Romo Not Getting Ahead of Himself
Jana Wallis - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - A trip to Mexico City to judge the Miss Universe pageant, a Verizon commercial and a highly discussed relationship with a pop star sound like more than enough to distract a professional quarterback from his off-season duties.
Right?
Wrong.
Tony Romo was present and accounted for at the Cowboys' first mini-camp, ready and able to practice - as he was at the team's fourth of four organized team activity practice sessions here Friday, all of which are classified as voluntary.
"Football is what I love to do, it's what I enjoy every day when I wake up," said the Cowboys' starting quarterback, knowing his off-season adventures have been the talk of the town, not to mention in the national media.
"It is what it is. I know you guys are going to talk about it and I know how hard I work, and at the end of the day I know what it takes for me to be successful."
Fellow NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have become household names as a result of their high-profile relationships and commercial deals, as well as their winning records. But Romo is quick to dispel any ideas he has reached that status of celebrity.
"I can still walk down the street," he said.
Internet blogs and tabloids have been flooded with media and fans wanting to weigh in on Romo's recent rise in fame, leading others to be critical.
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson recently remarked that he thinks Romo is "overhyped," though not necessarily of his own doing, but will have to fulfill these expectations sooner now rather than later.
But Romo's current teammates seem to be less worried. Tight end Jason Witten and linebacker Akin Ayodele had only positive things to say about the guy from Eastern Illinois.
"The thing about Tony is he's so humble," Ayodele said. "He's still the same guy when I came in, the same guy who last year was second string.
"He deserves it."
And frankly, who better to judge Miss USA as she trips on international television than Romo, the former Cowboys' holder for place kicks who knows exactly what it's like to fall in the spotlight.
Now he may be warmed by this new limelight, but don't expect it to burn him in the fall.
Grieving Absence
While several players might have missed Friday's voluntary OTA session, no one had a better excuse than Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears, who sadly traveled to New Orleans to mourn the death of his friend and former college teammate, Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill.
Hill and Spears played together at LSU, including the 2003 National Championship season, and were roommates as well for three years. Hill tragically drowned in Lake Pontchartrain during the Memorial Day weekend after falling off a Jet Ski and apparently suffering a significant head injury. His body was found the next day.
Though Spears had continued to participate in the OTA's this week after finding out his friend had died, the third-year defensive end wanted to be in New Orleans for Friday's wake and the funeral service on Saturday. Not only will several members of those LSU teams return for the services, but so will Hill's teammates from New England, who were expected to fly to New Orleans on a team charter thanks to owner Robert Kraft.
Spears is expected to return to Valley Ranch next week for the final three OTA's and the weekend's mini-camp.
Walking Wounded
The Cowboys finished their second week of OTA's here Friday, but were missing six players due to injury and rehabilitation.
Four of those were the usual suspects, Greg Ellis, Marco Rivera, Isaiah Stanback and Akin Ayodele. But there were two new guys joining the group, left tackle Flozell Adams and tight end Anthony Fasano. Adams developed some swelling in his right knee after the first mini-camp, and is being held out of the OTA sessions. Fasano suffered a sprained A.C. joint in his shoulder after he was fallen on during a recent non-pad OTA practice.
Ayodele recently had arthroscopic surgery to remove a nagging piece of cartilage from his right knee which had been bothering him since the end of last season. The veteran inside linebacker said he definitely will be ready for the start of training camp.
Also continuing to rehab from previous surgeries were Ellis, Stanback and Rivera. Ellis (Achilles) and Stanback (Lisfranc) are expected to be ready for the start of training camp, though the way Stanback was running during a few rehab drills on Friday, he might be ready as early as next weekend to participate in the mini-camp in some capacity.
As for Rivera, there does not seem to be any rush to get him back on the field following a second surgery in two years to repair the same ruptured disk in his lower back.
Shorts Shots
With Adams not practicing, the Cowboys were working second-year lineman Pat McQuistan at left tackle with the first team. There was some thought McQuistan might challenge Kyle Kosier for the starting left guard spot . . . While Cory Procter has been getting most of the work at backup center, on Friday Joe Berger received a chance to work with the second team at center. Procter spent his time at right guard on the second team . . . Keith Davis, moved to the same linebacker spot on the nickel defense as Roy Williams and came up with a 7-on-7 interception to end the drill . . . Backup quarterback Brad Johnson continues to hold for Martin Gramatica while punter Mat McBriar did the honors for rookie Nick Folk . . . Rookie free-agent quarterback Matt Moore still is ineligible to attend these workouts since Oregon State's semester hasn't concluded, leaving the club with four quarterbacks and giving recently-signed Richard Bartel another full week of work with the club. It would seem unlikely the Cowboys would take five quarterbacks to training camp.
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - A trip to Mexico City to judge the Miss Universe pageant, a Verizon commercial and a highly discussed relationship with a pop star sound like more than enough to distract a professional quarterback from his off-season duties.
Right?
Wrong.
Tony Romo was present and accounted for at the Cowboys' first mini-camp, ready and able to practice - as he was at the team's fourth of four organized team activity practice sessions here Friday, all of which are classified as voluntary.
"Football is what I love to do, it's what I enjoy every day when I wake up," said the Cowboys' starting quarterback, knowing his off-season adventures have been the talk of the town, not to mention in the national media.
"It is what it is. I know you guys are going to talk about it and I know how hard I work, and at the end of the day I know what it takes for me to be successful."
Fellow NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have become household names as a result of their high-profile relationships and commercial deals, as well as their winning records. But Romo is quick to dispel any ideas he has reached that status of celebrity.
"I can still walk down the street," he said.
Internet blogs and tabloids have been flooded with media and fans wanting to weigh in on Romo's recent rise in fame, leading others to be critical.
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson recently remarked that he thinks Romo is "overhyped," though not necessarily of his own doing, but will have to fulfill these expectations sooner now rather than later.
But Romo's current teammates seem to be less worried. Tight end Jason Witten and linebacker Akin Ayodele had only positive things to say about the guy from Eastern Illinois.
"The thing about Tony is he's so humble," Ayodele said. "He's still the same guy when I came in, the same guy who last year was second string.
"He deserves it."
And frankly, who better to judge Miss USA as she trips on international television than Romo, the former Cowboys' holder for place kicks who knows exactly what it's like to fall in the spotlight.
Now he may be warmed by this new limelight, but don't expect it to burn him in the fall.
Grieving Absence
While several players might have missed Friday's voluntary OTA session, no one had a better excuse than Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears, who sadly traveled to New Orleans to mourn the death of his friend and former college teammate, Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill.
Hill and Spears played together at LSU, including the 2003 National Championship season, and were roommates as well for three years. Hill tragically drowned in Lake Pontchartrain during the Memorial Day weekend after falling off a Jet Ski and apparently suffering a significant head injury. His body was found the next day.
Though Spears had continued to participate in the OTA's this week after finding out his friend had died, the third-year defensive end wanted to be in New Orleans for Friday's wake and the funeral service on Saturday. Not only will several members of those LSU teams return for the services, but so will Hill's teammates from New England, who were expected to fly to New Orleans on a team charter thanks to owner Robert Kraft.
Spears is expected to return to Valley Ranch next week for the final three OTA's and the weekend's mini-camp.
Walking Wounded
The Cowboys finished their second week of OTA's here Friday, but were missing six players due to injury and rehabilitation.
Four of those were the usual suspects, Greg Ellis, Marco Rivera, Isaiah Stanback and Akin Ayodele. But there were two new guys joining the group, left tackle Flozell Adams and tight end Anthony Fasano. Adams developed some swelling in his right knee after the first mini-camp, and is being held out of the OTA sessions. Fasano suffered a sprained A.C. joint in his shoulder after he was fallen on during a recent non-pad OTA practice.
Ayodele recently had arthroscopic surgery to remove a nagging piece of cartilage from his right knee which had been bothering him since the end of last season. The veteran inside linebacker said he definitely will be ready for the start of training camp.
Also continuing to rehab from previous surgeries were Ellis, Stanback and Rivera. Ellis (Achilles) and Stanback (Lisfranc) are expected to be ready for the start of training camp, though the way Stanback was running during a few rehab drills on Friday, he might be ready as early as next weekend to participate in the mini-camp in some capacity.
As for Rivera, there does not seem to be any rush to get him back on the field following a second surgery in two years to repair the same ruptured disk in his lower back.
Shorts Shots
With Adams not practicing, the Cowboys were working second-year lineman Pat McQuistan at left tackle with the first team. There was some thought McQuistan might challenge Kyle Kosier for the starting left guard spot . . . While Cory Procter has been getting most of the work at backup center, on Friday Joe Berger received a chance to work with the second team at center. Procter spent his time at right guard on the second team . . . Keith Davis, moved to the same linebacker spot on the nickel defense as Roy Williams and came up with a 7-on-7 interception to end the drill . . . Backup quarterback Brad Johnson continues to hold for Martin Gramatica while punter Mat McBriar did the honors for rookie Nick Folk . . . Rookie free-agent quarterback Matt Moore still is ineligible to attend these workouts since Oregon State's semester hasn't concluded, leaving the club with four quarterbacks and giving recently-signed Richard Bartel another full week of work with the club. It would seem unlikely the Cowboys would take five quarterbacks to training camp.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:49 AM
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