EA coverboy lands in hot water

[crunchmunch]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4387102&campaign=rss&source=twitter&ex_cid=Twitter_espn_4387102

The 20-year-old Kane and his cousin, James M. Kane, 21, were taken into police custody at about 5 a.m. ET after allegedly punching the driver and taking $15 in fare they had given him after he said he didn't have 20 cents in change, a police report says. Police say the cousins apparently caught a cab from the city's downtown nightclub district at about 4 a.m. Sunday.

Buffalo police spokesman Michael DeGeorge says the cab driver suffered cuts to his face and his glasses were damaged after being struck in the face and head. Both Kanes were charged with felony robbery and misdemeanor counts of theft of services and criminal mischief.

[Savoie06]

Yeah, there is like 10 threads over at EASports.com concerning this, ugh. I won't think anything of it, until the full story comes out.

[lakerjoe33]

idiots!!! more bad news for the hawks!!!

[JesusisLord]

It's the Madden Curse..

[Bruins fan 4 life]

From a hockey fan's point of view I hope this isn't as bad as it sounds. The sport is on an upswing again and little things like this obviously won't help.

[CellFish]

It's never too late for an EA NHL cover curse. The Madden curse seems to be alive and well either way.

[flamesfan597]

I hope EA changes the cover. Who would want a product that has a criminal on the front. Say you dont play much hockey, you go to rent NHL 10. You see the cover and you remember him from a news article about what he did. It may turn some people away from the product. Not me but some people are like that.

[macpuck]

All the facts aren't in yet. It's a little premature to be labling the 20-year-old Kane a "criminal." Could you at least wait for a court date?

[SUPERSTAR]

Innocent until proven guilty. But... I haven't heard anything of his defense him being innocent of commiting battery against the cabby.

By the way y'll remember the nhl 02 or 03 cover, Heatley got switched for Sakic after Heatley got in hot trouble? Assuming MR Pat Kane is guilty and hypothetically knowing that EA will change it's cover boy, woh do you fellas think has the best chance of landing it?

I would say Crosby a wild-card but nope because it will loosen marketbility for EA if they planned on having him next year..ya know the game revamped features revolving around the cover boy.And I think he would also decline due that hey he is being used as a filler, he wasnt the intended star this year if that was actually the case and hasnt declined the cover already. Marc Savard or J-Toews would be on top of my head, since they both are playmakers and great players ala Kane.

[TaprooT]

Yes we all know about Heatley, that was tragic. Someone needs to give Kane a good hiding though. Bring him down to earth.

[ChrisSousa]

I don't remember Heatley being replaced because he was cover for NHL 2004....

Wait pulled this off wiki

Cover man dilemma

Picking a cover athlete for NHL 2004 proved to be problematic. Joe Thornton was the original choice but after he was brought up on assault charges, he was removed and replaced by Dany Heatley for the game's first shipments. After Heatley's car crash that killed his Atlanta Thrashers team-mate, Dan Snyder, EA removed him and replaced the cover with Joe Sakic but not before a large number of units had already been shipped. As a result, both covers (Heatley and Sakic) made it into circulation.

[macpuck]

Grand Jury dismisses felony charges against Kane -- just read it on NHL.com.