Will he choose us? The truth is that it is neither. Is it a curse, or a blessing? Lee Corso is the host of “College Gameday.” It’s just for fun. Everything revolves around Corso. When “College Gameday” arrives on a campus, the buzz rarely revolves around the analysis Kirk Herbstreit or Desmond Howard will provide or the human interest pieces that will air during the broadcast. In 1996, he begged Ohio State to let him put on Brutus the Buckeye’s head, and a tradition was born when the program reluctantly agreed just hours before the show aired. It’s a legendary show on par with the best in sports television, but it’s become a cultural touchstone thanks to one man. In addition, he is 87 years old. He has become a cultural phenomenon. Rece And it’s one of the best parts of every Saturday. Is that a bad omen? His headgear selections have grown more elaborate and absurdist over the years, and the entire show builds to a climax leading into the day’s all-you-can-eat buffet of college football. His participation on the show has been reduced in recent years, but his co-hosts defended his remote performance to begin this season last week. Corso was on a satellite broadcast from his home during Week Zero, and he struggled with no one on the desk with him. “He’s doing fantastic,” Davis said. “I would advise those who were, to use your word, unkind or cruel to exercise some restraint. “I talk to him on a regular basis, and this weekend in Columbus, you’ll see a more relaxed atmosphere, and you’ll see him deliver, which is remarkable.” Corso is still 87 years old. During an appearance on Dan Le Batard’s show last week, Davis also took issue with some of the criticism leveled at Corso following the show’s return for 2022. Herbstreit is a valuable asset to him on the air. Corso performed better in a more natural setting, with his co-hosts next to him rather than in his ear. Because his mind is still very sharp at the age of 87.” Davis and Herbstreit were proven correct on Saturday. Corso is still entertaining. So, what happens next? However, without delays, remote locations, and earpieces, the job is made easier. “Anytime you do these shows like we’re doing right now, and we all watched TV back in 2020 when it became normal to watch these kind of shows, and I can just tell you in doing them, the delays and the things that go on are challenging for anyone, let alone you’re 87 years old,” Herbstreit said. “So I’m not sure who that is, but I’m enjoying every minute I can spend with Lee.” But, eventually, he will have to step away from the desk, and college football’s signature show will have to re-establish itself without the man who helped shape it. He’s still the same free spirit who approached Herbstreit early in his tenure on the “College Gameday” desk when Corso was tasked with assisting his new co-host in filling Craig James’ seat. The truth is that Corso cannot be replaced. “That chair needs to be someone who is fun and has a lot of personality,” Herbstreit said. The show will have to adapt. “He says to me, ‘Sweetheart, we’re in the entertainment business, and football is our vehicle,’ and nobody, I believe, gets that better than Lee Corso,” Herbstreit said last week. But, should the headgear be kept? Pat McAfee’s run on the show a few years ago was especially memorable, and his career on the field and in media make him a compelling first choice, but he has had a complicated relationship with ESPN and appears to be more focused on his role with his daily show and work with the WWE. “I’ve given the headgear a lot of thought. I sat beside him. That seems to be a Lee Corso thing. Former coaches such as Steve Spurrier and Les Miles would be excellent candidates, but Spurrier has never seemed interested in leaving the golf course for the TV studio, and the way Miles’ tenure ended, along with his issues at LSU, would make “fun” an apt descriptor for his addition. And, depending on who you ask, you might get different answers. Herbstreit promised he’d never do it, but he wondered aloud if the show’s signature guest pickers could do it at the end as a tribute to the man who invented the practice. “I will never, ever put on headgear.” I can’t imagine that person feeling comfortable being asked to put on headgear.” “This will be my 27th year, and I can’t imagine another person putting on the headgear when Lee decides to step down,” Herbstreit said. But the final scene of the show is still electrifying. Nobody can replicate it. It’s more difficult than ever to get through shows. The show will never be the same without him. So, if Corso is thinking about how many days he has left on the job, I have only one message for him: Not so quickly, my friend. It will never be the same after it is gone. And I still enjoy his winks at us internet-obsessed college football fans. Until this moment, when Tessitore rose to meet it. A few observations from the weekend’s sporting events on television: Joe Tessitore is still one of the game’s seminal voices, and it’s great to see him back after his stint on “Monday Night Football.” He’s not quite at the Keith Jackson/Herbstreit level, where the sound of his voice adds significant gravitas to a contest, but he’s on his way. “There’s no need for the surrender cobra just yet,” he cautioned as LSU charged up the field on what appeared to be a game-tying drive Sunday night. Schedule Announcers (@announcerskeds) • I’ve never seen a puke-six, but can the production truck hit the drop button or switch to a camera faster? pic.twitter.com/5GJhyabBg3 When we see someone puke, some of us get dry heaves. #CFB #FSUvsLSU pic.twitter.com/rsAqnOq1kv @JoeTessESPN (pbp) & @GregMcElroy (analyst) “You can tell he pushed himself!” September 2, 2022 — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) — Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) in response to Chris Jefferson’s 72-yard pick-six (: @CFBONFOX) #BoilerUp Having said that, it was entertaining viewing. And provided the most viral moment of the day. Even after a year, seeing Bryce Young in Heisman House commercials while still wearing an Alabama uniform is surreal. • It’s long overdue, but it’s still surreal. Between that and Corso’s legendary F-bomb in Houston a decade ago, “College Gameday” should toss a coin to see who will accept the FCC fine and try to go viral every Saturday morning. Daly is hilarious. On second thought, John Daly could work on the “College Gameday” desk. Nothing beats starting a segment by admitting you’re already drunk at 10 a.m. pic.twitter.com/LrkL7kcJN3 • The “College Gameday” crew playing a “Inside the NBA”-inspired “Who He Plays For” segment was a risky move that could undermine their credibility in a way that Charles Barkley can get away with but analysts like Herbstreit, Howard, and David Pollack may not. College football has returned. 3 September 2022 Marty Smith of ESPN (@MartySmithESPN) • Oncoming traffic jam! • Tim Brando’s attempt to mount Spencer Tillman made for great TV, but the song is “Jump Around,” not “Pony.” 😂😂😂😂😂 “College Gameday” is coming to Austin next week, but so is Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff.” pic.twitter.com/31CcxJxfWy As an amateur college football television historian, I believe three pregame shows on one campus on a single gameday will set a new record. The stadium also serves as the location for the Longhorn Network’s weekly show. Timmy B adores college football, so this is fantastic! @TimBrando writes another chapter in his legend. • It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that this is the most fun time of year, and those of us who cover it have the best jobs in the world. (It wasn’t strange. I met Robert Griffin III for the first time more than a decade ago, when I accompanied him to his first day of school. September 4, 2022 — John Fanta (@John_Fanta) Later, I appreciated Brando’s Twitter behind-the-scenes. It was for a story, after all.) On Saturday, this was on display. He does things his way, and the results are fantastic. twitter.com/mKQsn0JnYt I liked how Griffin didn’t try to do TV the same way it’s always been done. He’s always done things his way, and I mentioned it to him last year when we ran into each other at a College Football Playoff mock selection and he was gaining prominence for his newest venture: television. September 3, 2022 — Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) THE BIG HOUSE WAS EPIC FOR THE FIRST TIME. Game introductions are, by definition, forgettable. What the hell is going on in the FS1 booth???? That was not the case. Griffin is undeniably a rising star on college football television, and he’ll continue to rise if he follows his instincts to do things no one has ever done before. 5 September 2022 “Big Noon Kickoff” seemed odd to punt on a Saturday show after hosting a Thursday night show at Purdue leading up to the Boilermakers’ game against Penn State. • Wrighting pic.twitter.com/GsZjujvKAh — FOLLOW @FTBeard7 (@FTBeard7) And his essay on college football consolidation making the sport more fragile and in danger of losing its soul was powerful. 4 September 2022 But as I watch it air… let me double-check my notes… This week’s fiery take: Thompson has always had the ability to get to the heart of a sport that he understands on a fundamental level. Yes, watching ESPN felt a little like watching a passionate essay video produced by Amazon.com bemoaning the demise of mom-and-pop shops and local retail in America. Arizona defeated the Aztecs 38-20, led by transfers Jayden de Laura from Washington State and Jacob Cowing from UTEP. Thursdays are good, but people awoke on Saturday with a lot of energy, and Fox had nothing to offer. Howard on USF: Freezing cold take of the week Davis’s thoughts on Arizona They were down 28-0 after the first quarter and went on to lose 50-21. Howard won last season’s Superdog contest, but he’ll have to start from scratch after picking the Bulls to upset BYU. (Photo courtesy of Junfu Han/USA Today) Despite the Wildcats coming off a 1-11 season and facing a San Diego State team that went 12-2 last year, Davis rolled with the Wildcats as touchdown underdogs.
