There was a mix of laughs and learning as Syracuse University students received information about the world of sports broadcasting from an insider.

ESPN SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn shared her knowledge Tuesday in Goldstien Auditorium.

“I remember how bored I was, you know, listening to even four-star lectures when I just wanted to ask a question,” Cohn said.

Subsequently, Cohn spoke for 30 minutes and then accepted questions. She said she has loved sports from a young age, although at times it conflicted with her Jewish religion. Cohn recalled having a field hockey game scheduled on Yom Kippur while she was a sophomore in high school. Her mother wanted her not to go but finally relented, only to be pulled over for speeding.

“My mother said ‘This is God looking down on you and telling you not to go to this field hockey game,’ ” she said.

Cohn also spoke of the problems women encounter in sports. She said that when she was getting involved in ice hockey, she was initially not allowed to play against boys her age. In high school, however, she made the boys’ hockey team.

“For me, that beat my senior prom,” Cohn said.

She also addressed comments made last week by Andy Rooney that criticized female broadcasters on the sidelines at football games.

“Does anyone take Andy Rooney seriously anymore? I don’t think he takes himself seriously,” Cohn said. “I didn’t get into that he sits alone at Giants football games because he has no friends.”

Cohn told students to get involved both on campus and while in the work force, not only gaining experience but showing future employers the ability to “work a room.”

“I volunteered; it’s called making your own breaks,” Cohn said.

Cohn studied communications at State University of New York Oswego and then began working at various radio stations.

“It was great — I never had to take hard classes,” she said.

She then moved to Seattle to work in television before getting her break at ESPN.

“It is a dream come true. I made it come true,” Cohn said.

She warned students entering sports journalism not to stop being fans when they enter the business, and not to put athletes on pedestals because sometimes they don’t match the portrayals.

The back-and-forth discussions between the anchors on SportsCenter is part of the reason for the show’s popularity, she added. She also said the show’s success results from working to bring out personalities and determine what is newsworthy in the realm of sports.

Seth Maser, president of the Jewish Student Union and a senior psychology major, said his organization, which sponsored Cohn’s visit to campus was pleased with the turnout. He said that he felt that the event definitely went well.

Stephanie Wilson, a sophomore retail and marketing major, said Cohn was very energetic and lively. Wilson also liked the format of the discussion.

“I liked how she opened up the floor rather than just talk and talk,” she said.

Published on October 15, 2002 at 12:00 pm