duncan228
11-01-2007, 01:58 PM
I was surprised to see this in my paper this morning.
To get a nice piece like this on an out of state player was refreshing.
Now, if they could only give me better Spurs coverage...
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/romo-cowboys-million-1913565-jones-season
Smith column: Romo in a good place now
MARCIA C. SMITH
Register columnist
HOUSTON The Dallas Cowboys receiver/one-man circus waiting to take the podium after him was standing in the room's corner, dressed shoulders-to-ankles in wrinkle-free white, checking that his football-sized diamond studs were secure in his lobes, punching a text message into a handheld and wearing dark sunglasses. At night.
Terrell Owens, Tony Romo is not.
Chest thumping, self promoting, spinning self-centered football gospel and walking the NFL fashion catwalk haven't been the side pursuits of Romo, who arrived anonymously in Dallas five seasons ago and made himself into the franchise quarterback the Cowboys couldn't afford to lose.
The NFL's Week 9 began with NFC passing leader Romo getting a six-year, $67.5 million contract from the Cowboys and the even more-valued, long-sought endorsement from owner Jerry Jones as the long-term successor to Troy Aikman.
With $30 million in guaranteed money, including an $11.5 million signing bonus, the second-year starter gets the cash to match the club's commitment to him, the Cowboys' eighth signal caller to slide under center since Aikman retired in 2000.
"The best feeling by far is to know the organization, the Jones family, our coaches and everyone says, 'You're our guy — you're the guy we want to go to the next level with,' " said Romo, 27, during a Tuesday news conference announcing the deal. "That means everything — more than the money ever could."
He's all plaid shirts and jeans — or team apparel and jeans — in an NFL in which the other quarterbacks in his new pay grade are donning Armani and pitching for Sony, Gatorade and MasterCard.
He played a receptionist in an ESPN commercial, blushed at the mention of his photos in GQ, used "hunky-dory" to describe a touchdown pass and chuckled at rumors of a romantic tie to Britney Spears.
"Me? No way," he said bashfully before denying the love link to the pop star.
Romo's ascension in football, fame and fortune – one that Jones called "a feel-good story" – is far from being a T.O. tale of flash and flair and more about showing patience, perseverance and pluck.
He was born in San Diego, where his Mexican-American father had been stationed with the U.S. Navy, and grew up in Wisconsin, gripped by the Green Bay Packers and an admiration of Brett Favre.
Undrafted out of Division I-AA Eastern Illinois, Romo began his Cowboys career in 2003 with a minimum contract, a $10,000 signing bonus and a basement spot on the depth chart behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. He had impressed then-Coach Bill Parcells.
He took the leftover snaps as the fourth quarterback backing up Drew Henson, Vinny Testaverde and Carter in 2004 and climbed into a primary backup role behind Drew Bledsoe in 2005. He didn't throw his first official pass until the fifth game of last season, replacing Bledsoe at halftime and for the next 17 starts, including a NFC playoff game, since then.
Just three months ago, after the Cowboys exhibition defeat to the Houston Texans in the "Battle of Texas" at Reliant Stadium, Romo was wrangling through reporters' questions about that night's performance and his uncertain future with the franchise that had fallen far from its days as "America's Team."
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens," Romo said in August when he was scheduled to make $1.5 million. "I've tried to do my best and continue to get better."
For the past two seasons Romo had gambled by swatting away free-agent money and staying with the Cowboys, whom he believed would eventually reward his leap last season from backup to Pro Bowl selection. He had to work and wait for Jones to open his wallet.
Through seven games this season, he has completed 150 of 239 passes (62.8 percent) for 1,984 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His 95.6 quarterback rating leads the NFC, and the Cowboys (6-1) are tied with the Packers for the NFC's best record and contending for their first division title since 1998.
It turned out that Jones, through even the first half of the season, was still testing the kid who has given the team its most stability and success at the position known for era-long Super Bowl champion starters such as Aikman and Roger Staubach.
Romo said Tuesday that trying to live up to the legends was a "no-win situation….You learn from those guys, but you just have to be yourself and hope that one day you can be mentioned in the same breath as those guys."
Romo's new salary, which averages $11.2 million a season, puts him at the top of the scale among NFL quarterbacks, ranking him behind New England's Tom Brady ($13.8 million) and ahead of Indianapolis' Peyton Manning ($10.8 million).
Romo doesn't have their Super Bowl rings yet. But he's just getting started as the Tony Romo Era in Dallas steals the headlines from T.O. and finally begins.
To get a nice piece like this on an out of state player was refreshing.
Now, if they could only give me better Spurs coverage...
http://www.ocregister.com/sports/romo-cowboys-million-1913565-jones-season
Smith column: Romo in a good place now
MARCIA C. SMITH
Register columnist
HOUSTON The Dallas Cowboys receiver/one-man circus waiting to take the podium after him was standing in the room's corner, dressed shoulders-to-ankles in wrinkle-free white, checking that his football-sized diamond studs were secure in his lobes, punching a text message into a handheld and wearing dark sunglasses. At night.
Terrell Owens, Tony Romo is not.
Chest thumping, self promoting, spinning self-centered football gospel and walking the NFL fashion catwalk haven't been the side pursuits of Romo, who arrived anonymously in Dallas five seasons ago and made himself into the franchise quarterback the Cowboys couldn't afford to lose.
The NFL's Week 9 began with NFC passing leader Romo getting a six-year, $67.5 million contract from the Cowboys and the even more-valued, long-sought endorsement from owner Jerry Jones as the long-term successor to Troy Aikman.
With $30 million in guaranteed money, including an $11.5 million signing bonus, the second-year starter gets the cash to match the club's commitment to him, the Cowboys' eighth signal caller to slide under center since Aikman retired in 2000.
"The best feeling by far is to know the organization, the Jones family, our coaches and everyone says, 'You're our guy — you're the guy we want to go to the next level with,' " said Romo, 27, during a Tuesday news conference announcing the deal. "That means everything — more than the money ever could."
He's all plaid shirts and jeans — or team apparel and jeans — in an NFL in which the other quarterbacks in his new pay grade are donning Armani and pitching for Sony, Gatorade and MasterCard.
He played a receptionist in an ESPN commercial, blushed at the mention of his photos in GQ, used "hunky-dory" to describe a touchdown pass and chuckled at rumors of a romantic tie to Britney Spears.
"Me? No way," he said bashfully before denying the love link to the pop star.
Romo's ascension in football, fame and fortune – one that Jones called "a feel-good story" – is far from being a T.O. tale of flash and flair and more about showing patience, perseverance and pluck.
He was born in San Diego, where his Mexican-American father had been stationed with the U.S. Navy, and grew up in Wisconsin, gripped by the Green Bay Packers and an admiration of Brett Favre.
Undrafted out of Division I-AA Eastern Illinois, Romo began his Cowboys career in 2003 with a minimum contract, a $10,000 signing bonus and a basement spot on the depth chart behind Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. He had impressed then-Coach Bill Parcells.
He took the leftover snaps as the fourth quarterback backing up Drew Henson, Vinny Testaverde and Carter in 2004 and climbed into a primary backup role behind Drew Bledsoe in 2005. He didn't throw his first official pass until the fifth game of last season, replacing Bledsoe at halftime and for the next 17 starts, including a NFC playoff game, since then.
Just three months ago, after the Cowboys exhibition defeat to the Houston Texans in the "Battle of Texas" at Reliant Stadium, Romo was wrangling through reporters' questions about that night's performance and his uncertain future with the franchise that had fallen far from its days as "America's Team."
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens," Romo said in August when he was scheduled to make $1.5 million. "I've tried to do my best and continue to get better."
For the past two seasons Romo had gambled by swatting away free-agent money and staying with the Cowboys, whom he believed would eventually reward his leap last season from backup to Pro Bowl selection. He had to work and wait for Jones to open his wallet.
Through seven games this season, he has completed 150 of 239 passes (62.8 percent) for 1,984 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His 95.6 quarterback rating leads the NFC, and the Cowboys (6-1) are tied with the Packers for the NFC's best record and contending for their first division title since 1998.
It turned out that Jones, through even the first half of the season, was still testing the kid who has given the team its most stability and success at the position known for era-long Super Bowl champion starters such as Aikman and Roger Staubach.
Romo said Tuesday that trying to live up to the legends was a "no-win situation….You learn from those guys, but you just have to be yourself and hope that one day you can be mentioned in the same breath as those guys."
Romo's new salary, which averages $11.2 million a season, puts him at the top of the scale among NFL quarterbacks, ranking him behind New England's Tom Brady ($13.8 million) and ahead of Indianapolis' Peyton Manning ($10.8 million).
Romo doesn't have their Super Bowl rings yet. But he's just getting started as the Tony Romo Era in Dallas steals the headlines from T.O. and finally begins.