Don Juan Moore / Contributor
Lee Corso Remembers Life-Long Friend and Former Florida State Teammate Burt Reynolds
Actor Burt Reynolds died on Thursday morning at 82. Reynolds is known for his roles in several prominent sports movies, including The Longest Yard, but Florida State fans might remember him as a running back for the Seminoles during his college years in the late 1950's.
While at Florida State, Reynolds roomed with ESPN College GameDay analyst Lee Corso. The two remained in regular contact even after their time together in Tallahassee.
Corso released a statement on Thursday remembering his late friend after the news of his death was released.
"Burt was a life-long friend, who was extremely close to me for the last 64 years. We have always stayed in touch, through the good and the bad times of our lives, talking about once a month for as long as I can remember," Corso said via ESPN PR. "It was just two weeks ago that we were talking about the upcoming football season and the Noles. Burt, better known as 'Buddy' to his friends, loved FSU football and no matter how big a star he became, he never forgot his friends from the FSU football family.
"I will forever remember our conversations and the true friend that he was."
Reynolds was named to the Seminoles Hall of Fame in 1977.
"Buddy Reynolds began his Florida State football career with a 33-yard pass reception against the Georgia Bulldogs as a freshman in 1954," his Hall of Fame bio reads. "A knee injury forced him from the lineup in mid-season and he missed the entire 1955 campaign following surgery. He returned to Florida State in 1957 but once again was sidelined by injury, which ended a promising career. He went on to become one of the most successful actors in box office history and earned an Academy Award nomination in 1999. For years he has hosted a segment of the Bobby Bowden Show along with close friend Gene Deckerhoff and he has remained a ardent supporter of Seminole Athletics and the entire university."
