g13webb

Pass me the book of Phone Numbers and CMA's, and I'll find someone...... This situation has been on the cards since Rory's accident..... It hasn't happened over night... It all very well looking for excuses, but points are more important than effort. Porsing has been to Lakeside before and should have known the set up, What about his team mates. We want riders who turn up ready to go, and machine sorted. Not to use races to get the bikes right. This could be done earlier....

In all due respects you knew what I meant about a 3 man team. It's not about what riders have achieved in the past ' its about what they do on the night. I except what you say about Lawson, he is riding well, but you managed to get a guest in Newman, we couldn't even do that...... Rory always goes well there but his RR only managed 3. I don't begrudge Lakeside winning, but everyone else turns them over, there will be a lot harder places for us to go and get a result. We should have done better.... Its unfortunate we have lost Rory. I have never been one to wallow in self pity. I can accept defeat, no problem. What I find hard to accept is not putting in the effort and not bothering...

Yet another result as one would expect. Why is it, only the fans can see the obvious. A 3 man team will win nothing. When Milik gets here, make that 4 but, bloody hell how much more time to we need. How much longer do we have to carry people like KB; NP and AM. To rub salt into the would we opt to use RR instead of Guests giving those inapt riders extra rides.. I won't except all this talk about no guest available, I'm sure if you looked hard enough you'll find one.... Anyone's better than RR.

Not wishing to dampen Lakeside joy of winning a meeting, but bloody hell, if you cant beat a 3 man team at home, then you must be pretty bad. Coupling to that decision in heat 14, you wonder what else would have happened, to ensure that result was forthcoming?? Having decided not to travel for obvious reasons, I am at a lost of the exclusion of Robert Lambert after he had won the race. It said on twitter, the reason he was disqualified was, he had no 'Dirt Deflector'.... Why was this? had it come off during the race??, had it been knocked off?? Was it off before the start of the race.?? Did someone complain?? What rules were broken?? Can't imagine this was an oversight from the Lambert / Stars crew ?? Why wasn't it picked up before the race.?? Who was the REF ?? So many questions and no answers... The last time we travelled to Lakeside to see fixture 1, it was surprising to see the incense hatred some of their fans held for Lambert, just because he was the new man on the block. When something like this happens you have to ponder the obvious. I suppose those pre-mentioned fans went home really ecstatic last night.....

Unfortunately, I don't share your enthusiasm. Last time we only won 3 races in a 51 - 39 defeat. I can't seeing this being as good.. Yes, you're right, I got PKS wrong, was looking at an old CMA sheet..... But being a good gater at Lakeside is essential.... And we don't have many good gaters....

Remembering Lakeside have lost 4 on the spin, this should be a place where we should score a point or two. Everyone else seem capable of winning there, but using RR instead of a decent guest is not the way to do it. How come we haven't a guest? Rory accident was a month ago. This fixture has been scheduled from the start of the season, Peter Karlsson would have been ideal.

My biggest fear is who's going to generate any enthusiasm and team spirit, now Rory's not there. We have nobody left who can do this. Niels is a nice bloke, but its not his way to go about geeing people up. KB and Porsing cant even motivate themselves some days let alone the team, Lewis is just a FTR , which only leaves Lambert. He is doing wonderfully well as it is, it would be wrong to install any more pressure on him in these tender years. Mads is the ideal candidate, someone known for his attitude if not his speed. What's makes Rory so special is, he watches every race, he always there to motivate, to see you out when you race, acknowledge a good performance. doing all the jobs a captain should do. Failure to get someone like Mads could be paramount to how this season ends up.

Feel the whole scene has died a natural death. Plain crazy to have a break from league racing when the weather is at its best. We weren't performing too good prior to Rory crash, but that seems to have killed everyone interest. If this season is going to be special, we need to make some changes. So disappointed with the attitude of some of the riders. We need people who want Lynn Stars to do well, if they can't be bothered why should we??? Big decision time for Buster. He has to change it. If he does nothing the season and the fans will drift away. Its not that we have to win the league, but we need to be in contention. The fans are kept in the dark and the information is so slow in being released. We ride at Lakeside tomorrow and we have had no build up at all. It was my intention to go and support the Stars, but not now...... Milik is an ideal makeshift replacement for Rory, but that alone is not enough........

FACTS? You wouldn't know what facts were if they slapped you in the face. Facts aren't opinions, they are precise details that all people recognise. Strange you talk about some, so-called facts and only mention those that highlights your opinion. So lets have a few more facts: 1. Greg Hancock is the most respected Speedway rider in the world. Not just in this country, but the World over. Be it fellow riders, fans or media. Nobody has a bad word to say about Greg Hancock. Having met him on numerous occasions he is the complete genuine person, a fantastic ambassador to everyone and everything, he is associated with. He is the sort of person who would make a perfect role model for people to imitate. 2. Nicki Pedersen, has a name of being Selfish, Dirty, Hard, rider. He cares for no one but himself. Someone who is always involved in controversy. On the riding circuit he has but a few friends, and supporters don't flock in their thousand to watch him. I saw at first hand the depths he is prepared to take to win when he Tee-Boned Kenneth Bjerre, (a fellow Dane) at the a televised meeting at the. EESG, a few years back. Even his home fans jeered in disbelief of his antics. He then, in response to the boos, rode round gestating to the crowd with his thump and fore finger. A real gentleman!!!!!. doing that in front of families and children. When Tatum and Pearson took him to task of his behaviour he just smiled and wasn't interested. Tatum actually said at the time it was probably the worst piece of dirty riding he had ever witnessed. No, I wasn't there at the meeting, but have seen 3 different recordings of the incident, all from different positions around the track, and each of those Pedersen is clearly at fault. In a race, when the meeting is all but over, Hancock was leading, when Pedersen, some distance adrift, straightened up on the corner and got good drive out. From the extra speed, Pedersen could've picked any line he wished. But getting to the front wasn't his prime aim. he wanted to interfere with Hancock's line forcing him to ease off or else. That all very well when you allow them the space to do that . but Pedersen's intended line said he wasn't taken any prisoners. The whole incident is dictated by Pederson forceful riding. There are too many accidents and people get hurt in the sport now, riders need to remember this. Had the positions been changed round there would've no accident because Hancock would haven't done that. Whether there was any contact, only them will know, but it was to close, difficult to see from each of them videos, but the movement of Hancock handlebars suggests there was. For a calm and placid man, the reaction from Hancock tells me he thought Pedersen had crossed that line. I don't condone Hancock's retaliation, but you have to realise it's them who put their life on the line. How anybody can justify Pedersen's behaviour is beyond me. Footnote: I am part of a syndicate who have a sweepstake at each SGP. We pick riders at the start of each year for the whole campaign. This year, my rider is NICKI PEDERSEN

No !!!!!! ...... The score will be level after 8 heats when the rain comes. In heat 9 Poole have 2 riders that fail to score, and in protest Poole refuse to ride in heat 10, knowing the meeting will be stopped. Then we will have 100's of pages of poster moaning a point of view. But contrary to the Coventry match, now the posters views are changed, and its the Poole fans who are moaning about the decisions.....

In preference to Hampel and Ljung? or don't they get one??.

Wonderful exhibition of the sport we love. I'm sure if all meetings were like that, the crowds would be flocking back. A track you could race on, Riders giving that extra yard, Mistakes by the bucket load, and controversy all the way. Brilliant........... Not even the use of that stupid Joker could spoil it.... Just one question though: If the teams were not allowed a 5th man as a reserve, Why at the presentations, were there 5 medals for each team???????

To answer the title of the thread, it would have to be John, to me by some distance. No disrespect to Chris but John was a bit special. Considering it was late to start riding, he achieved a great deal in the short time in the sport. Like it has been said the sport was different then. but quality is a bit like the cream in the milk, in that it always rises to the top. There are lots of differences in the sport, far too many to mention. But my No1. hate now is the CMA. Back in the days when all riders rode against similar opposition, their average was a direct indication of their ability, and the position they held in the team. The 3 heat leaders were say between 7.5 and 11, The second strings say 7 to 5 and the two reserves were 4 and below. There was a direct comparison between all the riders. Now the whole scenario is a joke with all riders CMA within 3 pts of each other. We have 2nd strings with higher average then HL, and Reserves, some even higher than that. Depending on the position they ride, the easier it is to score pts. It was mentioned John Louis average over 11, and that was exceptionally high. There weren't many with a 11 average. Trying to compare that with today you would place him in the top 2 or 3 riders. (Todays CMA, approx. High 8's or low 9's) Its all very well looking at relevant CMA for an indication of ability. but my evaluation comes from within. Having watch speedway for 50 yrs. I've seen some wonderful talented riders. All with their own merits. and make assessments on that basis. I find it difficult to know how people, who have followed the sport for only a few years, can cast opinions based on a few video clips. The sport has changed beyond recognition, Bike are faster, Times are quicker. It now played the world over. Is it better.... No not really........ The empty stadiums answers that question.... Do I still enjoy it........ Of cause I do...

Can you believe it, Even when another opportunity arose through Auty's injury, the BSPA still deny Lambert the opportunity to race in the British Final. Bet, if his name was 'Woffy' he'd been chosen. What's the point of having a Wild Card entry, when its not utilized. No doubt Rosco has annoyed the BSPA by selecting him for the SWC team...

Following the surprise of Sweden winning last night and Poles having to go through via the play-offs, it puts a different prospective on the Lynn meeting. My first thought were GB, closely followed by Australia. Even if the result was the other way round, I always felt the team that missed out would gain entry to the final by the back door. But that has all changed now, with Poles favourites to win the play-off. So, it's a 'must win' meeting now, which should make it even more exciting. A real : £hit or Bust meeting ... where the winner takes it all If we can't win this at home, we stand no chance away against the Poles......

So What?? A team of 5 riders, all of similar high ability, should make little difference. It was once thought of as a Team Manager duties to make changes.. With a 5th rider, there could be restraints on the number of rides they are allowed, but not to have cover is unbelievable for what ever reason. Just imagine, in those races of only three riders, one was excluded for tape infringement , we would have had, only 2 riders left to race.. How pathetic would that have been ???? The JOKER makes the sport a laughing stock. Seeing riders slow down to let other pass, as seen many times before, is contradictory to the whole essence of the sport. Is just me ? or has this sport lost all its common sense ???

Whoever makes these rules ??? A World Team Competition, The Top riders in the world, A Full House of fans, Television there to project the event to the world , AND. AND we have to watch 5 races with only three riders... Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.......... Its that unreal,. you couldn't make it up.... Thinking back, 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago, we always had reserves in as cover in these events. I've always thought the JOKERS are ridiculous, but Reserve Rider cover is essential.... as tonight proved....

I'm never been enthralled with GSI involvement with British Speedway, especially at league level. I fail to see their relevance in a sport that struggles financially to survive. To me GSI just another hand in the pot. The main issue I see from the scenario that the statement refers to, is the bit about the '48 hrs notice'. Speaking with personnel employed by Sky, to rig out the stadium on these outside broadcast, in readiness for a meeting would cost approx. £25K. The live show costs are additional to this. When a meeting is cancelled on the day, Sky still have that massive installation bill to find. So yes, in that instance 48 hrs notice is understandable. My query is: If the weather for a planned meeting was suspect, why cant the SKY transmission be cancelled and replaced by another in the future. BUT still give the Club the opportunity to still run that meeting IF the weather so allowed. Just because Sky, understandingly, wanted 48 hrs assurance of weather problems, doesn't mean the meeting can't be run?? Seems to me BSPA have handed over the sport, and now SKY and GSI hold all the Aces. Edit: Corrected.

I finding all these arguments quite unreal now, the way posters are going on about unsafe track and whose fault it was, is beyond belief. Up to heat 7, the scores were fairly even and the wet track riding as one would expect. In Heat 8, Everything changed when advantage fell into Poole's lap, thanks to an unchallenged 5-0. No, it wasn't Poole fault, they just excepted their good fortune. Of Coventry's problems, Garrity's off, was caused through his bad decision, not the weather. and if Danny King's bike had started, he would probably had won the race and the meeting would have continued, with no reference of unsafe track at all. He actually looked quite at home in his previous races. Would Havvy, or Middlo, complained after heat 8 had the sides been level. And in answer to that, I don't think either of them would. So this whole scenario was caused by the points situation at a particular time. Of cause the track was wet, but nothing new there. (See: 1977 World Final) Had the scores been level after that race, then no doubt, the meeting would have continued. So we ask ourselves, was the track really that bad....

Rightly or wrongly, I always speak as I find. Having seen KB many times, the highs and the lows. Sometimes, when suffering from lack of confidence. it can be perceived as a lack of effort. So always giving riders the benefit of doubt, I would have stuck up for him on that basis, Thinking, it looked different to what it actually was. So yes I would have voiced support for him.... Wednesday, sure opened my eyes. It was petulance of the extreme, He couldn't give a Damn..... That is what's unacceptable...... Give me someone, with less talent, but has 110% attitude, every time.

I am never too big to apologise when I'm wrong, but that was not the way your post read. I have always given the Injured riders the benefit of the doubt, and would have stuck up for Kenneth bearing in mind the problems he had suffered. Recently I had been pleased of the progress KB had made and felt he was recapturing some of his obvious talent. Not only was he gating more but was actually mixing it with other riders. So yes well pleased with his progress. Come, Wednesday at Poole, another side of his character came into play. Bearing in mind how his form had improved, I had high hopes of him performing well, in a match against the top contenders. After a poor first race from the dreaded gate 4, he was paired with Bomber on a tactical, trying to repair a 12 point deficit. Kenneth made a blinding start, and we all know what happened after that. He fought tooth and nail to keep Bomber behind him, effort, that any rider would have been proud off. My point is, In his next 2 races he again made both starts, and usually, that would have been enough for him to be away and gone. But he was quite happy to cruise around at the back with little or no effort applied. Not caring of the consequences to his team or the fans That's the bit that rankled me. It's got nothing to do with injuries, purely down to attitude...

Probably he feels he is too big and you have to pay for his opinion now. When he was on stage with sidekick Tatum at the Speedway 'Talk-in shows' recently, he seemed free and at home with his opinions then.. .... But then he was ample rewarded......

People like T and P will always be bias to their employers, if not they would be out of a job. So any questions asked of them, should bear that in mind

I made a personal pact a few weeks ago, never to respond to your posts, as you have this, nasty attitude, giving out an impression that you're superior to others. The allegation you make above is so totally wrong, it insults my integrity. Whether it is a genuine mistake on your behalf, I don't know, but never have I thought that, let alone say it. Winning to me is nice, but not that important. I am all for giving riders time to recapture their form. I have more patience than most, and always give the riders the benefit of any doubt. So to even suggest I said that above, is farcical. Nobody has been more supportive of Chris Holder than I. and am so pleased, he is now back riding to something like the standard we have associated with him. If you think I have said these things, then please spend some time and find any post, where I have rubbished riders recovering from injuries. I put it to you, you will have a long search. As with KB, I have always given him total support when other have crucified him. Remembering the rider he once was, I always felt he would get back to something like his old form. But I saw a different side to him in that Poole meeting. And like I commented in the original post, he didn't even try, and that to me is totally unacceptable.

Speaking with my son last Monday when watching this fixture, he said there would be more 'POSTS' on the forum, talking about it, than actual people who attended it. I replied, in jest, looking at the tele screen, they'll be more 'PAGES' on the subject than people there..... Now on page 50, I'm surprised to say, I think I was the nearest.... I wish more of these keyboard warriors would actually attend meeting more often....... Sure as hell the sport needs you there !!