Tag Archives: Balladeer’s Blog

BALLADEER’S BLOG COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEPTEMBER 29th

HEADLINES

CAMPBELLSVILLE OVER D2 – In this game the NAIA’s CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS welcomed NCAA Division Two’s ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY LAKERS. The Tigers kept the higher division team off the scoreboard until the 4th Quarter while putting up points themselves all the way. The final score in this Upset was Campbellsville University 24  Lakers 8.

BOBCATS CONQUER DIVISION ONE – Meanwhile, NCAA Division Two’s FROSTBURG STATE BOBCATS took it on the road against the NCAA Division One MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY LAKERS. The Bobcats put Mercyhurst on Upset Alert by Halftime with their 17-12 lead. From there Frostburg State had to hold on by their fingertips for a 25-24 victory. Continue reading

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MAGGIE SMITH R.I.P.

maggie smith 1970sMaggie Smith (1934-2024) is no longer with us, unfortunately. To many fans, Smith embodied sophistication and withering wit. She and Sian Phillips were long among the elder stateswomen when it came to traditionally classy British actresses. 

Balladeer’s Blog hasn’t reviewed many of Maggie’s movies because of the oddball topics I cover, but here’s a brief look at Murder by Death, in which she co-starred. Continue reading

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IRON FIST AND SHANG-CHI – TOGETHER (1974-1976)

This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog presents some of the 1970s crossover stories between Marvel’s Iron Fist and Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu.

THE DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU SPECIAL Vol 1 #1 (June 1974)

Title: The Master Plan of Fu Manchu

Villain: Fu Manchu

NOTE: This was back when Marvel Comics had licensed the rights to do comic book stories about Sax Rohmer’s iconic villain Fu Manchu and his pursuer Sir Denis Nayland-Smith. Marvel combined their Fu Manchu stories with the 1970s Kung Fu craze by having Shang-Chi the Master of Kung Fu be the son of Fu Manchu. He turned against his evil father.

          Years later, when Marvel no longer had the rights to use the Fu Manchu character they retconned things so that Shang-Chi’s father was really Iron Man’s archenemy the Mandarin.

Synopsis: Storywise, this tale features three separate sections as Iron Fist, the Sons of the Tiger and Shang-Chi the Master of Kung Fu go up against Fu Manchu in three separate stages of his “master plan.” 

Iron Fist is the hero of the opening chapter. He is walking the late-night streets of New York City when a cry for help prompts him to investigate an alleyway he was passing. He discovers a dying Chinese representative from the U.N. He escaped when Fu Manchu had his men abduct him and five other such Chinese representatives. The man dies from the wounds he suffered in his escape after telling Danny to save the others. Continue reading

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BAD MOVIES: SCOTT BRADY TO THE RESCUE

Everyman Scott Brady

Everyman Scott Brady

You can have your Time Lord from Gallifrey or your reporter from INS. When it comes to REAL action against goofy monsters the one and only Scott Brady comes on like Jim Dandy to the rescue. The Pudgy One was always a welcome sight in B-movies from decades ago. Here are four of his most enjoyably bad outings.

Destination Inner SpaceDESTINATION INNER SPACE (1966) – In a true rarity Scott Brady got to be the less-than- hunky action lead in this film! THE Sheree North and The Green Hornet‘s Wende Wagner were along for the ride in this flick that plays like an episode from Jon Pertwee’s Doctor Who era recast with Americans.

Scott Brady portrays Commander Wayne, a courageous Naval Officer who might as well be working for UNIT as he saves the world from a potential invasion by a group of sub-aquatic extraterrestrials. The monsters are as ridiculous as the dialogue in this fair-to- middling bad movie gem. Continue reading

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SEPTEMBER 25th PLAYOFF RESULTS IN THE WNBA

The opening round came to a close last night.

THE SUN ADVANCE – The CONNECTICUT SUN played host to the INDIANA FEVER in this game.

By Halftime the Sun were out in front of Indiana by a score of 41-34. That turned into a 61-52 advantage to end the 3rd Quarter, and ultimately an 87-81 triumph for Connecticut. The Sun win the series 2 games to none and advance to the next round. Alyssa Thomas led the way for Connecticut with her Double Double of 19 points and 13 assists. Continue reading

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HEADMASTER (1970) FORGOTTEN TELEVISION

headmasterHEADMASTER (1970) – Andy Griffith had left the streets of Mayberry behind him to take on a new leading role in this short-lived comedy-drama. Griffith played Andy Thompson, Headmaster of the Concord School, a top-tier private academy in California.

jerry and andyThe star had expressed his pleasure at getting to play an urbane academic rather than a country bumpkin for once. Headmaster was shooting for the same appeal boasted by Room 222, another half-hour series that mixed high school comedy with drama.

Ready for the “with-it” and “relevant” – maybe even “groovy” – advertising blurb for Headmaster? Here it is – “At last! A series that’s really into today’s teen-age world. A co-ed prep school is where it’s at.”

Griffith’s supporting cast included Jerry Van Dyke as Coach Jerry Brownell and Claudette Nevins as Andy’s English teacher wife Margaret. LINDA RONSTADT sang the show’s theme song Only a Man. Continue reading

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WNBA PLAYOFF RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 24th

Last night’s pair of games saw two teams advance to Round Two.

ACES WILD – The LAS VEGAS ACES took the court against the visiting SEATTLE STORM.

The Aces grabbed a quick 30-20 advantage in the 1st Quarter but then saw Seattle nibble into that lead as the game went on. By Halftime Las Vegas was on top by just 45-38, and the 3rd Quarter ended with the Storm deficit cut to 62-57. In the 4th the Aces eked out a bit more separation to win the game 83-76 and the series 2 games to none. Kelsey Plum led Vegas with 29 points, while teammate A’ja Wilson logged a Double Double of 24 points and 13 rebounds.  Continue reading

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ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: THE FALLEN RACE (1892)

Fallen RaceTHE FALLEN RACE (1892) – Written by Austyn Granville. If you’ve ever thought to yourself “How come nobody ever combined science fiction, H. Rider Haggard-style Lost Race tales AND kangaroo-human hybrids” then THIS is the story for you.

This novel is presented as if it is the real-life journal of the adventures of Dr Paul Gifford in the Great Australian Desert from 1874-1888. An ill-fated expedition into Australia’s desert is nearly wiped out by dysentery, thirst and spoiled food. The only two survivors are the aforementioned Dr Gifford and Jacky-Jacky, which may sound like the name of a Hip-Hop Artist but is really the name of an Australian Aborigine member of the expedition.   Continue reading

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WNBA PLAYOFFS UNDERWAY

Four series are underway in the 2024 WNBA postseason. Each have one game in the books. 

LYNX VS MERCURY: GAME ONE – The MINNESOTA LYNX faced the visiting PHOENIX MERCURY in this game.

A 32-19 1st Quarter lead for the Lynx became 56-42 by Halftime. After the break, the Mercury outscored Minnesota 53-46 but still lost to them by a Century Club score of 102-95. Napheesa Collier led the triumphant Minnesota team with her THIRTY-EIGHT points. Continue reading

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SNARKY JAY: TERRIFIC MOVIE REVIEW CHANNEL

snarky jayHere at Balladeer’s Blog people who can make me laugh are my favorite kind of people! YT reviewer Snarky Jay, as she calls herself, is entertaining, engaging and hilarious with her reviews.

She not only delivers concise positive or negative takes on films and streaming shows, but she also punctures the pomposity of the privileged one percenters of Hollywood.

You can subscribe to Snarky Jay’s channel HERE. For an eight-and-a-half-minute example of this woman’s approach click below. Continue reading

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