Rumors have been circulating for months about the magazine, which Time Inc. is calling a test so far. An SI spokesperson confirms that Time Inc. has sent out two direct mail campaigns soliciting readers to send in for a free issue but claims there's as yet no launch date, no cover price, no distribution plan, no rate base and no actual magazine to speak of.

That hasn't stopped the buzz machine, which clicked into gear this morning after the New York Post obtained one of the mailings, which reportedly includes a cover layout featuring no less an athlete than New England quarterback Tom Brady pitching his own workout regimen.

The SI spokesperson says the tentative launch will differ from SI in its health and fitness emphasis. That would put the title squarely against Rodale's Men's Health, with its emphasis on fitness and grooming, but also competing with other titles in the men's category, such as GQ.

But what's novel about the Edge concept is that it could double as a fitness magazine and a fan sports title. According to the Post's report, many of the training regimens Edge will detail will come from star athletes like Lance Armstrong and LeBron James, while women's advice will draw on the wisdom of celebrities like tennis's Anna Kournikova.