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The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: ELA on April 17, 2025, 10:43:34 AM

Title: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: ELA on April 17, 2025, 10:43:34 AM
I mean he has been a figurehead for a while now, but he's been a part of Saturday morning for 40ish years
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 17, 2025, 10:46:22 AM
It's time. Has been for a while now.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MikeDeTiger on April 17, 2025, 10:46:57 AM
Senile as he may be, I'd take him all day every day over Pat McAfee.  
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 17, 2025, 10:48:25 AM
I choose neither.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MikeDeTiger on April 17, 2025, 10:50:32 AM
I choose neither.

FOX Big Noon Kickoff it is, then.  
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 17, 2025, 10:56:18 AM
Yep. I enjoy watching Urbs in that role.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: jgvol on April 17, 2025, 10:58:04 AM
Long overdue.  

Corso is a Legend.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: medinabuckeye1 on April 17, 2025, 03:13:36 PM
His first headgear pick was Brutus back in the 90's.

He is working week 1 which will probably be in Columbus for Texas@Ohio State so Brutus could also be his last headgear pick.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MarqHusker on April 17, 2025, 07:02:39 PM
Fox went hard after Reece Davis .  Didn't land him.

My favorite Corso pick,  Gators over Nebraska at  Fiesta Bowl because it was on grass.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: OrangeAfroMan on April 17, 2025, 08:21:56 PM


My favorite Corso pick,  Gators over Nebraska at  Fiesta Bowl because it was on grass.
You can't argue with that!
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Cincydawg on April 18, 2025, 06:47:05 AM
Years back, I sort of watched GD as a routine and viewed it more of a serious show than a comedy, and I didn't much care for Corso, but when I shifted my POV, I appreciated him more.

I'll sort of miss him, but I almost never watch it any more, haven't for decades now.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 18, 2025, 07:36:35 AM
Corso used to be OK.

Desmond Howard makes that show unwatchable. 
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Cincydawg on April 18, 2025, 07:50:06 AM
For me, it's unwatchable because it's meaningless, unless you like the quips and comedy of it all.  They have the classic straight man (or men) and some guest and Corso.  I don't personally find it adds anything useful to watching the games later.  It's of course "a thing" when they come to your campus, I suppose.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 18, 2025, 07:53:51 AM
I liked it when they came to Madison. It took out all of the idiots who tried to crash tailgates every Saturday.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Honestbuckeye on April 18, 2025, 08:13:15 AM
Corso is iconic as far as Saturdays in the fall.  Very nostalgic to see him leave. 

Yes- it is past time- but I am thankful for what he brought to CFB. 

The show is hard to watch now because of Macafee. 

Not so fast my friend.  
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: OrangeAfroMan on April 19, 2025, 09:18:13 AM
College Gameday was great for about 5 years when it was just Fowler, Corso, and Herbstreit. 
Fowler had a consistent, steadying presence.
Corso brought an old-school opinion and always had a trend stat to share...and the headgear at the end.
Herbstreit was just excited to be there - genuine enthusiasm.
.
Then they wanted someone out amongst the crowd, usually a lady.
Then they wanted the sob-story thing with that one guy.
Then a guest picker.
Then this, then that.
.
We all know what it became, but it did have a short golden age when it was great.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: FearlessF on April 19, 2025, 09:25:57 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/wmQpMrl.png)

Brother and I were in South Bend for Gameday back in 2000 with Rabid Rattlesnake Boy
Corso came to the set late and walked past my brother, almost brushing his shoulder
back in the good ole daze
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MarqHusker on April 20, 2025, 10:44:38 PM
People seem to forget,   it was Craig James working w Fowler and Corso, for a handful of years before Herbstreit replaced James.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: ELA on April 20, 2025, 11:21:51 PM
College Gameday was great for about 5 years when it was just Fowler, Corso, and Herbstreit. 
Fowler had a consistent, steadying presence.
Corso brought an old-school opinion and always had a trend stat to share...and the headgear at the end.
Herbstreit was just excited to be there - genuine enthusiasm.
.
Then they wanted someone out amongst the crowd, usually a lady.
Then they wanted the sob-story thing with that one guy.
Then a guest picker.
Then this, then that.
.
We all know what it became, but it did have a short golden age when it was great.
Yeah, I want to say 2006 was when it started to jump the shark a bit, and started to feel more like a television broadcast.  I want to say that's when they rolled out the giant home Depot set, brought in Rocket Ismail, and then replaced him with Desmond.  Neither of whom brought anything. Nick Lachet may have gotten in there for a season.  It also seems like because the production became so outsized, the locations also became worse, sinply due to the space required
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MrNubbz on April 21, 2025, 06:04:20 AM
People seem to forget,  it was Craig James working w Fowler and Corso, for a handful of years before Herbstreit replaced James.
Ya well James was killing hookers and setting up Mike Leach to get fired for telling his son to watch practice from a utility shed.Evidently that was a Bridge To Far for the impeccable James. So TT sent the Pirate packing - bastages. This according to credible sources on the old CFN Board of course
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 21, 2025, 06:38:02 AM
1998

"Wisconsin is the worst team to ever play in the Rose Bowl."

- Craig James

F that guy.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MikeDeTiger on April 21, 2025, 10:22:28 AM
Corso is iconic as far as Saturdays in the fall.  Very nostalgic to see him leave. 

Yes- it is past time- but I am thankful for what he brought to CFB. 

The show is hard to watch now because of Macafee.

Not so fast my friend. 

Even after I'd lost interest we used to keep Gameday on in the background on Saturday mornings as we did other things.  Now we put on Big Noon Kickoff in the background because both the wife and I find McAfee to be utterly intolerable.  
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: FearlessF on April 21, 2025, 11:51:23 AM
ESPN sucks
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: ELA on April 21, 2025, 01:05:48 PM
Even after I'd lost interest we used to keep Gameday on in the background on Saturday mornings as we did other things.  Now we put on Big Noon Kickoff in the background because both the wife and I find McAfee to be utterly intolerable. 
Corso, in his prime, was a solid mix of smart Xs and Os guy, with the ability to be entertainingly irreverent.  It was like they tried to replace with 2 guys, who are the extremes of one side of that.  Saban, who knows his shit, but is boring, and McAfee who is a moron, but tries to be irreverent, and instead its awful
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Cincydawg on April 21, 2025, 01:11:09 PM
I get more useful analysis here, by far.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MrNubbz on April 21, 2025, 06:46:39 PM
Scrap the caddy,Clyde
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Brutus Buckeye on April 21, 2025, 10:39:32 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbbF-nw7l1o
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Gigem on April 22, 2025, 10:02:51 AM
I enjoyed CGD back in the day. They came to A&M once or twice while I was there. OU in 2000, seems like maybe one more. I think A&M is like 0-8 or something for CGD all time. We’ve won some big games in that time, taken down some #1’s but they’re never here for that. 
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: ELA on April 22, 2025, 11:30:02 AM
I believe GD came to MSU twice when I was there, and neither time was for a big game.

In 2004 they came to a matchup between MSU-ND when both teams were 1-2 and unranked.  They were supposed to go to LSU, but that was a Katrina game, so on short notice they just picked the host of the ESPN Primetime game, which was that.  I'm guessing that was simply where they already had enough infrastructure in place to move there on short notice.

Then in 2005, they came to the final game of the season for 5-5 MSU vs. #5 PSU, to see JoePa win a Big Ten title I guess?  There were 2 games between ranked teams that weekend.  I guess they didn't want to go to Auburn for the Iron Bowl, because they were just at Alabama the prior week.  But why not Ann Arbor, for UM-OSU?  NOt only had they not been to Michigan yet that year, they didn't go to Michigan at all in 2004 either
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: MikeDeTiger on April 22, 2025, 11:32:52 AM
I'm not positive about this, but I think I didn't see CGD broadcast until 2006.  I want to say Desmond Howard was already there, but I'm not sure about that either.  
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: 847badgerfan on April 22, 2025, 11:37:35 AM
I believe GD came to MSU twice when I was there, and neither time was for a big game.

In 2004 they came to a matchup between MSU-ND when both teams were 1-2 and unranked.  They were supposed to go to LSU, but that was a Katrina game, so on short notice they just picked the host of the ESPN Primetime game, which was that.  I'm guessing that was simply where they already had enough infrastructure in place to move there on short notice.

Then in 2005, they came to the final game of the season for 5-5 MSU vs. #5 PSU, to see JoePa win a Big Ten title I guess?  There were 2 games between ranked teams that weekend.  I guess they didn't want to go to Auburn for the Iron Bowl, because they were just at Alabama the prior week.  But why not Ann Arbor, for UM-OSU?  NOt only had they not been to Michigan yet that year, they didn't go to Michigan at all in 2004 either
Katrina was 2005, but there were a lot of storms in 2004 too.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: ELA on April 22, 2025, 11:48:36 AM
Katrina was 2005, but there were a lot of storms in 2004 too.
Good call, Hurricane Ivan

https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=1880798
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: SFBadger96 on April 22, 2025, 11:57:38 AM
Option 1: Back when college football on tv was a little more niche, ESPN had a little more room to offer real analysis. When it became all-encompassing, the programming needed to change to appeal to the masses. By the mid-aughts I had given up on it because it was just so hollow / superficial.

Option 2: I'm romanticizing nostalgia for my past; Game Day was never that great, but I was young, it was novel, and my college football fandom grew up with it, so I think it must have been better back then.

Lee Corso was good for a turn of phrase, and he could add some levity, but his not so fast hot takes were generally garbage, if delivered with sincerity.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: ELA on April 22, 2025, 11:59:22 AM
Option 1: Back when college football on tv was a little more niche, ESPN had a little more room to offer real analysis. When it became all-encompassing, the programming needed to change to appeal to the masses. By the mid-aughts I had given up on it because it was just so hollow / superficial.
I think it's this.  Doesn't help that it went from 60 minutes to 180, in an era where the content is 24/7.  So most of it we already know, and yet they made the show longer
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: utee94 on April 22, 2025, 12:00:52 PM
I think it's this.  Doesn't help that it went from 60 minutes to 180, in an era where the content is 24/7.  So most of it we already know, and yet they made the show longer
Yeah definitely agree with this.

Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Cincydawg on April 22, 2025, 01:23:42 PM
Yeah, my recollection is that GD way back appealed to fans more like us and did offer some meat mixed in with enough levity to be entertaining.  Now the meat is almost gone and the levity isn't very levitorious.

Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: Gigem on April 22, 2025, 01:34:14 PM


Option 2: I'm romanticizing nostalgia for my past; Game Day was never that great, but I was young, it was novel, and my college football fandom grew up with it, so I think it must have been better back then.

Lee Corso was good for a turn of phrase, and he could add some levity, but his not so fast hot takes were generally garbage, if delivered with sincerity.
Option 2 for $100, Alex.  
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: jgvol on April 22, 2025, 01:50:07 PM
I can still watch it, though often I don't.  Nostalgia purposes for me too, I think.

It's like a Pep Rally for the college football day, nothing insightful at all.

Too many feel good stories gets annoying, and I loathe the "celebrity guest pickers" that don't know shit from shinola.  I assume this is a push to attract female viewership, much like the NFL has done with the pre-game fashion boys, and Taylor Swift.  Ugh.
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: betarhoalphadelta on April 22, 2025, 01:54:02 PM
Honestly I just turn GameDay on out of habit. For the most part I'm not really "watching" it... Half the time I then tune the TV to whatever game seems most interesting to me, but I'm not really "watching" that either. It's background noise. 

Except of course when that boorish loudmouth McAfee gets going. Hard to tune that MFer out. 

My wife will definitely miss Corso and the headgear though. That was the only thing she cared about from the show. 
Title: Re: OT - Lee Corso retiring
Post by: OrangeAfroMan on April 22, 2025, 09:31:00 PM
I think the early 5-10 years of CGD was just a lot better than whatever else was out there at that time slot.  I don't even know what WAS out there, but it would have been some boring studio stuff.  At least Gameday was lively and the 3 guys involved loved college football.  

I can compare it to the NFL Primetime show when it started expanding, roping in Rush Limbaugh if I remember correctly.  Then they pulled back on that and rebranded as back to just a group of football fan friends talking football (Chris Berman and Tom Jackson).  

Early Gameday was knowledgeable guys who were passionate about the game.  Vibrant, colorful, silly.  But it was great in that time and place.

Then it aged, got fat, and started garbling about god-knows-what.