The Saturday morning routine has changed the last few years, as ESPN’s Gameday became less watchable, like just about all of the network’s offerings.

Part of the problem was the aging of Lee Corso. He was less of himself each year, and that hurt, because Corso was a big reason Gameday was so good for so long.

By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com

As the inevitable approached, my only hope was that his departure would be an acceptable one, that he would go out while still mostly healthy, that there wouldn’t be a health incident.

I wanted us to watch Lee go out as Lee. Granted, that really happened a few years ago, before age started showing, so much.

But there he was, at the desk, in a tux, holding the pencil, and trying to get through that final day as we were bopped upon the head with reminders of our mortality.

Watching parts of Gameday was an eye-moistener for those with some heart and soul and sentimentality. If you didn’t tear up a few times, and for more than just football reasons, well, that’s too bad.

Corso’s retirement is a reminder that everybody’s clock is ticking, how when you reach a certain age, that ticking is louder and louder.

For Corso, the fourth quarter of life has lasted so long. It was clear a year or two ago that the time to retire was coming, and I hoped and hoped he would do it the right way: on time, if not early.

He clearly enjoyed Saturday, and while he’s harder to understand, it sure appears the brain is working fine.

Here’s hoping ESPN sets up a camera and pops in on him a few times this season, because it’s natural to worry that when somebody’s main thing is no longer their main thing, that clock really starts ticking.

The phenomenal suckage of ESPN now increases some, because a natural character and legend leaves while fake characters and wannabes prevail.

Used to be you could watch Gameday and leave the remote alone. Now, you click away when Desmond Howard or Pat Lookatme starts yapping, and you cringe when Howard cackles at something not so funny, which is often.

ESPN has enough people to have a cartoon version of Gameday. Kenny Mayne, Howard, QuackAfee, Robert Griffin III, Marty Smith, and sideliner Jess Sims – oh please, take her away, after Nicole Briscoe and Ryan Smith and and and … - sounds like a quality – well … - panel.

Leave Reece Davis, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit alone with another lucid and legitimately witty body or two there for knowledge and entertainment without self-promotion.

We’re one person away – again – from the Inside the NBA version of Gameday.

Corso was more than the headgear pick. His analysis was pretty on point, and the general chemistry- especially him and Herbstreit and Fowler – was glorious.

The fit, the teamwork, it was just so good.

Father Time, though, is always watching and keeping tabs. Corso left a little late, but before anything bad or embarrassing happened.

He’d lost a few steps, but Corso was still Corso in the finale, and that allows for some proper closure.

We’ll miss Sweetheart, that’s for sure.

Surprises? Not so much, my friend

Friday certainly wasn’t a night of upsets, or closer-than-expected games.

Houston County and Perry combining for less than 20 points was a surprise. Nothing against those kinds of scores – folks need to appreciate defense a whole lot more than they do – but 12-7 is a first-quarter score for the Panthers and Bears.

Warner Robins and Northside being a two-point game until the final few minutes was a little unexpected. The Eagles are going to get better, yes, and rivalries are rivalries, true, but the Demons are pretty steady.

Tattnall-George Walton was expected to be closer.

Veterans being able to lose a lead, miss a game-winning field goal in the final seconds, then drill the game-winning field goal in overtime? Yeah, that’s pretty huge.

And that’s about it. It wasn’t exactly the usual roller coaster of a Thursday/Friday.

Loughdmouthings

Dear head coaches and ADs: It’s old news to check who has access to your MaxPreps account, and who is enabled to be a Scoretracker.

East Laurens’ game had it 88-0 in double overtime during the first half of a game that wasn’t being played that night (and then East Laurens never updated MaxPreps, so the Saturday game doesn’t exist). For days, it had Rutland beating Jeff Davis 6.

Houston County’s first touchdown against Brookwood was written as a 63-yard interception return in the middle of the first quarter, when it was a 95-yard kickoff return to open the game.

That’s every week, because some idiot is given access and abuses it and people in charge don’t pay attention. …

Berkmar lost 56-8 to Peach County and Butler fell 42-0 to Mary Persons. Berkmar and Butler need to schedule each other.

So do Mary Persons and Peach County. …

For those unaware or just don’t pay attention, it’s been a decades-old routine to start Thursday high school football games at 7 p.m.

Mutual decision. Allows the kids – remember them – an extra half hour to get home and all on a school night. …

There’s wailing and grumping in Tuscaloosa, Clemson, Austin, and over there around Five Star Stadium.

Simpletons call players and coaches trash. How simpletons don’t fall down more remains notable.

So, an apology for barging in here with the reminder of - sorry for those allergic - reality and context: Nobody wins or loses a ring in August. August, for God's sake.

Stop feeding the clickbait and morons at mics machine, for they know not, well, they know not of what they’re blathering about. And fans are right with ‘em.

It’s August. It's friggin' August. The season’s path may change, but it's not blocked.