Here's a patch that fixes the strongly typed repeater so that you can set a HeaderTemplate and FooterTemplate based on the reported bug here:
http://community.codesmithtools.com/forums/p/8074/30185.aspx#30185
This patch will also remove the <span> tags that surrounded the itemtemplate (as well as the headertemplate and footertemplate once I got those working).
I completely commented out the the CreateChildControls() method, and moved the appropriate code that adds the HeaderTemplate and FooterTemplate to the CreateChildControls(IEnumerable dataSource, bool dataBinding) method. I'm not sure if this will break anything, so I would like some input on this if anyone disagrees with the methodology here.
I only made a modification to the TableRepeater.cst file, not the ViewRepeater.cst file.
I'm outside ur box, shiftin' ur paradigm.