bridesmaid when it comes to professional sports.

More after the jump.

A failed NBA franchise. A failed pro lacrosse team. (Sure, she’ll get a 2^nd chance at this one in 2014, but that bad boy is going to sit in Langley). a AAA baseball franchise downgraded to single A summer league. A CFL franchise that, without the admirable stewardship of Wally Buono and Bobby Ackles, would almost certainly have contributed to a full-on collapse of the CFL in the late 1990s.

The one perceived crown jewel of sports in this city is the Vancouver Canucks. The same Vancouver Canucks that play in Rogers Arena, where the majority of the noise you hear is that coming of incoming text messages and tipping beer cups. Earplugs are more likely to be seen inside a mausoleum.

If it’s not the Stanley Cup playoffs or a riot thereafter, emotion is virtually invisible at Vancouver pro hockey games.

Despite this, we are constantly inundated with Canucks media. Local sports radio covers them almost exclusively, they dominate the sports pages in the local dailies and Vancouver-based hockey blogs possess a terrific presence in online media. This is to be expected; we are, after all, an NHL market in a Canadian city.  But in truth, it is somewhat of a mirage.

From an outsider’s perspective, Vancouver must be one of the biggest paradoxes in sports today. You can’t get away from reading about, watching about and listening about the Canucks. Yet if one were to attend a game or catch one on TV, they would be inclined to ask what sort of tragedy could have possibly befallen the people of Vancouver to keep this mysterious “Canucks fervor” at bay.

Perhaps it’s the presence of ice that cools the rolling boil to a tepid lurch.

But for those in Vancouver that truly love the theatre of unadulterated sport, no matter the milieu, there is a saviour within the confines of this beautiful city.

There is a revolution going on in this town, and it is long overdue.

There is an uprising of a passionate fan-base, and it is impressive.

The Vancouver Whitecaps hosted their Cascadia Cup rival Seattle Sounders at BC Place Stadium on Sunday night, and I sincerely hope you were there.

The emotion was positively tangible – heck, I cut a slice off and brought it home with me for later.  The relationship this team has cultivated with its fans is truly something unique for this town. A remarkable back-and-forth of showmanship and appreciation for one another, where the parties involved understand that they need each other.

Its kind of like how an incumbent athlete always feigns excitement over a new recruit who threatens to take their job. Phrases like “competition is healthy” and “we’re going to push each other and get better” are thrown around like they’re pleased that they may lose their job. Only in this case, the excitement is authentic.

The performance put forth by the Southsiders and their brethren on July 6, 2013 was only to be outdone by the Whitecaps on the pitch. Scottish striker Kenny Miller scored early and Darren Mattocks, fresh off the bench, added an insurance marker in the 79^th minute as Vancouver earned their first victory in MLS over Seattle. Keeper Brad Knighton gave the Whitecaps faithful plenty to cheer about with 5 miraculous saves in the first half alone. The competition of newly signed David Ousted, in this case, has actually inspired an enthusiastic coming out party — “This was the best game of my career, for sure,” said Knighton after earning Man of the Match and MLS Player of the Week honours.

“David coming in has pushed Brad to play his best,” said coach Martin Rennie. “And if Brad’s playing well, and the team is winning, he’ll remain our number one keeper.”

The anticipation of the match, the culmination of the result and the eruption of the crowd elevated the atmosphere at BC Place to an incredible level. And, like a good academic, I did some research to back up my claims:

I couldn’t have said it any better myself, Miss 604.

With each win and each milestone achieved, the electricity in the building grows. The players get better; the fans get better.

I implore you to take part in the experience as soon as you can, because you won’t find its equal anywhere else in this great city of ours.

For tickets and information on how to join the party, visit: http://www.whitecapsfc.com.

The Wrap

• With his MLS Player of the Week award, Brad Knighton is the third ‘Cap to be recognized with this honour over the past four weeks. An astounding tear of individual and team recognition this squad is on.
• David Ousted, the newly acquired Danish goalkeeper is eligible, yet unlikely, to play in the Whitecaps next contest, 14 July vs the Chicago Fire. (See Rennie’s quote above.)
• Darren Mattocks’ goal was his first since May 11^th, when he notched one versus the LA Galaxy.
• Yes, I do recognize the irony in this story appearing on a “Vancouver-based hockey blog.” Deal with it.