Corso, 75, started his run at ESPN in 1987 and is the only original cast member of College GameDay. The program didn't make much of dent in the college landscape for its first six seasons, and in an attempt to pump life into the broadcast, the decision was made in 1993 to take the show out of the studio and on the road.
The move outdoors was just what GameDay needed. The show took off and Corso soon found his niche. During a visit to Columbus for the Penn State-Ohio State game on Oct. 5, 1996, he added what has become GameDay's signature moment. After predicting a Buckeye victory, Corso donned the headgear of Brutus Buckeye. The crowd roared its approval and Corso has ended every show since with the bit.
Corso's catch phrase is "Not so fast, my friend!" He punctuates the statement with the ever-present No. 2 pencil, and there's a reason for his pencil pushing. He's director of business development for the Dixon Ticonderoga Company, manufacturer of office supplies, including the Ticonderoga pencil that has a distinctive green and yellow ferrule.
Corso suffered a stroke in May 2009 and although his speech is slower and more precise, he plans on fulfilling a three-year contract he signed before the start of this season.
Do you like Lee Corso? Do you not like Lee Corso? Fire away!
Danielson, 59, has been CBS' lead analyst on Southeastern Conference games since 2006, coming to the network after a lengthy stay at ABC and ESPN. Last year, Danielson was honored by The Sporting News and Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal as the No. 1 football (college or pro) broadcaster.
Dan Patrick calls Danielson "the best football commentator in the business."
But critics — there are many — say Danielson is a shill for the SEC.
In 2006, he openly lobbied with broadcast partner Verne Lundquist for one-loss Florida to get a spot in the Bowl Championship Series title game over one-loss Michigan. The Gators got the nod and rolled Big Ten champion Ohio State, 41-14, in the BCS title game. Michigan lost to USC, 32-18, in the Rose Bowl.
Although his assessement of Florida and Michigan proved to be correct, many Wolverine fans have never forgiven Danielson, whose roots are in Big Ten country. He was born in Detroit, played quarterback at Purdue and spent 13 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns.
Danielson also had a feud with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops after quarterback Sam Bradford was injured in the 2009 opener against Brigham Young. Danielson contended that Bradford should have turned pro instead of returning to Oklahoma after winning the Heisman.
"I really wish Bob Stoops would have said to Sam Bradford, 'I'm sorry, I can't let you play for my team this year. I can't risk $70 million knowing that some guard will turn a linebacker loose and blow [out] your arm and knee.' I thought Sam should have been in the NFL."
A few days later, Danielson continued his criticism on Patrick's show, suggesting Stoops had developed a trend of convincing players to stay in college even if they were NFL ready.
"I think [Stoops] needs to look past that sometimes and say, I can't live with myself if you got your right shoulder or your left knee killed [at OU]. I think at some point he should say, listen, I just don't feel right about this. Are you sure? Are you sure?"
Stoops, upon hearing the comments, fired back. "That is ridiculous and it is insulting and it's foolish to say that."
Oklahoman media columnist Mel Bracht wrote that Danielson was out of line. "At one time, I respected CBS analyst Gary Danielson. When he worked for ESPN/ABC, he gave the Big 12 its due. Since joining CBS, he has gotten on the SEC bandwagon to the point of making some ludicrous comments about the Big 12 and other conferences."
Danielson didn't back down. While working an SEC game later that fall, he said: "The Big 12 gets a lot of notoriety for their quarterbacks because of their stats. I am going to make a prediction that the three quarterbacks in the SEC — Tim Tebow, Jevan Snead and [Ryan] Mallett — will be drafted higher than any three quarterbacks now playing in any other conference.
"Snead may go No. 1 in the draft this year if the team drafting needs a quarterback. He will be the first quarterback taken, and Tebow will go in the first round."
A year later, Bradford was drafted No. 1 by the St. Louis Rams. He signed the richest guaranteed contract in NFL history.
"What's Gary Danielson got to say now?" Stoops asked.
Now it's our turn to ask you. Do you like Gary Danielson? Do you not like Gary Danielson? Fire away!
Franklin, 68, works ABC or ESPN Saturday afternoon telecasts with analyst Ed Cunningham. Franklin, a graduate of Mississippi, joined ESPN in 1987 and built a strong following as play-by-play man on the network's College Football Primetime Saturday telecasts, a role he held through the 2005 season.
In 2007, Richard Deitsch of SI wrote of Franklin: "With his deep Mississippi pipes that scream Southern football, Franklin is a favorite of some bloggers. No argument here. The guy is as solid as oak."
Franklin told the Oklahoman last year that he was "98.5% sure" that he would retire when his contract expired in 2010. But he agreed to a two-year deal this past summer that reduced his number of assignments to 35 a year. He had been doing as many as 60.
"When the money came forward, I realized I couldn't do better initially with my freelance work than what they were going to pay me," he told the newspaper.
Franklin's career has not been without controversy. The veteran announcer was working a Notre Dame-Purdue game in 2005 when sideline reporter Holly Rowe lauded Boilermaker defensive coordinator Brock Spack for using three timeouts despite trailing by four touchdowns late in the game.
"If the coaches are giving up, what does that say to the players?" Rowe asked. Franklin responded: "Holly, it's not giving up. It's 49-21, sweetheart."
ESPN ombudsman George Solomon wrote: "Franklin's comment, and demeaning tone, in response to Rowe's legitimate observation was disrespectful to the audience and to a colleague."
Senior coordinating producer for college football Mo Davenport said: "It was an inappropriate comment and we've communicated that to Ron. There's never a reason to say something so mean-spirited. Ron apologized. We dealt with it internally."
Do you like Ron Franklin? Do you not like Ron Franklin? Let it rip!
Howard, 40, began his ESPN career as an in-studio analyst before joining College GameDay in 2005. Although his role on GameDay telecasts is muted compared to host Chris Fowler and analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit, Howard clearly enjoys the rockstar status afforded to all members of the GameDay crew.
Howard's on-air persona — he's always smiling and chatty — is a refreshing departure from the serious tone presented by many of ESPN's personalities. But the former Heisman winner has had some embarrassing mistakes.
In 2006 during a bowl preview show, he said California's opponent in the Holiday Bowl was Texas, then proceeded to break down the Longhorns. One problem: Cal's opponent was Texas A&M.
That earned Howard a trip to the Budweiser Hot Seat the next day. "I misspoke when I said Cal vs. Texas as opposed to Cal vs. Texas A&M," he said. "So I apologize to the Longhorns and Aggies fans. But I know you don't need me to tell you who you're playing against in the bowl. But whether it's Texas with an A&M or without an A&M, I'm still picking Cal to win the Pacific Holiday Bowl."
In previewing the 2008 Sugar Bowl, Howard was asked how much pressure Georgia would get on Hawaii's Colt Brennan. "I'm afraid they won't get enough pressure on this kid," he said. Georgia sacked Brennan eight times and forced the quarterback into three interceptions and two fumbles, one of which was recovered for a Bulldog touchdown.
OK, maybe we're a tad harsh on Howard, but what do you think? Do you like Desmond Howard? Do you not like Desmond Howard?
Brown's path to ESPN sideline reporter has little to do with journalism. After attending the University of Florida, she became a model before trying her hand at TV, starting in 2003 with a series titled Bikini Destinations. In 2006, she made her film debut as a Hooters Girl in the forgettable "Two Tickets to Paradise."
Brown, 29, was a correspondent on Inside the NFL in 2008-09 before landing a job with ESPN as co-host of Road Trip, a low-rated tailgate feature. This past summer she got the call to replace Erin Andrews as ESPN's Thursday night sideline reporter.
Brown made news before her first game. With the blessing of ESPN, she was named spokesperson for Icehouse beer. A tsunami of criticism followed. SI's Richard Deitsch tweeted: "Should someone who covers college athletes be the spokesperson for a beer company? In my opinion, it's unwise."
A few days later, ESPN's hierarchy stepped in an pulled the plug on Brown's deal.
So, do you like Jenn Brown? Do you not like Jenn Brown. Let's do it!
The Outland Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Fame member is arguably the most polarizing personality on ESPN's extensive roster of college football analysts. While knowledgeable, his aggressive on-screen style has turned off many viewers who simply view May as smug.
May, 50, got his broadcasting break in 1995 when he was hired as a studio analyst for TNT's Sunday night NFL telecasts. In 2001, he joined ESPN and has settled in as fixture on College Football Scoreboard and College Football Final.
May steadfastly maintains Boise State simply isn't challenged on a week-to-week basis like teams from BCS conferences, and that criticism has earned him Public Enemy No. 1 status among Bronco fans.
In 2005, May was discussing the upcoming West Virginia-Virginia Tech game and said when he was a player at Pittsburgh, his coach told his team that West Virginia fans would throw pennies at visiting players because they were too cheap to throw nickels.
"Mark said the remark was not made to offend but to relay what he'd been told by a former coach," Mo Davenport, ESPN's senior coordinating producer for college football, said. "He now knows what he said was derogatory to a group of people and a state, which was not his or ESPN's intent."
There you have it. Do you like Mark May? Do you not like Mark May? Let us know.
