blacksaint

LB was defending title in a water-slide challenge at park

Monday, August 13, 2007
By Mike Triplett

JACKSON, MISS. -- Saints linebacker Scott Fujita was able to laugh about the most embarrassing injury of his football career when he met with reporters for the first time since suffering a bruised heel at the local water park last week.

Fujita did not practice, but he expects to be back in a matter of days.

"It was all in the name of friendly competition," said Fujita, who had apparently earned a reputation as the man to beat in the Saints' water slide challenge last year. "I was the defending champion. I had to defend my belt. I don't know what it is, the aerodynamics of my body or something. But I come down those slides extra fast, and I actually just flew right off the end of the slide into the wooden fence.

"It could have been a lot worse. I busted through a couple of 2-by-2s. I'm hoping if we go back next year, they actually extend the bottom of that slide 100 feet or so. The important thing is I'm fine, and the defense won."

Fujita's "reward" was an extra hour of curfew for he and his teammates -- including defensive end Charles Grant, who claims he saved Fujita's life when Fujita bounced off him on the way into the fence.

Fujita said the contest was actually designed to see who could go farther down the runway at the end of the slide, which is meant to slow riders. But players and coaches learned that if you go quickly one behind the other, the slide doesn't have enough time to fill back up with water, and you can go faster.

"There wasn't enough room for me to slow down because I was going so fast," Fujita said. "I just shot off the end of it, and my back was kind of skipping off the concrete, and I went right through the fence. I was actually pretty lucky.

"The guys got a good laugh out of it after about 30 seconds of complete silence. I popped up in celebration, and two minutes later I realized I had some pain in my right foot."

Fujita was still frustrated that he had to miss Friday night's preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at the Superdome.

"I didn't take that well," he said. "I got kind of sick to my stomach, watching the game on TV at home. I know it was a preseason game, but I've never missed a game my whole career."

INJURY UPDATE: Receiver Devery Henderson will miss about two weeks with the hamstring injury he suffered in Friday's game, according to Saints Coach Sean Payton. The coach said there was no tear, and tests revealed it was a Grade II strain, which was positive news.

Payton said offensive tackle Jammal Brown (knee) has been "feeling better." He said guard Dave Yovanovits (knee) and receiver David Patten (toe) are close to returning. Center Jeff Faine (calf) said last week that he is targeting the preseason game at Kansas City on Aug. 23 to return.

PRACTICE REPORT: The Saints cut practice short by about 30 minutes on a particularly brutal Sunday afternoon, with the temperature surpassing the 100-degree mark.

They are scheduled to have a full two-a-day session today, with full pads in the morning.

Newly-signed quarterback Matt Baker was working ahead of Jason Fife in the rotation Sunday, which could signal that Payton wants to get a look at Baker in the next preseason game. But the coach did not announce his plans.

Cornerback Jason David and defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy continued to work with the first team in practice, ahead of Fred Thomas and Hollis Thomas. Those guys have been alternating in and out. But David and Clancy started against the Bills, which could be a sign of the pecking order.

Long snapper Kevin Houser was excused from Sunday's practice to attend a funeral.

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