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Monday, July 31, 2000

Injured wrist sidelines
Noa for 3 months

Staff and wire services

St. Louis Rams offensive lineman Kaulana Noa learned over the weekend that he will be out for three months with a dislocated wrist.

Rams coach Mike Martz told a group of reporters yesterday that several of their top players were hurt in Friday's scrimmage with the Tennessee Titans, including first-round pick Trung Canidate. The running back is out six weeks with a high ankle sprain.

That was the original diagnosis for Noa, who tore ligaments in his wrist Friday and won't be back until November at the earliest.

"There's more extensive damage than we had anticipated," Martz said of Noa's injury.

The backup offensive tackle was selected in the fourth round by the Rams and had seen extended practice time this summer.

He is the second NFL draft pick out of the University of Hawaii this year to be injured in training camp. Fellow Rainbows offensive lineman Adrian Klemm suffered a sprained knee in a New England Patriots minicamp earlier this summer and is likely out for the season.

Both linemen were relatively injury free in their careers at Hawaii. Noa started in 49 consecutive games for the Rainbows at tackle.

Klemm shifted from tackle to tight end in 1998, but started all 13 games in 1999 at left tackle. He was hampered by a knee injury in 1998, but still was in every game. He was a second-round pick of the Patriots.