VANCOUVER -- After practising outside on a rainy day with a biting wind blowing in from the North Shore Mountains, it would be understandable if the Vancouver Whitecaps were anxious to pack their bags and move indoors at the newly renovated B.C. Place Stadium. Instead, many of the players were whimsical Thursday about Empire Field, the temporary facility the Whitecaps have used during their first season of Major League Soccer. "I felt really comfortable here in Empire," said midfielder/forward Davide Chiumiento. "We always had great supporters. "It was a great moment here to play." The Whitecaps play their final game at Empire Field on Saturday against the Seattle Sounders. Their first match at B.C. Place, with its retractable roof, will be Oct. 2 against the Portland Timbers. Vancouver has struggled in its inaugural MLS season, but Saturdays game still carries significance. The Whitecaps need a win against the Sounders to remain in contention for the Cascadia Cup, a derby competition between Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. "We have everything to play for," said midfielder Peter Vagenas. "This tournament is important for the Pacific Northwest and its important for Vancouver. "Its well within our grasp. Its not the ideal trophy to be hoisting but we have a chance to hoist a trophy this year, which is important." Empire Field, located in Vancouvers east end on the Pacific National Exhibition grounds, always looked like something a child would build with a Meccano set. The seats were metal benches with no backs. All the bathrooms and concession stands were outside the stadium. The players showered and changed in trailers. There was lots to complain about, but the players rarely did. "When you go through it, and look back, it will be something you kind of remember," said Vagenas, who joined the Whitecaps after playing for both Seattle and the L.A. Galaxy. Vagenas was a little surprised the first time he looked at the outdoor stadium. "I didnt know what to expect," he said. "I was absolutely floored. "I have been so fortunate to play in probably the three greatest environments in Major League Soccer. Seattle and Vancouver are unique because theyre so new. L.A. took a while to get where it is. In terms of atmosphere, in terms of places opponents come in and realize its an away game, Vancouver and Seattle are at the top of the list." The seating capacity at Empire Field for B.C. Lions CFL games was 27,500. That was reduced to around 21,500 for soccer. The atmosphere was intimate. The fans were close to the field and loud. The Whitecaps have managed a 4-14-10 record this year, the worst in the league. The team can officially be eliminated from playoff contention this weekend. Still, the team averaged 20,555 fans a game, third best in MLS behind Seattle and L.A. All four of Vancouvers wins came at Empire Field. "I think we will miss it," said coach Tom Soehn. "I think we built a pretty good understanding of what we are about here. "Its intimate (with) our fans pounding the seats. Its a pretty cool place to play." B.C. Place, located in the citys downtown, has undergone a $563-million facelift. Besides the roof that can open or close in 20 minutes, theres new all-weather turf, a huge video board hung in the middle, and new seats. There are 50 guest suites, a club section and two lounge areas. The soccer configuration is for 20,000 seats. Goaltender Joe Cannon enjoyed his time at Empire Field but is looking forward to what B.C. Place offers. "Not only is the turf supposed to be softer, but the environment is going to be louder," said Cannon. "This will be the best home-field advantage I have experienced. "I am looking forward to the roof capturing the sound, making it even more loud." The Whitecaps and Sounders drew 2-2 in their previous meeting June 11 in Seattle. The Sounders lead the Cascadia Cup standings with five points from a win (worth three points) and a two draws. Portland has four points from a 1-1-1 record. Vancouver has one point after losing to Portland and tying Seattle. If the Whitecaps defeat both Seattle and Portland in the next two home games they would win the Cascadia Cup with seven points. "It was not an easy season for everybody," said Chiumiento. "This is a goal we have. "Sometimes these little things can help a lot in the future. This is important to us. We need to do something to finish well this season." Cheap Montreal Expos Jerseys . Cook (2-5) scattered six hits, struck out two and walked two in his longest outing of an injury-delayed season. The 32-year-old right-hander, who missed the first three months with a broken finger on his pitching hand, has won consecutive starts after going 0-5 with a 5. cheap jerseys from china . Luke Hughes and Ben Revere highlighted the Twins attack, with a pair of hits and two RBI apiece. We just hit and found the right holes, said Revere. Alexi Casilla belted a solo home run while Danny Valencia and Michael Cuddyer added RBI doubles for Minnesota, which extended its winning streak to a season-high eight games. http://www.jerseyscheapnfl.us.com/... . Jason Garrison and Henrik Sedin scored third-period goals to help the Canucks overcome a 2-1 second-period deficit en route to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday. [url=http://www.jerseyscheapnfl.us.com/]nfl jerseys china . Rakell, has played in four games with the Ducks this season, posting no points. The 30th selection of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, had been a scratch for the Ducks last seven games. wholesale jerseys . He crashed on Sunday and underwent surgery to pin four fractures of his right collarbone. The Swiss rider expects to resume training next week and skip the remaining spring classics one-day races.AKRON, Ohio -- There was a time when Martin Kaymer couldnt get to America fast enough. First came the inspiration from Tiger Woods incomparable 2000 season, when he won three straight majors among his 10 titles around the world. It was enough for the 15-year-old German to start dreaming of the PGA Tour, a chance to compete against Woods and the rest of the best players, to show them that he could play. Then came a chance to go to PGA National in south Florida with his German national team. "At that stage, I was still in school and couldnt go," Kaymer said Tuesday. "I said to my dad, I really want to go there. Is it not possible you can take me out of school for a week or two weeks? He said, Just keep working and you will play on the PGA Tour one year and then you will be there all year long." Now that hes a major champion, which comes with a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, Kaymer no longer is in such a hurry. And why should he be? Golf has changed so much over the last 10 years that America, once the ultimate destination for the best players from all corners of the globe, now is no more than an occasional detour for so many Europeans. The World Golf Championships, such as this weeks Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, used to offer a taste of the PGA Tour with enormous prize money, impeccable conditions and a chance to compete against the best in the world. Kaymer now gets enough of that while based in Europe. He can play 12 times on the PGA Tour, which includes four majors and three World Golf Championships. That leaves him five other events to play, which is ample. He can still pick the best events to play in Europe and other parts of the world. Its a formula that appears to be working. Kaymer, who won the PGA Championship last year and already has nine wins at age 26, stayed at No. 1 in the world earlier this year for two months. And while he lives part-time in Arizona, he has no immediate plans to join the PGA Tour. "I cant tell when its going to be," he said. "At the moment, I like my position that I can play a little bit in Europe, a little bit in America. I play all the tournaments I want to play, so theres no need to join only the European Tour or only the PGA Tour or both. I dont need to join the PGA Tour." He is not alone. Three of the four major champions are not PGA Tour members. The PGA Tour is not as strong without them, though it remains the strongest tour in the world, and that isnt likely to change any time soon. Its easy to get swept up over Europeans dominating the world ranking -- 11 of the top 25, including Nos. 1-2-3 -- by overlooking the fact that America still attracts most of the best players from Asia, Australia, South Africa, South America and itss fair share of Europeans.dddddddddddd Thats why it has the strongest fields each week, with about a half-dozen exceptions. Europe, however, has more than held its own since it looked to be doomsday five years ago. It was in 2006 when the PGA Tour announced its new FedEx Cup competition, complete with US$35 million in bonus money and $10 million to the winner. It also made plans to move The Players Championship to May. European Tour chief executive George OGrady gathered two dozen players at La Costa during the Match Play Championship in 2006 to figure out how to proceed. The message that emerged from that meeting was that the European Tour was worth fighting for. It is more than holding its own. The FedEx Cup has not been enticing to all. Lee Westwood, who has joined the PGA Tour a couple of times, found no point in playing a full American schedule because the bonus series is right about the time his kids are on summer vacation. U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy tried the PGA Tour last year, then decided it was too much golf at the wrong time of the season at this stage in his career. Darren Clarke, fresh off his popular British Open win, hasnt made up his mind about returning to America, but he said enough Tuesday to indicate that he was better off at home in Northern Ireland to spend more time with his two sons. Clarke is 42 and has been around long enough to notice a change in the landscape of golf. "I was a member of the PGA Tour, and I was proud to be a member of the PGA Tour, and I wanted to be a member of the PGA Tour," he said. "Now with the way that game is on a much more global basis, European Tour is pretty good, as well. We in Europe have got the majority of the top 10 players in the world right now. Were pretty fortunate, and we have some players who deserve to be in those positions." A decade ago, Clarke figured the only way to move up in the ranking was to play more in America because thats where all the best were playing. Now, there is ample opportunity to pick up big ranking points in Abu Dhabi and Scotland and Shanghai and Singapore. "The necessity to be a PGA Tour member is not quite there like it used to be," Clarke said. "A lot of guys will take up opportunities to be members, but at my stage in my career when Im 42, do I need to join the PGA Tour again?" Kaymer is only 26 and asking the same thing. "I just dont want to play tournaments because I have to play," he said, alluding to the PGA Tours minimum requirement of 15 events. "If I go there, I want to play well. I want to enjoy being there. And if you travel to some countries or if you play too many tournaments, I dont think that you can enjoy every tournament you play." cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '