arnieg

Was intrigued by this one as I didn't recognise the name. Alternative spelling 'Chaljavin' rode in 1978 European Junior championship as well but was eliminated at Semi Final stage. Appeared in USSR National Championship Finals in 1977 and 1979 and USSR Junior Championship finals 1975 and 1976 (4th). (Also won semi final in 1978 but doesn't appear in Final.) Russian Championship: 1979 3rd, 1980 6th So I think he exists but it looks as if he disappeared from the scene most of this comes from: http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/wyniki.php

But true baseball fans ignore batting average - they place much more weight on OBP or slugging percentage. Then if you get into Bill James or Nate Silver territory it's all about the WARP these days.

The difference is merely presentational. What makes a substantive difference is whether they are cumulative or rolling, and if rolling how many matches are included. There is also a debate to be had over what should be included (programmed rides only? reserve races? bonus points?). I'm quite attracted to the formula used by the PZM in Poland a few years ago. Take last twelve matches, discard results of reserve races and remove two lowest and two highest scores, then calculate average on remainder. Would make average manipulation more difficult (Swindon, Eastbourne I'm looking at you).

Nonsense Wolves are over two points below the limit. It is economics that means Wolves do not have a better rider at number one.

Ages at 1 January before season started for their nine regular riders: David Housley 19 Freddie Stephenson. 18 Paul Clews. 17 Ross Brady. 15 Darren Smith 15 Carl Wilkinson 15 Ollie Allen 14 David Howe 14 Simon Stead 14 Peterborough Thundercats 1997 Not surprisingly they won the league... and I think that Birmingham may well emulate them in that respect. I liked what I saw of Hume and Bacon last year and JPB and Smith should be the pick of the league's three pointers.

But it still isn't true.

You do Larsen a disservice. He out averaged Jepsen Jensen by two points a match in Poland and finished above Kildemand, Iversen, Doyle, Zagar and Holder in the Polish Extraliga averages.

Waiting with baited breath for the much discussed 1983. I suggest that you write this up as a series of articles for speedwayplus

Unless you are a Cradley fan, watching them win 60-30 doesn't sound that exciting. Whereas watching the rather indifferent looking Wolves lineup could result in several tight matches and last heat deciders. Deffo Wolves for the better speedway in 2016.

Completely untrue I can name a team that had six yes six riders younger than the entire Birmingham team bar Jack Parkinson Black (and the other three members of their squad were all under 20 - unlike four members of the 2016 Brummies team)

It's a philosophy that predates Matt Ford. On more than one ocassion I bumped in to Mike Golding while watching speedway abroad - never spotted any other British promoter at a foreign meeting.

Yes - I liked falcace's post because it neatly illustrated the racism inherent in the preceding post. It is profoundly depressing that in the 21st century there are people who seem to think that we should market speedway as "the place where it is OK to be a bit racist"

What makes this even more puzzling is that there hasn't been a peep out of any other team. One would have expected some announcements from Poole given their large asset base, and Ricky Wells would seem an obvious addition to a Wolves squad and I'm sure forum members can come up with other suggestions. A simple three paragraph media release from the BSPA would help us make sense of this.

But are Grajczonek and Tungate? There are three DSL matches that night, including Munkebo (Grajczonek) and Slangerup (Tungate)

Seems difficult to imagine, but ignore the Russian League - it only has three teams and Emil has only made three appearances in the last three years.

Think you'll be waiting some time before his average gets near Klindt. It's not a signing to get me excited. There are a lot of better Danish prospects, unfortunately most of them have ridden in the DSL making their assessed average 7.00 whereas Karger comes in at 5.00. At best an OK signing, if it is for the long term.

Pick from:Jonas Jeppesen Jonas Jensen Jason Jorgensen Kenni Nissen

Presumably because it is not within the guidelines of the new 'secret rule' we are not being told about.

Here is what wiki says on the 'Stainless Flag' - the intermediate design between the original confederate flag and the 'battle flag of the army of North virginia (as per Pirate Nick's post.). This was the first one with the iconic design During the solicitation for a second Confederate national flag, there were many different types of designs that were proposed, nearly all making use of the battle flag, which by 1863 had become well-known and popular among those living in the Confederacy. The new design was specified by the Confederate Congress to be a white field "with the union (now used as the battle flag) to be a square of two-thirds the width of the flag, having the ground red; thereupon a broad saltire of blue, bordered with white, and emblazoned with mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States."[20] The flag is also known as "the Stainless Banner" and was designed by William T. Thompson, a newspaper editor and writer based in Savannah, Georgia, with assistance from William Ross Postell, a Confederate blockade runner.[1][2][4][5][6][7] The nickname "stainless" referred to the pure white field which took up a large part of the flag's design, although W.T. Thompson, the flag's designer, referred to his design as "The White Man's Flag".[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] In referring to the white field that comprised a large part of the flag's design elements, Thompson stated that its color symbolized the "supremacy of the white man":[8][9][10] Second national flag (May 1, 1863 – March 4, 1865[19]), 2:1 ratio Second national flag, also used as the Confederate navy's ensign, 1.5:1 ratio As a people we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause.— William T. Thompson, Daily Morning News, (April 23, 1863)[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][21] The official Confederate flag act of 1864 did not, however, formally state what the white-colored field officially symbolized and thus, many Confederates at the time offered various interpretations. The Confederate Congress debated whether the white field should have a blue stripe and whether it should be bordered in red. As the flag's designer, W.T. Thompson opposed adding any such additional elements to the white field, feeling it would compromise his intended design.[1][2][4][5][6][7][9][10] William Miles delivered a speech supporting the simple white design that was eventually approved. He argued that the battle flag must be used, but for a national flag it was necessary to emblazon it, but as simply as possible, with a plain white field.[22] In May 1863, when Thompson discovered that his design had been chosen by the Confederate Congress to become the Confederacy's next national flag, he was content. He praised his design as symbolizing the Confederacy's ideology and its cause of "a superior race," as well as for bearing little resemblance to the U.S. flag, which he called the "infamous banner of the Yankee vandals." Writing for Savannah's Daily Morning News, Thompson stated: As a national emblem, it is significant of our higher cause, the cause of a superior race, and a higher civilization contending against ignorance, infidelity, and barbarism. Another merit in the new flag is, that it bears no resemblance to the now infamous banner of the Yankee vandals.— William T. Thompson, Daily Morning News, (May 4, 1863)[1][2][4][5][6][7][9][10] The flags that were actually produced by the Richmond Clothing Depot used the 1.5:1 ratio adopted for the Confederate navy's battle ensign, rather than the official 2:1 ratio.[11] Initial reaction to the second national flag was favorable, but over time it became criticized for being "too white." The Columbia-based Daily South Carolinian observed that it was essentially a battle flag upon a flag of truce and might send a mixed message. Military officers also voiced complaints about the flag being too white, for various reasons, such as the danger of being mistaken for a flag of truce, especially on naval ships, and that it was too easily soiled.[13] Addressing these concerns, the flag's designer, W.T. Thompson, stated that the battle cross in the canton was sufficient enough to distinguish the flag from that of one of truce and that adding any additional elements would make the flag look too much like the U.S. one, which he scornfully referred to as "the Yankee flag."[4][5][6][7][9][10] Despite these complaints, the second national flag was applauded by some for its design invoking Confederate ideology. George William Bagby praised the flag, referring to the saltire in the flag's canton as the "Southern Cross," as did others at the time, and stating that it embodied "the destiny of the Southern master and his African slave", expressing the desire that some Confederates held of spreading slavery into Latin America.[3]

His Elite League GSA is 7.23, so he may not even be eligible. If he is I'm guessing on a 1.4 conversion factor (based on discussion elsewhere of Peter Karlsson's PL converted average) which would come out as 10.12. So short of dropping Kennett - no way.

What about Denmark a much greater percentage of their matches (40%) are on Fridays.

What like Mike Parker?

Today's Speedway Star, referring to Swiders as Lakeside's number 5 tends to back up E I Addio's hypothesis that we are only looking at job sharing for double uppers so Liam may be disappointed. Can we please please please have a straight forward statement from the BSPA outlining this change Is it really too much to ask?

Take your tin hat off. Do you really think the BSPA have set up a panel of promoters vetting each fan applying? Given the location (clearly a matter of convenience for the BSPA) I would expect the majority of fans attending to be from Coventry or Leicester - neither groups are likely to be particularly compliant at the moment. I think there are benefits to a smaller rather than a larger group - it makes it easier to have a constructive dialogue. A thousand people shouting at the BSPA would only prove the point of view that it is impossible to have a discussion with speedway supporters. I do think Kirkylane's suggestion is an excellent one.

Vladivostok!