Talkin' Tony Romo

Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo is a never-ending source of commentary. I guess it's true, if you're the QB for the Cowboys, you're going to get talked about. So it is as we find a few commentaries on Romo recently.

To start with, in the player's rankings of the Top 100 Players of 2011 (via the NFL Network), Romo comes in at #72. This immediately produced much debate. The problem, how can you really grade Romo in 2011 since he missed over half the season? He probably should have been left off the list if it was just for 2011, but then that would have sparked just as much debate. You can read what the NFL Network guys had to say about Romo here. For the most part, no one doubts Romo is a Top-100 player in the NFL, the only debate is does he belong on a list exclusively for 2011.

More...

By the way, Jay Ratliff came in at #75, sparking this commentary.

Ratliff’s ranking seems about right. The best part of his segment was the narrative provided by New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin. He bragged on Ratliff’s ability and work ethic, but also how the nose tackle seems to bring the best out of teammates. That’s not been talked about a lot with Ratliff, but Coughlin must see that when they play twice a year.

Speaking of bringing the best of out of teammates, Romo is trying to do that with the workouts he organized. His coach is pleased.

"A comment that I made to somebody recently is I think a lot of good things happen when players work together by themselves when coaches aren’t around," Garrett said. "And for years, that’s happened on the practice field for 10 minutes after you finish practice a couple guys get together sand say, ‘Hey, will you work with me on this? Let’s work together on this.’ And I think that’s where you can grow individually and as a group."

A former Cowboys QB, a guy who might know about such stuff, concurs. Roger Staubach:

"We did the same thing in '74," Staubach said. "We went out and worked out together and practiced together and went out to the fields. So Tony's a great quarterback and he's a leader on offense, and we've got DeMarcus (Ware) and Bradie (James) and a lot of guys on defense. So they're taking over, and that could be really good for the team, actually, to have that little camaraderie, working out together. I'm glad to see them doing it. That's what they should be doing."

As for Romo, Staubach is fully backing #9.

"Our quarterback is not our problem in Dallas. We've got a Super Bowl quarterback...I really believe that the league is so close in parity...and Dallas is the kind of team with Jason [Garrett] that they can be right there in the thick of it this year...And they have the quarterback that can do it."

"I don't understand [the criticisms]," Staubach said Monday at the Pat Summerall Humble Beginnings Award luncheon. "He is a fierce competitor. He works out. He's with his team during the season. He's one heckuva football player. I think he has been a leader. Leaders -- you mature as you get experience yourself at that position. But the players like him. And look what he's done. He's accomplished a lot."

He has accomplished a lot. But only one thing will truly satisfy Cowboys fans - that's a Lombardi.