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Two Days In April, Two Years Ago

Two Days in AprilI finally watched the movie We Are Marshall on Christmas Day, and I have to say that it was one of the best football movies I have seen.  I am now hungry for a new, exciting football movie to be released.  I may get that wish in 2008, when producers hope that Two Days in April is available for purchase on DVD.

Current CAA agent, Tom Condon, pitched the idea for Two Days in April.  The movie follows a few of his clients as they ready themselves for the 2006 NFL Draft.  The NFL Draft has become quite a spectacle, with coverage for the 2009 draft starting while the 2008 draft will be going on.  People all across the world tune in to the long, drawn out event that features names like Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay.

Interestingly, it seems that Two Days in April will cover a lot of topics that the recently reviewed book, Game Time, focused on.  The Senior Bowl, combines, team work outs, etc. are to be shown much in the same way that Ted Kluck wrote about them.

Condon’s incentive for pushing the pitch?  It would be an “incredible marketing tool”, of course [Lights, camera …].  This “marketing tool” has gone through a lot of crap so far.  Many of Condon’s clients felt uncomfortable in the making of the movie, leaving producers with players like Derek Hagan, Travis Wilson, Clint Ingram, and DonTrell Moore to film.  The NFL did not want to release combine footage.  Condon switched from IMG to CAA…but luckily, IMG signed off on allowing the project to continue.

It seemed like the movie would survive and potentially be a DVD hit until Condon abruptly decided against appearing on the film and withheld his right of final artistic sign-off.  Originally, Condon thought this movie would be an “incredible marketing tool.”  Now he was afraid that other agents would use it against him to their marketing benefit.  Condon still has a lawsuit pending against him on four different grounds based on his actions in stalling the film’s release.

I know that the movie may be out of date (it is based on the 2006 NFL Draft) and covers athletes that are not at the top of their class, but I personally cannot wait to see it.  I am interested to see how this movie that has jumped through ten thousand hoops turns out looking on my HD TV.

The movie’s website: Two Days in April | Home.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.