Novelist Tod Goldberg on murder, and why sports is so emotionally affecting

“To be creative, you have to live. You have to exist on this planet for a little bit” – Tod Goldberg

Tod Goldberg (@todgoldberg) is an American author and essayist, best known for his novels Gangsterland and Gangster Nation, and the tie-in novels to the television show Burn Notice. He directs the UCR Palm Desert Low Residency MFA program in Creative Writing.

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf speaks with Tod about studying true crime and how to get away with murder (2:50); our relationship with athletes and sports (23:30); the Olympics and the Cold War (45:00); and the psychology of fandom and meeting your sports heroes (54:00).

For more information Tod Goldberg, you can visit his website, www.todgoldberg.com.

Notable books, essays, poems, and podcast episodes

• “When They Let Them Bleed,” by Tod Goldberg
• Horny? Las Vegas: A Sexy, Steamy, Downright Sleazy Guide to the City, by Tod Goldberg
• “Las Vegas was built by gangsters, and we celebrated those stories,” by Tod Goldberg
• The Pistol Poets by Victor Gischler (novel)
• “Notes On the Narrative Conundrum of Baseball Fandom,” by Rolf Potts
• “Literature of Desire: The 1976 Sears Christmas Wish Book,” by Rolf Potts
• Deviate podcast interview with Tom Bissell
• Deviate podcast interview with Jessa Crispin
• “Lines on seeing a Lock of Milton’s Hair,” by John Keats

Notable athletes and sporting events mentioned

• Kim Duk-koo (boxer)
• Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini (boxer)
• Mark McGwire (baseball player)
• Rickey Henderson (baseball player)
• 1980 Olympic hockey “Miracle on Ice“
• Jim Craig (hockey goalkeeper)
• Mike Eruzione (hockey player)
• 2017 World Series
• 2017 NBA Finals
• Alex Johnson (1970 AL batting champion)
• Billy Martin (baseball manager)
• Billy Beane (baseball executive)
• Ryan Braun (baseball player)
• Steve Garvey (baseball player)
• Bill Buckner (baseball player)
• Mark Breland (boxer)
• Sugar Ray Leonard (boxer)
• Tim Bradley (boxer
• Bill Ring (NFL running back)
• Mike Mercer (NFL kicker)
• Tony Dorsett (NFL running back)
• Lyle Alzado (NFL defensive end)
• Charlie Batch (NFL quarterback)
• Earl Thomas III (NFL defensive back)
• Matthew Centrowitz Jr. (2016 Olympic gold medalist, 1500m)
• Renaldo Nehemiah (Olympic 100m hurdler)
• Edwin Moses (Olympic 400m hurdler)
• LeBron James (basketball player)
• Steve Zungul (MISL striker)
• Slobo Ilijevski (MISL goalkeeper)
• Wichita Wings (MISL franchise)

Notable films, TV shows, and videos mentioned:

• Peaky Blinders (television show)
• Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino film)
• John Wick (Keanu Reeves film)
• Battle of the Network Stars (television show)
• Superstars (television show)
• Wide World of Sports (TV show)
• 30 for 30 (ESPN documentary series)
• Romper Room (children’s TV show)
• “Stop,” by Jane’s Addiction (music video)

Other notable people and events mentioned

• Scott Baio (actor)
• Keanu Reeves (actor)
• George R.R. Martin (author)
• Robert Conrad (actor)
• Mark Harmon (actor and former UCLA quarterback)
• Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction singer)
• Dave Navarro (Jane’s Addiction guitarist)
• Iran Hostage Crisis

This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.