2.11.2014, 10:32 PM Winter Olympics: Bob Costas eye infection becomes Sochi storyline ROB CARR/GETTY Bob Costas during the NFL season, before his now infamous eye infection during the 2014 Sochi Games. At dinner conversations around the city, at all-important soirees where the elite meet, they are not talking about Obamacare or who won the gold medal in women’s slopestyle snowboarding. They all ask a more important, pressing question: “What’s up with Bob Costas’ eyes?” Every Olympics has a storyline. Going into Sochi it was the threat of terrorism. The weather. The media’s incomplete accommodations. Whether Vladimir Putin would take his shirt off. Now it’s Costas’ eyes. Any day now, NBC suits will be trading in their stately Olympic overture for Crystal Gayle singing “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” Or in Costas’ case, pink. Make no mistake, Bob (Rapping Roberto) Costas is now officially bigger than these Olympics. He is the story. For anyone who has not been paying attention (how could you not?) Costas, NBC’s prime-time Olympics host, entered these Games of skill and will with one infected eyeball. In a drastic move, Costas was forced to trade in his contacts for a pair of horn rims (soon to be shipped to the Museum of Broadcasting), which gave him a rather studious appearance. On Monday night he showed up with both eyes infected. Looking to ease the pain, he knocked back a shot of vodka with Mary Carillo. Isn’t drinking on the air a violation of FCC regulations? Tough. Who could blame him for drowning his sorrows? Perhaps in this late Monday night moment, Costas realized that, as a breathless NBC press release explained, his “remarkable” 157 straight nights of hosting NBC’s prime-time Olympic telecasts, going all the way back to 1988, was about to end. Upon hearing the news that Costas was benching himself due to a pair of infected eyeballs (Would Cal Ripken Jr. have played through this?), many of the unwashed masses were frantically asking why? Say it ain’t so, Roberto. Why end this “remarkable” streak. Costas confirmed this Tuesday morning on “Today,” NBC’s morning show with the incredible shrinking ratings, and delivered even worse news. Having the scallions to compare him to Mariano Rivera, Costas said his bosses had called on Matt Lauer to replace him Tuesday night as host of the Peacock’s Olympic prime-time show. Somewhere in the back of Costas’ mind, he knew one person could never fill his shoes. NBC suits should’ve asked Ann Curry to join Lauer. Somewhere in Sochi, Al (Exigente) Michaels and Dan Patrick were probably lamenting the fact that they didn’t get a prime-time recommendation from their pal Costas. Then again, how could anyone condemn the decision of a man who can’t see straight. “It (the eye infection) was becoming increasingly noticeable and uncomfortable, but it was just that,” Costas said in a statement. “I would have continued. We in broadcasting are lucky to have the jobs we do, and at one time or another, we’ve all gone on the air feeling less than our best. “. . . It got to the point where, as a practical matter, I simply couldn’t do my job because my eyes had become so blurry, watery and sensitive to light.” Costas mentioning the “noticeable” aspect of his condition opened up another avenue to consider, one traveled by all cats performing in prime time. And that would be concern, many times over-the-top, about their physical appearance. Costas has been roundly praised (by us included) for his early self-deprecating take on how he looked wearing his “Sherman and Peabody” spectacles. Yet when he brought it up a couple of more times, we wondered if he was more concerned about the infection or how he looked? Costas had made his point, humorously. Why not just let it go and move on? Like anyone who receives as much face-time as Costas does, in front of millions of viewers, his appearance is analyzed by all forms of media. It’s even worse now with the Droolers on Twitter chiming in. Over the last three Olympics his hair was scrutinized. He’s got a little gray. No, he doesn’t have gray. It’s too dark. It’s red. As soon as he showed up squinting, the vanity stakes were raised, opening him up for all kinds of commentary. Such is life when you play on the big stage. Now the other Games begin. When will Costas return (NBC suits list him “day to day”) to his prime-time throne? How will he look when he returns? What will he say when he returns? Of course there’s always the chance that Lauer Wally Pipps Costas and Rapping Roberto walks into the Sochi sunset, a broken man, a guy betrayed by his own eyes. Yes, this is no joking matter. It’s a story to be taken seriously. Or about as seriously as we are taking it. Author: Bob Raissman Share article Facebook Twitter E-mail More Articles EXCLUSIVE: Belligerent nephew of Tyson Beckford tossed out of NYC hotel before stealing truck that crashed into bus, killing driver A stolen truck driven by model/actor Tyson Beckford’s nephew plowed into a city bus early Wednesday, catapulting its veteran driver to his death in Greenwich Village, cops said. WINTER OLYMPICS LIVE: Daily News live blog of the Sochi Games Join our team of Olympic writers and columnists from Sochi, Russia for the 2014 Winter Olympics. This will be your complete source for the latest news, results, photos, video and more from the Games. 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Posted on: Wed, 12 Feb 2014 23:41:56 +0000