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By Associated PressHundreds of miles from Katrina, New Orleans players fear for their families and city.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - With two holes ripped in their stadium roof and their city devastated by Hurricane Katrina, focusing on football was not an easy task Monday for the New Orleans Saints.
With New Orleans hit by 145 mph winds, heavy rain and flooding, the Saints were across the country under clear skies at the San Jose State campus, preparing for Thursday night's preseason game against the Raiders.
"This has been on everybody's mind," said cornerback Jimmy Williams, who used to play for the 49ers. "From where did they leave their car parked because it's probably going to be underwater because of the flood to alligators in your house. I never had to worry about that stuff when I played in San Francisco."
Williams said his wife, Chandra, and two Yorkshire terriers accompanied him on the trip west on the last plane to leave New Orleans on Sunday. She was staying at the home of Raiders offensive lineman Ron Stone, another former 49er.
Other players were uncertain about relatives and friends left behind in the hurricane-buffeted conditions. Most of the players spent Sunday night in their hotel rooms watching television to see what was happening in New Orleans. Attempts to phone home were largely unsuccessful because of overloads in the phone system.
"I slept for only about an hour, if that," said punt returner Michael Lewis, a New Orleans native. "I watched about everything I could on TV. I had the Weather Channel on all night."
The storm even ripped two holes in the curved roof of the Louisiana Superdome, where an estimated 8,000 to 9,000 refugees went for shelter. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said the team was uncertain if the stadium would be ready for the home opener Sept.18 against the Giants.
New Orleans coach Jim Haslett was pleased with his team's work during the 21/2-hour practice and thinks it could help the players bond.
"The effort in practice was good," he said. "If we can deal with this, we'll be a better football team in the long run."
Joe Horn said the team gave the players enough time to move their families out of the city if they chose to. He said he sent his family to Mississippi. He added that despite their worries, the players needed to focus on their jobs and get ready for the season opener Sept.11 at Carolina.
"The Raiders is a serious game because any time you play a contact sport, it's serious," he said. "But we have to be ready for the season opener against the Carolina Panthers. We have to be focused and ready no matter where we stay or wherever we practice. If we go to Idaho and practice on a potato field, we're going to be prepared to beat the Carolina Panthers. Trust that."
The Saints bought $5,000 worth of tickets to San Jose State's season opener Saturday against Eastern Washington as a reward for being allowed to use the facilities. The tickets will be distributed to disadvantaged children.
"They didn't ask us for anything," Loomis said about San Jose State.