When we last left the zany world of the Dallas Cowboys, Hall of Famer and FOX analyst Troy Aikman was breaking down what it means to be the quarterback of America's Team (!) for incumbent Tony Romo. A brief recap: "[H]e hasn't fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about ... And you don't go to Cabo the week before a playoff game. You just don't do it." Aikman admitted that going to Mexico the week before a playoff game didn't affect Romo's preparation, but that's not the point: it's the perception. And as Ciskie pointed out Wednesday, fair or not, as the Cowboys quarterback, part of your job is to avoid Cabo-tastic situations, not pretend they don't exist.
After the fact, Romo seems to understand as much, telling the Dallas Morning News' Todd Archer:
"I think leadership sometimes comes with your ability to perform and your personality ... And some of it comes with experience. In a lot of ways, I think I've gotten to the point where I've gained experience.Sounds good, but some fans are still smarting from Romo's comments following the Week 17 beatdown by the Eagles that guaranteed the Cowboys would be on the couch in January: "If this is the worst thing that ever happens to me ... then I'll have lived a pretty good life."
"I'm definitely going to take a more active approach with that as we move forward from last year to this season. I'll be very excited to get back out there and be with the guys and figure out a way to improve and get better and do the things we need to do to win. Period."
And then there's the news that Romo's practice habits were so bad "that they affected the way he played in games and could have factored into the offense's problems." And yet, most of the stories out of Valley Ranch are about Terrell Owens and his various states of disgruntlement. Weird.
Finger-pointing aside, this is a potentially huge issue, and one neither Wade Phillips nor Jason Garrett seem capable of fixing. That Jerry Jones acknowledges the problem is a start, although I have no idea how he'll fix it. There is always the nuclear option, I suppose.
Latest Cowboys Photos
** FILE ** In this Jan. 18, 1976, file photo, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll, center, leaves the field with Jim Allen (45) who holds up his finger indicating the Steelers are No. 1 after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 in Super Bowl X at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Now that Pittsburgh is headed to its seventh Super Bowl, each of the Steelers' three coaches in the last 40 years has taken them there. Noll first got there in his sixth season in 1974, Bill Cowher in his fourth. Mike Tomlin needed only two years after unexpectedly being hired for one of the best-known coaching jobs in American pro sports. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin, File)
AP
** FILE ** This is an Aug. 4, 2007 file photo showing Michael Irvin at the Pro Football Hall of Fame during induction ceremonies, in Canton, Ohio. Irvin says he calmly chatted with a gunman in another vehicle after the armed passenger turned out to be a Dallas Cowboys fan, Monday night Jan. 12, 2009 in Dallas. Irvin, who was not harmed, says he was "very afraid." (AP Photo/Phil Long, File)
AP
** FILE ** This is an Oct. 5, 2008 file photo showing Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer before an NFL football game in Irving, Texas. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer was arrested over the weekend after a disturbance outside a downtown Indianapolis nightclub. Spencer was arrested on preliminary charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct about 3 a.m. Sunday Jan. 11, 2009 outside the Have a Nice Day Cafe, city police Sgt. Matthew Mount said. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Oct. 9, 2008 file photo, Dallas Cowboys' Adam Jones is seen at the Cowboys training facility in Irving, Texas. Troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was released by the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 following a season in which he had no interceptions and was suspended six games for an off-field fight. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Aug. 28, 2008 file photo, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones gestures to the crowd before an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Irving, Texas. Troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was released by the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 following a season in which he had no interceptions and was suspended six games for an off-field fight. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Oct. 9, 2008 file photo, Dallas Cowboys' Adam Jones is seen at the Cowboys training facility in Irving, Texas. Troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was released by the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 following a season in which he had no interceptions and was suspended six games for an off-field fight. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Aug. 28, 2008 file photo, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Adam Jones gestures to the crowd before an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings in Irving, Texas. Troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was released by the Dallas Cowboys Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 following a season in which he had no interceptions and was suspended six games for an off-field fight. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Dec. 28, 2008 file photo, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb looks for a receiver in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Philadelphia. Much has happened to Donovan McNabb since he took his last playoff snap in the 2005 Super Bowl, and most of it is negative. He got benched, booed and written off only to play his best football down the stretch in crucial games. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Dec. 21, 2008, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (5) is brought down by Washington Redskins' Demetric Evans (92) and Jason Taylor (55) during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Landover, Md. The Eagles, who lost to the Redskins but beat the Dallas Cowboys the following week, face the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Jan. 4, in the first round of the NFC playoffs. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)
AP
** FILE ** In this Sept. 7, 2008, file photo, Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel talks to his team on the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Cleveland. Following a 4-12 season that began with Cleveland pegged as one of the NFL's rising teams, the Browns fired Crennel on Monday, Dec. 29, 2008. The ouster came one day after general manager Phil Savage was dismissed by team owner Randy Lerner. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
AP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-22-2009 @ 12:27PM
dubbz3030 said...
Romo sucks, Dallas sucks. their fans dont even know who to blame and think its ok for "Americas Team" to miss the playoffs. Have fun going 6-10 next year thinking about if you can trade up to get Tim Tebow. Dallas is a joke.
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 1:53PM
mknit said...
Romo is a joke, apparently it's taken him several years to learn that TRUE professionals are naturally held accountable. I'd like to see him stay with the Cowboys and provide comic relief to the many anti-Dallas masses.
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 6:45PM
Jim said...
Romo is a mediocre QB at his best. He's always had a lot of excellent recievers to make him look better than he ever will be. I don't understand why they call Dallas America's Team, who started that crap? If anybody pays attention to stats Bear fans set all new ticket sales at the Superbowl a couple of years ago and when you looked in the stands at least 2/3 to 3/4 of the fans were wearing Bears colors. I'm not sure but I think Da Bears have been around longer as well.
Reply
1-22-2009 @ 3:00PM
Big Blue said...
When was the last time Dallas won a playoff game??? Yrs & yrs ago. Romo is not a team leader by any means. Even McNabb can win a few playoff games. What kind of salary did they give him to help win a championship? Each yr the so called experts pick the Cowboys to win everything. It's a good thing the experts don't lay odds. Choke artist if ever there was one. Thanks Tony we love you in the NFC east.
Reply
1-23-2009 @ 7:37AM
Robbo24 said...
As a fan I understand the Dallas Cowboy bashing is to be expected. Two years straight the Dallas Cowboys were sent home by an NFC East rival. Under a new head coach for the Dallas Cowboys. Let's talk turkey guys, Tom, and Andy didn't do so well when they broke into the division. The same with Wade, and Jim in time they will figure out a way to compete for the divisional race to the playoffs.
All this about overhyped and mediocre talk are just ramblings. The fact of the matter is Redskins and Cowboys have relatively new coaches feeling their way to competing at a high level in the NFC East first then the rest of the NFL.
Reply
1-23-2009 @ 8:32PM
airportdony said...
Robbo24 - What's the matter, to embarrased to even mention Tonyboy? I have to agree with everyone, he is not a very good quarterback. A flamboyant, over paid, non football dedicated movie star.
I guess, to him, the worst thing that could ever happen is his girl dumping him. But he would say, it's OK girls are about as important to me as football.
1-23-2009 @ 9:45PM
Robbo24 said...
To the contrary Airportdony, T.R. is on the scene. Young guy caught in a meat grinder of situation. T. Romo needs to cut down on the turnovers he'd be aw-ite. To me Tony is a big kid who don't want to grow up just yet. Playing around, when all these teams trying to put him down. T.O. is not the only one who needs to straighten up. If losing to the Eagles the way they did, don't get their motors to going nothing will.
My boy is going to get to that point of getting sick and tired of squandering golden opportunities, then he will get real. Right now his attention level isn't where it needs to be. Until then all we can do is hope for the turnaround sooner instead of later.
Good looking out big dawg, to be clear, mission control we have a problem.....
Reply
2-01-2009 @ 2:09PM
headleybrat169 said...
romo need to get head back on an not worry about the ladies be leader not player
Reply
2-03-2009 @ 10:46PM
cpeek89 said...
Romo... all the talent needed to win...but no leadership. With leadership being the main issue, he can't just flip a switch and be the leader. The best leaders lead by example (ala Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach). The Cowboys should be looking for a qb in the draft.
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 6:10AM
JOHNJACKONE said...
ROMO CANNOT BE A VERY GOOD QUARTERBACK WITH OUT OWENS
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 6:22AM
johnjackone said...
ITS BEEN SAID THAT YOU CAN SAY T.O. CAUSES CONFUSION WHERE EVER HE GOES NO ONE HAS EVER STOOD UP AND CALLED HIM A LIAR.IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE GAMES AT THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON YOU CAN SEE THAT ROMO LOOKED FOR JASON WHITEN FIRST.OWENS PROBLEM IS HE WOULDNT HUMBLE HIM SELF AND EXSPOSED THE SITUATION,MUCH TO EVERYONES EXSPECTATIONS,ONLY THING IS HE WAS TELLING THE TRUTH,SOMETHING YOU ONLY DO IF IT MAKES YOU AND THE COWBOYS LOOK GOOD.
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 6:35AM
gonzo1 said...
romo's gonna be just fine now that the distraction in the name of terrell owens is history . i knew it was just a matter of time and to would alienate himself in dallas just as he did in san francisco and philadelphia . good riddance to bad garbage. all you nay sayers will eat your words when the 'boys win a superbowl with romo at the helm.
Reply