CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PHOENIX
Location: Lebanon, TN
Division: NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
Conference Affiliation: Mid-South Conference
Comment: GOOD FOR CUMBERLAND U! Balladeer’s Blog frequently points out the enormous number of college sports teams who go by the overused names Eagles, Tigers, Bulldogs and Wildcats. Cumberland just changed their team names from the Bulldogs to the Phoenix and unveiled their terrific new logo as well! Continue reading
Filed under Cool names and cool logos
HAPPY NEW YEAR! As a light-hearted start here’s a look at events that happened on New Year’s Day in the past.
1935 – The very first Orange Bowl pitted Bucknell University against the University of Miami. Bucknell won 26-0. Meanwhile the first Sugar Bowl saw Tulane defeat Temple 20-14.
1915 – With World War One raging a German U-Boat struck in the English Channel, sinking the ship the Formidable and killing 547 people. Continue reading
Filed under Neglected History
After Balladeer’s Blog’s examination of the Mwindo Epic many readers expressed an interest in Nyanga mythology. I’m all about giving readers what they want so here are brief looks at the deities of the Nyanga people.
KATEE – The god of hedgehogs. Katee spoke through one of his animal avatars to warn the semidivine hero Mwindo about some of Kasiyembe’s death traps.
MWERI – The moon goddess. Her domain is the moon itself and is composed of alternate hot, sandy wasteland and lush blue waters. Mweri sees everything that happens at night and therefore has ties to lovemaking, fertility, sleeping, thievery and assassinations. She can send dreams or nightmares as well as prophetic messages in those dreams. Visitors to Mweri’s domain can be left wandering in the hot wasteland or even set on fire by her, depending on the goddess’ whim. Continue reading
Filed under Mythology
GHOSTKEEPER (1981) – One of those infamous Canadian tax shelter movies of the early 1980s, so you know what you’re in for: the usual slapdash storytelling, low production values and a tale that would have been better handled in the old glory days of radio decades ago.
On New Year’s Eve two men and a woman get stranded in the Rocky Mountains following a snowmobile crash. They seek refuge in a creepy old boardinghouse run by the female Joe Spinnell, Georgie Collins. Collins plays an absolute psycho who has two creepy sons, one of whom is a host for the cannibalistic Native American monster called the Wendigo. Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies
Here’s one last round of congratulations to the ladies who won the National Championships in volleyball for 2015 in the ELEVEN divisions covered here at Balladeer’s Blog.
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)
National Champions – COLUMBIA (MO) UNIVERSITY COUGARS
Runners-Up – Missouri Baptist University Spartans
2014 Champions – Park University Pirates Continue reading
Filed under college sports
Balladeer’s Blog’s Christmas Carol-A-Thon 2015 comes to a close with a look at this animated sequel to All Dogs Go To Heaven.
The dog-angel characters from that reasonably successful film use their Heavenly powers to get the dog-gangster Carface Caruthers (Ernest Borgnine) to change his ways. The portions of this direct-to- video flick dealing with the actual Christmas Carol adaptation are very good.
Unfortunately that element takes up barely half of the story. The overall tale is about a demonic figure called Belladonna (Bebe Neuwirth) who wants to use a gigantic magic dog bone to manipulate all of Earth’s dogs in a plot to destroy Christmas. Dog-Angels Charlie Barkin (Steven Weber) and Itchy (Dom Deluise) from the previous movie need the help of canine crime-lord Carface to thwart Belladonna’s plans. Hence the plot to “Dickens” him into becoming a better man … or dog, actually.
Charlie and Itchy get some of their other pals like Sasha (Sheena Easton) to help out as they stage visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come in their bid to reform Carface. Continue reading
Filed under A CHRISTMAS CAROL
THE STINGIEST MAN IN TOWN (1953) – For several years only the soundtrack for this terrific musical was available because the bulk of the video from this television production was missing. As of a few years back all the video has been restored so this Christmas season treasure can finally be enjoyed in its entirety.
Most people are only familiar with the 1978 Rankin-Bass Cartoon version of The Stingiest Man in Town, which chops the story down and omits or shortens a few songs. Here in all its glory is the original live 1953 production from December 23rd, rebroadcast in 1956, hence the 1956 date on some copies. Basil Rathbone stars as Scrooge, Johnny Desmond plays Nephew Fred, Martyn Green plays Bob Cratchit and Vic Damone appears as the young Ebenezer Scrooge at Fezziwig’s party.
Many of the songs in this musical have become Christmas song standards and people are often amazed that The Stingiest Man in Town is where the songs originated. An Old Fashioned Christmas, Listen to the Song of the Christmas Spirit, Yes, There is a Santa Claus, and Birthday Party of the King are among the Continue reading
Filed under A CHRISTMAS CAROL
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1974) – The dumbest of all animated Christmas stories. Even as a little kid I wanted to kick this cartoon special’s cold, merciless Santa Claus between the legs over and over again.
When ONE dorky mouse writes a letter to the newspaper debunking Santa’s existence old Saint Nick shows a decided lack of Christmas spirit by pompously deciding that NOBODY in the town will get any gifts. The town constructs a massive clock that plays a butt-kissing song to try to appease the wrath of the power-crazed Dread Deity of Yule, Kris Kringle. Continue reading
Filed under humor
* NAIA *
REMATCH – Daytona Beach was the site of this National Championship Game reuniting the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS and the defending champs – the SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS. Last year the Knights lost to the Raiders in the title tilt but this time around Marian U led 14-0 by Halftime. Neither team scored in the 3rd Quarter but the Knights outscored the Raiders 17-14 in the 4th for a 31-14 victory and their 2nd crown. * The Knights are the 2015 Champions of NAIA football! *
* NCAA DIVISION TWO *
BEARCATS BACK ON THE THRONE – Since 1998 the NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS have won 5 National Championships and played in 9 title games, making them the most dominant team in D2 football for nearly 2 decades. Yesterday they took on the SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY RAMS, who were playing in their very first championship game. The Bearcats dominated from start to finish, winning by a final count of 34-7. * The Bearcats are the 2015 Champions of NCAA Division Two! * Continue reading
Filed under college football
The symbol of the nonexistent Balladeer Political Party
Welcome back to Balladeer’s Blog, the only site on the web that equally criticizes Liberals and Conservatives.
ADVICE FOR LIBERALS – Pretend that these Conservatives you irrationally hate are really Muslim fanatics who treat women like slaves and want all gay people dead.
You cowardly hypocrites seem to have no problem refraining from EVER expressing one word of hostility about Muslim homophobes and misogynists, so go through December without saying anything about Christians and/or Conservatives that you would not say about Muslims and/or Islamists. And show their religion the same nauseating deference you gutless wonders show Islam. Continue reading
Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES
