The Rock Chalkboard

Charlotte Hornets officially announce Kelly Oubre signing
According to Shams Charania, Oubre's new contract will be worth $26 million over two seasons. Oubre's previous contract reportedly was worth $30 million over two seasons.

Countdown to KU football (27): Who handles punt returns, kick returns?
If you were to ask the question at the top of this story to the team, it's undoubtable Kenny Logan would step forward and be the first to answer. Logan has relished the chance to return kicks, and he said at media day he would like to continue to do so. (He had one kick return for a touchdown last year.)

Kansas football to hold open fall camp practice for fans
Kansas football will be opening up fall camp with an open practice on Saturday, Aug. 14. For the practice — which will be free for the general public to attend — the Jayhawks will welcome fans into David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30, the program announced over the weekend.

Watch: Videos to take you inside Kansas football fall camp
Media members have been allowed to attend around 20 minutes of each camp practice, which typically have included stretching and limited position work. There has been no live scrimmaging at any point during those portions, but the practices have provided a look into the coaching styles of some of the new Kansas staff members, as well as how players are progressing physically.

Countdown to KU football (26): Miles Kendrick, Guy of the Summer
"What I thought was so incredible: Two nights a week, we'd have the players do what we called player-led team tech," Gildersleeve said. "So there's a clock running, there's periods and it's player-led practice, which is tough to do in general, let alone with an offense you don't even know in a program you're still trying to figure out."

Kyron Johnson brings 'very special' physical tools to Kansas D-line
"Kyron Johnson, he's got some things I haven't seen in my career before," said KU strength coach Matt Gildersleeve. "Some of the angles he can get into at that size — at that height and even that size of 240 pounds — is very special. Athletes that big typically can't get in those type of angles and project the way he projects."

Kansas football center Garrett Jones stepping away from program
"For starters, I am extremely proud to have been [part] of a program that is going to shock the world soon," Jones said on Twitter. "I am also so proud to play for so many great coaches and players I call my family. But due to personal issues and family reasons I have to step away from football for awhile."

Bits o Chalk

Colorado Rockies investigating after fan uses racial slur during Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson's at-bat
Microphones on the Bally Sports Florida telecast picked up a fan yelling the N-word multiple times after the second pitch during Brinson's at-bat in the ninth inning of the Rockies' 13-8 win.

Peyton Manning headlines induction ceremony for Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of '21
CANTON, Ohio -- One of NFL's most decorated players helped close out the Pro Football Hall of Fame's grandest enshrinement weekend in its history Sunday night as Peyton Manning led the Hall's Class of 2021 in a ceremony filled with tears, laughs, memories and a cascade of thank-yous along the way.

Ole Miss Rebels football coach Lane Kiffin preaching accountability to team after losing 30 pounds in offseason
"I saw a picture of me at the bowl game last year and told the players I looked like an anaconda that had swallowed a deer and the deer got stuck in its neck," Kiffin told ESPN in his best self-deprecating tone.

Barcelona's Sergio Aguero out for up to 10 weeks in another setback to Camp Nou giants
Aguero sustained a right calf injury in Sunday's training session, before Messi gave a farewell speech at the Camp Nou after Barca were unable to sign him to a new contract. Messi is expected to join Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

Eraser Dust

Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity' - BBC News
Echoing the scientists' findings, UN Secretary General António Guterres said: "If we combine forces now, we can avert climate catastrophe. But, as today's report makes clear, there is no time for delay and no room for excuses. I count on government leaders and all stakeholders to ensure COP26 is a success."

Melissa DeRosa: Andrew Cuomo top aide resigns - CNNPolitics
DeRosa's resignation comes on the eve of a meeting of the state Assembly's Judiciary Committee that could deliver a timeline for Cuomo's potential impeachment. The 38-year-old, who held the highest-ranking appointed position in the state, appeared throughout New York State Attorney General Letitia James' August 3 report, in which investigators concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, including current and former state employees. The report detailed a "toxic" workplace environment under Cuomo and said that environment allowed for his allegedly harassing behavior to go overlooked. It also highlighted alleged instances of retaliation against at least one accuser.

US coronavirus: Covid-19 variants that evade protection could emerge in the US if more people don't get vaccinated, Fauci says - CNN
(CNN)Covid-19 vaccines are protecting more than half the US population from current strains, experts say. But if too few people get vaccinated, the virus will be allowed to continue to spread -- and the result could be an even more dangerous variant, Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

Noel Gallagher brands Liam a "charlatan" over hell-raiser status
Speaking during the first night of his Radio X residency, Noel singled out Liam when co-host Matt Morgan asked him to divulge someone who is “seen as a hell-raiser publicly that isn’t”.

“Our kid. He’s a bit of a charlatan. Who else? There’s a lot actually,” said Noel.

Photos show devastating wildfires in Greece
One of them is in Greece’s second biggest island, Evia, which has been burning for almost seven consecutive days. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes on the island of Evia since last Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Kalispell water usage at record level | Daily Inter Lake
Still, she doesn't anticipate Kalispell will need to impose restrictions on water consumption like those that have gone into place in other Montana municipalities over the past several weeks.

Consigned and Refined - Flathead Beacon
“What I’ve found with consignors, because so many of them are condensing down their homes, or someone has died in the family, or they’re moving, or something is really important to them, they don’t want to let it go,” she says. “But when they drop it off, as soon as they let go of that piece that might have belonged to Grandma or somebody, they’re very happy with the best price that we can get for it.”

Peyton Manning ribs Tom Brady during Hall of Fame speech
“Speaking of rivals, my good friend Tom Brady is here tonight,” said Manning, who won two Super Bowls and five MVPs. “By the time Tom Brady is inducted in his first year of eligibility in the year 2035, he’ll only have time to post his acceptance speech on his Instagram account.”