AFCB Wildcat

I remember that but I didn't go. I think the only football match I ever saw at Wimborne Road was a game between a speedway riders team against Poole Town which I think was to do with Pete Smith's testimonial in 1976? I could be wrong, it's a long time ago. One thing I know is that since Poole Town left the stadium they have been thwarted at every attempt to relocate to another venue which would allow them to progress so they're stuck on Tatnam field. Residents up in arms at plans to have a football ground near them so I fear for the Pirates if they lose their home. How long have the Wildcats been trying to find somewhere?

Quite right, and not a transgender player in sight. The Premiership is institutionally racist & homophobic! I feel that strongly about their agenda of hate and discrimination that I won't attend a single Bournemouth game in the Premier League next season.

I don't disagree. I have used Ryanair a lot over the years and have never had cause for complaint. Yes, last year my wife & I flew to Prague from Bournemouth for about £75 a head with priority boarding and chosen seats. This year however it was nearer £200 each for the GP weekend but cheap as chips for the weekends before and after so I decided not to bother as we'd paid less to fly to Tenerife which is a 4 hour flight. I just hope the days of cheap flights aren't over for good because of this current mess!

I'm just glad Ryanair sussed the Prague GP date this year and charged rip off prices for that weekend, hence me deciding not to bother. Otherwise it would have been even more money they owe me lol.

Yes I agree, I have nothing but admiration for what he has achieved and the sacrifices and work he has put in to achieve it. I'm certainly not a hater. It must be frustrating too when you're putting in the hard yards and your team mates aren't, I get that. He's right about fitness, no doubt. Look at Dave Norris. He spent most of his career playing at it then after cutting out the booze and getting himself fit he almost became a world beater till injury ended his career. I wonder what could have been if he'd done it earlier? There's been plenty of Aussies too though that have come here and lived the party life style without attracting Tai's criticism. It's his almost resentment of his heritage that doesn't sit comfortably with me. I understand though that after living surfboard lifestyle in the sun then moving to a caravan in Scunthorpe you might have a tainted view of the UK!

I'm very late to the party on this as I was saving the book for a holiday that never happened and have only just read it. I hadn't even seen this thread but thought I'd see what others had said and your post pretty much matched my thoughts after reading it. I think his stance is quite disrespectful to the British fans who support him. Apart from the sponsorship thing he'd do well to remember that it's unlikely that he'd have got his GP pick in the first place without his UK status. The heartbreak watching the Aussies pull on their race jackets was particularly disrespectful I thought. To me it's a bit like being told by your partner "I only married you for money and to further my career. I will still fulfill my obligations to you in a patronising way but it breaks my heart when I see my ex who I really love. I'm only being honest so you should be okay with that"

I see that all the time. I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they were doing drugs! It's sad but unfortunately public toilets are used for that as much as their intended purpose these days.

Looks like Ryanair have cottoned on to it this time. Flight prices from my local airport are double the normal price for the GP weekend next year

Err yes Thanks!

Just out of interest, how do you do that? I don't have a computer only a phone but whenever I try to put one it says content not allowed? That's the trouble with texting and social media all over though isn't it? Without the expression or emotion of speech things often get taken the wrong way.

I've been trying very hard to learn Spanish as I spend a lot of time in the Canaries and think it's rude not to make an effort. I can make myself understood and can understand a lot of written Spanish but when they speak back to me 19 to the dozen I'm totally out of my depth at the moment!

I was speaking to a Polish colleague about that and how they all seem to speak such good English while we struggle with other Languages. He put it down to the fact that they are exposed to English constantly from an early age in the form of films and popular music so it was easier for them to learn whereas we are not exposed to to foreign languages in mainstream media or entertainment.

Absolutely, yes it's pretty simple, that's never been in dispute and as I've said I dont really have a problem with it either tbh. It doesn't affect my enjoyment of the series in any way but I can see the flaw that BSI think might be hard to sell too hence my posts. The system the O.P says they are proposing certainly wouldn't be my preferred option anyway so yes, I'd rather they left it alone than did that.

But it's not armchair critics or the BSF in this case that are saying it's flawed is it? It's BSI hence the reason for the thread. The pros & cons of all the different formats have been discussed to death on different threads and like most topics we all have different opinions and agree to disagree. All I will say is that for all the examples you have stated of other sporting anomalies none have resulted in the person or team standing on the top step of the podium not being top of the official standings at the end of the event. You know more about darts than me but it's not about averages it's getting the shots out when under pressure and that's what makes a champion.

I don't think that the problem is seen to be it being beyond the wit of the the layperson to understand the system, it's more getting them to buy into the credibility of seeing a rider crowned GP winner but only being 3rd or 4th in the score chart. I agree that comparing sports is apples & pears but snooker was mentioned as a sport where the winner has not necessarily scored the most points which is true but as someone else pointed out the points don't count towards deciding the the championship like in the GP's. Imagine player 1 winning 18 frames to 16 in the world championship final but then after totting up their scores over the 34 frames player 2 was declared winner because he scored more points. For me the current system is neither one thing or the other. If it's about totting points then just declare the winner after 20 heats. If its about a grand final to decide a winner then use the knockout system and award points for places. It's not been an issue this year really and I think there was only one GP this year where the winner of the final didn't top score or equal top score but I still think the format lacks a bit of credibility.

I'm in the camp that thinks the winner of the final should take the spoils but It doesn't seem fair that a rider who has gone through the card unbeaten in one GP would take the same 21 points as someone who limped through on 7 or 8 in another GP. I'd tweak your idea and suggest that the semis and final are non scoring heats but the winner of the final gets 7 points (or whatever) added to their score. I don't have a major problem with the system as it is but I do think that that there should be a bigger reward for winning the GP. Obviously BSI think that it lacks credibility when the guy on the top step of the rostrum hasn't really won anything other than the last race which maybe hard to sell to a wider audience and I tend to agree.

I'll live with that as long as we get that Marcelina that Eurosport use for SEC in the pits ;-)

You beat me to it. That's not going to work in PL is it with TV etc. ? They have had a few meetings abandoned after delays taking them over the curfew haven't they?

Sorry I don't see the connection between the 3 posts and me not liking the choke term. I did say I didn't like it used to describe 'any' beaten team as I don't think any team chokes they just get beaten. God yes there are plenty of arrogant fans from all sides on this forum but I was referred to the team, not fans as Gavans post said a 'team' that celebrated like they were already in the final but even so, of course people will celebrate pulling out a 10 point win from a 12 point deficit, that's not arrogance is it?

Personally I dislike the term 'choke' being used to describe any team that's beaten. Nobody chokes, they are just beaten by the better team on the day. All the playoff teams are there on merit and nothing is guaranteed. I would suggest that most premier League riders, while some obviously more consistent than others, are capable of beating each other on the right night. I also don't get this 'arrogant' tag on Poole and I'm sure they didn't believe they were already in the final but if any team comes back from a 12 point deficit to win by 10 then they're going to celebrate aren't they? What would you expect them to do? As for the final I think Ipswich have every chance if their key men turn up. Danny King is capable of beating anyone on his day likewise Richard Lawson and we all know what Bombers about in play offs. I'm rooting for Ipswich anyway. I'd love to see them win on their return to the top flight and see the Brit's shine so good luck in the final Gav.

That's the only explanation that would justify last night's decisions for me but briefed by who and who has implemented this instruction if it's not in the rule book? To me the 4 back option is if the stoppage cannot be solely attributed to a single rider but in both similar instances last night I think it could so if discretion was made for the 1st one because of track conditions then consistency should be applied regardless of who's involved in the incident. In the 1st incident if you had to exclude someone it should have been Doyle but I agreed with the decision made. I thought it a little unsporting then that the Swindon riders were trying to get the two minutes put and get an exclusion when their rider caused the incident in the first place.

Not so much sold out as doubled in price for the day. It seems that they were just filling the gaps to completely fill the the almost full area between bends 3 & 4 with the cheaper tickets available on the day. The more sparsely populated upper tier blocks that were and are £25 for next year doubled on the day.

Exactly that. I've just watched it again and there were good passes. Wright, Emil and Madsen, spring to mind and few races if any were strung out so close racing if not passing. This is a top class field of riders of equal ability so none are going to be easy to pass whatever the track condition which I thought was pretty decent. A good increase in the crowd size this year too which suggests it ain't going away any time soon. I have no complaints and will be back next year for sure.

So it's really that simple is it?? If it is why don't they simply do that then? I've only just got home after a great weekend and am watching it again on TV now and it really isn't as bad as people are making out.

I tend to agree. I think my first meeting was 1972 and I attended all through the rest of the 70's. My dad always used to write notes against each heat in his programme and the word procession appeared quite a lot. Yes crowds and atmosphere were better but I don't think the racing was. Much like Cardiff the the atmosphere made the difference.