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Preseason
is a time for prediction, isn't it? The dawning new age of football lies
before us, ripe with nascent possibilities. Everybody has a favorite.
For instance, many are looking at the beefed-up Washington Redskins to
dominate. But let's remember back to this time last year. If somebody
told you last August to back "Kurt Who?" and the spotty St. Louis Rams,
you would have thought they were nuts! The NFL 1999 season was particularly
unpredictable, and while this season probably won't be quite as dramatic
as last year's injury-riddled roller coaster ride, it's still anybody's
game.
In
our last article,
we looked at some of the more important planetary alignments that will
be taking place during the upcoming NFL season, like the Jupiter-Pluto
opposition. Jupiter in Gemini will oppose Pluto in Sagittarius for most
of September and October, exerting a powerful influence on the game. Over
my next few articles, I’d like to take a look at how these planetary patterns
might affect specific players, coaches and teams. We'll start in the NFC,
where a lot of important off-season changes have been taking place.
Tampa
Bay Buccaneers
Have
I died and gone to Fantasy Land, or are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers actually
one of the strongest teams in the league? The Bucs? The karmically-impaired,
perennial underdog, saddest-team-in-the-sunshine-state Bucs? Yes, the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not only one of the top contenders in the league
according to the oddsmakers, but the horoscope of their young quarterback,
Shaun King, lies right in the path of that important Jupiter-Pluto opposition.
A local boy and lifelong Bucs fan, Shaun King was born in St. Petersburg,
Florida, on May 29, 1977. As luck would have it, King was thrust into
the starting job in his rookie year when injuries felled Trent Dilfer.
King's unshakable confidence and poise in the pocket led the team all
the way to the NFC Championship game. Not bad for a rookie, but then,
with his natal Sun so close to (conjunct) Jupiter in Gemini, Shaun King
is a very lucky guy. He is everything that Jupiter promises: wealthy,
well-educated, well-traveled, athletic and powerfully optimistic, possessing
a profound faith that makes it all possible. King is a prime example of
how we all make our own luck.
This
fall, the transiting Jupiter in Gemini will pass back and forth over King's
natal Sun and Jupiter in Gemini. When Jupiter forms its opposition to
Pluto in Sagittarius (10–11 degrees) during September and October, the
two planets will be aspecting and directly interacting with much of King's
natal chart, including his natal Saturn, Pluto and Neptune. The spotlight,
with all its glare and intensity, will be focused right on him.
A
Whale in a Fish Bowl
Before
we get too carried away, remember that Jupiter in Gemini tends to promise
more than it can deliver. Jupiter's broad, expansive nature is a little
too much for Gemini's close-knit, neighborhood network. Gemini's focus
is short-range, reporting on its immediate environment. Jupiter is more
at home in the opposite sign, free-wheeling, high-flying Sagittarius,
the sign of its rulership. Jupiter in Gemini tends to overemphasize inessentials,
while neglecting fundamentals. Stuffing Jupiter into Gemini is not unlike
trying to keep a whale in a fishbowl.
We
see some of this mismatch within the personality of Shaun King himself.
With his natal Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Gemini, he personifies many
of the attributes of Jupiter in Gemini, and that's not necessarily a
bad thing. For instance, the planet Jupiter rules philosophy and religion,
and Shaun King is a very religious Gemini. For many, God is a lofty concept,
best kept at a distance and certainly outside the realm of ordinary conversation.
King speaks of God constantly, as if He were standing right beside him.
It seems a bit out of place initially, but King has a way of injecting
his religious philosophy into routine situations—like the huddle,
the pocket, the locker room—that is really inspiring to those around
him. He's a preacher in Gemni's playground, rather than Jupiter's pulpit.
It's not exactly "normal," but it certainly isn't wrong.
I'm
of the opinion that King and the Bucs will prosper this season, especially
during September, October and early November. By the end of November,
Jupiter will be moving away from King's Gemini Sun, and his best playing
days of the season may be over. If he can stay conservative, avoid the
grand gestures and big mistakes and allow the superlative Tampa Bay defense
to win games for him, the Bucs should have another excellent season. In
the future, King will certainly remember this autumn as one of the best
times of his life. But can they beat the Redskins and the Rams? We'll
discuss those questions in a future article! In the meantime, are you
ready for some football?
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