Bob Costas will be sidelined by eye infection for a second night

Bob Costas has been tearing up a lot lately.

The NBC sports broadcaster said so in a “Today” show phone interview Wednesday, blaming sensitivity to light due to a viral infection in both eyes.

We suspect, however, it might have something to do with having to sit out the 2014 Sochi Games prime-time coverage for a second straight night. Hey, we understand -- after 157 consecutive Olympic nighttime broadcasts, a guy can get a little attached to his job.

“Actually, I don’t feel that bad,” Costas said, “and the irony of it is, we’ve all felt worse than I feel right now and gone into work.... I’ve done lots of ballgames and events feeling much less than my best, but in this case it’s just involuntary. It’s an eye infection, and my eyes are so blurry and watery and become so light-sensitive that even in dim light they’re constantly tearing up.

“I can’t possibly be in the studio, so it’s not a case of just saying, ‘What the heck, I’ll go in not feeling well.’”

“Today” anchor Matt Lauer will fill in for Costas again for Wednesday night’s broadcast, which takes place in the middle of the night Sochi time.

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