Lee Corso on ESPN GameDay

Submitted by FauxMo on

OK, this is not a joke, and I am not trying to be cruel. But is anyone else watching College GameDay this morning? Is Corso just unprepared, or does he really, really seem to not have all of his mental faculties anymore (i.e. senility, dementia, etc.)? It sure seems like the latter to me. I mean, I have watched almost every Saturday this fall, and he hasn't been much better, nor did I ever really enjoy his over the top shtick, but he looks downright out of it and confused up there today. He is referring to incorrect teams, cannot pronounce anyone's name correctly, and seems really, really out of it...

samdrussBLUE

November 21st, 2015 at 10:31 AM ^

Yes. This has been discussed weekly for years now. They will likely usher him out in the near future, but are giving him the respectful way out to close his career. Deal with it



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MGoStu

November 21st, 2015 at 11:05 AM ^

I thought the same thing about Frank Gifford that last few years he was on MNF. You could see he was having trouble keeping up and frequently looked confused. Sucked to see it because he was with the first crew I could remember seeing on MNF and that made him kinda special to me.

ijohnb

November 21st, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^

is getting painful, not only for the viewers but the co-hosts. You can often see Herbstreet debating as to whether to cut him off or let him continue. This should be his last year as a full time guy. Bring him in for the picks at the end, fine, but to continue with him is to do everybody, including him, a disservice.

Mr. Yost

November 21st, 2015 at 10:36 AM ^

Is anyone complaining about it? It was a respectable, even concerned, question.

Between you and Bando - you all cry anytime anyone mentions it. It's like he's your dad or something. No one is disrespecting the man, just asking if anyone else feels as uncomfortable as they do watching him struggle.

There's nothing wrong with asking the question - respectfully and not making fun of the legend. You should take your own advice...deal with it.

Mr. Yost

November 21st, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^

lol ONE week I brought it up (in this exact same fashion) and you got hurt about it. That was it.

Way to exaggerate.

Even the way he couldn't finish the headgear segment just a second ago was tough. People have the right to ask or feel kind of uncomfortable watching it - especially someone you hold in such high regard.

It's not disrespect. It's a question and more than one person has the question so it's asked every week...usually by a different person. That should tell you everything you need to know.

Bando Calrissian

November 21st, 2015 at 10:45 AM ^

Ding ding ding. Corso has the job as long as he wants the job. He's actually not that bad--it's just that everyone puts way more emphasis on his misspeakings than anyone else. Shit, Desmond probably misspeaks more than Corso does.

Yes, Corso had a stroke. Yes, he had a very public recovery from that stroke. Yes, he may have come back too soon. But that was five years ago. He's doing a good job with what Gameday asks him to do--which is be on about half the show or so, do the mascot head pick, and give a little analysis now and then.

APBlue

November 21st, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^

For the record, I think ESPN's heart is in the right place.  However, for every feeling I have that they should let him step aside on his own, I also have a feeling that maybe someone should decide for him.  I guess the question is - Is it more respectful to allow him to do his own thing, or prevent him from diminishing his legacy?  And, yes, he does have a legacy as a ESPN College Gameday host.  He's brought a lot of attention to that show.  He's earned his place.  

My dad is currently struggling with dementia.  I have no idea if Corso has dementia or if it's just the result of a stroke.  I'm not a doctor and I don't know enough about Corso to say one way or the other.  It just makes it hard for me to watch.  

Having said that, no one has ever had more emphasis on what they said or misspoke than Emmitt Smith.  That was extremely hard to watch.  You could tell that he was aware of the issue and, I think, it only made it worse.  

For your viewing pleasure...or pain - 

 

 

Blue Since B.C.

November 21st, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^

I sure hope that David Pollack doesn't stick around for much longer. He and Herbstreit seem to go at it from time to time, and I think Kirk will win out if he openly voices opposition to Pollack, to the ESPN suits. Pollack is a ridiculous homer, his opinions border on belligerent when someone else objects, and he really has no redeeming qualities. He's not likable or funny either. At least Dez is on the panel to counteract Pollack.

TruBluMich

November 21st, 2015 at 10:32 AM ^

I'm not a doctor but pretty sure it's just the side effects of having a stroke. I applaud him for trying to continue life as normal, it has to be pretty difficult. That being said it is getting painful to watch him struggle.

blueblueblue

November 21st, 2015 at 11:16 AM ^

Mere semantics. To me death is a short-term effect that obviates all other effects. It can't be long term because the person is no longer living; you can't visit the person in 10 years to see if they are still having speech issues. The person is no longer there. Their physical manifestation has turned into mere earlthy material. 

FGB

November 21st, 2015 at 11:05 AM ^

What?  Respectfully, maybe you've had personal experience, but "too cloistered"?  The long-term effects of a stroke seem like a very technical area that I would imagine most people without medical background and/or personal interaction wouldn't know much more than basics.

People lose certain motor skills, seemingly on half of their body.  Is that in all cases (I assume not) and what does it depend on?  Is it possible to lose motor skills on both sides of the body?  Does it impact brain function or is it purely physical?  Can one rehabilitate that or is it permanent?  Does the condition worsen over time even without further strokes?  Does having one raise the likelihood of having another?

Maybe you know all the answers to these questions on long term effects, but I would guess 95% of people don't.

blueblueblue

November 21st, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^

Also thanks for the neg. But are you for real? The basics are easy to know, and the basics are what Corso exemplifies. As someone noted elsewhere in this post, the effects of a stroke are fairly easy to recognize. And many, many people know someone who has had a stroke. Or you can use Google.

Or you, and the OP, can just guard their ignorance behind internet anonymity, and don't bother to do any research. 

befuggled

November 21st, 2015 at 11:09 AM ^

I guess he was fine as long as he wasn't talking about Notre Dame, or teams that had played Notre Dame, or teams that might play Notre Dame, or schools where Skip was coaching, or the schools Skip was coaching against, but...

aratman

November 21st, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^

He was one of the best coaches of his era and a more knowledgable football person than Corso on his best day.  He was a mumbling bumbling guy on TV but if you listen to what he said, outside of ND bias though can you blame him?,  He had some good things to say about life and football.  Read his book "winning every day" you might think of him differently. 

blueblueblue

November 21st, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^

Consider watching Corso an opportunity to exercise your compassion. We are lucky to live in a society in which we do not, as a matter of course, cast out folks who are challenged because they are outside of the norm. He earned his chance to be able to continue to work and to leave on his terms. And he got it. And for that we should all be proud. 

TESOE

November 21st, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

society does, as a matter of course, cast out folks who are challenged because they are outside the norm.  No one earns the right to do their job poorly (God Bless Merica).  

Lee Corso is lucky to have a job in an industry where, as a matter of course, the standards are so low.  The people who care the most about football (active players and coaches) - don't even watch Gameday.  The fans who care have been pushed to blogs and other internet sites to get their fix for years.

Where is Chunks when you need him...