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SportsCenter’s Cohn surprised by, grateful for NSMA HOF induction

Linda Cohn during her 5,000th SportsCenter show. (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)
Linda Cohn, who has anchored more than 5,000 editions of SportsCenter, will be inducted into the NSMA Hall Of Fame. (Joe Faraoni/ESPN Images)
This is an achievement that I’m going to look back on when my career is over, and in my mind, it’s far from over. It’s cool to still be in an amazing career and be inducted into such a prestigious hall of fame. – Linda Cohn

Linda Cohn was a little busy when the news began to circulate on social media Wednesday afternoon.

The SportsCenter anchor was guest-hosting a radio program when the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) announced that Cohn would be in its 2017 Hall of Fame class, taking her place alongside some of the greatest names in sports media history.

Cohn had gotten the official news a couple of days earlier in a phone call from NSMA executive director Dave Goren but seeing it made public gave her, even more, appreciation for the honor.

“He [Goren] told me in this very chill way that we’re recognizing you, inducting you into the Hall of Fame, and he starts telling me the other inductees, and I was like ‘Wow,’” Cohn said. “I was obviously flattered, surprised, grateful, all of the above in a matter of two seconds.”

She was monitoring social media while on the radio program and saw a tweet from ESPN PR about the honor:

“And then I started seeing all of the posts from people congratulating me,” she said. “When I saw all of the well-wishers, and it really was indeed happening, it started becoming real.”

One of those who congratulated Cohn on Twitter was ESPN SVP, SportsCenter and News, Rob King.

“Those of us fortunate to have worked with Linda have always thought of her as a Hall of Famer,” King said. “So this honor is as fitting as it is fantastic.”

Last year, Cohn, who joined ESPN in 1992, hosted her 5,000th edition of SportsCenter, the most ever by any anchor. Chris Berman and Brent Musburger are among others from ESPN who are also NSMA HOF inductees.

“Here I was doing a radio show, and I just powered through – I was focused on that,” she said. “But then when the show was over at six o’clock, then it started setting in. I was really touched and feel blessed about it, and feel grateful to ESPN for giving me the stage.”

A non-profit organization which seeks to develop educational opportunities for those who are interested in pursuing a career in sports media, through networking, interning, mentoring and scholarship programs, the NSMA also honors, preserves and celebrates the diverse legacy of sports media in the United States.

The organization’s 58th annual awards weekend will be in Winston-Salem, N.C., June 25-26.

“All I’ve wanted to do since I was a little girl was to have a voice in sports,” Cohn said.

“This is an achievement that I’m going to look back on when my career is over, and in my mind, it’s far from over,” she said. “It’s cool to still be in an amazing career and be inducted into such a prestigious hall of fame.”

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