NCAA DIVISION TWO
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 6 seeds – the POINT LOMA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY SEA LIONS – took the court against the 7th seeded UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA SCREAMING EAGLES. This battle royal had a Halftime score of 31-30 with the Sea Lions on top. From there Point Loma Nazarene University outscored their opponents 50-41 for an 81-71 victory. Twenty points from Daulton Hommes led the Sea Lions. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT, CLICK HERE
PART TWO: The second surviving Fool Killer Letter. (See Part One for an explanation)
MARCH 10th, 1859: From “… the right side of the Richmond & Danville Railroad” – This letter from Jesse Holmes, the fictional Fool Killer to Charles Napoleon Bonaparte Evans, Editor of the Milton Chronicle, was, like the others, written by Evans himself as dark-humored political and social commentary.
The Fool Killer began this letter by stating he was abandoning his murderous campaign to help the citizens of Leasburg, NC in their Quixotic battle with the Postmaster General in Washington, DC. The people of Leasburg objected to the mail delivery schedule established by the Postmaster General. January of 1859 was when the relevant postal route contracts were awarded.
(My fellow geeks for 19th Century American history will recall that these routes – sometimes referred to as Star Routes because they were indicated by three stars on the route indexes – were often at the center of bidding scandals.)
The fictional Jesse Holmes stated he had decided to let the people of Leasburg fight their own postal battles. That was because the only way he could have rendered a decisive blow on their behalf would be to visit Washington, DC, and he feared having his own morals corrupted if he set foot in the District. (Hey, tell it to Billy Jack, Jesse!)
The Fool Killer instead decided to head to Raleigh, NC to force the adjournment of the notoriously corrupt Democrat-dominated legislature (The Fool Killer, like Editor Charles Evans, belonged to the dying Whig Party). Enroute he was distracted, as so often happens in the Fool Killer Letters.
In this case the distraction came in the form of “a venerable and mighty clever man” who asked Holmes to find out who had stolen his prize turkey. Armed as always with his club/ walking stick/ cudgel the Fool Killer began his investigation.
Presently he came across a parade of the Don Quixote Invincibles, a sort of southern, Raleigh-centered version of Mummers. The Invincibles would march in colorful, anachronistic costumes on special occasions.
Jesse spotted a DQI member wearing a colorful costume made of freshly-plucked turkey feathers and knew he had found his man. The Fool Killer struck down the turkey thief and was then attacked by the dead man’s fellow DQI marchers. Holmes wielded his weapon to deadly effect as usual, fighting off all of them (“Tarheel Fu” I guess). When a marcher costumed as a Chinaman was smacked down dead the other DQI’ers finally gave up their attack and fled the scene.
The Fool Killer then resumed his journey toward the state house to fulfill his plan to confront the crooked politicians of the General Assembly. Continue reading
Filed under Mythology, Neglected History
NCAA DIVISION TWO
The remaining teams were re-seeded 1-8.
FINAL FOUR: FIRST BERTH – The 6 seeds – the POINT LOMA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY SEA LIONS – took on the 3rd seeded QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE ROYALS. The Upset-minded Sea Lions were on top of the Royals by a healthy 40-29 at the Half, then squeezed out a little more separation after the break. The final score was Point Loma Nazarene University 87 Queens University of Charlotte 74. Preston Beverly and Daulton Hommes led the Sea Lions with 22 points each.
FINAL FOUR: SECOND BERTH – In this game the 7th seeded UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA SCREAMING EAGLES did battle with the 2 seeds – the WEST TEXAS A&M BUFFALOES. Another Upset was in the offing here as a 46-34 Halftime lead for the Screaming Eagles ultimately became a 94-84 victory. Alex Stein tossed in THIRTY-ONE points to lead the University of Southern Indiana. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
By reader request here is a blog post featuring a brief synopsis of the subject matter to each of the dozens of reviews I’ve written of ancient Greek comedies. Some of you indicated that you don’t like clicking on one with no idea what it will be about, so here we go.
I will start with the Big Three of Aristophanes, Eupolis and Cratinus.
FIRST – My overview of the themes of ancient Greek political satire. CLICK HERE
ARISTOPHANES
LYSISTRATA – The women of Athens and Sparta conspire to withhold sex from their men until they bring about an end to the Peloponnesian War. CLICK HERE
THE CLOUDS – A comedic look at the lighter side of the Sophist revolution in education and scientific research, with an emphasis on rhetorical ploys used in the courts. CLICK HERE
THE KNIGHTS – Aristophanes takes on the demagogue Cleon in this examination of the way dishonest candidates always have a built-in advantage in political campaigns. CLICK HERE
THE BIRDS – Proto-Orwellian fantasy in which two Athenians seeking to escape the increasingly oppressive atmosphere of their homeland join with birds to form the absurd Cloud-cuckooland. CLICK HERE
THE BANQUETERS – A clash of generations and values begins when an Athenian farmer inducts his two sons into his Phratry. CLICK HERE
MERCHANT SHIPS – Two merchant ships – one from Athens and one from Sparta – carve out a separate peace when they meet at sea. CLICK HERE
THESMOPHORIAZUSAE aka THE POET AND THE WOMEN – The women of Athens call for retribution against the famous tragedian Euripides for his negative portrayal of women in his plays. CLICK HERE
EUPOLIS
DEMOI – An Athenian man brings four dead statesmen back to life to set straight the mess that their political successors have made of the city-state. CLICK HERE
AUTOLYCUS – A less than bright athlete is supported for a political position by his well-to-do gay lover. CLICK HERE
MARIKAS – Eupolis went after the demagogue Hyperbolus the way Aristophanes went after Cleon in this comedy. The corrupt Marikas was a fictional stand-in for Hyperbolus. CLICK HERE Continue reading
Filed under Ancient Greek Comedy
NAIA DIVISION ONE
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – With last night’s NAIA title game in the books the only divisions left to report on are NCAA Division Two and AIHEC Division One. Yesterday the GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS did battle with the CARROLL COLLEGE (MT) FIGHTING SAINTS for the NAIA crown.
The Tigers’ relentless defense utterly humiliated the Fighting Saints, stifling them at every turn leading to a Halftime score of Georgetown College 35 Carroll College 15. Yes, a mere 15 points were all that the Fighting Saints could muster for the entire 1st Half. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
Balladeer’s Blog kicks off a multi-part examination of the neglected 1800s folk figure called the Fool Killer. I will cover the various stories featuring the Fool Killer and the different ways the character was used by the authors. If I ever examine the related character called the Rascal Whaler it will be in a separate series of blog posts.
NOTE: FOOL KILLER LORE IS STRICTLY FOR ADULTS. IT IS NOT FOR FOOLS WHO ARE SIMPLE-MINDEDLY OFFENDED BY ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.
The Fool Killer stories began in 1850s North Carolina. Charles Napoleon Bonaparte Evans, editor of the newspaper called The Milton Chronicle, introduced the character around 1851 (some sources say as early as the late 1840s). If Evans had been a political cartoonist he might have used the Fool Killer as his mascot, like the figure Punch over in England or Puck here in the U.S.
However, since Evans was all about the written word, he used the Fool Killer as a much more active figure. Evans’ Fool Killer – claiming Jesse Holmes as his real name – roamed North Carolina and Virginia (which at the time still consisted of what would become West Virginia) looking for fools to kill with a club/ walking stick he always carried with him. The character would then send letters to Editor Evans explaining why he had chosen victims, defending his actions with puckish commentary.
I’ve always been struck by the similarity with the way real-life serial killers would correspond with newspapers, explaining and/or defending their deeds. In the case of Charles Evans’ Fool Killer, it was Evans himself writing the letters as if they were pieces of correspondence that “Jesse Holmes” sent to him.
The killings never happened, of course, and were simply Evans’ way of using political commentary in an entertaining way. Instead of high-brow social criticism, the Fool Killer Letters were very dark satire in which the mock author of the letters bashed the life out of corrupt politicians and other malefactors. Continue reading
Filed under Mythology, Neglected History
NAIA DIVISION ONE
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS and the WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS started things off. The Tigers seized control and by Halftime they were clobbering the Crusaders 42-24. From there Georgetown College simply had to keep WCU at arm’s length, which they did for a 94-83 triumph. Chris Coffey led the Tigers with his Double Double of THIRTY-TWO points and 12 rebounds. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
NJCAA DIVISION ONE
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The last two teams standing in this Tournament were the 3 seeds – the VINCENNES UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS – and the Cinderella 8th seeded RANGER COLLEGE RANGERS. The Trailblazers had things firmly in hand with a 50-34 Halftime advantage over the Rangers, then coasted to an 87-77 triumph. Kevin Osawe led Vincennes University with a Double Double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. * THE TRAILBLAZERS ARE NJCAA CHAMPIONS *
NJCAA DIVISION TWO
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The top seeded KIRKWOOD COLLEGE EAGLES took on the 2 seeds – the JOHNSON COUNTY COLLEGE CAVALIERS – for the NJCAA Division Two national title. The Eagles were on top of the Cavaliers 33-26 at the break. From there Johnson County College could only cut into Kirkwood’s lead by a fraction. The final score was Eagles 64 Cavaliers 58. Kirkwood College was led by Doug Wilson’s Double Double of THIRTY points and 15 rebounds. * THE EAGLES ARE CHAMPIONS OF NJCAA DIVISION TWO *
NAIA DIVISION ONE
FINAL FOUR: FIRST BERTH – In this game the WILLIAM CAREY UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS clashed with the UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & ARTS OF OKLAHOMA DROVERS. The Drovers were threatening an Upset at the midpoint with their 51-40 lead. The Crusaders came storming back from there to force Overtime with an 86-86 tie. In the extra session William Carey University emerged with a 102-98 victory. Twenty-one points from Javontae McDavid led the Crusaders. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
With the superhero movie season already upon us Balladeer’s Blog’s examination of another old, old, OLD Marvel Comics hit continues.
FOR PART ONE PLUS A RECAP OF ADAM WARLOCK’S FICTIONAL HISTORY CLICK HERE
PART TWO
Strange Tales #179 (April 1975)
Title: DEATH SHIP
Synopsis: The previous chapter ended with Adam Warlock being smacked around by the superior power of the Magus, the god worshipped by the interstellar Universal Church of Truth. It developed that the Magus could not kill Adam because, somehow, Warlock and the Magus were actually one and the same being. Killing Warlock would be the same as killing himself.
Adam (powerful enough to fly through space under his own power at faster than light speeds) set off for the faraway galaxy that is the seat of power of the thousand worlds ruled by the Universal Church of Truth. That lies roughly 12 galaxies away from the Milky Way so this long, long journey is taking Warlock into parts of space never before depicted in the Marvel Comics universe of the time.
Our hero is determined to free the worlds enslaved by the Magus, destroy his “Church” and slay the Magus himself … even if it means that he (Adam) will die as well.
After his clash with Warlock last time around the Magus has alerted his empire’s starships to be on the lookout for any sign of our hero. The first vessel to come across Adam is the spaceship called The Great Divide, commanded by the blue-skinned Captain Autolycus of the Black Knights of the Church (more on them shortly).
Warlock can tell the ship is a Church craft because of the insignia on its hull: the main church symbol (the high-tech cross-ankh that Adam was crucified on back on Counter-Earth) as well as cocoons, lightning bolts and assorted bee-hives. All of them connected to Warlock’s strange existence thus far and therefore tantalizing reminders that he and the Magus are one and the same being somehow.
Adam is powerful enough to single-handedly take on an entire starship and the battle is on. Unfortunately our hero loses the dogfight, is knocked out by blasts from the spacecraft and is hauled in as a prisoner. Continue reading
Filed under Superheroes
NJCAA DIVISION ONE
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 3 seeds – the VINCENNES UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS – faced the 2nd seeded SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE TEXANS. The Trailblazers put the Texans on Upset Alert by Halftime with their 38-31 advantage. After the break Vincennes University left South Plains College further and further behind, ultimately defeating them by a final tally of 85-67. Kevin Osawe’s 22 points led the Trailblazers.
SECOND SEMIFINAL – In this game the 8th seeded RANGER COLLEGE RANGERS took the court against the 4 seeds – the COFFEYVILLE COLLEGE RED RAVENS. The Rangers provided another Upset, leading the Red Ravens 38-30 at the Half before polishing them off 84-61. Brayan Au led Ranger College with his 27 points.
NJCAA DIVISION TWO
FIRST SEMIFINAL – The 2 seeds – the JOHNSON COUNTY COLLEGE CAVALIERS – found themselves facing the 14th seeded CECIL COLLEGE SEAHAWKS. The Cavaliers were chasing the Seahawks 29-28 at the end of a defense-oriented opening Half. From there Johnson County College came back to force Overtime with a 68-68 tie. In the extra session the Cavaliers emerged with an 81-78 victory. Twenty three points from General Williams led Johnson County College. Continue reading
Filed under College Basketball
