Notes and Links to Rus Bradburd’s Work
Rus Bradburd’s latest book is the satirical novel, “Big Time.” Rus attended Chicago Public Schools for eleven years before graduating from North Park College. After coaching basketball for fourteen seasons at UTEP and New Mexico State University, he left the game to study with Robert Boswell and Antonya Nelson—and pursue a life in writing. His five books focus on the intersections of sport, social progress, politics, and race. Rus has remained connected to the game through his acclaimed Basketball in the Barrio summer program in El Paso, as well as serving as NMSU’s television “color analyst.” He was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to return to Ireland to work on his next book about refugees in Belfast, “Almost Like Belonging.” An accomplished fiddle player, he lives in Chicago, Belfast, and New Mexico.
Buy Big Time
Rus Bradburd's Website
At about 2:00, Rus gives background on his fiddle playing and his time as color commentator for New México State University
At about 3:40, Rus talks about Big Time as his first work of fiction, as well as its nice timing, and he details how he worked on the book for many years
At about 5:40, Rus outlines some of the book’s exposition and plot, and talks about the current Colorado Football connections
At about 6:40, Rus talks about Univ of Chicago’s 1939 dropping of football and other stimuli for the book’s genesis, including Rick Russo’s work, and Dave Meggyesy's book
At about 8:40, Rus talks about satire and fiction and ideas of how fiction often gets at truth so well
At about 10:00, Rus gives more background on committee workloads and how the proliferation of committees and on particular example worked their ways into his book
At about 12:25, Rus talks about normalization of budget imbalance in universities
At about 13:30, Pete and Rus discuss the book’s epigraph, and Ruis talks about how the book satirizes college athletics, while he’s “knee-deep” in sports still
At about 15:30, Pete details a compare and contrast lesson that he teaches
At about 17:00, Rus responds to Pete’s question about the book’s opening and main characters Mooney and Braverman, history professors, working concessions at football games
At about 18:40, Rus gives background on “pop poet” Layla, and the ways in which she and the two history professors work together; Rus connects today’s conversations around student protests and protests in the book
At about 20:30, Rus talks about the downfall of the Coors State English Department in the book
At about 22:00, Rus cites the Missouri Football protest in fodder for a similar situation in his book
At about 23:00, Rus speaks about rich owners often asking taxpayers to finance big building projects
At about 24:20, Pete asks Rus about any inspirations for Layla, and he expands upon how the character evolved in his writing
At about 27:50, Pete charts the roles and importance of some characters in the book
At about 28:35, Rus discusses the financial costs and gains of big sport universities, and argues that the sporting program is taking away from education and educators
At about 33:00, Rus talks about a flawed system that puts so much work and so little compensation for adjunct instructors and showcases much hypocrisy
At about 35:00, Pete points out links between Braverman and Mooney’s activism and civil rights movements, and Rus connects to the push and pull that governs his own thoughts with regards to activism
At about 38:00, Rus talks about how the book’s events are in many ways reminiscent of fractures on the political Left
At about 40:25, Pete and Rus talk about NlL and how it relates to topics covered n the book, and whether/how NIL affected Rus’ writing
At about 44:00, Rus cites Dagoberto Gilb as an example of a writer who is successful while not being preachy, and how through satire, one can be a “little more message-heavy”
At about 45:50, Rus responds to Pete’s questions about satire and hyperbole and highlights how his writing the book made him love his characters
At about 48:45, Pete asks Rus about doing dystopia in The Age of Trump, and Rus cites David Shields and a tantalizing book idea that is now obsolete
At about 51:10, Pete wonders about Rus’ thoughts on the frenzied rise of legalized sports gambling, and Rus talks about further normalization of formerly-”sacreligious” things like beer sales at college games
At about 53:20, Rus cites Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk as an influence on his book and talks about using a real beer company’s name
At about 54:45, Pete compliments Rus’ use of stream of consciousness
At about 56:30, Rus shares out information on readings and book events coming up, including one with Beto O’Rourke, and contact and book buying information
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.
I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.
Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl
Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!
This month’s Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Jeff Pearlman, Matt Bell, F. Douglas Brown, Jorge Lacera, Jean Guererro, Rachel Yoder, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writers who have inspired their own work.
I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
Please tune in for Episode 263 with Fernanda Trías, award-winning author of three novels and the short story collection No soñarás flores; awarded the National Uruguayan Literary Prize, The Critics’ Choice Award Bartolomé Hidalgo, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz International Prize in Mexico for Pink Slime/Mugre Rosa.
The episode goes live on November 26.
Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.
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Notes and Links to Rus Bradburd’s Work
Rus Bradburd’s latest book is the satirical novel, “Big Time.” Rus attended Chicago Public Schools for eleven years before graduating from North Park College. After coaching basketball for fourteen seasons at UTEP and New Mexico State University, he left the game to study with Robert Boswell and Antonya Nelson—and pursue a life in writing. His five books focus on the intersections of sport, social progress, politics, and race. Rus has remained connected to the game through his acclaimed Basketball in the Barrio summer program in El Paso, as well as serving as NMSU’s television “color analyst.” He was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to return to Ireland to work on his next book about refugees in Belfast, “Almost Like Belonging.” An accomplished fiddle player, he lives in Chicago, Belfast, and New Mexico.
Buy Big Time
Rus Bradburd's Website
At about 2:00, Rus gives background on his fiddle playing and his time as color commentator for New México State University
At about 3:40, Rus talks about Big Time as his first work of fiction, as well as its nice timing, and he details how he worked on the book for many years
At about 5:40, Rus outlines some of the book’s exposition and plot, and talks about the current Colorado Football connections
At about 6:40, Rus talks about Univ of Chicago’s 1939 dropping of football and other stimuli for the book’s genesis, including Rick Russo’s work, and Dave Meggyesy's book
At about 8:40, Rus talks about satire and fiction and ideas of how fiction often gets at truth so well
At about 10:00, Rus gives more background on committee workloads and how the proliferation of committees and on particular example worked their ways into his book
At about 12:25, Rus talks about normalization of budget imbalance in universities
At about 13:30, Pete and Rus discuss the book’s epigraph, and Ruis talks about how the book satirizes college athletics, while he’s “knee-deep” in sports still
At about 15:30, Pete details a compare and contrast lesson that he teaches
At about 17:00, Rus responds to Pete’s question about the book’s opening and main characters Mooney and Braverman, history professors, working concessions at football games
At about 18:40, Rus gives background on “pop poet” Layla, and the ways in which she and the two history professors work together; Rus connects today’s conversations around student protests and protests in the book
At about 20:30, Rus talks about the downfall of the Coors State English Department in the book
At about 22:00, Rus cites the Missouri Football protest in fodder for a similar situation in his book
At about 23:00, Rus speaks about rich owners often asking taxpayers to finance big building projects
At about 24:20, Pete asks Rus about any inspirations for Layla, and he expands upon how the character evolved in his writing
At about 27:50, Pete charts the roles and importance of some characters in the book
At about 28:35, Rus discusses the financial costs and gains of big sport universities, and argues that the sporting program is taking away from education and educators
At about 33:00, Rus talks about a flawed system that puts so much work and so little compensation for adjunct instructors and showcases much hypocrisy
At about 35:00, Pete points out links between Braverman and Mooney’s activism and civil rights movements, and Rus connects to the push and pull that governs his own thoughts with regards to activism
At about 38:00, Rus talks about how the book’s events are in many ways reminiscent of fractures on the political Left
At about 40:25, Pete and Rus talk about NlL and how it relates to topics covered n the book, and whether/how NIL affected Rus’ writing
At about 44:00, Rus cites Dagoberto Gilb as an example of a writer who is successful while not being preachy, and how through satire, one can be a “little more message-heavy”
At about 45:50, Rus responds to Pete’s questions about satire and hyperbole and highlights how his writing the book made him love his characters
At about 48:45, Pete asks Rus about doing dystopia in The Age of Trump, and Rus cites David Shields and a tantalizing book idea that is now obsolete
At about 51:10, Pete wonders about Rus’ thoughts on the frenzied rise of legalized sports gambling, and Rus talks about further normalization of formerly-”sacreligious” things like beer sales at college games
At about 53:20, Rus cites Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk as an influence on his book and talks about using a real beer company’s name
At about 54:45, Pete compliments Rus’ use of stream of consciousness
At about 56:30, Rus shares out information on readings and book events coming up, including one with Beto O’Rourke, and contact and book buying information
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.
I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.
Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl
Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!
This month’s Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Jeff Pearlman, Matt Bell, F. Douglas Brown, Jorge Lacera, Jean Guererro, Rachel Yoder, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writers who have inspired their own work.
I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
Please tune in for Episode 263 with Fernanda Trías, award-winning author of three novels and the short story collection No soñarás flores; awarded the National Uruguayan Literary Prize, The Critics’ Choice Award Bartolomé Hidalgo, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz International Prize in Mexico for Pink Slime/Mugre Rosa.
The episode goes live on November 26.
Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.
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