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Friday, October 16, 2009 10:32 PM CDT
Our View: Romo's success adds buzz to EIU homecoming
Tony Romo likely will notice at least two changes from his playing days at Eastern Illinois University when he enters O’Brien Stadium today as part of the Class of 2009 of EIU athletics Hall of Fame inductees.
When he walks into the football office area underneath the stadium, he’ll see a lot of Tony Romo pictures on the walls. Anyone who enters the office quickly realizes the Dallas Cowboys’ starting quarterback once threw touchdown passes for the EIU Panthers .
The new video scoreboard is another can’t-miss addition to the EIU football scene, and no doubt Romo and fellow inductees Henry Domercant, Sean Lyons, Don Neece and Ed Corley will get their share of time on the scoreboard.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the quality Eastern football program headed by veteran coach Bob Spoo competing and playing at a high level in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Romo’s return this weekend is possible because the Cowboys have a bye week, and players get some time off in the middle of the National Football League season. It’s great timing for Eastern to host Romo, both so he can be present for the induction and because it’s Homecoming weekend at Eastern.
Measuring the impact of Romo’s success on Eastern and its athletic program is difficult. You can put an amount on the dollars that Romo’s contributed to athletic and academic programs. But certainly Romo’s benefits go well beyond that, as the added excitement around his presence at the game today shows.
Eastern Illinois gets its share of mentions when Romo is playing for the Cowboys. That free publicity is valuable, whether Romo’s being praised for a touchdown pass, or criticized for an interception.
The school uses Romo in its marketing, including the way football offices are decorated. Programs need to promote their value to current and prospective players, and now is prime time to be affiliated with Romo.
Staff members talk about first-hand experiences with Romo when they’re talking to recruits. Those and other in tangibles are hard to measure, but no doubt help an already successful football program, as well as the rest of the university.
Romo enters the Hall of Fame with four other worthy honorees. In other years, basketball star Henry Domercant would be getting the biggest headlines as a Hall of Fame inductee as he gave Panthers fans many pleasant memories during his playing days in Lantz Arena.
Joining Romo and Domercant are baseball standout Sean Lyons, former NAIA wrestling champion Don Neece and retired economics Professor Ed Corley, who certainly has been and is a friend of EIU athletics.
Our congratulations to all the recipients.
JG/T-C Editorial Board
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Becky wrote on Oct 19, 2009 1:38 PM: