CLOSING CEREMONY ALTERNATIVE OLYMPIC GAMES 2020

Well, the final day of the A.O.G. has dawned and despite it being really hot throughout the Games, today has started with a huge thunderstorm.  I went down to the living quarters of the Snail contingent and found several of them cowering underneath their beds.  Of course, as per usual, the teenagers were still asleep, with many of them snoring, obviously having drunk quite a lot last night when they were out for their pre-closing ceremony celebrations.

Sammy gave them all a pep talk last night - being the great trainer and leader that he is, but didn't mention any of their misdemeanours - mainly because he always says, "Let bygones be bygones" and always thinks the best of his snails.

Sammy has also decided that even though he won the most Gold Medals, and therefore was in line for the Gold Cup of the Closing Ceremony, they will all stand on the podium and receive it together.  What a wonderful example he is!

I do think that it will be amazing if they are all able to stand together, especially after all the carousing I heard went on last night.  I could hear the music from my room and there was lots of shouting afterwards as they made their way back to their quarters.  However, there was no damage done, as far as I am aware, so after all the shouting, they must have got home all right, without any arrests being made.

These have been amazing Games and I have been privileged to be following the Snails all through - they have been very gracious in giving interviews and it has been good to watch them getting better and better each day.  I must take my hat off to Sammy though, who has kept them motivated, especially with his pep talks and it was obvious that he was never in this for the money - he just wanted the Snail Team to do well and they certainly did him proud.  It just goes to show that with a good leader a team can do wonderful things.

I know that Sammy has always had a vision of his Team winning.  He has been confident in the tough decisions he has made, listened when any of the Team wanted to talk and has shown them, by example, how to behave.  He is a snail of integrity with  strong principles and has been able to inspire and extract extraordinary achievements out of the whole Team, by being honest but not bullying them and often with good humour, which has been necessary on occasions, as you may remember.

Although Sammy has been strict and has had to be strong at times when things seemed to be getting out of control, I can see that the whole Team love him.  They have definitely "stepped up to the mark" and I believe they will all become better Snails for having been at the Alternative Olympic Games 2020 under the leadership of Sammy.  

Thank you, Team Snail for allowing me to be your main reporter for the duration of the A.O.G. I have enjoyed every minute.  It has been great to see you all working together as a team with your different abilities and talents and that, in no small part, has been because of the wonderful leadership of Sammy Snail.  I look forward to seeing you all again, perhaps next year.  

The main shot shows the snails huddling together on the podium - it wasn’t really big enough for all of them, but they managed it - and the extra shows a close up of them all, with Shaun, who turned things around in a spectacular way and Sammy about to say a few words into the microphone.

I'm sure there will be a pint or two quaffed later today, but for now, please be upstanding with the whole Snail Team, Mr. HCB, and me to sing our National Anthem.  Bless you all for being with us during the A.O.G.  See you all next year.

"The strength of the team
     is each individual member.
The strength of each member
     is the team."
Phil Jackson