The Rock Chalkboard

Big 12 releases 2021 preseason poll
Looking ahead to the fall, the Sooners are the favorite again but the Iowa State Cyclones are hot on their tail and possibly some other schools might have something to say about the race.

Memphis officially hires Hall of Famer Larry Brown as new assistant coach
Penny Hardaway has officially found his newest assistant coach. Hall of Famer Larry Brown is headed to Memphis as an assistant coach which is a massive get for the basketball program. Brown is the only coach to ever win an NBA Championship and NCAA Championship.

Quarterbacks, collaboration & more: A conversation with Kansas' Jim Zebrowski
Kansas quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski has his own philosophies when it comes to offensive football. The Jayhawks have had plenty of different looks over the last half-decade, including the pro-style approach in the spring under Mike DeBord and the RPO-style looks that came from Brent Dearmon.

Kansas football announces player attendees for Big 12 Media Days
Perhaps marking a bit of a return to normalcy, the Big 12 programs announced their player representatives for next week's Big 12 Media Days. For Kansas, those players are veteran wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter and rising safety Kenny Logan.

Bits o Chalk

Timely 3-pointers in 4th quarter by Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker 'melted' Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 win
PHOENIX -- With the Milwaukee Bucks breathing down the Phoenix Suns' necks on Thursday, threatening to erase a once 15-point lead and head back home with a series split, the Suns relied on the guy who ticks off Chris Paul when he doesn't do precisely what he did in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo not worried as Jrue Holiday, supporting cast struggle with Milwaukee Bucks in 2-0 NBA Finals hole
"Just keep talking to him, keep telling him to be aggressive," Antetokounmpo said when asked what his message for Holiday would be heading into Game 3. "No matter what's going on, you've got to stay aggressive and you cannot get in your feelings. It's hard not to. You know, NBA Finals, 20,000 people booing you and all that, it's kind of hard.

Brooklyn Nets' James Harden stopped by police in Paris, not arrested
French media reports said that the Brooklyn Nets' star, who has been seen around Paris with rappers Kanye West and Lil Baby, was on the street when a car was stopped after police smelled cannabis.

Louisiana teen Zaila Avant-garde correctly spells 'Murraya' to win Scripps National Spelling Bee
But she never let the moment become too big for her, and when she heard what turned out to be her winning word -- "Murraya," a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees -- she beamed with confidence. It was over.

Eraser Dust

Alleged killers of Haiti president in country for three months, say authorities | Haiti | The Guardian
Key members of the hit squad allegedly behind the assassination of Haiti’s president Jovenel Moïse had been in the country for about three months, apparently preparing their attack, with others joining from the Dominican Republic last month, according to Haitian judicial authorities investigating the assassination.

Biden announces U.S. military mission in Afghanistan will end August 31 - CBS News
President Biden said the withdrawal from Afghanistan of U.S troops after 20 years of war will conclude on August 31, ahead of the September 11 deadline he announced in mid-April.

Alaskan teen passenger causes plane to nosedive after taking over controls
JUNEAU, Alaska — A passenger on a small plane bound for a tiny western Alaska community said he tried to end his life when he took control of the plane's yoke and caused it to nosedive before the pilot was able to regain control and safely land the aircraft, Alaska State Troopers said.

Citizens, Not the State, Will Enforce New Abortion Law in Texas - The New York Times
People across the country may soon be able to sue abortion clinics, doctors and anyone helping a woman get an abortion in Texas, under a new state law that contains a legal innovation with broad implications for the American court system.

Bigfork woman involved in police shootout back in jail | Daily Inter Lake
When Flathead Valley resident Awndray Lynn Francisco stole a truck from a Helena-based business owner and got into a gun fight with local law officers last year, it was not enough for her to go to the Montana State Women’s Prison.

Kalispell to Have Contested Mayoral Race - Flathead Beacon
Daoud wants to give Kalispell residents an opportunity to choose their mayor since past candidates have often run unopposed. He will focus his campaign on housing availability and workforce challenges in Kalispell.

World's deepest pool opens in Dubai, part of huge underwater city | CNN Travel
The facility is open by invitation only for now but will open to the public later this year. The crown prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a keen diver, was one of the first visitors and shared his experience on social media.