Opening Ceremony

[Kevin Milkins]

The opening ceremony of the commonwealth games has littered my Facebook page, no mention of it on the Org.

What's the verdict folks?

[golach]

To put it politely.........crap, I was embarrassed to be a Caithness born Scot

[Kodiak]

I completely disagree. Mrs Kodiak and I thought it was very entertaining. The only blip in our opinion was Rod Stewart. Other than that we thought it was well worth watching. :D

One other thing........I LOVE the BIG SCREEN........Nearly 100 Meters Long, WOW !:Razz

[luskentyre]

Thought it was excellent but why was Rod Stewart there? Someone like Emili Sande or Annie Lennox would have been far more impressive.

Also, why didn't they switch off the huge "Celtic Football Club 1888" sign? We all know it was in Celtic park but this was the Commonwealth Games, not a football match.

[squidge]

I was nt keen on the first bit but I love Rod Stewart, highlights for me were Freedom come all Ye sung by the South African lassie. Brought a tear to my eye. Loved Loch Lomond, the pipe band, the wee girl from Jamaica, the chairs and my own wee girl's face when her Grandpa who arrived today, started snoring!

[orkneycadian]

The opening ceremony of the commonwealth games has littered my Facebook page, no mention of it on the Org.

What's the verdict folks?

Stay off Facebook?

[Heisenberg]

I enjoyed it, was very colourfull but long winded I agree about Rodney and his voice was not at its best

[Shpongle]

Best thing about it was the red arrows, the Queen and Rod Stewart, the rest of it was absolutely dire.

The Scottish Daily Herald seems to feel the same way (http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/tv-radio/tv-review-commonwealth-games-opening-ceremony.1406154484)

"The big boys from the BBC began by lowering our expectations: Huw Edwards warned us not to expect anything as grand as London 2012, saying Glasgow's little effort will instead be 'playful'.

So bravo to the organisers! Well done! You proved them wrong, because this wasn't 'playful'. It was a hideous embarrassment.
The worst thing the organisers could have chosen as an opener would have been the detonation of a tactical nuclear device. The second worst thing would have been the release of smallpox, but the third worst thing would have been John Barrowman. The budget must have been stretched tight because they were forced to go with that third option. So we had to endure this gaudy man in violet tartan, yowling in his fake Scottish accent that we 'come from the land of heather'. 'SCATLAND!' he sang, the land of 'hairy coos and castles.'
As he was hurled around the stadium, a flapping grey condom appeared. I assumed - through the panicked, clammy fingers pressed to my face - that this novelty prophylactic represented the Loch Ness Monster.
Then embarrassment dissolved and I began to feel anger. There was real anger that this incredible opportunity to show Glasgow off to one billion people had been trashed by this kitsch display.

Someone joked on Twitter that the ceremony must have been created by those opposed to independence as it ignored everything great about Scotland, portraying us instead as stunted Brigadoon yokels. We must cling close to the UK because look how daft we are when we're allowed to do something alone!

So where did all the money go? Despite the millions spent on this ceremony I saw something resembling a school play - but a school where each pupil suffers from appallingly low self-esteem and their teachers urge them to surmount it by singing, jumping and wheeling about in a frenzy of tartan and Tunnock's teacakes.

Even the pitch resembled school: the wooden floor was like a vast, dusty gym hall at an embarrassing school leavers' dance. In the midst of the action the camera often pulled back to reveal a vast wooden expanse with some random figures and props scattered across it.
It was an embarrassment, and, regrettably, the only deliverance from the Brigadoon hell was when non-Scottish people appeared. Rod Stewart was a professional, trusty distraction, and the Queen gave a desperately-needed moment of calm. When the Red Arrows flew over it allowed a few minutes to quickly scroll through the Wikipedia entries on Scottish history, reminding yourself that our country has produced industry, invention and an Enlightenment, and that we're not just a pile of kilts and coos.
Mercifully, the athletes soon began their parade around the stadium so the kitsch frenzy abated and dignity was restored. A Scottish flavour was nicely present here as the teams were led out by jaunty Scottish Terriers. Take note, organisers: it is possible to give things a 'Scottish accent' without tartan twee depravity.

But we need to shove aside the awful elements of the Opening Ceremony. Let's remember it's only two hours out of a 12 day tournament. The Games themselves, and their legacy, are what matters. And, for me, the legacy isn't about a futuristic velodrome or some new flats in Dalmarnock, but it's about seeing Glasgow in a new light. I thought it a novelty to see footage of a Glasgow football stadium surrounded by smiling people and cheerfulness (though admittedly the smiling faces were glimpsed before the ceremony, not during.) There were no neds or broken bottles or charging police horses in sight. I saw it afresh. So shall that be the real legacy of the Games? Seeing our city afresh? Re-evaluating it? Will the real legacy be a glad rediscovery of our own city?
I realised this when sitting in the Botanics today. I watched people crowding round the Clyde mascot to have their photos taken with him. Based on the accents and the violent sunburn they were Glaswegians, not tourists. So where were the tourists? You can bet they weren't wasting their trip to the city by snapping selfies with an oversized toy. They'll have guidebooks and plans and itineraries. They'll make sure they see the best we have. They won't be wasting time capering round a plastic statue. And as I shook my head at the capering I realised I'm the same. I've lived in this city for three decades but have yet to visit the Cathedral or the Necropolis or the Willow Tea Rooms or The Hunterian - but you can bet the savvy tourists have. When you visit a fine foreign city you will race round all the sights, ticking off galleries and cathedrals, and leave with a vast sense of cultural satisfaction and weary feet. But how many of us have tackled our own city with the same gusto and wonder? But why shouldn't we? Why don't we? If we belong to Glasgow then Glasgow also belongs to us. So let the legacy be that we explore Glasgow afresh and enjoy it - but avoid Pollok Country Park. It has 'hairy coos' and we don't want to prove Barrowman right."

[Kodiak]

Welcome to the Org Shpongle I hope you have some fun posting here.

I always find that newspapers, (if you can really call them that), do not give a ballanced reveiw of events like the Commonwealth Games. They like to pick on the negatives and rarely hone in on the positive points. So this is one good reason I stopped buying these pieces of waste paper many years ago.

As I said in my previous post, all of us in our Bears Den Highly enjoyed the opening ceremony, OK there were one or two things that could have been done better or slicker, but overall it was a excellent preformance and we enjoyed it.

Now I will be sitting back in front of my Magic Box and enjoy 11 Days of fine sport. :Razz

[Shpongle]

Welcome to the Org Shpongle I hope you have some fun posting here.

Thanks :)


I always find that newspapers, (if you can really call them that), do not give a ballanced reveiw of events like the Commonwealth Games. They like to pick on the negatives and rarely hone in on the positive points. So this is one good reason I stopped buying these pieces of waste paper many years ago.

I agree but, on the whole, I also fully agree with that article from The Herald. The opening ceremony was an absolutely cringe inducing embarrassment and the world must think the Scots are real strange folk who walk about dressed as Tunnock's tea cakes and come out of the hills to do repetitive dance for two and a half hours (what exactly WAS that all about by the way?). As Golach said, the best summation (and most concise) has to be "crap". That Susan Boyle woman forgot the words to Mull of Kintyre, they couldn't get the top off the baton, the entire ceremony was extremely amateurish and poorly executed in my opinion. A good ceremony flies by and you are left wanting more, last night's ceremony dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. It was disjointed, poorly executed and seemingly unrehearsed in places.

Good points? The Queen arrived with her normal split time precision, the Queen didn't fluff her words and the Queen brought a touch of class to a really tacky gathering of strange "dancing" people (who performed the same monotonous "arm up leg out" movements for over two hours!). The Scotty dogs were superb and the red arrows fly past was spot on. Rod Stewart wasn't at his best but at least he didn't fluff his words so he deserves respect for having a go.

Three tower rise blocks being blown up would have taken seconds and would have been far more entertaining than that drawn out load of disjointed keich. It would have been (barely) "acceptable" if it were for a home audience but, considering it will be viewed globally, it was an absolutely abysmal low rent production and if any more than ten thousand pounds was spent slapping it together then it is a national disgrace.


overall it was a excellent preformance and we enjoyed it.

I agree, it was ok for a Pre-Formance but I would have rather witnessed a fully rehearsed, professional performance.


Now I will be sitting back in front of my Magic Box and enjoy 11 Days of fine sport. :Razz

That 11 days will fly by in no time as you will be entertained by world class athletes... a shame the opening ceremony felt like it lasted 111 days ;)

[luskentyre]

That Susan Boyle woman forgot the words to Mull of Kintyre

"That Susan Boyle woman" (otherwise known as Susan Boyle) forgot ONE word. She was undoubtedly nervous and I thought she did magnificently given the obvious pressure. It wasn't that long ago that she started her career so how about giving her a break eh?

[Big Gaz]

The opening ceremony of the commonwealth games has littered my Facebook page, no mention of it on the Org.

What's the verdict folks?

I'd be on the phone to get the organisers to tidy it up immediately. Shameful that they allowed all the participants to discard their refuse like this.......[smirk]

As for the ceremony itself, what was that all about? i got lost about 15 mins in and ended up watching a movie. not impressed at all with it looking like they were taking the P out of Scotland.

[Oddquine]

I'd be on the phone to get the organisers to tidy it up immediately. Shameful that they allowed all the participants to discard their refuse like this.......[smirk]

As for the ceremony itself, what was that all about? i got lost about 15 mins in and ended up watching a movie. not impressed at all with it looking like they were taking the P out of Scotland.

It was a bit curate's eggish.

It was shade too UKOK oriented and cringemaking in tone, in the first part, but then it is the Commonwealth Games, and we are still part of the UK, for now, and it was a NuLabour Glasgow organised thing so everything militated against anything but subliminal UKOK advertising.

I was a bit cheesed off at the bussing in of so many BBC London placemen to be the main commentators/presenters.....and did the same person who came up with the Team Scotland tartan design bogging John Barrowman's bogging suit?

But, surprisingly, it worked over all...and a lot less self congratulatory and jingoistic than the London Olympics equivalent. Nobody takes the P out of Scotland and the Scots better than we do ourselves! :D Seems to have generally gone down well enough.......but the athletes entering the arena was the main show and I did like the music, particularly Freedom Come All Ye when Team Scotland came on.

Just a shame about the UKOK crowd not adhering to the rules about not being political, and not waving the flags of countries not taking part, with the handing out of double sided Saltire/Union Jack flags, given they did not do the same to the English, Welsh and NI Flags..and Team GB is not taking part. So much for keeping politics out of it.

[Rheghead]

I've seen the opening ceremony and quite a few clips on FB and youtube and it just goes to show what a camera angle and a bit of editing can do for the BBC who are too scared about the amount of Scottish support that was in the crowd. It didn't go well for their unionist bias.

[Chook a demus]

Regardless of how good or bad the opening ceremony was the beauty of the commonwealth games is they aren't political but there will always be a few who wish to politicise everything for their own ends. Personally I don't care what flag you're flying it's about sportsmanship not politics and more shame on those who want to turn it into a political debate the referendum has nothing to do with the games.

[golach]

I've seen the opening ceremony and quite a few clips on FB and youtube and it just goes to show what a camera angle and a bit of editing can do for the BBC who are too scared about the amount of Scottish support that was in the crowd. It didn't go well for their unionist bias.Omg, not that old chestnut again Rheg, remind us of how the medal difference between England and Scotland is at the moment, I will enlighten you , England have 18, Scotland has 11 , but that is all because of the BBC's bias.......Aye Right!!
The opening show was an embarrassment to the whole of Scotland.

[Chook a demus]

Mind wouldn't you be a bit concerned if there wasn't support for Scotland in the opening ceremony of the game based in Glasgow coming from Scotland

[joxville]

Going by the comments on here I'm glad I didn't watch it. It was no surprise to me to learn it was held at Parkhead, organised by City of Glasgow Council, (perennially stuffed with Catholics), and with Celtic's biggest known supporter in attendance too. A nice payday and big advert for Celtic.

[Kevin Milkins]

The reason for me having a non committal first post is because I wasn't sure if it was just me that was finding some of it cringe worthy, however, I did watch it all the way through and some of it was entertaining. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and its easy to look back now on what should or could have happened, but on the whole, it was Ok. Lets hope now that the event itself lives up to its billing and so far it has not disappointed.

[Shpongle]

I've seen the opening ceremony and quite a few clips on FB and youtube and it just goes to show what a camera angle and a bit of editing can do for the BBC who are too scared about the amount of Scottish support that was in the crowd. It didn't go well for their unionist bias.

One would have thought that the SBC would have broadcast it? Oh, hold on, there's no such thing as the Scottish broadcasting company is there? What a shame that all we have is that naff British broadcasting company, it's known across the world as probably the worst isn't it? Totally biased, totally corrupt and totally unionist. :roll:

[Oddquine]

One would have thought that the SBC would have broadcast it? Oh, hold on, there's no such thing as the Scottish broadcasting company is there? What a shame that all we have is that naff British broadcasting company, it's known across the world as probably the worst isn't it? Totally biased, totally corrupt and totally unionist. :roll:

Didn't use to be when I was younger......but most definitely is now, if you consider their reporting primarily consists of regurgitating the pronouncements of Westminster politicians as if they were fact and not opinion, and failing to dig out the facts to contradict them, as they would have done in the past. I went right off the BBC a long time ago, when they became the Government cheer-leaders for the Israeli excesses in Gaza.

[Shpongle]

STV news is so much better, they don't mention anything "Scottish" and are totally unbiased.

[Oddquine]

STV news is so much better, they don't mention anything "Scottish" and are totally unbiased.

Lol! But we aren't forced to pay a licence fee for STV, just as we are not forced to buy/subscribe to the printed/online versions of the "news"papers..so private companies are entitled to hold biased opinions.but it is an extremely foolish person who would expect them to be unbiased. A public broadcaster, publically funded does have an obligation to be even-handed in its reporting, and not just be another Government mouthpiece.

[Shpongle]

Lol! But we aren't forced to pay a licence fee for STV

True, but you are exposed to heavy advertising by the global giants who want to extract money from you.

[tonkatojo]

Just watched the tandem 1000 para-cycling final and am so impressed with the build of the cycles, can anyone imagine the stress on the crank and chain of the Scottish bike with the legs of Craig MacLean pressing down not to mention the power from his buttocks the man is built like a mountain gorilla, very impressive well done to get the gold, the way he and his mate Neil Fachie powered past the Ausies breathtaking stuff.

[Oddquine]

True, but you are exposed to heavy advertising by the global giants who want to extract money from you.

And good luck with that! If it has to be advertised at the silly money advertising costs to sell it......it isn't worth buying at the price charged to recover those advertising costs. But I don't watch STV either.

[Chook a demus]

And good luck with that! If it has to be advertised at the silly money advertising costs to sell it......it isn't worth buying at the price charged to recover those advertising costs. But I don't watch STV either.So I take it by that statement you'd never buy anything that's been advertised on tha telly. Or support the commonwealth games as they are advertised on tha telly as well. Must be nice wearing sack cloth and living on non brand rice and beans in a cave somewhere because just about everything is advertised and marketed somewhere.

[rogermellie]

To put it politely.........crap, I was embarrassed to be a Caithness born Scot

why ? what did Caithness have to do with the ceremony ?

[Kevin Milkins]

Well, I have not been disappointed with any of the sport that I have watched and the games so far has been a credit to the host nation. The rugby final tonight was very entertaining and Afrika was certainly a bit special.

[squidge]

The little girl that won the bronze medal swimming today made my day with her smile. Lovely :)

[luskentyre]

What a shame that all we have is that naff British broadcasting company, it's known across the world as probably the worst isn't it? Totally biased, totally corrupt and totally unionist. :roll:

What a very strange comment. The BBC was, and still is, renowned for its quality and impartiality across the globe. Claims of "bias" are often only heard from people who aren't hearing what they want to hear.

[Kevin Milkins]

The little girl that won the bronze medal swimming today made my day with her smile. Lovely :)

She was indeed a little gem. I almost shed a tear myself when she was on the podium, she held her composure better than the New Zealand gold medal winner.