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Wednesday, June 7, 2000

Klemm has
knee surgery

Former 'Bow sidelined
at Patriots' camp

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Former University of Hawaii left tackle Adrian Klemm underwent surgery to repair damage to the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee and will be sidelined throughouout New England Patriots training camp.

Head coach Bill Belichick told reporters in a teleconference last night that the surgery on the team's top draft pick of 2000 was performed Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital by Dr. Bertram Zarins, Patriots team physician.

The injury occurred on Saturday in a noncontact drill at Patriots minicamp.

"He just just fell awkwardly," said team spokesman Stacey James.

Klemm's mother, Lorraine, said from her home in Indianapolis that she is optimistic.

"We've had good reports from the doctor," she said.

But James would not give an estimate of how long Klemm will be out. Veteran left tackle Bruce Armstrong, who had surgery on his right knee at the end of last season, remains unsigned. But the 35-year-old Armstrong is hovering close to the Patriots camp, having played yesterday in the Drew Bledsoe Celebrity Shootout in Sandwich, Mass.

The injury to Klemm increases the likelihood of Armstrong signing.

Although the Patriots had hoped that Klemm could assume a starting role, he was still running with the second unit when he suffered his injury.

In addition to Armstrong, other candidates for the starting job at left tackle are seven-year veteran Max lane, who is moving over from guard, and Grant Williams, a five-year veteran acquired from the Seattle Seahawks.