Chicago Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith played a major role in helping the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup last season and this February the star defenseman is playing a major role in helping families in need with his annual charity concert. This year Keith has invited country music star Dustin Lynch for a February 22nd charity show benefiting “Keith Relief”, Duncan’s charity which is dedicated to alleviating the financial and emotion burdens of families and individuals dealing with medical crises.
The show will take place on Monday, February 22, 2016 at 7:45 PM at Joe’s on Weed Street. Ticket’s come in two forms, $80.00 general admission tickets as well as $250 VIP tickets which include a VIP reception prior to the concert (6:30 PM) which will include drinks, appetizers and the opportunity to meet a number of your favorite Blackhawks. A silent auction will be open through the show, in addition to a live auction before the concert. Funds raised will benefit Keith Relief and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.
Ever since Judd Apatow’s “40 Year Old Virgin”, where Paul Rudd’s character told Seth Rogen’s, “you know how I know you’re gay? You like Coldplay”, it has been uncool to be a Coldplay fan. And as crazy as it sounds, and while no one should every denial the cultural influence that the comedic genius Judd Apatow has on society, that small joke has almost single handedly made it lame to like Coldplay. As a result, given today’s reports that Chris Martin and company will be headlining the NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, everyone on your Twitter and Facebook feed has gone nuts! Year-by-year, the Superbowl is criticized for it’s relatively safe and underwhelming choices for the Halftime Show, and while fans this year are probably more upset than ever, they are wrong.
On the surface, given the unwarranted hate that they get, Coldplay seems like another bust for what could be an epic performance on America’s most watched event. Hell, the highlight of Katy Perry’s performance last year was a meme that came from a guy in a Shark suit who couldn’t dance along to Perry’s colorful performance. Why no Drake? Why no Kanye West? Why no Adele, even? Those are valid questions, but don’t sleep on Coldplay!
A few years ago, I was offered a free ticket to see Coldplay at the United Center in Chicago. Because I had no other plans, because the ticket was free, because I wasn’t driving, I decided to go (note that I was not a Coldplay fan). To me, when I heard “Coldplay” I instantly thought of that hilarious one liner from “40 Year Old Virgin”, I didn’t think, “great entertainers”. Going into the performance, for no rational reasons at all, I expected not to enjoy myself.
Boy was I wrong! In the past year alone, having the opportunity to see some great live performers up close and personal in the photo pit, I’ve seen amazing sets from Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Neil Young and many many more. Not knowing the exact number, I’ve probably seen 200+ concerts in the past couple years alone. However, still Coldplay’s performance from the 300 level of the UC stands out as one of the best concerts I have ever seen. The performance had unmatched energy from everyone on stage and an entertaining set-up and light show that has been replicated by many since. At this time especially, artists did not put a lot of money back into their performances, and for this reason Coldplay’s performance that night was well ahead of its time. I could write 1,000 words on what made that performance stand out, but I will spare you too many spoilers from what you will see in 2016.
Reminder, I am not a Coldplay fan, not then and still not now. That is no disrespect to Chris Martin, rather there are just so many artists and bands I can regularly listen to and their sound generally isn’t my go-to sound. But I can’t deny their stage presence, their live performances, the energy they put into those live performances, and in general their ability to craft a more than memorable show.
Hit me up if I am wrong, but I bet Coldplay’s performance at this year’s Super Bowl will leave a ton of people surprised and will gain them a whole new fan base. You heard it here first…
So in the end, it turned out to be a total of seven weeks of recovery time for Wisconsin Badgers star running back Corey Clement. Clement returned Saturday in Madtown, giving the Badgers a huge emotional lift, as well as a pretty impact lift on the field, with Wisconsin running away with the game by halftime. The Badgers would crush the Rutgers Scarlett Knights on this day, 48-10.
Wisconsin would receive the game’s opening kickoff and turn it into three. Rafael Gaglianone converted from 49 yards out. It was a big conversion for the up-and-down Gaglianone as it seemed to springboard the Badgers for the rest of the day.
After Rutgers would punt on their first possession of the game, Wisconsin would take over where they quickly produced the game’s first touchdown. A two yard Clement run, followed by a 27 yard pass play from Joel Stave to Alex Erickson set up the Badgers at the Rutgers 12. Corey Clement would rumble into the end zone on the next play, making it 10-0 Badgers on Clement’s first touchdown of the season.
The Scarlett Knights would get on the board on their second drive. A 21 yard field goal by Kyle Federico would be all Rutgers could muster versus the Badgers defense in the first half.
The Badgers would convert two more touchdowns. Stave connected with Erickson from 31 yards out on a beautiful crossing pattern over the middle. Later, Corey Clement would break away from 21 yards out, making it 24-3 Badgers with 3:30 left in the first half.
Gaglianone capped the first half scoring with a 27 yard field goal after the Badgers marched down the field on an 8 play 61 yard drive in the final 44 seconds.
Wisconsin would out-throw Rutgers in the first half, 156 yards to 25, with the Badgers finishing the game 217 yards to Rutgers 82.
Wisconsin continued to pile on in the second half behind Clement, Stave, and company, blowing away a Rutgers team that many thought would put up a much tougher fight.
Badgers quarter back Joel Stave, who head coach Paul Chryst assured was the undisputed starter this week, had another good effort for Wisconsin. The senior finished the game 13/25 with 217 yards passing. His only real hiccup came on a pick-six midway through the second half, finishing with two interceptions and one touchdown.
To say running back Corey Clement provided the Badgers offense a spark would be putting it mildly. Clement ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns, putting several exclamation points on his Halloween return to the Badgers offense.
“It was good to get him going,” said head coach Paul Chryst. “I think he uplifted the team some …”
Tanner McEvoy and Dare Ogunbowale combined for 70 yards rushing, complimenting the big time return of Clement. McEvoy, who does a little bit of everything for Wisconsin, also added an interception on the day.
Missing stud wide receiver Robert Wheelwright, Alex Erickson again was relied on heavily by Stave and the Badgers. Erickson finished the day with 103 yards on 6 receptions.
The Scarlett Knights quarterback Chris Laviano was a complete non-factor in the game.
Wisconsin held the Big Ten’s completion percentage leader to just 4/14 for a miserable 31 yards passing.
The Badgers piled up 426 yards of total offense to Rutgers 165. The Badgers actually lost the time of possession 32:00 to 28:00 thanks to scoring so quickly and efficiently all day long versus an overmatched, exhausted Rutgers defense.
The Badgers will travel to Maryland next week where they will face a struggling Terrapins (2-5) team, hoping to continue to take care of business as they wait for Iowa to slip up. The Badgers can’t just wait for that to happen. They have to keep taking it one game at a time, just as they’ve been doing. The game kicks off at 2:30 pm Central.
CHICAGO, IL — Just when it looked like Patrick Kane was on the track to clear his name from the on-going rape allegation, after speaking to media with confidence that he would be absolved from any wrongdoing and after fans greeted him with cheers last night at the United Center, a cloud of doubt was again cast over him as the attorney of his accuser, Thomas Eoannou, presented some serious allegations in front of the media this afternoon.
According to Eoannou, an empty evidence bag (that Eoannou believes to be legitimate) was received on the doorstep of the accuser’s mother’s home. “In my 30 years plus of being both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, I have never seen an evidence bag outside of a police lab, a prosecutor’s office or a courtroom, let alone find one in the doorway of a rape victim mother’s home,” said Eoannou. Eoannou also called for an independent investigation, outside the local authorities, to look into the matter.
While many were quick to again doubt the integrity of the Chicago Blackhawk’s star forward, and assume that Eoannou’s allegation’s were true and that Kane (or someone close to Kane) potentially tampered with the evidence, the Town of Hamburg Police Department issued the following statement:
“In regard to the information conveyed today by Mr. Thomas Eoannou, the Hamburg Police Department will cooperate with any authorized investigation regarding the handling of evidence and the procedure of such. That said, The Hamburg Police Department has documentation that unequivocally demonstrates that it’s handling of the evidence and the integrity of it’s chain of custody of evidence in this case is unassailable. As is policy with active investigations, there will be no further comment regarding this situation.”
In simpler terms, the Hamburg Police Department has full confidence, through its evidence of documentation, that there is no reason to question the integrity and handling of its evidence in this matter.
Of course anything can happen, but unlike the attorneys for both the accuser and Kane, the Hamburg Police Department has no obvious motive for tampering with the evidence.
Accusing or hinting that someone, especially the opposing side in an on-going investigation, is a serious accusation, but if we are to believe the Hamburg Police Department, then there is no reason to question the evidence in the case, as well as the various reports that the evidence of the rape kit demonstrated that Kane’s DNA was not found on the accuser’s genitals or undergarments.
Although lack of DNA evidence does not necessarily prove one’s innocence in a rape allegation, prosecutors say that cases where a rapist uses a condom (therefore no DNA evidence) are extremely rare.
CHICAGO, IL — Many were left surprised this week as the Chicago Blackhawks released their training camp roster, for the team’s forthcoming camp at the University of Notre Dame, because one star player was not left off that list.
Despite an ongoing investigation and forthcoming grand jury (according to multiple reports) over an alleged sexual assault that involves Hawk’s star forward Patrick Kane, Kane still appeared on the roster. And while a roster spot does not explicitly confirm his attendance, a Blackhawks spokesperson said that all players on the roster are expected to be at the camp.
It cannot be said enough that Kane has currently not been charged with a crime.
This news built a lot of anticipation for the Hawks’ press conference today. Believed to address the Kane situation (and confirmed by Blackhawks’ GM Stan Bowman), team officials would have almost no choice but to field some difficult questions that support Kane’s status on the team.
Deciding to not avoid the issue that the defending Stanley Cup Champions are on-going, as a huge surprise, Patrick Kane himself spoke to the media (for the first time since the allegations).
Kane took the time to apologize to his fans, teammates, family and the Hawks organization for the distraction that the allegations have cause. “I am confident that once all the facts come to light, I will be absolved in having done nothing wrong,” Kane told reporters.
After his opening statement, Kane understandably could not answer many questions about the legal process but he expressed that he is excited for camp and ready for the new season.
It is good to see Kane and the Hawks are still standing strong together.
I’m trying to think like a pessimistic journalist, and I don’t get some of you.
In the Chicago Tribune this week, Contract Reporter Steve Rosenbloom wrote a column on his inability to understand the thought process behind Chicago Blackhawks fans who have decided to stand by Patrick Kane while he is currently involved in an investigation for an alleged sexual assault.
He may not get you Hawks fans, but I do. Actually, it is Rosenbloom and the many other reporters who are quick to throw Patrick Kane under the bus and jump to conclusions, despite the fact that Kane has still not been charged with a crime, whom I do not understand.
In his column, Rosenbloom asks fans, “Why aren’t you mad at Kane?”
I would have to answer his question, with another question,
“At this point in time, why would you be mad at Kane?”
While I understand why sponsors (like EA Sports) are quick to cut all ties with athletes whenever an allegation pops up, that is for their own financial benefit and from a precautionary angle, but why must Blackhawks fan jump ship?
It can’t be said enough that Patrick Kane has not been charged with any crime over the alleged incident. In fact, police have only confirmed that there is an investigation of an incident that occurred at Kane’s home, not even confirming whether Kane is involved in, or is a subject of, that investigation.
Despite everyone (beside Kane and his accuser) having no evidence or first hand knowledge of the situation, news outlets are quick to come at Kane and leak stories which tend to lead their readers to certain conclusions. “There is a loud group of fans blindly defending Kane from the start,” writes Rosenbloom. However it is those on the other side who are speaking blindly.
When news organizations release and share news, that is often meant to be confidential, that leads people to jump the gun and assume Kane is guilty. Kane is known as a party animal and has got himself into trouble in the past, but nothing like this. However because of his bad boy past, which many believe he has long since graduated from, people now assume he is a felon, again without being charged of a crime.
“I am absolutely astounded by how quickly people come to opinions and how they pour concrete so fast without having one single fact,” said District Attorney Frank Sedita, who is in charge of Kane’s fate.
Sedita warned people not to come to opinions about the investigation, opinions that Rosenbloom and others have already come to. “What happens if that investigation – after I’ve announced that this person is under investigation – what happens if that investigation clears somebody? The point is, that person cannot get their reputation back. That person will always have a cloud over their head.” Sedita is right, and because “leaking the story” is too attractive to new outlets who profit off hits and clicks, that cloud has already casted itself over Kane and rained on his permanent reputation.
For the same reason that the accuser’s friends, family and community should not assume she is a liar that’s trying to exploit an athlete for money, we should not assume Kane performed such an absolutely unforgivable act. Rape is right there with murder, and to associate someone with something that horrible, they should not only be charged but found guilty of that heinous act. The Chicago Tribune reporter reminded his fans that they “don’t know what happened,” but neither does he.
Rosenbloom then cites EA Sports taking Kane off the cover of their new video game and the NHL keeping Kane out of their annual media kickoff tour as evidence, almost suggesting that they believe Kane must be guilty. However, on the other side of things, the Blackhawks today have confirmed that Patrick Kane will attend their upcoming training camp, and for the same reason that Kane’s supporters are currently by his side… He has not been charged with a crime! Even if he was charged with a crime, a lengthy trial would then determine whether or not Kane committed that crime.
So as it stands now, a District Attorney is not convinced that Kane, more likely than not, committed a crime. Because of this uncertainty, a grand jury will now decide whether Kane will be charged (again not if he is guilty, but if there is even enough likelihood he committed a crime that he should therefore be charge with one).
Yes, rapes are hard to prove and just because someone is not convicted of sexual assault does not mean they didn’t commit one. But none-the-less, there is no reason that Blackhawks fans should be quick to pass blame on Patrick Kane. Bill Cosby supporters, have nearly 50 accusers with similar accounts, lawsuits, settlements, and therefore an overwhelming amount of evidence against them that suggest that Cosby has drugged and date raped women, despite not serving time for such acts. In this case we have only a couple news outlets which purport that Kane allegedly raped a woman. No charges. No lawsuit. No suspension. No found guilt.
This is no disrespect to any victims of sexual assault, this just means that unaffected parties should wait for a little more evidence before they rush to their opinions. Pro-Kane (at this point in time) does not mean that you are pro-rape.
Let the grand jury, the district attorney, Kane and his attorney, and the victim and her attorney work this out among themselves. Let the judicial system do its job. If Kane is charged, if he is suspended, or if he is one day found guilty, then let’s have the “did he do it?” debate.
Meanwhile, while everyone waits patiently, don’t throw Patrick Kane under the bus. Not yet.
Patrick Kane supporters, those who wait to cast judgement, those who don’t grab their pitchforks while scream “rapist”, those who support their home team when they have no factual reasons not to… I get you.
Your Music Source for News, Reviews, Interviews and Much More!
The Early Registration 