<span>New Orleans Saints' Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis issued a statement today addressing potential contingency plans in the event the Saints will have to evacuate from their Metairie practice facility next week.  

"We have a number of cities that we have contacted as part of our contingency planning for hurricanes," Loomis said. "San Antonio is a city in which we are familiar and was a terrific host in 2005, however, our plans call for us to consider an alternate location at this time. This is a decision that I have made after consulting with our Head Coach Sean Payton and our football operations staff, keeping in mind our goal of giving the football team its best opportunity to prepare for the opening game. It is critical that not only the Saints, but the people of our state, have a plan in the event a storm enters the Gulf of Mexico. Our goals are to implement our plan as efficiently as possible keeping in mind the safety of the people in our organization and their families. In the event we have to evacuate, we will return to New Orleans as quickly as possible to prepare for the 2008 season."