The Rock Chalkboard

Newly-offered '23 Jaxson Lavender modeled game after former Jayhawk RB
It's no surprise Jaxson Lavender found his way to the gridiron. Growing up in Texas, both his father — a coach — and his grandfather were "living legends" in his hometown, he told Phog.net. His father split off on the track-and-field path, while football seems the definite route for the 2023 athlete.

The Drive: A closer look at KU basketball after 5-straight wins
For those new to the show, The Drive is a weekly television program (discussing Kansas and Kansas State) that airs on WIBW-13 Sunday nights in Topeka. The Drive is in Season 15 with co-hosts Tim Fitzgerald (GoPowercat.com) and myself, Scott Chasen of Phog.net. Fitz and I discuss both football and basketball regarding the Jayhawks and Wildcats.

Bill Self: Marcus Garrett 'one of the most-underrated players' in CBB
Garrett, the reigning national defensive player of the year, has been asked to shoulder a larger load on offense, which leads to him exerting more energy that could take away from what he does defensively. The Jayhawks also switch on the perimeter, which leads to other teams running action to get a one-on-one matchup against another — really, any other — KU player, since few are capable of scoring with any efficiency against Garrett.

KU basketball vs. Texas Tech: Who stood out and who didn't...
A number of players contributed to the win in this one, but McCormack was reason No. 1, 2 and 3 why the Jayhawks were in control of the game throughout the first 30-or-so minutes. Even when he didn’t score, McCormack made the right passes to find players. He would have had five-or-so assists if his teammates hit open shots — and this one would have been a blowout.

Photo gallery: KU basketball defeats Texas Tech at Allen Fieldhouse
KU basketball led wire to wire in its win against No. 15 Texas Tech, but Saturday's game was anything but an easy win. The Jayhawks, ahead by as many as 12 in the second half, saw their lead dwindle to three in the final minute before a late Christian Braun 3-point shot sealed the game.

'Simple things' led to David McCormack's eruption vs. Texas Tech
“McCormack's a pro; he's arguably the best big guy in the Big 12," Beard said. "He's the reason for their success over the last month.”

Three takeaways: Reviewing KU basketball's win vs. Texas Tech
Texas Tech's leading scorer on the year has been likely first-team all-conference guard Mac McClung, who was an especially intriguing matchup for the Jayhawks given their changed defensive scheme. In the midst of midseason defensive struggles, KU coach Bill Self changed the way the Jayhawks were defending ball screens to give more help behind the initial action.

Bits o Chalk

Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, fiancee Brittany Matthews announce birth of first child
Patrick Mahomes and fiancee Brittany Matthews announced the birth of their first child on social media Sunday. Sterling Skye Mahomes, a 6-pound, 11-ounce girl, was born on Saturday

LA Clippers' Paul George held out late due to minutes restriction as Brooklyn Nets come away with win
Despite scoring 12 points in under five minutes during the fourth quarter to help spark a late comeback, LA Clippers guard Paul George found himself cheering his team on from the sideline as he was held out of the final 2:50 of a close game against the Brooklyn Nets due to a minutes restriction.

Deion Sanders says personal items were stolen from office during Jackson State coaching debut, later recovered
Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders said after his Jackson State coaching debut on Sunday that his personal items were stolen from the coaches' office during the Tigers' 53-0 victory over NAIA program Edward Waters, leading him to have "mixed emotions" about the day.

Minnesota Timberwolves fire coach Ryan Saunders; finalizing deal with Toronto Raptors assistant Chris Finch, sources say
The Minnesota Timberwolves are finalizing a multiyear deal on Monday to make Toronto Raptors assistant Chris Finch the franchise's new coach, sources told ESPN.

Eraser Dust

As US death toll nears 500K, Dr. Anthony Fauci says Americans could be wearing masks in 2022: Latest COVID-19 updates
Over 90,000 more Americans are likely to die from COVID-19-related causes by June 1, a leading forecasting institute says. The projection comes as the U.S. expects to surpass 500,000 deaths within the next two days.

COVID-19 relief bill: Here's what we know on when you can expect aid
Lawmakers' primary focus this week will be President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which Democrats are eager to pass even without Republican help. The bill likely will face some hurdles, and Democrats will put their slim majorities in both chambers to the test for the first time.

California bill would decriminalize psychedelics, paving the way for medical treatment | California | The Guardian
Scott Wiener, the state senator who authored the bill, hopes that in following the lead of places such as Oakland, Santa Cruz and the District of Columbia – all cities which have decriminalized psychedelics – California will move one step closer to decriminalizing the use and possession of all drugs, something that Oregon passed by voter initiative in November.

Taco Bell enters chicken sandwich wars with a taco version
Taco Bell’s take draws from the same vague Mexican inspiration as the rest of its menu. The Crispy Chicken Sandwich Tacos are served in flatbread with a piece of crispy tortilla chicken and chipotle sauce and will sell for $2.49 each. A spicy version with jalapeno slices will also be available.

Climate change is increasing flood risk around the country. Insurance rates are not keeping pace, report finds - CNN
A new report finds that there is a growing gap between the financial threat homeowners face from flooding and the insurance rates some pay to cover that risk.

Dominion Sues MyPillow, CEO Mike Lindell Over Election Claims - WSJ
One of the largest makers of voting machines in the U.S. on Monday sued a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, alleging that the businessman had defamed the company with false accusations that it had rigged the 2020 election for Joe Biden.