The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self debuts tighter rotation in blowout win over Missouri | KUsports.com
Sure, the eighth-ranked Jayhawks still played 11 scholarship players and two walk-ons in the 102-65 Border War blowout. But Self used just eight players in the first half, relying mostly on his starters to build a 22-point halftime lead.

Former North Dakota State recruit Mason Ellis flips, commits to KU football | KUsports.com
Rated a two-star prospect by Rivals, Ellis previously had been committed to North Dakota State. He made three trips to KU in recent months, and was on campus this past weekend, when he decided to flip to KU.

Former 4-star prospect and Nebraska RB Sevion Morrison to transfer to KU | KUsports.com
A 6-foot, 210-pound back from Tulsa, Okla., Morrison was a freshman this past season, and finished with 30 carries for 116 yards and three touchdowns, while appearing in seven games for the Huskers. It was his second season with the program, but he didn’t play in any games in 2020.

Strong 4th quarter gives KU women's basketball its 4th win in a row | KUsports.com
With its best quarter coming just in time, in the fourth, the Kansas women’s basketball team turned a tight game into an 80-65 victory over Santa Clara on Sunday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.

Notebook: Jayhawks happy to take care of business vs. Mizzou in front of so many former Kansas players | KUsports.com
Starting Monday, when the KU players and coaches first saw students camping out in droves, and continuing into Tuesday night and throughout the rest of the week, the 18 players on the KU roster saw evidence and heard stories from Jayhawks young and old about what the KU-Mizzou battle means.

Border Blowout: Junior guard Christian Braun sparks KU's 102-65 win over Missouri | KUsports.com
And the fire, passion, intensity and even venom that he brought to the floor in the game’s opening minutes was, by itself, enough to ensure that the eighth-ranked Jayhawks would wind up in the win column in the first game against their bitter border rivals since 2012.

Eraser Dust

Las Vegas Raiders fuel Kansas City Chiefs with 'disrespectful' pregame speech at their logo
"You definitely don't want people to come into your stadium and disrespect things that you kind of built,'' quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. "It gave us a little more motivation to go out there and win against a really good football team that we have a rivalry against that usually is a tough football game.''

Urban Meyer denies Jacksonville Jaguars reports -- 'If there is a source, that source is unemployed'
And by garbage, he means the person or persons leaking information outside the organization regarding what's going on inside the facility. The latest report -- that he and receiver Marvin Jones had a screaming match, and that he called his assistant coaches losers -- came out Saturday. Meyer denied both Sunday and said anyone leaking information risks losing their job.

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers says fractured toe 'feels worse' after record-setting win vs. Bears
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- It appears that Aaron Rodgers still owns the Chicago Bears but unfortunately for the Green Bay Packers' quarterback, he also still has a problem with his fractured pinky toe.

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James oldest player ever to post 30-point triple-double
"I slept last night from 12 [a.m.] to 8 [a.m.], I got up, ate breakfast and went back to sleep from 8:30 [a.m.] to 12:30 [p.m.]," James said after pacing the Lakers with 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks in 37 minutes against Orlando.

Quarterback Bo Nix walks away from Auburn football, announces plans to transfer as graduate
Auburn quarterback Bo Nix, who started the past three seasons for the Tigers, announced on social media Sunday that he plans to leave as a graduate transfer.

Bobcats roll to historic win over top-seeded Sam Houston, advance to FCS Final Four – Skyline Sports
Saturday night here at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium, Montana State shocked the FCS world. But the least surprised among the smattering of fans, observers and participants on a crisp, unusually cold Texas evening were the driven group of young men wearing blue and gold.

Bits o Chalk

Kentucky tornadoes: Thousands of homes gone, dozens dead
More than 50 people are dead, the governor said, adding that as many as 100 people are feared to have lost their lives as a catastrophic storm system pushed through western Kentucky Friday night into Saturday morning.

Some Hospitals Drop Covid-19 Vaccine Mandates to Ease Labor Shortages - WSJ
Some of the largest U.S. hospital systems have dropped Covid-19 vaccine mandates for staff after a federal judge temporarily halted a Biden administration mandate that healthcare workers get the shots.

Mark Meadows said National Guard would be ready to 'protect pro Trump people' before Capitol insurrection, House investigators say - CNNPolitics
The committee notes that in one email Meadows sent to an individual about January 6, he said that "the National Guard would be present to 'protect pro Trump people' and that many more would be available on standby," according to the report. The new documents come as Meadows' role is under renewed scrutiny following his decision to cease cooperating with the committee last week.

A Guide to the Flathead Valley's Best Nordic Skiing - Flathead Beacon
Thankfully, the Flathead Valley has an expansive map of cross-country ski sites where people can bust out their skinny skis and hit the corduroy, even during the week, when time and light are limited. Here’s a rundown of some of the best spots in Northwest Montana to hit the trails.

CPI report: Prices rising at fastest rate since 1982
Another part of inflation is wages. So many places are hiring and offering bonuses, which may be contributing to rising prices. Then, adding into account COVID-19 fallout, factories closing, and supply chain disruptions... Krier said it’s a perfect storm for inflation.

NASA set to launch space telescope ‘100 times more powerful’ than Hubble
On Sunday, 60 Minutes took a look at NASA’s largest and most expensive instrument to date, the James Webb Space Telescope. The Webb, as it is often referred to, was designed to replace the 31-year-old Hubble telescope. It is 100 times more powerful than the Hubble, in fact, it is powerful enough to look back in time.

Cop who silenced Beatles last gig speaks for first time
“It was just work, and it’s blown up into all this,” former London Metropolitan Police constable Ray Dagg, now 72, told the Sunday Times of London.

Kalispell food truck plans national franchise campaign | Daily Inter Lake
Each franchisee will have a territory of 100,000 people, and the company plans on awarding 2,500 franchises across the country in the coming years. The Harts believe focusing on Montana first will allow them to give more support to their franchisees as the company grows.