Grand Central

.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.

If the news from the South Coast' s premier news source is to believed then Darcy has got a sentence that includes a ten month ban. It is ALWAYS the case that bans if this type start from the beginning of his suspension. And completely right they do do. But the single most important point that a established is that the FIM Protocols governing the testing procedure MUST have been found to be in order. We should all be thankful for that.

In most of the other, rather similar, cases I have seen online it would appear that the rider has been given advance warning of the judgement prior to the public being told via an official FIM Press Release. I wonder if Darcy's rather enigmatic twitter post today would indicate that he has heard something of his fate? A ban extending into this coming season but not the whole year would seem likely, Would it not?

At some point in the past someone had the 'bright' idea of introducing the 'Like' button on forums such as this. Allowing people to express their agreement and acknowledge their 'likingness' of a post. Thereby not cluttering the whole board up with post after post just saying 'Spot-on', 'Yes' or 'LOL'. I think this forum could be helped by having two alternate buttons replacing the 'Like' button. Simply 'AGREE' or 'DISAGREE'. This may help maintain the level of discourse and temper on the board if all one did to register dissent was click DISAGREE. Instead of having to make that point time and again with the same posters who repeat 'disagreeable' points.

I think your memory may be playing the odd trick... or at least being very selective. Ivan Mauger actually had a very good attendance at Kings Lynn for most of his career. From 1966 to 1979 he missed just ONE single British League match for his club of the time - 13 out of 14 he WAS there. His missing match was in 1973 when he was on a 'strike' against starting procedures. In the same period of time he appeared in all of his clubs KO Cup fixtures at Kings Lynn and numerous Pride of the East, Supporters Trophy and Littlechild Trophy. It was only in 1980 and 1981 that he missed the two Hull BL fixtures at Kings Lynn; even then he did show up for the 1980 KO fixture. Kings Lynn fans cannot really say they were ever 'deprived' of seeing Ivan Mauger at his best because of any 'Saturdaynightitis' ... that pretty much for sure.

What'sa matta you, hey!