A Letter to Patricof

I suggest the rest of you pile on as well. What he did in running this story out there and then gingerly walking it back is a disgrace.

I like EOS and will keep reading it, but Araos needs to do better if I am going to read his stuff again.

derek_villa said:

i know its edgy to shit on eos here but i find it hard to rail on a site that actually covers nycfc/mls in this city unlike all of the major media outlets. i think christian does a good job with nycfc and has been featured on four four two as well. coverage is much improved since last year.

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I think these are not mutually exclusive. I do appreciate the coverage EOS brings and they do provide some good content. But......

Goodfella said:

personally I like EOS but for that clown to put something out like that without doing an iota of his own research is nothing more than click bait "journalism". To then shit on people that were actually at the game and provided the true explanation by saying they were in denial and playing the blame game is reprehensible.

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What he said.

LionNYC said:

As I yell at the referees when they make bad calls, or miss calls, "DO YOUR JOB!"

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Except in this case, the issue is Nazi imagery, something that can horribly stain the reputation of a team and its fans. This is nothing to mess around with. I get that he was tricked, but he needs to be really clear that it was all BS. So far, he has not.

Gotham Gator said:

Except in this case, the issue is Nazi imagery, something that can horribly stain the reputation of a team and its fans. This is nothing to mess around with. I get that he was tricked, but he needs to be really clear that it was all BS. So far, he has not.

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Yup, all he tweeted after it was "Flag explained" and nothing that says something along the lines of this was a mistake, apologies, this never happened, etc.

Personally, I think more needs to be done than just running with a rumor on Reddit and a picture that clearly did not fit with the game on Saturday (no NYCFC fans in picture, nothing that shows Yankee Stadium, nothing that even ties it to Saturday night, etc.). As a journalist, he really should at least check a few other sources. (I don't use Reddit but skimmed that link and it looked like it was only one guy who said he saw it.)

The above part? This is exactly how "journalists" and "reporters" get into boat loads of trouble. (See: Virginia Tech rape case, which itself had a lot more substance to it than the above that Christian decided to run with)

But even after not doing all of that, how he has not even apologized for getting it wrong and dispelling the rumor?

FootyLovin said:

Thanks guys. Can you please tell me how many seats you have? I'm keeping that in the signature on all emails to Patricof.

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4 seats

I was saying Pu-urns

Goodfella said:

personally I like EOS but for that clown to put something out like that without doing an iota of his own research is nothing more than click bait "journalism". To then shit on people that were actually at the game and provided the true explanation by saying they were in denial and playing the blame game is reprehensible.

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Suffice it to say, he won't be invited to the suit pre-game.

Hey guys, I'm newer to the club, (new to anything supporters related at least) and I want to apologize for my part in that stupid reddit rumor going around the past few days (posting here because I see it's talked about a few pages back in this thread). I saw the post about possibly seeing a nazi flag. I was the one that linked that old picture w/ Cosmos flipping off the flag because I remembered it from an old thread and it sound fit to the part. I didn't know the OP was considered someone who stirs up stuff w the club (by some of the people who commented on the reddit thread). I genuinely just wanted to get to the bottom of whatever it was and I definitely did more harm than good there, for the future I'll make sure to lurk more and let people more knowledgeable on the club speak first.

SoupInNYC said:

Yup, all he tweeted after it was "Flag explained" and nothing that says something along the lines of this was a mistake, apologies, this never happened, etc.

Personally, I think more needs to be done than just running with a rumor on Reddit and a picture that clearly did not fit with the game on Saturday (no NYCFC fans in picture, nothing that shows Yankee Stadium, nothing that even ties it to Saturday night, etc.). As a journalist, he really should at least check a few other sources. (I don't use Reddit but skimmed that link and it looked like it was only one guy who said he saw it.)

The above part? This is exactly how "journalists" and "reporters" get into boat loads of trouble. (See: Virginia Tech rape case, which itself had a lot more substance to it than the above that Christian decided to run with)

But even after not doing all of that, how he has not even apologized for getting it wrong and dispelling the rumor?

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Totally agreed. That was pathetic. Christian Araos didn't retract his irresponsibly tweeting that BS Reddit thread as if it were a foregone conclusion that it was true, and he certainly didn't apologize for it. "Flag explained" doesn't "explain" anything, and most people aren't going to click the link based on that. The original Araos tweet was shared by Red Bull fan Shawn Francis who has nearly 9,200 followers and many of them are major, national soccer media guys (I believe he used to be an MLS on-air TV guy). Still hasn't taken it down:


One of the reasons why this remains a big deal. NYCFC fans have already been consistently attacked by outside media, pundits, fans because of crap stories/rumors like this. Obviously Nazi flag "reports" don't help that and that's really unfair.

Of course, it's also shared by that complete hack Matthew Klimberg @KlimbergCalcio of Metro Soccer Nation as if it's a story, and I'm pretty sure he's a Red Bull fan since he tried to go at me hard one time when I was joking around with some RBNJ fans. It's probably why he was busting NYCFC fans' balls about changing anything on twitter tonight.

Araos/Klimberg should really do more to more prominently and obviously retract the claim, and they should obviously apologize to NYCFC fans for sharing it so carelessly as they have. That they don't shows a glaring lack of respect for you guys, in my opinion. I mean, how hard it is to say, "Sorry guys, I was too quick to share that from Reddit, I'm really sorry for misrepresenting you, I usually wouldn't do something like that"? Honestly, shit like that happens, it's understandable, and I'd drop it then. But, that's waaay too much to ask for them.

As for Empire Of Soccer, It's usually a great source of news for local NY soccer, and I wouldn't blame Dave Martinez (editor-in-chief) for what that bizarre little coward Christian Araos did or his refusal to be a man and clear NYCFC supporters' good name. Dave's a good guy and he wouldn't approve of something like that.

But, I personally am perplexed with how emotionally defective, or insecure, or socially stupid someone like Araos or Klimberg must be to not retract/apologize to a huge part of their already small, niche audience. I don't know what they hope to gain, (or fear losing by not) going the route they've gone. So dishonest and disgraceful, though. I'm sorry, I'm just both very pissed and perplexed about it. I have no respect for either of them after that, and what Araos has pulled on me in the past. Poor excuses for men.

FootyLovin said:

As with many disputes, the answer may be to escalate. Stop tweeting at Araos. Start tweeting, emailing, etc to Dave Martinez. Ultimately EOS is what EOS people do. Martinez might not have run with it, but if he takes no action, he owns it.

I don't personally Twitter, but I encourage anyone who does to kick this up to Martinez.

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I just sent Dave a very lengthy email. PM me if you want to read what I wrote.

Gestla said:

Hey guys, I'm newer to the club, (new to anything supporters related at least) and I want to apologize for my part in that stupid reddit rumor going around the past few days (posting here because I see it's talked about a few pages back in this thread). I saw the post about possibly seeing a nazi flag. I was the one that linked that old picture w/ Cosmos flipping off the flag because I remembered it from an old thread and it sound fit to the part. I didn't know the OP was considered someone who stirs up stuff w the club (by some of the people who commented on the reddit thread). I genuinely just wanted to get to the bottom of whatever it was and I definitely did more harm than good there, for the future I'll make sure to lurk more and let people more knowledgeable on the club speak first.

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Gestla, don't worry too much about it and don't worry about waiting for other people to speak first that are "more knowledgeable".

I know you were trying to help uncover what was going on in that thread and it turned out to be one guy starting a rumor. You in fact were just trying to confirm what the flag looked like and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

The main issue that I have here isn't even so much that the rumor was started (though I do think that guy who started that rumor was completely off-base, and not like mistaken off base, like that had to be created out of nowhere for some purpose off-base). The main issue I have here is moreso that someone who is "in the media" and has a strong presence took that rumor and ran with it as if it was fact:


That tweet pretty much says that the flag was in YS. And then when the whole thing was figured out, he thanked the guy for getting to the bottom of it, that created the whole rumor, but yet did not actually dispel the rumor or take his original tweets down. So much that other sites and fans picked it up, and some probably actually believe that we have a Nazi flag in our Supporters Section. (You will note that while Christian has not updated anything, the metrosoccer site itself has updated their story to note that it was a false rumor.

Don't worry about "your role" in this and continue to be involved online (and on here!).

SoupInNYC said:

Gestla, don't worry too much about it and don't worry about waiting for other people to speak first that are "more knowledgeable".

I know you were trying to help uncover what was going on in that thread and it turned out to be one guy starting a rumor. You in fact were just trying to confirm what the flag looked like and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

The main issue that I have here isn't even so much that the rumor was started (though I do think that guy who started that rumor was completely off-base, and not like mistaken off base, like that had to be created out of nowhere for some purpose off-base). The main issue I have here is moreso that someone who is "in the media" and has a strong presence took that rumor and ran with it as if it was fact:

https://twitter.com/x/status/777872062052503552

That tweet pretty much says that the flag was in YS. And then when the whole thing was figured out, he thanked the guy for getting to the bottom of it, that created the whole rumor, but yet did not actually dispel the rumor or take his original tweets down. So much that other sites and fans picked it up, and some probably actually believe that we have a Nazi flag in our Supporters Section. (You will note that while Christian has not updated anything, the metrosoccer site itself has updated their story to note that it was a false rumor.

Don't worry about "your role" in this and continue to be involved online (and on here!).

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Metro soccer though "couldn't figure out" how to change the Title of the post, and that's the clickbait. Doesn't matter that they retracted it in the entry, the title is what gets seen/catalogued on the web. They're a clueless misfit sham unethical org to keep it up - just delete the whole article and post a new one saying it was all a lie.

Ulrich said:

Metro soccer though "couldn't figure out" how to change the Title of the post, and that's the clickbait. Doesn't matter that they retracted it in the entry, the title is what gets seen/catalogued on the web. They're a clueless misfit sham unethical org to keep it up - just delete the whole article and post a new one saying it was all a lie.

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Yes, the point I was really trying to make there is that is a site for NJ fans and they like to take jabs at us. And while they could have changed the title, they have at least updated the story, including the beginning of the story to include it was all a hoax.

Whereas an NYCFC writer for EOS has done NOTHING to dispel it.

SoupInNYC said:

Yes, the point I was really trying to make there is that is a site for NJ fans and they like to take jabs at us. And while they could have changed the title, they have at least updated the story, including the beginning of the story to include it was all a hoax.

Whereas an NYCFC writer for EOS has done NOTHING to dispel it.

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He's a NYCFC writer but a Red Bull's fanboy

SayWhat44 said:

He's a NYCFC writer but a Red Bull's fanboy

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Did not realize that. No wonder he's so quick to tag the team "the pigeons" even though there is zero consensus on that name.

FootyLovin said:

As with many disputes, the answer may be to escalate. Stop tweeting at Araos. Start tweeting, emailing, etc to Dave Martinez. Ultimately EOS is what EOS people do. Martinez might not have run with it, but if he takes no action, he owns it.

I don't personally Twitter, but I encourage anyone who does to kick this up to Martinez.

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I agree a good way to protest/demand accountability is to contact Dave Martinez or tweet @EmpireOfSoccer demanding an apology/retraction from Araos or a change of staff (someone else covering NYCFC, like the other EoS writer that's been covering them recently, Jack Hazzard).

However, I wouldn't go with directly equating Empire of Soccer/Dave, who has a long history of very good work, with what that irresponsible, unapologetic prick Araos carelessly tweets and refuses to acknowledge or apologize for. Of course, none of this would be necessary if Araos simply showed enough respect and humility to give a deserved apology/retraction. Boggles the mind.

Anyways, you can also boycott sharing/clicking Araos's pieces. The news comes out in other venues like @HudsonRiverBlue, through MLSSoccer.com (@Dylan_Butler is a good follow), through BlueCityRadio, through the Soccer In The City guys @GlennCrooks and @RobAbramowitz and through New York City FC itself, for those on Twitter. After home matches, I also live tweet coach and player quotes as they say them in the press box/locker room as well on @NickChavezMLS.

EDIT: @NYCFCNation and NYCFCfan totally slipped my mind, my bad. They're usually way ahead of anyone anyways on breaking stories.

Ulrich said:

Did not realize that. No wonder he's so quick to tag the team "the pigeons" even though there is zero consensus on that name.

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coo coo

I ran into Christian today. I had a very frank conversation with him. Should he keep his word, expect a public response in the next day or two.