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After a week off for the holiday Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I are back for another edition of Sports Media Weekly.

Joining Ken and me this week is John Ourand from Sports Business Journal.

We start the show by looking back at the big sports media story from a week ago, the news that Rogers Communications has won the sole national NHL media rights in Canada away from TSN and CBC. We look at the impact the deal will have in Canada as well as what it may mean for sports rights deals here in the U.S.A.

We move on to the NFL and the news from Fox Sports that it has already sold its entire ad inventory for February’s Super Bowl XLVIII. The news proves once again that football is king on TV and with sponsors.

We look back at the spectacular weekend of college football and, in particular, CBS’ coverage of the Alabama/Auburn Iron Bowl. We all give kudos to CBS for its coverage of the game and striking the right tone both in pictures and in words from Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, and Tracey Wolfson.

As ESPN prepares for coverage of its final World Cup for a while we discuss the potential U.S. rights fee battle for the UEFA Champions League matches. Fox Sports currently holds the rights, but ESPN and NBC are looking to snatch the package away.

We wrap the show by discussing Deadspin’s purchase of a baseball Hall of Fame vote and how that may shake out.

I hope you had a festive Thanksgiving with family and friends. I also hope you don’t get too frustrated trying to shop on this Black Friday. We are upon another packed sports weekend. Here are some sports media news items to get you started…

Sean Leahey at USA Today’s The Huddle reports on an apology issued by the NFL Network for the airing of a curse from Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels…

Michael Hiestand at USA Today looks at the dwindling NASCAR ratings..

Bob Wolfley at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the play of Brandon Jennings has put the Bucks back on the national television radar… Bob also has the Fox NFL team’s thoughts on the Packers’ fate after yesterday’s win…

Ray Holloman at Fanhouse catches up with CBS’ Gus Johnson…

TJ Simers at the LA Times is bothered by local fans reactions to Pete Carroll and the Clippers announcing team…

Jim Carlisle at the Ventura County Star also looks at political correctness playing a role in the Clippers’ broadcast team troubles…

Diane Pucin at the Times writes of the uniqueness of now former Angels broadcaster Rex Hudler…

Tom Hoffarth at the LA Daily News has his “Dubious Dozen” in sports media for 2009…

Chad Finn at the Boston Globe has an interview with the biggest name to jump ship between sports radio behemoth WEEI and the new Sports Hub…

In media notes this week, Mel Bracht at the Oklahoman notes of the return of a former Seattle Sonics voice calling the relocated Oklahoma City Thunder…

David Barron at the Houston Chronicle says more changes await Houston area sports radio…

Dan Caesar at the St. Louis Post Dispatch looks at the end of a run for a local sports radio host… Dan also has news of Fox Sports Midwest’s choice of high school football over the Blues today…

Barry Jackson at the Miami Herald likes what he hears out of Dolphins’ linebacker Channing Crowder on local radio…

Jay Posner at the San Diego Union Tribune looks at why the 7-3 Chargers don’t sell out their home games…

Jim Carlisle at the North County Times previews Pats/Saints on Monday Night Football with the ESPN crew…

Jim Williams at the Washington Examiner talks with ESPN’s Hubie Brown on the fate of the Wizzards…

Dave Kindred, writing at the National Sports Journalism Center at Indiana University, debates whether journalists should “clean-up” quotes to make them more readable…

Chris Zelcovich at the Toronto Star says look for plenty of Grey Cup programming heading into Sunday’s game…Chris also has a Canadian sports viewing guide for the weekend…

Bill Houston at Truth and Rumors looks at the potential for big ratings numbers for Sunday’s Grey Cup… Bill also has advice for the Grey Cup announcers…

Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union questions what’s up at the local sports radio station?

Ed Sherman at Crains Chicago Business has his weekly winners and losers…

Chris Byrne at Eye on Sports Media looks at what happened to the CBS television crew 25 years after telecasting Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary pass against Miami…

The Associated Press reports on the official retirement of longtime Yankees p.a. announcer Bob Sheppard

Mike Puma at the NY Post has the Sheppard story…

The NHL Network has announced it will air a special Sunday on spectacular goaltending achievements

Tim Cronin at the Southtown (IL) Star catches up with ESPN Founder Bill Rasmussen and the venture he is involved with today…

Western Kentucky University announces its slate of televised men’s basketball games…

The Huntington (WV) News reports on the Marshall men’s basketball television schedule…

PR Newswire reports that New England Cox cable subscribers will be able to catch the Providence/Northeastern game on ESPN360...

Former Detroit Tigers announcing great Ernie Harwell pens his favorite things for the Sporting News…

Huliq News looks at ESPN’s multi language coverage of next year’s World Cup…

The Associated Press (via USA Today) looks at how ESPN Desportes will telecast the World Cup in the United States…

Scott D. Pierce at the Salt Lake Deseret News looks at how Real Salt Lake spoiled the ESPN coronation of the LA Galaxy…

The Evansville Courier & Press looks at the expansion of local high school sports coverage on television…