The Knighthawks' situation

The local media, especially the D&C, has done a good job of getting the thoughts of the Amerks' players on the whole Donner/Sabres/financial mess. But I haven't heard much about the Knighthawks' view on what's been going on.

So I called up Knighthawks coach Ed Comeau today and talked to him a little bit about the fiscal and managerial uncertainty facing the team's ownership.

"My focus is on the lacrosse team," he said. "We don't get too caught up in the business side of it. But we have confidence that all that stuff will be sorted out."

I asked him about the possibility of new ownership, either through additional investors (as Donner claims) or an outright sale of the team.

"That's really outside our control," he said. "We're worrying about putting together a good, competitive team and winning some games."

He added that "we're employees like anyone else."

As far as the team's on-field prospects, Comeau said things are looking good now that the National Lacrosse League season is back on. He noted that this year's Knighthawks are much the same as they were last season, when they won the NLL championship. He added that the team also has "a couple young kids who could contribute quickly."

He said the squad is trying not to feel pressure to repeat last year's success.

"We like to say that last year is last year," he said. "We're just going to go out there, do our best and try to win some games."

I also wanted a player's prospective, so I called Webster native Pat Dutton, a long-time member of the Knighthawks and Rattlers (and an all-around cool guy). However, he said he's in a position that makes it difficult to comment on the chaos surrounding the Amerks and Knighthawks.

First, he said he has "a good relationship with Mr. Donner. I'm concerned for his best interests" as the controversy progresses. But second, Dutton said he's skipping the upcoming Knighthawks season to focus on personal and business developments that include heavy involvement in the redevelopment of downtown Rochester. (He added, however, that he plans on playing for the Rattlers next summer.)

Donner has stated publically that the Amerks and Knighthawks are and, for the foreseeable future, will be joined at the hip — they're a package deal for any new owners or investors.

But such comments don't mean that's what's definitely going to happen. I believe — and I don't think I'm alone here — that there's a distinct possibility that the Knighthawks could be split off from the Amerks at any time. Are Donner's proclamations a guarantee that any future investors will automatically be willing to take on the Knighthawks as well as the Amerks?

Or what if an investor comes along who is interested in the Knighthawks only? As the defending league champions and as a fairly good attendance draw, the Knighthawks, I'd imagine, would be an attractive property for any lacrosse-focused investor. If such a person offers Donner beaucoup bucks for the Knighthawks only, would he turn the offer down?

Perhaps we also have to consider that the Knighthawks are the NLL's version of the Green Bay Packers — a (relatively) small-city franchise that has found success in a league otherwise populated by bigger-city teams. Can that Knighthawks' continue to be an on-field success and/or a potential financial success off the field as the NLL moves toward bigger markets?

It just seems like the situation facing the Knighthawks is wholly different than the one facing the Amerks. The hockey team is a minor-league farm team that depends on having a relationship with a team in the NHL, hockey's "major league." The Knighthawks, on the other hand, stand alone. They themselves are IN lacrosse's "major league."

That difference between the two teams could be crucial.

If there's any Knighthawk fans reading this, I'd love to hear your thoughts.