I've grown tired of the Seattle Seahawks poaching Minesota Vikings. Just out of spite, they grabbed grabbed Nate Burleson a few years ago. Last year alone, the little birdies signed receiver Sidney Rice, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. Losing Rice was particularly appalling. He was one of my favorites and the perfect compliment to Percy Harvin. It was a very sad day when Sidney Rice left Minnesota.
These bitter feelings softened a little when the Seahawks hired former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Kenechi Udeze as a coaching intern, working with the defensive line. He'll be reuniting with Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, his college coach at USC. The reason that this is happy news is that Kenechi Udeze is fortunate to simply be alive. In 2008, he was diagnosed with leukemia. He was fortunate that his brother was a perfect bone marrow match. He beat back leukemia and incredibly was ready to play again in 2009. He was in shape and in training camp. Unfortunately he was hit with peripheral neuropathy, a result of chemotherapy. It caused numbness in his feet that prevented him from planting and creating any up field burst. He wouldn't be the same football player. Udeze retired that summer. He was a new man with a new passion for life. He went back to school. Unfortunately that school was USC. In May 2010, Udeze graduated with a degree in Sociology. Former USC assistant coach and current Washington Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian hired Udeze as an assistant strength and conditioning coach, also working with the defensive line. Udeze knows a little something about strength. He also works heavily with charities that help raise money for cancer research.
Too many of these stories don't end well. As much as I miss Kenechi Udeze on the football I'm more happy that he's well and getting better and now coaching. Unfortunately that team is the Seattle Seahawks.
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