Personally, I like the insidethegames tie. Yes, it's bright. Yes, it's got a quasi-Mr Blobby thing going on. But I think it does the job as a working tie. That is, it sniffs out drugs and explosives. Sorry, no, that's a working dog. It engages. Yes! That's what it does. It engages.

How many times have I walked into a busy press room before a conference and been asked if I am wearing the tie for a bet? Answer: I can't remember exactly. Do you expect me to keep a note of it or something? But many times. As Björn Borg would say, "that is for sure".

On occasions, my arrival at events prompts jolly comment along the lines of "Oh good! The children's entertainer has arrived." As it happens, some children have been entertained by my tie – even if they are my children, and even if their entertainment sometimes seems more about laughing at than laughing with.

At such moments I recall an album I bought second hand long ago by a droll American folk singer called Martin Mull, one track of which featured the following lyrics: "So I button my lip, and they all think I'm hip / I used to be plastic but now I'm elastic, I'm flexible..."

The mindset required for the wearer is along the lines of "no publicity is bad publicity", and it is one with which I believe I am more than comfortable.

Mike Rowbottom (left), sports The Tie alongside fellow guests Jacquelin Magnay, Daily Telegraph Olympic Games editor, and RunBlogRun's Larry Eder

Part of the trick, of course, is to wear such a tie with conviction. Don't try to cover it with your jacket or a jumper. Don't appear always to be reading something on the wall or studying the wainscoting when you enter a crowded room. Don't attempt to talk to people over your shoulder as if it is the natural thing to do. Don't wave your arms around and make loud whooping noises in an effort to distract people from looking at what you have hanging around your neck. No, just be natural. Feel your tie is your friend; feel your friend is your tie. And, perhaps above all, friend your tie feel your is.

Anyway, I was wearing my tie the other day on the Al Jazeera Sport Olympic Breakfast show, at which I was an occasional guest during the Games – you know, big festival of sport, held in the capital, only just ended? Yep, that's the one.

My first appearance was going reasonably well as I sat in company with Martin Henlan, the former GB basketball captain, and Graham Fletcher, the former Olympic showjumper. I think I may have ventured an opinion that the Games had started very well, that people seemed to like them and that they could be important in terms of legacy, so I was obviously making a valuable contribution. Then suddenly, without warning, I was asked about my tie.

The query was put to me in jocular fashion by the joint host, Andy Kerr – who was sitting alongside Sarah Stone - and I am assuming his producer asked him to do it. I have to say it rather took me aback, because although I clearly knew I was wearing this object which we really cannot avoid describing as a gaudy one I had forgotten all about it (I mean, you have to, don't you? To proceed? You can't keep thinking about everything you are wearing as you attempt to earn a living in today's fast-moving modern world, can you?).

Al Jazeera Sport Olympic Breakfast show presenters Andy Kerr and Sarah Stone discuss which of them most resembles Mr Blobby!

I made a comment of acknowledgement. I believe it may have contained a reference to children's entertainers. I also mentioned that it was an insidethegames tie while thinking "Cheers guys!"

Well, to cut what is in danger of becoming a long story short... The End.

Only joking!

Appearance two – but I will try to hurry things along a little here – saw another anchor-led acknowledgement of The Tie. All good.

Appearance three – in which I sat next to the former British decathlete and constant Good Bloke, Dean Macey – took place with Iwan Thomas, who is still the British 400 metres record holder by the way, milling about in the background as he prepared to sit in with Dean on the main athletics coverage.

At one point, while footage of the Games was being shown to viewers, I saw Iwan haring over to me – he is still a fit lad, if I can say that without inviting howls of derision from my daughters – and take a picture of me and my tie on his mobile phone camera. It was a picture which he proceeded to tweet with the caption "The Naughtiest Tie I Have Ever Seen".

Athlete Iwan Thomas couldn't resist posting this picture of Our Mike on his Twitter page

When we were back in shot, Andy mentioned Iwan's caper and Dean said, on air, that he would quite fancy wearing one of the ties next time round. Indeed, when the show was over both Andy and Sarah said they would quite fancy wearing a tie, too, for a linking shot.

Well, to cut what is in danger of becoming a long story short – really, this time – we got three ties round to the studio, which was just behind the main ITV studios on the South Bank, ahead of my final scheduled appearance on Sunday morning. Word had it that Thomas, the little rascal, had made off with one of them tout de suite. But as you will no doubt be able to see by the pictures that are likely to adorn these important words, Andy and Sarah lived up to their billing, whipping the neck furniture into place swiftly and professionally before the camera came back to them.

Judge the results for yourselves. As far as I was concerned, the Tale of the Ties was a highly enjoyable, if rather unexpected, element of what was a memorable and beautiful Games.

Just one thing: Al Jazeera has said that for the next appearance I just need to make sure I put my tie in the taxi.

Mike Rowbottom, one of Britain's most talented sportswriters, has covered the past five Summer and four Winter Olympics for The Independent. Previously he has worked for the Daily Mail, The Times, The Observer, the Sunday Correspondent and The Guardian. He is now chief feature writer for insidethegames.

Photographs by kind permission of Al Jazeera Sport