Like
Father, Like Son
As football
pedigrees go, even Peyton Manning gets outclassed in comparison with
Brian Griese’s combination of nature and nurture. A scant two years
after leading the legendary 1972 Miami Dolphins to the Super Bowl victory
that capped their historic perfect season, quarterback Bob Griese was
blessed with a son, a bouncing baby boy they named Brian.
Fast forward
to the here and now, and baby Brian is all grown up, leading a spirited
Denver Broncos offense, and living up to the family name. His recent
Monday night heroics against Denver’s archrivals, the Oakland Raiders,
proved that he inherited more than just his arm and his accuracy from
his famous dad. He’s also got the heart of a champion.
Early in
the first quarter, after leading the Broncos to a touchdown on their
first drive, Griese was slammed into the ground by two tacklers. He
suffered a separation in his right shoulder, the same one that had sidelined
him earlier in the season. Most quarterbacks would have spent the rest
of the game on the bench as a spectator, but after a quick trip to the
locker room for some tape and a shot, Griese insisted on staying in.
Playing
on sheer guts and the will to win, with his throwing arm popping in
and out of its socket, he passed his way to a 27-24 victory. His performance
even drew respectful kudos from his opponents, the notoriously tough
Raiders, and silenced any lingering doubts. No more of that Griese kid
stuff. Young Brian has come into his own.
Let’s
take a closer astrological look at the two quarterbacks, father and
son. Hall-of-Famer Bob Griese is a cool, calm and collected Aquarius,
born on February 3, 1945 in Evansville, Indiana. Always the gentleman
and a true team player, in his prime he was surrounded by perhaps the
greatest collection of talent ever assembled on one team; an Aquarian
star among stars. Fortunate son Brian, a Pisces, was born both blessed
and burdened, on March 18, 1975 in Miami. Receiving a legacy is all
well and good, but living up to it is quite another thing. Their paths
to the NFL have been very different, but they are linked together through
powerful bonds of family, football and astrology.
The
Mentorship Bond: Jupiter and Chiron
The most
obvious connection between the charts of father and son lies across
the cusps of Pisces-Aries and Virgo-Libra. Son Brian’s fortunate Sun-Jupiter
conjunction is very close to his father’s natal Venus in Aries, while
opposing both his father’s natal Jupiter in Virgo and Chiron in Libra.
This combination of oppositions and conjunctions between the two charts
serves as a sort of conduit between them. Bob Griese’s considerable
skill and knowledge pass easily on to Brian, who is willing and eager
to absorb all that he can. The elder Griese is not only a father to
his son, but also serves as a teacher, mentor and coach.
Jupiter
is the big benefic of astrology, the most expansive and lucky planet.
Some of Jupiter’s more obvious benefits in this case are shared athletic
ability, higher education, travel, publicity and wealth. However, the
Indian name for Jupiter is “Guru,” signifying a teacher or mentor. Jupiter’s
greatest gift is wisdom and the cultivation of the higher mind, and
that often manifests in the form of someone who teaches us what we need
to know.
In that
sense, Jupiter shares a common bond with the strange little planetoid,
Chiron. In his mythological origins, Chiron was the wisest of the Centaurs,
and a teacher of heroes. We often see powerful links to Chiron between
coaches and the players that develop under their leadership.
Focus
on the Family
Brian and
Bob Griese also share their Saturn placement in the sign Cancer. Saturn
is a bit out of place in Cancer, the sign of its detriment. Saturn rules
the opposite sign, Capricorn, a worldly earth sign that seeks achievement
and status. Cancer is the sign of the home and the family, and is
ruled by the impressionable Moon. Saturn in Cancer can put the family business
right on the kitchen table, often blurring the distinction between the
security of home and the cutthroat competition of the marketplace.
In some
cases, Saturn in Cancer manifests as a lack of nurturing within the
family, or where the individual must become self-reliant at
an early age. In the Griese family, the loss of Brian’s mother to illness
brought father and son closer together. The Grieses shared Saturn placement
has united them in their chosen field, furthering a family tradition
and raising the family’s public profile. Quarterback Peyton Manning,
the son of Archie Manning, also has natal Saturn in Cancer.
Brian is
eager to return to the Broncos lineup, but early estimates indicate
he could be out for at least a month while his shoulder heals. He may
get some help from transiting Jupiter between December 15 and 23. Jupiter
will be moving retrograde (backward) in Gemini, making a 90 degree
square to Brian's natal Mercury in Pisces, while conjoining his natal South
Node in Gemini. These aren't the most promising aspects, but at least
they are exact. He could be overly optimistic and try to do too much
too soon, but at the end of the season, the competition for the AFC
Wild Card spots will be too intense to miss.
It isn’t
easy following in the footsteps of a legend. Brian Griese may never
have a perfect season like his dad, but no one will ever doubt his courage
and competitive spirit. After the Raiders’ game, Brian’s right arm hung
limp at his side, so weak he couldn’t even shake hands. So how did he
do it? I’m not sure, but maybe it’s something he learned at home.