Kane says race-related remarks were a specific reaction to social media

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This article was published 14/02/2013 (4592 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG — Winnipeg Jets left-winger Evander Kane this morning clarified comments he made recently to The Hockey News about criticism he receives being race-related.

Kane began a post-practice scrum with reporters this morning at the MTS Centre talking about the Hockey News article that will appear in the March 4 issue.

“I think the article will give some good context to what it said,” Kane said.

His remarks about race, he said, were a specific reaction about social media.

“In terms of that quote, I’m definitely referring to social media and that sort of stuff,” Kane said. “Nobody has ever, and I don’t think anybody will ever come up to my face and say anything negative. It’s more so on that. Anybody can go on and have a look for themselves.

“Twitter, anything. I don’t have a lot of the social media. I have a Twitter account but that’s pretty much it.

“Just different things that people can hide behind a computer and say what they want.”

Kane said he’s ready and willing to accept criticism about hockey at face value.

“No, in terms of hockey criticism, that’s part of the job description. That comes with the territory. If you can’t handle that, you’ve got some issues.”

In recent months, he has cause a storm of conversation, sometimes controversy, over a picture he posted on his Twitter account, mimicking a phone with a stack of money, and also with different hair “styles” he has.

He was asked a question in that context about people in general maybe not understanding enough of his background.

“I don’t know if it’s that detailed, that deep,” he said. “In terms of the money picture, the haircuts, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that if that’s going to ruin your day, if that’s going to upset you, cause you to lose sleep, I mean, it’s not really a concern of mine.”

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The Jets face the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday at the MTS Centre (6 p.m. CT, CBC, TSN1290).

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

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