Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Kenechi Udeze to Retire

Don't have the time to type out or own story, so I'm reposting the news from Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

[Kenechi Udeze, the Vikings defensive end who missed last season because of leukemia, has retired.

Coach Brad Childress said today that Udeze, the team's first-round draft choice out (20th overall) in 2004 out of USC, has ended his comeback attempt. Efforts to reach Udeze were unsuccessful.

Udeze tied for the team lead in sacks in 2007, but got sick following the season and
was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Feb., 2008. He had a bone marrow transplant last July and felt well enough to participate in this springs mini-camps and organized team activities.

But after the practices, Udeze apparently decided he needed to devote his time to fighting his illness.

After a June workout, he told the Star Tribune: "I'd be lying if I said it was easy here was never an easy point. The first time I went back to USC and started working out with the fellas, I fell. I took two steps and I fell. I took small steps at first and, to here I am now, I can't complain."

At the time, Udeze said he had recently had a biopsy. Childress also said at the time he thought Udeze, who was a little heavy, would be 100 percent by the time the team reported to Mankato.]

We here at The Purple Report wish Udeze all the best and hope that his life is full of nothing but positives from here on out.

Bookends In Place

Today marks the opening of the Vikings 2009 training camp and it's off to an exceptional start. Rookie tackle Phil Loadholt, one half of the bookend tackles (opposite Bryant McKinnie), has inked a deal with the Vikings this morning. Terms of the agreement are still unknown to the public, but we hope to have more details as the day progresses.

UPDATE: Reportedly, the deal is a four-year contract, but the dollar amount is still a mystery.

This leaves wide receiver Percy Harvin as the only remaining rookie in Minnesota that hasn't signed a deal with the squad. With Loadholt now off the list, Harvin is one of seven other rookies in the NFC North still waiting on a contract.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Favre's Retirement Plan

With just one more day before training camp for the Minnesota VIkings, it has been announced this afternoon via Judd Zulgad of the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Brett Favre will stay retired.

The word comes from Brad Childress who was also quoted as saying "I just think it was a rare opportunity to explore a Hall of Fame quarterback who had background in the NFC and in this division. He knows our system inside out ... This doesn't change anything about how I feel about our football team."

In light of the current news, I've taken the liberty of deciding Favre's fate in 2009. Here are a few suggestions that stray from the obvious:

1) John Deere spokesman.
I think this speaks for itself. Throw this in with the Wrangler bit and he's set for life.

2) AARP Retirement Consultant
Think of the possibilities. Through his own example, he could save the nation billions in Social Security funds by inspiring other elderly citizens to unretire (if only for a little bit). He c

And now for the only serious suggestions in this post:

3) Quarterback or Assistant Coach at Oak Grove High School
Sure, Favre could possibly land himself a gig at the pro level, but he seems to have such a great liking for playing with these high school kids. Sure, the team would see an enormous increase in interceptions, but they could learn how to make plays happen when it matters. Most of those kids have grown up idolizing him anyway, so there's no doubt he'd have any problems commanding a locker room.

As for T-Jack and Sage, now is the time for both players to prove that not only can they take the reins, but that they can stay unfazed by this distraction. It's going to be an intense competition between two rather similar QBs (high potential with mistakes when it matters).

What a great way to start training camp, eh?