The Rock Chalkboard

6th-ranked Jayhawks take note of Nevada's size ahead of Wednesday's matchup | KUsports.com
Although their time to prepare was cut short because of the last-minute nature of scheduling the game, the Kansas Jayhawks are well aware of the size of the challenge Nevada will present on Wednesday night at Allen Fieldhouse.

KU women's basketball clash with Northwestern State canceled because of COVID-19 issues in KU program | KUsports.com
The Kansas women’s basketball program’s nonconference finale against Northwestern State was canceled a little more than an hour before tipoff on Tuesday night because of COVID-19 issues within the KU program.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self says Jayhawks 'working on' scheduling a new game for Saturday | KUsports.com
On Monday, KU (9-1) was forced to postpone its Big 12 home opener with TCU, scheduled for this Saturday, because of COVID-19 issues within the TCU program.

Kansas football eyeing Miami (Ohio) defensive end in transfer portal | KUsports.com
A 6-foot-3, 244-pound edge rusher from Cincinnati, Phelps was a second-team all-MAC selection in 2021, finishing third in the conference with 9.5 sacks while also adding 13.5 tackles for loss.

Bits o Chalk

Coach, broadcaster, esports icon - Inside the legacy of John Madden
1. During the 2006 Super Bowl weekend, Madden was waiting to hear whether he'd gotten into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He'd always insisted that he be considered as a coach rather than a revolutionary broadcaster, endorsement groundbreaker or esports icon. He was a coach, period, and would get in -- or not -- based on the strength of his 1976 Super Bowl win, his 75.9 win percentage -- still highest of any coach with at least 100 victories -- and the 12 Hall of Fame players he'd coached.

NFL Hall of Fame coach, broadcasting icon John Madden dies at 85
John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach-turned-broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the NFL said. He was 85.

Sources - Cleveland Cavaliers' Ricky Rubio set for MRI on injured left knee
NEW ORLEANS -- Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio will get an MRI on his left knee on Wednesday to assess the severity of an injury he suffered in Tuesday night's 108-104 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

LeBron James makes first start at center as Los Angeles Lakers beat Houston Rockets to snap skid
"I was a skinny, lanky kid growing up, but I was never one of the biggest guys or in the center position," said the 6-foot-9, 250-pound James, who took the opening tip on Tuesday against Houston's 6-9 center, Christian Wood. "I've always played the wing or kind of handled the ball."

Eraser Dust

Parole canceled for man convicted of killing Michael Jordan's father
The commission said Tuesday in a news release that Demery's "agreement has been terminated" effective immediately, giving no reason. The release said that Demery, who is serving a life sentence for the first-degree murder of James Jordan in 1993, would be reviewed again for parole on or about Dec. 15, 2023.

Liam Gallagher takes brutal swipe at Liverpool after Leicester City defeat - Leicestershire Live
"Don’t underestimate a fox," was Gallagher's verdict the following morning accompanied by a fox face emoji before adding: "MCFC CHAMPIONS.

Noel Gallagher: Labour Party have ‘betrayed the working classes’
The former Oasis rocker has a lifelong association with the Party, having been a big supporter of Tony Blair’s New Labour, but has suggested he will no longer vote for them – and would rather launch his own political party.

U.S. sets daily COVID-19 infection record | KTLA
The numbers surpass the previous high of about 290,000 cases reported on Dec. 20. That nearly passed the previous daily record of 294,015 set last January, before vaccines were widely available.

Former U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid dies at 82 | Reuters
WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Harry Reid, the pugnacious son of a Nevada hard-rock miner who rose from poverty to become the U.S. Senate majority leader and earned a reputation as a fierce partisan fighter during an era of political gridlock in Washington, died on Tuesday. He was 82.

'The weak better buckle up': Denver gunman espoused alt-right masculine supremacy theories | Daily Mail Online
Lyndon McLeod, 47, a known extremist with psychiatric problems and violent material on his social media, was killed by police on Monday at the end of his rampage across Denver.

Bigfork VFW honors couple and Montana Legends for preparing annual Christmas dinner | Bigfork Eagle
Bigfork Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4042 took some time to honor a couple who prepares their Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners every year. VFW Post Commander Rob Gambino gave Dave Russell and Katie Burns Awards of Commendation for their work supporting veterans.

Where is NASA's James Webb Space Telescope? Here's how to follow its progress. | Space
The James Webb Space Telescope's "29 days on the edge," as NASA has dubbed the lengthy and complex deployment process, began when the spacecraft launched on Saturday (Dec. 25). Since then, the observatory has reached key milestones like unfurling its solar array and adjusting its trajectory. Still to come are steps like opening its sunshield and arranging its mirrors.