AFL Observations from the Heart

It’s always a loss when good story lines disappear, and the Utah Blaze provided more than their share.
My favorite Blaze story of all, though, was a linebacker named Valentine Chude.
Born in Nigeria and named Egbunike Chude, his godfather changed it to Valentine when the family moved to the U.S. The thinking was that an easier name would expedite the immigration process.
Chude didn’t last long with the Blaze, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t interesting. He happily spoke of how he was teased as a kid. He went on to say, “When I was younger I was like, ‘Wow, I hate that name. But now I love it’.”
He was — sorry, I couldn’t resist — a real sweetheart.
As appealing as Chude was, he was far from unique in the world of arena football. Many players were just as appealing and just as happy to have a job. My experience with AFL players is that they were polite, open and accessible. While it’s easier to be that way when you aren’t a household name, it still speaks well for the offbeat football league that just canceled the upcoming season.
The AFL mission statement mandates that players be open and available to the public and media. Hence, the autograph sessions AFL teams always held on the field following each game. That doesn’t even happen in college, much less the NFL.
It’s hard to say whether the AFL will survive, but I hope it does.
I’d hate to see stories like Valentine Chude go by the wayside.