False dawn

As mentioned more than once on the TV tonight, you have to admire the tenacity of Ellis Perks. Having followed his progress with both Leicester teams this year, I know him as one of those riders that rides hard for 4 laps in every race. 3 league titles in a single year is still very much on the cards. As I asked previously, would this be a first?

I have to say that I was particularly impressed with Luke Becker's performance. He made a nonsense of the track conditions against Troy Batchelor and again later in the meeting. I'm not saying the track condition was not bad. Clearly it was horrible. But the decision was to run the meeting. Be it the crowd, the TV or the lateness in the season, it was going ahead. Congratulations to all those riders who just said to themselves, "Let's go".

We could have a system whereby if you get two last places and that's your night over. Hang on, wait a minute, we tried that and didn't Andy Smith go to Oz for two races once? For me, having a system where every race has significance cannot be improved upon. Oh I know we get the occasional GP winner who wasn't the top scorer on the night. But so what? A GP first is an accolade but we are, after all, trying to determine who is the WC. I don't for a minute think that Mark Loram cared about not winning GPs when he became WC. I know the scoring system was different then, but you see what I mean. There was considerable interest (for me anyway) in the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th YTD competition on Saturday. And every point counted. I think things might have been different if two key players hadn't already booked their places, but that's a different discussion. Every point, every race counts. Right from the off in the 1st GP to the final final. A great idea. I have the means to follow progress race by race on my own spreadsheet programme. Maybe the big screens and TV could make more of the significance of scoring throughout the field.

I guess he's "Happy"

A young rider being upset by a crash he is involved in. Not a case to say he should "toughen up" but any competitor has to face that possibility, many times. A young rider being excluded (sorry disqualified) unfairly. Get used to it, it won't be the last time. An official being fined for some unspecified offence. Not acceptable. A statement stating the offence, in detail, the reasoning, the regulations that were contravened and the logic behind the punishment are requiremed of any governing body. We saw recently an appeal by Craig Cook upheld and the punishment revised without any satisfactory explanation. The SCB adopt an independent oversight of the sport (unlike the BSPA). They rule, because it's necessary to have such a body, but they're not a dictatorship. They have a rule book by which we all abide, fans included. It is published and open to scrutiny. By the same token, the application of those rules, must be open, transparent and consistent. We, of the social media community, are quite capable of making up all sorts of conspiracies in the absence of irrefutable facts. Mr (or Mrs) SCB, sit in splendid isolation and hand down your pronouncements, without explanation, at your peril.

My immediate reaction to the news about next year's wildcards was that the choices seem to lack imagination. The substitutes do, however, seem to redress the balance, a little, at least.

Well we can't call it Holdergate can we? We've already had one of those. How about Toegate?

Just give them the trophy if they finish top. Hang on, that's how it used to be.

Don't lie down if you're the pilot?

Perhaps we should have a third place play off?

I think you're discounting the giant killing factor. Ipswich will probably lose to whichever team in the final. But then again, they were definitely going to lose on aggregate last night weren't they

Oh Steve. You don't have to educate us in the idea that Poole think the sun shines out their xxes So it was poor psychology then and it was again Thursday?

Well we'll have to assume that Richie Hawkings lied on camera as Steve said then won't we?

If I'd witnessed Coventry doing it I'd have made exactly the same comments. As I said it's simple psychology.

I think we'll agree to disagree. I think that is a correct observation. However this was not at the end of the meeting in a one leg competition, it was at half time. But you and the Poole team are of course free to reject my analysis and do the same at the half way stage of all future play offs. It makes for a better second leg anyway.

I would, with respect, reread my posting. I said the "get out of jail" performance was cause for celebration. But don't rub the other teams noses in it. Or perhaps you think Ipswich came into last night's meeting a beaten team.

I never said they shouldn't celebrate. They did get out of jail after all. Just don't do it opposite the Ipswich pit. You discount the fact that this might motivate them to ride a bit harder in the return match?

So the riders didn't celebrate? And the non existent celebrations didn't wind up the Ipswich team? P.S. I never said that Poole thought they had it "in the bag". I said they celebrated because they had got out of jail. I suggested that such celebrations might just get the Ipswich riders to think something like, "Well we'll see how you like it on Saturday".

It would appear that you sent some humble pie

Maybe they were a 7 year old pair of his brother's.

I have no opinion about Richie Hawkins and his managerial ability. But he, himself, said that the one thing that really got the Ipswich "up for it" last night was the way the Poole riders were celebrating at the end of first leg. I know they had a right to feel that coming back from a 12 point deficit to win by 10 points was cause for celebration. But simple psychology tells you not to rub the opposition's nose in it, especially at half time.

Is the trumpeter still there?

He'll lose all his strength.

Just an observation. James Sarjeant was lauded for his point from the back in heat 14. But it's sobering to note that he outscored 4 of the Poole team and was paid for as many as Bomber from one less ride.

Well a leg in the biggest plaster cast I've ever seen didn't