The news that Javon Walker was found unconscious on a street in Vegas, the apparent victim of an early morning robbery, is not a surprise. Not one bit. Here’s a guy who, since he entered the league, has done everything in his power to make it abundantly clear that he cares about nothing but his money. People like to talk about how Walker gets bad advice from people around him, and that is most likely true. But ultimately, he is the one responsible for his life and the direction it has taken since his ridiculous departure from the Packers. When given a great team, a great quarterback and a coach who believed in him, he compared having to go back on the field without a new contract to a soldier having to go back to Iraq. When he was given a young quarterback with whom to grow and a team that was willing to keep him on the roster, despite multiple injury problems, he very publicly said that he would not play second fiddle to Brandon Marshall. Yes, no doubt having Darrent Williams die in his arms has effected him greatly. But did he take nothing away from that event? That perhaps having millions of dollars and making such wild displays as, oh, spraying crowds with 15 bottles of Dom Perignon in Vegas, makes you a target? It’s unbelievably stupid that Walker put himself in this position after having lived through the tragic events on New Year’s Eve three years ago.
However, and despite my very public disdain for Walker, I really don’t feel anything but sadness for him and those unfortunate enough to care about him. Here is a kid who had the world handed to him and he has proceeded to ruin everything he possibly could. As sure as he only cared about himself, he was found as one would suspect when one has no true friends (Wonder where Drew Rosenhaus was when this was going on – and isn’t it funny that we haven’t heard a peep from the little weasel?) – drunk, alone, on a street in Vegas, with a broken orbital bone and no money. I suppose I should follow Steve’s lead and reserve judgment. But sometimes, things are as they appear, plain and simple, and I believe this is one of those times.
