Episode Fifteen: Interview with Renaissance Man-Former Division I Basketball Coach and Current New Mexico State University Creative Writing Professor, Rus Bradburd

Rus Bradburd is a Renaisssance Man-a former Division I basketball coach, a virtuoso fiddler, an author of four books, and a professor in creative writing at New Mexico State University. His heart-wrenching and impeccably-researched book All the Dreams We've Dreamed: A Story of Hoops and Handguns on Chicago's West Side is discussed, especially with regards to its stalwart mentor/teacher/coach extraordinaire, Shawn Harrington, who was paralyzed while diving on top of his daughter during a 2014 shooting in Chicago. Shawn's GoFundMe, which will allow him greater independence and ADA-accessible housing is here. Please give if you can! 

The discussion of the book and of Shawn Harrington begins at 37:14.

Pete and Rus also discuss Rus' days as a recruiter and coach for UTEP and NMSU, his days as a coach in lowly Irish basketball, his circuitous and unique route to professional writer and writing teacher, among other things. The discussion is rife with great recommendations for chill-inducing authors, books, short stories, and even a documentary!

 

 

 

SHOW NOTES:

Rus Bradburd teaches writing classes in New Mexico State University’s MFA program. A Chicago native, he coached basketball at UTEP and New Mexico State for fourteen seasons before resigning to pursue a writing career in 2000.

At NMSU, he studied with Robert Boswell, Antonya Nelson, and Kevin McIlvoy. His fiction has appeared in The Southern Review, Colorado Review, Puerto del Sol, Freight Stories, and Aethlon.

Since retiring from college coaching, his essays have appeared in New York Times, The Houston Chronicle, El Paso Times, Las Cruces Sun-News, Heartland Journal, SLAM Magazine, Bounce, and Los Angeles Times.

Rus went to Ireland in 2002 to coach Tralee's Frosties Tigers. Paddy on the Hardwood: A Journey in Irish Hoops was his first book, published in 2006. In 2010, he published Forty Minutes of Hell: The Extraordinary Life of Nolan Richardson, and in 2013, a book of fiction called Make It, Take It. 

Our main discussion of his writing on today’s episode will be about his 2018 nonfiction book, All the Dreams We've Dreamed: A Story of Hoops and Handguns on Chicago's West Side. The book is impeccably researched and features Rus himself as a character as he recounts a page-turning set of stories about basketball, gun violence, family and community ties, and redemption.

 

Rus Bradburd Writer Website

Order Rus' Books Here

Info on Bradburd's Dynamic and Newest Book: All the Dreams We've Dreamed: A Story of Hoops and Handguns on Chicago's West Side

 

Selected Publications by Rus Bradburd:

Last man standing: College baller has lost six high school teammates to gun violence (Jan. 21, 2020, in The Undefeated online magazine)

 

Rus and Shawn Harrington's Connections:

2018 WBUR Story about 20 Year+ relationship between the two

Shawn and Rus on HBO's Real Sports

 

Shawn Harrington:

January 2020 Update

KVIA El Paso May 2020 Update

Alma mater NMSU honors Shawn at halftime of 2017 game

"West Side Story: Shawn Harrington"-2015 News Segment from NBC Sports Chicago

"Independence for Shawn Harrington" GoFund Me: All funds go to the ALL THE DREAMS trust, managed by Rus Bradburd. From the website: "A community icon and youth basketball coach, Shawn finally has an opportunity to become independent. Our down payment has secured the condo. Our next hurdle is to make the place totally wheelchair accessible. By helping him pay for this modest condo, we will help him become totally independent, move forward in his life—and continue to help the youth of Chicago through basketball."

Trailer for 2019's ChiTown, which features Shawn

         

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The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other cool song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental Version”) by Matt Weidauer, used through Arches Audio. Matt’s artist page can be found here.