WOW!

Heather O'Reilly and the U.S. team watch the Opening Ceremonies on TV from Qinhuangdao

If you didn't watch the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies, and you've got it on the DVR, press play. It's well worth the hour. A stunning display by the Chinese that was as beautiful as it was spectacular and colorful. We really can't do it justice in words so check it out if you haven't seen it already. Would it be hyperbolic if we said that nothing like that has even been seen before in the history of mankind? We think not. The U.S. team gathered in the meal room to watch the Opening Ceremonies projected on a big screen and there was no shortage of "oohs" and "ahhs" as well as a few "how do they do that? and "I've never seen anything like that before." As always, the athlete march in took a long time (as we write this it's still going on), but it's worth watching to see the smiles on the faces of athletes from countries like Djibouti and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Some reaction from the U.S. players on the opening Ceremonies:

Rachel Buehler

"China did a spectacular job. The visual effects were awesome. My favorite part was when the guys with the lights on their bodies made a tower. It was pretty amazing when they unveiled that huge globe and the guys were running around it. It was just great to see the American team come into the stadium and also see all the other athletes from all the tiny countries."

Heather O'Reilly

"It was a pretty phenomenal display for the first hour and then to see the pride on all the athletes faces reminded me once again of what this is all about."

Shannon Boxx

"I thought the beginning was amazing. All the people that it took to make it happen, and how all the performers were so in sync, was just unbelievable. Seeing all the countries come into the stadium makes you really appreciate being a part of this."