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Well, we have seen how analysts like ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit found himself in a sticky spot after switching roles from quarterback to broadcasting. He caught so much heat that he had, and his family had to shift out of Columbus. So, it’s next to impossible for analysts to gain no haters. However, someone has proved it to be wrong. That’s none other than the legend, Lee Corso

Just like Herbstreit, Corso’s exposure to college football at first was not as a broadcaster. He mentored three football programs – Louisville, Indiana, and Northern Illinois. Corso came up with flying colors, being the third-winningest IU football coach. However, he won maximum hearts after he landed himself the analyst role in ESPN’s Saturday College GameDay in 1987. After almost three decades of gifting college football fans some best moments, it’s now time for Corso to call it a wrap. As his farewell draws near, ESPN is now reliving the good old times. 

On July 16, ESPN posted a 2-minute clip, stitching the memorable moments with Corso. The caption read, “LEE CORSO FOREVER ❤️.” Nothing came to define Corso’s role on GameDay more than his headgear picks. The revved-up fans looked up to the analyst, after all, he seemed to be the biggest predictor. Corso would wrap up the game prediction segment by putting on the mascot head of whichever team he believed would win the game. Memorable moments in the 38-year run? Fans might have lost count. Corso has handled dogs, chickens, and reptiles on air. He went back to being a child while shaking Alabama mascot Big Al’s trunk, and walked in dressed up as a USC Trojan. In 2013, the unranked Trojans welcomed the No. 4 Stanford Cardinal, and Corso didn’t pay attention to the odds. 

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Corso donned the Trojan armor and a helmet and even picked up a fake sword, fighting with Kirk Herbstreit. And again, his prediction was right, USC pulled off a 20-17 victory. While twinning with the Oregon Ducks, Corso waded through a makeshift duck pond. Then comes his iconic headgear moments. Fans must be remembering the Ohio State vs. Penn State game at Ohio Stadium from October 5, 1996. Corso wore his first gear. 

While predicting a Buckeyes victory, he reached under the GameDay desk and pulled out the head of Brutus Buckeye to put it on his head. And guess what? Corso was right, too. Ohio State crushed Penn State in a 38-7 heroic feat. And with this, a Lee Corso tradition was born. The ESPN legend has gone 286-144 on 430 career headgear picks. Now that their mentor will be away, it’s indeed an emotional moment for the ones running the show, like Pat McAfee and Herbstreit. But thank god, they have by now created innumerable happy memories with Corso that they will carry with them.  

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A legendary salute to Lee Corso at the ESPYs

One month before the fans get to see Corso on College GameDay for the last time, he was recognized at the ESPYs on July 16. The USC marching band paid the legend a special tribute. And to be part of their mentor’s big moment, Herbstreit, McAfee, and Desmond Howard joined Corso on the stage. The USC band paid the perfect tribute by playing the College GameDay song. And this left him smiling ear-to-ear. “I want to thank ESPN for this tribute and opportunity to do a job that I’ve loved for 38 years. My goal on TV was to bring a smile to everybody’s face. I hope I’ve done that.”

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Will College GameDay ever be the same without Lee Corso's iconic headgear picks?

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While Corso revolutionized the college football experience for the fans, in personal life, he has left his impact broadly among those he crossed paths with. Herbstreit is one of them. When the former Buckeyes player was yet to crack his role as a broadcaster, Corso was the one who trusted him. And from there, their bond has developed into something that Herbstreit is going to cherish forever. As the College GameDay host went on a down memory lane ride, he shared, “I didn’t know him that well early, and I started talking to him about getting married. And then a year or two later, having kids and my kids were premature by about 11-12 weeks, and they’re born two pounds, and I was talking to him about going through that as a young dad. And he listened, and he gave great information.”

Kirk Herbstreit continued, “It was like you were talking to Don Corleone, or it’s like petting his cat. He’s like listening, you’re pouring your heart out to him. And what I found was over the time he almost became like a second father to me.” However, the roles switched when Corso suffered partial paralysis after a stroke in 2009. For the ones thinking that the 89-year-old has been kind only towards his acquaintances, that has not been the case. A user named “ShakeMyHeadSadly” shared his first encounter with Corso on Reddit.

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Back then, the user was still pursuing a degree in journalism. He recalled, “I first met Lee Corso my freshman year at Indiana University. I was a journalism student and I went to do an interview with him. I was very nervous. But he was extremely patient and supportive. In my mind, Lee Corso is genuinely a truly nice human being and I will forever be a fan.” That’s how he’s more than a voice on GameDay. Lee Corso is a legend who’s inspired millions with both heart and humor.

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Will College GameDay ever be the same without Lee Corso's iconic headgear picks?

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