Many picture retirement as a fun land of paradise. Putter around, play a little golf, relax and enjoy life, right? But for at least one nonagenarian retiree-- ESPN's longtime star Lee Corso-- the verdict is a bit different: not so fast, my friend.

"It sucks."

Almost 40 (More) Years of College Football

That was Corso weighing in on the retirement life late last season, his first spent outside football since 1986, when the USFL folded before his Orlando Renegades could begin the season. After that year of exile, Corso hooked on with ESPN and the rest, as they say, is history.

But all good things come to an end and despite Corso's valiant return from a stroke in 2009, the end of the line came even for the player once known as "Sunshine Scooter." Corso signed off in the opening weekend of the 2025 college football season in a massive farewell effort. But then the rest?

Well, it sucks.

Corso's Retirement Verdict

Corso called retirement "lousy" to a Florida radio station last November.

"I hate it," Corso said of retirement. "I can't watch 'College GameDay.' I can't get used to it. I'm not working anymore. I used to fly all over. It sucks."

The Lowdown on the Retirement Life

There are some clues hidden in there as to just why it sucks. The travel aspect is certainly alluring to sports journalism personalities. The late John Madden often discussed this at length-- although in Madden's case, it was complicated by his extreme fear of flying. Madden rode a bus to virtually everywhere he worked, but he did upgrade his bus to top-of-the-line status. Corso didn't need any such perks, but the glamor of the road-- and of being around a top college football atmosphere every weekend-- would be a legitimate loss.

Perhaps more touching-- or just sad-- is the reflection that Corso couldn't watch the show that he made famous. He was part of a famously tight-knit crew with his sidekick/straight man Kirk Herbstreit perhaps first among equals. Corso seemed to get along well with Nick Saban and with some of the other newer names and faces around him on the show.

Recent discussions have noted that Corso has had some health problems. Again, nearly 20 years out from a career-threatening stroke, that's hardly surprising. But Corso's physical health seems to stay robust and the contrast between an active mind and a body that's hitting the brake pedal can be jarring. In any case, Lee Corso has gone into that good night, but not necessarily happily.