BWitcher

Personally I can think of nothing worse than 4 riders coming around and almost immediately starting a race. Awful. The riders come to the tapes, exciting music should be playing, the 4 riders introduced.. while that is going on, they can garden away.. as long as at the end of said introductions they are ready to go.

Why would him getting a ban be akin to 'crucifying him'? Feel free to remind me, as him getting a ban would have no relevance. He deserves a ban for his irresponsible actions. Nothing more, nothing less.

Folk need to remember, most speedway fans aren't the brightest. Many have got it into their heads that speedway meetings run hours longer than in years gone by because riders are gardening, so this change is done to appease them. A simple solution such as a promptly applied and enforced 2 minutes wouldn't register with them.

Why was it? Of course it would have been far better for the crowd to just watch an empty track..... In the 'good old days' races used to take longer to start.

Looks like every country has there own version of Starman who makes things up as they go along. Nobody is crucifying Ward.

Yes, but you said 1996 was the lowest in terms of meetings, so that isn't the 'start' of a decline in meetings.. that is the end of a decline. I bet he can't get his head round most sports then.

This is a point I made earlier. In Major League Baseball a very high profile player, Ryan Braun, managed to get off a failed drugs test on a technicality., It wasn't long before MLB caught up with him though (and others). Ward would have to keep his nose squeakily clean as he would be a marked man.

Interesting figures, but not sure how you use those to come to your conclusion that the current decline began in 1996, if in 1996 there were only 670 meetings, but had risen to 1095 by 2004?

Which is most I don't include you and a few others in such a category of course.

Oh dear, the natives will turn on Lindgren if that is the case..

Well here's 1 for your drivel list.

We know, you keep making them.

What you seem to fail to understand it, opinion is irrelevant. Darcy Ward failed a test, he broke the rules of the sport and is being punished accordingly (until proven otherwise). The 'drivel' that has been appearing on the site regarding this subject is driven by 2 or 3 posters. Yourself and Starman being the main two. It is therefore amusing to effectively see you mocking yourself, but I guess you can't get out of those old habits.

Why are you posting this in the EL section? It's the PL you should be aiming your remarks at.

And your point is? You quite clearly advocate drinking before racing a speedway bike? For a supposed ex-speedway journalist you are a disgrace to the sport.

Which mindset is that? That we don't want riders who fail alchohol tests to be racing in our sport? I would most strongly suggest that anyone with a different mindset is no fan of the sport and quite frankly is a disgrace.

If he is in position to influence it, it may be for the better. He is young, more likely to be in tune with such things. Let's see what is forthcoming.

Indeed. He also waxed lyrical about how awful the marketing was. How terrible Go Speed were and generally slagged of most things speedway. Now his tune has changed so he must be part of the cliq now. All of which makes it highly likely Go Speed/BSPA would employ him In saying all this.. let's give him a chance, he can't do any worse can he?

We have an excellent National League for riders starting out. The Elite League has a fast track system in place for younger riders.. Now there appears to be a level missing there, I'll let you work out what it is.. but many of the teams at that level prefer to employ useless foreign riders rather than young Brits.

Just brings us back to the average speedway fan again......

What has that got to do with either the opening post or what I said?

None of the teams would struggle in the Premier League. They would all likely win the Premier League. The teams will also be stronger than last year.

This IS the old thread. Once again, just quote one post that said he was 'drunk' when tested.... you're claiming there are many.. so it shouldn't be very hard.

All the hallmarks of Ryan Braun in MLB. They got him in the end however, so my take is if Ward escapes on a technicality he is going to have to keep his nose very, very clean indeed.

Poole ride away don't forget