Tony Romo has said goodbye to playing pro football for the Dallas Cowboys and is all set to join the high-paying (in his case, anyway) fraternity of on-air pigskin commentators.
He leaves Big D as the top passer in Cowboys’ history and if my memory serves correctly, with the most games missed due to injury as any man under in team history. I must give him a hats-off shout out for knowing when the time was right to move on. His entire career was one of hard work, perseverance and class. Now, as Tony Romo heads off to mike side, along with Jim Nantz, to make up the top on-air twosome at CBS, here’s some advice from a guy who’s put in over 46 years of calling high school games, with five college contests thrown in for good measure.
Let’s call it the five things Tony Romo needs to keep in mind when the microphone is live:
5) Remember, Tony, you’re on CBS, which carries the American Football Conference, so chances are you’ll be in the booth for a New England game. Don’t ever say anything that could conceivably make head coach Bill Belichick mad, or you might get stuck with some of his interview responses like, “we’ll see,” “yes”, “no” or “don’t ask me.”
4) Be prepared. Do your best to know who’s who on each team and what position they play, know the numbers as best you can. That way you won’t say so-and-so gained 15 yards, when it was somebody else, something I have often been guilty of.
3) Take advantage of the many resources you’ll have to gather up information during game week. You’ll have people to give you stats, tidbits like what was the name of Ben Roethlisberger’s first dog... filler stuff. Unlike those of us at our level, you’ll most likely find out early who the starters for each side will be, but be ready for curveballs. Bone up. You can’t go wrong.
2) Stay away from controversy. I know you’re at a level where it’s more acceptable for an analyst to carp on stuff that moves him or her, but I’ve learned through experience that you’re always going to wind up making somebody mad. Been there, done that, but I still have my job, for which I’m thankful.
1) If you’re assigned a Cowboys game, don’t let your feelings come to the top about Dak, or Jason, or Jerry, unless they’re positive.
Oh, one more… a piece of advice I got many years ago from Bulldawg head coach Jack Welch, ‘Have fun and just call the game.’
Good luck, brother!
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