'Rally War' being fought out in the media - most undignified!

As the anti-Christ of road racing you would think I would be jubilant that the Motor Rally has been cancelled but no! In one of those traits of the human character I like the rally season. Let's face it you may have the odd diversion or can be delayed an hour or so but basically they get on with it quietly and a great bonus is none of the competitors seem to kill themselves.

The great debate is now engaged as to whose fault it is that Rally IOM has been cancelled organisers blaming the DOI and the DOI saying ‘it wasn’t us what done it’.

The race is also being fought out in the media with Manx Radio’s video portal vying with MTTV for pole position.

Up to now I’d say Tim Glover is in the lead with Paul Moulton trailing perhaps there’s dirt in his carburettor. Of course Glover comes from the Manx Radio sports stable so you would expect him to have an advantage. Nonetheless I thought his interview with Ray Harmer MHK (DOI Minister) was a perfect lap where as the MTTV interview with Harmer and another at the Sea Terminal (in the boardroom) was a bit patchy personally I think they could have ‘red flagged’ it at certain points. Curiously Moulton kicks of with a brief aside at Facebook - he really shouldn’t hang around with Howard Quayle so much because of course Howard is the greatest living Manx exponent of ‘Facebook bad’! Ironically in any case its the mainstream media that are stirring the pot on this issue like 'billy-o'!

As an aside although Ray Harmer was ‘bronzy’ (so much for Howard saying everyone is in the COMIN Office working for the holidays) he wasn’t smiling. That's a great disappointment to me as Ray has always been for me the smiley face of COMIN.

I hope they (Rally IOM and DOI) resolve their differences but would imagine that they won’t do that until both sides are sitting round that boardroom table without MTTV present. After all the blame game is not very productive. Jaw jaw not war war lads perhaps there’s an OCSE mediator role in this for Chris Thomas MHK!

So here’s to next year's Rally!

The portal link:

https://youtu.be/rDUPo6nMlKw?list=PLlYbZRWy2iElKpmnjfIMZsfI9wcoj4y9s

The MTTV link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtuHvTSdUO4&feature=youtu.be

Image: DOI Minister Ray Harmer (right) but sadly no smile!

Bernard Moffatt