By Steve Milton

He was the league's best defensive player less than three years ago, was chosen to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' all-time team and is one of the nicest guys ever to wear the Black and Gold. And, without him, his teammates wouldn't have sported such awesome haircuts.

So it's regrettable that linebacker Markeith Knowlton's six-year tenure in Hamilton ends in, if not bitterness, certainly resentment. His exemplary term here should be celebrated and remembered as a unifying force not, on the way out, as a potentially divisive one.

The CFL's 2010 defensive player of the year was released Tuesday in a move that angered fans, completely startled Knowlton and his best Cat friend - fellow linebacker Jamall Johnson - and forced the team to hothouse new linebackers for a Saturday rematch with Saskatchewan, but left coach and GM Kent Austin backing the decision he called a very difficult one.

"I was probably as shocked as everyone else, " Knowlton said, after taking a day to collect his thoughts. "I don't understand it. I don't think the coach (Austin) really liked me."

What sticks in Knowlton's craw is that, at the coaching staff's request, he changed sides of the field for this season, which doesn't seem like a big deal unless you happen to be a CFL linebacker. The difference is not night and day, but it's certainly early morning and late afternoon. He feels four games wasn't enough for him to adjust or for management to make fair judgments.

When Knowlton was the Sam (wide-side) linebacker, with Johnson at Will (short-side) and Rey Williams at Mike (in the middle), the Cats had what was broadly, although not universally, considered the best linebacking corps in the league, as recently as two years ago.

But Williams was cut before the season, Johnson was moved into the middle and Knowlton - 10 to 20 pounds lighter than most who have played the position - replaced Johnson at Will. The new assignment involved playing in the "box, " being more accountable for stopping the run, having less freedom to find the ball than he was accustomed to, and learning new angles and responsibilities.

Knowlton had a strong effort with a game-saving sack against Winnipeg and three tackles just two weeks ago, and seemed to be getting a headlock on the new position. But the opposition was still running wild on the Cats, and then came the blowout in Regina.

"We lose 37-0 and I get released, " Knowlton said. "I guess they want me to score points, too. They said I didn't make enough plays for us to win. It wasn't like I was the only one on the field against the offence. It is annoying. I think they had to blame me for losing because I didn't make enough tackles. But there are 11 other guys out there on defence.

"They switch me to a new position, which I was glad to do for the team, and they want me to be the best in the world at it after four games. Put me against guys who are 300 pounds and I'm only 210, 215, it's not something I could do overnight. I thought I was doing pretty well. It was pretty much a setup. At least that's what it felt like. You put me in a new position and say I have four games. That doesn't seem right."

Austin said that he was very fond of Knowlton and he understands the linebacker's reaction to his release. "I've been there as a player, as well, " the team's football boss said. "We feel we had enough information through training camp, through exhibition games and the four regular-season games. But I completely understand."

Starting in 2008, when he arrived in a little-noticed deal with the B.C. Lions, Knowlton delivered the better part of four spectacular seasons in which he showed uncanny instincts for finding the ball. Nobody in the league could boast the variety of arrows in his statistical quiver, including sacks, special-teams tackles, the seventh-highest single-season defensive tackle total in team history, interceptions, fumble recoveries, forced fumbles, knock-downs and blocked kicks. Phew.

But he had injuries to his ankle, his statistics slid a bit and new head coach George Cortez and his defensive co-ordinator, Casey Creehan, chose not to start him in Game 1 last season. They changed their minds immediately after that loss, but Knowlton still missed 11 games with the ankle problem.

He'd always played a game built around speed and reaction time, and there were suspicions inside the organization he'd lost a step.

"I don't think I lost speed, " Knowlton counters. "I was moving around just as well as anyone else out there.

"It hasn't been so good since I've been here. We went to the playoffs but never to the Grey Cup. But I wasn't giving up even when we went 3-15 or had only six wins all season. One-and-three was nothing new to me, I was still playing like we were going to the Grey Cup.

"But everything was cool in Hamilton until this year. I had a different head coach just about every year and every year they came around when they got to know me."

Knowlton also suggested that if they weren't satisfied with his output at his new position - "But I can play Will, " he said - Austin and defensive co-ordinator Orlondo Steinauer should have tried him back at his old position, where the team is likely to start its fifth different body in five games this season.

"I'm sure the next person they get to play Will won't be perfect, " he added. "I don't know what they're trying to do. I thought tryouts were for training camp. If you're trying to win, you can't do drastic changes during the season. I think it's like a tryout every game. That's hard on a team because you have guys who deserve to play but they aren't because they want to test new guys. If you look for the perfect person, especially during the season, you'll look for a long, long time."

Knowlton hasn't yet talked to his agent about another job but it's probable, even inevitable, that he will land somewhere else, facing the Ticats some time this season.

"I'm not worried about getting another shot. And I'm not upset, I'm not bitter, I'm just wondering. Am I that bad or is that an excuse? But it's all good. You have to blame someone. I guess it was me. It is what it is."

And what it is, or was, is five-plus years here of which Knowlton should be very proud.