Wow! I'm done, finished, I've got nothing left. Today, the U.S. men won gold in basketball and the bus back was packed to the gills. Ran and grabbed a burger. You know the Olympics is over when the McDonald's in the press center has no Big Mac's left. Off to the closing ceremonies which were beautiful and thankfully short. Got all my stuff filed by midnight. I'm off to the Great Wall tomorrow and hopefully this time it'll be open. Fly back Tuesday. Thanks for checking out my first attempt at a blog. I hear I'm a legend back in Indiana. Let's talk later about London.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The 2008 Summer Olympics closed in a display of tightly scripted merriment and lavish fireworks, a final burst of pomp ending 17 days of sports and celebration.

Jonathan Newton

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The Ethiopia fans erupt after Kenenisa Bekele wins the 5000-meter race Saturday night.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The U.S. men's basketball celebrates winning the gold medal as the Spanish team gathers on the court.

We can see the finish line now. Yea! Tonight was the last night of track and field events and the U.S. men's and women's 4x400-meter relay teams won gold.
I just love National Stadium. I just hung outside as the crowd came in for the Saturday night session as long as possible taking pictures of the crowd.
What a night. I know I'll miss it after I get some sleep.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Fans arrive at National Stadium for the final night of track and field competition to se the U.S. 4x 400 squads win in the men's and women's races.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The men's 4x400 squad poses for photographers after their win Saturday night.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Bryan Clay comes into the stands at National Stadium in Beijing to hug his wife, Sarah, after he won gold in the men's decathlon Friday night.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

A child mirrors the Torch Relay sculpture figures Friday afternoon on the Olympic Green in Beijing.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Morten "The Viking" Hagenstuen is mobbed by Chinese fans wanting to have their picture made with the self proclaimed "Head of the Norwegian Supporters" Friday on the Olympic Green.

I started the morning in the pouring rain with the women's beach volleyball gold medal match. The U.S. won quickly, thank goodness. I really didn't care who won as long as it happened fast so we could get out of the downpour. It was truly miserable.

I went back to the office, did expense accounts and burned CDs to clean my computer off. Fun stuff. I ended the night with U.S. women's soccer beating Brazil in overtime. Thank goodness the rain stopped just before the match. Off to yet another bus...

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

The U.S women's soccer team erupts following their overtime victory over Brazil. Carli Lloyd (11) hit the game winner during the first overtime.

It must be me. I've been at two 200m Olympic finals in my life and both have been world records. Both occasions were electric. In the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Michael Johnson set the world record and reacted in a very similar fashion as Usain Bolt did when he broke the old record Wednesday night in Beijing. These Olympics are amazing.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Usain Bolt reacts after setting the world record in the 200m with a time of 19:30 Wednesday night.

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(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Lolo Jones reacts after she tripped on the second to last hurdle, leaving the door open to Dawn Harper of the U.S. to sneak a gold from lane #6.