Bob Costas discusses going Back on the Record on HBO and not missing being at the Olympics at all

Chicago Sun-Times

Back on the Record with Bob Costas, premiering Friday, will air monthly through October. While ESPN’s Bomani Jones will add commentary and contribute to the panel discussion, Costas says not every guest will be from the sports world. “The first time around on HBO, just going off the top of my head, we had Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Billy Crystal, Tina Fey,” Costas said. “I particularly like comedians who are interested in sports because it adds some balance to the program. Bill Burr is gonna be on. If you said to him, ‘Just do an hour only about sports,’ he could easily do that because he’s got so much sports material.” As for the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, Costas says he doesn't feel out of place watching at home. “It’s not strange for me at all,” he says. “I had decided many years before the Rio Olympics that 2016 would be my last Olympics. I just didn’t announce it publicly. So there isn’t much to get used to. I did a dozen. I felt like that was enough. I’m very, very glad I did it. I’m glad that it’s an important part of my career and that people still seem to appreciate it. But not even for one second have I ever felt, Oh, if I was there, I would have said this or I would have done that. It’s completely behind me, as it should be.” ALSO: Costas recalls the "ridiculous" theories over his pink eye at the 2011 Sochi Winter Olympics.