NEW ORLEANS -- The member of the officiating sideline chain crew who was injured during the Cleveland Browns' 30-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints was conscious and in stable condition, his son said Sunday night.
Al Nastasi Jr. was in the neuro intensive care unit at Ochsner Hospital. Al Nastasi III declined to go into details about his father's injury, saying he wanted to wait until doctors had more time to monitor the situation.
New Orleans' Courtney Roby was running at full speed after a Saints punt when he was shoved out of bounds and collided with Nastasi, knocking him down. Paramedics rushed to his aid, giving him intravenous fluids and carting him off the field. He appeared to be conscious but was not moving.
The younger Nastasi said his father, a former college track athlete at Louisiana-Lafayette, has coached boys' and girls' track and some football, mostly at East Jefferson High School in suburban New Orleans, for three decades.
He said Roby called and later stopped by the hospital with his wife.
"We were very touched by the gesture," Nastasi said. "We feel optimistic and we cannot express enough gratitude for everyone's thoughts, prayers and concerns."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press