I've got a few minutes left prior to hopping my plane, so at the risk of stirring up controversy I'll start a new post about a non-team sport star: Swiss tennis pro Roger Federer.
Back in May, I made a post called "the Most Dominant Athlete of the 20th Century" to which I received the following comment:
"ROGER FEDERER - Is the most dominant athlete in sport today. In 2008 he will be trying to win the U.S. Open for the 5th consecutive year in a row. Furthermore in 2008 he will be trying to win WIMBLEDON for the 6th consecutive year in a row. Finally in 2008 if he wins 3 more majors he will be the ALL TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION. All this and Roger is only 26. In the history of Golf and Tennis Roger federer is the only peron to win 3 out of 4 majors in 1 year 3 times."
Well, I was talking about the most dominant team sport player and comparing how many of 'em were Aquarians or had Aquarius related astrological signatures. Also, I was talking about 20th century athletes, and while Federer turned pro in 1998, he didn't start winning pro tournaments till 2002. Now Mr. Federer is NOT an Aquarius. He's a Big Leo...which means he's a lot of flash and drama with the charm and charisma of the Super Star (this is a trait common to most Leos who have the courage to creatively express themselves)...the kind of guy everyone loves. The fact that he plays pro tennis give him a stage on which to shine...so I'm not surprised he gets a lot of publicity.
On the other hand Aqaurius John McEnroe will be remembered for a LONG time to come. He won the U.S. Open only a year after turning pro, and while he only has nine Grand Slams compared to Federer's fourteen, he won them in his first five years whereas Federer's been playing for ten.
Who knows what McEnroe might have accomplished if not for his "sabbaticals" in '86 and '87. Currently Federer ranks behind McEnroe in overall win percentage in Singles (80.4% to 81.8%) and WAY behind in Doubles (60% to 84.3%!). For the purpose of this Blog, of course, we like to look at Doubles play as it is the closest thing to a team aspect tennis has.
McEnroe, of course, had that Aquarian tendency to rub folks the wrong way and "alienate" himself from others...this is one of the traits that make the Aquarian archetype of "crazy genius" so appropriate. Leos tend to get attention...and McEnroe with a Leo midheaven and a sun ruled by Uranus in the 10th house was going to get a LOT of attention, not all of it wanted.
Clearly, Roger has the flash...but how much is Leo roar and how much is Aquarian genius?
Welp, the young Mr. Federer doesn't have a single planet in Aquarius. Not one.
On the other hand, he does have Mars in the 11th house (Mars being an important one to athletes), the traditional house ruled by Aquarius. Roger's Mars is in Cancer, so it's ruled by the Moon...and his moon is conjunct Uranus, the ruler of Aquarius...which gives colors both his Moon (emotional make-up) and Mars with Aquarian tendencies. Finally, Roger's 6th house (traditional house of Work and Dharma) is in the sign of Aquarius. Though there are no planets there, the way he works best is in the Aquarian fashion...he may not show up in the world a crazy genius, but that's how he practices.
Anyway, the point of my original post was not that Aquarius is in any way necessary for success in pro sports, but it can be a tell-tale of the potential for explosive, trend-setting greatness. Other things (like Gemini, Mars placement, Capricorn, and Virgo) can all drive a degree of professionalism , attention to detail, and outright skill. But Aquarius is where we see the cutting edge...Aquarius IS the cutting edge.
Though a Big Leo might disagree.
: )
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Where the Hell Have I Been?!
And well you may ask!
Some may remember I spoke about my little Aries dog being quite a handful. Well the beagle is bigger now and certainly does take up quite a bit of my free time. But the real reason for my slacking off has been the real life day-to-day work of my job that was keeping me from expressing my astrological and sporting insights for the world to see.
Not that I haven't been keeping up...it IS football season after all, and the NFL is in full swing. Hell, we're halfway through the regular season and things have certainly shaken out differently from how I expected they would. Well...yes and no. Some may recall my astrological analysis of the Seattle Seahawks from back in the very beginning of this blog and the problems I saw with the chemistry of our offensive line. Guess what? I was right.
Urk!
How else can you explain not being able to get half a yard on not one, but TWO fourth down plays against the Browns last week? And that doesn't even account for the several 3rd and short we failed to convert! But let's face it...this is an offensive line problem. The play call is correct. The defenses the 'Hawks are facing aren't that strong. Our running backs are good enough to fall forward for two yards. Nah...this is a chemistry problem. And astrology can be useful for analyzing chemistry issues.
More on this later.
And the Pats...wow. The New England Patriots are destroying people; something I certainly didn't see (or didn't want to see). What the heck is going on? How the heck does one predict 40 and 50 point blow-outs against pro NFL teams? Nevermind that they're in a division with the Jets, Bills, and woeful Dolphins. If I had to make a quick analysis based on astrology, I'd check out the grand square between their elite "air force:"
Tom Brady (QB) -- Leo/fixed
Randy Moss (WR) -- Aquarius/fixed
Wes Welker (WR) -- Taurus/fixed
Donte Stallworth (WR) -- Scorpio/fixed
Squares cause tension and and excitement, and this has been an explosive combination. However, if I had the time to take a more in depth look, I'd bet that it all starts with the Patriots O-Line...how else can they continue to rotate different running backs due to injury and continue to produce huge rushing numbers regardless of the player. And of course the pass protection has been phenomenal for their QB.
More on that later, too.
So why am I getting the chance to write all of a sudden? Having I been terminated by my employer? No...but I AM on vacation (finally). I am currently typing this from the Admiral's Club at the Dallas Fort Worth airport (just passing through...my days of loving the Cowboys are far behind me). I'm going to be on the road for the next couple weeks, but as I get the opportunity, I'll be trying to get back into the blogosphere, at least a little bit. There's still plenty of football left to be played.
By the way...Jeff Garcia (Pisces) and Joey Galloway (Scorpio)...love the combo. Derek Anderson (Gemini) and Braylon Edwards (Aquarius)...ditto. More on all this later, folks.
I hope!
Some may remember I spoke about my little Aries dog being quite a handful. Well the beagle is bigger now and certainly does take up quite a bit of my free time. But the real reason for my slacking off has been the real life day-to-day work of my job that was keeping me from expressing my astrological and sporting insights for the world to see.
Not that I haven't been keeping up...it IS football season after all, and the NFL is in full swing. Hell, we're halfway through the regular season and things have certainly shaken out differently from how I expected they would. Well...yes and no. Some may recall my astrological analysis of the Seattle Seahawks from back in the very beginning of this blog and the problems I saw with the chemistry of our offensive line. Guess what? I was right.
Urk!
How else can you explain not being able to get half a yard on not one, but TWO fourth down plays against the Browns last week? And that doesn't even account for the several 3rd and short we failed to convert! But let's face it...this is an offensive line problem. The play call is correct. The defenses the 'Hawks are facing aren't that strong. Our running backs are good enough to fall forward for two yards. Nah...this is a chemistry problem. And astrology can be useful for analyzing chemistry issues.
And the Pats...wow. The New England Patriots are destroying people; something I certainly didn't see (or didn't want to see). What the heck is going on? How the heck does one predict 40 and 50 point blow-outs against pro NFL teams? Nevermind that they're in a division with the Jets, Bills, and woeful Dolphins. If I had to make a quick analysis based on astrology, I'd check out the grand square between their elite "air force:"
Tom Brady (QB) -- Leo/fixed
Randy Moss (WR) -- Aquarius/fixed
Wes Welker (WR) -- Taurus/fixed
Donte Stallworth (WR) -- Scorpio/fixed
Squares cause tension and and excitement, and this has been an explosive combination. However, if I had the time to take a more in depth look, I'd bet that it all starts with the Patriots O-Line...how else can they continue to rotate different running backs due to injury and continue to produce huge rushing numbers regardless of the player. And of course the pass protection has been phenomenal for their QB.
More on that later, too.
So why am I getting the chance to write all of a sudden? Having I been terminated by my employer? No...but I AM on vacation (finally). I am currently typing this from the Admiral's Club at the Dallas Fort Worth airport (just passing through...my days of loving the Cowboys are far behind me). I'm going to be on the road for the next couple weeks, but as I get the opportunity, I'll be trying to get back into the blogosphere, at least a little bit. There's still plenty of football left to be played.
By the way...Jeff Garcia (Pisces) and Joey Galloway (Scorpio)...love the combo. Derek Anderson (Gemini) and Braylon Edwards (Aquarius)...ditto. More on all this later, folks.
I hope!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Happy Birthday Dad!
Just had to give a shout out to my dear old Dad, Big Leo that he is. He’s in pretty good shape for a man his age…and considering the mileage!
I realize that we’re almost two weeks into August with very little blogging having been accomplished but my REAL job (the work I get paid for!) has been pretty busy of late. Yes, Bonds has surpassed Hank Aaron’s homerun record. Yes, the Mariners are still playing pretty darn good (though Seattle-ites in the know are saving their energy for the last weeks of August). Yes, there’s been lots of stuff coming out o the Seahawks’ training camp I could be discussing…in fact, I’m supposed to be blogging the Seahawks’ training camp for USA Today (a long story to be discussed later).
I’ve been busy and that’s the bottom line. Heck, I haven’t even got my wish list for fantasy football updated, and draft day is fast approaching.
But there’s no excuse for not wishing my Leo father a happy birthday. You can love ‘em or hate ‘em…but NEVER ignore Leo. That’s just about the worst hurt you can inflict on them. Fortunately, they’re easy to love and they naturally draw attention.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
I realize that we’re almost two weeks into August with very little blogging having been accomplished but my REAL job (the work I get paid for!) has been pretty busy of late. Yes, Bonds has surpassed Hank Aaron’s homerun record. Yes, the Mariners are still playing pretty darn good (though Seattle-ites in the know are saving their energy for the last weeks of August). Yes, there’s been lots of stuff coming out o the Seahawks’ training camp I could be discussing…in fact, I’m supposed to be blogging the Seahawks’ training camp for USA Today (a long story to be discussed later).
I’ve been busy and that’s the bottom line. Heck, I haven’t even got my wish list for fantasy football updated, and draft day is fast approaching.
But there’s no excuse for not wishing my Leo father a happy birthday. You can love ‘em or hate ‘em…but NEVER ignore Leo. That’s just about the worst hurt you can inflict on them. Fortunately, they’re easy to love and they naturally draw attention.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
That's FUTBOL You Dolt!
Aaaaaand…I’m back. Quite the whirlwind trip (and boy am I tired!) but I had a blast in Mexico and had the chance to escape from American craziness for awhile (trading up for delicious food and Mexican craziness).
Of course, the sports scene in Mexico is pretty much a one-trick pony: soccer (futbol). All day, every day, all channels…well, all the sports channels anyway. At least as far as I could tell.
I talked a bit about soccer with a guy at a pool hall I frequent in Veracruz. Hector was NOT a fan of American Football, and I could understand why after putting myself in his perspective. See, soccer doesn’t have commercial breaks or time outs. Sure there’s a lot of running around without much happening, but a goal COULD happen at any time. For the soccer fan, this is riveting entertainment…you can’t leave your seat for fear of missing a score! Other pro-sports give you too many breaks, leading to boredom or mental distraction…a soccer match never lets up on its pressure on the audience.
(by the way: I am only using the term “soccer” because “futbol” is unrecognized by my spell-checker)
ANYWAY…case in point: I was watching the USA versus Mexico men’s soccer match in the Pan American Games in Rio (for those who don’t know, the Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, like the Olympics, held every four years and attended by all countries of the Americas…it is not a professional venue but I’m only using it for illustrative purpose). At half-time, the score was 0-0 and around the 70th minute I decided to hop in the shower. Five minutes later, I hopped out and found Mexico up 2-0! Luckily I was able to catch the replay of Enrique Esqueda’s absolutely beautiful 2nd goal (the footwork of this 19 year old was amazing), completely making up for his earlier botched penalty kick (Enrique is an Aries…trust the Ram to blow the easy shot and then make up for it with some high energy heroics!).
The point is, I’m not used to sitting still for 90 minutes on the edge of my seat. There are plenty of excuses I could cite for why, but the main reason is it’s not something I’m used to…U.S. television companies get their own time outs in professional sporting events in order to air more commercials…it’s pretty ridiculous, though I guess the players appreciate the extra breathers. But soccer, for all the advertising and sponsors on uniforms and stadiums is decidedly UN-commercial in the American sense of the term. Or perhaps un-American in general (if captive commercial audiences is part of being American these days).
Whatever. It’s not a bad change of pace from the same-old-same-old here in the U.S. And it’s certainly a great pastime when accompanied with excellent food, warm family, and cold cervezas!
Salud!
Of course, the sports scene in Mexico is pretty much a one-trick pony: soccer (futbol). All day, every day, all channels…well, all the sports channels anyway. At least as far as I could tell.
I talked a bit about soccer with a guy at a pool hall I frequent in Veracruz. Hector was NOT a fan of American Football, and I could understand why after putting myself in his perspective. See, soccer doesn’t have commercial breaks or time outs. Sure there’s a lot of running around without much happening, but a goal COULD happen at any time. For the soccer fan, this is riveting entertainment…you can’t leave your seat for fear of missing a score! Other pro-sports give you too many breaks, leading to boredom or mental distraction…a soccer match never lets up on its pressure on the audience.
(by the way: I am only using the term “soccer” because “futbol” is unrecognized by my spell-checker)
ANYWAY…case in point: I was watching the USA versus Mexico men’s soccer match in the Pan American Games in Rio (for those who don’t know, the Pan American Games are a multi-sport event, like the Olympics, held every four years and attended by all countries of the Americas…it is not a professional venue but I’m only using it for illustrative purpose). At half-time, the score was 0-0 and around the 70th minute I decided to hop in the shower. Five minutes later, I hopped out and found Mexico up 2-0! Luckily I was able to catch the replay of Enrique Esqueda’s absolutely beautiful 2nd goal (the footwork of this 19 year old was amazing), completely making up for his earlier botched penalty kick (Enrique is an Aries…trust the Ram to blow the easy shot and then make up for it with some high energy heroics!).
The point is, I’m not used to sitting still for 90 minutes on the edge of my seat. There are plenty of excuses I could cite for why, but the main reason is it’s not something I’m used to…U.S. television companies get their own time outs in professional sporting events in order to air more commercials…it’s pretty ridiculous, though I guess the players appreciate the extra breathers. But soccer, for all the advertising and sponsors on uniforms and stadiums is decidedly UN-commercial in the American sense of the term. Or perhaps un-American in general (if captive commercial audiences is part of being American these days).
Whatever. It’s not a bad change of pace from the same-old-same-old here in the U.S. And it’s certainly a great pastime when accompanied with excellent food, warm family, and cold cervezas!
Salud!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Vick Going to the Dogs
You know, it’s partly due to living in Seattle and partly due to a red-hot baseball season that I have pretty much failed to follow the antics of Michael Vick and his alleged dog-fighting operation. Of course, dog-fighting (alleged or not) has nothing to do with team sports. But then, neither did Scooter Libby (see my earlier post). As I’ve already said, July is a pretty dry month for blog-worthy astrology-sports posts.
Sorry, Mr. Vick…I’m short on news this week. Plus, I’m heading to Mexico tomorrow, so I want to get something out.
Mr. Vick’s statement regarding the matter (per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution courtesy of wikipedia) was:
"I'm never at the house...I left the house with my family...They just haven't been doing the right thing... It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it. If I'm not there, I don't know what's going on.”
In general, the law does not recognize ignorance as a valid defense (in other words, if you didn’t know, you should’ve known). However, astrologically, I see a whole different issue. See, Vick is a CANCER (just had a birthday a couple weeks ago). The idea that a Cancer doesn’t know what’s going on in his own home is pretty darn ridiculous. The idea that a Cancer would be unaware of an operation like this that’s been going on for several years…well, it pretty much boggles the imagination.
As I’ve stated before, for Cancer “it’s all about the money, honey.” But why, why, why? BECAUSE money buys security. Security is used to insulate yourself…and insulation is desperately needed when you are a sensitive, emotional Cancer.
Does this mean the dog-fighting operation was Vick’s brain-child? Not necessarily…although a lucrative, illegal operation might be bring in extra cash, Vick hardly needed more with the juicy contract and endorsements he already receives. Heck, an illegal operation is a threat to his security…putting your career and freedom on the line and all that jazz.
But believing Vick had no knowledge of events on his own property is fairly preposterous. Cancer is the Mother Hen of the zodiac…Cancer knows what his family is doing all the time (if he can) because he worries after their welfare. It’s one of the reasons Cancer is so much about managing the home…you have to keep a well-feathered nest for the family to stay comfortable and cozy.
Home’s important, family’s important…and even when they’re on the road, Cancer likes to “check in and see what’s going on.” But EVEN MORE than that, Cancer needs a place of retreat where he can re-charge his emotional batteries in security and comfort. Of course, Vick’s place of retreat is probably a different home then the property under investigation (he’s a multi-millionaire after all). But no matter how big the investment portfolio, all of Cancer’s assets fall under the heading of My Property. Keeping his hand in is necessary for his own sense of security.
The whole thing is pretty sad: sad for Mr. Vick and his family, sad for the Falcons and their fans, sad for the taxpayers that need to prosecute criminals, sad for the dogs involved. If Mr. Vick was truly unaware of what was going on, then I feel very sorry for him…I know that he’ll be beating himself up, blaming himself for not managing his own security better. Like their opposite sign Capricorn, Cancer’s are sometimes a little too micro-managing…though this usually shows up as smothering (over-mothering) attention, and they can often stand to "back-off" a bit. But this is one case where he should have been paying closer attention to the nest.
Sorry, Mr. Vick…I’m short on news this week. Plus, I’m heading to Mexico tomorrow, so I want to get something out.
Mr. Vick’s statement regarding the matter (per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution courtesy of wikipedia) was:
"I'm never at the house...I left the house with my family...They just haven't been doing the right thing... It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it. If I'm not there, I don't know what's going on.”
In general, the law does not recognize ignorance as a valid defense (in other words, if you didn’t know, you should’ve known). However, astrologically, I see a whole different issue. See, Vick is a CANCER (just had a birthday a couple weeks ago). The idea that a Cancer doesn’t know what’s going on in his own home is pretty darn ridiculous. The idea that a Cancer would be unaware of an operation like this that’s been going on for several years…well, it pretty much boggles the imagination.
As I’ve stated before, for Cancer “it’s all about the money, honey.” But why, why, why? BECAUSE money buys security. Security is used to insulate yourself…and insulation is desperately needed when you are a sensitive, emotional Cancer.
Does this mean the dog-fighting operation was Vick’s brain-child? Not necessarily…although a lucrative, illegal operation might be bring in extra cash, Vick hardly needed more with the juicy contract and endorsements he already receives. Heck, an illegal operation is a threat to his security…putting your career and freedom on the line and all that jazz.
But believing Vick had no knowledge of events on his own property is fairly preposterous. Cancer is the Mother Hen of the zodiac…Cancer knows what his family is doing all the time (if he can) because he worries after their welfare. It’s one of the reasons Cancer is so much about managing the home…you have to keep a well-feathered nest for the family to stay comfortable and cozy.
Home’s important, family’s important…and even when they’re on the road, Cancer likes to “check in and see what’s going on.” But EVEN MORE than that, Cancer needs a place of retreat where he can re-charge his emotional batteries in security and comfort. Of course, Vick’s place of retreat is probably a different home then the property under investigation (he’s a multi-millionaire after all). But no matter how big the investment portfolio, all of Cancer’s assets fall under the heading of My Property. Keeping his hand in is necessary for his own sense of security.
The whole thing is pretty sad: sad for Mr. Vick and his family, sad for the Falcons and their fans, sad for the taxpayers that need to prosecute criminals, sad for the dogs involved. If Mr. Vick was truly unaware of what was going on, then I feel very sorry for him…I know that he’ll be beating himself up, blaming himself for not managing his own security better. Like their opposite sign Capricorn, Cancer’s are sometimes a little too micro-managing…though this usually shows up as smothering (over-mothering) attention, and they can often stand to "back-off" a bit. But this is one case where he should have been paying closer attention to the nest.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Happy Birthday Mom!
Yes, today is the birthday of my dear, sweet mother. A wonderful woman and a Cancerian, she was just about the greatest Mom a kid could ask for…but I’m sure most folks would say the same about their own mothers (a matter of taste, right?).
She shares the same birthday with Nikola Tesla, a fantastic inventor and innovator that suffered from acute over-sensitivity. Also with Hall of Fame running back O.J. Simpson (they were even born the same year!), who may have some sensitivity issues of his own.
A current American footballer born on July 9th is Trent Green, recently traded to the Miami Dolphins. Mr. Green lost his job to Damon Huard to due to a sever concussion last year, limiting his own ability, and allowing the younger QB to step-in and show his ability to play without missing a beat…well, without missing too many beats anyway. One might think it would have taken a bit longer for Huard to get comfortable in the offense. Fortunately for the Chiefs, Huard is also a Cancer (his birthday is July 9th, too!) and the offense fit him just as well as it fit Green. Net result: fairly interchangeable QBs, but one 3 years younger…Mr. Green, say “hello, Miami!”
Trent Green may not end up with much play-time on the Dolphins, though, unless some sort of injury takes down Daunte Culpepper. New head coach Cam Cameron is an Aquarius, and may well identify more readily with fellow Aquarian Culpepper’s “detached genius” than Green’s “emotional leadership” (I am using terms that have traditionally described their astrological signs). If Scorpio Nick Saban had remained with the team, it would have been a different story (Aquarius and Scorpio butt heads, while Scorpio and Cancer are VERY harmonious…like my Mom and me!).
Unfortunately, passing QBs (as both Culpepper and Green are) function best when they’ve got good chemistry with their receivers. Both Marty Booker and Chris Chambers are LEOs, the polar opposite of Aquarius. Compare Culpepper’s performance last year with, oh, say his glory days in Minnesota. Not really on the same page with his receivers. Randy Moss, on the other hand, is also an Aquarius. He and Culpepper are from the exact same dimension.
I’m not saying that two people need to have harmonious signs to play well together. But people that get along well, people who like and understand each other, grow closer faster. And knowing another person, having a mutual respect for another (and don’t we respect more those people who have our own values; i.e. our own personality traits?) builds a faster, stronger bond.
A QB wants his WR to anticipate his thought process…and it’s much easier to do this when your thought process is roughly the same. Sure, you can do it through a lot of practice and discipline (Capricorn Bobby Engram is going to convert those 3rd down slants for everyone, because he has made it his personal Saturnine mission to make that play). And you can certainly have genius Quarterbacks, spreading the field with impunity. But building a rapport between players makes the team-building process easier…which is important on the football field where so many pieces have to move in synchronicity for a play to happen.
As a side note: do you think Aquarius Randy Moss is going to have an easy time hooking up with Big Leo Tom Brady? I’m guessing probably not.
Can everyone tell I’m getting excited for the start of the season? It’s like waiting for Christmas!
Better go give my Mom a birthday hug!
She shares the same birthday with Nikola Tesla, a fantastic inventor and innovator that suffered from acute over-sensitivity. Also with Hall of Fame running back O.J. Simpson (they were even born the same year!), who may have some sensitivity issues of his own.
A current American footballer born on July 9th is Trent Green, recently traded to the Miami Dolphins. Mr. Green lost his job to Damon Huard to due to a sever concussion last year, limiting his own ability, and allowing the younger QB to step-in and show his ability to play without missing a beat…well, without missing too many beats anyway. One might think it would have taken a bit longer for Huard to get comfortable in the offense. Fortunately for the Chiefs, Huard is also a Cancer (his birthday is July 9th, too!) and the offense fit him just as well as it fit Green. Net result: fairly interchangeable QBs, but one 3 years younger…Mr. Green, say “hello, Miami!”
Trent Green may not end up with much play-time on the Dolphins, though, unless some sort of injury takes down Daunte Culpepper. New head coach Cam Cameron is an Aquarius, and may well identify more readily with fellow Aquarian Culpepper’s “detached genius” than Green’s “emotional leadership” (I am using terms that have traditionally described their astrological signs). If Scorpio Nick Saban had remained with the team, it would have been a different story (Aquarius and Scorpio butt heads, while Scorpio and Cancer are VERY harmonious…like my Mom and me!).
Unfortunately, passing QBs (as both Culpepper and Green are) function best when they’ve got good chemistry with their receivers. Both Marty Booker and Chris Chambers are LEOs, the polar opposite of Aquarius. Compare Culpepper’s performance last year with, oh, say his glory days in Minnesota. Not really on the same page with his receivers. Randy Moss, on the other hand, is also an Aquarius. He and Culpepper are from the exact same dimension.
I’m not saying that two people need to have harmonious signs to play well together. But people that get along well, people who like and understand each other, grow closer faster. And knowing another person, having a mutual respect for another (and don’t we respect more those people who have our own values; i.e. our own personality traits?) builds a faster, stronger bond.
A QB wants his WR to anticipate his thought process…and it’s much easier to do this when your thought process is roughly the same. Sure, you can do it through a lot of practice and discipline (Capricorn Bobby Engram is going to convert those 3rd down slants for everyone, because he has made it his personal Saturnine mission to make that play). And you can certainly have genius Quarterbacks, spreading the field with impunity. But building a rapport between players makes the team-building process easier…which is important on the football field where so many pieces have to move in synchronicity for a play to happen.
As a side note: do you think Aquarius Randy Moss is going to have an easy time hooking up with Big Leo Tom Brady? I’m guessing probably not.
Can everyone tell I’m getting excited for the start of the season? It’s like waiting for Christmas!
Better go give my Mom a birthday hug!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Long Dry Summer...Comin' At Ya'!
And now we’ve come to one of the slowest times of the year, pro-sports wise. Well, at least in Seattle. The Seahawks are training and not much to talk about (thank goodness…hate that off-season flak!). The Sonics are done…in more ways than one! And the Mariners are hitting that looong dry stretch where there ain’t much to talk about…teams trading wins and losses back and forth and waiting to see who comes out on top at the end of August.
It’s a looooong way till then! Expect my posts to slow down (though I’m happy to field questions from interested readers!).
It’s a looooong way till then! Expect my posts to slow down (though I’m happy to field questions from interested readers!).
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Coach Carlesimo
So, yes…I realize that while I am not a huge Sonics fan (actually, that’s a huge understatement) or a fan of the NBA in particular, there are quite a few of both residing in my hometown of Seattle. And I’ve had some folks ask for an astrological update of our current Sonics roster.
I’m not doing that today.
Really, it’s just too chaotic. However, I CAN discuss our new head coach, Peter “P.J.” Carlesimo. Mr. Carlesimo is not particularly well known for his head coaching ability…in fact, he’s never made it past the first round of the play-offs in any series as head coach (and he only went to the play-offs as a head coach with Portland…at Golden State, he was more famous for being literally throttled by his own players). Whether or not his reputation for “negative rapport” with his players is deserved, I’m not inclined to comment. Astrologers tend to look at the chemistry between folks (have I said that before?)…perhaps Mr. Sprewell and Mr. Carlesimo had some astrological challenges to their compatibility.
But, hey, no one’s strangled P.J. while he’s been assisting for the Spurs. In fact, the Spurs have done pretty well of late (um…didn’t they just win the NBA Championship? Again?). But being an assistant coach on a Championship team does not indicate potential greatness as a head coach (call Exhibit 1 Buddy Ryan, and Exhibit 2 Norv Turner). It’s not just brains and experience. Heck, it may not even be “only” charisma and leadership…but I’m guessing those are more likely ingredients for success as a head coach (um…in any sport).
There are LOTS of “intangibles” necessary to lead a team to the next level, and I would assert that for different teams, these intangibles change. First there’s the relationship of the coach to his (or her) players, second the relationship of the coach to management, third the relationship of the coach to the city/fans (I would lump media in this latter group…they’re not important enough to merit their own category). These three things – players, organization, city – are not listed in order of impact; they are ALL necessary for success.
And so I think it’s valuable to ask: from an astrology perspective, what has been successful in the past for the Seattle SuperSonics. What kind of coaching style has been appreciated in Seattle? What has worked for the players? What has earned the love/respect of the fans?
(admittedly, it’s difficult to talk about the relationship of coach and ownership in this day and age when teams are so readily swapped between investor coalitions)
Okay, so nothing says success to me like play-off wins. Unlike most sports, where only the top teams go to post-season play, in the NBA more than half of the teams get into the play-offs. As such, just making the post-season isn’t a spectacular accomplishment (even a mediocre team can make it as a #8 candidate). For real success, I look at passing through to the next round of the play-offs. Here’s how that breaks down for the Supes:
1974-75 Coach Bill Russell (first season Sonics in the play-offs)
1975-76 Coach Bill Russell
1977-78 Coach Lenny Wilkins (Lost NBA Finals)
1978-79 Coach Lenny Wilkins (Won NBA Finals)
1979-1980 Coach Lenny Wilkins (Lost Conference Finals)
1981-1982 Coach Lenny Wilkins
1986-1987 Coach Bernie Bickerstaff (Lost Conference Finals)
1988-1989 Coach Bernie Bickerstaff
1991-1992 Coach George Karl
1992-1993 Coach George Karl (Lost Conference Finals)
1995-1996 Coach George Karl (Lost NBA Finals)
1996-1997 Coach George Karl
1997-1998 Coach George Karl
2004-2005 Coach Nate McMillan
Interestingly, if one looks at ALL the years the Sonics made the play-offs (not just the seasons they passed through to the second round), you only add 6 more years, and only two more coaches (K.C. Jones in 1991 and Paul Westphal in 2000). The Sonics’ other eight head coaches never even made the play-offs.
So let’s just look at the “good ones:”
Bill Russell – Aquarius
Lenny Wilkins – Scorpio
Bernie Bickerstaff – Scorpio
George Karl – Taurus
Nate McMillan – Leo
Anyone see a pattern here? All the astrologers in the room are raising their hands. All of these men are FIXED signs. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius are the four, Fixed signs of the zodiac. Fixed signs are the ORGANIZERS, they are the one’s most prone to inertia (good and bad). They don’t put new things in place, and they aren’t adaptors. They take what’s already there and mold it into something cohesive. They provide DISCIPLINE. In Seattle, our basketball team seems to thrive when it has discipline and organization.
This is not the case with every basketball team. Phil Jackson, for example, is a Virgo (a Mutable, adaptable sign). Chuck Daly is a Cancer (a Cardinal, leadership sign). Pat Riley is a Pisces (another Mutable sign). These folks all won multiple championships for the Bulls, Pistons, and Lakers respectively.
Different teams thrive on different styles of leadership. Coach Popovich of the Spurs is a Fixed sign himself (Aquarius), but he didn’t arrive on the scene in San Antonio till 1996. Prior to his arrival, the Spurs failed to win a single championship, despite the presence of Big Leo David Robinson (1989-1997). During Mr. Robinson’s eight-year stint, the Spurs had five different coaches, none of whom stuck despite the team’s perennial play-off contention: Bob Hill (Sagittarius), John Lucas (Scorpio), Jerry Tarkanian (Leo), Bob Bass, and Larry Brown (Virgo). Popovich has been with the organization more than a decade, and has since given the Spurs consistent leadership.
The Boston Celtics won championships under five separate head coaches:
Red Auerbach (Virgo – 4 titles)
Bill Russell (Aquarius – 2 titles)
Tom Heinsohn (Virgo – 2 titles)
K.C. Jones (Gemini – 2 titles)
Bill Fitch (Taurus – 1 title)
Seven of eleven titles were won by Earth signs (64%), eight of eleven titles were won by Mutable signs (73%). No Boston Celtic team has won a title with a Fire or Water sign head coach; no Boston Celtic team ever won a championship with a Cardinal sign head coach.
Of all the head coaches that have won NBA Championships (27 different coaches), every sign is represented except for Libra and Capricorn (one would suspect that these signs can still coach NBA basketball but multiple-championship teams like the Celtics, the Bulls, and the Lakers have skewed results one way or another). The point is that as most every sign is represented, most every sign can be a championship head coach…if they have the right chemistry for the team they’re on. For the Celtics, I’d put money down on any Virgo (Mutable Earth) taking the reins. Unfortunately, current Celtics’ coach “Doc” Rivers is a Libra.
So anyway…by now Sonics fans are probably slavering for me to get to the point and talk about P.J. Carelsimo (“The Peej,” we can call him). Unfortunately for the Sonics, Mr. Carlesimo is a Sun Sign Gemini, meaning The Peej may not be the best fit for the Sonics. Let’s see…the last Gemini head coach the Sonics had was K.C. Jones. (1990-1992). Mr. Jones has the distinction of being the last African-American head coach to lead an NBA team to a Championship (1986). At the time, he was with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics do all right with Gemini head coaches (Mutable, Air). The Sonics don’t, and K.C. was replaced by George Karl shortly.
We’ll have to see how Carlesimo shapes up. While Gemini may not be the best fit for a team in Seattle, it may be an excellent fit for a team duplicitously moved to Oklahoma (Gemini being the two-faced ruler of bi-polar disorder and willful deception).
Oh...and about Carlesimo and Sprewell: Mr. Sprewell is a Virgo. Virgo is square to Gemini (it shows up at a 90 degree angle), which in astrology terms means there are some "challenges" there. They do not harmonize well, there is no easy understanding between them. This is a combative aspect.
So who on the Sonics current team has a similar aspect to The Peej? Well, new recruit Jeff Green (Virgo) for one. Walter Szczerbiak (Pisces) for another.
Kevin Durant is a Libra and so should get along fine with the new coach.
I’m not doing that today.
Really, it’s just too chaotic. However, I CAN discuss our new head coach, Peter “P.J.” Carlesimo. Mr. Carlesimo is not particularly well known for his head coaching ability…in fact, he’s never made it past the first round of the play-offs in any series as head coach (and he only went to the play-offs as a head coach with Portland…at Golden State, he was more famous for being literally throttled by his own players). Whether or not his reputation for “negative rapport” with his players is deserved, I’m not inclined to comment. Astrologers tend to look at the chemistry between folks (have I said that before?)…perhaps Mr. Sprewell and Mr. Carlesimo had some astrological challenges to their compatibility.
But, hey, no one’s strangled P.J. while he’s been assisting for the Spurs. In fact, the Spurs have done pretty well of late (um…didn’t they just win the NBA Championship? Again?). But being an assistant coach on a Championship team does not indicate potential greatness as a head coach (call Exhibit 1 Buddy Ryan, and Exhibit 2 Norv Turner). It’s not just brains and experience. Heck, it may not even be “only” charisma and leadership…but I’m guessing those are more likely ingredients for success as a head coach (um…in any sport).
There are LOTS of “intangibles” necessary to lead a team to the next level, and I would assert that for different teams, these intangibles change. First there’s the relationship of the coach to his (or her) players, second the relationship of the coach to management, third the relationship of the coach to the city/fans (I would lump media in this latter group…they’re not important enough to merit their own category). These three things – players, organization, city – are not listed in order of impact; they are ALL necessary for success.
And so I think it’s valuable to ask: from an astrology perspective, what has been successful in the past for the Seattle SuperSonics. What kind of coaching style has been appreciated in Seattle? What has worked for the players? What has earned the love/respect of the fans?
(admittedly, it’s difficult to talk about the relationship of coach and ownership in this day and age when teams are so readily swapped between investor coalitions)
Okay, so nothing says success to me like play-off wins. Unlike most sports, where only the top teams go to post-season play, in the NBA more than half of the teams get into the play-offs. As such, just making the post-season isn’t a spectacular accomplishment (even a mediocre team can make it as a #8 candidate). For real success, I look at passing through to the next round of the play-offs. Here’s how that breaks down for the Supes:
1974-75 Coach Bill Russell (first season Sonics in the play-offs)
1975-76 Coach Bill Russell
1977-78 Coach Lenny Wilkins (Lost NBA Finals)
1978-79 Coach Lenny Wilkins (Won NBA Finals)
1979-1980 Coach Lenny Wilkins (Lost Conference Finals)
1981-1982 Coach Lenny Wilkins
1986-1987 Coach Bernie Bickerstaff (Lost Conference Finals)
1988-1989 Coach Bernie Bickerstaff
1991-1992 Coach George Karl
1992-1993 Coach George Karl (Lost Conference Finals)
1995-1996 Coach George Karl (Lost NBA Finals)
1996-1997 Coach George Karl
1997-1998 Coach George Karl
2004-2005 Coach Nate McMillan
Interestingly, if one looks at ALL the years the Sonics made the play-offs (not just the seasons they passed through to the second round), you only add 6 more years, and only two more coaches (K.C. Jones in 1991 and Paul Westphal in 2000). The Sonics’ other eight head coaches never even made the play-offs.
So let’s just look at the “good ones:”
Bill Russell – Aquarius
Lenny Wilkins – Scorpio
Bernie Bickerstaff – Scorpio
George Karl – Taurus
Nate McMillan – Leo
Anyone see a pattern here? All the astrologers in the room are raising their hands. All of these men are FIXED signs. Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius are the four, Fixed signs of the zodiac. Fixed signs are the ORGANIZERS, they are the one’s most prone to inertia (good and bad). They don’t put new things in place, and they aren’t adaptors. They take what’s already there and mold it into something cohesive. They provide DISCIPLINE. In Seattle, our basketball team seems to thrive when it has discipline and organization.
This is not the case with every basketball team. Phil Jackson, for example, is a Virgo (a Mutable, adaptable sign). Chuck Daly is a Cancer (a Cardinal, leadership sign). Pat Riley is a Pisces (another Mutable sign). These folks all won multiple championships for the Bulls, Pistons, and Lakers respectively.
Different teams thrive on different styles of leadership. Coach Popovich of the Spurs is a Fixed sign himself (Aquarius), but he didn’t arrive on the scene in San Antonio till 1996. Prior to his arrival, the Spurs failed to win a single championship, despite the presence of Big Leo David Robinson (1989-1997). During Mr. Robinson’s eight-year stint, the Spurs had five different coaches, none of whom stuck despite the team’s perennial play-off contention: Bob Hill (Sagittarius), John Lucas (Scorpio), Jerry Tarkanian (Leo), Bob Bass, and Larry Brown (Virgo). Popovich has been with the organization more than a decade, and has since given the Spurs consistent leadership.
The Boston Celtics won championships under five separate head coaches:
Red Auerbach (Virgo – 4 titles)
Bill Russell (Aquarius – 2 titles)
Tom Heinsohn (Virgo – 2 titles)
K.C. Jones (Gemini – 2 titles)
Bill Fitch (Taurus – 1 title)
Seven of eleven titles were won by Earth signs (64%), eight of eleven titles were won by Mutable signs (73%). No Boston Celtic team has won a title with a Fire or Water sign head coach; no Boston Celtic team ever won a championship with a Cardinal sign head coach.
Of all the head coaches that have won NBA Championships (27 different coaches), every sign is represented except for Libra and Capricorn (one would suspect that these signs can still coach NBA basketball but multiple-championship teams like the Celtics, the Bulls, and the Lakers have skewed results one way or another). The point is that as most every sign is represented, most every sign can be a championship head coach…if they have the right chemistry for the team they’re on. For the Celtics, I’d put money down on any Virgo (Mutable Earth) taking the reins. Unfortunately, current Celtics’ coach “Doc” Rivers is a Libra.
So anyway…by now Sonics fans are probably slavering for me to get to the point and talk about P.J. Carelsimo (“The Peej,” we can call him). Unfortunately for the Sonics, Mr. Carlesimo is a Sun Sign Gemini, meaning The Peej may not be the best fit for the Sonics. Let’s see…the last Gemini head coach the Sonics had was K.C. Jones. (1990-1992). Mr. Jones has the distinction of being the last African-American head coach to lead an NBA team to a Championship (1986). At the time, he was with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics do all right with Gemini head coaches (Mutable, Air). The Sonics don’t, and K.C. was replaced by George Karl shortly.
We’ll have to see how Carlesimo shapes up. While Gemini may not be the best fit for a team in Seattle, it may be an excellent fit for a team duplicitously moved to Oklahoma (Gemini being the two-faced ruler of bi-polar disorder and willful deception).
Oh...and about Carlesimo and Sprewell: Mr. Sprewell is a Virgo. Virgo is square to Gemini (it shows up at a 90 degree angle), which in astrology terms means there are some "challenges" there. They do not harmonize well, there is no easy understanding between them. This is a combative aspect.
So who on the Sonics current team has a similar aspect to The Peej? Well, new recruit Jeff Green (Virgo) for one. Walter Szczerbiak (Pisces) for another.
Kevin Durant is a Libra and so should get along fine with the new coach.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Bullshit Talks, Libby Walks
George Bush has commuted Scooter Libby’s prison sentence. The man will serve not a single day of his 30 month prison term for commission of a felony. According to my law classes, a felony always carries with it a minimum 1 year of jail time. And this was a sentence based on a verdict set down by a jury of his peers. Does anyone else have a problem with this bullshit?
I’m not even sure how a Republican can justify the circumventing of the rule of law in this country; aren’t Republicans supposed to be the “Law & Order” party? I guess only when the laws are being applied to “undesirable” types.
Yes, yes…this has nothing to do with sports or astrology. It’s my blog and I can rant if I want to!
I’ve never actually met a Republican astrologer (not that we don’t do readings for Republicans…it’s the slower student that often need more help), though there are certainly conservative and liberal ones. The conservative astrologers are a bit more like Constitutional Supreme Court Justices. Mind you, I’m not talking about our current SCJ’s (they appear to have a different agenda entirely). But Astrology has a loooong (several thousand year) history, and there’s lots of text that’s been written over the centuries on the interpretations of different planets and signs and houses. We have writings in Greek and Arabic and probably Egyptian, too…though perhaps the latter in terms of allegorical story rather than the “cookbook” astrology of other ancient societies.
And of course, that’s just Western traditional astrology. There’s also writing on the Chinese and the Vedic and the Mesoamerican traditions as well (though most of the latter was torched by the Spanish during the conquest of the Americas).
A conservative astrologer researches and memorizes these ancient writings and applies them in their astrological practice; still applying their art within an ancient scientific paradigm. More liberal astrologers (like myself) spend more time in the Art aspect, working with the archetypal meanings, and trying to fit them into our 21st century context. Both conservative and liberal astrologers can provide meaningful information to their clients. Clients then have the option to integrate the information into their daily lives for their growth and benefit…or not.
Okay, that’s a taste of astrology for you. Now sports:
- The Mariners lost to KC in 11 innings last night, I watched the game to the end. It was a tough one, but they played pretty hard.
- Rashard Lewis has now vacated the Sonics along with Ray Allen. Not that I care very much (I haven’t really been a fan since they fired Nate McMillan), but if this massive re-structuring doesn’t symbolize an anticipated move and “new beginnings” for the team, then I don’t know what will! Still no coach.
In NFL news, Travis Henry looks like he may be an good fit in Denver. Henry is a Scorpio (like departed MVP running back Terrell Davis). There’s something about Water signs and Denver that seem to work well (John Elway is a Cancer, as is Floyd Little; Steve Atwater is a Scorpio, Brian Griese is a Pisces), This could certainly be something in need of a little more research. Certainly Jake “the Snake” is NOT a Water sign (he’s a Sagittarius, Fire sign), and wasn’t quite what Shanahan was looking for. Mike Shanahan is a Virgo (critical, analyzing, attention to detail)…which means he gets on very well with both Scorpios and Cancers (Pisces is his opposite sign) and relates very harmoniously with Taurus and Capricorn. Sag and Virgo are square to each other and so have a tendency to rub each other the wrong way.
As a side note, new QB Jay Cutler is a Taurus…he and Shanahan should work just fine together.
To really get a sense of Henry's place on the Broncos, I'll have to take a look at the guys who'll be blocking for him...but that'll have to be later.
I’m not even sure how a Republican can justify the circumventing of the rule of law in this country; aren’t Republicans supposed to be the “Law & Order” party? I guess only when the laws are being applied to “undesirable” types.
Yes, yes…this has nothing to do with sports or astrology. It’s my blog and I can rant if I want to!
I’ve never actually met a Republican astrologer (not that we don’t do readings for Republicans…it’s the slower student that often need more help), though there are certainly conservative and liberal ones. The conservative astrologers are a bit more like Constitutional Supreme Court Justices. Mind you, I’m not talking about our current SCJ’s (they appear to have a different agenda entirely). But Astrology has a loooong (several thousand year) history, and there’s lots of text that’s been written over the centuries on the interpretations of different planets and signs and houses. We have writings in Greek and Arabic and probably Egyptian, too…though perhaps the latter in terms of allegorical story rather than the “cookbook” astrology of other ancient societies.
And of course, that’s just Western traditional astrology. There’s also writing on the Chinese and the Vedic and the Mesoamerican traditions as well (though most of the latter was torched by the Spanish during the conquest of the Americas).
A conservative astrologer researches and memorizes these ancient writings and applies them in their astrological practice; still applying their art within an ancient scientific paradigm. More liberal astrologers (like myself) spend more time in the Art aspect, working with the archetypal meanings, and trying to fit them into our 21st century context. Both conservative and liberal astrologers can provide meaningful information to their clients. Clients then have the option to integrate the information into their daily lives for their growth and benefit…or not.
Okay, that’s a taste of astrology for you. Now sports:
- The Mariners lost to KC in 11 innings last night, I watched the game to the end. It was a tough one, but they played pretty hard.
- Rashard Lewis has now vacated the Sonics along with Ray Allen. Not that I care very much (I haven’t really been a fan since they fired Nate McMillan), but if this massive re-structuring doesn’t symbolize an anticipated move and “new beginnings” for the team, then I don’t know what will! Still no coach.
In NFL news, Travis Henry looks like he may be an good fit in Denver. Henry is a Scorpio (like departed MVP running back Terrell Davis). There’s something about Water signs and Denver that seem to work well (John Elway is a Cancer, as is Floyd Little; Steve Atwater is a Scorpio, Brian Griese is a Pisces), This could certainly be something in need of a little more research. Certainly Jake “the Snake” is NOT a Water sign (he’s a Sagittarius, Fire sign), and wasn’t quite what Shanahan was looking for. Mike Shanahan is a Virgo (critical, analyzing, attention to detail)…which means he gets on very well with both Scorpios and Cancers (Pisces is his opposite sign) and relates very harmoniously with Taurus and Capricorn. Sag and Virgo are square to each other and so have a tendency to rub each other the wrong way.
As a side note, new QB Jay Cutler is a Taurus…he and Shanahan should work just fine together.
To really get a sense of Henry's place on the Broncos, I'll have to take a look at the guys who'll be blocking for him...but that'll have to be later.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Luuuuuuke!
I don’t know if REAL writers (i.e. the ones getting paid) do this, but I sure do: I read back over items I’ve previously written with mixed emotions. Sometimes, I find myself pleasantly surprised that my writing isn’t half bad at all. Other times, I positively cringe at what I’ve written.
The cringe-worthy material is usually the really opinionated, inflammatory stuff…and one thing I’ve learned from reading my writing is that at times I am one seriously opinionated S.O.B. Which I suppose is necessary trait for some types of blog….
Anyhoo, what area I’d expect to see some cringe-fodder in THIS blog would be under the subject of the Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Sonics or the Supes), a team that…well, like my own writing, I have some mixed feelings about our local pro-basketball team. However, a quick perusal of the ol’ Astro-Sport shows precious little mention of the Sonics. Probably because they are not high on my list of sports teams.
Maybe it’s time I wrote something about ‘em.
So I was grabbing my morning coffee and saw the Sonics are trying to trade Luke Ridnour to the Atlanta Hawks. My first reaction, of course, was “Nooooooo!” Luke has been a fairly consistent player over the last few years (if not consistently good, at least he has been consistently “not bad”), and from what I’ve seen and heard, he appears to be a fan favorite among Sonics fans. Well, at least some of the female ones. Plus everyone likes a guy whose name has the long “oo” sound, so you can yell “Luuuuuuke!” People are like cows, I guess…or at least we like to exhibit a “herd mentality” when we’re at sporting events.
Okay, okay…I should probably talk more about his actual basketball ability (see this post is already becoming a cringer!). Ridnour’s been a solid guard for the Sonics, even if he hasn’t been the star scorer on the team. Personally, in the games I’ve seen (I average about two per year) I’ve always been impressed by Ridnour’s hustle…he’s got a good little “get-along” and doesn’t slack around the court like some players. Or maybe, it’s not that the other players are slack, but Ridnour makes them look slack because of his quickness and reaction speed. He’s not “the Glove” (i.e. Gary Payton for you non-Seattleites) but he’s an excellent team ball player. And basketball is, of course, a team sport.
[never did much care for Payton’s mouth actually, but I understand that was one of the traits that endeared him to fans in the 90’s; they felt his sass was charming…I preferred the laid back attitude of Sam “Big Smooth” Perkins]
Hmmm…just comparing the two point guards (Payton and Ridnour), I can see that they are polar opposites from an astrological perspective. Payton is a Big Leo…this explains the Mouth, the prima donna posing, the “look at me, give me respect” attitude. Ridnour is an Aquarius, explosive but aloof, genius but not flashy.
It’s hard to tell what the birth date of the Sonics is. Seattle was awarded the franchise December 20, 1966 and their first game was October 1967. The Sonics were named for the government SST (Super Sonic Transport) contract awarded to Boeing December 31, 1966. Sometime between January 1966 and October 1966 the Sonics acquired their name…and that would be their astrological “date of birth” by my reckoning.
But the sign of the Sonics doesn’t matter too much in terms of how the players get along with each other…team chemistry (astrology-wise) has to do with the interrelationship of the players and the players’ signs. Team captains Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen are a Leo and Cancer (the Sun and the Moon!) respectively, and the current head coach is…well, the Sonics don’t have a head coach right now. Bob Hill, “the most fired coach in NBA history” (according to Wikipedia) is a Sagittarius, so you knew that wasn’t going to last (Sag likes to move around a lot!). But Sag would have gotten along great with Aquarius Luke and Leo Rashard.
Ehh…I don’t care enough about the Supes to pursue this further right now. Whether the Sonics are making a good deal with Atlanta or not remains to be seen. The astrological chemistry can’t be assessed properly till we know who all’s going to be on the team. Meanwhile, I know I’ll miss calling out “Luuuuuke!” at the Sonics' games.
If the trade happens, I wish Mr. Ridnour all the best in Atlanta (it sure beats moving to Oklahoma!). At least he’ll get a chance to watch the Seahawks when they play at Atlanta in December 30th!
The cringe-worthy material is usually the really opinionated, inflammatory stuff…and one thing I’ve learned from reading my writing is that at times I am one seriously opinionated S.O.B. Which I suppose is necessary trait for some types of blog….
Anyhoo, what area I’d expect to see some cringe-fodder in THIS blog would be under the subject of the Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Sonics or the Supes), a team that…well, like my own writing, I have some mixed feelings about our local pro-basketball team. However, a quick perusal of the ol’ Astro-Sport shows precious little mention of the Sonics. Probably because they are not high on my list of sports teams.
Maybe it’s time I wrote something about ‘em.
So I was grabbing my morning coffee and saw the Sonics are trying to trade Luke Ridnour to the Atlanta Hawks. My first reaction, of course, was “Nooooooo!” Luke has been a fairly consistent player over the last few years (if not consistently good, at least he has been consistently “not bad”), and from what I’ve seen and heard, he appears to be a fan favorite among Sonics fans. Well, at least some of the female ones. Plus everyone likes a guy whose name has the long “oo” sound, so you can yell “Luuuuuuke!” People are like cows, I guess…or at least we like to exhibit a “herd mentality” when we’re at sporting events.
Okay, okay…I should probably talk more about his actual basketball ability (see this post is already becoming a cringer!). Ridnour’s been a solid guard for the Sonics, even if he hasn’t been the star scorer on the team. Personally, in the games I’ve seen (I average about two per year) I’ve always been impressed by Ridnour’s hustle…he’s got a good little “get-along” and doesn’t slack around the court like some players. Or maybe, it’s not that the other players are slack, but Ridnour makes them look slack because of his quickness and reaction speed. He’s not “the Glove” (i.e. Gary Payton for you non-Seattleites) but he’s an excellent team ball player. And basketball is, of course, a team sport.
[never did much care for Payton’s mouth actually, but I understand that was one of the traits that endeared him to fans in the 90’s; they felt his sass was charming…I preferred the laid back attitude of Sam “Big Smooth” Perkins]
Hmmm…just comparing the two point guards (Payton and Ridnour), I can see that they are polar opposites from an astrological perspective. Payton is a Big Leo…this explains the Mouth, the prima donna posing, the “look at me, give me respect” attitude. Ridnour is an Aquarius, explosive but aloof, genius but not flashy.
It’s hard to tell what the birth date of the Sonics is. Seattle was awarded the franchise December 20, 1966 and their first game was October 1967. The Sonics were named for the government SST (Super Sonic Transport) contract awarded to Boeing December 31, 1966. Sometime between January 1966 and October 1966 the Sonics acquired their name…and that would be their astrological “date of birth” by my reckoning.
But the sign of the Sonics doesn’t matter too much in terms of how the players get along with each other…team chemistry (astrology-wise) has to do with the interrelationship of the players and the players’ signs. Team captains Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen are a Leo and Cancer (the Sun and the Moon!) respectively, and the current head coach is…well, the Sonics don’t have a head coach right now. Bob Hill, “the most fired coach in NBA history” (according to Wikipedia) is a Sagittarius, so you knew that wasn’t going to last (Sag likes to move around a lot!). But Sag would have gotten along great with Aquarius Luke and Leo Rashard.
Ehh…I don’t care enough about the Supes to pursue this further right now. Whether the Sonics are making a good deal with Atlanta or not remains to be seen. The astrological chemistry can’t be assessed properly till we know who all’s going to be on the team. Meanwhile, I know I’ll miss calling out “Luuuuuke!” at the Sonics' games.
If the trade happens, I wish Mr. Ridnour all the best in Atlanta (it sure beats moving to Oklahoma!). At least he’ll get a chance to watch the Seahawks when they play at Atlanta in December 30th!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Congratulations U.S. Men's Soccer Team!!!
For those who didn’t notice (especially in Seattle, where ther Griffey Love-Fest was in full swing…see last post) the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team won the CONCACAF 2007 Gold Cup on Sunday.
You might ask, how did I miss that? The CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Gold Cup is only the PREMIER INTERNATIONAL CUP TOURNAMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. Was it on ESPN? Was it played in some foreign country?
Um…no and no. It was played in CHICAGO. And I had to watch the broadcast on Univision in Espanol (that’s Spanish, folks). At least, I got to watch it live.
The U.S. topped Mexico 2-1 in the final game of the tournament, and nearly 4-1…an early goal was negated by an off-sides penalty and a late game dribble past the fallen Mexico keeper bounced off the goal post on what should have been a very easy score.
Needless to say, the Mexican sportscasters on Univision were less than thrilled with the result of the match.
Now there was a bit of controversy in the semi-finals apparently when a Mexican referee negated a game-tying score by the Canadians with an off-sides call during stoppage time. The Canadians ended up losing to the U.S. 2-1, and there were many cries of conspiracy (especially because the ref had already red carded two U.S. players in the game, ensuring Mexico would play a short-handed U.S. squad in the final). However, heart-breaking as the call might have been, Canadians were just as incensed that their team let the U.S. go up 2-0 on them by half-time.
[just for the record, Mexico did NOT gain a pass to the finals until AFTER the Canada-U.S. game by defeating the French island republic Guadeloupe 1-0; they were heavily favored, however]
Now what is most amazing to me is NOT that the U.S. won, but that they made such a strong showing in the Gold Cup. Anyone who’s been following the U.S. national team the last decade has seen plenty of inconsistency in the play of the men’s team. Sometimes they’ve been…well, “brilliant” is too strong a word, but pretty darn good. Sometimes they’ve been a real mess. However, they went 6-0-0 in this year’s tournament, winning every match they played…the only team in the tournament to do so. Hell, no one even scored on the U.S. team till the quarter-finals (they beat Guatemala, T&T, and El Salvador by scores of 1-0, 2-0, and 4-0 respectively)!
Could it be their new coach? Well Bradley is a Pisces. How does that fit into the current squad?
Pretty well actually. The U.S. men’s team had a 23 man roster for la Copa de Oro (the Gold Cup). One might think that there would be a fairly even distribution of players across the 12 signs of the zodiac. In other words, about 2 of every sign.
Nope.
Sure there’s 1 or 2 of most signs…but then there’s four Gemini and five Pisces…SIX Pisces if you count the coach. The cardinalities of the team are skewed incredibly to Mutable signs (4 Cardinal, 5 Fixed, 14 Mutable…not counting the coach!). Star players Landon Donovan (Pisces) and DeMarcus Beasley (Gemini) both belong to these Mutable signs, as does the team captain Carlos Bocanegra (Gemini) as is goal keeper Tim Howard (Pisces).
Mutable signs are ADAPTABLE signs, and with so much of the team focused in this area, it makes for a very flexible even mercurial (no pun intended) personality. These guys don’t have the rigidity of the super-strong German men’s team (mostly Scorpio in the 2006 World Cup) or the family/homeland focus of the Koreans (mostly Cancer in 2006). But they are supple and elusive, intelligent (eight Air signs!) and merging as a whole, single entity (all that Pisces!). If they can capitalize on their chemistry this team will continue to make strong showings in the international arena!
All right…more on Soccer (futbol) later. For now, congrats to a U.S. team that seems to be working very well.
(oh, final note: the part of body that Pisces rules in the feet. Nice footwork Landon, with your 4 goals in the tournament!)
You might ask, how did I miss that? The CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) Gold Cup is only the PREMIER INTERNATIONAL CUP TOURNAMENT OF NORTH AMERICA. Was it on ESPN? Was it played in some foreign country?
Um…no and no. It was played in CHICAGO. And I had to watch the broadcast on Univision in Espanol (that’s Spanish, folks). At least, I got to watch it live.
The U.S. topped Mexico 2-1 in the final game of the tournament, and nearly 4-1…an early goal was negated by an off-sides penalty and a late game dribble past the fallen Mexico keeper bounced off the goal post on what should have been a very easy score.
Needless to say, the Mexican sportscasters on Univision were less than thrilled with the result of the match.
Now there was a bit of controversy in the semi-finals apparently when a Mexican referee negated a game-tying score by the Canadians with an off-sides call during stoppage time. The Canadians ended up losing to the U.S. 2-1, and there were many cries of conspiracy (especially because the ref had already red carded two U.S. players in the game, ensuring Mexico would play a short-handed U.S. squad in the final). However, heart-breaking as the call might have been, Canadians were just as incensed that their team let the U.S. go up 2-0 on them by half-time.
[just for the record, Mexico did NOT gain a pass to the finals until AFTER the Canada-U.S. game by defeating the French island republic Guadeloupe 1-0; they were heavily favored, however]
Now what is most amazing to me is NOT that the U.S. won, but that they made such a strong showing in the Gold Cup. Anyone who’s been following the U.S. national team the last decade has seen plenty of inconsistency in the play of the men’s team. Sometimes they’ve been…well, “brilliant” is too strong a word, but pretty darn good. Sometimes they’ve been a real mess. However, they went 6-0-0 in this year’s tournament, winning every match they played…the only team in the tournament to do so. Hell, no one even scored on the U.S. team till the quarter-finals (they beat Guatemala, T&T, and El Salvador by scores of 1-0, 2-0, and 4-0 respectively)!
Could it be their new coach? Well Bradley is a Pisces. How does that fit into the current squad?
Pretty well actually. The U.S. men’s team had a 23 man roster for la Copa de Oro (the Gold Cup). One might think that there would be a fairly even distribution of players across the 12 signs of the zodiac. In other words, about 2 of every sign.
Nope.
Sure there’s 1 or 2 of most signs…but then there’s four Gemini and five Pisces…SIX Pisces if you count the coach. The cardinalities of the team are skewed incredibly to Mutable signs (4 Cardinal, 5 Fixed, 14 Mutable…not counting the coach!). Star players Landon Donovan (Pisces) and DeMarcus Beasley (Gemini) both belong to these Mutable signs, as does the team captain Carlos Bocanegra (Gemini) as is goal keeper Tim Howard (Pisces).
Mutable signs are ADAPTABLE signs, and with so much of the team focused in this area, it makes for a very flexible even mercurial (no pun intended) personality. These guys don’t have the rigidity of the super-strong German men’s team (mostly Scorpio in the 2006 World Cup) or the family/homeland focus of the Koreans (mostly Cancer in 2006). But they are supple and elusive, intelligent (eight Air signs!) and merging as a whole, single entity (all that Pisces!). If they can capitalize on their chemistry this team will continue to make strong showings in the international arena!
All right…more on Soccer (futbol) later. For now, congrats to a U.S. team that seems to be working very well.
(oh, final note: the part of body that Pisces rules in the feet. Nice footwork Landon, with your 4 goals in the tournament!)
Griffey Love-Fest in Seattle!
So, yes…once again I’ve been neglectful of my blog and all those who have been faithfully following my astrology-sports ramblings. Did I mention I have a new puppy? She’s almost sleeping through the night now…which means I get to sleep in four hour shifts instead of two hour shifts. With my wife traveling most of last week, I was able to experience some of the “joys” of single-parenting. Aaargh!!
‘Course, most babies don’t bite you too bad. Mine draws blood.
Oh, and just for the record, it turns out she’s actually a Sagittarius rising, not Capricorn. That’s a big difference. She’s still not barking but she’s got to be the jumpiest dog I’ve ever met. Luckily, she’s still short, so we’ve been able to keep her in the yard. Demure she is NOT; her early reticence with us in her first days were more a product of fear/nervousness of being in a new place…she’s over that now.
So anyway…I have still been keeping up with the sports, I just haven’t been able to blog like usual (and truth be told I’m involved in a couple other writing projects; none involving sports or astrology, but regarding mythology which is a lot of the same thing).
Point is, I DID watch the love-fest this last weekend as Ken Griffey Jr. returned to Seattle for the first time in…well, like quite a few years. Personally, I kind of forgot he was even still playing the Major Leagues…and I completely forgot what he meant to this city.
As I’ve pointed out before, I’m a lifelong Seattle resident. By the time Griffey came on the scene, I was 15 or so and already had my opinions formed of the Mariners: fun, but not the Seahawks. But there were a whole lot of kids in that magical 8-10 year old range that were going to see the M’s and Griffey play, and he sure helped cement baseball in their hearts!
And there was a LOT of hype in Seattle this last weekend, and mostly the good kind (nostalgia, dwelling on past success, emotion-laden memories). Griffey was touted as “the man who saved baseball in Seattle,” and many signs around Safeco Field carried the slogan “the house that Griffey built.”
Now, not to burst anyone’s bubble too maliciously, but I don’t recall Griffey being part of the Washington State legislature in the ‘90s. Fact o the matter is it was our elected officials that “saved” baseball and “built the house” after the residents of Seattle voted AGAINST building the M’s a new stadium. Griffey and Co. failed to sway the city to pony up the money for a new stadium in September of ’95 and in October (in the middle of the ALCS!) the legislature when behind the backs of the voters to institute new taxes that would fund the building of the stadium.
ANYWAY…what Junior DID do (along with J-Bone, 'Gar, Big Unit, and A-Rod) is instill a baseball following in a new generation of fans…both young Seattleites, and transplanted baseball fans (I’ve met two in the last week…one from Chicago and one from L.A., both of whom came to Seattle around 1989-90 and got into Griffey and the M’s). And that has carried on for nearly 20 years! Hope. That’s what it is. “Old-timers” like me have it for the Seahawks (if you ever saw Dave Krieg win a come-from-behind game after getting manhandled for four quarters, you’re a die-hard Seahawks hopeful). And the people who came a couple years after me have it for the Mariners.
And Griffey himself? He was pretty choked up by the warm reception. But what do you expect from a Scorpio? Sure, they mask their true feelings better than some, but they usually give it away by their actions (because their emotions so often get the better of ‘em). Does Griffey regret his decision to leave? Not much would be my guess. He didn’t leave for the money; his reasons were mostly for those things that matter most to Scorpio…his family (interpersonal relationships) and his ego. The ego part is about the fear of not hitting the same number of HRs in Safeco, the wanting to play for his father’s former team, and Cincy being an up-and-coming ball club. The family reason is that both Cincinnati and the Reds’ training facility (in Florida) allowed him to be closer to his family in Orlando. Plus, Griffey had grown up in Cincinnati.
Being a Scorp though often carries some strong feelings about “what might have been.” Because of the tendency to act on emotional (“passionate” in traditional terms) impulses, there’s plenty of room for both remorse and second-guessing in the Scorpio psyche…even when the Scorpio made what was ultimately the right decision for his or her personal growth and well-being. I’m sure Griffey would think it’d be cool to have a street named after him like Edgar. I’m sure he would have liked to retire a life-long (and beloved) star of a single team, like Buhner. I’m sure he feels that his bat could have made a difference in some of the M’s recent play-off runs.
But he did what he felt was best for his own emotional stability…and in the long-run this is a good thing for anyone with a volatile emotions (like Scorpios). He was able to spend more time with his family. He did get longer off-seasons and shorter plane rides. And when his career in baseball has been over more than a few years, he will be able to look back with much LESS regret and say, ‘thank goodness I made the decisions I did. Baseball’s just a game and a job after all, and only but a single chapter in a life.’
Besides…now that his career’s winding down and Edgar’s retired, maybe he can come back to the Mariners as our Designated Hitter. We’d certainly love to have him finish out his Hall of Fame career in an M’s cap!
‘Course, most babies don’t bite you too bad. Mine draws blood.
Oh, and just for the record, it turns out she’s actually a Sagittarius rising, not Capricorn. That’s a big difference. She’s still not barking but she’s got to be the jumpiest dog I’ve ever met. Luckily, she’s still short, so we’ve been able to keep her in the yard. Demure she is NOT; her early reticence with us in her first days were more a product of fear/nervousness of being in a new place…she’s over that now.
So anyway…I have still been keeping up with the sports, I just haven’t been able to blog like usual (and truth be told I’m involved in a couple other writing projects; none involving sports or astrology, but regarding mythology which is a lot of the same thing).
Point is, I DID watch the love-fest this last weekend as Ken Griffey Jr. returned to Seattle for the first time in…well, like quite a few years. Personally, I kind of forgot he was even still playing the Major Leagues…and I completely forgot what he meant to this city.
As I’ve pointed out before, I’m a lifelong Seattle resident. By the time Griffey came on the scene, I was 15 or so and already had my opinions formed of the Mariners: fun, but not the Seahawks. But there were a whole lot of kids in that magical 8-10 year old range that were going to see the M’s and Griffey play, and he sure helped cement baseball in their hearts!
And there was a LOT of hype in Seattle this last weekend, and mostly the good kind (nostalgia, dwelling on past success, emotion-laden memories). Griffey was touted as “the man who saved baseball in Seattle,” and many signs around Safeco Field carried the slogan “the house that Griffey built.”
Now, not to burst anyone’s bubble too maliciously, but I don’t recall Griffey being part of the Washington State legislature in the ‘90s. Fact o the matter is it was our elected officials that “saved” baseball and “built the house” after the residents of Seattle voted AGAINST building the M’s a new stadium. Griffey and Co. failed to sway the city to pony up the money for a new stadium in September of ’95 and in October (in the middle of the ALCS!) the legislature when behind the backs of the voters to institute new taxes that would fund the building of the stadium.
ANYWAY…what Junior DID do (along with J-Bone, 'Gar, Big Unit, and A-Rod) is instill a baseball following in a new generation of fans…both young Seattleites, and transplanted baseball fans (I’ve met two in the last week…one from Chicago and one from L.A., both of whom came to Seattle around 1989-90 and got into Griffey and the M’s). And that has carried on for nearly 20 years! Hope. That’s what it is. “Old-timers” like me have it for the Seahawks (if you ever saw Dave Krieg win a come-from-behind game after getting manhandled for four quarters, you’re a die-hard Seahawks hopeful). And the people who came a couple years after me have it for the Mariners.
And Griffey himself? He was pretty choked up by the warm reception. But what do you expect from a Scorpio? Sure, they mask their true feelings better than some, but they usually give it away by their actions (because their emotions so often get the better of ‘em). Does Griffey regret his decision to leave? Not much would be my guess. He didn’t leave for the money; his reasons were mostly for those things that matter most to Scorpio…his family (interpersonal relationships) and his ego. The ego part is about the fear of not hitting the same number of HRs in Safeco, the wanting to play for his father’s former team, and Cincy being an up-and-coming ball club. The family reason is that both Cincinnati and the Reds’ training facility (in Florida) allowed him to be closer to his family in Orlando. Plus, Griffey had grown up in Cincinnati.
Being a Scorp though often carries some strong feelings about “what might have been.” Because of the tendency to act on emotional (“passionate” in traditional terms) impulses, there’s plenty of room for both remorse and second-guessing in the Scorpio psyche…even when the Scorpio made what was ultimately the right decision for his or her personal growth and well-being. I’m sure Griffey would think it’d be cool to have a street named after him like Edgar. I’m sure he would have liked to retire a life-long (and beloved) star of a single team, like Buhner. I’m sure he feels that his bat could have made a difference in some of the M’s recent play-off runs.
But he did what he felt was best for his own emotional stability…and in the long-run this is a good thing for anyone with a volatile emotions (like Scorpios). He was able to spend more time with his family. He did get longer off-seasons and shorter plane rides. And when his career in baseball has been over more than a few years, he will be able to look back with much LESS regret and say, ‘thank goodness I made the decisions I did. Baseball’s just a game and a job after all, and only but a single chapter in a life.’
Besides…now that his career’s winding down and Edgar’s retired, maybe he can come back to the Mariners as our Designated Hitter. We’d certainly love to have him finish out his Hall of Fame career in an M’s cap!
Friday, June 15, 2007
Aaaand...It's All Over
So it’s all over…and I missed every single game. The San Antonio Spurs won in 4 games, and it’s not even front page news (at least not in the papers I saw…had to dig through the web pages for a decent bite as well).
One blogger (found at USA Today) called it the “Worst Final Series of All Time,” though it is unclear from his blog why exactly he calls it this. I mean, it appears his main complaint is the NBA play-off structure needs to be “re-vamped” but I don’t understand why that would matter as to whether or not it was a good series. Again, I guess I’m just not much of an NBA fan.
It would appear people were bored with the teams playing in the finals, but again I’d like to point out this year’s finals consisted of teams that were predominantly Earth-Air-Water signed…not flashy Fire signs. So what? I’d think basketball fans would want to watch good basketball…I can only assume that the teams in the finals are playing the best basketball of the year; isn’t that why they’re the final two teams? The NBA plays their play-offs in series…it’s not like the NFL where a couple bad calls in one game can knock a team out of the play-offs!
So…I don’t get it. I’d think that basketball fans would be happy with a week of basketball championship games. I can tell you the Super Bowl is always an event at my house...even when the Seahawks aren’t in it!
At least San Antonio is happy (I hope). And Capricorn LeBron still gets paid (as Cappies do).
In other news: the Mariners have dropped two games and are now 5 games back. See? Good thing I wasn’t holding my breath (and now I will officially stop watching baseball standings until late August).
Also: the smell of football pre-season is in the air! As the Sun is still in the sign of Gemini, teams are still collecting and collating data on their players (and on other teams), in addition to doing the casual communication, meet-and-greet with the new guys. As we pass into the sign of Cancer, expect teams to start knuckling down on the contract negotiations, building a home for the “family members,” and retreating a bit from the media spectacle that proceeds the public anticipation in the sign of Leo (that’s August, folks).
One blogger (found at USA Today) called it the “Worst Final Series of All Time,” though it is unclear from his blog why exactly he calls it this. I mean, it appears his main complaint is the NBA play-off structure needs to be “re-vamped” but I don’t understand why that would matter as to whether or not it was a good series. Again, I guess I’m just not much of an NBA fan.
It would appear people were bored with the teams playing in the finals, but again I’d like to point out this year’s finals consisted of teams that were predominantly Earth-Air-Water signed…not flashy Fire signs. So what? I’d think basketball fans would want to watch good basketball…I can only assume that the teams in the finals are playing the best basketball of the year; isn’t that why they’re the final two teams? The NBA plays their play-offs in series…it’s not like the NFL where a couple bad calls in one game can knock a team out of the play-offs!
So…I don’t get it. I’d think that basketball fans would be happy with a week of basketball championship games. I can tell you the Super Bowl is always an event at my house...even when the Seahawks aren’t in it!
At least San Antonio is happy (I hope). And Capricorn LeBron still gets paid (as Cappies do).
In other news: the Mariners have dropped two games and are now 5 games back. See? Good thing I wasn’t holding my breath (and now I will officially stop watching baseball standings until late August).
Also: the smell of football pre-season is in the air! As the Sun is still in the sign of Gemini, teams are still collecting and collating data on their players (and on other teams), in addition to doing the casual communication, meet-and-greet with the new guys. As we pass into the sign of Cancer, expect teams to start knuckling down on the contract negotiations, building a home for the “family members,” and retreating a bit from the media spectacle that proceeds the public anticipation in the sign of Leo (that’s August, folks).
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Heading Into Game 4 (NBA)
Wow…the M’s won again. I was going to blog this yesterday, but now I’m glad I put it off till today, as a 5-game win streak is much more impressive. Only 3 games back of the Angels now. It’s like they may finally have gotten their stuff together.
Well, we’ll see where they are in August.
Actually, what I really wanted to discuss (if briefly) is the NBA finals. The Spurs chalked up another W last night, now leading the series 3-0. Is there anything in "the Stars" that was going to indicate the Cavs dropping 3 in a row with nary a squeak? Well, maybe….
There IS some interesting things going on in their charts, but let’s just look at the Sun signs of the major players:
San Antonio Spurs
- Tony Parker (Taurus)
- Bruce Bowen (Gemini)
- Tim Duncan (Taurus)
- Robert Horry (Virgo)
- Manu Ginobili (Leo)
There’s a predominance of Earth and Fixed signs here. Earth signs are steady, solid, feet-on-the-ground, and non-flashy…and this series has been anything but flashy. Fixed signs are likewise steady, organized, controlling…dominating through sheer inertia.
Of course, there’s more than five players on the team. Michael Finley is a Pisces, and Fabricio Oberto is…well, I don’t know. He’s a Pisces if he was born in the early morning; after noon and he’s an Aries. Only someone who knows him well (or knows his birth time) could say for sure, but he has a lot of both Pisces and Aries in him anyway (Pisces Mercury means he thinks like a Fish, and Aries Jupiter means he feels most confident when playing like a Ram). Interestingly, Jupiter is conjunct his Sun, making him at times appear to be almost a bouncy Sagittarian.
Vaughn is an Aquarius, ex-Sonic Barry is a Capricorn, and Elson is another Pisces. The preponderance still seems to be Earth in nature, but with the addition of all that Pisces you see a lot of ADAPTABILITY added to the mix (Virgo, Gemini, and Pisces are all Mutable signs). This is a team that can adapt to the way the other team is playing, pass it around, and wait for the right shot. It may not be especially flashy (or high scoring!) but it appears to be a solid strategy for success.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- LeBron James (Capricorn)
- Drew Gooden (Libra)
- Sasha Pavlovic (Scorpio)
- Daniel Gibson (Pisces)
- Anderson Varejao (Libra)
Pretty much split between Earth and Water with a preponderance of Cardinal (Leadership) signs. Perhaps, this is a case of too many cooks in the kitchen? Doubtful…the Cavs wouldn’t have made it to the Finals without solid teamwork (although I have been told the Eastern Conference isn’t nearly as good as the West).
Now we add in their major bench players: Ilgauskas (Gemini), Hughes (Aquarius), Marshall (Taurus). Now the final signature becomes clearer: Cardinal Air, the element combination associated with Libra, the sign of teamwork. An intellectual team, a smart team…but maybe not as physical?
Again, that’s not really a fair assumption. What IS interesting to note is that none of the players for the Cavaliers (at least none of the ones with any play time) is a Fire sign. No Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius to be found anywhere on the roster: Snow (Taurus), Jones (Virgo), Newble (Capricorn), Pollard (Aquarius)…nowhere is there a single fiery sign.
When astrologers look at the Final Signature of a person’s chart (that is: the number of elements and directionalities), a lack of any particular element can indicate a potential challenge for a person. Having a little bit of everything may make you less focused, but it helps lend balance to your personality, allowing for experiential growth in all areas.
Since I don’t watch the NBA games during the season (especially Cleveland!), I can’t say what affect, if any, this might have on their game play. I could hypothesize that they are not a “fast start” team, something I might expect with a lot of Fire. I might also hypothesize they have an inability to come back from a large deficit (a tight game, yes, simply through smart, solid play). I would imagine they are less likely to get into trouble on or off-court, especially with regard to fighting/brawls…though Water signs are more prone to the substance abuse/escapism thing, and Earth signs have been known to succumb to those “earthy temptations.”
Anyway, I would not be expecting a lot of high scoring, explosive offense from either of these teams. Of the two, the Spurs line-up feels more consistent as far as astrological chemistry: Gemini-sextile-Leo-square-Taurus-trine-Virgo-opposed-Pisces-square-Gemini. Certainly there is some tension in the mix (the squares and oppositions), but a lot more harmony (trines and sextiles…Taurus is also sextile to Pisces). It also has a balance of all four elements.
The Cavs chemistry is good, but feels a bit harder: Pisces-trine-Scorpio-sextile-Capricorn-square-Libra-sextile-Gemini-trine-Aquarius-square-Taurus. Taurus (Marshall/Snow) is also square Scorpio, sextile Pisces, and trine Capricorn…but has no aspect relationship with the two Libras. As I said in an earlier blog, the worst aspect relationship is pretty much NO aspect…there’s no positive to harmonize or excite, and there’s no negative to challenge and grow from. The Pisces and Scorpio starters make no aspect to the two Libras, and Gemini and Aquarius off the bench (Ilgauskas and Hughes) have no aspect with Capricorn James.
Gemini Bruce Bowen may seem the “odd man” in the starting line-up for San Antonio, but only with regard to the two Taurus players (Duncan and Parker). Gemini makes aspects to Finley, Oberto, Horry, and Ginobili, relating to all of them (if not necessarily relating on the best of terms). Bowen also has a Taurus Saturn, so it is his “heavy lot in life” to exercise self-sufficiency…but he’s been practicing it for a lot of years (he’s one of the oldest players on the team), and with experience, Saturn always gives mastery.
Anyway…we’ll see what happens in Game 4.
Well, we’ll see where they are in August.
Actually, what I really wanted to discuss (if briefly) is the NBA finals. The Spurs chalked up another W last night, now leading the series 3-0. Is there anything in "the Stars" that was going to indicate the Cavs dropping 3 in a row with nary a squeak? Well, maybe….
There IS some interesting things going on in their charts, but let’s just look at the Sun signs of the major players:
San Antonio Spurs
- Tony Parker (Taurus)
- Bruce Bowen (Gemini)
- Tim Duncan (Taurus)
- Robert Horry (Virgo)
- Manu Ginobili (Leo)
There’s a predominance of Earth and Fixed signs here. Earth signs are steady, solid, feet-on-the-ground, and non-flashy…and this series has been anything but flashy. Fixed signs are likewise steady, organized, controlling…dominating through sheer inertia.
Of course, there’s more than five players on the team. Michael Finley is a Pisces, and Fabricio Oberto is…well, I don’t know. He’s a Pisces if he was born in the early morning; after noon and he’s an Aries. Only someone who knows him well (or knows his birth time) could say for sure, but he has a lot of both Pisces and Aries in him anyway (Pisces Mercury means he thinks like a Fish, and Aries Jupiter means he feels most confident when playing like a Ram). Interestingly, Jupiter is conjunct his Sun, making him at times appear to be almost a bouncy Sagittarian.
Vaughn is an Aquarius, ex-Sonic Barry is a Capricorn, and Elson is another Pisces. The preponderance still seems to be Earth in nature, but with the addition of all that Pisces you see a lot of ADAPTABILITY added to the mix (Virgo, Gemini, and Pisces are all Mutable signs). This is a team that can adapt to the way the other team is playing, pass it around, and wait for the right shot. It may not be especially flashy (or high scoring!) but it appears to be a solid strategy for success.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- LeBron James (Capricorn)
- Drew Gooden (Libra)
- Sasha Pavlovic (Scorpio)
- Daniel Gibson (Pisces)
- Anderson Varejao (Libra)
Pretty much split between Earth and Water with a preponderance of Cardinal (Leadership) signs. Perhaps, this is a case of too many cooks in the kitchen? Doubtful…the Cavs wouldn’t have made it to the Finals without solid teamwork (although I have been told the Eastern Conference isn’t nearly as good as the West).
Now we add in their major bench players: Ilgauskas (Gemini), Hughes (Aquarius), Marshall (Taurus). Now the final signature becomes clearer: Cardinal Air, the element combination associated with Libra, the sign of teamwork. An intellectual team, a smart team…but maybe not as physical?
Again, that’s not really a fair assumption. What IS interesting to note is that none of the players for the Cavaliers (at least none of the ones with any play time) is a Fire sign. No Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius to be found anywhere on the roster: Snow (Taurus), Jones (Virgo), Newble (Capricorn), Pollard (Aquarius)…nowhere is there a single fiery sign.
When astrologers look at the Final Signature of a person’s chart (that is: the number of elements and directionalities), a lack of any particular element can indicate a potential challenge for a person. Having a little bit of everything may make you less focused, but it helps lend balance to your personality, allowing for experiential growth in all areas.
Since I don’t watch the NBA games during the season (especially Cleveland!), I can’t say what affect, if any, this might have on their game play. I could hypothesize that they are not a “fast start” team, something I might expect with a lot of Fire. I might also hypothesize they have an inability to come back from a large deficit (a tight game, yes, simply through smart, solid play). I would imagine they are less likely to get into trouble on or off-court, especially with regard to fighting/brawls…though Water signs are more prone to the substance abuse/escapism thing, and Earth signs have been known to succumb to those “earthy temptations.”
Anyway, I would not be expecting a lot of high scoring, explosive offense from either of these teams. Of the two, the Spurs line-up feels more consistent as far as astrological chemistry: Gemini-sextile-Leo-square-Taurus-trine-Virgo-opposed-Pisces-square-Gemini. Certainly there is some tension in the mix (the squares and oppositions), but a lot more harmony (trines and sextiles…Taurus is also sextile to Pisces). It also has a balance of all four elements.
The Cavs chemistry is good, but feels a bit harder: Pisces-trine-Scorpio-sextile-Capricorn-square-Libra-sextile-Gemini-trine-Aquarius-square-Taurus. Taurus (Marshall/Snow) is also square Scorpio, sextile Pisces, and trine Capricorn…but has no aspect relationship with the two Libras. As I said in an earlier blog, the worst aspect relationship is pretty much NO aspect…there’s no positive to harmonize or excite, and there’s no negative to challenge and grow from. The Pisces and Scorpio starters make no aspect to the two Libras, and Gemini and Aquarius off the bench (Ilgauskas and Hughes) have no aspect with Capricorn James.
Gemini Bruce Bowen may seem the “odd man” in the starting line-up for San Antonio, but only with regard to the two Taurus players (Duncan and Parker). Gemini makes aspects to Finley, Oberto, Horry, and Ginobili, relating to all of them (if not necessarily relating on the best of terms). Bowen also has a Taurus Saturn, so it is his “heavy lot in life” to exercise self-sufficiency…but he’s been practicing it for a lot of years (he’s one of the oldest players on the team), and with experience, Saturn always gives mastery.
Anyway…we’ll see what happens in Game 4.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Got Me A Dog!
Picked up the Athlon Sports magazine for this summer…finally! Yes, I’ve been waiting with eager anticipation for this mag, ever since Draft Day. I love it and its color glossies. I’ve been picking up the football one every summer for the last 4 or 5 years, and I find it to be pretty darn helpful for scouting out how the season’s going to go (even when Athlon gets it wrong, I can usually analyze their data and still get it right…it helped me predict Tampa Bay was going all the way!).
Of course, Athlon mostly caters to the “fantasy” football crowd. I only started playing fantasy last year and did not use the mag for drafting my team (strangely enough, I stocked most of my team with Seahawk players…hey, I still managed to come in 4th in my league). This year, my Athlon will probably be doing double duty.
However, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Haven’t had a chance to blog for a few days either. Or watch the NBA finals at the local pub; just found out today the Spurs are leading the series 2-0 ( not that LeBron James is over-rated or anything…). Heck, just found out the M’s are on a 3 game winning streak and only 4.5 games out of 1st!
See, I just got a new PUPPY. She is a beagle. Her name is Chewbacca, though we call her “Chewie” (named by my wife, even though I’m the Star Wars geek and she is not). And boy-o-boy, does she need a LOT of attention.
Today will be her first day alone for more than an hour or two…it really breaks my heart (Cancer Moon) to think of her crying all day!
But I have faith that she’ll get over it. Dogs (like humans, sports teams, cities, etc.) ALSO have an astrological signature. They come into the world at a particular time and place in space, and you can tell quite a bit by a dog’s astrology. For example, my dog growing up was a CANCER (she had the same birth day, though not year, as my mother). She liked her food quite a bit, especially "people food," and enjoyed lazing about indoors more than romping around outside. She was VERY protective of her home/house, barking viciously at anyone coming to the door, even into old age. She also never backed down from other, larger dogs…even though she was only a little cocker spaniel.
Chewie is an ARIES; that’s why I’m not too worried about her. Aries, after all, is the most independent sign of the zodiac. She’ll be an explorer, always wanting to poke her nose into new places, for Aries's main purpose is to initiate new experiences. It is the "Spring Time" sign (seeds breaking the ground and all that).
Of course, she’s also a BEAGLE, one of the great explorers of the dog world anyway. But being born with Jupiter in Sagittarius (the planet of expansion and exploration in its natural sign) certainly adds fuel to that particular fire. Having Jupiter nearly conjunct Pluto, her nose may lead her to discovering dead bodies, but right now it simply seems to have given her an unhealthy interest in other animals’ droppings!
She’s pretty smart though, and eager to communicate, although she has yet to bark (she cries and howls, but no barking). A non-barking dog? She’s got Mercury in Aries, which means she’s likely to speak before thinking. However, she appears to have a Capricorn rising sign (appearing both reserved and a little skittish in addition to having VERY traditional beagle coloration/markings). She also has Mars in Pisces, ruled by Neptune in either the 1st or 2nd house. I’ll have to see if I can get a more accurate birth time from her breeder. However, it would appear this is a dog attempting to “grow a pair” from an internal/psychological point of view…that Jupiter is retrograde, Saturn (plaent of fear and limitation) is in Leo, her North Node is conjunct that Pisces Mars (making her a natural worry-wart) and it appears Pluto (also retrograde) is in the 11th house…which means it’s polarity point is in the 5th house. Here’s a dog that needs to learn to bark…but bark constructively!
Ha!
Anyway, I do NOT intend to turn this into a PET BLOG (there are plenty of those out there already). Perhaps, I’ll start a completely separate blog on astrology and pets (Astro-Pet? Maybe!)! But I wanted to provide a little explanation as to why I’ve been slacking in my blog, for those folks that have been reading regularly. My time for writing has been tightened a little bit, and it may be sporadic during the following weeks while I am learning to love my little Beagle.
Happy Moon Day, folks!
Of course, Athlon mostly caters to the “fantasy” football crowd. I only started playing fantasy last year and did not use the mag for drafting my team (strangely enough, I stocked most of my team with Seahawk players…hey, I still managed to come in 4th in my league). This year, my Athlon will probably be doing double duty.
However, I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. Haven’t had a chance to blog for a few days either. Or watch the NBA finals at the local pub; just found out today the Spurs are leading the series 2-0 ( not that LeBron James is over-rated or anything…). Heck, just found out the M’s are on a 3 game winning streak and only 4.5 games out of 1st!
See, I just got a new PUPPY. She is a beagle. Her name is Chewbacca, though we call her “Chewie” (named by my wife, even though I’m the Star Wars geek and she is not). And boy-o-boy, does she need a LOT of attention.
Today will be her first day alone for more than an hour or two…it really breaks my heart (Cancer Moon) to think of her crying all day!
But I have faith that she’ll get over it. Dogs (like humans, sports teams, cities, etc.) ALSO have an astrological signature. They come into the world at a particular time and place in space, and you can tell quite a bit by a dog’s astrology. For example, my dog growing up was a CANCER (she had the same birth day, though not year, as my mother). She liked her food quite a bit, especially "people food," and enjoyed lazing about indoors more than romping around outside. She was VERY protective of her home/house, barking viciously at anyone coming to the door, even into old age. She also never backed down from other, larger dogs…even though she was only a little cocker spaniel.
Chewie is an ARIES; that’s why I’m not too worried about her. Aries, after all, is the most independent sign of the zodiac. She’ll be an explorer, always wanting to poke her nose into new places, for Aries's main purpose is to initiate new experiences. It is the "Spring Time" sign (seeds breaking the ground and all that).
Of course, she’s also a BEAGLE, one of the great explorers of the dog world anyway. But being born with Jupiter in Sagittarius (the planet of expansion and exploration in its natural sign) certainly adds fuel to that particular fire. Having Jupiter nearly conjunct Pluto, her nose may lead her to discovering dead bodies, but right now it simply seems to have given her an unhealthy interest in other animals’ droppings!
She’s pretty smart though, and eager to communicate, although she has yet to bark (she cries and howls, but no barking). A non-barking dog? She’s got Mercury in Aries, which means she’s likely to speak before thinking. However, she appears to have a Capricorn rising sign (appearing both reserved and a little skittish in addition to having VERY traditional beagle coloration/markings). She also has Mars in Pisces, ruled by Neptune in either the 1st or 2nd house. I’ll have to see if I can get a more accurate birth time from her breeder. However, it would appear this is a dog attempting to “grow a pair” from an internal/psychological point of view…that Jupiter is retrograde, Saturn (plaent of fear and limitation) is in Leo, her North Node is conjunct that Pisces Mars (making her a natural worry-wart) and it appears Pluto (also retrograde) is in the 11th house…which means it’s polarity point is in the 5th house. Here’s a dog that needs to learn to bark…but bark constructively!
Ha!
Anyway, I do NOT intend to turn this into a PET BLOG (there are plenty of those out there already). Perhaps, I’ll start a completely separate blog on astrology and pets (Astro-Pet? Maybe!)! But I wanted to provide a little explanation as to why I’ve been slacking in my blog, for those folks that have been reading regularly. My time for writing has been tightened a little bit, and it may be sporadic during the following weeks while I am learning to love my little Beagle.
Happy Moon Day, folks!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Straight From The West...Baby It's So Fresh
This post is in part a response to one commenter’s questions about Oakland.
Usually draftees don't make the difference in whether or not a team becomes "a winner.” Look at the Saints last year, for example. Certainly Reggie Bush was less of an “impact player” than fans initially hoped. And while Marques Colston DID stand out on the Saints’ team, there were a lot of factors that helped transform the Saints from a 3-13 team in 2005 to a 10-6 playoff team in 2006. Specifically:
- the addition of veteran QB Drew Brees
- the return from injury of RB Deuce McAllister
- a re-vitalized home field advantage from the Hurricane Katrina disaster
- a change in head coach
[I list these in the order of importance as I see them…admittedly, I didn’t follow the Saints too closely last year, so Louisiana fans can probably cite other factors]
Regardless, that kind of turnaround for an NFL team is pretty amazing, even in our Age of NFL Parity. Usually, a team goes from being “in transition” to a mediocre (8-8, 7-9) season to respectability and perhaps a playoff berth. But New Orleans’ off-season acquisitions coupled with a newfound civic pride really helped the team make a gigantic leap.
Last year, Oakland had a woeful 2-14 record. Their two victories came against the perennial doormat Cardinals (where vets go to retire) and the laughable Steelers (suffering from the curse of the Super Bowl Loser). I’m not sure you could even call it a transition year…maybe 2003 (4-12 record) or 2004 (5-11) were “transitions.” But after another dismal 2005 record of 4-12 and the Big Stink of 2006 (their worst season since 1962!), it may be time to call the spade a spade. The Raiders are a team with serious issues…and I’m not just saying psychological (listen up: they have ALWAYS had crazy fans and a crazier owner; that ain’t the problem).
Al Davis, by the way, is a CANCER, the literal Mother of the signs…and the Raiders are his baby, man. Personally, I think Cancers are wonderful (my mother, grandmother, father-in-law, and brother-in-law are all Cancers), though like all Moms they can sometimes be a bit…um…“smothering” with their affection. They also need to feel safe and secure in order to really loosen up and best show their funny and sentimental sides.
Now although Cancer is a Cardinal leadership sign, they are also an emotional WATER sign…Water sign folks can have real challenges when it comes to getting mired down in nostalgia, memories, and emotions. People with a strong Cancer-leaning tend to be less “forward thinking” and more backward remembering. For an NFL owner that takes a firm hand in the running of his team, this could result in the procurement of veteran players over their prime on the basis of past accomplishments. It could also result in resting on one’s laurels, basking in the nostalgia of former glories.
Of course, as a leader with a leadership sign Mr. Davis will not be content to sit and bask forever (he’s not a Leo after all)…Cardinal signs need movement, even if it is the sideways saunter of the Crab.
What can help is a little “constructive tension” with the head coach. In the past, the Raiders had great success under the coaching of John Madden and Tom Flores, both of whom were born in the sign of Aries. Aries is the Cardinal Fire sign of the zodiac, and their fiery leadership can sometimes rub Cancer the wrong way, just as Cancer’s sideways movement can frustrate Aries. However, this tension between the two can actually stimulate growth, forcing both to adapt even as they both try to move and lead. Challenging…but the possibility exists for real development through a Square relationship like this.
Lane Kiffin (the Raiders’ new head coach) is NOT an Aries, however…he’s a Taurus. The Bull gets along great with Cancer, because they both tend to be introverted and private individuals, respectful of each other’s space. Taurus is self-reliant; Cancer is an inward focused leader. They mix well…but when you find yourself in a rut, you don’t always want to be sitting pretty. Sometimes a little shake-up, a little TENSION, can be a good thing…to help blow-up those old conditioned patterns that keep us from growth (this is why everyone should thank Uranus…wherever the Old Man shows up, he tends to blow stuff up!).
Norv Turner is also a Taurus. He lasted two seasons in Oakland.
John Gruden, the Raiders’ most recent successful coach, is a Big Leo. Cancer is the Moon, and Leo is the Sun…they form a nice complimentary pair (what controlling the subconscious, one being the shiny face) but they make no aspect to each other…they’re not really on the same page, something evident from the way Gruden was traded.
Bill Callahan is also a Leo. He lasted two seasons in Oakland.
As for JaMarcus Russel, Oakland’s highest profile draft pick…well, he’s also a Big Leo. As far as astrological chemistry goes, I believe it’s important for the head coach to be able to relate to the QB. Leo (Russel) is Square to Taurus (Kiffin). Remember that TENSION I wrote about earlier? Generally you DON’T want tension between a young QB already struggling to learn the NFL and his Head Coach…especially (I’d guess) a young head coach already struggling to learn the NFL.
Of course, Oakland does have other QBs on the roster. Josh McCown is a Cancer, so he should get along smoothly with Kiffin. Andrew Walter is a Taurus, so Kiffin may see a lot of himself in the young man (there may be some snickers from the astrological audience out there…Taurus is not known for looking to others for much of anything, let alone self-examination/comparison!).
Any of these guys may end up with the starting job at one time or another in the 2007 season…which is bad news for Oakland. All teams…whatever the predominant Element or astrological sign…require consistency and stability to thrive and survive in the NFL. Without that stability, the players can’t gel and build the trust that’s so integral to working together as one strong unit. Plus, the fans don’t know who the heck they’re rooting for every week (how are they going to know who’s name/number to put on their signs and banners?)!
So right now, I’m not sure things are looking up for the Raiders. I’ll be able to tell more as we get into pre-season and the depth charts and trades start stabilizing. But for Oakland fans…well, you gotta’ realize it's probably NOT going to be a great year for you. KC is still on the rise, Denver still has Shanahan and Mile High, and San Diego…well, we all know about the Chargers. The best I can say is this: the quicker Oakland gets to a stabilized plan, the quicker they can start transitioning back to respectability. If they keep trying to “shoot the Moon” (no pun intended) by signing fancy vets, they’re going to hinder their ability to gel and reach that point of internal stability necessary for a consistent football team.
Mr. Davis: you need to grow your own crop of talent for the Raiders. A Taurus knows that a person must cultivate his own garden if you expect to reap the rewards. Just add your Cancer TLC to the mix, and then trust in the process!
Usually draftees don't make the difference in whether or not a team becomes "a winner.” Look at the Saints last year, for example. Certainly Reggie Bush was less of an “impact player” than fans initially hoped. And while Marques Colston DID stand out on the Saints’ team, there were a lot of factors that helped transform the Saints from a 3-13 team in 2005 to a 10-6 playoff team in 2006. Specifically:
- the addition of veteran QB Drew Brees
- the return from injury of RB Deuce McAllister
- a re-vitalized home field advantage from the Hurricane Katrina disaster
- a change in head coach
[I list these in the order of importance as I see them…admittedly, I didn’t follow the Saints too closely last year, so Louisiana fans can probably cite other factors]
Regardless, that kind of turnaround for an NFL team is pretty amazing, even in our Age of NFL Parity. Usually, a team goes from being “in transition” to a mediocre (8-8, 7-9) season to respectability and perhaps a playoff berth. But New Orleans’ off-season acquisitions coupled with a newfound civic pride really helped the team make a gigantic leap.
Last year, Oakland had a woeful 2-14 record. Their two victories came against the perennial doormat Cardinals (where vets go to retire) and the laughable Steelers (suffering from the curse of the Super Bowl Loser). I’m not sure you could even call it a transition year…maybe 2003 (4-12 record) or 2004 (5-11) were “transitions.” But after another dismal 2005 record of 4-12 and the Big Stink of 2006 (their worst season since 1962!), it may be time to call the spade a spade. The Raiders are a team with serious issues…and I’m not just saying psychological (listen up: they have ALWAYS had crazy fans and a crazier owner; that ain’t the problem).
Al Davis, by the way, is a CANCER, the literal Mother of the signs…and the Raiders are his baby, man. Personally, I think Cancers are wonderful (my mother, grandmother, father-in-law, and brother-in-law are all Cancers), though like all Moms they can sometimes be a bit…um…“smothering” with their affection. They also need to feel safe and secure in order to really loosen up and best show their funny and sentimental sides.
Now although Cancer is a Cardinal leadership sign, they are also an emotional WATER sign…Water sign folks can have real challenges when it comes to getting mired down in nostalgia, memories, and emotions. People with a strong Cancer-leaning tend to be less “forward thinking” and more backward remembering. For an NFL owner that takes a firm hand in the running of his team, this could result in the procurement of veteran players over their prime on the basis of past accomplishments. It could also result in resting on one’s laurels, basking in the nostalgia of former glories.
Of course, as a leader with a leadership sign Mr. Davis will not be content to sit and bask forever (he’s not a Leo after all)…Cardinal signs need movement, even if it is the sideways saunter of the Crab.
What can help is a little “constructive tension” with the head coach. In the past, the Raiders had great success under the coaching of John Madden and Tom Flores, both of whom were born in the sign of Aries. Aries is the Cardinal Fire sign of the zodiac, and their fiery leadership can sometimes rub Cancer the wrong way, just as Cancer’s sideways movement can frustrate Aries. However, this tension between the two can actually stimulate growth, forcing both to adapt even as they both try to move and lead. Challenging…but the possibility exists for real development through a Square relationship like this.
Lane Kiffin (the Raiders’ new head coach) is NOT an Aries, however…he’s a Taurus. The Bull gets along great with Cancer, because they both tend to be introverted and private individuals, respectful of each other’s space. Taurus is self-reliant; Cancer is an inward focused leader. They mix well…but when you find yourself in a rut, you don’t always want to be sitting pretty. Sometimes a little shake-up, a little TENSION, can be a good thing…to help blow-up those old conditioned patterns that keep us from growth (this is why everyone should thank Uranus…wherever the Old Man shows up, he tends to blow stuff up!).
Norv Turner is also a Taurus. He lasted two seasons in Oakland.
John Gruden, the Raiders’ most recent successful coach, is a Big Leo. Cancer is the Moon, and Leo is the Sun…they form a nice complimentary pair (what controlling the subconscious, one being the shiny face) but they make no aspect to each other…they’re not really on the same page, something evident from the way Gruden was traded.
Bill Callahan is also a Leo. He lasted two seasons in Oakland.
As for JaMarcus Russel, Oakland’s highest profile draft pick…well, he’s also a Big Leo. As far as astrological chemistry goes, I believe it’s important for the head coach to be able to relate to the QB. Leo (Russel) is Square to Taurus (Kiffin). Remember that TENSION I wrote about earlier? Generally you DON’T want tension between a young QB already struggling to learn the NFL and his Head Coach…especially (I’d guess) a young head coach already struggling to learn the NFL.
Of course, Oakland does have other QBs on the roster. Josh McCown is a Cancer, so he should get along smoothly with Kiffin. Andrew Walter is a Taurus, so Kiffin may see a lot of himself in the young man (there may be some snickers from the astrological audience out there…Taurus is not known for looking to others for much of anything, let alone self-examination/comparison!).
Any of these guys may end up with the starting job at one time or another in the 2007 season…which is bad news for Oakland. All teams…whatever the predominant Element or astrological sign…require consistency and stability to thrive and survive in the NFL. Without that stability, the players can’t gel and build the trust that’s so integral to working together as one strong unit. Plus, the fans don’t know who the heck they’re rooting for every week (how are they going to know who’s name/number to put on their signs and banners?)!
So right now, I’m not sure things are looking up for the Raiders. I’ll be able to tell more as we get into pre-season and the depth charts and trades start stabilizing. But for Oakland fans…well, you gotta’ realize it's probably NOT going to be a great year for you. KC is still on the rise, Denver still has Shanahan and Mile High, and San Diego…well, we all know about the Chargers. The best I can say is this: the quicker Oakland gets to a stabilized plan, the quicker they can start transitioning back to respectability. If they keep trying to “shoot the Moon” (no pun intended) by signing fancy vets, they’re going to hinder their ability to gel and reach that point of internal stability necessary for a consistent football team.
Mr. Davis: you need to grow your own crop of talent for the Raiders. A Taurus knows that a person must cultivate his own garden if you expect to reap the rewards. Just add your Cancer TLC to the mix, and then trust in the process!
Last Week of Basketball Season
Another beautiful weekend and I spent Sunday with friends out on the golf greens enjoying the warm Seattle sunshine. Fantastic, really...and I wasn’t quite ready to get back to my job, or my blog today.
I am aware that there is an NBA final going on right now and I have been neglecting coverage, both astrological and mundane. This has nothing to do with the Sonics not being in the finals, nor with the anticipated move of the Sonics to Oklahoma (or wherever they’re going...Nebraska? Maybe).
Nope, I’m just not a big NBA fan...haven’t been since the days of Coach Karl. Call me crazy, but I’m just not that into basketball. I once read an article in a Seattle paper that described basketball as ballet on the hardwood. Personally, I think this is absolute garbage...had the journalist ever been to the ballet? He had no idea what he was talking about.
All that being said, I do glance occasionally at the plasma widescreen when I’m at the sports bar and I have caught a bit of the action. And I have to say I am impressed with some of these players...okay, specifically with this Tim Duncan cat. I watched a couple games in the Spurs series with the Nuggets (and, yes, in my heart I was rooting for Denver, only because Karl is their coach, not because of Allen Iverson). And this Duncan guy was just impressive as hell. He was just playing solid, no frills basketball...the kind of stuff that my coach was drilling us on in the 4th grade. Except he was just...well, near flawless (I didn’t see any flaws anyway). I was having a blast just watching him execute.
Of course NOW I’ve bothered to read up on the guy and realize he’s known as The Big Fundamental and you can tell I’m not much of an NBA fan as I’ve never heard of this guy before this season and he’s a three-time champion and league MVP. Sheesh!
Then there’s LeBron. LeBron, LeBron, LeBron. Now this guy I’ve heard of, even if I’ve never watched him play (true story...I go to about one Sonics game per year, and usually against the T-Wolves so my transplant friends can see their old team). This guy even I’ve heard of...and now I’m reading articles about how this is his “break-out season” and his real chance to shine in the play-offs, etc. Um...he hasn’t already shined the last five years?
Apparently, Mr. James is finally “living up to the outsized expectations that have surrounded him” (according to today’s USA Today). Actually, the article discusses the NBA’s inability to draw fans to the finals because of the lack of “big-name stars” and rivalries in the finals. It quotes a bunch of analysts with a variety of negative things to say about the NBA’s rating and the relative star power versus “box office draw” of the players.
You know what? I’m not going to go over the USA Today article any more than that, because, quite frankly, I find it insipid and silly (hmmm...is it my imagination, or are these guys really starting to chap my hide?).
Here’s the astrological skinny folks: Tim Duncan (3-time NBA champ and MVP that folks should be writing about) is a Taurus. LeBron James is a Capricorn. Both of these are EARTH signs...non-flashy, down-to-earth, quiet and reserved. They’re not the guys that take up the spotlight...they just get things done. Earth signs are deep and practical…they’re not known for being explosive, verbose, or attention grabbing. You see that kind of thing more in Air and Fire signs. Let’s look at some of the “past legends” mentioned in the media:
Larry Bird – Sagittarius (Fire)
“Magic” Johnson – Leo (Fire)
Michael Jordan – Aquarius (Air)
Wilt Chamberlain – Leo (Fire)
Kareem Abdul Jabbar – Aries (Fire)
Now just because Mr. Duncan and Mr. James are Earth signs doesn’t mean they don’t have any Fire or Air in their nature. Fact of the matter is EVERY PERSON has EVERY SIGN in their chart. The signs are simply archetypes of human personality after all. But, as I may have stated in an earlier post, in different people, different signs are emphasized in different ways. And the sign of a person’s Sun colors the rest of the chart.
Anyhoo…it’s late and I’m gonna’ hit the hay. I probably will end up watching a few of the NBA final series this year; I’m curious to see how these Earth signs match up against each other!
I am aware that there is an NBA final going on right now and I have been neglecting coverage, both astrological and mundane. This has nothing to do with the Sonics not being in the finals, nor with the anticipated move of the Sonics to Oklahoma (or wherever they’re going...Nebraska? Maybe).
Nope, I’m just not a big NBA fan...haven’t been since the days of Coach Karl. Call me crazy, but I’m just not that into basketball. I once read an article in a Seattle paper that described basketball as ballet on the hardwood. Personally, I think this is absolute garbage...had the journalist ever been to the ballet? He had no idea what he was talking about.
All that being said, I do glance occasionally at the plasma widescreen when I’m at the sports bar and I have caught a bit of the action. And I have to say I am impressed with some of these players...okay, specifically with this Tim Duncan cat. I watched a couple games in the Spurs series with the Nuggets (and, yes, in my heart I was rooting for Denver, only because Karl is their coach, not because of Allen Iverson). And this Duncan guy was just impressive as hell. He was just playing solid, no frills basketball...the kind of stuff that my coach was drilling us on in the 4th grade. Except he was just...well, near flawless (I didn’t see any flaws anyway). I was having a blast just watching him execute.
Of course NOW I’ve bothered to read up on the guy and realize he’s known as The Big Fundamental and you can tell I’m not much of an NBA fan as I’ve never heard of this guy before this season and he’s a three-time champion and league MVP. Sheesh!
Then there’s LeBron. LeBron, LeBron, LeBron. Now this guy I’ve heard of, even if I’ve never watched him play (true story...I go to about one Sonics game per year, and usually against the T-Wolves so my transplant friends can see their old team). This guy even I’ve heard of...and now I’m reading articles about how this is his “break-out season” and his real chance to shine in the play-offs, etc. Um...he hasn’t already shined the last five years?
Apparently, Mr. James is finally “living up to the outsized expectations that have surrounded him” (according to today’s USA Today). Actually, the article discusses the NBA’s inability to draw fans to the finals because of the lack of “big-name stars” and rivalries in the finals. It quotes a bunch of analysts with a variety of negative things to say about the NBA’s rating and the relative star power versus “box office draw” of the players.
You know what? I’m not going to go over the USA Today article any more than that, because, quite frankly, I find it insipid and silly (hmmm...is it my imagination, or are these guys really starting to chap my hide?).
Here’s the astrological skinny folks: Tim Duncan (3-time NBA champ and MVP that folks should be writing about) is a Taurus. LeBron James is a Capricorn. Both of these are EARTH signs...non-flashy, down-to-earth, quiet and reserved. They’re not the guys that take up the spotlight...they just get things done. Earth signs are deep and practical…they’re not known for being explosive, verbose, or attention grabbing. You see that kind of thing more in Air and Fire signs. Let’s look at some of the “past legends” mentioned in the media:
Larry Bird – Sagittarius (Fire)
“Magic” Johnson – Leo (Fire)
Michael Jordan – Aquarius (Air)
Wilt Chamberlain – Leo (Fire)
Kareem Abdul Jabbar – Aries (Fire)
Now just because Mr. Duncan and Mr. James are Earth signs doesn’t mean they don’t have any Fire or Air in their nature. Fact of the matter is EVERY PERSON has EVERY SIGN in their chart. The signs are simply archetypes of human personality after all. But, as I may have stated in an earlier post, in different people, different signs are emphasized in different ways. And the sign of a person’s Sun colors the rest of the chart.
Anyhoo…it’s late and I’m gonna’ hit the hay. I probably will end up watching a few of the NBA final series this year; I’m curious to see how these Earth signs match up against each other!
Friday, June 1, 2007
49ers Offensive Chemistry
So, unfortunately, the 49ers Home Page doesn’t list the birth dates of their players (a gross oversight in my astrological opinion), and so it’s taken me longer than I expected to compile my data; in fact, I’ve only had the opportunity to look at the offensive side of the ball. Here’s what I’ve found so far:
The 49ers are a mess.
That is to say: from a basic astrology point of view, they’re something of a mixed bag…a stew if you will. And they’ve got some pretty fair challenges on the offensive side of the ball. Which is not to say it won’t be…um…exciting football. As I learned in last weekend’s NORWAC conference, “the most difficult Aspect to have in a chart is NO Aspect.” But still, it’s not going to be smooth sailing for the 49ers.
First off…um, where’s the center? NFL.com shows the team has no C position. The 49ers home page lists Tony Wragge as the center, even though his position is listed as guard. Wragge’s a Big Leo, so he probably exclaimed, “hey coach, I can play ANY position.” Actually C is a good position for a Leo…he gets to be the center of the line (just like the Sun is the CENTER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM). Kudos to you, lad, for taking on the job.
Now, the Center has that all-important job of snapping the ball. QB Alex Smith is a Taurus, astrologically square (a difficult or “challenging” aspect) to Leo. Uh-oh…in general, one would prefer to have these guys in a more “harmonious” pairing, to cut down the number of fumbled snaps. The tension between the two means they’re just going to have to work harder in practice.
Frank Gore is a 3rd year back and a Taurus…reminiscent of Taurus Emmitt Smith, even in his height and weight (Emmitt was 5’8”, 200#; Gore is 5’9”, 212#). Stocky little Bulls; I can’t remember for sure but didn’t Emmitt have some fumbling problems in the early years, too? Well, Emmitt had his best years running behind Aquarius Moose Johnston…Gore’s fullback counterpart is Gemini Moran Norris. Aquarius-Taurus is a square aspect (challenging, see above), but one with explosive potential (note: you don’t usually want explosive potential between a QB and center). Gemini-Taurus is a non-aspect. They’re not even on the same planet, let alone the same page. Gemini is all about talking, picking up and collecting information, linear/logical thinking. Taurus is about…well, sitting quiet, withdrawing, hoarding energy/resources. Of course, I just went to the wedding of a Gemini friend who has several planets in Taurus, and such might be the case with Norris…I’m just talking in general, here.
Regarding the relationship of the QB to his receivers…again you want these folks to be on the same page for maximum effectiveness. Here are some examples:
Dave Krieg (Libra) – Steve Largent (Libra) Conjunct signs
Steve Young (Libra) – Jerry Rice (Libra) Conjunct signs
John Elway (Cancer) – Shannon Sharpe (Cancer) Conjunct signs
Joe Montana (Gemini) – Jerry Rice (Libra) Trine signs
Matt Hasselbeck (Libra) – Darrel Jackson (Sagittarius) Sextile signs
Conjunctions, Trines, and Sextiles are all pretty favorable. Squares and Oppositions can be challenging but with a lot of potential for growth (based on tension…especially with squares). Here’s how Alex Smith (Taurus) shows up with his receivers:
TE Vernon Davis (Aquarius) – Square
WR Arnaz Battle (Pisces) – Sextile
WR Bryan Gilmore (Cancer) – Sextile
WR Ash Lelie (Aquarius) – Square
WR Darrel Jackson (Sagittarius) – No aspect
While Lelie and Davis have the potential to make an impact, Battle and Gilmore are more likely to be on the same page with Smith (Battle was the leading receiver last year). Interesting that D-Jack has no aspect with Mr. Smith. It will be interesting to see if and how he can adapt to the 49ers game plan. Seattle will certainly miss him.
The offensive line is the next area of interest. On the left side we have Justin Smiley (Scorpio) and Kwame Harris (Pisces). These two should get along quite well and should give Gore some decent running on the outside. On the right we have Larry Allen (Sagittarius) and Jonas Jennings (Scorpio). As non-aspected signs, it may require a little work to find common ground. Fortunately, Scorpios will often have a bit of Sag in them and vice versa (being next to each other in the zodiac, there’s often Mercury or Venus in the other sign). They’re a bit more problematic for their running backs (Sag is opposed Gemini and non-aspected with Taurus; Scorpio is opposed Taurus and non-aspected with Gemini). As for their “center;” well, a Leo will get along famously with a Sagittarius, but can certainly have clashes with Scorpio (Scorps and Leos both being the biggest “drama queens” of the zodiac).
Some may think it strange to even look at this kind of melding of “astrological chemistry.” However, from what I’ve read and heard from offensive linemen, the gelling of the line is a substantial part of the whole offensive process. Lord knows, the Seahawks have had some tremendous line difficulties over the years (and have ended up with mediocre records despite some talented players). However, let’s look at the truly dominant left side of the 2005 Seattle Seahawks:
T Walter Jones (Capricorn)
G Steve Hutchinson (Scorpio)
C Robbie Tobeck (Pisces)
Capricorn sextile Scorpio and sextile Pisces. Scorpio sextile Capricorn trine Pisces. Pisces sextile Capricorn, trine Scorpio. Add Shaun Alexander (Virgo) running behind Mack Strong (Virgo) and you end up with a truly unstoppable left side (Virgo is trine Capricorn and sextile Scorpio)…one that allowed Shaun Alexander to lead the league in rushing yards and break the record for most TDs in a season. Oh, yeah…and take the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl.
Okay, so the last piece we need to look at is the coach, of course. Mike Nolan is a Pisces…definitely necessary for a team that is in such a state of chaos. Pisces should get along very well with a Taurus QB (Alex Smith)…though theirs will seem a lot less of an intellectual relationship then some coach-players…more of an “I feel you guy” kind of relationship with grokking the gist type of communication. Which is VERY different from past 49ers coaches (I can’t find any Pisceans in the 49ers list of past head coaches), and it really remains to be seen whether or not he’ll be able to turn the team around. As stated, they’ve certainly got some challenges.
The 49ers are a mess.
That is to say: from a basic astrology point of view, they’re something of a mixed bag…a stew if you will. And they’ve got some pretty fair challenges on the offensive side of the ball. Which is not to say it won’t be…um…exciting football. As I learned in last weekend’s NORWAC conference, “the most difficult Aspect to have in a chart is NO Aspect.” But still, it’s not going to be smooth sailing for the 49ers.
First off…um, where’s the center? NFL.com shows the team has no C position. The 49ers home page lists Tony Wragge as the center, even though his position is listed as guard. Wragge’s a Big Leo, so he probably exclaimed, “hey coach, I can play ANY position.” Actually C is a good position for a Leo…he gets to be the center of the line (just like the Sun is the CENTER OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM). Kudos to you, lad, for taking on the job.
Now, the Center has that all-important job of snapping the ball. QB Alex Smith is a Taurus, astrologically square (a difficult or “challenging” aspect) to Leo. Uh-oh…in general, one would prefer to have these guys in a more “harmonious” pairing, to cut down the number of fumbled snaps. The tension between the two means they’re just going to have to work harder in practice.
Frank Gore is a 3rd year back and a Taurus…reminiscent of Taurus Emmitt Smith, even in his height and weight (Emmitt was 5’8”, 200#; Gore is 5’9”, 212#). Stocky little Bulls; I can’t remember for sure but didn’t Emmitt have some fumbling problems in the early years, too? Well, Emmitt had his best years running behind Aquarius Moose Johnston…Gore’s fullback counterpart is Gemini Moran Norris. Aquarius-Taurus is a square aspect (challenging, see above), but one with explosive potential (note: you don’t usually want explosive potential between a QB and center). Gemini-Taurus is a non-aspect. They’re not even on the same planet, let alone the same page. Gemini is all about talking, picking up and collecting information, linear/logical thinking. Taurus is about…well, sitting quiet, withdrawing, hoarding energy/resources. Of course, I just went to the wedding of a Gemini friend who has several planets in Taurus, and such might be the case with Norris…I’m just talking in general, here.
Regarding the relationship of the QB to his receivers…again you want these folks to be on the same page for maximum effectiveness. Here are some examples:
Dave Krieg (Libra) – Steve Largent (Libra) Conjunct signs
Steve Young (Libra) – Jerry Rice (Libra) Conjunct signs
John Elway (Cancer) – Shannon Sharpe (Cancer) Conjunct signs
Joe Montana (Gemini) – Jerry Rice (Libra) Trine signs
Matt Hasselbeck (Libra) – Darrel Jackson (Sagittarius) Sextile signs
Conjunctions, Trines, and Sextiles are all pretty favorable. Squares and Oppositions can be challenging but with a lot of potential for growth (based on tension…especially with squares). Here’s how Alex Smith (Taurus) shows up with his receivers:
TE Vernon Davis (Aquarius) – Square
WR Arnaz Battle (Pisces) – Sextile
WR Bryan Gilmore (Cancer) – Sextile
WR Ash Lelie (Aquarius) – Square
WR Darrel Jackson (Sagittarius) – No aspect
While Lelie and Davis have the potential to make an impact, Battle and Gilmore are more likely to be on the same page with Smith (Battle was the leading receiver last year). Interesting that D-Jack has no aspect with Mr. Smith. It will be interesting to see if and how he can adapt to the 49ers game plan. Seattle will certainly miss him.
The offensive line is the next area of interest. On the left side we have Justin Smiley (Scorpio) and Kwame Harris (Pisces). These two should get along quite well and should give Gore some decent running on the outside. On the right we have Larry Allen (Sagittarius) and Jonas Jennings (Scorpio). As non-aspected signs, it may require a little work to find common ground. Fortunately, Scorpios will often have a bit of Sag in them and vice versa (being next to each other in the zodiac, there’s often Mercury or Venus in the other sign). They’re a bit more problematic for their running backs (Sag is opposed Gemini and non-aspected with Taurus; Scorpio is opposed Taurus and non-aspected with Gemini). As for their “center;” well, a Leo will get along famously with a Sagittarius, but can certainly have clashes with Scorpio (Scorps and Leos both being the biggest “drama queens” of the zodiac).
Some may think it strange to even look at this kind of melding of “astrological chemistry.” However, from what I’ve read and heard from offensive linemen, the gelling of the line is a substantial part of the whole offensive process. Lord knows, the Seahawks have had some tremendous line difficulties over the years (and have ended up with mediocre records despite some talented players). However, let’s look at the truly dominant left side of the 2005 Seattle Seahawks:
T Walter Jones (Capricorn)
G Steve Hutchinson (Scorpio)
C Robbie Tobeck (Pisces)
Capricorn sextile Scorpio and sextile Pisces. Scorpio sextile Capricorn trine Pisces. Pisces sextile Capricorn, trine Scorpio. Add Shaun Alexander (Virgo) running behind Mack Strong (Virgo) and you end up with a truly unstoppable left side (Virgo is trine Capricorn and sextile Scorpio)…one that allowed Shaun Alexander to lead the league in rushing yards and break the record for most TDs in a season. Oh, yeah…and take the Seahawks to their first Super Bowl.
Okay, so the last piece we need to look at is the coach, of course. Mike Nolan is a Pisces…definitely necessary for a team that is in such a state of chaos. Pisces should get along very well with a Taurus QB (Alex Smith)…though theirs will seem a lot less of an intellectual relationship then some coach-players…more of an “I feel you guy” kind of relationship with grokking the gist type of communication. Which is VERY different from past 49ers coaches (I can’t find any Pisceans in the 49ers list of past head coaches), and it really remains to be seen whether or not he’ll be able to turn the team around. As stated, they’ve certainly got some challenges.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Oh Nooooooooo!
Aaaand…the M’s lost to the Angels 8-6. Hernandez got tagged for three homers, including a three-run blast from slugger Vladimir Guerrero in the 6th that put L.A. up over the Mariners. Of that last fateful pitch the Seattle Times quotes Mr. Hernandez as saying:
“I did what I wanted to do that at-bat. I threw that fastball because I wanted to. He hit it.”
Ah, the confidence of youth…or of Jupiter trine the Sun. As I said earlier, baseball IS a team sport, and there were good things popping up in Guerrero’s chart last night…the Sun was lighting up both his Mercury and Mars (in professional sports players, I seem to find Mercury to be on the prominent side…probably because of the hand-eye coordination aspect); he also had both Jupiter and Saturn approaching trine to his own Jupiter (from opposite ends) and Jupiter showing up in near direct opposition to his Mars. This latter would indicate something big, fat and lucky (as far as his desire/drive/energy is concerned) showing up externally…like a young pitcher throwing a fast ball right down the strike zone. Pow!
Anyway, this is just looking at only one batter…what about the two guys on base that Vlad knocked in? What about the earlier batters hitting homers off Felix? And the Mariners were up 5-4 prior to that three-run shot; there must have been some good things going on for the M’s batters, right?
Sure, maybe…but not necessarily. Ichiro bats consistently all year round…that’s just what he does. The stars can’t always “line up” for him…they’re probably going to mean more to his emotional make-up as anything else.
Same with Hernandez…he felt good about his pitches, he just didn’t get the job done. Hopefully, he sees how he can learn from the experience (Saturn trine Sun) and integrate the game into his psyche, making him a better ball player.
This is one excellent reason not to use astrology for directly picking the outcome of games (especially for betting folks). While you can look at charts for players (or even charts for a team!), my version of astrology is mainly concerned with the internal make-up and effects of the event…and a game can have positive effects even if the team registers an L instead of a W. For example the Seahawks failing to win Super Bowl XL was a pretty tough blow for a lot of Seattleites…but I see a helluva’ lot of Seahawks gear walking around Seattle these days (in the middle of May, no less!). Just playing in the big game brought a lot of pride to this town…and there were no post-game celebratory riots either!
Anyway, the other thing about team sports is that there’s a whole team of players to consider. In this game, I only looked at three players (Hernandez, Guerrero, and Weaver…Jered was pulled early, by the way). Looking at the emotional make-up of every single player on both teams compared to game-time…well, that’s more work than I want to do, even in the relatively short (16 game) NFL season!
All of these professional players are incredible athletes; that’s why they are paid to play the game. I have no doubt that your average WNBA player can smoke 90% of male and female basketball players on any given court…just as your average pro-football player would seem like Ladanian Tomlinson when lined up against the State varsity champs. Sure there are some players that are a cut above the rest (Peyton Manning or L.T. for example), but again it takes more than one or two “stars” to make a championship team.
Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry. Well, that and “good coaching;” which I would argue is also chemistry (most pro coaches being the equivalent of pro players, it’s a matter of getting the ones who can best communicate the game plan to a team for proper execution).
“I did what I wanted to do that at-bat. I threw that fastball because I wanted to. He hit it.”
Ah, the confidence of youth…or of Jupiter trine the Sun. As I said earlier, baseball IS a team sport, and there were good things popping up in Guerrero’s chart last night…the Sun was lighting up both his Mercury and Mars (in professional sports players, I seem to find Mercury to be on the prominent side…probably because of the hand-eye coordination aspect); he also had both Jupiter and Saturn approaching trine to his own Jupiter (from opposite ends) and Jupiter showing up in near direct opposition to his Mars. This latter would indicate something big, fat and lucky (as far as his desire/drive/energy is concerned) showing up externally…like a young pitcher throwing a fast ball right down the strike zone. Pow!
Anyway, this is just looking at only one batter…what about the two guys on base that Vlad knocked in? What about the earlier batters hitting homers off Felix? And the Mariners were up 5-4 prior to that three-run shot; there must have been some good things going on for the M’s batters, right?
Sure, maybe…but not necessarily. Ichiro bats consistently all year round…that’s just what he does. The stars can’t always “line up” for him…they’re probably going to mean more to his emotional make-up as anything else.
Same with Hernandez…he felt good about his pitches, he just didn’t get the job done. Hopefully, he sees how he can learn from the experience (Saturn trine Sun) and integrate the game into his psyche, making him a better ball player.
This is one excellent reason not to use astrology for directly picking the outcome of games (especially for betting folks). While you can look at charts for players (or even charts for a team!), my version of astrology is mainly concerned with the internal make-up and effects of the event…and a game can have positive effects even if the team registers an L instead of a W. For example the Seahawks failing to win Super Bowl XL was a pretty tough blow for a lot of Seattleites…but I see a helluva’ lot of Seahawks gear walking around Seattle these days (in the middle of May, no less!). Just playing in the big game brought a lot of pride to this town…and there were no post-game celebratory riots either!
Anyway, the other thing about team sports is that there’s a whole team of players to consider. In this game, I only looked at three players (Hernandez, Guerrero, and Weaver…Jered was pulled early, by the way). Looking at the emotional make-up of every single player on both teams compared to game-time…well, that’s more work than I want to do, even in the relatively short (16 game) NFL season!
All of these professional players are incredible athletes; that’s why they are paid to play the game. I have no doubt that your average WNBA player can smoke 90% of male and female basketball players on any given court…just as your average pro-football player would seem like Ladanian Tomlinson when lined up against the State varsity champs. Sure there are some players that are a cut above the rest (Peyton Manning or L.T. for example), but again it takes more than one or two “stars” to make a championship team.
Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry. Well, that and “good coaching;” which I would argue is also chemistry (most pro coaches being the equivalent of pro players, it’s a matter of getting the ones who can best communicate the game plan to a team for proper execution).
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Back In The Saddle
Well, for the folks holding their breaths to see if I would continue writing my blog, you can now exhale. I was at NORWAC through Sunday, and then I was ill Monday and Tuesday (what a bummer…I didn’t even make it to Folk Life Festival this year, which is pretty darn disappointing!). Oh, well what can you do? I would definitely have made it to Folk Life on Monday if I hadn’t been flat on my back, and the conference was fantastic, well worth missing three days of food, festival, and fun.
Fact of the matter is, I learned a lot at NORWAC this weekend. What a great convention…much better and more fun than I imagined it would be. Highlights included working with the challenging energies of interceptions and T-squares, Neptune as a means to receiving and manifesting one’s dreams, and Uranus as a tool for blowing up old, conditioned patterns. Sessions on astrological timing (whether using the natal chart as a day clock to chart bio-rhythms or using the secondary progressed Moon with transiting Saturn) were also very useful, as were the discussions on astrology itself: ethically, professionally, and historically. It was also fantastic to receive lectures from authors whose books I own and respect; truly a wonderful experience.
And one I could blog about at length, if I let myself. Actually, I’m still digesting the ideas and discussions, incorporating them into myself. Probably, I’ll get to them over the next few days…if not on this blog, hopefully in my own astrological practice.
In addition to neglecting my blog, I’ve also been slacking on the sports pages. Last time I checked, the M’s were under .500 (again). Now six days and five wins later, they’re over .500 and within shouting distance of the Angels. Tonight, they are again playing in L.A. and have a pretty good chance of finishing the series with a win. After all, Hernandez is pitching tonight and this is a pretty good time for him from an astrological point of view…Jupiter is trine his Sun giving him a jovial, confident feeling. At the same time, Saturn is trine his Sun (from the other side of the chart) making sure he keeps that confidence disciplined, doing what he needs to do without going overboard. It’s hard to tell for certain without his actual birth time, but it would appear Mars is closing in on his Sun and Moon, making him fiery and energetic both inside and out, and is also moving trine Felix’s natal Saturn, giving him courage to take on his normal fears, doubts, and self limits.
It appears the Angels will be starting Jered Weaver (younger brother of “the Weave”), quite fitting opposition as his Sun sign Libra directly opposite Felix’s Sun sign Aries. The stars aren’t nearly as energetic for Jered tonight, so he’s going to need help from the rest of his team…lucky for him, baseball is a team sport and Libra’s are excellent team players.
Hmmm…I might actually have to watch this game.
Football’s my normal sport, and I couldn’t help but notice the ridiculous article in USA Today about the 49ers having a shot at number one in the NFC West. Even if I wasn’t a Seattle fan, this article would smell pretty offensive. The fact that 61% of voters polled are saying Frisco can win the West is…well, it’s disgusting to be quite frank, and I would say it smacks of some pretty severe ignorance!
‘Course, it appears that my Scorpio insecurities have gotten all riled up…probably because the article fails to account for or mention my Seattle Seahawks (with the exception of former Seahawks now playing/coaching for San Fran). Here’s the Note of the Day: if you’re going to talk about who’s the top team and whose going to the play-offs in the NFC West, you’d better be mentioning the Seattle Seahawks. Let me refresh your memory:
2004 – 1st in the NFC West
2005 – 1st in the NFC West
2006 – 1st in the NFC West
Not a bad track record for the ‘Hawks the last couple years, and I’m not expecting a drop-off till 2009 or so. Right now, the road to #1 in the NFC West definitely necessitates going through the Pacific Northwest...please don't insult my intelligence!
But, hey, I realize I’m not at my most objective right now. Tell ya’ what: I’ll do an astrological work-up on the 49ers and we’ll see what we see. Maybe Alex Smith and Frank Gore are worth putting money on...but I wouldn't bet on it!
Fact of the matter is, I learned a lot at NORWAC this weekend. What a great convention…much better and more fun than I imagined it would be. Highlights included working with the challenging energies of interceptions and T-squares, Neptune as a means to receiving and manifesting one’s dreams, and Uranus as a tool for blowing up old, conditioned patterns. Sessions on astrological timing (whether using the natal chart as a day clock to chart bio-rhythms or using the secondary progressed Moon with transiting Saturn) were also very useful, as were the discussions on astrology itself: ethically, professionally, and historically. It was also fantastic to receive lectures from authors whose books I own and respect; truly a wonderful experience.
And one I could blog about at length, if I let myself. Actually, I’m still digesting the ideas and discussions, incorporating them into myself. Probably, I’ll get to them over the next few days…if not on this blog, hopefully in my own astrological practice.
In addition to neglecting my blog, I’ve also been slacking on the sports pages. Last time I checked, the M’s were under .500 (again). Now six days and five wins later, they’re over .500 and within shouting distance of the Angels. Tonight, they are again playing in L.A. and have a pretty good chance of finishing the series with a win. After all, Hernandez is pitching tonight and this is a pretty good time for him from an astrological point of view…Jupiter is trine his Sun giving him a jovial, confident feeling. At the same time, Saturn is trine his Sun (from the other side of the chart) making sure he keeps that confidence disciplined, doing what he needs to do without going overboard. It’s hard to tell for certain without his actual birth time, but it would appear Mars is closing in on his Sun and Moon, making him fiery and energetic both inside and out, and is also moving trine Felix’s natal Saturn, giving him courage to take on his normal fears, doubts, and self limits.
It appears the Angels will be starting Jered Weaver (younger brother of “the Weave”), quite fitting opposition as his Sun sign Libra directly opposite Felix’s Sun sign Aries. The stars aren’t nearly as energetic for Jered tonight, so he’s going to need help from the rest of his team…lucky for him, baseball is a team sport and Libra’s are excellent team players.
Hmmm…I might actually have to watch this game.
Football’s my normal sport, and I couldn’t help but notice the ridiculous article in USA Today about the 49ers having a shot at number one in the NFC West. Even if I wasn’t a Seattle fan, this article would smell pretty offensive. The fact that 61% of voters polled are saying Frisco can win the West is…well, it’s disgusting to be quite frank, and I would say it smacks of some pretty severe ignorance!
‘Course, it appears that my Scorpio insecurities have gotten all riled up…probably because the article fails to account for or mention my Seattle Seahawks (with the exception of former Seahawks now playing/coaching for San Fran). Here’s the Note of the Day: if you’re going to talk about who’s the top team and whose going to the play-offs in the NFC West, you’d better be mentioning the Seattle Seahawks. Let me refresh your memory:
2004 – 1st in the NFC West
2005 – 1st in the NFC West
2006 – 1st in the NFC West
Not a bad track record for the ‘Hawks the last couple years, and I’m not expecting a drop-off till 2009 or so. Right now, the road to #1 in the NFC West definitely necessitates going through the Pacific Northwest...please don't insult my intelligence!
But, hey, I realize I’m not at my most objective right now. Tell ya’ what: I’ll do an astrological work-up on the 49ers and we’ll see what we see. Maybe Alex Smith and Frank Gore are worth putting money on...but I wouldn't bet on it!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Me...the Busy Bee
This week has been a little busy for me and it’s going to be tricky for me to get anything posted the next couple days. This weekend is NORWAC (the Northwest Astrological Conference), and I shall be attending Friday through Sunday. Between that, trying to get into the gym, and cleaning the house (not to mention a couple other projects) I’m not going to have the time to blog as much.
Well…we’ll see. Maybe I’ll get some stuff out in the evenings.
New book seen at Elliott Bay Book Company today: Tales from the Seattle Mariners Dugout. With a big grinning photo of Ichiro on the cover. Man, I am tempted to pick this up just for blog-fodder!
Ichiro, by the by, is a pretty interesting character…deserving of a whole separate post of his own on this site. Today, I’d just like to point out the retrograde Mars in his birth chart…so easy to dismiss someone’s athletic potential simply because of an incomplete astrological understanding of the ol' backwards Mars (or lack of other considerations…you know; free will and stuff). Wish my free will was stronger…I was only born three weeks later then the Japanese superstar, but you don’t see me re-defining a sport.
I’d blame the difference on Ichiro’s Mars being in Taurus while mine is in Ares, but that would be short-changing pro-bowler and Super Bowl champion Lawyer Milloy whose birthday is just one day after mine (and also has his retrograde Mars in Ares). Ah, well.
Well…we’ll see. Maybe I’ll get some stuff out in the evenings.
New book seen at Elliott Bay Book Company today: Tales from the Seattle Mariners Dugout. With a big grinning photo of Ichiro on the cover. Man, I am tempted to pick this up just for blog-fodder!
Ichiro, by the by, is a pretty interesting character…deserving of a whole separate post of his own on this site. Today, I’d just like to point out the retrograde Mars in his birth chart…so easy to dismiss someone’s athletic potential simply because of an incomplete astrological understanding of the ol' backwards Mars (or lack of other considerations…you know; free will and stuff). Wish my free will was stronger…I was only born three weeks later then the Japanese superstar, but you don’t see me re-defining a sport.
I’d blame the difference on Ichiro’s Mars being in Taurus while mine is in Ares, but that would be short-changing pro-bowler and Super Bowl champion Lawyer Milloy whose birthday is just one day after mine (and also has his retrograde Mars in Ares). Ah, well.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Dancing With Skates
Congrats to local boy Apolo Ohno for winning this season’s Dancing With The Stars. Although I don’t actually watch the show, I do read the front page of the newspapers while standing in line for coffee every morning.
And that’s about all I want to say. Although competitive dancing could be considered a team sport, Mr. Ohno is still only an un-paid amateur athlete and this blog discusses professional sports (and astrology, of course). Apolo: please give us a call when you go pro!
(for those who are curious: Apolo does have Mars and Saturn in Libra in the 6th house; he also has both Moon and Sun in the 2nd house, although the Moon is in Taurus and Sun is in Gemini. Moon and Mars and Saturn are all ruled by Venus in Aries in the 12th, conjunct Apolo’s Ascendant…Mr. Ohno may well want to save and invest any money he does earn through his natural hard-working self, making sure it's diversified across many blue chip and conservative options…this will make him feel better/more secure as well as keep his funds from “magically” disappearing. Ah, youth!)
And that’s about all I want to say. Although competitive dancing could be considered a team sport, Mr. Ohno is still only an un-paid amateur athlete and this blog discusses professional sports (and astrology, of course). Apolo: please give us a call when you go pro!
(for those who are curious: Apolo does have Mars and Saturn in Libra in the 6th house; he also has both Moon and Sun in the 2nd house, although the Moon is in Taurus and Sun is in Gemini. Moon and Mars and Saturn are all ruled by Venus in Aries in the 12th, conjunct Apolo’s Ascendant…Mr. Ohno may well want to save and invest any money he does earn through his natural hard-working self, making sure it's diversified across many blue chip and conservative options…this will make him feel better/more secure as well as keep his funds from “magically” disappearing. Ah, youth!)
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Musings on the Salary Cap
As I sat at the bar last night, eating my cheeseburger and watching a string of Yankee bruisers step to the plate and clobber the heck out of the Red Sox, three thoughts continued to run through my mind:
- the pub is more fun when my wife’s in town
- soggy jalapenos are worthless
- thank God the NFL has a hard salary cap
What was the final score of last night’s game? I left at the bottom of the 6th with New York batting, no outs, and up 6-1.
(okay, just checked USA Today…final score was 6-2; guess I saw most of the damage)
For two or three innings it really seemed I was watching a line of clones, as successive large men struggling to look thin in pin stripes (and horribly failing), continued to chop mercilessly at Boston’s pitchers.
Not that I don’t love to hate the Yankees (like everyone), but I am more than satisfied with the way the salary cap has increased parity in the NFL. Instead of hating whole teams we can now single out individual players for enmity: like Tom Brady and Terrell Owens, for example.
The only downside to the implementation of the NFL’s 1994 salary cap appears to be the way players so rarely end up finishing their careers on the same team. The days of Steve Largent playing an entire 13 year career for the Seahawks would appear to be over.
Or is it?
Actually, the salary cap appears to have been more a response to the development of free agency in the NFL than anything else. Prior to 1989, if a team tried to “steal” a veteran from another team (by offering a more lucrative contract), the NFL commissioner would “compensate” the team losing the player by taking something of “equivalent value” (usually draft picks) from the team signing the free agent and awarding it to the agent’s former team. This fairly arbitrary method of penalizing teams (called the “Rozelle Rule”) prevented most teams from even negotiating with players on other teams.
From 1989 to 1992, the NFL engaged in Plan B Free Agency, under which only 37 players from each team could be designated as subject to a reserve clause in their contract (i.e. the Rozelle Rule). However, due to anti-trust lawsuits, by 1993 the NFL had changed free agency to the form in which it exists today.
The implementing of a hard salary cap, along with a hard salary floor (minimum) and revenue sharing has allowed NFL teams to compete on a pretty darn even footing. In addition, it appears to have had some other side effects:
- teams have to be smarter about how they scout and draft players, paying more attention to issues of character and chemistry
- teams are less likely to keep “problem” players on pay-roll
- players have been forced to consider what is more important to them: consistency and team-building or going where the money is
There are still players that are finishing up their careers on the teams with which they have become associated. Brett Favre has continued to play with the Green Bay Packers since 1992, and is a fixture of the Pack as Vince Lombardi. DE Cortez Kennedy chose to retire a Seahawk in 2000 rather than take contract offers from other teams. Both Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith were allowed to sign contracts with their former teams (the 49ers and Cowboys respectively) at the end of their careers so that they could retire as members of their original team.
Teams also have their own methods of honoring players, whether it is retiring their jersey numbers or inducting them into a “Ring of Honor;” Dave Krieg was inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor despite playing nearly half of his 18 year career on other teams (of course, Krieg is among the most beloved of former Seahawk players).
I don’t think the salary cap prevents players from staying with their teams (though Lawyer Milloy might disagree) any more than free agency forces players to move. I have a strong suspicion that if free agency had been an option in the past, some players would have taken advantage of the opportunity…and others would not have. Would Jim Brown have played for a team other than Cleveland if free agency had been available? It’s certainly possible...and he may have ended up playing for more than nine years if there’d been a team that’d taken him after his dispute with Art Modell.
What does any of this have to do with astrology? Not much, really…unless you want to look at birth dates of NFL Commissioners.
Pete Rozelle (Commissioner 1960-1989) Pisces
Paul Tagliabue (Commissioner 1989-2006) Sagittarius
Pisces is all about encompassing the whole, “merging with the cosmos,” swimming in the big picture, and adapting to circumstance. Pisces is also extremely emotional, sentimental, and super empathetic. Any wonder that the NFL under Rozelle’s leadership merged with the AFL, glommed onto television, and encountered boundary issues (like “family fights” with Al Davis and other owners). In the chaos of the beginnings of what is now the modern NFL, Rozelle was the perfect adaptable commissioner to swim with the ebb and flow…but is it any wonder the salary cap and free agency issues were ill-defined?
Sagittarius on the other hand is all about expansion and freedom…but done so not for the sake of exploration alone as for the creation of new paradigms. Creation of more franchises, allowance of free movement (both players and teams), and ballooning of salaries would all be expected under a Sag commissioner. What’s more interesting is the creation of a salary cap (limits?!) and the restrictions associated with free agency under his leadership…but of course, the NFL is influenced by more than a single person and there still is a lot more freedom than in the past. Also, Sag is the sign that rules lawyers and organized religion…it’s all about the creation of a new big paradigm that gives a place to hang all those little bitty facts, rules, and dogma.
The current commissioner, Roger Goodell, is an Aquarius. Under his direction, I would expect to see some non-traditional, “outside the box” thinking (Aquarius is the genius/nutty professor sign). Goodell has begun discussing the possibility of expanding the NFL outside of the USA, which would be a first. Of course, Aquarius is an organizer more than an initiator, so Goodell might only lay the groundwork rather than actually give expansion teams to Toronto or Vancouver or something. He might simply organize some sort of “world championship” between teams from different national leagues (a “World Cup” of American football). Aquarius is also the sign that rules both television and computers; I’d expect to see more active NFL involvement in both under Goodell’s leadership (streaming NFL podcasts, etc.).
By contrast, the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig, is a Big Leo. Commissioner since 1998 (“acting” Commish since 1992), Selig seems to have a lot of the stereotypical Leo archetype…i.e. the need to look good, the need to not look bad. A fixed, organizing sign (like Aquarius, Taurus, and Scorpio) Bud is not likely to implement much in the way of “changes” to the MLB, but appears ready to make whatever arrangements he can to draw attention/focus to it. Lots of strangeness has thus occurred under Selig’s watch: far too many to list here (though “tie” games and congressional hearings on steroids do stand out). But Selig has certainly managed to have his name remembered and associated with baseball (um…not necessarily the same as being a good Commissioner). Ah, fame.
- the pub is more fun when my wife’s in town
- soggy jalapenos are worthless
- thank God the NFL has a hard salary cap
What was the final score of last night’s game? I left at the bottom of the 6th with New York batting, no outs, and up 6-1.
(okay, just checked USA Today…final score was 6-2; guess I saw most of the damage)
For two or three innings it really seemed I was watching a line of clones, as successive large men struggling to look thin in pin stripes (and horribly failing), continued to chop mercilessly at Boston’s pitchers.
Not that I don’t love to hate the Yankees (like everyone), but I am more than satisfied with the way the salary cap has increased parity in the NFL. Instead of hating whole teams we can now single out individual players for enmity: like Tom Brady and Terrell Owens, for example.
The only downside to the implementation of the NFL’s 1994 salary cap appears to be the way players so rarely end up finishing their careers on the same team. The days of Steve Largent playing an entire 13 year career for the Seahawks would appear to be over.
Or is it?
Actually, the salary cap appears to have been more a response to the development of free agency in the NFL than anything else. Prior to 1989, if a team tried to “steal” a veteran from another team (by offering a more lucrative contract), the NFL commissioner would “compensate” the team losing the player by taking something of “equivalent value” (usually draft picks) from the team signing the free agent and awarding it to the agent’s former team. This fairly arbitrary method of penalizing teams (called the “Rozelle Rule”) prevented most teams from even negotiating with players on other teams.
From 1989 to 1992, the NFL engaged in Plan B Free Agency, under which only 37 players from each team could be designated as subject to a reserve clause in their contract (i.e. the Rozelle Rule). However, due to anti-trust lawsuits, by 1993 the NFL had changed free agency to the form in which it exists today.
The implementing of a hard salary cap, along with a hard salary floor (minimum) and revenue sharing has allowed NFL teams to compete on a pretty darn even footing. In addition, it appears to have had some other side effects:
- teams have to be smarter about how they scout and draft players, paying more attention to issues of character and chemistry
- teams are less likely to keep “problem” players on pay-roll
- players have been forced to consider what is more important to them: consistency and team-building or going where the money is
There are still players that are finishing up their careers on the teams with which they have become associated. Brett Favre has continued to play with the Green Bay Packers since 1992, and is a fixture of the Pack as Vince Lombardi. DE Cortez Kennedy chose to retire a Seahawk in 2000 rather than take contract offers from other teams. Both Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith were allowed to sign contracts with their former teams (the 49ers and Cowboys respectively) at the end of their careers so that they could retire as members of their original team.
Teams also have their own methods of honoring players, whether it is retiring their jersey numbers or inducting them into a “Ring of Honor;” Dave Krieg was inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor despite playing nearly half of his 18 year career on other teams (of course, Krieg is among the most beloved of former Seahawk players).
I don’t think the salary cap prevents players from staying with their teams (though Lawyer Milloy might disagree) any more than free agency forces players to move. I have a strong suspicion that if free agency had been an option in the past, some players would have taken advantage of the opportunity…and others would not have. Would Jim Brown have played for a team other than Cleveland if free agency had been available? It’s certainly possible...and he may have ended up playing for more than nine years if there’d been a team that’d taken him after his dispute with Art Modell.
What does any of this have to do with astrology? Not much, really…unless you want to look at birth dates of NFL Commissioners.
Pete Rozelle (Commissioner 1960-1989) Pisces
Paul Tagliabue (Commissioner 1989-2006) Sagittarius
Pisces is all about encompassing the whole, “merging with the cosmos,” swimming in the big picture, and adapting to circumstance. Pisces is also extremely emotional, sentimental, and super empathetic. Any wonder that the NFL under Rozelle’s leadership merged with the AFL, glommed onto television, and encountered boundary issues (like “family fights” with Al Davis and other owners). In the chaos of the beginnings of what is now the modern NFL, Rozelle was the perfect adaptable commissioner to swim with the ebb and flow…but is it any wonder the salary cap and free agency issues were ill-defined?
Sagittarius on the other hand is all about expansion and freedom…but done so not for the sake of exploration alone as for the creation of new paradigms. Creation of more franchises, allowance of free movement (both players and teams), and ballooning of salaries would all be expected under a Sag commissioner. What’s more interesting is the creation of a salary cap (limits?!) and the restrictions associated with free agency under his leadership…but of course, the NFL is influenced by more than a single person and there still is a lot more freedom than in the past. Also, Sag is the sign that rules lawyers and organized religion…it’s all about the creation of a new big paradigm that gives a place to hang all those little bitty facts, rules, and dogma.
The current commissioner, Roger Goodell, is an Aquarius. Under his direction, I would expect to see some non-traditional, “outside the box” thinking (Aquarius is the genius/nutty professor sign). Goodell has begun discussing the possibility of expanding the NFL outside of the USA, which would be a first. Of course, Aquarius is an organizer more than an initiator, so Goodell might only lay the groundwork rather than actually give expansion teams to Toronto or Vancouver or something. He might simply organize some sort of “world championship” between teams from different national leagues (a “World Cup” of American football). Aquarius is also the sign that rules both television and computers; I’d expect to see more active NFL involvement in both under Goodell’s leadership (streaming NFL podcasts, etc.).
By contrast, the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig, is a Big Leo. Commissioner since 1998 (“acting” Commish since 1992), Selig seems to have a lot of the stereotypical Leo archetype…i.e. the need to look good, the need to not look bad. A fixed, organizing sign (like Aquarius, Taurus, and Scorpio) Bud is not likely to implement much in the way of “changes” to the MLB, but appears ready to make whatever arrangements he can to draw attention/focus to it. Lots of strangeness has thus occurred under Selig’s watch: far too many to list here (though “tie” games and congressional hearings on steroids do stand out). But Selig has certainly managed to have his name remembered and associated with baseball (um…not necessarily the same as being a good Commissioner). Ah, fame.
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