DMN Blog: Tony Romo's take on leadership

[rcaldw]

In the other corner, we have people clamoring him to become more of a "leader".

These ones do this without knowing how much of a 'leader" he is already. They're just working off of stupid assumptions which disregard almost everything we know about Romo, and how he rose to the NFL. All they know is they'd like him to do more of "it", whatever "it" is. And until he does more of this magical "it", which can't be defined but apparently results in wins, these ones will look down on Romo.

Wrong. We know about Romo. We know about how he got here. And, I, for one, am glad he is our QB, and I know that I speak for some others who have posted in this thread on that point. Fact is, you guys want to make it about "hating on Romo", when that is not what is being said at all. "These ones", if you mean those like me, don't look down on Romo, we are wanting Romo to stop talking like he doesn't care as much as he should. You are fine with his approach. Fine. Be fine with it. We are not fine with it. Fine. Let us not be fine with it. And if his approach doesn't change, ESPECIALLY, if Jerry continues to be the dominant man when it comes to football decisions, and continues to undercut his coaches, lets see how it works out.

 

[superpunk]

Wrong. We know about Romo. We know about how he got here. And, I, for one, am glad he is our QB, and I know that I speak for some others who have posted in this thread on that point. Fact is, you guys want to make it about "hating on Romo", when that is not what is being said at all. "These ones", if you mean those like me, don't look down on Romo, we are wanting Romo to stop talking like he doesn't care as much as he should. You are fine with his approach. Fine. Be fine with it. We are not fine with it. Fine. Let us not be fine with it. And if his approach doesn't change, ESPECIALLY, if Jerry continues to be the dominant man when it comes to football decisions, and continues to undercut his coaches, lets see how it works out.

No thanks. We'll keep telling you that it's stupid to keep getting your panties in a wad over words. Obviously losses tear him apart, regardless of what he said to the media that is pissing all these panty-twisted melvins off. If you can't see that, you're blind. Get a clue, quit wringing your hands over nothing.

 

[rcaldw]

No thanks. We'll keep telling you that it's stupid to keep getting your panties in a wad over words. Obviously losses tear him apart, regardless of what he said to the media that is pissing all these panty-twisted melvins off. If you can't see that, you're blind. Get a clue, quit wringing your hands over nothing.

Hehe ok.

 

[Stash]

No thanks. We'll keep telling you that it's stupid to keep getting your panties in a wad over words. Obviously losses tear him apart, regardless of what he said to the media that is pissing all these panty-twisted melvins off. If you can't see that, you're blind. Get a clue, quit wringing your hands over nothing.

How about you quit telling anyone else what is or isn't important and realize that your opinion may work for you but not other people?

 

[wileedog]

Wrong. We know about Romo. We know about how he got here. And, I, for one, am glad he is our QB, and I know that I speak for some others who have posted in this thread on that point. Fact is, you guys want to make it about "hating on Romo", when that is not what is being said at all. "These ones", if you mean those like me, don't look down on Romo, we are wanting Romo to stop talking like he doesn't care as much as he should. You are fine with his approach. Fine. Be fine with it. We are not fine with it. Fine. Let us not be fine with it. And if his approach doesn't change, ESPECIALLY, if Jerry continues to be the dominant man when it comes to football decisions, and continues to undercut his coaches, lets see how it works out.

Its fair to disagree, and I don't think anyone is denying there needs to be some improvement in Romo's game and most of that is mental.

I also heavily disliked his body language most of this year, but I would be fine if he went back to last year being the guy who just enjoys playing football. I think leaders like that can be just as effective alleviating pressure on the guys in the huddle as the stalwart Aikman types.

All that said, considering many of the other gaffes that Inman and others have pointed out which have contributed just as much is not more to December collapses and Romo's "choking", I would think that:

- Better Oline play
- WRs that shut up, run routes, block and catch, then shut up some more
- A better emphasis on the running game and ball control
- more creative use of our weapons (whether we include TO or not)
- Some sort of short passing game.
- Did I mention better Oline play?

Are all more important things for us being a better team and winning championships than Tony Romo deciding he hates losing more than he likes winning, or that its his job to be the 435,734th person to yell at Flozell Adams for a false start.

 

[Stash]

How bout noooooo, ya crazy dutch *******.

It's not an opinion. It's a reality. Quit obsessing over words, unless you've got a ******. "Oh....boo-hoo....Tony minimized a loss while speakin' to the media after a game...oh lawdy...whateva shall we doooooo....he needs to be more of a leadah I do declare" as we fan ourselves and swoon.

Blech. It's ridiculous.

Then beat it!

Stop wasting your time and our time on a subject you don't consider of value.

How difficult is it for some people to understand?

Instead of wasting your time trying to tell us what's important and what isn't, do yourself and all of us a favor and skip this thread.

The sheer arrogance of some people amazes me!

Like it's somehow your right as 'Joe Shmoe Internet Cop' to tell the masses what they should and shouldn't be talking about.

As if you actually think that your opinion carries an ounce more weight than the next person's.

 

[superpunk]

I just think when discussing Romo, or really anything involving the Cowboys, they should stick to things that are REAL. While leadership is REAL, noone here has any way of knowing whether or not Tony shows good leadership qualities in practice, in the huddle, etc. All we know is that we're so pissed off that he didn't put on a Tebow show after a tough loss. Get the hell over it. Romo needs to stop turning the ball over and making dumb decisions - BOOM - suddenly he's a better "leader".

Let's get past imagination-land where we're basing our opinion of a guy who absolutely worked his *** off to get where he is on a few frustrated post-game comments. Cheese-geeze-louise.

As if you actually think that your opinion carries an ounce more weight than the next person's.

In this instance it absolutely does. Be advised.

 

[Oh_Canada]

He won't let those facts get in the way.

He's rolling.

The fact that the guy compares a QB with zero rings and no playoff wins to a hall-of-famer with three rings tells me all I need to know.

 

[Iago33]

How bout noooooo, ya crazy dutch *******.

...
Blech. It's ridiculous.

I won't quote the whole thing. Argue if you want, but why do you have to bring gender bashing in? (Or maybe I'm just obsessing over words....)

 

[Vintage]

I just think when discussing Romo, or really anything involving the Cowboys, they should stick to things that are REAL. While leadership is REAL, noone here has any way of knowing whether or not Tony shows good leadership qualities in practice, in the huddle, etc. All we know is that we're so pissed off that he didn't put on a Tebow show after a tough loss. Get the hell over it. Romo needs to stop turning the ball over and making dumb decisions - BOOM - suddenly he's a better "leader".

Let's get past imagination-land where we're basing our opinion of a guy who absolutely worked his *** off to get where he is on a few frustrated post-game comments. Cheese-geeze-louise.



In this instance it absolutely does. Be advised.

Agreed.

I'm guilty of it, too.

I need to stop trying to compare Romo to Tebow. There is only one Tebow.

 

[rcaldw]

Its fair to disagree, and I don't think anyone is denying there needs to be some improvement in Romo's game and most of that is mental.

I also heavily disliked his body language most of this year, but I would be fine if he went back to last year being the guy who just enjoys playing football. I think leaders like that can be just as effective alleviating pressure on the guys in the huddle as the stalwart Aikman types.

All that said, considering many of the other gaffes that Inman and others have pointed out which have contributed just as much is not more to December collapses and Romo's "choking", I would think that:

- Better Oline play
- WRs that shut up, run routes, block and catch, then shut up some more
- A better emphasis on the running game and ball control
- more creative use of our weapons (whether we include TO or not)
- Some sort of short passing game.
- Did I mention better Oline play?

Are all more important things for us being a better team and winning championships than Tony Romo deciding he hates losing more than he likes winning, or that its his job to be the 435,734th person to yell at Flozell Adams for a false start.

I agree with you Wile. I don't think its all on Tony and have never said so. I think I just put more stock in what I believe is his need to carry himself differently. That doesn't mean that he can't have fun. HAVE FUN. But lead while you are at it. Either way, here's hoping that things are better for us this next season.

 

[dallasfaniac]

I have tried to stay out of this one. I agree that Romo needs to take on more of a leadership role. However, I find it interesting that we equate leadership to body language or how they handle a press conferences or interviews.

I have seen many suggest that Manning is a field general and demonstrates leadership qualities etc., yet not 4 years ago he had his detractors too. You can look on the web or through these very forum archives. Talk was that Manning put up pretty stats, but could never and would never win the big one. I've seen articles and posts talking about his body language too, that he pouted on the sidelines, moped off the field with his head down, etc. As a matter of fact, not too long ago these same types of posts followed the younger Manning as well.

Romo is right in this aspect, that winning suddenly makes someone appear to be a leader from the outside. However, he should have never made those comments.

 

[zeromaster]

This has certainly been an amusing thread; sad to say I pretty much read every post to see what the Zone's temperature was before writing this, and it's all just IMO.

I tend to agree that leadership of a strong sort needs to be in place or winning when it counts has the odds stacked heavily against it. Stats are nice, but they often get used because details are just too much for some to fathom, or paint a picture that seems compelling, even if it isn't below the surface. Even the great ones fall after awhile, and the descent can tarnish any legacy, depending on what you want to emphasize.

You can talk all you want about getting the right support system and higher-ups in place, but those born to lead will find themselves insisting on professionalism and attention to detail out of instinct. It's the old "leaders are born, not made" adage. People that just want the highlights and soundbites are along for the ride, because the thrill of the roller coaster is all they care about deep down, much like a compulsive gambler. They probably just want something they can reminisce about down the road.

Quarterback is generally not the place for 'just one of the guys' to be starting, unless it's on a team with a really strong defensive presence and in all probability the head coach as well. Being the Dallas Cowboys QB is the biggest job in the league, whatever other teams' fans may want to think. And the job carries heavy responsibilities; embrace them, or be crushed under the weight.

We can blame Jones and Phillips all we want, but if you're going to rise to the pinnacle of your profession, you have to be driven, not by the glamour but by the prize itself, and not be overly dependent on everything falling just right. You don't have to get there immediately, but you have to show some steady progress.

I can agree as well that Romo not holding Owens to a higher standard is an unsafe strategy. Getting rid of Owens may remove one obstacle, but it's not the only one. Who's to say the next one won't be just as daunting.

The clock is ticking. As fans, we may have to wait a few more seasons for something tangible, but the game has changed in ways that don't make it a pleasant wait.

 

[Idgit]

I won't quote the whole thing. Argue if you want, but why do you have to bring gender bashing in? (Or maybe I'm just obsessing over words....)

I'm sure SP meant '******' metaphorically. The self-identified women on this site are collectively more rational then the self-identified men.

You can spot the female fans because, for the most part, they're not running around flailing arms and gnawing on limbs and blaming last season on anything that moves to see if it blinks, because if it blinks, it gets stomped into a bloody mudhole.

Then beat it!

Stop wasting your time and our time on a subject you don't consider of value.

How difficult is it for some people to understand?

Instead of wasting your time trying to tell us what's important and what isn't, do yourself and all of us a favor and skip this thread.

The sheer arrogance of some people amazes me!

Like it's somehow your right as 'Joe Shmoe Internet Cop' to tell the masses what they should and shouldn't be talking about.

As if you actually think that your opinion carries an ounce more weight than the next person's.

But, stash, if we did that [skip the thread] then the board would descend into madness. There are standards of excellence for Cowboy fans in general, and those standards can't be met if people with sense don't remind the rest of you to bring a raincoat to the circle-jerk.

 

[RoadRunner]

Wrong. We know about Romo. We know about how he got here. And, I, for one, am glad he is our QB, and I know that I speak for some others who have posted in this thread on that point. Fact is, you guys want to make it about "hating on Romo", when that is not what is being said at all. "These ones", if you mean those like me, don't look down on Romo, we are wanting Romo to stop talking like he doesn't care as much as he should. You are fine with his approach. Fine. Be fine with it. We are not fine with it. Fine. Let us not be fine with it. And if his approach doesn't change, ESPECIALLY, if Jerry continues to be the dominant man when it comes to football decisions, and continues to undercut his coaches, lets see how it works out.

Good post, but it won't work on those that want to make it about hating on Romo so they can hate on their own fanbase. They parse through every post, and every word so they can find something, ANYTHING they can point to and say, "I am a superior human being to you. My **** don't stink".

They are the inferiority complex section of our fanbase.

 

[RoadRunner]

I'm sure SP meant '******' metaphorically. The self-identified women on this site are collectively more rational then the self-identified men.

You can spot the female fans because, for the most part, they're not running around flailing arms and gnawing on limbs and blaming last season on anything that moves to see if it blinks, because if it blinks, it gets stomped into a bloody mudhole.



But, stash, if we did that [skip the thread] then the board would descend into madness. There are standards of excellence for Cowboy fans in general, and those standards can't be met if people with sense don't remind the rest of you to bring a raincoat to the circle-jerk.

He pegged you for the arrogant froot loop that you are. Deal with it and move on out of here.

 

[Idgit]

He pegged you for the arrogant froot loop that you are. Deal with it and move on out of here.

Hey, now. Watch your mouth, RoadRunner. No need to get personal. I don't mind the arrogant crack. I seem arrogant b/c I'm much smarter than you are. But who are you calling a froot loop?

Oh, and button up the raincoat. You have some metaphor there dripping from your chin and I'd hate to see it stain your shirt.

 

[ZB9]

This is a case of you taking from an interview what you expect to hear. Or did you miss the part where he said he didn't sleep for two days after the loss when you conclude that he comes across like he doesn't give a crap if he wins or loses?

I was mainly talking about being accountable. The "franchise QB" needs to be accountable. Romo has had a problem with that imo.

you cant hold other players accountable, if you are not that yourself.

Romo's a straight-up stud. There's not a single good reason to expect the guy to be a better player if he were to yell at his teammates or get butt-hurt in a post-game interview. Does listening to someone cough up a platitude now and then really make them more qualified to read a defense or throw a football? Doesn't seeing the way the offense instantly improves when Tony goes into the game tell us anything about this guy's ability to lead?

With everything there is to complain about this team this offseason, I'm at a loss why some are even remotely concerned about the QB position short of the very big question of who the hell can we get to backup our elite starter if he goes down for any length of time.

It has nothing to do with "platitudes". It has to do with underachieving in big games, and not caring about perception at a position where it matters. It has to do with throwing other players and coaches under the bus, and making excuses for himself.

Romo is a very talented player obviously, and he is not going anywhere. He is the franchise QB. That is why he needs to be held to the high standard of a "franchise QB". He's not being judged the same way he was two seasons ago.

It is frustrating to see him underachieve, as talented as he is. If Romo doesnt improve in many areas, this team is going nowhere. Romo needs to step it up, and there is no reason to think that he can't imo.

 

[Idgit]

I was mainly talking about being accountable. The "franchise QB" needs to be accountable. Romo has had a problem with that imo.

you cant hold other players accountable, if you are not that yourself.




It has nothing to do with "platitudes". It has to do with underachieving in big games, and not caring about perception at a position where it matters. It has to do with throwing other players and coaches under the bus, and making excuses for himself.

Romo is a very talented player obviously, and he is not going anywhere. He is the franchise QB. That is why he needs to be held to the high standard of a "franchise QB". He's not being judged the same way he was two seasons ago.

It is frustrating to see him underachieve, as talented as he is. If Romo doesnt improve in many areas, this team is going nowhere. Romo needs to step it up, and there is no reason to think that he can't imo.

This is all fair and reasonable. My own suspicion is that he's not being held accountable b/c the staff realizes he was put in many more low-percentage situations this year than he was in 2007. He made some really poor throws at the end of the season, but when he was healthiest, he played really, really well.

I expect we'll see some players be held accountable in the next month or two. Whatever else happens with this team, that's got to be a big first step.

 

[Stash]

Hey, now. Watch your mouth, RoadRunner. No need to get personal. I don't mind the arrogant crack. I seem arrogant b/c I'm much smarter than you are. But who are you calling a froot loop?

Oh, and button up the raincoat. You have some metaphor there dripping from your chin and I'd hate to see it stain your shirt.

You seem to have a nasty picture stuck in your mind.

Not healthy.