Lee Corso has become synonymous with college football broadcasting! You can’t have a College GameDay without Corso’s headgear picks. Over 400 headgear picks. Simply unmatched entertainment. Remember the Oregon Duck Motorcycle Ride of Corso in 2009? It was probably one of the most entertaining segments that Corso did as he predicted Oregon to win over USC in the presence of Nike CEO Phil Knight. The best part?
After he donned that Oregon Ducks mascot head, he hopped onto the backseat of a motorcycle and sped off in the background, blending creativity with unmatched humor. And the pick also came to be true as Oregon steamrolled USC 47-20. So ESPN still considers that pick to be one of the most entertaining on Corso’s resume. But now, the legend is retiring and will feature in a last game at Columbus, Ohio, this year in Week 1. But before that, the ESPYs honored him with grandeur.
For a legend like Corso, it was fitting to organize a full-fledged event in his honor, and that’s exactly what ESPN’s president, Burke Magnus, did. The event followed a video tribute along with a special note by Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit. But the attraction of it all was probably his speech, which highlighted his contributions and especially his 69-year-strong marriage with his wife, Betsy. Now, after that event had ended, Chris Fowler couldn’t stop thinking about the legend.
Fowler posted a video selfie of himself walking through Central Park in New York as he couldn’t make it to the ESPYs and reminisced about the legacy that Lee Corso left on college football. “I’m not typically a very reflective person. Looking back at the past, but this is fun. This was fun. There’s a lot of reflection, reminiscing, Laughs, and getting choked up as well. This is part of the build-up to Corso’s final game day. And the tribute to the course of this. Going to unfold that week, so a lot of special stuff is coming up. I’m just one of many voices, but wow, is it interesting to rewind the memories and think about 25 years of working with the guy.” Corso and Fowler have a long-standing partnership, and the man is rightly emotional.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Rose Bowl Media Day Dec 30, 2023 Pasadena, CA, USA ESPN play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler during Rose Bowl media day at Rose Bowl Stadium. Pasadena Rose Bowl Stadium California United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20231230_ams_al2_0221
Fowler has been a host of College GameDay since 1990, along with Corso, and the camaraderie of the duo was a treat to watch. For instance, on November 5th, 2011, when Corso picked Houston and dropped his iconic F-bomb, Fowler was there with him. It certainly took Fowler and other co-hosts like Herbstreit off guard as Corso teased SMU the whole time and at last picked Houston as he said, “Ah F– It.” Fowler now recalls the moment as “one of the most iconic things” Corso had done. But at the time, he was rightly stunned.
Will Howard gets emotional after Corso’s 7-decade admission
The ESPYs, which were organized by ESPN, were probably overshadowed by the tribute that ESPN sent to Corso. Just as Corso walked up to the podium to give his speech, the crowd burst into thunderous applause. And the applause didn’t stop for a second until Corso grabbed the microphone and started to give his speech. As for the speech, it was an emotional admission, and Will Howard, sitting in the audience, couldn’t quite control his emotions.
“I want to thank ESPN for this tribute and the 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 have done that. My wife Betsy and I have been married for 69 years. And I just wanted to thank her for loving me and allowing me to love her for all those years,” said Lee Corso.
Just as Corso was giving his speech, the camera moved to Will Howard, who was sitting with his girlfriend as he was looking visibly emotional with the 7-decade admission by Corso about his wife. The moment was a testament to the enduring legacy that Corso has left, and college football certainly wouldn’t be the same without him.
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