Was Patrick Kane Set-Up or Did He Really Do the Unthinkable?

COMMENTARY | In early August, Patrick Kane of the 2015 Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks was out on the town enjoying his fame and fortune. He met two women who were interested in knowing him better so they took the party back to his home in Hamburg, NY. Then the stories get a little murky.

One of the women who willingly accompanied Kane to his home in the early morning hours of August 2, 2015 and went into a bedroom with him has made allegations that she was raped by the NHL superstar. There are no reports that her friend, who was present in the home at the time of the alleged rape, tried to help her friend or was even aware that the incident was occurring.

Being a woman, especially a woman who has experienced the terror of an assault, my heart went out to this victim and Kane was pure scum until more and more details began leaking out. Most rape victims are too stunned and horrified by what just happened to them that they either try to conceal it by going home and thoroughly washing themselves because they feel so dirty or they call the police to make a report. This woman did neither of these things. Instead, she goes straight to the emergency room and requests a rape kit be conducted and then the emergency room staff made the call to the police.

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There have been few details released in the case. Kane and his family have kept a low profile during this time, including a quiet celebration with the Stanley Cup at his home in Hamburg, NY instead of a large-scale, city-wide celebration. Kane’s lawyers are no doubt guiding his every move at this point even though no charges have officially been filed.

A date for the case to go before the Grand Jury was set. Evidence was gathered, witnesses subpoenaed and the lawyers were ready to battle it out in front of the Grand Jury. Then the big event was delayed because of settlement talks going on between the two parties. That left me scratching my head. A woman is raped and she is willing to take a settlement? That does not sound like a typical rape victim. A rape victim would want justice done and the perpetrator to be given a punishment that suits the crime.

The fact that both sides are willing to sit down and talk settlement makes me really question the validity of this allegation against Kane. Of course Kane would be willing to settle just to sweep this thing aside and get on with the new season. But the victim being willing to accept a cash settlement for an alleged rape just does not sit right. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that similar to prostitution? Accepting money in return for sexual favors is classified as prostitution.

Maybe that seems a little harsh to some, but the facts that have been leaked do not add up to a rape. It sounds like a gold-digger spotted Kane out on the town and saw an opportunity. She willingly went to his home and into his bedroom, her friend did not try to stop the incident, she went immediately to the hospital asking for a rape kit and now she is willing to settle for money. Yes, the victim claims that Kane bit her during the encounter, but let’s get real, a hyped up playboy millionaire gets a woman into bed. He likes it rough. How many of us have had a partner get a little out of hand and leave a scratch or a bite mark? That does not mean that the sex was not consensual.

The NHL feels that it is justified in pushing Kane aside and not allowing him on the press tour, sponsors feel just as justified in pulling Kane from their promotional items. But the fact still remains that Kane has still not been charged with a crime. Am I saying that the NHL should not hold its players to a higher standard? No, I am not saying that. I am simply saying that if the crime did happen and the player is charged and found guilty, like in Slava Voynov’s case, then of course action should be taken. If it turns out that charges are brought against Kane and he is found guilty, then yes, action by the NHL needs to be swift and harsh.

As of right now, the NHL and the Blackhawks are not justified in handing down any punishment to Kane. A woman made an accusation, seemingly for money or to hook a rich man, and now everyone is in an uproar demanding Kane be punished. Think about it Kane-haters, why would a woman go to a man’s house at 2:00 a.m. if not to enjoy some adult company and get to know him better? I am not a Kane fan myself, but everything about this case just seems weird and it does not add up to a traumatized woman who suffered a vicious assault. 

St. Louis Blues Youngest Fans Get Shafted: Coolest Club in Town is a Sham

The youngest fans for any sport are the most important fans. They are the future supporters of a team or a sport. So, what happens when a team treats them like second class citizens? They feel belittled and unimportant to the franchise. The St. Louis Blues have not been known for their child friendly environment and while they host various activities for kids, they do not cater to the young fan.

This season is especially worse for the young fans who desperately want to support their favorite players on the ice and dream of being in the arena when the Stanley Cup is finally hoisted by a player wearing a Blues jersey. But this season, parents better be prepared to shell out more money for their children to belong to the exclusive Blue Note Kids Club. A club that boasted in years past a small welcome pack of some type of cheap memorabilia, two tickets very cheap tickets to a select home game and a chance to take a shot on goal on the ice after a select home game. Wow! Impressive stuff here! The organization must have truly been proud of their offerings to the young fans.

Before training camp has even begun the Blues have been sending out promotional emails and proudly posting on their website that they have the “Coolest Club in Town” and encourage parents to sign their children up. Last season the price for such an exclusive club was $25.00. This year inflation must have finally caught up with the organization because parents can pay $35.00 and their children can be “All-Star Members”. This sounds pretty cool, except for the $10.00 price jump. But when you read what an All-Star Member really is, it does not sound so cool. As an All-Star Member, a child receives a Kid’s Club Membership Pack and access to all Kid’s Club events, but no events are listed. My question would be what are these amazing events that the kids have access to as an All-Star Member?

The kicker, however, was that if parents did not like the All-Star Member choice, they could fork out a whopping $65.00 and their child could then be a “Hall of Fame Member”. That sounds fantastic! Except in reality, it is the same exact deal that kids got last season for the $25.00 price. Hall of Fame Members will receive a Kid’s Club Membership Pack, access to all Kid’s Club events, have a chance to participate in an on ice shot on goal and will receive two tickets, Mezzanine Level, to a select home game. For those who want their membership pack mailed to them, it is an additional $15.00. Surely the United States Postal Service is not charging that much to ship a small package within the St. Louis area and surrounding counties.

To recap, the Blue Note Kids Club All-Star Member must pay $35.00 plus shipping, if desired. That is $50.00 total. Or they can be Hall of Fame Members for $65.00 plus shipping, if desired, for a grand total of $80.00!

The St. Louis Cardinals, who are ten time World Series Champions, do not even charge this much for their Cardinals Kids Club. For $30.00, young Cardinals fans receive two tickets to home game, one-of-a-kind promotional items, access to a members-only party at the stadium complete with games, autographs, snack and the mascot and they get special offers throughout the season. Shipping is available for their membership packs for an additional $5.00 which is much more believable!

How is it that a baseball team who is classified as one of Major League Baseball’s finest be able to offer so much more to their young fans? The Cardinal’s organization has figured out that the young fans are the future of the team. When the young fans feel valued, they will be loyal to the team as they grow and become paying fans. The St. Louis Blues have not figured out that making children feel unwelcome is detrimental to the team and to the sport. This is a team that has yet to bring its fans a Stanley Cup. It is a team that has been ousted ungracefully from the playoffs several years in a row. A team that in the off-season traded a fan favorite player and refused to re-sign another fan favorite player. This is a team that is not in a position to demand $35-$65 for a kids club.

The Blues need a reality check! How many working class parents are going to spend the money they are demanding for a subpar kids club? I wonder if they will ever figure out how to truly cater to the young fan and make them feel like a special part of the organization.