Ipswich V Edinburgh 25/7/13

[Bash]

Judging by the support Cook is getting by fans (of all teams) and other riders on twitter, he just did what alot of others have wanted to for a long time

That still doesn't make what cookie done right tho' does it, or are you using this to justify what he did.

[Jonny the spud]

Instead of just big mouthing it on twitter and in the speedway star, Cook should have let his riding do the talking, ditto with the referees fine.... Wind your neck in shake hands and show everyone what you're capable of.

 

Instead he cost his team a place in the final, cheated his own fans ( many who paid hard cash to travel a long way) and made himself look a complete cock in many people's eyes ( GB management included)

 

Way to go Cookie !

[Super Blue]

Let's be honest here , we have definitely seen as bad and worse incidents in many meetings throughout the years and the reason Cook was thrown out was only down to what occurred behind closed doors .

 

Barker does seem to have an uncanny ability to wind riders up the wrong way and I suppose it was always going kick off at some point .

 

That said , whatever the provocation , Cooks actions definitely cost Edinburgh any chance of winning the cup tie and ruined the meeting as a spectacle .

 

For that I believe he should make some kind of gesture or at least an apology to his fans who made the 400 odd mile journey to watch this .

 

I just hope it can now be water under the bridge and further clashes between the two riders can be fair and gentlemanly on the track .

 

( Did I really just say that ? Who am I trying to kid ? Never gonna happen is it ? )

[glasgowmicktiger]

800 odd mile trip

[Roland]

Instead of just big mouthing it on twitter and in the speedway star, Cook should have let his riding do the talking, ditto with the referees fine.... Wind your neck in shake hands and show everyone what you're capable of.

 

Instead he cost his team a place in the final, cheated his own fans ( many who paid hard cash to travel a long way) and made himself look a complete cock in many people's eyes ( GB management included)

 

Way to go Cookie !

Spot on comments here. Unfortunately events on the night overshadowed your boy's efforts.......very impressive, as was Rohan. Over and out!

[Panthers89]

As a neutral with no ties to either team, I'm glad Craig did it, Barkers had it coming for ages now, the ego has kept growing and hopefully with all the support Cooks had over it, might be a reality check for Barker and might stop him being such a twit on and off the track.

[moxey63]

So long as it doesn't boil over and start aggro on the terraces - with the few remaining individuals that use them nowadays - this sort of behaviour (and I'm going to be slated now) is good for interest from what otherwise would have been just another fixture confined to the record books.

It's out there now - that Cook and Barker aren't room mates. So, next time they meet it will create a bit of interest and perhaps... and I'm saying "perhaps" (before promoters start building new stands at their gafs) - it may help create a few more clicks on the old turnstile, a few more pennies in speedway coffers.

I don't particularly like Barker, but he is always interesting to watch and only seems to know one way to use the throtle. If people don't like you, you are creating interest. Too many bleachy clean chaps in speedway these days, for my liking.

[Jonny the spud]

As a neutral with no ties to either team, I'm glad Craig did it, Barkers had it coming for ages now, the ego has kept growing and hopefully with all the support Cooks had over it, might be a reality check for Barker and might stop him being such a twit on and off the track.

 

Whether Ben had it coming or not had nothing to do with it. Once the referee gets involved you just say yes sir no sir and get on with it on track.

 

If you were GB manager, would you risk selecting Cook for an important meeting if he can't control his temper ? He'd be an immediate target for opposition riders to wind up a d we've all seen what happens then.

[Gavan]

As an Ippo fan we all know Barker winds people up but when other riders like North resort to deliberately fencing a rider then gloating about it it's gone to far. Cook was thrown out for behaving like a spoilt brat in the refs box! All because he lost his team gb spot to Barker he decides to go for him! Needs a quick lesson in growing up! If anyone can please tell me what Ben has done wrong here other than take his gb spot then I would love to hear it

 

As a neutral with no ties to either team, I'm glad Craig did it, Barkers had it coming for ages now, the ego has kept growing and hopefully with all the support Cooks had over it, might be a reality check for Barker and might stop him being such a twit on and off the track.

lots of this started due to North so keep your own riders in check! Nice to see you condone violence though

[Bash]

As a neutral with no ties to either team, I'm glad Craig did it, Barkers had it coming for ages now, the ego has kept growing and hopefully with all the support Cooks had over it, might be a reality check for Barker and might stop him being such a twit on and off the track.

It might also be a reality check to Craig Cook's ego as well, after all the stuff he came out with after being dropped in the world cup. He is a good rider at premier league level, but really in the Elite League, apart from the top one or two in the teams he is only beating premier league standard riders and double uppers from the premier league. The same can be said of Barker, which makes them think they are better than they are, which the world cup proved.

[david2905]

Some of the opinions on here are just pure comedy, it's all Barkers fault because he has previous ? ok then

 

Cook started this chain of events with his uncontrolled gob, anything Barkers done previously is unrelated.

[RideTheBoards]

We all know whats been going on recently and i think most fans would of expected some very hard racing between barker and cook last night but what happened was actually quite stupid!! People who are slating barker also need to have a good look at Mr Cook he's been no angel the last few weeks and has dropped like a stone in many people's ratings. He over stepped the line last night regardless of what was said he threw the firdt punch and spat his dummy out afterwards, he cost his team very dear and the traveling fans also!

 

Talking of traveling fans I'm not one for stiring or wanting upset between supporters but was i the only one to see the actions of a small crowd of Edinburgh fans kicking off as barker left for the changing rooms. Many youngsters who waited to meet the riders for photo's etc didn't get the chance as security had to jump in due to pushing and shoving??

 

I won't tar them all with the same brush but what right do they have to mouth off and act in that way after the meeting in front of young children and families?

 

Anyway nice to see Ipswich in the final again thanks Mr cook I enjoyed Last night

[SCB]

Starting to make Middlos decision look right now. He dropped Kennett and brought in Barker. Knocking he could not have Barker and Cook in the team together Cook had to go too.

[TMW]

It might also be a reality check to Craig Cook's ego as well, after all the stuff he came out with after being dropped in the world cup. He is a good rider at premier league level, but really in the Elite League, apart from the top one or two in the teams he is only beating premier league standard riders and double uppers from the premier league. The same can be said of Barker, which makes them think they are better than they are, which the world cup proved.

 

My memory doesn't go back as far as some as I am relatively new to the sport since 2008 but I remember Woffenden having a similar problem with people around him in ore of his every move and he did have a reality check in the GP. Now he has gone away sorted himself out, surrounded himself by the right people and he is pushing on. Lets hope Cook does the same lets face it the sport needs good riders

[Roland]

My memory doesn't go back as far as some as I am relatively new to the sport since 2008 but I remember Woffenden having a similar problem with people around him in ore of his every move and he did have a reality check in the GP. Now he has gone away sorted himself out, surrounded himself by the right people and he is pushing on. Lets hope Cook does the same lets face it the sport needs good riders

One snag with this argument.........Woffinden has talent......Over and Out!

[foreverblue]

Starting to make Middlos decision look right now. He dropped Kennett and brought in Barker. Knocking he could not have Barker and Cook in the team together Cook had to go too.

He didn't need either in the team.

[luluthetiger]

One snag with this argument.........Woffinden has talent......Over and Out!

 

Of course he has, but so has Craig Cook. He might have a short fuse, but whatever you think of him personally he may be Britain's best hope of being our next GP rider in a year or two -- remember he has been riding speedway for a much-shorter time than Tai and a few others.

 

All the young upstarts, right back to Briggo and probably beyond, have had problems and fight early in their careers. Britain's World Champions haven't all had lilywhite reputations.

 

The great ones (in many sports and other entertainment industries) often have a short fuse to go with their talent. Suarez, McEnroe, Cantona, Higgins, etc.

 

Speedway riders can be well-rounded human beings (insert Joe Screen joke here) but most are just young lads who receive a great deal of acclaim for having an unusual talent of riding a motor-bike sideways.

 

Too many fans are blind to the fact that a lad who is suddenly thrust into the public spotlight and given a great deal of money is still a lad. Some grow up and out of their stupid phase, some don't.

 

For the sake of speedway, not least British speedway, we have to hope Craig Cook grows up and out of his.

Edited July 26, 2013 by luluthetiger

[Brummie Boy]

One snag with this argument.........Woffinden has talent

 

Undoubtedly. But that was being widely contested by many posters on this forum (mainly due to Tai's previous attitude and issues) until Tai's recent showings in the GPs. However, Tai must have taken a long hard look at himself and decided to focus on proving himself on the track. I have not heard many negative comments about him recently. It appears that Darcy is also starting to take a slightly calmer approach to life in the last month or so, probably as a result of the bust ups he's had in the last year.

 

Both Craig and Ben need to sort themselves out and get these stupid petulant streaks out of their system. They both have talent but need to be harnessing any agression in a controlled way on the track. If they don't then they may never achieve what they are both capable of.

[fred]

I see some of Barker team gb team makes also showing support for Craig. The captain calling him a legend!. How many of team gb actually get on with Barker.

[TheScotsman]

Cookie's statement now online - http://www.cookieracing.com/