Can Tony Romo match Kurt Warner's 1999 show?
By Charean Williams
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
IRVING, Texas - Kurt Warner has seen Tony Romo's story before. In 1999, he lived it.
As Warner watched from the Cardinals' sideline Nov. 12 as Romo led the Cowboys to a 27-10 victory over Arizona, Romo reminded Warner of Warner in 1999.
"Obviously, it's similar in the fact that he's come in and had success early," Warner said in a telephone interview. "But I think he's a lot more talented player than I was. I was fortunate to be surrounded by great players in a great system. He's athletic; he's got a great arm. He's just a playmaker. The number of plays he makes instinctively is just awesome.
"He's fun to watch, and it's fun too see a guy with so much humility have so much success."
Romo and Warner share much in common. They are the same height - 6-foot-2 - and about the same weight - 222 for Warner and 225 for Romo. They both are from Burlington _Romo from Burlington, Wis., and Warner from Burlington, Iowa. They both went to small colleges - Romo to Eastern Illinois and Warner to Northern Iowa. Neither was drafted. Both had to wait their turns before getting a chance in the NFL.
And their statistics in their first five starts are nearly identical.
"But I think mine is a different situation," Romo said. "He came in when a guy (Trent Green) got injured, and he played at such an incredible level there for a really long time. He's had a great career."
Romo was a freshman at Eastern Illinois in 1999 when Warner came off the bench after Green tore two ligaments and the lateral meniscus in his left knee during an Aug. 28 preseason game. Warner won his first six starts.
"You couldn't help (but hear about Warner)," Romo said. "He came right in and was on fire from day one. They went right to the Super Bowl his first season."
Warner's story has been well told. He was stocking shelves at a Cedar Falls, Iowa, food store before getting a job in the Arena Football League. He spent three seasons with the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena League and another with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe before getting an NFL offer with the St. Louis Rams.
"He was a more experienced football player (than Romo) in terms of game exposure," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "It was different levels, but he had a lot of game exposure."
Warner finished his first NFL season with a 13-3 regular-season record. He completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a passer rating of 109.2.
Warner was voted the league MVP in 1999. He won the Super Bowl XXXIV MVP award after leading the Rams, who had been 4-12 the previous season, to a 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the championship game.
"It takes time to complete a story like Kurt Warner's," former Rams coach Dick Vermeil said in a telephone interview. "He went through the whole season. It wasn't just a couple of ball games.
"Tony right now is doing a great job. We'll see what happens in the next week and the next week and the next week. If he keeps going that way, he's another story."
Warner said the off-field demands made his first season "overwhelming" at times. Everybody, it seemed, wanted something from him, which is what Romo is experiencing now.
It has been tagged Romo-mania.
Romo has appeared or will appear on every major sports show, according to Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels. "The Chicago Tribune", "The New York Times", "ESPN the Magazine", "Sports Illustrated" and "USA Today" are among those who have sent reporters to write stories on Romo.
Romo had never attempted an NFL pass before this season.
Yet, in his first five starts, not counting relief appearances against the Houston Texans and New York Giants, Romo has completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 1,394 yards with 10 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 115.8 passer rating. He is 4-1, having lost only because of a fluke blocked field goal return.
"If I could give him one piece of advice, I'd say just enjoy every minute of it," said Warner, who spent six seasons in St. Louis and one with the Giants, and is in his second season in Arizona. "I've experienced the highs and the lows. I know how quickly this game can change and how politics and those kinds of things can play into it.
"It's hard to believe that this kind of string is going to continue on forever. You're going to hit some speed bumps. You just need to remember how lucky and fortunate you are to play this game and don't ever allow people to take away the joy of the game, which I think happens way too often in this business."
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
IRVING, Texas - Kurt Warner has seen Tony Romo's story before. In 1999, he lived it.
As Warner watched from the Cardinals' sideline Nov. 12 as Romo led the Cowboys to a 27-10 victory over Arizona, Romo reminded Warner of Warner in 1999.
"Obviously, it's similar in the fact that he's come in and had success early," Warner said in a telephone interview. "But I think he's a lot more talented player than I was. I was fortunate to be surrounded by great players in a great system. He's athletic; he's got a great arm. He's just a playmaker. The number of plays he makes instinctively is just awesome.
"He's fun to watch, and it's fun too see a guy with so much humility have so much success."
Romo and Warner share much in common. They are the same height - 6-foot-2 - and about the same weight - 222 for Warner and 225 for Romo. They both are from Burlington _Romo from Burlington, Wis., and Warner from Burlington, Iowa. They both went to small colleges - Romo to Eastern Illinois and Warner to Northern Iowa. Neither was drafted. Both had to wait their turns before getting a chance in the NFL.
And their statistics in their first five starts are nearly identical.
"But I think mine is a different situation," Romo said. "He came in when a guy (Trent Green) got injured, and he played at such an incredible level there for a really long time. He's had a great career."
Romo was a freshman at Eastern Illinois in 1999 when Warner came off the bench after Green tore two ligaments and the lateral meniscus in his left knee during an Aug. 28 preseason game. Warner won his first six starts.
"You couldn't help (but hear about Warner)," Romo said. "He came right in and was on fire from day one. They went right to the Super Bowl his first season."
Warner's story has been well told. He was stocking shelves at a Cedar Falls, Iowa, food store before getting a job in the Arena Football League. He spent three seasons with the Iowa Barnstormers in the Arena League and another with the Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe before getting an NFL offer with the St. Louis Rams.
"He was a more experienced football player (than Romo) in terms of game exposure," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "It was different levels, but he had a lot of game exposure."
Warner finished his first NFL season with a 13-3 regular-season record. He completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 4,353 yards with 41 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and a passer rating of 109.2.
Warner was voted the league MVP in 1999. He won the Super Bowl XXXIV MVP award after leading the Rams, who had been 4-12 the previous season, to a 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in the championship game.
"It takes time to complete a story like Kurt Warner's," former Rams coach Dick Vermeil said in a telephone interview. "He went through the whole season. It wasn't just a couple of ball games.
"Tony right now is doing a great job. We'll see what happens in the next week and the next week and the next week. If he keeps going that way, he's another story."
Warner said the off-field demands made his first season "overwhelming" at times. Everybody, it seemed, wanted something from him, which is what Romo is experiencing now.
It has been tagged Romo-mania.
Romo has appeared or will appear on every major sports show, according to Cowboys spokesman Brett Daniels. "The Chicago Tribune", "The New York Times", "ESPN the Magazine", "Sports Illustrated" and "USA Today" are among those who have sent reporters to write stories on Romo.
Romo had never attempted an NFL pass before this season.
Yet, in his first five starts, not counting relief appearances against the Houston Texans and New York Giants, Romo has completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 1,394 yards with 10 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 115.8 passer rating. He is 4-1, having lost only because of a fluke blocked field goal return.
"If I could give him one piece of advice, I'd say just enjoy every minute of it," said Warner, who spent six seasons in St. Louis and one with the Giants, and is in his second season in Arizona. "I've experienced the highs and the lows. I know how quickly this game can change and how politics and those kinds of things can play into it.
"It's hard to believe that this kind of string is going to continue on forever. You're going to hit some speed bumps. You just need to remember how lucky and fortunate you are to play this game and don't ever allow people to take away the joy of the game, which I think happens way too often in this business."
posted by The Gryphon at 9:02 AM
<< Home