Boring

[steve roberts 9,247]

 

I deleted my last post as I was going to place a sarcastic comment...but thought better of it!

Edited April 19, 2016 by steve roberts

[Gresham 928]

I'm talking about how the game of football has changed, still 11 players, still a round ball, off side rule still the same, 90 mins of play, shorts still the same length as 80 years ago (hehe), I'm saying it's only the stadiums\pitches that have changed for the fans. Are the perfect pitches better as far as the action is concerned? (serious question).

It depends on how you define 'perfect pitches better for action' as a spectacle.

 

I look at most sports nowadays, including speedway...and they have become more 'perfect'.

 

In that, I mean...Technology has taken over, pitches, tracks etc perfect, tactical awareness, fitness, health, Professionalism etc...all perfect.

 

I look at Sport, and when it's done perfectly it's often seen as boring.

 

It's the mistakes and imperfections that make sport exciting.

 

Imo...there was a pinnacle where technology got to a point and sportsman got to a point...and when the both mixed, it made it exciting.

 

I look at Sport from the 60's,70's and 80's...and visually it was more exciting.

 

The majority of motor sport and sports like football, tennis, golf etc were exciting to watch.

 

Technology was developing and Athletes (riders) were less fit and less professional.

 

The mix of the two at that point made it exciting. They complimented one another. You had the technology that gave a certain amount of reliance...but still had the skill of the individual and the slight imperfections of pitch/track. These combined made for Entertainment...often down to the slight imperfection of it all.

 

Look at football...and it is statistically analysed to within an inch of it's life. Teams are so good...that they cancel one another out. It's often like watching a game of chess.

 

Speedway has made everything too easy. Slick tracks, Bikes that are easier to ride, very few mistakes compared to the past.

 

Back to the era I mentioned...the mix of skill and mistakes made for high entertainment.

 

Remember....this is coming from a lad who only caught the tail end of the 70's and the majority of 80's and 90's.

 

I find myself watching sport from the 60's and 70's...before my time, and it's far more entertaining.

 

My interest faded when tracks became really slick and the introduction to laydown engines and bikes covered in plastic covers.

 

Poor racing ( entertainment ) and aesthetically not pleasing to the eye.

 

Ask any footballer to go back to pitches from the 70's and leather footballs and they'd scream no.

 

Ask a Speedway rider to go back to deep tracks with dirt, and upright engines etc...and they'd also scream no.

 

Ask fans of football to rather have terracing and an atmosphere, even hostile, to get away from the sterile feel of stadiums ( often like a shopping mall ) and many would be flocking back.

 

Bring back more of a team feel to Speedway, and better prepared tracks ( deeper and with more dirt and riding lines ) and bikes that were able to be ridden on them (ie uprights ) and a way of keeping machines from being highly tuned by individual riders...in other words, relying more on riders skill than a highly tuned engine...standardise team bikes....and I think it would go a long way to making Speedway entertaining again.

 

Most races that are entertaining are from riders of a same ability ( not always the very best ) on similar standard machines, where a rider makes a mistake and another uses his skill to take advantage of it.

 

Just my opinion...based on watching and playing Sport of all sorts since the 70's.

 

Like I mentioned on another thread...I still go to watch/partake in Football, Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Skiing regularly and have done since the 70's...I did with Speedway...Unfortunately Speedway is the one sport that has taken a back seat and at one time it was my favourite.

 

For a Sport to go from second highest watched...to what it is nowadays is a travesty...especially when most other sports like I've mentioned are still popular and highly attended.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Gresham

[Reviresco 708]

You compile a terrific post Gresham. I may not agree with all of it, but still a brilliant post.

[Trees 2,814]

It depends on how you define 'perfect pitches better for action' as a spectacle.

 

I look at most sports nowadays, including speedway...and they have become more 'perfect'.

 

In that, I mean...Technology has taken over, pitches, tracks etc perfect, tactical awareness, fitness, health, Professionalism etc...all perfect.

 

I look at Sport, and when it's done perfectly it's often seen as boring.

 

It's the mistakes and imperfections that make sport exciting.

 

Imo...there was a pinnacle where technology got to a point and sportsman got to a point...and when the both mixed, it made it exciting.

 

I look at Sport from the 60's,70's and 80's...and visually it was more exciting.

 

The majority of motor sport and sports like football, tennis, golf etc were exciting to watch.

 

Technology was developing and Athletes (riders) were less fit and less professional.

 

The mix of the two at that point made it exciting. They complimented one another. You had the technology that gave a certain amount of reliance...but still had the skill of the individual and the slight imperfections of pitch/track. These combined made for Entertainment...often down to the slight imperfection of it all.

 

Look at football...and it is statistically analysed to within an inch of it's life. Teams are so good...that they cancel one another out. It's often like watching a game of chess.

 

Speedway has made everything too easy. Slick tracks, Bikes that are easier to ride, very few mistakes compared to the past.

 

Back to the era I mentioned...the mix of skill and mistakes made for high entertainment.

 

Remember....this is coming from a lad who only caught the tail end of the 70's and the majority of 80's and 90's.

 

I find myself watching sport from the 60's and 70's...before my time, and it's far more entertaining.

 

My interest faded when tracks became really slick and the introduction to laydown engines and bikes covered in plastic covers.

 

Poor racing ( entertainment ) and aesthetically not pleasing to the eye.

 

Ask any footballer to go back to pitches from the 70's and leather footballs and they'd scream no.

 

Ask a Speedway rider to go back to deep tracks with dirt, and upright engines etc...and they'd also scream no.

 

Ask fans of football to rather have terracing and an atmosphere, even hostile, to get away from the sterile feel of stadiums ( often like a shopping mall ) and many would be flocking back.

 

Bring back more of a team feel to Speedway, and better prepared tracks ( deeper and with more dirt and riding lines ) and bikes that were able to be ridden on them (ie uprights ) and a way of keeping machines from being highly tuned by individual riders...in other words, relying more on riders skill than a highly tuned engine...standardise team bikes....and I think it would go a long way to making Speedway entertaining again.

 

Most races that are entertaining are from riders of a same ability ( not always the very best ) on similar standard machines, where a rider makes a mistake and another uses his skill to take advantage of it.

 

Just my opinion...based on watching and playing Sport of all sorts since the 70's.

 

Like I mentioned on another thread...I still go to watch/partake in Football, Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Skiing regularly and have done since the 70's...I did with Speedway...Unfortunately Speedway is the one sport that has taken a back seat and at one time it was my favourite.

 

For a Sport to go from second highest watched...to what it is nowadays is a travesty...especially when most other sports like I've mentioned are still popular and highly attended.

No hope for Speedway unless we go backwards perhaps ..... laydowns came in seemingly overnight so I'm guessing uprights could be brought back 'overnight'. Same with material on the tracks ..... those in charge the world over need to do something .......

[LunnasPerm 57]

There is no dispute that the sport is struggling. That is not the same as saying it is boring as per the title of your thread. I refer you to post # 2 on this thread by John Leslie, and the supporting "likes" it received. Plenty of people on here and elsewhere dispute the claim that it is boring. Few, if any dispute the fact that it is struggling. The reasons why it is struggling have been done to death on other threads.

I don't understand your intention, here.

 

You agree with my post which you quoted, but you don't want to discuss that, you want to argue about my topic title, is that right? I think it is.

 

If so, do one. I'm entitled to my opinion and, having been to two meetings in the past two weeks, plus watched the speedway on Sky, I've came to the conclusion that the sport I once loved is boring. Deal with it.

 

Your suggestion that a post's number of likes is in any way a reflection of its validity is laughable. I've agreed with a number of posts on here, but I've never liked them.

[steve roberts 9,247]

You compile a terrific post Gresham. I may not agree with all of it, but still a brilliant post.

I agree! Superb well thought out post!

I don't understand your intention, here.

 

You agree with my post which you quoted, but you don't want to discuss that, you want to argue about my topic title, is that right? I think it is.

 

If so, do one. I'm entitled to my opinion and, having been to two meetings in the past two weeks, plus watched the speedway on Sky, I've came to the conclusion that the sport I once loved is boring. Deal with it.

 

Your suggestion that a post's number of likes is in any way a reflection of its validity is laughable. I've agreed with a number of posts on here, but I've never liked them.

That's why I deleted my earlier post as I was about to make a comment based on the 'like this' option but thought better of it!

 

Personally I had no issue with the title of your thread. As we know too well threads do tend to meander...that's the beauty of the beast and the natural way of things.

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

I don't understand your intention, here.

 

You agree with my post which you quoted, but you don't want to discuss that, you want to argue about my topic title, is that right? I think it is.

 

If so, do one. I'm entitled to my opinion and, having been to two meetings in the past two weeks, plus watched the speedway on Sky, I've came to the conclusion that the sport I once loved is boring. Deal with it.

 

Your suggestion that a post's number of likes is in any way a reflection of its validity is laughable. I've agreed with a number of posts on here, but I've never liked them.

 

He's a Lakeside supporter. Having been to two of their matches this season, I can see why he might disagree about the sport being boring.

 

The match against Poole was just brilliant and the King's Lynn one was pretty good, too.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Halifaxtiger

[Little Nicki 118]

 

He's a Lakeside supporter. Having been to two of their matches this season, I can see why he might disagree about the sport being boring.

 

The match against Poole was just brilliant and the King's Lynn one was pretty good, too.

 

But why has he always got to be so supercilious with his comments?

 

Maybe he can't see past his, ever extending nose, or maybe his headmaster's mortar board has slipped?

 

There's a number of posters on the BSF who can never appreciate, or even recognise, another poster's opinion / point of view, or even their right to have one, and Mr Addio appears to be one of them. They really can be quite obnoxious and aggressive with their posts which, I feel, can intimidate other posters which is not what a forum should be about. And if you attempt to stand up to them..........

 

Forum: 'A place, meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged'. I.E., not a place to browbeat, or bully, others with your own opinion. I could name at least six BSF posters who, I feel, do this - but I won't, for fear of retribution and rebuke. Enjoy your Speedway.

 

==========================================================================================================

 

Is speedway boring - No, not in my opinion.

 

I have attended some meetings this season, for example Scunthorpe v Ipswich, where the racing in the most part, and the closeness of the match score made for, in my opinion, a 9/10 standard spectacle. Rye House v Peterborough on Sunday had some great racing, but not such a close scoreline, which I would rate as 8/10. The meeting at Mildenhall on Sunday had fewer good races and a large difference in the scores, but the sun was out, the food was good, the real ale was superb, the banter was great and the NL standard riders were giving it 100%, and another 8/10, in my view.

 

So, for me, it does not require SGP standard riders in a modern purpose built stadium to entertain me (but is that because of when and the way I grew up and the values that have been instilled in me?). I watched the Leicester v Swindon match on the TV. A few good races, a chance to chuckle at Rosco's ever reddening face, an almost old-fashioned altercation in the pits between old sparring partners Tungate and Auty (one to be followed during the season), some nice riding by a few of the riders and an appreciation of Glyn Taylor's efforts to improve the racing strip, which were hampered by the weather this country experienced in early Spring. Over all 15 heats maybe a 6/10? Is 6/10 boring or acceptable?

 

I don't like comparing speedway with football, but Barcelona are considered the top club side in Europe, if not the world, currently, and are said to 'entertain' all the time. Is this true and, if so, how do they achieve this level of perception? Maybe it is not true and it is a fallacy borne out by football followers and its sport's vast media's desire to promote their sport, rather than knock it,

Maybe, having experienced the sport in the 70's, I was spoilt, but maybe my expectations then were lower and, because of my youthful age and lack of life experiences, I did not have so many comparisons to make and just 'perceived' that the spectacle was better than it really was. Four ordinary blokes - a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker and... a factory worker - on bikes for four laps with no brakes. Brilliant. Even back then, not all the riders made themselves available to chat with, before and after meetings, but I still find the majority today are as willing and keen to interact with the fans. Maybe you just need to approach them first. A 'hello' and a 'good luck tonight' is a simple ice breaker.

One thing I have found is that, maybe due to the nature of the sport, the participants themselves love it and are fans of it and I doubt you could say that of all sports. You don't become a speedway rider simply for the money, the downsides of the sport are too great. Maybe the sport should tap into the participants' enthusiasm for their sport more and radiate that enthusiasm outward to the public at large. Sponsoring a rider for a tyre for the meeting provides you with a personal involvement - 't'at's my tyre going round t'ere on the t'back of t'at there bike, pet', or offer to 'dope and oil' for a lower level rider for the night. Every little helps - as the missus tells me.

It certainly seemed more of a show then, than it is now. Was that down to better promotion in those days, or again, lower expectations? Life has got quicker with the desire to have things brought to us immediately and in comfort, be it information, fast food, or our entertainment. Has life quality improved through this? Personally I don't think so, but today's teenagers and twenty something's would not tolerate the voids that regular speedway presents to us, during meetings. Is this why the next generation is going to be lost to the sport? Maybe.

Certainly younger people these days seem to enjoy home comforts far more than we did. During the recent Easter break I hardly saw one child out riding a bike or kids playing football in a park. Times have changed of course, but maybe today's kids won't tolerate standing in an old style stadium on a cold evening, filling in a printed programme with a pen, because they are not used to being outside, making their own entertainment.

Is this why ice hockey, a fast action sport staged indoors with high levels of presentation and fan involvement appears to be doing well in this country? Kids expect their entertainment brought to them, immediately, in comfort and in ultra HD. Not what speedway in the raw offers on a cold Thursday evening at The Abbey. I do not know how to solve speedway's ills, but what I do know is that I loved the sport then, and I still do know. Still proud to say that In am a speedway fan and follower, whatever derision that may bring.

As I said before, at its best, in my opinion, speedway is the most entertaining sport that exists. Whatever you do, Enjoy your Speedway.

[steve roberts 9,247]

 

 

But why has he always got to be so supercilious with his comments?

 

Maybe he can't see past his, ever extending nose, or maybe his headmaster's mortar board has slipped?

 

There's a number of posters on the BSF who can never appreciate, or even recognise, another poster's opinion / point of view, or even their right to have one, and Mr Addio appears to be one of them. They really can be quite obnoxious and aggressive with their posts which, I feel, can intimidate other posters which is not what a forum should be about. And if you attempt to stand up to them..........

 

Forum: 'A place, meeting or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged'. I.E., not a place to browbeat, or bully, others with your own opinion. I could name at least six BSF posters who, I feel, do this - but I won't, for fear of retribution and rebuke. Enjoy your Speedway.

 

==========================================================================================================

 

Is speedway boring - No, not in my opinion.

 

I have attended some meetings this season, for example Scunthorpe v Ipswich, where the racing in the most part, and the closeness of the match score made for, in my opinion, a 9/10 standard spectacle. Rye House v Peterborough on Sunday had some great racing, but not such a close scoreline, which I would rate as 8/10. The meeting at Mildenhall on Sunday had fewer good races and a large difference in the scores, but the sun was out, the food was good, the real ale was superb, the banter was great and the NL standard riders were giving it 100%, and another 8/10, in my view.

 

So, for me, it does not require SGP standard riders in a modern purpose built stadium to entertain me (but is that because of when and the way I grew up and the values that have been instilled in me?). I watched the Leicester v Swindon match on the TV. A few good races, a chance to chuckle at Rosco's ever reddening face, an almost old-fashioned altercation in the pits between old sparring partners Tungate and Auty (one to be followed during the season), some nice riding by a few of the riders and an appreciation of Glyn Taylor's efforts to improve the racing strip, which were hampered by the weather this country experienced in early Spring. Over all 15 heats maybe a 6/10? Is 6/10 boring or acceptable?

 

I don't like comparing speedway with football, but Barcelona are considered the top club side in Europe, if not the world, currently, and are said to 'entertain' all the time. Is this true and, if so, how do they achieve this level of perception? Maybe it is not true and it is a fallacy borne out by football followers and its sport's vast media's desire to promote their sport, rather than knock it,

Maybe, having experienced the sport in the 70's, I was spoilt, but maybe my expectations then were lower and, because of my youthful age and lack of life experiences, I did not have so many comparisons to make and just 'perceived' that the spectacle was better than it really was. Four ordinary blokes - a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker and... a factory worker - on bikes for four laps with no brakes. Brilliant. Even back then, not all the riders made themselves available to chat with, before and after meetings, but I still find the majority today are as willing and keen to interact with the fans. Maybe you just need to approach them first. A 'hello' and a 'good luck tonight' is a simple ice breaker.

One thing I have found is that, maybe due to the nature of the sport, the participants themselves love it and are fans of it and I doubt you could say that of all sports. You don't become a speedway rider simply for the money, the downsides of the sport are too great. Maybe the sport should tap into the participants' enthusiasm for their sport more and radiate that enthusiasm outward to the public at large. Sponsoring a rider for a tyre for the meeting provides you with a personal involvement - 't'at's my tyre going round t'ere on the t'back of t'at there bike, pet', or offer to 'dope and oil' for a lower level rider for the night. Every little helps - as the missus tells me.

It certainly seemed more of a show then, than it is now. Was that down to better promotion in those days, or again, lower expectations? Life has got quicker with the desire to have things brought to us immediately and in comfort, be it information, fast food, or our entertainment. Has life quality improved through this? Personally I don't think so, but today's teenagers and twenty something's would not tolerate the voids that regular speedway presents to us, during meetings. Is this why the next generation is going to be lost to the sport? Maybe.

Certainly younger people these days seem to enjoy home comforts far more than we did. During the recent Easter break I hardly saw one child out riding a bike or kids playing football in a park. Times have changed of course, but maybe today's kids won't tolerate standing in an old style stadium on a cold evening, filling in a printed programme with a pen, because they are not used to being outside, making their own entertainment.

Is this why ice hockey, a fast action sport staged indoors with high levels of presentation and fan involvement appears to be doing well in this country? Kids expect their entertainment brought to them, immediately, in comfort and in ultra HD. Not what speedway in the raw offers on a cold Thursday evening at The Abbey. I do not know how to solve speedway's ills, but what I do know is that I loved the sport then, and I still do know. Still proud to say that In am a speedway fan and follower, whatever derision that may bring.

As I said before, at its best, in my opinion, speedway is the most entertaining sport that exists. Whatever you do, Enjoy your Speedway.

 

Another very entertaining and thought provoking post. I have read, within the last hour or so, some very well written posts (especially within the Hackney thread) and found it to be an enjoyable experience. It's so much better reading posts that are constructive (whether you agree with them or not) and devoid of abuse and unjust criticism. Keep it up lads and lassies!

Edited April 19, 2016 by steve roberts

[Trees 2,814]

Whether you love it, find it boring, race it or promote it, it's in the blood forever

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

It depends on how you define 'perfect pitches better for action' as a spectacle.

 

I look at most sports nowadays, including speedway...and they have become more 'perfect'.

 

In that, I mean...Technology has taken over, pitches, tracks etc perfect, tactical awareness, fitness, health, Professionalism etc...all perfect.

 

I look at Sport, and when it's done perfectly it's often seen as boring.

 

It's the mistakes and imperfections that make sport exciting.

 

Imo...there was a pinnacle where technology got to a point and sportsman got to a point...and when the both mixed, it made it exciting.

 

I look at Sport from the 60's,70's and 80's...and visually it was more exciting.

 

The majority of motor sport and sports like football, tennis, golf etc were exciting to watch.

 

Technology was developing and Athletes (riders) were less fit and less professional.

 

The mix of the two at that point made it exciting. They complimented one another. You had the technology that gave a certain amount of reliance...but still had the skill of the individual and the slight imperfections of pitch/track. These combined made for Entertainment...often down to the slight imperfection of it all.

 

Look at football...and it is statistically analysed to within an inch of it's life. Teams are so good...that they cancel one another out. It's often like watching a game of chess.

 

Speedway has made everything too easy. Slick tracks, Bikes that are easier to ride, very few mistakes compared to the past.

 

Back to the era I mentioned...the mix of skill and mistakes made for high entertainment.

 

Remember....this is coming from a lad who only caught the tail end of the 70's and the majority of 80's and 90's.

 

I find myself watching sport from the 60's and 70's...before my time, and it's far more entertaining.

 

My interest faded when tracks became really slick and the introduction to laydown engines and bikes covered in plastic covers.

 

Poor racing ( entertainment ) and aesthetically not pleasing to the eye.

 

Ask any footballer to go back to pitches from the 70's and leather footballs and they'd scream no.

 

Ask a Speedway rider to go back to deep tracks with dirt, and upright engines etc...and they'd also scream no.

 

Ask fans of football to rather have terracing and an atmosphere, even hostile, to get away from the sterile feel of stadiums ( often like a shopping mall ) and many would be flocking back.

 

Bring back more of a team feel to Speedway, and better prepared tracks ( deeper and with more dirt and riding lines ) and bikes that were able to be ridden on them (ie uprights ) and a way of keeping machines from being highly tuned by individual riders...in other words, relying more on riders skill than a highly tuned engine...standardise team bikes....and I think it would go a long way to making Speedway entertaining again.

 

Most races that are entertaining are from riders of a same ability ( not always the very best ) on similar standard machines, where a rider makes a mistake and another uses his skill to take advantage of it.

 

Just my opinion...based on watching and playing Sport of all sorts since the 70's.

 

Like I mentioned on another thread...I still go to watch/partake in Football, Rugby, Cricket, Golf and Skiing regularly and have done since the 70's...I did with Speedway...Unfortunately Speedway is the one sport that has taken a back seat and at one time it was my favourite.

 

For a Sport to go from second highest watched...to what it is nowadays is a travesty...especially when most other sports like I've mentioned are still popular and highly attended.

A really interesting post and i agree with nearly all of it, myself and others get accused of living in the past with the things were always better then quote.For me Speedway certainly was better in the 60s,70s,80s it was in my humble OPINION anyway now it is a lot different.Brilliant at times but i often think if the GP series was around in those era's ( and i am not a fan of the series) god it would of been exciting.

[pugwash 3,208]

Is it me? There seems to be a lot of commas on this thread.

[Terry 1,319]

Is it me? There seems to be a lot of commas on this thread.

 

Comm again?

[Little Nicki 118]

Is it me? There seems to be a lot of commas on this thread.

 

It's you, Pug. Maybe you are in a comma and will, hopefully, wake up soon .

Edited April 19, 2016 by Multumesc

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Comm again?

Cum again😄 Edited April 19, 2016 by Sidney the robin