Petke gained notoriety on August 20, 2000, four days after Tampa Bay Mutiny forward Mamadou Diallo broke the ribs of MetroStars goalkeeper Mike Ammann. Petke, who rarely scored goals, scored in the MetroStars win over Colorado, and unveiled a T-shirt that said "August 16: Crime of the Century" on the front and "Revenge is Coming" on the back. While such support for a fallen comrade was welcomed by teammates and MetroStars fans, it was frowned upon by the league and Petke was fined for his efforts. Diallo, however, received no disciplinary action following the injuries to Ammann.