Have the Commonwealth Games already peaked?

LOCATION: Scottland, Glasgow, UK

DATE: 12 March 2010 18:33 GMT

BY: By David Coyle

 

DETAILS: Did anyone get excited by the Commonwealth 2014 Games logo? No, thought not.

I suppose as logos go, it is ... well, it is a logo. Remember this is for Glasgow, the city that got a lot of mileage out of one of the Mr Men and the line "Glasgow's Miles Better".

It does seem that there has been a wee bit of naivete on the part of the people who approved the logo. It does bear a striking resemblance to an earlier design from the same firm, and it is a lot of money for a rehashed idea with a few coloured semicircles, arcs and quadrants added. 

Sadly, I get the feeling that the stooshie over the logo is perhaps going to be the most exciting part of the 2014 games.

Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that sporting events are happening in Scotland, and particularly Glasgow, but let's face it, even the curling at the Winter Olympics was a bit more gripping than the Commonwealth Games.

And Glasgow will really have to put on a show for the opening ceremony after the way Beijing celebrated the Olympics. Although I am secretly hoping that Prince William is somehow the monarch by then and King Billy has to be guest of honour Celtic Park ... both sides in Glasgow will love that, won't they?

Wonderfully regimented and skilful gymnasts and drummers accompanied by a state of the art light and pyrotechnic show graced Beijing. What will Glasgow have? Neds wearing matching shellsuits lobbing empty wine bottles into the VIP parking area while mooning the heads of states of former British imperial conquests?

Commonwealth Games are essentially an Olympics-lite. Is Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt really going to knock his pan in for the 100m title, streaking away from the fastest man in Tuvalu? Really depends on what big North American meetings or World Championship events he has coming up, doesn't it?

It could all get a bit confusing, this thing of people in tracksuits running about Glasgow. But then I suppose the police have got a bit of experience in this regard. Maybe they should be the Scottish relay team?

And this velodrome that is being built, well, isn't that just the ideal amenity for the East End. A sloped wooden oval for riding a bike on. I hope it's waterproof, because I can see that getting filled in as a fancy Jacuzzi at some point in the future.

I can't help but feel that part of the reason that the Scottish Government's full support for the games is the fact that Scotland get to send a team, rather than being part of a Great Britain team. And while a bit of national pride is sometimes a good thing, it seems certain that Scotland is going to get its backside handed to it on a plate, even in the bowls, which you would imagine we'd have a great chance of getting on the medal in.

I'm not even going to go into the rugby sevens which the Samoans will be heavy fancied for and unless they get tennis on the official list of sports, Andy Murray won't be flying the Saltire in Scotland as a champ.

And I'll bet Commonwealth Games bosses were thinking: "That's a great logo ... bring on the world!"

David Coyle is the winner of stv.tv's 'Write Factor' competition. His views do not represent those of STV.

Last updated: 12 March 2010, 19:20