PFT: Romo says he'll be a better leader

[Joe Realist]

ROMO SAYS HE’LL BE A BETTER LEADER

Posted by Mike Florio on January 22, 2009, 9:49 a.m. EST
In the wake of stinging criticism from former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, current Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo says that he’ll become a better leader.

“I think leadership sometimes comes with your ability to perform and your personality,” Romo told Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News. ”And some of it comes with experience. In a lot of ways, I think I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve gained experience.

“I’m definitely going to take a more active approach with that as we move forward from last year to this season. I’ll be very excited to get back out there and be with the guys and figure out a way to improve and get better and do the things we need to do to win. Period.”

The more appropriate ending to that quote would have been “question mark,” since no one really knows whether any attempt by the Cowboys to change from within is going to make a damn bit of difference. Sure, Giants coach Tom Coughlin changed dramatically from one season to the next when he faced certain termination if his team didn’t perform more effectively. But, as we see it, it’s far easier for a guy who’s known to be a relentless hardass to ease up a bit than it is for milquetoasts like Romo and coach Wade Phillips to transform into Joe Montana and Vince Lombardi.

That said, there’s still hope for Romo. As Aikman pointed out earlier in the week during a radio visit with Michael Irvin, Romo’s unconventional route to the job of NFL starting quarterback might mean he’ll need more time to grow into the intangible aspects of the job.

“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, via the Dallas Morning News. “And you don’t go to Cabo the week before a playoff game. You just don’t do it. “To say, ‘I don’t worry about perception,’ you better worry about perception because it is a big part of making it through some very difficult times.”

Aikman’s right, and we have a feeling that this kind of stuff would have been constantly drilled into Romo’s head if Bill Parcells were still the head coach of the Cowboys.

Or if Wade Phillips weren’t.

my note: we shall see

 

[zeromaster]

The DMN is running this as well.

Actions matter now. We have heard all the words.

It'll be months before we can tell.

 

[TheCount]

He needs to stop talking, and start doing. Anyone that says, "I'll be a better leader" is instantly hurting themselves on that front.

If you're a leader, you're a leader. You don't need to say you'll be one, or become a better one.

 

[visionary]

He needs to stop talking, and start doing. Anyone that says, "I'll be a better leader" is instantly hurting themselves on that front.

If you're a leader, you're a leader. You don't need to say you'll be one, or become a better one.

Generally i would agree with your post Count. However, with TR, when he was quiet everyone bashed him, now that he is saying it, we say "dont say it, do it". In this case i dont have a problem with him saying it as long as he follows thru on it. The problem with saying things is that the same people often dont "walk the walk". If TR can do that, we will be a better team. I sure hope he does.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

It won't matter what he does. He can bust his butt, all offseason, do everything right, and he can lead the Cowboys to an 8-0 start for the season and the moment they lost that ninth game and dropped to 8-1 he'd be blasted for not caring enough, for sucking, for being the biggest reason the Cowboys lose.

Heck the guy could (and I'm certainly not saying this will happen or anything) Dallas to a 12-4 record, 3-1 down the stretch, win a playoff game, or two, and the moment they lost a playoff game, or the Superbowl, people would immediately bring out their pitch forks again and say, "Oh well Tony chokes everytime. He can't win big games. He can't do this. He can't do that."

I hope he's able to continue to improve, and continue to help Dallas improve, but it will never be enough for some.

That said he certainly has things he needs to improve in individually. Learning to throw the ball away, learning to tuck that ball in tighter when he's having to scramble around so that it doesn't get stripped when someone comes from behind to slam him to the ground. Learning to take off and get the little 5-8 yards on the run, that are there, instead of waiting, and waiting, and waiting to try and make the big play and either throwing that dreadful pick so many complain about or taking that hit from behind that causes a fumble.

Plenty of room for him to grow, and learn, and get better. I personally believe he will. Time will tell I suppose.

 

[TheCount]

Generally i would agree with your post Count. However, with TR, when he was quiet everyone bashed him, now that he is saying it, we say "dont say it, do it". In this case i dont have a problem with him saying it as long as he follows thru on it. The problem with saying things is that the same people often dont "walk the walk". If TR can do that, we will be a better team. I sure hope he does.

I don't think people bashed him for being quiet, they bashed him for not accepting responsibility and acting like football was secondary to his enjoying being a millionaire moments after they just got their butts kicked on the field.

 

[superpunk]

Commence nit-picking of Romo's comments.

 

[Alexander]

Super. Problem solved.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Talk is cheap

Prove it on the field Tony

 

[Maikeru-sama]

I wonder why PFT and ESPN characterize Troy Aikman's comments as "stinging criticism" of Tony Romo? Troy Aikman's comments are far from that.

Tony Romo needs to stop feeding the monster and just leading by example.

He only adds fuel to the fire and validates the leaks when he says bland and stale statements like "Im going to be a better leader".

 

[Alexander]

Commence nit-picking of Romo's comments.

There is no point to it at this stage. I have no interest in his, or anyone's else's for that matter, comments about how they will "change".

My only hope is that eventually he and everyone else just quits talking about it and comes out with a legitimate chip on their shoulder. Saying the right thing and telling people what they want to hear gets very old, very quick. We seem to have developed a special skill for it over the years.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I wonder why PFT and ESPN characterize Troy Aikman's comments as "stinging criticism" of Tony Romo? Troy Aikman's comments are far from that.

Exactly. Heard Cowherd for about five minutes on the way to work, and he was using Troy's comments to bash Romo. Well, if you heard the entire Aikman interview, he was by far mostly positive on Romo save the part about Tony not caring about perception.

But, it's not surprising they'd pick that one part out and focus on it. People love to hate the Cowboys.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

His silence is deafening...wait, wrong catch phrase.

He will Rue the day...no wait.

Quit talking to the media...no not that.

Oh heck Never mind.

 

[Chief]

His silence is deafening...wait, wrong catch phrase.

He will Rue the day...no wait.

Quit talking to the media...no not that.

Oh heck Never mind.

If he's no good, why is he not available?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

If he's no good, why is he not available?

Ohhhh...nice one Mickey.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

The Cowboys remind me of that one IBM commercial, where the employees are all lying around on Yoga mats with towels over their eyes, then their boss walks in and asks "what are you doing?". One employee replies "we're ideating!". "Ideating?" asks the boss; "what are you ideating about?". The employee replies "We haven't ideated that yet"! Then the commercial kicks into IBM's slogan which is "STOP THINKING - START DOING!"

And that's where we are with this Cowboys team. I'm simply no longer interested in anything these players say because they've lost my trust because they have eroded their credibility; hence, their words hold no weight. To regain my trust they simply must build credibility again, and they can do that with actions and positive results on the field; not words - not any more!

 

[slogriff]

I appreciate Tony's admittance of needing to be a better leader of the team. In order to help him with that effort, is it time to get a new QB coach?

Wade Wilson (when did you last hear/read his name?) can take some credit for TRs development from a no-name, 3rd stringer to a Pro-Bowl, record-breaking QB. On the flip side, Wade would have to take some of the blame for not getting the importance of ball security drilled into his young QBs brain.

Maybe Tony needs a new voice that can bring something else to the table to improve his decision-making and leadership skills.

 

[DallasEast]

“I’m definitely going to take a more active approach with that as we move forward from last year to this season. I’ll be very excited to get back out there and be with the guys and figure out a way to improve and get better and do the things we need to do to win. Period.”

On the field
Take charge of your huddle. There is only one voice on offense: yours and yours alone.

In practice or meetings
The offensive coordinator has the only say-so for critiquing you. Discuss ways of improving the offense with the OC both publicly and privately. Remember: it's your offense. If a member of your offense has a problem with the passing scheme, make sure that the "suggestions" go through you before going to the OC. This is football. It's not a democracy. Act like you're living in it and nip any static from anyone else in the butt. Perception is as strong with fans as it is with your teammates.

Off the field
Be more discreet. That's a huge task for a celebrity, but it's doable if you simply try hard enough. Everyone deserves a life outside of work.

 

[irvin4evs]

Talk is cheap

Prove it on the field Tony

I find it extremely comical when people say this. As if voicing one's intentions has any effect on the likelihood that they follow through or provides any insight on the degree to which they intend to make said things happen.

People can talk as much as they want about whoever they want. They can come into a given game or stretch of games as cold or hot as possible. None of it matters.

Spare me the superstitions.

 

[Hoofbite]

So hes going to work on protecting the ball and be a better leader?

Thats a whole lot of work in one offseason.