Grand Central

Thanks for that extra info. I thought it would be likely that the commentary just continued. So why the hell do they employ Carter the Clown at all?

It is a strange thing about the world feed though isn't it. I understand that Kelv and Nige will need to take a pee at some point; and that the various ad breaks and extras that broadcasters may insert require that break. But when we return to the commentary pair it is never them saying 'welcome back' or anything. Instead we seem to meet them mid conversation, almost. As if the feed has been running already. The feed is not created by BSI, it is a production company employed by them and the facilities are different at each GP depending on who is the host broadcaster. I just wonder why the feed providers don't get (say) Steve Brandon to fill in with his own bit or provide a few more interviews (perhaps in pre recorded packages) for use by the feed-users. There are so many other people to talk to who could add insight - tuners, managers, officials etc - yet we only ever get repetitive rider interviews. Just mentioning Steve Brandon, I know only a little about the guy from his interviewing and that he is the floor manager but he does seem a very under-used resource by the TV people. He does have an encyclopedic knowledge of the GP stats and knows everybody and everyone. on the GP scene Why are we always trying to get a TV person who knows nothing when there is one on the spot who knows so much?

One of the most significant gains is that they have allowed the use of the word 'fab' in Speedway circles for the first time in decades. Not since Garry Middleton bought a new suit in Carnaby Street back in 1967 has the sport had anything as fab and groovy.

This is a new one. The coverage is too long! The GP programmes start 12 minutes before the first race to show the parade and it finishes immediately after he podium presentations. They cover the 3 hour event in a 3 hour programme The League matches are from 7.30 to 9.30. They cover a 2 hour meeting in a 2 hour programme. It is LIVE. I'm at a complete loss.

Keeping a pile of shale under a tarpaulin with the pile in a sort of pyramid shape is, of course, blindingly obvious. It was the way in which this was 'revealed' in Cardiff week that was so comical. Along with the much vaunted 'control' and 'monitoring'. That so surprisingly turned out to be not worth a row of beans. To have put so much belief in it was so quaint. .

Last three years we found it best to bide our time. Got better deals from top hotels in the last week than by booking so far in advance. Really good deal at The Hilton this year.

Why not? Is that not what ships are for? Then they would arrange it into a pyramid shape and keep it at their state-of-the-art, climate controlled facility in Wales between each years event. Surely that is foolproof.

I think someone has staggered into the wrong thread. The direction of the 'anti-BSI ranting section' is clearly signposted. As you well know.

Well that's my attempt at trying to garner a consensus up the spout. Your Earl Grey is my Lapsang Souchong.

It is a little bizarre how so many people are arguing so much about so little. The pictures and commentary are from the world feed. So totally the same from Sky or Eurosport. The only difference in content is that Eurosport have covered from Parade through to presentations which most people prefer. Eurosport have had the Carter Clown as voice over. He knows nothing and talks gibberish. Sky had Heuwen and The Muppets in the studio. He knew nothing and they talked gibberish. All we actually need is a chap who knows something and can speak in a fluent manner on Eurosport. And then we'd all be happy. I think.

Not missed. Just misunderstood. You did say mainly, that is true. But it seems that you really meant 'ONLY where it makes my point,' 'Disregard all other information and make no other inferences of your own. You must work by my rules.'

But it would also make the job of a Manager choosing obsolete. And Harris would have to be dropped in favour of King, by the same logic. .

Middleditch has said that it was a 'hard call' to pick Kennett. I bet. Imagine how much easier it would have been if he had been riding well enough. .

It certainly would be unusual for a broacaster to choose to have a female interviewer 'not in shot'. Which is strange as they must all have been employed for their skills not just their looks.

Sorry, trying to edit my post on the likely identity of Tony Carter's famous Speedway Dad and managed to lose it. Starting again ... The only two Carter's I can come up with are ROB CARTER from the early eighties in the North and the Peterborough stalwart of the seventies ROY CARTER. The photos I've seen of Tony Carter seem to show him to be a fair ringer for Rob Carter but any son of Rob Carter could not have been around early enough to have memories of the seventies. At first I was convinced that ROB was the man but now I don't see how he could be.... So ROY CARTER may be the one and this would tie in with Tony's long association with MCN in Kettering. I stand to be corrected again. I've corrected myself more than once already. .

Your genuflection is understandable. Though not creditable. .

Here is a whole load of tosh about him http://www.paddockch...ke-passion.html (sorry already posted) How about a competition to find out the famous Dad? He looks, what, thirty something? So his Dad must have been riding back in the early eighties? What is that accent, where in the country? And he's ginger.

Oh Really! SS must have the phone number of every promoter current and past and every rider current and past. You must have friendly relations with people from every rank of the Speedway community from Sponsors, to creditors; from referees to track staff. And you are telling me that you do not have the journalistic ability in Surbiton to come up with more important detail to inform the debate than me. Give any of those people half a shandy and they would spill all sorts of beans.

Journalism. That is all.

Apparently the GP is in 'Wonderful, Wonderful Moldow'.

Absolutely. 1p.

The strongest GP Line up for years. Probably the weakest line up of referees for years.

Absolutely right. Many people have written almost exactly the same as Philip Rising has done. Some more articulately. With the resources available to SS one would have expected a whole lot more.

I see that tickets bought in advance for the Kings Lynn SWC Round are £15. This seems just about right. It would not be unreasonable to expect a league match to cost a few quid less. But not more.

You are quite correct. No one here has ever suggested such a thing. But some sports pay a lot of attention to the music. To enhance the experience. Speedway does not. That's all.