Podcast Appearances
So, and I had been, I had owned a, seven or eight bars, clubs, restaurants in Chicago over the years and writing, you know, seven or eight books. And I was working on a book in 2015, a novel about a guy that wanted to play D1 football who was older.
So, and I had been, I had owned a, seven or eight bars, clubs, restaurants in Chicago over the years and writing, you know, seven or eight books. And I was working on a book in 2015, a novel about a guy that wanted to play D1 football who was older.
So, and I had been, I had owned a, seven or eight bars, clubs, restaurants in Chicago over the years and writing, you know, seven or eight books. And I was working on a book in 2015, a novel about a guy that wanted to play D1 football who was older.
And so I... Developed a friendship with Pat Fitzgerald, who was the head coach at Northwestern. Great guy. We did a lot of stuff for the football team, and he had all the football events and recruiting events at my sports bar.
And so I... Developed a friendship with Pat Fitzgerald, who was the head coach at Northwestern. Great guy. We did a lot of stuff for the football team, and he had all the football events and recruiting events at my sports bar.
And so I... Developed a friendship with Pat Fitzgerald, who was the head coach at Northwestern. Great guy. We did a lot of stuff for the football team, and he had all the football events and recruiting events at my sports bar.
So I didn't play college football, and I asked Pat if I could go to Kenosha Training Camp in 2015 in August, where the Northwestern football team went up there for about 10 days. And at University of Wisconsin, Kenosha. And he said, yeah, come on up. You can shadow me on the sideline. Super offer. And I went up there, was watching practice right next to him.
So I didn't play college football, and I asked Pat if I could go to Kenosha Training Camp in 2015 in August, where the Northwestern football team went up there for about 10 days. And at University of Wisconsin, Kenosha. And he said, yeah, come on up. You can shadow me on the sideline. Super offer. And I went up there, was watching practice right next to him.
So I didn't play college football, and I asked Pat if I could go to Kenosha Training Camp in 2015 in August, where the Northwestern football team went up there for about 10 days. And at University of Wisconsin, Kenosha. And he said, yeah, come on up. You can shadow me on the sideline. Super offer. And I went up there, was watching practice right next to him.
And he said, you know, you should talk to Tom Ruby. And I had known who Tom Ruby was because... Northwestern had a Navy SEAL, an active duty Navy SEAL playing football for them.
And he said, you know, you should talk to Tom Ruby. And I had known who Tom Ruby was because... Northwestern had a Navy SEAL, an active duty Navy SEAL playing football for them.
And he said, you know, you should talk to Tom Ruby. And I had known who Tom Ruby was because... Northwestern had a Navy SEAL, an active duty Navy SEAL playing football for them.
33 years old.
33 years old.
33 years old.
So Pat hooked me up with Tom. And, you know, the book I was working on, eventually I went down to where Tom had a place in Indiana. And I said, you know, the book I'm working on is interesting, but your life is way more interesting. And I asked him if he wanted to do a biography of And he did not want to do a book at that time. Talk a little closer to the mic, if you will.
So Pat hooked me up with Tom. And, you know, the book I was working on, eventually I went down to where Tom had a place in Indiana. And I said, you know, the book I'm working on is interesting, but your life is way more interesting. And I asked him if he wanted to do a biography of And he did not want to do a book at that time. Talk a little closer to the mic, if you will.
So Pat hooked me up with Tom. And, you know, the book I was working on, eventually I went down to where Tom had a place in Indiana. And I said, you know, the book I'm working on is interesting, but your life is way more interesting. And I asked him if he wanted to do a biography of And he did not want to do a book at that time. Talk a little closer to the mic, if you will.
He did not want to do a book at the time in 2015 and 2016. He was going through things in his life, you know, marriage issues and... sobriety. And so we stayed in touch. My wife passed away in 2019 and I moved to Cave Creek, Arizona. And, you know, a couple of years ago we met in Chicago for dinner and he said, you're still interested in doing a book. And I said,
He did not want to do a book at the time in 2015 and 2016. He was going through things in his life, you know, marriage issues and... sobriety. And so we stayed in touch. My wife passed away in 2019 and I moved to Cave Creek, Arizona. And, you know, a couple of years ago we met in Chicago for dinner and he said, you're still interested in doing a book. And I said,