Monthly Archives: November 2012

November 18, 2012 · 12:46 am

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF AND BOWL RESULTS: NOVEMBER 17TH, 2012

NCCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – The Victory Bowl is the signature gridiron event each year in the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) with the winner being the national champion of the association. This year’s matchup was between the GREENVILLE COLLEGE PANTHERS (helmet at left) and the NORTHWESTERN (MN) COLLEGE EAGLES and was an Instant Classic. In overtime the Panthers emerged with a 28-27 victory. A missed extra point by the Eagles spelled the difference. Congratulations to Greenville College!

*****   NAIA PLAYOFFS   *****

UPSET IN GEORGETOWN – The NUMBER ONE TEAM in the nation, the undefeated GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS, suffered the upset of the First Round today at the hands of the BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS. Bethel defied all the odds and proved all the prognosticators wrong with a 45-44 victory over the Tigers in this undeniable Instant Classic.   ###   The SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS stormed into Davenport, IA to take on the ever-tough SAINT AMBROSE UNIVERSITY FIGHTING BEES and came away with an authoritative 45-28 upset win of their own.

BLOWOUTS – The ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS (helmet at left), the defending champions of NAIA football,  breezed through their First Round matchup, mauling the WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN by a score of 31-0.   ###   The UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS kicked around the MIDAMERICA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PIONEERS to the tune of 42-24.   ###   … And the MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS plundered and pillaged the OTTAWA (KS) BRAVES  56-21.

CLOSE GAMES – The MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS (helmet at left) had more of a fight on their hands than they anticipated from the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS. Morningside emerged with a tight 40-35 victory that may serve as a wakeup call.   ###   The ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS held on to win a 22-17 Instant Classic against the BAKER WILDCATS.   ###   … And the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS brought an end to the 2012 season for the NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS by a score of 42-32.   

*****   NCAA DIVISION 2 PLAYOFFS   *****

MARATHON GAME OF THE DAY – This First Round matchup in D2 went to THREE OVERTIMES before a victor emerged. The MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS (helmet at left) withstood an invasion from the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AT DULUTH BULLDOGS, who won two D2 championships in recent years. The final score was Griffons  57, Bulldogs  55. Continue reading →

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November 16, 2012 · 1:02 am

2012 CCCAA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS AND BOWL MATCHUPS

Balladeer’s Blog concludes its preview of postseason college football in the divisions covered here. The CCCAA Championship Game will be held December 8th, and here are the playoff games and Bowls we’ll be treated to along the way. The subdivisions of the CCCAA are the SCFA and NCFA with the winners of those subdivisions facing each other in the title game.

NATIONAL BOWL – November 17th – The MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES (helmet at left) are the defending champions of the SCFA but lost to CCSF in the CCCAA title game last year. The Mounties took the National Central Conference crown and in the National Bowl will take on the SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS, the champions of the National Southern Conference. This game is the first semifinal in the SCFA.

BEACH BOWL – November 17th – This Bowl serves as the second semifinal game in the SCFA for 2012. The BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES come in as the Wildcard Team and square off against the VENTURA COLLEGE PIRATES (helmet at left), champions of the National Northern Conference. Like the National Bowl this game will kick off at Continue reading →

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November 15, 2012 · 11:31 pm

BAD MOVIE PAGE SHORT SUBJECT: BE YOUR OWN TRAFFIC POLICEMAN

BE YOUR OWN TRAFFIC POLICEMAN (1958) – I’ve been meaning to review more short subjects ever since I started writing Balladeer’s Blog in June of 2010. With all the other topics I cover I’ve only reviewed two short educational films so far: A Metric America, about how 1980’s America was going to be completely converted to the metric system, and The Energy Carol, a Canadian short about energy conservation adapted to fit the structure of A Christmas Carol. 

Both of those reviews can be found on my Bad Movie page, and I’ll be reviewing plenty more short subjects in the very near future. For today I’ll examine Be Your Own Traffic Policeman, an educational short about pedestrian safety. This little honey clocks in at barely 10 minutes and was produced by Portafilms, an outfit that was neither as prolific nor as enjoyably frantic as, say, Sid Davis or Dick Wayman. When Davis or Wayman clubbed you over the head with a message you were laughing far too much to mind. 

This traffic safety short is narrated and hosted by Officer Maxwell, known to all of us bad safety short fans from Helping Johnny Remember and Holiday From Rules. Officer Maxwell is accompanied by two children who mindlessly agree with everything he says, obviously fearing for their lives from the unintentionally sinister-seeming Maxwell. After all, at any Continue reading →

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November 15, 2012 · 12:58 am

2012 NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AND BOWL MATCHUPS

Balladeer’s Blog presents its look at the NJCAA’s postseason matchups for 2012. The top-ranked IOWA WESTERN REIVERS (logo at left) and the number 2 BUTLER (KS) GRIZZLIES square off for the championship in the Graphic Edge Bowl on December 2nd. The Reivers football program has only been around for 4 years and they are already appearing in the title game! The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are a traditional NJCAA football power and were in the championship game as recently as 2010, when they lost to the Navarro College Bulldogs. It’s the up-and- comers against the veterans for the NJCAA title! And now for the other Bowl matchups: 

CARRIER DOME BOWL – The 3rd ranked ASA COLLEGE AVENGERS (helmet at left) are also fairly new to the gridiron and are making their very first Bowl appearance in this inaugural event in Syracuse, NY. The opponents for the Avengers in this game will be the storied number 4 SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS, providing NJCAA fans with another “spunk vs experience” Bowl showdown. Look for this game on December 1st.

SALT CITY BOWL – The HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS (helmet at left) are 3-time Salt City Bowl champions and come into this year’s matchup trying to make it 4 in a row. Their opponent this time around will be the IOWA CENTRAL TRITONS on December 1st. The Blue Dragons are making their 17th Bowl appearance overall, while the Tritons are appearing in Continue reading →

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November 14, 2012 · 11:11 pm

SHINTO GODS: IZANAGI AND IZANAMI

IZANAGI AND IZANAMI – These two parents of most of the rest of the deities in Shinto myths always need to be mentioned in one entry. Before life on Earth existed the two of them stood on Ukihashi, the floating bridge between Earth and Takamagahara, the High Plain of Heaven where the gods lived. From there they stirred the primordial juices here on Earth with a jeweled spear and created the Japanese islands and a shrine still stands on Onokoro, the tiny island that legend held was the first landmass created by the duo.

Their first coupling spawned either one slug-like creature or all of the demons and monsters in Shinto mythology (accounts vary). Beginning with their second mating the woman, Izanami, began giving birth to Continue reading →

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November 14, 2012 · 12:20 am

2012 D3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS

For the past 7 years in a row the NCAA D3 championship game had been monopolized by the Whitewater Warhawks and the Mt Union Purple Raiders, who were the last 2 teams standing in the playoffs all those years. The Warhawks won 4 of those clashes, 3 of them in a row, but had a rough 2012 season and have missed making the playoffs at all this time around. Here are the 32 teams that make up the 2012 playoff field for D3, in 4 regions by top seed. This Saturday’s matchups are listed. I’ll have the NJCAA and CCCAA postseason matchups next.

MT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS (helmet at left) vs the CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY CAPTAINS   ###   JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLUE JAYS vs the WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS   ###   SALISBURY UNIVERSITY SEAGULLS vs the ROWAN UNIVERSITY PROFS   ###   WIDENER PRIDE vs the BRIDGEWATER STATE COLLEGE BEARS

MARY HARDIN BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS (helmet at left) vs the LOUISIANA COLLEGE WILDCATS   ###   ADRIAN BULLDOGS vs the FRANKLIN COLLEGE GRIZZLIES   ###   CORTLAND STATE RED DRAGONS vs the FRAMINGHAM STATE RAMS   ###   WESLEY WOLVERINES vs the MOUNT IDA MUSTANGS Continue reading →

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November 13, 2012 · 10:19 pm

SHINTO MYTHS: HACHIMAN, THE GOD OF WAR

HACHIMAN – The Shinto god of war. As Emperor Ojin he was born to the Empress Jingo, who was said to be carrying the child within her womb for three years while she finished successfully conducting her late husband’s war against the three kingdoms of Korea. (This is an interesting parallel to the birth of the Vietnamese god Thach Sanh, who was also said to be gestating for three years) The Korean invasion referred to when Jingo’s husband the Emperor Chuai died would be the one of approximately 200 C.E.  

Hachiman was seen not just as a god of proactive, offensive war but also as the protector of children and as the deity of the general prosperity that was thought to come from military strength. He might also be said to embody the concept known as “peace through strength”. Oddly to us in the West, white doves are a symbol of this god of war and are often his messengers in Shinto myths. Hachiman was also Continue reading →

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November 13, 2012 · 12:11 am

DIVISION 2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS FOR 2012

For newbies to Division 2’s playoff format Balladeer’s Blog offers this brief layout: 24 teams make the playoff field. That field is divided into 4 regions with the top 2 seeds in each region getting a bye in the 1st Round, though in recent years the teams with a bye have done dreadfully in the 2nd round. Round 1 will take place this Saturday, November 17th. The defending D2 champs, the Pittsburg (KS) State Gorillas, did not make the playoffs. I’ll have the D3, NJCAA and CCCAA posteason matchups next.

The CSU-PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES (helmet at left) are the overall number 1 seed and are in Region 4. The ASHLAND EAGLES are the region’s number 2 seed. Region 4’s First Round Games: (3) CHADRON STATE UNIVERSITY EAGLES vs the (6) WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES   ###   … And the (4) INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS vs the (5) MIDWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS.

The MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS (helmet at left) are Region 3’s 1 seed with the HENDERSON STATE UNIVERSITY REDDIES as the 2 seed. Region 3’s First Round Games: (3) MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS vs the (6) UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AT DULUTH BULLDOGS   ###   … And the (4) NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS vs the (5) HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON. Continue reading →

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November 12, 2012 · 5:13 pm

FORGOTTEN TELEVISION: CASINO ROYALE (1954)

Nelson … Barry Nelson

I would have imagined this television oddity from the old Climax anthology series was pretty well known to James Bond fans. However, during recent conversations with some hardcore 007 buffs I was told they never heard of it, so if such Bond devotees were unfamiliar with it, I’m assuming there are plenty of others.

Obviously this one-shot television special for the one hour long Climax program (yes, I just typed the words “one hour long climax”) came out long before the successfull James Bond film series. American Barry Nelson was therefore the first actor to play 007 on the small or big screen. Since this was adapted for an American television show, Bond (then a virtual unknown quantity) was Americanized as “Jimmy” Bond and Bond’s American contact became a British contact, Clarence (not Felix) Leiter. In addition our American Bond is said to work for the “Combined Intelligence” Agency instead of the Central Intelligence Agency. 

The legendary Peter Lorre starred as the villain, Le Chiffre, who, at Casino Royale, loses a high-stakes game of baccarat to 007, putting him in a bind since he (Le Chiffre) has been gambling away enormous amounts of cash from his Soviet spymasters. Desperate to recover the funds he lost to “Jimmy”, Le Chiffre and his goons Continue reading →

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November 12, 2012 · 4:13 pm

2012 NAIA COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAMS

The regular season for 2012 is history and the 16 team NAIA playoff field has been announced. Here are the matchups for the first round, beginning this Saturday, November 17th. Balladeer’s Blog will also be examining the postseason matchups in NCAA Divisions 2 and 3 plus the NJCAA and CCCAA.

(1) GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS host the (16) BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS 4:30pm ET

(2) MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS host the (15) OTTAWA (KS) BRAVES Time TBD

(3) MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS host the (14) MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS 3pm ET

(4) ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS (defending champs) host the (13) WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN 2pm ET

(5) MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS host the Continue reading →

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