Notebook: Kansas Prepares for Illinois

The Rock Chalkboard

Podcast: Previewing Kansas vs. Illinois with Jeremy Werner
Kansas football will look to start 2-0 in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2008 and 2009 seasons on Friday night when Illinois comes to town. The Jayhawks are coming off of a strong 48-17 win over Missouri State last Friday night while the Illini are coming off a 30-28 win over Toledo on Saturday night. Overall, KU and Illinois haven't faced off on the gridiron since the 1960s, though, and haven't played in Lawrence since the 1800s. To preview the matchup, Jeremy Werner of Illiniinquirer.com joined the show.

Brian Borland eager to coach KU's defense again after 'unique' experience of missing Week 1
Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland did not coach KU in the Jayhawks’ season opener on Friday night due to a health matter. But after a swift recovery from a procedure, Borland is back on the practice field and is expected to coach KU on Friday night as the Jayhawks take on Illinois.

What Bret Bielema, Illinois coaches said about Kansas this week
KU will face its first Power 5 program of the season later this week as the Jayhawks look to get a big early-season win and start 2-0 for the second straight season. Standing in the way of a 2-0 start is an Illinois program that is led by Bret Bielema, who is in his third season as head coach of the program.

CBB Recruiting Weekly talks international prospects entering the NCAA and the resurgence of G League Ignite
This week’s episode of College Basketball Recruiting Weekly dives into two topics with 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein, director of basketball Eric Bossi, and national recruiting analyst Travis Branham.

Big 12 basketball 2023-24 preseason tiers: Kansas, Texas, Baylor and Houston are alphas, but who's next?
Welcome to a new-look Big 12. Of course, a familiar face enters the 2023-24 campaign as the favorite. Bill Self has built Kansas into a terrifying Big 12 villain. The Jayhawks are a near-consensus, preseason No. 1 in the country. But more-than-capable challengers have their targets set on making a big first impression. The never-ending roster shuffle has mercifully ended, and the first practice is right around the corner.

Eraser Dust

Texas fracking billionaire brothers fuel rightwing media with millions of dollars | Texas | The Guardian
Two billionaire Texas brothers whose fortunes derive from oil and gas fracking have pumped millions of dollars into rightwing media outfits that have promoted climate-crisis denialism and sent more big checks to back an array of evangelical projects and conservative Texas politicians.

Burning Man: How the ultra-wealthy infiltrated the anti-capitalist desert confab | CNN Business
There’s no money trading hands on the playa — that’s core to to the community’s “decommodification” ethos. But there is, increasingly, a lot of money on the playa.

Kalispell City Council poised to adopt downtown banner policy | Daily Inter Lake
Under the proposed policy, which comes with Nygren’s endorsement, a banner review committee consisting of representatives from various stakeholder entities will be charged with approving and scheduling display dates. Banners are limited to highlighting events sponsored by the city or associated entities, like the Kalispell Business Improvement District.

Trump statements threaten to prejudice D.C. election jury pool
"Daily" statements by former President Donald Trump "threaten to prejudice the jury pool" in the federal case where he is charged with crimes related to trying to reverse his loss in the 2020 election, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Dave Matthews Band's Annual Gorge Amphitheatre Weekend Features Guests, Bust Outs and Tributes
As is tradition, the Dave Matthews Band made their annual shlep to The Gorge Amphitheatre in Gorge, Wash., for three days of music at the picturesque Pacific Northwest venue over Labor Day Weekend. The trio of shows started on Friday, Sept. 1, with the band’s frontman sitting in with opener Molly Tuttle on her City of Gold track, “Yosemite.” The studio recording of the tune featured Matthews, making the collaborative live performance all the more relevant. During sets that unfolded during the ensuing evenings, the band continued to dot their shows with special moments, guest sit-ins, and specialty tributes in honor of friends and recently deceased music industry luminaries.

Flathead Co. property taxes to decrease for 2024 fiscal year | KECI
On Aug. 31, the Flathead County Commission unanimously approved their $115 million dollar budget for the 2024 fiscal year. This is a 2% reduction in spending from the previous year.

Jimmy Buffett Was Given A Strict Warning Prior To His Performance On The Tonight Show, But It Turned Into A Disaster Regardless
The publication writes, "After throwing back a few more drinks, Buffett and his buddies went to stay at their friend’s house while they had shows scheduled there. On the same night that Buffett had his first margarita, he sat on the deck of that house and started writing what eventually became “Margaritaville.”