Kyle Beckerman on Petke: “An incident that got away from him,” RSL captain says on ESPN 700

Real Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman described the incident that led to Mike Petke’s firing as “an incident that got away from him” in an interview Monday.

In an interview with ESPN 700’s Spence Checketts, son of former Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts, Beckerman gave his perspective on the affair.

“He thought we were wronged a little bit, and he was trying to stand up for us,” Beckerman said. “I think it just got out of hand.”

In the interview, Beckerman spoke to his having known Petke for an extended period.

“I’ve known Mike a really long time, and I can tell you, he’s not a homophobe,” he said. “I think it was an incident that got away from him.”

Beckerman closed his comments on Petke’s firing — before moving to a discussion where the team is, and where they were when he took over — by talking about how the team must move on very quickly.

“We’ve got to turn the page now, unfortunately, and we wish Mike all the best, and his family,” he said. “But we’ve got to turn the page quick and get ready for Wednesday.”

Some extended quotes follow, but do listen to the whole interview. It’s fantastic.

I heard the news when the rest of everyone heard the news last night. I was a little surprised. I thought it was a settled matter. I think the root of it was Mike just trying to fight for us. He thought we were wronged a little bit, and he was trying to stand up for us. I think it just got out of hand. I’ve known Mike a really long time, and I can tell you he’s not a homophobe. I think it was an incident that got away from him.

In this business, there’s another game Wednesday. We don’t have much time to dwell on it. The decision was made, and we have full confidence in Freddy and the whole coaching staff. The message is, we’ve got to keep getting to work. It’s the same message when we lose, tie, or win.

We’ve got to keep trying to improve. We’re in a good spot right now in terms of our last five games or so, maybe a little longer than that. We’re in a good spot, we’re seeing guys and as a team we’re getting into better form. We’ve got a chance on Wednesday to jump the team we’re playing, in Seattle. The stakes are getting higher as the games get less and less; there are 10 games left now.

We’ve got to turn the page now, unfortunately, and we wish Mike all the best, and his family. But we’ve got to turn the page quick and get ready for Wednesday.