The Rock Chalkboard

Lance Leipold explains what a Liberty Bowl win over Arkansas would do for the KU football program
The Kansas football program will be looking to win its first game versus an SEC opponent this century when KU takes on Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28. The Jayhawks have not played a team that at that time was in SEC since 1988 and have not defeated an SEC opponent since KU demolished Vanderbilt, 42-16, back in 1985. Of course, KU has played Missouri and Texas A&M in the time since, but both of those programs were in the Big 12 at that time.

Sam Pittman expresses admiration for Kansas coach Lance Leipold
When the Arkansas Razorbacks take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, it will be just the third meeting between the two programs. Despite the estrangement between the teams, Razorback head coach Sam Pittman is quite familiar with the state of Kansas and has taken notice of what Jayhawk head coach Lance Leipold has accomplished in a short amount of time with his squad.

College basketball's 10 takes: Debating UConn or Purdue, Alabama's fab freshmen, sneaky UNC lineup switch
The college basketball season has a beautiful and cruel way of making you check your biases at the door. Before the season, I was in on Florida State. I could blame it on injuries, but it was clear pretty quickly that I was wrong to believe the Seminoles could flirt with an ACC crown. But it's bigger than whiffing on the potential of a team. Every game seems to have a life of its own, and these players are human. With finals approaching and ragged Feast Week schedules in the rearview mirror, there have been some really weird results because sometimes it's hard to be at the peak of your powers on a random Thursday.

Bits o Chalk

Lionel Messi confirms final will be last World Cup game ever as Argentina overpowers Croatia 3-0 | CNN
Lionel Messi’s lifelong dream of guiding Argentina to World Cup glory will remain alive until the last day of Qatar 2022, as La Albiceleste outclassed a weary-looking Croatia in a 3-0 victory in Tuesday’s semifinal.

The world needs more characters like Mike Leach | The Seattle Times
His arrival in Pullman in 2012 was a coup for the Cougars. Leach was a larger-than-life personality, known for his colorful references to pirates as well as his high-octane offenses that revolutionized football. He had been out of coaching since his controversial firing in 2009 by Texas Tech.

Celtics win wild one in OT after blowing 20-pt. lead to Lakers
LOS ANGELES -- Another dramatic chapter was written in the long, storied history of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics' rivalry on Tuesday night.

Eraser Dust

10 Years After Sandy Hook, a State Trooper Looks Back - The New York Times
Bill Cario was one of the first to enter the elementary school after the shooting on Dec. 14, 2012, but he stresses that he was not alone in helping, or in healing the community.

Ron DeSantis seeks a grand jury investigation of COVID-19 vaccines
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he plans to petition the state's Supreme Court to convene a grand jury to investigate “any and all wrongdoing” related to COVID-19 vaccines.

DeSantis made the announcement following a roundtable with Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and a panel of scientists and physicians who expressed skepticism about the vaccines, the companies that manufacture them, and CDC recommendations saying everyone who's eligible should receive the shots.

What to expect from the Fed meeting | CNN Business
The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates by half a point at the conclusion of its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, an indication that the central bank is pulling back on its aggressive stance as signs begin to emerge that inflation may be easing.

James Cameron Q&A On ‘Avatar; The Way Of Water,’ ‘Terminator’ Remorse And More – Deadline
Disney soon will find out the wisdom of its massive acquisition of Fox and ownership of the billion-dollar investment in Avatar tentpoles that should give the studio a fresh supply of blockbusters over the next decade. Avatar: The Way of Water opens Friday, with only a modicum of budget drama, considering every movie he made since his 1984 breakthrough The Terminator has been preceded by media pearl-clutching that Cameron’s penchant for big budgets finally would ruin a studio.

Small businesses find risky tax loophole to dodge new IRS rules | Fox Business
"If you're going to think of it as a Zelle loophole, think of it as a loophole for Zelle," tax controversy attorney Adam Brewer told Fox News Digital. "They're the ones benefiting from it because now they don't have to issue all these forms and deal with these headaches. But for the average taxpayer, nothing has changed."

Which Party Controls the Pennsylvania House? It’s TBD. - The New York Times
Three seats won by Democrats in November are now vacant, giving Republicans more House members for now and sowing uncertainty ahead of the legislative session.

Biden signs historic bill codifying same-sex and interracial marriage - POLITICO
A decade after he surprised the nation by publicly throwing his support behind same-sex marriage, President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law at a White House ceremony — cementing his legacy as a champion of LGBTQ rights.

Democrats block GOP proposal to freeze federal funding until 2023 | The Hill
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Tuesday blocked a request to pass a continuing resolution to essentially freeze federal spending until 2023, when Republicans will control the House.

U.S. lawmakers unveil bipartisan bid to ban China's TikTok | Reuters
WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Republican Senator Marco Rubio on Tuesday announced bipartisan legislation to ban China's popular social media app TikTok, ratcheting up pressure on owner ByteDance Ltd amid U.S. fears the app could be used to spy on Americans and censor content.