DMN: Blog: Phil Simms on Tony Romo

[Cbz40]

Simms: Everyone loves Romo -- not

8:45 AM Sat, Mar 07, 2009 | Permalink
Barry Horn

Talked to ex-QB Phil Simms the other day. CBS' lead NFL analyst had some interesting things to say about playing quarterback in the NFL in general and the guy who plays the position for the Cowboys in particular.

Me:: What's the most important thing Tony Romo needs to do next season?
Him: "Take control of the Cowboys offense. When you are the starting quarterback of a NFL team there will always be factions on your team that don't like you. Some players are jealous of your status. Others think you are over-rated. Still others won't like your personality. That's fine. As a quarterback you have to ignore that. You have to lead. You can't worry about being liked."

Me:: You played for Bill Parcells for eight seasons what was his take on quarterbacks as leaders?

Him: "Bill Parcells once took me aside and told me how disappointed he was in me. He said, 'You used to be a leader but now you are trying to be everyone's friend.' He made the point....Tony Romo is borderline tremendous. He can be a dominating presence on the football team because he has the talent to back it up."

Me: Your thoughts about John Kitna, the Cowboys new back-up quarterback?
Him: "He's a great backup quarterback. He's what I call a 'closet talented guy.' He can throw the ball. He stays in great shape and is a tough guy who won't back down."

Me:: Did your son Chris, who signed with the Denver Broncos this week ever, come close to signing with the Cowboys?
Him: They did look at Christopher before he signed with Tennessee last season but he wasn't physically ready to play then. He's in 100 percent great shape now. The Cowboys didn't look at him after the season. They wanted a veteran backup."

 

[tomson75]

Ummm....why does the title suggest that Simms had bad things to say about Romo? I don't see it.

 

[Hoofbite]

Him: "Bill Parcells once took me aside and told me how disappointed he was in me. He said, 'You used to be a leader but now you are trying to be everyone's friend.' He made the point....Tony Romo is borderline tremendous. He can be a dominating presence on the football team because he has the talent to back it up."

Someone should tell Tony the same thing. Well, not that he used to be a leader but just that he is trying to be everybody's friend.

 

[CF74]

Me:: What's the most important thing Tony Romo needs to do next season?
Him: "Take control of the Cowboys offense.

Well now that the domineering vet is gone he will have his chance. I remember a game we were losing and Romo was trying to get everybody to hurry back to the line and TO was trying to tell him something. I think it was near the end of his 1st half season starting. Anyways as I recall TO was trying to tell Romo something and Romo had that funny smile on his face and he put his hands on TO very gently and tried to guide him in-line as if to say, come on let's give it another shot. TO obliged but yelled something back at Romo. You can't have two heads...

 

[Oh_Canada]

Well now that the domineering vet is gone he will have his chance. I remember a game we were losing and Romo was trying to get everybody to hurry back to the line and TO was trying to tell him something. I think it was near the end of his 1st half season starting. Anyways as I recall TO was trying to tell Romo something and Romo had that funny smile on his face and he put his hands on TO very gently and tried to guide him in-line as if to say, come on let's give it another shot. TO obliged but yelled something back at Romo. You can't have two heads...

To me that doesn't say much about our QB....he needs to lead, and veteran or no veteran he should have just told Owens to shut the **** up and get to the line.

 

[speedkilz88]

To me that doesn't say much about our QB....he needs to lead, and veteran or no veteran he should have just told Owens to shut the **** up and get to the line.

You do know thats what McNabb did and that started his war with TO.

 

[CF74]

To me that doesn't say much about our QB....he needs to lead, and veteran or no veteran he should have just told Owens to shut the **** up and get to the line.

3 QB's are weak? Don't buy it. I'm off the TO apologist wagon train to hell. I just fired an employee that continually undermined my authority. Even if he's right 60% of the time, the other 40% out weighs the 60. You don't undermine the boss, he will learn very quickly if he's wrong and production drops. Nope a real man will take you off in private one on one and tell you his thoughts, a punk *** will cause a commotion....

 

[TNCowboy]

You don't undermine the boss, he will learn very quickly if he's wrong and production drops. Nope a real man will take you off in private one on one and tell you his thoughts, a punk *** will cause a commotion....

I think that authority is what TO has a problem with. The QB has to be the guy. That's difficult to do when you have a HOF credentialed WR, and a QB whose only been starting 2 and a half years.

At the same time, I think Romo wants to be one of the guys. He can't be.

 

[Mash]

I dont know what to think of Romo....

I really soured on Romo last year.....was it TO? was it his injury? Was it the negative media? I dont know......It wasnt Romo production....even tho I been getting tired of Romo's bad decisions and ints more and more.

But I dont know if Romo has the makeup.....sure he has the moxie but when things are going well...Romo is happy...jumping around with teammates but when things dont work out....the offense is struggling...Romo puts his head back into his shell and avoids the leadership role.

I dont know if that will ever change.....I hope Im wrong....but his actions and stuff that he says just doesnt sit well with me....

 

[StylisticS]

I dont know what to think of Romo....

I really soured on Romo last year.....was it TO? was it his injury? Was it the negative media? I dont know......It wasnt Romo production....even tho I been getting tired of Romo's bad decisions and ints more and more.

But I dont know if Romo has the makeup.....sure he has the moxie but when things are going well...Romo is happy...jumping around with teammates but when things dont work out....the offense is struggling...Romo puts his head back into his shell and avoids the leadership role.

I dont know if that will ever change.....I hope Im wrong....but his actions and stuff that he says just doesnt sit well with me....

He took a step back this year, no doubt. But even with that, he still statistically had one of the better seasons for any qb in 2008. He still nearly had a 2:1 TD to INT ratio. He still led his team to a winning record. He did all of this even missing four games. I'm not ready to give up on him. Does he need to protect the ball more, yes. Does he need to make better decisions, yes. I do think those are correctable and he knows it. Thus I think Romo will improve as his career goes along.

 

[Bleu Star]

Simms: Everyone loves Romo -- not

8:45 AM Sat, Mar 07, 2009 | Permalink
Barry Horn

Talked to ex-QB Phil Simms the other day. CBS' lead NFL analyst had some interesting things to say about playing quarterback in the NFL in general and the guy who plays the position for the Cowboys in particular.

Me:: What's the most important thing Tony Romo needs to do next season?
Him: "Take control of the Cowboys offense. When you are the starting quarterback of a NFL team there will always be factions on your team that don't like you. Some players are jealous of your status. Others think you are over-rated. Still others won't like your personality. That's fine. As a quarterback you have to ignore that. You have to lead. You can't worry about being liked."

Me:: You played for Bill Parcells for eight seasons what was his take on quarterbacks as leaders?

Him: "Bill Parcells once took me aside and told me how disappointed he was in me. He said, 'You used to be a leader but now you are trying to be everyone's friend.' He made the point....Tony Romo is borderline tremendous. He can be a dominating presence on the football team because he has the talent to back it up."

Me: Your thoughts about John Kitna, the Cowboys new back-up quarterback?
Him: "He's a great backup quarterback. He's what I call a 'closet talented guy.' He can throw the ball. He stays in great shape and is a tough guy who won't back down."

Me:: Did your son Chris, who signed with the Denver Broncos this week ever, come close to signing with the Cowboys?
Him: They did look at Christopher before he signed with Tennessee last season but he wasn't physically ready to play then. He's in 100 percent great shape now. The Cowboys didn't look at him after the season. They wanted a veteran backup."

There goes that leadership word again. I can't count the number of times I have pointed this issue out about Romo. Perhaps it will stick since it's coming from one of the historic QB greats (who also does a decent job at commentating).

 

[theWave21]

The only thing Romo was guilty of last year was trying to keep TO happy, to a fault. He forced TO the ball and that was plainly obvious. Sam Hurd even said it the other day. The pressure is off Romo because he won't feel like he has to get TO the ball. That had to be tough, to know that TO was going to erupt if he didn't "get his".

Now he can drop back and go through his natural progressions and run the offense. Hopefully the other guys are open, lol.

 

[Hostile]

I think Romo will have his best year yet in 2009.

 

[Big D]

There goes that leadership word again. I can't count the number of times I have pointed this issue out about Romo. Perhaps it will stick since it's coming from one of the historic QB greats (who also does a decent job at commentating).

Please.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I think Romo will have his best year yet in 2009.

People seem to forget he has only been the starter for a such a short time.

The fact Garrett, the entire offensive line and Romo all seem to have something to prove this year makes me believe we will be much more like the 2007 on offense from now on.

 

[tyke1doe]

Please.

I assume your response was to the "historic QB greats" comment.

If so, I concur.

 

[Idgit]

There goes that leadership word again. I can't count the number of times I have pointed this issue out about Romo. Perhaps it will stick since it's coming from one of the historic QB greats (who also does a decent job at commentating).

It's not going to stick, but that's because it's a silly thing to be worried about.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I give Romo grief, but I always remind myself that he's still growing as a QB

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Romo better be the leader next year... If you're paying him that kind of money, he needs to be the guy.

 

[DallasFanSince86]

There goes that leadership word again. I can't count the number of times I have pointed this issue out about Romo. Perhaps it will stick since it's coming from one of the historic QB greats (who also does a decent job at commentating).

I can't stand him. I really hate it when Cowboys play on CBS.

I think Romo will have his best year yet in 2009.

Me too.