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10. The Lombardi and the "Oscar"
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C H P T E R 1 0 The Lombardi and the “Oscar” I’MNOTSLVETOTHEM,butImustreluctantlyadmit thatIdohavemysuperstitions.Infact,asaculture,theVietnamese tendtobeextremelysusceptibletosuperstitions.Not justthewell-known,gardenvariety,suchasbreakingmirrors, walkingunderaladder,orallowingablackcattocrossyour path.Manymembersofmyownfamily,forexample,won’tallow agrouppicturetobetakenunlessthereareanevennumber ofpeopleinthepicture.Youcantakeaphotooftwo,four,six,or eightofus,butdon’teventhinkaboutsnappingashotwithonly three,fi ve,orsevenofus.Irealizethat’sarather“odd”superstition ,butaren’ttheyall? AnotherunusualVietnamesesuperstitioninvolvesourhomes. Accordingtolegend,youarenotsupposedtobuyorbuildahome inwhichyoucanseethebackdoorwhenyouopenthefrontdoor andenterthehouse.Thereasonforthisisthat,fromafi nancial The Lombardi and the “Oscar” ✮ 159 standpoint,“whatflowsinwillflowrightout.”Inotherwords, whoneedsfinancialplannersaslongasyouhaveanicedividing wallbetweenthefrontdoorandtheback?Oneparticularly superstitiousmemberofmyfamily,myunclePhoDo,has eventakenovertheunofficialtitleof“housesupervisor”for alldwellingsinourextendedfamily.Phowillliterallytravel fromhishomeinNewOrleanstowhereveranewhouseis beingpurchasedorbuiltandinspectittomakesureitmeets thesuperstitionstandards.EvenIrealizedthiswasabsolutely absurd.So,whenIfoundanice,comfortablehomeinFlower Mound after signing my first contract with the Dallas Cowboys ,IpurchaseditdespitethefactthatIcouldclearlyseethe backdoorwhenIwalkedinthefront.Butjusttobeonthe safeside,Ipositionedanice-sizedplantinmyhometoobscure theviewofthebackdoorfromthefrontentry.Ifiguredthatif therewasatleasttheslightesttruthtothelegend,afewbucks wouldprobablystickinthebranchesoftheplantbeforeheading outthebackdoor. AsIsaidbefore,I’mnotaslavetosuperstitions,butIamsuperstitious ,especiallywhenitcomestofootball.Ifsomethingisworking forme,IusuallytrytomakesureIdoitthesamewayevery time.DuringmyrookieseasonwiththeCowboys,Beckygaveme animpromptulittlepeptalk,agoodluckmessage,asIwalkedout thefrontdoor.Iplayedparticularlywellthatgame,soIhavemade certainthatshegivesmetheexactsamemessagebeforeIwalkout thedoorforeverygame.Ononehurriedoccasion,Ileftthehouse withjustaquickkissfrommywifeandnomessage.AsIbegan drivingtowardthestadium,IrealizedIwastotallymessingwith thegoodluckvibes,soIcircledback,cameinthedoor,andtold BeckyIneededtoleavealloveragainwiththecompletemessage. Icouldhaveplayedthegamewithoutit,butifIhadblownoutmy kneeinthatgameormissedthegame-savingtackle,Iwouldhave neverforgivenmyselffornotfollowingtheroutine. [18.232.88.17] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 02:07 GMT) 160 ✮ Chapter 10 OnceIarriveatthestadium,Iam—likesomanyotherplayers —meticulous with my pre-game rituals. During my rookie season,IoftenmarveledatthepainstakingprocessDeionSanders followedforgettingdressedforagame.Deionwouldlayout hiscompleteuniform—shoes,socks,pants,jersey,sweatbands, andeverythingelse—onthefloorinfrontofhislockerbeforehe everthoughtofputtinganyofiton.Helaiditoutintheform ofaperson,almostasthoughhewascreatingaDeionshrine beforetheactualDeiondressed.Butnooneeverquestionedit. ItobviouslyworkedforDeion,andifitworks,theruleofthumb intheathleticworldistokeepdoingit. Mypre-gameritualisn’taselaborateassome,butImakesure todoeverythingthe“right”waybeforetheleft.Ipullmyright pantslegonfirst...