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NeilWatson

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Posts posted by NeilWatson

  1. Posted

    10 hours ago, Fozzie4388 said:

    Serious question how is Luke Muff not riding for Mildenhall yet last Sunday vs Glasgow and tonight against vs Scunthorpe he's named as the Bears Number 8? 

    Muff is in in Mildenhall’s 1-7 so is a legitimate choice at No 8

    9 hours ago, Binman said:

    Could Mildenhall  have dropped him like last year to strengthen up for play offs

    No

    7 hours ago, mc131 said:

    Don't think u can b a no 8 then I may be wrong tho

    Correct

  2. Posted

    6 hours ago, iainb said:

    I can't understand why there is not a league policy regarding postponements and cancelations as it's such a contentious issue. Just in the last week or so we've had Poole vs Redcar doing everything to get a meeting on, KL calling a meeting off over 24 hours in advance based on an incorrect weather forecast of just showers, Plymouth cancelling in front of a packed crowd without a wheel being turned and Peterborough running last night when in all probability they should have cancelled. There is just no consistency.

    I posted my previous thoughts about a cancellation policy that should be adhered to so everybody knows where they stand. Now I've had a proper chance to think about it, this is probably what I should have posted:

    1 No meeting to be called off until the day of the meeting (9am, 10am whatever... not a day or days in advance)

    2 The meeting should be called as "on" or "off" 90 minutes before the start time at which time the ref, both team managers and both team captains have passed the track as "fit for racing for the scheduled start time". As long as there is no more "weather" in the next 90 minutes the meeting should commence at the scheduled start time or the fixture is abandoned or run as an unofficial fixture and some kind of points penalty awarded.

    I've explained why a 'one size fits all' policy would not work.

    To speak to your proposal:

    1 - on a Saturday afternoon a major fire destroys all electricity supply to Monmore Green, but Wolves can't postpone until the Monday morning.

    2 - In the case you describe the meeting would be postponed, not abandoned, and no further racing is permitted on the track that day.

  3. Posted · Edited by NeilWatson

    1 hour ago, arnieg said:

    Try being less of a jerk.

     

    Which of these is obvious?

    How about forecast predicts 70-80% chance of rain for afternoon dropping to 30-40% around 7pm. Is that an obvious call--off?

    How about 60% chance of rain during the meeting?

    How about heavy rain 48 hours before the meeting?

    It seems to me that trying to place any firm parameters on rain-offs is futile. Local knowledge is the vital thing - stadium access, track conditions, machinery available (and if it can actually get on the track) all point to what might be possible. Add in weather forecasts and the financial considerations I outlined above. 

    In the end the buck stops with the Promoter, who has to make a decision* - right or wrong. I’ve postponed meetings that could in the end have been raced, and not postponed ones that led ultimately to either a very late call off or an abandonment.

    The one thing I hope we all agree on is that in the current climate no Promoter can afford to incur all the fixed costs of a meeting without a high level of assurance the meeting can be staged.

    * Prior to the arrival of the referee who then assumes the role of decision maker.

    • Like 5

  4. Posted · Edited by NeilWatson

    58 minutes ago, iainb said:

    You've forgotten one slightly important thing in your list... the fans!

    This should have been called off at 10am. End of!

    You said that after 10am no meeting should be postponed before 6pm, by which time the majority of fans would already be well on their way. That would be a sure-fire way to alienate fans when a meeting that should have been postponed at midday wasn’t postponed until 6pm because of your artificial rule.

    As for today, I expected the meeting to be off early in the day but it’s no longer my decision! 

  5. Posted

    3 hours ago, iainb said:

    This is why the sport as a whole needs a call off policy... no call offs prior to 10 am on the day of the match, if you don't call it off at 10am you then can't call it off before 6pm... or something like that

     

    2 hours ago, NeilWatson said:

    That proposal bears no relevance to the economics of modern speedway.

     

    2 hours ago, iainb said:

    Nothing to do with economics... the club have 2 opportunities to call the match off, if it's not called of by 6 they are committed to run. Look at the effort Poole put in last week to get the Redcar match on, Danny Ford said on the podcast that if it had been a "normal" match (ie. they hadn't put so much effort into promoting it with the Council being present) then they would have probably just called it off... and that says a lot about the current day promoter!

    It's got everything to do with economics. At 12.00pm, torrential rain leaves the track under water and clearly impossible to get ready for racing.

    2.00pm Is the deadline for postponing the meeting without full rent being paid

    3.00pm The medical staff bill becomes due whether racing takes place or not

    5.00pm Riders begin arriving at the stadium

    6.00pm Meeting postponed, all riders have to be paid travel (and any other amounts due under their contract for flights etc).

    • Like 1

  6. Posted

    3 minutes ago, iainb said:

    This is why the sport as a whole needs a call off policy... no call offs prior to 10 am on the day of the match, if you don't call it off at 10am you then can't call it off before 6pm... or something like that

    That proposal bears no relevance to the economics of modern speedway.

    • Like 2

  13. Posted

    8 hours ago, Normski said:

    how many meetings does a rider have to do nowadays to get an average

     

    8 minutes ago, Spittaler said:

    I not certain but think only league counts in averages 

    Could be 6 or 8   If 8 don't think even if riding he would have got averaged

    010.2 MATCH AVERAGES (MAs)
    010.2.1 Established MA’s
    Are calculated, up to and including the cut-off date for a specified number of applicable meetings. Taking account of the number of heats and points (excluding bonus points) that a rider has scored.
    The applicable meetings are: -
    • Premiership League Table meetings
    • Championship League Table meetings
    • National Development League League Table meetings
    Semi-Finals, Finals and Play Offs are not included.
    Speedway Control Bureau Regulations
    91
    Riders appearing as a Guest or as a #8 are ignored (Premiership & Championship only). The BSPA are responsible for the calculation, production and circulation of rider’s MA’s.
    At the end of each season the BSPA will produce a listing of all riders who have completed in British Speedway during that season and following approval and/or amendment at their AGM. The MA’s, excluding bonus points but including other allowances will be the riders MA for the following season.
    These MA’s will remain affective for team building, team positioning, facilities, rider eligibility for heat 15 until new MA’s become effective.
    Updated MA’s will be calculated monthly on a rolling basis on all eligible meetings, up to and including 23rd of the month, to become effective from the 1st of the following month.
    A Premiership Assessed League rider will establish an MA after completing 3 home and 3 away qualifying fixtures.
    A Championship Assessed League rider will establish an MA after completing 8 qualifying fixtures.
    Should an Established MA not be achieved to be effective from 1st May, then the BSPA Directors may issue a revised MA, based upon actual rides if the team re-declares.
    The most recently established MA will be used. If a rider has an established MA in both the Premiership and Championship Leagues, established in the same season, that leagues MA will apply to that league.
    NDL established MA’s are issued when a rider completes 4 NDL meetings, irrespective of whether home or away. To be effective 7 days after the last qualifying meeting.
    A NDL rider, who is not in a NDL, ‘League’ Team Declaration will be given an Established MA after completing 4 meetings, irrespective of being home or away in any official team competition.
    Speedway Control Bureau Regulations
    92
    010.2.2 Assessed MA’s
    Given to riders who: -
    a) are new to British Speedway or are without an established MA
    b) fails to achieve an established (or converted) MA below the 2.00 minimum
    c) have to apply for a new CoS due to transferring from the Premiership to Championship if the riders established MA is below the minimum required as a new entrant
    Assessed rider gradings are calculated as follows: -
    Riders new to Premiership League racing are categorised as follows: -
    a) a rider riding in a professional league in the previous or current season will be assessed on a Grading List. Based upon results obtained in all other professional Speedway leagues and given an Assessed MA accordingly
    Riders new to Championship League racing are categorised as follows: -
    a) a rider riding in Danish, Swedish or Polish Leagues in a previous or current season will enter on a 5.00 MA
    b) a rider who has never ridden in a Danish, Swedish or Polish league will enter on a 4.00 MA
    c) a new rider who is eligible to participate in the NDL will enter on a 2.00 MA
    No rider with a current or previously assessed MA, other than a rider who has never achieved an MA in a professional league, can drop below 4.00 at any time during the season.
    010.2.3 Amended MA’s
    With the approval of the BSPA GC or Directors for: -
    a) riders who have been absent from British Speedway racing for more than 3 seasons (The MA may be increased or decreased)
    b) riders who have been absent for more than 1 full season due to injury
    c) any rider who has been or is eligible to compete in the NDL (and has not represented another FMN, other than the ACU) will receive 2.5% reduction on their MA
    Speedway Control Bureau Regulations
    93
    d) a rider who moves between the Premiership and Championship leagues and requires a converted MA. The conversion factor will be 1.5

    • Like 1

  14. Posted

    4 minutes ago, Essex said:

    I realise this is nothing to do with this topic but can somebody who's clued up on the rules explain how can Plymouth have a guest every week for Eddie Kennett.Surely they get a dispensation for say a month then you must replace him or is it the lack of options so guest's it is.Thanks.

    While Kennett is in Plymouth's declared 1-7 but unfit to ride the facility for a replacement rider remains in place.

  15. Posted

    24 minutes ago, The Cheese said:

    You'd think Ellis was a Championship reserve who somehow fluked his title last year reading some of the comments on here. Okay so he's not been quite as good as last season but he's still got the 3rd highest average amongst British riders in the Premiership and qualified for the European Championship. 

    And maybe worth remembering 2013. Nicholls finished runner-up to Woffinden in the British Final. Harris (3rd) got the wildcard instead. I'm a Harris fan and wanted him to win this meeting but I don't really see that he's in much of a position to complain given the chances he's had previously. Brennan's time will come. He's been unfortunate to miss over a year of development through Covid and injury but you can see the progress he's making. Hopefully he'll be given the 1st reserve position, get a couple of rides and I'm sure he'll get the wildcard sooner rather than later. 

    Tom Brennan is first reserve, alongside Leon Flint

    • Like 2

  16. Posted

    17 minutes ago, Steve0 said:

    … and that is your opinion.  Fortunately those making the decisions don’t agree with you.  As the meeting was abandoned, the only “fair” decision was to have the current British champion have the Cardiff wildcard.  It doesn’t really matter if you agree or not because that is what is happening.

    I do feel for Bomber - who was riding out of his skin on Monday - as always.  Tom Brennan will get his chance in the future as is making good progress in his career.

    Tom may get the chance to show what he can do in this year's GP as he is first reserve for the meeting.

  17. Posted

    6 hours ago, chrismorton said:

    Absolute farce...speedway continues to shoot itself in the foot by msking stupid decisions. Should have been 12 heats and then finals..rather than brainstorming up that crap after 1 hour...disgraceful and if this was in Poland there would have been a riot and what's the betting Eurosport don't show the restaging!?

    Once the decision was made to restage the meeting the rule book is quite clear on procedure. Don't forget that once the meeting is abandoned no further track action is permitted so a race-off on the night wasn't an option.

    • Like 2

  20. Posted · Edited by NeilWatson

    4 hours ago, NeilWatson said:

    They are - to differentiate between two riders with the same average to two decimal places. See below 
     

    SR010.3 TEAM DECLARATIONS
    Teams must be declared prior to the start of the season. Changes must be made at least 3 days before the start time of the meeting at which it is intended to be used.
    In any declaration where 2 or more riders hold an identical MA (cannot be determined by a 3rd or more decimal point) then the re-declaration must nominate the hierarchical order. Where riders have a previous MA, then the higher placed rider from the previous issue shall retain the higher position. A rider in a teams declared 1-7 at the end of the previous season, not included in that teams new seasons initial declaration, may not be subsequently re-introduced into that team without the express permission of the Directors.

     

    2 hours ago, King Jamie said:

    No they're not. See highlighted bit from your post :)

    You’re misunderstanding the (admittedly badly written) rule. If two riders have the same MA the BSPL office will check both averages to three or more decimal places to see if the equality can be “determined”, that is to see if one MA is fractionally higher than the other. If the two are truly identical then the rest of the rule comes into play.

    • Like 2

  21. Posted · Edited by NeilWatson

    9 minutes ago, King Jamie said:

    Averages aren't calculated beyond two decimal places.

    They are - to differentiate between two riders with the same average to two decimal places. See below 
     

    SR010.3 TEAM DECLARATIONS
    Teams must be declared prior to the start of the season. Changes must be made at least 3 days before the start time of the meeting at which it is intended to be used.
    In any declaration where 2 or more riders hold an identical MA (cannot be determined by a 3rd or more decimal point) then the re-declaration must nominate the hierarchical order. Where riders have a previous MA, then the higher placed rider from the previous issue shall retain the higher position. A rider in a teams declared 1-7 at the end of the previous season, not included in that teams new seasons initial declaration, may not be subsequently re-introduced into that team without the express permission of the Directors.

  23. Posted · Edited by NeilWatson
    Typo

    29 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

    Serious question - are there any rules about the number of guests in a 1-7?

    It’s all in the rule book. I’m out at the moment but IIRC a guest can be used for 1,2,3,6 and 7. For 4 &5 - one out is usually RR, both out RR & Guest, but if they’re representing their FMN a guest can be used - so 7 guests is possible.

    • Like 1
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