JOESAM2002

Saints Notebook


By LES EAST
Special to The Advocate

GRANT HURT
METAIRIE -- Saints starting defensive end Charles Grant left the team's final training camp practice Thursday night after pulling the calf muscle in his left leg.

Grant came up lame a little more than halfway through the two-hour workout and limped out of the indoor training facility and over to the training room with trainer Scottie Patton.

After practice coach Jim Haslett said the injury didn't appear to be serious, but more will be known in a day or two.

The Saints' other starting defensive end, Darren Howard, is already sidelined by a bruised knee.

Former LSU defensive lineman Kenderick Allen was absent from the night practice because of a death in his family. Haslett said Allen is due back today.

KING UGLY

On a lighter note for Grant, he was the top vote-getter when the players held their annual "King Ugly" contest, an end-of-training-camp ritual, Wednesday night. Team personnel paid $10 each to good-naturedly cast a vote for the "ugliest" man in the locker room. Grant won the $580 in voting fees.

49ERS GOOD TEST

Wide receiver Joe Horn said the Saints' preseason game at San Francisco on Saturday will be the best test of the four preseason games.

He and running back Deuce McAllister sat out the first game while many starters played less than a half. Horn and McAllister played in the second game and most starters went about a half.

Horn said he and other starters will see their most extensive action at San Francisco on Saturday before many sit out or see very limited action in the finale against Miami next Thursday.

"Well see against San Francisco how much this team has jelled," Horn said. "I think all of the starters are playing three quarters, so after the San Francisco game it's just downhill from there. You come back and you prepare for the Seatlle Seahawks."

The Saints open the regular season at Seattle on Sept. 7.

SHORT, NOT SWEET

Haslett cut Thursday morning's practice short, then seemed to think some players took advantage of him.

Haslett told the team at the start of the 9 a.m. practice that the workout would be cut by about 45 minutes. He then appeared unhappy with the effort of numerous offensive players, particularly the wide receivers.

When the workout ended at 10:15 as promised, the wide receivers stayed on the field for extra work as a visibly angered Haslett looked on.

After the receivers were done, Haslett stormed past reporters, saying only, "I've got nothing to say."

After the evening practice Haslett said the morning practice wasn't up to the team's standards but that the team got his message and practiced much better at night.

INJURY REPORT

RB Curtis Keaton (hip flexor) joined the injured list for the evening workout. Nine players were held out of both practices -- Howard (bruised knee), WR Donté Stallworth (hamstring), LB Roger Knight (strained buttocks), DT Henry Ford (ankle), LB J.J. Jones (knee), LB Curtis Holden (knee), DT Jovon Bush (knee), S Corey Hall (hamstring) and FB Demetrius Smith, who the Saints said was not injured. Smith rode an exercise bike and had a small bandage on his left leg just below the knee.

PLAY OF THE DAY

In team drills in the morning, linebacker Sedrick Hodge leaped high into the air to deflect an Aaron Brooks pass and cornerback Ashley Ambrose made a diving interception just before the ball would have hit the turf.

WEATHER WATCH

The temperature was 83 degrees and the heat index was 101 at 10 a.m. when the Saints were wrapping up their abbreviated workout.

THE SCHEDULE

The Saints fly to San Francisco today to get ready for their preseason game against the 49ers at 8 p.m. CDT Saturday.