Subedei

Are you sure about that?

That's very true. For example, the Poles could simply name Tomasz Gollob at reserve and then select 5-6 "easier" heats for him to ride in. The same could be said for Jonsson, Crump or Nicki P.

And on what basis did they decide this? It can't have been a valid or justifiable reason, since none exist.

But unfortunately for all you terminally deluded types, you can't come up with a valid, justifiable reason for Nicholls' inclusion in the GPs. All you have to offer is revisionist nonsense.

And that's not all lusty young Schumi. No, indeed, this was orion's considered opinion not so very long ago:

Later, perhaps. But at the minute I shall just make do with this little gem from the archives: Oh dear, one doesn't expect this sort of flip-flopping from no less an authority than orion.

And how, exactly, do you know that? Visited a parallel universe where Nicholls competed in all the rounds? The whole nature of the final few rounds would've changed. In short, your argument is erroneous and wrong.

Even though Nicholls, if we take him at his word, believes he doesn't deserve to be there. So, why do all you terminally deluded types keep trying to justify the unjustifiable?

I'm right. I certainly didn't "chicken out" on the wager. An unbalanced wager was proposed and I merely proposed balancing measures, such as (and you see I had the idea all along that they'd change the scoring to help the serial failure out) a change to the scoring. As for charity, the biggest charity in speedway at the minute is Scott Nicholls.

Excuse me?

I've no problem with that at all. What do you think is likely to happen Biddows? Do you think Nicholls will try and push me about like he did Ian Thomas?

You'd be pretty stupid to dismiss the qualification rounds and say that if you couldn't qualify via your standing in the GPs then you didn't deserve to be there. Remind me, which "ambitious" national hero is guilty of the above? Nicholls is over-rated and shames the GPs and the sport with his begging.

Incorrect. If he had ambition, real ambition, he'd accept that he failed, refuse the charity nomination and set a target of proving that he's worthy of a place on merit. Being left out of the GPs did Andersen no harm and - truth be told - a power of good. But that's a dangerous game to play and Nicholls isn't a gambling type. His lack of ambition is proved by constantly seeking and accepting charity. He tried the brave, bold words last year, but couldn't back them up.

I'm positive. At the minute the "ambitious" Nicholls lives in a comfort zone - he doesn't need to bother qualifying, with the result that he fails miserably. He needs to prove his worth, just as Andersen did last season. Giving charity to Nicholls year-on-year is doing him no good at all.

I have no personal grudge against the serial failure. Please provide proof of this ambition you claim Nicholls has? He had two chances to qualify for the 2007 GPs. The first chance, via the qualifiers he disregarded as - presumably - being below his princely status as global superstar and national hero. The second chance was via his final place in the GP standings. And for the third season running, the ambitious Nicholls wasn't good enough. What made it worse were his brave, bold comments after the British final. He scoffed at the qualifiers and declared that if he couldn't qualify through the GPs it would be proof that he didn't deserve to be there. So why is this serial failure still around in 2007? He, metaphorically, got down on his hands and knees with his cap and begged. And the FIM and their pimp BSI threw a few coppers in his hat and let him stay. They even changed the rules to try and help him out. Will it work? Well, according to the golem Olsen - still the meanest of the mean - this is the strongest line up ever for the GPs and that's not good news for Nicholls. But he'll get down on his hands and knees again, if he fails, and the coppers will appear in his hat again and he'll be around in 2008, bringing untold shame upon a once proud speedway nation.

It should matter to you. Or don't you want decency and integrity in the sport?

And you're proud of that, are you? Britain's last GP win was way back in 2000. Does that make your chest swell with pride? Can British speedway sink any lower?

Give me just a little more time. But he didn't, again. Again the "pride" of British speedway was down on his hands and knees with his begging bowl and again BSI took pity on the pauper prince. I doubt it'll be any different this coming season, except that Nicholls probably won't come out with his brave words after the British final. The rest of the field will appreciate what the changes mean and will be going all out in the qualifying rounds. According to reports, the golem Olsen believes 2007 to be the strongest field ever assembled for the GPs. That's not good news for the serial failure.

You don't say? Of course the hope is that you'll see a change in who qualifies for 2008. That's the whole purpose - to try and make things easier for the pauper prince. It's shameful. More charity coming the way of Nicholls.

You seriously expect me to dignify such codswallop with a reply? Tomasz Gollob, the winner of ten GPs, more than any other riders save Messrs Rickardsson and Crump, a serial failure? How many GP finals did young Gollob make last season? I'll give you a clue. It was two more than the pauper prince of British speedway.

Problem is, dear fellow, that last year was 2006. And last season was the 2006 season. You see, you didn't think carefully enough.

Are you sure about that? Could you swear to it? Think very carefully before answering. Just what would expect from an acolyte of BSI.

I'm afraid not. Look at the facts - one GP final in the past three seasons. That tells the whole sorry story. Nicholls isn't half as good as some people make him out to be. I mean, come on, Steve Johnston finished higher than him in the Australian championship.

Reads more like a list of excuses to me.

Maybe so, but how many times last season did you see E/F on the Crump scorecard? Now, perhaps Crump just had an extraordinarily lucky season, but it seems to me that, over the seasons, an E/F in the scorecards of Nicholls and Adams is not uncommon.