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Nomadic Rattlers have talent to overcome stadium problems By Jim Krencik The Rochester Rattlers lacrosse team has been nomadic in its seven-year history, with home moving between a baseball stadium (Rochester’s Frontier Field), a high school (Irondequoit’s Bishop Kearney Field) and a soccer stadium (Rochester’s PAETEC Park). So it’s not a surprise that this season’s biggest question is not how — as in, “How will the Rattlers do in the Major League Lacrosse?” or who — like, “Who will be Rochester trade for?” but where — as in, “Where will they play?” The Rattlers fell into uncertainty after Rob Clark purchased the Rochester Rhinos, PAETEC Park’s main tenant. Clark’s acquisition of the team came after the Rhinos’ ownership defaulted on a loan totaling $10.6 million. More than $2 million of that loan came from Adirondack Bank, where Clark is the senior vice president. With Clark in control of the stadium and with members of the Rattlers’ ownership group in debt to Clark, the decision was made to bar the Rattlers from playing at PAETEC until a yet-to-happen ownership change is made. With the rectangular-shaped but too cavernous PAETEC Park out of the question, the Rattlers will likely play at a college stadium, such as Fauver Stadium at the University of Rochester, or at a large high school like the Aquinas Institute in Rochester. Despite the major uncertainty involved with finding a place to play, there are several positive developments to look forward to, no matter where the games are held. Although indoor lacrosse and outdoor lacrosse are surprisingly different sports, scoring goals is always at a premium, and the Rattlers can boast a line-up that filled the nets like none other in the soon-to-be-completed National Lacrosse League season. John Grant, last season’s MLL and NLL MVP, led the NLL’s Rochester Knighthawks with 92 points. The Rattlers’ all-time leader in goals is back for his fifth season in the black and gold. Grant is not the only player coming to Rochester after a high-scoring season indoors. Five of the NLL’s top eight scorers return for the Rattlers, ensuring that the nets will not stay empty for long. Gavin Prout (92 points for the Colorado Mammoth, including a league-leading 67 assists), Jeff Zywicki (90 points for the San Jose Stealth), Casey Powell (86 points for the New York Titans) and Colin Doyle (88 points for the Stealth) lead the list of players who have already proven 2008 is their year. Rochester’s defense will be excellent as well, with Brodie Merrill taking the spotlight. Merrill is a possession-changer, as he grabbed a league-high 101 ground balls last season. With the crowded attack, any possession is a chance to score, so gaining control at such a high level is a major advantage. Another advantage for the Rattlers is goaltender Mike Levin, who was the starter for all nine wins in 2007. The season opens for the Rattlers May 17, as New York’s other MLL team — the Long Island Lizards — try to rebound from a 5-7 performance in 2007. Rattlers’ fans will get a chance to see their team play their next game live on national television, as Rochester’s battle with the Boston Cannons will air on ESPN2 Friday, May 23. The Rattlers’ return to Rochester is a match-up with the Philadelphia Barrage, the 2006 and 2007 MLL champions. Philadelphia tied Rochester with a 9-3 record last year, the top performances in the Eastern Conference. The early test will go a long way in showing where the team is headed this season, but the team’s talent shows that a MLL Championship is possible. Year No. 8 may be played at Stadium No. 4, but a talented roster could easily bring Championship No. 1 home — wherever that happens to be. |
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