Forget Phelps, I'm Watching The Olympics For Bela!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
I really thought there were going to be more "Friends of Bob" for the Olympics, but it turns out there's only two. There's the roving reporter, Cris Collinsworth, who is spending most nights with Michael Phelps' Mom. And then there's the ever-awesome Bela Karolyi.
Costas has been forcing Karolyi to stay with him in the studio for Gymnastics contests and you can tell it's just killing the guy. Here's a clip of him last night....
He's so amped you can barely hear what he's saying. I love it. On top of freaking out during Liukin's routine, he called out the Chinese, and at one point during the prelims he ran over to the NBC announcing booth to tell them about an injury. The guy is a machine, and I'm loving every minute of it. Forgot the people who think it's a conflict of interest because his wife is coaching. The guy just loves the Sport.
Costas really needs to let him spread his wings though. Just have Bela on camera every 15 minutes or so from the Gym during every event and you're set. I think his head might explode during the Women's All-around though, so you might want to watch out for that.
(Anyone have a guess on how quickly this vid is taken down?)
Labels: Bob Costas, Friends of Bob, Great Ideas, NBC Olympic Coverage, NBC Sports, Olympic Video Du Jour, YouTube Video
16 Comments:
That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Bela and his awesome mustache just made the Olympics for me.
I think Mary Carillo can be considered a FOB as well.
I am watching for more weightlifters dislocating their elbows ... that was truly awful
As soon as the first part of Bela was over last night, I turned to my wife and said, "I bet I'll see that on awfulannouncing tomorrow." Thanks for putting it up--we definitely need more Bela.
They should have had Bela go around China instead of the man that is Mary Carillo.
"He's so tough, he defected into East Germany."
With any luck, the US will one day win the battle against the savage pituitary gland.
I can't believe NBC has not had Bela on more often. I can't remember the last time an on-air person has had me more jazzed about a sport than Bela. No wonder why his athletes won so much.
I find myself watching gymnastics just to see what he's going to say. That's enough reason right there to put him on at all times possible.
Give him credit for calling out the Chinese too, even though Costas always makes him say that they were deemed to be 16 by IOC rules.
AA... you need to find the clip of Daggett talking about the young Chinese girl being taken into the acadamy at the age of three.... then Trautwig QUICKLY adding "Not kicking and screaming" or something along that lines... you could almost feel the Chinese Army ready to break into the booth.
It'll be awesome if he was on there every night talking about any sport. Especially if they showed clips of him getting into the event. Also I assume the clip we'll be down by Thursday evening.
This old Romanian man is a pedophile.
He went so mad after his request to use underdage girls was denied by the US Gymnastic Association.
Just so you know, Shawn Johnson started practising at the age of 3, too.
Bela is totally unprofessional! He made the comment right after women's vault that one athelete should get 1.6 point deduction for a landing problem. He said 0.8 deduction is for "execution before landing" and another 0.8 is for "landing itself". What a joke! Nobody ever get twice the penalty for a bad landing. Also, he did not even mention the fact that the lady is doing a move that's named after her, which gave her a bonus.
After making such idiotic comments, he had the gut to point fingers at the judges? Give me a break!
LOL
oh my tears.
He would have been a even better comedian if he didn't choose gymnastics. What a clown.Brings me so much fun.
I demand he be added to Football Night in America. Or work with Emmit Smith at ESPN. Just get me more Bela.