Grand Central

Only last night I was talking with the regulars down the pub. Oh how they laughed. And mocked. Speedway! Pah! What a stupid sport. As they all expressed outrage at the plight of Jason Bunyan. Meanwhile, in Wapping a meeting of Red Top editors shelved their plans for blanket speedway coverage. 'Jason Bunyan' was the only name on their lips. Sometimes it needs a keen mind to bring the true woes of the sport into proper perspective.

An excellent race from the Overseas Final at Odsal in 1985 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTfgY8pQ-uU

I'd say that wins the Gold Medal for Pedantry.

Does your wife know?

.Absolutely right, I could not agree more. The pieces on Bob Radford and Martin Yeates are superb. .

.Yes, perhaps it's just me. A bit over sensitive. But then I reacted badly when I saw the knife-wielding Jihadi John on the front page of the National newspapers last week. It may be the top story. But I'd just rather not offer them the glory. .

.Well, Phil gives him a paragraph or two of mild admonishment. It is not a spanking that would cause pain. Not even redden the cheeks. But beware, Muddio is actually given the 'Guest Columnist ' page this week. I kid you not. This weeks edition is the Surbiton version of a journalistic V-sign to their critics. "Everyone hates us. And we don't care."

Surprised to see the front cover of today's Speedway Star. A disgraced rider who has been recently banned by the sport's worldwide governing body. For failing an alcohol test. Featured in a full action photo at a Grand Prix. Just like some riders get when they have enjoyed a sweet and admirable victory. On track. Interesting moral standards some people have.

The smell of the onions would surely have been offset by the perfume?

The sentence given in last weeks statement was described as 'the operative part of the judgement'. I presume that is the sentence in totality. There is no fine imposed, there is no mention of the costs awarded, or not But most importantly there was the total absence of any 'suspended' element. Just the sort of thing that would help keep the poor simpleton on the straight and narrow. At least for a while.

Foolish, foolish boy. Four months spent in dignified silence. Planning for the future, making a few key decisions on matters that could really make a difference. Getting himself in the right frame of mind and getting his set up just right to hit the ground running in July. Putting all the pieces in place to make 2016 'his year'. It could have been the springboard for the rest of his career. But is he going to be stupid and fight a battle he has already lost? As I say. Foolish, Foolish Boy. If he does

The guy is class.

Goodness. I had no idea that the people at the Speedway Star hated Middleditch so much. That they were deliberately and actively putting the guy up for weekly ridicule. Actually wanting the whole world to 'make their own judgements' on a total imbecile without exercising some duty of care for the poor chap. That is just so cruel.

Thank goodness I have not bought a ticket for Cardiff yet. Perhaps this is something that BSI could 'nip-in-the-bud' PDQ. Just giving it out via the British Final could solve it easiest. But, then again Bomber is already in .... So anything is possible.

Er ... Where have you been for the last 24 hours? The verdict is in !

The Star is stuffed full of 'Opinion pieces' just about every week. Each of the Track Reviews has a separate section giving the partisan view of a fan, there is a page devoted to Readers letters, the 'Star Guest' Feature gives the view of a different guest columnist each week plus Question and answer sessions with riders in the 'Behind the Helmet feature'. All winter long we have had long features on various personalities of today and way back in the day. All chock full of opinion. Not just factual reporting. Most of the features requiring quotes and interviews to be sought out. And true journalism used to good effect. But on the Darcy Ward matter. Nothing of the sort. Just the Muddlo line. Week after Week.

A consistent feature of this debate has been the predilection for 'diversionary' chatter that takes away from the central issue. OK Ward should have been suspended from the first moment he failed the test. But he wasn't. When he was suspended ten days later. Ward actually appealed to avoid such action ahead of a hearing. This was rightly denied. He has now been judged fairly and properly. And banned for HIS misbehaviour. The judge says he must forfeit the gains made during those ten days of freedom. Damned right. Let's all just applaud the judge on getting the whole thing right. In the end. As someone once said. Rejoice! Rejoice! .

I haven't worked out the figures exactly ... but surely his GSA will go UP not down when those points are removed.

I think I have been extremely consistent and even-handed in expressing the total contempt I have had for the standard of journalism throughout this entire episode. Few if any of them come out of this with any professional integrity intact. They have served the sport poorly. And despite being, almost universally, in 'the Ward camp'. None of them did him any favours either.

Semantics! I think I've wandered into a Wittgenstein symposium.

Poor old Peter Oakes. Writing a load of old bunkum in The Daily Star. And no one told him.

Actually I do agree. But I think that in future you may find that any rider found in a similar position may be suspended indefinitely with immediate effect. That really is what should have happened here isn't it?

Which I imagine Mr Nilsson took into account. And judged wholly appropriate.

Seems fairly clear what is meant by that part of the judgement. In theory, at least. I imagine Darcy is busy, this very afternoon, writing out cheques to the various promotions that paid him for racing in those ten days.

Is a Cardiff wildcard impossible to imagine? Without vomitting.