TheWellBehavedWorrall

That first paragraph is the thought process of someone with an inferiority complex and self-worth issues. We’re from Glesga, we don’t have either. If things are going sh*te, we let it be known.

This post appears littered with sarcasm, so I’m not quite sure whether it’s in agreement with me or in disagreement. Very cloak and dagger. The historical phrase of ”lies, damned lies and statistics”, I feel, is very much applicable to Steve Worrall. Like I said, you’re guaranteed at least seven or eight points from his first three riders in weaker heats, but come heats 13 and 15 - when meetings are won and lost - he’s lacking. I noticed it against us in the Play-Off Final and noted it in the KO Cup Final against Scunthorpe last season. Let’s use yesterday as a prime example. Eight from his first three rides; great. The meeting defining heat 13? He’s on the tail end of a 5-1 until Cook’s engine runs out of Nutella. Heat 15, an opportunity for Glasgow to secure the bonus point and even a draw on the day? He’s on the tail end of a 5-1.

I forgot to add - was there a reason for Cami Brown and Alan Dick darting off into the sunset about six seconds after Cook and Batchelor crossed the line in heat 15? I left immediately after the chequered flag was raised and they were in their car and off before I had even left the stadium. Of course, I hope everything is okay, but if so, I found it odd that the team manager would bolt so soon after a disappointing loss, including the bonus point. Add that to Harris’ “tantrum” after heat eleven and Starke’s jolly for a can, I can’t help but feel that not all is well in paradise.

Worrall is an odd one. He’s very much all fart, no sh*te. His performances are quite predictable; more often than not, he’ll give you seven or eight points from his first three rides, but when it matters most in heats 13 and 15, there’s little to nothing on offer. I noticed it in the Play-Off Final last season and although I didn’t see either meeting, his scores against Scunthorpe in the KO Cup Final reiterate that. In an ideal world, those struggles are compensated for with your third heat leaders and second strings, but unfortunately for us, neither Flint or Starke appear to bear any sort of form this season. Also, I know Worrall won the “super heat” last night, but that doesn’t count. I refuse to entertain such 90s MLS-like nonsense additions to meetings.

Flint. No brainer.

Yeah, I thought that was poor. It obviously wasn’t meant to be, but it was quite disrespectful to his mechanic. A large reason top level sportsmen are at the top is because of their composure. What caused it? Harris was worse in heats 13 and 15. Did he feel Starke got in his way exiting the fourth bend? The Cami Brown and Alan Dick departure was bizarre too. They were speeding away before I had even left the stadium and I didn’t hang around after the last heat.

Am I being unreasonable to imagine that a seriously under-performing rider’s team spot is at risk? Are we no longer talking about a competitive sport?

What do you mean?

An unnecessary, childish addition to the sport.

He didn’t pay for it; he clenched his fist and held it up to the little girl serving. She did nothing. Coward. On a serious note, I don’t know. Is it normal behaviour for a rider who hasn’t finished ahead of an adult male in any of his four races to venture in amongst the punters? Might be. Might not. Who knows?

Result-aside, that was a great meeting. Massive credit to Steve Lawson and Workington for creating a great track. I’m always reluctant to share these opinions because they risk their safety for our entertainment, so I’ll say this; if Glasgow Tigers’ management hold any ambitions of defending their title, Starke and Flint won’t be employees of the club for much longer. I might be looking into it too much, but Starke leaving the pits to grab a can from the burger van during the meeting, Harris’ rather petulant display of handing his bike over to his mechanic after heat eleven and the fact that Cami Brown and Alan Dick jumped in their car and exited the stadium before most fans suggests, if I was a conspiracy theorist, that all is not well with the reigning champions. Credit to Pearson and Pijper, though. I thought they gave a decent account of themselves, all things considered.

What’s the deal if I decide to drive down to Workington tomorrow in terms of tickets? Can I buy them online, or only at the gate? Do they take card?

What a meeting. Thank God I live in Glasgow, not Plymouth. It’s a blessing to see racing of that calibre. Pickering was frightening. Given how poor he was in heat one of the original rained off meeting (on the wrong end of a 5-1), that was an incredible performance. I take no pleasure in saying this, but that’s up there with the best visiting performance I’ve ever seen, anywhere. He earned every single win. Another underwhelming home performance though. Changes must be on the cards. It was an improvement from Worrall, but when it mattered (heats 13 and 15), he took one from a possible six. I can’t help but feel he owes us more after last week. Starke, wow. What’s going on? Outrageously poor. Flint too; his win in heat 12 flattered his points tally for the evening.

Fair enough. I appreciate the response and clarification, but retain my stance that it doesn’t represent variety. The coverage itself is great, so hopefully the next schedule will afford viewers a more diverse list.

@Gavan bringing a gun to a knife fight tonight. @bigcatdiary and @glenantony you wasn’t there.

Disappointing, but the footage of the rain shown by BSN renders the decision spot on. That means tonight’s meeting equals the number of passes as Saturday night at Plymouth.

Like I said, I understand and appreciate that every club must be represented equally: I don’t dispute that. I’m just curious as to why BSN are covering six meetings in sixteen days and despite their being sixteen clubs across the top two flights, Oxford and Plymouth are being visited five out of the six times. That’s not variety. What a bizarre thing to say. I’m almost astonished at how defensive people are getting about this topic. It’s as if criticism of Plymouth’s quality of racing is a personal insult.

Are you wearing an earpiece and being told what to say by Ant & Dec who are in a remote studio somewhere in London?

What age are you? ”Get off Plymouth’s back”, Jesus Christ. Perhaps my wording wasn’t accurate. My issue was around the variety during the first two weeks of May; the mention of quality was simply frustration at how poor the racing was at Plymouth. There are sixteen clubs (technically fifteen, given Oxford are represented twice) across the two divisions, so it’s odd for two cities to be visited five out of the six meetings that are being shown. I’m not doubting the fact that across the course of the season, all clubs will be televised equally.

BSN’s decision to return to Plymouth next week is disappointing. Not only because the quality of racing is atrocious, but where’s the variety? There’s six live meetings between the 1st and 16th of May; five of which are at either Oxford or Plymouth.

Just caught-up with this meeting on BSN and first of all, congratulations to Plymouth on a deserved win and the aggregate bonus point. However, that was a horrific advert for the sport. It reminded me of that car ride at theme parks where the vehicles are one behind the other on the one track. Plymouth fans won’t mind, of course, but I’m disappointed BSN are covering a second meeting there this month.

I’m afraid this debate appears to be between defined reality and your deluded utopia.

I think it’s naive to blame the referee here. I too would have preferred to see Harris and Cook going toe-to-toe in the opening heat, but what’s the referee guilty of? Implementing the rule book? In response to your first sentence, I paid to get in and was cheesed-off that Cook withdrew from the tapes as the other three were poised to begin. An entirely correct exclusion.

You could argue it was harsh on Cook, but he withdrew from the tapes and the rules are clear as day.

That was a huge win. Well done, Chris Harris. Unbelievable. The talk was of an on-form Craig Cook and rightly so, but to absolutely smoke him on three occasions was incredible. I said before the meeting that I hope to see Pearson, Flint and Starke make an impact, so I’m delighted to see two of the three do so. I’ve no words for Worrall. That’s outright criminal from a heat leader. It was a disgrace of a performance.