Jump to content
British Speedway Forum
Sign in to follow this  
iainb

Tai Woffinden Best Ever!?

Recommended Posts

8 minutes ago, BluPanther said:

Chris Louis said in an interview published today...

“Are the bikes too fast? Not necessarily, but the characteristics of the bikes are all wrong. They are so unpredictable. Unless you are riding them flat out they can be problematic and as soon as you back off you’re in whole new territory.”

Did the article also state Moxey says he is talking nonsense :)

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, BWitcher said:

You see, in the adult world, intelligent people who have 'opinions' can back them up with solid sound reasoning. In cases where their reasoning is shown to be flawed, or quite simply wrong, they learn and change their opinion.

Then there are idiots.. who simply repeat ad nauseam that it's their opinion regardless of having nothing at all to back it up and most importantly when their reasoning is shown to be wrong.

Sounds a bit like religion

59 minutes ago, Midland Red said:

Tai is World Champion (OOFC version) and clearly is the best in 2018.  Never disputed that.

Only because he scored the most aggregated points across the SGP series though... What about Leon Madsen who wasn't in the GP's... Or Rob Shuttleworth?

Edited by iainb

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, iainb said:

Sounds a bit like religion

I think there are some on here that would process things were much better back in the day when the earth was flat...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't get this argument really. So what if the equipment is different? Bikes have evolved right through from 1928 to the current day and will continue to do so. It has no bearing on the standards of the riders as all riders from each era ride the machinery of that era.

If I was honest, I would say that the standard of rider in the 70s and 80s was probably higher - or at least there were more top riders - due to the popularity of the sport at that time giving it more strength in depth. Then again - the standard of rider from East Europe these days is probably a lot higher than it was back in the day. I think the fact that Greg Hancock began winning World titles again so late in his career indicates this as a possibility.

Would George Foreman have won a Boxing World Championship in his 40s if he had fought someone the same standard of a young Muhammad Ali?

Is Woffy the greatest British riders of all time? Possibly. I would say Craven, Collins and Lee would still give him a good run for that claim. One more World title would put it beyond doubt, though. I mean, one more and he is in the realms of Hans Nielsen and Barry Briggs. So, regardless of what era he is in, that would make it pretty undisputable.

Mind you, he could probably win 7 titles and there are some people who would probably put him about level with Eric Broadbelt in the all-time list. But you can't please everyone.

Edited by Grachan

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Was the sport stronger in depth in the 80s?

There were only 3 countries with any depth - England USA and Denmark. Sweden NZ and Australia had a couple of international/world class riders each at various points in the decade. Finland Germany and at a push Poland could argue the same.

Poland's depth today is arguably better than England's was. 

Australia, Sweden, Denmark, England and Russia all have a nucleus of quality riders. Then the likes of USA Latvia Czech Slovakia and Slovenia all have one quality rider each. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, waiheke1 said:

Was the sport stronger in depth in the 80s?

There were only 3 countries with any depth - England USA and Denmark. Sweden NZ and Australia had a couple of international/world class riders each at various points in the decade. Finland Germany and at a push Poland could argue the same.

Poland's depth today is arguably better than England's was. 

Australia, Sweden, Denmark, England and Russia all have a nucleus of quality riders. Then the likes of USA Latvia Czech Slovakia and Slovenia all have one quality rider each. 

It's just a feeling, although I may be being swayed by the standard of riders in the British League being higher, plus most of the strength in depth now being in Eastern Europe. Of course, then again, maybe it was so hard for people to beat Hans Nielsen because the general standard of rider was lower. We can never really know either way.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, BluPanther said:

Chris Louis said in an interview published today...

“Are the bikes too fast? Not necessarily, but the characteristics of the bikes are all wrong. They are so unpredictable. Unless you are riding them flat out they can be problematic and as soon as you back off you’re in whole new territory.”

Kelly Moran was quoted as saying same about lay down bikes years ago when he gave one a trial...and there was no one more skillfull on a bike than Kelly!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, BWitcher said:

Gollob simply cannot come into the equation, nowhere close to being best ever. If he truly was 'the best ever' or 'the most talented' then he was a complete bottle job.. which rules him out of any best ever conversation.

Gollob can in my eyes!!!!

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 minutes ago, sommelier said:

Gollob can in my eyes!!!!

Gollob is up there. I was just relieved at the time when he won his title. A rider you'd pay to see.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thought the bike problem really came to a peak when the new silencers were brought in a few years ago?Then there was even talk of a strike or boycott I think.And it was affecting almost everyone,even Gollob and the other Poles.Has the problem been solved or have riders just got used to the difficulty and accepted it?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
38 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Gollob is up there. I was just relieved at the time when he won his title. A rider you'd pay to see.

In all the years I have been watching speedway, for me personally & been very fortunate to watch Tomasz in his prime all over Europe & particularly in Poland, NEVER seen a rider so graceful on a bike. Thomasz was by far the best rider I have seen. And so missed

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
23 minutes ago, sommelier said:

In all the years I have been watching speedway, for me personally & been very fortunate to watch Tomasz in his prime all over Europe & particularly in Poland, NEVER seen a rider so graceful on a bike. Thomasz was by far the best rider I have seen. And so missed

I saw Tomasz ride on only a number of occasions whilst with Ipswich but I have to say he used to impress me when I used to watch him competing in the GP's!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I saw Tomasz ride on only a number of occasions whilst with Ipswich but I have to say he used to impress me when I used to watch him competing in the GP's!

Better than a Blue pill round Bydgoszcz!

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, sommelier said:

Gollob can in my eyes!!!!

As would Sudden Sam in mine... but realistically...

I would say at their very best they're both a match for anyone... but to be best ever it's about being at your very best for a much longer period of time.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, sommelier said:

In all the years I have been watching speedway, for me personally & been very fortunate to watch Tomasz in his prime all over Europe & particularly in Poland, NEVER seen a rider so graceful on a bike. Thomasz was by far the best rider I have seen. And so missed

When conditions suited. He may have been the most graceful, he may have been the most entertainnig..

He clearly wasn't the best, history has already proven that. It's not a situation where we're trying to compare riders from different eras.. Gollob wasn't the best in his own era.

Edited by BWitcher
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy