Second thoughts

40-year-old Saintsation is motivated

Kriste Lewis set a goal for herself to try out for the New Orleans Saints cheerleading squad, known as the Saintsations.

Lewis, 40, is a dance instructor who lives in Hattiesburg, Miss., about 100 miles northeast of New Orleans. She was faced with competition from women in their 20s and 30s, but she made the Saintsations squad, which performs at the Saints' home games at the Superdome.

"I wanted to set a goal for myself, and the audition was a specific date that required specific training, so my goal was just to make it to the audition," Lewis told The Associated Press. "Honestly, I really did not think I was going to make it."

Lewis is one of only two NFL cheerleaders in her 40s, and she's the oldest to ever audition for the Saintsations, said Lesslee Fitzmorris, director of the squad since 2001. The other dancer is 45-year-old Laura Vikmanis, who has been with the Cincinnati Bengals dance team, the Ben-Gals, since making the squad at age 40.

"The applications hadn't been processed when the dance auditions started, so the judges didn't even know Kristi was 40 until she had made it through three rounds of cuts and revealed her age in the interview round," Fitzmorris said.

An important part of Lewis' motivation to try out for the Saintsations was her health. She was diagnosed with a debilitating kidney disease that will eventually lead to dialysis treatments and the need for a kidney transplant. Several family members have died of the disease, and her mother has already undergone dialysis and two failed kidney transplants.

Lewis said she had to have her doctor's permission to join the 36-member Saintsations.

"I know my time is limited," Lewis said. "I don't want to let any time go. I want to make every day count."

Lewis will take the field with the Saintsations when the New Orleans Saints play their first preseason game of the season Aug. 15 at the Superdome against the Tennessee Titans.

No regrets?

Dick Vermeil walked away from the Philadelphia Eagles in 1982 at the age of 46, just two years after leading the team to a Super Bowl appearance.

The next time Vermeil coached in the NFL, he was 61 years old with the St. Louis Rams in 1997.

Vermeil told Sirius XM Radio earlier this week that former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden could follow a similar path to him. Gruden was fired by the Buccaneers after the 2008 season when he was 45.

Gruden, who turns 51 next month, is currently the color analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcasts.

"No question, he's a hell of a lot better coach than I am, and a lot smarter," Vermeil said of Gruden. "I think he would be very successful. I hope he does come back, because I like him a lot."

Vermeil's second NFL stint was highlighted by a Super Bowl title in 1999 with the Rams. He left the Rams shortly after winning the Super Bowl, but came back in 2001 to coach the Kansas City Chiefs for five seasons.

Jeter takes

The satirical sports website sportspickle.com had its own spin on New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter's retirement.

Sportspickle.com published a "happy retirement card" for Jeter, who played his last All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Minneapolis.

Here are some of the highlights from the "card":

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig: "I don't know who you are. But my dad says you were good when he was a kid."

Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester: "Thanks for letting the Red Sox win so many World Series lately."

Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano: "Thanks for never sleeping with any of my girlfriends."

SPORTS QUIZ

How many NFL teams do not have official cheerleading squads?

ANSWER

Seven teams currently don't have cheerleading squads: Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Sports on 07/17/2014

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