? from last night's Travel Channel show

[Tartan Hiker]

So last night the Travel Channel aired an episode of Samantha Brown's series on European travel. She was touring Edinburgh, and the show was quite good. Aside from the obligatory pipe band performances there were at least four other shots of kilted gentlemen. One was interviewed about the "outfit". ( ) (And I might add that the ever-perky Samantha stated for the record that she loves the look of a man in a kilt!)

Anyway, this gentleman, when asked the function of the sporran, replied that it was intended to "protect the nether regions". He also added that it could hold "a supply of oats for a snack during battle".

Here is the second mention of sporrans as a "protective device" in the past few days. The other was here: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=20566

So what's going on here...two citizens of Scotland telling the world that the sporran is protective gear, and not a handy "pocket". Do any of you who know the history of Highland attire better than I have any ideas?