#rico

Sometimes everything you think is important pales into insignificance and this week is one of those times. Friends have asked me a lot what's it like covering speedway? The answer to that is it can be the best and the worst job in the world. I've covered football for over 20 years now and can't say I've ever really got close to any of the players or managers I've met along the way. Some of them have got injured pulled hamstrings even broken bones but really the only feeling has been that's a shame he'll miss a few games the rest of the season etc. With speedway though its different every time a rider has a spill its not the No11 you had a quick interview with its someone whose numbers I have in my mobile who I chat to after meetings who I share tweets and facebook messages with and suddenly it becomes personal. That's the tough part of the job these aren't just sportsmen they're people I'm proud to call friends and somehow I have to remain objective when I'm feeling anything but. I can't begin to imagine what Lee Richardson's family and friends are really going through at the moment. I have faced the sudden death of loved ones but every occasional is different. Whilst I never met Lee I still feel it as part of speedways family. Whatever you say about the sport the promoters, stupid rules, self interest, manipulating averages etc its heartening to see at times like this that all disappears as we have a common interest brought together by the sport we love. On Saturday night we'll have a minutes silence at Rye House and after that I'll have to commentate on 15 Heats of speedway like nothing has happened. Personally that's going to be a tough assignment it is though the only way. As much as I feel at the moment that I don't want to go through it I know it would not be paying proper respect to one of a bunch of the bravest sportsmen anywhere who gave up his life doing what he loved. RIP Rico.

Is That Ark Finished Yet?

Don't know about 40 days and 40 nights but I know its been ages since we had a dry day. At one stage my pond was threatening to burst its banks and my lawn was looking like a paddyfield! My next door neighbour has spent a lot of time out in his garden banging about with bits of wood he says its a shed but I think its an ark.
Its all added up to a nightmare as far as speedway is concerned. The latest story doing the rounds is that The Admiral will be back from Oz with a shiny new Visa in October just in time for the start of the Premier League season!
27 heats over Bank Holiday was at least something I suppose. Apart from the fact that its now official that you can't do a practice start facing the wrong way and of course we won Saturday only produced a couple of memorable moments. Talking to Jason Bunyan afterwards I think even he was surprised with what he achieved in Heat 12. Looked a definite fag paper job from the commentary box or Film Suite as Craig is calling it these days. Must also say hats off to young Norman (Jason Garrity; come on that flat cap only needs a prat fall and Len dressed up as Mr Grimsdale) how he accepted the seasons strangest exclusion I saw him deep in conversation with Dave Robinson afterwards and both were laughing which was nice.
Unfortunately Monday turned into a damp squib not only because of the result. When race times are around the 64second mark you know somethings up. Fair play to all the lads for giving it a go though.
So this Saturday we pray for sun as the prodigal Robbo returns. Hopefully he'll have a good safe night and we'll go away with 3 points. As someone said as I was leaving on Monday "you can't believe there's anything left up there." I think I'll reserve judgement on that one until 10 o'clock on Saturday!
Up the Rockets!
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Three Berwicks Below Freezing!

Does everyone have a sporting event that sticks in the mind so much that it becomes the measure that all events are judged against in future or is it just me? In my mind the boring nature of all football matches is measured in comparison with Watford 0 Bury 0 Saturday 20th March 1999 quite simply the worst game I have ever attended. An old radio mate of mine used to regularly come out with the phrase "and my wife thinks I'm out enjoying myself!" On that occasion he was dead right both teams could have gone on until Christmas and they wouldn't have scored. Now when it comes to speedway and more precisely the temperature everything gets measured against Rye House Rockets v Berwick 3rd May 2010. It might have been May but those of you who braved it might remember seeing a few Polar Bears wandering along the river that day. A 59-33 win and paid 14 for Linus did nothing to raise the temperature in the Video Suite (as Craig now calls it!) with both cameraman and commentator freezing our whatsits off. I've played the DVD back a few times and I swear I can hear my teeth chattering. So when Len appealed to the crowd last Saturday after the unfortunate Dylan Black had been taken away in the ambulance (with thankfully not a broken arm as feared) it was fairly obvious what the answer would be. The weather had thrown us a half Berwick and lets face it despite their best efforts the Americans were hardly at the races for most of the night. Quite why that is I'm not sure as they seemed to have no trouble in turning over Buxton the following day. Still Ritchie and Jason got some track time which hopefully they will both put to good use on Saturday when the Plymouth "Top Heavy" Devils are in town. Messrs Barker and Fisher will no doubt prove a handful Cory Gathercole will be exciting to watch but I'm not sure about the rest of the line-up. Hopefully though after last weekend the gloves will stay in the bag and we won't be measuring the temperature in Berwicks!

An Old Speedway Coat Will Never Let You Down

Easter Sunday weather forecast for the first double header of the season would have Noah worried so there's nothing else to do but clear out the cupboard under the stairs. Under a pile of coats of various styles there I found it, it was like rediscovering an old friend, memories came flooding back. Razza's Grand Slam win at Oxford in 1988, the optimism of a KO Cup Final trip to the East of England Showground in 1992 (it was good while it lasted: until Heat 1 if I remember rightly!) and the tears shed at the final meeting in 1993. Complete with National League Speedway emblem and Rye House Rockets patch it was my old speedway coat purchased at the track in 1987. "How old is that?" said the daughter "Older than you" replied Dad "Please tell me you're not going to wear it." "Why not?" "Do I really have to tell you?" So it looks a bit retro but there's no way you can replace class. The Mrs reckons it will come up a treat if I fork out £10 to get it dry cleaned. I think it's time for a comeback so if the Rockets make the play offs I'll be turning back the years giving my old friend another airing. It may not compete with Steve Webb's Union Jack trousers but what does? Up The Rockets

I Know I'll Regret This But......

OK so how many times have I fallen foul of the curse of the commentator "Nelson certainly seems to have added some solidity to his early season promise" cue Aussie teenager careering through fourth bend fence when out in front by a mile, you know the sort of thing. So after Saturday's very entertaining challenge against the Panthers I really don't know whether I should keep my thoughts to myself after all in 2005 and 2007 my Speedway Star predictions both had the Rockets finishing second in case I put a jinx on two line ups I really thought would win the title. Any way here goes if things disappear in a its all gone pear shaped direction over the next few months feel free to hurl some abuse but I think with Charlie Gjedde and Anders Mellgren on board we have half a chance of a push for the play offs. Now it could be considered a rash prediction as with Jason Bunyan on his way back from New Zealand and Anders only just put pen to paper we haven't seen our new line up in action yet. The case for my optimism though is as follows: In Charlie we have an out and out number one rider and a thoroughly nice guy as I found on my first interview with him on Saturday, in the two Jason's we have an excellent reserve pairing and lets face it anyone who pays tribute to the great Norman Wisdom with his choice of headgear as young Mr Garrity does deserves respect. I also think the Bowen 747 is looking as sharp as ever his win in Heat 8 on Saturday was a special one and as he commented to me in the pits afterwards "Nobody told me that Michael Jepsen Jesen rides in the Polish Extraleague!" Anders Mellgren looks a good prospect to me and one who was responsible for our demise against Newport last season now one meeting doesn't make a star but I think a lot of us have followed his progress since that performance for the Wasps. So that leaves Jordan who in his own words on Saturday just needs "a bloody bike that will get out of the start!" and Ritchie who has yet got to grips with his new engine. I think both will be fine after a few more meetings hence my glass half full attitude. On another note it was great to see the skipper around on Saturday night Chris is a thoroughly top bloke and I'm hoping when he's a bit more mobile he'll be able to do some co-commentary with us at T2TV.

Charlie Signs Tigers Tamed Earth Back on its Axis!

Well that was quite a couple of days. Must admit my productivity was down on Friday as I sat waiting for news on our new signing. All sorts were going through my mind Chris Schramm good rider not a number one, Robin Aspergen plenty of promise but likewise, Steve Boxall nooooooooo! don't go back there again, then finally a flashing red light on the Blackberry and its Charlie Gejedde yes!!! Class rider who if he applies himself could yet turn us into a force to be reckoned with. Fair play to Uncle Len for pulling that one off. So Saturday was approached with renewed confidence Sheffield have gone for what Neil Machin calls "strength in depth" well that was his story anyway. Looking at the Tigers line up I was up for a 10 point win provided Joe Haines didn't return to something like his best. In the end in the words of an ex football pundit we won it with a cigar on. Hopefully one day I'll get my wish and Josh Auty will become a permanent Rocket there's no doubting our adopted Yorkshire son is class and bound to cause us a problem when Scunthorpe come down later in the season. Sad to see Leigh Lanham go top rider and thoroughly nice bloke to boot as he said though never say never and I can still see him wearing blue and yellow sometime in the future. Must admit when we were 28-8 in front after 6 heats I was thumbing through the record books to find our biggest win over Sheffield was 69-23 in the second leg of the play off final in 2007. In the end I didn't need that bit of trivia but it was still a convincing way to start the league campaign and one that saw the glint returning to Uncle Len's eye in the pits afterwards. It appears Jordan may well be back for the Panther Challenge on Saturday although to be honest I'd rather he gave it another week and didn't risk things in what after all will be a pleasant night, an old boys reunion, but in the end a meaningless meeting. Jason Bunyan back from New Zealand Charlie making his competitive debut and Jordan back in the line-up for the visit to Leicester on Easter Saturday now that would be worth looking forward to. All we want now is someone to sort out Tyson's visa application...anyone got a rubber stamp? Up The Rockets!

Black Cats Broken Mirrors and Ladders

Its that time at the beginning of the season when fans form an opinion on the 7 brave lads their promoter has put together. Whatever your thoughts on the proposed Rockets septet for 2012 and as most people know mine were pretty positive you can't help feeling sorry for Uncle Len who's had more medical drama than a Casualty box set over the last week. To lose you're number one rider is unlucky to lose your number two is catastrophic and then to lose your best reserve??? Well if the Fast Show made a comeback move over Paul Whitehouse there's only one man in line for the role of Unlucky Alf! Quite whether a bunch of Black Cats were crushed a score of ladders were walked under or every mirror Chez Silver smashed there is no explanation for so much bad luck.
So we are left to soldier on with a team held together by elastoplast until scaphoids and ankle ligaments heal and a new number one arrives on a dashing white charger. So fair play to the lads that remain for the win against an equally jinxed Ipswich. Leigh looks class Luke's latest injuries didn't hold him back and Little Ben lifted the mood by beating Kevin Doolan. I'm sure young Jason will have better days and it certainly won't get him down. As Steve Webb said to me afterwards he's the biggest character we've had here since Kelvin Mullarky.
The weekend brings a trip to Plymouth now minus the errant Steve Boxall, no real surprise there and plus the occasionally brilliant Corey Gathercole. A tough one there I think. Then its back home with our adopted Yorkshire son Josh Auty coming up against his old mates. The lads made so many guest appearances over the years surely he deserves at least a caravan in the car park.
Fingers crossed there are no more trips to casualty perhaps Uncle Len will be out there rounding up black cats chopping up ladders and making sure he doesn't look in another mirror until November just to be on the safe side!
Up The Rockets!

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