This week we introduce a new columnist to the NRL News team – Dave Moyso. This man comes with a wealth of experience in Rugby League and also V8 Supercars. Dave runs a popular bar called the ’05 Bar’ in the Hills District and interacts with thousands of fans each week.
By way of introduction I’d like to get this out early, I’m unfortunately both an Eels fan and a Holden Racing Team fan, which means I’ve had little to cheer about on the sporting front so far this year.
As I sit and ponder the performance of both teams it struck me that there are a lot of similarities between Rugby League and V8Supercars. Just like NSW versus QLD the V8’s have Holden versus Ford. Like the Grand Final the V8’s have Bathurst. As supporters we are passionate about our teams and hate to see a great player or driver shift camps.
Which is why I’m guessing that there are a lot of fellow Rugby League fans that also love V8Supercars
Which brings me to the subject of this little piece and why it’s about V8’s (and not Rugby League on an otherwise Rugby League site).
You see, as a fan of both sports the thing I hate more than my team doing poorly (which given my Eels and HRT support happens regularly) is poor refereeing decisions. Just like the video ref in League, there’s a similar position in the V8’s called the Driving Standards Officer (DSO). This guy basically makes the call on dodgy incidents that occur during the race.
For anyone who watched the V8’s in Townsville last weekend you would have been witness to one of the dodgiest calls of the season when the DSO – a guy by the name of Thomas Mezera an ex V8 racer chose not to penalise Jamie Whincup – the current series leader and Triple8 Team Vodafone Ford driver for running into the back of Jack Perkins (yes Larry’s young bloke) and spinning him out of the race.
Jamie wasn’t going to make the corner as he was coming in too hot and simply ‘Hopoated’ young Jack and spun him off. Now on what planet does running another guy off and ruining his race not constitute a drive through penalty?
Even Whincup was expecting to get pinged and was waiting for the call (as were thousands of other V8 fans), but good old Thomas let him go. When questioned about his decision after the race Thomas offered a poor excuse and dismissed the issue totally.
The implications for the sport of ridiculous decisions like this is to simply take away credibility. We end up with WWE instead of car racing and unless you’ve been indulging far too much at the XXXX tent, you’d be fairly unhappy that a bloke who punts another bloke simply gets away with it.
The issue for Thomas now is that nobody in the sport understands where the limits are. He’s dug himself into a hole by not penalising Whincup and left everyone guessing as to what they can and can’t get away with.
Vague rules as we’ve seen in Rugby League simply cause confusion and frustration with fans that ultimately detracts from the entertainment value of the sport.
We end up talking about lousy ref decisions instead of the game or in this case the race.
We all as fans expect our teams, players and drivers to be professional and committed to giving us the best product they can. The sooner the administrators and officials of our favourite sports wake up and do the same thing, the sooner we as the fans will be talking about a great game or race on Monday instead of poor officialdom.
Lotsa love
Moyso
Hoorah for Moyso
Finally a commentator that calls it how it is.
You must be raised up on the shoulders of great men and paraded around for all to cheer.
And you might just ike that!
Nothing like a balanced story from arguably the biggest Holden fanboy in Australia.
Yes Dave i do agree with what you’re saying. The video refs in particular have made a mockery out the NRL but to say that Tomas Mezera(DSO) is doing as bad a job as the video refs is just fantasy. I didn’t agree with Whincup serving it up to Perkins but you’ve been very quiet when it comes to a leading Ford being taken out .
I didn’t see you whinging on any of the V8 forums when Todd Kelly took Whincup out with careless driving at Hamilton.
I didn’t see you complaining when Murphy did the same to Ambrose.
You applauded Morris for careless driving when he took out Lowndes and Whincup at Bahrain.
Mate what goes around come around.
You’d like to see a penalty for only one reason. So your beloved HRT can close the gap to the Whincup.
Come on Dave be honest , it’s the only reason why you’re banging on about this
Col, you have a twisted perspective on history mate. Whincup and Kelly was a racing incident. There was no penalty as there was clearly a contribution to the incident from both sides. Murphy and Ambrose is so old Sterlo had hair when it happened and once again there was clearly a contribution on both sides that led to the incident. Morris taking out Lowndes and Whincup, once again there seems to be a common thread to your arguments. No matter what the outcome, you blame the Holden driver. I hope you’re not an insurance assessor because the claims would be pretty once sided.
In fact I’d like to have seen a penalty for consistency, regardless of who was driving and what brand. If you let blokes get away with punting innocent drivers you turn the sport into ‘Whacky Races’.
Well done Dave, talk about having both feet in one camp (excuse the pun)
Await next weeks drivel with non-anticipation
Come on reaper, you love it. Hey, I said up front I was biaised. At least I’m honest?
Dave mate,
You need to access tonight’s (July 20) issue of Motorsport eNews. It explains EXACTLY why there was no drive-through penalty for Whincup … www,mnews.com.au
Dave both Morris and Kelly could have been pinged for careless re-entries.
The weren’t and they were considered racing incidents.
Just like Tomas Mezera said of the Whincup/ Perkins shunt.
By the way champ you’re the last guy that should be saying anything about consistancy.
If it goes Holdens way you love it if don’t well you come and bitch on an NRL forum
Hey were is the 05 bar located i am keen to check it out?
dave…your a wanker
The 05 Bar is invitation only HRT fan I’m afraid. Although we’ll see what we can do about setting up a competition to win a Sunday afternoon at the bar watching the mighty Eels crush all before them – like they did to the doggies Saturday afternoon.
Should have a preview of the next V8 round up later in the week, so watch this space.