The Post Mortem

Javon Walker isn't a bright guy.

The enigmatic Raiders receiver told some convoluted story about how he was beaten and coerced to get into a car at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Obviously Walker was not paying attention to Terry Benedict in Ocean's 11 when he said, "In my hotel, there is always somebody watching."

Seriously, it was like a key point in the movie.

Turns out that the video tape shows that Walker went into a car pretty willingly, according to Norm Clarke in the Las Vegas Review Journal.

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Javon Walker was seen entering a car under his own power at the Bellagio the morning he was found beaten and unconscious, it was learned Friday.

Metro police have surveillance tape of Walker going to the car, and it doesn't match the abduction story he told a Web site Tuesday, the source said.

Good one. How soon until Roger Goodell makes Las Vegas off limits for NFL players? That has to be coming, right?

• The Green Bay Packers are upset that they made only $21 million in 2007. We should all have such problems. Nobody who is paying $4.60 for a gallon of gas is going to be able to offer up much sympathy for the Packers $21 million profit.

• The NFL Network could become a part of ESPN, according to this report in the Wall Street Journal. The writing has been on the wall for a long time with the NFL Network. Why should the team's owners pay money to fund a network that isn't seen by anybody, when they could just turn around and sell it to a network like ESPN? The NBA went through something similar before it had to buckle. And the NFL let go what little leverage it had back in December when they buckled by allowing the Patriots vs. Giants game to be shown on free television.

• Michael Strahan said that he will not be on Dancing with the Stars because he doesn't want to embarrass his legacy. And yet, he will still do appearances on The Best Damn Sports Show, Period. Makes sense, but surprising that Strahan would pass up an opportunity to whore himself out. Maybe this was just a negotiating ploy.

• Daunte Culpepper is still looking for work. Was this supposed to be surprising? But when you look at some of the stiffs still playing in the league, he should at least get another look.
  

• The Packers have interest in Jason Taylor, but the feeling isn't mutual. That is kind of a shock, because Wisconsin seems like the kind of place where Dancing with the Stars probably did well. But it is obvious that Taylor seems himself as the next "Rock" and wants to play for a "high profile" team that will elevate his Q rating. Winning and stuff, probably isn't as important.

• Free agent tackle Shane Olivea partied himself out of the league, according to some with inside knowledge. Olivea was a promising young lineman for the Chargers, but now, not so much. Don't worry, Shane. The Cowboys will be holding a space for you. All you have to do is change your first name and you're cool. Speaking of which, call me NFL Pacman from now. "Adam" has a negative connotation to it.
  

AND FINALLY
The Angels completed a sweep in Philadelphia as K-Rod notched his 30th save of the season. That actually should be alarming that the Angels are playing in so many games that prompt save opportunities. Can't they finally just put a team away for a change?

And a few more random thoughts:
If you are taping the Euro Cup, don't answer text messages. And is the Kings top draft pick any good?