From out of
nowhere, a new American hero has emerged. He has inspired football
fans all season long, but now most of America has thrilled to the
heart-warming Cinderella story of Rams’ quarterback Kurt Warner and
his perseverance against all odds.
The Unlikely
Quarterback
Back in the early
days of this star-crossed NFL season, the hapless St. Louis Rams were
desperate for a quarterback. Their hopes rested on Trent Green, newly
acquired from Washington, but he sustained a season-ending injury in
an exhibition game.
The “experts” laughed when Coach Dick Vermeil
gave the job to the lowly Warner, a former Arena Bowl player who had
been overlooked and undrafted out of college. How could he hope to
compete in a league with the likes of Marino, Manning and Steve Young?
Yet, in one record-setting season, Warner leapt into their ranks,
becoming the ultimate underdog hero and a living reminder that nice
guys don’t have to finish last, if they believe in themselves and
never give up.
A Cancer Family Man
Warner was born on
June 22, 1971, with his Sun and Mercury at the very beginning of the
sign Cancer. Like many Cancers, his devotion to his family is one of
the most distinctive features of his personality. Kurt and his wife,
Brenda, are obviously very much in love. He still kisses her in the
stands at the end of every game, like some noble knight wooing his
lady.
Kurt adopted Brenda’s two children from her first marriage,
even though her son Zachary is brain-damaged and nearly blind, having
suffered a tragic accident as an infant. He often credits Zachary
with being his inspiration for overcoming his own setbacks. Warner
easily displays his Cancer sensitivity, choking with emotion when
discussing his love for his family and his faith. He tends to shun
both the high life and the spotlight, preferring the closeness of home
and the company of old friends and relations.
Cancer American
Heroes
Perhaps because
America is a Cancer country (born July 4, 1776), we love our Cancer
heroes and the values they enshrine, like John Glenn (July 18, 1921)
or Brandy Chastain (born July 21, 1968) of the U.S. Women’s World
Cup team. We may not think of Cancer as a particularly athletic or
heroic sign, but it does have its own strengths. Cancer athletes tend
to possess quick, instinctive reflexes and an intuitive ability to
read the opposition. Fluid and graceful in motion, they can also be
moody and unpredictable, like Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968),
Penny Hardaway (born July 18, 1971) or Mike Tyson (born June 30,
1966).
Jupiter and
Neptune: The Underdog Hero
Warner has a close
conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Neptune in his chart. In his
case, the union of these two planets seems to expand Jupiter’s
influence to Neptune’s legendary proportions. While Jupiter
traditionally rules sports and outdoor activities, it also rules
religion and the clergy. Warner is not only a superb athlete, but he
is also deeply religious, freely expressing his faith.
Much of his appeal derives from his humble underdog status (Neptune)
and his sympathetic demeanor, which has never changed, even with all
this sudden and overwhelming success. Warner is the kind of player
who attracts women fans to football—sensitive, spiritual, a devoted
husband and father, the ultimate Cancer hero—and, by the way, an excellent
quarterback, too!