It’s cliché to say that we will never see anyone like (fill in the blank) ever again. Each personality is unique. The roles they play are valuable. Their character sets them apart. That was Lee Corso. It didn’t dawn on me until having a conversation with ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis earlier this week that, for the first time ever, the destination program of college football on Saturdays will enter its first season without “LC.”
Last year, ESPN opened its 39th season of College GameDay by celebrating its greatest ending. A stirring three-hour tribute honored a man who became, quite literally, the face of the sport itself. When you thought about Saturday mornings in the fall, you thought about Lee Corso. Now, the new season begins with the program’s 40th birthday. Yet I find myself asking: Is it even possible in today’s sports media landscape to ever see anyone like Lee Corso again?
What made Corso special was his humility. He understood that a balance of quality and authenticity mattered most to the Saturday morning viewing audience. He could be critical when the moment demanded it, but he celebrated achievement just as much.
From 1987 through last year’s college football season, Corso witnessed the sport’s growth and the evolution of its coverage while remaining true to himself.
That’s not something you see in media circles today.
Remaining True
The demands of sports television today require versatility, flexibility and a willingness to be in as many places as possible wherever content can be consumed. Corso never needed to be everywhere. Saturday mornings were Corso’s sermon, and we watched willingly for generations.
He was the definition of appointment viewing. He provided insight, opinion and analysis before building toward his crescendo: the signoff in which he donned the headgear of the team he believed would be victorious.
Corso didn’t care about your approval, nor did he react to your hate. There was no semblance of him trying to prove his worth to the network or his place in ESPN’s hierarchy. All that mattered to Corso was whether you watched and had a good time doing it.
That approach seems almost foreign by today’s standards. Because, in the end, as he said for generations: “It’s entertainment, sweetheart. Football’s our vehicle.”
Who today could replicate the impact Corso had on a singular program, network or sport?
The McAfee Argument
The first person many would point to is Pat McAfee, the new face of ESPN. Impact? Yes. Following? Surely. The ability to create a legacy like Corso’s? Doubtful. McAfee’s history has taken him from independent media to radio, Barstool Sports, FanDuel and ESPN. Who’s to say Netflix might not be next, despite reports that ESPN wants to pay him between $60 million and $65 million to remain with the network?
That’s not a knock on McAfee. It’s simply the reality of trying to compare anyone to Corso. Corso was beloved by almost everyone and always stayed true to ESPN.
What got me thinking about this was another giant loss earlier this week. After Dolly Parton’s passing, I asked several people whether anyone in sports or sports media was as universally beloved as the country music icon. Maybe it’s a reason of timing with college football starting tomorrow, but the lone name that kept coming up was Lee Corso.
Loved by all. Revered by many. Truly unique because he was so simple.
That’s why McAfee could never fill the shoes Corso left behind on College GameDay. The crescendo McAfee creates at the end of every College GameDay simply doesn’t have the impact or stickiness of a Corso headgear selection.
And could you say McAfee is universally adored? Likely not. He has plenty of detractors, some because of legitimate criticism and others because they simply don’t like his style. McAfee welcomes the hate. He has even made an album about it.
Corso’s humility made him larger than the sport itself. He laughed at himself as easily as he laughed with others. He didn’t have to be right with his predictions, but he never hesitated to stand by them. But he never lost the coach’s instinct to teach, offering analysis and advice with an eye toward solutions.
No kicking contest will ever match that.
A Different Feel
Maybe that’s why the original statement fits so well with Lee Corso. Maybe we will never see another grand marshal of college football’s weekly parade. That was and may forever be Lee Corso.
College football enters a new era this fall. Not because the game has changed, the playoff has expanded or the sport has reinvented itself, but because one familiar presence is now officially missing from the Saturdays that shaped generations.
Lee Corso won’t be on the set as college football kicks off another season. He won’t be holding up a headgear pick. He won’t be there to remind us that, no matter how seriously we take college football, it’s still supposed to be fun.
For nearly four decades, Corso was part of the fabric of the sport. His absence at the start of a new season won’t simply be noticed on College GameDay. It will be felt every Saturday morning, in every big matchup and throughout the fall weekends when fans gather around their televisions to watch college football.
The sport will move forward. It always does. Some may argue ESPN has already moved forward from Corso years ago. But there will only ever be one Lee Corso. And for the first time, college football begins a season without him anywhere around it.
That’s going to take some getting used to.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.