TIME FOR TONY?
by Mike Fisher
I am not doubting for a moment that Tony Romo may be equal parts Paul McCartney, Simon Cowell, Brett Favre and Pancho Villa. But even those four guys rolled into one Cowboys uniform can’t justify to me the idea of re-doing the quarterback’s contract at this moment.
Romo – taking a break from becoming engaged to pop tart Carrie Underwood, judging the Miss Universe Contest, hosting some sort of rock concert, fulfilling Jerry Jones’ wishes that he be marketable to Hispanics and Caucasians alike, and maybe breaking up with Underwood – recently said he believes Dallas has “a shot at winning the whole thing.’’
No disagreement there. In fact, if and when Romo’s Cowboys do indeed challenge to even WIN a playoff game, that would be an excellent time to re-negotiate his existing two-year contract, which expires after this season with the good guy QB pocketing $1.5 mil this year as part of a $3.9 mil deal.
So why are the Dallas Cowboys preparing to pay this kid somewhere around 50 million dollars?
Usually, when teams renegotiate an existing deal, it’s the result of one side or the other possessing a great deal of leverage. But here. … we’re talking about a young man who’s greatest asset so far is his rags-to-riches story – and the story remains so incomplete that he’s got only 11 NFL starts to his credit.
The Cowboys obviously have complete faith in Romo’s ability, and in his future, so maybe “doing it now” vs. “doing it later’’ is a moot argument to them. But if it was my six years and $48 million – that’s where the bar is set by the new deal Houston gave similarily promising-but-inexperienced Matt Schaub – I’d lean toward “doing it later.’’
Like, maybe, after 12 starts? Or 13?
Will the going rate get jacked up in the coming months? Nah. The Schaub deal will certainly be the framework for a Romo deal. maybe they want to do a deal before other QBs get signed up, thus jacking up the price.
Will the price of paying for Romo become jacked up if the QB -- already a Pro Bowler, remember -- has a brilliant season? Nah. Not “jacked up’’ in any negative sense; if Tony transforms into his boyhood hero Favre, Jones will gladly compensate him for that.
Will giving him a contract now provide a boost of confidence for Romo? Nah. The kid already borders on “cocky,’’ and that ‘tude has been backed by Jones’ oft-voiced faith in him, by the Cowboys passing on rookie Brady Quinn, by the Cowboys having handed him the starting job over Drew Bledsoe. … seriously, they’re treating Tony Romo as if he is a natural heir to Meredith, Staubach, White and Aikman.
That’s as much of a “boost’’ as any QB can get.
Will it create a distraction, a source of tension, for the organization and for the quarterback to be engaged in contract negotiations during the season? Nah. If you’re going to accept this job, you’d better eat tension for breakfast. And distractions? If Tony wanted to avoid supposed “distractions,’’ he’d avoid high-profile dating, rock-concert hosting and beauty pageant judging.
Don’t get me wrong here. I have a long-term and thriving rep as Jerry Jones’ “Backpocket Boy,’’ and I’m slowly coming around on Romo. But there’s little upside to talking money right now. What if one side takes a hardball approach? What if the organization says negative things about the player, as often occurs in such talks?
And again, most of all, business-wise, why should the Cowboys make any sort of unnecessary commitment? If the only reason is because the franchise thinks of Tony as rock star/TV celeb/Hispanic hero. … there is no reason at all.
I am not doubting for a moment that Tony Romo may be equal parts Paul McCartney, Simon Cowell, Brett Favre and Pancho Villa. But even those four guys rolled into one Cowboys uniform can’t justify to me the idea of re-doing the quarterback’s contract at this moment.
Romo – taking a break from becoming engaged to pop tart Carrie Underwood, judging the Miss Universe Contest, hosting some sort of rock concert, fulfilling Jerry Jones’ wishes that he be marketable to Hispanics and Caucasians alike, and maybe breaking up with Underwood – recently said he believes Dallas has “a shot at winning the whole thing.’’
No disagreement there. In fact, if and when Romo’s Cowboys do indeed challenge to even WIN a playoff game, that would be an excellent time to re-negotiate his existing two-year contract, which expires after this season with the good guy QB pocketing $1.5 mil this year as part of a $3.9 mil deal.
So why are the Dallas Cowboys preparing to pay this kid somewhere around 50 million dollars?
Usually, when teams renegotiate an existing deal, it’s the result of one side or the other possessing a great deal of leverage. But here. … we’re talking about a young man who’s greatest asset so far is his rags-to-riches story – and the story remains so incomplete that he’s got only 11 NFL starts to his credit.
The Cowboys obviously have complete faith in Romo’s ability, and in his future, so maybe “doing it now” vs. “doing it later’’ is a moot argument to them. But if it was my six years and $48 million – that’s where the bar is set by the new deal Houston gave similarily promising-but-inexperienced Matt Schaub – I’d lean toward “doing it later.’’
Like, maybe, after 12 starts? Or 13?
Will the going rate get jacked up in the coming months? Nah. The Schaub deal will certainly be the framework for a Romo deal. maybe they want to do a deal before other QBs get signed up, thus jacking up the price.
Will the price of paying for Romo become jacked up if the QB -- already a Pro Bowler, remember -- has a brilliant season? Nah. Not “jacked up’’ in any negative sense; if Tony transforms into his boyhood hero Favre, Jones will gladly compensate him for that.
Will giving him a contract now provide a boost of confidence for Romo? Nah. The kid already borders on “cocky,’’ and that ‘tude has been backed by Jones’ oft-voiced faith in him, by the Cowboys passing on rookie Brady Quinn, by the Cowboys having handed him the starting job over Drew Bledsoe. … seriously, they’re treating Tony Romo as if he is a natural heir to Meredith, Staubach, White and Aikman.
That’s as much of a “boost’’ as any QB can get.
Will it create a distraction, a source of tension, for the organization and for the quarterback to be engaged in contract negotiations during the season? Nah. If you’re going to accept this job, you’d better eat tension for breakfast. And distractions? If Tony wanted to avoid supposed “distractions,’’ he’d avoid high-profile dating, rock-concert hosting and beauty pageant judging.
Don’t get me wrong here. I have a long-term and thriving rep as Jerry Jones’ “Backpocket Boy,’’ and I’m slowly coming around on Romo. But there’s little upside to talking money right now. What if one side takes a hardball approach? What if the organization says negative things about the player, as often occurs in such talks?
And again, most of all, business-wise, why should the Cowboys make any sort of unnecessary commitment? If the only reason is because the franchise thinks of Tony as rock star/TV celeb/Hispanic hero. … there is no reason at all.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:22 PM
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