Jamaican runner @usainbolt tells @NBCSports‘ Bob Costas he’s honored by comparison to late reggae legend, Bob Marley pic.twitter.com/cfZd1U0qSm
— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) August 14, 2016
For the most part, NBC’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics has left people wanting in the quality department. Matt Laurer’s commentary over the opening ceremony was enough to make even the most patriotic of American cringe and Bob Costas as the voice of the Olympics hasn’t outweighed old memes about his eyes. After Usain Bolt once again proved to the world that he’s the fastest man alive, Costas made a call that has people scratching their heads and wondering if Bob Costas really only knows two Jamaicans.
The call was comparing Usain Bolt’s popularity to Bob Marley’s, claiming that Bolt was more popular than the legendary artist and, as you can imagine, Twitter isn’t about to just let that one go.
"With apologies to all you reggae fans, I think Bolt has even outdistanced Marley."
Bob Costas, no.
— Adi Joseph (@AdiJoseph) August 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/asteadwh/status/764999636746661888
Bob Costas : Usain Bolt more popular than Bob Marley
Everyone : pic.twitter.com/vr6MgEQZz9
— Singh (@S1NGH7) August 15, 2016
"With apologies to all you reggae fans…" — Bob Costas – Michael Scott
— Charlotte Wilder (@TheWilderThings) August 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/dante2534/status/764999738852683776
Bob Costas merely needs to wander through a few frat houses to rethink that Bolt is bigger than Marley comment.
— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) August 15, 2016
I guarantee Bob Costas likes Wyclef’s version of “No Woman No Cry” more than Bob Marley’s version
— Clem (@TheClemReport) August 15, 2016
Ain't no outrage like "Bob costas doesn't respect Bob Marley enough!" outrage! pic.twitter.com/tqtm5AuX87
— KFC (@KFCBarstool) August 15, 2016
"The only other Jamaican person I've heard of is Bob Marley" – Bob Costas or his writers
— Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) August 15, 2016
Bob Costas showing blatant disrespect for Sanka from Cool Runnings in his "most famous Jamaican" argument.
— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) August 15, 2016
There is not hashtag to commemorate the time that Bob Costas compared Usain Bolt’s popularity to Bob Marley’s just yet, but if past Twitter hashtag controversies are any indication, there very well might be one unless something even more ridiculous pops up this evening. All of it stems from the interview above, where Bolt says that he’s compared to Bob Marley, with Costas riffing on that after Bolt took home another gold.
