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!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
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.
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