False dawn

Interesting choice my friend. This is the "I've got nothing to lose" syndrome I assume?

I like to be up-to-date. But I take no joy in reporting a drug's offence and subsequent ban. Grigori is a class talent and we'll miss him on the World's stage. P.S. If the ban is in force for tonight's meeting I switch my selection to Tarasenko.

Good luck to the BSPA, SCB or MI5 policing social media. We've had "anonymous" posts on here for many years. If someone wanted to call the BSPA names and not be fined, it's easy.

There are 18 players in the game. Stand by for 18 identical posts!!!

I would vote for that. Just seen that tonight's selections might have been thrown into the melting pot.... "I see that Greg Laguta has been suspended after being caught out in a drugs test" https://m.sportowefa...pany-na-dopingu

How much more skillful to pick one more from the remaining riders. Would you pick Laguta, Holder or even Bogdanovs (or Max)?

Are but, will he score the bagful of points everyone seems to think he will? Might he have a couple of troubled rides and then let Max take his rides? In which case Max looks like an astute selection. Perhaps this meeting isn't so clear cut as we all thought!

Sorry. Your previous post looked like an announcement. However. Taking what you did say as the basis for a better competition, how about choosing one rider from each country and one other from any of the countries (a wildcard?). And to truly eliminate the joker concept, how about taking the extra points off a rider's total if he raced as a joker?

It's not clear from the above whether we are definitely only choosing one rider per team next year and then voting on the double points idea? Can't say I like the joker idea. Looks like a mathematical device rather than real speedway. There is a famous saying that says "Exceptions make bad laws/rules". Tonight's meeting is an exception. The basic idea of the game remains sound. It ain't broke.

We run both meetings at Belle Vue on Monday. Alright, I'll get my coat

I think this is an unusual round i.e. there are 2 riders from each team that nearly everyone will pick. The final already looks a bit less obvious in terms of who to choose. It is still "game on". You could invoke the "choose before the competition starts" rule as they have with the championship itself. Then we would have to choose 2 riders from every team before event 1 and be stuck with our choices barring injuries 4 out of 13 haven't.

Am I the only one not to extend this thread and obey the rules by editing my original post? Oh bugger, I broken the rules by asking!

I recall when they brought in tape touching as an offence (yes that was a long time ago). It was mayhem and some riders (Kelvin Tatum was one as I recall) said it would never work and the rules were stifling good racing. But within a season, riders learned to come to the tapes, sit still and not touch the tapes. Now we have a certain breed of riders who are working hard to anticipate the start. So what do we do? Let them play silly buggers? Go back to charging the tapes? Allow anything as long as it doesn't cause the odd stoppage/delay? Well no. Don't relax the rules because riders are not prepared to obey them. Referees are paid to judge what is and what isn't a fair start. Oh I know, we all watch the reruns and say that was a perfect start, but without electronic assistance we have to rely on the referee's judgement. The idea of the warning and that warning remaining in force for the rest of the meeting seems a very effective device to make riders sit still. A bit more of an unpredictable period between the green light and the tapes going up will help. This doesn't mean holding the riders for an inordinate time either. A shorter period is just as effective. The, "Oh it's Burt on the button tonight. Just count to 3 and drop the clutch and hey presto" syndrome has to go. Where has the "punishing a rider by his own actions" technique gone? I'll teach the little bugger to sit still. If he moves and pulls up I'll let the tapes go and he'll end up dead last. This isn't rocket science.

Robbie B was not only the top scorer from Event 2, he scored a maximum, did he not? Congratulations.

Can I borrow your crystal ball? I assume you took a bet on Denmark going out tonight?

So before the championship started, if we'd asked Denmark which meeting they wanted to be in, what do you think they would have said? Denmark, Scandanavia. There's a clue in the question! No disrespect intended. But for Denmark to go out tonight is massive news. To lose to Russia and Latvia is shocking. I might sound like Uncle Albert (you know, "In the war.....") but I remember Russia touring over here (a long time ago) and getting thrashed. They have one (or two) pretty good riders now and that means more will follow. Latvia? I know a few of their riders but who had any money on them tonight? Well done and no mistake. A huge result for them and well done. No if's and but's. Speedway is in decline. But someone didn't tell some of these foreigners. There's hope for us all. That's what everyone said we had tonight (before the meeting).

Event 1 Czech Republic Matej Kus Vaclav Milik USA Ricky Wells Gino Manzares Australia Jason Doyle Troy Batchelor Great Britain Craig Cook Robert Lambert Event 2 Sweden Fredrik Lindgren Andreas Jonsson Latvia Andrzej Lebedevs Maksims Bogdanovs Denmark Kenneth Bjerre Niels-Kristian Iversen Russia Emil Sayfutdinov Grigori Laguta Race Off Latvia Andrzej Lebedevs Maksims Bogdanovs Russia Emil Sayfutdinov Grigori Laguta Vadim Tarasenko Australia Jason Doyle Chris Holder USA Ricky Wells Gino Manzares Final Sweden Fredrik Lindgren Antonio Lindback Poland Maciej Janowski Poitr Pawlicki Great Britain Craig Cook Chris Harris Russia Emil Sayfutdinov Vadim Tarasenko

Your description supports my conjecture.I can be a nerd at times, I admit. And I would be truly interested to know the (small) percentage of meetings that meet my criteria. But I can't think of an easy way to determine the exact number and I have a life.

K Bjerre £50 more Jonsson £50 more

Had an email today saying mine have been despatched

And still we suffer endless guests and RRs. So that strategy isn't working. Anyone have any idea how many league and cup meetings have actually taken place with two full teams, 1-7?

I do believe that Scotty still has no desire to ride for Team GB. If the right Danny King turns up, he could be a real asset.

A brave (and honest) assessment of the track. I hope it invokes the proper response and not the sack!

As a Bees fan, this post is a bit hypothetical. But when we race against Poole, all I want is for us to win. I'll shout at their fans. I'll even accuse their promoter of "bending" the rules. The joy of going to Wimbourne Road and winning the playoffs was beyond description. But when it's all done, I'm happy to have a beer with the Poole fans (and continue to debate the rights and wrongs!). This is sport, not real life. Of course, sometimes sport spills over into to real life, when one of our heroes is badly hurt. Then you realise just how meaningless any silliness between opposing fans really is. Get real. This constant bickering is pissing off 99% of the real fans on here (I can't speak for 100% like some seem to). I was there when this forum started and we wanted a place to debate issues and share news. I despair when I see some of the childish nonsense.

I have been watching speedway at Brandon regularly since 1970. And just in case you think I'm casual supporter, I do have vague memories of going with my Dad in the late 50's. I am heartbroken with the loss of a team that riders from all over the World wanted to ride for. There were a few other clubs who came close, but the Bees were the best. Okay, I'm biased and Belle Vue were pretty good and a few others had their day. Don't get into keyboard warrior mode, I'm just trying to illustrate a point. So there are two key things to remember. 1) NEVER give up. The patient is in ITU and is fading. But the disease is treatable and will only give up when we do. 2) There is still some great speedway out there. Oh, the authorities don't know their arse from their elbows, but it has always been so. But despite that, there are youngsters still putting it on the line to win races. And what about the World stage? You've got to be very good to even compete at that level now. Start looking for the good my friends. Please.