Lee Corso gets emotional during ‘GameDay’ tribute as coaches, including Nick Saban, pay homage

Lee Corso was visibly emotional Saturday after a stirring 6-minute tribute to the ESPN “GameDay” analyst, who is making his 400th headgear pick in Boulder, Colorado.

Since starting the tradition on Oct. 5, 1996 – when he donned the Brutus Buckeye mascot head, the headgear pick has become a staple that fans across the country eagerly anticipate in the closing minutes of every show.

The former coach got emotional during the airing of the segment.

Many coaches during the segment recorded segments, reminiscing about Corso’s antics over the years.

Nick Saban: “Anytime I’m watching, and you don’t know what he’s going to pick up, that’s all pretty exciting.”

Kirby Smart: “I feel like I’ve been watching Lee Corso do that since I was in high school. The different antics he used. The different mascots he used is incredible.”

Ryan Day: “To this day, I still watch it to see what he is going to do.”

The GameDay guys shared their favorite Coro moment in the piece. Rece Davis pointed to Matthew McConaughey wrestling the LSU headgear off the former coach, leaving a little blood. Desmond Howard pointed to Katy Perry “damn near broke my man’s nose” when she ripped an Alabama mascot off his head.

“The fact that I got a chance to sit next to you all these years and watch you do your thing and just learn from you, it just taught me so much about this industry. Watching you perform and the way you did it. We love you so much. You are a piece of gold we cherish every week.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.