Olympic Processing

After two weeks of delayed gratification, Erik Schlopy, Jimmy Cochran
and I arrived in Torino today for processing, which is the term the USOC
uses for getting your Olympic credential, receiving all the USA Team
apparel, and being briefed on procedures and what to expect in general.
It was a bit of an all-encompassing ordeal, roughly four hours long, and
with jet lag from the States heaped on top of it I am ready to hit the
hay tonight!

I will say this though, beyond the cool new schwag that actually looks
decent this year, it's a tremendous feeling to be back in the Olympic
Village. There are athletes from every nation milling about, eating
together and meeting one another, each respecting the effort it has
taken for everyone to make it to this point. Some of us will
distinguish ourselves and be crowned medalists over the course of the
next two weeks, but the overriding emotion of being simply being here,
of being an Olympian and taking part in the competition, is overwhelming.