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MELBOURNE, Australia -- Two-time Olympic cycling gold medalist Anna Meares will carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony for the Rio de Janeiro Games on Aug. 5.Meares was announced Wednesday as the flag bearer and captain of Australias expected 410-member team. The ceremony was attended by former Seattle WNBA basketball player and now-retired Lauren Jackson, who carried the Australian flag at the 2012 London Games.The 32-year-old Meares won gold medals at the 2004 and 2012 Games. In her fourth Olympics, she will defend her title in the individual sprint and also compete in the team sprint and keirin.Meares, who was born in western Queensland state, says for me, a country girl, a coal miners daughter, to become the flag bearer for this country leaves me very emotional and proud. Walker Zimmerman USA Jersey . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Juan Agudelo Jersey . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/zack-steffen-usa-jersey/ . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Tim Howard USA Jersey . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. Graham Zusi USA Jersey . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. CHICAGO -- Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany does not envision the Rose Bowl abandoning its New Years Day spot in order to accommodate the College Football Playoff semifinals.He said there might be some movement from the bowls but not by the Granddaddy of Them All.I realize the challenge, Delany said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days. There may be changes in the offing, but I wouldnt expect those changes to impact the Rose Bowl.The College Football Playoff is considering moving future semifinals off New Years Eve after ratings for last seasons games dropped in a big way. Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock told reporters two weeks ago at the SEC Media Days that the commissioners who comprise the playoff management committee are open to adjusting future schedules .We have some good options, he said, adding they are getting close to a resolution.ESPN drew record ratings for the inaugural playoff following the 2014 season, starting with the Rose Bowl that kicked off around 5:30 p.m. ET.But the semifinal ratings fell 36 percent last season, the first of eight times during a 12-year contract with the network that places the semis on New Years Eve. Many people were still at work last December when the Orange Bowl between Oklahoma and Clemson started at 4:30 p.m. ET.One option could be finding a different day for the semifinals when theyre not played in the Rose and Sugar Bowls, which our research so far has shown us that thats doable, Hancock said.It probably didnt help the ratings last season that neither Clemson-Oklahoma nor the Michigan State-Alabama matchup in the Cotton Bowl were close in the fourth quarter. Plus, there was more star power the year before with a pair of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks in Marcus Mariota of Oregon and Jameis Winston of Florida Statee going at it in one semifinal and Ohio State colliding with Alabama in the other one.ddddddddddddThis season, the semifinals are again on New Years Eve, but it falls on a Saturday. Next year, they will be played on New Years Day.But move the Rose? Dont count on it, and the same goes for the Sugar Bowl.I dont see it happening, Hancock said. Weve been studying since February the matter of whether New Years Eve on a weekday is the best day for the semifinals. And considering all that, I dont see it changing the Rose Bowl.Separately, Delany said he doesnt foresee the Big Ten instituting rules restricting transfer athletes who have a history of serious misconduct from joining a team or receiving athletic aid, as the SEC, Pac-12 and Big 12 did.The transfer bans instituted in recent years come in the wake of some high-profile incidents and an increasing awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence. But the Big Tens position at least for now is that the individual schools are in the best position to address those decisions.Delany said that stance comes after really deep discussions with conference presidents, athletic directors, faculty and lawyers as well as experts on the Clery Act requiring colleges to keep and disclose information about crime on or near campus.To think that you can pass a four- or five-sentence -- or four- or five-paragraph -- conference rule to accommodate all that I think is putting a lot of faith in conference policies, Delany said.Yet, other major conferences are doing just that.Lets look at it five years from now and see how effective it is, said Delany, who added: We can learn from each other the best practices. ' ' '