Walker: Thompson drove me from Green Bay

[Bossman641]

TO UPGRADE a RECIEVER CROP THAT WAS FUCKING PEDESTAL WITH FREEMAN AND SCHROEDER?

Do you mean pedestrian?

[Guiness]

Looks more and more like JW shot his mouth off, and left town to save face.

He didn't get a renegotiation, he got an extension. He still plays for the $2.5mil he had said was unacceptable. Did he get ANY more guaranteed money?

I guess he found out that every GM in the league was going to 'disrespect' him

[Scott Campbell]

I'm in Denver today, and listened to a live 20 minute radio interview with Javon. He again brought up problems he had with other team members besides Favre, even joking that he wasn't aware that those guys had desk jobs.

He said he understood the business side of not wanting to pay him more money at the time, and made it sound more like the bad chemistry between him and his team mates was the primary reason behind his position. He used the word disrespect a lot.

[MadtownPacker]

walker talking about Favre giving him a chance to make plays sounds like a hint to Plummer. Good luck Jake, better give the crybaby his ball or he will hold out.

[mraynrand]

Mateo had it correct about Walker - Walker's comments, in particular the one about Iraq and soldiers (not to mention his association with the pseudo anti-christ Rosenhaus), doomed his endorsement coin. He needed to get out because he flushed his money making prospects down the toilet. And it helps your own psyche if you can assign the blame elsewhere rather than to the reflection in the mirror.

[Kiwon]

Given JW's current entitlement attitude, his departure is okay with me. I don't like losing the talent, but I'd take more Samkon Gados than Javon Walkers anytime.

[MJZiggy]

Mornin' Kiwon. Don't forget Donald Drivers!

[Fritz]

I'm in Denver today, and listened to a live 20 minute radio interview with Javon. He again brought up problems he had with other team members besides Favre, even joking that he wasn't aware that those guys had desk jobs.

He said he understood the business side of not wanting to pay him more money at the time, and made it sound more like the bad chemistry between him and his team mates was the primary reason behind his position. He used the word disrespect a lot.

WTF??? First he said he wanted out because he wasn't being "respected" by being paid like a pro bowl receiver. Then he said he couldn't stand Brett Favre and his comments. Then he slammed TT for "disrespecting" him. Now it's "other" teammates?

Make up your mind, Javon.

Second note - it's interesting to me that when in GB Walker wanted to restructure his contract - he wanted big money NOW. Apparently though he will now have to honor that last year of his original contract - he's only gotten an extension.

Wist, I was all for giving Walker an extension when this stuff first surfaced. Now, having heard Walker blaming everybody but the trainer for his unhappiness, I wonder if maybe TT saw some things about JWalk that we did not.

Time will tell. If he has a huge year, then another, then we can say the Packers were wrong to let him go. If he gets hurt or starts whining after a season or so, then we can say the Pack was right.

[The Leaper]

Leaper, you were one of JW's biggest supporters for a new contract in GB. What happened that you changed your mind?

I never supported giving him top 5 money at WR. I advocated for Thompson to put a fair deal on the table considering all factors involved...including having 2 years left under his current contract and being relatively unproven compared to other elite WRs like Owens, Moss, Harrison, etc. I thought after 2004, Walker deserved a deal making him the 20-25th highest paid WR in the league over the next 3 years. That would've given Walker the pay raise he wanted and deserved based on his talent...as well as giving him the ability to cash in another big payday within 2-3 seasons if he continued to produce at the level of an elite WR.

Whether or not Walker would've taken that, I don't know. But Thompson should've put the deal on the table and showed a willingness to bargain with a blue chip player. You don't ignore someone with Walker's talent until they are desperate enough to force their way out of town. That is foolishness IMO.

As far as the deal Denver gave Walker...I think it is ridiculous considering Walker is coming off of a rather major injury and really won't have the time to prove himself worthy of that massive deal in one year with a new team. Basically, Shanahan has painted himself in a corner. Rod Smith is on the decline, and has one or two years left in the tank tops. Lelie now is massively pissed off Shanahan went out and got Walker, and he isn't likely to stay in Denver very long. That means regardless of what Walker does this year, Shanahan is going to have to eat a monster contract for him...or look like a real fool. Unless Walker puts up another 1250 yards and 12 TDs, which I think is unlikely working on a new team with a less talented QB at the helm, it is going to be real hard to justify giving him the kind of money Denver is slotted to give him after 2006.

[The Leaper]

Wist, I was all for giving Walker an extension when this stuff first surfaced. Now, having heard Walker blaming everybody but the trainer for his unhappiness, I wonder if maybe TT saw some things about JWalk that we did not.

I don't know. I'd be pretty pissed off if I was Javon...and saw Robert Ferguson get a fat new deal after doing NOTHING to prove he was worthy of it. I'd also be pissed to see that Bubba Franks basically had to force the Packer's hand to get a new deal...after being a consistent, reliable player for a number of seasons. The Packers do not have a good track record of being proactive in rewarding players for good performance. Even Driver...one of the classiest guys and most consistent performers in the last 5 years...had to wait a hell of a long time to get what he deserved.

I'm not advocating that I agree with Javon's tactics...but I can understand why he'd feel a little upset about what happened last year.

[Noodle]

I read the article (good post, thanks) and I don't think Walker comes off badly at all. He's gracious about Favre, he's funny about how he wants to wear 84, and he says the right things about wanting to learn from his new teammates.

I'm with Wist and Leaper on this one. We don't know the real story, but if it is anything like Walker said, then TT blew it. He should not have given a flat no. He should have explored some options with Walker and kept the conversation going. Instead, he played hardball, which got us nowhere.

This was a bad outcome, and it has cost the Packers their best offensive weapon. And don't tell me he had only one good season. His rookie season was a wash (not surprising for a receiver), but in his second season he led the team in receiving yards, and his third season was huge.

Christl noted that no one on the current receiving corps can match Walker. He was special. He's gone. And I blame it on TT for not being more flexible.

[Tony Oday]

Walker reminds me of Rod Tidwell

[mraynrand]

Tidewell is much more articulate than Walker. Walker got a 'D' in his English as a second language class.

[Noodle]

I have great Quan for Walker. And for Tidwell.

But Walker is way bigger than Tidwell. Tidwell is more Steve Smith sized.

[Tony Oday]

lol but Tidwell goes over the middle!!!! hehe

I can just see walker biatching like Tidwell in the locker room on that little tirade and I could TOTALLY see CLifton and TAuch just walk by him and push him into his locker