Tirico is getting credit for his personable interviews with athletes and their familiesTWITTER
NBC Broadcasting & Sports Chair Mark Lazarus yesterday gave primetime Olympics host Mike Tirico a "public endorsement." Lazarus said Tirico is "just as good if not better than we thought he'd be." He added viewers "seem to find Tirico accessible and pleasing, and he's done a good job drawing out athletes and their families during interviews" (AP, 2/13). In L.A., Libby Hill wrote Tirico has "done an admirable job" taking over for Bob Costas, providing the "soothing, if slightly boring commentary that keeps the main Olympics broadcast churning along" (LATIMES.com, 2/13).
SITTING ON THE SIDELINE: In N.Y., Andrew Marchand notes Costas' career with NBC is "essentially and quietly over" after giving up the Olympics hosting duties. Costas has the title "emeritus" and he is "still being paid by NBC, though there is not much left for him to do." He did not specify "how much more time he has on his NBC contract, but said it was years." Costas will "continue to call 20 or so games on MLB Network and be featured in other specials." He was "quick to say he had no problem with NBC and said he would be disappointed if any story gave the impression he has an issue with his longtime home" (N.Y. POST, 2/14).
WHAT DID YOU SAY? THE ATHLETIC's Steve Berman cites a source as saying that S.F.-based KNBR-AM has suspended host Patrick Connor from appearing on the station for the "rest of this week." Connor yesterday appeared on SiriusXM Barstool Radio's "Dialed-In with Dallas Braden" and "enthusiastically mused about the 'countdown'" until Gold Medal-winning snowboarder Chloe Kim turns 18. He also called Kim a "little hot piece of ass" (THEATHLETIC.com, 2/13).
AN HONEST APPROACH: In DC, Tik Root talked to NBC's Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir and asked them if they intentionally "toned it back a bit" in their analysis after online criticism earlier in the Games that they were too "mean." Lipinski said, "We toned it back?" Weir added, "That's a shock to us." Lipinski: "The only thing that happened is that there's been pretty good skating over (the weekend). The first day of skating ... it was disastrous, and there was really no other way to put it. So, if we see more skating like that, we're definitely gonna call it as we see it." Weir: "We have to call it like we see it or we'd be doing a disservice to our sport" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/13).
CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS: In Colorado Springs, Woody Paige writes he "can't figure out the TV schedule of events, or the time in South Korea." There is a 16-hour difference between Pyeongchang and Colorado, and Paige writes he has "yet to witness an American medal accomplishment 'plausibly live.'" Paige: "I did watch cross-country skiing. ... But I missed OUR luger winning a silver medal." He adds, "What's going on in Pyeongchang ... for Team USA, and especially the athletes with a Colorado connection, is rather amazing (I hear)" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 2/14).
