TheReturn

I think it was a bit like Gollob in his early days when Boyce punched him. He does have a reputation, so most incidents he is involved in is perhaps nothing more than 50/50 in most cases but his reputation meant people put blame on him, people always think 'oh Nicki again, must be his fault'.

I suspect most riders are guilty of it multiple times per season when you consider how many races they all do, all over the world.

I would agree with that. Nicki does push it more than most, but the fact is most riders are guilty, with the odd exception of Greg who does not know how to pass (joke). So all the other riders slagging Nicki off I find incredible.

Indeed, and many of the same people who slag off Nicki for his hard racing, seem to think Darcy is 'little Mr Innocent' who is misunderstood and should be given a break.

Judging by those that post on riders Twitter feeds, 'sheep' would be a good word for many.

You are joking? That's not a good example to prove Nicki is worse than others. Nicki did nothing worse than what Zagar did to him on that second bend, if anything Zagar is flipping is wheel at Nicki more from the end of the first straight throughout the race!

Well blow me, my understanding of the term fencing was wrong all these years, I was of the opinion it meant take a rider wider and wider leaving them no room and no time to shut off. Or maybe I was right and someone is just back tracking on their earlier comment.

There is another more relevant post somewhere on the thread that tells a different story.

FFS this is hard work... this is a forum, by definition what we write is 99% based on our own opinion. Would you like me to write (IMO) after everything I write? Would that satisfy you?

Yes, we got off topic a little bit with crashes, but the SWC is a good example of exciting racing, riders throwing their bikes at each other, hard riding with reputations ignored, and like someone else pointed out on the thread, Greg could not handle it, being overtaken (as was Nicki). That event was widely deemed one of the best ever meetings seen for many years, we got lucky with so few crashes despite the hard racing but I would suggest some of those moves in the SWC were far harder than what Nicki did to Greg, and people loved the meeting.

I would agree with all of those except Leigh Adams.

You really are clutching at straws now. Would the words 'video best seller' by the production company not suggest a fact that people do like looking at crashes?

Fair enough you don't. but I would hazard a guess many do, if that was not the case then for years the Crashes and Cock Up video would not have been a video best seller!

Nobody wants injuries, but deep down I think fans do like to see crashes. Yes it is perverse, but deep down we like the thrill of it (provided they all get up).

If you had 16 riders like Greg in every GP would you be excited? I know I wouldn't. If there were 16 riders like Nicki in every GP, who to borrow Pearson's saying 'throwing their bikes at each other', would you not be excited to see what happens? I know I would.

I doubt it, he will be too busy looking at his World Championship trophy's. I doubt many top sportsman give two hoots about how their rivals viewed them. Look at Lewis in F1, I get the impression he is not the most popular F1 driver but I don't think it bothers him at all.

It amazes me he is equally completely exonerated for his actions by the vast majority. What he did post race and 24 hours is unprofessional and yet the vast majority seem happy to let him go unpunished and instead put the blame on the other rider.

Don't you know, it's all Nicki's fault... apparently. I was not planning to go to Cardiff due to my own impending John o Groats to Lands's End cycle ride, but I am tempted to go simply to cheer loudly for Nicki, even if I am the only one doing so!

Which I think is the point the other poster was making, which you challenged. I agree, you have to be careful what you pass on, but information of the nature posted on the forum MUST be passed on to the relevant authorities, especially in light of what's happened to nip this in the bud. No. I respect people's right to an opinion. I reserve the right to disrespect the actual opinion.

It doesn't mean that person is always right, or all of his/her opinions should be automatically respected. Anyway, in this case any inside information appears to have been kept to himself, not shared with the forum, which is fine if that information is being passed on to the relevant authorities so ALL riders can be warned about their conduct for the safety of ALL riders. But is it?

Right, so let me get this crystal clear so there is no confusion, and I am understanding your logic correctly. You are saying that Hancock acting demented, acting with violence by throwing himself at Nicki's neck is ok, because Nicki should have been expecting it?

Hardly, Nicki was riding (slowly) around the track to see hanCOCK running towards him, I was not expecting him to hurl himself around Nicki's neck, I assume NIcki was not either. The only time Nicki could defend himself was after Hancock had dragged him off his bike, that's why Hancock's statement about 'self-defence' is laughable. I agree its box office that will help BSI sell tickets, I am not sure it helps speedway beyond that. The reason to have banned Hancock is because next time Nicki is involved in a crash, it is deemed acceptable to attack him now Hancock seems to have escaped real punishment.

But with respect, that is exactly the point I am making about the statement, it's childish 'he did this, he did that' as some lame excuse for Greg's actions. Until this week I always thought of Greg to be ultimate professional, the sports Mr Nice Guy, but not anymore.

But I don't believe for one minute he deliberately sets out to hurt another rider. I wholeheartedly accept he rides to the limit, and beyond a lot, but then so do many other riders, Emil does, for a long time Gollob would too. Greg left a big gap, Nicki went through and kept the throttle open and track space got narrower and narrower. Racing accident, Nicki excluded (I will perhaps agree right decision) and that's the end of it. What Hancock did subsequently is what is deliberate and unacceptable and I am sick to the back teeth of sycophants excusing it because the recipient was NIcki. Again I come back to a point I made earlier in the thread, take the who away and focus on the what, would everyone still be defending the actions of the rider hitting out and making stupid personal statements if the rider on the receiving end of the leaping neck tackle say someone 'nice' like Tai?

How old are you? The only bullying I can see is of Greg and 'unnamed riders' making accusations about Nicki. I wouldn't throw myself at another person's neck no. If someone rammed me off my bike (road bike) I would make the required hand gesture and simply hand the handlebar camera footage over to the police. What Greg did on track was wrong, but I can understand the heat of the moment stuff, but how does that explain the pathetic statement 24 hours later?