Unsportsmanlike's Evan Cohen
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Evan Cohen, host of ESPN's Unsportsmanlike and a Wisconsin Badgers alum, shares a deeply personal journey from growing up in Westchester, NY, to building a national sports radio career rooted in UW-Madison's student radio station—where he once broadcast to a single listener. The episode unfolds like a love letter to Wisconsin, blending nostalgia, football philosophy, and candid reflections on the program's recent struggles. Cohen reveals a pivotal realization: Barry Alvarez’s true legacy wasn’t chasing national championships, but mastering the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl—goals that were realistic given Wisconsin’s resources. He argues that the Badgers’ current rebuild is a return to their identity: recruiting massive offensive linemen and playing 'bully ball' to compensate for lack of elite skill-position talent. This shift, he believes, is the only sustainable path to competitiveness. The conversation also tackles the financial realities of modern college sports, with Cohen suggesting NFL-style player contracts with buyouts to stabilize transfers—highlighting how football’s revenue now drives every facet of the university, from basketball to admissions. His emotional reaction to Ryan Blackwell’s transfer underscores the human cost of this new era. Cohen’s story is not just about sports—it’s about legacy, identity, and the quiet power of staying true to your roots.
Wisconsin’s realistic football goal should be winning the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl—not the national championship, due to resource limitations.
The Badgers are returning to their roots by prioritizing massive offensive linemen and 'bully ball' over spread offenses.
College football’s financial engine is football itself, which now drives funding for basketball, admissions, and campus excitement.
Player transfers like Ryan Blackwell’s are inevitable, but the system needs NFL-style contracts with buyouts to stabilize programs.
The most successful broadcasters love the medium (radio, podcasting) as much as the sport—passion for the craft is non-negotiable.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Opening: A Badger Love Letter
“I said to him, I said, let me ask you a really truthful question. I said, what is a bigger accomplishment in your life? Being in an NFL camp or this picture. I think you said the picture.”
From Scarsdale to ESPN: A Career Built on Student Radio
Cohen recounts his journey from high school broadcaster at Scarsdale High to UW-Madison’s student radio station—where he worked with mentors like Matt LaPay and Mike Lucas—before landing his first professional role at Good Karma Brands in West Palm Beach.
Mentors and the Medium: Howard Stern, Mike and the Mad Dog, Dan Patrick
“I called them back. We're on the phone for 45 minutes. He's making the most specific references to everything I've done where he would say like, hey, Perkins, you shouldn't have asked the follow up question here when you did that with LaPay two years ago.”
The Return to Madison: A Personal and Professional Homecoming
Cohen reflects on his emotional return to Madison after years away, including taking his kids to Camp Randall and State Street, and how the Badgers’ culture still captivates him despite recent struggles.
The Badgers’ Rebuild: Back to 'Bully Ball' and Big Bodies
“We need to get back to playing bully ball as far as I'm concerned. That's what we do. We get big, enormous Mark Tauchers, Joe Thomases.”
“I called them back. We're on the phone for 45 minutes. He's making the most specific references to everything I've done where he would say like, hey, Perkins, you shouldn't have asked the follow up question here when you did that with LaPay two years ago.”
“Football is the life of the university and I feel like the money from football becomes such a thing that now we want everything to be great.”
“I said to him, I said, let me ask you a really truthful question. I said, what is a bigger accomplishment in your life? Being in an NFL camp or this picture. I think you said the picture.”
Host
Guest
evan cohen
person
matt bernstein
person
uw-madison
organization
barry alvarez
person
candlelight inn
place
dan patrick
person
mike and the mad dog
media
unsportsmanlike
media
michelle smallman
person
howard stern
person
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