The punishment doesn't fit the crime......... (Read 12,937 times)

[BarryB]

When a player is sent from the feild in a Rugby match it's 1 from a team of 15 = 6.66% of the team is gooooone.

When a player is sent from the feild in a League match it's 1 from a team of 13 = 7.69% of the team is gooooone.

When a player is sent from the feild in a Soccer match it's 1 from a team of 11 = 9.19% of the team is gooooone.

When a driver is sent infeild in a Superstock Teams race it's 1 from a team of 4 = 25% of the team is gooooone (and 50% in one case last night).

Last night at Palmerston North it was nothing short of farcical, IMHO. 

And look what a Rugby, League or Soccer player has to do to be sent off? I saw nothing akin to a straight-arm head-high tackle, stomping or kick to the face last night. And yet Superstock teams were losing 25% and even 50% of their squad at the hands of officials!! For offences worthy of? Well you make the call. The punishment certainly didn't fit the crime, once again IMHO.

Scott Joblin appeared to get bumped to the grass, came back on track and bump another car in the first lap jostle. Nobody was spun, nobody was walled, nobody was damaged, but within 300 metres the race was farcically red-lighted (just like a Western Springs "noise caution") and Joblin was red carded.

Scott Miers indiscretion looked marginally worse, but worthy of a second sending off? No way!!! (although in another thread it suggests Miers was pulled off for a red light on his in car camera?)

Kerry Podjusrky? Was he really pinged for reversing out of a wall situation and (maybe even accidentally) gently tapping an opposition car passing through on the infield? Another joke call at first glance.

It had to be a joke, right? All three of them? I was dreaming, delerious on my cocktail of presciption drugs perhaps?  

A couple of the other "sendings" I cannot comment on due to either the live stream being down at the time or the cameras pointing in the wrong direction.

I thought it was a good idea to have extra sets of SNZ eyes stationed high up around the track this year, but have to wonder now whether we're in danger of totally destroying speedway's greatest spectacle. A sending off is a permanent and major offence with no recourse. The three offences listed above were worth nothing more than a warning, or perhaps a 10 point penalty? Maybe we need points penalties that can be applied after the race? Not relegations or promotions, just a points penalty given to a team that has committed a minor indiscretion? 

So do we really need a different penalty system? I think last night proved we do, beyond a shadow of a doubt. The flow of the meeting was destroyed and players were sent off for things worthy of, at best, a free kick. It's difficult to have a sin bin in Stockcars, I can understand after-race penalties don't always address each and every situation, but last night we had cars being sent infield where there were no situations really requiring redressing from what I could see!! We need to do better!!

If a car is seriously damaged or taken out of the race by an illegal move, should the offending car be immediately removed from the race? Most definitely. Should Joblin, Miers and Podjursky (at least those three) have been removed from their races last night? Did their and therefore their team's punishment fit the crime? I'm interested to hear what others saw, and think.......      

EDIT; It has been pointed out to me, and quite rightly so I suspect, that after years of complaints over inaction by referees over infringements in teams racing, a decision was made to be tougher on those that infringed. Enforce the rules to the letter of the law, of which I'm sure they were told at drivers briefing (of which I always attend but am not there this year). And this being the first year of this new-look refereeing, maybe it's unfair of me to criticize the refs too much for decisions made? Maybe it's the latest teams racing rules that have gone a little too far? And maybe the drivers needed time to adjust, and didn't do a very good job of adjusting last night? I'm still against cars being pulled from the track for very minor offences (when we're only talking 4 car teams), but if all drivers are aware of changes to the way things are going to be policed, yes they too need to take on board some of the responsibility for what happened last night. Maybe the rules will need another fine tuning after this weekend? And maybe I'm just grumpy that I'm not down there for the first time in years.......

Barry B

[alloyplatypus]

Well when Ngatai got pulled off first, i never saw what he did, but even being a Eagles supporter i thought good, at least they are doing it instantly and not letting the dude run, win and then take him out like the Tigers a few years back.. but noone seems to still know what he did, and by all accounts it wasn't a bar on what the Tiger car did back then. I know how out of control my stockcar sometimes got, let alone a superstock, and these guys all seem to have done very minimal things. I know cheating is cheating, but these guys never cheated, they just slipped off the rails momentarily and as far as i saw, none gained advantage. Between the refs and the video crew, i don't know if i will bother tonight.

[stockcar67n]

Cant agree more with that

[graemeh]

Summed up pretty well. I'm from Auckland so consider myself unbiased and agree that the punishment dished out was over the top and not consistant throughout the night.

Also was curious about the Wanganui car reversing when his way forward was not blocked in the Mustangs v Warriors race, thought that may have warranted some attention from officials as they were obviously in an overly officious mood.

[BarryB]

Wasn't Ngatai taken off for damage to the front bumper? And then sent to the pits for his reaction? Had no stream for that race, so only heard the commentators talking about it later.

Let's do it on the terracotta,

Barry B

[BarryB]

Agreed graemeh......there probably should have been no finishers in that race, but had they ruled that way it would had spoiled the theater. Not that they seemed worried about that in other races and situations however........

Let's do it on the terracotta,

Barry B

[homeless]

Yes it was a joke , if this is going to become the way it is run from now on I think it is going to kill the meeting , I for one would seriously look at if bothered out laying all that money to come down to a meeting that's going to be decided by stupid calls by referees on a power trip ,none of incidents last night were worthy of being sent off , yes 19c was a dangerous car fair enough , but the rest come on wat a joke , think just stick to goin to Auckland teams from now on , all in al a very average night apart from a couple races

[The Observer]

I would say its a fair result for the panthers.

After 30 plus years of palmy officials looking the other way,or changing results, of rigging the draw so top teams face each other on qualifying nights, and of the panthers always racing there first race against a team that has already done one race, I say these results are down right justified and great to see!

Go the bAyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Anyone out there agrees, give this post a like hahahahaha

[homeless]

Mals bumper was ripped half off on one side and pointing forward was only hanging on by one side so was pulled of steel , if he had hit some hard it would of broken off and gone anywhere so fair call on that one

[alloyplatypus]

Feb 8, 2014 8:14:08 GMT 12 The Observer said:

I would say its a fair result for the panthers.

After 30 plus years of palmy officials looking the other way,or changing results, of rigging the draw so top teams face each other on qualifying nights, and of the panthers always racing there first race against a team that has already done one race, I say these results are down right justified and great to see!

Go the bAyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Anyone out there agrees, give this post a like hahahahaha

I like to see Panthers lose, but not like that. Bay was winning anyway, when that started, and may have done it with no outside help from refs.. i would have loved to see that.

[The Observer]

To all those enjoying my previous post - looks like a spoke too soon, or perhaps the truth again reveals itself. Panthers now miraculously have enough points to make semifinals. I should have known better!! The palmy plan strikes again

[ricardo63]

Don't forget that palmy is a very narrow track as well. It seeems that the grass is the new taboo area. I have never seen a car pulled from a teams race in my viewing time (not saying it hasn't happened) but to have that many in one night. OTT

[PeterB]

Get over it Barry. Steve Jude and Murray long got sent off against the wildcats you don't see us hawkeyes supporters on here crying we are just use to it now. It happens to our team year after year. Keep the bad calls coming.

[davcarm]

I think the majority of spectators irrespective of who they supported had no idea why cars were being sent to the infield. I agree with you 100% about never seeing an evening's racing so influenced by the referees. it has been argued in the past that leaving a car on track after an '"indiscretion" could lead to that car being able to influence or change the outcome of the race, I.e wall the leading car.
Anyone at the track last night, including supporters of the teams benefiting from the decisions, I think would prefer to see some sort of post race penalty system as opposed to overkill decisions that rob spectators of a decent spectacle.
A points deduction system could be the answer assuming the enforcement is consistent.

[boner87]

Feb 8, 2014 8:14:08 GMT 12 The Observer said:

I would say its a fair result for the panthers.

After 30 plus years of palmy officials looking the other way,or changing results, of rigging the draw so top teams face each other on qualifying nights, and of the panthers always racing there first race against a team that has already done one race, I say these results are down right justified and great to see!

Go the bAyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Anyone out there agrees, give this post a like hahahahaha

Pretty sure the ref is from rotorua or has this changed this year?

[pfloyd]

Feb 8, 2014 8:23:18 GMT 12 The Observer said:

To all those enjoying my previous post - looks like a spoke too soon, or perhaps the truth again reveals itself. Panthers now miraculously have enough points to make semifinals. I should have known better!! The palmy plan strikes again

Oh my how quick some are to live by their own conspiracy theories. Panthers do NOT qualify. they were second in their group.
your post would have some credibility if bruce decided this morning to change the rules back to the top 4 points scorers but that is not the case this year it is top point scorer from each group. thought you of all people would have know that

[ricardo63]

Seems like everyone is wide awake pretty early there in NZ this morning aye... Right can anyone shed some light on what was stated at the drivers briefing before the racing commenced last night?? I can't see that the officials would make that many calls without having gone over some some key refferring areas before starting?? If these were, it would have been a good idea to blead these out to the supporters before/during the meeting??

[Noexpert]

Feb 8, 2014 8:23:18 GMT 12 The Observer said:

To all those enjoying my previous post - looks like a spoke too soon, or perhaps the truth again reveals itself. Panthers now miraculously have enough points to make semifinals. I should have known better!! The palmy plan strikes again

Where do you get that palmy are in the top four , they had fourth top points for night , but it is a top of group that makes top four this year , so no palmy in top four they in second tier !!

[The Observer]

Feb 8, 2014 8:34:17 GMT 12 pfloyd said:

Feb 8, 2014 8:23:18 GMT 12 The Observer said:

To all those enjoying my previous post - looks like a spoke too soon, or perhaps the truth again reveals itself. Panthers now miraculously have enough points to make semifinals. I should have known better!! The palmy plan strikes again

Oh my how quick some are to live by their own conspiracy theories. Panthers do NOT qualify. they were second in their group.
your post would have some credibility if bruce decided this morning to change the rules back to the top 4 points scorers but that is not the case this year it is top point scorer from each group. thought you of all people would have know that

Whoop woop best news yet thanks Floyd.

Still a long way till finals tonight so perhaps Bruce still has time to wave his wand!

[pfloyd]

just reading some small print on the bottom edge of the back cover of the programme .... the promoter reserves the right to change the format to whatever he bloody well feels like whenever he bloody well feels like......