August 15, 2008 12:35 AM
Heading into the weekend
Olympic hustle and bustle? Not much at the main venues. Spectators are staying away, and streets around Water Cube and National Indoor Stadium lack the usual dense throng of fans. Chinese officials say they can't explain the thin crowds, but the atmosphere doesn't help. Almost feels like a military base.
On the eve of the Games Michael Phelps apparently got stuck at a bus station for 20-25 minutes. So did he pull a star trip? According to people who were there, Phelps went with the flow, chatting with fellow swimmers until the tardy bus arrived. That squares with the Phelps I've observed. He spent much of the leadup to the Games playing the card game spades with roomates - and then went out and did his super-hero thing.
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