OK, here's why we've been delayed: We're having technical difficulties re-configuring our pay portal for monthly billing, and it's become far more cumbersome than we had imagined. In the meantime, we're working on some interesting projects that we believe will help better-serve our valued clients. We're targeting Aug. 1 for our re-launch for the '08-'09 subscriber cycle. Once again, thanks for your patience.
ITL Notebook: May 11
Three-year draftee scan by firm: We take a look at the firms who have led the way in total draftees over the last three years in today's report.
ITL Notebook: May 4
2008 Non-NIC draftees: We present the firms who represented players not good enough for the combine, but good enough for teams on draft day in today's report.
ITL Notebook: May 3
2008 Combine snubs: We take a look at the agencies with players who got the call to Indy in February but not to any of the 32 NFL cities last weekend in today's report.
ITL Notebook: May 2
CAAn you guess who's No. 1?: We begin our post-draft breakdowns with a three-year scan of first-day selections (rounds 1-3) since 2006 in today's report.
ITL Notebook: April 25
2008 NFL Draft (Rounds 1-7): With just one agent left to track down, here's the breakdown of the 2008 draft with agency, all-star game (if played in one), and NIC status.
ITL Notebook: April 24
Rep Rumblings: As news gets harder to find with the draft hours away, we discuss a merger that ostensibly involves mainly coaches -- but that could be pregnant with possibilities -- in today's report.
ITL Notebook: April 21
We're back: Even more on Lofton -- though we still don't know where he's going -- and a possible new opportunity for clients of ITL subscribers are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: April 16
Rep Rumblings: The latest on Lofton and one other jurisprudence note of interest are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: April 15
NIC List: While we wait for the pursuit of Curtis Lofton to end, we've updated our listing of combine invitees and their agents -- along with firming up the agency names, and in some cases, the new agents for players since they went to Indianapolis -- and it's here.
ITL Notebook: April 14
Rep Rumblings: We've got the latest word on three players expected to go on the first day in two weeks and who their (new) agent choices are.
ITL Notebook: April 11
Rep Rumblings: There's more transition in the turbulent world of football in today's report.
ITL Notebook: April 9
Rep Rumblings: We're back with several notes on comings and goings among draft-eligible players in today's belated report.
ITL Notebook: April 7
Rep Rumblings: The spring is the time when some of the fall's hotshots start blaming their representation for their cooling fortunes. In today's report, we run down the handful of changes that have taken place in the last weeks.
ITL Notebook: April 4
Rep Rumblings: A couple of draft prospects on the move and a follow on one of our previous reports are the highlights of today's report.
ITL Notebook: April 1-3
We're finally back: We run down more all-star rumors and ramblings as well as take care of a couple other issues in today's Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: March 31
Rep Rumblings: ITL closes the book on one high-profile player's agent shift, as well as a word of caution and a potential Midwest marketing opportunity, in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 27-29
Coach-agent listings: Everybody knows certain college head coaches go to bat for specific agents, but how many assistant coaches have connections to player representatives? Even though there's no reason to believe there are any pipelines developed throughout the nation's schools, we felt our subscribers deserved to know. Hence, we present our first list of 25 assistant coaches with relationships (either formerly represented by firms, or who have family who are represented by firms) to player agencies.
ITL Notebook: March 26
Rep Rumblings: It's all over the net: Joseph Addai is now agent-less. While we're still trying to independently confirm this, we take a look at who might be the next agency in line for the Colts' young superstar.
ITL Notebook: March 25
'08 free agency scoreboard: With free agency ground to a near-halt, ITL rolls out its rendering of who did the most with the least this month.
Rep Rumblings: Even more recruiting notes, including one firm that may be expanding its base, in today's one-day-late report.
ITL Notebook: March 21
Rep Rumblings: A couple more recruiting notes, plus a note to subscribers, in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 20
More opportunities for '09 draftees?: Another day, another rumored all-star game. We detail the latest we've heard in today's Rep Rumblings, along with a couple tips to clip if you recruit in Miami or Minneapolis.
ITL Notebook: March 19
News and notes: We look forward with a couple tips on next year's recruiting (plus one new hire by a major firm) in today's Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: March 18
Is the fat lady warming up?: It ain't over for one of the bigger firms out there, but it's not looking good, either, as we examine in today's Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: March 17
It's brief but it's here: As we try to get back on track schedule-wise, we roll out today's to-the-point Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: March 16
Market sharing: We see the NFLPA’s new rules restricting agents’ access to underclassmen giving new power to marketing specialists as recruiters and pushing them into stronger alliances with players, ITL is going to start paying a lot more attention to the off-the-field deals NFL players are getting – keeping an eye on what players are getting (and not getting), tracking who’s out there, and of course, looking for opportunities for our subscribers (as we’ve already begun to do this week). With that in mind, we introduce our first-ever Player Marketing Grid featuring 30-plus active NFL players and a look at their marketing partnerships (all courtesy whoisyoursponsor.com). It’s far from comprehensive, but it’s a start. As we go forward, we will add in players’ paid radio shows, appearances, endorsement deals – anything we can come up with that lets our subscribers know where their players stand in the continuously growing matrix of opportunities for NFL players. We’ll also ask you, our subscribers, to lend a hand by providing information as the marketing arms of your companies (or the marketers employed by your clients) strike deals. Enjoy.
ITL Notebook: March 15
We're running way behind: Yes, we owe you two reports for this week. Sorry for the delay. Keep sifting through the pro day reports on NFL.com and we'll get you a double report tonight. Again, sorry for the delay.
ITL Notebook: March 12
Rep rumblings: The latest news on two all-star projects in the works for Winter '08/'09 as well as potential marketing opportunities for players represneted by ITL subscribers (and more) are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 11
Rep rumblings: We've got a few more players, veterans and draft hopefuls alike, who are on the move in today's Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: March 10
Rep rumblings: More agents are on the move, as noted in today's brief Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: March 7
Rep rumblings: Oral surgery delayed our second Rep Rumblings, but we're back with the early post-mortem on the AAFL as well as a handful of signing news on some marquee draft prospects.
ITL Notebook: March 5
Rep rumblings: After a couple days' delay, Rep Rumblings is back with notes on an agency with troubles (and the fallout), some solid prospects without representation, a few interesting notes found while trolling the Web, and more.
ITL Notebook: March 1
NIC player-agent list: We take a different look at the player-agent changes, sorting them by the number of new players each agent has taken on, in today's report.Now updated with 2008 free agents in bold.In other news, we detail a misstep by a newby agent in Miami that caused agent aggravation this week.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 24
NIC player-agent list: We present the much-awaited player-agent list in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 22
WE'RE BACK: On March 1, Inside the League returns with a new-and-improved site that will bring subscribers all of the same information you can find only at ITL, along with several new facets aimed at making good agents better.
ITL founder (and Executive Director of Football Operations for the '08 Hula Bowl) Neil Stratton is back from his hiatus in Honolulu. In the meantime, check back throughout the weekend during NIC '08 for updates on players and their agents for this year's combine, player-agent changes since the start of last year's free agency, and news and notes of every stripe.
If you're new to the site and want a trial subscription so you can take a look around -- or if you want to receive the entire list of 93 player-agent changes since last February -- email nstratton@insidetheleague.com.
SEE YOU MARCH 1!
ITL Notebook: Aug. 8
Rep rumblings: Today's report involves everyone's (or nearly everyone's) favorite junior, Arkansas OH Darren McFadden, and the rumors on who's set their sights on the talented rusher.
ITL Notebook: July 27
Shuffling in Buffalo: Actually, there's been quite a bit of change in the scouting staffs of every team (not just the Bills) since the end of the 2006 season, when we started our tracking of the front offices of all 32 NFL teams. In our first-ever big board of front office transitions, we take a look at the changes -- promotions, firings, retirements, and plain 'ol switches of teams -- that have taken place (mainly in the college scouting staffs) in the NFL. Did we miss any? Let us know by using the 'Contact Us' button in the menu bar. QUICK NOTE: We got some bad information on Chicago's front office; contrary to what we originally reported, there have been no changes on the Bears' staff. Our grid has been corrected to reflect this.
ITL Notebook: July 18
Musical chairs: If you've already printed out our rundown of the top 34 firms in the '07 draft and included them in your recruiting materials for this fall, well, tear them up. There's been a good bit of flux since the last weekend in April, and we'll be needing to re-configure things shortly (which we will do). Why? Well, here's one story about two key draftees who've changed the address of their agency since the draft.
ITL Notebook: July 9
Yes, we're back: . . . with a very short report on some players who will be working out in the days leading up to Thursday's Supplemental Draft. Hope this tides you over for now. More on the way -- plus some big news for ITL subscribers -- this week.
ITL Notebook: May 23
Rep rumblings: A handful of terminations -- of players and of one scout -- and more are included in today's report.
ITL Notebook: May 22
All-star draft grid: We present the scorecard for the 2007 all-star games with numbers by round and percentage in today's report.
ITL Notebook: May 18
Top 35 agencies, 2007 draft (rejiggered and refigured): Now corrected to reflect the changes and holes that needed to be filled, we present the new and improved top firms (now with 34 in all) in this year's draft, based on a minimum of three draftees.
ITL Notebook: May 10-11
Agency rank by players drafted: We rank the top 35 firms in the draft in this order: total number of draftees, total number of first-rounders, total number of first-day picks, and highest draftee as the final tie-breaker. NOTE: This list is not an overall ranking of the firms, but strictly a bulk list based on the number of players drafted by firm. That list will come later.
ITL Notebook: May 8-9
Non-NIC draftees by firm: We've got the firms who did the best with non-combine invitees on draft weekend in today's report.
ITL Notebook: May 7
OK, we're back: After taking most of a week off after this year's draft, we return to continue our post-draft breakdown. In today's report, we rank the top 20 firms with NIC invitees snubbed on draft day.
ITL Notebook: April 30
Draft-day grid: It's still in need of a few nips and tucks, but here is the grid containing player, agent, all-star game and combine/no combine per pick. We begin breaking it all down tomorrow.
ITL Notebook: April 27
You heard it hear first: Inside the League has learned that the Houston Texans, as rumored previously, will swap first-rounders with Denver later today in exchange for Denver's second-round pick this year, No. 56. The Broncos will select Mississippi IB Patrick Willis.
With the Texans' first- and second-round picks, Houston is considering four players: Utah FS Eric Weddle, Ohio St. WO Anthony Gonzalez, Southern Cal WO Dwayne Jarrett and Florida FS Reggie Nelson, with Weddle heading the list of players expected to still be available at 56 when the Texans are on the clock.
There's more: San Francisco now heads the list of pursuers of Georgia Tech WO Calvin Johnson. With 10 picks in this year's draft all told and four on the first day, they are a good fit with Detroit, which has decided on Clemson DE Gaines Adams as its choice, but does not want to pay the freight for a No. 2 overall choice and believes the Tiger can be had later in the draft. It's unclear how many picks the Lions will receive to move down.
ITL Notebook: April 25
Introducing the ITL Player Programs Page:Click here to access our newest addition to the Inside the League portfolio of services. Here's how it works: we've listed 10 Houston-area vendors of high-end and specialty services and negotiated special services and rates by taking you straight to the vendor (or in some cases, the proprietor of the service). In this way, we've been able to eliminate overhead additions (as well as red tape) by giving you immediate access numbers to the people who can get things done without delay. But remember, you must identify yourself as an ITL subscriber to get the rates/services we've negotiated. We're just getting started (with 10 so far), but we believe our list is sure to grow quickly as we've already gathered investment properties, high-end residential services and luxury auto services among our providers. Have at it.
ALSO: For our subscribers' clients who hear their names called by the Eagles this weekend, we've got a special deal on luxury condos -- fully appointed, newly renovated and available for long- and short-term rental -- in Center City Philly. Click here for details.
Top 30 update: We've added a few more names to the board in our master grid. Our first-ever Player Programs page is on its way.
ITL Notebook: April 23-24
Top 30 board: With the countdown now at T-minus-4 days, we update our master grid to reflect what we know (and which teams are keeping their visits exceptionally close to the vest). The game plan the rest of the week is to prepare our 'pro player board' for the limited number of cities we'll trot it out this year (with Houston to be the most detailed) in time for selection day.
ITL Notebook: April 19
Rep rumblings again (finally): Here's another report on some players who are changing agents, and in one case, how one minor draft-eligible player's switch may signal much bigger things to come.
ITL Notebook: April 17
Rep rumblings is back: Some potentially juicy information on changes in agents -- and what one specific change may mean -- is in today's report,newly updated as or 10:45 a.m. CST with the confirmation of a link between one especially powerful marketing executive and his NFLPA-certified affiliate.
ITL Notebook: April 16
At long last: We're finally done with the agent changes since Jan. 26. Check them out (all 130 of them) here.
ITL Notebook: April 12
Top 30 (by player):Here's a brief update (not yet sorted in with the Top 30 overall grid yet).
ITL Notebook: April 10-11
Top 30 grid updated: Here's the master grid, updated with previous information along with some new additions. We now have at least one player visiting for 29 of the 32 teams, and we're a long way from done.
ITL Notebook: April 9
Top 30 visits:Here's a text-based (not yet coded) update. Still haven't gotten the Top 30 grid updated, but it's coming.
ITL Notebook: April 6
Playing catch-up: We're running behind again but will try to update the team-by-team as well as the latest Top 30 visits we've gathered later today. And we are still working on the agent changes. More later.
ITL Notebook: April 4-5
Top 30 update:Here's today's latest Top 30 invitees (updated with a few more players since Wednesday).
Rounding third and heading for home: Here's our latest tally of Top 30 visits and the latest we've come up with here.
ITL Notebook: March 30
More Top 30: We expand our team list and break down the latest players we've learned have scheduled team visits in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 29
Top 30 grids: No, we don't have the player-agent changes yet; it's been a busy week. However, we do have the Top 30 visits we've been able to cobble together in by-player and by-team grids.
ITL Notebook: March 28
Rep rumblings: As we close in on completing the agent changes grid, we provide a fairly meaty report,including a clarification/update on some bad information we received this morning (March 28).
ITL Notebook: March 25-26
(Still) under construction: Our composition of the agent-changes list is dragging. In the meantime, chew on Pete Williams' answers to the questions we posed him on the release of the paperback version of his excellent The Draft: A Year Inside the NFL's Search for Talent.
ITL Notebook: March 23
Rep rumblings: We put one rumor to rest (while still chasing another one) in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 21
Another late one:Here's our latest batch of news and notes.
ITL Notebook: March 20
Late Night with ITL: Here's today's report. More in the morning.
ITL Notebook: March 19
Houston-area memorabilia dealers list: Here's a list of Houston-area sports memorabilia dealers interested in autograph signings, shows, and the like that we've managed to cobble together.
ITL Notebook: March 16
Rep rumblings: Ten thoughts on workouts, who trained whom, top-20 visits and one interesting non-football termination are included in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 15
Rep rumblings: Two recent terminations (one confirmed, one believed to be credible) plus a handful of the few remaining NIC player-agent signings and our latest service sponsor are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 13-14
Introducing our first-ever NIC trainers grading grid: It's the eternal question: Are players already fast, or do combine trainers make them run fast? That's hard to answer. What's easier to answer is, who make them run faster? In our first-ever NIC trainers grading grid, we answer that question for the top 37 'movers' in improving their preseason 40 times vs. the times they recorded in Indianapolis. Two workout facilities -- one you've heard of, one third-year gym you might not have -- dominate the list. Check it out here.
ITL Notebook: March 12
Rep rumblings: We're still trying to finish up our list of the most-improved 40 times at the combine and the trainers who helped effect these times. In the meantime, check out a few notes in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 8
Rep rumblings: A workout-flavored report is finally here.
ITL Notebook: March 7
Rep rumblings: For today's report, we make our completely subjective rankings of the top 35 deals to date in the first week of Free Agency 2007, including agents that negotiated the deals.
ITL Notebook: March 6
Rep rumblings: We discuss a few notes on players making changes in their representation, and also announce our first major service-oriented value-add specifically for Inside the League subscibers that we believe will be especially valuable during the free agency period. Check it out here.
ITL Notebook: March 5
Rep rumblings: After our weekend swing-and-miss, we try to play catch-up and explain things, along with providing an off-field opportunity for Houston-area clients, in today's report.
ITL Notebook: March 1
Special note: Now that we're down to just seven players still missing on our NIC player-agent list, we've taken on the Herculean task of trying to match players with their combine prep facilities. We've been delayed in our task, but we're asking subscribers to help us in our efforts by e-mailing us at nstratton@insidetheleague.com. This is only for combine invitees, please. No disrespect; we just have to draw the line somewhere.
Also, as we assemble our pro day list, we are again asking for our subscribers' help. Please send in your clients' pro days so we don't miss anyone.
Thanks again for your efforts. Tune in tomorrow when we will begin assembling both lists comprehensively.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 28
Rep rumblings: A brief post-NIC report wraps up February.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 27
Rep rumblings: The circle of players with as yet unknown agents (at least to us) draws tighter as we announce three more names in today's report as well as passing along big news on the combine prep front and a little more news of note (newly updated as of 11:30 a.m. CST).
ITL Notebook: Feb. 25
Rep rumblings: Here's what we've been unable to unearth among the agent buzz circulating in Indianapolis this weekend.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 24
NIC list upgraded: We're down to 14 holes left in our player-agent list for this year's combine. Check it out here.
Rep rumblings: We've found some juicy stuff afoot in our first day in Indianapolis. Check it out here.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 21
Rankings: Here's our quickie, no-frills pre-combine rankings; please, no death threats. See you in Indianapolis.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 20
Rep rumblings: As we work on our pre-NIC rankings we spill on a rumor we heard about this year's combine (and what we've heard of the veracity of it) and provide one more big signing class in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 19
NIC players with agents: Coded at last here. We'll try to tie down some last rumors and give our pre-NIC rankings this week.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 16
Rep rumblings: A new NIC addition and a handful of signings are included in today's notebook.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 14-15
NIC list: It's still a mess, but with a week until players report to Indianapolis, we're down to less than 50 vacancies in our player-agent list. Check it out here. Here's the grid so far (first 100).
ITL Notebook: Feb. 13
Rep rumblings: Here's a tiny report to chew on (updated as of 11:30 a.m. CST Tuesday with three more combine signees and one correction) as we tidy up the NIC list and rush to get our stuff out of Anna Nicole's mansion.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 12
Rep rumblings: We're still working on improving our NIC grid. Here's the latest we've heard on agent changes and general signings we had missed previously.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 8-9
Combine agent-player list: It's still a mess (we'll code it later), and we're still about 55 players short, but here's what we have so far.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 7
Agent changes: With the season over, we caught up with the players making changes in their representation since our last report, Oct. 3, in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Feb. 5-6
Inta Juice wrapup: As we hustle to finish our all-star coverage, we present a brief notebook on the North roster at the first-ever Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic. A general notebook (with a focus on the South) is here.
Senior Bowl wrap: Here's our top 40 players at the Senior Bowl this year. The breakdown by position is here.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 30
Updated ETA: Our Senior Bowl superlatives are still being sorted out. We're still working on our Shrine Game and Inta Juice coverage. Here's something to tide you over: a brief rep rumblings.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 28
A big Army loss: According to a source at Army, head coach Bobby Ross will officially resign tomorrow after telling his team of his plans tonight. His offensive line coach, former Saints OT Stan Brock, will take over.
Catching up: Upon returning to Houston after Wednesday's workouts, a couple of non-emergency family medical crises slowed our processing of reports. Here at long last is Tuesday's South report. We'll wrap up Wednesday's work (for North and South) tomorrow (Saturday) and run down the best and worst of the week on Monday.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 24
Rep rumblings: We lead things off with news on the signing of one of the top five players in this year's draft as well as a couple of the top juniors in this year's draft -- while also snuffing a rumor getting heavy action here in Mobile -- in today's report.AN UPDATE: As of Thursday, Wednesday's Rep Rumblings has been beefed up with the latest top-five domino to fall.
As we catch up on yesterday's practices, we report on what we saw at the North practice Tuesday. South workout notes on the way.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 23
Senior Bowl 2007: Here's the North roster with all the fixin's and here's the South. As for the workouts, Mondays always run concurrently for the North and South. Though we couldn't be at two places at once, here's what we saw at the South practice. Finally, here's a Rep Rumblings report that's abbreviated but long on big names.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 19
Rep rumblings: Here's our last (we think) rep report of the week as we continue to round up information on the on-field work in Houston the last two weeks.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 18
Rep rumblings: While we try to dig out from under a mountain of notes on this week's workouts, here's a report on the signing news we've heard in Houston this week.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 17
Shrine update: Here's the East roster with agents, and here's the West.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 16
Rep rumblings: Here's another jumbo report full of signings gathered yesterday in and around the Texans practice bubble, where the first day of East-West Shrine Game workouts were held. We know -- we owe you workout reports, too, plus a final wrapup of last week's Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic. It's coming. As always, thanks for your patience.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 14
We're back: Here's the player-by-player agent breakdown for the North and South rosters. The latest signings report for players not in Houston is here, with a general notes package from the week, including some players who helped their stock and other notes, to come Tuesday.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 6
Rep rumblings: An all-star notebook chock full of signing information (including a just-posted update on the status of one of the best juniors weighing early entry) is in today's report.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON PERSONNEL/LATE INVITEES TO THE INTA JUICE NORTH-SOUTH ALL-STAR CLASSIC:
As might be imagined, we have been deluged with the agents for players who had spots in the recently canceled Las Vegas All-American Classic. Obviously, it will be impossible to accomodate everyone or even most of the players. However, our plan is to expand our rosters a bit to try to include a handful of LVAAC invitees. We are doing this out of regard for the unfortunate situation for all these young men.
With this said, we can only extend the hand of opportunity, not charity. We are limited by our budget for this year's game and cannot afford to accomodate the travel and housing needs of players seeking late entry to the game. As such, our tentative plan is to ask for players to be responsible for getting to Houston and back on their own and also paying for their own lodging, though we will be able to place them in our headquarters hotel (at this time).
All agents inquiring about their players must know that these are the terms we are required to ask late entries to abide by. This is not meant as a gesture of disrespect to our late invitees, but one of fiscal necessity on our part.
Cancellation of '07 LVAAC has Alton 'relieved'
Las Vegas All-American Classic founder Darry Alton said he was "ready to pop a cork tonight, and I don't even drink" after the announcement that the game would not be played this year.
“When we signed our television contract we lost ability to work with the convention and tourism side of Las Vegas and any of the casinos. That left sponsorship holes that we could not fill. We have made every effort to recoup the funding and our last effort fell through today,” Alton said in a press release. “We are embarrassed at such a late notice, but it is due to working so hard and trying to make the game happen. We are most disappointed in leaving the committed players without a game to showcase their talents but it makes no sense business wise to proceed with this years game.”
"We do anticipate the All-American Classic being played in 2008, but under new ownership. The new owners are extraordinary men with a love for football and the financial backing to make the game successful. Vegas is still the best place in America for an all-star game and next year the game will be bigger and better, just not under my reign,” said Alton further in his statement.
The announcement came in the wake of a collapsed sponsorship deal that would have netted Alton the necessary cash to keep the game afloat.
While careful to say he was "sorry for the kids that won't have a game," he admitted he was "relieved" and happy to be out from under the burden of pleasing those inside the "game behind the game" who pulled the levers for players interested in getting exposure before NFL scouts.
"There are some agents that I don't care if I ever see again in my life," he said.
He said the "game of musical chairs" conducted in the last days before reporting date for the annual game are excruciating. "I won't miss that," he said.
Alton also asserted that the game will return in 2008 with "people with deeper pockets" handling the finances and Alton in charge only of the personnel. The game was to be broadcast for the first time on the NFL Network this year.
He also said that the Magnolia Classic would be played in December 2007 as scheduled. The game recently completed its second edition.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 3
Down to the wire in Houston: With last-minute arrangements being made for the arrival of just over 100 players at the Sheraton Brookhollow Sunday, we're a little backed up. We'll be back tomorrow with a fat notebook.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 3
Rep rumblings: Now that things are getting good, we report items big and small, confirmed and unconfirmed, in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 3
It's deadline day: We're helping finish up the rosters for the inaugural Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic today, so things are a little backed up. We'll be back tomorrow with plenty of big signings, as well as (we hope) the final rosters for the game.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 2
Rep rumblings: Running a little behind schedule, we post 13 notes in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Jan. 1
Happy New Year: In a short-but-sweet holiday edition of Rep Rumblings, a couple of big signings.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 29
Better late than never: We hope that you'll find that today's report was worth the wait. Plenty of signings information (confirmed and unconfirmed) and a few all-star notes are included.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 28
Inta Juice notes: There are still a few openings left for the inaugural Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic. Find out what positions are still vacant, as well as how ITL subscribers can get their players into consideration for the game, by clicking here.
Rep rumblings: More notes on who's going where are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 27
We're back: After a short break we return with today's report, which includes 14 notes on signings.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 22
Rep rumblings: A handful of signing decisions (including one player headed to the Senior Bowl) are part of today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 21
Rep rumblings: A few notes on some high-profile West Coast players and who has the inside track for representation as well as two players who may be 'moving up' in all-star status are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 20
Rep rumblings: ITL practices its backpedal a bit on some previously reported information and relates an interesting recruiting story in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 19
Rep rumblings: A couple signings and a few all-star selections are included in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 18
Rep rumblings: The usual signings, rumors of signings, and all-star appearances are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 14-15
Rep rumblings times 2: Lots of big names and lots of interesting rumors are part of today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 13
Rep rumblings: The trickle of signings continues in today's report, along with a handful of all-star invites and some interesting rumors.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 12
Rep rumblings: A handful of confirmed signings and a handful of unconfirmed signings are included in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 11
Setting the record straight: On Friday, we reported that California OH Marshawn Lynch had narrowed down his search to two finalists. On Saturday, Patrick Lynch, called to clarify things. Lynch, 46, Marshawn’s cousin, is an investment banker with a background advising government officials (he lists four big-city mayors as his former clients). The elder Lynch, personable and articulate, politely but forcefully assured us that, despite our report, “no one has a leg up on any others.” Here's a transcription of his conversation with ITL.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 7-8
Introducing the 2007 Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic Rosters: We're about 80 percent full. Check our incomplete -- but growing -- list of players here.
Rep rumblings: Lots of rumors, some unconfirmed signings and the latest all-star news are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 6
Rep rumblings: A handful of all-star selections, a few signings (including one major confirmed agent pick) and selected other notes are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 5
Rep rumblings: A handful of signings and rumors of signings are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Dec. 4
Rep rumblings: We roll out the latest invitees to the Senior Bowl, Shrine Game and Hula Bowl, and also include notes on another new all-star game in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 30-Dec. 1
Rep rumblings: After coming up short yesterday, we provide a bundle of names headed to all-star games as well as signed (and reportedly close to signing) with player representatives. Check it out here.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 29
Rep rumblings: We've got the latest news on a talent junior QB who may be bolting early for the NFL along with the usual notes on signings and all-star games in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 28
Rep rumblings: A few dispatches from the first all-star game of the season, a few more all-star notes and what we're hearing on the agent prospects for one of this season's top junior players are all in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 27
Rep rumblings: We take a look at a battle over the most highly regarded junior receivers in this year's draft and include a couple all-star notes in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 23-24
Happy Thanksgiving: A post-mortem for the late Cactus Bowl, an early entry, a couple of all-star notes and the first major quarterback prospect to officially pick his agent are in today's Turkey Day edition of Rep Rumblings.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 22
Rep rumblings: Our reports seem to be later and later in coming, but we think you'll agree today's report is worth the wait. Today we roll out the season's first signing (that we know of), a bucket of juicy rumors and plenty of all-star notes.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 20-21
Rep rumblings: A bushel of all-star information (and some misinformation, which came from us) is in today's report as well as the latest rumors on the representation for a top player in this year's draft class.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 18
Rep rumblings: After checking out the Hula Bowl's recently released partial listing of players headed to Honolulu, we've heard a few players may not be ready to step on the plane. We run down what we've heard as well as a couple of signing briefs and more all-star news in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 16
Rep rumblings: Another leader has emerged for one of the top cornerbacks in this year's draft and we detail it, as well as several all-star notes, in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 15
Rep rumblings: We check in with the latest word on several agent choices in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 13-14
All-star grid: At long last we've updated our list with more names on the way.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 10
Rep rumblings: We update the action on the presumed top OT in this year's draft as well as including several other West Coast player notes in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 9
Rep rumblings: A couple of interesting notes from the recruiting trail, another name for the Senior Bowl, and a postscript on the tragic death of Miami DL Bryan Pata are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 8
Rep rumblings: The murky intentions of a tackle who could seriously upgrade the offensive line crop, news about the Magnolia Gridiron Classic and more are in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 6-7
Rep rumblings: After snubbing subscribers yesterday due to an uncooperative laptop (our apologies), we beef up yesterday's news for a slightly larger report today.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 3
Rep rumblings: We take a look at the muddled picture emerging from the latest Steinberg-Tollner arrangement as well as other assorted notes from around the recruiting trail in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Nov. 2
Have you heard?: There's a new postseason all-star game in the mix: the Inta Juice North-South All-Star Classic, which will be played Jan. 13 in Houston and broadcast on ESPN. Got questions? Maybe our FAQ can be of service.
ITL Notebook: Oct. 31-Nov. 1
Top 50 agents grid: It took us a lot longer than we thought it would, but we present our totally objective ranking of the top 50 individual player representatives in the game today as ranked based on seven categories: total first-rounders, total first-day picks, total clients, first-rounders represented as a percentage of overall client list, percentage of first-day selectees as a percentage of overall client list, first-rounders since 2000 represented and first-day selectees represented since 2000. The last two categories are included to give weight to agents who are still relevant in today's league vs. those who retain a lengthy client list of players in the final stages of their careers. Note: To be ranked, agents had to have (a) at least one first-rounder represented and (b) at least 10 clients. All numbers are taken from NFLPA information provided to the media as of Week 2 of the 2006 season.
ITL Notebook: Oct. 30
RR 13 unlucky for game: On All Hallows Eve, it looks like the reaper may be closing in on the Hula Bowl. We detail the warning signs out on the game as well as a bundle of newly announced (and as-yet-unannounced) invitees to postseason extravaganzas in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Oct. 27
Rep rumblings:Today's report is heavily flavored with West Coast whispers along with a few more postseason invitees.
ITL Notebook: Oct. 26
Rep rumblings: Three potential early entries (and their potential representation), a handful of all-star selectees and one agent who could hit it big at Clemson this year are detailed in today's report.
ITL Notebook: Oct. 24-25
Cracking down in Cajun town: You may have already seen t
