Bob Costas Downs Some Vodka, Hands Off Olympics Coverage To Matt Lauer

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Sochi has gotten the best of NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, now that an infection he’s struggled with since the Olympic games began has spread to both his eyes.

Costas phoned Matt Lauer Tuesday on “Today” to ask him to cover the network’s Olympics coverage at night.

“Reluctantly, I was trying to throw a complete game here, but I think we’re going to have to go to the bullpen, and I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not, but you’re Mariano Rivera, at least tonight,” Costas told Lauer. “Let’s hope it’s only tonight. I’m walking around, I might as well be playing ‘Marco Polo.’ I have no idea where I am.”

Costas’s infection seemed to be getting to him Monday evening, when he downed a glass of vodka on air with fellow NBC host Mary Carillo.

“I’m looking at it this way though, my eyes can’t get any redder,” he said. “No matter what I do.”

“By the way, I will be doing the shots of vodka starting in about 15 minutes,” Lauer joked after accepting the challenge.

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