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Happy Friday, folks.
There have been occasions over the years here in the sports department where we’ve joked that perhaps we should run a weekly police blotter-type roundup to list all the nefarious allegations, arrests and lawsuits involving athletes in the previous seven days.
Some weeks, it would have been quite lengthy. Frankly, there have been times where it seems like there is more of that type of news off the fields of play than compelling storylines on the playing surfaces.
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The list of bad boys — and they have generally been men — goes on and on: the self-destructive types such as Dennis Rodman, Theo Fleury and Darryl Strawberry; the convicted criminal types such as Mike Danton, Lawrence Taylor, Lawrence Phillips, Mike Tyson, Rae Carruth, Aaron Hernandez — and perhaps the most notorious of them all, O.J. Simpson; and more recently the light being shone on domestic violence charges or allegations against the likes of Ray Rice, Trevor Bauer, Austin Watson, Roberto Osuna and Slava Voynov.
And while we have perhaps been flippant about running that weekly list, it’s obviously not at all a laughing matter.
I bring this up today, because I recently wondered about how much ink we should continue to spill on these characters. It’s news and perhaps reporting on it sheds light on an ongoing problem. But, in some cases it can go on and on and on…
Case in point:
The Winnipeg Jets visit the San Jose Sharks on both of their opening road trips this season and I’ve chatted with both Mike McIntyre and Jeff Hamilton, who will each be making one of the trips, what they think we should do when it comes to coverage on Evander Kane.
In case you’ve missed it, the ex-Jet is in hot water — again.
Marcio Jose Sanchez – AP FILE PHOTOSan Jose’s Evander Kane, who has acknowledged having a gambling addiction, says he and his wife are going through a contentious divorce denies he’s ever placed a bet on a hockey game, or thrown a game.
When the NHL recently announced that an investigation had cleared the Sharks winger of allegations he’d gambled on league games, it also revealed two new inquiries were underway: one that involves “serious accusations relating to his past behaviour” toward his ex-wife, Anna Kane; and the other “involving allegations of inappropriate behaviour potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of club members.”
It’s not been revealed what Kane might have done to potentially effect the health and safety of his club mates, but Anna Kane has leveled accusations of domestic violence and sexual assault in a requested restraining order.
While the NHL conducts its latest inquiry into Kane’s actions, he has been banished from Sharks training camp.
Kane has had a decent career on the ice — last season he notched 22 goals and 27 assists in 56 games — but he has made way more headlines for his actions off the ice.
Prior to the latest incidents, you may recall that he has made the news for staggering gambling debts, filing for bankruptcy, multiple accusations of violence against women, and a lawsuit from an ex-lover claiming he promised to pay $3 million after she agreed to abort three different pregnancies between 2016 and 2018.
During his time with the Jets, he was sued for assault following an alleged incident in Vancouver; was lambasted for posting a shirtless photo of himself on Instagram with stacks of American money on his back while doing pushups atop a Vegas casino; and there were all kinds of rumours of misbehaviour around town. Ultimately, he was traded to Buffalo after the track-suit incident, in which Dustin Byfuglien allegedly threw his clothes in the shower, and later likened him to a child in need of discipline. I’m guessing the track suit was the wafer-thin mint.
What’s unfortunate is that, along with all the wasted ink, it seems to me Kane has wasted what could have been.
An articulate, good-looking, gifted Black athlete, he was in a position to be a face and voice for diversity and change in the game.
And while he should be commended for his efforts to co-found the Hockey Diversity Alliance, a group formed to promote diversity and eradicate racism from hockey, it should also be noted that HDA sent out a release in August saying: “Mr. Kane is on voluntary leave as an HDA member as to not distract from our mission to eradicate systemic racism and intolerance in hockey.”
Exactly: Kane’s antics have — and continue to be — a distraction that cast a dark cloud over opportunities he has had on and off the ice.
I guess I have answered my own question.
I hope some day Evander Kane finds a way to address his behavior and make amends — I believe everyone should have that opportunity. But until then, we’ve wasted enough ink.
Cover the games, fellas.
I’m taking a long weekend — it’s my birthday on Sunday — so we will chat again next week.
To answer the question I know you are all wanting to ask: yes, there will be cake — chocolate cherry.
Have a great weekend folks and as always you can reach me by replying to this mailing or by sending me an email here.
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