*SPOILER* Wmns Snowboardcross: Anybody else pissed at Costas?

[JudyM]

I've found Bob Costas' hosting of the games less than enjoyable (he's such a droning sourpuss) but tonight I got kind of pissed that he made such a big deal about Lindsey Jacobellis' 'showboating.' I mean, he pretty much said, in the lead-in to her interview, that this will go down as the most glaring sports mistake of all time. He kept going at the shame factor, like picking a pustule over and over, and then instead of even attempting to give her some room to save face in her interview, kept implying that she ought to feel awful for the 'showboating.' Gimme a break - the kid's 20, she was out in front, she said she was tired, and she was being joyful in front of her fans -- it's not a crime. It was sad, but she should still be viewed as having done well, since she got back up and took the silver. I thought she did a good job of maintaining her composure, and holding her ground with Costas. What a self-inflated, self-important buffoon he is. Anybody?

[fishwax]

1. I thought he handled it okay

i thought he asked questions that pretty much had to be asked, given the situation, and which she certainly knew would be asked going into the interview. And I thought he did give her room to save face, and complimented her for her willingness to face the press openly. I thought it a couple of times his tone was slightly condescending, but he's balancing asking the questions he has to ask with the fact that the interviewee is a 20-year-old who's had a great and horrible day.

Anyway, she had fudged a bit earlier in the on-course interview, trying to make the case that she wasn't showboating, but it was pretty clear that she was. She just got caught up in the moment and made a stupid mistake, but with any luck she'll get the chance to atone for it in Vancouver.

I agree with you that she did a good job holding her ground with Costas, and I think it was gracious of her to come on at such a time ...

[pokerfan]

2. Leon Lett, anyone?

DT for the Cowboys in the 1990s. Two of the top three of ESPN's "25 Biggest Sport Blunders" are attributed to Lett.

[fishwax]

3. haha, i remember them both

of course, lett's team was up by four or five touchdowns, and his mistake had pretty much zero impact on the game ... (well, the one in the super bowl, anyway ... the field goal play--assuming that was the other mistake on the list--cost them the game ...)

[pokerfan]

4. Yeah, it was the FG play against Miami

stupid stupid stupid

[4morewars]

5. Always

He's a stuck up, know-it-all, arrogant, blow hard.

God ! I hate people that remind me of myself !

[Awsi Dooger]

6. It was much more Jimmy Roberts than Costas

Roberts was the one who used his Olympic Moment segment to compare Jacobellis' failure to Greg Norman choking in the '96 Masters, Jana Novotna blowing the Wimbledon final to Steffi Graf, and Leon Lett showboating at the end of his fumble return in the Super Bowl. Then Roberts went on to say these Olympics would be remembered for this gaffe. I thought that was overboard.

But I was hardly impressed with Jacobellis' explanation. She should have smiled and admitted it was a flamboyant finale that flopped. Instead she tried to waffle around the entire thing and claim she didn't know how far ahead she was and it was more or less one of a few options on that next to last jump. She even copped out at one point by saying she was having trouble with that particular jump so that's what led to reaching down to touch the board. Frankly, I found her insincere and forgettable, other than the masochistic aspect.

There is no way to downplay this. The commentators gave it proper condemnation immediately. Supposedly the American coach and the mens gold medal winner each said it was unnecessary showboating. Just try to compare it to anything in modern sports history. Someone who had the lead in a major event then failed due to self congratulatory excess. I've tried for hours and I can't come up with a parallel. Jean van de Velde blew the '99 British Open on the final hole but he tried his damndest on every shot. She has earned the infamy. If her last name were more common and easily remembered, it would be called pulling a Jacobellis in the future.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

7. Costas, not to mention any other "journalist" chiming in

on the subject in similar manner, is an asshole.

1) Costas being there and making a living off this spectale that is the Olympics is only possible because the Olympics exist.
2) There is an absolutely microscopic percentage of the population that can compete in the manner required for the Olympics, World Championships, and similar competitions. That Costas could even speak the he did to anyone who has made it to the Olympics, much less received a medal in an event, is incomprehensible to me.
3) Most U.S. Olympic athletes dedicate their lives to their pursuit. They do so because they want to. They represent the U.S. no more and no less than Costas or any other journalist does. They represent themselves, and subsequently, their sponsors/endorsers. I don't see our government paying their way.
4) I am sure she does feel awful, not because of any representation but because she knows what she could have achieved and fell short due to her own decisions. Is there any need at all to rub salt in the wound? I can understand as a journalist the question needs to be asked, but a little compassion goes a long way.
5) There is WAY too much focus on the result, and not nearly enough on the effort and the journey. A different story, but relevant because of the way Costas implied Jacobellis cost us a gold. Just plain stupid on his part.

Personally, I would like to see him strap a board to his feet, line up with those who Jacobellis competed against, and see how many hours he comes in behind the leader.

DBDB

[underpants]

8. Costas is the best period hosting or play by play

When I watched her screw up I knew that the sports world was going to fry her, they did SportsCenter got right to it.

Now... having "The Bus" just happen to drop by was pretty bad though.

[RubyDuby in GA]

11. That's what I thought re: The Bus

Before he got to the shameless plug for the Bus joining the commentators this fall all I could keep thinking was why the hell is he there and why the fuck should be care what he has to say about the Winter Olympics???

[AngryAmish]

9. Chris Webber's time-out (when there was none) is a much bigger mistake

His was in the NCAA finals, not some obscure alpine exhibition.

[Benfea]

10. Why is he more annoying than the others?

I find virtually all sportscasters detestable with the possible exception of the Mexican guy who screams "gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!"

[Twillig]

12. Nigel Mansell's 1991 Canadian Grand Prix

is the showboat hall of fame disaster:

Mansell continued to lead in dominant fashion until the very last lap when, waving to the crowd, he allowed the revs to drop too low and the car stalled. With no power to drive the hydraulic system he could not select a gear. He was out with less than a lap to go. Mansell's old rival Piquet swept to a joyous victory..

:rofl:



Of course he is British, so it doesn't matter to 'Merica. Besides it's not like NBC had
all of their Big Hype behind Jacobellis. A sportscaster getting all indignant about it is just sad
and pathetic.