Reviresco

It is good to see Nicholls with some bike speed recently (does his dad not do his engines anymore?) and with a battling attitude. All the things British sports fans should enjoy in a British sportsman. Brits are too quick to knock their sportspeople. The Nicholls/Andersen situation has been mirrored many times over speedway's history and can only be good for the sport (rivalry = controversy = publicity) as long as it doesn't go too far and people start getting hurt. And they are both riding brilliantly at the moment and are their nations' captains. Any other sport's publicity and marketing people would be making great capital out of it now. I admire both of them (well, I admire all speedway riders) and can't wait for the next version of 'what comes around, goes around'. I guess Hans will be well received the next time he is at Brandon.

Its an indictment of the current state of British (English?) speedway that we are even talking about Loram & Louis being re-admitted to the GP series. Whilst age should not be a barrier to GP entry (Hancock & Gollob are prime examples), whether qualified, wild-card or nominated, surely by now Britain should have younger riders coming through to replace L&L. Nicholls is worth his place. Richardson is struggling. L&L both seem to have regained their zest for the sport (injury free so far obviously helps) and its great to see and if Loram wants to be re-considered for a place, why not? He entertains on a bike as well as any current rider. I still feel sorry for Louis the way he lost his spot in the GP's as, he had been a consistent performer up to then and had probably deserved at least 1 win, injury really putting him out. Would Stead, Harris or say Kennet progress if they were nominated? My current best bet for the future is Danny King who seems to have ramped it up this season and, with a good couple of Elite seasons under his belt, could in 2 years be the English GP rider. Lets face it, with Danmark full of young talent, AJ & Lindback and all the new young Aussies on the scene, Britain needs to find riders from somewhere. (I still feel the opening up of the National League to foreigners (was it Rasmussen?) really hurt Britains's cause, but that is another topic and long gone now.)

Yeah, would be good, but its too sanitised at the moment. We really need a balance somewhere. As for the testosterone in the pits, its probably one of the main reasons our Soph does the job and always seems to have a smile on her lips Apologies schumifan, not meant at you. I think the ****s were 'niceman' and 'mover', but the pits to car radio isn't that good yet

Fair comment and point made. I just didn't see Nicholls being violent or scaring a female TV interviewer with his behaviour. I suppose if we take your view a bit further, there would be no televised football (some may say not a bad thing), but of course that would never happen. Maybe we expect too much from the speedway fraternity and are lucky that it is only very rarely it happens. (I wonder if F1 drivers swear under their helmets, but we don't get to hear it? Could be interesting - Schumi you are a ******* - Alonso you little ***** - Jenson, what the **** are you doing in 1st place)

Personally, and with respect to all other contributors, I feel that Nicholls got the thin of the wedge here given some of the referee's earlier decisions in this GP. Pedersen had already fallen off in the first attempt to run the semi and Scott was well in front of Andersen. He then passes him again in the re-run and Andersen falls off without any contact. OK there was barging between the 2 of them coming down the straight (50/50?), Nicholls had won that tussle, got the line, did not move out and Hans fell off of his own accord. It doesn't matter whether it was wet or not. Andersen's reason for falling was his own lack of control in the bend. And, lets face it, if Nicki had got off the track in the first running, instead of kneeling in the mud gesticualting in a 'Its not fair' way, Nicholls would have easily beaten Andersen and made the Final for the 2nd GP running. What a shame Nicki didn't act as quickly and sportingly as Jason Crump did when he fell in the Final. Well done the Brit for riding so well in conditions that do not suit non-gaters and well done to AJ for winning the Final. The best rider on view, even if on his home track, and deservedly in the Final, unlike a couple of the others. A shame Greg didn't make the Final and keep the WC going a bit longer than it will (why didn't you chose blue Greg?) A great meeting and well done to all for getting it on and getting on with it. And Creamer: "Creamer Posted Today, 10:56 PM What comes around goes around has been said by Nicholls in recents weeks, and today it came around. 2 weeks ago, should never had been in the final, but thanks to a British Ref he was. It's a pity really because he had a better chance of winning this week, than 2 weeks ago. How can someone who knows there is a TV camera pointing right at you use language like was used today." Pot and kettle? Or are you joking? Hans Andersen's language and violent behaviour at Reading in the World Cup Final was surely far worse than Nicholls' expletives tonight.

2nd semi-final Scandinavian GP, quote from Scottie Nicholls: 'Hans Andersen does a fairy bail out'. Brilliant! Hans can dish it out, but he cannot take it. Bad luck Scott, you deserved to be in the Final following the previous decisions (Heat 13 Crump/Lindback), but then you were never going to get it in Scandanavia were you as a Brit?

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