pandorum

Yes I have had a drink after a meeting with more than a few riders. Most of whom had to go to work the next day as they were not professional riders and did this as a hobby rather than a way of making a living. Not excusing them but that was what people did 25/35 years ago. I used to drink at work and that was pretty silly when you were wandering around on a scaffold or a bridge. To quote hawkwind it was simply 'the spirit of the age'. But to offer that up as an excuse for Ward is not really acceptable as nowadays these guys are fully professional speedway riders and you can't tell me Tai Woffinden or Nicki Pedersen go on the p#ss before or after a meeting because I would require incontrovertible proof to believe such a thing. His entourage and supporters are getting ready to play the mitigating circumstance card which is frankly a load of bollox no matter what the circumstances and he should be judged on the offence not the reasons for committing it which are spurious at best for someone in the sport he participates in. If he was that upset he should have done what Emil did when his dad died during a SEC meeting, took a couple of days off and came back stronger than ever as the Russian did by winning the next GP. That's character, sadly Darcy has none and is just a grubby little individual who now is desperately hoping his mealy mouthed excuses about NOT hydrating will get him off with a fine and a kick up the arce. For the sake of speedway's last few vestiges of credibility I hope not. I would not advocate a total ban as he is one of the best in the sport and giving him a two year worldwide ban may lose him from the sport forever. Ban him from the GP for the rest of 2014 and tell him he will never get a wildcard or a pick ever again and so if he wants to be in the GP he will have to qualify for 2016. That to me is a fair punishment and add to that the fact he will be tested at every GP/SWC/FIM meeting he takes part in and if he repeats this will be banned from such meetings for life. The lad wants to be World Champion. This is a way of showing him he needs to shape up and maybe it would be the jolt he needs. Speedway needs Ward but it has to show he can't walk all over it because he is one of our best. Hit him where it hurts most and give him a chance to grow up. And you KNOW this how? And you can prove this of course?

I like the SWC Joker as it makes the thing very exciting but do not like the idea in traditional league racing although Denmark use both and I can't say I am ready to storm the Danish embassy or give up bacon Generalisations like yours are simply something stupid people do to avoid any real thinking And let's face it plenty slowed down in the old system to allow them a TS in the next heat. Sport is full of gamesmanship

It worked in that it allowed a team a tactical option options straight away to fight back from 6 points. Team strengths are another argument and that has always been something speedway has never been able to address. There will always be strong teams and weak teams. To be honest it allowed a poor team to compete a bit against a good team. Of course it did not always work. But what rule ever does? The TR nowadays doesn't allow tactics unless you have someone available you are up the creek and are probably gonna go further behind. The fact the best leagues in the world use it says it all really. I have not seen anyone pushing to use the TR in any of the top leagues. Seen that happen so many times. Even used to feel proud when it was done to my team Now ..........................

Emil Sayfutdinov got some rather bad family news during a GP series. Tai Woffinden spent a whole GP series with bad family news hanging over him. Never saw these lads fail a breathalyser. Ward is an idiot and deserves all he gets whatever the reasons. Life is hard and sh#t happens all the time to all of us. Character is something you build from life's pitfalls and hurdles. Tai and Emil have character Darcy is an arce. Kick his butt out of the GP and teach him a lesson. Might do him some good as he is a superb speedway rider.

He should have 'hydrated' True he had guts to go in front of the camera but he should be seriously hammered (pun intended) by the authorities. Scotty makes excellent points. Setting a precedent by allowing Ward to get away with a slap on the wrist would damage the GPs and make the sport look stupid (sorry about that) Whatever the reasons Ward should be at the very least be thrown out of the GP and made to qualify for 2016 as he should be told he will not be given a pick for next year.

He had a major speedway meeting the next day so what 'mitigating circumstances' could excuse drinking the night before. Did someone spike his lemonade with a pint of lager? Maybe he cannot tell the difference between Tizer and vodka and coke? Keeping his arce out of a pub or bar would seem the most sensible option with a GP the next day. Well said Scotty!

The old tac sub rule allows a team to actually USE tactics whereas the new 'Joker' rule does not as you may not be able to hit back immediately and have to wait until you have someone who can use the DP rule and by then be further adrift. Tams like Poole who 3 heat leaders have an advantage as they generally can bring in someone almost at once. The old rule worked but the new one does not so the argument favours the old rule. Too many teams disadvantaged by the Joker rule whilst the tac sub rule gave teams options. Whether they took them or not is a different story

Eurosport just heard the news. Are they still using steam technology The man is an utter pillock and does not deserve a world title

That's a bugger I was there last week and it was red hot and not a cloud in the sky. Never saw a single poster advertising the meeting though.

The Joker is a great idea as it causes a meeting like yesterday to be hellishly exciting. What a finish. Our riders need to start putting themselves out a bit Woffy lived in a caravan for a while and look where he ended up. It would help if the BSPA took an interest in rider development. We train everyone elses riders so what about some quid pro quo. Can't they get some kind of exchange deal with Poland etc? Test matches would help both here and abroad. Taking an interest in things like the pairs and SEC might not be a bad idea either. We will never progress if all we do is send the likes of Stead, Bomber and King to represent us we need Garrity, Lambert and their ilk but we need to help them as well. Look at Russia they would have probably danced the SWC if they were not in such a mess. Their riders get no help and look how that works out. Invest and support the young riders and get them out of their comfort zone. Ambition brings dozens of foreign lads to the UK every year but our lot seem stuck in their own little pond. It's time those who want to be Tai Woffinden started to stand up and exert themselves or we will have the same thread for the WTC next year. The lads who were there yesterday earned their spot so I don't begrudge them their moment in the sun but they should never have been in the team in the first p[ace except for Tai. We whine about putting young kids in and say they were the best team we had but they did nothing. Even Tai so surely a bunch of kids getting thirds and fourths but learning something is better than what we ended up with yesterday?

another great world cup final well done denmark

Yes but when he is in the pits does everybody know he is there? By the way it's August!!!!! And Nicholls has a cheek asking someone to inspire the young riders where the Hell was he when the country needed help? Saying a rider would be proud to represent his country whilst sitting on a commentary chair is a tad hypocritical from our 2nd best rider

With our luck tonight he would be lucky to end up with 3. We need to start to invest in our young kids. Test matches home and away. Concerted effort from BSPA to get them in foreign leagues and help them out financially in doing so. Work together or we will be dribbling on about the same old thing in ten years time

Yes but he is not there like you should not be here until September

Our boys earned their place and deserve to be there but to be honest what exactly will we take from this when it's all over. The US have two kids who will learn a hell of a lot. Sweden have a good upandcoming rider. Denmark have new blood. We have what? Hope the lads improve but can't see anyone shining for us

Or not

your a liar so what Crowd terrible and looks like we will be scrabbling for thirds with the Aussies. Poland look a bit good

I like Harris but don't delude myself he will do anything tonight but hope he does. So he scores well in our league but he is not riding in our league tonight is he. He can beat the best but his form against the best isn't great. I hope we win it but we most likely will finish 4th with Tai top scoring and the other three getting the odd 2nd or 3rd but filling up the last places.

sad but true. Bomber even got dumped by his Polish 1st division team this year so doubt he will score double figures but you never know. Everyone is in with a chance until about 6 30 then we will see who is who

I thought you were not gonna post till September after your Swedish prediction went belly up? Bit of a liar there mate Probably true but you never know they might just surprise us all. 4th is a lot better than anyone really expected

Totally disagree Dave Rowe can't even get the riders in the race right never mind 5 big points

Great meeting. Silly referee but did not make a difference in the end as Aussies won it fair and square. The final will be awesome. Will done OZ.

Can of worms opened there. What happens when someone does the same in the Final? Nicki's bum will be squeaking

The race off can be a great meeting but sadly it always needs the home nation to get a crowd. The straight to the final idea is not great as the best teams will at least make it to the RO. The home team has an advantage on home shale and should get to the final if they are any good. Sad really that some countries just can't be arced to go and watch good speedway. The plus side is it's more cut throat and better viewing

You can babble on all you want what you say did not happen. The swedes changed Nilsson for Ljung after the practice today. What you say is NOT right. The END!