The Daily Mauling 5.13.26

Richmond (6-foot-8, 230 pounds) played last season at Newman School, a prep school in Boston. The Lincolnshire, Illinois native averaged 9.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists at Newman.

…moving on from that.

As discussed earlier this week, the baseball team had quite the stumble as they were swept by West Virginia over the weekend for the first time this season. All hope is not lost, however, as they have one final series to try and hang on to the conference lead:

After losing four straight games, Kansas is now 37-15 on the year and 20-7 in conference play. With just a one-game lead over West Virginia, the Jayhawks may have to sweep BYU next weekend to secure the conference title.

“We’ve got a lot on the line and a lot to play for,” Fitzgerald said about his message to the team after the game. “We’ve put ourselves in an amazing spot, and we’ve got a great team. [This] is just a little bit of a gut check.”

Congrats to the KU softball team as they are in the postseason for the first time in 11 years earning an 8 seed in the Norman Regional:

Kansas has had a resurgent 2026 season. The Jayhawks are 35-19 (14-10 Big 12) and picked up a crucial win on Thursday in the Big 12 softball tournament against Central Florida.

The Daily Kansan has a fun story on the people inside Big Jay and Baby Jay:

After years of secrets, sweat and school spirit, the students behind the beloved University of Kansas mascots are making their exit. Five graduating seniors are taking off the masks of Big Jay and Baby Jay.

Other Links!

The Spurs are up 3-2 following a big game from their star who was not suspended:

The Frenchman delivered in a 126-97 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the Spurs seized a 3-2 series lead. Wembanyama became the first player in NBA postseason history to tally 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two 3-pointers since the 1979-80 season, when the 3-point line was introduced.

While I’m sure anything that gets directed at Ole Miss is probably well deserved, they are taking some strays this week. First, Lane Kiffin calls out their history and the impact he claims it has on recruits. After that, Sarkisian got in on the action:

One day after LSU coach Lane Kiffin’s controversial comments about Ole Miss were publicized, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian told USA Today that “all you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree.”

With the rest of the news being a bit of a downer, we’re moving on to Defector and Mason Westfall writing about The Claude Delusion…and Richard Dawkins:

It’s a familiar archetype in academia: The General Expert. The General Expert is so impressed with his own brilliance that he is assured he will be profound and insightful about any topic to which he turns his invaluable attention. Never mind that he hasn’t read much about this new subject; pure intellect will carry the day. It’s understandable, in a way. These are guys who spent years—decades—basking in unadulterated evidence that they are the smartest boy in the world. Eventually, it sticks.

Can’t wait for all The General Experts to once again inform us about hantavirus. If you hear anything about ivermectin over the next few weeks, go ahead and either close the window or walk away quickly from whoever you’re talking to.

QOTD: It’s graduation week and the end of the school year which is always a bit of a weird time. It’s fun to look at kids getting ready for graduation and think back to when I thought there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell they’d be walking across the stage. One of those things that brings a smile to my face while I internally complain about being at another graduation. Anyway, share something that brings a smile to your face. Lets lighten things up in this little corner of the world.

Here’s mine: