Throwing Heat

The two constants in football are as follows: nobody likes two-a-days (if you do, you’re legally insane) and the backup quarterback is always the fan favorite.

Both of these rules have once again found themselves to be true at Dallas Cowboys training camp, as new receiver Terrell Owens pulled a pink panther exit, stage left move (the quickest route he’s actually run this season) along with apparently his hamstring at training camp in Oxnard, Calif.

Also, Tony Romo (you remember him right?) is the next big thing in Big D.

Romo, the former Panther quarterback and record holder, has apparently decided he’s going to actually make a career out of this football thing. Despite being mentioned numerous times on nationally recognized television, radio and newspaper organizations over the last two weeks, the Burlington, Wis. native has given a small, but seemingly louder fan base hope.

Isn’t it amazing how important these preseason games can be? Romo completed 19-of- 25 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown in the 13-3 victory at Seattle on Aug. 12. The obvious question would be how did Drew Bledsoe play? I mean, hey, he’s the one that will lead America’s Team back to the playoffs.

The answer is he didn’t. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells went with his backup for the whole game.

See, Parcells and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones know Romo is in the last year of the rookie deal he signed, so the time for evaluation is now. Dallas must answer the ‘do we sign him long term or find another future QB after the post-Bledsoe era’ question.

“There’s an indication that maybe he’s on the right track. This is not in cement here,” Parcells said after the game.

The very next day the subject of Romo was given at least 10 minutes on Dan Patrick’s radio show on ESPN and fellow Bristol colleague Chris Mortensen was quoted as saying that the most interesting NFL quarterback question was in Dallas.

“I think Bill is saying to this kid ‘we know what you can do and all you have to do is show it on a big stage,'” Mortensen said on ESPN radio.

“It was a good start, a good stepping stone. But everybody knows in this league, you’re in the outhouse one week after playing well,” Romo said in his post game press conference (another first for him). “So, I’ve got to come back and do it again.”

One year ago, Romo was seen on Monday Night Football for the first time in a similar looking preseason game. By the end of last year’s game, he nearly had his head taken off on a blindside blitz, fumbled the ball and on the same drive, analyst John Madden made fun of how during one of Romo’s long snap counts, his voice sounded like he was going through puberty.

Last night, the scene was again MNF and with the stars like T.O., Bledsoe, Reggie Bush and Drew Brees, Romo once again had the trio in the booth talking. This time it was about his play as he ended the night 6 for 8 for 138 yards and a touchdown.

All of this attention, focus and speculation is certainly a nice change of pace for a kid that wasn’t offered a Division I-A football scholarship coming out of Burlington High School.

As a Wisconsin guy myself, the talk was centered around the fact that Romo could be a pro if he concentrated on one sport: golf.

“Tony is a great player and proved his ability by being one of the state’s best amateur players while he was here,” said Bill Hangan on the night Romo wasn’t drafted. Hangan is the golf professional at Brown Lakes Golf Club in Burlington.

And surprisingly enough to a host of people, including me, that’s what Romo was doing this summer instead of continuingly worrying about the $5 million third-string Drew Henson nipping at his heels.

He attempted to qualify for the 2006 Byron Nelson, United States Open (with Bledsoe on the bag) and finally was comfortable enough to come back home to compete in the Wisconsin State Match Play.

After his 76 in the stroke play round and his third round exit, Romo then shifted his thoughts to training camp. I’m hoping that now he’s qualified for the 2007 event, Romo returns and tees it up again and then when it’s all over, shifts his thoughts once again to Dallas, where he’ll prepare for his first year as the Cowboys starter.

Don’t worry Drew; I’m sure you’ll always have a job as Romo’s caddie as he attempts to qualify for the Senior Tour.

“I need more information. I think we’re going to get it. And I’m hoping it will be as a starter someday,” Parcells said.

Apparently the Tuna has the same hope too.

Matthew Stevens is senior journalism major. He can be reached at [email protected]