Grand Central

Goodness. I had no idea that the people at the Speedway Star hated Middleditch so much. That they were deliberately and actively putting the guy up for weekly ridicule. Actually wanting the whole world to 'make their own judgements' on a total imbecile without exercising some duty of care for the poor chap. That is just so cruel.

Thank goodness I have not bought a ticket for Cardiff yet. Perhaps this is something that BSI could 'nip-in-the-bud' PDQ. Just giving it out via the British Final could solve it easiest. But, then again Bomber is already in .... So anything is possible.

Er ... Where have you been for the last 24 hours? The verdict is in !

The Star is stuffed full of 'Opinion pieces' just about every week. Each of the Track Reviews has a separate section giving the partisan view of a fan, there is a page devoted to Readers letters, the 'Star Guest' Feature gives the view of a different guest columnist each week plus Question and answer sessions with riders in the 'Behind the Helmet feature'. All winter long we have had long features on various personalities of today and way back in the day. All chock full of opinion. Not just factual reporting. Most of the features requiring quotes and interviews to be sought out. And true journalism used to good effect. But on the Darcy Ward matter. Nothing of the sort. Just the Muddlo line. Week after Week.

A consistent feature of this debate has been the predilection for 'diversionary' chatter that takes away from the central issue. OK Ward should have been suspended from the first moment he failed the test. But he wasn't. When he was suspended ten days later. Ward actually appealed to avoid such action ahead of a hearing. This was rightly denied. He has now been judged fairly and properly. And banned for HIS misbehaviour. The judge says he must forfeit the gains made during those ten days of freedom. Damned right. Let's all just applaud the judge on getting the whole thing right. In the end. As someone once said. Rejoice! Rejoice! .

I haven't worked out the figures exactly ... but surely his GSA will go UP not down when those points are removed.

I think I have been extremely consistent and even-handed in expressing the total contempt I have had for the standard of journalism throughout this entire episode. Few if any of them come out of this with any professional integrity intact. They have served the sport poorly. And despite being, almost universally, in 'the Ward camp'. None of them did him any favours either.

Semantics! I think I've wandered into a Wittgenstein symposium.

Poor old Peter Oakes. Writing a load of old bunkum in The Daily Star. And no one told him.

Actually I do agree. But I think that in future you may find that any rider found in a similar position may be suspended indefinitely with immediate effect. That really is what should have happened here isn't it?

Which I imagine Mr Nilsson took into account. And judged wholly appropriate.

Seems fairly clear what is meant by that part of the judgement. In theory, at least. I imagine Darcy is busy, this very afternoon, writing out cheques to the various promotions that paid him for racing in those ten days.

Is a Cardiff wildcard impossible to imagine? Without vomitting.

If the news from the South Coast' s premier news source is to believed then Darcy has got a sentence that includes a ten month ban. It is ALWAYS the case that bans if this type start from the beginning of his suspension. And completely right they do do. But the single most important point that a established is that the FIM Protocols governing the testing procedure MUST have been found to be in order. We should all be thankful for that.

In most of the other, rather similar, cases I have seen online it would appear that the rider has been given advance warning of the judgement prior to the public being told via an official FIM Press Release. I wonder if Darcy's rather enigmatic twitter post today would indicate that he has heard something of his fate? A ban extending into this coming season but not the whole year would seem likely, Would it not?

At some point in the past someone had the 'bright' idea of introducing the 'Like' button on forums such as this. Allowing people to express their agreement and acknowledge their 'likingness' of a post. Thereby not cluttering the whole board up with post after post just saying 'Spot-on', 'Yes' or 'LOL'. I think this forum could be helped by having two alternate buttons replacing the 'Like' button. Simply 'AGREE' or 'DISAGREE'. This may help maintain the level of discourse and temper on the board if all one did to register dissent was click DISAGREE. Instead of having to make that point time and again with the same posters who repeat 'disagreeable' points.

I think your memory may be playing the odd trick... or at least being very selective. Ivan Mauger actually had a very good attendance at Kings Lynn for most of his career. From 1966 to 1979 he missed just ONE single British League match for his club of the time - 13 out of 14 he WAS there. His missing match was in 1973 when he was on a 'strike' against starting procedures. In the same period of time he appeared in all of his clubs KO Cup fixtures at Kings Lynn and numerous Pride of the East, Supporters Trophy and Littlechild Trophy. It was only in 1980 and 1981 that he missed the two Hull BL fixtures at Kings Lynn; even then he did show up for the 1980 KO fixture. Kings Lynn fans cannot really say they were ever 'deprived' of seeing Ivan Mauger at his best because of any 'Saturdaynightitis' ... that pretty much for sure.

What'sa matta you, hey!

I'd prefer one chorus of Joe Dolce's 1981 hit, especially for gustix. 'Shaddap You Face' ALL together now ! .

So ... Kelvin says that Ward was bullied into his TV interview in Latvia. Phil says that he wasn't even coerced, that in fact, it was his advisers who 'advised' him to do it. You can see why this entire issue is so lost in the limbo between truth and total fiction. Two respected figures Two opposing views on a (sort of) 'factual' matter. Makes it difficult for the rest of us to 'know' anything of what really is going on.

Many people - me included - have, over the years, taken the rather easy option of 'having a pop' at the Star. Sometimes it has been just a bit too much fun to resist such an 'open goal'. They have have made it just too easy sometimes. But this winter their performance has been really rather weird. They have produced a whole range of genuinely interesting historical articles, actually far better than those in publications dedicated to nostalgia. In addition, the Star has produced some really informative features and interviews on contemporary figures of real merit. All real advances on previous winter fare. But all that has to contrasted with the truly awful coverage of the Darcy Ward issue. That has been shameful. I am always struck by the fact that the 'Darcy weekly love-in' never carries a byline. Just about every other item (except the Cradley articles written by Nige) carry an attribution. But never the nauseating offerings that come littered with Muddlo musings. I wonder why?

I get the Star online now as it easier to skip past the items quoting Neil Middleditch. But I was fair shocked at the 'IZAL' nature of the parchment used for 'Classic' this time.

I had to read that more than once to make sure. TUCKS ... Not what I originally thought I read.

Can I commend you. That is the most salient, enlightening and downright fascinating post you have contributed. On any thread. Ever. Well done!

It's up there with all the other classics ... 'With all due respect ...' 'I'm not racist, but.....' 'Some of my best friends are gay ...' All signposts that say KEEP WELL CLEAR ... In NEON on their forehead.