RobMcCaffery
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Everything posted by RobMcCaffery
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Belle Vue V Wolverhampton 06-07-2016
RobMcCaffery replied to GregoryM's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
Classic case of bored expatriate syndrome, I suspect. -
Gaming International And Torquay United
RobMcCaffery replied to MarkLoramTUFCfan's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
It does make you wonder what house buyers have been told when noticing the proximity of the stadium. "Don't worry, it won't be there much longer". ? I used to have a boss who'd moved into an estate on the other side of Blunsdon village about 2010 and was always whingeing about how the speedway kept his kids awake. He didn't respond well when I pointed out the track had been there since 1949 and perhaps this is the reason the place had been so affordable? The rest of the office enjoyed it though. He is of course my ex-boss.... This guy was a very well-qualified accountant. Now, how long will it be before there are more like him in the new Abbey estate organising petitions? If I were a Torquay fan I'd be preparing for a future out of the town, if at all. The houses will be up on Plainmoor in record time and the fans will be left wondering what's happening about the replacement stadium and why the work still hasn't begun. -
That was rather the point of my comment. It's one thing having a stadium that can be easily and quickly built, but you have to get the planning permission first. There's plenty of talk to say all is well and somehow construction is about to start, but when you actually look at the documentation you see a very different story. Anyone would think people were hoping that nobody had the ability to read and understand it. Surely not! Anyway, hopefully it can all be sorted out and GI actually get the new track built, assuming they really want to. I do get the feeling though that if this isn't watched closely we'll end up with the nightmare of a larger housing estate and a memory of Swindon Speedway. That's why it's so essential to keep monitoring and to keep asking questions. On the latter subject, Why are we being told planning permission has been granted when all the evidence in the public domain suggests it hasn't?
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Ice Speedway In Heerenveen, Netherlands In 2017
RobMcCaffery replied to Conkers's topic in International World of Speedway
I worked there a few times in the 80s, sadly for ice hockey rather than speedway. Back then it was an impressive enough set-up for a small place like Heerenveen, even though the speed skating track was then in the open. I remember the track being absolutely full of local schoolkids. Obviously it's moved on hugely since then and really looks the part. The only disappointment is the remoteness of the place. Friesland isn't exactly the party capital of the Netherlands. At least Assen had the delightful town of Groningen nearby. Still, with Assen gone it's great to know that the Dutch have found a good alternative. By the way the local ice hockey team were called the Friesland Flyers, tricky enough to have to keep saying in commentary. Then the local haulage company sponsored them and they became the Freriks Friesland Flyers. You try it . The frites speciaal were rather good, although it was three decades ago.... -
I do hope so. Are Swindon B.C.'s planning department also of a similarly modular/quick to spring to life construction?
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BT usually have a separate commentary team for their football coverage in 4K, apparently due to the field of view being much larger and so people get a much wider view of what's going on. I assume they won't be taking the same path tomorrow. Can you pass on my 'thanks' to 'Scoop' for blowing the gaffe on the Murray and Wales result/score on Wednesday night at Belle Vue? I was recording the latter to watch after the speedway. Never been a critic until now. That was stupid and inconsiderate. Love to see the 4K coverage. Sadly it'll have to be next year - at least I hope so. Good to see BT showing commitment.
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Swindon V Wolves/el Select 7/7/16 Elite Lge B
RobMcCaffery replied to hagonshocker's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
It's listed on the BBC Speedway Commentaries website so it does appear to be so. -
Save Coventry Speedway Petition
RobMcCaffery replied to mdmc82's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
I suspect they'll be keen to push it through before exit takes place, which is going to be at least two years away. There's always a huge demand for housing and huge rewards. It's access to capital that may be the problem or the developers may decide to hold on for a recovery and higher prices. The question is whether there would be a recovery. Like so much since the vote, it's new territory and nobody can really be sure about anything. It would be good to hope that it DOES mean a Brandon reprieve, but of course there must equally be doubts about any replacement. We could end up with Brandon going but it not being possible to fund a replacement stadium. Housing's got a far more certain return than a sports stadium. -
Belle Vue V Wolverhampton 06-07-2016
RobMcCaffery replied to GregoryM's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
I often watch multiple sports events at once on the pc. On this occasion I wanted to give both my full attention so things aren't as 'simple' as you suggest. I'll be contacting him some way. I avoid Twitter like the plague so that won't be the method. I'm not a Wales fan. It is possible to watch sport without being a fan of one of the teams you know. I'm not a Aces or Wolves fan either. Thanks for helping Pearson give the game away. I'll watch something else now. Thanks so much. -
Belle Vue V Wolverhampton 06-07-2016
RobMcCaffery replied to GregoryM's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
I've defended Pearson on several occasions in the past but I am furious with him right now. Going into heat 11 he has decided to give out the Murray tennis result and Wales football score. Like may I'm recording the football to watch after the speedway. Likewise others may have been recording the tennis. It's fine reward for putting speedway first to have him ruin the enjoyment of those who hoped to watch later. This is a SPEEDWAY programme. The message clearly is next time to put the other sports before the speedway, even if you can be bothered to watch it. It's totally unprofessional and the guy should know better. Total stupidity. He might think it's clever but it damn well isn't! -
As long as you don't feed the ferret - keep 'em lean and mean.
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Swindon - Coventry 4.7.16 On Sky
RobMcCaffery replied to A ORLOV's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
It doesn't matter what crowds at PL tracks are like, or NL, as long as they are enough to keep the place open. -
Swindon - Coventry 4.7.16 On Sky
RobMcCaffery replied to A ORLOV's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
More teams so greater variety. Far more fixtures and no month-long gaps in the season. Until recently far fewer rider absences. Lack of a contrived racing formula and the illogical movement of riders within a team based on false averages. No fear that the league's membership is about to collapse. The lack of feeling that the league is run for the benefit of one club. The gap in standard from 1-7 far more even than in the EL, thus more even racing without the majority of races being split in half. No EL snob supporters. A more relaxed and friendly environment. Greater co-operation between promotions. Sadly it has caught the EL's disease of frequent absences. Of course the EL has names. Woryna is certainly not regarded as one of the best in Poland. He is one of the compulsory u-21 reserves that include youngsters such as Pieszczek who won the World u-21 at King's Lynn, Przedpelski, Cyfer and Nowak, not to mention Zmarzlik who's in the GP series. Add in all of the many Poles in the main teams over there such as Janowski, Dudek, Protasiewicz, the Pawlicki brothers, Zengota, Miedzinski, Jedrzejak, Kasprzak and Hampel he's a long way down the ratings, riding for a minor club, Rybnik. -
Things You Miss In Speedway...
RobMcCaffery replied to Gresham's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
Wally Loak in the Midlands, as Gemini confirms while down south it was Track Tapes, usually with Steve Brown commentating. Apart from being a fellow commentator with K.M, Video Steve was later Essex Radio's first speedway correspondent at Arena Essex. -
Swindon - Coventry 4.7.16 On Sky
RobMcCaffery replied to A ORLOV's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
You do realise he'll be walking because the track is closing forever. No more Coventry Bees. You don't get a a second 'life' and restart the game. Your team is almost certainly about to die unless someone comes up with a miracle (and I pray they do). . I get the impression you'll be glad to see it happen. -
Swindon - Coventry 4.7.16 On Sky
RobMcCaffery replied to A ORLOV's topic in SGB Premiership Speedway League
Was that before or after he won the World Championship? Don't worry, you'll soon have no team to support and have nothing left to whinge about. -
Oh things have moved on. You will now find border posts on the A47 and A11 handing out ferrets and wheels. Don't let the blighter escape or you'll lose your deposit. I hope you don't get a lazy one....
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Things You Miss In Speedway...
RobMcCaffery replied to Gresham's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
Shawn, you've told us elsewhere that you are 31. Now, even by the mid-80s the war cries had served their time but their best days were over. They were a hang-over from days with larger crowds, more prepared to join in the fun. Plenty of people joined in and it was always part of the fun. It was a more innocent, tolerant and less cynical and self-centred time. We did have more fun though. What you saw was the tail end when the crowds had shrunk desperately and naturally there weren't so many people to join in and the war cries obviously were dying-out. When I was announcing I tried to modify them by dropping the '2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate" hang-over from 50s America and just go for the 'Give us a...... etc.' Eventually it was clear that another tactic was needed. It was trying to build up the atmosphere. What an awful thing to try, eh? So, what you saw was the end of an era. I think you'll find many people here were watching speedway well before you were born and witnessed another era that you quite frankly haven't the remotest qualification on which to judge. Which reminds me about one thing I miss from speedway.....tolerance.