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So, here we are just over a year since a line was drawn in the sand of the desert in Arizona and my Rochester Knighthawks brought that shining, rock solid Cup, ahh who am I kidding, it’s a punch bowl attached with a loose nut and bolt to a stack of fiberboard. But I digress.

We are at Championship Weekend and fortunately enough, Western New York is a huge player once again and represented in the elite professional indoor community.  That is all of the accolades that I will put forth for Buffalo, though. Haha … I’m sorry, but I’m a Knighthawks fan and even though they are in my division and love what I believe is the best rivalry in the National Lacrosse League, I just can’t throw on the orange foam hat and orange wig and get my cheer on for the Bandits.

What I’ve come to realize this year is that I’m not alone. There are many Knighthawks fans who are choosing the plaid of the Lumberjax and the Plaid Platoon fan club this weekend.  It’s not just Knighthawks fans, either. I’m hearing it from Philly to Toronto to even some Chicago fans are donning the plaid this weekend, if only in spirit.  The Lumberjax organization is even trying to have plaid t-shirts made for fans supporting the Lumberjax in Buffalo Saturday night.

Before you chastise those of us who would betray our division and root for the West, we’ve given Buffalo the benefit of the doubt within the past 4 years.  I earnestly thought they would beat Calgary and knew they would beat Colorado at home in 2006.  I came up doughnut holes in those two finals.  In fact, until last year, Rochester and Buffalo shared the infamy of three Finals appearances and three losses. Granted, Rochester’s were all to Toronto and one of Buffalo’s was to Rochester.  No matter how much we love our lacrosse brethren from the Queen City off the field and away from the arena, come Saturday night many of us in the Knighthawks Knation will be pulling on the plaid.

If you think us crazy, we’ve been called worse, but give me an answer in Buffalo to Dallas Eliuk (a Bandit Killer), Dan Dawson, Brodie Merrill, Derek Malawsky, Ryan Powell, The Morgan Triplets and “Spencer for Hire” Martin.  Throw on top of that one of the best owners in the league in Angela Batinovich who to this day I’ve never seen up in the luxury boxes at a game.

So, Saturday night I’ll think you’ll see a line drawn in the stands of the HSBC (Hot Sauce Blue Cheese) Arena: those donning the orange and black protecting Banditland and those who are raiding every Salvation Army, Volunteers of America store in their cities to don every piece of plaid they can find to chop down the supposed favorite Bandits.

Knabber from da ROC, but rooting for the Jax at least this weekend.

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