The Rock Chalkboard

Big 12 football primer: Coaching records against Big 12 foes
Although the Big 12 Conference brings back the second longest-tenured head coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision in TCU’s Gary Patterson and a 15-year veteran Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, the days of the league boasting a handful of head coaches with double-digit years in conference have given way to a new era.

Kansas to get a big recruiting win? Crystal Ball pick is in
With this knowledge, combined with corroborating talk behind the scenes, I have decided to put in a medium level Crystal Ball pick for the Jayhawks.

KU football 2019 year in review: Jayhawks stun Tech on late FG
The Kansas offense gave quite the encore performance after the Texas game, tallying 527 yards of offense against Texas Tech. Running back Pooka Williams rushed for 69 yards on 21 carries and only managed a 3.3-yard average in the contest, but quarterback Carter Stanley and the passing game gave the team the boost to pull off the last-second win.

'They took a risk': Chase Jessup thankful for 1st offer from KU
“He was super friendly, super genuine on the phone,” Jessup recalled. “We talked for a minute about how hard I work, my personality a little bit, and then eventually he said, ‘The University of Kansas is going to offer you.’ I was so happy. I kind of fell to my knees. For a few seconds I was just silent."

KU's Jalen Wilson after redshirting: 'My leg came back stronger'
"I believe everything happened to me for a reason," Wilson said in the Facebook video. "I just embrace it all. Isaac [Likekele — who also participated in the stream] — was there. We were on the same team. I broke my foot in AAU. I've always had setbacks. I've always found a way to get around them. I just took this one like the next one that's going to happen in life."

Bits o Chalk

NBA restart X factors - Eight players with big questions
After 4½ months, the NBA is almost back. We are weeks away from real games and, if everything goes smoothly, just under three months away from crowning the 2020 NBA champion. While the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers remain the favorites to win it all, the Larry O'Brien Trophy is up for grabs as an unprecedented season concludes in Orlando, Florida, which will be teeming with star players who will make or break their teams' chances.

City officials say fans won't be allowed at Eagles, Phillies games in 2020
"The Eagles are still going to be allowed to play, although without crowds. The Phillies will continue to be allowed to play, although without crowds," managing director Brian Abernathy said, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Rockets star James Harden arrives in Orlando five days after team
The Rockets have not disclosed a reason for Harden's delayed arrival.

Source: Braves signing free-agent outfielder Yasiel Puig
Free-agent outfielder Yasiel Puig is signing with the Atlanta Braves, a source told ESPN, confirming a report by MLB.com.

NFLPA seeks opt-out clauses for at-risk players, conditional stipends, source says
The NFL and NFL Players Association continue to negotiate terms for a return to work, and players are requesting financial backing in case they decide to sit out the season.

Eraser Dust

U.S. States Ranked by Their Food | Far & Wide
Using a mix of objective research and totally subjective opinion, we've assessed each U.S. state's signature foods and diversity of offerings to address exactly which state has the best food. Get ready to feel insulted, shocked and maybe a little smug. Here’s a worst-to-best ranking of America’s food scenes by state

Best Food States in the US: What State Has the Best Food? - Thrillist
It's a complicated question informed by numerous factors -- cities with quality restaurant scenes, singular state specialties, variety of fresh seafood and produce -- and obviously the answer will vary tremendously from person to person. After all, one person's Maine lobster binge is another person's shellfish allergy-induced emergency room visit. Nonetheless, our intrepid panel (which is unbiased at least in the sense of being completely omnivorous) put its best taste buds forward and devised this unassailable hierarchy of state-by-state deliciousness. Enjoy, and then feel free to assail it (and them) in the comments.

The 100+ Best Rock Songs Of The '90s, Ranked By Fans
After jamming to all these hit songs, you can vote for the ones you like best. Rock enthusiasts from all over have voiced their opinions on this list of hit '90s rock songs, and you can chip in next.

100 Greatest Rock Songs of the 1990s
Songs listed are from Rock Music & related sub-genres. These songs are ranked based upon their intitial and lasting popularity, as well as their influence and impact on the evolution of Rock and Roll and its sub-genres.

Top 100 '90s Rock Albums
Any discussion of the Top 100 '90s Rock Albums will have to include some grunge, and this one is no different. A defining element of that decade, the genre (and the bands that rose to fame playing it) was given credit for revitalizing rock at a badly needed moment. That said, there's far more to the story. Our list of the Top 100 '90s Rock Albums, presented in chronological order, takes in the rich diversity of the period.

The 35 Best Comedy Movies of the 21st Century: Funniest Movies Ranked | IndieWire
Now more than ever, the world could use a laugh. This bizarre, in-progress century has already produced any number of great comedies, which is to say that many of your (and our) favorites were left out: sorry, “Toy Story 3”; sorry, “Knocked Up.” As we tend to lean toward the indie side — and away from certain men-behaving-badly movies — there are also some titles on here that you might not have seen.

The All-Time Best Comedy Films, Ranked by Fans
The best comedy movies of all time are listed here, in one convenient list to be voted on and ranked by true fans. These hilarious movies are not only laugh-out-loud funny, they're considered to be some of the best movies of all time as well as some of the funniest movies ever. Itching to watch a great comedy right now? Here's what you can find currently streaming on Amazon Prime or Netflix.