BWitcher

I am pretty sure they did actually. Luke Becker looks quite promising, he isn't that far off the pace.

The thread was started in 2015, so I somehow don't think it's become invalid.. the conversation just continues on till next year.. And the same clowns will keep surfacing posting how they have no interest in the thread and pleading for it to be locked. Meanwhile I'm off to find a synchronised swimming forum and see if can get it shut down, idiots talking about stuff I'm not interested in, shouldn't be allowed I tell you!!!

I'm not sure why people are so surprised to be honest from the past evidence I've seen at this track. It's far too quick, little skill required.

Look, you just can't help yourself! Fools, all of you!

He would of course be in top six of all time, but again, that's based upon how good they were in their individual era's. Borg playing now would struggle. Indeed that was evidenced when he attempted a comeback and was really humiliated, failing to win a single match in thirteen attempts. Of course, still trying to use a wooden racket certainly didn't help but although still 'fit' by normal standards he wasn't fitter and faster than his opponents like he used to be. Fitness plays such a big part in many sports these days. In football there are players around the country who have all the skill in the world, far more than many playing professionally, but they simply can't get about the pitch well enough to succeed at any decent level. The same applies to tennis. Skill only gets you so far now. Anyway, speaking of tennis and bringing it back to the thread.. for some reason, I know not why, but after year after year of watching non stop coverage of Wimbledon I suddenly stopped and in recent years have barely seen a ball hit. This year I actually watched the whole of the men's final, the first time I've done so in at least ten years. That's the case with a few sports, cricket I would watch test matches, ball to ball coverage.. then suddenly I stopped.. Speedway the interest has never waned! Edited to add:- Actually I think the reason my interest in some sports waned was when my 'heroes' retired in those sports. In cricket players like Botham, Gooch, Pringle In Tennis, Agassi, Sampras, Graf, Pierce I love watching Darts, but I only really watch Phil Taylor these days... once he retires I likely won't be watching any more. I used to be addicted to the Tour de France, but since Miguel Indurain finished I barely watch. Nascar Racing the same with Rusty Wallace. With speedway the hero was always Sam Ermolenko and Peter Karlsson not far behind... when PK retires, will that be it for the sport for me? I don't think so, but it won't be the same as it isn't now Sam doesn't ride anymore.

Of course he is in an all time top five, that is based in achievements in their era which is all you can go on. But transport Laver as he was then (an amateur lets not forget) and put him on court today, he'd be blown away. Remember, Wimbledon Final of 1961 for example, the ball in play time was barely 12 mins. Laver himself has admitted he wouldn't stand a chance against the players of today as they are much bigger, much stronger, much faster and much fitter.

Laver with a wooden racket would lose 6-0 6-0 6-0 to Sampras. The phrase 'class players play in any era' cannot be proved, ever. You mentioned earlier about the game changing and the big servers not being as dominant anymore.. part of the reason for that is the players are so much fitter and faster now, they return more serves, they retrieve more ground shots. Would Laver have been able to have coped now? Maybe, maybe not. He would have the ability that is without question but it is no guarantee he would have the fitness and that is the key thing now at the highest level.

As I explained earlier, Event 2 was the important one for the USA as by qualifying for the race-off they are already qualified for next years semi. Had they lost to Germany, they would have to qualify. Reaching the race-off was their goal, they have no chance of going further so this is an opportunity to give some riders experience. I can see the reasoning, but personally I don't agree with it and think it undermines the tournament. Greg was a bit of a wildcard tonight, with whomever on the other teams could take pts of him playing a big factor.

You can't control yourselves can you! Just can't resist the urge to post again. Grow up fools!

Neither did Tai.

You'd have to be an idiot to post on the thread now.

Realistically the USA have achieved their objective, which was to qualify for the race-off and secure automatic qualification for next years semi-final. That was their goal, they achieved it. Tonight, they know they have next to no chance of finishing anything other than last given the level of competition. The idea is clearly to blood a couple of young riders in Broc Nicol and Luke Becker to give them a taste of a big event, show them the levels they have to reach and help them understand they can't sit back and rest and must continue to work to improve. It's disappointing for the fans but there is a logic to it.

I can't agree that the old starting method was better, it was awful in my opinion. However, of late I think referees have really been ruining things. I have always had a strong admiration for electric gaters (unless they are on the other team!).. but it seems far more common now that great starts are pulled back. You can only compare what they did in their eras Sid because quite simply on a head to head basis Sampras would wipe the floor with Laver. Players are so much fitter and stronger now than they used to be.

It matters because of the momentum. Emil had a sizeable lead, however as it began to reduce he was beginning to feel the pressure till eventually Tai overhauled him. The momentum was all with Tai, even with him losing quite a few pts from the crash at Cardiff as SCB has explained.

I had zero idea it was linked to a 'prison tattoo'. I'm sure the vast majority of the public have no idea also. Not that it matters!

Agassi was one of my favourite players back in the day and one of the few top players I never saw play live... although I should have! I'd travelled down and attended and upon leaving rejoined the queue to go in again the next day, got centre court tickets, I think Henman was on first, then Mary Pierce, then Agassi, superb line up. However.. I was surrounded by a loud contingent of Spanish and when Serna defeated Pierce 7-6 7-6 I was not a happy bunny, stormed out of the court, someone asked me if I was going back in as I left I replied no and just gave them my ticket and walked out of the grounds! An hour later, sat on the train I'd calmed down and realised what a pillock I'd been as Agassi was up next. Still, the person who took the ticket was very happy indeed! Steffi Graf was the other major favourite of mine I never saw play live, although when I was on Court 18 she was practicing on the court behind and I spent more time watching that than the game on Court 18, which I completely forget who was playing. One other experience that really opened my eyes as I played a fair bit of tennis back then was when along with a mate headed to the practice courts before play had got underway. The Williams sisters were there. At the practice courts its a wire/mesh fence that you can look through and the players are only a few metres away. The speed and spin they were hitting the ball with was staggering and showed just how far below that standard we were. Kind of gone off on a tangent here though I think!

No Sid, I never bothered with the ballots or any of that even though was member of local tennis club for a while. First time went was 1997 when there had been a tonne of rain so they had an extra day's play on the Sunday. I remember sat on the sofa at home, Desmond Lynam at around 7pm announcing the order of play.. My favourite player back then was Mary Pierce and she was playing on Court One so I just said to my Mom, I'm going to Wimbledon. She was "Yeah ok" and carried on reading the paper. Within 45 mins I was at the train station boarding the 8pm train to London Euston.. as the train pulled out I was thinking, what am I doing haha. Got there around midnight and joined the queue, had no sleeping bag or anything like that, so just lay down on pavement and tried to get some sleep. By the morning the line was massive, around 20,000 in it. Got tickets for Court One so was happy. After that went regularly for the next five years or so, always queuing up the night before, was a good atmosphere. The one year they thought I was insane, having queued up all night they come along the line around 7am giving out wristbands and you choose which court you want, centre or No 1. I'd listened to Radio Wimbledon for the Order of Play. Mary Pierce was playing on Court 18, as was Anna Kournikova plus a decent mens match, then a mixed doubles with Pierce in.. the matches on centre and no 1 didn't appeal so I declined the wrist bands. The look the steward gave me was priceless!

I assume you are referring to Billy Janniro, the reigning US champion, far from retired, he races regularly stateside.

The ones I am referring to are the genuine fans Sid, the ones who queue, not the posh toffs that you're talking about. I still use those programme boards to this day, a Sudden Sam one and a Peter Karlsson one. Also a Neil Evitts one.... which was purchased in 1993 when Evitts had a somewhat disastrous season for us. He won a vital race at the end of a meeting at Brandon Stadium to win the meeting for Wolves with a last bend pass, I ran to the track shop, purchased the board and strolled along the front of the grandstand holding it up for the Coventry fans to see... great days! It always used to be a common sight to see riders vans whizzing past you on the motorway on the way home from an away meeting. Not so much now as they're often off to an airport somewhere instead.

There was no official practice session arranged. As a result, Tai had already made arrangement to test a new engine specifically for the World Cup in Poland today.Then further arrangements for himself and equipment to be transported to the UK. At the last minute Rossiter texted to say that Belle Vue was available if anyone wanted laps, that was confirmed by the father of Adam Ellis. Lambert already on holiday, Tai's equipment not here and already has preparations in place. If an official team practice for the World Cup had been arranged in advance and Tai didn't attend you would have a point. As it stands he was the organised professional one.

I think this post sums up the kind of person you are. The moment your 'claims' are challenged you trot out the standard lines of abuse. You're also totally contradicting yourself.. you tried claiming that only 20 speedway fans would cause people to make the comments you claim they ALWAYS make... yet HUNDREDS of them at Wimbledon wouldn't cause the same issue.. hmm. You do realise, those that queue are the genuine tennis fans? The majority of the others are not, they are there as it's a 'social event', a place to be seen at. He'll make a big long post shortly calling you all sorts of names, lecture you on not respecting opinions and then stick you on ignore because he doesn't agree with your opinion.

You were robbed, he had a blatant roller, should have been pulled back. Saying that you're level with me till the tapes go up as well aren't you?

Really Doyle just summed up the ineptness of the Aussie tactics that night, the other two riders in the race were pish, he should have made a poorish gate and allowed Jonsson to get in front.

Have you ever been to Wimbledon? I have, many times and there are all sorts of weird and wacky characters there in knitted Tim Henman/Andy Murray cardigans, wearing Henman/Murray t-shirts/hats etc.

You're not quite following this are you. Woffinden arranged a practice in Poland, a full day, some time ago to test new equipment for the World Cup. He put travel plans in place for both himself and his equipment some time ago. Then, as confirmed by Adam Ellis's father at the last minute Rossiter informs the riders there is an opportunity to practice at Belle Vue. So at this point, Lambert is away on holiday, Woffinden's equipment is in Poland where he already has practice lined up. Nothing to do with being unprofessional at all. Had this practice been arranged some time ago and they willingly chose to miss it, you would have a point.