ladyluck

Just to whet the appetite for Sunday's big derby fixture in Gorzow, sportowefakty.pl presents a potted history of recent clashes between Stal and Falubaz in the grandstands, together with links to stories of times when it all got a little out of hand: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/06/lubuskie-derby-na-trybunach/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhjPRoANuNxuXYlWmySYJ5uA4Iwt8Q Meanwhile, sportowefakty.pl also presents an interview with the charismatic and often controversial president of Falubaz, Robert Dowhan: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/06/zbyt-wiele-przykrych-rzeczy-spotyka-nas-od-miasta-rozmowa-z-/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhghBjHed3xGfYqrbXVNpiGxuuqi5A A hero to some, Dowhan seems to be viewed with suspicion by others, even among the Falubaz fanbase. It is thought that he harbours political ambitions and uses the more fanatical elements of the Falubaz support as a means of bullying the local authorities.

The well known speedway portal sportowefakty.pl will be presenting live video coverage of Saturday's Lukasz Romanek Memorial meeting from Rybnik: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/06/relacja-live-wideo-z-turnieju-pamieci-lukasza-romanka/ This will be the fifth staging of the annual meeting and a strong field will be headed by world champion Tomasz Gollob. Romanek, you may recall, rode briefly for the Arena Essex Hammers in the UK.

It's on Saturday, not tomorrow.

Promotion chasing Liga I side Grudziadz have moved to strengthen their squad by signing Patrick Hougaard on loan from Ekstraliga club Czestochowa: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/05/wlokniarz-wypozyczyl-hougaarda/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhiSjuQMjgeTbcy3LCz5KTPcKktOtA It looks as if Grudziadz will be compensating Czestochowa for monies paid to Hougaard for pre-season preparation, which will be welcome news for the cash-strapped Lions.

I think the Yanks were waiting for a decision from Hancock and now we have an American team named and it includes "The Grin": http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/05/amerykanie-z-hancockiem-powalcza-o-dps/

Once again, Tribune K is in the news as the mayor of Zielona Gora speaks, promising compensation to Falubaz over losses caused by the closure of the stand and seeking co-operation from the club and it's funhog president in seeking redress from the stand's designers and constructors Alstal: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/05/prezydent-zielonej-gory-nie-pozwole-na-zeby-firma-alstal-wys/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhjf_O6xXrvrYHFdkcN1PZverLZHGw

Mateusz?

Tickets are on sale: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/05/ruszyla-otwarta-sprzedaz-biletow-na-grand-prix-w-gorzowie/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhij_O1nh7SCHNMYNBRO71CvS0Us3Q

The saga of Tribune K in Zielona Gora rumbles on (hope all this rumbling isn't a problem for the grandstand), with Alstal the construction company responsible for building Tribune K insisting it isn't their fault: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/05/dyrektor-alstalu-nikt-nie-skacze-w-taki-sposob-jak-kibice-fa/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhjKTa6A4wls5Riadbg5CFKBbcz2-A So, it all looks like ending up in the courts. Meanwhile, Falubaz's funhog president meets with the mayor: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/05/robert-dowhan-spotkal-sie-z-prezydentem-zielonej-gory/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhiWa6xBbpKkGytzSbdGuVgMcZFyMg

Isn't that something for the host organisor to decide? Presumably, BSI get their wedge from the host organisors regardless of ticket sales, so any desires of the host organisors should be respected? BSI Speedway organise three GPs, I believe, so let them take the risk on a non-local "wild card" at Gothenburg (whoops, too late), Copenhagen and Cardiff.

What? Only if they were American snails, yet a couple sentences down the line you say they ignore everyone bar non-Americans?

I'm sure lessons were learned and it would never happen again. Whoops.

Never a dull moment in Zielona Gora as Falubaz chieftain and total funhog Robert Dowhan continues to play the "blame game" with the local authorities over the stadium's new grandstand. Regular readers may recall that during Falubaz's first home meeting of the season, the virginal stand felt the earth move as the Falubaz faithful danced the Labado. Investigations revealed that the stand might not have been constructed to withstand the rigours of a Labado workout, so it was suggested that a ban be placed on the dance. Now, given that Falubaz fans have the self-control of Jose Mourinho's tongue, that idea was dropped and the whole stand was closed for last weekend's fixture against Czestochowa. Then, to add insult to Falubaz's injury, the local authority started to make the club sweat over permits to hold a "mass event" at the stadium. In the end, the mayor Janusz Kubicki granted the permit, but only for the Czestochowa meeting, meaning the club will have to sweat it out over the forthcoming fixture against Unia Leszno. Meanwhile, no one seems to know what's going to happen with the new stand and with elections coming up, Falubaz is a political hot potato in Zielona Gora: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=pl&u=http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/04/przerasta-nasze-mozliwosci-i-nie-wiemy-co-robic-dalej-echa-k/&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsportowefakty%2Bzuzel%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1TSEA_ENUK335%26prmd%3Divns&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&usg=ALkJrhjFuco5-2ezLplg7Fl5HsViUUEXaA

I suppose they could fence him as he laps them.

Desperate Deek. Now there's someone to sort out the Russian nutter for June01.

I think he'd have a bit better gear if he were a "rich kid". I don't think Laguta is in the Jonsson-Pavlic league when it comes to familial dosh.

Nicholls has also had his chances. I don't necessarily disagree with your assessments of Zagar and Miedzinski, but what about the merits of Kennett? I'd quite like to see someone like Bogdanovs having a go in Prague and Ward giving it gas in Cardiff.

I've no problem with Darcy Ward getting a "wild card" gig, but other riders have also enjoyed fine starts to the season, such as Grigory Laguta, Matej Zagar and Adrian Miedzinski. To my mind you either have one policy or the other. You either go local, or you go with the one of the best available.

Wasn't there some sort of public transport strike one time in Stockholm, with the whole GP being shifted to Avesta? Can't imagine that went down as well as Gelsenkirchen to Bydgoszcz in the Gollob camp, as I seem to recall Gollob avoiding Avesta like the plague when it came to the Swedish league.

I've a feeling speedway.nu's updates were funded by the clubs and that there had been issues. It seems that SVEMO intend running their own updates, but haven't got it all worked out just yet.

Oh come on, the Ferrari deserves the occasional Turtle Wax treat, doesn't it?

Does anyone remember the first couple of years in the GPs? My memory is a bit vague, but wasn't it something like a permanent eighteen riders, with the bottom two at a GP being replaced for the next GP and so on? I'm not against the concept of "wild cards" per se. Three "wild cards" have won GPs, although the most recent example was Hans Andersen in 2006, but with the expansion of the series as much as its professional evolution, too many are simply not competitive. The simple fact, whether people like it or not, is that in recent seasons the "wild cards" most likely to be able to compete have been Poles. Is it? Tell me, Mr Rising, did you raise your voice against the numerous "iffy" nominations handed out to Nicholls and Harris, when the old "two Brits" is sacrosanct reigned supreme at BSI? By the way, I notice you haven't favoured us with your opinion. Waiting for Paul Bellamy to give you it?

One of only two fixtures to break the 10,000 attendance barrier on Sunday, here's some video footage of the Gniezno versus Bydgoszcz meeting: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2011/05/04/hit-w-i-lidze-dla-polonii-zobacz-skrot-meczu-w-gnieznie-wide/ The other meeting to break 10,000 was Zielona Gora versus Czestochowa, while Torun versus Leszno was just a couple of hundred or so shy of 10,000.

Okay, give me your opinion, or is this another case where you "honestly don't know" your own opinion? I can give you the facts and figures for the last five or so years that prove conclusively that Polish "wild cards" have out-performed British "wild cards" during that time period. You may recall that Jagus, Kasprzak, Hampel and Kolodziej have all made finals as "wild cards" during that time span, while the "plucky Brit" has averaged something like four.

Is it right? Simple question.