When the Oakland Raiders signed Javon Walker to a large contract back in March, the entire Raider Nation held their breath.
Many were unsure of the decision but as each day went by oxygen became more available and it was easier for us to gasp for air. Unfortunately, our worst nightmare has become a reality.
By now the entire NFL has heard about the recent incident with Javon Walker, so I'd rather not go into detail about it too much. If you haven’t, I'll put it simply.
Football players aren't untouchable and are just as prone (or MORE prone) to being victims of criminal behavior. In reality, professional athletes are sheep living amongst wolves. And it is the people who they choose to surround themselves with who are their shepherds.
Fortunately in this situation, Javon and the rest of us can count our blessings and move forward. Things could have been much worse. I could be here today writing an elegy on the life of Javon had he not made it out alive. Because we all remember the terrible story of Sean Taylor (Rest in Peace.)
Someone once said that out of everything bad comes some good. I believe some good will come out of this.
For one, it wakes the whole team up that money means nothing without life. That everything can be taken from you within a heartbeat. That even though these gifted athletes may feel their living in their own world, anyone can enter it to cause havoc. To embrace their existence and to understand the rare opportunity which they are so blessed to be with; to play the greatest sport in America for a living. It also gives a heads up to young players such as Jamarcus Russell or more importantly young prominent Darren McFadden who faced similar issues coming into the league.
These professional athletes are living the dream. We as spectators are all just a part of it.
Many are already saying that giving Javon Walker that large contract might be the biggest mistake Al Davis ever made. In my opinion its too soon to tell, but it was disheartening to learn that a player who a team and his fans are relying on so deeply could act so selfishly. Had he been doing what Kiffin asked of him, which was getting himself in better shape maybe this could have all been avoided. But what can you do, Raider football must go on. I myself believe Javon will triumph over this but once again, the important thing here is that he survived and still has the opportunity to become whatever he so chooses to be. Sean Taylor didn’t have that option.
Javon could be a great receiver in this league or he could be another busted-up player who fell victim to the corruption of the world and let his demons get the best of him.
The choice doesn't lay in my hands or yours. It lies with one man, and that’s Javon Walker.
The choice is his, but I can assure you Raider fans will continue to rally behind their receiver and come September will be cheering for him on Sundays. That’s a promise.
God Bless America and Long Live the Raider Nation
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3 months ago
Thank you for covering this story. Javon already had to deal with the passing of friend Darrent Williams just two seasons ago, but to die himself...that would have been WOW.
3 months ago
I agree with Ben. This story is receiving far less attention from the media than it should be.
3 months ago
Your article should be called "Javon Walker lucky to still have a job". This guy is an idiot. He doesn't learn. I never wanted this guy on my team. Yeah It's horrible what happened to him with Darrent Williams & in the Las Vegas incident. But when I saw the news of what happend to him in Las Vegas I said "Good we don't have to pay him now & he's off my team". I want this guy out of Oakland. He's a team cancer & a walking problem. We don't need that in our locker room. We have done a good job of getting rid of the losing element on our team this off-season. Now we bring in this ass-hole & pay him big $$$. I don't think so Javon. Your out of playing shape/ you can't get separation from the DB's in practice/ your dropping passes & showing very little promise. Maybe he should stay out of Las Vegas/ Night Clubs ect. & open up his playbook & study. Lose weight/ give an effort in practice & stop acting like an idiot. This is his last chance to play in the NFL. There aren't many stops after Oakland. I suggest that your clean up your act & focus on football/ or at this point just try making the team. Because I've heard nothing but negative statements from Coach Kiffin & other team mates about Javon Walker. This guy isn't worth getting more media coverage. Why should he? If he sprayed me with champagne I would have waited for him outside & beat his ass too. Who does he think he is? He was asking for it if you ask me. This guy is stupid. End of story.
from 3 months ago
I know how you feel Steve, trust me I do. It's a slap in the face to do what he did. I question his work ethics... but... being a victim of a robbery is a little different then most situations. Yes, I realize he put himself in that situation but its not like he's out there doing the crimes or bringing negative tension in the locker room. If everybody turns their back on him now.... things could get bad, so i dont know about you but I still stand behind my reciever as long as he'll still go out there and produce. But i understand your frustration, believe that.
3 months ago
You know, it is frightening that here's a guy, who lost his friend to a wrong place situation, gets himself into another bad situation....and failed to learn from it.
I'd say he has used up his one coupon for a free pass. If he messes up, cut him loose and be done with him.
If the NFLPA has a complaint, tell them, hire a babysitter for him....but it's been enough crazyness dealing with the soap opera....let's get some football playing done.
3 months ago
Raider Card, I agree 100% what happened isn't so bad, but not learning from a similar negitive situation is un-thinkable??? I really questioned his character when I read after the Williams shooting he asked shana-rat if he could miss the funeral, because he was too distraught?? so the night of his "best friends" funeral he was where???...... IN VEGAS!!...spraying champange on people..doing the same chit he was the night Darrent was killed..same chit he was the night he got robbed?? I will support him as long as he wears the Silver and Black but, dude.......lil help please...
from 3 months ago
I completely agree but it was Brandon Marshall spraying the champagne the night Darrent got killed not Javon. But i guess Javon dosen't learn to well.....
3 months ago
To Andres: Give Javon Walker some time. It won't be long before this guy starts to corrupt our locker room. This guy will tear this team apart. He's caused problems everywhere he has played. He's constantly complaining & stirring up trouble with his QB's & coaching staffs. If he play's well then great. But I still won't support him. If he scores TD's I will be cheering. but you won't see me wearing a #17 Javon Walker jersey ever. As soon as I heard that we signed Walker/ I said "Oh No!" The guy gets a huge $$$ contract & shows up to camp looking like Mike Williams & playing like him too. The guy is partying in Las Vegas instead of getting into shape & studying the playbook. This guy needs to put on House-Arrest. He's a magnet for trouble. He hasn't lived up to his potential since leaving the Green Bay Packers. He started trouble with Brett Farve/ so what do you think he will do to our young QB Jamarcus Russell? Javon better play well & behave himself or he will find himself out of Oakland & out of the NFL. This guy is right up there with Pacman Jones & Chris Henry.
3 months ago
You guys have got to be out of your mind this guy got beat and robbed could have been killed and all you can think about is how much money he makes. None of you cut his check or anything this is about a guy who has money was having a good time in Vegas and it got out of hand and he paid for it. This is bigger then football this is somebodies life that was at stake. Im a Raider fan and have been before alot of these guys even picked up a football. These guys are in the spotlight all the time and no matter what they do things are gonna happen if it was your son would you want guys who dont know him personally bashing him on the net because he has made a few mistakes im sure none of you have perfect lives or error free judgement so what u need to do is back off the guy cause im sure most of u have screwed up on your jobs called in sick when u wasnt or werent prepared to work!!!!!!! If he had it to do again we would have made a different choice but hindsight is 20/20 so let it go and move on!!!!!!
3 months ago
What is ridiculous however is how he ends up in these situations. Javon Walker is someone who makes a living by using his physical abilities and having numerous altercations where his physical well being is placed in danger is not conducive to him being able to succeed in his job. If he was a CEO or some big shot business man and he gets his ass kicked than it's not a big deal, but when he puts his ability to perform for a team that has invested a substantial amount of money in him, and his physical talents, then there is an issue that needs to be addressed.
The fact that he has not been honest with reports of what happened is his own prerogative but there is something here that would worry me a whole bunch if it was my money invested in him.
3 months ago
Corey. I've robbed people for less. Javon Walker is lucky that he wasn't killed. Spraying champagne on people & flaunting money.... Your asking to be dealt with. Karma is a BITCH!!! I don't engage in such activities anymore. I've been "RE-PROGRAMED". But why doesn't this guy learn? Why defend a stupid immature wanna-be "Rap Star". This is the kind of behavior that rappers portray. I'm not a racist or a bigot. But do we ever see any white people/ white players acting like this? No we don't. But the fact of the matter is that Javon Walker was flaunting his new contract & acting like a crackhead on the 1st of the month. Here are some more guilty parties: Ray Curruth(Murder) Ray Lewis(Murder) Pacman Jones(strip clubs/got someone shot) Chris Henry(you name it he's done it) Dwayne Jarrett (DUI's) Odell Thurman(coke fiend) Darrent Williams(killed/ Javon probably had something to do with it) Brandon Marshall(severely injured arm from screwing around/ was probably fighting & lied about it) Cedrick Benson(DUI & other problems) Terrell Owens(suicide attempt) Tank Williams(plays with guns) Darren McFadden(paternity suits & bar fights) Randy Moss (runs over police officers & smokes weed) Jamal Lewis(cocaine dealer)........... The list goes on & on & on & on!!!!!! These guys make enough money to buy whatever they want & get to play a game for a living!!!!! And this is how they act. It makes me sick. i would give my left nutt to be a professional athlete & make millions of dollars playing a game that I love. There's something really fuckin' wrong with this world & It's scary. Hope that I didn't offend anyone. Seriously my apologies. But someone has to step up & say what we are all thinking...... N*****S with money.
from 3 months ago
I really thought you were making a lot of sense until you started that racist shit! This is why you would get your ass kicked outside a club afterhours if you ever said that stupid shit anywhere else but on-line. Great thoughts about this guy needing to grow up but you need to do the same after that last post. Plus, anyone that wants to go listing what race acts the most ass once they get the big money will find themselves with a diverse color spectrum. It's also funny how I can watch ESPN yesterday about this baseball player Hamilton (white guy) and the whole time they talked about how he was a trapped into a drug addiction and he was suffering because of it. But, they spin it as if he was a victim but when blacks or anyone else does the crap it is stupid N****R dope fend (Pookey) from New Jack City. So, with that I will end by saying yes I do agree with you there is "something really fuckin' wrong with this world & It's scary." Next time think before you write because so far you the only person I know that had chiken salad (first & second post) and turned it into chicken shit (last post)....grow up Big Dawg and stop blaming your penis size on the black man and go ask your dad what happen.....dumb ass!
from 3 months ago
Don't forget OJ (double murder) Marshawn Lynch (ran over a cow) and of course pacman jones (you name it?)
3 months ago
No. White people do dumb shit too. Look at all the white guys using steroids in MLB. They are a discrace to MLB. Especially Roger Clemens. The guys that constantly get busted for steroids in the NFL are usually always white. There are some dumb white players like Matt Lienart who was partying with beer bongs & minors. That O-lineman Kaczur from the Patriots was involved in a Painkillers scandal. No race of people are squeaky clean. Whites & blacks both do dumb shit. Black people gangbang each other & sell drugs to one another/ destroying their communities. They make their own situations worse & then complain about it like It's not their fault. White people on the other hand commit vicious crimes like killing people & eating the bodies or raping dead bodies. And let's face it... Redneck white people are the scum of the earth. I have no problem with anybodies Race or Religion.... Except that I do hate white trash & rednecks. I also don't look down on drug addicts because I used to be one myself. Then I got help & now I have been clean for 3 years now. Drug addicts are victims of circumstance. It happens to all races of people. It's a shame. what I said was wrong & it was uncalled for & I'm sorry. But you got me all wrong.... I would say it to someones face & I have. I still have yet to meet someone who could even put up a good fight against me. But I don't wanna be an"Internet Tough Guy". So I'm done.
3 months ago
Oh yeah. Marcus. Your mom said that my penis was nice:) She also said that it looks like a baby's arm holding an apple:)
3 months ago
Steve all the respect I had for you just went out the window. I dont know, maybe your real name is Don Imus and if it is get the hell out of here with your racist antics. If this country fails, it will be because ignorant americans such as yourself choose to live in the past and not move forward towards a greater righteousness. Be at peace with yourself. The color of the skin means nothing to me in this situation, the only color that bothers me here are silver & black cause those are the colors that Javon wears. Get yourself together and get back at me. Id appreciate if you dont post any more of that garbage on my articles Stever. Take it easy
God Bless America and Long live the Raider Nation
3 months ago
I wasn't trying to come off as racist. Really I wasn't. But doesn't all of the negative publicity in professional sports make you angry & feeling let down? No sport except maybe Hockey is sacred anymore. These are our heroes/ our saviors/ role models & young kids see the negative actions that athletes are involved in. You have MLB stars using steroids & lying about it. NBA stars cheating on their wives/ carrying guns & getting DUI's. NFL players getting into trouble on a daily basis/ complaining about contracts when they make more money in a year than we do in our whole life & say that they need money to feed their families. You have NFL coaches cheating & video taping signals. Boxers raping women & committing crimes. The gold medalist in the Olympics cheating & dishonoring our country. NBA refs fixing games for gambling purposes. They are giving steroids to race horses now. What's to enjoy anymore. Everyday on ESPN... all you see are these negative stories. It's one after another. Almost all of my sports idles growing up are now tarnished. Kobe Bryant/ Barry Bonds/ Jose Conseco/ Lyle Alzado/ Ken Stabler/ Darrell Russell/ Mike Tyson/ Shaq/ Magic Johnson.... The list goes on. Who can I be a fan of these days without second guessing if they are using steroids or if they are causing trouble? It really hurts me as a fan to see these things happen in sports that I grew up loving. These players are showing kids that cheating wins games & fills the stat sheets. That you can get people shot/ party in clubs/ act like an ass & still keep your job just because you can play at a high level. Still make millions of $$$ even though you aren't a team player & can't stay out of trouble. i know that I went to far in my previous comments. And I am truly sorry for that. I regret saying them.But sports are my life outside of family & work. i feel like the joy of following sports is being taken from me. I just want sports to clean & entertaining again. i don't want asterics next to my favorite players stats. It's getting out of control. And we may not have sports someday because of these things if they continue to happen. Sorry for my comments & i won't comment on your site anymore.
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