BWitcher 12,453 Posted October 9, 2018 1 hour ago, lisa-colette said: You are a dramatic little thing aren't you?? No, at least he is giving the feedback. Thousands of others haven't and have simply stopped attending. The reign of Ford continues to destroy the sport. It was mentioned a long time ago on this forum that eventually he would run out of teams to race against.. we're rapidly approaching that point. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aces51 2,778 Posted October 9, 2018 (edited) Every professional sport needs to be organised and run with integrity and credibility to be accepted as a sport that can be taken seriously. Speedway constantly shows that it has neither. Yesterday we had a situation where the Chairman of the BSPA was apparently prepared to go along with his team using a guest rider in the second leg of the most important team fixture of the season who had ridden for the opposition in the first leg. I can but hope that he realised the impact that would have on how silly that would make the sport look but that he was prepared to pay that price to give his team the best opportunity to win. I say that because the alternative would be that he didn't even realise the harm it would do to the sport at large. However, if he did put the interests of his club before the wider interests of the sport his position as Chairman is untenable and he should resign. The situation was then made worse when apparently, the SCB, the BSPA vice chairman and the promoters involved colluded to circumvent the rules, either by ignoring them or, amending them to allow a guest to be used in the second leg with an average above that allowed by those rules. There is no excuse for this slight of hand when other options within the rules were available to solve the problem. Why is it that the authorities do not seem to realise that their inability to draft a sensible rule book and then to apply those rules consistently and impartially is one of the major reasons why fans become disenchanted and stop attending, why the media don't take speedway seriously and why it is more difficult to attract and retain new fans. There are many problems with the sport which require money the promoters do not have but this is not one of them. Making sure that there is integrity and credibility in the way in which the sport is administered costs nothing. It requires only the will of those in charge to put aside their self interest and instead to look at the bigger picture. Edited October 9, 2018 by Aces51 10 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted October 9, 2018 38 minutes ago, cinderfella said: Totally agree Colin. I stayed away for a few years tfpr various reason and when I came back it had changed from 13 hts to 15hts and then stupid things like doubling up and building a team around averages lower than half the points available to a team in a match. The nominated ht 15 really gets me though. How often have fans been cheated because the 4 best riders on the night don't come out because 1) the match is already decided so it's meaningless, 20 riders can't be bothered or 3) as I've witnessed, a teams top rider not being used because he have to be paid more.? The way things seem to be going there won't be a need for doubling up as there will only be one league, Maybe that will be the start to the rod to recovery? You were annoyed because you were getting two extra races for your money? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted October 9, 2018 1 minute ago, Aces51 said: Every professional sport needs to be organised and run with integrity and credibility to be accepted as a sport that can be taken seriously. Speedway constantly shows that it has neither. Yesterday we had a situation where the Chairman of the BSPA was apparently prepared to go along with his team using a guest rider in the second leg of the most important team fixture of the season who had ridden for the opposition in the first leg. I can but hope that he realised the impact that would have on how silly that would make the sport look but that he was prepared to pay that price to give his team the best opportunity to win. I say that because the alternative would be that he didn't even realise the harm it would do to the sport at large. However, if he did put the interests of his club before the wider interests of the sport his position as Chairman is untenable and he should resign. The situation was then made worse when apparently, the SCB, the BSPA vice chairman and the promoters involved colluded to circumvent the rules, either by ignoring them or, amending them to allow a guest to be used in the second leg with an average above that allowed by those rules. There is no excuse for this slight of hand when other options within the rules were available to solve the problem. Why is it that the authorities do not seem to realise that their inability to draft a sensible rule book and then to apply those rules consistently and impartially is one of the major reasons why fans become disenchanted and stop attending, why the media don't take soeedway seriously and why it is more difficult to attract and retain new fans. There are many problems with the sport which require money the promoters do not have but this is not one of them. Making sure that there is integrity and credibility in the way in which the sport is administered costs nothing. It requires only the will of those in charge to put aside their self interest and instead look at the bigger picture. 100% spot on. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted October 9, 2018 43 minutes ago, cinderfella said: Totally agree Colin. I stayed away for a few years tfpr various reason and when I came back it had changed from 13 hts to 15hts and then stupid things like doubling up and building a team around averages lower than half the points available to a team in a match. The nominated ht 15 really gets me though. How often have fans been cheated because the 4 best riders on the night don't come out because 1) the match is already decided so it's meaningless, 20 riders can't be bothered or 3) as I've witnessed, a teams top rider not being used because he have to be paid more.? The way things seem to be going there won't be a need for doubling up as there will only be one league, Maybe that will be the start to the rod to recovery? Would you have been happy with a 42.5 points limit if there were still 13 heats? With 39-39 being a draw it would then be more than half the points available to a team in a match. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BurntFaceMan 413 Posted October 9, 2018 Would have been an even bigger win for Poole if the ref didn't let Kings Lynn jump the start. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BurntFaceMan 413 Posted October 9, 2018 Wow very sour bunch at Kings Lynn! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,784 Posted October 9, 2018 17 minutes ago, BurntFaceMan said: Wow very sour bunch at Kings Lynn! Do you not think we are entitled to be for what went on in heat 12? Don’t get me wrong, plenty of our problems were self inflicted but that decision and MPT’s subsequent injury are an absolute hammer blow. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Call me wolfie 677 Posted October 9, 2018 28 minutes ago, Bagpuss said: Do you not think we are entitled to be for what went on in heat 12? Don’t get me wrong, plenty of our problems were self inflicted but that decision and MPT’s subsequent injury are an absolute hammer blow. Totally agree, MPT did absolutely nothing wrong and I was staggered when he was excluded. Also Ellis and Bomber appeared to touch the tapes at the same time but Bomber gets away with a warning. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruno 1,790 Posted October 9, 2018 Can someone explain why you get 5% extra for a guest at home and not away. Surely the rule should be the same. I'd have thought 5% away makes more sense anyway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cinderfella 865 Posted October 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Grachan said: A bit of a contradiction there. We don't need play-offs, yet injuries robbed Wolves, "undoubtedly" the best team in the league - even though they didn't finish top of the table. Apologies Grachan - I somehow got into my head they had finished top. Apologies to The Robins and their fans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Call me wolfie 677 Posted October 9, 2018 1 minute ago, bruno said: Can someone explain why you get 5% extra for a guest at home and not away. Surely the rule should be the same. I'd have thought 5% away makes more sense anyway To make up for it not being the guests home track Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cinderfella 865 Posted October 9, 2018 1 hour ago, Grachan said: Would you have been happy with a 42.5 points limit if there were still 13 heats? With 39-39 being a draw it would then be more than half the points available to a team in a match. If there are 13 heats then I'd say a 39 point's limit. Though I have in the past argued that the average be set at that of the team finishing top of the league the previous season. That way team can be kept together and not broken up meaning young fans who spend pocket money on their favourite riders memorabilia can support the same rider the next season and that it also means other teams are building their team to a higher level rather than diluting it down. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,736 Posted October 9, 2018 27 minutes ago, bruno said: Can someone explain why you get 5% extra for a guest at home and not away. Surely the rule should be the same. I'd have thought 5% away makes more sense anyway Because if you are a promoter speedway is all about winning at home !!!! Away is not as important. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruno 1,790 Posted October 9, 2018 Thanks for the explanations, still think it's bonkers but there you go I've long given up on speedway rules Share this post Link to post Share on other sites