The Rock Chalkboard

Big 12 reveals 2021 preseason all-conference football team
The 2021 preseason All-Big 12 football team, as voted on by media members, has been released, with the six-time defending Big 12 champion Oklahoma Sooners leading the way at 9 selections. 2020 Big 12 runner-up Iowa State, coming off its highest AP finish in program history, was right behind Oklahoma at eight players, including a league-best five on offense.

Bits o Chalk

IOC president Thomas Bach arrives in Tokyo amid state of emergency
TOKYO -- International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach arrived in Tokyo on Thursday just as a ban on spectators at the Tokyo Olympics is likely after Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced a state of emergency because of rising coronavirus cases in the capital.

Breakout NCAA tournament star Johnny Juzang pulls out of NBA draft in favor of returning to UCLA Bruins
UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, the breakout star of the 2021 NCAA tournament, announced Wednesday night he was withdrawing from the NBA draft and returning to the Bruins.

Tampa Bay Lightning close out Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 to win second straight Stanley Cup
Tampa Bay defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 to close out the series 4-1 on Wednesday at home, becoming the first team to repeat as champion since the 2016 and 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy and recorded his fifth straight shutout in a series-clinching game.

Golfer Angel Cabrera sentenced to 2 years in prison for assaulting former partner
BUENOS AIRES -- Argentinian golfer Angel Cabrera, a former Masters and U.S. Open champion, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison on charges he assaulted his former partner.

NHL's Florida Panthers reveal plan to get involved with NIL deals
The Panthers are the first NHL team, and they believe the first U.S. major pro sports team, to establish an opportunity for college athletes to align with them as part of recent rule changes that allow college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness.

TBT 2021 -- What to know about every team in the 64-team bracket
After a smaller 2020 event that featured a 24-team bracket and a bubble because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Basketball Tournament is officially back in 2021 with a full 64-team field competing for the $1 million winner-take-all prize.

Eraser Dust

QAnon's new 'plan'? Run for school board
In the wake of Donald Trump's 2020 election defeat and the disappearance of the anonymous online account "Q" that once served as QAnon's inspiration, many people who spout QAnon’s false claims have hatched a new plan: run for school board or local office, spread the gospel of Q, but don’t call it QAnon.

Here's the scoop: Every state's favorite ice cream truck treat - Chicago Tribune
One of the signature summertime experiences is getting a frozen treat from an ice cream truck. Seriously, we will never judge anyone who runs down the block chasing down soft-serve sundaes or who decides to jump out of the pool when they hear those iconic ice cream truck tunes, whether they're five or 50. Regardless of where you live, ice cream trucks offer up dozens of pre-packaged frozen novelties, but where you live will determine what those around you are ordering. Seriously. Using Google trends over the last 12 months, Seaside Vacations found out the most popular ice cream truck treat in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. You may be surprised which sweets reign supreme. Here’s the top treat in every state.

Amusement Parks Near Me: Best Theme Parks in Every State
And while all of them don’t include roller coasters (because not all states actually have giant amusement parks and several have actually shut down due to COVID), they all have attractions that make them worthwhile and fun! Some of them include mountain coasters where you can literally ride down a mountain, others have fun themes that you can only experience there and others are places you can make unforgettable family memories at. If you read about one that isn’t located near you, you can work it into your vacation if you’re ever on a trip near it in the future.

The Best Beach in Every State | TravelPulse
There's no doubt that when we daydream about hitting the beach, our minds drift to the seashores of the Atlantic, Pacific or Gulf of Mexico first. Yes, America is surrounded by thousands of miles of stunning seashore, but even landlocked states have beaches that can be the setting for a spectacular summer day. Click on the slideshow to see which strand made the cut in your state.

The Best Spot to Get a Burrito in Every State | Eat This Not That
Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines in America, and the south, west, and midwest regions are particularly enamored with it. It's no surprise that states like California, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona have a wealth of incredible options, ranging from taco trucks to upscale sit-down restaurants. But, luckily for us, there's at least one amazing Mexican food joint in every single state.

Working Out With Chris Hemworth's Centr App
First up: the bodyweight workout with Hemsworth and Zocchi, who referred to Hemsworth as “big dog.” During the opening squats, Hemsworth improvised some uppercuts while making a “whoosh” sound that immediately endeared him to me and recalled boys from middle school. Soon, he was doing “sit throughs,” which are like a plank where you shoot alternating legs through to the other side. Honestly, at this point, I was thinking that the himbo workout had nothing on my usual Peleton cycling class. Then came the second round of pulsing squats, cross-body mountain climbers, and jump lunges. Then came the moment that broke me: walkouts with pushups, where you walk your arms out into a plank, do a pushup, walk yourself back again. Terrible, terrible, terrible torturous exercise.

Haiti's President Was Assassinated: What's The Latest? : NPR
Prior to his killing, opponents of the president tried to remove the 53-year-old from office, claiming he was improperly attempting to extend his presidency.

Glacier Park International Airport Welcomes Inaugural JetBlue Flight - Flathead Beacon
The plane, “Betty Blue,” landed to fanfare — two fire engines provided a water cannon show on the tarmac — and the 147 passengers disembarked to balloons, cupcakes, gift bags and prizes earned from in-air competitions. One passenger, singer-songwriter Jack Gladstone of the Blackfeet Nation, had been flown out to New York the day before to play at the flight’s departure as well as on the aircraft.

'Black Widow': Marvel's long-awaited release of the movie is a triumphant moment for the industry - CNN
The occasion is Marvel's "Black Widow," the most-anticipated movie of the summer. It is debuting around the world right now, "and the industry's global weekend expectation is as high as $140 million," Deadline's Anthony D'Alessandro and Nancy Tartaglione reported Wednesday.