Bob Costas is finally throwing in the towel. After soldiering on through the first few days of Winter Olympics primetime coverage through a nasty eye infection, the veteran host is stepping aside. Monday night it was clear Costas' eye infection was visibly worse and spreading to both eyes, so NBC has decided to go to the bullpen. Today host Matt Lauer will sub for Bob Costas while Costas recovers. NBC made the announcement Tuesday morning.
“We’re going to the bullpen and you’re Mariano Rivera,” Costas to Matt Lauer, who will host primetime & late night tonight as Costas rests
— NBCSportsPR (@NBCSportsPR) February 11, 2014
With @MLauer hosting primetime tonight, it marks 1st time since 1998 that someone other than Bob Costas has hosted an Olympic primetime show
— NBCSportsPR (@NBCSportsPR) February 11, 2014
Tonight will also mark 1st time since 1988 that someone other than Bob Costas has hosted Olympic primetime show on NBC. Ripken-like streak
— NBCSportsPR (@NBCSportsPR) February 11, 2014
It really is an extraordinary run for Bob Costas hosting the Olympics in primetime, but at some point a man's health has to supersede a broadcasting streak. Here's a vodka toast to your streak, Mr. Costas!
The one question that should come to mind with this decision is why NBC would go with Lauer instead of one of its other accomplished sports hosts. Dan Patrick, Al Michaels, and Rebecca Lowe are all at the top of the profession and all could carry the flag for NBC capably in primetime. But instead the peacock goes with Matt Lauer? It seems like a slight to the rest of their sports department to bring in an entertainment guy to sit in the primetime anchor throne chair.
But then again, the Olympics… well, at least the NBC Primetime Olympics… aren't really about the sports at all. They're about the entertainment and the human interest stories. It's the Today Show camouflaged under the veil of a sporting event. So maybe in that regard, Lauer is the perfect choice.
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