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# So, About That “Mugshot”…
- URL: https://www.vjarmy.com/so-about-that-mugshot/
- Published: 2012-03-13T04:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-01-20T03:50:49.000Z
- Description: I will officially be covering the Red Bulls (and other soccer matters) for Gothamist this season.
- Author: Dan Dickinson
- Tags: Sports

In mid-February, I changed my profile picture on most social networks to the above photo and casually mentioned there was a story that I might be able to tell in the future. Given that my glasses were off, I was in front of a white wall, and was trying to neither smile nor frown, the response was somewhat predictable: “Did you get arrested?”

No, I did not get arrested. But today’s the day I can tell the story.

Across 2011, I chipped in articles to [Gothamist](http://gothamist.com/?ref=vjarmy.com) about the New York Red Bulls. I made a trip out to Harrison to cover Media Day before the home opener. I helped write some blurbs for “Last Night’s Action”, the daily sports round-up, in a pinch. Around September I started writing full match reports, starting with [the Rafa Marquez drama](http://gothamist.com/2011/09/22/rbny%5Ffalls%5Fto%5Fsalt%5Flake%5Frafa%5Fmarque.php?ref=vjarmy.com) and ending with [getting knocked out of the playoffs](http://gothamist.com/2011/11/04/red%5Fbulls%5Fknocked%5Fout%5Fof%5Fmls%5Fplayof.php?ref=vjarmy.com).

Writing these was a fantastic mental outlet. It’s no surprise that I love to write and tell stories – I’ve been doing it here since 2000\. My love of soccer and my interest in the team turned into a very natural topic to want to write about, and I even got a few pieces of fan mail thanking me for the coverage.

During the off-season, I came to the conclusion that it might be worth stepping up this engagement slightly, and after some discussion with my editor, got the go-ahead to apply for formal press credentials for the 2012 season. The oddly taken picture that had people believing I spent a night in the slammer? Actually just part of my application process for the credentials.

I was notified yesterday that my application was accepted. So my insufferable chatter about soccer will likely only get worse, as **I will officially be covering the Red Bulls (and other soccer matters) for Gothamist this season**. As my first formal press gig since 2001, I am eagerly looking forward to waving a microphone in the faces of a bunch of players I’ve been following closely for much of the last two years.

This does mean I’m going to be leaving The Viper’s Nest (where I occasionally penned a piece or two) on a free transfer. Heartfelt thanks to Matt, Miguel, Tim, Brian, and the rest of the crew, who not only provide a constant stream of great discussion and passion for the team, but acted as fantastic guides to the long (and rather perplexing) history of this club. I was “chuffed” and “over the moon” to get to join them, and the RBNY world is better with them in it.

So with that story out of the way – [keep watching for my coverage](http://gothamist.com/tags/redbulls?ref=vjarmy.com) over the course of the season. If there’s one thing I’ve learned watching this team, it’s that win or lose, there’s always an interesting story to be told.