Kane needs to adjust his off-ice behavior
Just because prosecutors concluded Patrick Kane should not be charged with rape doesn’t mean the Chicago Blackhawks star should move on as if this investigation never happened.
Anyone who cares about Kane, including Blackhawks team officials, should be reminding him he needs to make changes in how he conducts his social life.
Kane has said all along he did nothing wrong, and the announcement Thursday by the Erie County district attorney’s office supports that statement.
In a statement, district attorney Frank Sedita III said there were inconsistencies in the accuser’s and witnesses’ accounts of what happened. He also said DNA results didn’t prove penetration had occurred and physical and forensic evidence contradicted the complainant’s claim that the rape had occurred on Kane’s bed.
This announcement came after a three-month investigation that caused considerable distress for Kane and the Blackhawks.
What this messiness should remind everyone is perception often can be as damning as reality.
Fair or not, Kane will always have the history of this investigation attached to his name. Kane said he would have nothing to say about it going forward, but plenty of damage has already been done.
Kane is free from any legal prosecution, but it would be foolish to believe he can live his life as if this should be forgotten.
This isn’t the first time his reputation has taken a hit. His nightlife has presented him in an unflattering way on multiple occasions during his NHL career.
Kane’s supporters will say he has the right to live his social life the way any other citizen does. But that isn’t how life works.
Some professions dictate the need for more careful behavior. Athletes are not the only people who have to be extra careful because of their profession. Consider teachers, law-enforcement personnel, politicians, pilots.
Because of the proliferation of social media and other factors, there’s a long list of professions that have forced employees to alter how they behave in public.
This is an era when you have to be extra cautious in social settings.
Too many cameras are out there.
Does this mean Kane shouldn’t drink or go to bars? Only Kane can answer those questions.
But it’s clear Kane should make adjustments to his off-ice life strategy.