Michelle Beadle: SportsNation Anchor Attempts to Save Linda Cohn from Snake Bite

Michelle Beadle "saved" fellow ESPN personality Linda Cohn’s life.

This sounds crazy but according to Yahoo! Sports, Cohn was bit by a rattlesnake on a hike in Tuscon, Arizona.

Beadle, Sarah Spain (also of ESPN) and Cohn were in town for a "women in sports summit" and were enjoying some off time with a trek through the scenic desert mountains.

A rattlesnake, not uncommon in the area, struck Cohn, and Beadle came to her rescue.

In a photo posted on Twitter by Spain, you can see what appears to be the SportsNation co-host sucking venom from SportsCenter anchor’s knee.

Cohn thanked Beadle for her quick reaction to the bite and claimed she "saved her life."

Beadle responded by saying that anyone would do the same, but I don’t necessarily agree with her.

According to most sources I found, this is the wrong way to treat a bite.

Willis Lamm, of TrailBlazer Magazine, writes the following:

"

NEVER try to suck out the venom by mouth. You can try the suction cup in a snakebite kit if it doesn't delay other needed treatment. Suctioning seldom provides any measurable advantages, however.

"

While Beadle obviously had the right intentions, she isn’t the hero. Hopefully the group sought immediate medical attention as Cohn and Beadle were at high risk for poisoning.

I give her serious credit for being brave and doing the first thing that comes to mind, and hopefully the publicity from this story leads to more experts on the air to educate on how to properly deal with such issues.