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Wednesday, December 19, 2007 11:12 PM CST
Romo passes $100,000 to Eastern
Despite off game, Romo's rating still second to only Brady
By BRIAN NIELSEN Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
Unprecedented free publicity and proceeds from Eastern Illinois Romo 17 jerseys were not enough.
Tony Romo has also donated $100,000 to the university where he played quarterback in obscurity compared to these days as a Dallas Cowboy star football player and subject of countless gossip magazines and Web sites.
Eastern Illinois Associate Athletics Director John Smith said this was the largest one-time donation he has received in his 11 years working with the athletics development.
“What was really neat about it was even though Tony is making his living through athletics, he is giving a portion of it to communications studies, which shows he is interested in the entire university,” Smith said. “We are just appreciative and it’s neat to see how he remembers us.”
Someday Romo will probably draw back on some things he learned in communications studies if he chooses to go into color commentating after his playing days. Or maybe he uses those skills learned already for his entertaining interviews and commercials.
For now, he is a NFL Pro Bowler.
Last year making the Pro Bowl was big news as he took over as the Dallas Cowboys starter midway through the season and had early success.
This year by midseason we assumed the Dallas Cowboys quarterback would be selected.
After all, Romo has the NFL’s second best quarterback rating of 107.7 behind Tom Brady of the New England Patriots with a 123.5.
This high quarterback ranking remains despite the past Sunday’s worst statistical game in his pro career when he was 13-for-36 passing for 214 yards with three interceptions in Dallas’ 10-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
While Romo’s word is good, thankfully Smith received the handshake and EIU donation from the school’s biggest star before Sunday’s game.
Afterward Romo’s thumb was not in shape for handshakes.
“Boy, he did hurt his thumb,” Smith said. “They did an MRI on it immediately after the game. I talked to his dad (Wednesday) and his dad said he is doing OK. Of course you’re never going to hear Tony make excuses but yeah, it was bothering him.”
Google Web sites and you will find more items on Romo’s dates than you do his 35 touchdown passes this season.
Singer actress Jessica Simpson, who was wearing a pink No. 9 that is Romo’s jersey number as a Cowboy, is being blamed for his off game the past Sunday.
Terrell Owens has been one of the most vocal in that regard leading me to wonder what woman we should blame when TO drops some of Tony’s passes.
But anyway, we find that maybe Jessica is getting a bum rap.
Turns out Smith has been to Dallas for two regular season games - the past Sunday’s disaster and last year when Romo and the Cowboys lost to the New Orleans Saints coached by another former EIU quarterback Sean Payton.
Romo has had all kinds of great games on his way to instant NFL stardom. What are the odds that Smith has attended the two duds?
“They shouldn’t blame Jessica Simpson,” Eastern’s associate AD said. “They should blame me for being there.”
I doubt that the gossip Web sites pick up on that. Television cameras with any taste are not going to show Smith as often as they do Jessica.
Brian Nielsen is sports editor of the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier. Contact Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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Poster51 wrote on Dec 19, 2007 5:05 PM: