The Daily Mauling 6.17.26

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Jun 15, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; General view of the clubhouse at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Kansas Jayhawks Links!​

Erika Brockish as Fansided says that Darryn Peterson is playing a risky game by only meeting with the Wizards ahead of the NBA draft (this one feels like it was written just for us):

While it worked out for Bryant, who went on to be one of the best NBA players in league history, Peterson is no Kobe Bryant, and this could backfire big time for the Kansas star.

The Wizards could feel as though Peterson is backing them into a corner by only visiting with them, leading to picking Dybantsa in the end. If no other teams feel he is interested, this could be one of the worst gambles Peterson has ever made, and his draft pick could slip.

The blog KC Kingdom also got in on the Peterson story:

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that “Peterson was ‘surprised’ when his initial meeting with the Wizards focused more on him as a person rather than him as a basketball player.” To be honest, that comment is shocking, considering that’s how every draft process has largely been for any sport over the last half-century. Teams can get a pretty good sense of what you are as a player by watching games, analyzing film tape, and being at practices. But what they learn most in the pre-draft interviews is the person more than the player.

Here’s a video from a news station talking about the top 10 Jayhawks from the last decade.

Dillon Davis over SI writes about the Jayhawks latest commitment, a 3 star linebacker from Texas:

The 6-foot-2, 186-pound outside linebacker from Port Arthur, Texas, announced his decision on social media – choosing the Jayhawks over a group of finalists which included Houston, Texas Tech, Kentucky, and Purdue. He also had offers from Florida State, Arkansas, Mississippi State, and others.

Through the Phog’s Conner Mardian looks at the football team and is still worried about the defense and the defensive line in particular:

There are many reasons why KU suffered back-to-back bowl-less seasons. The Jayhawks never got their fourth quarters in shape; they struggled to score in the red zone, and their crunchtime rushing defense was paltry, but allow us to put something not thrown around as much: Kansas’ ability to get at the quarterback.

Other Links!​

Not much more I can ask for as a sports fan in June as we’ve got the World Cup, College World Series, AND a major this weekend!?!?

Our beloved Algeria lost to Argentina in Kansas City last night with legend Lionel Messi having quite a game:

The hat trick was the 11th of Messi’s international career but first at the World Cup. At 38, he became the oldest player to score three goals in a game at the tournament. He came off late in the second half to a rousing ovation from the partisan Argentina crowd at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

England isn’t planning to change their aggressive approach even with the heat:

Temperatures in Dallas will be more than 30C by the time England kick off their opening Group L game – but the effects of the heat will be reduced because the Dallas Stadium is one of the air-conditioned indoor venues being used at this World Cup.

Starting the tournament in that stadium has given Tuchel belief that his side can impose their style on Croatia “because we play indoors”.

But the England boss did reference the impact that the heat has had on his players at their Kansas City training base.

France didn’t look great in their opener against Senegal:

The scoreless first half Tuesday against a Senegal side who had organized and pressed cohesively and forged much the better chances, including a clipped post, was a disjointed mess for the 2018 World Cup champions and the 2022 runners-up. But having the world’s best corps of forwards means getting to comprehensively beat the (former) African champions 3-1 despite spending the first hour looking like your front four had never played together before. And possibly didn’t even know one another’s names.

In what has to be an incredibly surreal experience to even be in the US, the Iranian team didn’t seem thrilled about having their base moved from Arizona to Mexico and having to travel there immediately following their first game:

Ghalenoei did not say who had instructed the team to leave Monday night, although Iran captain Mehdi Taremi said that FIFA president Gianni Infantino had visited the team in the locker room after Monday’s game.

“For sure, he wants to try to help us, but it’s about other things, too. Everyone knows it,” Taremi said. “I don’t need to mention that because you know where we are.

And of course, we have a DHS spokesman who says this was always the plan:

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told CNN that the Iranians agreed to those terms.

It’s the latest back-and-forth between Iran and the United States over the World Cup as the months-long armed conflict between the two nations complicates the summer sporting extravaganza.

If you’re wanting to get up to speed on the US Open at Shinnecock this weekend, I highly recommend The Fried Egg’s preview:

What makes Shinnecock Hills a great test of golf is precisely what makes it difficult to set up for a championship. The winds are strong and unpredictable. The soils are sandy, making for firm, quick-drying playing surfaces. The greens are pushed up, tilted, and disdainful of middling iron shots. And the short-grass runoffs turn small mistakes into big ones, propelling the ball away from the target and toward the fescue rough.

Combine these factors, and you get a uniquely volatile golf course. Shinnecock can shift from stern to feral in just a few hours, as the USGA discovered at the 2004 and 2018 U.S. Opens.

Have you been keeping up with the CWS? We’re down to 4 teams left and West Virginia’s one of them.

QOTD: The World Cup is finally here and it seems like it has been a pretty positive start overall. Where are you at from 1-10 in terms of excitement today? Are you more bought in than expected? Has anything been a let down?


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