Be Excellent To Each Other

So. Anyone been watching this, or been to/going to see them?

I've been watching it a lot on the BBC. And it's kinda annoying. It's BBC 1 Scotland I watch it on, yet whenever there is an English and Scottish person in the same race, they hardly mention the Scottish, constantly focusing the camera on the English.

Sorry, but it annoys me. I have no problem with the English, but I watch the Games mainly to see how MY country is doing. Not the English. You'd think that BBC Scotland would have its own commentators, but they've just shipped up all the English ones and have hardly any Scottish ones.

Again, no problems with English people, my main problem is with the BBC.

On the plus side, well done to both England and Scotland. Have to admit I didn't expect either to be doing as well as they are.

They're not focusing on the English person. They're focusing on the winner.

How can they be the winner if the race has only just begun?

I've watched a fair bit, and I'm not seeing that. I'm seeing an attempt to try and focus as much on Scotland, Wales and NI as possible. There's been loads of mention that this is Scotland's best ever start to a commonwealth games, there's been interviews with most of the medalists from all parts of the country.

Malc

I agree with Malc.

I agree with Malc too on the generic coverage, however I also agree with cookie that there should actually be specific regional programming. I guess that is too expensive though.

I don't mind it not being 'region specific' what I want to know is why there is hardly any Scottish commentators.

Actually, (apparently) 2 Scottish commentators are NOT commentating because they support a Yes vote :-P

Anyway, another thing - Both Yes Scotland and Better Together promised not to politicise the games, and quite obviously, Better Together(/Westminster) were talking rubbish.

Cookie, you can take your parroting of the YesNP 'the BBC is so biased against the Yes vote' drivel elsewhere. I'd like to believe you formed this cack-handed opinion yourself, but it seems more likely you've read it on some furious angry Yes blog and are now trying it out here.

Somewhere there will be a host broadcaster feed for those countries that don't send their own commentators, and that will be much more even-handed. Not sure how you get it, though, which is deeply annoying, as it's usually better coverage for something like athletics as they just show the whole thing, rather than cover up those boring field events with idiots talking.

So, that's not helping, but know this-Kenya and Mauritius are probably getting better coverage than us.

Oh come on, you don't actually believe that, do you?

Where exactly did you read it? Was it on a blog? From unnamed sources?

Please link me to the direct evidence, or are you just lying and trying to influence others, just the thing you're accusing the other side of doing?

All I have seen is people saying, "Hey, we are running the Games! This means we should run a country!"

Also, I heard that (apparently) some Scottish athletes were deselected for supporting the 'No' vote. And some Scottish people were burned at the stake for being a 'maybe'. I guess the "Yes Scotland" people were lying when they said they weren't going to burn anyone alive any more. Sheesh!

As much as I hate to give him a single hit, I just checked Whinge Over Scotland and bugger me, the politicisation of the games by Better Together/the evil media is yesterday's story. Le shock.

I'm amazed that the arch-nemesis of the No vote hasn't heard of the commentators being sacked for wanting to vote No! You would have thought he would, eh?

Red Arrows, "God Save The Queen" as national anthem (then playing Flower of Scotland when scots win a medal, and a different anthem for england when they win (Jerusalem)), double sided flags (saltire on one, UK flag on other)

How is that not politicsing it?
I'm not wanting to argue or anything here, i just want people to acknowledge that it IS happening.

Anyway. Back to original reason for topic before I started getting annoyed when watching the TV.

Has anyone been or is anyone going?

Dude, Wtf?

The red arrows are an exhibition display troop, from the UK, of which Scotland is still part of.
The national anthem is the song of the head of the Commonwealth, who was at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games.

These are the Commonwealth Games, comprising former territories of the British empire. Britain. The national anthem of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is God Save the Queen. Does that clear it up for you?

Same rationale for the Red Arrows. Double-sided flags mean nothing - it's a nod to the United Kingdom and the host nation of Scotland in one flag, covering both bases simultaneously.

Conversely, I was in Manchester for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and I recall it being UK-themed then too, rather than England-themed despite it being hosted in England (OUTRAGE!).

Acknowledge that your outrage is manufactured and absurdly over-sensitive, arising from a sense of your own perceived inferiority in respect to Scotland's identity, like most YesNPers.

And of course that's why God Save The Queen was sung in Delhi. Oh, Wait....
As much as I don't link Stuart Campbell at WOS, he's got a point with his red arrows post thing.

No he doesn't, he's got the opposite of a point, because he's a stupid bigoted twat that sweeps up simple minds in his embittered wake.

If the games were hosted in India I'd expect their national anthem to be played there. Are you completely dense?

I do not like what you are implying there. Am I not intitled to my own views?

I believe my points to be valid, if you do not, then that is fine. I would like to respond to some earlier things that I missed.

I mentioned the 2 scottish commentators. I put a " :-P " at the end, in a sign of joking, I do not believe that is true. I do not know or care if the BBC is biased. I like Top Gear. I like Doctor Who. I like Mock the Week. I like QI. Why would I care about their political alignment? A: I don't. I take my information from independent sources, people like those "economic specilists"

I don't real "angry Yes blogs" why? Because, as you said, they are angry. I see little point in listening to some die-hard Yes person.
I see advantages and disadvantages of a Yes vote. I have formed the opinion by myself that I support Yes, while others will choose to vote No. They choose to do so, and I will not begrudge them.

I mentioned the National Anthems simply because I don't understand why it was done the way it was done. Considering it, i guess it makes a little sense considering the queen was there. But I wish they'd said "The national anthem of the United Kingdom" or "Of England" instead of just "The national anthem" Slightly petty, but still. My Opinion.

Yes, that sums up your opinion well. I'll try to remember you are young and susceptible to flawed arguments from authority.

God Save the Queen is the National Anthem of the United Kingdom. Scotland is host nation, which is within the United Kingdom. Thus, the anthem played is God Save the Queen. This is entirely correct. If Scotland were an independent country, this would not be correct, but it isn't. The fact the Queen was there makes no damn difference at all.

Then why isn't 'God Save The Queen' played when Scotland or England win a gold?

"young and susceptible to flawed arguments from authority."
I am young yes, but that does not imply that I just 'follow the leader.'

so much going on here

FWIW I watched about 20 mins in a hotel up in Dundee and my summary was

- when showing forthcoming events (eg relay at 10am, swimming at 11.30am) it was followed by, invariably, a scottish candidate for the fixture
- the commentators were cunts, regardless of literally anything else
- the amount of repetition was nauseating, hence only viewing for 20 mins

I assumed my first bullet point observation was because I was watching it in Scotland.
I assume I was wrong. Allegedly. Or something.

I dont even like "games" events like this so I havent watched further...

You're right, your stupid opinions do that for you.

The application of the anthem is logical. England has no individually national anthem, and so God Save the Queen is used. I'd say a majority of English are happy with that. See also here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_anthem_of_England

While the United Kingdom is the host nation, the Games are also capable of distinguishing the individual nationalities of its composite nations. Some of these have their own anthem (Wales too, NI.... debated, but typically GSTQ there too), and again, this nod is given. This is not hugely difficult to comprehend.

I could reply to you a little easier if you weren't editing your posts constantly.

I'm probably being a little hard on you, but you can't say this thread was a general enquiry about the Games when you start by whining about imagined persecutions of the poor Scottish people.

Also, seeing as its off topic, I hope Scotland win their independance.
Its what William Wallace would have wanted.
Plus, it'll all end in tears and I will laugh. Stupid Campbells et al.

Some of us live here and would rather it didn't all go tits up.

I've barely watched a second of actual sport from the Games but Glasgow has been fucking awesome throughout. From end of work Friday until now I've only been in the flat long enough to sleep and apart from that have just been wandering/cycling around with friends all day and it's been brilliant. All the stuff going on in Glasgow and all the people here (natives and tourists) have just made it an even more lovely place than usual to trip around in. Granted, the weather has been a factor but even in the hours today that it's rained spirits have been very high. Today for me started with the childish amusement of grabbing a 'Boris bike' and cycling all over the city scanning barcodes on Clyde's Mascot Trail; and it ended with an hour or so sitting in the recently refurbed bandstand in Kelvingrove Park listening to an excellent band and relaxing with a few beers. In between was everything from Nutella Cannoli at the Merchant City Festival to the Commonwealth flotilla at the Science Centre. Tomorrow my family are coming up and we'll hopefully hit the Science Centre again to see some stuff through the Occulus Rift and other interesting UHD experiments. The last couple of days has even seen the guys who run the restaurant below my flat become surprise Games competitors, which was very cool.

tl:dr: Glasogw has been an especially amazing place to live in during the Games so far and I've enjoyed it even more than I ever expected to. And if you fancy shitting on anything I've said here just save us both some time by shutting up and fucking off.

It looks amazing. Thomas Hamer won silver in the 200m freestyle. Local lad from my school.

Each country had its own song bar England. Hence you are confused. Watch the rugby union, England use the National anthem of the Uk. Scotland, Wales et al have there own songs. Scotland is still part of the UK.

This arguing is all well and good, but it doesn't answer the real question of the games.

Did anyone see Erraid Davies get Bronze. the kid is only 13.... brilliant.

Aye, there is some weird shit that goes on with women swimmers though. There are a few that are super fast as kids, then do nothing for the next 6 years. I expect it's some sort of puberty thing, muscle to weight ratio or something.

immense news

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... slims.html

a jihad on dogs. fucking idiots.

BOOM! Armitstead!

"Jock the dog protests against Muslims" - Daily Mail. Probably.

I'm really pleased Thomas won, as well. He's super likeable, hard as nails and pretty handy on a pushbike. Kennaugh did a star turn, too.