The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas impressed 2023 WR Keaton Kubecka on recent visit
"All the coaches were waiting for me at the door," Kubecka, a 2023 wideout out of Austin, Texas, told Phog.net. "I walked in and met every single one of them. [It was] a very nice staff. Greeted me well. I went in, watched some film with the receivers coach. And then [I] met all the receivers."

Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod talks realignment: 'We're in a good place'
Continued Girod: "We sort of anticipated there would be a shuffling of the deck about that point in time because that's when all the media contracts will shift. And so [I'm] working closely with our colleagues at the Big 12. We're going to be very thoughtful about how we move through this process."

WATCH: Marcus Garrett dominates with 6 steals in Miami Heat debut
Marcus Garrett currently is with the Miami Heat, attempting to land a full NBA deal after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the organization. An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed minimum deal that typically indicates a player will be spending most — or all — of their time at the G League level.

Countdown to KU football (30): Lance Leipold-Era begins
Welcome to the Lance Leipold-era of Kansas football. If you want to count Emmett Jones' time leading the team — and I would, considering he was the interim coach for an entire spring — that marks four different head coaches that have led the program since the start of 2018.

Details on the Rock Chalk Roundball Classic, set for Thursday in Lawrence
A big group of players are slated to return for the game, according to the event's Facebook page. Sharpshooting trio Ben McLemore, Devonte' Graham and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk were among the first players to be announced for the event. McLemore just signed with the Trail Blazers, while Graham was dealt from Charlotte to New Orleans in a sign-and-trade deal. Players are subject to change, as noted on the event's page.

3-star DL Tawfiq Thomas announces top six schools
Now, just a few weeks later, Thomas has slashed that list in half. The big 2022 lineman announced a top six of Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa State, Louisville, Michigan and USF, though he said his recruitment is still open — presumably for new offers.

Conference realignment: What was said at the Big 12, Pac-12 meeting
Should the Big 12's eight remaining members leave and the league dissolves, Bowlsby implied the matter could be headed to court in regards to the exit fees that would have been otherwise owed by the two schools to the conference if they were to leave before the expiration of their media rights deal, which runs through the 2024 season.

Bits o Chalk

Kevin Durant, Jrue Holiday rally Team USA past Australia to Olympic men's basketball gold-medal game
"There were a lot of guys on this team that had straight faces and were ready to play when we were down 15 [points], strong faces is what Pop said," said Durant, referencing a concept former USA coach Mike Krzyzewski fostered and current coach Gregg Popovich reinforced about playing through adversity.

Australia vs. United States - Football Match Report - August 5, 2021 - ESPN
The United States women's national team beat Australia 4-3 to win the Olympic bronze-medal match Thursday, with Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd both scoring braces.

Bryson DeChambeau returns after being COVID-positive, doesn't regret not getting vaccinated
"The vaccine doesn't necessarily prevent it from happening," DeChambeau told a few reporters after his nine-hole pro-am round at TPC Southwind on Wednesday. "I'm young enough, I'd rather give it [the vaccine] to people who need it. I don't need it. I'm a healthy, young individual that will continue to work on my health.

After Texas announces Big 12 departure, AD Chris Del Conte comes off College Football Playoff selection committee
Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor will replace Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte on the College Football Playoff selection committee, the CFP announced Wednesday.

U.S. men fail to advance to 4x100 relay final in track and field at Tokyo Olympics
TOKYO -- The first time U.S. sprinter Ronnie Baker tried to grab the baton, he found himself holding a handful of Fred Kerley's jersey. The second time, Baker whiffed. By the third try, Kerley was side-by-side with Baker, practically using both hands to shovel the stick into his teammate's palm.

Eraser Dust

A Model for Truly Affordable Housing - Flathead Beacon
A community land trust, not to be confused with a conservation-focused land trust, purchases properties to maintain in trust as permanent affordable housing options. Locally, buyers purchase the home itself, while the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust maintains ownership of the land, with homeowners paying a $25 monthly ground lease.

Startling Discovery Suggests 40% of Wild Deer in The US Have Had The Coronavirus
It's the first evidence of widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in wild animals, and while the preprint study still needs to be verified and peer-reviewed, the findings are cause for concern.

Andrew Cuomo's tweets get 'ratioed' after defiant response to AG's report
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Twitter account is getting flooded with negative responses — providing the growing chorus calling for him to step down with a real-time illustration of why he cannot continue to govern while facing multiple criminal investigations and a state probe that revealed he sexually harassed 11 women.

Ron DeSantis turns his ire on Joe Biden instead of Covid-19 as it rages in Florida - CNNPolitics
In a new offensive against federal health authorities on Wednesday, DeSantis slammed US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advice that kids -- including those under 12 who cannot be yet vaccinated -- should wear masks in class. DeSantis has previously threatened to withhold funding for schools that require masks for students, vowing to defend the rights of parents to decide on masking for their own kids. It's a stance that effectively allows individuals to decide whether to fight the virus, a position at odds with experience showing community action is the only way to stop the spread.

Donald Trump Wants His Supporters to Carry 'Trump Cards'
The Trump camp sent two emails on August 4 asking supporters to get on board with carrying the red and gold cards, which look like credit cards and bear the former president's signature.

Cecily Strong Is Starting a New Conversation - The New York Times
The memoir, “This Will All Be Over Soon,” will be published by Simon & Schuster on Aug. 10. It occasionally explores her time at “S.N.L.,” where she has been a cast member since 2012. But it begins with her learning, in January 2020, that her 30-year-old cousin Owen has been given hours to live before he dies of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Olympic Swimming Star Sends Scathing Message To Her 'WOAT' High School Teacher
“I want to thank that teacher in high school who told me to stop swimming to focus on school bc swimming wouldn’t get me anywhere,” the 21-year-old added. “This is what dreams are made of.”