facing the Rangers, having made 11 career appearances against them,

The College Football Playoff is considering moving future semifinals off New Years Eve after television ratings for last seasons games plunged.Executive director Bill Hancock told reporters at Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Alabama, that the conference commissioners who make up the playoff management committee are open to changing future schedules, starting in 2019 when the semifinals are scheduled for New Years Eve, and are exploring options.Our goal is to find the best day when the most people can watch the games, Hancock said Wednesday.It was a very different message from Hancock than the one he initially delivered after ESPNs rating for this past seasons College Football Playoff semifinals fell 36 percent from the year before, when the games were played on New Years Day. Hancock said in January that several factors could have contributed to the ratings drop and gave no indication the commissioners were ready to change course.The first College Football Playoff after the 2014 season drew record television ratings for ESPN. The first game, the Rose Bowl, kicked off around 5:30 p.m. ET. Last year was the first of a scheduled eight times during a 12-year contract with ESPN that the semifinals were to be played on New Years Eve, which fell on a Thursday.The Orange Bowl between Clemson and Oklahoma started around 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. Central in Oklahoma), when many people are still at work on what is not a federal holiday.The playoff semifinals are on New Years Eve again this season, but Dec. 31, 2016, falls on a Saturday. The semifinals return to New Years Day after the 2017 season (Jan. 1, 2018).We are in constant communication with our partners at the College Football Playoff. We are both invested in making this event as fan-friendly as possible, Ilan Ben-Hanan, ESPN vice president of college sports programming, said in a statement to The AP.After last seasons games, Hancock said when the semifinals were played was one of several possible factors that caused TV ratings to fall. Neither the Clemson-Oklahoma game nor Michigan State-Alabama matchup in the Cotton Bowl were close in the fourth quarter. Plus, the matchups for the first semifinals, which included two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Jameis Winston of Florida State), along with Ohio State and Alabama, were particularly appealing and set an almost impossible standard for the second playoff to match. Also, ESPNs digital platforms drew more viewers in year two.Hancock said all the factors would be studied, but never hinted the College Football Playoff would give serious consideration to moving off New Years Eve semifinals. Hancock had said playoff officials were hoping to start a new tradition on New Years Eve.But the drop in TV viewership was more drastic than expected, and now there is a real possibility for change.The first sign came a few months back when the College Football Playoff announced it was moving up the kickoff for this years first semifinal to 3 p.m. ET and that the Orange Bowl, originally scheduled to be played before the semifinals on Dec. 31, would instead be held on Friday night Dec. 30.This years semifinals will be played at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, and the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP Fake Shoes Discount . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. China Shoes For Sale . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http://www.fakeshoesonline.com/ . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Replica Shoes Online . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Fake Shoes Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. CINCINNATI -- Derek Holland is expected to be reinstated from the disabled list on Tuesday and start for the Texas Rangers that night when they begin a two-game interleague series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.Holland has been on the disabled list since June 22 with left shoulder inflammation and hasnt pitched for the Rangers since June 20. He made three rehab starts for Triple-A Round Rock and had a bullpen session on Saturday.Were hopeful hell be ready to go, but when a guy has worked his way back from the disabled list you dont know whats going to happen until you get through it, said manager Jeff Banister. Its a much different pace pitching back in a major league game.Holland will be facing the Reds for the first time in his career. With Holland going on Tuesday, Yu Darvish will start Wednesdays series finale for Texas on six days rest.The American League West-leading Rangers lost two of three at Tampa Bay over the weekend but remain in control of the division.Cincinnati split a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that concluded on Monday afternoon.Texas is below .500 this season against teams with a losing record. Cincinnati (53-71) isnt the typical losing team, at least not at the moment.Since the All-Star break the Reds are 21-14 and have won eight of 11 series.I just think that part of it is one of those stats you can look at and scratch your head at, said Banister of the poor mark against losing clubs. But I dont think there is any merit to saying we dont play as hard or we let down, were noot focused.ddddddddddddNo thats not the case.The Rangers will be facing one of Cincinnatis most consistent starting pitchers in right-hander Dan Straily, who was a member of three teams during spring training before finally sticking with the Reds.Straily is no stranger to facing the Rangers, having made 11 career appearances against them, including 10 starts.In seven starts since the All-Star break, Straily is 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Opponents are batting .217 against him and he hasnt allowed more than two runs in any of his starts since the break.Control has been the key for Straily, who hasnt walked a batter in 22 2/3 innings. He leads the Reds pitching staff in wins, innings, strikeouts and quality starts.This after being traded, waived and eventually claimed by the Reds prior to Opening Day.I didnt know where I was going to be, Straily said. I just wanted to keep that carrot out there.Texas and Cincinnati enter this weeks series tied 7-7 and one series apiece in their interleague matchups. The teams split a two-game series at Globe Life Park in Arlington in June.Cincinnati will try to rebound from a rough 18-9 loss to the Dodgers on Monday.Its a loss, said Reds manager Bryan Price. It was uglier and took a lot longer than 1-0 or 4-3. We just didnt have an answer for their offense. We had a lot of hits and scored some runs. Thats what you take out of it. You move on. Its one ballgame. You start fresh tomorrow. 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