The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas basketball coaches bringing energy to early-season practices | KUsports.com
“I don't know that we’ve changed a lot,” Self said recently. “I think we’re going to go slower than we have in the past, which will be very boring for our older guys. But I think we have to do that.”

'Nobody calls me Omar': Why KU football's O.J. Burroughs is always thinking about adding weight and his physical development | KUsports.com
“He calls me by real name, Omar,” Burroughs shared. “I say, ‘Coach, why you keep calling me Omar?’ He just tells me, ‘When you get 185 (pounds) or gain some weight, then I’ll call you O.J.’ He always does that.”

Two Jayhawks earn weekly Big 12 soccer honors | KUsports.com
Sophomore Brie Severns was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and freshman midfielder Raena Childers earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors.

All eyes on Auston Matthews
t's a Wednesday in August, at the height of hockey's cottage season -- when the NHL's general managers are sprawled across lake adjacent homes, mostly in Canada, Minnesota or Massachusetts, and league business enters snooze mode. Auston Matthews is at his off-season base too, but his is a 7,500-square-foot home at the foot of Camelback Mountain in Arizona. One of ice hockey's brightest stars finds his sanctuary amid cactuses and tumbleweeds.

Bits o Chalk

Los Angeles Lakers debut LeBron James-Anthony Davis-Russell Westbrook combo in preseason loss to Golden State Warriors
"It's going to take a minute for us to become the team that we know we are going to be capable of being," said James, who put up 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 6 turnovers. "We're going to have moments where we're not quite right there. We may take steps backwards. But that's all part of ... I think nothing is worth having if it's not worth working for."

Ben Simmons passes physical, has 'brief' meeting with Philadelphia 76ers' front office, sources say
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Ben Simmons passed his physical and held a meeting with the team's front office on Tuesday, but he remains ineligible to participate in team-related activities until Friday, at the earliest, due to NBA health and safety protocols, sources told ESPN.

Ex-NBA star JR Smith stung by hornets, high scores during first collegiate golf tournament
The 36-year-old two-time NBA champion was literally stung by hornets while completing his round Tuesday for North Carolina A&T on the second day of Elon's Phoenix Invitational.

Freddie Freeman lifts Atlanta Braves over Milwaukee Brewers, into second straight NLCS
The Braves' Freddie Freeman hammered a two-out, first-pitch homer to center field in the bottom of the eighth off Josh Hader, the Milwaukee Brewers' All-Star closer, lifting Atlanta to a 5-4 come-from-behind win on Tuesday, closing out the NL division series in four games.

Eraser Dust

Debt ceiling: House passes short-term extension, sends bill to Biden
WASHINGTON – The House passed legislation Tuesday raising the nation's debt ceiling for several weeks, allowing the government to keep paying its bills into early December and avoiding the economic chaos that would come if the U.S. defaulted.

Boston Marathon bomber case reaches the Supreme Court : NPR
This week, just days after the Boston Marathon took place for the first time since the pandemic began, the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in the case of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was sentenced to death for his role in the terrorist bombing of the race in 2013. The question in the case is not Tsarnaev's guilt. It is whether he was properly sentenced to death, and whether he had a fair trial.

Squid Game is Netflix's 'biggest ever' series at launch - CNN
To give that number some context, Netflix announced earlier this year that 82 million households watched "Bridgerton" in the first 28 days following its Christmas debut. "Squid Game" surpassed that number in a shorter amount of time.

Taco Bell bringing back beloved menu item | KRON4
The fan-favorite features a Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco shell with a soft piece of flatbread wrapped around it. A layer of cheese is infused between the two. Inside the taco shell, there’s seasoned beef, spicy ranch sauce, lettuce, cheddar cheese and Taco Bell’s signature three-cheese blend.

Larry David Mocks Richard Lewis With A Sick 1-Liner In New ‘Curb’ Teaser | HuffPost Entertainment
“When are you going to die?” David taunts Lewis in the scene previewed by late night host Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday. Both actors play fictionalized versions of themselves in the comedy.

Kalispell angler catches $10,000 lake trout | Daily Inter Lake
Krogstad and his fishing partner, Julie Perkins, both of Kalispell, were headed to the dock when they stopped in front of Blue Bay and caught the notorious fish in 80 feet of water.

Liam Gallagher fans left fuming in 'nightmare' after getting tickets for sold-out Knebworth gig - Manchester Evening News
"I have no idea what we are going to do now. If it comes to it we will have to drive down and sleep in the car. I’m not selling my ticket.

Does Your Friend Have the 'Racist Bone'?: A Quiz
Luckily, we’re here to help. To assist you solve this medical mystery, the researchers who first discovered skeletal racism created this handy quiz to help laypeople diagnose their friend with Congenital Osteowypiposis, commonly known as the “racist bone.”