Tributes are already pouring in for the legendary Lee Corso as he prepares to take the College GameDay stage one last time on Saturday. And those tributes aren’t limited to people within the sports world.
On his way to Columbus, Ohio, the site of this week’s show, Corso was honored by a Southwest Airlines gate agent in Orlando prior to boarding.
The Southwest Airlines employee clearly had formed a strong connection with Corso during his regular travels for GameDay. After running through a number of Corso’s broadcasting accolades, the gate agent presented the College GameDay host with a picture of the day they met, November 18, 2021, at the same gate, also flying to Columbus. He also gave Corso a bottle of champagne, joking he shouldn’t open it while on the plane.
For some, it might be surprising that Corso, 90, is flying commercial. But it appears he’s always done it this way, at least for destinations that are easily accessible via Orlando, where he lives. It’s surely a contrast to his jet-setting colleague Kirk Herbstreit, who flies private between his three prominent jobs on a weekly basis.
But this is why we love Coach Corso. For someone who has been on our television screens for the greater part of four decades, he’s as relatable as they come. So relatable, in fact, he vies for a higher boarding group on Southwest flights just like you and me. Those two free checked bags come in handy when your job requires a suit and tie!
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.