Phelps Phans

From Norm’s Vegas Confidential column November 24, 2008:

Michael Phelps’ passion for poker isn’t the only reason he’s been showing up in Las Vegas.

The 14-time Olympic swimming gold medalist has been seen in the company of a fetching brunette who works at the Palms.

He was spotted at Moon nightclub on Saturday and having lunch earlier at Canyon Gate Country Club.

He’s definitely getting into the swim of things in the dating pool. Last month he was spotted arriving at a Baltimore airport in the company of Nicole Johnson, runner-up in the 2007 Miss California USA pageant.

Since winning a record eight gold medals in the Beijing Summer Olympics, Phelps has spent a considerable amount of time in Las Vegas, taking poker lessons from pros, so he can enter the World Series of Poker next year.