Tuesday, November 06, 2001

The Natchez Democrat

NEW ORLEANS – Despite what the coachspeak may be coming out

of the New York Jets, 16-9 victory over the New Orleans Saints,

the Saints have no one but themselves to blame in dropping to

4-3.

&160;

Oh, and maybe, offensve lineman Kyle Turley.

Turley’s display after a confrontation with Jets free safety

Damien Robinson late in the contest pushed the Saints back and

turned first and goal at the 3-yard line to second and 17 from

the 20.

Three incompletions later, the Jets were out of town at five

up and three down.

Turley, who was ejected, fled the scene quickly, because no

one in the Saints organization talked to him afterward.

&uot;I haven’t seen him,&uot; said lineman Wally Williams,

one of the last to leave the locker room. &uot;As far as I know

the guy drove home in his uniform.&uot; And although no one wanted

to come right out and say it, Turley isn’t exactly the most popular

guy in the locker room.

After the game, Saints coach Jim Haslett addressed the Turley

question by saying they would have to sit down and talk some things

over. General Manager Randy Mueller was also up in arms about

it.

&uot;Frankly, I’m embarassed about it,&uot; Mueller said

late Sunday night. &uot;That kind of behavior has no place on

this team. It’s about team, not individuals and it cost us, tonight.&uot;

The outspoken receiver Joe Horn, who said his own first half

performance was anything but decent, admitted the ugly incident

hurt the late game-tying attempt badly. &uot;Kyle just got too

frustrated right then,&uot; he said. &uot;That’s the play that

hurt us, we know that.&uot;

But Monday, Turley seemed apologetic over the actions that

hurt his team’s comeback. ”It was a very emotional outburst on

my part that I need to be a little more mature about,” Turley

told the Associated Press.

”But I cannot apologize for defending my quarterback and trying

to, basically, from my point of view, save his life. The guy was

seriously trying to break his neck I’ve never been placed in a

situation like that before where I see my quarterback getting

his head turned around like the exorcist.”

The league had not issued a suspension as of Monday night,

but the team, according to Haslett and Mueller, will reprimand

him.