Category: NFL (Page 818 of 1282)

      Tony Romo will never be a leader

      January 23, 2009 /

      Or so says Cedric Golden of Statesman.com:

      Tony RomoRomo’s not a leader. Never has been. Never will be.

      Leaders don’t develop. They are born. It’s something in the DNA. You either have it, or you don’t. After showing little interest in leadership his first couple of seasons, Romo is talking about becoming a better leader now. In this case, talk isn’t cheap — Romo signed a $67.5 million contract extension during the season — but it’s still just talk.

      He’s singing a different tune from the one he sang after the 44-6 drubbing at Philadelphia, which dropped his career record as a starter in December to 5-8. Minutes after his team collapsed on the field, he collapsed in the shower from a rib injury, then offered this explanation of how he dealt with the loss:

      “If this is the worst thing that ever happens to me,” Romo said, “then I’ll have lived a pretty good life.”
      He might as well have been one of those talentless clowns who audition for “American Idol.” It was comical and hurt the ears.

      That’s what separates Romo from guys such as Aikman, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. They live the game. Losses eat at their intestines for entire offseasons. Romo’s comments suggested he was already over the loss.

      Aikman offered up no excuses when the Cowboys went 1-15 with him as the starter. And he didn’t morph into a superhero when the Cowboys were winning Super Bowls. He was the same hard-playing, accountable dude during good times and bad times. Romo’s not Aikman. Not even close. And while it’s probably not fair to compare the two, Romo opened up the door when he played the leadership card.
      Even a defensive player like Ray Lewis, who had off-field problems early in his career, is 10 times the leader Romo is. He doesn’t have to make any pronouncements about leadership, because his actions make it clear who’s running things in the Baltimore Ravens’ locker room.

      Ray Lewis is 10 times the leader Tony Romo is? Gee, way to make a prophetic statement there, Cedric.

      He may never be the guy that runs up and down the sidelines like Tim Tebow does or have the gonads to get into the face of his offensive linemen on the bench like Tom Brady, but Romo can lead by example. If he wins, his teammates will follow because in the end, winning speaks louder than any sideline speech that he can give.

      Will he ever be Brady, Lewis or Aikman in terms of being a leader? Probably not, but then again, it takes a special man to lead like those guys do/did. What Romo can do is focus more in practice, be more dedicated to the game that has treated him very well the past couple years and start producing in December. If he does those things, people will take notice.

      NFL

      Does Kurt Warner get enough respect?

      January 23, 2009 /

      John Lavallo of Takeoutmag.com writes that Cardinals’ veteran signal caller Kurt Warner gets no respect and delves into the discussion of whether or not he’s Hall of Fame-worthy (which many media members as Lavallo points out, do not believe so).

      Kurt Warner“Not a singular player in his era”.This is laughable. Let’s assume Warner’s “era” is the late 90’s and early 00’s (that’s sort of an era, I guess). In that time, what did our man do? Threw for nearly 14,000 yards (and another 15,000 yards since), completed nearly 70% of his passes, lead his team to three 500+ point seasons, made 4 Pro-Bowls, won 2 MVP’s, lead his team to 2 Super Bowls, won a championship, along with throwing 400+ yards and collecting an MVP trophy for Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner had the best 3-year stretch of any QB in NFL history. And since 1999 is smack dab in his era, let’s take specific notice of that year. Warner had the best single season of any QB in NFL history, not only because of eye-popping stats (41 TD’s, 4,300+ yards) but also because, unlike Dan Marino in 1984 and Tom Brady in 2007 (both of whom had technically superior seasons, stat-wise), Warner actually ended up winning his last game. In fact, he is only NFL quarterback to throw 40 touchdowns and win a Super Bowl in the same season. Remarkable stats AND a Super Bowl ring? Show me one other QB in one other year, or ANY era, that had a better season than Kurt Warner in 1999. I defy you. And I think Kurt’s era has a part 2 called the ‘late 00’s’, in which he has been the best QB in the NFL over the past 2 seasons (project out his stats from 2007, in which he only started 10 games yet threw for nearly 3,000 yards and add that to a 4,500+ yard 2008 season. Oh, and he led his team to the Super Bowl.

      Lavallo touched on all of the arguments against Warner being a Hall of Famer, so make sure to check out the entire article.

      I’ll chime in on this debate the same way I do all Hall of Fame discussions for active players: let’s wait until Warner’s done playing before we say whether he’s worthy of HOF consideration or not. That might be a cop-out, but he may win three more Super Bowls by the time his career is over with and then there wouldn’t much of a discussion, would there?

      Either way, Warner is going to be a special case because he came back into the NFL with the Rams in ’99, set the league on fire and then damn near fell off the map. Now he’s back setting the league on fire and that’s why you have so many detractors and supporters. Yeah, he’s numbers are outstanding in the years he played well, but injuries made him look like Ryan Leaf for all the years in between. So again, let’s see how his career finishes out when we have the full picture.

      NFL, Super Bowl

      GM A.J. Smith mocks LT

      January 22, 2009 /

      In a recent blog entry on his personal website, LaDainian Tomlinson wrote that he had no intentions of leaving San Diego and that he had no control over whether or not he would remain a Charger.

      On Wednesday, Chargers’ GM A.J. Smith essentially mocked LT’s website entry when broached about the subject.

      LaDainian TomlinsonSmith empathized, yet was typically unmoved by the sentiments expressed by LaDainian Tomlinson on his Web site Wednesday.

      Tomlinson’s statement was actually not anything different than what he had said in previous weeks on the topic of his time in San Diego possibly coming to an end.

      The statement read:

      “I have been getting a lot of messages on my site regarding me leaving San Diego. I feel that I need to make it very clear that I have NO intentions of leaving San Diego. San Diego is where my career started and where I’d like it to end. I have nothing but love and the upmost (sic) respect for this team, the players, and the Spanos Family. Me being traded is completely out of my hands. I have ABSOLUTELY no control in that decision making. All I can do is wait and see how it all plays out. As for now, I am a Charger and will be until I am told otherwise.”

      Smith, who has acknowledged he is contemplating whether to release or trade Tomlinson or renegotiate his contract, was later asked about Tomlinson’s statement.

      “My first reaction was we both have similar feelings,” Smith said. “I have no intentions of leaving San Diego. San Diego is where my GM career started and where I’d like it to end. I also have nothing but love and the utmost respect for this team, the players and the Spanos family. I have absolutely no control over how long I will be with the Chargers.

      “As for now, I am the Chargers’ GM, and I have major decisions to ponder for the organization now and in the future. My recommendation to Dean Spanos will be what’s in the best interest of the team – both short and long term. That’s my job. That’s what Dean hired me to do.”

      Was this a bad joke that just didn’t land or is Smith tired of being asked about the LT situation so he decided to have some fun with reporters? Because this clearly looks like he is trying to mock the player that has been the backbone of the San Diego Charger franchise for almost a decade.

      NFL

      Troy Aikman criticizes Tony Romo

      January 22, 2009 /

      Former Cowboys’ quarterback Troy Aikman criticized current Dallas signal caller Tony Romo for saying he doesn’t worry about how he or his actions are publicly perceived.

      Troy Aikman“I think maybe things happened so quickly for Tony in terms of obscurity to all of a sudden national spotlight that he hasn’t fully grasped what being the Cowboys quarterback is all about,” Aikman said to Irvin. “And you don’t go to Cabo the week before a playoff game. You just don’t do it.

      “It didn’t take away from his preparations. I know that. I mean, everything he says is I think accurate. I don’t think that had any bearing.

      “But to say, ‘I don’t worry about perception,’ you better worry about perception, because it’s a big part of making it through some very difficult times.”

      Romo famously vacationed in Cabo San Lucas with girlfriend Jessica Simpson during the bye week before last year’s NFL playoffs.

      I think Romo is at a crossroads right now in his career. He knows he’s talented enough to get by, but seems to lack the focus and drive to take it to that next step. A lot of players want to get by on their talent alone and it’s not until later in their careers when they realize they have to do that little extra in order to become great.

      Romo is a very likeable player and outside of playing for the Cowboys (who are shoved down everyone’s throats by the NFL Network every day), he’s easy to root for. Hopefully he takes Aikman’s (who knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl, although I don’t know if he has the right to tell Romo how to spend his personal time) comments in stride and turns this offseason into a positive. If not, he seems to have already hit his ceiling in terms of potential.

      NFL

      Mariotti rips Jerry Jones

      January 22, 2009 /

      In his latest column for FanHouse, Jay Mariotti rips Cowboy owner Jerry Jones for the current, dysfunctional state that his franchise is in.

      Jerry JonesIn the sense that America is one messed-up country, I suppose the Dallas Cowboys still can be called “America’s Team.” That’s because they are indisputably the most chaotic, mismanaged, undisciplined sports franchise that we have the displeasure to follow. Down yonder, Jerry Jones keeps gushing about his new stadium, the Romo Domo, which makes the Taj Mahal sound like a slum and Wembley like a sandlot.

      It’s an indictment of Jones’ constant meddling and counterproductive buffoonery that Parcells, the BFMIA, would thrive again after fleeing Dallas. If the Cowboys were at least a respectable playoff qualifier with Parcells as head coach, they’ve become a faction-torn, emotionally-frayed circus since Jones summoned an overmatched Wade Phillips. A shrink will have to explain why Jones would be so foolhardy to bring in the criminally-troubled likes of Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson, embrace the petulance of Terrell Owens, let Tony Romo become a Hollywood boy toy — and still employ the tamest, softest and most incompetent coach possible in Phillips.

      Just what are you doing, Jerry Jones? And why don’t you get out of the way, step aside as general manager, stay upstairs like most owners and hire a real football man to run the program? Can’t you hear the disgust from media and fans? Is this any way to open a new stadium, by simply nodding and keeping Phillips and trying to spin rampant criticism as the byproduct of a high-profile franchise?

      Where do we start? Owens, who sabotages locker rooms like a staph infection, moped about Romo and how the QB favored his close friend, tight end Jason Witten, as his favorite receiver. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, once a hot coaching candidate in the league, couldn’t control the politics and was suspected by Owens of leaking negative stories about him. Then there was Romo, who was said to have shaky practice habits that went unaddressed by Garrett, causing players to reportedly lose respect for Garrett. Clearly, Romo became a reckless performer who winged too many throws in traffic and needed to be harnessed.

      Mariotti goes into much more detail so if you have three hours, make sure you read the entire piece.

      Mariotti hits the nail on the head over, and over, and over again. While Jones is running a talented circus in Dallas, it’s a circus nonetheless. It appears that everything is finally bubbling to the service now, too, which paints an ugly picture for Jones and his Cowboys, but one that can also be rectified with a solid offseason complete with sound decisions.

      Jones needs to reach out to Mike Shanahan. If the former Denver head coach is interested, Jones should allow Mike to run the team the way he wants to and then Jerry needs to get the hell out of the way. If Shanahan wants T.O. out, then T.O. should be in another uniform next year. If Shanahan wants new coordinators, then he should get new coordinators. The situation in Dallas is a mess and Jones needs a good football man to change around the culture in a hurry.

      The owner doesn’t mind writing big checks. He should write his next one to Mike Shanahan.

      NFL

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