The Rock Chalkboard

Bill Self: Cancelling 2020 NCAA Tournament was 'right decision'
“I really thought the NCAA had no choice but to do what they did.” Self said. “I thought that was the right decision and certainly it was at the expense of 68 teams that were going make the tournament. And we probably had as good a shot as anybody. There’s things bigger than basketball. This is certainly much bigger. Even though our players were disappointed, I thought they handled it very maturely.”

2022 C Silas Sunday surprised by, grateful for KU hoops interest
"We talked a little about the program and the players that they've had and have," Sunday said. "It's a humbling experience to know from where I've started — and the work that I've put in — to now, that a big school is calling my phone. I'm just grateful and humbled for the opportunity for a school like that to notice me."

Podcast: Projecting underclassman contributors for KU basketball
The specific focus of the episode was on the KU men's basketball freshman and sophomore classes — as well as the program's newcomers. The backdrop for the episode came on Tuesday, when KU coach Bill Self appeared on an episode of Hawk Talk and complimented the upside of Christian Braun, Jalen Wilson and Tristan Enaruna, all of whom will be in their second year in the program come August.

The top 10 players in the Big 12
Whether Oklahoma is unseated for the first time in six tries as Big 12 champion remains to be seen, but the team with the best pass defense might very well prove to be the best team in the conference, too. Then again, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley might sprinkle his magical Sooner dust on quarterback Spencer Rattler and produce a fourth Heisman Trophy finalist in as many years.

New 247Sports Crystal Ball pick for Kansas
That Jayhawks prediction comes with a relatively low confidence score of 4. Having said that, Kansas should have a real shot here if the Jayhawks press for Alexander, who already included them in his top four during the spring. Outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe has led Kansas' recruiting charge with the Central Texas standout.

Bits o Chalk

PGA Tour to be stricter about coronavirus testing, monitoring
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said Wednesday that extra testing and stricter monitoring of protocols that could result in "serious repercussions" for offenders will go into effect in the wake of three positive coronavirus tests this week at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.

How many wins to reach the playoffs? A .400 hitter? How wild a 60-game MLB season could really get
With a 60-game schedule on tap for Major League Baseball in 2020, we now know we're getting a season, but one whose brevity could yield some surprising outcomes in the standings and in the record book. With that in mind, we asked three of ESPN's MLB experts -- Bradford Doolittle, David Schoenfield and Sam Miller -- what the shortened schedule will mean for the playoff picture and the stat sheet -- and we challenged each of them to add one 2020 question of their own.

Kings' Jabari Parker, Alex Len test positive for the coronavirus
Forward Jabari Parker and center Alex Len of the Sacramento Kings said Wednesday that they tested positive for the coronavirus.

Sources -- Concern around WNBA about Florida season details
With Thursday being the deadline for WNBA players to opt out of the 2020 season, among a series of concerns from some players is that they did not receive detailed information until early Wednesday morning about the bubble they will be living in, sources told ESPN.

Bits o Chalk

Drew Magary: Bill Simmons has had this coming for a long time now
Understand that Bill Simmons isn't gonna learn a goddamn thing from this. The founder of The Ringer is getting his ass kicked online right now because of an interview he gave to Noam Scheiber of the New York Times about his company's poor track record hiring minorities for positions of editorial leadership, and about the company's resulting internal turmoil over it. Scheiber's piece describes writer K. Austin Collins's story about how he and other BIPOC employees were quickly phased out of one of The Ringer's more successful podcasts in favor of interchangeable white guys. Simmons, who plays defense about as well as he does when he plays point guard at the Hancock Park Equinox, countered Collins thusly:

"It's a business. This isn't Open Mic Night."

US coronavirus: 'Apocalyptic' surges feared in some cities - CNN
Florida and Texas announced Wednesday that they'd recorded more than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases the prior day, a new daily record. California reported more than 7,000 cases, obliterating a record hit a day earlier.

'A lot' of protestors have left Seattle's autonomous zone, leader says | TheHill
The de-facto leader of Seattle's autonomous protest zone said Wednesday “a lot” of protesters have already left the area following a call days earlier from the mayor for protesters to clear out.

U.S. weekly jobless claims total 1.48 million, vs 1.35 million estimate
Jobless claims totaled 1.48 million last week as unemployment related to the coronavirus pandemic remained stubbornly high, though those receiving benefits fell below 20 million for the first time in two months.

Three 'Scrubs' episodes removed from Hulu over use of blackface - CNN
Three episodes of medical comedy series "Scrubs" have been removed from Hulu because they feature white actors in blackface.

Authorities ID Flathead River drowning victim
Emergency dispatchers received a call on Tuesday at approximately 2 p.m. that a raft had flipped over and one person was still in the water. Several bystanders attempted to rescue the man who was later identified as Bee. Dennis Bee is the son of longtime Montana Broadcaster Benny Bee who operated seven radio stations in the Flathead Valley including Bee Broadcasting.

Sammy Hagar Wants to Reopen the Economy | SPIN
“I would rather see everyone go back to work. If some of us have to sacrifice on that, OK. I will die for my children and my grandchildren to have a life anywhere close to the life that I had in this wonderful country. That’s just the way that I feel about it.”