Now even NBC employees are turning on Olympics coverage as local broadcaster delivers on-air rant over Games

It seems even NBC employees are turning on the network’s much-criticised Olympics coverage.



Dan Hicken, who has been the sports director of NBC affiliate 12 News in Jacksonville since 1991, lost his temper live on air in the early hours of Wednesday morning.



Hicken launched an attack on the network's Olympics anchor Bob Costas, whose tape-delayed broadcast overran by seven minutes and interrupted his show.



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Angry: Dan Hicken, who has been the sports director of NBC affiliate 12 News in Jacksonville since 1991, lost his temper live on air in the early hours of Wednesday morning

'He does it every four years,' Hicken said of Costas, who has has been the prime-time host of a record nine Olympic games .



'Bob doesn't know that 12 o'clock means 12 o'clock. It doesn’t mean 12:02, it doesn’t mean 12:04, it certainty doesn’t mean 12:07.



'Bob, when it’s 12 o’clock, you say goodnight. You don’t care because you’re sleeping right now.'

Hicken said his team was working really hard for Costas, his 'NBC family'.



Interrupted: Winners of the gold medal for women's team gymnastics, Kyla Ross, standing left, Jordyn Wieber, seated left, Aly Raisman, standing center, McKayla Maroney, and Gabby Douglas, seated right, with NBC Sports' Bob Costas in London

'I’m glad we had the little gymnast girls. I’m excited about it. I’m glad we got to interview Michael Phelps six times,' he added.



'It's just starting, mark my words Jacksonville. Tomorrow, it'll be 12:09, 12:11, he starts to push it that Bob does.'

But he ended his rant on a more light-hearted note, adding: 'I love him, though,' Hicken added. 'He’s a great broadcaster.'



NBC has come under fire for their Olympics broadcast. Twitter has been flooded with gripes about NBC keeping most day's marquee events off the air until they can be shown in prime-time, the broadcast that brings in the most viewers and advertising revenue for the network.

It was also forced to apologise after airing an ad featuring a monkey performing gymnastics, right after showing the performance of Gabby Douglas, the first African-American to win Olympic gold.



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