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. Carlos Beltran Jersey .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. 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It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes.Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - The No. 16 Missouri Tigers and Minnesota Golden Gophers look to finish off their overachieving seasons on a positive note when they square off in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1. Missouri won its final six games of the regular season to win the SEC East and earn a date with Alabama in the conference title game. An upset of the top- ranked Crimson Tide was not meant to be, as the Tigers were steamrolled, 42-13, after getting outgained 504-41 in the running game. Despite the lopsided loss, Missouri still posted 10 wins for the second straight season and reached back-to-back New Years Day bowl games for the first time since 1960-61. The Tigers have won their last two bowl games, including last years Cotton Bowl over Oklahoma State. They have a postseason record of 14-16 and have won five of nine under head coach Gary Pinkel. Were building to become great. Were going to work real hard to do that, said Pinkel, who was named the SEC Coach of the Year after the Tigers were predicted to finish in the middle of the SEC East. I think this is a step in respect for our program. Pinkels defensive coordinator, Dave Steckel, will leave the program to become the head coach at Missouri State following the game. Steckel orchestrated a defense that set a school record for sacks (42) and held six of its nine conference opponents to 21 points or less. Shane Ray was named a First-Team All-American following a campaign that saw him record 14 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. Fellow lineman Markus Golden was not far behind with 8.5 sacks and 16 TFLs, linebackers Kentrell Brothers and Michael Scherer both recorded 100-plus tackles, and Braylon Webb highlighted the secondary with four interceptions. The Tigers have found success without the luxury of a potent offense, as they put up a modest 27.4 ppg on 361.8 ypg. Maty Mauk has been an enigma under center. On the positive side of things, hes accounted for 23 touchdowns, but hes completed only 52.9 percent of passes for 196.2 ypg with 11 interceptions. His primary target is Bud Sasser, who has tallied 70 receptions for 935 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jimmie Hunt has also been solid outside with 40 receptions for 698 yards and seven scores. Marcus Murphy is one of the nations most talented weapons and is the only player in the FBS this season to have recorded a touchdown in all four all- purpose categories: rushing, receiving, kick return and punt return.ddddddddddddHe has amassed 1,010 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns. Russell Hansbrough is the teams leading rusher at 1,023 yards and nine scores. Minnesota had an outside chance at reaching the Big Ten title game coming into November, but losses to Ohio State and Wisconsin ended that pipe dream. Still, the Gophers posted back-to-back eight-win seasons for the first time since 2002-03 and reached their third straight bowl game. Jerry Kill was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for those efforts and has the program in striking distance of nine victories for just the second time in the last 109 years. Weve gotten rewarded going to the Citrus Bowl, and none of us could be more excited about this opportunity. We all want to play in January, Kill said. This is another step forward in the program. A big reason behind the Gophers success is senior tailback David Cobb, who broke Laurence Maroneys single-season school rushing record with 1,545 yards. He carried the ball an average of 24.4 times per game and punched in 13 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Mitch Leidner totaled 462 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, but the focus on the running game led to the worst passing attack in the Big Ten. Leidner threw for just 140.0 ypc and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions. Tight end Maxx Williams was the leading receiver with just 28 catches for 471 and seven scores. No one else caught more than 15 passes. As for the Minnesota defense, it has performed admirably in permitting just 23.4 ppg, which was the sixth fewest allowed in the Big Ten. The Gophers are among the league leaders in turnover margin (+11) thanks to Briean Boddy- Calhouns four interceptions. Damien Wilson is the teams top tackler with 111, which is 34 more than his closest teammate. He also leads the way with four sacks, has forced two fumbles and recovered another. The postseason has not been kind to the Gophers, who are 5-11 in bowl games and have dropped their last six. Their most recent win came against Alabama in the 2004 Music City Bowl. ' ' '