Will It Be The Same With Woffy?

[nw42]

Read the thread. Sidney pointed out several sportsmen with perceived foreign connections who never quite hit it off with the British public, I was just pointing out the opposite was true with Briggs who rode for (and captained ) GB enough times despite being a New Zealander.

 

Of course he wasn't universally, popular, nobody is, but I would say coming runner up (twice I think it was ) in Sportsnight Personality of the Year suggests he was more popular than most.

 

Ok, my mistake, I was following the thread though. Wrongly thought you were highlighting how differently Briggs is/was perceived by the british public in comparison to the likes of Lennox Lewis.

 

Lennox won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, just like Greg Rusedski, yet both of these would be considered not to have quite captured the British public's hearts.

 

It was indeed a great accolade for Briggs when you consider he was 2nd only to Bobby Moore (RIP) in 1966, Geoff Hurst was 3rd, can you imagine the British public voting for a New Zealander in front of their own World Cup hero? I've never been confident in the reliability of the voting system for these awards.

 

He was a great rider but he's been even better at keeping his profile high since he stopped riding.

 

ONCE went to a game at Manchester City (the old Maine Road) with Briggo on the afternoon of the BLRC at Belle Vue and he was constantly being asked for his autograph by fans there who probably didn't know one end of a speedway bike from another.

 

Fair enough Philip but the same would have happened if you'd turned up with Joe Bugner, or Lennox Lewis, but, as Sidney pointed out earlier, they weren't taken to the hearts of the British sports fans.

[PHILIPRISING]

JUST pointing out that Briggo was well known outside the immediate speedway fraternity...

[george.m]

With Tai Woffinden on the verge of becoming Englands 7th world champion I'm wondering if people feel the same elation as previous English champions because of his Australian upbringing? Although I regard Tai as being English, (probably because he is!) I can't get as excited as I was 13 years ago when the great Loramski won.

 

Reaction tonight suggests ... yes.

[Terry]

 

 

Reaction tonight suggests ... yes.

True, can't argue with that!

Congratulations Tai.

[Mixy230]

Whats the matter with people?

Well done Tai!

Born British, rides for us, talks about the national anthem, grown up into what appears to be a good well rounded, hard working, skillfull, determined young man! CONGRATULATIONS!

 

BE PROUD!

[Grachan]

I watched the GP with Polish commentary last night. At one point, just after Tai won the title, the commentator reeldd off a list of riders. It went something like this: Mark Loram, Gary Havelock, Michael Lee, Peter Collins, Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore, Freddie Williams...

 

Not sure what the list was meant to be!

[waiheke1]

Sometimes don't think PC is afforded the credit he deserves. Apart from his World title win in 1976, his three successive maximums in World Team Cup Finals ranks as a fantastic achievement.

Not afforded credit by whom?

I think he is widely regarded, along with the other PC, as one of the top 2 Brits of all time, generally acknowledged as the most naturally gifted rider of his era and the thrid best rider of the 70s (behind Olsen and Mauger). I'm not sure any/many would disagree with that, and if you had a list of the top say 15 riders of all time he would make most people lists. You also omiitted to mention his multiple pairs titles with multiple partners, his superb domestic record, and of course his team riding and sheer breathtaking ability to pass, which no stats can do justice to.

 

So, with the title now secured, where does Tai rate next to the other Brits who have won the world title in the "moden era" (70s onwards).

Personally, I'd say he isn't as naturally talented as PC or Lee, his talent more similar to Loram or Havelock. Cruciallyu, he is probably the bext gater of the lot.

PC for me is confortably the greatest modern British rider, as outlined above he added a range of other titles across a sustained period of excellence, he ould probably have on back to back titles under a GP system in 76 and 77 , his runner up performance in 77 is arguably the greatest ever non title winning performance of all time, and his win in Gothenburg was a superb display, albeit with some good fortune around Olsen's failure to qualify and Mauger's engine failure.

Lee was probably not the best rider in the wolrd in 80 when he won his title, but under a GP system would likely have won in either 79 or 83, andporbably ended with a similar tally to his one gold and three bronze under the old system. The most gifted rider EVER in all probability, at this stage I thinkTai would still rank behind Lee, though I would rank Tai's world title above Lee's.

Loram was superb racer, who had a ,long and distinguished career, although his GP record was reasonably mediocre excepting his title. The tile was under one of the worst GP formats, and of course Loram famously didn't in a GP, so I'd rate Tai's Champiobnship well ahead of Loram's, in terms of all time standing I'd perhaps have Loram ahead by a nose, though that could all change if Tai can finish on the podium next season.

Havelock is perhaps the bext comprision with Tai, a rider clearly of immense natural talents, but never realy quite cutting it at the top level, until one season in which everything came together. Havelock is written off by many as a "fluke" winner, but he was superb that season, winning most of the qualifying meetings - however under a GP system, you have the feeling that Nielsen or Jonsson (or both) may have edged him out for the title. It remains to be seen now whether 2013 was Tai's "Havelock season", or if it marks his development as a rider who will be one of THE major force in speedway for the next decade. Personally, I tend towards the latter view, Tai's GP success as backed up by superb league perfromances and demonstarted immense courage and professionalism.

Summing up, I'd rank Tai's title second only to PC's 76 Gothenburg triumph in terms of great ttile victory's (and had his in not been overshadowed by the injuries hich derailed the campaigns of Emil Holder and Ward would likely have ranked number one), in terms of standings of the Grea Brits, I'd have him behind PC and Lee, but shoulder to shoulder with Loram and a touch ahead of Havelock. Another vtitle in the next couple of seasons, and the debate would be whether he is the best Brit of them all.