DM) Are all the stories about sports superstitions in the
book true?
NN) Yes. I had at least two verifications when the subject was
either deceased or not reachable.
DM) And so far, what have any athletes reactions been upon seeing
the book?
NN) Very positive. In some cases, I have had athletes get into
old stories about teammates, coaches, its a fun subject.
DM) Who were some of your favorite sports stars growing up?
NN) Ernie Banks, Bobby Hull, Pistol Pete Maravich.
DM) I've heard of Ernie Banks and Bobby Hull, but who is Pistol
Pete?
NN) Pistol Pete was an NCAA standout guard in basketball for
LSU. He went on to have a brilliant career with the New Orleans
Jazz (now Utah Jazz). He was also very superstitious. He wore
the same droopy pair of socks his whole career.
DM) What was the most surprsining suspition you learned while
working on this book?
NN) Probably the story regarding the legendary thoroughbred Phar
Lap and the lucky saddle.
DM) If I recall it correctly the rider used his lucky saddle
in every race except for the one in which he was thrown from
his horse and died. Do you think it could have been just co-incidence?
NN) Possibly. It was the only time that George "The Ice
Man" Woolf chose not to use the saddle in all the time he
owned it. You be the judge.
DM) Do you believe in mysticysm and the para-normal or do you
think that most of this is just co-incidence?
NN) I don't disbelieve in what might be termed paranormal, or
the unexplainable. In Locker Room Mojo for the most part are
about faith. Faith in an athlete's skill as well as faith in
something they look to for an edge. Whether thats a rabbits foot
or a lucky , unwashed t-shirt. I think that any athlete that
achieves pro status, or world class amateur status believes strongly
in their own skill level.
DM) Do you have any of your own superstitions?
NN) When I started writing the book I found myself collecting
things, props for the book, coins, rabbit's foot, etc., then
I started carrying them around. One night I emptied my pockets
out on the dresser and found a curious little pile of odds and
ends. I stopped myself.I try to conciously avoid it.
DM) And now that the book is out, what are you working on?
NN) Right now I am promoting the book full time. I am hoping
to get back to work on both my regular clients, and the second
installment of Locker Room Mojo.
DM) What are your regular clients?
NN) I do freelance marketing for two film studios in Los Angeles.
DM) And what can we expect in the second installment of the book?
NN) More fun. More color. More unusual tales of superstitions
in sports.
DM) I was wondering though, why did you decide to make the book
in a living room table size format and not a regular hard cover?
NN) I wanted this book to be as visually fun to look at as it
was to read. The coffee table format seemed the best way to go
to achieve that. I'm a big fan of art books. I did not want this
to be just a typical sports book...lots of text and a few black
and white photos.
DM) Well, thank you for taking your time out with us today.
NN) My pleasure.
