Where are they now?
Former Broncos football star owns KSBI TV
Carol Brimm
With graduates like Shane Hammon, Kendall Cross and many others, Mustang has produced some very successful people. Brady Brus is one of them.
Brus first tasted success as a place kicker for the Mustang Broncos. Brus says he was the highest rated high school place kicker in the state of Oklahoma after setting a state record for kicking 5 field goals in one game against Putnam City in 1988. He believes the record is still unbroken. Brus was also a successful student, placing 16th in the 1989 MHS graduating class.
“All I know is that I sat in the front row with yellow tassels and that meant I did something good,” Brus said.
While Brus played football for the Broncos, Angie Snodgrass was a MHS cheerleader. They began dating in their senior year and married four years later. They have three sons, Brandon 8, Justin 5, and Jason 2. Angie attended the University of Oklahoma and became a CPA for Arthur Anderson.
After high school Brus attended Oklahoma State University on the promise of a football scholarship, but OSU was on probation and could not award scholarships at that time. Brus fulfilled his dream of being a “Cowboy” and played under Mike Gundy his freshman year. With school probation hampering his scholarship hopes, Brus transferred to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford his sophomore year.
“All I ever wanted to be was a professional football player,” Brus said. “But I always watched the weather before every game to see what it was going to do.”
At Southwestern Brus’ interest in weather grew and he transferred to the OU College of Geosciences where he earned a degree in Meteorology in 1994. He started working at KWTV, Channel 9 in Oklahoma City, during his senior year of college and says he was promoted to number two weatherman within 3 years.
“On March 6, 2001, I was called into Gary England’s office and told I was doing too good and needed to move on. I had been there almost 10 years,” Brus said.
Although Brus had offers from other stations, he says he decided to buy a network, instead of just doing the weather. He learned that KSBI was up for sale due to the death of owner Don J. Locke. Mr. Locke, founder of Locke Building Supply, had started the network in 1988 and built it up to a three million watt station, Brus said. Brus put together the Family Broadcasting Group and worked for two years to develop a business plan and convince KSBI to sell to his company. He says before his death Mr. Locke had turned down large offers from Ted Turner “because he didn’t need anyone’s money”.
In March 2004, Brus became the owner of KSBI (channel 52 and Cox channel 9) and KXOC (channel 141).
“KSBI is the fastest growing station in prime time according to the Nielson ratings,” Brus said, “and outperforms the WB on some nights.”
The station is not network affiliated because Brus says that would prevent them from owning the inventory through the day and affect their ability to focus on family broadcasting.
“We just got a contract with the Oklahoma State School Association to broadcast all post season high school events including choir, cheerleading, football, soccer, etc. We now have an exclusive for all the championship games instead of Cox who had them for 5 years,” Brus said. “I enjoyed being able to showcase my old team last year because the Broncos won so many games.”
Brus says he considered broadcasting state lottery results on KSBI but chose not to because he didn’t feel it was something the station wanted and could stand behind.
“It is important to provide family friendly programming for the state,” Brus said. “When we run sports we won’t run questionable commercials that kids can’t watch and so far we haven’t had any problems with that. I think things are changing a little bit after the Janet Jackson incident at the Super Bowl and this is a great opportunity for KSBI to show family friendly programming can be done and is being done.”
Brus, whose in-laws Joe and Cathy Snodgrass still live in Mustang, says he is surprised how Mustang has grown. He believes the growth is good, but says the city should be careful how it happens.
Brus says he has fond memories of driving down a two lane Mustang Road under a canopy of trees and stopping at the Metro Petro before school for a coke or a candy bar.
“What I probably miss most about those days is the lack of responsibility,” Brus said. “I miss those summer nights driving around in my Chevy Nova with Angie listening to 80’s hair band music.”
Brus and his family currently live in Piedmont, which he says is a lot like Mustang was when he was a kid: quiet, rural and growing quickly.
Former Broncos football star owns KSBI TV
Carol Brimm
With graduates like Shane Hammon, Kendall Cross and many others, Mustang has produced some very successful people. Brady Brus is one of them.
Brus first tasted success as a place kicker for the Mustang Broncos. Brus says he was the highest rated high school place kicker in the state of Oklahoma after setting a state record for kicking 5 field goals in one game against Putnam City in 1988. He believes the record is still unbroken. Brus was also a successful student, placing 16th in the 1989 MHS graduating class.
“All I know is that I sat in the front row with yellow tassels and that meant I did something good,” Brus said.
While Brus played football for the Broncos, Angie Snodgrass was a MHS cheerleader. They began dating in their senior year and married four years later. They have three sons, Brandon 8, Justin 5, and Jason 2. Angie attended the University of Oklahoma and became a CPA for Arthur Anderson.
After high school Brus attended Oklahoma State University on the promise of a football scholarship, but OSU was on probation and could not award scholarships at that time. Brus fulfilled his dream of being a “Cowboy” and played under Mike Gundy his freshman year. With school probation hampering his scholarship hopes, Brus transferred to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford his sophomore year.
“All I ever wanted to be was a professional football player,” Brus said. “But I always watched the weather before every game to see what it was going to do.”
At Southwestern Brus’ interest in weather grew and he transferred to the OU College of Geosciences where he earned a degree in Meteorology in 1994. He started working at KWTV, Channel 9 in Oklahoma City, during his senior year of college and says he was promoted to number two weatherman within 3 years.
“On March 6, 2001, I was called into Gary England’s office and told I was doing too good and needed to move on. I had been there almost 10 years,” Brus said.
Although Brus had offers from other stations, he says he decided to buy a network, instead of just doing the weather. He learned that KSBI was up for sale due to the death of owner Don J. Locke. Mr. Locke, founder of Locke Building Supply, had started the network in 1988 and built it up to a three million watt station, Brus said. Brus put together the Family Broadcasting Group and worked for two years to develop a business plan and convince KSBI to sell to his company. He says before his death Mr. Locke had turned down large offers from Ted Turner “because he didn’t need anyone’s money”.
In March 2004, Brus became the owner of KSBI (channel 52 and Cox channel 9) and KXOC (channel 141).
“KSBI is the fastest growing station in prime time according to the Nielson ratings,” Brus said, “and outperforms the WB on some nights.”
The station is not network affiliated because Brus says that would prevent them from owning the inventory through the day and affect their ability to focus on family broadcasting.
“We just got a contract with the Oklahoma State School Association to broadcast all post season high school events including choir, cheerleading, football, soccer, etc. We now have an exclusive for all the championship games instead of Cox who had them for 5 years,” Brus said. “I enjoyed being able to showcase my old team last year because the Broncos won so many games.”
Brus says he considered broadcasting state lottery results on KSBI but chose not to because he didn’t feel it was something the station wanted and could stand behind.
“It is important to provide family friendly programming for the state,” Brus said. “When we run sports we won’t run questionable commercials that kids can’t watch and so far we haven’t had any problems with that. I think things are changing a little bit after the Janet Jackson incident at the Super Bowl and this is a great opportunity for KSBI to show family friendly programming can be done and is being done.”
Brus, whose in-laws Joe and Cathy Snodgrass still live in Mustang, says he is surprised how Mustang has grown. He believes the growth is good, but says the city should be careful how it happens.
Brus says he has fond memories of driving down a two lane Mustang Road under a canopy of trees and stopping at the Metro Petro before school for a coke or a candy bar.
“What I probably miss most about those days is the lack of responsibility,” Brus said. “I miss those summer nights driving around in my Chevy Nova with Angie listening to 80’s hair band music.”
Brus and his family currently live in Piedmont, which he says is a lot like Mustang was when he was a kid: quiet, rural and growing quickly.
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