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Michael Backus

@mjbackus.bsky.social
182 followers 397 following 61 posts

Writer (a novel, The Vanishing Point; a memoir, The Heart is Meat: An 80s Memoir, coming out in May 2025 on Headpress/Oil on Water press out of England), teacher of writing (Gotham Writer's Workshop), film nut, book lover, NBA fan.

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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
It's always a question of how much of a bubble does this fool live in. I mean, we know for example that he was told repeatedly that he lost the 2020 election by his own people, so that's a willful lie that won't go away. Less sure about shit like gas prices.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
How many times have we seen this in the Trump era? Some random GOP drone pretends he/she might buck whatever insane shit Trump wants, giving the faint air of having a backbone, but they all drop to their knees and unzip in the end. It's pathetic.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
What's amazing is he started that play with the Fox block; sure that Fox layup try was (quoting Clyde) "ill-advised," but two huge plays in a row by one guy.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Brunson made a smart play, too. He had Wemby on him and he fired a long three with OG and KAT attacking the boards. Not saying it was by design exactly but once you have the 7'7" guy at the three point line, you have to like your offensive rebound chances.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Wow, she's already got the weird inflated MAGA lips, that didn't take long.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
I can't be a conspiracy guy; so much of the MAGA world is built on absurd conspiracies, but it IS odd how little play his would be assassin has gotten. We never hear much about him, and this is a country where assassins (Oswald, Sirhan S, Hinckley, etc) are huge public figures.
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Reposted by Michael Backus
Oil On Water Press @oilonwaterpress.com · 27/03/2026
“Backus dizzyingly re-creates scene after scene of pure 1980s Manhattan, immersing the reader into a forgotten early-AIDS era in New York history.” Read the full Kirkus Reviews piece on @mjbackus.bsky.social The Heart is Meat here: www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews... @mjbackus.bsky.social
kirkusreviews.com
THE HEART IS MEAT | Kirkus Reviews
A Midwestern transplant’s life in early 1980s New York City is reinvigorated in this memoir.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Honestly, I'm not sure limiting mail in voting helps the GOP and it's hard not to think it's because Trump had leads in specific states before the mail in ballots were counted and he lost that lead and hence, thinks it's all corrupt. Like a child's take.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Whose a good boy? Whose a good boy? You are...
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
But later, the cornerback understands, he slipped, shit happens, but the kicker? His whole reason to be is to hit shots like that, that one's leaving a bruise. Btw, had he hit it, then you could say the same about the Steelers' kicker, missing that extra point, both kicks weirdly going hard right.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 29/11/2025
I just don't see it. Maybe by the end of the year, he's in the bottom half of the top ten. But Jokic is having a season we've never seen before, Shai is better than last year, and Luka's numbers dwarf Brunson's.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
What's really galling is no doubt there are a lot of Trump voters out there who applaud his shaky grasp of the facts; who after all can be expected to remember one of the three or four most important dates in our country's history?
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Checks out.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
www.youtube.com/shorts/yJAaK...
youtube.com
Van Gundy ended up on Alonzo leg after the Heat & Knicks threw down in the 97 playoffs
YouTube video by Hokupguy Classics
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
I sometimes forget how long guys like Luka and Jokic have been in the league.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
I can value AD as an all NBA talent and still think the Mavs got totally hosed. AD, 2 unprotected picks and Reaves was the minimum haul and people would still say the Mavs lost that version of the trade.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
A guy who was first team All NBA his first five seasons, well, maybe that should've been Nico's first clue.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
For years, I've heard people say some version of "No one really knows why the twin towers fell" as a precursor to laying this theory on me. All I know is I watched a two hour Nova special two or three years after 2001 and it explained in great detail why each of the buildings collapsed.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews... My book is out in bookstores on May 1. Here's a quote from the review:
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
A lot of Americans forget what a scourge TB was here; my mom grew up in rural Kentucky, she put together a list once of her family and like 13 out of 15 family members died of TB, including her mother who coughed up so much blood one night, she died from it at 36.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
That's the sad thing about this craven crew of MAGA creeps; we all know that Hegseth knows the truth but we live in a GOP world where you literally cannot come out and say what is super obvious because the party is run by an ignorant super narcissist whose next coherent thought will be his first.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
I thought in a lot of ways, it was a fuck you to the MAGA world. For one, Canada's team was a focus and Kerr (a noted Trump critic) got as much screen time as anyone, plus the guiding mantra of the doc was Kerr's "living abroad for years teaches empathy" which is a direct counter to the MAGA world
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Australia? That's a real place? I thought it was made up to scare people with snake and spider phobias. Really, though, yes, Australia is left out; they are shown briefly getting beat, but part of the strength of the doc is the narrow focus of its interests. Doesn't try to be comprehensive.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Honestly, I don't think he should even say it. It's clearly such an absurd idea, put forth by a guy who is so dumb and out to lunch, he doesn't realize how outlandish this idea is. He thinks because he had the idea (or more likely, some lackey suggested it), it's a good idea. Appalling bullshit.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Outside Left is a magazine that pushes books they like; they liked my memoir, out on May 1. Got to love the line, "raciest paciest creative non-fiction." Thanks to Lamontpaul. outsideleft.com/main.php?upd...
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 10/02/2025
Dude's knee callouses must be truly impressive.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Get used to it, we're going to hear a lot of these regrets over the next four years.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Luka has hit the 65 game mark five out of seven seasons; hard to label him as someone who can't stay on the court. If you're only looking at this season, well...good luck with that.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
Is LeBron a loser in this? Hard to see the 2 of them fitting comfortably on the court; this feels like a move for the future, post-LeBron. Does this make it more likely LeBron plays somewhere else his last season? Certainly the Lakers defense, which is getting better, takes a hit.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 02/02/2025
It's part of why I rarely listen to former players on NBA podcasts; no matter how articulate and basketball smart they are, it always feels like they're protecting friends and fellow players on the one hand and pushing some sort of agenda on the other.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
This is what I was sort of trying to say, but said it poorly. Thanks.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
When will people stop going to player polls for anything relevant. Time and time again, players have shown they either don't have a clue or are just voting on rep, without thinking in any depth about what they're being asked. Obviously there ARE thoughtful players but as a group...?
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
Holy shit, in the world of terrible appointments, Trump's Patel appt might be the worst. This NY Times article lays out the bullshit he was peddling and how it was wrong. F.B.I. Pick Pushed False and Misleading Claims About Trump Investigations www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/u...
nytimes.com
Kash Patel, Trump’s F.B.I. Pick, Pushed False Claims About Trump Investigations
Kash Patel, Donald J. Trump’s choice to run the bureau, has made a series of spurious assertions about the Russia, Jan. 6 and classified documents inquiries.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
Honestly, I still think Covid was the key factor in two elections. It was central to Biden winning and then Biden had to deal with a dead on arrival economy because of Covid and Trump won because the perception that the economy was in the dumps. Covid giveth and taketh away.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 19/01/2025
Okay, but no thinking person is buying into the rhetoric of a former crack head turned bankrupt pillow dude; the point of that post is really how the right hits the same note over and over, no matter the context. No one is buying into his shite.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Being from Indiana, I always knew about the Van Arsdale twins, but looking at their BR pages, they ended up making 3 AS teams apiece, Dick averaged 16 ppg, Tom 15 and each played 13 seasons. Remarkably similar numbers.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Let's not forget, Sprewell and Houston took the Knicks to the finals in a strike shortened season, 99 I think. I've been a Knicks fan for a long time, from living in the city 30 years, but while I admire Brunson, I can't say I love watching him. Too much flailing about looking for foul calls.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
Read an excellent collection of his. One story I always remember, the Orioles playing Toronto and the fans are riding Earl Weaver and the team. Weaver turns to the crowd and screams "Shut the fuck up" and one guy did, then another, and another until the whole Canadian crowd went silent.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Am I the only one who remembers Reagan, who was a race baiting POS as governor who morphed into a dim bulb president who was barely sentient. He was Trump 44 years ago or at least lowered the bar so far, we ended up with Trump.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
You know that 73 IQ thing that was going around about Trump and turns out to not be true. This Tuberville guy might really be skirting with that number. I mean, when's the last time he said something wasn't some insane and idiotic bullshit? Has he ever?
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Really? Sounds exactly like him to me.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
Fair point, I guess mine was more of a Twitter esque post.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
I get why you don't name it (you have a literary rep, why start something), but it seems fair to point out that if you aren't going to name the book, why even post the sentiment? I mean, does anyone think every book is for them? I think the opposite, most are not for me so...
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
Just watched him in Forbidden Planet where he's the comic relief cook who likes a drink
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Seems a central issue with the far right around anything to do with humans in proximity to each other. They seem to think men just can't help themselves if they're around a female. Isn't that partly why the right is so forgiving about Trump and all the other sexual abusers at the heart of the GOP?
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Hard to go there. Ant's BPM in this short season is 2.7, including a minus 1.1 for DBPM. He DOES have a TS of .612 but no way that holds. MJ's career BPM is 9.2, three times Ant's best. And Ant is not getting to the rim this season. He IS shooting great from 3 but that's not MJ.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
That relationship as described was certainly vampiric; but at the same time, we have a choice of letting a 66 year old woman tell her story the way she wants or just say, she's beside the point, and here's the truth of this situation. In the article, she seems capable of owning her narrative.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
This is the team I thought they could be, an elite offensive team with some defensive challenges. There's zero rim protection at this point, but against most opponents, this offense will carry it. Still not convinced they can beat an elite team in 7 games but there's a lot of time till then...
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
37?? If you're already claiming old age, you have a rough four decades ahead of you.
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Michael Backus @mjbackus.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
Why does so much of the GOP agenda depend on its citizens NOT getting the full information about a particular situation, over and over. I mean, if you believe in your choices (and Gaetz is a choice), you shouldn't be scared of all relevant info emerging.
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