Flyers, Rangers fan fight: Edward Neary didn't do it, Philadelphia Police still searching for three idiots
by Travis Hughes on Jan 6, 2012 1:11 PM EST
in Philadelphia Flyers News
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In my humble opinion, confessing to a crime you didn't commit, especially without any coercion, is a dumb thing to do. That would make Edward Neary, the Northeast Philadelphia man who confessed to beating up Rangers fans on our Facebook page Wednesday, dumb. But again, that's just a personal opinion.
Since Neary dimed himself out on the BSH Facebook page earlier this week, his name has been dragged through the mud across the North American media. The story has been picked up by the New York Daily News, the Star-Ledger, the Philadelphia Daily News, The Sporting News, NBC New York, SI.com, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom, the Toronto Sun, and countless other local and national news organizations that I've lost track of.
It truly goes to show the power of the Internet. What you say here isn't just out there in the ether. It matters. This is the real world just as much as the corner of 9th and Passyunk is the real world.
Mr. Neary learned that lesson the hard way. According to his own posts on Facebook, Fox 29 showed up at his house yesterday, and he was called in by South Detectives for an interview. We're hearing that some of his friends -- the ones he tried to pass off the blame for the attack once he realized how big a mistake it was to fess up himself -- were also asked to chat with Philadelphia Police.
But according to ESPN New York's Katie Strang, who has done some of the best reporting on this story since we busted it open on Wednesday, says that according to an anonymous police source, Neary was just playing a prank. "All bullshit," the source confirmed to her.
I think the Neary situation is a fascinating case-study in the Internet and social media, and I think the publicity our story has picked up has done worlds of good for the reputation of the Philadelphia sports fan. That was really part of our original intent in posting the video -- a way of saying "hey, these people don't represent us." I think among those who read our story, that message came off loud and clear.
But that wasn't our full intent. We never expected the story to get this much publicity, but it did because we thought we may have found the assailants, or at least one of them. We didn't.
There are still three men out there who beat up a 30-year-old off-duty police officer from Woodbridge, N.J.
His name is Neal Auricchio, and while we feel sorry for him that he's been rooting for the Rangers all this time (jokes!), our hearts go out to him just as if he were one of our own. Hell, he is one of our own. He's a freakin' war hero who was awarded a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq. And he's a hockey fan who was just trying to enjoy a cheesesteak at Geno's, nevermind that enjoying a cheesesteak at Geno's is an oxymoron.
We know a little bit more about how the entire incident started, and for anybody that said "hey, maybe the Ranger fan was mouthing off and got what he deserved!" ... yeah, you were wrong. Not to mention that a little trash talk is totally different than aggravated assault.
According to multiple reports, the goons dressed up as Flyers fans paid a homeless guy outside of Geno's to squirt Windex (or whatever was in his bottle as he tried to clean car windows) at the Rangers fans. That's what provoked it, and it spilled over into a fight. Actually, it wasn't a fight. It was an attack.
An attack from some scumbags who are still on the loose, either shitting themselves over the attention this story has picked up or laughing with each story that gets written. We can't let these guys get away. Seriously, if you know anything, contact South Detectives.
South Detective Division
215-686-3013,3014
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DC# 12-03-000582
On the flip side, we still have the opportunity to do some good, even if we don't have the knowledge of who committed this crime. We urge the Flyers to do something for Mr. Auricchio and the other Ranger fans who were victims in this, whether it's inviting them to a game and honoring them or recognizing them in some other way.
Here at BSH, we're also working on raising money for the victims, with the hopes of passing it along to them, perhaps even with an in-person meeting. If you'd like to contribute to those efforts, check in with this FanPost where we're working on organizing the effort.
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Couldn’t this guy get arrested for obstructing justice? His lying wasted their time & they could have id’d the real morons by now
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He could. But he won’t. What he did is a lesson in stupidity more than anything else. Them arresting him would just waste more time and money.
Ed Snider is a crotchety old fuck.
That is all.
They could fine him, however. Philly needs the money. I would.
"I wouldn’t run if there was a fire. I wouldn’t run anywhere. I hate running." - O. Munn
legally, he did nothing wrong, morally he’s an asshole. i don’t even know a screenshot would holdup as evidence. with FB nowadays, courts can subpoena criminal’s personal account. thousands of taxpayer moneys later, oh yeah, dickhead did post that message.
Yeah, I’m not sure I see how he could be arrested or fined.
Is it really against the law to falsely tell your buddy that you committed a crime, because the buddy might tell the police and the police might take it seriously?
It’s one thing if he walked into the police department and said he did it, but I don’t think it’s reasonable to accuse him of obstructing justice for mouthing off on facebook.
@BSH_EricT
Writer at Broad Street Hockey
I know such thing would be illegal in Denmark, but he would only get a fine.
by Anders Jensen on Jan 6, 2012 5:22 PM EST up reply actions
Well done
Even though you didn’t catch the true perpertrators of the crime, you DID show the world what a giant douche-stick Ed Neary is. I consider that a true public service that you accomplished.
The guys may not be from Philly, since they were at Geno’s. Eveybody that lives in the area knows they have some of the worst steaks in the city.
"I'm terrible" - Ilya Bryzgalov
Actually, I don’t think it would be. There are plenty of eyewitnesses, as well as at least two known videos of them. The cops WILL find them, and they may gain some leniency if they acted contrite and surrendered to the authorities. It’s really the smartest thing they could do.
Maxime Talbot - in the Orange and Black ... better than chocolate and peanut butter!
by MaximumTalbot on Jan 6, 2012 3:05 PM EST up reply actions
Well, they don’t seem to be the type that would be interested in righting wrongs. Frankly, I’d be surprised if these dopes really think they did anything wrong.
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Im a Caps fan here, and this is all I have to say. Isolated instances should not be looked at as “the rule,”
I have been to games in Philly..had a damn good time. You just have to know how to hold yourself..dont show up acting like you own the place, and make it clear from the start that you are here for a good time, a good game, and your willing to shoot the shit if need be. If someone says something like, “Ovie sucks,” you laugh it off and keep going. And if someone really gets in your face for no reasons, chances are a Flyer fan will notice, step in and get your back. I would protect a Flyer fan getting bullied in DC for sure…Good people stick together.
This story has nothing to do with hockey in my opinion…New Yorkers and Philly guys fight all the time, in and out of jerseys.
Exactly how I feel. I’ve gone to many away stadiums and not been hassled aside from playful banter. And I’ve sat next to opposing fans and had good times. All we know is what was on the video and the guy getting pummeled. We have no idea if he was talking shit or taunting the guys at all(just from people I know, being a Marine or a cop doesn’t require a high IQ(Yes, I’m fully prepared for flack from this comment. I respect and honor the Marines, but just pointing out the people I know that joined the army were the people that were flunking out of school)). Plus I’m pretty sure there were at least 4 or 5 more fights that night between Rags and Flyers fans, hell, I saw TWO at the game alone.
"I'm terrible" - Ilya Bryzgalov
Yeah, you shouldn’t talk shit in other’s stadiums. But that doesn’t mean you should fear for your life if you do. People have to learn some restraint. Just tell them to STFU and learn how to win with some grace and be done with it instead of beating them within an inch of their life.
As I said to my toddler, “Use your words.”
"I wouldn’t run if there was a fire. I wouldn’t run anywhere. I hate running." - O. Munn
I’m not saying the guys that kicked his ass aren’t dolts in their own right. Just saying that this is something that happen ALL THE TIME. Its hardly a story except that it was on film and is Philly fans. Is a Ducks fan beat the hell out of a Kings fan, and there was no video, would the world care? Probably not.
"I'm terrible" - Ilya Bryzgalov
Agreed, but unfortunately, when it happens in Philadelphia, it’s news. People look for it. They wait for us to screw up so they can reinforce their beliefs. It’s how the sanctimonious choose to live their lives. I’m tired of us continually giving them ammunition; however, there are just idiots, idiots everywhere.
"I wouldn’t run if there was a fire. I wouldn’t run anywhere. I hate running." - O. Munn
I just don't get people
Why do something like this? Even if you are innocent you still come out looking like a piece of shit. Yesterday somebody wasted $20k to put up a billboard to get Andy Reid fired why waste your money on something like that?
The Legend
if he really didnt do it..
why would he try to pass blame to his friends…something smells here
Beets,Bears,Battlestar Galactica.
MICHAEL!
Political Correctness - the belief that one can pick up a turd by the clean end.
24/7 Hartnell
unrelated to the post, anyone know what Del Zotto ( I think it was him) said to Hartnell about ripping his own teamates? I just watched the episode and figured someone in here might know.
Del Zotto said what you said, told him to go rip his teammate. Not sure what he was referring to, maybe it has something to do with the Carter/Richards controversy or that wife controversy?
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"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
Well, well, well
Look at what Kyle Scott has been able to obtain today.
An interview with the person who shot the video, and a higher resolution video.
Editor at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
by Justin F. on Jan 6, 2012 2:00 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
This part irks me
I thought it was nothing big until I heard this guy was a vet, which made it big.I’m sorry, I know I sound like a broken record on this, but why wasn’t it a big deal before we knew who it was that got hurt? This shit shouldn’t happen to anyone! PERIOD! Two people were assaulted and sent to the hospital because they were wearing the wrong color jersey. That’s a big fucking deal.
I just don’t understand. I respect vets, I absolutely do, I don’t want to take anything away from them or the honor they rightly deserve. But saying that it’s only a big deal because it was a veteran implies that you don’t give a shit if it was anybody else. I just can’t wrap my brain around that.
Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!
"I think there is virtue in pissing off idiots." - Fehr and Balanced
I wonder if Neary is still laughing about his little internet tough guy stunt now, or if his day with the police changed his attitude. But then, I really don’t give a damn what guys like him think.
Let’s get back to finding the real culprits.
Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!
"I think there is virtue in pissing off idiots." - Fehr and Balanced
I don’t know if anybody else saw it, but the story was in the Local News section of the Inquirer this morning. BSH was mentioned as well.
Bryz has low self esteem
Awaiting the return of the G-stache
by Philly37 on Jan 6, 2012 3:21 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
I don’t agree with what these guys did at all but I just want to play devils advocate for a second. Was it really that smart to go to a place like Geno’s which isn’t in the best neighborhood to begin with right after the Rangers beat the Flyers in one of the biggest games of the year while wearing Rangers jerseys? If I knew I was going to go to such a hostile environment I would probably remove my jersey while I get out to order. If this were right near the stadium it probably wouldn’t have happend but near Geno’s is a totally different situation. Hopefully they catch these guys soon so they can get justice.
"Fuckin right G."
The point is it should never have to cross their minds that “hey, maybe I shouldn’t wear my jersey here”. It shouldn’t be a hostile environment. Catching the guys that did this is an important first step towards making that happen.
Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!
"I think there is virtue in pissing off idiots." - Fehr and Balanced
And I understand there are still a lot of intermediate steps and that none of it will happen overnight, but still the message needs to be sent that this type of behavior won’t be tolerated.
Lightning strikes once, Hextall strikes twice!
"I think there is virtue in pissing off idiots." - Fehr and Balanced
I don’t think the Italian Market is really that rough of a neighborhood…. I mean, I guess it’s not Rittenhouse Square or anything, but c’mon. It’s the line at Geno’s. It’s not a slum.
There’s absolutely no excusing their behavior here. Judging by the HD video and the media reports, the guys in Flyers jerseys opened the exchange with the Windex and instigated the actual fisticuffs. The Rangers fans were trying to cool down the situation before they were jumped. I defend Philly fans in most instances when the media complains that they’re behaving “badly,” but there’s nothing you can say about this situation to defend those guys. What they did was grotesque, and the location has nothing to do with it.
by Cackalacky Mike on Jan 6, 2012 5:57 PM EST up reply actions
Im not defending them at all. I think they’re idiots and deserve to be arrested. I know this is America and they can wear whatever they want but you would think they would have more sense of where they were going. They should be able to wear their jerseys if they want to but the world doesn’t work that way anymore. There are identical incidents all over the country. It would have been smart on their part to take off the jerseys and avoid any chance of an incident instead of just hoping there’s not some assholes around.
"Fuckin right G."
I do t see Geno’s as a place requiring the removal of a jersey.
As Travis said, real Philadelphians know that place is awful.
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by Geoff Detweiler on Jan 7, 2012 4:57 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
Any News?
Have there been any arrests in this case?
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