keepturningleft

The dishonesty of - already rich/well off - sports and celebrity people pretending (lying) to consume and enjoy an unhealthy product is what dismays me the most. Hancock and the rest lose all their dignity with this weekly sham.

I think what many people find galling is the unashamed insincerity (and irresponsibility) of super fit sports stars promoting unhealthy products which we all know they wouldn't consume themselves. Because we all know it's phony, and they are doing it purely for financial gain, it renders the whole charade patronizing and embarrassing. Of course, celebrities are just as bad on tv. I remember many years ago, Eric Idle used to advertise Breakaway (I think), chocolate bars and then later when his contract had finished, pretending to almost throw up when he found one in his pocket during a live Monty Python show for a laugh. People will sell their souls to the devil for money.

Would be interesting if Durex were still sponsoring speedway - and having GH waving a condom around in front of the camera. and...half his last name would be quite appropriate.

Exactly - hardly any people in their 40's will drink that stuff. It's as ludicrous as teenagers appearing in ads for horlicks.

Sadly, speedway riders and other sportspeople are now happy to humiliate themselves by pretending to consume the god-awful product they are promoting. Greg Hancock is by far the worst - it's cringeworthy and embarrassing to see him like a child with a dummy clinging on to that green slime. I would be surprised if even one single viewer watching this nauseating charade has ever been out and actually bought a bottle of the stuff. Sad that this is how it has to be.

A Saturday night staging automatically ups the status of an event such as this. Long time Belle Vue fans will never forget those BLR championships in the 60's and 70's - Saturday night, under lights, huge crowds, magic! Monday nights just don't hold the same kudos. We have to backwards to go forwards in some cases.

Does anyone know if Peter Collins has any involvement, or has even been, to the new National Stadium? It seems a shame that such a legendary figure in Belle Vue's history, and someone who enjoyed huge media attention in the 70's is not around to boost the profile of the stadium in some way or other. Even to this day, many people 'out there' will be more familiar with the name Peter Collins than Tai Woffinden.

"I reckon there was at least 3000 people there and it was great to see lots of children since it was the bank Holiday." Although 3,000 is probably a reasonable crowd in this day and age, it's a pity that in Great Manchesterwith its population of 2.7 million, we can't get more people interested. The local media generally give the Aces a fair crack of the whip and the sports presenter on Granada isvery enthusiastic about speedway and always gives it a positive spin.

I will be attending many Belle Vue meetings this year but I've no intention of buying tickets in advance. I live in Yorkshire and the prospect of getting snarled up on the M62/60 and being late or not able to get there at all, is something that is going to happen at some time. I wouldn't take the risk.

Very, very true and quite strange at the same time. Speedway is a motor sport that isn't a really a motor sport - if that makes any sense. From my observations, speedway fans are more likely to be into football than any other motor sport.

There's been some great racing at Cardiff - not sure why there is anything to be concerned about.

Question is why do they do the gardening at all. There is not a single solitary advantage to be gained by all this irritating, time wasting nonsense. Pretending to gain some scientific advantage fools no one, is nothing but 100% hokum, and it should be stopped.

An official at the south stand asked me how long it had taken me to get a ticket and was clearly logging such information.

I'm sure I spotted Stuart Maconie in the bar. He included a piece about Belle Vue speedway in his brilliant book 'The Pie at Night'. Perhaps he's becoming a fan!

We even had a burst of the Hyde Road meeting start music, was it Entrance of the Gladiators. All we need now is Tokyo Melody. And a funfair, zoo and amusement park!

Best stadium, best track (will be), best viewing - up close to the action, best facilities - quite simply the now best speedway venue in this country. Everyone involved in bring this venture to fruition deserves huge credit. Surprised the crowd wasn't bigger given the significance of the occasion and it could have done with some 'razzmatazz'. Being 'trapped' in whatever section your in is not great, but I guess you can't move around at footballstadia either, so what the heck. Minor niggles considering the overall impressiveness of this venue.

I'm just over the hill in Yorkshire and it's currently p*****g down.

Yes, this is a very good example of the the rose tinted glasses effect. I think there were only 3 good races and yet, as you indicate, this meeting seems to be perceived as an all time classic.

The best summing up amongst all the posts I would say.

I'm only 18 miles or so from Manchester and it's a lovely, mainly sunny evening with no rain at all. What is going on??

For the speedway fan tuning into speedway on the TV, the 10 most dreaded words must surely be, ...and joining me in the commentary box is Sam Ermolenko. Whilst watching the pairs competition on Sunday, it was quite clear that as a commentator, David Rowe is absolutely fine, but Sam Ermolenko is a total disaster. If I was as inept at my job as he is at his, I would be hauled up in front of a capability panel. Here is a word by word example from Sunday: "By the time he got into turn 3 for his brother and he did finally get there but I don’t think he sensed them or seen um I think he sensed em more than he seen um…" I could have picked a dozen more examples of such gibberish. His poor articulacy and command of the English language generally, is quite shocking for someone employed as a commentator. Half completed sentences and his arrogant refusal to modify American terminology such as ‘back straight-away’ which means nothing to English fans, just adds to the horror. His is not so much a commentary, more a dreadful ‘noise’ which appears after David Rowe has finished speaking. I can’t believe that anyone actually really listens or cares about a single thing he says. On the track this man was a talent of the highest quality. To the commentary box he brings no obvious talents at all. Why is Eurosport still employing him? There should be an exclusion zone around every commentary box whenever he is in the area.

Greg Rusedski the only 'English' tennis player with a thick Canadian accent!

I notice there's an advert for Castrol R on the back cover. Does the fuel have to be burning to get 'the smell'? 'cause I'm tempted to buy a can and stick it under my nose whilst watching speedway on the telly!

Andy Murray - British when he's winning on English soil - Scottish at all other times.

Much has been said on this thread about the the BF having been rendered almost worthless over the last few years. However, it must be said that there has never been a better time to 'up the status' of this event, a view based totally on choice of venue. I was at the aborted Belle Vue opener and it's crystal clear that this is going to be one hell of a venue. Brilliant stadium, incredible track (surely), a much higher profile venue than Wolverhampton and with good local media coverage guaranteed, in Britain's 3rd city. For these reasons it has to be disappointing that Tai has withdrawn.