False dawn

Why is that when I read the Leicester team sheet I think, "That's not a half bad side" and when the results come through they get beaten, usually quite easily? They are going to pull off a massive shock one of these days if they ride to their true potential.

It seems to me that history tells us that clubs go up and down by choice. It has little to do with where they finish in the league. An end of year meeting to decide whether this happens is meaningless. However, if you want to hold such meetings between clubs considering going one way or the other, why not allow them to challenge a club of their choice in the other league and have a two leg inter league challenge? So Glasgow could challenge Leicester if they are serious about going up next year. Or King's Lynn could challenge the Isle of Wight

Why not make both legs a double header between the two teams? Two meetings between the same clubs on the same night..... I think someone tried this.

That is what I was implying. Actually a footnote in the electronic programme is all that's needed along the lines of "A and B dead heated in heat 7 so A's score and his team score are reduced by half a point and vice versa for B". Assuming the half point doesn't alter the outcome or league points and so on, this should suffice. Of course some nerd will point out that it may alter the bonus points scored. Yes it is possible to score half a bonus point. And, of course, if we ignore the half points in the official stats, the teams' points differences aren't quite right in the league tables which could (very unlikely) alter their league position. And then we get into rider averages. Ignoring a half point could just alter a riders' eligibility for a team in a redeclaration. And the real purists will squirm if we suggest that the historic records are not absolutely correct. The problems go on and on. Maybe the answer is to arrange the same two riders to meet again in the same meeting and magically have another dead heat. Then the half points would cancel out. TBH half points have always been a bit of a drag. We remember Bryan Seery, don't we, complaining in the Star when there was a dead heat because it messed up his stats for the rest of the season. Maybe we should adopt the FIM rule and declare dead heats are a no, no and the ref has to declare a winner. Actually, Is this still an FIM rule or did I dream that dead heats are now allowed in the GPs etc.? I hope not because I have a whole set of spreadsheets that will need altering to accommodate half points And finally...... Who believes in Sod's Law? If it can happen, it will. I've been around the sport nearly 50 years and I'm fairly sure it hasn't happened in that time.... A three way dead heat. On the face of it, it isn't that bad. 3 riders tie for 1st place, each get 2 points. 3 riders tie for second place, each get 1 point. But what about the bonus points?

They could, of course, upgrade to Windows Pen and Paper or speak to me

Mine is

4 guests and rider replacement? We've plumbed new depths.

Am I the only one (regardless of what happened last night) who thinks that 2 meetings between the same 2 clubs on the same night is fundamentally wrong? Silly, at best. You might as well have one meeting and double the result. Surely the appeal of racing the same club twice at home on different nights (different halves of the season even) is that of anticipation. "They beat us last time, but we've signed a new heat leader or reserve (or both at the same time if you're Rye) since". "Our no.1 was carrying an injury last time, this time we're all fit". The chances of 14 riders remaining 100% fit and having 100% reliable machinery over 2 consequetive meetings is small. Did I say 14? Of course, when you start with less, the odds are already against you. And in case you think hindsight is a wonderful thing, I did post about the dangers of using RR yesterday. This is fixture planning (planning?) at it's worst. Double headers are of dubious value. To the club, to the riders and last of all (as always) the fans.

Returning to an earlier tangential splinter in this thread. Did Josh Auty set a new record tonight, albeit in unusual circumstances? He scored 13 out of his team's total of 21 (or 11 out of 19 if we ignore the TR double). 62% (or 58%). Maybe not one to shout about eh?

And what about Nicki? You've all written him off. But should he get fit and come back fighting, does he deserve a wildcard? Aren't you glad you're not the one dishing out these discretionary places in next year's World Championship?

I'm curious. Wolves running rider replacement looks risky over 30 heats to me. A poor run by a couple of riders, worse still an injury and it could be disastrous.

So that will have to be the away leg then. Unless the Swindon riders are doubling up as greyhounds as well.

A sign of things to come? 2018 SGP ?

You mustn't be so shy. Tell us what you really think.

Your's was a gentle challenge to tell us when another rider has done this. I'll go further. This might be unique. Bloody good, anyway.

Finishing order: Przemyslaw Pawlick Artem Laguta Patryk Dudek Craig Cook Michael Jepsen Jensen Piotr Pawlicki Peter Kildemand Vaclav Milik Kai Huckenbeck Leon Madsen Mateusz Szczepaniak Matej Zagar Gleb Chugunov Martin Smolinsk Andrei Kudriashov Roman Lakhbaum Martin Vaculik If I'd have been Craig in that line up, I might have crumbled. The number of big names is overwhelming. And did I get it right that Craig posted a zero in his first ride? To finish 4th is outstanding. You are on the verge my boy. The Dude won't finish out of the top 8. You have a chance to be our next hero. Line up those sponsors. Get the tuner you like. This is it. A top 8 finish next year, and the World's your lobster.

I think I've issued more "Nerd Alerts" than most. I look up averages, I try to work out guest and rider replacement eligibility. Hell, I can tell you which gate is most advantageous in each half of a meeting. I love all things mathematical and I love this sport. So I am so pleased that GSA's, team declarations, inter league average calculations and even riders coming in from abroad are easily subject to my spreadsheet analysis. Give me the data and I'll tell you what's permissible, acceptable, or even a bit dodgy. Given that I've spent the last n months trying to get ahead of this process, I have to tell you. I'm obviously too old, suffering from early dementia or simply too thick. I guess I'l have to take future pronouncements on trust. Not a comfortable position for me at least. Are you okay with this?

Well get used to him. He is going to be World Champion. This year. (you heard it here first)

"DAN'S THE MAN FOR KINGS" according to their website. Would love to see Dan have a decent run and move on in the sport (not that I biased of course, having been a Storm supporter).

I kind of get where you're coming from and I respect your opinion (really, no sarcasm). But who's loss is it that Tai doesn't ride for Team GB? I'm old school and believe that any rider should be knocked out to be picked to ride for the National side. I like Tai (even the tats!) and want him to do well. But if he was my lad I'd kicked his a**e from here to next Wednesday for turning his back on the National side. Oh I don't know. Having read what I've just typed, I'm on both sides of this argument. Am I alone?

Emil for the win then! Penelope Pitstop ?

right There's a meeting at BV 14th October. 4th round of the British championship. I'll introduce you to the main players

turn left Krzysztof

NKI had memories of that run off with Lebedevs in the SWC !

Well I'll be the first to hold my hand up. I thought the idea of signing a no.1 on a silly high average was suicidal given the strength in depth other teams were building. At the very least I foresaw significant team changes after a few weeks as we saw at Wolverhampton (who's changes I thought were astute btw). But no, Swindon have done the business, even doing without JD during their recent run of success. They are real championship (small c) material.