No longer bitter, Jeff Bigger believes the third Native American All-Star football game will be better than ever.

“It will be just as good as any all-star game in the country,” said Bigger, the game’s founder and director.

Players will report to dorms on the Haskell Indian Nations University campus Tuesday. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Haskell Stadium.

Bigger, who runs OKscouting Inc., in Tulsa, Okla., started the all-star game in 2002 as a showcase for American Indian high school football players.

“That first year I took a real (financial) beating,” Bigger said, “but our sponsors have kept growing and growing, and it’s finally to the point where people see what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Bigger’s frustrations peaked last year when he withdrew his support after clashing with HINU administrators over lodging and meals. John Harjo, a Bigger friend who runs NDNsports.com out of Idabel, Okla., took over on an interim basis.

Later, Bigger vowed he would move the game elsewhere in 2004, adding there was only a “50-50 chance” he would return to Haskell in 2005. However, new HINU athletic director Dwight Pickering and football coach Eric Brock convinced Bigger to return this year.

“I’m glad to see the game back,” said Brock, now in his third year as head coach of the Fightin’ Indians. “There were a lot of wrinkles early, from which ice machine to use to which practice fields, but we ironed them out.”

All in all, cooperation prevented further combustion.

“Haskell bent over backwards,” Bigger said. “They welcomed us with open arms. Coach Brock, especially, has worked his tail off to stabilize the game. We’re looking at a long-term relationship.”

Another stabilizing factor is Carl Madison, a 73-year-old retired high school football coach who will come from Florida for the third straight year to guide the West team. Madison’s teams won the first two all-star games, prevailing 27-10 in 2002 and 30-7 last year.

“I think he’ll be tested this year,” Bigger said. “We’re billing it as the ‘Old School’ against the ‘New School.'”

For the third straight year, the East will have a different coach. The inaugural East coach was Herman Boone, the legendary prep coach whose life story was the basis of the film “Remember the Titans.” Last year, Dominic Bramante of Riverside Indian School handled the East reins.

This year’s East coach was supposed to be Perry Beaver of Jenks, Okla., High, but Beaver underwent quadruple bypass surgery two weeks ago and has been replaced by Antoine Jimmerson of Tulsa Washington High.

“Antoine has had some really talented players at Washington High,” Bigger said. “He’s a great guy and a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. We’re happy he was able to step in.”

Each of last year’s all-star teams contained only 22 players, but Bigger is planning on 30-team rosters this year, thanks in part to enhanced sponsorships and Haskell’s cooperation.

“That first year we pretty much did what we could with what we had,” Bigger said, “but you’re going to see some great talent this year.”

Specifically, Bigger mentioned John Sullivan, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound linebacker from Winslow, Ariz.

“In the 25 years I’ve been coaching,” Bigger said, “I’ve never seen a kid hit as hard on film.”

After reporting Tuesday morning, the all-stars will head to the practice fields. Sessions are scheduled for 2 and 7 p.m. Morning, afternoon and evening practices are scheduled Wednesday and Thursday. Friday’s schedule shows morning and afternoon workouts.