Notebook: Kansas Prepares for Season

The Rock Chalkboard

Five-star Flory Bidunga includes Kansas basketball in his top four
Kansas has made the top group for one of the top high school prospects in the 2024 class. On Monday, five-star big man Flory Bidunga included KU in his top four, along with Auburn, Duke and Michigan. Thus far, Bidunga has taken official visits to KU (May 12-14) and Duke (June 20-22). At this point in time, Bidunga has not announced a commitment date. For more on his recruitment and where KU stands, click here.

Summer Scouting Series: Patrick Ngongba among the EYBL's best bigs
We go through each of the major national circuits, log as many in-person evaluations as we can, and supplement that by digging into both the stats and the film.

A look at where KU football's 2024 class stands in mid July
It was quite the five weeks for the KU football program on the recruiting trail. Over the course of the month of June and the first week of July, the Jayhawks saw their 2024 class come together as Lance Leipold and the KU coaches capitalized on the momentum around the KU program and the individual relationships the coaches built with recruits over the last few months. In total, KU landed 10 verbal commitments in the five-week span, which takes the total number of verbal commitments for the 2024 class up to 15.

Could Devin Neal turn pro after the 2023 season? He says it will be considered
Neal is coming off of a strong sophomore season with the Jayhawks. Neal finished the 2022 season with 1,090 rushing yards(a 6.1 yards per carry average), while also grabbing 21 receptions for 183 yards. He finished with 10 total touchdowns. This summer, Neal was named Preseason First Team All Big 12, which goes to show how highly those who cover the conference think of him.

Rich Miller reflects on his football journey as his final collegiate season nears
Rich Miller’s early football days could essentially be summed up in one word: underdog. The KU linebacker’s journey through the sport he loves has been one littered with twists, turns and numerous challenges standing in the way. But those ordeals have played a part in how Miller handles himself to this day.

Eraser Dust

Flathead Co. Planning Board Votes Down Florida-based Developer’s Zone Change Request - Flathead Beacon
Location Acquisitions, which is an arm of the Coral, Gables-Florida-based real estate development company Location Ventures, is seeking a zone change from suburban agricultural (SAG-10) to suburban residential (R-1), which would make the 12.44-acre piece of land north of the Big Sky Water Park eligible to be developed at a density of one unit per acre. The current zoning allows for development on a scale of one unit per 10 acres.

Tim Sheehy Is Running for Senate as a Montana Rancher. He’s Skipped Out on the Rancher Taxes.
Each year, anyone who has livestock in the state—even “one horse or a few chickens,” per state guidance—is required to report the number of their animals to the Montana Department of Revenue. They then have to pay a so-called “per capita fee” for every animal, ranging from five cents per chicken to $2.29 per head of cattle, which the government uses to fund a variety of programs benefiting livestock owners and the public.

South Park AI Art Turns Characters Into Realistic Live-Action (Including A Dead Kenny)
The main characters of South Park are imagined as realistic live-action figures in impressive new AI-generated art. First airing in 1997 on Comedy Central, South Park follows the misadventures of four grade-schoolers, including Cartman, Kyle, Stan, and Kenny. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of the animated show, voice the four main characters in addition to a host of others.

Twitter Monetization Program Angers Excluded Influencers – Rolling Stone
Last week, prominent Twitter Blue accounts began posting screenshots of thousand-dollar payouts they received through the platform’s newly launched ad revenue-sharing program.

‘The Rise and Fall Of Britpop’: what happened to the key players next
What even is Britpop, anyway? Even at the time, its subjects and supposed characters were wary of the vagueness of the term that joined them all at the hip. As Steve Lamacq, co-host with Jo Whiley of BBC Sounds’ new podcast The Rise and Fall Of Britpop, noted to NME: “A scene can really pull things along by creating something that people want to belong to. A scene creates a fashion, then a thought process, then a manifesto.”

Michael Cera Opened Up About Why He Almost Quit Acting After Making 'Superbad'
According to Cera, he went into a “crisis” and stopped “taking jobs that would make me more famous,” including turning down a chance to host Saturday Night Live. After seeking out a steady stream of “interesting,” low-profile projects (Save for the exception of Scott Pilgrim, which Cera was already contracted for and is “grateful” to have made.), the actor reached a point where he no’s longer afraid that his work will affect his “day-to-day life.” So, he did what anybody would do in his position, and immediately tried to get into the Barbie movie.

Woj ‘Bought and Paid For’ by Trail Blazers, Says Dan Le Batard - Blazer's Edge
Thank you for bringing up Woj … the Heat know that he’s just agenda-based, shilling, bought and paid for by Portland, it’s embarrassing that Woj is telling people it might be weeks or months on Lillard.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoes assisted living bill
Gianforte said the bill, by creating another Medicaid entitlement program, could have ended up costing the state much more in the long run. He also said it would have restricted the state’s ability to serve Medicaid-funded residents “in a community setting.”

Lorne Michaels Created Rules Around What Could Be Said About Donald Trump, And It Didn't Sit Well With The SNL Cast
Killam reveals, “Lorne was being so specific about what we could and couldn’t say about [Trump], and he was dictating a lot of the settings.”

Lorne Michaels felt as though knocking on Trump wasn't unique given everyone was doing it at the time.

“Lorne was like, ‘It’ll be too old news by then, and you know, you don’t want to vilify him. He’s like any New York taxi driver. I know him, I’ve seen him around at parties for years and years, and he just says whatever it is he’s thinking. And that’s his thing. But you have to find a way in that makes him likable.’”

Worst TV Series Finales: Dexter, Game of Thrones, HIMYM Actually Good? – TVLine
What follows are 11 of the most thought out, carefully written arguments we received… and one that got right to the point. (Thanks, Joan!) Review them all, then hit the comments and tell us if any of the following have inspired you to go back and revisit a much-maligned finale.

Iowa judge blocks state's new abortion law - POLITICO
DES MOINES, Iowa — An Iowa judge on Monday temporarily blocked the state’s new ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law.

Miranda Lambert divides fans after halting concert to reprimand girls taking selfies | The Independent
However, just as she finishes singing the first verse, Lambert, 39, abruptly announces: “I’m gonna stop right here for a sec.”

After apologising to her pianist, she points to the front of the audience, saying: “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song, it’s pissing me off a little bit.

“Sorry, I don’t like it at all. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country damn music,” she adds. “Shall we start again?”