Monthly Archives: November 2011

BAD MOVIE PAGE: BLOOD HARVEST (1987)

 BLOOD HARVEST (1987) – Category: Enjoyably bad movie elevated by kitsch value in the casting     As if 1960’s folk singer Tiny Tim wasn’t creepy enough in real life here he is in the 80’s slasher flick that is famous purely because of his presence in it … in clown makeup (AAAAAH!). This review will start off with a major spoiler, so stop reading right now if you actually want to watch this thing as if it was a real movie.

Tiny Tim is NOT the slasher in this film. I often wonder how many copies of this flick have been sold over the years based purely on the fallacious word of mouth that the psychotic- seeming Timster supposedly played a Jason Voorhees style slasher in this movie. Blood Harvest starts out letting the audience THINK Tiny Tim, or Marvelous Mervo as his character is named, is the killer as he hoists a dead body up like a side of beef while singing an eerie parody of a nursery rhyme. We also get a few scenes of Mervo talking to dead bodies and positioning them on furniture like a macabre version of a little girl’s tea party.

Anyone with an eye for movie cliches, though, can tell early on that  Continue reading

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A QUICK CHECK- IN WITH NAIA COLLEGE BASKETBALL WITH GEORGE FLOROS AND RONY SEIKALY

 Of the two men holding up the trophy in this picture, the one on the left is George Floros, AKA Big G, and the one on the right is, of course, the former NBA player Rony Seikaly. The Lebanese Seikaly was the very first draft pick of the Miami Heat when they were an expansion franchise in 1988. George, a native of Greece, was not. (rimshot)

This photo was taken in 1983 in Paris, where George, Rony and their teammates from ACS Athens High School had won the international competition that year. There’s no truth to the rumor that George and Rony went on to promise that ACS Athens would win “Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven” of those titles. George and Rony were quite a deadly duo on the court and were known, respectively, as The Greek Playboy and The Guy Who Can Actually Play Basketball (I’m just kidding, George! I threw that in for Nikki’s benefit. ). After his NBA career Rony went on to become an active real estate entrepreneur and George (who, by the way, is available, ladies) now divides his time between taking trips to Las Vegas and planning trips to Las Vegas.

Anyway, since Rony and George will probably Continue reading

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WHERE HAVE ALL THE GODS AND BAD MOVIES GONE?

Just a heads up to regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog that my usually more light- hearted content will return any day now. The Jerry Sandusky/ Joe Paterno scandal at Penn State plus the playoff and Bowl action in the divisions of college football that I cover  have made me busier than usual. I repeat, any day now my reviews of bad movies, my mythology posts, my ancient Greek comedy reviews and my looks at presidential scandals and forgotten pulp heroes will be back, so stay tuned!

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CCCAA FOOTBALL POST-SEASON MATCHUPS

 The friendly fellow to your left is Joe Mountie, the mascot of the defending CCCAA football champs, the Mt San Antonio College Mounties. Joe is part American mountain man, part Canadian Mountie and all babe- magnet! As the CCCAA begins its post -season this Saturday, November 19th, the Mounties face an SCFA semi- final game against the El Camino College Warriors, for whom one of the ever- errant Phil Simms sons played for a year a little while back before transferring to Tennessee. That semi- final clash takes place in the National Bowl at 1pm PT. 

Meanwhile, the SCFA Bowl hosts the other semi- final matchup. The Palomar College Comets welcome the Cerritos College Falcons. Cerritos comes in as the National Northern Conference champions, while the Comets come into this game sick to death of hearing about how they “backed into” the playoffs. At 6pm PT on Saturday their players at last get to just take the field and ball.     

OTHER CCCAA BOWL MATCHUPS

AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP BOWL – The Santa Monica College Corsairs, the champions of the American Pacific Conference, play host to the East Los Angeles College Huskies. The Huskies are the champions of the American Mountain Conference and come in at 7-3, while the Corsairs boast an 8-2 record. Kickoff is scheduled for just past 1pm PT.

CAPITAL CITY BOWL – November 19th, 1pm PT – The 9-1 Chabot College Gladiators (love that name) are the Golden Gate Conference champs and they will travel to face the 10-0 American River College Beavers. The Beavers took the Mid Empire Conference title so this is another contest of champions.

CENTRAL CHAMPIONSHIP BOWL – November 19th, TBD – The Golden West College Rustlers will be clashing with the Continue reading

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NJCAA FOOTBALL’S 2011 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SET: MATADORS VS LIONS – PLUS THE OTHER NJCAA BOWL MATCHUPS

 Three dreams came true for the Arizona Western College Matadors this year: an 11-0 season, the return of the El Toro Bowl AND they will be hosting that game, which, by the way, will be for the NJCAA  National Championship. The number 1 Matadors will face the 2nd ranked East Mississippi Lions on December 3rd in Yuma. Game time is scheduled for 2:30 pm Pacific Time.

The two teams last faced each other in post- season play just two years ago. The Lions defeated the Matadors in the 2009  Mississippi Bowl 27-24.

GRAPHIC EDGE BOWL – This Sunday, November 20th, the first NJCAA Bowl Game of the post- season will feature the Iowa Western Reivers and the Rochester (MN) Tech Yellowjackets. Kickoff is scheduled for 3pm MT. The Reivers come into the game at 8-2, the Yellowjackets a perfect 10-0.

OTHER NJCAA BOWL MATCHUPS

SALT CITY BOWL – Dec 3rd 1PM CT – The Hutchinson Blue Dragons will be taking on the Continue reading

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NCAA DIVISION 3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS FOR 2011

FOR THE LATEST D3 FOOTBALL RESULTS CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2011/11/27/college-football-playoff-results-from-november-26th/ 

Two days ago I addressed the NAIA college football playoff teams, yesterday the NCAA Division 2 field and today I hit D3. All is in order in the cosmos because the undefeated defending champions of D3 football, the Whitewater Warhawks, are the overall number one seed. Since my blog is largely an introduction to the divisions of college football that I cover I’ll point out for newbies that the Warhawks have played the Mt Union Purple Raiders (also a one seed in their region) in the D3 title game for the past SIX YEARS IN A ROW! The teams have split the series three games each, so stay tuned to see if we have a seventh straight championship tilt between these two or if another team at last rises up and knocks at least one of these powerhouses out of the playoffs. The Mary Hardin- Baylor Crusaders and the Delaware Valley Aggies are the other two number one seeds.

OPENING ROUND MATCHUPS – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH

ALBION BRITONS @ UWW WARHAWKS   /   BENEDICTINE EAGLES @ MUC PURPLE RAIDERS

REDLANDS BULLDOGS @ MHBU CRUSADERS   /   NORWICH CADETS @ DEL VAL AGGIES

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT CAPTAINS @ KEAN COUGARS   /   THOMAS MORE SAINTS @ FRANKLIN GRIZZLIES

WNEC GOLDEN BEARS @ SALISBURY SEA GULLS   /   MONMOUTH (IL) SCOTS @ Continue reading

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NCAA DIVISION 2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS FOR 2011

Yesterday Balladeer’s Blog presented the 16 team playoff field and First Round matchups for the NAIA’s College Football Playoffs. Today I’ll let the D2 field soak in. Since my blog is all about bringing fresh eyes to the divisions of college sports that I cover, many of my readers are newbies to sports at this level. Or for that matter, to playoffs in ANY format for college football. D2 has a 24 team playoff field and the Top 2 seeds in each of the 4 regions get a bye in the first round. 

ONE SEEDS – (In order of nickname coolness)  PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES,  DELTA STATE STATESMEN,  MIDWESTERN STATE MUSTANGS,  WINSTON- SALEM STATE RAMS

TWO SEEDS – (In order of nickname coolness)  PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS,  NEBRASKA- KEARNEY LOPERS,  NEW HAVEN CHARGERS,  MARS HILL LIONS 

AND NOW THE FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS FOR NOVEMBER 19TH – 

Super Region 1 – 6) CONCORD MOUNTAIN LIONS @ 3) KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS  /  5) CALIFORNIA (PA) VULCANS @ Continue reading

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2011 NAIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS ANNOUNCED

FOR THE LATEST NAIA PLAYOFF RESULTS CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2011/11/27/college-football-playoff-results-from-november-26th/ 

The Marian University Knights (helmet at left) gave me another excuse to pat myself on the back for predicting their football ascent back in the 2010 (yes, 2010) preseason. The Knights not only reached their first ever number one football ranking by unseating the previously top ranked St Xavier Cougars last Saturday but are the number 1 seed for the NAIA’s 16 team playoff field for 2011. The William Penn Statesmen were once again left standing at the altar but with only themselves to blame after blowing yesterday’s final regular season game. Here are the first round matchups set for next Saturday afternoon. Tomorrow I’ll examine the NCAA Divisions 3 and 2 playoff fields.

1) MARIAN KNIGHTS host the 16) GRAND VIEW VIKINGS   1pm ET

2) CC FIGHTING SAINTS (defending champs) host the Continue reading

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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM NOVEMBER 12TH

 Well, considering the ongoing revelations from the cesspool few knew Joe Paterno and company were allegedly sitting on at Penn State for several years, the reasons I prefer to cover NAIA sports and the lower divisions of the NCAA were on full display for all to see this week. The NAIA’s  regular season ended yesterday and later today the entire 16 team playoff field will be announced, with the teams awarded At- Large berths joining the Automatic Qualifiers. Three hours after the NAIA reveals their playoff teams the NCAA Division 3 field of 32 teams will be announced. I’ll present my look at the playoff picture as well as examine the NJCAA Bowl breakdown and title game matchup in other posts.

THESE THREE TEAMS RULE THE WORLD – As usual, Saturday saw various NAIA teams kick around NCAA Division 2 teams. The 10th ranked ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS crushed the visiting CENTRAL STATE MARAUDERS 59-20, the BACONE WARRIORS defeated D2’s PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES in a 30- 20 home stand, and the CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS notched a road win against the STILLMAN TIGERS by a score of 12- 7. Each week this season saw at least 1 NAIA team defeat an NCAA D2 team, so when you throw in all the D3 teams that fell to NAIA squads this year you could say they owned the NCAA both on the field and ethically.

NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – D2’s number 1 team, the DELTA STATE STATESMEN, were shocked on the road, falling to their Gulf South Conference rivals the WEST GEORGIA WOLVES in a 39- 35 game for the ages.

NEXT STOP – THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The NJCAA’s top ranked ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS cemented their berth in the national championship game with their 45-13 rout of the MESA THUNDERBIRDS. The number 2 EAST MISSISSIPPI LIONS ensured they would be the Matadors’ opponents in early December by trashing the 5th ranked MGC BULLDOGS 42- 17.

TAKIN’ CARE OF BUSINESS – None of the NAIA’s Top 5 teams lost yesterday, with the top ranked MARIAN KNIGHTS having  a bye to close out the regular season and with the number 2 CC FIGHTING SAINTS, who are also the defending champions of NAIA football, defeating the MSU- NORTHERN LIGHTS 42- 24, the third ranked GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS routing the home standing BELHAVEN BLAZERS 33-7, the number 4 MNU PIONEERS recording a road shutout 37-0 over the EVANGEL CRUSADERS and the 5th ranked (and previous number 1 before falling to Marian) ST XAVIER (IL) COUGARS annihilating the visiting JAMESTOWN  COLLEGE JIMMIES 50- 14.  

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The 8th ranked WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN were Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR NOVEMBER 12TH

 This week’s coverage of the Jerry Sandusky/Joe Paterno scandal at Penn State pre-empted   my  coverage  of the events in the divisions of college football that Balladeer’s  Blog usually covers. Starting with the NJCAA, where the post- season began last weekend the 8th ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragons (logo at left) routed their 1st round opponents the Coffeyville Red Ravens, setting up the Deja Vu Bowl tomorrow. In a rematch of last year’s Region VI championship game the Blue Dragons will face their archrivals the number 3 Butler (KS) Grizzlies, who took down the Dodge City Conquistadors last Sunday to advance to the region’s title game.

Meanwhile, in a conference championship game being played today Continue reading

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