SPEEDY69
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Posts posted by SPEEDY69
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Agree. End of the day the only thing he has done wrong is ride a little pit bike on a bit. Of parkland behind his house and had a spliff. Hardly serious stuff and he got fined but no conviction.
The rest he was proved innocent in a court of law. Simple as that. No ifs, buts or maybe's. Innocent.
I have no real view on this either way but just to pick up on this point - no-one is proved innocent in court, as 'not guilty' simply means that the case for guilty has not been sufficiently proven. It's an important distinction.
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Surely this is little or nothing to do with the BSPA as the decision is in the hands of BSI as to how wildcards are decided.
The BSPA could lobby for a certain set up but ultimately can insist on nothing .
As far as I know, the decision for the wildcard for Cardiff last year was given to the host nation body to sort out, not BSI, but it was established that the BSPA were aware of the decision long before the British Final and chose not to inform either the riders or the public.
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You really couldn't make this up...
http://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/3151/cardiff-bonus-for-british-champ
The year Harris wasn't guaranteed a place at Cardiff, they change their procedure to shoe horn him in as a Wild Card. Now they've succeeded in getting him in to the series full time by gifting him a Challenge place, they change the rules back, with absolutely no official explanation for changing the parameters last year.
Just what does Harris have on these people?!
JT.
It's been a poorly kept secret that he is the BSPAs favourite son, plenty of evidence of positive discrimination. The decisoin though is the right one, everyone now knows the situation and 14 riders will go into the British Final with the carrot of a place at Cardiff. Will the BSPA explain their actions - going on past behaviour then I think a resounding 'no'.
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The quantity over quality argument eh? Get enough National League meetings on to bump up the numbers and somehow that brings Britain onto the big boys table? Seriously?
Why is the number of meetings a good thing? Ask any of the big name riders (Holder's been quoted saying as much recently) and they'll tell you that it's the number of meetings that's driving the stars away from this country and killing the sport here.
And why is it that a country with more meetings than anyone else on earth, with more tracks of various shapes sizes and characteristics than any other country on earth produces a team to compete in the SWC that gets trounced by a quartet from a country like Latvia boasting only one track, no league of its own, a population a quarter the size of London, and featuring riders all living within a short drive of that track? - Maybe investigating THIS point would make for a good Speedway Start article as well!
I agree with previous comments that surely to fuel a constructive debate there needs to be views which do alter following discussion, otherwise it's just opinions being voiced and that only needs to happen once, not repeatedly.
I disagree entriely with the notion that British speedway is insignificant: All modern day World Champions have ridden regularly in British speedway. Without it would they have got to where they did? The biggest GP event on the calendar is held in Cardiff and the riders all talk about it as the big one. There is a thriving amateur speedway scene in Britain, as well as three tiers of league speedway operating regularly March-October.
I disagree entirely that it's the number of meetings that is killing the sport here: I presume you are referring solely to the EL and I am of the opinion that it was the lack of meetings in the EL here last year that affected attendances. Without supporters, clubs close and the sport dies.
The world cup side is a subject debated on other threads and there are a number of issues at play there, including things like the opportunites given to foreign riders to develop their skills in this nation, a lack of investment (which doesn't just mean money) in developing British riders, the relatively comfortable living that can be made by those British riders not wishing to push themselves into international combat and many others. As you frequently mention 'top riders' or 'big boys', perhaps we can agree that the top rider in any year should be considered to be the World Champion? In the last 10 years or more, how many Polish world champions have there been? how many Swedish? how many Danish?, how many British? How many Australian? These stats reveal that we are equal to some of those you refer to as the 'big boys'. Plus, how many of those nations have regular league programmes as extensive as those in Britain? (this means most Australians for example develop their skills in Britain)
Onto the speedway star - where I think this magazine could make further improvement is in paying more attention to the strategic perspective and include an editorial column, where they can be more controversial/provocative - such as the BSI/One SPort issue or who are the FIM/ FIM Europe. They could also cover more of the amateur programme in Britain.
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Yep, and even if Rosco fields an 8 man team that won't help. we lack International quality.
Ahh but still better than Sweden if you consider GP riders - we have one qualifier in the world champ whereas they have none, only a couple of wildcards. Let's be optimistic. Considering they have a league which many people class as a high standard one, they don't seem to be developing much emerging talent?
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Probably neither. More people know him as Bomber than Chris.
I say ditch numbers altogether and replace them with shapes.
Can just see Pearson & Tatum coping well with hecatonicosachoron
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Miniature red Chevvy's for sale on his merchandise stand
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i have no intention of contributing either, but i still don't see why this is fair game.
you appear to saying that as he is effectively asking for a handout then its all right to look deeper into his finances?
with that logic i assume its also ok to do the same for anyone attending a food bank then?
i have little sympathy for speedway riders, they choose the sport know the length of the career and know the risks, and to expect a 20 year job to support you for the rest of your life is unreasonable....
but still don't see what any of that has to do with his bank balance.
I never suggested anyone check his business account records as it is a reasonable expectation that any rider of his standing will be earning well in excess of UK average earnings. I agree that this look at his business accounts is not actually necessary to making the same arguments being debated here. However, this is not his personal bank account, it's his business accounts and they are a matter of public record. if anyone has breached personal confidentiality then they should rightly be challenged. My bank account details are personal, as are those of anyone else and are not a matter of public record so cannot be compared.
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just wondered if anyone wants to contribute there finances on an open forum?
detail what benefits they get from the state?
no?
thought not
Someone touched a nerve?
The point being debated here is whether or not a top rate tax paying sportsman should be asking the general public for a few quid. My finances are not being debated because I haven't got my cap out asking others for money.
Many professional sportspeople retire having a job to go to because they have considered the fact they will retire one day. Several trades are open to people to train for at a distance/part-time and also sponsors can offer opportunities. They shoudl not, in my view, have the expectation that their sports earnings should keep them fed for the rest of their lives following retirement.
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I have a subscription and get posted copies of the magazine - it really is very high quality work.
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Ticking time bomb in Sweden and Poland financially far more so than here. No wonder the speedway mercenaries turn their back on Britain to chase the cash, good luck while it lasts i just hope we don't rush to take them back when the bubble bursts
Absolutely. There have been many cases of riders not being paid in both Sweden and Poland and the amounts in some cases are quite staggering. Let's wait and see.
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If you've ever been to F1 / Moto GP you'll see how much merch is sold and worn a weekend. Same with football, most of the crowd buy a jersey. Its up to the SGP organizers and riders to market and sell it, numbers or not.
Yes, but F1/Moto GP are not speedway! How many of those competitors are racing three other times in the same week in different countries for different teams at different riding positions. Their brand is their name, same as with other sports stars. Football is a team game and the shirts relate to the colours of that team and these are changed regularly so that fans but new ones - the ones with numbers on nearly always have the name of the person as well! I don't think these numbers are either a good or bad idea but I really can't get excited by it because to me they are irrelevant.
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Its better marketing than changing numbers every single year. Both #1 merch or your regular number are sellers based on brand recognition. Any merch can go slightly out of date - riders sponsors change so pit shirts and hats reflect that, but the number, unless you won the ultimate prize, don't. You won't see speedway merch in high street stores but you will be able to sell to your fan base, both those who attend GPs and those who watch on tv with such. Its up to the riders to make this work but I can say that the rider who has been at the forefront of the number push, Greg Hancock, probably has the best merchandise sales of any rider over the past few years and coincidentally, he has already been marketing the #45 brand for a few years now.
You've got to think outside the box sometimes, but your last line about Rossi effectively confirms the point that a rider with a famous career is good marketing. Better than Valentino #1, #4, #7, #2 #? for example! He's number 46!!!!!
In my view it isn't better marketing at all. They have a brand already, it's their name! As was pointed out earlier, if you want to sell more then you have to make sure the product is changed regularly so that it becomes out of date - the number to me is a complete irrelevance and when number 45 rides in sweden as number 3 that makes it all the more confusing.
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What do contributors get in return? For a minimum donation - Free entry to every GP he's in??!
Good point. Most sponsorship comes with somethign in return. He could set up a fan club maybe and give out birthday cards as other used to do - or what about have a hat placed outside his van at meetings for people to drop money into? A decent porfoliio with wel lworked out deals for potential sponsors would be more successful than this and I think this belittles him.
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Quite the opposite, the new numbers will do everything for the fans, you will know exactly who your rider is. Any casual fan watching the odd GP here or there will soon know who the riders are. Oh I see, I thought their name gave us a big clue. Are you suggesting that they will announce "in red, it's number 45, in blue number 37 rather than say/display their name? It can be used for riders merchandise (if the merchandise is of good quality) and be a major boost.
I can remember owning a Mikael Max cap with the No 5 on it, out of date the season after. Without the number 5 it would've been timeless!
The actual numbering system now is confusing, The guy wearing 1 could be in 6th place in the championship. Last season means nothing, so the numbers are worthless anyway.
I wonder who the first rider will be to have their number 'retired'.
Don't know much then do you.
Go to a Nascar race and ask anyone and I mean anyone in the crowd who number 24, or number 48 is, or even who used to be No 3 and they will tell you.
Go to a GP and ask who no 7 is and 80% won't know without looking at their programme.
Riders retaining the same number creates awareness, continuity and a brand. That can only be a good thing.
How it is utilised is something different and it remains to be seen which riders take advantage of it.
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How do you know the new numbers do nothing for the fans? ..and yes, it is all about following it - everyone wants to know whats going on. If you can't follow the racing with a program and the commentator, you won't follow any system!
Add helmet colours and that's exactly right, their number is irrelevant. With the old numbers at least for the new fan they could understand who the favourites might be.
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As long as the helmet colors stay I'm sure we can all follow it , new or experienced fans. Why not just be positive about it and if it doesn't work, the moaners can say I told you so.
It's not about following it though is it - the new numbers do nothing for the fans, you know, the ones who ultimately keep all the riders in employment. At least before their number gave an indication of rank, now it's completely irrelevant to the GP.
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I agree Steve. Riders lack real ambition to move and on in their career.
Clubs need tie ins with Swedish/Polish/Danish clubs to ensure that when riders are ready for a full time move up that they get opportunities to impress abroad too.
It is clear most riders with ambition cannot make one league pay.
So you are arguing that 'riders with ambition' should be allowed to ride in more than one league, because they can't make one league pay, and then also saying that more than 2 years stifles their progress? Rather contradictory I think.
Riders progress at different rates and for those who chose EL only, some cited their ambition as the reason behind the choice. Nothing wrong with them have an outside job as well to supplement income, it doesn't mean they are less ambitious. I've seen far too many amateur riders turn up at meetings with £6k worth of bikes and a £5k van only to pootle round and get thrashed by a 50 year old on a 20year old upright bike!
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British riders cant survive in just one league and the openings abroad seem limited. The answer has to be moving up to EL and contract abroad. Staying in the PL stifles any ambition.
Nonsense. No-one is forcing them to be full-time speedway riders, or to have big vans etc. That's their choice but the income/cost ratio can be made larger if they want to.
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And to think someone once said all topics migrate to Poole - who'd have thought eh?
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What about rewarding some of the fans that commit to a full season?! Any option to attract fans back by seeing more top riders has to be considered seriously!!
I agree about attracting fans but I disagree that this is the way to do it. You wouldn't see more top riders, just different riders in different meetings.
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Was that one Rory went around Scott Nicholls coming off the last bend to nick it on the line? If so, that was a cracking meeting. Seem to recall pretty much all the top boys were there that day, even Niels got eliminated after the heats when in his last ride he went for a big move going into turn 3 on the last lap where he lost it. Was a bit gutted for Scott as he probably deserved the win that night.
Yep, sure was and yes, he probably did but fair play to Rory. Last year it was run in poor conditions and it should really have been cancelled which may have prompted this change - what makes them think March will be any better though!!
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Is it a myth about top riders pulling out of the ELRC - at least in recent seasons? I remember the 2011 one at Swindon (cracking meeting by the way) and I don't remember many of the top riders being absent?
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There are enough debates on her about fiddling as it is without opening up this can of worms. Janowski would never ride at Wolves or Cook never at Poole, additional Kevlars, how to restrict numbers/riders etc. all to pander to a few top riders who just want a bit of extra bunce & publicity. Rider commitments abroad have already had a detrimental impact on the top league here, why change everything again to suit the same few riders. Those comitted to a full season here should be the ones we reward. This could be the tipping point for me attending.
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Sayfutdinov Out Of Gp's
in Speedway Grand Prix and Speedway World Cup
Posted
I agree and he certainly appears to be 'all about the money'. The money reportedly owed to him in Poland was, if I remember correctly, a huge amount - indicating he is very well paid and there was a restructuring agreement to ensure he got his dollar. In many sports the rewards on the route to becoming world champion are poor but the title is what people want - clearly that doesn't apply to Mr S.