I’m going to have to file this after the Closing Ceremonies, because organizers appear to have shut down internet accessability. Afraid we’ll somehow send out images of the ceremonies, I guess. They said they would do the same for opening, but a lot of people filed, no problem.

Tonight, however, no.

It’s almost as hot in here, the National Stadium, as it was for Opening. That is to say, one inch short of utterly miserable. It’s hot and extraordinarily humid, it’s airless — which is an ongoing problem with the Birds Nest. I’ve been sitting quietly for a half-hour now, and I still have sweat pouring off me.

Let’s see how this goes.

This event was scheduled for a 7 p.m. start, but the first full hour is just silly sound and music – probably because Beijing organizers noticed that no one shows up on time for Closing. Nothing really happens until7:56, when Jacques Rogge and some other suits come into the stadium.

Then we’re going to have fireworks (quite a lot, it turns out), some speeches, the entrance of however many athletes feel like coming here (not many), the marathon medal ceremony (Ryan Hall of Big Bear was 11th, as I recall) several national anthems (the Greek, for being the OGs of the movement), the Chinese (as host nation) and the British (as next host nation, in 2012).

The flame will be doused, and that’s always a little dramatic and a little depressing, too. It’s been burning since Aug. 8. And then it ends with a bunch of music, with athletes dancing in the infield, if they have the inclinations.

(Oh. It turns out they couldn’t get enough athletes to Closing to fill the infield.Oops.  We’ve got empty spaces out there. Maybe everyone who was here for Opening wasn’t keen to go standing for a couple of hours in this sweatbox of a stadium. OK, everybody, spread out!)

We’ve got at least one really big drum out there on the infield, and a half-dozen people who must be China’s version of Ryan Seacrest and Paula Abdul. Smiling and acting dopey and false enthusiastic.

Oh, and this is after it was finished … not only were they shy a thousand or so athletes to make the infield look filled … the athletes got bored almost immediately. Some of them sat on the floor. With a half-hour left, dozens, hundreds of them just walked out. Trickled out the northeast tunnel steadily. It was embarrassing.

The ceremonies people absolutely whiffed in finding music that might connect with the athletes. They played four songs, and one had Placido Domingo, who can sing but ain’t exactly popular with the kids, and another was “traditional Chinese romantic music,” and that went over like a lead balloon.

No wonder the jocks split.

I generally don’t go to Closing. It doesn’t have the gravitas of Opening, and it doesn’t set any stage. But I had a ticket, and the stadium is a 15-minute walk …

And I may never be back to another one of these, an Olympics. After 13 … all but one since Sarajevo, 1984.

Seems as if I ought to go to my closing Closing. Tie a bow on this part of my working career. If this is the finish. I’ll watch some of this, in person.

Actually, I made it to within 10 minutes of the end. I was proud of myself because it was hot, miserable and generally dull, aside from the guys climbing up and down the tower.