# Commonwealth Games have started. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 24, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929 "2014-07-24T13:04:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/1 "2014-07-24T13:04:01Z")
The 2014 Commonwealth Games have started in Glasgow today. Medal tally is usually a two horse race between Australia and England. For those not in the know, think the Olympics but only Commonwealth countries are invited. Curious if these games are even a blip on the radar in the States? ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/2 "2014-07-24T16:26:25Z")
How is this still a thing? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/3 "2014-07-24T17:27:29Z")
Nope. I’ve heard of them, but they get less than 0 coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/4 "2014-07-24T20:06:41Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > How is this still a thing? Same reason as the Eurovision song contest still being a thing 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/5 "2014-07-24T22:04:03Z")
Watching England winning lots of golds each day gives me a taste of what it must be like to be American or Chinese during the Olympics. “Another gold? Meh.” ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/6 "2014-07-24T22:22:23Z")
I’m finding it hard to get enthused. I’m hoping I will get to see the NZ team play badminton tonight. Looks like the film side of our coverage is from Scotland, so we got the rivetting spectacle of Scotland flattening their opponents when NZ was on another court at the same time. So far the most entertaining thing has been [Scotland’s dress uniform](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2703111/Scotlands-shocking-lurid-tartan-competes-against-Australias-Star-Trek-jackets-The-best-worst-dressed-Commonwealth-Games-opening-ceremony.html) Australian one also ugly. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/7 "2014-07-24T23:00:01Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > I’m finding it hard to get enthused. > > I’m hoping I will get to see the NZ team play badminton tonight. Looks like the film side of our coverage is from Scotland, so we got the rivetting spectacle of Scotland flattening their opponents when NZ was on another court at the same time. > > So far the most entertaining thing has been [Scotland’s dress uniform](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2703111/Scotlands-shocking-lurid-tartan-competes-against-Australias-Star-Trek-jackets-The-best-worst-dressed-Commonwealth-Games-opening-ceremony.html) > > Australian one also ugly. Just looking at that link explains why all the Rangers fans in my FB feed were posting “Fuck Tonga!” last night. “Why,” I thought, “would anyone feel antipathy towards a small Pacific island nation that’s never done anyone any harm?” Now everything is clear. Ah well. The venue for the ceremony was obviously chosen in honour of my SDMB username. Sniff. I have done my country proud. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/8 "2014-07-24T23:00:05Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > How is this still a thing? How else can we find out which nation has the best netball team or [lawn bowlers](http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2014/jul/24/commonwealth-games-2014-lawn-bowls-glasgow)in the Commonwealth? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/9 "2014-07-24T23:06:48Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > The 2014 Commonwealth Games have started in Glasgow today. Medal tally is usually a two horse race between Australia and England. For those not in the know, think the Olympics but only Commonwealth countries are invited. > > Curious if these games are even a blip on the radar in the States? The Pan American Games, which the US participates in, isn’t even a blip on the radar in the US. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/10 "2014-07-24T23:45:42Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > So far the most entertaining thing has been [Scotland’s dress uniform](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2703111/Scotlands-shocking-lurid-tartan-competes-against-Australias-Star-Trek-jackets-The-best-worst-dressed-Commonwealth-Games-opening-ceremony.html) Scotland must be devoid of curtains now. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/11 "2014-07-25T00:33:35Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > Scotland must be devoid of curtains now. & picnic blankets. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/12 "2014-07-25T04:27:16Z")
There are a few world-class events. Australia and England (well GB, but England here) are the two best track cycling nations in the world. Australia and New Zealand are the best Netballers (and have had some extraordinary matches over the last 15+ years). There are plenty of World Champs on show (and the Australian girls set a WR in the 4x1 swim relay last night). Sure, the opening rounds where ‘Can the Australians hold off the determined challenge of the Falkland Islands’ - and then win by 1,000,000 to 3 get a bit dull, but, hey…you can never have enough sport. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/13 "2014-07-27T02:46:35Z")
BTW, for those who missed my reference: [Last Week Tonight: Commonwealth Games - YouTube](https://youtube.com/watch?v=-Aj3KZa1ZCM) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commonwealth-games-have-started/693929/14 "2014-07-27T03:40:04Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The Pan American Games, which the US participates in, isn’t even a blip on the radar in the US. They at least got SOME attention when Ted Turner’s stations covered them.