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!