Kane still controversial figure as Hawks visit hometown

Adam Collura and Chris McCann operate sports bars in Buffalo, N.Y. Collura helps run family-owned Sidelines, which is near the First Niagara Center, where the Sabres play. McCann owns Mooney’s Sports Bar and Grill.

On any night when the Blackhawks are playing, both said, at least one television in the bar is tuned to that game so people can watch Buffalo native Patrick Kane play.

Kane might not always be the dominant sports topic in town – the torturous Sabres and Bills earn that distinction – but he is never far from mind.

And he won’t be far in a physical sense Saturday, when Kane and the Hawks take on the Sabres in Buffalo. It will be the first time Kane plays in his hometown since he was not charged at the conclusion of a sexual assault investigation stemming from an incident at his house in western New York in August.

The investigation generated a cacophony of reaction, especially in Buffalo, where there are varied views of Kane. McCann and Collura said the investigation closing without charges has helped restore Kane’s reputation for many in the city.

“He’s definitely back in the good graces of people,” McCann said. “Everyone feels good about him again.

“Don’t get me wrong, when it first came out, people were saying he’s embarrassing us. ... There were a few people who were at first put off by it. But his name was brought back to the level it was before.”

Said Collura: “They still support him and they love him here. He’s a hometown kid.”

A large swath of Kane supporters felt vindicated when prosecutor Frank Sedita III did not bring charges against Kane or send the case to a grand jury.

But not everyone feels the same as those who frequent McCann’s and Collura’s bars. Mike Schopp, co-host of a sports radio show on WGR-AM 550 in Buffalo, said he finds it “hard” to like Kane.

“Pat has his loyal fans here, especially in South Buffalo, and he has his detractors, fans disappointed that he has acted so immaturely,” Schopp said. “The way the summer and fall played out, it’s tough to justify a change in opinion about him because there were no charges. It might be that people have a different opinion of him privately but won’t open up about it because that can be hard to defend.”

Suzanne K. Taylor, a former hockey writer and attorney who lives in Buffalo, said Kane was already a divisive figure before the investigation, given his previous legal troubles in Buffalo. He was accused in August 2009 of assaulting a cab driver and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct – a non-criminal violation – with all other charges dropped.

Some adored Kane, and the investigation did little to change that; some thought he was an entitled millionaire, and the investigation did little to change that. Taylor did say Kane’s fans outnumber his detractors.

“The rumor mill was in high gear during the investigation, and people believed everything they heard that comported with what they were already inclined to believe,” Taylor said. “I don’t believe anyone changed camps because of this investigation, for good or for bad.”

Taylor, like other advocates for rape victims, said it was unfortunate to see the investigation unfold as it did because of the consequences it can have for future victims of sexual assault who come forward, especially against high-profile athletes or celebrities.

“The failure to prosecute fueled the argument that nothing happened,” Taylor said, “and will lead some fans to always feel that women reporting rape are just after something.”

Indeed, that was the opinion McCann and Collura heard a lot from patrons, who watched eagerly as Kane became the talk of the NHL with his streak of 26 consecutive games with a point.

Some might be in the arena Saturday, and Taylor said she expects Kane to get a hearty welcome. This is Buffalo after all.

“He will be warmly welcomed, no doubt,” Taylor said. “I can’t imagine the number of tickets he has to come up with. He’s still a hometown hero, and every little hockey player in Buffalo thinks that they can grow up to be Patrick Kane.”