Guest holly Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Was the British team I saw last night the same team as I saw last Thursday? What a difference, hardly any of our riders managed to gate in the top four and if they did then they soon went backwards. I herd excuses, like the track was full of ruts and the sun dazzled, while I except that that was the case, it was the case for ALL RIDERS, it just seems everyone else and their dog adapted better. As for our Guys riding hard and really trying, just how hard must you try to come last! I just hope the cause was not to much celebration for a good result on Thursday night, still on a brighter note the Auzzies did not win, congratulations to the Swedes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SammyR Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 still on a brighter note tha Auzzies did not win Can't understand the thinking here.Wouldn't Britain love to have riders of the calibre of Crump, Adams and Sullivan? (three of the top riders in the world). Sam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SammyR Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 oooooooops, got my quote back to front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 I don't think we will be very popular saying anything against the British riders, but the real test was always going to be when they met the "big boys". It seemed to me, with a couple of exceptions, that they didn't want to mix it on the first bend, but were happy to hang back and see what happened and whether there would be an opportunity to come through after the rest had sorted themselves out. Unfortunately often it didn't arise. Anyway, congratulations to Sweden who rode their hearts out without top man Tony Rickardsson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 I don't think we will be very popular saying anything against the British riders, but the real test was always going to be when they met the "big boys". It seemed to me, with a couple of exceptions, that they didn't want to mix it on the first bend, but were happy to hang back and see what happened and whether there would be an opportunity to come through after the rest had sorted themselves out. Unfortunately often it didn't arise. Too true Gemini, its easy to beat a rag tag collection of russians and slovenians, but come the big test all bar Nicholls flopped badly as predicted. How anyone can claim making the final was a big deal is amazing, even the team Team England put out should have made the final with ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Witch Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Said in true Dekker style but careful Dexx did I catch something close to praise aimed at Scotty :?: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Hmmm it could be seen as that, better edit it quick LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehammer Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 I don't think we will be very popular saying anything against the British riders, but the real test was always going to be when they met the "big boys". It seemed to me, with a couple of exceptions, that they didn't want to mix it on the first bend, but were happy to hang back and see what happened and whether there would be an opportunity to come through after the rest had sorted themselves out. Unfortunately often it didn't arise. Too true Gemini, its easy to beat a rag tag collection of russians and slovenians, but come the big test all bar Nicholls flopped badly as predicted. How anyone can claim making the final was a big deal is amazing, even the team Team England put out should have made the final with ease. Considering he probably isn't such a classified Intrenational David Norris kept battling away as well don't forget............ I was impressed by his attitude, if not some of the others....... I won't mention names Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Andrew- Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Well said Dekker and Gemini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylor Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 .............., but the real test was always going to be when they met the "big boys". Too true Gemini, its easy to beat a rag tag collection of russians and slovenians, but come the big test ................. But...............on a good track, didn't the exact same team already beat the Swedes and run the Aussies a very close second!! Ok, we finished 5th on the night but from the tone of your posts you'd think we'd been outclassed. A week ago many of us would have given our right arm to be in the final with a chance of a podium. We only missed it by 10 points. If your team lost to Poole or the Isle of Wight by just 10 points you wouldn't feel as if you'd been outclassed would you? It will come. No-one would deny that we have a manager who has proved that he can get the best out of any rider.......and they love him for it!! So do we. Well done Team GB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 A week ago many of us would have given our right arm to be in the final with a chance of a podium. Thats the difference, the spot in the final was likely even with the weakened team, but to get carried away with beating the minnows was the wrong attitude. The final showed that reality hurts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylor Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 A week ago many of us would have given our right arm to be in the final with a chance of a podium. Thats the difference, the spot in the final was likely even with the weakened team, but to get carried away with beating the minnows was the wrong attitude. The final showed that reality hurts. But Dekker, my point was we didn't only beat the minnows, on a good track we beat the Swedes................the World Champions We didn't only beat them............we beat them by 17 points in the same meeting as we beat the Czechs by 19 points. Now no-one would call those 2 teams minnows would they???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 But who are the champs and who were the also rans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 I get really annoyed with the attitude of some sports fans (any sport or event) that when things are going well, they are right behind their team/individual but when things start going wrong are the first ones to say what a bad team we have. We have to remember that we were not expected to get into the final, we beat Sweden in the race off, we ran Australia very close before that. There were other riders there that did not live up to expectations but we don't seem to be having a go at them. We also have to remember that two of our riders had no international experience before this and rode out of their boots in the first two rounds (and Norris kept that up in the final). All in all, I think team GB exceeded our expectations. Sorry I couldn't stay on the fence about this, I'm usually the one that takes the middle line and mediates to keep the peace but it riles me so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylor Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 But who are the champs and who were the also rans. The minnows??? The Aussies, Danes, Poles, Brits, Czechs, Finns.......................... We're in good company!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekker Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 I get really annoyed with the attitude of some sports fans (any sport or event) that when things are going well, they are right behind their team/individual but when things start going wrong are the first ones to say what a bad team we have. Err dont think we ended up in a position that wasnt expected, we made the final but were beaten by better riders. But the loss is that the likes of Norris will not be around for much longer, we could ahve taken some kids along for the experience and still finished in the same place. Look at sweden they took the likes of Ljung and didnt waste time with the likes of danno and FWC andersem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysue Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 At the start, quite a lot were saying we would be lucky or it would be a miracle if we reached the final (something we have not done for 2 years) so we did reach a better that expected position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brightonbob Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 While some habitual moaners will come out, the vast majority of people believe Team GB did a great job and exceded expectations. It was great while it lasted and on a different night, who knows? Thing is they got there. World Cup Finalists. Lets say that again shall we?..... World Cup Finalists. Ahhhh, thats better. Teams on paper are all very well (tell that to Belle Vue fan!) in the end you need spirit and guts - and yes, a little luck. Taking the kids would have been a disaster - I wouldn't fancy sending a pumped up Edward Kennett out on that Vojens track with four others riders thanks very much. A few just couldn't wait to knock. They predicted disaster and they were wrong. Shame on you and, well, get a life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 While some habitual moaners will come out... I hope you are not classing me as a habitual moaner! And Holly only joined today so she can't be classed as one presumably. I thought twice about answering her post - in fact I came back a couple of hours later to remove it but by then there had been replies quoting it. The trouble is if you give an opinion on this forum which is different to others you get pounced on and told to "get a life" or worse. I can't see anything terribly wrong with my post - doesn't sound like moaning to me - just stating my opinion of the Final. I expected Britain to come last beforehand and sadly they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupus Posted August 10, 2003 Report Share Posted August 10, 2003 Trouble is, with one or two exceptions, this forum seems to subscribe to the 'British' disease - ie 'we didn't win, but hey, we tried hard!!!' No-one is arguing that GB did better in the qualifiers than was expected but when the going got tough - well we might as well have packed our bikes away after about heat 5!!! Personally, I have always found this 'bulldog spirit' stuff a bit sad. Roughly translated it means 'we invented the sport and then these whippersnappers come along and have the audacity to be better than us - but never mind becasue we're British and we're hanging in there!!!' I want the British team to have the same attitude as the Aussies, the Danes - and on last nights performance - the Swedes. The Aussies were very sporting on the rostrum but you could tell by their faces that they were completely gutted. Meanwhile the Brits were there in the pits with their 'we did our best, and we're proud of our acheivement' faces on!!! Call me a moaner if you like but I'm sick of Britain's it's ok to be second best attitude - it's about time we were FIRST in something!!! :twisted: :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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