People Are Pissed Over This TV Station's Photoshop Job Of Cristiano Ronaldo

To be fair to Real Madrid's television network, or RMTV for short, if there's one thing everybody knows about Cristiano Ronaldo, it's he has chiseled abs.

Now, I don't say that with any gleeful enthusiasm; I, particularly, don't care for athletes who flaunt their fitness, which us mere humans just simply cannot enjoy. But if we're going to speak in a matter-of-fact manner, we have to admit it: Uh, yeah, Ronaldo is ripped.

And the reason it's important to start off with a "to be fair" caveat is because it's very tempting to belittle what RMTV is accusing a rival TV station of doing, right?

Photoshopping Ronaldo's stomach to make him look less fit? It really does sound like a petty accusation. But, I mean, look at the picture and see for yourself.

The photo of Ronaldo on the right ain't no damn Ronaldo. And we know it ain't no damn Ronaldo because damn Ronaldo never misses an opportunity to make sure he's pictured with the least amount of clothes on as possible.

So yeah, there's definitely some shady business going on here. And who is responsible for said shady business, you ask? Ah, this is where it gets fun.

RMTV was accusing TV3 of altering the photo. That would be TV3 of Catalonia, the state in Spain where Barcelona resides. And, for those of you who really need this to be spelled out for you, that's the home of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid's blood rival.

Right.

Now, anyone with even a passing knowledge of soccer in Europe -- or, well, pretty much any country besides the US -- knows rivalries are informed by politics, culture and whole bunch of other mumbo-jumbo.

So if you find yourself asking the question, "Is it really so serious, a rival TV station would photoshop Ronaldo's abs?" think this instead.

When's the last time you actually looked at a crazy soccer story from abroad, asked whether the fans there were "that" serious and had the answer be an actual "no."

Yes, man, it's that serious. Fans are absolutely capable of this, and thank God they are 'cause up until this point, with the sports news slow this time of year, your boy didn't know what he was going to write about this afternoon.

Appreciate ya'll, TV3.

Citations: The Washington Post