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Get Dallas Cowboys news on your cellMcNabb welcomes Romo into rich QB club with warning
11:48 AM Sat, Nov 03, 2007 | Permalink
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February 2008
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Movers and Shakers Pre-season Texas Stadium dallasnews.com
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 AP Donovan McNabb, who signed a 12-year, $115 million contract in 2002, said during his conference call with Dallas reporters that he was "excited" for Tony Romo. Unlike McNabb, Romo might actually get every dollar of his six-year, $67 million deal inked this week. "I felt he probably should have gotten it earlier in the off-season, but as you can see, it didn’t bother him," McNabb said. "He continued to stay focused. He's excited to be now looked upon as the franchise guy." But McNabb wasn't all warm and fuzzy when asked about Romo's new deal. He wanted to offer his fellow franchise QB a warning. "One thing that he'll begin to find out is people who were some of your closest friends and tight friends, they'll begin to fade away from him," McNabb said. "I guess they'll be upset that you've got all that money and they weren’t able to get their money." If McNabb is referring to Romo's teammates, I think he's off the mark. As best buddy Jason Witten said this week, Romo is the one guy can get a monster deal without making anybody jealous. He's earned respect by working his way from a undrafted roster long shot to franchise QB, and he can relate to everybody in the locker room, from the rookies clinging to a roster spot to a household name like T.O. Romo has plenty of swagger, but he doesn't have the same kind of ego as McNabb. Romo wants to be a leader while remaining one of the guys. McNabb expects to be The Man. One has an our team approach; the other a my team approach. And then there's the major difference between Dallas and Philly ownership. The Eagles are known for not paying veterans who have produced, instead replacing them with young players. Jerry has proven over and over that he'll take care of Cowboys who outperform their contracts. Considering the Eagles' success over the last six years and Dallas' playoff win drought, you can certainly make a case that Philly's way works better. But the Eagles had a franchise QB all along while the Cowboys finally found one after years of searching. And the gut feeling here is that Romo is better suited to handle that role than McNabb, at least in the locker room. |
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Comments
Posted by rvljv82 @ 12:41 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
Tony is just a down to earth kid of guy. Tony does not need or want all the attention he is getting. He a cowboy, your always going to be in the shot light. Why do you think T.O. happy here.
Posted by raff hollister @ 12:41 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
I agree with most of what you are saying Tim, But McNabb has his point.
The other 52 guys on the cowboy team are human after all, and some will be jealous.
But if they can put up with what Roy Williams is making, relative to his "contribution", then certainly they can allow their franchise QB to be paid well.
Posted by Brian M., Atlanta @ 12:42 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
TMac makes the perfect point, the "franchise QB", the Eagles have had theirs during their wonderful playoff run, the 'Boys, well obviously we've just found ours.
Now, whether or not our franchise QB begins to lead his, yes it is and always will be the QB's team, team to their playoff streak beginning this season will be determined in the next three weeks of play. Yes, as TMac says, Romo is my preferred 'leader' as he chooses to lead first and foremost by example, then when he succeeds he first credits his team, and his every action says "not me, but US". McNabb could not be further from that example, and is on the other end of the 'leader' spectrum. But all that said, Romo's franchise label will either be validated the next three weeks beginning with tomorrow night's game, or we'll begin the discussion of "...is he really the guy?". Win these next three games, his franchise label is assuredly validated, heck win two of the three and validation is still there, but lose two of three or shutter to think all three and not only are we in peril of the season slipping through our once controlled grasp, but yes we then begin the discussions of, "...is he the guy".
Posted by Brian M., Atlanta @ 12:46 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
raff, I love it! You could not have found a better example on this current roster, the MOST overpaid player on this Cowboys club, none other than 'Biscuit' himself.
Posted by raff hollister @ 12:52 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
Brian,
I am betting on 2 of 3.
Logic says if you play 3 teams that your are better than, you should win all three,BUT, two
are on the road and as we all know, the best team, due to turnovers, mistakes, penalties, bad officiating, and just plain bad breaks, does not always win.
If the boys come out of this three game stretch 8-2, the East belongs to the boys. 9-1 would be great but lets be realistic here. Any given Sunday.
Posted by Brian M., Atlanta @ 1:03 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
I tend to agree, 2 of 3, because as you say it is the logical choice. But I cannot decide which 2 I want.
I'd HATE to lose tomorrow night to the stinking, hated, disgusting, Eagles, but...are any of you as sick as I am about hearing the media just vomit "the Giants are the hottest and maybe the best team in the NFC". That said, IF I had to choose, swallow the hard loss tomorrow night, beat the stinking Giants on their field to sweep the season series, then of course ALWAYS beat the 'Skins. Then we can come back and destroy the Eagles on our home field later.
Of course, I want 3 of 3 in the "W" column, it can happen, but yes logically 2 of 3 is what we should all expect from a good team, getting better, and hopefully gearing for a long playoff run.
P.S. Just think, we get Tank in there next week, don't underestimate what he will do for this D. Remember, when the Bears had him they were dominate, then without him they were still very good, but not dominate. Pressure up the middle is a destructive force. With Tank and a now rested Rattlif, this D can now become dominate because their pressure up the middle will overshadow our still shaky secondary.
Posted by Brian M., Atlanta @ 1:06 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
I guess that would be "dominant", sorry for the grammar miscue, my editor has been fired and I'll have a replacement soon.
Posted by Jackson @ 1:41 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
I think McNabb is confused. His closest friends are jealous of his Campbell soup commercials, and not his millions of dollars. As long as Romo doesn't eat the soup, he should be fine.
Posted by Chris @ 1:54 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
Well, most teams that win has a franchise QB. Most franchise QB's make more than the other players. It's just like the "ace" picher in baseball or the center in basketball. It is understood by players that certain positions will attract the highest payout. The quarterback,with or without, the big payout takes the most blame when things go badly and gets the credit when things go well. It seems to me that Donovan McNabb is bitter for a lot of things and he is trying to place a "poison pill" in Romo's mind. For example, he stated that he felt it should have been done earlier.
Donovan...try not to throw up in the huddle!!
Posted by raff hollister @ 2:34 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
Brian, you are right, I have to think Tank coming in will make a lot of difference.
As a matter of fact, and this is why it is so important to come out with 2 wins at least in the next 3 games, barring further injuries,
1. You get Tank in the flow
2. We finally get our two starting CB's back with
Reeves coming in on passing downs and Nate
Jones off the field hopefully
3. Phillips can unleash a three-headed monster
in Ware, Ellis, AND Spencer.
This team can only get better and hopefully peak at just the right time. I still say they can play with the colts or patriots by the time the superbowl comes around. In spite of the final score, they were not that far away from the patriots a few weeks ago.
Posted by Jayman @ 3:17 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
I honestly think the Eagles would have been a top team for the past several years even wothout McNabb.
Reid and ownership have a system that has worked and has proven to produce lesser know athletes that can be solid performers.
Even Garcia excelled in the West Coast and that defense has had such a turnover that there is little you can point to, other than Johnson, as the reason they've been so solid for so long.
I like what the Eagles have done from a strictly management point of view. Also, look at their free agent signings. Not exactly tearing the roof off are they? They draft well.
Posted by Jeff @ 3:41 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
I'm not worried about this money having a negative impact on Romo...
He's gonna be the fun-loving kid from Burlington, WI who just wants to play football whether he's making 67 million dollars or 67 dollars...and because of that, I don't think his teammates will take the time to think much about what he's making...
Besides, if he gets them a ring, they may end up making more money themselves thanks to him...
Maybe McNabb was referring to his friends away from football...I don't see that as an issue either...Romo seems like the kind of guy who'll pick up the tab any/every time (within reason) because he has the means to do it...
Posted by Vox Veritas @ 4:27 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
McNabb = whiner. They faded away because your head got as big as your contract, fool. Besides, Lurie is a notorious cheapskate. Jones will pay a player if he's worth it, and if he's not then he'll let him hit the road. See Larry Allen. How many people want him back now that he's getting QBs killed in SF?
Posted by raff hollister @ 5:20 PM Sat, Nov 03, 2007
You are right about Larry Allen Vox Veritas and I have a feeling we are going to see that again with Flozell Adams.
I supported the move in letting allen go, but i have mixed emotions on Adams. He is a left tackle, and he is younger than Allen was, but I am afraid he is going to command a salary much too large to sign a guy his age and with his propencity to get penalties, especially with some young guys in the wings. We will see.
Posted by Mike @ 12:55 AM Sun, Nov 04, 2007
"And then when they find out you're black it's all over..."