Opening of the Commonwealth Games

How did that happen? Sorry!

I didn`t enjoy the closing ceremony anywhere near as much as I enjoyed the opening one, too much like a flippin` pop concert. As for Kylie Minogue, Yuck! And Lulu, even more yuck!!

I didn`t enjoy the closing ceremony anywhere near as much as I enjoyed the opening one, too much like a flippin` pop concert. As for Kylie Minogue, Yuck! And Lulu, even more yuck!!

Looks like Kylie has rescued the closing ceremony.

JessM Matt Baker maybe be a presenter but before he got into TV he was gymnast so I was hoping for a more in depth description from him.

Anyway it has been a great Games and the Scotts should be proud of what they have achieved.

He's a presenter not an expert commentator. Gaby Logan does pretty well presenting the athletics. I am really fed up with the eperession "poster girl" though.

Anyone else sick to death of hearing Matt Baker drone on ? He never gives any in depth analysis of the gymnastics, only lots of superlatives.

Hazel Irvine has been excellent though.

I never have liked these tacky, tammy 'souvenirs' of Scotland either

Like using an emoticon of a drunken tourist in half-mast shorts if the games were in an English city?

With you there granny23. I am not a fan of the emoticons at all so refrained from comment but do find these crass.

Merlot Sorry but I do not understand your point. I think it would be perfectly reasonable to have a St George's Cross if the Games were hosted by one of the English Cities. Or perhaps the Games own emblem (in Glasgow it is an animated thistle called Clyde) could be used. My objection is to GN's use of the 'See you Jimmy' tammy with red hair attached - the most crude caricature of Scottish dress every devised.

I don't think it matters where it's being held or who's financing it, GNHQ gave us an emoticon that didn't single out one part of the United Kingdom.

If the Games were being held in London I wouldn't expect the flag of St. George.

I think she means one of the ones for the Commonwealth Games, which are, after all, being held in Glasgow, funded by Scottish money and Scottish business sponsorship. Adding tammies to the ordinary emoticons was probably harder work for Tech that a simple saltire would have been.

Quite, merlot!

Granny23. Sorry but why should the GN emoticon be a Saltire?

Never mind the beginning & the end, I'm not too happy about TV coverage in the middle. I can't watch 3 different channels all day & the Clare Balding programme is on late & in 'celebrity' mode with lots of chat & music- nothing wrong with that in itself. But I just want a straight summary of each day without all the cocktails & chat.

I hope so! I will be there. Look out for me - I'll be the blonde waving the Saltire. On 2nd thoughts, there might be a few of us

Perhaps the closing ceremony will be better?

Thank you Jess

I was wondering that too..... - It's because there is evidence that there are fewer concussions without them.
www.clinicalneurologynews.com/blog/headgear-comes-off-for-amateur-boxers/6cf8addfa859c54a8bc957d95e42e0c5.html

Off topic a little, but can anyone tell me why the boxers aren`t wearing headguards? I thought that all amateur boxers wore them.

Absent The organisers did not recruit dancers. They put out a call for volunteers and wishing to be as inclusive as possible (its a Glasgow thing ) turned no one away. Hence why the crowd scenes were not peopled by professional or amateur actors or dancers but by the long, the short and the tall, young and old, including those with disabilities and special needs.

I, also found the opening sequence with Barrowman on the bus a bit cringemaking (also GN's Tam O' Shanter smilies - could we not have had a Saltire?) but the later sections with Julie Fowlis, Nicola Benedetti and the South African who sang The Freedom Come All Ye were superb. Each to their own. I loved the way the teams came on laughing and dancing - these are, after all, the Friendly Games.

As to the funding, not a single penny piece has come from the National Lottery, nor the UK Government. The Games have been funded, within budget, mainly by the City of Glasgow and the Scottish Government, with generous sponsorship from many companies such as Barr's Irn Bru and Tunnock's.

I've noticed few of the runners are white, mostly black and a few from Singapore.

Well I thought it was great. The first bit was taking the p* out of Scottish clichés and out of making too much of yourself - the Forth Bridge does not actually stand on Irn Bru cans and the standing stones in Lewis are not made of shortbread (although the Duke of Wellington does have a traffic cone on his head). Karen Dunbar is very popular (sorry, I'd never heard of John B), and so was Andy Stewart, who has indeed been dead for many years. Of course it didn't compare with London 2012. The budget didn't compare either.

We were in Glasgow, although not at the opening ceremony, on Wednesday and Thursday and the atmosphere was wonderful. So was the weather.

Why are so many people surprised that the other home nations got such a warm welcome? We saw some of the Rhythmic Gymnastics and the English and Welsh competitors were even more warmly applauded than the other teams. A marvellous experience all round.

Apparently the sale of Tunnocks Teacakes had increased exponentially by Friday according to today's business pages so some good has come out of the reawakening of childhood memories.