1) In case you missed it, Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane was charged with attacking a cab driver in his hometown of Buffalo Sunday. A beating that police said was triggered when the driver did not have 20 cents in change to give the player and his cousin. Buffalo police said the 20-year-old Kane and his 21-year-old cousin, James Kane, had apparently caught a cab from the city's downtown nightclub district at about 4 a.m. The cab driver suffered cuts to his face and his glasses were damaged. The driver (initially) said he was punched and hit by both men because he did not have 20 cents in change to give them.
2) Now, our first reaction of hearing this story was WTF! Are you kidding, a multi-millionaire is punching guys out for 20 cents? Then it occurred to us after reading more; Patrick Kane wasn't trying to save a few cents. He and his cousin were just being a rowdy, thug, dicks. Yes, doing what many bullys might do in high school. Pull a prank against someone weaker/more vulnerable than themselves for their sick amusement. here it was a poor stiff, cabbie a full 40 years older than the two Kanes.
3) From that perspective we agree with fellow blogger Tom Benjamin. http://canuckscorner.com/tombenjamin/?p=1292 He writes that "The best possible light for Kane is that he is a mean drunk, a guy who is not above physically abusing a 62 year old man after a stupid prank went awry". Where we differ from Tom's is when he brings in national origin into the picture: "The bad news for the Hawks – and for the NHL – is about the marketing opportunity now circling the drain. Wasn’t the plan to have Patrick Kane, All-American superstar driving the hockey bus to a Stanley Cup in big market Chicago? The All-American superstar leading the U.S. team into the Olympics? The All-American superstar gracing the video game box? The All-American superstar marketing hockey in the American market? Kane was no more an American hockey player icon/represented the nation than Dany Heatley/Theo Fleury, etc is/was in Canada before their legal issues. If he plays well/wins/stays out of further trouble all will be forgiven/forgotten.
4) The not so surprising most recent twist is that the cab driver's attorney's are now saying that the incident was blown out of proportion and that a felony charge is not likely. Can anyone else say 'pay off'? LOL When the local area legal beagles found out who roughed him up they probably all came stampeding to the 'aid of the poor working class cab driver who was beaten up by the millionaire kid. So its no wonder this will probably be quickly resolved 'out of court' Ka-ching! So in the end the cabie hit the lottery and we found out that Patrick Kane in addition to be a pretty dam good hockey player is pretty much a dick too.
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