As one team gives up on their season by suspending their star WR for a pair of games, another team dramatically improves their chances by talking their star WR out of retirement.

(How can you argue with a face like that?)

Chris Mortensen of ESPN.COM is reporting that Oakland receiver Javon Walker was set to retire and turn in his $11 million signing bonus before Raiders owner and known zombie Al Davis used his persuasive undead abilities to talk Walker into returning to camp.

To say that Walker has had a tough transition to Oakland would be an understatement. ESPN runs down the list of issues that Walker’s had to deal with so far this offseason.

• Being criticized by coach Lane Kiffin for being out of shape.

• Being limited to one practice a day because he is still recovering from a knee injury last year.

• Struggling when he has practiced, dropping passes and miscommunicating with his quarterbacks on patterns.

• And, oh yeah, being abducted, beaten, robbed of about $3,000 in cash and $100,000 worth of jewelry, and found unconscious near the Las Vegas Strip.

So yeah, it’s been kind of eventful. You could see why the strain of it all was finally weighing on Walker. But when Al Davis talks, you listen. Especially if he, as rumored, threatens to use your corpse to partially quench his insatiable desire for human flesh unless you return to camp.

Smart move, Walker. That’s really using your Braaaiiiiiiins!!!