4thbender

Coming from Sunderland, I expect you're familiar with the technique of playing the man and not the ball. So, given that I'm a bell end, let's get back to playing the ball. Which bit of my contribution do you disagree with and why?

Not a chance. What we are witnessing is the systematic obliteration of national cultures in favour of a globalist totalitarian regime. Anyone who still believes that the hardships of the last twelve months are in any way connected to a "pandemic" is deluding himself. "Three weeks to flatten the sombrero" has turned into nearly 12 months with still no visible way out of the strait-jacket. As I've said before in this and other forums, there is no intention that we will EVER return to life pre-2020.The present government regime is no longer a democracy: Boris and co. have built a "government of occupation," ruling by ministerial edict, having completely circumvented the democratic parliamentary process. The whole charade of wearing masks, having to stay indoors, not meeting with family and giving up jobs and businesses has nothing whatever to do with a killer virus: it is a strategy driven by the government's behavioural psychologists to break the human spirit, de-construct the British sense of community and make us entirely reliant upon the state for our livelihoods. Mark my words: in March or April (just when the population believes the lockdown is about to be eased and Speedway can resume), bumbling Boris and his psychopathic chum Matt Hancock will announce the arrival of a new and deadlier strain of the virus from China and the whole process will start again.

Keep your money in your pocket.

The lockdown of March 2020 created a precedent in English Common Law which allows for the imposition of “lockdowns” and the suspension of Human Rights at any time the government believes there is a pandemic. Conveniently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revised the definition of “pandemic” in 2018. Whereas previously only a disease causing vast numbers of deaths could be declared a pandemic, the new definition allows for the word to be applied to virtually any disease that might be suspected to be contagious. Therefore a bad head-cold or “sickness bug” with the capacity to spread can be declared a pandemic, allowing the UK government to impose lockdowns at will. Debate that.

Promoters shouldn't concern themselves with signing up riders. The announcement of a new strain of the virus is scheduled for April, leading to another lockdown and abandonment of season 21. All part of the Plandemic. Unless/until there is a people's revolution, we are stuck with this until The Great Reset. Google it.

A document produced by the UN’s Environment Programme entitled “Emissions Gap Report 2020” gives the game away: the entire Coronavirus pandemic has been a planned exercise to bring about dramatic and PERMANENT lifestyle changes in order to meet global emissions targets by 2030 (in accordance with the UN’s ‘Agenda 2030’). The pandemic has been an experimentation into the measures by which world governments can be coerced into introducing a seismic revolution in the global economic, social and cultural infrastructure – measures which will be implemented PERMANENTLY during and after the World Economic Forum’s “Great Reset” in 2021. The Executive Summary of the UN’s “Emissions Gap Report” concludes with the following paragraph: “COVID-19 has provided insight into how rapid lifestyle changes can be brought about by governments (who must create conditions that make lifestyle changes possible), civil society actors (who must encourage positive social norms and a sense of collective agency for lifestyle changes) and infrastructure (which must support behaviour changes). The lockdown period in many countries may be long enough to establish new, lasting routines if supported by longer term measures. In planning the recovery from COVID-19, governments have an opportunity to catalyse low-carbon lifestyle changes by disrupting entrenched practices.” (Check it out HERE) Experiments in the wearing of masks, social distancing, isolation and needless vaccination have all proven to be highly effective means of controlling and manipulating entire populations and will (in the post-reset days) become routine and mandatory. Along with this, the destruction of free enterprise, enforced mass-unemployment and the prohibition of mass gatherings will continue ad infinitum. You heard it here first.

Destined never to be a top racer, but always a consistent and reliable second-string. Todd epitomizes the stuff of which speedway is 100% reliant: total commitment, fervent loyalty and a love for the sport on the basis of what he puts in rather than what he takes out. Todd is one of speedway's nice guys and on that basis he'll be sadly missed. I wish him all the best for whatever life has in store for him in the future.

I have nothing but great respect for Adam. Glad to see he's got fixed up close to home. He's salt of the earth and earned a vast number of fans in his short spell at Sheffield. Hope he has a great season and remains injury-free (for once!)

Nah. He just said "I'll be back." And now he is.

I recall his brief spell with Sheffield when he won loads of credit for his sheer guts and can-do attitude. Considering his seemingly endless run of bad luck I'd like to see him having some part to play in the sport. If he's fit and willing to go, someone should give him a place. If nothing else, he could have a role in team management. One of speedway's unsung heroes in my book.

…. and I don't even mind fans of NL teams having a go if they fancy it. Meanwhile, Sheffield still remain favourites to be crowned "Team of the Decade," unless someone steps up to beat the Tigers' total (and only Glasgow have come close so far).

Okay, I know I intended this competition for second-tier teams but I'd be quite happy for first tier teams to engage with this bit of fun provided they use first-tier averages.

No, the only homework I did was working out the Sheffield team average. I would be quite pleasantly surprised if Sheffield's total were to remain unbeaten. I half expected that Glasgow and Kings Lynn would better us, but Glasgow has fallen short by a fraction and we've yet to hear from Kings Lynn.

As Andrew has pointed out, you cheated by using Travis McGowan's converted figure of 11.72 when his actual 2010 average was 9.09. With this adjustment, Glasgow's total drops to 64.60, which is still 0.24 below Sheffield's team total. It never pays to cheat. So Sheffield is still in the lead

Eureka!

Well folks, it's New Year's Day and time to wish all members of the dirt track family everywhere a happy, safe and prosperous 2020. Here's looking forward to a new year (and a new decade) of shale-shifting and hoping for another season of exciting, close-fought, injury-free speedway for all riders, fans and officials. As we look back at the past ten years I thought it might be a good idea to nominate the stand-out riders who have represented your team in the years 2010 - 2019 and identify the Championship "Team of the Decade." The aim of the game is to nominate seven riders who have represented your team for at least one full season in the past decade (minimum 15 matches, so no guests!) and list their season average (including bonus points), then tot up the averages to arrive at a team total. The team with the biggest total wins the Speedway Forum Team of the Decade accolade. Here's my entry on behalf of Sheffield, whose Team Total is 64.84. Can anyone beat that? (NO CHEATING!) Rider Year Avg. matches Simon Stead 2014 9.90 29 Josh Grajczonek 2017 9.77 28 Shane Parker 2011 9.25 38 Jason Garrity 2016 9.22 18 Kyle Howarth 2016 9.00 32 Ricky Ashworth 2011 8.88 32 Danny King 2019 8.82 26 Team Total 64.84

Josh McDonald is a good signing. I'm sure if Sheffield had not been going up he'd have been one of the first on our teamsheet. Glad that the lad's got fixed up. Kennedy would be a hot tip for Poole's no.7 .

This thread is all about the debate concerning Sheffield's No. 7 Todd Kurtz. I am confused as to why someone would interrupt the debate by comparing Wolverhampton's Nick Morris with Belle Vue's Brady Kurtz. Is this a complete irrelevance to this thread or am I missing something?

It's Kurtz. The deals done, terms agreed, contracts signed, job done.

That's a point well made. When Dimitri rode as no.2 to Stead he had the habit of beating him quite consistently at Sheffield, making Stead the one claiming the bonus point (and not many riders can claim to have achieved that feat!)

Me too. I think they cherry-picked the wrong one there.

Not a fan of holder: has a habit of going missing at crucial times.

JB gone to Somerset.

Don't believe everything you read on this forum. It's a hoax. Some people just get a kick out of deceiving other people.

Would it be impertinent of me to suggest that future contributions on this topic should be made on the "Sheffield 2020" thread on the SGB Premiership Speedway League forum?