The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered another setback Monday when Major League Baseball rejected a proposed Fox television contract.

Under the proposed $3 billion deal, owner Frank McCourt would have received $385 million upfront. The Dodgers have struggled to meet payroll all season and reportedly doesn’t have enough cash to meet his June 30 obligations. Below is the statement released by MLB regarding the proposed deal:

“Pursuant to my authority as Commissioner, I have informed Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt today in a detailed letter that I cannot approve the club’s proposed transaction with FOX. This decision was reached after a full and careful consideration of the terms of the proposed transaction and the club’s current circumstances. It is my conclusion that this proposed transaction with FOX would not be in the best interests of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, the game of Baseball and the millions of loyal fans of this historic club. Read more

The Carrier Classic 11-11-11 featuring Michigan State and North Carolina will likely take place aboard the USS Carl Vinson in downtown San Diego, the same aircraft carrier that carried Osama bin Laden‘s body to sea.

“Now that the Carl Vinson is back safe and sound and America is now well-aware of the important mission that was tasked to the Carl Vinson, we find it to be a source of pride that this ship will make history twice in 2011,” said Mike Whalen of the Morale Entertainment Foundation.

A site survey is planned for early next week and there’s a 99 percent chance the game will be on the Carl Vinson, according to Whalen.

Manchester United’s Michael Owen has been frustrated by his attempts to make team England in the last few years, but he took exception to a headline on Sky Sports that read “Owen gives up on England” and went on Twitter to express his displeasure. The broadcast website, in turn, changed the headline on the story and clarified Owen’s remarks.

In the initial story (available thanks to Yahoo! Cache), the lede read,

“Manchester United striker Michael Owens admits he has given up hope of being selected for England by Fabio Capello. The 31-year-old has not featured for his country since playing in a friendly against France in March 2008.

Owen has been continually overlooked by Capello and the former Liverpool man admits he is upset by his exclusion.

“I’ve given up trying to understand,” said Owen. “I’ve not given up on England. It’s come to an abrupt stop under this manager. You’d have a better idea than me [why that is].

“I was disappointed for the first squad I missed, a little bit less for the next one and after about three or four times, I didn’t really expect to see my name,” admitted Owen.

“For the first couple of squads I looked at the players [named] and looked at what I had done. For the last dozen squads, I haven’t looked. I don’t even think about [being picked] now. Honestly.

“It’s sad, really. If I keep getting up for something, then [find out] I am not in, I am just kidding myself.

“Some people say I might get back in the England squad after Fabio Capello leaves. I hope they are right.

“It helps playing more often. I am sure it depends on who the manager is.”

Owen then went on Twitter and complained to Sky Sports, “Why are you making things up? Please show me the quote where I am supposed to have said that/Just because I don’t expect to be picked doesn’t mean I’ve given up. Another example of twisting words to get a good headline.”

Apparently Sky Sports agreed, because they not only changed the headline, they changed the lede. The new headline reads, “Owen ‘sad’ over England.” And the lede goes,

“Manchester United striker Michael Owen admits he has given up trying to understand why he is not being selected for England by Fabio Capello.

The 31-year-old has not featured for his country since playing in a friendly against France in March 2008.

Owen has been continually overlooked by Capello and the former Liverpool man admits he is upset by his exclusion.”

Katie Couric, the first solo female evening news anchor, will be honored with the 2011 WNBA Inspiration Award, the league announced today. Couric will receive the award at a luncheon in New York City next Tuesday, May 24.

“Katie Couric’s incredible leadership in the news industry along with her selfless efforts to increase cancer awareness and screenings has made her a true inspiration not only in her field but for the millions of women and young people who aspire to do great things just like her,” said WNBA president Laurel Richie. “The WNBA is thrilled to recognize Katie and her outstanding accomplishments with the 2011 WNBA Inspiration Award.”

NBCUniversal has announced its coverage plans for the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, and it is extensive. Much like NBCU does with the Olympic games, a number of networks and platforms will be in place to cover the derby, including some channels not typically associated with sports.

All told, NBCU will present 14 1/2 hours of coverage leading up to the race Saturday afternoon.

Among the participating channels and shows:

On NBC, “Today,” Al Roker and Jenna Wolfe will be live from Churchill Downs Thursday, Friday and Saturday. “Today” will also run a number of segments focusing on the Derby. During the fourth hour, Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford will select a winner who makes the most interesting derby hat to send to the event.

Read more

In case you were wondering if sports writers could be objective observers who dispassionately covered LeBron James in the wake of “The Decision,” we get news that nine of these jackwagons left the best player on the second-best team in the Eastern Conference off their MVP ballots. Derrick Rose won the award going away, garnering 113 first place votes, while Dwight Howard of the Magic finished second. James, who was second in the league in scoring to Kevin Durant, averaging 26.7 PPG on 51 percent shooting, finished third — thanks largely to nine Mensa members who felt he wasn’t among the five most valuable players in the league.

Good job, fellas. You all grow up in Cleveland?

(H/T to Tom Ziller at SB Nation)

Former New York Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger will serve as a ringside reporter for Fuel TV’s upcoming Hometown Throwdown.

Sterger interviewed amateur fighters during the pair of one-hour specials taped early last month in LaCrosse, Wis.

Hometown Throwdown is set to air in June and contestants are competing for the Hometown Hero title.

It marks the first job for Sterger since The Daily Line on Versus was canceled last November.

Sterger’s agent, Mark Turner, told the New York Post that “Jenn has also had discussions with a number of media companies and has been in talks about a variety of opportunities.”

On March 4, ESPN posted a press release announcing events that happened on March 3. That’s power, folks.

Don’t point the finger at the Philadelphia Eagles for Michael Vick canceling on Oprah Winfrey.

There was a report from Fox 29 in Philadelphia on Thursday morning that said the Eagles forced Vick to cancel his appearance.

“Not true,” an Eagles spokesman told the Philadelphia Sports Daily.

“The Eagles were supportive of Michael’s decision both when he agreed to do the show and when he decided to cancel,” said Chris Shigas, a spokesman for Vick.

I’m sure we will learn by next week that Oprah was planning an ambush of Vick and somehow the quarterback caught wind of it.

Until then, let the speculation continue.

In Wired.com’s excellent story detailing the technology at Cowboys Stadium, there’s a brief mention of the effect iPads might have on fandom.

And, of course, this being the first Super Bowl since the introduction of the iPad, fans can not only bring along their favorite Apple-made tablet – the NFL assured Wired.com there will be no restrictions on bringing the device into the stadium – but they can also use the NFL’s official Super Bowl app, which features virtual 3-D navigation of Cowboys Stadium, as well as a facilities guide that may prove useful for those not wanting to waste a nanosecond searching out the nearest beer stand.

Ah, we can see it now: Fox cuts to the stands after a Green Bay Packers touchdown, only to find a quarter of the fans engrossed in watching the replay on their handheld tablets. (Or, more likely, catching up on the latest ads they missed.)

It’s either depressing or the perfect combination of your living room and live action.

But there’s more. Read more