
Just A Cup - Rafi Kohan, "Trash Talk" best selling author
From Just A Cup by Bleav
September 3, 2025 · 43 min · Episode 59
About this episode
Bryan Fetzer interviews Rafi Kohan about the cultural and psychological aspects of trash talk in sports.
The podcast episode “Just a Cup” hosted by Bryan Fetzer features Rafi Kohan, a journalist and author of the book Trash Talk, which explores the psychological, cultural, and historical dimensions of trash talk in sports. Kohen delves into the ancient roots of trash talk, tracing its lineage from biblical times and Homeric poems to today’s sports arenas. He explains that trash talk is not merely a form of verbal insult but a sophisticated tool of psychological gamesmanship that raises the stakes of competition by increasing stress and pressure on opponents. This stress can either motivate or demoralize, depending on the mindset of the athlete.
People in this episode
Host: Bryan Fetzer
Guest: Rafi Kohan
Topics covered
- trash talk
- sports psychology
- cultural history
- competition
- athlete mindset
Keywords
- trash talk
- sports
- psychological gamesmanship
- competition
- athlete mindset
- cultural dimensions
- historical roots
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Trash Talk
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