Bob Costas leaves NBC

E5 Yaz

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It sure seems as though he was with NBC for more than 40 years. And it sure makes those of us who remember when Costas was considered the wunderkind feel quite old indeed.

For much of his 40-year career with NBC Sports, Bob Costas was one of the network's most familiar voices.

But that relationship now has come to an end as the veteran sportscaster has reached a settlement with the network to terminate his contract that ran through 2021.

“It’s all settled quietly and happily for all concerned,” Costas said in an interview Tuesday with the New York Post.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2019/01/16/bob-costas-nbc-sports-part-ways-after-40-years/2597900002/
 

terrynever

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Some of his best memories are from his early days as PBP announcer for the ABA’s St. Louis Spirit. Marvin Barnes out of Providence was the big man in town, a free spirit who once told Costas he wouldn’t get on a plane because it was a “time machine.” Crossing one time zone, Marvin had noticed the short flight had a landing time several minutes before its departure.

Here is the story:


Q: The Spirits had future Hall of Famers like Moses Malone and streetballers like Fly Williams. But the biggest character was Marvin “Bad News” Barnes. Do you have a favorite story about him?

Costas: The one that people most frequently want to hear is the one from Kentucky, the morning after another loss at Freedom Hall in Louisville to the very strong Kentucky Colonels. Teams didn’t travel by charter then, so we meet at the airport for the commercial flight back to St. Louis. The traveling secretary, who also was the trainer, hands out the itinerary. It reads, “TWA Flight 305. Depart Louisville, 8 a.m. Arrive St. Louis, 7:56.” And Marvin Barnes walks over to me, holding the sheet of paper in his hand, looks down at me from a foot above me, drapes his arm around my shoulder, brandishes this itinerary, and says, “Bro, bro, bro, I do not know about you, but as for me, I am not getting on any time machine.”
 

Ale Xander

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Bob Costas is synonymous with 3 things, the Olympics, St. Louis, and the Cleveland Indians losing in the World Series. Still have good memories of his calls in 1995 and 1997, despite the Red Sox floundering (in different ways).
 

DJnVa

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So does Costas have any signature calls? We know the Al Michaels one, and as Sox fans we know Joe Buck, we know Jack Buck, etc.

What is his?
 

E5 Yaz

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So does Costas have any signature calls? We know the Al Michaels one, and as Sox fans we know Joe Buck, we know Jack Buck, etc.

What is his?
That's a great question. What is his signature game as a play-by-play guy?
 

Ale Xander

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So does Costas have any signature calls? We know the Al Michaels one, and as Sox fans we know Joe Buck, we know Jack Buck, etc.

What is his?
"All is Forgiven" re: David Justice 1995 WS

and "Team of the 90's has its first Championship"
same game (95 Game 6)
 
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dcmissle

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Waiting for him to go Howard Cossell and start shredding the things that provided meal tickets to him for decades. Probably won’t happen with baseball but everything else is fair game. Bitter old man mode. Hope I am wrong about this. I’ve always like him.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Signature calls tend to come in championship moments (not necessarily wins, but key moments). Costas hasn't really called a lot of championships. He only worked three World Series (1995, 1997, 1999) and three NBA Finals (98-2000) as the lead play-by-play.

His signature call might just be from Denslow Cup V.

 

E5 Yaz

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Costas pretty much inherited the Dick Clark mantle of eternal youth, after Clark had his stroke.

My favorite Costas was his late night talk show ... just him and a guest. The forced gravitas he employs on sporting events these days never showed up in those interviews
 

luckiestman

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I think Costas was on Simmons podcast a few times and they were great. I give them my highest grade.

Costas has come off (to me anyway) as a bit of a smarmy goofball for some reason. He didn’t on the podcasts.
 

MakeMineMoxie

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I think Costas was on Simmons podcast a few times and they were great. I give them my highest grade.

Costas has come off (to me anyway) as a bit of a smarmy goofball for some reason. He didn’t on the podcasts.
I've noticed this with other guys, too. Joe Buck has a good show called "Undeniable", a one-on-one hour-long interview & the ones I've watched are quite good. Also, a few years a go I saw some on-on-ones with Tim McCarver when he was at the height of his WS goofiness, also well done. It seems you get these guys calling a championship game to a national audience & their IQ drops 50 points.
 

AB in DC

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Gotta put Costas on the Mt. Rushmore of sportcasters, no?

I'd put Al Michaels, Vin Scully, and Bob Costas for sure, probably Keith Jackson as the fourth.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Gotta put Costas on the Mt. Rushmore of sportcasters, no?

I'd put Al Michaels, Vin Scully, and Bob Costas for sure, probably Keith Jackson as the fourth.
What's your definition of sportscaster? Costas is not in my top 20 if it's not sport specific.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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Yeah, if we're not talking a specific sport and/or a specific task (play by play versus studio host), I don't think there's much chance of narrowing it down to four.

A list of great sportscasters can include Michaels, Costas, Scully and Jackson, but also Cosell, Gowdy, Enberg, McKay, Barber, Allen, Buck (either one), Albert, Nantz, Summerall, Musberger, Miller, Stockton. And if we're inclined to look at more local legends that didn't necessarily do much in the way of national stuff...Carey, Harwell, Brennaman, Hearn, Glickman, Most. Those are just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting.
 

dirtynine

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In 2007 I had a Fenway badge/pass for some freelance work I was doing. A few times it got me into the press box (depended on the attendant and how close they were paying attention). I watched a few innings from an empty box once, and heard a familiar voice coming from the next box over. It was Costas holding court with a few buddies (not working the game, just there to chill). He spent at least an inning talking about the Blue Jays outfield in the 80s (Bell / Barfield / Moseby) and just being a baseball geek. His love of sports and baseball in particular was right on his sleeve.

I always enjoy Costas in an R-rated environment like Bill Maher or something where he can kind of play off his aw-shucks personality a little bit and get some laughs by joking about ribald stuff.

Lastly, a great memory from being a young sports fan was tuning into his radio show, Costas Coast to Coast, in the early 90s on Sunday nights - particularly the night right after the NCAA selection show where he and Francesca would break down the entire bracket.

Can’t wait to see where he pops up.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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I did not see that coming, I thought it was hilarious
I like Bob Costas a lot. I know that there some people who find him very sanctimonious and self-important, but he's a really great broadcaster and he can be funny. He also spins a good yarn, which is something that I think is helpful when broadcasting a baseball game.
 

Van Everyman

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Say what you will about ESPN, but the fact that they’ve managed to keep Outside the Lines going relatively unimpeded all these years is a credit. This was a great piece that couldn’t have made the NFL terribly happy.
 

soxhop411

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Outside the Lines article on Costas getting frozen out of NBC duties due to his stance on the NFL concussion situation.

http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/25914913/inside-story-how-legendary-nfl-broadcaster-bob-costas-ended-excised-football-nbc-espn

Kiss the shield or you will be out of a job.


NFL is worse than any of the other major sports. You work for a NFL Partner you can’t call out the NFL or else you will face the rath of the shield.


Good on OTL for doing this piece.
 

Marciano490

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Kiss the shield or you will be out of a job.


NFL is worse than any of the other major sports. You work for a NFL Partner you can’t call out the NFL or else you will face the rath of the shield.


Good on OTL for doing this piece.
There is a bit of tension in your post, you know?
 

InstaFace

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Say what you will about ESPN, but the fact that they’ve managed to keep Outside the Lines going relatively unimpeded all these years is a credit. This was a great piece that couldn’t have made the NFL terribly happy.
I share your shock. Usually the truth-tellers are orgs like the NY Times, or even Sports Illustrated, not one of those "customers" of the NFL's products who are so reluctant to even make anyone think about them considering nibbling the hand that feeds them.

The bit about the Goodell Interview was the most classic part about it. Yeah, they qualify it with a "he hasn't done many of these recently, for any network", but Costas makes the counter-argument pretty easily. Hey assholes, we're throwing our 40-year-veteran, top-of-the-industry broadcaster out of a moving vehicle because he said some mean things about how you guys like to make money getting young black men's brains turned into a fine powder. The least you can do is have your stooge give up 20 minutes of his time, plus makeup, to make it look like something other than what it is.

NFL: "no, no, you eat your shit and then you go out there and smile about it!"

NBC: "yes sir!"

The only analogues I can think of are from totalitarian regimes.
 
Say what you will about ESPN, but the fact that they’ve managed to keep Outside the Lines going relatively unimpeded all these years is a credit. This was a great piece that couldn’t have made the NFL terribly happy.
I suspect Bob Ley's status within the organization is central to this - he's ESPN's longest-serving employee, his reputation is impeccable, and he clearly cares deeply about OTL. When he finally departs, I imagine OTL will be quietly shelved or relegated to complete insignificance. (I know Ley is on "sabbatical" at the moment, btw.)
 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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Signature calls tend to come in championship moments (not necessarily wins, but key moments). Costas hasn't really called a lot of championships. He only worked three World Series (1995, 1997, 1999) and three NBA Finals (98-2000) as the lead play-by-play.

His signature call might just be from Denslow Cup V.

He and Al Michaels were much funnier than they had any right to be in this movie. They made the most of every second they were on the screen, more so than the ESPN guys who also got featured and were more used to being entertaining.