Beyond the Boxscore
Tony Romo feels closer to God: Is the Tim Tebow act from the Cowboys' new dadfor real?
Almost lost amid Tim Tebow getting booed at a Yankees game, Robert Griffin III having his character questioned (in a most ridiculous matter) and the continuing drama over the New Orleans Saints' Bountygate is the fact that Tony Romo gave another one of those interviews that only Tony Romo can give.
One of those interviews where he makes quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys seem like it's the most noble and taxing job in the world. One of those interviews where he tries to make everyone wonder how it is that he manages to do all that he does.
In other words, Saint Romo is back.
And this time, he actually feels closer to God. That's right, the new dad and still big-win-light Romo is tapping into the Tebow sports craze as another season approaches. What's made him see the light? The birth of his first child — Hawkins Crawford Romo.
When you always seem to be trying to win some public relations war, when you're always spinning, spinning, spinning, it's hard to take anything that's said as completely authentic.
"It’s been fantastic," Romo said on ESPN Dallas' Ben and Skin Show. "You hear about it from you family and friends but until you experience it, you really can’t put into words how it makes you feel. It’s just one of those things that for me, you can just tell that there’s a God.
"It just really shows you all the complexities of it. There’s such a sense of responsibility that it just overwhelms you. It’s been a really, really great week. I’m one of those proud papas already."
It all sounds heartfelt enough. It's hard to get on a guy for waxing poetic on the birth of his first kid. Except that it's Romo. And everything with Romo comes off as a calculated.
When you always seem to be trying to win some public relations war, when you're always spinning, spinning, spinning, it's hard to take anything that's said as completely authentic. Tony Romo is the fakest player in professional football.
It's foolish to believe anything Romo says at face value. There always seems to be an agenda with this guy. This is a $67 million quarterback who makes not trying to qualify for the U.S. Open golf tournament grounds for some sort of medal of honor.
Ooh, look at Tony sacrifice for the team. He's not going to spend all his energy on golf this offseason!
Never mind that many NFL players — including some of the biggest golf nuts in sports — have managed to concentrate on their primary sport, their job, for years. Because Tony Romo finally does it at age 32, he's supposed to get back slaps and high fives all around. Romo loves to complain about how he's held to some higher standard as the Dallas Cowboys quarterback — and then congratulate himself for doing the bare minimum.
And now that Tebow — and to a lesser extent, New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin — have received praise for being outspoken about their Christian beliefs, Romo is suddenly talking about God much, much more than he ever did before.
Sure, Romo gave an interview to the Dallas Morning News in December 2011 where he "revealed" that he'd been saved his sophomore year at Eastern Illinois University. But he didn't exactly follow that up with an outspoken run on the pulpit. That only seems to be coming after Tebow cleared the way and made it cool.
Now, Romo is all about religion.
This is what Romo said when asked on the radio show how he hopes his two-week-old son ends up viewing him:
"I would like to think that my son is going to look at me as a father first. My objective with him is to be a great father, the spiritual leader of our family, a man that does things the right way and can teach him along the way."
Romo loves to complain about how he's held to some higher standard as the Dallas Cowboys quarterback — and then congratulate himself for doing the bare minimum.
Again, it sounds good. But with Romo, there's always going to be plenty of doubt on whether it's real.
Is Romo simply trying to latch onto Tebow mania, hoping he can buy himself yet more time by appealing to a new audience? Sorry, but I can't help but wonder.
With Romo, believing is anything but black and white. This is the guy who throws his arms up in the air and looks as pained as Jessica Simpson faced with a can of tuna whenever one of his passes falls incomplete. So that everyone knows it's obviously the receiver's fault. It couldn't be Tony after all.
Just blame that scant one playoff win in his tenure on Dez Bryant. Or Felix Jones. Or the Cowboys cornerbacks. Or Jerry Jones.
Don't you know that I played with fractured ribs?!
Romo always has an angle. He's the best in the league at making himself look better. When you have that history, an attempt to go Tebow should be met with a healthy sense of skepticism.
Who knows what's real with this guy.