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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November 11, 2012 · 2:35 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM NOVEMBER 10TH, 2012

THE LANGSTON LIONS RULE THE WORLD – Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are familiar with the way each week in college football season brings at LEAST one NAIA team upsetting a team from NCAA Division 2. For newbies to these divisions this is like when a 1AA (FCS) team upsets a 1A (FBS) team. The NAIA’s Lions took it on the road and brought down D2’s PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES  27-20. This is Langston’s 2nd such upset this season after several in 2011, too.

Honorable mention goes to the CONCORDIA (AL) HORNETS who earlier this year toppled both a D2 team and a DIVISION ONE team. Yesterday the Hornets fell short in a 28-26 road loss to D2’s STILLMAN TIGERS.

NUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – The 3rd ranked team in NCAA Division 2, the storied NORTHWEST MISSOURI BEARCATS, were hosting the number 9 MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS (helmet at left) in a game that ensured the winner would take this year’s conference title in the MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Griffons rose up against their rivals and emerged with a 21-20 victory in this undeniable Instant Classic.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The number 12 team in the rankings, the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS (helmet at left), won a homestand against the 7th ranked MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS and ended their stellar 2012 regular season with a 46-28 loss. This win earned the Raiders a share of the Frontier Conference title.   ###   … And at number 15 the WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN tried to make up for last week’s disappointment by upsetting the visiting 9th ranked GRAND VIEW VIKINGS in a 17-12 nailbiter. Balladeer’s Blog will cover how this affects the NAIA playoff seedings later on.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 2 – The INDIANA UNIVERSITY- PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS were in the unlucky number 13 spot in the rankings but toppled the visiting number 10 team, the SHIPPENSBURG RED RAIDERS, in a 41-10 drubbing.   ###   … And the unranked SAGINAW VALLEY CARDINALS held serve to bring down the 17th ranked GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY LAKERS in a 55-52 shootout for the ages. 

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 3 – The WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON PRESIDENTS (helmet at left) invaded the home of the number 18 WAYNESBURG YELLOW JACKETS and handed them a 31-14 veto.   ###   … And the ADRIAN BULLDOGS likewise played road warriors, eking out a 17-16 victory over the 17th ranked HUNTINGDON HAWKS.   ###   The (13) HEIDELBERG STUDENT PRINCES had a close call but held on at home to win a 35-34 contest with the Continue reading →

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November 11, 2012 · 1:01 am

HAPPY VETERANS DAY 2012

Well, it’s been nearly 100 years since November 11th, 1918 saw the end of World War One, or the Great War as it was called before anyone knew a second global conflict would occur. As we all know the date eventually became designated as the day for honoring the people who make it possible for the rest of us to lead our lives in relative safety. The following is what I posted in 2010 on Veteran’s Day and I don’t think I can say it any better.  

The irrational partisans called Liberals and Conservatives often forget that the only reason any of them have the luxury of sitting back and making pompous, self-righteous pronouncements is because of the men and women who go out and actually DO something. 

And those Continue reading →

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November 8, 2012 · 10:24 pm

LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES AND OVERREACTING TO ELECTION RESULTS

Two fools who prove that ANYBODY can get reelected and it doesn’t prove they are competent.

Welcome back to the favorite site of Independent Voters, Balladeer’s Blog, the only site on the web that criticizes Liberal fanatics and Conservative fanatics equally. The 2012 election is finally over and the Democratic candidate who belongs to billionaires defeated the Republican candidate who belongs to billionaires.

Part of the fun involved in the week following any election is laughing at the ENORMOUS overreaction of Liberals and Conservatives to the outcome. The winning side will claim a “mandate”, no matter how slender their lead in the popular vote, and this year it was only a few million votes. Not the least bit impressive in a country this size, is it? Especially not for a president who LOST millions of votes from 2008. The losing side will wail and gnash their teeth and pretend the outcome proves that the voters are “stupid” (pretentious Liberal asses) or “Communist” (nationalist Conservative asses).

As an Independent Voter here in the United States you get to see this all the time. In 2004 when the detestable George W Bush was reelected American Conservatives were pretending it meant he “was a great president” and that he’d been “vindicated by history.” It meant no such thing of course and the fact that little Barry “The Destroyer of The Economy” Obama got reelected also does not mean he’s been Continue reading →

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November 7, 2012 · 12:02 am

SUPERMODELS CASEY JAMES AND SARENNA LEE LOVE BALLADEER’S BLOG!

Casey James (left) and SaRenna Lee are two of the most famous and most beautiful supermodels in the entire world! In addition to all their charm, talent and incomparable loveliness these incredible ladies also know a quality blog when they read one. Thanks for the shoutout! When Casey and SaRenna aren’t turning heads and breaking hearts their jaw-dropping antics can be followed at their own wildly inventive site here: Continue reading →

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November 6, 2012 · 9:22 pm

BALLADEER’S BLOG’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS AND 2012 VICTORY BOWL MATCHUP

The Victory Bowl is the signature football event each year for the National Christian College Athletic Association. The 2012 matchup for that gridiron gala has been set. On November 17th the GREENVILLE COLLEGE PANTHERS, last year’s Victory Bowl runners- up, will host the NORTHWESTERN (MN) COLLEGE EAGLES. Kickoff will be at 12 Noon ET. And now, Balladeer’s Blog’s football rankings for November 6th, 2012.

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) – 1. GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS (helmet at left)    ###    2. SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS (defending champions)    ###    3. MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS    ###    4. MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS    ###    5. MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS    ###    6. UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS Continue reading →

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