The Daily Mauling

Kansas issues response to NCAA notice of allegations
The University's response, which can be read in full, here, contains a lengthy rebuttal of the many allegations levied against the men's basketball program and also briefly touches on allegations regarding the football program, though it notes the football violations were largely self-reported.

Remember the Zion Williamson call? Here's Kansas' explanation...
First, the response notes Townsend in his response to Code "did not agree to provide or even consider providing inducements or impermissible benefits. ... As Townsend explained, he was referencing the numerous permissible ways [Williamson] or his family could earn money in compliance with NCAA rules, including applying for Pell Grant money, teaching basketball lessons and working camps, and receiving the stipend each athlete is allowed."

Could KU football's Hakeem Adeniji be 'Day 2 guy' at NFL Draft?
Fresh off the NFL Combine, Hakeem Adeniji only needed to fill in the cracks at his KU football pro day workout. The offensive linemen was one of 18 Jayhawks to participate in the program’s pro day that featured representatives from 28 professional teams, coach Les Miles said.

Bill Self believes Jayhawks will remain focused in wake of KU's response to NCAA allegations | KUsports.com
“We dealt with some stuff that’s been pretty well known publicly (that was) basically very little fault (of) the guys,” said Self after KU’s 75-66 victory over TCU on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. “... That can be taxing on a team mentally, but I think they’ve been great. I think they’ve acted maturely.”

Lawrence masseur accused of child sex crime had contract with KU women’s teams, university leaders say | KUsports.com
Acting on a tip, the Journal-World asked Kansas Athletics spokesman Dan Beckler on Monday about O’Brien’s connections with KU athletic teams. In the statement Thursday, Girod and Long confirmed that O’Brien has worked as an independent contractor providing massage therapy to some female student-athletes.

Bits o Chalk

UMKC won't play in Seattle for fear of coronavirus
University of Missouri-Kansas City will not play its road game at Seattle this weekend due to concerns over coronavirus, the Western Athletic Conference announced Wednesday.

Kentucky revokes ticket privileges for fan after racial slur
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart announced the revocation on his verified Twitter account, a day after he tweeted "there will be consequences" for such unacceptable behavior. It comes two days after Tennessee fan Ethan Williams tweeted a video of himself laughing and yelling at Kentucky fans as they left Rupp near the end of the Volunteers' 81-73 comeback victory over the No. 6 Wildcats.

Sources: Angels fire visiting clubhouse manager for aiding opposing pitchers
The Los Angeles Angels have fired their longtime visiting clubhouse manager after an internal investigation confirmed suspicions that he was providing ball-doctoring substances to opposing pitchers, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

CenturyLink Field employee who worked XFL game diagnosed with coronavirus
A stadium employee who worked at the XFL's Seattle Dragons home game Feb. 22 at CenturyLink Field has tested positive for the coronavirus, King County health officials said, but as of now, no games scheduled to be played at the facility have been canceled.

Sources: Dion Waiters finalizing deal to join Lakers
Waiters played only three games this season for the Miami Heat -- the most recent on Jan. 28 -- because of suspensions and poor conditioning. He has shown himself to be a talented scorer and playmaker in past seasons with the Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Eraser Dust

Trump's Gut Collides With Science on Coronavirus Messaging : NPR
President Trump is known to say what's on his mind, to go with his gut and accentuate the positive. That approach is now colliding with a public health emergency in the form of coronavirus.

Coronavirus: Virus-stricken cruise ship returns to California
Newsom noted that more than half of the 2,500 passengers on board are Californians. He said getting everything in order before the ship returns is important “because we have a number of passengers and crew members who have developed symptoms.”

O.J. Simpson on Alabama execution of Nathaniel Woods: ‘It’s just wrong’ - al.com
Ahead of tonight’s scheduled execution of Nathaniel Woods in Alabama, O.J. Simpson has weighed in on Twitter and questioned the fairness of the case.

Oasis's greatest songs – ranked! | Music | The Guardian
Cocaine helped ruin Oasis’s third album, but before the inevitable crash, they came up with one of rock’s great paeans to the drug’s dubious power. Weirdly, it’s all in the sound, not the lyrics. Morning Glory is potent, feral and aggressive, topped off with a particularly sneery Liam vocal: it’s impossibly thrilling while it plays, but you wouldn’t want to live there.

Dave Matthews was inspired by his daughters to write a novel
For his debut novel, Dave Matthews found inspiration close to home.