AOG Triumph!

At every Olympics there’s a story that deserves attention because it focuses on the very heart of the games, and this is it. Just hours before the competition began today one of the 6-member Team Pigeon suffered a beak accident and had to withdraw. The team bravely chose to compete anyway with 5 members doing an amazing job of holding their formations and completing their pecking and cooing routines without a single mistake, while the injured team member sat on the sidelines with bandaged beak, cheering his teammates on as best he could. The crowd erupted in an ovation for the team at the completion of its routine, and some of their competitors were even moved to tears. We’ll have to wait and see, but there’s a good chance they’ll take home the Bronze medal because, folks, they were that good even minus a team member.

One is reminded of the 1980 winter games when Team Penguin went completely off course in the Downhill Belly Sliding event and one member was never seen again; and then of the 1992 summer games when Team Tern suffered an excruciating loss when one member dove headfirst into a submerged rock in Lake Placid. In the Olympic spirit, both teams went on to complete their competitions. Although the pigeon’s injury was not fatal, it’s doubtful he will be able to participate in the next round of competition. Given the level of this team’s gutsiness though, it’s entirely possible we’ll be in for a surprise.

This, folks, is what the games are all about – team spirit, bravery and perseverance.

On the other hand, we have the Team Gull update:

It’s a day of rest for the unruly team. We probably can’t really call it rest since they were awakened to a stern lecture from their coach admonishing them to get their act together. Some of the team members will be competing tomorrow in the individual category of Gliding and hopes for gold are riding on Gloria Gull who, despite the teams’ antics, has remained in top form. Gloria has been known in the past to come through for the team under difficult circumstances and the circumstances can’t be more difficult than these.

In a sad and misguided attempt to gain some credibility after their poor showing yesterday at the Aerial Target Pooping event where they missed every windshield and statue on the course, they managed to score a bull’s-eye on this commentator’s windshield this morning. This is not gold medal behavior.