The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas senior Mitch Lightfoot to start for Jayhawks on Tuesday at Oklahoma State | KUsports.com
“I kept my promise,” Self said Monday. “The kid’s done pretty much everything he’s supposed to do for us and he’s not been a starter. So we’re going to try something different. … I think it’s something that’s worth trying because we haven’t gotten off to good starts with our 5 position.”

KU-TCU women's hoops game rescheduled for Jan. 10 | KUsports.com
The Big 12 women's basketball schedule typically features games played on Wednesdays and Saturdays, which opens the door for rescheduled games to take place on Mondays whenever necessary.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self updates KU's COVID situation, Remy Martin's knee | KUsports.com
Self said Saturday that Pettiford had been kept away from his teammates and that contact tracing efforts, which included players being tested, did not uncover more issues. KU officials did not say whether any tests had been conducted since Saturday. But it’s clear that the Jayhawks have taken on a heightened sense of awareness with Pettiford testing positive.

Bits o Chalk

UConn's Geno Auriemma fires back at Muffet McGraw, says any 'bias' derives from Huskies' 11 national titles vs. Notre Dame's 2
"I think the bias has something to do -- if there is any -- with the 11 national championships, which is a lot more than two," Auriemma said on the "UConn WBB Coaches Show." "At least I remember that on 'Sesame Street.'"

Memphis Grizzlies' Desmond Bane praises Ja Morant after latest All-Star-worthy performance against Brooklyn Nets
"He's special," said Bane, whose 29 points helped propel Memphis to a fifth straight win. "People debate whether or not he should be an All-Star, but I think we should be debating whether he's the best point guard in the league.

Las Vegas Raiders CB Nate Hobbs arrested on DUI charge hours after win over Indianapolis Colts
HENDERSON, Nev. -- Las Vegas Raiders rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of DUI early Monday morning, hours after the team returned from a last-second victory at the Indianapolis Colts that kept its playoff hopes alive.

Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield confirms he'll have shoulder surgery, says discussion to be had on his status for Week 18
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield confirmed Monday night he will be having offseason surgery to repair the torn labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder, an injury he has played through since Week 2.

Eraser Dust

Tristan Thompson Apologizes to Khloé Kardashian After Paternity Test Shows He Fathered Son
Sacramento Kings forward Tristan Thompson has apologized to his on-again, off-again girlfriend Khloé Kardashian for fathering a son with another woman during their relationship.

Drivers Stranded for 15+ Hours on I-95 in Stafford County, Va. – NBC4 Washington
Drivers have been stuck on Interstate 95 in the Stafford County, Virginia, area for more than 15 hours after multiple trucks crashed amid a major snowstorm that left snow and ice packed onto the road.

U.S. counts over 1 million new daily Covid cases in global record
The record single-day total may be due in part to delayed reporting from over the holiday weekend. A number of U.S. states did not report data on Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve, and many do not report data on weekends, meaning that some of these cases could be from positive tests taken on prior days.

Teachers are on the front lines in Jan. 6 culture war : NPR
Teachers now are left to decide how — or whether — to instruct their students about the events that sit at the heart of the country's division. And the lessons sometimes vary based on whether they are in a red state or a blue state.

Backers push to convert Kalispell hotel to apartments | KECI
Reports are the studio apartments would rent for about $1,000 a month. (Ed Note - this hotel has been crucial to the local prostitution and meth trade for the last 15 years. Heads up if you were thinking of relocating here)

Anti-Vaxxers Spread Lies Online About Betty White's Death
“Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home. People are saying her death was related to getting a booster shot three days earlier but that is not true,” White’s agent, Jeff Witjas, told Yahoo Entertainment.