My Media Colleague Bruce Miles

The title of this isn't just my small brag. It is something veteran media person Bruce Miles once said at a book discussion he held.

Bruce has carved out a great career. He has done things I truly admire. In a parallel universe, I would have followed his career path.

A few years ago, I had the honor of sharing the media area of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League with Bruce. That's something I never saw coming way back when I started writing more at a relatively advanced age. To me, that signified I had achieved a level of success I never expected.

Bruce has stayed with the Bandits since then, while I chose not to officially cover the team. It wasn't a good fit for me, but I left on my own terms, which is another victory for me. In my early days, I took every assignment I could get. Now I am at the point I can walk away if it doesn't work for me. No offense to Athletes Unlimited or the Chicago Bandits, but being credentialed di not allow me to do the type of coverage I liked doing. I still follow and cover he league on my own.

That's why I was at the Ball Park in Rosemont for Opening Weekend. Bruce was one of the first folks I saw Saturday and I had to get a quick picture. Once the games and season starts, I know Bruce is very busy. This was a lucky pass.

As for the "media colleague" title, that was from a quote by Bruce. When I attended one of his book discussion, he introduced me at the end of the session. I was a bit surprised and certainly grateful. Even if it was just out of politeness, having Bruce do it really made me feel good.

Bruce is a class act and an excellent writer, author and reporter. Meeting him was cool enough, but working with him was a thrill.

Bruce Miles and me in Rosemont, IL-June 2026.

On the Beat With Bruce Miles

I have been a regular reader of Bruce Miles for many years. A sports writer, reporter and author, he is one of the best in the business.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bruce to discuss the release of his book The Franchise: Chicago Cubs: A Curated History of the Cubs, co-written with Jesse Rogers, another long time fixture on the Chicago sports media scene. We also talked a bit about Bruce's career highlights, witnessing the World Series, his work with Athletes Unlimited sports and more.

Bruce talked about the freedom he had in picking his topics for The Franchise: Chicago Cubs: A Curated History of the Cubs, which is a big reason this book is unique among so many other books on the Cubs. At a hefty 256 pages, the book has plenty of great tales from Bruce and Jesse. With the amount of games both Bruce and Jesse have covered, there was a large pool from which to choose. There is also the possibility of a sequel. As an avid reader and fan of the Cubs, there is always room for another great book on my bookshelf, especially one written by a talent like Bruce.

Before I ended the interview, I took the opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation for working the Athletes Unlimited press booth with him. As a long time fan of his work, it really was one of my big thrills.

Check out the interview at On the Beat With Bruce Miles. Then head to Amazon or your local book store and pick up The Franchise: Chicago Cubs: A Curated History of the Cubs.