Shut Up Bob Costas

Head of NBC’s Olympic Coverage Equates Slopestyle to MTV’s Jackass

Skiing and Snowboarding Slopestyle is brand new to the Olympic Event Schedule in the 2014 Sochi Games. The Action Snow Sports Industry and the culture which surrounds it has been buzzing with anticipation, seeing this inclusion as extending the reach of these disciplines, adding legitimacy, and furthering the overall progression of skiing and snowboarding. NBC Sports and Primetime Olympic Anchor Bob Costas mirrored this excitement by drawing the obvious parallels between tricks like a switch 10 or corked out backflip with farting into a tube attached to a space helmet Steve O is wearing and pooping onto a model of a bathroom.

(Slopestyle comments begin at 1:15 minutes in)

Ok, Costas was trying to be funny and his comments were not too bad or damning. We Skiers and Snowboarders can be a sensitive lot when it comes to mainstream media coverage and how the world sees us. Also, let it be known I love a good poop joke. It is one of my favorite subjects. I find endless amounts of sophomoric humor in the act and discussion of said 2ing. That being said, Costas’ remarks pulls the rug out from the burgeoning Slopestyle inclusion. His comments were uneducated, misinformed, and greatly highlight how Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding is foolishly represented as the sports world’s redheaded stepchild by mainstream sports reporters.

Matt Lauer tries to save face and even Costas admits he does not know anything about the sport. Great to know he has done his research and prepared for the coming games. The subject is quickly changed to Figure Skating and Ice Dancing, which must be more exciting and receive more attention than Skiing and Snowboarding. Not according to the Nielsen Company and the results from the 2010 Vancouver games:

–Nielsen.com

Well apparently unless there is another Harding-Kerrigan controversy or the plot to The Cutting Edge actually happens in real life, Costas should hit the books on Slopestyle.

Costas is even hearing it from his co-workers. NBC’s Olympic Snowboarding Analyst Todd Richards addressed the issue via his Facebook page:

“So let me get this straight: all the sacrifices of body and mind I, and countless others have made to progress the discipline of slope style, have now been reduced to the by product of an MTV show based on shitting your pants, by someone that is ‘hosting’ the Olympics? On behalf of NBC’s snowboarding coverage team I apologize to everyone in the sport. This does not represent the feelings of the people that work hard to bring you the snowboarding broadcasts. Sincerely, Todd Richards NBC Olympic snowboarding analyst.”

So Bobby, respectfully, I think it is in your best interest to SHUT UP and perhaps do a little research before speaking out of turn.

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Costas is even hearing it from his co-workers. NBC’s Olympic Snowboarding Analyst Todd Richards addressed the issue via his Facebook page:

“So let me get this straight: all the sacrifices of body and mind I, and countless others have made to progress the discipline of slope style, have now been reduced to the by product of an MTV show based on shitting your pants, by someone that is ‘hosting’ the Olympics? On behalf of NBC’s snowboarding coverage team I apologize to everyone in the sport. This does not represent the feelings of the people that work hard to bring you the snowboarding broadcasts. Sincerely, Todd Richards NBC Olympic snowboarding analyst.”

So Bobby, respectfully, I think it is in your best interest to SHUT UP and perhaps do a little research before speaking out of turn.