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Just heard that Michael Lewis was taken off the pratice field in an ambulance. No one knows exactly what happened. Hope he is ok.

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This is NOT what we need. Hopefully it is not serrious but sounds scarey none the less.

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WWL just reported that the stretcher was precautionary. Still don\'t know how serious the injury is. Could just be a stinger.

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We hold our breath and pray!

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Michael Lewis injured at morning practice
07/28/2003

ASSOCIATED PRESS


Saints special teams stando Michael Lewis was injured this morning in pre-practice drills.




AP
Michael Lewis
Lewis and safety Mel Mitchell collided. The players were working in separate areas next to each other when the collision occurred.


Lewis was strapped to a gurney, loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital. A Saints spokesman said the move was precautionary since Lewis complained of tingling in his hands after the collision.


Lewis is a popular player, who\'s known as the \"beer man.\" He was signed to the practice squad in 2000 even though he had no college experience. Since then, he\'s been a special teams standout, setting an NFL record last season for combined kickoff and punt return yardage. He also was selected for his first Pro-Bowl appearance





http://www.wwltv.com/sports/saints/W....d227167c.html

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Lewis undergoes tests after practice collision
07/28/2003

WWLTV.com


Saints kick returner Michael Lewis is undergoing tests after a Monday morning collision during practice, according to team spokesman Greg Bensel.


Lewis collided with free safety Mel Mitchell during drills and was taken off on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital.




WWL-TV
Lewis is carted off the practice field
\"Michael Lewis is at the hospital right now being examined by our team physicians. All preliminary tests were positive,� said Saints head trainer Scottie Patton. “He still has some upper back and neck pain and discomfort. Neurologically, he is sound.


Lewis will have “additional diagnostic studies, \" but Patton said the Pro Bowl returner had no numbness, and “strength in all of his extremities.�


Patton said putting Lewis on the stretcher was a precautionary step.


\"From the preliminary exams and the symptoms that are present, we didn\'t want to run the risk, so we decided to transport for further evaluation.\"






http://www.wwltv.com/sports/saints/W....d227167c.html

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This sounds better. Thanks for the updates BC.

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From the Associated Press:

Although Lewis was in some pain, the injury was not thought to be serious.

``He is going to be fine,\'\' coach Jim Haslett said. ``We are just going to have to see how he is. He will probably have a couple of days off.\'\'

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This conversation is with New Orleans Saints head athletic trainer Scottie B. Patton:


Opening Statement: \"Michael Lewis is at the hospital right now being examined by our team physicians. All preliminary tests were positive. He still has some upper back and neck pain and discomfort. Neurologically, he is sound. Right now we are proceeding with more additional diagnostic studies.\"

Q: What happened out there?
A: \"I wasn\'t out here when it happened. I think there was a collision between he and another player in which there was an extension mechanism of his spine and neck and it just distributed a lot of pain and discomfort.\"

Q: Was it a neck or a back injury?
A: \"It was kind of both. They are both connected. It depends on the violence and the intensity of the injury of the areas that are involved.\"

Q: Was it precautionary to take him out on a stretcher?
A: \"From the preliminary exams and the symptoms that are present, we didn\'t want to run the risk, so we decided to transport for further evaluation.\"

Q: Will you know more by the end of the day?
A: \"Yes, as each test is completed we will know more.\"

Q: What hospital was he transported?
A: \"He was transported to Memorial Medical.\"

Q: Was he experiencing numbness right away?
A: \"There was no numbness. He had strength in all of his extremities.\"


__________________

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Well, at least the reports that Mitchell was a heavy hitter have now been confirmed :D

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Lewis out of hosptial after collision
07/28/2003

WWLTV.com


Saints kick returner Michael Lewis was back at the team’s facility Monday afternoon following a short hospital stay after he collided with a teammate in the morning workout.


Lewis and safety Mel Mitchell ran into one another during drills and Lewis was taken off the field on a stretcher and brought to a local hospital as a precautionary measure.





http://www.wwltv.com/sports/saints/W....d227167c.html

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That\'s still a sore point with me. The team -can- afford to put turf in the Dome. Senior management (or the owner) just prefers to eat extreme injuries as opposed to spending the $$.

You don\'t win Superbowls when your players on are crutches at game 16.

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Yeah, some field turf would be nice, but it always confused me as to why it makes that big of a difference. I mean, you\'re either landing on cement covered by a thin layer of BS carpet (current dome turf), or you\'re landing on cement covered with a thin layer of a grass-like substance with rubber in it. I can see how the latter is preferable, but any way you slice it you\'re still landing on cement... that\'s the way i look at it....

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Looks like beerman will be ok! AP reported that he and Mitchell were working in different areas of the field which would have you believe that they were practicing a different set of plays at the time. Mitchell stated that he was blocking FOR Lewis on what was a short punt when they accidentally collided. Will Petis gets chance over the next several days to show his ability while getting more reps fielding punts and kickoffs. Let\'s hope that Michael will recover 100% to form while resting. God Bless!

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Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that I remember reading last year that Deuce did not feel comfortable on field turf, and as far as I am concerned, What Deuce wants Deuce gets.

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I think once Deuce finds the right shoe (its different for different players) he\'ll love it.
I wonder if his high ankle sprain would have been prevented if we had Field turf. I don\'t know