Wednesday's scouting report on Tony Romo describes a quarterback throwing the ball with velocity and accuracy. The Dallas Cowboys starter looks comfortable in his own skin. Ready, at last, to lead this team where Jerry Jones says it belongs.
Sounds good, right? Manifest destiny time in Big D.
Well, there's a counter argument that suggests the Cowboys are on the edge. A roster running out of time. Jones himself has hinted at a closing window, but Romo, at age 32, doesn't buy it:
"It's not closing," Romo told ESPNDallas.com on Wednesday. "I think there's a sense of urgency every year that you play, whether it's your first year in the league or your 22nd. You never know when all that stuff is going to happen, so you just play every year as if it's an urgent day. Forget about thinking about the end of the year or two months away. You've got to get better today. Whether you're a rookie or an 11-year veteran around here, you've got to do that same approach."
Romo's response is perfectly acceptable. How did we expect him to answer the question? Players come and go. The window is always closing.
It wasn't so long ago that television cameras followed a younger Tony Romo onto the field as he took over for an aging Drew Bledsoe. In the grand scheme of things, it won't be so long before Romo is removed from the equation.
He will write his own story but make no mistake: Romo feels the heat of time. He understands the legacy. And senses the great ghost.
