Well, the inevitable has finally happened – Lee Corso is retiring from College GameDay after perhaps the most decorated run in ESPN history. 

That’s right, I said. There’s an argument to be made that Lee Corso’s run at ESPN trumps everyone else. He’s been there for nearly 40 years. He’s a college football staple on Saturday mornings. 

We all grew up with Lee Corso. Watched him for three hours from our living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and parking lots. 

He’s America’s comfort food. Our appetizer to a loaded Saturday afternoon slate of college football entrées. There is, and has been, no one better. 

But here’s what’s inarguable: It’s time. Past time, frankly. I’m glad Lee is finally calling it a career. It’s sad, but it’s for the best. 

The Lee Corso we’ve gotten on College GameDay the past few years – especially last year – has been a shell of the man we grew up with. He’ll be 90 just before his final show on Aug. 30. Do you understand how impressive it is to work until you’re 90? 

He deserves a proper send-off. He’ll get one. And we deserve to see Lee Corso go out on his own terms. 

Thanks for everything, Lee

Look, I cannot stand ESPN. I watch that insufferable network four months out of the year – from August through the college football championship game. That’s it. 

But, I’ll give them credit – they’ve done well with the handling of Lee Corso. Kudos. I respect it. 

Anyone who has watched Lee on College GameDay over the past few years knew this was coming. It wasn’t a matter of if (duh, he’s 89!), but when. 

He missed several shows last year for health-related reasons. Same thing happened the year before. He was remote for all of 2020 due to COVID. 

There’s no two ways about it – the final few years of the Lee Corso era on GameDay haven’t been smooth. Frankly, they haven’t been fun. Watching him struggle to speak, to put together even a coherent sentence, has been painful at times. 

He suffered a stroke over a decade ago, and it’s been a battle ever since. 

But God bless Lee Corso, he kept going. In a way, you almost felt like he kept going for us – the fans. The viewer. The blue-collar college football fan like me who’s made College GameDay a Saturday morning staple in my house for years. 

I grew up with Lee, and, for the last three seasons, my daughter has. I’m glad she got to experience it, even though it wasn’t the same. 

Kirk Herbstreit has held Lee’s hand for years on the air. It was beautiful to watch. Corso helped Kirk when he burst onto the scene back in the 1990s, and Kirk has spent the past five years returning the favor. That’s probably what I’ll miss most. 

When I talk about ‘comfort food,’ I’m talking about Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit on my TV every Saturday from 9 a.m. till the headgear pick. Everything else is just window-dressing. Those two are the real deal. You can sense it while watching. 

Pat McAfee is great, but GameDay has always been about Corso and Herbstreit. Lord knows it ain’t about Desmond Howard, but this isn’t the time nor place for that. 

But, again, it’s time. Nick Saban joined College GameDay last year, and he’s the clear heir apparent. He was excellent. He’s ready. 

And, in a way, so are we. 

We’ll get one last headgear pick on Aug. 30. A couple more ‘not-so-fast, my friends,’ and then Lee will ride off into the sunset. 

He deserves it. 

Thanks for the ride.