"What should happen is he should be allowed to do his little tune-up assignment," Costas said. "I understand that there will be some interest in it - it's natural that more people would turn out to see the game - but it doesn't have to be celebrated like it was."

Costas also criticized Gov. Bill Richardson and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez for their treatment of Ramirez, which he compared to the treatment of Charles Lindbergh returning from his first trans-Atlantic flight.