Grand Central

Well quite. Hence my final para. i can't think they will come out of the weekend being anyless dogmatic or more conciliatory. Third place AND losing to Russia over what they could see as a dodgy refereeing decision on the start of the semi. Won't go down well.

While that could have some validity I don't think that the good people of Manchester or Germany would have given much credence to the ramblings of random folk like me on platforms like this to influence them. And this was well balanced by people with most readers ... Phil Chard, Paul Burbidge et al who never gave anything other than a positive spin to the SON wherever possible. No I think they were very capable of deciding for themselves that what was being offered in the qualifiers was a bit of a Turkey. And at first glance the finals had so many things against them that many would have seen the wisdom in not gambling their money until they had seen just how it worked out. They may have a different view now we have seen a great final.. But if anyone was feeling Poland were being picked on before ... Then only getting third place will seem like their paranoia was vindicated. So who knows how they will respond now.

Mind you, these were not just 'perceived' attempts to stop them winning dreamt up by particularly over sensitive Poles. This had been most informed people's (correct) opinion worldwide since the idea of a SWC replacement was first mooted. You are not being paranoid if folk really ARE out to get you. But whether this was REALLY the reason why thousands upon thousands of individual Poles did not attend ... I somewhat doubt that will be the case. It still remains the truth that ahead of the events the public was not won over by what seemed a very dubious competition . This was true in England, Germany AND Poland. In fact there was not a place on earth that could have got a good crowd for it especially at the prices being charged. The real blame still lies with BSI and the FIM Now the final was seen to be so brilliant things may be very different next time. The superb action provided by the riders ... that has saved so many people from having to do a lot more explaining of their failures in strategy and organisation. Armando and Torben should go down on bended knee to ALL the riders for that.

Even on those subjects it is rare to find any rider who gives ANY meaningful insight in an interview. This is true in most sports when there is time to fill... Shove in an interview. It's usually pointless. Either the interviewer used is poor and their questions facile or the subject is poor and what they have to say is of no assistance to the viewer either.

Yes you were thinking of B& J. They were one of those fairly amateur video companies of the late eighties that produced track videos of varying quality. KM Video were producing much more professional videos from major meetings and around the tracks much earlier. I believe they supplied the cable and satelite stations with speedway in that era. Rob Mc can give us all the information.

No. You've got the wrong company entirely.

Yes. Today and Yesterday this exact scenario was being discussed at length here. Millik got it wrong on Tuesday. and Tai got it wrong tonight. It doesnt make him a villain and it doesn't detract from everything else he did. He is a Hero. That was established well before the last race. But surely we can still say. He got that one wrong ?

Why? What would be the point?

Oh for goodness sake! I've been saying that for months. But this week. Today. Tonight. The only rules that matter are the ones we have been given. Those should have been 'used' to give us a chance. Not moan about them 'being wrong'.

Not at all. You're just not thinking clearly I'm afraid. Setting out to do EVERYTHING to 'get' Emil last was the ONLY way to win. Winning The race was NEVER going to win the meeting. Throwing the kitchen sink at Emil would have given them a chance.

Oh dear Not much to work with here, if that is your defeatist thinking

He just got the tactics WRONG. Is he now above ANY criticism?

Not easy. Just the ONLY thing that could ever get the win

Drop back and help him ... That was the ONLY thing to do.

I don't understand those tactics at all. Let Laguta go and muck up emil. It was Millik all over again. Stupid.

Not sure she has grasped an awful lot about the sport> TV people are a funny lot ... finals are so important despite the fact that they render many of the earlier heats redundant and birds are chosen for interviews because of their ... brains?

Now, is anyone going to call for Cook to be brought in !!! What's the betting with Roscoe ?

Well you're half right.

So on the whole still a pairs meeting very similar to this and to the World Pairs of old. Just without the daft stuff added on top. Not sure myself. As someone else has just said. The lack of public engagement with this type of format should be factored into the thoughts strongly. World Championships in empty stadiums dont make much sense just because some folk at the FIM have such dogmatic ideas.

Really? ... what are you thinking that would be?

Yes, I had to laugh when Peter Oakes wrote this week in the Star that the SON was not the biggest event in Manchester on Tuesday. Surprise surprise. As The Rolling Stones were playing at Old Trafford ! As if it were a close second ... I imagine Wetherspoons saw more patrons than the NSS.

And no one would say otherwise. But WHEN Tai is THREE times world individual champion. That would trump it. I reckon.

Quite possibly. If they can pull it off tonight AND with Tai looking like this could easily be another World Championship winning year ... surely the idea that he be called the greatest British rider ever is actually just around the corner ?

Winning just makes everything look different. Getting to the final is still going to be tough. So this incredible score will give them such a good chance tomorrow. They still may be the ones that benefit from having a final. If they do get there we do know they have it in them to do it. Fingers crossed.

Now this IS looking good