Kansas News

3-star DB Jayden Russell not joining Jayhawks this summer | KUsports.com
Although he said as recently as a week ago that he planned to join the Kansas football program this summer, that will not be the case for Class of 2019 signee Jayden Russell.

KU guard Marcus Garrett still on the mend from high ankle sprain that hindered him last season | KUsports.com
“It’s great,” said Garrett during a break at Washburn basketball camp Thursday morning. “It feels way better. It’s still not 100%. It’s about 90, 95, I would say.”

KU Athletics increases football funding, looks to develop plan for stadium renovations, other projects | KUsports.com
The Kansas Athletics Inc board of directors on Thursday approved a proposed 2020 fiscal year budget, including an increase of about $5 million in spending for the football program. The 2020 fiscal year coincides with the 2019-2020 school year. Chief Financial Officer Pat Kaufman said the additional funding for football covers new coaching salaries for the program and increases for the operating budget.

Kansas big man Udoka Azubuike calls return to KU 'exciting,' lists getting back in shape as top goal | KUsports.com
“Just focus on recovering,” Azubuike said this week after working Brett Ballard’s Washburn basketball camp. “I’m still not 100 percent yet. Like, I need to get back in shape and get back to full fitness and start working on my game to get better.”

College basketball moves back three-point line
With ten teams in the conference and news flowing from each team every week, it can be tough to keep up with all of the happenings in the Big 12 Conference. It can get to be a little too much information all at once.

Three KU football questions entering the summer: Cornerbacks
The position group as a whole has a good blend of old and young talent. It has upperclassman leaders in seniors Hasan Defense and Elmore Hempstead Jr. and in redshirt juniors Kyle Mayberry and Elijah Jones. It has an incredibly talented sophomore in Corione Harris and two athletically gifted incoming freshmen in Kenny Logan and Valerian Agbaw.

Ranking the 2019 Big 12 Non-Conference Games, No. 10: Kansas at Boston College
The Jayhawks begin the Les Miles era with two home games against lesser competition in Indiana State and Coastal Carolina. Regardless of the outcome, there will be intrigue heading into Chesnut Hill, Massachusetts. If Kansas is 2-0, the Les Miles hype train will start to build, simply because 2-0 at KU is a big deal. If they’re 1-1, fans will look at this game as a real litmus test. And if they’re 0-2 out of the gates with this road trip on deck, some fans might prefer to leave Les in the Boston area and let him eat the grass up there.

Other Sports News

Source: Eagles sign Wentz to $128M extension
The extension is for $128 million and includes $107.9 million guaranteed, including $66 million due at signing, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The extension can escalate to a max of $144 million. Wentz's total deal is now six years for $154 million and can grow to a max of $170 million.

Bruins' Cassidy - Officiating a 'black eye' for NHL
Bruins president Cam Neely hurled a water bottle against a wall. Boston fans littered the ice with garbage. Coach Bruce Cassidy called it "egregious," in an intense rant about how the quality of playoff officiating has been a "black eye" for the NHL.

Patriots receive Super Bowl rings, largest ever
Quarterback Tom Brady was pictured on the team's official Twitter account wearing all six of his Super Bowl rings. He is the only player in NFL history to win six rings.

Woman - Interaction with Jay-Z led to threats
Curran said she was asking Jay-Z and Beyonce if they wanted a drink, because the Warriors had invited them to the game. She told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that Jay-Z asked for a vodka soda, and she leaned over -- into the space near Beyonce, because of the loudness of the crowd -- to ask him if he wanted a lime with it. At that point, Beyonce is seen looking serious, and then down at the floor.

Other News

Russia lost most men in WW2. So why wasn't Putin at D-Day commemoration? - CNN
"As to whether I was invited or not, we also do not invite everyone to every event," Putin said. "Why do I have to be invited everywhere to some event? Am I a wedding general, or what? I have enough of my own business. This is not a problem at all."

Man arrested for planning to detonate grenades in Times Square, sources say - ABC News
An unidentified man is in federal custody after he asked about buying grenades and discussed possibly detonating them in Times Square, according to law enforcement sources.

School district considers tearing down Columbine High School due to increase in 'morbid fascination' - CNN
Jeffco School District in Colorado is asking the community for their opinion on whether Columbine High School should be torn down and rebuilt due to the increase of others 'morbid fascination' with the school, a letter from the district says.

Daily Inter Lake - Local News, Powwow canceled hours before opening night
After weeks of logistical back-and-forth discussions between event organizers and Flathead County Fairgrounds officials, a four-day powwow that was scheduled to hit the grounds Thursday (tonight) at 7 p.m. has been canceled.

Kalispell School District Announces Almost $1.7 Million in Budget Cuts - KPAX.com
Flatau said they have spent hours in budget discussions with school principals, activities directors and the Board of Trustees on how to trim nearly $1.4 million from the high school budget and an additional $300,000 from the elementary budget.

Long Read of the Day

Suicide Epidemic Has Swept Across American West – Rolling Stone
The Centers for Disease Control recorded 47,173 suicides in 2017, and there were an estimated 1.4 million total attempts. Many of society’s plagues strike heavier at women and minorities, but suicide in America is dominated by white men, who account for 70 percent of all cases. Middle-aged men walk the point. Men in the United States average 22 suicides per 100,000 people, with those ages 45 to 64 representing the fastest-growing group, up from 20.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 30.1 in 2017. The states with the highest rates are Montana, with 28.9 per 100,000 people; Alaska, at 27 per 100,000; and Wyoming, at 26.9 per 100,000 — all roughly double the national rate. New Mexico, Idaho and Utah round out the top six states. All but Alaska fall in the Mountain time zone.

Song of the Day