Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Friday, July 29, 2016
College Football
Playoff abandons plan for New Years Eve semiinals
By RALPH D. RUSSO
Associated Press
The College Football Playoff has
abandoned a plan to play most of its
semiinals on New Year’s Eves after
television ratings tumbled last year,
moving the dates of future games to
ensure they will be played either on
a weekend or a holiday.
The changes will start with the
2018 season. The TV ratings for
last year’s semiinal games played
on Thursday, Dec. 31, dropped 36
percent from the semiinals played
the season before on New Year’s
Day.
This season’s semiinals are
still set for Saturday, Dec. 31. Next
season’s playoff is scheduled to be
back on Jan. 1. In 2018, the games
initially scheduled to be played
on New Year’s Eve, will now be
played Saturday, Dec. 29.
The 2019 games will move to
Saturday, Dec. 28.
The other seasons affected by the
change are 2024, when the semi-
inals will be moved to Saturday,
Dec. 28, and 2025, when the games
will be played on Saturday, Dec. 27.
“We had a healthy discussion
with a lot of people who love
college football and we concluded
that making these changes would be
the right thing to do for our fans,”
College Football Playoff Executive
Director Bill Hancock said in a
AP Photo/Joe Skipper
In this Dec. 31, 2015, ile photo, Clemson quarterback Deshaun
Watson (4) poses with the Orange Bowl trophy following an
NCAA college football semiinal playoff game against Oklahoma,
in Miami Gardens, Fla.
statement.
In a phone interview with the AP,
Hancock said after looking at data
provided by ESPN that considered
all the factors that contributed to the
drop in ratings, such as the lopsided
scores and participating teams, it
was clear the single greatest factor
was when the games were played.
Hancock said several options
for altering the schedule were
discussed, including giving the
College Football Playoff a perma-
nent home on New Year’s Day, but
that didn’t get far.
“It was clear from the get go
that our group wanted to honor the
traditions of the game, including
the Rose Bowl, including the Sugar
Bowl getting back to New Year’s
Day, which they really cherish,”
Hancock said. “That one didn’t stay
on the table for long.”
Big Ten Commissioner Jim
Delany, whose conference is part-
ners with the Rose Bowl along with
the Pac-12, said earlier this week
the Rose Bowl would not be giving
up its traditional New Year’s Day
afternoon time slot. The Big 12 and
Southeastern Conference now have
a similar partnership with the Sugar
Bowl and have locked up the time
slot after the Rose Bowl.
Hancock said it was important
to keep the semiinals in what he
called the holiday period between
Christmas and New Year’s Day
because it best allows fans to travel
to the games.
ESPN’s Burke Magnus, execu-
tive vice president, programming
and scheduling, said the network,
which is paying about $470 million
annually for the media rights to
College Football Playoff, was
pleased with the decision.
“They did engage in a really
thoughtful analysis of what could
make the CFP more fan friendly
and ultimately they got to the right
place, which we’re happy about,”
Magnus said.
Magnus said ESPN was not
directly involved in the decision
nor did it exert any pressure on the
CFP to change its schedule. He said
there was also no pressure from
advertisers.
“No, it never went anywhere
near that kind of conversation,”
Magnus said in a phone interview.
“There was never any ultimatum’s
issued.”
The irst College Football
Playoff set ratings records for
ESPN on New Year’s Day 2015.
The semiinal between Oregon and
Florida State was played at the Rose
Bowl and Alabama and Ohio State
played at Sugar Bowl, with the Rose
kicking off at about 5:20 p.m. ET.
The semiinals moved to New
Year’s Eve last season for the irst
of eight initially scheduled times
throughout the 12-year contract the
CFP has with ESPN.
College football oficials said
they were going to start a new
tradition on New Year’s Eve and
that people would incorporate
watching big games into their party
plans. The initial returns showed
that was not happening. Not only
did the games have to compete
with parties at night, but much of
the country was still working when
the Orange Bowl between Clemson
and Oklahoma kicked off around
4:30 ET. That was 3:30 local time
in Oklahoma.
“We tried to do something special
with New Year’s Eve, even when it
fell on a weekday,” Hancock said.
“But after studying this to see if it
worked, we think we can do better.
These adjustments will allow more
people to experience the games they
enjoy so much. For these four years,
our previous call is reversed.”
SCHNEIDER: PGA: Twenty players shot a 68 or better on Thursday
Continued from 1B
the Seahawks were preparing to
begin training camp Saturday. The
team announced last Sunday that
Schneider had agreed to an exten-
sion and two days later announced
a three-year extension for coach
Pete Carroll, keeping the tandem in
charge of Seattle’s football opera-
tions at least through 2019.
They knew little of each other
when Carroll and Schneider were
hired in January 2010. Since then,
the pair has led the Seahawks to
success never before seen in fran-
chise history.
“I think the times you appreciate
it are the times that are tough and
you have to make tough decisions,”
Schneider said. “Coach Carroll, he
doesn’t have to have this philos-
ophy. He’s Pete Carroll, right? And
I’m John Schneider. This guy won
national championships and was
basically running Los Angeles for a
couple years. He could have come
into this thing like guns blazing and
it’s my way or the highway. That’s
not his philosophical approach at
all.”
Schneider arrived in Seattle a
relative unknown and unproven as
a general manger. What he’s created
now entering his seventh season
in charge is a football operations
department that rivals any in the
NFL, with a team coming off four
straight playoff appearances and
expectations entering this season of
being a contender in the NFC.
Schneider will be 50 years old
when his contract inally expires
after the 2021 season.
“When you’re asking the
shelf-life of it, I think as long as
you’re challenging yourself and
you never feel like you have all the
answers, then I think the shelf-life
is endless,” Schneider said. “If
you start thinking you have all the
answers and you’ve got everything
igured out ... that’s when you’re
kind of screwed.”
Contrary to rumblings that have
followed Schneider throughout his
tenure with Seattle, he said there
is no clause in his extension that
would allow the Wisconsin native
to return to his home state and take
over in Green Bay if the opportu-
nity presents itself. He’s in Seattle
for the long haul, and that’s ine by
him.
“There’s been lots of whispers
about a lot of things,” Schneider
said. “It’s a small league and I’m
from a small home town.”
Last season, Schneider and the
Seahawks were caught by surprise
when Kam Chancellor held out
from training camp because he
was unhappy with his contract
before reporting after missing
the irst two games of the season.
Defensive end Michael Bennett
has also expressed displeasure with
his current contract but Schneider
expects Bennett to report Friday.
“I do expect him. I haven’t heard
otherwise,” he said.
Schneider said running back
Thomas Rawls and tight end Jimmy
Graham are not expected to prac-
tice when the Seahawks take the
ield for the irst time Saturday. The
team is still considering whether
to place the two on the physically
unable to perform list for the start
of camp as they recover from inju-
ries suffered late last season.
Schneider reiterated that both
are expected to be ready for the
opener on Sept. 11 against Miami.
“We’re going to be very, very
careful with those guys,” he said.
Continued from 1B
trated that he returned to Baltusrol
late in the day with his putter.
Stenson had his struggles on
the greens, too, but he was rolling
right along at the end with three
birdies over his last seven holes
for a 67, leaving him only two
shots out of the lead as he tries to
become the irst player since Ben
Hogan in 1953 to win back-to-
back majors at age 40.
“It’s going to be a great season
for me,” Stenson said. “But at the
same time, I want to give myself
a chance to try to make it the best
season.”
Walker’s year has been so
mediocre that he has inished
within ive shots of the winner
only once this year, at Torrey
Pines. He is on the verge of falling
out of the top 50 in the world
ranking and hasn’t given as much
thought to Ryder Cup with quali-
fying a month away from ending.
“I’m a good putter,” Walker
said. “Like good shooters, just
keep shooting. I’m just going to
keep putting, and they’re going to
start going in.”
And they did.
Walker wound up with a
one-shot lead over two-time
major champion Martin Kaymer,
Emiliano Grillo and Ross Fisher.
Kaymer had the best score in
the afternoon, when the blend of
poa annua and bent grass on the
Baltusrol greens became a little
AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
Jordan Spieth watches his tee shot on the irst hole during the
irst round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Baltus-
rol Golf Club in Springield, N.J., Thursday, July 28, 2016.
more dificult to navigate.
“I feel like all year it’s just been
real stale and stagnant,” Walker
said. “It’s just ebbs and lows of
golf. Just haven’t been scoring. ...
It’s frustrating. I would have loved
to have had a better year than I’ve
had so far to this point, but I know
there’s always time to play well at
the end of the year.”
Even with afternoon gusts
that approached 20 mph, and the
late threat of rain, Baltusrol still
allowed for good scoring.
Twenty players were at 68
or better, a list that included
defending champion Jason Day.
Jordan Spieth only regrets one
hole, the par-4 seventh, when he
lost his ball so far to the right he
had to chip back into thick rough
and wound up three-putting for a
double bogey. That was his lone
mistake. He rolled in big putts on
the 15th for par, 16th for birdie
and closed with a two-putt birdie
to get back to even-par 70.
Day played in the morning
group with McIlroy and Phil
Mickelson, and he was the only
player without much stress.
Mickelson, just 11 days after that
magniicent duel with Stenson at
Royal Troon, was 4 over through
11 holes when he rallied with a
trio of birdies late in his round to
salvage a 71.
“It’s not the start I wanted.
It’s not indicative of how I’m
playing,” he said. “But I’m back
to where tomorrow, if I play the
way I’ve been playing, I should
be OK.”
Grillo had a chance to at least
join Walker in the lead when he
was at 4 under with the inal two
holes par 5s. He made par on both.
Fisher made birdie on the two
closing par 5s for his 66. Kaymer
started his afternoon round on
the back nine and kept it together
with two pars, including a 35-yard
bunker shot on No. 8 to within 3
feet.
“There’s nothing easy on the
golf course today,” Kaymer said.
“I just didn’t miss many fairways
and therefore, you can create
some birdie chances. But at the
end of the day you still need to
make the putts.”
Walker kept the ball in play off
the tee until late in his round, and
he was particularly sharp with his
scrambling out by getting up-and-
down six times.
Johnson, meanwhile, was all
over the place.
Dressed in black and clean-
shaven, he took a double bogey
from the trees and by missing a
short putt on No. 3. He added three
more bogeys with wild drives. He
drilled a bunker shot into the lip
on No. 11 for a double bogey. And
he ended his round by chopping
up the par-5 18th, the easiest at
Baltusrol, for a bogey.
SHRINE GAME: Practices begin on Monday at EOU
Continued from 1B
mates and some rivals one more
time on the prep football ield.
Joining Vera on the ield will be
Heppner’s Patrick Collins and C.J.
Kindle, Stanield’s Jarred Warren,
and Weston-McEwen’s Devon
Rhoades, adding to the more than
3.000 prep athletes that have taken
part in the game since its debut in
1952.
“To be chosen for this game is a
huge honor,” Collins said. “I have
the ability to represent my family
and my community for one last
time to cap off my prep football
career exactly how I had always
dreamed of. It’s a one last hoo-rah
as a Heppner Mustang.”
The ive Eastern Oregon athletes
will be playing for the East team and
will be coached by Gary Thorson
of Sisters, Dave Thompson of
both patients and
Coquille,
Jon
staff and realize
H e l m a n d o l l a r 2016 Shrine Game
the true reason
of Toledo, and • When: Saturday, Aug.
for playing in the
Bill Blevins of 6, 7 p.m.
game, which is to
Sherman.
The • Where: Bulldog
help raise money
East team leads Stadium, Baker City
and awareness for
the head-to-head • Tickets: $15 reserved,
the hospital.
matchup 29-25-3 $12 general admission
“That’s
what
all-time.
it’s all about,” Vera
“It’s going to be
exciting,” Vera added, “especially said. “I can’t wait to hang out with
to play with different guys like the the kids, there’s nothing better than
Heppner guys, Stanield guys & that.”
Collins echoed Vera’s senti-
Weston-McEwen guys that I have
competed with over the years and ment.
“It’s amazing how so many
now they’re my teammates.”
Team practices for the game people can come together for
kick-off on Monday afternoon such a great cause,” he said. “It’s
at Eastern Oregon University, a great feeling to know that this
however, the players will meet up experience is more than just about
today in Portland for the annual a game. It’s about relationships
trip to the Shriners Hospital for built, awareness spread, and hope
Children in Portland. The trip for all.”
The game kicks-off on Saturday
allows the athletes to meet with
evening at 7 p.m. at Baker High
School, but there are plenty of
festivities going on beforehand.
The day starts with a steak and
pancake breakfast at Baker City
Park from 7-10 a.m. followed
by the Shrine Game parade at 11
a.m. Then from Noon to 6 p.m.
Baker City Park is the site for a big
pre-game tailgate that leads up to
the game.
The game will also be taped and
shown on Root Sports Northwest
at a later date.
Tickets for the game are $15
reserved seating and $12 general
admission and can be purchased
online at EastWestShrineFootball.
com or can be bought on-site.
———
Contact Eric Singer at
esinger@eastoregonian.com or
(541) 966-0839. Follow him on
Twitter @ByEricSinger.
SOCCER: MLS teams fall to 9-4-1 in All-Star Game history
Continued from 1B
next off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
before he converted with a shot to
the right upper corner of the net
in the second minute of stoppage
time in the irst half. Giovani dos
Santos jumped on Drogba’s back
to celebrate.
Joel Campbell scored on a
penalty kick in the 11th minute
for Arsenal following Jelle Van
Damme’s yellow card for grab-
bing.
Campbell converted the penalty
kick with his left-footed shot to the
left of a diving Andre Blake of the
Philadelphia Union.
There was a scare for the MLS
team in the 22nd minute, when
Dallas star Kellyn Acosta collided
with Francis Coquelin. A trainer
came out as Acosta grabbed at his
right ankle but he got to his feet
and stayed in the game.
Blake stopped a free kick in the
sixth minute for the MLS group,
which regularly pushed into its
offensive half
San Jose Earthquakes forward
Chris Wondolowski received a
roaring ovation when he entered
to play on his home ield in Avaya
Stadium in the 73rd minute,
when Seattle Sounders star Clint
Dempsey also came into the match.
Wondolowski had a shot soar
over the crossbar from just inside
the 18-yard box in the 82nd minute.
Landon Donovan, a 14-time
MLS All-Star and former San Jose
great, was on hand and posed for
photos with MLS Commissioner
Don Garber.
State-of-the-art Avaya Stadium,
in its second season, is an 18,000-
seat
soccer-speciic
stadium
boasting the largest outdoor bar
in North America behind one goal
— a huge hit before the game with
fans clad in Arsenal gear.
Arsenal, managed by Arsene
Wenger and preparing for the
English Premier League season
following a second-place inish in
2015-16, had huge sections of fans
among the sellout crowd of 18,000
on a hot Bay Area day.
Five MLS players were back
from the 2015 All-Star team.
This year’s group was coached
by Earthquakes coach Dominic
Kinnear.
MLS teams are 9-4-1 and have
outscored opponents 25-23 in
the league’s summer showcase
event, including a 2-1 win against
Tottenham Hotspur last year in
Colorado.
The privately funded, $100
million stadium broke ground in
October 2012 and is known for
its technological capabilities and
other unique elements such as food
truck options for concessions with
an expansive grassy area for kids
to play or watch a game on the
huge video board.
The seats are also three
different shades of blue with a
few red ones mixed in to honor
the colors of past Bay Area soccer
teams. The steep seating provides
an increased noise level and keeps
fans closer to the action. There is
also an all-standing section behind
one goal.