Joe Namath started life as a Pennsylvania boy. Later in life he became the quarterback for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide under iconic football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. After college he was signed by the New York Jets for what was then the highest-ever contract for a quarterback.
Before long, he earned a place in NFL history by leading the underdog Jets to a victory over the (then) Baltimore Colts in Superbowl III. Though the rest of his football career was – let’s be honest – less than impressive, Joe’s charisma and appeal to the ladies carried him into a minor career as a piece of kitsch-casting in movies and on television.
NORWOOD (1970) – The stunning sequel to True Grit. Okay, I’m kidding! I couldn’t resist since Norwood came out a year after True Grit, was based on another novel by the author of True Grit and starred Glen Campbell and Kim Darby, also from True Grit. Marguerite Roberts wrote the screenplay for both flicks, too.
Glen stars as one of the few Vietnam War veterans not depicted by Hollywood as PTSD-riddled. As Norwood Pratt, the returning vet winds up in a job transporting cars from Texas to New York City but soon learns he’s driving stolen merchandise.
Joe William Namath plays Joe William Reese, a friend of Norwood who sees him become a singing sensation. Also in the strange circle of friends are dwarf actor Billy Curtis and runaway bride Rita (Darby).
A scene in which Namath tosses a football back and forth with Billy Curtis deserves to stand alongside the football-tossing scenes in The Room. Plus there’s Dom Deluise, Carol Lynley, David Huddleston and Joann, the intelligent chicken. Continue reading
CENTURY CLUB – Teams scoring 100 or more points in Regulation: The DAVIDSON-DAVIE COLLEGE STORM defeated the visiting CLEVELAND COLLEGE YETIS by a score of 104-80 ### Meanwhile, the TERRA STATE TITANS triumphed 108-80 over the OWENS COLLEGE EXPRESS ### And the MARION MILITARY INSTITUTE TIGERS downed the ENTERPRISE STATE BOLL WEEVILS 108-86.
SEVEN HUNDRED WINS – Coach Brian Peabody of the PIMA COLLEGE AZTECS notched his 700th win in style at the SCOTTSDALE COLLEGE FIGHTING ARTICHOKES (yes, really). At Halftime the Aztecs were clinging to a mere 39-37 edge. From there Pima College left the Fighting Artichokes further and further behind in a 95-71 victory led by Cohenj Gonzales’ 17 points.
RELAMPAGO (Lightning)
LLANERA VENGADORA (Plains Avenger) 



THE BELLE STARR STORY (1968) – (Original title Il Mio Corpo per un Poker) This movie was directed by Lina Wertmuller, making it the only Spaghetti Western directed by a woman. It has nothing to do with the real Belle Starr, but for name recognition you can’t beat that title!
Where does the time go? It was 2020 when Balladeer’s Blog first covered the ongoing
If you’re new to the whole Local 58TV Analog Horror series the YT Channel is
LUCKY SEVEN (1978) – Years before the hacker calling himself Captain Midnight hijacked HBO airtime to protest their high prices and years before the weird Max Headroom parody hack in Chicago came this forgotten incident in the annals of pirate broadcasting.
The host for Lucky 7 was a memorable man wearing a gas mask on his face like he was some kind of late-night Horror Host. This figure would introduce the programs and movies being shown on the channel and would also editorialize about the way corporations and the government held a monopoly on the airwaves. 


LAS SERGAS DE ESPLANDIAN AKA The Adventures of Esplandian (1510) – There were many subsequent editions of this Spanish novel by Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo but 1510 is the year of the oldest known version. Part fantasy, part proto-science fiction and part chivalric romance saga, The Adventures of Esplandian is best remembered today for its supposed role in naming California.