Am I alone in thinking that all the cultivated Hutchy V Dunlop rubbish which this year seemed to be pushed in everyone's faces by the promoters of the TT, and which in turn was eagerly grasped by the ITV crew and mentioned at every opportunity during the coverage, was not in the spirit of our sport?

Let's face some cold hard facts here, the TT isn't a football match, the TT isn't a boxing match, riders lives are ultimately on the line here, as has so sadly been seen 3 times over the past week.

For that reason I find it quite simply childish and pathetic when race programmes are printed with alternative covers, encouraging punters to become tribal and buy a particular 'who do you support' cover, and when ITV devote parts of every broadcast to a supposed grudge match between two competitors which in reality exists only in the eyes of those trying to whip up some sort of fan frenzy.

As an ex rider, and someone who has been involved with the sport at just about every level for over 40 years, I have been to far too many funerals, and had to come to terms with the aftermath of racing's darker side more times than I wish to remember.

So to the instigators and broadcasters of this manufactured sensationalist rubbish, and they know who they are, I am talking here about certain civil servants and a front man for double glazing adverts who have never thrown a leg over a racing motorcycle and have no real understanding of the sport, you seriously need to grow up and understand one thing, this type of sensationalist rubbish has no place in road racing.

I ask those same people these questions, If Hutchy or indeed Michael had paid the ultimate price out there yesterday, how would you feel right now? could you live with what you had manufactured and pushed so enthusiastically into people's faces? would you sleep soundly at night?

Take my advice, promote and cover the TT for what it is, a unique event, the challenge of man/woman and machine against the toughest circuit in the world, and stop trying to boost ratings/attendance by turning the TT into some sensational grudge match, it isn't and never will be, this is NOT what the TT is about, and it never will be what the TT is about.

Think about it!!