The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas football DT DaJon Terry enters transfer portal
"I want to thank Coach [Les] Miles, the coaching staff and the University of Kansas for letting me play here," Terry said in a message posted on social media. "With this being said [and after] talking to my family and thinking about my future, I have decided to enter the transfer portal. Thank you to KU and the fans for making my time here great."

Report: Emmett Jones among Kansas assistants 'expected' to be retained
Thamel's report, which he shared Wednesday evening, says Emmett Jones, Jake Schoonover, Chevis Jackson and Kwahn Drake are the four assistants "expected" to remain in on-field roles at Kansas.

What Lance Leipold is seeking with new Kansas football staff
“At this time, we’re still in the process,” Leipold said. “I had some great conversations. There are some outstanding men and coaches. Those aren't always easy conversations and we’re looking at getting things put together. And I think that’s going to come together here really quickly.”

ESPN updates college basketball way-too-early top 25
“The Longhorns have completely rebuilt their roster via the transfer portal, landing four of ESPN's top 25 transfers,” Borzello wrote. “Auburn, Loyola Chicago and Mississippi State all moved up into the Next in Line category, with the two SEC programs making big moves in the portal and Loyola Chicago getting four seniors back for an additional year.”

Movement on 2021 KU basketball signees in final Top247 rankings update
The final update to the class of 2021 rankings (Top247) came out on Wednesday. Three of Kansas' five committed players saw their grade increase in the update.

The skinny on the top uncommitted basketball prospects in 2021
Headlined by the No. 3 ranked player in the land, combo guard Jaden Hardy, there are only two five-star prospects left on the board and just eight total prospects in the final ranking who have still have to decide on their college -- or professional -- futures.

Proposed rules changes would alter college basketball
"The one thing I've learned about being on the rules committee, we've got to be very, very slow and cautious to make changes," rules committee chair and Colorado coach Tad Boyle told CBS Sports. "I think the game is in pretty darn good shape. Any changes we make to the game, they have to be well thought out. We don't always know unintended consequences, and so many times when we're unsure, or let's say it's a 50/50 deal, we will use the NIT as a training ground."

Bits o Chalk

Baltimore Orioles' John Means pitches no-hitter vs. Seattle Mariners, misses perfect game with wild pitch on strikeout
John Means was almost perfect for the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, but he will happily settle for a no-hitter and one of the greatest pitching performances in team history.

Texas A&M Aggies football coach Jimbo Fisher says 'don't worry,' team will beat Alabama Crimson Tide and coach Nick Saban
Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher took a playful shot at Alabama coach Nick Saban during an appearance at the Houston Touchdown Club on Wednesday

Brooklyn Nets, Kyrie Irving get $35K fines for violating NBA's media access rules
The NBA requires that healthy players be made available upon request to reporters before or after every game. Throughout the season, Irving has declined on several occasions to be available in a news conference. Most recently, Irving declined requests -- including those from ESPN -- to speak to reporters after the Nets' 124-118 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa admits he didn't know extra-inning rule
La Russa said he didn't fully know the extra-inning rule that would have allowed him to avoid using closer Liam Hendriks as a baserunner in a 0-0 game against the Reds on Wednesday in Cincinnati.

Eraser Dust

Best TV Sitcoms of All Time - Rolling Stone
Mostly, though, we were looking for a consistent group of characters and settings. Then we considered not just how much these series made us laugh, but also how much they influenced the shows that followed, how well they reflected the world around them, and, on occasion, how deeply they made us feel emotions beyond mirth.

How to do Montana like a local, beyond Yellowstone and Glacier - The Washington Post
Recreating like a Montana resident isn’t simply a matter of knowing the best fishing hole or the lushest huckleberry-picking spot. While it’s true Montanans choose to live here for many of the same reasons people like to visit, traveling like a local also means adopting a neighborly attitude, getting creative about exploration to avoid crowds and respecting nature

Why Facebook's Decision On Trump Could Be 'Make Or Break' For His Political Future : NPR
That's because being on Facebook is crucial for modern-day political campaigns, as a majority of Americans use the platform and those who do log into it multiple times daily. Facebook has become crucial for raising money and for targeting supporters and swing voters, something the Trump campaign did in unprecedented ways. The majority of online ad dollars go to either Facebook or Google.

Biden team says it supports waiving patent protections on Covid-19 vaccines - POLITICO
The United States said on Wednesday that it supports waiving valuable patent and other intellectual property protections for Covid-19 vaccines to help expand production of life-saving shots worldwide.

US Justice Department Expresses 'Concerns' Over Arizona Election Audit
The audit, taking place at a sports arena in Phoenix, is being conducted by a private firm, Cyber Ninjas, that has no experience in elections and is led by a man who promoted conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The firm was chosen to lead the effort by state Sen. Karen Fann, over the objections of Maricopa County's local Republican officials — and after two audits were already conducted last year.

Four Incumbents Win Re-Election to Kalispell School Board - Flathead Beacon
Aquartet of sitting members of the Kalispell Public Schools Board of Trustees cruised to re-election Tuesday night as voters delivered a decisive endorsement to a board that endured sharp criticism from anti-mask advocates during a contentious race.

Melinda Gates reportedly rented private island to avoid media
Sources told TMZ that Melinda rented Calivigny Island for a whopping $132,000 a night for her and the couple’s children, as well as their significant others.