7oakseagle

It's not an opinion though, it's just unintelligent abusive from someone behaving like a total prick!

Well I have suffered 4 heats. Crap racing. Not one single pass. Every heat a 7-2. No passing lines on the outside. Substandard line-up. Meetings like this that give the sport the reputation of gate and go! Here comes the footie!

I hadn't realised that you had bought Lewis. Did we get a decent price?

That will be why there was no amendment to the assessed averages then

Really? You use Football as an example, why? This is probably the worst comparison you could draw. Football is everything that Speedway is trying to avoid isn't it? Football has got to the stage where only a small minority of clubs have any chance of winning anything. Football clubs are massively in debt and close to going to the wall. Why not use American football as a comparison. This would be nearer the model that Speedway would like to follow surely in as much as they have a system that is designed to give all teams a chance of winning. In American Football over the last six years they have had six different winners with nine different teams making the Superbowl final. So you see it can be done if the will is there. The difference is their sport is not riddled with self-interest like ours.

Unfortunately there are promoters out there who care only about their own club and couldn't give a flying fart about the sport as a whole. As long as these people are running the sport then the Elite League will continue to decline further. There are things that could be done but if they level the playing field too much then certain people will just say no for fear that their own team may not be dominant enough. Sad but true.

Sorry, but that is a silly idea. I do not want to see Ipswich drop down, the same as I don't want Eastbourne to drop down. Why though do we give Ipswich free loan deals and more Sky cash when, as is entirely likely, there are teams who have lost more money last season than them? What are we suggesting, that we only help those who threaten to leave the Elite League? The real crux of the problem is the selfish, narrow minded approach of some promoters who throw cash at riders to entice them to their club (O.K. to a certain extent if they can afford it) and the blatant average manipulation and downright cheating that caused the Elite League to be a cartel where only a couple of clubs can compete. Everyone has seen this situation coming. How many times have we seen posters on here saying something along the lines of 'if this continues then I hope you enjoy your 5 or 6 team Elite League'? Well, unless something very fundamental changes, here it comes!

It's being so cheerful that keeps you going isn't it?

Does he have the same doctor as Screen?

What on earth are you doing? Giving an honest unbiased opinion on Lewis after actually meeting him!! Now you have gone and spoiled everyones fun

The winners get to choose and they chose Wolves.

I think the point is it would be a long way for 'most' of the fans.

You can add Scott Nichols Danny KIng and Joe Screen to the list according to the Eagles site.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on why we are miles behind the Danes, amongst others, but I was reading the programme from the Danish G.P. yesterday and there is an interview in there with Charlie Gjedde which really sums it all up much better than anything else I have read. Obviously I cannot reproduce the entire piece here but the main points he made are as follows: 1. The Danish Motor Union involve people like Eric Gundersen in the development of their youngsters. Eric will get involved in the coaching of the youngsters and quickly iron out any bad habits at an early age. 2. The youngsters start at an early age riding 80cc machines and their rise through the ranks of juniors into seniors is closely monitored by Jan Staechmann, Team Denmark and the Danish Motor Union. For example, Charlie said that he, Nicki Pederson, Hans Anderson and Bjarne Pederson have been riding together since they were eleven years old. 3. Any Danish rider who is starting out in his career gets help and advise from Team Denmark. If any of them have problems with engines, frames or flights etc they can give Jan a call and get help and advise. Gjedde says that this means a lot to younger riders because it helps them to get a good start in the British, Swedish or Polish careers. 4. Team Denmark have a get together every year prior to the start of the season. Jan takes them away, normally to Britain for a week for a get together, which will include the top under 21 boys. Apparantly, everything is taken care of for the riders, flights, hotels etc. All the riders have to do is turn up. For me Charlie summed it up in one sentence when he said "It is no coincidence that we are so strong. We have a great organisation behind us. The reward for all the effort that is put in to help us is the strength in depth of our riders and a strong national squad, definitely". In my humble opinion it is not all about how strong the domestic league is. The Danish League is hardly the strongest in the world is it? The biggest single thing is the development of the youngsters and the continuing help and support that riders get right throught their Speedway careers. This is where we fall down so very badly. All at the BSPA should be made to read Charlie's interview, look at the Danish way of doing things and act now before we crumble completely.

We are all entitled to our opinion mate, I guess only time will tell. But I do think that to call an 18 or 19 year old over-rated is a bit premature.