Fans, crew, and passengers joined in celebrating the legendary analyst
Lee Corso’s final appearance on College Gameday got off to an emotional start before he actually arrived in Columbus for the Ohio State, Texas showdown, thanks to Southwest Airlines.
“On November 18th, 2021, I saw Coach sitting in the Southwest area, and I asked him to give me this picture, and I have it right here,” the Southwest gate attendant said. “I’m going to present this to him, so that he always has it as a remembrance that he is boarding his last flight with Southwest to Columbus for College Gameday. Coach started with ESPN’s College Gameday in October 1996, Lee Corso made his first headgear pick. A tradition he is famous for, and a game at Ohio Stadium.
“Coach has been married to his wife Betsy since 1957. He has four kids and ten grandchildren. Coach’s words on College Gameday are ‘Not So Fast My Friend’. On behalf of us here at Southwest, we’d like to recognize coach, and if you’d please stand and give him a round of applause for everything he’s done for us.”
It was at that moment the gate agent presented Corso with a bottle of champagne, which the legendary analyst then asked if he could open it up while in the air.
“Not on the plane, but when you land,” the gate agent responded, with laughs coming from other passengers.
This was obviously a special moment for all involved, even the passengers who gave him some space as he waited to board his flight. I can only imagine how many times Lee Corso has sat in that airport waiting for his flight to the College Gameday location of that weekend. Heck, I would hope by now that he has hit the ‘Premier Gold’ status with Southwest Airlines, as I’m sure he has accumulated enough miles for his entire family to travel the globe.
It will certainly be an emotional Saturday in Columbus, as he is surrounded by all of his friends and family for his final appearance in what has been a legendary career on the Gameday set.
There will be grown men crying uncontrollably when ESPN comes back from break for that final ‘Pick’ segment, and I promise you won’t be alone at that moment.
This moment was just the start of what will be a well-deserved sendoff to one of the most iconic faces in college football.
