Coventry Vs Swindon 18/8/14

[mdmc82]

@nigelpearson: Coventry looking like the complete package to me. They can beat anyone over two legs. Exciting times ahead on Sky Sports I'm certain.

[Gemini]

 

 

.....Grachan.....It was shocking to see so few people at Coventry. I guess when you don't go somewhere for a few years, the drop in crowd i so much more noticeable. The seats in the stand were always full whenever I've been before, but they looked half empty. And the rest of the stadium looked like ghost town.

 

It's not normally that bad but the attendance is always affected when Sky are there and it's a Monday night instead of the normal race night, plus there were some disgruntled fans on Friday who probably gave it a miss and having three matches in a week doesn't help.

[Gavan]

Swindon apart from North and Gustafsson didn't want to know.

 

Troy Batchelor was a disgrace

[mdmc82]

Garrity and Hansen both being checked over at the hospital fingers crossed they are okay.

Both did brilliantly to continue riding through the pain barrier. Garrity could barely walk or push his bike back to the pits yet didn't let it show on track.

Swindon apart from North and Gustafsson didn't want to know.

 

Troy Batchelor was a disgrace

Do agree, if it rains Troy & Rosco moan and want a rain off (if losing) if its dry they moan. Troy Batchelor will never improve as a rider as not commuted enough.

What has happened to Morris? Gone backwards.

 

For Swindon I didn't think North & Simon looked good, attacked the track and rode well.

[speedybee]

I enjoyed the drama, the controversy and some of the racing later on. A weird, odd, strangely compulsive viewing experience.

 

Great vintage Bomber - race of the season at Brandon from him.

 

And where did that clock come from? If the ref had taken time to go into the dressing room and explain his strategy to the riders and team managers, we may just have been saved a few of those exclusions.

[Woz01]

Bomber having a good meeting. Rare.

2 riders excluded in same race for an offence I have never seen punished.

Garrity roller in heat 14.

2 5-0's against us.

Morris/Worrall decision was correct but how rare is it to see that happening.

 

Not saying all decisions went against us. A lot of bad luck involved as well.

Harris having a good meeting is rare is it? He is probably averaging over 9 in his last 8 meetings!

[FTM]

 

They need to get someone who can prepare a track.

 

Back in 2007, Mildenhall used to run PL meetings the day after stock cars. Robert Huggins started on preparation at 9.00 on Sunday morning and by 4.30 in the afternoon West Row was one of the best racing tracks in the land.

 

This is about skimping on track preparation and its absolutely disastrous for the sport.

you are welcome to your opinion but no way was there any skimping (as you call it) on the track prep .When Sky are involved they need to understand how to prepare a track and what time scales you need leading up to the meeting commencement.This has been and always will be out of their remit as they have no bloody idea whatsoever as was proved tonight .The track prep was put on hold from 3.30 as regards ripping the track on the bends and as there was a threat of rain forecast from 4pm there had already been a heavy localised downpour at 2.30onwards so at that time the track was smooth but drying out as the afternoon went on .At 6.30 with only 1 hr to go a panic situation arose from Sky we need bends ripped up to give some outside overtaking moves .Now yourself and probably 90% of fans don,t realize it isn,t possible to rip this late without losing a certain amount of what was a good track up until then .By the time the trackwork had finished it was too late to water to any degree of success when Sky had a 7.30 start deadline so track now having been opened up is going to dry the more the evening goes on .Now I would like to know having been told 7.30 National Anthem why was there then a 20+min delay before we saw any bikes on track .Then the pedantic and stupid (IMO) refereeing in the opening few heats the track is deteroiating even more with no chance to water or grade .The final problem as regards getting a chance to redeem any hope of providing any success at all was the Sky company , or whoever was the tv coverage provider, told the track prep guys they were only allowed two laps after 4,7,10 and 14 as the coverage was being wrapped up by 21.05 as they had other highlights to include in the 2 hr show .This is not a cop out in any way shape or form as the track was poor but the weekend incl Friday ,s rain off onwards there was a lot of work done preparing the track from early Sat morning for 16 Stock Car /Banger races 5 pm to 10 30pm then up until 2 am Sun morning when things to do with the Dogs then had to be started for Sun nights meeting then change again Mon ready for a tv meeting .Being close to most of the work this weekend I thought I would put the opinion from the other side of the fence to probably a lot of you fans that are not party to what goes on .. Reference Stox at Eastbourne they don,t run on the speedway track

[stevebrum]

Just caught up with the meeting.

One of the worst prepared tracks i have seen in a long time. Thank god it managed to settle for the last 3rd when racing was allowed to happen.

A dreadful meeting however and one of the poorest i have ever witnessed as far as a representation of our sport.

Dave Robinson as a referee is a total disgrace. Right calls on the 2 minutes, but should have allowed more flexibility in the first few.

Nice to see Jepsen Jensen showing he doesn't care about British Speedway with a poor showing, and beating no Swindon rider.

No wonder he has fallen down the Danish pecking order.

[g13webb]

Probably the worst meeting shown on the tele for some while, But definitely the worst Referee. He single-handedly made it into a complete farce.

He has the ability to turn away armchair viewers, as well as those true supporters who wanted to watch. He was that bad.....

 

Looking back at all the problems the sport has endured over the last couple of weeks, we've had Ford / Morris bending the FTR rules,

We've had Darcy taking the mick, Now the Ref turning a tele meeting into a farce. Hopefully soon we'll get some positive input the sport desperately needs.

[TesarRacing]

If i was sky i would tell the bspa to go F themselves, when you have sorted yourselves out came back to us and we will talk about screening your sport again, this lot as an organisation do NOT deserve their product to be covered nor any financial help as a result.

 

You should have heard what Pearson & Tatum were saying off-air when all this was going on in the first few heats!!!

[mdmc82]

Any news on Garrity after his hospital visit?

[Star Lady]

Interesting post from FTM. We all know that Sky have tinkered interfered with Speedway over the years but why the hell are they allowed to dictate track prep . Surely it is up to the home club to provide the track conditions, or do Sky dictate so as to allow their favoured team (insert any club you like) to benefit. At the extreme it could have a significant influence on who reaches the play-offs and in what order.

If that's the case speedway is more corrupt than I thought.

 

It obviously won't affect King's Lynn cos Sky forget they exist

[Wanderer]

thecoombdog did. The post I replied to. Again, what the hell does Swindon only have 1 (or 0) riders in some race have to do with anything? To win the race you have to complete the race, it's not good falling off or crashing a bleeting. Your riders were, with the exception of Gustafsson in one race, all rightly excluded- thats poor riding, a lack of skill. It's not bad luck, it's not "everything going against them" or the refrees fault.

"Poor riding , lack of skill" your comments are childish and insulting, they are racers not riders they all go to that line to WIN but after those shocking exclusions they were all going to that line in a totally different frame of mind they couldn't focus on what they were there for, everything was about The Ref no one knew what he was going to do next.

I have said it before and I will say it again Who referees the referees?

[190557]

Any news on Garrity after his hospital visit?

Why do you think he went to hospital? He was in the downstairs bar at 10.00pm laughing and joking! He seemed to be be in a bit of pain but he's a tough young kid.

[mdmc82]

Interesting post from FTM. We all know that Sky have tinkered interfered with Speedway over the years but why the hell are they allowed to dictate track prep . Surely it is up to the home club to provide the track conditions, or do Sky dictate so as to allow their favoured team (insert any club you like) to benefit. At the extreme it could have a significant influence on who reaches the play-offs and in what order.

If that's the case speedway is more corrupt than I thought.

 

It obviously won't affect King's Lynn cos Sky forget they exist

Was no home advantage last night as track was different to how it has been.

With heavy rain last few days and track being waterlogged, plus stock cars sat night (and ref giving no time for grading last night) we were lucky to get meeting on.

 

Swindon have not looked a side with much fight this year, they were the same against Brum & Belle Vue this year on TV. Instead of being negative all the time they need to show some team spirit.

 

The ref was shocking with his silly exclusions at the tapes but the crash/falling exclusions he got spot on.

 

Racing came very good in second half. Harris was flying & 100% commited & 1 of the best I have seen Sarj.

 

MJJ had a off night, been good last couple of meetings at Brandon.

 

Bees looking very solid both home and away. Hopefully will make the play offs. Need to get these injured sorted though.

Think Swindon may still make it if fight for their place.

Why do you think he went to hospital? He was in the downstairs bar at 10.00pm laughing and joking! He seemed to be be in a bit of pain but he's a tough young kid.

Was stated by people who stayed behind after. He had drinks in bar and then went to hospital to get checked over

"Poor riding , lack of skill" your comments are childish and insulting, they are racers not riders they all go to that line to WIN but after those shocking exclusions they were all going to that line in a totally different frame of mind they couldn't focus on what they were there for, everything was about The Ref no one knew what he was going to do next.

I have said it before and I will say it again Who referees the referees?

Was the same for both teams, Coventry also had rides riding through injury which didn't help them.

 

Not all exclusions were from the gate and as stated on sky were down to poor riding or not positioning body correctly.

 

Nathan used to practice at Coventry before each meeting couple of years ago & fell off in the same place every time so wasn't surprised by him. The Tompson twins do better.

[westhamboy66]

Why do you think he went to hospital? He was in the downstairs bar at 10.00pm laughing and joking! He seemed to be be in a bit of pain but he's a tough young kid.

He's more than a bit of a pain, suppose he'll be fit on Friday then decide he's injured and won't bother showing up for his owners, enjoy him until he sees something better like Wolverhampton where he really wants to be.

Interesting post from FTM. We all know that Sky have tinkered interfered with Speedway over the years but why the hell are they allowed to dictate track prep . Surely it is up to the home club to provide the track conditions, or do Sky dictate so as to allow their favoured team (insert any club you like) to benefit. At the extreme it could have a significant influence on who reaches the play-offs and in what order.

If that's the case speedway is more corrupt than I thought.

 

It obviously won't affect King's Lynn cos Sky forget they exist

With Ronnie Russell in charge of trap prep when sky are around why are we surprised, lets not forget he learned his trade at Rye House before running us into the ground and closing the place down.

[Reliant Robin]

He's more than a bit of a pain, suppose he'll be fit on Friday then decide he's injured and won't bother showing up for his owners, enjoy him until he sees something better like Wolverhampton where he really wants to be.

 

With Ronnie Russell in charge of trap prep when sky are around why are we surprised, lets not forget he learned his trade at Rye House before running us into the ground and closing the place down.

He's not in charge of Track Prep when Sky are around - it's a BSF myth. Went last night, less said about it the better unfortunately. One of those nights.

Edited August 19, 2014 by Reliant Robin

[Woz01]

Just watched the meeting on sky. The ref was a joke and he did Swindon no favours early on but I thought Rosco and Batchelors attitude was poor, constantly moaning does not do team spirit any good. Havvy played a blinder in front of the camera showing what he does bring to the team. Hans, Harris, Hansen and Garrity all battered and bruised but gave it a go that seemed to be lacking last year. Last few heats were decent with Bomber showing how to ride the difficult track. Now for the track yes it was poor and could've been better but with the weather Friday, stocks Saturday and rain early morning and afternoon Monday it was never going to be as good as we've seen it recently. It's a shame as there was significant progress from what we had earlier in the season. I'm hoping with 4 days to prepare for Friday it will be in decent shape.

Edited August 19, 2014 by woz01

[kbt]

Well,I for one thoroughly enjoyed the meeting it had controversy,good racing,riders and managers moaning etc.Bad part was riders falling,hope they are okay.A few points,about time the refs stamped out this delaying the start,good on him for that,and surely riders should be able to adapt to any track conditions.some of the younger riders on show,Worral,Garrity ,sergeant,North seemed to adapt brilliantly maybe it's a mindset of some of the older riders,Bomber excluded,much rather watch meetings like this than most of the bore fests that have been on lately?

[longlivefrankie]

Surely if the track was known to have stocks etc likely to disrupt preparation it should not have been on sky?

 

More thought needs to go into selection of meetings by whoever selects them?