From my own perspective the whole Hutchy MD rivalry and the bitterness of it is pretty much against everything I treasure the TT for (I don't think an MD vs JM130 dispute ever really existed).  The appetite for the newly involved mainstream media to grab an opportunity to sensationalise a well known rivalry is hardly a surprise but I still don't like it.

Both MD and Hutchy are fierce competitors - but then so is McG.  But for me the paradigm shift has been the behavior of MD.  He seems to need to create the animosity to motivate himself.  I've never seen it before and IMO its too aggressive for road racing for all the reasons given above.  I don't particularly care for Hutchy but I recall that part of his issue with Michael last year (as stated in the press conference) was that when he'd (Hutchy) tried to congratulate Michael he was getting shunned.  May be he's a bit over sensitive?  But I'm with the OP - the stakes are too high.  But if its there then you can't blame the media for covering it.

Sam

(Cue angry MD apologists keyboard warriors writing in block caps. )