The Rock Chalkboard

Brandon's Breakdown: What will MJ Rice bring to Lawrence?
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound highly regarded prospect out of Durham (N.C.) is the Jawhawks' third pledge in the Class of 2022. He will join top-forty prospects Gradey Dick and Zuby Ejiofor as the program's incoming freshmen during the fall of next year.

Former KU basketball players standing out in NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a place young stars can shine. Take former KU basketball standout and No. 1-overall pick Andrew Wiggins for example. Wiggins notched 15.5 points per game in his 2014 Summer League campaign.

Countdown to KU football (19): Kansas' defense ahead of offense
Anyone who watched the Kansas football spring game could have told you the defense was ahead of the offense. Three months later — and nearly two weeks into fall camp — that continues to be the case.

3-star DL Tawfiq Thomas cuts list of top schools from 6 to 4
Over the weekend, Thomas revealed his top four schools are Arkansas, USF, Kansas and Michigan. Not making the cut from his previous list were Iowa State and Louisville.

Report: Devon Dotson returning to Chicago Bulls on two-way contract
Devon Dotson will be returning to the Chicago Bulls in 2021-22. Citing unnamed sources, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Dotson, who was on a two-way deal with Chicago last year, "has signed his qualifying offer with the Bulls."

Lance Leipold's philosophy on using multiple quarterbacks
Using Leipold's criteria for the position — avoiding turnovers, making "great decisions" and keeping drives alive — Kendrick likely had the best day of the three, followed by Daniels. But there's still plenty of time to go to determine the starter, and Leipold isn't 100-percent locked into choosing just one guy.

Countdown to KU football (20): Three things we learned at open practice
Kansas football opened up its doors to fans on Saturday, holding a full open practice at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Phog.net and other media outlets were allowed field access for the event — and Lance Leipold also spoke afterward.

Kansas linebacker Alonso Person suspended following arrest on battery, kidnapping
Kansas redshirt-freshman linebacker Alonso Person has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities by Jayhawks head football coach Lance Leipold. Person was arrested Thursday by Lawrence police on suspicion of domestic battery and kidnapping, according to a report from The Kansas City Star.

Bits o Chalk

The Honus Wagner T206 is the sports card GOAT, and it always will be
Nearly 100,000 people flooded onto the floor of the 2021 National Sports Collectors Convention in suburban Chicago, all jostling for space while peering into glass cases. Some were there to buy, shelling out anywhere from a couple of bucks to hundreds of thousands on cards. Others just wanted a glimpse of what they had only ever read about -- the most sought-after and controversial card ever made.

Sources - LA Clippers acquiring Eric Bledsoe from Memphis Grizzlies for Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo, Daniel Oturu
The LA Clippers are trading Patrick Beverley, Rajon Rondo and Daniel Oturu to the Memphis Grizzlies for guard Eric Bledsoe, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Udonis Haslem signs for 19th season with Miami Heat
Haslem signed another contract -- the 10th of his career -- with the Heat on Sunday, assuring that he will return for a 19th season with Miami. It is a one-year deal worth about $2.8 million.

Manchester City pushing ahead with Harry Kane transfer, willing to break British transfer record fee again - sources
Manchester City are pushing ahead with their bid to sign Harry Kane despite continued denials from Tottenham that they are prepared to listen to offers for the striker, sources have told ESPN.

Roger Federer needs a third knee surgery, will be out 'many months'
Roger Federer is going to miss the US Open and be sidelined for what he said will be "many months" because he needs a third operation on his right knee, a procedure he said will leave him with "a glimmer of hope'' that he can return to competition.

Tokyo Paralympics follow lead of Olympics with no-fans mandate in place
The Paralympics open on Aug. 24 with about 4,400 athletes, a far smaller event than the Olympics with 11,000 athletes. But the Paralympics come as new infections have accelerated in Tokyo, which may expose an athlete population that is more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Eraser Dust

President Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan to avoid 'flood of bloodshed'
"Today I came across a tough choice," starts the post, written in Pashto and translated using Google. "I have to face the armed Taliban who want to enter the palace or leave the country where I have dedicated my life to protecting and nurturing it for the last 20 years. If left unchecked, countless patriots would be martyred and the city of Kabul would be devastated, resulting in a major humanitarian catastrophe in the six-million-strong city."

Airlines avoid Afghan airspace as Kabul airport closes to commercial flights - CNN
Hong Kong (CNN Business)Major international airlines are scrambling to reroute flights away from Afghan airspace as the country falls to the Taliban, disrupting passenger services to India, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Early indicators suggest Democrats' House majority is in jeopardy
WASHINGTON — Democrats with proven track records of winning tough districts aren't running for re-election. Republicans are enjoying early fundraising windfalls. And, as Donald Trump and Barack Obama both learned the hard way, midterm elections almost always break against the president's party.

Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocks mask mandates in Dallas and Bexar counties - CBS News
The Texas Supreme Court on Sunday temporarily halted lower court rulings that allowed local government entities and school districts to implement mask mandates in defiance of an order from Governor Greg Abbott. A hearing on the earlier temporary injunction is scheduled for Monday.

Entrepreneur opens three-pronged food business in Columbia Falls | Daily Inter Lake
Loyal Kalispell Kreamery followers might be surprised to find something new at Ghostland Grounds. The ice cream there incorporates familiar toppings such as huckleberries, bananas and homemade whipped cream, as well as some not-so-familiar add-ons, such as cereal and prunes.

This Is the Worst Cheap Beer in America, Customers Say in New SurveyBest Life
Earlier this month, Molson Coors announced it was discontinuing 11 "economy" beers, and Milwaukee's Best Premium was among them. Based on its ranking on this survey and its abysmal 48 score on Beer Advocate, it's understandable why. But we'll let one reviewer tell you for themselves. "If this is Milwaukee's best, they should probably stop making beer," they wrote. "I feel ripped off paying less than a dollar for it. I won't buy this again, and I highly recommend avoiding it." Looks like their prayers were answered!

Is Taco Bell's Most Popular Discontinued Item Coming Back?
And while we accept the ad is a fake, let's play the devil's advocate for just a minute here, and point out that the chain itself left the door open for a Mexican Pizza sequel. In March, Taco Bell's chief food innovation officers Elizabeth Matthews said this when asked about the potential return of the item:

"I think there's always a chance. We're constantly listening to our customers. So, I wouldn't pull that off the table.