It has been one of the most eventful Whitecaps seasons in club history, with a successful Major League Soccer bid, the casting off of popular local veterans, the emergence of young talent, mid-season in-fighting and another successful run to a USL-1 final. Marc Weber presents 2009 by the numbers.
30 Combined Whitecaps seasons played by Alfredo Valente, Steve Kindel and Jeff Clarke, three local lads let go by head coach Teitur Thordarson in December over philosophical differences (they argued over whether Martin Heidegger should truly be thought of as an existentialist).
15 New players who dressed for a senior side game this season.
24 Games started by 20-year-old rookie forward Marcus Haber, the only Caps player other than goalkeeper Jay Nolly to appear in all 30 league matches. He scored eight goals and was named USL-1 rookie of the year.
48 Hours it took in March to sell out 5,000 season-ticket deposits of $50 for Vancouver's 2011 Major League Soccer franchise.
200 Estimated cost in millions of a retractable roof for B.C. Place Stadium -- part of the promised renovations included in the Whitecaps MLS bid, but one that has yet to be confirmed.
70 Days it took Burnaby-raised trialist Gordon Chin to convince Teitur Thordarson to sign him.
25 Days it took Chin to crack the starting XI after first appearing in the 18-man roster. If you're looking for an unsung hero this season, look no further than the 5-foot-6 midfielder.
2 Goals for winger Ansu Toure -- his first for the club -- in a memorable 2-0 home win over Toronto FC in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship on June 2.
100 Percentage of people who thought that result had booked the Caps' place in the CONCACAF Champions League as Nutrilite winners.
3-2 The score at the time it happened. They were WINNING!
6 Goals Montreal managed to allow in a 6-1 June 18 loss to Toronto FC that knocked the Caps off their Nutrilite perch on goal differential.
450 Percentage increase in rentals of Mel Gibson's Conspiracy Theory that night.
7.5 Richter scale reading as hulking Caps' centre back Wesley Charles and bruising Caps' forward Charles Gbeke clashed at midfield on June 12. The grass suffered. So did the water bottles that Gbeke later punted, and so did the players, who were shamed with a two-game suspension and fine.
257 Hankies used on July 9 when Charles and Gbeke ran a pre-game lap around the field, arm-in-arm, carrying a giant Whitecaps flag to cheers. Another great North American story of forgiveness!
40 Days it took for another blowup -- this one between Wesley Charles and Jeff Parke in practice that resulted in the release of Charles. Doh!
12 Goals on the season for Gbeke, who went on a late-season tear to win the USL-1 scoring title.
125 Minutes between halves in Vancouver's home game vs. Puerto Rico on July 25, a game interrupted by severe thunder and lightning.
1000 Faithful fans who risked looking like Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future to see five second-half goals and a 4-2 home win.
19 Different back four combinations used in 30 league games -- a world record, figured defender Chris Pozniak. Who are we to argue?
9 Players Thordarson tried at centre back before Coquitlam's Luca Bellisomo, who started the last half of the last regular-season game, then all six playoff games.
5 Goals scored directly off Wes Knight throw-ins, another great young find for Thordarson and the club. He was a nominee for rookie of the year and also shared the club's K-Fed Award for Achievement in Music and/or Dance with teammate Haber.
13 Sold-out crowds (of at least 5,288) at Swangard Stadium -- a club record.
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