It was as if Bob Costas recycled the same remarks from the 2006 Winter Olympics. Once again Bob Costas was not respectful to the Olympic spirit of sportsmanship and endless possible dreams for all the athletes who entered the stadium during the roll call of nations. Almost from the beginning Costas mentioned that some countries had no chance of winning a medal. In the case of Jamaica, Costas remarked they “will not be much of a factor.’ Those comments are just demeaning to smaller nations with the same Olympic dreams as the larger ones.
In other words Bob Costas was saying ‘thanks for showing up.’ That the other athletes from nations with less national resources, or corporate sponsorship might not somehow show the world a medal winning performance is not just shoddy sports journalism, it also reeks of an ethnocentric mindset that Costas has shown before. That it is wrong to make such statements is obvious. The Olympic ideal trumps nationalism and world politics. It is supposed to be the place where the human spirit is on display, and the individual abilities are tested. To count athletes out before the games started is a shallow way to broadcast an event. It is also a misguided way of looking at the world.
Not only did Bob Costas make remarks about national teams as they entered the stadium, but he also took a swipe at Brazil’s President Lula da Silva. There is no need to politicize the games, especially in the broadcast of the opening ceremonies. Whatever comments Lula had made concerning Brazil’s upcoming summer games did not warrant a reply from Costas. It was another sign that Costas does not know when to shut the microphone off and just watch the events unfold.
Finally, in another case where nationalism trumped fairness was the lack of national exposure to the Republic of Uzbekistan when they entered the stadium. With multiple cameras following the American team that preceded Uzbekistan into the stadium there was only a mention that the Central Asian nation had entered. There was no visual evidence they were even there. All America, all the time is not the Olympic spirit. Instead it is an ethnocentric way of looking at the world.
And it is wrong.
I am hoping that one of the nations Bob Costas belittled on the NBC broadcast will open a can of whoop-ass in the next 16 days and make someone eat crow.
After hearing multiple hours of Bob Costas I am yearning for a C-SPAN version of the Olympics without the insipid remarks of broadcasters.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 
He did this with several nations. Albania was one I think. We remarked here that it sounded awful.
As far as C-SPAN Olympic coverage … You and me both. I’ve barely watched the Olympics since NBC took them over. Costas is an embarrassment to St. Louis, to broadcasting, to the United States. Why NBC keeps him around I’ll never know. (I cringe whenever he tries to broadcast a baseball game. He’s far to intent on trying to impress viewers instead of letting them watch the game and simply adding the information they need to know.) And trying to find actual sports coverage in the morass of feel-good, getting-to-know the athlete stories is too much of a chore in the Olympics coverage. It’s dreadful.
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I cut back on the Olympics after Costas(NBC) took over. 1. There’s not much sports available between Costas’ mouth-offs. 2. Costas is inane, Bombastic, and Ignorant. (I forgot to add Egocentric) ABC was MUCH better.
I agree, Bob Costas doesn’t know when to shut-up. Matt Lauer is not much better.
Was I hearing wrong:
Towards the end of NBC’s coverage, Bob Costas said it was past midnight in the east, past 11 central, and past 9 in Vancouver.
I’m in Colorado, and when Bob said that, it was after 11 here, which puts it past 1 in the east, past 12 central, and past 10 in Vancouver.
That means one of two things:
1. I wasn’t watching live, which I thought I was.
2. Bob’s doesn’t know what time zone he’s in.
It’s explanation #1: NBC delayed broadcast of the Opening Ceremony by one hour. It began at 6pm PST; NBC’s coverage started at 7pm PST.
You may complain about Bob, but I can say as a Canadian, he knew more about the artistic background of the opening ceremonies that Lloyd Robertson and Brian Williams of CTV, the Canadian Broadcaster. CTV did not do the research and showed their lack of preparation that Costas and NBC had. The Canucks could not even keep count of Gretzky’s torches. It could have been much worse if you watched CTV’s broadcast.
I doubt Bob did the research for that piece. He has many researchers, assistants, and producers do all the work and send it to a teleprompter
Bob Costas needs to stop with the too-dark jet black Just For Men hair dye…. it looks RIDICULOUS!!! He’s pushing 60, and he really thinks people will believe his hair is that dark naturally? Get a clue!
Bob, you really really suck. Go back to the ONLY thing you are good at: baseball play by play. PLEASE NEVER DO OLYMPIC COVERAGE AGAIN! Why? Because you’re an A@@ whole! I have not enjoyed the winter olympics since Lillehammer BECAUSE OF YOU! You are a little douche bag PR!CK! Please GO AWAY FOREVER in olympic telecasting. You RUIN IT! Please NBC! No More Costas Olympics! HATE HIM! If he was lying in a snow drift, I would seriously piss on him. SUUUUUUUUUCKS! EVIL! WANKER! TWIT! SCHMUCK! SELF-RIGHTEOUS EGOMANIAC DWARF! Nothing good to say about him ever in 12 years. EVER! He turns the greatest sports event in the world into a trivial, annoying, jingoistic, toupee midget American farce. Freakin Idiot.
Read more: http://digitalsportsdaily.com/olympics/21495/comment-page-1#comment-3224#ixzz0fUiRS9sv
After watching Costas as well as Brian Williams I have gained a whole new lack of respect for both of them. How could they blame the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili on Canada? He had an accident. An accident in which he had control over. The fact that they even aired the accident in the first place shows little class or compassion for his family by the networks. God be with his family.
I must say as an American even I am astounded at the over bearing arrogance Costas has and what about our neighbor Canada? I’m thinking they feel bad enough for something that was completely out of their control without the help of Costas and Williams statement. Is there not a way to see some retribution for the hurtful and un-truthful statements this man’s made??
It is amazing Bob is still at it with the Olympics. As for” shorswill” I doubt Bob did the research for that piece. He has many researchers, assistants, and producers do all the work and send it to a teleprompter
Would the director of the NBC Olympic broadcast, tell Bob to not talk during the awards ceremony. I just watch the ski moguls awards and he talked over the entire ceremony, he even talk at the start of the Canadian anthem. I’m not a Canadian citizen but I found it very rude. Congrats on gold Canada!!!