The future of the Rattlers ... and more questions
Someone on The Rhino Pit asked about the status of the Rattlers now that the Clark deal is apparently going through with the Rhinos.
I've got a little info on the outdoor lacrosse team, but it only raises further questions that I haven't been able to get the answers to. I hadn't posted this earlier because I wanted to try to get those answers, but they haven't been forthcoming. So, here we go ...
Rochester Sports Group communications director Craig Rybczynski told me Wednesday night that the management of the Rattlers is being taking over by the Knighthawks' staff. That apparently means that the Rattlers will move their base of operation to Blue Cross Arena. That seems to make sense that Amerks and Knighthawks GM Jody Gage is already the Rattlers' GM as well.
In addition, Craig told me that the Rattlers' ownership will still consist of "Body by Jake" Steinfeld and local investor Peter Bourne — who also owns (or owned?) part of the Rhinos — among others. He did not mention Frank DuRoss or Steve Donner, and I was too dumb not to ask at the time. My bad.
Anyway ... So, I suppose the bottom line is that the Rattlers are alive and more or less well, and the 2008 lacrosse season will go ahead as planned (the team's home opener is May 31).
However, a whole lot of questions remain open. Like, for example, does this mean definitively that Frank DuRoss and Steve Donner are no longer part-owners of the Rattlers? And if Donner is no longer involved, are the Rattlers no longer part of the Rochester Sports Group?
But if the Rattlers are being folded into the Knighthawks operation, wouldn't that imply that they ARE still part of the RSG?
And what's the deal with Bourne? He apparently has retained his share of the Rattlers ... but what about his share of the Rhinos? Has that officially been bought out by Rob Clark?
And what about Chris Wilmot, who owns, or used to own, a part of the Rhinos and Rattlers? Has he been bought out of both?
I know these are relatively minor details, but the devil is often in the details.
I've been trying to reach Wilmot for a few days, and I e-mailed a bunch of these queries to Craig but have not heard back.
But I will say this — I almost don't care who owns the Rattlers at this point, as long as they're still in existence and playing. In fact — and Rhinos fans might pillory me for this — I think I actually cared MORE about the fate of the Rattlers than I did the Rhinos.
That's how much I love outdoor lacrosse, and that's how much I love the Rattlers. I know, it's weird, I admit it. But I've always rooted for the little guy, the underdog, the red-headed step-child. Well, for one, I AM literally a red-headed step-child, although my step-mother is great. She'd go to the ends of the earth for me, and she makes awesome pierogies. Did I spell that right?
Anyway, the Rattlers have always seemed like the little brother of the Rochester Sports Group teams, and I'm glad they're hanging around.
I've got a little info on the outdoor lacrosse team, but it only raises further questions that I haven't been able to get the answers to. I hadn't posted this earlier because I wanted to try to get those answers, but they haven't been forthcoming. So, here we go ...
Rochester Sports Group communications director Craig Rybczynski told me Wednesday night that the management of the Rattlers is being taking over by the Knighthawks' staff. That apparently means that the Rattlers will move their base of operation to Blue Cross Arena. That seems to make sense that Amerks and Knighthawks GM Jody Gage is already the Rattlers' GM as well.
In addition, Craig told me that the Rattlers' ownership will still consist of "Body by Jake" Steinfeld and local investor Peter Bourne — who also owns (or owned?) part of the Rhinos — among others. He did not mention Frank DuRoss or Steve Donner, and I was too dumb not to ask at the time. My bad.
Anyway ... So, I suppose the bottom line is that the Rattlers are alive and more or less well, and the 2008 lacrosse season will go ahead as planned (the team's home opener is May 31).
However, a whole lot of questions remain open. Like, for example, does this mean definitively that Frank DuRoss and Steve Donner are no longer part-owners of the Rattlers? And if Donner is no longer involved, are the Rattlers no longer part of the Rochester Sports Group?
But if the Rattlers are being folded into the Knighthawks operation, wouldn't that imply that they ARE still part of the RSG?
And what's the deal with Bourne? He apparently has retained his share of the Rattlers ... but what about his share of the Rhinos? Has that officially been bought out by Rob Clark?
And what about Chris Wilmot, who owns, or used to own, a part of the Rhinos and Rattlers? Has he been bought out of both?
I know these are relatively minor details, but the devil is often in the details.
I've been trying to reach Wilmot for a few days, and I e-mailed a bunch of these queries to Craig but have not heard back.
But I will say this — I almost don't care who owns the Rattlers at this point, as long as they're still in existence and playing. In fact — and Rhinos fans might pillory me for this — I think I actually cared MORE about the fate of the Rattlers than I did the Rhinos.
That's how much I love outdoor lacrosse, and that's how much I love the Rattlers. I know, it's weird, I admit it. But I've always rooted for the little guy, the underdog, the red-headed step-child. Well, for one, I AM literally a red-headed step-child, although my step-mother is great. She'd go to the ends of the earth for me, and she makes awesome pierogies. Did I spell that right?
Anyway, the Rattlers have always seemed like the little brother of the Rochester Sports Group teams, and I'm glad they're hanging around.
posted by Ryan Whirty at
11:53 PM
1 Comments:
Amen Ryan, I've heard many of the same things and sending my Rattlers Rowdies season ticket payment in the mail in the coming weeks. The Rattlers will be a tenant at Paetec Park, but will have a dedicated lacrosse staff and not use soccer centric staff to run the gameday operations. Although the Rowdies are moving out of the Hottub this season to the upper deck, you can bet everyone at Paetec Park including the opposing players and coaches will know exactly where we are. Training Camp can't come soon enough for the Rowdies.
By
Knabber, at 2:48 PM
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