Categories
Dynasty Athlete Representation

2/6/09 News & Notes

2/5/09

Tennessee Tech (Steve Payne) (11-11) vs. Eastern Kentucky

Tennessee Tech fell to EKU by a score of 80-73 on Thursday night. EKU had four Colonels score in double figures. Tennessee Tech (11-11, 5-7) opened the game with a 14-8 lead, but Eastern Kentucky went on a 21-5 run to take a 29-19 advantage on a Rose 3-pointer. The Colonels made nine 3-pointers in the first half and took a 43-32 lead into halftime for their seventh win in nine games and third straight. Kevin Murphy led Tennessee Tech with 21 points, including going 6-for-9 from 3-point range.

Louisiana-Lafayette (Robert Lee) (8-14) vs. Florida International

Chris Gradnigo scored 31 points and Louisiana-Lafayette defeated Florida International 90-73 on Thursday night. The Ragin’ Cajuns (8-14, 5-6 Sun Belt Conference) shot 46.7 percent from behind the 3-point arc (14 of 30), just one game after shooting five percent (2 of 38) from long range at Florida Atlantic on Saturday. Randell Daigle and Gradnigo each hit five 3-pointers. Daigle added 15 points for the Ragin’ Cajuns and LaRyan Gary chipped in 12. Louisiana-Lafayette led by as many as 24 points, 71-47 on a Travis Bureau 3-pointer with 13:33 left to play. Gradnigo, who had 22 points in the first half, was the first Louisiana-Lafayette player since Anthony Johnson on Jan. 24, 2002 to score 30-plus points in the Cajundome.

Arkansas State (Elwyn McRoy) (13-9) vs. Troy

Troy defeated Arkansas State 85-77 Thursday night for the Trojans’ seventh straight win, the longest current winning streak in the Sun Belt Conference, and coach Don Maestri’s 450th career victory.The Trojans (14-10, 9-3) trailed only once, at 30-29, and led 41-34 at halftime. Troy led by 24 points at 80-56 with 6:40 remaining. Eric McKinney led the Red Wolves, who have lost four straight to Troy, with 16 points. Donald Boone added 15 and Brandon Ayers and Yima Chia-Kur had 10 apiece.

UIC (Tracy Dildy) (10-12) vs. Cleveland State

Cleveland State got a 66-63 win over Illinois-Chicago on Thursday night. Cleveland State (16-8, 7-5 Horizon League) trailed the entire second half until a late three-pointer. Cleveland State sealed the game by making two foul shots with seven seconds left. Illinois-Chicago (10-12, 3-9) led 48-37 points with just over 16 minutes left, when the Vikings went on an 11-2 run. Robo Kreps led the Flames with 19 points. Scott Vandermeer added 13 points and 10 rebounds; Tori Boyd scored 11 points and Josh Mayo, who missed the last game with with a sprained ankle, chipped in 10.

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.