Posted by jellis at 5/28/2009 9:48 AM CDT on truebluefanclub.com
Whether or not Tony Romo was giving backhanded compliments to ex-Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens last week by referring to T.O. as "he," as in "he's a great player," Romo's words have migrated a few 1,000 miles north.
And now a member of the Buffalo media has asked T.O. to comment on an apparent beef between he and his former quarterback, the same way he was prodded in Philadelphia and Dallas. And what did T.O. say? About what you would expect.
"Dude, I could care less," Owens said Wednesday. "I mean, he doesn't mention my name, that's fine. What about it? Bill Parcells didn't call me by my name either, so what's the difference?"
Last week, when speaking to the media for the first time since T.O. was released, Romo wouldn't say whether he had talked to the receiver after the move was made. The guess is Romo is ready to deflect all T.O. questions from this point forward. Partly because he's good at it, and partly because he always attempts to stay above the fray anyway.
But this is one fray Romo can't avoid, the same post-mortem back and forth Owens had with Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb. If T.O. is continually pushed for comment on the subject, he'll make one, and suddenly it will be a distraction in the Cowboys locker room. If the players don't catch wind of what T.O. says, the local media will make sure they're aware.
So when Romo speaks the next time, and he's probably better off making it sooner rather than later, he needs to clear the air. He can't pretend he doesn't know what's been said. He needs to mention T.O. by name and really try to nip this thing in the bud. No dancing around the subject. If things are not good between the two players, he should make an attempt to bury the hatchet.
Because the Cowboys, and Romo in particular, cannot afford for the specter of Owens to linger into next season and beyond.
-Josh Ellis
The fans need to move on too.
