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Gods and Goofballs is the brainchild of writer Brad Engel, and you will be seeing him both on our homepage and in our SJ Gallery of Blog Affiliates forum. Please check him out, you won’t be sorry. But I will let him explain it all in his own words….meet Brad…

I loved your blog immediately. What struck me is how easily your ideas all flow. What a large range of topics you are comfortable writing about.

How did Gods and Goofballs come about and what is it’s premise?

Believe it or not, the premise for Gods and Goofballs: The Blog stemmed from the tragic death of Mike Tyson’s daughter, Exodus. Her name comes from one of the books in the Bible. I was so moved and shaken by the almost unbelievable story of her passing, that I simply HAD to write about it. Like many ideas, that first blog post morphed into the concept below, which may or may not resemble the original starting point.


Gods and Goofballs, GAG for short, is a newsy niche site and blog that focuses on athletes’ superstitions, rituals and Gods. GAG is dedicated to sharing the faith of our athletes and their quirky superstitions, rituals or plain-old behavior – because that’s what makes them the goofballs we’ve come to love.

Your ideas just seem to stem from whatever is going on in the sports world. Does writing come easily to you and how did you get started?

I’m a sports journalist by trade, so I’ve had a lot of practice over the years – and the guidance of A LOT of talented people. Believe me, it’s not always easy. Hopefully, I miss my free throws and lay-ups during the drafting process and not on the final product.

Who is your personal God and Goofball of 2009?

Great question! God: Brett Favre. Goofball: Chad Ochocinco.

You are sitting with a remote at home….what sport are you watching and what team?

Spring – Cubs. Summer – Cubs. Fall – I wish it were the Cubs, but it’s Bears season then. Winter – Bears and Bulls. And whatever else is on the TV in the newsroom while at work. Born and raised in Chicagoland. Loyal, nearly to a flaw.

Any advice for anyone starting out writing or toying with the idea of taking on a blog?

Yes, simply START! My blog was born from a very unusual place and morphed into something that’s not only enjoyable for me but seems to have some general appeal. As Stephen King said, The scariest moment is always just before you start.

What do you like to do for fun when you aren’t writing?

I’m a daddy, so anything my pre-schooler wants to do is usually pretty fun. Save for when a game of catch only last for one throw – in the opposite direction of where I’m standing.

What is your idea of a perfect day?

Early fall or spring weather in Chicago; a big, healthy (but a little greasy) breakfast; weightlifting and running; researching ideas for a book; working on the book; family time at night. Repeat DAILY. (Of course, that’s an ideal that hasn’t taken shape yet).

What advice would you give Ben Roethlisberger about now?

Here’s what he said during his statement to the press: I understand that the opportunities I have been blessed with are privileged and much is expected of me. So I say, learn how to live a blessed life, resisting temptation.

Do you follow the draft?

NFL – yes. The others not so much, unless my day job requires it.

and a few one word answers for fun

Favorite Movie: Rocky
Favorite Color: Silver
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Saying: Really…

I am really looking forward to more of what he has to say…..

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