The Quarterback Spin
No Cowboys sacrifice: Tony Romo's U.S. Open withdrawal was just another chokejob
Tony Romo didn't give up his U.S. Open golf dream for football. He's alreadylost it.
Whether it's football or golf, his job or his passion, Tony Romo finds a way tolose in the very end.
It's about time someone told the truth about what really happened to Tony Romo at the Woodlands this week.
The Dallas Cowboys quarterback drew mad praise for putting team above self when he withdrew from the U.S. Open qualifier in Houston's shadow to attend an organized team activity workout session back in Jerry Jones world.
Many commentators are raving about how the move shows that Romo is finally grown up. It's being touted as the next step for the guy who went to Cabo with Jessica Simpson the week before a playoff game.
Only, it wasn't any sacrifice.
What's been lost in the story is that Romo had already blown any chance of making the U.S. Open field on a wet day at Carlton Woods Country Club.
Only the top two finishers at the 36-hole qualifier advance to Pebble Beach, only the best two get to experience the next Tiger Woods circus — and Tony Romo had as much a chance of making the top two as a Miss USA contestant has of winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Sure, Romo posted a 71 in his first round that put him in a tie for 10th. But by the time weather halted play in the second round, sport's greatest choker had blown that success.
I made it to the Woodlands in time to see Romo go quadruple bogey, bogey, triple bogey, shot into the water to the start his second 18.
The Cowboys OTA the next day didn't force Romo to lose out on a U.S. Open chance. It simply allowed him to avoid embarrassment.
Dallas coach Wade Phillips had already said that Romo could miss one of these early stripped-down practices for golf.
Still, Romo disingenuously tried (and largely succeeded) in spinning the story another way.
"My dream is to win the Super Bowl," Romo said, making it seem like he was putting football before golf — rather than humiliation. By withdrawing, Romo saved himself from having a sure-to-be horrific second round score become a matter of record.
Look, Romo is one of the good guys in pro sports. A friend of mine runs the PR for the athlete-beloved Tahoe celebrity golf tournament and he always raves about Romo's low-key, everyman demeanor. I witnessed Romo patiently sign for the fans who treked out to the Woodlands.
None of this changes the fact that Romo is also this era's greatest choke artist. It doesn't matter if he's holding an extra point, playing an underdog Giants team in the playoffs when the Cowboys are the NFC Super Bowl favorite or trying to finish a golf tournament, Tony finds a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. That's what he is all about.
Nothing changed in Romo's Woodlands adventure. He did what he always does — stumbled when the goal came into view.
Relive Romo's moment of truth:
