Sheffield v Ipswich Monday July 10th Live on Eurosport

[Aries]

Is it me or does Riss look way too heavy? Seen more meat on a butchers knife than the majority or riders, but Riss looks at least a stone too heavy to me. 

[OldtimerRay]

1 hour ago, iainb said:

What is it with Ritchie Hawkins? He's got a face like a slapped arse half the time and doesn't seem to like eye contact... is he the inspiration you need in the pits when the chips are down? I don't know

Trying to come across as hard for the tv cameras but just looks a miserable tw4t

[Gambo95]

1 hour ago, iainb said:

According to Louis on the podcast Emil has already been asking him about next year

As much as Emil is possibly the best rider in the league, I would keep Doyle first.

Having a number one who you know will probably stay with the team for years and race in this country (unless Swindon get going again) cannot be understated.

[Baldyman]

21 minutes ago, Gambo95 said:

As much as Emil is possibly the best rider in the league, I would keep Doyle first.

Having a number one who you know will probably stay with the team for years and race in this country (unless Swindon get going again) cannot be understated.

He will be 38 next year though,,, not sure he will have many years left,, not as a number 1 anyway. I don't see Doyle as someone that will drag his career on too long 

[RideHard]

Watched it on tv tonight couldn’t risk another 10 heats rain off shambles. 
Firstly hope Kerr is ok he looked in some pain, can’t afford to have him out the team for long. 
 

Holder, Sayfutdinov on top form both looked so fast, Emil really enjoys owlerton and don’t think anyone in world could have passed him tonight once he was in front. Rest of the team all chipped in all deserved credit. Tatum saying Ellis fell with no contact I think there was some but was a hard call for the ref.

Doyle probably worst showing at Owlerton for a long time just wasn’t his night. Highlight of the night was Hawkins miserable face getting interviewed 

play offs all but secure for Sheffield?

[Oldspeedwayfan]

53 minutes ago, RideHard said:

Tatum saying Ellis fell with no contact I think there was

There was ZERO contact, judging from TV!  

[Andrew]

Emil's backwheel goes into Adam's clutch hand so he has to let go of the handlebar,which flips up the number 1 on Emils bike cover,you can see it clearly on the head on replay just as Kelvin says the door was wide open.

[Teromaafan]

6 hours ago, OldtimerRay said:

Trying to come across as hard for the tv cameras but just looks a miserable tw4t

Miserable? I’ll say, makes Pete Adams look like a Court Jester. Don’t expect to see either of them down the pub if it’s Happy Hour.

[truthsayer]

8 hours ago, Arthur73 said:

What worries me about Tatum is he seems to barely do any research before the meeting. When the riders come on he either says they're experienced or young and says their year has been going well. 

A main commentator is needed to be added and Tatum can be the analyst

Yep, he needs to do the hard yards.

What bothers me about Tatum is that he just personifies what’s wrong with British speedway: stale, unimaginative, cliched and simply doing what’s always been done, regardless of outcome.

And I have nothing against him as a person. It’s not his fault as he’s not a journalist or a lead commentator, but someone lets him do it. Nigel Pearson was an excellent journalist, broadcaster and commentator and Kelvin was his sideman. It was a good combination and worked well. Kelvin is not a lead commentator and I don’t see development since he was thrust into the role. Good journalists do their research and a lot of work behind the scenes, but there doesn’t seem to do much of that. He’s a former world class rider and even the cringe screwdriver in the track stuff brings no insight. It’s his job. It’s what he’s paid to do.

We’d criticise the track curator or a rider if they weren’t doing a job and I am sorry to say I just don’t think the guy is a lead commentator. At a time when we are all craving British speedway to find its mojo and put on a great show, the TV production is probably the single biggest asset we have in promoting the sport to a new and particularly dormant audience.

I don’t expect F1 levels of production. I think the main presenter is very good but I cannot believe this is the best we can do in terms of bringing the sport to life.

[michanekman]

10 minutes ago, truthsayer said:

Yep, he needs to do the hard yards.

What bothers me about Tatum is that he just personifies what’s wrong with British speedway: stale, unimaginative, cliched and simply doing what’s always been done, regardless of outcome.

And I have nothing against him as a person. It’s not his fault as he’s not a journalist or a lead commentator, but someone lets him do it. Nigel Pearson was an excellent journalist, broadcaster and commentator and Kelvin was his sideman. It was a good combination and worked well. Kelvin is not a lead commentator and I don’t see development since he was thrust into the role. Good journalists do their research and a lot of work behind the scenes, but there doesn’t seem to do much of that. He’s a former world class rider and even the cringe screwdriver in the track stuff brings no insight. It’s his job. It’s what he’s paid to do.

We’d criticise the track curator or a rider if they weren’t doing a job and I am sorry to say I just don’t think the guy is a lead commentator. At a time when we are all craving British speedway to find its mojo and put on a great show, the TV production is probably the single biggest asset we have in promoting the sport to a new and particularly dormant audience.

I don’t expect F1 levels of production. I think the main presenter is very good but I cannot believe this is the best we can do in terms of bringing the sport to life.

 I don't think the main presenter is very good at all - I am sure she is a lovely person but most of her presentation is just fluff. Her questions are schoolgirlish at best. Like you say Tatum is no journalist and his research is lacking big-time ... it all smacks of being done on the cheap. Which sums up British Speedway very nicely. 

[truthsayer]

6 minutes ago, michanekman said:

 I don't think the main presenter is very good at all - I am sure she is a lovely person but most of her presentation is just fluff. Her questions are schoolgirlish at best. Like you say Tatum is no journalist and his research is lacking big-time ... it all smacks of being done on the cheap. Which sums up British Speedway very nicely. 

It's all about a team and not an individual. I think Abi has some very good qualities but that in itself can't carry a show. She's more of a presenter than Natalie Quirk before her. I've got a lot of time for Nat. Her background was more journalistic but she moved across to presenting very well.

These people are the face (and voice) of speedway so it is important for them to do a good job.

[RideHard]

Abi does a very good job I think. Kelvin desperately needs a co commentator he’s not as bad as people make out but needs someone else in there to carry it 

[truthsayer]

9 minutes ago, RideHard said:

Abi does a very good job I think. Kelvin desperately needs a co commentator he’s not as bad as people make out but needs someone else in there to carry it 

The style of Eurosport's production essentially needs five 'talents': presenter, commentator, analyst, interviewer/reporter and co-commentator.

I think all the guys they use are ok and have a role to play. However they, understandably, don't have five team members and that means they have to take on multiple roles, which is where it falls down for me. Abi is a good presenter, Tatum is a co-commentator or analyst, and is pretty much interchangeable with Nicholls and Louis. British TV speedway really misses the talents of Nigel Pearson, who could fill pretty much any of those roles, and also Natalie Quirk, who could present and report equally well.

For me the team is just not right. Tatum and (either) Nicholls or Louis are a bit too one-dimensional to fill multiple roles. If it was football style, with a panel of three analysts, they'd be great, but none of them are presenters, reporters or lead commentators.

I agree Kelvin could have a role to play, but in a pared down team it doesn't work for me. It was hard as it was thrust upon him, when Nigel died, but I just don't see him getting better. Does he not get coaching, study others or reflect on his performances and work to improve? The thing about great commentators is that they know their stuff and have an encyclopaedic knowledge (usually carrying a big folder around with them). He just seems to phone his commentary in. 

 

[pleasureboy60]

8 hours ago, OldtimerRay said:

Trying to come across as hard for the tv cameras but just looks a miserable tw4t

Couldn't agree more. Face like a whores fanny

[truthsayer]

19 minutes ago, pleasureboy60 said:

Couldn't agree more. Face like a whores fanny

Often people who are shy and introverted come across as aloof and arrogant. Just saying...

[Roger Jacobs]

17 minutes ago, truthsayer said:

Often people who are shy and introverted come across as aloof and arrogant. Just saying...

If that's the case, he shouldn't be a team manager and motivator ...

[GeneralMelchett]

1 hour ago, pleasureboy60 said:

Couldn't agree more. Face like a whores fanny

seems a tad harsh really, not seen the match yet will watch the highnlights later today, perhaps they should interview some fans after a meeting, particularly a defeat, and see what their faces and comments are like!!

[GeneralMelchett]

1 hour ago, truthsayer said:

The style of Eurosport's production essentially needs five 'talents': presenter, commentator, analyst, interviewer/reporter and co-commentator.

I think all the guys they use are ok and have a role to play. However they, understandably, don't have five team members and that means they have to take on multiple roles, which is where it falls down for me. Abi is a good presenter, Tatum is a co-commentator or analyst, and is pretty much interchangeable with Nicholls and Louis. British TV speedway really misses the talents of Nigel Pearson, who could fill pretty much any of those roles, and also Natalie Quirk, who could present and report equally well.

For me the team is just not right. Tatum and (either) Nicholls or Louis are a bit too one-dimensional to fill multiple roles. If it was football style, with a panel of three analysts, they'd be great, but none of them are presenters, reporters or lead commentators.

I agree Kelvin could have a role to play, but in a pared down team it doesn't work for me. It was hard as it was thrust upon him, when Nigel died, but I just don't see him getting better. Does he not get coaching, study others or reflect on his performances and work to improve? The thing about great commentators is that they know their stuff and have an encyclopaedic knowledge (usually carrying a big folder around with them). He just seems to phone his commentary in. 

 

Got to bear in mind that none of those are techncially media trained - I know I could never be a commentaor or presenter - I still feel Tatum misses his mate Nige a new lead commentaor with taum as the Co is needed.

[GeneralMelchett]

8 hours ago, RideHard said:

Watched it on tv tonight couldn’t risk another 10 heats rain off shambles. 
Firstly hope Kerr is ok he looked in some pain, can’t afford to have him out the team for long. 
 

Holder, Sayfutdinov on top form both looked so fast, Emil really enjoys owlerton and don’t think anyone in world could have passed him tonight once he was in front. Rest of the team all chipped in all deserved credit. Tatum saying Ellis fell with no contact I think there was some but was a hard call for the ref.

Doyle probably worst showing at Owlerton for a long time just wasn’t his night. Highlight of the night was Hawkins miserable face getting interviewed 

play offs all but secure for Sheffield?

Can't not see the Tigers in the playoffs to be fair, as for Emil - with Holder he probably couldn't be fitted in but image him at Owlerton if he rides in the UK in 2024 and the premiership survives into 2024+

[truthsayer]

13 minutes ago, GeneralMelchett said:

Got to bear in mind that none of those are techncially media trained - I know I could never be a commentaor or presenter - I still feel Tatum misses his mate Nige a new lead commentaor with taum as the Co is needed.

But why are they not trained? Training and mentoring is available, and it's not as if this is their first year - that's why I am so unforgiving.

It's a tough job, but it's a tough world. If someone's not good enough at something then they need to get better or get out. A lot like professional sport, it's a competitive world in media. I know, because I work in it, but the apathy and the lack of improvement from some of the talent is what really winds me up. It doesn't need to be that way. I understand ex-riders are not natural media professionals, but they've made that career change and need to get good at it. As riders they always aimed to get better but I really don't feel that they approach media work in the way they would have approached their racing careers and that offends me, as someone who works damned hard to be good at my job and to continuously develop at what I do.