runningrings Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I genuinely believe that when the baton was first arranged by organisers of Cardiff 1958 - it was under authentic circumstances and not to prove anything other than to honour the new Queen. Unlike the plethora of other multisport events that have their own tacky 'flame' (looking at you: PanAms, Universiade, Asiad and all the other quadrennial offenders) it is it's own, unique institution. This is why I think it should move away from batons that look like torches, and more towards batons that look like... batons. I think CWG after CWG recently has been not so much "ashamed" of its similarity to the Olympic torch, but have strived to mimic its success, and make the baton more torch like... without stooping to the obvious level of putting a concave mirror on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace and lighting a flame (*shudder*). These attempts are evident first with Brisbane creating its honey stick style 'torch', then KL with its garish Malaysian.. thing, Manchester with its throbbing light *dazzling*, Melbourne with more throbbing lights *wow* before Delhi's brown torch and now Glasgow's amazing Youth Olympi..*cough* COMMONWEALTH GAMES BATON. A baton is a great idea. Stuff the message - even by itself it has a great marketing and symbolism potential if they simply just let it be a baton. Not to mention, a baton is very athletic, relevant, etc... The first baton: The Opening Ceremony of Cardiff 1958. Looks like a bigger deal than than the Victoria Games 36 years later: Cardiff '58 looks like the Amsterdam '28 of the CWG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMarkSnow2012 Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I genuinely believe that when the baton was first arranged by organisers of Cardiff 1958 - it was under authentic circumstances and not to prove anything other than to honour the new Queen. Unlike the plethora of other multisport events that have their own tacky 'flame' (looking at you: PanAms, Universiade, Asiad and all the other quadrennial offenders) it is it's own, unique institution. This is why I think it should move away from batons that look like torches, and more towards batons that look like... batons. I think CWG after CWG recently has been not so much "ashamed" of its similarity to the Olympic torch, but have strived to mimic its success, and make the baton more torch like... I was using "almost ashamed" in reference to the whole relay process, not the baton itself. The Baton Relay just seems to be oddly low-key (but that may be a result of its limited ability to visit different places in any given country). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 In Papa New Guinea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 They should REQUIRE people to come out and greet it; and party for 7 days and 7 nights!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Mata Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 How awkward will it be when Liz dies and Charles' Baton goes around the globe on the hands of the Commonwealth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 10, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 http://youtu.be/5_aofQunRII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikarus360 Posted November 10, 2013 Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 How awkward will it be when Liz dies and Charles' Baton goes around the globe on the hands of the Commonwealth? Well, Charles was the one who received the Baton and opened the games in Delhi 2010. so I guess that's the closest thing we got about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted November 11, 2013 Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 When Liz goes in the 22nd century, they will then make the "baton" vulva-shaped so no one can make jokes when King George XXIIIrd presides over Abbottabad 2172. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexjc Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) When Liz goes in the 22nd century, they will then make the "baton" vulva-shaped so no one can make jokes when King George XXIIIrd presides over Abbottabad 2172. By then the USA will be a disintergrated bunch of Somalia like civil war states fighting over the megre resources remaining and having to import aid from the African Union and the Pan Sino bloc. Muuuhoowaahaaaaahaaaaa! Edited November 13, 2013 by Alexjc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMarkSnow2012 Posted November 20, 2013 Report Share Posted November 20, 2013 How relaxed is this relay ?!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2013 Well atm the Baton is in the small pacific island nation of Tuvalu, so it is pretty relaxed. Unlike the olympic torch relay, the baton has been going around normal everyday places, meeting ordinary everyday people. It does not need to be a huge and costly extravaganza. It is doing its job, by visiting each nation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikarus360 Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 Well atm the Baton is in the small pacific island nation of Tuvalu, so it is pretty relaxed. Unlike the olympic torch relay, the baton has been going around normal everyday places, meeting ordinary everyday people. It does not need to be a huge and costly extravaganza. It is doing its job, by visiting each nation. Like it has to be. To be honest i'm a bit disgusted at all the ridiculousness that has been the Sochi relay so far. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 is this what the Queen's Baton relay is all about? Just posing with that thing? Really so superficial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMarkSnow2012 Posted November 25, 2013 Report Share Posted November 25, 2013 is this what the Queen's Baton relay is all about? Just posing with that thing? Really so superficial. But at least there doesn't seem to be anybody handing out bottles of unhealthy drinks to all and sundry- and presumably the security costs are way cheaper than they were for the Beijing 2008 Olympic international relay. There's a certain amount of cultural fun along the way, too: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24931444 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexjc Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 (edited) Arrived in New Zealand today, 0200hrs. Rob Waddle, NZ C de M of the Commonwealth Games team in charge of it. Already received high praise for its beautiful design by Newstalk ZB host Mike Hosking. Edited November 26, 2013 by Alexjc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexjc Posted November 26, 2013 Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 (edited) OH GREAT... THE BATON IS ON TVNZ BREAKFAST...NICE HANDLING GUYS, IT'S NOT A BASEBALL BAT!!! Edited November 26, 2013 by Alexjc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2013 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMarkSnow2012 Posted November 27, 2013 Report Share Posted November 27, 2013 Footage from TVNZ: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/queen-s-baton-arrives-in-new-zealand-5729822 The lanyard is a bit primitive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 The Baton in Wellington today: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runningrings Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Hopefully this plants the seed of thought in the minds of Wellingtonians to bid for a CwG. I think it could work, given what the Gold Coast is putting forward for 2018. Some events could go to Palmerston North, and team events scattered between other NZ cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted November 29, 2013 Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 The Baton in Wellington today: Did you go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted November 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2013 Yeah Rols, they are my pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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