According to the Associated Press, Javon Walker was beaten and left unconscious on a street in Las Vegas. The Oakland Raiders wide receiver had been partying, and was found a little after 7:00 a.m. He was hospitalized with “significant injuries.” A large amount of cash and some jewelry were taken.
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This goes in the “what was he thinking?” file. Walker is rumored to have dropped $15,000 on the party the evening prior to discovering him unconscious on the street. He has a six-year, $55 million contract with the Raiders, where was his security?
I shudder to think just how bad this whole situation might have turned out. What if he had been permanently injured or crippled by his attackers? His career would be over. The cost to hire a few bodyguards for the night is so minimal for a man with his affluence–it’s laughable. It’s like you or I purchasing a pizza! Given the average cost of a visit to the emergency room, the surgery, medications, and the stay in the hospital, he has far surpassed the cost of hiring personal protection.
Perhaps he felt his size as a ball player would intimidate any would-be attackers, and so he didn’t feel the need for protection? I’ve no idea, I’m speculating. I’m guessing it was a group of men who attacked him, and even the biggest of men can’t thwart an attack by 2, 3 or 4 guys!Â
Beyond preventing a physical attack, Walker needs to think about public perception. Having a bodyguard or two on hand would have meant that someone had his back. After a night of heavy partying, his security would have arranged to get him home safely. Being found unconscious on a street after a party paints a very negative picture of the man. Let’s be honest here, we’re all thinking he must have been extremely intoxicated and disoriented, and clearly, he was unprotected.
I hope that other celebrities and sports figures heed this story.