Skidder1 7,637 Posted August 19, 2015 Yep, still can't believe more people are posting about this than the titanic struggle for top spot, I think it's going down to the wire and nobody is bothered, which is a pity for the top teams, again. Given the importance of finishing top I expect Poole to give Swindon a real hammering tonight, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that top could be decided on points difference. I thought that's how its always decided?! NB. I think Poole will let Swindon take something from tonight's meeting as they want to ensure Swindon are in the play-offs. Mind you if KL can beat the Bees that would also be very helpful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdmc82 2,878 Posted August 19, 2015 (edited) I thought that's how its always decided?! NB. I think Poole will let Swindon take something from tonight's meeting as they want to ensure Swindon are in the play-offs. Mind you if KL can beat the Bees that would also be very helpful. Why would Poole want Swindon in the play offs? Edited August 19, 2015 by mdmc82 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Game On 1,117 Posted August 19, 2015 Why would Poole want Swindon in the play offs?Local derby plus Darcy WardWhy would Poole want Swindon in the play offs?Local derby plus Darcy Wardy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted August 19, 2015 Why would Poole want Swindon in the play offs? Because they're our new best friend. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foreverblue 6,096 Posted August 19, 2015 Why would Poole want Swindon in the play offs? Personally because it is a great track, Darcy ward and a whole lot closer than Manchester! Yep, still can't believe more people are posting about this than the titanic struggle for top spot, I think it's going down to the wire and nobody is bothered, which is a pity for the top teams, again. Given the importance of finishing top I expect Poole to give Swindon a real hammering tonight, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that top could be decided on points difference. Oh i think we are bothered and i expect tonight will be a heat 10 job which should give Swindon more chance of sneaking a point. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aces51 2,778 Posted August 19, 2015 Possibly because we'd beat them again over two legs. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdmc82 2,878 Posted August 19, 2015 (edited) Because they're our new best friend.More likely that they would rather face Swindon home & away than Belle Vue Edited August 19, 2015 by mdmc82 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,824 Posted August 19, 2015 Why would Poole want Swindon in the play offs? Probably because they would be the weakest of the 4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted August 19, 2015 More likely that they would rather face Swindon home & away than Belle Vue Correct, who wants to go to Manchester where all it does is rain, you get better weather in Swindon. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,637 Posted August 19, 2015 It would make commercial and racing sense. I'm not saying Poole would want to meet Swindon in the semis neccessarily - just to be in the final 4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted August 19, 2015 BV rained off again, see post 262. It may be the weather that decides the last two teams. With meetings rained off and not a lot of time before the cut off date, some meetings may not be able to be run. That would be a shame if the last two get in because one team is unable to complete its full schedule, or if a top rider gets injured during this busy period. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryM 85 Posted August 20, 2015 Why? Sorry, been away for a few days – but you ask why the league table is ‘a work of mysterious fiction’. FICTION 1. GUESTS In modern day speedway our teams are, for whatever reason, increasingly NOT racing against their opponents’ declared 1-7s, with guests being employed in numerous matches week-in, week-out. Infact, whenever there is a match without any guests and / or R/R it is noted as being somewhat remarkable. Last night’s postponed match at Belle Vue, for example, was set to be the Aces 13th home Elite League match of the season. Had it gone ahead, the 13 matches would have seen the opponents arrive at Kirky Lane with 12 guests and 2 operating R/R. In another example, in the four Belle Vue / Lakeside matches this season there were 12 guests used and 2 R/Rs!! What makes the situation look even sillier with guests is that you might see a particular rider at your track guesting for an opponent, but is then absent when his own team visits. Or your own team has a rider missing at an away track, but then he appears at that track guesting for someone else. The choice of guests is, quite understandably, made on a ‘horse-for-courses’ basis wherever possible and a team may well have a guest rider in its line-up at a particular track where he performs considerably better than the rider he’s replaced. So if the ‘real’ Team A isn’t taking on the ‘real’ Team B the result can hardly be ‘real’ and so have little credibility. The result is likely to bear no resemblance when teams are full of guests to what it would have been with their own riders - so the result becomes a work of fiction of sorts. 2. DOUBLE POINTS TACTICAL RIDE RULE Yes here we are again - but if a team ‘wins’ 47-46 by virtue of using this rule then in reality out on the track they’ve actually lost 44-46. What is worse is that if their opponents are the home team, they’re considered to have ‘lost’ and get no match points at all - despite scoring a real match winning total of 46 points out on the track. Absolutely ridiculous!!!! And yet more fiction. MYSTERIOUS The mystery is how supporters continue to have the patience to put up with it? It certainly isn’t doing any favours in attracting new supporters. Over the years I’ve taken several ‘first-timers’ to speedway and, for the most part, they’ve enjoyed the spectacle. Get onto explaining the rules and answering their questions about team line-ups and they soon lose interest. I took a couple to a double header at Belle Vue last season (I think it was last season) and two riders were riding as guests for one team in the first match and then for their own team in the second – the couple were very confused to say the least and just laughed in my face when I explained things to them. ‘How on earth can you take speedway seriously’ they asked. I really didn’t have an answer. Anyhow, I’ll continue to enjoy speedway match by match and try to put out of my mind just how a team has been cobbled together for that particular night. It's not something to agree or disagree on, it's not opinion. The current guest / double points tactical ride systems make the league table a 'mysterious work of fiction'. No if's or buts about it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel Smith 5,666 Posted August 20, 2015 Looking at some of the remaining fixtures I think Swindon barring injuries will finish 2. They have 3 fixtures against Coventry and I fully believe they'll win them all. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted August 20, 2015 Gregorym - I agree there is a "mysterious work of fiction" in your post Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdmc82 2,878 Posted August 20, 2015 Looking at some of the remaining fixtures I think Swindon barring injuries will finish 2. They have 3 fixtures against Coventry and I fully believe they'll win them all. Unfortunately with our injuries, I think you could be right. I'm just glad we are already in the play offs and these meetings aren't to get through. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
