1981–82 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season explained

Club:	Tampa Bay Rowdies
Season:	1981–82 indoor
Chairman:	Chas Serednesky, Jr
Chrtitle:	President
Owner:	George Strawbridge, Jr. Lamar Hunt Bill McNutt
Stadium:	Bayfront Center
League:	NASL
League Result:	Division: 2nd Playoffs: Finalists
League Topscorer:	Tatu (21 goals)
Season Topscorer:	Tatu (30 goals)
Highest Attendance:	6,122 (Feb. 12 vs. New York)
Lowest Attendance:	4,625 (Feb. 3 vs. Jacksonville)
Average Attendance:	5,347
Largest Win:	10–3 (Feb. 6 @ New York)
Largest Loss:	3–9 (Dec 13 @ Toronto)
American:	true
Pattern B1:	_collargreen
Pattern La1:	_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Ra1:	_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Sh1:	_green_border
Pattern So1:	_hoops_green_2
Leftarm1:	006600
Body1:	ffffff
Rightarm1:	006600
Shorts1:	FFFFff
Socks1:	FFF200
Pattern B2:	_tbrowdies13h
Pattern La2:	_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Ra2:	_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Sh2:	_norwich1617h
Pattern So2:	_hoops_green_2
Leftarm2:	006600
Body2:	006600
Rightarm2:	006600
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Socks2:	FFF200
Prevseason:	1980–81
Nextseason:	1983

The 1981–82 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the eighth indoor season of the club's existence.

Overview

As in previous years, all home games were played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tampa Bay entered their eighth indoor season looking for redemption, after the 1980–81 indoor team was the first in club history to miss the playoffs.^{[1] [2]} The club had several noteworthy changes occur in the lead-up to the 1981–82 indoor campaign.

Just as the team's 1981 outdoor playoff run was ending the Rowdies announced a partnership with Brazilian giants São Paulo FC. The agreement would allow the Rowdies to sign up to three loan players during São Paulo’s off season, as well as allowing Tampa Bay’s young players to train with the Brazilian club’s reserve squad.^[3]

Less than two weeks later on September 16, a press conference was held announcing that the Dallas Tornado were merging with Tampa Bay. The Dallas owners would become minority owners of the Florida club. For their part, the Rowdies gained the number one overall pick in the upcoming amateur draft, and their choice of players from the Dallas roster. Ultimately they added four, and sold the rest to various NASL, ASL, and MISLclubs.^[4]

Just prior to the start of the indoor season Mike Connell was named team captain. He had served as acting captain since May, after Jan van der Veen was traded to California during the 1981 outdoor season.^[5] Two noteworthy young players made their Rowdie debuts in December at the beginning of the indoor season. Hugo Pérez, a future U.S. Hall of Famer, who had just turned 18 a few weeks earlier, scored five goals in his first two indoor matches.^[6] Not to be outdone, a 19-year-old São Paulo loaner, nicknamed Tatu, scored a hattrick to kick off what would become a legendary 21-year indoor career.^[7]

For the team as a whole the 18-game regular season got of to a slow 1–3 start. Things began to pick up after Tatu’s arrival on match-day five. The Rowdies made it into the playoffs in large part by winning seven of their last nine matches. They were edged out for the division title by Chicago on the last day of the regular season, in an overtime thriller in front of a then-record indoor crowd of 19,938 at Chicago Stadium.^[8]

Tampa Bay ended the regular season with an 11–7 record and placed second in the Central Division, qualifying them for the playoffs. Rookie sensation Tatu led the club with 21 goals, while Zequinha was the team’s points and assists leader with 60 and 22 respectively.^[9]

In the playoffs, after exciting first and second round series wins against Montreal and Tulsa.^{[10] [11]} the Rowdies returned to the finals. The indoor finals were a passing of the torch from the Rowdies to the San Diego Sockers. Tampa Bay had been arguably the most successful NASL indoor team up to that point, but in the finals the Rowdies were swept by San Diego in convincing fashion. In doing so, the Sockers would start a dominant, decade-long run, winning titles in 10 of the next 11 NASL indoor and MISL seasons they participated in.

Shortly after the playoffs the Rowdies learned that they had placed three players on the 1981–82 all-star team first squad,^[12] and one more on the second team.^[13]

Club

Roster

1. on injured reserve all season

Management and technical staff

• George W. Strawbridge, Jr., owner
• Chas Serednesky, Jr., president
• Francisco Marcos, director of player personal
• Gordon Jago, head coach
• Kevin Keelan, assistant coach
• Ken Shields, trainer
• Alfredo Beronda, equipment manager
• Dr. Andrew Boyer, team physician

Honors

• NASL Atlantic Conference: 1981–82 Champions
• NASL Indoor: 1981–82 runners-up

Individual honors

Four Rowdies received individual honors following the 1981–82 NASL indoor season.^{[12] [13]}

• Atlantic Conference All-Star, First Team: Tatu
• Atlantic Conference All-Star, First Team: Mike Connell
• Atlantic Conference All-Star, First Team: Jürgen Stars
• Atlantic Conference All-Star, Second Team: John Gorman

Preseason friendlies

Tampa Bay played one preseason exhibition match on December 2 against the Jacksonville Tea Men, winning, 9–2.^[14]

Preseason results

Regular season

Final division standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, GB = Games behind 1st place, % = Winning percentage, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Atlantic Conference • Central Division	W	L	GB	%	GF	GA
align=left		12	6	–	.667	139	117
align=left	Tampa Bay Rowdies	11	7	1	.611	121	113
align=left	Tulsa Roughnecks	10	8	2	.556	128	103

Results

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers	"Ref."
December 5, 1981	Montreal Manic	H	8–5	5,545	Roberts (2), Zequinha(2), Pérez (2), Peter Roe, Pesa	^[15]
December 11, 1981	Tulsa Roughnecks	A	6–5	5,531	Perez (3), Zequinha, Pesa	^[16]
December 13, 1981	Toronto Blizzard	A	9–3	5,325	Pesa (3)	^[17]
December 17, 1981	Tulsa Roughnecks	A	5–4	4,681	Kozić, Peter Roe, Pérez, Zequinha	^[18]
December 19, 1981	Jacksonville Tea Men	H	8–6	4,918	Tatu (3), McLeod (2), Peter Roe, Gorman, Zequinha
December 23, 1981	Chicago Sting	H	10–8	5,081	Zequinha (2), Peter Roe (2), Pesa (2), Roberts, Moore, Tatu, Gorman	^[19]
December 26, 1981	Chicago Sting	A	8–6	11,606	Tatu (3), Zequinha (2), Pérez	^[20]
January 2, 1982	Tulsa Roughnecks	H	5–4	5,545	Pesa (2), Tatu (2), Gorman	^[21]
January 5, 1982	Jacksonville Tea Men	A	4–2	6,526	Tatu (2)	^[22]
January 10, 1982	Toronto Blizzard	A	2–4	3,492	McLeod (2), Pesa, Peter Roe	^[23]
January 15, 1982	Montreal Manic	A	6–5	6,730	Gorman, Gruber, Zequinha, Pesa, Tatu	^[24]
January 20, 1982	Chicago Sting	H	10–9(OT)	5,214	McLeod (3), Tatu (2), Moore, Pesa, Pérez, Gruber, Peter Roe	^[25]
January 23, 1982	Tulsa Roughnecks	A	8–9	5,383	Zequinha (3), Roberts, McLeod, Gorman, Tatu, Pesa, Gruber	^[26]
January 30, 1982	Toronto Blizzard	H	8–7	5,545	Roberts (2), Zequinha (2), Pesa (2), Tatu, Gorman	^[27]
February 3, 1982	Jacksonville Tea Men	H	7–6(OT)	4,625	Tatu (3), McLeod (2), Zequinha, Peter Roe	^[28]
February 6, 1982	New York Cosmos	A	3–10	10,199	McLeod (3), Tatu (2), Peter Roe (2), Kozić, Zequinha, Paul Roe	^[29]
February 12, 1982	New York Cosmos	H	8–7	6,112	Pérez (3), Zequinha (2), McLeod (2), Kozić	^[30]
February 14, 1982	Chicago Sting	A	10–9(OT)	19,938	Paul Roe (3), Roberts (2), Pérez (2), Kozić (2)

Playoffs

The playoffs are a home and home series. If one team fails to win both games, then a non-sudden-death, 15-minute mini-game is played, with a brief halftime to changes ends of the field. If the mini-game remains tied after full-time, then the match moves to sudden-death overtime periods, each lasting 7:30.

Results

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Attendance	Scorers	"Ref."
February 18, 1982	Montreal Manic	H	8–7(OT)	4,880	Tatu (3), Zequinha (2), Pesa, DeBrito, Kozić	^[31]
February 21, 1982	Montreal Manic	A	2–3	15,855	Tatu, own goal
February 21, 1982	Montreal Manic	A	1–2(3OT)	(Mini-game)	Fernando, Roberts
February 25, 1982	Tulsa Roughnecks	A	5–4	7,021	McLeod (2), Tatu (2), Peter Roe	^[32]
March 1, 1982	Tulsa Roughnecks	H	3–4	5,545	Zequinha, McLeod, Tatu
March 1, 1982	Tulsa Roughnecks	H	1–0	(Mini-game)	Pesa
March 3, 1982	San Diego Sockers (Finals)	A	9–7	12,840	Pérez (2), Gruber (2), Peter Roe, Zequinha, McLeod	^[33]
March 8, 1982	San Diego Sockers (Finals)	H	5–10	6,325	Tatu (2), McLeod, Zequinha, Roberts	^[34]

Statistics

Season scoring

GP = Games played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points^[9]

Player	GP	G	A	Pts
align=left	Zequinha	18	19	22	60
align=left	Tatu	14	21	7	49
align=left	Wes McLeod	14	15	14	44
align=left	Peter Roe	16	10	23	43
align=left	Njego Pesa	13	15	8	38
align=left	Hugo Pérez	17	13	8	34
align=left	John Gorman	18	6	16	28
align=left	Neill Roberts	17	8	9	25
align=left	Peter Gruber	18	3	12	18
align=left	Refik Kozić	15	5	5	15
align=left	Mike Connell	16	0	12	12
align=left	Paul Roe	7	4	2	10
align=left	Terry Moore	13	2	6	10
align=left	Carl Bennett	6	0	2	2
align=left	Jürgen Stars	11	0	2	2
align=left	Washington Olivera	1	0	1	1
align=left	Winston DuBose	7	0	0	0
align=left	Keith Bailey	7	0	0	0
align=left	Pedro DeBrito	2	0	0	0
align=left	Ray Vigliotti	1	0	0	0
align=left	Jaiminho	1	0	0	0
align=left	Luís Fernando	0	0	0	0

Season goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses^[9]

Player	GP	Min	Svs	GA	GAA	W	L
align=left		11	663:45	193	68	6.14	7	4
align=left		7	420:16	90	45	6.43	4	3

Playoff scoring

GP = Games played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points^[35]

Player	GP	G	A	Pts
align=left	Tatu	5	9	1	19
align=left	Wes McLeod	4	5	7	17
align=left	Zequinha	5	5	5	15
align=left	Refik Kozić	6	2	7	11
align=left	Peter Roe	6	2	6	10
align=left	Hugo Pérez	4	3	1	7
align=left	John Gorman	6	0	5	5
align=left	Neill Roberts	6	2	0	4
align=left	Peter Gruber	6	2	0	4
align=left	Jürgen Stars	5	0	4	4
align=left	Mike Connell	6	0	3	3
align=left	Paul Roe	6	0	3	3
align=left	Pedro DeBrito	3	1	0	2
align=left	Luís Fernando	3	1	0	2
align=left	Njego Pesa	2	1	0	2
align=left	Keith Bailey	2	0	0	0
align=left	Terry Moore	2	0	0	0
align=left	Winston DuBose	1	0	0	0
align=left	own goal	1	1	0	2

Playoff goalkeeping

Note: GP = Games played; MGP = Mini-games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses^[35]

Player	GP	MGP	Min	Svs	GA	GAA	W	L
align=left		5	2	343:41	117	31	5.41	3	4
align=left		1	0	60:03	17	7	6.98	1	0
align=left		4	0	3:54	3	0	0.00	0	0

Player movement

In

No.	Pos.	Player	Transferred from	Fee/notes	Date	Source
7	FW			Rowdies/Tornado merger	September 16, 1981
11	FW		Dallas Tornado	Rowdies/Tornado merger	September 16, 1981
13	DF		Dallas Tornado	Rowdies/Tornado merger	September 16, 1981
2	DF		Dallas Tornado	Rowdies/Tornado merger	September 16, 1981
16	DF		Dallas Tornado	Rowdies/Tornado merger	September 16, 1981
20	GK			NASL dispersal draft	October 6, 1981	^[36]
14	FW			loan in	December 1, 1981	^[37]
21	MF			free transfer	December 12, 1981	^[38]
16	FW			NASL entry draft	December 14, 1981	^[39]
27	MF		São Paulo	loan in	January 11, 1982	^[40]

Out

No.	Pos.	Player	Transferred to	Fee/notes	Date	Source
2	DF			returned from loan	September 10, 1981	^[41]
9	FW			returned from loan	September 10, 1981
25	FW			returned from loan	September 10, 1981
11	DF		none	release	October 21, 1981	^[42]
16	MF		none	release	October 21, 1981
13	GK		Tampa Bay	release, hired as asst. coach	October 21, 1981
15	MF			sold contract for $130,000	November 18, 1981	^[43]
14	FW			sold contract	November 20, 1981	^[44]
21	DF		none	released	November 20, 1981
22	GK		none	released	December 3, 1981
16	DF			released; signed with Baltimore	December 12, 1982	^[45]
27	MF			returned from loan	February 23, 1982	^[46]

See also

• 1981–82 NASL Indoor season
• 1982 in American soccer
• Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)

External links

• 1981–82 Rowdies stats
• 1982 in American Soccer

Notes and References

1. News: Scheiber . Dave. Rowdies: humiliating 8-7 ending. February 13, 1981. St. Petersburg Times. 3C. March 21, 2020.
2. News: Henderson . Jim. Strikers End Playoff Hope Of Rowdies. February 14, 1981. Tampa Tribune. 4C. August 18, 2021.
3. News: McEwen . Tom. Rowdies, Sao Paulo Agree to Working Arrangement. September 4, 1981. Tampa Tribune. 1-C. August 17, 2021.
4. News: McEwen . Tom. Rowdie Get Dallas Players, Hunt In Merger. September 17, 1981. Tampa Tribune. 1-C. August 17, 2021.
5. Web site: Scheiber . Dave . Connell to captain Rowdies . St. Petersburg Times. December 4, 1981 . 9C. August 26, 2021.
6. Web site: Scheiber. Dave . Jago hopes to find cure. St. Petersburg Times. December 16, 1981. 4C. August 15, 2021 .
7. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies 'Tatu' Tea Men, 8-6. December 20, 1981. 1-D. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
8. Web site: Davis. Michael. Rowdies lose overtime thriller to Sting 10-9 . February 15, 1982. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
9. News: Rowdies 1982 Indoor Stats. February 16, 1982. Tampa Tribune . 2-C. August 18, 2021.
10. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Playoff War Has A Very Rowdie End . February 22, 1982. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
11. Web site: Scheiber. Dave . Rowdies earn shot at the title . March 2, 1982. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
12. Web site: Three Rowdies on all-star team. 4C. March 31, 1982. The Tampa Times. August 14, 2021.
13. Web site: Mudry. Richard. Rowdies an unfamiliar bunch to fans. 5C. April 1, 1982. The Tampa Times. August 14, 2021.
14. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Clobber Tea Men In Practice. December 3, 1981. 13-C. Tampa Tribune. August 10, 2021.
15. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Kick In Door, 8-5. December 6, 1981. 1-D. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
16. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Tulsa Tumbles Rowdies. December 12, 1981. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
17. Web site: Blizzard blows past Rowdies 9-3. December 14, 1981. 3C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
18. Web site: O’Brien. Steve . Rowdies Rally Not Enough. December 18, 1981. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
19. Web site: Scheiber. Dave . Rowdies zap Sting with mark of 'Z'. December 24, 1981. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
20. Web site: Kay. Linda . Sting repay Rowdies for loss 'Z'. December 27, 1981. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
21. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Trip Tulsa. January 3, 1982. 3-D. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
22. Web site: Henderson. Jim . The Rocky Road: Rowdies Fall 4-2 . January 6, 1982. 3-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
23. Web site: Rowdies rebound on road for win. January 11, 1982. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
24. Web site: Sluggish Start Dooms Rowdies To 6-5 Defeat . January 16, 1982. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
25. Web site: Mudry. Richard . Roe helps Rowdies get even. January 21, 1982. 1C. Tampa Times. August 14, 2021.
26. Web site: Gruber Goal Lifts Rowdies To Win . January 24, 1982. 3-D. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
27. Web site: Johnson. Mark. Revitalized Rowdies do in Blizzard . January 31, 1982. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
28. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Tatu Scores 3 As Rowdies Win . February 4, 1982. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
29. Web site: Rowdies Win 10-3, Earn Playoff Berth . February 7, 1982. 1-D. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
30. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies 'Compensate' For Win . February 13, 1982. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
31. Web site: Scheiber. Dave . Rowdies rally, rule in overtime 8-7 . February 19, 1982. 1C. St. Petersburg Times. August 14, 2021.
32. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Rally Late To Edge Roughnecks . February 26, 1982. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
33. Web site: Henderson. Jim . San Diego Socks It To Rowdies, 9-7 . March 4, 1982. 1-C. Tampa Tribune. August 14, 2021.
34. Web site: Mudry. Richard . 'Greybeards' send Rowdies home empty . March 9, 1982. 1C. Tampa Times. August 14, 2021.
35. News: Rowdies Indoor Playoff Stats. February 24, 1982. Tampa Tribune . 2-C. August 23, 2021.
36. Web site: Cote. Greg . Strikers draft Mikkelsen . Miami Herald. October 7, 1981. 4C. August 23, 2021.
37. Web site: Scheiber. Dave . Rowdies turn to Tatu for a fantasy quest . St. Petersberg Times. December 2, 1981. 1C. August 24, 2021.
38. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Try To Avoid Blizzard . Tampa Tribune. December 13, 1981. 11-D. August 24, 2021 .
39. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Stock Up; DeBrito No. 1 Pick . Tampa Tribune. December 15, 1981. 1-C. August 24, 2021.
40. Web site: Rowdies get Brazilian help . Orlando Sentinel. September 17, 1980. 3C. August 24, 2021.
41. Web site: Scheiber . Dave . Coming Back? . St. Petersburg Times. September 11, 1981. 1C. August 25, 2021.
42. Web site: Rowdies axe three; two more in limbo . Tampa Times. October 22, 1981. 4C. August 25, 2021.
43. Web site: Mudry. Richard. Rowdies deal Mehmet . Tampa Times. November 19, 1981. 3C. August 25, 2021.
44. Web site: Scheiber. Dave. Roberts is taking care of business . St. Petersburg Times. November 21, 1981. 3C. August 25, 2021.
45. Web site: Henderson. Jim . Rowdies Try To Avoid Blizzard . Tampa Tribune. December 13, 1981 . 11-D. August 26, 2021.
46. Web site: Jaiminho returns to Rowdies . Tampa Times. February 24, 1982 . 4C. August 26, 2021.