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From the '15 Minutes of Internet Fame' file, a Fanopticon exclusive: an interview with Todd, the "Corso is a penis" sign guy

Got a funny email yesterday from Todd, the "Corso is a penis" sign guy. Seems he Googled his little sign, and found out that it was all over the Internet. (64K visitors came to this site in 2 days last week to view Todd's sign, and we're tiny potatoes. So extrapolate out from that.) We wanted to know the story behind the sign, and specifically, what kind of jail sentence Todd was facing for displaying it on TV. Turns out Todd's still a free man -- for now -- and he agreed to talk if we promised not to print his last name. (Todd wants to work for ESPN someday.) First, in case you missed it, Todd's moment:

Corso1.jpg

Todd is the guy on the right with the sign.

RJYH: Okay Todd, who are you?

Todd: I'm a Junior at Georgia Southern University.

RJYH: How'd the sign come about? And why, in your opinion, is Lee Corso "a penis," and not some other derogatory term or body part?

Todd: Being a Bulldawg fan my whole life I have noticed that the press never gives us or any team in the SEC enough credit. Especially Lee Corso. When he picks UGA to win we refer to it as "Corso's Curse." It's just hard for me to watch year after year as everyone on ESPN Game Day overlooks the SEC -- especially Corso. Which is what makes him a penis. I guess there are a few other phrases that could capture Corso, but penis fits best.

RJYH: And the sign?

Todd: My friends Matt and Adam actually made the sign while stuck in traffic on the way to the game. They took it to the GameDay set but were asked by the cops to put it away. So I took the sign, rolled it up and located a place to stand by looking at what signs were on the big screen. Then I got on the shoulders of my buddy, Kent, and waited until they cut the camera back to Corso. Once the camera was back on, I blindly held the sign up with my view of the screen blocked by some other sign. As a roar of laughter went over the crowd I realized that, yeah, the sign must be up there.

RJYH: What did the police think of your sign?

Todd: After about 20 seconds or so, I felt someone grab my belt and then my shoulder. It was the cops. They pulled me down and placed me back on the ground, gently and on my feet. They then proceeded to take the sign and tell me I should leave. I made sure I got out of there before any ESPN folks had a chance to ream me.

RJYH: When did you figure out you were having your fifteen minutes?

Todd: For the rest of the day I was hearing the tale of "that guy with the penis sign." But I had no real confirmation that any of it had actually aired. I looked for video and clips the day after it happened but I couldn't find anything. Then today I just got the wild hair to check around the internet and found at least a dozen sites referencing it. I still feel a little overwhelmed to see myself all over the internet. I still have no idea how big it is or was, I only know that it's become bigger than I ever thought.

RJYH: Anything you'd like to add?

Todd: Just the fact that with Shockley, UGA would have mopped the floor with Florida.

RJYH: What do you have in store for Auburn this weekend?

Todd: We have a little payback in store for them. Things are different between the hedges. We're going to see how Auburn likes it when we hit them with the Shocker.

RJYH: The Shocker? Todd, I'd think you'd quit while you were ahead.

Todd: Oh yeah, we're gonna shock 'em. We're gonna shock 'em real good.

RJYH: Thanks Todd. And good luck with that ESPN gig.

November 8, 2005 07:33 AM | Link

| Comments (17)

Comments

My thoughts on that thrilling interview:

http://goldentornado.blogspot.com/2005/11/ladies-and-gentlemen.html

Posted by: Nathan at November 8, 2005 03:21 PM

it's almost as if he were defiling himself.

Posted by: tien at November 8, 2005 05:40 PM

Ouch...I would expect Paul Westerdawg to have something to say about that.

And yet, who can deny that it's been eons since the Dawgs won it all.

I found the central paradox of Todd's Corso-is-a-penis argument to be that on the one hand, he believes that Corso is a penis who brings bad luck with his predictions. On the other hand, he seems to want Corso to acknowledge his Dawgs by predicting they'll win. Either he's a penis and a bad omen, in which case why would you care about him picking your team? Or Todd longs for the approval of someone he believes to be a penis.

Either way, it's not too pretty.

Posted by: WSJ at November 8, 2005 06:01 PM

Warren,

I think you will agree with me here, if you ever see a penis that is not your own; it's a bad omen...

No offense to those AllBarn Fooseball players taking the gay porn pics on the plains.

Posted by: Keith at November 8, 2005 07:12 PM

Come on, Warren, you know the inextricable push/pull of the Southerner's identity: they hate and mock us; we must get their approval. All SEC fans spend many hours in high suspense of the GameDay Crew's picks, then many more hours hating their damned predictions.

Go Vols, er, oh well, there's always next year.

Posted by: Davy (pronounced Crockett) at November 8, 2005 10:30 PM

They don't give any credit to the sec because their th jv of college football

Posted by: Rafael at November 9, 2005 03:30 AM

I do not have a commet on the penis guy, but I would like to know is why don't Kirk and Lee and all you guys on ESPN Sports don't promote or talk about how we need a play off system in college football. Look at how the Canes beat the Hookies last weekend, and do you think it fair that they don't get a chance at the title. The guys on ABC that braodcast the game said it, so why don't you say it as well. You know for yourself that in all other sports, one loss does not knock your chances of playing for the title. Look at the SEC and even the Irish needs a shoot and I never went for that even when Lou Holts and Ty Willingham was there, and Lou Holts was here in Columbia South Carolina, because that is where am I am from, but I know they can knock off someone, I think the Canes can beat Texas. Who have the Longhorns really played this year, the Sooners is in a rebuilding year. Can you all answer this question for me? Why?

Posted by: Adrian at November 9, 2005 04:36 AM

KIRK MAKES ME SICK WHEN IT IS TIME TOO TALK BIG TEN FOOTBALL HE NEEDS TOO STOP BEING A SUCKEYE FAN I HAVE TOO CHANGE CHANNELS WHEN HE GETS HIS MOTOR GOING ABOUT ONE OF THE DIRTIES PROGRAMS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL THANK GOD FOR CORSO AND THE OTHER GUY FOR KEEPING HIM FROM SUCKING SO MUCH SUCKEYE #@$%!

Posted by: R.KELLY at November 9, 2005 01:06 PM

I think the whole things is hilarious and think the guy who did it should have his own pre-game show. GO IRISH!!

Posted by: Dan Zakk at November 9, 2005 03:56 PM

heh heh...

http://www.cafepress.com/shirtguy75

Posted by: shirtguy at November 9, 2005 06:23 PM

I always thought Corso was a EUNUCH, myself.

Posted by: Jim at November 10, 2005 03:17 PM

For once I can agree with a Bulldog fan. LEE CORSO IS A PENIS!!

Posted by: rockinfan at November 10, 2005 06:16 PM

Lee Corso was sucking the Buckeyes cock at that broadcast. he put on the Buckeye hat. I would know, I was there.

Posted by: Lee Corso's Nutsack at November 22, 2005 02:25 PM

i don't know about all this UGA stuff, but Todd, youre freaking great! Georgia Southern Eagles FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGTH!

Posted by: the guy that knows todd at May 4, 2006 02:20 PM

Been involved with sports over 65 years. I think Lee Corso, is an honorable man who does a great job as a sports announcer. Think just the opposite of anyone who feels they must hold up a sign (clean or otherwise) behind someone's back to get attention. That can in no way be considered honorable!!!

Posted by: Dan Lawrence at July 20, 2006 10:09 PM


Wait just a minute -- The SEC is the "JV of college football??!!" Dude, step away from the crack pipe.

Posted by: SOS at August 27, 2006 03:43 AM

Frankly I couldn't agree more with the sign and sentiments of Todd. I really don't know what Lee Corso's problem is but he has a bug up his ass especially when it comes to USC (the Oldest most established one) University of South Carolina. Granted we don't have the football history of some schools but why does Corso always hammer us on TV. We have been number one in the Country (1984) and you want find a bigger fan base for such a small State.
He was just recently asked it USC would ever win the SEC with Spurrier he said not only would we not win the SEC but he doesn't think we'll win the SEC east, ever! What a butt. If he will recall Duke and Florida stunk before Spurrier. He just doesn't like USC and he doesn't respect the SEC in general.

Posted by: Gamecock fan at August 31, 2006 12:56 PM

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