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?
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.
