DMN Blog: Tony Romo's take on leadership

[InmanRoshi]

The unquestioned leader of the team who everyone answers to if they fail NEEDS to be the head coach. Troy Aikman might have been that leader you're referring to when he had Jimmy backing him up, but when Barry came to town by all accounts Troy mostly just sulked, brooded, and complained to people in the press about how lax Barry was.

Yep. Look no further than the 1998 Playoff Game against the Cardinals. The team was fundamentally sloppy and technically unsound, making mental mistake after mental mistake. Troy occasionally would bark at them, but mostly he just walked off the field and stood by himself on the sidelines disgusted at the whole mess. Why didn't he "yell" them to victory in 1998? I guess he mysteriously lost his his leadership ability in 1996.

The QB can yell all he wants, but he can't fine, bench or release players for sloppy play. If a QB doesn't have a organization behind him he's as helpless as Aikman was under Switzer, Gaily and Campo.

 

[Rogerthat12]

Ok,,,,, Romo said all the right things about leadership, unfortunately nobody on the team exhibited these qualities this past season... Poor execution and no accountability is what we seen accross the board...

What Romo does not understand, a leader posesses all those qualities and knows when and how to use them.

I agree, I am not sold on Romo's psychology and understanding with regard to leadership and responsibility. This comment tells me where he is at right now: "But it's silly to me to think that someone telling you in your face, 'Do better next time' is going to make you do better next time. Tell me why. Show somebody what they need to do to do better next time. That will go a lot farther, I think."

When Bill was up in his business, he did not have this sense of entitlement and trite notions with regard to winning and accountability. I understand Romo thinks that yelling at him will not help him play better and on one level he is correct but on another level he is dead wrong.

What I mean is that Romo needs a coach in his face as Parcells recently stated in an interview when asked about Romo. Yes, he also needs to be shown how to "execute" better but make no mistake Romo's game needs a consistent corrective at this stage specifically dealing with accountability.

The "it's simple" and "kind of dumb" comments ooze immaturity to me, almost a type of calculated rebellion towards the foundational understandings of discipline and accountability traditionally employed in the NFL.

I do understand Romo's yelling and screaming point but having a passion and vocalizing your will and displaying leadership to win does not necessarily constitute only "yelling and screaming".

I think a true leader not only leads by example in terms of passion, practice and play but the QB of the Dallas Cowboys must also be a vocal leader as well. This does not mean simply being a "screamer" but it requires the QB to assert himself in all of these aspects of leadership.

I was still disturbed by his "i had to live with the loss for 48 hours" comment, most of us live and die Cowboys and are still suffering. I realize he explicated that a bit contextually speaking but I am sorry, I am not feelin it.

I do think Romo will get us to the promised land eventually, though he needs to mature and to have a head coach in his face that will also show him how to "execute" better.

Unfortunately, this is not going to happen with Wade as the head coach but I hope that I am completely wrong.

 

[Stash]

I agree with all that. The alternating "too cool for school" and then moping attitude has always bugged me about Romo.

I think he's 100% correct about the "in your face" stuff being horribly overrated, though. I still can't understand why people think that's so great.

I'm not saying it pays to do it all the time, but I think certain situatiosn call for it.

It definitely works for Tom Brady.

The team would be executing flawlessly and a lineman made one mistake and he'd be all over him.

Brady and Manning are both essentially coaches on the field.

And their offenses are as sharp as they come.

I think that 'coach on the field' is part of a quarterback's job and when guys are screwing up, he needs to call them on it. He needs to be that untouchable, 'don't screw with me', leader on the field.

And this stuff reinforces to me that he still doesn't get that part.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I'm not saying it pays to do it all the time, but I think certain situatiosn call for it.

It definitely works for Tom Brady.

The team would be executing flawlessly and a lineman made one mistake and he'd be all over him.

Brady and Manning are both essentially coaches on the field.

And their offenses are as sharp as they come.

I think that 'coach on the field' is part of a quarterback's job and when guys are screwing up, he needs to call them on it. He needs to be that untouchable, 'don't screw with me', leader on the field.

And this stuff reinforces to me that he still doesn't get that part.

What really motivates the Patriots players is knowing Belichick will fine, bench or release habitual offenders at the drop of a hat. Brady's barking is cosmetic.

 

[khiladi]

"Or give me some technical aspect that you can use. 'Listen, when the corner is sitting down doing this, you need to ....' That stuff will help you the next time you're out there."Garrett, take note...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'm not saying it pays to do it all the time, but I think certain situatiosn call for it.

It definitely works for Tom Brady.

That's true, but Romo hasn't done a tenth of what Brady has and hasn't earned that right yet. It's amazing what winning a Super Bowl or three will do for one's credibility.

 

[JethroPugh]

Tony needs a true 'coach'. Parcells was perfect for him. No coincidence he rose from total obscurity under Big Bill. He needs another one.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

It is crystal clear to me......


Romo needs to be challenged. In camp. On the field. All the time.
Draft someone high or bring in a vet to challenge him for starting spot.

 

[Alexander]

I agree, Alex, but if Tony Romo tries to assert himself on offense to everyone on offense then he knows that ILOVEMESOMEME will lose his freaking mind and it will be a massive **** storm.

Owens is a tertiary issue. I don't think Owens is making Romo less of a leader. Romo is allowing Owens to make him less of a leader. Just like Donovan McNabb was in Philadelphia. Andy Reid should have had control of that lockerroom, then McNabb. In San Francisco, Mariucci didn't have control, neither did Garcia. If you don't have it to begin with, how can it be minimized?

Owens is a sick individual who will never truly allow a QB to be his boss until that QB works harder and above all doesn't make mistakes. I think he likes Romo, but he is not in awe of him. Owens is okay with Romo simply because he's nonconfrontational and isn't a threat. He enjoys being the center of attention and really relishes the role of "leader" even if he isn't smart enough to realize he should not be the alpha male but really a lieutenant who is the enforcer to make sure it gets done. Michael Irvin wasn't a leader when he had Steve Pelluer throwing him the football. Once Aikman arrived and started performing, the two had to bond and in essense operate in unison.

Another poster put it best here in another thread. He's not Michael Irvin. But Romo is not Troy Aikman either.

Cutting him might alleviate tensions, but it won't solve the overall problems that Romo has. He has to be controlled. Just as Coach Parcells reminded us, even recently.

By the sheer nature of the position he plays, you have to be the leader. You touch the ball the most. Your every mistake will be magnified and overanalyzed. Your body language and what you do will filter down to the rest of the team. It goes with the territory. Being a hard worker is only half the battle. Being prepared is only part of it. He talks about execution, but when you are the one making strange throws and putting your team in a hole, you are going to have that much bigger of a mountain to climb to get that respect back, moreso than any other player on the field.

A team will respond to the leader who gets them to the promised land. Not one that gives it their best shot but is just a hard luck sad sack that gets down on themselves. That comes from not choking away opportunities. It is not just about winning Super Bowls. Winning the clutch games with everything on the line is how it starts. Romo has to win one of those games, or at the very least, not be a contributing factor in one of those types of losses.

It can't happen while T.O. is sucking the life out of the offense, and in the ear of young impressionable players.

What young and impressionable players? Sam Hurd? Patrick Crayton? I'd like to think Roy Williams is capable of independent thought. Barber, possibly.

It is split down the middle.

Witten is his own person. I don't think the offensive line is affected by Owens one iota. But I guarantee you the QB can affect all of them. It is his job to be the dominant personality on the offense.

He just strikes me as someone that will always have to be prodded. Favre, his idol, was and is the exact same way.

T.O. will always be the leader on any team he's on because he is like a sacred cow that must be appeased constantly or else he goes bananas. I think Romo does what he says to a great extent, giving technical tips and discussing things that way...once T.O. is gone we may see him getting in people's ***** a little bit more.

Owens will take that role on any team who does not have the QB that has his respect. If it takes cutting him to make Romo step up, I wonder what kind of individual he is anyways. To me, I think it is important to evaluate him exclusive of Owens. I don't think he's up to standard regardless. He still needs to be as Coach Parcells said "regulated".

 

[superonyx]

Its hard to lead when you have a bunch of egos that refuse to follow.

Imagine Tony yelling at TO. What do you think Owens would do? Do you really think he would listen and play better next time?
Remember his last year in San Fran? He is believed to have started dropping passes on purpose to show Garcia. He refused to talk to Mcnabb, and now "reports" are that he doesnt talk to Romo either.

You show me 1 person that would be able to lead this group.

Look at what Reeves wanted to do before he came here. Remember what he said regarding Owens?

The point is that yelling at someone like TO wont get you the results you are hoping to get. He is much to emotional of a person to follow a leader that holds people accountable with his mouth. Ask Hugh Douglas what happens when you criticize owens.

 

[wileedog]

It is crystal clear to me......


Romo needs to be challenged. In camp. On the field. All the time.
Draft someone high or bring in a vet to challenge him for starting spot.

There are 67 million reasons Romo will not be 'challenged'.

He needs a coach that will hold him accountable, not take one who will take the blame for him.

 

[Alexander]

It is crystal clear to me......


Romo needs to be challenged. In camp. On the field. All the time.
Draft someone high or bring in a vet to challenge him for starting spot.

He needs to feel threatened until he can establish his role. He is still acting like the same happy go-lucky fresh faced kid who can't believe his stardom that he did in 2006. The only problem now is that he thinks he knows the answers and is qualified to speak about leadership and roll his eyes at the implication that other Hall of Fame players have been trying open his eyes to.

 

[Alexander]

Its hard to lead when you have a bunch of egos that refuse to follow.

Imagine Tony yelling at TO. What do you think Owens would do? Do you really think he would listen and play better next time?
Remember his last year in San Fran? He is believed to have started dropping passes on purpose to show Garcia. He refused to talk to Mcnabb, and now "reports" are that he doesnt talk to Romo either.

You show me 1 person that would be able to lead this group.

Look at what Reeves wanted to do before he came here. Remember what he said regarding Owens?

The point is that yelling at someone like TO wont get you the results you are hoping to get. He is much to emotional of a person to follow a leader that holds people accountable with his mouth. Ask Hugh Douglas what happens when you criticize owens.

Romo's own mistakes keep him from leading just as much as Owens' presence does.

Take away the pick six against Pittsburgh, we aren't having the hell week leading up to the Giants game.

 

[StarWiz2]

When you're the Dallas Cowboys QB and having to answer and define leadership qualities on public radio or tv, then there's a problem. It means that somebody, (like fans and media) is questioning your leadership ability, so you end up backed up against the wall having to explain it.

Often what comes out then is mish mash. What he told Babe is mish mash, because it's telling us what a leader is, and not showing.

Romo is not a leader in any sense of the word. Right now, anyway. He's still a big kid playing sandlot football and when things get rough he goes off to a corner to do some deep sea thinking. I wouldn't say pout, because I don't think he's a pouter. He's still rather immature and doesn't know what to do. He's led by a non-leader, what do you expect?

I do think he's sincere in his attempts to figure out what it will take to be a leader on this rudderless team. He's a smart cookie, but Jerry has basically set the man, (and the team), up to fail with the lack of leadership qualities we're seeing from any of the FO this off-season. Even we don't agree on the finer points of different issues, I think we all agree that this off-season has been about as bad as it could go, thus far.

So we may continue to see a still maturing QB struggle over the finer points of 'How to Be a Leader on a Ship with no Captain, and a mutinous crew.'

 

[Alexander]

That's true, but Romo hasn't done a tenth of what Brady has and hasn't earned that right yet. It's amazing what winning a Super Bowl or three will do for one's credibility.

Even winning a big playoff game would work wonders. For that matter a game with that kind of mystique.

That Pittsburgh game would have been a huge huge win for this team. But you can point right at the interception. Having Witten take the bullet or rolling him under the bus obviously did not have the desired effect.

 

[Vtwin]

That's a discouraging read. Tony clearly doesn't get it.

Leadership in any organization falls into two categories. There are leadership positions like supervisors, managers and quarterbacks of which a certain type of leadership is EXPECTED. The holders of these positions have to conduct themselves a bit differently then the rank and file as they HAVE to have the respect of the rank and file. The need to hold themselves to a higher standard. These people know the potential ramifications to their reputations of being seen relaxing on vacation in Cabo days before they need to lead their organization to perform it's best in a critical situation. These people can lead simply by example. It doesn't matter if the vaction did not affect his perfromance at all. It is 100% about perception and when you have accepted a position of expected leadership the perception matters as much as anything else.

Then you have the natural leaders who don't hold positions of leadership but just by their nature inspire most around to reach higher. Irvin is of course the perfect example. These guys set an example but can also get away with more of the in your face type of stuff then expected leaders can because they don't carry the stigma of holding a position that is supposed to command respect. Natural leaders get respect the old fashioned way by earning it.

Romo clearly doesn't understand his responsibilty as being the leader of this team. Sure, some of the stuff he says here has validity but he is missing the point. I completely disagree with the 'winning creates leadership' crap. Winning always makes thing easier but if you don't have an identity then you don't win and if you don't have a core group creating that identity then you don't win.

Tony, it doesn't matter one iota what YOU think. You need to DO the right things and SAY the right things that will help accomplish your organization's goal of winning a championship from now until you stop cashing Jerry Jones' checks.

 

[Stash]

What really motivates the Patriots players is knowing Belichick will fine, bench or release habitual offenders at the drop of a hat. Brady's barking is cosmetic.

No doubt having a strong coach behind him helps Brady.

But I think Brady's status as 'untouchable' helps as well.

 

[superonyx]

Romo's own mistakes keep him from leading just as much as Owens' presence does.

Take away the pick six against Pittsburgh, we aren't having the hell week leading up to the Giants game.

Your statement is partially true.

However, show me any player that isnt making mistakes. We dont always know who was wrong when an interception is thrown. Maybe the receiver ran the wrong route. Maybe it was the tight end that read the defense wrong and didnt shorten his route like he was supposed to. Maybe the Left Tackle didnt see the blitzing linebacker and let him come through.

We look at a QB and say "he threw an int so its his mistake" or "he fumbled so its his mistake".

Romo will probably never be the type of QB that doesnt throw interceptions. But he will never be the type of Qb that hardly throws and TD's either. Or the type to just stand in the collapsing pocket and get sacked 9 times a game like Big Ben.

Romo is a really good to great QB that we as cowboys fans are lucky to have. Is he perfect? No. Will he ever be perfect? probably not. But he is a winner that will always give us a chance to win the game. And we could be so much worse off.

Look around the league. How many of those guys would you trade Romo for straight up today?

Now ask yourself the same question regarding other players on our team. It's a revealing question.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Does what?" Romo interrupted. "Yells at everybody and then you win?"

Then Romo delivered a lectured on leadership.

"You wanna know why Michael Jordan was a great leader? He won six NBA championships. Then, all of a sudden, when he gets in people's faces, he's a great leader.

"A great leader is someone who wins, and you figure out how to win. Some people, it's getting in people's faces. Some people, it's being positive. Other people, it's walking the line and doing it the right way. And that guy shows everybody else, because they see him doing it, and they figure out, 'I'm going to walk in that line, too, and do it.'

I think I am even less comfortable with Tony Romo as the Cowboys QB now more than ever. His answers reek of a player looking for a cop out. He is the QB of an NFL team, and not just any team...a high profile team with huge expectations...you have to be a leader and that means standing up to wr's if they are running poor routes, or rb's that don't block or OC's who are calling crappy plays if you have to and not in the media after the season either. As the leader of the team he needs to work his *** of in practice and demand his teammates do the same, it has nothing to do with positive re-enforcement, these guys are NFL players they are way past the point of sweet talk.

 

[superonyx]

Even winning a big playoff game would work wonders. For that matter a game with that kind of mystique.

That Pittsburgh game would have been a huge huge win for this team. But you can point right at the interception. Having Witten take the bullet or rolling him under the bus obviously did not have the desired effect.

I'm not following you.

What was the desired effect and when was witten thrown under the bus? When he admitted to running the wrong route? So accountability is only ok when the QB was wrong? But when another player made the mistake there should be no accountability?