[CBFF] [Fwd: Vikes place Udeze on reserve list]

[Tom Shannon]

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=407350

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/vikings/index.html> want Kenechi 
Udeze <javascript:fantasyPopup('nfl', 6779)> to focus on his fight 
against leukemia and not worry about his financial situation.

The defensive end was placed on the reserve-non-football-illness list 
Friday, coach Brad Childress announced. That makes him ineligible to 
participate in the 2008 season, but guarantees him his $807,500 salary 
for the year. Udeze revealed two weeks ago that the cancer was in 
remission, and that his older brother has matching bone marrow for a 
pending transplant.


"He can focus on getting well. He's done a great job with that so far. 
He's been positive. He's been upbeat," said Childress, who praised owner 
Zygi Wilf for the decision.

Udeze signed a five-year contract as a first-round draft pick out of 
Southern California in 2004 and will be a free agent next March. Once 
the season is over, Childress said the Vikings will revisit Udeze's status.

Diagnosed in February with an acute form of the disease, which is cancer 
of the blood and bone marrow, Udeze was holding out hope of playing this 
fall. Childress said he spoke with him Thursday night.

"He's such a competitor. You hate to burst bubbles, but realistically 
speaking you want to take his health and well being into consideration 
first," the coach said.

At his first public appearance to talk about his condition and speak in 
support of marrow donation, Udeze said he has looked at leukemia as 
"nothing more than a cold."

"It's a little more than a cold, but he'll continue to keep a positive 
attitude," Childress said. "We just felt like it was best to be honest 
with him and straightforward with him."

Udeze lives year-round near the team's practice facility, so he's 
expected to be a frequent visitor.

"He is welcome around here. He'll be part of the team. As much as he can 
be around here, he's going to be around here," Childress said.


-- 
Life... is like a grapefruit. It's orange and squishy, and has a few pips in it, and some folks have half a one for breakfast.
  - Douglas Adams