The title of "World's Saltiest Soccer Team" 2016 has already been decided. There will be no more entries. The Tampa Bay Rowdies have won.
The Rowdies made a compilation video of times the referees have wronged them this season and it is seven minutes long. The video is titled "2016 Rowdies Officiating Deficiencies," which is just another way of saying "they're out to get us".
The video is accompanied by a statement from Rowdies CEO Bill Edwards, which includes this paragraph:
I have been quiet all season about the poor officiating that has been taking place at Rowdies matches, but after Saturday night’s match against the Cosmos I feel compelled to speak out. It’s become clear these calls are not going to “even themselves out” over the remainder of the year.
And also this paragraph:
Some may say it’s just sour grapes. To them I say watch this video to see just a sample of the bad calls the team has endured during the 2016 season. Then you make the decision.
What in the name of Jesse Ventura is going on here?
The NASL referees meet in the secret part of the Denver airport that was built by the Illuminati to hash out ways to torture the Tampa Bay Rowdies. This is a fact.
Where's Robert Langdon when you need him?
ALSO WE'RE PART OF IT AT THE18 SEE THAT SALT PICTURE WE POSTED THE CAUTION TAPE FORMS A TRIANGLE THE PLOT THICKENS.
We hate to break it to the Rowdies, but they play in the NASL. If you play in the USA second-division, you're going to get USA second-division refs. That's just how it goes.
Even if you feel there are a lot of bad calls that go against you, there are bad calls going against every team. There isn't some vast NASL ref conspiracy trying to take down the Tampa Bay Rowdies. We think.
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus