The St. Petersburg City Council "rejected an agreement negotiated by Mayor Rick Kriseman that would have given" the Rays three years to explore ballpark sites in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Council member Darden Rice said that the Rays "blew the deal with their presentation." Rays President Brian Auld "refused to yield an iota on development rights on Tropicana Field," and following the vote he declined to answer questions, "instead issuing a terse statement." What happens next is "anything but clear" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 12/19).

FIFA President Sepp Blatter today said that the organization "will not reopen the vote" for the '18 and '22 World Cups, but it "will publish at least some" of a report on the bid process. Blatter said that the Exec Committee, meeting over two days in Morocco, "agreed unanimously to publish" the report by Michael Garcia, who earlier this week stepped down in protest. Blatter said the report will be published "in an appropriate form once the ongoing procedures against individuals are concluded" (AP, 12/19).

TNT's Charles Barkley and Knicks President Phil Jackson "got into a little war of words" during last night's Knicks-Bulls game. During the telecast, Jackson tweeted of Barkley's analysis, "do I have to mute this game? Chuck just remember your fundamental...key to [triangle]." Barkley at halftime said on-air, “I can respect Phil Jackson. ... But he’s too old to be tweeting.” He later added, “Phil’s gotten sensitive in his old age” (ESPNNY.com, 12/18).

The FCC has “dismissed an attempt to block the broadcast license renewal of a radio station that belongs” to Redskins Owner Dan Snyder (WASHINGTON POST, 12/19). An activist attorney was “seeking to strip” the license of a Virginia radio station “because the outlet broadcast the name Redskins which opponents claim is offensive to American Indians” (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 12/18).

The five Rams players who late last month made the "hands up" gesture today are "making good" on their promise to assist the Ferguson, Mo., community. TE Jared Cook and WRs Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Chris Givens and Kenny Britt are heading to the Ferguson area to "distribute basic need items to residents" who have been "affected by civil unrest in the area" (ESPN.com, 12/18).

Meanwhile, Jaguars WRs wore "I Can't Breathe" T-shirts during pregame warmups prior to last night's win against the Titans in Jacksonville (Mult., 12/18).

Four sports stories make USA TODAY's "10 Most-Read" of '14:

• No. 4: Seahawks FB Derrick Coleman, the NFL's first deaf offensive player, in a "moving Duracell commercial." 
• No. 5: Tony Stewart's sprint car wreck that resulted in the death of driver Kevin Ward.
• No. 6: TNT's Kenny Smith open letter to Charles Barkley on the Ferguson situation.
• No. 7: Under Armour's spot starring ballet dancer Misty Copeland.

The Clearwater (Fla.) City Council approved a three-year deal with the Union to move the club's preseason workouts "from the Orlando area to Clearwater beginning this February." Union Exec VP & Chief Revenue Officer Dave Rowan said that the team "will work to persuade" other MLS clubs to "move their preseason training to this area." The club is seeking to leave Orlando "because that city now has its own" MLS franchise. Clearwater will spend $100,000 to upgrade Joe DiMaggio Sports Complex (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 12/19).

In today's Must Read, the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER's Tom Sorensen pens his first column since late September, when he sustained a head injury after a fall in Baltimore while covering the Panthers-Ravens game. Sorensen: "I'm Back, And Thankful" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/19).

The Raiders announced that Sunday’s game against the Bills has sold out and “will air on CBS affiliates in the Raiders home market,” including KPIX (CSNBAYAREA.com, 12/18).

The Canadiens last night held a ceremony for former NHLer Saku Koivu before their game against the Ducks. Koivu’s appearance was “emotionally packed, his speech set up by video footage of him during his fight against cancer as a player in Montreal” (L.A. TIMES, 12/19).

SAP co-Founder Dietmar Hopp is “expected to become the majority owner” of Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim next year (SID, 12/18).

The Earthquakes have signed a long-term ticketing products and services partnership for Avaya Stadium with Ticketmaster (Earthquakes).

Coca-Cola has inked a deal to become Bell Media’s first major partner for its coverage of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup (Coca-Cola/Bell Media).

MGM Resorts Int’l and AEG hosted a media tour at the site of their $375M, 20,000-seat arena in Las Vegas. The project is “taking shape, with steel work even showing the first signs of the suite level” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 12/19).

“Our attendance pre-sales are very, very strong. Derek Jeter is somebody you can’t replace, but Yankee fans are loyal and I think we have a really good team” – Yankees President Randy Levine, saying there has not been any ticket sales declines following Jeter's retirement (NEWSDAY, 12/19).

“I want to know if anyone in Cleveland needs a dish rag because ‘Johnny Football’ T-shirts are already on the clearance rack. One game, zero points, 80 yards, two picks and 50% off. One more 'F' on Sunday and those tees will be in ashes on Monday” – CBSSN’s Jim Rome, on Browns QB Johnny Manziel's debut as a starter (“Rome,” CBSSN, 12/18).

“The major programs are not just football factories, they are money machines. … If he’s a guy that contributes to that money machine he’s worth more than that” – ESPN’s Trevor Matich, on Michigan reportedly offering 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh $8M a year to be their next head coach (“College Football Live,” ESPN, 12/18).

Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of ESPN’s “SportsCenter” led with Pelicans-Hornets, followed by Knicks-Bulls, Thunder-Warriors and the Celtics trading G Rajon Rondo to the Mavericks. The first NFL report on ESPN was 17 minutes into the broadcast and was on the state of the Bears. Last night’s 11:00pm ET edition of FS1’s “Fox Sports Live” led with Thunder-Warriors, followed by Bucks-Kings, Pelicans-Rockets, Knicks-Bulls, Rondo being traded and the Bears.

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann called out his “world’s worst” persons in sports: A football fan with the Twitter handle @BFLO44, “who identifies himself merely as a Cleveland fan,” getting into a Twitter feud with former Ravens coach Brian Billick. Olbermann also criticized English soccer club Chester City manager Steve Burr for tossing the “equivalent of Hostess Ho Hos” onto the field because he felt his players were performing poorly in an FA Cup match, and Pistons G Brandon Jennings for being guarded by “ghosts” after he passed up an uncontested layup to take a jump shot that he missed.

From #Colbert Farewell: @MarkCuban finalized Rondo deal in green room, sitting w/Waterston, Daniels, me + dismaying UN Amb. Samantha Power

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) December 19, 2014

Sepp Blatter explained that the 2018/2022 World Cup vote won't be revisited because he and his cohorts already spent the money

— Paul Pabst (@PaulPabst) December 19, 2014

I love my titans but I really wish they would lose this game so we can get mariota or winston!! Stop messing around...it can be a good loss

— David Price (@DAVIDprice14) December 19, 2014

Michael Phelps is scheduled to go to trial on drunk driving charges. While he is "unlikely to face jail time," his "path ahead is not entirely clear" (Baltimore SUN, 12/19).

The L.A. Times’ Bill Plaschke writes of Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully losing his ’88 World Series Championship ring during a recent “holiday loop around Costco.” Scully: "I feel like a dummy. Only Scully could lose a ring while putting meat in a bag" (L.A. TIMES, 12/19).

Last night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “20th Century Sculpture.”

“Its sculptor asked for prayer that this work would ‘endure until the wind and the rain alone shall wear them away.’”

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel said, “Christmas is a strange holiday if you really think about it. … It’s the third night of Hanukkah, which means the Jewish kids are already three presents up on the gentile kids. But we will catch up. We are like the Tom Brady of present getters. We rally” (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 12/18).

“What is Mount Rushmore?”